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Friday, July 20, 2007
You know what's fun? When good people do strange things with USB functionality. When an imaginary list of the worlds most useful USB devices comes out, you can safely assume that 'plastic rocket launcher' isn't there, or at least down the bottom. This revelation didn't stop the company Dream Cheeky from producing just that - a USB powered plastic rocket launcher. It's as crazy to behold as it is to write about - but to truly understand if it's as fun as the name suggests - read the review @ pcapex.comLogitech are a company forever glued to the world of peripherals. If it's a quality mouse or keyboard, there's an almighty chance it came from the Logitech drawing board. While many gamers have fallen warmly in love with the Logitech G5 mouse among others, how about their keyboards? Does their latest effort - the Logitech G11 gaming keyboard - make a worthwhile addition to the stable of input greatness? Find out @ motherboards.org If you're a fan of Star Trek or any other popular SCI-FI show - chances are you're going to at least take a passing glance at the 'Cosmos' PC case from Cooler Master. With a design that wouldn't look out of place on your average warp powered space faring vessel, the words 'classy' and 'eligant' are applied to the Cosmos with little effort. Check out the glowing review @ hi-techreviews.com Noctua have managed to remember what so many of us forget. In a rush to keep our CPU and GPU cool as a cucumber, we leave the chipset to sweat it out. To the rescue comes the Noctua 80mm, 120mm fan and chipset cooler, and luckily for all those perspiring motherboard chipsets out there, you can figure out if the purchase is worthwhile @ techgage.com |   |
| Wal-Mart to sell VIA C7 powered PCs under $300
Friday, July 20, 2007
When computers can be this cheap - sub $300 - and yet still manage to be feature rich and stylish to boot, you've got to smile and be pleased with the technology industry as a whole. A good, solid computing experience need not be gained through the shelling out of thousands of dollars, something Wal-Mart has proven with their sale of the Everex IMPACT GC3502 (powered by none other than the 1.5GHz VIA C7) for $298. Slashdot.org among other sites have picked up on this bargain and described the major selling point as the apparent lack of trialware festering away on the hard drive, as is commonly the case with cheap PCs sold through big outlets.Taking a look at the photo of the machine it's actually quite a stylish case for something so cheap and bundled with low power consumption and a solid suite of applications, there's nothing to pick holes in here, just cheap computing bliss. Check out the discussion @ slashdot.org | |
| Pico-ITX the modders dream
Friday, July 20, 2007
You can gaze at the Pico-ITX boards - the latest in a long line of VIA goodness - from any angle you like, and still come away with one overriding thought flying around your mind. Modding. An integrated board measuring just 3.9 x 2.8 inches with a fully featured CPU and GPU solution positively dances around in front of a modding enthusiast begging to be included in weird and wonderful case mods. The crew at wired.com have come across some amazing uses for the Pico-ITX format including this fusion of two entertainment staples - technology and alcohol - into one. Although we're as dubious as the wired.com writer as to the choice of drink, there's no denying the skill involved in turning a bottle of Ballantine's into a fully functional PC. Check it out @ wired.com | |
| MobilityPLUS module madness and prizes!
Friday, July 20, 2007
The VIA NanoBook is more than just a proud example of an ultra mobile device, or a sleek housing for the C7-M ULV processor. The stand-out feature - the one that will get people whispering excitedly in corners of the tech world are the MobilityPLUS modules. Connected via USB to the right hand side of the NanoBook screen or even wirelessly, MobilityPLUS modules are taking the form of everything from GPS tracking systems to VOIP handsets. Exciting? Of course. But clever folk know this is barely scratching the surface. The possibilities - as always - are endless.With that in mind ultramobile.com are giving you the chance to come up with your own amazing yet feasible MobilityPLUS module and win a prize for it. If you were just a little excited before, this will send you into fever pitch. Whoever comes up with the best feasible idea for a MobilityPLUS module will win a USB Rocket Launcher and 1GB memory stick from VIA. Just to add more fuel to the excitement fire the top five wackiest ideas will also get a 1GB memory stick, even if the concepts are completely crazy. Are you thinking a MobilityPLUS waffle iron? I know we are. We'll be keeping a close eye on this competition with high expectations for the fun, the crazy and the brilliant. For now - enter @ ultramobilelife.com | |
| It just works
Friday, July 20, 2007
You know when you get a new Windows computer, with the operating system pre-installed, there is still a lot to be done to get it to work and to have all of the functionality you want it to. Let's say you buy a pre-built computer from an electronic department store for $1000 - $2000 (depending on the specs). It comes pre-installed with Windows PX. Office is extra. You get home and connect speakers, keyboard, mouse, monitor and power it on. What do you have to do next? Download and install several updates. Will Xv id and Dix files play in a media player without you having to install any codex? Not likely! What about a peer to peer program. Is one installed or do you have to source that yourself? What about instant messengers? Anything useful for VoIP installed or, again, do you have to source that and install it yourself? This is common place. This is what most people who go out and buy a new computer experience.I was provided with a sample Zonbu. Zonbu is a tiny little system that has only 4GB flash storage. All of your documents and files get stored on a secure server. It runs Linux and open source applications. The documentation I got with it said that "It just works". It's supposed to be a plug and play system. And - it is! Honestly, I am extremely impressed. What a refreshing experience to just plug a new system in and bam - connected to the Internet. Every type of application I might want is pre-installed and they all, just work. Concepts that take something mainstream and turn it on its ear, can be fascinating but flawed. In this case; however, Zonbu really have excelled in providing exactly what they say they do - a hassle free computer. In this design, and the care that has been taken in the provision of working application that cover the full spectrum of office, Internet and multimedia applications, I can really see open source out-shining Microsoft. The Zonbu is a testament to the power of thin client computing and open source software. And I haven't even mentioned it's completely silent operation yet! Or the power draw! More later... | |
| Hardware news
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Full size hard drives can - if given the right enclosure - be a fantastic way to get large volumes of data from one place to the next. AC Ryans 3.5" AluBox hard drive enclosure aims to be a hot-swappable, plug-and-play solution to your storage transport needs, with the only downside - as always - being you have to provide your own actual hard drive. That aside, check out the AluBox review @ Tweaknews.netDefinitely something for your inner modder, the Dragon hard drive activity meter is sweetly self explanatory when you think about it. A PSU powered panel of LED lights that flash and glow in tandem with hard drive activity. Could it be just the thing to add that final slice of taste to your case mod? Find out @ modders-inc.com It's a commonly known fact that computers tend to be less fun and entertainment when they have no power. In an effort to ensure you're the smart person who can continue work or play while everyone else stumbles around the pitch black of a power outage, Tripp Lite have released the SMART1500LCD rack-ready UPS. With the ability to correct brownouts as low as 75V and overvoltages to 147V, the SMART1500LCD is put through its paces @ benchmarkreviews.com Water cooling any PC component used to be something that danced delicately between the realm of fiction and the realm of hardcore. Thanks to products like the Blue Eye video card water cooler from GIGABYTE however, water cooling your precious GPU slides into the world of the possible. While distinctive in looks, the important question remains - just how does it perform? Read on @ Tweaknews.net Why settle on examining the good and bad of one video card cooler when you can cram eight into one comparison? The tech savvy folk at madshrimps.be certainly aren't sitting still, putting VGA coolers from Coolermaster, Vantec and more through rigorous benchmarking to discover which one chills best. The winner is revealed @ madshrimps.be | |
| UMPC helping people get around
Thursday, July 19, 2007
There are fantastic moments when we realise technology is doing more than just entertain and excite us, it's actually making our lives better. In the case of a new voice controlled wheelchair developed by Think-a-Move, technology is raising the quality of life for anyone getting around on two wheels. Think-a-Move (TAM) have combined the low-cost and small form factor of the UMPC with their own proprietary technology; using the human ear as an output source for voice command to control a wheelchair.Responding to commands such as 'forward' and 'reverse' the wheelchair interfaces via a software layer with the built in UMPC, resulting in the fluid operation of the wheelchair without a single physical motion from the user. Currently a wired connection transmits the signals between the earpiece and the UMPC, but according to their whitepaper Think-a-Move will be migrating to a Bluetooth wireless solution in the near future. It's got innovation written all over it and just goes to show that the uses of the UMPC are still being unearthed every day. To check out some video footage of the wheelchair in action head to ultramobile.com | |
| Frag it, video it, win it!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Destroying opponents in First Person Shooter games is a reward unto itself. The sensation of resting comfortably on top of the top of the score ladder at the end of a match is something any ardent gamer can relate to with fiendish pride. The crew at firingsquad.com however, think that if you're someone with a passion for fragging and the skills to do that passion justice, you deserve a little extra. In the spirit of all things competitive firingsquad.com in conjunction with AMD have announced a 'Fragging on Film' competition, and it's a golden opportunity to put your gaming abilities to the test.The requirement to entering the competition is to produce a 30 second video that captures your fragging prowess in a popular FPS game as many times as possible in one continuous sequence of footage. With extra points for creativity and style, we can almost sense gamers looking towards Windows Movie Maker with a gleam in their eye. The expectation is for spectacular footage and the rewards are equally spectacular prizes; everything from CoolIT prize packs featuring CPU coolers and ram fans right up to a shiny ATI Radeon 2900 XT video card. There's no reason to wait and every reason to step up to the plate and record your gaming majesty for the sake of glory and prizes. Head over to FiringSquad.com to enter. | |
| VIA PadLock Software Development kit upgraded
Thursday, July 19, 2007
A new version of the VIA PadLock Security SDK is now available. In version 2.0.2.b, support for Microsoft COM (Component Object Model) technology for non-C/C++ developers has been included.The enhanced VIA PadLock SDK is an easy to use utility that simplifies the integration of support for the full feature set of the VIA C7 processor family based VIA PadLock Security Engine. Comprising a programming guide, source code for both Microsoft® Windows® and Linux operating system, and numerous sample programs for reference purposes, the enhanced VIA PadLock SDK also acts as a source for pieces of code that developers can directly copy into other programs. Offering full backwards compatibility, the enhanced VIA PadLock SDK, not only supports the full security feature set of the VIA C7/C7-M processors, but also the VIA Eden™ and VIA C3™ processors. Find out more here. The latest version 2.0.2b supports Microsoft Windows 2000/XP/Vista, WinCE, and Linux. The PMM performance has been optimized and its speed is around 85% faster than previous versions. Get your free copy here. | |
| Hardware news
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Despite the mere mention of 'budget' and 'DirectX 10' sounding like a contradiction in terms, TweakTown.com have managed to get their hands on a ZOTAC low-end Geforce 8400GS and after careful scrutiny, reveal a resounding thumbs-up. Find out more @ TweakTown.comNot content with taking on the budget offerings, TweakTown.com also have a peek at the more mid-range GPU offerings in the Palit HD 2600 PRO and HD 2600 XT Sonic. Both cards are pre-overclocked, with the 2600 PRO offering a memory speed increase, while the XT sonic raises both memory and core speeds. Are they up to par? Find out @ TweakTown.com The crew at bit-tech.net have snatched a preview of Intel's new additions to their dual and quad-core range, namely the Core 2 Extreme QX6850, Core 2 Duo E6850 and the Core 2 Duo E6750. Boasting a ramped up 1333Mhz FSB, bit-tech have wasted no time benchmarking these multi-core monsters against a range of games and applications. Read on @ Bit-tech.net The Antec Sonata line of PC cases has always been the personification of affordable substance. Now in its third iteration, hardwarelogic.com review the mid-ATX form factor Sonata III to see if Antec have produced yet another batch of sleek PC enclosures. Check it out @ hardwarelogic.com Apparently you can never be too careful when protecting your precious notebook computer against bumps, scratches and vicious attacks from family pets. To this end, Gigabyte have released the 'Super Protector' notebook sleeve designed to keep your laptop safe from harm. Thetechzone.com were there to take a look, check out their review @ TheTechzone.com There's little point cooling your PC with a fantastic array of fans, if you can't be in command of them at the touch of a dial. Thankfully Zalman understand this and have released the ultra elegant ZM-MFC2 fan controller to do just that. Check out what techgage.com thought of this inspired fan controlling peripheral @ Techgage.com | |
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| Most recent blog entries |  |
| | | Update in Process | | John Gatt's Babblings
| By John Gatt onThursday, August 21, 2008 2:13 PM | |
| So, there’s a new iPhone update out there. The first thing I did this morning was plug in my iPhone to sync it with iTunes and get the latest update, hoping it would fix some of the crash Apple screens ... |  | | Comments (0) | More... |
| | @Me dot com | | John Gatt's Babblings
| By John Gatt onTuesday, August 19, 2008 9:34 AM | |
| iTunes has advertised the Apple @Me service to me a couple of times, so I thought I’d give it a spin. If you don’t know what @Me is, it’s iTune or Apple’s solution to Gmail but it’s meant to have more ... | | | Comments (0) | More... |
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| | Updating my iPhone | | John Gatt's Babblings
| By John Gatt onTuesday, August 12, 2008 11:39 AM | |
| iPhone 2.0.1 software update is now available from iTunes. This 249.2MB update was released to fix numerous issues that have been plaguing the release of the 3G iPhone. I personally have found the iPhone to be less stable than your average V ... | | | Comments (0) | More... |
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