Wii Digest » Kingston

News for Saturday 2-27-2010

Kristofer Brozio — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:27:25 +0000

Hey look it’s my birthday today! and here’s the news:

Storage Related:

Kingston SSDNow V+ 128GB (SNVP325-S2/128GB) @ Bjorn3D

Suitable applications include power users, system builders, system integrators and demanding corporate environments where efficiency and performance are important. With the results we’ve seen from the drives, they would boast a performance gain for any system not running a solid state drive.
http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=1796

Toshiba HG2 43nm 256GB Solid State Drive (SSD) Review @ Legit Reviews
Article URL: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1230/1/

"The 256GB Toshiba HG2 Series drive that we benchmarked proved to be a solid performing mainstream SSD from our testing. The vast majority of file transfers in Windows are sequential read and write data moves and the HG2 had very respectable sequential speeds. For example in ATTO we were able to reach 241MB/s read and 177MB/s write. These are the types of speeds that we would expect for a mainstream SSD in 2010. The Toshiba HG2 Series of SSDs also supports TRIM, which is is critical in making sure your drive is performing at the top of its game…."

G.Skill ECO DDR3-1600 (PC3 12800) Memory at Modders-Inc
Summary: Everyone is talking about Triple Channel DDR3 as of lately but what about Dual Channel? Those of you that have taken the plunge into the new P55 platform know what I am talking about. Today we will be looking at a set of Dual Channel Memory Modules form G.Skill, the overclockers friend
Articles URL: http://www.modders-inc.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=314

WD 1TB Caviar Green Hard Drive w/ Advanced Format @ HotHardware

http://hothardware.com/Articles/WDs-1TB-Caviar-Green-w-Advanced-Format-Windows-XP-Users-Pay-Attention/

Western Digital recently began to ship a new series of Caviar hard drives that included the company’s Advanced Format technology. The new Caviar Green models are nearly identical to their standard brethren, but offer double the cache (64MB instead of 32MB at 1-2TB) and have a different model number. A WD10EARS is an Advanced Format drive; a WD10-EADS is a ‘normal’ drive. WD isn’t marketing Advanced Format much at the moment, but it’s important to understand what the technology is and how it works, particularly if you’re still running Windows XP…

ineo I-NA301Ue HD Enclosure Review @ TopReviewShop

http://www.topreviewshop.com/ineo_i_na301ue_hard_drive_enclosure
"There are a multitude external hard drive enclosures on the market, so we take a close look and test out the ineo I-NA301Ue can stand out above the competition."

RaidSonic Icy Box IB-318 and IB-250 USB 3.0 HDD Enclosures Video Review
QUOTE: "It’s been some weeks since I last checked out a USB 3.0 product and that was early on in the game. Fast forward a little and in that time many motherboards have hit the market complete with USB 3.0 and it’s easier to find USB 3.0 PCI Express controller cards on the market, too.
Our next USB 3.0 products to be put through the paces come by way of German company RaidSonic. They actually sent us their new Icy Box USB 3.0 products several weeks ago when USB 3.0 was first hitting the market, but with Christmas, New Year, CES, a holiday and Chinese New Year, things have been rather hectic. Today, though, we can tell you about these products for you folks who are interested in getting in touch with the speed advantage of USB 3.0 for your external storage needs."
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/3156/raidsonic_icy_box_ib_318_and_ib_250_usb_3_0_hdd_enclosures_video_review/index.html

Corsair Flash Padlock 2 8GB USB Flash Drive Review @ ThinkComputers.org

Review URL: http://www.thinkcomputers.org/corsair-flash-padlock-2-8gb-usb-flash-drive-review/

Quote: “Four years ago Corsair introduced the Flash Voyager USB drive, a USB drive that was practically indestructible. A Year after that they came out with the Flash Padlock, u USB drive that had a keypad on the front that allowed you to lock and unlock it to protect your data. It seems Corsair has put the two together and released the Flash Padlock 2, which is basically the Flash Voyager with the Padlock keypad on the front. So not only can you protect your data with a key code you get the awesome protection of the Flash Voyager design.

EXCLUSIVE: SilverStone HDDBoost Hybrid SSD / HDD Device Review @ Hardware Canucks

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/29176-silverstone-hddboost-review.html

Quote: Many people have shied away from SSDs due to their somewhat limited storage capacity and high price for the drives. Spindle-based hard drives on the other hand have massive amounts of storage space but lack the performance of SSDs. SilverStone’s $50 HDDBoost looks to marry the best of both worlds by allowing us to seamlessly link a budget SSD to a hard drive for increased performance. However, does it work?

Sans Digital Towerraid TR5UT(-B) @ TechwareLabs

Join us with our review of the Sans Digital Towerraid TR5UT(-B) which could be the storage answer you need for your small business, home, laptop, and desktop. With a capacity of up to 10TB of space you won’t run out of storage anytime soon. We show you the TR5UT(-B) inside and out and test its performance
LINK: http://www.techwarelabs.com/sans-digital-towerraid-tr5ut-b/

Kingston SSDNow V+ Series SNVP325-S2B 512GB Gen 2 Solid State Drive
QUOTE: "Kingston Technology was very quick to jump on the solid state bandwagon. Their first offerings were more or less rebadged Intel products, but at the time Kingston chose the fastest drive we had ever seen and that strategy worked out well. Later Kingston chose to take what they learned from the Intel offerings and went to work on their own configurations. Right at the start Kingston showed promise as they finally were able to tame the Jmicron controller allowing for shudder free operation and then moving onto Samsung controllers in the V and V+ Series.
At CES we had a chance to sit down with Kingston and learned about a new Toshiba controller that was set to power the new Second Generation V+ Series of products. Toshiba invented NAND Flash and they have the experience to not only make the controller, but also the flash that runs seamlessly with it. For over a year we heard about massive capacity solid state drives, but most of these have been concocted from two smaller drives sandwiched together with a low cost miniature RAID controller. This is not the case with the second gen V+ Series 512GB model we’re looking at today."
- http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/3147/kingston_ssdnow_v_series_snvp325_s2b_512gb_gen_2_solid_state_drive/index.html

Overclock3D have just published a new article titled: G.Skill Pi Series 17600 4GB Kit.
Quote: G.Skill have launched the Pi Series of RAM and today we have the 2200MHz P55 kit to test. Is such speed worth the investment?
Link: http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/memory/g_skill_pi_series_17600_4gb_kit/1

Audio/Video:

Boston Acoustics VS 344 Review
"Chances are you are familiar with Boston Acoustics. That s because the company has been producing quality speakers for the home audio market for over 30 years and, more recently, has led innovations in mobile audio as well."
Link to the review:
http://www.digitaltrends.com/product-reviews/home-audio-reviews/speakers-and-subwoofers-reviews/boston-acoustics-vs-344-review/

Zalman Trimon ZM-M220W 22" Stereoscopic Monitor Impressions @ [OC]ModShop

While visiting Zalman at a few trade shows, I was introduced to their new stereoscopic 3d monitor: the Zalman Trimon 22-inch monitor. nVidia has been showing off their own solutions that use any regular monitor, so what makes this monitor different, and why would you want to buy one?
I spoke with Richard Chung of Zalman, who gave me the lowdown on thi explained to me the differences between the Zalman monitor and nVidia’s 3d solution. For one, this 22-inch 3D LCD monitor
is optmized for gaming purposes, supporting 3D and 2D realizations.

Review URL :: http://www.ocmodshop.com/ocmodshop.aspx?a=1668

Mionix Keid 20 Gaming Headphones

In the past we have reviewed several gaming mice and gaming surfaces from a company called Mionix. They are based out of Sweden with a good reputation in Europe for their gaming products and accessories. Now they are trying to establish themselves as an elite gaming peripheral company in the States. Today we will be looking at their first entry into the gaming audio market – the Keid 20. This headset is named after a star system and Mionix hopes this headset will shine as brightly as its namesake. The Keid 20 is an ergonomically designed gaming headset which features passive noise reduction and sound optimized for gaming. The ear cups are made with special memory foam that conforms to the shape of the user’s ears.

So let’s take a closer look at Mionix’s first foray into the gaming headset market. Let’s get started…….

http://www.dragonsteelmods.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15839&Itemid=1

Asus Xonar D1 @ Bjorn3D

While most motherboards come with great onboard sound, some of us feel it just isn’t enough. This is especially apparent in the so called ‘audiophile’ type of people. If you crave the most realistic sound then you just might fall into this category. The audio that comes with any motherboard is generally far from the best, but recently the quality has been improving. Almost all onboard sound is 24 bit, which is considered high quality. The ASUS Xonar D1 that we are reviewing today is also 24 bit but what makes it any better than onboard audio?
The secret lies in the SNR (signal to noise ratio). Audio cards such as the Xonar D1 have a much better ratio when compared to onboard sound. According to Asus, the D1 has 35x cleaner audio quality than most motherboard audio. This of course does not apply to all motherboard audio, so you will find the occasional exception. Today we have a Asus P6X58D motherboard, which can be considered to have high end audio. Lets see if the D1 has enough to beat out the P6X58D’s onboard audio.
http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=1792

Kodak EasyShare C713 7MP 3x Optical/5x Digital Zoom HD Camera Reviewed @ MobilityDigest

http://www.mobilitydigest.com/kodak-easyshare-c713-7mp-3x-optical5x-digital-zoom-hd-camera-reviewed/

I’m back with another review of a product from our friends at Geeks.com. It’s one of many Kodak digital cameras on the market today, specifically it’s the EasyShare C713 7MP camera. The name Kodak is one that’s been around for a long time when it comes to camera, so one would think they know what they’re doing when it comes to photography right? This camera is your sort of basic point and shoot, it’s small and portable so you can take it with you easily. The pictures taken with it aren’t too bad for what it is. The 3x optical zoom works well but the digital zoom is lacking a bit though that’s normal for most any level of digital zooming. The C713 I got is a refurbished product, but it looks brand new, not a mark on it at all. So read on to learn a bit more about this camera…

Roku XR
Quote: Most people should have heard about the ease of use that the Netflix streaming service provides. One of the major components of this ease of use would be the set top boxes that provide the service on TVs. Roku was the original and is still the best way to get streaming Netflix to your TV, right now.
Link: http://www.aselabs.com/articles.php?id=5623

AirLive 802.11n Review

Link:http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AirLive/Wireless_N_Review

Brief:
With wireless N or 802.11n based networks becoming more and more popular these days, we take a look at what Airlive has to offer in this regard. In our review we take a close look at WN-300ARM-VPN ADSL modem & router, the WN-5000PCI – a 300 Mbit/s & MIMO equipped PCI card and the WN-200USB – an entry level 802.11n USB 2.0 device.

Soundgraph FingerVU 706

Link:http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Soundgraph/FingerVU_706

Brief:
Soundgraph is well known for their LCD and VFD products in the majority of HTPC enclosures from virtually all major brand names out there. The new FingerVU series takes the control of the PC to the next level with a 4" or 7" inch, high-res, USB powered LCD touch screen at your finger tips.

Mobile:

Laptop Buying Guide 2010
"When you have to jiggle the power connector just right to get your seven-year-old ThinkPad to wheeze to life, only to take 20 minutes to load a YouTube video, it s time to put the old beast out to pasture and start anew. But where do you begin in today s notebook market, which has expanded so much that portables now outsell desktops? With a buying guide, of course. Use this comprehensive buying guide to examine some of the key factors and specs to check when buying a new notebook computer."
Link to the guide:http://www.digitaltrends.com/buying-guides/laptop-buying-guide-2010/

Evercool FIT Laptop Cooler @ PCShopTalk

"High performance laptops and notebooks nowadays are hotter and hotter; they often need additional cooling. Evercool decided not to build another cooler which sits under the laptop; this way they developed a cooler which fits exactly at the exhaust ventilation holes. In the following review we will see if the product does bring any improvements compared to the stock cooling."

Link: http://www.pcshoptalk.com/content.php?272-Evercool-FIT-Laptop-Cooler

MEGATech Reviews – Be.ez LArobe Protection Tablet Artista WACOM Tablet Case

As luck would have it, I received my first Wacom Bamboo graphics tablet for Christmas, but I had no means to protect it. Well, that’s where the be.ez LA robe Tablet can come into play. You’ve got to protect that Wacom the same way you’d protect your laptop, right?

Direct Link:http://www.megatechnews.com/megatech-reviews-be-ez-larobe-protection-tablet-artista/

PowerA iPhone Universal Remote Case Just Announced

LINK: http://www.gadgetreview.com/2010/02/powera-iphone-universal-remote-control-case-released-control-all-your-ir-gear-with-your-phone.html#

STORY: PowerA just announced their latest iPhone accessory, the iPhone Universal Remote Case. Much like the Red Eye and L5 you can control your IR based products just using the iPhone, that is assuming you’ve also downloaded the accompanying PowerA app. What makes it different from the competition is the form factor, a case that can always be attached to the phone no matter the scenario. The L5 on the other hand is rather impractical because it’s a small dongle that attached to the iPhone’s 30 pin connector and juts out, making it less than pocket friendly. The Red Eye on the other hand is stricken to one room, unless of course you buy additional boxes. But there is one downside to the PowerA iPhone Universal Remote Control; it’s a learning remote only, which means you’ll have to train or teach it each of your remote’s commands. It should be available starting today at Apple’s website for $60, which ain’t half bad.

Jabra Stone Review @ t-break

Jabra’s most stylish Bluetooth headset yet.
http://tbreak.com/tech/2010/02/jabra-stone-review/

Assorted Stuffs:

What OS, Windows 7 or Ubuntu? Why not use both! @ TechwareLabs

The ability to dual boot systems is nothing new but very rarely done anymore. You more than likely will never find a good enough reason or use for an average PC user to run two Operating Systems (OS). So then you might ask yourself, “Why am I showing you how to?” The answer is easy, to quote Sir Francis Bacon’s much used aphorism “knowledge is power “. I personally wasn’t very familiar with Ubuntu as an OS so I wanted to learn more. The cost of a second PC wasn’t justifiable, just to put a second OS on so that I could learn it for my own gain. So I went and researched how to install both of them on the same machine.
LINK: http://www.techwarelabs.com/dual-boot-windows7-ubuntu/

Why is Flash such a problem on the iPad?
QUOTE: "Not that long ago Steve Jobs made a statement during an interview with the Wall Street Journal that if he allowed Flash to run on the iPad it would reduce the battery life down to 1.5 hours. Now, this is an interesting comment, especially coming from someone that has attacked Adobe on more than one occasion saying that no one should even use it.
But what was Steve talking about? Is he saying that Flash is so inefficient that there is no way to get it working properly on a mobile device? Is he exposing (unintentionally) that the iPad’s hardware is not up to running Flash? Let’s take a look at some of the facts in the situation and see what we can find."
http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/3155/why_is_flash_such_a_problem_on_the_ipad/index.html

Another perspective on CPU value

In our grand Athlon II vs. Core i3 showdown article last week, we included performance-per-dollar graphs based on whole system prices. Those system prices were themselves derived from the rough cost of a middle-of-the-road PC—the kind your typical enthusiast might buy. What if you’re on a tight budget and really have to cut corners, though? We’ve whipped up another set of graphs, this time using prices from low-end components, in order to find out.
http://techreport.com/discussions.x/18502

Top Budget to Mid-Range Graphics Cards

http://www.techspot.com/guides/248-top-budget-to-midrange-graphics-cards/

While the gaming landscape seems to have shifted toward consoles in recent years, many feel PCs are still where the action is. Naturally those looking to experience the hottest video games in all their glory will need the appropriate hardware powering their rigs. Besides adopting newer platforms, at some point, every gamer or hardware enthusiast worth their salt will upgrade or at least consider upgrading their graphics card.

Of course, going for the latest and greatest (read: fastest and most expensive) is not always an option. Having reviewed a wide variety of graphics cards as they were released in the past months, we’ve compiled a table with some of what we consider the best options at several price points between $90 and $200. Every product chosen can cope with the typical game on respectable settings.

PTS Desktop Live 2010.1 "Anzhofen" Released @ Phoronix
Direct Link: http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=14620
Summary: "After releasing Phoronix Test Suite 2.4 earlier this month and delivering the subsequent 2.4.1 update, we have now released PTS Desktop Live 2010.1 "Anzhofen" to the public. PTS Desktop Live 2010.1 makes it extremely easy to benchmark your computer on a completely standardized software stack from a Live DVD/USB environment."

Quick Links:

Spire TherMax II Cooler Review @ Tweaknews

ASUS P7H55D-M EVO Clarksdale Motherboard @ Benchmark Reviews

Gigabyte X58A-UD3R Intel X58 LGA 1366 Motherboard Review @ ThinkComputers.org

Mass Effect 2 Mega-Guide and Walkthrough @ [OC]ModShop

Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD7 Motherboard @ Benchmark Reviews

MLB 2K10 Interview: The Devs Answer Our Questions! @ [OC]ModShop

OCZ Alchemy Series Elixir Gaming Keyboard Review @ ThinkComputers.org

SteelSeries NP+ @ LanOC Reviews

A Futurelooks News Flash – Cool Technology at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games

Cooler Master GX750 750W PSU Review on Technic3D

Sapphire Radeon HD 5850 Toxic @ Techgage

Sapphire HD 5450 512 MB GDDR3 @ techPowerUp

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 – New tech info about the DX11 game

Thermalright Venomous X CPU Cooler Review @ Legit Reviews

ATI Radeon HD 5670 Shootout – Mainstream Battle Royale

Samsung GT-M5650 Lindy

CM Storm Sentinel Advance 5600 DPI Mouse Review @ High Tech Reviews

AMD Llano – The First Accelerated Processing Unit @ InsideHW

Moneual MonCaso 600 Case Review @ Rbmods

InWin Maelstrom PC Case Enclosure Review @ Tech-Reviews.co.uk

A Serious Man Blu-Ray Review @ Ascully.com

ASRock A330ION Mini-ITX Motherboard Review @ Legit Reviews

iXBT Labs Review: How CPU Features Affect CPU Performance, Part 7

Overclock3D have just published a new article titled: ASUS Maximus III Extreme 1156 Motherboard

ASRock ION330HT-BD Blu Ray HTPC Review

Lite-On iHES208 Internal 8X Blu-ray Combo Drive

Zalman CNPS9900 NT @ techPowerUp

NZXT Tempest EVO @ Bjorn3D

Neuigkeiten auf DeXgo | 120-mm-Lüfter RoundUp V3.1

ableplanet-PS500MM @ TechwareLabs

AMD Athlon II X4 635 & Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition @ Techgage

Zotac Mag HTPC Review @ t-break

HIS Radeon HD 5670 IceQ+ 1GB Video Card

Lenovo Skylight Preview: Letting the Light In
MWC 2010 – Show Floor Coverage

MWC 2010 – Samsung Unpacked *Updated*

Zalman CNPS10X Quiet Heatsink Review @ Frostytech.com

BioShock 2 Graphics Performance

OCZ Hydro Pulse 800 L/h Pump @ Bjorn3D

AZZA Spartan 102 computer case @ APH Networks

Cooler Master Excalibur 120mm Fan Review on Technic3D

Overclock3D have just published a new article titled: MSI H55M ED55

Benchmarks Of Nouveau’s Gallium3D Driver For NVIDIA @ Phoronix

NZXT Hades Crafted Series Midtower

Corsair Hydro Series H50 Water Cooling System Review

Panasonic 54-inch VIERA TH-P54Z1N Plasma TV – Big on AV

3R System iCEAGE IA500HP80 500 W Power Supply Review @ Hardware Secrets

Silverstone Raven 2 @ LanOC Review

News for Friday 1-29-10

Kristofer Brozio — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:45:23 +0000

I’ve got a bunch of news for you today first, and then later I’ll be starting to post scans of covers and discs..

We’ll start with some stuff from over at TestFreaks:

Review of Driver Cleaner

Review of Mionix Keid 20 Gaming Headset

Review of Das Keyboard Model S Professional

Review of ARCTIC SOUND E361-WM Earbuds

Review of Divinity II Ego Draconis for Xbox360

Review of Uniea U-Sleaf Reversible Netbook Sleeve

Review of Ultrasone Zino Headphones

Review of Lensbaby Soft Focus Optic and FishEye Optic Lenses

Review of Verizon Wireless DROID Eris

and then some stuff from Bona Fide Reviews:

Review of NZXT IU01 USB Expansion Board

Review of NZXT TEMPEST EVO Crafted Series

NZXT HADES Crafted Series PC Case

and here’s the rest:

Storage Related:

24GB DDR3 and Windows 7 @BCChardware

Quote:Recently, Crucial launched 4GB and 8GB memory modules that allow more people to be able to load up their systems for some serious multi-tasking applications. We will be briefly looking at two pair of 12GB kits in our test system that gives us 24GB of memory to play with. This is a pretty solid chunk of kit and it will currently set you back close to $1,000. The interesting thing to see is if we can bog down a system and make it bleed. . .

URL: http://www.bcchardware.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8185&Itemid=40

Title: Patriot Memory Torqx 128GB Solid State Drive (SSD) Review @ ModSynergy.com

Quote: "A few months ago, I had the chance at sharing with you about Solid State Drive (SSD) technology, but it was meant as a removable storage laptop application. I shared with you about SSD technology, how it is an alternative to the conventional hard drive, but at the same time offering you the advantages of flash based technology. I shared with you the benefits such as zero noise, low heat and substantially faster sustained transfer speed. But I never had the chance to experience SSD in a desktop platform day in and day out.

That chance arrived thanks to the folks at Patriot Memory and now I’d like to share with you how my computing experience has changed over the past 3 months; I reviewed the Patriot Memory Torqx 128GB Solid State Drive (PFZ128GS25SSDR). If you thought SSD wasn’t ready for primetime, you’re dead wrong."

Link: http://www.modsynergy.com/review213.html

Thecus N4100PRO: A Data-Treasure Cave @ InsideHW

“Since he became conscious being, man has collected and kept various stuff. First, those were material things like food, land, gold or money, and how the man became more modern and educated, information has become the most valuable and most wanted good. Because we live in a time of information revolution, it is no wonder that the hunger for digital information is inextinguishable…”

Article link: http://www.insidehw.com/Reviews/Storage/Thecus-N4100PRO-A-Data-Treasure-Cave.html

Vantec NexStar Universal Storage Adapter Review @ ThinkComputers.org

Review URL: http://www.thinkcomputers.org/vantec-nexstar-universal-storage-adapter-review/

Quote: “Have you ever had an old IDE drive sitting around that you needed something off of, but you have seem to have lost the IDE cable? Well have no worries! The Vantec NexStar Universal Adapter will allow you to connect not only 3.5” IDE devices but 2.5” and 5.25” devices as well. This adapter also supports SATA devices and includes a 66-1-in card reader. Surely this device has enough to support your storage needs, read on further to find out more about it."

Seagate Barracuda XT 2TB @ Techgage
Link: http://techgage.com/article/seagate_barracuda_xt_2tb/
Quote: SATA 3.0 may have been available to consumers for the past couple of months, but the number of hard drive options out there are ultra-slim… just one. That drive is Seagate’s Barracuda XT. The question we’re looking to answer here is whether or not the $100 premium for SATA 3.0 is worth it, at least on a mechanical offering.

A-Data T907 Jack Skellington 8GB Flash Drive

Link: http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AData/T907_Flash_Drive

Brief:
A-DATA continues their Disney licensed series with the T907 Jack Skellington flash drive. Inspired by the movie ‘Tim Burton’s The Night before Christmas’, we take a close look at Jack to see if he brings joy or quiver to our hearts.

OCZ Vertex 2 Pro 100GB SSD Review
http://www.techspot.com/review/242-ocz-vertex2-pro-ssd/
While we don’t expect solid-state drives to become mainstream just yet, they are by all means moving quickly in that direction. Current generation SSDs deliver more value than ever before, plus they have the speed advantage, features, and adequate capacity to become viable alternatives to standard disk drives to most users.

Overclock3D have just published a new article titled: Synology DS410j NAS Station.
Quote: With the ever growing need for digital storage, Synology have released a new 4 bay NAS solution for the home and small business user. Look inside to see if it checks all the boxes.
Link: http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/storage/synology_ds410j_nas_station/1

Kingston 128GB V+ Series SNV325-S2 SSD Review @ Legit Reviews
Article URL: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1197/1/

"Kingston Technology’s second generation of their SSDNow V+ Series of SSDs performed very well and was stutter free no matter what the task was that we threw at it on the desktop or in our notebook. The Kingston SSDNow V+ was said to have sequential read speeds of up to 230MB/sec. and write speeds of up to 180MB/sec. We were able to meet or exceed those rated speeds when using benchmarks like ATTO…"

Kingston SSDNOW V+ Series 128GB Review And Benchmarks

Kingston has once again launched a new product, this time its an updated second generation SSD. Today we take a look at the specs and then perform some tests to see how well the new Kingston SSDNOW V+series 128GB SSD does against the competition. This is a very fast drive check out the video and see for yourself.

Review Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCa-T-R5ZKQ

Kingston SSDNow V+ 128GB Solid State Drive Review @ ThinkComputers.org

Review URL: http://www.thinkcomputers.org/kingston-ssdnow-v-128gb-solid-state-drive-review/

Quote: “A little while ago we took a look at Kingston’s SSDNow V-Series 128GB solid state drive that was targeted at entry-level and mainstream users. Kingston had put out a V+ series drive which had better speeds and was targets at high-level users and corporate environments. Recently Kingston has developed a second-generation of the V+, which supports Windows 7 TRIM support, is available up to 512GB and provides faster performance over the previous version of the drive. Today we will be taking a look at the 128GB version of the drive."

Gen-2 Kingston SSDNowV+ Series SSD SNV325 @ Benchmark Reviews

DESCRIPTION: Solid State Drive technology is developed for two groups of users: large-scale Enterprise environments and individual end-users. Kingston Technology has been in the business of satisfying enthusiasts and gamers for many years, and their SSDNow series of NAND-flash storage products has been the affordable solution for system upgrades. In this article, Benchmark Reviews introduces the second-generation Kingston SSDNowV+ Solid State Drive series. Based on the high-performance Toshiba T6UG1XBG processor, the Kingston SSDNowV+ SNV325-S2 delivers native TRIM support with a maximum rated read speed of 230MBps and write-to bandwidth peaking at 180MBps.

ARTICLE URL: http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=445&Itemid=60

SanDisk 8GB Gaming Memory Stick Micro (M2) for Sony PSP Go @ Legit Reviews
Article URL: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1143/1/

"Today, we look at the 8GB version of the SanDisk Memory Stick Micro (M2) designed specifically for Sony’s PlayStation Portable Go or PSPGo handheld electronic gaming system. The SanDisk M2 is not only an ultra-small IC recording media designed for the PSPGo, but it is also designed to work for the growing storage needs of highly compact, multifunctional mobile phones and cameras. The M2 card that we have today is designed to offer an easy way of storing downloadable games, movies, TV shows, pictures, comics, and music. Our package included a Memory Stick Micro M2 to Memory Stick PRO Duo adapter which allows gamers to go back and forth between Memory Stick M2 and Memory Stick Duo compatible slots…"

OCIA.net has posted their review of the NZXT IU01 USB Expansion Kit.

"In addition to their current case lineup, NZXT produces several different types of accessories, from cables to power supplies, cooling fans to fan controllers, and other case accessories as well. The item we have for review today falls into that last category, the IU01 USB Expansion module. As NZXT points out, the IU01 addresses an issue common to most gaming PCs, a lack of substantial power and expandability from front panel USB. While it is not uncommon for motherboards to have several USB headers, cases often only have one or two sets of front panel USB ports to connect to them. Some USB devices may also have higher voltage requirements than can be provided from the motherboard through a traditional USB port. This is where the NZXT IU01 can really help."

Direct Link: http://www.ocia.net/reviews/nzxtiu01/page1.shtml

Kingston SSDNow V Series 40GB @ Techgage
Link: http://techgage.com/article/kingston_ssdnow_v_series_40gb/
Quote: Want to make the upgrade to a solid-state drive, but prefer to avoid the high cost of adoption? Kingston helps ease that pain with its SSDNow V Series 40GB, a modest drive that features Intel’s NAND and impressive G2 firmware, which helps it deliver stellar performance when compared to an HDD, for an easy-to-stomach price.

Mobile Related:

MEElec RockMee II 8GB Portable Media Player Review @ TopReviewShop

http://www.topreviewshop.com/meelec_rockmee_ii
"With a list price of $129.99, the RockMEE II falls square in the middle of the price distribution for most 8gb flash players on the market. However, the RockMEE boasts a very enticing combination of features including a 3” TFT widescreen display and a MicroSD expansion slot. Is the RockMEE II user-friendly enough to make it worthy of consideration? Let’s find out."

ASUS show off pictures of their DR-950 eReader @ eTeknix.com

Link – http://www.eteknix.com/news/asus-show-off-pictures-of-their-dr-950-ereader/

Quote:Ok, I’ll admit… I love to read books… There, I said it, I LOVE TO READ BOOKS. So long as it is not Twilight or some other book that foolishly tries to display romance and the unrealistic idea that there are 2 perfect guys for

VIZO EZSurf @ LanOC Reviews
DESCRIPTION: Cooling is essential to any computer, but has become even more vital for those users running higher-end laptop models, such as gamers. The nature of the notebook is a hot one, and putting extra hardware and stress in little spaces only adds to the problem. We’ve reviewed many laptop coolers in the past, each with their own tactic to tackle a common enemy. The weapon of choice has always been fans, ranging in size, quantity, and speed. That is, until now. VIZO has introduced a new, fanless tactic to the arsenal of laptop cooling, and sent us a sample to try for ourselves.
ARTICLE URL: http://www.lanoc.org/review/hardware/laptop/2304-vizo-ezsurf

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BlackBerry Storm2 – For a Rainy Day
Category : Mobile Phones
Rating : 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Departing from its usual QWERTY-based devices, Research in Motion launches its second touchscreen BlackBerry device, the BlackBerry Storm2. With its predecessor being marked down significantly, we put the new Storm2 under close observation and present our findings in this review.
URL : http://www.hardwarezone.com/articles/control.php?cid=24&id=3120&src=3rd

Powermat Portable Wireless Charging Mat
Link: http://www.bigbruin.com/content/powermat_1
Quote: The Powermat portable wireless charging mat can greatly reduce the number of chargers you need to power your devices… A good thing for when you are at home, and an even better thing when you are traveling. Instead of a jumble of cables and power bricks, you might only need the portable Powermat and its accessories packed neatly into its case.

Asus Eee PC 1101HA Seashell Netbook Review
http://www.techspot.com/review/234-asus-eeepc-1101ha-seashell/
A little over a year ago netbooks were the emerging trend that had everyone buzzing. Now the so-called ‘internet tablet’ seems to be stealing that spotlight. But while these new devices have yet to prove themselves on a commercial scale besides maybe some niche business applications, netbooks have already found their place on the market, at least for now.

Nitrox iConn+ iPhone Battery Case Review @ ThinkComputers.org

Review URL: http://www.thinkcomputers.org/nitrox-iconn-iphone-battery-case-review/

Quote: “One thing many iPhone users have complained about is the battery. If you are using mobile web, GPS, or an app that using the internet you will see your battery life start to die very quickly. For this reason many companies have made charging packing and iPhone cases that have batteries in them to charge your iPhone. Today we will be looking at the iConn+ iPhone Battery Case from Nitrox, a newcomer to the iPhone accessory market. Let’s take a look…"

Image and Video Related:

Acer P235H 23 Inch LCD Monitor Review @ RealXtreme.Net
Quote: "Come with us as we take a look at the Acer P235H 23 inch LCD monitor. To enthusiasts, this may seem like your average-joe flat screen monitor, while to many mainstream PC users this would be a dramatic upgrade. Check this monitor out with us as we give it a thorough once-over. You never know, it may surprisingly have a bit to offer that you weren’t expecting."
URL: http://www.realxtreme.net/review/23-inch-acer-p235h-lcd-monitor-review

Samsung P2350 23" LCD Monitor Review @ HotHardware.com

Today we’re taking a look at one of Samsung’s most affordable displays. Just don’t assume its nominal cost equates to inferior quality right from the start. The SyncMaster P2350 is a widescreen LCD monitor that features Samsung’s Touch of Color (ToC) design, a piano black cabinet, a 1920 x 1080 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio, 2 ms response time, and 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. This value oriented 23" monitor does not offer speakers or a ton of connectivity options, but its performance and low price tag promise to make it an enticing option for those who want the most bang for their buck. Keep reading as HotHardware takes a look at the P2350 to see if this screen has what it takes to be on your short list…

Samsung P2350 23" LCD Monitor Review:
http://hothardware.com/articles/Samsung-P2350-23-LCD-Monitor/

==
Veho Muvi Micro DV Camcorder
The Veho Muvi Micro DV camcorder is a diminutive camcorder around the size of a large Bluetooth headset that records videos of 640 x 480 resolution.
URL : http://www.hardwarezone.com/news/view.php?cid=7&id=15548

Western Digital Live TV @ t-break

WD Live TV is one of the easiest ways of getting your pictures and videos from your hard drive to your big screen.
The Full Article can be viewed at http://tech.tbreak.com/2010/01/western-digital-live-tv/

HP De-Branded 23-inch Widescreen LCD Monitor Review @ ThinkComputers.org

Review URL: http://www.thinkcomputers.org/hp-de-branded-23-inch-widescreen-lcd-monitor-review/

Quote: “So many people think that Computer Monitors are all the same, but really they are not. You cannot simply just go out a purchase a monitor and be done with it, especially if you have specific needs. Today we will be looking at a 23-inch widescreen monitor from Geeks.com which features 1920 x 1080 full HD resolution, a 5ms response time, HDMI input and integrated speakers. This display sells for just over $150, let’s see if it’s a good deal or not…

Kodak Zi8 Review @ Digital Trends

"Although our first mini HD camcorder rodeo roundup crowned Cisco’s Flip UltraHD the reigning king of mini HD camcorders, six months can make a world of difference. Kodak’s new Zi8 bucks the leader by addressing many of its predecessor’s shortcomings, while systematically outdoing the competition on just about every feature. Combined with a reasonable $180 price tag, Kodak’s Zi8 now confidently struts it stuff as king of the ring."
Link to the review:
http://www.digitaltrends.com/product-reviews/camcorder-reviews/flash-memory-reviews/kodak-zi8-review/

Samsung SyncMaster F2380 23-inch 16:9 Widescreen LCD Review @ PCSTATS.com

"The Samsung SyncMaster F2380 monitor isn’t based on either TN or IPS technologies. Instead it uses a LCD pixel alignment technology called Patterned Vertical Alignment (PVA). PVA panels offer better viewing angles than TN-based LCD panels, and better contrast ratios and response times than high-end IPS-based LCD panels. It’s a compromise that gives you the best of both worlds!"

URL: http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=2492

Samsung HMX-U10 Pocket Camcorder Review

The pocket camcorder market is as popular as ever, because people want a simple and easy way to record videos on the go. As this market continues to mature, people are expecting higher resolution videos and additional features without taking away the ease of use. The Samsung HMX-U10 represents the first entry into this arena by Samsung and, on paper, it sounds quite a bit more appealing than many of its direct competitors. Does it deliver? Let’s find out.

Direct Link: http://www.futurelooks.com/samsung-hmx-u10-pocket-camcorder-review/

QNAP Network Media Player NMP-1000 Review @ Ninjalane
URL: http://www.ninjalane.com/reviews/storage/nmp-1000
Quote: QNAP has attempted to tackle this dilemma by taking their award winning NAS appliances and adding sound and video capability. It is really a natural progression for a NAS product, simply take the thing that is already storing your media files and allow you to play them anywhere with a network connection.

Printers etc:

Title: Samsung SCX-5635FN Monochrome Multifunction Printer Review at CCER
Link:http://www.ccereviews.com/reviews/samsung-scx-5635fn-monochrome-multifunction-printer/
Quote: The Samsung SCX-5635FN multi-functional printer is definitely capable of doing many things for the home or office. It is able to print a single sided Word document at 36 pages per minute or 18 sheets per minute in duplex, essentially saving you paper while not slowing down your print job. The level of detail on the scanning and capabilities offered through SmartThru Office and on the printer itself makes for a very versatile unit. You won’t have to spend time copying at one machine and faxing at another – it can all be done with the SCX-5635FN.

Assorted Stuffs:

iPad’s Identity Crisis and Apple’s A4 CPU Showstopper:
http://hothardware.com/Articles/Apple-iPad-Hits-Misses-And-How-The-A4-Could-Impact-Mobile-Computing/

Apple has worked itself into a corner where people simply expect each and every new product release to change that product category for the better; to revolutionize things in a way that no other company has done so far. On almost every front, the iPad doesn’t do that. However, what’s really interesting is Apple’s A4 CPU…

Gaming Apple’s iPad: How Well Will Video Games Play on the Device? @ Digital Trends

"Given that Apple’s new iPad tablet computer runs nearly all of the iPhone’s 140,000 apps (over 20% of which are video games), plus can power even more advanced 3D graphical experiences as well as enhanced versions of these titles and first-run platform exclusives, let’s be honest. The question we should be asking isn’t whether or not the iPad will make a decent gaming device, but rather just how long it’s going to take for it to capture players’ imaginations and actually take off."
Link to the feature:
http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/games/gaming-apples-ipad-how-well-will-video-games-play-on-the-device/

The Five Best Features of Apple’s New iPad Tablet @ Digital Trends

"In case you missed Apple’s iPad tablet announcement, it was quite the whirlwind. There’s a lot to digest, so for those of you who don’t feel like skimming through six different live blogs to get the gist, we’ve got the Clif Notes. Here are five of the most exciting features we think the new Apple iPad brings to market."
Link to the guide:
http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/mac-computing/the-five-best-features-of-apples-new-ipad-tablet/

iDisappointed in the iPad @ t-break

In its current stage, the iPad is a let-down. There is so much more potential in a device like this.
The Full Article can be viewed at http://tech.tbreak.com/2010/01/idisappointed-in-the-ipad/

Title: Is It Time to Move to Solid-State Storage?
Link: http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/blog/162
"Everywhere you look, people are talking about SSDs (Solid State Drives) and their advantages. You may think that everybody has already replaced their hard drive with an SSD but you. This is far from the truth; what happens is that most memory manufacturers are putting a lot of effort on marketing SSDs basically because their profit margin on regular memory modules has dropped tremendously in the past few years. Add the price drop on memory itself, and SSDs seem to be a good idea for them to make more money. So a lot of people talking about SSDs don’t mean that everybody is using SSDs, but that manufacturers are pushing people to talk about them."

10 Things I Love About Technology

Teaser: I’ve been reviewing my technology-related blog posts of late and I’ve noticed a particular trend that I find troubling: I seem to be a technology doomsayer. The overriding theme I’ve identified in my own writing about technology is one of skepticism and caution. My posts tend to focus on the problems that technology creates, not on all the wonderful things it has to offer. You might think that I’m a real technology Chicken Little, constantly screaming that the sky is falling. But the truth is that I am an optimist about new media. I’m constantly on my smartphone, checking email, updating my web site, posting blogs, and using Facebook, LinkedIn, and twitter in my work.

Click here: http://bit.ly/7q7r8W

Is CES Slowly Going Away? @ ThinkComputers.org

Article URL: http://www.thinkcomputers.org/is-ces-slowly-going-away/

Quote: “I myself have been going to CES for 5 years now. For us here at ThinkComputers it is really the highlight of the entire year, we really don’t attend any other trade shows. We get to see the latest technology, new products and catch up with old friends, not to mention getting to spend a week in Vegas. Something really stood out to me this year during CES…it was very small! Also this year CEA (the company that runs CES) tried to kick out many exhibitors who opted to use hotel rooms instead of paying for a booth."