| GOG Winter Sale Starts Now, Trio of Fallout Games Free for First 48 Hours Posted: 12 Dec 2013 01:56 PM PST  Time to stock up on DRM-free games
If you have any pieces-of-eight left over from Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Steam's Autumn Sale, Green Monday, and every other shopping occasion this holiday season, you can dump what's left of your pockets at GOG for its 2013 DRM-free winter sale. While you're there, be sure to collect Fallout, Fallout 2, and Fallout Tactics for the tantalizing low, low price of absolutely free! That's right, all three titles are available at no cost. For anyone who cares to know, there's a bit of interesting background history that goes along with that. Back at the beginning of 2012, Bethesda Softworks won back the Fallout MMO rights from Interplay. As part of the settlement, Interplay's merchandising rights to sell Fallout, Fallout 2, and Fallout Tactics expires December 31, 2013. We're not sure if the giveaway of those three titles through GOG amounts to a middle finger from Interplay to Bethesda Softworks, but whatever the case may be, they're free for the taking for 48 hours. Gamers who acquire them before the deadline are able to keep the games, regardless of how much (if any) they paid for them. Getting back to the overall sale, GOG will roll out discounts on its catalog of more than 600 games from today through December 29. In addition, all games are backed by a 30-day money back guarantee. 
One word of warning -- GOG appears to be getting hammered, likely the result of the freebie Fallout titles. Patience is definitely required, but other than that, head on over there and stock up on games! Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Steve Ballmer Offers Management Advice for Other CEOs Posted: 12 Dec 2013 09:58 AM PST  Microsoft chief shares his secrets of the trade
There are at least a couple of different ways you can view parting advice from the not-yet-retired Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft. One is that if Steve Ballmer's management tips were truly worth their weight in gold, Microsoft wouldn't find itself in a position of having to restructure its organization and pressure the man in charge to let go of the reins. The other way to look at it is that Ballmer was (and still is, for the time being) in charge of the one of the biggest companies in the world, and though there have been some missteps -- especially towards the end -- he's managed several impressive accomplishments along the way, such as increasing Microsoft's revenue from $25 billion to $70 billion. In any event, ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley was able to sit down and interview Ballmer last month, and one of things she asked him to share were his top five management tips for other CEOs. Here they are: - Make sure you see the whole playing field
- Don't pin hopes on a single individual or "dream team"
- Realize there's no perfect business model for every era
- Don't place only long-term or only short-term bets
- Know your limits
Under Ballmer's leadership, Microsoft went from having little-to-no presence in enterprise to now being a major player in that sector. He also greenlit Xbox, which was one of the first major decisions he made as Microsoft's chief. The one item that perhaps sticks out the most on that list is "Know your limits." Indeed, one of the things he said when announcing his retirement is that even though there's never a perfect time to step away, now is the right time. "We have embarked on a new strategy with a new organization and we have an amazing Senior Leadership Team. My original thoughts on timing would have had my retirement happen in the middle of our company's transformation to a devices and services company," Ballmer said. "We need a CEO who will be here longer term for this new direction." What do you think about Ballmer's tips? Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Corsair Adds "Arctic White" Option to Carbide Air Series 540 Computer Case Posted: 12 Dec 2013 09:20 AM PST  Popular mid-tower now comes in three color options
Corsair has added a third color option to its Carbide Air Series 540 mid-tower chassis: arctic white. The case is still available in black and steel silver colors as well, and other than the appearance, all three models boast the same features, including two side-by-side chambers, both optimized to limit obstructions and streamline airflow form the intake fans to the hottest PC components. The main chamber of the Carbide Series Air 540 is home to the motherboard, graphics card(s), and hot-swappable 3.5-inch drives. Over in the second chamber is where you would install the power supply, solid state drives, and 5.25-inch optical drives behind the motherboard tray. Corsair says that the separate compartments make it easier to build in, while also lending itself to easier cable management. There are built-in cable routing cutouts and grommets to further aid with cable cleanup and noise. Other features include a removable front magnetic low-restriction dust filter, two USB 3.0 ports and a headphone/mic jack on the front I/O panel, eight tool-free expansion slots supporting cards up to 12.5 inches in length, an oversized flush-mount window, and a few other odds and ends. The Carbide Series Air 540 White Edition is available now for $150 MSRP. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| EVGA Introduces GeForce GTX 780 Ti Classified K|NGP|N Edition for Hardcore Overclockers Posted: 12 Dec 2013 08:26 AM PST  Only extreme overclockers need apply
It's not as though Nvidia's reference design for its GeForce GTX 780 Ti graphics card is for weenies -- after benchmarking the card, we had no choice but to dub it the real Big Kepler -- but if you're big into overclocking, EVGA's decidedly non-reference version looks to be the go-to card. Hardcore overclockers Vince "K|NGP|N" Lucido and Tsemenko "TiN" Illya supposedly helped co-design the card, which EVGA is calling the GeForce GTX 780 Ti Classified K|NGP|N Edition. So, what makes this card so special? The answer to that question is a long list of features. For one, it supports up to 450W of dedicated GPU power. EVGA redesigned the card with enhanced PLL circuitry, an improved GPU power plan, and 10cm fans. It comes with a backplate and you can also pick up an optional PWM baseplate. The card allows for GPU voltage enhancements, has a 14+3 phase power design (14 power phases for the GPU and an additional 3 phases for the memory), and more. "With the EVGA GeForce GTX 780 Ti Classified K|NGP|N Edition graphics card, we focused on the basic demands that are needed when doing extreme overclocking," said Tsemenko. "Capable hardware design and heavy power delivery capacity is key for performance dominance and the ultimate gaming experience. So too is a unique power convertor able to provide over 450W of clean voltage for every kind of overclocking!" 
This card is nucking futs, in other words, with balls to the wall overclocking potential. At present, EVGA doesn't even list clockspeeds for the GPU or the 3GB of 28ns GDDR5 memory. Given its target audience, factory clocks hardly matter since this thing is intended to be juiced and goosed. EVGA's OC-friendly card is "coming soon" and will be the first product featured in the company's Build to Order (BTO) program, details of which will also be revealed soon. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| BitFenix Kicks Off New Audio Line of Products with Flo Headset Posted: 12 Dec 2013 07:26 AM PST  Not just a case maker anymore
BitFenix has an extensive line of computer cases and related accessories, and now the company can add audio products to its portfolio. Headlining the new audio lineup is the BitFenix Flo headset available in a variety of color options, including Midnight Black, Arctic White, Fire Red, and Cobalt Blue. For its first foray into audio, Bitfenix decided on 40mm neodymium magnet drivers housed in over-the-ear earcups coated with the company's SofTouch Surface Treatment. While BitFenix is new to audio, the company said it partnered with an audio vendor with over 30 years of experiences in professional audio solutions, though declined to offer up a name. The headset is built on top of a steel frame and has a self-adjusting headband, pivoting earcups, and less than 200g of total weight. An in-line remote control with smooth sliding volume action allows users to adjust the volume and/or mute the microphone. When out and about, you can swap out the flexible microphone for the included audio cable and tether it to your smartphone, tablet, or other media player. The BitFenix Flo headset will be available to purchase later this month. We've reached out to BitFenix for an MSRP and will update this story when/if we hear back. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Newegg Daily Deals: AMD A10-5800K Trinity, Asus P8Z77-V LK Motherboard, and More! Posted: 12 Dec 2013 06:42 AM PST |
