Featured Reviews
Fractal Design Node 605 Silent HTPC Case Review
Today we take a look at Fractal Design's latest silent home theater computer case, the Node 605. This is a large HTPC case and offers a ton of flexibility in terms of configuration options. It also fits a standard ATX power supply, but you have to use a slim optical drive. Dive in to see if this case is worthy of being a showcase item in your personal home theater setup!
AMD Kabini Mainstream APU Notebook Platform Preview
AMD today launched three new additions to its 2013 A-Series and E-Series Mobile Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) lineup. We take a look at the AMD A4-5000 APU with AMD Radeon HD 8330 graphics in the Kabini reference design notebook. Read on to see how this new entry-level notebook platform does against the original AMD Brazos platform and some Intel Ultrabooks.
OCZ Vertex 450 256GB SSD Review
Finally, OCZ has ditched the faux (Marvell controller & OCZ firmware) Indilinx controlled Vertex 4 and replaced it with the splendid Indilinx Barefoot 3 controller we first had a look at in the impressive Vector series drive. They've paired it with 20nm flash hardware and a smaller form factor for what we'd consider a major product improvement. It's known as the Vertex 450 and it may just be your next SSD.
Gigabyte Shows Off Upcoming Intel Z87 Motherboards
Gigabyte recently invited Legit Reviews to come out and take a look at some of their upcoming Intel Z87 motherboards and that is an offer that we could not resist. Gigabyte has roughly 30 Intel 7 series motherboards and expects to have about the same number of boards for the Intel 8 series. Gigabyte expects to have around 15 boards at launch, which is too many for any one site to cover. Today we'll be covering a handful of their upcoming Intel Z87 motherboards and going over some of the key features of those boards.
MSI Z77A-GD65 Gaming Series Motherboard Review
Micro Star International, more commonly known as MSI recently sent us over one of their latest Intel Z77 Gaming motherboards. Part of the recently released Gaming series the MSI Z77A-GD65 Gaming is meant for those looking for top tier gaming performance. The MSI Z77A-GD65 Gaming is the top rung of MSI's Gaming Series, and today we will get to spend some time with it and put it through the paces! Read on to see how well it does!
ASUS Xonar DGX and Xonar DSX Audio Cards Reviews
Do dedicated sound cards matter? We take a look at ASUS’s two budget PCI-E Xonar sound cards and set the record straight. Both cards feature multichannel surround sound output and virtual headphone surround sound while the DGX packs a dedicated headphone amplifier and the DSX comes with a swappable op amp socket. Read on to see if these cards can bring music to the ears!
WD My Passport Ultra 1TB Storage Drive Review
WD today released the My Passport Ultra line of portable hard drives aimed at consumers that want the safest and easiest way to protect their digital content while traveling. We have the 1 TB WD My Passport Ultra portable hard drive with WD SmartWare Pro backup software with Dropbox integration and put it to the test.
Legit News
How To Fix a Laptop
It's exciting to see cool new computer stuff coming out at this time, but spare some time to give a broken laptop some attention. Here's a viral short video that does just that.
Does your laptop keep freezing? Is it not turning off? Does it keep blue screening? Does it have a system error? No problem! Simply watch this video and I will show you how to fix it quickly and efficiently! No need to pay a fortune on a computer technician, simply watch this video and you'll be able to fix ANY laptop yourself, free of charge!
Posted by | Sat, May 25, 2013 - 03:36 AM | Comments
EVGA Precision X 4.2.0 Released
The next generation of overclocking software has arrived with EVGA Precision X 4.2.0. This software allows you to fine tune your graphics card, including GPU Clock speed, Memory Clock speed, Fan speed, voltage, and much more. True enthusiasts know that there is only one choice when it comes to GeForce overclocking software: EVGA Precision X.
EVGA Precision X 4.2.0 Key Features:
- GPU and Memory Frequency/Clock Offset
- Power Target Control (GeForce GTX Titan / 700 / 600)
- Temperature Target Control (GeForce GTX Titan / 700)
- Pixel Clock Overclocking – OC your refresh rate!
- Frame Rate Target Control
- GPU Voltage Adjustment + Overvoltage (GeForce GTX Titan / 700)
- Custom Fan Control/Fan Curve
- Profiling system allowing up to 10 profiles with hotkey
- Robust monitoring allowing ingame, system tray and/or Logitech LCD monitoring
- In game screenshot hotkey, supports BMP, PNG and JPG formats
- Custom skins including ones created by the EVGA community!
- Support for wireless Bluetooth overclocking via custom Android app
Posted by | Fri, May 24, 2013 - 09:51 AM | Comments
Apple 1 1976 Computer To Be Auctioned This Weekend
An incredibly rare, Apple 1 computer is to be sold at auction this Saturday in Cologne, Germany. Only 50 Apple 1 computers are thought to exist today and it could fetch a cool $400,000 if the bidding gets hot and heavy. Originally 200 of the devices were made, of which fewer than 50 are thought to remain -- and only six in working order. The one that is going up for auction is in full working condition! The original price for the Apple I in July 1976 was $666.66 and the optional cassette interface board for storage was an extra $72. If you love computers, have half a million dollars and want a very rare collector's item, this is for you! If you don't have that much cash, you can buy a working replica for around $200 called the Replica 1.
The original Apple Computer, also known retroactively as the Apple I, or Apple-1, is a personal computer released by the Apple Computer Company (now Apple Inc.) in 1976. They were designed and hand-built by Steve Wozniak. Wozniak's friend Steve Jobs had the idea of selling the computer. The Apple I was Apple's first product, and to finance its creation, Jobs sold his only means of transportation, a VW Microbus and Wozniak sold his HP-65 calculator for $500. It was demonstrated in July 1976 at the Homebrew Computer Club in Palo Alto, California.
Posted by | Thu, May 23, 2013 - 02:52 PM | Comments
NVIDIA Releases GeForce 320.18 WHQL Video Card Drivers
NVIDIA today released GeForce 320.18 WHQL video card drivers, which is the first driver to support the new GeForce GTX 780 video card. This is also the GeForce Game Ready driver for Metro: Last Light providing up to 10% faster performance and Microsoft WHQL certification. GeForce 320.18 WHQL drivers also includes SLI profiles for Call of Juarez: Gunslinger, Dead Island: Riptide, Dungeons & Dragons: Neverwinter, Euro Truck Simulator 2, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, GRID 2, and Remember Me, as well as updated profiles for Natural Selection 2, Resident Evil 6, and TrackMania² Canyon. You can download the GeForce 320.18 WHQL drivers for Windows 7/8 64-bit here and 32-bit here.
Posted by | Thu, May 23, 2013 - 11:52 AM | Comments
OCZ Launches the Next Generation Vertex 450 Series SSDs
OCZ today announced the release of the Vertex 450 SATA III SSD Series featuring the company’s proprietary Indilinx Barefoot 3 M10 Series controller. As part of the leading-edge Vertex series, Vertex 450 lives up to its name and bridges the gap between high performance and mainstream solid-state storage. With advanced storage performance, reliability, and quality, the Vertex 450 utilizes 20nm process geometry NAND flash to meet the needs of today’s high-end consumer and client applications. You can read our in-depth review on the OCZ Vertex 450 256GB drive here.
“As one of the industry’s most highly awarded SSD Series to date, the Vertex name has become synonymous with the latest and greatest in flash-based storage providing an exceptional balance of performance and cost efficiency,” said Daryl Lang, Senior Vice President of Product Management for OCZ Technology. “The Vertex 450 marks the first time this popular OCZ series utilizes in-house ASIC technology delivering an even greater level of speed, reliability and value for our customers.”
Posted by | Thu, May 23, 2013 - 11:45 AM | Comments
Inno3D GeForce GTX 780 HerculeZ 2000 - Custom Card
Inno3D has launched the highly anticipated Inno3D GeForce GTX 780 HerculeZ 2000, which is one of the first custom GeForce GTX 780 video cards. The standard Inno3DGeForce GTX 780 has 2,304 cores running at 863MHz base and 900MHz Boost, while the Inno3D GeForce GTX 780 HerculeZ 2000 runs at 900MHz base and 936MHz boost. Both cards have 3072MB of GDDR5 memory running at 6Ghz. on the 384-bit bus. You can see the Inno3D GeForce GTX 780 HerculeZ 2000 in the image below on the left compared to the GTX 780 reference card.
Posted by | Thu, May 23, 2013 - 11:41 AM | Comments
ZOTAC Introduces GeForce GTX 780
ZOTAC today introduced the first GeForce 700-series graphics card. The new ZOTAC GeForce GTX 780 delivers a gaming evolution with insanely fast, smooth and whisper-quiet performance perfect for current and next-generation titles.
ZOTAC GeForce GTX 780 General Details:
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 GPU
• Engine clock: 863 MHz (base) / 900 MHz (boost)
• 2,304 processor cores
• 3GB GDDR5 memory
• Memory clock: 6008 MHz
• 384-bit memory interface
“ZOTAC continues to refine the PC gaming experience. The new generation GeForce GTX 780 is our latest evolutionary upgrade that packs the massively powerful nextgeneration NVIDIA Kepler GPU into a dual-slot card that decimates the competition,” says Carsten Berger, senior director, ZOTAC International. “Hardware enthusiasts and extreme PC gamers seeking one of the best graphics cards available will be very satisfied with the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 780.”
Posted by | Thu, May 23, 2013 - 11:32 AM | Comments
NVIDIA Launches GeForce GTX 780 Video Card
NVIDIA today introduced the GeForce GTX 780 GPU, the latest evolution in elite-class GPUs, which delivers jaw-dropping performance and silky smooth visuals for the next generation of PC gaming titles -- including Call of Duty: Ghosts, Watch Dogs and Battlefield 4. In addition, NVIDIA has released to production the NVIDIA GeForce Experience software, which delivers to GeForce gamers the industry's best gaming drivers, advanced features and optimal playable settings (OPS) with the convenience of single click operation. Designed for gaming enthusiasts, the GeForce GTX 780 boasts a massively powerful Kepler GPU with 2,304 cores and 3GB of high-speed GDDR5 memory -- each 50 percent more than its predecessor, the GeForce GTX 680.
The gaming performance versus the GeForce GTX 680 is rather significant as you can see from the chart above.
"The GeForce GTX 780 delivers the fastest frame-rate and smoothest animation at a value never before seen in PC gaming," said Scott Herkelman, general manager of the GeForce business unit at NVIDIA. "This level of performance allows gamers to become fully immersed into a game the way the developers originally intended."
Posted by | Thu, May 23, 2013 - 11:27 AM | Comments
AMD Announces New 2013 Mobile APU Series
AMD today launched three new additions to its 2013 A-Series and E-Series Mobile Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) lineup – delivering solutions ideally positioned to address today’s evolving PC market with dramatically increased performance and power efficiency, as well as a portfolio of unique user experiences, and superior gaming and graphics:
- The 2013 AMD Elite Mobility APU (formerly codenamed “Temash”) - the world’s first 28nm, quad-core x86 system-on-a-chip (SoC) APU designed for touch small form-factor notebooks, tablets, and hybrids 13-inches and below;
- The 2013 AMD Mainstream APU (formerly codenamed “Kabini”) - the first and only quad-core x86 SoC solution for entry-level and small-form factor touch notebooks;
- New, low power versions of the 2013 AMD Elite Performance APU (formerly codenamed “Richland”) - offer the best graphics and compute in a performance APU for premium ultrathin notebooks.
“The client market has evolved – with greater diversity in the types of mobile form factors and higher performance demands from the software – and AMD is uniquely positioned to deliver the best processors to meet the needs of mobile device users today,” said Lisa Su, senior vice president and general manager, Global Business Units at AMD. “As computing becomes more visual and the graphics processor can be leveraged to do other types of processing, our dedication to the software community and the APU architecture sets us apart from the competition and enables us to deliver the best user experience whether on a tablet, a hybrid device or a notebook.”
Posted by | Thu, May 23, 2013 - 11:21 AM | Comments
Xbox One Reveal 2013 Highlights
Did you miss the Microsoft Xbox One reveal yesterday? Check out this highlight footage from the launch event!
Posted by | Wed, May 22, 2013 - 11:06 AM | Comments
ASRock Intel 8 Series Boards Are Waterproof - Conformal Coating
Are you looking for a motherboard that is waterproof? ASRock’s Z87 OC Formula motherboard features Conformal Coating that makes the board invulnerable to conductive liquids. If you have ever spilt a beverage or had a water cooler leak onto your motherboard, you know all too well that it could kill fry your motherboard if a short circuit happens. ASRock says the application of a Conformal Coating will protect their boards against conductive liquids, dust, corrosion and extreme temperatures.
ASRock has released a video demo of the Z87 OC Formula board running 3D Mark with water running across it and it works! Check it out below.
Conductive liquids such as water pretty much destroy all kinds of electronics on contact. That's why ASRock has implemented a special layer of Conformal Coating on our motherboards, which makes the motherboards invulnerable to conductive liquids, corrosion and dust. Users won't have to worry about spilling liquid nitrogen, liquid helium or even clam chowder over their motherboards while overclocking. Conformal Coating may protect the motherboard against conductive liquids, but only to a certain extent. To avoid damaging your computer and other components, we still advise users to keep liquids a safe distance away.
Posted by | Wed, May 22, 2013 - 08:11 AM | Comments
Google Checkout To Be Put To Pasture - Google Wallet Takes Over
Web merchants can continue to accept payments using Google Checkout until November 20, 2013. After that date Google is going to be retiring Google Checkout services. Google suggests that merchants who do not have their own payment processing transition to Braintree, Shopify or Freshbooks, which are offering discounted rates for Google Checkout users. Developers selling through Google properties will automatically transition to the Google Wallet Merchant Center in the next few weeks. Google has invited web merchants to join them for a live webinar on May 23, 2013 at 10AM PST to learn more about the transition from Google Checkout to Google Wallet. Will this move make Google Wallet a major Paypal competitor?
Today, we’re letting web merchants know that in six months, Google Checkout will be retired as we transition to Google Wallet — a platform that enables merchants to meet the demands of a multi-screen world where consumers shop in-stores, at their desks and on their mobile devices.
Posted by | Tue, May 21, 2013 - 03:35 PM | Comments
Liquid Cooling Arrives To Smartphones - NEC Medias X
I remember when water cooling your PC was considered foolish and was something only die hard enthusiasts would do to get the most from their desktop PC. Those days are long gone as closed loop water cooling kits have become the norm over the past decade. While water cooled desktop computers is fairly common, it is most certainly not common on smartphones. That might all be changing as the NEC Medias X is officially the first smartphone to feature a liquid-cooled system from the factory. Don't get too excited as the phone is only expected to be available in Japan. 
The NEC Medias X 06E features a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor at 1.7GHZ and it appears that that a graphite radiator is needed to help disperse the heat. The odd thing is that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 is rated to run at up to 1.9GHz, so why would it need a form of liquid cooling at just 1.7GHz? Maybe this is a slick marketing gimmick, but time will tell.
How does liquid cooling work in a smartphone? It looks like the water-cooling is done by a liquid filled tube directing heat away from the processor of the NEC Medias X 06E. The pipe is next to the circuit board and this helps disperse the heat across the entire device. This sounds more like a heat-pipe more than a liquid cooler, but a water cooled smartphone has a nice ring to it.
Posted by | Tue, May 21, 2013 - 02:42 PM | Comments
Diamond Multimedia Launches $50 Wireless Repeater Range Extender
Diamond Multimedia is now following up its first edition best-seller of Wireless Range Extender line, WR300N, with a thoroughly improved version. The new WR300NSI 3-in-1 device acts as a Wireless Repeater and Range Extender, Standalone Wireless Access Point, and Wireless Bridge Device that eliminates wireless dead spots.
The second-generation device is even easier to set up and has a new LED signal indicator and it can extend the wireless range as far as 30 meters. The Diamond WR300NSI is now available and retails at $49.99. A product information video can be seen below.
Unlike ordinary Wi-Fi repeaters that require an external power supply adapter, WR300NSI's innovative wall-plugged design empowers users to plug it directly into any available power outlet. The WR300NSI can take an existing 802.11n wireless signal, repeat it and send it to a longer range where it would have been too far for the router or access point to reach. Standalone wireless access point creates a wireless network by connecting the device to a wired router/cable modem or DSL modem. It is designed with RSSI- Received Signal Strength Indicators to determine the strength of the signal it receives from the router so that it can be placed in the optimal location, a new function that the first generation model did not have. The WR300NSI acts as a Wireless Bridge Device by receiving wireless signal from your home wireless network and converting to wired Ethernet connections for non wireless devices such as internet ready HDTV, Blue-Ray players, gaming consoles, and media players.
Posted by | Tue, May 21, 2013 - 02:27 PM | Comments
Current be quiet! Power Supplies are Intel Haswell Ready
German power supply maker be quiet! confirmed today that all of the company's current PSU models support Intel's fourth generation of Core processors (Codename Haswell). Intel's upcoming Haswell CPUs impose stricter requirements on the power supply regarding energy saving features. To lower the power consumption of current computers even more, the new processors feature new sleep states called C6 and C7. In these states, the processor is nearly shut off completely, bringing down the power consumption close to zero. If consumers can use this new deep sleep state depends on their power supply. It must run under very low loads below 0.05 Amps. Many inferior power supplies have problems in these low load situations. Low quality components might even lead to the activation of the PSUs safety circuits. In that case the computer would not start again.
As for be quiet!, all current power supply series, starting with the entry-level Pure Power L8 up to the high-end Dark Power Pro 10, are able to deliver the above mentioned low loads without problems. Even older models are mostly compatible with the fourth Core generation. In detail Dark Power Pro 10 (all models), Straight Power E9 (all models), Pure Power L8 (all models), System Power 7 (all models) and Pure Power L7 (630 W and 730 W) are fully Haswell compatible.
Posted by | Tue, May 21, 2013 - 02:20 PM | Comments
Onkyo Launches 9.2-Channel TX-NR929 Wireless Network A/V Receiver
Onkyo announced the release of a fully loaded 9.2-channel TX-NR929 Network A/V Receiver to crown its mid-range lineup this morning at $1399, introducing value-conscious consumers to the visceral thrill of nine-channel entertainment. The all-new model is positioned between the 7.2-channel TX-NR828 Network A/V Receiver ($1099) also on release, and the company's existing audiophile-grade flagship products.
Onkyo is also among the first to include built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology on its entry-level and mid-range A/V receivers, enabling universal wireless audio streaming and adding to an extensive suite of proprietary and licensed technology, including:
- Built-in Wi-Fi to enable lossless audio streaming from iPhone and Android devices, as well as app-controllable 192 kHz/24-bit FLAC, Apple Lossless, Dolby TrueHD, LPCM, and DSD streaming from NAS and personal computer (via network and DLNA)
- Onboard Bluetooth technology for fast and convenient audio streaming
- Passthrough of 4K Ultra HD content via HDMI, and upscaling of lower-resolution video to 4K with Qdeo processing technology from Marvell
- Audyssey's premium MultEQ XT32 room acoustic equalization on the TX-NR929, and Audyssey MultEQ on the TX-NR828
- Upmixing solutions comprising DTS Neo:X (TX-NR929 only), Audyssey DSX, and Dolby Pro Logic IIz
- Nine HDMI inputs (including frontside MHL) and two outputs (TX-NR929); and eight HDMI in (including MHL) and two out (TX-NR828)
The TX-NR929 Network A/V Receiver pushes the boundaries of what is possible from a production home theater, with 11.2 multichannel pre-outs and DTS Neo:X upmixing for surround-sound playback through up to 11 channels. If preferred, the user can assign four of the nine available channels to drive audio in Zone 2 and Zone 3 simultaneously. The receiver also has an extra HDMI output for sending high-def video to a second display. Multi-zone entertainment is managed via smartphone app, which encompasses the selection of online streaming services, internet radio channels, and network audio files.
Posted by | Tue, May 21, 2013 - 02:14 PM | Comments
MSI Readies First AMD Richland A10 APU Powered Gaming Laptops
MSI just unveiled the new and refreshed GX70 and GX60, the world’s first AMD Richland A10-5750M powered gaming laptops. Part of MSI’s award-winning G Series gaming laptops, the all-new GX70 and GX60 are now upgraded with AMD’s newest processor, which promises an increase in visual performance by up to 40 percent over previous generations.
The new processor also increases battery life and CPU performance, resulting in longer gaming sessions with crisper, brighter and a more realistic visual experience. The The GX70 is armed with new AMD Radeon HD 8970M graphics and a Killer E2200 Game Networking card to eliminate lag time.The full specs can be seen below:
“The GX70 and GX60 deliver the ultimate sensory experience for both professional and amateur gamers,” said Andy Tung, vice president of sales for MSI US. “MSI is committed to the gaming community and we understand that cutting-edge components results in exceptional performance.”
Posted by | Tue, May 21, 2013 - 01:52 PM | Comments
Fractal Design Launches Node 304 Mini ITX Case in White
Fractal Design announced today that their popular Node 304 MiniITX chassis is now available in white. This case measures in at 250 x 210 x 374 mm (W x H x D) and can fit up to six hard drives and video cards up to 310mm in length, when 2 HDD brackets are removed (Graphics cards longer than 170 mm will conflict with PSUs longer than 160mm). The Fractal Design Node 304 White has an MSRP of $89.90 or €69.90. The Node 304 Black runs $88.39 plus shipping on Amazon, so there shouldn't be any difference on the two when it comes to street pricing.
Fractal Design Node 304 Technical specifications
- Mini ITX, DTX motherboard compatibility
- 2 expansion slots
- 6 – supports either 3.5" or 2.5" HDD / SSD
- ATX PSUs, up to 160mm in length (To fit in combination with a long graphics card, PSUs with modular connectors on the back typically need to be shorter than 160 mm)
- Graphics cards, up to 310mm in length, when 2 HDD brackets are removed (Graphics cards longer than 170 mm will conflict with PSUs longer than 160mm)
- Tower CPU coolers, up to 165 mm tall
- Case dimensions (W x H x D): 250 x 210 x 374 mm
- Case volume: 19,5 Liters
- Net weight: 4,9 kg
- Colors available: Black and White
Posted by | Tue, May 21, 2013 - 01:45 PM | Comments
Call of Duty: Ghosts Reveal Trailer Released
Lots of good stuff came out of the Microsoft press event this morning for the debut of the Xbox One. One of the gems from the press conference is most certainly the Call of Duty: Ghosts reveal trailer. This upcoming game title uses a new game engine that runs at 60FPS with enhanced particle effects, volumetric HDR lighting and Pixar's SubD technology. Activision's VP of Production Daniel Suarez said that this year's COD will be "the most beautiful Call of Duty game we've ever made" and after looking at some of the screen shots (above) we think they are on the right path. Without further ado here is the game trailer!
Microsoft also released a behind-the-Scenes Call of Duty: Ghosts trailer that can also be watched below.
Posted by | Tue, May 21, 2013 - 01:33 PM | Comments
NVIDIA Announces PhysX Support for Microsoft Xbox One Game Console
NVIDIA announced its support today for the Microsoft Xbox One game console with its popular NVIDIA PhysX and NVIDIA APEX software development kits (SDKs). Together, PhysX and APEX provide solutions for collision detection and simulation of rigid bodies, clothing, fluids, particle systems and more, across a wide range of platforms, including desktop PCs, game consoles, and mobile and handheld devices.
“We are excited to extend our PhysX and APEX technologies to Microsoft’s Xbox One console,” said Mike Skolones, product manager for the PhysX SDK at NVIDIA. “We look forward to the Xbox developer community taking advantage of PhysX and APEX along with Xbox One’s processing power, programmability and next-generation features to design cutting-edge games that deliver an unparalleled and ultra-realistic experience.”
Posted by | Tue, May 21, 2013 - 01:25 PM | Comments
Microsoft Unveils Xbox One Game Console
Microsoft unveiled the Xbox One today! This is the all-in-one gaming and entertainment system that we have all be waiting years for. At Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Wash., the company showcased how Xbox One puts you at the center of all your games, TV, movies, music, sports and Skype.
With Xbox One, games push the boundaries of realism, and TV obeys your commands. Say “Xbox On” to launch your personalized Xbox One Home screen, discover what is popular on TV or see friends’ latest gaming achievements all using the most natural interface — your voice. The more you interact with Xbox One, the more it gets to know you and learns what you like. Some of the breakthrough Xbox One features that put you at the center of your living room entertainment include the following:
- TV on Xbox One. Navigate and watch live TV from your cable, telco or satellite set-top box through your Xbox One. Microsoft is committed to bringing live TV through various solutions to all the markets where Xbox One will be available.
- Home. Turn on your entertainment system with two powerful words, “Xbox On,” and a custom-tailored Home dashboard welcomes you with your favorite games, TV and entertainment.
- Snap. Do two things at once on the biggest screen in your home. Use Snap to jump into a multiplayer battle while watching your favorite movie, talk with friends on Skype while watching live TV, or track your fantasy team on TV as you watch the big game and more.
- Skype for Xbox One. Specially designed for Xbox One, talk with friends on your TV in stunning HD, or for the first time ever, hold group Skype calls on your TV.
- Trending. Stay on top of what is hot on TV by discovering the entertainment that is popular among your friends, and see what is trending within the Xbox community.
- OneGuide. Find your favorite entertainment easily, searching by network, name or time, all with the sound of your voice and presented in a tailored program guide.
The Microsoft Xbox One will launch in markets around the world later this year. More details about Xbox One and blockbuster games will be explored at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in June.
“Xbox One is designed to deliver a whole new generation of blockbuster games, television and entertainment in a powerful, all-in-one device,” said Don Mattrick, president, Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. “Our unique, modern architecture brings simplicity to the living room and, for the first time ever, the ability to instantly switch across your games and entertainment.”
Posted by | Tue, May 21, 2013 - 01:19 PM | Comments
NVIDIA Tegra 4i Reaches 150 Mbps in Demo, Ready for LTE Advanced Prime Time?
NVIDIA’s Tegra 4i smartphone processor is capable of handling 4G LTE Advanced networks, which means that users will have faster data speeds once the carriers start moving to the faster service later this year. NVIDIA has showed the NVIDIA Tegra 4i processor with an integrated NVIDIA i500 LTE modem doing Cat 3 at 100mbps at Mobile World Congress back in February, but it appears that wasn't tough for this silicon. NVIDIA has a demo this week at CTIA 2013 in Las Vegas with the same processor running through 150Mbps of LTE data in a demo! These are LTE Cat 4 speeds! The CTIA demo used a tester that emulates an LTE Cat 4 network because live local LTE Cat 4 networks don’t exist yet. NVIDIA says their solution here is 40 percent the size of a conventional LTE modemm, so it's small and fast. If it is priced right and power efficient, we would expect NVIDIA to pick up some design wins with this mobile part!
First shown at Mobile World Congress in February at Cat 3 100mbps, this Tegra 4i demo is fully based on a software update – no new hardware, no new processor. This showcases the adaptability and flexibility of NVIDIA’s software-defined radio technology. An additional advantage of the technology is its tiny size. Because the modem is designed with general purpose Deep Execution Processors (DXP), it’s 40 percent the size of a conventional LTE modem. The benefit is a fast, high performance, adaptable modem in a tiny footprint. Tegra 4i’s modem is also multi-mode. It delivers 4G LTE Advanced and is backward compatible so it can offer LTE Cat 3, 3G, and 2G. That means it will work even where LTE networks aren’t available. Other LTE Advanced features will be coming soon in software.
Posted by | Tue, May 21, 2013 - 01:09 PM | Comments
Opera’s New Mobile Browser for Android Now Available
Today Opera Software released the final version of Opera for Android mobile browser. Opera for Android includes a new and sleek UI, an intuitive “discover” feature that’s like a personal assistant for finding and delivering things relevant to you without searching, and impressive data compression capabilities that let you browse on even the most sluggish of networks. Additional new features include:
- New Speed Dial implementation: right there on the home page, the order of Speed Dials can be re-arranged and doubles as a bookmark manager
- Easy to access history mode that quickly gets you to that page you saw earlier today
- Combined search, address bar and tab management (scroll through open tabs, open private tab close all tabs)
- Chromium based browser technology, which translates to even better website compatibility
Opera for Android is available for Android versions 2.3 and above from Opera and on the Google Play store, and similar versions will be available for iOS and various tablets later this year.
"Most people just see a fraction of what the web has to offer," says Rikard Gillemyr, EVP of Consumer Products at Opera Software. "We check out the same sites every day, and you can get through with the latest news after just a short bus ride. We wanted to give people a relaxed way of discovering interesting articles and checking them out without any extra effort."
Posted by | Tue, May 21, 2013 - 12:58 PM | Comments
I.R.I.S. Announces IRIScan Book 3 For Wireless Scanning
I.R.I.S. today announced the availability of their next generation IRIScan Book 3 and IRIScan Book 3 Executive. These portable scanning solutions are battery‐powered, enabling mobile users to easily capture paper documents, receipts, photos and more without the use of a computer. The IRIScan Book 3 and IRIScan Book 3 Executive scan directly to an included MicroSD card in black/white or color with 300, 600 and 900 dpi scanning resolutions. No driver installation is required, simply connect the scanner with the included USB cable or insert the MicroSD card into the computer. The IRIScan Book 3 is powered by 3 AAA batteries and comes with Readiris Pro 12 to convert the paper documents, PDFs or image files into editable and searchable digital text. The IRIScan Book 3 and IRIScan Book 3 Executive are now available for $99 and $129 respectively.
“The IRIScan Book 3 boosts productivity and saves time while scanning on the go,” said Jean-Marc Fontaine, Director of Sales and Operations, Americas at I.R.I.S. “Whether you are road warrior, businessman or student, the IRIScan Book3 is the most versatile scanner for mobile use.”
Posted by | Tue, May 21, 2013 - 12:53 PM | Comments
Boost Mobile & Virgin Mobile Get Samsung Galaxy S III Smartphones
Sprint today announced that prepaid brands Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA will add the Samsung Galaxy S III to both brands’ expansive lineups of smartphone devices. Launching in June, the high-end Android smartphone will operate on the Sprint 3G and 4G LTE networks, with 4G LTE available to Boost and Virgin Mobile customers in 88 markets. Pricing information will be available from both Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile at a later date.
“Samsung Galaxy S III is a premium smartphone designed to deliver one of the hottest handset experiences to consumers,” said Jeff Hallock, senior vice president, Marketing-Sprint. “Offering this device on both Boost and Virgin Mobile with the value, choice and flexibility of their no-contract[1] wireless plans makes moving from a long-term contract a simple decision. This is another stellar handset that further validates both brands’ leadership in this space, a nationwide network[2] with unlimited no-contract offers.”
Posted by | Tue, May 21, 2013 - 12:48 PM | Comments
D-Link Adds Pinch-to-Zoom Capability & More For Cloud Cameras
D-Link today announced several enhancements available now to its mydlink portal and mydlink Cloud Camera apps, making it even easier to remotely monitor a home or small office via virtually any computer, iPhone or iPad running iOS 4.3 or later or Android device running 1.6 Android or later. Offering advanced new features to its award-winning line of mydlink-enabled Cloud Cameras, D-Link now offers easier configuration on its mydlink portal and enhanced remote capabilities via the mydlink+ and free mydlink Lite app. The enhancements to the mydlink portal and mydlink Lite (free) app are now available and will be available on the mydlink+ app ($0.99) in late June which also offers expanded tablet support and a multi- camera monitoring dashboard.
D-Link Cloud cameras now offer more control of what matters most via the mydlink portal and a range of mobile devices; highlights include:
- Easy Portal Configuration: The mydlink portal now enables users to update motion and audio detection1 settings, including recording schedules and setting noise thresholds, directly on the mydlink portal without having to go through advanced settings.
- Remote Video Playback: Users can play back video stored on the SD card housed in the camera (for select cameras) to multiple mobile devices, as well as configure recording2 schedules and override options in the event the SD card is full.
- Two-Way Audio: Users can now speak and hear through a mobile device to select D-Link Cloud Cameras that support two-way audio, including the Cloud Camera 1200 (DCS-942L) and Cloud Camera 2200 (DCS-2132L).
- Remote Pan and Tilt: For added remote flexibility, users of the Cloud Camera 5000 (DCS-5222L) can also pan and tilt live camera video from a mobile device.
- Device Rename: Easily rename the mydlink-enabled device from the mobile app or portal – a useful feature if you relocated the device to a new or temporary location and want to easily identify the device.
- Re-order Device Listing: Simple drag and drop interface allows users with multiple mydlink-enabled devices to show devices in the order of their preference.
“We’re excited to add several new features to our mydlink apps in order to make it even easier for moms, dads, home owners and small businesses to use D-Link Cloud Cameras for round-the-clock surveillance,” said Daniel Kelley, vice president of marketing, D-Link Systems, Inc. “The new capabilities cater directly to mobile users and extend the control of Cloud Cameras while on the go. Whether you’re looking to keep an eye on your property, your business after hours, the kids while you’re away, or even the family dog, the new features make it easier than ever.”
Posted by | Tue, May 21, 2013 - 12:43 PM | Comments
Toshiba Ready To Produce 2-bit-per-cell 64 Gigabit 19nm NAND Memory Chips
Toshiba today announced that the company has developed second generation 19 nanometer process technology that it will apply to mass production of 2-bit-per-cell 64 gigabit NAND memory chips later this month. Toshiba has used the new generation technology to develop the world's smallest 2-bit –per-cell 64 gigabit NAND memory chips, with an area of only 94 square millimeters. Using a unique high speed writing method, the next generation chips can achieve a write speed of up to 25 megabytes a second - the world's fastest class* in 2-bit-per-cell chips.
Toshiba is also developing 3-bit-per-cell chips by using this process technology and aims to start mass production in the second quarter of this fiscal year. The company will initially introduce 3-bit, multi-level-cell products for smartphones and tablets by developing a controller compatible with eMMC, and will subsequently extend application to notebook PCs by developing a controller compliant with solid state drives (SSD).
Posted by | Tue, May 21, 2013 - 12:36 PM | Comments
Congress Says Apple Sheltered $44 Billion From Taxes
A report released ahead of Apple CEO Tim Cook’s inaugural Capitol Hill appearance Tuesday alleges the tech giant took advantage of numerous U.S. tax loopholes and avoided U.S. taxes on $44 billion in offshore, taxable income between 2009 and 2012 — a characterization Apple flatly rejects. The bipartisan Senate probe also charges for the first time that Apple’s long established foreign entities, based in Ireland, don’t actually have tax-resident status there or anywhere else. The company conducts most of its international business in the European country to take advantage of lower tax rates, according to the congressional report.
“What we intend to do is to highlight that gimmick and other Apple offshore avoidance tactics so that American working families, who pay their share of taxes, understand how offshore tax loopholes raise their tax burden and how those loopholes add to the federal deficit,” said Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), the chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. The panel initiated the probe with the backing of its top Republican, Sen. John McCain of Arizona.
Posted by | Mon, May 20, 2013 - 08:02 PM | Comments
GeLid Launches Rev. 2 GX-7 GAMER CPU Cooler
GELID Solutions reveals the Rev. 2 GX-7 CPU cooler of its GAMER product line. Engineers at GELID Solutions have upgraded the GX-7 to the Rev. 2 GX-7 by adding the Slim 12 PL Blue fan and the GC-Extreme thermal compound. Contrary to traditional heat pipe arrangement the Rev. 2 GX-7 offers a special array of heat pipes to take full advantage of all 7 heat pipes heat transfer capacity. Further V-shaped aluminum fins were used in the center of the heat sink to allow airflow to reach the heat sink more evenly. Openings inside of the heat sink and near the heat pipes let fresh-air flow in from the top and the bottom to the zones where normally poorly ventilated and eliminate the creation of hotspots. The unique heat sink shape supports dual fans. This cooler is available now and has a MSRP of USD 65 or Euro 45.
Posted by | Mon, May 20, 2013 - 07:03 PM | Comments
Minuteman III Test Launch Scheduled By US Air Force For Tomorrow
The United States Air Force says a test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile is scheduled to happen on Tuesday. The unarmed Minuteman 3 missile is to be launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, and travel 6,742 kilometres to the Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. It is one in a series of periodic launches to ensure that the ICBM force is reliable. Read also: North Korea continues short-range missile tests The U.S. has 450 nuclear-armed Minuteman 3 missiles ready for combat use, if directed by the president. They are in underground silos around F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming; Malmstrom AFB, Montana; and Minot AFB, North Dakota. The The last launch of a Minuteman III missile from Vandenberg Air Force Base flew 4,290 nautical miles to a test range in the Marshall Islands back on November 14, 2012.
Posted by | Mon, May 20, 2013 - 04:44 PM | Comments
Yahoo! to Acquire Tumblr For $1.1 Billion
Yahoo! and Tumblr announced today that they have reached a definitive agreement for Yahoo! to acquire Tumblr. Per the agreement, Tumblr will be independently operated as a separate business. David Karp will remain CEO. With more than 300 million monthly unique visitors and 120,000 signups every day, Tumblr is one of the fastest-growing media networks in the world. Tumblr sees 900 posts per second and 24 billion minutes spent on site each month. On mobile, more than half of Tumblr's users are using the mobile app and do an average of 7 sessions per day.
Tumblr Chief Executive Officer David Karp, a 26-year-old who started the company in 2007, signed a note announcing Yahoo!'s $1.1 billion acquisition with the salutation, "F--- yeah." Karp, a high school dropout, said in a blog post on Monday that he was "elated" to sell Tumblr, while stressing that the New York-based blogging service wouldn't be changing under its new owner's influence. In Yahoo's statement announcing the deal, the company said it "promises not to screw it up." Our headquarters isn't moving. Our team isn't changing. Our road map isn't changing," Karp said. "Our mission - to empower creators to make their best work and get it in front of the audience they deserve - certainly isn't changing."
"Tumblr is redefining creative expression online," said Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer. "On many levels, Tumblr and Yahoo! couldn't be more different, but, at the same time, they couldn't be more complementary. Yahoo is the Internet's original media network. Tumblr is the Internet's fastest-growing media frenzy. Both companies are homes for brands - established and emerging. And, fundamentally, Tumblr and Yahoo! are both all about users, design, and finding surprise and inspiration amidst the everyday."
Posted by | Mon, May 20, 2013 - 02:51 PM | Comments
Sony PlayStation 4 Will Be Shown At E3 - Teaser Trailer Released
Are you excited for the upcoming Sony Playstation 4 game console? Sony today released teaser video that shows off a little bit about the Sony PlayStation 4 and that it will be fully revealed on June 10th, 2013 at E3!
Sony teases the PS4's hardware with a blurry black rectangle and flashes of design details .Check out the video below to see what looks to be a rectangle shaped PlayStation 4 with a glossy black finish! Legit Reviews will be at E3, so we can't wait to check it out!
Watch our world exclusive teaser video and See it First at E3 June 10th 2013. Make sure you are the first to see it first.
Posted by | Mon, May 20, 2013 - 11:13 AM | Comments
EVGA ACX GPU Cooler Trailer Released - GeForce GTX 700 Series GPU Cooler
EVGA recently released a teaser trailer for the company's upcoming Active Cooling Xtreme (ACX) GPU cooler. We all know that the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 700 series is rumored to be launching this month, so we can assume this is the GPU cooler that EVGA will be using on some of their SKU's. From the video it looks to be a dual-fan GPU cooler with gold accents and a matte black finish. It looks like gold is all the rage these days as ASUS also introduced gold accents on the majority of their Intel Z87 motherboards. The video says that EVGA ACX is coming on 5/23/13, which also just happens to be the leaked launch date of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780.
Posted by | Mon, May 20, 2013 - 09:52 AM | Comments
Futuremark Announces PCMark 8 Benchmark Coming in Q2
Futuremark today released PCMark 8, which is a popular PC benchmarking tool in the enthusiast community. For the first time in the series, PCMark 8 will combine performance testing with battery life measurement. It looks like Futuremark is embracing the move away from the desktop form factor to mobile. With PCMark 8 you can estimate battery use from each benchmark test or use Battery Life mode to loop a test until the battery is almost empty for more accurate results. PCMark 8 will be available in several editions ranging from a free to download Basic Edition to a fully-featured Professional Edition designed for device manufacturers, businesses and the press. PCMark 8 is compatible with Windows 8 and Windows 7. PCMark 8 is in the final stages of development with a public release expected towards the end of Q2.
PCMark benchmark tests are based on common use scenarios such as browsing the web, photo editing, video chat, writing and gaming. PCMark 8 takes this one step further by including additional benchmark tests based on popular productivity and creativity applications from Adobe and Microsoft. Whether you are looking for long battery life, maximum power, for the home or at the office, PCMark 8 will help you find the devices that offer the perfect combination of efficiency and performance for your needs.
Posted by | Mon, May 20, 2013 - 09:43 AM | Comments
Samsung Launches New NFC Tags - TecTiles 2
Starting today, Samsung customers can take advantage of TecTiles 2, the next generation of Samsung’s original TecTile NFC programmable tags launched last summer. Fully compatible with all Samsung NFC-enabled smartphones, including the Galaxy S 4, TecTiles 2 and the new TecTile mobile app allow users to simplify smartphone actions and connect to the world around them using NFC technology. TecTile 2 programmable NFC tags are available at Samsung.com beginning today for $14.99 for a 5-pack sleeve and will be at other retailers nationwide in June.
Samsung TecTiles 2 are the next generation and evolution of TecTiles, programmable NFC sticker tags that allow users to automate everyday functions of a smartphone through a single tap. TecTiles 2, paired with the new Samsung TecTile app, allow consumers to program the tag for various functions, including sending text messages, silencing the phone when entering a meeting, playing a specific song and dimming the display before going to bed.
Posted by | Fri, May 17, 2013 - 09:42 AM | Comments
Razer Releases Atrox Arcade Stick for Xbox 360
Razer today announced the Razer Atrox Arcade Stick for Xbox 360, the final product following an extensive beta testing program. Tested by some of the world’s best pro-gamers and Fighting Game Community members all over the world, the Razer Atrox Arcade Stick is constructed with modders and tournament gamers in mind. Featuring premium quality Sanwa components, the 10 highly responsive buttons and a precision eight-way joystick allow gamers to strike instantly and surely, game after game, while maintaining peak performance and reliability. The Razer Atrox Arcade Stick will be available to pre-order on May 21st, 2013 for $199.99.
“Following a huge beta testing program, we’re confident that we’ve built an arcade stick enthusiasts will love,” says Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder, CEO and creative director. “We know that the Fighting Game Community is huge on modding their arcade sticks, and that is why we made the Razer Atrox extremely mod friendly. We are excited to see what extreme mods the Razer Atrox will be the base for.”
Posted by | Thu, May 16, 2013 - 04:01 PM | Comments
Lenovo Launches Yoga 11S Convertible PC - Starting at $800
Lenovo announced today that customers can place orders for the IdeaPad Yoga 11S beginning today directly through them or on Bestbuy. Models will be available in Best Buy stores starting on June 23. Multiple configurations will be available with suggested list price starting at $799.99 The acclaimed 360° flip and fold Yoga 11S premiered in January at the International Consumer Electronics Show, following its popular predecessor, the IdeaPad Yoga 13.
Yoga converts into four special modes to fit the changing ways people are using technology. It offers a new way to experience mobile computing, letting people define which mode works best for them in their environments, from the park and the coffee shop to in transit, at home or at the office. For example, users can watch movies like never before by putting Yoga in tent mode while enjoying the convertible’s rich Dolby Home Theatre audio. They can convert Yoga into stand mode for a different environment; good for things like swiping through family photos using the high definition IPS screen’s 10-finger multitouch support. Yoga even supports hand gestures so consumers can just wave their hand in front of the webcam to instantly advance photos, videos and other content. In tablet mode, Yoga makes exploring Windows 8 apps fun and up close with its 11-inch touchscreen. And in laptop mode, Yoga offers a great typing experience with its comfortable and responsive keyboard. Additionally, the Yoga 11S has a soft-touch exterior and comes in attractive Silver Grey and Clementine Orange colors.
Posted by | Thu, May 16, 2013 - 08:31 AM | Comments
ADATA Announces DashDrive Choice UC510 Flash Drive Series
DATA Technology today announced a small but stylish addition to its DashDrive family of USB Flash drives. The new DashDrive Choice UC510 packs durability and charm into a super small and handy profile. The DashDrive UC510 is available in colors of steel-blue and titanium. Capacities are 8, 16, and 32 gigabytes.
Posted by | Thu, May 16, 2013 - 08:30 AM | Comments
Dell Adds Two New Precision Workstations To Portfolio
Dell today announced an expanded and stronger Dell Precision workstation portfolio that includes the smallest tower workstation chassis in its class, the Dell Precision T1700 small form-factor, and the world’s most powerful rack workstation, the Dell Precision R7610. In addition, the Dell Precision family features a more powerful and reliable Dell Precision T1700 Mini-Tower rounding out a workstation portfolio that offers increased performance, dependability and smart design for entry-level and high-end workstation users. The Dell Precision R7610 rack workstation (shown below) will be available on May 21 starting at $2,179 and the Dell Precision T1700 Mini-Tower and Small Form-Factor are available on June 4 worldwide. Pricing for both T1700 workstations will be released on June 4.
Dell, the industry leader in rack workstations¹, is announcing updates to its rack workstation including significantly more power, an enhanced remote experience and new virtualization capabilities for engineers, designers and other professional users who demand the best. The new Dell Precision R7610 now packs the power of Dell’s flagship T7600 tower workstation in an intelligently designed 2U rack form-factor that’s ideal for datacenters or OEM embedded solutions. The Dell Precision R7610 enables customers to centralize, secure and manage data, leverage their worldwide talent pool, and share resources for improved cost effectiveness.
Posted by | Thu, May 16, 2013 - 08:25 AM | Comments
Innodisk Releases DDR4 RDIMM Samples to Server Market
Innodisk is proud to be among the first to supply (DDR4) registered DIMM product samples to key server companies for their next-generation systems. With this announcement, Innodisk, an industry leader in DRAM modules for industrial applications and embedded systems, will continue to offer the most advanced technology to its customers. The result of almost eight years of development, DDR4 (Double Data Rate 4) technology improves on the previous generation, DDR3, in every way. These new memory products provide users with greater performance, but can still cut costs by saving power and space, and reducing waste heat.
DDR4 offers a giant leap in peak performance over DDR3 technology, with a 3.2 Gbps data transfer rate. In fact, DDR4 could eventually even surpass this already high rate, according to standards organization JEDEC, in the same way that DDR3 surpassed its initial ceiling of 1.6 Gbps. DDR4 memory bus speeds start at 2133MHz, which already offers a huge jump in potential performance from the average bus speed of 1333MHz and 1666MHz offered by DDR3.
Posted by | Thu, May 16, 2013 - 08:16 AM | Comments
ASUS Introduces a New Gold Color Theme for Z87 Boards
ASUS announced a new design theme for its lineup of mainstream motherboards based on the upcoming Intel Z87 chipset. Replacing the previous blue-accented color scheme, a distinctive gold application on custom-designed heatsinks serves to highlight the ASUS philosophy of industry leading motherboard design and continuous innovation. ASUS mainstream series will be available from mid-2013. Pricing and availability of specific models may vary between regions.
“ASUS-branded motherboards keep evolving and always offer the gold standard in quality, performance, and durability. The new gold color scheme symbolizes this and our insistence on delivering the highest level of innovation and reliability. ASUS motherboards are fully-featured and provide an attractive visual style for a great system building experience”, said Jackie Hsu, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of Worldwide Sales, ASUS Open Platform Business Group.
Posted by | Thu, May 16, 2013 - 06:09 AM | Comments
ECS Intel 8-Series Chipset Motherboards Officially Debut
ECS introduces the first Intel 8-Series Motherboards featuring the new 4th Generation Intel Core processor family for their new family of desktop motherboards Pro, Deluxe and Essentials.
The new ECS (Elitegroup Computer Systems) family of motherboards featuring the new Intel 8-series Chipset family with new designed specifically for the new 4th Generation Intel Core processor family of CPUs, which will be available and shipping worldwide in Q2 2013. The new chipset features support for full SATA III 6 Gb/s internal ports and PCI-Express Gen.3 x16 bus design. They also integrate USB 3.0, Thunderbolt, and enable responsiveness technologies like Intel Smart Response, Intel Smart Connect, and Intel Rapid Start.
ECS is also introducing a new family of motherboard tiers including: Pro series optimized for power computing, Deluxe series optimized for small office and home, and Essentials series optimized for home and multi-media. The new ECS family of motherboards will feature ECS’s new Durathon durability technology which includes a triple density PCB, extreme temperature resistance, 1.5K point marathon testing, and superior solid capacitors designed to greatly improve motherboard quality, stability and longevity.
Posted by | Thu, May 16, 2013 - 05:50 AM | Comments
ASUS Announce Intel Z87 'Haswell' Motherboards
It's not at all unexpected that we start seeing motherboards and features being shown off before a product launch. In the near future, Intel will launch their latest processor code named Haswell if the rumors floating around are accurate, Haswell will rear its head at the beginning of June at Computex. Rumors aside, ASUS has sent over some images and information about their Intel Z87 Motherboard lineup
In addition to the ASUS Maximus VI Extreme and Maximus VI Gene that ASUS will be shipping, they are bringing around a new board in the ROG line-up. The ASUS Maximus VI Hero! The ASUS Maximus VI Hero is meant to bring the ASUS ROG brand to gaming enthusiasts at a more accessible price point. It will be interesting to see where ASUS was able to cut back to reduce the cost while still maintaining the ROG performance.
Apart from the Republic of Gamers line up of Z87 motherboards, ASUS has a plethora of main stream offerings. The top dog in the main stream boards is the Z87 Deluxe. Like the Deluxe predecessors in the Z77 and P67 chipsets the Z87 Deluxe will offer a variety of advanced features and connectivity options. Aside from the Z87-Deluxe, the mainstream line up will include the Z87-Pro, Z87-Plus, and what may be the next board for my mini-ITX System the Z87I-Deluxe
There are more images available in our forums check them out and let us know what you're looking forward to with the upcoming Intel Haswell launch!
ASUS introduces their next generation Dual Intelligent Processors 4 with 4-Way Optimization technology that integrates new features to enhance the ways customers manage their PC for improved gaming, entertainment, and productivity performance. The TPU performance tuning chip, EPU energy consumption manager, DIGI+ Power Control, and Fan Xpert 2 can all be activated with one click of the mouse.
Posted by | Thu, May 16, 2013 - 12:05 AM | Comments
Seasonic Power Supplies Ready for Intel's Haswell Processor
Seasonic issued a statement this week letting their customers know that many of their power supplies are ready for Intel Haswell Processors. It appears that the Seasonic 80 PLUS Platinum and Gold series, Platinum series, X series and 80 PLUS Bronze series (M12II-650, 750 & 850W models) are ready for Haswell's new low power draw technical requirements!
Sea Sonic Electronics congratulates Intel on the launch of the Haswell Processors. We are inspired by the continuing efforts made by Intel to push the boundaries of performance and at the same time, be environmentally conscious through reduction of energy consumption. These are the exact same attributes which have driven Sea Sonic for the past 35+ years. As we strive for industry leading performance, we continue to research the long term effects of each of our design. By continuously improving our efficiency we try to achieve maximum energy savings and by using high quality components we aim to prolong product lifetime; all to achieve long term sustainability.
Posted by | Wed, May 15, 2013 - 01:51 PM | Comments
NVIDIA FaceWorks Demo Available To Download
When NVIDIA released the GeForce GTX Titan video card they debuted a lifelike human face rendering demo called FaceWorks. NVIDIA has made that demo available to download and you can grab the 309MB file here. The character in the demo is called "Digital Ira" and in the demo you can see him immersed in three different lighting environments. You can also adjust his skin rendering to see the effect of sub surface light transmission through his skin. If you are ready to see some awesome realism when it comes to facial expressions be sure to give this demo a test drive.
This demonstration highlights the state of the art in performance capture. All Ira''s motions were acted out in a "light stage" at the Institute for Creative Technology at USC. The team there headed by Dr. Paul Debevec is able to photographically capture facial geometry, surface detail, and lighting information of an actor without any of the traditional tricks of face markers or special makeup. This light stage data is pulled into NVIDIA''s demo engine, and using FaceWorks rendering technology we witness a realism of human facial rendering never before seen in real time. FaceWorks shading gives Ira lifelike skin, eyes, lips and teeth. Adaptive tessellation keeps the curves of his face perfectly smooth.
Posted by | Wed, May 15, 2013 - 09:27 AM | Comments
Lian Li Announces Curved Mini-ITX Case with Window - PC-Q30
Lian-Li announces a very interesting brushed aluminum Mini-ITX chassis this week called the PC-Q30 that will be made available in June 2013 for $149. What makes the PC-Q30 different from all the other mini-ITX cases on the market is the unique curve-shaped design and large acrylic front window. Can't say we've run across one of these yet!
The curved shape and large window on the PC-Q30 allows users to show off their systems, and to be the highlight of the room. A 140mm fan in the rear of the chassis expels hot air, while ventilation on the top and side allows for cool air to enter. The PC-Q30 supports graphics cards up to 200mm (7.8” in length and can hold four 2.5" notebook sized storage drives. The one downside to this case is that a small form factor power supply (up to 125mm or 4.9” in length) must be used. The PC-Q30 measures in at (W)223mm x (H)357mm x (D)300mm and weighs 2.13KG thanks to the nice 3mm thick aluminum construction. 
The PC-Q30 will be available in black or silver and this is is how it will look with hardware installed in it. A video tour by Lian Li that covers the PC-Q30 in greater detail can be seen below. Are curved cases the wave of the future?
Posted by | Wed, May 15, 2013 - 09:17 AM | Comments
ASRock Z87 Extreme9/ac Motherboard - First Intel Z87 Board w/ Thunderbolt Certification
ASRock announced this week that they are the first company to get their Thunderbolt ports certified on ASRock Z87 Extreme9/ac motherboard. This makes it the first of the upcoming Intel 8 Series motherboards to be Thunderbolt certified!
These Thunderbolt ports will come on ASRock’s Z87 Extreme9/ac, which are allegedly arriving to the market very soon, along with dozens of other exciting new features, such as ASRock’s A-Style. So, if you’re looking forward to build a solid next gen desktop rig with insanely fast data transfer abilities and innovative new software or hardware features, keep your eyes open for this bad boy.
Posted by | Wed, May 15, 2013 - 09:00 AM | Comments
ADATA Launches DashDrive UV150 USB 3.0 Flash Drives
ADATA Technology has launched the DashDrive UV150 USB Flash drive, a value-priced USB 3.0 solution with an attractive pearlescent exterior. The sleek contour of the UV150 makes the drive as easy in the hand as it is on the eyes, and the USB connector cap snaps in cleanly in the rear of the drive to prevent cap loss. Thanks to the USB 3.0 interface you can expect read speeds of up to 90MB/s and write speeds of up to 20MB/s on the 8, 16 and 32GB capacity drives. The drives measure in at 58 x 18 x 11mm (L x W x H) and weigh just 9g. You get the a choice in colors too and get the opportunity to pick between glossy black and scarlet red. No word from ADATA on pricing, but we expect these drives to be affordable since they are said to be 'value priced.'
Posted by | Wed, May 15, 2013 - 07:39 AM | Comments
WD My Passport Ultra USB 3.0 Portable Drives Announced
WD today announced the availability of the My Passport Ultra line of portable hard drives, which combine additional layers of data protection with super-fast USB 3.0 connectivity, a slim, compact design and four color choices to offer mobile consumers the safest and easiest way to protect their digital content while traveling. Available in 500 GB, 1 TB and new 2 TB capacities, My Passport Ultra portable hard drives have built-in WD SmartWare Pro backup software with Dropbox integration, hardware encryption and password protection to safeguard against unauthorized drive access.
A protective pouch is included with the My Passport Ultra to help shield it from the daily knocks encountered by today's mobile consumer. When it comes to pricing the WD My Passport Ultra 500 GB has an MSRP of $99.99 and the My Passport Ultra 1 TB is $129.99. The WD My Passport Ultra 2TB will be released in Q3 2013 and there is no pricing on that drive just yet. All of the WD My Passport Ultra drives are backed by a 3-year limited warranty.
"WD's My Passport Ultra combines USB 3.0, a range of colors and capacities and the best software and hardware functions currently found in our line of My Passport portable storage drives to create the ultimate portable digital safe for today's active consumer," explained Jim Welsh, executive vice president and general manager of WD's branded products and consumer electronics groups. "Adding WD SmartWare Pro technology with auto backup and password protection to one of the industry's fastest interfaces and largest capacity drives gives consumers the convenience and peace of mind to enjoy, share, and protect their personal digital content everywhere they go."
Posted by | Wed, May 15, 2013 - 07:28 AM | Comments
Noctua Releases NH-U12DX i4 and NH-U9DX i4 Intel Xeon CPU coolers
Noctua today presented a new revision of its much acclaimed NH-U12DX and NH-U9DX quiet CPU coolers for Intel Xeon workstations and servers. The new NH-U12DX i4 and NH-U9DX i4 models support LGA2011 (both Square and Narrow ILM), LGA1356 and LGA1366 based Xeon platforms and now come with PWM fans for automatic speed control. Fitted with the professional SecuFirm2 mounting system and bundled with Noctua's industrial-grade NT-H1 thermal compound, the NH-U12DX i4 and NH-U9DX i4 form complete premium quality packages for quietly cooling Xeon based workstations and servers. The NH-U9DX i4 and NH-U12DX i4 will be available shortly at suggested retail prices of EUR 59.90 / USD 64.90 (NH-U9DX i4) and EUR 69.90 / USD 74.90 (NH-U12DX i4).
"Builders of quiet workstations and servers still have trouble finding quality cooling solutions for Intel's LGA2011 socket with Narrow ILM mounting", explains Mag. Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO), "so we've decided to update our DX line of coolers to work with both Square ILM and Narrow ILM based LGA2011 platforms. At the same time, we've added PWM control and switched the U12 version to the new, slimmer layout of the NH-U12S, which not only provides better performance but also ensures easier access to the RAM slots, which was another long time request from our industry partners."
Posted by | Wed, May 15, 2013 - 07:22 AM | Comments
Socialize