Gainward Rampage 700 GS GLH “The Beast” Review
OCaholic :: Tuesday, December 30, 2008
With the Rampage 700 GS GLH (Goes Like Hell) Gainward presents an extravagant graphic card. This dual GPU sparkler comes with a triple slot cooling solution which allows a factory overclock and it looks absolutely impressive.
Zotac Nitro Overclocking Unit Review
Driver Heaven :: Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Zotac was established as a Nvidia partner in 2006 and have been producing quality VGA and motherboard solutions since then. Today we’re going to look at the Zotac Nitro, an overclocking tool unlike anything we’ve seen before. This USB device allows you to overclock your video card on the fly, setup profiles and monitor fan speed and temperature. Overclocking is very much an enthusiast hobby, but Zotac hope the Nitro will encourage more users to try and get the most out of their graphics cards.
ThinkComputers 2008 Year In Review
Think Computers :: Monday, December 29, 2008
“Wow what a year it has been here at ThinkComputers, we published over 200 reviews and 27 articles. It has to have been one of the busiest years for us to date. I think that we really took things to the next level reviewing a lot more high-end products and keeping a constant stream of products coming in. I want to thank all of our sponsors and more importantly our readers for making this year such a good one. Each one of the staff members have compiled a year in review segment where they recap some of their favorite products and good times here at ThinkComputers over the course of 2008.”
Sumo Chief Rocker Bean Bag Chair Review
Think Computers :: Monday, December 29, 2008
I’m sure by now many of you are familiar with Sumo, we have reviewed their SumoSac Sultan and Omni bean bag chairs. They have released yet another cool bean bag chair called the Chief Rocker. The Chief Rocker is a lot like the Omni Plus, which is a hybrid of the SumoSac and Omni. The thing that sets the Chief Rocker apart is that it has a metal frame that sits it on an angle for great gaming or lounging around. Let’s take the Chief Rocker for a spin and see if it lives up to the hype.”
CyberPower Gamer Xtreme XT Review
OCC :: Monday, December 29, 2008
Prebuilt computers have usually had two thing not going for them, Price and performance. Performance usually comes in the form of a price tag outside our reach or when in our price range the performance is not there. As enthusiasts we think we can always do a better job of building a superior rig at a better price than the companies that do it day in and day out. Most times I would say that is true. But with the CyberPower Gamer Xtreme Xt system I think the watermark has been set on both the price front as well as the performance front. For $1500 dollars you can have a system that will run today’s games and applications much better than a similarly equipped system using not last years technology but technology that was released This year! If you wanted to build this system you would be hard pressed to find the identical components used in this system at a price even $600 higher than the $1500 dollar asking price. This system from CyberPower just crushed our poor testbed system that really is no slouch.”
How to Increase USB Sample Rate in Windows Vista SP1
NGO HQ :: Monday, December 29, 2008
Microsoft Windows Vista’s default 125Hz USB sample rate is not enough for today’s gamers and end-users. There are many USB sample rate patches out there, but none of them support Windows Vista SP1 due to the new restricted driver signature enforcement feature. Now it is possible to use these patches – thanks to the latest version of our own Driver Signature Enforcement Overrider (DSEO). These patches and our tool have been well tested, but I am not taking responsibility for any damages! Use it at your own risk.”
Cyberpower I7 Poseidon Review
Driver Heaven :: Monday, December 22, 2008
Today we’re going to look at the Cyberpower Gamer Infinity i7 Poseidon, a pre-overclocked, watercooled i7 system. With a promising spec sheet this system looks like it will pack an impressive punch.
Benchmark Reviews Editors Choice Awards 2008
Benchmark Reviews :: Saturday, December 20, 2008
Benchmark Reviews tests a lot of very good computer hardware, which is a result of our selection process for product reviews. Although it would be most ideal for a hardware review website to test each and every item sold on the retail market, it’s just not feasable due to limited staff and budget. As a result, many of the products featured here are among the best consumers will find. This year Benchmark Reviews Executive Editor Olin Coles delivers his nominations for the 2008 Editors Choice Award for each category: CPU Coolers, Desktop Processors, Solid State Drives, Desktop Graphics Cards, Computer Cases, and Desktop Motherboards.
Chiaroscuro by Nick Falzone
Bit-Tech Modding :: Friday, December 19, 2008
The carpentry legend is back – Nick Falzone, winner of our 2007 Mod of the Year competition, tries his hand at a mini-ITX gaming machine with some absolutely gorgeous results! You will NOT want to miss this one!
Eco-Intel Mod by Planet Express Klan
Bit-Tech Modding :: Friday, December 19, 2008
We’ve not just one mod to feature today, but several! The Planet Express Klan from Madrid teamed up with Intel to speed build the four elements into some very unique cases.
CoolIt Domino ALC Liquid Cooling CPU Cooler
Dragonsteel Mods :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Liquid cooling offers great performance for cooling your CPU but it can really be a pain to get a system put together and of course you’ve got to worry about leaks, changing the fluid, flushing the system etc and for the average person it’s just not worth all of those hassles. Liquid cooling can also get very expensive, with the waterblocks, tubing, radiators, clamps, fans and pumps, you can easily spend a couple hundred dollars on quality parts, and for the non-enthusiast out there they don’t want to spend that much money on something they’ve got to put together. The liquid cooling kits on the market today are popular because they offer a relatively easy and inexpensive way to have some of the advantages of liquid cooling while not being a major hassle to install, for the most part they’re fairly easy to get up and running in your system. Today CoolIt has introduced their new CPU cooler called the Domino ALC, or Advanced Liquid Cooling. It’s an inexpensive liquid cooling kit that is meant to make liquid cooling hassle free, easy to install and readily available for the general populous to just jump right in. The Domino is a closed system liquid cooler, meaning you’ll never have to worry about changing fluids, system killing leaks, or any of the problems that might arise from other kits, or DIY solutions on the market today. The Domino ALC is easy to install, and it offers decent cooling performance, it’s got an LCD display on it to let you know what’s going on with the system and an easy to access control button to quickly change fan speeds if you need that extra cooling boost. So read on to learn more about the Domino ALC, I’ve got a quick unboxing video for you, along with lots of pictures and of course testing on both C2D and C2Q processors.
Protective Silicone Case Skin Cover for Nano 4
Dragonsteel Mods :: Friday, December 19, 2008
So, yesterday we put up our little contest involving iPod cases, I figured today would be a good day to put up an iPod case review! Today I’ve got a quick review for you, short and sweet of a silicone case for the iPod nano 4th generation. It’s from our friends at Budget Gadgets, and they’ve even given me a discount code to give to all of our readers good for anything on the site. So read on to check out the case and learn about the discount…
Holiday Giveaway 2008
Dragonsteel Mods :: Friday, December 19, 2008
So I ran across a great deal on iPod cases at my local store, so I decided to buy 12 assorted ones to give away for the holidays. These are for older generation iPods and newer ones as well. So read on to learn about them and what you have to do to get one.
Xclio 1000 PC Case
Dragonsteel Mods :: Friday, December 19, 2008
PC Cases come in all shapes and sizes these days, look around and you’ll find the perfect case that fits your style and needs easily. The PC case is an integral part of the system, it performs more than just the function of housing your PC, it helps keep your system cool and we all now that a cool system is a happy system. Today for review I’ve got a case that is huge, it’s a full tower style case from our friends over at Xclio, but it’s much more than that, it’s got quite a few other features as well. The Xclio 1000 PC case features nine 120mm fans built in that can be changed to one of several different colors, along with the ability to control their speeds as well. The front has got three doors covering the drive bays, each door has its own fan along with individual controls for each one. Inside you’ll find room enough for any system with room to spare for expansion, and there’s a plethora of hard drive bays so you’ll have room for terabytes of storage as well. So continue on to learn more about the Xclio 1000 PC Case….
ATP ProMax II CF 8GB
Dragonsteel Mods :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Flash memory storage capacities are growing, while the prices have dramatically decreased. What once cost several hundred dollars can now be had for under one hundred bucks. Still it is important to use quality flash memory; otherwise those precious memories may quickly become fleeting memories. Today we will look at the top of the line Compact Flash card from ATP – the Promax II. Established in 1991, ATP has over 17 years of experience in the design, manufacture, and support of high performance, highest quality DRAM modules and NAND flash storage products. These cards feature the fastest write transfer speeds available making them great for digital SLR camera use. In addition they have write transfer speeds of 30 MB/Sec. Today we will compare this Compact Flash card against some worth competitors. So let’s take a better look at the ATP ProMax II CF 8GB.
Change Your New Mail Notification Sound
PC Mechanic :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Just to change things up for the sake of change, why not change your new mail notification sound? Odds are you are pretty tired of the standard sound, so make a change. You can find numerous pages on the web (this one for example) which contain sounds ideal for new message notifications. Personally, I like to go with the famous Law & Order ‘two knocks’ sound. I’m not sure about other clients, but if you use Outlook, you can change the sound by going to Control Panel > Sounds and then change the ‘New Mail Notification’ option. Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.
Motorola Motozine ZN5 Camera Phone
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Motorola and Kodak deliver a phone with an impressive camera, but uninspired design.
Freedom Run for IPhone
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
America’s presidential election is over, and we can all be grateful for that. But in politics, the race never really ends.
Blogging Gets a Pro Look With ITheme Designs
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
I’ve been blogging on my personal site for several years. What bothers me the most about blogs is that, for the most part…
Identify Mysterious Media with SnapTell on Your iPhone
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Take a picture of a book, CD or video game–then compare prices, Google it, and Wikipedia it.
Top 10 Ultraportable Laptops
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
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.
Iomega EGo Helium Portable Hard Drive USB
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Iomega’s eGo Helium Portable Hard Drive USB is a Mac-formatted storage device that’s available with a capacity of 320GB. It…
Pirates of the Caribbean Online
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
I’ve looked forward to Pirates of the Caribbean MMORPG, though with trepid enthusiasm. Games with movie tie-ins (this game is…
Frenzic for IPhone
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
The iPhone and iPod touch are a gaming paradise. At least, that’s what Apple’s TV ads keep telling me, accompanied by that…
Microsoft Arc Mouse
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Mice come in all shapes and sizes–some are clunky, ergonomic beasts that seem to have a nook and cranny tailor-made for every…
The Weather Channel for IPhone
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
In its infancy, The Weather Channel was little more than a punchline for jokes about the paucity of decent cable TV channels…
Sony BDP-S350 Blu-ray Disc Player
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
The Sony BDP-S350 is an exceptionally good Blu-ray player that packs in the most important features and delivers pleasing images.
LG BD300 Blu-ray Disc Player
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
The LG BD300 has all the features you’d want in a Blu-ray player, but the images it produces aren’t as good as they should be.
Sherwood BDP-5003 Blu-ray Disc Player
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
The inexpensive Sherwood BDP-5003 lacks advanced features, but it puts out good-looking images–when it works properly.
Blu-ray Players for the Holidays
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
With prices falling and features increasing, now is a great time to buy a Blu-ray Disc player. Unleash the best video that you can view on your HDTV with one of these models–each of which costs under $400.
Samsung BD-P2500 Blu-ray Disc Player
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
The Samsung BD-P2500 outputs terrific images, but it’s expensive and has a few shortcomings.
Sharp BD-HP21U Blu-ray Disc Player
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Its low price and on-board high-resolution audio decoding make it tempting, but the Sharp BD-HP21U fails to deliver a consistently great picture.
A Downloader’s Gift Guide
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Times may be tough, but you can still cobble together a quick-and-easy gift on the cheap: Make a PC mixtape from downloads.
Edit Photos on Your iPhone With Photogene
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Edit, crop, correct and frame iPhone photos quickly and easily.
Nvidia vs. ATI: Who’s the Fastest, Anyway?
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Is the successor to Nvidia’s untouchable 8800 Ultra video card, the GTX 280, powerful enough to carry the torch? Find out as ATI unleashes its latest contender in an attempt to regain the throne within the high end GPU market.
First Look: Songbird
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
You’ve got your copy of iTunes and are pretty happy with its ability to play and organize the music on your computer and…
Koi Pond for IPhone
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
It’s hard to imagine, with all the great iPhone apps for sale on the App Store, that the top paid app (App Store link) would…
Sun VirtualBox 2.0.6
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Those who need or want to run Windows (and other operating systems) on an Intel-powered Mac are probably familiar with both…
RipIt 1.1.5
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
As any respectable road warrior knows, transferring movies from DVDs to your hard drive — “ripping” the discs — is great for…
Chess With Friends for IPhone
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
The first thing you should know about Chess With Friends is that it does not require you to have any friends with whom to play…
Serif Digital Photo Suite 2009
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Easy-to-use imaging software holds appeal for home hobbyists and novice users who want to organize their stash of photos and do some light editing.
Top 5 Gaming Desktop PCs
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
These powerful desktops use overclocked CPUs, one or more ultra-high-end graphics cards, and gobs of high-speed storage to put performance above all else.
Outfox Adobe Bloat: Open PDFs with Foxit Reader
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
The best of the PDF readers adds new features without sacrificing (much) speed.
Mash Media on Your iPhone with ZiiBii
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Combine RSS feeds, YouTube videos, Twitter posts and Flickr photos into a list or animated “river” stream.
Sony VAIO VGN-Z598U Ultraportable Laptop
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Sony’s high-powered multimedia business machine is compelling; but when fully loaded, it costs as much as a used car.
Simplify Media for IPhone
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Even with a 16GB iPhone at your disposal, it’s not uncommon to have more media than you can reasonably store on such a device…
Parallels 4 Build 3540
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
People who need (or want) to run Windows or other operating systems on their Intel-powered Macs have three solutions to choose…
VMWare Fusion 2.0.1
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
For those who need (or want) to run Windows (or other operating systems) on their Intel-powered Macs, the leading products in…
Nvidia Ion Turbocharges Intel Atom
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
A netbook you can actually create content on? A palm-size desktop? Yes!
Mindjet MindManager 8
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Solid mind-mapping application, but some new features are glitchy.
10 Cool Gifts: Gadgets, Accessories, and Oddities
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
A high-end GPS at a low price, a sleek Bluetooth headset, and more gift ideas under $300.
Give Irritating Alerts a Timeout with UAC Snooze
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Customize the way that User Account Control works in Vista.
CameraBag for IPhone
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Just as any piece of writing can benefit from the help of an good editor, so any photographer can tell you that a photo is…
Canon PowerShot G10 Point-and-Shoot Camera
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
The G10 is a fun point-and-shoot camera to use, but its soft focus and low-light performance are disappointing.
Canon PowerShot SX10 IS
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
The SX10 IS is a great megazoom camera to carry around: lightweight, with a 20X optical zoom and decent video-recording capabilities.
Brain Tuner for IPhone
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
With today’s powerful computers, calculators, and smartphones with built-in calculator software, it’s no wonder that people…
Casio Exilim Zoom EX-Z250
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
When it’s time to take pictures, no one wants to fuss over camera settings. It’s especially frustrating when you have to set…
McAfee SiteAdvisor Offers Good Advice
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Still making the Web a safer place to stroll, the latest version of this popular browser plug-in introduces a few new features (one of which will benefit Yahoo searchers only).
Numark’s Cheap and Complete Package For Budding DJs
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Numark’s brand new “Total Computer DJ in a Box” bundle is an affordable and complete package for beginner digital DJs.
NovaMind Platinum 4.6.1
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Mind mapping is an increasingly popular way to assemble thoughts and illustrate the relationships between them. NovaMind…
Digital Photography Gifts: Tripods, Webcams, and More
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
More holiday recommendations from Dave: memory cards, mini tripods, Webcams, and photo gifts.
Concerned About PC Overheating? Keep Your CPUCooL
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
If your PC’s overclocked and running hot, you might need to monitor its temperature. CPUCooL is a good way to do that.
10 Gifts for the Hard-Core Techie
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Gadgets, kits, and hacks for the geek who has everything.
Leap into Better File Organization with FilerFrog
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Power up Windows Explorer with this add-in. Whether you’re looking for easy encryption, batch renaming, image resizing, or almost anything else…if you’ve ever wished Windows Explorer had a certain ability, chances are FilerFrog has it.
Samsung Behold (for T-Mobile) Cell Phone
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
The head-turning Samsung Behold is a responsive touch-screen cell phone with a few advanced features and a great camera.
Lenovo ThinkPad W700: The Graphic Artist’s Notebook
PC World :: Friday, December 19, 2008
With a workstation’s power (and price) in an understated package, this laptop is built for road-ready digital graphics artists.
ASUS Eee PC 1000HA Netbook
Techgage :: Friday, December 19, 2008
With a countless number of netbooks available, we’re looking to see if the originator of them all still has what it takes to deliver a model that’s both affordable, and complete with the features we’re after. The 1000HA lacks the Bluetooth and Draft n of the 1000H, but still retains the same great looks, along with killer battery-life.
Gateway M-7818u 15.4″ Notebook
Techgage :: Friday, December 19, 2008
Finding a proper “multi-media” notebook for under $800 can be a little challenging, but Gateway proves with their M-7818u that notebooks can be both affordable and include the most important features you’re looking for. In addition to fantastic battery-life, the M-7818u goes as far as to include an HDMI port for viewing 1080p content on your external display.
NZXT Avatar Gaming Mouse
Techgage :: Friday, December 19, 2008
In the world of gaming mice, there are a few names that we see often, such as Logitech and Razer. But, a new entrant is here, and they’re hoping to make a splash with their first-ever gaming peripheral. The Avatar from NZXT has both the style and design we’re looking for, so let’s see if it lives up to the rest of our expectations.
Giving Back, Intel Need A Tech Makeover Video Spotlights
Hot Hardware :: Wednesday, December 17, 2008
It’s rare that we get the opportunity to give back the community in such a way that truly affects peoples’ lives, beyond just a simple door prize or contest trinket. However, In the spirit of the holiday season, we feel fortunate and proud to have been given the opportunity to do something pretty special for three very interesting, cool people we’re sure you’ll enjoy meeting.
Earlier this quarter, we teamed up with Intel, in an effort to hold a very special sort of contest and promotion called “Need A Tech Makeover”. The contest allowed us to give back to the community and help out three deserving people whose lives were desperately in need of a technology face-lift. These three lucky winners would each be awarded $5,000 worth of new desktops and notebooks based on Intel Centrino 2 and Core 2 technology, as well as all the required peripherals to take full advantage of all their new computing horsepower.
Recently, we announced our three lucky winners, a small town Performing Arts group called Steps Off Broadway, a stage 4 cancer survivor, Christine from South Carolina, and Susan from Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm.
Interviewing Palit Microsystem’s Darren Polkowski
Legit Reviews :: Wednesday, December 17, 2008
“Any particular reason why a frog is the mascot of sorts for Palit?
Frog is symbol of luck and prosperity in Asia. This is the reason we chose the Frog. Some people love it and some don’t. I guess you can’t win with everyone. If you look at ATI with the Gargoyle, some people thought it was too evil. So the next generation they used the metallic Minotaur, still some thought it was too menacing. Then they switched to Ruby. Was everyone happy? Nope. Some said it was too sexual….”
CyberPower Gamer Xtreme XT System Review
Hardware Logic :: Tuesday, December 16, 2008
While we haven’t been disappointed with the CyberPower machines we’ve reviewed in the past, we’ve yet to have our socks knocked off. CyberPower’s new Gamer Xtreme XT has the potential to do just that, utilizing Intel’s freshly minted Core i7 platform, a smokin’ fast HIS Radeon HD 4870 X2 videocard, and a Blu-ray burner all wrapped up in a affordable package. Keep reading to find out if this newest addition to CyberPower’s gaming lineup dazzles or disappoints.”
BIOS Option Of The Week – ACPI 2.0 Support
Tech ARP :: Sunday, December 14, 2008
Since 1999, we have been developing the BIOS Optimization Guide, affectionately known as the BOG. From a meager beginning of a single page, it now covers over 400 BIOS options. As old BOG readers will know, we started offering two editions of the BOG since Revision 8.0 – a simplified edition and the complete edition.
Normally, the complete edition is only available to subscribers who help sponsor the development of the guide through a small fee. However, that changes today! From now on, we will post a BIOS option from the complete edition of the BIOS Optimization Guide every Sunday.
This week, we will be taking a look at the ACPI 2.0 Support BIOS option!”
Virtualization 101, From Data Center To Desktop
Hot Hardware :: Friday, December 12, 2008
In the last few years Virtualization has gone from a buzzword to a platform of choice in the world of Information Technology. Consumers already reap its benefits on a day to day basis as Banks, Internet Service Providers, online merchants, and many other companies have adopted the technology all the while transparent to the end user. The reasons why virtualization is attractive to companies are many but, to put it succinctly, it all boils down to efficiency which then translates to lower cost and higher availability.
Just as the mighty transistor has shrunken down to sub-micron sizes over the years, so goes the data center. Less server sprawl does indeed equal more efficiency when virtualization is employed. But there are many other benefits as well. Head on over to the site to read more…
How to Speed up Your PC
Digital Trends :: Friday, December 12, 2008
We’ve all been there – you need to get some work done, but your PC is dragging, sluggishly completing tasks, occasionally freezing, unable to handle several open apps at once. In fact, if it were going any slower, it’d be going backwards. But there is hope. Unless your system is just too old to handle current applications, there’s no reason that you can’t give your trusty old computer an overnight performance boost. We gathered together a list of essential tips guaranteed to squeeze a little more speed out of your underperforming desktop or laptop. Ranging from the dead simple to more complex, below you’ll find a number of easy fixes with an immediate payoff to longer projects that will increase speed if you apply a little elbow grease. Check ’em out now and thank us later, when you’ve finally rejoined the 21st century and have enough juice to fire off an email while browsing the Web.
Thermaltake Holiday Giveaway – 10 Days Left!
Think Computers :: Thursday, December 11, 2008
“ThinkComputers has teamed with Thermaltake to bring you a great Holiday Giveaway! It is that time of the year, snow is on the ground and Christmas is right around the corner. We have decided to give you, our readers a little holiday surprise. Thermaltake will be providing 3 different cases for us to give away. First is the Speedo ($199.99), then the V9 Gaming Case ($139.99) and finally the Armor+ MX ($139.99). There are quite a few ways to enter this contest…
HD Video Playback With A $20 CPU & $30 GPU On Linux
Phoronix :: Thursday, December 11, 2008
A month ago NVIDIA had introduced the Video Decode and Presentation API for Unix (VDPAU) that brought PureVideo-like features to Linux. Our initial benchmarks of this video decoding API within NVIDIA’s binary driver were quite favorable as it was able to dramatically cut down on the CPU usage when playing H.264 video files. To see how well NVIDIA’s VDPAU really is though, we have carried out some more thorough testing now and our hardware consists of a CPU we purchased for $20 USD and a NVIDIA GeForce graphics card that retails for just $30. Can this very low-end hardware manage to play high definition videos under Linux?”
Holiday Buyer’s Guide
Hot Hardware :: Thursday, December 11, 2008
Each year we undergo a time-honored tradition of bringing you a few our picks for the hottest in computing gear for the holidays. This year, whether you’re interested in a new graphics card for rendering 3D bump-mapped sugar plums in your head, a new CPU to crunch under the mistletoe or if you’ve been a really good geek, an entire new system, we have some suggestions for making your Yuletide a little brighter. Head on over to the site and take a look…
MvixBOX WDN-2000 Network Media Server Christmas Giveaway
Benchmark Reviews :: Thursday, December 11, 2008
One very lucky Benchmark Reviews forum member will win a MvixBOX WDN-2000 network media server for Christmas. Valued at over $289, this little dynamo is actually a capable NAS (network attached storage) appliance with multimedia tuning. To enter, visit the Benchmark Reviews Discussion Forum for details.
Christmas Contest 55 Prizes
OCC :: Thursday, December 11, 2008
We have 55 Prizes up for grabs. The Grand Prize is a Full System that has a Liquid Cooled 920 I7 backed by a 4870X2. There is tons of other prizes such as a total of 14 Video Cards, Memory, Cases, and the list goes on and on. :) If you can give it a plug that would be great I know alot of sites don’t like doing contests posts but as always we return the favour. Thanks to everyone for the support of the last year, hopefully we all can keep rolling along in 2009. If you want to meet up for drinks and CES shoot me a message. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all of you. :)
HUGE Raffle & Giveaway (for a Great Cause)
The TechLounge :: Wednesday, December 10, 2008
“Today we are launching a raffle benefiting the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program. The objectives of Toys for Tots are to help needy children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation’s most valuable natural resources – our children; to unite all members of local communities in a common cause for three months each year during the annual toy collection and distribution campaign; and to contribute to better communities in the future.
For every $5 you donate, you will receive one chance to win one of over 80 prizes, including the Grand Prize: a custom-made, hand-painted SmoothCreations PC gaming system, equipped with some of the latest high performance gear on the market.
In these tough economic times, we would like to give some sense of hope to those less fortunate. Our communities need us now more than ever, and we can’t do it without you. Every bit helps, so please donate whatever you can afford to help us reach our goal of $25,000.”
ThinkComputers 2008 Budget Holiday Gift Guide
Think Computers :: Monday, December 08, 2008
“This holiday season is different from many that we have seen in the past. The main reason for that is because the economy is horrible right now. Most people are spending less than they ever have before on holiday gifts this year. Things are so bad that most stores do not even have those amazing deals that we are used to seeing this time of year. If you look at Black Friday’s deals none were really earth-shattering. So with that said here are some things you can get for that computer enthusiast or yourself on the cheap.”
Thermalright True Copper Ultra-120 Extreme CPU Heatsink – Limited Edition
Dragonsteel Mods :: Monday, December 08, 2008
AcousticPC (has sent me over the Thermalright True Copper Ultra-120 Extreme CPU Heatsink – Limited Edition, or TRUE Copper for review. This thing is huge, coming in at 1900Grams or about 4lbs, it’s enough to bust some motherboards, but if your board can handle it then get it as it will provide the best cooling performance of any air cooled CPU cooler on the market today, and most likely in the foreseeable future as well. AcousticPC is a company that I can relate to, I like my PC to be as quiet as possible, and silence is what AcousticPC specializes in, you can find most anything to make your PC as silent as possible. AcousticPC was nice enough to not only provide the TRUE Copper for review, but they also sent over a couple of the new Noctua NF-P12 fans to use with it for a truly silent and high performance cooling solution for your CPU.
Real World Linux Use – What To Test In Live Mode
PC Mechanic :: Monday, December 08, 2008
In this series I’m going to covers the ins and outs of using Linux as your primary home computer operating system. It will cover in a realistic sense what you can and moreover cannot do with it. Please Login or Register to read the rest of this article. Gold/Silver Membership required. Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.
Knowing About EXIF And Your Privacy [Photography]
PC Mechanic :: Monday, December 08, 2008
EXIF is the EXchangeable Image File format and is used by digital cameras to store information about the photos you take. Everything and the kitchen sink (figuratively speaking of course) is stored every time you take a photo. Here are two examples of EXIF data using the Flickr service:  View EXIF "meta" data  View EXIF "meta" data You’ll notice that the two photos differ significantly as far as the EXIF data is concerned. In addition to the time and date, the make/model of digital camera is given along with all available photo information as well. In 2005 (the first photo), I had an Olympus D-535 camera. The second was taken recently with my Fujifilm Finepix A820. Two different cameras, two totally different sets of settings based on environment and what my point-and-shoot digital cam "thought" was best for each shot. Both photos are also geotagged, meaning they both contain GPS coordinates stating exactly (more or less) where each photo was taken. To note: No, I don’t have one of those super-duper-pooper expensive digital cameras that records GPS positional information. Rather I manually enter in positional information using Flickr’s map function using point-and-click or entering manual coordinates. Concerning your privacy With online photo services like Flickr and Picasa, you can opt whether or not to have this information shown. Maybe you have a super-secret way of taking photos and don’t want people to know how you took specific shots. Maybe you simply don’t want people to know when you took specific photos. Hiding the EXIF data is the way to do that. Concerning the geotagged locations, the vast majority of digital cams are not GPS-enabled (and if yours is, trust me, you would know). Flickr does have privacy options to only let specific people (i.e. your "friends" list) know where shots were taken if you geotag. Or you can simply not geotag photos at all. I’m not familiar with Picasa’s way of geotagging privacy but if anyone has info on that, feel free to chime in with a comment on their options. Also remember: If you e-mail a photo to someone direct from your digital cam, all the EXIF data is present within the file(s). This information can be seen even in the standard Windows Explorer as a column. If you don’t want this information shown for whatever reason, you need to bring the file into an image editor and re-save it to remove the EXIF data. Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.
Backing Up An Entire Flickr Account [Windows]
PC Mechanic :: Monday, December 08, 2008
While it’s true the Desktop Flickr Organizer for Linux can’t be beat as far as backing up your Flickr account is concerned, I was searching for a way to do the same in Windows and yes, I found a way. The app is called Downloadr. It is very basic but it does the job it’s supposed to do and furthermore doesn’t crash like flickredit does. The way to back up your entire Flickr account (meaning all photos including private ones) is to do this: In your preferred web browser, login to your Flickr account first. Launch Downloadr. Click Extras then Authenticate (this will launch the flickr.com site in your preferred browser) In the browser, instruct Flickr to “OK, I’LL ALLOW IT” to authenticate the Downloadr app to access your account. In Downloadr, click Extras then Complete backup. If all goes well, this is what happens: Above: Clicking Extras then Authenticate to authenticate Downloadr to your Flickr account. Above: After clicking Extras then Complete backup you get this window. All you have to do is click the big Backup now button at the bottom. Above: Downloadr is backing up your entire Flickr account. Final notes: For each time you run a complete backup you must Authenticate via Downloadr each time for it to work. It’s a minor annoyance but only takes a few clicks. And yes, this will work on large Flickr accounts without crashing. As you see from the above screen shot I have 1000+ photos. For a Flickr account that’s somewhat large (although some have several thousand photos). Downloadr was able to get everything without a problem. Yes, it took a long time to get it all – but the fact is it did get them all without complaint. Downloadr is here and freeware: from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.
Listen To Your Favorite Radio Station Online
PC Mechanic :: Monday, December 08, 2008
Most everyone probably has a favorite radio station, FM or AM (unless you only listen to CD’s or satelite radio), they like to listen to while driving in the car, running, or whatever. Well, if you are ever at your computer and want to tune in, look no farther than the Internet. Virtually all radio stations have a web page and, typically, offer an online stream of their broadcast. This is a great way to listen to shows or music anytime. The best thing is you are not limited to only what your radio picks up, you can tune in to any radio station in any city by just visiting their page. The quality, while it is not crystal clear, is usually good, but this depends a lot on the stream offered by the station. Unfortunately one thing you cannot listen to on the online stream are any sporting events they may carry (baseball, football, etc.) due to blackout rules. Believe me, I have tried many times on many different online stations. Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.
Web Browsers Put To The Test
PC Mechanic :: Monday, December 08, 2008
When it comes to browsers, you have many options (listing a few): Firefox, IE, Safari, Opera and now Chrome. While the browser you prefer is simply that, personal perference, it is interesting to read reviews of how well they perform when compared to each other. ExtremeTech recently ran an article which tests these browsers called ‘Which Web Browser is King?‘. While the article is an interesting read, if you want to cut to the results here they are (note, the point system is explained in the article): Based on our arbitrary score assignments, Google Chrome is the speed king: Google Chrome—30 points Mozilla Firefox—20 points Opera—10 points Did not place: IE7, Safari These are pretty object tests, but speed isn’t always the most important thing to consider when choosing a browser as, again, it boils down to whichever one you like the best. Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.
Only Buy From Reputable Online Retailers
PC Mechanic :: Monday, December 08, 2008
If you are doing your shopping online, be vary wary. This time of year is notorious for taking advantage of naive online shoppers as ’scammers’ will throw up junk sites hoping to capture your credit card info or take your money and give you nothing but headaches. If you are going to buy expensive items online, make sure you are purchasing them from a reputable retailers (or eBay sellers). Here are a few warning signs which might let you know an online site is not on the ‘up and up’: Price is significantly lower than anywhere else. You cannot find any information about the retailer online (you can try doing a Whois search to see how long the domain has been in existence). Thrown together looking site. This is not necessarily a warning sign, but someone looking to take advantage of naive buyers probably will not put together an impressive site. No contact phone number or the phone number goes to someone’s answering machine. Again, these are just a few things to be wary of. Personally, I stick to sites like Amazon and the like as it is worth it to pay a little bit extra to _know_ you are going to get the item… and can return it if needed. Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.
Real World Linux Use – Picking The Right Distro
PC Mechanic :: Monday, December 08, 2008
In this series I’m going to covers the ins and outs of using Linux as your primary home computer operating system. It will cover in a realistic sense what you can and moreover cannot do with it. Please Login or Register to read the rest of this article. Gold/Silver Membership required. Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.
Digital Photography Gifts: Image Editors, Kids’ Cameras
PC World :: Monday, December 08, 2008
Dave’s annual gift-giving recommendations: photo editors, kid-friendly cameras, and how-to books.
Go Whole-Hog This Holiday with the Piggly Christmas Edition Game
PC World :: Monday, December 08, 2008
Even piglets love Mom and apple pie, so help Mrs. Piggly gather the ingredients to make a Christmas pie for her children. Serve yourself a generous helping of this attractive and enjoyable game.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 Digital Camera
PC World :: Monday, December 08, 2008
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 camera is smaller and lighter than an SLR, but not by much–and it costs more than many low-end SLRs do.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1: Dawn of the Mini-DSLR
PC World :: Monday, December 08, 2008
There’s no doubt the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 camera–the first to use the Micro Four-Thirds System–is revolutionary. But our review suggests you may be better off buying a “real” DSLR for now.
Stop a Berserk Santa in Santa’s Breakout
PC World :: Monday, December 08, 2008
Santa’s flying by with a chip on his shoulder and a mean throwing arm for snowballs. Can you save angels and presents to make it a truly happy holiday?
Ziibii for IPhone
PC World :: Monday, December 08, 2008
Admit it, you’re drowning in a sea of friends, photos and feeds and need a lifeline. Ziibii lassos updates from many of the…
Installing Vista SP2 Beta
PC World :: Monday, December 08, 2008
Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Beta is here. Are there any installation surprises you should know about?
Apple LED Cinema Display
PC World :: Monday, December 08, 2008
Apple’s new LED Cinema Display is the company’s first display designed specifically for use with its laptop line. The new…
Apple LED Cinema Display
PC World :: Monday, December 08, 2008
Apple’s new LED Cinema Display is the company’s first display designed specifically for use with its laptop line.
Facebook 2.0 for IPhone
PC World :: Monday, December 08, 2008
In my review of Facebook 1.1, I was pretty impressed with the iPhone version of the social-networking site. With Facebook 2.0…
ILuv I399
PC World :: Monday, December 08, 2008
In the world of the iPod-compatible speaker systems, the iLuv i399 is a jack-of-all-trades. This bookshelf unit not only plays…
Clark & Mayfield Metro Express Laptop Tote Bag
PC World :: Monday, December 08, 2008
Totes are excellent everyday bags. Large and easily accessible, they’re ideal for everything from loading up on library books…
Hands on With HP Mini, Lenovo S10, BenQ U101
PC World :: Monday, December 08, 2008
With netbooks selling well in the run up to the holidays, here’s a look at three of the newest entries.
Share Files Easily with HFS
PC World :: Monday, December 08, 2008
When you’ve got HFS running, you can click and drag to share files with remote PCs–but setting it up can be tricky.
ATI HD 4870 1GB vs. NVIDIA GTX 260/216 896MB: Follow-Up
Techgage :: Monday, December 08, 2008
Two weeks ago, we published a performance comparison between NVIDIA’s GTX 260/216 and ATI’s HD 4870 1GB. What we found was that NVIDIA had the upper-hand, both in performance, and efficiency. Today, we’re re-testing ATI’s card with their new 8.12 driver, to see if it can increase performance enough to sway our decision as to which is the better card.
Gifts for Geeks: 24 gift ideas
Neoseeker :: Friday, December 05, 2008
Taking a break from hardware reviews, Neoseeker has published a gift guide called Gifts for Geeks. In it, we take a gander at some suggestions for Christmas gifts — especially for the tech and gaming inclined.
Gateway FX6800-01e Gaming PC Review
Digital Trends :: Thursday, December 04, 2008
The hype surrounding Intel’s new Core i7 Quad-Core processor touches down at Gateway in the form of the new FX6800-01e gaming machine, with a hot new i7 beating within. The inky-black-and-orange machine impressed us with its computational fortitude, but lost points with a messy array of trialware scattered on the new machine, some cheap construction issues, and a few odd crashes. Despite the holdbacks, it’s still a lot of machine for the money, and not many other manufacturers can match the same outfit of premium hardware for the price.”
Mod of the Month – November 2008
Bit-Tech Modding :: Thursday, December 04, 2008
We’re a few days late on announcing November’s Mod of the Month contenders, but as a bonus we’ve arranged an extra prize for the lucky winner of this month’s competition. Read, vote and tell us your thoughts on this month’s contenders!
Real World Linux Use – Getting Real
PC Mechanic :: Thursday, December 04, 2008
In this series I’m going to covers the ins and outs of using Linux as your primary home computer operating system. It will cover in a realistic sense what you can and moreover cannot do with it. Please Login or Register to read the rest of this article. Gold/Silver Membership required. Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.
Fancy Up Your KDE or GNOME With Eye Candy [Linux]
PC Mechanic :: Thursday, December 04, 2008
Two web sites that are all about eye candy for for Linux are KDE-Look and GNOME-Look. You get your pick of the litter when it comes to.. well.. everything in a desktop environment using Linux. Wallpapers, themes, styles, window decorations, icons, cliparts, system sounds, splash screens, bootsplash, VLC themes, Xine themes.. the list goes on and on and on. So if your KDE or GNOME is a bit on the boring side, not to worry, those two sites have you covered. And I mean really covered. If you ever wanted to know where people get the super-cool stuff for Linux that makes it look so modern, sleek and so on – said people probably got it all (or at least a good chunk of it) from one of those two sites. Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.
There’s A Reason For Those Disclaimers [YouTube]
PC Mechanic :: Thursday, December 04, 2008
You can file this under the "Yeah, I knew that would happen" department. A consumer advocacy group is really ticked off because there are pharmaceutical advertisements are appearing on YouTube without any disclaimers or warnings (as they must have on television). Corporations, typically speaking, hate it when they have to put any disclaimers or warnings on their products. Why? It’s because it decreases sales. Someone who is smarter than the average bear may (gasp) read one of those and say "Um.. I don’t think this is for me, it may be bad for my health." Am I saying that pharma ads on YouTube need to have the same disclaimers as they do on television? You’re damned right they do. [Source: blog.bioethics.net] Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.
IPhone Holiday Apps
PC World :: Thursday, December 04, 2008
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, they say. Sure, the country is in a recession and holiday sales are looking more…
Book Review – 3DVinci’s ModelMetricks SketchUp Projects for Kids Books
PC World :: Thursday, December 04, 2008
Songbird 1.0 Is Available for Download
PC World :: Thursday, December 04, 2008
Mozilla super fans will be pleased to know that the open source music playing application Songbird has debuted its 1.0…
Make Beautiful Music Notation with Lilypond
PC World :: Thursday, December 04, 2008
If you’re a starving composer looking for a free way to print up your symphonic score, Lilypond is a good solution–but be prepared to spend a long time entering data.
ToCA Race Driver 3
PC World :: Thursday, December 04, 2008
ToCA Race Driver 3 lets you race in virtually every professional racing circuit in the history of the sport with unrivaled…
Flick Fishing for IPhone
PC World :: Thursday, December 04, 2008
Freeverse Software’s second Flick Sports title, Flick Fishing, is a considerably better outing than its predecessor, Flick…
Cool Tech Gifts: High-Def Pocket Camcorder
PC World :: Thursday, December 04, 2008
Pure Digital’s Flip MinoHD, an affordable camcorder that shoots high-def video, is compact and customizable.
Calaboration 1.0.1
PC World :: Thursday, December 04, 2008
Google’s Calendar feature has become a popular part of the company’s suite of online tools. Monday, it became even more…
Recover Lost Pics with PhotoRescue Wizard
PC World :: Thursday, December 04, 2008
Didn’t mean to hit “delete”? PhotoRescue Wizard can recover deleted or corrupted photos from your camera’s memory card.
Boston Acoustics Duo-i IPod Clock Radio
PC World :: Thursday, December 04, 2008
Several years ago, when I was looking for a new clock radio for my nightstand, Boston Acoustics’ Recepter Radio stood out for…
Toshiba USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive
PC World :: Thursday, December 04, 2008
USB is usually a safe bet, and equipping an external hard drive exclusively with USB 2.0 means that almost any modern computer…
Ocarina for IPhone
PC World :: Thursday, December 04, 2008
The iPhone not only has the ability to play music, but thanks to the work of some enterprising developers, it can also make…
How to Buy a GPS Device
PC World :: Thursday, December 04, 2008
GPS devices are among the hottest technology products, but it’s easy to spend a lot on one and be disappointed. We explain the benefits and pitfalls.
Gigabyte EG45M-DS2H
Techgage :: Thursday, December 04, 2008
On the test bench today, we have Gigabyte’s latest Micro ATX offering, the Intel G45-based EG45M-DS2H. This board carries the typical Gigabyte enthusiast charm, but also caters towards those looking to build a media center. But how does it stack up against the other Intel mATX boards we’ve tested recently?
TheTechLounge’s Toys for Tots Raffle and Fundraiser
The TechLounge :: Wednesday, December 03, 2008
“Today we are launching a raffle benefiting the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program. The objectives of Toys for Tots are to help needy children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation’s most valuable natural resources – our children; to unite all members of local communities in a common cause for three months each year during the annual toy collection and distribution campaign; and to contribute to better communities in the future.
For every $5 you donate, you will receive one chance to win one of over 80 prizes, including the Grand Prize: a custom-made, hand-painted SmoothCreations PC gaming system, equipped with some of the latest high performance gear on the market.
In these tough economic times, we would like to give some sense of hope to those less fortunate. Our communities need us now more than ever, and we can’t do it without you. Every bit helps, so please donate whatever you can afford to help us reach our goal of $25,000.”
Silent Computer Article
RB Mods :: Tuesday, December 02, 2008
These days everyone wants a quiet computer, it doesnt matter if its a stationary, laptop or HTPC they are all supposed to perform at all times with the smallest amount cooling possible.
That equation does not really go together that well, todays computer parts put out a amazing amount of heat so there will be noise until we figure out another way to keep the parts cool.
Aluminum Case for iPod Nano 4th (Black)
Dragonsteel Mods :: Monday, December 01, 2008
So I figured why not make it three in row of iPod nano cases reviewed, sounds good to me anyway… The last two iPod nano cases I reviewed were plastic, today I’ve got an aluminum one that offers sort of a bit more protection for your iPod. The Aluminum housing of course is a bit more durable than plastic, but it doesn’t include a screen protector, you’ll have to provide one of those yourself, or just deal with it. The case is padded on the inside though so it should protect the nano from the shock of being dropped, and of course the padding protects the nano of being scratched by the metal housing. So read on…
Crystal Case for iPod Nano 4th (2)
Dragonsteel Mods :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Today I’ve got another iPod nano case for review, this one has a name similar to the one I just reviewed, but it’s a bit different. It’s called the Crystal Case for iPod Nano 4th (2), the only major difference in the name is the 2 you see there, but the case itself is very much different, but it does offer the same excellent protection as the other Crystal Case. So read on..
Crystal Case for iPod Nano 4th Gen
Dragonsteel Mods :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving! We’ve got two reviews for you today, call it a bonus for Turkey Day! The second review today is the Crystal Case for iPod Nano 4th Gen from our friends at USBFever, it’s inexpensive, fully protects your iPod and even looks good. So continue on..
ATV Flash
Dragonsteel Mods :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone out there, have a safe and wonderful holiday!AppleTV was released over a year and half ago and has been a moderate success. It is a device with great potential, unfortunately most of that is left untapped due to Apple’s desire to maintain strict control over content. Apple limited the devices playback to certain video formats: H.264 and MPEG-4. Most techies that I know have videos encoded in more than just these two formats. This restriction has a significant impact on AppleTV’s appeal. Shortly after Apple TV was released, the hacker community started on making it better. Since that time, the hacking community has accessed the operating system, enabled playback of most video formats, allowed DVD playback, installation of Firefox, Skype and EyeTV and much, much more. These “new” features make the Apple TV much more attractive as a digital media receiver. So how do we add these “features” to the Apple TV? One way is to scour the net for resources, download the proper files and then get them loaded onto the Apple TV. Sounds pretty easy, right? Trust me, this method takes a fair amount of time and effort. Now what if someone did all the legwork for you and put it in a precompiled package? Well, Apple Core LLC did exactly that. They created ATV Flash, which is an installer program that opens up the OS X operating system within the Apple TV box with a simple USB thumb drive. Today we will look at this program and see if it is worth the price. Let’s get started….
XSite Pro 2 Reviewed
Dragonsteel Mods :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Running a website as a business takes a lot of time and effort. As Kris can attest, keeping DragonSteelMods.com tuned up and running proficiently takes a lot of work. Now to create and run a site, the user can either go with the cookie cutter programs designed for beginners that are generally limited in their scope or with something that is complicated with a lot of code to be manipulated. The other option is to pay someone to do the job. Luckily, the folks at XSite Pro have released their second web design/editor program – XSite Pro 2. This program is a happy medium between the simple and complex web design programs in the market. It can be entirely template driven, allowing the user to avoid dealing with all the messy code that lies underneath. XSite Pro 2 creates the code from the user’s input information and sets it for HTML output. So let’s take a closer look at XSite Pro 2. Let’s get started…..
Plusmo’s Football Apps for IPhone
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
A few months ago, in a Moby Dick-length round-up of sports score-checking apps for the iPhone and iPod touch, I included an…
WriteRoom for IPhone
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
I’m sure you’ve been in a store and had the idea of a lifetime. You frantically search around you for a slip of paper to jot…
MindNode Pro 1.0.3
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
The use of mind mapping software is becoming increasingly common in corporate America, but who wants to fork out hundreds of…
First Look: Microsoft Arc Mouse
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Microsoft’s Arc Mouse takes a different and unique approach to mouse design. It looks like, well…an arc. And it actually…
Hands on With the HTC Touch HD
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
The smartphone developer has unveiled its biggest threat to the iPhone 3G yet, and the new rival is impressive.
WriteRoom 2.3
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
WriteRoom is what TV chef Alton Brown would call a “unitasker”: It’s a tool designed for only one function. But while Brown…
Billy Frontier for IPhone
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
He’s stared down many a bandit (and the occasional orangutan), but to my knowledge, Clint Eastwood never faced off against…
Überclok Reaktor
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
The Reaktor is a speedy system, but a few of Überclok’s design decisions don’t make sense in a PC of this caliber.
Hardcore Reactor
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
This impressive PC keeps its components cool by immersing them in oil, but much cheaper, faster (graphics-wise), and more-upgradable PCs exist.
Xi Mtower HAF-SLI
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
This rig sacrifices some graphical prowess to achieve blazing overclocked performance at a killer price.
Building the Perfect Smart Phone: PC World’s Design
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
What would you include in the perfect smart phone? Check out our concept and tell us what you think.
Search for Text in Scanned Files With Recollect Desktop
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
This program goes where other search programs don’t: e-mail, PDFs, scanned documents, and more.
17-inch MacBook Pro Benchmarks
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Following the top-to-bottom refresh of Apple’s laptop line announced in October, people paid plenty of attention to the new…
RRootage for IPhone
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Japanese developer Kenta Cho has developed a reputation for distillation. Not of the alcohol kind, but rather, for taking the…
Beta Watch: Juice, EveryScape, Shoeboxed
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
This month we look at a Firefox 3 add-on that enhances searches, a Web service that takes you inside buildings, and an online manager for receipts and business cards.
The Mobile Office, Part 2
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
With a portable printer and other micro gadgets, you can take your office on the road–but don’t expect full-sized quality.
Gateway P-7811FX: A Budget-Friendly Gamer
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Gateway brings out a bargain, full-fledged gaming notebook packed with more ports and options than you’ll know what to do with.
LoginControl 2.0
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Although Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) offers many improvements over Tiger, it also takes a few small steps backwards. One of those…
HDTV Buying Guide 2008
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Here is your complete guide to buying and owning a new HDTV this holiday season and beyond.
Sony HDTVs Rated Most Reliable by PC World Readers
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Sony gets far and away the highest reliability and service scores in our reader survey. LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, and Vizio all earn favorable marks as well.
Asus U6V: Ultraportable Form Meets Fashion
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Asus’s fashionable ultraportable gives you good performance–and a second battery–without breaking the bank.
Turn Your Handwriting Into a Font With Scanahand
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Scan your signature and other scribbles to create a font that resembles your handwriting.
Hiking 2.0: Five Favorite Sites
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Five great Web sites to help plan your next outdoor adventure.
More IPhone Dictionary Apps
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Every modern English dictionary stands in the shadow of the Holy Trinity of Lexicons: The Oxford English Dictionary…
SugarCRM Keeps You Closer to Your Customers
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Track your contacts, appointments, sales opportunities, and more with this simple online customer relationship management app.
Canon PowerShot SD880 IS
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Canon’s PowerShot SD880 IS is a compact point and shoot digital camera. Part of Canon’s Digital Elph family, the camera…
Adobe InCopy CS4
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Adobe’s latest version of InCopy, the companion program to InDesign that lets writers and editors work on a document…
Samsung Omnia for Verizon Smart Phone
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
The sophisticated Omnia can do just about everything, but omissions such as a slideout keyboard and a headphone jack prevent it from outshining the iPhone.
Acer Aspire One netbook – Almost Perfect
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Create Custom Launchers with Launchbar Commander
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
This full-featured and complex launch utility is best suited to power users.
Low-cost IPhone Dictionary Applications
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
A really good dictionary is an indispensable part of any library, home or office. I have three unabridged dictionaries in my…
TaskPaper 2.0 Helps You Get Things Done
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
I have many stellar qualities (at least that’s what my mom keeps telling me) but keeping track of what I need to do has always…
HP HDX18: Multimedia Marvel
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
As a desktop replacement, the HDX18 not only performs well, it makes your desk itself look snazzier, with great multimedia features.
Battlestations Midway
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Battlestations Midway is a World War II simulator that offers unbridled scale of the Pacific Theater. From Pearl Harbor to the…
Nine Inch Nails Revenge for IPhone
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Tap Tap Revenge started life as a “jailbreak” app for the iPhone even before Apple published a Software Development Kit (SDK)…
Price War: Xbox 360 vs. PlayStation 3 — Fight!
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
With Black Friday just around the corner, Game On takes a look at the state of Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 ownership costs in several different configurations.
Track Your Soccer Team with LeaguePad
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Stay on top of your favorite sports teams–amateur or pro–with this application.
Replace Your Taskbar with ObjectDock
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Even the free version of this software amps up your control over the Windows interface.
Use Your E-mail, IM, and Social Networks…All in VoxOx
PC World :: Monday, December 01, 2008
This beta freebie helps you keep tabs on your online communications and social networks.
ASUS Rampage II Extreme – The Definitive Overclocking Board?
Techgage :: Monday, December 01, 2008
ASUS has long supported overclockers with their motherboards, but the Rampage II Extreme takes things to the next level. In addition to an even more robust BIOS than what we’re used to, we’re given the ability to put our multi-meters to good use with the help of easy-access board contacts. When all said and done though, is the RIIE really worth the $400 asking price?
Gigabyte EX58-UD5
Techgage :: Monday, December 01, 2008
Our X58 motherboard coverage continues with a look at Gigabyte’s EX58-UD5, an offering that’s competing with all the other $300 launch boards out there. Though still expensive, there’s a lot being offered here, including a plethora of USB and S-ATA ports, solid design, support for 3-way GPU configurations and a nice top overclock.
NZXT Whisper Full-Tower
Techgage :: Monday, December 01, 2008
PC silence means more now than ever before. While we love to have powerful machines, we also want peace and quiet, and understandably so. NZXT recently released their Whisper full-tower that’s poised to deliver the best of both worlds. Can this huge chassis deliver the silence we’re looking for, along with the functionality?
ATI HD 4870 1GB vs. NVIDIA GTX 260/216 896MB
Techgage :: Monday, December 01, 2008
In the $250 – $300 price-range, there exists two graphics cards that want to see your dollar, but which one deserves it the most? To find out, we’re taking a thorough look at each. In addition to general performance comparison, we’re also taking a look to see which excels where power consumption and temperatures are concerned, in addition to overall pricing.