Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/10/intel-to-show-off-sandy-bridge-at-idf-next-week-amd-counters-wi/
Intel to show off Sandy Bridge at IDF next week, AMD counters with Zacate demo nearby originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 08:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Source: http://kotaku.com/5634003/budget-sub+150-solid-state-drive-round+up
We've come a long way from first generation drives that suffered from severe slowdowns, but solid state drives are still far from replacing traditional storage and this is easily explained by comparing cost per gigabyte.
Recently there has been a surging demand for drives that sacrifice space for speed and more affordable price tags, and manufacturers have been racing to deliver just that. The cheapest offering in our last round-up over a year ago came from OCZ. Priced at $270, the OCZ Agility 120GB cost almost twice the $150 limit we have imposed on the SSDs featured in this article.
With that price cap we've been able to include more than half a dozen drives using controllers from the likes of JMicron, Intel, Toshiba, SandForce and Indilinx. But while there is quite a bit of diversity in the controllers used by these affordable SSDs, like we mentioned before there is also something most of them have in common, a more limited storage capacity.
Most of the drives featured in this round-up offer 32GB - 40GB capacities, while a few others top out at 64GB. As limiting as a 32GB drive might appear, they can still be extremely useful in enhancing a PC's performance when set to run as the boot drive. These smaller drives can also accommodate for select programs where they can greatly speed up the use of the application, for example, Adobe Photoshop.
Gamers are likely going to want at least a 64GB drive considering many titles weigh in at more than 8GB these days. Thankfully, we were able to find a few good options that provide this kind of storage capacity for less than $150.
Today's round-up is comprised of the following contenders: OCZ Agility 2 40GB ($135), OCZ Vertex 2 40GB ($124), OCZ Onyx 64GB ($130), OCZ Onyx 32GB ($85), ADATA S596 Turbo 32GB ($83), Intel X25-V 40GB ($100), and the Kingston SNV425-S2 64GB ($125). In addition to these affordable SSD offerings we have added to the mix the Seagate Momentus XT ($135), a highly-touted hybrid drive that attempts to deliver the best of both worlds by offering huge storage capacity at a reasonable price, with the added performance boost of NAND flash memory for caching data.
We'll be putting each drive through a set of tests including four synthetic benchmark programs plus our own file copying and load time tests.
The Windows 7 boot time test begins from the moment the initial loading screen appears to the time the Windows desktop is fully loaded. As you can see all SSDs perform exceptionally well here and surprisingly there is very little difference between them.
The Intel X25-V 40GB stands out as the fastest drive taking an average of just 11.7 seconds to load a clean copy of Windows 7. The next fastest drive was the ADATA S596 Turbo 32GB which scored poorly in a couple of our write tests on the previous page.
The OCZ Vertex 2 and Agility 2 40GB drives delivered similar performance to that of the S596 Turbo 32GB while the Kingston SNV425-S2 64GB and OCZ Onyx 32/64GB drives were only slightly slower.
The Momentus XT does bridge the gap between HDD and SSD performance with a load time of 17.8 seconds. Although this is 27% slower than the worst performing SSD that we tested it is an incredible 36% faster than the Samsung Spinpoint F1 1TB hard drive which took 28 seconds to load Windows 7.
For the application load test we load the following applications into the Windows 7 startup: Internet Explorer, Outlook 2007, Access 2007, Excel 2007, PowerPoint 2007, Publisher 2007, Word 2007 and Photoshop CS4. The test starts when the Windows 7 startup sound loads to the time the final application is loaded.
This is where SSD technology really shines and we see this with all drives taking just 5 to 7 seconds to complete the entire task. Interestingly, it was the ADATA S596 Turbo 32GB and Onyx 32/64GB the only drives to crack the 6 second barrier. However with close results on all three runs it is difficult to determine a definitive winner. Let's just say SSD technology wins here.
We were surprised to see that the Momentus XT 500GB was slower than the Samsung Spinpoint F1 1TB hard drive in this test. Taking 32 seconds to load all eight applications at once is pretty slow going, particularly when a standard desktop hard drive did it in 26 seconds.
This test measures the time it takes to load Adobe Photoshop CS4 from the time we click on the icon to the time the program is completely loaded and ready to use. On an average budget SSD this takes roughly 2 seconds. The ADATA S596 Turbo 32GB was again the fastest SSD tested clocking an average time of just 1.9 seconds.
The Intel X25-V 40GB was the slowest taking 2.8 seconds on average. Still none of the seven drives test is going to allow you to make coffee while you wait.
Although the Seagate Momentus XT 500GB struggled with our previous application loading test it appears that this drive is very snappy when loading a single application as it delivered SSD-like performance.
This next batch of results was recorded when loading the last level from the single campaign in StarCraft II. The test began the second the load screen appeared and was stopped once the "click to play" message appeared.
Using a 3.5" desktop hard drive the game takes on average around 24 seconds to load this level. The Seagate Momentus XT 500GB was much slower loading the level in 39 seconds. By comparison the slowest SSD tested was the OCZ Onyx 32GB which took 23 seconds followed by the Intel X25-V 40Gb which took 22 seconds.
The fastest SSD test was the OCZ Vertex 2 40GB which completed the test in 18.7 seconds making it a fraction faster than the Agility 2 40GB and ADATA S596 Turbo 32GB drives.
Check out the rest of the article below.
Introduction
ADATA S596 Turbo
Intel X25-V
Kingston SNV425-S2
OCZ Agility 2
OCZ Vertex 2
OCZ Onyx
Seagate Momentus XT
Test System Specs
Benchmarks: File Copy Test
Benchmarks: Real-World Applications
Benchmarks: CrystalDiskMark 3.0
Benchmarks: AS SSD Benchmark
Benchmarks: Atto Disk Benchmark
Benchmarks: HD Tune Pro
Final Thoughts
Republished with permission from TechSpot.
Steven Walton is the chief hardware editor at TechSpot; he also runs his own review site Legion Hardware. TechSpot is a computer technology publication serving PC enthusiasts, gamers and IT pros since 1998.
Voice Actions was the catalyst for me to finally got me to root my G1 and put on CyanogenMod 6. When it was first announced, I thought it was weird that the "note to self" command sent an email to yourself. I'd've preferred that it be a calendar entry. Well, it's not that much extra work to get it to do that. Just set up your Google Calendar account to be able to work with their text messaging shortcode, GVENT (48368). Once you've done that, add GVENT to your contacts as something creative like Calendar. Now all you need to do is activate Voice Actions and say something along the lines of "SMS Calendar: Oil change on Saturday at 9." I choose to have it send texts from my Google Voice account, since it'll send a reply in confirmation; make sure you set communications up with GVENT with the phone number you'll be texting it from.
This tip, while seemingly small, reveals that Google Voice Actions can actually do a lot more than what is on the surface. We've featured many of these before—most cloud services nowadays offer SMS or email-based ways of managing them—but the compatible services are almost too numerous to list. Here are some of our favorite examples, though (most require you to enable something on the service's end, so click the links to do so before trying this):
d rtm (example: d rtm Pick up Milk on Monday at 5pm). You may have to type the rtm part manually, but you can do the rest by voice.@myEN or d myEN at the beginning of the message (example: @myEN Grocery list: Milk Eggs Chicken).tivo 30 rock to schedule a recording for 30 Rock.Really, the possibilities are endless, as so many services contain email or SMS support in one way or another nowadays. These are just a few of our favorites, so if you have your own that we didn't mention, share it in the comments.
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/09/pentax-announces-customizable-cameras-faceplate-swapping-rs1000/
Pentax announces customizable cameras, faceplate-swapping RS1000 and Lego-loving NB1000 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/09/microsoft-srs-team-up-on-surround-sound-for-silverlight-will-t/
Microsoft, SRS team up on surround sound for Silverlight, will this finally bring 5.1 to Netflix? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:08:00 EDT. Please see our t! erms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/09/acer-liquid-metal-wraps-android-2-2-in-aluminum/
Continue reading Acer Liquid Metal wraps Android 2.2 in aluminum
Acer Liquid Metal wraps Android 2.2 in aluminum originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/09/hdr-video-accomplished-using-dual-5d-mark-iis-is-exactly-what-i/
Continue reading HDR video accomplished using dual 5D Mark IIs, is exactly what it sounds like
HDR video accomplished using dual 5D Mark IIs, is exactly what it sounds like originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 17:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/10/viewsonic-mb-p702-the-color-e-reader-and-hd-video-player-you-di/
ViewSonic MB-P702, the color e-reader and HD video player you didn't yet realize you needed originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 03:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/10/kno-receives-new-funding-for-its-humongous-dual-screened-tablet/
Kno receives new funding for its humongous dual-screened tablet, still hoping to ship this year originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 05:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/10/ilovehandles-turns-nano-ipods-into-oversized-watches/
iLoveHandles turns nano iPods into oversized watches originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 05:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Source: http://gizmodo.com/5632821/researchers-successfully-translate-brainwaves-into-words
The trials, which involve placing a grid of electrodes directly on an epileptic subject's brain, are preliminary—only that one individual has been tested, and when the entire pool of words, ten in all, were used, they were only identified with 48% accuracy. But when limited simply to "yes" and "no," researchers were able read the brainwaves accurately 90% of the time.
Those results are extremely promising. Bradley Greger, a bioengineer at the University of Utah who worked on the studies, explains:
This is quite a simple technology … based on devices that have been used in humans for 50 years now...We're pretty hopeful that, with a better design, we'll be able to decode more words and, in two or three years get approval for a real feasibility trial in paralyzed patients.
With some paralyzed patients' means of communication limited to blinking their eyelids or wiggling their finger, this research has profound potential. [LATimes]
Source: http://gizmodo.com/5632911/working-tractor-beam-can-move-objects-5-feet-with-just-light
It's more than 100 times the distance achieved by existing optical "tweezers," the researchers say.
Not quite a simple grabby tractor beam, the new system works by shining a hollow laser beam at an object and taking advantage of air-temperature differences to move it around.
Moving objects with powerful light is not new - researchers have long been using optical tweezers to pluck bacteria-sized particles and move them a few millimeters. The U.S. Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu, won his Nobel Prize for work with optical tweezers. But Andrei Rhode and colleagues at the Australian National University say their new laser device can move glass objects hundreds of times bigger than bacteria, and shove them a meter and a half (5 feet) or more. Rhode says the 1.5-meter limit was only because of the size of the table where he placed his lasers - he thinks he can move objects up to 10 meters, or about 30 feet.
It works by shining a hollow laser beam around small glass particles, as Inside Science explains. The air around the particle heats up, but the hollow center of the beam stays cool. The heated air molecules keep the object balanced in the dark center. But a small amount of light sneaks into the hollow, warming the air on one side of the object and nudging it along the length of the laser beam. Researchers can change the speed and direction of the glass object by changing the lasers' brightness.
The system needs heated air or gas to work, so in its present incarnation it wouldn't work in space - sorry, Star Wars fans. But it could be used for a variety of purposes on Earth, like biological research or movement of hazardous materials.
Source: http://gizmodo.com/5633380/usb-30-hard-drives-so-fast-and-small-that-even-a-monkey-wants-them
The LaCie Rikiki and Minimus are some of the world's smallest mobile and desktop USB 3.0 hard drives available. The Rikiki will come in a 500GB capacity and cost $100 while the Minimus will offer a 1TB capacity for $130.
LaCie Introduces the Worlds Smallest Mobile and Desktop USB 3.0 Hard Drives
September 8, 2010 - LaCie debuts today sleek USB 3.0 hard drives for your desktop or pocket – the LaCie Minimus and LaCie Rikiki USB 3.0. Proving size does matter, LaCie delivers the industry's fastest transfer speeds at 5Gb/s* in its ultra–small Rikiki form factor – perfect for users that refuse to sacrifice performance for mobility; and the LaCie Minimus – for users that enjoy their terabytes as much as desk space.
Complementing their remarkably small sizes, the Rikiki and Minimus hard drives are encased in sturdy brushed aluminum for an elegant aesthetic appeal. The aluminum offers resilience from blunders, improved heat dissipation, and is fully recyclable.
Designed to be simple from the inside out, the Rikiki and Minimus come with LaCie's Software Suite to ensure seamless setup and backup support for Mac or PC. Additionally, each product comes with 10GB of Wuala online storage so you can securely store and share files online.
"The Minimus and Rikiki USB 3.0 offer our customers easy and affordable options to access the super speeds of USB 3.0," said Philippe Rault, LaCie Consumer Product Manager. "Since these products offer backward compatibility with USB 2.0, they will work on any PC or Mac with no worry."
Availability
The LaCie Rikiki USB 3.0 is available in a 500GB capacity at $99.99. The LaCie Minimus is available in a 1TB capacity at $129.99. Both products are available through the LaCie Online Store, LaCie Corner, and LaCie Reseller+. For more product information, visit www.lacie.com.
* Based on theoretical rate given by the USB–IF. More info on www.usb.org
Source: http://gizmodo.com/5633557/dual+screen-kno-tablet-will-be-available-by-years-end
After being shown off at the D8 event in June, we were bowled over by the idea of having two capacitive IPS screens, measuring 14.1-inches each. That's a seriously large tablet, but could be the closest thing we see to Microsoft's Courier, which has now been binned.
Running on a Tegra 2 chip with 16GB of storage, we're not quite sure what warrants investor Marc Andreessen's claims that the Linux device will be the "most powerful tablet anyone has ever made" (considering other Tegra 2 tablets exist, such as Toshiba's Folio), but perhaps they're holding a few cards back for now.
It sounds expensive, doesn't it? The company's CEO Osman Rashid claims it'll cost under $1,000, though a tablet's got to be nearer $500 for most to even consider it. Especially students, who the tablet is said to be aimed at. Kno wants to offer college textbooks through an app store, which will allow them to draw on the pages and take notes like a lot of the ereaders nowadays. However, Kno plans to use webkit, so the textbooks can be transferable between the tablet and other devices—smells like a pricey way of pirating schoolbooks to me, however pretty the device may be. [TechCrunch]
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/08/zotac-introduces-id33-and-id34-zbox-mini-pcs-complete-with-atom/
Continue reading Zotac introduces ID33 and ID34 Zbox mini PCs, complete with Atom D525 and Blu-ray
Zotac introduces ID33 and ID34 Zbox mini PCs, complete with Atom D525 and Blu-ray originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 20:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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