LR News History - Legit Reviews

Legit Reviews News History

Wal-Mart Everyday Low Laptop Prices Lure Buyers to Accessorize

Staples Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. are slashing laptop prices and expanding their selections for the back-to-school shopping season, banking on the computer demand to sell more profitable accessories and services. Staples, the largest office-supplies retailer, boosted its portable computer selection by 50 percent, while Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, is selling out of a $298 Compaq Presario model in some stores.

Laptop shipments are expected to climb 4.1 percent this year, tempering a 16 percent decline in demand for desktop PCs, according to market researcher Gartner Inc. Revenue may total $113 billion. By Bloomberg calculations, retailers could get a $11.3 billion slice of that, assuming profit margins of 10 percent. That compares with $30.3 billion they could make on accessories.

Posted by | Fri, Jul 31, 2009 - 09:18 AM

July 31 News from Around the Web

ThermalTake Element G Case Review @ Ninjalane and other reviews from around the web can be found by visiting our forums!

Choice is something that end users love to have and the Element G is all about that. The abilities to control everything from fan speed, noise level, and to even the flavor on the day fan color is incredible. On the inside the modular type setup allows you freedom to set things up the way you want them and not compromise layout or cable management.

Posted by | Fri, Jul 31, 2009 - 08:13 AM

Intel Announces New Tool That Scores Server Efficiency

The Intel Premier IT Professional site offers a new server efficiency tool that gives IT professionals a snapshot of their current performance and energy efficiency versus what it could be by turning up the number of processor cores and use of virtualization. It also compares their data centers with those of other IPIP members.

Posted by | Fri, Jul 31, 2009 - 07:57 AM

EBay building software to replace Skype technology

EBay is building new software to run its Skype Internet calling service, a bid to sidestep a licensing dispute with Skype's founders, who have threatened to take back the underlying technology. The new software will be expensive and might not work, San Jose-based eBay said Wednesday in a regulatory filing. The company said it might have to shut down Skype if the dispute with the founders isn't resolved.

The dispute threatens to interfere with plans by eBay CEO John Donahoe to take Skype public in the first half of 2010. EBay bought Skype in 2005, though the rights to some of its so-called peer-to-peer technology remained with the founders. EBay's plan to create new software is unlikely to work, said Jayanth Angl, an analyst at Info-Tech Research.

SiliconValley.com

Posted by | Fri, Jul 31, 2009 - 07:41 AM

Videogame industry looks for second-half comeback

With the once-resilient videogame industry mired in a slump, investors are looking to big-name titles and potential price cuts for game consoles in the second half of the year to help spur a rebound in sales. Major game publishers Activision Blizzard Inc and Electronic Arts Inc will report quarterly results next week, on the heels of dismal June U.S. videogame sales, which registered their biggest drop since 2000.

But the 2009 game release schedule is heavily weighted with big-name titles in the second half of the year, analysts say, in contrast to a strong first half line-up in 2008. That has made year-over-year comparisons particularly ugly. The remainder of the year will see the latest installments in major franchises such as "Left 4 Dead," "Assassin's Creed," "Call of Duty" and "Halo," which could give sales a much-needed boost.

Reuters Technology News

Posted by | Fri, Jul 31, 2009 - 07:40 AM

AVADirect Selling Clevo M980NU 18.4" Gaming Notebooks - Claimed as World's Fastest

AVADirect recently announced that they are now selling the world's most powerful gaming notebook, the Clevo M980NU. AVADirect started taking pre-orders on the notebook as of mid-June and has begun receiving stock of the item and shipping to customers now. The starting price for a fully configured Clevo M980NU notebook is $2493.85.

Clevo M980NU Gaming Notebook

"This is currently the fastest production notebook that you can buy. The M980NU has support for quad-core mobile processors, two GTX 280m video cards, up to 8GB of 1333 MHz DDR3 memory, and a large 1080P 18.4" screen. Compared to AVADirect.com's past powerhouse notebook, the D900F, which was a workstation notebook, the M980NU was designed for gamers. With the multi-color LED lighting, quick buttons for games, and touch-sensitive hot keys for control, this notebook is any notebook gamer's dream come true." as quoted by Misha Troshin, CMO and co-owner of AVADirect.

Posted by | Fri, Jul 31, 2009 - 06:09 AM

OCZ Announces Z-Series Gold Power Supply Series

OCZ Technology Group today announced the immediate availability of the Z-Series power supplies, the latest high-end enthusiast offering excelling in both performance and ultimate efficiency. Featuring industry-leading 80+ Gold Certifications, the Z850 and Z1000 PSUs offer the highest efficiency on the market combined with a power output to meet exceptional system demands. The Z-Series is the ideal solution for today’s high-end gaming systems and professional workstations, and are now shipping to OCZ’s widespread resellers.

OCZ Z-Series Gold Power Supply

“The Z-Series is the culmination of close to two years of development time within our Power Management division” commented Ryan Edwards, Director of Product Management at the OCZ Technology Group. OCZ power supplies now stand at the very forefront of efficiency and performance, offering end-users the ultimate solution for their future-proof builds. The Z-Series offers maximum-performance without compromise, cutting-edge power conversion efficiency, a single +12V rail to support overclocking efforts, optimal thermal management, a standard ATX footprint, extremely low audible fan noise, and modular or non-modular configurations.”

Posted by | Thu, Jul 30, 2009 - 10:09 PM

ASUS Eee Top For a Point of Sale Solution?

I was running some errands yesterday and stopped by a new smoothie place here outside St. Louis, Missouri and my jaw dropped when I saw an ASUS Eee Top sitting on the counter. This local company is using is as their point of sale solution (POS) and said that they loved it. We reviewed the ASUS Eee Top and found that the all in one unit with touch screen was a great solution. At $485 shipped they are also priced right considering you'd still have to purchase POS software to use it properly.

Asus EEE Top ET1602

Asus EEE Top ET1602 All-In-One Touch Screen an easy-to-use one-stop desktop that puts the internet at your fingertips.It features a touch panel that allows to do everything with a regular desktop by simply applying direct pressure on the screen with your fingertips.

Posted by | Thu, Jul 30, 2009 - 12:23 PM

Micron Announces Load-Reduced Memory Module For Servers - LRDIMM

Micron Technology, Inc. today announced that it has produced the industry’s first DDR3 load-reduced, dual-inline memory module (LRDIMM) and will begin sampling 16-gigabyte (GB) versions this fall. By reducing load on the server memory bus, Micron’s LRDIMMs provide the option to support higher data frequencies and significantly increase memory capacity. Micron is currently sampling an 8GB LRDIMM with select enablers. Mass production of its 16GB LRDIMMs is expected to begin in 2010.

Micron Technology LRDIMM

Micron’s LRDIMMs currently use Inphi’s recently announced isolation memory buffer (iMB) chip in place of a register to reduce the bus load when transferring data between the memory and processor. Micron’s new LRDIMMs reduce this load by 50 percent for a dual-rank module and 75 percent for a quad-rank module, when compared to today’s standard DDR3 server modules – registered DIMMs (RDIMMs). By reducing the load on the bus, Micron’s LRDIMMs enable servers to handle higher frequencies of data to improve overall system performance and support increased number of modules for greater system memory capacity.

Posted by | Thu, Jul 30, 2009 - 11:03 AM

SiS suffering chipset shortage

Silicon Integrated Systems (SiS) has been suffering from tight supply of its entry-level chipsets since April due to its manufacturing partner United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) giving priority to its major clients, according to industry sources.

SiS clients including Asustek Computer, Dell, Pegatron Technology, Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) and Hasee have all been affected by the shortages, the sources noted. After negotiations with UMC, SiS notified its partners that the company should start receiving better supply in the third quarter, the sources pointed out, adding that if the issue is resolved, SiS is expected to see 15-20% sequential sales growth in the third quarter.

DigiTimes Daily IT News

Posted by | Thu, Jul 30, 2009 - 09:08 AM

July 30 News from Around the Web

ASUS Maximus II Gene micro-ATX motherboard review @ Elite Bastards and other reviews from around the web can be found by visiting our forums!

"The dimensions of the Maximus II Gene mirror those of the Rampage II Gene perfectly, in keeping with the board's micro-ATX form factor, but despite that small size the overall layout of this particular motherboard is virtually impeccable. The only potential issue you may run into here is a dual-slot CrossFire graphics board configuration blocking off the on-board power and reset buttons, but even this isn't too big a deal in the grand scheme of things - That aside, everything is easy to get to even if you're looking to pack out the system with hardware."

Posted by | Thu, Jul 30, 2009 - 07:29 AM

Corsair Announces Dominator GT Memory Kits For AMD Phenom II Processors

Corsair today announced the new Dominator GT line of ultra-high performance DDR3 memory modules, designed specifically for AMD Phenom II processor-based platforms using Socket AM3 motherboards. The new 4GB (2 x 2GB) Dominator GT memory kit has been precision engineered to operate at a frequency of 1600MHz with ultra low-latency timings of 6-6-6-18 and a Command Rate of 1T. These settings are a perfect match for the latest, high-performance Socket AM3 AMD Phenom II processors, which feature an advanced, low-latency, integrated DDR3 memory controller. The 1600MHz CAS 6 Dominator GT also supports AMD’s Black Edition Memory Profiles (B.E.M.P).

Corsair Dominator GT Memory Kit

"Corsair’s Dominator line has long been the memory of choice for PC enthusiasts and gamers," said Jim Carlton, VP of Marketing at Corsair. "The new Dominator GT family for platforms with AM3-based AMD Phenom II processors delivers even greater levels of performance, as well as enhanced cooling options, making it the perfect memory for anyone looking for the fastest possible performance from their AM3 AMD Phenom II processor-based system."

Posted by | Wed, Jul 29, 2009 - 10:26 AM

GLOBALFOUNDRIES Partners with STMicroelectronics

GLOBALFOUNDRIES today announced a strategic customer relationship with STMicroelectronics. One of the world’s leading suppliers of semiconductor solutions, ST will partner with GLOBALFOUNDRIES to produce products based on 40nm Low Power (LP) bulk silicon technology. The 40nm LP process is ideal for the next generation of wireless applications, handheld devices, and consumer electronics, which require excellent performance and long battery life. First tape out and production of ST products by GLOBALFOUNDRIES is planned to start in 2010.

GLOBALFOUNDRIES

“To ensure ample capacity for our customer/partners at the leading-edge of low-power design, ST needs an agile and high-performance manufacturing partner that can adapt to our changing needs,” said Jean-Marc Chery, Executive Vice President, Chief Technology Officer, STMicroelectronics. “With a strong commitment to manufacturing and technology excellence at the leading-edge, we believe GLOBALFOUNDRIES is an excellent partner to collaborate on low-power design innovation in 2010 and beyond.”

Posted by | Wed, Jul 29, 2009 - 10:20 AM

July 29 News from Around the Web

AMD Phenom II X2 550 and Athlon II X2 250 @ iXBT Labs and other reviews from around the web can be found by visiting our forums!

"Physically, Phenom II X2 core is a quad-core Phenom II die. Rejected quad-core dice are locked down to obtain processors with fewer cores and maximize yield. Athlon II, it turn, has the Regor die with two physical cores and no L3 cache. As a result, this die is only 117.5 mm², while Deneb takes up 258 mm². It will be interesting to see how the lack of L3 cache affects performance of the K10 core."

Posted by | Wed, Jul 29, 2009 - 08:45 AM

Derek Perez, Director of Public Relations for Nvidia, Calls It Quits After 11 Years

Besides company co-founder Jen-Hsun Huang, Derek Perez is more than likely Nvidia’s most visible person in the media. Derek is has been in charge of Nvidia’s public relations for many years and has been credited with being one of the key figures behind the companies success. Over the past 11 years he has seen NVIDIA go from a small company to a huge multi-billion dollar company that was named Forbes company of the year in 2007. It shocked us tonight to see that Derek Perez announced to his Facebook friends that he was leaving the company for a new adventure! It will be interesting to hear from him where he is going.

After 11 years - its time to leave NVIDIA for a new adventure...its been a great ride...many friends, good times, great memories...this was one of the best jobs I've ever had...it's sad leaving...ill post the new adventure later...

Posted by | Tue, Jul 28, 2009 - 07:24 PM

Super Talent Unveils World's Smallest 32GB USB Drive

Super Talent Technology has succeeded in squeezing 32GB of NAND Flash storage into a thumbnail sized USB drive that is water resistant and supports data transfer speeds up to 200X (30MB/sec). Six new models of 32GB Pico drives will begin shipping this week. The Pico C drive measures only 31 x 12 x 3 mm and weighs less than an American nickel (~5g). The Super Talent 32GB Pico drive starts at $85 and is available now.

Super Talent 32GB Pico drive

Just 15 months after launching the 8GB Pico drive, then hailed as the world's smallest 8GB USB drive, Super Talent is now able to pack an astounding 32GB of NAND flash into the same small dimensions. "Our customers have an insatiable need for higher capacity flash drives, but they don't want a big and bulky drive", Super Talent Director of Marketing, Joe James said in a statement.

Posted by | Tue, Jul 28, 2009 - 07:08 PM

Western Digital Announces Q4 Revenue of $1.9 Billion

For fiscal year 2009, the company posted revenue of $7.5 billion, net income of $470 million, or $2.08 per share, compared to $8.1 billion in revenue, and net income of $867 million, or $3.84 per share for the prior year. The 2009 net income amount included a $14 million in-process research and development charge related to the acquisition of SiliconSystems Inc., $112 million of restructuring charges, an $18 million gain on the sale of assets from the company's media substrate manufacturing facility in Sarawak, Malaysia and $4 million of tax benefits associated with the restructuring charges. It would appear that Western Digital was able to beat forecasts even though earnings fell 8%.

"In a challenging time for the worldwide economy and the hard drive industry, WD maintained profitability and stayed cash flow positive throughout the fiscal year," said John Coyne, president and chief executive officer. "Our fiscal 2009 and June quarter results demonstrate customers' ongoing preference for WD products based on their exceptional quality, reliability and availability, as well as the continued effectiveness of the WD business model and the passion, nimbleness and capabilities of the WD team. In the June quarter, we responded promptly to capitalize on unexpected market upside in each of our served markets to produce financial results that significantly exceeded expectations, and included a return to our targeted gross margin and operating expense model parameters."

Posted by | Tue, Jul 28, 2009 - 04:57 PM

Atlona Releases HDMI and DVI cables with swivel connector

HDTV owners placing plasma on the newest slim profile mounts proliferating the market are faced with issues when connecting standard HDMI cables to rear-facing HDMI ports. The average HDMI cable connector combined with limited cable flexibility near the connector ends can extend up to two and a half inches from the HDMI port. This limited distance requires users to either use mounts or risk damaging their cable as well as their televisions HDMI port. Atlona Technologies has developed a line of HDMI 1.3b cables that cut the distance needed for the HDMI connector ends by more than 50%, extending just over 1 inch from an HDMI port. Atlona’s new line of swivel connector HDMI and DVI cables include models AT14035-X (HDMI) and AT14022-X (DVI to HDMI). They are expected to start shipping by July 27, 2009 starting at $34.99 MSRP.

Atlona HDMI cable with swivel connector

Atlona’s hew HDMI and DVI to HDMI cables feature a swivel connector end which allow them to bend at a 90 degrees in either direction. This new connector allows users to nearly flush mount their HDTVs. “This is another product designed to solve a specific problem that a affects a lot of HDTV owners,” says Michael Khain, who heads up Atlona’s Product Development Department.

Posted by | Tue, Jul 28, 2009 - 02:03 PM

Apple Blocks Official Google Voice App for iPhone

Apple and/or AT&T are blocking the Official Google Voice Application for the iPhone from their App Store as well as pulled some unofficial Google Voice apps that were previously approved! This is a bold move that many iPhone users feared because it offered free incoming and outgoing text messages. There are still Official Google Voice Apps for Blackberries and Androids... but for the immediate future, iPhones are SOL!

Google Voice iPhone Application

Earlier today we learned that Apple had begun to pull all Google Voice-enabled applications from the App Store, citing the fact that they “duplicate features that come with the iPhone”. Now comes even worse news: we’ve learned that Apple has blocked Google’s official Google Voice application itself from the App Store. In other words, Google Voice — one of the best things to happen to telephony services in a very long time — will have no presence at all on the App Store. If there’s ever been a time to be furious with Apple, now is it.

Posted by | Tue, Jul 28, 2009 - 09:41 AM

Real Time Hollywood Production - StudioGPU’s MachStudio Pro and ATI FirePro

ATI just posted a video on YouTube that shows StudioGPU’s MachStudio Pro software being used with the ATI FirePro 3D workstation accelerator for those of you that are interested in real time Hollywood production with 3D content creation.

Yoni Koenig, chief scientist at StudioGPU, explains how MachStudio Pro enables Hollywood production quality when working with ATI FirePro 3D workstation graphics accelerators.

Posted by | Tue, Jul 28, 2009 - 09:10 AM

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