IT Resource

TestFreaks have launched an Australian-based version of their popular TestFreaks site.

TestFreaks screenshot

TestFreaks is a useful one-stop shop that aggregates expert & user reviews, forum posts, images and technical material about a huge range of computing and entertainment items.

As well as pulling all of this information together, the site also provides aggregated ‘scores’ such as the ’Freak’ score based on a combination of factors such as age of product, age of review, review source etc.

Usage

Product categories can be browsed, with various sort and filter options available to help narrow down product searches.

Selecting a product will pull together and present a wide range of information for you, including links to technical manuals and video reviews. Expert & User reviews and product related forum threads can be viewed all from the one place - with the handy option of showing local reviews only if required.

Products can be selected for comparison against each other, and the site also provides price information based on a number of price feeds.

The site also provides a handy ‘community’ type tool where people can submit and answer questions relating to various categoires.

Opinion

It has to be said that the Aussie version of TestFreaks currently has a fairly small range of categories, but you only have to take a look at the main TestFreaks site to see the huge range they have covered there – so we should expect to see steady growth in the range of products covered in the com.au site.
 
The site is currently in beta-mode and is undergoing regular improvements as a result of user feedback, but the interface is very friendly, clean and easy to use.

Well worth a bookmark for any gadget  and hardware freaks out there (both the com and com.au versions).

TestFreaks

review post by IT Resource

The infamous Microsoft “Blue Screen Of Death”, or BSOD, can of course have many causes, some of which can be fixed up with a reboot. Other BSOD errors may signify a more serious issue related to Drivers, memory or other factors.

Listed below are a few of the most common Error messages that accompany a BSOD, together with explanations of what they may mean.

The error messages take the form of an 8-character hexidecimal code (the last eight characters in the ‘STOP’ message code).

 
STOP: 0×0000000A
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
Indicates that a kernel-mode process or driver attempted to access a memory location it did not have permission to access, or a memory location that exists at a kernel interrupt request level (IRQL) that was too high (a kernel-mode process can only access other processes that have an IRQL that’s equal to or lower than its own).

 
STOP: 0×0000001E
KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
The Windows XP kernel detected an illegal or unknown processor instruction. The problems that cause this error can be either software or hardware related and result from invalid memory and access violations, which are intercepted by the Windows default error handler if error-handling routines are not present in the code  itself.

 
STOP: 0×00000024
NTFS_FILE_SYSTEM
Indicates that a problem occurred within Ntfs.sys, the driver file that allows the system to read and write to drives formatted with the NTFS file system. (A similar Stop message, 0×00000023, exists for the file allocation table [FAT16 or FAT32)] file systems).

 
STOP: 0×00000050
PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
The requested data was not in memory. The system generates an exception error when using a reference to an invalid system memory address. Defective memory (including main memory, L2 RAM cache, video RAM) or incompatible software may cause this error.

 
STOP: 0×0000007B
INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE
Windows XP has lost access to the system partition or boot volume during the startup process. Incorrect device drivers typically cause this error although it can also indicate a possible virus infection.

 
STOP: 0×0000007F
UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP
A hardware problem e.g. resulting from mismatched or defective memory, a malfunctioning CPU, or a fan failure that’s causing overheating.

 
STOP: 0×0000009F
DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE
Indicates that a driver is in an inconsistent or invalid power state. This error typically occurs during events that involve power state transitions, such as shutting down or moving in or out of standby or hibernate mode.

 
STOP: 0×000000D1
DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
The system attempted to access pageable memory using a kernel process IRQL that was too high. Typical cause is a bad device driver (one that uses improper addresses) although it can also be caused by faulty or mismatched RAM or a damaged pagefile.

 
STOP: 0×000000EA
THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER
A device driver problem is causing the system to pause indefinitely. Typically, this problem is caused by a display driver waiting for the video hardware to enter an idle state. This might point to a hardware problem with the video adapter or a faulty video driver.

 
STOP: 0xC0000218
UNKNOWN_HARD_ERROR
A required registry hive file could not be loaded. The file may be corrupt or missing. The registry file may have been corrupted due to hard disk corruption or some other hardware problem. A driver may have corrupted the registry data while loading into memory or the memory where the registry is loading may have a parity error.

 
STOP: 0xC0000221
STATUS_IMAGE_CHECKSUM_MISMATCH
Driver, system file, or disk corruption problems (such as a damaged paging file). Faulty memory hardware can also cause this message to appear.

Intel has announced details of a new generation of chips designed to handle increasingly complex and diverse requirements.

The “multi-core” processor technology, codenamed “Larrabee” will be showcased at an upcoming industry conference in Los Angeles.

By dividing tasks between cores, these multi-core chips will be able to cut energy use and heat while speeding performance, using a type of  parallel processing.

Intel and AMD currently sell chips with two or four “cores,” but the new Intel chips (pencilled for release in 2009 or 2010) will have 16 to 48 cores and will be tailored for handling computer game graphics. The chips will also accomomodate the increasingly complex, ‘multi-tasking’ type approach that see users running many desktop apps at once.

Intel say that the major task for software developers now will be to make full use of the available processing power and multi-threading capabilities. Predicted research breakthroughs include voice recognition software so accurate it could be used to record witness testimony in courtroom proceedings.

Intel expects Larrabee “to kick start an industry-wide effort to create and optimise software for the dozens, hundreds and thousands of cores expected to power future computers.”

Larrabee’s initial foray into the multi-billion dollar computer graphics market will put it in an arena dominated by Nvidia and AMD, which both reportedly plan to market chips with hundreds of cores.

See more at:
http://www.intel.com/pressroom/archive/releases/20080804fact.htm?iid=pr1_releasepri_20080804fact

Acer Australia has recently launched the Aspire One, its first 8.9″ Netbook. Powered by the latest Intel Atom processor, Aspire One is an internet device designed to make online activities fast, simple and convenient.

Aspire One features an 8.9″ CrystalBrite LED backlit display (resolution of 1024×600 pixels), CrystalEye webcam and 802.11b/g WiFi built-in as standard for access to available wireless networks.

Aspire One will be available with Linpus Linux Lite or Windows XP Home, and comes with 512MB or 1GB of memory respectively. There are two alternatives for data storage: a NAND flash module of 8GB or an 80GB internal HDD. In addition the Aspire One reads 5 different types of memory card.

The bundled OneMail application integrates up to five email accounts into one central inbox. Similarly, users can have multiple instant messenger accounts via a single point of access.

Available in a range of colours, the Aspire One has a RRP of $599AUD (linux version).

• Linux version weighs less than 1kg
• Windows XP version weighs 1.1kg
• Up to 3 hours battery life with standard 3-cell battery
• Up to 7 hours battery life with optional 6-cell battery

Australian research scientists have made a radical breakthrough that could dramatically increase the speed of the optical networks at the core of the internet.

The Sydney University based Centre for Ultra-high bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems (CUDOS) team, led by Ben Eggleton, has created a switch embedded in a silicon chip. The chip uses scratches on a glass surface to direct optical traffic at speeds of up to 640 gigabits per second.

Traditionally, switching network traffic means converting it from light into electrical signals and then back again. However, with the massive speeds now used in backbone networks, such an approach is becoming a bottleneck. The new switch opens up the prospect of multi terabit-per-second speeds.

Eggleton says “The switch chip essentially uses one beam of light to control another. The scratches create a photonic circuit that does the job traditionally done by electronics”. The circuit will guide data in much the same way as trains are guided from one track to another.

Just as potentially impressive as the operating speed is the simplicity and potential cheapness of the design. This should eventually allow it to be incorporated into a wide variety of equipment.

The CUDOS team has worked with other researchers at the Australian National University and the Technical University of Denmark on the project. A proof of concept chip is currently under evaluation in Europe.

Find CUDOS here

At the International Supercomputing Conference, AMD today introduced its next-generation stream processor, the AMD FireStream 9250, specifically designed to accelerate critical algorithms in high-performance computing (HPC), mainstream and consumer applications. Leveraging the GPU design expertise of AMD’s Graphics Product Group, AMD FireStream 9250 breaks the one teraflop barrier for single precision performance. It occupies a single PCI slot, for unmatched density and with power consumption of less than 150 watts, the AMD FireStream 9250 delivers an unprecedented rate of performance per watt efficiency with up to eight gigaflops per watt.

Customers can leverage AMD’s latest FireStream offering to run critical workloads such as financial analysis or seismic processing dramatically faster than with CPU alone, helping them to address more complex problems and achieve faster results. For example, developers are reporting up to a 55x performance increase on financial analysis codes as compared to processing on the CPU alone, which supports their efforts to make better and faster decisions. Additionally, the use of flexible GPU technology rather than custom accelerators assists those creating application-specific systems to enhance and maintain their solutions easily.
Read more…

LG has launched a 22in widescreen LCD screen which it claims is the world’s most energy efficient monitor.

The Flatron W2252TE boasts a power draw of just 22W, around 45 per cent lower than the average 40W of similarly sized monitors.

“With the ever increasing time spent by consumers on computers these days, there is a need for products that are more energy efficient,” said Fiona Landsberg, marketing manager for LG.

“We are committed to expanding our ‘green’ monitor portfolio with products that either equal or better the energy saving provided by the W2252TE.”

The screen offers a 1,680 x 1,050 resolution, 170-degree viewing angle, 250 cd brightness and a 2ms response time.

The W2252TE is expected to hit the shelves in August, but pricing details are yet not available.

NEC has unveiled a portfolio of fault-tolerant servers, the Express5800/320Fd-MR mid-range server and the Express5800/320Fd-LR entry-level server.

The firm said that the products offer improved processing power and maintainability and are designed to simplify server consolidation by supporting virtual operating systems for the first time.

NEC’s fault-tolerant servers feature dual modular hardware redundancy. The main hardware components, including CPU and memory, are replicated to run in ‘lockstep’ in which the two redundant modules process the same instructions at the same time.
Read more…

WD today launched its new line of WD Caviar Black 7200 RPM 3.5-inch SATA (Serial ATA) hard drives for high-performance desktop, workstation and multi-drive systems. Available in capacities of 750GB and 1TB, WD Caviar Black hard drives are part of a new family of WD product categories designed to simplify the buying experience for customers worldwide.

WD was the first company to introduce a hard drive, optimized for low power consumption, using GreenPower technology, and is raising the bar for the high performance desktop market with WD Caviar Black. “WD Caviar Black hard drives offer the highest capacity and performance in a desktop class drive available on the market today enabling users to maximize the features and functionality of power computing applications such as multimedia, video and photo editing,” said Don Bennett, WD vice president and general manager of desktop storage. “Selection of a WD Caviar Black drive ensures WD customers receive the best WD has to offer in terms of features, performance and reliability.”
Read more…

ASUS recently announced the worldwide availability of ASUS EzLink Displays that will include the new ASUS VW223B and VW202B LCD monitors. This new series will allow users to transfer digital video signals from a PC to one or more LCD monitors via a USB 2.0 interface – providing great flexibility for multi-screen applications.

Easy and Fast Expansion with EzLink Technology
Traditionally, to utilize multi-monitor computing would mean to rely on the support of extra graphic cards, detailed installation knowledge and extra time – making it too complicated for general users to fulfill their multi-tasking needs. ASUS’ EzLink Technology makes innovative use of existing USB interfaces to easily spread out the vision and screenspace of multiple monitors for a better viewing experience compared to just VGA; and also helps businesses defray their overheads. After only installing the EzLink driver once, users can expand almost any PC with ASUS EzLink Displays. Content can then be automatically moved back to the main screen or notebook display when the USB cable is disconnected. Monitors also return to previous configurations after reconnections – lowering the complexity of adding more monitors.
Read more…

HP today introduced its new color-critical computer professional display, available for less than a quarter of the cost of competing offerings.

The HP DreamColor Display features a new liquid crystal display (LCD) that provides a range of more than 1 billion colors in a 30-bit, LED-backlit display. The display is now shipping worldwide for a U.S. list price of $3,499.(1)

The display is the result of an unprecedented technology collaboration with DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (NYSE: DWA) and addresses an increasingly critical need for affordable and consistent color accuracy in the animation, game development, film/video post, broadcast, product design and graphic arts categories.
Read more…

ASUS, a leading name in high quality computer components and solutions, announces the world’s first HDMI 1.3a compliant audio/video enhancement combo card – the Xonar HDAV1.3. Capable of outputting uncompressed multichannel high definition audio from Blu-ray movies, the Xonar HDAV 1.3 also enhances video with an onboard Splendid HD processor – providing ultimate multimedia enjoyment.

  
Read more…

Addressing customer demand for higher performing, uni-processor x86 solutions, AMD today introduced three new Quad-Core AMD Opteron 1300 Series processors for one-socket servers and workstations. Global tier-one OEMs including HP and Dell plan to incorporate the new processors into upcoming platforms, and global supercomputer leader Cray is now shipping Quad-Core AMD Opteron 1300 Series processor-based Cray XT4 systems and upgrading some of the world’s fastest supercomputers to incorporate Quad-Core AMD Opteron 1300 Series processors.

“AMD is committed to helping commercial customers who rely on 1P server and workstation solutions to take advantage of the same enterprise-class performance and energy-efficiency that power the largest global businesses,” said Patrick Patla, director, Server and Workstation Business, AMD. “From entry-level servers and complex workstation environments to some of the largest supercomputers in the world, the new Quad-Core AMD Opteron 1300 Series processors are designed to address the key customer priorities of performance, performance-per-watt and performance-per-dollar.”
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To meet the growing demand for higher-capacity, more efficient enterprise storage systems, Seagate today introduced the Savvio 10K.3 hard drive – the world’s highest-capacity, small form factor 2.5-inch enterprise hard drive built for the demands of enterprise servers and storage arrays. This latest generation of 2.5-inch drive offers 70% lower power and greater than 60% performance density over traditional 3.5-inch drives.

As the only 10K-rpm 2.5-inch enterprise design backed by two prior generations of field-proven reliability, the Savvio 10K.3 drive leads the industry with 300GB of capacity, reliability of 1.6 million hours MTBF, and an advanced SAS 2.0 (6Gb/sec data rate) interface. Seagate’s Savvio 10K.3 drive is also the industry’s first 2.5-inch self-encrypting enterprise drive with government-grade Full Disk Encryption (FDE) data protection.

“The combination of higher capacity and 6Gb SAS on an enterprise-class small form factor disk drive, like the Savvio 10K.3 drive, continues to entice the industry to move from 3.5-inch to 2.5-inch based solutions for use in enterprise storage systems and arrays,” said Dave Reinsel, vice president of Storage Research at IDC. “IDC predicts that shipments of small form factor enterprise drives into enterprise solutions will outnumber 3.5-inch enterprise drive shipments by 2010.”
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BFG Technologies, Inc., the leading North American and European supplier of advanced NVIDIA-based 3D graphics cards, power supplies and other PC enthusiast products, announced today the BFG GeForce 8800GT OCX and BFG GeForce 9600GT OCX 512MB PCI Express 2.0 graphics cards.

Each new OCX edition features the highest stable clock speeds and a ThermoIntelligence custom cooling solution. The custom fansink enables the graphics processing unit (GPU) to operate up to 18° C and 30° C cooler than the stock 9600GT and 8800GT, respectively.

“Our new custom ThermoIntelligence fansink provides dramatic improvement to the GPU cooling for both of these new high-performance graphics cards”, said John Malley, senior director of marketing for BFG Technologies. “With screaming-fast OCX-level clock speeds and amazing thermal performance in a quiet dual-slot design, these new graphics cards provide end users with maximum performance and minimum heat—all backed by our famous lifetime warranty and 24/7/365 expert tech support.”
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