Direct Download Links For Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Developer Preview

The next generation of Microsoft's software development IDE suite - "Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Developer Preview" is now available for public downloading via the various links shared at the end of this post, This major new update to the "Visual Studio" adds support for next-generation application development featuring support for .Net Framework 4.5, Microsoft Windows 8, HTML 5, and cloud with enabling developers to target multiple platforms across multiple devices and services. Download Links:Full offline setup (3 parts) Web-installer (needs very good fast internet connection to download data) New Feature walk-through ...

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Fix Windows 8 Explorer Crash / Restart Loop

Microsoft has confirmed an issue with Windows Explorer in Windows 8 that causes the component to go into a crash / restart loop.  The problem impacts Windows 8 Developer Preview Build 8102 Milestone 3 (M3), the first public development milestone of Windows 7’s successor.  Microsoft has already identified the source of the crash / restart loop and apparently it’s connected to the Metro tiles, even though Windows Explorer is a component of the traditional Windows 8 desktop.  “If you have application live tiles that use multiple image tile templates, you might encounter an issue that forces Windows Explorer to restart continuously. When this issue occurs, Windows Explorer goes into a loop in which it continuously crashes and restarts,”...

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Intel Will Add SSD Caching Support to Its P67 Motherboards – Report

Intel is getting ready to add support for the so called Smart Response SSD caching technology to some of its older motherboards based on the P67 Express chipset, although the company said previously this wasn't possible. According to a report posted just recently by VR-Zone, the Santa Clara chip giant plans towards the end of next month to add support for the Smart Response technology to a series of motherboards based on the P67 PCH (platform controller hub). The LGA 1155 boards in question are the mid-range DP67BA and DP67DE, two solutions that were released at about the same time with the Intel Sandy Bridge processors. This move is a bit odd considering Intel stated previously the P67 chipset can't support SSD caching through the SRT (Smart...

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FeTRAM Memories Will Put RAM to Shame

A patent application is currently pending for a new type of computer memory that could put older RAM (random-access memory) to shame. The novel technology is expected to be considerably faster and less energy-demanding than its predecessor. Called ferroelectric transistor random access memory (FeTRAM), the new devices rely on using an advanced combination of materials to underly its function. Rather than traditional transistors and other electrical components, these modules contain nanowires and polymers. According to investigators at the Purdue University Birck Nanotechnology Center (BNC) – the creators of the FeTRAM memories – the unique combination of ferroelectric polymers and silicon nanowires is what allows for such increased levels of...

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Asus Bang & Olufsen Equipped N75 Notebook Arrives in Europe

The highly anticipated successor of the N73, the 17.3-inch Asus N75 multimedia notebook was finally released in Europe featuring the same Bang & Olufsen ICE Power high-fidelity audio as its predecessor and Intel's second generation Core processors. The notebook received a redesigned chassis sketched by the same David Lewis who also drew the N73 as well as two display options, a HD+ 1600x900 resolution panel and a Full HD 1080p screen, available with both matte and glossy finishes. Under the hood, the Asus N75 can be configured with a wide range of Intel Sandy Bridge CPUs from the Core i3, i5 and i7 product families as well as with up to 8GB of DDR3-1333 system memory. The fast Intel processors are paired with a discrete Nvidia GeForce GT...

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Zalman Prepares CNPS12X CPU Cooler for October Release

Korean cooling specialist Zalman, has recently announced the introduction of a new high-performance processor cooler that promises to keep system noise to a minimum while also delivering impressive thermal performance. The new cooler is dubbed the CNPS12X and resembles a great deal previous Zalman solutions that used an omega-shaped design. On a closer inspection however, one notices that the CNPS12X is actually a double-tower type heatsink, with as series of ring-like aluminum fin stacks attached to it to resemble Zalman's old-school coolers. Six direct contact heatpipes are embedded into the base and draw the heat away from the CPU heatspreader and into the aluminum heatsink. These provide a total air contact area of 9.6 sqaure meters and...

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Intel Drops MeeGo Name, Introduces Tizen

Intel (proudly?) announced yesterday, September 27th, that it will rename the MeeGo Linux-based operating system project to Tizen. Here we go again! First it was Moblin, than it was MeeGo, and now it's Tizen, an open source Linux-based operating system for mobile devices and tablets. Tizen will support the entire category of portable devices, from tablets, smartphones, smart TVs, to netbooks and IVI (In-Vehicle Infotainment) devices. The Tizen project will be hosted by Linux Foundation, and the entire development process will be completely open, led by a team of people from both Intel and Samsung companies. Intel says that we can expect a first release of the Tizen project and its SDK (Software Development Kit) in the first quarter of 2012....

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Nokia 600, 700 and 701 with Symbian Belle Introduced in India

Nokia India has just announced the upcoming availability of Nokia 600, 700 and 701 Symbian Belle smartphones. While Nokia 701 is currently available in India for Rs 18,999 (about $390 or 285 EUR), Nokia 600 and Nokia 700 are expected to hit shelves in October for a suggested retail price of Rs 12,999 (about $266 or 195 EUR), and Rs 18,099 (about $371 or 272 EUR) respectively. All three handset run Symbian Belle, Nokia's latest mobile platform that features a revamped user interface and new features, such as 6 home screens, notification bar, as well as flexible widgets. Unveiled back in August in Hong Kong, the smartphones made quite an impression at this year's IFA trade fair held in Berlin. Aside Symbian Belle, the smartphones offer users...

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GNOME 3.2's New File Manager, Emperor

It appears that the GNOME developers worked hard to bring a new file manager to the upcoming GNOME 3.2 desktop environment, which will be released later tonight. The new file manager is called Emperor and will not replace the existing file/desktop manager, Nautilus. Instead, it will be nothing more than a simple two pane file manager written in GTK3. Inspired by the ever popular Midnight Commander file manager, Emperor is just a "baby" at this time, but soon it will be integrated into the GNOME desktop environment and will feature GIO and GVfs support. "While it is not yet full-featured, it is complete enough to be useful and has good support for network file systems and automatic mounting of archive files." "Emperor strives to provide a user...

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Asus Intros Ivy Bridge Compatible Motherboards with PCIe 3.0 Support

As a response to all the PCI Express 3.0 compliant motherboards launched by its competitors, Asus has also released a new series of LGA 1055 boards featuring support for this new interface and for Intel's upcoming Ivy Bridge processors using this socket. The series will consist of three models, all featuring PCI Express 3.0 connectivity thanks to a series of Asmedia ASM1480 bridge chips to provide the full bandwidth available to PCIe Gen 3 standard even when multiple GPUs are installed. Speaking of multi-GPU setups, the Asus motherboards come with three PCI Express x16 slots, the first two of these dropping to x8 Gen3 speeds when both are populated, while the latter has only four second generation PCIe lanes routed to it. Power to the CPU socket...

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Windows 8 NUI Features May Not Work with Older Drivers

Windows 8 Developer Preview Build 8102 Milestone 3 (M3) has been available for download for over two weeks now, and although the release is still in pre-Beta stage, early adopters can access it without restrictions.  At BUILD, Microsoft also offered attendees over 5,000 Windows 8 test devices, to test the OS on next generation hardware.  The Samsung Windows Developer Preview PC might be the only way for early adopters to see just what Windows 8 has to offer NUI-wise.  The next major iteration of Windows is tailored to natural user interface devices, letting users leverage multitouch like no other copy of the operating system in history.  However, it seems that using Windows 8 Build 8102 M3 with existing hardware, be it NUI-capable,...

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XUME Adapters Take the Pain Away from Swapping Lens Filters

If you are serious about your photography, then you must know what a pain it is to screw lens filters on and off, so a company that goes by the name of XUME has developed some ingenious new adapters to come to your aid. The concept is quite simple and it focuses on transforming ordinary screw-on filters into snap-on ones by using powerful rare earth magnets. The XUME kit consists of an adapter for the lens of your camera and a holder for each of your filters, and once installed the two magnets found inside these grab each other snapping them together. The only downside to the Xume is price as the adapter is priced at $33 (€24) while each holder retails $12 (€9), but if you constantly find yourself switching between different filters, these could take a lot of pain out of that process. XUME's...

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Toshiba Debuts Thrive 7'' Tablet with Honeycomb and Dual-Core CPU

Toshiba has just announced a smaller version of its Thrive tablet, which will be available sometime in December. However, the manufacturer has yet to disclose any details regarding Toshiba Thrive 7'' Tablet's price and exact release date. Even though the original Thrive is nothing short of a fiasco for the company, Toshiba decided to miniaturize its 10-inch slate and have another go in the tablet market. Toshiba Thrive 7'' Tablet has the same hardware configuration as the bigger slate but comes in a smaller size. The 7-inch tablet is definitely more appealing thanks to sleek and stylish design. The tablet is only 12mm thick and weighs about 400g (battery included). “The Thrive 7” Tablet is the first seven-inch tablet in the U.S. market to offer...

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Nokia N9 Starts Shipping in Selected Markets, Priced at €480

Unveiled back in June, Nokia N9 received excellent feedback from both users and media. Even though the Finnish company announced that the N9 will be the first and last MeeGo device released, it appears that the consumer demand is impressive. Unfortunately, Nokia N9 will be globally available, as countries like United States, United Kingdom, Austria or Germany will not be getting the smartphone through standard channels. The Finnish giant has just announced that N9 is now heading to the shops in selected markets and will be available in three colors (black, cyan and magenta) with and two 16GB and 64GB storage options. According to Nokia, the 16GB N9 can be purchased for €480 (about $650), while the 64GB model will be available for €560 (about...

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