LG E2360 dual-monitor setup adventure

Desktop real estate space is becoming an increasingly difficult topic to understand. On one hand, you have disciples of the old school who believe in fully utilizing desktop space, and insist on filling up every inch of empty space with an icon. Then you have the newer generation of zen hippies who believe that minimalism is key to getting into heaven, and that more than three icons on a desktop is a punishable sin. You also have the social media / Wall Street archetypes that run applications which are so big they require a screen of their own just to run in the background.

Review: Alienware M14x Gaming Laptop

Well, hello there… looks like we have met again, Alienware. Previously, we have reviewed two Alienware – the M17x in 2009 and the M11x in 2010; so, now it is time for the new M14x to be under the spotlight.

As per any given Alienware-branded entity out there, the M14x is one serious mean machine which goes beyond its physical design. Being one of two new Alienware laptops – M18x being the other one, not locally available for now – that were released in April 2011, the laptop comes equipped with second generation Intel Core i7 processors together with an Optimus-enabled NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M GPU. It is also equipped with a couple of other fierce hardware such as the options of either 7200RPM hard drive or a solid state drive as well as 1600MHz DDR3 RAM options up to 8GB.

So, how does the combination of these high performance hardware fares under our tests? Jump in to find out.

Logitech launches big sounds with the Z906 500-watt monster

Creating a worthy successor is never an easy task, and when you have a gargantuan reputation to live up to, the job only gets tougher. Logitech launched the Z906 surround speaker system earlier today, the successor to the highly acclaimed Logitech Z-5500 digital 5.1 speaker system, and after cranking it up for a couple of demo tunes, we’re happy to report that the engineers behind it have done their heritage proud.

Offering a massive 500 watts (RMS) of kidney jiggling power, the Z906 is THX certified and jammed packed with audio bad assery. The press release says that it’s powerful enough to shake your house, which is a claim that isn’t too far-fetched thanks to a 165 watt ported side-firing subwoofer. But since you’re more likely to be using it in your living room or bed room rather than to power up a feng tao joint, the crystal clear mids and trebles from the five 67 watt satellites, the on-board DTS / Dolby Digital 5.1 decoder, and the six audio inputs help it blend in perfectly with your existing entertainment system and is well equipped to churn out some mind blowing aural pleasure.

Story continues after the jump.

Celebrate World IPv6 Day by monitoring web traffic with Akamai

Behind the façade of all fancy and witty URLs lie a string of numbers called an IP address. IP addresses are also used to tell your web surfing mobile phone apart from your desk bound work station, pint sized tablet, and cloud-connected inkjet printer. In essence, anything that is connected to the internet has an IP address, and at the rate that technology is moving forward, we’re going to run out of fresh IP addresses pretty soon.

Since the world will probably implode once we run out of IP addresses, a new revision of the Internet Protocol structure called IPv6 was created to facilitate the world’s seemingly insatiable hunger for new IP’s.

Today happens to be World IPv6 Day and internet big boys like Google, Facebook and Bing are giving IPv6 a day-long test run. From a user point of view, nothing much will change. Typing www.google.com will still bring you to Google, but if you’re REALLY interested to see how web traffic is served throughout this 24-hour period, then hop onto the Akamai site at www.akamai.com/ipv6 and you’ll be treated to a real-time chart of IPv6 statistics. 

(Source: Akamai) 

 Article From: Lowyat

AMD at Computex 2011

Computex is always a great yearly event to look forward to as hardware manufacturers come out with new stuffs to get you excited for the year ahead. At the recent Taiwan Computex 2011, AMD launched its 9-series chipset lineup that allows PC manufacturers to build next generation high performance desktop platforms. Additionally, as the tablet market is growing rapidly, the company also unveiled its 2011 HD Tablet Platform that is based on the AMD Z-Series Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) that brings exciting entertainment features like a vivid media display and content creation capabilities to Microsoft Windows-based tablets.

“As consumer appetites for more compelling, lifelike visual experiences increase, there is a greater need for high performance, smooth, vibrant graphics as well as unparalleled computing power. From tablets to desktops, AMD is making powerful computing accessible to everyone.” – John Taylor, Product Marketing Director, AMD.

While the AMD 9-series chipset is the foundation for unlocking the highest-octane AMD desktop experience, providing an immersive HD entertainment and gaming experiences, extreme multitasking, tweaking, and overclocking, it is the first to support the AMD AM3+ socket processors (while being backward-compatible with the AM3 socket), enabling blazing fast performance. Additionally, they support clock rate management through AMD OverDrive Software. Other features includes up to 6 SATA 3.0 6Gbps hard drive interface ports, Gigabit Ethernet, HyperTransport 3.0 technology, and PCI Express Generation 2.0. The 9-series line of chipsets will be available on manufactures including Asus, Biostar, Foxconn Technology, Gigabyte Technology, Jetway and MSI.

There’s no denying that the tablet market is growing rapidly. With the availability of tablet devices from various manufacturers, Gartner research shows that by 2014, the tablet market is expected to exceed USD$200 million. The new AMD 2011 HD Tablet Platform will offer support for HTML 5, Adobe Flash 10.2 and external monitors, enabling crisp graphics for entertainments such as gaming, streaming of videos. All play and no work is not good either, it will also offer enterprise-level security, allowing IT policy makers to offer the convenience of tablets to an increasingly mobile workforce.

Hit the break for more information and pictures.

Don't Worry, Leave It All To Kaspersky

It doesn’t matter where you go and where you are, protection is important and protection; as long as you have a computer, you’re going to need something to protect you from the dangers of the Internet, but merely getting good protection is not enough especially if you have a family of several young users or run a small company full of employees. Kaspersky recently introduced a No Worries Plan aimed at providing its award-winning security solutions with added services not only to home users, but also SME and SMBs.

The No Worries Plan comes in a choice of Kaspersky PURE or Kaspersky Small Office Security (KSOS) solutions that not only comes with security software, but also support service that includes installation and setup of the security network plus training for those who are new to network security. Imagine going home after a tiring day only to discover all your computers are infected with virus, or imagine rushing for meetings and your server suddenly crashes, causing your company to lose money; the service will take away your worries by solving all these problems for you by trained technicians.

On top from the privileged services that will be provided by Kaspersky, the No Worries Plan will give subscribers an added bonus as it will come with technical support to semi-urban and rural users as well through free monthly visitation to selected outskirt areas.

“Many computer users in rural areas are facing difficulties in obtaining technical support for their security software products as there are few software professional around to assist. As a brand that champions cyber security awareness, we saw a need that could be filled for an important segment of Malaysian society and stepped in with a solution that meets that need more effectively.” – Ms. Gun Suk Ling, Corporate Sales Director, APAC, Kaspersky Lab.

No Worries Home Plan subscribers will only need to pay RM30 a month to enjoy better protection and worry-free technical services with Kaspersky Pure premium protection for 3 users. As for SMBs, companies will have to pay only RM200 per month for up to 10 licenses through its Small Office Plan 1, and as for companies with up to 20 employees, they can opt for Small Office Plan 2 at a price of RM500 per month.

Of course, along with the launch which featured Kaspersky Lab’s Malaysian Brand Ambassador, World No. 1 Badminton Men’s Singles Champion Dato’ Lee Chong Wei, Kaspersky will be having a special promotion that offers a more affordable price. Hit the break to find out more.

MSI Array of Tablets and Notebook At Computex 2011

As you can see from coverage that we have featured from Computex Taipei 2011, there is no doubt that this year is the year of tablets. You can see them at almost every inch of the event show floor, from manufacturers to developers and heck, even giants like Microsoft – who themselves has just unveiled the new tablet-centric Windows 8 yesterday - are not spared the hottest form factor in the market at the moment.

Obviously, MSI is also part of the bandwagon as well and have showcased quite a number of WindPad tablets at Computex this week - including the one above that is draped with designs by world-renowned fashion designer Jeremy Scott - alongside couple of new additions to their G, F, C and X notebook series. Find out more about them right after the jump.

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Plays Nice With PS3 Controller

If you needed another reason that the Asus Eee Pad Transformer is probably the best Android tablet out there, let it be this one. Last week at Computex, the Best Choice in Computex Award Winner got an update in the form of Android 3.1 which gave it USB host support. This update opens the floodgates to many possibilities and one of them is plugging a PS3 (or theoretically an Xbox 360 or any USB gamepad) into the USB port and controlling the tablet from there. Obviously there will be no bluetooth support so you're going to have to be fully wired, but hey, its better than nothing! Now all we need are some PS emulated games on the Android platform and we'll be all set, I don't think abduction would work very well with the PS3 controller.

(Source: Engadget)

Article From: Lowyat

Computex 2011: Kingston Unveils HyperX SSD & Wi-Drive

 

Last week at Computex, memory giants Kingston pulled out all the stops to launch their two latest products which included Taiwanese actress Maggie Wu in a beach themed atmosphere that was meant to illustrate Kingston's connection to daily life in instances like vacations.

 

First to be unveiled is the first SandForce-based SSD which boasts a SATA 3.0 connection that transfers at 6Gb/s which is ideal for gamers, enthusiasts and performance users. The HyperX SSD features the fastest and most reliable SandForce controller to date and will also be available as a bundle with the HyperX Upgrade Kit for easier installation. Available in both 120GB and 240GB capacities, the HyperX SSD also has read speeds of up to 525MB/s and write speeds of 480MB/s.

Article Continues After The Jump

NVIDIA Introduces GTX 560M For Notebooks, Adds GT 520MX While At It

For the longest time, users who want their notebook to be equipped with NVIDIA GeForce 500M series GPU are stuck with entry-level and mid-range offerings as the series do not offer a gaming-level GPU. That is until just few days ago when the company announced the arrival of GTX 560M into the family.

According to the specifications, the new GTX 560M offers similar level of performance as per its predecessor the GTX 460M – 192 CUDA cores, 1250 MHz memory clock - with the exception of higher processor clock of 1550 MHz which in hand gives the GTX 560M a higher texture fill rate at 24.8 billion/second. Not to forget, the usual NVIDIA technologies such as PhysX, Optimus and 3D Vision are also supported on the new GTX460M GPU.

To describe the power that the new GTX 560M got to offer, Rene Haas - NVIDIA’s General Manager of Notebook Products – claimed that gamers are able to obtain 50 frame per second in the upcoming Duke Nukem Forever as well as five hours of battery life in Microsoft Office through the use of NVIDIA Optimus power saving technology. The company also stated that the Optimus-enabled GTX 560M-powered laptops will be available from Alienware and Toshiba very soon while ASUS, Clevo, MSI and other manufacturers will be revealing their GTX 560M-powered offerings very soon as well.

At the same time, NVIDIA has also announced another addition to its GeForce 500M family in the form of entry-level GT 520MX GPU which offers slightly higher processor clock speed compared to the previously released GT 520M. For further information, head on to www.nvidia.com.

[Source: NVIDIA]

Article From: Lowyat

LG and Intel Introduces First AIO PC with FPR Display and IPS Technology

Among all that’s happening at the on-going Taiwan Computex 2011, Asia’s largest IT exhibition in Taipai that goes on from 31 May to 4 June, it looks like LG is going to unveil the LG V300, its first all-in-one (AIO) PC that will feature the innovative Film-type Pattern Retarder (FPR) display that is found in the company’s popular Cinema 3D TVs. Apart from the technology as well as In Plane Switch (IPS) screen technology that allows for a 178-degree viewing angle, the V300 that is developed in partnership with Intel will be equipped with 2nd Generation Intel Core Processors, and will also feature a triple camera system for a superb multi-touch experience.

“The combination of the newest Intel Core processor and the FPRO display in the LG V300 is going to create a new level of performance and viewing experience in a PC. With millions of homes now using their PCs as entertainment hubs, marrying the best from the computing world with the best from the display world was the next natural step in the evolution of the PC.” – HK Kwon, Managing Director, LG Electronics (M) Sdn. Bhd.

One of the worst thing about 3D – besides making you dizzy and giving you headache of course – is how it is compulsory to wear heavy shutter-type glasses and its limited viewing angle. The FPR technology will eliminate the need for glasses to sync with an emitter, instead, the V300 will come with two sets of lightweight polarized glasses instead for better comfort. Furthermore, with IPS technology, the system operates a Color Shift configuration that will accurately render colors and images for viewers that are looking at the display within a 178-degrees range.

Hit the break for more information about the LG V300 AIO.

NVIDIA Unveils Wired 3D Vision Glasses

Designed with LAN centres and cybercafés in their mind, NVIDIA has announced a new version of 3D Vision glasses which is heading to the market very soon. As opposed to the existing wireless version of the glasses which is powered by internal batteries and need to be charged, the new glasses is wired and require less maintenance since it is not powered by batteries.

To reduce to risk of lost, NVIDIA has built slots into it so that users can lock it together with PC using optional computer lock. In addition to the above, the new wired NVIDIA 3D Vision glasses also features a better fit and more flexible material which made it lighter than the wireless glasses. It also comes with around 3 m (10 ft.) of USB 2.0 cable.

The release of this new wired glasses does not mean the demise of the existing wireless NVIDIA 3D Vision glasses though as it will still be available in the market since both works differently and the co-existence of both glasses provides choice for users. The new wired NVIDIA 3D Vision glasses is scheduled to be released into the market from late June onwards and is priced at RM 299 (USD 99). 

[source: NVIDIA] 

Article From: Lowyat