Gift Guide Tablet and e-reader buying advice

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(AP) -- This holiday season, it will be hard to enter a store without setting eyes on a tablet computer or an e-reader. In both categories, big-name manufacturers - along with some you might not have heard of - are jumping on the bandwagon, trying hard to undercut each other with lower-priced gadgets.

It doesn't help that so many of them claim to do the same thing. The

Tablets:

Apple iPad (Wi-Fi only: $499-$699; 3G: $629-$829)

Pros: Has the same intuitive interface as the iPhone and iPod Touch, but optimized for the iPad's larger 9.7-inch display. Syncs with the popular iTunes software, whose store sells music, movies and e-books. Up to 10 hours of battery life. There are more than 300,000 apps available in the app store; more than 40,000 of them were designed specifically for the iPad, making this the most versatile tablet, by far. All models connect over Wi-Fi, while 3G versions can use AT&T's cellular network, whose plans in the U.S. cost either $15 or $25 per month and require no long-term contracts.

Cons: It is relatively large and weighs about 1.5 pounds, so it's not as easy to use one-handed as a smaller tablet such as Samsung Electronics Co.'s Galaxy Tab. Lacks a camera for video chatting. Students will find fewer textbooks available in Apple Inc.'s iBooks than in Amazon's Kindle store.

Samsung Galaxy Tab ($399 with two-year contract; $599-$649 without)

Pros: The Tab runs the same Android software that can be found on many a smart phone. Solid build quality and brisk performance. It is a bit smaller than the iPad and about half its weight. It has dual cameras, something the iPad lacks entirely, allowing people to video chat, record HD movies and snap still photos. The Tab's display is sharper than the iPad's.

Cons: The Tab's 7-inch display makes for a less immersive movie-watching experience than the iPad's larger one. Many Android apps weren't designed to fill the Tab's larger screen. Video chat can be slow over both Wi-Fi and 3G cellular networks. The Tab only costs $399 if you commit to a two-year contract with Sprint or Verizon Wireless, which let the Tab run over their 3G networks. Verizon Wireless and AT&T sell the Tab with optional contracts, but it costs more up front ($599 on Verizon and $649 on AT&T). Monthly data plans range from $25 to $60.

iPhone 5 frenzy builds ahead of Friday release

Gadget lovers have flooded Apple with pre-orders and set up camp outside the company's real-world stores to get their hands on the new generation iPhone 5 set for release Friday.

"The fact that the iPhone 5 is doing as well as it is opposed to other phones is a tribute to

The analyst dismissed efforts by Apple adversary Samsung to poke fun at iPhone fanatics and the lack of innovative handset features in print and

Aspiring iPhone 5 owners started a queue outside the

Apple shares broke the $700 mark this week and stood at $701.60 in after-market trade on Wednesday.

The iPhone 5, with a bigger screen and slimmer body, was quickly branded by analysts as a sure hit.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook called the launch "the biggest thing to happen to iPhone since the iPhone."

The California company called the iPhone 5 "the thinnest smartphone in the world," with a glass and aluminum body that is 18 percent thinner and 20 percent lighter than iPhone 4S.

The new iPhone has a rich four-inch (10-centimeter) display prime for the red-hot smartphone market, in which screen size is a key factor for buyers.

The iPhone 5 will debut Friday in the United States, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.

Pricing for US customers will start at $199 with a two-year telecom service contract.

Apple earlier rolled out its new iOS 6 mobile gadget operating system with new features, including a custom mapping service branded a disappointment by some reviewers.

"Seems pretty clear the new Maps is going to be the biggest problem with iOS 6," Apple fan John Gruber wrote on his Daring Fireball blog.

"It'll be interesting to see how long it takes for Google to release a standalone Google Maps apps in the iOS App Store."

Apple's custom mapping program replaced Google Maps in the operating system.

An iPhone change with the potential to irk fans is a new "Lightning" connector to replace 30-pin connections, the piece that connects devices to computers, power outlets or docking stations.

Apple will sell adaptors for plugging new generation iPhone and iPod touch devices into accessories already owned, such as stereo speakers or car sound systems.

The big-screen

"Apple is meeting all expectations," analyst Baker said. "Everything was getting great reviews until they started rolling out iOS 6 today."

The US Federal Trade Commission warned that scammers were already seeking to cash in on

Disney and Asus Announces Netpal For Kids

It is common to see gadgets in collaboration with other companies for unique product launches. In an announcement between Disney and Asus, a new netbook (again?) has been confirmed.

Known as Netpal, it is targeted towards kids and has features...well, targeted for kids.

ASUS's Disney-branded Netpal netbook for kids will come in your choice of "Princess Pink" or "Magic Blue" colors. To add on, each netbook features a Disney interface, along with a range of built-in parental controls, and some customizable themes based on Mickey Mouse, Toy Story, Wall-E, and other Disney properties.

Hardware-wise,you get your standard netbook configuration on a 8.9-inchscreen and storage will be either a 16GB SSD drive or a standard 160GB hard drive.

No release date has been confirmed yet.

Engineers building first space supercomputer

HAL may soon be getting some company. But unlike the famous computer companion in Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey,” the first space-based supercomputer — so described because it will be by far the most powerful computer in space — is already nearing reality.

Engineering researchers at the University of Florida and Honeywell Aerospace are designing and building the computer projected to operate as much as 100 times faster than any computer in space today. Expected to be launched aboard a NASA rocket on a test mission in 2009, the computer is needed to process rapidly increasing amounts of data gathered by advanced scientific satellites. It is also needed to help space probes make more rapid decisions by themselves, independently of their Earth-bound minders.

“To explore space and to support Earth and space science, there is a great need for much more processing power in space,” said Alan George, a professor of electrical and computer engineering and UF’s principal investigator on the project.

Computers have become far more powerful and faster in recent decades, but these advances have been largely confined to Earth. That’s because all computers sent into space must be “hardened” or protected against cosmic radiation prevalent outside the Earth’s atmosphere, a process that slows their performance and increases their size and cost. The result is that even as satellites and space probes have become far better at gathering information, most of their data not has to be sent to ground stations on Earth for processing.

“Usually the downlinks have very limited bandwidth. There are only so many bits per second you can send down from a satellite,” said John Samson, the principal investigator for the project at project at Honeywell’s Clearwater facility. “That means scientists are very limited in how much science they can do.”

Today’s unmanned space probes also have restricted abilities to act independently, relying instead on relaying much of their command information back and forth from Earth. Because of the huge distances in space, that makes it impossible for mission controllers on Earth to respond in real time to short-lived or unexpected events. If probes had more sophisticated computers on board, they could make more of their own decisions, such as quickly selecting the best sensor or camera to record a momentary event of interest.

“To be autonomous is to require a lot of computation, and until now, conventional space processing technologies have been incapable of high-performance computing,” George said.

The UF-Honeywell computer aims to upgrade both satellites and probes with a novel design called the Dependable Multiprocessor. Funded by NASA’s New Millennium Program and the Florida High Technology Corridor Council, the goal is to cope with radiation from solar flares or other space events not through the physical hardening of components – but rather through software that allows the computer to survive radiation-caused flaws or errors.

As George put it, “when you know components are going to fail, you can design the system to automatically adapt and thereby mitigate the effects of that failure.”

A microwave-sized box full of circuit boards in a UF electrical and computer engineering laboratory has been ground zero for the project. There, George and his team of graduate students develop and evaluate concepts and elements of the system. As per the project’s requirements, they feature off-the-shelf components with no deliberate radiation hardening. Their methods involve strategies such as making the computer fault-tolerant, or able to make an instant switch from a temporarily failing board to a functioning one. They also use algorithm-based techniques to detect and correct processing errors. “If one board is failing because of radiation, we can automatically go to another,” George said.

Samson said Honeywell is applying UF’s basic research to build a high-performance computer capable of actually flying in space. Even with the radiation problem solved, that’s a huge challenge because the system must be small, lightweight, capable of surviving the vibration of launch and the shock of the delivery vehicle separating from the booster rocket –and operate on relatively little precious electricity, among other challenges. “Space is a pretty tough operational environment,” Samson said.

If plans go as intended, the completed computer is expected to fly aboard the unmanned ST8 rocket mission on a test mission in February 2009.

Source: University of Florida

Multi-Purpose High-End Dual AMD Server Introduced By Tyan

Today, Tyan introduced the next generation of multi-purpose high-end dual AMD Opteron servers in the form of the Thunder K8SE (S2892). The Thunder K8SE takes into account the need for a full-feature server platform to handle any number of tasks and applications.

The Thunder K8SE capabilities include the following:

-- Dual AMD Opteron 200 Series Processor supported, with Dual Core capability
-- NVIDIA nForce Professional 2200 and AMD-8131 core-logic
-- Support up to 16GB of DDR400/333/266 Registered ECC memory and ChipKill
-- Two Gigabit and one 10/100 Ethernet port
-- Dual PCI Express x16 slots (one with x16, one with x4) and three PCI-X slots
-- Serial ATA-II (3Gb/s) with NVIDIA RAID and built-in 8MB server graphics
-- E-ATX form factor (12" x 13", 305mm x 331mm)
. . . and much more

"In today's IT market, multiprocessor server systems are being used to support a wide range of applications for a variety of fields," stated Danny Hsu, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at Tyan. "The introduction of the Thunder K8SE (S2892) represents an answer to the call for a broader range of key features and capabilities, such as PCI Express and PCI-X, both of which are needed to meet the needs of server customers worldwide."

The Thunder K8SE (S2892) is currently shipping in volume to all customers the world over.

ECS introduces Black Series P55H-AK motherboard for hardcore gamers

Taipei, Taiwan, Aug 2010 - With innovative products that span multiple target markets under its belt, Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS), the world's leading motherboard, graphics card, barebone system, and notebook manufacturer, announces the latest product, the ECS Black Series P55H-AK motherboard, which has powerful specifications and takes on a classic black and white color scheme.

"Upgrade Your Force by Overclocking"

There were lots of insane overclocking events at COMPUTEX 2010; ECS successfully created a new overclocking standard - 5GHz for Intel latest Core Unlocked processor (Unlocked processors refer to the Core i5-655K and Core i7-875K) using just a normal air cooler.

Simply put, every user can boost their gaming system easily by using the ECS M.I.B. X tweaker - the special edition overclocking interface consolidates all information about overclocking for users; getting increased system performance using typical cooling isn't that hard anymore.

"Conquer Your Games with Full Power"

ECS P55H-AK is the very motherboard for hardcore gamers. Full speed 3-way NVIDIA SLI is possible on the P55H-AK, thanks to the NVIDIA NF200 chipset. ECS provides amazing DDR3-2600+ memory overclocking capabilities for boosting memory bandwidth, allowing smoother performance in the latest real-time 3D games.

Moreover, with SATA 6G and eSATA 6G ports powered by Marvell, the data throughput ceiling increases by two-fold. When using high speed storage devices such as solid state drives, expect quicker game loading times over the previous generation interface. Besides internal storage, there are four USB 3.0 ports on the P55H-AK, two of which are available as a front panel header for easy file transfers with USB 3.0 external storage via USB 3.0-capable ports on the front of your casing.

ECS Qooltech III technology is a dual-heatpipe with huge heatsink designed passive cooler to ensure the stability of system when overclocking or working for extended periods.

"Maintain Your Weapon in a Easy Way"

ECS exclusive applications like eOC, eJIFFY, eBLU, eDLU deliver convenience for users, such as extracting more performance from the system safety, providing an alternative choice for Internet surfing, as well as keeping BIOS and drivers up to date.

"Get It Now or Regret It Tomorrow"

The ECS Black Series P55H-AK motherboard limited edition is available now. Do visit the P55H-AK product page to get more information.

Elpida First 1GB DDR2-800 SDRAM

Elpida Memory, Inc., Japan's leading global supplier of Dynamic Random AccessMemory (DRAM), today announced silicon development of the industry's first 1Gigabit DDR2 SDRAM device at 800 Megabits per second (Mbps) operation(DDR2-800). The device surpassed the maximum speed currently available forhigh-end server applications- the DDR2-667 specification which is currentlyunder consideration by JEDEC.

The device uses high-performance transistors with 100 nm process technology,and also has an optimized layout design that reduces speed bottlenecks on thesignal and data paths in the memory array and peripherals-this allows for 800Mbps operation even in a high-density, 1 Gigabit device. These advancements inprocess and design allow Elpida to create a device that matches the high-speed,high-density, low-power requirements demanded by performance-driven markets.

"This 1 Gigabit device running at 800 Mbps speed was made possible byutilizing 100 nm process DRAM combined with a superior layout design," saidYukio Sakamoto, president of Elpida Memory. "Future DRAM products demandimprovements in power and speed to offer the significant performance gains thatare crucial to the high-end server market. Elpida's latest achievementdemonstrates that we have the technical capabilities to meet this challenge."

The market is not ready for such advanced products in applications today;however, Elpida has the ability to offer DDR2-800 devices based on marketdemand.

Dell Lightning, A Windows Phone 7, Leaked

The Dell Lightning is a Windows Phone 7 portrait slider, which makesit look very slick.Specifications-wise, it comes with1GHzSnapdragon processor, 4.1-inch OLED display (WVGA),5-megapixel autofocus camera, 1GBflash with 512MB RAM plus 8GB of storage on a MicroSD card (probably non-user-replaceable), GPS, accelerometer, compass, FM radio, and full Flash support including video playback. Its scheduled to ship in Q4 this year.

Source: Engadget

Dell 27 quot; LCD Confirmed

DailyTech's sources at Samsung LCD whispered to them a few weeks ago that Dell will feature a 27" LCD this fall with a 1920x1200 resolution.

We got confirmation of this rumor earlier today from former Tom's Hardware editor Vincent Alzieu that Dell has also confirmed the upcoming display to him. In a recent conversation, Alzieu claimed "the 2707WFP will be here in October." Of course, he was talking about France in particular, and a US launch may be even closer. You can find the rest of his thoughts about the upcoming display on his website, BeHardware.com.

Samsung LCD is currently the only display manufacturer with plans for a 27" WUXGA LCD panel, the LTM270M1. The S-PVA panel is a true 8-bit design with a claimed response time of 8ms gray to gray. For all intents and purposes, the display is identical to the Dell 2407WFP now available via the Dell USA website -- Samsung makes the 24" WUXGA panel found in that display as well. However, the 27" panel has a less dense 0.303mm pixel pitch which is not the most attractive pixel width we've seen.

ASUS SABERTOOTH X58 Heavy Duty Motherboard Joins Durable TUF Series

The new SABERTOOTH X58 motherboard delivers the latest Intel chipset and support for the fastest processors on the market, including the Intel Core i7-980X, as part of the TUF Series of heavy duty motherboards. It is the latest entry in this ruggedized lineup, providing uncompromised durability and the utmost reliability to users who demand 24/7, high-intensity usage.

As the name implies, TUF Series motherboards put reliability and endurance above all else. They are built with more rigorous stress testing than normal motherboards, and ship with added longevity measures. TUF Series motherboards are the most reliable and stable models on the market, making them ideal for tough, heavy duty tasks where compatibility is critical.

True to its TUF Series form, the SABERTOOTH X58 offers superior stability and reliability, putting it at the level of server and mainframe boards in terms of durability.

Covering all the Essentials of Reliability

The key emphasis for TUF Series motherboards lies in enabling prolonged use. The SABERTOOTH X58 can keep going round the clock with no pause thanks to its meticulous thermal design, which means heat and stress are not obstacles. This new thermal design revolves around CeraM!X Heatsink Coating Technology, using revolutionary ceramic application on vital motherboard surfaces and components to ensure unrivalled heat resistance and dissipation. Thus, it is the perfect choice for server functionality and extreme, steady reliability. CeraM!X application has never been done on a motherboard before the ASUS TUF Series entered service.

Reliability Tested to Military Grade

The SABERTOOTH X58 from ASUS uses heavy duty materials and parts to ensure truly unmatched capabilities in terms of stability, reliability, endurance, and value.
The chokes, solid state capacitors and MOSFETs have all been tested under the most arduous of conditions and harsh environments based on military standards, providing users with a proven heavy duty solution.

TUF Series motherboards are ruggedized from the ground up, so they can handle more than just long-haul usage and heat. They are also tested to server-grade standards and can stand up to humidity and ambient temperatures to an exponentially larger extent than normal motherboards. As a consequence, they are long-life products users can install with complete confidence.

Being strong does not mean TUF Series motherboards compromise added features. The SABERTOOTH X58 ships with new data transfer standards USB 3.0 and SATA 6GB/s, so it offers some of the latest innovations in addition to superior strength. It is a complete package of guaranteed reliability and compatibility.

Source: ASUS PR

ATi Power Express Technology Info

ATi has some cool innovations on the mobile front that might pose some challenges to NVIDIA. We heard that ATi is going to implement Power Express Technology into their future Catalyst drivers or thru a separate software that enables hot switching between IGP and discrete graphics. This will allow the notebooks featuring ATi discrete graphics onboard to switch over to IGP instantly when battery mode is on or when not running 3D applications to conserve precious battery power. Right now, Intel Napa platform and NVIDIA C51 chipsets have the ability to shutdown PCI Express lanes to conserve power so ATi's Power Express Technology is really a step in front. By shutting down the discrete graphics on a notebook featuring mobility X700, it will reduce the power consumption by a third.

Apple's Market Cap Breaks $600B (Briefly)

Today was a record breaking day for Apple. For the first time in the company’s history, the market capitalization of the company reached - and then exceeded - $600 billion. This outstanding figure is thanks to a share value which has risen an incredible 60% from the beginning of 2012 – only a little over three months. Apple’s announcement of the new iPad has very likely kept the growth of share values rising. Apple sold three million iPad units in three days following the release of the iPad 3 – known simply as “The new iPad”.The share values of $644 this morning led Apple’s market value just over $600 billion, but the shares dropped back down to $638.64 in the afternoon, bringing the company beneath the gargantuan sum. Nevertheless, this share value is still up 0.4 percent from yesterday.This astounding breakthrough has spurred excited discussion about Apple breaking the market cap record that Microsoft set in 1999, which was $619 billion – or $814 billion in today’s value. Analyst Brian White of Topeka Capital Markets has projected a future share value of $1,001, which would send Apple flying well beyond the $900 billion mark.Others, however, disagree. Analyst Walter Piecyk of BTIG Research argues that Apple cannot sustain these profit margins, and downgraded Apple from Apple from “Buy” to “Hold” on Monday. Speculation continues either way, but it does nothing to change the significance of this news both to shareholders and to fans of Apple.

AMD To Demo Quad Core In June

AMD says that quad-core processors will only be compatible withSocket-F platforms. While Socket-F (1207 contact pads) does support single-coreand dual-core processors, it will be the only "current" socket to supportquad-core. AMD clarifies that it meant no user who uses a Socket-F platform witha single-core or dual-core processor will have to change boards in order to useupcoming quad-core processors. AMD Quad Core processor will be scalable up to 32processors and above and equipped with L3 cache onboard. Other features includesupport for DDR3 and FBDIMM, HyperTransport 3.0 with fault tolerant I/O,Enhanced RAS (Reliability, Availability, Serviceability), memory mirroring andI/O Virtualization.

AMD Sempron CPUs Roadmap

Q3 '04 (Aug)

Q4 '04

Q1 '05Q2 '05Q3 '05DesktopSempron
(256KB L2)2500+ (462)
2600+ (462)
2800+ (462)
3100+ (754)
3500+ (939)
3200+ (939)3400+ (754) MobileSempron
(128/256KB L2)2600+ (754)
2800+ (754) 3000+ (754) 3100+ (754)

Athlon FX-51 2.2Ghz @ 3.05Ghz!

Our good friend Katsumi from Japan has overclocked his Athlon FX-51 (2.2Ghz)to over 3Ghz! He uses ASUS SK8N with the new 1003.003 BIOS that allow you tochange the multiplier. The multiplier is set to 14x up from the default 11x butthe current version of CPUZ cannot detect the actual multiplier as yet.

CPU: Athlon64 FX-51 @2996.33MHz(214x14) Vcore=1.739V(modified), Dryice(withethanol) cooling

Memory: SanMax PC2700-Reg-ECC 512MB x4, Vddr=2.7V(setting)
BIOS setting: MemClock Value=333MHz CL2.0-2-5-2
Vagp=1.7V, AGP=66MHz, Aperture Size=32MB

VGA: GeForceFX5900Ultra(Verto $ BGrH" (B), Vgpu=1.28V
GPU/Memory=450/850MHz, Detonator-44.61

PowerSupply: AOpen FSP400-60GN, Vio=3.561V

OS: WinXP Pro
HDD: HITACHI HDS722512VLAT80

Check out his sitehere

AOpen AO700-12ALN 700W PSU

AOpen introduced the industry’s top level 700W power supply on April 8, 2005.AO700-12ALN is a superior output power supply that is recognized by worldwidevisitors in the CeBit 2005. AO700-12ALN is industry’s first 700W continuous andthe highest output ATX power supply on the market. It meets ATX12V version 2.01standard size and form factors. It has four separate +12V outputs circuits forCPU, motherboards, VGA, and storage devices to ensure the stable electricity.Computer gaming enthusiasts or the general users can enjoy server levelstability provided by the power supply.

To meet the market trend of higher power demand, AOpen released the advancedAO700-12ALN power supply with a more efficient energy design. AO700-12ALN usesactive power factor corrector (APFC) to achieve a power factor of above 0.9 plus85% energy transformation efficiency. This helps the high wattage power supplyto lower the power consumption. Its 12 cm fan provides the best heat dissipationperformance. In addition, the industry-leading noise reduction function givesusers a quiet operation environment. With the short circuits protection and theblack coating, this new power supply features the high stability and the elegantlook.

AMD to Ship Industry acirc;€™s First Native x86 Quad-Core Processors

Continuing to lead the shift of mainstream enterprise computing to energy-efficient processors, AMD (NYSE:AMD) announced today that Quad-Core AMD Opteron™ processors, code-named “Barcelona,” are planned for shipment in both standard and low power versions at launch later this summer. This would be the first time AMD has made both standard and low power parts immediately available as part of a new processor launch.

Additionally, AMD today updated its projected timing on “Barcelona” availability and provided additional product details. AMD expects that the processors will begin shipping for revenue in August 2007, with systems from AMD platform partners beginning to ship in September 2007. Due to its enhanced architecture – it is the world’s first x86 CPU to integrate four processing cores on a single die of silicon – Quad-Core AMD Opteron™ processors can deliver significant performance and performance-per-watt enhancements over existing processor architectures yet are designed to be backwards compatible with existing AMD Opteron platforms.

With planned availability at launch in a range of frequencies up to 2.0 Ghz, AMD expects its native quad-core processors to scale to higher frequencies in Q407 in both standard and SE (Special Edition) versions. Designed to operate within the same thermal envelopes as current generation AMD Opteron processors, AMD estimates that the new processors can provide a performance increase up to 70 percent on certain database applications and up to 40 percent on certain floating point applications, with subsequent higher frequency processors expected to significantly add to this performance advantage.

“More than ever before, customers are expecting energy-efficiency and performance-per-watt leadership as much as absolute performance. With this new reality of computing, greater performance at the expense of greater power consumption is no longer an option,” said Randy Allen, corporate vice president, Server and Workstation Division at AMD. “AMD has prioritized production of our low power and standard power products because our customers and ecosystem demand it, and we firmly believe that the introduction of our native Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor will deliver on the promise of the highest levels of performance-per-watt the industry has ever seen.”

ATi Claims X850XT PE Crossfire Faster than 6800U SLI

ATI claims that its Crossfire will be compatible with all games. All games should get performance increase while this should not be the case with Nvidia SLI platform. Compared with two 6800 Ultra in SLI, ATI's Crossfire should end up about 10 per cent faster in 3DMark05, about 30 percent in Splinter cell C.T game and more than 60 percent in NFSU2. The results are gathered from testing SLI and Crossfire platforms on 1600x1200 resolution, with 4X FSAA and 8X aniso, Athlon 64, 1GB DDR 400 memory, RD480 motherboard with 8.151 driver. ATI used two X850 XT Crossfire cards versus Asus SLI Deluxe board, 71.89 drivers, and two 6800 Ultra cards in SLI.

ASUS Releases Triton Series CPU Cooler

To cater to enthusiasts who enjoy DIY and assembling their own PCs, ASUS hasannounced the Triton Series of CPU Coolers – the Triton 70 and Triton 75. Thesetwo models incorporate innovative features that include high-density fins,dynamic fan speed control (Triton 70 only) and pure copper heat pipes thatdelivers efficient heat dissipation for the latest quad-core processors. Withtheir lightweight and compact cooler sizes, the Triton series is compatible witha wide range of motherboards and chassis.

AMD and Intel Multiple CPU Support

The Triton series of CPU coolers support Intel® Core™2 Quad / Intel® Core™2 Duo,Intel Pentium® processor family, Intel® Pentium® 4 HT/Celeron® D CPUs, as wellas AMD®’s Socket AM2/940/939, AthlonTM 64-FX, AthlonTM and SempronTM processors.The Triton 70 also incorporates a PWM function fan that can automaticallymodulate fan speeds according to the CPU temperature.

Fun with DIY

DIY computing has always had a following in the market, and the Triton CPUcoolers are set to aid users who wish to do so. The Triton 70 provides the spacefor users to shift 8 and 9cm fans, and is also expandable for a second optionalfan. The Triton 75 is ASUS’ first fan-less designed model that is compatible toall 12cm fans in the market – allowing gamers to freely choose any 12cm fan tosuit their requirements. With such versatility, performance and noiselessnessare all at the users’ control.

Easy Installation

Innovative assembly with specially designed push pins and clips make fasteningeasier than ever before. The Triton Series can also be easily installed byutilizing only 2 simple steps without removing the motherboard from the system.

The Triton 70 and Triton 75 are now available.

Specifications

Model Name

Triton 70

Triton 75

CPU Support

Intel® Core™2 Extreme (Conroe)

Intel® Core™2 Quad
Intel® Core™2 Duo/ Pentium® Dual-core
Intel® Pentium® 4 HT/Celeron® D CPU
AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 (AM2/939) / FX (939)
AMD Athlon™ 64/ Sempron™

Intel® Core™2 Extreme (Conroe)

Intel® Core™2 Quad
Intel® Core™2 Duo/ Pentium® Dual-core
Intel® Pentium® 4 HT/Celeron® D CPU
AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 (AM2/939) / FX (939)
AMD Athlon™ 64/ Sempron™

Clip Type

Intel Push pin + AMD Clip

Intel Push pin + AMD Clip

Net Weight (g)

350g (Heatsink only)

395g (Heatsink only)

Cooler

Dimension (mm)
90 x 78 x 125
Material
Cu. Base + Al. Fins + 3 Heat Pipes

Dimension (mm)
137 x 120 x 90
Material
Cu. Base + Al. fins + 4 Heat pipes

Fan

Dimension (mm)
92 x 92 x 25
Bearing Type
Vapo
Speed
2,300 rpm ± 10% with PWM Control

Recommend to use >45.3CFM, 120x120x25 mm fan

AMD Rev. F Opteron In Mid 2006

Opteron 854 (Rev E)Rev. F OpteronOpteron 875Rev. F OpteronNo. of Cores1122Die Size106mm2126mm2194mm2220mm2L2 Cache Size41.4mm238.7mm282.8mm277.4mm2Transistors120M129M233M243MMemory FrequencyDDR-400DDR2-800DDR-400DDR2-800Memory Bandwidth6.4GB/s12.8GB/s6.4GB/s12.8GB/sCore Frequency2.8GHz?2.2GHz2.6GHzVDD1.35V?1.35V1.35VTDP95W?95W95W

Apple Continues Winning Streak While Others Suffer

Apple has a surprisingly strong quarterly profit that beats the analysts' estimates back bygood iPod and Mac sales during the holiday season. Certainly, Apple and IBMare the darlings of the tech industry right now each reporting better than expected results. However, it is too early to celebrate now as weshould beexpecting not-so-rosy results from other tech companies which are not so well positioned as Apple or IBM for this weak economy.

Apple reported a net quarterly profit of US$1.61B, up from US$1.58B a year agowhile revenue rose to US$10.2B, a 5.8% increase.Apple's CTO Tim Cookhas mentioned that the visibility remains low due to the current poor economy but it is not as unpredictable as in back in October.

Things aren't too rosy over at semiconductor companies such as Intel,AMD and TSMC. Thechip giant, Intel might report a first quarterly loss in 22 years and will lay off at least 5000 staff and close down 5 plants. AMD too is going to cut 1100 staff which is 5% of their workforceand reduce employees' salaries. TSMC plans to cut 1000 workers which is 5% of their workforce.

Apple stores meeting, reasons unknown

Update 1:Every Apple Store Employee Just Got A $4-Per-Hour Raise

Update 2:Apple Will Spend ~0.004% Of Its Cash On A Generous Raise For Retail Employees

A companywide Apple retail stores meeting has been called upon by Apple officials. Sources close to the matter are unsure of the intention behind the meeting, but if Apple’s reputation for building up excitement and anticipation with any gathering remains true then perhaps there may be something exciting in store for Apple’s retail stores.

An Apple store in Boston is renting out a theater for 200 employees for this meeting, and insiders reported to appleinsider.com that the meeting will need “a projector, audio for the presenter and also computer hookup/audio.” Naturally, this may mean that the meeting may be held using live video/audio feeds from Apple’s headquarter in Cupertino, California.

However, it also seems like not all the Apple stores are having the meeting at the same time, which goes against what a live feed is all about. Hence, there aren’t any succinct patterns to put our finger onto what the meeting may be about. It is also not clear whether or not Apple’s 200+ stores must all hold the same type of meeting.

Gary Allen of ifoapplestore.com sent an email to appleinsider.com stating that an off-site meeting that includes most, if not all, employees is “not common”. He does, however, think that the meeting may have something to do with introducing Apple’s new head of retail—John Browett.

Hopefully, this national Apple store meeting will bring about more than just introducing a person—perhaps a “budget 7’’ iPad to hit the shelf” type of announcement? Let’s just wait and see.

Source: appleinsider.com

AMD Turion 64 Mobile CPUs

AMD today introduced AMD Turion(tm) 64 mobile technology, the latest in asuccession of computing innovations based on the industry-leading AMD64architecture. AMD Turion 64 mobile technology is uniquely optimised to bringaward-winning AMD64 performance to thinner and lighter notebook PCs with longerbattery life, enhanced security, and compatibility with the latest graphics andwireless solutions, both today and tomorrow.

Together with industry-leading partners, AMD enables a best-in-class ecosystemof open industry-standard technologies, helping PC manufacturers to deliverfeature-rich systems that satisfy the variety of ways in which people use theirnotebooks.

"By embracing a broad partner community and industry standards, AMD is bothproviding choice and stimulating innovation," said Roger Kay, vice president ofClient Computing at IDC.

"We have unleashed 64-bit mobile performance, allowing business professionalsand on-the-go consumers to explore the freedom of mobile productivity with AMDTurion 64 mobile technology," said Marty Seyer, corporate vice president andgeneral manager, Microprocessor Business Unit, Computation Products Group, AMD."This is just the first of many innovations that we are planning to pioneer withthis new product family made for mobility, choice and best-in-class notebookdesigns."

Leading global manufacturers, hardware vendors and software suppliers haveexpressed support for AMD Turion 64 mobile technology. "Fujitsu welcomes AMDTurion 64 mobile technology innovation, and we congratulate AMD on theirsuccess," said Mr. Kazuhiro Igarashi, general manager, Mobile PC Division,Personal Business Group for Fujitsu Limited.

Business professionals and consumers worldwide can expect to see notebooks basedon AMD Turion 64 mobile technology starting later this month in retail storesand through commercial distribution channels. The first systems are expectedfrom Acer worldwide and Fujitsu Siemens Computers throughout Europe.

"We have had a great deal of success with our Ferrari branded notebooks based onAMD64 technology," said Walter Deppeler, senior corporate vice president, AcerInc. "We look forward to continued success with our forthcoming notebook designsbased on AMD Turion 64 mobile technology."

"As the leading European IT provider, we offer our customers world-classcomputing technology," said Herbert Schönebeck, Vice President Business UnitConsumer, Fujitsu Siemens Computers. "We are introducing innovative consumernotebook PCs based on AMD Turion 64 mobile technology to provide our customersefficient platforms to connect from virtually anywhere."

In addition, ASUS, Averatec, BenQ, MSI and Packard Bell are among the leading,global computer manufacturers who have indicated they will support AMD Turion 64mobile technology.

Availability

AMD Turion 64 mobile technology models ML-37, ML-34, ML-32, ML-30, MT-34, MT-32,and MT-30 are available immediately worldwide.

In order to help consumers and business professionals simplify their notebookpurchasing decisions, AMD Turion 64 mobile technology uses a new series of modelnumbers designed to provide a simple designation of both relative performanceand degree of mobility within the processor family. The two letters of thismodel number indicate processor class, with the second letter designatingincreasing degree of mobility, as measured by power consumption.* As the secondletter approaches the end of the alphabet, "higher" letters indicate greatermobility. The numbers indicate relative performance within the processor class.Higher numbers indicate higher relative performance among the AMD Turion 64mobile technology family.

Pricing

AMD Turion 64 mobile technology models ML-37, ML-34, ML-32, ML-30, MT-34, MT-32,and MT-30 are priced at $ 354, $ 263, $ 220, $ 184, $ 268, $ 225 and $ 189respectively, in 1,000-unit quantities. For pricing details please visit:http://www.amd.com/pricing

Anonymous retaliates against internet censorship in India

One way to retaliate against governance censorship of the internet is to hack the sites of the organizations/companies that support censorship. Anonymous, an internet activist group, has been hacking into various sites and temporarily disabling them to express their frustration towards banned sites and blocked contents by various Indian internet service providers (ISPs).

Recently the Indian government approved the Ashok Kumar order which was designed to protect copyrighted music and films in India. However, Anonymous claims that the implemented policy has an indirect effect on people to don’t pirate copyrighted contents on the internet.

Sites such as Pastebin, Piratebay, and Dailymotion are currently banned or blocked by Indias ISPs, and Anonymous claims that copyright infringements based on users who post pirated contents do not reflect the “common man” that use the sites to share a lot of necessary non-copyrighted contents.

“File sharing is the lifeline of the internet, that’s why it came into being,” says tomgeorge in the Anonymous’ chat room.

Anonymous’ method of retaliation may not be viewed as civilized, but the group argues that the Indian government isn’t concern with how private organizations are censoring India’s internet.

“We are not protesting arbitrary, extra-judicial censorship, where not even the government knows—or cares—who controls what,” says @anamikanon, an Anonymous member.

In addition cyber guerilla warfare through DDOS attacks, Anonymous has also been spotted in various parts of India in masks and holding up anti-censorship signs. According to the BBC, the group intend to continue its protest and hacking attacks until the Indian government lifts restrictions that Anonymous deems unfair.

ASUS Announced G51 and G60 Gaming Laptops

Taipei, Taiwan, June 26, 2009 – ASUS today announced the launch of its 15.6-inch G51 notebook, a gaming powerhouse which snared the 'Best Choice' award in the Digital Entertainment Products category at the recently-concluded COMPUTEX 2009.

Sporting a futuristic, robot-inspired 'mecha' design, the ASUS G51 boasts seamless gamer-centric interface elements, scorching gaming performanceand advanced audio technologies that combine to provideusers withsuperior gaming experience. Users who appreciate the G51's gaming pedigree but prefer a slightly larger screen can opt for its 16-inch cousin, the ASUS G60.

Absolute Performance Powered by Leading Components and Technologies
With the G51, ASUS' engineers have cleverly circumvented the thermal and placement issues that typically arise from fitting the NVIDIA® GeForce™ GTX 260M into a 15-inch form factor, making it the world's first 15-inch notebook to boast extreme graphics previously only viable on 17-inch notebooks. The ASUS G51 and G60 each boast a tremendous 1GB of GDDR3 video memory, which is 30% faster than DDR2.Both notebooks also allow users to enjoy instant performance boosts by overclocking their systems through the selection of the 'Extreme Turbo' profile via an intuitive user interface.

Reign Supreme with a Gamer-centric Interface and Stunning Audio-Visual Performance
The ASUS G51 and G60 notebooks incorporate several gamer-centric features that give users an edge over their opponents. Most notably is the generous use of backlighting—such as on the illuminated chiclet keyboard and instant gaming keys—that enables gamers to locate important keys easily as well as play through the night without skipping a beat. The aggressive use of backlighting also gives the notebooks a high tech look, a further reflection of the wealth of cutting-edge hardware and technologies housed within.

The G51 and G60 also provide users with unsurpassed gaming performance, through the ingenious incorporation of industry-leading graphics and audio solutions. Both notebooks are equipped with Creative's industry-defining EAX and CMSS technologies. They are the world's first notebooks to support EAX Advanced HD 4.0 audio technology, which enhances in-game environments and scenarios by providing true-to-life three dimensional sound effects. The G51 and G60 provide up to 64 additional sound effects from the sound library, and in doing so produce ultra-realistic spatial effects in more than 300 supported games. CMSS surround sound, together with high fidelity Altec Lansing® speakers and a 16:9 Full HD display, enable the G51 and G60 to deliver a level of gaming and multimedia immersion that no other notebook can match.

G51VxProcessor and Cache MemoryIntel® Core™ 2 QuadQ9000, 2 GHz
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T9600/T9550/T9400/ P8800/ P8700/ P8600/P8400/ P7450/ P7350/ T6600, 2.8–2.2 GHzOperating SystemGenuine Windows Vista® Ultimate/Premium (32/64 bit)ChipsetIntel® PM45 + ICH9MMain MemoryDDR2 800MHz up to 4GBDisplay15.6" FHD/HD LED LCDGraphics and MemoryNVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 260M with GDDR3 1GB VRAM Hard Disk DriveDual SATA; supports up to 1TB (5400 rpm), 640GB (7200 rpm)Optical DriveDVD Super-Multi, Blu-ray ComboVideo Camera (optional)Built-in 2 M Pixel cameraDimensions and Weight375x 265 x 34.3~40.6mm, 3.3kg (6-cell battery and single HDD)G60VxProcessor and Cache Memory

Intel® Core™ 2 Quad Q9000, 2 GHz
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T9600/T9550/T9400/ P8800/ P8700/ P8600/P8400/ P7450/ P7350/ T6600, 2.8-2.2 GHz

Operating SystemGenuine Windows Vista® Ultimate/Premium (32/64 bit)ChipsetIntel® PM45 + ICH9MMain MemoryDDR2 800MHz up to 4GBDisplay16" HD LED backlightGraphics and MemoryNVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 260M with GDDR3 1GB VRAM Hard Disk DriveDual SATA; supports up to 1TB (5400 rpm), 640GB (7200 rpm)Optical DriveDVD Super-Multi, Blu-ray ComboVideo Camera (optional)Built-in 2 M Pixel cameraDimensions and Weight375 x 265x 34.3~40.6mm, 3.3kg (6 cell battery and single HDD)

Source: ASUS

E3 SimCity se date en vidéo

SimCity, le builder le plus connu de tous les temps, s'apprête à faire un reboot bien mérité de la série. A cette occasion, les petits gars de Maxis mettent les bouchées doubles pour nous concocter un opus digne de ce nom. Ils profitent par ailleurs de l'E3 et de la conférence d'Electronic Arts pour nous dévoiler un tout nouveau trailer de SimCity.



Ce dernier, accompagné de quelques nouveaux screenshots, présente les grandes lignes et les quelques nouveautés tant attendues par les fans. Enfin, le jeu se date enfin et devrait sortir en exclusivité sur PC dès février 2013.

Les amateurs de jeu Facebook seront quant à eux heureux d'apprendre que SimCity Social devrait bientôt s'inviter sur le fameux réseau social à l'instar des Sims.

· Voir et télécharger la vidéo de SimCity (163 Mo)
· Voir les nouveaux screenshots de SimCity
· Forum SimCity

tfg does the summer blockbusters “transformers dark of the moon”

So, here we are with the third installment in the Michael Bay/Steven Spielberg/Paramount/Hasbro Transformers franchise, specifically Transformers : Dark Of The Moon, and the question I have at this point is — does any of this shit really matter?

I mean, honestly — do us folks out here in ticket-buying land even expect these films to be good at this point, or for that matter even remotely entertaining, or have we all been so thoroughly-trained, Pavlov-style, to just file into the theater to see these things that whatever they throw up on the screen will pretty much just do for us? Because truth be told, although my wife and I went to see this film on opening weekend, I couldn’t really tell you why. We just did it.

And the same, apparently, can be said for everyone involved in front of and behind the camera. Much like the hotheaded young actor who plays him, Shia LaBeouf’s Sam Witwicky character gets less likable with each succeeding movie. It’s impossible, quite literally, to even remotely give a good goddamn about him or anything that happens to him. The interchangeable Hollywood-version-of-”hot” female lead has gone from Megan Fox to Brit Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, but it’s not like it really matters — she’s just there for eye candy. Second-tier supporting players Tyrese Gibon, Josh Duhamel, Frances McDormand, and John Turturro are back, their ranks swelled by the likes of? scenery-chewer extraordinaire John Malkovich,? as well as Patrick Dempsey, Ken Jeong, Alan Tudyk (for all you Joss Whedon fans out there) and even Buzz fucking Aldrin for Christ’s sake, but they’re just all collecting their paychecks and going home like everyone else.

This is well and truly a franchise on autopilot. I don’t know if bay really even shows up for work at this point, and Spielberg certainly doesn’t. There’s not even a thin attempt at disguising the fact that these things are just a celluloid license to print money. The screenplay, by one-time Hollywood wunderkind Ehren Kruger, is as by-the-numbers as you’re ever likely to find, and really the whole thing’s just an exercise in spreading out big, bad CGI fight sequences over the space of two-plus hours.

Even though the theater was packed when we saw it, there was no clapping, cheering, whooping, hollering, or sounds of indrawn breath — not even from the numerous kids in the audience. We just watched it all play out. We were just there. It’s like we were all products of some dystopian future reporting for our mandatory designated “entertainment” period. there’s nothing inolving or even particularly interesting happening on screen. It’s big, brash, loud, spectacular — and hopelessly dull.

Hell, you can’t even summon up enough energy to find yourself bored by these things at this point. Like shit, Transformers movies just happen. They make ‘em, and we show up and watch ‘em. We don’t know why. we don’t care why. It probably doesn’t even matter why. We’re trained. We’re compliant. We do as we’re fucking told.

It’s not like it’s even a painfully dull viewing experience — hell, I’d take that over this. At least there’s be some memory attached to it. It just is. A couple hours of our life are gone and we can never get them back, but we really can’t even remember where they went. And honestly, I can’t claim to be any better than the other sheep who filed in to watch this flick — after all, I was there, too. I’ve become another interchangeable cog in Hollywood’s biggest money-making machine. If I died tomorrow, it wouldn’t matter. Somebody else would be there to fork over five-to-ten bucks and fill my seat. But at least I’m not as far-gone as the guy I heard coming out of the theater who said to his kid “Can’t wait to see that one again” — with no excitement or emotion in his voice whatsoever. He just sees these things twice. That’s what he does.

As of yesterday morning, Transformers : Dark Of The Moon had grossed over $325 million in domestic box-office receipts and over half a billion worldwide.