Xtreme PC News

Be Quiet! Dark Rock Advanced Review

2012-03-05T16:50:00.000+00:00

Be Quiet! are perhaps not the biggest and most reputable company when it comes to high performance air coolers, people tend to think of the likes of Noctua and Thermalright for that kind of title. However, Be Quiet! aren’t trying to be that kind of company. Be Quiet! as the name would suggest are a company dedicated to creating products that are able to combine high performance with low noise.

The Dark Rock Advanced is a very good example of this. You may have heard of the Dark Rock series before, it has certainly been a well received product line. It comes in two forms, the Dark Rock Pro which costs around £55 and contains dual 120mm Silent Wings PWM fans in a push-pull configuration. The second form is the Dark Rock Advanced, the one we have here today, which features a single 120mm Silent Wings PWM fan which is intended for processors that will produce ‘less heat’ and therefore not warrant two fans. The Dark Rock Advanced costs around £40. Although, don’t be mistaken as this Dark Rock Advanced is still capable of taking on 180W of thermal output from a processor.

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Intel to debut HD P3000 workstation graphics series

2012-01-24T16:11:00.000+00:00

While it is obvious from all forms of testing that Intel's graphics royally fail at gaming, it is also just as apparent that their graphics cores are quite capable in a workstation environment being particularly strong at encoding and rendering. Currently Nvidia's Quadro series and AMD's FirePro series dominant the workstation environment. Using Nvidia's FX 580 as a baseline (which costs rougly £160/$180) Intel claims the HD P3000 graphics it has integrated onto its newest Xeon CPUs offer the same if not better performance resulting in no need to have an FX 580 and therefore a $150-$200 saving.

This should give Intel CPUs even more of a competitive edge in the workstation environment if they didn't have it already. Since now cheaper AMD alternatives are not that cheap as you would still need to purchase a separate GPU for them. The new Professional grade Intel graphics are going to get certification for PhotoShop, AutoCAD, Solid Edge and 3DS Max which will really give Intel a foothold in the workstation graphics market.

Source: VR-Zone

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Cougar preparing the Evolution BO PC case

2012-01-24T16:07:00.001+00:00

German company Cougar is planning the launch of its Evolution BO case in the near future. This 'Super Midi-Tower' variant is a spin off from the currently available Evolution model and features a black and orange color scheme, a steel structure, support for micro ATX and ATX motherboards, and a top-mounted 3.5-inch/2.5-inch SATA drive dock.

The Evolution BO measures 223 (W) x 523 (D) x 514 (H) mm, and has an I/O panel with two USB 2.0 and two USB 3.0 ports, a built-in fan controller, six external 5.25-inch bays (with tool-free mounting systems), four internal 3.5-inch trays, eight PCI slots, one 120 mm Vortex HDB fan installed at the rear (up to six more fans can be installed), and two pre-drilled holes for watercooling tubing (found at the back).

According to Cougar, the Evolution BO will hit stores priced at 99 Euro.

Source: Press Release

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Intel preparing two new mobile CPUs

2012-01-24T16:06:00.002+00:00

There is just three months until Ivy Bridge hits the shelves and more details of Ivy Bridge processors emerge. This time they are in the realm of the mobile processors. Fitted for Intel's BGA socket, which is for mobile and embedded devices, the two new CPUs we have been informed of are the Core i3-3120ME and Core i3-3217UE both of which offer impressive performance for low TDPs of just 35W and 17W respectively. Both processors will share some common features:

Dual Cores
22nm Ivy Bridge architecture
Hyper Threading
3MB L3 Cache
PCI-E 2.0 not 3.0
HD 4000 graphics (thats Intel HD 4000 graphics not ATi/AMD)
DDR3-1600 Memory support as well as ECC.

The Core i3-3120ME features two cores at 2.4GHz with 4 threads on a 35W TDP which makes it as fast as the fastest Sandy Bridge based mobile i3 (i3 2370M) . Like the Sandy Bridge chip, the i3-3120ME has 650 MHz frequency of the graphics processing unit, albeit the maximum GPU turbo frequency will be lower than on the 2370M, only 900 MHz.

Currently, there are three Ultra-Low Voltage Core i3 processors, and the fastest from them, Core i3-2367M, is clocked at 1.4 GHz. Upcoming Core i3-3217UE will feature 200 MHz higher core frequency. Integrated HD 4000 graphics on this chip will operate from 350 MHz stock speed and up to 900 MHz. The CPU will fit into 17 Watt power envelope.

Source: CPU World

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Antec announce Three Hundred Two Case

2012-01-24T16:05:00.003+00:00

The Three Hundred Two enclosure is perfect for gamers, system integrators and casual builders alike because of its extensive cooling advantages and expandability.

High Performance Cooling Advantages - The Three Hundred Two is built for maximum cooling thanks to its perforated front bezel, included dual TwoCool fans, and four optional fans, including a 120 mm CPU exhaust fan behind the motherboard, to ensure gamers can play beyond the long hours of the night.

Extensive Compatibility and Expandability - The Three Hundred Two utilizes eight expansion slots for up to three 12.5" (318 mm) graphics cards for compatibility with the largest GPUs.

Intelligent Design – This enclosure has removable, washable PSU and front intake air filters, along with a cable management system that features four strategically placed holes and 3 cm of space behind the motherboard tray. It's even easier for builders to start using their new PC right away thanks to the Three Hundred Two's three 5.25" and five 3.5" tool-less drive bays.

"The Three Hundred Two is an excellent enclosure for those who want to build a reliable, long-lasting PC," said Mafalda Cogliani, Global Marketing Director for Antec. "The enclosure has great cooling and expandability options, making it the perfect choice for anyone looking to build a new and affordable gaming PC with high functionality and design."

The Three Hundred Two is available now through distributors and resellers for $79.95.

Detailed Specifications:

- 11 drive bays:

3 x 5.25" tool-less drive bays
2 x 2.5" drive bays (dedicated)
6 x 3.5" tool-less drive bays

- Motherboards: Standard ATX, micro ATX, Mini-ITX

- 8 expansion slots

- Maximum graphics card size: 12.5" (318 mm)

- Maximum CPU cooler height: 6.7" (170 mm)

- Cooling System:

1 x 120 mm rear TwoCool fan
1 x 140 mm top TwoCool fan
2 x 120 mm front intake fans (optional)
1 x 120 mm side intake fan (optional)
1 x 120 mm side exhaust fan behind motherboard (optional)

- Perforated front bezel for maximum air intake

- Water cooling support: top water cooling grommets

- Enlarged CPU cutout

- Front I/O ports:

2 x USB 3.0 with internal motherboard connector
Audio In/Out

- No power supply included

- Unit Dimensions

513 mm (H) x 229 mm (W) x 471 mm (D)
20.2" (H) x 9" (W) x 18.5" (D)

- Package Dimensions

565 mm (H) x 290 mm (W) x 525 mm (D)
22.2" (H) x 11.4" (W) x 20.7" (D)

- Net Weight: 15.3 lb (6.9 kg)

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AIDA64 v2.20 is released

2012-01-24T14:20:00.000+00:00

The company FinalWire has announced:

the immediate availability of AIDA64 Extreme Edition 2.20 software, a streamlined diagnostic and benchmarking tool for home users; and the immediate availability of AIDA64 Business Edition 2.20 software, an essential network management solution for small and medium scale enterprises.

The new AIDA64 update further enhances its System Stability Test module with OpenCL GPGPU stress test, and implements optimized 64-bit benchmarks for Intel Atom“Cedarview” processors and for the upcoming Intel Core “Ivy Bridge” APUs.
“According to our evaluations, with the new AIDA64 System Stability Test an outstanding system power draw and heat dissipation can be achieved” said Tamas Miklos, managing director of FinalWire. “AIDA64 has become a comprehensive test suite that not only measures performance of desktop computers, notebooks and servers, but also helps to reveal overheating and stability issues with a complete set of stress testing and hardware monitoring capabilities.”
New features & improvements

OpenCL GPGPU Stress Test

Support for Intel Atom “Cedarview” processors

Support for Intel Core “Ivy Bridge” APUs and Intel 7-Series chipsets

ACPI 5.0 and OpenCL 1.2 support

GPU details for AMD Radeon HD 7970 and nVIDIA GeForce GT 640

More details about the new AIDA64 features are available here.

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Full HD 7950 Specifications Revealed

2012-01-24T12:46:00.000+00:00

We have already seen a bit on the way of the HD 7950's performance which shows us that it places itself between a GTX 580 and HD 7970, but what are the actual specifications of the HD 7950? Well in the way of transistors and the chip we can see that the HD 7950 is identical to the HD 7970 containing 4.313 billion transistors on a 365mm squared die. With regards to memory the HD 7950 packs 3GBs of GDDR5 running at 240GB/s. The card also has 32 ROPs much like the HD 7970 does, the only real difference we can see is 1792 Radeon Cores or shaders compared to the 2048 which the HD 7970 has.

Clock speeds and memory bandwidth to some extent is to be taken with a pinch of salt as there are lots of models out there and until we know what the reference clock speeds are this could quite well be a factory overclocked model. But as far as the architecture goes things look promising as the HD 7950 appears to be a slightly less powerful HD 7970 and if priced well enough it could make an absolute steal of a card in terms of price/performance ratios.

Source: DonanimHaber

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HD 7950 gets benched

2012-01-24T12:04:00.001+00:00

The HD 7970 has been with us for quite a while now and its performance is impressive to say the least. Now the HD 7950 is nearly upon us and early indications of performance show that the card slots nicely in between the 7970 and GTX 580. When running on stock settings the HD 7970 falls roughly in between Nvidia's GTX 580 and AMD's $500 HD 7970. Whilst with overclocking a performance leap from P6139 to P7056 can be achieved. This means that when overclocking the 7950 you can almost reach stock performance of the 7970 graphics card. Considering the 7950 is likely to be much cheaper than the 7970 this could work out to be a really well priced sweet spot graphics card from AMD. Watch this space.

Results below:

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New OCZ SSD Firmware improves Octane performance

2012-01-24T11:46:00.002+00:00

OCZ's performance level solid state drive line, known as Octane, has been delivered a rather welcomed firmware fix. The fix which takes the firmware version from 1.12 to 1.13 brings with it a substantial performance increase in the IOPs that the Octane drives can now sustain. All of the Octane drives are SATA III so run of the latest NAND flash which is still relatively young. Much like we see the performance of graphics mature as drivers do solid state drives work in the same way. The new firmware increases the efficiency of the Indilinx controller and NAND flash memory chips allowing the following improvements in the IOPs:

As you can see on the 128GB and 256GB models there is doubling in performance whilst the 512GB drive has about an 80% improvement. You can pick up the latest firmware update for your Octane SSD here, OCZ recommends not doing the latest firmware update unless you have the required experience to do so.

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Kingmax announce 2200MHz 4GB modules

2012-01-23T20:04:00.000+00:00

The new series of DDR3 quad channel overclocking module from KINGMAX is designed for optimizing the maximum performance on X79 related motherboard. The main clock rate of this series is set as 1333 MHz, but it is also available in 1600MHz, 2000MHz and 2200MHz. Intel X79 is an upgrade from the previous X58 series, thus building on the X79 platform means KINGMAX’s DDR3 quad channel overclocking module offers even better performance and system stability. Moreover, this series of modules unleashes the top performance of Intel Core i7-3930K processor and takes gamers, overclocking enthusiasts and digital content producers to a never –before level of experience.

KINGMAX DDR3 module utilizes only the IC chips of highest quality to ensure each module is 100% compatible to other hardware and is Intel XMP (Extreme Memory Profiles) ready so it is able to auto execute overclocking. KINGMAX‘s exclusive TinyBGATM technology is applied to produce chips that are small, cools down fast, low power consumption, less electrical interference and various advantages. Thus making overclocking accessible even for entry-level overclocking enthusiast.

KINGMAX DDR3 2200MHz quad channel overclocking Memory Series is manufactured under a lead-free production process. All products adhere to the RoHS standard, and are certified by CE and Intel XMP. All KINGMAX products come with warranty to provide 100% satisfaction guarantee to customers.

KINGMAX DDR3 quad channel overclocking memory module series: 1333MHz / 1600MHz / 2000MHz / 2200MHz

Features:

Compatible to all DDR3 quad channel computer platforms
Intel X79 chips support
Manufactured under lead-free production process
TinyBGA Technology yields various advantages: chips are small, cools down fast, low power consumption, large capacity, less electrical interference
100% compatibility and stability
RoHs and CE certified

Specifications:

240-pin DDR3 1333MHz / 1600MHz / 2000MHz / 2200MHz
CAS-Latency: 1333MHz：CL=9, 1600MHz：CL=9, 2000MHz：CL=9 and 2200MHz：CL=10.
Capacity: quad channel– 4GB/8GB/16GB
Voltage: 1.5~1.6V
Lifetime warranty

Source: Press Release

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Arctic to sue AMD over 'Fusion' branding

2012-01-23T20:03:00.002+00:00

AMD has long been associated with the Fusion brand name. In fact when most people think of the term fusion within the world of hardware AMD's concept of mixing a graphics part and processor onto the same chip instantly comes to mind. Yet the company Arctic is reportedly getting ready to take AMD to court over its use of fusion. Arctic claims it was using the Fusion branding on its own power supply products before AMD even developed its own fusion products. You may think, surely this is just Arctic trolling? Well you would probably be sincerely wrong, in fact Arctic successfully registered this trademark way before AMD started using it. Arctic acquired the brand name "Fusion" from Boot Up International Ltd., and its Fusion trademark is valid in Europe. Still a sizable market for AMD.

However, what's even more interesting is that AMD doesn't actually use Fusion as branding for its products. Its only use of Fusion has been within slogans, for example the future is fusion as seen in the image above. AMD 'Vision' functions as the chief branding for its APUs so surely Arctic's claim is severely damaged by this fact. Further, AMD even renamed its "fusion architecture" to "heterogeneous architecture". Arctic could have grounds to claim that AMD's use of "fusion" may have hurt its brand or sales. This is one Arctic fishing expedition you don't want to miss. Surely if Arctic are to take AMD to court for its use of Fusion then it should do the same to Gillette? Watch this space.

Source: Heise.de

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Gigabyte to make VIA powered mini-ITX motherboard

2012-01-23T20:02:00.004+00:00

Gigabyte Technology has recently unveiled another Mini-ITX motherboard, one M7V90PI which is based around VIA's VX900 chipset and is equipped with one Nano U3300 (1.2 GHz) single-core processor.

Aimed for the embedded market, the M7V90PI also packs (just) one DDR3 SO-DIMM slot, Chrome9 HD (DirectX 9) integrated graphics, a VIA Vinyl VT1708S audio codec, two SATA 3.0 Gbps ports, one PCIe x1 slot, Gigabit Ethernet, six USB 2.0 connectors, and D-Sub, plus DVI outputs.

Source: TPU

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Kingston Ships the SSDNow V+200 Solid State Drives

2012-01-20T10:39:00.000+00:00

Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced the latest addition to its SSDNow family, the SSDNow V+200. The new Kingston SSDNow V+200 solid-state drives are the ideal high-performance upgrade solution for the performance minded yet cost-conscious business or home user.

The SSDNow V+200 features the second-generation high-speed SATA 3.0 (6 Gb/s) SandForce SF-2281 Processor and outstanding sequential read and write speeds of up to 535 MB/s and 480 MB/s. The SSDNow V+200 enables fast system start-up, rapid data access and speedy copying of large files such as videos, presentations and graphics illustrations.

The SSDNow V+200 is available in 60 GB, 90 GB, 120 GB, 240 GB and 480 GB capacities as either a stand-alone drive or as an upgrade kit to make installation easy and quick. Upgrade kits include cables, brackets, cloning software and HDD enclosure - everything the business or home user needs to get started.

A video of the new SSDNow V+200 can be found here.

Kingston SSDs are backed by a three-year warranty and 24/7 live technical support.

Kingston SSDNow V+200 Features & Specifications:

- Dramatic performance for any system upgrade

- Multiple Capacities: the right capacity to meet your storage standards

- Endurance: Data Integrity Protection featuring DuraClass Technology

- Dependable: RAISE for advanced data reliability

- Secure: Self-encrypting drive technology

- Durable: DuraWrite optimizes writes to extend endurance

- Form Factor: 2.5"

- Interface: SATA Rev. 3.0 (6 Gb/s), SATA Rev. 2.0 (3 Gb/s), SATA Rev. 1.0 (1.5 Gb/s)

- Capacities: 60 GB, 90 GB, 120 GB, 240 GB, 480 GB

- Sequential reads:

SATA Rev. 3.0: 535 MB/s
SATA Rev. 2.0: 280 MB/s

- Sequential writes:

SATA Rev. 3.0: 60 GB - 460 MB/s; All Others 480 MB/s
SATA Rev. 2.0: 260 MB/s

- Sustained Random 4k Read/Write

60 GB - 12,000/47,000 IOPS
90 GB - 20,000/47,000 IOPS
120 GB - 20,000/44,000 IOPS
240 GB - 36,000/43,000 IOPS
480 GB - 43,000/30,000 IOPS

- Max Random 4k Read/Write

60 GB - 85,000/60,000 IOPS
90 GB - 85,000/57,000 IOPS
120 GB - 85,000/55,000 IOPS
240 GB - 85,000/43,000 IOPS
480 GB - 75,000/34,000 IOPS

- Power Consumption: 0.565 W (TYP) Idle / 1.795 W (TYP) Read / 2.065 W (TYP) Write

- Storage Temperatures: -40° C to 85° C

- Operating Temperatures: 0° C to 70° C

- Weight: 115g

- Vibration Operating: 2.17G

- Vibration Non-operating: 20G

- MTBF: 1,000,000 Hrs

- Warranty/Support: three-year warranty with 24/7 support

Source: Press Release

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Intel top off exceptional year with record $54 billion revenues

2012-01-20T10:38:00.001+00:00

Intel Corporation today reported full-year revenue of $54 billion, operating income of $17.5 billion, net income of $12.9 billion and EPS of $2.39 - all records. The company generated approximately $21 billion in cash from operations, paid dividends of $4.1 billion and used $14.1 billion to repurchase 642 million shares of stock.

For the fourth quarter, Intel posted revenue of $13.9 billion, operating income of $4.6 billion, net income of $3.4 billion and EPS of 64 cents. The company generated approximately $6.6 billion in cash from operations, paid dividends of $1.1 billion and used $4.1 billion to repurchase 174 million shares of stock.

"2011 was an exceptional year for Intel," said Paul Otellini, Intel president and CEO. "With outstanding execution the company performed superbly, growing revenue by more than $10 billion and eclipsing all annual revenue and earnings records. With a tremendous product and technology pipeline for 2012, we're excited about the global growth opportunities presented by Ultrabook systems, the data center, security and the introduction of Intel-powered smartphones and tablets."

Business Outlook

Intel's Business Outlook does not include the potential impact of any mergers, acquisitions, divestitures or other business combinations that may be completed after Jan. 19.
Q1 2012 (GAAP, unless otherwise stated)
- Revenue: $12.8 billion, plus or minus $500 million.
- Gross margin percentage: 63 percent and 64 percent Non-GAAP (excluding amortization of acquisition-related intangibles), both plus or minus a couple percentage points.
- R&D plus MG&A spending: approximately $4.4 billion.
- Amortization of acquisition-related intangibles: approximately $75 million.
- Impact of equity investments and interest and other: approximately zero.
- Depreciation: approximately $1.5 billion.
Full-Year 2012 (GAAP, unless otherwise stated)
- Gross margin percentage: 64 percent and 65 percent Non-GAAP (excluding amortization of acquisition-related intangibles), both plus or minus a few percentage points.
- Spending (R&D plus MG&A): $18.3 billion, plus or minus $200 million.
- R&D spending: approximately $10.1 billion.
- Amortization of acquisition-related intangibles: approximately $300 million.
- Depreciation: $6.5 billion, plus or minus $100 million.
- Tax Rate: approximately 29 percent.
- Full-year capital spending: $12.5 billion, plus or minus $400 million.

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Cooler Master unveil X6 CPU coolers

2012-01-20T10:12:00.001+00:00

Cooler Master, an industry leading enclosure, thermal solution, peripheral, and accessory manufacturer, showcases a tribute to their effort to continually innovate. The X6 CPU Cooler has arrived and is a daring new take on high performance cooling and design.

Bold Design and Innovative Features

Designed for overclockers and gamers, X6 is adorned in a satin black finish with crimson red fan blades and accents. The heatsink employs a unique honeycomb fin structure to maximize surface area for cooling. This is used in conjunction with an angled base that acts as a means to increase overall airflow throughout the chassis. Clever air duct deployment on the outer shell directs airflow to pass over critical cooling areas. X6 also comes equipped with a high performance PWM controlled fan that can be adjusted via BIOS or OS-based motherboard tuning applications.

Quick-snap for Easy Maintenance and Installation
Ease of use is often applied to mounting systems or other system components, but fan attachment can wind up being neglected. X6 breathes new life into this lost path by coming with time-saving quick-snap fan brackets that make installation and removal a simple affair. These quick-snap brackets means that fan maintenance times will become significantly shorter. Simply release a few tabs and the fan is free to be cleaned. Reattach everything in a few seconds and go back to enjoying the immense cooling power of the X6.

Gaming on a Budget
X6 Elite, the answer to building the best looking and performing gaming system on a budget. Much like Cooler Master Elite Series cases represent the best value for dollar in DIY system building, X6 Elite joins the fray to do the same for CPU Cooling in the U.S. and Canada. It focuses less on aesthetic flair and incorporates minor changes to performance to achieve a well balanced setup. Whichever the choice may be, X6 and X6 Elite represent excellent choices for users of every level.

Source: Press Release

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World IPv6 launch readying for implementation

2012-01-20T10:04:00.000+00:00

Major Internet service providers (ISPs), home networking equipment manufacturers, and web companies around the world are coming together to permanently enable IPv6 for their products and services by 6 June 2012.

Organized by the Internet Society, and building on the successful one-day World IPv6 Day event held on 8 June 2011, World IPv6 Launch represents a major milestone in the global deployment of IPv6. As the successor to the current Internet Protocol, IPv4, IPv6 is critical to the Internet’s continued growth as a platform for innovation and economic development.

ISPs participating in World IPv6 Launch will enable IPv6 for enough users so that at least 1% of their wireline residential subscribers who visit participating websites will do so using IPv6 by 6 June 2012. These ISPs have committed that IPv6 will be available automatically as the normal course of business for a significant portion of their subscribers. Committed ISPs are:

AT&T
Comcast
Free Telecom
Internode
KDDI
Time Warner Cable
XS4ALL

Participating home networking equipment manufacturers will enable IPv6 by default through the range of their home router products by 6 June 2012. Committed equipment manufacturers are:

Cisco
D-Link

Web companies participating in World IPv6 Launch will enable IPv6 on their main websites permanently beginning 6 June 2012. Inaugural participants are:

Facebook
Google
Microsoft Bing
Yahoo!

Content delivery network providers Akamai and Limelight will be enabling their customers to join this list of participating websites by enabling IPv6 throughout their infrastructure.

As IPv4 addresses become increasingly scarce, every segment of the industry must act quickly to accelerate full IPv6 adoption or risk increased costs and limited functionality online for Internet users everywhere. World IPv6 Launch participants are leading the way in this effort.

For more information about World IPv6 Launch, products and services covered, as well as links to useful information for users and information about how other companies may participate, visit World IPv6 Launch.

About the need for IPv6

IPv4 has approximately four billion IP addresses (the sequence of numbers assigned to each Internet-connected device). The explosion in the number of people, devices, and web services on the Internet means that IPv4 is running out of space. IPv6, the next-generation Internet protocol which provides more than 340 trillion, trillion, trillion addresses, will connect the billions of people not connected today and will help ensure the Internet can continue its current growth rate indefinitely.

About the Internet Society

The Internet Society is the world’s trusted independent source of leadership for Internet policy, technology standards and future development. Based on its principled vision and substantial technological foundation, the Internet Society works with its members and Chapters around the world to promote the continued evolution and growth of the open Internet through dialog among companies, governments, and other organizations around the world. For more information, see InternetSociety.org.

Source: Press Release

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MSI breaks multiple records with its X79 boards

2012-01-19T22:23:00.000+00:00

MSI X79 mainboards with Military Class III components have unanimously proven to be the fastest X79 based mainboards in the world. American overclocker Turn&Burn succesfully overclocked an Intel Core i7 3930K processor to a stunning record of 5.83 GigaHertz on a MSI X79A-GD65 (8D). The 182% overclocking value is the highest for Intel's "Sandy Bridge-E" processors. Meanwhile renowned Taiwanese overclocker Toppc used a MSI Big Bang-XPower II and Intel Core i7 3960X Processor to set a new record high baseclock 170.33 MHz. These records were made possible through MSI's exclusive use of Military Class III components on the MSI X79 Series mainboards.

Military Class III components

All MSI X79 Mainboards are equiped with Military Class III components. consisten of the new DrMOS II next-generation MOSFET with double thermal protection ensure safety while providing the highest efficiency and power output. Hi-c CAPs have very high efficiency and small form factor, ideal over overclocking or oversized CPU cooling. Super Ferrite Chokes (SFC) are more powerful and more efficient than Chokes employed on other mainboards and the all-solid capactors are the backbone of any long-lifetime product.

Source: Press Release

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New All in One PC from MSI

2012-01-19T22:05:00.002+00:00

The MSI AE2071 is equipped with high quality Military Class II components than have an optimal lifetime during heavy conditions. Thanks to the great connectivity possibilities like USB3.0 and HDMI-out, this AE2071 All-in-One PC can be connected to most multi-media devices. The MSI exclusive software which is bundled lets users sync and share multi-media files and important Outlook data. Next to these useful features, the MSI AE2071 is equipped with an LED display and is very environmental friendly and cost saving.

Military Class II

The MSI AE2071 uses the highest quality and most stable components like Super Ferrite Chokes, Solid caps and Hi-c Caps. These components provide unparalleled quality, extreme performance and superb efficiency. These Military Class II components are officially certified according to the US Department of Defense component standards.

Great connectivity possibilities

The MSI AE2071 is equipped with two USB 3.0 ports which provide a high-speed transfer rate up-to ten times faster than the traditional USB 2.0 and MSI's Super Charger technology which not only makes it possible to charge your USB device while the computer is switched off, but also reduces charging times up to 40%. HDMI-out is also supported for displaying videos on a larger display such as projectors and TVs.

File sharing and syncing

The MSI AE2071 is equipped with MSI's exclusive software. MSI's Smart Media Link lets you play multi-media files simultaneously on different devices in the same LAN or WiFi network. You can also synchronize important Outlook contact data, calendar information, photos, songs, video content, documents and even website bookmarks with other computers easily thanks to MSI's Smart Sync software.

Environmental friendly and cost saving

The LED panel on the AE2071 makes sure the display has a low energy consumption. When the All-in-One is not used, the display can be turned off without going to standby mode, saving even more electricity. This is not only good for the environment, but saves you a lot of money too.

AE2071 Technical specifications

Model	MSI AE2071All-in-One
CPU	Intel® Core™ i3-2130/ Pentium® G630 / Pentium® G620 Processors
OS	Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
Display	20" 1600 x 900 HD+ / MultiTouch screen
Chipset	Intel H61
Graphics	Integrate Intel® HD Graphics 2000 for Core i3 2130
	Integrate Intel® HD Graphics for G620 and G630
Memory	DDR3 2GB , 1333 MHz, (2G*1), Maximum 8GB
HDD	500GB 3.5” SATAII
Wireless	802.11 b/g/n
ODD	Tray-in DVD Super Multi
Card Reader	6-in-1(XD, SD ,mini SD ,Micro SD, MMC, MS)
Connectivity	Side: USB3.0x2, 6-in-1 Card Reader, Power
	Back: Mic in x1, Headphone out x1, USB2.0 x4, HDMI out x1, RJ45x1
Camera	0.3 megapixel camera and microphone
TV Tuner	Optional (PCI-E interface)
Keyboard/Mouse	USB Keyboard/Mouse
Wall Mount	Support standard VESA Wall Mount, optional wall mount kits
Dimension / Net Weight	513.2mm* 392.1mm* 87.7mm / 7.31kg
Power	90W

Source: Press Release

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Enermax launch Staray PC Chassis

2012-01-19T20:49:00.002+00:00

After its launch two years ago, the good-quality, pure and simple Staray case with its intensive Apollish light effects has successfully established itself on the market. Due to its excellent priceperformance ratio, the midi tower is still very popular amongst end users as well as professional system builders. To open up new target groups, Enermax decided to extend the case series with two new models.

ECA3175-L – The First-Choice Entry-Level Case

The new Staray model ECA3175-L is a low-budget midi tower with basic equipment. Compared to the first version ECA3170-BL/-BR, the exterior design remains mainly unchanged: The clear shapes and the stable, air-permeable mesh front meets the public taste and does not follow short-term market trends. ECA3175-L is delivered with a powerful 12cm front fan and can accommodate up to three additional fans at the rear and at the side. Thanks to the USB 3.0 front interface, the new Staray model also supports the latest high-speed standard. The port can be connected directly with an internal 19-pin connector, so that the inconvenient cable routing through the back of the case can be avoided.

ECA3175-S – The Best Choice for Silent PC

The second newcomer is directed to users of silent PC systems. The ECA3175-S is equipped with the extremely popular T.B.Silence fans. They offer a perfect balance between cooling performance and noise generation. Enermax delivers the midi tower with two 12cm T.B.Silence fans – one in the front and one at the back of the case. Furthermore, the manufacturer has modified the case interior: It is coated completely in black and comes with a cut-out behind the mainboard tray to simplify the CPU cooler installation. USB 3.0 belongs to the standard equipment of the new Staray version. ECA3175-S provides two high-speed USB 3.0 interfaces with internal 19-pin connector.

Prices and Availability

Staray ECA3175-L is now available, the second new model ECA3175-S with two pre-installed T.B.Silence fans will be launched in March:
ECA3175-L: £34.90
ECA3175-S: £44.90

Source: Press Release

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Sapphire to release Fusion powered Edge HD3 Nettop

2012-01-18T14:01:00.000+00:00

Sapphire's Nettop system the Edge PC has been around for a while now, with the last two generations being powered by Intel's Atom processor and Nvidia ION graphics. Now Sapphire have made a swap to AMD, not surprising given Sapphire is one of AMD's biggest partners. The new model is identical from the outside but with one key difference on the inside: an AMD E-450 APU is now present instead of an Intel/Nvidia combo. The E450 packs two cores at 1.6.5GHz with HD 6320 graphics alongside:

4GB of RAM, 320GB of mechanical storage, and built-in Wi-Fi. Around the back are USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports, HDMI and VGA display outputs, an Ethernet jack, and a pair of 3.5-mm audio jacks. Sapphire says the Edge HD³ is a "30W device;" there's actually a fan inside, but it sounded rather quiet to us.

Sapphire are saying this product should arrive in store by February the 1st with a price tag of about $300. Although, that price tag doesn't include an Operating system so you'll need your own Windows or Linux.

Source: TechReport

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Silverstone introduce KL04 mid-tower chassis

2012-01-18T13:39:00.001+00:00

When the first Kublai series chassis was introduced in 2007, it had innovative storage design that was ahead of its time. For the Kublai KL04, SilverStone engineers again looked to raise the bar with a design that can accommodate four 5.25” drive bays, nine 3.5” hard drives, and up to six 2.5” SSDs. This astonishing amount of storage capacity for a mid-tower chassis is unprecedented and comes with no compromise to compatibility.

Expansion cards or graphics cards up to 17 inches long can be installed without the need to remove hard drive cage and even with all hard drive bays filled, cards up to 12.8 inches can still be used. To cope with densely packed hard drive bays, repeated thermal tests and revisions were made to come up with an airflow layout that is capable of handling all hard drives installed without negatively affecting the rest of the system.

The right front positioning of the intake fans also helps to divert noise from leaking out directly to the front of the chassis. For 2.5” SSD or HDD mountings, the KL04 has specially designed cages that can be mounted in two locations depending on user needs. If you are looking for a chassis with server-like room for expansion but only limited footprint for a mid-tower, the KL04 is the choice.

Special Features:

Incredible ten 3.5” hard drive capacity
Flexible multi 2.5” drive slots
Beautiful SilverStone-styled front panel free of venting holes
Positive pressure design for effective dust reduction
Motherboard back plate opening for quick CPU cooler assembly
Support eight expansion slots cards up to 17 inches long
Quick access and removal for fan filters
Smart backside cable routing design

Source: Press Release

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Scythe announce Kaze Master II fan controller

2012-01-18T13:29:00.002+00:00

The Kaze Master II fan controller fits common 5.25 inch PC case bays and allows users to control up to 4 fans individually as well as monitoring of up to 4 temperature sensors. Fan speed is being adjusted using potentiometer knobs in the front panel. It is furthermore possible to slide-in the knobs to hide them after fan speed has been adjusted. Hence allows a very flat front-panel design, making Kaze Master II very suitable for pc chassis with front doors.

Wide voltage regulation range from 3.7 to 12 volts has been adopted from the earlier model, allowing more room for fan speed and airflow optimizations inside the PC Chassis. In addition difficulties with not spinning up fans have been solved. Kaze Master II supplies all fans with a stable 12 Volts Spin Up Voltage at the startup. After a short spin up period, previously set voltage will be applied.

Actual fan speed and temperature values of the 4 channels are displayed on the VF-Display (Vacuum Fluorescent Display). Temperature values can be displayed both in degrees Celsius or degrees Fahrenheit. Supported temperature range is specified between 0 and 100°C or 32 and 199.9°F.

Further new technological improvements have been applied to the safety features. Kaze Master II fan controller gives users the option to set an individual alarm temperature . It is possible to set the alarm temperature in 5°C or 41°F steps from 55 to 90°C respectively from 131 to 194°F. Reaching of the set temperature would result in a visual and audio alarm by the Kaze Master II fan controller.

Kaze Master II fan controller is furthermore featuring the new Power Feed Control function. This safety mechanism monitors the fan speed of each channel. In case one of the fans stops spinning (possible malfunction), Kaze Master II will cut the power after 15 seconds. All relevant information in regards to safety mechanisms is explained in detailed in the supplied multilingual user manual.

Scythe Kaze Master II fan controller (Model No. KM05-BK) is available in black color as of today for 33 EUR (excl. VAT/TAX).

Source: Press Release

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G.Skill establish RMA Centre in Europe

2012-01-18T13:27:00.000+00:00

Most of you will have heard of G.Skill, they are one of the better known RAM manufacturers that have rose to prominence in the past few years alongside the dominant presence of Corsair and Kingston. Now they are truly expanding their presence in Europe by establishing an RMA service centre in Europe. Designed to deal with faulty products the Return merchandise authorisation (RMA) service will set up in the Netherlands. The new RMA service will allow G.Skill to deal with every request in a time period of under 5 working days unlike before.

G.Skill had this to say on the matter:

G.Skill International Enterprise Co Ltd., a worldwide leading manufacturer of extreme performance memory and solid-state storage, today announces the establishment of Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) service center for end-users in Netherlands, Europe.
Align with G.Skill’s business strategy for growing customer segments, G.Skill’s RMA service center established aims to provide more efficient and effective RMA support throughout European region starting January 2012. End users in Europe will receive quick replacement within five working days for any G.Skill product identified faulty.

G.Skill guarantees that all RMA replacement products are new kits and fully-tested under G.Skill’s rigorous qualification procedure to ensure the maximum quality product. G.Skill customers can count on product quality as well as timely after-sale services across the European region.

All G.Skill memory products come with a lifetime warranty and the G.Skill technical team is always ready to provide consumers with complete technical support via online forums, telephone and email.

Source: Press Release

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Alienware introduce compact X51 Ultra Gaming system

2012-01-18T13:21:00.003+00:00

Alienware are attempting to lead the way when it comes to the compact gaming system. Their new X51 Ultra gaming systems will feature an ultra small form factor measuring in at just 343 x 95 x 318 mm (HxWxD). The X51 Ultra systems will feature Sandy Bridge processors a choice of either the i3-2120 or i7 2600. Slightly disappointing that there is no i5 2400 available or any other i5 as it means you can only go to either end of the spectrum of expensive and entry whereas the i5's would provide a nice spot in the middle. In terms of the graphics Alienware haven't gone mad: recognising a small form factor impedes airflow they have gone with mid range graphics cards offering either the GTX 555 or GT 545 from Nvidia (both OEM units). The front of the case features an optical drive, USB and audio ports.

The X51 Ultra comes with 4GB of 1333MHz as standard, again slightly disappointing as Sandy Bridge supports higher frequency RAM, also disappointing to see up to 8GB is the maximum available when it is so easy to get hold of a 16GB RAM kit these days. In terms of storage you can equip a 1TB mechanical drive or some SSD drives. Connectivity includes 7.1-channel HD audio with Waves MAXX Audio Software, gigabit Ethernet, Wireless b/g/n, optical and coaxial SPDIF audio outputs. The graphics card gives out HDMI and DVI outputs.

Source: Dell

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NZXT officially announce the Switch 810

2012-01-18T12:10:00.002+00:00

Built for the hardcore PC enthusiast, Switch 810 is the most versatile and highly adaptable full tower chassis to date. It enables you to easily modify cooling performance from extreme liquid cooling, to superb airflow, or whisper-quiet silence.

Switch 810 aggressively eliminates heat, boasting support for 280 mm radiators, up to ten 140/120 mm fans. One of the most noteworthy features is an industry-first, unique hybrid fins that you can close to minimize noise and dust accumulation or open to expose passageways for maximum airflow.

NZXT ensures maximum expandability with two removable HDD cages with a potential of up to 7 HDDs equipped with two pivoting 120/140 mm fans that direct airflow at 15⁰ to the VGA and CPU. There are 9 expansion slots for installing EATX motherboards with Quad SLI, or Triple crossfire. Multimedia access is optimized with high speed dual USB 3.0, a hard drive dock, and an SD card reader.

Switch 810 offers stress-free installation with immaculate wire management and tool-less 5.25" and 3.5"/2.5" SSD hard drive installation for easy accessibility. Additional features that solidify Switch 810 as the PC enthusiast's dream chassis include a rear white LED light added visibility in dark environments and an acrylic window lets you peer in at your masterful build.

"Switch 810 is truly the pinnacle of high performance computing" said Johnny Hou, Founder of NZXT. "It offers enthusiasts an array of advanced features intuitively implemented into one of the most unique designs we've ever created."

The Switch 810 is available for $169.99.

Source: Press Release

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