Stephen Dougherty | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Thu, 15 Aug 2013 07:33:14 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png Stephen Dougherty | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Android has never looked stronger https://www.kitguru.net/channel/stephen-dougherty/android-has-never-looked-stronger/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/stephen-dougherty/android-has-never-looked-stronger/#comments Thu, 15 Aug 2013 09:00:40 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=147806 The battle for smartphone and tablet sales is never ending. With the news this week that Blackberry may be about to give up completely we take a quick look at the overall marketplace. The Blackberry handset is still selling as well as Apple did when they launched their App store, but the market has changed …

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The battle for smartphone and tablet sales is never ending. With the news this week that Blackberry may be about to give up completely we take a quick look at the overall marketplace.

The Blackberry handset is still selling as well as Apple did when they launched their App store, but the market has changed in the preceding years. The Financial Times have even said that ‘Mindshare among consumers and developers is all. On that measure, BlackBerry lost a long time ago.' It is a difficult case to pose a counter argument.

Microsoft have experienced some success with their latest Windows Phone 8 platform, and I have to admit it is really good. The problems which niggle many people on a desktop platform, all start to make sense with a smartphone. Windows 8 is easy to navigate, quick to respond and the store is steadily growing. Microsoft however still only have 4 percent of the overall market.

The Apple iPhone has dropped to around 13 percent marketshare. This is not a major concern for Apple right now however, they have been at this level before, just as a new version of the smartphone is due for release.
android-wallpaper-hd

When we look at Android however, it is hard not to be impressed. Samsung have shipped more than twice as many handsets as their US rival in the most recent quarter, according to IDC. Apple may also be about to hand over their lead in application downloads too. Research has shown that Android users will not download as many applications as an iOS user, but there are more of them now and the lead is set to change. Developers want to target the biggest market, so we may see a shift in this regard also.

That said, Apple have an edge in regards to the money that developers can earn via their mobile platform. With iOS7 due for release soon, they may hold their own in the next 12 months.

Apple have a high profit level on the iPhone which is helping them maintain healthy figures. Apple plan on releasing a low cost iPhone to target emerging markets which poses a little problem. If this handset sells a high volume of units and other people feel it is ‘good enough for them too', then their profit margins will start to slip. More and more Android handsets are being released at various price points, so the challenge seems to be ever growing.

Kitguru says: There is no doubt about it, the next 12 months are going to be critical for Tim Cook and the Apple team.

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P-MOB Electric car travels 20km on solar power https://www.kitguru.net/channel/stephen-dougherty/p-mob-electric-car-travels-20km-on-solar-power/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/stephen-dougherty/p-mob-electric-car-travels-20km-on-solar-power/#respond Wed, 14 Aug 2013 14:22:49 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=147615 As the planet slowly runs out of resources, the move to other means of power is inevitable. P-MOB have created a tiny two seater car that is able to run completely on electricity, from clean sources. The P-MOB project is funded by the European Commission. The P-MOB car can charge its battery to a usable level …

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As the planet slowly runs out of resources, the move to other means of power is inevitable. P-MOB have created a tiny two seater car that is able to run completely on electricity, from clean sources. The P-MOB project is funded by the European Commission.

The P-MOB car can charge its battery to a usable level simply by using integrated solar cells. It is ideal for short distance runs on a daily basis, but will struggle to cope with a longer trip.

The car only weighs 600kg without the battery pack installed, using a kinetic energy system when braking. The company say it is 30 percent more aerodynamic than other cars in the same class.

The design is based around two motors and two differentials, one of which is assigned to each axle, giving it four wheel drive. The maximum speed is rated to 62 mph, more than fast enough for those short trips.
p-mob

The car uses mono crystalline solar cells, managed by a self adapting control system which compensates for shadows falling on part of the photovoltaic panel, or for malfunctioning individual cells.

If needed, the battery can be charged by simple mains power and can supply excess solar power back to the grid, once its fully charged.

The car underwent some testing in Italy and managed to last 12 miles (20 km) using power generated by the solar cells alone. No plans have been released that this car will be commercially released.

You can read more about this, over here.

Kitguru says: The demand for solar powered devices will get stronger every year.

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LG release retro TV with old fashioned dials https://www.kitguru.net/channel/stephen-dougherty/lg-release-retro-tv-with-old-fashioned-dials/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/stephen-dougherty/lg-release-retro-tv-with-old-fashioned-dials/#comments Tue, 13 Aug 2013 07:03:34 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=147304 Our younger readers may never have seen an old television set with ‘dials', but LG are attempting to hit the nostalia button by releasing a new television with several of them next to the screen. Their retro classic TV, model 32LN630R features a creamy white fascia with volume and channel knobs at the right. LG …

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Our younger readers may never have seen an old television set with ‘dials', but LG are attempting to hit the nostalia button by releasing a new television with several of them next to the screen.

Their retro classic TV, model 32LN630R features a creamy white fascia with volume and channel knobs at the right.

LG say the television set is a nod back to the designs of the 1970's with an emphasis on simplicity and modernity (is that even a word?). Thankfully they didn't decide to opt for a cathode ray tube as the size and weight would have alienated a lot of people.
classic-model-tv-0

Inside, there is a true HD (1920×1080) LED panel, with a 178 degree viewing angle. It can also accept USB external hard drives and has Mobile High Definition (MHL) for connecting to a smartphone.

It will sell for around $750 and the company are throwing in a free coffee maker as a bonus.

Kitguru says: We don't think this will prove that popular, but we could be wrong!

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2nd gen iPad Mini references found in iOS7 code https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/stephen-dougherty/2nd-gen-ipad-mini-references-found-in-ios7-code/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/stephen-dougherty/2nd-gen-ipad-mini-references-found-in-ios7-code/#respond Thu, 01 Aug 2013 08:20:06 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=145449 The Apple iPad Mini refresh shouldn't be that long away and some recent discovered code was found in the newest beta of iOS 7. It looks as if there will be three revisions of the second generation iPad Mini. The iPad 2.8, iPad 2.9 and iPad 2.10, with respective numbers J75, J76 and J77. Based …

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The Apple iPad Mini refresh shouldn't be that long away and some recent discovered code was found in the newest beta of iOS 7.

It looks as if there will be three revisions of the second generation iPad Mini. The iPad 2.8, iPad 2.9 and iPad 2.10, with respective numbers J75, J76 and J77. Based on information we already know the part numbers point to an iPad Mini with Wi-Fi only and two more with carrier backed wireless radios. The existing iPad Mini has iPad ‘2.5', iPad ‘2.6', and iPad ‘2.7' codes.

The internals seem to have been changed, as the processor is marked now with a platform code of S518950x – the A6 chip which is used in the iPhone 5. This new addition should help the Mini tablet to perform better generally when compared against the A5 chip in the current revision.
ipad mini

The millions of people waiting on a retina powered model may be crying into their cornflakes as the indicators show the same panel will be used for this revision. Of course this is not set in stone as Apple are known to test things before going to market. It may be possible due to demand that they will wait on a mass production of Retina panels just for this model.

Kitguru says: Are you waiting on a Retina equipped iPad Mini?

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Google confirms today’s launch of Google Drive cloud storage service https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/online/stephen-dougherty/google-confirms-drive-cloud-service-will-launch-today/ Wed, 25 Apr 2012 08:41:47 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=89011 Google's Drive cloud service has just been officially launched which gives up to 5GBs of free cloud storage and an array of helpful sharing and collaboration features. However, while Google's fresh blog posting makes it clear today is the official introduction, it is yet to allow for new sign-ups via the official Google Drive website. …

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Google's Drive cloud service has just been officially launched which gives up to 5GBs of free cloud storage and an array of helpful sharing and collaboration features. However, while Google's fresh blog posting makes it clear today is the official introduction, it is yet to allow for new sign-ups via the official Google Drive website. We presume the gate to its cloud service will be opened within the next 5-7 hours for all and sundry.

Today, we’re introducing Google Drive—a place where you can create, share, collaborate, and keep all of your stuff. Whether you’re working with a friend on a joint research project, planning a wedding with your fiancé or tracking a budget with roommates, you can do it in Drive. You can upload and access all of your files, including videos, photos, Google Docs, PDFs and beyond.”

The new service will be available for Windows, OS X and Android straight out the gate, with iOS software support “coming soon”. The 5GBs of free storage can be supplemented via monthly payments, with 25GB costing US $2.49 a month and 100GB at US $4.99 a month. There's also the option to shell out US $49.99 for a beefy terabyte of capacity.

Google Drive will be a lot more than just a basic form of cloud storage however, as detailed via Google's official blog posting :-

Create and collaborate. Google Docs is built right into Google Drive, so you can work with others in real time on documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Once you choose to share content with others, you can add and reply to comments on anything (PDF, image, video file, etc.) and receive notifications when other people comment on shared items.

Store everything safely and access it anywhere (especially while on the go). All your stuff is just… there. You can access your stuff from anywhere—on the web, in your home, at the office, while running errands and from all of your devices. You can install Drive on your Mac or PC and can download the Drive app to your Android phone or tablet. We’re also working hard on a Drive app for your iOS devices. And regardless of platform, blind users can access Drive with a screen reader.

Search everything. Search

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Stat Counter finds that 1366 x 768 is now the #1 choice https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/monitors/stephen-dougherty/stat-counter-finds-that-1366-x-768-is-now-the-1-choice/ https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/monitors/stephen-dougherty/stat-counter-finds-that-1366-x-768-is-now-the-1-choice/#comments Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:21:08 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=87070 For many years now 1024 x 768 has remained the most popular computer screen resolution with website developers always needing to ensure that the sites they're working on will accomodate that resolution first and foremost. However, the latest statistics shared out by StatCounter show that this oldschool 4:3 aspect resolution is no longer the dominant …

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For many years now 1024 x 768 has remained the most popular computer screen resolution with website developers always needing to ensure that the sites they're working on will accomodate that resolution first and foremost.

However, the latest statistics shared out by StatCounter show that this oldschool 4:3 aspect resolution is no longer the dominant resolution in the computing realm with 1366 x 768 having now taken over.

Meanwhile, the resolutions that enthusiasts and gamers more commonly use these days still have only single digit market-share with 1920 x 1080 and 1680 x 1050 being under 5% each.

It is most probable that the reason for the 1366 x 768 resolution to have taken first place is due to highly accelerated sales growth in the notebook market over recent years as well as the resolution being a popular choice for entry-level PC monitor buyers.

There's an interactive screen resolution stats graph located here, while StatCounter's official press release that was issued out as a screen resolution alert for Web Devs can be read here.

KitGuru says: It's hard to believe after so many years that 1024 has remained the primary resolution used, but then we aren't your average Joes in this space. With that said, certainly the 1366 rise makes sense when looking at how many low budget notebooks are out there running that resolution natively these days.

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Apple readying up Ivy Bridge powered 2012 MacBook Pro range? https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/stephen-dougherty/apple-readying-up-ivy-bridge-powered-2012-macbook-pro-range/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/stephen-dougherty/apple-readying-up-ivy-bridge-powered-2012-macbook-pro-range/#comments Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:27:53 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=86870 It has been determined via several retailers that shipments of 2011 model 15-inch MacBook Pros are slowing down including variants that are based on higher processor clock speeds, which is indicative that Apple is lowering production in preparation for the new 2012 model roll-out. It's not uncommon that we see Apple adopting new technologies relatively …

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It has been determined via several retailers that shipments of 2011 model 15-inch MacBook Pros are slowing down including variants that are based on higher processor clock speeds, which is indicative that Apple is lowering production in preparation for the new 2012 model roll-out.

It's not uncommon that we see Apple adopting new technologies relatively early on and as we all know, Intel has its 22nm “Ivy Bridge” processors on standby for a very near launch. It is being reported that the new MacBook Pro launch is imminent and could potentially happen as early as this month.

With Apple typically being a Fort Knox of retained information we're still left fishing for info on the new MacBook Pro range, but a number of previous reports have indicated that they will closely resemble Apple's ultra-slim MacBook Airs.

It's being rumoured that the new MacBook Pro could be powered by Intel's Ivy Bridge based Core i7-3820QM or Core i7-3720QM quad-core processors which have integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics, and with options also available for discrete graphics.

KitGuru says: The above leaked picture holds little weight in terms of authenticity, but with 13, 15 and 17-inch models on the cards we have to wonder with that little tacker on the far left if there's an 11-inch Pro coming as well.

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Capcom announces development on Lost Planet 3 https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/stephen-dougherty/capcom-announces-development-on-lost-planet-3/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/stephen-dougherty/capcom-announces-development-on-lost-planet-3/#respond Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:59:36 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=86838 Following its recent “Captivate” event in which it has since continued to share out details of its current and upcoming projects, Capcom has announced that it is well into development on the third installment of the Lost Planet third-person shooter franchise. Lost Planet 3 is positioned as a prequel to the previous two games. Here's …

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Following its recent “Captivate” event in which it has since continued to share out details of its current and upcoming projects, Capcom has announced that it is well into development on the third installment of the Lost Planet third-person shooter franchise.

Lost Planet 3 is positioned as a prequel to the previous two games. Here's a brief description of the story in the third title courtesy of Capcom :-

Lost Planet 3 introduces Jim, a rig pilot who leaves Earth to take on a hazardous but lucrative contract on E.D.N. III. Working for Neo-Venus Construction (NEVEC) who are preparing the planet for colonization, Jim joins his fellow pioneers at the Coronis base and begins surveying the uncharted terrain and obtaining samples of the planet’s energy supply – Thermal Energy.”

With the third game's development being handed over to U.S. based Spark Unlimited who were behind games including Call of Duty: Finest Hour, Turning Point: Fall of Liberty and Legendary, Capcom's MT Framework 2.0 engine has been dropped in favour of Unreal Engine 3 this time around.

Thanks to a blog posting from Capcom directly we have several in-game screenshots to check out (a few seen above, the rest here) along with the first cinematic trailer which you can watch here :-

Capcom also shared the following key details of the game in its blog posting :-

Return to extreme conditions – Taking the series back to its roots Lost Planet 3 returns to E.D.N. III, delivering a dynamic battle field that’s more dangerous than ever before with an ever changing climate that will affect the way you play

Brave the terrifying – Play as blue collar worker Jim, risking assignments in treacherous conditions to earn his hazard pay and return home to his family

Home away from home – Protect yourself from hostile Akrid and the unpredictable ice storms on E.D.N. III with your utility rig. Equipped with an assortment of tools you’ll need to learn to use the rig to your advantage in order to survive

Gameplay Variety – Offering a mix of first person combat in the rig and third person gunplay on foot

Intense, cinematic experience –Developed with the Unreal Engine 3, Lost Planet 3 presents a visually stunning and unique terrain that impacts the gameplay

Killer enemies – The Akrid are back, bigger and angrier and demanding a more tactical approach during combat

Reveal the hidden truths of E.D.N. III – The uncharted world has many secrets locked away. Jim’ search for T-Energy will ultimately reveal further mysteries

Lonely Planet? – Lost Planet 3 will support a full set of multiplayer modes that enhance players experience of the Lost Planet world

The game is scheduled for launch in early 2013 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

KitGuru says: The trailer's well worth a look. Let's hope Spark Unlimited can put the Spark back into the series after a not so well regarded sequel.

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Nokia’s Lumia 900 now up for pre-order in the UK https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/stephen-dougherty/nokias-lumia-900-now-up-for-pre-order-in-the-uk/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/stephen-dougherty/nokias-lumia-900-now-up-for-pre-order-in-the-uk/#comments Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:24:47 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=86710 It's been discovered that Nokia's Lumia 900 is now available for pre-order in the UK as of today with availability expected to be “in the coming weeks”. It is possible to place your pre-order through Phones4U or Carphone Warehouse. While Nokia still hasn't committed to a specific time of release, Phones4U is promising handsets from …

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It's been discovered that Nokia's Lumia 900 is now available for pre-order in the UK as of today with availability expected to be “in the coming weeks”. It is possible to place your pre-order through Phones4U or Carphone Warehouse.

While Nokia still hasn't committed to a specific time of release, Phones4U is promising handsets from April 27th where Carphone Warehouse is playing it safe with availability said to be in May.

The UK version of this 4.3-inch Windows 7.5-running handset doesn't differ much to the recently released U.S. model apart from the loss of LTE connectivity in replacement for HDPA+.

Where Carphone Warehouse is merely offering a pre-registration page at this time, Phones4U is dressing things up for the launch in taking pre-orders for the black or white Lumia 900, and if it's the white one you opt for, the deal is enhanced with a bundled Play 360 Bluetooth speaker at no additional cost.

KitGuru says: Not unlike the case with its white Lumia 710 and 800 handsets, the white 900 will also be an exclusive for Phones4U across the UK retail chain.

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Lenovo teases IdeaPad S2109 9.7-inch ICS tablet https://www.kitguru.net/channel/stephen-dougherty/lenovo-teases-ideapad-s2109-9-7-inch-ics-tablet/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/stephen-dougherty/lenovo-teases-ideapad-s2109-9-7-inch-ics-tablet/#respond Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:55:55 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=86700 Lenovo has teased one of its upcoming tablets via a YouTube video, the IdeaPad S2109 which runs Android 4.0 ICS and sports a 9.7-inch display. The video gives a good look at the tablet which is just 8.9mm thick and uses an alluring gunmetal unibody case. The 9.7-inch display equals the first and second-gen iPad …

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Lenovo has teased one of its upcoming tablets via a YouTube video, the IdeaPad S2109 which runs Android 4.0 ICS and sports a 9.7-inch display. The video gives a good look at the tablet which is just 8.9mm thick and uses an alluring gunmetal unibody case.

The 9.7-inch display equals the first and second-gen iPad with its 1024×768 resolution screen. The tablet's connectivity includes a micro-HDMI port, micro-SD slot for expandable memory and a micro-USB port. There's a 1.3MP front-facing shooter, but sadly no camera on the rear.

One other feature of this tablet that's a bit of a standout is the inclusion of four SRS TruMedia-branded speakers in the back of the device. Lenovo claims the S2109's battery life to reach 10 hours which isn't too shabby, but we're yet to ascertain which SoC this tablet houses or other specs like its internal memory capacity etc.

We're still waiting on a price or when it'll launch. In the meantime you can check out the video above to get a better taste of this 9.7-inch Ice Cream Sandwich dressed slate.

KitGuru says: Given the recent price drops on the iPad 2, one would hope the S2109 will nestle in at a slightly lower price point to really gain market attraction. Also don't forget Lenovo's own IdeaTab S2 that was just recently announced – slightly larger at 10.1-inches sporting Qualcomm's new S4 MSM8960.

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More info leaks out on NVIDIA’s dual-GPU GTX 690 https://www.kitguru.net/components/stephen-dougherty/more-info-leaks-out-on-nvidias-dual-gpu-gtx-690/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/stephen-dougherty/more-info-leaks-out-on-nvidias-dual-gpu-gtx-690/#respond Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:41:03 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=86692 A leak through Chinese channels not only further engrains previous confirmation that NVIDIA has a dual-GPU based GeForce GTX 690 in the works, but also lets a few more details out the bag on the specs front. This upcoming dual-GPU wielding weapon will be based on the 28nm GK104 silicon and is said to require …

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A leak through Chinese channels not only further engrains previous confirmation that NVIDIA has a dual-GPU based GeForce GTX 690 in the works, but also lets a few more details out the bag on the specs front.

This upcoming dual-GPU wielding weapon will be based on the 28nm GK104 silicon and is said to require juice from two 8-pin PCIe power connectors. The card will harness a PCI-E 3.0-compliant bridge chip and its display output configuration will comprise three DVI and one DisplayPort.

Certainly, the biggest concern for many will be the power draw, but given the kinds of people that are serious about laying down big dollars for the top tier models like these, it won't strike potential buyers as anything outrageous.

Apparently NVIDIA is setting the PSU requirement for the GeForce GTX 690 to be a minimum of 650W. If anything, seems a little lowly? Odds are most people buying one of these cards will already have the funds (if not already own) a high quality 750W+ power supply to ensure stability won't be an issue.

It can also be expected that the GTX 680's complete feature set will be in place with the GTX 690.

KitGuru says: We're yet to obtain the real juicy details including core config, memory amount, speeds etc. – It has been determined that NVIDIA will be timing the launch of its next dual-GPU card to strike soon after AMD's HD 7990 comes out to play.

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DDR3-3000+ speeds reached in Quad Channel config https://www.kitguru.net/components/stephen-dougherty/ddr3-3000-speeds-reached-in-quad-channel-config/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/stephen-dougherty/ddr3-3000-speeds-reached-in-quad-channel-config/#comments Thu, 05 Apr 2012 13:25:57 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=85938 The always challenging memory overclocking segment has just witnessed another push to heights not reached previously; this time in terms of quad channel setups. Just last month we saw G.Skill and GIGABYTE reach for the stars, and by George did they ever, achieving a staggering 3736MHz on AMD's dual channel Llano platform. Taking another good …

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The always challenging memory overclocking segment has just witnessed another push to heights not reached previously; this time in terms of quad channel setups.

Just last month we saw G.Skill and GIGABYTE reach for the stars, and by George did they ever, achieving a staggering 3736MHz on AMD's dual channel Llano platform.

Taking another good crack at jumping into the limelight once again with a Core i7-3770K “Ivy Bridge” processor and GIGABYTE Z77X-UD5H motherboard, renowned Chinese overclocker Coolaler suited the platform up with four 4GB G.Skill DDR3-2600 MHz modules and went to town while remaining confined to air cooling measures.

Amazingly, the 3000MHz barrier was smashed and Coolaler continued to climb, settling for 3077MHz in the end with latencies of 11-14-14-35 2T. A remarkable feat indeed! – You can watch the event unfold in the 8 minute video below :-

KitGuru says: A pretty staggering result considering it was all done with nothing more than traditional air cooling. Makes you wonder just how far he could have gone if using more extreme cooling measures.

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Motorola’s RAZR Maxx coming to Europe next month https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/stephen-dougherty/motorolas-razr-maxx-coming-to-europe-next-month/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/stephen-dougherty/motorolas-razr-maxx-coming-to-europe-next-month/#respond Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:43:23 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=85641 Motorola is finally bringing the Droid RAZR Maxx to Europe following the phone's launch through Verizon in the states over two months ago. Minus the Droid branding and LTE radio it is much the same deal with its Super AMOLED 4.3-inch display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM and a chunky 3,300mAh battery in select markets …

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Motorola is finally bringing the Droid RAZR Maxx to Europe following the phone's launch through Verizon in the states over two months ago. Minus the Droid branding and LTE radio it is much the same deal with its Super AMOLED 4.3-inch display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM and a chunky 3,300mAh battery in select markets across Europe and the Middle East.

It is not clear which version of Android the phone will ship with in this part of the globe, but it is more likely to still be running Gingerbread not unlike the U.S. release. With that said, it's expected at some point in the not too distant future an update to ICS will become available.

Despite the larger battery the phone remains at a pretty sleek 8.99mm width, yet thanks to the extra power on tap you should be good to go for up to 17.6 hrs of talktime over a 3G network or over 16 hours of video playback.

The phone is said to be arriving across Europe and the Middle East sometime next month.

KitGuru says: That's some super impressive battery life. For many this will inevitably be the phone's main selling point, but Moto could have sold a lot more units had it launched the phone globally at the same time as it did in the U.S. – By the time it becomes available next month it will be battling it out with many other attractive alternatives.

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ioS 5.1 Jailbreak for A5+ devices will take a while https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/stephen-dougherty/ios-5-1-jailbreak-for-a5-devices-will-take-a-while/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/stephen-dougherty/ios-5-1-jailbreak-for-a5-devices-will-take-a-while/#respond Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:25:12 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=85253 If you're eagerly awaiting the arrival of a jailbreak for your iOS 5.1-running A5+ powered device including the iPad 3 you could still be waiting a fair while, as indicated by French hacker Joshua Hill, otherwise going by the name of Pod2g as per his Twitter handle. It would seem that following the same question …

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If you're eagerly awaiting the arrival of a jailbreak for your iOS 5.1-running A5+ powered device including the iPad 3 you could still be waiting a fair while, as indicated by French hacker Joshua Hill, otherwise going by the name of Pod2g as per his Twitter handle.

It would seem that following the same question being asked over and over from all angles (that being, “when's it ready?!?), Joshua has had to make it clear via a tweet that this one won't be easy and there's still much to be done before a release date can be ascertained. Here's what he said word for word :-

Following that in amongst subsequent tweets he went on to say, “but right now we (cdev) have some pieces of a userland jailbreak, but we miss some, and even if we had them all, there's weeks of work to put them all together in a public ready tool.

KitGuru says: It'll inevitably get released to the masses at some point in the near future. Nothing's too difficult in today's hacking world – just a case of being patient.

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Rovio acquires Futuremark Games Studio https://www.kitguru.net/channel/stephen-dougherty/rovio-acquires-futuremark-games-studio/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/stephen-dougherty/rovio-acquires-futuremark-games-studio/#comments Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:02:45 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=84660 Following its first swallow-up in June of last year when it acquired Kombo Animation Studio, Angry Birds creator Rovio has just aimed its slingshot and hit dead on at an even bigger target – none other than Futuremark's “Games Studio” division. A formal announcement has been given on Rovio's website about this acquisition, occuring promptly …

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Following its first swallow-up in June of last year when it acquired Kombo Animation Studio, Angry Birds creator Rovio has just aimed its slingshot and hit dead on at an even bigger target – none other than Futuremark's “Games Studio” division.

A formal announcement has been given on Rovio's website about this acquisition, occuring promptly after its well received launch of the new Angry Birds Space title for iOS, Android, Mac and PC along with a kaboodle of merchandising and books etc.

Funnily enough, when reflecting on Futuremark Games Studio's creations of the past, in particular Shattered Horizon, it too features zero-gravity physics not unlike the latest Angry Birds instalment.

While it's not certain as yet how exactly Rovio intends to harness the additional power of having Futuremark Games Studio as part of its continuing software creation arsenal, Futuremark has stated that its main focus will remain on providing the ultimate in game benchmarking software with the next version of 3DMark to appear before the year is out with cross-platform support across a range of form factors (including Windows 8 powered tablets). A new version of PCMark for Windows 8 will also be outed this year.

KitGuru says: No mention has been made about the cost of this acquisition, but whatever it was Rovio obviously have a plan to leverage off it in spades and give us something particularly sweet (Angry Birds in 3D?) to soak up more of our hours on gaming addiction in the months/years to come.

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No Core i3-branded mobile Ivy Bridge parts at launch https://www.kitguru.net/components/stephen-dougherty/no-core-i3-branded-mobile-ivy-bridge-parts-at-launch/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/stephen-dougherty/no-core-i3-branded-mobile-ivy-bridge-parts-at-launch/#respond Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:36:01 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=84652 After many months of Ivy Bridge talk and still another month or so to go before its supposed launch date, it's been discovered that there doesn't appear to be any Core i3 models coming out for notebooks; rather, Ivy Bridge mobile parts will be confined to Intel's Core i7, Core i5 or Celeron series; at …

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After many months of Ivy Bridge talk and still another month or so to go before its supposed launch date, it's been discovered that there doesn't appear to be any Core i3 models coming out for notebooks; rather, Ivy Bridge mobile parts will be confined to Intel's Core i7, Core i5 or Celeron series; at least at launch.

When looking at the lowest end of the mobile Ivy Bridge spectrum, being ULV 17W parts and shifting all the way up through standard voltage and performance 35W, 45W and 55W parts, none of these enter the Core i3 family with the leading 17W ultra-low voltage part being the Core i7 3667U with a 2.0GHz core clock rate (3.2GHz Turbo), 4MB cache, four threads and HD 4000 graphics.

Maintaining focus on Intel's latest roadmap for its ULV Ivy Bridge mobile lineup, you also have the 17W Core i5 3427M nestled in the middle; a 1.8GHz running part (2.8GHz Turbo) with four threads, 3MB cache and Intel HD 4000 graphics. The Celeron 877 comes next with a 1.5GHz core clock, two cores/two threads, 2MB cache, Intel HD graphics and DDR3 1333 support, also with a 17W TDP rating.

The same holds true for the standard voltage and performance roadmaps with no Core i3 processor(s) in sight.

KitGuru says: The end for Core i3-powered notebooks? Doubtful, but possible. For whatever reason Intel has refrained at launch, but we'll likely be seeing Core i3 branded Ivy Bridge variants in the months to come.

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AMD prepares US $65 A4-3420 FM1 APU for retail https://www.kitguru.net/components/stephen-dougherty/amd-prepares-us-65-a4-3420-fm1-apu-for-retail/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/stephen-dougherty/amd-prepares-us-65-a4-3420-fm1-apu-for-retail/#comments Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:07:58 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=83130 Another value oriented Socket FM1 APU from AMD will hit the retail channel soon after having been confined to OEMs since its inception in January. The A4-3420 uses two x86-64 cores clocked at 2.8GHz with 512KB of L2 cache per core. Its integrated GPU power comes in the form of Radeon HD 6410D graphics with …

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Another value oriented Socket FM1 APU from AMD will hit the retail channel soon after having been confined to OEMs since its inception in January.

The A4-3420 uses two x86-64 cores clocked at 2.8GHz with 512KB of L2 cache per core. Its integrated GPU power comes in the form of Radeon HD 6410D graphics with 160 stream processors and a 600MHz core clock.

The APU's integrated memory controller supports dual-channel DDR3-1600MHz memory and a PCI-E 2.0 root hub for discrete graphics options.

In all, the A4-3420 is basically a small leap over the A4-3400 with its higher 100MHz core clock and GPU clock rates while retaining a 65W TDP. This APU is expected to start selling at a price point of US $65 with availability before Trinity's launch (May/June).

KitGuru says: With Trinity just around the corner it's doubtful releasing another FM1 socket APU into the retail channel will net AMD any major benefit; with the exception of real budget minded PC builders jumping all over this as the $65 price tag seems pretty slick considering you get a processor and decent GPU in one.

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Silent updates coming for Mozilla’s Firefox https://www.kitguru.net/channel/stephen-dougherty/silent-updates-coming-for-mozillas-firefox/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/stephen-dougherty/silent-updates-coming-for-mozillas-firefox/#comments Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:47:43 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=83122 Hallelujah! After seeing a whopping seven major release updates from Mozilla with its Firefox web browser in under a year, the team have finally announced an upcoming feature many of us were were only hoping they'd have rolled in before the version madness continued to accelerate – silent automated updates! Right up 'till now the …

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Hallelujah! After seeing a whopping seven major release updates from Mozilla with its Firefox web browser in under a year, the team have finally announced an upcoming feature many of us were were only hoping they'd have rolled in before the version madness continued to accelerate – silent automated updates!

Right up 'till now the only way to stay up to date with Mozilla's web browser was to manually run through their age old manual install process which certainly gets quite tiresome when updates arrive almost every six weeks.

Thankfully Mozilla has stated that this will come to a stop when it introduces Firefox 13 to us later this year :-

To cater to update fatigue, updates will now be downloaded and installed silently in the background. It means that startup and shutdown of the web browser won’t be affected by installation routines. Additionally, the What’s New page displayed after an update can now be displayed depending if there is important information needed to be displayed to the end user. Silent updates are currently planned to land in Firefox 13. “

KitGuru says: Way to go Mozilla – times they are always a'changin' in this fast paced electronic world we now live in and it's good to see another company (Like Google and Opera previously) addressing this head on and providing a more streamlined method to keep things in order, not just from a security standpoint but also in ensuring backward compatibility concerns can be minimized.

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60,000 laptops burn to a crisp https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/stephen-dougherty/60000-laptops-burn-to-a-crisp/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/stephen-dougherty/60000-laptops-burn-to-a-crisp/#respond Mon, 12 Mar 2012 16:26:02 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=82681 If you find yourself easily attached to electronics on an emotional level (and I'm not just talking about those times when you stroke the side of your iPad with lust in your eyes and whisper, “I love you so much baby”); first of all, you should probably seek professional help! – Second of all, it's …

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If you find yourself easily attached to electronics on an emotional level (and I'm not just talking about those times when you stroke the side of your iPad with lust in your eyes and whisper, “I love you so much baby”); first of all, you should probably seek professional help! – Second of all, it's probably best you click away from this story before the anguish takes hold.

An immense number of laptops have just perished in an obliterating fire at a warehouse in Lima, Peru – no less than 60,000 of them! Along with those there were also 500,000 school textbooks destroyed. It took firefighters several hours to bring the fire under control by which stage the majority of damage was already done.

The result of this disaster leaves thousands of kids from the poorest parts of the country facing lengthy delays from the distribution of textbooks and OLPCs (One Laptop per Child).

Officials are now demanding that the disaster be intensively investigated with the damage bill said to be in excess of US $100 Million. On the upside no one was seriously hurt by the raging fire and Peru's ministry of education has already come forward with belief that it will manage to overcome the issues from this extreme loss of inventory. The question is, how soon?

KitGuru says: Luckily Apple wasn't affected in any way by this disaster. As if we don't see enough ongoing reasons for delays from them as it is.

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Nokia reportedly working on a Windows 8 tablet https://www.kitguru.net/channel/stephen-dougherty/nokia-reportedly-working-on-a-windows-8-tablet/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/stephen-dougherty/nokia-reportedly-working-on-a-windows-8-tablet/#respond Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:57:27 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=82675 Rumour has surfaced that Finnish phone maker Nokia is planning to hit up the tablet PC market later this year with a Windows 8 + ARM entrant. Very little was said / known by the source about the tablet's specs at this early stage other than it supposedly being 10-inches and using a Qualcomm dual-core …

The post Nokia reportedly working on a Windows 8 tablet first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Rumour has surfaced that Finnish phone maker Nokia is planning to hit up the tablet PC market later this year with a Windows 8 + ARM entrant.

Very little was said / known by the source about the tablet's specs at this early stage other than it supposedly being 10-inches and using a Qualcomm dual-core processor (most likely a Snapdragon S4).

Nokia is apparently outsourcing production of its first tablet to Compal Electronics in which the first batch of shipments is expected to total 200,000. While there's no definitive release date set at this point, it's been indicated by sources that sometime during Q4 2012 will be the earliest for its arrival.

Sources strongly believe with the likes of Nokia jumping onboard the Windows 8-on-ARM bandwagon that Microsoft will be grinning like a cheshire cat at Google and Apple with their respective counterparts, Android and iOS.

KitGuru says: One thing can be ascertained. The tablet market is going to be more lively than ever in time for Christmas 2012. Question is, how will Google and Apple fare amongst the inevitable tsunami of incoming WoA devices towards the end of the year?

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Archos G9 tablet lineup get suited up with ICS https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/android/stephen-dougherty/archos-g9-tablet-lineup-get-suited-up-with-ics/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/android/stephen-dougherty/archos-g9-tablet-lineup-get-suited-up-with-ics/#respond Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:42:17 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=82450 If you're an existing Archos G9 Android tablet user you may or may not have been pleasantly surprised with a certain update that graced your tablet yesterday. Archos has started rolling out over-the-air updates for its G9 series tablets that will suit them up with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS). If you haven't spotted …

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If you're an existing Archos G9 Android tablet user you may or may not have been pleasantly surprised with a certain update that graced your tablet yesterday. Archos has started rolling out over-the-air updates for its G9 series tablets that will suit them up with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS).

If you haven't spotted it already, there should be a notification in the bottom right of your Archos G9 tablet's screen whereby tapping on it will allow the magic to begin.

Starting today, the over-the-air (OTA) upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich will begin rolling out to G9 owner's worldwide. Just look for the notification “A” in the lower right hand corner of your device – click it, download it and begin your Ice Cream Sandwich experience.

Certainly it will be in your best interests to do so given the option, with ICS sporting faster browsing characteristics, multitasking, many new features and generally a much smoother and more polished environment than prior Android releases all round.

Further incorporated beyond the defaults of ICS in the case of Archos' update is full 1080p support for the majority of video codecs as well as 3D video support for MKV3D files. Then there's a handy drag and drop feature incorporated into the file manager, the ability to share content wirelessly between the tablet and a computer or other DNLA compatible devices and a remote control feature allowing users to control the tablet using any other Android-based device.

KitGuru says: Finally a step in the right direction for yet another Android device maker. A shame it's taken many other manufacturers so long to make the move – worst yet, some who have no plans to.

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Lenovo’s Ivy-Bridge IdeaPad Y480 now up for pre-order https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/stephen-dougherty/lenovos-ivy-bridge-ideapad-y480-now-up-for-pre-order/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/stephen-dougherty/lenovos-ivy-bridge-ideapad-y480-now-up-for-pre-order/#comments Fri, 09 Mar 2012 15:19:13 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=82440 Lenovo has added itself to the list of notebook manufacturers jumping the gun on Ivy Bridge with a Pre-Order listing appearing online for its Ivy Bridge-equipped IdeaPad Y480 notebook. Sporting Intel's upcoming Core i7-3610QM quad-core 2.3GHz processor, this 14″ notebook with a model code of “20934FU” is now listed on Amazon and features a 1.3-inch …

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Lenovo has added itself to the list of notebook manufacturers jumping the gun on Ivy Bridge with a Pre-Order listing appearing online for its Ivy Bridge-equipped IdeaPad Y480 notebook.

Sporting Intel's upcoming Core i7-3610QM quad-core 2.3GHz processor, this 14″ notebook with a model code of “20934FU” is now listed on Amazon and features a 1.3-inch thick chassis and NVIDIA's GeForce GT 630M nestled inside.

Other specs include 8GB of RAM, a 750GB HDD and 1.5W JBL stereo speakers. Battery life is certainly not its strongest point with the specifications stating just 3.5 hours. The laptop will ship with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit installed.

The associated price tag for Lenovo's IdeaPad Y480 Ivy Bridge-equipped notebook is US $999.99. A shipping date has not yet been provided.

KitGuru says: One of many more Ivy Bridge notebooks to inevitably be thrown up for Pre-Order at exxy prices ahead of Intel's official launch. Oh, and what's the deal with that atrocious battery life?

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Socket FM2 A85 FCH motherboards for Trinity coming in June https://www.kitguru.net/components/stephen-dougherty/socket-fm2-a85-fch-motherboards-for-trinity-coming-in-june/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/stephen-dougherty/socket-fm2-a85-fch-motherboards-for-trinity-coming-in-june/#respond Thu, 08 Mar 2012 15:54:16 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=82264 Through discussions with sources in the motherboard industry at CeBIT it's been determined that AMD's upcoming A10 and A8 “Trinity” APUs will be launched near the end of Q2 and into Q3 (May – June), with accompanying motherboards to start arriving in June. AMD's Trinity APUs are built using the new FM2 package which means …

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Through discussions with sources in the motherboard industry at CeBIT it's been determined that AMD's upcoming A10 and A8 “Trinity” APUs will be launched near the end of Q2 and into Q3 (May – June), with accompanying motherboards to start arriving in June.

AMD's Trinity APUs are built using the new FM2 package which means the requirement of a new breed of FM2 socket motherboards due to backward incompatibility with the FM1 socket. This will begin with a bit of a sidestep initially where The “Virgo” platform will migrate the existing A75 FCH chipset with Trinity's FM2-accommodating socket.

The following run of FM2 boards said to be arriving in June will be based around AMD's next-gen A85 FCH chipset which we still know very little about at this time other than picking up USB-IF certification, which indicates the possibility of incorporated native USB 3.0.

KitGuru says: There's significant potential for Trinity to really impress with the use of Piledriver cores and a beefed up GPU. What we need now is some solid benchmark results to be shared out.

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Apple brings 1080p video support in iTunes 10.6 https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/stephen-dougherty/apple-brings-1080p-video-support-in-itunes-10-6/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/stephen-dougherty/apple-brings-1080p-video-support-in-itunes-10-6/#respond Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:36:43 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=82276 Coinciding with yesterday's launch of Apple's third-gen iPad lineup and the new Apple TV with support for 1080p HD video, a new version of iTunes has also been released, 10.6 which rolls in 1080p support for both movies and TV shows to suit the new Apple TV device. iTunes 10.6 also brings with it several …

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Coinciding with yesterday's launch of Apple's third-gen iPad lineup and the new Apple TV with support for 1080p HD video, a new version of iTunes has also been released, 10.6 which rolls in 1080p support for both movies and TV shows to suit the new Apple TV device.

iTunes 10.6 also brings with it several improvements to iTunes Match such as superior song matching capabilities and the way in which album artwork is downloaded and displayed.

There are also a number of annoying issues addressed including one where songs might skip when playing from iCloud. Also, where previously iTunes was limited to the option of converting higher bit rate songs down to 128-kbps AAC files when syncing them to your iOS device(s)/iPods in efforts to save storage space, iTunes 10.6 now gives additional options and lets you choose between 128, 192 and 256-kbps for on-the-fly conversion during syncing.

You can update to iTunes 10.6 by either using the Software update tool or via Apple's iTunes download page.

KitGuru says: Welcome to the present Apple. 1080p only arrived how many years ago now?

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Stardock keeps Start Menu lovers out of the cold in Windows 8 https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/operating-systems/stephen-dougherty/stardock-keeps-start-menu-lovers-out-of-the-cold-in-windows-8/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/operating-systems/stephen-dougherty/stardock-keeps-start-menu-lovers-out-of-the-cold-in-windows-8/#comments Wed, 07 Mar 2012 16:51:41 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=82020 Following the release of the Consumer Preview of Windows 8 and with many folks trying it and feeling terribly lost without their beloved Start Menu, a third party has come to the rescue and provided a free substitute that does its best to mimic the Start Menu as closely as possible. That third party is …

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Following the release of the Consumer Preview of Windows 8 and with many folks trying it and feeling terribly lost without their beloved Start Menu, a third party has come to the rescue and provided a free substitute that does its best to mimic the Start Menu as closely as possible.

That third party is none other than Stardock who has been providing end users with alternative interfaces and desktop oriented software utilities for many years. Their latest sidekick for use with the consumer preview of Windows 8 is called “Start8” and gives you a fully functional Start Menu (complete with the same looking Start Orb in the bottom left corner) and blends well into the Windows 8 environment with a Metro-inspired aesthetic appearance.

Not unlike the Start Menu in Windows 7, Stardock's Start8 will let you launch apps and perform searches as well as being able to use “Run” and “Shutdown” functions when right-clicking.

“The Windows 8 Consumer Preview is available and has taken the Windows interface to a whole new level. Unfortunately, the preview did not come with a desktop feature that the world makes use of billions times a day, the “Start” menu. Luckily, we have a solution!

Start8 from Stardock brings the “Start” menu back to Windows 8. This product is free and is available now!”

Features of Start8:

• Adds a “Start” menu to the Windows 8 taskbar
• – Enables quick access and searching of your installed applications
• – Adds Run… option via right-click menu
• – Adds Shutdown… option via right-click menu
• – Choose a custom Start button image

Start8 for the Windows 8 Consumer Preview is a free download, available directly from this page.

KitGuru says: Ideally Microsoft would have provided an option lurking deep within Windows 8's settings to re-enable the Start Menu if a user simply can't live without it. With that said, it is obviously their belief that by forcing users to go cold turkey in efforts to steer things in an entirely new (and improved? hmmm) direction is the answer.

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A considerably cheaper wave of Ultrabook-like notebooks coming? https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/stephen-dougherty/a-considerably-cheaper-wave-of-ultrabook-like-notebooks-coming/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/stephen-dougherty/a-considerably-cheaper-wave-of-ultrabook-like-notebooks-coming/#comments Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:39:00 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=82028 With the confirmed delay of Intel's next-gen Ivy Bridge processors for the mobile segment until June this year and current Sandy Bridge Ultrabooks still fetching rather hefty pricing, Taiwanese based notebook vendors are apparently looking to mix the pot in the interim by preparing for market some “Ultrabook-like” notebooks that will be offered at significantly …

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With the confirmed delay of Intel's next-gen Ivy Bridge processors for the mobile segment until June this year and current Sandy Bridge Ultrabooks still fetching rather hefty pricing, Taiwanese based notebook vendors are apparently looking to mix the pot in the interim by preparing for market some “Ultrabook-like” notebooks that will be offered at significantly lower price points.

Intel's Ultrabook specification automatically equates to exxy notebooks not just because of their slender design, but also due to attributes like expensive metal unibody chassis', hollow hinges and SSDs. Vendors have a plan to introduce notebooks that would be as compact as your current day Ultrabook with as much power on tap internally, but would come in at much lower price points (speculated to be around US $600 on average) as a result of switching over to a mix of metal and plastic chassis', 7mm-thick mechanical HDDs etc.

Sources are indicating that we will see this wave of cheaper “Ultrabook-like” offerings hit the market as early as sometime during the second quarter.

KitGuru says: Sounds like a logical move to increase sales margins. No doubt there's a huge crowd out there who solely want an Ultrabook based on those attractive, slim dimensions but are quickly frightened away by the US $1000+ pricing and don't have much appreciation or desire for metal and SSDs.

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Singapore retailer hints at Ivy Bridge CPU pricing structure https://www.kitguru.net/components/stephen-dougherty/singapore-retailer-hints-at-ivy-bridge-cpu-pricing-structure/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/stephen-dougherty/singapore-retailer-hints-at-ivy-bridge-cpu-pricing-structure/#comments Sun, 04 Mar 2012 06:56:08 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=81541 The first indication of Ivy Bridge processor pricing has come to light through a dealer in Singapore who felt like jumping the gun in sharing an online price list of 7 and 6 series motherboard + Ivy Bridge CPU combos. The table seen above quotes pricing in Singapore Dollars (SGD) for a vast range of …

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The first indication of Ivy Bridge processor pricing has come to light through a dealer in Singapore who felt like jumping the gun in sharing an online price list of 7 and 6 series motherboard + Ivy Bridge CPU combos.

The table seen above quotes pricing in Singapore Dollars (SGD) for a vast range of board + CPU bundles and from this info it's possible to derive estimated prices on select Ivy Bridge Core processors, at least in the Singapore market.

– Intel Core i7-3770K : S$420 – S$430 (US $335 – US $343)
– Intel Core i7-3770 : S$375 – S$385 (US $299 – US $307)
– Intel Core i5-3570K : S$285 – S$290 (US $227 – US $231)
– Intel Core i5-3550 : S$265 – S$255 (US $211 – US $203)
– Intel Core i5-3450 : S$235 – S$245 (US $187 – US $195)

KitGuru says: Judging by these prices Intel's 22nm Ivy Bridge K series chips will come in at similar price points to Sandy K series offerings at launch.

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Apple is considering a 14-inch MacBook Air https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/stephen-dougherty/apple-is-considering-a-14-inch-macbook-air/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/stephen-dougherty/apple-is-considering-a-14-inch-macbook-air/#respond Wed, 29 Feb 2012 14:56:37 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=81131 Apparently Apple is seriously thinking about producing a 14-inch sized MacBook Air with primary motivation for this sized notebook stemming from the Asia market. It's been determined that Asians are particularly fond of 14-inch notebooks and this size makes up between 35 and 40% of the total notebook market across Asia, whereas globally that percentage is …

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Apparently Apple is seriously thinking about producing a 14-inch sized MacBook Air with primary motivation for this sized notebook stemming from the Asia market.

It's been determined that Asians are particularly fond of 14-inch notebooks and this size makes up between 35 and 40% of the total notebook market across Asia, whereas globally that percentage is much lower for 14-inch models (20 to 25%) and a bulkier 15-inch unit tends to be the more preferred option.

If Apple goes ahead with a 14-inch MacBook Air it would be an obvious indication that the company is actively making efforts to ramp up its presence in the booming China market.

KitGuru says: Makes sense – there's a lot to gain by catering to the immense China market. It's a wonder Apple hadn't turned its targets earlier.

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Dell’s XPS 13 Ultrabook goes on sale https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/stephen-dougherty/dells-xps-13-ultrabook-goes-on-sale/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/stephen-dougherty/dells-xps-13-ultrabook-goes-on-sale/#respond Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:08:26 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=80953 Dell has cut it fine in delivering on its promise to bring the XPS 13 Ultrabook to market this February. It is now available for purchase from Dell's website with shipments commencing as of now at a base price of $999 US. The XPS 13 is a 13.3-inch sized Ultrabook with an edge-to-edge LED-backlit 1366 …

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Dell has cut it fine in delivering on its promise to bring the XPS 13 Ultrabook to market this February. It is now available for purchase from Dell's website with shipments commencing as of now at a base price of $999 US.

The XPS 13 is a 13.3-inch sized Ultrabook with an edge-to-edge LED-backlit 1366 x 768 display covered by Gorilla Glass. It has an aluminum casing with a carbon fiber composite base and weighs in at 2.9 pounds, while running measurements of 0.71-inches thick and tapering down to just 0.24-inches at its thinnest point.

The XPS 13's keyboard is of a full size backlit chiclet type whilst the touchpad is made with glass integrated buttons. Inside is either a 1.6 GHz Core i5-2467M or a 1.7 GHz Core i7-2637M processor, 4GB of memory, a 128 or 256GB SSD, 802.11b/g/n Wifi and Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity. The XPS 13 gives a couple USB ports (one being USB 3.0 and the other USB 2.0) and a mini Displayport output, two 1.5W speakers and a 1.3MP webcam.

A 6-cell (non-replaceable) battery is incorporated which delivers up to 8 hours and 53 minutes of use between charging.

Dell's XPS 13 can now be ordered via this page.

KitGuru says: Boo to the resolution. Where's the higher resolution option Dell? All other aspects of that edge-to-edge Gorilla-glass display are on a dime..

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Samsung’s Galaxy S III will boast a 4.8-inch 1080p display https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/stephen-dougherty/samsungs-galaxy-s-iii-will-boast-a-4-8-inch-1080p-display/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/stephen-dougherty/samsungs-galaxy-s-iii-will-boast-a-4-8-inch-1080p-display/#comments Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:35:55 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=80938 While it wasn't to be for Samsung's Galaxy S III to rattle the cages at MWC this year, we are at least starting to get some real meat on what Samsung has in store for us with its next flagship handset and we're sure you'll really like the sound of what Samsung's innovators have come …

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While it wasn't to be for Samsung's Galaxy S III to rattle the cages at MWC this year, we are at least starting to get some real meat on what Samsung has in store for us with its next flagship handset and we're sure you'll really like the sound of what Samsung's innovators have come up with!

The display Samsung is said to be incorporating into the GS III is next to jaw-drop worthy. The company has managed to create a market-ready 4.8-inch sized 16:9 display for the phone which boasts an incredible Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution – a big step up from its already super impressive 1280 x 720 4.65-inch screen used for the Galaxy Nexus and certainly a good chunk superior to Apple's 960 x 640 Retina display on the iPhone 4S.

Further to that wow'ing attribute of Samsung's next big talked about handset, we can also share out a few more details fresh from the rumour mill on the supposed specs. The phone will apparently sport a 1.5GHz quad-core Samsung Exynos processor housed in a ceramic casing with 4G LTE connectivity and of course with Android 4.0 on tap. Its camera setup will be an 8-megapixel on the rear and a 2-megapixel on the front.

At this stage we're itchin' to hear more on Samsung's Galaxy S III but will have to sit tight for now until more solid info filters out.

KitGuru says: The image used in this article was a mock-up from the source, but we can only hope the real deal turns out similar. Edge-to-edge 1080p 4.8-inch screen? Yes please Samsung!

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