A second tale of doom and gloom for the PC market

Subject: General Tech | April 15, 2013 - 02:53 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: fud, sales

Last week we saw a report describing the downturn in PC sales and it has been repeated today in a report from Gartner.  With a global decline of sales this quarter totalling over 10% compared to the first quarter of 2012 the trend of falling PC sales continues for the fourth quarter in a row.  It seems that tablets and smartphones are making headway into the market and many people who would have purchased an inexpensive TV for surfing and other light-duty tasks are satisfied with a smaller mobile device.  In the US the decline was a hair under 10% and only Apple and Lenovo showed any growth.  Get the full global breakdown at DigiTimes.

"Worldwide PC shipments totaled 79.2 million units in the first quarter of 2013, a 11.2% decline from the first quarter of 2012, according to Gartner. Global PC shipments went below 80 million units for the first time since the second quarter of 2009. All regions showed a decrease in shipments, with the EMEA region experiencing the steepest decline."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• Increase the range of your wireless network @ Hardware.info
• Microsoft Windows 8 and Metro UI: The (d)evolution of the world's most popular OS @ Tweaktown
• Server Update April 2013: Positioning the HP Moonshot 1500 @ AnandTech
• CASIO Edifice EF-558D-1AVEF Review @ NikKTech
• Rosewill RSL-113 Solar Infrared LED Lights @ Benchmark Reviews
• Antec a.m.p Joint Giveaway @ NikKTech

Deal for April 15 - VIZIO E552VLE 55" 1080p 120Hz WiFi LCD HDTV @ $650

Subject: General Tech | April 15, 2013 - 02:26 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: deals

Looking for a new TV, but not a 72" monster?  Want 120MHz for smooth performance when hooked up to a PC plus support for 3D movies?  How about a 55" 1080p TV for $650 plus free shipping which can access the internet for streaming video!  The VIZIO E552VLE 55" 1080p 120Hz WiFi LCD HDTV is on sale right now.

Dell is offering the VIZIO E552VLE 55" 1080p HDTV for $649.99 with FREE shipping.

Specs:

• 1080p Resolution
• 100,000:1 contrast ratio
• 6.5ms response time
• 120Hz Refresh Rate
• Vizio Internet Apps (VUDU, Netflix, Hulu Plus, Pandora, Facebook, Twitter)
• 4 HDMI, 2 USB, Composite, VGA ports
• ECO HD exceeds the current ENERGY STAR Guidelines

PowerCloud Systems Kickstarting New Skydog Router With Intuitive Management Software

Subject: Networking | April 15, 2013 - 02:28 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: skydog, gigabit router, 5GHz wifi

A new piece of networking hardware from PowerCloud Systems recently emerged on popular crowd-funding site Kickstarter. Aimed at consumers, the Skydog router is paired with a web interface and mobile application that makes managing your home network extremely accessible.

The Skydog router hardware itself has already passed regulatory certifications, and the super early bird backers will each get one of 250 pre-production units. The router features five Gigabit Ethernet ports (one port is for the WAN), a USB port, and a dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi radio. The Wi-Fi radio can operate on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands simultaneously, and has a maximum rated throughput of 300Mbps per band. The router chassis measures 17 x 11 x 2.5cm and includes a number of blue indicator LEDs on the top-front edge. The USB port is not currently supported, but is there for future feature updates.

Where Skydog differentiates itself from the crowd is in the software. After connecting the router to your modem and computers, you can log into the web interface. It will prompt you for either a Google or Skydog account, and then will reportedly automatically configure itself. The software supports Quality of Service (QoS) features that will allow you to prioritize certain traffic and/or to give bandwidth priority to certain users. The web interface will show you network statistics, connected devices, device signal strength, track and notify users of network issues (for example, the internet going down) via the Skydog mobile app, and track and restrict the websites users visit. Further, the administrator can set up schedules on a per-user basis. The schedules can restrict usage by approved time slices and by bandwidth limits. It will notify users when they are approaching the allotted time or bandwidth limit via the mobile app. Real time notifications include ISP connection issues, guests requesting access to the network, and the above-mentioned bandwidth limit notifications.

According to the Kickstarter FAQ, the Skydog Home Network (which consists of the router and management software) will cost approximately $149 for three years or $199 for five years without a monthly fee.  The wording suggests that a model with a lower hardware cost but monthly charge might also be available. The cloud service is a bit worrisome, and I'm not sure if I like the idea of essentially renting the router via monthly or yearly fees. This router is not going to be for everyone, but it does have some useful and inventive features for families. This would be a router that I could see the various ISPs offering up as a rental device and that I might set up for my friends or relatives with kids so that they could easily manage the network and restrict the kids access to certain times of the day and age appropriate sites.

With 29 days left in the Kickstarter, the project has 543 backers, and $51,905 pledged of the 75,000 goal. It certainly looks like it is going to be funded, and I hope that the Kickstarter leads to a successful retail product launch.

A New Gigabyte WindForce 450W GPU Cooler May Be Coming to a GTX 680 and Titan Near You

Subject: Graphics Cards | April 14, 2013 - 07:59 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: windforce, nvidia, gtx titan, gtx 680, gpu cooler, gigabyte

Earlier this week, PC component manufacturer Gigabyte showed off its new graphics card cooler at its New Idea Tech Tour even in Berlin, Germany. The new triple slot cooler is built for this generation's highest-end graphics cards. It is capable of cooling cards with up to 450W TDPs while keeping the cards cooler and quiter than reference heatsinks.

The Gigabyte WindForce 450W cooler is a triple slot design that combines a large heatsink with three 80mm fans. The heatsink features two aluminum fin arrays connected to the GPU block by three 10mm copper heatpipes. Gigabyte stated during the card's reveal that its cooler keeps a NVIDIA GTX 680 graphics card 2°C cooler and 23.3 dB quiter during a Furmark benchmark run. Further, the cooler will allow these high end cards, like the GTX Titan to achieve higher (stable) boost clocks.

ComputerBase.de was on hand at Gigabyte's event in Berlin to snap shots of the upcoming GPU cooler.

The company has not announced which graphics cards will use the new cooler or when it will be available, but A Gigabyte GTX 680 and a custom cooled-Titan seem to be likely candidates considering these cards were mentioned in the examples given in the presentation. Note that NVIDIA has prohibited AIB partners from putting custom coolers on the Titan thus far, but other rumored Titan graphics cards with custom coolers seem to suggest that the company will allow custom-cooled Titans to be sold at retail at some point. In addition to using it for the top-end NVIDIA cards, I think a GTX 670  or GTX 660 Ti GPU using this cooler would also be great, as it would likely be one of the quieter running options available (because you could spin the three 80mm fans much slower than the single reference fan and still get the same temps).

What do you think about Gigabyte's new 450W GPU cooler? You can find more photos over at Computer Base (computerbase.de).

AMD Never Settles: Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon Bundled

Subject: Editorial, General Tech, Graphics Cards | April 14, 2013 - 02:22 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: never settle, never settle reloaded, amd, far cry 3

So when AMD reloaded their Never Settle bundles, they left an extra round in the barrel.

Some of my favorite games were given to me in a bundle with some piece of computer hardware. You might remember from the PC Perspective game night that I am a major fan of the Unreal Tournament franchise. My first Unreal Tournament game was an unexpected surprise when I purchased my first standalone GPU. My 166MHz Pentium computer also came bundled with Mechwarrior 2 and Wipeout.

As we discussed, AMD considers bundle-offers as a way to keep the software industry rolling forward. The quantity and quality of games which participate in the recent Never Settle bundles certainly deserve credit as it is due. Bioshock: Infinite is a game that just about every PC gamer needs to experience, and there are about a half-dozen other great titles as a part of the promotion depending upon which card or cards you purchase.

As it turns out, AMD negotiated with Ubisoft and added Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon to their Never Settle bundle. The coolest part is that AMD will retroactively email codes for this new title to anyone who has redeemed a Never Settle: Reloaded code.

So if you have ever Reloaded your Never Settle in the past, check your email as apparently you can Never Settle your reloads again.

PowerColor Launches Revised Factory Overclocked Radeon HD 7790 OC V2 Graphics Card

Subject: Graphics Cards | April 13, 2013 - 10:07 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: radeon hd7790, powercolor, GCN, amd, 7790

PowerColor launched a new factory overclocked graphics card recently that is a revision of a previous model. The PowerColor HD7790 OC V2 is based on AMD’s Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture and measures a mere 180 x 150 x 38mm.

The AMD Radeon HD 7790 GPU features 896 stream processors, 56 texture units, and 80 ROP units. The GPU is clocked at 1000 MHz base and 1030 MHz boost while the 1GB of GDDR5 memory is clocked at the 6Gbps reference speed. PowerColor has fitted the overclocked card with an aluminum heatsink cooled by a single 8mm copper heatpipe and 70mm fan.

The new card features two DL-DVI, one HDMI, and one DisplayPort video outputs. Its model number is AX7790-1GBD5-DHV2/OC. According to Guru3D, the new/revised card is priced at 120 pounds sterling. However, considering the currently available OC (non-V2) card is $150, the revised card is likely to come in around that price when it hits US retailers.

Also: If you have not already, read our latest Frame Rating article to see how the Radeon HD 7790 graphics card stacks up against the competition!

Sauce Labs: Integration into modern.IE

Subject: General Tech, Mobile | April 13, 2013 - 03:16 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: w3c, Sauce Labs, modern.IE, IE

The main benefit of open Web Standards is that it allows for a stable and secure platform for any developer to target just about any platform. Still, due to the laws of No Pain: No Gain, those developers need to consider how their application responds on just about every platform. Internet Explorer was once the outlier, and now they are one of the most prominent evangelists. It has been barely two months since we reported on the launch of modern.IE for Microsoft to integrate existing solutions into their product.

Enter Sauce Labs. The San Francisco-based company made a name for themselves by providing testing environments for developers on a spread of browsers across Android, iOS, Linux, MacOSX, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows XP. The company, along with competitor BrowserStack, got recent recognition from Adobe when the software company shut down their own also-competing product.

When we first covered modern.IE back in February (again, here), the initiative from Microsoft was created to help test web apps across multiple versions of Internet Explorer and check for typical incompatibilities. With the addition of Sauce Labs, Microsoft hopes to provide better testing infrastructure as well as automatic recommendations for common issues encountered when trying to develop for both "modern" and legacy versions of their web browser.

In my position, this perfectly highlights the problems with believing you are better than open architectures. At some point, your platform will no longer be able to compete on inertia. Society really does not want to rely on a single entity for anything. It is almost a guarantee that a standard, agreed-upon by several industry members, will end up succeeding in the end. Had Microsoft initially supported the W3C, they would not have experienced even a fraction of the troubles they currently face. They struggle in their attempts to comply with standards and, more importantly, push developers to optimize for their implementation.

There are very good reasons to explain why we do not use AOL keywords anymore. Hopefully the collective Microsoft keeps this grief in mind, particularly the Xbox and Windows RT teams and their divisions.

After the break: the press release.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Smartphone Is Coming

Subject: Mobile | April 12, 2013 - 05:27 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: smartphone, Samsung, jelly bean, galaxy s4, exynos octa, android 4.2.2

Samsung recently launched its new flagship Galaxy S4 smartphone, and users will be able to pre-order it from several US carriers later this month.

AT&T customers will be able to pre-order the 16GB Galaxy S4 for $199.99 and 32GB model for $249.99 beginning April 16. Those prices are contingent on a two-year contract. US Cellular will also be carrying the new flagship smartphone, but has not announced how much it will cost. Customers can register to be notified when it becomes available, however. T-Mobile is also going to offer the Samsung Galaxy S4, but customers will need to pay full price. According to UK mobile site Phones Review, T-Mobile will offer the smartphone on its new no-contract plans for $99 plus a $20 per month fee until it is paid off starting May 1. Regrettably, there is no word on when (or whether) a Verizon or Sprint-comparable model will show up.

Of course, the Samsung Galaxy S4 offers up the following specifications. On the outside, the phone features a 5” Super AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 and Gorilla Glass 3 protection. A 2MP webcam and 12MP auto-focus camera with LED flash are also included. The internals of the phone are also impressive, with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 SoC, 2GB of RAM, and up to 64GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD cards). The 2,600 mAh battery seems a bit weak compared to the one in the Galaxy Mega 6.3, but space constraints likely limited the battery size despite the beefier processor and higher-resolution display. Sensors and I/O include accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, compass, barometer, temperature, humidity, and gesture. Wireless radios include a cellular modem (4G LTE, 3G HSDPA), A-GPS+GLONASS, dual band 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, NFC, and Bluetooth 4.0. The Qualcomm 600 SoC consists of a quad core Krait 300 processor clocked at 1.9GHz and an Adreno 320 GPU.

Note that the US version does not use the higher-performance Samsung Exynos 5 Octa SoC. For reference, the international model's SoC has the following features:

The Exynos 5 Octa consists of a PowerVR SGX 544MP3 GPU and both a quad core Cortex A15 clocked at 1.6GHz and a 1.2GHz Cortex A7 processor with four cores. The two ARM processors are configured in big.LITTLE configuration, so technically it is still a quad core phone--but the lower-power Cortex A7 cores will be used for background tasks and/or to save power while shutting down the Cortex A15 cores when CPU load allows.

The Galaxy S4 will come in White Frost or Black Mist colors. It is an impressive phone and one that I’m considering for my next upgrade pending good reviews. Another good consequence of the S4 launching is price reductions for the Galaxy S3, which may be an option if you don’t have impending upgrade pricing and can’t justify paying the approximate $600 full price of the S4--but still want a new Android phone.

Cooler Master's super-sized Storm Stryker case

Subject: Cases and Cooling | April 12, 2013 - 02:53 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: cooler master, Storm Stryker, XL-ATX

If you need a case with space consider this member of the Storm family, the CM Storm Stryker XL-ATX case.  At 250x605x578mm (9.8x23.8x22.8") it will not fit under every desk but will hold a significant amount of hardware, you can fit up to 13 drives depending on the configuration of the HDD cages and it sports 9 add-in card slots on the back.  With fans on both the top and the bottom of the case, you could easily attach a radiator to the case or make do with great airflow if you do not desire to watercool.  Modders Inc was not only impressed by the brilliant white finish, they could not find a single bad thing to say about this case.

"The modular hard drive case setup was a great bonus to find when diving further into the case. These features, plus the fan controller, cable grip holder, and all the included fans that provide a constant flow of cooling air through the case really makes the CM Storm Stryker a well desired case."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

• CM Storm Scout II Advanced Case Review @ Hi Tech Legion
• Cougar Spike Case Review @ Hardware Secrets
• Cooler Master Storm Scout 2 Advanced Review @ Hardware Canucks
• CaseLabs Merlin SM8 Full-Tower Customizable Chassis @ Tweaktown
• Fractal Design Define R2 XL Chassis @ eTeknix
• Cougar Challenger Midi Tower Review @ NikKTech
• In Win G7 Case Review @ Hardware Secrets
• Cooler Master Centurion 6 @ techPowerUp
• Antec GX700 Case @ Kitguru
• NZXT Phantom 630 @ Hardware.info

  ---

• NZXT Kraken X60 280mm AIO CPU Cooler @ Tweaktown
• NZXT Kraken X40 140mm AIO CPU Cooler @ Tweaktown
• Corsair Hydro Series H110 @ techPowerUp
• Cooler Master Seidon 120 XL Watercooler Review @ Ninjalane
• Cooler Master Seidon 240M Liquid CPU Cooler @ eTeknix

  ---

• Aerocool Shark 120mm Evil Black Edition Orange LED Fan @ eTeknix
• Noctua NF-S12A FLX, ULN and PWM Case Fan @ eTeknix
• Noctua 140mm/150mm Case Fan Roundup Review @ OCC
• SilverStone NT06-PRO CPU Cooler Review @ Hardware Secrets
• Evercool Venti (HPQ 12025) CPU Cooler @ eTeknix
• SilverStone Nitrogon NT06-PRO C-Style CPU Cooler @ Tweaktown
• Thermalright AXP-100 CPU Cooler Review @ Hardware Secrets

Deal for April 12th - HP Pavilion p7-1520t Core i5 Quad-core System @ $435

Subject: General Tech | April 12, 2013 - 02:25 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: deals

Today's deal is $115 off the HP Pavilion p7-1520t, a full system comprised of a Core i5-3330 @ 3GHz, 6GB DDR3-1333MHz, a 1TB drive and a DVD burner; they even toss in a mouse and keyboard.  You can't expect a gaming powerhouse for under $500 but if a family member or friend is looking for a new machine to watch cat videos on, or if they are running a small business out of their house this is a good choice and a great deal.

HP Pavilion p7-1520t Core i5 Quad-core Desktop

1. Start here at HP Home direct store, click Customize button
2. Click View Summary button at the top, add to cart
3. Apply coupon code 15LOGICBUY during checkout

Base HP p7-1520t deal: $549.99 - $100 off - $15 coupon code = $434.99 + $9.99 shipping.

100W over USB

Subject: General Tech | April 12, 2013 - 01:20 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: usb. power over USB, Intel

A new type of USB cable is being demonstrated in Beijing, capable of delivering up to 100W of power over USB 2.0 or 3.0.  In the demonstration below, the Dell provides both video and power to the monitor when it is plugged in, when on battery it immediately shuts off the monitor.  Even better these cords are bidirectional and are able to sense which device requires power and which is the source of the power so you won't have to manually configure them.  The Inquirer does point out a major hurdle to overcome, if one singular USB cord able to recharge the battery of any laptop, many laptop makers will see that as taking away one of their revenue streams; their proprietary power bricks and expensive replacement parts.

"BEIJING: THE USB IMPLEMENTERS FORUM (USB-IF) is showing off a prototype USB cable system at the Technology Showcase at IDF Beijing that can deliver up to 100W of power."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• Cupertino funk @ The Tech Report
• PC shipments post the steepest decline ever in a single quarter, says IDC @ DigiTimes
• Intel demos inexpensive 100Gb/sec silicon photonics chip @ The Register
• Can Console Gaming Save AMD From Collapse? @ Benchmark Reviews
• HGST straps Intel Thunderbolt onto uber-pricey drives, docks @ The Register
• Hacking the Oculus Rift: the Oculight @ Hack a Day
• Microsoft Telling Users To Uninstall Bad Patch @ Slashdot
• Samsung Galaxy S4 set to ship with Wolfson audio chip @ The Inquirer
• Netgear WNDR3700v4 N600 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router Review @ Legit Reviews
• Ninjalane Podcast - 3D Printing and Borderlands 2 Ultimate Vault Hunter
• 4 Days Left to Win a PC Specialist Gaming System @ eTeknix

WeVideo Launches Free Video Editor for Android Devices

Subject: Mobile | April 12, 2013 - 12:58 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: wevideo, video editor, Android

An online video editing company called WeVideo recently added an Android app to its services. The new WeVideo Android application allows users to capture, edit, and share videos taken by a number of Android 4.2 smartphones and tablets.

Video that has been captured by your phone can be edited, trimmed, stylized, saved to the phone, and published to Youtube, Vimeo, and the company’s own WeVideo site. The video editor also syncs with the WeVideo browser editor and will allow you to capture video on your phone and then edit it on other computers in the online editor. Once published, the app also gives you the option to post a link to Facebook and Twitter that leads to the video.

You can select multiple clips and arrange them on a timeline. The clips can be trimmed and volume can be adjusted. Once on the timeline, you can apply automated styles that include background music, transitions, filters, titles, and effects.

According to WeVideo, the Android video editor is compatible with the following devices:

• Samsung Galaxy S4 (upcoming phone)
• HTC One (upcoming phone)
• Samsung Galaxy S III
• Samsung Galaxy Note
• Samsung Galaxy Note II
• Google Nexus
• Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX HD
• HTC Droid DN
• Sony Xperia S
• Sony Xperia Z

The app is a free download from the Google Play store (which recently got a facelift).

You can grab it here.

Overall, it seems to have good reviews, but it does have its share of 1-star reviews as well (as pretty much every app does heh). If you have been looking for an Android-equivalent to iMovie this might be a good option -- especially since it’s free.

SECO Introduces mITX GPU Devkit for CUDA Programmers

Subject: General Tech | April 12, 2013 - 02:08 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: SECO, nvidia, mini ITX, kepler, kayla, GTC 13, GTC, CUDA, arm

Last month, NVIDIA revealed its Kayla development platform that combines a quad core Tegra System on a Chip (SoC) with a NVIDIA Kepler GPU. Kayla will out later this year, but that has not stopped other board makers from putting together their own solutions. One such solution that began shipping earlier this week is the mITX GPU Devkit from SECO.

The new mITX GPU Devkit is a hardware platform for developers to program CUDA applications for mobile devices, desktops, workstations, and HPC servers. It combines a NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, 2GB of RAM, and 4GB of internal storage (eMMC) on a Qseven module with a Mini-ITX form factor motherboard. Developers can then plug their own CUDA-capable graphics card into the single PCI-E 2.0 x16 slot (which actually runs at x4 speeds). Additional storage can be added via an internal SATA connection, and cameras can be hooked up using the CIC headers.

Rear IO on the mITX GPU Devkit includes:

• 1 x Gigabit Ethernet
• 3 x USB
• 1 x OTG port
• 1 x HDMI
• 1 x Display Port
• 3 x Analog audio
• 2 x Serial
• 1 x SD card slot

The SECO platform is a proving to be popular for GPGPU in the server space, especially with systems like Pedraforca. The intention of using these types of platforms in servers is to save power by using a low power ARM chip for inter-node communication and basic tasks while the real computing is done solely on the graphics cards. With Intel’s upcoming Haswell-based Xeon chips getting down to 13W TPDs though, systems like this are going to be more difficult to justify. SECO is mostly positioning this platform as a development board, however. One use in that respect is to begin optimizing GPU-accelerated code for mobile devices. With future Tegra chips to get CUDA-compatible graphics cards, new software development and optimization of existing GPGPU code for smartphones and tablet will be increasingly important.

Either way, the SECO mITX GPU Devkit is available now for 349 EUR or approximately $360 (in both cases, before any taxes).

Samsung Launches Two New Galaxy Mega Smartphones

Subject: Mobile | April 11, 2013 - 11:09 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: smartphone, Samsung, galaxy mega, galaxy, android 4.2

Samsung recently officially unveiled its new line of Galaxy Mega smartphones. The new phones (there are currently two on tap) run Android 4.2 and feature relatively gigantic screen sizes. As rumors suggested, and likely in order to keep costs down, the Galaxy Mega phones come without a stylus (like the Note series). Also, the displays are lower resolution than the flagship Galaxy S 4’s 1080p display.

The Galaxy Mega 6.3 and Galaxy Mega 5.8. The Galaxy Mega 6.3 measures 167.6 x 88 x 8mm and weighs 199 grams. On the outside, the smartphone features a black glossy finish, a 6.3” 720p display, an 1.9MP front-facing camera above the display, and an 8MP rear camera. The phone is powered by a 1.7GHz dual core ARM SoC, 1.5GB of RAM, and either 8GB or 16GB of internal storage (which can be expanded via microSD cards). Further, it has a 3,200 mAh battery.

The Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3

The Galaxy Mega 6.3 includes accelerometer, Geomagnetic, Poximity, and Gyroscopic sensors. It is compatible with LTE 100/50Mbps, and HSPA+ 21/5.76 networks. A Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (supporting Wi-Fi Direct), Bluetooth 4.0, and GPS/GLONASS, and NFC radios round out the smartphone’s wireless connectivity options. The phone also features USB 2.0 and MHL support for getting an HDMI output via a powered adapter.

The Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 drops down in physical size and weight to 162.6 x 82.4 x 9mm and 182 grams respectively. The phone also drops MHL, NFC, and 802.11ac support. The Galaxy Mega 5.8 has a white glossy finish surrounding a 5.8” TFT touchscreen display with a resolution of 960 x 540 pixels. A 1.9MP camera serves video calling duties while the rear of the phone hosts an 8MP camera for taking higher-quality stills and video.

The smaller (but still huge) Galaxy Mega 5.8

Internal hardware includes a dual core ARM processor clocked at 1.4GHz, 1.5GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, and a 2,600 mAh battery. Wireless connectivity includes a cellular modem compatible with HSPA+ 21/5.76 networks, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and GPS+GLONASS. There is no 16GB SKU, but storage space can be expanded via microSD cards.

Samsung has not released pricing information, but the two new Galaxy Mega phones will be available globally. Europe and Russia will be the first countries to get the new smartphone, which will be in May. From there, the phones will gradually roll out to other markets. Users can expect the hardware to cost less than both the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 2 as the Mega has lower-cost hardware despite the physically larger display. If you just want a large display without paying for the extra horsepower of other flagship smartphones, the Mega series should be a decent option. I would estimate AT&T will sell them for around the $150 mark on contract when they do make a US appearance.

More information along with photos of the new mega-sized Galaxy Mega phones can be found here.

Intel Announces New Atom SoCs for Low Power Server, Networking, and Storage Hardware

Subject: Processors | April 11, 2013 - 08:45 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: s12x9, Intel, idf, atom

In addition to Intel's announcement of new Xeon processors, the company is launching three new Atom-series processors for servers later this year. The new processor lineups include the Intel Atom S12x9 family for storage applications, Rangeley processors for networking gear, and Avoton SoCs for low-power micro-servers.

The Intel Atom S12x9 family takes the existing S1200 processors and makes a few tweaks to optimize the SoCs for storage servers and other storage appliances. For reference, the Intel Atom S1200 series of processors feature sub-9W TDPs, 1MB of cache, and two physical CPU cores clocked at up to 2GHz. However, Intel did not list the individual S12x9 SKUs or specifications, so it is unknown if they will also be clocked at up to 2GHz. The new Atom S12x9 processors will feature 40 PCI-E 2.0 lanes (26 Root Port and 16 Non-Transparent Bridge) to provide ample bandwidth between I/O and processor. The SoCs also feature hardware RAID acceleration, Native Dual-Casting, and Asynchronous DRAM Self-Refresh. Native Dual-Casting allows data to be read from one source and written to two memory locations simultaneously while Asynchronous DRAM Self-Refresh protects data during a power failure.

The new chips are available now to customers and will be available in OEM systems later this year. Vendors that plan to release systems with the S12x9 processors include Accusys, MacroSAN, Qnap, and Qsan.

Intel is also introducing a new series of processors --- codenamed Rangeley -- is intended to power future networking gear. The 22nm Atom SoC is slated to be available sometime in the second half of this year (2H'13). Intel is positioning the Rangeley processors at entry-level to mid-range routers, switches, and security appliances.

While S12x9 and Rangeley are targeted at specific tasks, the company is also releasing a general purpose Atom processor codenamed Avoton. The Avoton SoCs are aimed at low power micro-servers, and is Intel's answer to ARM chips in the server room. Avoton is Intel's second generation 64-bit Atom processor series. It uses the company's Silvermont architecture on a 22nm process. The major update with Avoton is the inclusion of an Ethernet controller built into the processor itself. According to Intel, building networking into the processor instead of as a chip on a separate add-on board results in "significant improvements in performance per watt." These chips are currently being sampled to partners, and should be available in Avoton-powered servers later this year (2H'13).

This year is certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for Atom processors. I'm excited to see how the battle unfolds between the ARM and Atom-based solutions in the data center.

Deal for April 11th - HP ENVY dv6t-7300 15.6" Quad Edition @ $600

Subject: General Tech | April 11, 2013 - 03:49 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: deals

Today's deal is a fairly powerful HP laptop, the ENVY dv6t-7300 which has a Core i7-3630QM Processor @ 2.4GHz, 8GB DDR3 and a 5400RPM 750GB HDD.  If you are willing to pay a bit more you can get a full 1080p screen instead of the usual 1366 x 768 and a GT635M for a grand total of $825. 

To get cheapest ENVY dv6t-7300 Quad Edition laptop, follow these steps to use $50 coupon code:

1. Start here at HP Home direct store
2. Click Customize button
Note: free upgrades if any are applied automatically
3. Click View Summary button at the top, Add to cart
4. Apply coupon code: MU1743 during checkout

This deal: $799.99 - $150 off - $50 coupon code = $599.99 with $9.99 shipping.

OR

To get ENVY dv6t-7300 Quad Edition laptop with 1080p LCD and 2GB GeForce GT 635M Graphics, use $50 coupon code, follow these steps:

1. Start here at HP Home direct store
2. Select Customize button
3. Select NVIDIA GeForce GT 635M Graphics with 2GB of dedicated video memory +$75
4. Select 15.6-inch diagonal Full HD Anti-glare LED-backlit Display (1920 x 1080) +$150
5. Click View Summary, Add to cart
6. Apply coupon code: MU1743 during checkout

Big Flashy news from Samsung

Subject: General Tech | April 11, 2013 - 02:38 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: tlc, Samsung, flash memory, 10nm

A process shrink to 10nm wasn't enough for Samsung, they also doubled the density of their MLC flash storage to 128Gbits at a physical size of 170.6mm².  They claim write speeds of up to 18MB/sec and 400Mbit/s bandwidth through their toggle interface.  Even better news for consumers is that this should be even cheaper than current MLC flash which will help continue to drive the price of SSDs down.  Samsung didn't tell The Inquirer when we can expect to see these in devices but it should not be too long from now that we are doing longevity testing on this new Flash.

"MEMORY MAKER Samsung has announced that it is producing 128Gbit 3-bit multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash chips for solid-state disk (SSD) drives"

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• SSH an ill-managed mess says SSH author Tatu Ylonen @ The Register
• 10 Hot New Linux-Ready Embedded ARM Modules @ Linux.com
• Microsoft: Here's some cash, channel. PLEASE sell Office 365 @ The Register
• TRENDnet AC1750 Dual Band Wireless Router (TEW-812DRU) Review @ Madshrimps
• ACTi D32 review: 3MP outdoor IP security camera @ Hardware.info
• Win a speedy Plextor M5 Pro Xtreme 256GB SSD @ Tweaktown
• Win a Cyberpower X7-100 Fangbook @ Kitguru

Podcast #246 - ASUS P8Z77-I Deluxe Mini-ITX motherboard, more Frame Rating, DirectX 12 and more!

Subject: General Tech | April 11, 2013 - 01:26 PM | Ken Addison
Tagged: video, xeon, thunderbolt, roccat, quadro, premiere, podcast, opencl, nerdytec, Ivy Bridge-E, haswell, frame rating, firepro, falcon ridge, DirectX 12, couchmaster, ASUS P8Z77-I Deluxe, amd

PC Perspective Podcast #246- 04/11/2013

Join us this week as we discuss the ASUS P8Z77-I Deluxe Mini-ITX motherboard, more Frame Rating, DirectX 12 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: 1:01:46

1. Winner last week? Mike McLaughlin!! Congrats!
2. 0:02:40 Win the Roccat Kone+ Gaming Mouse
3. Week in Review:
   1. 0:04:50 ASUS P8Z77-I Deluxe Mini-ITX Motherboard
   2. 0:11:00 Frame Rating: GTX 660, HD 7870, HD 7790, GTX 650 Ti BOOST
4. 0:24:00 NerdyTec COUCHMASTER
5. News items of interest:
   1. 0:27:25 AMD and Adobe show OpenCL Support for Premiere
   2. 0:29:37 Haswell has USB 3.0 issues
   3. 0:32:45 The end of DirectX...?
   4. 0:37:30 Falcon Ridge Thunderbolt 20 Gbps shown
   5. 0:42:00 Intel talks upcoming Haswell and Ivy Bridge-E Xeon
6. 0:47:00 Hardware/Software Picks of the Week:
   1. Ryan: Bioshock Infinite
   2. Jeremy: I can't believe they did it but yes, you can play it
   3. Josh: Almost 1 TB...
   4. Allyn: Ultra Brush dust remover
7. 1-888-38-PCPER or podcast@pcper.com
8. http://pcper.com/podcast
9. http://twitter.com/ryanshrout and http://twitter.com/pcper
10. Closing/outro