text:
Win7's market share continues to climb
Subject: General Tech | December 2, 2013 - 01:05 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Windows 7, windows, win 8.1, microsoft
There is bad news at The Inquirer for anyone at Microsoft who is still labouring under the delusion than Win 8 + 8.1 will catch on just as soon as people see it in action. Not only does Win7 continue to hold a larger share of the market compared to its metrosexual cousin, Win7's market share is growing faster than Win 8+ 8.1, 0.22% growth compared to 0.05%. When people are willing to pay extra to remove Win8.1 from their shiny new toys and replace it with Win7 it says a lot about the acceptance of the new OS, currently even Vista holds a greater market share than Win 8.1, though Win 8 does have slightly more. You should also take note that as of today there are a mere 126 days before WinXP is no longer supported.
"PC OPERATING SYSTEM FLOGGER Microsoft's Windows 7 still holds more market share than Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 combined."
Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
- All signs point to Kaveri being an evolutionary upgrade @ The Tech Report
- Intel Linux Driver Almost Neck-And-Neck With Windows 8.1 @ Phoronix
- AMD APU On Linux: Gallium3D Can Be 80%+ As Fast As Catalyst @ Phoronix
- That toolbar you downloaded is malware? Tough, read the EULA @ The Register
- Crafting A Liquid Crystal Display @ Hack a Day
AMD A10-7850K and A10-7700K Kaveri Leaks Including Initial GPU Benchmarks
Subject: General Tech, Graphics Cards, Processors | December 3, 2013 - 04:12 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: Kaveri, APU, amd
The launch and subsequent availability of Kaveri is scheduled for the CES time frame. The APU unites Steamroller x86 cores with several Graphics Core Next (GCN) cores. The high-end offering, the A10-7850K, is capable of 856 GFLOPs of compute power (most of which is of course from the GPU).
Image/Leak Credit: Prohardver.hu
We now know about two SKUs: the A10-7850K and the A10-7700K. Both parts are quite similar except that the higher model is given a 200 MHz CPU bump, 3.8 GHz to 4.0 Ghz, and 33% more GPU units, 6 to 8.
But how does this compare? The original source (prohardver.hu) claims that Kaveri will achieve an average 28 FPS in Crysis 3 on low at 1680x1050; this is a 12% increase over Richland. It also achieved an average 53 FPS with Sleeping Dogs on Medium which is 26% more than Richland.
These are healthy increases over the previous generation but do not even account for HSA advantages. I am really curious what will happen if integrated graphics become accessible enough that game developers decide to target it for general compute applications. The reduction in latency (semi-wasted time bouncing memory between compute devices) might open this architecture to where it can really shine.
We will do our best to keep you up to date on this part especially when it launches at CES.
Dell UltraSharp 24": Professional 4K (UltraHD) Monitor
Subject: General Tech, Displays | December 2, 2013 - 02:20 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: dell, ultrasharp, UP2414Q, 4k
Dell Belize published an overview of the UltraSharp UP2414Q 24" 4K monitor. I must say, 3840x2160 in a 24" display would certainly look make text look "ultra sharp". The rest of the company still does not appear to be acknowledging its existence but I think this is a pretty safe rumor.
One of the selling points of Dell UltraSharp monitors is its color gamut. It is not too difficult to find a monitor with 100% sRGB coverage, but Adobe RGB is quite larger; the UP2414Q claims to be able to reproduce 99% of it. This means that, if properly calibrated, the monitor can reach "further colors" instead of approximating them. Specifically, 100% Adobe RGB is roughly the gamut possible with color printers.
Put into perspective: my Wacom Cintiq 22HD claims 72% coverage of Adobe RGB.
Image Credit: Wikipedia
Not much else is known about this display. It does not have a price. It does not have a release date. It does not even have an official announcement date. They do claim to calibrate the monitors before they leave the factory so that is some other information, I guess. It has four USB 3.0 ports and a 6-in-1 card reader.
But I can imagine the biggest omission for our audience is: there is no official announcement about refresh rates. Ian Cutress down at Anandtech assumes, based on the Dell UltraSharp 32" UP3214Q monitor, it will support 60Hz only using two DisplayPort 1.2a connectors in MST; otherwise, 4K will be limited to 30Hz.
I would be surprised if he is not correct.
NVIDIA Launches GeForce Experience 1.8
Subject: General Tech, Graphics Cards | December 2, 2013 - 03:16 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: nvidia, ShadowPlay
They grow up so fast these days...
GeForce Experience is NVIDIA's software package, often bundled with their driver updates, to optimize the experience of their customers. This could be adding interesting features, such as GPU-accelerated game video capture, or just recommending graphics settings for popular games.
Version 1.8 adds many desired features lacking from the previous version. I always found it weird that GeForce Experience would recommend one good baseline settings for games, and set them for you, but force you to then go into the game and tweak from there. It would be nice to see multiple presets but that is not what we get; instead, we are able to tweak the settings from within GeForce Experience. The baseline tries to provide a solid 40 FPS at the most difficult moments, computationally. You can then tune the familiar performance and quality slider from there.
You are also able to set resolutions up to 3840x2160 and select whether you would like to play in windowed (including "borderless") mode.
Also, with ShadowPlay, Windows 7 users will also be able to "shadow" the last 20 minutes like their Windows 8 neighbors. You will also be able to combine your microphone audio with the in-game audio should you select it. I can see the latter feature being very useful for shoutcasters. Apparently it allows capturing VoIP communication and not just your microphone itself.
Still no streaming to Twitch.tv, yet. It is still coming.
For now, you can download GeForce Experience from NVIDIA's GeForce website. If you want to read a little more detail about it, first, you can check out their (much longer) blog post.
Introduction and Technical Specifications
Courtesy of Noctua
Noctua is a well known name in the enthusiast world for its high-end CPU cooler products. Their flagship cooler, the NH-D14, features a nickel-plated copper base with dual radiator towers actively cooled by low noise 120mm and 140mm fans. The NH-D14 can be used with all current Intel and AMD CPU offerings. The cooler was put to the test against other similarly classed air and water-based cooling systems to see just how well Noctua's design would hold up. The Noctua NH-D14 does not come cheap with a retail price at $99.99, but its performance and utility should make up for that initial outlay.
Courtesy of Noctua
Courtesy of Noctua
The Noctua NH-D14 cooler is everything you would expect in a premium CPU cooler - nickel-plating for corrosion resistance, twin-tower radiators for massive heat dissipation potential, and copper / aluminum hybrid design for optimal heat transfer from the CPU. Noctua designed the NH-D14 with a total of six heat pipes, laid out in a U-shaped design which passes through the copper base plate and terminates in the radiator towers. The bottom of the copper base plate leaves the factory ground flat and polished to a mirror-like finish, ensuring optimal interfacing with the CPU surface.
Courtesy of Noctua
Noctua included the following components in with the base cooler: SecureFirm2™ multi-socket mounting kit, NF-P14 140mm fan, NF-P12 120mm fan, four fan mounting brackets, a dual-ended fan power cable, two single-fan low power cables, a case badge, and NT-H1 thermal compound.
Continue reading our review of the Noctua NH-D14 CPU air cooler!
PC Component Selections
It's that time of year again! When those of us lucky enough with the ability, get and share the best in technology with our friends and family. You are already the family IT manager so why not help spread the holiday cheer by picking up some items for them, and hey...maybe for you. :)
This year we are going to break up the guide into categories. We'll have a page dedicated to PC components, one for mobile devices like notebooks and tablets and one for PC accessories. Then, after those specific categories, we'll have an open ended collection of pages where each PC Perspective team member can throw in some wildcards.
Our Amazon code is: pcper04-20
Intel Core i7-4770K Haswell Processor
The Intel Core i7-4770K is likely the best deal in computing performance today, after to power just about any configuration of PC you can think of without breaking much a sweat. You want to game? This part has you covered? You want to encode some video? The four cores and included HyperThreading support provide just about as much power as you could need. Yes there are faster processors in the form of the the Ivy Bridge-E and even 10+ core Xeon processors, but those are significantly more expensive. For a modest price of $299 you can get what is generally considered the "best" processor on the market.
Corsair Carbide Series Air 540 Case
Cases are generally considered a PC component that is more about the preference of the buyer but there are still fundamentals that make cases good, solid cases. The new Corsair Carbide Air 540 is unique in a lot of ways. The square-ish shape allows for a division of your power supply, hard drives and SSDs from the other motherboard-attached components. Even though the case is a bit shorter than others on the market, there is plenty of working room inside thanks to the Corsair dual-chamber setup and it even includes a pair of high-performance Corsair AF140L fans for intake and exhaust. The side panel window is HUGE allowing you to show off your goods and nice touches like the rubber grommeted cable routing cut outs and dust filters make this one of the best mid-range cases available.
Continue reading our selections for this year's PC Perspective Holiday Gift Guide!!
CES 14: Corsair & Cherry Partner on RGB-backlit Keyboard(s)
Subject: General Tech, Cases and Cooling | December 4, 2013 - 03:52 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: mechanical keyboard, corsair, Cherry MX, cherry, CES 2014
The three little letters that instill fear in tech journalists (and vendors) right around the holiday season: CES. This will be the first of many news posts coming out of that event -- it is still a month away! Companies are already preparing for what will come after the holidays. Brace yourselves!
Corsair and Cherry have just released a preview of their upcoming CES announcement. Mechanical keyboards (at least those based on Cherry MX switches) were only rarely backlit. Pretty much every model of Cherry MX-based keyboard with per-key LED lighting was, at one point, developed by iOne (they produced the XArmor line of backlit keyboards and collaborated with Razer on the BlackWidow). I am not particularly sure what the difficulty was from an engineering standpoint but I do know it was rare.
Cherry, themselves, are assisting the next evolution of this technology. The company has developed a special version of their MX Red-class switch with built-in RGB illumination. The mixture of these three colors allows for a key to be lit by any color in the visible spectrum (up to the precision allowed by hardware and software). Their press release suggests 8-bit per channel control (~16.7 million colors). Their exclusive launch partner for this 2014 debut will be Corsair.
Clearly their K-series keyboards sold well.
If you want to learn more about the Cherry MX switches, be sure to check out our overview from 2012. Also, check out the Cherry website for a ridiculously informative breakdown of the switch all each of its components. Seriously, this puts my animation to shame; it is kind of depressing.
Also, check out the press blast after the break.
MSI Z87I GAMING AC Motherboard and GTX 760 GAMING ITX Video Card
Subject: General Tech, Graphics Cards, Motherboards | December 4, 2013 - 12:02 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: uppercase, msi, mini-itx
MSI is calling these products, "Mini, but Mighty". These components are designed for the mini-ITX form factor which is smaller than 7 inches in length and width. Its size makes it very useful for home theater PCs (HTPCs) and other places where discretion is valuable. You also want these machines to be quiet, which MSI claims this product series is.
The name is also written in full uppercase so you imagine yourself yelling every time you read it.
The MSI Z87I GAMING AC Motherboard comes with an Intel 802.11ac (hence, "GAMING AC", I assume) wireless adapter. If you are using a wired connection, it comes with a Killer E2205 Ethernet adapter from Qualcomm's BigFoot Networks (even small PCs can be BigFoot). Also included is an HDMI 1.4 output capable of 4K video (HDMI 1.4 is limited to 30Hz output at 2160p).
Good features to have, especially for an HTPC build.
The other launch is the GTX 760 GAMING ITX video card. This card is a miniature GeForce 760 designed to fit in mini-ITX cases. If your box is a Home Theater PC, expect it to run just about any game at 1080p.
No information on pricing and availability yet. Check out the press release after the break.
Trying to tempt people onto The Elder Scrolls Online beta
Subject: General Tech | December 4, 2013 - 02:30 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: mmorpg, gaming, elder scrolls online
Long time fans of The Elder Scrolls series have not been jumping on the online version in great numbers, partly due to the changes that were made to the game to make it an MMORPG but also because that particular market is rather saturated. Over at Rock, Paper, SHOTGUN is a short video intended to offer an enticing look at the skills that you can develop over time. They are much more in depth than the constellation of skills available in offline TES games and can be gained in more ways that just levelling up. As well they can be tweaked and modified in such a way as to make your character much more personalized, take a peek and see if it convinces you to give the game a try.
"When I was little, I wanted to grow up to be a fireman and an astronaut and a cowboy and a monster truck and Batman and a shoe and a barn and a machine that could produce infinite popsicles and the head of a moderately successful middle management firm. Eventually, however, I realized that I'd have to settle on just one thing, so I decided that I hated money and became a games journo."
Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
- New PlanetSide 2 Progression Won't Involve Gear Or Power @ Rock, Paper, SHOTGUN
- Give It A Trya: Maia Lands On Steam Early Access @ Rock, Paper, SHOTGUN
- Steam's concurrent user record breaches 7 million @ HEXUS
- Super Mario 3D World @ The Inquirer
- A Flippin' Good Time: The Pinball Arcade PC Review @ Techgage
Podcast #279 - R9 290 Variance Issues, OCZ's Bankruptcy, Kaveri Leaks and more!
Subject: General Tech | December 4, 2013 - 05:10 PM | Ken Addison
Tagged: video, ultrasharp, toshiba, R9 290X, r9 290, podcast, ocz, Kaveri, dell, amd, A10-7850K, A10-7700K, 4k
PC Perspective Podcast #279 - 12/04/2013
Join us this week as we discuss R9 290 Variance Issues, OCZ's Bankruptcy, Kaveri Leaks and more!
You can subscribe to us through iTunes and you can still access it directly through the RSS page HERE.
The URL for the podcast is: http://pcper.com/podcast - Share with your friends!
- iTunes - Subscribe to the podcast directly through the iTunes Store
- RSS - Subscribe through your regular RSS reader
- MP3 - Direct download link to the MP3 file
Hosts: Ryan Shrout, Jeremy Hellstrom, Josh Walrath, and Scott Michaud
Week in Review:
NOW ONLY: Assassin's Creed IV for $29
0:29:45 Noctua NH-D14 CPU Cooler Review
0:55:20 Alas poor OCZ, we knew them well
Scott: Stanley Parable
Video Perspective: Anker E150 5V / 5A 5-Port USB Wall Charger
Subject: General Tech, Mobile | December 3, 2013 - 10:32 AM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: video, usb, charger, anker
In my eternal goal to find the perfect USB charging solution for my varied use cases, I came across a 5-port unit from a company called Anker that is as close as I have found thus far. My needs are pretty concrete: lots of ports, high power to those ports and the ability to sit on a desk or table. The Anker E150 5V/5A 5-port wall charger is pretty close.
Though ideally I would like to see more than 5 ports, this capacity seems to be reasonable for most people with the standard allotment of electronics. As the name suggests, the Anker unit maxes out at 5A of output TOTAL for all 5 ports, though each port is rated at different amperage. The two ports labeled iPad will output up to 2.1A, the rest vary a bit.
Obviously the total amp output of those ports goes PAST the 5A maximum of the unit, so expect charging to slow down if you have all ports populated. I also wish that Anker would just label the outputs with their respective amperage rather than attempting to get product SEO with the current naming scheme.
Even better, the Anker E150 5V/5A 5-port wall charger can be picked up at Amazon for an impulse purchase price of $19!
Check out my full video overview below!!
All Hands on DICE. Fixing Battlefield 4 is "#1 Priority"
Subject: General Tech | December 5, 2013 - 01:59 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: dice, BF4
DICE has announced that they are working on Battlefield 4, its expansions, Mirror's Edge, and Star Wars: Battlefront 3. Or at least, they have been working on them. For now, Battlefield 4 will be the only product in active development. DICE and EA have acknowledged issues with the game in terms of stability and connectivity. Until that becomes satisfactory, they will pause development on all other titles and expansion packs.
PC Gamer received a statement from an EA spokesperson about these claims. Apparently the China Rising DLC was basically completed before this decision was made; everything else will wait. Really, you just cannot keep bombers and motorbikes sitting on the shelf.
I mean, it is interesting that they say this. Still, I cannot see what this actually means. EA will not pull environment artists and sound engineers to fix these issues. It is a good "commitment to our customers" statement and I applaud them for admitting problems with the game (oddly, I found this version much less error prone than Battlefield 3) but, despite sounding clear, I wonder how much extra resources will result from this. Sure, it was a petty example, but it questions where the line actually is.
Battlefield 4 is available now from multiple retailers (just not Steam).
That RAM is stacked
Subject: General Tech | November 28, 2013 - 01:48 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: DRAM, HMC, hybrid memory cubes, micron, TSV
Hybrid Memory Cubes are DRAM stacked in layers with logic on the bottom layer to decide which memory layer to address commands to whic is being developed by a team that includes Altera, ARM, IBM, SK Hynix, Micron, Open-Silicon, Samsung and Xilinix. This is intended to give DRAM enhanced parallelization which will help it keep up with today's multi-cored processors. Micron's example which the Register takes a look at here claims up to 10 GB/sec (80 Gb/sec) of bandwidth from each of the 16 vaults present on the chip, a vault being an area of memory on a layer. That compares favourably to the maximum theoretical JEDEC speed of DDR3-1333 which is just a hair over 10GB/s. Read more here.
"Dratted multi-core CPUs. DRAM is running into a bandwidth problem. More powerful CPUs has meant that more cores are trying to access a server's memory and the bandwidth is running out.
One solution is to stack DRAM in layers above a logic base layer and increase access speed to the resulting hybrid memory cubes (HMC), and Micron has done just that."
Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
- Prolonged Ivy Bridge life-cycle affects Intel 2014 CPU roadmap @ DigiTimes
- Repairing Dead USB Flash Drives @ Hack a Day
- Globalfoundries gearing up for high-volume MEMS manufacturing @ DigiTimes
- Gigabyte expected to post 28-year shipments high of 21 million motherboards in 2013 @ DigiTimes
- THOUSANDS of Ruby on Rails sites leave logins lying around @ The Register
- How to Remote Control Your Camera with Darktable on Linux @ Linux.com
Gold Box: Assassin's Creed IV is $29 on Steam, Xbox 360, PS3
Subject: General Tech | December 3, 2013 - 02:09 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: gold box, amazon
If you haven't picked up Assassin's Creed IV yet, today might be the best chance you'll get before the holiday. Amazon.com's Gold Box deal today offers you the PC DVD, Steam, Uplay, Xbox 360 and PS3 versions for just $29.99.
Just keep in mind that the Amazon Gold Box deal ends at the end of the day!
That is half off the current Steam price and based on my time with the game, and reviews in general, Assassin's Creed IV is much better than AC3 and currently sits at a score of 87 on Metacritic.
Black Friday Tech Deals - Updated on the Fly!
Subject: General Tech | November 29, 2013 - 03:42 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: deals, black friday
As the smart ones sit around their computers and laptops today rather than brave the wilds of the outside, we are gathering some of our favorite Black Friday tech deals to go along with our PC Perspective Holiday Gift Guide.
If you are looking to build or significantly update your PC and are looking for component suggestions, be sure you check out the PC Perspective Hardware Leaderboard!!
Keep in mind that some of the deals might expire throughout the day! We'll be adding to this list (newest at the top) as the day progresses, so keep checking back!
Samsung 840 EVO 250GB - 1TB
AMD FX-9590 8-Core Black Edition Processor
PS Vita with 4 Games: Walking Dead, Sly Cooper, Retro City Rampage, Uncharted
Saint's Row IV PC Game Download
Kingston HyperX 3K 240GB SSD
NVIDIA SHIELD Android Gaming Device with Case and 2 Games
ASUS Taichi 11.6-in Convertible Touch Ultrabook
ASUS Z87-A ATX Motherboard
MSI Z87 MPOWER Motherboard
Orico USB 3.0 and eSATA External SATA HDD Dock
ASUS GTX 680 DirectCU II OC Edition
ASUS Radeon HD 7870 DirectCU
PowerColor AX7870 2GB GHz Edition
Crucial M500 960GB SSD
Elgato Game Capture HD 1080p Recorder
SanDisk 64GB microSDXC Memory card with Adapter
Microsoft CEO: Choice Between Alan Mulally & Satya Nadella
Subject: Editorial, General Tech | December 2, 2013 - 02:23 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: microsoft, CEO
And then there were two, we think?
The search for a Microsoft CEO has been intensely monitored by journalists and financial analysts alike. The recent acquisition of Nokia (which was just approved by the DOJ, by the way) suggested that its CEO, Stephen Elop, was in the front running; if you watched coverage you would think CEO of Microsoft was his fate while everyone daydreamed of Alan Mulally.
While not confirmed, it looks like he (and former CEO of Skype, Tony Bates) are out of the running.
The top two candidates are Alan Mulally and Satya Nadella. The former would be an "acquisition" from Ford (more like a stressful retirement from there). His fame arose from turning that company around just prior to the 2008 Financial Crisis which wrecked the rest of the US auto industry. The latter runs the Cloud and Enterprise group which successfully evolved as times change without even a peep of trouble; it is just about the only stable division the company has.
Personally, I must say that those were just about the two best candidates in the pool -- at least from an outsider viewpoint. Their roles as CEO seem quite different but might not be. Both Mulally and Nadella have a track record of successfully navigating a changing landscape; the difference has been the rate and visibility.
This should be good news either way. Journalists will not have as many exciting things to talk about if Satya will be chosen but this is Microsoft's story, not theirs.
Streaming games straight from NVIDIA
Over the weekend NVIDIA released a December update for the SHIELD Android mobile gaming device that included a very interesting, and somewhat understated, new feature: Beta support for NVIDIA GRID.
You have likely heard of GRID before, NVIDIA has been pushing it as part of the companies vision going forward to GPU computing in every facet and market. GRID was aimed at creating GPU-based server farms to enable mobile, streaming gaming to users across the country and across the world. While initially NVIDIA only talked about working with partners to launch streaming services based on GRID, they have obviously changed their tune slightly with this limited release.
If you own a SHIELD, and install the most recent platform update, you'll find a new icon in your NVIDIA SHIELD menu called GRID Beta. The first time you start this new application, it will attempt to measure your bandwidth and latency to offer up an opinion on how good your experience should be. NVIDIA is asking for at least 10 Mbps of sustained bandwidth, and wants round trip latency under 60 ms from your location to their servers.
Currently, servers are ONLY located in Northern California so the further out you are, the more likely you will be to run into problems. However, oing some testing in Kentucky and Ohio resulted in a very playable gaming scenarios, though we did run into some connection problems that might be load-based or latency-based.
After the network setup portion users are shown 8 different games that they can try. Darksiders, Darksiders II, Street Fighter X Tekken, Street Fighter IV, Alan Wake, The Witcher 2, Red Faction: Armageddon and Trine 2. You are free to play them free of charge during this beta though I think you can be sure they will be removed and erased at some point; just a reminder. Saves work well and we were able to save and resume games of Darksiders 2 on GRID easily and quickly.
Starting up the game was fast, about on par with starting up a game on a local PC, though obviously the server is loading it in the background. Once the game is up and running, you are met with some button mapping information provided by NVIDIA for that particular game (great addition) and then you jump into the menus as if you were running it locally.
Continue reading our first hands on with NVIDIA GRID on SHIELD!!
(Phoronix) Four Monitors on Linux: AMD and NVIDIA
Subject: General Tech, Graphics Cards | December 5, 2013 - 03:17 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: linux, nvidia surround, eyefinity
Could four 1080p monitors be 4K on the cheap? Probably not... but keep reading.
Image Credit: Phoronix
Phoronix published an article for users interested in quad monitor gaming on Linux. Sure, you might think this is a bit excessive especially considering the bezel at the center of your screen. On the other hand, imagine you are playing a four player split-screen game. That would definitely get some attention. Each player would be able to tilt their screen out of the view of their opponents while only using a single computer.
In his 8-page editorial, Michael Larabel tests the official and popular open source drivers for both AMD and NVIDIA. The winner was NVIDIA's proprietary driver although the open source solution, Nouveau, seemed to fair the worst of the batch. This is the typical trade-off with NVIDIA. It was only just recent that The Green Giant opened up documentation for the other chefs in the kitchen... so these results may change soon.
If you are interested in gaming on Linux, give the article a read.
Lenovo's ARM powered, JellyBean flavoured Yoga tablet
Subject: Mobile | December 3, 2013 - 01:58 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Lenovo, yoga, arm, jellybean, tablet
Both the 8" and 10" models of the Lenovo Yoga tablet have a 1280x800 IPS display and run on a 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A7 processor, sport 1GB of DDR2 and have 16GB of onboard storage. The only difference apart from the size of the tablet is the battery 9000mAh on the larger model as compared to 6000mAh on the 8". Benchmark Reviews liked the rather unique look of the tablet though they would have preferred a newer version of Android and a higher resolution screen to be available. Check out the OS and included apps in their full review.
"The Android-based tablet market is exploding, with new entries almost every day. We're even seeing what once were dedicated e-readers, like the Nook and Kindle, re-marketed as general purpose tablets. Lenovo's been in this market for a while, and thus it's no surprise to see them introduce another entry, the Lenovo Yoga tablet computers."
Here are some more Mobile articles from around the web:
- Amazon Kindle Paperwhite E-reader @ Benchmark Reviews
- Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 @ The Inquirer
- Advent Vega Tegra Note 7 @ The Inquirer
- Google Nexus 5: The TechSpot Review
- iPad Air vs iPad 4 head to head @ The Inquirer
- MSI Primo 81 (Snow White) 8" Tablet @ Kitguru
- Apple iPad Air: The TechSpot Review
- The HTC One Max Tech Report @ TechARP
- Motorola Moto G @ The Inquirer
- Patriot Fuel+ 9000mAh Mobile Rechargeable Battery @ eTeknix
Does your NUC need a nice quiet home?
Subject: Systems | November 28, 2013 - 02:26 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: htpc, fanless, nuc, Logic Supply, LGX ML300
Logic Supply's LGX ML300 lineup offers you choices from an empty case to a pre-built system costing over $1000, allowing to pick and choose the HTPC system you want. The case is completely fanless and the system sent to Silent PC Review consisted of a Core i5-3427U, 8GB DDR3-1333 and a 128GB mSATA SSD. The outputs offer enough choice for most users, a pair of USB 2.0 ports, two mini DisplayPort a mini-HDMI and gigabit LAN. Thermal performance was great with this case compared to some previous NUCs and SPCR had no issues with overheating during their tests.
"A slim, silent, fanless case for an Intel NUC with room enough for a 2.5" drive is Logic Supply's latest passively cooled project. With the right NUC innards, it becomes a perfect ultra-mini media PC with both zippy performance and enough storage space."
Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
- Shuttle XPC Barebone SH87R6 w/ Core i5-4570T @ techPowerUp
- Tranquil PC D33217GKE NUC Case @ techPowerUp
- Silverstone ML05 mini-ITX HTPC case @ SPCR
- Building an HTPC: Planning, Part Picking & Building @ Techgage
- Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex TV HD Media Player Review @ PCSTATS
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Who Will Struggle More to Adjust to New Team, Josh Hamilton or Zack Greinke?
By (Contributor) on March 8, 2013
1,076 reads
With the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels missing the playoffs in 2012, both teams acknowledged a need for talent and added to their rosters.
The Angels signed left-handed slugger Josh Hamilton in December to a five-year, $125 million contract.
Across town, the Dodgers made their own headlines with the free agency signing of pitcher Zack Greinke. According to MLB.com, Greinke's six-year deal is worth $147 million, qualifying as the largest contract in history for a right-handed pitcher.
With both teams investing in top-tier talent in the offseason, expectations are high in Southern California.
But with high expectations oftentimes comes dramatic failure.
Which player, Josh Hamilton or Zack Greinke, is more likely to struggle to adjust to his new team?
How Hamilton Will Fit in the Angels' Offense
Hamilton will bat clean-up for the Halos.
Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
Josh Hamilton figures to be integral piece of the Angels' offense this season. The left-handed slugger is slated to bat clean-up behind Mike Trout, Erick Aybar and Albert Pujols. Mark Trumbo, who is expected to bat fifth, will offer protection.
Hamilton belted 43 home runs and had 128 RBI last season for the Texas Rangers before signing with the Angels in the offseason. The addition of Hamilton to an offense that already features Trout and Pujols will debatably make it the best in all of baseball.
Trout, Pujols and Hamilton together account for an impressive 15 All-Star game selections, 10 Silver Slugger awards, four MVP awards, two Rookie of the Year honors and two batting titles.
With Hamilton off to a fast start in spring training, the Angels and their fans hope base-clearing home runs like the one below become a common occurrence.
#Angels defeat #Dodgers 16-8, Josh Hamilton hits his 1st HR as a Halo twitter.com/jaimemaggio/st…
— Jaime Maggio (@jaimemaggio) March 1, 2013
Per my 2013 projections, Josh Hamilton should hit north of 30 home runs and 95 RBI this season for the Halos. Expect Hamilton to clear the bases with regularity when given the opportunity.
Concerns Facing Hamilton This Season
Hamilton ended last year's campaign in a major slump.
Victor Decolongon/Getty Images
With Josh Hamilton, his on-the-field production is hardly ever a concern. However, the 31-year-old slugger did end the 2012 season in a horrible slump.
According to ESPN split stats, Hamilton hit only .259 in September and .154 in October. Being the streaky hitter that he has always been known to be, Hamilton can certainly endure hot and cold streaks from month to month. In April and May of last year, he hit .395 and .344, respectively.
The Angels hope Hamilton can get off to a similar hot start this season and avoid doing what Pujols did in April (.217 BA with four RBI). If Hamilton does struggle, however, it will be the Angels, as a team, that suffer.
With Zack Greinke gone in free agency and a less-than-stellar bullpen coming into the season, the Angels pitching staff cannot be counted on to right the ship should the bats go cold. The team's success will primarily hinge on the offense. If the offense is not there, don't expect to see the Angels in the postseason this year.
Off-the-field concerns always creep their way into the conversation as well when discussing Josh Hamilton. Drug and alcohol issues will continue to threaten his availability and playing time. Hamilton missed the entire 2003, 2004 and 2005 seasons and was fined by Major League Baseball for multiple violations of its drug policy. More recently, Hamilton has had two publicly known alcohol-related relapses since 2009.
A setback in L.A. could destroy the hopes of a World Series run for the Angels.
Per ESPN, Hamilton discussed transitioning to a new team and the temptations he may face in a new city like Los Angeles:
It's anywhere. It all comes down to choices you make. If you want to get into trouble, you'll get into trouble. Support system is big ... everybody concerned about it being a difficult situation or a unique situation. Well, it's not. My support system is God, my family and Shayne Kelley (Hamilton's accountability partner) -- and all those guys are here with me.
How Greinke Will Fit on the Dodgers' Pitching Staff
The addition of Greinke to an already above-average rotation makes the Dodgers legitimate contenders.
The Dodgers' front office has made a commitment to winning.
Since purchasing the team in 2012 for $2.15 billion, the Guggenheim Baseball Management team has invested heavily in bringing talent and depth to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The days of scrambling to plug holes with modest signings are over.
Part-owner Magic Johnson echoed the sentiment to MLB.com:
When we lost and we knew we were out of playoff contention last season, we all looked at each other ... and we didn't like the feeling. The one thing we talked about was making sure our pitching staff got better. And we knew Zack was going to be a free agent, and that was our main target. That was the one we wanted.
So, with clear targets and seemingly unlimited money coffers, general manager Ned Colletti entered the offseason on a mission to stockpile talent. The signings of 2009 Cy Young winner Zack Greinke and South Korean left-hander Hyun-jin Ryu have subsequently given the team unprecedented starting pitching depth.
Greinke and Ryu will join Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley and Josh Beckett. Starting pitchers Aaron Harang, Chris Capuano and Ted Lilly are also still on the roster and will most likely be dangled as trade bait.
Greinke will find his place in the rotation behind Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw. The right-hander will take to the mound in 2013 with six pitches: a four-seam fastball, a two-seam fastball, a cutter, a slider, a curveball and a changeup. Of the six pitches, Greinke's slider is perhaps his best. Batters have a combined average of only .154 against the pitch.
According to Baseball-Reference.com, Greinke sported an ERA of 3.53 in 13 starts for the Angels last season. If he can continue to produce good strikeout-to-walk ratios (3.5 to 1 career average) going forward, he will be a more-than-solid No. 2 pitcher in the rotation. If he stays healthy, look for Greinke to win 16-20 games this year.
Concerns Facing Greinke This Season
Can Greinke come close to his 2009 Cy Young winning form?
Zack Greinke has not looked stellar in his two spring training starts this year. Then again, it shouldn't really matter.
Reading too much into Greinke's spring training performances would be a grave mistake. In eight spring training appearances in 2009, Greinke posted a miserable 9.21 ERA/1.98 WHIP. He went on to have the best regular season of his career, winning the Cy Young award and posting the lowest ERA in baseball at 2.19.
Greinke's ability to stay healthy has been paramount in his success. According to Baseball-Reference.com, he has pitched an average of 207 innings per year over the course of the last five seasons.
With a high-volume workload, the biggest concern for Greinke this season will be arm fatigue. If he can avoid losing action and miles per hour on his pitches in the second half of the season, Greinke will be in line for a big season with the Dodgers.
Who Will Struggle More to Adjust?
Hamilton will find it harder to hit for power in Angel Stadium.
Josh Hamilton will struggle more than Zack Greinke to adjust to his new L.A. team.
Keep in mind that Hamilton is moving from the launching pad of a ballpark in Arlington to the pitcher-friendly confines of Angel Stadium. According to ESPN MLB Park Factors, Angel Stadium was the sixth-worst stadium to hit home runs in last year. Conversely, the Ranger's Ballpark in Arlington was the seventh-best out of 30.
It would not be surprising if Hamilton's hitting numbers came down across the board. In addition to a new ballpark, Hamilton will also have to deal with the pressure of living up to his lucrative contract—something that Albert Pujols himself found difficult last season.
On the other side of the coin, Greinke's transition from Angel Stadium to Dodger Stadium should be a smooth one. Although he, too, has a large contract to live up to, he at least moves from one pitcher's ballpark to another. A move from the American League to the National League should also help, as he will have plenty of easy outs to gather when pitchers step into the batting box.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
CLOT x Nike Air Max BW Set
EDC gives us a peek into a series of Nike Air Max BW's created for CLOT's 6th year anniversary. Five different color tones are shown, each following a mostly tonal color block. No word on a release, although for now they seem to be one-offs.