Gigatalia Digital

HTPC Video Cards and the upcoming HD 5450 from ATI

2010-02-09T09:19:00.000+08:00

AMD's Cedar / 5450 Series cards. These come in at lower than $100. Radeon HD 5400 series was announced on February 4, 2010. The Radeon HD 5450 has 80 stream cores, a core clock of 650 MHz, and 800 MHz DDR2 or DDR3 memory. The 5400 series is designed to assume a low-profile card size.
Compared to the higher performing 5xxx series cards, the 5450 has the DirectX 11 support but not enough firepower to make the most out of the technology. It has been observed that the Radeon 4550 and Nvidia's GT 220 still outperform the new Evergreen GPU.

So for a low profile 'budget' GPU, would you or wouldn't you grab 1 of these new cards?

more detailed information from Anandtech

Windows 7: Getting Vista's DreamScene

2010-02-05T11:45:00.000+08:00

Having a cool wallpaper background on your Windows system is one thing, but having a video clip or a video over the regular wallpaper is another. We were able to catch that on Windows Vista and wouldn't it be nice to have it on Windows 7? Here's an easy way to make it happen.

Gromas, one of AskVG's readers, came up with an easy solution. He created a tool to automatically install the Dreamscene feature on your Windows 7 computer. Now you can make your desktop look more alive.

After installation, you can just 'right-click anywhere on your desktop' and choose 'Play dreamscene' or go to your video clip/video gallery, 'right-click on a video' and choose 'set as desktop background' and there you have it.

You can try the tool by downloading here.

More from AskVG.com

And here's a sample of Dreamscene running on Windows 7.

Windows 7: Release Candidate (RC) Expiration

2010-02-03T09:30:00.000+08:00

News for those who are still running the Beta or Release Candidate (RC) version of Windows 7. February 15, users with the RC version will receive a notification regarding the bi-hourly shutdown of their windows 7 systems beginning March 1st.
These shutdowns will be experienced until June 1, 2010.

A non-genuine experience is triggered where your wallpaper is removed and "This copy of Windows is not genuine" will be displayed in the lower right corner above the taskbar. This means your PC will no longer be able to obtain optional updates or downloads that require genuine Windows validation.

To avoid any data loss, you are advised to move to a released version of Windows 7 before the automatic shutdowns start. During these shutdowns, your work will not be saved.

more info from AskVG

iPhone OS Update ver. 3.1.3

2010-02-03T08:53:00.000+08:00

Here comes version OS 3.1.3 for the iPhone and iPod touch. It is not version 3.2 but one of the changes comes in the form of better battery level reporting and fixes for the Japanese Kana Keyboard. This also solves some issues regarding 3rd party apps failing to launch.

Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams

2010-02-01T16:26:00.000+08:00

Here comes the next installment of the 2K Games' Bioshock: Bioshock 2. This February, play once again as the game's protagonist 'Big Daddy'.

You can preorder your copy from any of the following retailers:

Gamestop
Take2 Interactive
Walmart
BestBuy
Amazon
Target

Preview

A Look At What the iPad Does

2010-02-01T10:00:00.000+08:00

Now that the iPad is officially out, what can the Apple consumer community expect from the new device? Is it like an enlarged iPhone/iPod Touch as others say? As one would ask, is this new addition to the Apple line of "i-Gadgets" monetarily feasible to consumers who have been Apple followers for some time now? We list down the features as presented by Apple.
Given that the iPhone and iPod Touch perform very well, we can definitely expect the same from the iPad. Here is a list of features that consumers might want to look at and compare before their much anticipated consumer release:

* Surf the net with Safari
* MobileMe, Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, Hotmail, and AOL. Work with your mail right on the iPad
* Use the iPad as a photoframe and take pictures with the optional Camera Connection Kit.
* Watch Videos, full screen or not with a double tap on it.
* Watch Youtube as well.
* Use it like a regular iPod and listen to music with iTunes with its built-in speakers
* Games to business apps. 140,000 apps from the Apps store.
* Reading e-books for free or purchased. Check them with iBooks
* Check out places with Google maps
* Jotting notes will never be the same with its large screen and on-screen keyboard
* Calendars and Contacts keeps you mobile and organized
* the Home Screen lets you customize the layout the way you want it to be
* Search functions take you one step further. Search everything from mail to contacts to websites and even your apps.

And with the features listed, is purchasing the new iPad going to be a YES or a NO?

iPad on your iPhone/iPod Touch: You Know You Want To

2010-01-31T10:22:00.000+08:00

iPad sure looks like an enlarged iPhone/iPod touch and until we all get our hands on 1 of our very own Apple delivered iPads, we still rely on online reviews by people who are able to grab one. What if you can have the interface and look and feel of the iPad, port it to your own iPhone/iPod touch? We bet you'd try it one way or another.

Here's how to do it.

Of course the basics: your iPhone/iPod touch..... jailbroken. And access to the Cydia store.

DELL Mini 5: Slate / Phone / Smart Phone

2010-01-29T10:34:00.001+08:00

The DELL Mini 5 was one of the hot items during the recent CES 2010 event. Of course people were wondering as to what kind of device/gadget it presented itself to be. Touchscreen bigger than an iPod touch yet smaller than what you could call a slate.

Below are videos of the device: first with Michael Dell himself and another by a Chinese with a tear down video of the gadget for specifications.

So far, specifications for this device have been the following:
5 inch screen (800x480 pixel resolution)
2 MiniSD card slots
a 5.6wh battery
1Ghz Snapdragon processor
a sim card slot
WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G radio
5 megapixel camera with flash
runs on Android 1.6
touchscreen (of course)

Current pricing is about $1,000 hoping that's not final since the device is not due until a few more months (they say a possible March-May release).

If DELL reduces the cost of this device, we'll grab 2.

Steve Jobs and the new Apple iPad

2010-01-28T10:45:00.001+08:00

Steve Jobs unveils the iPad. The Apple iPad, formerly referred to as the Apple Tablet, is a touch-pad tablet computer announced in January 2010, to be shipped in April or May of 2010. It has internet capabilities running on either WiFi or 3G, and offers and optional dock with a full size mechanical keyboard.

Of course this has been 1 of the many "gadgets" that people have been waiting and eyeing for. With the accelerometer and the full touch screen capability. Be able to play games, watch full flash videos and browse the web with literally 'your fingertips'.

Here are the specifications provided by crunchbase:

    * 1GHz Apple A4 processor (custom)
    * 0.5″ thick
    * 1.5 pounds

Display

    * 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology
    * 1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi)
    * Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
    * Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously

Sensors

    * Accelerometer
    * Ambient light sensor
    * Compass

Input and Output

    * Dock connector
    * 3.5-mm stereo headphone jack
    * Built-in speakers
    * Microphone
    * SIM card tray (Wi-Fi + 3G model only)

Audio Playback

    * Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz
    * Audio formats supported: AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV
    * User-configurable maximum volume limit

Battery and Power

    * Built-in 25Whr rechargeable lithium-polymer battery
    * Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music
    * Charging via power adapter or USB to computer system

Other Specs

    * 802.11n and Bluetooth 2.1
    * Runs iPhone apps in window or pixel doubling
    * Hardware-accelerated OpenGL graphics
    * SDK released 1/27/10
    * Syncs over USB through iTunes, just like iPhone or iPod touch, syncing photos, music, movies, tv shows, contacts, apps, etc.
    * Offers touch-ready iWork version which includes versions of the Pages, Numbers and Keynote applications at $9.99

Before announcement, the iPad was also rumored to be named the iSlate and the iTablet.

Pricing as of date are:
WiFi Model

    * 16 GB - $499
    * 32 GB - $599
    * 64 GB - $699

3G Model

    * 16 GB - $629
    * 32 GB - $729
    * 64 GB - $829

Google Chrome 4: Now Available for Download

2010-01-27T13:09:00.001+08:00

Google Chrome 4.0 is now available for download. Here is the official statement brought to us by the Official Google Blog:

    Today we're excited to introduce a new stable release of Google Chrome for Windows, which includes two of the browser's most frequently requested features: extensions and bookmark sync.

    Extensions let you add new features and functions to your browser. Now you can browse over 1,500 in our extensions gallery and install them on the stable version of Google Chrome.

    Bookmark sync is a handy feature for those of you who use several computers — say, a laptop at work and a desktop at home. You can enable bookmark sync to synchronize your bookmarks on all of your computers so that when you create a bookmark on one computer, it's automatically added across all your computers. This means that you won't need to manually recreate the bookmark each time you switch computers.

    To those using Google Chrome on Linux, extensions are enabled on the beta channel. And for those using Google Chrome for Mac, hang tight — we're working on bringing extensions, bookmark sync and more to the beta soon. Those currently using the stable version for Windows will be automatically updated within the next week (or you can check for updates manually).

Get your Chrome 4.0!
Online direct download and installation

or

through the Google offline installer

more extensions in the future hopefully

New Processors: The AMD-Intel Match Up

2010-01-26T10:12:00.000+08:00

AMD is launching a new pair of processors as well as Intel with their G6950 Clarkdales. AMD provides the computer/processor market with the Phenom II x2 555 and the Athlon II x4 635. Both companies are targeting the $100 market.
As for the performance and benchmarks, you get better price-to-performance results with the AMD platform. Given the fact that the new Intel chip does not have Turbo like the Core i3, the Phenom II and Athlon II are in the lead.

The AMD chips are great in terms of stock speeds and the threaded application use and the Intel provides more room for overclocking. The only downside for AMD: not much headroom for overclocking, for Intel the stock speed. AMD also provides the ease of overclocking with a set of options: BIOS frequency and the AMD Overdrive Utility.

full reviews provided by the following:
Anandtech
Tom's Hardware
Overclocker's Club

Intel Processors: Out Comes the Core i3

2010-01-24T14:59:00.000+08:00

The Core i3 is clocked at 2.93GHz. No Turbo modes and has 4MB of L3 Cache shared between 2 cores. The Core i3 530 would run as low as 1.33GHz but no more than 2.93GHz.
For the overclocking and gaming community, the Intel Core i3 can be overclocked up to 4GHz on a stock cooler.

The release of the Core i3 (an update on the chip if we're correct) provides the PC builder/user another option on what multiprocessor chip to use. Based on benchmarks, the Core i3 is able to perform better than AMD's Phenom II X2 550BE but the lack of any Turbo mode and the AES-NI technology found on the i5 and i7, users are said to be better off with an Athlon II X4 when it comes to pricing.

Overall, a faster dual-core processor solution: Core i3. For cheaper threaded performance: Athlon II X4.

Check out Anandtech for the full Core i3 processor review

MSI X-Slim X620: Adding the DVD Drive

2010-01-24T12:19:00.000+08:00

MSI comes forward with another Intel ULV powered laptop adding an optical drive to the 15.6 inch system. The redesigned X620 model still has the same number of ports which includes: an HDMI port, 2 USB's and an e-SATA port.

The X620 also offers 3D boost and ECO-power saving technologies aside for having a discrete graphics card (an ATi Mobility Radeon 5430 - 1GB DDR3).

No pricing options have been disclosed yet but from the looks of things, this modified/updated version of the X-series laptop from MSI will definitely be a neat pick for those eyeing for a laptop with performance and energy saving features.

Additional specifications:

    * Intel Core 2 Duo processor
    * ATi Mobility Radeon HD 5430 (1GB DDR3 VRAM)
    * 15.6" HD widescreen display (1366x768)
    * up to 4GB RAM
    * max 500GB hard drive
    * DVD Super-Multi drive
    * 1.3MP webcam
    * Wireless, Bluetooth
    * HDMI, 2x USB 2.0, e-SATA
    * Windows 7 Home Premium

information c/o PCLaunches

KB978207: Microsoft's Internet Explorer "Emergency Patch"

2010-01-23T08:52:00.000+08:00

Microsoft has released an update for Internet Explorer to fix a vulnerability stated in MS10-002. Users running Internet Explorer 5 and up are advised to install or run the patch as early as they can.

General Information

This security update resolves seven privately reported vulnerabilities and one publicly disclosed vulnerability in Internet Explorer. The more severe vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user views a specially crafted Web page using Internet Explorer. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.

Click here for a more detailed account available from Microsoft

You can also check ASKVG for a summarized list of links to download the update

Firefox Addons: Fasterfox, Little Fox and Chrome IE Tab

2010-01-21T13:00:00.000+08:00

Mozilla Firefox. The alternative browser option next to Microsoft's Internet Explorer. Competition is even greater now that Google was able to launch Google Chrome. So far, among these browsers, we think that Firefox offers 'more'..... but that's just us...
And with 'more', we can say that Firefox has a lot more extensions, addons, themes and probably tweaks. Here are a few extensions brought to us by Mozilla. These might be the extensions/plugins that you're looking for.

Check addons.mozilla.org for the full library.

Fasterfox. is a network and performance tweak for firefox which speeds up your web browsing. It works by caching and 'pre' -loading pages on websites.

Little Fox. is an interface tweak for firefox specifically designed to free up more space on the browser window. This addon is best suited for users running firefox on the small and light netbooks. If you want more 'web' viewable space on your firefox browser, then this tweak is for you.

IE Tab/Coral IE Tab. is a firefox / Internet explorer rendering engine switcher for those who want to open pages best viewed in Internet Explorer but don't want to use/open the Internet explorer browser.

These are just a few of the useful tweaks available on Mozilla's add ons page.

Accessing 99 of the Most Common Tools in Windows 7

2010-01-20T11:57:00.000+08:00

Now that you got a hold of your Windows 7 Operating System, you try to grasp how the new interface works. After hitting the Start menu button, you are presented with the 'start menu + start search box' which of course started with Vista.

With all these things, you want to find the common tools needed to customize, optimize and enjoy your new Windows 7 experience. For those who are not familiar with the menus and tools and window navigation of Vista and Windows 7, wouldn't it be of great help to have 1, 2 or more shortcuts to get things going?

7Tutorials has created a package of 99 Windows 7 shortcuts to help you get started...... pointing to the 'right' mouse pointer direction.

Once installed/extracted, the package lists several folders, all with their own set of shortcuts. From Ease of Access to windows Networking to System Administration, get everything that you need with the help of the shortcuts.

check out 7tutorials for the full coverage

Darker Days are Coming: The Secret World PC Game

2010-01-19T16:53:00.002+08:00

Darker Days are Coming

Says the game being developed by FunCom. Ragnar Tornquist is one of the men behind the scenes to this upcoming 'alternate reality' MMORPG. A game that neither has levels nor character classes, the guys at FunCom incorporates social networking into the game.

Elements of myth, magic and horrors await all those who will be able to play the game in the future.

Players will be given the capability to customize their characters up to each one's skills as this game does not provide clans to choose from. Players join 'secret societies': The Dragon, Illuminati and the Templars. Customize the look of their characters particularly the clothing and weapons (ranging from swords to shotguns).

The game's story is set in the modern world but with a closet full of monsters of myth, ancient beliefs, urban legends and pop culture. For this battle of good versus evil, players are given the choice to choose which faction he/she would like to join. Players can build their own guild and organize adventure parties with other players.

The game can also be played in single player mode if players prefer going on a 'solo flight'.

Here is a teaser trailer.

Windows 7 God Mode: Pinning in 3 Places

2010-01-17T03:20:00.001+08:00

In a recent post, we found out about Windows 7's 'God Mode' feature which basically was just all Control Panel 'quick access' options put into 1 main place. Now to put the God Mode options in 3 accessible places.

The Taskbar. To put the said option onto the Taskbar, just follow these steps:

1. Create a new desktop shortcut. Right click on the desktop and click New>Shortcut.
2. It should open the 'Create Shortcut' wizard and then type or copy the following string inside the box: explorer shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
3. Just follow the wizard and depending to your liking, give it a 'God Mode' name for the new shortcut.
4. You can definitely change the icon by using the properties window. Choose change icon and follow the prompts. Other than that you're good to go.
5. Last is pinning the shortcut to the Taskbar. Simply drag and drop the shortcut to the taskbar or right clicking on the icon and choosing the 'Pin to Taskbar' option and that should be it.

Alternatively you can use this download LINK if you don't want to do it manually.

My Computer Context Menu. Now to give you the steps on how to put the extra menu into the My Computer right click menu:

1. Open regedit by typing it on the Windows start search box.
2. Now navigate to:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}
3. Now to create a new key under the Shell key. Right click on shell and select NEW>KEY. You can give it a name, probably God Mode so as not to confuse ourselves.
4. On the right side pane, change the value of [Default] to the desired name you want displayed when you open the context menu.
5. Create a new key under the God Mode key done earlier (step 3) and name it command.
6. On the right side pane, change the value of (Default) to:

explorer shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

7. To set an icon, simply click on the God Mode key which was created on step 3 and on the right side pane, create a new String value 'icon'. You can set your own value onto the string. For the control panel icon, control.exe should be enough.

To make things easier, you can download this file, extract the content and run the REG file.

The Desktop Context Menu. Last place on the list is the desktop right click menu.

1. Open regedit using the start search box to open the Registry Editor.

2. Navigate to: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell

3. Almost the same process as the My Computer location except for the registry location of the options. We create a new key under the Shell key. Name it God Mode if you like.

4. On the right side pane, change the value of (Default) to the desired name you want to show when you open the Desktop Context menu.

5. Under the Shell Key, we should have the GodMode/God Mode (whichever name you assigned it) key and then we create a new key which we will name as command.

6. On the right side pane, change the value of (Default) to:
explorer shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

7. To change the icon and position, add Icon and Position as string values under the Key made on step 3 (God Mode). Icon was set to control.exe and for the position, use either 'Top' or 'Bottom'.

And of course to make the complicated easy with a few mouse clicks, just download the registry file here. extract and run the REG file.

here is an image of how the new keys are set up inside the registry:

more information from ASKVG.

Myspace/Imeem Music Playlists are Back

2010-01-16T12:57:00.000+08:00

Last year, Imeem closed a deal with Myspace to help save the online startup music company. This and users all around the world ranting about their playlists getting 'lost' and trashing the Myspace/Myspace music website. And the good news is in: Imeem users can now resurrect their old playlists and play them on the Myspace Music website.
Myspace has sent out emails telling all of its users that they can now transfer or somewhat restore their previous playlists and have them enabled on the new website.

The playlist import is done in a few very easy steps. 1. Users log on to their account. 2. hit the 'Import Playlists' link and users should see their playlists under the 'My Music' section. With these 2 steps, users can playback their original music playlists.

Drawbacks will definitely be encountered such as some songs on your playlist are not working. These may be due to licensing issues or basically a difference with the song database.

Overall, the playlists are back just that users will have to prepare and 'accept' if some songs on their playlists do not work.

more from TechCrunch

12 Hours of Battery Life. 2 Graphics Cards

2010-01-15T17:36:00.000+08:00

A high end laptop capable of keeping a 12-hour battery charge. ASUS introduced the UL80JT laptop at CES 2010. ASUS describes the upcoming laptop model to not only run on Intel's Core i7 processor but also run 2 Graphics processors (GPU).
For the high end GPU, the systems has an NVIDIA GeForce 310 and an Intel GMA for regular laptop usage.

The 12-hour battery life is attainable due to the system's hardware-based management. The ASUS UL80JT switches between the 2 GPUs (based on performance requirements we suppose), without user interaction and clocks the 1.73 GHz processor as well. Both features can be tracked via an on-screen widget.

Quick system specifications:
* Intel Core i7 Processor
* Windows 7 OS
* Mobile Intel Chipset

* DDR3 memory (up to 4GB)

* 14" slim-type LCD

* NVidia Geforce 310 Graphics with up 1GB DDR3 of memory

* an Intel GMA graphics swap

* SATA HDD
* DVD Super Multi Drive
* a built in VGA camera
* 8-cell battery (capable of running up to 12-hours of battery juice)

The unit is said to be made available later this year and initial price tag: $1000

check PCWorld for more info

VIA's 'MINI' Server: The M'SERVE / M'SERV

2010-01-14T15:58:00.001+08:00

Made available for the Small Business and Home users, VIA introduces their little computer M'SERV. This unit runs on a VIA 64-bit processor and supports DDR2 memory and SATA HDD's.
The M'SERV S2100 also dual gigabit LAN ports letting users hook up to the internet and the local network at the same time.

The M'SERV also provides a few more features such as Virtualization Technology, allowing network access to multiple virtual environments. It allows OS installation on a CF (Compact Flash) Memory Card and booting from it. The unit has been tested to support the following Operating Systems: Windows XP, Windows 7 (32 & 64-bit versions), Windows Server 2008 R2, Linux and FreeBSD.

Here are the M'SERV's specifications:
CPU           VIA Nano processor (1.3+GHz @ 1.6GHz, 64-bit, 1MB, 800MHz FSB)
Chipset          VIA VX800 Unified Digital Media IGP chipset
Memory Support          2 x DDR2 SO-DIMM Sockets
Hard Disk Support          2 x 3.5” SATA-II
Bootable SSD          1 x CompactFlash socket (supports DMA mode)

Operating System Support
Windows® XP, Windows® 7(x86 & x64), Windows® Server 2008 R2, Linux, FreeBSD®

USB Ports          3 x USB 2.0 ports (1 on the front panel)
LAN Port          2 x Gigabit RJ-45 LAN port with LED
Display Port          1 x DB-15 VGA port
Front LED          LAN active, LAN speed, power, HDD active, WLAN active
System Cooler          8 cm low-noise ball-bearing fan
Security Features          Hardware AES engine, EEPROM, TPM (Optional)
Dimensions          10.2” x 5.3” x 4.5” / 259 x 135 x 115 mm (L x W x H)
Power          100~240 V input, 75W AC/DC adapter

VIA has not yet announced how much this 'low-noise' and 'low power consumption' small form factor server costs but with the specifications provided, this should be a budget alternative for consumers.

more info from crunchgear

USB 3.0: Officially Out

2010-01-13T16:10:00.001+08:00

SuperSpeed USB 3.0 is finally here, although some companies have been using the technology already. If you're tired of 'waiting' for a file transfer to complete, then the new USB 3.0 will speed things up.

Compared to USB 2.0, 3.0 offers data rates up to 5.0 Gb/sec ---- that's 10x the USB 2.0's speed. USB 2.0 = Hi-speed, USB 3.0 is being dubbed as 'Super Speed' USB.

USB 3.0 is configured with a different cable but will use the same type of connector. It is backwards compatible so for those still with the USB 2.0 slots on their systems, you can definitely use the new technology without problems.

ASUS and Gigabyte were among the first to offer USB 3.0 capable ports.

more information from PCWorld

Multiple Account Login: 2 (or multiple) Messengers are Better Than 1

2010-01-12T10:59:00.001+08:00

Do you by any chance have more than 1 email (yahoo) account? Different credentials for different groups of people? Also tired of just 1 messenger program? If you have more than 1 account and want your other accounts available on the same computer, then follow these steps to enable 'multiple account' logins.

Steps:

1. Open registry editor. Type in the run box for windows xp users or in the Start search box for Vista and Win7 users. Then go to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\yahoo\pager\Test

2. On the right side panel, create a new DWORD value Plural and set the value to 1.

3. After that......................... actually that's it. Close the registry editor and run yahoo messenger... and run another if you like... and another..

In case you prefer not to (or afraid to) tamper with the registry editor, then just download this file, extract the registry file, double click and allow it to save information onto the registry and that should take care of things for you.

tweak provided by askvg

Windows 7: A few Keyboard Shortcuts for the Power User

2010-01-12T09:56:00.000+08:00

Windows 7 offers a couple more ways to enjoy the desktop "eye candy". We now have the 'windows snapping' feature where you drag the current program or explorer window to the left or right side, and it snaps in place, not to mention the window maximizing when you drop it to the top.

We also have the 'Aero shake' feature where you hold a window by holding down the mouse button and shake it a bit and the rest of the open windows/programs minimize to the taskbar.

For the power users, Windows 7 offers a few additional ways to navigate and/or move around the desktop. Here are a few additional 'keyboard tricks' for our everyday keyboard trudging....

Windows key + up will maximize a window to fill the screen
Windows key + down arrow on a maximized window will restore it to the original size.
Windows key + down will minimize any regular window to the task bar.
Windows key + M will minimize any window to the task bar.
Windows key + right or left arrow will snap a window to half of the screen. This is the same as dragging a window to far left or right side of the screen.
Windows key + home will minimize all open windows in the background except the top most active window. This is the same as shaking the window or performing Aero Shake
Windows key + T will iterate through your task bar thumbnails of open applications.
Windows key + D will minimize all windows.
Windows key + Space bar will let you peek at the desktop.
If you have multiple monitors, Windows key + shift + right arrow will move the active window to your next monitor. Windows key + shift + left arrow will revert it back.
Good old Flip 3D is still there. Use Windows key + Tab to bring it up. While holding the Windows key hit tab to iterate through the windows. Hold down Windows key + shift and then hit tab to reverse the direction.

Why not give them a try? Probably one or more of these shortcuts will make your desktop navigation experience much faster.

info c/o TweakWin7

Getting Back Windows Media Player Toolbar on Windows 7

2010-01-11T14:57:00.000+08:00

Windows Media Player 12 is the new and default Media Player version on Windows 7. Not included however, is the taskbar toolbar option which was available on the previous versions of Media Player particularly WMP 11, the last version with the taskbar capability. For those who like the taskbar integration, here are the steps that we can take to make it possible.

Basically, you will have to downgrade Windows Media Player 12 to 11. To begin, follow these steps:

1. Right click on computer and click manage. Then follow through Services and Applications > Services. Alternatively you can use the Windows Start Search function found on the Start Button Menu and type services.msc.

Once there, right click on "Windows Media Player Network Sharing" and choose "stop".

2. Now you will need to "take ownership" of the following files/folders:

"Windows Media Player" folder in the "Program Files" folder
All files starting with wmp in the "Windows\System32" folder
wmploc.dll.mui file in "Windows\System32\en-US" folder

To take ownership of the said files, you can download this registry file. Just double click on the "Add Take Ownership Option" file and add to the registry.

3. Download this WMP 11 installation file and run the executable and choose the restart later option.

4. Now to delete the installed versions in the registry. If you prefer not to do it manually, download this registry file to make things easy.

5. And that's it!!! Enjoy Media Player 11 with the taskbar toolbar option.

Here is an image of the toolbar WMP 11 in action.

image courtesy of ASKVG

full tutorial/tip from askvg

Search Using The Office Ribbon

2010-01-10T16:21:00.000+08:00

Office 2007 introduced the 'Ribbon' toolbar which either made things a bit difficult for most of us who got used to the plain old toolbars of its predecessors (2003, XP, 2000, etc.). Microsoft Office Labs gives us an easier way to 'search' those different Office 2007 tasks.

Search Commands Tool allows users to search the Office 2007 Ribbon Toolbar for common commands that they find 'hard to look for'.

Dowload the tool here or visit their homepage.

Windows 7: God mode

2010-01-10T13:17:00.001+08:00

Windows 7 God mode: create a new folder and call it "God Mode". After doing so, get a shortcut will 'ALL' the settings on your computer. Interesting? Then read on..

No new features is added though, but rather a list of tasks that can be accomplished through the control panel is presented. This feature is not really a Windows God mode feature but an 'All Tasks' option.

You can complete the task by 2 ways: 1. open up windows Explorer and type in:
shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} in the address bar and hit enter, or 2. create a new folder and name it anything.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

Basically, the windows 'God Mode' is just another shell folder which was once part of the Beta version and eventually hidden when the final release came about.

more info from WinGeek

Going 3D on the PS3

2010-01-09T15:34:00.000+08:00

Sony demonstrates 3D gaming at CES 2010 with a handful of games. 3D imagery is already available in cinemas with which the world of Pandora from the movie Avatar was recently lauded for.
Given the 3D environment, gamers are now put into the surreal world of the game itself. Games like Avatar, Stardust HD and Wipeout were among the demos presented by Sony.

With the 3D gaming, consumers will have to purchase a separate tv/screen. Sony mentioned purchasing an LH or LX series display. These 3d-capable tv's have 2 shutter lenses to bring about the 3D environment.

more from CNET

Dell's Alienware M11X: Portable Gaming

2010-01-09T14:10:00.054+08:00

We know what Alienware PC's have under the hood and we definitely know how they perform when we say 'playing games'. We also know for a fact that usually, these desktops and laptops are a bit bulky to carry around the house or anywhere when we're on the go. At CES 2010, Dell introduces the Alienware M11X gaming laptop.

Small size with gaming capabilities, this 11-inch machine wasn't that far from an ASUS Eeec's dimensions. The M11X is surprisingly slim compared to other Alienware laptops and it comes with a 'swappable' graphics system: an integrated graphics and an Nvidia GT335M descrete graphics card. Even though the new Alienware model is a but angular and blocky, just think of the gaming capabilities of this system compared to others.

The M11X is being reported to be at the $1000 price category but models will be sold as low as $799.

General specifications:
Bundled OS: Windows 7

Display
    * Screen size: 11.6 inches
    * Screen resolution: Other (1366 x 768)
    * Aspect ratio: 16:9
    * Screen type: LCD (Backlit)
    * Screen surface: Glossy

Processor
    * Processor make: Intel
    * CPU family: Core2 Duo (mobile)

Networking
WiFi: 802.11 a, b, g, n

Video
    * Graphics adapter: Discrete + integrated
    * Graphics (discrete): NVIDIA
    * GPU model: GT335M
    * Video RAM: 1 GB
    * Video outputs: DisplayPort, HDMI, VGA

Other features
    * Integrated webcam: Yes
    * Case lighting: Yes

Battery
    * Maximum battery life: Up to 6.5 hours
    * Battery type: Li-polymer
    * Battery access: Built-in

Input
    * Keyboard: Backlit
    * Pointing device: Trackpad

Connections
    * USB: 2.0 (3 ports)
    * FireWire / 1394: Yes

Availability
    * Availability: Not yet released
    * Announced (US): Jan 7th, 2010

Audio
    * Audio inputs: 3.5mm
    * Audio outputs: 3.5mm
    * Speakers: Stereo

Memory card reader
    * Memory card reader: Yes
    * Memory card support: SD

more from CNET

CES 2010: Intel's "WiDi" (Wireless Display) Technology

2010-01-08T09:29:00.002+08:00

Of course everyone is used to set up their home theater or regular VCR, VCD, DVD component to the TV (or whatever it is that you use for display). Now, Intel is changing that concept and introduces Wireless Display Technology or 'WiDi'.

The process involves the use of a WiDi-enabled Laptop with one of Intel's new Core-series CPUs and a wireless adapter box that is connected to the screen either via HDMI or regular AV plugs.

As described by Intel:

Intel Wireless Display requires a laptop PC based on select 2010 Intel Core processors, Intel HD Graphics, and Intel Centrino wireless with Intel MyWiFi Technology enabled. In addition, the laptop needs to have Intel Wireless Display preinstalled. Finally, an adapter featuring Intel Wireless Display is required to receive the signals from the PC and display them on the TV. This adapter is connected to the TV via either HDMI (preferred) or standard AV

Intel is expecting several PC makers to provide the said type of systems and make them available by January 17 through Best Buy.

Sony's Dash Internet Viewer Tablet

2010-01-07T10:50:00.001+08:00

(image c/o engadget)

Sony introduces their own tablet. A touchscreen and WiFi enabled tablet which Sony calls The Dash Internet Viewer or simple called Dash, can be carried around or left to stand like a regular digital photo frame.

Priced at $199, this 7-inch device can run Chumby applications and Sony will soon add their own media (Sony Music and Movies) to complete the package.

The device also works as an alarm clock waking the user to music be it saved on the device or streamed from the internet.

The Dash is set to ship April.

full coverage provided by engadget

Seagate and 'Superspeed' USB 3.0

2010-01-06T14:51:00.000+08:00

Seagate unveils their USB 3.0 entry in the form of the Blackarmor PS110 external hard drive. It comes with its own "performance kit" comprise of a 500GB HDD (2.5inches running at 7200rpm), power cable and an ExpressCard USB 3.0 adapter. Announced last month, this external HDD is up for grabs now at $179.99.
USB 3.0 is dubbed as 'Superspeed USB' given that the new USB transfer speed is increased to 4.8Gbps. USB 2.0 is said to have a transfer rate of 480Mbps with a world recorded average of 320Mbps. Even if USB 3.0 runs only at a 50% rate, it definitely is faster than 2.0.

Access Linux Partitions in Windows

2010-01-05T11:03:00.001+08:00

Are you running Linux and Windows on a dual boot system? or do you have Linux partitioned drive that you want to check on windows or back up the drive perhaps?

As most of us know, Linux partitions are 'by default' are not accessible on the Windows platform. The NTFS and FAT16/32 partitions however are accessible on Linux platforms.

So how do we get Linux file systems recognized inside Windows?

Ext2 IFS, a third-party freeware software is available for download to make this possible. The program allows full read and write access to the Linux partitions in Windows. It installs a pure kernel mode file system driver ext2fs.sys, which actually extends the Windows OS to include the ext2 file system. This in turn allows access to the Linux partitions without need of extra work. Now you will be able to work your Linux file systems within Windows.

Supported OS: Windows NT 4.0/2000/XP/2003/Vista/2008

download the file here

Lenovo's U1 Hybrid

2010-01-05T10:38:00.003+08:00

2 in 1. A laptop and a multitouch slate. 2 screens or functions, whichever you'd prefer. Both are present in the Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid laptop.

When the screen is locked in onto the laptop's chassis, the system runs on Windows 7 Home Premium with a CULV Core 2 Duo Processor. When the screen is separated from the rest of the unit, it functions as a mutitouch slate running on Lenovo's Skylight Linux OS with a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. It also comes with a 16GB SSD. The only possible downside that consumers are looking at is the transition between Laptop and slate and vice-versa. Whether the interoperability between the 2 operating systems would be as smooth as it can possibly be given that the slate mode runs on Linux (ext file system) which cannot be seen in Windows. You'd probably need a third-party software just to get Windows to recognize it.

With an estimated tag price of $999, we'll soon find out if this Lenovo product will make it big.

from Engadget

Office 2010 Mozilla Firefox Theme

2010-01-04T02:52:00.000+08:00

From the same person who developed the Firefox 3.7 and 4.0 mock up themes for firefox comes another variation/addition to the group.

Introducing the 2010 Theme made available again for Mozilla Firefox. As with the earlier themes, this new theme is easy to install and customize: change colors via add on tabs and the Aero feature can be switch on and off.

complete information from Ask Vishal

Phenom II X3 Unlocking: Getting That 'Extra Core'

2010-01-04T01:57:00.003+08:00

For those who haven't tried and haven't heard the news before, AMD's Phenom II X3 processors are 'unlockable' provided of course that they do have that extra '4th core' which definitely makes the X3 an actual X4 processor. Included is a video guide and additional information on how to enable that extra core on your X3.

Dirt 2 Out Now!! Featuring the new DirectX11

2009-12-31T13:04:00.000+08:00

Gaming with visually stunning graphics, car and environment reflections, almost realistic imagery and the new DirectX 11 make up Colin McRAE Dirt 2. Codemasters has done it again and for this game's newest installment, gamers can now immerse themselves in more "high graphics" gaming.
Closing out 2009 with Codemaster's second serving of Colin McRAE, we can now take a look at how DirectX 11 change the gameplay on video games especially on the PC platform.

DirectX 11 improves the following aspects:

Tesselation
Multi-threaded rendering
Computer shaders

DirectX 11 increases a number of factors particularly the rendered amount of polygons and the amount of shaders present which contributes to the overall performance and quality of DirectX compatible games.

check here for more details about DirectX 11 performance provided by AMD Game

Recommended game requirements for Colin McRae's Dirt 2 for PC (please refer to the list as a guide):

Intel Processor	-	Core i7-920 Quad 2.67GHz
AMD Processor	-	Phenom II X4 905e
Nvidia Graphics Card	-	Geforce 8800 GT
ATI Graphics Card	-	Radeon HD 4770
RAM Memory	-	3 GB
Hard Disk Space	-	10 GB

DirectX 9 gameplay would most likely be for systems running on Windows XP.
Also available on Xbox and Playstation 3 consoles.

Linux OS And PC Gaming

2009-12-30T05:42:00.000+08:00

PC Games have been around for more than a decade and Microsoft has, since then, occupied the top seat for most of that time. For those who use the open-source OS Linux, is it capable (now) of running those Windows-based games?
Giving a quick round up of software products, we have: Wine, Cedega and Crossover Games. These distributions/software packages allow Windows-based programs to run on Linux machines.

But coming from Anandtech's article, is Linux ready for PC Gaming? And the given answer was a yes and a no.

Yes because if you or some other user opts to play a game that has been around for some time and is popular, then chances are that the game would be or is already supported on the Wine software platform. No for the sole reason that newer games still require someone or the Wine software itself to be configured to allow the said games to run as smooth and as problem-free as possible on the Linux system.

Overall, most older games run properly on 1 or 2 of the said software programs. Wine is open-sourced software and is free to download and use. While Cedega and Crossover Games are closed-sourced projects, some games run better on these 2.

for a more detailed report, check on Anandtech

Google Chrome: Top 10 Extensions

2009-12-28T11:33:00.000+08:00

For those using Google Chrome, here are the Top 10 Extensions that you can use. These extensions, however, are only available to those running Windows XP and Vista for the time being. The extensions are available for the 'Beta' Google Chrome version so for those running Windows 7, you'll just have to stick with the 'Add ons' for now.
1. Web of Trust (WoT)
     This extension assists users by warning them about potential/risky Web sites or web content preventing them from falling into scamming sites as well. It warns the user by the use of a traffic light graphic.

2. Xmarks bookmarking Sync
     Xmarks allow users to backup their bookmarks, sync bookmarks across the network and allows selective syncing of bookmarks for whichever computer.

3. Shareaholic
     The Shareaholic extensions allows sharing of web content with various social networking websites like facebook, twitter, reddit, linkedin. You can share and save visited contents/websites onto facebook and twitter.

4. LastPass
    This tool is a password manager and form filler. It acts the same way as RoboForm only that it doesn't limit itself to 1 password storage vendor. Information is encrpyted before it is sent so no password is leaked over the internet.

5. IE Tab
     This extensions/add on has gained popularity even on other browsers especially Firefox. Now this extension has arrived on Chrome. IE Tab allows users to run programs/features that require Internet Explorer on the Google Chrome browser. No need to open 2 separate programs and eat up that additional resource.

6. Cooliris
     Allows users to 'easily' browse for photos and videos on youtube, flickr, picasa, google, etc. It removes the hassle of clicking and thumbing through the video links and images like you would on a regular internet browser.

7. ShowIP
     This extension basically shows the IP address that your ISP has provided.

8. MakeGadget
     MakeGadget allows a web application to be accessible on your desktop via a gadget like pop up.

9. RandomMagic
     RandomMagic is a decision-helping tool (if you call random a decision) with 3 mini apps: a coin flipper, dice roller, and random number generator. If you feel like you're undecided, let the tool do it for you.

10. Jamendo Radio
     Under the creative commons licenses, Jamendo Radio streams music that are truly DRM-free on Jamendo.com.

more details from computerworld

Enabling "Hidden" Windows 7 Themes

2009-12-24T09:06:00.000+08:00

Did you know that you have other Windows 7 themes residing in your windows 7 installation? 5 Additional themes (regional) are available for you to use: Australia, South Africa, Canada, United Kingdom and United States.
These hidden themes do not show up on windows explorer even if you tick on the 'show hidden files and folders' option in windows.

To access the themes, you will have to open their hidden folder which is located in 'C:\Windows\Globalization\MCT' folder. Once you open the folder location you should see:

MCT-AU
MCT-CA
MCT-GB
MCT-US
MCT-ZA

To launch the themes, just open the Themes sub folder and double to activate the theme.

from TweakWin7

Holiday Shoppers: Yuletide Season Cheers

2009-12-23T17:52:00.000+08:00

Check on your holiday wishlist because this Yuletide season, stores have a lot in store for you. From MP3 players to kids toys and business use laptops/gadgets and phones, there is definitely a pretty good deal you don't want to miss.
At walmart, check out the ipods, GPS systems, DSLR cameras and LCD HDTV's that's just the right price. Starting at $133, you can't go wrong with the offers.

Amazon comes in with the Kindle on display once you log on to the website. Portable e-book readers are a great choice this gift-giving season not to mention the Netbook sale on almost all OEM websites. Starting at $300, you can grab an ASUS EEEPC, ACER Aspire One, a DELL Mini 10, HP Mini 110, Samsung N130 or a Toshiba Mini.

Target offers quick pick deals on PC Gaming. Grab Batman: Arkham Asylum for $49.99, The Sims 3 Original for $29.99 or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 for $59.99. That and the new Windows 7 Operating System starting at $89.99 for the Home Premium to Professional Upgrade DVD.

DELL: The New Line of Inspiron Mini 10's

2009-12-22T12:36:00.001+08:00

Dell introduces their latest version of the Inspiron Mini 10 netbook. The new line of netbooks will be coming in with the new Atom N450 as well as a few more 'plus' features. An additional options list makes this new lineup very enticing to consumers.

The new Mini 10 is expected to hit stores by next year January and that prices will start at $299. This mini netbook not only offers an optional high definition display but also a surround sound media experience.

Listed below is a breakdown of what can be expected of this 'new' Mini 10 version:

can accomodate a 6-cell battery (holds up to 9 hours of battery power)
the processor: Intel Atom N450 1.66 GHz which can be paired with an optional Broadcom Crystal HD video accelerator for HD video playback
1GB Memory
160GB / 250GB Hard drive
choice of 3 or 6-cell battery
Windows 7 starter/Windows XP Home / Ubuntu Linux OS choices

options list:

4 case colors
bluetooth
WWAN
GPS
TV Tuner
and a 1366x768 screen display

full review and press release information from engadget

Quick Launch Buttons On Your Windows 7

2009-12-22T09:24:00.051+08:00

After making that move from Windows XP and Vista, you probably didn't expect how the new Jumplist functionality works on the new Windows 7 OS. In Windows 7, the windows taskbar is no longer referred to as the "taskbar" but the "Superbar" and for some, not seeing the Quick launch buttons is a first.

Now would it or wouldn't it be convenient to have the same old quick launch buttons on the "Superbar"? To all of us, the jumplist is something new, like the introduction of the ceramic plate after the paper plates. And maybe to the majority, having been used to see and use the quick launch buttons is better.

Enter the JumpLaunch application software. This is your ticket to enjoying that "old school" Windows functionality.

The program is easy to use. First of course, download the file (hosted at jumplaunch.codeplex.com). CLICK HERE to start the download.
*Unzip the file in any location you choose
*Run the program and pin it onto your taskbar/superbar
*Start adding those .lnk files or program shortcuts

As easy as that.

for more details and information, check out the official website

Maximize Your Web Browsing Speed

2009-12-21T13:33:00.000+08:00

Is the task of loading websites, especially big websites with all the pictures, colors and animations long enough for you to prepare a glass of iced coffee and then sit and wait for the website to fully load?

The time your web browser takes to load a particular website not only depends on your ISP's speed/bandwidth but also depends on the ISP's DNS server.
A DNS (Domain Name Service) Server basically is a tool/system that looks up information by translating a domain name, in this case your common "website" followed by the .com, into Internet Protocol or IP Address.

Given the above mentioned definition, ISP's with heavy DNS Server loads tend to provide slow IP address lookups which in turn comes up at your end as slow internet service.

OpenDNS solves the problem. Try it yourself. Run a speedtest on your current network/wireless/internet settings afterwards change the configuration of your network cards and use the following settings provided by OpenDNS:

1. Open your network connections window, Network and Sharing Center in Vista and Windows 7, and Right Click on the network interface that you're using. Be it a wired network connection or a wireless, you should see (and know) which one you're using.

2. Right Click and then open Properties. For Vista and Win 7m you can choose Change adapter settings located on the left side. For Windows XP, choose TCP/IP and click on Properties. Windows Vista and 7 users choose Internet Protocol Version 4 and from there type in the following DNS addresses:

Preferred DNS Server: 208.68.222.222
Alternate DNS Server: 208.67.220.220

And then try running another speedtest and check if there has been a change.

Imeem Then : Myspace Music Now

2009-12-21T12:30:00.000+08:00

For those who have shared their playlists and favorite songs for the past few years, it's time to say goodbye to the imeem community. After their last attempt, the imeem website is now offline. Due to licensing issues and fees, they had to let go.

Myspace and the people from Imeem has just finalized their deal and now everything that was Imeem is being transitioned to Myspace Music. The deal lets Myspace acquire certain assets of Imeem.

Imeem's music playback licenses already expired and that the said company is no longer able to keep up with the licensing fees. This and The Orchard's motion to sue them over content that they played without the proper licensing.

Logging onto imeem.com now redirects users to the Myspace Music website and all the playlists don't work anymore. The imeem iPhone app no longer works as well.

full story on Wired

Gateway One ZX6810-01: Power and the Touch Capability

2009-12-20T15:00:00.000+08:00

Even though the newer iMacs beat almost every one in the All-in-One PC's category, this Gateway All-in-One packs in a few extras (even without the Blu ray drive).
As we all know (as of today's date), the new Apple iMacs lead the All-in-One desktops category with all its "power". Even with a few issues it encountered, its still up there.

But the Gateway One ZX6810-01, which comes in at second place in PCWorld's top All-in-Ones list, packs in not just 1 but 2 hard drives in its 23inch screen. A 64GB SSD (configured as the boot drive) and also a 1 TB SATAII Hard drive. The system's bus speed is at 1333 Mhz and comes in with 8GB of RAM.

The other factor that makes it a great All-in-One is its touch screen capability. Bundled with Windows 7, users will definitely enjoy "touching" the screen.

Overall, this All-in-One PC is a great gaming rig because it's like a gaming tower PC transferred in an All-in-One case.

Detailed Specs:
Processor
Class                              Core 2 Quad Q8200
Speed                             2.33 GHz
Bus speed                        1333 MHz

Memory
Installed    8192 MB
Technology                      DDR3
Memory socket                DIMM

System
Motherboard Manufacturer    Gateway

Storage
Capacity                           1064 GB
Number of storage drives    2
Controllers                        Serial ATA II

Multimedia
Audio Adapter       Integrated RealTek High Definition Audio
Audio Channels                  5.1 surround

Graphics
Board RAM Type                DDR3
Video chipset                   ATI Radeon HD 4670
Installed video memory      1024 MB
Video bus      PCI Express x16

Operating system    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium

Optical Drives
Model                            Optiarc AD-7643S
Drive Type                      DVDÂ±R DL/DVDÂ±RW

Expansion Slots

    * Memory Stick
    * SD Card

Included network card

    * Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 Mbps)
    * Wireless Ethernet - 300 Mbps IEEE802.11 Draft N

Case
Chassis style    All-in-one
Chassis color    Black

Included devices
    * Built-In Webcam
    * Integrated TV Tuner
    * Remote Control
    * USB - Universal Serial Bus (front) (x4)
    * USB - Universal Serial Bus (rear) (x2)
    * eSATA

check out the full review from PCWorld

Windows 7: Changing the Logon Screen

2009-12-20T12:06:00.000+08:00

The Windows Logon Screen has been made available since Windows XP's launch. Now in Windows 7, customizing or changing the logon screen is now made easy with Tweaks.com Logon Changer.

Changing the logon screen before required someone with .DLL file knowledge to change a couple or so files. Most of the time it also required that you know which folder and in what location you needed to change files.

With the introduction of logon changing tools like Logon Loader(widely used for windows XP), logon screen customization has been easier.

You can actually change the logon screen in 2 ways. 1, through the logon changer, which simplifies everything that you need to edit by letting the program itself to do the tweaking for you and 2, by manually editing the registry, file and folders.

To accomplish everything in 1 go, click here to download the file directly. If you prefer to perform the change manually, you can follow the tutorial made by Rafael here.

As a safety precaution, please make sure that your images/backgrounds do no exceed 256KB (Microsoft set limitation) so that the software does not reject the change.

News Update: Psystar Computers...closing down?

2009-12-19T14:01:00.000+08:00

Florida-based computer company Psystar is being reported "shutting down" the business. Psystar computers was previously ordered by a federal judge to stop selling Mac clones. This was after the judge concluded the infringement case in favor of Apple.
Dow Jones is reporting that the company is going out of business. 2 of Psystar's attorneys released contradicting statements about the business shutting down and continuing its operations. Eugene Action told Dow Jones that the founder will be "shutting things down immediately while K.A.D Camara said that the company "will not shutdown permanently".

more about the story from cnet.

New Year, New Intel Procies

2009-12-18T14:17:00.000+08:00

The New Year brings about 2 new Intel procies. The Intel Core i3 and mobile Core i5 processors are slated to be out by January 7 of next year, 2010. The Intel Core i5 processor is said to be quad-core, the 2 new processors are just dual-core but even if they are, Intel has added an extra: integrated GPU cores for both processors.

The said GPU cores are being dubbed as Intel HD Graphics. The said GPU cores are good enough for regular use but manufacturers can still add their own discrete GPUs.

The Arrandale chips come packed with Intel's hyperthreading technology and that the mobile core i5 has the same feature as the core i5 and i7: Turbo Boost core-overclocking.

more about the topic from engadget

Bumptop: Your Own Virtual Desktop

2009-12-18T14:03:00.002+08:00

Tired of your 'regular desktop' environment? If you want an interactive desktop space, try Bumptop Desktop. The software allows you to have your own desktop area, much like your regular office or room desk space. Check out the video to find out what cool ways you can organize your 'virtual desktop'.

Bumptop Desktop gives your windows desktop and all your icons a better look. As the software describes, you can Organize, Customize, Visualize and Socialize as close as you would on your own desk.

Organization: create piles, stack your files according to type or whichever way you like.
Customize: choose from a range of themes however you want it
Visualize: set up sticky notes on the wall, enlarge commonly used files and even toss around your files just for kicks.
Socialize: drag your newly shot photo onto the facebook icon and upload it directly to your account.

It's not just your regular desktop/windows gadget because you can definitely use it on the new Windows 7 and operates perfectly on touch screens.

download the file from Bumptop

Christmas and the Christmas Lights Hero

2009-12-17T09:58:00.007+08:00

Who said you can't enjoy your 'merry christmas' on guitar hero? This video by Ric Turner definitely is a gamer's dream, well for some, and a cool trip for others. The Christmas holiday is definitely around the corner. Read more to check out the video.

Here is a brief explanation of how he was able to make the christmas lights go with the game's guitar sequence and music:

"Christmas Light Hero is using 7 light controllers from Light-O-Rama built from kits to control 21,268 lights and LEDs. Each controller has 16 outputs and 2-3 TTL level control inputs that are used by the game system to fire different programmed light sequences depending on what happens in the game."

All these was possible because of Ric Turner's imagination and the fact that Turner used to be part of Disney's Special Effects Imagineering. Dubbed as Christmas Lights Hero, this cool real life christmas game uses 21,268 bulbs as stated on The Daily What and if you want to delve into the details, the full explanation can be seen from Makezine.

more of the specifics from cnet

The $99 Laptop

2009-12-16T13:37:00.000+08:00

Introducing the $99 laptop. It sure is cheap and everyone can definitely put their hands on the thing. The laptop, called the Cherrypal Africa, is Cherrypal's green and energy efficient laptop brought about by their community building efforts in Ghana.

The lappy features the following specifications:
* a 7-inch TFT screen (resolution:800x480)
* 400Mhz processor
* 256MB RAM
* 2GB Flash memory
* OS choices: Windows CE or Linux
* ethernet port
* wifi capability

Momentus Thin: Seagate's New Thin HDD's

2009-12-15T08:33:00.000+08:00

Seagate will be unveiling their new line of hard drives in the form of the Momentus Thin. These hard drives are expected to be unveiled at CES some time in the next few weeks. The said drives are said to be less expensive than most of their 1.8 inch counterparts.
Momentus Thin hard drives will come in at 160GB and 250GB capacities with 8mb of cache, 5400rpm and SATA 3Gbps transfer speeds/interface.

Because of their being 'thin', they can soon be set up into the Atom D410/D510-based notebooks. They will be shipped to OEM's and partners by next month. No specific price tag has been provided as of date.

more information from engadget

iMac 27" All-in-One Shipping Delays and Graphics Issues

2009-12-14T10:45:00.001+08:00

Apple has delayed shipment of their new iMac 27 inches. Some say it's due to the high volume of orders. iMac's online store changed shipping times from '5-7 days' and '7-10 days' to 2 weeks.

A Canadian Web Designer, Scott Pronych, created a tracking site after he received his own iMac 27 inch with a shattered screen. Aside for the delay issues, other users have also encountered display problems in the form of flickering screens. Apple has not yet confirmed as to what is causing the issue and that the issue could also be one of the reasons for the shipping delays.

Some online retailers like Amazon provide shipping of the product between '1-2 months' while the guys at ClubMac will have their stocks coming in by 'the end of the month'.

Preview the HTC Google Android Phone

2009-12-13T08:57:00.000+08:00

The guys at google were recently 'tweeting' about the new android phone/s. The new phones, running android 2.1, are rumored to be launched by next 2010.
The new phone, made available on Google's site, shows a Bravo-like HTC phone model. Only an image is provided and no additional information was indicated for a much detailed preview of the unit.

The phone is said to be GSM unlocked, features a trackball and a high resolution OLED screen.

more from pcworld

The New iMac: 27" on the Intel Core i7

2009-12-12T10:38:00.000+08:00

The new 27" iMac from Apple™. Keeping itself up high with its superb specifications and great rankings all over the web. This 27 inch All-in-One PC packs in the 'fastest' in computer hardware. Processor, RAM, GPU and storage. Not to mention that this iMac can run Windows.
The All-in-One runs on an Intel Core i7 processor at 2.8Ghz together with the new DDR3 memory, 4GB to be exact. This iMac also comes with an ATI Radeon 4850 Graphics card for your games and/or graphics intensive video/image editing software.

This system also has a firewire port, an sd card slot, Gigabit ethernet port, a 540Mb wireless N card and built-in webcam.

Price Tag: $2200

more information and reviews from pcworld

'Black Screen of Death' information

2009-12-11T14:38:00.000+08:00

Is there any truth to a possible 'black screen of death' as opposed to the well-known Windows error blue screen of death? Let us check on a few possibilities so as to decipher if it should be, if any, a big concern to the computer world.
According to Ed Bott, people shouldn't be alarmed of such errors. Situations like these basically tell the user that at some point in the startup process, a small program, driver, loading software did not load properly and/or did not load at all.

Comparing it with the 'blue screen of death', more often than not, blank/black screens do not generate any error codes or messages at all. Blue screens provide information as to what went wrong with the system and also offer some quick troubleshooting steps (restart has always been part of it) to possibly solve the problem.

There is also that possibility, the most basic that I (Gigatalia) have encountered, that a simple USB drive is keeping your system from booting up. This could be due to the 'boot other device' option switched on.

And so as a whole, contrary to what has been recently rumored in the digital world, there is no dreaded black screen of death. Unless of course you are your own system's cause of black screens.

more information described in detail from Ed Bott @ zdnet

Tech Tips: What You Can Do With Your Old WiFi Router

2009-12-11T10:44:00.000+08:00

For those who have the right equipment for their wireless environment, it wouldn't be a surprise if 1 or 2 devices go 'offline' to make way for the 'better' ones. In this case, an old wireless router, given the proper assignment, can definitely boost your home network.
This might not be the case for a small wireless home network but still, it is beneficial.

You can definitely use the router as an extender or an AP. When you're out in the garden and trying to rest on your hammock, a good wireless signal is a must. A single wireless router, no matter how strong the device is in terms of coverage, is still no match against a solid wall and more than enough obstacles to reach you outside.

For network computers that have no wireless capability especially desktops, hooking them up with an ethernet cable would be a task if they were in a separate room away from the wireless router. The older routers would definitely come in handy once you have it hooked up to serve in between the main router and the desktop/s in the separate room.

For the business minded, you can also use and turn them into wireless hotspots. Network security is essential here though so make sure that your home network is secure and separate from that of the hotspot.

for tips and detailed steps from wi-fi planet

Dell Vostro V13: Thin like the Adamo

2009-12-10T12:18:00.001+08:00

Dell Inc. introduces the Vostro V13 laptop which will be available by the end of the year (hmm..shopping before the next year kicks in?). It appears that the new line resembles the Adamo, also from Dell, only that the Vostro is about 3x cheaper than the Adamo series.

The new noteboook is about 0.65 inches or 16.5mm thin, similar to that of the Adamo. Comparing their prices, the Adamo comes in at $1,499 with a 13.4" screen while the V13 is good to go for as low as $449.

The Ubuntu Linux OS and an Intel Celeron processor start up for the $449 priced model. And Windows 7 fits in for the $649 model. They come in fitted with anti-glare LCD's with white LED backlights and a 1366x768 screen resolution. By default, its processor is an Intel Core 2 CULV processor although other options are available such as: 1.2GHz Celeron 743, 1.3GHz Core 2 Duo SU7300, or 1.4GHz Core 2 Solo SU3500.

Wireless connectivity might be missing on the laptop but it still comes packed with an ethernet port, e-sata, USB, ExpressCard/34, Headphone Out, Microphone In, 5-in-1 card reader and a VGA port.

from itvoir

Google Chrome: Extensions now ready for Download

2009-12-09T12:48:00.000+08:00

Now, the extensions are ready for download! Google has opened their Google Chrome Extensions site and the plugins are available for everyone running Windows and Linux. Mac/Apple users will have to wait since they are not available yet.

The extensions site was a day early of its debut. A few of the extensions available include: Google Mail Checker, Chromed Bird (a plugin for twitter), and the IETab (used to change an active tab into an Internet Explorer tab).

For those running Google Chrome, you start installing those plugins/extensions by visiting the Google Chrome Extensionse site.

Steady Flight: Mozilla Thunderbird 3

2009-12-09T09:55:00.000+08:00

The long overdue 'Outlook alternative' is now out and flying steadily. Mozilla's Thunderbird 3, available for Windows, Mac and Linux, packs several new features including improvements on the program. From search and message indexing to tabs support and the setup wizard for account management, Thunderbird 3 makes offline email support as easy as possible.

One feature that is not included though is the Calendar feature, Lightning. Originally, Mozilla planned to have it but later on decided to just let the users to download.

Aside for being an outlook replacement, Thunderbird 3 is an ideal offline email storage for different mail providers. Thunderbird 3 has increased its compatibility with Gmail which includes better recognition and integration with Gmail's folders.

The best feature made available in Thunderbird 3 is the search. The new search bar is at the top of the interface, and you have the options to change the default Search All Messages to focus on a particular part of the e-mail: Subject, From, Recipient, To, CC, or message body fields, or to a combination thereof.

It has 1 drawback though and it is the initial indexing which might take 'a while'. It is advised for those who have A LOT of mail to let the program run for a couple of hours or let it sit for 'a day' if you really have that much mail.

Thunderbird 3 is of course freeware which makes it really appealing to the public. It may require some getting used to but with all the new features, learning is a synch.

check the more detailed list of features from CNET

Boxee Box is Coming!!

2009-12-08T14:49:00.002+08:00

HDMI, SD Card slot, 2 USB 2.0 ports, Wi-Fi and an ethernet port add up to the soon to be released Boxee Box from D-Link.

D-Link's Boxee Box provides access a huge library of information from the Internet: university courses, panel discussions, academic lectures, presentations, web-only videos and more.

RSS and XML feeds allow easy access for users to add their favorite entertainment source in the Boxee Box.

complete details from engadget and gdgt

Virtual Driver Becomes Real-Life Racing Champ

2009-12-08T09:08:00.001+08:00

Lucas Ordoñez is now a racing champ, winning the European GTA Cup for RJN Motorsport. This is not what he was doing before. He once wanted to be a professional race car driver but abandoned his hopes because he did not have the means to pursue it. What he didn't expect was that later on, he will achieve his goal through the gaming world.

Lucas Ordoñez played racing games especially Gran Turismo. His luck was about to change when Sony held a European Playstation competition in Europe looking for the best "virtual driver". Ordoñez won taking out 25,000 of the competition and landing himself, representing his country, in the Playstation GT Academy.

In training camp, Ordoñez was a natural. He knew how to run the race track and what to do when it comes to braking, following racing lines and such, even if his skills still needed some work.

He was able to obtain his 'C' racing license after completing his track times and with this license, he competed in the GTA Dubai International 24 Hour race in 2009. He completed 451 laps and 2431km in 24hrs. This got him to 9th place overall with former F1 driver Johnny Herbert.

more info from dailytech

Intel Core i9: Auctioned at eBay

2009-12-07T15:22:00.002+08:00

The new Intel Core i9, not due until next year, was seen on eBay. The processor is believed to be a possible leak from one of Intel's manufacturers/distributors. Gulftown, the new procie's codename, offers 6 cores of computing power and the eBay item was tagged as an Intel 6-Core Xeon Westmere Gulftown 2.4GHZ LGA1366 ES.

Information about the said processor showed that it came from Taiwan and the seller still had the processor's identification marks "visible" for everyone to see, including the guys from Intel. With this information, Intel will be able to track as to who leaked and where this auctioned procie is.

Whoever sold the chip gained a $1,200 profit.

more from Tom's Hardware

Office 2010 Release Schedule

2009-12-07T01:23:00.000+08:00

Microsoft has released information about Office 2010's availability by next year. The new Office suite is scheduled to be launched by June. This update was released in response to online reports about its shipping date.

Together with the 2010 suite, Microsoft will also offer "Office Web". This feature will be available to users, free of charge. The online products will include, MS Word, Excel and Powerpoint. Not all features will be available though, as compared to their full featured main programs.

The new Office 2010 has the new ribbon menu. This feature is one of the changes made to spruce up the software. It now has better video and image processing tools, providing better video and image quality.

check here for more details presented by InformationWeek

Safety for the Online Shopper

2009-12-06T10:30:00.000+08:00

Shopping online has become more than just an option for users around the world. With the growing number of online tools (shopping included), everyone's security is of utmost importance. From home users to the enterprise and corporate shopper, online security needs to be at its best for everybody to not worry.

Here are a few tips to consider when shopping online:

* Keep your system (as well as your browser) updated. Updates, especially Microsoft provide and send out security updates that address vulnerabilities on whichever or whatever part of the OS. This, of course, applies to browser software as well.

* System security in the form of antivirus, anti-spyware, firewall and antispam softwares are definitely a must.

* Use anti-phising software --- some browsers come with a built-in anti-spam/phising filter. Either have them enabled or install a separate program/software.

* Beware of fake websites and cross-site scripting (XSS). These websites and website send malicious coding through the browser which eventually allows unauthorized access to the host system. Some browsers have an auto blocking program built-in to warn users that the website is not safe or secure. Some antivirus programs also provide an automatic blocking system that stops the browser and asks if you want to proceed or not.

* InPrivate browsing and Start Private Browsing options are available in IE8 and Mozilla Firefox which enables private browsing and disables cookies, remember password, temporary internet files and browsing history.

* For payment sites, make sure that they are secure. Payment enabled websites are ALWAYS ENCRYPTED and would, often that not, have https instead of the regular http on the web address. A green address bar or a lock symbol on the status bar or address bar indicate a secure website.

* If someone or a website asks for you to update your information and/or asks that you update your email/password (or both), it would be wise not to.

more details from pcworld

Ubuntu 9.10 at a glance

2009-12-05T10:26:00.001+08:00

Canonical, the guys behind Ubuntu, delivers Ubuntu 9.10. Dubbed as the Karmic Koala, a lot of changes have been made to this free Linux distro.

So what's new with the new Ubuntu 9.10: Karmic Koala? Let's check out a few things to find out...

Empathy over Pidgin and Ekiga
Users and developers are debating and have argued over this replacement. The replacement Empathy integrates well with the desktop. Users on different platforms (KDE, Mac, Windows) will have to grab a different IM client since Empathy is anchored to GNOME. The replacement is also VoIP capable, thus, eliminating Ekiga.

ext3 >>>> ext4
The system default file system is now replaced by ext4 from ext3. The change was not as smooth compared to the default ext3. Users have reported hangups when transferring large volumes of files that users had to do a restart the system if it stopped responding.

Palimpsest over Gparted
Ubuntu's partition editor changes from Gparted to the new Palimpset app. The new app introduces a better GUI that allows users to see the devices, the partitions and displays them in an easier to use Tree format.

a more detailed review from Tom's Hardware

Java Releases 2 update for the Mac OS X

2009-12-04T16:10:00.000+08:00

Java has released updates for the Mac OS X platform addressing security issues that could allow an applet to gain elevated privileges on the host system.

The 2 updates, 122MB for the Leopard and 78MB for the Snow Leopard, can be obtained by visiting Apple's support site and downloading them onto the Mac. Alternatively, the update files can also be downloaded through software update.

The two updates also share a fix for a loophole in which an expired certificate for an applet could be regarded as valid.

more details from ComputerWorld

The Bing Maps Experience

2009-12-04T13:38:00.000+08:00

Bing Maps, still in its beta phase, is now available to the public. Microsoft's move to rival Google Maps starts a comparison between the two.

Google Maps has been the main source of information when it comes to maps, locations and even streets for most of us. Aside for their web-based world map, they also have Google Earth.

So what makes Bing Maps different and/or better than Google's?
They're presenting a lot of "features". Comparing things with Google Maps, Bing Maps offers a lot of tweaks or smaller applications to make viewing the world a lot better.
A few added features include: standard road map, an aerial view, or a bird's eye aerial view. They also have a Street View, which comparing again to Google's, presents photos with higher quality. Live traffic and videos are also a plus on Bing's "World Mapping" project.

A little on the downside, Bing's entry since they are still on beta, is quite slow. Loading the interface takes a bit of a longer time to load but hopefully that will be fixed. Some users also find that the street names and other locations were the locations 10-20 years ago. Bing/Microsoft should consider having the site load faster to make the new service a lot better. The high definition images might also be causing the issue in terms of speed.

Since the project is still in its Beta stage, we can definitely expect a lot of tweaks and optimizations for it to have an edge against it's only rival.

more from http://blogs.computerworld.com/15190/bing_maps_microsoft_finally_beats_google_at_its_own_game

mini mini tiny mo: Dell Mini 10

2009-12-03T16:31:00.002+08:00

The Dell Mini: Mini 10 and 10v.
Small, lightweight and just enough for your everyday mobile computing needs.
Starting at $299, customize this mini to your liking. From colors to the operating system, you'll definitely have a lot of options available.

Even the Dell Mini 10/10v can be installed with Windows 7 Starter and Vista Home Basic (both 32-bit). For the tech saavy, an Ubuntu operating system is also available. Hard drive space is also pretty accomodating. The mini 10v hard drive options: 120GB and 160GB with a 16GB SSD MLC alternative. The mini 10: 160GB, 250GB with the 32GB SSD MLC alternative.

Mini at a glance:

keyboard 92% the size of a traditional laptop keyboard.

Enjoy a beautiful view with a seamless display surface and 16:9 aspect ratio.

Stay connected with advanced wireless options.

Navigate like a pro with optional built-in GPS

Personalize with a choice of seven vibrant colors OR choose from over 200+ artist designs with Design Studio.

more detailed specifications from DELL

Intel's i9 Preview

2009-12-03T14:41:00.000+08:00

Intel's core i9, an engineering sample, was tested by Polish PCLab. The sample contains 6-cores carrying 12mb of level 3's. The new processor is part of Intel's roadmap to building their next line of multi-core, energy efficient processors.

The processor (codenamed Gulftown) was tested on 3 different boards. They did not have that much problems getting the processor to run since it's using the LGA 1366 socket. The testers had a bit of a problem particularly memory performance issues.

As for the results, since we are talking of 2 extra HT cores, the planned processor is able to perform as expected. The new line of processors appear under the 32nm process and is set to be released by Q2 2010.

more info from Tom's Hardware

A look at James Cameron's Avatar: The Game

2009-12-03T10:31:00.001+08:00

Ubisoft recently released Avatar: The Game. The highly anticipated movie gets a prequel and gamers get to immerse themselves in the alien world of Pandora.
A few quick plus points include: great graphics which includes the scenery and vehicles, lots of action and interesting multiplayer mode.

And on the downside: the controls were referred to as "choppy", the the storyline does not make things clear and the gameplay is also what we have, for the past few years or months... been used to.

Released:December 1 2009
Platforms: PC-DVD, Xbox, Playstation 3, Nintendo DS, Wii

Minimum System Requirements:

Processor: 3 GHz Pentium D 830 or AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+
RAM Minimum: 1 GB (Windows XP) / 2 GB (Windows Vista, Windows7)
OS Minimum: Windows XP (with SP2) / Vista (with SP1) / 7
Graphics Card Minimum: 256 MB DirectX 9.0c-compliant, Shader 3.0-enabled video card (NVIDIA GeForce 6800 / 7 / 8 / 9 / GTX series / ATI RADEON X1650-1950 / HD 2000 / 3000 / 4000 series)
1.5 GB HDD space
Sound card and DVD drive

Recommended System Requirements:

Recommended: Intel Core 2 Duo Family, AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+, AMD Phenom or better
Recommended: 1 GB (Windows XP) / 2 GB (Windows Vista, Windows7)
Recommended: Windows XP (with SP2) / Vista (with SP1) / 7
Recommended: 512 MB DirectX 9.0c-compliant, Shader 3.0-enabled video card (NVIDIA GeForce 6800 / 7 / 8 / 9 / GTX series / ATI RADEON X1650-1950 / HD 2000 / 3000 / 4000 series)
1.5 GB HDD Space
Sound card and DVD drive

more from G4TV

Read E-book files while you'r on the go

2009-12-02T21:17:00.000+08:00

ReadMANIAC is your library in your pocket. A true Java midlet for the mobile phone, it allows the user to read, download and browse ebooks on any Java enabled/Java supported phone or smartphone.

J2ME technology allows games (Java games) to be played on the mobile phone. The same technology is used to for most phone applications to be compatible and usable on most mobile phones today.
The standalone application and the midlet

ReaderManiac FULL is a standalone application. It has the following features:

allows phone integration so that ebook files are browsed on the phone/memory card storage.
no need for PC access
allows over the air (internet or wap) download

Second category of midlets provide PC application for converting books into one or several midlets. These midelts are installed to phone and used to read embeded book.

Navigation is easy since you have the regular menu and similar options available once you have the program open.

more information available here

Personal point of View // NHN's Continent of the Ninth

2009-12-02T13:17:00.002+08:00

NHN's newest MMO game redefines the way you play your online games. I would say, we got used to the regular 'point at monster', 'click at monster', 'attack monster' type of online game.

Since the dawn of online gaming up until now, we usually play MMORPG's with the same type of gameplay. Point then click... point click.. point.. and click..

C9 or Continent of the Ninth changes that by being able to attack a group of monsters all at the same time and that reminds me of Diablo where you just go at it like your regular hack and slash game.

The game is from Korea and even though it does have a small chance of being translated soon into an English version, gamers still have high hopes that the game will in the future.

The game features stunning graphics, beautiful scenery, effects and gameplay. Your characters can blast through monsters or run through them. Do area of effect attacks to damage the mob of monsters surrounding you. You can attack at any direction at once as compared to the regular click attack role. Chances are, mob kills you because you gathered too much that you can't run anymore. In this game, you don't have to worry about getting mobbed because you can jump as high as possible, evade by rolling out of the mob, or have that skill to attack and knockback your opponents.

Overall, this game will definitely get you hooked given that it's gonna spread from Korea to the whole world.

Watch the gameplay features as presented here by Steparu

AVG Antivirus: still most downloaded antivirus program

2009-12-01T18:25:00.001+08:00

AVG antivirus is still the #1 most downloaded antivirus program on CNET. Topping the chart with 2,276,350 downloads, this Antivirus program is a good alternative for those who opt for a free antivirus solution.

The program is continuously updated and users can update through the internet and also through offline means. Offline updates can be done by logging onto the AVG website.

Check here to go directly to the downloads page and from there, users can download the update files to their pc's and manually updating the antivirus program.

AVG has anti-phising capabilities as well as a continuous online scanner to keep spam and viruses from getting into your system while you are browsing the internet.

Here is a product review provided by CNET

Dolphin Browser from the Android market

2009-12-01T18:08:00.000+08:00

Introducing the Dolphin Browser for the Droid phone. This application enables multitouch support for the Droid phone. Similar to the iPhone's pinching multi-touch function, this particular app enables you to do just the same.

The application allows for the use of gestures. When using gestures, you basically setup directions with which to navigate your phone: backwards, forwards with your multi-touch support.

It also supports the use of multi tabs, which makes navigation a lot more easier for the built-in Droid browser.

Starcraft 2 still on track for next year

2009-12-01T17:29:00.000+08:00

For those who are waiting for the Starcraft 2 release date, Blizzard is still working on the game and are planning to have the beta released by next year. Avid gamers and those who have been eyeing to have a go at the StarCraft beta release will definitely have to wait.

It was mentioned at the Russian event IgroMir that the beta would be arriving early next year since a delay caused the beta to not push through earlier than expected.

The official StarCraft release is slated for the 2nd quarter of 2010.

LED, LCD or Plasma? Cyber Monday catch up

2009-12-01T17:08:00.000+08:00

Now which entertainment screen would you go for? An LCD, the LED TV or the Plasma?

Differentiating, a Plasma TV provides great viewing angles, high pixel response time, which is definitely great when watching sporting events or anything that requires fast movement. They come in different sizes and models that allows consumers to have more choices. Downside though is that the tend to have pixels burnt out which affects the last color sticking onto the screen even if the scene has changed. Repair is also quite pricey for the Plasma.

LCD screens have very little chance of a pixel burn-in problem. They also can have a brighter image compared to plasmas or LED TV's and are lightweight with a cooler running temperature. Some disadvantages include slower reaction time to fast moving images and colors, and may have a lower contrast ratio for colors; meaning it may not have as clear of an image as some plasma screens. Many LCD TV's tend to be a bit more expensive than some plasma televisions, although this trend is starting to change. LCD's have virtually the same lifespan of Plasma TV's, approximately 30-60,000 hours.

Last is our LED TV. They are more of an upgrade to our current LCD and Plasma screens. It uses backlight technology that creates a clearer and more defined image. The colors are shown better like blacks that appear black than grey-ish as compared to LCDs.

Overall, it's still up to you with these incredible bargains from your online shopping portals:

Samsung UN32B6000 32" LCD TV from Best Buy @ $1,079.98

Samsung55" black 1080p LED HDTV from Vann's @ $3,017.98

Panasonic L32X1 32" Class (31.5" diagonal) VIERA X1 Series LCD 720p HDTV with iPod Entertainment Kit from DELL @ $446.99

Panasonic VIERA TC-P42X1 42" Plasma TV from justbuyElectronics @ $589.99

..... and a lot more offers from your online stores.

Holiday Shoppers: The Cyber Monday Update

2009-12-01T15:15:00.002+08:00

Cyber Monday shopper's update. Have you gone through your digital shopping list and got them all or still missing out a few?

By now, most stores (be it your next door Target/Best Buy/Walmart store) will have their shopping carts rented out or filled with consumer deals. Even the online stores have a truck load of network and internet traffic coming back and forth the checkout online carts.

Cyber Monday shoppers will still get a kick out of discount coupons and sale products, provided by their neighbor store:

•    20% discount on any $200 worth order from RadioShack
•    Free shipping and discounts on select items from Target
•    Apple computers/gadgets sale from Mac Mall
•    20% discount + free shipping from Banana Republic
•    also another 20% off and free shipping from Old Navy
•    best selling items and gadgets from x-tremegeek

Here are other links and sites to check out even for the late shoppers out there:

•    CyberMonday
•    of course it wouldn't be complete without Ebay and Amazon

So what are you waiting for? Check out your nearest shopping mall/store and ready your surfing skills for the best deals in-stores and online.

Disclaimer

2009-11-05T01:00:00.033+08:00

Gigatalia Digital provides information about technology and computers (hardware,software, operating systems, games, gaming, updates, news) and uses the information available from the internet to provide as much information as the site can. We acknowledge the people who share these information and this site DOES NOT in any way take credit for them.

This serves as a "just added knowledge" website from the owner's point of view.

Gigatalia Digital. Information. Knowledge. Computers. Technology.