VR-Zone Tech News for the Geeks May 2011 Issue

1
May 3rd, 2011
Published by VR-Zone
VR-Zone.com Stuff for the Geeks! VR-Zone
Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly
publication covering the latest gadgets and
stuff for the geeks. Seagate announces 1TB
per platter hard drives Source
http//vr-zone.com/articles/seagate-announces-1tb-
per-platter- hard-drives/12046.html May 3rd,
2011 Seagate is asking for 299.99 (S369)
for the 3TB version, whilethetwoplatter2TBispric
edat199.99(S246).Seagate also announced that
it will have a 1.5TB and 1TB version of
the Barracuda XT, although no pricing was
announced. Retail pricing is already a lot lower
than Seagate's asking price and we've spotted the
3TB drive for 229.99 (S283) and the 2TB model
for 159.99 (S197), although the difference
is that the drives Seagate sells directly comes
bundled with a SATA cable, a power splitter,
mounting screws and some software. That said, we
don't really think that's worth the extra
money compared to buying a bare drive, but even
the retail kits can be had for a lot less than
the MSRP. Razer Goliathus Mouse Mat Redesigned
and Reinforced Source http//vr-zone.com/articles
/razer-goliathus-mouse-mat- redesigned-and-reinfor
ced/12045.html May 3rd, 2011
Ifyou'vebeenwaitingforatriple-platter3TBharddriv
e,then wehavegoodnews,yourwaitisoverasSeagatehasas
thefirst hard drive manufacturers announced 1TB
per platter drives. ThenewBarracudaXTserieswillthe
homeforthenew347GB per square inch 1TB platter
disks. If you've been waiting for a
triple-platter 3TB hard drive, then wehavegoodnews
,yourwaitisoverasSeagatehasasthefirst hard drive
manufacturers announced 1TB per platter
drives. ThenewBarracudaXTserieswillthehomeforthene
w347GB per square inch 1TB platter disks. The
Barracuda XT series does of course feature SATA
6Gbps interface, 64MB of cache, a 7,200rpm spin
speed and all the usual features you'd find on a
modern high-end hard drive. Seagate claims a
sustained data transfer of 138MB/s with a
randomreadseektimeof8.5ms.Hardlyimpressivecompared
to modern SSDs, but bear in mind that the
largest model can store a massive 3TB. Razer
announces that the Razer Goliathus has
been redesigned and reinforced with a
dense, anti-fraying and long-lasting stitched
frame. Price Omega US 14.99 / EU
14.99, Standard US 19.99 / EU 19.99,
Alpha US 24.99 / EU 24.99,
Extended US 34.99 / EU 34.99.
Availability May 2011 Full Press
Release 1
2
May 3rd, 2011 Carlsbad, Calif.
3 May, 2011 Razer, the worlds
leading high-end precision gaming brand, is proud
to announce that the Razer Goliathus has been
redesigned and reinforced to ensure your
soft mouse mat swiping experience is
more hardcore than ever before. Maintaining
the same well-loved, speed-enhancing
and control-precise features, the
redesigned Razer Goliathus mouse mat delivers
maximum performance to propel you to gaming
stardom. Now imbued with a dense, anti-fraying
and long-lasting stitched frame, your mouse mat
stays sharp for consistent tournament
ownage. The only thing wearing down should be
your enemy, said Robert RazerGuy Krakoff,
President Razer USA. The Razer Goliathus is
our pride and joy when it comes to soft
mats, designed with professional
gaming-validated weaves for an exceptional
mouse swiping experience. Now with
anti-fray edges, you can go forth and frag even
harder, worry-free. About the Razer Goliathus
Control Edition Mouse Mat The
RazerGoliathusControlEditiongaming-grademousemat t
akes your mouses superb precision up a notch by
having it matched with the mats specially
textured weave capable of registeringeventhesmalle
stofmovements.Thisgivesgamers an unprecedented
level of targeting and tracking
accuracy, while maintaining a perfectly
controllable yet consistent glide.
Published by VR-Zone With its anti-fraying
stitched frame, the edges last
longer, giving you the freedom to tear your
opponent to shreds, and not your mouse
mat. Price Omega US 14.99 / EU
14.99 Standard US 19.99 / EU 19.99 Alpha
US 24.99 / EU 24.99 Extended US 34.99 / EU
34.99 Availability Razerzone.com May
2011 Worldwide May 2011 Product
Features Heavily textured weave for maximum
mouse control Anti-fraying stitched frame extends
mat durability Pixel-precise targeting and
tracking Rubber base for a secure grip on smooth
surfaces Mat Dimensions (mm) Space-efficient
(Omega) 270 x 215 x 3 Mid-sized (Standard) 355
x 254 x3 Large-sized (Alpha) 444 x 355 x
3 Desktop Length (Extended) 920 x 294 x 3 MSI's
990FX and 970 chipset boards make brief
European appearance Source http//vr-zone.com/art
icles/msi-s-990fx-and-970-chipset-boards- make-bri
ef-european-appearance/12044.html May 3rd,
2011 Details of three of MSI's upcoming
AM3 motherboards have appeared on a European
price comparison website and some of the
specifications of three different models have
turned up. On top of that we now know what these
three models will cost, atleastinEurolandandforwha
tit'sworth,theboardsseemto be pretty
competitively priced, especially against Intel
based motherboards. Details of three of MSI's
upcoming AM3 motherboards have appeared on a
European price comparison website and some of the
specifications of three different models have
turned up. On top of that we now know what these
three models will cost, 2
3
Published by VR-Zone May 3rd, 2011 These
days there are four major Taiwanese
motherboard makersandthenwehaveBiostarandJetwaysom
ewheredown thebottom-endofthemarket.Thatsaid,Biost
arhashadsome successwiththeoverclockingcrowdandnow
detailsofitsfirst Z68 based motherboard and
although we can't say that this is a board we'd
rush out to buy. These days there are four
major Taiwanese motherboard makersandthenwehaveB
iostarandJetwaysomewheredown thebottom-endofthemar
ket.Thatsaid,Biostarhashadsome successwiththeoverc
lockingcrowdandnowdetailsofitsfirst Z68 based
motherboard and although we can't say that this
is a board we'd rush out to buy. The TZ68A is so
for the most spartan Z68 we've seen to date. In
fact, we have a feeling we won't see
another Z68 board that has so few features from
anyone else. That said, we're hopefullylookingatar
eallyaffordableZ68boardanditshould be more than
adequate for most users. On a brighter
note, Biostar has at least added a trio of
display connectors around the back which consists
of an HDMI, DVI and VGA port. The only other
ports around the back is a PS/2 port, two USB
2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports (via an ASMedia host
controller), a Gigabit Ethernet port and three
audio jacks for 5.1-channel audio. The board
layout is pretty clean if somewhat uninspiring
with apairofx16PCIExpressslotswherethesecondoneisa
x4slot ratherthanbeingaswitchableslot,asinglex1PCI
Expressslot and two PCI slots. To Biostar's
defence this does at least mean there are no
blocked slots, nor any shared bandwidth from
the chipset, so anything you plug in will work as
intended without on-board features being
disabled. The board has the standard four SATA
3Gbps and two SATA 6Gbps ports, but these
are sadly not angled, although it's not likely
that any of them will be blocked by an add-in
card. The board also has a power and reset
button, oddly high-end features on what is
otherwise looking like a fairly basic
board. There are also three headers for an
additional six USB 2.0 ports, as well as a
serial and parallel port header on the board. One
of the more disappointing features, or lack
thereof, is the fact that Biostar has only fitted
a single 4-pin PWM fan header andit'sfortheCPUfana
ndevensothereareonlytwootherfan headersontheboardw
hichseemstingy.Thepowerregulation circuitry is
also very basic which what appears to be a
41- phase design. In as much as this is good
enough, it doesn't inspire a lot of confidence in
the overclocking potentials for this board.
Still, at the end of the day, it all comes down
to cost and this better be a cheap board is it's
not going to do well.
May 3rd, 2011 atleastinEurolandandforwhatit'sworth
,theboardsseemto be pretty competitively priced,
especially against Intel based motherboards. Start
ing from the bottom we have the 970A-G45 which
should beoneofthemorebasicAM3boardsfromMSIwiththe
900- series chipset. As the name gives away, this
board sports the AMD 970 northbridge and the
SB950 southbridge. The board has two PCI Express
x16 slots, although as far as we're aware, the
970 chipset doesn't support split PCI
Express lanes, so we'd guess the second x16
slot only has four lanes worth of bandwidth.
There are also two PCI Express x1 slots and
two PCI slots. As with the SB850, the SB950
supports six SATA 6Gbps ports and various RAID
modes. Aroundthebackwe'reapparentlylookingatsixUSB
2.0ports, two USB 3.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet and
7.1-channel audio, but that's all we know so far.
Internal connectors are meant to add two more USB
3.0 ports and another six USB 3.0 ports. Sadly we
don't have any pictures of any of the boards, so
we can only go with what's been listed by the
price comparison site. Cost wise the 970A-G45 is
listed at 82.10 (S159) in Germany. Next up we
have the 990FX-GD65 which again as the name gives
away is based on the 990FX northbridge and again
the SB950 southbridge. This board has two full
PCI Express x16 slots, three PCI Express x1 slots
and two PCI slots. Again we're looking at six
SATA 6Gbps ports with RAID support. The rear I/O
is the same, with two USB 3.0 ports, six USB 2.0
ports, Gigabit Ethernet and 7.1-channel audio.
Internally the board has pin headers for four
additional USB 2.0 ports, but we have a feeling
there will be at least one for a pair of
additional USB 3.0portsaswell.Thisboardislistedat
124.43(S227),again in Germany. Finally we have
the 990FX-GD80 which is the top of
the range board and it too has the 990FX/SB950
chipset setup. However, this board has no less
than four x16 slots and we'd dare to wager that
when all are in use they operate at x8
mode. There's also a pair of PCI Express x1 slot
and a single PCI slot. Once again we have six
SATA 6Gbps ports with RAID support, althoughatleas
tthistimearoundweknowthatthere'ssupport for two
internal USB 3.0 ports, as well as four USB 2.0
ports andaFireWireport.Aroundthebackwe'relookingat
twoUSB 3.0 ports, six USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire
port, Gigabit Ethernet and 7.1-channel audio.
This is also the most expensive of the three
boards at 171.97 (S314). We did find a
fourth model as well, the 990FX-GD70,
but we haven't managed to track down any kind of
specifications for this model. However, we did
find a price and it ends up between the GD65 and
GD80 price wise, much as expected, at 158.13
(S288). So far it looks like MSI has a pretty
decent line-up of AM3 boards coming and we'll
make sure to bring you all the detail of the new
boards from Computex, if not before. Biostar's
TZ68A motherboard leaks ahead of launch
Source http//vr-zone.com/articles/biostar-s-tz68
a-motherboard-leaks- ahead-of-launch/12043.html
3
4
May 3rd, 2011 ONFI 3.0 forces Intel to move to
BGA NAND packaging Source http//vr-zone.com/arti
cles/onfi-3.0-forces-intel-to-move-to-bga- nand-pa
ckaging/12023.html May 3rd, 2011 If you've
ever seen a picture of an opened SSD or the
inside of anSDcard,you'llhavenoticedthattheNANDFla
shchipsused are of the TSOP (Thin Small-Outline
Package) variety, i.e. an oblong chip with small
pins of the short ends. TSOP is a fairly standard
packaging for a wide range of computer ICs, but
it seems like more advanced technology will soon
see it passed into the history books as far as
NAND Flash is concerned. If you've ever seen a
picture of an opened SSD or the inside
of anSDcard,you'llhavenoticedthattheNANDFlashchips
used are of the TSOP (Thin Small-Outline Package)
variety, i.e. an oblong chip with small pins of
the short ends. TSOP is a fairly standard
packaging for a wide range of computer ICs, but
it seems like more advanced technology will soon
see it passed into the history books as far as
NAND Flash is concerned. According to Intel's
NAND Flash roadmaps we're looking at a move
towards BGA (Ball Grid Array) packaging as TSOP
isn't advanced enough to handle the higher speeds
required by new NAND Flash interfaces such as
ONFI 3.0 (Open NAND Flash Interface). As such,
all of Intel's enterprise level NAND Flash is
already being transitioned to BGA packaging, both
SLC and MLC products. For now the consumer
(Intel refers to it as client) end of the
market remains at TSOP as it's far cheaper to
produce, but we'd expect things to look different
come next year. Intel is planning
to move its 20nm NAND Flash SLC and MLC products
to ONFI 3.0 towards the end of this year,
but as you can see from the slide, this is
likely to be its enterprise products. That said,
the same roadmap also has a 20nm ONFI 2.2 product
on it, but this is likely to also be a TSOP
package. Intel is also looking at increasing
the capacity per chip in the enterprise NAND
chips, but the consumer level products remains at
the same capacity, at least for now.
Published by VR-Zone It's
possible that by the time that Intel moves
to ONFI 3.0 for its lower-end NAND Flash
products we'll see an entirely different kind
of packaging used for the NAND Flash, something
that's a bit more affordable than BGA. Cost is
of theessenceandIntelknowsthat,butwithincreasingde
mands for faster NAND Flash the chip makers don't
have a choice but to move to faster NAND Flash
interfaces such as ONFI 3.0 which offers chip
level speeds of up to 400MB/s. Intel's current
products use a DDR-200 interface, while ONFI
3.0 uses an NV-DDR2 interface which has been
designed to work better with NAND Flash. It's
just a shame that in the SSD market space
it's the enterprise section that gets the fast
new toys to play with first and not the
consumers, but if you have enough cash, you could
always splash out on some enterprise grade
hardware for home. Gigabyte's Z68X-UD5
and Z68X-UD4 motherboards detailed Source
http//vr-zone.com/articles/gigabyte-s-z68x-ud5-an
d-z68x-ud4- motherboards-detailed/12042.html May
3rd, 2011 We're definitely getting
close to the launch of Intel's Z68 chipset
and more details of Gigabyte's upcoming boards
have turned up on the internet. Not only have we
found pricing of the three high-end boards, but
the Z68X-UD5 and Z68X-UD4 havebeengivenathoroughgo
ingoverinadetailedpreview,of coursewithoutbenchmar
ksasInteldon'tcondonebenchmark figures ahead of a
launch. We're definitely getting close to
the launch of Intel's Z68 chipset and more
details of Gigabyte's upcoming boards have turned
up on the internet. Not only have we found
pricing of the three high-end boards, but the
Z68X-UD5 and Z68X-UD4 havebeengivenathoroughgoingo
verinadetailedpreview,of coursewithoutbenchmarksas
Inteldon'tcondonebenchmark figures ahead of a
launch. 4
5
May 3rd, 2011 The Z68X-UD5 is pretty much the
same motherboard as the P67A-UD5 with the
exception of the chipset of course. In fact, the
boards are so similar that if it wasn't
for the red ports around the back on the
Z68X-UD5 and the silk screen on
the boardwiththemodelname,wewouldn'tbeabletotellth
etwo boards apart. If this is a good or a bad
thing is a matter of what you'reafterintermsoffeat
ures,butit'sprettyclearthatthere's norealreasontog
ettheP67A-UD5anymore,especiallyasthe price
difference appear to be minimal. In fact, the
Z68X-UD5 hasalreadyappearedonanAustralianonlineret
ailerpricedat AU319 (S427) and the same company
stocks the P67A-UD5 for AU305 (S408). In as
much as this is a price premium, we're sure it
won't last for long.
Published by VR-Zone At the rear the Z68X-UD4
has a PS/2 port, seven USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0
ports, one eSATAp (USB/eSATA combo with power),
one eSATA, a Gigabit Ethernet port, FireWire port
and 7.1-channel audio with optical and coaxial
S/PDIF out. The same Australian retailer is
listing this board for a pretty affordable
AU239 (S320) which looks like a much better
deal compared to the Z68X-UD5, despite the
somewhat peculiarboardlayoutandlackofoneexpansions
lotthatmight not be to everyone's liking. For
those of you that are looking at going for the
high-end Z68X-UD7 we can let you know that the
price of this board is AU399 (S534), once
again from the same Australian retailer.
We'd expect these boards to be slightly
cheaper in
the US of course and it's worth keeping in mind
that the US dollarisnowworthlessthantheAustralian
dollar.Fordetailed pictures of all three board
models, hit the link below. More pictures
Lab501 The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 3 May
2011 Source http//vr-zone.com/articles/the-dail
y-vr-zone-news-summary--3- may-2011/12038.html M
ay 3rd, 2011 The Z68X-UD4 on the other hand is
nothing like the P67A- UD4, instead this looks
like the P67X-UD4 which was shown
off at CeBIT but never launched. We can't say
we're overly keen on the board layout, as
Gigabyte has made a few peculiar choices here.
For starters the 16-phase VRM is taking up
an unusual amount of space on the PCB and this
means you end up losing the first expansion slot.
The slot layout consists of a pairofx16slotsinadua
lx8configurationwhenbothareused, two x1 PCI
Express slots and two PCI slots. Ontheotherhand,th
eZ68X-UD4hasanadditionaltwoSATA 6Gbps ports
beyond the two supplied by the Intel
chipset, which is also two more than the Z68X-UD5
which seems very odd. Gigabyte has also
fitted a pair of Etron USB 3.0
host controllers to the board, rather than using
VLI USB 3.0 hubs and a single Renesas chip as per
the Z68X-UD5. This means that you'll actually be
able to get better performance out of each of the
four USB 3.0 ports, although you do lose out on
an additional four ports compared to the Z68X-UD5.
In today's news roundup NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 590
gets pitted against AMD's Radeon HD 6990 to
determine which company's hardware is capable of
offering the better triple- display gaming
experience AMD's Phenom-II X4-980
BE processor gets reviewed Apple has updated its
iMac line of all-in-one PCs to include Intel's
Sandy Bridge platform, new graphics cards and the
recently announced Thunderbolt port RIM'slatestBl
ackBerry7OShasbeenconfirmedtolacklegacy support,
which means that older BlackBerry handsets
have officiallyreachedadeadendwithregardstosoftwar
eupdates Videos of Atelier Meruru's prologue
and parts of the title's gameplay has
started showing up on major video streaming sites
such as Youtube, and Rumour has it that
Nintendo is ready to launch a 'Wii Select'
line of heavily discounted bestselling titles
for its video game console. Hardware
news SandForce SF-2141 Controller Intel Z68
Chipset Destined to be Together? DescriptionToda
ywearegoingtoplayabriefgameofconnect the dots
with information that is publically available. We
are going to mix two parts of facts and one part
speculation. The pinch of speculation has been
verified by two sources and in the media world
that gives it enough validity to 'go to print' so
to speak. The overall picture will be a little
cloudy, but I thinkenoughofasilhouettewillpassthro
ughtogiveusaclose representation of what's to
come. The good ole' "Things That Might Be
Happening, but What Do I Know? Triple Monitor
Gaming GeForce GTX 590 vs. Radeon
HD 6990 Description By utilizing three monitors
games can become roughly3xmoredemandingasthegraphi
cscardisrequiredto 5
6
May 3rd, 2011 render an overwhelmingly higher
number of pixels. Whereas wecommonlytestgraphicsca
rdsatsinglemonitorresolutions of 1680x1050 (22),
1920x1200 (24) and 2560x1600 (30), today we
are taking these and adding two more
LCD monitors for effective resolutions of
5040x1050, 5760x1200 and 7680x1600. AMD Phenom-II
X4-980 BE Processor _at_ Benchmark
Reviews Description As is common with AMD
CPUs, the next in the Phenom-II X4 Black
Edition series is being released the Phenom-II
X4-980BE HDZ980FBK4DGM. The X4-980BE willtakeov
erasAMDsflagshipquad-coreprocessorandguess what,
it is 100MHz faster than the current
quad-core king at 3.7GHz. Without surprise
the Phenom-II X4-980BE will be released at the
same price the X4-975BE was released in January
2011 with an MSRP of 195. And because we
are just that reliable, Benchmark Reviews is
here to give you the run down on the Phenom-II
X4-980BE to show you how it stacks up against its
younger brothers and the similarly priced (though
slightly more expensive) Core i5-2500K. Gigabyte
H67A-UD3H ATX Review _at_ OCIA.net Description
The majority of users that select an
H67- equipped board do so to take advantage of
Intel HD graphics built into Sandy Bridge
processors and thus, won't be using a high-end
graphics card or really any other add-in
cards. Builds where a Micro ATX board would be
suitable include home theater PCs and small form
factor builds where a small footprint is needed.
A quick check at Newegg revealed only three full
size ATX H67 boards, one of them being the
board we are taking a look at today, the Gigabyte
GA-H67A-UD3H. HIS Radeon HD 6790 1GB IceQ X Turbo
Video Card Review Description Just before the
launch of the HD 6790, HIS emailed us and
asked if we wanted to get a sample of
the normal version, or if we were happy to wait a
couple of extra weeks for the IceQ X Turbo
one. Since we had a reference clocked card
already on the way and the IceQ X and
Turbo seriesbeingtwogreatones,itwasanobrainerandwe
choseto wait. Well, the card finally arrived and
we got a chance to put it through its paces to
see what this new mid-range card was able to
offer. Being part of the IceQ X and Turbo series
means we've got both an upgraded cooler and an
overclock on offer. Antec KUHLER H2O 920 Liquid
Cooling CPU Cooler Review Description Since I
caught wind of the H2O 620, I assumed the "fat
radiator" version was already in the works. Why
not keep up with the Jones' if you are already
basically mimicking a product already on the
shelf is my take, and I was right, well, sort of.
Antec did release the thicker radiator design
with the 920 moniker, and we are about to take an
up close look at not onlythecooler,butthesoftwaret
hatcomesshippedalongwith this new cooler from
Antec. Thermaltake ToughPower Grand 850W Power
Supply Review _at_ Real World Labs DescriptionThelat
estadditioninThermaltakesToughPower series
called the Grand comes with an 80
Plus Gold Certification,highqualitycomponents,ro
cksolidrailstability, elegant design and a rich
bundle. ASUS Maximus IV Extreme P67 Motherboard
Review _at_Hi Tech Legion
Published by VR-Zone Description The ASUS
Maximus IV Extreme is the latest Republic
of Gamers motherboard for the Intel socket
1155 mainstream platform. The ASUS
Maximus IV Extreme features an updated sleek
heatsink design, Extreme Engine DIGI, DDR3-2200
(OC) support and 3-way SLI/CFX. The Maximus IV
Extreme also boasts a wealth of
overclocking options, including onboard debugging
tools and switches as well as remote overclocking
controls via Bluetooth devices or through a
laptop. In order to achieve 3-way SLI/CFX
support, the ASUS Maximus IV Extreme is equipped
with an NVIDIA NF200 chip located where the
Northbridge is typically placed. The new B3
version of the Maximus IV Extreme has 10 USB 3.0
ports including two at mid-board for front panel
support as well as four SATA 6Gb/s ports for high
speed connectivity options. Consumer Electronics
and Software news Apple updates the iMac
Thunderbolt I/O, quad-core and more DescriptionAp
ple'sdesktoplineuphastypicallypushedusers requirin
gplentyoffastI/OtowardstheMacPro-butthelatest iMac
refresh has broken the tradition. While
quad-core Sandy Bridge CPUs and faster ATI Radeon
HD GPUs are welcomed, it'stheadditionofThunderbolt
ports(oneinthe21.5-inchand two in the 27-inch)
that really ups the ante for a number
of professional users. Adobe CS5.5 Available for
Download Now Description Adobe has just broken
the seal on Creative Suite 5.5, the latest
installment of its design and
development software.Ofcourse,thenewreleasebringst
heusualround-up of improvements and tweaks, but
the fireworks in CS5.5 lie in the suites new
HTML5 and mobile app-specific capabilities. Cooler
Master NotePal Infinite Evo Duo Silent Fan
Notebook Cooler Review _at_Hi Tech
Legion DescriptionCoolerMasterisreadytoreleasethe
irnewestline of NotePal coolers, starting with
the NotePal Infinite Evo Duo SilentFanNotebookCool
er.TheInfiniteEvoaddsabitofstyle and high
performance and an excellent price. The design
uses a unique U-shape airflow method that intakes
with two 80mm fans. Fans can be controlled by a
speed control wheel on the side by the USB power
connection. The top of the Evo is made of a high
quality aluminum pad that has a sand-spray
finish. It isUSBpoweredandincludesa3portUSB2.0/1.1
hub.Thereis alsoanergonomicdesignangleforoptimalvi
ewingandtyping. There is support for 12" to 17"
laptops. Plantronics Gamecom X40 Xbox headset
Review _at_ XSReviews.co.uk Description Recently we
visited Gadget Show Live 2011 and while our
article on that event did quite well, this one
did a lot better. Despite that however, the real
highlights of the event are checking out the
hardware and one company was kind enough to
let us test a lot of it. Not only that, but
Plantronics were such fans it seems that they
plied us with their entire range of Xbox
headsets. Needless to say, we had to find
bigger bags. That aside though, today we test the
first of this lineup, the Gamecom X40. Blackberry
7 OS abandons old handsets Description RIM has
two Blackberry smartphones on the way, under
the banner of the Blackberry Bold 9900 and
the 6
7
May 3rd, 2011 Blackberry Bold 9930. They'll sport
its new OS, Blackberry 7, which will not be
available as an upgrade to customers with
older devices. The long-rumoured mobiles will
sport an "iconic design" with a touch
screen, RIM predictably says, shipping with
Blackberry's new operating system, Blackberry 7.
Blackberry 7 does not have legacy support
so users with older handsets will be stuffed if
they want to run the improved system. OS X Lion
to bring iOS-style uninstalls for Mac
apps DescriptionIfyouthoughtthattheiOSmethodofuni
nstalling apps was awesome, youre going to
love OS X Lion. The latest developer version
of the operating system revealed that it
features the same uninstalling method as
iOS for apps purchased from the Mac App Store.
Users just click and hold onto an apps icon, and
it will start to wobble just like how it does on
iOS. Then users can click on the X icon that
appears on the top left corner to delete the
app. Google Nexus One gets Android 2.3.4
early Description Android 2.3.4 software
for the Nexus One smartphone is now
available for download as an early build that
will require some bug fixes (ZIP). It will also
arrive in a more finished version over the air
anytime now, however. Unlike the version of the
software for the Nexus S, no support exists for
the Google Talk video and voice chat
features. Gaming news Hector Badge of Carnage
Review at PC Game Examiner Description Hector
Badge of Carnage marks a turn for the ruder and
cruder for Telltale Games. Although good for a
few laughs for the boob and fart joke crowd, the
game's bleak and soullessstorydoesntquiteholdupto
Telltalesotherofferings. Put the kids to bed
before you play this one folks. Atelier Meruru
Prologue and Gameplay Videos released Description
HavealookatGustsAtelierMeruruthroughthis prologue
and gameplay videos. The prologue which
is four minute long tells the background story
of of the Arland series starting from Rorona and
Totori. The gameplay video shows some world
exploration though there is no battle. Rumor
'Wii Select' budget line launching this
month Description After only four and a
half years, it looks like Nintendo is finally
ready to introduce a line of budget titles
in North America. Kotaku reports that the "Wii
Select" line will launch alongside the newly
discounted Wii, which is rumored todropto150twowe
eksfromnow.Thefirsttitlesreportedto bepartofthe20
lineupincludeTheLegendofZeldaTwilight
Published by VR-Zone Joining the Intel Z68 club
is MSI's Z68A-GD80. We take a peek at the
features with which MSI hopes to make its
board stand out from the rest. Several of the
MSI Z68A-GD80's features are
prominently advertised on its box, including of
course the assurance that you are getting the
trouble-free stepping of the chipset.
The Z68 PCH is passively cooled, which should
come as no surprise given that the TDPs of
Intel's recent chipsets have all come in under 10
watts. The CPU power delivery system, on the
other hand, gets a more elaborate cooling
solution. The MSI Z68A-GD80
provides 12-phase power to the CPU using
MSI's DrMOS system. DrMOS uses integrated
circuits that combine the MOSFET and its driver
into a single chip, which MSI claims achieves 96
efficiency. By reducing the number of phases
active when the system is not under
load, powerconsumptioncanalsobereduced.Thenumberof
active phases is indicated by a row of LEDs along
the top edge of the motherboard.
Princess, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario Super
Sluggers and Wii Sports. First Look MSI
Z68A-GD80 Source http//vr-zone.com/articles/firs
t-look-msi-z68a-gd80/12035.html May 3rd,
2011 Thememoryandchipseteachget2-phasepower
.Thereisalso an additional PCIe 6-pin power
connector, which MSI claims 7
8
May 3rd, 2011
Published by VR-Zone
willimprovetheoverclockingcapabilitiesofinstalledg
raphics cards. Known as the KX
370, KX 420 and KX 470, GIGABYTE claims
that the KX series of PSUs are compliant
with the
ATX 12V v2.0 specifications set forth by Intel
and feature a 120mm cooling fan, along with
protection from over-voltage, over-current and
short-circuits to ensure system stability. In
addition, the KX series of PSUs are
reportedly capable of providing over 78
efficiency and a MTBF of over 100,000 hours.
The hardware specifications
of the PSUs are as follow PoweRock KX 370
Next, we'll be looking at the onboard features
and expansion options offered by this
motherboard. GIGABYTE shows off new entry-level
PoweRock PSUs Source http//vr-zone.com/articles/
gigabyte-shows-off-new-entry-level- powerock-psus/
12036.html May 3rd, 2011 Need an
entry-level PSU for use in building a cheap PC?
Well, leave it to GIGABYTE to deliver the goods
once again with a new addition to its
value-oriented PoweRock line of power supplies.
Known as the PoweRock KX series, these PSUs
are available in three different ratings, all of
which happen to be lower than 500w. After all, we
did mention that these PSUs were designed to be
used on entry-level PCs, no? When it comes to
having an extensive lineup of PSUs available for
the enthusiast with an entry-level PC, few can
match what GIGABYTE has offer with its PoweRock
and PoweRock EX lines of PSUs. However, it
would seem that GIGABYTE is not content
with merely having two product lines for
the entry-level market, for the Taiwanese
company has silently
introduced three new additions to its
lineup of entry-level PSUs, all of which
will be sold under the PoweRock
KX branding. PoweRock KX 420 8
9
May 3rd, 2011
Published by VR-Zone
platform will take place two weeks after the
Asia release - on 26th June. PoweRoc
k KX 470 Judging by AMD's hectic schedule for
June, the FX-Series and Lynxplatform(A-Seriesford
esktops)willreleasesometimein July. After
several years of anticipation, Fusion and
Bulldozer are finallyabouttoreleaseinthenext2mont
hs.JuneandJulywill undoubtedly be two of the
most important months in AMD's history. LG
launches new Xnote notebooks in Korea
Source http//vr-zone.com/articles/lg-launches-ne
w-xnote-notebooks-in- korea/12034.html May 3rd,
2011 Now that high-performance,
ultra-thin notebooks are fast gaining
popularity among consumers for their portability
and visual appeal, it would make sense that
OEMs are starting to funnel more of their
resources into churning out such notebooks in
a bid to gain a greater share of the notebook
pie. Of course, LG is not about about to let
itself get left behind in the competition the
Korean company has just announced in a press
release that it has launched two new additions to
its Xnote line of ultra-thin notebooks - the P430
and P530 series. And yes, they are powered by
Intel's Sandy Bridge platform. If LG's new
notebooks could talk, we'd wager that the
first words they would probably say will be
something along the lines of "Move over, Macbook
Air", and for good reason. After all, ultra-thin
notebooks boasting full-power processors
are starting to gain popularity among road
warriors who need portability and performance
bundled together in a single package, an
offering which only Apple's Macbook Air
could fulfil back then. However, times have
since changed, and LG is seemingly keen to
wrest back marketshare from
the competitionwithtwonewintroductionstoitsultra-t
hinXnote line of notebooks, namely the P430 and
the P530 series.
Once again, we should point out that the
PoweRock series of PSUs are designed to be used
only by entry-level systems, and the
just-launched KX-series is no exception to the
rule. Therefore, if you are in need of a
PSU to power a sibling's PC that sees most
of its uptime performing tasks such
as gunningmeatbagsdownonCrysis2,theKX-seriesofPSUs
are definitely not the ones you are looking
for. Report AMD to announce A- Series,
FX-Series in June Source http//vr-zone.com/artic
les/report-amd-to-announce-a-series-fx- series-in-
june/12037.html May 3rd, 2011 AMD's
extraordinary schedule for June kicks off at
Computex 2011, Taipei, where AMD A-Series
will be announced, alongwith the VISION
2011 branding. AMD 900 Series chipsets
will also be announced. These three
announcements will be held on June 1st. Fast
forward to the next week, and E3 2011 - AMD will
announce the FX-Series brand and logo, alongwith
the AM3 platform - on June 7th. These
announcements will be shortly followed by
the Asia release of the Sabine platform
(A-Series for notebooks), around the same
time as the AMD Fusion Developer Summit. Llano
will be formally announced for the rest of the
world on
June14thatAMD's2011ClientLaunchEvent.BoththeSabine
(notebook) and Lynx (desktop) platforms for
A-Series will be announced. Finally, the the
worldwide release of the Sabine 9
10
May 3rd, 2011 According to the
press release issued by LG, the P430
will be available in three different models,
each with differing hardware specifications.
At the top end of the scale is
the P430-KE7BK, which boasts an Intel Core
i7-2620M processor clocked at 2.7GHz
(3.4GHz under TurboBoost), 8GB of memory
and a 720GB hard disk. The mid-range
configuration is provided by the P430-KE4BK,
which utilizes a (slightly) weaker Core
i5-2410M processor clocked at 2.3GHz
(2.9GHz under TurboBoost), 4GB of memory and
a 500GB hard disk. Lastly, the P430-KE3UK
offers users a Core i3-2310M processor clocked
at 2.1GHz, 4GB of memory and uses
the same500GBharddiskfoundintheP430-KE4BK.Inadditi
on, all three models of the P430 will feature a
14-inch widescreen capable of a native resolution
of 1366 x 768, a gigabit Ethernet port, an
802.11bgn compliant WiFi card and an
NVIDIA GeForce GT520M graphics card which
supports the Optimus switchable graphics
technology. On the flip side, the
15-inch P530 series of notebooks have not been
officially unveiled yet, although LG claims in
its press release that the P530 series will be
made available at a future date after the P430
hits retail shelves some time in the early parts
of May this year. Lastly, we are as clueless
about pricing detailsasyouare,simplybecauseLGmaden
omentionofsuch details on its press release, so
we can only wait and see. In China, love comes
in the form of a five-inch tablet Source
http//vr-zone.com/articles/in-china-love-comes-in
-the-form-of-a- five-inch-tablet/12032.html
Published by VR-Zone May 3rd, 2011 Okay,
maybe equating a mundane device such as a tablet
PC to the principle known as love might be
stretching it a little bit, but it is quite hard
to see it any other way, especially when the
company responsible for marketing this little
device has a name which makes a reference to the
word 'love'. That being said, does anybody fancy
a five-inch ACHO tablet, all decked out in a
brilliant white plastic body? Just when one
thought that the tablet wars could not
have gottenanyfiercer,outcomesOEMswithanewbreedoft
ablets that skirt the fine line between that of a
smartphone and a tabletPC.Withscreensnosmallerthan
thethree-inchdisplays used by most smartphones
but also no larger than five inches, such
mini-tablets can either be seen as the best or
worst of both worlds, and are mostly aimed that
users who want the versatility of a tablet in a
pocketable form factor. And apparently, the
idea of having a pocketable tablet
has seemingly started to catch on on China.
Indeed, reports have confirmed that a new
mini-tablet device has been reported to be making
its rounds in China's domestic tablet market,
and is currently being sold under the ACHO brand
name, with a model number of C902.
As it was for the case of the seven-inch C901
released before it in the later part of
2010, ACHO is making no attempt to produce
an iPad/iPhone/Galaxy /(insert name of
device) lookalike, a trait seldom found in
most Chinese domestic designs. In addition
to its original design, the ACHO C902 is
also fitted with a Rockchip RK2818
processor which is reportedly clocked at 1GHz,
utilizes a five-inch touchscreen displaycapableofa
native800x480resolution.andwillcome with version
2.2 of the Android operating system
pre-installed into the it. Also, word has it that
the C902 will feature built-in support for 3G and
WiFi, along with hardware accelerated HD movie
playback at up to 720p. Unfortunately, no price
for the C902 has been revealed, although it is
speculated that ACHO maypricetheC902anywherebetwee
n399-499yuan(approx US61-75) 10
11
May 3rd, 2011 HP partners with
Branded Ltd to bring "Music Matters LIVE with HP"
to Singapore Source http//vr-zone.com/articles/h
p-partners-with-branded-ltd-to- bring-music-matter
s-live-with-hp-to-singapore/12030.html May 3rd,
2011 Do the words 'Music Matters' ring a
bell? If it does, chances are you will have
much to look forward to come 26 - 28 May
this year. An Asia Pacific's pioneer music
industry event has been confirmed to be
heading down to Clarke Quay at sunny
Singapore to "bring digital entertainment, music
and live music industries together under one roof
for the first time in Asia". And to top
things off, HP is going to be a
major player at Music Matters the company has
partnered up with Branded Ltd to offer its
expertise in high-quality audio to
Published by VR-Zone HP's vice
president for marketing in Asia Pacific and
Japan, Robin Seow, claimed that HP has always
been taking a strong interest into the music and
digital entertainment segments. "HP has a very
simple mission to connect with our
target audience out there. Music plays a
very important role in connecting to the
audiences. Two years ago, we started
a partnership that has resulted in the creation
of Beats Audio, a technology which delivers
studio-quality sound for users to enjoy music the
way songwriters and composers intend it to be,"
he said. SeowalsoclaimedthatMusicMattersLIVEWithHP
eventwill be a very meaningful platform where
talents from all over the world can utilize HP's
technology and create music for others to enjoy.
To that end, he cited success stories such as
Alicia Keys and JJ Lin, both of whom are users of
HP's Beats Audio technology. Last but not
least, Universal Music Group
International's president for South East Asia,
Sandy Monterio, spoke about the importance of
talents familiarizing themselves with
the trends of digital entertainment that will be
touched upon in twocompanionevents,DigitalMattersa
ndMusicMatters(not to be confused with Music
Matters LIVE With HP).
aspiring talents and artists. "Ever
y change in the music industry was actually
pre-empted
(in Digital Matters and Music Matters). Universal
is surviving because we paid attention to these
changes. Those executives who didn't pay
attention...well, they are no longer in
the business," he quipped. The Music Matters LIVE
With HP music event is organised by Branded Ltd
and is slated to be held at various
venues all over Clarke Quay for three days,
starting from 26 May this year. Branded Ltd
has also confirmed that more than 40 bands will
be taking part in this year's Music Matters
LIVE 11
Mmusic lovers will probably be looking
forward to what is about to take place in
Singapore come 26 May this year, for Branded Ltd
has announced that Singapore will be
playing host to the popular Music Matters
LIVE with HP music industryeventthisyear.Inaddi
tiontothat,HPisalsohopping on board the event to
expand its Beats Audio technology to "bands and
music enthusiasts to pursue and achieve
their passion for music".
12
May 3rd, 2011 With HP, along with local talents
such as 53A, Jack Rai and Typewriter. Music
fans interested to know more about Music Matters
Live With HP can hit up the Music Matters home
page here. Logitech launched Ultimate Ears 100,
200 and 200vi earphones and headsets Source
http//vr-zone.com/articles/logitech-launched-ulti
mate- ears-100-200-and-200vi-earphones-and-headset
s/12028.html May 3rd, 2011 Logitech has
launched their new Ultimate Ears 100 and
200 earphones and headset that claim to
deliver secure noise- isolating fit with
distinctive patterns and colors for the
trendy users. The Ultimate Ears are available in
stores now. Today, Ultimate Ears, a
product unit of Logitech, has introduced
the Ultimate Ears 100 Noise-Isolating
earphones, the Ultimate Ears 200
Noise-Isolating earphones and
the UltimateEars200viNoise-Isolatingheadsetinfived
istinctive patterns and three colors.
Ultimate Ears 100 Noise-Isolating
Earphones Ultimate Ears latest earphones offer
24dBs of noise isolation, giving comfortable,
secure fit that helps block outside noise and
envelop you in sound. Plus, every set of Ultimate
Ears 100 Noise-Isolating Earphones comes with
four soft ear cushions from XXS to M to
guarantee a comfortable fit. Featuring artwork
from well-known graphic album artist Chuck
Anderson and images from established Rock
Star photographer Greg Watermann, the Ultimate
Ears 100 Noise- Isolating Earphones five new
genre-based styles allow you to express your
musical style. Ultimate Ears 200 Noise-Isolating
Earphones The Ultimate Ears 200 Noise-Isolating
Earphones deliver 26 dBs of noise isolation, so
you can really get in the zone. With five pairs
of soft silicone ear cushions, you wont have to
worry about getting the right fit. A durable,
sweat-resistant design
Published by VR-Zone keeps your earphones
looking and sounding good whether youreexercisi
ngorcommutingtowork.AndthenewUltimate Ears
earphones come with a carrying pouch that
easily fits into your pocket or your bag while
youre on the go. Plus, you can use your
earphones with your iPod, MP3 player or
any laptop with a 3.5 mm jack. To express your
personal style, the Ultimate Ears 200s are
available in purple, grey or blue.
Ultimate Ears 200vi Noise-Isolating Headset For
your iPhone or Blackberry, the new Ultimate Ears
200vi Noise-Isolating Headset offers an
integrated microphone and a 3.5 mm jack (volume
control functionality not available
with BlackBerry devices.) For iPhone users, the
on-cord controls let you switch seamlessly
between music and phone calls with the push of a
button, and give you the ability to pause
songs, adjust volume and take phone calls all
without taking your smartphone out of your
pocket. Pricing and Availability Thesuggestedretai
lpriceforallvariationsoftheUltimateEars 100
Noise-Isolating Earphones is S25. The suggested
retail price for the Ultimate Ears 200
Noise-Isolating headphones and Ultimate Ears
200vi Noise-Isolating Headset is S39 and S49
respectively. Samsung launches GALAXY S WiFi 4.0
and 5.0, and HMX-Q10 camcorder Source
http//vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-launches-galax
y-s-wifi-4.0- and-5.0-and-hmx-q10-camcorder/12027.
html May 3rd, 2011 Samsung Korea has
announced their new GALAXY S WiFi 4.0 and 5.0
smart players that offer users entertainment on
the move.Inaddition,thecompanyhasalsolaunchedthefu
llhigh definition HMX-Q10 camcorder, which is
retailing in stores now. Samsung today
launched GALAXY S WiFi 4.0 and
the GALAXY S WiFi 5.0. Featuring 4-
and 5-inch screen sizes respectively, both
can deliver the powerful application experiences
as the original GALAXY S. The two versions
give 12
13
May 3rd, 2011 users an unrivalled entertainment
experience through a clear display, a swift
1GHz processor and the Android 2.2
Froyo platform. The GALAXY S WiFi 4.0 will be
first available in Russia and will be gradually
rolled out in other countries. The GALAXY S WiFi
5.0 will be first available in Switzerland. The
GALAXY S WiFi 4.0 and 5.0 claim
to deliver rich smartphone experiences of the
GALAXY S smartphone. With video communications
via VoIP services and rich video and music
entertainment with multi-codec support, the
Samsung GALAXY S WiFi 4.0 and 5.0 will
keep users constantly entertained. Key
Features -DisplayThecleardisplaymakeswebsurfinga
ndmultimedia viewing a joy. Enjoy movies,
favourite TV shows, photos and web-browsing
anywhere. Samsungs latest mDNIe image engine
technology ensures that video and
images look stunning. - Android 2.2 Froyo
The GALAXY S WiFi 4.0 and 5.0 feature theAndroidop
eratingsystem,withpossibleupgradeoptionto 2.3
Gingerbread.
Published by VR-Zone - HD Video Images A
camera lets you shoot and share your life,
capturing high-quality video or still images. The
Samsung GALAXY S WiFi 4.0 and 5.0 support DivX
HD, allowing high- definitionvideoplaybackSupport
forvariouscodecstandards including MPEG4, H264,
DivX, XviD, WMV codecs ensures youcanenjoyhugecata
loguesofcontentfromallovertheweb. - Audio
excellence The Samsung GALAXY S WiFi 4.0
and 5.0 Smart Player put entertainment at its
core, designed to deliver the best possible audio
and video experience. Samsung SoundAlive
technology provides unrivalled sound
quality, with deeper bass and greater tone
articulation. - Enhanced Memory Capability
Packed with generous 8/16 GB memory, plus mircoSD
slot and powered by a powerful 1GHz for an
industry leading performance, the GALAXY
S WiFi 4.0 and 5.0 are equipped to handle any
user demand. Sony hit by hackers again Source
http//vr-zone.com/articles/sony-hit-by-hackers-ag
ain/12025.html
May 3rd, 2011 -ApplicationCustomizationWithacc
esstoover150,000apps available on Android Market,
the Samsung GALAXY S WiFi 4.0 and 5.0 are fully
customizable smart devices. Integrated
GPS support further expands the capabilities
of the device, letting you benefit from
Googles map services and directory applications.
In addition to the theft of over 70 million
account details from Sony's PlayStation Network
and Qriocity services, hackers have also
stolen the personal information and credit
card
details of users from another Sony network. Read
On. -GoogleMobileServicesEnjoypremiumGoogleserv
icessuch as Gmail, Google Talk and YouTube.
Utilize voice recognition technology to search
with Google faster than ever on
the Internet. - Samsung Social Hub
Your entire social life in your hand.
Simultaneously post messages and pictures on
Flickr, Facebook, and Twitter using Samsungs
Social Hub. The integrated address book
provides the ultimate command
controlstationforthemostpopularSNSservices.Synchro
nize your personal calendar with friends,
family, and the latest events. - VoIP Voice
Video Calls The GALAXY S WiFi 4.0 and
5.0 utilizecost-effectivevideoandvoicecommunicatio
nsservices. TheQikapplicationallowsvideochatwhichc
anbesharedover social network services.
WhileSonyisstillrecoveringfromthefalloutofitsPlays
tation network and Qriocity services being
compromised, there is more bad news. Sony has
just announced that hackers may have stolen the
personal information of 24.6 million
Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) users. Sources
claim that 12,700 creditcarddetailswerestoleninthi
sattack.AllofSonyOnline Entertainment's games
services have been taken offline. An advisory
on the SOE website has stated that the
stolen credit card information are from an
oudated 2007 database. 13
14
May 3rd, 2011
Published by VR-Zone
The notice assures consumers that the main
database has not been compromised. Sony Online
Entertainment is best known for its
MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role
Playing Games) such as Everquest, Everquest II
and DC universe online. Unfortunately, little
else about Ice Cream Sandwich has been
revealed save for the information that had
been previously announced months ago that Ice
Cream Sandwich will feature the 'best of both
worlds' by incorporating elements of
both GingerbreadandHoneycomb.Also,wordhasitthatIce
Cream Sandwich will be the first version of
Android that is designed to work well with both
smartphones and tablets with larger displays, but
we shall wait for the final build to be
released before making any judgements. That being
said, we cannot help but feel the need to satisfy
a certain craving for ice cream right now... The
Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 2 May 2011 Source
http//vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news
-summary--2- may-2011/12016.html May 3rd, 2011
It is official Honeycomb's successor will be
known as Ice Cream Sandwich Source
http//vr-zone.com/articles/it-is-official-honeyco
mb-s-successor- will-be-known-as-ice-cream-sandwic
h/12026.html May 3rd, 2011 We have danced
around the issue for quite some time, but nothing
beats having the official word (or endorsement)
to confirm (or deny) what we have already
suspected. As it
turns out, Google has unintentionally confirmed
that the next Android release will go by the name
of Ice Cream Sandwich after sending off an email
about various bugfixes in the Linux- based
operating system for smartphones and
tablets. In today's news roundup AMD has
lanched a new embedded MCM video card, the
AMD Radeon E6760, which is reportedly
derived from the company's mobile 6700M
series GPUs GIGABYTE has introduced yet
another factory- overclocked version of the
Radeon HD 6970 graphics card, the
GV-R697OC2-2GD, otherwise known as the HD
6970 WindForce-3X OC2 Research In Motion (RIM)
has officially unveiled its latest addition to
the BlackBerry line of corporate- centric
smartphones, the BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930
Nokia has announced that its flagship
Symbian smartphone, the Nokia N8, will soon
be made available in a pink version and
is said to come bundled with the 'Anna' upgrade
for the operating system pre-installed Sony is
taking steps to resume its PlayStation Network
services after it has been taken offline due to
security compromises, and GameSpy talks
about its
IthaslongbeenspeculatedthatthefirstversionoftheAnd
roid operating system to be released after
Honeycomb will be named after the ice-cold
dessert that many people from all over the world
know and love, and for good reason. After
all, hints about an ice cream-based release have
been dropped by various developers working on the
operating system, and ice cream does start with
the letter 'I'. Which, as we all know,
is directly after that of Honeycomb's 'H'. And as
it turns out, it seems that the speculations were
correct after all, for an internal email
sent by Android developer Romain Guv has
essentially confirmed what everybody
had beensuspectingallthiswhilethatthenextversiono
fAndroid will indeed be known as Ice Cream
Sandwich.
experience with two classes in the upcoming Star
Wars The Old Republic MMORPG - the Bounty Hunter
and the Imperial Agent. Hardware news MSI GeForce
GTX 560 Ti HAWK Video Card Review DescriptionAsmu
chasIlovetherecentlylookedatLightning cards from
MSI, their high price tag continues to let us
know that they're not for everybody. This is
ultimately where the HAWK series comes in to the
picture. Essentially the HAWK series is very
similar to that of the Lightning when it comes
to what MSI want to achieve, but instead of
aiming for the fastest card overall like they do
with the Lightning, they aim for the fastest at
the easier to swallow mid-range price
point. Intel Core i7 990 X Review _at_ ocaholic 14
15
May 3rd, 2011 DescriptionWiththeCorei7990XIntelha
sanewflagshipin its portfolio. Therefore they
decided to increase the multiplyer by one step
which results in a clock speed of 3.46 GHz.
Thanks to this CPUs six cores and twelve threads
one can expect it to get the performance
crown. DIY Guides How To Install/Remove Intel
Socket 1366 CPU _at_ PCSTATS Description PCSTATS
receives a good deal of questions from readers
who don't know how to install an Intel Core i7
CPU into a fresh motherboard, or upgrade a socket
1366 processor to a faster model. We thought we'd
run off a quick DIY Guide illustrating the
procedure for installing a socket 1366 CPU
for the benefit of our readers. Xigmatek Loki
SD963 Heatsink Review _at_ Frostytech.com Description
On the test bench today is Xigmatek's
mid- compact Loki SD963 heatsink. The
Xigmatek Loki SD963 stands 134mm tall, weighs
430 grams, comes equipped with a 92mm fan mounted
on rubber vibration absorbing fan posts and will
support a second 92mm fan if desired (not
included). OverthenextfewpagesFrostytechwilltellyo
uiftheXigmatek Loki SD963 heatsink is worth its
weight in aluminum, or junk for the recycling
bin. Let's begin. Enermax Hoplite Midi Tower PC
Case Review _at_ Real World Labs Description With
an impressive range of features, high
build quality and a very tempting price tag the
latest Hoplite midi tower by Enermax is proof
enough that they've got what it takes to
also dominate the PC Case market. AMD Launches
Radeon E6760 The Next Embedded
Radeon DescriptionLatelywevebeenworkingonexpandi
ngourGPU coverage to include more GPUs that
aren't directly sold to consumers discretely
or as part of a package. Up until now weve
mostly focused on 4 classes of GPUs Desktop,
Mobile/ IGP, High Performance Computing (HPC),
and weve spent some time dabbling with System on
a Chip (SoC) GPUs for smartphones/tablets/netbooks
.Thisrangeofproductsmostly covers the different
GPUs seen in consumer products and in commercial
supercomputing, but there is still a large gap
in there for non-consumer business uses. This is
the embedded market, and today were
expanding our GPU coverage to include those
GPUs. Elpida drops some 30nm DDR3
info Description Elpida just announced that
their 30nm DRAM process is ramping up, and the
release has a bunch of goodies buried in it. 30nm
production has been in process for a while now,
but the details have not been widely
dispersed. Gigabyte Intros Faster HD 6970 OC2
WindForce3X Graphics Card Description
Gigabyte rolled out its second
factory- overclocked custom-design Radeon HD
6970 graphics card model, the GV-R697OC2-2GD,
or the Gigabyte HD 6970 WindForce-3X OC2.
The card makes use of the same exact Ultra
Durable VGA PCB used on the GV-R697OC-2GD,
as well as the WindForce-3X cooler, but comes
with higher clock speeds of 920 MHz core and 1375
MHz (5.50 GHz GDDR5 effective) memory compared
to 900/1375 (5500) MHz on the GV-R697OC-2GD, and
880/1375 (5500). In all three cases, Gigabyte
didn't tinker with memory clock speeds.
Published by VR-Zone Consumer Electronics and
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refresh its line of iMac all- in-one
computers, adding the latest Intel Core i5/i7
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eSPORTS Shock Spin Gaming Headset Review _at_Hi Tech
Legion Description Thermaltake has a new
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the Tt eSPORTS Shock Spin
gaming headset. The Shock Spin puts a bit of
style in the mundane headset market. Amongst
the Shock Spin's looks are some good
features as well. Driving the sound are two
neodymium magnet speakers for enhanced
performance. There is an optional in line
volume controller. Instead of an
attached mic on the Shock Spin, it is included
separately. For comfort there is an auto
adjusting rubber head strap and ergonomic shaped
velvet ear cushions. The input is a 3.5mm
connector which means it can be used with
compatible devices as well as the computer.
Thermaltake offers 3 colors Shining
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Racing Wheel Review _at_ Real World
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automating specific actions taken on the
computer down to one simple click. They can
also potentially hide damaging code, so a
good understanding of what they are, how they
work, and how to create your own, is crucial to
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officially unveiled Description RIM has
officially unveiled the latest addition to their
lineup of BlackBerry Bold phones. Called the
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finally make the transition to a touchscreen
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keyboard lovers, dont worry, RIM hasnt gotten
rid of them, the Bold 9900/9930 will still have
one and this time RIM claims its their best
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