[H]ardNews 3rd Edition

Apple Accounting Practice:

Apple shareholders voted to change the way the company treats stock options as an expense. The shareholders want Apple to count these as expenses, Apple doesn’t want to because it will show massive losses the company is really incurring.

Defying company management, Apple Computer shareholders on Thursday approved a resolution calling on the Mac maker to treat stock options as an expense. Preliminary results from a vote held at Apple's annual meeting show shareholders have approved a recommendation to change the way the company accounts in its financial results for options given to employees. Apple's directors had called on shareholders to vote down the measure. For example, in the first fiscal 2003 quarter ended Dec. 28, 2002, Apple would have reported a loss of $61 million had it been required to account for options as an expense, compared with the $8 million loss it did report.

I got $5 that says Apple will go against their shareholders on this instead of admitting they are losing tons o’ cash.

Homebrew Case:

I have no idea what this site is saying, but the kick ass case built from scratch speaks for itself. The system is made completely from wood and even has a built in Vapo Chill. A lot of work went into this case design for sure. Go check it out. Thanks to Bjorn Andreassen for the linkage.

[H]ardNews 2nd Edition

ABIT BH7 Review:

More coverage for the ABIT BH7 today, this time from OCAddiction. The fellas take a long hard look at this i845PE powered mainboard to see if it is indeed “all that”. You can see our review here for comparison.

Finally, I'd like to give a few comments regarding the ABIT BH7. Does it live up to the high bar that the original BH6 set? In most respects, I would easily say it has. The BH7 by far has the most options out there to get every last drop of performance out of your Intel based system. And also like the original BH6, you won't get a lot of frills packed in with this board.

Soltek 75MRN-L nForce 2:

People looking into getting a new nForce2 board might be interested in the latest review from Overclockers New Zealand. The Soltek 75MRN-L nForce 2 board did very well in this review from the sounds of things, here is a clip:

All in all, I am thoroughly pleased with Soltek 75MRN-L. It packs a remarkable array of overclocking features and a decent performance. 75MRN-L is also the first integrated motherboard that reached such a high FSB of 198 MHz, quite an achievement for Nvidia and Soltek.

VIA P4PB Ultra:

Seems the fellas at TweakNews have some self-admitted issues with the VIA chipset in this VIA P4PB Ultra review. We reviewed the P4PB Ultra here awhile back and had much better luck.

I am COMPLETELY washing my hands of the P4X400 chipset. Having two computers utilizing this chipset has led to nothing but headaches. Focusing on the P4PB Ultra board, I purposely waited for the latest bios hoping and praying it would bring about some better DDR400 memory scores before I released the review. My wait was pointless and a complete waste of time. This particular board is supposed to bring you great performance while utilizing DDR400. Through testing and tweaking and bios flashing and overclocking, I just can't seem to get the board to perform as it should even at default settings. Putting the board performance aside, everything is great!

[H]ardNews 1st Edition

HyperX Dual Channel DDR:

I had a perfectly good “walk softly and carry a big stick of…” joke ready to put here and then forgot what I was going to say. Looks like my memory could use a little upgrade. Riva3D reviews some Kingston HyperX Dual Channel DDR 400 RAM and lets you know whether or not this stuff is worth your hard earned cash.

The low latency and timing of all the Kingston modules assures that aggressive BIOS settings will yield stable results for the highest system performance possible. Yes, these modules are built for avid gamers and speed fanatics. But, as we shall soon see, there is a tangible benefits for anyone looking to enhance their system performance.

Buffalo Memory:

Here is an interesting one, Gideontech is reviewing BuffaloTech PC3500. I have never had any hands on experience with Buffalo Tech, so I am just as interested as you are about how well this stuff will perform. Let’s find out:

Today we're going to take a look at a PC3500 rated module from the folks at BuffaloTech. Founded in 2000, BuffaloTech has been providing memory products for system builders and manufacturers all over the US. One of their newest modules is the PC3500 DDR SDRAM module, utilizing Winbond 5ns chips.

Cardboard PC:

We have all seen the homemade cardboard PC projects, but this cardboard PC takes it to an all new level. The attention to detail is over the top. Thanks Daryl!

[H]ardNews 10th Edition

Retail Opteron:

Dying to get your Opteron groove on? Mike Allison was the first person to give us a heads up that NewEgg has the Opteron 240 in stock. They have both OEM and retail units available for those of you who are dying to get your hands on one.

AMD Opteron Model 240 1.4GHz 64-Bit PROCESSOR CPU , Supports Dual Processor Opteron Motherboards, Cache: 1MB, Core: Hammer, BUS: Integrated into Chip 1.4 GHz, Socket 940 (PGA).

Han Solo Switch:

Just when you thought you’d seen the last of the “Apple Switch” parodies, along comes Han Solo switching to a Mac. Maybe they have a special edition “Carbonite G4” specially made for him…you know, like a Force Edition. Come to think of it…that crap-like iMac would make a great light saber training device…wouldn’t it? Blame Daniel Hayes.

FIC nForce2 Review:

To lazy to read a review? Got a spare five minutes and a brain cell or two you can sacrifice? Well then... 3DGameman has a video review for you today of the FIC AU13 Chameleon nForce2. And who said you can’t learn anything from TV in 5 minutes or less.

The FIC AU13 Chameleon Motherboard is based upon the nForce2 chipset and supports 128bit dual channel memory architecture. It features AGP 8X, S/ATA 133, onboard LAN, 5.1 Audio, 3 firewire ports, 6 USB 2 ports, SATA Silicon Image 3112A with RAID... This product is stable, performs well and is reasonably priced. Watch the Video to find out more..."

[H]ardNews 9th Edition

Software To Improve Itanium:

Intel is making news by moving to correct weaknesses in its Itanium line of processors via a new software approach called the IA-32 Execution Layer code named btrans. This will dramatically improve performance on older 32-bit software if btrans works as intended. Here is a clip from the article:

Intel will release software later this year designed to dramatically improve how well its Itanium chips run programs written for its Pentium or Xeon processors, CNET News.com has learned. The move is meant to address a weakness that hampered the adoption of high-end, Itanium-based systems. Itanium chips currently include circuitry that lets them run the 32-bit software of "IA-32" processors such as Xeon or Pentium. But that circuitry's performance has been so poor that not even Intel advocates its use. The new software approach, called the IA-32 Execution Layer and code-named btrans, will give the forthcoming 1.5GHz Itanium 2 the ability to run 32-bit software about as fast as a 1.5GHz Xeon MP, Intel spokeswoman Barbara Grimes confirmed.

[H]ardNews 8th Edition

Canterwood Overclocking:

HardwareLuxx has a tiny bit on OC’ing the Canterwood posted in their forums that is pretty impressive, translator required. The fellas are seeing 1300MHz QDR ( 4 x 325MHz ) on their board which is very impressive indeed. Many people have worried that 800MHz FSB speeds would hinder overclocking, but even in our review of several Canterwood boards we saw 1000MHz QDR rock solid.

Zalman CNPS7000-AlCu:

Beauty and the Beast. Michael Schuette shows off the “beauty” aspect with his 1337 photoshop skillz by jazzing up the first picture in his review of the Zalman CNPS7000-AlCu HSF. This quote about socket breaking has got to be the “beast”:

One issue, though, and that one is completely beyond the specs or recommendations of Zalman, is the fact that the heavy weight is prohibitive of modding the cooler to fit stable on any AMD processor, the weight and the small area of contact would combine to enough leverage to break most sockets. In case a mainboard with mounting holes is used, the situation could be somewhat different but most boards do not even offer this luxury anymore.

Opteron Windows Server 2K3:

Support for Windows Server 2003 has been announced by AMD today. Here is a small clip from the PR:

AMD today announced AMD Opteron™ and AMD Athlon™ MP processor support for 32-bit Microsoft® Windows® Server 2003 operating systems. With AMD Opteron and AMD Athlon MP processors and Windows Server 2003 platforms, customers can experience enhanced 32-bit performance to power enterprise applications and networks. AMD Opteron processor-based servers, which natively support both 32- and 64-bit systems and applications, and Windows Server 2003 are powerful extensions of the familiar and widely used x86 environment. Information technology and system managers can easily scale and implement AMD’s 32- and 64-bit processors and Microsoft’s server operating system into the most demanding enterprise computing environments.

[H]ardNews 7th Edition

Retail Opteron Boards:

Our own Sean Pelletier attending the Opteron Launch in NYC this week. Overall he said there was not much to report beyond what we all have already seen. He did however bring back some nifty snapshots of boards from MSI and Asus.

Notice of course the Asus board is a single CPU equipped with an AGP slot. Can't wait to get hold of one of those.

[H]ardNews - ? & Freebie Ed

I have been getting more questions about "Mobile [H]" lately as many of you are obviously moving to wireless technologies on your PDAs and such. I personally try to stay away from those things as I spend enough time in front of a computer anyway. I certainly do not want to take 1000 spams with me anywhere.

Anyway, onto the question. What format is best for you guys? What resolution would best take care of the majority of you? I am thinking we do something very graphically simple that will be presented in a certain resolution with minimal ads. This should be something that would not be hard to accomplish given the dynamic structure of the website. Mail me at MobileH@HardOCP.com with any suggestions.

This is a repost for all you folks that missed it!

50 lucky folks will get:

Asylum/NVIDIA GeForce FX skull cap, Asylum "Up All Nite" tshirt, Sticky Brain Wall-Crawler, Over $100 in coupons for iRiver, Altec Lansing, Imation, and Seagate, and a Black Hawk Down Demo Disc

Send your name, shipping address, phone number, and age to FreeBFG@HardOCP.com. You are only allowed one entry, multiple entries will be discarded.

Thanks to BFGTechnologies for passing along their leftovers.

[H]ardNews - Blair Tech Ed.

Non Lethal Landmines:

Plans to roll out a non-lethal landmine that zaps intruders with 50,000 volts were discussed by security experts who met up in California last month. But while the device satisfies the 1997 Ottawa Convention, which bans explosive landmines, some experts question its safety and are concerned that it could breach international humanitarian laws.

21st Century Karaoke:

Karaoke may never be the same, thanks to research being presented in Nashville detailing the latest findings in efforts to create a computerized system that makes average singers sound like professionals. "Our ultimate goal is to have a computer system that will transform a poor singing voice into a great singing voice," said Mark J.T. Smith, a professor and head of Purdue University's School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Body Heat Scanner:

The city-state has placed thermal scanners at its border with Malaysia looking for people who might have fevers. Singapore reported one new SARS death Wednesday, bringing the city-state's toll to 17, as fears of the flu-like illness prompted authorities to use high-tech equipment to screen travelers and cut airport landing fees for the hard-hit airline industry.

Broadband Over Powerlines:

The Federal Communications Commission said Wednesday it is opening an inquiry into the feasibility of supplying broadband network access over power lines. The review is part of an FCC effort to promote spectrum flexibility as well as multiple platforms for the delivery of Internet and broadband services to homes and offices. Regulators have come under heavy pressure from the struggling telecommunications and PC sectors to speed deployment of broadband infrastructure as well as to encourage demand for new multimedia services.

[H]ardNews 4th Edition

Albatron KM18G Pro:

Albatron seems to be taking a stab at a smaller form factor nForce2 board to appeal to people wanting the killer nForce2 platform in a smaller package. The Tech-Report crew gives us the skinny on the board, the performance as well as the apparent lack of OC features. Good reading here.

Although the KM18G Pro's performance is spot-on for the nForce2 platform, the board's flashy colors can't disguise a BIOS that's woefully inadequate for overclocking. For PC enthusiasts looking to push their processors to the edge and back, the KM18G Pro doesn't yet have what it takes. Enthusiasts looking forward to Soundstorm-certified audio will be disappointed by the KM18G Pro, too.

VIA Launches VT6212 USB 2.0:

While we are on the subject of small form factor computers, VIA has announced the launch of the VT6212 USB 2.0 for mobile and small form factor PCs. Here is a snippet from the PR:

VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator and developer of silicon chip technologies and PC platform solutions, today announced the launch of the VIA VT6212 4-port USB 2.0 Host Controller. Designed for implementation in mobile and small form factor systems, the VIA VT6212 offers the high USB 2.0 data transfer rates of up to 480Mbps yet maintains ultra low power consumption through its Dynamic Stop Clock Control, while the addition of CardBus mode allows extra USB 2.0 ports to be added through a PCMCIA adapter.

Mods & Ends:

CoolerMater Aero7 @ Overclocker Café - Antec SLK1600 Case @ Tech Lounge - MS Optical Mouse @ RadiativeNZ - 19” Samsung LCD @ ExtentionTech - Cold Cathode @ TechTastic - Chieftec Matrix Case @ MTB - Lighted Keyboard @ Comp-Shop - Audigy Platinum @ OcPrices - Antec 550w PSU @ The Tech Zone - Matrix Orbital @ Bit-Tech

[H]ardNews 3rd Edition

Iwill K7S2 (SiS 746FX):

With most people are wanting more performance and more features for their hard earned money, IWill has taken the road less traveled and decided to offer a stripped down SiS746FX board. With tons of cheaper boards out there ( around a C note ) I don’t think going with “less” is a good idea anymore.

The SiS 746FX platform is definitely not the star performer that the NVIDIA nForce2 is, but fortunately, the feature support of the 746FX is kept very much minimal and yet up to date. This would mean that SiS 746FX motherboards would actually be very affordable Socket-A platforms with decent performance.

MSI Ti4800SE-VTD8X:

Bjorn3D has a mini write up on the MSI Ti4800SE-VTD8X. The fellas took a stab at explaining the confusing naming scheme of these cards but eventually did like everyone else…gave up on trying to figure it out.

The Ti4800 is actually a Ti4400 with AGP 8X support. It sort of makes sense; the standard Ti4400 has AGP 4X support so if you double it you get a 4800. Therefore an 8X Ti4200 would be a Ti4400, and an 8X Ti4600 would be a Ti41200! Oh screw it, just forget the name and we'll move on to the features.

nForce2 Shootout:

Attention, there is a nForce2 shoot out at Gamers Depot in progress.Three suspects in custody, two dead and one wounded in what can only be described as a fierce battle. Film at 11.

The close performance of all three boards is really a testament to just how closely NVIDIA works with all of their board-makers to ensure that no matter which brand you buy, you’ll experience best-of-class performance.

I need to lay off the CNN.

[H]ardNews 2nd Edition

VIA Launches K8T400M Chipset:

With the launch of the Opteron we knew it would only be a matter of time before VIA announced support for the latest and greatest from AMD. Here is a clip from the press release:

VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator and developer of silicon chip technologies and PC platform solutions, today announced chipset support for the new AMD Opteron™ processor for server and workstation systems. The VIA Apollo K8T400M Chipset, built around a high speed, low latency HyperTransport™ link to the AMD Opteron™ processor, is designed to enable a new generation of powerful server solutions suitable for firewall, cache and load balancing applications, as well as Web hosting. The K8T400M is also suitable for workstation applications with the North Bridge integrating an AGP 8X controller allowing the AMD Opteron processor based system to interface with the latest professional class 3D graphics processors.

Sales Up For Mobo Makers?

Heading into the traditionally slow sales period, some companies, like ASUS, are expecting sales to rise. I guess only time will tell if they are right or not.

Despite entering the traditional low season, motherboard makers Asustek Computer, Universal Scientific Industrial (USI), Acorp Electronics and Jetway Information expect sequential revenue growth in the second quarter. In the first quarter, Asustek shipped 4.9 million motherboards, of which nearly 60% were OEM orders. The company projects that its motherboard shipments are likely to rise by 10-20% to about 5.88 million units in the second quarter.

Swiftech MCX4000 Review:

If you looked up the term “big ass cooler” you’d probably see a picture of the Swiftech MCX4000 staring back at you. Not only is this cooler massive enough to handle damn near anything you throw at it, some models can even be had with a peltier. Awesome stuff for all you air coolers out there.

This HSF will, without a doubt, be able to keep even the newer P4 scheduled to be released soon cool and stable.