IT-Code-News: IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 8/25/2014

Sunday, August 24, 2014

IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 8/25/2014

TweakTown

Android 'L' should arrive as Lemon Meringue Pie, or Android 5.0
We still don't know much about Google's next blip on the Android radar, simply known as Android 'L' or Android 5.0 right now. But Android Police have been doing some digging on Android L, finding evidence that Google might be using the codename of "Lemon Meringue Pie" for Android 5.0.

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The site has been looking into it, as well as one of their readers chipping in, where they have located "multiple official sources in code and documentation that list the next release as "LMP," which can only refer to the delicious baked good". Better yet, they found an extract from the Android SDK, where it mentioned the current preview builds of Android L available for both the Nexus 5 and 7 are the "lmp-preview-release".

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Then there's some Wi-Fi certification for a new tablet from HTC, known as "Flounder", which has popped up before as the Volantis. The firmware here is noted as "LMP". We should hopefully hear more about Android L, 5.0 or Lemon Meringue Pie in the coming months.

AMD announces the Tonga-based Radeon R9 285 GPU for $249
AMD has announced its latest GPU during its 30 Years of Graphics and Gaming Innovation event, the Tonga PRO-based Radeon R9 285. AMD's new Radeon R9 285 GPU features 1792 Stream Processors, either 2GB or 4GB of VRAM set at 5.5GHz, a Core Clock of 918MHz and a 256-bit memory interface.

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The new Radeon R9 285 requires two 6-pin PCIe connectors, has 176GB/sec of memory bandwidth, a 190W TDP, and will be available on September 2 starting at around $249. The new Radeon R9 285 will be joined by another GPU in a few weeks time, the Tonga XT-based Radeon R9 285X. This new GPU will have more Stream Processors, kicking up the numbers from 1792 to 2048, increasing the TMU count from 112 on the R9 285 to 128 on the R9 285X.
AMD's latest GPU is positioned between the Radeon R9 270/270X and the R9 280X, and will compete against NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 760. In AMD's testing on Battlefield 4 at 2560x1440, the Red Team reports that the new R9 285 is "up to 15% faster" than the GTX 760. At $249, is the new AMD Radeon R9 285 something that will have you upgrading your PC?

Our closest look at the Samsung Gear VR yet
There's not much time until IFA 2014 kicks off, with two weeks until the event left. Some photos have popped up on Naver, showing off the new Gear VR headset from Samsung, a new VR headset that will connect up to your compatible Galaxy smartphone for some VR goodness.

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We now, possibly, know the model number of the new headset: SM-R320, but other than that, we only have a few pictures to share with you today. We should see Samsung unveil, and launch the new Gear VR hardware next month, which will be compatible with the company's Galaxy S5 smartphone. Samsung's Gear VR should feature an OLED display, which should be similar, if not identical to the one found inside of the Oculus Rift DK2 unit - which is a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 panel.

Microsoft rumored to be working on its own Chromecast-like device
Google's Chromecast represents some incredible value for money at $35, with it selling millions of devices since it launched last year. But now the latest rumors are pegging Microsoft on releasing its own Chromecast-like device.

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The report is coming from Windows Phone Daily, who spotted some documents that point to Microsoft's upcoming device that will feature Wi-Fi, HDMI compatibility, and a USB port - similar traits to Google's streaming dongle. If Microsoft do release this streaming device, it won't be using Google's Cast technology, as it has a separate filing with the Wi-Fi Alliance that will use Miracast for its streaming abilities.
The problem is, Miracast isn't as good at streaming as Google Cast, as it won't work with multiple people in the same room who want to control what is being blasted to the TV. Mirroring screens between your Windows Phone and your TV shouldn't be a problem, though.

Hackers able to compromise traffic lights in shockingly easy fashion
All hackers need to compromise traffic lights is a laptop and a radio connected to it, with researchers able to alter traffic lights from a vehicle.

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The traffic light controllers often aren't encrypted and have default usernames and passwords that are posted online. The traffic light controllers are linked by an induction loop that is hidden underground, with cameras able to provide traffic light colors to the controller. It only takes a minimal amount of research before hackers are essentially given the blueprints.
"There's an assumption that these devices are secure," said Branden Ghena, University of Michigan computer science PhD student and study lead researcher. "We all just trust them so much. This is critical infrastructure. We were shocked that was going on."
It's important for companies and utility companies to change passwords, if not disable default usernames, in an effort to offer boosted security. If cybercriminals compromised the light system or disabled the malfunction management unit (MMU), it'd give them the opportunity to change the lights to unsafe traffic patterns.

T-Mobile fires back against Sprint, wants to attract acquaintances
In the ongoing effort to attract new subscribers, T-Mobile hopes current subscribers will help attract friends and family to join the company. Any subscriber able to convince someone they know to leave rival Verizon Wireless, AT&T or Sprint will receive one year of unlimited LTE data for free.

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A subscriber that lends a hand to T-Mobile can fill out something online, and is required to enter their T-Mobile phone number and the number of the friend or family member.
"It continues to amaze me to see the old carriers failing to listen to their customers - or reward them for their loyalty," said John Legere, T-Mobile president and CEO, in a press statement. "That arrogance and indifference has defined the U.S. wireless industry for too long. We're changing all that. In fact, this entire Un-carrier consumer movement is built on the simple act of listening to customers."
All four wireless carriers are in a fight to keep customers - and attract new subscribers - as T-Mobile continues to be very aggressive with its marketing campaigns. All three major rivals have responded in various fashions, ranging from cheaper plans to increased data limits and cash incentives.

Tablet market still has plenty of market growth potential in future
At least 54 percent of online U.S. consumers own at least one tablet, a four percent rise since January 2014, according to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). Tablet growth has slowed, but 75 percent of consumers are planning to purchase a tablet later down the road - and there is hope that the devices can become more appealing to casual consumers.

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"Tablet purchase intent remains a positive indicator that the overall market is interested in tablets," the CEA recently revealed. "Many consumers seem to be waiting to replace their existing devices until the next wave of models arrives this holiday season, while non-owners are still debating whether to buy."
Manufacturers and software makers have to convince casual consumers to purchase tablets, which could be easier to do as prices slide. The extended tablet lifespan has given consumers the opportunity to use the same mobile device for a longer duration.

Kaspersky Lab outs "Machete" malware targeting Spanish speakers
The "Machete" cyberattack targeted Spanish speaking residents of Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela, and the malware was recently noted by security firm Kaspersky Lab. The targeted attack campaign likely launched in 2010 and was improved in 2012, with the Machete operation still potentially active. The malware is sent as a RAR file attachment that includes a PowerPoint presentation, researchers noted.

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The malware can log keystrokes, capture geolocation data, capture screenshots, record audio from PC microphone, take photos via Web camera, and copy files to a remote server, among other similar cybercriminal activities.
There were 85 victims in Colombia, 282 victims in Ecuador, and 372 victims in Venezuela, though also found 45 victims in Russia and small numbers of victims in the United States and Europe. Much like other malware distribution, the criminals rely on social engineering to trick users to unknowingly install it on their machines.

Diaspora social networking site can't stop Islamic State messages
Social media service Diaspora, an open source, decentralized service consisting of individual nodes, utilizes thousands of private servers. Unfortunately, there isn't a way for the Diaspora project team to edit or remove content from a network node, and that's likely why IS chose it.

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After being booted from Twitter and other social networking sites, the Islamic State is looking for new alternatives. In an attempt to spread images, videos and published propaganda to shock the west and appeal to new recruits, IS wants to have a collection of social media accounts to use.
"As many of the members of the core team are pod administrators ourselves, we know it can be hard to detect such users," the Diaspora blog reads. "We rely on our community members to use the report function to alert their podmin to any post or comment they believe to be a cause for concern. However, because this is such a crucial issue, we have also accumulated a list of accounts related to IS fighters, which are spread over a large number of pods, and we are in the process of talking to the podmins of those pods."
It's good to hear that Diaspora wants to be proactive to try to eliminate IS accounts from the social networking service - even if it's not the easiest process.

@evleaks on the verge of retirement leaks Moto X+1 image
@evleaks was meant to be retiring from the leaking program, but his retirement gift to us all is that he just leaked a photo of the Verizon version of the upcoming Motorola Moto X+1, a smartphone that will reportedly be officially unveiled on September 4.

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The event in question will take place in Chicago, where we'll see the official unveiling of the Moto X+1. We don't know much about this new smartphone, but September 4 isn't long away, so we don't have much longer to wait.

Cinematic VR tech company Jaunt receives $27.8 million in funding
The future of entertainment isn't just sitting in front of your TV watching a flat image, but it is going to be a world that wraps around you in virtual reality. This is where Jaunt steps in, a cinematic VR technology company, which just took in a new round of funding.

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Jaunt received $27.8 million of new funding, which will help it pump more money into its omnidirectional camera shooting 360-degree experiences, perfect for VR technologies like the Oculus Rift. Jaunt had its funding come in from many different companies, who hope to see the company lead the future of cinematic VR.
Jaunt's technology was recently spotted at the premiere of Guardians of the Galaxy, where it was shooting 360-degree footage which can be played back through the Oculus Rift. Jens Christensen, CEO of Jaunt, says: "The enthusiasm we have seen for our technology has been tremendous and we are working tirelessly to make VR experiences available to mass audiences".

Amazon UK sees an 8.67% spike in Wii U game pre-orders after Gamescom
Pre-orders for upcoming Nintendo Wii U games have risen 8.67% after Gamescom a couple of weeks ago, compared to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One game pre-orders that only rose 5.16% and 2.81%, respectively.

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Slighty Mad Studios' racer, Project CARS, was the star of the Wii U pre-orders increase, with pre-orders increasing by a massive 42.53%. Rise of the Tomb Raider, the timed exclusive title on the Xbox One saw pre-orders pumped up by 30.25%. But with Wii U pre-orders rising 8.67%, the most interesting thing to take from this is that Nintendo didn't hold a press conference to talk about its games, but Microsoft and Sony did.

iPhone 6 with 128GB of storage spotted
One of the big downsides of the iPhone is the complete lack of expandable storage, with the biggest iPhone to date still being the 64GB model. But according to GeekBar's Weibo account, we could see a 128GB iPhone 6 according to a schematic they posted showing off the iPhone 6 with 128GB of NAND flash storage.

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We can see that the NAND flash being used in this iPhone 6 is from Toshiba, with Hynix and SanDisk providing storage for the other models ranging from 16GB to 64GB with 32GB missing - which should raise some red flags. The next question is: will Apple charge more for the 128GB model, or unveil the 128GB iPhone 6 for the price that the current 64GB iPhone 5S sells for, reducing the other models to better compete with the likes of Samsung, OnePlus, LG, Sony and others?

Leaks of the Xperia Z3 give us a better look at Sony's next smartphone
Sony is expected to unveil its new Xperia Z3 smartphone at IFA in Berlin next month, but before that, we have some new leaks to share with you courtesy of TechnoBuffalo.

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The new leaks are thanks to Sony's latest flagship passing through TENAA certification, which is China's version of the FCC, where we see some great snaps of the Xperia Z3. As you can see, we have the same 5.3-inch 1920x1080 display, 20.7-megapixel rear-facing camera, 3GB of RAM, 16GB of on-board flash storage, and a faster Snapdragon 801 processor.
On the outside, the design of the Xperia Z3 seems virtually identical to that of the Xperia Z2, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. We will have full confirmation on the Xperia Z3 at IFA next month.

eBay to reportedly break away from PayPal early next year
Right now, eBay = PayPal and PayPal = eBay, but this is all set to change according to a report from The Information. The latest report says that eBay has been telling PayPal CEO candidates that it is considering spinning off PayPal.
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A spokesperson for eBay has said that the board would continue to look at every other alternative in order to create long-term value, as well as enhance the growth and competitive positions of both companies, eBay and PayPal. As it stands, PayPal is still in search of a new CEO, but these shifts in the companies might make that a little shaky for the time being.

Microsoft rumored to unveil Windows 9 on September 30
It looks like Microsoft could unveil its new version of Windows as previously reported, with Windows 9 to be unveiled at a special media event on September 30, according to The Verge.

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We should see this event have Microsoft unleash a preview version of the OS, codenamed Threshold. Windows 9 will deliver an evolution of Microsoft's ever-changing desktop OS, where we'll see a new Start Menu, virtual desktops, the removal of the Charms bar, and much more. We should also see Microsoft include its digital assistant Cortana, but we don't know if this will make it into the preview build or not.

iMessage getting slammed by spammers, Apple facing criticism
Apple iMessage now accounts for more than 30 percent of all mobile spam messages sent to users, with cybercriminals easily able to send messages to a large number of users. To better combat spam messaging, Apple previously put in place iMessage rate-limiting, as hackers last year were able to send a large volume of messages with little resistance. However, it still remains a lucrative tool for cybercriminals to use for spam and phishing attacks, with the problem seemingly out of control.

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To register for an iMessage account, a criminal simply needs a victim's linked email address - a mobile phone number isn't required. Security experts have seen message come from U.S. companies such as Microsoft's Hotmail to China's Yeah.net, indicating a large number of accounts have been created to send out spam.
Trying to report iMessage spam abuse is a tiresome, annoying process: users must email Apple, including a screenshot of the spam message, email address or phone number of sender, along with the date and time the message was sent by the spammer.

Microsoft Nokia feature phones to ship with the Opera Mini browser
Microsoft and Opera Software have teamed up so Nokia's Xpress browser will be replaced by Opera Mini on Microsoft's struggling line of feature phones. The deal is focused on the Series 30+, Series 40 and Ashwa software platforms, and Opera Mini is currently used by about 250 million users - including 100 million Google Android users.

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As more Internet users, especially in emerging markets, relying on phones to access the Internet, ensuring Opera Mini is on as many devices as possible makes sense. Meanwhile, Microsoft's feature phones and Windows Phone-powered smartphones struggle against Apple and Google - but this is still a strong partnership for Opera.
"This is a great opportunity to spread the benefits of Opera Mini to millions more consumers in our core markets," said Lars Boilesen, Opera Software CEO, in a press statement. "There are still massive numbers of people who have not moved to smartphones, but Opera Mini can provide them with an amazing browsing experience right now."

Universities struggle with cybersecurity efforts to keep data safe
U.S. universities face a bigger threat of security data breaches than the retail and healthcare sectors, according to a recent study published by BitSight. As the school year begins again, hackers are preparing to target universities once again, the report said.

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Using data based on major athletic conferences, including the Pacific-12, Big 10, Big 12, Southeastern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference and Ivy League from July 2013 to June 2014, all divisions saw a drop in cybersecurity performance.
"From Social Security and credit card numbers to health records and intellectual property produced by research departments, colleges and universities house a vast amount of sensitive data," said Stephen Boyer, BitSight co-founder and CTO, in a statement to FierceCIO. "While not surprising given the unique challenges universities face securing open campus networks, it's concerning to see that they are rating so far below other industries that we've seen plagued by recent security problems."
The theft of bulk data is important for cybercriminals, hoping to unload data to the black market quickly and quietly.

Report claims eBay is planning to spinoff of PayPal in near future
Auction site eBay might spinoff the PayPal online payments company as early as 2015, with a search for a new PayPal CEO currently underway. It's unknown if eBay is interested in spinning off the entire PayPal business unit, or just part of the company - and likely won't be known until something is officially announced.

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Investor Carl Icahn has long wanted eBay and PayPal to separate, but eBay CEO John Donahoe said PayPal was integral to eBay's overall business success. However, Icahn simmered down his demands in April, saying now isn't quite the time for an eBay-PayPal spinoff, but other investors hope PayPal as an independent business unit could attract new interest.
"The eBay board and management team remain focused on maximizing shareholder value," said Amanda Miller, eBay spokeswoman, in a statement to the media. "As we discussed during proxy season and in our second-quarter financial results call, the board will continue to assess all alternatives to create that long term value and to enhance the growth and competitive positions of both eBay and PayPal. This position has not changed."

Acer announces Chromebox-powered budget PC running Chrome OS
Acer today announced its Chromebox CXI line of PCs for low-budget consumers, designed for education, small to medium businesses and budget-conscious users.

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The system is powered by an Intel Celeron 2957U dual-core 1.4GHz CPU, 16GB solid state drive, 2GB or 4GB RAM, and should boot in just 8 seconds. Chromebox CXI also includes 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet and Bluetooth 4.0, one HDMI port, combination audio jack for microphones and headsets.
"The Acer Chromebook CXI is an excellent fit for schools and any other institution or business where conserving costs and space are high priorities," said Simon Hwang, Acer President of Stationary Computing and Display Business Group, in a press statement. "Due to the ease of management, the Chromebox can significantly reduce technical support and consequently lower the total cost of ownership."
The unit will be available late next month in the United States with a $179 MSRP (2GB memory) and $219.99 (4GB memory).

UPS Store confirms data breach, with customer data at risk
The UPS Store suffered a data breach at 51 retail locations across the United States, with 105,000 customer transactions, ranging from January 20 to August 11, at risk due to the security incident. If you've shopped at the UPS Store, you're urged to visit the company's website to identify if your UPS Store location was compromised - individual notification letters will not be sent out.

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To date, there has been no evidence of fraud related to the incident, with malware found on the company's network. Names, postal addresses, payment information and email addresses are at risk, but it's unknown how many customers might have been affected.
"As soon as we became aware of the potential malware intrusion, we deployed extensive resources to quickly address and eliminate this issue," said Tim Davis, UPS Store President, in a statement. "Our customers can be assured that we have identified and fully contained the incident."
Retailers have struggled to keep customer data secure, with Target, Neiman Marcus, P.F. Chang's, Supervalu, and other companies breached in the past year.

Study: Full-body, naked body scanner failed to detect weapons
Researchers found full-body X-ray scanners found in U.S. airports between 2009 and 2013 weren't as effective as the TSA led us to believe - with knives, firearms, and explosives successfully concealed. In addition, scanner operating software could be manipulated to alert "all-clear" to the scanner operator, even if there was contraband found.

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Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, Johns Hopkins University and University of Michigan contributed to the study. The scanner in question, the Rapiscan Secure 1000, was pulled from airports last year because of privacy concerns. The test unit was purchased on eBay and featured the same proprietary software and settings as the units used by the TSA.
"Frankly, we were shocked by what we found," said J. Alex Halderman, University of Michigan computer science professor, in a statement. "A clever attacker can smuggle contraband past the machines using surprisingly low-tech techniques."
This type of testing is often done secretly and doesn't give private experts or the public input before being deployed.

Study: Drone pilots suffer from PTSD following remote combat flights
Drone pilots might be flying missions thousands away from the battlefield, but can suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) just like Marines and soldiers with boots on the ground. In a U.S. Air Force study, 4.3 percent of around 1,000 drone operators suffered from moderate to severe PTSD - still a lower number than the 10 to 18 percent of personnel on deployment, however.

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It's not uncommon for drone operators to conduct reconnaissance on targets before launching a missile, getting a rare glimpse of their normal lives. Some of the survey respondents noted recurring nightmares, trouble falling asleep, difficulty concentrating and intrusive thoughts, among other symptoms.
"I would say that, even though the percentage is small, it is still a very important number, and something that we would want to take seriously so that the folks are performing their job are effectively screened for this condition and get the help that they [may] need," said Wayne Chappelle, a clinical psychologist and consultant USAF School of Aerospace Medicine.
Learning about drone pilots is a major effort by the U.S. military, which has shifted the burden of warfare on the unmanned drone flights over the battlefield.

Interest in wearable video cameras for police gains more traction
The fatal shooting of Michael Brown, and subsequent riots and unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, led to greater interest in video camera wearables for police officers.

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Taser, better known for its stun gun technology, also has several wearable cameras for law enforcement officials. The company has seen a rise in sales and a 30 percent surge in its stock since the Brown incident.
"We believe the concept of using wearable cameras to provide a foundation of transparency has a tipping point," said Rick Smith, Taser CEO, in a statement to the Washington Post. "The intense emotions that arise from uncertainty and diametrically opposed conjecture about what did or did not happen in life and death encounters can tear communities apart. We believe wearable technology, like body-worn cameras, is the future for communities to relate to those entrusted to protect them."
Depending on local laws, police officers have the capability to legally record audio of encounters - recording video is still largely uncommon - but is expected to become more important. It's also worth noting that independent videos recorded on smartphones have proven to be problematic, with selective recording and video editing sometimes suspected.

Samsung EVO 32GB SDHC UHS I Memory Card Review

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As of late, we have seen the introduction of UHS II, along with the addition of a Speed Class 3 added to the UHS I specification. Today, we take a step back and look our very first SD solution from Samsung, the EVO 32GB UHS I.
The Samsung EVO UHS I is a SDHC solution catered to the average consumer wanting capacity for their cameras, camcorders and other mobile solutions. This card carries both a Speed Class 10 designation, along with its UHS I spec enabling 48 MB/s transfer speeds.
MSRP for the Samsung EVO in the 32GB capacity is set at $24.99 with a ten-year warranty.

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Packaging for the EVO has it houses in a bubble type container. Capacity is listed prominently on the front next to the marketing specifications.

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Above, we have our first look at the card. The EVO carries the standard form factor for SD cards and features an orange on white aesthetic.

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The backside of the card houses model numbers along with other identifying marks.

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The Samsung EVO UHS I is factory formatted with the FAT32 file system, insuring compatibility between Windows and Macintosh computers. The usable capacity after formatting is 29.2GB.

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CrystalDiskMark results for the EVO came in at 46 MB/s read and 19.8 MB/s write.

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The price/performance for the EVO landed the card near the bottom of the chart.
The Samsung EVO is a great solution for those wanting a capacity oriented storage solution. The build quality of the card was great and even more backed by a ten-year warranty adding to the value of the overall package.
The Samsung EVO 32GB UHS I solution didn't go too well in our price/performance chart, largely due to the fact we have seen some of the highest performing solution come through the lab in previous months. In our quick CDM testing, we did manage to reach 42 MB/s read, falling just short of the 48 MB/s set forth by marketing.
However, it does offer a decent amount of performance for your dollar, especially if you are one that wants storage capacity over a high performance solution.

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AKiTiO Thunder2 PCIe Thunderbolt 2 Expansion Chassis Review

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For the prosumer and enthusiast alike, Thunderbolt has been a way to expand their storage capacity, without taking the traditional performance hit that USB 3.0 encompasses. For those wanting the utmost in flexibility with their solutions or want the very best, AKiTiO has recently launched their latest solution, the Thunder2.
The AKiTiO Thunder2 is a PCI Express expansion chassis, allowing you to install and utilize any number of PCIe solutions with your Thunderbolt enabled Mac. This means you have the ability to install PCIe based storage solutions, or even a multiple port network card, if you so desire. The one downfall of the Thunder2 is that it does not support expansion of video cards.
MSRP of the AKiTiO Thunder2 is listed at $269.99 with a one-year warranty.

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Packaging for the Thunder2 houses an image of the chassis front and center, around we have several features listed.

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Scope of delivery includes a Thunderbolt cable and power adapter.

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The front of the Thunder2 houses a mesh front panel to allow air to circulate inside the enclosure.

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The back of the Thunder2 houses dual Thunderbolt 2 ports and the power input below.

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Internally, the chassis houses an x16 PCIe slot and room enough for dual slot cards.

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The Thunderbolt controller used in the Thunder2 is the four lane DSL5520.

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To test the AKiTiO Thunder2, we installed a Samsung XP941 512GB m.2 SSD.

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The second device we installed in the Thunder2 was the 960GB OWC Mercury Accelsior.

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Here, we have our first benchmark run with the XP941. As you can see, we were able to surpass the original Thunderbolt performance specs and pass into Thunderbolt 2 range at 950 MB/s read and 958 MB/s write.

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Moving over to the OWC Accelsior, results came in at 685 MB/s read and 422 MB/s write.
The Thunder2 is definitely one of the most versatile enclosures we have seen in quite a while. In fact, I cannot think of the last time we have seen something that is as flexible. If you are one that wants control of your storage solutions or enjoy video editing and only have the latest MBPr, then the Thunderbolt 2 enabled Thunder2 may be for you. With this device, you can install some of the quickest PCIe storage solutions available on the market, and access them through any Thunderbolt enabled device.
As you saw in our testing using the 512GB XP941, we were able to reach close to 1 GB/s in both read and writes. Of course, your performance will truly depend on what you install, but then again, if you want to use any other PCIe device apart from a GPU, then that option is available as well.
PRICING: You can find the Akitio Thunder2 PCIe Box 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 Akitio Thunder2 PCIe Box retails for $269.99 at Amazon.

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ASUS P9A-I/C2550/SAS/4L (Intel Avoton) Server Motherboard Review

Introduction

TweakTown image asus_p9a_i_c2550_sas_4l_intel_avoton_server_motherboard_review

Today, we are going to look at the ASUS P9A-I-C2550-SAS-4L server motherboard, which is based on Intel Atom processor C2000 product family, codenamed Avoton and Rangeley.
The unique feature of this platform is low power use or green design, which allows it to be run with a passive cooling system. This also offers low running cost with power saving features.
Intel's Avoton platform is the next-generation System-On-Chip (SoC), built on Intel's 22-nanometer process technology, which targets NAS, Micro server, entry-level communication and cloud storage markets.
Its compact size makes it ideal for slim form factor appliance servers and desktop type NAS solutions. It is a perfect fit for short depth chassis and increasing the density in a rack to provide higher compute/storage power per rack. Let us get started by looking at the ASUS P9A-I/C2550/SAS/4L's retail package.

Packaging

TweakTown image asus_p9a_i_c2550_sas_4l_intel_avoton_server_motherboard_review

Here we look at the front of the retail box. The P9A-I/C2550/SAS/4L comes in a simple retail box that can be used for many different types of motherboards. The white sticker at the top describes the contents. The front and back of the box are the same, and there is no difference in the artwork for the sides of the retail box.

TweakTown image asus_p9a_i_c2550_sas_4l_intel_avoton_server_motherboard_review

We get our first look at the contents of the retail box for the P9A-I/C2550/SAS/4L. The inside has a nice modular look to it and everything looks nice and clean. There is a motherboard in here, in the section right below the DVD's.

TweakTown image asus_p9a_i_c2550_sas_4l_intel_avoton_server_motherboard_review

Opening the retail box, we can see the accessories on the top. The parts list for the retail box is:

1x Motherboard P9A-I/C2550/SAS/4L
2x SATA 6Gb/s cables
1x I/O Shield
1x COM port cable
1x Back COM plate
2x Support DVD's
1x ASWM Enterprise Support DVD

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Kingwin EZ-Clone USI-2535CLU3 USB 3.0 Storage Adapter Review

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While many of the USB 3.0 storage solutions we have the chance to look at tend to serve a single purpose, some solutions make their way through the lab that have the capability to do more.
The Kingwin EZ-Clone is one such device with just those intentions. The EZ-Clone was designed to be more than your run of the mill USB adapter; therefore, the option is there to allow users to perform standalone disk cloning operations with ease.
Going back to the adapter functionality of the EZ-Clone, Kingwin has expanded this solution to include both SATA and IDE for those that still have data on legacy devices. With each of these connectivity options, you can choose to access your data through any one of the interfaces or clone data from SATA to SATA or IDE to SATA.
MSRP of the Kingwin EZ-Clone is listed at $39.99 with a one-year warranty.

TweakTown image kingwin_ez_clone_usi_2535clu3_usb_3_0_storage_adapter_review

Scope of delivery for the Kingwin EZ-Clone includes a power adapter, USB 3.0 cable, along with an IDE adapter for connecting 2.5" legacy devices and reading materials.

TweakTown image kingwin_ez_clone_usi_2535clu3_usb_3_0_storage_adapter_review

The footprint of the EZ-Clone is quite small. Around the edges of the device, we have all the connectivity options while the top holds the clone button and activity indicators.

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The back of the EZ-Clone houses the power input and USB 3.0 connection. There is an additional IDE power output for use with the included 2.5" IDE adapter.

TweakTown image kingwin_ez_clone_usi_2535clu3_usb_3_0_storage_adapter_review

Above, we have connected two SSDs to the EZ-Clone to get an idea of the performance and course test the cloning functionality.

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Performance of the EZ-Clone was quite good, in our testing with the SanDisk X110 SSD, we were able to reach 261 MB/s read and 251 MB/s write.
The Kingwin EZ-Clone is one of the most versatile devices I have had the chance to use in quite a long time. Whether you are looking to access data on legacy IDE devices, or clone that data to a new SATA SSD or hard drive, this solution has you covered.

TweakTown image kingwin_ez_clone_usi_2535clu3_usb_3_0_storage_adapter_review

In speaking about the cloning function, we did take it for a test drive with our pair of SSDs and came away quite pleased with the results. In our image above, the SanDisk SSD has long held the operating system for our second test machine, and we desperately needed to clone this drive just to have a backup, in the case of a failure, at any point in the future.
The cloning process with the Kingwin, being rather simple, allows you to simply plug in your two devices to source and target and hold the clone button for a few seconds and the lights above denote the completion rate. At the end of our clone, which took around 30 minutes give or take, we installed the backup drive into the test system, which booted without any issues.
Overall performance of the EZ-Clone was quite admirable, we were able to touch 260 MB/s read and 250 M/B/s write in our CDM testing, and the clone procedure was rather painless, and took just 30 minutes to complete, with around 150 GB of data in queue.
PRICING: You can find the Kingwin EZ-Clone 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 Kingwin EZ-Clone retails for $34.97 at Amazon.
Canada: The Kingwin EZ-Clone retails for CDN$39.99 at Amazon Canada.

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TweakTown image kingwin_ez_clone_usi_2535clu3_usb_3_0_storage_adapter_review

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Rosewill Powerbank RCBR-13020 11,200mAh Mobile Battery Review

Introduction and Specifications

When it comes to a company like Rosewill, you've probably never heard of them - but the company makes a wide variety of products - ranging from peripherals like mice, keyboards and headsets, right up to computer cases and yet - even mobile batteries. Rosewill sent me over a few of their batteries, where today we're starting off with the RCBR-13020, which is a 11,200mAh mobile battery that has a fair bit going for it.
First off, it's stylish - style is something very personal, while you may not like it, I actually quite enjoyed the look of the Rosewill charger. It's a big chunkier than I'd have liked, but we do have 11,200mAh of mobile charge inside.

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On the outside, we have two USB ports - the first being 5V/2A capable - this is where you'd charge your smartphone if you wanted it topped up quick, and a second 5V/1A port for a tablet. I mainly use the fastest port on any mobile battery, so the 2A port it is!
Snuggled in between these two USB ports is a LED flashlight, which really comes in handy. I'm a big fan of LED flashlights, especially when I get home late at night and need to see where I'm going, or can't see the lock on the door - turning on the mobile battery's flashlight is a real help at times.

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On top, we have a large power button with four LED lights - indicator lights notifying you just how much charge you have left inside of the battery. The big silver button is kind of obvious, but tap that to wake up the Rosewill battery and it'll begin charging your devices.

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Another shot of the top of the device, this time so you can see the blue LED.

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On the side, we have our micro USB port for charging up the Rosewill Powerbank RCBR-13020. Rosewill has the Powerbank RCBR-13020 at $34.99 on Newegg, which is a great price, considering you're getting an 11,200mAh battery here.

Using the Rosewill Powerbank

I took the Rosewill charger away with me to Computex in Taiwan, using it to top up my Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone. The fully-charged Rosewill Powerbank RCBR-13020 (that's a mouthful, isn't it?) was capable of topping up my Z2 just over four times.

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So, for one third of my trip, I relied solely on the Rosewill charger, and it worked beautifully. The 2A port charged my Z2 up incredibly quickly, and that flashlight came in handy, too.
One night I couldn't find the light switch on the side of my bed in my hotel, but I remembered that I had my Rosewill charger plugged into my Xperia Z2. So I pressed the power button twice to enable the flashlight, and voila - let there be light!
I found using the Rosewill charger to be great, with the power button being very easy to push. This is something I quite enjoyed with the charger, being able to easily access the power button to turn it on, or double pressing it to enable the LED flashlight.

What's Hot

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It Looks Good: Rosewill has got a good looking charger on its hands, with a nice pearly white color that bounces off of the Powerbank RCBR-13020. It's not for everyone, but I walked away being a fan of the battery.
LED Flashlight Comes In Handy: I've become a big fan of an LED flashlight being on my mobile batteries, so when I noticed that Rosewill went the extra mile on its new Powerbank, I was pleasantly surprised, or should I say enlightened.

What's Not

No Auto-Charging: I became a massive fan of auto-sensing USB ports thanks to Limefuel's chargers, which is about the only downside to Rosewell's offering here today. It's not something that I would claim would be a problem in the way that you wouldn't buy it - but I'd like to see something like this added to a future battery from the company.

Final Thoughts

An 11,200mAh charger for $34.99 is a damn good deal in my books, a few weeks ago this was priced at over $60, and I would've had a much different tone in the review because of that. But at the time of writing, Rosewill must have dropped the price, as it is only $34.99 on Newegg right now. For under $35, you're getting a great-looking battery that will charge either multiple devices, or a single device for days on end.
Let's not forget the LED flashlight that is on it, and the four-LED rundown of how much charge you have left. All in all, you can't complain for $35. Rosewill has made a good charger here, with an even better price point.
PRICING: You can find the Rosewill Powerbank 11200mAh External Backup Battery Charger 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 Rosewill Powerbank 11200mAh External Backup Battery Charger (white) retails for $39.99 at Amazon.

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Supermicro X9SRL-F-O (Intel C602) Server Motherboard Review

Introduction

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The Supermicro X9SRL-F-O motherboard comes in as a general purpose embedded motherboard that can fit into many different roles. It is ideal for database, application, enterprise server, SQL server, HPC, and VM workloads. It is designed around Intel Xeon E5-2600 CPU's, and is able to get a large number of cores into a small motherboard for better multi-threaded performance.

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Here we are looking at Supermicro's X9 embedded solutions with the X9SRL-F-O motherboard right in the middle. It is able to fit into a wide array of server cases from 2U, 3U and 4U sizes, which gives you many options on how to setup this motherboard.
An impressive number of PCIe slots and storage options give the X9SRL-F-O plenty of flexibility for different system types. Let us look at what you get in a retail box, and then take the X9SRL-F-O through our tests to see how it performs.

Packaging

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Here we look at the front of the retail box. This is a standard box that can fit many different motherboards with a sticker on the side that will say just what the motherboard inside is.

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Now we see the back of the box, a generic box gives examples of several types of systems this motherboard can be used with.

TweakTown image supermicro_x9srl_f_o_intel_c602_server_motherboard_review

The side of the box has a sticker that says what the motherboard inside is.

TweakTown image supermicro_x9srl_f_o_intel_c602_server_motherboard_review

Opening the retail box, we can see the accessories on the top.

TweakTown image supermicro_x9srl_f_o_intel_c602_server_motherboard_review

The parts list for the retail box is:

1x Motherboard X9SRL-F-O
6x SATA FLAT S-S PBF
1x I/O Shield MCP-260-00027-0N 1 STD

PRICING: You can find the Supermicro X9SRL-F-O 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 Supermicro X9SRL-F-O retails for $271.49 at Amazon.
Canada: The Supermicro X9SRL-F-O retails for CDN$345.14 at Amazon Canada.
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MicroQuill SmartHeap Overview - Improve your SPEC CPU2006 Scores

Introduction

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We have been running SPEC CPU2006 in our lab for some time now while doing motherboard and system reviews, and we find that many others use SmartHeap to optimize their systems and get much better results for their benchmarks.
We decided to take a dive into SmartHeap to see just what it does, and how it can affect our benchmark results.

What is SmartHeap?

SmartHeap is a set of libraries used in compile time for applications. Supported operating systems include Windows, Linux, Solaris, HP-UX, IBM-AIX, Dec OSF Tru64, and SGI Irix. SmartHeap also has an ANSI-compliant malloc/operator new library.
SmartHeap supports multiple memory pools, includes a fixed-size allocator, and is thread-safe. SmartHeap also includes comprehensive memory debugging APIs to detect leakage, overwrites, double-frees, wild pointers, out of memory, references to previously freed memory, and other memory errors.
Taken from MicroQuill's website:

The problem: Compiler runtime libraries allow only one thread at a time to be active in the heap. So on SMP systems, when multiple threads make concurrent heap requests, all but one will be blocked by the heap manager, nullifying the benefit of the extra CPUs. Worse yet, each time a thread is blocked, the OS invokes a context switch. The result: adding processors results in a vicious cycle of context switching that can prevent your app from scaling.

So, let's move on now and see what kind of effect it has on our tests.

Test System Setup

For our test system setup, we used the Lenovo ThinkServer RD340 that we reviewed here recently.

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We used the same setup for our tests here that we used in our review of the Lenovo ThinkServer RD340.

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We would like to thank MicroQuill, SPEC, and Lenovo for their support in providing parts for our test system.

TweakTown image microquill_smartheap_overview_improve_your_spec_cpu2006_scores

The CPUs that the Lenovo ThinkServer RD340 uses are Intel Xeon E5-2470 v2, and each has ten cores. Our system will be running with two CPUs, and that brings the total of cores up to twenty, and the total of threads up to forty.
We found that this system packs a serious punch in compute tests, so let's find out what SmartHeap can do to improve our scores. The version of SmartHeap that we will be using is SmartHeap Multi Core 10 for Linux. There is also a new version of SmartHeap out at the time of writing, SmartHeap 11.
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Linksys RE6500 Portable AC1200 Wi-Fi Range Extender Review

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Lately, many vendors have been releasing small form factor range extenders with 802.11ac technology.
So, it was no surprise to us that Linksys was on the block next with its own offering, the RE6500. The RE6500 features simultaneous dual bands, meaning the unit transmits at both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies at the same time; the 2.4GHz band offers 300Mbps, and the 5GHz band offers 867Mbps. Furthermore, Linksys says the RE6500 can extend your network up to 10,000 square feet.
Of course, since it is a range extender, you will need to have an existing wireless network to extend, but the RE6500 does offer four ports of gigabit connectivity.
MSRP of the Linksys RE6500 is listed at $129.99, with a one-year warranty. However, as you can see below at the end of the review, we managed to find it quite a bit cheaper than that at Amazon.

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Scope of delivery for the RE6500 includes the power adapter, two antennas, and an Ethernet cable.

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The top of the RE6500 houses a single LED. As you can see, the range extender carries quite a small footprint.

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On the back of the unit we have an audio port for streaming music, four gigabit LAN ports for connecting PCs, and the WPS button in blue.

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Upon starting setup, we were greeted by the above screen.

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Here the RE6500 scan your network for an access point. I found there was no way to skip this process, and set everything up manually.

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After a few more screens, our RE6500 was set up, and ready to go.

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Switching over to the web GUI, I was quite surprised at how simple it was. Here we have the basic setup screen.

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Apart from a few options throughout the Web GUI, the RE6500 doesn't have a high level of customization available. Most options are basic and straight to the point.

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Here we have the testing for the 2.4GHz network. As you can see, we connected at a rate of 130Mbps during testing. Starting right next to the RE6500, we enjoyed a good amount of signal around -20dbm; moving to a final point of 40ft away, the RE6500 was still doing quite well at -50dbm.

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The 5GHz band initially connected at 867Mbps, but quickly fell off to 351Mbps -most likely due to the WRT1900 broadcasting its signal one floor below me. The RE6500 started out at -40dbm, and maxed out at -60dbm at 40ft away.
The Linksys RE6500 offers a great amount of additional range while maintaining a very small footprint. While it's not the smallest range extender we have seen, it does offer slightly more range than other solutions we have seen. The wireless speaker functionality of the unit is great, but I found the lack of options in the web GUI a bit confusing.
In fact, the web GUI is the most basic version I have ever seen; apart from a few wireless options, and some value-added WMM functionality, the RE6500 is non-configurable.
PRICING: You can find the Linksys RE6500 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 Linksys RE6500 retails for $99.99 at Amazon.

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PowerColor TurboDuo Radeon R9 280 3GB OC CrossFire Video Card Review

Introduction of the PowerColor TurboDuo R9 280 3GB OC

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Last month, AMD sent us over three R9 280 3GB video cards to look at. We had looked at the model before, and chose to pretty much ignore it after our initial review due to some terrible pricing on the model. AMD's decision to drop the price quite aggressively meant that the company wanted to see another push on the model.
Having had a second look at the model, with the new pricing structure we find ourselves a lot more impressed with how the card sits on the market. When we initially looked at the card, it was never a bad product; it offered some great performance, and the Sapphire version we looked at had a nice cooler and bundle. What had ultimately let it down, though, was the high price point that AMD set for the card.
With the high price point gone, the model looks a whole lot more attractive to us. With the new price point, a pair can now be had for under $500. This now puts the price point of the R9 280 3GB lower than a single R9 290X 4GB. So, with that in mind: What happens when we put a pair of these better priced cards together?
Well, there's only one way to find out. With two overclocked R9 280 3GB cards installed in our system, today we'll see just what kind of performance we're able to get out of this setup. As always, though, there's a few things we need to do before we find out just how strong performance is. So, let's get started with the bundle, and move from there to see just what PowerColor is offering us today with the PowerColor TurboDuo R9 280 3GB OC.

Package - What comes inside the box

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Looking at the front of the box, you can see the TurboDuo labeling stands out in the middle of the box. Across the top, we can see the PowerColor logo. Just to the right of the logo, you can see this model is overclocked. Moving south of the TurboDuo logo, you can see the R9 280 model, and below that we have some of the main features, which include 3GB GDDR5, Eyefinity, and 4K Support, to name some of the big ones.
Turning the box over, you can see the top half covers the system requirements, and some of the main AMD features that are supported. Across the bottom, though, you can see it's all about the TurboDuo cooling technology, and the gold power kit. When it comes to the gold power kit, we've got multiphase power design, direct FET, and a digital PWM setup. As for the cooler, the improved dual 90mm fan setup improves both noise levels and temperature readings.

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Moving into the bundle, you can see it's very bare, with not much going on at all. We've got the Quick Installation Guide sitting next to the Driver CD, and a single 8-pin to 6-pin PCIe power connector to round things off.
PRICING: You can find the PowerColor TurboDuo R9 280 3GB OC 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 PowerColor TurboDuo R9 280 3GB OC retails for $268.83 at Amazon.
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EIZO Announces New 19-inch and 26-inch DuraVision Monitors
EIZO Corporation (TSE: 6737) announced the expansion of its current line of maritime monitors to include the DuraVision FDS1904 and FDS1904T (19-inch) and the DuraVision FDU2603W and FDU2603WT (26-inch). The new lineup now provides a wider selection of monitors with high visibility and reliability for displaying ECDIS / RADAR applications. The touch panel variations, DuraVision FDS1904T and FDU2603WT, accept touch input from a bare hand or stylus and support multi-touch operation. They also feature a high resistance to dust and water droplets to minimize unintended input compared with other touch technologies.

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All monitors meet the requirements for numerous classification societies for operation in ships and offshore structures including GL (Germany), BV (France), LR (UK), DNV (Norway), ABS (USA), ClassNK (Japan), KR (Korea), and CCS (China). They meet the conditions for temperature, humidity, and vibration as defined in the IEC 60945 international standard for maritime navigation and radio communication and the IP65 rating ensures they are protected against ingress and low-pressure water jets.
The brilliance (brightness), gamma, and RGB color settings of each DuraVision marine monitor are calibrated at the factory for accurate color reproduction, meeting the IEC 61174, IEC 62288, and IEC 62388 international standards for ECDIS and RADAR applications.
The new 19-inch and 26-inch monitors are equipped with an ECDIS indicator that shows when the monitor's brilliance is correctly meeting the standards for ECDIS. They also have a marine alarm buzzer conveniently installed directly in the monitor.
The long-lasting LED backlight equipped in each monitor provides increased reliability, consumes less power, and is mercury-free for minimal impact on the environment.
EIZO's line of marine monitors are developed, manufactured, and tested in-house to ensure the reliability and high performance essential for harsh marine environments. Each monitor also comes with the option of adding in-house optical bonding for increased visibility and durability.
Optical Bonding
EIZO's optical bonding increases light transmission and significantly reduces screen reflections for exceptional visibility even when viewing the monitor in direct sunlight. Optical bonding also prevents condensation that causes screens to become foggy; a common occurrence in environments with extreme temperature fluctuations. A screen with optical bonding is more resistant to applied pressure, giving it increased physical durability.
Additional Features

Wide dimming range of less than 1 cd/m2 up to maximum brilliance for viewing during day or night
Wide viewing angles for minimal contrast and gradation shift
Easily accessible cooling fan
D-Sub mini 15-pin and DVI-D 24-pin input terminals
Backed by a 3-year, 24-hour use warranty

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