Open webOS Ported to Galaxy Nexus

HP has made the final version of its Open webOS platform available yesterday, and a port for Galaxy Nexus is already making it to headlines. The availability of this platform on the latest Google phone out there is the result of a few months of development, though it seems that a lot of improvements need to be made to it. While the OS does run on the handset, and can even access the WiFi, support for phone functions is not ready just yet, and it might take a while before it is provided. The port also needs hardware acceleration, as the software is almost unusable at the moment. However, the first steps in bringing the Open webOS to the smartphone have been taken, and things could evolve in the right direction soon. More info on the software can be found on webOS ports. first...

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Gigabyte GeForce GTX 680 Overclock Edition 4GB, Triple-Slot GeForce GTX 680 Graphics Card with 4GB Memory

The world of high-end graphics adapters has become a bit larger now that Gigabyte has finished its latest and arguably greatest GeForce GTX 680 board, with WindForce 3X cooling and more memory than all the others in its collection. We suspect that prospective buyers will be torn between considering this the best of Gigabyte's GeForce GTX 680 cards or going with the GeForce GTX 680 WindForce 5X. For what it's worth, we think that the GTX 680 Overclock Edition 4GB (GA-N680OC-4GD) is the better choice, for several reasons. The first is that the price of $800 / 622-800 Euro (as revealed by some buyers through Chinese forums) is lower than the $870 / 670-870 Euro of the five-fan monstrosity. The second is that the three...

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TP-Link N600 Wireless Dual Band Router

IT companies have begun straight-up choosing rivals, with TP-Link being locked in a contest with Netgear for who makes the best and most affordable routers. TP-Link is the one releasing a product this time around, called N600 Wireless Dual Band Router, and the core of its marketing strategy is “Netgear's product is more expensive than ours.” To elaborate, the press release points out that Netgear's N600 WNDR3400 ships for $79.00 in the USA, or 61-79 Euro, give or take. The TP-Link N600 Wireless Dual Band Router TL-WDR3500 is sold for $47, or 40% less. That's around 36.44-47 Euro. "This router provides cost-conscious consumers a chance to experience the advantages of dual band technology that they otherwise may not...

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$99 (€76) Supercomputer Running Ubuntu OS

Adapteva, a company that designs and sells low-power multicore microprocessor, wants to sell a supercomputer running an Ubuntu operating system. The Parallella project will try to build an affordable supercomputer aimed at regular consumers. It will make use of Epiphany multicore chips, built by Adapteva. The supercomputer is trying to get some traction with the help of a Kickstater project. Adapteva is trying to raise enough money to make this computer a reality. The components that will be used to build the Parallella supercomputer are: a dual-core ARM A9 CPU, Epiphany Multicore Accelerator (with 16 or 64 cores), 1GB RAM, 1 MicroSD Card, two USB 2.0 slots, two general purpose expansion connectors, gigabyte Ethernet port,...

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Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 Launched in Australia

On Thursday, Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia unveiled plans to have its newly announced Windows Phone 8-based Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 available for purchase in Australia through various wireless carriers and retailers in the country. The company confirmed that the flagship Lumia 920 would be released on Telstra’s network, and that Vodafone and Optus would add the new Lumia 820 to their offerings. Both Windows Phone 8 handsets would be made available for purchase through various retailers in the country, the handset vendor also announced. "Operators and retailers are throwing their weight behind our new Nokia Lumia smartphones and we appreciate their continued support,” Nokia Australia's Managing Director, Steve Lewis,...

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Acrosser AMB-QM77T1, Mini-ITX Motherboard with Intel Ivy Bridge Support

Acrosser Technology had a very specific skill set in mind when it designed the AMB-QM77T1, so it chose the QM77 Intel Express chipset and the FCPGA 988 socket. FCPGA, short for flip-chip pin grid array, is a type of pin grid array integrated circuit packaging that has the die facing downwards on the top of the substrate and its back exposed. This lets the die have direct contact with whatever heatsink or waterblock happens to be present, thus maximizing the cooling efficiency. Intel's Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 central processors, as well as its Celeron processors, all feature this packaging. This is why Acrosser chose the Intel QM77 chipset and FCPGA 988 socket, even though its AMB-QM77T1 is not a consumer motherboard,...

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VIA New ETX Module with a Dual-Core CPU

Having established itself as the primary provider on the niche market, though not one bereft of troubles, of embedded hardware, VIA has announced the latest computing module, bearing the name of VIA ETX-8X90. VIA's computing modules, similar to small board PCs really, are made in such a way that they can take any role assigned to them, while also wasting as little energy as possible. The ETX-8X90 is no exception, featuring not only the 1.2 GHz VIA Nano X2 E-Series dual core processor, but also the VIA VX900 media system processor. Alongside them, packed inside the 114 x 95 mm package (4.48 x 3.74 inches), are two memory slots (up to 4 GB of DDR3 RAM supported), a pair of PCI buses, an ISA bus, one SATA port (for storage),...

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AMD Silently Releases Two Ultra-Low Voltage Trinity APUs

All eyes are on the impending launch of AMD's desktop Trinity accelerated processing units (APUs), but that shouldn't be enough reason to miss out on the release of new laptop parts. Then again, Advanced Micro Devices isn't making it easy for us. There was no press release or even a short announcement about the arrival of the A4-4355M and A8-4555M, its two newest ultra-low voltage APUs. The chips did make it on the product specifications page though, along with a new chip in the C-Series, based on the Bobcat architecture: C-70. We'll get the C-70 out of the way first. It is a rather odd piece of work, simply because there seems to be no difference between it and the C-60. The two cores run at 1/1.33 GHz, the integrated...

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Two New Samsung Galaxy S III Ads Released, To Mock Apple Device

Samsung is already known for its video ads for the Galaxy smartphones, as they are usually intended to pick on Apple’s iPhone. The last two videos released by the South Korean handset vendor do exactly the same, touting some of the features that Galaxy S III comes with and which are not available on the iPhone, as can be seen in the clip above. In fact, both these videos are parts of the longer ad that Samsung released for the smartphone a few weeks back, with some new lines added to them, so as to mock Apple’s device even more. In the clip embedded below, the mockery turns to a different direction through showing a Galaxy S III owner saving a spot for his parents, who want to grab the new iPhone model. Videos credits to SamsungMobileU...

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Qualcomm SnapDragon S2 Humiliates Intel Medfield [Video]

In an interesting development, Qualcomm has decided to leave being its noble and non-combative attitude towards Intel or other competitors. The company has just posted a video where they compare a two-year-old SnapDragon S2 to a 2012 Atom Medfield. While synthetic benchmarks portray Medfield as a valid competitor for last year’s top performing ARM gang, the real-life experience proves that the performance is considerably inferior to a Qualcomm SoC that was launched two years ago. The video compares the Sony Xperia smartphone to the unpopular Lava XOLO that has an Intel Atom Z2460 SoC inside. The Medfield SoC looks pretty much OK in benchmarks. It’s definitely not comparable with this year’s top performing ARM processors, but it’s hanging tight with the 2011 pack. Moreover,...

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Transcend 128 GB JetFlash 760 USB 3.0 Flash Drives

Well-known computer memory and storage manufacturer Transcend has just launched two new flash drive series that feature impressive capacities and high transfer rates. The new thumb drives are using the new USB 3.0 connection technology and thus are able to deliver high speeds. The official names for the two series are Transcend JetFlash 760 and JetFlash 600. The company also touts high transfer rates even on the standard USB 2.0 ports as the internal layout of the NAND chips is a dual-channel one. The company further offers the free download of the exclusive Transcend Elite data management software, which features intelligent backup scheduling and the often required 256-bit AES file encryption capability. The USB sticks...

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Windows Phone 8 Emulator and SDK Video Walkthrough Emerges

Microsoft is still a few weeks away from officially launching the Windows Phone 8 platform, yet some more info on what it would have to offer to its users is now available, courtesy of the pre-release SDK that was provided to some developers not too long ago. A video walkthrough with the SDK and the included emulator has emerged over at WPCentral, though the entire platform is now yet visible to the public. Apparently, Microsoft has locked down a few areas of the SDK, so as to make sure that yet unannounced features won’t leak online. However, a few details on what to expect are still available in the video. Windows Phone 8 has been long rumored to be planned for a late October launch, which means that it won’t be long before users will be able to enjoy it first hand, so...

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BlackBerry 10 Native SDK Beta 3 Available for Download

Following the unveiling of new features and capabilities of the upcoming BlackBerry 10 platform, Canadian handset vendor Research In Motion also announced the availability of updated developer tools for those interested in building applications for the OS. Among them, we can count the third beta flavor of the BlackBerry 10 Native SDK, which provides a nice range of enhancements over the previous releases, and which takes one step closer to the final flavor of the development kit. “Our APIs have evolved to a point where they are stable and functional enough to advertise backwards compatibility,” RIM notes in a blog post. “We also support a full feature set of APIs in the Native SDK – from connectivity APIs such as email...

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Negative Pressure Liquid Cooling System

Most people don't have a reason to care about data centers, the so-called “server farms” responsible for the continued availability of all the world's websites, but that shouldn't stop them from taking a look at the new cooling technology designed for them. Cooling is one of the things that consume the most power in a data center or server. Knowing that such clusters waste around 90% of all the power they eat, coming up with better solutions is a priority. The California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (CALIT2) at the University of California San Diego is demonstrating one such solution: the negative-pressure liquid cooling system. A rack-based, direct-to-the-chip, leak-free technology, it can be...

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Maingear Alpha 24 Super Stock, All-in-One with Ivy Bridge CPU and NVIDIA Graphics

The Alpha 24 Super Stock all-in-one personal computer is described by Maingear's CEO Wallace Santos as the proof that people don't need to sacrifice anything when choosing an all-in-one over a standard desktop PC. The so-called disadvantages that all-in-one systems have compared to desktops are multiple: lack of upgradeability, lower top performance potential, little overclocking support (if any) and, of course, a higher price. Maingear decided to eliminate these drawbacks, or at least offer enough to completely counterbalance them. The overclocking issue is easy: people who consider buying an AiO aren't thinking of tweaking the clock by default. The lack of upgradeability and performance issues were solved in a single...

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JEDEC: DDR4 Memory Standard Is Now Official

JEDEC is an international organization that encompasses many memory chip manufacturers, module manufacturers and other technology companies. The organization develops and sets the standard specification in the DRAM memory field, and now it has officially launched the DDR4 standard. This means that now DDR4 mainboards and memory modules will start appearing from various manufacturers as there currently is a standard that will ensure compatibility between the different devices. Many believe that DDR4 will not be too popular during the next 12 months as DDR3 has greatly surpassed its specifications, and this will make initial DDR4 implementation look less impressive than DDR3-based ones. Also, just like any new technology,...

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AOKP Jelly Bean Build 3 Now Available for Download

A new Android 4.1 Jelly Bean-based release is now available from the Android Open Kang Project team, namely build 3, which comes only one week after the second build was made available. The new custom ROM flavor comes with a nice range of features packed inside, including improvements for those with SMS QuickReply, IME Switcher & Vib/Ring toggle as NavRing target, as well as various fixes for bugs discovered in the previous release. Stopwatch & Countdown in the Clock app (CM), and Expert Calculator functions (Graph, Matrices, etc.) (CM) were also included in this release. Moreover, the ROM now offers expanded support for devices, and can be installed on Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S 4G at Sprint, as well as on Galaxy...

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PNY ThinkSafe, Portable Laptop Locking Systems

Password protection is great, and there are even biometric security systems all in laptops nowadays, but there is something comforting, for some people anyway, in knowing that no one but them can lift the lid. PNY has introduced a trio of locking systems that ensures precisely that: ThinkSafe Portable Laptop Locking Systems. Three in number, they bear the fairly self-explanatory names of ThinkSafe Portable Laptop Locking System, ThinkSafe Portable MacBook Locking System and PNY ThinkSafe Portable Security Clamp. The first two have numeric keypads that need a special combination to be inserted before allowing access. The third is basically a vise that keeps the laptop firmly shut. The Locking Systems are priced at $39.99...

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Apple SVP Phil Schiller: iPhone 5 Scratches Are “Normal”

Early iPhone 5 adopters are becoming concerned about the "scuffability" of the iPhone 5, following widespread reports that the aluminum chassis housing the phone’s electronics is prone to getting easily scratched. So one customer decided to take matters up with the black suits at Apple. Alex decided he’d email Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice pre… Apple’s sales guy, in short. He asked if the company had any plans to address an issue that hasn’t even been confirmed as an issue – “scuffgate.” Hit the link, if you’ve been away from your RSS feed lately. “Any aluminum product may scratch or chip with use, exposing its natural silver color,” reads the email reply from Apple SVP of Product Marketing, Philip Schiller. “That is normal,” he said, indicating that Apple isn’t...

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TP-Link TL-WN823N, 300Mbps Mini-Wireless N USB Adapter

TP-Link has chosen to advertise its newest product, N300 TL-WN823N, as a direct competitor to an item from Netgear, one that is more expensive while not noticeably superior to it. The device that TP-Link aims to steal customers from is the Netgear N300 WNA3100M, priced at $36.99 / 29-36.99 Euro. Basically, both Netgear's small stick and TP-Link's 300Mbps Mini-Wireless N USB Adapter establish a strong wireless connection when plugged inside a USB port. "Our customers tell us they need a portable wireless adapter that has the power to provide fast connection speeds to their laptop, smart phone and tablet at times when only one wired connection is available," says Lewis Wu, director of sales at TP-LINK USA. "This adapter...

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Lytro Light Field Camera Reaches US Market

The Lytro camera, reputed for being capable of capturing the entire field of light and, thus, allowing a photo to be focused after it has been taken, is making the headlines again. We don't have any new tech breakthrough to talk about this time. Instead, we are here to inform you that, if you live in the US, the product will be available online from stores like Amazon, Target and BestBuy from October 9, 2012 onwards. After that, in November, Target's CityTarget brick-and-mortar stores in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Westwood, Seattle, and Chicago will have it up for sale too. Unfortunately, the same doesn't go for the rest of the world, which is really what we are hoping for, since Lytro has been selling the camera, in the...

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Kingston ValueRAM Capable of 2,400 MHz Is Incredibly Cheap

One would think that a memory module capable of working well in excess of 2,000 MHz would cost more than average, but Kingston has shown that there are exceptions even to that rule. The company didn't actually make any announcement about it, but that didn't stop some people from having the epiphany by accident. It turns out that a 4 GB Kingston value RAM memory module ships for only $18.99, or 14.70-18.99 Euro on European retailers. Obviously, the 1,600 MHz frequency and the latency of 11-11-11-28, all on 1.5 Volts, makes that tag seem like a logical choice. Sure, it is low, but only due to how poorly memory has been selling over the past year. The price is also “owed” to the lack of Intel CMP certification and the...

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BlackBerry 10 New Screenshots Emerge (Again)

Research In Motion is still tight-lipped on what its upcoming BlackBerry 10 operating system will have to offer to users, yet info on the matter is slowly emerging online, via various leaks. New screenshots with the platform are now available for your viewing pleasure, confirming that there will be a Maps application available in the OS, and that users will also benefit from NFC support. Moreover, a Mobile HotSpot application with support for up to 8 Wi-Fi-enabled devices will also be included in the platform, a nice enhancement over the feature present in BlackBerry 7 OS. The upcoming platform version will also come with an HTML5 browser, which should deliver great performance levels, at least this is what one of the screenshots...

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Nokia to Sue HTC over Polycarbonate Design of HTC Windows Phone 8X

Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia is reportedly considering filing a lawsuit against Taiwanese maker HTC, seeking a ban on its newly unveiled Windows Phone 8X smartphone. The handset, unveiled to the world last week, features the same polycarbonate body that Nokia has been using for about one year for its Windows Phone devices, and resembles a lot the Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 smartphones that were unveiled in early September. HTC’s new smartphone indeed looks a lot like the Lumia handsets, especially when put side by side with the Lumia 820, Nokia’s mid-range device. Nokia hasn’t made an official announcement regarding its plans, but PC-Tablet.com cites trusted sources claiming that the company is indeed considering a possible...

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Casio Elixim EX-H50 16.1MP 24x Digital Photo Camera

Japanese watch maker Casio has just launched a new compact mega-zoom digital photo camera that comes with various useful features to make a tourist’s life easier. The new model can also film HD movies in 720p mode and sports sensor-shift image stabilizationn. The official denomination of the new model is Casio Elixim EX-H50 and it features a 1/2.3” CCD sensor. We’d really like all compact cameras to move away from 1 / 2.x” type of sensors and to stick to 1 / 1.1x sensors, but it seems that pennies matter much more than quality or user satisfaction these days. The new camera can’t film in FullHD, but it features an impressive 24x optical zoom and this is quite an achievement in such a small body and brings some competition...

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ASUS F2A85-V Pro FM2 AMD Motherboard

World’s largest motherboard manufacturer, Taiwanese company ASUS has just announced its new F2A85 mainboard series that offer support for AMD’s FM2 Trinity processors. The new boards come with high quality components and a rich bundle of hardware and software technologies. The “Dual Intelligent Processors 3” and “DIGI+ Power Control” technologies offer significant power consumption reductions while the latter also brings a possible 68% CPU frequency boost along with increased RAM overclocking capability. One important addition is the USB 3.0 Boost that is actually UASP driver support and, besides the marketing talk, this brings real performance and stability improvements to the USB 3.0 system of the mainboard. The most powerful...

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