General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article

Holiday 2011: Tech Preview

Posted: 05 Mar 2012 04:27 PM PST

In the PDF archive of the Holiday 2011 issue you can find:

  • The 2012 Tech Preview
  • How To Try Windows 8 For Free
  • 10 Antivirus Packages Reviewed
  • Build It: The Battlefield 3 PC
  • Head-to-Head: Spotify vs Rdio
  • Ask the Doctor
  • Best of the Best
  • Eight innovative notebook concepts
  • And a whole lot more!

Click the cover image on the right to download the PDF archive today!

Fujitsu Reveals Lifebook Premium Ultrabook at CeBIT

Posted: 05 Mar 2012 03:40 PM PST

Japanese vendor Fujitsu has shown no urgency whatsoever in joining the ultrabook fray. In fact, it remained mum on its ultrabook plans until it published its product roadmap for 2012 last month. The roadmap lists two ultrabook models, both scheduled for May. We now have a few details about one of its upcoming ultrabooks.

The company used its opening press conference at CeBIT 2012 in Hanover, Germany to tease those in attendance with a dummy of one of its upcoming ultrabooks. Called the Lifebook Premium at this point, the said ultrabook is aimed at enterprise users.

This enterprise-centric ultra-thin and-light laptop weighs just 3.3 lbs and is 16mm thick. Further, the device sports a 14-inch edge-to-edge display. The top bezel has enough room for a webcam, though. If the dummy unit displayed by Fujitsu is anything to go by, the Lifebook Premium will have a couple of USB 3.0 ports, one USB 2.0 port, an Ethernet connector, SD card slot, HDMI, one headphone jack and a Kensington Security Slot. It's also known to have a 4G LTE modem besides run-of-the-mill connectivity options like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

While the ultrabook will have an Ivy Bridge processor, the exact specs are not known as yet. Fujitsu is expected to divulge more details on Tuesday.

Image Credit: Notebook Italia

December 2011: Tackling the Tablet Conundrum

Posted: 05 Mar 2012 03:29 PM PST

In the PDF archive of the December 2011 issue you can find:

  • Find the Right Tablet For You
  • Build a Hybrid HTPC/Gaming Rig
  • 4 Steps To A Malware Free PC
  • Easy-to-use PCs reviewed
  • Head-to-Head: Google+ vs Facebook
  • Ask the Doctor
  • Best of the Best
  • The Biggest Graphics Card EVER
  • And a whole lot more!

Click the cover image on the right to download the PDF archive today!

Eurocom Neptune 3D Review

Posted: 05 Mar 2012 12:21 PM PST

We reviewed Eurocom's top-of-the-line mobile workstation, the Panther 2.0, in our June 2011 issue. That high-end behemoth weighed more than 15 pounds and cost upward of $5,000, but it sported a desktop Core i7-980X CPU and a pair of Radeon HD 6970s in CrossFire. This time around we're taking a look at the company's lighter-weight mobile workstation, the Neptune 3D.

While also billed as a high-end desktop-replacement, the Neptune 3D is far more modest than its beefy big brother. It's based on a mobile Sandy Bridge CPU (Intel's Core i7-2760QM) and a single mobile GPU (Nvidia's GeForce GTX 580M). The Neptune 3D weighs less than nine pounds, but its defining feature is its 17.3-inch, 120Hz, 3D display.

Eurocom bundles one pair of Nvidia's 3D Vision active-shutter LCD glasses with the machine, and the emitter is built into the chassis. The 1920x1080 LED-backlit panel is strikingly bright, no doubt to compensate for the darkening the glasses cause. After we turned it down a bit to evaluate the screen's quality, we saw that it produced crisp text and still images, as well as impressively dark blacks. The display was equally impressive in motion, with no visible blurring or ghosting. The matte finish did a great job of reducing ambient glare. If you dig 3D, you'll enjoy the 3D experience the Neptune delivers; if you're not sold on 3D, nothing about this notebook will change your mind. 

Storage comes in the form of a 250GB Intel SSD, supplemented by a 750GB mechanical hard drive. The machine is also outfitted with an optical drive that can burn Blu-ray media at 6x speed and DVDs at 8x. The chiclet-style keys are comfortable and responsive. Lap weight and a two-hour battery life are well within standard range for high-end gaming notebooks. 

Aside from the 3D feature, the Neptune 3D's all-around performance is the epitome of standard. It trounced our aging zero-point machine, but that's exactly what we expect from a system running Sandy Bridge hardware. As a gaming laptop, the Neptune 3D is equally sufficient. The GeForce GTX 580 handled all but the most demanding games with relative ease, and the system delivered benchmark numbers on par with a similarly clocked Sandy Bridge desktop machine. 

The main issue here is cost. With a price tag just shy of $3,500, we expect a bit more bang for our buck. The 3D video is nice, but it's not enough to justify the Neptune 3D's gaudy price tag. Eurocom should have overclocked the CPU for even better all-around performance, or dropped a second GPU under the hood for faster gaming. 

Still, if you're looking for a well-constructed desktop replacement with a sharp display, 3D capability, and strong all-around performance, the Eurocom Neptune 3D won't disappoint. But if you're looking to raise the bar on high-performance mobile gaming, look elsewhere; the Neptune 3D is remarkably unremarkable.

 

Valve Rumored To Be Working On "Steam Box" PC Console

Posted: 05 Mar 2012 10:54 AM PST

The raging battle of words between PC gamers and console gamers has never quite reached PC vs. Mac levels of animosity, but it's come close. Could those angry days be coming to an end? Probably not, but if anybody could convince the two camps to pick up their virtual arms in unison and start singing "Kumbaya," it's Valve -- and rumors floating around say that Valve is developing a console-esque box designed to let gamers get their Steam on in the living room.

The so-called "Steam Box" even has some specs attached to it: a Core i7 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GPU. TheVerge (who broke the news) also points out that Valve filed for a patent on a gaming controller with swappable components in 2011, although the publication says that several USB-powered peripherals would also be compatible with the Steam Box. Biometric feedback is also rumored to be involved in some way. As far as software goes, the Steam Box is reported to be able to run any PC title and even competitor services like EA's Origin.

Rather than building Steam Boxes on its own, Valve is said to be developing a Steam Box spec and allowing hardware suitors to build Boxes themselves. (Kinda like *shudder* the 3DO?) TheVerge reports that an early version was shown to potential  behind closed doors at CES, and Valve could officially unveil the Steam Box at the GDC or E3 gaming conventions.

Sound crazy? Remember that Gabe Newell said "Well, if we have to sell hardware we will," just a few weeks back -- although he quickly followed it up with "It's definitely not the first thought that crosses our mind; we'd rather hardware people that are good at manufacturing and distributing hardware do that." While that may be taken as a denial, the wording fits into the rumored spec-based multiple-manufacturer plans for the Steam Box.

What do you think: is the Steam Box the next hip thing or just next year's contender for best vaporware? Would you be interested in hooking up a PC gaming console to your flatscreen? How much would you pay?

Anonymous Supporters Duped Into Downloading Zeus Trojan

Posted: 05 Mar 2012 10:24 AM PST

What better way to start the work week than with a delicious slice of irony pie? The hacktivist group known as Anonymous spent the past year harassing websites and web users alike with a series of high profile attacks. Authorities responded by arresting Anons around the world, but new information shows that police weren't the only ones spanking Anonymous.  Symantec says that an enterprising bot herder modified a link to one of Anon's voluntary DDoS tools to point to a file infected with the Zeus Trojan instead.

The link switcher altered the URL in a widespread Anon PasteBin guide on January 20th -- the day of Anonymous' self-proclaimed "biggest attack ever," in which they took down a host of government and industry websites in response to Megaupload's shuttering. The guide originally pointed to the Slowloris DoS tool. The modified guide pointed to the Zeus Trojan. Symantec reports the PasteBin guide with the malicious link was viewed over 26,000 times and tweeted by the YourAnonNews account and 400 others.

After being installed, the Zeus app downloads the Slowloris tool and actually participates in Anon's DDoS attacks in order to avoid being detected. Of course, while Slowloris is busy blasting websites, the Zeus app is busy sending cookies and financial login information to its master server.

"Not only will supporters be breaking the law by participating in DoS attacks on Anonymous hacktivism targets, but may also be at risk of having their online banking and email credentials stolen," Symantec says in conclusion. Anon supporters must be damning that silly so-called Golden Rule right about now.

Software SNAFU Delays "Several Million" Tax Refunds, IRS Says

Posted: 05 Mar 2012 07:20 AM PST

Assuming you don't owe Uncle Sam a cent and are looking forward to getting a chunk of change back in the form of a tax refund, you may have found yourself window shopping for what you'll buy. A new PC, perhaps, or maybe a long overdue upgrade, such as a new videocard. If that's the case, hopefully you're holding out for Ivy Bridge (Intel) and/or Keplar (Nvidia), because there's a chance your tax refund could be delayed.

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service is experiencing problems with its new software for processing tax returns, leaving many taxpayers understandably miffed, Reuters reports. Software glitches have reared their ugly heads as the IRS prepares to transition to a new platform.

"There were probably several million taxpayers whose returns we took longer to process," IRS spokesman Frank Keith told Reuters.

The tax return system upgrade will run about $1.3 billion through 2024 and is supposed to modernize the whole e-file process. As it currently stands, the IRS estimates that those who file their taxes by April 15 will get direct-deposit refunds 7-13 days later, or up 17 days for mailed refunds.

In reality, some are taking a little bit longer. Reuters spoke with a tax preparer in Delhi, Louisiana who said that 85 percent of the 220 e-file returns she filed this year were subject to delayed refunds, most often 7-10 days past the anticipated refund date.

Image Credit: Beartoons.com

Intel Rolls Out Atom D2550 Cedar Trail Processor with Faster Graphics, Hyperthreading

Posted: 05 Mar 2012 06:46 AM PST

First unveiled a couple of weeks ago, Intel has officially added a new processor to its Atom line without a formal introduction. It's the Atom D2550, essentially a supercharged D2500 with a faster graphics core and Hyperthreading support, or you can view it as a slower-clocked D2700, which also features a faster graphics core than the D2500 and supports Hyperthreading. Let's break all three down.

The Atom D2500 is a dual-core processor clocked at 1.86GHz. It has 1MB of cache and integrated graphics clocked at 400MHz. Hyperthreading is not supported, limiting the number of threads to same number of cores (two).

Up on top is the D2700, another dual-core Atom processor built around Cedar Trail. It too has 1MB of cache, but it boasts a 2.13GHz clockspeed, a 640MHz graphics core, and supports Hyperthreading.

Sitting in between the two is the new Atom D2550. It's clocked at 1.86GHz, same as the D2500, and sports integrated graphics clocked at 640MHz, same as the D2700. There's also support for Hyperthreading like the D2700, and 1MB of cache, a feature all three processors share.

Intel hasn't revealed a price for the D2500, but as a point of reference, the D2700 carries an MSRP of $52.

Patriot Lights Two New Wildfire Brand SSDs with SandForce

Posted: 05 Mar 2012 06:21 AM PST

The selection of SandForce-driven solid state drives (SSDs) you have to choose from just got a little bit bigger today with the introduction of Patriot Memory's new Wildfire Pro and Wildfire SE drives. Both new additions come equipped with a SATA 6Gbps interface and SandForce SF-2281 chipset, a potent combination built for speed and, according to Patriot, reliability as well.

Patriot's Wildfire Pro and Wildfire SE are the performance flagships in the company's SSD lineup. They both offer built-in overprovisioning and wear leveling technologies such as DuraClass and DuraWrite to purportedly "protect against the wear and tear of high-end usage," Patriot says.

The Wildfire Pro is available in 100GB and 200GB capacities with up to 550MB/s sequential read and up to 500MB/s sequential write speeds. As for the Wildfire SE, it's available in 120GB, 240GB, and 480GB capacities with no mention of specific performance numbers, though it features most of the same technologies (SandForce SF-2281, SATA 6Gbps interface, TRIM support, ECC protection, DuraClass, and DuraWrite). Update: Patriot Memory tells us "the main difference between the two drives are the capacities. The Wildfire Pro is available in Pro [models] having overprovisioning to allow for a longer life vs. the SE."

No word on price or availability.

Image Credit: Patriot Memory

AMD Puts Radeon HD 7870, 7850 into the Lineup to Run Mainstream Play

Posted: 05 Mar 2012 06:02 AM PST

With a nary a peep from rival Nvidia, AMD today rolled out two additional 28nm graphics cards, both of which are built around the Pitcairn GPU that nestles into the mainstream spot just below Tahiti. The new cards are the Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition ($349) and Radeon HD 7850 ($249), and they both feature AMD's 28nm Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture specifically designed for general computing.

"Engineered for supremacy, designed for efficiency and packed with incredible features, the AMD Radeon HD 7800 series offers more than the just world's most advanced graphics: it offers the incredible performance every gamer deserves," said Matt Skynner corporate vice president and general manager, GPU Division, AMD. "AMD continues to lead the industry in desktop graphics innovation with unrivaled computing and unequaled technologies like our game-changing GCN Architecture."

Nvidia's retort is Kepler, a next-generation architecture of its own that's been much hyped and is scheduled to launch later this quarter. Meanwhile, the Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition boasts a 1GHz engine clockspeed and 2GB of GDDR5 memory racing along at 1.2GHz on a 256-bit wide bus. It has 20 Compute Units (1,280 Stream Processors), 80 Texture Units, 32 Color ROP Units, and supports the usual assortment of modern day APIs.

The toned down Radeon HD 7850 sports an 860MHz engine clockspeed, the same memory specs, 16 Compute Units, 64 Texture Units, and the same number of ROP Units.
Posted by Shri Krishna

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