Tech News March 2007

FreshBooks.com
PC World :: Thu, 1 Mar 2007 09:00:00 UTC
This easy-to-use Web-based service handles small-business invoicing but lacks complete accounting features.

   

Shure SE210
PC World :: Thu, 1 Mar 2007 09:00:00 UTC
Rich audio makes Shure’s latest sound-isolating earbuds the perfect accompaniment to your music player, but they’re pricey.

   

Microsoft Expression Web
PC World :: Wed, 28 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
With its focus on CSS, XML, and other Web standards, this app lets you create modern, data-driven sites–but it presents a difficult learning curve.

   

Nokia 5300 XpressMusic Phone
PC World :: Wed, 28 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
This handset offers excellent music playback features, and works well as a phone, too.

   

The Right Operating System for You
PC World :: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
Vista or XP? Windows, Mac, or Linux? How about all of the above? With improved virtualization technology, you might not have to settle for just one OS.

   

Desktop Operating Systems
PC World :: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
Multi-OS options like dual booting and virtualization software have made it easier than ever to use whichever OS is best suited to the task you need to perform. Here’s our take on the strengths and weaknesses of the major contenders.

   

First Look: New Ways to Watch Movies on Your PC
PC World :: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
Netflix streaming-movie service is free for subscribers but limited in selection; with Wal-Mart’s beta service, some playback problems mar the experience.

   

Motherboards: Power at the Right Price
PC World :: Mon, 26 Feb 2007 23:00:00 UTC
If you want the newest CPU, graphics, and storage technologies, you need a motherboard that can support them all. Our lab tests reveal great boards that won’t break the bank.

   

Top Motherboards
PC World :: Mon, 26 Feb 2007 23:00:00 UTC
Performance within each group varied only slightly, so components and connections should guide your buying decision.

   

Magellan CrossoverGPS
PC World :: Mon, 26 Feb 2007 23:00:00 UTC
This rugged navigator is great for use in vehicles, but it’s too bulky for pedestrians.

   

Fast and Versatile Scanners for the Office
PC World :: Fri, 23 Feb 2007 22:00:00 UTC
Page scanners can help any business process documents quickly. We review the latest models.

   

Top Document Scanners
PC World :: Fri, 23 Feb 2007 22:00:00 UTC
Fujitsu’s sturdy ScanSnap s500, which delivers high image quality, takes the number one slot.

   

The Web Works Wonders for Tax Filing
PC World :: Fri, 23 Feb 2007 21:00:00 UTC
These five Internet-based tax-preparation services vary in their prices and features–and usefulness.

   

Nokia N800 Internet Tablet
PC World :: Fri, 23 Feb 2007 19:00:00 UTC
This device sports a beautiful display, but it lacks the basic PDA and office apps you’d find on a smart phone.

   

New LCDs Show Sharp Text and Bright Graphics
PC World :: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 18:00:00 UTC
A half-dozen newcomers find places on our 19-inch LCD monitors chart.

   

Big-Screen Fujitsu, Stylish Sony Make Chart
PC World :: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
All five laptops we tested for this month’s chart are ready to be upgraded to Windows Vista.

   

TaxBrain
PC World :: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
This high-priced service does little more than fill out IRS forms.

   

CompleteTax
PC World :: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
CompleteTax gets the job done at a midrange cost, but its weak interface makes it less appealing than the comparably priced competition.

   

Better Portrait Photos
PC World :: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
Face-recognition technology in Fujifilm’s FinePix F31fd digital camera promises improved shots.

   

TurboTax Online Premier Investments
PC World :: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
Our hands-down favorite among online tax services is loaded with helpful features that justify its premium price.

   

TaxCut Online Premium
PC World :: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
TaxCut is a good option for those who aren’t ready to pay TurboTax prices–but it falls down in offering guidance for some special situations.

   

TaxAct Ultimate
PC World :: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
This respectable product comes at a great price, especially for simpler returns–but the interface makes it a bit too easy to skip important deductions.

   

Your Not-So-Free Phone
PC World :: Wed, 21 Feb 2007 23:00:00 UTC
The cost of replacement batteries is a significant factor in the total amount that you’ll pay for your cell phone.

   

Processor vs. Memory
PC World :: Wed, 21 Feb 2007 23:00:00 UTC
Our expert explains why RAM is more important than CPU speed for a buyer on a budget.

   

Nikon D40 DSLR
PC World :: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 22:00:00 UTC
A few years ago, US$1,000 was a critical price barrier for digital SLRs. Though no DSLR camera has reached that goal yet, Nikon’s new D40 comes close.

   

Palm Treo 750
PC World :: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 19:00:00 UTC
Windows Mobile-based cell phone offers an appealing design and an impressive array of software, but its talk-time battery life is poor.

   

LaCie 319
PC World :: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 00:00:00 UTC
Extremely expensive LCD doesn’t deliver much for the price.

   

Eizo FlexScan S1921
PC World :: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 19:00:00 UTC
Pricey 19-inch display delivers great image quality.

   

Fujitsu ScanSnap s500
PC World :: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
Fujitsu’s compact, easy-to-use ScanSnap s500 delivers sharp, colorful scans quickly.

   

Microtek ArtixScanDI 2020
PC World :: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
This versatile flatbed scanner is fast and offers a high-capacity document feeder, but it doesn’t create searchable PDF files.

   

Epson GT-2500
PC World :: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
Epson’s flatbed scanner processes pages quickly, but its bundled software falls short–and at 22 pounds, it’s no lightweight.

   

Kodak i1210
PC World :: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
Kodak’s pricey i1210 scanner turns out fine-quality images, but it’s poky and it doesn’t scan two-sided pages.

   

Canon DR-2050C
PC World :: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
The DR-2050C’s strong image quality is offset by its slow performance and premium price.

   

Xerox DocuMate 152
PC World :: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
This sheet-fed scanner speeds through color pages but hits the brakes on text documents.

   

HP Scanjet N6010
PC World :: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
HP’s uniquely designed scanner zips through text documents but drags on color pages.

   

Plustek SmartOffice PS252
PC World :: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
This ultracompact and low-priced scanner turns out good-looking images at a fast pace.

   

Asus PG191
PC World :: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 00:00:00 UTC
Gaming-oriented 19-incher comes loaded with extras.

   

Samsung SyncMaster 971p
PC World :: Sun, 18 Feb 2007 20:00:00 UTC
The SyncMaster 971p sits on a uniquely shaped stand.

   

ViewSonic VG930m
PC World :: Sun, 18 Feb 2007 17:00:00 UTC
The VG930m shows better text than graphics.

   

Dell UltraSharp 1907FP
PC World :: Sun, 18 Feb 2007 01:00:00 UTC
Dell 19-incher shows razor sharp text.

   

HP LP1965
PC World :: Sat, 17 Feb 2007 22:00:00 UTC
With strong image quality and a pleasant design, the HP LP1965 is a fine 19-inch monitor for home or office use.

   

Acer Ferrari 5005WLMi
PC World :: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
This racing-themed laptop has modern features and design tweaks that improve on previous models.

   

Gateway M255-E
PC World :: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
Upgraded business laptop performs better, has tight security.

   

Fujitsu LifeBook A6010
PC World :: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
This full-featured mainstream laptop is short on battery life.

   

NetSuite Beefs Up E-Commerce Services
PC World :: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 08:00:00 UTC
Version 11 adds multichannel and international features to its small-business e-commerce portfolio.

   

Fujitsu LifeBook N6420
PC World :: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 19:00:00 UTC
This hefty laptop has a beautiful screen but poor battery life.

   

Sony VAIO VGN-N170G
PC World :: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 19:00:00 UTC
This reasonably priced and stylish laptop has a few drawbacks, but it works for mainstream computing.

   

Great Graphics for Free
PC World :: Wed, 14 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
These four free programs can help you wrangle your digital media.

   

Top 10 Point-and-Shoot Cameras
PC World :: Tue, 13 Feb 2007 00:00:00 UTC
Easy to use, point-and-shoot cameras are a great choice for the casual photographer. Ratings and rankings can change due to pricing and technology changes, so check back frequently for the latest info.

   

Top 5 32-Inch LCD HDTVs
PC World :: Tue, 13 Feb 2007 00:00:00 UTC
These are the top LCD TVs today, but ratings and rankings can change quickly due to pricing and technology changes, so check back frequently for the latest info.

   

Top 10 Cell Phones
PC World :: Tue, 13 Feb 2007 00:00:00 UTC
These are the best standard cell phones today, but ratings and rankings can change quickly due to pricing and technology changes, so check back frequently for the latest info.

   

Top 5 Internal DVD Drives
PC World :: Tue, 13 Feb 2007 00:00:00 UTC
These are the top DVD burners today, but ratings and rankings can change quickly due to pricing and technology changes, so check back frequently for the latest info.

   

Top 10 Cell Phone-PDAs
PC World :: Tue, 13 Feb 2007 00:00:00 UTC
These are the top cell phone-PDAs today, but ratings and rankings can change quickly due to pricing and technology changes, so check back frequently for the latest info.

   

Top 5 Power Laptops
PC World :: Mon, 12 Feb 2007 22:00:00 UTC
These laptops are on the heavy side, but they’re ideal replacements for desktop PCs. Ratings and rankings can change due to pricing and technology changes so check back frequently for the latest info.

   

Top 5 Ultraportable Laptops
PC World :: Mon, 12 Feb 2007 22:00:00 UTC
Ideal for the mobile professional, these notebooks stand out for their low weight and small footprint. Ratings and rankings can change due to pricing and technology changes, so check back frequently for the latest info.

   

Top 5 All-Purpose Laptops
PC World :: Mon, 12 Feb 2007 21:00:00 UTC
These laptops can do it all and are a great choice for most notebook users. Ratings and rankings can change due to pricing and technology changes, so check back frequently for the latest info.

   

Top 10 19-Inch LCD Monitors
PC World :: Mon, 12 Feb 2007 21:00:00 UTC
These 19-inch monitors are today’s best of breed. Roomy and fast, they’ll help you become more productive. Ratings and rankings can change due to pricing and technology changes, so check back frequently for the latest info.

   

The Top 15 Wackiest USB Devices
PC World :: Fri, 9 Feb 2007 19:00:00 UTC
Unplug that printer, and put down that mouse: Use your precious USB ports to connect one of these weird and wonderful peripherals.

   

Fabrik Myfabrik
PC World :: Fri, 9 Feb 2007 01:00:00 UTC
Online media storage makes sharing content easy, though its stylish, minimalist interface hides some features.

   

Adobe Photoshop CS3
PC World :: Fri, 9 Feb 2007 01:00:00 UTC
The company’s high-end image editor gets new tools–of course–but the interface enhancements are even better.

   

Review Blast From The Past: Silverstone SUGO SG01 SFF Case
ThinkComputers :: Fri, 09 Mar 2007 13:48:00 EST

Biostar VIA K8M800 Motherboard with Athlon 64 3000+ CPU Combo Review
ThinkComputers :: Thur, 08 Mar 2007 00:15:00 EST

NZXT Duet PC Case
ThinkComputers :: Wed, 7 Feb 2007 22:09:00 EST

How to Upgrade Your CPU
Hardware Secrets :: Fri, 09 Mar 2007 12:33:00 -0300
A series of tables showing which processors you can install on your system without replacing your current motherboard.

All Athlon 64 Models
Hardware Secrets :: Fri, 09 Mar 2007 08:32:00 -0300
A series of quick reference tables containing the main specs of all Athlon 64, Athlon 64 FX and Athlon 64 X2 models released to date. Updated to include new Athlon 64 and Athlon 64 X2 models.

Whats New on Windows Vista For Hardware Enthusiasts
Hardware Secrets :: Wed, 28 Feb 2007 08:30:00 -0300
A complete description of all new hardware-related features found on Windows Vista.

How to Enable Processor-Based Security
Hardware Secrets :: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 11:03:00 -0300
Learn how to correctly enable NX/EVP/XD/DEP technology on your PC, allowing the CPU to detect malicious code and block it automatically.

How To Make P2P Programs to Work on Networks Using a Broadband Router
Hardware Secrets :: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 18:00:00 -0200
Learn how to configure your broadband router to enable P2P file sharing programs to work on your network.

ECS KN3 SLI2 Extreme Motherboard Review
Hardware Secrets :: Wed, 14 Feb 2007 16:00:00 -0200
Our review of ECS KN3 SLI2 Extreme, a cheap high-end motherboard for socket AM2 AMD processors based on nForce 590 SLI chipset.

How to Build a Wireless Network Using a Broadband Router
Hardware Secrets :: Thu, 08 Feb 2007 16:42:00 -0200
A complete guide on how to build your own wireless network using a wireless broadband router.

How To Increase Your Internet Speed on Windows XP Professional
Hardware Secrets :: Fri, 02 Feb 2007 15:25:00 -0200
You can make a simple configuration on Windows XP Professional that increases the speed of your Internet connection. Check it out!

Five New Quizes Test Your Skills Section
Hardware Secrets :: Thu, 01 Feb 2007 22:03:11 -0200
In the past few days we added five new quizes to our Test Your Skills section:

Basic Electronics – Diodes Basic Electronics – Transistors Networking Hardware – Part 1 OSI Model For Networking…

Details on Intels Forthcoming 45 nm Manufacturing Technology
Hardware Secrets :: Mon, 29 Jan 2007 12:04:00 -0200
An overview of Intel’s 45 nm manufacturing technology and Penryn core.

AMD Quad FX Platform
Hardware Secrets :: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 20:49:00 -0200
Everything you need to know about AMD’s new “four-core” Quad FX platform.

Fractured Cuboid
Hardware Secrets :: Sat, 20 Jan 2007 11:47:00 -0200
I always saw people that twisted their ankles and had to put a cast on as sissies. Until it happened to me: I twisted my ankle, header a “crack” noise and boom, I fractured my Cuboid bone….

Young Year YP-AB Transparent Power Supply
Hardware Secrets :: Mon, 15 Jan 2007 21:20:00 -0200
We took an in-depth look on a transparent power supply manufactured by Young Year and also sold under other brands, like Aspire/Apevia and Levicom and found out that inside it is a trashy low-end “generic” unit.

Mushkin Enhanced HP-580AP PSU with Rail Fusion
Tweak Town :: Fri, 09 Feb 2007 05:00:00 +0800
On the market for a power supply? We check out the quite capable Enhanced HP-580AP PSU with Rail Fusion from Mushkin.

Patriot Extreme Performance DDR2 2GB (2 x 1GB) PC2-8500 RAM Review
Overclockers Club :: Thu, 08 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Intel Core2 Q6600 CPU Review
Overclockers Club :: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0800

PMA 07 Initial Impressions
Techgage :: Friday, March 09, 2007
PMA is just getting underway, but there are a slew of products that have already been announced. I am taking a look at the first eight to really catch my attention including the Nikon D40x, Canon Mark III, Olympus E-510, Lenbabies Creative Aperture kit and more.

 

OCZ 2GB Flex XLC PC2-9200
Techgage :: Friday, March 09, 2007
OCZ is on the top of their game, which is evident just by taking a look at their recent inventory. I will be taking a look at their latest high-end kit today, which utilize the new water-cooling capable heat spreaders.

 

Cooler Master X-Craft 350 HD Enclosure
Techgage :: Friday, March 09, 2007
In the world of external hard drives, eSATA is the clear way to go. With both USB and eSATA on the Cooler Master X-Craft 350, it is positioned with plenty of bells and whistles to entice you to buy it. But is it worth it?

 

Antec Nine Hundred
Techgage :: Friday, March 09, 2007
Antec has launched a gamers case that they tout as being the “most versatile ever”. It also takes on a huge task of keeping your components cool with it’s 200mm fan. We are taking a thorough tour of the case to see if it’s worth your time.

 

Identification out of this World
PC Mechanic :: Friday, March 09, 2007
Kram revisits the topic of RFID tags as NASA takes an interest in the technology

HP TouchSmart IQ770 PC Review
Digital Trends :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
All-in-one systems are nothing new; Sony, Apple, Gateway and even Dell all have systems that integrate the monitor and PC. But with exception to Apple’s iMac, none of these systems have been particularly hot sellers. Maybe they were ahead of their time, or simply not powerful enough to be taken serious enough, after all who wants to spend money on a system that cannot last the test of time? With the wave of digital convergence upon us, it only makes sense that a home PC should leave the office and enter the family room where it can truly be used by everyone – it just has to look stylish enough to be show off. Enter the HP TouchSmart IQ770 PC, a truly powerful all-in-one entertainment system featuring an attractive touch screen display.” 

abit IN9 32X-MAX Wi-Fi Motherboard – Hype Handler?
Tweak Town :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
“Today we are going to put their latest board, the IN9 32X-MAX Wi-Fi, based on the still newish nForce 680i chipset designed to take Core 2 platform to the next level, can it handle this or will it fizzle out under pressure? When we first had a chance to preview this board back a few months ago, we were very excited about the possibilities with claims that the board could reach around 550MHz FSB under the right conditions but now that we have a retail sample in our labs for testing, does it stand up to the hype?

It comes with some extra features such as the AirPace Wi-Fi 802.11g wireless kit and revised digital power management but how does it stack up when we overclock?”

SilverStone OP1000 Olympia 1,000w PSU Review
OCIA :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
“First, the OP1000 features a single +12v rail that is rated at 80A (88A peak). What does this mean exactly? Many other high end power supplies feature multiple (usually 2-4) +12v rails which average 20A per rail. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, it does mean that you will need to make use of multiple rails, as to not overload a single rail. With the OP1000, you can make all of the necessary +12v connections during install without worrying about balancing the load across multiple rails.”

Antec TruePower Trio 650 Watt Power Supply Review
Futurelooks :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Antec has been making some very stable and high quality power supplies for quite some time. This is in addition to their excellent computer case line up. Today, we check out their one of their newest power supplies, the TruePower Trio 650 to see if more power and three 12 volt rails makes a difference.

XClio StablePower 850 Watt Power Supply Review
Tweaknews :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
“During my battery of tests, Xclio’s Stablepower 850W PSU lived up to its name. They could also legitimately call it the “Silentpower,” as it performed its duties without a whisper of noise. (That name is already taken, but I couldn’t help myself.) The Stablepower 850W has both stability and silence, as well as features like active PFC, 80% efficiency and a two-year warranty.”

Avanquest Web Easy Professional 6 Review
Overclockers Club :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
“With today’s billions and billions of web pages, it’s almost imperative for creators to have easy-to-use website building software. Perhaps the most well known web site creation software on the market is Macromedia Dreamweaver. For most, $400 it isn’t too cost-effective. But now, VCOM has introduced their “Web Easy Professional 6” which has been quoted to be easier to use than Dreamweaver. Could a product one-eighth the price of Dreamweaver be an easier and more efficient way to produce high-quality web sites? Let’s take a look!”

Abit IN9 32x MAX WIFi (Nvidia 680i) Mobo Review
Xtreme Computing :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
“The MicroSD and the adaptors come in one plastic shock proof case, it would not withstand a heavy crush but it is good enough to avoid damage if dropped, or in the microSD thought loss… (Editors note: lol them microSD cards are very small, I lost one when it pinged out of my phone, I am sure Samsung put a pump action spring in the slot)”

Fedora v. Ubuntu: A Performance Look
Phoronix :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
“We have compared the 32-bit and 64-bit performance of Ubuntu and started a performance comparison of Ubuntu/Kubuntu/Xubuntu, but how does the performance of the upcoming Feisty Fawn release compare to that of Fedora 7? In this article we have enclosed benchmarks from Fedora Core 6, Ubuntu 6.10 Edgy Eft, Fedora 7 Test 2, and Ubuntu Feisty Fawn Herd 5. In gaming and desktop benchmarks, which of these Linux distributions is faster? We hope to answer that question today.”

Xclio A380 Super Tower Case Review
Big Bruin :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
The Xclio A380 case is an excellent choice for anyone who likes to show off their machine to their buddies while knowing they have a superior case. To my knowledge, this is one of very few cases that has dual 25CM fans, and has to be about the baddest looking of the bunch. On top of that, it keeps your hardware cool and a maintains a fairly low noise level.

BFG 8800GTS OC and XFX 8800GTS XXX
Driver Heaven :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
The 8800GTS 320Mb is a popular product amongst Nvidia’s partners and as a result there is a hugely varied range of cards currently available which differ greatly in specification, all trying to attract customers in what is a very lucrative segment of the graphics card market. Two manufacturers known for making variants of Nvidia cards which exceed reference specifications are BFG and XFX. Today we have a card from each manufacturer, both of these feature enhanced clock speeds, let’s see if these are good value to the end user.

Corsair Nautilus GPU Water Blocks Review 
Virtual Hideout :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
“The Nautilus helped achieve and maintain the test video card’s highest most stable overclock by keeping the GPU and video memory down to a 46 C temperature without any noise. Performance like this is synonymous with Corsair. If you find yourself requiring this particular change of pace, then the Corsair Nautilus SLI-VGA Water Blocks is a very easy choice.”

Corsair 2GB PC2-10000C5DF Dominator Memory Kit
Legit Reviews :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
“The performance of the Corsair TWIN2X2048-10000C5SDF 2GB DDR2-10000 Dominator Series was nothing less than impressive. Having the ability to run CAS 3 at 853MHz, CAS 4 at 1135MHz and CAS 5 at 1314MHz makes wide range of options for enthusiasts and just happen to be some of the best timings that we have ever seen at 2.4V. I can’t say enough good things about the overclocking of these modules…”

AMD Athlon64 X2 4800+ 65nm Processor Review
PC Stats :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
To further combat excessive power consumption, Intel redesigned its processor architecture completely. AMD on the other hand just tweaked its K8 architecture for more efficiency. The Socket AM2 Athlon64 X2 4800+ processor is one of AMD’s 65 nanometer parts, moving it onto a smaller manufacturing process has helped AMD cut power consumption rates to 65W. The Athlon64 X2 4800+ idles 13W less than the X2 5000+, and 20W lower than the single core Socket 939 Athlon64 4000+. It’s under load where we see the real power savings

Seagate 750GB Pushbutton Backup Review Posted 
Tech ARP :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
“If you are looking for an external backup drive that works right out of the box, the Seagate 750GB Pushbutton Backup drive might just be the thing for you.

This external backup solution from storage giant Seagate not only offers you an incredible capacity of 750GB, it also comes with all the accessories and software that you need to back up your data quickly and easily. ”

Again, Pertelian X2040 USB LCD reviewed 
Burnout PC :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
“Well I was quite satisfied with the Pertelian X2040. It’s an attractive alternative to a bay drive lcd like the ones Matrix orbital offer, and it’s a lot cheaper as well. Don’t expect too much of a character lcd because it’s not that fast nor will produce any fancy graphics. It gives you the information you might miss while your gaming and it is handy if you simply want to check the weather and bits and want the information fast. You simply press the hotkey and you can scroll through the menu’s of the lcd. You can even type on the lcd with your keyboard and have messages stored on the lcd. There is so much more you can do with this LCD, more than I can explain to you here! Overall it’s a very nice product, for a very attractive price. My suggestions to Foresight, make the software more interesting and advanced, and make a Pertelian with a blue background, because we all love blue lights :).”

NVIDIA 1.0-9755 Display Driver
Phoronix :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
“This morning NVIDIA released a new Linux display driver. While this driver was not the Linux 100.XX.XX driver that was expected, it was a minor update to append support for the new Quadro graphics cards. In addition, GeForce 8800 series SLI is now supported.”

Crucial Ballistix PC8000 DDR2 2gb Review
XS Reviews :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Crucial are well known for their extreme Ballistix range of memory kits. In the past XSR has reviewed their PC3200 and 6400 dual channel modules. Today we have the pinnacle of Crucial Ballistix memory kits, the PC8000. Like the DDR PC4000-4800 kits of old these modules promise stable overclocks but will they deliver?”

Lian Li C31 Case Review
XYZ Computing :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
One of the hottest segments in the PC enclosure market right now is the home theater case. Home theater PCs (HTPCs) are generally placed in desktop-style (horizontal) cases that are designed to be placed in a media cabinet, often stacked with other components. In many ways the HTPC enclosure is a subsection of the desktop enclosure and there is a lot of crossover between the two styles. This review will be featuring one of Lian Li’s new desktop cases, the PC-C31, or C31 for short. This aluminum case uses an extremely clean design in order to allow it to be placed right on your desktop or in at stock of AV equipment. This horizontal design is something that has largely fallen out of favor with consumers, except for with HTPCs, despite them being very useful under the right circumstances.

AVC-K1 Middle Tower ATX Case review
Metku Mods :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
“Last year we tested two HTPC-cases made by Zalman. They were both meant to be stacked with other AV-equipment. However Media PCs do not have to be horizontal and 43 cm wide, they can also be shaped like normal midi towers. If you want to describe a media PC, you most likely focus on the special features such as remote controller and VFD-display than the size and shape of the case. According to this, the case we’re about to test this time is definitely a Media PC.”

Super Talent DDR2-1000 PC2-8000 RAM Kit Review
RB Mods :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
With the release of more power-hungry applications like the new Vista operating system and faster processors, there’s no doubt that the need for faster memory modules is growing. Super Talent, a fairly new company to the memory scene, has sent us one of their DDR2 kits, a 2GB PC2-8000 kit, that promises maximum performance in stressing environments. Will it stand up to the competition? Read on to find out.

OCZ 2GB Flex XLC PC2-9200 Review
Techgage :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
OCZ is on the top of their game, which is evident just by taking a look at their recent inventory. I will be taking a look at their latest high-end kit today, which utilize the new water-cooling capable heat spreaders.

In Win F430 Case Review
Overclockers Online :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
The F430 is an excellent case, boasting a bright red finish, and stylish air ducts. The whole case feels very rigid with no creaks or rattles, and it is a very pleasant case to work with because of the drive bay railing as well as the folded edges. The installation is straight forward, and the manual is very clearly laid out. The cooling performance is excellent. The only thing that separates this case and the truly high end computer cases is the lack of a motherboard tray and more space for internal hard drives. All in all, the F430 can pertain to anyone who has a passion for racing, because every time they would push the “START ENGINE” button, they would feel a rush of excitement.

How To: Migrate Your Data from XP to Vista
Digital Trends :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Like many PC users, you’ve probably been looking at Windows Vista since its January release and wondering whether you want to take the jump and buy it. Assuming your computer can handle its demands, and your wallet or plastic can stretch to the price, it’s tempting. But there’s one vital question – can you easily migrate your data to Vista without spending days tearing out your hair? The answer, happily, is yes. ” 

Thermaltake Big Typhoon VX Review
Overclockers Club :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
“Imagine you are building the ultimate computer. For the ultimate processor, you will definitely need the ultimate cooling solution. Thermaltake has seemingly headed everyone’s plea for a big monster of a cooler with this Big Typhoon VX. Founded in 1999, Thermaltake may not have been around as long as some companies, but they have secured a major foothold in the computing world. Making cases, power sources, coolers and more recently with liquid cooling, as well as other computer-related items. Their presence in the computer world is second to none and this Big Typhoon VX is the biggest and ‘baddest’ air cooler that they produce at present. Coming from a company with this much background, this product is bound to be a solid performer. We are about to see if the Big Typhoon VX stands up to the Thermaltake name.” 

Asus Silent Square Pro CPU Cooler
Hard H2O :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
ASUS heatsinks have never been on the top, but airs seem to be changing for the Taiwanese company. With Silent Square pro, they have achived a powerful HSF which is not only silent, but also good looking and easy to mount. 

Antec 900 Advanced Gaming Case Review
TechWare Labs :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
“Along with creating some of the best power supplies and accessories in the computer industry, Antec’s name is perhaps best known for their stylish yet functional cases for computers. Some of their well known cases are the Sonata, the P160W known as the Anodized Aluminum Super Mid Tower , the Plus-View II and the Super LanBoy have maintained their edge in the high performance cases. Today we look at their latest powerhouse named the Antec 900.”

GMC Noblesse Muse K1 Chassis
Driver Heaven :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Home theater personal computers have faced an explosive growth during the past few years, at a faster rate than most other consumer electronics. The most common equipment for a modern living room is not a 32” plasma TV, a projector or a 1000W Hi-If system, but a computer to control everything. The introduction of media center computers has seen the return of the desktop case and now can include new technology such as wireless, dedicated home theater operating systems and remote controls to improve the whole experience. For the gamers amongst us sometimes smaller cases commonly used for theater PC’s do not cater for high end components or do not have room for expansion and so a larger chassis is required.

An answer to these problems comes from Korea and GMC, who released the first tower home theater case, the Muse K1. Loaded with more features than most desktop PC cases and able to house even the most powerful systems while remaining stylish enough to match other high-tech equipment, it arrives on the scene to cover the gap between a desktop HTPC case and enthusiast’s tower case. Many might think that GMC is a new company, but actually is one of the oldest case manufacturers in Korea, founded back in 1996. GMC specializes only in computer enclosures and power supply units, and their products lineup includes many fine desktop and tower cases. The Muse AVC-K1 was released only recently and is one of the best cases GMC has to offer.

Virtual Desktop Comparison
PC Mech :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Desktop LCD prices are constantly falling but not all of us want to buy new, larger monitors every year. Unfortunately 17″ screens can feel cramped and restricted, even more so on 15″ or smaller laptops for the power user with many applications running at once. If only there were an easier way to organize multi-tasking when desktop real estate is sparse. The solution is called “virtual desktops”. Linux users have had this feature for years but it never caught on strongly in Windows, despite its usefulness. So for this week’s Freeware Frenzy, I’ll be examining four virtual desktop applications to see which is the best option for increasing productivity.

The Internet Age Generation
PC Mech :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Google. Facebook. Second Life. YouTube. MySpace.That is small sample of the vast number of popular Internet resources/sites today. Beyond being immensely popular and being listed as among the most visited websites, what do those services have in common? I couldn’t string together a similarity until after looking through Time Magazine’s Person of the Year article featured a few months ago.

JetArt HDD Guard Cooler
Dragonsteel Mods :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
” When people talk about cooling their systems, the first thing that pops up is the CPU, and then the video card would be mentioned next. Most people never think of cooling a hard drive, that is one of the components that is often forgot about in the cooling loop. You have to wonder why though, it is probably the most important part of the system, after all the hard drive is where all your data is stored, if that goes then you loose everything. Today for review I have the JetArt HDD Guard, it is a hard drive cooler that really works, and it works silently, so read on to learn more about this great product… ” 

Determinance – Mode7 Games (PC)
Overclock 3d :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Do you often get the urge to wave your sword around in a public place? If so, then Determinance – a budget sword-fighting action game, may well be what you’ve been waiting for. 

Antec Earthwatts 500w and the Akasa Greenpower 500w Reviews 
XS Reviews :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
“Unless you subscribe to the theory of a second ice age, you’ll know that humans are slowly warming our planet up due to CO2 output. While computers – probably – play a small part in this global change, there is still an impact. Step in 80+ power supplies which promise above 80% efficiency throughout their output wattage range (20%, 50% and 100%). Today I have two such units, both rated @ 500w but from two different manufacturers.”

Vizo Luxon Advanced 3.5 inch HDD enclosure
TechPowerUp :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
The Vizo Luxon Advanced HDD enclosure is a very versatile case which gives the user complete choice what type of internal and external connection is used. The rounded corners and nice black, blue or silver exterior make this a great addition to your desktop and the performance of both USB 2.0 and eSATA is good no matter what drive is used.

System Information Tools
PC Mechanic :: Thu, 8 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Alaron takes a look at an array of system information tools

DIY Data-driven Web Applications
PC Mechanic :: Thu, 8 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Rahul introduces an easy way to set up data-driven websites

IO2 Technology Delivers Three Dimensional Displays
PC Mechanic :: Thu, 8 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Ryan takes a look at what may be the next step towards 3D holographic imagery

Virtual Desktop Comparison
PC Mechanic :: Fri, 2 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Alaron takes a look at four Virtual Desktop applications based on the Linux solution but not all end up being smooth and easy-to-use.

The Internet Age Generation You: Raising the Ego
PC Mechanic :: Fri, 2 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Kram takes a look at the you movement of promoting yourself on the internet and how it affects today’s youth.

Your Guide to DST Changes
PC Mechanic :: Fri, 2 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Rahul sheds light on the DST changes for various pieces of software and platforms.

RSS Roundup
PC Mechanic :: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Alaron makes a comparison between four free RSS readers

A New Wave of Computing
PC Mechanic :: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Ryan takes a look at D-Wave’s recent demonstration of their quantum computer and what it may mean for us.

Setting Up a Virtual PC
PC Mechanic :: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500
David takes a look at what a Virtual PC is what you can use if for and how to use it.

Kingston MicroSD card with adaptors Review
Xtreme COmputing :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
“The MicroSD and the adaptors come in one plastic shock proof case, it would not withstand a heavy crush but it is good enough to avoid damage if dropped, or in the microSD thought loss… (Editors note: lol them microSD cards are very small, I lost one when it pinged out of my phone, I am sure Samsung put a pump action spring in the slot)”

Antec Nine Hundred Gaming Case Review
Tech Gear :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
When you catch your first glimpse of the Antec Nine Hundred case, you are likely to notice the unusual ‘bulge’ at the top of the case. Mounted on the bulge, is a huge 200mm fan that is just part of the cooling system Antec have provided. You will also notice the two 120mm fans placed on the front of the case that act as coolers for the hard drive bays. They also have very bright blue LEDs which add to the ‘military’ look this case gives.

Mushkin 650 Watt Power Supply Review 
Overclockers Club :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
“Mushkin has long been known for its outstanding line of performance memory, as well as its entry level memory. It seems that Mushkin was not content with just the memory market and have since launched a line of power supply products. These are currently available in 550, 580, and 650 watt variants. Mushkin has provided us with their top dog 650Watt PSU to test. While a lot of people may not know the name of Mushkin, for us enthusiasts, Mushkin has always been a big name when looking for great performance at an even greater cost. These power supplies have been dubbed “Enhanced Power Supplies” and if they are anything like their Enhanced Memory, then these will be some killer units as well!” 

In Win Alpha 360 Computer Case Review 
Tweak News :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
“The In Win Alpha 360 mATX case has a lot going for it. Its unique styling features make it one of the best looking small cases on the market today. Innovative features throughout the chassis also make it one of the easiest mATX cases I’ve ever worked with. Liberal use of plastic allowed the In Win design team to do some very nice things with the 360 and one would have to say that the result is quite impressive, both in appearance and performance.”

Five desktop quad-core solutions compared
Tech Report :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
AS YOU MAY KNOW, we’ve already reviewed the top-end desktop quad-core processor rigs from Intel and AMD. We examined the Core 2 Extreme QX6700 upon its debut, and we covered AMD’s Quad FX platform even before it hit store shelves. What we found, in a nutshell, is that four processor cores is a wonderful thing to have, but only if you have some heavy multitasking to do or you happen to make extensive use of one of the few applications out there capable of taking full advantage of four cores simultaneously. But things have changed somewhat since our last dance with quad-core systems, and so we’re gathered here today to take another look.

Chief among the new developments is the availability of cheaper–err, less expensive–quad-core options like the Core 2 Quad Q6600 and Athlon 64 FX-70. Intel and AMD like to showcase their top performing chips in order to show off what they can do, but top-speed-grade processors are rarely the best values. What’s more, we’ve found that practically any top-speed-grade incarnation of a processor tends to be in a rough spot with respect to heat and power consumption. Lower speed grades promise higher performance per watt.

For instance, the basic power and heat rating, or TDP, of the Core 2 Extreme QX6700 is 130W. Although it’s the same technology and runs only 266MHz slower, the Core 2 Quad Q6600’s TDP is an Al Gore-approved 105W. Officially, the Athlon 64 FX-70’s thermal power rating is the same considerable 125W per chip (in a two-chip solution) as its bigger brother, the FX-74, but we had a hunch the 2.8GHz FX-70 wouldn’t be the same class of double-barreled blowtorch as the 3GHz FX-74. There is, of course, one way to find out: test ’em. And so that’s what we’ve done.

We’ve also recently made the transition to Windows Vista for our test platforms, a move that promises to take better advantage of these quad-core system architectures in various ways. Join us as we fire up our widely multithreaded suite of test applications, many of them 64-bit executables, to see which quad-core solution offers the best mix of price, performance, and energy efficiency.

The CoolIT Systems RAM Fan Review
Legit Reviews :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
‘When using the CoolIT RAM Fan the surface temperature on the modules were found to be drastically cooler. What was strange is the fact that the outside module was now the hottest, but that is due to the angle on the RAM Fan. The RAM Fan blows air across the modules, so the outside module gets the least amount of airflow and the inside modules get the most as they are right under the fan…’

Security Boot Camp Part 2 Posted 
Tech ARP :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
If you are always worrying about the security of your computer but do not know what to do about it, then this is the boot camp for you.

Join Empire23 as he goes through the simple ways of checking for malware and cleaning your PC of them. ”

Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn Herd 5
Phoronix :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
“The final Herd (alpha) release is now available from Ubuntu mirrors before the beta and release candidate versions of the upcoming 7.04 Feisty Fawn release. New in Ubuntu Feisty Fawn herd 5 is artwork improvements, X.Org 7.2, improved desktop effects support, and much more.”

Vizo Armada Tri-Fan Ram Cooler
Dragonsteel Mods :: 
Our friends at Vizo have sent us another new product for review, this one is a nice accessory for…

JetArt HDD Guard Cooler
Dragonsteel Mods :: 
When people talk about cooling their systems, the first thing that pops up is the CPU, and then the…

Vizo Luxon Advanced Hard Drive Enclosure
Dragonsteel Mods :: 
Portable hard disks are very popular, and they come in varying sizes, but they can be very expensive, and I’ve…

Titan EZ Sound Mini 2.1 Portable Speakers
Dragonsteel Mods :: 
Portable music mp3 devices are extremely popular these days, it seems everyone has one, everyone is plugged in and…

JetArt Nano Diamond Thermal Compound
Dragonsteel Mods :: 
They say Diamonds are a girls best friend, well that might be true but I think they may be…

Asus M2N32 WS Professional nForce 590 SLI Motherboard Review
PC Stats :: Monday, March 05, 2007
For business applications which demand SCSI configurations, or professional grade network cards, the Asus M2N32 WS Professional has two PCI-X slots located just below the blue PCI Express x16 slot. Each 3.3V 64 bit PCI -X slot operates at 66 MHz, which means each can support a theoretical maximum bandwidth of 250MB/s. This works out to the same as a PCI Express x1 connection, but obviously the list of supported PCI-X devices is much more substantial than PCI Express x1 devices at this point in time.

DDR2 Analysis: OCZ PC2-8500 Platinum 
Nordic Hardware :: Monday, March 05, 2007
Today we see DDR2 on all performance platforms, at the same time we’re seeing that DDR2 has started replacing DDR on the low end systems as well. We’ve earlier looked at the memory performance of AMD’s AM2 platform and now it’s time to examine the performance of its Intel counterpart.

It’s the end of the World (of Warcraft) as we know it!
Game Pyre :: Monday, March 05, 2007
OK, maybe not the whole world as we know it, but definitely the PC and gaming worlds. On Jan. 30, 2007, Microsoft launched Vista®, the latest iteration of the Windows® operating system. Windows Vista brought with it a host of new applications – like its Aero Glass feature, which creates translucent “glass” windows – that will make the PC experience more enjoyable for average computer users and gamers alike. 

Foxconn 320GTS GFX (8800 320mb GTS)
Driver Heaven :: Monday, March 05, 2007
Nvidia’s 8800GTX has been a great success since it was released and currently holds the high end performance crown while we wait for ATI to unleash their forthcoming DX10 card. That said, the 8800GTX is sold around the £375/$500 mark putting it clearly out of the price range of many enthusiast users. There is therefore a need to release a product which will appeal to a more widespread market – those users who want great speed and features but at a more affordable price. That is where today’s review product from Foxconn fits in. Retailing at £230/$300 with a feature set matching the higher priced GTS and GTX models, the Foxconn FV-N88SMCD2-ONOC or “8800GTS 320Mb Overclocked” looks, on paper, to be a very attractive purchase.

GIGABYTE 3D Galaxy II Liquid Cooling System Review
Virtual Hideout :: Monday, March 05, 2007
“WOW! That was a labor intensive install for sure, but wasn’t as difficult as the instruction manual made it seem. GIGABYTE didn’t leave a stone unturned on this kit: a lot of thought went into making this system upgradeable and user friendly.” 

Mushkin XP2-8500 DDR-2 memory kit
Hardware Overclock Austria :: Monday, March 05, 2007
Hardwareoverclock Austria has reviewed another high performance memories, this time the Mushkin 8500 DDR-2 kit with 1066 mhz. The most important things in this test were low Timings and the highest clock. 

Thermaltake Armor Case Review
Overclockers Club :: Monday, March 05, 2007
“Taking a look at the back of the case, the major thing that you will notice is that the power source mounts sideways, and there is fan housing with some hard drive racks mounted beside it. There is the standard motherboard I/O plate, as well as the expansion slot covers. Cooling for this case is facilitated via 120mm fans. There is one on the back, one on the top, and there is room for 2-3 on the front of the case depending on your configuration.” 

Cooler Master X-Craft 350 HD Enclosure Review
Techgage :: Monday, March 05, 2007
In the world of external hard drives, eSATA is the clear way to go. With both USB and eSATA on the Cooler Master X-Craft 350, it is positioned with plenty of bells and whistles to entice you to buy it. But is it worth it?

EPoX Optimus EP-AF590 SLI2 Motherboard
TweakTown :: Monday, March 05, 2007
“The highest offering from nVidia for AMD Athlon K8 is the nForce 590SLI boasting dual full-speed PCI Express x16 slots, advanced RAID features and overclocking that manages to score really high for the AMD platform. nVidia did announce the upcoming nForce 680a chipset and we are interested to see what that will bring but we have heard anything about motherboards based on this chipset as yet.

Today we are looking at the nForce 590SLI chipset in a motherboard from EPoX, one of the biggest AMD supporters since the K7 era. EPoX back in the day made some of the best overclocking motherboards that money could buy but recently fell off the horse a little recently but is it time for them to make a comeback with their fancy Optimus EP-AF590 SLI2 Motherboard?”

OCZ ProXStream 1kw OCZ1000PXS ATX PSU 
Overclock 3d :: Monday, March 05, 2007
Today I’ll be looking at OCZ’s first entry into the 1000w domain with their brand new ProXStream 1kw unit based around a standard ATX sized casing. Will it be any better than the other similarly sized 1kw units we’ve tested recently? Read on to find out. 

SIDUX 2007-01 Linux LiveCD
Phoronix :: Monday, March 05, 2007
“Three months of development has created SIDUX 2007-01, which is now available for download. New in this ex-KANOTIX developer release is a rewritten distribution framework, further efforts dealing with hardware support/detection, and lite and full editions of SIDUX. Check it out at Phoronix.”

ASUS M2A-VM Motherboard Review
techPowerUp :: Monday, March 05, 2007
The ASUS M2A-VM is ASUS’ first board using the new AMD RS690G chipset. It comes in the small MicroATX form factor and is all passively cooled. This makes the board an ideal candidate for a quiet Media PC system. The integrated VGA with DVI/Analog output has enough power to do video playback and play an occasional game.

Gigabyte GA-965P-DQ6 965P Express Motherboard Review 
PC Stats :: Monday, March 05, 2007
The Gigabyte GA-965P-DQ6 is a balanced motherboard that is capable of completing any task that you ask of it. Even though the motherboard has loads of integrated features like IEEE 1394a, plenty of Serial ATA II ports, Gigabit networking and 7.1 channel High Definition audio, you still have plenty of expansion opportunities. Three PCI Express x1 and two PCI slots certainly give the GA-965P-DQ6 a lot of options.

How to Build a Network Using a Cross-Over Cable
Hardware Secrets :: Monday, March 05, 2007
“You can build a small network between two computers using a very cheap networking cable, called cross-over cable. This can be a terrific solution if you are looking for an inexpensive way of putting together only two computers for allowing them to share files, printers and Internet access. In this tutorial we will teach you in details how this can be done.”

Spire Pininfarina ATX Chassis Review 
Virtual Hideout :: Monday, March 05, 2007
“I liked the looks of the case when I first saw it, and the longer I’ve had it, the more I like it. The blue on black, along with the thick aluminum finish, just really works for me. I don’t even think I have to say if I would recommend the case or not, everyone I’ve shown the case to wants one. The price point I’ve seen is around $130, and I think that’s just about right for the case.” 

Network Cabling Quiz – Part 2 
Hardware Secrets :: Monday, March 05, 2007
“A new quiz on network cabling ware has just been added to Hardware Secrets Test Your Skills section. Take this quiz and check whether your knowledge on network cabling is good enough or if you should study more.”

CellShock DDR2 1000 Review
Technic 3d :: Monday, March 05, 2007
“The CellShock DDR2 1000 “Made in Germany” arrived Technic3D. Technic3D will see as good they are with 4-4-4-12 and Overclocking against other Memory Kits on Windows Vista Ultimate. You can see 1.140 MHz in the following Review.”

MSI 8800GTS-320MB OC Edition 
t-break :: Monday, March 05, 2007
To compensate the reduction in memory, lots of manufacturers are increasing the core and memory speeds on the 320MB version of the 8800GTS. As much as I would’ve liked, MSI\\\\\\\’s 8800GTS-320MB “OC” edition that we’re looking at today, doesn’t come with Mischa Barton. Instead, it comes with increased core and memory clock speeds of 575MHz/850MHz.

AMD 690G IGP Overclocking
Legit Reviews :: Monday, March 05, 2007
“After clicking ‘Find Max Core’ the system shot from 400MHz well over 500MHz and I was greeted with a nice blue screen of death. After I rebooted and started ATITool, I was amazed that the AMD 690G chipset on the ASUS M2A-VM motherboard was able to reach 563.25MHz before the system crashed. I manually set the core clock frequency to 525MHz and…”

SliverStone Lascala 17 HTPC Case 
Modders Inc :: Monday, March 05, 2007
e Lascala LC17 is great on looks, performance, flexibility, and functionality. Sliverstone’s attention to detail and quality are outstanding, from the packaging, the manual, to even the amount of screws. This case’s ability to hold full-size components will work great now and serve you well for years to come.

Fedora 7 KVM Virtualization How-To
Phoronix :: Monday, March 05, 2007
“By many the Linux world is regarded as being a scary or challenging place with tons of poorly engineered terminal commands and all sorts of difficulties to install and use a Linux distribution. While this is really not the case with modern day Linux, one of the areas where Linux has rapidly progressed is in the field of virtualization. Among the virtualization options are Xen, QEMU, QEMU with KVM, and VMWare. With Fedora 7 it’s so easy to use KVM virtualization that you can start virtualizing your favorite operating system and barely even touch the keyboard! In this guide we will tell you how as we work on virtualizing a battery of operating systems from Microsoft Windows Vista to Mandrake 9.2.”

Crackers Defeats Vista Activation by OEM Emulation 
NGO HQ :: Monday, March 05, 2007
“It is based on the ACPI_SLIC table in the motherboard BIOS. This allows OEM licenses to work using SLP 2.0 (system locked pre-installation). The previous crack involved modifying the motherboard’s BIOS, which would be considered very risky. This time they actually managed to emulate the SLIC table in two ways.”

Vizo Luxon Advanced Hard Drive Enclosure
Dragonsteel Mods :: Monday, March 05, 2007
” Portable hard disks are very popular, and they come in varying sizes, but they can be very expensive, and I’ve found it’s a lot cheaper to buy a hard disk and an enclosure separately. The question then would be what type of enclosure to buy? For me the hands down choice would have to be Vizo, I personally own the 1st generation Vizo Luxon and love it, the quality is just amazing. Today for review I have what would be called the 2nd generation Luxon HDD Enclosure, or the Vizo Luxon Advanced. This enclosure features the ability to take an IDE drive and use an eSATA interface with it, and of course you can use an SATA drive as well, and it can also be used as a USB drive as well. The best part is that all of the quality from the original is still there in this 2nd generation enclosure. So read on to learn more about what I think is the best HDD enclosure out there today… ” 

Seasonic M12-500 Review
Hardware Pacers :: Monday, March 05, 2007
“Seasonic, one of the leading computer and electronic power supply manufacturers, has been in the power business for over 30 years. With offices spread across three different continents, Seasonic is a global force in consumer electronic power needs. The M12 Series Power Supply Units (PSU) are one of Seasonic’s premier retail PSU lines with a market audience of PC gamers and over-clockers. Today Hardware Pacers will focus on the M12-500 (500w) PSU, and give a rundown of its performance and capabilities.”

ASUS M2A-VM Motherboard – AMD 690 Chipset Review
Motherboards.org :: Friday, March 02, 2007
From a gamers point of view the AMD RADEON 1250 is the best available integrated graphics chipset on the market bar none. Modern games like Oblivion, Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, Prey, and Star Trek Legacy are practically unplayable on the integrated graphics as the games require a lot of horsepower to play them well. 

AMD’s 690G chipset
The Tech Report :: Friday, March 02, 2007
FOR YEARS, AMD’S ATHLON desktop processors have had to negotiate access to other system components through third-party chipsets from ATI, Nvidia, SiS, and VIA. That arrangement has largely been successful, at least in part because AMD was able to move the traditionally chipset-level memory controller right onto the processor die. This move allowed chipset makers to focus on peripherals and connectivity options, and it gave AMD control over the one chipset feature most likely to affect overall system performance.

With AMD seemingly content to stay out of the core logic game, its chipset partners were left to battle each other for market share. Then, on July 24 of last year, AMD announced its intent to acquire ATI. That changed everything.

In acquiring ATI, AMD gained control over not only one of its more aggressive chipset partners, but also one of the big two in PC graphics. With that asset now in its pocket, it was only a matter of time before AMD rolled out a new chipset with integrated graphics for Athlon processors. Today that chipset arrives as the AMD 690G, which packs a familiar SB600 south bridge paired with a new Radeon X1250 graphics core with four DirectX 9-class pixel pipelines. How well does the 690G stack up against the competition? Read on to find out.

What’s New on Windows Vista For Hardware Enthusiasts
Hardware Secrets :: Friday, March 02, 2007
“Windows Vista brings a lot of new features. Instead of describing all new features brought by this new operating system – like new programs that now come with the OS –, we will describe only those that are related to PC hardware.”

AMD RS690 Review 
Madbox PC :: Friday, March 02, 2007
We are proud to present a new review, today we are presenting AMD’s 690 chipset, also known as RS690+SB600. It supports all AM2 CPU, up to 4 DDR2-800 modules and it comes with a Radeon 1250 IGP (4 pipelines X700 with AVIVO). We did our tests on a ASUS M2A-VM (no RGB or HDMI output), was compared to ECS C51GM-M (GeForce 6100) and ECS RS485M-M (RS485 + SB460). 

Ultra X-Finity 800W QR ATX PSU
Driver Heaven :: Friday, March 02, 2007
Today’s PC gaming rigs require Herculean muscle to get things working like they should. This is especially true with the recent next-gen games. This constant increase in demand is causing a lot of debate among gamers as to whether it’s worth the effort and cost to keep upgrading a PC to take advantage of all the new eye candy and physics that are evident in the 3D environment. Many previous die-hard PC gaming fans have opted to go with consoles in an effort to avoid the constant cost of upgrading.

However, those of us who love our PCs and love the games they play, eventually bite the bullet and put out the funds to keep feeding the beast. The rewards are often received with mixed reviews, but, once the dust settles, many of us find no better satisfaction in gaming than on our own private PC.

Tweaking Companion for Vista
Tweak Guides :: Friday, March 02, 2007
After almost two solid months of researching and experimenting with Windows Vista, I’ve finally been able to complete the TweakGuides Tweaking Companion for Windows Vista. The guide is designed for novice and advanced users alike, containing 250 pages of objective descriptions, recommendations and tweaks for every aspect of Windows Vista. It is all laid out in plain English, and while it may take you a few days to work through, I promise you that at the end of it you will not only have a better system, you will also have a better understanding of Vista.

ECS PN2 SLI2+ nVIDIA nForce 680i SLi Motherboard Review
PC Stats :: Friday, March 02, 2007
“The ECS PN2 SLI2+ is one the many “Designed by nVIDIA” motherboards hitting the streets. It is based on the nVidia nForce 680i SPP and nForce 680i MCP chipsets. Compared to the previous high end nVIDIA nForce 590 Intel Edition chipset, the nForce 680i SLI really only officially supports a higher FSB (up to 1333 MHz by default). There are four DDR2 memory slots which can accommodate up to 8GB of DDR2-800 memory, and “SLI-Ready” memory rated up to 1200 MHz. The 680i SLI chipset naturally supports dual PCI Express x16 videocards in SLI, with a full 16 PCI Express lanes each (the third PCI Express x16 slot is capped at x8). We’ll get to the full peripheral expansion options in a moment.”

Rosewill RCX-Z2-EX Cooler Review
Overclockers Online :: Friday, March 02, 2007
The quality of the cooler from the first time you hold it in your hands is quite impressive. The performance that the RCX-Z2-EX showed that it was capable of is also something that Rosewill should be proud of. No, it didn’t out-perform the other coolers that I compared it to, but the RCX-Z2-EX certainly did handle a hefty overclock on a high strung, overclocked, over-volted E6600.

AMD’s 690G/V Series Chipset Preview and Benchmarks 
Legit Reviews :: Friday, March 02, 2007
‘It was great to see AMD’s 690G beat out the NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE and do so at a lower level of power consumption on games like Quake 4, F.E.A.R. and Company of Heroes. When it comes to the performance level of the integrated graphics it’s clear that AMD has taken the lead for the time being. The feather in AMD’s hat is the native support of HDMI and DVI outputs, which is a big deal for those looking to build a home theater personal computer (HTPC). The AMD 690G is currently the only platform on the market where you can have simultaneous independent digital outputs of DVI and HDMI…’

CoolIT Freezone CPU Cooler Review
OCIA :: Friday, March 02, 2007
“CoolIT claims the Freezone can go head to head with the best watercooling systems, right out of the box. The “kit” comes pre-filled and pre-assembled so all you need to do is install the cooling block on your processor and mount the chiller assembly in your case. Yes, everything fits inside the case; yet another advantage over some watercooling kits on the market today. With six TECs employed to keep temperatures at a minimum, the hype that the Freezone has generated over the past year could have some validity…”

AIC SAS Cannister Review 
Techware Labs :: Friday, March 02, 2007
“During our coverage of SC06 we had a chance to check out the latest in server technology and ran across a company offering storage solutions which take up very little space, have low power consumption, and offer excellent performance. While this technology is offered primarily to the server and mass storage market customers the application and technology is finding its way into many consumer desktops.”

Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro Review 
Overclockers Club :: Friday, March 02, 2007
“The bottom surface of the heatsink is a little rough for my liking, but that’s what you can expect from a manufacturer. The fan power connector also comes pre-sleeved, which is a nice addition as it will help to keep your case all neat and tidy. The only thing that concerned me about the layout of this unit was the fan mounted to the side of the heatsink. This might give some clearance issues on some motherboards, but you would have to check your motherboard layout.”

Enzotech Ultra-X CPU Cooler 
Pro Clockers :: Friday, March 02, 2007
The first product that we have received from Enzotech is the Ultra-X CPU cooler. I won’t go out and say that this new cooler has a unique styling but it does look better than some of the ones that it shares this design with. The cooler has two sets of fins, ones being suspended above the other via four copper heat pipes. The ultra shiny base, weight and thick heat pipes may prove to be a contender for the top spot in air cooling.

Jetart Heatpaste CK4000 and CK4800 Review 
XS Reviews :: Friday, March 02, 2007
“You can get chrome fan grills, glossy case paint and tinted side windows; in fact your computer can quite easily be pimped up to look like its straight out of the hood. On this note, Jetart have decided to join in the computer beautifying business and have made… diamond heatpaste. Read on for the full run down.”

AMD 690 Chipset Overview
The Tech Lounge :: Friday, March 02, 2007
“AMD has officially announced their first in-house chipset, RS690. In the form of 690V, we take an ASUS board for a spin against the long-standing nVidia competition: MCP61. Can the new chipset hold its own, or is it destined for relative obscurity?”

ABIT AW9D-MAX 975X Express Motherboard Review
PC Stats :: Friday, March 02, 2007
” The ABIT AW9D-MAX motherboard is based on Intel’s top of the line 975X Express and ICH7R chipsets, packs in quite a lot to get excited about. This high end desktop chipset enables the AW9D-MAX to accommodate 533/800/1066MHz FSB Intel socket 775 processors. The four memory slots can be filled with up to 8GB of unbuffered ECC/non-ECC DDR2-800 RAM. Standard equipment on the motherboard includes dual PCI Express based GigABIT network cards, ABIT’s AudioMAX High Definition 7.1 channel audio controller, eight 3GB/s SATAII channels, Firewire IEEE 1394a and two additional two port Silicon Image SiI3132 Serial ATA II/RAID controllers.”

Rosewill RCX-Z1 Heatsink Review
Frosty Tech :: Friday, March 02, 2007
“The Rosewill RCX-Z1 is an economical socket AM2 or 939 AMD Athlon64 heatsink in the most basic sense. In fact, it has been quite a while since FrostyTech has tested an extruded aluminum cooler for a modern processor. Apart from its copper heat spreader base plate, this is a very simple heatsink that is cheap and simple to install. It’s thermal performance is satisfactory for AMD Sempron or any of the new lower wattage Athlon64 CPUs.”

AMD’s First chipset – 690G 
Overclock 3d :: Friday, March 02, 2007
AMD have launched an excellent chipset for the enthusiast who wants it all in a small package. Packing a great GPU, hard-coded HDCP and awesome performance per-watt we take a look at the tech behind the talk 

AMD 690G – Asus M2A-VM Motherboard Review
Chile Hardware :: Friday, March 02, 2007
We´ve published our newest review, the Asus M2A-VM motherboard based on AMD´s new 690G chipset.

Rosewill RCX-Z2 Heatsink Review
Frosty Tech :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
“The Rosewill RCX-Z2 heatsink is designed for socket 775 Intel Pentium D and Core 2 Duo processors, and as with most heatsinks vying to push the stock Intel heatsink out of the PC, it comes equipped with a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) fan. The fan on the RCX-Z2 spins at speeds of 500-3400RPM, and is internally illuminated with blue LEDs.”

Lian Li PC-C30 Aluminum Enclosure Review 
Virtual Hideout :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
“The Lian Li PC-C30 is a down to earth enclosure, without too many bells and whistles to get you all confused. The all aluminum construction of the enclosure is pieced together well, and the center brace really adds to the rigidity of the entire enclosure.”

Shuttle G5 8300M XPC System Review
Tech Gear :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
Today we take a look at this handsome little unit by Shuttle is perfect for home entertainment and would compliment any stereo system side by side in your living room. It’s small in size but big performance.

SilverStone Tundra TD01 Water Cooling System
3dgameman :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
“SilverStone is best known for their exceptional, elegant and functional case products. This craftsmanship can be found in the SilverStone Tundra TD01 external water cooling system. This styling fits very well with audio components and therefore would be an excellent option for a HTPC setup. It’s performs very well, looks great, and is completely silent. Watch the video to find out more and check out the bloopers at the end.” 

AzenX X-Cruzer Flexible 70mm Fan Review 
Overclockers Club :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
“Today’s high-speed computer hardware produces more heat than ever before, but how do you target a specific component while also looking good? This is where the AzenX X-Cruzer comes in with its highly adjustable neck and 360 degree rotational 70mm fan, allowing it to attack the heat at its source no matter where it’s at. All the while looking pretty neat with blinking LEDs and maintaining functionality with a built-in fan controller.”

ATP SD Trio Professional Plus Flash Memory Review 
The Tech Zone :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
One of the latest products that ATP has added to their product line is the SD Trio Professional Plus, a solution which is effectively compatible with all three sizes of SD cards: standard SD, miniSD, and microSD. Even the “Trio” moniker is a bit of a misnomer, because there is also a microSD card reader included in the package, and when you insert the smallest of the SD family in there, you get a device that could very easily be used as a standalone USB Flash drive.

http://techgage.com/article/logitech_g25_racing_wheel/
PC Apex :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
“There are a few things that strike me as odd abut the Icetank design, and I must attribute it to looks. Namely, the rounded off edges of the heat sink could be easily eliminated with very little loss of performance, since they aren’t within the air flow path of the fan. Also, placement of the copper fins should be near the edge of the fan, not in the middle, because that is where the air velocity leaving the fan is greatest, and where having a higher thermal conductivity material would be most beneficial.”

Cooler Master Centurion RC-534
Technic 3d :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
“The Cooler Master Centurion RC-534 is the next Tower in the Technic3D Editorship. See you in the following Review which qualities the black RC-534 with a small price presents.”

Ultra X-Finity 800W APFC and X-Pro 800W power supplies
Pro Clockers :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
The review subjects that Ultra have provided us with are the X-Finity 800W APFC and the X-Pro 800W power supplies. The units look great and the numbers sound wonderful, but are they good enough to be your next power supply? Check the next couple of pages and find out.

Bluegears b-flexi and b-cools fans 
Bjorn 3d :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
Despite the shrink in the die size and enhanced technology that allow manufactures to produce cooler components, the internal components in a computer still generates quite a lot of heat, especially if you are looking for the best and fastest parts. In order to dissipate the amount of heat from the system, most cases today are designed to mount multiple fans in order to effectively and efficiently keep these components cool and enhance their life-span and possibly even help to increase the performance as cooler system allows better overclocking. However, finding a good fan is never an easy job as it requires a balance of the noise level and efficiency. A good fan not only have to be quiet but also able to pull enough hot air away from the case. Today at Bjorn3d, we will take a look at Bluegears’s b-cool and b-flexi fans and see whether or not they will be a good choice for anyone out there seeking a quiet yet efficient fan.

VIZO Propeller Dual-Fan Card Cooler Review
Futurelooks :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
The VIZO Propeller is a Dual-Fan cooler that is designed to sit in a PCI or a PCI-E slot. It’s designed to cool off your hot expansion and video cards. It also glows bright blue and the fan speed is adjustable via a manual fan speed controller to suit cooling and noise requirements. So how does it perform? Let’s find out! 

How to Enable Processor-Based Security 
Hardware Secrets :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
“At last PCs operating under Windows have a security level similar to that used by high performance servers. This technology – known under names that vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, such as NX (No eXecute), EVP (Enhanced Virus Protection), XD (eXecute Disable), or DEP (Data Execution Protection) – allows the processor itself to detect when a malicious code (such as a virus or a Trojan horse) is attempting to run and automatically disables such code, “drowning” the virus. In this short tutorial we will teach you how to enable this feature.”

Windows Vista Top 10 Tips and Tricks
BTX Form Factor :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
Get the top 10 tips for Microsoft Windows Vista you need to accomplish your favorite things and be more productive right away. Here you can find how to change power button default action, hide desktop icon text, enable Aurora the hidden BootScreen, fix for COM Surrogate error and many more cool tips and tricks.

Zalman VF900 Cu GPU Cooler
Hard H2O :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
We have just posted a new review on the Zalman VF900 Cu GPU Cooler

http://www.metku.net/index.html?path=reviews/xbox360-wireless-controller-for-windows/index_eng
Frosty Tech :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
“The Rosewill RCX-Z2-EX is pegged as a low noise heatsink, and with its PWM fan able to scale between 800-2400RPM this is quite an asset. The RCX-Z2-EX is assembled by rather standard means; aluminum fins, four copper heatpipes and a copper base, all of which have been dark nickel plated. A 92mm fan in a surprisingly open frame spins at the center of it all. The open frame design reduces turbulance and allows exhaust airflow to cool adjacent components on the motherboard.”

AMD 690 Chipset Series Preview 
techPowerUp :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
AMD’s 690 Chipset Series is the first new product since the AMD/ATI merger in October last year. The RS690 is designed to be a low-cost, power efficient Athlon64 chipset which can be used in notebooks and desktop PCs. It features integrated VGA with support for HDMI and DVI – at the same time. With motherboards retailing in the $60 range this chipset has great potential on the budget market.

IPC Queen Dual HDD Enclosure 
Modders-Inc. :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
Are you looking to add more storage to your system? How about a dual hard drive external enclosure with USB support.? The IPC Queen Dual HDD Enclosure does just that plus letting you add over one terabyte of storage with supporting drives and an operating system.