Asus G51, G61 Laptops Piggy-Back Transformers

Asustek Corporation has just launched their G51Vx and G60Vx mecha-inspired gaming laptops as a a follow-up to their successful G50Vt line of machines.

The laptops, previewed just last month at Computex come in 15.6- and 16-inch formats and look like something you’d find in a Transformers movie – no coincidence there, we presume – with a suggestive techno look thanks to a backlit keyboard and some LED lighting on the LCD frame – which, by the way, is pure white with a metallic grey glossy finish.

According to the specifications, these two laptops are looking to be multimedia powerhouses, powered by Core 2 Quad or Core 2 duo processors , in addition to a GeForce GTX 260M with 1GB of GDDR3. Up to 4GB of DDR2-800 will provide the RAM needed to run just about any game around. And RAID support will let users couple up 1TB worth of storage on these laptops.
Surprisingly, Asus also claims that the LED-backlit panels are Full HD, and if true that would be quite a surprise to see a 15.6-inch LCD piling on the pixels at 1920x1080. Blu-ray is a factory option, and we can’t see why not. Audio is provided courtesy of Creative Labs and EAX Advanced HD 4.0 support coupled to Altec-Lansing built-in speakers. If you’re a video conferencing buff, you can use the in-built webcam (2MP) to gloat about it to your friends.
Similar to the G70 series of Asus laptops, the G51Vx and G60Vx also sport the “Extreme Turbo” profile to allow automatic overclocking. So, in theory, you should be able to squeeze a few more frames per second out of these…
Asus will being sales in July 2009 but pricing is still a well-kept secret All we can add is that these Autobot-ish laptops are sure to hook the Transformers crowd this Summer.

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Toshiba Outs Satellite A, M, P and U Notebooks

We're not sure what's up with all of these companies busting out "back-to-school" machines in late June, but we're downright saddened by it. While kids attempt to enjoy their summer break, firms like Toshiba are helping them remember that next term is just months away. Today, Toshiba has revealed a new slate of notebooks, the Satellite A, M, P and U Series machines.

According to the company, The Satellite M and Satellite U Series offer great multimedia performance and everyday mobility, while the more powerful Satellite A and Satellite P Series, deliver an excellent platform for powering HD entertainment. The new Satellite laptop models are available today in both Intel and AMD CPU configurations, with prices starting at $699. There are far too many to break down, so we'll post the rundown below for you to wade through.

Complete Line-up
The new Satellite laptops continue to include premium features such as LED-illuminated Feathertouch multimedia command keys, built-in Webcams with Toshiba’s face recognition software, harmon/kardon^® speakers and Toshiba’s innovative eSATA/USB combo ports with USB Sleep-and-Charge at starting price points ranging from $699.99 to $849.99². They include:
For Multimedia and Mobility:

• The Satellite U500/U505: The Satellite U Series is not just a highly mobile laptop, it’s a fashion statement. With a unique textured finish on the outside and impressive multimedia performance on the inside, this ultraportable fuses function with style and travels well with a weight starting at just 5 pounds. Pricing starts at $849.99 MSRP².
• The Satellite M500/M505: The Satellite M Series is a versatile, upscale multimedia performance laptop for work and play for home users, students and mobile enthusiasts. With its dashing good looks, this laptop packages performance-class technology with a 14-inch high-def LED display perfect for enjoying digital media, casual gaming or even getting work done. Pricing starts at $699.99 MSRP¹.

For Widescreen HD Entertainment:

• The Satellite A500/A505: The Satellite A Series is an entertainment-packed performance laptop that combines high-end processing with Toshiba’s latest design elements – perfect for home users and tech enthusiasts. The sleek Satellite A Series 16-inch diagonal widescreen HD Edge-to-Edge display on particular models, grill-encased harmon/kardon^® speakers, slot-loading DVD drive and glossy Fusion finish will turn heads, and its astonishing performance and massive hard drive will keep you entertained for hours on the go. Pricing starts at $749.99 MSRP¹.
• The Satellite P500/P505: Featuring a massive 18.4-diagonal widescreen HD TruBrite display, the Satellite P Series is designed with digital media enthusiasts and mainstream PC gamers in mind. The Satellite P Series offers more than an ordinary laptop, and not just in size. Featuring grill-encased harmon/kardon speakers, as well as sleek slot-loading DVD drives and glossy Fusion Finish with Toshiba’s new Sonic pattern, this high-performance desktop replacement also incorporates powerful processing muscle. Select models also include Edge-to-Edge displays and illuminating backlit keyboards. Pricing starts at $799.99 MSRP¹.

Additional new features available on select models include:

• High Definition Widescreen Display: The new HD TruBrite™ widescreen displays feature a stunning 16:9 aspect ratio¹ and native 720p resolution, offering more viewing space than standard displays while delivering a more enjoyable TV-like experience. In addition, select models include LED backlit displays that light up instantly and are more environmentally conscious and energy-efficient than standard TFT LCD displays.
• Cinematic ‘Edge-to-Edge’ Display: With an uninterrupted, seamless edge between the glass screen and stylish chrome trim, users will be able to focus on the task at hand without distraction.
• New Sleek Flat Keyboard with black matte finish: A comfortable typing surface and premium look that is less prone to fingerprints.
• Illuminating LED Backlit Keyboard: Enjoy more computing time even in lower light conditions.
• Slot-loading DVD Drive: Combining fashion and function, the adoption of slot-loading drives eliminates external moving parts and makes loading DVDs and CDs easier in confined spaces. The new drives have all the same capabilities of Toshiba’s DVD SuperMulti drives with Labelflash.
• Touchpad with Multi-Touch Control: The standard touchpad now includes multi-finger touch control capabilities, making it easier to scroll and navigate through Web pages and long documents or rotate and zoom into images. These new touchpads feature four gestures: Rotate, Ping, Momentum and Scroll.
• Toshiba Power-saving Eco Utility button: From a new button on the Feathertouch control panel above the keyboard, users can now access a utility that allows them to monitor and adjust their power consumption and settings in real-time. The utility also provides daily, weekly and monthly analysis reports that show accumulated power savings.
• Toshiba PC Health Monitor: A system utility that proactively checks the critical components of the laptop for problematic conditions, such as battery performance, heat and hard drive movement and alerts the user to potential problems before it’s too late.
• Hard Drive Impact Sensor: A built-in 3D accelerometer that protects the user’s hard drive to safeguard data from the daily bumps of mobile life.

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Apple Sued Over Tiered Pricing, Gift Cards

On April 7th, i Tunes went 100% DRM-free, but at the same time Apple introduced tiered pricing. And therein lies the crux of this new lawsuit against Apple. Daniel and Barbara Owens of Illinois have filed a class action lawsuit against Apple. The couple has purchased "numerous" iTunes gift cards over the years, but in this case the gift cards were bought on March 1 from Sam's Club and on May 19 from Wal-Mart. Here's what the lawsuit says, in part:

The above-mentioned 99¢ iTunes cards that were purchased on March 1, 2008 from a Sam’s Club in O’Fallon, Illinois both state: “Download $25 worth of entertainment to enjoy your Mac or Windows PC. And, of course, your iPod. Songs are 99¢ and videos start at 1.99.” The above-mentioned 99¢ iTunes card purchased on May 19, 2009 at a Wal-Mart in O’Fallon, Illinois states: “Download $15 worth of entertainment to enjoy your Mac or Windows PC. And, of course, your iPod. Songs are 99¢ and videos start at $1.99.”

It's the text that says "Songs are 99 cents and videos start at $1.99" that is the problem, according to the plaintiffs. The lawsuit adds:

Defendant knowingly and fraudulently misrepresented, concealed, omitted, and/or suppressed the cost to purchase individual songs from its iTunes internet website. As a result, Plaintiffs and members of the putative class have suffered economic harm in that they have paid monies for a product that was worth less than what was represented and/or they have been denied the benefit of their bargain to purchase any song from Defendant’s iTunes Store for $0.99.

The Owens want Apple to refund the 30¢ people have had to pay to buy certain songs with the so-called "99¢ iTunes gift cards," which would amount to as much as $5 million, according to the lawsuit. Read the filing in full below:

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Microsoft Limits Free Windows 7 Upgrades

Businesses who are thinking about upgrading more than a handful of computers between now and the October 22^nd release of Windows 7 may want to hold off. That is, assuming the companies want the latest OS. While it’s true that Microsoft is offering a free upgrade to its new OS, the company has made little mention of the “fine print” that limits the number of free upgrades to 25.

Gartner analyst Michael Silver is calling attention to this limit with his latest research note. In his note, Silver writes, "Microsoft has limited the number of free Windows 7 upgrades that can be claimed via its Windows Upgrade Option…. Organizations need to understand their Windows 7 requirements and obtain rights for the best value."

Just last week, Microsoft fleshed out the details of the Windows Upgrade Option program for the first time. Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc disclosed the details in a blog post. He wrote: "Anyone who buys a PC from a participating OEM or retailer with Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, or Ultimate on it will all receive an upgrade to the corresponding version at little or no cost to customers."

Silver speculates that Microsoft might be limiting the number of PCs that are eligible for this upgrade in order to increase sales of its Software Assurance licenses. Software Assurance provides businesses with unlimited upgrades for three years, but companies must pay between $100 and $150 per PC for this right.

For companies that need to upgrade more than 25 PCs between now and October 22, Silver recommends contacting PC manufacturers and asking for the right to upgrade later at no cost. Because large OEMs administer their own programs, they have greater ability to do this and are able to make exceptions for organizations.

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Sony's First True Netbook Revealed: The VAIO W

Many argued that Sony's VAIO P was really the company's first true netbook, but Sony insisted otherwise. Now, however, the company has issued a machine that we can all agree is a bona fide netbook: the VAIO W.

As has become customary for Sony, it has taken a design and tweaked it slightly for higher-end consumers. Make no mistake -- this is definitely aimed to compete with the Aspire One, Eee PC and X-Slim families, but you'll be paying a premium for Sony's take on the netbook. Arriving in a trio of colors (berry pink, sugar white and cocoa brown), the machine is equipped with a high-res 10.1" LED backlit display (1366x768 resolution), an Energy Star 5.0 label, an isolated 'chiclet style' keyboard and two USB 2.0 ports.

You'll also find a 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU, Bluetooth, a 160GB hard drive, built-in webcam + microphone, multimedia streaming support and Windows XP Home . Pre-orders have already started, with retail availability scheduled for next month. Unfortunately, Sony gives us little reason to spend "about $500" on this machine over any of the other netbooks in the field, but we suspect at least a few consumers will be willing to pay the premium for style.

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Google Introduces Chrome OS For Netbooks

Shock of the month? The year, even? Out of absolutely nowhere, Google--the search engine champ at the moment and the developer of Android--has announced its first full-fledged operating system. Of course, maybe we shouldn't be so surprised. After all, it's not like Google hasn't been dabbling in applications for awhile now.

In fact, this announcement came just hours after Google removed the "Beta" label from its entire application suit, Gmail and Gdocs included. The company has also introduced its own browser (Chrome) and its own mobile operating system (Android). Thus, the next logical step is a lightweight OS suited for none other than the netbook.

Call us selfish, but we really (really!) wish this would've surfaced around a year ago. Instead, we've seen netbook after netbook emerge with the exact same specifications due to Microsoft's restrictions on Windows XP-based machines. Had Google introduced Chrome OS last year, we may already be onto the true next-generation of netbooks.

At any rate, we're here now, and we couldn't be more excited. Nine months after launching Chrome, the Google Chrome Operating System has emerged as Google's attempt to "re-think what operating systems should be." Here's how Google describes the system:

"Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks. Later this year we will open-source its code, and netbooks running Google Chrome OS will be available for consumers in the second half of 2010. Because we're already talking to partners about the project, and we'll soon be working with the open source community, we wanted to share our vision now so everyone understands what we are trying to achieve.

Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS. We're designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds. The user interface is minimal to stay out of your way, and most of the user experience takes place on the web. And as we did for the Google Chrome browser, we are going back to the basics and completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. It should just work."

The OS will work fine on both x86 as well as ARM chips, and Google's already working with multiple OEMs to bring a number of netbooks to market next year. As for the software architecture, you're looking at a new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel, with the Web as the platform for developers. Even Google understands that this may eat into sales of Android-based netbooks and UMPCs, but it's hoping to serve multiple market segments with multiple products. Nothing wrong with that!

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"Rules" for Windows 7 Upgrades Verified

Technophiles like ourselves who are also frugal have, in the past, purchased upgrade editions of Windows, and been able to do a clean, fresh install either by entering a prior valid license key or inserting a CD for the older software at install time. That went away with Vista, which required a hacky workaround, but now Microsoft is completely shutting down even that methodology, for Windows 7.

Why the big deal about a being able to do a clean, fresh install with an Upgrade edition? If you install an upgrade on top of an well-used copy of Windows, you've got all that leftover dross on your hard drive. Typically, extra crappy drivers and unneeded files are left behind, using up drive space, but also possibly destabilizing the system.

We realize many will take this route anyway, simply because you won't have to reinstall all your programs and drivers in that case. Not us, though.

Without a way to this, the only way to get a "relatively" clean install is to install an older OS (say Vista) cleanly, then install 7 on top of it. That will pretty much minimize any extra garbage on the system.

An alternative, and perhaps even cleaner, would be to install the Windows 7 RC first. That requires a fresh install, anyway. Then you can install the Windows 7 release on top of the RC.

Technically, however, this isn't an upgrade. Microsoft calls this a custom installation. Your existing operating system, programs and data are placed in a folder labeled WINDOWS.OLD. You'll have to reinstall any programs in place, however, which is why it's not really an upgrade.

Still, if you want a clean install that won't contain any remnants of Vista, it's the cleanest you can do. At that point, we'd take a snapshot of the disk, using something like Acronis' True Image, and then if we ever need to restore a clean copy of Windows 7, we've got it on hand.

Oh, and for those who might ask why anyone should complain about having to install an old OS, since after all the consumer bought an upgrade copy, the reason is not just the hassle of having to install the older OS, but also the fact that the end user has to keep around the install media and all the license info as well. What a hassle.

Yes, we realize we could buy a full, not upgrade copy, but really, we've been "supporting" Microsoft for years and don't see why we have to go through the extra expense, aside from adding to Microsoft's bottom line, that is.

Caveat: there is, of course, always a chance that Microsoft will modify the upgrade process; October is a ways away. However, once the RTM build is seeded, that will be it.

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Office 2010 & Free Web Version Hits Tech Preview

On Monday, the first day of the Worldwide Partner Conference 2009, Microsoft announced that Microsoft Office 2010, Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010, Microsoft Visio 2010 and Microsoft Project 2010 have all reached the technical preview stage. That means that some (probably not you or me) will be getting invites to try out the nascent productivity software.

At the same time, Microsoft announced that the Web version of this suite, lightweight Web browser versions of Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote will be free. Let's be honest, there was pretty much no way they couldn't be free what with alternatives like Google Docs out there for free.

On the other hand, Google Docs does not work well with complex formatting or complex formulas (Excel); we can easily find documents that work just fine in Office but are all messed up in Google Docs.

In their press release, Microsoft the collaborative and work-anywhere aspects of the new suite:

Office 2010 and related products will deliver innovative capabilities and provide new levels of flexibility and choice that will help people:

• Work anywhere with Office Web applications — the lightweight Web browser versions of Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote — that provide access to documents from virtually anywhere and preserve the look and feel of a document regardless of device.

• Collaborate better with co-authoring in Microsoft Office 2010, Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 and Microsoft OneNote 2010, and advanced e-mail management and calendaring capabilities in Microsoft Outlook 2010, including the option for users to ”ignore” unwanted threads.

• Bring ideas to life with video and picture editing, broadcast capability in Microsoft PowerPoint 2010, easy document preparation through the new Microsoft Office Backstage view, and new Sparklines in Microsoft Excel 2010 to visualize data and spot trends more quickly.

Oh, and not that Microsoft will worry all that much now, but the Technical Preview has been leaked to (where else) P2P sites, so those not in the lucky group to be invited will likely still be able to try it out.

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AT&T Spruces Up Subsidized (Pricey) Netbook Line

Here we go again. Just as you're finally choosing which netbook you're going to buy on which carrier, here comes AT&T to make your decision even tougher. Or maybe, it actually makes things easier. As the world warms to 3G-equipped netbooks sold directly through mobile carriers, AT&T is doing its best to take advantage of the situation. And frankly, to take advantage of the uninformed.

Let's take a look at the mobile operator's newest offerings. If you'll recall, it started offering netbooks for sale at discounted prices earlier this year, but there's one big catch: if you buy it, you've got to commit to a two-year data plan of $60 per month (5GB cap) or $40 per month (a lousy 400MB cap). And, mind you, the 3G card that's integrated into the netbook cannot be removed, so you're stuck with an already sluggish machine for two whole years. Can you imagine how lethargic an Atom N270 will feel in 2011? We think it feels slow now!

At any rate, AT&T has today announced the expansion of its mobile broadband-enabled netbook lineup, and thankfully it has made the whole lot easy to pass on. At first glance, the proposition seems interesting. After all, it's not like the company is offering up no-name netbooks. They're offering Acer's Aspire One, Dell's Inspiron Mini 10 and Lenovo's S10. The problem? The price. Each of those three only sport a 1.6GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive. Somehow, AT&T thinks it's okay to charge $199.99 after a mail-in rebate for each of them, and they require you to sign on for a two-year data plan.

Compare that deal to this: Gateway introduced an eerily similar netbook yesterday with basically the exact same specifications for $299 outright. So you can pony up an extra $100 in order to pick your own favorite carrier, get a 3G USB stick for free after rebate (with a new two-year agreement) and have the ability to use that data plan on any computer you want. Yeah, we think we'll pay the $100 premium for that kind of flexibility. Seriously AT&T, you might want to consider selling these for $0.99 on contract like Sprint--otherwise, you're making it far too easy to turn down.

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Asus Reportedly Cancels First USB3 Motherboard

Just two weeks ago, we reported how problems with Marvell's SATA 6GB (88SE9123) had led motherboard manufacturers to delay certain P55-based products. Now, Asus has reportedly pulled its P6X58 Premium motherboard altogether. As originally conceived, said board would have featured both USB3 and SATA 6GB as major selling points; it's possible Asus killed the board rather than ship a premium-class product with just one differentiating feature.

An Asus spokesperson told The Inquirer that the board was cancelled "not for any particularly interesting reasons." As if, you know, Asus routinely showed its premium boards at major trade shows, only to cancel them two months later. At this point, it's not clear if Asus's decision to nuke the motherboard had anything to do with USB 3 performance or not. If Intel's controller is having growing pains, it's perfectly possible that Asus opted to pull the feature for now, and will add it back when it's time for the next product refresh. Given the wide variety of USB 3-capable equipment on the market (none), the manufacturer is scarcely missing anything by opting to wait a little while.

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Acer Introduces Timeline 8000 Notebook Lineup

Acer'sTimeline series launched with quite a bit of momentum behind it, but ever since, we've heard almost nothing about the ultra-light, long-lasting crew. Now, Acer is hoping to give the series a new lease on life with the introduction of the Timeline 8000 family. This set is a sleek, classically styled gaggle of machines that aims at both business users and general consumers.

The 8000 series will be comprised of three machines: a 13.3", 14" and 15.6" model. Unfortunately, there's little benefit to snagging the largest model over the smallest, as all three share a 1366x768 resolution, and thus, have the exact same amount of screen real estate. As for CPU choices, you'll find either Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Solo ULV chips with up to 4GB or 8GB of RAM, depending on whether a 32-bit or 64-bit OS is installed. As for storage, you'll find HDD options ranging from 160GB to 500GB in size, or those needing extra speed can opt for an 80GB Intel X25-M SSD. Graphics wise, you'll be looking at Intel's GMA 4500MHD or a dedicated ATI 4330 GPU.

The largest model will boast four USB ports, while the other two have three sockets; each one will ship with Bluetooth and a flash card reader, and the whole line will also feature 802.11n Wi-Fi. Naturally, the eight-hour battery life should catch some serious attention, but it looks like we'll have to wait to see about a price and release date.

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Microsoft Renames Its Phone OS

We won’t be hearing the term Windows Mobile much longer. At an event to show off upcoming Christmas goodies, Microsoft let it slip that the devices will soon be known as Windows Phone. Reports indicate that the Windows Phone branding will be applied to Windows Mobile 6.1, the upcoming 6.5 version, and to Windows Mobile 7, which is expected sometime in 2010. Right now, it’s still unclear when the naming system will be implemented.

Windows Mobile 6.5

The name change "reflects the upcoming desktop operating system release where people away from their PC can have the same experience everywhere," says Microsoft. Over the years, the OS has also been known as Windows CE and Pocket PC.

The Windows Mobile brand is popular, but many have become discouraged by the slow release of new features and a new OS. Windows Mobile 6.5 is ready and has been sent to manufacturers. It should be available to consumers this fall. Still, some believe Windows Mobile 6.5 will deliver too little, too late. Windows Mobile 7 should deliver a much improved feature set over 6.5, including a new suite of Windows Mobile applications (Internet Explorer, email, SMS, photo and music management) as well as zooming and scaling capabilities via multitouch.

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Microsoft Unveils Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade & Family Pack Pricing

According to a recent blog post from Microsoft’s Brandon LeBlanc, Windows 7 will include a tool that will allow users to upgrade from a basic version of the OS to one of the more feature-rich versions at that touch of a button. Even though most people buy the edition of Windows that best meets their needs when they purchase a computer, those needs may change over time.

To help meet the changing needs of users, Microsoft is offering a program called Windows Anytime Upgrade. This program will make it easy and convenient for customers to upgrade to a higher edition of Windows 7. Windows Anytime Upgrade will allow users to launch a screen from within Windows 7 and purchase a product key for a pricier version of the software. They will also be able to enter a product key for an upgrade that was purchased at a retail store. After purchasing or entering a product key, buyers can upgrade to their chosen version of Windows 7 with just a few clicks.

Customers will be able to upgrade from Windows 7 Starter to Windows 7 Home Premium for $79.99. Users who want to move from Windows 7 Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional will pay $89.99. Finally, Windows 7 Home Premium users can upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate for $139.99.

The upgrade packages will be available at retail stores after Windows 7 is released to market on October 22nd. The online upgrade option from within Windows 7 will be available to users in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and the US.

In addition to Windows Anytime Upgrade, Microsoft will also offer the Windows 7 Family Pack which will allow for Windows 7 Home Premium to be installed on up to 3 PCs. By running run Windows 7 on more than one PC on a home network, Microsoft points out that you’ll be able to take advantage of features like HomeGroup. HomeGroup lets you connect PCs and share files. The Windows 7 Family Pack will be available for $149.99 starting on October 22nd until supplies last. The Family Pack provides a savings of more than $200 for three licenses.

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CrunchPad Tablet PC To Surf In The Clouds

Is the Tablet PC really ready to make a comeback? With Apple's rumored tablet inching closer to reality each and every day, we've got yet another entrant vying for attention. According to a new article in the Straits Times, a Singapore start-up company by the name of Fusion Garage has teamed up with TechCrunch's own Michael Arrington in order to produce the world's next tablet--or, at least the next one that anyone will bother to care about.

The device will purportedly be called the CrunchPad, and according to the report, it boasts a 12" display and weighs 1.2kg. Full dimensions are 12.77" by 7.83" by 0.74", and the homegrown operating system promises to give users easy access to YouTube clips and their own media, as well as Office documents and the like. Unlike most tablet PCs (and portable computers in general), the CrunchPad isn't slated to have any onboard storage space. Instead, it'll rely on wireless connectivity in order to sync with the "cloud," essentially running applications off a central server that it can connect to over the Internet. Take away the wireless connection, and poof, there goes your application.

As expected, the device will sport a full touch screen, which should be loads of fun to tinker with. We're still not given a price, but with competition from Apple seemingly around the bend, we'd say the company better think twice before charging a bundle and calling it special.

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Toshiba To Launch 64GB SDXC Card

Toshiba announced the launch of the world’s first 64GB SDXC memory card that is capable of operating at the world's fastest data transfer rate for reading and writing to a flash memory card. The new card meets the specifications of the new SD Memory Standard, Ver. 3.00, UHS104. In addition to the new 64GB SDXC memory card, Toshiba also unveiled 32GB and 16GB SDHC cards that are also compliant with the world's fastest data transfer rate.

The SD Memory Card Standard Version 3.00, UHS104 offers a maximum write speed of 35MB per second, and a read speed of 60MB per second. The large storage capacities in combination with the faster data transfer rates are designed for a wide range of consumer electronics applications such as digital still cameras and digital camcorders that require high bandwidth data communication. Thanks to these new cards, DSLRs will be able to shoot longer continuous bursts in the highest quality RAW format. The new cards will also make it possible to download a 2.4GB video in only 70 seconds.

The SDXC card format is the next-generation standard that was defined by the SD Association in January 2009. The standard applies to cards with capacities ranging from 32GB to 2TB. The previous SDHC standard applies only to cards with capacities from 2GB to 32GB.

Mass production for the new 64GB SDXC memory card from Toshiba will start in the Spring of 2010. Mass production for the new 32GB and 16GB SDHC cards will also begin in Spring 2010.

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Will Future iPhones Tattle On You?

Apple may have found a new way to force you to tell the truth about how well you’ve taken care of your iPhone or iPod. A recent patent filed by the company describes a customer abuse detection system that will allow technicians to tell if you’ve been too hard on Apple devices. Instances of abuse could include things such as immersing the device in liquid, exposing it to extreme temperatures, dropping it, or tampering with the device’s internal circuitry.

This detection system could store a digital recording of the event in the device’s memory anytime abuse occurs. Using diagnostic tools, technicians could access this information to find out how well you’ve taken care of your iPhone or iPod. If you’ve treated the device poorly, Apple could make the argument that your warranty is void and you’re not eligible for repair or replacement under warranty.

Apple doesn’t explicitly say that it will use the customer abuse detection system to refuse device repairs or replacements, but the patent does suggest the company is looking for a way to protect its own interest. The patent states, “it is not uncommon for consumers to receive replacement products or repair services on abused products not covered under the terms of a warranty. Such erroneous replacements or repairs may be costly to the vendor and/or manufacturer of the product.”

The trouble with a customer abuse detection system such as the one described comes down to the way in which the information is used. For example, say you accidentally drop your iPhone and then a month or so later something goes wrong and the iPhone fails to function. Should the accidental drop mean you’re no longer entitled to a warranty, especially if the phone continued to function after the drop? Most people would probably argue that the two events are not necessarily related and that Apple should still honor the warranty. However, with a consumer abuse detection system, Apple may see things differently.

Before we jump to conclusions, it’s important to point out that Apple has not said it will use the customer abuse detection system against customers to refuse warranty work. It’s only a possibility. There’s also the possibility that the customer abuse detection system would only be used in situations where there is a very clear connection between the abuse and a device’s inoperability. Finally, it’s important to remember that this is only a patent—Apple has not made any official announcements saying it will deploy a customer abuse detection system.

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Dell Axes 12" Inspiron Mini 12 Netbook

Talk about a short life. Dell's Inspiron Mini 12 launched in late October of last year, and it seems the company's largest netbook is already being canned before it can even celebrate its first birthday. It's almost tragic, isn't it? With fewer and fewer netbooks launching these days with 11.6" and 12" displays, it really hurts to see yet another big guy take the fall. After all, these 12" machines usually have keyboards that are much larger and far more comfortable to use than those on the 10" machines, but we suspect the sales volume just didn't warrant an extension.

Indeed, the Mini 12 launched at around $600, which is dangerously close to the price put on 13.3" and 14" thin-and-light notebooks from MSI and company. Of course, those that closely follow Dell's moves won't find this as a shock. Recently, the company's Inspiron Mini 9 netbook was also canned with nary a peep from the parent company, and the 12" version is also vanishing without any official word. But trust us, you won't have much luck if you surf over to Dell's website and attempt to order one.

So, in the larger picture, what exactly does this mean? Does it signal that larger netbooks are unwanted? Does it signal that the $299 price ceiling is made of more than glass? We're guessing that the Mini 12 would've done much better below $600, but we can understand why Dell was forced to sell it for more. Who knows--maybe the Mini 12 will resurface with great specs and a new face.

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Best Buy To Offer Samsung Omnia 2 & More On August 23

Assuming a mole from Best Buy is correct, the retailer is going to be a busy place on August 23^rd. The mole has provided Boy Genius Report with a screenshot that shows Best Buy’s plans to begin offering a number of anticipated feature phones that day.

Although it’s no iPhone, the Samsung Omnia 2 is definitely one of the hot upcoming phones that will soon be available on Verizon’s network according to the leaked screenshot. Other popular phones include the Samsung Rogue, LG Chocolate Touch, and Samsung u450 Intensity, all for Verizon. T-Mobile is said to be getting the Samsung Gravity 2, while AT&T users will be able to enjoy the Samsung Solstice and the LG Xenon.

Sprint users will have a chance to get their hands on the BlackBerry Tour again, since a new shipment should be in about the same time. There’s also an M330 from Samsung that’s headed to Sprint, though few details are available about this phone for now.

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Palm's Paid App Beta Program Goes Live

You've got to hand it to 'em here, Palm sure is doing a bang-up job in reviving itself. Around this time last year, many pundits wondered if the company famous for creating the Palm Pilot and Treo smartphone would live to reach the next decade. The Palm Pre turned things around for the California-based company, but it's still struggling to contend with Apple's almighty App Store.

You see, no matter how swank the Pre's webOS is, it still lags badly in the app quantity department. Apple has well over 50,000 apps to choose from. The Pre has less than 50. All that could begin to change in the near future, however, as this week Palm opened up its e-commerce beta program for the Palm App Catalog.

If you're curious, that's Palm's version of a paid app store. Starting today, developers who wish to charge for their webOS applications can begin submitting them for consideration in the App Catalog e-commerce beta program, which will begin in mid-September. Devs who make the cut will have the opportunity to have their applications, both free and paid, featured in the Palm App Catalog ahead of the next wave, and to be among the first to be paid for purchases of their Palm webOS applications.

What's in it for coders? Cash, naturally. Palm will hand over 70% of the profits to devs, while 30% remains with Palm to cover all those expenses we common folk don't even want to think about. Customers will be able to easily purchase applications using Visa and MasterCard credit cards, though the program won't begin until this fall in the US at the earliest. We hate to be brash, but we definitely hope more free apps show up before we start focusing on paid apps. You've got to build a following before asking 'em to pay, right?

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RIM Acquires Browser Developer Torch Mobile

RIM, the maker of the popular line of BlackBerry smartphones, has acquired Torch Mobile, the WebKit browser developer that’s most known for its Iris mobile browser that runs on Windows Mobile phones, for an undisclosed sum. WebKit is the open-source code that underlines many of today’s mobile browsers found on the Apple iPhone, Palm Pre, and Google Android phones.

According to Torch Mobile’s website, “Our team of developers will join RIM’s global organization and will now be focused on utilizing our WebKit-based mobile browser expertise to contribute to the ongoing enhancement of the BlackBerry platform.” The site also explains that Torch Mobile’s team of skilled developers will continue to be active participants in the WebKit development community. It's unclear if the Iris browser will continue to be available for Windows Mobile users.

The BlackBerry browser has been criticized by some as being behind other browsers such as the iPhone’s Safari browser. Recent rumors have suggested that RIM is working on Flash and Silverlight support for its BlackBerry line, but many wonder if the company’s current browsers are up to the challenge.

Will this purchase by RIM be the first step in upping the competition for mobile browsers? Time will tell, but Torch Mobile’s developers could certainly be an asset for RIM.

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Windows 7 RC Downloads to Close Thursday

Run, don't walk to the nearest browser if you want to download the Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC). Downloading will be allowed until 11 AM ET this morning, and that's not far off.

The pipeline opened for the Windows 7 RC on May 4th. While originally stating that downloads would cease in late July, Microsoft has twice extended it, first to August 15th, and later to August 20th. That would be today, if you're calendar-phobic.

The RC gives you a chance to run Windows 7 for free, at least until next year. Naturally it's not the final software, but by all reports, it's pretty darn stable. Windows 7 RC is set to nagging you on March 1, 2010; it will begin to automatically shut down at two-hour intervals on that date. D-Day is June 1, 2010 after which the OS will not boot at all.

After the Windows Vista fiasco (let's be honest; that's what it was), Microsoft is looking to Windows 7 to re-invigorate its OS division, so to speak, as well as its coffers. Still, many businesses have said they might skip Windows 7, or at least delay adoption, in this time of recession.

Launch date for Windows 7 is Oct. 22nd. Prior to that date, while MSDN members and certain others can obtain an early copy, John Q. Public can obtain a legal copy by attending one of the 25 launch events Microsoft is hosting in the U.S. Those events begin Sept. 24; a complete list of the sites and schedule is available on Microsoft's site.

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Core i7 Extreme Overclocking with LN2

Enthusiast level hardware is exciting, especially if you can make use of its full potential. When Intel released the monster 3.33GHz Core i7 975 processor, they laid claim to the highest performing desktop CPU on the market. Interestingly enough, they were competing with themselves as the 3.2GHz 965 held the pole position up to that point. But the new model was welcome as it brought with it the new D0 stepping which lowered operating voltage requirements, tightened up memory timings and brought slightly cooler temperatures. Of course enthusiasts also noticed another tangible benefit in the form of higher overclocking headroom.

Intel's Extreme Edition processors are not for everybody. Economically, they just don't make much sense for mainstream users. These extravagant chips were designed for smaller segment of the market where the consumers who buy them tend to push their hardware a lot harder than most folks. Here, workstation professionals, overclockers, benchmark freaks, and extreme enthusiasts spend as much time tweaking system settings for optimal performance as they do operating their computers. Besides the small speed bump that the 975 features at its stock settings, the main advantage it has over its more affordable siblings is an unlocked multiplier which provides coveted flexibility to overclockers as they push core speeds to new heights. If overclocking is an art, using an Extreme Edition processor is like painting with the finest tools on an immaculate canvas.

In order to push the limits of the 975, we decided to leave the safe confines of air cooling and enter the precarious world of sub-zero chilling. Liquid nitrogen, or LN2, is commonly used as a coolant within the overclocking scene and can reach much lower temperatures than air, water, or the phase change cooling you may be accustomed to. While we are used to seeing processors operate in air-cooled settings of around 40'C, the use of LN2 will allow us to push clock speeds all the way down in the -80'C range in order to unlock the overclocking capabilities of both the motherboard and CPU. We paired a Core i7 975 processor with the EVGA X58 Classified motherboard to find out just how far we can go with the X58 platform and Intel's current flagship CPU...

Core i7 Extreme Overclocking with LN2

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Sprint Officially Offers $200 BlackBerry Tour

Already launched on Verizon Wireless and Alltel, Sprint has become the next to official trumpet the release of RIM's BlackBerry Tour. We already knew the company was planning to put its own stamp on the highly-acclaimed smartphone, and just like that, the Tour 9630 has become a family member with Palm's Pre and the like. Boasting a 3G radio, GPS, document editing and a 3.2MP camera, this phone is certainly looking like a solid rival to the aforesaid Pre and Apple's iPhone.

RIM claims that web browsing is faster than ever here, with easy access to social networking sites and a microSD card slot to load up your multimedia. The phone itself is slimmer than a deck of playing cards, and considering that it touts a "world phone" specification, you can roam with it internationally should you be okay with paying crazy expensive data/phone rates. For a limited time, the BlackBerry Tour 9630 is $199.99 at Sprint on a two-year contract, but with the iPhone 3G selling for $99 on AT&T, we suspect this rate will drop off steeply in the near future.

• The full QWERTY keyboard makes sending emails and editing documents quick and easy
• Data gets delivered to the smartphone automatically thanks to BlackBerry® Push Technology.
• Users can keep in touch with colleagues or loved ones through instant messaging, or up-to-date on news, sports, weather and movies with Sprint TV®.

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Nokia Announces Linux-Based Smartphone, What About Symbian?

Nokia’s latest E900 has some people wondering if the company has finally come up with a smartphone that will rival Apple’s iPhone. Aimed at the top end of the market, you may recall that the new N900 is the company’s first phone running on Linux software. By taking advantage of Nokia's Linux-based Maemo operating system, the handset offers multitasking and Web browsing capabilities using its touchscreen and slide-out keyboard.

Although the N900 might be Nokia’s latest high-end device, don’t think this means the company is moving away from its Symbian operating system, which is currently the most widely used mobile operating system in the world. Nokia has said that Linux will work with—not replace—the Symbian operating system in Nokia's high-end device lineup. Symbian currently controls more than half of the global smartphone operating system market, beating out Apple, Research in Motion, and Google combined.

"This is in no way putting Symbian in jeopardy," said Anssi Vanjoki, head of sales at Nokia. "Open source Symbian is going to be our main platform, and we are expanding and growing it the best we can, both in terms of functionality as well as distribution ... populating more and more of our product line with Symbian."

We’ll be interested to see how well the Nokia N900 is received and what effect it has on the Mobile Phone OS market when it becomes available in select markets in October.

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Enter The Dragon: AMD Phenom II X4 940

AMD has been fighting an uphill battle on two fronts for the last few years. For a time, fierce competition from NVIDIA, coupled with some of their own problems executing, put the ATI graphics division in a deep hole. And ever since the introduction of the original Core 2 Processors, and more recently the Core i7, AMD's processor division has fallen well behind Intel in terms of overall performance.

Starting in November of 2007 though, we got a sense that AMD was slowly, but surely, clawing its way back into the fight. It began with the introduction of the Spider platform, which consisted of AMD's native quad-core Phenom processors, 7-series chipsets, and 3800-series graphics cards Individually, the components that made up the Spider platform weren't performance leaders in their respective categories, but ultimately the platform proved to be solid, and of course, it was priced very competitively. The introduction of Spider also marked the first time AMD could offer an entire desktop platform consisting only of AMD-branded processors, core logic, and graphics.

As many of you know, AMD hasn't been sitting idle since the Spider platform introduction. The company's chipset division has launched a handful of new chipsets, featuring one of--if not--the best IGPs on the market and a new Southbridge, the SB750, that allows for higher overclocks through the use of ACC, or Advanced Clock Calibration. The ATI graphics division has also been firing on all cylinders lately, having released a top to bottom lineup of GPUs that compete very favorably at their respective price points. AMD also recaptured the 3D performance crown from NVIDIA for a time with the Radeon HD 4870 X2. AMD wasn't going down without a fight.

With the chipset and graphics divisions on a roll, it was time for the CPU team to pull the trigger on something new and exciting, to complete the new platform trifecta. It took some time, but that's exactly what's happening today. The end result is the Dragon platform which consists of new 45nm Phenom II X4 processors, 7-series chipsets, and ATI Radeon 4000 series graphics cards. We've got the goods in house and will fill you in on all of the juicy details on the pages ahead; for now let's get some of the particulars and back-story out of the way...

AMD Dragon Platform

AMD Phenom II X4 Processors Specifications and Features

Model / Processor Frequency:	AMD Phenom II Processor Model X4 940 / X4 920 / 3.0GHz, 2.8GHz
L1 Cache Sizes:	64K of L1 instruction and 64K of L1 data cache per core (512KB total L1 per processor)
L2 Cache Sizes:	512KB of L2 data cache per core (2MB total L2 per processor)
L3 Cache Size:	6MB (shared)
Memory Controller Type:	Integrated 128-bit wide memory controller, capable of being configured for dual 64-bit channels for simultaneous read/writes
Memory Controller Frequency:	Up to 1.8GHz with Dual Dynamic Power Management
Types of Memory:	Support for unregistered DIMMs up to PC2 8500 (DDR2-1066MHz)
HyperTransport 3.0:	One 16-bit/16-bit link @ up to 3600MHz full duplex
Fab location:	AMD's Fab 36 wafer fabrication facilities in Dresden, Germany
Process Technology:	45nm (.045-micron) DSL Silicon on Insulator (SOI)
Approximate Transistor count:	approx. ~758 million (65nm)
Approximate Die Size:	258 mm2 (45nm)
Nominal Voltage:	.0875-1.5 Volts
Max Ambient Case Temp:	62 degress Celsius
Max TDP:	125 Watts
ACP:	*to be announced after launch
Future Memory Controller Note:	Future 45nm processors versions are planned to include support for DDR3 memory

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Although the Dragon platform as a whole is new, most of its parts have already been on the scene for quite some time now. As such, we have already covered them in-depth here on HotHardware, so we won't do the same again here. We will, however, recommend taking a look at a few past articles to get familiar with some of the underlying technology and components that partially comprise the Dragon platform.

• ATI Radeon HD 4850 and 4870: RV770 Has Arrived
• ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 - AMD Back On Top
• AMD 790GX Chipset Platform Launch
• AMD 780G Chipset and Athlon X2 4850e Preview
• AMD Phenom X4 9350e and 9950 BE Debut
• AMD Spider Platform - Phenom, 790FX, RV670

The Radeon HD 4800 series articles detail the features and technology that have made them so successful in the 3D graphics space. And the various 7-series chipset, Phenom and Athlon processor, and Spider platform related articles cover the remainder of the platform--with the exception of the Phenom II that is, which we'll show you next.

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Windows 7 HD and SSD Performance Analyzed

Windows 7 is undoubtedly the most exciting new operating system to come out of Microsoft within the past decade--and with good reason. The user interface is superb, gone are many of the oddball Vista quirks, and the operating system is light and snappy, marking a massive 180 degree shift away from the heaviness and bloat of Vista. Despite the fact that it's based on many of the same core Vista elements, Windows 7 is a different beast, and should be looked at in a fresh new light.

Windows 7 RC gets ready to take on a a pile of really fast drives.

As with any new operating system release, there are a lot of questions with regards to how it will perform on various hardware configurations--one of the more interesting ones being related to disk performance. One of Windows Vista's cardinal sins, in our opinion, was that the operating system was constantly thrashing the system's hard disk. Whether it was trying to do some sort of smart caching or indexing files for searching, it never felt like the operating system would settle down. The disk was always active and performing reads or writes, which meant that whenever you had to actually run a program, you had to fight for disk resources.
This was noticed fairly early on, by large swaths of users, who complained about slow disk performance. Microsoft would eventually release an update to their disk caching algorithms embedded within Windows Vista Service Pack 1, which dramatically helped performance and snappiness of the operating system. However, the problem never felt completely resolved, and in the minds of most users, the damage was done. Windows Vista was, and still is, perceived as a slow operating system in the minds of most power users. One of the first things which most notice about Windows 7 is how "light" the operating system feels. It's quick to load up, it does not spend much time thrashing the hard disk once you're inside the interface, and your hard drive quickly settles down and lets you start working. It feels quicker, due to this fact, and as such, the entire computing experience on Windows 7 is much more enjoyable. All users, from those who use low-end netbooks to high-end workstations, will immediately benefit from Microsoft's new, more lightweight disk usage algorithms.
Today we're going to look at how various types of disks perform under Windows 7, both of the traditional platter based variety and new solid state disks. We're not only curious about how disk performance changes between the operating systems, but if Windows 7's new solid-state specific optimizations and tuning give you even greater performance compared to Vista.

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X58 Showdown: ASUS Rampage II vs. MSI Eclipse

If the recent release of Intel's X58 chipset has taught us anything, it's that change can be good. In our first two forays with these new boards and Intel's Core i7 processor, we've been firmly impressed by the performance gains seen over legacy Core 2 architectures, much less AMD's recent advancements and new offerings. Now, with some time under our belts, we're going to take a look at two new Intel X58 Express chipset based boards from ASUS and MSI that we've put through the test ringer. Focusing on the upper-tier of the PC market, both come fully stocked with additional components, fancy board designs, and all of the other benefits that the X58 provides, with higher-end prices to match.


First, we'll start off with an overview of the Intel X58 Express chipset. As shown in the block diagram below, the major changes revolve around the CPU's system and memory interfaces. Considering Intel's relatively slower evolution over their past few chipset updates, it's almost as if they sat back, looked at what needed changing, and then just went ahead and did them all in one fell swoop.

The first and most obvious change is the new LGA1366 socket, which nearly doubles the number of pins in order to support the Core i7. Why all the extra connections? Well, one of the biggest changes to the CPU design was to move the memory controller from the North Bridge to the CPU itself, which now supports Triple Channel DDR3. Also to supplement this new memory controller with more bandwidth, Intel created a new way to connect the CPU and the rest of the board. Dubbed QPI (Quick Path Interconnect), it consists of a serial point-to-point interconnect that offers up to 25.6GB/s of bandwidth - more than double that of the previous X48 chipset.
Another big change brought about is the native support of not only ATI's CrossFireX, but 2 or 3-way SLI for NVIDIA's graphics cards as well, provided the motherboard has the necessary BIOS hooks. As the X58 is currently the only chipset that supports the Core i7, it means you won't have to debate where to go to support not only the top processors, but the top graphics solution as well (depending on which side is currently residing on top). The South Bridge sees very little change, actually, although the ICH10/R originates from a previous coupling to the mainstream P45 chipset rather than the ICH9/R found on the X48s.
Both of today's entries feature all of the above, and then throw in their own special accoutrements to make them stand out on their own. For our testing purposes, we'll pit these two boards against each other in head-to-head combat spanning synthetic benchmarks, some real-world rendering and encoding, and then finally the all-important gaming benchmarks including some SLI frame rates.

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Overclocking Intel's Core i7 920 Processor

With the introduction of the new Intel's Core i7 920 Processor architecture, the company affectionately known as "Chipzilla" from Santa Clara has once again topped itself on the performance charts. Core i7 chips deliver significantly better performance per clock cycle, while at the same time being more power-efficient versus its predecessors. There's no doubt that it's a great chip, an insanely complex piece of circuitry which can churn through whatever you throw at it with relative ease. It is the chip you want in your system, assuming price is no barrier. However, in this economic environment, price is a major factor for most people out there, and lots of people out there are looking for a bargain, or at least, something to make the price tag more tolerable.
As with any new processor architecture introduction, early adopters bear the brunt of the cost on these new chips. If you were to set up a high-end Core i7 system today (Core i7 965, X58 motherboard, 6 GB DDR3-1600 memory), you're looking at a price tag of around $1,500 - $2,000, without any graphics cards or storage or extras. However, it is possible to get similar performance levels of a top-of-the-line Core i7 system without paying nearly as much, and that's through the time-honored tradition of overclocking.
Intel planted a gift in the Core i7 launch in the form of the Core i7 920. This is Intel's entry level Core i7 processor which runs at a stock speed of 2.66 GHz, not too far off from the high-end Core i7 965 model which runs at 3.2 GHz. While the high-end Core i7 965 sells for over $1,000, the Core i7 920 sells for a respectable $300, considering the performance that this chip is capable of with a little elbow grease. In terms of their basic hardware, they are the same chip underneath, but they simply run at different frequencies. While overclocking the Core i7 is a bit different compared to previous generation Core 2 processors, most of the same principles apply to these new systems.
So, we grabbed one of the new Core i7 920 processors off the retail shelf and decided to see how far we could clock it up. We want to give potential buyers an idea of what overclocking with the Core i7 is like, along with how much performance you'll gain, how to deal with heat, and how power consumption comes into play.

Core i7 920 Retail Box - Front

Core i7 920 Retail Box - Rear

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Corsair Issues 8GB And 12GB DDR3 RAM Kits For Core i5/Core i7 CPUs

Corsair, a company famous for keeping cutting-edge RAM popular amongst performance junkies, has just issued its newest DIMMs. After introducing us all to its new DDR3 modules for Lynnfield CPUs, the outfit has today introduced new 8GB and 12GB solutions for those with a 64-bit operating system and a nagging desire to have more RAM than they'll ever (probably) need.

The new high-density devices play nice with Intel's Core i5 and Core i7 processors, and they're available in dual/triple channel configurations. The kits also feature the company's DHX+ cooling technology and American Racing Blue fins and highlights, though we don't suspect the design will matter much to you unless you've got a clear or translucent chassis to house them in. The dual channel configuration is comprised of four matched 2GB modules, while the triple channel configuration is made up of six 2GB modules.

All of these are fine tuned to work with Intel's X58 chipset, and both sets have XMP profiles set at 1600MHz with CAS latency settings pegged at 8-8-8-24. Corsair hasn't bothered to mention price, but we suspect you'll be paying a premium.

Corsair® Launches High Density DDR3 Memory for Core™ i5 and Core™ i7 Processors

- New 8GB and 12GB solutions, with new American Racing Blue DHX+ fins -

FREMONT, Calif., Aug. 27, 2009 — Corsair®, a worldwide leader in high-performance computer memory, power supplies and flash memory products, including solid-state drives, today announced a new set of high density products for Intel® Core i5 and Core i7 processors. These DIMMs are available in dual and triple channel configurations and are specifically tuned for Intel CPUs.

The 8GB and 12GB module kits feature Corsair’s DHX+ cooling technology, and sport new American Racing Blue fins and highlights. The dual channel configuration, part number CMD8GX3M4A1600C8, consists of four matched 2GB modules, optimized for P55 motherboards. The triple channel configuration, part number CMD12GX3M6A1600C8, consists of six matched 2GB modules, and is optimized for X58 motherboards. Both sets of modules have XMP profiles set at 1600MHz, with CAS latency settings of 8-8-8-24. An Airflow fan with matching blue highlights is included with both the dual and triple channel configurations.

“Windows® 7™ early adopters and other power users have recently been demanding 8GB and 12GB performance memory solutions to optimize their computing experience,” stated John Beekley, Vice President of Technical Marketing at Corsair. “These 8GB and 12GB configurations will allow these advanced users to get the most out of their high performance rigs, particularly if they often switch between demanding tasks like gaming and video production.”

Corsair has recently produced a whitepaper detailing some of the performance gains that can be realized with memory configurations of 8GB and larger. You can find the results of this study . The study demonstrated that the higher density memory took excellent advantage of the improved memory handling in Windows 7, and resulted in substantial performance gains in system startup, shutdown, context switching, and game loading.


About DHX+ Technology
Corsair’s innovative DHX+ (Dual-path Heat eXchange Plus) technology uses specially designed, high-quality heatsinks and a custom-designed PCB that allows both the front and rear of the memory ICs, and the printed circuit board itself, to be cooled. DHX+ technology also allows for the cooling fins to be removed, allowing for a range of modular cooling accessories including extended heatsink fins, the Hydro H30 series water-block and Ice series T30 thermo-electric cooler, which cools the memory up to 20°C below room temperature for maximum overclocking performance.

About Corsair®
Founded in 1994, Corsair Memory, Inc., is a worldwide leader in high performance components for personal computers. Specializing in very high performance memory and ultra- efficient power supplies, our flagship products, Including Dominator™ memory modules, are the choice of overclockers, enthusiasts, and gamers everywhere. Our expertise in design and manufacturing is also evident in our complete line of Flash Voyager® and Flash Survivor™ USB storage devices. Corsair offers 24/7 customer support via forums and the Tech Support Express helpdesk. For more information, please visit www.corsair.com

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Two chances to win a Palm Pre

Let’s get the bad news out of the way first: They’re for residents of the US and Canada, respectively. And the good news: It’s actually seven chances. (And no purchase is necessary.)

US residents can enter a monthly giveaway on our Facebook page -- just log in to Facebook and leave a comment on the “Win a Palm Pre” tab explaining why you need one. The current giveaway runs through August 14, and there will be five more monthly giveaways after that. See the full rules here.

For Canadian residents, you have until August 31 to enter a contest to win a Palm Pre from Bell Mobility, the exclusive Canadian carrier. You can enter the contest here and check the official rules here.

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Planning the perfect weekend, Palm Pre-style

Some new additions to the Palm Pre’s beta App Catalog have arrived just in time to help you get ready for the weekend. Planning a road trip? Mileage Monitor by Foxtail Software will help you gauge your fuel efficiency. Rusty Brick’s Shabbat Shalom lets you check global times for Shabbos, while Kosher2Go by Rocketouch offers a global guide to kosher establishments.

And if kicking back is in your weekend plans, check out ESPN Zoom by EpicTilt, the popular photo-hunt game. Bursting your bubbles turns out to be a good thing in Bubbles! from bytesquencing.com, while Word Ace by Self Aware Games takes classic word games into the realm of fast-paced multiplayer online competition.

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BlackBerry Storm 9530, Tested and Burned In

Touchscreen smartphones are certainly a big hit right now. If you consider Apple’s ever-popular iPhone, HTC’s well-received Touch lineup, and many others, touch is a high-demand feature. Manufacturers are certainly taking note of this fact. Traditionally speaking, the BlackBerry line of smartphones share a common layout with a QWERTY keyboard located beneath a standard (i.e. non-touchscreen) display.

Considering the popularity of touch, you can imagine that Research in Motion wasn’t going to hold out on creating a touchscreen device forever. As to be expected, the company received a lot of hype when it announced the first ever touchscreen BlackBerry smartphone in October of last year. But as the BlackBerry Storm 9530 officially hit the scenes late last year, it was met with mixed reviews.
We’ve been checking out Verizon Wireless’ version of this smartphone for over a month now. Instead of rehashing the same stuff that you’ve seen in other reviews, we’re going to look at this BlackBerry in terms of how it is different from other smartphones (not just other BlackBerries), and how well it will meet the needs of both business and personal users. In light of the fact that Amazon is now offering the Storm for just $99, it’s also important to consider what you’ll get for the money.

In years past, BlackBerries were most popular for business users who wanted easy access to email while on the go. As smartphones have evolved and become more widespread, however, we’re seeing more and more consumers carrying smartphones. Smartphones with touch screens have attracted the attention of many non-business users, perhaps because of the shiny interfaces they often provide.
The BlackBerry Storm’s clickable touchscreen is what sets the Storm apart from other touchscreen devices we’ve seen to date. We’ll discuss interactions with this screen more later, but it’s important to keep in mind that you must touch the screen to select a command and then press the screen to “click.” Other touchscreen devices simply require a single tap of a finger or stylus to initiate an action.

Research in Motion took its experience in producing business-centric devices and has incorporated many of the company's well-liked and well-known organizational and communication features into the BlackBerry Storm. Because you interact with the Storm in a manner that is unlike any other BlackBerry to date, the new interface affects the way the way applications look and feel. However, the changes are minor so most BlackBerry users will still feel right at home. In the end, some users will welcome the change while others may dislike the new interface. In addition to traditional business applications and features, the BlackBerry Storm also incorporates a number of consumer-friendly features, including a camera, application store, GPS receiver, and media player/manager. Read on as we discuss more about this rather interesting smartphone...

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