IT-Code-News: IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 19/05/2014

Sunday, May 18, 2014

IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 19/05/2014

TweakTown

Google acquires Quest Visual, possibly for use with Google Glass
Another day, another acquisition, with Google acquiring Quest Visual, the company behind iOS app Word Lens. Word Lens uses the camera on the rear of the iPhone, translating the text to your desired language in front of your eyes.

TweakTown image google_acquires_word_lens_possibly_for_use_with_google_glass

The technology that makes Word Lens work will be baked into Google Translate, but I think we'll also see it work its way into Google Glass, too. While Quest Visual is rolled into Google, the company will make the Word Lens language packs free to consumers, where it said: "As a thank you to everybody who supported us on our journey, we've made both the app and the language packs free to download for a limited time while we transition to Google".

Nike's latest LeBron James-branded shoes exclusive to NBA 2K14 gamers
LeBron James fan? NBA 2K14 gamer? You are one of the lucky few who can purchase Nike's new LeBron James-branded sneakers - a real-life pair of shoes that have only been made because a bunch of very dedicated NBA 2K14 players put a lot of manhours into the game.

TweakTown image nike_s_latest_lebron_james_branded_shoes_exclusive_to_nba_2k14_gamers

Nike has said that its new shoes are the first physical basketball shoe to be unlocked in a video game. Nike worked with 2K Sports and developer Visual Concepts for this very unique wearable promotion. In order to buy the new LeBron James-branded shoes, you have to complete a specific set of in-game tasks of NBA 2K14 on the PS4 or Xbox One.
These tasks include playing a minimum of 60 games in the MyCareer mode, earning an elite ranking, creating a show inside of NBA 2K14's Nike Innovation Kitchen, and shooting the Nike sponsorship path. Nike has said that in order to complete these tasks, it will take around 80 hours of playtime. Gamers who have completed these tasks have the chance to pre-order the shoes, at a price of $220.

Grand Theft Auto V has sold 33 million copies since it launched
Grand Theft Auto V has been quite the seller for Take-Two, with the company announcing that it has sold a massive 33 million copies of the open-world title since it launched last September.

TweakTown image grand_theft_auto_v_has_sold_33_million_copies_since_it_launched

When Take-Two's revenues come into play, all of Rockstar Games' titles make up 45% of its revenue. Considering GTA V made $1 billion in just 72 hours, its no surprise that it has sold over 33 million copies to-date. Take-Two President Karl Slatoff has said that the company will continue seeing a re venue stream from Grand Theft Auto Online.

Bitcoin Foundation loses members, as they are angry of new director
The recent announcement of Brock Pierce, a former Disney child star and bitcoin supporter, as new Bitcoin Foundation director has angered some within the organization - and at least 10 members of the Foundation have resigned due to the announcement. Pierce was accused of giving drugs and pressuring minors for sex during his reign as leader of the Digital Entertainment Network, a company that later went bankrupt.

TweakTown image bitcoin_foundation_loses_members_as_they_are_angry_of_new_director

"The track record of prominent Bitcoin Foundation members has been abysmal," said Patrick Alexander, one of the Foundation members resigning. "I no longer want to be associated with these people."
Although bitcoin is receiving mainstream publicity, it has proven to be a difficult journey to reach this point. The downfall of Mt. Gox and a well-known bitcoin executive getting busted in a Silk Road money laundering scheme certainly didn't help - but the sky is still the limit for the volatile cryptocurrency.

Bohemia Interactive offers Arma 3 for free on Steam this weekend
Game studio Bohemia Interactive is planning to celebrate its 15th birthday by offering Steam users the chance to play Arma 3 for free through the weekend. Anyone interested in continuing to play the game title past the weekend will be able to purchase it with a 40 percent discount. Arma 3 was officially released in September 2013.

Bohemia is providing Arma: Cold War Assault for free, with an original launch in 2001, and a re-release in 2011. Furthermore, the game studio also has many of its other game titles available with discounts to help celebrate the anniversary - so get in on the fun!

TweakTown image bohemia_interactive_offers_arma_3_for_free_on_steam_this_weekend

Kaspersky Lab helps offer basic security tips to smartphone users
Mobile security is a major effort from handset manufacturers, wireless carriers, and security companies, though many smartphone and tablet users remain blissfully unaware. A lot of users don't have any type of additional security software on their devices, or conduct activities which open themselves up to additional threats, researchers previously noted.

TweakTown image kaspersky_lab_helps_offer_basic_security_tips_to_smartphone_users

To help share methods on how users can keep themselves better protected, TweakTown asked Roberto Martinez, a Kaspersky Lab researcher with the Global Research and Analysis Team: "There are several ways that the users can be protected. It's recommended to not perform procedures of 'rooting' or 'jailbreaking' in devices because this eliminates protection features of the operative systems. It's also recommended to regularly update any OS and applications."
In addition to avoiding jailbreaks, there are other tips and techniques for users to avoid being compromised: "Users should be very careful with the applications that are installed in devices, especially those that are offered for free and don't come from reliable sources. Additionally, users should be careful when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks, and if applicable, use VPN tools instead. And of course, always use anti-malware and encryption protection tools."
Moving forward, there will be a continued effort to try and keep mobile devices secure from attack, as 11.6 million devices were affected by mobile threats, according to an Alcatel-Lucent story.

US Senate report says online advertising poses security risks
The Federal Trade Commission should be tasked with enforcing security protocols to protect Internet users from security threats posed by online advertising, according to a recent report from the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Senate's Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs.

TweakTown image us_senate_report_says_online_advertising_poses_security_risks

"Consumers can incur malware attacks [through online ads] without having taken any action other than visiting a mainstream website," the report notes. "Similar attacks have struck across many online advertising platforms."
It seems significantly more likely for users to be infected with malware or security threats when visiting piracy websites, for example, though third-party advertisers have been hacked in the past. Malware creators are getting more creative in their efforts to compromise users, as they find many security loopholes and very little risk.

Retailers willing to step up and share threat intelligence
The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) has teamed up with leading retail brands to create the Retail Cyber Intelligence Sharing Center (R-CISC), with the focus of sharing cyber intelligence and security strategies. It seems like a rather fascinating effort that has been streamlined due to the continued security threats that retailers face - and have struggled with - while trying to keep employee and customer data secure.

TweakTown image retailers_willing_to_step_up_and_share_threat_intelligence

"Retailers place extremely high priority on finding solutions to combat cyberattacks and proect customers," noted Sandy Kennedy, RILA President, in a press statement. "In the face of persistent cybercriminals with increasingly sophisticated methods of attack, the R-CISC is a comprehensive resource for retailers to receive and share threat information, advance leading practices and develop research relevant to fighting cybercrimes."
In addition to Target's massive data breach, other retailers have been under fire from cybercriminals, including the likes of LaCie, Michaels, Neiman Marcus, Smucker's, and others over the past few years. The R-CISC should help give major retailers an opportunity to discuss potential security threats, and discuss what has - or hasn't worked - in cyber defense strategies.

Arduino begins shipping TRE developer edition boards worldwide
This week, Arduino announced the launch of the first developer edition boards of its new TRE development system. The company said that it has listed the first 50 boards for sale on its website in an effort to boost its beta program and get some sample code up and working for the new development board.

TweakTown image arduino_begins_shipping_tre_developer_edition_boards_worldwide

The Arduino TRE is not your typical Arduino board. It's a Linux computer running on a Sitara processor as well as a full Arduino Leonardo. It builds heavily upon the experience of both Arduino and BeagleBoard.org, combining the strengths of both. Arduino says that upon purchasing one of the developer edition boards, consumers will be invited into the beta program and will be invited to wok alongside Arduino and BeagleBoard.org teams on tasks such as writing examples, testing libraries and external hardware, and making projects.

Overland Storage merges with who?
Overland Storage, Inc., a manufacture of tape libraries and network storage devices, is merging with a little known company located in Canada, Sphere 3D. According to the earning reports announced the same day, the combined company will, "deliver a new purpose built virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) appliance and software defined storage solution, which will include Overland's NAS platform and be delivered through Overland's channel partners."

TweakTown image overland_storage_merges_with_who

Terms of the deal state each share of Overland common stock will be exchanged for 0.510594 common shares of Sphere 3D. That equates to roughly $4.43 per Overland share which recently (May 9th) was trading at $2.63 per share. Interesting to note - the surge in share price and volume from May 9th until the announcement on May 15th. Certainly, it could not be attributed to stellar sales results as the quarterly earnings report presented on May 15th resembles every report for the past several years - millions of dollars of losses.

TweakTown image overland_storage_merges_with_who

This merger is just one more in a long string of M&A activity with Overland. Most notably, the acquisition of Snap Appliances for a mere $3.6M in 2008, just four years after Adaptec bought Snap for nearly $100M. More recently, in November of last year, Overland merged with Tandberg, one of the other long standing tape library leaders. Throughout all of these mergers, every new incarnation continuously bled money while trying to find a path out of being the tired, old tape vendor.
Looking to break the trend, this recent announcement is somewhat of a surprise; however, the two companies have been working together for some time. Eric Kelly, CEO of Overland, joined the Sphere 3D board in July of 2013 and the companies have been working together to develop virtualization solutions, including integrated products to address the VDI market.
It is the Sphere 3D's Glassware 2.0 product that is the most interesting part of this equation, though. The Glassware solution, according to the Sphere 3D marketing material, allows any device to access any application or software program - regardless of OS. As the world is moving towards BYOD and the 3rd platform, the possibility of such easy interoperability is very intriguing. Also, this product category is in the realm of Citrix and VMWare, very far removed from the legacy tape market that the Overland and Tandberg names were so well known for. Quite possibly, this is the reason the combined company will be known as Sphere 3D going forward.
(OVRL graph courtesy Yahoo Finance)

Printrbot unveils new CNC Router for the DIY / Maker hobbyist
Printrbot has long been known for creating and selling affordable 3D Printer kits that enable almost anyone to begin 3D printing in their home, but that changed at this week's MakerCon in San Francisco. Earlier this week the company unveiled its first CNC Router that is targeted at beginner CNC users. The new Printerbot CNC Router is capable of machining wood, plastic and aluminum, albeit at different speeds.

TweakTown image printrbot_unveils_new_cnc_router_for_the_diy_maker_hobbyist

The machine features a Wi-Fi enabled Raspberry Pi that runs a web-based control software suite enabling users to connect to the device wirelessly. The control board is based on the TinyG board, and movement is accomplished via NEMA 23 stepper motors. A Makita Router is utilized as the tool head, and the entire thing looks to be able to accept stock up to 24-inches square. No word on pricing has been released, but I have reached out to Printrbot for more information.

Google updates MyGlass app to version 3.0, sports new interface
Google Glass users, get to your smartphones and update your MyGlass app, as it has just hit version 3.0. The latest MyGlass app has a great new interface in the form of a new slide-in bar that comes in from the left, providing quick access to settings, contacts, active Glassware and new Glassware to install.

TweakTown image google_updates_myglass_app_to_version_3_0_sports_new_interface

The interface for adding and managing your Glassware has been improved, with the app overall being much more stable and improved. You can also now share maps directly from your phone to Glass, something that is going to make things much easier than trying to speak into Glass and it not understand which address you're trying to say - something that happened to me just a couple of hours ago.

Arduino launches the new Arduino Zero, a official 32bit Arduino
Yesterday, Arduino announced the launch of its latest edition to its user-friendly development boards. The new Arduino Zero is a powerful 32-bit version of the Arduino Uno, and is designed to empower creative individuals with the power to create something truly amazing. The board features an Atmel SAMD21 MCU which is comprised of a 32-bit ARM Cortex M0+ Core.

TweakTown image arduino_launches_the_new_arduino_zero_a_official_32bit_arduino

The new Arduino Zero is based on a 3.3v standards, has 14 digital I/O pins of which 12 are PWM and 2 are reserved for UART. Analog I/O is handled by 5 pins featuring 12bits ADC and 1 pin with 10bits DAC. Flash memory is set at 256KB, SRAM at 32KB, and up to 16KB of EEPROM is available via emulation. Unlike its AVR siblings, the Arduino Zero is clocked at 48MHz.
"The Zero board expands the Arduino family by providing increased performance to fuel the creativity of the maker community," said Massimo Banzi, Arduino co-founder and CEO. "The flexible feature set enables endless project opportunities for devices and acts as a great educational tool for learning about 32-bit application development."
"Leveraging more than 15 years of experience since the inception of AVR, simplicity and ease-of-use have been at the core of Atmel's technology," said Reza Kazerounian, senior vice president and general manager, microcontroller business unit at Atmel. "Atmel is pleased to see the continued growth of the global maker community stemming from the increasing access and availability to open source platforms such as Arduino. We enable makers, but the power lies within the makers themselves."

Steam has seen more games added this year, than the entire of 2013
Valve's digital distribution software, Steam, is an incredibly popular service - so much so, that there have been more games released on Steam this year, than the entire of 2013.

TweakTown image steam_has_seen_more_games_added_this_year_than_the_entire_of_2013

We're not even half way through 2014, but there has been a slew of new releases added to Steam already. A lot of this seems to stem from Steam Greenlight, which was introduced in July 2012. From its inception, new releases on Steam didn't really climb for a little over a year, but then we see a huge spike in August of last year. It began to drop as the New Year hit, but it has begun to climb with no end in sight as we start chomping into 2014.

Jupiter's Great Red Spot is shrinking after 100 years of domination
For more than 100 years now, astronomers have gazed into space and attempted to figure out what fuels the massive hurricane-like storm that orbits just below Jupiter's equator. During the 1800's the storm was estimated to measure more than 25,000 miles across, and recent images from the Hubble Space Telescope show that it is just a mere 10,250 miles across today. To put that into perspective, back in 1890, three Earth's could fit inside the storm, and today only would could squeeze in.

TweakTown image jupiter_s_great_red_spot_is_shrinking_after_100_years_of_domination

At the moment, scientist have no conclusive theory on why the storm is shrinking, it has been able to figure out that the storm is shrinking faster as they years go by, and that it is currently losing about 580 miles in diameter per year. One early theory suggest that Jupiter's atmosphere is losing some of its volatility and bleeding off energy, which in turn is causing the storm to slowly die down. The video below from Videos From Space shows just how fast this shrinkage is taking place.

"In our new observations, it is apparent that very small eddies are feeding into the storm," Amy Simon, associate director for strategic science at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, said in a statement. "We hypothesized that these may be responsible for the accelerated change, by altering the internal dynamics and energy of the Great Red Spot."

Minecraft on next-gen consoles receives increased draw distance
Minecraft is an incredibly popular game, but what will the next-gen console version of the game bring to the block-creating world? Better draw distances, that's what.

TweakTown image minecraft_on_next_gen_consoles_receives_increased_draw_distance

4J Studios is behind the next-gen version of Minecraft, releasing some comparison shots on its Twitter account. The PS4 and Xbox One versions of Minecraft will also reportedly be "a lot bigger" than their last generation hardware. The next-gen consoles won't compare to the PC though, which features "infinite" map sizes. PS4 and Xbox One gamers can also transfer their saved world's from the PS3 to the PS4, or Xbox 360 to the Xbox One, too.

Witcher developer chimes in on console resolution wars
Marcin Iwinski, co-founder and developer at CD Projekt Red, the studio behind The Witcher, has chimed in over the resolution wars on next-gen consoles, where he said that "it's more of a PR differentiation".

TweakTown image witcher_developer_chimes_in_on_console_resolution_wars

He continued: "We had the debate in the studio about it and actually asked our tech guys to explain how it works. And they sent me some complicated graphs that if I have this size of the screen, and I sit one meter or two meters from it, then I might be able to see the difference". With his team currently working on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, he said that the studio is working on maximizing each system.
Iwinski added that the team won't be dumbing anything down to get it running better on the last generation of consoles, where he said: "It's against our values to dumb anything down for the sake of some business arrangement".

Sony A7S digital camera will launch in July, pre-orders underway
Photography fans that like to listen to the rumor mill were disappointed when the Sony A7S digital camera surfaced not long ago. Most were excited at the specs the camera promised, but the price was very high.

TweakTown image sony_a7s_digital_camera_will_launch_in_july_pre_orders_underway

Early rumors pegged the cost of the camera to be around $3,450 making it very expensive. The good news is that Sony has now announced the official price for the camera and it will cost $2,500. That isn't exactly cheap, but it's much cheaper than the rumor mill predicted.
This camera is a mirrorless digital camera with multiple lenses. It has a 12.2MP Exmor image sensor. It also has a rear 3-inch LCD and a XGA OLED viewfinder. It can also record in XAVC S HD format and has an ISO range up to 409600. It can be pre-ordered right now online.

iOS devs gain the ability to offer promo codes for in-app purchases
Apple has made an interesting change to the App Store and how developers can gift things to players of their games. Developers can now offer gamers promo codes for free in-app purchases. Promo codes have been accepted for game purchases for a while, but allowing them for in-app purchases is a new feature.

TweakTown image ios_devs_gain_the_ability_to_offer_promo_codes_for_in_app_purchases

One of the first mobile game developers to take advantage of in-app promo codes was EA. It offered a promo code to players of Real Racing 3 if they visited the EA website. The code gave the players some free gold.
It's unclear if these in-app promo codes will be supported in all countries where the App Store operates. The test promo code reportedly didn't work in India for instance. In-app purchase promo codes are a good thing and will allow gamers who like freemium apps to get some freebies from devs to maintain their interest in the game.

Skylock smart bike lock is solar powered and allows sharing
In some areas if you don't lock your bike up, it will be gone before you come back out to get it. In those areas, a bike lock is a requirement. However, if you want to share your bike with a friend, you have to tell them your combination or give them a key and that can be a problem if you aren't nearby. A new high-tech bike lock called the Skylock is looking to help solve that problem.

TweakTown image skylock_smart_bike_lock_is_solar_powered_and_allows_sharing

Skylock is a U-lock that has a solar powered rechargeable battery inside. The lock is able to send the owner theft and crash alerts. It also has keyless entry and opens the ability to share your bike without having to be there.

It works with a smartphone app that runs on Android or iOS. Bike owners unlock the bike using that app. The app will also warn the user if the bike is jostled while they aren't around. The lock can also call 911 if it senses a severe impact while someone is riding the bike. One hour of sunlight on the solar panels promises a week of power for the lock. Skylock costs $249 and the company behind the product hopes to ship it by the end of the year.

Sony PS4 outsells Xbox One in April marking four months in a row
Sales numbers for the two major next gen game consoles are in for the month of April and things don't look that good for Microsoft. Microsoft has been outsold again by the Sony PS4. According to the NPD Group, the PS4 outsold the Xbox One for the fourth month in a row.

TweakTown image sony_ps4_outsells_xbox_one_in_april_marking_four_months_in_a_row

Sales of new game hardware for the month of April grew by 76% to $192 million compared to the same month last year. NPD says that the bulk of those sales were of game consoles. NPD notes that sales of video game accessories in the US also increased year over year compared to last April to $159 million. That makes a 21% gain for game accessories.
Overall revenue in April for hardware, software, and accessories was $580.3 million, a gain of 17% compared to last year. Those sales numbers don't include used hardware or software sales. One dark spot in April was software sales, which were down 10% compared to last year.

Sony debuts Cyber-shot RX100 III digital camera with viewfinder
Sony has rolled out a new digital camera that slips into its Cyber-shot digital camera line called the RX100 III. One of the features that set this camera apart from some of the others in the line is that it has an integrated electronic viewfinder.

TweakTown image sony_debuts_cyber_shot_rx100_iii_digital_camera_with_viewfinder

That viewfinder is a SVGA OLED unit with ZEISS T* coating. Resolution for the camera is 20.1MP and it uses an Exmor R sensor for low light shooting. The lens is a 24-70mm F1.8 Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* unit. On the rear of the camera is a 3-inch Xtra Fine LCD.
Video recording is supported with AVCHD, MP4, and XAVC S formats. Video can be sent directly to a TV via an HDMI output. The camera also has P/A/S/M operating modes with a precise control ring. Other features include Wi-Fi and NFC tech for pairing with a smartphone. Interested photography fans can pre-order the camera now for $799.99.

Ubisoft delays Tom Clancy's The Division into 2015
Ubisoft have been quite busy delaying their games lately, with Watch Dogs enjoying another six months of development, but now the studio has just announced it is delaying The Division, until next year.

TweakTown image ubisoft_delays_tom_clancy_s_the_division_into_2015

Tom Clancy's The Division will be better revealed at E3 next month, but Ubisoft announced the delay just yesterday, where it said: "Working on The Division is a once in a lifetime opportunity for all of us at Massive, Reflections, and Red Storm Entertainment. We are creating something we are really proud of and we don't want to compromise on quality. We are going to release the game when it's ready".

Microsoft offers few details on Halo 5: Guardians for Xbox One
For many gamers when it comes to the Xbox game console, the Halo franchise is the main reason to own the game system. Halo has been around for years and Master Chief is an iconic gaming character. Microsoft is talking a bit about the next game in the franchise called Halo 5: Guardians that will be coming to the Xbox One.

TweakTown image microsoft_offers_few_details_on_halo_5_guardians_for_xbox_one

The game will run at 60 fps and will use a new engine created by Halo developer 343 Studios. 343 Studios general manager Bonnie Ross says that more details on the game will be offered at E3 on June 9. Along with talk of the game, Microsoft is also talking a bit about the Halo TV series as well.
That TV series will be produced by Steven Spielberg in the fall of 2015. Hopefully more details on that Halo TV series will be offered during E3, that project will be as interesting to some fans as the new game is. The Xbox One certainly needs a major game to lure buyers to the console as it continues to be outsold by the PS4.

Mobli updates smartphone app to support live video streaming
Mobli is a company from Israel that makes an app for smartphone users that allows them to take and share video and photos. The company has announced that it has updated that app to allow users to do something interesting, live broadcast video. Users of the smartphone application can watch that video in real-time.

TweakTown image mobli_updates_smartphone_app_to_support_live_video_streaming

The apps are available for iOS and Android users right now. The app only just gained the ability to live broadcast video with an update that went live this week. To be able to watch the live broadcasts, users do need to have the app installed on their devices.
However, the company says that in the coming weeks anyone will be able to watch video streamed using the app on a website with or without the Mobli app. Mobli does plan to launch a pay-per-view aspect for the application as well so celebrities could charge viewers to see live performances.

Frozen (2013) Blu-ray Movie Review

TweakTown image frozen_2013_blu_ray_movie_review

It's not been a good few years for Disney Animation creatively nor financially, with competition provided by the likes of Blue Sky and DreamWorks animation studios nipping at its heels and the company's best attempts in Tangled and Wreck It Ralph were solid, yet comparatively unspectacular features, failing to reach the heights of the now famed Disney Renaissance of the 80's and 90's that gave us consecutive hits in The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King - shadows which loom large over the company.

TweakTown image frozen_2013_blu_ray_movie_review

But last year's Frozen successfully altered the studio's fortunes, grossing $1.2 billion at the box office (now the sixth highest grossing film of all time) and scoring two Academy Awards and giving new confidence to the future and direction of the company.
When young Princess Elsa (voiced by Idina Menzel), blessed (or cursed) with the conjuring power of ice, accidentally injures her younger sister Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell), her parents, the King and Queen of Arendelle, decide to separate the sisters until Elsa can properly manage her powers. Years pass, as do the King and Queen and the Kingdom falls to Elsa. On the event of her coronation, an argument causes her to inadvertently unleash her powers, undoing the years she has spent in hiding. Abandoning the city to a perpetual and inhospitable winter, Anna flees to live in isolation in an ice palace she has constructed, leaving Anna to assemble an oddball delegation to convince her to return.
After hearing all the hype and good reports on Frozen, I'd lowered my expectations out of fear of disappointment. How wrong was I. Frozen is undoubtedly the best Disney film since Fantasia 2000 15 years ago, an uplifting adventure with relatable characters, rich in laughs, great songs and new Disney characters.
Video
Frozen is presented in the strange aspect ratio of 2.24:1, which represents a widening of the mattes from the original 2.40:1 aspect ratio.
Unsurprisingly, Frozen is a near perfect, 2K direct digital transfer which for all intents and purposes is probably pretty close to what audiences saw projected onto cinema screens, just compressed onto much smaller displays. Frozen is an animation powerhouse, filled with beautiful images such that you can pause on any frame just to marvel at the work that's gone into it. The image is crisp and clear and razor sharp, however it's worth noting that some shots intentionally appear a little soft for artistic purpose. Colors are truly spectacular, with a huge wow factor.
Pleasingly, I didn't detect any macro blocking or other artifacts - it's simply as good as Blu-ray gets. That said, I can't help but feel how it would look in native 4K, although I suspect it would upscale quite nicely too.

TweakTown image frozen_2013_blu_ray_movie_review

Audio
Frozen is presented in DTS HD Master Audio 7.1 at 24 bits.
Right from the outset, it was pretty clear that Frozen was going to sound the goods, with an incredibly aggressive 7.1 mix that really works the rear surrounds for maximum immersion. The data rate remains sustained at a generous 5 mbp/s, offering unmatched clarity that only the best amplifiers and audio equipment can truly capitalize on. Still whatever equipment you have, Frozen will take full advantage of it.
Dialogue is rendered well and lip-synced appropriately, supported by a strong front soundstage, which is forceful when appropriate. The track features a number of musical numbers which harken back to the fusion of powerful lyrics and compositions of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken. These are showcased well and mixed appropriately for maximum impact.
The low frequency is deep and resonating, supporting a number of characters and action sequences, including the ice monster.

TweakTown image frozen_2013_blu_ray_movie_review

Extras
It's a bit of a surprise that the Blu-ray debut of Frozen is light on for extra features, although the rumor mill points to a potential fourth quarter special edition re-release. Whether that comes to pass is unknown at this point, but for a film of such stature and new found importance to the company, I'd be willing to bet its accuracy. Still, let's take a look at what is included in the initial release.
First up is the animated short that accompanied Frozen's theatrical release, Get A Horse! which breaks the fourth wall and reunites audiences with Mickey and Minnie Mouse in a new short that merges new animation with old. It also happens to be hugely entertaining and a lot of fun. It's also nicely presented in pristine 1080p HD.
The three minute featurette The Making of Frozen turns out to be nothing what the title would seem to indicate; serving as a cute behind the scenes musical number featuring the cast and crew. Unfortunately, the absence of a proper 'making of' documentary makes this come off as a little insulting.
The seven minute D'Frosted: Disney's Journey from Hans Christian Andersen to Frozen skims over the previous aborted attempts to translate the Danish authors story "The Snow Queen", including touching on the previous adaptation of his work in 1989's The Little Mermaid.
Next are four Deleted Scenes which were all cut in the storyboard process and would have inconsequently padded the film out by a few minutes, introduced by writer director partners Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee who explain the excision.
Finally, we have a Let It Go Music Video by Demi Lovato, along with three other language tracks, and the Original Theatrical Teaser in 1080p.

TweakTown image frozen_2013_blu_ray_movie_review

PRICING: You can find the Frozen Blu-ray for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.
United States: The Frozen Blu-ray retails for $25.89 at Amazon.
Canada: The Frozen Blu-ray retails for CDN$27.99 at Amazon Canada.
Australia: The Frozen Blu-ray retails for $34.99 AUD at Mighty Ape Australia.
New Zealand: The Frozen Blu-ray retails for $39.99 NZD at Mighty Ape NZ.

TweakTown image 6/3/6348_1234_frozen_2013_blu_ray_movie_review.png

TweakTown image frozen_2013_blu_ray_movie_review

... Read the rest in your browser!

Australian Blu-ray Importing: May 2014 Buying Guide
Despite some ups and downs over the last the few months, the resilient Australian dollar has continued to defy economists and attempts at intervention alike, flirting just below parity with the U.S. dollar.
As such, this puts the appeal of importation on the cards of Australian Blu-ray fans and in this latest entry in the series, we will therefore take a look at the best overseas Blu-ray releases which haven't yet made their way to our shores. As always, the following discs are region safe for local region B Blu-ray players.

The Terminal

TweakTown image australian_blu_ray_importing_may_2014_buying_guide

Studio: Paramount Home Entertainment
Country of Origin: United States
Purchase: Amazon.com
Region: A, B, C
Not all of Director Steven Spielberg's 35 theatrical films have gone on to become instant classics - for every Indiana Jones, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and Schindler's List there's misfires such as 1941, Hook and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. But somewhere in the middle, there's a small collection of underappreciated features which are ripe for re-discovery, one of which includes 2004's The Terminal.
When a military coup in his home country of origin renders his passport invalid, Viktor Navorski (Tom Hanks) is unable to leave either the United States, or the airport, Viktor must eke out an existence in the confines of the terminal. The touching story is restored beautifully on Blu-ray, with a stunningly filmic 1080p transfer, including around an hour's worth of featurettes and behind the scenes material.

Mallrats

TweakTown image australian_blu_ray_importing_may_2014_buying_guide

Studio: Universal Home Entertainment
Country of Origin: United States
Purchase: Amazon.com
Region: A, B, C
Kevin Smith is a name that either unites or divides film fans, but even amongst his most loyal fans, none divides more than his 1995 feature Mallrats. Fresh from critical and financial success with his ultra-low budgeted debut Clerks, Universal stumped up millions to secure Smith's follow up. Whilst it's true that Mallrats doesn't enjoy the same focus as it's predecessor, it holds up reasonably well and is worthy of a re-watch on the basis of mid-90's nostalgia alone.
Universal's U.S. Blu-ray release rights the wrongs of the previously released Australian version, including an alternate cut, directors commentaries, over an hour of deleted scenes and copious featurettes and outtakes. For the fans, by the fans it seems.

An American Tail

TweakTown image australian_blu_ray_importing_may_2014_buying_guide

Studio: Universal Home Entertainment
Country of Origin: United States
Purchase: Amazon.com
Region: A, B, C
Produced by Steven Spielberg and Directed by former Disney animator Don Bluth, An American Tail was released to great success in 1986, long before the resurgence of Bluth's former employer. The classically animated tale of Russian mice immigrating to the United States has much more behind it than the surface would indicate.
Whilst Universal's 1080p transfer might not be as stunning as the best animation remasters, it blows away tall previous standard definition releases, with a crisp and clear 5.1 soundtrack. Disappointingly there aren't any compelling extra features to speak of, but for a bargain basement price of $13, you can do a lot worse.

Speed 2: Cruise Control

TweakTown image australian_blu_ray_importing_may_2014_buying_guide

Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Country of Origin: United States
Purchase: Amazon.com
Region: A, B, C
It's hard to imagine, but 20 years ago next month the original Speed burst onto cinema screens, entering the pop culture lexicon and making stars of Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. Fox are now dubiously honoring this anniversary with the Blu-ray debut of the 1998 Reeves-less turkey Speed 2: Cruise Control.
As mind numbingly dumb as the film plot may be (it's a ship that travels at 20 mph, look out!), the films ridiculously over the top visual effects still impress and it's frequently hilarious, albeit unintentional plot is highly entertaining in its awkwardness. Fox's Blu-ray features spectacular video and audio transfers (ironic, hey?) along with a brief featurette and the original theatrical trailer. The opportunity to include an apologetic Jan DeBont director's commentary was sadly not taken up.
... Read the rest in your browser!

Kingfast 32GB Secure Hardware Encrypted USB Flash Drive Review

TweakTown image kingfast_32gb_secure_hardware_encrypted_usb_flash_drive_review

If you are like me, when you think of a secure storage solution, then you probably associate it with something with a software layer that enables a type of AES or Bitlocker encryption to protect your data as this is the most common type of security used with flash drives. Kingfast thought outside the box with this next product and took things to the next level with a full on keypad to protect your data.
If we dig even further into the specifications for this flash drive, you will find that Kingfast has setup this drive for 20 years of data retention at 25c with unlimited read endurance. Write endurance for the 32GB model we have in-house today extends to eight years at 100GB per day.
In addition to this, we have built-in ECC with data destroy, bad block management, and both static and dynamic wear levelling. Performance specifications of the drive have it capable of 20 MB/s read and 18 MB/s write, so we know right off the bat this drive was designed to be secure over high performance.
MSRP of the Kingfast Secure USB in the 32GB flavor is listed at $99.99 with a one-year warranty.

TweakTown image kingfast_32gb_secure_hardware_encrypted_usb_flash_drive_review

Kingfast put together great packaging for the Secure USB. As you can see, they packaged the drive in dense foam within a small box.

TweakTown image kingfast_32gb_secure_hardware_encrypted_usb_flash_drive_review

The front of the drive houses the 11 button keypad and comes secured from the factory. Pushing the unlock button sets off a series of LED flashes, which give you six seconds to enter the passcode for the drive.

TweakTown image kingfast_32gb_secure_hardware_encrypted_usb_flash_drive_review

The Kingfast utilizes a capped design but fits very snug.

TweakTown image kingfast_32gb_secure_hardware_encrypted_usb_flash_drive_review

The Kingfast Secure USB is factory formatted with the FAT32 file system, ensuring compatibility between Windows and Macintosh computers. The usable capacity after formatting is 29.7GB.

TweakTown image kingfast_32gb_secure_hardware_encrypted_usb_flash_drive_review

Here we have the results from CDM. As you can see, the Kingfast met specifications for read performance at 22 MB/s but fell short on write performance peaking at 9 MB/s.
The Kingfast Secure USB is one of those solutions that is purpose built and, as such, is built like an Abrams tank. The build quality of this drive really couldn't get any better; the entire structure of the drive is metal sealed up to be waterproof, dustproof, and even shock proof. In addition, the keypad enables hardware AES 256 encryption, and in the event someone was to enter the password incorrectly ten times, your data is destroyed.
Performance of the drive met marketing specifications on the read side of things at 22 MB/s, but the write performance fell short, topping out at 9 MB/s. While this could just be an issue with the benchmark used, I don't count it as a bad thing when we take into consideration what purpose the drive fills, but we do hope Kingfast goes back to the drawing board and whips up a USB 3.0 variant for us to test.
MSRP of the Kingfast Secure USB in the 32GB capacity is set at $99.99 with a one-year warranty.

TweakTown image 6/3/6341_1234_kingfast_32gb_secure_hardware_encrypted_usb_flash_drive_review.png

TweakTown image kingfast_32gb_secure_hardware_encrypted_usb_flash_drive_review

... Read the rest in your browser!

Enermax Liqmax 120X AIO Liquid CPU Cooler Review

Introduction, Specifications and Pricing

TweakTown image enermax_liqmax_120x_aio_liquid_cpu_cooler_review

As we mentioned in the last AIO review we brought forth, we recently received a total of three AIOs from Enermax. We have seen the "sport model" if you will, in the Liqmax 120S, but this time around there are some major changes. Where most companies would grab a thicker single radiator at this point for the midrange solution, Enermax has gone in an entirely different direction. Not only do they spruce things up with metal trimming on this latest model, but they have also changed the OEM of this AIO from the first one we looked at. This time we have a product very similar to what SilverStone brought out in the Tundra Series; yet Enermax pulls this off with their own style, as not to get anyone confused.
Along with the new OEM manufacturer, the plastic on the head unit has been traded out for a full metal casing. We also notice on these units that the swivel fittings are a bit beefier, and thicker walled tubing is also used this time, without the corrugated sleeves. While still using a thinner style single radiator in this model, the sides have been dressed up similar to what SilverStone did with theirs, but Enermax does it with a motherboard heat sink, or memory heat sink design to it. One other major trade off to these new AIOs that are just surfacing is that fins of the radiator in the traditional sense are removed, and we deal with something more akin to a CPU air cooler.
As you can tell, even before we get to the unboxing images, the looks and styling of the Liqmax 120X that we are going to look at today have us very interested in figuring out what this AIO can do. We already know it is going to look sleek inside of a build and with a lot of manufacturer's motherboards, since this cooler takes on a black with red trim theme that seems to be everywhere currently.
At this point, we need to get through a few images and get really up close and personal with Enermax's midrange AIO. Then it will be time to put it through its paces, and see just how well it contends with our test system, so we can see if the Liqmax 120S is any indication of this dual fan AIO's potential, or if this is more a case of all-show and no-go.
The Liqmax 120X is also designated as the ELC-LT120X-HP, and following the previous models, this means the 120X is a high performance model as well. This time, the head unit is comprised of a top plate that acts as a heat sink, a midsection of metal, and at the base of the cooler there is a copper cold plate to exchange the heat to the liquid inside. In the midsection is the pump that is capable of 2500 RPM on its ceramic bearing, and is what will send the heated coolant to the aluminum radiator. As we mentioned earlier though, this radiator design incorporates flat and even fins, much like an air cooler, and none of that zigzag fin design most radiators offer.

TweakTown image enermax_liqmax_120x_aio_liquid_cpu_cooler_review

Along with the head unit and radiator, the Liqmax 120X ships with a pair of ED122512S-PA fans to strap to either side of the radiator. These fans come with a three way switch on them to limit the fan speeds to three levels, topping out at 2500 RPM. At that speed, these fans will deliver 110 CFM each, and offer 7.4 mmH2O of static pressure. On paper, these 4-pin powered PWM fans look like they should be more than capable of handling its business; especially considering what we saw with the 120S and a single, less powerful fan attached to that. This Liqmax 120X shows a ton of promise, but as always, we will let the charts do the talking soon enough.
Looking around the internet in search of this cooler in some e-tailers listings, we find at this time that it is near impossible to locate on any shelves. We have to assume stock will be arriving shortly, but the press release lacks that information; as well as most news channels not having it listed, we find nothing on this unit's pricing. If we were to hazard a guess at this point, considering the pricing of the Liqmax 120S being in the eighty to eighty-five dollar range, this cooler will likely be sold at, or just less than $100 USD. In the grand scheme of things, pricing is only one aspect of the cooler industry, and we will see soon enough how the aesthetic and performance end up. By the end of this review, you will have a full picture of what the Liqmax 120X from Enermax is.
... Read the rest in your browser!

Thecus N2310 Consumer NAS Review

Introduction

TweakTown image thecus_n2310_consumer_nas_review

For those holding out on purchasing a NAS storage system, the time has come where these devices are really getting dirt-cheap. With the launch of the N2310, Thecus looks to push the price even lower with an entry-level two-bay NAS solution.
The Thecus N2310 comes at a time when the NAS market has transitioned from just a few players to the point where we have vendors like WD and Seagate joining in with consumer solutions. The purpose of the N2310 is to offer the end-user the best value in terms of a diskless solution at a very competitive price point.
Internally, we have an 800MHz AMCC APM 86491 SoC based on the PowerPC 465 processing core with 512MB of DDR3. I/O includes dual SATA III for connecting your drives of choice, while the back of the unit houses a single USB 3.0 port and USB 2.0 port as well. For LAN connectivity, Thecus has included a single gigabit port on the rear of the unit.

Pricing, Availability and Specifications

TweakTown image thecus_n2310_consumer_nas_review

MSRP for the Thecus N2310 is set at $159.99 with a two-year warranty. Current market pricing can be found below.
PRICING: You can find the Thecus N2310 for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.
United States: The Thecus N2310 retails for $157.06 at Amazon.
Canada: The Thecus N2310 retails for CDN$282.01 at Amazon Canada.
... Read the rest in your browser!

ASRock Z97 Extreme4 (Intel Z97) Motherboard Review

Pricing, Availability and Final Thoughts

When it comes to the Z97 chipset, there's really no need for us to cover our thoughts on it again. If you're interested in learning more about our thoughts on it, then I recommend that you head over to the Final Thoughts in our ASUS SABERTOOTH Z97 MARK 1 review. So, saying that, let's get stuck into what we think of the ASRock Z97 Extreme4 here today.
Coming in at around the mid $100 mark, the ASRock Z97 Extreme4 comes in considerably cheaper than the ASUS offering we looked at. While the board does indeed lack some of the flair of the SABERTOOTH offering, ASRock has still put together a great motherboard. Out of the box, the numbers are very similar between both boards, and the ASRock Z97 Extreme4 actually offers slightly better memory performance that lines up with the Z87 like we'd expect.
With the board not being a full bundle, there's not much we can say to that; instead, we'll move straight onto the board. The Z97 Extreme4 from ASRock isn't flashy. It doesn't look bad, but it does lack some of the bells and whistles of some of the other boards I have sitting behind me. Priced appropriately, though, that isn't an issue, and when it comes to performance, it performs well as we just mentioned.
In terms of features, we're also looking pretty good with both SATA Express and an M.2 connector on the board. It's no doubt these two features are going to be something storage enthusiasts will love, especially considering the aggressive price tag on the board.
One area that the Z97 doesn't shine so much is the overclocking side of things. Again, though, due to the more simple design of the cooling solution, it doesn't surprise us our 4770K doesn't overclock as high. If you're looking at something on the overclocking side, there's no denying that the Z97 OC Formula from ASRock may be something that you're eyeing.
Wrapping everything up, ASRock has put together a nice motherboard that comes in at a good price point. Its out-of-the-box performance is in line with more expensive options, as you'd expect, and the features on the board are nice. If you want to do a bit of overclocking, not spend too much money, and have a board that is just all around solid, then there's no denying that the Z97 Extreme4 is an attractive option. If you're looking for something else, though, keep an eye out for more Z97 boards coming over the next few weeks.
PRICING: You can find the ASRock Z97 Extreme4 for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.
United States: The ASRock Z97 Extreme4 retails for $173.25 at Amazon.
Canada: The ASRock Z97 Extreme4 retails for CDN$189.00 at Amazon Canada.

TweakTown image 6/3/6346_1234_asrock_z97_extreme4_intel_z97_motherboard_review.png

... Read the rest in your browser!

Rapoo T120P Wireless Touch Mouse Review

Introduction, Specifications and Pricing

TweakTown image rapoo_t120p_wireless_touch_mouse_review

Since we know very little about Rapoo, we had to go to their "about us" section to get a grip on what they are all about. Even though we had never heard of the company prior to this, they have been in business since 2002. It seems that their main mission and quest is to become the leader in wireless peripheral devices, and to deliver said products to global markets. At the time of writing their information, they were ahead of the curve with their 2.4GHz technology they were using then, but to stay on top of the market, Rapoo is now looking to deliver devices of the 5GHz flavor.
As far as why we have you hear today, it is to look at the Rapoo T120P Wireless Touch Mouse, which comes in five different color options. While we have seen a few wireless mice in our time, and we have seen some touch sensor based products, we have not seen them together and had the thrill of experiencing Haptic feedback in a mouse either. On top of all of that, the fundamental technologies this product features, are all packed into a very small design that will almost fit in your pocket. Talk about easy to travel with.
Today we are taking the time to express the pleasure it has been in testing and using the T120P Wireless Touch mouse. This compact, yet very functional, and user friendly design is something we really enjoyed using even if only half the size of our typical gaming mouse choice.
For those in the market for a mouse to accompany a laptop or Windows tablet, this little mouse is they way to go. Its super easy to store in just about any bag you might be carrying, and with its Haptic feedback to scroll the mouse and reasonable DPI level, you aren't tossing accuracy and feel out the window.

TweakTown image rapoo_t120p_wireless_touch_mouse_review

As we checked Rapoo's Chinese site as well as their U.S. site, neither seemed to provide any specification for this mouse, so we opted to show the color options of the T120P instead. While there are five versions to choose from, they all offer Kailh switches, an Avago optical sensor, a USB dongle, and the need for a pair of AA batteries. Dimensionally, the T120P is only 97mm in length, 57mm wide at its widest point (near the front), and stands only 38mm tall.
The bottom of these mice will remove, but before we explain what is underneath that cover, we should note that there is an exposed power switch to save battery life, and with a rounded design to this mouse, it has two long feet that run front to back on this cover. Once it is removed, there is storage for the Dongle under the cover so it doesn't get lost at the bottom of the bag, and there is also access to replace the AA batteries (or to install your own, since there are none included in the packaging).
Locating the T120P is as easy as jumping on Google and shopping for it, as plenty of hits show up on the screen. The real issue is that you have to play the balance between which of the lesser named sites are honorable enough not to screw you over, and getting it at an affordable price all in the same swing. As we paid more attention to the pricing, we found the T120P in a few colors for less than $20 U.S. dollars, which is great. There is a flip side though, and in the one listing where we would have no trust issues at all, the T120P (in red as we received it), was priced right at $50. So, as you shop for this tiny T120P in whatever flavor you want, pay attention to the pricing as you can save quite a bit with the right choice.
PRICING: You can find the RAPOO T120P WIRELESS TOUCH MOUSE for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.
United States: The RAPOO T120P WIRELESS TOUCH MOUSE (BLACK) retails for $38.98 at Amazon, the RAPOO T120P WIRELESS TOUCH MOUSE (RED) retails for $38.99 at Amazon, the RAPOO T120P WIRELESS TOUCH MOUSE (White) retails for $38.99 at Amazon, the RAPOO T120P WIRELESS TOUCH MOUSE (Yellow) retails for $38.99 at Amazon, and the RAPOO T120P WIRELESS TOUCH MOUSE (Green) retails for $38.99 at Amazon.
Canada: The RAPOO T120P WIRELESS TOUCH MOUSE (RED) retails for CDN$64.94 at Amazon Canada.
... Read the rest in your browser!

ASUS SABERTOOTH Z97 MARK 1 (Intel Z97) Motherboard Review

USB Test - AIDA64

Version and / or Patch Used: v4.30.2900

TweakTown image asus_sabertooth_z97_mark_1_intel_z97_motherboard_review

TweakTown image asus_sabertooth_z97_mark_1_intel_z97_motherboard_review

Looking above, you can see that USB performance under both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 is very similar between the two setups. We rarely see any fluctuation when it comes to USB 3.0 and 2.0 performance.

SSD Test - AIDA64

Version and / or Patch Used: v4.30.2900

TweakTown image asus_sabertooth_z97_mark_1_intel_z97_motherboard_review

SSD Test - PCMark 8

Version and / or Patch Used: 2.0.191

TweakTown image asus_sabertooth_z97_mark_1_intel_z97_motherboard_review

SSD Test - HD Tune Pro

Version and / or Patch Used: 5.50

TweakTown image asus_sabertooth_z97_mark_1_intel_z97_motherboard_review

Looking at SSD performance, across the board, you can see all three benchmarks show the numbers very close to each other. Saying that, though, we do see that HD Tune Pro shows a lower minimum but higher maximum.
... Read the rest in your browser!

EDGE Boost Pro 300GB Enterprise SSD Review

Introduction

TweakTown image edge_boost_pro_300gb_enterprise_ssd_review

EDGE Memory began in 1986, and like many companies of the time, the small company, started by a teenager, grew into a big success. Today, EDGE memory offers 2.5-inch, 1.8-inch, and PCIe SSDs, along with other memory products geared for enterprise and consumer use. These drives are manufactured in EDGE's US-based ISO-9001:2008 facility and are available at a number of resellers.
The LSI SandForce controller family is aging, but it still offers a full suite of enterprise-class features and decent performance. LSI SandForce controllers are in a strange market position; their current controllers are considered old by technology standards, and the new SF3700 controllers have not yet arrived. There are still plenty of LSI SandForce-driven SSDs on the market, and the prices are becoming increasingly competitive. The 6Gb/s Boost Pro SSD can be found as low as, or lower, than the leading value-class SSDs. These low prices carry over to many other LSI SandForce enterprise-class SSDs.
The read-centric and light duty SSDs segment has been growing quickly as major manufacturers rush to supply value-conscious customers with affordable drives. This class of drives deliver incredibly economical pricing and acceptable performance for light workloads. Interestingly, SSDs that were once flagship-class, such as LSI SandForce SSDs, now provide similar performance and robust endurance at a lower price point than the latest light-duty SSDs.
One of the advantages of the LSI SandForce platform is its proven history in the datacenter. Millions of SandForce SSDs are in use, and the number continues to grow. Pairing this stable platform with high-endurance NAND, such as the Toshiba eMLC on the Boost Pro, delivers a robust and reliable drive. The Boost Pro SSDs come in a number of varieties, with 7mm, 9.5mm, and 15mm varieties available. The Boost Server 15mm SSDs deliver up to 1,920 GB of NAND in the 2.5-inch form factor. There are also Boost Express PCIe SSDs designed around the LSI SandForce platform.
The Boost Pro comes in capacities of 60, 120, 240, 300, and 480GB. The SSD utilizes the SF-2281/2582 controller and Toshiba eMLC NAND to deliver sequential performance up to 550 MB/s read and 520 MB/s write. The maximum attainable IOPS are rated at 80,000 read and 37,000 write, but in steady state, these numbers will be much lower. The LSI SandForce SSDs also derive performance benefits from compressing data, so data entropy will affect performance.
The Boost Pro offers a spate of enterprise-class features, such as AES-256 encryption and power fail protection. LSI SandForce SSDs are inherently less susceptible to power loss due to their DRAM-less design, but the tantalum capacitors onboard the Boost Pro offer an additional layer of security. The SSD is rated for an MTBF of 2 million hours and consumes 3W when active and 1W when idling. DuraWrite extends NAND endurance, and RAISE (Redundant of Independent Silicon Elements) provides data protection from lost sectors, pages, and blocks by weaving in parity data.
The Boost Pro come with a five-year warranty and a competitive price point. It looks like the EDGE Memory Boost Pro Enterprise SSD can be a contender in the budget category, so let us compare it to the current market leaders.
PRICING: You can find the EDGE Memory Boost Pro for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.
United States: TheEDGE Memory Boost Pro retails for $290.00 at Amazon.
... Read the rest in your browser!

AOC Releases Two IPS Monitors with ONKYO Speakers
OC announces a new set of 23.8" (60.5 cm) IPS monitors with powerful ONKYO speakers for a spectacular entertainment experience. Both the i2473Pwm and the i2473Pwy boast a stylish Razor Concept design. Built in the stand of these Full HD monitors, two 7 watt speakers from ONKYO are perfect for a superior sound quality when playing games and watching movies. In addition to exceptional image quality, the models also feature the latest connectivity options with MHL and the wireless Miracast.

TweakTown image aoc_releases_two_ips_monitors_with_onkyo_speakers

Exceptional images and world class brand sound
AOC equips the new 73 Series members with high-grade 23.8" (60.5 cm) IPS panels. Delivering Full HD resolution, 250 cd/m² luminosity and a pixel response time of 5 ms (GTG), the LED-backlit displays stun with extremely vivid colours and super-wide viewing angles of 178 degrees both vertically and horizontally. To match the exceptional image quality with high-class sound, the monitors are equipped with a set of powerful 7 watt ONKYO high-quality loudspeakers. An external audio set-up is no longer needed.

TweakTown image aoc_releases_two_ips_monitors_with_onkyo_speakers

TweakTown image aoc_releases_two_ips_monitors_with_onkyo_speakers

MHL and Miracast
Both monitors feature D-Sub as well as HDMI connectors. The i2473Pwm furthermore supports MHL connectivity. This Mobile High-Definition Link allows to directly connect compatible Android mobile devices and the monitor, mirroring the content on the large 60.5 cm IPS screen. Once connected, you can charge the mobile devices at the same time.
The i2473Pwy even allows mirroring content from mobile devices wirelessly owing to the Miracast technology. Users are now able to enjoy Full HD movies from their smartphones and tablet PCs, by displaying these on the large screen. Sharing videos and music with friends and family has never been easier.
Both models employ energy-efficient LED backlights and fulfil strict sustainability certificates such as TCO 6.0 or Energy Star 6.0. AOC grants a 3 year warranty on its monitors, including an on-site exchange service.
The new 73 Series models are available as of now. The MSRP lies at GBP 159 for the i2473Pwm; for the Miracast model i2473Pwy a price of GBP 189 is suggested.

MSI Introduces the AG270 All-in-One Gaming PC
Following the success of the MSI AG2712 Gaming All-in-One PC, world-renowned vendor of gaming products, MSI is introducing a new 27-inch, All-in-One Gaming PC; the MSI AG270 2PE / AG270 2PC. The MSI AG270 features the 4th Intel Core i7 quad-core processor, NVIDIA top-of-the-line GeForce GTX 870/880M discrete video card, and up to 8GB GDDR5 of graphics memory for the best gaming experience. Besides that, MSI includes an anti-flicker, non-glare display to the AG270, topping it off with an all new audio speaker solution empowered by Yamaha.

TweakTown image msi_introduces_the_ag270_all_in_one_gaming_pc

Three Layers of Innovative Screen Protection for Gamer's Eyes
To provide gamers with an even better gaming environment, MSI introduces an anti-glare matte display on its All-in-One PC. No matter at LAN event venues or brightly-lit Internet cafes, the anti-glare protection guards the user's eyes against glare from the computer screen.

TweakTown image msi_introduces_the_ag270_all_in_one_gaming_pc

The AG270 also features MSI Anti-Flicker technology, which stabilizes the electrical current to prevent flickering seen in standard displays. This technology helps to reduce eye fatigue after extended use while also enhancing the quality of the gaming environment. In addition the AG270 supports Less Blue Light technology - with as much as 75% reduction - combined with the MSI exclusively-developed ScenaMax image optimization software to effectively reduce the screen's Blue light emission; significantly reducing eye strain and protecting gamers' treasured eye sights.
Next-Generation NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M Discrete Graphics
MSI is the first computer manufacturer in the world to develop All-in-One PCs designed for e-Sports. Packing a high-performance video card into ultra slim chassis, the AG270 introduces the latest NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M/870M discrete video card with up to 8 GB of GDDR5 RAM and full DirectX 11 support. Players will be able to enjoy perfect lagfree visuals in both single-player or online multi-player mode.
Gamer-grade Killer DoubleShot for Optimal Network Gaming Environment
Killer DoubleShot combines Killer Ethernet and Wi-Fi adapters, built for a superior linking speed. Advanced Stream-Detect automatically classifies and prioritizes the latency-sensitive applications traffic for online games, HD video and high-quality audio for better control in your online experience.
MSI Super RAID 2 and Plextor True Speed Performance Technology (Optional)
MSI AG270 supports Super Raid 2: up to three mSATA SSD that can be configured to run in RAID 0 for read speeds of up to 1500 MB/sec, taking gaming loading times to unprecedented speeds.MSI also formed a partnership with Plextor to provide mSATA SSDs optimized for MSI All-in-One PCs. Plextor's proprietary True Speed performance technology delivers the most stable long-term read/write performance to eliminate the drop in read/write speed experienced by SSDs after long use.
Speakers & Amplifier empowered by Yamaha
To provide gamers with the best audio experience, MSI have spared no resources to invest in utilizing high-quality original Yamaha 5W + 5W Speakers & Amplifier. The two powerful full range speakers are flanked by an independent subwoofer to form a 2-way speaker system. Be it experiencing explosions in action games or pure audio, gamers will be amazed by the audio quality of the AG270 in-built Yamaha Speakers & Amplifier.

ADATA Launches the Premier SP610 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive
ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules and NAND Flash application products, today launches the Premier SP610 2.5" SATA III (6 Gb/s) SSD. With a SMI controller, the Premier SP610 maintains high read/write speeds consistently for stable performance, and also features the advanced BCH ECC (Error Correction Code) technology. The Premier SP610 is ideal for PC builders who are looking to make the jump from mechanical drives to the exponentially faster speeds of solid state drives.

TweakTown image adata_launches_the_premier_sp610_2_5_inch_solid_state_drive

The Premier SP610 offers sequential read/write speeds up to 560/450 MB, and 4KB random read/write speeds up to 73,000/72,000 IOPS, which greatly improves the performance of data transfer. It also provides excellent performance for multi-tasks, including games and often used applications/programs.
The built-in BCH ECC (up to 66bit/1KB) of the Premier SP610 can improve the reliability of transfer and protect data effectively. In addition, compared to the traditional drives, the Premier SP610 consumes very little power with 80mW, which prolongs the life expectancy and reduces power consumption significantly. The ADATA Premier SP610 series includes 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB and a massive 1 TB in capacity.
The SP610 has an ultra slim 7 mm thick body, which supports all slim PCs in the market. Additionally, the bundled 2.5 mm spacer and the 3.5" converter make the Premier SP610 compatible with 9.5 mm applications and traditional mechanical drive bays. Purchasers of ADATA SSDs can download the free software "SSD Toolbox" to access more information about the SSD and quick system settings for stable performance and long life expectancy, which provides users the most reliable data security and stability.

CYBERPOWERPC Announces Power Mega Pro High-Performance Workstations
Cyberpower Inc., a manufacturer of custom gaming machines, notebook systems, and high performance workstations, today announced its Power Mega Pro series - a redesigned family of AMD and Intel high-performance workstations powered by AMD and Intel processors that offer a minimum of 8 processing threads configurable up to 40 threads with dual Intel Xeon E6-2690 v2 processors.

TweakTown image cyberpowerpc_announces_power_mega_pro_high_performance_workstations

From video editing to 3D design and rendering, the Power Mega Pro series is crafted with premium components to ensure a seamless, reliable computing experience to tackle the most demanding CPU and GPU-intensive applications. CYBERPOWERPC did extensive research and testing to design the perfect mix of seven base model Power Mega Pro systems - all of which offer workstation level performance for running advanced applications out of the box. Customers have a choice of the OpenGL performance of an NVIDIA Quadro GPU, or the ability to distribute a load across 20 or more Intel Xeon processing threads.

TweakTown image cyberpowerpc_announces_power_mega_pro_high_performance_workstations

TweakTown image cyberpowerpc_announces_power_mega_pro_high_performance_workstations

Professional applications are rendered with the OpenGL API. Professional workstation video cards like the NVIDIA Quadro series and the AMD FirePro series offer tremendous OpenGL performance to ensure navigation is smooth and previews are accurately displayed. Similarly, rendering a 3D animation into video format puts an enormous strain on the processor. The Power Mega Pro series supports multi-CPU, multi-GPU, and multi-monitor configurations to provide even more power to help accelerate your applications.
The Power Mega Pro can accommodate up to four high-performance NVIDIA Quadro or AMD FirePro workstation video cards, which can zip through and churn out even the most demanding workloads. The multi-monitor support allows you to spread applications across more screen real estate to boost productivity as well as multi-task without having to constantly switch tasks on a single screen. All Power Mega Pro models have been tested for compatibility with the leading business, graphics, CAD, rendering, and DCC applications with support for the latest OpenGL, DirectX, NVIDIA CUDA or AMD Eyefinity technology.
Customers have a choice of the NZXT H440, NZXT H630, Corsair 750D, or Corsair 900D chassis, which offer the feature set that professionals require while maintaining a sophisticated appearance appropriate for the workplace. The NZXT H440 is a solid steel chassis with excellent cooling characteristics and expandability options. The NZXT H630 is also a steel chassis that's perfect for dual-processor configurations and maximum airflow. All Power Mega Pro systems are liquid cooled and can be upgraded with more advanced liquid cooling options to enhance thermal dissipation.
The Power Mega Pro series goes one step beyond HD with support for multiple 4K displays. A generous number of lighting-fast SSD options also give you the ability to stream 4K content from your machine and eliminate the storage bottlenecks that cripple many media workstations.
The base Power Mega Pro 2000 model with quad-core CPU features:

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K
Cooling: Liquid cooled CPU
Memory: 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 1866MHz
Graphics: NVIDIA Quadro K600
Motherboard: Intel Z97 Express Chipset
HDD: 128GB SSD + 2TB HDD
Chassis: NZXT H440
OS: Win 8.1 Pro 64-bit
Starting: $1,299

The top-of-the-line Power Mega Pro 3D Modeling with Xeon CPU features:

CPU: 2x Intel Xeon E5-2620 v2
Cooling: Liquid cooled CPUs
Memory: 32GB (4x8GB) DDR3 1866MHz
Graphics: NVIDIA Quadro K5000
MB: ASUS Z9PE-D8
HDD: 500GB SSD + 2x 2TB 7200RPM HDD in RAID 1
Chassis: Corsair 900D
OS: Win 8.1 Pro 64-bit
Starting: $4,811

For more information visit this page.

Available Tags:Google , Google , gamers , Steam , security , smartphone , Router , Sony , iOS , PS4 , Xbox , Ubisoft , Microsoft , Blu-ray , Hardware , USB , CPU Cooler , CPU , ASRock , Wireless , ASUS , SSD , MSI , Gaming ,

No comments:

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)