General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article

Zotac Unveils The Palm-Sized ZBox nano HTPC

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 01:07 PM PDT

Looking to get your movie watching on? Turn to Zotac. The company might not be at HP's level in terms of sales, but when it comes to HTPCs, few companies deliver better small form factor results. The company's ZBox line has been a go-to brand for video streaming enthusiasts, and now, there's a new Zotac ZBox available that ditches Intel and AMD in favor of a VIA processor.

The Zotac ZBOX nano VD01 Series – which Zotac says can fit in the palm of your hand – actually sports two VIA processors: both the 1.2 GHz dual-core Nano X2 U4025 CPU and the VX900H media system processor join this HTPC party. There's also an open DDR3 DIMM slot and space for a hard drive on the basic model; opting for the "Plus" rig fills those with 2GB of DDR3 RAM and a 320GB hard drive. Connectivity options abound, including Wi-Fi, two USB 3.0 slots, 2 USB 2.0 slots, an infrared media remote, outbound HDMI and DisplayPort ports, eSATA, a multicard reader and gigabit Ethernet. About the only thing missing is a digital optical port.

Zotac says the HTPC can "deliver silky-smooth playback of popular high-definition video formats, including Blu-ray, MPEG2, H.264, VC-1 and streaming Internet video." There are pages for each model up on the Zotac website, but both those and the company's press release lacks any pricing or release date information.

Samsung, Micron And Others Form Hybrid Memory Cube Consortium To Promote Faster, Better DRAM

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 12:34 PM PDT

Consortium. No, it's not a sequel to Syndicate, it's what Samsung, Micron Technology and a handful of other companies formed yesterday in order to design and promote specifications for the brand-spankin' new Hybrid Memory Cube memory technology making the rounds. The innovatively named Hybrid Memory Cube Consortium says the technology can one-up traditional DDR3 DRAM in multiple areas – and the consortium wants to see to it that it happens.

HMC uses high-speed logic processes and consists on a logic layer with several DRAM dies stacked atop it to create cube-like stacks of memory that can supposedly deliver "15 times the performance of a DDR3 module" while simultaneously "utilizing 70% less energy per bit than DDR3 DRAM," according to the group's website. Micron teamed up with Intel to create the technology, which was shown off at the Intel Developer Forum last month. Bryan Casper explained why Intel helped out with the process over at the Research@Intel blog.

Interestingly enough, Intel isn't an inaugural member of the Hybrid Memory Cube Consortium; Altera, Open-Silicon Inc. and Xilinx Inc. join Samsung and Micron among the initial companies in the group.

"HMC brings a new level of capability to memory that provides exponential performance and efficiency gains that will redefine the future of memory," Micron VP Robert Fuerle said in the Consortium's press release. "Guidance by the industry consortium will help drive the fastest possible adoption of the technology, resulting in what we believe will be radical improvements to computing systems."

Cool Site of the Week: Minus

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 12:13 PM PDT

minusWhen it comes to cloud storage, consumers have a lot of options to choose from. For many people, Dropbox is their go-to service. Others prefer SkyDrive, Amazon Cloud Drive or Sugarsync. They're all great ways to go, with each one offering it's own particular perks and quirks. While it might be one of the newest kids on the file storage and sharing block, Minus has enough going for it that we felt it worthy of being our Cool Site of the Week.

Offering 10GB of free storage and emphasizing simplicity, Minus is a file sharing and storage system that focuses on ease of use. Thanks to its no nonsense drag and drop interface, uploading files from your PC to your Minus account couldn't be easier. Just grab the file you want, and drop it into Minus. The same trick even works with whole groups of files, which once uploaded to Minus can be viewed as a collection or individually. What's more, sharing your files through Minus couldn't be easier.

With options to share via URL, email, Twitter or Facebook, Minus has you covered coming and going. There's no doubt that Minus' elegant blend of minimalism and robust sharing/storage capabilities make it a go-to service that you'll rely upon for years to come.

Be sure to check in every Friday for another edition of Maximum PC's Cool Site of the Week.

 

 

Google Teams With Dogfish Head To Create Globe-Trotting "URKontinent" Beer

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 11:32 AM PDT

It's a pseudo-holiday weekend here in the United States – by that, we mean kids and government employees get the day off, but pretty much everyone else still has to work – and for many folks, that means taking off the tie, sitting down, and cracking open a cold one. Why not let your inner geek shine through even in times of relaxation? No, Linux lovers, we're not talking about compiling your own ale (it would take too long to enjoy today), we talking about URKontinent, a new beer offered by Dogfish Head – and codeveloped by Google. Is there anything Google won't dabble in?

According to Dogfish Head's website, "URKontinent is brewed in the style of a Belgian Dubbel" and it sounds like it offers a global smorgasbord of flavor. The brew includes German, Belgian, Australian, South American, African, European, and North American ingredients; everything from Wattleseed to toasted Amaranth and Californian honey grown from Google's beehives makes the mix (Psssst – that's where URKontinent gets its name).  This ain't no wussy light beer, either; URKontinent clocks in at a relatively room-spinning 8.1 percent ABV.

The two groups collaborated cross-country thanks, in part, to the group video chat function known as Hangout that's available in the Google+ social media service.

Unfortunately, while URKontinent is inspired by ingredients around the world, it certainly isn't available globally. You probably won't even be able to get your lips on a glass if you don't live in Deleware. The brew's only available on tap at Dogfish Head's very own pub, and its only there until (roughly) the 27th of this month. Watch the awesome YouTube video above to get the entire story, thencheck out the URKontinent page at Dogfish's website.

Thanks to The Register for pointing this out!

Android App of the Week - SanDisk Memory Zone

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 11:17 AM PDT

Managing your phone's storage can be one of the toughest chores for an Android power user. With the amount of media content we go through these days, a few extra pictures or videos can be the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. What gets even more complex is managing the various storage mediums that are available to an Android device. Local storage, a microSD card, and cloud services all have limited storage space that need maintenance from time to time.

   

SanDisk is no stranger to the storage world, but smart phone apps are something of a new venture for the company. SanDisk Memory Zone for Android lets you monitor local storage, as well as cloud based storage services such as DropBox and Picasa. Sandisk Memory Zone will display storage use by file type, making it easy to track down a specific file type as the culprit of your storage woes.

   

No one-trick pony, SanDisk Memory Zone also allows you to back up your local files to DropBox manually or on a schedule. This can be especially handy for business users wanting to keep their documents in a safe place.

SanDisk Memory Zone is currently in beta, but is available as a free download from the Android Market.

Win Tickets To The Sold Out GeForce LAN!

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 10:58 AM PDT

The GeForce LAN is back, and it's better than ever. This year, 48-hour LANstravaganza is going to be held on October 14th through 16th, on an aircraft carrier just outside of San Francisco, CA. Did we just say on an aircraft carrier? We did.

A general admission ticket lets you check out the event and play some Battlefield 3, but won't get you into the BYOC (bring your own computer) section, where the real gaming happens. Unfortunately, those tickets are sold out.

Except for you, Maximum PC readers--you've got a chance to win BYOC tickets to the event, totally free. Our friends over at Digital Storm are going to be running a DiRT 3 racing simulator competition at the LAN, and they've slipped us two sets of two tickets to give away. If you live in the Bay Area (or would be willing to make a last-minute road trip) and want to win the chance to attend a kick-ass gaming event with a friend, read on! 

We're giving one set of tickets away on our Facebook page, and one set away right here. If you want, you can enter both drawings! To enter the Facebook giveaway, go to our Facebook page and respond to our post about the giveaway. To enter here, just hit the comments below, and tell us about your favorite LAN experience, or about the one game you'd play the most if you went to the GeForce LAN. We'll draw winners on Monday, October 10th. Full contest rules below.

-----

 

Rules

MaximumPC contest rules: Anyone who comments on this post at MaximumPC.com or on the corresponding post on our Facebook page will be entered to win the tickets described in this post--one entry accepted on each site. Prizes will be awarded by random drawing. Submissions will be accepted until Monday the 10th of October at 04:00 PM PST. By entering this contest, you agree that Future US, Inc. may use your name, likeness, website, and submission for promotional purposes without further payment. Employees of Sponsor, its respective parent, subsidiaries, affiliated companies, and agents, and foregoing employees¹ household or immediate family members (defined as parent, spouse, child, sibling, or grandparent) are NOT eligible to enter Contest. All prizes will be awarded, and no minimum number of entries is required. Prizes won by minors will be awarded to their parents or legal guardians. Future US, Inc. is not responsible for damages or expenses the winners might incur as a result of this contest or the receipt of a prize, and winners are responsible for income taxes based on the value of the prize received. A list of winners may also be obtained by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope toFuture US, Inc. c/o MaximumPC Contest, 4000 Shoreline Court, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080. This contest is limited to residents of the United States. No purchase necessary; void in Arizona, Maryland, Vermont, Puerto Rico, and where prohibited by law.

 

 

Intel Discontinues Core i5 661, i3 530, and Several LGA 775 Processors

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 08:51 AM PDT

Every so often you have to clean out your closet and make room for new digs. That's exactly what Intel is doing. The Santa Clara chip maker issued Product Discontinuance notices for several processors, including two LGA 1156 processors, the Core i5 661 (3.33GHz) and Core i3 530 (2.93GHz). Intel's notice affects both boxed and OEM CPUs.

There's no need to hit the panic button if you've had your eye on either of these chips for any reason. Intel will continue taking orders for both Clarksdale parts up until April 27, 2012. Shipments for retail box versions will continue while supplies last, and OEM chips will ship until October 5, 2012.

Several LGA 775 processors are also being slowly scrapped, including the Pentium E5700, Celeron E3500, and Celeron E3400. Intel will accept orders for all three up until December 30, 2011, and stop shipments by June 8, 2012 or while supplies last.

Oracle to Pay Nearly $200 Million to Settle False Claims Lawsuit

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 08:29 AM PDT

Oracle has agreed to cut a check for $199.5 million plus interest to the U.S. General Services Administration for "failing to meet contractual obligations," the U.S. Justice Department announced. For the GSA, this will be the largest False Claims Act settlement it has ever received to date, a record Oracle undoubtedly wishes it wasn't a part of.

According to the DoJ, Oracle entered into a contract in 1998 to sell software licenses and technical support to government agencies though GSA's Multiple Award Schedule. In order to be awarded such a contract, contractors must disclose commercial pricing policies and practices, and of course live up to the contract's terms.

The DoJ says "Oracle knowingly failed to meet its contractual obligations to provide GSA with current, accurate, and complete information about it commercial sales practices, including discounts offered to other custoemrs, and that Oracle knowingly made false statements to GSA about its sales practices and discounts." What it boils down to is Oracle giving its commercial customers bigger discounts than what the GSA received.

"To get access to hundreds of government purchasers, companies participating in the Multiple Award Schedule program must disclose their best prices," said Neil H. MacBride, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. "Today's agreement shows that we are committed to protecting taxpayer money by ensuring that these companies live up to their end of the bargain."

Former Oracle employee Paul Fascella will receive $40 million of the settlement money, or about 20 percent. Why? Whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act allow private citizens to bring lawsuits on behalf of the U.S. and share in any recovery obtained, the DoJ explains.

Forget the iPad, What People Really Want is a Windows Tablet

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 07:51 AM PDT

Take a look around and it's easy to come to the conclusion that Apple's iPad is what the masses want. After all, nobody's standing in line overnight to purchase a PlayBook. Next on the list is Android, though only if the price is right (and Amazon's Kindle Fire is priced right). Where does Windows fit in with all this? Maybe much higher than you think.

AllThingsD dug up some interesting stats and surveys that paint a picture of Windows lust on the tablet form factor. Boston Consulting Group (BCG), for example, recently conducted a survey and found that 42 percent of Americans want a Windows tablet, compared to 27 percent for iOS, 20 percent for Android, 9 percent for BlackBerry, and 3 percent for webOS.

"The interest rises to 53 percent of the market when non-users of tablets are factored into the equation," BCG said.

BCG isn't the only one reporting a preference for Windows. Forrester Research conducted a survey earlier in the year and found that 46 percent want Windows on their tablet, compared to 16 percent who want iOS and 9 percent pining away for Android.

If these numbers are accurate, it means there's a huge opportunity for Microsoft to swoop in and dominate a landscape that currently belongs to Apple.

What's your OS of choice on the tablet form factor?

Judge Rips Rambus for Shredding Documents in Nvidia Case

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 07:15 AM PDT

Rambus found itself on the hot seat when a judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Court drilled into the company for destroying documents that could have weakened its patent infringement case against Nvidia. Rambus admitted to shredding documents, but chalked it up to business as usual. Furthermore, an attorney for Rambus said they provided all the documents that were requested of them. That's when Judge Kathleen O'Malley, one of three presiding over the case, tore into Rambus.

"You admit you have no idea what was destroyed! You have no record of what was destroyed!," the judge said, according to Reuters. Later on during the trial, the judge again referenced the document dump and took a swipe at Rambus' motives in doing so.

"Remember, you saved the ones that helped you and destroyed the ones that hurt you," the judge said.

This has been an ongoing dispute between Rambus and Nvidia, as well as several other companies Rambus has accused of patent infringement. The U.S. International Trade Commission ruled in 2010 that Nvidia was guilty of infringing three patents belonging to Rambus, but that was before anyone knew about Rambus destroying documents. That little nugget came out in separate cases involving Micron and Hynix, both of which were sent back to lower courts for further consideration.
Posted by Shri Krishna

Total Pageviews

statcounter

View My Stats