IT News

Microsoft Windows HPC Server 2008

2009-04-12T16:00:00.000-07:00

Microsoft Windows HPC Server 2008

Specifications :

General

Operating SystemMicrosoft Windows HPC Server 2008
Language(s)Microsoft Single Language
License pricingVolume

Operating System

License TypeLicense
License Qty1 server
License PricingVolume
Licensing ProgramMicrosoft Open Business

System Requirements

Min Processor TypeIntel x86-64
Min RAM Size512 MB
Min Hard Drive Space50 GB
Peripheral / Interface DevicesCD-ROM

The software leader (Microsoft) latest server product targets performance and integration beyond traditionally demanding high-performance computing workloads.

Microsoft has released to manufacturing (RTM) its latest high-performance computing (HPC) server product – Windows HPC Server 2008.

As the successor to Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 and based on Windows Server 2008, the new HPC Server 2008 has been designed to extend the reach of HPC into the distributed computing mainstream, as well as offer traditionally heavy HPC scientific, academic or financial users integration with other Microsoft products.

Bill Laing, Microsoft Windows server and solutions division corporate vice president said: “Companies have to be more efficient than ever with IT resources. They require HPC solutions that deploy quickly, integrate in a heterogeneous environment and scale from workstation to cluster.”

Earl Joseph, HPC programme vice president at analyst firm IDCadded: “Our research shows that high-performance computing has been one of the highest-growth IT markets over the past five years.”

To capitalise on this growth, Laing talked up how Windows HPC Server 2008 offers developers the tools to use HPC resources with Microsoft products that their businesses already use every day, including Excel and SharePoint Server, through a new service-oriented architecture (SOA) within HPC development.

Other key product features include integration with Visual Studio 2008 as a parallel programming environment for rapid HPC application development. Support for standard interfaces includes multi-platform shared-memory parallel programming (or OpenMP), multiprocessor interconnect (MPI) and web services. And this extends to third-party numerical library providers, performance optimisers, compilers and debugging toolkits as well.

Microsoft also highlighted the new server product’s management capabilities, built on a familiar Windows-based desktop environment to reduce the need for specialised skills or training. And improved deployment, administration and management tools have been designed to increase productivity and the interoperability with existing systems and clusters over the entire system lifetime, it said.

Jay Dweck, global head of strategies and technology for the Institutional Securities Group at Morgan Stanley was part of the early product evaluation programme. “We create and develop models and systems designed to enhance our securities and investment banking businesses. We are closely evaluating Microsoft’s Windows HPC Server 2008 to provide Morgan Stanley with the ability to maintain our competitive edge,” he said.

Although evaluation copies are now available for download, Microsoft would only confirm US pricing and availability of $475 (£257) per node at the time of writing. With the performance show to us, price is relative reasonable

(Source : itpro.co.uk)

Samsung S8300

2009-04-12T15:25:00.000-07:00

Samsung S8300

Touch of Brilliance

Samsung UltraTouch is a truly beautiful full touch mobile which provides the best full-touch user experience. The name of ''Ultra'' is realised as the perfect balance between the inner and outer value which is a perfect style brand representing SAMSUNG. Samsung UltraTouch perfect style is achieved with not only the design, but also the smartness inside.

VIDEO :

Key specifications :

Band : Quad-Band (850, 900, 1,800, 1,900), UMTS Dual Band (900/1,200)

Network & Data : HSDPA (7.2Mbps), EDGE, GPRS Class 12

Weight : 105g

Dimension (HXWXD) : 110.0 x 51.5 x 12.7mm

Platform :

Band Quad-Band (850, 900, 1,800, 1,900), UMTS Dual Band (900/1,200)

Network & Data HSDPA (7.2Mbps), EDGE, GPRS Class 12

Browser WAP 2.0

JAVA™ Java MIDP 2.0

SAR value 0.548W/kg

Size :

Weight 105g

Dimension (HXWXD) 110.0 x 51.5 x 12.7mm

Display :

External Technology 16M WQVGA AMOLED

Resolution 240 x 400

Size 2.8''

Battery :

Standard Talk time up to 3 hours

Standby up to 200 hours

Camera :

Camera Resolution 8 Megapixel

Digital / Optical Zoom 4X digital zoom

LED Flash Dual Power LED

Auto Focus Yes

Shot mode Face Detection, Wide Dynamic Range (WDR), Geo-tagging, Smile shot

Video :

Video player Yes

Video recording Yes

Video Streaming Yes

Video telephony Yes

Music & Sound :

Music Player Yes

Poly Ringtones Yes

MP3 Ringtone Yes

Fun & Entertainment :

Embedded JAVA™ Games Yes

Embedded Wallpaper Yes

FM Radio FM Radio with RDS & Recording

Business & Office :

Document Viewer Yes

Mobile Printing Yes

Offline Mode Yes

Messaging :

Email Yes

Connectivity :

Bluetooth Yes

USB Yes

PC Sync Application Yes

Memory :

User Memory 80MB

Phone book entries Support up to 2,000 USIM Contacts

Support up to 2,000 Phonebook Contacts

External Memory MicroSD: up to 16GB

Personal Information Management :

Calendar Yes

Scheduler Yes

To do list Yes

Clock Yes

Worldtime Yes

Alarm Yes

Currency converter Yes

Converter Yes

Calculator Yes

Memo book Yes

Stop watch Yes

Count down timer Yes

Call functions :

Speakerphone Yes

Dialed/missed/received calls Yes

(Source : http://www.samsung.com)

Latest innovation fromYahoo! Mobile Web

2009-04-08T03:50:00.000-07:00

Many people at the present are want to always connect to the Internet, Yahoo! launches newest innovation, Yahoo! Mobile, a service that allows mobile Web users and Apple iPhone users can always connect to the Internet more handy again.

Currently, Yahoo! Mobile for the Web that can be visited in the address http://id.new.m.yahoo.com supports 300 mobile devices that support HTML.

According Turochas "T" Fuad, Head of Mobile, Yahoo! South Asia Mobile, Yahoo! Mobile enables users always get the update information on the social networking services, communication services and multiformity through other mobile devices that have it. In addition, users can also personalize the content, or what services are needed and are often used, he added more.

Turochas' T 'Fuad, Head of Yahoo! Mobile Southeast Asia

At the same time, Yahoo! Yahoo also announced a program! Mobile Developer Awards (YMDA) in Indonesia, a competition which is for all the local developers to develop mobile applications using the platform Yahoo! Blueprint 1.1 for several leading companies in Indonesia.

Competition that has received more than 70 developer team will be starting 4 April 2009, the registration process began on 1 May 2009, the selection process on 4-5 May 2009, penjurian on 9 May 2009, and the winner will be held on 16 May 2009 future.

Later, YMDA competition winner will receive a cash award of U.S. $ 10,000 and the recipient of the award for "Best in Show" will receive additional prizes, the form of money worth U.S. $ 10,000.

If the competition is for students of Singapore, in the second competition held in Indonesia at this time, all the developers can participate and contribute.

T-Mobile to release Google Android tablet

2009-04-06T16:00:00.000-07:00

Google Android begin to show their spirit on the track with upcoming the new tablet computer platform.

T-Mobile plans to sell a home phone early next year and soon after a tablet computer, both running Google’s Android operating system, according to confidential documents obtained from one of the company’s partners by The New York Times.

The phone will plug into a docking station and come with another device that handles data synchronization as it recharges the phone’s battery, according to the report.

It was only last August that T-Mobile, the nation’s fourth-largest wireless carrier, introduced the G1, the first smartphone based on Android. Even though the OS is open-source, Taiwanese manufacturer HTC has been the only one to use the software (thus far) in the consumer market.

Still, Samsung committed last week to ship a number of Android-based phones this year for T-Mobile and Sprint. And Motorola has been rumored to be preparing a phone running Android for this October.

The news about the tablet PC reveals that the vision for Android definitely goes beyond the cell phone, and could show up anywhere from your computer to your car. It also reveals that the smartphone and the computer have nearly converged, at least on the development front.

Still, the business model for such convergence is in flux. Currently, laptop computers are sold as hardware with add-ons, while cell phones are subsidized thanks to lucrative data plan revenues.

But netbooks are changing the game, and AT&T’s announcement of a trial program last week to sell netbooks for just $50 to people signing two-year contracts for its wireless data services indicates just that.

T-Mobile apparently has other plans:

T-Mobile shares in this grand vision of more sophisticated devices in the home. For instance, its line of Cameo digital picture frames can receive new photos sent via e-mail or from cellphones. T-Mobile would like to link phones, photo frames, digital cameras, security systems, webcams and TVs through its software and networking services.
Verizon, with its new Hub phone, and AT&T, with its HomeManager, sell similar products that merge the delivery of information and phone calls on a computerlike appliance.
“This is their attempt to keep people interested in landline services,” Mr. Sterling, the analyst, said.

With the proliferation of Android, has the line between computer and smartphone finally been completely

Google Android explained

BlackBerry Storm 9500

2009-04-06T09:38:00.000-07:00

Key features:

3.25" 65K-color capacitive touchscreen of 360 x 480 pixel resolution
A new touchscreen experience thanks to SurePress screen
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and 2100 MHz 3G with HSDPA support
3.15 MP autofocus camera, LED flash
BlackBerry OS 4.7
624 MHz CPU, 128 MB RAM
Built-in GPS and BlackBerry maps preloaded
1 GB internal storage
Hot-swappable microSD card slot, ships with an 8GB card
Landscape virtual QWERTY keyboard goes as close to hardware keys as we have seen
Great build quality
Solid looks
3.5mm standard audio jack
Bluetooth and USB v2.0
Really nice web browser
Document editor
Excellent audio quality

Main disadvantages:

No Wi-fi
No email support without BlackBerry Internet Service account
Interface not as quick as competitors
Chubbier than most touchscreen phones
Mediocre camera
No FM radio
No Flash support
Fingerprint-prone front panel

The BlackBerry Storm fails to outgrow the company tradition and even if the exterior screams multimedia, the conservative business nature of BlackBerry shines through. It's almost like the guys at RIM are saying new members aren't welcome to the club, which we thought was the very idea of the Storm. And the existing members are almost sure to go for the Bold instead so the Storm pretty much finds itself in the middle of nowhere.

A device that gets upgraded is much more valuable than the what-you-see-is-what-you-get variety. While there certainly are some 3rd party applications that you can get for your Storm right now, their number is generally less than that of competing smartphones or even than those for other BlackBerries. We really hope that the upcoming BlackBerry App World would change things for the better.

Obviously no company can afford to stay out of the touchscreen race and RIM are well aware of that. They even took the effort to differentiate their product with the unique SurePress system. The thing however is that the Storm remains a peculiar touch-enabled BlackBerry - with all the strengths this entails - but fails to stand up to the touchscreen standard-setters.

Google Chrome

2009-04-03T11:43:00.000-07:00

Google takes aim squarely at Microsoft with the release of its new Web browser, Chrome. Even though it isn't jam-packed with features, Chrome lives up to its hype by rethinking the Web browser in clever and convenient ways that make using the Web a more organic experience than you'd get with either Microsoft's Internet Explorer 8 or Mozilla's Firefox 3.

Initially available for download for Windows Vista and XP, Google plans to expand its Chrome offerings to the Mac and Linux platforms as well. The company doesn't offer any timeline for these versions, though. (For additional PCWorld.com coverage of Google's new browser, see "Chrome vs. the World" and "Google's Chrome: 7 Reasons for It and 7 Reasons Against It.")

Chrome automatically detects the Web browser you're using and prompts you through the process of installation (right down to telling you how to access downloaded files within Firefox, for example). When you first run the application, Chrome imports your bookmarks, passwords, and settings from Firefox or Internet Explorer. It even can grab username and password data, and it automatically populates those fields for you when you use Chrome for the first time to visit a particular site.

After running through a quick import checklist, Chrome opens on your desktop--and right away you begin to experience the Web in a new way. Chrome's layout is very simple: You'll see a row of tabs running along the top, a Web address bar, and a bookmarks bar that runs beneath the address bar. A separate recent-bookmarks box appears at the right of the screen.

Like its Google stablemates, Chrome has a remarkably minimalist interface. There is no full-scale menu bar and no title bar--and few distractions. All controls are buried beneath two icons to the right of the Omnibar (as Google refers to its address bar): a page icon for managing tabs and using Google Gears to create application-like shortcuts from your desktop to a Web site; and a wrench for history, downloads, and other browser options.

You can set your own home page, or you can use the 'most visited' sites page as your starting point. This page provides thumbnail images of your most frequently visited sites, shows recent bookmarks, and supplies a search field for searching your page history. You can change your default search engine, too: This option is located beneath the wrench icon, under Options .

Chrome's design bridges the gap between desktop and so-called "cloud computing." At the touch of a button, Chrome lets you make a desktop, Start menu, or QuickLaunch shortcut to any Web page or Web application, blurring the line between what's online and what's inside your PC. For example, I created a desktop shortcut for Google Maps. When you create a shortcut for a Web application, Chrome strips away all of the toolbars and tabs from the window, leaving you with something that feels much more like a desktop application than like a Web application or page. The lack of forward and back buttons means that if you browse between pages in a saved Web application you may find yourself a little confused if you want to go back a page. Chrome does let you right-click to navigate backward, however.

This being Google, search is an integral part of Chrome; and Google has added some clever features to make searching easier. Chrome goes beyond its Microsoft and Mozilla competition by searching your browser history's page titles as well page content. The history results show the title of the page, as well as a thumbnail representation of the page (for most sites but not all; it was unclear why some sites were visually represented while others were not), but it doesn't show the actual Web page address. The lack of URL information can make it difficult to identify the specific Web page you're going to, especially if the site's title bar description is not specific (because, say, different sections of the same site have identical title bar descriptors).

For example, earlier today I took a look at our slideshow, Technology for the Obscenely Wealthy. To find the article in my browser history, I simply typed 'obscenely wealthy' in the Omnibar. The resulting list showed every page I had visited that contained the phrase 'obscenely wealthy'. Conveniently, the Omnibar lets you search not just your history, but Google and other sites as well.

The default search engine is Google, as you might expect. However, you can choose from a list of other search engines, or you can manually add your own search engine. Type 'google fish sticks' to search for fish sticks on Google. The same syntax works for Yahoo, Ask, Live Search, and other sites that are already recognized by Google or that you add to Chrome's collection of search engines.

Chrome includes a number of features that appear in other browsers, such as a private browsing mode (dubbed Incognito), tools for Web developers to use in viewing and troubleshooting source code, and the ability to restore all tabs from a previous session. Chrome also features tab isolation: If a Web page causes a problem with Chrome and leads to a crash, the crash will affect only the tab displaying the page and not the whole program. Internet Explorer 8 will offer a similar feature, but Chrome takes the idea a step further by adding a task manager that gives the user an idea of how much memory and CPU use a page is eating up, and by allowing you to kill anything that is causing a problem. Unfortunately, you have to configure this tool manually.

Unlike the original beta, the nonbeta release of Chrome features an actual bookmarks manager (the beta we initially reviewed featured only a drop-down menu on the right-hand side of the bookmarks bar). The bookmarks manager lives in a separate window, and uses a two-pane layout: The left-hand pane displays folders of bookmarks, and the right-hand pane shows the contents of bookmark folders. A search field is in the upper-right corner of the bookmarks manager window, and results appear as you type. If you've ever used Safari, Chrome's bookmark manager will look very familiar.

By default, Chrome will not restore your session; if Chrome crashes, it takes everything with it unless you manually configure the browser to act otherwise (the configuration options are buried under the wrench icon, in the Options/Basics menu). In contrast, Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 automatically restore your previous session in the event of a crash.

The sites I visited that rely on JavaScript and Ajax seemed to work fine, but Microsoft's Silverlight does not support Chrome at this time, even though it works with Safari, which uses the same WebKit browser engine as Chrome.

Google has produced an excellent browser that is friendly enough to handle average browsing activities without complicating the tasks, but at the same time is powerful enough to meet the needs of more-advanced users. The search functionality of the Omnibar is one of many innovations that caught my attention. PC World has chosen to rate this beta version of Chrome because of Google's history of leaving products and services in long-term beta and in an ongoing state of evolution. In the past there has been some speculation that Google would develop its own operating system, but I think that Chrome's launch makes one thing is clear: The Web browser is Google's operating system.

(Source : http://www.pcworld.com)

SONY PSP

2009-04-03T11:37:00.000-07:00

Once you get past the long load times, playing games is a treat. Controls are where they should be, and they are responsive. Graphics seem pretty close to PlayStation 2 quality (the obvious difference being that you play on a small screen instead of a big TV). Best of all, like its set-top stablemate, the selection of games for the PSP (two dozen at launch and counting) is enticing.

The PSP offers built-in 802.11b (Wi-Fi) wireless LAN access. You can play against another PSP over a wireless LAN or the Internet. Up to 16 PSPs can also be connected to one another directly in ad hoc mode for head-to-head contests. You can count on a whole PSP party subculture to pop up as the device becomes widespread.

While gaming is clearly the focus, Sony designed the PSP to be a portable multimedia device, too. There is a Memory Stick Duo card slot for storing music, photo, and video files, as well as a USB 2.0 port (though no cable) for downloading multimedia files from your PC. Games come on Sony's new, proprietary Universal Media Disk (UMD) minicartridges, which can also house movie and TV content. Look for the first UMD titles (Spider-man 2, Hellboy, Resident Evil 2, House of Flying Daggers, and Once Upon a Time in Mexico) to hit stores about a month after the PSP's March 24 launch. The PSP Value Pack, which we looked at, will ship with a UMD version of Spiderman 2, the aforementioned 32MB Memory Stick, a headphone-remote combo, wrist strap, battery pack, soft case and a sampler disk that includes movies clips, music and trial games.

The PSP proves itself a good, not great, multimedia companion. For starters, we found that the headphone sound volume is not very high, which could be a problem for those listening to music or watching a movie on the subway. Storing music and photos on the Memory Stick Duo is not very intuitive. It is necessary first to create a main directory named PSP and subdirectories for music, photos, and video, or the PSP will not acknowledge that the files are present. You don't get the full complement of playlist and EQ features you would see on a dedicated music player. And unlike with dedicated portable media players (such as the Archos Pocket Video Recorder line), there's no way to capture video content from TV and get it on the PSP directly. Practically speaking, for video you'll be limited to what comes out on UMD.

On the plus side, you'll never have to worry about having an outdated version of the system software: Simply connect to any wireless network with Internet access and choose Network Update. The PSP automatically goes out over the Internet to search for and apply the latest patches. That said, we wonder why a device that can get you online so easily lacks a built-in Web browser.

Although it's not perfect, the PSP is an innovative portable device built for games. If you view the multimedia features as gravy, you'll be more than satisfied.

(Source : http://www.pcmag.com)

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II

2009-04-03T11:21:00.000-07:00

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II is a fun and fascinating game with a bit of an identity crisis. In one corner you have an explosively intense multiplayer real-time strategy experience, brimming with savagely satisfying competition. In the other, you have an odd and somewhat enjoyable single-player campaign that plays more like an action role-playing game than an RTS. The relationship between these two disparate entities is superficial; the structure and gameplay of the campaign has little in common with that of your skirmishes against other players or the computer. It's a bizarre dichotomy that doesn't always work, but online play is so deeply rewarding that the scattered campaign missteps are easily forgiven.

Slugga boyz are no match for the gigantic carnifex.

The first question that you might ask yourself as you play Dawn of War II's lengthy campaign may very well be: Where does the strategy come in? It's certainly not your typical RTS experience, putting you in control of up to four squads of Space Marines (and only Space Marines) and sending you off to exterminate your Ork, Eldar, and Tyranid foes. You won't be building a base or churning out units, but rather maneuvering your few commander-led squads around the map (likely as a single group) and beating up the beasties that stand between you and your mission objectives. Your goals may entail capturing a particular structure, recovering a stolen object, or even defeating an end-level boss(!). How's that for defying genre conventions?

This relatively simple gameplay is not what you'd expect from a strategy game, and strategy fans, including those who adored Dawn of War II's illustrious predecessor, will be disappointed that the "S" is missing from "RTS" in this instance. That's because the campaign is more akin to an action RPG, and if you look at it from this perspective, you're more likely to enjoy the journey. The game isn't going to dissuade you from that approach; the elements of a role-playing game are all accounted for. You will level up your squads and earn new abilities and bonuses, collect items and loot on the battlefield, and spend time between battles equipping your commanders with the various armor sets and weapons that you earn. With these RPG mechanics come the usual addictive loot-hoarding and unit personalization, what with various skill paths from which to choose and usable items that your commanders can equip.

Thus, Dawn of War II's single-player campaign isn't really strategic at all, but you will make tactical decisions that move beyond simple mouse clicking. In a mechanic pulled from the developer's own Company of Heroes, some squads can lay down suppressive fire, which slows your targets and hinders them from a quick escape. Units can be garrisoned or take cover behind certain objects, a mechanic easy to implement thanks to a slick interface and simple but effective visual feedback. However, the most important facet of a successful battle is your familiarity with each commander's unique abilities. Whether it is one's rally cry or another's jump-pack-powered stomp, effective use of skills (along with items such as grenades and satchel charges) is not only your key to victory, but also a visual and sonic delight. Seeing a dreadnought squash a ripper swarm, or a lictor alpha yank a powerless assault marine with its lethal flesh hooks, is enjoyably violent and makes battles fun to watch.

The campaign may be limited to one race, but it sends you to three different planets, including Typhon Primaris.

It takes a while for the campaign to rev up, but even once it is in full swing, some tedium will eventually set in. You'll visit the same maps many times and fight the same enemies, and though the prospect of loot and new abilities will keep you pushing forward and trying out new options, you'll long for some more traditional RTS gameplay to mix things up. You'll also wish for a stronger tale to glue it all together, but in a surprising move by a developer known for great storytelling, the yarn unravels one or two interesting threads (including the surprising origins of your dreadnought commander) but is little more than a reason to throw a bunch of Warhammer 40K units together and watch them tear each other to bits., even when your eyes are bleary and your body longs for sleep. Although some rough edges are in serious need of sanding, this is a complex and rewarding game that will keep strategy fanatics tied to their keyboards for months at a time.

How you approach Dawn of War II depends on what you're looking for in a real-time strategy game. If you're looking for an incredibly fun and intense multiplayer and single-player skirmish experience, few RTSs provide combat this exciting and dynamic. If you were hoping for a similarly dynamic campaign mode, you'll find that the strategy has been mostly stripped away in favor of role-playing elements. This divide may help the game appeal to a wider audience, but it also leads to an identity crisis that Dawn of War II never comes to grips with. Regardless, this is a game that real-time strategy lovers should play, if not for the loot-happy leveling of the campaign, then certainly for the constantly enjoyable online component that will keep you glued to the screen for hours at a time.

(Source : http://www.gamespot.com)

Empire: Total War

2009-04-03T11:18:00.000-07:00

Like diving into a murky lake from the rocky cliffs looming above, plunging into Empire: Total War is an intimidating prospect but an exhilarating experience. As with previous games in this strategy franchise, there's an overwhelming amount of content to unearth, though now the clock has been spun forward hundreds of years. Technological advances have made bows and arrows weapons obsolete, the British colonies strive for independence, and major empires approach their inevitable collapse. These historical waters are deep, but also a bit turbulent. Empire is the biggest and broadest Total War yet, and like an aging historical parchment, it's brilliantly ambitious in scope but somewhat tattered at the edges. Nevertheless, the game's historical breadth, turn-based tugs-of-war, and enjoyable real-time battles (both on land and at sea) will transfix series fans and newcomers alike.

You'll put a lot into Empire: Total War, but it gives a lot in return.

The grand campaign is the meat of Empire: Total War, and it's there where you're likely to spend the most amount of time. The game stretches across the 18th century and lets you choose from a number of world powers, from Great Britain and Russia to fallen domains such as the Maratha Confederacy and the Ottoman Empire. Once you choose an empire, you can select from a few different campaign types that determine victory conditions and campaign length. Whichever you decide, be prepared: Even a short, 50-year campaign can take a good amount of time to complete, given that each turn requires strategic thinking on multiple fronts. Battles usually determine how regions are won and lost, but diplomatic relations, economic strangleholds, assassinations, and many other subtleties must be tweaked and considered at each turn, and they have noticeable impact as the years progress. If this sounds overwhelming, or if you're an American history buff, you'll want to check out the Road to Independence campaign before jumping into the grand one. This is essentially a long American tutorial that slowly introduces you to the basics and culminates in a grand campaign of its own.

The factors you must consider run the gamut, starting with an important new feature: the technology tree. Three areas of research and multiple subtrees let you improve your military, industry, and philosophy; in turn, your choices may benefit your economy or your success in battle. The benefits may seem minor at first, but as the campaign wears on, their effects are more noticeable, and your choices within these trees must be informed by the strengths and weaknesses of your particular empire. Do you concentrate on industry and use sheer numbers of troops to overwhelm your enemies, or do you focus on naval improvements and reap the ensuing benefits of successful trade-route blockades? As your campaign wears on, your needs may shift, whether because enemy blockades require a stronger navy, because you are spreading quickly across land, or because your economy is unable to sustain your growing army. Technology is also a limited diplomatic option, given that it's a commodity that you can not only trade during negotiations but also steal from foes. Additionally, it's not easy to convince a friendly nation to offer technology. Even when offered multiple technologies or monetary compensation, your closest allies rarely accept a request to share even a single technology, which makes it a limited political tool. In Empire: Total War, knowledge is more easily stolen than shared.

In fact, your more successful political dealings are the underhanded ones. Your agents may differ between nations (for example, gentlemen and rakes for the British, scholars and hashishin for the Ottomans), but the tasks are similar: covertly disrupt the affairs of your enemies and potential enemies. Religious agents such as missionaries will slowly but surely convert the populace, staving off potential rebellion in newly captured regions. On the other hand, the impact of religion is not as deep or impactful as in the Europa Universalis series, in which social and diplomatic events are more fully explored. Regardless, it's great fun to cripple whole economies, especially when your strategies work in tandem with each other. Sending in a naval fleet to seize enemy trade supplies, sending another directly into an enemy's port (and therefore obstructing incoming goods), and dispatching an agent to sabotage commercial ports can have profound effects. In cases like these, an angry, resource-deprived public and cash-strapped armies then ease the way for a quick triumph.

The puny Austrians are no match for the might of the Ottomans.

Nevertheless, this is Total War, and though assassinations and sabotage lighten your wartime load, there are no diplomatic, religious, or technological victories. Might is right, and as such, your armies and navies drive the quick spread of your domain--and if you want to meet the campaign's success requirements, you'll want to be aggressive, right from the start. The artificial intelligence doesn't always take sensible steps; smaller countries may declare war, only to be quickly steamrolled, whereas major foes can seem almost oblivious to your spread across their regions. However, campaign AI is good enough to keep you occupied across multiple theaters, and minor nations and rebels can often keep your hands full, leaving room for major foes to invade. You will review every fleet and army at every turn, and now that army recruitment, resource production, and other aspects of play are spread across multiple locales within a region, mobility (and therefore, roads) is an important strategic asset.

It's impossible to condense an experience as broad and as rich as Empire: Total War to a few thousand words. Its complex amalgam of turn-based empire building and real-time skirmishing is exciting and involving, and it's both fuller and more streamlined than its predecessors. But like those predecessors, it inspires that compulsion to accomplish just one last turn, even when your eyes are bleary and your body longs for sleep. Although some rough edges are in serious need of sanding, this is a complex and rewarding game that will keep strategy fanatics tied to their keyboards for months at a time.

Burnout Paradise

2009-04-03T11:14:00.000-07:00

Burnout Paradise reinvigorated Criterion's ultra-successful smash-up racing series when it launched this time last year on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box brings the series' trademark racing action to the PC for the first time. With solid online and offline play, an almost staggering number of events, and more than 70 vehicles, Ultimate Box is at the front of the PC racer pack.

The amount of variety in the game is huge, and how you approach it is up to you; explore Paradise City's open world at leisure, unlock the 70-plus vehicles one at a time through single-player events, or join other players for races and challenges online. Couple this deep variety with the fact that it's hugely fun, and Burnout Paradise is easy to recommend. In addition to all of the content from the original console game, Ultimate Box also includes all of Burnout Paradise's downloadable content released to date. First up, there's Codename: Cagney, which adds the Stunt Run, Marked Man, and Road Rage modes to online multiplayer. The Bikes pack adds two-wheeled racing and a day/night cycle to the series for the first time. And last, there's Burnout Party, the first paid-for content to hit the game. Burnout Party is a pass-the-controller-style offline party mode for two to eight players and is a fun new way to experience Burnout.

The Ultimate Box crams bikes, night races, and a heap of new modes into the series.

Gameplay options are largely unchanged from the console version and include normal race, Stunt Run, Marked Man, Road Rage, and Burning Route. For those new to the Burnout series, in Stunt Run you chain together drifts, jumps, and boosts to achieve combos; in Road Rage events you need to eliminate opponents by smashing them into traffic or objects; and in Marked Man you have to reach the finish line before your opponents can destroy your car. Burning Route consists of time trials from point to point, and by completing them you'll unlock an upgraded model of your current ride. Unlike in Burnout 3, The crash mode and aftertouch takedowns from Burnout 3 are missing from Paradise, but it does have the Showtime mode, which lets you take control of a wreck through the streets of Paradise City and rack up a damage bill in the process. Showtime mode isn't as strategically crafted as the challenges in Crash mode, but you'll still get to dish out plenty of carnage on unsuspecting traffic.

The biggest new feature this time around is the Burnout Paradise Party Pack, which adds an offline pass-the-controller multiplayer challenge mode for up to eight friends. Once you've set up the number of players and game types, you'll compete in a series of minigames where you earn points for successfully passing a challenge or beating your opponents' scores. The Party Pack offers instant gameplay for when you and your friends don't want to compete in longer, more demanding events, and it consists of three challenge types: stunts, skill, and speed. Stunts are a collection of insane tricks, such as successfully landing a cliff-top jump. Skill challenges include driving into oncoming traffic with boost on for as long as possible. Speed challenges might have you smashing a few billboards and then racing back to the start within a designated time limit. The Party Pack is a great addition that finally brings offline multiplayer to Burnout Paradise.

Some challenges involve nothing more than reaching seemingly inaccessible areas.

Getting online is as simple as hitting a button during gameplay, at which point you'll join your friends or enter a random lobby. The online mode is seamless, and there are no loading times; you can drop in and out of online games at will. You can set up simple point-to-point races all over the city when hosting a multiplayer session, or tackle a Freeburn Challenge set by the developers, with different challenges depending on the number of players. Burnout Paradise included 350 challenges, and there are now an additional 140 challenges with the new packs. The challenge types are varied and include straight races, beat-the-clock events, jumping over other players' rides, and other more-complex multipart challenges, such as meeting at a designated place and racing a route to an end point while hitting specific jumps along the way. Challenges are a lot of fun, especially when you have a large group of friends to play with, and they give the online play a lot of longevity.

You'll spend the majority of your time in Paradise City on four wheels, but there's an option to use just two. Bikes are a great addition to the game; and while you can only compete in time trial events, there are different events for daytime and nighttime. Bikes come without boost since they're already blisteringly fast, and they won't take damage either. All of the bikes are extremely light and nimble and are so fast that they almost make the cars feel a tad sluggish by comparison. While it would have been great to see damage modelling on the bikes, and more bikes included, you're guaranteed to have a blast with the two bikes at the start and the two upgraded models you can unlock after completing all of the time trials.

Visually, the PC version is even more of a sumptuous feast than its console brethren. Running at its highest resolution, Paradise City has never looked crisper or more vibrant. Cars smash, pop, scrape, and deform just as you'd expect, and the particle effects make the wanton destruction seem real. The weather effects brought in with the Bikes pack look great, with fog, glowing nighttime neon, and the half-light of dusk all rendered with style.

It wouldn't be Burnout if the wrecks weren't superbly detailed and satisfying.

The audio is also top-notch, with traffic and ambient noises providing a backdrop for the high-pitched whines and throaty growls of the game's cars and bikes. Unfortunately, DJ Atomica is back again from Burnout 3 and is still an irritation for the most part. With its bland and generic rock soundtrack, the audio certainly doesn't live up to the high standards set by the visuals. While there are a few notable artists, including Guns N' Roses (providing the game's title track), Jane's Addiction, LCD Soundsystem, and Faith No More, these are outnumbered by the generic guitar rock and electronic tracks from past Burnout games and tracks from a number of less-illustrious artists.

Emerging a year after the original console release, Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box doesn't just manage to keep up with the pace of the competition; it's at the front of the pack. If you own one of the console versions and already have the DLC packs, there's no major benefit to upgrading, but if you're new to Burnout Paradise, The Ultimate Box is the best Burnout experience to date. With a mass of online and offline events and modes, dozens of cars, the addition of bike and night races, and an all-new party mode for up to eight friends, The Ultimate Box is instantly gratifying and long-lasting high-octane entertainment.

(Source : http://www.gamespot.com)

iPhone 3G

2009-04-03T11:09:00.000-07:00

GPS, HSDPA purring under the new iPhone hood with a hefty number of software enhancements.

But all them software goodies are available for the first-gen iPhone too - so is it worth the fuss? It may as well be, but we never know before we take it out for a spin.

Apple iPhone 3G official images

Key features:

3.5" 16M-color TFT display with a resolution of 480 x 320 pixels

Quad-band GSM support

Tri-band UMTS support with HSDPA

Built-in GPS receiver

Wi-Fi

8 to 16GB of onboard storage

Accelerometer, proximity sensor and ambient light sensor

2 megapixel camera

Silky smooth user interface with multi-touch user support

Unsurpassed web surfing experience

Push email with MS Exchange support

AppStore access for direct application download and installation

Redone rear

TV-out port

Main disadvantages:

No video calls over the 3G network

The handset wobbles on hard even surfaces

There are a number of messaging downers

Camera has no auto focus, nor video recording… nor any settings at all

Safari browser doesn't support Flash and Java, doesn't have a download manager

Bluetooth support limited to headset use only (no A2DP or file transfers)

No office document editor

No copy/paste functionality

You cannot sync Notes and TO-DOs

No memory card slot (but knowing Apple there will never be one)

Now, since we'll be heavily comparing the old and new iPhone, how about the following arrangement - the first one we'll call Number One and the newbie will be Number Two. Sorted. Wait a minute, no good? Crap, we knew it. OK then, the first one will be the iPhone 1G (as in "generation" of the device), while the new one will still be iPhone 3G (as in "generation" of the wireless network). That might sound inconsistent, but it's short and we like it this way, so before you go ballistic in the comments section, remember Number One and Number Two.

The iPhone 3G 16GB (White) in hand

So, back to the drill - the 3G-enabled iPhone was rumored ever since the iPhone 1G surfaced last year. Now that we have the real thing in our hands, it doesn't seem that groundbreaking anymore. Nevertheless, there are quite a few things to cover so we think reviewing it in detail is worth it. There's the updated design, the new white color (which we happen to have), the new iPhone 2.0 firmware/software/OS (call it what you will) with AppStore on board, the push email functionality and, finally, the GPS and HSDPA topping.

The Apple iPhone 3G

We will also be on the lookout for improvements in terms of audio quality, loudspeaker volume and camera image quality against the iPhone 1G.

Seems like quite a workload, so let's waste no more time and get to it. Join us after this short break for more on the iPhone 3G.

We've had our fair share of the first-gen iPhone but, honestly, we weren't caught in the excitement last year until we saw it live. It was only after it arrived in our office that we really appreciated its sleek design and groundbreaking user interface.

Now a year later, the excitement grew on us weeks before we even had a chance to play with the iPhone 3G. And once it arrived, the enthusiasm gradually fades away. What's the point in your new device looking just like your old device? What's the point of having a GPS receiver when there is no navigation software for it? Yeah, we heard rumors of various companies prepping some real GPS navigation software, but we've been hearing the same rumors for the copy/paste functionality for over a year now.

"Half the price", as the campaign motto goes, is not quite true either. A contract-free iPhone 3G is gonna cost you more than the iPhone 1G bought from US Apple store, imported and then (h)activated and unlocked the rogue way.

OK, there's the 3G with HSDPA. Now HSDPA is way faster than EDGE we agree, and as far as we are concerned, that's the only selling point of the iPhone 3G.

But there's the math - adding 3G to the iPhone will cost the price of a new 3G-enabled handset altogether. The price of one is basically the difference between your second-hand iPhone 1G and a spanking new unlocked iPhone 3G.

Now, don't get us wrong - don't let our upgrader's point of view get in your way. We were impressed by the iPhone 1G and now it's even better. If you've never had one and the iPhone 3G is offered in your country - now that Apple's creation is finally on par with most other modern handsets specs-wise - it seems the right time to get yourself geared up.

The Apple iPhone, be it 1G or 3G, still has the most impressive full touch user interface to-date, and with the concept of AppStore, it have just gotten better. The iPhone 3G is evidently more evolution than revolution, but it still packs quite a punch. And there's some unique features that you can hardly get in any other high-end gadgets.

(Source : http://www.gsmarena.com)

BlackBerry Curve 8900

2009-04-03T10:57:00.000-07:00

The sharp and compact BlackBerry Curve 8900 spells business and oozes with class. Easily the hottest looker in the Curve lineup - and possibly portfolio-wide - earns much respect as a massive functionality upgrade over its predecessors.

The distinct insider kind of charm of the BlackBerry handsets phases out into history as RIM are trying to take on the world and competitors with a new design language. OK, baptizing new converts was the Storm's job while the Curve 8900 seems the right stuff to inspire upgraders. Either way, we're happy to extend our BlackBerry streak and put the latest Curve through its paces.

BlackBerry Curve 8900 official photos

Key features:

TFT landscape display with a resolution of 480 x 360 pixels Comfortable f

2.4" 65K-colo
rour-row full QWERTY keyboard Quad-band GSM support Wi-Fi BlackBerry OS v4.6

ocus camera, LED fla

Trackball navigation Built-in GPS and BlackBerry maps preloaded 3.15 MP auto
fsh 512 MHz CPU, 256 MB RAM Hot-swappable microSD card slot

on of Curves quite

Good build quality DivX and XviD video support Compact body Good web browser 3.5 mm audio jack Nice audio quality Smart dialing Main disadvantages: No 3G No email support without BlackBerry Internet Service account Mediocre camera No FM radio BlackBerry 8900 Curve doesn't pack the groundbreaking punch of its Storm sibling. Despite the fact that it upgrades the older generat
i painstakingly the whole user experience implies evolution rather than revolution. But then, that might just be the right approach from an upgrader's point of view. The BlackBerry Curve 8900 at ours

slimmer and so much prettier. Now that sounds like a pretty solid foundation for success but still doesn't mean the Curve can afford to be complacent.

User-friendliness and performance matter the most in reality and we know better than judging a phone before we have tested it.

To begin with, there's both Wi-Fi and GPS, which was until now impossible to have in a single BlackBerry Curve 83xx handset. The screen resolution is also more than doubled and the device has become quite

Bottom line: the BlackBerry Curve 8900 is less controversial than the TouchBerry Storm. It comes to update the Curve line and it does its job quite well. We guess only the missing 3G won't let us call the 8900 Curve the perfect upgrade. Anyway, on home Blackberry turf the Curve 8900 certainly holds a high position.

As to reaching outside the BlackBerry realm, the Curve 8900 does have the looks and some of the skill to try and earn new customers for the company. But the very concept of the closed BlackBerry ecosystem is a limitation.

In our case, the Curve 8900 is not a bad phone, but once the BlackBerry Internet Service account is out of the equation, it is much worse a deal than what the competitors can offer.

The Nokia E71 costs less than the Curve 8900 and puts HSDPA on the table. It also matches the document editing of the Curve and has the solid metal feel that some will sure prefer. While the lighter weight of the BlackBerry shouldn't be underestimated, the E71 is still the slimmest smartphone to-date and is by no means less pocketable, which makes it quite the better deal.

Windows Mobile QWERTY devices are also likely to be picked over the Curve 8900 for offering a much greater variety of 3rd party applications to choose from. While there certainly are a number of apps for the BlackBerry too, they are merely a drop in the bucket compared to the software available for WinMo.

So all in all, we're gonna leave pricing and features somewhat aside now. We guess the most important thing here is that - like all BlackBerries - the Curve 8900 is more the carrier's than the end user's type of phone. With that in mind, comparison with competing smart QWERTY messengers is not quite fair but in our humble reviewer's opinion it's not in favor of the BlackBerry Curve 8900 either.

(Source : http://www.gsmarena.com)

RangeBooster N Dual Band Router (DIR-628)

2009-04-03T10:45:00.000-07:00

Product Description:

Works With:

Xtreme N Dual Band USB Adapter

DWA-160

RangeBooster N USB Adapter

DWA-140

RangeBooster N Notebook CardBus Adapter

DWA-642

EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE

The D-Link RangeBooster N® Dual Band Router (DIR-628) is designed for users looking to create a high-performance wireless network. Connect the RangeBooster N Dual Band Router to a cable or DSL modem and provide high-speed Internet access to multiple computers, game consoles, and media players. Create a secure wireless network to share photos, files, music, printers, and more, from greater distances throughout your entire home or office**. We’ve also included a QoS engine that prioritizes time-sensitive online traffic to enable smooth Internet phone calls (VoIP) and responsive gaming.

5GHz products avoid interference from 2.4GHz wireless devices

DUAL BAND WIRELESS COVERAGE

Dual Band N is the latest addition to the RangeBooster N product family. The dual band technology in the DIR-628 supports selectable 2.4GHz or 5GHz wireless signals. This allows you to check e-mail and browse the Internet using the 2.4GHz band or stream HD movies and other media on the 5GHz band. 5GHz is ideal for wirelessly streaming multiple HD videos across your network. It helps avoid interference by providing a clearer wireless band for HD signals than existing 802.11g products.

Watch this flash presentation to choose the right home network for you

ADVANCED NETWORK SECURITY

The RangeBooster N Router supports the latest wireless security features to help prevent unauthorized access, be it from over a wireless network or from the Internet. Support for WPA™ and WPA2™ standards ensure that you will be able to use the best possible encryption, regardless of your client devices. In addition, this RangeBooster N router utilizes dual active firewalls (SPI and NAT) to help prevent potential attacks from across the Internet.

Delivering unmatched wireless performance, network security, and coverage, the RangeBooster N Dual Band Router (DIR-628) is ideal for networking in larger homes and offices.

SHAREPORT

With SharePort™ technology you can connect a USB printer or storage device to your router and allow users to access them from anywhere on the network. Conveniently turn your existing USB printers and storage devices into network devices for everyone to share.

Learn more about how SECURESPOT 2.0 can protect your family and home network.

PROFESSIONAL STRENGTH INTERNET SECURITY AND PARENTAL CONTROL SERVICES

SECURESPOT 2.0™ proactively protects ALL networked devices in the home. It not only safeguards PCs like traditional Internet Security Suites, but also protects Mac’s and browser-enabled devices such as Game Consoles. Integrating Internet Security and Parental Controls into the router and utilizing services in-the-cloud lightens the load on the PC and brings professional strength technology to the consumer.

FEATURES:

World Class Parental Controls

Safe Surfing/Searching

Remote Management

AntiVirus/AntiSpyware protection with McAfee® Technology

Internet Usage Time Scheduling and Activity Reporting

Web-Managed Firewall

Access Control for Internet Usage

Application Control (blocking and scheduling)

Spam Control

Identity Protection

Watch episode on easy steps to securing your home network

WHAT THIS PRODUCT DOES

Delivers up to 12x faster speeds** and 4x farther range** than 802.11g

Dual Band N technology enables HD video streaming, file sharing, enhanced Internet phone calling (VoIP), and Web surfing

Access a secure wireless network using advanced WPA™ or WPA2™ encryption

Easy to install and use with the D-Link Quick Router Setup Wizard or using Wi-Fi Protected Setup™ (WPS)

Backward compatible with 802.11g devices including game consoles and digital media players

(Source : http://www.dlink.com)

Windows 7 Beta

2009-04-03T10:09:00.000-07:00

The just-released Beta 1 version of Windows 7 is a solid, fast-performing, stable operating system that appears to be just about fully baked and ready for prime time. It is much further along than Windows Vista was during its initial beta phase, and it appears to be feature-complete. Based on the stability and speed of this beta, don't be surprised if Microsoft Corp. releases Windows 7 before 2010 rolls around.

The new, powered-up task bar makes an appearance for the first time in this beta, and it proves to be something of a mixed bag. As I'll explain later in this review, the task bar makes it much easier to manage and switch between open windows and applications, but it also mixes icons for launching applications with icons for managing open windows.

Note that this review covers only the features that made their debut with Beta 1 of Windows 7. For an overall review of all of Windows 7, see "Windows 7 in-depth review and video: This time Microsoft gets it right." Also see my blog "Hacking Windows 7 beta problems" for help fixing some problems with the current release.

The new Windows task bar

The task bar, new in this beta, will no doubt be the most controversial new feature introduced in Windows 7. Gone is Quick Launch bar for launching applications that used to live at the left side of the task bar. Instead, large icons across the task bar are now used to launch applications.

The new task bar. Click to view larger image.

By default, Internet Explorer, Windows Explorer and Windows Media Player all have icons in the task bar. You can, however, add an icon for launching any application to the task bar by dragging the program's icon to it, for example, from the Most Recently Used list on the Start menu.

Those icons do double duty because they also manage your open windows. For example, if you've already launched Internet Explorer, and you have three tabs open to three different Web sites, the Internet Explorer icon changes subtly to show three icons stacked on one another, as shown in the image above, indicating that you have three tabs open.

The task bar in thumbnail view.

Click to view larger image.

Hover your mouse over the stacked icon, and you'll see all three open tabs as thumbnails just across the top of the task bar. Hover your mouse over any of the thumbnails, and your entire desktop is taken up by that open window. Hover it over another thumbnail, and the desktop is taken up by that one. Click any of the thumbnails or open windows, and you'll go straight to that window.

The task bar in stacked list view.

Click to view larger image.

If you aren't a fan of thumbnails displaying open windows, you can instead have all open windows display as a stacked list. When you're using stacked lists, to go to any open window, click on it in the list. To close the window, hover your mouse over it in the list, and click the red "X" that appears.

One more nice touch: When you download a file using Internet Explorer, a green bar on the icon shows you the progress of the download.

Jump lists

The task bar also makes use of another new feature that debuts in this beta -- "jump lists." A jump list is a list of actions or items associated with a particular application. To see a jump list for any application, right-click its icon in the task bar.

Typically, you'll see a history list of the most recent open files -- or Web sites, in the case of Internet Explorer -- as well as options to pin the application icon to the task bar (if you haven't already pinned it there) or unpin the application from the taskbar (if you've already pinned it there).

You can also unpin the three default task-bar icons -- Internet Explorer, Windows Explorer and Windows Media Player -- in this way.

Right-click an icon on the task bar, and a jump list of associated actions appears.

Click to view larger image.

Jump lists also make their appearance on the Start menu, in the Most Recently Used application list. A small arrow appears to the right of any application with an associated jump list. Click the arrow to see the list, then make your choice from the list.

There has also been a minor change to the Windows Shut Down button. Click an arrow to the button's right, and you get a list of shutdown options, including switching to a different user, logging off, restarting, locking the desktop, or putting your machine into sleep or hibernation mode.

The new Windows 7 Shut Down button.

Click to view larger image.

Aero Peek

The other major change to the interface in this beta is the addition of Aero Peek, a nifty little enhancement to the Aero interface introduced in Vista that lets you "peek" behind any open window to your desktop. It's far more fully featured than the Show Desktop icon that lived on the Quick Launch bar in previous versions of Windows.

Aero Peek lives as a small, rectangular area just to the right of the clock at the right edge of the task bar. When you have windows open and you mouse over the Aero Peek rectangle, all of your open windows disappear, and you see through to your desktop. But you don't see just the desktop -- you also see the outlines where each of your open windows would be.

Aero Peek makes your open windows disappear but shows their outlines on the desktop. Click to view larger image.

So, for example, if you have three open windows -- one near the top of the desktop, one to the left side, and one to the right -- you would see the outlines of each of those screens. If you prefer just to see the desktop itself, with no outlines, click the Aero Peek rectangle instead of hovering your mouse over it.

Aero Peek also works in concert with the task bar. As I mentioned previously, when you hover your mouse over an application with open windows, you'll see thumbnails of the open windows, and you can preview them by hovering over any thumbnail. That's Aero Peek at work. If you turn off Aero Peek, you won't be able to see the thumbnails -- you'll only see them as a stacked list. To turn Aero Peek on and off, right-click the Aero Peek rectangle, and either check or uncheck the box next to Preview desktop.

I did experience some problems with Aero Peek and the task bar thumbnails (which are turned on when you turn on Aero Peek). They worked only intermittently, then inexplicably stopped working entirely. I haven't heard reports of this happening to other people, so it's possible that the issue was specific to my test machine.

Speed and compatibility

Microsoft set out to make sure that Windows 7 wouldn't have the same issues with hardware compatibility that Windows Vista had, and the company said that all hardware that works with Windows Vista should also work with Windows 7.

It appears that even in this beta version, that goal has been met. Windows 7 immediately recognized all the components of my Dell Inspiron E1505 without a hitch -- something that early versions of Vista had serious problems with, particularly when it came to wireless networking adapters.

And while the prebeta version of Windows 7 had problems connecting to my Linksys wireless router, this new beta version immediately recognized the router and connected to it without a problem.

I found no software problems either. Windows 7 ran every piece of software I threw at it, including not just obvious programs such as Microsoft Office, but lesser-used ones as well, such as Windows Live Sync. In addition, several antivirus applications are already compatible with Windows 7, including AVG and Kaspersky. I've been running the free version of AVG without problems.

I found a problem with Windows 7, in which it doesn't recognize multiple drives. Several people have reported similar problems. I installed Windows 7 on a dual-boot machine, in which the C: drive boots to XP and the J: drive boots to Windows 7. Unaccountably, when I boot into Windows 7, Windows 7 shows the J: drive as if it were a C: drive. And the real C: drive is invisible -- it simply doesn't show up in Windows 7 at all, and I have no access to it. However, when I boot to XP, I can see both the C: and J: drives.

Update, 1/8/09: I've found a fix for the problem. See my blog "Hacking Windows 7 beta problems" for what to do.

Beta operating systems typically run slower than the shipping version, but Beta 1 of Windows 7 is already surprisingly fast. It appears to be clearly faster than Vista, without delays associated with displaying menu items or boxes, launching programs, or doing other tasks.

The bottom line

This first beta of Windows 7 is a polished piece of work, with few apparent kinks to be worked out. Windows 7 is much further along at this beta stage than Windows Vista was at a similar point. In Vista's Beta 1 stage, the user interface was still being tweaked, the operating system was sluggish, and there were many hardware incompatibilities. Not so with Windows 7. Because so little has changed between the prebeta and beta versions of Windows 7, don't be surprised if Windows 7 is on a fast track to release.

That being said, the new task bar is somewhat confusing to use at first. After you live with it for a while, you get used to it doing double duty as a task launcher and windows manager. Still, it wouldn't surprise me if Microsoft tweaked it in future beta versions.

Given the beta's stability and speed, you can safely download it and use this on a test machine. As with any beta of an operating system, though, you shouldn't use it on a production machine.

(Source : http://www.computerworld.com)

Nintendo DSi

2009-04-02T11:07:00.000-07:00

Video for Nintendo DSi

Note to Nintendo: I'm going broke with all the different versions of your gaming handhelds. With this third iteration of the Nintendo DS (that's since December 2004), the Nintendo DSi tacks on a number of extra features while slimming down. It's a two-lensed digicam, it's a sound mixer...and, yeah, it still plays games on its two screens. So when the DSi launches April 5th to the tune of $170, should you buy one? Let's count down some of the things we love--and hate--about this new mobile gamer. And break down what it means to you.

1. SLICK DESIGN

LOVE: The DSi keeps roughly the same dimensions as the DS Lite while slightly increasing the screen size (the new touchscreen measures about 1.96 inches by 2.59 inches; by comparison the DS Lite's touchscreen measures 1.81 by 2.4 inches). It has a slightly textured coating--an almost Lenovo ThinkPad-like rubbery-ish coating that makes the machine comfortable to touch.The new style puts the power button on the front face and moves the volume control to the side. All handy little changes, for sure. And it's good to finally see SDHC card support in this gaming handheld, as well. Thanks to these changes--and the removal of the GameBoy Advance backwards compatibility slot (which we'll get to in a second)--the DSi gets a hair thinner than the DS as a result.

HATE: Kiss backwards compatibility goodbye: The GameBoy Advance slot is gone. Such is the price of progress. I suppose I can live with the fact that we're getting cut off from older games. What I don't get, though, is why, with every single redesign of a Nintendo DS, the company changes the pin-out of the device so that you need a different charger. Would it really kill Nintendo to have a standardized plug to pull power from? And, while we're at it, why not use plain-ol' mini-USB cables? They work on everything from MP3 players and digicams to the Sony PSP. That's saying nothing of hooking that mini-USB cable into a computer to let you easily navigate files sitting on your device's memory card. I can do that with cameras, and I can do that with smartphones. Why not with a DSi? And that is as good a segue as any for....

2. THE MUSIC PLAYER / SOUND EDITOR

LOVE: It is a fully functional music player. Well, fully functional in that you can play back some audio formats. The DSi can play AAC files (with .m4a, .mp4, and .3gp file extensions). But what's gonna rope in some creative chip-tuners and budding DJs are the small audio recording and mixing abilities of the DSi. You can store up to 18 different 10-second sound bites. From there, you can add a couple of goofy effects, change speed and octave--or just have a stable of sound samples on hand whenever you're around town. Hey, you never know when you'll need to hit the Sad Trombone.

HATE: So going back to what I said a few moments ago, let me be crystal clear: AAC playback. It doesn't support the MP3 format! Not even iPods are that locked down. There better be an update at some point to make that happen. I'd also love to also see more audio editing capabilities and some way to sample remix and offload the sound samples you record onto an SD card.

3. THE DIGITAL CAMERA

LOVE: Two tiny 0.3-megapixel cameras (one facing outward, one pointing at the user) allow you to take pictures, while software lets you add effects and edit images. A host of crazy features enable you to do everything from futzing with faces you snap to selectively stripping out colors. Then you can take those edited images over to your computer with an SD Card. Overall, the two cameras do a servicable job, and I can wait for some of the applications like WarioWare Snapped that'll take full advantage of the two lenses.

HATE: The 640-by-480-pixel resolution cameras are perfectly capable of creating something suitable for Facebook. Not that you're expecting to print family photos with these shots; also, the camera is best suited for well-lit areas--so don't expect to craft any stellar shots in a dimly-lit bar. But why do I have to keep my expectations low? $100 cell phones have better-resolution lenses. Hey, I can dream.

4. STORAGE AND DOWNLOADS

LOVE: Nintendo finally decides to add internal storage for saving games on a device. Yay!

HATE: A meager 256MB of storage. Really? I just bought an 8GB SDHC card for 20 bucks.

5. DOWNLOADS

LOVE: Nintendo finally has a download store for DSi games--appropriately named the DSi Shop Channel. It's accessible on the device through any wireless Internet connection. Unfortunately, I can't tell you much more about it right now. The store doesn't open until April 5th.

HATE: Applications must run off the sparse internal storage. If you download something and save it to a memory card, you'll need to copy it back onto the unit's internal 256MB of storage to run it. At least that's the way it was when the DSi launched in Japan last year. There is, however, one glimmer of hope. You see, last week during GDC, Nintendo announced a smart move: The latest system update allows you to save your downloaded WiiWare and Virtual Console games onto an SDHC card. And to play those games off the card, since the Wii has little internal storage. What a concept! Now if some rocket scienists at Nintendo are reading this--do the same thing for the DSi!!

6. THE INTERFACE

LOVE: Nintendo learned a couple of valuable lessons from the Wii. So much so that the new navigation looks like a modded, mobile version of what you'd find on the home console. Boxes that scroll along the bottom show all the features/games/applications available....and a number of open boxes await your favorite downloads. Of course, since it's so closely emulating the Wii interface, don't be surprised if there are frequent system updates to foil system hackers from crafting homebrew games.

HATE: Of course, as a huge homebrew fan, the first thing that I had to do was test out my R4 cartridge (1.25 build) to see if I could play any of my homegrown games on the DSi. Absolutely no luck, it won't read the card. Now I know that the big concern about these things is that it's some gateway to pirating games. You know what? So was a VCR. So is a DVD-R. Does this mean you should punish homebrewers? OK, I'll step down off the soapbox for a sec. I'm not saying that Nintendo has any obligation to open up its platform (hint, hint), but it sure would be nice to see some of these freely made apps for the NIntendo DS work on a DSi. Any chance that'll happen? Well, I'll bet that some industrious modders will figure out a workaround well before Nintendo will allow it officially.

The Nintendo DSi still has two X-factors to be checked out before we can pass any kind of final judgment on the device. The first is the DSi Shop Channel, which, as mentioned, won't open it's doors until April 5th, the day that the console ships to stores. The other problem is more of a practical test. We need to stage a gaming horse race to see how the battery life compares--better, worse, or the same?--with earlier versions of the handheld. Check back to PC World.com, and we'll give you the official word soon enough.

Pros: A slimmer, sleeker multimedia-minded Nintendo DS; two Webcams

Cons: Skimpy internal storage; only AAC music format supported

(Source : http://www.pcworld.com)

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2009-04-02T10:38:00.000-07:00

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