eBay headed toward $110 billion in sales by 2015
eBay started off as something small, but has grown into something incredibly powerful and profitable. So much so that the Internet auction site is estimated that their total volume of merchandise sold will reach $110 billion by 2015.
The Internet auction site also sees a very large portion of their growth from developing markets, which will see a nice injection of both consumers and profits in the coming years. Bloomberg have noted that they estimate eBay to pull in between $21.5 billion and $23.5 billion in the year 2015 with their current business model.
eBay's continued success is thanks to current CEO John Donahue, who pushed for new features like mobile applications and local shopping tools. These goals have seen eBay's shares surge 75% since he took over from Meg Whitman in 2008. Just last year, eBay's sales grew 21%.
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Unreal Engine 4 will not work on the Nintendo Wii U, joins the club with Frostbite 3
We showed you some of those gorgeous graphics that Epic Games' Unreal Engine 4 is capable of, but it looks like the next-generation graphics engine won't be working with Nintendo's Wii U console. Even with Epic Games themselves saying that UE4 is super scalable, so much so that it can be scaled from next-gen consoles like the PlayStation 4, all the way down to mobile devices and web browsers.
Epic co-founder Mark Rein was asked if UE4 can be scaled down to the Nintendo Wii U, where he said:
Ha-ha, no. I mean, sorry, it's not really a correct answer. We're not... we have Unreal Engine 3 for the Wii U. Right? And Unreal Engine 3 is powering all kinds of amazing games, still lots of games are being made with Unreal Engine 3.
We announced today about a new Unreal Engine 3 license. Unreal Engine 3 doesn't disappear because of Unreal Engine 4. But our goal for Unreal Engine 4 console-wise is next-gen consoles. That's really what our energies are focused on. If you want to make a Wii U game, we have Unreal Engine 3, and it's powering some of the best games on the Wii U already.
So it looks like Nintendo's Wii U, which is their 'next-gen' console, won't be enjoying the graphical wonder of Unreal Engine 4. The fun continues to fade with Wii U owners not receiving the ultra-slick Frostbite 3 engine from EA and DICE, which powers Battlefield 4.
Nintendo are really going to sink because of this, with so many gamers jumping to competing next-gen consoles if they can't buy their favorite franchises on their Wii U.
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StarCraft II can be played with your eyes thanks to Tobii's technology
StarCraft II is a game of some serious mouse clicking, but what if there was a way that you could play the games by just moving your eyeballs and pressing a single button? Well, Tobii has some very cool eye-tracking system that uses an infrared tracking camera and an infrared illuminator to pinpoint the precise location of your pupils.
Dvice are the ones behind the report, where they've said:
The thing to remember here is that all of these actions are entirely independent of the location of the mouse cursor. Effectively, you're getting a second cursor, controlled by wherever you look, to use at the same time as the mouse. For example, you can target a Psi Storm with your eyes while simultaneously using your mouse to select and move your High Templar to safety. And as Fredrik points out, when you move around the map with your gaze, your mouse never has to leave your units and your fingers never have to leave your hotkeys.
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RumorTT: We could see a Facebook phone revealed on April 4, powered by Android
It looks like the Facebook rumors won't die, and are stronger than ever with the social network inviting the press to an event at the Facebook HQ on April 4th, to "Come See Our New Home On Android."
It looks like the Facebook phone would run a modified version of Android, and may be built by HTC. If the April 4 event does see a Facebook phone unveiled, it'll be an interesting future for Google. Google allow manufacturers to modify the stock look and feel of Android, but the rumors with the Facebook phone are looking to have the Facebook phone see a huge change in the look and feel of Android - which we should expect.
Facebook have a slew of features and apps that they could bake directly into their phone, which would essentially just be a basic Android handset, powered by Facebook. Then we have to wonder about Facebook's App Center, which links to both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Then we have to think deeper again, with carriers' opinions on a Facebook phone. I'm guessing we'd see Facebook heavily, heavily subsidize this bad boy, and sell it online and unlocked, ala Google's Nexus 4.
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RumorTT: Apple working on gaming hardware for iOS devices
Apple have hundreds of millions of users on iOS devices, and a large portion of those users play games on their iOS devices. Rumors have been circling around that Apple had been walking the halls of the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco last week, pitching the idea of iOS controllers to various developers.
The company were even rumored to have a space reserved at GDC to talk to developers, which was under a different name so that no one picked up on it. A 2008 patent application for a dock points toward attaching physical controllers and other hardware features for iOS devices, so it could just be a matter of time before we see an iController, or iJoystick.
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Aladdin (1992) Blu-ray Movie Review
Aladdin, Disney's 1992 hit, sits squarely in the middle of a period known as the 'Disney renaissance'; a time when the company returned from a creative malaise with a strong suite of animated films, which encompasses The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. The last decade and a half has not been so kind to the company, but the films of the Disney renaissance stand alone - continuing to enthrall the same audience that grew up with these films and their introduction to the next generation. I recently had the chance to catch Aladdin and was really gratified to see an audience split rather evenly between children and adults. It was clear that all enjoyed seeing the film again, whether it be again - or for the first time.
Jafar (voice of Jonathan Freeman), adviser to the Sultan of Agrabah is desperately seeking a mysterious oil lamp and frustrated by his attempts to procure it, seeks the assistance of Aladdin (voice of Scott Weinger), a young 'street rat' and his monkey Abu, in order to retrieve it. When Jafar double crosses Aladdin, trapping Aladdin in a collapsed cave, the true nature of the lamp is revealed when Aladdin accidentally rubs it. The Genie (voice of Robin Williams) which emanates grants him three, near unconditional wishes. Soon his wildest dreams are coming true, but such power does not have consequences, nor will Jafar forget his quest so easily.
Animated with a more whimsical style, and punctuated by numerous toe-tapping songs, Aladdin breezes along with panache and style that doesn't constrict itself to a young audience. Many single out the strength of William's vocal performance as the key to the film (which earned him a Picasso as well as a substantial fee), the truth is that sometimes lightning does strike twice. Or in the case of the Disney renaissance, four times.
Video
Aladdin is presented in the aspect ratio of 1.78:1, a slight deviation from the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.66:1, encoded with AVC MPEG-4 compression.
Disney has a great reputation for looking after the prize jewels of their collection and I'm happy to report that Aladdin is no different, granting the film a near flawless presentation - a diamond that is far from rough.
The animation style, with clearly delineated edges and thick strokes is presented well, with vibrant and heavily contrasted tones. A generous bitrate along with a short run time means that there is nary a video artifact to be found, along with a complete absence of film artifacts - the film having received a digital overhaul prior to the DVD release in 2004. Having been animated with the digital CAPS system has also assisted the pristine quality of the original elements.
The only digital aberration I noticed is actually inherent in the film itself; a horribly pixilated wall during the escape from the Cave of Wonders sequence. This has been obvious before, but the added resolution on Blu-ray makes it even more noticeable.
Overall, a pretty amazing transfer that lived up to my very high expectations - no mean feat, I assure you.
Audio
Aladdin is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, at 24 bits.
Whilst the previous DVD release featured two 5.1 audio tracks; the rather limp original six channel mix from the film's theatrical release, along with a Disney Home Theater enhanced track which featured a more aggressive 5.1 mix. The Blu-ray release has eschewed the original mix which may upset purists, but most viewers will be completely unawares.
The films dialogue is unsurprisingly presented well, although some may struggle to keep up with Robin William's fast talking wisecracks. Audio sync is about as good as expected from animation.
The surrounds are used rather aggressively, with significant action in the rear, which places the viewer smack in the middle. There is a lot of ambience, especially in sequences such as the marketplace. The subwoofer is frequently called upon to add emphasis throughout.
The highlight of the soundtrack for many will be the immensely memorable songs, composed by Alan Menken and lyricist Tim Rice for which the film won an Academy Award, along with the signature track "A Whole New World", which also won an Academy Award for best song.
Extras
In isolation, Aladdin features a solid collection of extra features, however sadly Disney have not included the complete suite of extra features from the 2004 Diamond Edition two disc DVD. Dropped from this Blu-ray is an audio commentary, a subtitle fact tract and numerous featurettes - a truly disappointing decision that means that fans will have to seek out, or retain the old DVD to get the whole story. Still, let's take a look at what we did get.
The Audio Commentary featuring Directors John Musker, Ron Clements and co-producer Amy Pell is a worthwhile investment for animation fans and historians. At a decade old, the track doesn't benefit from recent movements in the industry, but it is an interesting and informative track full of trivia and other tidbits.
The centerpiece of the supplements is the 90 minute long A Diamond In The Rough: The Making of Aladdin Documentary, which although missing some 10 minutes from the previous DVD release, is still a worthy, if somewhat disjointed entry, which reveals a significant amount of production detail. The highlight for me is the footage of the voice artists at work in the recording booths, but sadly this is one of the rarest insights in the entire feature.
Next up are a collection of two Deleted Scenes and four Deleted Songs, the most interesting which relate to the wisely excised character of Aladdin's mother, the inclusion of which would fundamentally have changed the story. None of these are fully animated and are presented in rough storyboard format.
Finally, we have three music videos, including the most important; the original 1991 music clip to 'A Whole New World', by Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle. The other contributions, by Jessica Simpson with Nick Lachey and American Idol winner Clay Aiken aren't much to get excited about.
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Scanners (1981) Blu-ray Movie Review
Despite no longer commanding attentions as he did in the rough and tumble decade of the 1980's, David Cronenberg retains the mantel as one of Hollywood's most interesting directors, helming horror classics with an intelligent twist such as The Brood, The Fly and The Dead Zone. In between these films however, Cronenberg filmed a low budget offering called (somewhat mysteriously) Scanners.
The titular Scanners are humans who, due to a genetic abnormality, possess telepathic abilities and the power to physically harm through exploding the blood vessels of their targets, the climax of which is death. Most scanners, such as Cameron Vale (Stephen Lack) are either oblivious to, or choose to hide their abilities, while others such as Daryl Revok (Michael Ironside) are attempting to utilize their superiority for personal gain and domination over the 'normals'. Ultimately, Vale will be drafted to take the Revok scanners on, before their worldwide plans can be rolled out.
With the film spawned two sequels of diminishing returns (neither of which involved David Cronenberg), Hollywood has dabbled with plans to reboot the series, with no success thus far. But the original, now over thirty years old, has aged relatively well and retains the ability to surprise and enthrall.
Video
Scanners is presented in the film's original aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with AVC MPEG-4 compression.
Whilst it's clear that this transfer does originate from aged elements, it rarely disappoints and in many ways exceeded expectations. The image, with solid telecine stability is strikingly improved from previous DVD transfers, with strong color and a level of sharpness that reveals newfound details. The utilized print is in good shape, with very few film artifacts nor other imperfections to be found.
Grain is at times thick and clumpy, with no obvious attempts to digitally reduce. Some may applaud or deride this decision, but I'm in the former camp.
Overall, the niche cult nature of the film means that Scanners was never going to justify a costly new A+ grade transfer, but fans will be hard pressed to be disappointed at the image here.
Audio
Scanners is presented in DTS HD MA 5.1 at 24 bits.
Unfortunately, I'm not as enthralled with the audio transfer provided, which comes with all the ferocity and fidelity of a pro-logic mix.
First the good - I didn't notice any audio sync issues and despite some fuzziness around some dialogue (telltale signs of dialing the audio a little too high), dialogue is acceptable. Despite some restrained frequencies, sound effects and foley are as good as expected for a film of such vintage.
Sadly, it's clear the film hasn't received much loved in overhauling the sound design from its stereo origins. There's precious little in the way of directional effects and although there is some representation, especially from leakage from the films score, this really isn't an impressive surround mix.
Ultimately, the Blu-ray debut of Scanners features a middle of the road mix, which probably accurately reflects the original sound mix and little more.
Extras
The previous Australian DVD release of Scanners from Universal Pictures was utterly devoid of any features, so I'm pleased that Shock, the independent Australian distributor has managed to rustle up a few worthwhile extras here. Solely on this point, fans will be wise to pick up this release. Let's take a look.
First up is the one hour long The Directors: The Films of David Cronenberg documentary, which although not solely focused on Scanners, takes a wider view of the prolific filmmaker. The 1999 documentary; a production of the American Film's Institute, interviews a significant amount of writers and actors who have both starred in and been inspired by the director.
Next is the nine minute Inside Scan: Scanners featurette, hosted by U.K. film critic and horror writer Alan Jones, is as the name suggests, wholly concerned with the film. Obviously for such a short duration, precious little can be investigated in any length, but the featurette does reveal a few interesting trivia tidbits on the film's production.
Finally, we have the Original Theatrical Trailer in standard definition. Marketing sure has come a long way since then.
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OCZ Vertex 3 .20 120GB SSD Review
Introduction
At Computex 2012 we took over the LSI suite to get an early taste of 19nm Toshiba Toggle flash and 20nm IMFT flash from Intel and Micron. At the time, we stated that 19nm looked a little better, but every major component was an early sample. We've had a handful of early samples with both 19nm and 20nm, but today we finally have two comparable retail products in to put side by side.
Last month we tested the Kingston V300 120GB with new Toshiba 19nm and just yesterday we published the new OCZ Vertex 3.20 240GB review. Comparing these two products wouldn't be fair since the capacity sizes don't line up, but now that we have a 120GB Vertex 3.20 with 20nm NAND, we can finally get this article on TweakTown.
At the same time, we'll take a deep look at the new OCZ Vertex 3.20 120GB. OCZ is moving the Vertex brand to the mainstream market, an area formally owned by Agility. We've heard from several companies that our dream is finally coming true, asynchronous NAND is out, synchronous NAND will also go into mainstream SSDs.
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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost Video Card Overclocked
Introduction
Earlier we got a chance to look at the new NVIDIA GTX 650 Ti Boost and now we've got the card back again in the testbed where we take the time to overclock the new model to see just what kind of performance we're able to get out of it.
Because we've already had a look at the card in detail, we'll simply just be getting into the overclocking side of things. We'll be overclocking today via our faithful MSI Afterburner program.
We'll get straight into the overclocking side of things below and see just what kind of performance increase we managed to get when compared to the reference clock speeds. Once we've done that we'll move into our testbed, talk about the cards that you'll see in our graphs today and then get stuck straight into the performance side of things to see just what we are able to get out of the new video card from NVIDIA.
Overclocking
Out of the box the reference GTX 650 Ti Boost comes with a clock speed of 980MHz on the core and 6008MHz QDR on the 2GB of GDDR5 memory. Firing up MSI Afterburner we intend to find out just how much extra performance we're able to get.
Looking above you can see the core has been bumped from 980MHz to a very solid 1100MHz. As for the 2GB of GDDR5 that's been pushed from the default 6008MHz QDR to a strong 6772MHz QDR.
These are some nice gains and should bring strong increases in performance.
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ADATA DashDrive HV610 External Hard Drive Review
If we look back to late 2012; August to be more precise, you may remember a press release from ADATA where they announced or rather launched the DashDrive HV610. Sporting a unique puzzle piece design, this new drive was set up with USB 3.0 connectivity with a slide-out "smart cover". This smart cover as ADATA calls it would snap into place on the external drive giving you an easy and convenient option for storing the USB cable.
At launch these drives were available in 500GB and 1TB capacities and promised 3x the speed of USB 2.0. Now that may not seem like much, but if you have ever transferred a large batch of files to an external drive, then you will most certainly understand the frustration that comes with waiting for an operation such as this.
Today I will be looking over the ADATA DashDrive HV610 in the 500GB capacity. This drive is compatible with the most recent versions of the Windows operating system including XP, Vista, 7 and 8 along with Linux Kernel 2.6+ and Mac OS X 10.6+.
Looking at the HV610 the first thing you will notice is its colourful appearance. The puzzle piece smart cover securely holds the USB 3.0 cable in place. At the bottom of the enclosure there is a blue LED to denote drive activity.
The backside of the enclosure further supports the unique design, with the puzzle design.
The side of the drive has a simple clean surface sporting the USB 3.0 connection in the center.
Pulling the HV610 apart, which proved to be rather simple, we had a chance to look at the actual drive chosen for this model. Our sample had a Hitachi 5K750-500 5400RPM drive installed.
The PCB for this drive was rather simple to the left we have the SATA to USB 3.0 host controller with the USB 3.0 connection in the center.
A closer look at the controller shows that it is a VIA VL701-T4. This controller sports a SATAII PHY to USB 3.0 and does support UASP.
The ADATA HV610 has access to HDDtoGo software available on ADATA's website. This software includes 128-bit encryption for your drive, and allows you to sync your PC automatically and even browse the web without being traced.
Running the software you have the option to setup Internet options to your preference. The software supports Internet Explorer and Firefox.
File synchronization is as simple as checking a few boxes and clicking go.
PC Lock allows you to secure your PC after the HV610 is unplugged. You can customize the lock screen with the photo of your choosing. The PC will only unlock if you plug the HV610 back in or optionally setting a desired time.
The security settings allow you to set a password of your choice. This will encrypt the drive with 128-bit AES.
In the unfortunate event you lose your drive there is also the option of filling out this page. When someone finds the drive and tried to access it they will be greeted with information to insure a safe return.
Located in the about section there is a built in update function, saving you a slight bit of time to keep your device software up to date.
Benchmarking external hard drives will consist of three pieces of software. The first is ATTO for marketing performance followed up by CrystalDiskMark to test NCQ at QD32 keeping in mind that for an external storage device to support NCQ it must also have UASP support. The last is DiskBench for the real world aspect of things.
ATTO numbers were pretty decent being that this drive is platter based and spins at a paltry 5400RPM. We managed 89MB/s write and 94MB/s read.
CrystalDiskMark presented us with numbers close to what we expected, 92MB/s sequential read and 90MB/s sequential write. Queue Depth 32 showed no love for NCQ as hard drives tend to be a bit slow in this field.
DiskBench did open a slight weakness for the HV610. We ended the benchmark with an average transfer rate of 69.2MB/s, this does conform to ADATAs marketing of 3x the speed of USB 2.0, but I was expecting just a little more performance.
First I will start off saying that I do indeed like this drive. It certainly has the looks if you're one of those people with tons of charisma and just love color in your life. The unique puzzle design brings in elements of fun like the drive has a life outside storing your data. The enclosure of the drive is made of plastic, but at no time did I personally feel it was cheap or made by cutting corners.
As far as performance is concerned, I would enjoy more of it, but really who wouldn't? In the day and age where everyone is moving a mile a minute we just want our data and want it now. Seeing that the controller in this unit does support UASP and the fact that it's really easy to open, it does leave options available for the future if you deem the drive to slow for your needs. However, the drive as configured does reach 90MB/s, which in the real world should leave you pleased.
I always enjoy getting drives that offer more than just a square box with a drive in it, there are just a massive amount of companies that can do this and ADATA has set themselves apart by adding in software to allow security options, which in my book is a big plus.
To get yourself into the 500GB HV610 you're going to be spending around $65 USD. This price point puts this drive in perfect position against rival products from the likes of Seagate and Western Digital.
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OCZ Vertex 3 .20 240GB SSD Review
Introduction
OCZ felt the backlash from end-users when they moved from 32nm to 25nm NAND on Vertex 2 a few years ago. When the original Vertex came to market, it was nearly identical to the lower cost Agility product. The main difference was a fixed build of materials (BOM) on the Vertex. Although this rule was never expressed or implied on Vertex 2, end-users just carried the statement over the BOM to the next generation. When OCZ changed one of the two main components in Vertex 2, they caught hell.
OCZ has learned from the events of the last and now that 25nm is turning to 20nm, OCZ wasn't making the same mistake. The OCZ Vertex 3.20 uses the same LSI SandForce SF-2281 controller as the original Vertex 3. The NAND flash changed to new 20nm IMFT for the new .20 product, but that isn't the only change.
Vector is the flagship in OCZ's stable and Vertex 3.20 is now a mainstream product for those looking to spend less on quality SATA III SSD performance. With the new mainstream designation, Vertex 3.20 gets a new mainstream package and smaller accessory parts list.
For most of our readers, the accessory goodies won't make a big difference, as long as the price reflects the change. We'll discuss this and the performance of Vector 3.20 today.
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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost 2GB Video Card Review
Introduction
Very few people would need to be told about the feud between TweakTown and NVIDIA. It was one that escalated heavily last year when I arrived in Taiwan for details that I'd rather not get into, as it's been covered in a fair bit of detail over the last year.
We reached out to NVIDIA US earlier this month to try and bring a truce to the whole situation; a situation that I think has definitely given me a few grey hairs over the years as we broke many launches, some by a few days, others by over a week. Each launch, though, brought with it a level of stress, from organizing a sample to the backlash of other media who felt us giving them a big slap in the face by completely disregarding the launch date.
This should be a thing of the past now as we reached out earlier in the month to NVIDIA US to finally bring an end to the constant battling between each other. It seems that everyone is happy with where we're at and its water under the bridge. Everyone's moving forward and upward and that comes with the release of the new GTX 650 Ti Boost - a model designed to take on the newly released AMD Radeon HD 7790. We've already looked at the Sapphire and GIGABYTE versions of the new HD 7790 that AMD is offering with the new model.
With that said let's get into what exactly we're dealing with here today. Because we're dealing with a reference designed GTX 650 Ti Boost from NVIDIA we've got nothing when it comes to the bundle side of things. Instead we'll simply be jumping straight into the card which will then be followed up with a look at the specifications. From there we'll move into our testbed, take a look at the cards we'll be including in our graphs and then get stuck into the performance numbers.
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GIGABYTE Radeon HD 7790 1GB OC Overclocked Video Card Review
Introduction
While GIGABYTE is a name we hear a lot about at TweakTown when it comes to the motherboards, it's been over a year since we've looked at a video card from the company. Today, though, we've got a chance to look at the new Radeon HD 7790 that AMD has just released from GIGABYTE to see just what they've been up to since we last crossed paths.
At launch we looked at the Sapphire HD 7790 1GB Dual-X and found ourselves impressed with what AMD was offering with the new GPU and what Sapphire had done with it. Since that was an OC model and today the GIGABYTE video card we're looking at also is an OC model, we've decided to look at the overclocking side of things.
It will be interesting to see what goes on with performance when it comes to overclocking, but as always there are a few things that we need to do before we've got a chance to do that. The first thing we'll take a look at is the box and the bundle that GIGABYTE is offering. From there we'll move onto the video card itself to see what kind of cooler setup is on offer.
From the card we'll get into the specification side of things where we'll cover the out of the box clock speeds along with the overclock speeds that we managed to achieve. Finally we'll take a look at our testbed, cover the cards that you'll see in our graphs today and finally see what's going on with performance with the overclocked GIGABYTE HD 7790.
Package
While it's been a while since we've seen a GIGABYTE video card, not much has changed on the package side of things. You can see we've got the model on the front along with some of the main features which include the core overclock, the fan they're using and the amount of memory.
Turning over to the back of the box you can see we've got a run down on the fan which is one of the main features. You can also see mention that we're on a 28nm core, have PCIe 3.0 support along with some of the main features in a number of languages.
As we move inside the box we've got a fairly standard mid-range bundle from GIGABYTE here. Along with the Quick Guide and driver CD, you can also see we've got a dual Molex to 6-pin PCIe power connector.
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Top 10 TweakTown Content from the past week [25 March 2013]
Here are our top 10 articles, reviews and guides from the past week!
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Sony Xperia TX Smartphone Review
Introduction
Sony are an interesting company to me, as before the Chinese dominated electronics, then Korea began their rampage with Samsung and LG, the Japanese made some of the best electronics in the world. Sony were once the pinnacle (to most) of electronics in the 80s and 90s. The Walkman. Trinitron. PlayStation. Countless other products, and they had multiple names that most households would not only remember, but they would own their products - usually more than one - or they at least, like myself, dreamt of owning one.
Sony dominated the electronics industry, but have fell by the wayside in the last decade or so with the rise of Google, Apple and Samsung. These three companies alone have poked holes in many of Sony's once dominant products, but Sony are slowly trying to make a comeback. Apple crushed, and reinvigorated the sagging smartphone market, Google came along and released a clunky mobile OS known as Android and have now refined it into one of the most powerful mobile operating systems known to human kind.
Sony have jumped on the Android bandwagon, and have slowly - but surely - been releasing quality products. Today we take a look at their Xperia TX smartphone.
Specifications, Pricing and Availability
Sony have packed the Xperia TX quite well, providing a 4.55-inch touchscreen with what Sony call their Mobile BRAVIA Engine. We also have a 1.5GHz dual-core processor from Qualcomm (the MSM8260A Snapdragon), 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage expandable by microSD, a beautiful 13-megapixel rear-facing camera backed up by a 1.3-megapixel front-facing snapper.
This is backed up by the usual connectivity options such as NFC, Bluetooth 3.1, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA. Sony is touting around 6 hours and 40 minutes of talk time, and standby time of up to 300 hours.
As for pricing, Newegg sell the Xperia TX for $419.99 - which puts it at a price above the stellar Nexus 4 from LG and Google. This is a big losing point for Sony, but I understand their position - they aren't Google.
Availability seems to be fine from everything I've looked at, with Newegg offering free shipping on the Xperia TX, which you can't complain about, can you?
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ASUS P8Z77-V PREMIUM (Intel Z77) Motherboard Review
Introduction
The other day we got a chance to look at the ASUS P8Z77-V Pro/Thunderbolt and found ourselves extremely impressed with what ASUS was offering us. Not only did we have a board that performed extremely well out of the box, but we had something with a ton of features that managed to also hit at a really strong price point.
If you found yourself liking what ASUS was offering in the P8Z77-V Pro/Thunderbolt, but want even more from your motherboard, the P8Z77-V PREMIUM might be the board you're after. While out of stock at the moment at Newegg, the $449.99 price tag associated with the board makes it the most expensive Z77 option on the market.
What makes the board so expensive, though? We intend to find out exactly that today along with checking out the performance as always. As usual we've got to do a few things before we get into the fun stuff. We'll start off by checking out the box of the board and the bundle. Considering the price tag we're expecting quite the bundle and if the size of the box is anything to go by, we should have a decent one.
Once we've done that we'll move onto the board and see what is where and what controls everything. We'll head into the BIOS to see what's going on before checking out our testbed setup. We'll take the time to quickly cover the boards that you'll see in our graphs here today before we finally get into the overclocking side of things to see just what this board is capable of doing.
Package
Looking at the front of the box we see a typical ASUS design. You can see the model clearly and a number of the main features are highlighted here. Some of the standards out include Smart DIGI+, Thunderbolt, an included 32GB mSATA SSD drive and DTS support.
As we flip open the box you can see across the top we've got some of the main ASUS specific features covered in detail. This includes SMART DIGI+ Power Control which includes digital power design and better voltage control. Fan Xpert 2 is also offered which is probably the most advanced fan software we've used to date. We've also got USB 3.0 Boost and SSD Caching II.
You can see as we move down to the bottom of the box we've got the motherboard itself. Turning over we've got a picture of the board showing us some of the highlights along with the main specifications below that. We again also get a run down on some of the major features that are on offer. Thunderbolt is covered here along with mention about the mSATA drive included. You can see Smart DIGI+ is again covered along with Wi-Fi GO! across the bottom of the box.
As we move inside the box the start of the bundle is very common. We've got the normal line up of paperwork along with a driver CD, six SATA cables and main I/O panel. We've got a number of SLI connectors including an extended two way one alongside both 3-way and 4-way options.
Like the ASUS P8Z77-V Pro/Thunderbolt we saw the other day we've also got the EZ connectors and Wi-Fi Go! card present here. This one, though, offers us Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and Bluetooth v4.0 / 3.0 support. Along with that we've also get a second antenna here. Finally we finish off with a dual port USB 3.0 box that can be installed in your case, which is also capable of holding a hard drive.
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Archer: Season Three (2012) Blu-ray Review
As a huge fan of Adam Reed's 2006 Adult Swim animated series Frisky Dingo, who was disappointed by the cancellation of spin-off series The Xtacles after just two episodes, I was elated to see Reed return with the James Bond spoof Archer which is just as, if not funnier than his first series. And it seems others agree too, with the series enjoying much wider distribution and name recognition, along with critical acclaim.
To those not in the know, Sterling Archer (H. Jon Benjamin) is chief secret agent at espionage agency ISIS, along with his inept cohorts who sometimes complete the mission as tasked, whilst at and other times failing spectacularly. Archer holds a particularly solid role at ISIS, no doubt solidified by the CEO role of his mother, Malory Archer (Jessica Walter), which generally allows him to indulge outrageous behaviors and side benefits, namely women and booze.
The third season of Archer picks up from the conclusion of series two, which finds Archers fiancee Katya Kazanova turncoat KGB agent, murdered by former agent, now cyborg; Barry. The 13 episode run of episodes are consistently solid and further the show, which sadly can't be said for the shows decidedly average fourth season.
Twentieth Century Fox should be congratulated for releasing the popular series on Blu-ray as well as DVD, along with the previous season two release, also on Blu-ray. However, conspicuous by its absence is the shows first season, released in the United States on a Region A locked disc, but in no other markets. Get to it, Fox!
Video
Archer: Season Three is presented in the original aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with AVC MPEG-4 compression.
Archer has a very specific animation style, utilizing a mixture of rotoscope and CG elements and animated rather simplistically with Adobe After Effects. Video encoders love thick blocks of chunky color and compress the image here with ease, even with the generous bitrate allocated. Subsequently, Archer on Blu-ray looks spectacular.
The transfer is very crisp and sharp, although the style of animation is not overly detailed. I did spot some occasional aliasing on some digital animation elements that have clearly been upscaled, but these don't interfere too much. Color balance is very good, with bright and vibrant hues.
Overall, a good transfer, but one that would have admittedly been harder to break than to present well.
Audio
Archer: Season Three is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, at 24 bits.
The sound design of Archer favors the front sound stage, so this is hardly going to become a new Blu-ray demo disc. It is however perfectly competent and does its job without creating any problems.
Dialogue comes across well, from the talented voice cast. Audio sync is about as good as expected from animation. The surrounds aren't used terribly aggressive, but remain relatively active throughout. The sub channel is called upon at times, but not with any huge bombast.
Extras
Sadly, Archer Season Three hits Blu-ray with a very scant collection of extra features. The world of Archer has a huge amount of possibilities, but the surface isn't even scratched.
Three episodes feature optional Audio Commentary with series creator Adam Reed, along with various voice artists. Naturally, these are far funnier than they are illuminating - but fans will definitely get a kick out of them.
Next up are a few very brief featurettes; Book on tape Fail which is a thinly veiled advertisement for the tie-in book, albeit one that's fully animated in the same style as the show proper. Cooking with Archer is a three minute parody of cooking shows, and the Gator 2 Trailer, Archer's home-made pitch for a sequel to Burt Reynolds' 1976 feature, is the payoff to the recurring joke.
Finally, we have a three minute Archer Season Three at Comic-con 2012 clip, although it's a real shame that the entire 30 minute panel wasn't included. It is however readily available on YouTube, equal parts funny and illuminating. To quote one of the user comments: "This is the greatest panel ever. It's just like watching the show!"
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Housos vs. Authority (2012) Blu-ray Movie Review
Australian made feature films are increasingly rarely high brow, and there will be precious few that won't pin point Housos vs. Authority as the lowest of the low brow. That doesn't mean it's not funny - it frequently is. But for the uninitiated, bracing yourself for the antics in store might be appropriate.
Based on SBS TV's controversial 2011 series Housos, the vast majority of the low-rent cast return for the feature film Housos vs. Authority. However make no mistake, this doesn't mean glossy camera work, explosions and famous cameos - this is very much an extended episode made with the same swiftness and penny pinching production values as the series itself, so fans will be quite at home here.
Not much has changed on the block. The Housos of Sunnyvale, welfare recipients of the low socio-economic suburb of Sydney are up to their old tricks, i.e. not much - evading the incompetent police and representatives of government welfare agency Centerlink and doing little to moderate intake of illicit drugs.
When Shazza (Elle Dawe) is contacted by her estranged mother, the gang of Franky (Paul Fenech) Dazze (Jason Davis), Kevin (Kev Taumatu) and Vanessa (Vanessa Davis) board a drug filled campervan to the Northern Territory in order to make good on her dying wish.
There's no subtlety to any of Housos jokes, with no segment of the community shielded from its mocking brand of humor. While almost all of it is crass and low brow, Housos knows its audience and plays up to expectations, freed from the constrains of TV's censorship board (even if some male genitalia has to be censored).
Love it or hate it, creator and star Paul Fenech has successfully carved out a rabid audience for this style of comedy, an extension of his previous series Fat Pizza that also culminated in a feature film. That same audience is who this film is made for. Allegedly made for a quarter of a million dollars, it was no question that the budget would be recouped with ease, but its contribution to the pooled history of Australian cinema remains naught.
Video
Housos vs. Authority is presented at 1080i 50hz resolution, in the film's original aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with AVC MPEG-4 compression.
I couldn't ascertain how the film was lensed, but it's curious as to why the film was encoded at 1080i 50hz. It's quite possible that that was how the film was produced, but when pro-sumer gear is more than capable of progressive 1080, it's a head scratcher. As such, the interlaced transfer is instantly at a disadvantage, with vertical lines marring the image throughout, particularly affecting shots with significant movement. It also means that the film cannot be viewed on television units from traditional NTSC territories such as the United States.
This isn't the most professionally shot production in Australian history, with many scenes achieved in haste and hardly ever with professional lighting setups.
Overall, the picture isn't terribly ugly, but most people would expect movies on Blu-ray to be presented with a progressive image. That it's not is somewhat disappointing.
Audio
Housos vs. Authority is presented in DTS HD MA 5.1 at 24 bits.
The subject matter doesn't really call for a bombastic surround track, which is good because we don't get it. Housos vs. Authority is a predominantly talky comedy, which lives up to the relatively low expectations I had for it. The sound design is punctuated by some over the top sound effects and with some basic ambience that leaks into the surround channels.
The bass channel is utilized to support a few songs, but lays mostly dormant throughout.
The soundtrack is punctuated by Australian rap and high-pop, primarily supplied by the Funkroars, who may be recognizable to listeners of the youth wing of the national broadcaster, Triple J.
Extras
Amongst its dozens of bullet points over two menu screens, Housos vs. Authority holds around 80 minutes of extra features. I strongly dislike the lack of cohesion to the menu system along with an absence of anything resembling descriptors regarding what the items actually are. Most of the extra features are either short deleted scenes, outtakes or one or two minute interview segments from the set. Annoyingly, they all conclude with a few seconds of the films logo and a loud shotgun sound. Once the feature has been engaged, you can't press the menu button on the remote to go back to the menu. Poor disc authoring is what this is.
One of the more notable extra segments is a short Today Tonight segment, which Australian viewers will rightly recognize as the terrible info-tainment show. During the filming of this on-set feature, reporter James Thomas is roped into an awkward cameo sequence.
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Argo (2012) Blu-ray Movie Review
Life in Hollywood is both ironic and peculiar, but I can't think of any in recent times that come close to the career resurgence of Ben Affleck. In a short time he went from career highs of Good Will Hunting and Armageddon to leading roles in stinkers such as Pearl Harbor, Gigli, Daredevil and Jersey Girl. That's not just taking poor career advice - that's deliberate self sabotage. But fast forward a few years and Affleck returned with The Town, a bank heist drama that received solid critical success. But his next effort made the Academy sit up and take notice - awarding it the 2013 Best Picture Oscar; Argo.
Adapted from the novel The Master of Disguise, itself based on the little known, but true story of the ransacking of the U.S. embassy in Iran in 1979, Argo is the name of the fictitious movie created under the auspices of the CIA, spearheaded by agent Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck), as a cover to extract six American members of the embassy staff from a country baying for American blood. With time running out and Iranians becoming suspicious of the Canadian consulate, Mendez must navigate the bloated bureaucracy in order to bring back the Americans before they are discovered.
Whilst it takes certain liberties with fact for dramatic purposes, I found Argo to be one of the most interesting, well made and satisfying motion pictures I've had the pleasure of experiencing in a very long time. Visually, editorially and directorially Argo is an amazing ride with great performances by the cast, including the always dependable character actor Bryan Cranston (of Breaking Bad fame), made all the more tense by the fact that so few know the outcome of the real story. Argo is great filmmaking and comes highly recommended.
Video
Argo is presented in the film's original aspect ratio of 2.40:1, encoded with AVC MPEG-4 compression.
Utilizing footage from numerous sources, including Super8, archival standard definition footage and 35mm, Argo's transfer is crisp and clear, while retaining the texture and look of a movie shot on negative - a quality that Director Ben Affleck was intent on retaining.
The film has a very pleasant visual style that dials back some of the colors to leave a desaturated image which assists to ground the film in its historical timeframe. Whilst there are a number of film artifacts at the beginning of the film, these are a deliberate artistic choice to aid the aforementioned.
The film features a significant amount of digital work to erase modern landmarks, but these are unnoticeable and don't bring attention to themselves.
Audio
Argo is presented in DTS HD MA 5.1 at 24 bits.
Sometimes Blu-ray audio mixes surprise. The ones you assume will rock the house don't necessarily and the ones that you underestimate end up overcompensating. Happily, Argo falls into the latter category.
From the opening moments of the film, it's clear that Argo will take viewers right into the thick of the tumult, creating a supreme sense of urgency that instantly makes viewers sit up and pay attention. There's a significant amount of ambience and directional effects, with mobs encircling and rising anger.
I can't recall any audio intelligibility issues, and although there's been some ADR work, none have affected the audio sync. Low frequency is present and accounted for, underscoring more action oriented moments and the film's score.
Extras
Warner have assembled a good collection of extra features which balance the real life events, as well as the film's production. Let's take a look.
First up is an Audio Commentary featuring director and star Ben Affleck, joined by writer Chris Terrio. Affleck proves to be an interesting speaker and I especially enjoyed hearing about the reasons for the film's dramatization, although Terrio is keen to point out that the film does reveal some previously undisclosed facts which were folded into the shooting script.
Next is the Picture-in-picture Video Commentary which brings together the real life figures, including the house guests and the real Tony Mendez for on-camera interview which are sprinkled through the film. The track proves to be a fascinating source for fans desiring more information from primary sources.
The longest feature is the made-for-TV Escape from Tehran: The Hollywood Option Documentary, a comprehensive companion to the video commentary, revealing the historical events in detail, using dramatized footage and news clips. As this special pre-dates the film by a number of years, there is no footage from the film.
The CIA and the Hollywood Connection and Rescued from Tehran: We Were There featurettes expand slightly on the previous documentary, but utilize newly shot (and high definition) interviews, interspersed with film footage. Interesting features in isolation, but after three hours of features on the real life events, there is a considerable amount of repetition here.
The final featurette; Absolute Authenticity, is concerned with the high degree of effort undertaken to display a convincing circa 1980 backdrop, including the significant, yet invisible computer generated alterations. Of note was the allowance by the U.S. government to the production to film in the foyer and in front of the real C.I.A. building in Washington, D.C.
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ASUS P8Z77-V Pro/Thunderbolt (Intel Z77) Motherboard Review
Introduction
Sitting in a dark corner of my office for the last few months have been a couple of motherboards that all have one thing in common. One of the main features on the board is the inclusion of Thunderbolt. As time went on, though, it seemed that not a whole lot was happening with this technology.
We're not talking about boards that have been sitting around for days or a few weeks. We're talking about months. I don't want to say it felt pointless testing these boards without a proper Thunderbolt device, but it's clearly one of the main features being offered so it seemed like it should be tested.
Nothing is happening, though, for Thunderbolt. We hear word that the approval process is a pain, Windows drivers that work are few and far between, devices generally speaking are pretty rare and the ones that do work don't offer any better support than USB 3.0 because of the fact they support just a single SSD. To really make use of Thunderbolt you want to have a device that has two or three SSD drives in RAID 0 - something that can take advantage of the bandwidth and really show how superior it is over USB 3.0.
The problem is while these devices do exist, they've never been a pleasure to deal with. The Promise Pegasus R6, a device that would be absolutely perfect for testing Thunderbolt, has never been graced with strong Windows drivers. You can see our initial testing with it on the MSI Z77A-GD80 last year. That R6 was also only on temporary loan and no company is jumping at a chance to send us a $1,200 6-bay RAID enclosure. The problem is if you plug this device into an OSX based computer you're up and running with no issues. Plug it into a Windows based one, though (our platform of choice for testing), and be prepared for big headaches.
So, with that all said, we found ourselves just biting the bullet and checking out the motherboards with the first one being the ASUS P8Z77-V Pro/Thunderbolt. We'll of course follow our standard review setup which means we'll start off with the package. Once we've done that we'll take a closer look at the motherboard itself before moving into the BIOS, test system and the overclocking side of things before we finally get stuck into the performance of the board.
Package
It's been a while since we've looked at an ASUS motherboard box, but nothing much has really changed. The front of the box has the model number clearly and is plastered in logos showing off some of the main features including Thunderbolt, Wi-Fi, Easy BIOS flash, Smart DIGI+ and Virtu MVP to name some of the main ones.
Turning over the back you can see we go into more detail on some of the main features. The left gives us a break down on the motherboard itself while the right hand side expands on the Thunderbolt technology on offer, the SMART DIGI+ Power Control, Fan Xpert 2 and Wi-Fi GO!.
Moving inside the box we've got a bunch of manuals covering the board and some of the main features again. Along with them we've got a driver CD, four SATA cables, SLI bridge and main I/O cover.
Rounding off the bundle we've got the Wi-Fi GO! 802.11 b/g/n card with antenna, along with a two port USB header and eSATA port and EZ Connectors to help plugging in your headers simpler.
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Kingston HyperX Predator 512GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive Review
When it comes to USB flash drives, Kingston has enjoyed a successful run with their DataTraveler series. So we were certainly excited when at CES 2013 they announced a new drive fittingly named the HyperX Predator. Kingston has also enjoyed great success with the HyperX name, most recently with the HyperX Beast RAM kit that our own Shane Baxtor had the chance to review recently.
Based upon the previous DataTraveler Ultimate G3 design, the HyperX Predator packs a monstrous capacity of 512GB with a 1TB follow up in the works. As far as compatibility is concerned Kingston has insured that Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8 support along with Mac OS X 10.5+ and even Linux Kernel 2.6+ will work without issue.
Being that this was our first USB 3.0 flash drive to actually have real packaging other than the standard bubble type, I thought it would be nice to show it off. As you can see the HyperX Predator is packaged in a rather large tin and what we found inside was rather shocking.
Opening up the tin we found the HyperX Predator secured in a dense foam surrounded by a full complement of accessories. It appears Kingston had the forethought to know there drive would block adjacent ports when in use and have included an extension cable appropriately colored blue. As an additional bonus Kingston has packed in a valet keychain.
At first glance you will most notably recognize the size of the Predator. At 512GB Kingston had to pull off some tricks as you will see later, to pack in all that NAND. However large, the Predator does have a rather elegant appeal, mostly due to the aluminium shell that protects the drive.
The Kingston HyperX Predator sports a USB 3.0 connection colored blue, it does however maintain compatibility with the older USB 2.0 standard.
The HyperX Predator if you haven't yet noticed uses a cap-less design, much like the RageXT from Patriot, the Predator uses a slide system. This system eliminates first losing your cap and secondly the wearing out of the latch. Two birds, one stone.
When I first picked up the HyperX Predator I noticed that it did carry a bit of weight. So rather fittingly I decided to drop it on my scale and see just how much, as you can see the drive weighed in at 63.4 grams.
Pulling apart flash drives is never an easy task especially with all the unique designs that manufacturers employ. The Kingston HyperX Predator was one of the most difficult as the plastic casing that houses the PCB is glued together. However, after a bit of finagling, the drive came apart, and we can take a look at the internals and choice of materials. The first thing we noticed was the main PCB houses nothing but the controller, as you will see shortly. All eight NAND packages are outsourced to their own PCB.
The HyperX Predator utilizes a 64X8 NAND configuration all of which are labelled Toshiba TH58TEG9D2HBA89, which is 19nm Toggle MLC.
Taking a closer look at the controller, those of you that had the chance to read my Supersonic Magnum review, will notice Kingston too chose the 8-Channel Phison PS2251.
One of the lesser known features of running Microsoft's new operating system Windows 8 is the native capability of USB Attached SCSI or UASP. To start my benchmarking procedure I secure erased the HyperX Predator, as I do all drives I test.
Before we get into the benchmarking procedure I thought it may be nice to show the formatted capacity of the Predator. As you can see above the drive comes formatted in the FAT32 file system and gives access to 478GB of usable storage.
ATTO results were a bit perplexing to say the least. I was expecting at least marketing numbers to be achieved, but received 254MB/s read and 73MB/s write, where marketing dictated 240MB/s read and 160MB/s write, alas let's move on and see how the drive did in CDM.
The HyperX Predator began to shine during CDM testing. We managed an impressive 307MB/s read in sequential testing followed up by an impressive 230MB/s during the 512K random read testing. We also found the 4K and QD32 results to be great, and as a matter of fact, this is the quickest drive we have tested when it comes to NCQ.
DiskBench showed the HyperX Predator was rather quick in real-world testing. We were able to achieve 46MB/s transferring our batch of photos in 32 seconds.
Again impressive the Predator was able to achieve 179MB/s transferring our videos in just 31 seconds.
Transferring our Windows 7 install the HyperX Predator was capable of 177MB/s with a runtime of 23 seconds.
Having tested my fair share of flash drives over the past few months, I can certainly say the HyperX Predator is one that I will remember for years to come. For one it breaks down barriers with its insane capacity, and to think Kingston is preparing to launch a larger 1TB model.
As far the aesthetics of the drive, Kingston has done a great job designing the HyperX Predator, modelling it after its successful Ultimate G3 flash drive. Taking into account that this flash drive would block adjacent ports when in use, it was a great addition to see Kingston include the extension cable. Additionally, as most of you know, losing the cap to your flash drive is not a very gratifying experience, thus Kingston designed the HyperX Predator as a cap-less flash drive - and even more what I call generation two where the back of the drive slides forward to reveal the USB 3.0 port.
Performance of the drive was exceptional, especially in Crystal Disk Mark where we saw the Predator reach 307MB/s in sequential testing. DiskBench also gave props to the Predator as we saw some of the best numbers ever reached, and looking at our chart above, you can see the Kingston drive is near the top in all tests.
As far as pricing goes I was able to gather some numbers for that as well and you may want to take a seat before reading on. For the 512GB model we tested here today you're looking at $799.99. However expensive that may be, the Kingston HyperX Predator is the quickest drive we have tested and at the same time also has the largest capacity on the market - the best of both worlds in one flash drive.
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Far Cry 3 PC Review
If publishers want a case in point in how to build hype at an E3 reveal, Far Cry 3 is the perfect case. Ever since we first heard Vaas utter those now famous words, "Did I ever tell you the definition of insanity?", we have waited with baited breath. The video had action, intense gameplay and also psychological elements that sent the hype levels of the game through the roof. And so now 18 months later it's time to determine if the developers have delivered on the promise from that video and aside from a few quirks here and there and a poor ending to the story, the answer is a resounding yes.
In Far Cry 3 you take control of Jason Brody, a young college kid with rich parents enjoying life to the max on an island paradise when things go awry. Jason and his friends are captured by pirates and the infamous Vaas. Taken for ransom from their wealthy parents, Jason manages to escape with his brother and from there the story becomes that you as Jason must rescue your friends, but also as you build acquaintances on the island, decide how you want the future to be for those people. There is a point where the story just becomes boring and formulaic unfortunately, but until then it's one of the best stories of this generation.
As expected based on the first two games, Far Cry 3 puts you in a massive open world with side missions and main story to complete. One of the key facets of the title is exploration and the game significantly rewards you for exploring. Whilst there are scripted elements to some of the missions, sometimes it's just interesting to wander about the island and see what the enemy and other NPCs are doing. One example was we were closing in on an enemy kill, only to see a crocodile jump out of the water to take him alive. If someone else was to go to that exact spot, it may not happen because those sequences are not scripted.
In fact, Far Cry 3 gives one of the best representations of a living breathing world in a video game to date. You can of course choose to main line the story if you wish, but that is to completely devalue the amount of effort that Ubisoft has not only put into the side missions, but also the world itself. You will miss a lot of the awesome areas of the island and some interesting, story building sequences as well. There is also a meta game within the game where you can hunt animals present throughout the world to improve Jason's overall abilities and weaponry.
For example, if you get some shark skins, you can craft a new pouch which improves your inventory level - something which is a lot more interesting to do than just buy a new pouch. You can pick up leaves and plants to help you concoct medicine to heal Jason. At no real point in the game are you forced to buy things. For example, one area which encourages exploration is the local stores. If you manage to take over the local radio tower, the shops will give you free weapons as a reward whilst that tower is not held by the enemies. It's a really interesting mechanic that rewards exploration in a manner that is tangible rather than just 'let's see this entire island'.
For the most part the missions are also enjoyable to play as well. There are over thirty campaign missions with quite a number more side missions to complete. To complete Far Cry 3 without doing side missions will take you about 10 hours and so it is a fairly meaty game when you compare it to most releases. The game does contain fast travel once you have visited a location although sometimes it is better to just explore and see the world on offer.
What Far Cry 3 manages to achieve is a believable world. This island could be a real world thing (although it's not), and the developers have clearly put a lot of work into building a fantastic world for the game. It has the crazy professor and the tribal warriors to complete the mix. But what takes it to the next level is the various fauna milling about the place. You can be swimming quietly in the rivers or ocean and the next minute a shark or crocodile attacks. The first time this happens you will literally jump in your seat and it's generally over before it even starts. You can imagine this is how it happens in the real world as well with most victims attacked before they even know it's happening.
The design of the island also allows for some open world elements to creep into the campaign missions as well. Whilst you are somewhat restricted as to the zone you can move in during missions (we guess to not break the mission entirely), you are given leeway as to how you approach the mission. Go in guns blazing? Or snipe from the mountain side? Many different ways are available to generally complete each mission and it is this variety that keeps the game fresh to the end.
On the PC at least, Far Cry 3 is a visual tour de force and one of the best games graphically we have ever played. If you have the hardware and video card to push this to the max you will see a visually stunning world with amazing graphics. Tone the graphics done a little and the game still shines even on older hardware, so it is clear Ubisoft has done its job in optimizing this game for fairly run of the mill systems as well. This is something that the original Far Cry game was criticised for not doing.
The game also features a co-operative multiplayer portion for up to four players to take part in. It is set six months before the actual events of the single player campaign and so in many ways is its own story. Introducing co-operative into such an awesome, open world game is something that Ubisoft had to do to take this game to the next level. With a length of about six hours, you certainly get your money's worth even though it's not the main campaign.
Far Cry 3 started out with a great E3 presentation that put the hype levels through the roof. Usually when this happens games significantly let us down, but in this case Ubisoft has delivered. No doubt they felt the pressure of such an awesome opening with Vaas and our main character, but instead of crumbling, they produced what is sure to be one of the best games of 2012.
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Hitman: Absolution Xbox 360 Review
As a series Hitman has been quite successful and this is why it's puzzling that we are now only just getting the return of the game. Hitman Blood Money was one of the better games from the earliest times of this generation, but IO Interactive decided to put that to the side and come up with the new IP.
This game became Kane & Lynch which had middling success in both sales and critical format. So six years later we have the return of Agent 47 and it's not without changes. Absolution completely changes up the series in many ways and we still aren't sure if all the changes and decisions made were the right ones.
Absolution picks up with Agent 47 being tasked to kill his agency handler Diana. She has gone rogue and has been selling secrets to enemies of the agency so his final contract becomes her. The agency has produced another agent from a child, Victoria with Diana on her deathbed asking 47 to protect her at all costs. This is what the story primarily revolves around; the protection of Victoria and escaping from the agency that 47 once called home. From the outset this shows just how much of a departure Absolution is to the regular format with previous games tasking 47 with contracts to fulfil for the agency.
In terms of the gameplay there are a lot of elements that have returned from previous games. On some of the missions you will be tasked with taking down a target and you can either choose to go in all guns blazing or make the death look like an accident with the latter not only scoring you more points, but generally being more satisfying to do as well. Hitman can be seen as a puzzle game - trying to concoct together various environmental elements such as leaking oil and a bullet to take out enemies unseen.
This is only apparent on some of the levels. On many levels within the game there are no targets and instead it is 47's goal to reach another area to continue the story. As well as this there are times where the game takes control from you and performs kills in cut scenes. For a series which has focused so much on clean quiet kills from a gameplay perspective, to have this happen is frustrating. There are some sections in the game where quiet kills just cannot occur.
This is where you will like this game or not. Whilst in the past each mission was one huge environment for 47 to traverse and come up with sneaky ways to take out the target, in this game you are instead tasked with basically getting from point a to point b. Hitman in many ways becomes a third person shooter with the amount of sandbox missions able to be counted on less than two hands. Given that there are 20 missions overall in the game, this is a bit disappointing.
However, on those levels which do give you the freedom to explore and come up with various ways to take out the targets, the game absolutely shines. Previously seen at E3, the King of Chinatown level is one such example where there is many different ways to take out the target such as poisoning fish or blowing up a car. And it is these missions that you will revisit over and over again to try and come up with different ways to end the mission without being seen.
As well as the actual targets each mission contains a number of challenges to complete. Sometimes these challenges are to take out the targets in various different ways whilst other times it can be tasks such as finishing the mission only using 47's suit. Given that you very often traverse areas where you should not be, doing this is harder than it sounds.
Many of the elements we have seen in previous titles have again come back. You can still take the disguises of other characters although this is a bit harder than last time around.
Enemies will spot that you are not one of them quite easily and so it becomes a case of still having to focus on stealth even when blended in. To aid with this, 47 now has an instinct ability which allows you to see enemies through walls and walk near enemies in disguise without being spotted. You gain more instinct by performing quiet kills and tasks.
One of the more frustrating elements of Absolution is the change from limited save games to checkpoints. Instead of being able to save at any point in the game (within a limited number), you now have to track down and find checkpoints in the level. They are generally off the beaten track and this can be very frustrating especially on the tougher levels. The checkpoints also do not get retained if you leave your game which we have no idea why IO Interactive decided that was a good idea.
The enemy AI generally revolves around them being able to determine you are 47 rather than actually being tough. When things go bad you generally can get out of a tight spot with your bullets except towards the end of the game where that type of tactic just gets impossible due to the weaponry they have. Once they spot you the game moves into a very Metal Gear like alarm system. At the highest level they hunt you and shoot on sight whilst if you can manage to hide long enough, they will give up and lower the alarm level. Of course the best way is to not be spotted at all and in general this is possible on every mission.
On the visual and environmental side of things the game is generally impressive. Whilst there is quite a variety to the locations that you will visit during your time with the game, it is not as varied as it was in Blood Money with some locations being visited more than once. Some of the missions are quite large in size whilst others are almost corridors only. It goes without saying the larger missions are the ones where 47's abilities can really shine. One thing that is true is that in general IO Interactive has used the environments to the best of their abilities with 47 being able to perform numerous environmental based kills on his targets.
Multiplayer comes in the form of contracts mode and in an ironic twist this system is much closer to that of the older games. You can either build or download contracts from other users and basically you are dropped into a world and have to kill targets silently to fulfil the contract. As you do so you gain money which can be used to upgrade your weaponry in multiplayer. This is an interesting take on multiplayer and we hope that users really embrace this system because it's entirely possible this could give the game a lot of legs.
Hitman: Absolution is a game that made us think about how we review games in many ways. Should we review a game based on what the name is on the box, or what the content actually is. Of course the latter is the answer, but we can't help but feel that this is not the greatest Hitman game. It's significantly different to other Hitman titles, but it's also not a bad game. If you come into the game expecting Blood Money 2 you will be disappointed, but if you look past this you will find a competent Hitman game that has just enough elements of its predecessors to ensure you should play as 47 again.
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Assassin's Creed III: Liberation PlayStation Vita Review
It's fair to say that whilst the Assassin's Creed II series of games were some of the most well received games this generation, the portable versions of the game haven't really set the gaming world on fire. Appearing only on the PSP (aside from the iOS games that were not 3D), the games focused on Altair, the original protagonist, rather than the very likeable Ezio.
However, with the release of a new platform, the PS Vita, Ubisoft decided to give the portable space another crack with the AC series and have come out with mixed results. Liberation is not necessarily a bad game, but there are some areas which can be quite infuriating to play.
Liberation for the first time introduces a female character as the main lead. You play as Aveline, the black daughter of a rich businessman in the 1700's. A result of infidelity, Aveline lives with her step mother and father in New Orleans as one of the wealthy and famous. However, Aveline wants to rid the world of slavery, especially for her people and sets about trying to bring down the tyranny which existed in the time. Set in the 1700's, the game takes place during the same timeline as that of the main console game, and to get the most out of the story, you need to play both.
There are a few major changes for the franchise aside from the fact you now control a woman. The game introduces for the first time personas. Aveline has three; wealthy lady, slave and assassin. Depending on the persona (clothing) you are currently wearing will limit or improve the abilities Aveline has available to her. For example, in the wealthy dress, Aveline cannot climb buildings or walls whilst in the assassin clothing she will draw suspect looks from the guards right away.
This is probably the most interesting change to the franchise because it means you often have to change your clothing to complete tasks. Having to change clothing to complete a task can be a tad tiresome (especially when it's not clear which clothing you should be wearing), but all the same the addition enhances the franchise.
As well as the main city, you will also visit the bayou of New Orleans which gives you the opportunity to partake in tree climbing and jumping. Ripped directly from the console game with Connor you can at will climb trees and often have to when completing assassination tasks. The game controls well and it's very obvious when you can and cannot climb trees. The Bayou has a very Metal Gear Solid 3 feel to it - a large, lush jungle full of crocodiles and other animals that can hurt Aveline. The main difference being that Aveline does not need to eat animals to survive.
The structure of the game takes on that of its console big brothers. The game includes nine sequences to complete which is a little on the short side and you will have this game down in around six to eight hours depending on how good you are at it. There is no difficulty setting so once you finish it, that's it really.
There are a number of side tasks to complete and there is a meta game where you can control a shipping company to gain money, but really in the grand scheme of things, you can ignore these and easily complete the game. One of the interesting elements is that the story you get if you just play the main missions is not the actual story. To get the real ending you need to take out a particular hidden character in each sequence.
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One of the biggest bugbears we have with the game is the PS Vita controls. The main controls themselves are fine, but when the developer is trying to shoe horn in the touch mechanics of the game, it just starts to break. For example, the game will at times ask you to put the Vita camera near a bright light. It took us a while to find a light that would give the Vita what it wanted, and there was no indication at all whether we were getting closer or not.
There are also other sections of the game which use the back touchpad such as paddling a canoe. There is nothing wrong with trying to include Vita specific controls, but when they work like they do in Liberation (it's a lucky dip as to whether your motions will be picked up), it would have been best to leave them out.
The environments that the game is set in are impressive for a handheld product. The city of New Orleans is beautifully represented by period buildings and the actual city itself is quite large, but nowhere near what you find in the console games of course. The split of the bayou and the city is an interesting feature with both environments having graphical problems as well as also some impressive sections. Voice acting on the system is impressive especially for a handheld and whilst the soundtrack can become repetitive, it suits the game and setting well.
There is no doubt that Assassin's Creed III: Liberation is the most impressive handheld version of the series yet. Ubisoft has used some of Vita's power well, but also included some utterly frustrating mini games based on the touch and camera features. It is on the short side and that means it's not really suitable as something for a long distance trip, but for short spurts on the way to work, it works almost perfectly.
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Nimbus Data Launches HALO 2013, Unveiling Advanced Analytics, Open API, and Mobile Apps
South San Francisco, CA, March 25, 2013 - Nimbus Data Systems, Inc., the leader in Sustainable Storage, today announced powerful new software targeting the unique needs of public and private cloud architects looking to build all-flash memory infrastructures. HALO 2013, the latest enhancement to Nimbus Data's award-winning storage operating system, provides powerful analytics to gauge the performance and efficiency of Nimbus Data flash memory arrays. A new REST-based API gives administrators full access to all Nimbus features and statistics, facilitating storage management in large multi-vendor data centers. HALO Mobile brings these advanced monitoring features to the palm of your hand, streaming live statistics directly to iOS and Android-based smartphones and tablets.
Advanced Flash Memory Analytics
Extending Nimbus Data's industry-leading unified storage, data protection, and efficiency features, the new HALO 2013 release adds powerful real-time and historical monitoring and reporting capabilities. Over 200 metrics are tracked, including flash endurance, capacity utilization, latency, power
consumption, deduplication rates, and overall system health. Customers can view detailed port, host, and session-level statistics, easily navigating back-in-time to observe trends as well as honing in on specific data points at fine-grain intervals. A beautiful new web interfaces enables users to create customized dashboards highlighting key areas of interest, and built-in benchmarking creates IOPS and throughput workloads to validate system performance. All statistics are stored in an industry-standard RRD format, enabling customers to utilize Nimbus tools as well as third-party charting software to view the results.
Open REST-based API
Targeting the needs of cloud infrastructure architects, HALO 2013 incorporates a powerful REST-based API (application programming interface), giving users the tools they need to easily integrate the administration and monitoring of Nimbus flash memory arrays into the rest of their data center
infrastructure. Through the API, users can perform every function available, from provisioning iSCSI, Fibre Channel, Infiniband, and NFS datastores, to measuring deduplication and creating snapshots. The API captures all available statistics to feed into existing management software and analytics tools.
Nimbus' HALO API lets anyone build application-specific plug-ins, even full management software, eliminating costly license fees and proprietary single-vendor software.
Storage Management in the Palm of Your Hand
Nimbus Data's storage platforms are also now the first all-flash arrays to feature mobile management, enabling real-time streaming of important system performance, utilization, and health information directly to Apple iOS and Google Android-based devices. Available now for free on the Apple iTunes Store and Google Play store, the HALO Mobile app leverages the API to allow users to monitor system events, view dynamic live charts, and much more, all SSL-encrypted for maximum security. HALO Mobile brings IT administrators closer to their infrastructure, even as data centers become more remote, larger and more complex, to improve service levels and reduce complexity.
"At Nimbus Data, we believe that an open multi-vendor approach is essential to cost-optimizing data centers, both in CapX and OpEx," stated Thomas Isakovich, CEO and founder of Nimbus Data. "HALO 2013 extends Nimbus Data's software leadership in the all-flash space. By providing the most in-depth
system analytics and an open framework with which to record this data and administer every aspect of the Nimbus all-flash infrastructure, cloud architects and enterprise customers alike gain greater insight into their infrastructure while keeping administration on their terms, not the vendor's."
Availability
HALO 2013 is free of charge to all existing Nimbus Data customers with active support contracts. To obtain this update, please visit the Nimbus Skyline portal at http://www.nimbusdata.com/skyline. HALO Mobile is available immediately, free of charge, on the iTunes Store and on Google Play.
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OCZ Technology Appoints Rafael Torres as Chief Financial Officer
OCZ Technology Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: OCZ), a leading provider of high-performance solid-state drives (SSDs) for computing devices and systems, today announced the appointment of Rafael Torres as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) reporting directly to Ralph Schmitt, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective immediately. Torres, age 45, joins OCZ with over 15 years of experience as a senior leader in finance and over 10 years serving as CFO. Torres replaces Arthur Knapp, age 64, who is leaving the Company to begin his retirement.
"We are very excited that Rafael has joined our team as CFO and believe that his proven track record in all aspects of financial management will provide immediate benefits to our Company," said Ralph Schmitt, CEO for OCZ Technology. "We also would like to take this opportunity to thank Art Knapp for his nine years of service to OCZ as CFO and wish him the very best in his retirement. Art helped build OCZ to be a leading provider of solid-state storage and power management solutions, and will continue to assist us as we complete our restatement. He played a critical role in first identifying and then rectifying the problems surrounding our recent financial reporting."
"I enjoyed being involved with a very talented team who built a multi hundred million dollar SSD business basically from scratch," stated Art Knapp, Retiring CFO for OCZ Technology. "While we uncovered some issues in recent times, with achievements such as the recent financing, I feel that we have made significant progress to put the Company back on the right path. Rafael will inherit a good business, with clean financials, to use as a base to build a profitable business."
Prior to joining OCZ, Torres served as CFO and Vice President of Finance for Capella Photonics where he successfully raised new capital and developed a financial infrastructure to support a fast-growing start-up. Before joining Capella, Torres was the CFO and Vice President of Finance for Power Integrations (NASDAQ) where he led a financial turnaround that he successfully achieved. Prior to that, Torres was CFO and Vice President of Finance for PLX Technology (NASDAQ) and through his leadership, returned the company to profitability and significantly increased their cash position.
"I am very excited to join OCZ at this time of its evolution being highly regarded for its technological advances and extensive portfolio of award-winning client and enterprise solid-state drives and power supply units," said Rafael Torres. "My skill set and experience in strategic business planning, risk management, SEC reporting, treasury operations, accounting and tax management are an ideal fit for helping make an immediate contribution to the success of the Company moving forward."
Mr. Torres holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Accounting from Santa Clara University and is a Certified Public Accountant.
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Gainward Announces its GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost Dual-Fan Series
As a world-renowned market leader, Gainward proudly introduces new GeForce GTX members - Gainward GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST. The Gainward GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST is base on NVIDIA's Kepler architecture and 28nm ASIC process that offers you high performance operation but less power consuming.
Gainward GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST series, leads with award-wining "Golden Samples" version which is cooled by a dual-fan cooler with factory over-clocked speed and standard-clocked version with single-fan cooler, both come with 2GB GDDR5 memory.
The Gainward GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST gives you 66% more memory bandwidth, and NVIDIA GPU Boost technology deliveries class-leading performance to the GTX 650 family. It will offer an impressive 40% performance improvement, so you can play all your favorite games at full-HD resolutions with high quality settings. For the current hot-selling games, the Gainward GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST performs up to 40% faster than GTX 650 Ti series. To compare with the competing GPU in red camp, it performs up to 30% faster. It is the most affordable GeForce GTX product with NVIDIA GPU Boost technology and will be the best choice of graphics product under $200.
Along with Gainward GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST launch, Gainward's powerful utility - Expertool II provides a whole new update that will help to utilize the brand new GTX 650 Ti BOOST series.
Gainward engineers' contribution for their users is to provide superior hardware design for GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST series. The "Golden Sample" version - award-wining hardware design, provides GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST "Golden Sample" - factory over-clocked at 1072Mhz boost clock (1,006MHz base clock) and 3,054MHz (DDR6,108) memory clock speed, the GTX 650 Ti BOOST "Golden Sample" also can be over-clocked easily.
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Palit Announces its GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost Series
Palit Microsystems Ltd, the leading graphics card manufacturer, is proud to introduce Palit GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST series, the latest addition to the award-winning NVIDIA Kepler powered family of gaming GPUs: Including GTX 650 Ti BOOST OC 2GB and GTX 650 Ti BOOST 2GB. Palit GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST represents the Kepler "sweet spot" for gamers-the ultimate combination of performance, power efficiency, and affordability.
Palit GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST is with factory overclocked at boost clock 1072 MHz that is +39 MHz than the standard speed and 2GB GDDR5 memory clock is set at 6108 MHz (+100 MHz higher).- that presents with 30% better performance at DX11 benchmark and average 40% better performance at gaming compared with GTX650Ti. Palit GTX650Ti Boost OC is equipped with the Dual Turbofan Blades, it offers the optimized airflow to efficiently cool down the heat generated from GPU and also can provide a noiseless environment when under gaming mode by using Boost technology.
Palit GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST series give you 66% more memory bandwidth, NVIDIA SLI, and NVIDIA GPU Boost technology that dynamically maximizes clock speeds, delivering class-leading performance to the GTX 650 family. Plus, this newly designed GPU offers an impressive 30% performance improvement, so you can play all your favorite games at full-HD resolutions and high quality settings.
Discover the ideal fusion of power, performance, and affordability game-changing Palit GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST; it can turbocharge your game in first-person shooters like Call of Duty, massively multiplayer online adventures like World of WarCraft, and real-time strategy titles like StarCraft II. Palit GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST is the best and sweet choice for gamers who want to experience the hottest title games and save the power expense.
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EKWB Releases Two Additional GeForce GTX Titan Water Blocks
EK Water Blocks, Ljubljana based premium water cooling gear manufacturer, is proud to officially introduce two additional EK-FC Titan water blocks to cater to the different needs and taste of members of the water cooling community. Looks and port configuration is the only thing that separate these two newcomers from the pack as the cooling engine remained the same. As a result these new products offer the very same excellent thermal- and hydraulic characteristics.
EK-FC Titan - Nickel (Original CSQ) offers the same original CSQ looks introduced in June 2012. It is therefore compatible with EK-FC Bridge & Link CSQ system multiple cards interconnect, which come in both satin finish Acrylic- as well as black POM Acetal version. The water block itself is compatible with EK-FC Titan Backplate but cannot be interconnected to other EK-FC Titan (using EK-FC Bridge & Link CSQ or EK-FC Terminal system) series water blocks apart from the Original CSQ version. This product comes with the MSRP of 99.95€ (incl. VAT) and is readily available for purcahse through EK Webshop as well as Partner Reseller Network.
EK-FC Titan XXL Edition incl. Backplate is the extended variant of the original EK-FC Titan - Acetal+Nickel water block which covers the entire lenght of the GeForce GTX Titan circuit board. This product also comes bundled with it's own FC Backplate, very similiar to the EK-FC Titan Backplate - Black. This water block is compatible (G1/4 ports align) with original EK-FC Titan water blocks, multiple water blocks can be interconnected via EK-FC Terminal system or other, 3rd part provided means of interconnectivity. The XXL version comes with MSRP of 139.95€ (incl. VAT) and will be available for purchase by the end of the week through EK Webshop.
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LG TAKES THIRD PLACE IN GLOBAL SMARTPHONE WHOLESALE REVENUE
Sydney, Mar. 27, 2013 - LG Electronics (LG) has moved to number three in global market share for smartphone wholesale revenue.
Attributing its success to its strong focus and leadership in 4G/LTE technology and successful 4G/LTE product line-up, LG is excited with its rapid growth and will continue to enhance its current position in the marketplace during 2013.
Over the past 12 months, LG has seen an incredible performance in the mobile communications category that has allowed the company to move up five places in the global rankings to the number three position.
In Australia, LG's three-tiered strategy will be led by its flagship model, Optimus G, to target the premium segment while the F and the refreshed L series range will be positioned as mass audience smartphones for 4G and 3G consumers, respectively.
"These latest market share results prove that LG is once again a serious player in the mobile communications space. We've set high benchmarks this year, and with our product line-up, are confident we can achieve them," says Lambro Skropidis, Marketing General Manager for LG Australia.
LG is the number three manufacturer in terms of global smartphone wholesale revenue as of Q4, 2012. With 3.2 per cent, LG trails only Apple and Samsung (42.7 per cent and 28.7 per cent respectively).
In descending order from fourth place are HTC (2.9 per cent), Sony (2.8 per cent), Blackberry (2.3 per cent), Nokia (2.2 per cent), and Motorola (1.9 per cent); while a number of smaller players account for the remaining 13.2 per cent.
LG's latest offering, Optimus G, is available now exclusively on the Telstra network. 'THE SUPERPHONE' is also available to purchase at Telstra stores, Fone Zone, Leading Edge, and JB Hi-Fi retailers.
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The New Samsung Chromebook arrives in Australia
SYDNEY, Australia - March 27, 2013 - Samsung Electronics Australia has announced the availability of the new Samsung Chromebook, a lightweight, portable and easy-to-use laptop built on Google Chrome OS operating system. The new Samsung Chromebook has a fast wake up with a great battery life in a small and light form factor, it's a notebook that you can easily carry around and use.
"With a successful launch in the U.S. and the UK, Samsung is excited to bring the Samsung Chromebook to Australia this year," said Todd Lynton, Director - IT, Samsung Electronics Australia. "Our new Chromebook is fast, thin, quiet and light. With great battery life and fast access, it's great for anyone who needs a notebook that is simple and affordable for their everyday tasks."
Compact, Sleek Design
The new Samsung Chromebook weighs less than 1.1kg and measures just 17.5mm thin. The full-sized keyboard and large touchpad allows for exceptional convenience and productivity. The 11.6-inch HD LED display has a matte finish, to help minimise nasty glare.
Outstanding Performance
The Samsung Chromebook resumes from sleep mode and boots up quickly thanks to Samsung's flash memory. The 16GB NAND memory allows the Chromebook to be responsive, thin, great battery life and also quiet due to having no moving parts in the device - just like a tablet or a phone.
Simple, Secure and Ever-Improving User Experience
Google developed Chrome OS with three key factors in mind: speed, simplicity and security. With Chromebooks, you can get online in seconds, load web pages with incredible speed and access all of your favorite apps through the app launcher.
Automatic updates mean that Samsung Chromebook users can receive the latest functionality, without any hassle. Security features are also built-in and updated to defend against the ongoing threat of malware and viruses, reducing the need for users to install anti-virus software.
Built-in cloud storage with Google Drive enables Chromebook users to access their files securely from almost anywhere*, and sync technology backs up all of your preferences, bookmarks and apps, so you can easily access them from a Chrome browser on another compatible device.
Pricing and Availability
The Samsung Chromebook is now in selected JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman stores with an RRP of $349.
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ADATA Solid State Drives Get Slimmer
Taipei, Taiwan - March 26, 2013 - ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules and NAND Flash application products, today announced the release of thinner and lighter versions of its solid state drives. With a thickness of just 7mm, these SSD models are extremely suitable for slim-design laptop and Ultrabook computers.
The standard thickness for 2.5" form factor hard disk drives is 9.5mm. However, the market trend towards thinner and lighter notebook computers has influenced the design requirements for all components, especially hard drives. ADATA's 7mm SSDs have reduced thickness, with no loss of speed, capacity, or durability, and are evidence of the company's well-known determination to maintain competitiveness by maximizing versatility of its product offerings. The new SSDs will come with 2.5mm plastic holders, so that they can still be used with existing 9.5mm drive slots.
ADATA already enjoys a reputation as an innovator and leader in the NAND Flash application field, and the company's SSDs have proven to be popular with consumers around the globe. This thinner form factor demonstrate that ADATA looks to remain a leader in solid state technology.
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ASUS Introduces the Ultra-Slim SDRW-08U5S-U External DVD Writer
ASUS today announced the SDRW-08U5S-U external DVD writer, a highly portable optical drive with the thinnest form factor in its class at just 13mm. Its design includes a built-in hidden stand that saves space and reduces clutter while enabling dual-stance horizontal and vertical placement. For data protection, ASUS integrates multiple security measures, with password controls and encryption alongside encoded file name functionality. The SDRW-08U5S-U ships in Mellow Metallic, Dusty Rose, and Bright Berry color options.
The SDRW-08U5S-U employs intricate engineering to achieve a very slender 13mm side profile. In addition to making it highly attractive, the form factor contributes to easy mobility and greater usability as the SDRW-08U5S-U can be effortlessly transported and placed, making it a perfect companion for Ultrabooks and other mobile devices.
Sophisticated Zen design
Maintaining the award-winning tradition of ASUS external optical drives, the SDRW-08U5S-U incorporates design elements from products such as ASUS ZENBOOK. Meticulously-treated metallic surfaces carry a concentric-circle hairline texture, and together with the sliver-thin form factor, these Zen design concepts make the SDRW-08U5S-U a highly unique product that stands out among generic optical drives. Lively Mellow Metallic, Dusty Rose, and Bright Berry color schemes provide three stylish options.
Flexible dual-stance positioning
A built-in stand extends and tucks away neatly into the SDRW-08U5S-U in what ASUS designers refer to as a hidden stand. Customers can quickly switch between horizontal and vertical placement as desired. The integrated stand saves space and the need to carry extra accessories, further adding to convenience.
Strong data security
ASUS includes tough Disc Encryption II security on the SDRW-08U5S-U. Extensive and highly customizable password controls utilize robust encryption to keep intruders away from valuable stored data, joined by encoded file names.
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Giada Begins Shipping D300 Universal Barebones System
Giada Technology, a world famous manufacturer of compact desktop PCs, has announced the launch of compact barebones-system: The D300. The D300 family is based on the 3rd generation of Intel Core processors. The D300 systems are designed for builders of home assembly or all-purpose, unique compact PCs and multimedia systems with a wide range of applications. In addition, support for the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) which provides extensive security with high levels of data encryption, allows the use of D300-based systems in various applications in IT departments of large enterprises.
The D300 system is also ideal for industrial control applications, smart traffic control systems, security and surveillance systems, commercial terminals and other similar applications which require small size, wide choice of interfaces, simplicity and reliability of use.
Featuring an ultra-compact size - only 236mm x 182mm x 50mm, the Giada D300 offers unprecedented performance in its size group thanks to the modern system logic - the Intel HM77 Express - and compatibility with 3rd generation Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 chips with a TDP reaching only 35W. The cooling system features a smart control fan.
The Barebones Giada D300 is equipped with two SO-DIMM slots, which allows for the installation of up to 16GB of DDR3-1333/1600 RAM. The motherboard also features two Mini-PCIe slots which allows for the use of extra peripherals (1 x mSATA SSD; 1 x PCIe/USB). The 5.1 channel audio codec is based on the ALC662 and there are two Gigabit Ethernet ports. The inside of the system allows for the installation of a 2.5 inch SATA drive.
The new 3rd generation Intel Core processors feature a powerful DirectX 11 core, which is compatible with a wide range of today's 3D games and supports the majority of data rendering technologies of today. HDMI and DVI technologies with support for HDCP as well as an optional analog VGA interface are provided for video signal output.
The Giada D300 is equipped with a Wi-Fi module to support 802.11b/g/n network standards. Additionally, a user can connect a wireless Bluetooth interface as well as an IR port to use a remote control (which is optional).
Giada's developers took care in providing a complete range of modern interfaces and features for convenient operation whether the system is assembled for home, office or industrial use. For example, the front panel of the D300 features analog Jack connectors to plug a microphone and headphones, two USB 3.0 connectors and two serial COM ports which are still quite common in IPC today. These connectors will be sufficient to use a wide range of external devices (a D300 version also comes without COM ports). The rear panel of the system features three audio jack connectors and two RJ45 LAN ports, there are four USB 2.0, two PS/2 connectors and a connector for an external 12V power supply apart from the above mentioned DVI-I, VGA and HDMI.
Internal interfaces include a GPIO port, TPM connector, a SATA port with power connector, three COM ports and a USB 3.0 port.
Thanks to the VESA Mount fixing mechanism, users can enjoy flexibility in installation and comfort of use. For example, the D300 can be easily attached to the back of a monitor or TV set.
The Giada D300 Barebones-system is equipped with a Phoenix EFI BIOS with support for an ACPI interface. The systems are fully compatible with the majority of popular operating systems including Microsoft Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Linux.
Shipments of the Giada D300 are expected soon. Pricing will depend on the package and will be announced later.
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Kingston Technology Ships HyperX Memory Kits with Black PCB
Kingston Technology Company Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, continues to celebrate its 10th HyperX anniversary by announcing all-new black printed circuit boards (PCB) on two of its product lines. Kingston's high-performance HyperX Beast and entry-level enthusiast 'black' lines will incorporate black PCB under the signature heatspreader designs.
HyperX Beast, a part of the Predator family, matches large capacity with ultra-fast frequencies. Now featuring black PCB, HyperX Beast is available in various dual- and quad-channel kits in capacities from 8GB to 64GB and speeds up to an ultra-fast 2400MHz. It is perfect for hardcore gamers, PC modders, content creators and overclockers. The 2133 MHz, 64GB and 2400 MHz, 32GB Beast memory are the fastest and highest capacity certified Intel XMP-ready kits on the market.
HyperX black is available as single 4GB and 8GB module or as an 8GB or 16GB dual-channel kit in 1333- or 1600MHz frequencies. HyperX black is ideal as a cost-efficient performance upgrade for an overall faster system or for increased in-game frames-per-second rate.
"Our customers and fans have asked us to come out with HyperX memory featuring black PCBs to better match their system designs," said Larry Yang, HyperX business manager, Kingston. "We are able to match good looks with high performance. The black on black combination allows for easy pairing with any color component on the market."
Kingston is celebrating 25 years in the memory industry. The company was founded on October 17, 1987, and has grown to become the largest third-party memory manufacturer in the world. The 25th anniversary video can be found here, along with more information, including a timeline of Kingston's history.
Kingston HyperX Beast and black Memory Features and Specifications:
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Enermax Announces Fulmo ST Premium ATX Mid-Tower Case
The Enermax Fulmo series of chassis, including both the Fulmo and Fulmo GT Series, have proven to be favorite solutions for system builders. Much preferred by enthusiasts, as desktop systems have evolved, the Fulmo series is made to be compatible with all aspects of water cooling. With the launch of the new Fulmo ST series Enermax is presenting a new cutting-edge solution.
The Fulmo ST features a three-dimensional black iron mesh for optimal cooling and an overall exciting visual effect. For a fully covered chassis like the Fulmo ST, the visually striking grill mesh allows for superior ventilation for cooling. The Fulmo ST has 32 mm of clearance for easy backside cable routing. On the side is a chic, full-cover acrylic side panel; one of the iconic features from Enermax where the builder can show off an individual or customized interior. This design with wide expansion allows the installation of high-end tower type components.
At the top of the chassis there is space for a total of 4 USB ports along with I/O support and an integrated LED illuminated Fan Speed Adjustment controller and On/Off switch. The dual internal USB 3.0 ports will keep you up to speed with the SuperSpeed transfer ability. That, along with the Fan speed adjustment feature adds even more value to this mid-range case.
By supporting eight 3.5" or 2.5" +1 expansion slots, the Fulmo ST's got terrific potential for expansion compared to other chassis of the same class. With this setup there can be up to 3 dual slot VGA cards installed. In addition to that, after taking out the removable HDD cage, the case gives you up to 412 mm of clearance for a full-sized, high-end VGA card.
On the top of the case there is a large 60mm cleared area for a full-sized water cooling system with a 280/240 mm radiator or 2 x 14/12 cm fans. To maximize the cooling performance, the Enermax Fulmo ST can be installed with a maximum of 10 fans. Furthermore, there is a bottom mounted PSU slot with rubber pads and removable dust filter to help keep the power supply clean. Lastly, the new Enermax patented SlideIn locker gives you easy tool free ODD installation.
The Enermax Fumlo ST cases come in two colors, either a gun metal gray or jet black. For more information, visit the product page.
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Samsung Launches ATIV Smart PC Pro Ultrabook
Samsung Electronics America, Inc., a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd and the 2012 market leader in tablet PCs running Windows 7 or 8 according to IDC,1 today announced the availability of AT&T 4G LTE capability with its ATIV Smart PC Pro 700T, its latest portable Windows 8 PC. In addition, the ultra-sleek Series 9 Premium Ultrabook features a sharper, clearer screen with its LED-backlit 1920x1080 full HD display, presenting up to forty percent more content than a 1600x900 HD+ display.
"With the introduction of the new professional ATIV Smart PC Pro 700T and the full HD resolution Series 9 Premium Ultrabook, Samsung is continuing its focus on innovation while delivering on the needs of a growing number of mobile professionals," said Tod Pike, senior vice president at Samsung's Enterprise Business Division. "Samsung is providing business professionals on-the-go with the necessary tools for increased connectivity, productivity and ultimately success."
Mobility and Performance with the ATIV Smart PC Pro
With the ATIV Smart PC Pro 700T, professionals receive the benefits of an ultra-thin tablet and a fully functioning PC in one stylish product. Enabled with AT&T 4G LTE connectivity, mobile professionals can easily stay connected and complete their work while traveling. The ATIV Smart PC 700T offers the full functionality and power of a clamshell PC with the increased flexibility and convenience of a tablet.
The ATIV Smart PC Pro comes with a detachable keyboard, 10-point touch capability and the Samsung proprietary S Pen for hand-written note taking. Samsung's innovative S Pen lets users take notes, sketch and send messages in their own handwriting, conveniently storing it in the tablet. The ATIV Smart PC Pro touts an 11.6" display and files are easily accessible with touch capability.
Samsung's ATIV Smart PC Pro provides the flexibility needed in a number of business settings, including sales and service, as well as healthcare. For sales and service field agents that work in more than one location, the model provides the flexibility required to complete work while away from a traditional office environment.
With the ATIV Smart PC Pro, professionals working in a healthcare setting are able to easily interact with patients and colleagues and take their notes wherever they go. Samsung's professional mobile PCs facilitate the adoption of electronic medical records.
For peak performance, the ATIV Smart PC 700T touts an Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM (Standard) and up to 8 hours of battery life.
The Ultimate, Ultraportable Series 9 with Full HD
The Series 9 Premium Ultrabook with full HD resolution is the newest addition to Samsung's comprehensive portfolio of Series 9 business-ready products. It is the ultimate, ultraportable PC for mobile professionals as one of the thinnest and lightest ultrabooks on the market. With the latest edition, the Series 9 includes an LED-backlit 1920x1080 full HD display, delivering up to 40 percent more screen content than the standard 1600x900 HD+ display.
With the addition of full HD, the Series 9 enables individual professionals to make the most of commonly used business applications where more content can be displayed. In addition, the full HD LCD display provides sharp, high-resolution video in an ultra-thin form factor. Its SuperBright technology is up to 50 percent brighter than standard laptop screens, for more vivid colors.
As the ideal travel companion, the Series 9 is built with Samsung's PowerPlus charging technology and an advanced Lithium-Polyester battery for a lifespan up to 1,500 cycles, extending the product's lifespan up to three times longer than a conventional battery.* Users can achieve maximum efficiency with an Intel Core i7 processor and a 256GB solid state drive delivering plenty of storage space. The Series 9 boots up to 60 percent faster than a hard disk drive-equipped PC.
The Series 9 Premium Ultrabook comes with a three-year limited warranty and Windows 8 Pro operating system and TPM. All of the models being introduced are powered by Windows 8, providing instant access to friends and colleagues, apps, sites and more.
The MAP for each product is as follows:
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GIGABYTE Kicks Off "NEW IDEA" Tech Tour 2013
Taipei, Taiwan, 25th March 2013 - GIGABYTE, a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, is excited to kick off GIGABYTE "NEW IDEA" Tech Tour 2013 starting from Taiwan and Thailand on March 29th and than 12 more major cities across 4 continents from April through May. With the concept of "NEW IDEA", GIGABYTE is going to bring all the gamers and consumers some stunning new products this time. The conference will be divided into two sessions. The 1st session is the "NEW IDEAS" for gamers, and the other part is to make a better tech life for all the consumers. During the Tech Tour 2013, GIGABYTE is going to communicate with worldwide manufactures, media, business partners, and users directly. Not only to bring something NEW this year, but also to THINK FRESH!
The starting point for the "NEW IDEA" Tech Tour 2013 started with "no giving in" - a phrase that is synonymous with the spirit of GIGABYTE. By pushing the limits of technology, GIGABYTE always provides consumer the best enjoyment of life. The "NEW IDEAS" of the Tech Tour 2013, GIGABYTE is going to lead all the consumers to explore, experience, and pursue the fulfillment of sensations. During the "NEW IDEA" Tech Tour 2013 conferences, GIGABYTE will introduce the world new ideas for both gaming environment and tech life. For gamers, we will show the world of our very new live-macro gaming mouse (Aivia Uranium), the best cooling solution concept of WINDFORCE, gaming grade AIO and 17-inch huge monitor gaming notebook. For all the consumers, GIGABYTE will bring a new brilliant presenter air mouse (Aivia Neon) which already won the latest red dot design award, the very first headset of our brand-new product line (FLY), bass boost USB 3.0 extraordinary powerful speakers (S3000), and the "mobile office" super mini PC.
This year, GIGABYTE expands the territory of Tech Tour 2013. We will kick off the events in Taipei (Taiwan) and Bangkok (Thailand), and then held the conferences in: Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Berlin (Germany), Sydney (Australia), London (UK), Stockholm (Sweden), Seoul (Korea), Jakarta (Indonesia), L.A. (USA), Moscow (Russia), Brno (CZ), Sao Paulo (Brazil) and Beijing(China).
For more details about GIGABYTE NEW IDEA products, please visit GIGABYTE VGA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GIGABYTE.VGA
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Top 10 TweakTown Press Releases from the past week [25 March 2013]
Here are our top 10 posted press releases from the past week!
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Innodisk Leads the Way in New Trends for Industrial Flash Memory in 2013
March 22, 2013, Taipei, Taiwan - Innodisk, a major designer and manufacturer of SSDs for industrial applications, recently spoke about new trends and challenges in the growing industrial flash market at the 2013 DTF (Digitimes Tech Forum) - Embedded Technology & Application, Taiwan's largest technology industry forum. Innodisk has been invited to speak at DTF for three years running. This year's presentation centers on three new trends for industrial flash memory in 2013.
Trend 1: Back-end designs will determine the overall performance of Flash memory
Multi-Level Cell (MLC) Flash memory has been adopted faster than expected, but it has reliability and endurance limitations for industrial applications. Innodisk has developed technology to solve these problems and realize the true potential of MLC Flash, with their innovative back-end design of industrial SSD's.
These innovations include thermal sensors to monitor temperature range, and internal heating pads to assist in heat dissipation of MLC Flash. Innodisk has developed our new iSLC technology with our own firmware design, introduced in the final quarter of 2012.
"We have the ability to select the best MLC Flash memory", says CC Wu, director of Innodisk's Embedded Flash Division, "and our proprietary firmware technologies make our iSLC products perform almost as well as SLC, while keeping a lower price."
Innodisk's newly revised iSMART 3.0 monitoring tool analyzes all storage devices in a system. Users can observe some key features, including temperature, read/write performance, and lifespan of each Flash storage device. The latest iSMART tool can also be configured to alert users of the SSD wear-leveling status.
Trend 2: Adoption of SATA III is on the rise in industrial control applications in 2013
SATA III (6.0 GB/s) has been the mainstream data connection interface for consumer applications since 2011. The industrial market has relied on SATA II for older generation and current designs, but will look to SATA III for an increase in performance without sacrificing reliability.
As SATA III technology has matured, Innodisk has aggressively allocated R&D resources to develop faster SSDs over the past 6 months. After testing SATA III SSDs on the SATA II platform, we found a two-fold increase in read/write speeds. Innodisk introduced its first 2.5" SATA III SSD product line in the first quarter of 2013, and will release small form factor SATA III SATADOM and mSATA to the market later this year.
Trend 3: Small form factor devices will become mainstream
Small form factor devices will become the norm in the industrial sector in 2013, partly due to the industry's adoption of Intel's Next Generation Form Factor standard (NGFF) specification. This industry-wide trend of miniaturization allows data centers to pack more units in the same amount of space and enables a dramatic increase in data transfer speed.
Innodisk will introduce small form factor products based on Intel's NGFF specification in the second half of 2013. The company has already gained a foothold in the market for miniaturized modules, with its most important product line, SATADOM, with patented Pin 7 technology.
Innodisk believes these three trends of firmware design, SATA III adoption and miniaturization will drive industrial flash memory in 2013.
For the full article, please see:
http://www.innodisk.com/AboutInnodisk/NewsDetail.aspx?bmV3c19Hcm91cElEPTQzOWI1OWQxLTIy
OGMtNGNmZi04ODM1LWQ2MDI3OWUyMjc0ZSZuZXdzX2RmbElEPTAwMQ%3d%3d
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SAPPHIRE enhances HD 7700 Series with new models HD 7790 OC with Dual-X delivers increased performance, new features
SAPPHIRE Technology has just introduced the first in a new family of products in its highly successful HD 7000 series of graphics cards. The SAPPHIRE HD 7790 OC is based on the latest chipset featuring the highly acclaimed graphics GCN (Graphics Core Next) architecture from AMD and sets a new standard for performance in mainstream graphics.
The SAPPHIRE HD 7790 OC Edition is the first product in a new family featuring the latest GPU architecture from AMD with 896 Stream processor units. It has 1GB of the latest DDR5 memory and is factory overclocked, with core clocks of 1075MHz and memory clocks of 1600MHz (6.4GB/s effective), to deliver new levels of performance in its price segment. Performance is optimised with the latest version of AMD's PowerTune technology. Quiet and cool operation is assured with SAPPHIRE's Dual-X cooler design, which combines a multiple heatpipe array with two aerofoil section fans and dust repelling bearings resulting in a highly efficient and reliable cooler.
The SAPPHIRE HD 7790 OC Edition can be installed in any PC with a free x16 PCI-Express slot, and communication with the host PC is optimised with the use of the latest high speed PCI-Express Gen3.0 interface. Built in hardware support for AMD CrossFire enables multiple cards to be used to further enhance performance in a suitably specified mainboard.
The SAPPHIRE HD 7790 OC supports the latest industry standards and is ready for Windows 8 with its architecture designed for DirectX 11.1, OpenGL 4.2 and OpenCL 1.2. This latest version of AMD's Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture also supports an unparalleled array of display and audio technologies, with new fast HDMI features (such as support for 4K resolution and full frame rate 1080p stereoscopic support), DisplayPort 1.2 certification (with support for Multi-Stream Transmission), and DDM Audio (which adds supports for up to 6 simultaneous independent audio streams). Video capabilities include native support for 3D Blu-ray (MVC Codec), DivX decode and hardware encoding of H.264 video via VCE.
Working or gaming with multiple monitors is becoming increasingly popular, and the SAPPHIRE HD 7700 series supports this with AMD Eyefinity, now in its second generation. The SAPPHIRE HD 7790 OC Edition has two DVI ports (DVI-I and DVI-D), HDMI and a single DisplayPort output, supporting up to four monitors.
The SAPPHIRE HD 7790 OC Edition model supports the FleX feature, pioneered by SAPPHIRE, that allows three digital displays to be connected to the DVI and HDMI outputs and used in AMD Eyefinity mode without the need for an external active adapter. All four outputs can be used in AMD Eyefinity mode, but the fourth display must be a DisplayPort monitor or connected with an active adapter.
SAPPHIRE will also introduce the HD 7790 1GB standard edition, sharing all the same features as the OC model, but with the slightly lower clocks of 1000MHz for the core and memory clocks of 1500MHz (6GB/s effective). The HD 7790 1GB has a SAPPHIRE original cooler with dual heatpipes and a single fan, and the same output configuration as the OC model.
APP Acceleration is the name given to the enhanced performance of a wide range of applications using the stream processing capabilities and specific hardware features of the GCN graphics architecture. The HD 7000 series has been optimised for this type of task. Typical applications include Video encoding and decoding, compression and multiplexing for media distribution, gaming or video conferencing. APP acceleration can also enhance everyday tasks such as Internet browsing, Office applications and file compression with supported software suites.
The SAPPHIRE HD 7790 series is ready to ship and will be available through SAPPHIRE's established etaielers and retail partners.
Full specifications are available on our website at http://www.sapphiretech.com
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ZOWIE GEAR Announces MASHU Headset
ZOWIE GEAR's product line is expanding with the launch of its new competitive gaming headset MASHU. ZOWIE MASHU is named after Lake Mashu which is one of the clearest lakes in the world. With the new headset, ZOWIE aims to provide clear and precise sound so gamers can get more information in order to make the right decisions in-game. The name of the headset reflects our goal.
GSL, one of the most famous StarCraft II tournaments in the world and our closest partner also approved the sound quality and comfort of the MASHU as they decided to make it the official GSL branded headphones. After the headphone was used by the best StarCraft II players from around the world, who competed for the GSL title, ZOWIE GEAR decided MASHU is now ready to be unleashed to all competitive gamers.
Many were able to view pictures of MASHU headset for the past 2 years and during this period we received emails and comments from players around the globe hoping that ZOWIE GEAR quickly launches this new headset. Fact is that we took almost three years to design this headset because the development team has been working with many of the top players to do sound adjustment, hoping to provide the one that can determine the status of the game; like the sense of direction, positioning precision and the judgment of the sense of distance. Those are particularly difficult, because we understand that gaming headsets is an important piece of equipment allowing the player to collect intelligence in game, especially FPS game players. Once you experience this headset we believe that you will understand the effort and time we put in it. ZOWIE MASHU is equipped with neodymium speakers that offer clean and distortion-free sound even in high volumes. Its auto-adjusting, large ear-cups ensure maximum comfort while the uni-directional microphone provides a clear and precise voice transmission, with 99.999% Oxygen-Free Copper cable (OFC) that guarantees lower signal loss than regular cables.
Features:
Product available in Mid. of April, Please check below for participating launch partner shops:
America:
Europe:
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Intel Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend
Intel Corporation's board of directors has declared a 22.5 cents-per-share (90 cents-per-share on an annual basis) quarterly dividend on the company's common stock. The dividend will be payable on June 1, 2013 to stockholders of record on May 7, 2013.
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world's computing devices.
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Corsair Announces Vengeance K70 Fully Mechanical Gaming Keyboard with Key-by-Key Backlighting
FREMONT, California - March 21, 2013 - Corsair, a worldwide designer of high-performance PC gaming peripherals, today announced the Vengeance K70 fully mechanical gaming keyboard.
[img]04[/img]
The new Vengeance K70 gaming keyboard is built on a rugged, brushed, aluminum chassis and features highly responsive Cherry MX Red mechanical switches under every key. The high performance switches combined with the keyboard's 100% anti-ghosted matrix, 20-key rollover and 1000Hz reporting rate provide fast, accurate input for gaming.
The Vengeance K70 gaming keyboards are available in two color schemes: silver aluminum with blue backlighting, and anodized black with deep red backlighting. Overall backlighting can be adjusted to four levels of intensity and each key is individually backlit, enabling the lighting for each key to be independently enabled or disabled. The key-by-key lighting customization allows users to highlight just the keys they need to emphasize and then save the setting directly to the K70's onboard memory. In addition, the Vengeance K70 comes with alternate colored, contoured keycaps for the WASD and 1-6 keycaps to allow additional customization.
[img]04[/img]
"When we launched the Vengeance K60, customers loved the look and quality, but some wanted a backlit version," said Ruben Mookerjee, VP and General Manager of the Peripherals Business Unit at Corsair. "In typical Corsair fashion, we over-delivered and created Vengeance K70 with key-by-key backlighting, mechanical switches on every key, and two color schemes."
The Vengeance K70 also features dedicated multimedia controls to allow users to play, stop, pause, skip tracks and adjust volume. An extra USB connector is provided for attaching to USB devices such as a Vengeance gaming mouse or headset. A removeable soft-touch wrist rest provides comfort for long gaming or typing sessions.
See Vengeance K70 at PAX East from March 22-24
The Vengeance K70 keyboard will make its public debut at Corsair's booth at PAX East in Boston from March 22-24. Corsair is located in booth 1062.
Pricing and Availability
The Corsair Vengeance K70 will be available in April at suggested price of $129.99.
For more information on the Corsair Vengeance K70 gaming keyboard, please visit: http://www.corsair.com/k70
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Swiftech Announces Record Revenues and Profits for FY 2012
Rouchon Industries, Inc. dba Swiftech (PINKSHEETS: RCHN) has released its year-end reports for the fiscal year ended December 31st, 2012. The Company specializes in manufacturing advanced air, liquid, and thermoelectric cooling devices for the IT industry, and provides thermal management solutions for consumers, OEMs and industrial customers.
Gabriel Rouchon, Swiftech's Chairman and CEO, stated, "2012 was our best year since inception, both in terms of gross revenues and net profits. As a result, net cash from operations provided adequate funding for the acquisition of capital equipment and tooling in preparation for an aggressive 2013 growth plan. Among the fundamental changes in the company's activity in 2012 was the addition of an electric motor production line. This allowed us to manufacture in house the new generation of pumps used in the all-in-one H220 CPU cooling system that was unveiled during CES in January 2013. Once again, our entire organization continues to deliver on the company's goals by producing results that meet or exceed our highest expectations and I want to take this opportunity to thank our customers, vendors, employees and shareholders for helping us in realizing such strong and steady growth in 2012."
Key financial highlights, year over year:
Swiftech's entry in the high volume all-in-one CPU cooling market has received considerable industry attention, and is expected to fuel the company's accelerated growth in 2013 and beyond. The company has a ten year track record of consistently profitable operations, and remains debt free, a fact that has not escaped investors who began rallying around RCHN stock beginning April 2012.
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