Swissbit Cirrus WHITE USB 512mb USB Drive @ ThinkComputers.org
Think Computers :: Thursday, January 19, 2006
Article: Keeping Windows Clean @ BTXFormFactor.com
BTX FormFactor :: Thursday, January 19, 2006
Article Quote: Windows is a living entity. Protecting Windows and keeping it clean from malware (malicious programs) is a full time job these days. Windows users are often frustrated by Microsoft’s continued efforts to make its operating system secure against hackers because patching Windows seems like a full-time job. The real question here is what do all these patches mean to you?
John Beekley of Corsair Memory @ Legit Reviews
Legit Reviews :: Thursday, January 19, 2006
“LR: Let’s talk about the future of computer memory in 2006. It looks like we are going to see DDR3 and FB-DIMM’s enter into the market space this year. Which should enthusiasts be more interested in?
John: I think that 2006 will be all about DDR2, actually. FBDIMM is a server technology, and will have no impact on the enthusiast in the one-to-two year future. And DDR3 in volume is a long way off, except in graphic applications. The most interesting memory-related events in 2006 for the enthusiast will be [1] the launch of DDR2 Athlons, and the impact on AMD’s current reign as performance champion, and [2] the launch of more games and operating system revisions that require 2 GBytes of memory for optimal performance…”
XClio 3060 Plus Mid-Tower Case & 250mm Fan Side Panel @ SystemCooling
SystemCooling :: Thursday, January 19, 2006
snip: “With today’s fast and hot running systems, case cooling is becoming more important every day. Access heat can cause instability in a computer system and can decrease the life span of various important components. Today we will be looking at the XClio 3060 Plus, which looks to end the problem of overheating computers.”
[Designtechnica News] 180s Tek Fleece by JVC Ear Buds Review
Designtechnica :: Thursday, January 19, 2006
“On a cold day, there’s nothing worse than going for a walk and having to decide: Cold ears and tunes, or warm ears and no tunes? Well, now you can have them both! The Tek Fleece ear warmers feature integrated JVC headphones, and while the sound quality is not amazing, the concept and execution are first class.”
Corsair TWINX-2048 3500LL PRO Memory @ Viperlair
ViperLair :: Thursday, January 19, 2006
“Depending on your setup, this kit may or may not be for you. Certainly, the TWINX-2048 3500LL PRO is a quality part that ran rock solid throughout testing, and for those of you stuck at the 230FSB hump, we think this is one of the best choices you can make simply because of the large capacity and speed.”
CES 2006 Day 3: Company Spotlight – OCZ Technology’s Cryo-Z
Futurelooks :: Thursday, January 19, 2006
We were invited to OCZ’s party, and boy did they have a wicked cool surprise for us! Long known for Kick Ass RAM, they have decided to come charging into the alternative cooling product market. Most companies choose water-cooling, but OCZ decided to do something more extreme. How about a little bit of Phase-Change? Come and check it out!
Polywell MiniBox 939NP Media Center PC @ Viper Lair
ViperLair :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
“Pre-built systems can ease your pain in several ways. To begin with, they all come with warranties, so if something fails, you can just get it fixed. Everything has been pre-tested, so there’s no guess work into trying to make things work. Finally, due to the sheer volume of purchasing, it is actually possible to save money to buy pre-built rather than doing it yourself.”
Zalman VF700-Cu LED @ PureOverclock.com
Pure Overclock :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Quote: The build quality is simply first rate. The base is lapped to a fine finish and there simply isn’t a rough edge in site. If you like aesthetics, this is the cooler for you. If you think of Arctic Cooling’s approach, this is the opposite. Finesse is the name of the game here.
Red Hat Fedora Core 5 Test 2 @ Phoronix
Phoronix :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Summary: “The talented developers at Red Hat have unleashed Fedora Core 5 Test 2, after a one month delay due to development reasons. Making its way into FC5T2 is GNOME v2.13.4, KDE v3.5.0, Linux v2.6.15, and X.Org v7.0. Unlike some past Fedora builds, there is a great deal of changes in this development release on the road to Fedora 5, which is presently scheduled to make its debut this March. With the time we have spent thus far with Fedora Core 5, we can say it is very much worth trying out and is shaping up into becoming one of the best releases thus far.”
PimpRig Review // Cooler Master Stacker 830 Case
PimpRig :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
“Right away there were a few things about this case that I liked. The thing has a solid aluminum exterior, including the front door. The mesh that covers the front of the case is very similar to car speaker covers and seem to provide adequate protection while still allowing good airflow. There are a pair of front panels, both accessible without having to open the door. The first is on the top front of the case and consists of a pair of USB ports, a mic in, a speaker out, and a IEEE-1394 port.”
SDI iHome iH5 iPod Alarm Clock Review
Designtechnica :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
“Just when you thought there wasn’t room for another iPod accessory, SDI drops the iHome iH5r. The first, and most closely matching, iPod-compatible alarm clock has a number of drawbacks, but makes a decent stab at conquering the bedroom with all that glossy, white, plastic glory. Before you point out that the iPod already has an alarm clock program built in, read on. ”
Title: Crucial Ballistix Tracer Memory Quick Review @ amdgamer
AMDGamer.com :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Quote: “We were very pleased to receive this memory kit from Crucial Technology for review. We’ll put it through some quick tests and measurements and see how well it performs under various situations. Crucial entered the enthusiast and gamer arena with their Ballistix line of DDR memory, with flashing LED’s and the promise of excellent performance, these chips should please both case modders and serious gamers.”
MSI RD480 Neo2
t-break :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
We like the arrangement of the PCI slots- MSI puts plenty of gap between the two x16 slots to easily accommodate dual slot cards, while two x1 and two 32-bit PCI slots are also present to handle your expansion cards.
ermax Liberty 400W High Efficiency Power Supply @ SystemCooling
SystemCooling :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Press Release: Aerocool introduces case with 250mm side panel fan!
Madshrimps :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Quote: “A 250mm side panel is the eye catcher on this new case from Aerocool, it also features a 140mm intake fan and room for an additional 120mm outtake.”
Opteron 165 – Upgrade to X2
Madshrimps :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Quote: “Last year I had the pleasure in getting my first taste of Upgrade to A64-Venice 3000+ . The high overclock headroom and ease of thermal output plus the low price made the Venice 3000+ a terrific buy. So much buzz on the Opteron Dual Core S939 since November last year; I was hoping I would get the same result my Venice delivers”
2006 CES Hype List @ ThinkComputers.org
Think Computers :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Quote: “I decided to go a different route than normal and instead of doing a “best of” or a “my favorites” CES feature, I’m doing a similar selection that I’m dubbing my “hype list.” Essentially it is everything that is really hyped in my own opinion from the CES and I am looking forward to seeing where it heads or checking it out in depth in the future. Who knows, some of this may bomb and never be see again, or some of it may hit big…”
Gigabyte GA-8I955X Royal Motherboard @ Bjorn3D
Bjorn3D :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Rare jewels (diamond), precious metals (platinum), positions of distinction (royal)… all of these are common themes used by manufacturers to distinguish its flagship products from the rest of the pack. For Gigabyte, the theme is royalty, and the board to most recently grace our labs is the GA-8I955X Royal.
CES 2006 Camcorder Round-Up
Designtechnica :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Here are the broad strokes:
*DVD camcorders are more prevalent than ever as almost all manufacturers have jumped onto the disk-based bandwagon.
*Companies have cut back on the number of MiniDV tape models and cut prices.
*A gradual shift is occurring as non-tape formats (DVD, hard disk drive, solid state) become more common and less expensive.
*And since America has gone widescreen TV crazy, more camcorders than ever take true widescreen video rather than stretching it like the old days (three years ago).
Ideazon ZBoard Customizable Gaming Keyboard Review @ Tweaknews.net
Tweaknews :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
“Ideazon has a great idea here, and one that has held up well since its introduction. The Gaming Keyset supports a surprisingly large number of games, and keymaps are easily accessible from the menu. Well over 50 games are supported, including not only oldies-but-goodies such as Leisure Suit Larry, but also new titles such as F.E.A.R.”
Force4 XE und nForce4 Ultra Preview on Technic3D
Techniz.co.uk :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Corsair 2GB XMS-3500LLPRO Memory Kit Pictorial Review Posted!
Tech ARP :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
CES 2006 – HD DVD & Blu-ray
The Tech Zone :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Despite the long, generally boring Toshiba, Panasonic, Pioneer, Canon, LG and other press events; everyone waited for baited breath for the HD DVD and BD press conferences. The HD DVD army led the attack with bad jokes and a fumbled video playback attempt…but they tried. They touted their studio partners, specific release dates and HP their most recent convert. BD was more cautious with more talk than play.
Antec Neo HE 550W review @ DH
Driver Heaven :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
“The Neo HE we have here for testing for example is rated for 550W peak output at 50C ambient temperature. If the air surrounding it is cooler, it is able to provide more power than 550W. Or if you like, it will always be able to provide 550W while mounted in most computer cases, unlike most cheap power supply units.
The Neo HE is somewhat different to most other power supply units and we do not mean that because it is a modular type power supply unit as there are many of these around these days. The Neo HE is relying on its own high efficiency factor to solve all of the problems that a power supply unit may face and it is this that makes the Neo HE so different.”
MSI RD480 motherboard @ Pro-Clockers
Pro-Clockers :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Quote: MSI is one of those companies that has and will always have a place in the gaming and enthusiast’s community. Time and time again they have released a great product, whether it is a motherboard or a video card. Today, we take a look at their newest motherboard, which is based in the ATI XFire chipset, the RD480-FI.
Review: Sunbeam LED Case Feet @ GideonTech.com
GideonTech :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
“My old Antec aluminum case has been with same old case lighting mods for a while now. I decided to get a few things from Xoxide and in the process I picked up the case chassis feet from Sunbeam. I’ve always had good experience with the affordable Sunbeam products. Let’s see how these things light up.”
News – 3Dmark ’06
TekBunker :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
HDR rendering. Complex HDR post processing. Dynamic soft shadows for all objects. Water shader with HDR refraction, HDR reflection, depth fog Gerstner wave functions. Heterogeneous fog. Atmospheric light scattering. Realistic sky model with cloud blending. Strauss lighting model for most materials. Subsurface scattering shader for some objects. Texture & normal map sizes: 1024 x 1024 to 2048 x 2048. Approximately 5.4 million triangles and 8.8 million vertices.
John Beekley of Corsair Memory @ Legit Reviews
Legit Reviews :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
“LR: Let’s talk about the future of computer memory in 2006. It looks like we are going to see DDR3 and FB-DIMM’s enter into the market space this year. Which should enthusiasts be more interested in?
John: I think that 2006 will be all about DDR2, actually. FBDIMM is a server technology, and will have no impact on the enthusiast in the one-to-two year future. And DDR3 in volume is a long way off, except in graphic applications. The most interesting memory-related events in 2006 for the enthusiast will be [1] the launch of DDR2 Athlons, and the impact on AMD’s current reign as performance champion, and [2] the launch of more games and operating system revisions that require 2 GBytes of memory for optimal performance…”
Ultra X-Connect X2 550W Power Supply w/ FlexForce Modular Cables Review #639
3dgameman :: Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Ultra X-Connect X2 550W Power Supply w/ FlexForce Modular Cables Review #639: “There are many power supplies on the market and for the most part they are all following the same mold and design, except for a few cosmetic differences. This is not the case with this product. The looks will first grab you, and then the very cool FlexForce thin modular cables will hook you! I can’t say enough good things about these cables, I think they are fantastic…” ~3dGameMan.com
