s3 | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Mon, 20 Nov 2023 10:07:40 +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 s3 | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Sharkoon launches new Skiller SGK50 mechanical keyboards and DIY kits https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/keyboards/joao-silva/sharkoon-launches-new-skiller-sgk50-mechanical-keyboards-and-diy-kits/ https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/keyboards/joao-silva/sharkoon-launches-new-skiller-sgk50-mechanical-keyboards-and-diy-kits/#respond Sun, 19 Nov 2023 12:00:13 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=638021 Sharkoon has added three new models to the Skiller SGK50 keyboard line. The latest versions are 75% layout keyboards, available in black or white, with a special white version having blue accents and white PBT keycaps. The SKILLER SGK50 S3 is also available in barebones form, without any switches or keycaps, allowing you to  choose …

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Sharkoon has added three new models to the Skiller SGK50 keyboard line. The latest versions are 75% layout keyboards, available in black or white, with a special white version having blue accents and white PBT keycaps. The SKILLER SGK50 S3 is also available in barebones form, without any switches or keycaps, allowing you to  choose your own for a fully custom board.

The Skiller SGK50 S3 has hot-swap capabilities for 3-pin or 5-pin switches and is compatible with QMK and VIA open-source software. It has a more extensive layout than the Skiller SGK50 S4, featuring separate arrow and function keys and an extra Sharkoon key that allows for easy programming of up to two macros and lighting adjustments without the need for additional software.

The Skiller SGK50 S3 comes with pre-installed Gateron switches, including red, yellow, and tactile brown switches. The Skiller SGK50 S3 PBT version has G Pro Yellow switches. For those who prefer to customise their keyboard, the Skiller SGK50 S3 barebones are a great option, as they provide positioning plates for ISO and ANSI layouts.

Features like the polycarbonate positioning plate, double-layer silicone dampening, and factory-lubricated stabilisers enhance the typing experience on the SGK50 S3 keyboards. Additionally, the Skiller SGK50 S3 PBT version comes with grease-resistant PBT keycaps with dye-sub legends for further longevity.

The Sharkoon Skiller SGK50 S3 standard and barebone versions in black are now available at the manufacturer's recommended retail price of 79.90 euros and 59.90 euros, respectively. The white versions (standard and barebone) will be available soon. The Sharkoon Skiller SGK50 S3 PBT is also now available with an MSRP of €89.90.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Do you prefer to build your own keyboard with aftermarket switches and caps, or do you prefer a pre-built with everything set up out of the box? 

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Edifier revives STAX and unveils new S3 headphones https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/featured-tech-news/matthew-wilson/edifier-revives-stax-and-unveils-new-s3-headphones/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/featured-tech-news/matthew-wilson/edifier-revives-stax-and-unveils-new-s3-headphones/#respond Wed, 01 Jun 2022 09:26:09 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=562494 STAX, the legendary audio company known for creating the world's first electrostatic headphones, is making a return this year with a brand new pair of headphones. Stax joined Edifier back in 2011, and now, the company is unveiling the new Stax Spirit S3.  Inspired by the delicacy of exceedingly more precise electrostatic technology, the Edifier …

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STAX, the legendary audio company known for creating the world's first electrostatic headphones, is making a return this year with a brand new pair of headphones. Stax joined Edifier back in 2011, and now, the company is unveiling the new Stax Spirit S3. 

Inspired by the delicacy of exceedingly more precise electrostatic technology, the Edifier STAX SPIRIT S3 aims to offer the best audio possible at this price tag (£399.99). The S3 uses finely tuned Planar technology to combine the benefits of a Dynamic and Electrostatic driver to achieve detailed low frequencies and consistent, clear high frequencies.

With a total weight of approximately 329g, the S3 are also much lighter than traditional planar headphones and boast a carbon fibre casing to ensure a comfortable fit and extended durability. The headphones are equipped Bluetooth 5.2 which allows for faster, more reliable transmission speeds, and multi-connectivity (with users able to connect two devices simultaneously). And finally, the high-capacity lithium battery holds a mighty 80 hours of battery life – ensuring that you don’t get any unexpected interruptions.

Here is a full breakdown of the Stax Spirit S3 features:

  • EqualMasst™ wiring diaphragm
  • Uniforce™ magnetic circuit
  • Fluxor™ magnetic array
  • Fazor™ acoustic module
  • Snapdragon audio technology
  • Hi-Res lossless high fidelity
  • Replaceable ear muffs & replaceable wire design
  • Made from sturdy and lightweight carbon fibre material
  • Qualcomm® aptX™ Voice call NC
  • Low latency game mode
  • Bluetooth V5.2 Technology (which supports the pairing of two Bluetooth devices)
  • Edifier Connect App with multiple EQ options
  • 80H Ultra-long playback

The Edifier Stax Spirit S3 headphones will be available starting today for £399.99.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It is great to see Stax back with a new pair of headphones after all these years. Will you be looking to try a pair of these out? 

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Samsung ramps up production on its 2nd gen 10nm chips, preps for 7nm https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/matthew-wilson/samsung-ramps-up-production-on-its-2nd-gen-10nm-chips-preps-for-7nm/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/matthew-wilson/samsung-ramps-up-production-on-its-2nd-gen-10nm-chips-preps-for-7nm/#respond Wed, 29 Nov 2017 18:59:43 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=356014 Samsung has begun preparing itself for the incoming wave of demand for 10nm chips. Today, the company announced that its Foundries have commenced mass production of system-on-chip (SoC) products built using Samsung's second generation 10nm FinFET process, known as 10LPP (Low Power Plus). The new 10LPP process allows up to ten percent higher performance or …

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Samsung has begun preparing itself for the incoming wave of demand for 10nm chips. Today, the company announced that its Foundries have commenced mass production of system-on-chip (SoC) products built using Samsung's second generation 10nm FinFET process, known as 10LPP (Low Power Plus).

The new 10LPP process allows up to ten percent higher performance or 15 percent lower power consumption depending on what customers like Qualcomm, Apple or others want. The 10LPP process is derived from the already proven 10LPE process, so the update brings some competitive advantages by reducing turn around time on development and mass production. Essentially, Samsung is going to be able to crank these out in much higher volumes and higher yields, due to its experience making 10LPP chips.

Samsung's new S3 manufacturing line. Image credit: Samsung.

SoCs designed with 10LPP technology will be used in devices as soon as ‘early next year', with availability ramping up over the course of 2018. Ryan Lee, Vice President of Foundry Marketing at Samsung added that the company will continue with its “long-living 10nm process strategy” and will continue to work on evolving the technology down to 8nm.

There is no public timeline for 8LPP just yet. However, with its new manufacturing line known as ‘S3', located in Hwaseon, Korea, Samsung will be looking to ramp up production on 10nm and below. The S3 foundry is Samsung's third fabrication lab and will be in charge of producing 7nm FinFET with Extreme Ultra Violet in the coming years.

KitGuru Says: Samsung has gone on to trade blows with Intel as the largest chip maker in the world. By opening up a new factory and ramping things up on the 10nm side, the company will continue to compete at a high level.

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Amazon cloud outage downs vast swathes of the internet https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/featured-tech-news/jon-martindale/amazon-cloud-outage-downs-vast-swathes-of-the-internet/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/featured-tech-news/jon-martindale/amazon-cloud-outage-downs-vast-swathes-of-the-internet/#respond Wed, 01 Mar 2017 11:35:16 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=323597 As much as there are many advantages of using a massive cloud infrastructure for your website, when that service crashes, it can take a lot of the internet with it. Take yesterday's downing of Amazon's S3 cloud service, which pulled down a lot of popular websites and services. Ironically enough, including the isitdownrightnow.com website. Amazon's …

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As much as there are many advantages of using a massive cloud infrastructure for your website, when that service crashes, it can take a lot of the internet with it. Take yesterday's downing of Amazon's S3 cloud service, which pulled down a lot of popular websites and services. Ironically enough, including the isitdownrightnow.com website.

Amazon's web services are one of the more popular cloud platforms available to website owners the world over and it's a service taken up by many of the world's largest content platforms. Those were all hit with outages when Amazon's service was downed, leading to sites like Trello, IFTTT, Quora, the AVClub, Flippa and many others all being unavailable for extended periods.

Although the outage first hit in late afternoon yesterday, it wasn't until around 10:30 PM that Amazon posted the following update:

“We have now repaired the ability to update the service health dashboard […] We continue to experience high error rates with S3 in US-EAST-1, which is impacting various AWS services. We are working hard at repairing S3, believe we understand root cause, and are working on implementing what we believe will remediate the issue.”

This was followed by a further update just after midnight, which informed affected customers that all services had now returned to normal and that all websites should be working once again.

While that does seem to be the case, one of the more interesting outages as part of this service interruption was in cloud-connected hardware. Internet of Things devices like smart lights, alarms and even in one case, a front gate (thanks Ars) were all affected by the outage, leading to reduced or in some cases, halts to those services.

This shows the potential problems faced when you have over a million users supported by a single cloud infrastructure. Although it should be proof to most outages, when they happen the effects are far reaching.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: KitGuru isn't hosted with Amazon, so our site kept on ticking on as usual, but were any of your favourite sites affected? What about your IoT devices?

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Exclusive interview with Gerjan Blonet from Club3D https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/andrzej/exclusive-interview-with-gerjan-blonet-from-club3d/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/andrzej/exclusive-interview-with-gerjan-blonet-from-club3d/#comments Mon, 19 Jan 2015 08:30:15 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=230454 Club3D has been around for almost 20 years as a graphics card brand and, at one stage, was famous for being the only manufacturer who worked with all of the major GPU producers. They are now highly focused and want to bring more products to the UK market. We managed to catch up with Gerjan …

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Club3D has been around for almost 20 years as a graphics card brand and, at one stage, was famous for being the only manufacturer who worked with all of the major GPU producers. They are now highly focused and want to bring more products to the UK market. We managed to catch up with Gerjan Blonet, an expert on Club3D matters.  

Let's start at the beginning. We asked Gerjan when the company was formed.
“The company was established back in 1997 in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands as a manufacturer of computer components”, he explained. “So we’re in our 18th year of trading now. My colleagues have a wealth of experience; they’re almost walking graphics cards. Not me though, I’ve been with Club 3D since 2012 so I’m no guru yet”.

So what was the driving force behind the company – the inspiration?
“The strong desire of our founders was to establish a brand with a fresh approach on offering a high quality, complete chipset solution at affordable prices”, he said. “A brand that relies on having a European base, close to our customers with short communication lines. Our warehouse is located next to Schiphol airport itself. So we don’t have to ship from the Far East”.

In the KitGuru Annual Awards 2014, we saw a lot of mainstream technology companies using their brand to gain share in the peripherals market, for example, is Club3D 100% focused on graphics?
“In the early days we only did graphics cards”, said Gerjan. “Back in 2001, Club 3D was the first AiB (Add In Board partner) for ATI Technologies. In 2006 we started to diversify our product range by introducing sound cards and in the past years our current range of SenseVision, Power supplies and cables/ adapters”.

Gerjan-Blonet-Club3D-Exclusive-Interview-KitGuru

At one point, Club3D was the only company to offer all 4 major GPUs – what does Gerjan offer now and what are Club3D's plans for the future?
“Correct, he said. “After our partnership with ATi Technologies, our goal was to be the pioneer for a Total Graphics Solution. So we formed partnerships with Nvidia, S3 Graphics and XGI Technology, the latter two probably unknown by your younger readers”.

“Since early 2013 we became an ‘AMD only’ AiB. We share AMD’s vision and believe they have the lead when it comes to technological innovation. In the near future we will continue to focus on our range of PokerSeries gaming cards and expand our innovative SenseVision range of Multi Monitor solutions which mostly use DisplayLink chips”.

Everything through one cable

“SenseVision started in 2011 with an external USB Graphics Card, in 2013 we were the first in the world to launch an MST (Multi Stream Transport) Hub and in 2014 we were the first in the world to launch a USB 3.0 to 4K Graphics Adapter and Docking Station. In the coming years we will continue with more ‘world’s first’ introductions in the SenseVision range. I can’t tell much at this stage, maybe a hint: everything through one cable”.

Graphics card manufacturers have a choice when they set up business. They can push 100% with their own brand, or choose to use their brand for consumers (i.e. cards sold through stores etc) and keep a ‘white label' going for supplying top PC companies. Example?  When we cracked open an HP desktop a while back, it became obvious that the mainboard and graphics card had been made by MSI – although there was no MSI branding anywhere.

We asked Gerjan about Club3D's focus.

Buying from a local system builder is a no-brainer for me

“We focus on PC Gaming enthusiasts and system builders”, he told KitGuru. “Compared to some other countries it’s interesting to see how popular and well established home-grown system builders are in the UK. But with their high level of enthusiasm, knowledge, quality, service, their selection of the latest components and ability to create bespoke systems at decent prices, buying from a local system builder is a no-brainer for me if I was in the market for a new gaming rig”.

Reference design have been getting better in recent years, but cooling is certainly one area where an AiB can differentiate its offer. What is Club3D's point of view?

“Reference designs set a bar when it comes to the balance between performance, noise/ heat production and power consumption”, explained Gerjan. “However in many cases there is room to improve the cooling performance and noise levels while remaining the reliability by customizing PCB, components and cooler. For that reason we put a lot of effort in our PokerSeries gaming cards which aim to be both cooler and quieter than a reference design. Oh and better looking of course!”

3 fans and 6 copper heatpipes

So how difficult is it to create a custom cooling solution?

“Some years ago we introduced our high performance CoolStream cooling solutions which are now a standard feature on the PokerSeries range”, he told us. “Depending on the GPU it can be quite a task to develop a cooler which is not only nice to look at but does its job cool and quietly under any load. The current generation of CoolStream coolers has up to 3 fans and up to 6 copper heatpipes to dissipate the heat while remaining as quiet as possible. We’re constantly experimenting with new cooling solutions though. Personally I’m particularly impressed by the advanced hybrid cooler on the current Radeon R9 295X2 card”.

Yep, hard to argue that. AMD batted way above its weight when it came to the 295X2 cooling solution.

We see a growing demand… Multiple monitors for everyone

After hunkering down in the bunker for 6-7 years, we can all feel the market being re-energised and resellers look like reporting record sales for parts of 2014/15. Against that backdrop, what goals does Club3D have for 2015?

“According to the latest JPR report the PC Gaming market will continue to grow to $ 23B globally in 2017, we see no recession in the PC Gaming market!”, he exclaimed. “Given the current market share of AMD graphics cards our main goal is to introduce great performing, attractively priced new PokerSeries cards and claim back market share from the competition.
Another goal is to expand our SenseVision range of Multi Monitor solutions by focusing more on B2b channels like the enterprise notebook and professional tablet markets. We see a growing demand and we’re determined to increase our business and market share there. Multiple Monitors for everyone!”

KitGuru also likes the increased focus on screen real estate – more is definitely better for a number of reasons.

Gerjan-Blonet-Club3D-Exclusive-Interview-KitGuru-Desk

Enough about the company and products, let's find out a bit more about Gerjan with KitGuru's standard set of personal questions.

What did Gerjan do before Club3D?
“I’ve been assistant store manager at a mobile phone shop, I sold cars at a Toyota dealership and I worked as a sales rep for a large manufacturer of Sunglasses. But I was always a tech and gadgets nut”. 

So what was your first computer?
“It was an IBM 486DX4 handed down by my dad back in ’95. I got my first decent (gaming) PC back in ’99 when I was 15 years old”.

If you need to impress your friends, what do you cook at home?

“Hehe my friends are usually not impressed by my cooking skills. But my steaks are pretty decent if I say so myself. My home baked cakes are not too bad either, but to say impressive?”

Which food do you love, but you can’t make it right – so you always need to eat it at a restaurant?
“I like Chinese, Japanese and Indian food but I lack the skills and patience for that. Luckily there are some eastern restaurants in my neighbourhood in Haarlem”.

If you could invent one thing, what would it be?
“A health improving alternative for smoking! Or maybe a renewable alternative for Oil”.

KitGuru says: A big THANK YOU to Gerjan for taking the time to speak with us. 

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KitKat won’t be coming to international Galaxy S3 devices https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/matthew-wilson/kitkat-wont-be-coming-to-international-galaxy-s3-devices/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/matthew-wilson/kitkat-wont-be-coming-to-international-galaxy-s3-devices/#comments Mon, 12 May 2014 10:47:46 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=192488 Samsung is cherry picking which devices it pushes the Android 4.4 KitKat update to but it's singling out a lot of early device adopters as the Galaxy S3 i9300, better known as the international version of the phone, won't be getting the update. According to a statement from Samsung, the Galaxy S3 and S3 mini …

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Samsung is cherry picking which devices it pushes the Android 4.4 KitKat update to but it's singling out a lot of early device adopters as the Galaxy S3 i9300, better known as the international version of the phone, won't be getting the update.

According to a statement from Samsung, the Galaxy S3 and S3 mini don't meet the required specifications to facilitate Google's latest OS despite KitKat being advertised as being able to run smooth on even the lowest end Android devices: “In order to facilitate an effective upgrade on the Google platform, various hardware performances such as the memory (RAM, ROM, etc.), multi-tasking capabilities, and display must meet certain technical expectations.”

samsung_galaxy_s3_mobile_phone_photos_images_last_image_6

When KitKat was announced last year, it was supposed to solve Android's classic fragmentation problem and allow for a smooth experience on phone's with as little as 512MB RAM and a single core CPU but it seems that Samsung's version of KitKat actually requires a lot more power:

“The Galaxy S3 and S3 mini 3G versions come equipped with 1GB RAM, which does not allow them to effectively support the platform upgrade. As a result of the Galaxy S3 and S3 mini 3G versions’ hardware limitation, they cannot effectively support the platform upgrade while continuing to provide the best consumer experience.”

The upgrade will be coming to US versions of the phone though, which sport 2GB of RAM, the extra memory is probably required in order to support the manufacturer's bloated Touch Wiz skin, which is evident by Samsung's 4 times larger than stock RAM requirement.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The Galaxy S3 is still a very good performer, so it's a shame that Samsung isn't taking the time to support it any more. It would be nice if more Android devices had supported updates for longer than two years after release. Do any of you guys own an S3? Are you disappointed that you won't get the update or do you run a custom ROM?

Source: SamMobile

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Samsung fined for faked online comments https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/samsung-fined-for-faked-online-comments/ Fri, 25 Oct 2013 10:33:01 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=159253 Samsung has been fined $340,000 after being caught paying for negative comments about competitor products and paying for praise of its own. To a company like Samsung, $340,000 is nothing at all but this could damage its reputation. Samsung was first accused of this back in April, shortly after, the Taiwan Fair Trade Commission announced …

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Samsung has been fined $340,000 after being caught paying for negative comments about competitor products and paying for praise of its own. To a company like Samsung, $340,000 is nothing at all but this could damage its reputation. Samsung was first accused of this back in April, shortly after, the Taiwan Fair Trade Commission announced it would investigate the claims.

Samsung used a large number of its own employees and writers to post in Taiwanese forums, which FTC found was done through a third party marketing company. Two local marketing firms were also fined $100,000 each for taking part in Samsung's scheme.

Since the Galaxy S2 and S3 were so popular it seems odd that the company felt threatened enough to resort to these tactics. HTC seemed to be the main victim here, with most of the competition denouncing comments being aimed at the popular HTC One device.

In the official report HTC wasn't specifically mentioned but it did say that Samsung paid people to “highlight the shortcomings of competing products.” Positive comments about Samsung's own products included: “disinfection of negative news about Samsung products, palindromic Samsung product marketing and the positive evaluation of Samsung products.”

samsunglogoreuters_261407232725_640x360_051709447711_640x360

This only happened in Taiwan so either Samsung was worried about losing that market or it just hasn't been caught doing this in other territories.

This isn't a good streak the company's on, first it was caught cheating on benchmarks and now it has been caught being anti-competitive. It all makes the phone maker seem a bit shady and to top it off it was all unnecessary, as the phones it makes are good and tend to sell very well, year on year.

KitGuru Says: It's a shame to see these kinds of dodgy business practices when more money could have been spent on making products better or maybe even getting the latest Android version out anywhere near on time.  

Source: The Verge

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New Biostar launch makes THX available to all https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/jules/new-biostar-launch-makes-thx-available-to-all/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/jules/new-biostar-launch-makes-thx-available-to-all/#respond Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:40:04 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=123783 In terms of launches, audio is generally the poor cousin of the CPU and GPU. While publications across the globe go ape for the latest and greatest in terms of piped lines, cor-inducing cores and giggly hurts – the audio processor tends to stay in the shade. Not today. This is affordable THX and you're …

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In terms of launches, audio is generally the poor cousin of the CPU and GPU. While publications across the globe go ape for the latest and greatest in terms of piped lines, cor-inducing cores and giggly hurts – the audio processor tends to stay in the shade. Not today. This is affordable THX and you're gonna listen!

Originally dreamed up by the George Lucas creative team in 1983 for Return of the Jedi, THX was a complete system definition that would allow theatres across the world to recreate the films audio in the way that its maker had intended.

It's not specifically tied to one technology, like Dolby, but rather it allows you to create a situation where the film you're watching will match the audio experience that Hollywood execs enjoy.

These days, THX is 60% owned by Creative – so you tend to only see the term used when applied to the top end sound cards etc in the market.

To create an entire THX experience will require more than the sound card itself, you will also need:-

  • Floating floors
  • Dampened, asymetric walls
  • Perforated screen
  • Oh, and before we forget, a building environment that's passed NC30

Biostar will leave that list to your discretion, focusing instead on the ‘originator'.

New boards at £44 and £64 give you the basis for THX lubbin. nice.

On a more technical note, we like the way that Biostar explain the new innovation themselves:-

“…integrated right into the motherboard – with examples such as the Hi-Fi A85X and Hi-Fi A85S -, the newest AMD FM2 platform motherboards from Biostar provide low cost solutions that support all of the latest PC mainboard features – but also go above and beyond typical motherboards by integrating their own in-house audio technology called ‘Puro Hi-Fi Technology'.

Biostar has included a unique power delivery system, specifically for the audio subsystem. With our professional quality sound and video capabilities on this board, a user can set up a full PC based home theater system with full THX support and true 7.1 surround sound.
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Targeting audiophiles, HTPC enthusiasts and high-end gamers alike, Puro Hi-Fi features an integrated independent audio power design with a built-in amplifier, which significantly reduces electronic noise – producing superb sound quality.
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The unique noise-blocking multi-layer PCB layout is also conductive,  for an exceptionally clean signal. That design feature, together with a sampling rate of 192 kHz/24-bit, delivers high quality audio through an analog connection to your home theatre system, multi-channel speakers or high-end headphones, allowing you to enjoy true high-definition 7.1-channel surround sound.
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Part of the Puro Hi-Fi design includes high-quality ‘Non-Polarized Electrolysis Electric audio capacitors' for each individual audio channel circuit delivering low noise, low distortion and wide bandwidth to achieve the highest sound resolution and expansion for the most realistic sound effects. Furthermore, the resistors used by the system are of the metal-oxide film type with metal oxides such as tin. The electrical characteristics are that of greater stability and reliability when compared to regular metal film resistors. These special components are typically used in applications with high endurance audio demands”.
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Nice.
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You can get hold of the Biostar HiFi A85S3 for just £44 and the top-of-the-range Biostar HiFi A85W is £64.
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KitGuru says: From 1990 to 2000, the innovative nature of the PC industry drove us forward in mighty leaps and bounds. Since then, the pace of development has slowed – which means we need to take time, step back and smell the roses if we're to see the real benefits being delivered. Anyone who used a SiS integrated board in 1995 will know just how much of a leap these new boards represent. Put an AMD A10 6800k on the Biostar HiFi A85 for Easter and you will have something quite amazing for £200.
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Comment below or in the KitGuru forums.
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Samsung lands Galaxy S3 smartphone on Apple turf https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/jules/samsung-lands-galaxy-s3-smartphone-on-apple-turf/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/jules/samsung-lands-galaxy-s3-smartphone-on-apple-turf/#comments Fri, 04 May 2012 06:43:40 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=90032 Having captured the ‘number one spot' for Android smartphones, Samsung is now gunning all out for overall top spot – in the hearts and minds of the global public – with the launch of the Galaxy S3/S III. KitGuru steps into a high street independent reseller to see what all the fuss is about. . …

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Having captured the ‘number one spot' for Android smartphones, Samsung is now gunning all out for overall top spot – in the hearts and minds of the global public – with the launch of the Galaxy S3/S III.

KitGuru steps into a high street independent reseller to see what all the fuss is about.
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The screen itself is almost 12% longer than the best selling Android smartphone of last year, the Samsung Galaxy S2/S II. In a world that's governed by the visual, this is progress. In a world where you want to kill off products like Blackberry's dire 9900, having a bigger virtual keyboard could well appeal to an older user, with bigger/slower thumbs.

Cleverly, Samsung is not working on the length of the screen, but rather the surface area, which means it can claim a whopping 22% increase. Nice.

One of the reasons why Samsung might have launched when it has, could be that it allowed time to measure up the HTC One X – and produce a screen that's 0.1 inches longer. We'll never know.

Samsung puts the Olympics on its Visa card and promises to make the minimum monthly payments - based on additional S3/sIII sales revenues

What is certain is that Samsung will be pumping hard at the Olympics, given that it has the new flagship phone ready – and enough time to sort out any technical/software issues. As the official phone sponsor for London 2012, Samsung will be hoping to create a launch pad for a worldwide take over as the clear front runner in smartphones.

Ironically, Samsung's successful bid to be one of the biggest spenders at London 2012, actually sets up a tantalising opportunity for Apple.

If the iPhone 5 launches in time – and Apple can get special versions of the world's favourite smartphone into the hands of the top 100 athletes – then it can steal the Olympics from Samsung – free of charge.

Example?

Well, last year, there were 100 or so ‘special edition, gold Apple iWants' in the world, owned by luminaries like Usain Bolt. Usain is a nice. simple bloke, who's unlikely to be swayed to the newness of the Galaxy sIII/S3. If he holds true to his love of the big Apple, then it will be the iPhone 5 that gets all the cool/free press.

Will Usain be sprinting for a 'but we paid for it' Samsung or his preferred Apple in London?

KitGuru says: Guerilla tactics anyone? Remembering back to the 1984 advert for Apple around the superbowl, there has to be a good chance that the late Jobs' marketing gurus are working hard on a hijacking campaign. Roll on London 2012 and the battle of the super heavyweights for gold!

Comment below or in the KitGuru forums.

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Samsung Galaxy S III sales estimated https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/harrison/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-launch-date-confirmed/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/harrison/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-launch-date-confirmed/#respond Wed, 18 Apr 2012 05:14:51 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=87625 There are a number of ways around an organisation's attempts to block the flow of information to customers about future product releases. But there's always a way around such blocks. Channel sources have confirmed that UK retailers are planning out store space for the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S III. Nice. But how many …

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There are a number of ways around an organisation's attempts to block the flow of information to customers about future product releases. But there's always a way around such blocks. Channel sources have confirmed that UK retailers are planning out store space for the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S III. Nice. But how many will they sell?

While the PR teams at Samsung might want to keep details of their new product launches secret, at the same time they need store space to mount a successful launch. Last time we checked, there were no shelves allocated to Samsung inside Apple stores – so Samsung needs to work with the main high street players – and those guys need plenty of notice.

On 3rd May 2012, Samsung will begin the formal roll out of what it hopes will be an iPhone killer. Already, companies like Blackberry are packing their bags and leaving the field of battle – uncertain they can survive outside the corporate world.

For its part, Samsung may have started from WAY back in the field, but it has all of the component design/production technology needed to make an advanced product and, with a combination of fanatical home market and strong global marketing, it has the ability to drive millions of handset sales.

Crucially, Samsung will have the advantage of already being strongly linked to sport. Useful with the Olympics and European championships coming up.

Samsung's S2 has been the number one selling Android phone in the UK for a year. That's a lot of handsets. For the launch of the S3, Samsung's channel sales managers will be looking at the 30,000 units currently being sold each week – and praying that the S3 can bump that number closer to 60,000 units a week. The paranoia creeping into the back of Samsung VP Simon Stanford's mind must be “Can we continue to launch new products, without losing our momentum?”

Samsung VP, Simon Stanford, seems bullish about the way his Galaxy S III will be taking market share. Having started his life at De Montfort university - he understands what it's like to be a dark horse and still win

KitGuru says: We need competition in every market. Blackberry WAS the sleek and stylish black unit that slipped into your hand/pocket and made you feel all professional, maybe Samsung can recapture that feeling – but with added style/grace/more attractive pricing. We'll be finding out after 3rd May.

Comment below or in the KitGuru forums.

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