News and Links for Earth Day – April 22nd 2010

Kristofer Brozio | April 22, 2010 | Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Hey it’s Earth Day! Are you doing your part? Are you recycling? For that matter why are you reading this? Your computer should be turned off to save some electricity . Go plant a tree to make up for your power usage… Anyway, here’s the news for today:

Storage Related:

ICY DOCK MB561US-4S-1 Quad Bay External Enclosure Review @ ThinkComputers.org

Review URL: http://www.thinkcomputers.org/icy-dock-mb561us-4s-1-quad-bay-external-enclosure-review/

Quote: “Large volume external storage has also been and will remain to be popular just for the fact that many people do not have room inside their cases for extra hard drives. Also external storage allows you to easily use that storage on multiple systems with minimal effort. With the introduction of eSATA external drives can now be just as fast as internal drives so we have seen quite a few eSATA external enclosures released lately. Today we will be taking a look at the MB561US-4S-1 Quad Bay External Enclosure from ICY DOCK that features an internal port multiplier and both eSATA and USB 2.0 connections. Let’s take a look…"

A-DATA Nobility NH01 USB 3.0 Portable HDD Video Review
QUOTE: "When you think of A-DATA, in the past you would have only thought about memory modules and maybe some fancy looking cartoon character pen drives. These days the Taiwanese memory making company has really started to spread its wings into more than just traditional memory products. It now has a line of ultra fast performing solid state drives along with portable storage devices, one of which we are getting a look at here today.
We are today focusing our attention on the new Nobility NH01 portable hard drive. It’s a brand new product just released from A-DATA and promises some good performance since it connects to your computer via USB 3.0. SuperSpeed USB or USB 3.0 is a new connectivity standard designed to replace USB 2.0 and is able to offer up to five gigabits per second, or a massive 625MB/s."

Kingston 256GB DataTraveler Flash Drive @ PureOverclock

Review URL: http://www.pureoverclock.com/article963.html

“The Kingston 256GB DataTraveler 310 USB flash drive features hardware-based encryption in a small and sleek package, offering insane storage capacity in a beautifully small and portable format. Encryption, portability, and extreme capacity don’t come cheap though. Hellno. But we don’t care. It’s like the old Ferrari quip: If you have to ask how much it costs, then you can’t afford it. Let’s take this crazy little drive for a test drive and see what extreme demands and an extreme price tag get you these days in the world of portable storage.”

Hardware Canucks is pleased to present our review of the new Corsair Nova V128 SSD.

Article URL: http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/30146-corsair-nova-v128-solid-state-drive-review.html

Quote: The SSD market is currently cluttered with a massive number of companies who all seem to be peddling the same kit. Corsair is trying to distinguish themselves from their competition by releasing the Nova series which is aimed directly at first-time SSD buyers who want a perfect combination of performance and value. In this review we take a look at their 128GB version.

Corsair Force F100 SandForce SSD Test @ Benchmark Reviews

DESCRIPTION: The biggest mistake PC hardware enthusiast make with SSDs is grading them by their speed. File transfer speed is important, but only so long as the operational IOPS performance can sustain that bandwidth under load. Based on the high-performance SandForce SF-1200 SSD Processor, Corsair’s Force F100 solid state drive is in an excellent position to take the entire market. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the 100GB Corsair Force SSD CSSD-F100GB2 against some of the most popular storage devices available and demonstrates that 4K IOPS performance is more important than speed.

ARTICLE URL: http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=510&Itemid=60

Vantec NexStar3 SuperSpeed Hard Drive Enclosure @ [OC]ModShop

An external hard drive enclosure is very handy for several different types of people. Some like to have additional storage for their laptops, while others use their unit as a truly portable device for transporting files between home and work. With SuperSpeed USB you don’t have to sacrifice performance to have the convenience of a portable device.
Vantec has once again stepped in with a slick-looking external hard drive enclosure with the NexStar 3 SuperSpeed. It’s thin, shiny, and most importantly now supports the new USB 3.0 standard to unleash your hard drive’s true potential.

Review URL :: http://www.ocmodshop.com/ocmodshop.aspx?a=1752

TwinMOS Mobile Disk L2 32GB Flash Drive Review @ Vortez.co.uk
"The TwinMOS Mobile Disk L2 32GB is a good looking, convenient and nice performing flash drive. Depending on the release price it should be a really competitive model with plenty of capacity for the power user and good compatibility."
LINK:http://www.vortez.co.uk/review.php?id=157

NZXT IU01 USB Expander
Link: http://www.bigbruin.com/content/nzxtiu01_1
Quote: The NZXT IU01 is a simple device that could greatly enhance the functionality of any computer case. While it isn’t a must have item, it should have appeal to many enthusiasts who could either use some extra power to their front panel USB ports, use a few more internal USB connectors, or would like to mount some permanently connected USB devices inside their case.

Western Digital SiliconEdge Blue 256GB SSD Review on Technic3D

Link: http://www.technic3d.com/article-1065,1-western-digital-siliconedge-blue-256gb-ssd-volle-fahrt-voraus.htm

Translation Link: http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3a%2F%2fwww.technic3d.com%2Farticle-1065%2C1-western-digital-siliconedge-blue-256gb-ssd-volle-fahrt-voraus.htm&sl=de&tl=en&hl=&ie=UTF-8
Quote: "The Western Digital SiliconEdge Blue 256GB SSD with JMF618 controller arrived Technic3D. Available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB configurations. Results in mainstram performance with up to 250MB/s sequential read and 170MB/s sequential write speeds? We will check this against other SSDs from Corsair and Intel in Windows 7."

GSkill ECO 1600 MHz Memory.
SNIP:
JEDEC standards state that DDR3 memory has to be able to run at 1066MHz, 9-9-9-24 2T timings with only 1.55 volts. When DDR3 was first introduced a couple of years ago, it was suppoosed to use less volts then its predecessor, DDR2. DDR2 memory needed on average 1.85-2.0 volts and above to properly operate at its optimum frequency. DDR3 memory came in starting at 1.55volts, but because of the limitation of the socket 775 CPU’s (needing to use an MCP) the only true way of getting any serious performance out of DDR3 memory, people and companies alike were cranking the volts of their DDR3 memory modules past the 2.0 voltage mark, which kinda defeated the whole purpose of upgrading from DDR2 to DDR3. The required amount of voltage and the minor performance gain did not justify the added cost of this newer memory standard.
http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=1752

OCZ 4GB PC3-10666 Platinum Low Voltage Dual Channel OCZ3P1333LV4GK Review at Overclockers Online
Link:http://www.overclockersonline.net/reviews/ocz-platinum-4gb-pc3-1333mhz-memory/
Quote: Sometimes second impressions can somewhat bind up the wounds that the first impressions left behind. OCZ has delivered a solid product with the Platinum series line of DDR3 modules.

Corsair Nova Series 128GB Solid State Drive Review @ ThinkComputers.org

Review URL: http://www.thinkcomputers.org/corsair-nova-series-128gb-solid-state-drive-review/

Quote: “The Barefoot controller from Indilinx was all the rage last year, it was on many solid state drives we reviewed including the Crucial M225 and both the OCZ Vertex and Agility. It seems this year SandForce is getting a lot of attention, but don’t forget about the Barefoot controller. Indilinx’s new Barefoot controller, called the Barefoot ECO allows drive manufactures to use the 32nm Intel NAND flash rather than the 40nm NAND we are used to seeing in other Indilinx-based drives. Because of the smaller production process of the NAND chips this brings down the cost of the drive. Today we will be taking a look at the 128GB Nova Series Solid State Drive from Corsair that is based on Barefoot ECO controller and is less expensive than other drives based on the older Barefoot controller."

ASUS Blu-ray Combo Internal Drive
Summary: Today we are going to be taking a look at the future. OK, the future of the way we watch movies. Blu-ray is fast becoming the standard to watch your movies in sharp crisp images.
Articles URL: http:/ /www.modders-inc.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=312

Audio / Video:

Diamond USB Display Adapter Pro @ LanOC Reviews
DESCRIPTION: It wasn’t too long ago that multiple displays were considered to be a pure enthusiast sport. Nowadays, with both hardware and software becoming more multi-task friendly, even the average user can find themselves short of desktop area. If you have the luxury of built-in dual outputs on your video card, that’s great. But what if you don’t or what if you find yourself craving a third what do you do? And what about laptops, for that matter? Diamond Multimedia has developed an adapter to help in all those situations and more, and has sent us one to see for ourselves.

ARTICLE URL: http://lanoc.org/review/hardware/input-devices/3025-diamond-usb-display-adapter-pro

Audio Technica AT2020 USB Condenser Microphone @ Tech Lobby
Link:http://tech-lobby.com/2010/04/audio-technica-at2020-usb-condenser-microphone

Quote:
You don’t need to spend a fortune on fancy amps, equalisers or phantom power for good sound. With the AT2020 USB condenser microphone you just plug and play and you’ve got great studio quality recordings at the fraction of a cost. This is a great mic for beginners to enthusiasts. Check out the review for further info.

Auzentech X-Fi Bravura sound card video overview @ APH Networks

Description: APH Networks does a video overview of the Auzentech X-Fi Bravura sound card.

http://aphnetworks.com/news/2010/04/20/aph-tv-auzentech-x-fi-bravura-sound-card

refurbished 16GB SanDisk Sansa View
Quote:
"The Sansa View arrived safe and sound in a slightly unusual white OEM style packaging. The front label read in part an eye-crossing SanDisk E-70 Sansa View 16GB Video MP3 Player w/ Micro SD Expansion / Refurb. Opening up the box you find a USB cable, earbuds, and the Sansa view itself. Conspicuous in their absence are any drivers or user’s manual. These items are of course available online, but is it really too much to ask to at least include a CD with the drivers and an manual in .PDF format as well? I think not, but I’m just a single lonely hardware reviewer with a tiny little site, so what do I know anyway?"
Review Link: http://www.monster-hardware.com/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=150

Review of brite-View CinemaTube 1080p HD Media Player @ TestFreaks

I’ve taken a look at several media players here on TestFreaks and today I have another one, but unlike the previous kind I looked at. Today for review I’ve got the brite-View CinemeTube Media Player. You might recognize the name brite-View as I recently reviewed their power line networking kit, that kit was meant to work with this product I have for review today. It’s unlike other media players in that there is no storage on-board the unit itself, it is strictly a streaming media player. Yes you can attach a USB hard drive or even a thumb drive, but there is no storage inside the unit. The CinemaTube will not only stream video and audio, but you can use it to share photos and files on your network and it even has a built-in torrent client and even a program to use with Flikr for even further photo sharing. The CinemaTube features HDMI, Component and Composite outputs and an optical audio output as well. So read on to learn more..

Link: http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/review-of-brite-view-cinematube-1080p-hd-media-player/

Mobile / Notebooks Etc:

Asus’ U30Jc 13.3-inch notebook

What happens when you put a Core i3 processor, GeForce GPU, and Optimus graphics switching technology into a 13.3" laptop? Can such a system compete with the battery life of ultraportables, and is it worth the price premium?
http://techreport.com/articles.x/18778

Motorola Droid vs. HTC Incredible
"With the long-rumored HTC Incredible now unmasked and headed to Verizon in just days, many early reviewers claim it may be the finest Android handset to date. But how does this darling ‘droid stack up to the last Google-powered phone to that held that disputed title – Motorola’s Droid? Wonder no longer, we’ve stacked the two head to head to find out."
Link to the article:
http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/devices/motorola-droid-vs-htc-incredible/

Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t Multi-Touch Tablet / Netbook Review:
http://hothardware.com/Articles/Lenovo-IdeaPad-S103t-MultiTouch-TabletNetbook-Review/

The Lenovo S10-3t ("t" is for touch) is the latest iteration of the S10 netbook, and it’s also one of the first IdeaPad machines to incorporate Intel’s newest Atom processor. The 1.83GHz Atom N470 at the heart of the S10-3t should improve performance somewhat, and the inclusion of Windows 7 Home Premium also gives a fresh face to a line that was previously saddled with Windows XP. The design here has also been stepped way up, with funky overlays splattered about and a swivel display that can pivot 180-degrees in either direction or be flipped entirely to "iPad mode." We made that last bit up, but it can definitely become a full-on tablet with just a swing and a click…

Motorola Droid Smartphone
Review Link : http://www.bayreviews.com/electronics/5671-motorola-droid-smartphone
Quote : "I recently acquired the Motorola Droid smartphone from work after a co-worker left the company. You can say being in IT has it’s little perks. So since it was used, I didn’t get all the accessories that usually come in the box (AC adapter and manuals). But the old Micro USB chargers that came with my Blackberry Storm I still worked so it was all good."

Sony’s VAIO Z laptop and would love a link.

URL: http://www.businesscomputingworld.co.uk/?p=5200

Snippet: “When it comes to choosing a business laptop some people have it easy. In larger corporates you get what you are given, and while you might lust after whatever computer the person sitting on next to you on the train has, you know that you will have to live with what someone else has chosen for you. If you are in a smaller organisation you may get involved in the decision making process. If you work for yourself the decision is all yours to make. And if you are a top executive, well, then you might get to make your own decision too. When you are in control of the purse-strings, value for money really matters. So does paying as much as £2399 for a laptop, even one as thin, well designed and alluring as the Sony VAIO Z, have any kind of appeal at all?”

Review of AT&T Motorola Backflip @ TestTfeaks

Today for review I’ve got a phone from AT&T called the Motorola Backflip. This is the first Android phone from AT&T, and honestly it’s not the best example of Android out there. The Backflip is a clamshell or flip style phone, but it’s unlike any other out there, it flips backwards. The front of the phone is the screen and the back is the keyboard, the battery cover is actually inside of the phone when it’s closed. It’s a very interesting design that I’m still not sure I like very much. I do appreciate having the full keyboard, but keyboard is the back of the phone, not sure how well it will last being in your pocket or bag etc. The Backflip features the Moto Blur interface, and it works but not great. The phone is sluggish and fairly slow overall, it’s a bit underpowered to be honest, but call quality and battery life are very good. So read on to learn more about a rather unique Android phone…

Link: http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/review-of-att-motorola-backflip/

Assorted Stuffs:

Benchmark Buffet
Summary: Today we will take a high-level look into the world of benchmarking. More specifically, we will be looking at thirteen point scoring benchmarks listed at hwbot.org as well as the more common utilities used for overclocking and submitting scores to their system. We also touch on system information and monitoring programs.
SOURCE: http://www.overclockers.com/benchmark-buffet/

Your Chance At A Free Intel SSD @ Motherboards.org
Mother has a gift for you: A brand new Intel Solid State Drive.Take our new site survey and you’ll be entered into the drawing for the SSD. It only takes about 3 minutes and you’ll make Mother proud.

Take the survey here

More Great Tech Products That Didn’t Make It
Link: http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/blog/170
"Let’s look at more great products that didn’t survive –- and why they flopped."