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?