News

PCStats looks at the 8K3A+ today.

At 180 MHz FSB for instance we found that the 8K3A+ could barely beat Epox's own 8KHA+ at 175 MHz FSB. This is not a fault of the motherboard, rather it is tied in with the dividers in the KT333CE chipset. With the 2/5 AGP divider kicking in at 166 MHz the AGP is no longer getting as much bandwidth as before plain and simple.

That's how it looks completed, the picture doesn't show enough light, and it looks great in person. Review coming later today!

Overclocker Cafe shows you how to make some easy case mods.

Not to long ago I was having a conversation with someone who very much wanted to mod their box but was under the impression it was extremely difficult and expensive to do. Most of us know that this is incorrect but I wanted to try and illustrate how easy and economical someone can buy the case mod accessories to create a really nice box.

Warp has the info on the new OpenGL library for all ATI cards![PAGEBREAK]
It is interesting that the new version is 6.13.10.3140 compared to 6.13.10.3064 which was delivered with the original 6071 driver set. As speculated for quite some time ATI is working on a new driver set that will improve performance by rumoured 5-10 percent. The huge leap in version numbers could be a little indicator for some progression in driver development.

Warp2Search has more

HotHardware looks at the Pentium variant of the SS series.

While we were not terribly blown away by the performance scores, we have to admit working with the Shuttle SS50 barebones system was a pleasure. This small wonder is packed with features, is very stable and delivers exactly as advertised. Shuttle has not targeted this product to the hardcore performance-minded enthusiasts, but rather to the user looking for a system to fill specific tasks, where a "full blown" system may be overkill. The Shuttle SS50 barebones system can be used in so many different ways, its almost impossible to list them all. LAN gamers looking to get in on a little action without lugging around a full sized system will love the SS50, providing they add a higher performing PCI video board (No AGP slot! Ugh!). Pick up a 15" Flat Panel and some headphones and LAN gamers will have themselves a modest system that will fit in a large backpack! Someone looking to use a PC as the centerpiece for a home theater will fancy the SS50's classy looks and diminutive size. Even DJ's looking to have a mobile MP3 collection without having to shell out a sizable chunk of change for a decent laptop will appreciate the portability and capable integrated sound. Heck, if you're just someone looking for a PC with a tiny footprint, the SS50 is for you! Based on it's innovative design, affordable price (under $340 US as of the time of this writing) and decent performance, we give the Shuttle SS50 mini barebones system a HotHardware Heat Meter rating of...7.5

Okay, so we have Turbolinux, Caldera, SuSE, and Conectiva joining forces to (rule the planet!) make a better Linux. They promise to promote better compatibility and other things. Or is it to try to knock Red Hat off the thrown?[PAGEBREAK]
The UnitedLinux name is something of a misnomer because the group conspicuously neglected to invite Red Hat until the day before the announcement, and few expect the Raleigh, N.C., company to sign on. Also missing are MandrakeSoft, whose software is used on PCs and higher-powered servers, and Sun Microsystems, which plans to unveil a Red Hat-based version of Linux in the summer.

News.com has more.

Intel has released a better PDA cpu called the XScale, which scales up to 400mhz and consumes 1/3 of what StrongARM did. Interesting stuff, so where is the Radeon ultramobility that I've heard of?

Intel began shipping XScale prototype devices to manufacturers this spring, and the first handheld computers using the chips are expected to appear on the market as early as June. The XScale line will replace Intel's StrongARM line, with Intel promising that they will consume one-quarter to three-quarters less power than the StrongARM SA-1110, while delivering faster clock speeds.

ZDNet has a story on IBM developing iBoot, an extrentsion to iSCSI. You basically have a logical hard drive on a server, and that would be your primary drive. Similar to Mainframe-client, but the client uses its own resources to process.

Aside from allowing access to greater storage capacity, IBM researchers say using centralized storage instead of internal drives can help companies cut PC maintenance costs, saving on procedures like software upgrades for PCs. And, they say, iBoot could eventually boost server performance by letting manufacturers build thinner, diskless servers that can be stacked more closely together in a rack. iBoot also lets companies remotely boot PCs, without making changes to Windows or Linux software

You want one of these bullet proof computers.

"They've created a version of their body armor that is not only protecting the individual but includes support and protection for the computing device," said Xybernaut spokesman Michael Binko. "It can stop a .44 Magnum round or a 9mm full-metal jacket, which covers a good portion of what you might face if you're a soldier or a police officer on patrol.". Cool, so a cop could browse the internet while getting shot at...

Organic Light Emitting Diode technology is here... and will come on strong. Eastman Kodak has commercially available color organic LED displays. Less power than LCD, more contrast, higher viewing angle..brighter... better in every way.

Visit Kodak for more info.

Well, it seems to me that this could be a great combo. You have an almost PC with an almost operating system. Why not replace the almost operating system (Windows CE or variant) and put linux on your Xbox?[PAGEBREAK]
The Xbox uses a Pentium III chip and Nvidia graphics, but Enigmah's invention, which we reported here last week, allows unsigned code to run on the console.

The INQ has more.

RV250 is going to be called the Radeon 9000.

Well although many people assume that RV250 cards will be launched at Computex, which starts this coming Monday, we expect it only to be showed to people who sign non disclosure agreements, and behind closed doors.

Can't mod anything yourself? This is the case for you!Next Page »

What is EOE? Ethernet over electricity!!.

The company began offering the service Wednesday through its telecom subsidiary, Con Edison Communications (CEC). The service, dubbed PowerLan Ethernet, will provide a high-bandwidth, low-cost alternative to current networks. It will also give New York a backup network by providing the only alternative to Verizon Communications' conduits.

Do you remember those really stupid ads on the radio about the Business Software Alliance? Well they just did a study and found that....... 57% of people don't pay for software!!! Wow, I'm stunned... The only software I bought in the last 2 years were (I think) some games.[PAGEBREAK]
In a study of 1,026 Web users released Wednesday, the group found that 57 percent of respondents never or seldom pay for copyrighted works they download. And 12 percent admitted to pirating software.

News.com

Active-Hardware reviews the Asus Ti 4600.

So, to sum up, if your looking for performance, look no further than the Asus V8460 Ultra. On the other hand, if your budget is a bit more restrained, the Ti4400 is an excellent 2nd choice, and, if all else fails, look for the Ti4200, which, though slower, costs considerably less than either of the former.

In an effort to stay ahead of Intel, AMD has done some price cutting of their own.

AMD dropped its top three desktop Athlon XP chips by as much as one-third, for example. The 2100+ chip moved from $330 to $224, a 32 percent reduction, while the 2000+ went from $280 to $193, a 31 percent cut, and the 1900+ was reduced 22 percent, from $220 to $172.

What will creative do with it?.

Thanks Newsfactory from Warp2Search!

Imitation is flattery? Abit has decided to follow in Asus' footsteps and create a subsidiary to make low-end boards and sell 'em cheap. They plan on being able to make about 100,000 boards a month beginning in the 4th quarter of the year.

Digitimes has more information for you.

VIA Hardware reviews the SS40G Athlon variant.

So what do I think you should do? Go out and buy one. Now. What are you still reading this for? Okay, well this system isn't for everyone, but those of you who have been waiting for it I think you will definitely be glad you did. There are other manufacturers out there that are making systems like the SS40G/SS50, but Shuttle has stepped up and let everyone know who is the king in this arena. It isn't going to be easy for anyone else to dethrone Shuttle, and I can only see them getting better with time. I don't usually feel so strongly about a product, but a lot of time and effort went into the SS40G, and it shows. If you are looking for this type of system, then the SS40G comes with my recommendations, and I have also decided to give it the Editors Choice award. There will be a version with AGP in the future, and some of you may want that for a really cool LAN box, but I know many of you prefer 2 PCI slots over the 1 AGP/1 PCI configuration.

tBreak reviews the Abit KT333 board.

The KX7-333R is a true Abit board offering excellent overclocking and tweaking and not many onboard features. However, times have changed and even though Abit is trying its best to keep up, we feel that its about time SoftMenu IV is introduced with, at least, higher Core and Memory voltage offerings. Abit has the reputation of being the "king" of overclocking but we've seen companies like Epox and Shuttle doing very well in overclocking in recent times. Like the box says, Abit is moving in the fast lane- its about time they changed to a higher gear and once again leave the competition in the dust.

MS has issued a patch for their email server software. It is suggested you download immediately as the bug is 'critical'.[PAGEBREAK]
Malformed messages created using RFC 821 and 822, versions of the SMTP format commonly used by e-mail programs, can cause the CPU of the server receiving the message to run at 100 percent as it attempts to read the message. The result would be a denial-of-service attack, with the affected server unable to do anything until it finishes processing the message.

If you run Exchange, read this.

Patch from MS.

Well it seems that attempts to shut down the online piracy of movies have failed. Well duh! Did you really think that just because Napster was shut down, people would stop swapping MP3s? You really got me when you bastards shut down Scour.[PAGEBREAK]
After "Star Wars" and "Spider-Man" marked their black-market Web debut in May, the number of file-swappers online at one time soared to over 9 million, Viant said. During peak hours, about 2.5 million people were logged on to the file-swapping Internet Relay Chat--about five times the norm, the tracking company said.

Get your story at News.com

That means lower prices you'd think?. Nope, demand is STILL higher than supply!

The upcoming supply will help quench the demand for LCD panels. Demand currently exceeds the supply. Prices, however, will continue to increase through the rest of the year, DisplaySearch said. Revenue will rise to $20.3 billion in 2002, a 79 percent increase from last year, the company said.

VR-Zone reviews a P4X333 board straight from VIA

VIA P4PB is performing pretty well at DDR333 mode but it appears to be slower than the P4X333 reference sample. I can't confirm whether the retail version of P4X333 is slower than the reference sample because i don't have the reference board with me but it appears to be so. Perhaps VIA didn't really optimize the performance of their retail boards to match their reference sample because the boards will be mass shipped to consumers and stability is their top priority.

EXHardware reviews a Joyetech Ti 4600.

The Apollo Bloody Monster II GeForce4 Ti 4600 Ultra is one of the nicest GeForce4 Ti 4600 cards available today. Joytech's support was also very good, our first card had a very weak fan and they immediately sent a new 50mm unit over which improved things incredibly and the new cooler will be on the next batch of the Bloody Monster II Ultra cards. Joytech also improved on their software bundle tremendously from their previous attempts and besides MSI, I don't think I've seen a better software bundle around. Accessories aside, the card itself features platinum colored RAMsinks and the top of the line components which makes it one of the better cards available today matching other "top of the line" cards such as the Gainward GeForce4 Ti 4600 "Golden Sample" cards. All in all, the Bloody Monster II Ultra does indeed offer an extra dose of high-end performance for overclocking enthusiasts!

The almost XT version of the card. Core: 300 Mem: 275 DDR (550).

This is where the Optimus eXP gets into a little but of trouble. Unitech has done a marvelous job of ensuring that the card performs well, includes an exciting bundle and comes equipped with the hardware necessary to interface with digital displays, analog displays and televisions. However, priced around $270, it is also slightly more expensive than many GeForce4 Ti 4400 cards. Finally, it isn’t easy to ignore that the Optimus 8500 eXP is suffering from very limited availability. We hope Unitech is able to get the product into the hands of resellers, as there will surely be demand for a “tweaked” 128MB RADEON 8500 card.

Want to make your hard drive portable?. This will do it for you.

The Vantec MRK102FD and MRK 103F are both well built and potentially feature packed removable HDD racks. The plain version is just the same old thing we are all used to with a much improved back plane and the same underpowered and partially hidden fan. The MRK103F is a good unit all the same and not a unit I would be too worried about using with a good ATA100 hard drive.

There will be a service or something done at ~10am. Watch your favorite news station at that time to see it.

They will have cleared all the rubble at that time and finally, we can rebuild our towers and make them bigger and better. We will not backdown in the face of evil, we will rise up and destroy them.

Tweak3D reviews the Soyo Dragon Ultra.

I have to say, the SY KT333 Dragon Ultra has been pretty disappointing. Though it carries a slew of features, the performance it offers is behind the competition. In the past, the Dragon boards have usually been the top performers, but the SY-KT333 Dragon Ultra seems to be the lowest performing board out of all the boards I’ve tested so far.