News and Reviews for April 17th 2010

Kristofer Brozio | April 17, 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments

It’s Saturday and time for the news. I got a nice surprise from Fedex yesterday, the HTC Incredible from Verizon Wireless! Nice phones, be sure to check back on Monday for some pictures of it. I’m not allowed to post any until then due to the embargo, but it’s a great phone overall. Anyway, read on for the news from around the world:

Storage Related:

Verbatim SureFire 320GB FireWire 800/USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive Review @ Modsynergy.com

Quote: "Today I will be reviewing the Verbatim SureFire series of portable hard drives that contain not only USB 2.0 but also the very fast FireWire 800 standard. The capacity I have here today is the 320GB version. Read on to see if the SureFire is a ‘sure-bet’ to place your hard earned money on."

Link: http://www.modsynergy.com/review218.html

Super Talent RAIDDrive 64GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive Review @ Legit Reviews
Article URL: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1277/1/

"The Super Talent RAIDDrive is one of the most interesting products that we have come across in some time. It’s not every day you see a USB 3.0 Flash Drive, let alone a monster drive like this that is running a pair of SATA controllers in a RAID configuration. It’s super fast and is ideal for those that want the ultimate USB Flash drive. When using the Super Talent 64GB RAIDDrive we found insane drive performance on the benchmarks, but our real world use showed that the drive improved file transfer speeds roughly 2.5X over USB 2.0 performance. There is nothing slow about this drive as we were hitting 280MB/s write and 128MB/s read, which is amazing for any portable USB device…"

Definitive 2TB HD Roundup: WD, Seagate, Samsung
http://hothardware.com/Articles/Definitive-2TB-Hard-Drive-Roundup/

In this roundup we take a look at a total of nine 3.5-inch, SATA, 2TB hard drives, from Samsung, Seagate, and Western Digital….

Kingston SSDNow V Series 30GB Solid State Boot Drive
Link: http://www.bigbruin.com/content/kingstonv30_1
Quote: We’ve taken a look at a handful of drives from Kingston’s V and V+ Series of solid state drives, and this time around we actually have the smallest capacity drive on hand. This 30GB drive is intended for use as a boot drive, meaning you load your operating system and core programs to it, and use a second drive for file storage.

SSD Benchmark Tests: SATA IDE vs AHCI Mode @ Benchmark Reviews

DESCRIPTION: In a recent Benchmark Reviews technical article, SSD performance was tested in AHCI and IDE mode using only the HD-Tune software to produce results. It wasn’t intentional, but our test results were flawed by this single-threaded benchmark tool, and our conclusion did not properly illustrate IOPS performance. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the latest JMicron, Indilinx, and SandForce SSDs using a combination of tools to illustrate the true difference between SATA IDE and AHCI-mode, and demonstrates how one SATA mode is better suited than the other.

ARTICLE URL: http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=505

TITLE: 12GB Corsair Dominator 1600MHz DDR3 RAM @ Benchmark Reviews

DESCRIPTION: 64-Bit Operating Systems allow PCs to utilize more than 4GB of system memory, which is great news for multimedia professionals who need the extra RAM. Intel’s X58-Express platform delivers triple-channel DDR3 performance, giving PC hardware enthusiasts and power-users the opportunity to choose between 3, 6, or 12GB system memory kits. In this article, Benchmark Reviews compares 12GB DDR3 memory kits against various 6GB versions. The 12GB Corsair Dominator CMD12GX3M6A1600C8 1600MHz CL8-8-8-24 DDR3 memory kit will be at the center of our attention as we discover exactly where that extra RAM is most helpful on our six-core Intel Core i7-980X Extreme Edition ‘super-computer’.

ARTICLE URL: http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=494

Thermaltake Max 4 2.5-inch Hard Drive Rack Review @ ThinkComputers.org

Review URL: http://www.thinkcomputers.org/thermaltake-max-4-2-5-inch-hard-drive-rack-review/

Quote: “Smaller 2.5-inch hard drives have become very popular because of the introduction of solid state drives a few years ago. Since then the drives have come down in price and many people are purchasing their first solid state drive. Many cases do not have a spot to mount a 2.5-inchhard drive, although some new cases do a good amount do not. For this reason Thermaltake has come out with the Max 4 hard drive rack. It supports 2 2.5-inch SATA drives and features tool-free hard drive installation. Let’s take a look at the Max 4 and see it is perfect for your new solid state drive!"

Kingston SSDNow V Series 30GB Boot Drive @ PureOverclock

Review URL: http://www.pureoverclock.com/article958.html

“We’ve seen some very fast SSDs over the last while, but they remain very expensive, generally too expensive for most users. High prices are always a stumbling block to new tech adoption, and SSDs are no different. However, there may be relief on the horizon, as Kingston has released a $90 SSD that looks to be fast, in the hopes that it will finally bring solid state drives into the mainstream.”

Seagate FreeAgent Go 500GB Drive with Paramount Movies
Link: http://www.bigbruin.com/content/seagateparamount_1
Quote: Seagate has decided to try their hand at digital media distribution through a partnership with Paramount Pictures. Including a hit movie like 2009’s Star Trek with the purchase of a 500GB FreeAgent Go drive is pretty cool, and being able to expand your digital collection with even more movies through Seagate may appeal to some.

Kingmax Hercules PC3-17600 (2200MHz) 4GB Kit
QUOTE: "Every time I think of Kingmax my mind instantly goes back to the days of wishing so much that I could buy PC-150 TinyBGA modules from them, but only being able to afford PC-133 Apacer modules. There was a time when Kingmax was the memory to own; when we moved to DDR2, though, they did get left a bit in the dust to new performance company Corsair with its XMS lines of overclocked memory.
Over the years we’ve seen Kingmax pull out a few stand-out performance modules, but recently they’ve been fairly quiet. With some new kits out and a new Hercules series they might just have what they need to get back into the lime light again."
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/3233/kingmax_hercules_pc3_17600_2200mhz_4gb_kit/index.html

Kingwin DockMaster USB 3.0 Docking Station @ PureOverclock

Review URL: http://www.pureoverclock.com/article957.html

“The Kingwin DockMaster USB 3.0 SATA Docking Station is an external drive enclosure that utilizes the speed of the latest technology in an extremely easy to use hot swap setup to serve all your backup and storage needs. And to show you what a massive difference that USB 3.0 makes, we’ll be using a very fast Solid State Drive to show you not only how close USB comes to SATA II, but also how USB 2.0 is left behind in the dust.”

Intel X25-V 40GB SSD Review on Technic3D

Link: http://www.technic3d.com/article-1063,1-intel-x25-v-40gb-ssd-fuer-die-masse-zu-kleinem-preis.htm

Translation Link: http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3a%2F%2fwww.technic3d.com%2Farticle-1063%2C1-intel-x25-v-40gb-ssd-fuer-die-masse-zu-kleinem-preis.htm&sl=de&tl=en&hl=&ie=UTF-8
Quote: "The Intel X25-V 40GB SSD with PC29AS21BA controllers arrived Technic3D. Available only in 40GB configuration. Results in mainstram performance with up to 170MB/s sequential read and 35MB/s sequential write speeds? We will check this against other SSDs from Corsair, OCZ and G.Skill in Windows 7 and Vista."

128 GB Solid State Drive Round-Up
Link: http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/971
Summary:
We compared the performance of seven different solid state drives (SSDs) on the 128 GB range based on MLC technology from Corsair, Crucial, Kingston, Intel, Mushkin, Patriot and Western Digital.

Lite-On eHAU424 External DVD Writer Review at CCE Reviews
Link:http://www.ccereviews.com/reviews/product-type/optical-drives/lite-on-ehau424/

Quote: I really like the LiteON eHAU424. It’s very easy to use and the USB interface literally makes it plug-and-play. The read and write performances are great and exactly as advertised. The device as a whole seems solidly built, just as I’d expect from any Lite-On product. The only thing I didn’t like about the drive is that it is somewhat large and features an external power brick that you have to haul around. However, the drive’s elegant looks make up for it.

===

G.Skill ECO DDR3 1600 CL7 Review
Teaser: G.Skill offers extraordinary RAM modules. Less voltage and lower temperature instead of higher clock speeds: The G.Skill ECO DDR3 1600 CL7 modules are working at 1.35V. How is the performance? Let’s take a look!
Link:http://www.tweakpc.de/hardware/tests/ram/ddr3/gskill_eco_1600_cl7/s01.php

Title: Seagate Momentus – Review
Article Clip: There comes a time in the lap top life time when you will be looking to replace that hard drive of yours. Overtime the hard drive could wear out and you will start experiencing problems like crashing and blue screens. Let me tell you, no one wants to go trough the aggravation of recovering a lost hard drive as it is a painful and long process. It is highly recommended to change your hard drives every two to three years or at least reload your OS for a quicker response from opening and operating programs.
Article Link: http://umlan.com/reviews/hardware/h119.html

Seagate Barracuda – Review
Article Clip: As the technologies change so does the demand for storage. With more applications comes a greater need to store information. There are many different types of media available out there for the average user but not all of them might seem to worth a buck sort of speak. The Solid State Drives are pretty pricey and USB sticks just don’t provide enough storage now a days. The biggest USB stick storage available on the market today is 128 GB stick. This goes roughly for 300$ and very expensive if you ask me.
Article Link: http://umlan.com/reviews/hardware/h120.html

Seagate FreeAgent XTreme – Review
Article Clip: With different jobs comes different needs. I am not an professional photo enthusiast or am I video studio producer but I do know the pain when it comes to storage. We write a lot of articles and go trough a lot of video footage and images. Having them in one place is the best way to manage and manipulate. Finding the right storage for the job could be a big pain since there are hundreds of enclosures. Some offer a hard drive with in and some don’t. Today we are going to take a look at FreeAgent XTreme by Seagate.
Article Link: http://umlan.com/reviews/hardware/h121.html

Mobile / Laptops Etc:

Incipio Leather Flip iPhone 3GS Case Review @ Virtual-Hideout

Review link: http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/Incipio_Leather_Flip_3GS_Case/index.shtml

Quote: “If you were looking for that perfect brown leather flip case for your iPhone, you might want to hang on and wait until revision 2 of this unit, which I hope Incipio takes these ideas and makes it happen. At a retail price of just $29.99 too, this case could have made a huge splash in the market in my opinion. Considering some of the crappiest molded silicone junk is selling for $15-$25 as it is, this high quality leather flip from Incipio is a fantastic value for what you get. It’s too bad they missed the mark, if even by a little, which is all it takes in this incredibly competitive market segment.”

Maha Energy MH-C9000 WizardOne Charger-Analyzer Review with IMEDION @ ModSynergy.com

Quote: "Environmental friendly products are ones that are catching on in the North American market. It seems that the trend has shifted toward utilizing green products and being able to reduce, reuse and recycle has never been of more importance in our lifetimes until now. We have been advised of the devastating effects of global warming by scientists and high ranking officials of government and now we’ve seen with our own eyes. Being able to reduce, reuse and recycle has got to be implemented by lifestyle changes. One way to achieve change is to stop using disposable products. It seems that we’ve been a disposable society for far too long and that has come back to bite us.

Link: http://www.modsynergy.com/review217.html

IDAPT I3 Unversal Desktop Charger
URL: http://www.bcchardware.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=8484&Itemid=40
Quote:

In the end, the IDAPT I3 is a decent device and if it came loaded up with the iPod, Zune and NDS tips, I’d find it very useful. The option to pick four of your favorite tips is a great way to get the IDAPT configured for your personal use. Unfortunately, there is not Zune connector available and hopefully IDAPT will make the Zune one available in the near future. It does save a lot of cable clutter and our own Fujitsu was sharing his own personal pet peeve of having an entire power bar dedicated to charging different devices. . .

iPad versus Netbook-Tablet Hybrid Head to Head:
http://hothardware.com/Articles/Apple-iPad-Or-A-NetbookTablet-Hybrid-Which-Makes-More-Sense/

The iPad has arrived during an interesting time. It’s a time in which many consumers are re-evaluating their computing needs, and they’re trying to decide whether a full-sized notebook, a netbook, a tablet or something in between is best for them. The iPad has definitely driven more people than would traditionally consider a tablet, to investigate the iPad’s usage model. That said, does it really make sense to buy this device over a netbook, or better still, a netbook / tablet hybrid? We covered the ins and outs of Apple’s first tablet in our full review, but this article is intended to dig deeper and investigate whether an iPad or netbook / tablet hybrid is best suited for you. These two are the most similar of the machines currently available in terms of price, form factor and usability…

MSI WindBox Barebones-PC Kit @ Benchmark Reviews

DESCRIPTION: Not every computer needs to have a four million hertz processor and the world’s best video card. Just like power tools, some jobs require raw power while other jobs require more finesse. When the job at hand involves video, web applications, light gaming or light office work it doesn’t make sense to use a supercomputer or even a high-performance machine. This idea has become mainstream through the recent marketing of netbooks (internet notebooks) and video sharing devices, but even those platforms do not suit all light application needs. In this article Benchmark Reviews will test a nettop (internet desktop) from MSI; Wind Box model 6667BB-004US. This barebones PC kit is like an older, more capable sibling to the netbook. But how does it measure up against other alternatives?

ARTICLE URL: http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=493&Itemid=66

Lenovo ThinkPad X100e Ultraportable Review:
http://hothardware.com/Articles/Lenovo-ThinkPad-X100e-Ultraportable-Review/

ThinkPad loyalists may be some of the most picky in all of the notebook world, and many don’t take kindly to tweaks and overhauls of their favorite portable PCs. Lenovo was really going out on a limb with the X100e, as the 11.6" display and sub-$500 start point was obviously out of character for a ThinkPad. We know the ThinkPad Edge family has already branched out, but those machines were still of their own blood. There’s no mistaking that the X100e is yet another member of the "classic" ThinkPad line; from the blocked edges to the red trackpoint nub to the matte black finish, it really looks like a shrunken ThinkPad at first glance…

MSI Wind12 U230 Netbook w/ AMD Athlon Neo X2 L335 CPU Review @ Legit Reviews
Article URL: http://legitreviews.com/article/1269/1/

"Overall, the MSI Wind U230 is a great netbook with a solid construction feel that we like to see in any notebook. The adoption to 12.1" LCD screen is something we have seen evolve over the past year from the previously standard 10" screen size on netbooks. The market seems to have demanded a 12" netbook and companies like MSI have answered the call. We must also commend MSI for offering a netbook featuring the AMD Athlon Neo X2 L335 processor and the AMD ‘Congo’ platform. It definitely brought some excitement back in the netbook market as this chip is a viable competitor to the dual core Intel Atom counter-parts. We were very impressed with the U230’s dominating performance…"

‘Toshiba Announces Tecra M11 Laptop’
The "powerhouse road warrior" will sport i3 and i5 Intel processors.
The Full Article can be viewed at http://tech.tbreak.com/2010/04/toshiba-announces-tecra-m11-laptop/

Review of Comic Reader Mobi app for iPad

One of the apps released with the debut of the iPad was the Marvel comic book reader based on Comixology’s iPhone/iPod Touch app. Through this app readers can purchase digital comics online similar to buying music on iTunes. One drawback to this app is that you could not import digital comics from outside sources. This means folks with comic collections digitized into cbr, zip, rar and cbz formats are out of luck. Thankfully “there’s an app for that”. Comic Reader Mobi allows the transfer of digitized comics onto the iPad and make the books easily readable with an include zoom lens for magnifying print that may be too small for some people.

http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/review-of-comic-reader-mobi-app-for-ipad/

Review of Things for iPad

Today I’ll be looking at the iPad app iteration of Things. This version is designed to take advantage of the iPad’s strengths such as larger screen real estate and capacitive interaction. Its user interface is very reminiscent to the OS X version. Things for iPad can be used in isolation or in conjunction with the Mac version. Personally, I think using Things with both the iPad and Mac provides the best user experience.

http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/review-of-things-for-ipad/

Audio / Video:

Samsung SyncMaster XL2370 LED LCD Monitor Review @ Tweaknews
Article Url: http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/samsung_xl2370_led_monitor_review/
Article Snippet:
"Overall, the Samsung SyncMaster XL2370 is an excellent premium 1080p monitor for the consumer wanting to pay more to get a top of the line product. The picture quality, color reproduction and contrast alone makes up for the difference in cost and after a weeks worth of use, the money will be deemed a good investment."

Kodak EasyShare Z950 Digital Camera Review
Link: http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/976
Summary:Review of the Kodak EasyShare Z950, a 12-megapixel digital camera with Schneider-Kreuznach lens.

ASUS Xonar DX Dolby Gaming Sound Card

Summary: Nowadays it rarely seems that anyone use anything but onboard audio. Sure the sound is good and you get some of the effects you may want, but I can tell you there is still nothing like a good add-on sound cards.

Articles URL: http://www.modders-inc.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=313

AirLink 101 SpyIPCam747W Wireless Network Camera Review @ ThinkComputers.org

Review URL: http://www.thinkcomputers.org/airlink-101-spyipcam747w-wireless-network-camera-review/

Quote: “Personal surveillance is very important for a lot of people. Many of us own expensive things and what better way to protect them than with surveillance. So many people think that setting up surveillance can be very expensive, but with network camera it is not only inexpensive, but also very easy. Today we will be taking a look at the SpyIPCam747W which is a wireless network camera that also features pan and tilt control, motion detection, night vision, and 2-way audio transmission. Let’s take a look at the SpyIPCam747W Wireless Network camera and see if it’s perfect for your surveillan ce needs."

‘Five minutes with Panasonic about their 3D TVs’
Panasonic tells us why Plasma is better than LCD and why you should consider their 3D TV over their competitor.
The Full Article can be viewed at http://tech.tbreak.com/2010/04/five-minutes-with-panasonic-about-their-3d-tvs/

Samsung B2430: A Massive Monitor @ InsideHW

Summary:
The B2430 model, as well as the rest of the series, should present home users with a high-quality, affordable solution, a goal which we think is completely fulfilled, but since we still haven’t got the final retail price, we must restrain ourselves from any definitive conclusions.
Article link: http://www.insidehw.com/Reviews/Displays/Samsung-B2430-A-Massive-Monitor.html

Gaming:

Razer Imperator Gaming Mouse:
Swedish link: http://www.rbmods.se/content/14399/imperators-funktioner.aspx
English link: http://www.rbmods.com/content/21787/razer-imperator-gaming-mouse.aspx
Quote: It has been quite some time since we looked at a Razer product last. Today we are taking a look at their imperator mouse with features such as a moving thumb button, and 5600DPI according to the specifications. We are going to compare this mouse vs some high end mice on the market so lets take a closer look.

R.U.S.E. (Preview) @ GamingHeaven.net
"Wouldn’t it be great if there was a game that recreated the element of surprise at the heart of each conflict, one that would enable players to not only show the understanding of their arsenal but also genuine lateral thinking in the face of something unexpected?
That is the premise behind R.U.S.E. It may seem like a familiar rehash of things that have seen before. The World War II setting for example means that almost anyone will be familiar with the units, the setting and the factions."

http://www.gamingheaven.net/gamingreviews.php?reviewid=893

Assorted Stuffs:

Six Obscure Web Browsers You Might Love
http://www.techspot.com/guides/268-six-obscure-web-browser-to-love/
It used to be that Firefox, Opera and others were the "alternative" Web browsers, but in an age of forced ballot screens that’s not entirely accurate. In fact, one could say that the more experienced a user is the further and faster they run from Internet Explorer.

ATI Radeon HD 5000 Series Blu-ray HD Audio Bitstream Guide
QUOTE: "If you have followed the home theater PC space for the past few years, you would have noticed it is getting more attention from several big name players such as Intel, NVIDIA, ATI, ASUS, Auzentech, CyberLink and several others. They are all working pretty closely together to improve not only the video experience, but also the audio experience for your movie watching enjoyment.
The good news is that last year AMD announced that its Radeon HD 5000 series of video cards would all get bitstream audio support. AMD has been working with CyberLink who make the popular movie playback software called PowerDVD to get this up and running. So, not only does the video card provide your HTPC with 3D gaming capabilities, but also a premium audio experience."
http://www.tweaktown.com/guides/3236/ati_radeon_hd_5000_series_blu_ray_hd_audio_bitstream_guide/index.html

Bootable USB Drive, Flashing Nvidia GPU BIOS, Recovering from a Bad Flash @ Bjorn3D

Some days you wake up knowing exactly what you are going to do. Some days you wake up intending one thing and end up doing another. Today was one of those days. Often we get motherboards or GPU’s with early BIOS and as testing drones on you get updates. After a while it gets old yanking the one working floppy drive we have left out and booting to it to flash BIOS on GPU’s and motherboards. Well floppy disks haven’t been the greatest quality of late and it’s better to boot to a known good USB Drive than an iffy floppy that may have been on the shelf for years.
Having had to do that today it struck me that other people might want easy access to a ‘How to make a USB drive windows 98 bootable’ for flashing their boards. Hours later here I sit with pictures in hand, bootable USB drive flashing my GPU BIOS and half wondering how I got here.
All that aside lets get started. First we are venturing into making a USB Stick bootable then we’ll do a short how to flash an Nvidia cards BIOS thing (GTX-480 in this case). That’s easiest because that’s what we needed the USB Drive bootable for.
http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=1844

Gadget Show Live 2010 @ XSReviews

Review Link: http://www.xsreviews.co.uk/editorial/events/gadget-show-live-2010/
Quote: "While the press morning at the Gadget Show Live 2010 was fun, the rest of the day involved a lot more people and meant the stands were all in full swing with their displays and setups raring to go. This was when we got the bulk of out pictures taken and our hands shaken, so without further a do, here’s the rest of our Gadget Show Live 2010 coverage. "

Win a complete EVGA P55 barebones system @ Ninjalane
URL: http://forums.ninjalane.com/viewtopic.php?t=1746
Quote: One lucky winner will walk away with a great barebones system put together with parts from EVGA and Thermaltake. Contest Starts on April 9th 2010 and runs until May 9th 2010 @ 12 Noon MST. Entering is easy and the only prerequisite is that you be a member of the Ninjalane Message Forum.

Campus Party 2010 in Spain – Day 2

Now that everybody has arrived and settled in, the event is officially open since this morning. The welcome was presented by Cristina Garmendia, Minister of Science and Innovation. The case mods are installed, the dewars filled, let’s roll….
http://www.madshrimps.be/gotoartik.php?articID=1000

Gaj-it Weekly Round Up

iPad UK Launch Date Now Announced for Saturday 29th May 2010?
Review: HTC Desire Vs. Google Nexus One
Google Includes Site Speed in Search Rankings
Twitter App For BlackBerry Enhances Procrastination Facilities
iPad Jailbreak Courtesy of Geohot and Gang!

20 Open Source Programs To Maximize Your Windows Experience

The words “Open Source” and “Linux” go together like “Microsoft Office” and “Windows” – some things just naturally flow. However, open source programs on a Windows operating system is not as commonly thought of, even though it is more popular than you may think.

If you’re not looking at open source software to augment your Windows experience, then you could be missing out on some very capable and high quality software. To that end, we would like to present 20 of our favorite open source software choices for Windows, grouped by area of function.

http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/information/20-open-source-programs-maximize-windows-experience/