General Gaming Article |
- New ASRock HTPCs Leak with Sandy Bridge CPUs
- Rumor: Google Going Big on Hulu Bid
- Conde Nast to Spin Off Reddit
- Scrub Your PC Clean: Remove Malware in Four Easy Steps
- Intel Reveals 16 New Sandy Bridge Processors
- Tough Tech: 20 Rugged Gadgets That Take A Lickin' And Keep On Tickin'
- Sprint Files Suit Officially Opposing AT&T and T-Mobile Merger
- MSI Touts "Dust Removal Technology" In New Graphics Card
- Byte Rights: While You Were Out
- Russian Minister Said YouTube And Google Should Be Shut Down For Violating IP Laws
| New ASRock HTPCs Leak with Sandy Bridge CPUs Posted: 06 Sep 2011 03:20 PM PDT
The machine will be packing a 1GB GeForce GT540M GPU, HDMI-out, a Blu-Ray drive, USB 3.0, and of course support for Nvidia 3D Vision technology. The new unit will offer configurations with the full range of Sandy Bridge parts; Core i3, i5, and i7 will all be available. This is hardly a complete overhaul of the Vision 3D line, but the Sandy Bridge parts should give these machines a little extra speed to push all those bits around. No pricing or release date was listed on the ASRock page, but it can't be long now. |
| Rumor: Google Going Big on Hulu Bid Posted: 06 Sep 2011 02:57 PM PDT
Most of the deals that Hulu's corporate overlords have been offered would transfer the video streaming site, and also guarantee content deals for at least two years. While Hulu is a popular site, the content deals make this a risky venture. Google is rumored to be making a much higher offer for a much more favorable deal. The specifics are not available, but one executive close to the deal told All Things D that there's enough money at stake that Hulu's owners are willing to listen. The speculation is that Google wants longer guaranteed streaming rights, and is willing to pay a few billion extra to secure them. Google's recent $12.5 billion Motorola acquisition seem to indicate the search giant is in the mood to spend. Do you think this rumor is legit? |
| Posted: 06 Sep 2011 02:42 PM PDT
There will be a new board of directors including Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, and Conde Nast president Bob Sauerberg. Reddit employees have not been shy in the past about calling Conde Nast out for failing to provide Reddit the resources it needed to grow. The hope is that this new entity will be more nimble and profitable. The first order of business will be to find a new CEO, a psoition Reddit just began looking to fill recently. Conde is currently not seeking outside investment in Reddit, but that could change at some point. Ohanian assures dedicated Redditors that nothing is changing from their perspective, at least for now. |
| Scrub Your PC Clean: Remove Malware in Four Easy Steps Posted: 06 Sep 2011 02:31 PM PDT Malware sucks. In the best-case scenario, it craps up your system with unwanted files and occasionally makes itself known in the form of a persistent pop-up window or annoying browser-based toolbar. In the worst-case scenario, malware completely takes over your desktop or laptop and ruins your life. Your system slows it to a crawl. You can't even boot into Windows in the time it takes you to walk to the kitchen and back. Your data gets sent off to a faraway Internet land or, worse, your actual keystrokes are recorded for some unsavory individual to see. Malware locks down you browser, making you unable to actually do any browsing without being carted off to some bogus domain. You can barely run a program in Windows without getting bombarded by fake advertisements, programs, and dancing people on your desktop. We can't make this stuff up. So what's a computer enthusiast to do? Step zero: Read this guide, because we're going to walk you through all the key details you need to know to both rid your computer of this junk and keep it free of downloaded problems forevermore. [Step One] The Pre-stepWhat's that? No files to download or software to rip malware from your system? Exactly. The most important thing to realize in order to fight in malware's great war is that you, and you alone, are the first line of defense. You only have yourself to blame if your computer is completely overridden with preventable, problem-causing programs.
Much of the more annoying malware that you can accidentally befriend requires your input in order to get on your system in the first place. You have to download and run an unknown file or agree to have a toolbar placed on your system as part of a software installation routine. You have to accept certain kinds of Javascript or be fooled by scam websites that claim to be running a virus scan on your system (to name one such tall tale). In short, you have to let your guard down. So how do you protect yourself against your own habits? Use three simple rules: If it's too good to be true, if it looks strange, or if it's completely unknown to you, don't run it. Don't install it. Don't accept it, don't hit "yes" to it, and don't let it get anywhere near your system. Google, or Bing, or Yahoo is your friend: Find more information about a given situation or software before you agree to let it do anything on your system. Don't surf the Internet blindly and assume that everything on a Web site is a safe for your system to digest.
[Step Two] Browser BlockersWe mentioned that a bunch of malware can come through your browser–'tis a shame, we know. Vulnerabilities in browsers and plugins (and user error) can bring your system to its digital knees faster than you can spell the word "crap" in "crapware." So let's start with the simplest step: Stop using an outdated, insecure browser. Make sure you're at least sporting the latest version of one of the "Big Three:" Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Chrome. But which? Various research reports have dubbed each of these three browsers as the "best-in-class" against malware and other social-driven attacks. Our personal preference turns to Google's Chrome browser for two reasons: One, it's the only browser to use sandboxes as its primary defense mechanism, which combines a Javascript virtual machine and an operating-system-level sandbox to prevent successful attacks against the browser's rendering engine from affecting a user's file system. Second, Chrome has been, hands-down, the healthiest survivor of each year's Pwn2Own hacking contest at the CanSecWest security conference: Talk about a real-world verification of its security capabilities, eh?
But we're just getting started. Javascript vulnerabilities—including blatant attacks that rely on a user's cooperativeness to work–can just as easily affect your browser as well. If you're rocking Firefox, grab an extension called NoScript, which will allow you to turn a page's plugins elements off by default (including Javascript and Flash!) unless you trust the site enough to give 'em a go. Chrome doesn't have an add-on for the same feature, but you can disable Javascript by default in the browser's "Under the Hood" settings section. And if you want to specifically allow a site's Javascript to function, just click on the associated "X" icon in the browser's address bar to set up site-specific trust. Or, if you don't mind using a slight variant, you can do your best to mimic "NoScript"-like control using the "NotScripts" add-on.
Other extensions and add-ons worth equipping to fight the malware fight include: Web of Trust, KB SSL Enforcer, Adblock, and HTTPS Everywhere.
[Step Three] Software StoppersRunning a perfect browser setup only goes so far in the battle against malware: Remember, you are your own worst enemy. Assuming that malware could slip through the gates at some point, what are some of the free software tools that you can use to equip your system with powerful protection before your rogue apps get out of hand? First up, you'll want a comprehensive scanner running day in and day out to make sure that each and every bit of software you slap onto your computer gets a quick check. For that, we turn to none other than Microsoft's own Windows Security Essentials app. Our reasons are simple: It's free and it works. Install Windows Security Essentials and you'll get instant access to frequent Microsoft virus and spyware updates in addition to a real-time scanning mechanism that protects your system from anything you download from the Internet (or, if you're fancy, anything on a USB device the moment it's jacked into your system). It schedules nightly scans to run by default, but feel free to reschedule these for a time when you know your PC could be running. Additional options let you set the exact parameters for when the scanning should start, which include the ability to restrict virus and malware hunts for periods when your CPU use is below a certain threshold.
Unfortunately, some of the best anti-malware apps on the market are free with an asterisk: We're talking, of course, about SuperAntispyware and Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware. We're fans of Malwarebytes' offering, mainly because the freeware version of its powerful anti-spyware app gives you a few more features to tinker with than SuperAntispyware's. The kicker with both? No real-time protection, so make sure you sent a mental task for yourself to run these apps on a daily or weekly basis.
If you want to get truly hardcore, be sure to grab ComboFix as well. This app—often considered the "nuke it from orbit" option for certain nefarious bits of malware—uses the Windows Recovery Console to find and eliminate annoying malware. It doesn't protect your system up-front, but it's a great tool to have in your back pocket when disaster strikes.
[Step Four] Disaster RecoverySo you're infected. Shucks. Malware comes in different forms and annoyance levels, depending on just how well the particular piece of offending software has entangled itself into your operating system. This makes it difficult for us to deliver a perfect fix that fits every situation. However we can at least give you a few helpful suggestions for freeing your PC from malware's clutches. First off, see if a simple scan from Windows Security Essentials stops your issue dead in its tracks–likely not, but it never hurts to try the simplest solution before you start rolling up your sleeves a bit more. Update your definitions and select "Full" for the Scan Option, and then sit back and hope that Microsoft's scanner can fix your problem. No luck? Next up, fire up Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, make sure your definitions are updated, and run a full scan on your system. If it catches an issue, great; if not, and your malware problem persists, it's time to get a little more creative. Fire up the utility RKill and use it to try and force-stop any malware processes that happen to be running in your system's background. Run Malwareybytes' Anti-Malware full scan one more time.
If you're still out of luck, you'll want to reboot your system into safe mode (spoiler: keep pressing F8 as the bios loads until you're given the option for "safe mode.") and repeat the same RKill/Malwarebytes Anti-Malware step as before. You're doing this in an attempt to unhook whatever malware that's plaguing your PC from the operating system itself: It's not getting wiped out because it's still active (and possibly protecting itself from your removal tools).
Still hurting? Fire up ComboFix and let the scanning and removal tool work its magic–if, for some reason, it can't remove whatever's affecting your system, you'll get a lengthy log that you can post up on one of ComboFix's associated web forums for further assistance from qualified log parsers. At this point, it might be worth your while to check out other scanning tools not explicitly mentioned in this article, which range from Spybot Search & Destroy, to McAfee AVERT Stinger, to GMER, to Sophos Anti-Rootkit… the list goes on. And you also might benefit from grabbing a few Live CDs for malware and virus removal, like AVG's Rescue CD or Hiren's BootCD. Like we said, there are nearly as many tools for removing malware as there is malware to infect you. The more you can protect your PC up-front, including training yourself to recognize potential malware when it presents itself and keeping it off your system to begin with, the less you'll have to fool with potentially complicated removal techniques later. But if you have to go down this route, and simple scans aren't getting the job done, don't forget to try ripping active malware processes out of your operating system and booting your PC into safe mode. After that, exorcising these software demons from your system is all up to your tenacity, your search engine research skills, and your knowledge of third-party removal apps: Or, worse comes to worse, your backup schedule. You know, a reformat is but a few clicks away! |
| Intel Reveals 16 New Sandy Bridge Processors Posted: 06 Sep 2011 01:10 PM PDT
As if that wasn't good news enough, Tom's Hardware reports that the updated Intel price list brings the cost down on some older low power offerings, including five Core i5 chips as well as the Core i7 2600S processor. Here's the complete list of new desktop processors:
Meanwhile, the five new mobile chips consist of four Core i7 models and one Celeron. Get 'em while they're cheap, folks. |
| Tough Tech: 20 Rugged Gadgets That Take A Lickin' And Keep On Tickin' Posted: 06 Sep 2011 12:39 PM PDT When the going gets tough, most technology throws up its hands in defeat and wilts like a flower. The majority of gadgets on the market just aren't built to face the drop-down, submerged-in-liquid realities of everyday life – just ask anybody who ever had to replace his smartphone after spilling just a few drops of soda on it. You won't find any of that wussy gear in this gallery. We've cast our 'Net far and wide in search of the toughest take-a-shot-and-keep-on-kicking tech around. How tough are we talking? Buckshot tough. Drop on concrete from 80-plus feet tough. Survive on the moon tough. And yes, those are all real examples. Never mind being sprinkled with water – some of this rugged tech can be engulfed in friggin' flames and still perform like a champ. But why keep talking about it when you can see it yourself? Check out the gallery below for all kinds of pics and video links. Pay close attention and you may even spot a Chuck Norris sighting. |
| Sprint Files Suit Officially Opposing AT&T and T-Mobile Merger Posted: 06 Sep 2011 12:00 PM PDT
"Sprint opposes AT&T's proposed takeover of T-Mobile," said Susan Z. Haller, vice president-Litigation, Sprint. "With today's legal action, we are continuing that advocacy on behalf of consumers and competition, and expect to contribute our expertise and resources in proving that the proposed transaction is illegal." Sprint's concerns are threefold. First, Sprint says an AT&T/T-Mobile merger would harm consumers and corporate customers by causing higher prices and stifling innovation, essentially echoing what the DoJ said. Secondly, Sprint fears a duopoly in which AT&T and Verizon would control more than three-quarters of a trillion dollar wireless market, and 90 percent of the profits. And third, Sprint says if the deal was allowed to go through, a combined AT&T and T-Mobile company could use its control over backhaul, roaming and spectrum, and market position to leave competitors out in the cold, raise costs, restrict access to handsets, and generally do things that suck for consumers and the market as a whole. In related news, if the deal does fall through, Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile's parent company) has come out and refuted reports that it wouldn't be entitled to an agreed upon $6 billion breakup fee from AT&T if the deal isn't finalized. "The story from Reuters misstated the facts," Deutsche Telekom representative Andreas Fuchs told CNET in reference to this Reuters report. "The breakup fee was agreed to precisely to deal with the possibility that regulatory approval is not obtained. |
| MSI Touts "Dust Removal Technology" In New Graphics Card Posted: 06 Sep 2011 11:57 AM PDT You wouldn't rock a puffy jacket in the summer, would you? Of course not! You'd overheat. So why do you let a six inch layer of dust get your graphics card get all hot and bothered? Cleaning out the grime can cool your PC down, but digging out a can of compressed air and cracking open your PC can take some work. For those time-deprived folks who also want a sparkly-clean PC, MSI's rolling out products with "Dust Removal Technology."
The first – and so far, only – product to pack the new tech is the N580GTX Lightning Xtreme Edition. So how's it work? MSI's press release holds the answer, and it's pretty simple, actually. "With this technology every time the computer starts up the cooling fan on the graphics card will run in reverse at full speed for 30 seconds. The powerful reverse airflow removes dust clinging to the heat sink fins and fan blades, ensuring optimal cooling performance from the graphics card every time!" MSI claims that clogged heat sink fans can result in a 60 degree increase in a GPU's operating temperature. Just in case, the N580GTX Lightning Xtreme Edition packs "Smart Temp Sensor Technology" that shifts the fan's coloring from blue to white as the operating temperature reaches smoking-hot levels. MSI explains the Dust Removal Technology in video form on its website. |
| Byte Rights: While You Were Out Posted: 06 Sep 2011 11:43 AM PDT Finally, rights holder and ISPs have found a foolproof way to punish you, their nefarious customer. The MPAA, RIAA, etc. have struck a deal with five of the largest ISPs in America on file sharing. It's perfect. No due process, judicial review, or evidence. It assumes you're guilty until proven innocent. And you get to pay for the whole thing! Since these ISPs cover the majority of America in markets, with no competition, you can't even go elsewhere. The new deal is enforced in the terms of service, so if you want Internet almost anywhere in this country, you have to sign away your constitutional rights.
If the rights holders send your IP to the ISP as an offender, you get dinged—no proof required. Several dings and they send all your connections to a landing page, requiring you to call them. Presumably at that point you'd end up talking to incompetent customer support people who don't know a wit about BitTorrent, copyright, or possibly the Internet.
Image courtesy Interacc.typepad.com Further "mitigation" includes compulsory entertainment industry propaganda about copyright passed off as education, and legal alternatives for buying material—we're sure companies pay handsomely to have the false imprimatur of legal requirement given to their shoddy products. Open Wi-Fi can only be used as a defense once (after which you pay a $35 fee to be allowed to defend yourself), which makes choosing to have an open network a violation itself. It's unclear what cafes and such are supposed to do, other than stop offering Internet. Normally I like to include some action. Call a lawmaker! Boycott DRM! But this time, there's nothing you can do. You weren't at the table. Sorry. You're going to pay overhead, but that's it. This deal isn't reviewed by the courts, or written by Congress. It's just foisted upon you. Quinn Norton writes about copyright for Wired News and other publications. |
| Russian Minister Said YouTube And Google Should Be Shut Down For Violating IP Laws Posted: 06 Sep 2011 10:53 AM PDT
TorrentFreak found the claim buried deep inside the US diplomatic cables that WikiLeaks recently released. A confidential cable dated November 13, 2009, says that American embassy officials met with Ministry of Economic Development Deputy Minister Stanislav Voskresenskiy to pow-wow about an upcoming IP meeting in Washington. After bragging about Russia's gains against in the IP enforcement world, Voskresenskiy painted a bleak picture regarding the world's ability to combat those dastardly pirates. "Voskresenskiy went on to state that, in his opinion, no country in the world is prepared to fight Internet piracy. He argued that all existing laws, including laws in the U.S., are antiquated and do not address new technological trends," the cable reports. "As an example, (Voskresenskiy) stated that YouTube and Google (as YouTube's owner) should be shut down because they do not conform to current Russian IPR laws. He admitted that this was not feasible, but continued to emphasize that these entities need to follow local laws, even if the laws are outdated." It's been a couple of years since Voskresenskiy made the claims, and both YouTube and Google are (obviously) still around, both in the US and Russia. But what do you think? Is his claim valid? Are US sites like YouTube just as damaging as the Russian warez sites sitting on the darker edges of the Web? |
The original ASRock Vision 3D is acknowledged to be one of the best small form factor HTPCs available. It was a reasonably specced machine for its time, but a page was recently discovered on the ASRock site that points to the second generation Vision with spiffy new 
Everyone's been buzzing with anticipation as they wait for news on a potential Hulu acquisition. Over the weekend Yahoo, Amazon, and Dish Network are said to have put in bids of $1.5-2 billion. As for the other rumored suitor, Google may be
Part social news site, part discussion forum, Reddit has managed to retain its popularity after being acquired by publishing giant Conde Nast five years ago. The fate of the site has been up in the air for some time, but Conde has now come out with a plan. Reddit will be 
While the more leisure-loving among us were roasting weenies over Labor Day weekend, the folks at Intel were busy rolling up their sleeves and going to work. The company revealed a whopping 16 new Sandy Bridge processors over the weekend; five mobile chips and 11 desktop-ready models. That includes couple of Core i3 and i5 chips and a handful of Pentium and Celeron offerings. The big news, though, is the price. The sub-$100 cost of most of the models probably means that Intel's well aware of the value-priced appeal of AMD's entry level Llano chips. 
They say to strike while the iron's hot, and that's exactly what Sprint is doing as it attempts to block AT&T from merging with T-Mobile. Less than a week ago, the U.S. Department of Justice 
To file-swapping pirates, the terms "free download" and "Shady Russian warez sites" are almost interchangeable – and the US government knows it. Washington's exerted a lot of pressure on Moscow in an effort to shut down numerous sites (most notably allofmp3.com) that infringed on the copyrights of US citizens and companies. But hold your horses! At least one Russian minister thinks top US sites like YouTube (and Google, YouTube's parent company) regularly violate Russian intellectual property laws, too.| You are subscribed to email updates from Maximum PC - All Articles To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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