Right on schedule, Gateway has set free its P-7811 FX gaming laptop, and we got our hands on one right before you can get your own.
Our test unit shipped with the aforementioned Intel Core 2 Duo at 2.26GHz with a 3MB L2 cache, Windows Vista Home 64-bit, Intel PM45 Express Chipset, NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GTS with 512MB of GDDR3 discrete video memory, a 17-inch WXGA screen, 200GB 7200 SATA HDD, 4GB DDR3 800MHz RAM, HDMI, 9-cell battery, and 1.3MP webcam. We're pretty pleased with the performance of the machine, although dialing up Crysis to its max settings made it choke a bit. We're still not sold on the computer's stylings, but in a dark room of gaming goodness, who's paying attention to gaudy lights and overly-shiny carbon anyway, right? Peep the hands-on pics and a brief video of Crysis in action after the break. And yes, we know we suck at the game.
August 13, 2008
Gateway P-7811FX gaming laptop unboxing and hands-on
Sony expects to launch its 11-inch OLED TV 'XEL-1' in Europe
SEOUL, Korea (AVING) -- 
Us too, after all, it's been on sale in Japan since December of 2007 and was recently caught slumming the big box outlets in the US. It only seems natural then, that Sony would ramp production to the point that by 2009 they could meet the minimal, European demand for a $2,500-ish TV measuring just 11-inches -- million:1 contrast or not. Still, it's all a bit late if you ask us (you did right?) seeing as how Sony plans to be producing medium to large OLED panels as early as April 2009.
August 2, 2008
Firefox 3 Chipping Away Safari Market Share, Summer Browsing Patterns Reverse IE Decline
Firefox, on a daily basis, has been exceeding a market share of 20% more often than ever before in July. Net Applications today published the July result earlier today, which does not show quite so dramatic numbers. Apparently, IE7 reversed its decline into a marginal sequential growth most likely due to a change in audience mix during the summer months, while Firefox grows further on the heels of the recent Firefox 3 release, chipping away market share from Safari.
The biggest surprise in Net Applications’ July browser survey is Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (IE), which saw a marginal growth over previous months. The bounce-back also slowed, which saw its share drop slightly.
In July, IE recorded a 73.02% share, up marginally from 73.01% the month before. It appears that many IE users made the switch from IE6 to IE7 during the month as IE6 lost 0.64 points over the previous month, but IE7 gained 0.65 points in the same period. Another contributing factor that worked for IE market share are most likely changes in summer browsing patterns and a slightly different audience in NetApplications’ survey pool, which consists of about 160 million users.
Firefox’ share of the market throughout July was 19.03%, down 0.19% from 19.22% in June. If we compare changes in FF2 and FF3 market shares during the June-July period, we notice that FF3 gained 3.36%, while Firefox 2 lost 3.11%. The combined FF2 drop and FF3 growth suggest that more FF2 users who downloaded FF3 actually choose the software as their default browser, ditching FF2. The obvious conclusion is that Firefox was successful at chipping away share from other browsers, most notably Apple’s Safari (which showed a 0.17 point decline in July), Opera (0.04 point decline), and other web browsers, possible earlier Firefox versions (0.16 point decline).
As we previously reported, Firefox recently was climbing above 20% market share more often on particular days. Since Firefox 3 is little over six weeks on the market, it is to be expected that many users install the software to testdrive new features. However, while it is apparent that Firefox has been gaining share and the trend curve is heading up, the early state of the browser may skew the result in favor of Mozilla and it is too early to even guess what percentage of those who downloaded Firefox 3 will actually continue to use the browser on a daily basis.
When Microsoft releases IE8 later this year, the same effect could work towards an increase of IE market share. In any case, Firefox has come a long way to close in on 20% market share market, which would be a huge milestone for Mozilla.
Apple’s Safari browser took the third spot in July with 6.14% market share, down 0.17 points from 6.31% market share in June. The 0.17 loss is mainly the result of a 0.21 point decline of Safari 3, while Safari 3.1 gained 0.11 points. The overall decline comes after months of growth, which suggests that Safari was especially vulnerable during the Firefox 3 launch period.
The release of the iPhone 3G on July 11 has brought large gains in web browsing share for the device. Prior to launch, iPhone usage share had leveled off, but has since resumed its upward trend now. For instance, on June 1 0.19% of users were browsing the web using an iPhone. Following June 11, when the iPhone 3G was introduced, that share increased to 0.22% (recorded yesterday).
Both Netscape and Opera are currently listed at 0.69% share.
August 1, 2008
LG Announces First Blu-ray Disc Player With Capability to Instantly Stream Movies From Netflix to the TV
NEW YORK, July 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Building on a
groundbreaking technology partnership announced earlier this year, LG
Electronics and Netflix, Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) today announced plans for the
first Blu-ray disc player that will have the added benefit of being able to
instantly stream a growing library of movies and TV episodes from Netflix
directly to the TV.
Available this fall, the LG BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player will play
high definition Blu-ray discs, up-convert standard DVDs to 1080p and allow
Netflix subscribers to instantly stream more than 12,000 choices of movies
and TV episodes from Netflix to the TV for no additional charge.
LG Electronics and Netflix will demonstrate the BD300 Network Blu-ray
Disc Player for the first time tonight at LG's 2008 Summer Line Show at
Morgan Library and Museum in New York City. (The event is open to invited
media only.)
Instantly streaming content from Netflix to the TV via the LG BD300
Network Blu-ray Disc Player will rely on a wired broadband connection and
Queue-based user interface. Netflix members will use the Netflix Web site
to add movies and TV episodes to their individual instant Queues. Those
choices will automatically be displayed on members' TVs and available to
watch instantly through the LG player. Once selected, movies will begin
playing in as little as 30 seconds. With the BD300's accompanying remote
control, Netflix members will be able to browse and make selections right
on the TV screen and also have the ability to read synopses and rate
movies. In addition, they will have the option of fast-forwarding and
rewinding the video stream.
"As Blu-ray player sales are expected to triple in three years,
consumers are craving content and seeking a premium home entertainment
experience," said LG Electronics USA President Teddy Hwang. "The BD300 is
another LG industry first and provides consumers with an advanced high-def
disc player with unparalleled flexibility and networked access for services
such as Netflix."
Consumers craving more content will appreciate the BD Live feature,
which provides real-time interactivity for movie enthusiasts seeking
extras, new previews or special content while BonusView provides
picture-in-picture access to Blu-ray disc special features. To further
personalize and simplify the home theater experience, the BD300 includes
LG's SimpLink(TM) technology, which allows users to control similarly
equipped LG TV and AV products via convenient on-screen menus or directly
from the product itself.
In January, prior to the 2008 International CES(R), LG Electronics and
Netflix announced their technology partnership to provide a set-top box for
consumers to stream movies and TV episodes from the Internet to the TV
beginning in the second half of the year.
"LG Electronics is establishing itself as the innovation leader in
consumer electronics, combining the best of broadband and Blu-ray
connectivity," said Netflix Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO Reed Hastings. "LG
Electronics was the first of our technology partners to publicly embrace
our strategy for getting the Internet to the TV, and is the first to
introduce a Blu-ray player that will instantly stream movies and TV
episodes from Netflix to the TV."
About LG Electronics USA
LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North
American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a global force and technology
leader in home appliances, consumer electronics and mobile communications.
In the United States, LG Electronics sells a wide range of stylish,
innovative digital appliances, consumer electronics (digital display and
digital media) products and mobile phones under LG's "Life's Good"
marketing theme. For more information, please visit http://www.LGusa.com.
About Netflix, Inc.
Netflix, Inc. (Nadsaq: NFLX) is the world's largest online movie rental
service, with more than eight million subscribers. For one low monthly
price, Netflix members can get DVDs delivered to their homes and can
instantly watch movies and TV episodes streamed to their TVs and PCs, all
in unlimited amounts. Members can choose from over 100,000 DVD titles and a
growing library of more than 12,000 choices that can be watched instantly.
There are never any due dates or late fees. DVDs are delivered free to
members by first class mail, with a postage-paid return envelope, from over
100 U.S. shipping points. More than 95 percent of Netflix members live in
areas that generally receive shipments in one business day. Netflix is also
partnering with leading consumer electronics companies to offer a range of
devices that can instantly stream movies and TV episodes to members' TVs
from Netflix. For more information, visit http://www.netflix.com/.
Hitachi Shows Technical Feasibility Of Perpendicular Magnetic Recording At 610 Gbit/in2
Hitachi has successfully verified an areal recording density of 610 Gbit/in2, using conventional perpendicular magnetic recording with continuous recording media and a software detection model. This achievement provides further evidence that hard drive capacities have the potential to advance at a rate of 40% annually. Application of this technology to future HDD products is expected to result in products that deliver larger capacities, smaller sizes and greater energy efficiency.
Hitachi will present its findings at The Magnetic Recording Conference (TMRC), taking place in Singapore from 29th to 31st , July 2008.
"These results are based on many years of experience with design optimization and material technology for perpendicular recording heads and media. We applied this knowledge to the development of heads and media with an ultra-narrow track pitch of 65nm, indispensable in achieving a recording density of 610 Gbit/in2. Development of iterative signal processing technology for high density recording further increased density and capacity," said Hiroaki Odawara, Research Director, Storage Technology Research Center, Central Research Laboratory, Hitachi, Ltd.
Hitachi believes that HDDs are an indispensable storage resource for digital home appliances and recording equipment such as large-scale corporate or public databases, PCs and HDD recorders. As the volume of information worldwide continues to grow rapidly, even greater HDD capacity will become necessary.
Perpendicular magnetic recording is now the current mainstream HDD technology. Hitachi GST demonstrated 230 Gbit/in2 in April 2005, 345 Gbit/in2 in September 2006, and has now shown extendability to 610 Gbit/in2. This growth supports the theory that technology can support storage capacity growth of 40% annually. It has been predicted, however, that the current perpendicular recording, which uses a continuous film media will eventually reach a limit in achievable recording density, and therefore, new head and media using alternative technology such discrete track recording, bit patterned media and thermally-assisted recording, are also being considered. These new methods are still being developed, but hold potential for much greater advancements in areal density growth.
Write- and read- head technology for 65nm level track pitch
Continued hard drive advancements require the ability to squeeze more and more, and thus, smaller and smaller data bits onto the recording media, necessitating a decrease in recording track pitch, as well as continued miniaturization of the recording heads to read those bits. As the track pitch narrows, the magnetic field from the write-head interferes with the recorded data in an adjacent track, causing problems such as rewriting or even deletion of data.
To minimize this effect and contain the magnetic field of the head to the relevant track, researchers at Hitachi and Hitachi GST developed a wrap-around shield (henceforth ‘WAS’) write head for narrow pitch tracks by employing a WAS structure, where the main magnetic pole of the write-head is wrapped with a magnetic shield. A TMR (Tunneling Magneto-Resistive) head, able to maintain a sufficient S/N ratio, was also developed for when the sensor width is narrowed. Technology to optimize the write- and read-head was developed using a separated write- and read- head, and analyzing the performance of each.
New media technology with high S/N ratio for 65nm level track pitch
A recording layer was developed with an anisotropy field gradually increasing in the thickness direction. Generally, the greater the anisotropy field, the more difficult it is to reverse the direction of the magnetic current. However, Hitachi found that in the newly developed recording layer, reversal in a magnetic moment occurs from the area with a low anisotropy field, and this in turn, assists reversal in the areas with a high anisotropy field, thus maintaining high thermal stability as well as achieving high writing capability.
The signal and noise information of the media was also analyzed based on a micro-magnetic model, and an optimal design for the head-and-media combination was developed.
Reed-Solomon error correction code-free iterative signal processing technology
In conventional hard drives, in order to read data without errors, an error correction code is attached when data is recorded. The code, however, occupies recording area, thus reducing user space. A new signal processing technique, iterative decoding, which does not require a Reed-Solomon error correction code, was developed for the hard drive. This new technique increases user space by approximately 4%, enabling a further increase in storage capacity equivalent to an HDD with a recording density of 635 Gb/in2.
http://geek-seeker.blogspot.com/
Sony Playstation 3 40GB PS3 Game Console w
As DVD playback made the PlayStation 2 more than just a game machine, hefty multi-media features make the PlayStation 3 an even more versatile home entertainment machine. Features such as video chat, internet access, digital photo viewing, and digital audio and video will likely make it the central component of your media set-up. Still, it is first and foremost a powerful gaming console.
Under the Hood
The PS3 features IBM's "Cell" processor and a co-developed Nvidia graphics processor that makes the system able to perform two trillion calculations per second. That makes the PlayStation 3 40 times faster than the PS2. Along with the traditional AV and composite connections, it also boasts an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) port, which delivers uncompressed, unconverted digital picture and sound to compatible high-definition TV and projectors. The system is capable of 128-bit pixel precision and 1080p resolution for a full HD experience. This console also provides for a sound experience by supporting Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, as well as Linear PCM 7.1. A pre-installed 40 GB hard disc drive allows you to save games as well as download content from the internet. Unlike the other models of the PlayStation 3, the 40GB does not offer backwards compatibility. 
PlayStation 3: T
ower of Power
Features a wireless motion-sensitive controller
Eye of Judgment
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction Blu-Ray Is the New Way
Sony's PlayStation 3 games are encoded onto the Blu-Ray disc media format, which can hold six times as much data as traditional DVDs. This increase in capacity, combined with the awesome power of its processor and graphics card, promises mind-blowing games once developers have learned how to fully harness the new console's power. The PS3 will also support CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD+R formats.
Sensational Controller
New gamers intuitively move the controller while playing, even though that movement has traditionally had no relation to what's going on in the game. Sony has picked up on this tendency and is using it to bring a new level of control to the PS3. Inside the controller is a high-precision sixaxis sensing system that accurately detects fine movements in pitch, roll, and yaw, as well as three dimensions of movement. This means that future PS3 games will be controlled by the movements of your hands rather than just your thumbs. For example, you might be able to steer a car by holding the controller like a steering wheel.
While the PS3 controller looks much like its Dual Shock predecessors, it will lack the force-feedback vibration since that would only interfere with the sensing system. It uses Bluetooth 2.0 wireless technology and can support wireless controllers. It's a hot-swappable system, so if your controller is running low on power, just pause your game and connect a USB 2.0 cable. You can continue playing while your controller recharges automatically.
A Slew of New Games
A whole host of game publishers back the PS3. Current and future titles for the system, include The Eye of Judgment, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, Final Fantasy XIII, Metal Gear Solid 4, Devil May Cry 4, Tekken 6, and Heavenly Sword.
Online
Sony has stated that the PS3 will have similar online connectivity and services as the next generation of Xbox Live. Calling it "an always on, always connected device," SCEI's chief technical officer Masa Chatani said the PS3 would be constantly in touch with a "PlayStation World" network "fundamentally based on community, communication commerce, and content." Technically, the infrastructure is there to make that connection. The PS3 supports 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T Ethernet, as well as IEEE 802.11 b/g wireless networking protocols.
Columbia Pictures Spider-Man 3 (Blu-ray)
Your friendly neighborhood web-slinger is back, only this time his sunny outlook has become partially overcast in the third chapter of director Sam Raimi's Spider-Man saga. Astrange black entity from another world bonds with Peter Parker and causes inner turmoil as he contends with new villains, temptations, and revenge.
Package Includes:
Sony Playstation 3 Game System
40GB Hard Drive
Wireless Controller
Power Adapter
USB Cable
A/V Cable
Ethernet Cable
Manuals
by http://geek-seeker.blogspot.com/
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