AMD Radeon HD 7970/7950 Get XSPC Razor Waterblock

AMD's Radeon HD 7970 and 7950 graphics cards may have their default coolers, but for those who want their hardware chilled with water, XSPC has created the Razor 7970. The block is made in such a way that, while allowing the card to take up a single expansion slot, it cools all components that generate heat. That means that not just the GPU, but also the 12 GDDR5 memory chips and the VRM come in contact with the metal. The VRM cover is made of aluminum, while the rest of the components get copper assistance. XSPC sells the Razor 7970 waterblock in a bundle with four G1/4″ ports and two G1/4″ plugs. As such, CrossFire multi-card setups can easily be prepared. Unfortunately, the price might not agree with everyone: £82.67, the equivalent of...

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Windows 8 Consumer Preview: New Start Screen, Cloud Integration

The Windows 8 Consumer Preview, made available for download today, arrives with a series of graphical changes when compared to the Developer Preview that was released in September last year.  With the new platform version, Microsoft is offering some more info on the manner in which it has reimagined the Windows experience.  Windows 8 was meant to work on a wider range of devices, including tablet PCs, laptops, desktops and all-in-one PCs. The platform was also intended to deliver fast access to applications, files, information and the like. Additionally, users will find it easier to move between their Windows 8 PCs to access files and settings from wherever they are.  Not to mention that the operating system arrives with optimizations...

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MWC 2012: Motorola Gleam+ Hands-On

After a whole bunch of quad-core and dual-core smartphones powered by Android, or the new and appealing Windows Phone devices from Nokia, it’s high time we had a look at some more traditional phones present on the floor at MWC 2012, such as the Motorola Gleam+.  Packing a flip form factor, the same as its predecessor, the new device arrives on shelves with a 2.8-inch (240 x 400 pixels) TFT screen, and with an alphanumeric keyboard.  It packs 50 MB of internal memory, along with a microSD memory card slot (with support for up to 16 GB of external memory).  The specs list of this handset also includes Stereo FM radio with RDS, Bluetooth, GPRS, microUSB v2.0, and a 2 MP photo snapper that can also record videos.  It is powered...

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OCZ and Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel Make Top-Tier 1000W Power Supply

OCZ has officially announced the sort of product that only a handful of people in the world will ever want or afford to buy, but that was the whole point. The company worked together with Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel in the making of the Fatal1ty 1000 Watt power supply unit (PSU). The beast may not have the absolute highest known power output, but it features 100% Japanese low ESR 105°C capacitors and up to 90% efficiency, earning it 80-Plus Gold certification. “When looking for the ideal gaming power supply, I look for plenty of power to support multi-GPU configurations, superior reliability, and features like quiet and efficient cooling that allow me to stay focused on the game,” said Wendel.  “I also want modular cabling which makes...

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Windows 8 Consumer Preview System Requirements

Today, Microsoft has made available for download the latest milestone of Windows 8, namely the Consumer Preview version, which offers a better look at what the final flavor of the platform will be about.  The Redmond-based company has made available for download the ISO images of both x86 and x64 versions of Windows 8, so that users can download and install them on their computers.  For that, they will need to burn the image on a DVD or emulator, or they can use the Windows 8 Consumer Preview Setup tool that Microsoft made available for download.  The utility will check their PCs to see whether they are compatible with the new platform release, and will also check on application compatibility.  If all goes according to...

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Nokia Launches Nokia Transport on Windows Phone

Today, Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia announced the availability of a new service and application for devices running under Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system, namely Nokia Transport.  Through it, users will be able to learn more on the public transportation routes, which they could take advantage of in order to reach their destinations.  “With this unique service on your phone, you will always be prepared for what lies ahead. Just enter your destination for a complete door-to-door route,” Nokia explains.  “You’ll see integrated data for travel on foot, or by bus, train, tram, or underground. Let’s say you are starting a new job across town. Nokia Transport will help you learn the best route for your daily commute,...

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Microsoft Releases Windows 8 Consumer Preview

Today, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Microsoft announced the release of Windows 8 Consumer Preview.  The release marks a new step in the evolution of Windows 8, but is still only a preview version of the platform, destined mainly for testing purposes.  The new platform flavor brings along a variety of changes when compared to the Windows 8 Developer Preview that became available for download in September last year.  “With Windows 8, we reimagined the different ways people interact with their PC and how to make everything feel like a natural extension of the device, whether using a Windows 8 tablet, laptop or all-in-one,” said Steven Sinofsky, president of the Windows and Windows Live Division at Microsoft. He...

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ADATA Intros Rugged, Waterproof USB 3.0 HDDs

ADATA has officially launched the DashDrive Durable HD710 family of portable and rugged hard disk drives.  Thanks to their unique housing, they are both shockproof and waterproof, even compliant with the IPX7 specification, which means they can survive for 30 minute when submerged underwater at depths of 1 meter or less.  The HDD case is made of a variation of silicon, hence the military-grade toughness.  Additionally, the wraparound exterior slot easily holds onto the USB 3.0 cable when the unit is not in use.  ADATA has three DashDrive Durable HD710 members ready and waiting, with capacities of 500 GB, 750 GB and 1 TB, respectively.  The color options are blue, yellow and black, but we don't have any prices to...

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Raspberry Pi Crashed Sales Servers As Soon As It Went Up for Sale

We talked about the Raspberry Pi just about every time there was anything new to say about it and, now, we have something particularly interesting to share.  It isn't just that the credit card-sized PC has started selling, it's that the number of orders people placed within the first few hours (or possibly less) was enough to crash the servers of both retail partners involved in the commercialization.  This happened even though sales are being limited to one per customer.  Premier Farnell or RS Components have been enlisted, but people will have to wait a bit before getting their turn at this point.  “Both websites are currently experiencing heavy load, and international customers may find that Raspberry...

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$25 Raspberry Pi Mini PC Registers Amazing Sales

Raspberry Pi, a miniature computer with an estimate cost of just $25 (€18.5) and that is capable to run a Linux distro or RISC OS, has been officially put on sale.  Raspberry Pi is being developed in UK and built in China. The mini PC has managed to produce quite a stir at launch, bringing down (temporarily) the websites that were selling it, and the official website. Raspberry Pi Foundation, the developers of this amazing mini-computer, have funded their work by selling mini-motherboards (ten models). They went on Ebay for ridiculously high prices, some people even paying $5000 (€ 3900) for one item. Raspberry Pi relies on an ARM processor with a clock speed of 700 MHz, plus 128 MB or 256 MB of RAM, an SD card slot and a 5V Micro USB...

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MWC 2012: Motorola RAZR Hands-On

Motorola did not launch new smartphones at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, but the company did bring along some of its latest handsets, such as the Motorola RAZR that can be seen in the hands-on photos attached at the bottom of this article.  We took the time to have a closer look at the device, to see whether it is indeed as impressive as Motorola would have us think. And it is. It is both thin and powerful, and it feels great in the hand.  For those out of the loop, we should note that Motorola launched this smartphone with Google’s Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread operating system on board, and with a dual-core application processor clocked in at 1.2GHz.  The handset packs a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Advanced touchscreen display...

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Windows 8 Consumer Preview Up for Download

Microsoft has just made the Consumer Preview flavor of Windows 8 available for download on its servers.  The new platform release is available in both x86 and x64 flavors in the form of ISO images.  The OS flavor is only a pre-release software, which means that there might appear a variety of changes in it before the final flavor of the platform is made available.  With these ISO files, users can install Windows 8 on their desktop PCs at home, after burning them to a DVD or loading them on image emulators.  “Note before you download: Windows 8 Consumer Preview is prerelease software that may be substantially modified before it’s commercially released,” Microsoft explains on its website. The Redmond-based company is expected...

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MWC 2012: Panasonic ELUGA Hands-On

One of the newly launched mobile phones that we had the chance to play with at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona was the Panasonic ELUGA.  The smartphone was unveiled to the world earlier this month and is expected to arrive on shelves in the not too distant future.  The handset packs a dual-core 1 GHz TI OMAP 4430 CPU, along with 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal memory, and a 4.3-inch touchscreen display capable of delivering a 540 x 960 pixels resolution.  The mobile phone arrives on shelves with an 8-megapixel photo snapper on the back, with auto focus, LED flash, and HD video recording.  It will also hit the market with HSDPA, 21 Mbps and HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps connectivity options, as well as with Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n,...

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MWC 2012: Motorola MOTOLUXE Hands-on

Motorola announced all its new products at the International Consumer Electronics Show, last month.  Given the fact that the company's main market is North America, Motorola didn't bring anything new at this year's Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona, Spain. However, we had the chance to try out some of the low to mid-range smartphones that the company is trying to sell in Europe and South America.  Motorola MOTOLUXE is one of the mid-range handsets that will soon be available in more European countries. The smartphone sports a surprisingly large 4.0-inch capacitive touchscreen display, along with an impressive 8-megapixel rear camera.  Motorola MOTOLUXE is powered by Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread and is only 9.9mm thick.  Check...

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