http://www.ps3news.com PS3 NEWS - PlayStation 3 News - PS3News - PS3News.com - PS3 Games - PS3 Hacks - PS3 Homebrew - PS3 Linux Sun, 07 Sep 2008 17:06:20 CDT en http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/6ghz-plus-overclocking-the-e8600-with-liquid-nitrogen-1/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/6ghz-plus-overclocking-the-e8600-with-liquid-nitrogen-1/ Sun, 07 Sep 2008 17:06:20 CDT takavach PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/6ghz-plus-overclocking-the-e8600-with-liquid-nitrogen-1/
Not content with merely wowing us with their Dream PCs 2008 entry - the fantastic submersion-cooled XCP - Amari provided the facilities to overclock the E8600 with liquid nitrogen.

Custom PC was aided by two of the UK's best-known overclockers from BenchTec, Sacha35 (Paul Watkinson) and Bazx (Barry Wynd), where we cooled the chip to a chilly -120°C and achieved some truly impressive clock speeds and benchmark results.

Video and speed results can be seen linked above!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/sony-introduces-pricy-bd-s5000es-blu-ray-player-at-cedia-show/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/sony-introduces-pricy-bd-s5000es-blu-ray-player-at-cedia-show/ Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:47:34 CDT PS3 News PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/sony-introduces-pricy-bd-s5000es-blu-ray-player-at-cedia-show/ Pioneer BDP-09FD now has some competition from Sony.

Sony surprised the industry at the CEDIA consumer electronics show in Denver by introducing expensive new Blu-ray players instead of cheaper ones. One of the new models is the BDP-S5000ES which will be offered worldwide in December for $2,000.

Andy Parsons, senior VP of product planning at Pioneer Home Entertainment Group and U.S. chairman of the Blu-ray Disc Assn. Promotions Committee, said that "Blu-ray player sales were 50% ahead of total 2007 sales."

Parsons also countered reports that said sales weren’t meeting expectations, and said that any problems in meeting expectations were due to supply shortages.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/videos-nvision-closing-going-out-with-a-bust/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/videos-nvision-closing-going-out-with-a-bust/ Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:52:31 CDT Starlight PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/videos-nvision-closing-going-out-with-a-bust/
Congratulating the daunting task of completing a new Guinness World Record was the first highlight of the show. A total of 203 gamers played for 36-hours straight against each other-no small feat indeed. For their efforts, those that completed were awarded with customized plaques commemorating their achievement, gift certificates, a refund on their registration fee and sweet, custom NVIDIA-themed shoes by Nike.

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An NVISION recap video was then shown, with highlights from the past three days at the convention (with a brief appearance by yours truly in the Sketch Contest-more on that later). This was followed by a presentation of awards for company presentations at NVISION. The best visual computing award went to Total Immersion for an interactive video solution that combines live video with 3d rendered objects, all combined in real time.

For most promising company from the Emerging Companies Summit, the winner was Nurien Software for work in combining graphics, virtual worlds, and social networking for a seamless experience. NVScene Art awards were shown next, with the Judge’s Award going to The Ship, by Mednios.

Next up was the awards ceremony for the winners of ESWC. Out of 300,000 competitors, these 600 entrants are the top of their game, not only from their respective countries, but now in the world. After 3 days of tough competition, the winning teams in the Grand Finale were:

-Counterstrike: PGS.MYM, Poland
-Counterstrike Women: SK-GAMING, USA
-Quake 3: CYPHER, Belarus
-DOTA: ZENITH, Singapore
-Warcraft 3: WHO, Korea
-Trackmania: FROST BUELE, Sweden

Finally, the Mythbusters-Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage-arrived to thunderous applause. The theme for their presentation was "CPU vs. GPU," a depiction of the differences between central processors (linear processing) and graphics processors (parallel processing). The first machine used to represent the CPU, dubbed "Leonardo," was a mechanical arm on treads with an attached paintball gun-a true Mythbusters creation.

After lining it up with a canvas, the arm proceeded to single-shot a smiley face. It was certainly impressive. But to demonstrate how a GPU works, they upped the ante big time: a behemoth, 1100 barrel compressed air cannon. Firing 1100 paintballs 8-feet across to the canvas, it was such a potential risk for splatter that Adam tossed out plastic sheets to the front rows of the audience. After an epic countdown, a split second later the Mona Lisa was splattered on the canvas in all her glory!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/screenshots-armed-assault-almost-photorealistic/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/screenshots-armed-assault-almost-photorealistic/ Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:52:11 CDT Starlight PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/screenshots-armed-assault-almost-photorealistic/
3DC user Jay.Gee, who caught some attention with several incredible game screenshots, used community content and in-game sequences to create some amazing pictures of Armed Assault 1.

More awesome screenshots can be seen at the link at the top of this news article.

Enjoy!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/samsung-blu-ray-will-only-last-5-more-years-certainly-not-10/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/samsung-blu-ray-will-only-last-5-more-years-certainly-not-10/ Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:43:06 CDT PS3 News PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/samsung-blu-ray-will-only-last-5-more-years-certainly-not-10/
He went on to say there is no chance that it will have 10 more years.

To quote: Samsung has said that it sees the Blu-ray format only lasting a further 5 years before it is replaced by another format or technology.

"I think it [Blu-ray] has 5 years left, I certainly wouldn't give it 10", Andy Griffiths, director of consumer electronics at Samsung UK told Pocket-lint in an interview.

Hoping to capitalise before it's too late, Griffiths believes that 2008 is the format's year.

"It's going to be huge", he told Pocket-lint. "We are heavily back-ordered at the moment."]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/google-chrome-browser-far-faster-says-javascript-benchmarks/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/google-chrome-browser-far-faster-says-javascript-benchmarks/ Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:39:09 CDT PS3 News PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/google-chrome-browser-far-faster-says-javascript-benchmarks/
To quote: Here's the site description of the speed tests:

• Richards: OS kernel simulation benchmark, originally written in BCPL by Martin Richards (539 lines).

• DeltaBlue: One-way constraint solver, originally written in Smalltalk by John Maloney and Mario Wolczko (880 lines).

• Crypto: Encryption and decryption benchmark based on code by Tom Wu (1,689 lines).

• RayTrace: Ray tracer benchmark based on code by Adam Burmister (3,418 lines).

• EarleyBoyer: Classic Scheme benchmarks, translated to JavaScript by Florian Loitsch's Scheme2Js compiler (4,682 lines).

A few notes: First, your mileage may vary; I ran these tests on my dual-core Windows XP machine.

Second, my apologies here to Opera, whose browser I don't have installed.

Third, I tried to run the SunSpider benchmark tests as well, but perhaps because a lot of other curious people had the same idea on the day Chrome launched, I couldn't get to the site.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/googles-chrome-browser-fast-but-glitchy/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/googles-chrome-browser-fast-but-glitchy/ Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:52:52 CDT Starlight PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/googles-chrome-browser-fast-but-glitchy/
Online speculation suggests that the errors are based on the Javascript foundations of the browser, which can affect everything from pop-up windows to login modules.

The free browser has been made available in a "public trial" version following a premature press release yesterday on the new service, which came in comic book form.

Google Chrome is being touted as a sleeker and more reliable alternative to Microsoft's Internet Explorer, with Google saying a sophisticated testing system was used to prevent bugs from occurring on popular websites.

However this morning, some computers running Chrome failed to load Google services such as iGoogle and Google Docs, and others - such as GMail's login page - only loaded part of the text, without images or a login form.

One user told news.com.au that a YouTube video had crashed the whole browser in a matter of seconds, contrary to Google's promise of isolating crashes. Yet an exclusive pre-release version of the browser seemed to load Google Docs fine, according to CBS News.

The Chrome browser is designed to automatically update itself without user approval, Google said.

Bloggers have speculated that the errors are based in the browser's open-source foundation, known as WebKit, which Apple's browser Safari is also based upon.

Aside from this significant issue, Chrome can load large websites much faster than other browsers.

While today's release is a test version, the problems with it and the PR fiasco would suggest Google did not originally intend to release the browser today.

Google's announcement comes as Microsoft is set to release a beta version of IE8, the eighth major version of its Explorer. The new version is said to be faster, with more graphics and allows users to easily get updates from their favourite websites.

"This (Chrome) is a straight shot over the bow of Microsoft, which has tightly integrated its Live Search offering into its dominant Internet Explorer browser (and which, surprise, is in turn tightly integrated into Windows)," said Mark Hendrickson in a posting on the technology website TechCrunch.

"It also makes for an awkward relationship with Mozilla, whose Firefox browser Google basically funds."

However, Google co-founder Sergey Brin said he planned to continue to work closely with Mozilla and hoped to see future versions of Chrome and Mozilla's Firefox become more unified over time.

"It is probably worth noting that they (Mozilla Corp) are across the street and they come over here for lunch," Mr Brin said of Mozzilla employees visits to cafeterias at the Google headquarters.

"I hope we will have more and more unity over time."

Google also gave a nod to Apple's web browser Safari, with Google spokesperson Sundar Pichai saying if a website worked well in Safari, it would work well in Chrome.

Chrome was designed to take advantage of multi-core chips, recently offered by Intel Corp and Advanced Micro Devices, which allowed computers to handle multiple processes simultaneously and with greater speed, Google engineers said.

Brian Rakowski, group product manager for the browser project, highlighted the significance of offering a faster browser and forcing greater competition in the market.

"You actually spend more time in your browser than you do in your car," he said.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/new-google-chrome-browser-now-available-for-download/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/new-google-chrome-browser-now-available-for-download/ Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:18:58 CDT PS3 News PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/new-google-chrome-browser-now-available-for-download/ yesterday, the Google Chrome Browser is now available for download below:

Download: http://www.Google.com/Chrome/

Google Chrome (BETA) for Windows is a browser that combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the Web faster, safer, and easier.

One box for everything- Type in the address bar and get suggestions for both search and Web pages.

Thumbnails of your top sites- Access your favorite pages instantly with lightning speed from any new tab.

Shortcuts for your apps- Get desktop shortcuts to launch your favorite Web applications.

More about it's features can be seen HERE, and feel free to post your thoughts on it if you give it a try!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/google-to-release-open-source-chrome-browser/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/google-to-release-open-source-chrome-browser/ Mon, 01 Sep 2008 23:39:19 CDT PS3 News PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/google-to-release-open-source-chrome-browser/
Google announced Monday that it has been hard at work on an open-source browser known as Chrome, a beta version of which will be released in 100 countries on Tuesday.

New features will included "isolated" tabs designed to prevent browser crashes and a more powerful JavaScript engine.

"Why are we launching Google Chrome? Because we believe we can add value for users and, at the same time, help drive innovation on the web," Sundar Pichai, vice president of product management, and Linus Upson, Google engineering director, wrote in a blog post.

Google was apparently looking to keep news of Chrome under wraps until after the holiday weekend. A 38-page, online comic book that provided details about Chrome hit the blogosphere Monday morning, but Pichai and Upson said in their blog post that Google had "hit 'send' a bit early" on the web comic.

The comic depicts various Google engineers describing Chrome's features, including the isolated tab idea.

"By keeping each tab in an isolated 'sandbox', we were able to prevent one tab from crashing another and provide improved protection from rogue sites," Pichai and Upson wrote.

Having a number of tabs open in a single browser eats up memory. If a browser is running slow, a user's natural inclination is to close a few tabs? In some cases, however, little bits of the closed tabs remain, which eats up space and requires the operating system to grow the browser's address space, according to Google. With Chrome, there will be a different tab for each process, including plug-ins.

"When a tab is closed in Google Chrome, you're ending the whole process," according to the comic. "You can look under the hood with Google Chrome's task mananger to see what sites are using the most memory, downloading the most bytes and abusing your CPU" so you can place "blame where blame belongs."

Google also promised "improved speed and responsiveness across the board."

"We also built a more powerful JavaScript engine, V8, to power the next generation of web applications that aren't even possible in today's browsers," Pichai and Upson wrote.

Like OpenSocial and Android, Chrome will be an open source initiative.

"We owe a great debt to many open source projects, and we're committed to continuing on their path," they wrote. "We've used components from Apple's WebKit and Mozilla's Firefox, among others -- and in that spirit, we are making all of our code open source as well. We hope to collaborate with the entire community to help drive the web forward."

The team selected Webkit because it uses memory efficiently, was easily adapated to embedded devices, and it was easy for new browser developers to learn to make the code base work, according to the web comic. "Webkit keeps it simple."

Google recently extended its financial deal with Mozilla until 2011, according to a blog post from Mitchell Baker, chair of the Mozilla Foundation.

Tuesday's beta release will be available for Windows users. "We're hard at work building versions for Mac and Linux too, and will continue to make it even faster and more robust," Pichai and Upson wrote.

"This is just the beginning -- Google Chrome is far from done," they wrote. "Google Chrome is another option, and we hope it contributes to making the Web even better."]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/ea-download-red-alert-for-free-starting-this-sunday/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/ea-download-red-alert-for-free-starting-this-sunday/ Sun, 31 Aug 2008 21:44:20 CDT PS3 News PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/ea-download-red-alert-for-free-starting-this-sunday/
Starting this Sunday at 12 a.m. Pacific time, fans can download the 1996 original straight from EA’s site.

Additionally, those who pre-order Red Alert 3 before October 27 will receive a free copy of the second installment in the series.

For all the details and related download click HERE or check out the link above.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/confirmed-gears-of-war-2-not-coming-to-pc/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/confirmed-gears-of-war-2-not-coming-to-pc/ Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:48:01 CDT takavach PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/confirmed-gears-of-war-2-not-coming-to-pc/ IGN interview with Cliff Bleszinski, it was revealed by Cliff that Gears of War 2 would not be coming to the PC.

The point of interest came up in a question about Gears 2's "Linked Achievements" and the Achievement portability with an account from Games for Windows Live.

When prompted about a PC version of Gears 2, Cliff spilled the beans:

"Gears of War is a great franchise first and foremost for Xbox 360, and therefore we're focusing on that platform for Gears of War 2. We've decided we're not going to do a PC version this time around."]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/video-crysis-unbelievable-custom-map/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/video-crysis-unbelievable-custom-map/ Wed, 27 Aug 2008 21:30:06 CDT Starlight PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/video-crysis-unbelievable-custom-map/
This time it’s a custom level built for Crysis, and boy am I beyond belief. If you think you’ve put hard work into a modification then maybe you should take a look at the following pictures.

This medieval level is known as Niveus, and the artist who created this stunning level is Andrew "androkles" Hasko. The level is currently reported to run at 5fps on his machine. I’m right now speechless after taking a look at the pictures. Video can be seen below.. Enjoy.

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More screenshots can be seen at the link up top of this story.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/microsoft-hardware-teaser-say-goodbye-to-laser-1/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/microsoft-hardware-teaser-say-goodbye-to-laser-1/ Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:08:29 CDT Starlight PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/microsoft-hardware-teaser-say-goodbye-to-laser-1/
Readers of sites including Engadget and Gizmodo have uncovered references to and photos of a new Microsoft "Blue Track" mouse on sites including the German version of Amazon.com and the YouGame online store. Among other things, the logo on the front matches the image at the end of Microsoft's teaser animation.

Microsoft Hardware, the unit that makes the company's mice and keyboards, has scheduled a Sept. 9 event in Seattle to unveil its latest product lineup. Today it launched an animation teasing a new product, with the tag line, "Say Goodbye to Laser."

The obvious guess is that it's a new mouse technology, maybe replacing the internal lasers currently used to determine the relative position of mice. But it could be something else entirely. Microsoft isn't offering any details. Does the shape of the logo provide any clues? I'm doing a little digging, and I'll update this post if I turn anything up.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/video-crysis-warhead-intro-leaked/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/video-crysis-warhead-intro-leaked/ Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:18:54 CDT PS3 News PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/video-crysis-warhead-intro-leaked/
The video's caption simply reads as follows:

"The Full Intro for Crysis Warhead leaked. Game looks awesome!"

Video can be seen below...

Enjoy!

257002]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/google-to-release-cloud-based-os-1/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/google-to-release-cloud-based-os-1/ Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:56:03 CDT Starlight PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/google-to-release-cloud-based-os-1/
It doesn’t take a genius to work out that the Internet is serious business for advertisers, and Google has taken advantage of its significant online presence with its largely successful Adsense advertising. The omnipotent nature of Google in the online arena gives it a financial and influential advantage over its competition - while competitors (notably Microsoft) scamper to take a foothold in this online phenomenon, attempting to snatch some of the revenue pie and make up what little ground they can on Google.

It’s this online dominance that Google can use to step into the world of operating systems. And it will likely revolve around cloud technology.

Firstly let us explain the concept of ‘cloud computing’. In the future - and to an extent at this very moment - vast amounts of servers will be harnessed to store personal media, software, and documents in what is known as the ‘cloud’. The purpose of the cloud is to create an environment where any PC will be a portal to your personal data via the Internet medium.

An example is Photoshop Express; albeit cut down, it’s an online version of Photoshop image manipulation software. As time progresses, software will continually port to online equivalents. The advantage being that alongside your documents, you can access everything you need from the Internet, and synchronise information (such as calendars) between devices (such as PDAs and laptops) across the globe. Google is in a prime position to promote the cloud concept, and what better way to tackle the emerging market than producing a dedicated cloud OS?

There are several possibilities that could be explored with a Google cloud OS, such as a desktop OS, U3 OS, or basic client software.

Picture an OS where the desktop (which you can access anywhere) is a portal to all your online documents, software and appointments. In terms of useability, that would be great for transferring between different PCs without the requirement of moving across data. Now what if Google took advantage of the influx of inexpensive flash media, and produced an OS that runs off a USB flash drive, perhaps in the form of U3? Now the user has complete control over the host system, with pre-configured settings and client software to access online data.

That is the future, and that’s where Google should be focusing. Producing an OS is nothing short of complex, and despite the budding minds of Google’s R&D team, it’s not likely that Google would want to start from scratch. However, there are multitudes of open source OSs that are readily available for modification. By altering an existing Linux distribution, the functionality and GUI of the OS would have a greater amount of development time, meaning an overall better product.

Building on top of the cloud based foundation; Google would be wise to take an approach similar to that of their Android mobile OS. Users want a simple customisable OS that is suitable for a novice and can be altered to cater for a seasoned professional. Although there are limitations to what a portable OS can achieve, an option to install a fully-fledged version onto a hard drive wouldn’t go astray. A simple quick-loading OS for USB flash drives, and a Linux based fully featured distribution for the desktop, would make it a very attractive option. Essential features of the OS would include WiMAX, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support, Firefox/Opera, Silverlight/Flash and a simple GUI to access online services.

But as with most ideas, there are flaws, and one of these is due to the current pricing structure of ISPs and their data limits.

The cloud relies on the Internet (which itself means that no Internet = no productivity), and as most are aware, Australia doesn’t offer unlimited downloads on all plans like America and Canada. Until we get large data quotas, the feasibility of the cloud is limited to a select few countries (mind you, with those countries being America and some of the other large nations, it wouldn’t stop Google). Furthermore, basing an OS off software and documents that depend on online servers may pose security risks such as loss or hijacking of data.

So how will this concept tackle the likes of Linux, Mac and Windows? The fact of the matter is it probably won’t. Firstly, it would be wise to use Linux in the development of the ‘Google OS’. Secondly, Apple and Microsoft could easily produce similar products for their OSs. In fact, rumour is that Windows are already working on a cloud based OS. Regardless, Google wouldn’t have to pioneer the concept. They should be happy for Microsoft or Apple to do it. After all, they didn’t pioneer the search engine or email, they just did it better.

By making it easy to transport software, documents, and a mini cloud OS via USB, a Google cloud OS could lead to a cult following and a new niche in Google’s favour. Yes, there’s already software such as Portable Apps, but we’re talking about a fully featured OS you can boot off, or use embedded into Windows/MacOS. Having the OS being capable of embedding into an existing platform makes it easier to implement, and gives the user piece of mind.

Whatever the future holds for Google, it’s bound to be innovative, free, and based on the Internet. They had the ideas, and now they have the name, you can bet that their next big project will make some serious waves.

It won’t be long until we have portable PCs capable of matching the most powerful desktops - purely because the software runs off-site on web servers - perhaps, using Google OS.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/nehalem-pictured-known-as-core-i7-1/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/nehalem-pictured-known-as-core-i7-1/ Sun, 24 Aug 2008 02:28:49 CDT Starlight PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/nehalem-pictured-known-as-core-i7-1/
We managed to take the picture from both sides, and we can tell that the chip looks pretty much like any other Intel chip.

The socket 1366 has pins while the CPU doesn't. This baby will be known as Core i7.

Enough said, here is the real deal.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/windows-7-what-will-it-do-when-will-it-launch-heres-the-lowdown/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/windows-7-what-will-it-do-when-will-it-launch-heres-the-lowdown/ Sun, 24 Aug 2008 02:22:55 CDT Starlight PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/windows-7-what-will-it-do-when-will-it-launch-heres-the-lowdown/
There's been very little solid information about just what's going to go into Microsoft's flagship OS, just plenty of speculation and rumour. So what can you expect from Windows 7? Here's what we predict...

1. Windows 7 won't be a from-the-ground up rewrite of Windows. Instead it'll be an evolution of the NT kernel as updated in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, according to Windows Product Manager Chris Flores. This will mean that applications should run without needing significant changes, and there will be an upgrade path from Windows Vista (though things will be harder for Windows XP users).

The rumoured "MinWin" kernel is most unlikely - though it's likely that there'll be lessons learned from Windows Server 2008's modular architecture, which Microsoft could use to offer a version of Windows 7 that runs on cheap 'netbooks' that Vista overloads.

2. Windows 7 will introduce new touch-based features to the Windows user interface. This will include gesture-based operations similar to those demonstrated by Apple's iPhone and Microsoft's own Surface. The controls demonstrated at D6 included a ring launcher similar to the one developed by Microsoft Research for its Ink Seine tablet note taking tool. There may well be similarities with the touch interface for Windows Mobile 7.

3. Forget the Vista delays; Windows 7 will probably ship early. To say that Microsoft was disappointed by the late release of Vista is an understatement and not only is it managing Windows 7 expectations carefully, but Sinofsky has a reputation for shipping on time. This October's Professional Developers Conference should see the first public unveiling of developer versions of Windows 7 (with more low-level information a week later at the hardware-centric WinHec). And while Microsoft is saying that a final release will be in 2010, there's the distinct possibility of a release in the second half of 2009.

4. Windows 7 will feature more integration with Windows Live, fulfilling Ray Ozzie's promises about cloud computing. The third wave of Windows Live tools is due soon, and it should increase the integration between Microsoft's online and offline worlds. There's a lot going on in the Live world, especially with Live Mesh which isn't just a sync tool - it's technology for bringing the desktop and the internet closer together. Leaked internal memos show Windows 7's look-and-feel will extend out into the web, and Live IDs will become an important part of the Windows set-up procedure.

5. 64-bit Windows 7 will be important. While there will be a 32-bit version of Windows 7, we're likely to see OEMs installing 64-bit versions. Quad-core PCs with 4GB or more of RAM are becoming more common (and are getting cheaper and cheaper). A 64-bit version of Windows 7 will be able to take advantage of 2010's hardware - and there might finally be enough 64-bit drivers by then, as Windows 7 will use the same driver model as Windows Vista.

6. Virtualization in the form of Hyper-V is a key part of Windows Server 2008; expect a desktop version of Hyper-V to ship with Windows 7, though probably only in enterprise editions. It'll make it a lot easier for businesses to deploy Windows 7 (and it'll also make disaster recovery and back-up a lot easier).

Integration with hardware security features like the TPM will also make a virtual Windows 7 more secure - making it harder for malware authors to deliver Trojans, thus reducing the risk of botnets and perhaps even helping the spam problem. Windows 7 admin tools will probably be based on the object-oriented PowerShell system.

7. Microsoft will keep Windows 7 closer to its chest than any version so far. We've heard that OEMs have received builds a lot more advanced than the M1 build that leaked earlier this year, but while they're getting a lot more information from Microsoft than they have in the past, they're also doing better at keeping the details they've been given secret.

Microsoft has learned a lot from Apple about keeping things under wraps, and doesn't plan on giving away the whole Windows 7 story before launch. There will be public releases, but like the developer previews of Internet Explorer 8, they won't include all the features that'll be in the final version by a long way.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/pioneer-unveils-new-bdp-09fd-blu-ray-player-that-crushes-the-ps3/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/pioneer-unveils-new-bdp-09fd-blu-ray-player-that-crushes-the-ps3/ Fri, 22 Aug 2008 21:55:43 CDT PS3 News PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/pioneer-unveils-new-bdp-09fd-blu-ray-player-that-crushes-the-ps3/
This will come with Ethernet and be fully capable of BD-Live playback, no firmware updates needed at the get-go. Unlike other BD-Live players, which require SD cards, this one comes with 4GB of internal memory for downloads."

To quote: Cooler to me are the two HDMI jacks on the back. It's a first for a Blu-ray player (or PS3), and it means you can hook up the same player to both your projector and your flat-panel display without a splitter or some on-the-fly rewiring.

You can even split it up so that HDMI 1 only does audio, while HDMI 2 does video, freeing up more video bandwidth, especially in those pesky longer cables that might get a bit choked. The HDMI can detect the source, and automatically determine what audio and video to send over.

Obviously, some people are going to be content with their PS3s for the time being (after all, they are only $500, a small price by comparison). And Walker acknowledges that speed is always going to be the saving grace of the game console. ("If we were to build a Blu-ray player around an Intel or Cell processor, we'd have those kinds of speeds too.") But as far as picture and audio output, nothing quite resembles this "super duper" machine.

And on top of all that, we can stop bitching about Pioneer ignoring BD-Live, and getting on with the future. Now, seriously, why would ANYONE buy Pioneer's last batch? Save your money, home-theater snobs. This badass will be out soon.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/acer-debuts-their-new-console/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/acer-debuts-their-new-console/ Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:38:30 CDT Starlight PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/acer-debuts-their-new-console/
Of course it all turned out to be a load of horse shit, but even this outlandish rumour had an element of truth to it. Acer were working on a game specific machine, although it is actually a highly specialized PC and God damn it’s a sexy looking thing!

In Sydney this week, we were given a chance to rub its sunset orange Lamborghini-inspired exterior, poke about in its innards and give Call of Duty 4 a hammering and we have to say, it was hard not to be impressed.

Aimed specifically at the extreme gamer category, three tiers of the Acer Aspire Predator are in stores right now, ranging from around $4,000 - $8,000, depending on just how big you want your e-peen to be. This is the top end of the spectrum, pushing the latest and greatest tech - from 4 hotswap hard-drives slots, to space for 8GB of RAM, SLi graphics and liquid cooling - all of which is a (albeit expensive) gift to the wants and needs of overclockers and tweakers.

You will be able to customize the innards at the time of purchase if it just doesn’t quite suit your style, but really, even the monitor shouts sex. Every PC is hand-tested and turned around within 24hrs of an order, features a two-year warranty and really, we cannot see any software on the horizon that would see even the lowest model out-dated in that time (or years beyond to be realistic).

It’s hard not to be in awe of the Predator. The chassis is just awesome and it has a host of funky little additions, from blue LED lights all over the front to robot claw driven optical disc drives and a Dark Helmet style front face mask. Inside it is amazingly void of cabling too, neat and tidy as it drives the best in PC performance towards your games.

While the Acer Predator doesn't quite compete with the next-gen consoles it is existence is further proof that there is a danger for the Xbox 720 and PS4 out there. (click the link for more on that)

For the full specs on offer click to the next page

Processor and Chipset:
Intel Core2 Quad Q9450 Processor (2.66GHz, 12MB L2 cache, 1333MHz FSB)
Intel Core2 Extreme QX9650 Processor (3.00GHz, 12MB L2 cache, 1333MHz FSB)
NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI

Operating System:
Genuine Windows Vista Vista Home Premium (64-bit)

Memory:
Up to 8 GB of DDR2 800/1066 MHz SDRAM (dual-channel support on four DIMMs)

Hard Drive:
Serial ATA hard disk up to 1 TB
RAID 0, 1, 5, 0+1 (capable with NVIDIA MediaShield Storage Technology)
Four 3.5" Hotswap HDD drive bays (hot-swap capable with RAID enabled)

Storage Bays:
Two 5.25" drive bays
Optical drive options:
- BD + SuperMulti burner
- BD/HD DVD reader + SuperMulti burner

Card Reader:
Multi-in-one card reader, supporting: CompactFlash (Type I and II), CF+, Microdrive, MultiMediaCard (MMC), MMCmobile, Reduced-Size MultiMediaCard (RS-MMC), Secure Digital (SD) Card, miniSD Card, xD-Picture Card, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, USB 2.0 and IEEE 1394 ports

Graphics:
Enabled NVIDIA 2-way SLI: Two NVIDIA GeForce 9800GTX discrete graphics cards
PCI Express 2.0 x16 graphics card support

Audio:
Optimized Dolby Home Theater audio enhancement, featuring: Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II, Dolby Headphone, Dolby Virtual Speaker, Dolby Digital Live technologies Integrated high-definition audio with 7.1-channel and EAX 4.0 audio support, S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface) support, Optional Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium sound card with EAX 5.0 audio support

Networking:
Two Gigabit Ethernet
Wake-on-LAN ready (Dual LAN support)

I/O Interfaces:
Front I/O ports: Four USB 2.0 ports, Multi-in-one card reader, Headphone and microphone jacks
Rear I/O ports: Four USB 2.0 ports, IEEE 1394 port (6-pin), PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports, Two Ethernet (RJ-45) ports, Two eSATA ports, Six audio jacks, S/PDIF jack, Clear CMOS button
Graphics card I/O ports (each card): Two DVI-D ports (up to 4 with two graphics cards), TV-out port

I/O Expansion:
Three PCI Express x16 slots (including: two PCI Express 2.0 with 5 Gb/s)
Two PCI Express x1 slots
PCI Express x8 slot
PCI 2.3 5 V slot

Software:
Acer Empowering Technology (Acer eRecovery Management)
Acer Arcade Live
McAfee Internet Security Software - 60 day free trial
Adobe Reader
eSobi
NTI MediaMaker

Weight and Dimensions:
45 kgs
490 (L) x 430 (H) x 190 (W) mm

BIOS:
AMI PnP BIOS compatible with SMBIOS 2.4

System Power:
750 W

Compliance:
C-Tick (AS/NZS 60950)

Monitor:
G24 LCD Monitor
- World’s first 50000:1 ACM contrast for vivid details
- 24" 1920 x 1200 widescreen for true 1080p playback
- 2 ms rapid response time for smooth-moving images
- 176/176 view angle for multiple viewers
- Acer CrystalBrite technology with 400-nit brightness for a brilliant display
- Multimedia connectivity: 1x HDMI™, 1x DVI (HDCP)
- 92% NTSC Saturation results in 28% richer in colour

For more information on the Predator, check out this link.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/gc-2008-gta-iv-pc-details-and-screens-available/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/gc-2008-gta-iv-pc-details-and-screens-available/ Wed, 20 Aug 2008 21:13:05 CDT Starlight PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/gc-2008-gta-iv-pc-details-and-screens-available/
First of all, the visuals. Running at a maximum resolution of 2560 x 1600, the game's PC port offers all sorts of visual enhancements over its console counterparts, from a further draw distance to up-rezzed textures.

Then there's the replay mode. The game always records the last 30 seconds of whatever you do, and at any moment you can tap a button on the keyboard to capture a video clip. You're then able to edit together these clips in a montage editor and export your own home videos to Rockstar's Social Club website.

Perhaps best of all, though, are the multiplayer enhancements. Though Rockstar has teased about these in the past, it stated that the PC version will support more than the 16 players that the console versions had -- exactly how many more we don't yet know. Rockstar also mentioned that GTA IV on PC will offer improved searching and filtering to find the type of multiplayer games you're most interested in joining.

From what we saw and heard, GTA IV on PC is definitely worth getting excited over. Here's hoping we'll get to find out more about the multiplayer soon.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/microsoft-may-have-2000-developers-working-on-windows-7/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/microsoft-may-have-2000-developers-working-on-windows-7/ Tue, 19 Aug 2008 23:31:54 CDT Starlight PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/microsoft-may-have-2000-developers-working-on-windows-7/
Windows 7 teams work on anything from external features, such as user interfaces, to under-the-hood areas such as networking, according to Steven Sinofsky, Microsoft senior vice president for Windows and Windows Live engineering, in a Monday posting at the new "Engineering Windows 7" blog.

"We create feature teams with n developers, n testers, and 1/2n program managers," Sinofsky wrote in a four-page blog that introduced his views on managing large-scale software development. "On average a feature team is about 40 developers across the Windows 7 project."

Based on that arrangement, each feature team would appear to have about 40 developers writing code, an equal number of beta testers -- which Sinofsky separately described as "software development engineers in test" -- and about 20 program managers.

In other words, that would be 2,000 developers creating or testing Windows 7 code, overseen by 500 managers.

Microsoft's public relations firms declined to confirm or clarify those figures.

Sinofsky, who headed development for Microsoft Office from the 2000 to the 2007 versions before taking over Windows development from retiring chief Jim Allchin, defended the size of the Windows development team against criticism that it's no longer agile and it is a major reason why the Vista operating system and other Microsoft software have arrived late and with bloated code bases, suffering from "featuritis."

"Some have said that the Windows team is just too big and that it has reached a size that causes engineering problems. At the same time, I might point out that just looking at the comments there is a pretty significant demand for a broad set of features and changes to Windows," Sinofsky wrote. "It takes a set of people to build Windows and it is a big project. The way that I look at this is that our job is to have the Windows team be the right size -- that sounds cliche but [what] I mean by that is that the team is neither too large nor too small, but is effectively managed so that the work of the team reflects the size of the team and you see the project as having the benefits we articulate."

Scheduled to arrive in 2010, Windows 7 will include touch-screen technology and other new features. It will be fairly similar under the hood to Windows Vista in order to minimize application and device compatibility problems.

Sinofsky suggested that critics who think Microsoft should simply remove features from Windows or start over from scratch are being naive.

"I'm reminded of a scene from [the movie] Amadeus where the Emperor suggests that the Marriage of Figaro contains 'too many notes' to which Mozart proclaims 'there are just as many notes, Majesty, as are required, neither more nor less.' Upon the Emperor suggesting that Mozart remove a few notes, Mozart simply asks 'which few did you have in mind?'" he wrote.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/microsoft-admits-spying-on-web-users/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/microsoft-admits-spying-on-web-users/ Tue, 19 Aug 2008 23:22:08 CDT Starlight PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/microsoft-admits-spying-on-web-users/
In a document for a House committee Microsoft has more or less admitted collecting data on its web users. Redmond said that it began collecting data outside its own Web sites in 2006, when it launched a third-party ad network, and that activity accelerated after the acquisition of aQuantive in 2007.

Microsoft said that while it started by offering an "opt-out" option on all pages on which it serves ads starting in the Spring. Users were falling over themselves to sign up to give their data to Microsoft. Only 1,800 users had said no.

Although apparently finding the opt-out option on Microsoft's page is just as easy as hunting the Snark or finding the Holy Grail.

Microsoft says it's getting caned in the online ad business and the committee should look at Yahoo and Google if they want to see who the bad guys are.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/everything-about-usb-3-0-plus-first-spliced-cable-photos/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/everything-about-usb-3-0-plus-first-spliced-cable-photos/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:09:16 CDT Starlight PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/everything-about-usb-3-0-plus-first-spliced-cable-photos/
The USB Implementers Forum (led by Intel) released the USB 3.0 spec to hardware partners last week after some reported disputes with AMD and Nvidia (who, afraid Intel would have a jump start in incorporating the tech in chipsets, threatened to develop their own USB standard). But how does this affect you? We dug up some new information about USB 3.0, got our hands on the new connectors, and even took a look inside the new cables.

USB 3.0 will be backwards-compatible with USB 2.0
Like the upgrade from USB 1.1 to 2.0, the new 3.0 connectors and cables will be physically and functionally compatible with hardware from the older specs. Of course, you won’t be able to maximize your bandwidth unless you’re using a USB 3.0 cable with Superspeed devices and ports, but at least plugging a 3.0 cable into a 2.0 port won’t blow up your PC. The spec’s compatibility lies in the design of the new connectors.

USB 2.0 cables worked off of four lines - a pair for in/out data transfer, one line for power, and the last for grounding. USB 3.0 adds five new lines (the cable is noticeably thicker), but the new contacts sit parallel to the old ones on a different plane, as opposed to being adjacent to them. This means you’ll be able to differentiate between 2.0 and 3.0 cables just by looking at the ends.

The maximum speed of USB 3.0 is 4.8Gbps
It’s true: USB 3.0 SuperSpeed will be 10 times faster than the 480Mbps limit of the 2.0 spec. The example Intel likes to give out when talking about the new speed is that transferring a 27GB HD movie to your future media player will only take 70 seconds with USB 3.0, while it would take 15 minutes or more with 2.0.

Keep in mind that you’re only going to be able to take advantage of this speed if your portable storage device can write data that quickly. Solid state devices will benefit most from the speed boost, while magnetic hard disks will be limited by their RPM and corresponding read/write speeds. Also, new Mass Storage Device drivers will have to be developed for Windows to take advantage of the spec.

Uploads and downloads are kept on separate data lanes
Remember those five new lanes we mentioned earlier? With USB 3.0, two new lanes will be dedicated to transmit data, while another pair will handle receiving data. This not only accounts for the significant speed boost, but also allows USB 3.0 to both read and write at the same time from your portable storage device.

In the old spec, the pair of lanes used for data transfer weren’t split between send and receive - they only could handle traffic in one direction. Bi-directional data transfer will be very useful for syncing up information on PDAs and storage backup.

USB 3.0 will charge more devices, quicker
Not only will USB 3.0 cables facilitate faster transfer speeds, but they’ll carry more power, too. The USB-IF recognizes the growing number of portable devices that charge via USB (cellphones, MP3 players, digital cameras), and have bumped the power output from about 100miliamps to 900 milliamps. That means not only will you be able to power more than 4 devices from a single hub, but the increase current will let you charge up heftier hardware as well.

USB 3.0 will be more power efficient
One of the mandates of the new spec is more efficient power-usage protocols. USB 3.0 abandons device polling in favor of a new interrupt-driven protocol, which means non-active or idle devices (which aren’t being charged by the USB port) won’t have their power drained by the host controller as it looks for active data traffic. Instead, the devices will send the host a signal to begin data transfer. This feature will also be backward compatible with USB 2.0 certified devices.

The spec that Intel released mid-last week is only 90% complete. Ravencraft says that they expect the spec to be finalized by Q4 of this year. Hardware partners are expected to have USB 3.0 controllers designed by mid 2009, and consumers won't see the first end products utilizing the spec until early 2010 (though a late Holiday 2009 push for new products isn't out of the question).

What about Wireless USB?
With the internet in a USB 3.0 frenzy (keep in mind we won’t see hardware for a year), the USB-IF’s other iniative - Certified Wireless USB - often gets lost in the shuffle. Wireless USB technology has largely stayed away from the spotlight since the 1.0 spec was first completed in 2005.

It’s not surprising, since adoption from hardware markers has been slow - the Wireless USB promoter group has only certified 75 products, with only 45 of those actually consumer end products that you can find in stores. Belkin, Dell, IOGEAR, and Kensington are a few of the partners that have signed on board, releasing hubs that unfetter your existing USB devices.

- Support for NFC. Near Field Communication technology is a short-range, high-frequency spec while allows for wireless data transfers between devices up to 20cm apart. The 400kbps data rate of this tech obviously won’t do any heavy lifting, but instead will be used for proximity-based device association and connection establishment. One of the big pitfalls of the existing Wireless USB spec is that syncing up devices to a hub or host takes too long. NFC will allow devices to "swipe to connect," similar to how new credit cards can register with cashiers just by brushing against a sensor.

- Speed and power usage optimizations. Power is one of the big concerns for Wireless USB, since no one (not even Tesla!) has figured out a practical way to transmit power wirelessly. Wirelessly connected devices like speakers or monitors will still need an external power source, but battery-powered peripherals will be able to sit idle longer.

- Ultra-wide band (UWB) support. Wireless USB already runs in the 3GHz frequency range, which allows it to theoretically transfer data at speeds of 480Mbps at 3 meters and 110Mbps at 10 meters. Bluetooth, in comparison, operates at 2.4Ghz. UWB support will boost the frequency of Wireless USB to the 6GHz and up range, which lays the groundwork for higher data rates and throughput in the future (though at the cost of range).

We also got a demo of Wireless USB in action, running natively on a Thinkpad X300 laptop. The Thinkpad synced up with a nearby Belkin dock station, which had audio and video jacks that were connected to speakers and a LCD display. A WMV file streamed high definition video and five-channel audio to the hub and recipient devices, and playback was pretty smooth (though interference did cut in occasionally).

Another dock station from Kensington demonstrated similar features, offered a DVI port for video in addition to Stereo audio and 5 USB 2.0 ports, and includes a transmitting dongle for non-wireless USB integrated systems. Video streaming took most of the bandwidth, and we noticed that wireless video was capped at 1680x1050 resolution.

Still, the setup was impressive in that it gave the laptop more mobility. We could definitely imagine using our laptops in bed while streaming video and audio to devices across the room. The docking station is a little pricey at $230 - hopefully prices will drop as more products are released to market.

More pics can be seen at the link up top of this story!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/microsoft-adds-blu-ray-support-to-windows/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/microsoft-adds-blu-ray-support-to-windows/ Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:13:33 CDT Starlight PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/microsoft-adds-blu-ray-support-to-windows/
The pack has been in non-disclosure laced beta testing for quiet some time, but can now be seen on the Microsoft Connect website.

When released, the pack will upgrade Windows XP and Vista, as well as Server 2003 and 2008.

Currently there is no planned release date for the Feature Pack.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/crysis-warhead-system-requirements-revealed/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/crysis-warhead-system-requirements-revealed/ Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:02:21 CDT takavach PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/crysis-warhead-system-requirements-revealed/
CPU: Intel Pentium 4 2.8 GHz (3.2 GHz for Vista), Intel Core 2.0 GHz (2.2 GHz for Vista), AMD Athlon 2800+ (3200+ for Vista) or better
RAM: 1GB (1.5GB on Windows Vista)
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT, ATI Radeon 9800 Pro (Radeon X800 Pro for Vista) or better
VRAM: 256MB of Graphics Memory
Storage: 15GB
Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c Compatible
ODD: DVD-ROM
OS: Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or Microsoft Vista
DirectX: DX9.0c or DX10]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/crysis-wars-first-gameplay-trailer-available/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/crysis-wars-first-gameplay-trailer-available/ Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:17:53 CDT Starlight PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/crysis-wars-first-gameplay-trailer-available/
"Crysis Wars is the multiplayer game that comes with Crysis Warhead. Here is the first trailer for the game, including some gameplay footage."

The video is below, and courtesy of GameTrailers.

Enjoy all.

252707]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/intel-nehalems-market-named-leaked-to-be-core-i7/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/intel-nehalems-market-named-leaked-to-be-core-i7/ Mon, 11 Aug 2008 20:24:12 CDT Starlight PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/intel-nehalems-market-named-leaked-to-be-core-i7/
Nahalem is expected to be initially manufactured with a 45nm process and be available with two, four, or eight cores, for up to 731 million transistors in the quad core variant. A very exciting aspect of the new architecture is the new integrated memory controller, called the Intel QuickPath Interconnect, with DDR3 SDRAM support, which will eliminate the bottleneck that was the front side bus and which had been haunting Intel for years.

This should result in a substantial performance increase despite Intel’s competition, AMD, having been using an integrated memory controller in their processors for years.

Another feature of Nahalem will be the re-introduction of Hyper-Threading technology, which was used previously in the Pentium 4 series of processors. Hyper-Threading allows a single core to run an adjacent virtual core, allowing for two threads per actual core, making for potential performance gains. With all the added performance of the upcoming Nahalem processors, power usage is not expected to rise much, providing for greater performance-per-watt efficiency.

Nehalem will come in variants for desktops, servers, and notebooks. The upcoming home desktop variant is codenamed Bloomfield and will use the new LGA1366 socket, making it incompatible with all previous generation motherboards.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/amd-ships-790gx-gaming-chip/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/amd-ships-790gx-gaming-chip/ Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:19:46 CDT takavach PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/amd-ships-790gx-gaming-chip/
The 790GX is slotted below AMD's existing 790FX chip, which is targeted at the high-end gaming segment. AMD claims the 790GX chip is the world's fastest motherboard GPU (mGPU), with Mark 3D Vantage entry mode scores in excess of 2900.

The new Advanced Clock Calibration technology allows 790GX chipset to overclock Phenom CPU systems at clock speeds higher than 3.0 GHz by "significant tuning enhancements" on the new SB750 southbridge for better performance. The SB750 southbridge has been introduced to the 790GX chipset for optimum performance with Phenom processor based systems.

The 790GX chip has built-in ATI Radeon HD 3300 GPU chip which offers scalable high-definition gaming performance on the latest DirectX10 games. The chip's performance can boosted further when paired with one or two ATI Radeon HD 4800 series graphics cards to scale up to a higher performance configuration. In 790GX the ATI Avivo HD offers full 1080p HD on performance config systems with support for the latest codecs like H.264 and MPEG-2 for better HD visuals. This chip uses the AMD Unified Video Decoder, which redirects HD playback to the GPU, rather than the CPU, and delivers a better visual experience without frames drops or lags.

The chipset also features AMD's Sideport 'performance cache' memory technology to boost the performance by 10 to 15 per cent and enable the single memory chip to run at speeds of 400Mhz and 533Mhz with a top speed of 667Mhz.

Support for AMD 790GX has been confirmed by major industry players like Asus, Foxconn, ASRock, Biostar Group, Gigabyte and MSI computers.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/gta-iv-for-pc-announced/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/gta-iv-for-pc-announced/ Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:13:36 CDT wicked insanity PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/gta-iv-for-pc-announced/
"We are very excited to be releasing the PC version of Grand Theft Auto IV," said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. "The whole team is dedicated to bringing an amazing gaming experience to the PC. The game looks and plays beautifully on PC andwe can’t wait for people to play it."

Developed by series creator Rockstar North and set in Liberty City, the latest installment in the enormously successful Grand Theft Auto series features a painstakingly detailed and life-like city for players to explore; a rich, immersive narrative experience; an original soundtrack highlighting the cultural eclecticism of Liberty City; and newly expanded multiplayer just for the PC.

For more information please visit: http://www.rockstargames.com/IV]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/uncrackable-lock-found-the-end-for-future-hackers/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/uncrackable-lock-found-the-end-for-future-hackers/ Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:08:07 CDT PS3 News PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/uncrackable-lock-found-the-end-for-future-hackers/
To quote: Imagine an encrypted data chip so secure that even the greatest hackers in history would find impossible to crack. That chip is very much a reality thanks to the combined efforts of Siemens, Austrian Research Centers (ARC) and Graz University of Technology who have teamed up to create the first quantum cryptology chip for commercial use to ensure securer electronic communication.

The lock protects data using a random sequence of numbers from light particles. At the moment, data is protected using a key distribution system based on mathematical algorithms. But, with enough time and effort, those algorithms can be cracked. The quantum cryptographic light lock, on the other hand, takes advantage of the laws of nature by using photons-individual light particles-to create completely random codes through an optical array.

When these codes are transferred to the receiving end through fiber-optic cables, it waits till it is verified through communication partners before creating a fail-safe key. The chip has also been designed in such a way that it can detect anyone trying to tap into the information while its generating a key and if it does register someone, the photons are changed or destroyed and the entire process is repeated until its sure nobody is listening.

It sounds almost like magic, but the developers expect the technology to be in serious use two years from now.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/intel-unveils-graphics-chip-line-1/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/intel-unveils-graphics-chip-line-1/ Tue, 05 Aug 2008 05:23:07 CDT mrmiller24 PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/intel-unveils-graphics-chip-line-1/
The move will bring Intel into direct competition with graphics specialists Nvidia and the ATI division of AMD. Intel is aiming to put Larrabee into graphics cards for PCs that help show games and video in very high detail. Like existing graphics chips from Nvidia and ATI, Larrabee is expected to have many separate processing cores onboard.

So far Intel has not said how many processing cores Larrabee will have onboard at launch or in subsequent generations. Future Nvidia and ATI graphics chips are expected to be made up of several hundred cores. While Intel will initially target the PC graphics card market, it expects the raw computer power in the chip to help with oil and gas exploration, medical imaging and financial services in the future.

Many scientists and researchers already use coupled graphics cards as a desktop supercomputer that helps them carry out simulations far faster and cheaper than on a larger dedicated machine. "Intel is showing its cards, but will have to deliver the products that live up to an attractive architecture," said Peter Kastner, an analyst with research firm Scott-Page.

Intel said it would release more details about Larrabee at the upcoming Siggraph computer graphics conference due to be held in Los Angeles from 12-15 August.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/nvidia-chipsets-are-now-history/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/nvidia-chipsets-are-now-history/ Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:54:22 CDT Starlight PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/nvidia-chipsets-are-now-history/
Just over a week ago, Nvidia's maximum leader, Jen-Hsun Huang, held a meeting with Taiwanese mobo partners. He directly asked them if there was a reason why Nvidia should stay in the chipset business. You could hear the crickets chirp.

In mainland China. No one came up with a reason, so the division was officially killed, and the teams will be rolled into GPU projects.

Nvidia PR is having the proverbial hissy-fit, but ignore it, they do that a lot. The INQUIRER has talked to people who were at the meeting, and they confirmed the reports, and are dead convnced that Nvidia chipsets are a thing of the past.

This is not to say that there will be no new chipsets from today. Things currently done or almost done will be out, but new designs won't be started, and early-stage projects are not likely to continue. Deep breaths people, projects on the near term horizon are safe, or at least safe from that paticular axe.

This mercy killing was strongly hinted at during Cebit in March, and was likely a done deal back then. If you look at the abysmal performance of the group, from the laughable 780i and the highly dropped 790i to being six months late to PCIe2, you understand why things are going away. The division basically couldn't engineer their way out of a paper bag, and have had their sales figures covered by the GPU side.

The problem with axing the chipset division is that it also axes their SLI lock-in lever. Nvidia has long used SLI to squeeze partners for cash, and the partners are not particularly happy about this. Now that Nvidia chipsets are going away and the GPU lead is lost, partners are about to put the boot in.

Nvidia's current plan is to put the singularly awful NV200 PCIe decelerator and latency multiplier on Intel x58 motherboards in order to pretend that there is a reason other than sabotaged drivers for SLI to work.

Polling OEMs, this is not going to get any traction, a view backed up by Nova's polling the other day. Having to beg when your twisting brings smiles to your partner's faces is not where Nvidia wants to be. What comes around... If you want to know how desperate they are to try this, notice they did not co-announce that little deal with Intel.

Nvidia AR/IR is more than happy to say that they won't bother with a CSI chipset for financial reasons, but will do an MSI chipset later on. Putting aside the blatant NDA violations they get for publicly giving Intel's long term roadmaps to anyone who will listen, engineers tell us that Nvidia does not have the process technology and engineering prowess to compete at that level. This is backed up by how increasingly late Nvidia is with each new technology, and all the chipset slips of late.

The next master plan is to try and artificially make up a 'reason' to lock out those who don't tithe from SLI 'technology'. Large mobo makers openly laughed at this plan when asked by The INQUIRER about the possibility of paying. The memory of how Nvidia is currently screwing Intel over SLI on Skulltrail, with the same NV200 chips is still fresh in OEMs minds. Without a lock and a halo card, things could be very bad for for Nvidia marketshare.

So in the end, Nvidia chipsets are history. You will see a few more trickle out mainly because they are already done and dusted. Mobo makers are taking the attitude of "don't let the door hit your ass on the way out", while laughing of f future marketing initiatives. Game over.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/games-for-windows-live-now-free-1/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/games-for-windows-live-now-free-1/ Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:04:49 CDT PS3 News PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/games-for-windows-live-now-free-1/
The move includes titles that support cross-platform gameplay between the PC and Xbox 360, such as Lost Planet: Colonies and Universe at War.

Additionally, Microsoft plans to introduce a completely new marketplace interface for GFWL this fall, featuring a variety of both paid and free content, ranging from playable demos to downloadable content for existing games.

To quote: At the Gamefest 2008 event on Tuesday, Microsoft announced that all Games for Windows Live multiplayer features are now free. These features -- including multiplayer achievements, matchmaking, cross-platform play with the Xbox 360, GFW voice chat, and more -- previously required a GFW Live Gold account. The change is effective immediately and across all GFW titles, both past and future.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/nvidia-gtx-280260-55nm-comes-by-september/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/nvidia-gtx-280260-55nm-comes-by-september/ Sun, 20 Jul 2008 03:31:13 CDT takavach PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/nvidia-gtx-280260-55nm-comes-by-september/
Our sources are telling us that 55nm version of the chip should be ready either in late August or in September, which means that Radeon HD 4870 X2 will get some competition.

We believe that Shaders and clock of 55nm GT200 are definitely going to be higher than the 65nm and the chip itself should be a bit cooler.

This means R700 will get some better competition, and the fact that this ATI's dual card is going to end up faster than GTX 280 doesn't mean ATI has already won the war.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/sony-adds-xmb-to-its-new-range-of-vaio-laptops/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/sony-adds-xmb-to-its-new-range-of-vaio-laptops/ Thu, 17 Jul 2008 02:29:36 CDT PS3 News PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/sony-adds-xmb-to-its-new-range-of-vaio-laptops/
To quote: Sony has decided to add the Xross Media Bar (XMB) that has proved so successful in its PlayStation 3 to its new range of Vaio laptops.

The Vaio FW series features Vaio Media+ software, which uses the 'move along, scroll up and down' functionality seen in both the PS3 and the PSP.

Sony clearly believes bringing this kind of synergy to its devices will help create the 'digital living room' all the major brands are gunning for.

The Vaio FW series also allows connection or creation of a DNLA server, which the PS3 or PSP can connect to.

Sony will also bring the same system to future Bravia TVs as it aims to add more functionality to the goggle box too.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/world-of-warcraft-patch-2-4-3-goes-live/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/world-of-warcraft-patch-2-4-3-goes-live/ Tue, 15 Jul 2008 21:35:09 CDT wicked insanity PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/world-of-warcraft-patch-2-4-3-goes-live/
General
- Dispel effects will no longer attempt to remove effects that have 100% dispel resistance.
- Parry Rating, Defense Rating, and Block Rating: Low-level players will now convert these ratings into their corresponding defensive stats at the same rate as level 34 players.
- Haris Pilton has launched a new line of bags and jewelry. Check her out in the World’s End Tavern!
- Mounts at 30?! Yes, it’s true: Apprentice Riding and mounts are now available at level 30. Training costs 35 gold.
- Blood Elf flightmasters outside of Silvermoon City and Tranquillien have traded their bats in for glorious fire-breathing dragonhawks.
- Alcohol cooldowns have been rolled into Drinks: All 10-second cooldowns have been removed and replaced with the 1-second Drink cooldown.
- Numerous flying non-combat pets have had their flight height modified to no longer skim along the ground: captured firefly, dragonhawk hatchlings, moths, owls, parrots, phoenix hatchling, spirit of summer, sprite darter, and tiny sporebat.
- Nether Ray Fry (a non-combat pet) is now available from the Skyguard Quartermaster
- Equipping an item will now cancel any spell cast currently in progress.
- Placing an item in your bank will now cancel any spell cast currently in progress if the spell was cast by that item.
- When a stun wears off, the creature that was stunned will prefer the last target with the highest threat, versus the current target.

Druid
- Barkskin: The cost of this spell is now reduced by Tree of Life Form.

Hunter
- Growl: Pets will no longer generate additional threat from this ability based on attack power buffs cast on them. Attack power buffs on their master will still indirectly increase the threat generated by the pet’s Growl.
- Pet Aggro: Pets will no longer generate threat immediately from being summoned.

Mage
- Frost Armor, Ice Armor, Mage Armor, and Molten Armor are no longer Magic effects and cannot be dispelled.

Paladin
- Greater Blessing of Light Rank 1: This spell will no longer overwrite Greater Blessing of Light Rank 2.
- Summon Warhorse is now available at level 30.

Priest
- Mind Vision: This effect will now be cancelled immediately on targets who use an Invisibility Potion or Gnomish Cloaking Device.
- Spiritual Healing: Ranks 2-5 of this talent will no longer prevent refreshing Prayer of Mending.

Rogue
- Cheat Death: This talent has been rebalanced significantly. Killing blows are no longer 100% absorbed. If the Rogue is below 10% health, the killing blow is still completely absorbed; if the Rogue is over 10% health, enough damage will be absorbed to reduce the Rogue’s health down to 10%. For the following 3 seconds, damage is not always reduced by 90%; it is now reduced by a maximum of 90%, depending on how much resilience the Rogue has. The damage reduction will be four times the damage reduction resilience causes against critical strikes.
- Sinister Calling now increases damage to Backstab and Hemorrhage by 1/2/3/4/5%(down from 2/4/6/8/10% .)

Shaman
- Earth Elemental: This pet will now leash back to its totem when pulled beyond 50 yards away.
- Lightning Overload: This talent will no longer do excessive damage when used with Lightning Bolt Ranks 2-10.

Warlock
- Curse of Shadows: This spell has been removed.
- Curse of Elements: This spell now applies to Arcane and Shadow damage, as well as Frost and Fire.
- Demon Skin, Demon Armor, and Fel Armor are no longer Magic effects and cannot be dispelled.
- Health Funnel: This ability will now cancel channeling when the target pet is Banished.
- Ritual of Summoning: The mana cost of this spell will now be properly deducted when cast.
- Summon Felsteed is now available at level 30.

Warrior
- Revenge: Ranks 1-5 of this ability now have damage ranges instead of fixed damage values (like ranks 6-8.)

PvP
- The time available to accept the option to "Enter Battle" for a battleground has been reduced to 1 minute and 20 seconds (previously 2 minutes) in order ot give each side more time to get a full complement of players before the battle begins.
- The Warsong Gulch flag can no longer be picked up at the same time as a flag is capped.
- Rocket Boots Xtreme and Rocket Boots Xtreme Lite can no longer be used in the arena. These no longer have a failure chance.
- Zoning into an instance on a PvE realm will now drop your PvP flag.

Professions
- Alchemy: Philosopher’s Stone now requires 200 Alchemy.

- Cooking: Juicy Bear Burgers now correctly increase healing as well as spell damage.

- Jewelcrafting: Activated beneficial effects from jewelcrafting trinkets can no longer be dispelled.

- Mining: Green quality gems can be found in mining nodes again. The drop rate of blue gems from mining nodes remains unchanged.

- Tailoring: Removed the cooldown from regular Mooncloth.
Herb bags can now hold Un’goro Soil and Evergreen Pouches.
Mycah of Sporeggar has discovered how to create 28 slot herb bags.
New Tailoring patterns are available from Haughty Modiste in
Steamwheedle Port, Tanaris: Haliscan Jacket and Haliscan Pantaloons.

Quests
- Bhag’thera now spawns at a normal quest spawn rate.
- For the quests, Intercepting the Mana Cells and Maintaining the Sunwell Portal, phased characters will not be able to see non-phased character AoE effects and vice-versa.
- For the quests, Intercepting the Mana Cells and Maintaining the Sunwell Portal, pets gaining/losing phase status will now properly break off combat from unphased/phased opponents.

For the rest of the list check out the link above!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/cinematic-mod-8-for-half-life-2-screenshots-unveiled/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/cinematic-mod-8-for-half-life-2-screenshots-unveiled/ Sun, 13 Jul 2008 23:09:25 CDT Starlight PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/cinematic-mod-8-for-half-life-2-screenshots-unveiled/
According to the link above, the screenshots are taken from a promo video.

How do you like the pictures? Post your comments below...

More screenshots can be seen via the link up at the top of this story!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/eala-admits-chronic-issue-with-pc-game-support-1/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/eala-admits-chronic-issue-with-pc-game-support-1/ Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:05:30 CDT Starlight PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/eala-admits-chronic-issue-with-pc-game-support-1/
"I am not as proud of our record in supporting our games after launch. In fact, I'm downright unhappy with that aspect of our business," EALA general manager Mike Verdu wrote on the official C&C site.

The admission stemmed from a long-delayed patch for the PC edition of the C&C3 expansion pack Kane's Wrath. Verdu noted that EALA tends to release a "limited number of patches for our products and in many cases those patches take longer than they should," attributing the issues to "tension between developing new products and supporting our older products."

However, he was clear the the problems "are not a matter of being greedy." In fact, Verdu claimed the time and "seven figure sums" invested in support for past EALA releases, including C&C Generals and the Battle for Middle-earth games, "could have built an entire new product."

The new team will be charged with supporting EALA's RTS efforts post-release along with a goal to " protect and serve" the Command & Conquer games, universe, and community. Support for EALA's upcoming C&C Red Alert 3 will be transferred to team a few months after its October release.

"I am not going to say that this initiative is going to instantly solve all of our support issues and I don't think we have the credibility with our customers to make that claim anyway," Verdu concluded. "But over a period of months and years, I believe the benefits of this new approach will be evident."]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/pioneer-develops-400gb-blue-laser-disc-1/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/pioneer-develops-400gb-blue-laser-disc-1/ Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:36:35 CDT bulletproof PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/pioneer-develops-400gb-blue-laser-disc-1/
The new disc manages to pack 16 layers, each with a 25GB capacity, into a conventional 12-centimeter diameter optical disc. The new discs are similar to Blu-ray Disc technology and slight changes to the hardware on a Blu-ray drive would allow the new Pioneer discs to be used on one.

Pioneer doesn't have any plans to commercially produce the disc but is looking to work with disc manufacturers that would make it themselves. The technology is about ready to enter commercialization, said Michiko Kadoi, a spokeswoman for Pioneer Corp. in Tokyo.

A one-sided Blu-ray Disc has 25GB of capacity, far less than the Pioneer disc. Currently, dual-layer 50GB discs are the highest capacity discs available commercially. Various companies have worked on higher capacity discs and TDK Corp. previously announced development of a 6-layer disc with 150GB capacity, but that has yet to reach the market.

Getting a clear signal from each recording layer has been a stumbling block for higher capacity discs with more layers, but Pioneer said it has managed to solve this problem by employing technology it developed for DVDs. The new disc has a structure that reduces interference from adjacent layers and so accurate playback is possible from all 16 layers, the company said.

The initial prototype is a read-only disc but the same technology is also applicable to recordable discs. A current 50GB Blu-ray Disc can store about six hours of digital high-definition TV so the higher capacity discs, if commercialized, would be able to expand this to 48 hours.

Pioneer plans to detail the technology at the Joint International Symposium on Optical Memory and Optical Data Storage 2008 that will be held in Hawaii from July 13 to July 17.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/when-windows-7-arrives-will-your-pc-be-ready-1/ http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/when-windows-7-arrives-will-your-pc-be-ready-1/ Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:56:28 CDT Starlight PC/Tech http://www.ps3news.com/PC_Tech/when-windows-7-arrives-will-your-pc-be-ready-1/ certified as "Vista Capable" proved to be anything but, the process of vetting new Windows-compatible hardware has taken on new complexity.

You simply cannot count on Microsoft to provide an honest assessment of Windows system requirements. And as the "Vista Capable" experience has shown us, Microsoft's vendor partners are no better.

Hence InfoWorld's motivation in developing the Windows 7 Compatibility Testing widget: the need for a truly independent tool that can evaluate a PC's suitability to run the next version of Windows.

By taking marketing, politics, and vendor-speak out of the equation, we're hoping to provide you with an honest assessment of your PC's runtime environment, factoring in hardware configuration, current stress levels, and workload composition.

How to Get Started
Note: As with all Windows Sentinel widgets, you'll first need to register for your free Windows Sentinel account, which my company (Devil Mountain Software) developed based on years of experience benchmarking system performance for Microsoft and Intel.

Once you've registered, download and install the DMS Clarity Tracker Agent from InfoWorld's Windows Sentinel page and allow it to collect data for a few hours during normal usage periods. Then load the widget and find out if you pass or fail (and if the latter, why).

You can learn more about the process by visiting the Windows Sentinel page at InfoWorld.com.

What the Widget Looks For
The widget begins with an analysis of your system's hardware; specifically, the type and speed of your CPU and the amount of installed memory.

As a Vista-derived OS, Windows 7 will no doubt levy the same kind of performance "tax" (high overall CPU utilization spread across a massive thread pool) that hobbled its predecessor. Experience has shown that, to get acceptable performance with Vista, you need at least two CPU cores.

Windows 7 will carry forward this baseline overhead while introducing new workloads such as a touch interface and Web services that Microsoft is only beginning to describe publicly.

That's why we've erred on the side of caution by labeling any system with less than two cores -- or with multiple cores running at less than 2GHz -- as incapable of supporting a post-Vista Windows platform. Likewise, given Windows Vista's penchant for consuming large quantities of RAM, we're setting 2GB as the minimum memory configuration for Windows 7.

Next up is an analysis of the current system "stress" levels. Here, the widget examines three key areas of system loading: peak CPU saturation, peak memory pressure, and peak I/O contention. By evaluating a series of weighted contributing factors -- for example, the number of ready threads waiting to execute -- it calculates a compound index for each area and then takes an average of those indices to see if the system is already heavily burdened.

An overtaxed PC, no matter how powerful, will have a difficult time supporting a similar workload on top of an even more complex OS base. In other words, if Vista makes your quad-core monster sweat up a storm today, Windows 7 will have it crying for mercy tomorrow.

Finally, the widget takes an in-depth look at the composition of your current workload. The make-up of a Windows PC's workload can vary greatly from user to user. In some cases, a limited number of tasks consume the majority of the available resources, while in others the workload is spread out across many discrete tasks, with each task spawning multiple threads.

The granularity of a workload, when factored against the aforementioned stress levels, helps further qualify a given PC's suitability for running Windows 7 by letting the widget quantify what, if any, workload headroom is available for additional OS overhead.

First Look at Win 7 Compatibility
Please note: The Windows 7 Compatibility Testing widget is meant to be a fun, easy way to get a generalized sense of a system's suitability for running a post-Vista Windows OS. It is by no means comprehensive and should not replace the detailed software testing and evaluation processes that are part of any well-rounded enterprise desktop strategy.

After all, Windows 7 won't ship until early 2010, and we won't know until then what its final requirements are. Of course, as we learn more, we'll adjust the widget accordingly.

So remember that some systems that the widget flags as incapable of running Windows 7 might in fact be capable of supporting it in a limited context. Likewise, systems that we believe will run Windows 7 just fine may prove to be inadequate depending on how workload requirements change during the intervening months.

As with any generalized analysis tool, your mileage may vary. Still, enjoy!]]>