| CyberPowerPC and Newegg Tag Team $300 Quad Core System for the "Everyman" Posted: 13 Jun 2014 10:06 AM PDT  Three Benjamins gets you a pre-built rig for general computing chores
If you need a high-end gaming rig or a machine that can tear through content creation chores like a chainsaw through butter, move along, there's nothing to see here. However, if you need a general purpose system for scrolling through Facebook, firing off emails, typing up reports, and that sort of thing, keep reading. Boutique builder CyberPowerPC has teamed up with Newegg to offer the "Everyman Quad Core (EQ100)" PC for $300. Arriving just ahead of Father's Day, the EQ100 sports an AMD Sempron 3850 quad-core processor clocked at 1.3GHz, 4GB of DDR3-1600 RAM, AMD Radeon 8280 graphics, 500GB SATA 6Gbps hard drive (7200 RPM), 24X DVD burner, 500W power supply, USB gaming keyboard, USB gaming mouse, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. The system comes inside an Azza EOS-206S gaming case. "CyberPowerPC shares our vision for affordable quad core computing and is among the first U.S. system builders to pioneer using the AM1 platform, together with Newegg. These systems include the right set of features you need for day-to-day computing and has effectively launched Everyman Quad Core revolution," said Roy Taylor, VP Global Channel Sales at AMD. Other features include a GbE LAN port, four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, two PS/2 ports, headphone/microphone ports, VGA output, HDMI output, and a 1-year warranty. The EQ100 is available now. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Intel Raises Earnings Forecast on Strong Demand for Business PCs Posted: 13 Jun 2014 09:43 AM PDT  A sudden spike in business PC sales prompts Intel to adjust its outlook
Perhaps the death of Windows XP is having a greater impact on PC sales than analysts thought it would. Or maybe there's another reason why demand for business-class PCs is on the rise. Whatever the cause, stronger than expected demand for business PCs prompted Intel to raise its second quarter revenue forecast to $13.7 billion, plus or minus $300 million, compared to its previous forecast of $13.0 billion, plus or minus $500 million. Intel also said it's now expecting "some revenue growth" for its full fiscal year, whereas previously the Santa Clara chip maker was bracing for a flat year. Strong demand for business PCs was also the reason for Intel's adjusted full-year outlook. PC shipments have fallen for eight consecutive quarters, according to the latest data by International Data Corporation (IDC) and Gartner, which estimated PC shipments to be in the neighborhood of 73.4 million to 76.6 million units in Q1 of this year. Both market research firms believe the market is now starting to stabilize. Intel will have more to say on the matter when it publishes its second quarter financial results on July 15. Image Credit: Flickr (Ted Murphy) Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Samsung Unveils Ultra-thin Galaxy Tab S with Super AMOLED 2560x1600 Display Posted: 13 Jun 2014 09:18 AM PDT  A worthy competitor to Apple's iPad
If it's a premium Android tablet you're after, you'll want to look into Samsung's new flagahip Galaxy Tab S family. There are two versions up for grabs -- an 8.4-inch model and a 10.5-inch SKU, both of which wield a Super AMOLED display with a 2560x1600 resolution (that's the same as most 30-inch monitors that predate 4K). In addition to the high resolution display, the Galaxy Tab S line is notable for its remarkably thin profile. They're only 6.6mm thick, while the 10.5-inch model weighs a mere 465 grams for the Wi-Fi version, or 467 grams for the LTE model. The 8.4-inch model checks in at just 294 grams (Wi-Fi) and 298 grams (LTE). "Building on the heritage of the Galaxy S smartphone line, the Galaxy Tab S line delivers on our commitment to bring meaningful innovation that our customers care most about," said Gregory Lee, president and CEO of Samsung Telecommunications America and Samsung Electronics North America Headquarters. "We know consumers want the best screen when purchasing a tablet, and as an undisputed leader in display technology, we've brought our industry-leading Super AMOLED screen to the Tab S for an unrivaled viewing experience in both connected and Wi-Fi options." Wi-Fi models ship with a Samsung Exynos 5 Octa chipset consisting of four Cortex-A15 cores clocked at 1.9GHz and four Cortex-A7 cores clocked at 1.3GHz; LTE versions go the Snapdragon 800 route and sport a 2.3GHz quad-core Krait 400 CPU. Both also feature 3GB of RAM, 16GB or 32GB of internal storage, microSD card slot, 8MP rear-facing camera, 2.1MP front-facing camera, and Android 4.4 KitKat. There's a bigger battery in the 10.5-inch model compared to the 8.4-inch version -- 7900mAh versus 4900mAh. 
Both are available to pre-order today starting at $400 (8.4-inch) and $500 (10.5-inch) and will be available to purchase sometime in July. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| E3 2014: CyberPower PC Shows Off Syber Console for Big Picture Mode [Video] Posted: 13 Jun 2014 08:43 AM PDT  A PC/gaming console that boots directly into Steam Big Picture mode
Let's just come out and say it -- Valve dropped the ball with its Steam Machine initiative. Rather than let its hardware vendors run with their own brand Steam Machines that they've been developing for the past year, Valve decided to delay things until next year while it tweaks its Steam Controller, an integral component of any machine that might use the "Steam Machine" designation. That decision left OEMs and boutique system builders in an awkward place, but rather than let their hardware designs collect dust, we're seeing them reborn as Windows-based PC/consoles that boot right into Steam Big Picture mode. The newest PC/console to take this approach is CyberPowerPC's Syber system. Let's have a look. Syber is similar in design to what would have been CyberPowerPC's Steam Machine if Valve didn't muck things up. Turning lemons into lemonade, CyberPowerPC plans to develop Syber around Windows 8.1, though when you turn the console on, it will boot directly into Steam Big Picture mode so you can begin gaming in your living room on your big screen HDTV. There will be two base versions to choose from. The first starts at $600 (MSRP) and will include an AMD quad-core CPU, AMD Radeon R9 270 graphics card, 4GB of DDR3 memory, and 500GB hard drive (SATA 6Gbps, 16MB cache, 7200 RPM). CyberPowerPC's second option costs $100 more and will include an Intel Core i3 4150 CPU, Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 Ti graphics card, 8GB of DDR3 memory, and 1TB hard drive. We had a chance to meet up with CyberPowerPC at E3 to see the Syber console in person and talk in depth about its design and features. Have a look, and then check out our photo gallery below! Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Newegg Daily Deals: Pioneer 16X Blu-ray Burner, Acer 23-inch LED Monitor, and More! Posted: 13 Jun 2014 08:12 AM PDT  
Top Deal: Go ahead and pour an ounce on the ground for our fallen comrade, HD-DVD. When you're finished, turn your attention to the victor, Blu-ray, which hasn't always been affordable. Even today Blu-ray hardware can tend to be expensive, though not always. If you're looking to hop on the Blu-ray bandwagon for streaming completely takes over, then check out today's top deal for a Pioneer 16X BD-R Blu-ray Burner for $55 with free shipping (normally $65 - use coupon code: [EMCPDWP39]). This drive sports speeds of 16X BD-R, 2X BD-RE, 16X DVD+R, 12X BD-ROM, and 16X DVD-ROM, along with 4MB of cache and 3D support. Other Deals: PowerColor TurboDuo AXR9 280X Radeon R9 280X 3GB Video Card for $289 with free shipping (normally $310 - use coupon code: [EMCPDWP222]; additional $30 Mail-in rebate) Acer S231HLBbid Black 23-inch 5ms HDMI Widescreen LED Backlight LCD Monitor for $130 with free shipping (normally $140 - use coupon code: [EMCPDWP48]) Western Digital RE 2TB 7200 RPM Enterprise Internal Hard Drive for $150 with free shipping (normally $170 - use coupon code: [EMCPDWP26]) G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2x4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 2133 (PC3 17000) Desktop Memory for $72 with free shipping (normally $79 - use coupon code: [EMCPDWP34]) |
