Western Digital 3TB Red 3.5" SATA Internal Hard Drive (WD30EFRX) $145.95

Subject: General Tech, Storage | March 18, 2013 - 12:51 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: deals

Top deal

Western Digital 3TB Red 3.5" SATA Internal Hard Drive (WD30EFRX) for $145.95 with Free Shipping (normally $170).

Laptops

15.6" Dell Inspiron 15R Special Edition Core i5 Laptop w/2GB Radeon HD 7730M, Backlit Keyboard, 6GB RAM for $549.99 with free shipping (normally $799.99 - use $150 Coupon Code: 2Q?XNXR2DXQ13G).

23.6" HP Spectre ONE 23-e010se Core i5 Slim All-in-One PC w/TrackPad for $974.99 with free shipping (normally $1,299.99 - use coupon code: DT2617).

Entertainment

90" Sharp AQUOS LC-90LE745U 3D 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV + Free Wall Mount for $7,390 with free shipping (normally $10,000 - use coupon code: FREEMOUNT).

Components

Two (2) Dual UltraSharp U2412M IPS LCD Monitors with Dual Monitor Stand for $594.99 with free shipping (normally $699.99 - use coupon code: 6DBNK$ZJLR$L4J).

128GB OCZ Vertex 4 SATA III Solid State Drive for $116.99 with free shipping (normally $129.99 - use coupon code: VZQG7WPT?PJ4C4).

Netgear Universal WN3000RP Wi-Fi Range Extender for $69.00 with free shipping (normally $90).

Gadgets

Boombotix BB2 Bluetooth Speaker Limited Edition for $69.95 with free shipping (normally $79.99).

Waterfi iPod Shuffle Waterproof Swim Set (5th ten) for $154.95 with free shipping (normally $179.99).

Audio-Technica Portable Stainless Steel Headphones for $109 with free shipping (normally $249.99 - use coupon code: VMESAVESU20).

New Beta NVIDIA GeForce Drivers for Tomb Raider

Subject: General Tech | March 16, 2013 - 11:36 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: nvidia, tomb raider

The last month has been good to PC gamers: from Starcraft, to SimCity, to Tomb Raider, all with the promise of Bioshock Infinite just around the corner. We are being dog piled by one bulky release after another... most of which we are theoretically able to play.

Of course this is a call to action for GPU driver engineers. The software required to make your video card run is extremely complex with graphics instructions being compiled and interpreted at runtime for routinely shifting architectures. Performance increases are often measured in the double digit percentages albeit for some set "X" of components in some set "Y" of games.

GeForce 314.14 beta drivers launched early in the month with decent performance increases particularly for setups with SLi-paired 680s. Tomb Raider fans found themselves quite a bit left out with the reboot of the franchise doing everything but rebooting their PCs with NVIDIA and Intel hardware.

Now, two weeks later, NVIDIA has released yet another beta driver, dubbed 314.21, aimed squarely at Tomb Raider. Performance increases are claimed to be an average 45% higher than previous versions with some configurations seeing upwards of 60% increases in performance. The delay was allegedly caused by the hardware developer not receiving the game code with enough time before launch to create the updates.

If you are a Tomb Raider, check out the drivers at NVIDIA's website.

PiixL Launches EdgeCenter PC, Hides Powerful Media Center Behind Your TV

Subject: General Tech | March 16, 2013 - 03:08 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: piixl, PC, Media Center, htpc, edgecenter

London-based startup PiixL recently launched a new media center PC called the EdgeCenter that attaches to the back of your television via VESA mount to turn any TV into a so-called smart TV. The PC comes in one of three configurations with (Media, Gamer, and Max) Windows 8 and increasing levels of hardware performance. The aluminum EdgeCenter chassis will attach to most TVs larger than 32-inches and can extend to bring the optical drive and other front IO ports to the edge of your TV for easy access. The EdgeCenter reportedly offers a quiet cooling system capable of dissipating 500W in a chassis that is (up to) 54mm thick. Users can use traditional mouse, keyboard, or remote to control it, or they can use gesture-based controls from up to 5 meters away.

The Media Edition offers up an AMD A10 5700 APU with HD7660D graphics, 1TB of mechanical storage, and 4GB of RAM.  The Gamer Edition steps things up a notch with an Intel Core i5 3550 processor, an AMD 7870 2GB graphics card, 2TB of mechanical storage, and 8GB of RAM. Finally, the Max Edition features an Intel Core i7 3770 CPU, a NVIDIA GTX 680 4GB graphics card, 2TB HDD, 20GB SLC SSD (Intel SRT), and 16GB of RAM. Not bad at all for a PC that sits behind the TV. Having a PC mounted via VESA mount is not a new concept, but the EdgeCenter looks to pack the most horsepower an OEM has managed to cram into such a PC.

All three models support Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0, Blu Ray playback, optical and analog audio output, and an SD card slot for getting your media onto the device. The Media Edition EdgeCenter has VGA, HDMI, and DVI vidio outputs, while the Gamer edition has DVI, HDMI, and two mini-DisplayPort outputs. Finally, the Max Edition EdgeCenter PC has one DisplayPort, one DVI, and one HDMI port. It is definitely an interesting design with plenty of computing horsepower for gaming and media center needs. PiixL has fitted each model with an 80+ Gold power supply and has stated that the PCs are designed with 24/7 operation in mind.

The PiixL EdgeCenter is available for purchase now, but the performance will cost you a lot more money than your typical media center PC. The Media Edition, Gamer Edition, and Max Edition PCs start at £720.28, £1,116.76, and £1,513.25 respectively. For US customers that works out to about $1,085.97, $1,683.74, and $2,281.45. And that’s the bad news, it offers some impressive hardware, but is fairly expensive. Hopefully, if the EdgeCenter does well, we will see cheaper versions stateside at some point.

You can find more information about PiixL’s EdgeCenter PC on the company’s website. A full specifications comparison chart is also available here.

Deals for March 15th - PNY Prevail Elite 120GB SATA 6Gb/s SSD for $93

Subject: General Tech | March 15, 2013 - 04:00 PM | PCPer Staff
Tagged: deals

Top deal

PNY Prevail Elite 120GB SATA 6Gb/s SSD for $93.09 with Free Shipping (normally $159 - use coupon code VZQG7WPT?PJ4C4).

Laptops

17.3" Toshiba Satellite L870-ST4NX3 Core i7 Laptop w/12GB RAM, 1TB HDD for $799.99 with free shipping (normally $900).

11.6" ASUS VivoBook X202E-DH31T Touchscreen Core i3 Laptop w/Windows 8 for $478 with free shipping (normally $500).

Tablets

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 8GB 7" Tablet (Refurbished) for $149.99 (normally $200).

Apple iPad 3 16GB WiFi Tablet (refurbished) for $399.99 (normally $200).

Components

Lexar 64GB Echo MX Backup USB 2.0 Flash Drive for $53 with free shipping (normally $68).

Kingston DataTraveler Special Edition 16GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive for $7.99 with free shipping (normally $28).

Netgear Universal WN3000RP Wi-Fi Range Extender for $69.00 with free shipping (normally $90).

Mobile

Nokia Lumia 920 LTE WP8 Smartphone [AT&T] (refurbished) for $9.99 with free shipping

amsung Galaxy S III Smartphone [Verizon] for $0.01 with Free Shipping

All I know about the Galaxy S4 ... was not learned on the live stream

Subject: General Tech | March 15, 2013 - 01:12 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Samsung, galaxy s4, exynos 5, bad acting, Android 4.2.1

It is a close race between Blackberry and Samsung as far as which company provided the most stilted and uncomfortable launch of a new smartphone but those who survived it managed to pass on details about the brand new phone.  We have not seen it dissected yet, nor blended, but we know inside the phone you will find an Samsung Exynos 5 5410 Octa 8-core processor clocked at 1.8GHz, a PowerVR SGX 544 graphics chip, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of firmware flash and runs Android 4.2.1, similar to the S3.  On the outside is a 5" Gorilla Glass 3 Super AMOLED screen at 1920 x 1080 resolution, or 441ppi which is certainly higher than others but close enough to the limits of a perfect human eye as to make very little real difference.

Connectivity can come through WiFi, BlueTooth, HSPA+ 42Mbps, 4G LTE and even infrared transmitter for remote control functions.  User interaction sees some new tricks however, eye tracking software will scroll webpages and documents as you read through them and those who despair over smudges on their screens will like the ability to control the phone with a finger hovering over the screen, not quite touching it.  It bears two cameras, a 13MP on the back capable of recording at quite respectable resolutions as well as a 2MP front facing camera for video calls.  On this translated page, the only connectivity seems to be a microUSB port, but there is is mention of  MHL which can provide HDMI out, or you might be able to use the infrared transmitter to send your pictures and movies to another device.  Charging can be done wirelessly via Qi in theory, though that did not work so well during the demonstration.  You can follow the various links for a bit more detail but until a reviewer can get a Galaxy S4 in hand to benchmark it and perhaps tear it apart we don't know exactly how this phone will fare against the competition.

"Samsung Galaxy S4 will be available from the second quarter globally including the US market, partnering with telecom carriers such as AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, as well as US Cellular and Cricket, Samsung said. In Europe, Samsung Galaxy S4 is partnering with global mobile operators such as Deutsche Telecom, EE, H3G, Orange, Telenor, Telia Sonera, Telefonica, and Vodafone."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• Stealing cars and ringing doorbells with radio @ Hack a Day
• Enabling an unused touchscreen overlay on a consumer LCD @ Hack a Day
• HOT SWEATY RACKS blamed for Outlook.com, Hotmail MELTDOWN @ The Register
• Roxio Game Capture HD Pro @ LanOC Reviews
• Google Reader Alternatives for Android & iOS @ Techgage
• Jabra And NikKTech Joint Giveaway

Podcast #242 - AMD's new Richland APUs, Steam Box Prototypes, Seagate Hybrid Drives and more!

Subject: General Tech | March 14, 2013 - 03:36 PM | Ken Addison
Tagged: Strider, steambox, steam, sshd, Silverstone, Seagate, Richland, quadro 6000, quadro, podcast, hybrid, APU, amd

PC Perspective Podcast #242 - 03/14/2013

Join us this week as we discuss AMD's new Richland APUs, Steam Box Prototypes, Seagate Hybrid Drives and more!

You can subscribe to us through iTunes and you can still access it directly through the RSS page HERE.

The URL for the podcast is: http://pcper.com/podcast - Share with your friends!

• iTunes - Subscribe to the podcast directly through the iTunes Store
• RSS - Subscribe through your regular RSS reader
• MP3 - Direct download link to the MP3 file

Hosts: Ryan Shrout, Jeremy Hellstrom, Josh Walrath and Allyn Malventano

This Podcast is brought to you by MSI!

Program length: 0:59:45

Podcast topics of discussion:

1. Week in Reviews:
   1. 0:01:30 Silverstone Strider Power supply
   2. 0:03:00 Richland Unveiled: AMD releases new A10-5750M
2. 0:14:33 This Podcast is brought to you by MSI!
3. News items of interest:
   1. 0:15:35 Steam Box Prototypes in the next few months
   2. 0:24:00 NVIDIA allegedly part Quadro 6000 GK110 card
   3. 0:25:30 Seagate SSHD Lineup
   4. 0:30:00 WebM now official with Google and support from MPEG LA
   5. 0:33:40 GF Actually Shipping 28 nm Product!
4. Closing:
   1. 0:42:40 Hardware / Software Pick of the Week
      1. Ryan: Tranquil PC Intel NUC case
      2. Josh: Cheap and Pretty!
      3. Allyn: Automatic
      4. Morry: Edimax 150mbps wireless nano USB adapter

1. 1-888-38-PCPER or podcast@pcper.com
2. http://pcper.com/podcast
3. http://twitter.com/ryanshrout and http://twitter.com/pcper
4. Closing/outro

Be sure to subscribe to the PC Perspective YouTube channel!!

Crysis returns to its abusive roots

Subject: General Tech | March 14, 2013 - 01:57 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: gaming, Crysis 3

While the actual content of the game might not live up to the original the hardware requirements certainly do, [H]ard|OCP reports that "no single-GPU video card tested today able to play it at the highest in-game settings at 2560x1600".  For those gaming at a mere 1080p you will be able to max out settings on AMD or NVIDIA's top single GPU cards.  It is not just about the resolution, this iteration of CryEngine features four different anti-aliasing technologies to choose from, each with their own benefits and costs.  Check out [H]'s review to see the screenshots of the various settings as well as estimating the kind of performance your system can achieve.

"We have a full-look at Crysis 3 with the new patch that just released. We take it through its paces on eight GPU configurations. We find out what's playable, how it performs apples-to-apples. We look at all the AA modes compared in performance and image quality, and we find out if this game is a step forward for PC gaming, or a step backward."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Gaming

• Shadowrun Returns Alpha Footage @ Rock, Paper, SHOTGUN
• Starcraft II Heart of The Swarm Launch Event @ Bjorn3D
• SimCity Is Inherently Broken, Let’s Not Let This Go @ Rock, Paper, SHOTGUN
• Tomb Raider Tested, Benchmarked @ Techspot
• Hitman: Absolution Benchmarked with AMD EyeFinity at 5760 x 1080 @ Tweaktown
• Mass Effect 3 Citadel: The Journey’s End @ Techgage
• Tomb Raider Benchmarked with AMD EyeFinity at 5760 x 1080 @ Tweaktown
• Tomb Raider @ Kitguru
• Finally, A BioShock Infinite Trailer! @ Rock, Paper, SHOTGUN
• Tomb Raider Xbox 360 @ Tweaktown
• Humble Bundle with Android 5 Review @ OCC
• 5 of The Best Free-to-Play Games Available on Android @ eTeknix

The thirteenth labour of Hercules; save OCZ

Subject: General Tech | March 14, 2013 - 01:37 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: ocz, Hercules Technology Growth Capital

OCZ has just received $30 million and a new credit line from Hercules Technology Growth Capital, separating their future from Wells Fargo who have been displaying a distinct lack of faith in OCZ.  The April 8th deadline for OCZ to file reports on their last two quarters still stands and Hercules has tied that submission into the loans being offered by requiring up to date SEC filings from OCZ.  Hercules has a warrant to purchase 688,073 OCZ shares at $2.18 a piece which is $0.08 more than market worth and demonstrates that Hercules has some faith in OCZ's ability to remain viable.  Check out the full terms and conditions at The Register.

"Obtaining this new credit facility is the first step in providing OCZ with a complete capital structure going forward. This capital will be used to strengthen the business, fund future growth, and support emerging enterprise opportunities."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• AMD explains Radeon HD numbering scheme @ The Inquirer
• TSMC to tape out Apple A7 processor in March, say sources @ DigiTimes
• Samsung's Exynos Octa chip has a PowerVR SGX544 GPU @ The Inquirer
• Disk drive kingpin WD whips out wallet for upstart Skyera @ The Register
• The problem with Windows convertible tablets @ The Tech Report
• How to Optimize a MySQL Server @ Hardware Secrets
• Unigine Heaven 4.0 Benchmark Tool Walk Through @ OCC
• Twitter Global Weekly Giveaway - Corsair Hydro Series H90 and H110 CPU Liquid Coolers @ Tweaktown

WebM Survived MPEG LA, Nokia Right Back Down

Subject: General Tech | March 13, 2013 - 09:21 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: webM, MPEG LA, h.264

Apparently it is very difficult to make a free and clear video codec. Nothing says promote the advancement of science and the useful arts like having almost every industry player, big or small, scared to promote innovation because of patent holding firms and their lawyers.

Well Google, current owner of the VP8 codec, has just finished their long drawn-out conflict with MPEG LA. Google will be allowed access to all the patents which are essential to VP8 from the licensing firm and sub-license as they please. Everyone benefited from the deal.

And then... Nokia.

According to FOSS Patents, the day after the MPEG LA – Google deal to support VPx, Nokia sued HTC with VP8-based terms as a part of their suit. While this lawsuit is just ironically coincidental, Nokia is not a member of MPEG LA and thus could be the first of many others who have patent claims against Google's video decoder.

And now they know Google is willing to settle. Well I guess this fight is not over yet.

Deals for March 13th - Dell Inspiron 15R (5521) 15.6" Core i5 Laptop for $499

Subject: General Tech | March 13, 2013 - 01:02 PM | PCPer Staff
Tagged: deals

Top deal

Dell Inspiron 15R (5521) 15.6" Core i5 Laptop for $499.99 with Free Shipping (normally $688.99 - use coupon code HCV9LCWDGXR7WZ).

Laptops

15.6" Dell Inspiron 15R Special Edition Core i7 + 1080p + Radeon HD 7730M Laptop for $699.99 with free shipping (normally $1,000 - use coupon code ZB4W4PS0B8CH4B).

17.3" Toshiba Qosmio X870-BT3G23 Core i7 Quad-core Gaming Laptop w/8GB RAM, 750GB Hard Drive, 3GB GeForce GTX 670M, Backlit Keyboard & 1080p LCD for $1,099.99 with free shipping (normally $1,599.99).

Desktop

Dell Vostro 470 Core i7 Quad-Core Desktop w/Windows 7 Pro & Radeon HD 7570 for $649.99 with free shipping (normally $899.99 - use coupon code W9D06J14FX10WM).

Components

Refurb Linksys EA2700 App-Enabled Wireless-N600 Dual-Band Gigabit Router for $37.99 with free shipping (normally $100 - use coupon code HSDISH5).

Tablets

10.1" Dell Latitude ST 64GB Windows 7 Tablet (Refurbished) for $309.99 with free shipping (normally $450).

HDTV and Theater

Klipsch QUINTET 5.0 Speaker System for $373.19 with free shipping (normally $549).

LG 65LM6200 65" 3D 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV for $2,079.00 with free shipping (normally $3,000).

LG 47LM6700 47" 1080p 120Hz 3D LED HDTV for $865.00 with free shipping (normally $1,600).

Gadgets

Activator RX-9 Infrasonic Home-Security Alarm for $19.99 with free shipping (normally $100).

iFrogz Transport EarBuds with Mic (Green) for $15.99 with free shipping (normally $34.99).

Lenovo still might have a taste for Blackberrys

Subject: General Tech | March 12, 2013 - 02:05 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: blackberry, Lenovo, rumour, purchase

As we have heard before there are rumours that Lenovo is interested in possibly buying Blackberry, or at least trying.  The hurdle they face is not economic, not only do they have 2 billion in cash lying around looking for something useful to do they managed to make some impressive profits in the PC business at a time where their competitors were feeling the downturn in the economy.  The hurdle will be regulatory, as mentioned before the Canadian Government is leery of trend for major Canadian companies to sell themselves to foreign investors.  On the other hand, would the government be willing to watch a company go down the path Nortel was forced to travel, with the entire company and IP being sold piecemeal?  It is hard to predict, especially since this is still at the rumour stage, but from the information The Register published it would seem that the rumours were enough to float Blackberry's stock up by 10%.

"Shares in BlackBerry, the company formerly known as both RIM and a world leader in smartphone shipments, jumped up ten per cent on Monday after Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing said that a buyout "could possibly make sense."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• Intel may obtain 10% of Apple A7 processor orders, say institutional investors @ DigiTimes
• Microsoft Flash FLIP-FLOP: it's now IE10 default for Win8, WinRT @ The Register
• 'Wireless charging' in Galaxy S4 will betray Samsung's best pal @ The Register
• ASUS RT-N66U Dual-Band Gigabit Wireless-N Router Review @ Hi Tech Legion
• Samsung DV150F Review @ TechReviewSource

Deals for March 12th - Seagate Barracuda 2TB SATA 6Gb/s Hard Drive for $94

Subject: General Tech | March 12, 2013 - 11:47 AM | PCPer Staff
Tagged: deals

Top deal

Seagate Barracuda 2TB SATA 6Gb/s Hard Drive for $94.99 (normally $120).

Laptops

15.6" Dell Inspiron 15 (3521) Core i5 Ivy Bridge Dual-core Laptop w/4GB RAM, 500GB Hard Drive for $479.99 with free shipping (normally $649.99).

17.3" Toshiba Qosmio X870-BT3G23 Core i7 Quad-core Gaming Laptop w/8GB RAM, 750GB Hard Drive, 3GB GeForce GTX 670M, Backlit Keyboard & 1080p LCD for $1,099.99 with free shipping (normally $1,599.99).

Components

2TB WD My Passport USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive for $124.99 with free shipping (normally $149.99 - use coupon code DIG5).

Linksys E2500 Simultaneous Dual-Band Wireless-N Router (Refurbished) w/90-day warranty for $33.24 with free shipping (normally $59.99 - use coupon code HSDISH5).

Office

Alera Neratoli Mid-Back Slim Profile Chair for $176.89 with free shipping (normally $449).

Mayline Eastwinds Argo Mobile Metal Computer Desk for $96.01 with free shipping (normally $192).

Gadgets

Uniden UDW155 Wireless Security Surveillance System w/rechargeable 3.5" color LCD & two outdoor cameras for $119.99 with free shipping (normally $249).

Miikey Wireless Rhythm Bluetooth Headphones (4 color options) for $79.99 with free shipping (normally $149).

iFrogz Transport EarBuds with Mic (Green) for $15.99 with free shipping (normally $34.99).

Serious sattelites and sub from AlienVibes; featuring Full Wood!

Subject: General Tech | March 11, 2013 - 07:15 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: audio, AlienVibes W401, portable speakers, subwoofer

If you are shopping for 2.1 desktop speakers that offer better sound than the cheap plastic ones for sale everywhere you might want to check out LANOC's latest review.  They took a look at the AlienVibes W401 speaker set, with a pair of satellite speakers each with a pair of 3" speakers and a 1" tweeter as well along with a serious looking sub-woofer that has a pair of 4" speakers and volume, bass and treble dials front and centre on the box.  They claim full wood construction and from the quality of sound LANOC described AlienVibes constructed the housings properly.  Want more good news?  They should retail for less than $90 which makes them less expensive than many audio headsets which simply cannot deliver the quality of bass a good sub can.

"Being a headphone guy myself, when Wes told me I was being shipped some speakers, my first instinct was either a portable speaker set for laptops or mobile listening, or maybe a small set of speakers for a desktop setup. To my surprise AlienVibes sent out one of their W401 model speakers. This is part of a new larger line of speakers that AlienVibes recently released. The W401 is a full size desk speaker setup with subwoofer. After clearing off some room around my desk it’s time we take a look and see what these guys are capable of."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Audio Corner

• Wavemaster Mobi Mobile Speaker @ Hardware.info
• M-Audio BX5 D2 70-Watt Bi-Amplified Studio Monitors Review @ ModSynergy
• Apple iPod Nano review: generation lost @ Hardware.info
• Sonos Playbar @ Hardware.info
• ASUS Vulcan Pro Gaming Headset Review @ Hi Tech Legion
• Jabra REVO Wireless Headset Review @ NikKTech
• RHA MA350 In-ears @ techPowerUp
• Mad Catz F.R.E.Q.7 Surround Sound Gaming Headset Review @ NikKTech
• AZiO Levatron GH808 USB Gaming Headset Review @ OCC
• Thermaltake eSPORTS SHOCK One Gaming Headset @ Bjorn3D

Know someone who uses Kaspersky Internet Security that is having trouble today?

Subject: General Tech | March 11, 2013 - 02:27 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Kaspersky Labs, patch

It would seem that a single specially malformed IPv6 packet is enough to completely lock up a PC protected by several versions of Kaspersky Internet Security.  There is currently a private patch available for machines suffering from this issue and there will be an official patch pushed out in the very near future.  According to The Register this flaw was originally reported to Kaspersky in January but as they had not released a patch the original discoverer of the flaw has gone public, which was obviously what it took to get them to fix the issue.  If you run into problematic PCs over the next few days you might want to check for Kaspersky Labs software before you really get into troubleshooting.

"After receiving feedback from the researcher, Kaspersky Lab quickly fixed the error. A private patch is currently available on demand and an autopatch will soon be released to fix the problem automatically on every computer protected by Kaspersky Internet Security 2013."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• Engineers Build "Self-Healing" Chips Capable of Repairing Themselves @ Slashdot
• Here's the $4.99 utility that might just have saved Windows 8 @ The Register
• Intro to Embedded Linux Part 1: Defining Android vs. Embedded Linux @ Linux.com
• DIY Lighting Solutions @ Hack a Day
• ROFIS JR30 Rotating Head CREE R5 1xAA LED Flashlight Review @ ModSynergy

Would you touch a Green Cherry?

Subject: General Tech | March 8, 2013 - 02:29 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: cherry mx green, mechanical keyboard, model m, coolermaster, CM Storm Trigger

The Tech Report got their hands on a keyboard using a new type of Cherry MX switch, the CM Storm Trigger.  This is a keyboard for the heavy handed, both the force required to actuate a key and the bottom out is significantly higher than any other Cherry switch as well as the venerable IBM Model M, especially the larger sized keys.  That might be well received by those who find other keyboards to be spongy, or gamers who want the feel of a buckling spring on a better looking keyboard than the old IBM one.  Check out the review to hear the keyboard in action.

"Cooler Master has released a keyboard based on a little-known mechanical key switch: the Cherry MX greens. We've compared this offering to an IBM Model M and another keyboard based on Cherry's more popular blue switches."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• ROCCAT Kone XTD & Kone Pure Gaming Mice Review @ Neoseeker
• Truly Ergonomic Computer Keyboard Review: One Month with the TECK @ AnandTech
• Roccat Isku FX Gaming Keyboard @ Kitguru
• Razer Ouroboros Gaming Mouse @ Metku.net
• EpicGear Meduza Mouse & HybridPad Mousepad @XSReviews
• ROCCAT's Kone XTD and Kone Pure Gaming Mice @ AnandTech
• ROCCAT Kone XTD 8200DPI Wired Gaming Mouse Review @ Legit Reviews
• Revisiting the CM Storm Trigger Mechanical Gaming Keyboard @ OCC

That old hat again? Intel and Apple living together ...

Subject: General Tech | March 8, 2013 - 01:27 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: apple, Intel, rumour, running gag

Once again the old rumour has resurfaced and discussions of what will happen to the market if Apple chooses Intel to manufacture their mobile chips.  As we heard at the end of last year, Intel might be willing to fab ARM processors for iPhones if Apple is willing to move to x86 processors for other larger mobile products.  Today via The Register we heard more about the possibility of the two companies working together, though no real confirmation has yet been made.  This move makes sense for Intel who are not making revenue from the mobile market and even more sense for Apple who are in the midst of suing their current chip provider Samsung in multiple cases across the planet.

"Rumors are again swirling that Apple and Intel are in discussions about Chipzilla baking the chips Cupertino uses to power its iDevices.

"A source close to one of the companies says Intel and Apple executives have discussed the issue in the past year but no agreement has been reached," Reuters reported on Thursday."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• AMD looks to HSA Foundation to avoid AMD64 mistakes @ The Inquirer
• Real multifunction “Sonic Screwdriver” @ Hack a Day
• BGA rework station @ Hack a Day
• Mmmm, TOE jam: Trev shoves Intel's NICs in his bonkers test lab @ The Register

Steam Box Prototypes Will Reach Developers Within The Next Four Months

Subject: General Tech | March 8, 2013 - 05:26 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: valve, Steam Box, steam, pc gaming, gaming, console, big picture mode

In talking with the BBC, Valve CEO Gabe Newell revealed several details regarding the company’s upcoming Steam Box gaming PC. The console competitor will go up against Sony’s PlayStation 4 (PS4) and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 successor. So far we know that the Steam Box will utilize Valve’s Steam distribution service and its Big Picture Mode user interface. Valve will be manufacturing its own reference design, but third parties will also be allowed to construct Steam Boxes that will tap into Valve’s gaming library. Xi3 in particular looks to be at least one of the likely Steam Box partners to produce hardware.

Newell indicated that Valve would be sending prototype devices to customers within “the next three to four months.” The designs are not yet finalized, however, as evidenced by Newell’s statement that the prototypes would be used to gather feedback, and Valve is still working on balancing heat, noise, and performance.

“We're working with partners trying to nail down how fast we can make it.” - Gabe Newell in an interview with BBC before receiving an award for Portal 2.

Further, Valve has not yet determined exactly what it wants the controller to be. It will reportedly be shipping several different prototype controllers along with the Steam Box PCs. One area that Newell is particularly interesting in is in gathering bio-metric data -- such as heart rate -- and using that data to change the game experience for the gamer. This would be one area that Valve could focus on and have an advantage over other consoles. As a fully-fledged PC, the Steam Box could tap into existing bio-metrics technology and easily have the horsepower to effectively parse the bio-feedback. I can only think of a few situations in which such data would be useful (horror games, party/dancing/exercise games), but I do see it as being at least as beneficial as the Kinect was/is to the Xbox.

With that said, we still do not know much about the Steam Box. Much like the PS4, we still do not know what the actual hardware will look like (though we have at least been shown the PS4 controller). Pricing is also one of the major unknowns, and BBC reporter Leo Kelion quoted an industry analyst Lewis Ward (IDC) as noting that Valve will likely not be able to subsidize the hardware nearly as much as the other major console players (Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo) are able to. The Steam Box is inevitably going to be priced more in like with PCs than with consoles, as a result. On the other hand, gamers that buy a Steam Box can look forward to getting games that are much cheaper than the console equivalents. Give Steam Box gamers a couple of Steam holiday sales and they will easily make up the price difference!

What do you expect the Steam Box to be, and will it finally take PC gaming to the masses?

Podcast #241 - Sony VAIO TAP 20, ioSafe N2 NAS, new Z77 motherboards and more!

Subject: General Tech | March 7, 2013 - 04:00 PM | Ken Addison
Tagged: podcast, sony, tap20, vaio, iosafe, n2, synology, NAS, Z77, dragon, msi, pata, apacer, seasonic, thermaltake, urban

PC Perspective Podcast #241 - 03/07/2013

Join us this week as we discuss the Sony VAIO TAP 20, ioSafe N2 NAS, new Z77 motherboards and more!

You can subscribe to us through iTunes and you can still access it directly through the RSS page HERE.

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Hosts: Ryan Shrout, Jeremy Hellstrom, Josh Walrath and Allyn Malventano

This Podcast is brought to you by MSI!

Program length: 1:04:57

Podcast topics of discussion:

1. 0:01:25 We did a Tomb Raider stream
2. Week in Reviews:
   1. 0:04:00 Seasonic Platinum Series 460 watt fanless PSU
   2. 0:07:10 Sony VAIO Tap 20 Touchscreen AIO
   3. 0:13:20 ioSafe N2 Performance, Disaster-proof NAS
3. 0:22:2 00 This Podcast is brought to you by MSI!
4. News items of interest:
   1. 0:24:25 ASUS PadFone Infinity from MWC
   2. 0:27:10 Apacer Launches New PATA SSDs
   3. 0:32:00 Seagate will cease 7200 RPM mobile HDDs this year
   4. 0:34:50 Thermaltake launches Urban S21 case
   5. 0:38:55 Double your HDD density with HGST
   6. 0:43:00 MSI has new gaming series of MB coming out, based on Z77
   7. 0:49:30 NVIDIA refreshes Quadro with Kepler GPUs
5. Closing:
   1. 0:53:00 Hardware / Software Pick of the Week
      1. Ryan: AMD Mini-PC with A8-4555M
      2. Jeremy: When EyeFinity won't work this might save you
      3. Josh: Good board for cheeeap
      4. Allyn: Chrome beta shows which tabs are playing audio
      5. Morry: XPXS RX360 & old but still kicking

1. 1-888-38-PCPER or podcast@pcper.com
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4. Closing/outro

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