Featured Reviews
Seagate XT 2TB SATA 6Gb/s Hard Drive Testing
The Seagate Barracuda XT 2TB hard drive is the industry’s first drive to support the new SATA 3.0 specification, which supports speeds up to 6Gb/s. We also have the SATA 6Gb/s ready, ASUS P7P55D-E Premium motherboard for benchmarking. Read on to see LR's first look at SATA 6Gb/s to see what it is all about!
ASRock M3A785GXH/128M Motherboard Review
Earlier this year ASRock surprised us with their M3A780GXH/128M motherboard. Today we look at that boards successor, the ASRock M3A785GXH/128M motherboard. The new board features an integrated Radeon HD 4200 with 128mb of DDR3 onboard. Is it enough to run FarCry 2? Hit the link to find out.
Interview: Chris Morley on Maingear's Shift PC
MAINGEAR recently launched the Shift computer series with the goal of bucking the trend of plastic, bloated, commodity PCs. Shift’s aluminum skin provides clean, elegant lines while housing a tank-like steel skeleton. Will Shift be enough to change things in the industry? Read on as we talk with the CTO of Maingear to see what they are up to!
Shattered Horizon PC Game Review
Futuremark Games Studio will later today release their first ever PC game called Shattered Horizon. Shattered Horizon is a multiplayer first-person shooter that immerses you in the cold reality of zero-gravity combat in near-Earth space. The game uses FutureMark's very own DirectX 10 graphics engine with NVIDIA PhysX technology for a more realistic look and feel.
Sapphire Radeon HD 5870 Vapor-X Video Card
Sapphire has added their Vapor-X vapor chamber cooling technology to the Radeon HD 5870 series and has launched a doozy of a card today. Read on to see how this factory overclocked Radeon HD 5870 does with a superior cooling solution in place to keep the RV870 core nice and cool. You might just be surprised to see how well this card does!
Western Digital WD TV Live HD Media Player
The WD TV HD Media Player turns your NAS or external storage drive into an HD media player. Connect your USB hard drive to this device and you can instantly play crisp HD movies, listen to high-quality digital music, and watch slideshows of your family photos on your TV. No need to figure out complicated home networking or reconnect AV and power cables. What could be simpler?
VidaBox Wireless HTPC Media Keyboard with Laser Trackball
The 4th generation Premium Wireless HTPC Media Center Keyboard with Laser Trackball from VidaBox comes with all the features of its previous models, and more! The most significant new addition is the 2000 dpi laser trackball that has been included for more precise, accurate control. Read on to see how this wireless HTPC media keyboard performs!
Legit News
Asus delays Eee Keyboard launch
Asus has delayed the launch of its Eee Keyboard, which the company originally said would be launched in the US and Europe in October of 2009 because the device has not yet passed wireless regulation testing, according to the company. However, Asustek said it will take the opportunity to upgrade specifications to meet the changes in market expectations at the new expected launch. In addition to upgrading the CPU and operating system, the company also detailed plans to add capacitive touchscreen capabilities, will maintaining a price point of about US$500. We first spotted the Eee Keyboard at a press briefing back in January 2009.
At CES 2010 in the US, Asustek plans to showcase its latest ultra-thin notebooks, Intel Atom N450-based Eee PCs, a 10-inch tablet PC and several smartbooks. The company may also showcase a 9-inch grayscale e-book reader as well as several Google Android-based smartphones at the show. Intel Atom N470-based netbook will be held back until CeBIT 2010.
Posted by | Sat, Nov 07, 2009 - 06:27 AM
Dell Announces Adamo XPS Laptop - Just 9.9mm Thick!
Last spring Dell set the computing industry abuzz with the introduction of its Adamo brand, and along with it the world’s thinnest laptop PC. Today, the world meets a new champion of thin: The Dell Adamo XPS, measuring 9.99mm or just four-tenths of an inch. Both laptops set new standards for craftsmanship, design and engineering excellence. The pencil-thin Adamo XPS weighs just over 3 pounds and measures 13.39 x 10.71 inches. Dell expects to begin taking orders and shipping the Adamo XPS with Microsoft Windows 7 pre-installed in time for the holidays. The Adamo XPS is priced starting at $1799.
“Our engineers and designers are breaking new ground and throwing away the old rules with the introduction of Adamo XPS,” said Alex Gruzen, senior vice president of Dell consumer products. “We think the Adamo XPS will inspire an emotional connection with anyone who sees it.”
Posted by | Fri, Nov 06, 2009 - 10:08 PM
Where Are The ATI Radeon HD 5800 Series Video Cards?
Have you looked into purchasing an ATI Radeon HD 5870 or 5850 graphics card lately? If you do a search at popular online retailers like Newegg you'll quickly find that not a single Radeon HD 5870 or Radeon HD 5850 is available right now. ATI has also increased the MSRP on the video cards recently, which only makes enthusiasts more frustrated by the whole situation. We contacted Jay Marsden,a Public Relations Manager at AMD this week and asked him when we would see better availability of these killer graphics cards. We all know that TSMC is having issues when it comes to yields on any 40nm wafers, but the situation has to eventually get better right? Read on to see what Jay has to say on behalf of AMD.
We launched with tens of thousands of units in Q3 and into Q4. Admittedly, supply is light right now due to overwhelming demand (although at least one SKU is available as we speak on Newegg.com), but this issue is temporary and will be alleviated quickly. 5800 series volume will continue to ramp up through November, and the overwhelming majority of these parts are headed for the channel. We expect ship hundreds of thousands of 5800 series parts by the end of the quarter.
Posted by | Fri, Nov 06, 2009 - 05:54 PM
Gigabyte P55A Motherboards SATA 6G Support Said To Be Rock Solid
ASUS and Gigabyte recently introduced a number of motherboards to the market that support SATA 6Gb/s technology. Both ASUS and Gigabyte use Marcell SATA 6G controllers, but differ in the way they are being tied into the motherboards chipsets. ASUS uses a bridge chip to connect to the faster PCIe 2.0 bus, while Gigabyte attaches their solution to the older PCIe 1.0 bus. Which implementation is the best method to use? We really don't know yet, as LR has only had a chance to benchmark the ASUS P7P55D-E Premium motherboard with the Seagate XT 2TB SATA 6Gb/s hard drive. We found that SATA 6G is rather useless right now to be honest, so not sure what everyone is getting worked up about right now. Intel will soon enough have USB 3.0 and SATA 6G supported in their chipsets and this subject will be a thing of the past. Gigabyte asked us not to directly post their comments on Legit Reviews, but told us we can rather word it for ourselves. Well, Gigabyte has been asked by a number of reviewers if their P55A series can support CF/SLI without sacrificing performance of either the SATA 6G drive or the video card performance. Gigabyte said that their boards will run both SATA 6G drives and multi-GPU configurations without sacrificing the performance of either. We've had a discussion on this subject in the forums for a few days, so be sure to follow the link below if you'd like to voice your thoughts on the subject. UPDATE: Gigabyte gave us an official statement? Read it below!
Gigabyte has been asked if P55 A series still can support CF/SLI without sacrificing on the performance of Seagate SATA 6G HDD. The answer is yes, we implement SATA 6G on all P55 line up without the sacrifice on both the performance of SATA 6 HDD and the support of CF/SLI. During our testing, Seagate SATA 6G HDD can reach speed they claim on our board or on other platform, in the meantime, you can still run Crossfire or SLI on GIGABYTE P55 A Series without the sacrifice on gaming performance and the performance of current Seagate SATA 6G HDD. The implement of SATA 6G on GIGABYTE’s full P55 lineup gives early adopters a solution at more affordable pricing point.
Posted by | Fri, Nov 06, 2009 - 05:41 PM
Patch 1.01 Released for PC Video Game Dragon Age: Origins
Dragon Age: Origins PC players should stop for a second and download the 13MB Patch 1.01 that came out today. As well as fixing several bugs, the patch--which has already been deployed to Steam players--tweaks the RPG's difficulty by slightly boosting the combat stats of all party members on the 'Normal' setting and making 'Easy' easier. The full changelog is shown below.
- fixed potential corruption of character statistics
- fixed portrait appearance sliders when importing a character from the downloadable Character Creator
- fixed import for preset face settings from the downloadable Character Creator
- made Easy difficulty easier
- slightly increased attack, defense, and damage scores for all party members at Normal difficulty
- fixed video issues when running on a very wide screen display, including ATI Eyefinity displays
Created by the development team behind such critically acclaimed role-playing games as Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age: Origins is an original fantasy RPG featuring real-time combat and content spanning an estimated 80 hours in length. Your custom-created hero is one of the few remaining members of the elite Grey Wardens, an ancient order that has sworn to protect the land and its citizens. The news is dire: a corrupted dragon is leading a powerful army of darkspawn to conquer the surrounding territories. In your quest to slay the dragon and cleanse the tainted lands, you'll battle numerous creatures, make critical decisions, and explore dozens of locales.
Posted by | Fri, Nov 06, 2009 - 05:18 PM
The DROID Smartphone by Motorola Has Finally Arrived
The world’s first Smartphone powered by Android 2.0 is now available from Verizon Wireless! DROID features high-speed Web browsing, voice-activated search, customizable large screen, access to thousands of Android applications and hundreds of widgets that can be installed.
“We’re proud to work with Verizon Wireless and Google™ on the first smartphone to feature Android 2.0,” said Sanjay Jha, co-chief executive officer of Motorola and chief executive officer of Motorola Mobile Devices. “DROID by Motorola delivers a rich consumer experience with warp-speed Web browsing, a mammoth screen, and Motorola’s expertise in design and voice quality. Combined with Android’s open, flexible graphical user interface and the power of Verizon Wireless’ 3G network, DROID is a smartphone that simply doesn’t compromise.”
Posted by | Fri, Nov 06, 2009 - 05:09 PM
November 6 News from Around the Web
Crucial 4GB Kit DDR3-1333/PC3-10600 CT2KIT25664BA1339 Memory Review @ ocinside.de and other reviews from around the web can be found by visiting our forums!
After two high-end DDR3 RAM reviews it is again time for an inexpensive 4GB PC3-10600 CL9 kit. The Crucial PC3-10600 4GB CL9 kit comes without heat spreader and is designed for a voltage of 1.5 V. With this low Vmem no OC records were reached, but the result are nevertheless respectable. All OC results and more details about the Crucial PC3-10600 4GB kit are shown in the new ocinside.de test report.
Posted by | Fri, Nov 06, 2009 - 07:50 AM
Google Dashboard: A Closer Look
Google Dashboard is a main settings page for all your Google account services such as Gmail, Google Docs, Calandar and more. The dashboard still needs a little work, as it does not yet support all features from Google such as Google Maps, but it is certainly a step in the right direction as far as organization and privacy.
Google showed today it's getting more serious about privacy when it launched a tool called Google Dashboard that aims to give you more control over your personal data stored on Google's servers. From your Google Dashboard you can view the company's privacy policies, easily access your most recent activity for each Google service you use, and manage settings for those services.
Posted by | Thu, Nov 05, 2009 - 02:47 PM
Study calls for U.S. programs to address broadband demand
The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) said in A Study that Broadband Internet is available in 90% of areas, while only 65% of people use it, and stresses the fact that the government can greatly influence the transition to 100% broadband by funding programs where an ISP could receive a dollar amount from the government per new user that subscribes in order for that ISP to deliver service at a lower cost, and possibly even give out a basic computer with service! would this help our economic state? maybe, maybe not, but it would definitely encourage better broadband penetration by population.
The study identified three major reasons why people don't buy broadband: the cost of the service and of a computer; usability issues, including a lack of digital literacy; and a perceived lack of the need for broadband.
Posted by | Thu, Nov 05, 2009 - 02:36 PM
ASRock launches 2nd Generation ION-based Nettops - ION 330HT
ASRock introduced their 2nd-gen ION-based nettop this week, the ION 330HT series. The ION 330HT series is a full-feature home theater solution based on the NVIDIA ION graphics architecture. And it is equipped with Intel Atom 330 1.6 GHz Dual-Core CPU, NVIDIA ION 330 chipset, 2GB Dual Channel DDR2 memory, maximum memory capacity up to 4GB. The native ION graphics also bring full support for CUDA applications and DirectX 10, Full HD 1080p (Blu-ray) playback and be able to play true high-definition videos and games.
What’s surprise on ION 330HT-BD / ION 330HT? This time, we have bundled a multi-functional remote controller with the nettop! The remote controller comes with MCE (Media Center Edition) function which facilitates the way of playing multi-media entertainments. Perfect for multimedia playback, ASRock ION 330HT series comes with all major outputs at the back panel. You may find DC-in, S/PDIF OUT, RJ45 Gigabit LAN jack, USB2.0, System Fan, HDMI, VGA and Powered eSATA/USB ports. The most mentionable part should be the Powered eSATA/USB port, it not only supports USB device but also eSATA device without additional power source.
Posted by | Thu, Nov 05, 2009 - 10:57 AM
Verizon Wireless Will Launch The BlackBerry Curve 8530 Smartphone On Nov 20th
Verizon Wireless and Research In Motion (RIM) today introduced the BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone, an exciting new addition to the BlackBerry Curve series of smartphones. The slim BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone gives customers access to Verizon Wireless' 3G network, built-in GPS and Wi-Fi capabilities, as well as easy access to music, games and other mobile apps for entertainment on the go.
The BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone is expected to be available from Verizon Wireless beginning Nov. 20 for $99.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement on a voice plan with an Email and Web feature or an Email and Web for BlackBerry plan. Customers will receive the mail-in rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. Data plans for the BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone begin at $29.99 when added to any Nationwide voice plan.
Posted by | Thu, Nov 05, 2009 - 08:21 AM
E.U. Leaders Bolster Internet Access Protections
Although this is a step in the right direction, advocacy groups are still disappointed citing that they were expecting stronger legal protection requiring more formal legal procedures for criminal piracy.
European lawmakers on Thursday agreed on new protections for Internet users, striking a compromise between national governments seeking to impose tough anti-piracy laws and consumer organizations that wanted to enshrine Internet access as an unassailable right. The agreement removes the last hurdle to passage of sweeping changes to European telecommunications law, which had been held hostage for six months by the standoff over Internet access.
New York Times Technology News
Posted by | Thu, Nov 05, 2009 - 07:47 AM
Apple reaches 100,000 apps, 2 billion downloads since July 2008
More than 100,000 apps are now available for download from Apple's App Store, making it the largest such retailer in the world. The App Store launched in July 2008 with just 500 applications. The store is now available in 77 countries, which has contributed to what Apple said Wednesday is well over 2 billion downloads.
Apps from the App Store work with both the iPhone and iPod Touch. When introducing its new iPod Touch in September, Apple positioned the device as a superior gaming platform to Sony's PSP or Nintendo DS. Apple said its rivals charged too much for games and didn't offer enough selection. At the time, Apple had more than 21,000 game titles in the App Store, while Nintendo had 3,600 titles and Sony had 600. The message apparently has gotten through.
Posted by | Thu, Nov 05, 2009 - 07:46 AM
Spire Launches CoolNess Laptop Cooing Fan Unit - 200mm Fan
Spire just sent word over that they introduced the CoolNess SP312, a new laptop cooler designed for notebooks ranging from 10" to 17" this morning. The cooler is made out of plastic and features a large 200mm fan, it spins at 1400RPM but noise and airflow details are unknown. The price is also unknown, but that is okay as it is still shipping from the factory to the Spire branch offices. I think we have enough laptop coolers on the market, as a quick search on Newegg.com revealed 102 models for sale this very second!
The CoolNess laptop base cooler is equipped with a large 20cm cooling fan. Formed out of lightweight plastic this laptop cooler is not only portable, but a great value for the cost conscientious laptop user. The ergonomic design and anti-slip features provide comfortable computing experience. Compatible with 10” up to 17” laptop computers. There is no need for an external power adapter, powered by your laptop’s USB port (cable included) the CoolNess is a ‘plug and play’ ready product.
Posted by | Thu, Nov 05, 2009 - 07:41 AM
AMD GPU shortage causing PC vendors to delay products to 1Q10
Tight supply of AMD GPUs has caused several PC vendors to delay their mass shipment schedules by about two months to the first quarter of 2010, according to sources at the companies. In addition to graphics cards and desktops, the shortage is also forcing AMD to delay the mass shipment schedule of its ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5000 series (Manhattan) GPUs for notebooks to the first quarter of 2010 from the originally planned fourth quarter of 2009.
AMD's 40nm ATI Radeon HD 5000 series and 55nm ATI Radeon HD 4000 series GPUs are currently both facing shortages; the former due low yields on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's (TSMC's) 40nm process and the later due to AMD's conservative attitude towards its 55nm GPU sales after the launch of 40nm products, the sources noted.
Posted by | Thu, Nov 05, 2009 - 07:30 AM
Litl Webbook - Blends Web and TV-like Viewing Experience Together For $699
A new kind of computer company, litl, today unveiled its webbook computer and operating system -- a completely new and simple way for everyone in the family to enjoy online photos and all the web has to offer. The litl webbook, an Internet computer for the home, blends the engaging content and social interactivity of the web with high-quality TV-like viewing of online photos and other digital content. The litl webbook is available immediately online at litl.com. The price for the litl is $699, with an optional remote control for $19. The litl webbook includes a free two-year unconditional "satisfaction guaranteed or your money refunded" warranty -- double the industry standard of one year and significantly more consumer-friendly.
"As everything from music and photos to email and social networking moves online, it's clear that the web is transforming personal computing. And yet, most homes are still using computers and software based on thinking from more than 30 years ago," explained litl's founder and CEO John Chuang. "We knew that to really meet the needs of home users -- from kids to parents and grandparents -- we needed to design an entirely new system that would make the web engaging, entertaining and fun."
Posted by | Thu, Nov 05, 2009 - 07:26 AM
Toshiba Introduces Two New 1.8-Inch Hard Disk Drive Families
Toshiba Storage Device Division (SDD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. and the industry pioneer in small form factor hard disk drives (HDDs), today announced new additions to its 1.8-inch Serial ATA HDD product line, covering the full range of mobile computing applications. The introductions include a high-performance 5,400 RPM family, offering an industry-leading 320GB capacity, as well as a power-efficient, slim 4,200 RPM model with 120GB of storage for applications that require low-power consumption and an ultra-compact form factor. Designed for performance, the high-end SATA MKxx33GSG line provides speedy access to data with its 16MB cache buffer, 5,400 RPM rotational speed and disk transfer rates of up to 830 Mb/second. The MK1235GSL series is currently shipping in volume production, while the MKxx33GSG is scheduled to enter mass production in early December.
"Toshiba 1.8-inch HDDs provide a compelling solution for any application that demands extreme mobility along with the ability to reliably and quietly store large amounts of user content," said Maciek Brzeski, vice president of marketing at Toshiba Storage Device Division. "As the market demands smaller devices, manufacturers can take advantage of the 1.8-inch form factor's small footprint, low power consumption, light weight, proven durability and volume manufacturability. With these benefits, Toshiba 1.8-inch HDDs have served as the foundation for a variety of innovative consumer electronics and PC products that have continued to evolve and transform the market over the years."
Posted by | Thu, Nov 05, 2009 - 07:14 AM
November 5 News from Around the Web
Cooler Master Lab Test Bench V1.0 Review @ Madshrimps and other reviews from around the web can be found by visiting our forums!
Today we have a look at the Cooler Master Lab open casing, which is built and designed for people who switch hardware on very regular basis. Ideal for reviewers and overclockers and luckily I am both.
Posted by | Thu, Nov 05, 2009 - 06:35 AM
Microsoft cuts 800 jobs, completes layoff plan
Microsoft Corp said on Wednesday it is cutting a further 800 jobs across its operations, on top of 5,000 jobs already eliminated under a plan to reduce costs that was announced in January. A spokesman for the world's largest software firm said the latest job cuts are spread across the company's global operations, but about 200 are in and around its headquarters in Redmond, Washington.
Microsoft originally had planned to cut 5,000 jobs, or about 5 percent out of 96,000, before June 2010. The Microsoft spokesman said that plan has been expanded with the new layoffs and is now complete, well ahead of schedule. As of October 23, Microsoft had 91,005 employees worldwide, according to its website.
Posted by | Wed, Nov 04, 2009 - 01:07 PM
NY Files Federal Antitrust Lawsuit Against Intel
It looks like Intel is in legal trouble again as the State of NY is pursuing litigation in regards for violation of antitrust laws.
Following the lead of foreign regulators, New York’s attorney general, Andrew M. Cuomo, filed a federal antitrust lawsuit Wednesday against Intel, the world’s largest chip maker. The lawsuit charges that Intel violated state and federal laws by abusing its dominant position in the chip market to keep its main rival, Advanced Micro Devices, at bay. Intel has faced similar lawsuits in Asia and Europe, and in May the European Commission fined the company a record $1.45 billion for antitrust violations.
New York Times Technology News
Posted by | Wed, Nov 04, 2009 - 01:00 PM
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