HP MediaSmart Server ex487 gets hands-on love and full-blown review

HP's 1.5TB MediaSmart Server ex487 (and its smaller 750GB sibling, the ex485) were just announced hours ago, but that hasn't stopped a few lucky reviewers from putting their hands-on pictures and impressions online for the world to pore over. The biggest knocks that seemed to really grate the nerves of critics were that the single eSATA port was not port-multiplier aware, and despite the bump to 2GB of RAM, the TwonkyMedia and remote Media Streaming software were still deemed "quirky and in need of some polish." Those gripes aside, the newfangled unit was pretty well adored. In fact, WeGotServed flat-out called the device "stunning," praising HP for its tightly integrated applications that worked fairly well on top of Windows Home Server. For those eying a simple-to-use media server, it looks like HP finally produced one that can be purchased sans regret; the real question, however, is will the outfit push these delectable new features down to existing ex470 / ex475 owners?

• WeeP5 makes other Wiimote gun mods cry home to their mamas

AMD's Phenom II CPU goes on sale online in a curious, quiet fashion

Uh, AMD? We know most of your staffers are probably throwing back a glass of Egg Nog right about now, but you might want to get out something akin to a simple press release acknowledging the release of your dual-core Phenom II processor. For those keeping track, we've now seen the CPU announced via an outlet other than AMD, purchased by a normal citizen without access to AMD's labs and now, for sale on the world wide web. Word has it that the units will start shipping on December 27th, which will probably be prior to an actual confession of their existence in the retail channel by AMD. Not that we're complaining about the distinctly different than usual approach here, but our heads are certainly spinning.

TG Sambo releases well-equipped LLUON B2 all-in-one

The LLUON B2 isn't TG Sambo's first LLUON all-in-one, but it's the first one we've seen that doesn't wear its iMac inspiration on its sleeve -- or rip off a variant of itself. This well-equipped AIO packs a 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400 processor, 320GB hdd, and an NVIDIA GeForce 9300 graphics card with 256MB of video memory. This sleek 26-inch monster is designed to look like a TV and rocks a slot-loading DVD burner and an eSATA port, as well as the usual assortment of ports and integrated webcam. It's currently available in Korea for ? 1,899,000 ($1,421) -- but look on the bright side, that's a whole lot of screen real estate.

HP Firebird 803 tower with VoodooDNA leaked!

We always loved us that Voodoo-designed HP Blackbird 002, but it was certainly a behemoth. Now it looks like the duo are going for a more realistic size -- and hopefully pricepoint -- with the all-new HP Firebird PC 803 that just fell in our lap, a gaming tower which flips the disc drive and most other components on their sides to save on space. The resulting kit seems to have more in common with gaming consoles than desktop PCs in terms of design, with very little configurability or expansion available, but the leaked specs are still quite palatable to the modern PC gamer:

• NVIDIA nForce 760i SLI chipset
• Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.83GHz processor
• 4GB of RAM
• Dual NVIDIA GeForce 9800S cards
• Two 320GB SATA drives
• Blu-ray
• 5-in-1 card reader
• 6 USB, 1 FireWire, 2 eSATA, 1 S/PDIF and 1 DVI dual-link
• Bluetooth
• 802.11n WiFi

To save on space (and heat), the Firebird actually uses an external power supply, but we suppose the included wireless keyboard and mouse should help to make up for that clutter. As you've probably gleaned from the specs, those small form factor 9800S cards aren't going to be putting away the frame rates quite like the cutting edge cards from NVIDIA and AMD, and the seeming lack of expandability makes the (theoretical) up-front cost savings seem a bit less exciting, but for a certain type of gamer the Firebird could be a welcome respite from monstrous, unrealistic and just-as-quickly-outmoded performance towers.
P.S.: Rahul's dubious rant about the boutique gaming industry -- which Voodoo still serves -- makes a lot more sense in this light. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Gallery: HP Firebird 803 tower with VoodooDNA leaked!

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• Pogo Sketch stylus turns your touchpad into a tablet

Dell's XPS 730x H2C Core i7 gaming PC benchmarked and tested exhaustively

If you thought the original XPS 730 H2C was boss, get a load of this. The incredibly diligent benchmarkers over at HotHardware have taken the Core i7-powered XPS 730x H2C under their wings for a fortnight of testing, and they've got a baker's dozen worth of review pages to display their findings. We can't even begin to cover the array of graphs, bar charts and triple-digit FPS numbers here, but we can tell you that critics were duly impressed with how well the Core i7 performance compared to older Core 2-based offerings. Gaming performance was predictably "fantastic," and even the single GeForce GTX 280 that it was packin' held its own under pressure. All in all, this fanciful machine was deemed "a worthy update to what [reviewers] thought was the best XPS 700 series system to date," and if you've got the coin, you'll probably be incredibly pleased with what it delivers. Dive deep (and we mean deep) in the read link below.

• Folding VAX77 Keyboard Fits In Your Touring Trunk [Music]

Chiaroscuro case mod misinterprets phrase 'going green'

Arboreal case modder Nick "Greensabbath" Falzone's latest creation is an Ebony and Maple Frankenstein inspired by the Beijing Digital Building. Dubbed Chiaroscuro -- meaning a contrast between light and dark, you dummy -- the tower sports an AMD Phenom X4 9350e quad core, 4GB or RAM and a Radeon HD 4850. Hit up the read link for a full breakdown of the creation, with pictures galore (not pictured: the requisite wooden mouse and keyboard). Your move, Suissa.

• OCZ to begin selling 12GB DDR3 kits
• Brando's latest mini-keyboard: blue backlight, impossible to type on

AMD posts hotfix to address Catalyst 8.12 issue

A week and a half ago, AMD released the Catalyst 8.12 package for Radeon cards. For the most part the drivers worked as planned, but post-release AMD has discovered an issue with the package that has required them to issue a hotfix, with those using the Radeon HD 4850 card in CrossfireX mode apparently being plagued by a black screen.
The hotfix only addresses this bug and only applies specifically to systems running windows Vista with dual Radeon HD 4850s running in CrossfireX mode. If you happen to fall into that category, you can download the hotfix now and cure yourself of the issue. All other Radeon users do not have to worry about it.

• PlayStation 3 Wireless Keypad review
• LaCie 1U rack-mountable Ethernet Disk works with Time Machine

New iMac, Mac mini looking more probable after minute discovery

Rumors of a new Mac mini or iMac have been floated (and denied) for a while now, but one ferocious investigator's feasted his eyes on a few pieces of rather telling evidence recently. A poster on the InsanelyMac forums found some code in his new MacBook which referred to "iMac9,1 and Macmini3,1" which would seem to indicate that a newer version -- current iMacs and Mac minis are marked iMac8,1 and Macmini2,1 -- if both products are on the horizon. The new identifiers also list both as having "CFG_MCP7" chipsets -- the same NIVIDIA set used in the new Macbooks (current minis have Intel GMA 950 chipsets while iMacs have NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS GPUs). So... we'll see you at Macworld, then?

• Mystery ThinkPad keyboard pops up on Lenovo's Flickr page
• Leather wrapped keyboard utters 'eat mor chiken'

ASUS Eee Top ET1602 touchscreen all-in-one gets reviewed

ASUS's touchscreen Eee Top ET1602 all-in-one was certainly adored in a pre-staged way by small children when it launched last month, but Slashgear's taken it for a spin and found that it actually deserves the love. The 15.6-inch resistive touchscreen wasn't on par with the capacitive screen in HP's TouchSmart or the active digitizer in newer tablet PCs, but it did the job, and ASUS's Windows XP "Easy Mode" launcher and bundled touch apps were intuitive and friendly, although certain apps would drop back into XP's mouse-oriented interface at times. Under the hood, the netbook-class 1.6GHz Atom, 1GB of RAM, and GMA950 graphics didn't rock anyone's world, but they managed general browsing and 720p video playback without issue. All in all, it seems like ASUS has built an interesting little AIO for the expected US price of $450 -- now if they'd just start shipping them here, we'd find out for ourselves. Hit the read link for the full review.

• Sprint Dual U300 Modem Will Connect to Both EVDO and WiMax [WiMax]
• Gokukawa Leather Keyboard Provides Buttery Soft Typing Experience [Keyboards]
• 4-port USB Revolving Hub is simply useful

AMD intros Athlon X2 chips featuring Phenom design

AMD has introduced new dual-core desktop processors aimed at the value end of the consumer market. Available now, the new Athlon X2 7000 series are the company’s first dual core chips based on its Phenom quad design, which means they have three levels of cache and support the faster HyperTransport 3.0 bus.

The new series comprises the 2.5GHz Athlon X2 7550, which will be available only to system builders, and the 2.7GHz Athlon X2 7750 'Black Edition' with an unlocked multiplier for improved overclocking priced at $79 – check out some benchmarks here. Both processors include 512KB of L2 cache per core and a shared L3 cache of 2 MB. The chips are part of AMD’s latest Cartwheel platform aimed at the budget market, which also includes the AMD 780G chipset and ATI Radeon 3200 integrated graphics.

• OCZ releases Gold Series 16GB SDHC cards
• Toshiba, SanDisk to cut NAND production by 30 percent
• TraderTools' keyboard for traders -- all that's missing is the panic button

Cooler Master HAF 932 Full Tower ATX case review @ TechSpot

For the ultimate gaming machine the full tower ATX case has become the weapon of choice, though evidently not for its portability or value. Rather gamers with high-end systems are turning to the full tower ATX form factor simply so they can comfortably fit all their extreme hardware. With flagship GeForce and Radeon graphics cards now measuring over 9" long (23cm) typical mid-size cases are no longer sufficient.

The Cooler Master HAF 932 is a truly impressive looking gaming case without being over the top in anyway. The design is clean yet aggressive at the same time, which is not easy to accomplish. From the most recent full tower ATX cases we have seen this year - and we have pretty much seen them all - the HAF 932 is probably the coolest.


Priced at just $160 it could be said that the Cooler Master HAF 932 is an entry-level full tower ATX case, but when looking at the specifications it becomes hard to agree with that statement - in a good way.

• Toshiba unveils 16GB microSDHC card of its own
• Gogo in-flight WiFi taking off in six Delta flights tomorrow
• Intel and Hitachi to collaborate on server SSDs

AMD's Phenom goes on a budget with the Athlon X2 7000 series

Hot on the heels of word that the 45nm Phenom II chip is up for grabs, AMD has announced that its 65nm predecessor has been relegated to budget duty. The new Phenom-based Athlon X2 7000 chips are now available, replacing the aged X2 6000 and delivering an affordable HyperTransport bus boost to 3.6GHz, 2MB of L3 cache, but still just 1MB on L2. It's a dual-core processor, unlike the higher-spec Phenoms, and consumes 95-watts. That's a handy drop from the X2 6000's 125-watt rating, but isn't exactly frugal compared to some of AMD's other Phenom offerings. The 2.7GHz X2 7750 black edition is available now in bulk for just under $80, and appears to be retailing for around $90. Meanwhile a paler, cheaper, 2.5GHz version is shipping just for OEMs -- but that shouldn't stop you home builders from finding one if you're really inclined.

• OCZ intros Vertex line of 2.5-inch SATA II SSDs
• Toshiba and SanDisk temporarily slash NAND Flash production by 30% in Yokkaichi
• Sony loads music and movies onto MicroVault Click USB drives, can't locate any buyers
• FON CEO teases ruggedized outdoor Foneras

Mac mini update rumors flare as Apple sales dip

Although Apple just posted some ridiculous quarterly numbers, it doesn't seem like it's going to escape the current economic conditions in the US unscathed -- like pretty much everyone else, monthly sales are down in Cupertino, according to the NPD Group. The drop is only one percent total, but it's against a two percent rise in overall PC sales, which could indicate that Apple's premium pricing is hurting it as shoppers turn to netbooks and other bargain machines. That dovetails nicely with chatter we're hearing today about updated mac minis making a debut at Macworld -- although Steve famously proclaimed that Apple doesn't "know how to make a $500 machine that's not a piece of junk" during the last earnings call, it sure sounds like he's going to try, with a $499 2.0GHz mini in a new MacBook-esque unibody enclosure rumored to arrive onstage in January. If you believe Wired, it'll be accompanied by a $700 2.3GHz version with NVIDIA graphics, and both models will feature mini DisplayPorts -- nothing shocking there. We'll see when we see -- we've been waiting for the mini to be updated forever, and while Apple did just uncharacteristically slam rumors of a new model, times like these could lead to drastic measures.

• OCZ unveils Throttle eSATA SSD flash drive
• IEEE 1667 pledges secure portable storage for all
• Cyber Sport's Orbita Mouse is a revolution
• SuperSpeed USB 3.0 spec officia ll y released, first chipset demonstrated

MSI Encourages Hackintosh, Leaks OS X Wi-Fi Drivers for the Wind [Hackintosh]

Seeing that the need for a warranty-voiding Wi-Fi module switch was the only thing keeping users from easily making convincing mini-MacBooks, MSI has semi-released OS X wireless drivers for the Wind. After pelting MSI with unlikely requests for OS X driver support, a number of users on the MSIWind.net forums have received responses from the company, written in the "Dear Sir/Madam" parlance of a Nigerian scammer but nevertheless containing an early version of working Wi-Fi drivers for the Wind's Realtek RTL8187SE Wi-Fi module. The driver doesn't allow the card to be used like a regular Airport adapter, but according to users connects just fine through Realtek client software. Forum-goers are floating copies on a couple of ephemeral hosting sites, so head over to the thread and give it a shot.

• Proxim Orinoco AP-8000 Doubles wi -Fi Throughput With Two 802.11n Radios [Wi-Fi]
• Oklahoma town provides real-time streaming from cop cars, free Wi fi to residents
• Atheros lets open source devs in on the WiFi party
• Buffalo's wireless injunction stayed, now free to sell WiFi products in US

Asus Nettop Eee B203 PC Getting a Faster, Cheaper CPU [Eee Box]

We only just learned about the HDMI upgrade to the Asus Eee Box line with the B204 and B206 models, but there's another update coming in the B203: A Celeron instead of Atom. Liliputing is reporting via an Italian Eee pc site that the Intel C220 Celeron upgrade is pretty much the only difference between the B203 and the original Eee Box B202. The chip replaces the Intel Atom chip that currently dominates the line. The rest is pretty standard stuff. It runs Windows XP (Asus "recommends" Vista, cha-ching!), and comes with an 80, 120 or 160GB hard drive. There's also 4 USB ports, a flash card reader, DVI out, Ethernet port and wifi. Pricing wasn't available, but Liliputing expects it to check in slightly lower than the Atom version. Note: Image is of the original Eee Box.

• Buffalo's LinkStation Mini external hard drive goes SSD
• TDK trots out industrial CompactFlash cards / SSDs
• VIA's ARTIGO A2000 wants to be your own private server
• Kanguru's new e-Flash thumbdrive marries eSATA and USB

Asus unveils Celeron-based Eee Box B203

It looks like all those crazy rumors are true -- we've just received word that the Celeron-based Eee Box B203 has popped up on Asus' website. Aside from the the intel C220 processor, very little has changed from the Atom-based Eee Box B202: it sports windows xp Home, ships with up to 2GB RAM and 160GB storage, and measures a diminutive 222 x 178 x 26.9 mm (roughly 8.7 x 7 x 1 inches). Of course, it still ain't the prettiest device we've ever seen -- but if it's cheaper, faster, and small enough to fit behind your monitor anyways, we'll gladly overlook the paint job.

• Intel's opto-electronic 'breakthrough' could save this doomed Internet (or not)
• Ratoc introduces Wireless USB kit for your PCMCIA-equipped laptop
• Scosche Passport FireWire-to-USB iPod adapter gets reviewed
• Pioneer shows off 400GB optical disc

EFiX to sell do-it-yourself Mac clones

Back in September, efix finally began shipping their so-called usb dongle that lets many generic PCs run Mac os X. Now, even with Psystar struggling against Apple in courts for outright selling Mac clones, it looks like the company is taking things one step further and plans to offer customers a solution for creating their own OS X-running computers.


The EFiX Millennium 4 will reportedly be targeted at the performance crowd, sporting a Core 2 quad processor overclocked to at least 3.8GHz, 4GB of memory, a 10,000RPM hard drive and a GeForce 8800 GTS graphics card in an Antec P180 case. Priced at $1,899 (not including the additional cost of a $199 EFiX dongle), the system will reportedly offer up to 90 percent the performance of a top-end Mac Pro for less than half the price.

Unlike Psystar, the company hopes to avoid a legal response from Apple by leaving the installation of OS X up to the end user, which I’m not sure how good of a tactic it will be considering it’s illegal to sell a product expressly designed to allow customers to infringe copyrights – then again, it’s precisely the validity and scope of Apple’s EULA which has recently been brought into question. Stakes are high in the Apple vs. Psystar case and the outcome will certainly have an effect on EFiX latest efforts as well.

• EFi-X shuts down EFi-X USA, says it doesn't support Mac clones
• Fusion-io's ioDrive tested: world's fastest storage confirmed
• Addonics' USB-to-NAS adapter: all your external HDDs, now network accessible
• NewerTech intros quad-interface SATA HDD dock of its own

How would you change HP's TouchSmart 2 all-in-one PC?

HP's TouchSmart 2 launched without a whole lot of fanfare, but what you get for $1,299 is pretty unique. The IQ504 / IQ506 all-in-one PCs are one of the first to actually encourage full-on touchscreen use in a PC, with HP urging users to touch their way to computational bliss. Of course, with an unorthodox design such as this, there will always be pundits who feel that this or that should have been done somewhat differently, and if that's you, you've found your sounding board. Are you a little let down by the internals? Yearn for more expandability? Is the screen as responsive as it should be? Get heard, won't you?

• Logitech G18 gaming key board shows its not-so-ugly face

$249 CherryPal cloud PC taken for a listless spin

Well what do you know, a real live CherryPal has finally made it into the wilds. TGDaily has the honors of having a first look at the $249 cloud computer. While impressed by the small size and fanless design, the build quality was "flimsy" making the device feel very much like pre-production product. The Xubuntu-based pc with Xfce desktop instantly recognized and connected to the reviewers WiFi network for quick login to the CherryPal cloud. Great, but things fell apart when loading Firefox onto the 400MHz Freescale processor -- the sluggish response experienced is a critical fail for a PC whose applications are stored in the cloud. Something that might be sorted out in future builds of Firefox... or not.

[ Via: Engadget ]

HP begins offering Linux on enterprise desktops

HP just announced it will begin offering a desktop pre-loaded with a build of SUSE Linux. This joins the company's other non-Windows offering, the previously announced (but not yet available) Mini 1000 netbook, which is equipped with its Ubuntu-based MIE. The new model -- the Compaq dc5850 -- is unfortunately aimed at the enterprise and education markets, so while we're glad to see hp dipping its toes into open source waters, we'd be more enthused if the computer-maker followed in Dell's footsteps and offered a wider range of options. The PC will be available on December 15th for $519, though it doesn't appear that the average consumer will be able to buy it -- at least not yet.


[ Via: Computerworld ]

Dell's OptiPlex 160 'Tiny Desktop Computer' is appropriately named

Dell just dropped the new tiny-tower OptiPlex 160 for businesses and educational markets looking to save space and "go green." This 1.85-inch thick machine packs the usual assortment of ports, and an integrated power supply (no brick!), but unfortunately forgoes the integrated disc drive. The $563 base model incorporates a single-core Intel atom processor, 80GB HDD, 1GB RAM, integrated video, and Vista Home Basic SP1 -- most of which reminds us of the Eee Box, other than the extra two Benjamins Dell's asking for. You can also spring for a 64GB SSD and an external DVD-ROM drive, and there will be a dual-core Atom option in 2009. While folks over in Round Rock envision these in the workplace, we certainly wouldn't mind taking one home for a romantic weekend with Ubuntu.


[ Via: Engadget ]

Dell raises cost of Windows XP downgrade option to $150

As you've no doubt noticed, the deadline for the Windows XP downgrade option keeps getting pushed back and back, and it looks like it's now also getting more and more expensive, as dell has now tripled the cost of the option on its consumer laptops and desktops to $150. As TG Daily notes, this latest move follows a similar increase to $99 on Dell's more business-minded Vostro laptops and desktops which, for the time being at least, seem to be remaining as is. Of course, you can always put that $150 towards a Windows XP-equipped netbook instead, which seems to be fast becoming the primary home for the venerable OS.

[ Via: Engadget ]

NVIDIA dishes about OpenCL

We spent some time on the phone with NVIDIA today in the wake of last night's official release of the OpenCL GPU-processing spec, and we learned some interesting things. NVIDIA thinks OpenCL is going to bring a lot more attention to general-purpose gpu computing, and it's planning on stoking the flames -- not only is it accelerating the CUDA release schedule, it's planning on working with Microsoft on DirectX 11 Compute. Hit the break for some more highlights!

• NVIDIA feels that the basic ideas behind CUDA are reinforced by OpenCL -- the basic model is the same, although OpenCL is a lower-level architecture that requires coders to do their own memory management, etc., while CUDA allows non-professional programmers like scientists and researchers to program GPGPU code.
• In fact, in order to meet the needs of the 25,000 active CUDA devs, NVIDIA is bumping up the CUDA release schedule, with three releases scheduled for 2009, culminating in CUDA 3.0.
  
• NVIDIA thinks the CPU still has a big role to play -- not every app is best run on a GPU, and every app has code that's best run on a traditional CPU. However, unlike Intel, which thinks the GPU is dead in water, NVIDIA thinks the value of traditional CPUs is rapidly diminishing, and that graphics and parallel-compute intensive apps are going to drive the market forward. (Yes, we've heard this before.)
• That's not to say the two companies can't work together -- although Intel's been highly critical of NVIDIA and GPGPU in the past, it was an eager and willing participant in the OpenCL process -- a process that went from start to finish in basically six months flat after Apple submitted the spec. That's record time for a standard like this, something NVIDIA credits to broad industry participation and enthusiasm.
• Of course, notably absent from all the OpenCL group is Microsoft, and while NVIDIA wouldn't confirm that it's working on a Windows implementation of OpenCL, we were told repeatedly that all the partner companies are interested in making it happen, and that no one will be surprised when it arrives. Ditto for Linux.
• Microsoft is working on DirectX 11 Compute, however, and NVIDIA says it'll be there -- it's not going to stay out of any market, it'll go where the customers are. seems like marketing-speak, but they were really insistent about this on the phone, telling us NVIDIA refuses to "pick sides."
  
• OpenCL will basically run on any card that can do CUDA, which is a lot of chips -- pretty much any 8-series GPU with 256MB of RAM or above. Here's a list.
• They wouldn't talk about Apple's plans, of course, but they did say that NVIDIA has a strong relationship with the company, as evidenced by the new MacBook line, and that Apple "wouldn't pick a supplier without knowing how their strategy is going to play out." That's certainly interesting -- maybe those dual GPUs in the new MacBook Pros are bound for something special after all.
• OpenCL isn't done yet -- 1.0 is still waiting on performance testing, and a 1.1 version with additional features the working group felt weren't an immediate priority is due later sometime in 2009.

Overall, it sounds like OpenCL is going to be around for a long time, and we're totally ready for some supercomputer-caliber performance out of our machines -- can you hear us, video-encoding apps? You're due for a speedup.

[ Via: Engadget ]

• Rumored intel roadmap names next Atom "Medfield"

AMD Phenom II processor gets outed, might even be released

Apparently, AMD has officially announced the release of its Phenom II processor -- though if they did, they forgot to actually, you know, announce it. according to EE Times, the quad-core, 45nm chip is said to support DDR2 and DDR 3 memory (the latter up to 1333MHz) and is available at both 3GHz and 2.8GHz speeds (for $275 and $235, respectively). If that's not exciting enough, a 65nm (DDR2) version of the chip is also availabe. The article winds up by saying that the chips are expected to appear in systems on display at the upcoming CES. Sound good? Now all we need is an actual, official announcement. Like, from the chip maker itself. We're looking at you, AMD. Call us. You have the number.

[ Via: Register Hardware ]

Advent Eco PC gets photographed, tested

After the latest green PC (that'd be the Advent Eco PC, pictured above) launched in late September, we don't suspect too many Britons rushed out to get one. Why? 'Cause the ?600 ($880) list price has already sunk to around ?440 ($646). If that figure is a little more in your budget, you might want to give the read link a look. The critics over at Techcast Network found the design to be fairly attractive, the keyboard to be a touch cramped (and unnecessarily wireless) and the performance to be "nothing to write home about." Comically enough, they also point out that an Atom CPU would've probably increased the "greenness," and quite frankly, this machine lacks the raw horsepower necessary to adequately handle Windows Vista. But hey, there's lots of pretty pictures to glance at below even if you've no interest in bringing one home.

[ Via: Engadget ]

• Gateway's 16-inch MC7803u laptop reviewed : great rig for the price

OpeniMac offers cut-rate, aesthetically challenged Apple clones direct from Argentina

After seeing how well Psystar did with its Open Computer, we think we'll just build our own Hackintosh rather than jump into this OpeniMac we've recently been hepped to. But who knows? Maybe you've been dying to send your hard earned money down to some shady Argentinean characters. In that case, this 2.53GHz machine should be right up your alley. Selling for $990 (or $1,330 with an LG 19-inch monitor), the base unit ships with 2GB memory, 320GB storage, and a 256MB ATI Radeon HD PRO. If you've got deep pockets, $1,710 will get you the OpeniMacPRO, a 3.0GHz machine with a 20-inch widescreen monitor and 4GB RAM. But seriously -- who knows where the money goes? And who knows whether you'll ever see the machine? One thing is for certain, however -- this case is as ugly as sin.


[ Via: Engadget ]

NextDimension RVE portable video editing machine packs an LCD on a tower

Apparently that whole "slap an LCD on the side of a tower" thing is going alright for NextComputing. The NextDimension RVE is a bit more humble than the CinematographHD, though it should be able to handle even the most strenuous video editing tasks. Aside from the 17-inch 1,920 x 1,200 resolution panel plastered on the side, the "portable" tower houses single or dual 2.5GHz quad-core Intel processors, up to 4GB of RAM, up to 1.28TB of RAID storage, NVIDIA GeForce / Quadro FX graphics, a leather handle for portability and an extensive array of input / output sockets. The entire package measures in at 5.69- x 11.44- x 16.8-inches and weighs "just" 22-pounds -- too bad it'll take $6,380 to get one to your door.

[ Via: Engadget ]

• Samsung's 16- inch R610 laptop reviewed: more mediocre than memorizing

Intel's Core i7 Extreme Edition 965 overclocked to 5.5GHz

Right, so Intel's 3.73GHz Core i7 Extreme Edition 965 is fast enough for the vast majority of PC users across the globe, but not for Japanese overclocking enthusiast duck. Oh no -- duck decided to pair the chip up with ASUS' ROG Rampage II Extreme motherboard, which facilitates hardware-based OC'ing, in order to reach a top speed of 5510.09MHz. The point of the exercise? Just to say he could, not to mention set the bar for OC Team Italy to try and demolish.

[ Via: Engadget ]

• intel VP says netbooks are "fine for an hour"

AMD Phenom II CPU roadmap foreshadows potent Spring

Not that AMD's being overly secretive about its forthcoming Phenom II processor, but it hasn't exactly been forthcoming with model names / estimated ship dates, either. And that folks, is why we look to leaks. A recent writeup over on Chinese site HKEPC details the impending chip family by listing over a dozen new CPUs (including two Phenom II X3s and seven Phenom II X4s) that are destined to be announced between CES and June 2009. Not surprisingly, some of the model names aren't -- shall we way, completely original -- with the 3GHz Phenom II X4 940 and 2.8GHz Phenom II X4 920 sharing eerily similar naming schemes with Intel's fresh Core i7. Of course, we're not sticklers for silly things like that -- we just want to see a few slabs of silicon get out the door on time. Is that really too much to ask, AMD?

[ Via: CNET ]

Onkyo's HDC-1L straddles the fence between nettop and HTPC

Now this -- this is an interesting character. Part nettop, part HTPC, the Sotec-branded HDC-1L series is a unique mixture of components that are traditionally found in either a diminutive desktop or a media center pc (but rarely both). First and foremost, this little bugger relies on a 1.6GHz Intel Atom 230 CPU, and it only packs 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, Windows XP, Ethernet, audio in / out, VGA, slot-loading DVD drive, a few USB ports and a remote input. Sadly, there's no integrated TV tuner to speak of, but with a starting price of just ?59,800 ($640), we suppose you could add one and still come in well under the cost of most pre-fab HTPCs. The box should be available in Japan as early as tomorrow, and it'll purportedly be sold with a number of upgrades and extras for those fond of the bundled approach.

[ Via: Impress ]

Windows Vista / Server 2008 SP2 Beta out now to MSDN and TechNet subscribers

Windows Vista SP2 may not be hitting manufacturers 'til next April, but the beta is already scootin' about to MSDN and TechNet subscribers. Yep, as of this very moment in time, the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2 Beta is in the wild, and microsoft is planning to making it publicly available via TechNet this Thursday. Check all the juicy details in the links below.

[ Via: Engadget ]

HP shows off Atom-powered mini-Q nettop in Taiwan

It's no slate PC / digiframe hybrid, but it is a touch unorthodox. HP Compaq is reportedly preparing to launch a mini-Q nettop, though it could ship under a totally less exciting Presario 2030 / 2020 moniker. Packed within the diminutive box will be an Atom 330 / 230 CPU (respectively), Windows Vista / XP (also respectively), 2GB of DDR2 RAM, a 160GB 7,200RPM hard drive, dual-layer DVD writer and a 6-in-1 card reader. No mention of a release date just yet, but pricing is expected at around NT$9,900 ($296) / NT$12,900 ($386).

[ Via: Electronista ]

• Hello Kitty C1 netbook packs a lotta 'tude into a small package

ASUS 15.6-inch touchscreen Eee Tops launching tomorrow -- $499?

Can you feel it? That dull sense of ennui isn't the result of the diminished hours of daylight, oh no, it's the sensation of the Eee Top's imminent launch in Taipei. ASUS has a news conference scheduled for Thursday to out the ET1602 and ET1603 XP PCs into the wonderfully erect world of all-in-ones. Something we've been expecting since January of this year when we first heard about ASUS' Eee branding promiscuity. We're still looking at 15.6-inches of touchscreen LCD, a 160GB hard disk, 802.11n WiFi, a pair of 4-watt speakers, and 1.3 megapixel webcam all propped up by a tepid 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor -- a CPU that ASUS knows a thing or two about. The ET1603 packs a better ATI HD3450 graphics card and battery for 4.4-kilograms (9.7-pounds) of luggable PC. We'll have to wait for the pricing and country details but we can speculate that it'll arrive in the US pronto after seeing its wireless (EK-C2) keyboard slip through the FCC yesterday. Could be a holiday winner if it hits for the $499 price rumored way back when.


[ Via: Engadget ]

• Intel's convertible Classmate PC barely makes it to FCC class

Dell's Core i7-packin' Studio XPS hits the review bench

Dell's Studio XPS had "winner" written all over it from the get-go. With practically every other Core i7 rig on the market catering specifically to gamers who were willing to pay a premium for an equally cutting edge GPU, this machine directed itself to everyone who just wanted to do everything but game (and do so quickly). The kids over at DesktopReview were able to take the sub-$1,000 box for a spin, and while they weren't too fond of the relatively plain chassis, it was pretty much thumbs-up everywhere else. Performance in everyday applications was stellar, gaming was better than average and the value was unbeatable. Overall, the Studio XPS is darn close to the perfect machine for folks who want to compute quickly and play a game or two on the side, but rather than taking our word for it, we'd suggest hitting the read link and having a look for yourself.


[ Via: Engadget ]

• Dell's Inspiron Mini 9 and 12 get artist makeovers

HP's Shanghai-packing xw9400 workstation available now

We caught a glimpse of the HP xw9400 quite a while back when it was first announced, but it's now available on HP's site and we've got the full details on the mammoth's innards. There are quite a few customizable options, including AMD's Dual-Core Shanghai Opteron CPUs (from 2.0GHz to 2.5GHz), up to 32GB MHz DDR SDRAM, NIVIDIA nForce Professional 3600 or 3050 chipsets, and available NVIDIA Quadro FX cards with up to 1GB of memory. There are also five internal and two external drive bays and eight USB 2.0 ports. The behemoth starts at $2,399 and runs as high as $6,299. Hit the read link for the widest array of specifications you can possibly ever imagine.


[ Via: Information Week ]

• How would you change Apple's unibody MacBook / MacBook Pro?

ASUS summons Core i7 power in ROG CG6190 gaming desktop

If you thought your ARES CG6155 was hot stuff during the sweltering summer, well, you were right. Sadly, your bragging days have come to an end, as a new era of cutting-edge buyers are fixing to one-up you with the purchase of ASUS' ROG CG6190. Timed to be released alongside Intel's potent Core i7 processor, this beast is built around the X58 chipset and includes an eye-catching chassis, 52% faster processing speed in 3D gaming applications (thanks, overclocked Core i7!), up to 12GB of DDR3 RAM and support for an NVIDIA triple-SLI GPU setup or an ATI CrossFireX rig. You'll also notice a biometric fingerprint scanner, a unique 2-kilowatt dual power system, customized liquid cooling modules and a SupremeFX X-Fi audio card. As ASUS loves to do, we're left in the dark on pricing, but we'd guess it'll launch somewhere between expensive and ludicrously pricey here soon.

[ Via: ComputerMonger ]

Upcoming dual-processor Nehalem EP machine benchmarked -- yeah, it's fast

Intel's new Core i7 chip has been showing up in tons of silly-spec'd high-end gaming rigs for about three days now, so it's obviously time to get bored and move on -- and right on cue, TechRadar's got the first benchmarks we've seen of the upcoming dual-processor Nehalem EP platform. The secret test machine featured two 2.8GHz Nehalem EP chips (likely to hit retail in 2009 as the Xeon X5560) and 24GB of 1,066MHz DDR3 RAM controlled by the new Quick Path Interconnect and on-die memory controllers, which together cranked out a SPECfp base rate of 160 -- way above the 90 posted by current 3.4GHz Xeon setups, and higher than the 105 scored by a 2.7GHz dual-processor rig with AMD's new Shanghai chips. Yeah, that's silly fast, and it's bound to get even faster when these bad boys launch with a 3.2GHz part along for the ride. Now if Intel could just siphon some of that speed into these pokey Atoms we can actually afford, we'd be grins-a-plenty.

[ Via: Engadget ]

ASUS Eee PC 1002HA hands-on and video: looks a lot like the S101

The folks over at Laptop have gotten some quality face time with a pre-production model of ASUS' 10-inch Eee PC 1002 HA, and they seem to like a lot of what they're seeing. It boasts stylings reminiscent of both the Eee PC S101 (trackpad) and the 1000H (keyboard), and as such is basically a hybridized version of the two, though the test model "wouldn't power on" so we can't got much further than that. We do however, know that it'll house a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom CPU with 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive, and that it'll have a two-cell battery which ASUS claims will give users five hours of juice (though that sounds pretty suspect to us). The Eee PC 1002 HA is expected to ready to roar on the first of December for $499, but if you simply can't wait until then to have a look at it, hit the read like for more photos and a really, really interesting video.

[ Via: Engadget ]

• HP's TouchSmart tx2z multitouch convertible tablet starts at $1,149
• MSI Wind U120 gets spotted, examined in the wild

NVIDIA announces cost, energy-saving Tesla Personal Supercomputer

AMD has already outlined its plans to harness the power of its GPUs for some added computing muscle, and it looks like NVIDIA is now taking things one step further by announcing its new GPU-based Tesla Personal Supercomputer, which promises to deliver the power of a traditional supercomputer cluster at 1/100th of the price. That "personal supercomputer" is actually a platform based on NVIDIA's new Tesla C1060 GPU Computing Processor, which itself is based on NVIDIA's CUDA parallel computing architecture. The supercomputers themselves will come from a whole host of manufacturers that have already partnered with NVIDIA, including ASUS, Dell, Lenovo, and a number of more specialized computer makers. While complete details on those systems are still a bit light at the moment, they'll apparently be "priced like a conventional PC workstation," and the first few out of the gate should be available starting today.

[ Via: Engadget ]

• Dell's 32GB Inspiron Mini 9 netbook blushes pink and red in Japan
• MacBook innards crammed into makeshift mini Mac Pro tower
• Four-finger gestures hacked into older MacBooks
• Asus R50A finally arrives, jacks your wallet in the process
• Fujitsu's LifeBook U820 mini tablet now on sale, starts at $999
• Epson's Endeavor Na01 mini is a netbook

Gateway throws Core i7 CPUs into two new FX6800 gaming desktops

Although we actually got to see just how potent the Core i7 was way back in September (at least, that's what was hinted at "off the record"), the chip had yet to go on sale until this week. Now that it's had its formal launch party, Gateway's joining the masses in offering up two new FX Series PCs with Intel's freshest silicon. For the gamer on a budget, the FX6800-01 gets going at just $1,249.99 and packs a Core i7-920 processor, 3GB of DDR3 RAM and an ATI Radeon HD4850 video card. For those with cheddar to burn, the $2,999.99 FX6800-05 steps it up with a Core i7-940, ATI Radeon HD4870 X2 graphics card and 6GB of DDR3 memory. The high-end beast also includes a 1TB hard drive plus an 80GB SSD, and both models can be outfitted with a Blu-ray drive should you choose. For the complete specs list, have a glance at the full release just after the break.
New processing technology breaks barriers with extreme performance for intense gaming and high impact entertainment
IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 17, 2008 -- Gateway today announced two new
models in its FX Series of desktop PCs featuring Intel's fastest
desktop platform technology to date, the Intel(R) Core(TM) i7
processors and the Intel(R) X58 Express chipset. The new Core i7
processors feature faster, intelligent multi-core technology that
automatically applies processing power where it's needed most,
delivering an incredible breakthrough in PC performance.
An unrivaled value at just $1,249.99, the Gateway(R) FX6800-01e means
the world of extreme gaming and turbo-charged fun isn't limited to
high-priced systems costing thousands of dollars. At its heart lies
an Intel Core i7-920 processor, providing gamers with the critical
horsepower to pwn even the most worthy opponents. Partnered with an
ATI Radeon HD4850 video card, 3GB of DDR3 triple channel memory and
high definition audio, it delivers the performance, graphics and audio
necessary for those who want to experience their digital entertainment
full throttle.
"The new Gateway FX6800-01 featuring the Intel Core i7-920 Processor
is another example of our commitment to bringing high-performance into
the mainstream price range," said Glenn Jystad, senior manager,
desktop products for Gateway. "The screaming performance this desktop
delivers is more than enough for most gamers, and leaves them with a
lot more money for games, as well as the ability to play them better
than ever before."
Hard-core gamers who crave white-knuckle rushes and heart-palpitating
action will find the Gateway(R) FX6800-05 delivers all that and more.
Aggressively priced at $2.999.99, it is fueled by the even more
powerful Intel Core i7-940 processor, making it the ultimate holiday
gift and game crusher. Realistic heart-stopping, jaw-dropping visuals
are provided by ATI Radeon HD4870 X2 graphics card and 6GB of DDR3
memory for spine-tingling fun.
And the excitement doesn't stop there. In addition to its massive 1TB
hard drive, Gateway takes it to the next level, adding a revolutionary
new high-speed drive -- an 80GB Intel High Performance Solid State
Drive. This industry-leading drive can't be beat for drive-intensive
applications with extreme performance needs. Devoid of moving parts,
it provides faster and more reliable data storage than traditional
hard drives, with less heat and noise.
"Solid state hard drive technology on a gaming PC will make a huge
difference in the fun factor," continued Jystad. "Currently used in
mission critical environments, users are seeing boot up times that are
two to three times as fast and they are running cooler and quieter,
and without data fragmentation, all of which are hugely valued by
gamers as well."
"Fueled by the best desktop processors on the planet -- with Intel
Hyper-Threading and Intel Turbo Boost Technology -- the new Gateway FX
Series desktops will transport gamers to a new level of performance
and PC enjoyment," said CJ Bruno, vice president, sales and marketing
group and president, Intel Americas, Inc. "Not only can the new Intel
Core i7 processor handle today's most complex and immersive games, but
it's also powerful enough to handle tomorrow's gaming advances,
ensuring these new systems will continue to meet customers' needs for
years to come."
In addition to their powerful engines, the FX Series desktops offer
numerous user friendly features that add convenience, flexibility and
value to their overall proposition.
Hidden pop-out doors keep ports tucked away, out-of-view and free from
dust and debris. A pop-up on the top of the system provides
convenient access to media ports and the Smart Copy button, which
simplifies the storing of digital photos. A hidden pop-out on the
front hides the i/o ports most often used for temporary items such as
a microphone, headphone, and 1394 cables.
Touch-sensitive media control buttons make it easy to control DVDs,
music play lists and TV functionality. Both the models can include
Blu-ray Disc(TM) optical drives.
The FX6800 PCs come standard with two internal hard drive bays.
Customers can also quickly and easily add a third and fourth hard
drive by simply sliding out a tray located on the front lower section
of the chassis. A completely tool-less process, users simply insert
the hard drive into the tray and Vista will immediately recognize and
configure it for use.
A backup button on the front of the system is tied to the backup
feature found in Vista. Using this button, consumers can quickly and
confidently copy their files to any storage location they choose.
Specifications, Pricing and Availability
Gateway(R) FX6800-01e: Available now at leading retailers for a MSRP
of $1,249.99.
1. Intel Core i7-920 Processor (2.66Gz Quad-Core w/ Intel
Hyper-Threading & Turbo Speed Technology, new 8-thread CPU
architecture with automatic acceleration up to 2.93GHz on a single
core)
2. Intel X58 Express Chipset
3. ATI Radeon HD4850 w/ 512MB Discrete Video Memory
4. 3GB (3072MB DDR3 1066MHz Three Channel Memory [3 x 1024MB])
5. 750GB SATA II hard drive (1) (7200RPM, 16MB cache)
6. 18X DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti Drive featuring LabelFlash(TM) Technology(2)
7. 15-in-1 High Speed Digital Media Card Reader with Smart Copy Button
8. Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit with Service Pack 1
9. (8) USB 2.0 Ports, (2) PS/2, (2) IEEE 1394a, (2) eSATA, RJ-45,
RJ-11, (8) Audio Ports, (1) Serial Port
10. HDMI Connector v1.3 (via DVI-HDMI dongle)
11. 500W Power Supply
Gateway(R) FX6800-05: Available now at leading online retailers, with
an MSRP of $2,999.99.
1. Intel Core i7-940 Processor (2.93GHz Quad-Core w/ Intel
Hyper-Threading & Turbo Speed Technology, New 8-thread CPU
architecture with automatic acceleration up to 3.20GHz on a single
core)
2. Intel X58 Express Chipset
3. ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 Graphics w/ 2048MB Discrete Video Memory
4. 6GB (6144MB DDR3 1066MHz Three Channel Memory [3 x 2GB DIMM])
5. 1000GB SATA II hard drive (1) (7200RPM, 16MB cache)
6. 80GB SSD (Solid State Drive)
7. 18X DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti Drive featuring LabelFlash Technology(2)
8. 15-in-1 High Speed Digital Media Card Reader with Smart Copy Button
9. Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit with Service Pack 1
10. (8) USB 2.0 Ports, (2) PS/2, (2) IEEE 1394a, (2) eSATA, RJ-45, (8)
Audio Ports
11. HDMI Connector v1.3 (via DVI-HDMI dongle)
12. 1000 Watt Power Supply
Gateway Limited Warranty, Service and Support
The Gateway FX Series Desktops are backed by a one year limited
warranty(3). Gateway's commitment to quality and reliability is
evident in its award-winning line of PCs as well as in its exceptional
service and support programs(4). In addition to the company's
standard limited warranty options, its extensive online support center
helps customers maximize their PC investment; it gives them easy
access to customer support representatives and information on
important issues such as warranties, technical issues and upgrading.

[ Via: Engadget ]

• Acer's Aspire One A110X "Black Edition" hits the streets of Germany
• UMID's "super mini laptop" is small, shiny, super
• Dell's Vostro A860 yours for a song (and $379)
• Dell taking Art House laptops made-to-order in 2009
• Dell's Mini 12 netbook is ready for US orders, ships in December
• Samsung's Q310-34P laptop reviewed: not bad for a first try

Dell's Intel Core i7-packing XPS Studio and XPS 730x desktops on sale now

OK, handsome -- we know you've been distracted lately. What's the matter? The economy? Post-election comedown? Do you feel that It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia just hasn't lived up to its potential? Or are you itchin' for one of those new Core i7 desktops? Well, the wait is over -- we've got the skinny here on new Dell systems, and if you feel so moved you can even go over to their website and order one up right this very minute. The XPS Studio desktop's base $949 model boasts 2GB memory, 256MB ATI Radeon HD 3450 graphics, and 500GB storage, while the top-end $1,499 configuration features a 512MB2 ATI Radeon HD 4850, 6GB memory, 750GB storage, and comes bundled with a 24-inch S2409W Flat Panel monitor. For you game-playing types, the XPS 730x updates the popular XPS 730 line with the new processor, up to 6GB DDR3 memory, updated thermal monitoring system and chassis and either ATI Radeon HD 4850 512MB or NVIDIA GeForce GTX280 1024MB graphics -- starting at . As you'd expect, all systems ship with Vista Home Premium Edition. So, how do you feel? Better? We hoped you would.

[ Via: Engadget ]

• MSI EX623 laptop "rocks" our (proverbial) "world"
• ASUS adds N80V and N50V to its ever-expanding family of laptops
• How would you change the Voodoo Envy 133?
• Dell Inspiron Mini 12 reviewed: bigger, not necessarily better
• Lenovo's IdeaPad U330 reviewed: nice for the price
• Dell's Studio 15 and 17 get art-housed for (PRODUCT) RED

IBM Roadrunner Tops Cray as the Official World's Fastest Supercomputer [Supercomputers]

It's like a geek soap opera. Just last week, Cray bragged that their updated Jaguar XT supercomputer was the world's fastest. Now this week, IBM responds to the trash talk with a number one ranking of their Roadrunner system on the newly published Top500 supercomputing list. Both the IBM and Cray systems break the petaflop processing barrier according to Top500 measurements (1.45 petaflops vs 1.38 petaflops, respectively). Heck, even IBM admitted to us that the two computers "run neck and neck." But there's a huge difference between them. The Roadrunner uses roughly half the power of the Jaguar XT. It assembles 12,960 IBM PowerXCell 8i Cell Broadband Engine processors and an additional 6,948 AMD Opteron Dual-Core processors. The AMD equipment handles "basic" functions while the IBM chips handle the intense number crunching. (Read all about the Roadrunner here.) Seeing as the Cray XT5 uses 45,000 quad-core AMD Opteron processors to get the same job done, you've gotta be at least a little impressed.
[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]

• Windows 7 installed on a new MacBook Pro, sparks fly
• MSI's 10-inch Wind U100 falls to $349 at Best Buy
• Apple prepping a patch for mysterious clicking issue on new MacBooks
• LG debuts 13.3-inch XNOTE P310 premium laptop
• Alienware's M17 gaming laptop reviewed: an interesting mix of good and bad
• Toshiba's three-GPU Qosmio X305-Q708 / Q706 laptops now available

Roadrunner beats Jaguar in TOP500 supercomputer rankings, cartoon antics strangely absent

While titles like "world's fastest" and "world's largest" are fleeting at best, it's rare that we see such things taken down this quickly. Last week Cray delivered a big dish of braggadocio, talking up its 1.64 petaflop XT Jaguar supercomputer as the fastest (non-classified) machine in the world. Now, like some rocket skate-wearing coyote who's run out of thrust, it's been stymied by IBM's Roadrunner, deployed at Los Alamos. TOP500 is the authority on these matters and that list's latest rankings place Roadrunner in first place with a speed of 1.105 petaflops; Cray's Jag comes in second with a paltry 1.059. What about that 1.64 figure from last week? That was the hypothetical limit, and while it did deliver real-world performance of 1.3 petaflops for the folks at Oak Ridge, TOP500 relies on the Linpack benchmark for its ratings and apparently the Jag just couldn't deliver the goods there. Perhaps, Cray, it's time to make another call to ACME -- or AMD as it were.

[ Via: Engadget ]

• 10-inch Mini 1000 appears on HP website
• Dell's new Inspiron Mini 12, an affordable MacBook Air?
• MSI on track to ship 700,000 Wind PCs in 2008
• HP's new Mini 1000 and MIE Linux make netbooks fun again
• Aspire One shipments on pace to beat Eee PC
• 12-inch not-Eee PC S101 followup expected this year

Intel Core i7 CPUs reappear on NewEgg

Remember those Core i7 processors that showed up -- ever so briefly -- on NewEgg a few days ago, only to promptly disappear, leaving us to ponder what we'd done wrong? Well, even though they're not slated to officially hit shelves until November 17th, we've heard from a slew of vigilant tipsters (hipsters?) that they're back. The prices are the same as we saw before, but you might want to check 'em out yourself right away, just in case they disappear again and you're forced to wait until tomorrow.

[ Via: Engadget ]

• Toshiba's NB100 netbook photographed in the wild
• Sony's VAIO TT gets high marks in full review, still painfully pricey
• BenQ Joybook R46 arrives in China, Thailand and Malaysia
• Apricot yanks Linux option for PicoBook Pro: it's for your own good
• Splashtop 'Quick Start' comes to the Lenovo IdeaPad S10e
• Laptop shipments exceed desktops in US for the not-exactly-first time

Smooth Creations' LAN Shark reviewed, well loved

Tweak Town has given the new LAN Shark gaming PC by Smooth Creations a thorough once-over and they really seem to like what they see. The review machine (priced at $1,343.75) arrived kitted out with a 3.0 GHz Core 2 Quad processor, 4GB RAM, Diamond HD 4870 1GB graphics and Western Digital Raptor 150GB storage. The whole shebang is housed in an elegant acrylic case with a subtle, yet understated "flame" motif (as pictured above) and gently illuminated by a full compliment of LEDs and cold cathodes. In fact, the only real complaint they lodged about the case was that the fans were too loud. When it came time to roll out the benchmarks the reviewer remained pretty upbeat, citing "very good" processor calculation scores, "fairly smooth" game play at 1900 x 1200 and the machine's making short work of World in Conflict as among the reasons to give this machine some serious consideration. But don't take our word for it -- for the intense, 14-page review hit that read link.

[ Via: Engadget ]

• Dell launches the Inspiron Mini 12
• Dell preloading music mixes, CinemaNow movies, world again asks "Why?"
• MSI Wind v1.09 BIOS update makes overclocking easy
• Dell rebrands its own Mini 9 as the Vostro A90, jacks the price to absurd levels
• ASUS Eee PC S101 reviewed: sexy, but not worth the premium
• Confirmed: Kids like Sugar better than XP

Alienware stoops lower with $1,049 Area-51 750i gaming desktop

Remember when the average Alienware was like four large? Ah, those were the days. As the used-to-be-boutique gaming PC company looks to attract a wider range of customers and fight off the effects of this economic quandary we're involved in, it has introduced the (relatively) affordable Area-51 750i. Predictably based on the NVIDIA nForce 750i SLI motherboard, this rig can be outfitted with a Core 2 Extreme QX9650, twin ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 graphics cards (or dueling GeForce GTX 280s, if you prefer), 8GB of DDR2 RAM, Windows Vista 64-bit, more hard drive space than you'll ever have use for, an optional Blu-ray burner and the usual complement of ports. We needn't remind you that the $1,049 baseline rig doesn't have a specs list nearly that impressive, but if it's all about that glowing case, you can get in the game quite cheaply right now.

[ Via: Engadget ]
[ Tag: 750i, Alienware, Area-51, Area-51 750i, Area-51750i, gaming PC, gaming rig, GamingPc, GamingRig, nForce 750i, Nforce750i, nvidia, sli ]

Atom 330 is benchmarked, fares slightly worse than expected

PC Pro's given Intel's dual-core, 1.6GHz Atom 330 (coupled with a 7200 RPM SATA hard drive and 1GB of DDR2 RAM) the benchmark run-through, and they've got some conflicting details to pass on to you. Overall, the testers found the Atom to be, as expected, faster than the N270, but only by 16 percent. In specific tests, the 330 ran Office 2003 slower than both a 2GHz VIA C7-D and the single-core Atom; PC Pro actually performed the test several times just to be sure it wasn't a glitch... and it wasn't. The 330 performed better running 2D graphics, outpacing the N270 by 41 percent, and it also outperformed its competitors in encoding and multitasking. Not enough details for you? Hit the read link for the full-on benchmarking experience.

[ Via: Engadget ]
[ Tag: 330, atom, atom 330, Atom330, benchmark, benchmarking, benchmarks, dual core, dual-core, DualCore, intel, intel atom, IntelAtom, n270 ]