IT-Code-News: IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 22/04/2013

Logitech make their G series of products compatible with Mac OS X
There are more people gaming on Mac's thanks to the popularity of Apple's MacBook Pro's and their iMac's, with most thanks given to Intel who made their way into Apple machines across the world.

Logitech have just stepped up, announcing that their Logitech Gaming Software is now compatible with Mac OS for all of their keyboard and mouse products. This means that Mac-based gamers can now enjoy the same personalization and customization of their products that PC gamers have enjoyed for years now. You can download the latest version of the Logitech Gaming Software from the Logitech support page.
Logitech's list of compatible products include:
Mice

G100/G100s Optical Gaming Mouse

G300 Gaming Mouse

G400/G400s Optical Gaming Mouse

G500/G500s Laser Gaming Mouse

G600 MMO Gaming Mouse

G700/G700s Rechargeable Gaming Mouse

G9/G9x Laser Mouse

MX518 Gaming-Grade Optical Mouse

Keyboards

G103 Gaming Keyboard

G105 Gaming Keyboard

G110 Gaming Keyboard

G13 Advanced Gameboard

G11 Gaming Keyboard

G15 Gaming Keyboard (v1 and v2)

G510/G510s Gaming Keyboard

G710+ Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

G19/G19s Gaming Keyboard

RumorTT: HTC to release mid-range version of their One smartphone, would feature a 'metal-alloy chassis'
HTC's One smartphone might not have captured as many users as they'd like, but that hasn't stopped the company from preparing another smartphone. DigiTimes is reporting that the currently codenamed M4 smartphone would be released in mid-June, featuring a "metal-alloy chassis".

rumortt_htc_to_release_mid_range_version_of_their_one_smartphone_would_feature_metal_alloy_chassis

The chassis is being supplied by Catcher Technology, with the rest of the smartphone reportedly consisting of a 4.3-inch 720p HD display, a 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 processor, and an "Ultrapixel" rear-facing camera. We should also see 16GB of internal flash storage, 1GB of RAM and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with HTC's Sense 5 UI sprinkled on top. We should expect the M4 to drop in June, with widespread availability in Q3 2013.

Microsoft still dominate the console market, the Xbox 360 leads console sales for the 27th consecutive month
The Xbox 360 has enjoyed its position as the best-selling console in the United States for the 27th consecutive month in a row according to new data from NPD Group. Last month, there were 261,000 Xbox 360 units sold in the US, beating both the PS3 and Wii U.

Physical sales were down 10% year-over-year, with $992.5 million in March 2013 compared to $1.1 billion in the same month of 2012. Software sales didn't rise, but they didn't fall much either, dropping just 1% year-over-year. The biggest decline came from hardware sales, dropping 32% to $221.6 million. This should be solved with the upcoming next-generation consoles. Portable consoles are having problems, experiencing a "stronger decline" than traditional ones.

Samsung want you to control their next tablet with your brain
Up until now, we control our tablets with our hands, but if Samsung has anything to do with that, it could all change. Samsung's Emerging Technology Lab has teamed up with the University of Texas' electrical engineering professor, Roozbeh Jafari, to research "how to bring mind control to its mobile devices with the hope of developing ways for people with mobility impairments to connect to the world".

A brain-controlled tablet isn't anywhere near ready, nor are they at the point of a marketable prototype yet, but Technology Review has reported that their current plans for a mind-controlled tablet involve "a cap studded with EEG-monitoring electrodes" that monitors "well-known brain activity patterns that occur when people are shown repetitive visual patterns".
Technology Review were treated to a demonstration of the technology, where researchers were able to open apps on their tablets by just concentrating on icons that were "blinking at a distinctive frequency".

Rosewill SilentNight 500-Watt 80 PLUS Platinum Power Supply Review

Introduction

We've already seen two quality units from Rosewill this year, but we aren't done yet. We intend to cover as many of their products as we can just to find out if there are any lines being cut along the way or if their whole lineup is packed full of solid units. The two units we've looked at so far have come from different OEM's - Super Flower and ATNG. The unit we have today is another Super Flower rebrand.
The Rosewill SilentNight 500W is a fanless 500W power supply designed for those seeking a lower wattage, highly efficient unit with zero sound. If this sounds familiar to you, it might be due to use covering several fanless units in the past. The Kingwin Stryker 500W is one power supply that comes to mind for most and that is because it is identical to that of this unit. Both are from Super Flower and we expect to see almost identical results from the Rosewill. I've personally used the Kingwin Stryker in my HTPC for over a year now and not only is it 100% silent as advertised, but it has performed flawless as well.

Specifications, Availability and Pricing

The Rosewill SilentNight 500W features a single 12V rail rated for 41.5A or 498W of power. Both the 3.3V and 5V rails are rated for 20A each with a combined maximum output of 100W. The 5VSB rail is rated for 2.5A or 12.5W. Maximum combined output for the Rosewill SilentNight 500W is 500W.

For a 500W unit, the SilentNight 500W is packed full of features. Of the list we look for, the only one not present is OTP. I'm still not sure as to why Super Flower never put this in their design, but I can tell you that these units run surprisingly cool. Even after days of use, I can open my case and rest my hand on the heat sink of the power supply and it is barely warm - however, do not try this at home! The Rosewill SilentNight 500W features both native and modular cabling, all of which are fully sleeved or of the flat ribbon type. The power supply is rated for 80 PLUS Platinum efficiency and 100% continuous output at 50C.
Rosewill lists the SilentNight with an MSRP of $179.99, but it is currently listed for $159.99 on Newegg. Shockingly, this is the same price that the Kingwin Stryker 500W is going for. Nobody seems to have the SilentNight in stock and Rosewill let me know they expect it to be available again in May. Rosewill backs the SilentNight 500W unit with a five year warranty.
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Oblivion (2013) Cinema Review

When I first heard about the Oblivion project, for whatever reason, I assumed it was based on the Elder Scrolls franchise (could I be the only one?), but once the first trailers surfaced - it was clear that it was something else completely. Based on director Joseph Kosinski's unpublished graphic novel of the same name, Oblivion was picked up by Universal, following an aborted attempt to produce the film for Disney, as a follow up to his debut picture Tron: Legacy.

In 60 years, Earth will be uninhabitable and desolate, with the survivors of the war that destroyed it having fled to Titan, one of Saturn's moons. Two researchers have been left to gather resources, Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) and Victoria Olsen (Andrea Riseborough) who maintain the systems that suck large amounts of water to be used in Hydrogen batteries, a project in its final stage. Unbeknownst to Victoria, Jack is haunted by flashbacks to a time before the war (which pre-dates his existence) and embarks on side quests to recover relics and vegetation from pre-war times. The surface is littered with 'Scavs'; humanoid creatures who roam the plains and seem intent to spoil the project.
Whilst on a routine repair mission, a long outdated NASA craft crash-lands with human survivors - including a pilot, Julia Rusakova (Olga Kurylenko); a familiar face who haunts Jack's dreams. Soon, it will be apparent that there is far more behind the war than was ever revealed.

Director Joseph Kosinski has a keen eye for world building, no doubt aided by his background in architecture. Oblivion, like Tron: Legacy before it, is a visually stunning environment, filled with future tech and the same blinding white plastic utilized by the likes of Apple.
As with the accusations of 'style over substance' leveled at the Tron sequel, one could easily make the same claims of Oblivion, however despite some faults, that isn't one of them.
Oblivion's true faults lie in a disjointed script which flirts with mystery and simplicity in its first half, clearly delineating the rules of the films universe, before turning them upside down.

The cast, led by the always affable Tom Cruise, are universally solid. Former Quantum of Solace Bond girl Olga Kurylenko is a stunner and a strong actor to boot, imbuing her role with the appropriate level of empathy and passion. Less utilized is Morgan Freeman who looks somewhat staid in the role of the aging dues ex machine.
Similar to Daft Punk providing the amazing score for Tron: Legacy, French electronic outfit M83 provide the musical accompaniment, albeit less memorably than the former. Still, it's an interesting score and one that can stand alone successfully in its own right.

Overall, I mostly enjoyed Oblivion; it's certainly a different film than I anticipated and the third act is less joyous than it is frustrating, whose payoff is less satisfying than it is final. Kosinski is at his most successful when he follows his strengths, rather than attempting to channel J.J. Abrams.

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SMART Storage Systems CloudSpeed 500 Enterprise SSD Review

Introduction

The award winning CloudSpeed 500 from Smart Storage Systems offers up admirable endurance specifications and provides enterprise-class features at a price point competitive with consumer hardware. This addresses the gap between heavy-workload SSDs and client SSD products.
The 6Gb/s CloudSpeed 500 delivers 500MB/s in sequential read/write speed and 60,000/20,000 random read/write IOPS. The SSD is available in 120, 240, and 480GB capacities. Featuring the proven LSI SandForce SF-2581, an enterprise version of the SF-2281 controller, in tandem with SMART Storage Systems proprietary technologies provides a solid platform for the CloudSpeed 500.
The Guardian Technology Suite, covered in more detail on the following page, allows SMART Storage Systems to take typical consumer-grade MLC NAND and extend its lifetime to 15,000 P/E cycles. This is a 3x-5x improvement over normal MLC NAND. This allows the CloudSpeed 500 to withstand 1.2 full random drive writes per day (DWPD). This important specification underlines one of the key advantages of the CloudSpeed 500 over client SSDs.
Pricing is always a big concern, and many times the exorbitant pricing of some high-end enterprise-class SSDs can lead administrators to deploy client SSDs into servers to save on upfront acquisition costs. By deploying relatively cheap client hardware, and simply replacing the SSDs as they wear out, companies can enjoy large cost savings over some enterprise SSDs.
This 'Rip-and-Replace' model provides initial advantages in the pricing department, but there are significant trade-offs in performance and data protection. Consumer SSDs are not designed for the heavy workloads of enterprise environments, and performance falls rapidly in these scenarios.

The CloudSpeed 500 also includes power capacitors not found in consumer hardware, which allow all data to be committed to NAND in the event of a host power-loss issue. SandForce processors also feature R.A.I.S.E. (Redundant Array of Independent Silicon Elements) technology. This baked-in feature provides data redundancy in the event of uncorrectable errors.
R.A.I.S.E., along with full data path protection, provides a higher level of protection for data not offered by consumer products. In concert with ECC, this results in an UBER (Uncorrectable Bit Error Rate) of less than 1 in 10^18 bits read. This is a tremendous 100X improvement over the JEDEC JESD 218 spec for enterprise-grade SSDs.
SMART Storage Systems brings the features and reliability of a tier-one OEM enterprise SSD into a competitive price point that in the past was unattainable for an SSD with these features. Backing the enhanced endurance, performance, and data protection technologies with a five year warranty gives SMART's customers peace of mind that their storage devices will function reliably in demanding scenarios.
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AZiO Levetron GH808 USB Gaming Headset Review

Since I have not dealt with the AZiO before, we are going to give them the same treatment we give all new faces, which is a clean slate in order to impress us on. When entering the gaming headset arena for the first time, it's always tough to gauge just where to aim your blow, so to speak, given the massive number of headset solutions out there at the moment, and the sheer volume of fly by offerings out there right now.

So, it would make good sense then to feel out the market a little bit see what's going on and maybe come up with a modest first round offering that will not break the bank, but may well give a good indication as to whether the push into said market is indeed a viable one.
Enter the Levetron GH808 gaming headset that we have today which is a modest entry level offering and as such is set to indicate a future or not for AZiO in the cut throat world of gaming headsets.

The design elements of the Levetron are fairly standard throughout. The circumaural ear cups that cover the whole ear can be seen, and provide the best seal around the ear in terms of choice of design.

As usual with these headsets a rudimentary mic is included also for voice chat functions associated with some games. This does seem to be quite a standard feature these days unless the headset is designed only for music, however this one is not.
Connection is handled rather easily by a USB plug, which has become increasingly popular of late, with many company's opting for its ease of use and flexibility. This is also due to the convergence concept which sees peripherals either leaning to work together or finding a new home. And for the most part we like this. It does however continue to erode the concept of high-end audio on the PC.

Now also of interest to us is the inclusion of a volume knob and further; its listing as a main feature on the packaging, which honestly has become a bit of a joke of late. With company's having a good old laugh at consumers expense, think buying a loaf of bread with a sticker on the front saying, 'now featuring bread inside', enough said.

Now on a lighter note, the Levetron features super bass which has a vibration component which acts in such a way as to simulate the effect of having a subwoofer without actually having one.
The construction of the headset itself is rather good featuring a rugged and strong design that should be able to withstand some serious use. The ear-pads are soft and should fit nicely for most users. We were a little disappointed because we did not find a spare set included in the package.

Overall the specs sheet is a fairly run of the mill affair for the most part. But in saying that we feel that these are some pretty good numbers and this headset should be able to deliver a decent level of audio quality.
Also worth a mention here we feel is the way in which AZiO provided such a detailed and comprehensive specification list on the rear of the packaging. We thought that just the intention behind making these important numbers transparent is a really good one. And does not go by without being noticed by us.

Even if we are not talking about an ultra-expensive headset costing several hundred dollars, we feel it's still just as important to show buyers what exactly they are getting, by showing the spec list on the back of the box.

Also of interest here on the spec list is the vibration driver which provides the user with the added low-end effect, which should really be close to simulating how a subwoofer would sound if being used in the room.

Lastly of interest here is software control panel that can be downloaded from the AZiO website and allows for a virtual 7.1 surround field to be created.
The Levetron gaming headset is well built and feels sturdy to hold, which is a great start. On the head, the unit feels solid, we would not say lightweight, but equally it is far from being a heavy and cumbersome thing to wear.

Sound quality testing was overall a pleasant experience we found with the added extra of the vibration function not only being a really cool extra, but a serious feature that can be turned on when wanted to great effect. The overall level of sound quality is pretty good for the most part. With a decent amount of detail and timbre to the sound, but only just making it past the red line of disrepute regarding the high-end, that many headsets hover around.
Listening to a selection of music through the Levetron was a really rewarding experience. The low-end is an interesting thing to behold here because the vibration driver does much of the work, which for much of the time is a good thing, however there are certain types of music that will sound a little muddy with it turned on, which is why the button is there, we would suppose.

The high-end is quite good in terms of how it sounds when we can hear it, because unfortunately much of the time it gets obscured by the extra oomph of the low-end vibration driver and simply becomes too low in volume to sit where it should in the mix.
The mid-range was strong through testing with male voices sounding really good with headset. The level of warmth and tonality to the sound was quite impressive for the price and intended function.
AZiO should look into tuning the high-end a little bit better for times when the vibration driver has being enabled. When said function is not enabled, the high-end for the most part is perfectly fine. But since this is such a good feature, we feel that some tuning should be done to equal things out to maximize its enjoyment.
During testing of gaming with the Levetron headset we were equally impressed with the performance on offer. With the vibration feature working well again when some big low-end action took place. The built-in surround function works as intended and can add the obvious extra dimension to gaming that virtual surround can. However, as we always say, this is just a feature to use and for pro gamers a dedicated surround headset or speaker system is always the best option over algorithm driven solutions.

The AZiO Levetron gaming headset is a winner in our books combining all of the things needed to make a product do well. The package is a good one and so is the material choice and construction of the headset. At the time of writing the GH808 was on sale at Newegg for $59.99 with $2.99 in shipping, and for what you get, we consider it a pretty good deal.
Testing was overall a good experience and we found no real issues to report about adverse performance. In fact, the vibration function that we thought initially was more gimmick than goer, turned out to be really quite impressive.
We love how the function can be turned on or off depending on the use of the headset, which is a good thing as a times the high-end gets missed a little. And the performance during testing of music was top notch in the mid-range and had a good amount of energy and emotion for a USB gaming headset, let that be said.

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Habey Intros PRO-6820 Fanless Core i7 Quad-Core System with 6 GbE Interfaces
HABEY USA, a leading manufacturer of embedded computer and an Associate member of the Intel Intelligent Systems Alliance, introduces the PRO-6820. This is a fanless barebone system, with a chassis built tough for extended industrial processing indoors or outdoors. The system measures in at 9.45" x 9.96" x 4.53", not much bigger than our small form factor systems, running off Intel's 3rd Generation Ivy Bridge Quad Core i3/i5/i7 processor, and capable of up to 8GB of memory from 2x 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM slots.

Rich with I/Os, the PRO-6820 offers 6x instal USB slots, 2x front accessible USB 3.0 slots and 4x rear USB 2.0 slots. The system also has 2x PS2 ports, 1x externally accessible 8-bit GPIO port, 4x COM ports, 6x LAN ports, 1x mic-in, 1x audio-out, 1x CF Card Socket & 1x externally accessible 2.5" SATA HDD. The Intel Integrated HD Graphics controller allows 1x VGA port with resolution up to 2048x1536 & 1x DVI-D ports with resolution up to 1920x1200.

habey_intros_pro_6820_fanless_core_i7_quad_core_system_with_6_gbe_interfaces

The fanless, vent-hole-free system can perform in extended temperature environments with operating temperatures measured at -30C - 90C (-22F - 158F). Designed tough and rugged, the PRO-6820 is ideal for, but not limited to, outdoor digital video surveillance, much like the systems controlling traffic cameras and lights. This system is in production and ready for order.
Features:

Intel 2nd/3rd Gen Core i-Series Mobile Processors, Barebone Fanless System

Highly Efficient Fanless Design For Extended Temperature Environment

Vent-Hole Free Construct w/ Ext. Accessible 2.5" Bay And CF Slot

QM77 Chipset Supports 3rd Generation Intel Core i5/i7 Dual mini-PCIe expansion with one SIM socket for Wifi and 3G/4G Module

Six Gigabit Ethernet ports and four COM ports

Built-in watchdog features and instant OS recovery function

For more information, refer to the datasheet.

ASUS Taichi 31 with Dual 13.3-inch Displays Now Available
ASUS today announced availability of ASUS Taichi 31, a sleek Ultrabook with a 13.3-inch dual-screen design that offers the mobile flexibility of a tablet with the performance and features of a notebook. ASUS Taichi 31 features a choice of Intel Core processors and joins the 11.6-inch ASUS Taichi 21, launched in October 2012.
With two Full HD 13.3-inch screens placed back-to-back, ASUS Taichi 31 combines the best features of a Windows 8 tablet and a powerful Ultrabook in a single sleek design. With the same stunning black-mirror finish and slender profile as the 11.6-inch ASUS Taichi 21, ASUS Taichi 31 is as elegant as it is innovative, and packs a host of features that help make light work of any productivity task.

Lid closed, ASUS Taichi 31 is a high-performance tablet with a powerful Intel Core i7 or i5 processor and blazingly fast SSD storage. Scratch-resistant glass with 10-point multi-touch makes Windows 8 effortless and intuitive to use, while the supplied pressure-sensitive stylus is perfect for taking handwritten notes, annotating documents and drawing sketches.
Lid open, ASUS Taichi 31 offers three distinct ways to work. With just the inner display active, ASUS Taichi 31 is a powerful Ultrabook with a comfortable backlit keyboard and a generously proportioned touchpad with full support for Windows 8 gestures. Better still, both displays can also be active at the same time in Extended Desktop or Mirrored Desktop mode, making it easy to show a presentation or share a video, without the need for a clumsy external monitor or a bulky projector.
Brilliant images and astonishing audio quality
In whichever mode ASUS Taichi 31 is used, two Full HD displays with IPS technology give outstanding clarity with vibrant color and 178-degree wide viewing angles. Dual-band Wi-Fi with Intel WiDi and Bluetooth 4.0 offer high-performance wireless connectivity, while two USB 3 ports provide full support for the latest high-speed external storage devices and rapid mobile device recharging.
ASUS SonicMaster technology, co-developed with Bang & Olufsen ICEpower, delivers astonishing sound quality on ASUS Taichi 31 with all kinds of listening material. ASUS Taichi 31 also features a rear 5-megapixel auto-focus camera with 1080p Full HD video recording and a front-facing 720p HD video camera, plus a noise-suppressing array microphone for crystal-clear video chat. ASUS Super Hybrid Engine II technology gives up to seven hours battery life with Wi-Fi web browsing.
Multi award-winning design
ASUS Taichi has received a number of awards since its launch in October 2012. The 2013 CES Innovations Award judging panel were impressed by ASUS Taichi for its daring design and entirely new approach to mobile PCs, while the 2013 iF Design Award committee acknowledged the vision behind its innovative design. ASUS Taichi was also awarded a prestigious G Mark in the 2012 Good Design Awards for its breakthrough design that offers new levels of productivity and entertainment.

APLEX Introduces Low Power Consumption BOX PC
Taipei, Taiwan - April 16, 2013 - APLEX Technology Inc., a global industrial computer product solution provider, today extends its embedded BOX PC portfolio with Intel D2550 Dual Core 1.86 GHz processor equipped with NM10 chipset, wide range power input from 9 to 32V DC, and 2x204pin SO-DIMM up to 4GB that delivers advanced graphics processing capability and significantly reduces power consumption. This ACS-2645 embedded system enables greater adoption in machine controlling, factory automation, and is ideal for any industrial applications.

Abundant I/O Designs
Extending APLEX din rail BOX PC Series such as ACS-2685/ACS-2695, fanless ACS-2645 has a simple & stylish design and in conjunction with Cedar Trail platform, it can provide excellent graphics performance and power efficiency. The I/O connections include four COM port (2xRS-232 (COM1&COM2), 1xRS-422/485 (COM3), 1xRS-232 (COM4)), 4x USB 2.0 ports, dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, and 1x audio port. With the growth of WiFi connection in industrial-grade product applications, ACS-2645 has dual optional antenna interfaces for efficient connectivity and provides another solution for communications besides USB ports and HDD bay.

Accessible Storage Design
ACS-2645 provides 2 x 2.5" SATA HDD and 2 x PCI expansion slots for excellent data storage for backup. In addition, it is easy for users to take one screw off and put HDD or PCI card in this embedded unit, which saves installation time. Compared with traditional embedded system, ACS-2645 takes advantages of cable hidden and easy installation design to provide a compelling user experience. As for ways of mounting, ACS-2645 can be din-rail amounted and wall-mounted.
Features of ACS-2645

Intel Atom Processor D2550 1.86GHz , L2 Cache 1MB

Support 2 x SO-DIMM 204pin, up to 4GB DDRIII 800/1066MHz FSB

Fanless Solution

2 x 2.5" SATA HDD Space

1 x External CF slot

Support 9~32V DC power input and AC power input

Available Tags:Logitech , Mac , HTC , Microsoft , Xbox , Samsung , tablet , SSD , USB , Gaming , i7 , ASUS ,

Sunday, April 21, 2013

IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 22/04/2013

Introduction

Specifications, Availability and Pricing

Introduction

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