Microsoft Extends Free AV Tool to Small Businesses

Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) has been around for nearly an year. All along, the company has maintained that it has no plans of extending the free antivirus software to small businesses, as it is solely intended for consumers and home-based businesses.
However, the company is no longer averse to offering MSE to small businesses, even at the expense of its enterprise security solutions. In an abrupt policy change, MS has announced that it will begin offering “its Microsoft Security Essentials available to small businesses on up to 10 PCs for FREE, beginning in early October!”
“By providing Microsoft Security Essentials to small businesses free of charge, Microsoft extends its commitment to help these companies save money and grow their business by offering no-cost protection from viruses, spyware and other malicious threats,” the company said in a blog post.

iBuyPower Launches Sweet Looking Dragon Themed Chassis

We're not into the whole branding thing ourselves, but if you're a fan of AMD's dragon graphics, don't plan on rolling your own rig, and don't have a hankering for Intel hardware, then iBuyPower has a chassis right up your alley. Designed in conjunction with AMD, the new Dragon Special Edition enclosure is really an NZXT Lexa case with a killer makeover.
"The uniquely wrapped NZXT Lexa enclosure features the metallic AMD Dragon with its piercing red eyes, wings spread, and jaws open poised to strike," iBuyPower explains. "The AMD Dragon Special Edition chassis is designed to add an element of lethality to gamers' lifestyles."
And a bit of flair to your desktop. But the real draw here is that iBuyPower isn't price gouging. The Dragon themed Lexa is available on iBuyPower's entire range of AMD systems, including as part of a fully configured Athlon II-based setup starting at $439. Just ignore the 'X6' tag on the side of the case, we won't tell.

Image Credit: iBuyPower

Amazon Updates Kindle for Android with Voice Search and Other Goodies

Amazon today announced a new update to its free Kindle app for Android. The latest update shoehorns a handful of new features, including the ability to search within a book either by typing or a speaking a word or phrase. Other features include:

• Add, Edit, and Delete Notes and Highlights: Add notes and highlights to books, and have them automatically synchronized between devices.
• Wikipedia Lookup: Look up words and phrases in Wikipedia simply by selecting text
• Shelfari Book Details: View additional book details from the books-focused social networking site Shelfari. Readers will find a description of the book, synopsis, summary, cast of characters, and many more features, and be able to view real-time discussions that the Shelfari community is having about the book.
• Orientation Lock: Choose to the lock the orientation of the screen in landscape or portrait mode.

Nothing earth shattering in and of themselves, but collectively, but not a bad little update for fans of the Kindle app. Kindle for Android is available for free from the Android Market.

Image Credit: Amazon

Study: Mobile Apps Popular, but Hardware Drives Smartphone Sales

A new survey called "Revolutions 2010" conducted by Deloitte lays out some fairly interesting findings detailing the influence mobile apps have -- or don't have -- on various hardware.
Video may have killed the radio star, but it's mobile apps that are helping to snuff out MP3 players. The survey, which pinged 1,960 U.S. consumers between the ages of 14 and 75 years old, found that 43 percent of app users have reduced or completely eliminated their use of MP3 players in favor of smartphones or tablets. Thirty-eight percent of app users said they no longer use or hardly ever use traditional AM/FM radios, and 30 percent said they no longer care about their videogame consoles.
"While the market for mobile apps is still in its infancy, once consumers get a taste, they appear to start using those apps for all aspects of their digital lives," said Phil Asmundson, vice chairman and Deloitte's technology, media, and telecommunications sector leader. "What we are seeing is a significant shift in how consumers access media, entertainment, and information. The growing demand for smartphones, led by Millennials and Xers, will increasingly threaten to cannibalize many consumer electronics."
At the same time, apps aren't the driving force in smartphone sales. About 58 percent of consumers who own or plan to purchase a smarphone indicated that features such as size, quality, camera, keyboard style, and price play the biggest role in what device to buy. On the flip side, only 18 percent cited additional features and functionality provided by apps as a determining factor.

HP Slate Prototype Shows Up in YouTube Video

A YouTube user who goes by the name "x313xkillax" posted what may end up being the first hands-on look at HP's upcoming Windows 7-based Slate in prototype form.
Naturally there's some chatter that the video could be fake, and we can't say that it isn't. But if it is a ruse, it's a convincing one. The 4-minute video starts off with a tour of the external features, which shows a textured backing, built-in camera, SD card on the side, a keyboard button to bring up the virtual keyboard, volume buttons, USB port, and a few other accoutrement. There's even a CTRL-ALT-DEL key and a home key.
The second half of the video shows the device booting up and browsing the Web, as well as a brief look at the virtual keyboard.
Check it out below and then tell us what you think.

Motherboard Mega-Roundup: 6 Top Mobos Reviewed and Compared

We put the top 890FX and X58 mobos through their paces

Gordon's freestyle technique is decent, but next time he decides to fling mobos, we want to see him do a thumber backhand, or better yet, a skip shot.
Ready to finally build your post-recession machine?
That’s good, because we’ve decided to round up the best and brightest motherboards available. And we’re not talking Micro ATX, sub-$100 budgetrino boards here. We reached for the most feature-filled, over-the-top X58 and 890FX boards from the top three mobo vendors.
Want to know how over the top? One board lets you remotely reboot or overclock it using your cell phone. Another features power connectors usually found only on dual-processor server motherboards. Hell, one has a heat pipe so freaking big, some editors here thought it was some sort of new PCI-E add-in card. And one board is so large, you’ll have to buy a case specifically for its generous dimensions.
So if you’re ready to build a machine that will motor you away from those recession doldrums, keep reading because the best board here will be the one you want in your AMD or Intel machine.

The X58 Reviews

Gigabyte X58A-UD7

MSI Big Bang-XPower

Asus Rampage III Extreme

X58: The Final Analysis

With performance essentially equal, it comes down to overall experience
We know, enthusiasts like to see benchmarks and measurements and numbers. But, as we’ve observed for a long time, performance across the same chipset rarely sees major variances. That lesson is evident here, where there’s no clear performance winner. Each board scored minor victories that were most likely the result of a benchmark’s margin of error and/or each board’s out-of-the-box overclock. The Gigabyte board, for example, runs its bclock at 134.9, which gives it a slight clock-speed advantage. Still, all the boards are fast.
In the overclocking department, we didn’t try to wring each board to its fullest potential manually, as that’s dependent on the individual overclocker. We did, however, test how each board handled automatic overclocking. Interestingly, all three were pretty safe automatic overclocks, taking our 2.8GHz Core i7-930 to the 3.33GHz Core i7-975 Extreme Edition range without fail. Of course, everyone knows that’s a pretty wimpy feat. All three companies are simply being realistic. Folks who use the automatic tools will be happy with what they get but anyone who buys a board designed to boot with frigid liquid-nitrogen is going to overclock manually.
So, what this comes down to are features and the setup experience. Surprisingly, with the amount of engineering and qualification that goes into the top-tier boards, not everything is perfect. The Gigabyte X58A-UD7 was probably the trickiest. Out of the box, with the latest public BIOS and a retail Core i7-930, the board kept falling back to a 15x multiplier, which made our 2.8GHz chip a 2GHz chip. And no, it wasn’t in SpeedStep mode. That won’t trip up an enthusiast, but Joe 12-pack might not know he’s underclocking a chip. Only manually setting the multiplier to 22x gave us the right clock speed.
The Gigabyte’s ET6 utility also kept tripping Windows 7’s UAC control on each boot. Another kvetch about the Gigabyte board: It’s qualified for tri-SLI and includes a bridge, but you will need a special case to accept the last card. Both MSI’s and Asus’s tri-SLI configurations should fit in most standard enclosures.
Not that the MSI and Asus boards were without fault. As we noted above, MSI’s default power configuration was plain wacky. Requiring a user who has just spent a ton of cash on a top-tier board to enable S3 and tweak two power settings to enable “wake on USB” seems wrong. Granted, at $300 on the street, MSI’s board is the cheapest of the three here. And we do dig the Big Bang’s PCI-E layout and surface-mounted controls.
As for the Rampage III, Asus needs to send its north-bridge fan design back to the drawing board. Besides it not working with large coolers, the fan is shrill and prevents you from reaching the top GPU latch with your fingers. And how ’bout another USB header? The other two boards here pack two USB headers for case front-panel ports, but Asus only gives you one.
In the end, though, those are pretty minor complaints. It was a very close competition between Asus’s Rampage III Extreme and MSI’s Big Bang-XPower, but the RC Bluetooth mode and out-of-the-box flawless setup give the Rampage III Extreme the edge.

Benchmarks

	Gigabyte X58A-UD7	MSI Big Bang-XPower	Asus Rampage III Extreme
PCMark Vantage 64-bit Overall	8,993	8,903	8,940
Everest Ultimate Mem Read (MB/s)	14,618	15,406	14,628
Everest Ultimate Mem Write (MB/s)	12,076	14,776	12,194
Everest Ultimate Mem Copy (MB/s)	16,470	17,036	17,062
Everest Ultimate Mem Latency (ns)	59.8	60.2	60.5
SiSoft Sandra RAM Bandwidth (GB/s)	22.8	22.6	23
3DMark Vantage Overall	15,549	15,211	15,443
3DMark Vantage GPU	14,643	14,415	14,640
3DMark Vantage CPU	18,618	18,227	18,483
Valve Particle test (fps)	149	144	149
Resident Evil 5 low-res (fps)	130.2	128.2	126.7
HAWX low-res (fps)	175	177	174
HD Tune Pro Sustained Write (MB/s)	98.9	102	102
HD Tune Pro Burst (MB/s)	136.7	136.7	172

Best scores are bolded. We outfitted all three motherboards with an Intel 2.8GHz Core i7-930, 6GB of Corsair DDR3/1333, a VisionTek Radeon HD 5850, a ThermalRight Ultra-120, a Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, and Windows 7 Professional.

The 890FX Reviews

Gigabyte GA-890FXA-UD7

MSI 890FXA-GD70

Asus Crosshair IV Formula

890FX: The Final Analysis

Does AMD have the moxie to run an enthusiast platform?
We have to give credit to the AMD faithful for sticking it out with the underdog, for what has quite frankly been a bumpy ride. Some of the best times date all the way back to the Barton (Socket A/462) era, in which even high-end boards, like the Asus A7N8X and Abit NFS-2, could be yours for about $100. After that, Socket 939 reigned supreme in Sunnyvale, but not before AMD pissed people off with its stopgap Socket 754 and 940 platforms, both of which had barely left the assembly line before reaching obsolescence.
Here we are on stable ground again. Chalk it up to remarkable engineering or just plain good planning, but while Intel has been busy juggling sockets, AMD has made the most out of its AM2, AM2+, and AM3 platforms with a staggering amount of backward compatibility. The bigger problem for AMD has been the chipset, and most notably the wonky AHCI support. That’s been the case even as recently as 790FX, but AMD appears to have finally figured things out with its 890FX chipset. We ran all three boards in AHCI mode, and while we did run into a single hiccup, we can’t definitively blame it on AHCI.
So, where does that leave these three enthusiast boards? If we’re basing our opinion on performance alone, Gigabyte’s GA-890FXA-UD7 walks away with the crown in the narrowest of victories. But for the most part, there really isn’t a whole lot that separates these boards in terms of benchmarks other than bragging rights, and even then, is pulling in 155 frames per second in HAWX really worth gloating over with the competition scoring 154.3 (Asus) and 153.3 (MSI)? If it is, then by all means, grab the Gigabyte board, and make sure to pick up a chassis that can accommodate XL-ATX formfactors while you’re at it—you won’t be cramming Gigabyte’s board into your mid-tower.
We’re more enamored with the Asus Crosshair IV Formula and MSI 890FXA-GD70. The Crosshair IV wins on sex appeal, and again, if you’re splitting hairs over benchmarks, then this time the nod goes to Asus. Throw in the gold-plated audio inputs, Q-Connector, SupremeFX X-Fi module, and enough fan headers to generate a tornado, and you’re left with one helluva mobo. So how did MSI earn a Kick Ass award?
To start with, MSI managed to cram one more PCI-E port onto its board than Asus did, and also found room for an IDE port. Sure, the Crosshair IV comes with an additional PCI slot, but now that even soundcards ship in PCI-E form, is anyone even using PCI anymore? Anyone? And while both boards nailed the layout, we like that the SATA ports sit a tad lower on MSI’s mobo, keeping them away from overhanging videocards.
Finally, we have to give MSI props for its OC Genie. It took a single button press and a 20-second reboot to supercharge our 955BE by almost 700MHz. And did we mention MSI’s board is the least expensive?

Benchmarks

	MSI 890FXA-GD70	Asus Crosshair IV Formula	Gigabyte GA-890FXA-UD7
PCMark Vantage 64-bit Overall	11,439	11,180	9,870
Everest Ultimate Mem Read (MB/s)	7,928	8,043	8,050
Everest Ultimate Mem Write (MB/s)	6,728	6,783	6,790
Everest Ultimate Mem Copy (MB/s)	9,589	9,947	9,966
Everest Ultimate Mem Latency (ns)	56.8	55.4	55.6
SiSoft Sandra RAM Bandwidth (GB/s)	12.4	12.8	13
3DMark Vantage Overall	13,509	13,562	13,504
3DMark Vantage GPU	14,582	14,599	14,632
3DMark Vantage CPU	11,067	11,179	10,967
Valve Particle test (fps)	90	74.3	76.7
Resident Evil 5 low-res (fps)	79.63	80.3	81.1
HAWX low-res (fps)	153.3	154.3	155
HD Tune Pro Sustained Write (MB/s)	103.4	13.3	105.1
HD Tune Pro Burst (MB/s)	224.3	225.8	231

Best scores are bolded. We used a 3.2GHz Phenom II 955 Black Edition, 4GB of Corsair DDR3/1333, a VisionTek Radeon HD 5850, a Cooler Master Hyper 212, a Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, and Windows 7 Professional. Burst and write tests were obtained with a 64GB Kingston SSD Now.

Dare to Compare

(Click to enlarge)

Maximum PC Reads the Motherboard Tea Leaves

For the record, neither AMD nor Intel have told us squat about what to expect out of their next-generation chipsets. Instead, we sifted the Internet rumor mill and grilled motherboard vendors for what little info we could get.
First up, Intel. There have long been rumors of an X68 chipset and new ICH11 south bridge. Those rumors, however, are likely wrong. The chipset is shaping up to be a minor update of the current X58. Expect native SATA 6 support and possibly more PCI-E lanes. We wouldn’t expect USB 3.0, though. Rumored to be included in ICH11, USB 3.0 is looking more like it won’t be integrated until late 2011.
More important for Intel is the P65 chipset. The company badly needs to update the P55 chipset, which is finding itself starved for bandwidth now that SATA 6 and USB 3 components are arriving. Intel is unlikely to continue compatibility with its upcoming Sandy Bridge CPUs and its current crop of chipsets. There’s already talk of an LGA2011 socket for Sandy Bridge that, obviously, is incompatible with LGA1366. The LGA1156 will likely get left out in the cold, too.
AMD’s plans are a bit murkier and more secretive. With an integrated GPU, AMD’s upcoming Fusion chips is almost certain to require a new socket and a new chipset. Of course, the big question is, will current AM3 boards support AMD’s upcoming Bulldozer core? At this point, we’re going to give it a 50/50 chance. AMD has been fairly wonderful at giving its users an upgrade path, so it’s likely the company could cash in on some of that good will by introducing an updated socket. We can usually count on Intel to make you buy a new board, though. Sigh.

Don't Expect to Mix AMD with Nvidia Multi-card Configs

Viewed from the comfort of today’s X58 platform, the multi-GPU war seems like a hundred yarns ago. Unfortunately, AMD users continue to suffer in the ongoing war between ATI and Nvidia.
Today, if you want to run an Nvidia multi-card configuration, you buy an Intel board. If you have an AMD board, your only choice is to buy CrossFireX. Of course, it’s not that Radeon HD cards are bad; in fact, ATI’s resurgence with the award-winning Radeon HD 5870 and 5970 cards has many satisfied AMD users.
But still, as capable as the 890FX boards are, why can’t you run Nvidia cards if you want to? Is it a technical problem?
Neither company would say, but we’re certain it’s not. We’ve seen a clear pattern where you could run either brand of cards in a multi-card setup on any chipset and with any CPU, provided there is enough PCI-E bandwidth.
To try to shed some light on the subject, we attempted to pry info from AMD and Nvidia as to the reason for the hold-up. Unfortunately, we weren’t very successful. Nvidia provided us with a terse response: “We have no plans to support SLI on motherboards using AMD chipsets.” And AMD was no better. It’s apparently quite happy for its customers who want to run two or more cards to have ATI logos on them.
Board vendors aren’t so happy, though. Those we spoke with said they’ve looked at options to get SLI running on AMD boards, and one even said that its engineers have tested hacked SLI running on an 890FX to see if it works and it does just fine.
Unfortunately, there’s nothing to force anyone’s hand here. When Nvidia faced a situation where Intel chipset users were choosing CrossFire over SLI, the company caved and started allowing board vendors to include SLI support. With AMD’s much smaller market share, it appears that the situation won’t change until one company blinks.

Where's Native Support for the New, Faster USB?

Every motherboard we reviewed here features SuperSpeed USB 3.0, but none has true native support. The blame lies with Intel and AMD, because neither has yet added support for the latest USB spec in their respective south-bridge chips.

To get around this limitation, motherboard vendors have tapped discrete USB controllers from such vendors as NEC to hit those super-fast transfer speeds over USB. That’s good enough to get a USB 3.0 logo on the motherboard box, but it’s not good enough for true enthusiasts who don’t want to be limited to a mere two ports.

So, why the hold-up? It didn’t take this long for USB 2.0, did it? Actually, it practically did. USB 2.0 launched in early 2000, with most mobo vendors integrating NEC chips for USB 2.0 support. It wasn’t until two years later, when Intel launched its ICH 4 south bridge with the DDR-based 845E, that USB 2.0 became truly integrated.

OK, so maybe we’re just being impatient, but we wanted to hear from the chipset makers why the much-requested feature wasn’t on tap for this year. AMD’s explanation was that it was one of the features that didn’t make the priority list when the 890FX (and its accompanying SB850 south bridge) was in the factory.

Intel said it’s following the game plan it used with USB 2.0: The spec is finalized, discrete controllers are released and integrated into boards, and then, when there’s enough actual hardware out there that needs it, the company will add native support.

The company also refuted tin-foil hat theories that Intel was intentionally sandbagging USB 3.0 in order to push its upcoming Light Peak optical technology. “Light Peak does not compete with USB 3.0. The first USB 3.0 products started to appear in the market in 2009, with a volume ramp expected to begin in 2010, using discrete controllers,” the company told Maximum PC. “We see Light Peak and USB 3.0 as being complementary, as Light Peak enables USB and other I/O protocols to run together on a single, longer cable and at higher speeds in the future. We expect both to exist together in the market and on the same platform at the same time. The Light Peak initiative does not signify any change to Intel’s direction on USB 3.0 or any other existing I/O efforts.”

Nespresso CitiZ Automatic Espresso Maker Review

One-touch, no-fuss espresso that actually tastes good

For much of the world, the aroma, flavor, and lightning bolt of energy that a café dopio delivers are magic. But a big part of the delight is also the ritual of preparation: grinding the beans, tamping the portafilter, and pulling the shot yourself.
So what can we make of Nespresso’s CitiZ Automatic Espresso Maker, which eschews this loving ritual in favor of a push-button system? Insert an espresso capsule, press a button, and 18 seconds later, you get a shot of espresso.
On the surface, it smacks of heresy, but Maximum Tech wondered: Could the fully automated espresso shot pulled by this machine rival the flavor of a traditional espresso? The answer is yes. Mostly. With a few caveats.

On its own, the CitiZ gave the Maximum Tech editorial staff a 37 percent boost in productivity.
The core concept behind the CitiZ is not unlike that of an inkjet printer or a Gillette razor. With the CitiZ, you’re committing to a closed system in which you purchase proprietary espresso capsules exclusively from the Nespresso Club, which promises two-day delivery to most addresses in North America. The cost per capsule varies by volume, but tends to average around $0.43. That’s a solid value, and shipping costs are minimal.
The downside is that unless you live in or near Boston, Chevy Chase, Chicago, Orange County, Miami, or New York City, you can’t purchase capsules in person. The upside is that Nespresso offers up to 16 different roasts and flavors ranging from mild to extra-strong, including three different decafs, all in colorful shells eerily reminiscent of candy.
We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the espresso. Regardless of which blend we chose, each shot had a thick layer of crema—the thin layer of foam at the top of the cup—and tasted more or less like a barista-prepared espresso. We also appreciated the consistency of flavor, which never wavered. Our only concern was that the espresso tasted slightly less rich, penetrating, and flavorful than our own homemade shots.
The proprietary nature of the system prevented us from testing the CitiZ with our own beans and grinds, but we did compare shots pulled on our own machine (using Peet’s Espresso Forte) to Nespresso’s boldest flavor, Ristretto. We also compared a milder blend from a local San Francisco café to Nespresso’s Cosi roast. We used no milk, sugar, or other additives. Our tests confirmed our suspicions: The Nespresso machine was delivering slightly less-concentrated flavor. This may be because the Nespresso capsules contain 5.5 grams of coffee, while tradition dictates 7 grams.
Nonetheless, informal taste tests in the Maximum Tech Lab were decisively favorable, to the point that we quickly exhausted our initial supply of capsules.
The only real shortcoming is that the base model lacks a steaming wand—essential for steaming/frothing milk or for directly pouring hot water for café Americanos. To be fair, Nespresso does sell a version of the CitiZ that comes with an automatic milk frother.
Espresso aficionados will want a more traditional approach, but the CitiZ is perfect for espresso drinkers who don’t want to pull their own shots, or for environments—like small offices—where tamping a shot would be unwieldy. Frankly, the quality is high enough that even purists should consider the CitiZ as a time-saving second machine. The ability to serve up so many different espresso beans and roasts justifies the purchase.
Nespresso CitiZ Automatic Espresso Maker

Double Caf Pours a high-quality shot; no mess; portable; wide variety of flavors.

Decaf Flavor isn't as rich as manual machines; no built-in steam wand.

Blockbuster Declares Bankruptcy, Netflix Smirks

The day had finally arrived; Blockbuster has finally filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. Chapter 11 means that the company will have the opportunity to reorganize and rid itself of cumbersome debt. In the filing, Blockbuster listed $1.02 billion in assets, and $1.46 billion in debt. The company expects to be able to reduce its total debt to a mere $125 million.
Blockbuster has been seeing steadily decreasing sales as digital services like Netflix have taken of in recent years. The Dallas-based company has about 3000 stores currently. They are expected to close as many as 1000 of them. After they complete reorganization, Blockbuster will attempt to focus more on digital content delivery. Considering the lateness of this push, they'll have a lot of catching up to do.
The future is unclear for the brick and mortar chain. They have been able to bundle video rental app with some phones as of late, and this could be a possible way to move forward. We'd also like to see a viable competitor to Netflix in the online streaming category. But the worry is that content would become increasingly siloed; exclusive to one company or the other. Do you think Blockbuster can find a place in the market?

Image via RocketRaccoon on Flickr

Nokia Tempts App Developers with $10 Million

Even though Nokia still has the global smartphone lead, the trend for the Finnish company is moving in the wrong direction. One of the main reasons for this slide is the relative lack of native apps on the Symbian platform. So now Nokia is upping the stakes by offering $10 million in various prizes for their "Calling All Innovators" contest.
The contest will feature 17 different categories: 6 game, and 11 general apps. Nokia will choose 170 finalists , then a panel of AT&T and Nokia judges will dole out the prizes. Winners of individual categories will win $150,000 in cash. Two apps, and two games will win their developers the additional grand prize of $100,000 cash and $1.9 million in marketing.
The process seems a little convoluted, and users apparently won't get a say in the matter. Still, some devs will probably be anxious to be considered. Nokia stresses that winning apps will need to be responsive and attractive. If you're interested in the contest, check out the official page here.

T-Mobile G2 Up for Pre-order Friday, Launching October 6th

The spiritual successor to the original T-Mobile G1, the aptly named G2 will be available for pre-order tomorrow (Friday). Pricing has not been announced yet, but we're almost certainly looking at $200 for a two year contract. The G2 will be a QWERTY slider phone running stock Android 2.2 and will support T-Mobile's speedy HSPA+ network.
The handset is expected to run on a new generation of Qualcomm's Snapdragon CPU that's clocked slightly lower at 800MHz, but is capable of more operations per clock cycle. This phone is likely identical to the recently announced HTC Desire Z, though it will not have the Sense UI layer on top of Android. Anyone planning to pre-order it? What phone will you be moving from?

Daily News Brief: Phenom Bug Discovered

Phenom Bug Foils Performance

Another hole's been uncovered in AMD's already leaky ship, this time in the form of a performance hampering bug. All quad-core revisions and clockspeeds are affected by the erratum bug, including the recently unveiled Phenom 9500 and 9600. The bug involves the L3 cache and can cause systems to hang, and though AMD's working on a fix, it could degrade performance by as much as 10%. Tech Report has the full scoop.

Da Vinci Gets Digital Treatment

After centuries of deteriorations and touchups, Leonardo da Vinci's Lady with an Ermine lacked much of the luster it once held. But coming to the rescue is French inventor and engineer Pascal Cotte, who has uncovered nuances in hues and contours with a multi-spectral camera that burrows through layers. He claims the 240-megapixel scans are able to reveal what the painting likely looked like in its original form back over 500 years ago.

Vista SP1 to Shiver Pirates' Timbers!

Microsoft is gearing up to release Vista's first Service Pack, and along with the performance and security enhancements, Microsoft will also bundle in a few counter-piracy measures. No longer will users be able to extend the 30 day activation grace period up to a full year, nor will the OEM BIOS exploit continue to work.

France Frowns at EBay

Last week we reported Tiffany and Co. planned to sue eBay on the basis of contributory infringement over the amount of fake items being sold as genuine, and similar complaints are now coming from France. France's regulatory authority, Council of Sales, contends that eBay's French site should be held to the same standards as France's auction houses, which require a special permit. EBay counters that they're just an intermediary a not a traditional auction house, further citing the legal action as "totally unjust."

Apple Gives Away Free iPods to Wildfire Victims

Many lives were turned topsy-turvy in the recent wildfires that blazed through southern California, and while Apple can't bring their homes back, they can bring a smile to over 100 students in a California school district this holiday season. They're doing it by giving away free iPods to students who lost their home, and they're doing it quietly, refusing to comment on the story. Very classy Apple, very classy.

The Top 100 PC Tech Innovations of All Time

Sure, we love iPods, TiVo, and fancy-schmancy digital cameras, just like everyone else. But let’s talk about advances that make a difference where it really counts: in the PC.

While myriad best-of lists have ranked the greatest gadgets, software products, and videogames ever made, here we turn our attention to advances that have impacted the development, enjoyment, and raw power of the personal computer. Our staff-generated list looks at not just critical machines to come down the pike (#55), but also essential CPUs (#51), operating systems (#15), components (#18), and peripherals (#94), as well as the occasional piece of software (#74) and videogame (#9) that pushed PCs into new territory.

The result is an exhaustive look at the PC from its birth (#7)—and even its conception (#73)—to today (#71), piece by piece. Naturally, the list is skewed toward performance and gaming-oriented technologies. We respect WordStar as much as any high-tech historian, but you try typing a corporate memo when you’ve got a freakin’ Shub-Niggurath (#6) bearing down on your ass.

So join us on a stroll through PC history and tip your hat to the technologies large and small that have either endured for decades or changed the game completely. As always, we anxiously await your complaints over what we forgot.

Edit (12/03): We inadvertantly left the "PC" out of this story's headline when we first posted it.

100. Microsoft Solitaire (1992)

Laugh, but Microsoft’s own website has more than 1,400 pages devoted to the ubiquitous Windows game (introduced in Windows 3.0). You know you play it.

99. APC Uninterruptible Power Supply (1984)

That beeping? It’s the sound of you happily continuing your game of Wizardry while your neighbor reads by candlelight.

98. Cooler Master ATC-100 (2000)

Would people really shell out more than $200 for a box that merely stores their PC’s innards? Cooler Master proved that cases need not be boring and started the trend in fashionable enclosures with this aluminum beaut.

97. Control-Alt-Delete (1981)

We resort to the three-finger salute so often that the print is wearing off of these three keys on our keyboard. Serenity now!

96. Skype (2003)

VoIP existed long before this app came around, but Skype made Internet telephony easy enough for the average user. Free phone calls to Indonesia—yeah!

95. Front Panel Connections (2001)

A big attaboy to the guy who thought of putting USB and headphone jacks on the front of the PC instead of only on the back. Flashlight use is down 30 percent since their introduction.

94. Microsoft Natural Keyboard (1994)

Many users found the split MS Natural keyboard awkward for typing, but a generation of carpal tunnel sufferers discovered that the ergonomic design was just what the doctor ordered.

93. Connectix Quickcam (1995)

While the webcam has been used for some dubious purposes (Editor in Chief Will Smith uses one to watch his dog), the idea behind it—to stream pictures and video to the Internet with cheap hardware—is a decent one. We think.

92. Mozilla Firefox (2004)

It’s the open-source browser you know and love. Firefox regularly implements new features ahead of Internet Explorer, while also eating away at the latter’s market share.

91. Microsoft Flight Simulator (1982)

Pac-Man? Mario? Newbs. Versions of this classic simulator date back to 1977 (Microsoft got it in ’82), making it arguably the longest continuously developed game series of all time.

CrossFire and SLI Performance Fix for Vista, Part Deux

Back in July, Microsoft rolled out a fix for a nasty bug in its Windows Vista SLI and CrossFire multi-GPU support: Windows Vista was using only one of the GPUs! However, the Inquirer.net website reported yesterday that a more subtle bug is still plaguing some multi-GPU setups: a problem with load-balancing between GPUs.

Load-Balancing Woes and System Slowdowns

If one of the GPUs in your system is very busy, and and other idle GPUs receive a new DMA packet, you may experience scheduling latency. In plain language, your system slows down until all GPUs are assigned work to do. If you like to juggle games and other applications at the same time on your SLI or CrossFire system, you're a prime candidate for this type of slowdown.

Meet LDA, a Way to Avoid Saying "SLI" or "CrossFire"

This update isn't going to show up in Windows Update, at least not for awhile. And, if you ran into it during a casual scan of recent downloads, you might not even recognize it. That's because Microsoft is now referring to multi-GPU configurations as Linked Display Adapter (LDA) setups. SLI and CrossFire fans, make a note of this: every time you see a reference to LDA at Microsoft, think SLI (nVIDIA) or CrossFire (ATI/AMD).

Learning More About the Update...and Getting It

Microsoft has information about the hotfix, available for both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows Vista, at Knowledge Base article 945149. You must request the hotfix from Microsoft, rather than download it directly from the KB article. Microsoft promises a download link within 8 business hours, as we discussed in our article Hotfixes by Email - Just What the Windows Doctor Ordered.

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Help Windows Vista newbies learn how to use BitLocker to stop data theft, get organized with Windows Calendar, and back up data and systems the easy way: give Mark's new book Maximum PC Microsoft Windows Vista Exposed. It's now available at Amazon.com and other fine bookstores.

Daily News Brief: MS Conspiracy Theory Exposed!

Microsoft Fueling HD Wars?

That's what Michael Bay believes, who directed the Transformers movie. Still peeved that Transformers only appears on HD-DVD and not Blu-ray, Micheal wrote that "Microsoft wants both formats to fail" in an attempt to move consumers toward digital downloads, and that MS is "handing out $100 million checks to studios" to push HD-DVD and confuse the market. Makes perfect sense too, because, well, if two formats manage to gain a foothold in the market, said formats will spontaneously combust, leaving digital downloads to rule over masses of confused movie watchers.

Nokia Offers Free Music for a Year

As part of their 'Comes With Music Program', Nokia announced they'll be giving away free music from "millions of artists[...], past, present, and future." To qualify, consumers need only purchase a Nokia device, making them eligible to download free music for a year, which they can keep forever. As of yet, it's unclear which record labels will participate, save for UMG, who is already on board.

iPhone Searches Dominate Google

Score one for technology and entertainment, which saw more Google searches in 2007 than any other category. And the fastest-rising search term? The iPhone, of course, which didn't exist a year prior. Also making the top 10 list are Webkinz, celebrity news site TMZ, and transformer toys, which held the 2, 3, and 4 spots respectively. See the rest here.

iPhone Dominates France

French mobile phone operator Orange reports they've sold 30,000 iPhones in the first five days since it's November 29 launch. Meanwhile, T-Mobile in Germany said it sold 10,000 units on the first day, who yesterday won a lawsuit allowing them to lock iPhone customers into a two year contract. Orange remains the only Apple network partner to sell unlocked phones, which does so to comply with French law.

$222,000 RIAA Verdict Constitutional

After losing a copyright infringement suit brought forth by the RIAA to the tune of $222,000, Jammie Thomas appealed the verdict claiming the damages were in excess of actual damages the music labels might have incurred. But the U.S. Department of Justice didn't agree, dismissing Thomas' claims and stating that the Copyright Act serves both a "compensatory and a deterrent purpose." File sharers take note...

Shrinky Dink Chips

While most of us can remember using Shrinky Dinks to downsize Smurfs and He-Man characters, Michelle Khine recently found another use for them. Armed with a laser printer, a toaster oven, and Shrinky Dinks, the University of California Merced professor managed to make microfluidic devices, which are computer chips with plumbing typically fabricated in multimillion dollar labs. Read all about the process here.

So Much for that Front Panel

Oh, Creative. This has not been the week for you.

About a week or so ago, I came upon the startling realization that no sound was coming from my computer. It's a great feeling, especially when you haven't touched a single bit of the case for God-knows-how-long. Rudimentary physics tells us that in the absence of meddling, external stimuli, or cats, an object in a particular state should stay in that state forever. Seriously, it's science.

In theory, the same should hold true with geeky pursuits. If I haven't messed with my computer's internals, and have tread nowhere near the special cords that attach to its butt, then why -- oh why -- would sound stop coming out of my computer speakers?

I never did figure out what the problem was. I'd unplug and replug the front speaker cord, which fixed the issue a little bit and let me go back to enjoying my massive iTunes library. It was but a brief comfort. A few days later, no amount of unplugging or jiggling would give me a sustained bit of sound from the speakers. Not unless I sat behind my case and physically held the wires at a few particular angles. Alas, my cat could not be trained to do the same, so this idea was scrapped in favor of replacing the semi-functioning card.

I decided to swap my Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Awesomeness WooHah (I didn't think the name was long enough) for its fatter brother, a Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Pro Series (just right) sound card. The installation was as easy as a sound card installation could be, and I now get fully functioning sound from my speakers one-hundred percent of the time. Mission accomplished.

Sort-of.

For while I have fully functioning audio coming from the rear of my case, I now have front panel audio jacks that are utterly worthless. Creative, in its infinite wisdom, decided not to include any connection mechanism for front-panel case audio with the Fatal1ty series of cards. The little jack is right there on the XtremeGamer -- I almost wish I could solder it right off one card and onto the other. But alas, I will never be able to plug my headphones into the handy front part of my case. I'll now have to go behind the case each time, unplug all the speakers, plug in the headphones, then reverse the process when I'm done fragging Will and Friends in Team Fortress 2.

Sigh.

I'm not sure why Creative wouldn't slap such a useful and important feature onto a sound card. Perhaps they want to encourage more support for their proprietary 5.25"-bay i/o drives. Maybe they just hate freedom. Either way, buyer beware -- be sure to check the exact technical configuration of your sound card prior to purchase, else you might end up with a bunch of wires that now have nowhere to go. Frown.

Seven Rules for Safer Holiday Shopping

Tis the season to buy new PCs, electronics, and a bunch of other stuff for that matter. There are great deals to be had, but whether you're buying for yourself or others, the road to electronic bliss is fraught with peril. Before you shell out your hard-earned dough for that new gaming rig or plasma screen TV, read our guide--or suffer the consequences!

1. Find the best deals online

By shopping around, you can sometimes find a better bargain than is even available at Wal-Mart. Yes. Really. Wal-Mart.

We’ve actually found that one of the best ways to find a deal is to cruise the technology “coupon” sites. Sites such as techdeals.net and techbargains.com track supercheap bargains from retailers and often provide links and the coupon codes needed to get the low price. These sites are quite different than search engines because they are geared toward the best deals, not simply searching a store for an item and its price. For example, on one particular day, you could get a 20 percent discount on a Canon Rebel XTI digital camera at Dell.com, but you had to buy the camera that day and use Paypal. Taking advantage of these steep discounts is certainly more work but can be worth it if you're willing to do the legwork.

As always, be wary of offers that seem too good to be true. It's entirely possible that Circuit City will run a crazy cheap special on an HDTV to get people in the door, but if Bob's Internet Tire & Battery Emporium is offering a cheaper deal on the same TV, beware.

2. Sometimes extended warranties are good, most of the time they're bad

Extended warranties on desktop PCs are rarely worth the money. Desktop PCs have become so reliable that if one works for the first three hours out of the box, it probably won’t die for five years. For notebook PCs, however, extended warranties have a better chance of paying off, as notebooks have far higher failure rates than desktops. Notebook PCs get carried around, pressed, compressed, vibrated and knocked about. Add that to hundreds of delicate components operating in a tiny space and it’s not a question of if your laptop will break, but when. That doesn’t mean you should automatically say yes when the man in the blue shirt asks if you want to buy an extended warranty for your new notebook, but there's a much higher likelihood that your investment will pay off.

For "dumber" consumer electronics and home appliances, the extended warranty is rarely a good idea. Devices like washing machines and dishwashers rarely, if ever, break. When they do, it's inevitably beyond even the extrended warranty period. The exception may be high-end consumer electronics--think large-screen HDTVs--it may be worth paying for the extended warranty just for the in-home service.

Warranty policies are generally written by horrible beasts with the brain of an insurance actuary, the soul of a lawyer, and the mouth of a politician. In other words, they’re not designed to help you, they’re designed to help the company increase profits without increasing liability. The warranties are written with the knowledge that most consumers won't have any problems over the life of the extended warranty. Of course, shady companies can pad that profit margin even more by simply refusing to cover a customer's warranty claims. Just because you have that warranty doesn’t mean that a company will honor it. Oftentimes, extended warranties carry verbiage that absolves the company from intentional damage caused by the customer, which is a vague enough claim that they can choose not to cover accidental damage--like dropping your laptop. Once the company determines that you intentionally damaged your gear, you're screwed. We don't want to imply that every extended warranty is designed to screw you, but they’re not going to cover every problem you have. As always, buyer beware.

3. Beware of hidden fees

If you prefer to shop online, watch out for the landmines that online stores have laid. Many stores, especially smaller, less reputable stores (and even some larger stores) will charge you a restocking fee if you need to return anything--even defective products. The restocking fees are often quite high in order to dissuade you from trying to return items that you bought. A really disreputable store will actually try to charge you a restocking fee on defective items that you return. How do you watch out for this trap? Read the store’s return policy before you click the check-out button.

The other common hidden fee is the shipping and handling charge. Frequently, unscrupulous online vendors will list an item at below retail cost and then make up their money on exorbitant shipping and handling fees. Always pay attention to what shipping and handling are going to cost you

Daily News Brief: USPS Warns Netflix Over Mailers

Netflix Mailers Cause Trouble

Apparently Netflix's pre-addressed mailers are costing the USPS big money in additional labor costs, to the tune of $41.9 million over the past two years, and another $61.5 million over the next couple. It's not that USPS workers have suddenly become incredibly feeble, but the mailers "sustain damage, jam equipment, and cause mis-sorts during automated processing," which could ultimately result in a $0.17 surcharge per DVD if Netflix refuses to redesign their mailers. Estimates have the surcharge cutting into 67% of Netflix's margin.

House Passes Online SAFE Act

In an overwhelmingly majority vote (409-2), the House of Representatives passed the SAFE act (Securing Adolescents From Exploitation), which requires anyone offering an open public Wi-Fi connection to report illegal images, including "obscene" cartoons and drawings, or be hit with a $300,000 fine. The Act isn't intended to target consumers with Wi-Fi access points at home, but some feel the bill was rushed too quickly to the floor and as a result left too much up to interpretation.

AMD RV635 Sports DisplayPort

AMD's had a rough time in the news as of late, but it's not all bad coming out of Santa Clara, as evidenced by HotHardware's look at the RV635.. The new card comes equipped with dual DisplayPorts, which looks to beat nVidia to market with the new port. DisplayPort was designed specifically for computers, and is expected to co-exist with HDMI, which targets living room consumer electronics.

University Incorporates Video Games into Classrooms

Doug Thomas, associate professor at the University of California's Annenberg School for Communication, is busy developing a game for students aged 10-12 with the goal of teaching ideas and skills not easily taught through textbooks. His game 'Modern Prometheus' attempts to teach ethical decision making by casting students into the role of Dr. Frankenstein's assistant, which at one point makes students decide whether or not to steal body parts from a cemetery to cure the town's plague. The challenge for Thomas will be convincing teachers to incorporate video games into the curriculum, like we got to do as youngster with Oregon Trail.

Identity Thieves Seek Plea

Jocelyn Kirsch, 22, and her boyfriend Edward Anderton, 25, are accused of stealing the identities of neighbors in their upscale building, making away with $100,000 this year alone. The money was used to fund overseas vacations to locales that included Paris and London, and a jaunt to Hawaii. Police seized from their $3,000/month apartment a laptop with travel photos, fake driver's licenses, credit cards, and an industrial machine used to make ID cards. The couple will seek to make a plea bargain as charges continue to pile up.

Symantec Slips Up

Customers running both Solid Oak Software's CyberSitter filtering program and Norton AntiVirus saw their internet connection turned off when the latter identified the former as a virus. The erroneous tag affected schools, libraries, and personal accounts, possibly accounting for tens of thousands of individuals. The issue is now fixed, but according to Brian Milburn, president of Solid Oak Software, this is the third time this year Norton has adversely affected CyberSitter customers, prompting him to proclaim "Norton products are worse than any virus [he] can think of."

Crysis

Let's get the obvious stuff out of the way up front. On a properly configured Vista machine with DirectX 10 hardware, Crysis is the best-looking game we've ever played. Its jungle environments are lush and realistic, with plenty of wide-open areas and just a handful of loading screens in the entire game. This incredible level of graphical detail is what PC gaming is all about.

Stealth tactics make sense when you’re on foot, but when you’re driving a 60-ton tank, you need not be subtle.

Screenshots don't do this game justice. Seeing Crysis in action will take your breath away. The perfectly rendered jungle scenes, gorgeous beaches, and water that looks better than the real thing set a new high mark for PC graphics and far surpass what we expected from a first-gen DirectX 10 title. Even more surprising, when we tested the game on DirectX 9 hardware, it still looked stunning—although we missed the fancy depth-of-field effect that is used fairly liberally on DX10 systems.

As for the game, it's carved straight from the generic first-person shooter playbook. There are bad guys (North Koreans, this go around), who are doing something they shouldn't (unearthing an alien artifact), and a hero (you) with powers (via a supersuit that lets you jump higher, run faster, and be invisible) that make you uniquely capable of accomplishing a challenging goal (saving the world). It’s all very predictable. The game mechanics aren’t particularly innovative either—we've done all this before.

That's not to say Crysis isn’t a fun, well-polished game—it definitely is. It's just not revolutionary from a gameplay perspective. The game’s by-the-book weapons include pistols, a shotgun, a rifle or two, and a submachine gun, which you customize with different add-ons—scopes, silencers, grenade launchers, and a few others. While this level of customization could have added some needed depth, you generally end up choosing between the silencer and grenade launcher, depending on the number of baddies you want to take out. Because you'll pick up all of the weapons and add-ons within the first hour or two of the game and you gain absolutely no new suit capabilities beyond those you start with (armor, superspeed, cloaking, and superstrength), character development feels extremely stunted.

Where Crysis really excels is in actual combat, especially at the higher difficulty settings. While the AI seems mildly stunted at the default difficulty, at more challenging settings it’s more realistic without seeming prescient. The brilliant AI, combined with the open maps, which let you scout an encounter unseen and then approach from the best possible side to crush the enemy, is the game's saving grace.

In Crysis, merely shooting a bad guy isn’t the only way to kill him. You can literally blow his house down.

On easy, Crysis is a forgettable run’ n’ gun shooter, which you'll finish in a few short hours. When you crank the game up to the highest difficulty setting, it's a much more tactical experience. You must silently dispatch your enemies while evading detection or you’ll be killed. To up the immersion factor, the game also forces you to use iron sights and the Korean baddies actually speak Korean. You won't know whether they're talking about the weather or one just saw you skulking through the undergrowth.

Crysis is undoubtedly the type of game that will make your console-playing buddies take note, but compared to other recent shooters, there's virtually no character development. Luckily, the combat is outstanding, more than making up for the game's minor failings.

Crysis sets a whole new level for visual quality in games with its unbelievable graphics.

December 2007's Patch Tuesday's Going to Be Big - Really Big

Tuesday, December 11, 2007, is the last 'Patch Tuesday' of the year, and Microsoft's getting ready to hand out significant security fixes for Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Windows Media Format runtime, Internet Explorer, and DirectX. Here's what to expect.

A Trio of Critical Patches

First up is a remote code execution patch for DirectX versions 7.0 (Windows 2000) through 10.0 (Windows Vista). Multimedia users will also need to get patching with a remote code execution patch for Windows Media Format runtime for all Windows versions from Windows 2000 and Windows XP to Windows Vista). Third on the list of "must squash now" bugs is yet another remote code execution patch for Internet Explorer versions for Windows 2000, XP, and Vista all the way back to the pre-Cambrian version IE 5.01 SP4 and all the way forward to IE7 for Windows XP and Vista.

As a security expert interviewed by InfoWorld points out, these fixes are designed to prevent attacks that take advantage of users' desires to view online multimedia content, which would be just about everyone that reads this page (and uses Windows).

A Quartet of Important Patches

Patch Tuesday will also roll out a quartet of so-called 'important' patches for Windows:

• Remote code execution fix for Windows Vista
• Remote code execution fix for Windows 2000 SP4 and Windows XP
• Elevation of privilege fix for Windows Vista
• Local elevation of privilege fixes for Windows XP SP2 and Windows Server 2003.

Critical, Important, What's the Difference?

A 'critical' patch blocks Internet worms that don't require you to click, open, or view an attachment or website to start. An 'important' patch blocks attacks that compromise local systems.

Details to Follow

Once 'Patch Tuesday' arrives, we'll have more details on these and other non-security updates for your Redmond-powered PC. In the meantime, think before you click.

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Know a Windows Vista newbie? Help a new Vista user get up to speed with Mark's book Maximum PC Microsoft Windows Vista Exposed. It's a great introduction to what's new and different in Windows Vista, and it's available from Amazon.com and other fine bookstores.

In the Lab: Gordon Mah Ung Introduces New System Benchmarks

It’s been a long time since the zero-point system and benchmarks we use to test PCs and other components have been updated, and it shows. The enthusiast world has switched from AMD to Intel and a new OS is upon us.

To select our new hardware and benchmarks, a committee of editors sat around a box of doughnuts and debated the direction of performance computing. We discussed the typical tasks power users perform and how we could make our benchmarks pertain to those needs. Then, we discussed what PC configuration to use to test all new hardware in the coming year. Our zero-point rigs represent the basic level of hardware we expect a power user to have six months from now. These machines serve not only as a reference point for readers of our system reviews but also as test beds for almost all the hardware and software we review.

Generally, we update our zero-point config and all our benchmarks every 12 to 18 months, but this time, we’re breaking from convention. We’re sticking with old gaming benchmarks for the time being. Why? With high-profile titles like Crysis on the cusp of release, we decided to continue running Quake 4 and FEAR benchmarks until newer, more graphically intensive DirectX 10 titles are available. At that time we’ll fold those tests into our benchmark suite.

The Hardware

Although considered high end by most, our zero-point system really stacks up as a midrange machine

CPU

When we spec’d our new test machines, we decided quad core was a must-have feature. We would have considered both AMD and Intel, but as you know, AMD is a no-show in the consumer quad-core game. We normally reach for the top-tier CPU, but this year, we selected a CPU that most enthusiasts on a budget would buy, not what we all want. Intel’s fast, new QX9650 was out of our price range, so the company’s Core 2 Quad Q6700 got the job. At $500, it’s pricey but not a wallet breaker. For our zero-point, we’ll run it at its stock 2.66GHz clock even though we know it’ll run at 2.93GHz all day without breaking a sweat.

Motherboard

EVGA’s nForce 680i SLI board marks the fourth Nvidia-based chipset that we’ve adopted for our zero-point systems.

EVGA’s 680i SLI will soon be supplanted by Nvidia’s follow-up to the chipset, but we’ve chosen it for its affordability and proven ability as a workhorse. Plus, BIOS updates from Nvidia have been timely and the chipset supports SLI. Maximum PC historians will note that the 680i SLI is the fourth generation of nForce chipsets we’ve adopted since we stopped being an Intel-only chipset shop.

Videocards

A pair of EVGA 8800 GTX boards gives our machine potent gaming capability at all resolutions.

The best-performing card right now is EVGA’s GeForce 8800 Ultra, which sells for more than $700, making SLI cost prohibitive. That’s why our machine uses a pair of EVGA GeForce 8800 GTX warhorses. The duo gives us smooth performance at just about any resolution you’d play games at.

Memory

8GB? 4GB? Nah. Within the limitations of a 32-bit OS, the sweet spot for system RAM is sadly still 2GB. To meet our zero-point system’s needs, we reached for 2GB of Corsair DDR2/800 Dominator 8500C5D modules. The modules are rated to run at 1,066MHz, which will be useful when an individual machine has to be overclocked to test cooling gear.

Hard Drives

Because we constantly wipe our test beds with a clean hard disk image, we’re eschewing a RAID setup (disk imagers work inconsistently with RAID). We didn’t want to totally give up on performance, though, so our main boot drive is a single 10,000rpm 150GB Western Digital Raptor drive. A supplemental 7,200rpm 500GB WD Caviar pulls bulk-storage duties for holding drivers, benchmarks, and image files.

Optical Drives

Burning Blu-ray and HD DVD discs isn’t critical for every editor, but viewing high-resolution movies is an important part of testing many products. With that in mind, we reached for LG’s GGC-H20L drive, which reads both Blu-ray and HD DVD discs and gives us DVD and CD burning capability. The drive has a SATA interface and will likely mark the end of PATA in our Lab.

Soundcard

As good as the EVGA 680i SLI boards are, they still use Realtek’s onboard audio, with its fake-ass EAX support. To fill the void, Creative Labs’s X-Fi XtremeGamer gives us hardware audio support in XP (and the Vista drivers almost work too!).

Power Supply

We’ve long used PC Power and Cooling’s PSUs in our zero-point machines. In almost 10 years of testing, we’ve had only one supply ever fail, and that was due to impact damage that no editor ever owned up to (Josh!). In a shocking move, we’re stepping back from our previous test bed’s insanely high wattage in favor of a quieter Silencer 750 quad supply.

The Best 2.1 Home Theater Surround Sound System

After extensive research, we've got the absolute best Home Theater system for your 2.1 setup inside.

Best 2.1 System

You’re sitting there reading the headline wondering “why would anyone in their right mind want a 2.1 system in a 5.1 world?” I don’t claim to understand it either, but the two main reasons I could see for it include space restrictions and the fact that wiring for 5.1 surround is pretty difficult without using wireless speakers that aren’t as good and cost a fortune. However, if money is not an object for you, let me introduce you to the greatest 2.1 “surround” sound system you’re ever going to listen to.

Denon S-301 “Home Theater in a Box”

MSRP: $1599.99

Amazon boasts that you “Save $99.01” on this system, but considering that price tag, I suppose the only people buying this sort of system are those that are very affluent and don’t need to save any money.

Simply put, this is the best of the best of the best. While it’s lacking an HDMI output, the input should be more than enough to accommodate those that are using HDTVs but don’t have the space to accommodate a really killer 7.1 surround sound system.

The S-301 would’ve been more at home in pre-recession times, but don’t let the price stop you – the features behind this speaker pair and subwoofer are more than enough to compensate it’s rather hefty price tag.

First of all, you’re paying for a Denon system – nobody builds them like Denon does. Simply the best materials and resources go into constructing each and every Denon speaker. Much like BOSE was synonymous with the apex of sound in the 90s and early 2000s, Denon today reigns over the speaker and home theater market looking down on competitors from a great altitude.

To give you an idea of how powerful these speakers are the environment they produce is something akin to a 5.1 surround sound system. By using special reverberations and other tech, you’ll feel like you’ve purchased a 5.1 system without the extras associated with such a system (though your wallet will feel like you just put a down payment on a nice car).

Aside from the simulated 5.1 surround sound, these speakers also come complete with a receiver and controller right out of the box. Set-up is so simple a child could do it – just plug in the wires diagrammed on each speaker and then to your HDTV and you’re ready to go.

As cool as all that sounds, the HDTV is only one part of this package. You can also plug in an iPod or iPhone as well as practically any MP3 player for complete “surround sound” listening. This is a neat feature, but then again, a great $400 dollar receiver with a great $1000 5.1 system still does the same thing for less money.

While I’m a fan of Denon’s speakers, this thing is just too rich for my blood. I’d rather purchase a less expensive system with a slight reduction in sound quality. Because honestly, between a BOSE and a Denon, you’d have to be quite the audiophile to be able to tell the difference and a comparable BOSE system is a few hundred dollars lighter than this.

Related Reading

Understanding Audio/Video Receiver Specifications and Terminology - The A/V receiver is a important part of a home theater system. Some folks prefer to select a higher-end A/V receiver that offers high output, many different surround sound modes, and easy switching between components. This guide covers terms and specifications for receivers purchased separately.

GPS Capabilities: 3D Building Views

Wondering what the phrase GPS 3D building could possibly mean in terms of technology? Read on to get an understanding of this budding feature of GPS capability that is available on Google Earth and can interface with many GPS devices.

GPS 3D Building Views

The singularity is supposedly coming and the machines are closing in. Someday, virtual reality and the human brain’s version of reality may become virtually indistinguishable. The technology that fits in a microchip now will someday fit in a human cell. However, until we get there, by my guess crossing a proverbial bridge that looks startlingly real by virtue of a computer-generated hologram, we must be satisfied with the scientific leaps that brought us to GPS 3D building views.

When you’re driving through an unknown city, it is extremely helpful to see the buildings on your GPS screen appear as they do in real life as you are passing them. That way you get to orient yourself and get your bearing by using the gigantic landmarks in the area. In much the same way mountaineers use the distinguishable peaks and ridges out in the wilderness to figure out which stretch of the middle of nowhere we happened to be standing in.

Google Earth 3D Building Panoramas and a Compatible GPS Device

You may already be familiar with the software Google Earth which has satellite imagery for anywhere in the world. Google isGoogle 3D Buildings basically a modern day Genghis Kahn that succeeded in conquering the world by generating a photographic representation of every corner of the world as seen from the hovering satellites in space.

The basic version of Google Earth can be downloaded free so that you can engage in the irresistible activities of zooming in on the place that you live, places you want to visit, or sometimes the places you were just a little bit lost in, using their satellite imagery that resembles aerial photography. Now Google Earth has a GPS 3D building views function that enables the user to see three-dimensional digital representations of buildings as you manipulate the image from your mouse to view from varying horizontal and vertical vantage points.

Once you have Google Earth installed on your computer, you can import routes from your GPS device onto Google Earth and then enjoy zooming in and out and scrolling any which way you like on that route surrounded by 3D views of buildings or natural features. From the Google Earth page click on "Tools" and then "GPS" and the import options will appear. You need a GPS device that is supported and a USB cord in order to do a direct import. Between the data under Google Earth “Tools” and the software detailing your GPS device’s hardware and software, you can determine if your model can directly import routes, waypoints, and Points of Interest onto Google Satellite Images. Garmin and Magellan have models that are compatible and easily interface with Google Earth.

When Google Earth is up and running on your computer screen, go to the "Layers" heading and underneath that, you will find "3D Building" which you just click on to enable. From there just use your mouse to navigate through a world so much better than the old two-dimensional representation.

This technology is now also available on the screens of the GPS devices themselves. The Garmin Nuvi series is one that comes to mind but if you’re in the market, check the specs to see if the mapping software has this capability. And while we are on the subject of mapping software, read up on this vital component of GPS capability in this series starting with Garmin Handheld GPS Maps: Basic Overview.

Top 5 Portable GPS Units for Outdoor Enthusiasts

This handheld GPS comparison analysis pertains to using the devices primarily outside of your vehicles. The criteria to make the top five cut is therefore slightly different which will become apparent as you read the reviews for the five best rated devices that generate customer satisfaction.

If you’re looking for a portable GPS device to use for geocaching, hiking, backpacking, fishing, hunting, or any other outdoor activity then this article highlights the best of what’s around. These concise reviews of handheld GPS consumer research will help you choose the best device for you.

Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx

Pros

• Widely regarded as one of the best all around GPS devices for outdoor enthusiasts.
• A High-sensitivity GPS receiver and SiRF star III chipset which is received through a helix antenna, locks on to those satellites in heavy tree cover, deep canyons, and heavy cloud cover, with 12 channels.
• The electronic compass shows you your heading and direction.
• The barometric altimeter is great for climbers.
• The IPX7 waterproof (and dustproof) case can even be totally submerged in water, plus there is a quickly accessible button that immediately marks the spot of a “man overboard.”
• The display screen is large and in color, one of the most easily viewable screens wherever the sun or moon happen to be.
• It has a roughly 18 hour battery (2 AA) life.
• Stores up to 1000 waypoints. Plenty of memory (with removable card) to download more maps and you can purchase cards with up to 1 GB of memory for more detailed topographic maps.
• A blank 64 megabyte (MB) microSD card comes with the 60CSx which enables you to store extra maps from optional MapSource® mapping software. Expandable memory is the way to go.
• Use the USB cable to hook your device to your computer and you can load map data, cache points, or transfer routes and waypoints.
• You can buy extra MicroSD cards that are preloaded MapSource maps if you want them. Garmin’s Topo maps are fantastic to have along with you.
• Hunting/fishing calendar.
• This unit will cost you roughly $350.

Cons

• Navigating through the icons might be difficult for the novice.
• Micro SD card not as easy to manipulate as a full size SD card.

Garmin Colorado 400T

Pros

• Large color touch screen or rocker wheel with great visibility even in direct sunlight.
• Preloaded maps are a backcountry rambler's dream, including national and state parks and forests in all their glory with details on elevation, trails, rivers, lakes, and points of interest.
• 3D map view option for those detailed topographic maps, to better help orient yourself to your surroundings.
• SD Card slot.
• WAAS receiver is extremely sensitive and stays locked on, giving you accurate results in all terrains and in all meteorological conditions.
• Share waypoints, routes, and geocaches wirelessly with other Colorado users just by pressing a “Send” button.
• It's got an electric compass, and a barometric altimeter.
• Battery life of 15 hours.
• Paperless geocaching.
• Picture viewer is a cool yet somewhat extraneous feature.
• Hunting/fishing calendar.
• Adaptable with add on features for fitness enthusiasts such as a heart monitor.

Cons

• Route planning option could be streamlined better.
• Mastering all the features through the menu requires some time.
• Expensive. (Roughly $400)

Garmin eTrex Vista HCX

Pros

• Small enough to fit in a pocket or use a handy lanyard to attach it to clothing or a belt.
• Rugged, lightweight design.
• WAAS enabled accuracy to within 3 meters, and stays accurate in deep timber, ravines, and all weather.
• For such a small size, the bright color screen is still easy to read.
• Intuitive user interface.
• Electronic compass that works even when you're in a fixed position.
• Micro SD card allows you to upload detailed maps for wherever you plan to use it.
• Tons of memory for waypoint storage.
• Long battery life (2AAs give it 25 hours)
• USB cable for ease of uploading.
• Connect the device to your computer with a USB cord to load optional MapSource® software to view detailed maps.
• This unit is easy for the novice to figure out as well.
• Roughly $300 which is good for the amount of features.
• A page that displays sun/moon rising and setting for any location.
• Page that gives best time for fishing and hunting.

Cons

• Although there's a slot for a Micro SD card, no card comes with the package. It must be bought in addition.
• No 3D viewing option.

DeLorme Earthmate PN-40

Pros

• Great Topo USGS Maps included with purchase.
• Aerial imagery, a really cool Google Earth-Like function.
• Triaxial compass means you don't have to be moving to get a fix.
• Updates your position rapidly.
• Good screen visibility.
• Lightweight, durable and waterproof.
• Excellent geocaching functionality.
• Chirping alarm sounds when you are supposed to make a turn on a trail.

Cons

• Smaller screen than other models listed in this article.
• Learning curve for page viewing and navigating through each function.

Garmin Oregon 400t Handheld GPS

Pros

• Icon-laden touch screen clearly visible night and day.
• Preloaded topographic maps.
• The user interface is most intuitive.
• Transfers easily from navigating your vehicle on a road all the way to off the trail in the woods.
• Small, fits in the palm of your hand.
• Two AA batteries give it a long operational life.
• Waterproof.
• The ‘Profiles’ option gives you the ability to set up different preferences for each type of outdoor activity you engage in which is very handy.
• Really cool 3D maps.
• Functions designed specifically

Cons

• Some find the screen a bit dim and difficult to see in extremely sunny conditions.
• Not as accurate as other models.

Top Five Portable GPS for Outdoor Activities

In this two part series, we'll explore the design, functions, and features which comprise the make up of the best portable GPS units available for outdoor sports and hobbies and then go on to review the top five on the market.

65" Sony Bravia LCD HDTV

Nothing says home theater like a big TV, and the Sony 65" LCD is a really big TV. Of course, if you want really, really, big, you'll have to consider the 70" Sony LCD HDTVs

Sony Bravia 65" LCD HDTV W Series

It used to be that if you wanted a really big flat-screen TV, you had to get a plasma. Those days have gone. Manufacturer's offer several LCD TVs in the 60+ inch range. But, huge LCD panels offer several challenges to TV makers. How those challenges are addressed determines whether or not that really big TV is also a really great TV.

The Sony Bravia 65" W Series LCD HDTV offers full high-definition. Unfortunately, the various ways of meeting the undefined standard of HDTV means consumers are often left scratching their heads about just what a certain TV offers and what it means for the overall picture quality. Fortunately, there are no such issues with the Sony 65 inch LCD HDTV.

The Bravia 65" W Series LCD HDTV comes with a 16:9 aspect ratio, of course. It also has a full 1920 x 1080 panel which is supplied by a full 1080p input. That means the Sony 65 inch LCD will fully support all that Blu-ray Discs offer, as well as PlayStation 3 and other 1080p sources.

One of the complaints about large size LCD TVs is motion blur. The way LCD panels traditionally display a constantly illuminated picture can cause a blurring effect in certain situations. One solution to this issue is a faster refresh rate. The Sony 65" LCD HDTV has Sony's Motionflow technology. Motionflow is Sony's name for 120Hz technology which can dramatically reduce motion blur on LCD panels.

While anyone can build a LCD panel that his all the right numbers on the spec sheet, when it comes to picture quality, what really matters is how video signals are processed by the TV. The Sony 65" LCD W Series has Sony's Bravia Engine 3, a third generation video processor that provides deep color, and nice sharp images. No more, purple, black, white, blur when displaying an image that contains thin black and white lines.

The Sony 65 inch LCD TV comes with seven high-definition inputs, including four HDMI inputs, which allow for transfer of full uncompressed video signals, plus multi-channel digital audio, and on compatible equipment, a control link that allows for multiple devices to be controlled via a single remote.

While the Sony Bravia line is no longer Sony's top of the line series, they are still quality TVs worthy of all by the most serious enthusiast. Take a look at the 65" Sony LCD HDTVs at many Sony Style store locations.