Listen to the world on a shoestring, or more if you're game

I've been using a thumb-size gadget that is a riveting example of how the Internet has turned our vast planet into a small village.

Plug the USB Internet Radio Jukebox into your PC (Windows only) and a world of sound and opinion awaits.

Sure, you can use your browser to find the Web sites from public and private radio stations from Australia to Zimbabwe, but that's quite a task if you don't know the call letters.

Aluratek's USB radio is a tuner that uncovers these gems. It claims access to more than 13,000 stations - all for $39, money well spent for an audio world tour.

Tivoli Audio, which makes products for audiophiles, takes a different tack with its device: Its NetWorks radio doesn't attach to a computer to access Web radio.

I love the Tivoli radio, which connects through a home's Wi-Fi network. It's well-designed and easy to use, and the signal is crisp. I found an Indie rock station from Dublin, Phantom FM, five minutes after plugging it in.

But it's a tough sell at $600.

Still, I recommend both products for different reasons.

• USB Internet Radio Jukebox

Consider the events of Jan. 20, when Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th U.S. president. Using the Aluratek device and my office computer, I listened to commentary from various parts of the world.

On Ireland's RTE Radio - the first station worldwide to play U2's new single, "Get On Your Boots" - there was a tart discussion about Obama's global priorities.

On London's LBC 97.3, the host believed the world's opinion of the U.S. won't change under Obama, even if the new president proves popular. "The world will still dislike America because they have fridges bigger than most of our flats," he said. "It's envy."

In Australia, ABC Radio National host Steve Cannane showed a fine grasp of the U.S. civil rights movement with pointed questions for his guest, American reporter Bruce Shapiro.

Tuning software is built into Aluratek's device (aluratek.com). When you plug it into a USB port, a window opens to guide you. You find stations on the left-hand side: top 10 by genre or region, a broader selection of stations by genre or region, and folders to store favorites and your listening history. The center of the display offers a world map to find stations by region or by genre (hits, public radio, jazz, sports talk, etc.).

I've enjoyed world tunes from Sky.FM, classical music from Spain and folk from Canada's CBC. Some stations have failed to connect at times, but that's been rare. And because the selection is so vast, alternatives are a click away.

• Tivoli NetWorks radio

It may seem ridiculous to recommend a radio that costs $600, but if you enjoy life's finer gadgets, consider the Tivoli NetWorks radio. You can attach an iPod to this elegant radio or play audio files stored on your computer. But that's not why you would want it.

Once connected to your home's wireless network - mine was identified within minutes - you never have to fiddle with settings again. When you want music, just turn it on like you'd do with any radio.

You can search content by genre or region; you also can select from the podcasts many radio stations now store, something the Aluratek player does not offer. I've been listening to flamenco and jazz in the evening while relaxing with a glass of wine.

There are no dials for tuning. You use a remote control to search for stations, although it's more like discovery. You are, after all, searching content among the world's radio signals.

Stations are displayed across an LCD screen that sits atop a speaker. The design is handsome - the type of product you would find in a doctor's home office.

There are drawbacks.

One, the LCD does not display song information. If you hear something you like, you'd better be paying attention when the DJ comes on, and hope that you understand Spanish when listening to an Andalusian station.

Two, the radio plays in mono. For stereo you need to order a matching speaker. The standard $600 model also does not include an FM tuner for local stations.

For $650, you can order a NetWorks radio with FM. For $700, you can get a stereo model; for $750, you can get stereo and FM. (For local AM, hope your favorite station streams its signal online.)

Clearly, the biggest hurdle is price.

Yet you will love the Tivoli NetWorks (tivoliaudio.com) if you're a fan of radio and fine products.

But if you just want to listen to the world, Aluratek's $39 USB radio can't be beat.

___

(c) 2009, Chicago Tribune.
Visit the Chicago Tribune on the Internet at www.chicagotribune.com/
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

Dell Unveils AMD Opteron 2P 4P Servers

Dell today announced two PowerEdge(TM) servers featuring AMD Opteron(TM)processors as part of Dell's commitment to leadership in price-performance,performance per watt and reducing complexity in customers' server environments.

The company unveiled the PowerEdge 6950 and PowerEdge SC1435 along with theintegration of Dell OpenManage(TM) and Oracle Enterprise Manager at a pressconference at Oracle OpenWorld.

The Dell PowerEdge 6950 is a four-socket server designed for demandingenterprise applications such as database, server consolidation, virtualizationand migration from costly RISC-based systems. Featuring AMD Opteron processors,the PowerEdge 6950 can deliver industry leading performance(1), eclipsingperformance levels of conventional four-socket servers and consumes up to 20percent less power than previous-generation four-socket PowerEdge servers(2).

The PowerEdge SC1435 is a two-socket, rack-dense server optimized forhigh-performance compute clusters, distributed Web serving and small- tomedium-sized businesses that require leading price-performance ratio and energyconservation features. The AMD Opteron processor-based PowerEdge SC1435 candeliver performance gains of up to 128 percent(3) and performance-per-wattimprovements of up to 138 percent(4).

"The PowerEdge 6950 and PowerEdge SC1435 continue Dell's unwavering commitmentto meet customer needs and lead the industry in price-performance andperformance per watt," said Brad Anderson, senior vice president, Dell ProductGroup. "These servers - combined with the integration of Dell OpenManage withOracle applications to simplify the deployment, management and monitoring ofOracle applications - deliver the solutions our customers need to reducecomplexity in enterprise environments."

Marty Seyer, senior vice president of AMD's Commercial Segment, noted Dell andAMD's vision to deliver uncompromising performance-per-watt choices and completesolutions to Dell enterprise customers.

"AMD and Dell share a commitment to deliver system-wide innovation where itmatters most to customers," said Seyer. "By combining Dell's world-class productdesign, service and support with the performance-per-watt benefits of AMDOpteron processors and open innovation platform enabled by the AMD Torrenzainitiative, customers have the right tools for addressing specific workloadneeds and applications while reducing total cost of ownership."

Grid Management: Simplified

Dell and Oracle have integrated Dell OpenManage and Oracle Enterprise Manager tooffer an industry-first solution for simplified management of the Oracleapplication infrastructure. The integration of these standards-based toolsenables customers to natively manage Dell PowerEdge servers within a singlemanagement console familiar to Oracle database administrators.

By continuing its commitment to integrate its OpenManage product family withpartner solutions, Dell is delivering standards-based, enhanced management forcustomers. This enables fast issue isolation and improved availability betweenapplication and hardware, helps minimize training and use of multiple tools andleverages existing IT investments for customers.

The integration of Dell OpenManage and Oracle Enterprise Manager includessupport for lifecycle management of Dell PowerEdge servers with features suchas:

System discovery, reporting and configurationManaging server hardware healthCross-platform system event notificationEvent-driven policy executionDell PowerEdge - Excellence in Performance and Performance per Watt

The new servers complement Dell's ninth-generation PowerEdge serversintroduced earlier this year, delivering the most comprehensive technology anddesign enhancements ever to the widely installed product line. Enhancementsinclude:

Industry-first programmable LCD that enables quick and easy visualdiagnosis of server faultsIndividually labeled hard drives that provide quick identification of thetechnology, capacity and speedStandardized color coding and cabling that help make PowerEdge serverseasier to manage and service today and with future generationsDraw-latch design for tool-less access to server componentsImageWatch(TM), a Dell service that helps customers proactively manage thenumber of changes to system images, available in a block-release formatfurther helping to reduce the number of image changes a customer has tomanage.SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) hard drives for fast, reliable datatransmission and minimized thermal outputTCP/IP Offload Engine, which helps reduce traffic on a host processor toenhance system performanceEnhanced virtualization technology for improved performance, managementand utilization in virtualized workloads such as VMware ESX, Microsoft VirtualServer or XenPCI-Express I/O, which delivers high-performance Ethernet, RAID,InfiniBand and Fibre Channel interconnect while providing investmentprotection for future technologies Dell Platinum Plus Delivers Complete Enterprise Solutions, EnablesExtended Uptime

Customers buying Dell's newest PowerEdge servers can also benefit fromPlatinum Plus Enterprise Support, Dell's highest level of enterprise support.Platinum Plus provides reliability and global consistency for customers withbusiness-critical needs. It includes the industry's first Operations PerformanceBenchmarking feature, a patent-pending methodology that allows customers toroutinely compare critical IT performance metrics to historical results andsimilarly configured environments.

Platinum Plus also includes the Enterprise Command Center Real-Time TrackingWindow, a Web-enabled feature to provide a virtual Enterprise Command Center tofollow ongoing support activities.

Platinum Plus is the culmination of a more than $ 200 million investment inenterprise support over the past several years. In addition to Platinum Plus,Dell offers Gold, Silver and Basic levels of enterprise support. For moreinformation, visit www.dell.com/services.

Pricing and Availability

Available now worldwide, the PowerEdge 6950 and PowerEdge SC1435 with dual-core,next-generation AMD Opteron processors are priced from $ 6,499 and $ 1,299,respectively.

Cyclogyro Flying Robot Improves its Angles of Attack

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(PhysOrg.com) -- In the past few decades, researchers have been investigating a variety of flying machines. Most studies have focused on improving the flying performance of standard flying mechanisms, rather than developing innovative flying mechanisms.

But one intriguing flying mechanism that has received relatively little attention is a horizontal-axis rotorcraft - or "cyclogyro" craft. First proposed in the 1930s, a cyclogyro is a unique mechanism of generating lift forces, being propelled by horizontal rotating wings. Unfortunately, the few prototypes that were built at the time were unsuccessful at flying.

The essential flying principle of the cyclogyro rotorcraft is that, as the wings rotate, their angle of attack must be altered so that the wings can lift and thrust at the appropriate times in the cycle. Designing such variable wings that can alter the angles of attack has proven difficult.

But recently, a team of engineers consisting of Naohiro Hara, Kazuo Tanaka, and Hiroshi Ohtake from the University of Electro-Communications in Japan, and Hua O. Wang of Boston University in the US, have developed a cyclogyro flying robot with a new kind of variable wing mechanism. The mechanism is based on a pantograph, which is a mechanical linkage that was originally developed in the 17th century as a drafting tool for copying and scaling line drawings.

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IEEE Transactions on Robotics. The mechanism is an extension of two of the authors' earlier prototype designed in 2006, which demonstrated that a cyclogyro-based flying robot could generate enough lift force to fly and carry a very small (10 g) payload. With the new mechanism, the researchers hoped to improve the efficiency. Through simulations and experiments, they focused on demonstrating the possibility of a flying robot with a pantograph-based mechanism.

The engineers explained that, in the downstroke motion, the new mechanism can generate heavy lift forces in the upward direction by expanding the wings with larger angles of attack. Conversely, in the upstroke motion, the mechanism can reduce anti-lift forces in the downward direction by contracting the wings with smaller angles of attack. Due to this folding up motion of the wings, which creates a larger wing area in a small space, the rotorcraft can get a larger lift force compared with the authors' previous strategy.

The simulations and experiments (in which the rotorcraft was tethered for stability) showed that the robot could generate a lift force exceeding its own weight. Not only could this force allow the robot to fly, it means the robot could carry a significant payload (155 g). Accounting for the robot's four rotors, the engineers hope that it may be possible to fly the robot with a battery, some sensors, and even a control board (currently, the robot receives power from an external supply).

In the future, the engineers plan to develop a detailed aerodynamic analysis of the wing motion. Eventually, they hope to develop a full-body flying robot with the optimal parameters, including four sets of pantograph-based variable wings and a stabilizing controller. With its ability to rise, hover, and go backward, a cyclogyro flying robot could one day operate as a highly maneuverable micro air vehicle.

More information: Hara, Naohiro; Tanaka, Kazuo; Ohtake, Hiroshi; and Wang, Hua O. "Development of a Flying Robot With a Pantograph-Based Variable Wing Mechanism." IEEE Transactions on Robotics. To be published.

© 2009 PhysOrg.com

Dell Blamed For Severe Shortage Of Athlon X2 CPUs

System builders are irked about a severe shortage of AMD Athlon 64 X2 processors and blame the chip maker's partnership with Dell."It's a fiasco. There's no product in the channel. It's all going to Dell," said Glen Coffield, president of CheapGuys, a system builder in Orlando, Fla. "AMD is divorcing the channel." Coffield said AMD is hurting its loyal system builders, who feel they have been used and dumped now that the chip maker has a partnership with Dell and other top-tier OEMs. Another large system builder that has a relationship with AMD agreed that the situation is dire for channel partners. He said the supply problem started at the end of June and is hurting his business.

Finally, a device that lets you hug people over the internet!

Looking for a gift for someone you really care for, but dont see in the flesh that much? This new piece of kit might be what youre after.

The Like-A-Hug vest, developed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, allows Facebook users to hug one another no matter how far apart they are.A Like-A-Hug vest on display at the website of designer Melissa Kit Chow has been touted as "wearable social media" that inflates to embrace wearers whenever Facebook friends "Like" items they post at the social network.Chow worked with Andy Payne and Phil Seaton in the MIT Media Lab to create the puffy black vests, according to her website.Like-A-Hug lets hugs "be given via Facebook, bringing us closer together despite physical distance," Chow said in a post describing the vest.Want to hug back? No problem! Provided the sender is also wearing a Like-A-Hug, the recipient can return a hug by squeezing their own vest to deflate it.Chow described herself as a graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Design who subtly skews everyday interactions with the environment for "a reawakening of a sensorial spacial experience."

EVGA SLI Twin Turbo Bracket

EVGA is proud to announce a New stylish accessory for your EVGASLI System, the EVGA SLI Twin Turbo Bracket. The bracket attaches securely toyour EVGA 6800GT/6800Ultra SLI graphics cards helping to keep them perfectlyaligned and evenly spaced on your motherboards and does not interfere with theSLI connector. The EVGA SLI Twin Turbo Bracket is made from high qualitylightweight Aluminum with distinct stylish markings to show the world you meanbusiness when it comes to gaming.

Detailed Geforce GTX 280 Pictures

The GTX 280. Unlike the 9800GX2, the card does not come with a HDMI port built in. The heatsink is similar to the 9800GTX, but with additional vents by the sides of the card.

The back

Two SLI connectors are available for TRI-SLI

6+8pin PCI-E power needed, shows how power hungry this card can be.

The rear exhaust

EVGA exhibits NVIDIA Dual-GPU card

Ever before the release of GF100, a dual-GF100 product had been rumoured.The outrageous power consumption figures of the original GF100 meant adual-GPU GF100 was unlikely, yet the rumour persisted, fueled by Galaxy and Mars exhibiting prototypes with exotic power solutions. However, nodual-GF100 made it to the market. Following the successful GF104 launch,a dual-GF104 was then rumoured, and unlike dual-GF100 feasible under300W TDP. However, into 2011, and GTX 295 from 2009 remains the lastNVIDIA dual-GPU product. At CES 2011, EVGA is exhibiting a dual-GPUcard, which appears to be in its final design stages.



The first thing worth noticing is that the new dual-GPU card is a monster. Cooled by a hefty triple-fan cooler, the card is powered by 2x8-pin power, suggesting a TDP in the 375W range. This also breaks the PCI-SIG compliance standards. Furthermore, considering only EVGA has shown such a product, it may be a non-reference product.



On the rear, 8 memory chips are present; 4 per GPU. With no visible footprints for extra memory chips, it does appear likely that each GPU has 8 chips, or 1GB memory. This could suggest that the card is either GF114-based (also hinted at by the slightly rectangular GPU footprint) or a heavily crippled GF110 (less likely).

Three DVI outputs are present, with one SLI connector, enabling Quad-SLI.

Needless to say, this is not the first time we have seen a Fermi generation dual-GPU, but none have made it to the market thus far. However, the EVGA dual-GPU does seem most likely to hit retail at some point.

Source: TechReport

Apple files complaint against Polish grocery website over name and logo

Apple has barely fed its legal hounds with the blood of Samsung and is already setting them on another target, this time a small Polish online grocery website.

The Cupertino, California-based technology giant filed a complaint with the Polish patent office over the grocers alleged infringement of its trademarks, including a similar name and logo.The company is called A.pl, using the Polish domain name extension to create a phonetically similar name to the iPhone maker. The crux of the matter, however, is a logo for its fresh24.pl website, which shows a round apple with a leaf that is strikingly similar to Apples logo design.A.pl labelled the accusations as “ludicrous,” stating that it no longer uses the logo that Apple found objectionable, though it does appear to be still in use at fresh24.pl. It said it is looking into Apples complaint.Of course, the issue would hold more weight if A.pl operated in the technology sector. The grocers website does not in any way look like Apples, nor does its current logo conjure up the idea of the sleek and user-friendly iPhone or iPad. The only remote link the two have is the fact that the grocer does indeed sell apples among its fruit and veg produce.Source: Reuters

ASRock Brings PCIe 3.0 To Fatal1ty Z68

The Fatal1ty brand motherboard is marketed as a high end premium product. Combining the Fatal1ty with PCIe 3.0 configuration, you will get the ASRock Fatal1ty Z68 Professional Gen3 motherboard. It comes with two PCIe 3.0 x16 slots and one PCIe 2.0 x16 slot which are capable of NVIDIA SLI and AMD CrossFireX. The PCIe 3.0 is a next generation standard for PCI Express which has twice the bandwidth compared to PCIe 2.0. Other features include the integrated PLX PEX8608 chip which enables multiple PCIe devices to run at the proper speed simultaneously and the Fatal1ty Mouse Port which has a wide range polling rate from 125Hz to 1000Hz.

See more specifications at the ASRock Website.

Apple's iPad Mini trounces Microsoft's Surface RT Tablet... in web browsing

Theres no doubt that the battle between tablets will mark 2012 Holiday season. Apple, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Microsoft, Samsung… theyre all battling for their space for the consumer dollars. However, comparing which product might be the best performing one is a daunting task, as different operating systems prevent unified benchmarks.

If you think that benchmarking tablets is not as important, as user experience dictates the sales of the products - think twice. It is exactly the benchmarks that dictate the user experience, since the lack of processing power is what keeps the experience behind.

For example, Apple has kept the market share lead in the tablet space, even though Android devices made a big progress forward. In order to address the rise of smaller tablets, the company recently released iPad Mini, which utilizes Apples own 32nm A5 processor (also used in the latest iPod Touch), and the iPad 4, which relies on brand-new A6 processor. Big challenger for the lead is Microsofts first computer, Surface RT tablet. Microsoft is using Nvidias Tegra 3 processor, which is a year old design.

Futuremark came first out the door with a benchmark that compares Apples latest to Microsofts first, and the results are quite unexpected.

We give you the quote from Futuremark commenting the scores achieved using its universal HTML5 benchmark called Peacekeeper:

Microsoft Surface RT - Peacekeeper score 348

Tested with Peacekeeper, our universal browser benchmark, the Microsoft Surface is slower than the iPad 2 and the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Now, its one thing to be slower than other tablets, but the Surface is also slower than the latest phones. For instance, the browser performance of the Galaxy S III is nearly twice that of the Surface, and the iPhone 5 is more than two and a half times faster.

Incidentally, the scores from the Surface are in line with other Tegra 3 devices when running the internal beta build of our next 3DMark, which makes the browser performance all the more disappointing. Internet Explorer 10 is still far behind the competition when it comes to speed.

Apple iPad Mini - Peacekeeper score 515

The iPad Mini has the same dual-core A5 found in the iPad 2, a chip with near identical CPU performance to the A5X found in the iPad 3rd gen. Indeed, Peacekeeper scores from the iPad 2, iPad 3rd gen and iPad Mini are all at the same level provided they are running iOS 6. Against the competition, the iPad Mini outperforms the Nexus 7 but is slower than the Galaxy S III.

Apple iPad (4th gen) - Peacekeeper score 951

Apple says the A6X processor in the 4th gen iPad doubles the CPU and graphics power of the A5X in the third-generation device. Peacekeeper has the 3rd gen iPad with iOS 6 scoring 522 while the 4th gen device scores 951 earning it a place at the top of our leaderboard for mobile devices.

Now, if you are wondering how does a contemporary PC fare, we took a 15.6" Acer Timeline M3 ultrabook with Intel Core i7 processor and GeForce GT 640 graphics card. The score we achieved was no less than 2977, which clearly shows that with tablets, youll sacrifice some smoothness e.g. user experience. Futuremark also delivered an URL to us with the benchmark results, but at the time of writing - the URL in question was offline.

ASUS announces world's thinnest notebook with standard-voltage processor, the U36

ASUS Press Release

Just 19mm thick, the ASUS U36 redefines ultra-mobile performance

[Singapore 3rd December 2010] ASUS today announced the release of the U36 model notebook, the world’s thinnest notebook with a standard-voltage Intel® processor. ASUS has developed a unique thermal design reducing notebook thickness to a mere 19mm while still packing a powerful Intel® Core™ i3 or Core™ i5 processor. Together with ASUS’ Super Hybrid Engine technology and an NVIDIA® graphics card with Optimus technology, the U36 has a super long battery life, lasting up to 10 hours.

Slim Size, Powerful Performance

While most ultra thin notebooks on the market use a low voltage CPU because of cooling and power consumption benefits, the ASUS U36 breaks the mold and offers a standard voltage Intel® Core™ i3 or Core™i5 processor for powerful performance. This is possible thanks to ASUS's dual heat pipe design which effectively dissipates heat from the CPU without adding any extra bulk. As a result, users who create rich media content, play intensive games, or engage in heavy multitasking are able to carry around a notebook that meets their needs, yet measures just 19mm thick.

Elegant, lightweight design

With its ultra-light aluminum magnesium alloy shell and 4-cell battery, the U36 weighs a mere 1.44kg making it the perfect choice for notebook users who don’t want to be weighed down when on the move. Its unique soft-touch nanometer coating repels dirt and water too, which means the U36 will always retain its sleek good looks and all day computing won’t wear users down.

Super Long Battery Life

Ultra slim notebooks are known for their super long battery life largely thanks to their low voltage CPUs. Despite using a standard-voltage processor, the U36 is able to deliver similar mobile performance, thanks to ASUS Super Hybrid Engine technology's 'Battery Saving' mode. Coupled with NVIDIA® Optimus technology, battery life can be extended for up to 10 hours for true all-day mobile computing.

Android to allow searching for parking lots

Driving may be a pleasure in itself, especially if one can even cough out sufficient funds to own a car down here in sunny Singapore, but it also comes with a whole lot of annoying peeves that can usually threaten to ruin one's sanity for the day. And searching for parking lots is usually one of those peeves, especially if one were to drive down the tourist belt over at Orchard Road during the weekends or on public holidays.

Fortunately, it seems that Google now has a solution to offer for busy motorists who are always spending more time looking for a parking lot than cruising down the roads: an app in the Android Marketplace which allows fellow motorists leaving their spots to make them out on Google's Open Spot service. The marked spot will be visible to all users of the app, and those who happen to be in the area can then fill in the empty space and mark the area as taken. Of course, they are also expected to 'unmark' the occupied area once they move out of the parking lot.

However, Engadget has reported that Google's Open Spot service, for all its usefulness, is still rather basic: at least, it seems that it is only capable of marking available parking spots, and not allowing users to make notes such whether it is a paid parking spot, a restricted area or if it is a popular illegal parking spot where our ever-so-friendly 'parking auntie' happens to be out for some note-taking. Not to mention that similar services has been offered in the past as well.

But hey, Google is the one providing such a service now. On top of that, Open Spot is completely free to download and use (assuming that it works on our local roads). Surely we could trust Google not to be evil, right?

Source: Engadget

ATi R520LE Info

ATI will end up with at least four versions of cards based on the X1800-R520 core. This card will be the cheapest version of the R520 core on the market and will be there to fight 6800 LE cards. The Radeon X1800 LE will be twelve pipelines part while its core will work at 450MHz. The card will use memory working at 900MHz.

ARCTIC COOLING Releases VGA Cooler For GTX 260 280 285

To offer the best cooling solution for the most highend VGA cards, the Swiss cooling solutions provider ARCTIC COOLING today announced the launch of the Accelero XTREME GTX 280, an exceptional cooler for the nVIDIA GeForce GTX 200 series graphics cards.

Extreme Cooling Performance
The Accelero XTREME GTX 280 is equipped with three 92mm PWM fans that run from 1,000 to 2,000 RPM. Together with five heatpipes, the Accelero XTREME GTX 280 achieves 250 Watt cooling capacity – 31°C lower th an the stock cooler. This exceptional cooling performance will not only bring enthusiasts an ultimate overclocking experience, but it also extends the service life of your valuable graphics card.

Bigger fans ? Noisier
Even with three 92mm fans, the Accelero XTREME GTX 280 manages to keep the noise level extremely low. ARCTIC COOLING’s signature low noise impeller and patented fan holder are equipped to lower the noise level. Controlled by PWM signal, the fans run just the necessary speed in order to offer sufficient cooling at the lowest possible noise level.

Even at full fan speed, the Accelero XTREME GTX 280 generates only 0.5 Sone of noise, a much quieter and better performance than the standard cooler and other aftermarket coolers. With an incomparable cooling/noise ratio, the Accelero XTREME GTX 280 is without a doubt the best cooler in the market for nVIDIA GeForce GTX 200 series. The Accelero XTREME GTX 280 offers a 6-year limited warranty. It will be available in March 2009. The MSRP is US$54.95 and 42.95€ (excl. VAT).

AMD RV635 XT amp; Pro In Jan Feb 2008

DigiTimes reported that AMD is planning to launch RV635XT and Pro in Januaryand February next year respectively. The RV635 XT will have a core frequency of800MHz, and 256MB GDDR3 memory, while the RV635 Pro will have a core frequencyof 600MHz, and 512MB GDDR2 memory. Both will support 128-bit memory bandwidth.AMD will provide engineering samples of the RV635 Pro to its partners later thismonth.

AT amp;T buys Qualcomm wireless spectrum

AT&T has completed its acquisition of wireless spectrum from Qualcomm in a deal worth roughly $1.9 billion.

The telecommunications company expressed interest in buying the spectrum in December 2010, but was held up by an investigation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Approval was granted last week after AT&T withdrew its controversial bid to buy T-Mobile.The 700 MHz spectrum was previously used by Qualcomm for its FLO TV system, a mobile TV broadcasting technology that flopped and was eventually discontinued.The spectrum will cover over 300 million people, giving AT&T a significant boost to its Long Term Evolution (LTE) business.This is particularly important given the general lack of spectrum telecommunications providers have been experiencing in recent years, resulting in numerous bidding wars and acquisitions. The continuing popularity of smartphones and tablet computers will ensure that spectrum demand remains strong in years to come.

Asus' PadFone leaked ahead of launch

Weve already seen some early sneak peeks of what is now rumoured to be Asus PadFone (that too a rumour in itself) and with only hours to go until Asus press conference the day before Computex kicks off, a picture that is meant to be the phone part has leaked. This time the leak seems to be accurate though, as Asus has posted a more cropped version of the same picture on its techinstyle.tv website.

Were still not too sure about what were looking at, but everything is pointing towards a smartphone with a tablet “dock”. This would help explain the thicker part at the back of the tablet design that Asus already posted some preview pictures of. Add do this the new picture of what for what its worth looks a bit like an Acer designed Android handset on top of a glossy surface, presumably the screen of the tablet part with the Asus design logo on its edge and you can start adding things up.

Asus has also hinted at something heading down this route on its Facebook page. That said, the PadFone (if this is the final name of the device) is only one of several devices that will be announced tomorrow. Its also worth keeping in mind that not everything thats being shown at Computex will enter production, as were still missing several of the products shown by Asus at last years event. Check back with us tomorrow evening and it should all be revealed.

Update:Much more detailed pictures of Asus’ soon to be announced PadFone has appeared and it’s not very clear that the handset slots into a compartment at the rear of the tablet. What we’re looking at definitely something new in the market and a concept that should make it much more affordable to own a tablet and a smartphone, at least for those that want both devices.

The smartphone half has a docking connector along one of its edges and the entire handset is fitted inside a compartment at the rear of the tablet. The camera is still usable through a small opening at the back. The whole concept is a stroke of genius, at least as long as the phone hardware is up to the task of powering the larger tablet screen.

There are still a lot of unanswered questions that even these new pictures don’t hold an answer too, but which we should hopefully get answered within the next five hours or so. The tablet itself appears to be a 10-inch device and it also seems to have its own front mounted camera and a pair of rear speakers. It also appears to sport a micro HDMI port, an audio jack or two and some kind of docking connector, but that’s all that we can say for now. So check back with us later today and we’ll bring you the full details of the PadFone.

Source: Notebook Italia, Pocketnow

ASUS G51J is World's First Notebook with NVIDIA 3D Vision for immersive gaming

The new ASUS G51J 3D is designed to deliver a truly immersive gaming and multimedia experience to gamers everywhere. Equipped with NVIDIA® 3D Vision™ and bundled with specially designed 3D glasses, the ASUS G51J 3D—which sports an NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 260M with 1GB DDR3 video memory—delivers adrenaline-pumping, edge-of-your-seat visuals anytime, anywhere. EAX and CMSS audio technology further enhances in-game immersion, delivering crystal clear sound and compelling environment audio effects through bespoke Altec Lansing® speakers. Powered by an Intel® Core™ i7 processor and 64-bit Windows® 7 operating system, the ASUS G51J 3D is the weapon of choice for discerning gamers who enjoy gaming-on-the-move.

Immersive Gaming: Bridging the Gap between the Virtual and Reality
A pair of 3D Vision™ active-shutter glasses coupled with a wide-range infra-red emitter delivers stereoscopic images with clarity, brightness and depth-of-field (DOP) at full resolution without any viewing angle restrictions. The GPU driver and a 120Hz 3D panel render each scene twice, delivering up to 60 images evenly to each eye, amounting to a total of up to 120 images at any given time. With up to 400 PC games that work out-of-the-box with 3D Vision, gamers can experience a whole new dimension of gaming never-before seen, with recently released games such as Resident Evil® 5, Borderlands™, World of Warcraft®: Wrath of the Lich King™, Batman®: Arkham Asylum™ and Star Trek® D-A-C.

Complementing the immersive visual effects is EAX Advanced HD 4.0 3D audio technology and CMSS surround sound. EAX Advanced HD 4.0 audio technology enhances in-game environments and scenarios by providing corresponding three dimensional sound effects. It can provide up to 64 additional sound effects from its sound library, and produces ultra-realistic spatial effects for more than 300 supported games.

Processor

Intel® Core™ i7-720QM Processor 1.6 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 2.8 GHz

Operating System

Windows® 7 Ultimate/ Home Premium (64-bit)

Chipset

Intel® PM55 + ICH9M

Main Memory

DDR3 1066MHz up to 4GB

Display

15”.6 HD LED backlight (1366 x 768 , 60/120Hz)

Video Graphics

NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 260Mwith DDR3 1GB VRAM

Hard Disk Drive

Dual SATA HDD support

320GB/ 500GB (7200 rpm)

250GB/ 320GB/ 500GB (5400 rpm)

Optical Drive

DVD Super-multi / Blu-ray Combo

Video Camera

Built-in 2 megapixel camera

Dimensions and Weight

375mm x 265mm x 34.3~40.6mm

3.3kg (6-cell battery and single HDD)

Accessory ( Optional )

NVIDIA® 3D Vision Kit ( 3D Glasses + RF Transmitter)
15” Gaming Backpack
Razer® Gaming Mouse

Apple to use smaller dock connector in iPhone 5

Apple is to employ a smaller dock connector in the next version of its popular iPhone, according to sources close to the company.

Reuters cited two people with knowledge that Apple is ditching its existing proprietary 30-pin port for a smaller 19-pin port, which will also be proprietary.The move could anger many people with current Apple gadgets, as it means that none of the accessories, including chargers and speakers, will work with the new device, forcing users to buy a slew of new products in addition to the phone itself.The 21mm wide 30-pin dock has been the subject of speculation for some time now, particularly given reports of Apples attempts to make the iPhone 5 smaller and thinner. The MicroUSB ports used by rivals take up a lot less space, so it seems inevitable that Apple will adopt a smaller form factor for its proprietary ports.A smaller port allows Apple to alter the design of the new iPhone in both practical and aesthetic ways. It could look slimmer, but it could also allow more room for a larger battery, which may be required if the hardware gets a significant boost.The decision will benefit accessory makers, but it could result in losing some of Apples existing fans. The company could have employed MicroUSB like almost everyone else, which would save money and the environment, in terms of people throwing away useless chargers, etc., but it would also leave Apple with less control over the device and what users can and cannot do with it.A partial solution may be available in the form of an adaptor, which will allow users to connect their old accessories. An adaptor will still cost money, however, but with such a high price tag on Apple products already, that may not have a huge impact on sales.Source: ReutersImage Credit: PhonesOnline.ie

ASUS G70; The $ 5K Gaming Notebook

Gamers are some of the most demanding consumers in their demands for systemperformance. To answer this need, ASUS has acquired a “Multi Dual-Engine”architecture in designing the G70 with a duplex structure in its major systemcomponents, including dual graphics engine, dual hard drive bays and dual fansystems. Together with high-definition visual and audio capabilities, the G70sets a new standard of mobile gaming, at the level of extreme performance,offering the capability of dedicated gaming rigs in a portable package.

Dual Graphics Engine
At the pinnacle of performance in a portable platform, the G70 features not onebut two independent Nvidia 8700M GT graphics engines. Operating in parallel viaSLI technology, and equipped with 1024MB GDDR3 of dedicated physical memory, theG70 is built to please the hardcore gamers with unparalleled fluid, stutter-freeactions.

Dual Hard Disk
The G70 has enough drive bays to accommodate two hard disks, for a combined massstorage capacity up to 640GB. Not only is this more than ample storage for one’smedia library, it is also an additional option to separate gaming content fromother media and files.

Dual Core CPU
Powering the G70, is a choice of Intel Core 2 Duo, and Core 2 Extremeprocessors, the latter being Intel’s highest performance CPUs. For userfriendliness, the G70 features ASUS Direct Console software with which the usercan manage the G70’s many features and even select CPU performance levelsbetween Standard, Turbo and Turbo Extreme. In concert with ultra fast dual coreprocessor, dual graphics engine and dual hard drive storage, the G70 has beentested to achieve 3DMark 2006 score of 8,116 (Vista Ultimate 32-bit, 1024x768)and 8,208 (Vista Ultimate 64-bit, 1024x768).

Dual Display

Designed as the highest performingno-compromise gaming notebook, the G70 is equipped with a 17” WUXGA(1920x1200) Full HD display to match its processing muscle. Its primaryLCD screen boasts an ultra-quick 8ms response time to eliminate ghostingas well as dual lamp for high-brightness visual comfort. Supported by asecondary screen that displays critical system information, in-comingemail and message alerts and personalized messages ensures adisruption-free game-play when gaming in full screen mode.

Dual Sound Power
To complete the high-definition suite, the G70 is equipped with top-notch audiofeatures including, Dolby Home Theater and Altec Lansing speakers. A total of 4speakers are built-in and strategically placed at 4 corners of the notebook forthe best 3-D surround effects. In addition, the front speakers have flashinglights that change colors with sound volume variation for an animated enhancedgame ambience.

Dual Support Hardware

The G70 is not only about power, itis also in making that power useable. Gamers who are accustomed tooperating high performance desktop systems will appreciate the G70’sdual cooling fans. Added convenience is provided by dual mode touch padthat also provides easy access to multimedia controls as well asadditional hotkeys (including a four-way key) that can be configured fora tailored gaming experience.

Emotive Design
Every inch of the G70 is designed to match the spirit of gaming; with hexagonaland aluminium effect textures, the G70 evokes high performance similar to thatof a sports car. These design flourishes are complemented by interactive LEDlighting system arrayed strategically placed around the casing of the G70 thatis not only attractive but informative as well. For instance, LED lights at therear of the unit change colour with fan speed, and that on the side of thedisplay can be configured to flash when the CPU is under load.

Specification

Intel® Centrino® Duo Processor Technology
- Intel® Core™2 Duo Processors T9500
- Intel® Mobile 965PM Express Chipset
-Intel® PRO/Wireless 4965ABGN Network ConnectionGenuine Windows® Vista™ Ultimate Nvdia GeForce 8700M GT GPU X 2, support Nvdia Sli technology, External1024MB VRAM (512MB X 2); GDDR3 1024MB4GB DDR2 RAM (800MHz) 17" WUXGA Color Shine, quick-response time LCD (Blu-Ray Combo)2 x 500 GB HDD (1 Terabyte) DVD Super-Multi Light Scribe/ Blu-Ray ReaderBuilt-in 2.0 Mega-pixel camera Built-in Bluetooth Dimension: 433 x 314 x 49mm, 4.8 kg (8cell battery pack)ASUS Direct Messenger (2nd display)

Price: S$ 4,998 (GST Included)
Availability: August 2008

AMD To Discard PR Rating For Future CPUs

AMD plans to discard the PR scheme starting from the next-generation Stars processor like Agena and Kuma. AMD will release its top dual-core processor, Athlon 64 X2 6000+ (3GHz/1MB L2x2), in Q1 2007. Previously named Athlon 64 FX-64, Athlon 64 X2 6000+ is fabricated in 90nm process and has 89W and 125W TDP edition. The upcoming Athlon 64 X2 5600+ in Q3 2007 will have a clock speed at 2.9GHz, yet its TDP is not announced. The last 90nm dual core Athlon 64 X2 5800+ (3GHz/512KB L2 x 2), which has a 89W TDP, will also be released in Q3 2007.

ASUS Radeon HD6990 Graphics Card unveiled

PC gamers have a new standard-setting graphics card to look forward to in the form of the ASUS HD 6990. A true powerhouse, it uses dual HD 6970 cores on one printed circuit board, doubling the power while maintaining streamlined energy draw requirements. With ASUS exclusive Voltage Tweak, it pushes the card to run at up to 1245 MHz* for sheer gaming performance in the highest possible resolutions and with all effects and details turned up to maximum. The HD 6990 represents the very top-end of AMD-sourced technology.

Based on AMD Antilles GPU architecture, the HD 6990 offers hardcore PC gamers and DIY builders the fastest dual-core graphics card ever produced using AMD technology. It represents the pinnacle of the Windows® 7 and DirectX® 11-optimized Northern Islands series of GPUs from AMD.Massive 4GB of GDDR5 video memory surpasses anything previously deployed in the Northern Islands series, giving games and other applications enormous breathing room for enhanced visuals. The extra memory comes in especially handy for DirectX™ 11 tessellation operations, where high quality textures put great demand on resources.The ASUS HD 6990 comes at 830MHz and the exclusive Voltage Tweak overvolting utility allows users to push clock speeds by as much as 50%* with adequate cooling.The two cores run in 2-way CrossFireX™ engaged by default on one board, eliminating inter-GPU latency and ensuring the fastest possible performance with the most bandwidth ever achieved on a single-board AMD-based card. Two HD 6990 cards can be put together for instant quad CrossFireX™.AMD Eyefinity™ multi-screen technology enables the driving of up to five monitors via a single HD 6990. The card also supports AMD HD3D™ technology for 3D gaming and movie watching on a compatible TV or monitor.

*Actual performance may vary based on system configuration and other prevailing conditions.

Model

EAH6990/3DI4S/4GD5

Graphics Engine

AMD Radeon™ HD 6970*2

Bus Standard

PCI Express®2.1

OpenGL

OpenGL4.1

Video Memory

4GB GDDR5

Engine Clock

830MHz

Stream Processors

1536*2

Memory Clock

5000MHz (1250MHz GDDR5)

Memory Interface

256 bit x2

DVI Max. Resolution

2560 * 1600

DVI Output

YES X3 (Dual-link DVI-I*1,

via Mini DP-to-DVI(active) adaptor*1,

via Mini DP-to-DVI(passive) adaptor*1)

HDMI Output

YES X1 (via Mini DP-to-HDMI adaptor)

HDCP compliant

YES

DisplayPort

YES X4 (Native Mini DP)

Adapter/Cable Bundled

Mini DP-to-DVI(active) adaptor x 1

Mini DP-to-DVI(passive) adaptor x 1

Mini DP-to-HDMI adaptor x 1

CrossFire Bridge x1

Power Cable x 1

Software Bundled

ASUS Utilities & Driver

Dimension

12.4” x 5.1” x 1.6” inches

Specifications are subject to change without notice.PCB color and bundled software versions are change without notice.Brand and product names mentioned are trademarks of their respective company.

About ASUS

ASUS, the world’s top 3 consumer notebook vendor and the maker of the world’s best selling and most award winning motherboards, is a leading enterprise in the new digital era. ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of todays digital home, office and person, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, displays, desktop PCs, notebooks, netbooks, servers, multimedia, wireless solutions, networking devices and mobile phones. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 3,398 awards in 2010, and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with the Eee PC™.

AMD To Launch Geode LX 900 For UMPC

AMD is said to be launching the Geode LX 900 CPU with a clock speed of 667MHz in an attempt to boost its share in the UMPC market, where competitors Intel and VIA are already selling processors with clock speeds of 1GHz or above. AMD will replace the 500MHz Geode LX 800 with LX 900, but they did not indicate a timeframe for the launch. AMD has launched the CS5536 chipset for its UMPC platform, and market sources revealed that the prices for an AMD UMPC processor plus chipset are below US$ 40.

Angry Birds finally smashes into Windows Phone 7

It is common knowledge that in the smartphone space, having a top-notch operating system is no longer enough to win the hearts of consumers over toa companysside. Rather,theone factorwhich can potentially make or break a mobile operating system todaylies in the size of its app repository, andsuffice to say consumers are not going to be interested in a new platform if it cannot offer the same popular apps that are currently available on competingoperating systems.

While it is clear to all that Microsoft has got its work cut out for it in terms of being able to deliver a well-populated app repository that is capable of attracting consumers to its Windows Phone 7 platform, consumers will undoubtedly be gratified to know that the worlds most popular casual game for smartphones, Angry Birds, is finally available for download on their WP7-powered devices.

The Windows Phone 7 port of Angry Birds is identical to the ones that have already been released for both iOS and Android, so suffice to say Windows Phone 7 users are notgoing to be getting any extra love from Rovio in the form ofadditional platform-exclusive content. However, wed dare say that owners of Windows Phone 7-powered handsets will probably be more than satisfied to finally have their chance in experiencing just how addictive the act of flinging some furious avians onto huge green pigs can be. Of course, do make sure that you keep your bird-flinging acts out of sight from the boss; we dont want to be held responsible for any unhappy exchanges between you and yoursuperiors about how the office is supposed to be a place for working, and not gaming.

Oh, and one more thing, the Windows Phone 7 version of Angry Birds is not a free download. Rather, you will have to fork out US$2.99 for the right to engage in some avian-bovine carnage from the luxury from your smartphone. But hey, thats a small price to pay for what the game is really worth, right?

Source: Marketplace Browser

2012-12-21-379

Accelero TWIN TURBO For Radeon HD 4870 & 4850

The Swiss cooling solutions provider ARCTIC COOLING today announced thelaunch of the dual-fan Accelero TWIN TURBO, adding another multicompatible
high performance merchandise into their reputable VGA cooler product line.

Unmatched Cooling Performance
Featuring 4 heat pipes, 30 fins and 2 PWM fans, the Accelero TWIN TURBOoptimises airflow to 40 CFM, and achieves up to 120 Watt cooling capacity.Together with memory and voltage regulator cooling, this new VGA cooler givesenthusiasts a very promising result – 34°C lower than the nVIDIA GeForce 9600GTstock cooler. With such phenomenal cooling performance, the Accelero TWIN TURBOalso maximizes the overclocking potential and extends the service life of yourgraphics card.

The Art of Silence
Low noise impeller and patented fan holder are equipped in the two 80mm PWMfans. This unique design reduces the humming sounds significantly and brings thenoise level down to 0.2 sone, compared with 1.2 sone of noise generated from thestock cooler.

Flexible Mounting System
The universal design for the Accelero Twin Turbo supports the hottest graphicscards in the market, from nVIDIA GeForce 9600GT to ATI Radeon HD4870, 4850 andmany more! It also comes with 2 fan plugs for direct power connection to the VGAcard and thus the fans can be controlled by the VGA software. Same as otherARCTIC COOLING products, the Accelero TWIN TURBO offers a 6-year limitedwarranty. The Accelero TWIN TURBO is available in July 2008. The MSRP isUS$ 34.95 and 22.95€ (excl VAT).

Main features

• Unmatched cooling performance – up to 120W
• Efficient heat transfer via 4 heatpipes and 30 fins
• Two ultra quiet 80mm fans with low noise impeller
• Patented fan holder eliminates the buzzing sound
• RAM and voltage regulator cooling
• SLi and Crossfire compatible
• Pre-applied MX-2
• Lightweight, transport safe
• 6 year warranty