November 27, 2000
Intel® 815EP chipset |  | |
Extremely Stable and Expandable | ||
Posted by Chris Verr
VIA Introduces 650MHz & 667MHz Versions of the VIA Cyrix* III Processor
November 30, 2000
Taipei, Taiwan, November 30, 2000 - VIA Technologies, Inc. today introduced two new VIA Cyrix* III processors running at 650MHz and 667MHz, the company's highest-speed processors yet for the Value PC market. Built using an advanced 0.18 micron manufacturing process, the two new processors feature a 128KB Level 1 cache and support for a 100/133MHz Front Side Bus to ensure robust performance for the most popular productivity and Internet applications.
"The launch of these two new VIA Cyrix* III processors demonstrates our growing momentum in the Value PC market segment," commented Wenchi Chen, President & CEO of VIA Technologies, Inc. "They provide OEMs and System Integrators with an economical solution for building competitively priced PCs targeted at value conscious consumers and businesses."
VIA Cyrix* III Processor
The VIA Cyrix* III is a socket 370 compatible processor targeted at the Value desktop, notebook, and Information Appliance markets. Available at speeds of 500MHz - 667MHz, the processor has the industry's smallest die size of 75mm2, ensuring exceptionally low power consumption and heat dissipation. Additional features include a 128KB Level 1 cache, 100/133MHz Front Side Bus support, and MMX* and 3DNow! instructions for enhanced multimedia performance.
Pricing and Availability
VIA Cyrix* III processors are available in volume from the company's
authorized distribution partners at speeds of 500, 533, 550, 600, 650, and 667MHz. The VIA Cyrix* III 650MHz and 667MHz processors are priced at $55 and US$60 in 1,000-unit quantities, respectively.
Posted by Chris Verr
ASUS' latest P4T motherboard has just started shipping...
November 30, 2000
A new benchmark in PC performance
The ASUS® P4T is optimized to take full advantage of the Intel® Pentium ®4 revolutionary performance features. Play the latest games, power through the most demanding applications, or create your own movies and more. By leveraging the power of the Intel 850 chipset, the ASUS P4T offers 400 MHz bus speeds, 2 GB RDRAM support, which translates into an industry leading 3.2 GB/s peak bandwidth. High bandwidth and performance is necessary to take full advantage of the AGP 4X graphics also featured on the ASUS P4T. An ATA-100 interface to supports the fastest hard drives while 4 USB ports provide maximum connectivity to a wide range of peripheral devices.
Award- Winning ASUS Design Features
Easy Overclocking
The ASUS P4T is a high performance motherboard that features a wealth of easy overclocking features. You can easily overclock your processor using ASUS' Jumperfree mode from the convenience of your BIOS screen, or physically use the dip switches for manual adjustments. Core voltage may be adjusted in 0.05V increments up to 0.30V over default settings. Frequency settings of 1MHz increments can push bus speeds up to 220MHz. With these overclocking features, the ASUS P4t easily outperforms the competition without sacrificing stability.
Flexible Expandability
The ASUS P4T is very expandable with support of up to 2 GB RDRAM, 5 PCI slots, 4 USB ports, ATA-100 and more. Expandabilty ensures that you get the most out of your investment today as well as in the future.
ASUS Reliability
All ASUS motherboards come with a 3-year manufacturers warranty and are designed and tested to meet the industry's highest quality standards. Responsive customer support and frequent BIOS and driver updates ensure that you're getting the fastest, most reliable performance, all the time.
Quality Software Bundle
All ASUS motherboards include a valuable software bundle of popular third party programs that will enable you to enjoy the full capabilities of your ASUS product. Common utilities include Cyberlink DVD players, Trend Micro Antivirus programs, and hardware monitoring software.
ASUS P4T Feature Summary
* Supports Intel Pentium 4 CPU
*
* Intel 850 Chipset
*
* 400MHz Front Side Bus Support
*
* PC800/PC600 RDRAM Support
*
* AGP 4X/Pro Slot
*
* ATA-100/66/33 Support
*
* 4 USB Ports
*
* 5 PCI Slots / 2 CNR Slots (one shared)
*
* 4 RIMM Sockets for up to 2GB memory
*
Posted by Chris Verr
SOYO Announces DDR Memory Motherboards for AMD & Intel
November 30, 2000
FREMONT, CA (November 30, 2000) – SOYO Inc. today announced a pair of
double data rate (DDR) memory motherboards with DDR chipsets, which
improve performance in both Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) Socket-A
Duron/Thunderbird CPUs or Intel Corp’s FC-PGA 370 Pentium III CPUs.
SOYO’s new SY-K7ALA-R is designed for AMD’s Socket A Duron/Thunderbird
CPUs. It features Acer Laboratories Inc.’s (Ali) ALiMAGiK chipset. It
can support a 200MHz or 266MHz systems bus and is compatible with faster
performance and more economical DDR SDRAM. List price of the SY-K7ALA-R
is $129 with discounts to volume buyers.
SOYO’s new SY-7ALA-R has been designed for Intel’s FC-PGA 370, Pentium
III and Celeron II CPUs, and features Ali’s Aladdin Pro5 chipset with
support for DDR SDRAM and 200/266 systems bus speeds. List price of the
SY-7ALA-R is $119 with discounts to volume buyers.
Standard features on both boards include three DDR SDRAM memory sockets.
Expansion slots include five 32-bit PCI slots, one AGP
4x/2x/1x-supported slot, a pair of ATA-33/66/100 IDE ports; 2 serial
ports, 1 parallel port, Floppy Disk Drive (FDD) port, and IrDA
(infra-red). Both boards also feature USB version1.1 with 6 ports, 2
rear and 4 front.
- more -
SOYO DDR MOTHERBOARDS – Page 2
Other advanced features include an optional Sigmatel AC97 CODEC, which
provides host-based audio support. SOYO also makes it easy to custom
configure either board directly though the BIOS setup page without
jumpers with the SOYO AI-BIOS and Combo Set-up feature. Users can select
a combination of CPU FSB and PCI bus clock speeds. The CPU core voltage
can also be adjusted through the BIOS directly without setting any
jumpers.
All motherboards ship with a Symantec CD-ROM bundle that has a retail
value of $150. It includes: Symantec Norton AntiVirus; Symantec Norton
Ghost disk cloning software, and the Virtual Drive CD-ROM emulation
application.
Posted by Chris Verr
MSI K7T Pro 2-A Motherboard Review @ PC Hardware
November 29, 2000
PC Hardware.ro has posted a review of the MSI K7T Pro 2 motherboard for your reading pleasure. Here's a clip:
"There is a lot of place for large coolers and these tall capacitors won't break the overclocking capabilities. One of the coolers that make problems in installation is the Golden Orb. Due to it's price, performance and the fact that it's really cool a lot of users prefer it against other cooling solutions. It has quite a large base so it's incompatible with several motherboards."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
To DDR & BEYOND! @ [H]ardOCP
November 29, 2000
Kyle Bennett's own HardOCP is also currently hosting a tech-'licious article by author Michael Schuette of Lost Circuits.com. In it, Mr. Schuette takes a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of the DRAM industry, with a particular focus on DDR-SDRAM. Here's a clip:
"With the current DDR technology, it appears that for the moment, the bottleneck of the memory bandwidth has been resolved. The question, though, is, how long will this situation last? To rephrase this question: how fast can CPUs become until we reach the next bottleneck? With CPU speed roughly doubling each year, this is a valid question. Further considerations are that DDR in its present form will be relatively short-lived and will be replaced within the next 18 months by DDR 1.5 and DDR 2..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Case Modding 101 Intro @ [H]ard|OCP
November 29, 2000
HardOCP's own "Duckman" Holmes is in the process of writing up his very own, multi-part guide to case modifications, the first installment of which you can find here. This stage includes a basic introduction to the tools of the trade, a few stern warnings, and the occasional disclaimer of liability in the event of unsheduled amputations :). Here's a clip:
"Remember the [H]ard|BOX built by Brian "Duckman" Holmes? Well we have convinced the Duck to share his expertise with us in a seven part Case Mod Series. This week covers what tools you will need in order to pull some of this Heavy Duty stuff off. Don't worry, Duck breaks it down into groups, but it still looks as if it could get a bit hairy for you guys that are not used to using a flamethrower in the garage...."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Review of the Shutlle AE22 i815E mainboard
November 29, 2000
The Shuttle AE22 is the most recent i815E based motherboard to arrive on our doorstep. The first impression we got was an immediate sense of craftsmanship, coupled with a lots of high-technology. Simply put though, the Shuttle AE22 is designed as an all-in-one solution which incorporates both audio, and 3D video in its circuitry. Unlike other boards of this sort, however, the AE22 has been designed in ATX format, which offers greater room for expendability. That said, let's get down to the review.
Posted by Chris Verr
OCZ's line of video cards coming soon
November 29, 2000
The Overclockerz Store - Press Announcement
We at The Overclockerz Store are glad to announce that.
- We will begin shipping the OCZ line of Nvidia Based graphics cards December 1 2000. We will be carrying the following models and the following MSRP applies.
-
- OCZ Geforce2 MX 32 meg. MSRP 119.99
- OCZ Geforce 2 GTS 32 meg MSRP 229.99
- OCZ Geforce 2 Pro 64 meg MSRP 339.99
- OCZ Geforce2 Ultra 64 meg MSRP TBA
These products will be available 12/01/00 to resellers and to Hardware review sites. These products will be available at our resale outlet at a significant discount.
Resale inquiries are always welcome at resale@ocz.safeshopper.com
We always have specials running and will gladly update you weekly. We commonly sponsor hot deals sections of hardware related websites, and offer specials and giveaways in conjunction with hardware related websites. For more information on these programs please contact ryan@ocz.safeshopper.com .
Review Sample requests are accepted at samples@ocz.safeshopper.com . Please include your website URL and you daily/weekly average statistics along with your shipping information.
Thanks
Ryan Petersen COO
The Computer Zone Inc.
Posted by Colin Cordner
Hardware Destruction competition @ AthlonOC
November 29, 2000
If you like winning stiff, or just blowin' up computer equipment real' good(!), then you may find that AthlonOC is currently holding the competition for you. Here's the word:
"That is just one story of hardware destruction at its best. There are many of you out there that get pissed off and just break / burn / crush / smash / beat / melt / throw / etc.. your hardware out of angst. Well how about this time you do it for free stuff?"
"AthlonOC is now hosting a competition to see who out there can submit some of the best Hardware Destruction pictures. And what will you win? The winner ( selected by the guys who run AthlonOC ) will recieve an AMD Thunderbird Processor with a 750MHz Core! This competition will run from Today ( Tuesday, November 28 ) Until Tuesday, December 5. That gives you one week to destroy something that died on you! I do recommend you destroy something that doesn't work...because...well...the obvious reasons :)"
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Voodoo5 HSR Driver Benchmarks @ RivaStation
November 29, 2000
Hio Voodoo Fans,
RivaStation has posted up some interesting information concerning the latest beta drivers out of 3dfx. Here's the gist:
"The results are breathtaking at the first look. But you should look at them very carefully! HSR produces huge image glitches in resolutions of 1280x1024 and beyond, even with the lower option HSR=2. 1600x1200 is absolutely unusable. At this resolution it drops dozent of frames. You walk through a floor. The first frame you stand at the beginning, 1 second black screen and then you are at the end of that floor - unusable. This also explains the weird results at that resolution. It seems to me that Q3 does not count correctly when the glitches occur. A V5 never ever has the needed memory bandwith to produce such high framerates at 1600x1200. But in a first conclusion you can say: In principal - it works. 800x600 and 1024x768 is playable in the lower HSR=2 setting. Let´s see what 3dfx can do with this feature which is only early beta yet..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Review of the Gigabyte GA-GF2000 GeFroce 2 GTS graphic card
November 28, 2000
Gigabyte has certainly shown itself to be an excellent manufacturer of both motherboards, and graphics cards - as proven by the many products they've sent to us for testing. This time, it is the own Gigabyte's Nvidia GeForce 2 GTS based graphic card, the GA-GF2000 - that we'll be reviewing.
Posted by Chris Verr
Windows 2000 Hints & Tips Guide @ Adrian's Rojak Pot
November 27, 2000
Adrian Wong has posted up a fairly extensive guide to Windows 2000, which demonstates a number of ways to optimize the performance & reponsiveness of Win2K systems. Here's a clip:
"Adrian's Rojak Pot (http://www.rojakpot.com/) has just posted a Windows 2000 Hints and Tips guide! If you want to know how to regain your mouse's pixel-level accuracy, change drive letters, improve CD audio quality and other things about Windows 2000, then check it out!"
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Christmas Gift Guide For Techies @ The Tech Zone
November 27, 2000
Are you planning to do some early X-Mas shopping for that special geek in your life? Have a few thousand dollars burning a hole in your wallet? If yes, then you may enjoy browsing through The Tech Zone's holiday gift guide, and possibly coming up with that extra special gift combo that truly says "You wouldn't believe how easy it is to blow a month's paycheck these days..." :)
Here's a clip:
"Wondering what Christmas gifts to buy for all your techie friends and family? The Tech Zone has posted a Christmas Gift Guide For Techies. I'm sure you'll find some great gift ideas for that impossible to buy for person..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
DFI CS65-EC Motherboard Review @ Flipchip.net
November 27, 2000
Flipchip.net has finished up a review of the latest board out of DFI - the CS65-EC. Here's a clip from their anaysis:
"The DFI CS65-EC is based on the 815e chipset and is loaded with great features like ATA-100, onboard VGA, and sound. But how does it stack up against the Asus CUSL2? Well for starters they found it to not only be a virtual benchmark mirror with none of the CUSL2's bugs and quirks. This board is everything that the CUSL2 was supposed to be more and DFI managed to get it right the first time, handily bringing in an "Editors Choice" award...!"
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Pioneer 105S 16X DVD-ROM Review @ Inside-Hardware
November 27, 2000
Inside-Hardware has tacked up a review of the Pioneer 105S 16X DVD-ROM for your viewing pleasure. Here's a clip:
"DVD's were supposed to take over the CD-ROM as a form of storage a few years ago but it never happened. Why? Simply because the cost of manufacturing the discs are still high and there doesn't seem to be a large demand for all these features that DVD brings. Nonetheless, I bring you a review of the fastest DVD drive available..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Celeron 733 Processor Review @ AthlonOC
November 27, 2000
The AthlonOC crew has taken a walk on the dark-side it seems, by obtaining & reviewing the competition: the Intel Celeron 733MHz CPU. Here's a clip of their first impressions:
"Today we are taking a look at the performance of the Intel Celeron 733Mhz CPU. We are comparing it to some other speed Celerons that we have around here and also tossing in Duron benches since the Celeron is meant to compete in the market with the Duron. What is new with this processor, well it has the same architecture and same properties, the only difference being the higher clock rate. Is the higher clock rate worth it? Just how good are these Celerons...?"
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
AOpen HX08 Full Tower Case Review @ The Tech Zone
November 27, 2000
The Tech Zone has finished up their review of the HX08 Full Tower Case from AOpen. Here' s a bit of what they had to share:
"Where oh where am I going to put these 13 hard drives? Not a question that's asked a lot, true enough, but if you NEED a large Server/Tower chassis, and NEED Plenty of room, say for 13 drives as an example, The AOpen HX08 Tower is what you need. It's also good if you don't need to install 13 hard drives...."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Review of "The Claw" Gaming Peripheral @ G3D
November 27, 2000
Jodo Kast has had a close encounter with "The Claw", and written up a little review that accounts for the experience. Here's a clip:
"Okay now I"m sure most of you guys have keeping an eye on this sucker, so I'm going to skip a few sections. For those of you with a blank stare on your face, here's a quick summary:
The Claw is a gamepad designed designed to replace your keyboard in first person shooter games. Basically what this means is that you'll be using the Claw to perform manuevers such as jumping and strafing while your mouse is still used for aiming.
While other companies have tried valiantly to provide a solid controller for fps, gamers have been left with a sour taste in their mouth and have become fearful of products like the Space Orb. Every company out there so far have failed in delivering including Microsoft with their Sidewinder Dual Strike. While some may argue that a few joysticks like Madcatz's appeal a few gamers, most people still stick with their trusty keyboard+mouse combo..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Samsung 900SL Monitor Review @ Trainwrecker.com
November 27, 2000
The Trainwrecker crew has finished up a review of the Samsung 900SL monitor - and 19" shadow-mask display with all the trimmings. Here's a clip:
"Monitors and speakers. Ask a hundred users for an opinion, and you'll get a hundred different responses. Buying online can be a crap shoot. You look at the specs, read the reviews, search the newsgroups, and then throw down your cash and pray. Going to a B&M and checking out a display is not a great way to make a selection either. Most monitors at your local CompUSA are hooked up to a low-end Compaq or Packard Bell with a $29.00 display adapter. This often produces a picture designed to convince you that your old display is better than you originally thought. In this review, we hope to cover a few thing to look for when buying a new monitor and describe the Samsung 900SL as best we can. There are no Q3 tests here, and the opinions are all our own..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
HWZ Live from Las Vegas - COMDEX FALL 2000
November 27, 2000
The HardwareZone has sent in what looks to be the last bit of Comdex 2000 news we can expect to see for a little while. Here's a snip:
"Hi there,
At Day 5, we have some MORE news from Comdex.
I know the event is over, but we still have some details.
Our Features for today:
* Creative Booth (their arrays of products as usual)
* Gigabyte Booth (we didn't know they make casing too!)
* What is new at Enlight ? (1U server casing)
* Promise Technology Booth (ATA RAID cards)
* We took our own pictures in the event and had them posted in our coverage!"
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Gear Grip Pro Review @ 3AG
November 27, 2000
Hio Techno Hikers,
Have you been itching to drag your PC along with you on your next camp-out, or just down the street to the next LAN party? Tired of hiring a mule to carry the load? Well fear not, for 3AG's David Hanson has whipped out a review of a little device that will make your life a whole lot easier - the Gear Grip Pro. Here's a clip:
"As any gamer can tell you, the worst part about any LAN party is moving your stuff. If you're doing it serious, youíll have speakers, monitor, case, keyboard, mouse, Giganta or Ratzpad, plus CDs and cabling. The arms get full fast, and multiple trips become necessary. It only gets worse when you take 20 minutes dragging your gear back out to your car after a night of no sleep and a lot of caffeine..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Gigabyte announces GA-6OXC mainboard based on INTEL® 815EP chipset Intel® 815EP chipset Extremely Stable and Expandable
November 27, 2000
Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd, a leading high quality motherboard manufacturer, is launching it's first Intel® 815EP mainboard: GA-6OXC. This Intel 815EP chipset is a discrete graphics AGP4X/PC133 chipset solution based on the acclaimed Intel 815 chipset. Together with the enhanced 82801AA I/O Controller Hub (ICH), GA-6OXC delivers twice the I/O bandwidth as traditional bandwidth. GA-6OXC supports the UDMA ATA-66 interface data rate, which drives burst data to the host at up to 66 Megabytes per second.
Designed with 815EP chipset, GA-6OXC offers the best performance, stability, reliability and expandability customers require for most computing applications. The users of GA-6OXC can base on demand to populate the AGP 4X slot with a suitable graphics card for their desired graphics performance.
SCR (Smart Card Reader) and IA (Information Appliance) ports
Editing the phonebook data in your GSM SIM card is not an unpleasant work anymore! With SCR(smart card reader) supported by GA-6OXC, you may edit and manager your mobile's phonebook data easily and friendly. Furthermore, SCR can support current and future applications for Internet business providing users with high security of cash flow solution by IC cards. .
EasyTuneIII ™ and @BIOS™ to upgrade your system easily!
With the user friendly interface of EasyTuneIII™, all GA-6OXC users can easily overdrive their systems without the need to meddle with jumper settings. @BIOS™ is another useful tool developed by Gigabyte to download new BIOS via the INTERNET and flash BIOS all within windows
Other features
GA-6OXC is an ATX form-factor mainboard designed to support Intel® Pentium!!!™ and other compatible processors. GA-6OXC provides 6 PCI, 1 AMR, 1 x AGP 4X/2X slot for expandability. It also supports IrDA/CIR, WOL (Wake-On-Lan) and Ring Power On.
Posted by Chris Verr
DFI launches AK76 motherboard with DDR Memory Support for AMD Athlon Processor
November 26, 2000
DFI launches AK76 motherboard with DDR Memory Support for AMD Athlon( Processor
Taipei, November 24th, 2000
With an upsurge in DDR (Double Data Rate) technology expected over the next twelve months, DFI today unveiled the latest addition to its family of incredibly stable and reliable motherboards.
DFI's AK76 socket A motherboard, the first DDR-enabled motherboard to come from this renowned manufacturer, offers the latest technology, supporting AMD Athlon processors with DDR memory, and based on AMD-760"! offering totally dependable and stable motherboards. Weíve just built this reputation a little higher.î
Two DDR DIMM memory sockets, 6 PCI slots and ATA100 technology are just some of the features to be found on the AK76 which is a very clean motherboard, with a flexibility that more than matches the requirements of even the most demanding power user. With a System Bus of 266MHz and one AGP slot, the AK76 also offers great performance to users who demand no-nonsense access to applications and fast 3D graph "! o what is required and build products accordingly,î Bobby Chen continued. ìThis is a motherboard designed for the power user and the power gamer.î
DFIís AK76 motherboard also focuses on safety, offering a hardware monitor as well as Suspend to RAM (STR). Wake-On-LAN and Wake-On-Modem are also offered, making the AK76 a very attractive proposition for any user. By keeping away from low-end additions, such as ACí97 integrated audio and graphics, DFI is really reaching new heights in terms of quality and performance with the new AK76 motherboard.
ìDFI is proud to launch its AK76 motherboard for the AMD Athlon processor and state of the art DDR memory technology. DDR memory technology offers a great combination of stability, flexibility and value that will propel the next generation of DFI's high performance motherboards,î concluded Bobby Chen.
About t "! "! "! in Austin, Texas and AMDís 0.18 micron technology in Fab 30 in Dresden, Germany.
AMD, the AMD logo, AMD Athlon, AMD Duron and combinations thereof, and AMD-760 are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
About DFI
DFI is one of the world's leading manufacturers of motherboards that use the latest chipsets available from the top manufacturers such as AMD, Intel and VIA. Based just outside of Taipei, Taiwan, and with regional offices in the USA and Europe, DFI is a global player that combines modern technology with traditional values.
Constantly gaining rave reviews from the media and users alike for both the quality and speed of its mainboards, DFI prides itself on an incredibly low failure rate, which stems from its world-class R&D and team, an insistence on only the best materials being used and stringent quality controls.
State-of-the-art manufacturing facilities couple with great logistical solutions to ensure DFI stays one step ahead of the competition. For more information, contact Vincent Lin at Vincent@dfi.com.tw or visit the website: http://www.dfi.com
Press Release
Subject: DFI leads the industry by introducing CD 70 motherboard adopting VIA Apollo Pro266 DDR chipset
Date: Nov. 24, 2000
Page: PAGE of NUMPAGES Tel: 886-2-2694-2986
Fax:886-2-2694-3221
HYPERLINK "http://WWW.dfi.com" WWW.dfi.com
Posted by Colin Cordner
DFI Leads the industry by introducing motherboard adopting KM133 integrated chipset
November 26, 2000
DFI Leads the industry by introducing motherboard adopting KM133 integrated chipset
Taipei, November 23th, 2000
After launching CM30 and CM35 motherboards that adopt VIA ProSavage PM133/PL133 integrated chipset at the end of August, DFI is going to bring forth a new series of AM 35 motherboard adopting Athlon and Duron CPUs that support Socket A architecture by this November or December.
DFI introduces a series of motherboards supporting the newest CPUs After the success launch of the motherboards adopting ProSavage PM133 integrated chipset that supports Intel Slot 1 and Socket 370 CPU architecture, DFI once again leads its way to introduce the motherboard adopting ProSavage KM133 integrated chipset that supports HYPERLINK "http://www.amd.com/" AMD Socket A CPU architecture. Adopting different north bridge chipsets, DFIís KM133 motherboards are divided into the following two models: AM35-SC adopting 686A chipset, and AM35-EC adopting 686B chipset.
The series of DFI AM35 motherboards
The series of AM35motherboards adopt Socket A processor architecture. The design of microATX supports AMD Athlon 1.2GHz CPU and Duron processor. The supported SDRAM specifications include PC100, PC133, and VCM. AM35 motherboard has a total of two built-in 168-pin DIMM slots; the main memory is expandable up to 1GB. The expandability includes a 4x AGP, two PCI, one AMR, and one ISA expansion slots. The built-in codec audio chip meets ACí97 specification requirements.
Integrating S3 Savage4 high-performance graphics technology
The AM35 series of motherboards have integrated 3D and 2D graphic functions of S3 Savage4 graphic chip. It utilizes the Shared Memory Architecture (SMA) to expand the display memory, and also supports additional 4x AGP slot. Users can take advantage of the onboard display function to have a very satisfactory display effect without purchasing additional display card.
AM35-EC motherboard integrating performance and security functions
Not only does DFI AM35-EC support ATA/100 high-speed transmission interface, it also provides users with the best safety protection ñ so-called ìDual Air Bagsî. Its function is to prevent damages to the CPU due to the high temperature generated during system operation. Therefore, when the system is started, it provides a double protection to the CPU as to detect the initial temperature. Both the system manufacturers and DIY end-users may take advantage of the new function of AM35-EC to maximize the system performance and meet the future high-speed calculation requirement.
DFIís CPU protection solution for AMD series
The high-end Athlon/Duron microprocessors by AMD generate higher temperature than other CPUs during system operation; as a result, it may cause instability to the system and damage to the CPU. However, for users use DFI exclusive dual air bags solution designated for AMD CPUs can feel easy in mind. DFI dual air bags design comprises the Fan Guardian as the first air bag. It automatically detects the speed of the fan within 5 seconds after system boot. If abnormal speed is detected, which usually means that the fan is not able to provide the optimal heat dispersion for the CPU, the system will automatically shut down in no time to protect the expensive CPU. The second air bag is the Thermal Guardian. The system will check the external environment temperature of the CPU during the time starting from the system boot until the system initialization. If the external environment temperature of the CPU exceeds 60oC, the system will be turned off automatically. Under these double protections, users can easily resolve the problem on the motherboard that adopts Athlon/Duron.
The series of DFI AM35 motherboards passing several certifications
DFI AM35 motherboard currently leads other manufacturers in acquiring FCC and CE certifications, and expects to obtain the newest EMI certification issued by BSMI (Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection) Taiwan in December. After acquiring EMI certification, DFI will lead the industry to announce its products in Taiwan. Under a series of strict certifications, the stability of performance and quality of DFI products are reassured for the consumers.
Unveiling the motherboards adopting KM chipsets
Since VIA KM133 chipset is still not in mass production, DFI leads the industry to introduce and unveil AM35-BC motherboard that adopts VIA KM100 chipset. AM35-BC has the same specification as that for AM35-SC and AM35-EC except it is unable to support PC133 and ATA/100 hard disks. It is certain that AM35-BC motherboard will be launched in the middle of November and the AM35-EC is expected to be announced at the end of November once VIA KM133 chipset is in mass production and delivery. AM35 motherboards - with the ìdual air bagsî protective function and the best solution for AMD Athlon and Duron CPUs - are the best solutions for users.
About t "! "! "! in Austin, Texas and AMDís 0.18 micron technology in Fab 30 in Dresden, Germany.
AMD, the AMD logo, AMD Athlon, AMD Duron and combinations are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
About DFI
DFI is one of the world's leading manufacturers of motherboards that use the latest chipsets available from the top manufacturers such as AMD, Intel and VIA. Based just outside of Taipei, Taiwan, and with regional offices in the USA and Europe, DFI is a global player that combines modern technology with traditional values.
Constantly gaining rave reviews from the media and users alike for both the quality and speed of its mainboards, DFI prides itself on an incredibly low failure rate, which stems from its world-class R&D and team, an insistence on only the best materials being used and stringent quality controls.
State-of-the-art manufacturing facilities couple with great logistical solutions to ensure DFI stays one step ahead of the competition. For more information, contact Vincent Lin at Vincent@dfi.com.tw or visit the website: http://www.dfi.com
Press Release
Subject: DFI Leads the industry by introducing motherboard adopting the KM133 integrated chipset
Date: November 15 , 2000
Page: PAGE of 4 Tel: 886-2-2694-2986
Fax:886-2-2694-3221
HYPERLINK "http://WWW.dfi.com" WWW.dfi.com
Posted by Colin Cordner
DFI maps out a series of AK74 motherboards adopting the KT133A chipset
November 26, 2000
DFI maps out a series of AK74 motherboards adopting the KT133A chipset
Taipei, November 22th, 2000
After having introduced two models - AK74-SC and AK74-EC that adopt AMDís Athlon processor in Socket A architecture and gaining plenty of good comments from mass media, DFI followed closely by announcing AK74-AC - the only motherboard in the market that uses KT133A chipset and supports 266MHz FSB Athlon processors. The supported 266MHz FSB Athlon processors include 1GHz, 1.1GHz, 1.2GHz, as well as future upgrade speeds. It is the motherboard with the most upgradeable and reliable benefits.
A full series of DFI AK74 motherboards
To provide users who love to use AMD processors (Athlon and Duron) a worry-free stable overclocking, DFI introduces a series of AK74 motherboards - AK74-SC using VIA KT133/686A chipset, AK74-EC using KT133/686B chipset and AK74-AC using KT133A/686B chipset. Among the three models, AK74-AC is the latest motherboard with features rolled into one: 266MHz FSB, ATA/100 high-speed data transmission interface, PC-133 SDRAM module and support for 4x AGP. These features enable users to enjoy the excitement of fast speed. In addition, the AK74 series provide a special ìdual air bagsî protection (the Fan Guardian and the Thermal Guardian) that further satisfies usersí requirements.
DFIís solution for protecting motherboards that adopt AMD CPUs
Since AMDís high-end Athlon and Duron microprocessors generate more heat subsequently higher temperature during system operation, it easily causes instability to the system and damage to the CPU. With DFIís unique ìdual air bagsî solution exclusively designed for the AK74 series motherboards that uses AMD CPUs, users can rest assure the quality and stability of these motherboards. The first air bag is the Fan Guardian. If abnormal speed is detected, which usually means that the fan is not able to provide the optimal heat dispersion needed for the CPU, the system will automatically shut down in no time to protect the expensive CPU. The second air bag is the Thermal Guardian. The system will automatically detect the external temperature after the system boots and before the operating system starts. If the external temperature exceeds 60oC, the system will shut down automatically. Under these two protections, users can easily resolve the problem normally encountered on a motherboard that uses Athlon/Duron.
The outstanding AK74-SC and the prize winner AK74-EC
When the first model AK74-SC motherboard that uses the VIA KT133 chipset was announced, it continuously received good comments from numerous mass media including the Chinese Computer Post and the Chip Magazine. Due to the reliability and stability of DFIís products, AK74 once again gained AMDís recognition and recommendation. Additionally, AK74-EC that supports ATA/100 also received excellent reviews in many evaluations and comparison tests. For example, the test result from PC Hardware obviously proved the superiority of this motherboard among others in the industry. Under Windows 98 SE and Win2000 server tests for Quake III Arena, SYSMark 2000, Content Creation Winstone 2000, etc., AK74-EC is able to obtain a relatively high reliability and gained superior test results than Asusí A7V and Abitís KT7. Meanwhile, the editor of PC Hardware indicated that ìAK74-EC is definitely the best buy product; its stability and reliability exceed what we can imagine.î Of course, in many well-known websites such as Inside-Hardware, VIA Hardware, and Hardware Zone, etc, there are excellent evaluations of the product as well.
The AK74-AC supports 266MHz Front Side Bus (FSB) microprocessor
After launching the AK74-SC and AK74-EC motherboards, DFI continues to announce the most efficiently configured motherboard - AK74-AC. It integrates the best performance functions of the x86 processors: 266MHz Front Side Bus (FSB), ATA/100 high-speed data transmission interface, support for 4x AGP, etc. The motherboard is equipped with 3 built-in DIMM slots with its main memory expandable to a maximum of 1.5GB. It supports PC-133, VCM SDRAM and is the only motherboard that supports Athlon CPUs with external frequency of 266MHz such as 1GHz, 1.1GHz, and 1.2GHz. Furthermore, AK74-AC supports one AMR, five PCI, one ISA, and four USB; a wide variety of choices for system expansion. With such powerful features, AK74-AC is unquestionably the only choice for speed and performance available for current high-end users.
Full series of the AK74 motherboards integrating several value-added functions
DFIís AK74 series motherboards are the highest value-added motherboards. It provides the Wake-On-LAN function that allows the userís program to perform automatic booting via networks or modems. It also supports Suspend to RAM (STR) and provides the built-in ACí97 codecís video effect. DFIís AK74 series motherboards will definitely satisfy the usersí needs and get more than their moneyís worth from the product.
DFIís thoughtfulness puts our customers at ease
To manufacture stable and reliable products is the business philosophy DFI continues to hold and is as well the driving force of our R&D team thus being able to constantly improve every productís performance. DFI not only exert full effort on new products, but also takes into account the expansibility of current products in order to give the best support for upgradeability in the future.
About t "! "! "! in Austin, Texas and AMDís 0.18 micron technology in Fab 30 in Dresden, Germany.
AMD, the AMD logo, AMD Athlon, AMD Duron and combinations thereof are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
About DFI
DFI is one of the world's leading manufacturers of motherboards that use the latest chipsets available from the top manufacturers such as AMD, Intel and VIA. Based just outside of Taipei, Taiwan, and with regional offices in the USA and Europe, DFI is a global player that combines modern technology with traditional values.
Constantly gaining rave reviews from the media and users alike for both the quality and speed of its mainboards, DFI prides itself on an incredibly low failure rate, which stems from its world-class R&D and team, an insistence on only the best materials being used and stringent quality controls.
State-of-the-art manufacturing facilities couple with great logistical solutions to ensure DFI stays one step ahead of the competition. For more information, contact Vincent Lin at Vincent@dfi.com.tw or visit the website: http://www.dfi.com
Press Release
Subject: DFI maps out a series of AK74 motherboards adopting KT133 chipset
Date: November 21, 2000
Page: PAGE of 4 Tel: 886-2-2694-2986
Fax:886-2-2694-3221
Posted by Colin Cordner
Mambo-X CD/MP3 Player Preview @ Case Modders Australia
November 26, 2000
Case Modders Australia has managed to get an exlucive preview of the forthcoming Mambo-X portable CD/MP3 Player, and liked it enough to send us this clip:
"The P300 also is quicker in indexing mp3's on the cd. Most other players take between 4-10 seconds or so, and the Mambo takes just 1.7 - 2.3 seconds. Thats damned quick. and just for reference, this mp3/cd player could index a whole cd in the same amount of time that it takes our favorite action hero to disarm the bomb..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
ABIT SA6R Motherboard Review @ OC Workbench
November 26, 2000
The OC Workbench gang has also written up this review of the SA6R logic-board frmo ABIT. Here's a clip:
"So what is so special about this board? Well, just like the earlier mainboards, it comes standard with 2 channels (support 4 ATA-100 drives by Intel's ICH2). In additional to that, ABIT provided another two more channels (support up to 4 ATA-100 drives using Highpoint HPT370 chipset) with RAID 0, 1, 0+1. ABIT has also increase the Front Side Bus range to support up to 250Mhz with 1Mhz stepping. Well, this is going to be a super fun board ! Yes, it will be. Let's have a look at the package.
The package as usual consists of the supporting CDROM, manual and cables. It also comes with an external 2 port USB connector..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
ASUS CUSL2-C Motherboard Review @ OCWorkbench
November 26, 2000
OCWorkbench has performed a review of the CUSL2-C motherboard from ASUS. Here's a bit of what they had to say:
"The CUSL2-C probably needs a new layout in it's design. This is especially apparent if you wish to use large heatsinks, the Golden Orb cannot fit in too. There is also no RAID function available. The leftmost PCI slot also seems a bit flimsy, I find it a bit weird why ASUS used that ? Is it because ASUS is trying to cut cost? ASUS also removed the support the older Celerons..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
MSI K7T Pro2A Motherboard Review @ Tweaktown
November 26, 2000
Hio Tweakers,
Today at Tweaktown.com, you can catch a review of the K7T Pro2A motherboard from MSI, and this pithy clip:
""The MSI K7T-Pro 2A, like the K7T Pro and K7T Pro2 is based on the VIA Tech VT8368 (KT133) AGP/PCI/Memory Controller supporting 5 banks of SDRAM for up to 1.5GB PC100/PC133 SDRAM or PC100/PC133 VCM SDRAM. AGP4x protocol for ultra high speed video cards such as Geforce and Geforce2. 5 PCI Masters are supported onboard for 5 PCI slots. The VT8368 Northbridge also incorporates the asynchronous memory clock allowing you to run the memory clock at 133Mhz while the FSB remains at 100Mhz, This allows for PC133 SDRAM to be used at its full potential. The main difference between the K7T Pro 2A and the K7T Pro and K7T Pro 2 is that this new board uses the new VT82C686B super Southbridge for PCI/ISA integration. This allows for ISA expansion card, 4 USB ports, AC97 Audio and MC97 Modem controllers and native ATA-100 protocol..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Review of the Asus V7700 DEluxe 32Mb DDR graphic card
November 24, 2000
The Asus V7700 Deluxe is a graphics card like no other. It has little in common with Nvidia reference design, for one, and seems nearly to have been designed from the ground-up by Asus to incorporate a rather wide range of features. In fact, it comes with composite video-in/out, S-Video-In & Out, a pair of 3D glasses, and a pretty hefty software bundle.
In short, the Asus V7700 Deluxe has the power to transform the average desktop system into a veritable movie studio.
Posted by Chris Verr
128Mb vs. 256Mb SDRAM @ HardwareOC
November 22, 2000
Upgrades, it seems, are an integral part of the new information economy- thanks in no small part to bloatware, and bigger, badder games. One of the less expensive upgrade paths available to the typical geek however, is the memory upgrade, and also the focus of this article at HardwareOC. The question is, does an extra 128MB really make a difference? Well, here's a clip to help you figure that out:
"We all use extended RAM in our systems, and most of us performance seekers and overclockers use PC133. It has become a standard over the past few months even though PC100 has not been phased out. When DDR RAM is just around the corner you can expect to find a stick of 256 MB PC133 under $200 US. So why not load up on a bunch? We have also seen the standard amount of ram bumped up to 128MB. So what kind of performance gain would you expect to see with 256MB? That is what we are here to find out. DDR RAM gives us 5-20% increase in performance and for a person on a budget picking up a cheap stick of PC133 is a lot easier then dishing out for a new motherboard and new memory sticks..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Project Watercooling @ AthlonOC
November 22, 2000
If your looking for some real heavy-duty Overclocking action today, look no further than AthlonOC, where you can catch author "Matt's" descent into the strange, wild world of Watercooling. Here's a brief excerpt:
"A peltier sucks power, not just a bit to where you need a better power supply, but most of the peltiers above 120 WATTS need a separate 24 Volt power supply. This is where it gets expensive, and with 24 volt power supplies running around $50.00, you will need one supplying close to 10 amps! I went down to the local electronic store, and the PSU's they had were the size of a mid-tower case! These supplies also have very hard to understand instructions, and require soldering of the input and output wires..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
CPUReview's Comdex 2000 Report
November 22, 2000
Here's another Comdex report for all our fans out in cyberspace to chew on. This time, it's from Bill Henning - CPUReview-Guru-In-Chief - who takes on the conference from a different angle. Essentially, rather than mixing the usual semantics of the typical "Blah, blah, new PDA. Yadda, yadda, 18GHz CPU..." report, our intrepid shutter-bug has chosen to speak through his camera (i.e. lots of pictures). Here's a clip:
"I was fortunate enough to attend Comdex 2000 in Vegas this year.
In my opinion, the show was well worth attending - even though there were not as many new interesting product announcements as I might have expected. I had a great time, and enjoyed meeting some great AMD and MSI folks; I also ran into the ViaHardware.com crew at VIA's dinner.
Watch out for some great new boards from MSI, and it sounds like VIA wants to get into the high megahertz game..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Boost-it! @ 3AG
November 22, 2000
Despite the trendy subject line, you may be interested to know that this is not an article advocating the best ways in which to rip-off your local Radio Shack, but rather a short-yet-sweet 3AG-esque review of the Bootaroo portable amplifier. Here's a clip:
"Well, these are the problems the Boostaroo! folks had in mind when they designed their own little widget. This device is a simple but practical one--it basically takes one line and turns it into three, higher-volume ones..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Cost of Unmetered Part.2 @ ISP Review
November 22, 2000
Hio Long-Distance Carriers,
Today at ISP Review, they've finished up Part 2 of their review of the hidden costs of unmetered Internet access. Here's a clip:
"According to our own survey of around 600 people, the majority spend 2 - 3Hours online per day (around 31%), with the next biggest group spending 4 - 7Hours (25%) online. This is from a general survey, although is comprised of a majority that make use of freecall ISPs. The last group with any kind of lead surfs for 8 to 11Hours per day (20%) and the rest are a mixture of less or more than those hours we've just mentioned..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
How to Make Your Own 1.4GHz T-Bird @ Hexus.net
November 21, 2000
As some of you may have noticed, Intel released the Pentium 4 on Monday, thus setting off a wave of unprecedented (at least for this quarter) hoopla, jeers, and cheers from the geek community. The Hexus gang, it seems, has come-up with its own response to the entire event, not by reviewing the P4 itself, but rather by endeavoring to Overclock their own little 'ole Athlon "Thunderbird" to P4-esque frequencies. Reports that this project blacked-out several nearby cities are greatly exaggerated :). Here's a clip:
"Yep Hexus have done it again, this is a world record beater, with standard air cooling. Several mods have gone in to this writeup and they are all documented. And in the usual Hexus manner in many words. 1.4Ghz from a 1000Mhz TBird yep!
We dont boast about it infact we do, yep we rock, but we tell you how to do it, of course you need a good cpu but we tell you all of the little tricks, lots of pictures and lots of info, only at Hexus!
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Comdex Report: ATi
November 21, 2000
Hio Con Conventioneers,
Well, it seems that another Comdex has come & gone, and all the various reports are filtering in. Among those of interest is this one from Rivastation, which features an interview with an ATI executive, and carries quite a few tidbits about future graphics products from the company. Here's a clip:
"The first RIVA Station report from the mega event Comdex in Las Vegas. This time we take a look on ATi. Besides of information and an image of RADEON VE we (my nasty mascot an me) offer some news on new RADEON versions as well as some little fragments of RADEON 2. There are some images of the new Nintendo Gamecube as well as an interview with Martin Traute of ATi Europe.."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Review of the ATI RAdeon 32Mb DDR graphic card
November 21, 2000
The ATI Radeon 32MB DDR that we have here today is a relatively new card based on a unique design. For one thing, the Radeon does not use an Nvidia chipset. Rather, it uses a chipset that was custom designed by ATI itself, specifically for their newest graphics wonder, and its future offspring. With the Radeon, and through ingenuity, and alot of elbow grease, ATI's engineers have finally managed to put together a product who's performance simply demands recognition.
Posted by Chris Verr
How to Make Your Own Auto Baybus @ Hexus.net
November 20, 2000
Our last bit of Do-It-Yourself news for the day comes once again from Hexus.net. This time, our mad British lads are presenting readers with the challenge of hacking together their very own, very Auto, Baybus system. Here's a clip:
"First of all you need to be able to build a circuit from a circuit diagram so soldering is a definite must. Being able to either design a PCB or use strip-board is also quite vital. Knowledge of how the components work isnít something to worry about..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
How to Put an 80mm Fan On An AlphaPEP66U @ G3D
November 20, 2000
If fan-hacks are more your style, Mr. Jodo Kast has also put together an article that demonstrates the ins & outs of marrying an Alpha heatsink to an 80mm fan. Here's a brief snip:
"As you can tell from the picture, the plate basically holds onto the heatsink and makes enough space for the 80mm fan. You use 4-40 1.25" with #4 lock washer and nuts to hold the fan in place and then your set! It's exactly like the installing your normal fan except you have to take account for the plate. One thing you should probably be careful is not to bend the plates too much. While the plates are made bendable (to make sure you have a perfect fit), you should be aware that the sides can break off..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
How To Make Your Case Mod/Case Mod Article @ G3D
November 20, 2000
Hmmm, this seems to be Do-It-Yourself-Day here at Active-Hardware, as we get word that G3D's Jodo Kast has been getting in on the modding game, with this article on how to turn your computer case into a work-horse, a work-of-art, or simply a work-in-progress. Here's a clip:
"The first thing I recommend before you begin on your case mod is to get another case and set up your computer on it for backup sake or if you're thinking about making this a long-term project. This is just to keep your computer up and running while your hacking away on the other case, something I didn't do, but wish I had. After you've setup all your components on a seperate case, strip down your case all the way down to the frame and put it back together again. This is actually very important if it's a new case to you. It just helps you get a "feel" for the case and let's you know where all the parts go later on..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
How to Hack (& Chisel) Your IDE Card @ Hexus.net
November 20, 2000
If you happen to be one of those do-it-yourself-types, or just a real cheap-skate, you may be very interested in a recent article from Hexus.net. In it, our intrepid hero - known only as The Hacksaw Hacker - sets forth with hacksaw, chisel, & soldering iron in hand, all in quest for a better, cheaper RAID card. And, except for some _very_ minor cosmetic damage, it seems to have worked! Here's a clip:
"What it boils down to is the BIOS pins 2 & 3 have to be cut and then bent up to allow 2 wires to be soldered on the two wires are then soldered to another part of the card (IDE2 pins 33 & 35 on my card). Then the BIOS is flashed after that it's a simple job of connecting 150 OHM resistors between IDE1 Pin 36 & ground + Pin 37 & ground). That's the theory, so what happened in practice?
Ok, I cut the BIOS pins 2 & 3, and boy was that hard to deliberately vandalise a working card, but needs must! So I then carefully (honest) bent pin 3 up, that was ok, so I then bent pin 2 up and that was OK.. Then for some daft reason I decided it would work better if the pins were at different angles (mad idiot :). So I carefully tried to bend pin 2 back down a tiny bit.. And DISASTER pin 2 came clean off! The leg was broken off from 1-2mm inside the bios chip that's a write off. One dead card may it rest in pieces...!"
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
ATI Radeon 32 MB DDR Review @ Trainwrecker.com
November 20, 2000
Trainwrecker.com has performed their own review of the latest & greatest from ATI: the ATI Radeon graphics card. Here's a clip:
"We spent more than two weeks fiddling with the Radeon. We tried both the latest official and "Special Purpose" (AKA beta) Windows 98/ME drivers and a beta Windows 2000 set. We also did some limited testing of ATI TV Wonder compatibility, and checked out the DVD output using both ATI's player and Cyberlink's PowerDVD. Throughout testing, we tried to keep the "bang-for-your-buck" factor in mind. The prognosis was generally good, although we did see some driver-related quirks. Our most serious problems were encountered during our VIA/Athlon tests, although these were, for the most part, resolved with some BIOS tweaks. In our "Support" section, we provide a number of links for getting help if your Radeon proves to be uncooperative..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Mouse Bungee and Large Attack Pad review @ Case Modders Australia
November 20, 2000
Case Modders Australia has reviewed the latest mouse accessories from Everglide, the Mouse Bungee, and the Large Attack Pad. Here's a bit of what they had to say:
"Picture it. Your in the midst of a savage Quake3 Arena deathmatch, you swing your mouse from left to right blasting the living crap out of anything that moves in your field of vision. You see a player running away from you and you train your rockets on the back of his head, launching a slavo or two when all of a sudden your mouse ceases to respond. Frantically, you pick up your mouse to replace it in the middle of the pad and in that split time it takes you to relocate your mouse someone has shoved some depleted uranium up your arse! That damned mouse cord got jammed again...!
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Diamond Rio 600 MP3 Player Review @ The Technoyard
November 20, 2000
Hio Fellow Freaks,
Today, the Technoyard has cooked up a review of the latest MP3 player from Diamond: The Rio 600. Here's a clip:
"Diamond Multimedia, one of the forerunners of the portable Audio world revolutionised the MP3 industry with the introduction of the Rio 300 PMP player a few years back. Here's their latest introduction; the Rio 600 which is no doubt one of the most affordable and best performing players so far in the market..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Review of the Soyo SY-7VCA mainboard
November 17, 2000
The Soyo SY-7VCA is the latest of ATX-style motherboard from Soyo, and the latest to feature their "Soyo Combo Feature" function within its BIOS. As a result, the SY-7VCA has quite a package of features packed into a single menu, including the ability to adjust the CPU latency - a feature that has, until now, been common only to Abit boards. Still, the proof is in pudding as they say, so now seems as good a time to break with the introduction, head on into the analysis, and see what the SY-7VCA really has to offer.
Posted by Chris Verr
New UMA-2 based PowerMac G4(MP) to include DDR-SDRAM?
November 16, 2000
Rumour has it that Apple Computer has settled on the design for their next generation of high-end, symmetric-mulitprocessing systems. Here's the officially unsubstantiated word from Macosrumours:
"Although there is nothing to prevent Apple from performing another one of its infamous last-minute switcheroos between now and January, hard documentation provided by multiple sources with considerable histories of reliability confirms that Apple will be releasing the long-awaited PowerMac G4s based on the UMA-2 chipset at Macworld SF.
Planned speeds for the dual-processor G4s are 400, 533, and 600MHz although some concerns about the availability of 600MHz chips have been raised. This will be the first Mac -- but not by any means the last -- to employ Double Data Rate SDRAM memory at 133MHz. The significant performance advantages to this memory technology will help boost the overall performance of the Mac at a time when perceived performance is a particular sore spot for the platform.
Expect to hear about plans to accelerate the platform further at the show as well...."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Ars Comdex Report: Day 3
November 16, 2000
It appears the Ars guys are still stuck wandering around Las Vegas, in the general vicinity of the Comdex conference. Happily, they've managed to turn this tragic turn of events into a plus, by writing up Part 3 of their misadventures in the Land of Neon & Silicon. Here's a snip:
"A Digiscents rep was kind enough to sit down with me and demo the product for me and answer questions, so I can tell you what I thought of it based on the prototype they had there. Basically, it was kind of cool, but you can tell that it has a long way to go before the full potential is reached. The rep opened an email with a scented attachment, which was supposed to smell like roses. When he clicked on the roses, I got a slight gust of ostensibly rose-scented air in my face from the little box in front of me. It was rose-scented in the same way that those things you hang in your car are, meaning you can see where it sort of smells somewhat like a rose if you know that that's what it's supposed to be, but the overall impression was of a pleasant artificial air-freshener type scent..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
To Water-Cool or Not To Water-Cool?
November 16, 2000
If your feeling a touch philosophic today, you can always head on down to AthlonOC, and read up on the pros & cons of water-cooling. What is water-cooling? Well, I could insert a big, long explanation right about now, but instead, I think I'll just paste in this clip from the review:
"Just what do we insane overclockers do when air cooling and peltiers alone just don't do the trick? Why, we use what nature gave us in abundance! It is H20 folks, and we want it cold! The idea is to use a high wattage peltier along with some good water cooling to get the highest MHz out of our beloved processors. Water conducts heat quite a bit better than heatsinks and air. The one main reason this isn't mainstream is the dangers involved. You could "accidentally" spill water on any electrical component in your system and pretty much label it "toast". Another problem is that water conducts electricity! I'm sure you've wondered why Mom always told you never to bring the toaster oven into the bathtub with you. But one good thing is that during the past year, this small, extremist idea, has flourished into a respected and now mainstream practice..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Intel FSB Overclocking Guide @ Tweaktown
November 16, 2000
Hio Fans (and Heatsinks Too!),
Just in case you haven't noticed, Cameron Wilmot & the Tweaktown gang have put together a little Overclocking Guide that may be of some interest to hardware enthusiasts, and Overclocking newbies.
Essentially, Mr. Wilmot goes through the ins & outs (wow, is that mixing metaphors or what? :)) of the trade, including the actual processes that occur inside the system when one tweaks it just so... Not a bad read, all [sic]s aside. ;) Here's a clip:
"Intel fans - You'll love this... Those tweakers down-under at TweakTown never stop tweaking! Today, they have dished us up a massive (11-page) Intel FSB Overclocking Guide which will help you overclock all modern Slot and Socket Intel processors ranging from 266MHz to 1GHz. The guide also has in-depth information on Memory Access Timings, CAS Settings, Heat & Cooling, Stepping, Voltages, Software Overclocking aka Soft FSB, Hitches, Recommended Motherboards, Recommended Files and a whole lot more too. If you are a Intel overclocker, this guide is a totally essential for you!"
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Transmeta promises to pump up the power
November 15, 2000
Transmeta has apparently tabled new plans to boost the performance of present & future Crusoe chips, according to this report at ZDNet. Plans include an updated rendition of the Crusoe's Code Morphing software, and a new, 256-bit wide Crusoe chip. Here's a snip from the article:
"After less than a year in the market, the startup chip maker is already at work on its next processor, with the aim of continuing to reduce power consumption while pushing the envelope on performance.
The new chip, in development for mid-2002, will be capable of performing twice as much work per clock cycle as the current Crusoe 5000-series processor. At the same time it will consume about half the power of the 5000-series..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
AOL/Gateway Launch Crusoe-based TouchPad
November 15, 2000
AOL/Gateway Launch Crusoe-based Touch Pad
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 10, 2000
America Online, Inc. (NYSE: AOL), the world's leading interactive services company, today announced the launch of Instant AOL, an instant-on version of its convenient, easy-to-use service available on a new line of home Internet appliances created by Gateway. The first of these devices, the Gateway Connected Touch Pad, is also being launched today.
Instant AOL is a customized version of the AOL service that connects the consumer to AOL as soon as they turn on the device and
offers AOL members the benefits they have come to rely on from the flagship service plus features and functionality, specially configured for the Touch Pad. The Touch Pad is a compact, easy-to-use touchscreen device that provides quick and easy access to the Instant AOL service with an interface designed for use in high-traffic areas of the home where most families spend much of their time, such as the kitchen or family room.
Barry Schuler, President of AOL Interactive Services, said: "Instant AOL is all about making the Internet even more convenient than ever before. A lot of families keep their PC in a bedroom or study, but spend most of their time in the kitchen and family room. By adding a Touch Pad to their home, they'll now be able to access AOL's convenient services while they're doing other daily activities, making AOL even more central to daily life."
Mr. Schuler added: "Instant AOL on the Touch Pad represents a continuation of our successful partnership with Gateway and adds to the growing ranks of 'AOL Anywhere' products we are offering consumers. Our members are increasingly intent on being able to access the service in a variety of ways, and with Instant AOL we are making that a reality."
Convenient Touch Pad Available at Gateway Country Stores Nationwide
The compact Gateway Touch Pad can be set on a counter top or mounted underneath cabinets. It can be operated using a stylus or simply pressing on the touchscreen and through a specially designed wireless keyboard, which includes convenient short cut keys to AOL
e-mail, instant messages, Channels and more. Instant AOL can be accessed in a variety of ways including through a home network,
traditional dial-up and broadband connections.
The Touch Pad will be offered at retail for $599. The Gateway Connected Touch Pad with Instant AOL service can be ordered beginning
December 1 from Gateway Country stores, 1-800-Gateway or www.Gateway.com, for shipment on December 15 to the customer's home.
The key technological features of the Touch Pad are its Transmeta Crusoe processor and Netscape's Gecko browsing engine. The
appliance also operates on the Mobile Linux operating system.
In addition to Instant AOL, "AOL Anywhere" options now available to consumers include:
-- AOL features on Sprint PCS and AT&T wireless phones, as well as on Palm Pilots and other wireless devices;
-- AOLTV, the first interactive TV service allowing mass market consumers to incorporate popular AOL features like e-mail, instant
messaging and chat, as well as new interactive content, into the television watching experience;
-- The revolutionary AOL by Phone service, providing convenient access to e-mail messages, stock quotes, news headlines and more from any telephone using simple spoken commands;
-- The AOL Anywhere Web site, a customizable page that AOL members can access from any Internet-connected computer; and
-- The soon-to-be-released AOL Mobile Communicator, a highly convenient, pocket-sized device for staying in touch more effectively.
About America Online, Inc.
Founded in 1985, America Online, Inc., based in Dulles, Virginia, is the world's leader in interactive services, Web brands, Internet technologies and e-commerce services.
Posted by Colin Cordner
AOpen AX3S Pro Motherboard Review @ The Processor Emporium
November 15, 2000
The Processor Emporium has tacked up a review of the AOpen AX3S Pro motherboard. Here's a clip:
"Overall, the AOpen AX3S Pro is a very well rounded motherboard offering a wide range of features likely to appeal to a wide range of users. It is likely to appeal to the up-grader who may wish to use the integrated i752 graphics before purchasing a dedicated 3D display card, to the non gamer who does not need 3D graphics and can save costs by using the integrated graphics, the OEM who will want a board that can fit a range of Intel Celeron and Pentium III based systems, the overclocker who wishes to push the last bit of performance from their CPU and to the person who wishes to run a small but stable web server. The AX3S Pro offers something to everybody..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Want a Free Duron PC ?
November 15, 2000
This in from Hexus.net:
"Well Hexus.net are giving away a free Duron (800) Unlocked and overclocked to a random user of our forums, this is to celebrate them being reopened after server issues, so check out the forum at http://www.hexus.net/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi?action=intro. And Post away, this competition runs for 2 weeks only, check it out ;-)
So Prizes are :-
- Duron 800 CPU
- GlobalWin Fop38 HSF
- 3DMark XLR8R Retail Copy
- Soltek Motherboard.
Wanna get it ? Well Check out Hexus.net Forums Now!"
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Adaptec 29160 SCSI Hardrive Review @ Hexus.net
November 15, 2000
Hio Folks,
The Hexus team has put together another hardrive review, this time of the Adaptec 29160. Here's a clip:
"Well you have your ultra-fast PC, but what about performance tips? We have recently reviewed the Quantum Atlas II drives, which are without doubt the fastest hard drives on the planet. What does this mean to you? If you are interested in getting one of these drives you need a card to run it off, a SCSI Host Adapter.
Adaptec have been the market Leader for as long as I can remember, with their range of cards always being successful and reliable, both in the server and high-end workstation sector.
Adaptec is a global leader in innovative storage solutions that move, manage and protect critical data. The companyís products include host bus adapters and controllers that connect servers, workstations and desktops to storage devices. They produce RAID controllers that boost performance and protect data stored on disk drives; and CD recording and data protection software for desktops..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Gigabyte announces GA-6OX and 6OXE mainboards Intel® 815EP chipset Extremely Stable and Expandable
November 15, 2000
Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd, a leading high quality motherboard manufacturer, is launching the first Intel® 815EP mainboard, GA-6OX and 6OXE. Intel 815EP is a AGP 4X/PC133 chipset offering flexibility and lowering costs without the integrated graphics engine of 815E. Together with the enhanced 82801BA I/O Controller Hub (ICH2), GA-6OX and 6OXE delivers twice the traditional I/O bandwidth. GA-6OX and 6OXE both supports UDMA ATA-100 interface data rate, which drives burst data to the host at up to 100 Megabytes per second. 
Designed with 815EP chipset, GA-6OX and 6OXE offers the best performance, stability, reliability and expandability customers require for most computing applications. The users of GA-6OX and 6OXE can use a suitable graphics card for the desired graphics performance. The Communication Network Riser (CNR) card option, which allows for audio, modem, and/or LAN configuration on a single base board design offers the best flexibility.
SCR (Smart Card Reader) and IA (Information Appliance) ports
You can now edit the phonebook data in your mobile GSM SIM card . With SCR(smart card reader) supported by GA-6OX and 6OXE, you may edit and manage your mobile's phonebook data easily. Furthermore, SCR can support current and future applications Internet business applications.
IA (Information Application) port offers GA-6OXE users the possibility to access frequently used applications such as Power DVD, Internet Explorer and Outlook by an easy-to-use IA panel or by a remote controller. GA-6OXE transforms your PC into an IA .
EasyTuneIII ™ and @BIOS™ to upgrade your system easily!
With the user friendly interface of EasyTuneIII™, all GA-6OX and 6OXE users can easily overdrive their systems without the need to meddle with jumper settings. @BIOS™ is another useful tool developed by Gigabyte to download and flash new BIOS via the INTERNET.
Other features
GA-6OX and 6OXE ATX form-factor mainboards are designed to support Intel® Pentium!!!™ and other compatible processors. They both provide 1 x AGP 4X/2X slot, 1 x CNR slots. Furthermore, GA-6OXE integrates Creative® CT5880 Sound controller with 4 channels audio support on board. IrDA/CIR and front USB connector for extra 2 USB are all standard features of GA-6OX and 6OXE. GA-6OXE is the top-of-the-range 815EP mainboard which supports STR (Suspend-To-RAM) and Gigabyte Dual BIOS™ Technology. With only the basic functions, GA-6OX offers the best price performance among all the 815EP mainboards.
Posted by Chris Verr
Ars Comdex Report, Part 1
November 14, 2000
It looks like someone at ArsTechnica bought themselves a ticket to Sin City, as this report has issued forth straight from the floors of Comdex. Yes folks, I said Comdex, where the pocket-protectors stand high as an elephant's eye, and you can't sneeze without giving a fellow Geek a serious contusion!
Things don't seem to disappointing so far either, as USB 2.0, DDR, MP3, Firewire, and mnay other big-name Geek-technologies make their run down the catwalk... Infact, here's a snip just to let yea' in on the fun at Ars:
"Several vendors were showing prototype USB 2.0 devices with promise of delivery starting next quarter. USB 2.0 is the next generation of USB connectivity with a data transfer rate of 480 Megabits per second. For comparison, Firewire (or IEEE 1394) supports 400 Megabits per second. The most interesting of the upcoming products is the IDE to USB 2.0 bridge, which can be used to connect any IDE drive through a USB port with nearly ATA 66 bandwidth. Slap this puppy in an external case and you have a portable, high capacity, hot pluggable storage device. This is the way to transfer really large files..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
NVIDIA Announces GeForce2 Go — Industry's First Mobile GPU
November 14, 2000
For Further Information Contact:
Kimberley Stowe
NVIDIA Corporation
(408) 615-2772
kstowe@nvidia.com
For Immediate Release
NVIDIA Announces GeForce2 Go—Industry's First Mobile GPU
NVIDIA Drives Graphics Franchise into Mobile Markets
COMDEX 2000 – LAS VEGAS — November 13, 2000 — In a move that redefines the mobile PC market, NVIDIA® Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA) today introduced GeForce2 Go™, the industry's first graphics processing unit (GPU) designed for the mobile market. The GeForce2 Go sets a new standard for 2D, 3D, and multimedia for the enthusiast, consumer, and corporate mobile PC -- finally bridging the performance gap between desktops and notebooks.
"Next to the desktop PC, the laptop market is the second largest segment and rapidly growing," said Jen-Hsun Huang, president and CEO of NVIDIA. "The market discontinuity created by GeForce2 Go and the quality of our first design wins will drive our rapid growth in this exciting platform."
"The market for mobile computers is growing at an extremely rapid clip of over 30 million units next year," stated Jon Peddie, president of Jon Peddie Associates of Tiburon, CA. "Based upon its swift growth in the desktop market and its reputation for excellent product execution, NVIDIA is poised to quickly become a major player in the mobile arena."
GeForce2 Go accelerates everyday business and Internet applications as well as enables graphics and CPU intensive programs, such as digital content creation software and 3D games, to run smoothly and swiftly without sacrificing battery life.
Mobile Performance Redefined
GeForce2 Go allows business users, artists, and gaming enthusiasts to create, present and entertain anywhere, anytime. As the world's first mobile graphics processor supporting transform and lighting in hardware, GeForce2 Go delivers breakthrough 3D rendering power, up to ten times faster than that of standard notebooks, processing more than 17 million triangles/second and 286 million pixels/second with a memory bandwidth of 2.6 GB/second. Available in configurations of up to 32MB of DDR SDRAM memory, GeForce2 Go is the first to offer DDR memory on the notebook for responsive graphics.
GeForce 2 Go delivers no-compromise image quality integrating high-end 3D features previously only found on desktop PCs. These features include NVIDIA's Shading Rasterizer™ (NSR) which provides per-pixel lighting and shading effects in a single pass and Digital Vibrance Control (DVC)™ for crisp, bright visuals. Mobile professionals also will have the broadest range of display options via GeForce2 Go's TwinView™ architecture, for displaying information on the notebook screen and a second screen such as a desktop monitor, conference room projector or TV.
For multimedia and entertainment enthusiasts, GeForce2 Go delivers a host of video and home cinema features including accelerated MPEG-2 and DVD playback. GeForce2 Go is ideal for most games and applications as it is fully optimized for both industry application program interfaces, OpenGL® and Microsoft® Direct3D® specifications.
The GeForce2 Go GPU is in volume production now. NVIDIA, in a simultaneous announcement, introduced its first mobile GPU customer, Toshiba America. Notebooks featuring NVIDIA's GeForce2 Go are planned to be available spring 2001.
About NVIDIA
The computing industry recognizes NVIDIA as the global leader in advanced graphics processing technology, honoring the company with the most graphics awards in the history of the PC industry. PC OEMs, add-in card manufacturers, system builders, and consumer electronics companies worldwide choose NVIDIA GPUs as the core component of their graphics processing solutions. NVIDIA GPUs are used by large corporations, small- to medium-sized businesses, and home-based consumers. NVIDIA graphics processors deliver superior performance and crisp visual quality for PC-based applications such as manufacturing, science, e-business, entertainment, and education. For more information, please visit the Company's web site at www.nvidia.com.
* * * *
Certain statements in this press release, including the statements relating to the Company's performance expectations for NVIDIA's family of products and expectations of continued revenue growth, are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause results to be materially different than expectations.
Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, manufacturing and other delays relating to new products, difficulties in the fabrication process and dependence of the Company on third-party manufacturers, general industry trends including cyclical trends in the PC and semiconductor industries, the impact of competitive products and pricing alternatives, market acceptance of the Company's new products, and the Company's dependence on third-party developers and publishers. Investors are advised to read the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly those sections entitled "Factors Affecting Operating Results," for a fuller discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties.
EDITORS' NOTE: A complete digital press kit for GeForce2 Go can be accessed at www.virtualpressoffice.com.
Registered trademark NVIDIA® Corporation, 2000. All company and/or product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers. Features, pricing, availability, and specifications are subject to change without notice.
Posted by Colin Cordner
3dfx issues exclusive license of V5 6000
November 14, 2000
Press Release 13 November, 2000 - 3dfx Licenses 4-Way SLI Technology to Quantum3D
PC Industry's highest performing 3D graphics technology to be used in advanced visual simulation systems
Las Vegas, Nev., Comdex.- November 13, 2000 - 3dfx Interactive® Inc. (NASDAQ:TDFX) announced today that it has licensed its 4-way Scanline Interleave (SLI™) technology, based on the Voodoo5™ 6000 AGP project, to Quantum3D to be incorporated into their AAlchemy™ family of PC-based systems for visual simulation and training applications. The company also announced that its 4-way SLI technology, which has achieved 43 percent better Quake 3 graphics performance over leading competitive solutions, will be available exclusively from Quantum3D, and will not be available in the retail channel.
3dfx will demonstrate its exceptional 4-way graphics performance at the Comdex/Fall 2000 trade show November 13 - 15, 2000, Las Vegas, Nev., to a select group of customers, media and industry analysts. The demonstrations will show the 4-way design's ability to display high resolution images, with superior full-scene anti-aliasing (FSAA) enabled. The 4-way SLI design is the first graphics card able to achieve greater than 60 frames per second (fps) performance in Quake 3 benchmarks at the ultimate screen resolution of 1600x1200x32-bit color.
"The raw power, ground-breaking technology and superior performance of the 4-way SLI design proved to be another perfect match for Quantum3D's visual simulation and training marketplace," said Ross Q. Smith, founder and vice president of sales and marketing at Quantum3D. "For the first time ever, visual simulation and training integrators can choose from a software compatible product family that delivers the precise amount of high fidelity performance that their applications require and their budgets can accommodate." 3dfx has a long history of leveraging its leading-edge 3D technology into the visual simulation environment with Quantum3D. Starting with 3dfx's revolutionary and award-winning Voodoo2™ and Voodoo3™ products and now with its scalable VSA-100 accelerators, Quantum3D has successfully migrated 3dfx technology into today's most demanding 3D graphics arena.
"Licensing our breakthrough 4-way SLI technology to Quantum3D is the best way to expend our engineering resources in a way that offers the best return," said Byran Longmire, vice president of the graphics business unit. "While we are sympathetic to the disappointment this may cause to a small number of our loyal gaming consumers, we are looking forward to seeing this incredible technology marketed to the visual simulation industry where visual quality is the most important attribute."
About Quantum3D, Inc.
Quantum3D, San Jose, California, develops and markets integrated interactive PC-based 3D visual computing systems, realtime 3D graphics subsystems, and related system software, that combine to deliver sustained realtime frame rates, superior graphics quality, and value. Quantum3D delivers complete 3D visual computing solutions for the visual simulation and training market and the out-of-home entertainment markets, and is the exclusive supplier of 3dfx® graphics technology into those markets. In addition, Quantum3D creates and distributes realtime 3D development software tools and products, enabling developers to fully optimize their applications to benefit from the company's visual computing systems. Visit the Quantum3D, Inc. web site at www.quantum3d.com. To contact the company call 408.361.9999, send a fax to 408.361.9980 or send e-mail to info@quantum3d.com.
About 3dfx Interactive
3dfx Interactive is a global leader in enabling the emerging age of visual communications, and the 3D multimedia revolution in personal computers and consumer products. With its patented and award-winning graphics accelerator chips, boards and software, 3dfx provides the technology to create high-impact visual experiences. The company is recognized worldwide for its ability to bring the world's finest games, educational content, interactive entertainment and media-rich business applications to life. 3dfx products are available in retail stores worldwide, and through leading PC makers including Compaq, Dell, Falcon Northwest and Micron. 3dfx has headquarters in San Jose, Calif., with engineering and manufacturing facilities in Richardson, Texas, Austin, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico. The company also operates www.3dfxgamers.com, the premier online community for Voodoo owners and gaming enthusiasts. 3dfx Interactive is available on the Web at http://www.3dfx.com. 3dfx Interactive is a registered trademark, and SLI, Voodoo2, Voodoo3 and Voodoo5 are trademarks of 3dfx Interactive. All other names may be trademarks of their respective holders. Note to Editors: Visit the 3dfx Virtual Press Room at http://www.3dfx.com/press.
Posted by Colin Cordner
More P4 Benchmarks From Oz
November 14, 2000
Some folks at Australian IT.com have apparently got their hands on a genuine Pentium 4 system recently, and have put it through a whole suite of benchmarks, as you can see here.
Unlike the benchs we reported on yesterday, these one's are more varied, and seem to show more realistic performance. For one, the P4 is now officially faster than an Intel Celeron again, which I'm sure is good news for all you early-adopters out there. :)
Still, it looks like the P4 is going to have some serious problems on the price/performance ratio for the near future. By the look of things, a fully-featured, build-it-yourself P4 machine may cost three times as much as an Athlon system of similar performance... Anywho, here's a snip:
"The P4 is Intel's new flagship processor. It's the first of a new breed of processor, about which Intel have a line of marketing patter a mile long.
But never mind all of Intel's raving about ultrapipelined architecture and how the processor excels for both tasks that are characterised by unbounded performance requirements and tasks which are characterised by a high level of user response (italics Intel's). How's the blooming thing go? And, importantly, how's it stack up against the competition...?"
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Interview with VIA Executive Richard Brown
November 14, 2000
These guys, have been lucky enough to have a sit-down & chat with Mr. Richard Brown, the Marketing Director for VIA Incorporated. VIA, as you well know (and if you don't, no brownie points for you!) is fabless (rhymes with "fabulous") silicon designer that has been kicking Intel's can in the chipset market of late.
Mr. Brown, of course, has a few things to share on the state of his company, and a little perspective on VIAs marketing decisions. Here's a brief snip:
"VIA is a big company, but when you're rolling out a lot of products you always have to set priorities. The customers are screaming that "I want the Pentium III version" and "I also want the Athlon version". I think we have to make sure that we get Intel Pentium III version out first and to be sure that it's solid, the performance is good, the reliability is good and then we can very quickly follow on with KT266..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
ASUS Introduces New Intel 815EP Based Motherboard With Discrete Graphics
November 14, 2000
For November 13, 2000 Release
ASUS ® Introduces New Intel ® 815EP Based Motherboard With Discrete Graphics
Taipei, Taiwan, November 13, 2000 – World leading technology solution manufacturer ASUS ® , today announced a new motherboard based on the latest Intel ® 815EP chipset, the ASUS CUSL2-C. The ASUS ® CUSL2-C leverages the same performance, reliability, and innovative features of the Intel ® 815E chipset, while offering flexibility and lowering costs without the integrated graphics engine. The introduction of the ASUS ® CUSL2-C complements the full range of award-winning ASUS ® Intel ® Pentium ® III/Celeron™ solutions.
The new ASUS ® CUSL2-C is the ideal solution for the power users who prefer to choose their own graphics cards. The exclusion of an integrated engine allows users to implement the graphics engine of their choice without incurring the added cost of a redundant graphics engine. Based on the same architecture as the Intel ® 815E chipset, this Intel ® 815EP based motherboard has similar features such as AGP4X, PC133 SDRAM support, ATA-100, integrated 6-channel surround audio and flexible 133/100/66MHz front -side-bus. The ASUS ® CUSL2-C is extremely scalable with the inclusion of 6 PCI expansion slots, 4 USB ports as well as 1 CNR (Communications and Network Riser) slot.
Including the ASUS ® CUSL2-C, ASUS ® offers the most complete line of Intel ® Pentium ® III/Celeron™ solutions. The award-winning ASUS ® CUSL2 and CUSL2-M Intel ® 815E chipset based solutions are best solutions for corporate users or end-users looking for cost effective integrated solutions. The ASUS ® CUSL2 and CUSL2-M offer the greatest power and versatility by including an integrated graphics engine that can also be upgraded with the latest AGP4X graphics cards. ATA-100, 133MHz bus speeds, integrated audio and support of up to 512MB of PC133 SDRAM are also featured.
“Intel ® is very pleased to collaborate with ASUS ® in providing the best solutions for Intel ® Pentium ® III and Celeron™ Processors,” comments Stanley Huang, Asia-Pacific Director of Marketing and Business Management, Intel. “ASUS ® ’ technology leading engineering has optimized the Intel ® 815EP and Intel 815E chipsets to their full potential in the ASUS CUSL2-C, CUSL2 and CUSL2-M motherboards.”
To find out more about the latest ASUS ® technology-leading motherboards and more, please visit the ASUS EXPO 2000 online showroom located at: http://event.asus.com.tw
About ASUS ® EXPO 2000
The ASUS ® EXPO 2000 is an online showroom dedicated to promoting the latest technology developments for the computing, consumer electronics, and communication industry. ASUS ® EXPO 2000 incorporates advanced technology, design and features to deliver comprehensive information about leading edge ASUS ® products, keynote video presentations from industry leaders, a dedicated section for resellers, as well as the ASUS ® Challenge hardware and software giveaway. ASUS ® EXPO 2000 is located at: http://event.asus.com.tw
About ASUS ®
Established in 1989, ASUSTeK Computer Inc. (TSE:2357) is the industry leading provider of advanced motherboard, notebook, VGA card, server, broadband modem, and DVD-ROM/CD-ROM solutions. With annuals sales of over 1 Billion USD and world-class engineering, ASUS ® is unrivaled in terms of quality and awards. Company highlights include Businessweek awards of consecutive rankings in the “Top 100 InfoTech Companies” in 1998 and 1999, as well as being named the “8 th Most Profitable Company” in 1999. In 2000 ASUS ® was also ranked the No.1 company in Taiwan in Global Views Monthly’s “Info Tech 2000”. ASUS ® is headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan and has global sales offices in the United States, Germany and China. Additional information can be found at the company website http://www.asus.com.
PR Contact:
ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
Carol Chang
Tel: 886 2 28907758
E-mail: carol_chang@asus.com.tw
Posted by Colin Cordner
IBM Deskstar GXP75 Hard Drive Review @ Hexus.net
November 14, 2000
Hio Fellow Web Monkeys,
Today, at ye' olde Hexus.net, one may find good Trebor's review of the IBM Deskstar GXP75 Hardrive. Hereth be quote:
"Now having an Abit KT7-Raid Motherboard, and more and more users are interested in this technology, I just had to set up a Raid 0 array to see how stupidly fast scores I could get. For those who donít know much about RAID technology, Raid 0 uses two hard drives of the same capacity but stores half the data on one disk drive and half on the other and when you access this data, you are reading 50% from one drive and 50% from the other at the same time, thus theoretically increasing transfer times by 100%..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Review of the Fic FA11 mainboard
November 14, 2000
The Fic FA11 is a well designed board at first glance, replete with the usual functions such as PC133, and ATA66 support. Moreover, the FA11 has also been equipped with a few more novel features such as "Fic Audio Alert", and a sound-card based on the Creative Audio chipset (unfortunately, these features aren't included in the North American renditions of the FA11).
Posted by Chris Verr
More Pentium 4 Benchmarks Leak-Out....
November 13, 2000
As the subject line says, it seems that a few more Pentium 4 benchmarks have leaked out into this wild world we call the 'Net, and can be found here at Ctrl-Alt-Del.com. Needless to say, some interesting results ensued (not that I'm giving undue credence to anonymous sources or anything :)). Here's a snip to whet your lips:
"The benchmark were done with a Pentium 4 running 1.4 Ghz and 256 MB RDRAM. The "Spy" hehe, managed to enter the restricted area of an high-tech company, and ran SiSoft Sandra 2000 to give you these nice screenshots. As you will see, the results are really good for the memory Benchmark but for the rest of it, the Benchmarks results where not has impressive..."
How credible are these benchmarks? Durned if I know, but they are interesting :D! The integer performance, for one, does seem to be in-line with what we've all been warned to expect, and the memory benchmark is suitably impressive for a system that (one presumes) was running on a 400MHz FSB + DRDRAM.
The FPU performance, though, is dismal, as are the multi-media benchmarks. This either means a)The numbers are bad, or b)The P4 really, really drags its feet in FPU, and SIMD operations. Personally, if I was someone who payed over $1000USD - in advance - for one of these chips, I'd be hoping for the former. Of course, I'm not one of those people, so I can just sit here and continue to throw stones at glass houses...
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Overclocking with AOpen's OpenBIOS @ RivaStation
November 13, 2000
The RivaStation gang has been experimenting with AOpen's new OpenBIOS solution to Overclocking their GeForce GTS cards, and has written up this report on their experiences. Here's a clip:
"We had some trouble with overclocking in our review of the AOpen PA256 Deluxe GeForce2 GTS card a few weeks ago because of a faulty cooling fan. Now AOpen has sent us a second board, this time with a fully operational fan. So, we are now able to present you with the results of our experiment in overclocking using the OpenBIOS. The special feature regarding overclocking is that you can change the voltage settings of memory and core..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Build Your Own Thermal Sensor
November 13, 2000
HardwareOC has recently tacked up a little do-it-yourself number that they like to call "How To Build Your Own Thermal Sensor!, or something to that effect in any case. :)
The point? To save yourself a couple of bucks, of course. Its also a great way to keep your hands busy, your mind focused, and away from other such interesting potential projects as disassembling your signifigant-other's clock-radio, or building your own power-supply from spare toaster parts.... ;P
By all means, check it out!
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
DiamondMax Plus 45GB Drive Review @ The Technoyard
November 13, 2000
Hio Drivers,
Today we have news that The Technoyard has finished up a review of the DiamondMax Plus 45GB Hardrive. Here's a clip:
"The DiamondMax Plus 45, Maxtor's newest addition to the world's popular 7200 RPM hard drive family is finaly here. Boasting 15 GB per platter and traditional award-winning DiamondMax Plus features including the high-performance Ultra ATA/100 interface this sure is a great competitor to IBM's Deskstar 75GXP..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Lian Li PC-12 Mid-Tower Case Review @ Ars Technica
November 12, 2000
ArsTechnica has posted up a review of the all-black, mostly aluminum, Lian Li PC-12 Mid-Tower computer case. Here's a clip:
"Back in January The Chip Merchant sent us the CoolerMaster ATC-200, an all-aluminum case designed to be a kickass cooler. It was, but the price was a turn-off to many, weighing in at around $280. Definitely a chunk of change for a mid-tower. Well, more recently, TCM sent us the Lian Li PC-12, a cheaper alternative at $220. Since it sports the all-aluminum design of the CoolerMaster, it's a competitor in not only size, but manufacturing style as well. How well does it measure up...?"
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Microsoft's .NET Through the Eyes of Sun
November 12, 2000
An enterprising Java-guy has taken on the task of critiquing Microsoft's much ballyhoo'ed, but poorly understood .NET platform/technology - from a Java perspective ('natch'). Here's a quote:
"here is no doubt that Microsoft has come to the same conclusion as everyone else in the industry: The Java platform is an excellent technology that enjoys tremendous success. Rather than embracing the cross-platform, vendor neutral solution which is the Java platform, like most of the industry, Microsoft is still pushing a single platform, vendor specific solution. The .NET platform is an improvement for Visual C++ and Visual Basic programmers, but it is yet another proprietary Microsoft platform which will tie the developer to Windows, albeit possibly a .NET-ized notion of Windows..."
Thanks go to Arstechnica for the heads-up.
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
ARM’s Race to Embedded World Domination
November 12, 2000
Paul Demone has written up another of his ever-insightful articles on the silcon world. This one, entitled "ARM’s Race to Embedded World Domination" focuses in on the world's most sucessful microprocessor - RISC or otherwise - the ARM. Here's a brief snip:
"The computer and semiconductor industries are so PC-centric that if you ask most people what was the best selling 32-bit microprocessor family last year was they would probably say x86. But in terms of unit volumes the x86 was outsold by about 20% by various versions of a certain RISC processor architecture. This processor family, licensed by virtually every semiconductor company on the planet including Intel, sold a little over 150 million processors in 1999 [1]. Some of these were in the familiar form of standalone microprocessors, while many more were buried within larger special purpose chips.
Despite far exceeding all rivals in growth rate by more than tripling 1998 sales, this processor is not an overnight success story, and in fact has a long and colorful history. Even its acronym-based name, 'ARM', has changed meaning over the years. It started out as the Acorn RISC Machine, named after a British company, Acorn Computers Ltd..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
The Hexus Guide to Home Networking
November 12, 2000
For those of you who missed out on the home-networking craze, and are now looking to keep up with the Geek next-door, Hexus.net has posted up a brief Guide to Home Networking. Finally, no mixing-up your BNCs with the CAT5 :) ! Here's a clip:
"A hub or switch is basically a box that your lengths of UTP plug into. It is necessary for more than two computers. The difference between a hub and a switch is that whilst a hub sends data to every single computer on the network, a switch only sends data to the machines that require it. The result of this is that the network can run in full duplex (200mbit/sec) and the pings are better for multiplayer games- especially at a large LAN party where there could be several games going on and an FTP server all on the same network. With a hub, the games would become unplayable if people access the FTP server but with a hub, the pings are still very respectable. Since switches are a lot more expensive than hubs, I will be concentrating on hubs..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Quantum Atlas II 10K Hardrive Review @ Hexus.net
November 12, 2000
The Hexus team has also been caught playing around with a Quantum Atlas II Hardrive, which inspired them to write up this review. Here's a clip:
"Quantum has been at the forefront of technology for quite a while, and has realized that their developments have help push hard drive performance. Like processors, hard drives increase in speed by around 38% a year, so a hard drive has a 2 year life span at the moment, if you want the latest kit that is. This 3.5" half-height drive is part of the Atlas range, which has been used in servers for the last few years, as with a lot of the Quantum hard drives. They work on something, which is already good, and add to it. For example this also happened with the Quantum Fireball LM range.
Densities of 7.3GB per platter, together with 10,000 rpm speeds, the VERY low 4.7ms access times, and the u160 connector, allow the Quantum Atlas 10K II series of drives to deliver the best performance needed for today's high end PCs and mid-range servers. It is targeted to be used in high-end servers, Unix or NT departmental servers and other high-performance servers and workstations running high I/O applications. It can of course also be used in high-end desktop PC's but might be a bit expensive for this..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Thermaltake Super Orb Review @ Hexus.net
November 12, 2000
Hio Orb Fans,
Hexus.net is currently featuring an article that will cure what 'ails you (or at least cure the heat that 'ails your Athlon). This time, the spotlight's on the Thermaltake Super Orb. Here's a clip:
"First thing I'm gonna say is, like most people out there who are serious about overclocking their Durons or TBirds? then your probably going to own an Abit KT7 motherboard or plan on owning one soon? Well I'm using that very motherboard and upon first glance you'll notice that a row of capacitors look very close the 462pin socket on the board? yep too close for my liking ;( A test placement of the Super ORB reveals that some modifications will have to be done to either the ORB itself or the motherboard?"
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Addtronics 7896a Full Tower Server Case Review @ G3D
November 10, 2000
Behind every good motherboard, there's a great case. Or a really nice cardboard box. Either way, if you're looking to upgrade your computer's shell, you may want to check G3D's review of the Addtronics 7896a Full Tower Casing. Here's a clip:
"Swinging doors? You got it. Instead of the old sliding doors Addtronics decided to use doors that swing out to the left. A down side to the swinging doors is they only swing 90(. You would think they would swing out to 180( but they don't, and this causes the door to get in your way sometimes when working inside of the case and makes installing things a bit ackward when the case is lying on its side. However you can just pull up on the doors and yank them out if you like. Another fault with the doors is the metal tabs that the doors swing on can be easily bent if the doors are pushed while they are swung open. This becomes a pain and requires some quality time with a hammer to fix..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Epox EP-8KTA2 Socket A Motherboard Review @ Tweaktown.com
November 10, 2000
Tweaktown has just finished up a review of the Epox EP-8KTA2 motherboard. Here's a bit of what they had to say:
"Epox has been around in the motherboard making industry for well over 10 years now producing low cost, high performance motherboards. Epox made it claim when the Super 7 stage of motherboard were around, Epox produced many motherboard for the AMD K6-2 and K6-3 CPU's using mostly VIA chipsets, it seems that Epox and VIA shared a long and prosperous relationship that is still in affect today. Epox went out of the loop when the overclocking stage of things came since Epox didn't produce many overclocker friendly motherboards. Epox have put out some very good motherboards in the past and now with the future looking to the overclockers market Epox have again listened to the market and have made a name for themselves again..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Water Cooling on a Budget
November 10, 2000
At one time or another in an Overclocker's life, one inevitably gets the spontaneous urge to drill holes in a block of metal, and spray water on a $250 CPU. Is this the first sign of a nervous breakdown? Well, maybe, but it could also be the sign of an unconcious urge to build your very own water block!
To that end, Hexus.net's dave has slapped together a little article that demonstrates the ins & outs of building the CPU cooler of every geek's dreams. Here's a clip:
"Now I will have to say, that this article is meant to be used by people who have a decent degree of technical knowledge, and own and can operate various hand tools etc. Also, if you forget to connect one of the pipes, which in turn squirts water down your motherboard, which hoses (pun intended) your system, and soaks your new $2500 desk, which collapses, kills your cat and scares your gerbils to stupidity, I cant be held responsible..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Review of the Soyo SY-7ISM mainboard
November 10, 2000
The Soyo SY-7ISM is a microATX motherboard based on the Intel 815 chipset with an ICH1 Southbridge - which does not support ATA100 drives. While limited to a maximum of 512MB of active memory, the SY-71SM nevertheless seems well equipped for the task of an entry-level system, or acting as the heart of an assembly-line device. By using a chipset that includes an integrated 3D video card, the SY-71SM represents another interesting entry into the all-in-one market.
Posted by Chris Verr
PC133 SDRAM Comparison @ HardwareOC
November 8, 2000
If "Thanks for the memories!" hasn't been in your repetoire of notable clichés lately, it could be that you're suffering from Lousy Memory Stick Syndrome.
To help combat this epidemic, the HardwareOC gang has put together a comparison of 4 of the top PC133 memory sticks, for your viewing enjoyement. Here's a snip:
"Right now we are at a turning point with RAM, as DDR SDRAM is just around the corner. But an upgrade to a new motherboard and new memory modules, and for some even a new processor to get full advantage of the new 133MHz bus, is not a viable option. Some feel the 10-20% gain in performance is not worth the extra money needed for a new motherboard and new ram modules. So they are left with the well known PC133/PC150 SDRAM modules. We are here with 3 sticks of RAM to see which gives us the most performance and which is the best value..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Sony adds Basic to PlayStation to sidestep EC import tax
November 8, 2000
Sony is apparently tabling plans to add programming software to European Playstation 2's in order to side-step an EU surtax, according to this story at The Register.
The plan essentially centers around packaging every PS2 destined for the European market with a copy of VA-Basic - an open-source implementation of the BASIC programming lanugage - which will allow enterprising PS2 hackers to access basic 3D functions, among other things.
Hmmmm, maybe now someone can finally port "Akalabeth" to the PS2! Whoohoo! ;)
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
API networks announces 833MHz Alpha
November 8, 2000
The Company-Formerly-Known-As-Alpha-Processor-Inc. has announced the availability of an 833MHz Alpha 21264 microprocessor for January, according to this report at Geek.com.
The Alpha, as our fellow geeks know, has long been recognized as the chip to beat in microprocessor circles, due to its tremendous FP, and integer crunching power, not to mention scaleability... Actually, we might as well mention something, so here's a snip to keep you company :) :
"You say you want more power for your Linux servers? Well, not only will the new CS20s fit into 1U rack spaces, they will handle dual Alpha chips, making for some extremely powerful 64-bit clustering solutions. If the previous dual-Alpha servers fit into a small 2U space, the new Alphas basically double the amount of computing power you can cram into your racks without even adding the 833 MHz Alpha chip. Once that is available, the computing power to space ratio rises even higher. The optional disk support isn't too much of a surprise because many of the systems will be used only for processing power and will access massive storage systems over the network for reading and writing data..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Motorola and Tundra Join Forces to Develop Next-Generation High Speed Communications Technology
November 8, 2000
MOTOROLA AND TUNDRA JOIN FORCES
FOR RELEASE
12 October 2000
Motorola and Tundra Join Forces to Develop Next-Generation High Speed Communications Technology
Industry leaders will develop advanced RapidIO-related interconnect products to support network transmission rates of hundreds of gigabits per second in a single system.
Kanata, ON and Austin, TX, October 12, 2000 - Tundra Semiconductor Corporation (TSE:TUN), a leader in System Interconnect for the Internet and communications infrastructure market, and Motorola, Inc. Semiconductor Products Sector (NYSE:MOT), the world's largest producer of embedded microprocessors, today announced they have formed an alliance to develop high performance interconnect products that increase the efficiency and capacity of Motorola's Smart Networks Platform. The alliance will fuel ongoing strong growth by Motorola and Tundra in the communications semiconductor market. This market is expected to exceed $50 billion U.S. in revenue by 2003, according to the market research firm Dataquest.
Tundra and Motorola will cooperate in the design of PowerPC and RapidIO-related core logic technology that can be incorporated into the Tundra System Interconnect products and Motorola's communications processors, including the PowerPC family of host processors, the PowerQUICC family of integrated processors, and the C-Port family of network processors. As a result, Motorola and Tundra will enable communications infrastructure vendors in the wireless, wireline, and data communications industries to bring networking products to market faster, at less cost, and with much higher performance. As part of the multi-year, multi-million dollar agreement, Motorola will provide Tundra with funding to develop these new RapidIO core logic products. Motorola and Tundra will cooperate in promoting these technologies for use in PowerPC and RapidIO-based systems.
"Our alliance with Tundra is another key to Motorola continuing our leadership position of supplying communications processors to world class communications infrastructure vendors," said Daniel Artusi, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of Motorola's Networking and Computing Systems Group. "Tundra has a long history of providing System Interconnect chipsets in support of Motorola's line of communications processors. This next-generation System Interconnect technology will enable Motorola and Tundra to strengthen our current market positions."
The communications industry has a great need for enhanced intelligence throughout the fabric of the entire network. As demand for bandwidth and sophisticated services skyrocket, current proprietary interconnect products on and between system components are being pushed to their limit. This agreement allows Motorola and Tundra to promote the rapid evolution to development of systems based upon open standards that fulfill these greater bandwidth and service demands.
"Motorola's willingness to develop these core logic intellectual property blocks with Tundra underscores our industry-leading position in this market," said Adam Chowaniec, Tundra Chief Executive Officer. "Tundra has enjoyed a strong relationship with Motorola for several years. Through this alliance, Tundra will accelerate the rate at which we introduce new products and establish ourselves as the de facto leader in System Interconnect."
The high performance interconnect products developed by Tundra and Motorola will be based on RapidIO, the emerging high-speed interconnect architecture standard for the networking market. Supported by Motorola and other communications equipment giants such as Nortel Networks, Cisco Systems, and Lucent Technologies, the RapidIO interconnect architecture provides greater bandwidth, lower cost, and faster market delivery for next-generation embedded networking products in comparison to conventional bus protocols.
RapidIO is an electronic data communications standard for linking chips on a board and boards on a backplane. It eliminates a critical bottleneck in networking equipment: the speed at which components inside embedded systems communicate with each other. Current communications equipment is restricted to transmission rates of hundreds of megabits per second. In comparison, RapidIO will provide chip-to-chip and board-to-board communications at performance levels of up to 64 gigabits per second per port with an aggregate of hundreds of gigabits per second in a single system. The breakthrough architecture is an open standard compatible with the most popular communications processors. Tundra and Motorola are founding members of the RapidIO Trade Association, established to drive the adoption of the RapidIO Interconnect architecture. More information about RapidIO is available at: www.rapidio.org.
Tundra System Interconnect is the technology to connect components and subsystems in almost any embedded system. It includes chips on a board and boards on a backplane. System Interconnect is a vital enabling technology for the networked world. The convergence of voice, video, and data traffic, the need for more secure communications, and the exploding demand for high-speed network access are putting communications infrastructure vendors under intense pressure to provide faster, well-managed bandwidth that also integrates smoothly with existing technology. Tundra System Interconnect helps these vendors address their customer needs. It enables them to build standards-based network equipment that can scale to multi-gigahertz speeds and beyond, and also integrate with existing infrastructure.
About Tundra
Tundra Semiconductor Corporation (TSE:TUN) designs, develops, and markets advanced System Interconnect for use by the world's leading Internet and communications infrastructure vendors. Tundra chips provide the latest interface and throughput features to help these vendors design and deliver more powerful equipment in shorter timeframes. Tundra products are essential to a range of applications, including telecommunications, data communications, wireless communications, industrial automation, and ruggedized systems. Tundra headquarters are located in Kanata, Ontario, Canada. The Company also has offices in South Portland, Maine, Mountain View, California, and Maidenhead, U.K. Tundra sells its products worldwide through a network of direct sales personnel, independent distributors, and manufacturers' representatives. More information is available on-line at www.tundra.com.
About Motorola
As the world's #1 producer of embedded processors, Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector offers multiple DigitalDNA™ technologies which enable its customers to create "smart" products and new business opportunities in the networking and computing, wireless communications, transportation, and imaging and entertainment markets. Motorola's worldwide semiconductor sales were $7.4 billion (USD) in 1999. http://www.motorola.com/semiconductors/
Motorola, Inc. (NYSE:MOT) is a global leader in providing integrated communications solutions and embedded electronics solutions. Sales in 1999 were $33.1 billion. http://www.motorola.com
# # #
MOTOROLA, the Stylized M Logo and all other trademarks indicated as such herein are trademarks of Motorola, Inc. (r) Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off." (c) 2000 Motorola, Inc. All rights reserved.
Editorial contacts:
Rick O'Connor
Tundra Semiconductor Corporation
613.592.0714,
Cell: 613.769.1742
ricko@tundra.com
Nelda Currah
Motorola
512.933.8536
nelda.currah@motorola.com
Geoff Rowan
Shandwick International
416.964.6444
growan@shandwick.ca
Jennifer Richter
MS&L Global Technology
805.230.8280
jrichter@msltech.com
Posted by Colin Cordner
Fed agencies appeal to Linux vendors
November 8, 2000
Hio Kernal Geeks,
Several US governement agencies are apparently appealing to Linux vendors to pull together the studies necessary to achieve official gov't certification.
Without such certification, the use of Linux, and Linux products is less than officially sanctioned, and is cited as a key reason behind the system's slow adoption within gov't circles. You can catch the ZDNet article on the matter here. Here's a snip:
"Attending the first Federal Linux Users conference here last week, agency representatives called on Linux vendors to provide examples of life-cycle business cases, develop a set of standards for easier application installations, and come forward with best practices and programs that guide and reduce the risk of open-source use.
Doing so could help provide the vendors with access to the huge and lucrative federal government market for their Linux offerings, while giving federal agencies a much-needed alternative to proprietary software..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Transmeta Corporation Announces Initial Public Offering
November 8, 2000
Transmeta Corporation Announces Initial Public Offering
For Immediate Release
SANTA CLARA, California, (November 6, 2000) - Transmeta Corporation (Nasdaq: TMTA) announced the initial public offering of 13 million shares of its common stock at $21 per share on The Nasdaq National Market. All shares were offered by Transmeta.
Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown, Salomon Smith Barney, Banc of America Securities LLC and SG Cowen acted as managers for the offering. Transmeta has granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 1,950,000 shares to cover over-allotments, if any.
Copies of the final prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained from Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, 1585 Broadway, New York, NY, 10036.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state.
About Transmeta Corporation:
Transmeta, located in Santa Clara, California, develops and sells software-based microprocessors and develops additional hardware and software technologies that enable computer manufacturers to build computers that simultaneously offer long battery life, high performance and x86 compatibility. Transmeta's family of Crusoe microprocessors is targeted at the notebook and Internet appliance segments of the Mobile Internet Computer market.
Transmeta , the Transmeta logo, Crusoe , the Crusoe logo, Code Morphing and LongRun are trademarks of Transmeta Corporation in the United States and other countries. Any other trademarks or trade names in this press release are the property of their respective owners.
Posted by Colin Cordner
Dual-Processor Showdown: VIA Apollo Pro133A vs. Intel 440BX
November 7, 2000
Hio Dual Personalities,
Today, X-Bit Labs (which looks suspiciously like the iXBT labs of old.... hmmmm ;)) has taken the SMP scene to task, by comparing two dual-processor boards - one based on VIA's Apollo Pro133A chipset, the other on the 440BX from Intel. Here's a snip:
"VIA, the leading Taiwanese chipset manufacturer, managed to achieve quite a lot during this year. In the first place, we should definitely mention that VIA won about 50% of the chipset market. However, the company didn't slow down its pace and started working in a few other directions.
In 2000 VIA began manufacturing its own CPUs and tried to enter the server chipset market. Although the company is known as a developer of mostly low-cost solutions, they selected the right niche when aiming at the server chipset market: small dual-processor home servers and workstations..."
The X-Bit crew got some very interesting results here, and I can't help but wonder what the results would have been under a pervasively multi-threaded system such as the BeOS. Certainly, if there is anything that Be fans like to brag about, it's the excellent quality of their multi-threading...
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Insider reveals Xbox blue prints?
November 6, 2000
Some blokes over at XBox365.com are claiming to have the real lowdown on Microsoft's ultra-secret, ever-changing game-console the X-box. Among the goodies they claim to share is a mockup of the basic layout, news on design concessions, and a whole lot of other minutia....
Hmmmph, well, don't mind me folks, I'm still a bit hung up by the fact that I'm stuck playing Super Mario World on a 13" television while everyone else is getting their PS2's....
:
"Before I told you that Xbox was going to be having a 40 Gig drive. MS have moved away from that idea and decided on the slot since hard drives are constantly changing in size. With a built in hard drive of 40 Gig they would also limit themselves.
Gamer feedback has also shown that not everyone wants TV functionality and removing this as a standard option will help reduce the price. So the 8 Gig drive is the current spec with the second hard drive which could be any size and will be for Tivo/Replay like functions only. I would also assume there to be some code on the drive or a special format too..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
A BeOS View Of Apple's New OS X
November 6, 2000
For a different perspective on the world of the operating system, users & coders, hackers & geeks may be compelled to read Scot Hacker's latest article at Byte.com.
Mr. Hacker, a long-time supporter of the cross-platform (x86, PowerPC...), fully-GUI & buzzword-compliant BeOS, has taken on the task of reviewing Apple's own MacOS X Public Beta.
What makes this review more interesting in most is the absolute amount of attention that is given to Windows: none. As far as the authour is concerned, who cares (I have a hard time arguing with that, frankly...:))? Instead, Mr. Hacker does the job of comparing the underlying technologies of two "alternatives", their interfaces, and responsiveness. Here's a snip:
"It's no secret that I've never been a big MacOS fan. While I appreciate Apple's aesthetics, I've always found MacOS slow, unstable, and unresponsive. The lack of a decent virtual memory system, basic memory protection, or even a command-line shell have kept me running x86-based operating systems throughout the years.
It is precisely this list of deeply seated and difficult-to-correct technical issues that inspired the development of BeOS to begin with. And, of course, it is the same list that has had Apple scrambling for a replacement OS for half a decade..."
A very interesting article. Not only does it provide an intro to MacOS X, but the BeOS to boot! Trés cool.
Thanks go out to OSNews for the link.
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Broadcom Corporation to Acquire SiByte Inc, 64-bit "Merurian" MIPS Processor
November 6, 2000
NEWS RELEASE
Broadcom Business Media Contacts:
Bill Blanning or Eileen Algaze
Corporate Communications Dept.
949-450-8700
blanning@broadcom.com
ealgaze@broadcom.com
SiByte Contact:
Leo A. Joseph
Vice President and Co-Founder
408-845-6600
ljoseph@sibyte.com
Broadcom Financial Analyst Contact:
William Ruehle
Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
949-450-8700
billr@broadcom.com
Broadcom Corporation to Acquire SiByte, Inc., Leading Developer of High-Performance Microprocessor Solutions for Broadband Networking
Leverages MIPS( 64-Bit Industry-Standard Architecture for Network Processing in LAN and WAN Applications
1.0 GigaHertz Processor Core at Less than 2.5 Watts Targets Twice the Performance with Twice the Power Efficiency of Any Existing Embedded Core
IRVINE and SANTA CLARA, Calif. - November 6, 2000 - Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), the leading provider of integrated circuits enabling broadband communications, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire SiByte, Inc. SiByte, based in Santa Clara, is developing a new generation of high- performance, highly integrated processor chips for networking and communications applications.
SiByte's high-performance network processors will complement Broadcom's Internet Protocol (IP) switches, communications Digital Signal Processors, IP security solutions and physical layer transmission products to create the industry's most comprehensive portfolio of products for the networking and Internet infrastructure markets.
SiByte's use of industry-standard MIPS architecture for network processing has gained significant momentum in the marketplace. SiByte has already achieved multiple design wins and has been awarded firm multi-year purchase contracts for total quantities in excess of 1.3 million units at multi-hundred dollar average selling prices (ASPs) from top-tier networking equipment suppliers.
With Internet traffic doubling every four to six months, and the migration of voice networks from circuit-based to packet-based architectures, networking devices such as routers, switches and remote access servers (RAS) are facing a tremendous processing overload. SiByte's products will provide the high-performance processing required to manipulate, manage, and move data at line rates ranging from 1.0 Gigabit-per-second (Gbps) up to 40 Gbps (OC-768). Their System-on-a-Chip (SOC) solutions will be targeted for use in the fastest growing segments of the networking and communications markets, including high-speed Local Area Networks (LANs), Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs), Wide Area Networks (WANs), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) gateways, optical networking and wireless communications.
SiByte's premier product is the Mercurian(tm), a family of high performance, low-power processor solutions designed specifically to meet the needs of next-generation networks. SiByte's Mercurian processors will deliver all four of the ingredients essential for embedded broadband network processors: very high performance, low power, high integration of network-centric functions, and programmability based on an industry-standard instruction set architecture. At the heart of the Mercurian processor is SiByte's SB-1 core, a MIPS 64-bit superscalar CPU core capable of operating at frequencies up to 1.0 GigaHertz (GHz).
The SB-1 core supports a quad-issue pipeline, which can dispatch up to two memory and two ALU (integer or floating point) instructions per cycle. A 32K Data cache and a 32K Instruction cache are built into the core, each 4-way associative. Based on benchmark simulation results, the SB-1 delivers more than 2200 Dhrystone 2.1 Mips (millions of instructions per second) at 1.0 GHz. This translates to more than 800 Mips/Watt, making it the world's most power-efficient core in its performance class. The SB-1 also has features to support multi-processing, an important capability for high-performance applications.
The SB-1250, SiByte's first processor under the Mercurian brand, was recently announced at the Microprocessor Forum in San Jose, Calif. Because Mercurian processors are based on the industry-standard MIPS64( architecture, SiByte's products will enable equipment vendors to immediately leverage the large installed base of software development and debug tools available for the MIPS architecture and to preserve their substantial investment in legacy software.
The SB-1250 processor tightly integrates onto a single chip two 64-bit SB-1 CPU cores with large cache memory and integrated I/O. The result is a Chip Multi-Processor (CMP) platform that offers very high raw packet processing performance at low power, and the large memory and I/O bandwidth required to manipulate and move network data with maximum efficiency and speed. The SB-1250 scales up to 4400 Dhrystone Mips (millions of instructions per second), making it the most powerful MIPS-compatible processor. SiByte expects to provide samples of the chip to customers in the first half of 2001.
The SB-1250 provides customers with an optimal solution for high-speed network processing, including packet classification, queuing, forwarding and exception processing. It allows complex decisions such as routing and load balancing to be performed at wire speed, at line rates between OC-3 (100 Mbps) and OC-48 (2.5 Gbps).
The key to the SB-1250's unique architecture is its intelligent, high performance multi-processor design built around a fast, on-chip internal bus called the ZBbus(. The ZBbus, which runs at half the CPU core clock speed with a data width of 256 bits (one cache line), connects all the major blocks of the processor including the CPU cores, cache memory, and I/O. The bus implements a standard coherency protocol called MESI to maintain complete data and I/O coherence. At 500 MHz, the ZBbus achieves peak bandwidth of up to 128 Gbps.
Broadcom intends to leverage the SB-1 core and future derivatives into various product areas within its broadband communications chip portfolio. Through its long-standing license agreement with MIPS Technologies, Inc., Broadcom has already enabled the cost effective integration of its own MIPS microprocessor designs into several SOC solutions for the cable modem, set-top, xDSL, satellite and high-speed networking markets.
"With the addition of SiByte technology, we will be armed with the world's fastest and lowest power MIPS industry-standard broadband processor technology," said Dr. Henry T. Nicholas III, President and CEO of Broadcom. "The acquisition of SiByte complements our recent acquisitions of NewPort Communications and Silicon Spice and our pending acquisition of Allayer Communications and significantly expands Broadcom's product portfolio for Internet infrastructure equipment. We are also pleased to be adding Dan Dobberpuhl, SiByte's President and CEO, to our senior management and technical team. Dan, who is well known for leading the Alpha and StrongARM processor programs at Digital Equipment Corporation, brings to Broadcom many years of industry experience in delivering advanced silicon-level systems."
"Combining forces with a market leader that has the product breadth and geographical scope of Broadcom gives SiByte the opportunity to dramatically expand our broadband processor business worldwide," said Dobberpuhl. "The combination of our two companies will provide our customers with an expansive breadth of programmable and configurable products driving broadband Internet services and content to an exploding subscriber base."
Cisco Systems, the market leader in networking and communications equipment, is an early investor in SiByte. "SiByte provides a high-end roadmap for the MIPS architecture and delivers a combination of raw CPU performance, memory and communication I/O integration that yields outstanding overall system-level performance in next-generation network applications," said John Wakerly, Vice President of Engineering in Cisco Systems' Workgroup Business Unit.
In connection with the acquisition, Broadcom will issue in aggregate up to 9.3 million shares of its Class A common stock in exchange for all outstanding shares of SiByte's preferred and common stock and upon exercise of outstanding employee stock options and other rights of SiByte. About 5.6 million of the Broadcom shares will be issuable at closing of the acquisition; approximately 3.7 million additional shares will be reserved for future issuance to the stockholders and option holders of SiByte upon satisfaction of certain performance goals. The merger transaction is expected to close within 60 days and will be accounted for under the purchase method of accounting. The Boards of Directors of both companies have approved the merger, which awaits approval by SiByte's shareholders and the satisfaction of regulatory requirements and other customary closing conditions. Broadcom expects to record a one-time charge for purchased in-process research and development expenses related to the acquisition in its fourth fiscal quarter, ending December 31. In addition to the purchase consideration, Broadcom will reserve approximately 1.8 million shares of its Class A common stock for future issuance to customers upon the exercise of outstanding performance based warrants of SiByte that become exercisable upon satisfaction of certain customer purchase requirements.
About SiByte
SiByte, Inc. is a privately-held fabless semiconductor company focused on the Internet infrastructure equipment market. Founded by Dan Dobberpuhl, Amarjit Gill and Leo Joseph, all from the former Digital Equipment Corporation, SiByte has world-class expertise in VLSI design and development. Mr. Dobberpuhl was responsible for the development of the world's fastest and most power-efficient commercial microprocessors, Alpha(tm) and StrongARM(tm), respectively. Over 95% of the company's 120 employees have engineering backgrounds, with expertise in full custom CPU design, SOC integration, and software, tool, and board development for embedded markets. Based in Santa Clara, Calif., SiByte can be reached at 408-845-6600 or at www.sibyte.com.
About Broadcom
Broadcom Corporation is the leading provider of highly integrated silicon solutions that enable broadband digital transmission of voice, video, and data. Using proprietary technologies and advanced design methodologies, the company designs, develops and supplies integrated circuits for a number of the most significant broadband communications markets, including the markets for cable set-top boxes, cable modems, high-speed local, metropolitan and wide area networks, home networking, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), carrier access, residential broadband gateways, direct broadcast satellite and terrestrial digital broadcast, optical networking, digital subscriber lines (xDSL) and wireless communications. Broadcom is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and may be contacted at 949-450-8700 or at www.broadcom.com.
Safe Harbor Statement of Broadcom Corporation under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:
This release may contain forward-looking statements based on our current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry, management's beliefs, and certain assumptions made by us. Words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will" and variations of these words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, our actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various factors.
Important factors that may cause such a difference for Broadcom in connection with the acquisition of SiByte, Inc. include, but are not limited to, the risks inherent in acquisitions of technologies and businesses, including the timing and successful completion of technology and product development through volume production, integration issues, costs and unanticipated expenditures, changing relationships with customers, suppliers and strategic partners, potential contractual, intellectual property or employment issues, accounting treatment and charges, and the risks that the acquisition cannot be completed successfully or that anticipated benefits are not realized; the rate at which present and future customers and end-users adopt Broadcom's and SiByte's technologies and products in the markets for high performance microprocessors and network processors; delays in the adoption and acceptance of industry standards in the foregoing markets; the timing of customer-industry qualification and certification of our products and the risks of non-qualification or non-certification; the timing, rescheduling or cancellation of significant customer orders; the loss of a key customer; the volume of our product sales and pricing concessions on volume sales; silicon wafer pricing and the availability of foundry and assembly capacity and raw materials; the qualification, availability and pricing of competing products and technologies and the resulting effects on sales and pricing of our products; intellectual property disputes and customer indemnification claims; fluctuations in the manufacturing yields of our third party semiconductor foundries and other problems or delays in the fabrication, assembly, testing or delivery of our products; our ability to specify, develop or acquire, complete, introduce, market and transition to volume production new products and technologies in a timely manner; the effects of new and emerging technologies; the effectiveness of our product cost reduction efforts; the risks of producing products with new suppliers and at new fabrication and assembly facilities; problems or delays that we may face in shifting our products to smaller geometry process technologies and in achieving higher levels of design integration; the risks and uncertainties associated with our international operations; our ability to retain and hire key executives, technical personnel and other employees in the numbers, with the capabilities, and at the compensation levels needed to implement our business and product plans; changes in our product or customer mix; the quality of our products and any remediation costs; the effects of natural disasters and other events beyond our control; the level of orders received that can be shipped in a fiscal quarter; potential business disruptions, claims, expenses and other difficulties resulting from residual "Year 2000" problems in computer-based systems used by us, our suppliers or our customers; general economic conditions and specific conditions in the markets we address; and other factors.
Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, recent and forthcoming Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Forms 8-K and 8-K/A, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings discuss some of the important risk factors that may affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.
Broadcom® and the pulse logo are trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries. SiByte and Mercurian are trademarks of SiByte, Inc. in the United States and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
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Posted by Colin Cordner
Gravis Xterminator Digital Gamepad Review @ Hexus.net
November 6, 2000
It seems to be a peripherals world today, as we get world from Hexus.net that they've also finished up a review of the Gravis Xterminator Digital Gamepad. So, if your hands happen to be looking for a new pad, check it out:
"Lets get this out of the way - this gamepad was bought for one reason - M$'s cool arcade flight-sim, Crimson Skies. Being a first-person shooter addict, I would not normally recommend a gamepad to anyone, finding them generally a cumbersome and unresponsive way of doing things compared to a mouse. I found that mouse control in Crimson Skies to be near unworkable however, and spotting one of these things second hand in a junk shop, snapped it up..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer Review @ Hexus.net
November 6, 2000
If you like plastic rodents with great eye-sight, then you might be intrigued by Hexus.net's latest review of the all-optical Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer mouse. Then again, you may not. But just in case you are (and shame on you if you're not!), here's a clip to set you on the path:
"I can recommend this mouse to everyone who mostly uses their comouter to web-surfing and won't roam the pointer around at light speed over the desktop. If you are a hardcore gamer (this concerns mostly FPS gamers), then I wouldn't recommend it. It performs well in Starcraft, C&C and most RTS games though, so if you do not play quake/quake2 etc, then you may consider buying it. It is much more expensiv than a normal mouse with a ball though. But if you have got the money, go for it!"
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Integrated Video Shootout @ [H]ard|OCP
November 6, 2000
Hio Savage4 Friends,
If your the kind of geek who saves pennies in mason jars, can live 2 weeks off a single large pizza, and refuses to drink anything more expensive then tap water, then you've probably already considered purchasing a motheboard with integratged video-logic. Hence we bring you word of HardOCP's most recent shootout. Here's the word:
"I know you have been losing sleep over it! You lie awake at night wondering, "What will my next mainboard purchase consist of?"
Well if you don't have enough money for a sound card and are flat busted when it comes to getting a video card, an integrated board may be just the ticket. (Most likely not, but you never know.) Also, if you build systems for relatives or friends (you don't like), then this is a sure thing.
Seriously, if you are building a system that will not be used by a gamer, you owe it to yourself to check these out."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Review of the MSI Starforce 815 GeForce 2 GTS 32Mb DDR
November 6, 2000
Micro-Star, for its part, has long been a manufacturer of motherboards recognized for the very high quality of its products, as well as a manufacturer of very good graphics cards. The Star Force 815 is essentially based on the Nvidia reference design, and uses 32MB of DDR memory clocked at 166MHz, for an effective frequency of 333MHz (this due to the fact that DDR memory transfers data on the rising, and falling edges of every clock cycle).
Posted by Chris Verr
AMD760 A-Okay After All?
November 3, 2000
Paul DeMone has tacked up a note on RealWorldTech that suggests that the rumours of bugs in the AMD 760 chipset may be false. According to Mr. DeMone, manufacturers are denying the bug rumours, stating that any bugs in the silicon had long since been hammered out.
Rather, they say, the delay in AMD 760 equipped motherboards is a result of an overall parts shortage in DDR-SDRAM, sufficient chipset supplies, etc. All are expecting the production bottleneck to clear up quickly.
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Hercules 3D Prophet II PRO Graphics Card Review @ RIVA Station
November 3, 2000
Hio Ultra Friends,
RIVA Station has just finished up a review of the latest pixel-pumping doo-hickey from Hercules: the Prophet II Pro. Here's a clip:
"So what can you expect from the new NVIDIA GeForce 2 PRO chip, which is now the fourth GeForce2 variation after GTS, MX and Ultra. We take a look on the new 64MB card Hercules 3D Prophet II PRO to show you what you get. We compare the card with two other Hercules cards (32MB and 64MB GTS) and a NVIDIA GeForce 2 Ultra..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Review of the AOpen AX3S-Pro
November 3, 2000
The AX3S-Pro arrived at our door in a solid, yet stylish molded plastic case, much like the type used with the purchase of electrical tools. Obviously, this provides the board with a considerable amount of protection during transit, and it's definitely the type of packaging we'd like all manufacturers to adopt. The AX3S-Pro itself is an ATX board, based on the Intel 815E chipset, complete with the ICH2 Southbridge - which provides support for ATA100 drives - as well as support for PC133 memory, AGP 4X, and a whole list of other functions that we'll be glad to describe during the course of this review.
Posted by Chris Verr
Overclocking meets Mad Scientist
November 1, 2000
Well folks, some Overclocker has gone and done it! He's flipped his wheel, lost his cog, parked the sanity gear firmly in "neutral", and decided to cool his Intel rig down to a toasty -120 degrees F!
But wait, there is a method to his madness! After all, cooler system == better Overclocking == faster system, right? Well, with that in mind, why not join in the fun, and watch as our hero immerses, condenses, pumps, prods, and then does some really crazy things to his mobo, all in the effort to make a 1GHz chip out of a 500MHz PIII.
'Gotta love it. :)
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
AMD 760 chipset delayed
November 1, 2000
Well, it appears that the chickens have not in fact hatched, and we should stop counting them. According to a report at Geek.com, several motherboard maufacturer's have been having problems putting together board's based on the AMD760 chipset, and are apparently citing the problems as originating from the chipset itself.
Even worse for power geeks, the AMD760MP seems to have been delayed for several more months. Doh!
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Athlon beats P4 in urinating contest
November 1, 2000
Okay, you can thank our ever couth British friends over at The Register for the title :). As it suggests though, The Register is quoting its usual leaks - uhhh, sources... who are saying that Intel's forthcoming silicon darling - the Pentium 4 "Willamette - may exhibit worse market performance than previously speculated.
As most geeks have heard once or twice by now, the P4 is generally expected to take a 20-30% performance hit due to its insanely long pipeline. This is due to the time required to "flush it out" every time a branch misprediction occurs (there ain't no way I'm going to try to explain that here though, so don't ask :)). This has always been a natural concession when using longer pipelines to increase clock frequency.
Lately, though, the P4 has begun to look pretty bad next to the Athlon, which has resulted in anonymous comments such as this by OEMs. (Not to give faceless leaks to much credit, though... heh)
All-in-all, it looks like Chipzilla's market woes are set to continue well past the New Year, as they face an up-hill struggle to win back mind-share, even among companies they've done business with for years...
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Agilent Arcticooler Review @ Case Modders Australia
November 1, 2000
As everyone is well aware of, if there is anything that Aussie's know, it's CPU fans. So, that is exactly why everyone should head on down to Case Modders Australia just this very minute, and catch their review of the Agilent Arcticooler; you shan't regret! In fact, here's a clip to prove it:
"Some HSF's use bulk size to do their job, others have big-arsed fans to draw off the heat. The Agilent Arcticooler claims to be different. Agilent, which is an offshoot of Hewlett Packard are the guys responsible for the original panaflo orb and have used everything they know to create the Arcticooler..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Transcend TS-ASL3 Socket 370 Motherboard Review @ The Technoyard
November 1, 2000
And now for something completely differen...: A motherboard review! That's right folks, for the first time ever, we at Active-Hardware are linking off to a fantabulous review of the heart & soul of every computer! In this case, it's The Technoyard's review of the TS-ASL3 from Transcend. Here's a clip:
"Though a newcomer to the motherboard industry Transcend have in the past produced some great motherboards with impressive performance and stability.True to the word stability, this board has yet to fail in our tests..."
Cheers!
P.S. If you didn't recognize the sarcasm above, then you really aren't hanging out around here as much as you should! :)
Posted by Colin Cordner
PC Hardware DFI AK74-EC Motherboard Review @ PCHardware.ro
November 1, 2000
Everybody loves a good logic-board, and so the good fellas' over at PCHardware.ro are certainly hoping you'll at least enjoy their latest review of the DFI AK74-EC. Here's a clip:
"PC Hardware has just posted a review of DFI AK74-EC. This socket A motherboard features 5 PCI / 1 ISA / 1 AMR/ 1 AGP slots, 3 DIMMs, UDMA100 and onboard sound. You can find benchmarks under Windows 2000 and Windows 98 SE using Quake III, Content Creation Winstone 2000 and SysMark 2000 against Abit KT7 and Asus A7V. A Duron 750 and two Thunderbirds, one running at 800Mhz and the other at 1.1Ghz were used. Although this board doesn't have any multiplier adjustment, we found it to be extremely stable and fast..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
fUnc sUrface 1030 Mouse Pad Review @ Beta Bites
November 1, 2000
If you're one of those folks who just loves meeses to pieces, then you'll enjoy a look at the latest Beta Bites review of the fUnc sUrface 1030 Mouse Pad. Here's the rave:
"Speaking of thin, the sUrface1030 pad is only 1/8" thick, yet yields, a hard, durable plastic surface that is washable. The pad itself slips right inside of the rubber base perfectly. The rubber base acts to hold the mousepad in place. This is especially helpful when you are as much of an active and animated gamer as a (things can go flying)..."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Card Cooler XT Review @ Xtreme Tek
November 1, 2000
For something a bit cooler than your average review, you can head over to Xtreme TEk to catch their article on the Card Cooler XT from the Card Cooler Company. Here's a brief clip:
"During the last couple of years, overclocking has become mainstream and something even the average Joe can do. Overclocking generally causes your computer components to create more heat. The two most commonly overclocked components are the video card and the CPU. So, what does the average guy do when he wants to cool his stuff without modifying their computer case? Simple, implement some type of internal cooling."
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner
Review of the AMD760 Chipset @ HardOCP
November 1, 2000
Hio DDR Draftees,
As many of you now know, AMD officially released the AMD760 chipset on Monday, thus paving the way for a whole new generation of Socket A motherboards based on the DDR-SDRAM memory standard. This sounds great, right? Well, sure... but does the jump to DDR, and the faster, 266MHz bus really pay off?
Well, to answer that question, HardOCP's Kyle Bennett generously volunteered to monkey around with a free, 1.2GHz Athlon, complete with an AMD760 reference board. What a swell guy! Here's a clip:
"You have heard all the hype, we are sure of that. Now let's cut to the chase with a few facts and a few solid benchmarks that will show us if the new AMD 760 Chipset supporting Double Data Rate Ram is all it is cracked up to be..."
"Cracked up"... That's funny, heheh. ;)
Cheers!
Posted by Colin Cordner