Legit Reviews News History
FCC extends 911 deadline for VoIP providers
Tens of thousands of people have not acknowledged that they understand VOIP's 911 service have been granted extra time to get it taken care of. The decision to extend the cutoff deadline follows a letter from a coalition of VoIP providers, including AT&T and MCI, who complained that customers would be left stranded in an emergency come Tuesday. At least 35,000 people could have been left with no service at all.
The Federal Communications Commission said it would delay a Monday deadline for providers of Internet-based phone calls to get acknowledgments from their customers that they understand the problems they may encounter when dialing 911 in an emergency. Providers of the phone service, known as Voice over Internet Protocol or "VoIP," had been told by the FCC that they should disconnect service by Tuesday to people who had not responded.
Posted by | Mon, Aug 29, 2005 - 05:52 AM
Apple iPod Battery Scheme Busted!
A big win today for Apple iPod users who have been suckered in to spending big bucks for a replacement battery (or a whole new iPod) when the original battery failed. Apple made some big bucks in this scheme because for first and second generation iPods, it was pretty much expected that the battery would fail in a matter of months. Check out this AppleInsider story for more details on this class-action lawsuit settlement.
A San Mateo County judge on Thursday approved the settlement of a class action suit that will offer relief to as many as 1.3 million iPod owners who may have been victim to poor or defective batteries.
Posted by | Fri, Aug 26, 2005 - 11:09 AM
Friday Reviews from Around the Web
Who ever thought of a cow computer (and I'm not talking about the boxes from Gateway)?? Bit-tech managed to find one, and you can look at the must-see picture of it and visit other reviews by stopping by the LegitForums!
We've got a new mod on show at bit-tech today. The winner of the case mod contest at Assembly 05, it's simply one of a kind. A furry, soft cow housed in an old milk churn with a sweet PC? Well, why not! This cow comes all the way from Finland, and we have a detailed, 11-page writeup of the construction of the mod from start to finish.
Posted by | Fri, Aug 26, 2005 - 05:52 AM
Intel, Matsushita Team To Develop 8-Hour Notebook Battery
This is great news for all our mobile users out there. Better batteries in combination with lower power consuming CPUs will make laptop sales soar even higher! Also, if you want to build your own laptop today, check our forums for help and tips!
The collaboration, announced at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, would leverage Intel's low- power consumption technology for notebook PCs with Matsushita's lithium-ion battery technology.
Posted by | Thu, Aug 25, 2005 - 09:25 AM
Thursday News Around the Web
Live in the country or next to a highway and have a serious problem with dust? Bigbruin posted their review of Acousti Products Dust Proof Fans today. Find this and other reviews at the Legit Forums!
Noise, air volume throughput, longevity, and even dust prevention are now becoming things to consider when choosing the fans that are right for you and your system. Today we take a look at the Acousti Products Ultra Quiet Low Vibration Dust Proof Cooling Fans, along with their Soft Silicone Fan Gaskets and Anti-Vibration Silicone Case Feet. All are means of further enhancing the system's cooling performance and quieting overall case noise.
Posted by | Thu, Aug 25, 2005 - 05:58 AM
VOIP Users: Acknowledge 911 Service Issues Now!
If you are reading this news post chances are you have at least one Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) line at the office or in the home. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has set a deadline on Monday the 29th as an interim safeguard while VOIP companies, rush to comply with an FCC order requiring full emergency 911 capabilities by late November. If you're concerned your Internet phone service might be cut off, contact your service provider. Below is a list of some of the major VOIP providers and their webpages. AT&T - consumer.att.com Cablevision - optimumvoice.com 8x8 - packet8.net TimeWarner - timewarnercable.com Vonage - vonage.com
Providers of Internet-based phone services may be forced next week to cut off tens of thousands of customers who haven't formally acknowledged that they understand the problems they may encounter dialing 911 in an emergency. The FCC issued its order in May after a series of highly publicized incidents in which VoIP users were unable to connect with a live emergency dispatch operator when calling 911. Vonage, AT&T and other carriers have indicated that they plan to comply with the FCC deadline to disconnect customers.
Posted by | Wed, Aug 24, 2005 - 10:06 PM
US Military's High Energy Laser Area Defense System Under Development
If you thought the air to air combat scenes in Star Wars was cool just wait till you see what the US military has planned for 2007. If everything goes as planned we will see HELLADS or for us non-military people, a giant laser that has the ability to shoot things out of the sky. Scientists have found a way to combine the high energy density of a solid state laser with the thermal management of a liquid laser to make a what they nicknamed the "HEL weapon". As you can tell the world is moving one step closer to global peace thanks to the "HEL weapon". :)
The High Energy Laser Area Defense System (HELLADS), being designed by the Pentagon's central research and development agency, will weigh just 750 kg (1,650 lb) and measures the size of a large fridge. Dubbed the "HEL weapon" by its developers, a prototype capable of firing a mild one kilowatt (kW) beam has already been produced and there are plans to build a stronger 15-kW version by the end of the year. If everything goes according to plan, an even more powerful weapon producing a 150-kW beam and capable of knocking down a missile will be ready by 2007 for fitting onto aircraft.
Posted by | Wed, Aug 24, 2005 - 09:57 PM
Wednesday Reviews from Around the Web
What will Google come out with next? Pretty soon, they'll own the internet! As a Gmail user, I found this article, Google Talk Beta Review at WindowsAtoZ.com very interesting. Find it and other interesting reviews in the LegitForums!
It's not a surprise that Google has put its foot into the instant messenger side of the Internet. Over the past few months and years we've seen Google come a long way. Their release of Google Gmail was a huge plus for free email users because of the amazing 2GB storage capacity. Google also has maps, shopping information, news, desktop search, and now IM and VoIP.
Posted by | Wed, Aug 24, 2005 - 12:52 PM
Sony adds Web browser to PSP game device
Have you been craving a web browser for your Sony PSP? The wait is over as Sony Corp. is adding Internet access to its Play Station Portable in a bid to increase the mobile gaming device's appeal as a handheld entertainment center, the company said on Wednesday. If you own the PSP we advise you to head on over to the Sony download site and get the PSP 2.0 update today!
Sony Computer Entertainment America is offering PSP users a software upgrade that will allow wireless Internet access on the device, including a new Web browser to connect to news, entertainment content, online searches and e-mail. The software is also built to increase data security on the device and enhance digital photo-sharing and video playback capabilities, the company said.
Posted by | Wed, Aug 24, 2005 - 11:32 AM
Pimp My Pet For OCZ Memory Contest
This month we are giving away a 1GB kit of OCZ's PC-3200 Gold VX memory to one lucky forum member. The theme of this months contest is "Pimp My Pet" and we already have a couple of entires from our dedicated forum members. Remember the forums are free and the contest is open to the entire world (not just the United States), so feel free to head on over to the forums and enter the contest!
OCZ Gold Series EL PC-3200 with Voltage eXtreme technology is a revolutionary line of memory designed to pursue a new level of DDR performance. The PC-3200 Gold VX is made to operate above the traditional memory voltage to increase speed and stability to ultimately allow the memory to thrive under high voltage. Memory performance increases with voltage, but unfortunately with many traditional modules this can significantly reduce stability and increase the potential for module damage. Unlike typical memory, VX DDR performs best at an above average voltage, and better and better as voltage is increased, all without any adverse affects to stability. At 3.2 volts, the PC-3200 Gold VX is capable of blistering timings of 2-2-2!
Posted by | Wed, Aug 24, 2005 - 11:26 AM
Google Talk - Released!
It seems yesterday's stream of rumors were true! Google announced and released Google Talk early this morning. Like GMail, Google Talk is considered to be in Beta right now, so everyone can expect the features of Google Talk to expand in the months to come! A Gmail account is required to use the service.
Google believes that users should have a choice in what applications they use for communication. Built to support industry standards, Google Talk enables Google users to connect to the Google Talk service and exchange IMs using any client that does the same, including Trillian, Adium, iChat, GAIM, and Psi.
The company is also committed to working with other service providers to create a federation model that enables users on any member network to talk to users on any other member network in a secure and abuse-free manner. Google is currently working with EarthLink to federate with their Vling communications service and with Sipphone on federating their Gizmo Project.
Posted by | Wed, Aug 24, 2005 - 05:59 AM
eTT DDR2 Memory now on Spot Market
It seems that efficiently tested (eTT) DDR2 memory has started appearing on the spot market. Although most memory module houses can improve their margins by sourcing the eTT DDR2 parts, most remain conservative amid risk concerns when it comes to the quality of eTT. After eTT comes UTT, so keep an eye out for UTT memory to pop up on the DDR2 spot market in upcoming months.
Digitimes sources indicated that currently two international memory makers are supplying the uncertified DDR2 in eTT form on the spot market, while no Taiwan-based players are producing for the segment. Most memory module makers prefer sourcing verified DDR2 as they may be unable to receive support for any defective eTT DDR2 parts.
Posted by | Wed, Aug 24, 2005 - 01:55 AM
Intel Announces Merom, Conroe and Woodcrest at IDF
Anand wrote up a quick article from IDF where Intel has just announced their new Microprocessor Architecture. Intel is going for a "performance per watt" marketing strategy which I think is great! The Merom (Mobile), Conroe (Desktop), and Woodcrest (Server) are all dual core solutions that should feature significant power consumption drops!
Intel's next microprocessor architecture will finally unify their desktop and mobile architectures, for a new focus on performance per watt as the driving force behind future CPU development.
Posted by | Tue, Aug 23, 2005 - 09:46 AM
Tuesday Reviews Around the Web
The TechZone just posted an article on The LinkStation Network Storage Center from Buffalo Technology. This is a great idea, especially for multi-computer households! Find this and other reviews at the LegitForums!
The LinkStation Network Storage Center from Buffalo Technology offers an easy and economic backup solution and adds 120 to 400 GigaBytes of network-attached storage. Basically, the LinkStation is a hard drive inside a self contain enclosure. You can place it anywhere you want and connect it to your home network via an Ethernet cable. Being a network drive means every computer on the network can use it to backup their data or share their files with other computers in the network. In addition to serving as a network storage and backup solution, the LinkStation can double as a print server to turn any USB printer into a network printer. With two USB 2.0 ports, an additional hard drive can be added for extra space or for backing up the backup.
Posted by | Tue, Aug 23, 2005 - 07:17 AM
AMD Challenges Intel to a Dual-Core Server Processor Duel
AMD has pulled out all the stops and has challenged Intel to a dual-core server processor test where the winner walks away with some serious bragging rights. AMD's press release (linked below) was actually quite funny as it stated the duel must be a live, public performance evaluation and spoke about boxing rings.
The challenge, issued today in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, San Jose Mercury News and The San Francisco Chronicle, features the world's first x86 dual-core server microprocessor, the Dual-Core AMD Opteron processor, in a boxing ring waiting for the Intel challenger. AMD has challenged Intel to settle the question once and for all-whose x86-based dual-core architecture best meets server customer's needs.
Posted by | Tue, Aug 23, 2005 - 06:27 AM
EarthLink acquires anti-spyware company Aluria
It seems that anti-spyware software companies are being bought up left and right these days and Aluria Software is no different. U.S. Internet service provider EarthLink Inc. just announced that it agreed to acquire the assets of privately held Aluria Software LLC, which makes security and anti-spyware software. Spyware Eliminator software is used on 20 million PC's and is something Earthlink wanted to buy and hopefully use for their customers.
EarthLink said it expects the acquisitions, whose terms were not disclosed, to close in September. Aluria, which was founded in 1999 and based in Orlando, Florida, is best known for its consumer anti-spyware application called Spyware Eliminator. The product has more than 20 million users, Atlanta-based EarthLink said in a statement.
Posted by | Mon, Aug 22, 2005 - 02:53 PM
AMD Launches Two New Turion Processors: MT-40 & MT-37
AMD has added a couple new flasgship processors on the mobile side this morning. The two new Turion 64 mobile processors named MT-37 and MT-40, offer clock speeds of 2.0 and 2.2 GHz, respectively. Both processors consume a maximum of 25 watts making them perfect for mobile platforms. We expected this launch as AMD always releases something rigth before the Intel Developer Forum which starts tomorrow. The MT-42 is still on track for Q1 2006 according to our sources.
AMD today revved up the performance of AMD Turion 64 mobile technology with the introduction of two new models, MT-40 and MT-37. AMD Turion 64 mobile technology MT-40 and MT-37 are priced at $359 and $268, respectively, in 1,000-unit quantities.
Posted by | Mon, Aug 22, 2005 - 09:24 AM
ATI Trademarks "ATI AVIVO"
On July 12, 2005 ATI filed for a trademark on the phrase "ATI AVIVO" through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and it has just been approved. The listing is described as computer software for improving the quality of images as they appear on a computer monitor; and computer hardware, namely, transistor blocks for facilitating the software's function. This leads LR to believe that AVIVO may be an abbreviation for Advanced Video-in/Video-Out, something which may be available on ATI?s future products that support certain multimedia functions.
Posted by | Mon, Aug 22, 2005 - 06:59 AM
Videogames Linked to Aggression
After 20 years of research the American Psychological Association (APA) finds that playing video games can bring up aggressive traits. This now means that after playing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas it is normal for you to think about killing people or going on a driving spree. I don't think this study really changes anything though. If a person watches a violent movie he or she might express agressive thoughts or actions, but if an adult movie is watched other traits might be shown. Basically, people need to remember things they see on a TV or computer screens are not real and should not be brought into the real world and everything will be fine.
An analysis of 20 years of research shows the effects can be both immediate and long-lasting. Most studies done on violence and video games support the conclusion that violent video games can increase aggressive behavior in children and adolescents, especially boys, researchers said Friday. One study showed that children who played a violent game for less than 10 minutes and then took a mood assessment test rated themselves with aggressive traits and aggressive actions shortly after playing.
Posted by | Mon, Aug 22, 2005 - 06:49 AM
Monday News Around the Web
When I was in college, everyone I knew downloaded music and movies off of the internet and shared them on the network. Even when new laws about these downloads came out, and the school started monitoring the network, students were still able to get hundreds of songs and movies onto their computers without paying a cent! Can We Really End Illegal Music Downloading? WindowsAtoZ.com answers that question. Find this and other articles at the Legit Forums!
It's no secret that teens (and some adults) have been sued by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for illegally downloading or swapping music. You hear it all the time in the news, hundreds of teens (most 12-16) getting sued for this. Is that really the right way to go about solving the file-swapping issue? I don't think so. The RIAA is using too much brute force to try to solve this problem instead of stepping back and looking at the factors that lead to this illegally activity.
Posted by | Mon, Aug 22, 2005 - 06:29 AM
Asustek to outsource motherboard production to Flextronics
Asustek hopes to lower production costs and raise its competitiveness worldwide by outsourcing 20% of their branded motherboards to Flextronics International. Usually when companies out source a product quality becomes an issue, but with Asustek paying the bill we don't figure quality will be a problem and hopefully the lower costs will be passed along to the consumer with lower MSRP's.
Motherboard giant Asustek Computer plans to outsource 20% of its own-brand motherboard production to electronics manufacturing service (EMS) giant Flextronics International for the first time, the Chinese-language Economic Daily News (EDN) reported today. Under the outsourcing relationship, Flextronics will also assist Asustek with desktop PC assembly using its worldwide production bases, the paper indicated.
Posted by | Mon, Aug 22, 2005 - 06:20 AM
Creative Labs X-Fi: The Last PCI Sound Card?
Can a sophisticated audio processing architecture without native Windows Vista support withstand the integrated audio juggernaut? Extreme Tech takes a look at the new sound cards from Creative and has some interesting thoughts on the new cards. Read the quote below and see if it sparks any interest.
As CPUs have become more powerful, the capabilities of host-based audio have improved over time. While it's true that a good PCI sound card enables extra audio effects and lower CPU utilization in games, that's not a great benefit to non-gamers. On top of that, motherboard and chipset manufacturers are rapidly adding features to their products, including Dolby Master certification, clean multichannel audio and even 3D positional sound. The final straw may be Microsoft's move away from hardware accelerated audio in their upcoming Windows Vista operating system. Should you buy an X-Fi? If you have a current Audigy 2 solution and you are only a casual music listener or gamer, the answer is likely no.
Posted by | Sat, Aug 20, 2005 - 02:29 PM
Friday News Around the Web
Cell phone viruses? Really? To be honest, that thought never crossed my mind until today when I saw BonaFideReviews address this issue in their article, "The Future of Cell Phone Viruses." Look for it, and other reviews in the LegitReviews Forums!
Worms, hackers and spam, oh my! Could they be invading your cell phone? Antivirus experts say it is possible and are questioning whether personal data entered into cell phones and PDA’s can be stolen or infested now that minor security incidents are already being reported.
Posted by | Fri, Aug 19, 2005 - 07:54 AM
The Goal: Make 3D television by 2020
Imagine watching a football match on a TV that not only shows the players in three dimensions but also lets you experience the smells of the stadium and maybe even pat a goalscorer on the back. All this sounds really far fetched, but in Japan they are getting a budget together to make it all happen. Personally I am still saving up for an LCD or Plasma TV, so by the time I have enough in the back the 3D TV's will be out anyway.
The targeted "virtual reality" television would allow people to view high-definition images in 3D from any angle, in addition to being able to touch and smell the objects being projected upwards from a screen parallel to the floor. "Can you imagine hovering over your TV to watch Japan versus Brazil in the finals of the World Cup as if you are really there?" asked Yoshiaki Takeuchi, director of research and development at Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
Posted by | Fri, Aug 19, 2005 - 06:37 AM
Intel's IGP Chipset Shortage Helps Nvidia Sales Numbers
Nvidia is flying high these days and I am sure that they are loving the chipset shortage over at Intel. It seems that people are buying motherboards without graphics and adding in an Nvidia or ATI card. Nvidia's Paul Sun expects the company to sell ONE MILLION more cards a month during the chipset shortage! With numbers like that I am bettig that Nvidia hopes the current shortage lasts until 2006.
Demand for mainstream graphics card recently began picking up, driven by Intel?s integrated chipset shortage, according to Paul Sun, general manager of Nvidia Taiwan Sales. The rising demand is expected to contribute an additional one million graphics card shipments to the industry every month in the second half of this year, Sun said.
Posted by | Fri, Aug 19, 2005 - 06:31 AM
The Well: First Major Online Community Up For Sale
The Well was one of the first bulletin boardsrun on the internet and started before pretty much anyone knew what the internet was. There was speculation that remaining members of The Well would set up a non-profit group to buy the assets and keep the community going, but that doesn't seem to be the case any longer.
Set up in 1985 before the net was widely used, The Well helped to define the basic ethic and etiquette of online life. Many of the early members of The Well have gone on to become the guiding lights of net as it has risen to its current level of prominence. The community was bought in 1999 by the Salon Media Group which now wants to concentrate on eponymous magazine. Salon said the community is expected to generate about $500,000 in revenue to March 2006 from its 4,000 subscribers and advertising. Salon said it would not sell the online community to the first buyer that made an offer, instead it said it would look for a "good match".
Posted by | Fri, Aug 19, 2005 - 06:19 AM
Thursday News Around the Web
The TechZone has some advice for everyone in their article, "How To Create An Uncrackable Password." Find this and other reviews by visiting our forums!
In the past I've never really paid much attention to security issues when it comes to user names and passwords. Frankly I figured it was all a lot of overblown hype. This led to an unfortunate incident that involved my website being attacked, apparently by a skillful youth with a propensity for mischief.
Posted by | Thu, Aug 18, 2005 - 02:54 PM
Microsoft Ships Zotob Worm Removal Tool
Microsoft typically updates the free utility once a month?on Patch Tuesday?but with at least a dozen "Zotob" variants squirming through unpatched Windows 2000 systems, the company added detections for 10 mutants to help with the cleanup process. If you believe that you have the virus please visit the link below and download the latest Malicious Software Removal Tool from Microsoft.
The new version of the Malicious Software Removal Tool will now zap the following worms: Zotob.A, Zotob.B, Zotob.C, Zotob.D, Zotob.E, Bobax.O, Esbot.A, Rbot.MA, Rbot.MB and Rbot.MC. The worms, first detected last Saturday, have infected computers at several high-profile organizations, including The New York Times, CNN and ABC.
Posted by | Thu, Aug 18, 2005 - 06:40 AM
Steady Growth rate of 5.9% is Expected In Global IT Spending
Worldwide IT spending is expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 5.9% through 2009, a market research firm says. It is not known if they figured in the price of gas and inflation during their research, but I hope they did.
Worldwide IT spending is expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 5.9 percent through 2009, with media and communications among the highest growth industries, a market research firm said Tuesday. Spending is expected to reach $1.3 trillion by the end of 2009, International Data Corp. said. Government, manufacturing and banking are expected to be the biggest spenders. "We remain optimistic about vertical market spending on IT," IDC analyst Anne Songtao Lu said in a statement.
Posted by | Thu, Aug 18, 2005 - 06:36 AM
Windows 2000 bug starts virus war
A virus war has broken out between the proud parents of the most recent Windows 2000 viruses that exploit a recently discovered loophole in the Plug-and-Play component. Some of the variants seek out and delete rival viruses they find on machines they manage to penetrate. This has happened before, but it is the first time that three groups of programmers so quickly.
"There appears to be three different virus-writing gangs turning out new worms at an alarming rate," said Mr Hypponen, "as if they were competing to build the biggest network of infected machines." Variants of the Bozori and IRCbot viruses that exploit the Windows 2000 loophole will delete some of the Zotob, RDbot and SDbot virus programs if they find them on machines they manage to compromise.
Posted by | Thu, Aug 18, 2005 - 06:32 AM
Intel Admits to a Low Power Intel Architecture (LPIA) Project
Intel has been working hard on the LPIA project in the hopes of creating a mobile processor that consumes less than 5 watts of power. The research is being conducted by Intel's Systems Technology Labs and already has chips made. While this is big news keep in mind that the ultralow-voltage Pentium M that Intel sells today has a thermal ceiling, or maximum energy output, of 5.5 watts, although its average power consumption is less than a watt. This article is a very interesting read because low power consumption is the key to advancing mobile technology.
More details have emerged of Intel's plan to bring chips based on the same designs as its PC chips to handhelds and consumer electronics. The chipmaker has formed the Low Power Intel Architecture project, or LPIA, to try to devise energy-efficient versions of its x86 processors, software and components for handhelds, micro PCs and other devices. The company has also developed concept phones and portable video players containing prototype chips.
Posted by | Thu, Aug 18, 2005 - 06:24 AM
Powerchip Semiconductor Corp. (PSC) is dropping eTT DDR prices
Leading effectively tested (eTT) DRAM supplier Powerchip Semiconductor Corporation (PSC) has dropped its eTT DDR prices US$0.10, according to sources at memory module houses. The 256Mbit eTT DDR spot prices have gone from $2.60 to $2.42 in the month of August. If you do not know what eTT memory is please read our article titled "ETT & UTT Memory IC's Explained".
PSC has found its memory module customers and distributors reporting limited stock, the company started increasing its supply to the segment and lowered its price US$0.1 on August 16 to US$2.55, the sources noted. PSC may be offering the discount in order to help customers increase their reserves as the hot season approaches, the sources commented. With contract pricing growing moderately, the drop PSC could offer was limited, the sources noted. DRAMeXchange predicts that contract prices for mainstream DDR for the second half of August will stay flat or grow by US$0.5
Posted by | Thu, Aug 18, 2005 - 06:17 AM
First Dual-Core Pentium 4 a Rush Job, Intel Says
Thats great....lets screw consumers, ask them to pay for a stopgap product, just so we can beat AMD to the punch. This article really irritates me, and will definitely make me think twice before ever buying an Intel product again
ntel's first dual-core chip was a hastily concocted design that was rushed out the door in hopes of beating rival Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) to the punch, an Intel engineer told attendees at the Hot Chips conference today. Following the company's realization that its single-core processors had hit a wall, Intel engineers plunged headlong into designing the Smithfield dual-core chip in 2004, but they faced numerous challenges in getting that chip to market, according to Jonathan Douglas, a principal engineer in Intel's Digital Enterprise Group, which makes chips for office desktops and servers. "We faced many challenges from taking a design team focused on making the highest-performing processors possible to one focused on multicore designs," Douglas said in a presentation on Intel's Pentium D 800 series desktop chips and the forthcoming Paxville server chip, both of which are based on the Smithfield core.
Posted by | Wed, Aug 17, 2005 - 07:11 PM
Wednesday Reviews from Around the Web
CoolTechZone posted an article today on Poor Profit Margins for Memory Makers. You can find this and other articles from around the web by visiting our forums!
Even though low memory prices are a great thing for consumers, memory makers are scrambling to generate decent profits from overall sales. With recent drop in prices for DDR and DDR2 modules, an insider reported that the entire memory industry is having a troubling time coping with poor profit margins.
Posted by | Wed, Aug 17, 2005 - 11:37 AM
VIA launches VN800 mobile integrated (IGP) chipset
VIA Technologies today announced the VIA VN800, the company?s first chipset solution for the VIA C7-M processor that supports DDR2 memory and hardware-based MPEG-2 decoding for DVD playback. I was able to meet with VIA Technologies during Quakecon last week and was able to be briefed on the new platform. If you are looking on building a low heat system where space matters take a look at VIA's mobile solutions. The chipset also works with Intel Pentium M processors, which we found interesting.
The VIA VN800 features the S3 Graphics UniChrome Pro Integrated Graphics Processor (IGP) and provides dual pipeline graphics performance through a 128-bit 2D/3D engine, as well as sharing DDR memory for a variety of applications. The Chromotion CE Video Display Engine blends hardware-based MPEG-2 decoding acceleration with advanced rendering tools, such as Adaptive De-interlacing and Video Deblocking to ensure the playback of digital media content. In addition, the VN800 supports an external AGP 8X port that allows an optional graphics processor upgrade.
Posted by | Wed, Aug 17, 2005 - 06:19 AM
$50 Apple iBook laptop sale sets off violent stampede
Most people wouldn't stand in line and pay $50 for a four year old notebook, but fans of Apple's iBook do. Nearly 5,500 people turned out to buy one of the 1,000 notebooks a local school was selling off for $50. People were seen wetting themselves in line and beating each other with chairs trying to get their hands on the cheaply priced iBooks.
A rush to purchase $50 used laptops turned into a violent stampede Tuesday, with people getting thrown to the pavement, beaten with a folding chair and nearly driven over. One woman went so far as to wet herself rather than surrender her place in line. An estimated 5,500 people turned out at the Richmond International Raceway in hopes of getting their hands on one of the 4-year-old Apple iBooks. The Henrico County school system was selling 1,000 of the computers to county residents. New iBooks cost between $999 and $1,299.
Posted by | Tue, Aug 16, 2005 - 08:34 PM
Tuesday Reviews Around the Web
So, you know you want a dual-core processor, right? But do you go with Intel or AMD? The Tech Report has posted a review today that just might help. Find this review, along with other reviews around the web, by visiting our forums!
THE AVAILABILITY OF INEXPENSIVE dual-core Pentium D processors has some enthusiasts seriously reconsidering the Intel platform, and for good reason. SMP's creamy smoothness is hard to resist, and once you're hooked, there's no going back. AMD may have a better dual-core design and superior performance in many applications, but even the least expensive Athlon 64 X2 costs 50% more than a Pentium D 820. Heck, even the Pentium D 830 is cheaper than the X2 3800+. Oh, how times have changed. Intel's dual-core chips may be cheap, but they won't plug into just any LGA775 motherboard. The processors require a chipset from Intel's 955/945 family or NVIDIA's nForce4 SLI Intel Edition, so upgrading is more involved than simply buying a new CPU. Fortunately, motherboard manufacturers have flocked to Intel and NVIDIA's new chipsets, so there's no shortage of dual-core-compatible motherboards from which to choose. To help prospective Pentium D purchasers get a handle on the platforms available to them, we've rounded up half a dozen motherboards and a small form factor system that support Intel's dual-core chips. Several chipsets are represented among the competitors, and we also have entries from a number of different manufacturers, including Abit, Asus, Gigabyte, and Shuttle. Read on for an in-depth comparison of these dual-core-capable platforms.
Posted by | Tue, Aug 16, 2005 - 02:38 PM
Apple Fixes 44 Flaws in Mac OS X
If you are running Apple's Mac OS 10.3.9 or 10.4.2 operating systems then you should update your software. Apple's security update 2005-007 patches 44 vulnerabilities, some of which are critical. Head on over to Apple Downloads to download the right patch for your system.
25 percent of the patches involve older vulnerabilities that have yet to lead to exploit code being developed by attackers. Still, Secunia is rating the overall update as "highly critical." Apple declined to comment on the vulnerabilities and referred all questions to its security update.The flaws affect Apple's Mac OS 10.3.9 and 10.4.2 operating system software and related server software.
Posted by | Tue, Aug 16, 2005 - 01:11 PM
Geico Vs. Google AdWords Case Update
It has been pointed out to us from Google that our Monday news story on the Geico Vs. Google AdWords Case was incorrect. According to Google's response the judges conclusion sided that Google's policy on trademarks and keywords was indeed lawful. The link below goes to a blog with some more information.
I saw your post on the GEICO ruling and thought it might be helpful to clarify a few things. The recent ruling by the judge in this case was essentially a written version of the judge's oral ruling of December 15, 2004. Her ruling was an extraordinary victory for Google. In the critical part of the decision, the judge ruled unequivocally in Google's favor. In her written ruling, she stated that the evidence "refutes the allegation that the use of the trademark as a keyword, without more, causes a likelihood of confusion." That confirms that Google's policy on trademarks and keywords is lawful.
Posted by | Tue, Aug 16, 2005 - 12:52 PM
Zotob worm finds its path limited, but still spreads
If you are running Windows XP or Server 2003 take a deep breath as the most recent internet virus does not impact you. If you are running Windows 2000 and did not patch the three critical flaws in the plug-and-play feature then you better update unless you want a virus.
As of Monday morning on the West Coast, the original Zotob.A had infected about 50 computers worldwide, and the first variant, Zotob.B, had compromised about 1,000 systems, the antivirus software maker Trend Micro said. While early reports on Zotob suggested it was spreading rapidly, the impact of the worm has actually been restricted because it targets PCs running Windows 2000, an older version of the software, Microsoft said. It poses no threat to computers running the newer Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, the company added.
Posted by | Tue, Aug 16, 2005 - 08:46 AM
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