Famed JailbreakMe exploit put to rest in iOS 6

After two years, Apple has finally managed to patch the bug behind the famed JailbreakMe exploit. This occurs less than a year after the hacker responsible for discovering the exploit, Comex, left jailbreaking for an internship at Apple.

The well-guarded JailbreakMe exploit was the first jailbreak that could be used with the iPad 2, and has lived unfettered for two years’ time. The exploit was particularly loved for its ease and simplicity - the procedure of jailbreaking a device using it involved simply visiting a website in the iOS browser, and a few seconds later, the process was done.

But now, in iOS 6, the exploit has finally been patched. Jailbreaker pod2g notes via Twitter "R.I.P. the exploit used by developers to root the device. Found by @comex in 2010. A 2 years old bug closed with iOS 6."

Obviously, the immediate suspicion in everyones mind is that Comex revealed the bug to Apple now that he is working for them. There isnt any proof of that, but its certainly a possibility.

As disappointing as this may be, the good news is that the kernel bug exploit couldnt be used for general release jailbreaks, as it required an iOS developer account. Therefore, any jailbreaks currently being developed for iOS 6 (like the one announced by iPhone Dev Teams Musclenerd) should not be affected by the patch.

Jailbreakers tend to have their own stock of secret exploits in the case that Apple destroys one of them. So, while it may mark the end of a very faithful exploit, the loss of Jailbreakme doesnt signal any doom for the jailbreaking community.

Source: Cult of Mac

Koreans introduce 'talking' robots

A talking, bartending robot has made its debut in Busan, Korea, serving world delegates with drinks and conversation at the recent APEC forum.

Several humanoid helper robots have been introduced in Korea in the past, but the
bartending robot is unique in its ability to both converse with people and serve them with whatever they need.

The robot is the creation of the Korean Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intelligent Robot taskforce. Designed to assist the elderly and disabled, its ability to hold conversations and execute commands has earned it the name 'thinking robot' or 'T-Rot'.

T-Rot has two cameras that enable it to recognize people and objects. These cameras help it to identify peoples’ faces and surrounding objects. As well as human speech it also recognizes its own location

Another strength is its ability to identify items with its highly developed sense of touch. T-Rot is equipped with polyamide film and three-axis sensors that enable it to determine vertical pressure and horizontal sliding. This makes it possible for it to determine the weight of objects. Having gauged the precise weight of an object, the robot applies the appropriate strength to lift the object, be it a can or bottle of drink.

T-Rot can even sense a person's weight and determine the precise level of strength required to shake his or her hand. This is a significant advance over other robots who shake hands using pre-installed programs, few of which match with the person’s strength.

Copyright 2005 PhysOrg.com Image copyright: The Chosun Ilbo

Gigabit Powerline Networking offers speedy solutions

Although we've always been able to see and hear in "High Definition," we think of that phrase as belonging to the 21st century. High Definition or HD devices such as television sets, Blu-Ray DVD players, digital still and video cameras are all considered to be today's top-of-the-line consumer electronic devices. Even audio equipment and broadcast radio now have the same HD bragging rights. If you want the best technology has to offer in video and audio, it's got to be in HD. But there's a price to be paid for HD and while one of them is most certainly at the cash register, another is to be found within the additional bandwidth one needs to accommodate all the additional digital information that HD demands.

Moving HD content from one place to another requires a bigger "pipe" to get it there in a timely manner. For example, if you want HD content on your computer to be played on your HD TV in the living room, your wireless connection has to use the newest 802.11n standard to keep up but even that 300

The other nice feature is built-in security. All of these devices use the same signal standard so that they can work with each other regardless of the manufacturer. The downside is that anyone with one of these devices could access your information by just plugging one in at another room. The Belkin model defeats this from happening by implementing a simple push-button security procedure. When you first power them on, you press a button on each unit which creates a coded communication between them. From then on, their information is encrypted and can only be decoded between those units. Any other units added later on will not be able to decode what is being sent. If you wish to add another unit later on, you must press the button on the original device and the button on the newly installed one before they will work together.

Belkin's Gigabit Powerline HD Starter Kit sells for $149.99 and comes with two units to get you up and running. Life is in HD and now you can enjoy it wherever you are in your home.

More information: www.belkin.com

(Craig Crossman is a national newspaper columnist writing about computers and technology)
(c) 2009, McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

Dell Delivers Next Generation Home Theatre Capabilities with the New Inspiron Zino HD

Dell Delivers Next Generation Home Theatre Capabilities with the New Inspiron Zino HD

SINGAPORE, 1 October 2010 - Dell recently announced the launch of the new Inspiron Zino HD, offering outstanding home-theater capabilities. The new Zino HD, is the next-generation version of the award-winning system that sports a powerhouse entertainment experience in a compact design. The Inspiron Zino HD is simple to set up and connects easily to big-screen high-definition TVs for an amazing family entertainment experience. With an optional remote control and wireless keyboard, viewers can surf the Internet from their living room couch, watch Blu-Ray DVDs or browse their music and photo libraries – all on the big screen. And its compact 8-inch-by-8-inch footprint fits unobtrusively anywhere.

The Inspiron Zino HD is a mini powerhouse entertainment PC, delivering awe-inspiring video and audio performance and is the perfect companion for High-Definition TV screens and home-theater setups. The Zino HD offers up to an AMD quad-core Phenom II processor that delivers an immersive high definition entertainment and gaming experience combined with optional 1GB discrete graphics[i]; built-in networking and media card reader that provides instant access to digital images and videos; VGA and HDMI connections for displays and TVs; available THX 7.1 surround sound; optional Blu-ray Disc combo drive, and up to 1TB[ii] of hard disk storage.

With the available wireless keyboard and IR remote control, families can direct their TV viewing or Web surfing experience from across the room.

The Inspiron Zino HD looks great in standard black, but can be personalized with three optional lid colors: Tomato Red, Peacock Blue and Mercury Silver. And like the Inspiron One, the Zino HD is simple and easy to set up.

The Inspiron Zino HD is now available for sale on www.dell.com.sg starting at S$649.

[i] Significant system memory may be used to support graphics, depending on system memory size and other factors.
[ii] Drive: GB means 1 billion bytes and TB equals 1 trillion bytes; actual capacity varies with preloaded material and operating environment and will be less.

iPhone 4S fever hits Hong Kong

Enlarge

Hong Kong was gripped by iPhone 4S fever on Thursday as more than 1,500 fans and resellers queued outside the Apple store ahead of the release of the smartphone in the southern Chinese city.

The crowd -- including the elderly and parents with children in tow -- began to converge on a footbridge opposite Apple's plush new harbourside store on Monday, setting up tents with mats, chairs and blankets.

The

"We had to stand and queue last night even though it was raining and it was very cold. We don't know whether there's a quota for each customer but I want to get as many iPhone 4Ss as I can," he said.

A man from mainland China who refused to give his name said he had been waiting all week.

"I'll be very proud to own this latest phone. And I'll be very embarrassed if I can't get anything," he said, adding he would buy as many as he could and sell those he didn't want for himself.

Stunned tourist Dustin Moore said: "I'll just wait for a few weeks or even a few months to get the phone. This is just crazy, I don't know what to say."

More than four million of the smartphones have been sold since its world debut in markets including Germany, Britain, France, Japan and Australia on October 14, according to the company.

The buyer frenzy comes despite software bugs that have caused some iPhone 4S owners to report lower than expected Apple store.

Other iPhone4Ss will end up on the grey market in nearby cities such as Shenzhen and Guangzhou in mainland China, where they have yet to be officially released.

DFI Revolutionizes the Concept of Overclocking with the Launch of CMOS Reloaded

Hayward, CA (September 16, 2003) - DFI, the worldwide leader in performanceand corporate motherboard design, today announced the release of CMOS ReloadedÒoverclocking utility suite for hardware enthusiasts. Complementing DFI'sproprietary Genie BIOS menu and Live Update for BIOS, drivers and utilities,CMOS ReloadedÒ enables users to save their overclock settings with personalizednames and switch between configurations simultaneously.

The Revolutionary Change Since Jumperless
Changing the way enthusiasts "tweak", CMOS Reloaded removes the need to manuallyrecord settings on paper and reset configurations during the trial and errorprocess. Unlike conventional motherboards that allow for only one set of CMOSconfiguration, DFI's new technology offers up to 4 sets per computer. Dependingon the application used and the processing power needed, users can choosebetween configurations to maximize resources and take full advantage of what PCshave to offer.

Advanced CMOS Functionality
Combining hardware design and software engineering, CMOS Reloaded allows usersto save their desired configuration settings using the Backup command. Variablebetween motherboard models, the user can save from 2 to 4 sets of configurationswith different operating systems associated with each. Whether it is used forintensive gaming, complicated computer development environment or simple Wordprocessing, the user can choose to Load any one of the previously savedconfigurations to meet the requirements. To further provide a seamless switchbetween configurations, users are now able to define their own "hot keys" andbypass the lengthy process. Echoing the trend and to satisfy the need forpersonalization when a perfect "tweak" is achieved, CMOS Reloaded's Renamefeature allows configurations to be saved to reflect their significance. Be itthe overclocker's name, a date, or a high score, CMOS Reloaded offers completecustomization for the true enthusiasts.

CMOS Reloaded will be officially launched at Computex on September 23, 2003. Forinformation on the press conference, please contact PR@dfiweb.com.

This overclocking utility will be available in the upcoming LANParty and INFINITYmodels: LANParty PRO875 (Rev. B), LANParty NFII Ultra (Rev. B), 875P INFINITY,865PE INFINITY, and NFII Ultra INFINITY. For more information or to be the firstto experiment with a live demo, please visit us at Computex TWTC Hall 2, BoothsF305-307, F282-284.

DFI's Q3, Q4 Desktop Products

Contrary to rumours of DFI leaving the Desktop Board Market,it seems there are quite a few products in store for the Desktop Consumers fromDFI. We take a glimpse at the upcoming products:

The RS690 Integrated Graphics Soluti8on does look quite interestingwith X700 integrated graphics core. Intel 965 chipset solution will finallybe seen in DFI boards in the Infinity P965/G coming in the fourth quarter of2006.

ECS KN1 Extreme nForce4 Boards

ECS today introduced the KN1 Extreme, NFORCE4-A939 and NFORCE4-A754motherboards, all three based on NVIDIA nForce4 family chips. Belonging to thetop performance Extreme series, the KN1 Extreme motherboard uses the new NVIDIAnForce4 Ultra single chip, delivering revolutionary technologies – including PCIExpress, SATA 3Gb/s, secure high-speed networking and high-performance RAID.

In order to optimize PC performance, the KN1 Extreme includes NVIDIA nTune,enabling KN1 Extreme to operate at speeds up to FSB 2GHz.

And KN1 Extreme has added a second 802.11g LAN connector to make thismotherboard ideal for Internet connection sharing over a home network. KN1Extreme supports four SATA2 ports through the NVIDIA nForce4 single chip as wellas two standard SATA ports through the SiS180 controller.

Embedded in NVIDIA nForce4 Family chips, NForce4-A939 and NForce4-A754motherboards also bring the benefits of PCI-Express and Gigabyte LAN. Bothmotherboards also support the advanced AMD K8 platform, are engineered withTrinity RAID (RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1) and come with up to 10 USB ports.

The KN1 Extreme and NFORCE4-A939 are now available; the NFORCE4-A754 will belaunched at the end of December.

e3 2010 Nintendo 3DS Details Unveiled

Satoru Iwata, CEO of Nintendo, takes the stage in Nintendo's press conference in e3, talking about the 3DS. Here is a quick breakdown of this exciting handheld

There is a slider control for 3D depth, allowing the player to to choose the 3D effect.
It has a 3.5-inch widescreen display, start, select, and homebuttons, and four face buttons.
There are two camera lenses on the outside of the system, so users can take pictures and view them in 3D.

Gryo and motion sensors are included in Nintendo 3DS, the analog stick becomes a slidepad
Greater graphics powers in 3DS, the top screen is in 3D while the touchscreen below is not.

The 3DS will be able to search for Wi-Fi access points automatically with other 3DSsystems, and will automatically communicate with them without youknowing it.
3D without glasses. (Doh)

Source: LIVE Streaming on Nintendo e3

Arctic Cooling Launched Freezer Xtreme; Cool amp; Quiet

To offer the enthusiast’s market an ultimate CPU cooler for extremeoverclocking, the innovative Swiss cooling solutions provider ARCTIC COOLINGtoday unveiled the Freezer Xtreme, adding an Intel and AMD compatible productinto their highly credible CPU cooler product line.

Extremely Cool
The unique twin tower heatsink consists of 102 fins, which significantlyincrease the heat dissipation area to distribute massive amount of heat fasterand more efficient. The 120mm PWM fan which combined with 8 heatpipes (4double-sided) and the twin tower heatsink not only transfers heat from the CPU,but it also cools the RAM, north bridge and voltage regulators. Together withthe pre-applied MX-2, the Freezer Xtreme offers performance far beyond stockcoolers and achieves 160 Watts cooling capacity – an excellent thermalmanagement that boosts overclocking to a new level.

Extremely Quiet
The bigger the fan doesn’t mean the noisier the cooler will be. The 120mm fan ofthe Freezer Xtreme is equipped with low noise impeller and patented fan holderfor quiet operation. Controlled by PWM signal, the fan runs just the necessaryspeed for lowest noise level at maximum cooling capacity. The result isoutstanding – the Freezer Xtreme generates only 0.5 Sone at full load, muchquieter than the standard and aftermarket coolers even with a bigger fan.

The Freezer Xtreme offers a 6-year limited warranty. It will be available inJuly 2008. The MSRP is US$ 39.95 and 25.95€ (excl VAT).

Apple iPhone 5 to launch before 4 October

Former Apple marketing chief, John Martellaro, has expressed that Apple isnt all keeping quiet about their new products, but the company has carefully and purposely plan of releasing certain relevant information to the media as part of their marketing effort. This time, the rumor comes from the American telco AT&T. According to a leaked memo, the company will be making some adjustments on the mobile insurance of the Apple iPhone and other devices from 17 July till 4 October. Previously, it was US$9 and now it will be adjusted between US$4.99 to US$6.99 (and probably increase of monthly prices).

The question is, why should anyone be concerned as to AT&T choosing this period to adjust their mobile insurance? If you recalled, this period overlaps that of the rumored launch month (which is September), and it would seem logical that the iPhone 5 would be launched before the 4 October deadline.

Source: imobile.com.cn

AT amp;T iPhone 5 to launch mid or late September

A source from within AT&T has confirmed with BGR that the iPhone 5 will launch on the carrier on the third or fourth week of September.

As per the same source, AT&T is gearing for the launch with a large training event, which undoubtedly is for the sake of keeping iPhone nuts from ransacking the stores. September 12 seems to the date that Apple will make an official announcement concerning the iPhone 5 and perhaps other iOS devices such as the iPad mini.

Current status as to the launch dates of the iPhone 5 for other carriers are unknown, but if the trend continues as it did for past iPhones, then Verizon might be the next in line to claim the coveted Apple smartphone.

If you’re an AT&T customer and your contract is about to run out later this month, make sure to stay up to date as to the official AT&T launch date, or else you might not get an iPhone 5 until Christmas!

SimCity Les stratégies multiville en vidéo

Electronic Arts continue à expliquer aux joueurs le fonctionnement du prochain Sim City. Et cette semaine, c'est le mode multijoueur qui est à l'honneur à travers une nouvelle vidéo. Pour ceux qui se demandaient comment les joueurs interagiraient entre eux, le principe des multiville est ici longuement illustré. Les joueurs pourront ainsi spécialiser leurs villes et répondre aux besoins de leurs voisins ou amis. Untel aura donc une ville spécialisée dans les casinos, tandis que l'autre fournira l'électricité. L'un paiera pour le courant de l'autre, et tout le monde y trouvera son compte.



Sim City est attendu pour le 7 mars 2013. EA a également mis en ligne les configurations minimales et recommandées, consultables à cette adresse.

· Forum SimCity

Apple makes transition from MobileME to iCloud more appealing

In helping pave way for a smooth shift to its iCloud service, Apple has a new deal on offer for its long-staying MobileMe subscribers who havent yet gotten with the times in upgrading to Snow Leopard. Apple is now providing a free Snow Leopard upgrade for all MobileMe users running an older OS, saving them US $29.

As MobileMe, a subscription-based set of online services is scheduled for discontinuation by June and with iCloud only being supported in Snow Leopard and Lion, this will make the offer a much appreciated one for many yet to jump onto the cloud. It also means that upgrading to Lion would be half the price as a download for it is available via the App Store which can only be initiated if already running Snow Leopard.

So, for all of you still holding a MobileMe account and running an OS up to a half decade old. now theres no more excuses and you can get with the times on the cheap!

AMD revises down Q3 forecasts - yield issues blamed

Previously, AMD had expected a strong Q3 2011, driven by strong demand for Llano, with revenue growth of 10% over Q2. However, AMD has now revised Q3 revenue growth to only 4%-6%. The main reason cited was manufacturing issues at GlobalFoundries.

The previous forecast suggested revenues of approximately $1.725 billion, while the revision pulls down the revenue guidance to the $1.65 billion range. It is no surprise that the GlobalFoundries 32nm process is suffering from yield issues, with supply shortages for Llano APUs. The top Llano SKU for desktops, A8-3850 is out of stock at many retailers around the world, and notebooks based on Llano are still hard to come by, if not completely non-existant in several popular markets, such as South Asia. It is clear that AMD is unable to satisfy the strong demand for Llano, leading to reduced shipments.

In additions to problems with the 32nm process, 45nm supply has been hit as well, "due to complexities related to the use of common tools across both technology nodes". Due to the top bin A8 APUs being worst affected - another sign of poor yields - the average selling price is also down, resulting in a reduced gross margin of 44%-45%, from previous guidance of 47%.

With Bulldozer finally shipping, and FX Series finally releasing next month, things are going to get even more challenging for the problematic GloFo 32nm process. The Bulldozer die is 40% larger than Llano. On the other hand, Bulldozer is a traditional CPU with no extensive GPU part.

Source: Forbes

ASUS To Unveil ROG Line Of Products @ Computex

Taipei, Taiwan, March 28, 2008 – Technology for computing gaming evolves at a tremendously fast pace, so users will constantly require cutting-edge technologies and solutions in order to keep up with the latest in gaming requirements. With this in mind, the ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) has produced an exceptional range of gaming products to give gamers the ultimate gaming edge. These advanced gaming hardware are geared for the future, and will be showcased at Computex 2008.

Automobile Conceptualized Graphics Cards for Extreme Gaming
The "Concept Car" Graphics Card
With three RV670PRO GPUs onboard, the ASUS EAH3850 TRINITY/3DHTI/1.5G graphics card is likened to a concept car model; and truly paves the way towards the future of gaming. An astonishing 139% improvement in speeds is achieved when compared to single-GPU solutions; while a MXM module provides upgrade possibilities, and two exclusive extra DVI outputs give users support for extra monitor outputs. It also features a specially designed water cooling solution – ensuring efficient heat dissipation for stable performance. The ASUS EAH3850 TRINITY is also equipped with a world-exclusive large onboard memory size of 1.5GB – designed to provide feature-rich DirectX 10 gaming and the best multimedia playback at ultra-high resolutions and maximum quality settings – earning this graphics card top billing among the ROG.

"Hybrid-Class Car" Styled Matrix Graphics Cards
The leading and intelligent thermal innovation of the ASUS EN9600GT Matrix graphics card draws its inspiration from Hybrid cars of the same namesake. With an innovative combination of the fan and heatsink solutions on one card, the ASUS Matrix innovation targets guaranteed performance with savings in mind. When required, the fan and heatsink will work together for optimum cooling, while the fan is automatically controlled according to the GPU loading – providing users with power savings in the event of lower graphics utilization – much like real Hybrid cars.

The "Workhorse Jeeps" of Graphics Cards
The Glaciator fansink utilizes a powerful and specially designed fan design that are likened to the Jeeps of the automobile industry. Much like the Land Rover or the Hummer, ASUS graphics cards equipped with the Glaciator Fansink effectively dissipates heat away from the graphics card – quickly transferring heat away from the GPU and lowering the temperature. With all this cooling capacity, the Glaciator Fansink maintains a quiet operating level of only 25dB – almost unperceivable in a quiet room; and caters to gamers who require maximum cooling without excessive fan rotation noise.

Racing Car Inspired Designs
The V-Cool Heatsink’s super racing car engine design comprises of two mainstay racing car engine technologies – V-Engine and Intercooler. Combining stylish outlooks with powerful cooling performance, the V-Engine concept of ideally arranged V-fins provide even heat dissipation with a minimum of space required; while the high-density zipper array fin module utilizes the Intercooler technology to maximize the surface area exposed to the air for exceptional heat dissipation. Additionally, three powerful heatpipes are carefully arranged to enable the average temperature on the heatsink to enhance heat transfer effects, and the special material aluminum alloy used is lighter and provides excellent thermal conductivity – all at an ultra-quiet 0dB.

Life-like Audio and Powerful Gaming Performance with ASUS ROG Maximus II Formula
The new ASUS ROG Maximus II Formula series motherboard is equipped with the latest Intel chipset, and supports DDRII memory for exceptional overclocking. It is also able to deliver astoundingly life-like audio through the SupremeFX X-Fi audio card; while the innovative overclocking technology – CPU Level Up, delivers flexible CPU overclocking – even without prior overclocking knowledge. What’s more, the Extreme Engine power design provides stable voltages for exceptional overclocking – making this motherboard the ultimate gamer´s choice, and garners the ROG’s hearty recommendation.

Ultimate Cooling with ASUS Axe Square CPU Cooler
The Axe Square CPU Cooler provides enhanced cooling performances with support for CPU overclocking up to 180W. This exceptional cooler utilizes the Aureate design, and provides optimal cooling while retaining low operating noise. This outstanding cooler gets the ROG’s stamp of approval in providing outstanding cooling for gaming needs.

Enjoy Pure Power with ASUS PSU G-1000HA
With the added power requirements of current components – especially those catered for gaming, a power supply that can deliver uninterrupted, stable and high performance power is paramount. The Intel ATX 12V V2.3 compliant ASUS PSU G-1000HA power supply does all these things with ease. With a 1000 watt high power supply rating with active PFC (PF>0.99), it can deliver environmentally friendly power and is able to support Duo Core and Quad Core CPUs; as well as PCI-Express 2.0. It is also equipped with a 13.5 cm ball-bearing fan with auto thermal acoustics noise control – making for quieter operations. The PSU G-1000HA is also equipped with five dedicated +12V rails for reliable output, and is 80 PLUS certified to provide up to 87% at 230VAC input.

Ultimate Gamer Gear: ASUS ARES Gaming PC
The ARES Gaming PC features massive performance with the best gaming hardware configuration that includes an Intel Core™2 Extreme CPU, support of up to 8GB of fast DDR3 memory, NVIDIA’s Quad SLI / ATI CrossfireX graphic technology and up to 4 Terabyte hard disk for exceptional processing and graphical performance. It also showcases Dual Power™ power modules and liquid cooling for exceptional stability; while the sleek gaming outlook draws upon ancient and modern armor concepts from both Eastern and Western cultures for a uniquely designed upper faceplate. This design also fully encloses and provides protection for the various I/O drives and user interface modules, completing the overall gaming package.

Ultimate Gaming Station
The ASUS G70 utilizes a “Multi Dual-Engine” architecture to answer gamer needs for extreme performance. Comprising of a duplex structure in its major system components that include an Intel Core™2 Duo / Extreme CPU, dual independent Nvidia 8700M GT VGA cards, dual HDD with a combined mass storage capacity up to 640GB and dual thermal fans, the G70 provides high-definition visuals and audio capabilities that sets a new standard in mobile gaming. It also offers special lighting and material designs that enhances the gaming atmosphere; as well as dual screens for display of critical system info and messages for disruption-free gaming. A dual mode touch pad and the gaming-themed keyboard with special key highlights provide easy access to multimedia controls as well as additional hotkeys (including a four-way key) that can be configured for a tailored gaming experience – allowing gamers to truly enjoy the ultimate in gaming.

Also showcased are the G50 and the G71 new gaming series. The laptops, carrying the same G Series design as well as the most advanced nVidia™ GeForce 9700M GT graphic engine with GDDR3 support, are to be available in Q3.

Call of Duty Black Ops 2 la version PC à nouveau patchée

C'est la communauté des fraggers de Call of Duty : Black ops 2 qui va être contente. Treyarch vient de mettre en ligne un nouveau patch (qui se télécharge automatiquement) qui apporte quelques ajustements réclamés par les joueurs.

A commencer par l'augmentation du FOV de 10° qui passe ainsi à 90. De quoi améliorer le champ de vision des tueurs virtuels qui vont pouvoir s'en donner à cœur joie. Autre bonne nouvelle, le jeu est désormais mieux optimisé pour les processeurs à 4 cœurs ou plus. Ces derniers rencontraient quelques problèmes pour faire tourner le jeu, c'est désormais du passé. Ainsi, les chevaux afghans qui tombaient irrémédiablement dans le décor ne rencontrent plus ce problème. Même chose pour le RC-XD et l'AGR qui se perdaient dans la map, ce bug a été corrigé. De plus, les performances avec ce type de processeur ont été améliorées pour les modes solo, multi et zombies. Si vous ne faites pas partie des millions de gens ayant déjà craqué pour ce shooter efficace, notre test (disponible ici) pourrait finir de vous convaincre.

Voici la liste complète des correctifs apportés par cette mise à jour :
- FOV augmenté à 90
- Réparation du bug des chevaux passant à travers la map en Afghanistan avec des processeurs 4 cœurs ou plus
- Correction du bug des RC-XD et AGR passant à travers la map avec des processeurs 4 cœurs ou plus
- Performances améliorées sur le solo, le multi et le mode zombies avec les processeurs 4 cœurs ou plus
- Correction du crash lorsqu'un septième joueur tente d'entrer dans un lobby réservé pour 6
- Matchmaking amélioré sur les serveurs dédiés
- Fin des connexions interrompues lors du chargement dans MP

· Forum Call of Duty : Black Ops 2

AMD To Cut Athlon 64 X2 Prices

INQ reports that AMDis planning more price cuts ahead according to its channel partners. AMD willcut the price of some of AM2 Athlon 64 X2s on August 13th. Athlon 64 X2 4000+,the 4200+ and the X2 4400+ will all have their prices cut. Earlier on Aug 6th,AMD has released dual-core Opteron 8222, 2222, 1222 at 3GHz/95W and Opteron 8224SE, 2224 SE at 3.2GHz/119W and cut some of the older Opteron models prices.

ASUS P5GD2 Grantsdale-P Board

P5GD1 : Intel Grantsdale-P, LGA775 processors, DualChannel DDR400, Gigabit LAN, IEEE1394, High Definition Audio
P5GD2 : Intel Grantsdale-P, LGA775 processors, Dual Channel DDR2 533,Gigabit LAN, IEEE1394, High Definition Audio

Apple iPhone 5 to launch before 4 October

Former Apple marketing chief, John Martellaro, has expressed that Apple isnt all keeping quiet about their new products, but the company has carefully and purposely plan of releasing certain relevant information to the media as part of their marketing effort. This time, the rumor comes from the American telco AT&T. According to a leaked memo, the company will be making some adjustments on the mobile insurance of the Apple iPhone and other devices from 17 July till 4 October. Previously, it was US$9 and now it will be adjusted between US$4.99 to US$6.99 (and probably increase of monthly prices).

The question is, why should anyone be concerned as to AT&T choosing this period to adjust their mobile insurance? If you recalled, this period overlaps that of the rumored launch month (which is September), and it would seem logical that the iPhone 5 would be launched before the 4 October deadline.

Source: imobile.com.cn

Arctic Debuts Freezer 13 Pro CPU Cooler

Arctic Cooling has unveiled the Freezer 13 Pro CPU cooler, promising improved performance over its predecessor, the Freezer 13 released in October 2010.

Measuring 134 x 96 x 159mm and weighing 902g, the massive cooler has four U-shaped 8mm copper heat-pipes, fourty-seven 0.5mm-thick aluminum fins, a copper base, and is cooled by two fluid dynamic bearing fans - a PWM 120mm and 50mm model that operates at 300 ~ 1250RPM and 700 ~ 2700RPM respectively.

It is compatible with all Intel LGA 775/ 1155/ 1156/ 1366 and AMD S754/ S939/ AM2(+)/ AM3 processors and comes with pre-applied MX-4 thermal grease. The Freezer 13 Pro, covered by a 6-year warranty, is available through authorized resellers and e-tailers at a MSRP of US$54.90/ €39.90 (without VAT).

News via [Legit Reviews]

Apple developed touchscreen phone prototype in 1983

Apple developed a prototype for a touchscreen phone as far back as 1983, but decided not to go through with it, a decision that ultimately led to the iPhones release many years later in 2007.

The prototype was developed by Hartmut Esslinger, founder of Frogdesign, which helped design numerous Apple products, including the IIc computer, the first Apple product to feature the snow white colour that became iconic of the companys design principles.The phone looks like a traditional landline, with a built-in tablet screen that is operated by a stylus, a feature that Steve Jobs dropped from the original iPhone design. It looks pretty dated and the screen is particularly dull and unimpressive, but the fact that the technology could have been released so long ago opens a lot of what if questions.The phone industry could have been a very different place if Apple released this product in the 1980s, but it was probably a wise decision to hold off, as the market was likely not ready for it. It would have almost definitely have been expensive, which is no surprise for Apple, but likely a lot more so than the iPhone, given the general lack of availability of such technology at the time.With such a potential high price tag, and the lack of consumer loyalty built by the success of the iPod, this device could have been a major flop, which could have made Apple think twice about developing the iPhone.Source and Image Credit: Ubergizmo

Asus and MSI displays mini-ITX H61 boards at CeBIT

We should soon be seeing some much more affordable mini-ITX boards for Intels second generation of Core i processors and both Asus and MSI has shown off new models based on the new H61 budget chipset for the platform. The two boards are quite different in terms of what they offer though and were pretty sure that these are only two of the first boards of many to come.

Asus has gone for a full-on HTPC design for its P8H61-I with a x16 PCI Express slot, four SATA 3Gbps ports and two headers for an additional four USB 2.0 ports. Around the back the board has a PS/2 port, four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, a D-sub, DVI and HDMI port and three audio jacks for 5.1-channel audio. Bear in mind that this is a budget board and it wont compete with the H67 boards in terms of features.

MSI on the other hand decided to go really basic with its H61I-E35 and only included a x1 PCI Express slot, although you still get four SATA 3Gbps ports and two headers for four USB 2.0 ports. Around the back the MSI board appears to have a PS/2 port, six USB 2.0 ports, a D-sub and HDMI port and three audio jacks for 5.1-channel audio. This board should be very affordable and a great match with the upcoming Sandy Bridge Pentium and Celeron processors expected later this year.

Source: Impress PC Watch, Computer Base

Android 2.3 Gingerbread coming to Samsung Galaxy S

Samsung has performed well in the Android smartphone market in 2010, with the introduction of their Galaxy S (model: GT-I9000) which has since sold more than 10 million units. According to reports, the Samsung Galaxy S will soon have an upgrade to Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

A Samsung Germany official has expressed that the Galaxy S I9000 will receive the update in March, though no specific date or details were given. If the news is believed to be true, this surely benefits the Galaxy S owners and the Android 2.3 Gingerbread update will no doubt provide better features, performance and experience.

Source: xda.cn

AMD To Sample 90nm CPUs In Q2 2004

AMD is scheduled to deliver chip samples using a90nm manufacturing process on 8-inch wafers in the second quarter of next year.The chip samples will be cranked out from AMD’s Fab 30 in Dresden, Germany. Thefab, which uses a 0.13-micron process, will migrate to 90nm in the second halfof 2004. AMD hoped to ramp up 90nm chip production in the second quarter of nextyear, but has delayed that schedule by two to three months. San Diego, the 90nmsuccessor of the current Athlon 64 FX for high performance desktops andWinchester, the 90nm successor of Athlon 64 for mainstream desktops will arrivein H2 2004. For servers, 90nm Athens, Troy and Venus will arrive at the sametime. AMD does not have plans to outsource processors to any wafer foundry inthe immediate future. Instead, AMD is building a new 12-inch wafer fab, calledFab 36, adjacent to Fab 30. The new fab is projected to start cranking out13,000 wafers per month on a 65nm process in 2006.

2012-12-21-93

[Rumour] ATI Southern Islands / HD 6000 a minor improvement

Fudzilla reports that ATI's upcoming next generation products, codenamedSouthern Islands, are set to be a minor improvement over the current HD5000 generation. The S. Islands cores will be just a tweak on the HD5000 cores. However, Fudzilla do not make any mention of the uncoreelements. The cores or shaders of S. Islands has been rumoured to besimilar to Evergreen for a long time, but those rumours also suggestuncore elements (such as ROP) based on N. Islands. N. Islands wasoriginally meant to be the late 2010 generation, but has been delayeddue to the cancellation of TSMC's 32nm process, and major delays to28nm. Thus, S. Islands is merely a transition between Evergreen and N.Islands. N. Islands is now set to release in 2011 at 28nm.

The release for the first S. Islands part is around 3 months away, and we will consider the "minor improvement" a rumour for now. If it were true, it could be disappointing. On the other hand, one could argue that ATI doesn't really need a major revamp right now. Even with GF104, ATI still continues to enjoy a performance/watt/die-size advantage with the HD 5000 series. Perhaps a refresh of HD 5000 will be enough to beat any Nvidia product in the near future. ATI, however, have a habit of surprising us.

The last time a new generation was released on the same process was back in 2008. The HD 3000 to HD 4000 both used the same TSMC 55nm product, with no major improvements expected. Rumours suggested a 30% increase in die size (which was true) from RV670 to RV770, and this led to many to assume a 50% increase in number of shaders from 320 to 480. Less than 3 weeks before release, ATI shocked everyone, including Nvidia, by introducing a whopping 250% increase in shader count to 800, over a meagre 30% increase in die size on the same process.

This suggests that it is truly too early to speculate on performance, and S. Islands could yet have a trick or two up its sleeve.

Reference: Fudzilla

2012-12-21-15

"Patent trolls" cost many $29 billion last year

A recent study done by scholars at Boston University revealed that “patent trolls” cost individuals, organizations, and companies billions of dollars per year.

According to the study, $29 billion were put aside in 2011 by companies, among others, to obtain rights to patented ideas. Adding on to the immense cost mentioned above, there are “indirect” costs such as delays products, and loss of market share during the legal battles.

“This [$29 billion] figure does not include indirect costs to the defendants businesses such as diversion of resources, delays in new products, and loss of market share,” people involved in the study wrote.

Industry bodies that buy patents with the main goal of licensing them are one of the main culprits in the causing the huge expense. Also known as “non-practicing entities,” (NPEs) these firms don’t make the products related to the patents they own, and since they own many patents related to the work of other companies, individuals, and academic institutions they are also an obstacle for people who seek to make their innovative ideas a reality.

The BBC reported that 2,150 companies had to stage 5,842 legal battles against NPEs last year. Over half of the companies that had to put out the money to defend their patent rights last year were companies that earned less than $100 million per year. The direct costs of legal fees and indirect costs such as delayed products lead to less investment in research and development.

The authors of the study added that NPEs are causing society more harm than good because they cause stagnation in innovation by putting too much emphasis on protecting their “intellectual properties”.

Source: bbc.co.uk