Samsung Galaxy S4 teardown contest between HTC One sees the Galaxy S4 come out on top
Samsung's Galaxy S4 isn't even out yet and there's already one lucky SOB who has received one, and like you'd do with one of the hottest phones of the year (I'm grinding my teeth typing that), you tear it apart.
TechnoBuffalo posted the teardown video, which sees the Galaxy S4 surprisingly easy to take apart. The S4's screen might cost users a bit to replace, if they ever needed to, but other than that the S4 is "almost infinitely" easier to repair than the HTC One. You can also read the teardown write up
here.
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Seiki offering a 50-inch 4K TV for $1299, it wants to be your next display
If you thought the $10,000+ for an Ultra HD TV was too much, Seiki are coming to the result.
TigerDirect have this Seiki 50-inch 4K-capable TV for sale, for just $1299. Yes, $1299.
The Seiki 50-inch Class 4K2K LED HDTV has the eye-busting 3840x2160 resolution we all dream of running, backed up by the buttery smooth 120Hz refresh rate and 6.5ms response time. This should mean it will provide some ultra high-res, ultra pretty, and ultra smooth gaming. Desktop use on this thing would be a beast, I just wish I could have it shipped to Australia.
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ReportTT: iPad 5 could slim down by shrinking LED backlighting
According to a CNet report, the next iPad--likely the iPad 5--could be slimmed down by shrinking the LEDs used to backlight the screen. They cite NPD DisplaySearch, an authority on all things display related: "
It's likely that part of the thinner/lighter design will be reducing the size of the LED backlight, partly by making the display more efficient and partly by using more efficient LEDs."
Other option for Apple to reduce the thickness and weight of the next iPad would be to change the touch sensor: "
The other significant change that we feel is likely is a shift to a film-based touch sensor," Paul Semenza, an analyst at NPD DisplaySearch, wrote.
Apple has also been rumored to be looking into different display technology, such as IGZO. Sharp has heavily pursued IGZO and was originally expected to be present in the third-gen iPad.
Rumors place the next-gen iPad arriving sometime in the third quarter, likely around September.
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Google gets YT.be domain to use as URL shortener
Google has obtained a new domain to use for URL shortening. YT.be is now in Google's possession and we imagine that it will be used to shorten links to YouTube videos. Currently Google uses Youtu.be for shortened links that point to YouTube videos, but characters are becoming increasingly important.
YT.be is currently redirecting to Google's goo.gl URL shortening webpage. Google acquired the new URL from a Belgian Internet entrepreneur who originally purchased the domain in May 2003. Purchase price has not been disclosed.
It's unlikely that Google would opt to use YT.be for anything other than YouTube issues for many reasons. The most obvious reason would be branding issues, which is the same reason Google only uses g.co for Google websites.
Google will likely start using YT.be to shorten YouTube URLs soon.
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Ask the Experts: I want to get a new GPU for my system but want to make sure there's no CPU bottleneck
Our
Ask the Experts section has a new question, where we have Ahmad from Malaysia wanting to upgrade his GPU but before he does, he wants to make sure there's not going to be a CPU bottleneck, and that his PSU is capable of taking the upgraded GPU.
Q: Here's my spec:
- MB: MSI 7636 H55M E33 Chipset AMI BIOS v10
- PSU: Cooler Master Extreme Power Plus 500W
- CPU: i3 530
- RAM: 2 X KVR1333D3N9/4G (8GB)
- HDD: 1 X ST3320418AS Seagate Barracuda 320GB and 1 X WD 500GB
- GPU: ASUS GT 440 1GB DDR5
- OS: Win7 64bit ultimate
- DISPLAY: 32" Sony Bravia EX65 1080p
Im thinking of upgrading my GPU to 7850, will it be any problem especially on CPU bottleneck, the PSU (since Cooler Master Power calculator tells me i need 550w ones). What do you guys recommend?
A: You can view the answer to Ahmad's question right
here.
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Facebook Messenger update gives Chat Heads feature to most Android smartphones, even without Facebook Home
Those of us with older Android smartphones were pretty bummed out to hear that our devices will not be able to run Facebook Home. Things are not as bleak as they appear, though. Facebook has just released an update to Messenger that will bring Chat Heads to most Android phones.
The new update will install Chat Heads to Facebook Messenger on Android devices running Android 2.2 or later, which means that unless you own a bottom of the barrel 3+ year old phone, the update should work on your phone.
I checked out the available updates for my phone and tablet, and both had a Facebook and Facebook Messenger update available, but after installing the update and testing, I have yet to see any Chat Head functionality. I only update about once a month, so chances are that both updates were old and the new one has not yet been pushed to my devices.
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Nintendo to cancel some built-in Wii apps on June 28th
This morning Nintendo officially announced that it will be canceling several services built into the Wii effective June 28th. The apps on the chopping block are ones not featured on the Wii U, and were expected to be canceled at some point.
Wii users will no longer have access to News, Weather, Everybody Votes, Mii Contest, Digital Camera Print and Nintendo channels, as well as WiiConnect24 apps like messaging and exchanging system data.
Nintendo has yet to announce if the apps will be removed elsewhere too.
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Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox suffered large DDOS attack yesterday
In the past 48 hours, life has been pretty stressful for those invested in the virtual currency Bitcoin. On Wednesday the Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox
experienced a massive crash that led to the Bitcoin losing half of it's value. Then yesterday Mt. Gox announced a
12 hour suspension in trading to upgrade servers, and let investors calm down over the crash.
This morning we got word that before yesterday's shutdown, Mt. Gox was also attacked by hackers when it experienced a massive DDOS attack. This is the second large cyber-attack on the exchange in less than a week, which should fuel speculation about the security of investing in a yet-to-be vetted virtual currency.
Skeptics of Bitcoin will be quick to point out the fact that it will be hard to validate the new currency until the market is secure from such attacks, and measures are implemented to prevent such massive sell-offs. The debate over Bitcoins has come up a lot in the past few weeks, and I want to know your feelings on the "currency of the future". Leave me a comment or send me an email.
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LG unveils Value Pack upgrade for Optimus G Pro, looks remarkably similar to Galaxy S4 features
LG is looking to combat rival Samsung's Galaxy S4 head on with its flagship Optimus G Pro, which features similar hardware included in the Galaxy S4. With some planned software tweaks and a "Value Pack" upgrade, the Optimus G Pro will even more closely resemble the Galaxy S4 in function.
The Value Pack will introduce a "Smart Video" feature which like Samsung's Smart Pause, will pause video when a user's eyes are not focused on the screen. Also included in the upgrade pack is the ability to pause live recording and start it again in the same video file. Users will also be able to use both the front and rear cameras to capture both a photo of the subject and the user at the same time.
Existing Optimus Pro smartphones in the Korean market will begin getting the Value Pack upgrade beginning today, with further roll-out taking place in the coming weeks.
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Motorola's upcoming X Phone delayed until August
We have been talking about
Google's
Motorola's Googlerola's upcoming
X Phone since December, and there is news this morning that could mean we will be speculating about the new flagship all the way into August.
The X Phone has long been rumored to be the most advanced Android phone ever, and will be the first device running Google's next-gen Android 5.0 platform, dubbed Key Lime Pie. Rumors today are pointing to the X Phone being delayed until August,
instead of the May, June or July time frame, as previously reported.
There is no reason given for the speculated delay, but it could have something to do with
Google not being impressed with early designs, or that Android 5.0 is just not going to be ready in time. I think it could have something to do with the recent releases from Samsung and HTC, and Google / Motorola realizing that they really have to step their game up if they wish remain a big time player.
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GIGABYTE HQ officially open new OC Lab, dedicated to all things overclocking
Earlier today we were invited to the GIGABYTE headquarters here in Taipei, Taiwan to get a look at the motherboard maker's brand new pride and joy. No, for once we're not talking about a new motherboard... we're talking about a new lab.
Staff at GIGABYTE had been pushing senior staff at the Taiwanese company to sign off on a new "OC Lab" for its employees to spend their days overclocking and tweaking new GIGABYTE motherboards and video cards. HiCookie, a famous Taiwanese overclocker, joined GIGABYTE some years ago now and I can indeed confirm each time I visited him, he was slowly taking over cubical by cubical, with all of his overclocking hardware and gear. He and others at the company needed such a new place to be free and overclock, till they can overclock no more.
Eventually the bosses at GIGABYTE signed off on the overclocking lab, known simply as the "OC Lab". GIGABYTE invited some local press and overclockers there earlier today, where we christened it with a couple of drinks. It will be the new home for HiCookie when he moves into the OC Lab next week - he would have been in there by now if it were not for IDF Beijing, which he just returned from.
As you can tell by the pictures, no expenses were spared in the new lab. There are three tables set up, which will seat two test systems per table. HiCookie told us that he plans to have an "Extreme table" for LN2 and dry ice, a "Medium table" for water cooling, and the final table for standard air cooling solutions. Each table is equipped with an air extraction vent to remove harmful smoke and gases from the room for when soldering and such takes place. And yes, they had four NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan video cards, just laying around for showing off.
The lab is even setup with a little bar for those times when overclocking just becomes too stressful, or for when GIGABYTE wishes to entertain media and customers. Not pictured (my bad!) is the sofa setup and row of chairs for the comfort of those attending. Cheers Colin (pictured above), GIGABYTE's new marketing director, for the drink, but in seriousness, it is great to see GIGABYTE putting its money where its mouth is and investing more and showing even further seriousness when it comes to overclocking.
You can view more pictures below in the gallery.
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ASUS Qube Google TV box to launch on April 23rd
GTVSource is reporting that ASUS will launch its first entry into the Google TV market later this month. Named the Qube, we first got a glimpse of it at CES 2013 in Las Vegas, and now four months later it is coming to market.
The Qube is essentially an Android box that features Marvell's ARMADA 1500 media SoC, which is paired up with 1GB of RAM. Only 4GB of onboard storage is included for additional app installs, but ASUS says that the Qube will come with 50GB of free cloud storage.
The device comes with a full featured remote, which includes a built-in QWERTY keyboard. Users will be able to stream their content as well as content from services like HBOGo, Crackle, Pandora, Amazon, Google Play and Netflix.
The Qube will launch in the US on the 29th of April and retail at $129. Additional markets will follow shortly after according to the report.
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EA lays off many Montreal studio staff, said to be refocusing efforts on mobile and new platforms
This morning the air is thick with sadness at EA's Montreal studio where the company has reportedly laid off most of its staff. The reports have been confirmed by EA, but no official word on how many employees were let go.
Our early findings appear to show that as many as 170 employees got the notice this morning, with once source saying that most of those affected were quality assurance and contract workers. In a statement to gaming site Joystiq, EA said that the layoffs were part of an effort to sharpen their focus on providing games for new platforms and mobile.
"These are difficult decisions to let go of good people who have made important contributions to EA, and whenever possible we retrain or relocate employees to new roles. Streamlining our operations will help ensure EA is bringing the best next-generation games to players around the world."
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Nokia releases updated firmware for Lumia 920, 820, 620
Nokia seems to be one of the few brands taking the time to update older mobile hardware. Microsoft's updates are sporadic at best and non-existent at worst. However, Nokia is taking care of the issue by releasing updated firmware for its popular Lumia 920, 820, and 620 devices.
The updates, said to be rolling out over the coming weeks, is already available on some users' devices. It brings various improvements, which are listed on the Lumia 920 support page:
- Improved automatic display brightness adjustment
- Fix for intermittent screen blanking during a call
- Improvements for connectivity issues in certain network conditions
- Performance and stability improvements
The 820 and 620 are also getting the improvements listed above. The 620 is also gaining the following improvements:
- Improved touch screen functions, including corrections in multi-touch actions
- Better voice quality with Bluetooth headsets that support echo/noise suppression
- Enhanced camera performance with corrected exposure when flash is used in bright light conditions
- Various improvements to system stability, performance, and usability
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LeakedTT: BlackBerry 10 update will improve camera speed, HDR, and other improvements
BlackBerry is apparently already readying an update for its BlackBerry 10 operating system used on its latest flagship devices. The new update is said to be in the works for release by the end of the month and will bring with it numerous improvements.
According to the leak, BlackBerry 10 users can expect numerous improvements for just the camera. BB10.1 is said to feature a faster camera and HDR support. BB10.1 will also be getting UI and keyboard tweaks to help BlackBerry users adjust to the on-screen keyboard. The full list of improvements is below:
- Mnemonic Phone Dialing
- BlackBerry Mobile Voice System Support
- Keyboard Shortcuts
- BlackBerry Balance
- Word Prediction
- Type N Go
- Corporate Liable Feature
- Cross Domain Email Warnings
- Dark Theme Support
- Out-of-Box-Experience
- Smartcard Support
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Windows Update bug causes some Windows 7 PCs not to boot in Brazil
A warning to all of our readers in Brazil: If your system is powered by Microsoft's 32-bit version of Windows 7, you should disable automatic Windows Updates. Patch number KB2823324 will cause 32-bit Windows 7 systems in Brazil to enter an infinite reboot loop, something most would like to avoid.
Oddly enough, the problem only presents itself in Brazil: "
The problem is isolated to Brazil and we are working on a solution," Microsoft said.
To fix the problem, you'll need to load a recent System Restore points. If you don't use System Restore, you might be able to use Command Prompt in Safe Mode to remove the botched patch. Run the following command:
DISM.exe / image: C: [windows8 install]/ cleanup-image / revertpendingact
Of course, your mileage may vary. If all else fails, you can wait for Microsoft to issue an official fix or reinstall your operating system.
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Sprint rolling out LTE to 21 new markets on April 12, according to leak
According to a document obtained by PhoneArena, Sprint will be rolling out LTE to 21 new markets tomorrow, April 12. Sprint has said that the roll out in Los Angeles will be more of a soft roll out as they continue to test bits and pieces much like the San Francisco roll out has taken place.
The markets below are said to be receiving LTE tomorrow:
- California: Los Angeles, Contra Costa County
- Florida: Palm Bay, Port St. Lucie, West Palm Beach
- Indiana: Bloomington and Lafayette
- Illinois: Rochelle
- Minnesota: Mankato-North Mankato
- Missouri: Joplin
- North Carolina: Charlotte, Shelby, Albemarle, Sailsbury, Lincolnton
- Tennessee: Memphis, Greenville, Tullahoma
- Texas: Denison, Kerrville
- Virginia: Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News
The document says that users will be able to enjoy download speeds of 6-8 Mbps down and 2-3 Mbps up. Of course, to use LTE, you'll need an LTE compatible Sprint device such as the LG Optimus G, Samsung Galaxy S III, Samsung Galaxy Note II, or Apple iPhone 5. I'm still waiting for LTE to come to a city near me.
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RumorTT: Xbox 720 launch titles said to include Ryse and new Forza
The latest rumor to surface regarding the Xbox 720 talks about what games will be available at launch. According to The Verge, who have been active with numerous Xbox 720 rumors as of late, the Xbox 720 will be launching with several new games including a new Forza and Ryse.
Ryse was originally shown off during E3 2011--the trailer can be seen above--but has yet to materialize. Crytek and Microsoft Studios have reportedly been working on rewriting the game to make use the hardware and features present on the new Xbox 720. Ryse is said to be the mega launch title for the new Xbox 720 console. It will apparently be Microsoft's new Gears of War or Halo series.
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Verizon CEO takes credit for LTE-capable iPhone, states that video streaming accounts for 50% of their traffic
Verizon's chief executive has come out swinging, saying that video streaming now accounts for 50% of Verizon's traffic. Verizon CEO, Lowell McAdam, was speaking at the National Association of Broadcasters, when he said that his company's investment in their LTE network has benefited their customers, making high-quality streaming video possible.
He also said that with 3G you could only watch small video clips that require heaps of buffering, but with 4G LTE there are endless possibilities. The network believes that streaming video will continue to be popular with customers, and that by 2017 it could consume two-thirds of all traffic on the Verizon network.
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LinkedIn acquires news reader Pulse, shells out $90 million
LinkedIn have announced that they have acquired the company who make the news reader app Pulse for a reported $90 million. Pulse has over 30 million users, and could give LinkedIn an injection of tools as they continue their mission to move from being a socially-enabled site to resumes and business connections to a complete information destination.
LinkedIn took to their blog announcing the news, with the company's senior vice president Deep Nishar writing
"We believe LinkedIn can be the definitive professional publishing platform - where all professionals come to consume content and where publishers come to share their content."
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AMD to offer Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon under their Never Settle Reloaded promotion
AMD have been kicking all sorts of ass when it comes to their Never Settle Reloaded program, which offers up some of the best games on the market for free when you purchase an AMD Radeon GPU.
The chipmaker have just announced that they're extending this offer, and will give gamers Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon for free to any customer who has redeemed a Reloaded code! How can it get better than that?! AMD will offer the keys to be redeemable through Ubisoft's Ubisoft for UPlay, and will be send by May 1.
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Microsoft stock drops riding the news of huge drop in PC shipment numbers
We reported the bad numbers of PC shipments in Q1 earlier today, and since then Microsoft stocks have dropped by around 4.4% to $28.93 at the time of writing. Not only that, but other technology stocks have dropped, too.
Dell, HP and Intel were down in stock prices riding the news of Q1 shipment numbers. Research firm IDC had partly blamed Windows 8 for the drop in PC sales, noting that HP's shipments declined 24% year-over-year, backed up by Dell's numbers which dropped 11%. Now several Wall Street analysts have downgraded Microsoft stock, so I'm sure we'll see it tumble more in the coming days and weeks.
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Samsung begins mass-production of 128GB NAND on their 10nm process
Samsung are looking to take a few steps outside of the current ring of competitors, and quickly speed ahead of their competitors with the announcement of mass-production of 128GB NAND flash on their 10nm process. Samsung have said:
We will continue to release next-generation chips at the right moments to actively react to consumer demands.
More consumers are moving to SSDs, using them as their primary drives, which will obviously lift demand for NAND flash. iSuppli reports that the 128GB chips will account for 30% of the 40.5 billion NAND flash shipped this year alone. Samsung are also going for more SSDs over 500GB to help the adoption rate of SSDs as primary drives.
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NVIDIA to return $1 billion to shareholders in current fiscal year through stock buybacks
NVIDIA announced at today's investor day that they intend to return roughly $1 billion back to shareholders. The money will be returned mainly through a structured stock repurchase program, though some will also be returned through the company's quarterly dividend of $0.075 per share.
NVIDIA said they have already returned $200 million to shareholders since the dividend was first announced in November 2012. Jen-Hsun Huang:
NVIDIA's strategies are gaining traction in the market and make us confident in our ability to continue generating cash. We are now broadening our program of giving back cash to our shareholders and plan to return a further $1 billion by the end of this fiscal year.
More details regarding the buyback plan will be provided next month when NVIDIA releases its financial results for Q1 2014.
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ReportTT: BlackBerry Z10 returns outnumber sales
Things aren't looking so good for BlackBerry. According to various analysts, BlackBerry's flagship Z10 suffered from weak sales. Now analysts are suggesting that the number of returns are actually outpacing the number of sales. This is not good news for BlackBerry.
"
We believe key retail partners have seen a significant increase in Z10 returns to the point where, in several cases, returns are now exceeding sales, a phenomenon we have never seen before," Detwiler analyst Jeff Johnston wrote.
BlackBerry responds:
BlackBerry wishes to respond to media coverage today regarding speculation that there have been abnormally high levels of returns of BlackBerry Z10 devices. This is absolutely false. Our data shows that return rates for BlackBerry Z10 devices both in the U.S. and on a global basis are in line with or better than our expectations and are consistent with return rates for other premium smartphones in the market today.
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Microsoft Windows 8 and Metro UI: The (d)evolution of the world's most popular OS
Reports surfaced this week clearly showing a huge drop in overall PC sales during the first quarter of 2013. As
we have reported in a recent news article, expert analyst firms have placed this drop between the region of 11% (Gartner) to 14% (IDC). This is a massive drop, the largest one ever seen by research analysts in almost 20 years of tracking.
The experts have cited several contributing factors for this fall, but once again Windows 8 has been burdened with a large part of the blame. With Windows 8, Microsoft has dumped the classic taskbar and the familiar Start Button and Start Menu of previous Windows iterations, in favour of the touchscreen Metro UI. Many Windows users around the world felt alienated by this dramatic change towards an interface which is deemed by many as more suitable to a touchscreen tablet or smartphone, rather than a PC. There has been a lot of speculation why Microsoft did this. In this article we will explore some of the possible reasons that may have led Microsoft to take such drastic measures.
It is plain to see that Google's Android has quickly become the OS of choice for tablets and smartphones. Android has essentially become the "Windows" of the mobile devices world. Google has been instrumental towards the development of the Linux-based platform, which they fully acquired in 2005. Since then they have managed to plant the OS to a great variety of touchscreen devices, produced by many different manufacturers. This has led to a global touchscreen devices market, which is largely dominated by Google and Apple.
Microsoft must have felt pretty much like an outsider in this massive global game. Their response was a touchscreen interface of their own, and Metro UI was born. The main problem for the Redmond people at that point was the simple fact that Google and Apple had already established themselves as the major players and global market leaders in the field. Microsoft had entered the arena very belatedly. For the first time in its history, Microsoft was reduced to the role of the third contender, desperately trying to catch-up with the leaders up front. At some point the Microsoft people must have realized that their only realistic short-term hope was to go for bronze. Windows smartphones were eventually released to a lukewarm reception. By that time Google and Apple had already reserved the biggest slices of the pie, leaving behind only crumbs for Microsoft.
I can almost imagine the endless brainstorming sessions that must have taken place at Redmond during that period, with desperate managers franticly trying to find a way out of the black hole they had found themselves in. It must have been during one of these stressful sessions that the decision was made to dump the Windows 8 Start Button/Menu in favour of Metro UI. Like many decisions which are born out of desperation, this one has proven to be a divisive one.
I can understand the way of thinking that led to such an action. With the apparent failure of Windows smartphones, Microsoft must have realized that the only way out for them would be to gradually worm their way back into a mainstream position of strength via the only avenue that was left open to them: The PC. Windows 7 was still the most popular PC OS in the world. The only way for Microsoft to balance things out in their favour had to be through their next Windows iteration.
When the Windows 8 release candidate was unleashed to the public, I just couldn't believe that Microsoft had left out the Start Button/Menu. End-user logic dictates to at least give users the choice to disable Metro and bring back the classic Windows 7 desktop and Start Button/Menu, if they want to. The problem is that end-user logic is often at odds with a company's long term planning. In the end Microsoft opted to take the choice away from its customers, essentially forcing Metro down our collective throats.
It is really not that difficult to assess Microsoft's possible reasons for doing this. We all know that touchscreens are the way things are going. One only has to look at kids nowadays with their smartphones and tablets, fingers flying. These are the users of tomorrow, young people, a lot of which have only known touchscreens. For such young users a mouse and keyboard is often seen as an optional peripheral, at best. They may still be using those with a school computer, but at the end of the day, they are much more comfortable with a touchscreen, simply because their own personal devices feature such an interface.
Microsoft must have realized that by allowing the classic Windows 7 desktop with a Start Button/Menu as an optional extra in Windows 8, they would essentially be shooting themselves in the foot. If the classic mouse/keyboard driven Windows interface was to be allowed as an option in Windows 8, then it is very probable that parents who buy a new computer, would readily be reverting to the classic interface that they know best. The problem for Microsoft with such a scenario is that parents would also end up teaching their kids to use their computers in the old-fashioned way. This is something that Microsoft most certainly does not want.
It is obvious that Microsoft thought long-term with this. By forcing Metro UI upon PC users, Redmond hoped to grab a larger piece of the global mobile devices market in the long run. If Metro is the sole interface available in future Windows iterations, then it would soon become the only mainstream computer interface that future computer users will ever know. If young users can only use the Metro interface on their personal computers, then Metro will quickly become the usage standard for future generations of PC users. This also means that there is a much better chance that such users would also buy a Windows smartphone or Windows tablet in the future, too.
By employing such a strategy Microsoft faces an immediate problem. Millions of Windows users worldwide are still used to the old way of doing things, and reject Metro as a result. Microsoft hopes to change all of that. Some see this as the devolution of the world's most mainstream PC operating system. Others see it as simply the natural evolution of Windows towards an era when fingertips on a screen or on a mid-air holographic projection (when such tech becomes commercially available), will totally replace the need for a keyboard and mouse.
The future of the humble Start Button looks very dim indeed with Windows Blue also taking the choice away from users, at least that's what we've seen so far. Not that I have expected anything different; in fact I would be very surprised if Microsoft was to yield to public pressure and bring the classic taskbar/button/menu back in future Windows iterations. I see Redmond digging in its heels and sticking to its guns through thick and thin with this: Metro is here to stay. A large decisive factor will be the rate of adoption of Windows 8 (or later) by businesses. Swapping Windows 7 workstations for Windows 8 equivalents is not a priority for I.T. managers at this point, but this is bound to change. Future Windows iterations will most likely be Metro driven and eventually most businesses will be forced to adopt the new way of doing things.
Of course there are third-party software solutions available for Windows 8 that bring back a version of the Taskbar/Start Button/Start Menu. To me (and also to many others), this is irrelevant. The main point for me is that Microsoft takes our choice away in favour of their transparent long-term marketing plans. I don't like it, but I also realize that Microsoft has no choice in the matter. They have to do something drastic right now if they ever hope for the future tide to turn in their favour. If this calls for some hard business choices to be taken today, then so be it.
Personally I will be bypassing Windows 8 altogether. With all the great Linux distros that are readily available nowadays, it is unlikely that I would upgrade my own systems to a version of Windows anytime soon - unless of course Microsoft manages to release something truly exceptional in the relatively near future. I still understand though that I will also be forced eventually to adapt to the new way of doing things, despite my initial reluctance to do so. For as long as we live and our mental faculties remain intact, we can always learn new things; and learn new things we must, it seems.
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Gainward GeForce GTX 650 Ti 2GB Boost Golden Sample Video Card in SLI Overclocked Review
Introduction
The other day we got the chance to look at our first retail GTX 650 Ti Boost in the form of a
video card from Palit. We found ourselves impressed with what the company had done with the cooler, but when it came to the out of the box overclock, the small jump in clock speeds did very little for extra performance.
With Palit and Gainward offerings always sharing some similarities with Palit being the parent company to Gainward, we thought what better way to test the GTX 650 Ti Boost Golden Sample then to test it in SLI. With the card sharing the same clock speeds as the Palit version and a very similar cooler design, it was the perfect pair. We'll get into all of this in just a moment when we take a closer look at the card and clock speeds.
Due to the fact that the minor bump in clock speeds brought with it very little change in performance when compared to the reference model, and for the fact that we've already looked at the reference GTX 650 Ti Boost
in SLI, now was the perfect time to test SLI overclocked.
Before we look at the performance of the GTX 650 Ti Boost in SLI when overclocked we've got to do a few things. The first is of course to look at the package that Gainward has put together. Once we've done that we'll take a closer look at the card itself before looking at the out of the box specifications and the clock speeds we managed to achieve today when overclocking.
Once we've looked over the card we'll take a quick look at our testbed, talk about the cards that you'll see in our graphs today, and then get stuck straight into the performance. First, though, we've got to take a quick look at the package Gainward is offering.
Package
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You can see this is of course a Golden Sample model and we have a small sticker that mentions it's a Dual Fan type. You can see the model and some of the main highlights including the 2GB of GDDR5. Turning the box over we get a bit more detail on DirectX 11, Full HD gaming and the system requirements.
When it comes to the bundle we've got a Quick Install Guide along with the driver CD. Connectors come in the form of a DVI to VGA connector and a dual Molex to 6-pin PCIe power connector.
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CaseLabs Merlin SM8 Full-Tower Customizable Chassis Review
Introduction
For the longest time, as I see people asking for recommendations for a new chassis, I kept seeing the name CaseLabs being added to lists. At first I wasn't so sure about this company or what they had to offer. I am used to seeing chassis much like this concept, but they were from the likes of Danger Den, and while cool and fun to build, those cases always left me wanting in room, compatibility with my loop components, and most importantly, I didn't like the acrylic dust attracting materials for a chassis. You could have always gone to the likes of MountainMods, but from what I hear, the components are flimsy, and for the cost, customers are sometimes left with remorse for paying so much to be disappointed. That being said, there was room to improve on both ideas, and hopefully someone could deliver customers what they have been looking for this whole time.
This is where CaseLabs stepped in. They have some basic ideas that make them stand out, like being comprised of aluminum to reduce the weight and afford a material that will help remove heat from inside the chassis, as well as going the extra step to powder coat all of the parts to weather the stresses of component installation. CaseLabs offers a few sizes of cases from tech stations all the way on up to a dual system chassis. In with all of the chassis form factors, you can buy the basic design with a good layout, and then customize these cases to fit your specific coloration want, what is included in the front I/O, how many fan holes are in certain panels, and they add a full line of parts and accessories to not only repair things you may break after years of use, but you can also change parts you have to have a contrast of colors later down the line.
That brings us to why we are here today. CaseLabs has sent along the Merlin SM8 chassis for us to have a look at. On top of that, they also sent along some extra parts, slightly customized my chassis, and with all of these additions, we are almost to the SM8-X Extreme Edition offering of this chassis. So not only do you get to look at one of the most well designed water cooling capable chassis I have yet to see, you are going to see soon enough, that even with dual loops and an ATX motherboard, the Merlin SM8 will take anything you can throw at it and still be able to sleep a baby comfortably on the inside.
There is a lot to go over, and quite a few options to discuss, but however long this review is, the enthusiast in you will not be able to stop looking at and appreciating what you are about to see.
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Palit GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost 2GB OC Video Card Review
Introduction
Last month we saw the release of two new mid-range video card models from AMD and NVIDIA. Both heat up the mid $100 segment more than we've probably ever seen before. Hitting fairly firmly at the $149 mark, the HD 7790, which we've looked at from
Sapphire,
GIGABYTE and
ASUS all did a good job of impressing us.
On the other side of the equation you've got the new GTX 650 Ti Boost from NVIDIA. Priced slightly higher, the model does offer twice as much memory with 2GB instead of 1GB, and offers slightly higher performance, as we saw in our original review of the
reference card, which we looked at during the launch of the new model.
While we've managed to take a look at a few retail versions of the HD 7790, we're yet to see what's going on with retail versions of the GTX 650 Ti Boost. That's mainly due to the fact that AMD didn't offer a reference card at launch and instead relied on partners to promote the model, while NVIDIA released a reference card, and slightly after the AMD offering.
The process will as always be fairly standard with us moving from here straight into the box of the model before diving inside to find out what's going on with the bundle. Once we've done that we'll move onto the card itself before look at the specifications of this OC model. We'll quickly cover the testbed, the cards you'll see in our graphs here today before finally getting stuck into the performance side of things.
Package
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You can clearly see the model and above that you can see mention that we're dealing with an OC Edition. Across the bottom you can see it's a 2GB model and has the normal support for 3D Vision, PhysX, SLI, GPU Boost, PCIe 3.0 and a 28nm core.
The back of the box goes into a bit more detail on some of the main features like DirectX 11 and some of the main core specifications.
Inside we've got a very typical bundle with not much being seen. Starting from the left we've got a Quick Installation Guide and next to that a driver CD. Finally we finish the bundle off with a DVI to VGA connector along with a Dual-Molex to 6-pin PCIe power connector.
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Thermaltake BlacX Duet 5G USB 3.0 Docking Station Review
Over the years hard drive docks or docking stations have really helped in simplifying the way I work, especially when I have years of data backed up on spinners. Since I no longer have to fiddle around mounting drives in my system and can simply slap a drive in a dock and pull the data I need and move on with my day, it saves me a great deal of time.
Now the Thermaltake BlacX Duet 5G is certainly not the only dual bay docking station on the market, but it is among the smaller units available. The Duet is comprised of a plastic body with an internal weight to hold the dock steady, while you're slamming drives in and out of the system - and that goes to say it does support hot swapping. The internal SATA ports support a generation three configuration, but are also backwards compatible with SATA and SATA II drives. As far as OS compatibility the BlacX Duet 5G supports Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8 along with Mac OS 10+.
The BlacX Duet 5G shares many of its characteristics with its little brother, the single bay BlacX 5G. Everything from the shape and choice materials have stayed the same between units, but there are some obvious differences, such as the power button and internal PCB, which we will touch on shortly.
The top of the dock has a slight brushed appearance brought on by the slice of aluminium Thermaltake has placed here. As you will notice the power switch incorporates two LEDs, both of which are blue - one indicating the unit is switched on and the other for activity. To the right there are also two levers for ejecting your drives.
The back of the dock is rather simple, housing a power input and USB 3.0 connection.
The scope of delivery for the BlacX Duet 5G includes the power adapter and USB 3.0 cable along with a warranty booklet and user guide. We also found two rubber drive covers in the box to combat drive acoustics.
The meat and beans of the BlacX Duet 5G all comes down to the PCB as it will determine how fast this dock really is. Above, as you can see, the controller used in this dock is the JMicron JMS551, a SATA III to USB 3.0 bridge controller that operates on the Bulk Only Transport specification - no UASP support.
The flip side of the PCB houses the dual SATA III ports.
Choosing the proper benchmarks to be used in a review can be, at times, a hassle. While I would love to please all of you and run every possible benchmark on these enclosures, it would be at the very least time consuming. With that said I have chosen some of the more popular, and widely available benchmarks. All testing is run in the same order on every enclosure and that is the order you see it here in this review. Drives used in this review are a pair of very capable Corsair Neutron SSD's.
Using ATTO we see the BlacX Duet 5G top out at 267MB/s read and 263MB/s write. Our Z77 test motherboard has seen numbers close to 500MB/s on USB 3.0 previously, and as such, we know that this is where the BlacX electronics top out in the Duet 5G model.
CrystalDiskMark, as expected, showed similar numbers in sequential read and write.QD32 results were similar to what I've seen from previous reviews at 15MB/s read and 27MB/s write.
Moving over to DiskBench for some real-world testing we see the BlacX Duet 5G held on with 220MB/s transferring our test data folder.
As this unit is a dock and supports no RAID features, I thought it would be nice to see how the unit does while transferring data drive to drive both installed in the BlacX. As you can see there was a slight bottleneck when we compare this to our previous transfer of 220MB/s PC to BlacX. However 120MB/s is not slow by any means, especially when working with platter drives.
Over the past few months it's pretty safe to say I have tested my fair share of enclosures, some of which carried extreme performance, but also a hefty price tag as well. With that said there is always the middle ground, the place where a great amount of manufacturers battle it out in price vs. performance, adding features to their product line-up to set themselves apart.
The Thermaltake BlacX 5G is one of these units, while it is no secret that this unit has been on the market for a while now, it was a trend setter when it came to market with several other manufactures taking notes from Thermaltake and releasing similar products shortly after.
As far as build quality goes, the BlacX Duet 5G is top tier in my book. The entire unit is well built with ABS plastics and even a slice of aluminium for aesthetics. The top mounted LEDs, while shining blue, aren't so bright that they blind you, but rather just perfect. Performance of the unit is on par with what I expected with no UASP support, with read and write speeds well into the 200MB/s + range.
Pricing of the Thermaltake BlacX Duet 5G sits at $71.99 as of today and seeing that this unit has been out for quite a while, I don't see the price coming down much from there.
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Samsung Mass Producing 10 nm Class High-Performance 128-Gbit 3-bit MLC NAND Flash
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, announced today that it has begun mass producing a 128-gigabit (Gb), 3-bit multi-level-cell (MLC) NAND memory chip using 10 nanometer (nm)-class process technology this month. The highly advanced chip will enable high-density memory solutions such as embedded NAND storage and solid state drives (SSDs).
"By introducing next-generation memory storage products like the 128Gb NAND chip, Samsung is extremely well situated to meet growing global customer needs," said Young-Hyun Jun, executive vice president, memory sales & marketing, Device Solutions Division, Samsung Electronics. "The new chip is a critical product in the evolution of NAND flash, one whose timely production will enable us to increase our competitiveness in the high density memory storage market."
Samsung's 128Gb NAND flash is based on a 3-bit multi-level-cell design and 10nm-class process technology. It boasts the industry's highest density as well as the highest performance level of 400 Mbps data transfer rate based on the toggle DDR2 interface.
Utilizing 128Gb NAND flash memory, Samsung will expand its supply of 128-gigabyte (GB) memory cards, which can store as many as sixteen 8GB full HD video files. Samsung now will also increase its production volume of SSDs with densities over 500GBs for wider adoption of SSDs in computer systems, while leading the transition of main storage drives in the notebook market from hard disk drives (HDDs) to SSDs.
Demand for high-performance 3-bit MLC NAND flash and 128Gb high storage capacities has been rapidly increasing, driving the adoption of SSDs with more than 250GB data storage, led by the Samsung SSD 840 Series.
Samsung started production of 10 nm-class 64 Gb MLC NAND flash memory in November last year, and in less than five months, has added the new 128Gb NAND flash to its wide range of high-density memory storage offerings. The new 128 Gb chip also extends Samsung's 3-bit NAND memory line-up along with the 20 nm-class 64 Gb 3-bit NAND flash chip that Samsung introduced in 2010. Further, the new 128Gb 3-bit MLC NAND chip offers more than twice the productivity of a 20 nm-class 64 Gb MLC NAND chip.
Samsung plans to keep introducing leading-edge SSDs and embedded memory storage solutions with high-quality features, in accelerating the growth of the premium memory market.
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EK Water Blocks Announces ASRock Z77 Extreme11 FB Block
EK Water Blocks, Ljubljana based premium water cooling gear manucturer, is proud to introduce the company's first full-board water block for ASRock motherboard - the Z77 Extreme11. EK-FB ASR Z77 Extreme11 water block is a complete liquid cooling solution for ASRock Z77 Extreme11 motherboard. This water blocks directly cools Intel Z77 southbridge (PCH), PLX PEX 8474 PCIe lane splitter, LSI SAS2308 control hub as well as power regulation (VRM / MOSFETs) module. It is a high flow water block that can be easily used with systems using weaker water pumps.
Base of the waterblock is made of nickel plated electrolytic copper while the top is made of quality POM Acetal material. The sealing is performed by quality rubber gaskets. The nickel plated brass screw-in standoffs are already preinstalled and allow for easy and trouble-free installation.
EK-FB ASR Z77 Extreme11 comes with the MSRP of 120.95 euros (incl. VAT) and is readily available for pre-order through EK Webshop and Partner Reseller Network. The item will start shipping on Tuesday, April 16th 2013.
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Silicon Power Presents Velox V50 SSD
Are you still spending your quality time waiting for your computer to boot up? Have you experienced lag problems while operating multiple applications? SP/Silicon Power, the world's leading provider of memory storage solutions, today introduces an addition of the Velox series 2.5" SATA III SSD - Velox V50 to solve your problems. The Velox V50 features the latest controller technology to provide a brand new computer experience in excellent performance and cost effectiveness for those who are about to retire their traditional hard drives.
Different from the other solutions in the market, SP Velox V50 is equipped with a brand new controller, delivering a more stable and more powerful user experiences. Combining with the latest firmware and advanced controller circuit design, Velox V50 is able to maintain a long-standing IOPS performance while using it under extended period.
The new Velox V50 features the SATA III 6Gbps interface, delivers four time faster performance than the traditional hard drives in computer's boot time as well as in operating multiple programs. Built up with the advanced high speed NAND flash, V50 performs a high data transfer rate up to 530MB/s in read speed and 200MB/s in write speed.
With the combination of reliability and durability, SP Velox V50 is your ideal solution for users looking to upgrade their desktops and laptops. The V50 SSD is available in 32GB, 64GB, 128GB and 256GB, and is backed by a three year warranty.
Features:
- SATA 6 Gb/s, backwards compatible with SATA 3 Gb/s
Transfer rates:
- 530 MB/s max. read speed
- 200 MB/s max. write speed
- Supports TRIM command and Garbage Collection technology
- NCQ and RAID ready
- Sustain IOPS performance over other competing solutions on NTFS file system
- Implemented with ECC technology to guarantee data transmission reliability
- Built-in with SMART monitoring system
- Low power consumption
- Shockproof & Anti-Vibration
- Noiseless operation, no latency delay and no seek error
- 3 year warranty
Specifications
- Capacities: 32 GB, 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB
- Dimensions: 100 mm x 69.85 mm x 9.5 mm
- Weight: 63g
- Vibration Resistance Test: 20G
- Shock Resistance Test: 1500G Max
- Color: Iron Grey Brushed Aluminium
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PC Shipments Post the Steepest Decline Ever in a Single Quarter, According to IDC
Worldwide PC shipments totaled 76.3 million units in the first quarter of 2013 (1Q13), down -13.9% compared to the same quarter in 2012 and worse than the forecast decline of -7.7%, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker. The extent of the year-on-year contraction marked the worst quarter since IDC began tracking the PC market quarterly in 1994. The results also marked the fourth consecutive quarter of year-on-year shipment declines.
Despite some mild improvement in the economic environment and some new PC models offering Windows 8, PC shipments were down significantly across all regions compared to a year ago. Fading Mini Notebook shipments have taken a big chunk out of the low-end market while tablets and smartphones continue to divert consumer spending. PC industry efforts to offer touch capabilities and ultraslim systems have been hampered by traditional barriers of price and component supply, as well as a weak reception for Windows 8. The PC industry is struggling to identify innovations that differentiate PCs from other products and inspire consumers to buy, and instead is meeting significant resistance to changes perceived as cumbersome or costly.
"At this point, unfortunately, it seems clear that the Windows 8 launch not only failed to provide a positive boost to the PC market, but appears to have slowed the market," said Bob O'Donnell, IDC Program Vice President, Clients and Displays. "While some consumers appreciate the new form factors and touch capabilities of Windows 8, the radical changes to the UI, removal of the familiar Start button, and the costs associated with touch have made PCs a less attractive alternative to dedicated tablets and other competitive devices. Microsoft will have to make some very tough decisions moving forward if it wants to help reinvigorate the PC market."
The impact of slow demand has been magnified by the restructuring and reorganizing efforts impacting HP and Dell. Lenovo remains a notable exception as it continues to execute on a solid "attack" strategy. Mid- and bottom-tier vendors are also struggling to identify growth markets within the U.S. Among the most vulnerable group of vendors are the whitebox system builders, which are undergoing consolidation that is affecting shipments as well as the distribution sector.
"Although the reduction in shipments was not a surprise, the magnitude of the contraction is both surprising and worrisome," said David Daoud, IDC Research Director, Personal Computing. "The industry is going through a critical crossroads, and strategic choices will have to be made as to how to compete with the proliferation of alternative devices and remain relevant to the consumer. Vendors will have to revisit their organizational structures and go to market strategies, as well as their supply chain, distribution, and product portfolios in the face of shrinking demand and looming consolidation."
Regional Highlights
- United States - The U.S. market had another dismal quarter in 1Q13, contracting -12.7% year on year, with a drop of -18.3% compared to the fourth quarter of 2012. With total volume falling to 14.2 million, quarterly shipments reached their lowest level since the first quarter of 2006. With this latest figure, the U.S. is now in its tenth consecutive quarter of year-on-year contraction (excluding a brief moment of growth - less than 2% year on year - in 3Q11).
- EMEA - As expected, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) remained constrained, posting a stronger double-digit decline than anticipated in the first quarter of 2013. Results fell short of expectations in the consumer segment as softness in demand persisted amid a continued shift to tablets and ongoing budget pressures. Meanwhile, the market response to Windows 8 and touch-enabled devices remained slow, leading to cautious sell-in from most vendors. Shipments in the commercial market remained constrained as predicted, following continued economic pressure and lack of major IT renewals.
- Japan - PC shipments were in line with expectations in the first quarter. Some economic improvement is helping to support commercial replacement demand ahead of the scheduled end of support for Windows XP next year. However, consumer shipments remained very weak.
- Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan) (APeJ) - PC shipments in APeJ declined sharply, dropping a record -12.7% year on year, the first time the region has experienced a double-digit decline. Although much of the earlier Windows 7 stock had cleared, a lukewarm reception toward Windows 8 hampered new shipments. China's inactivity contributed heavily to the decline, as public sector spending continued to be constrained.
Vendor Highlights
- HP remained the top vendor, but posted a substantial double-digit decline in shipments after an aggressive fourth quarter kept growth flat during the holidays. HP's worldwide shipments fell more than -23% year on year in 1Q13, with significant declines across all regions, as internal restructuring continued to affect commercial sales. Although HP maintained its leadership position in the United States, the company saw U.S. shipments fall -22.9% from a year ago.
- Lenovo remained second in global shipments and nearly closed the gap with HP. Lenovo continued to outpace the market, notably expanding shipments with its attack strategy. In the United States, Lenovo outperformed the market with double digit year-on-year growth compared to the market's double-digit contraction. Shipments in Asia/Pacific declined, however, keeping Lenovo's overall growth flat.
- Dell saw shipments decline by more than -10% globally and -14% in the United States. The vendor continued to face tough competition and struggled with customer uncertainty about the direction of its restructuring. Nevertheless, the decline in shipments was smaller than the past few quarters, and its sales to Asia/Pacific returned to positive growth.
- Acer Group continued to see substantial declines in shipments across regions. As the leader in Mini Notebook shipments, the vendor has been particularly exposed to the decline in these systems. Slow consumer and SMB growth has also taken a toll. In a sequential comparison, Acer's market share rose slightly to 8.1% in 1Q12 from 8.0% in 4Q12, halting its market share decline.
- ASUS managed some growth in the United States, but saw a substantial decline in EMEA and Asia/Pacific. The company's substantial surge in Americas shipments in the second half of 2012 gave way to limited growth as demand weakened.
- Apple fared better than the overall U.S. market, but still saw shipments decline as its own PCs also face competition from iPads.
- Toshiba also saw shipments decline in the United States, but fared better than the overall market, benefitting somewhat from the restructuring of market leaders HP and Dell.
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Genius Announces Ring Mouse 2
Genius is pleased to announce the enhanced Ring Mouse 2. With the same full mouse functionality as the previous Ring Mouse, Ring Mouse 2 allows business travelers, education users, and i-users to click, drag and 4-way scroll on their PC or Mac from their fingertips.
The five button Ring Mouse 2 re-imagines the computer mouse and provides a new way to surf the web with a unique, flexible rubber design that fits securely on your finger or in your pocket, so it is ready to go wherever you are. Teachers and other education professionals can now easily navigate webpages or documents when lecturing or giving presentations, while business professionals now have an easy-to-use and portable alternative to laptop trackpads in space confined when traveling. With using worry-free 2.4GHz technology, the Ring Mouse 2 ensures a solid connection every time from a distance of up to 30 feet.
The Genius Ring Mouse 2 has a rubber ring design giving more comfort and a better finger grip. The ring also serves as a storage unit for the USB pico receiver when moving from place to place. The outer appearance has also been updated giving it a more modern sleek design. For users that want to match color with style the Ring Mouse 2 is available in two colors: silver and titanium.
This tiny in-air cursor controller has a rechargeable design and uses an ultra-slim Li-ion battery that not only saves money on frequent battery changes but also helps the Ring Mouse 2 keep a slim profile. The smart battery indicator flashes blue when a recharge is needed.
The Ring Mouse 2 is now available in the US and Canada for the suggested retail price of US$49.99.
Package Contents
- Ring Mouse 2
- USB receiver
- Rechargeable cable (micro USB)
- CD driver
- Pouch
- Multi-language quick guide
For more information, visit the
product page.
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