[H]ardNews 7th Edition

Radeon X1900 3DMark06 IQ Snag:

Another 3DMark release, another issue cropping up with some company’s video card not doing something correctly. Isn’t this is the part where I am supposed to get all excited and agitated and point out my thoughts on using real games for real testing and so on? Bah...who has the energy for all that?

I pinged ATI to see what they had to say about this problem, and they confirmed that were able to duplicate it themselves. They said that the image problems are caused by a bug in the compilation of the shadow shader on the Radeon X1900. They explained that this shader is different than the one used on either the X1800 or the GeForce cards because it "employs both Fetch4 and 24-bit DST" in order to best take advantage of the X1900's capabilities.

PowerColor Theater 550 Pro PCI-E:

Those of you building a HTPC or maybe just looking to add TV functionality to your PC, the PowerColor Theater 550 Pro PCI-E might be what you are looking for. Head over to HotHardware for all the details.

Everything considered, we walked away with a fairly good view of PowerColor's Theater 550 Pro. There's little in terms of features and accessories to set it far apart from the competition, though the fact that it uses a PCIe interface certainly helps.

The Great ABIT End-User Survey:

For those of you that haven’t heard, the Great ABIT End-User Survey is underway giving everyone a chance to win daily prizes for participating in the company survey. The survey only runs for two weeks so get over there and try to win something!

Taiwanese motherboard-maker ABIT Computer Corporation is launching the Great ABIT End-User Survey on their website today. In the words of Marketing Director Larry Wu: “It’s the biggest survey ever conducted in the history of the industry, and we’re handing out prizes with a total value far exceeding $10,000! This is our way to thank the PC community for all the support we have received in 2005, and likewise it’s a great way for PC enthusiasts to tell us what they really want in a motherboard. You tell us – we build it!”

[H]ardNews 6th Edition

No GPL 3 For Linux:

Linus Torvalds has flat out said “conversion isn’t going to happen” when asked about converting Linux to version 3 of the General Public License.

Torvalds specifically objected to one new provision in the GPL 3 draft that opposes digital rights management, which is technology that uses encryption to control the use of content and running of software. "I think it's insane to require people to make their private signing keys available, for example. I wouldn't do it," he said.

Rootkits For Your BIOS?

A rootkit that targets the system BIOS instead of landing on a storage device / hard drive is expected soon. Just lovely.

A collection of functions for power management, known as the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI), has its own high-level interpreted language that could be used to code a rootkit and store key attack functions in the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) in flash memory, according to John Heasman, principal security consultant for U.K.-based Next-Generation Security Software.

[H]ardNews 5th Edition - [H]ardForum [H]appenings

[H]ardForum [H]appenings:

Welcome to the Folding edition of [H]ardForum [H]appenings! Since we are focusing on Folding, now is a good time to remind you that if you aren’t Folding for a cure then you NEED to be!! If you need to know why we DC hit this thread up. If you have the desire to Fold but your hardware is lacking, check out the distributed computing DC For Sale & Trade subforum and get that box running. So now you have the desire and the hardware taken care of but you just don’t know “HOW” to get Folding, this thread will tell you everything you need to know. So the message of the day is FOLD, FOLD, FOLD!!! Maybe you too can become the [H]ard DC’r Of The Month! Now that we have Folding taken care of, let’s move on to some [H]otDeals! One of our new advertisers, Monarch Computers, has a hell of a sale on memory going in this thread! Don’t miss out. Runner up in the DotD department is this 25% off Dell 2405FPW, plus and extra $35 off coupon and free shipping. Now might be a great time to get one of these! Hell, I’ll take two! As always, have fun in the forums, everyone else is…without you, so get in there!

[H]ardNews 4th Edition

MPAA Sued For Piracy?

If you can’t buy a new DVD and make a few copies for friends, should the MPAA be allowed to do it? Apparently one film maker is a bit peeved at the MPAA who decided to copy his film and distribute it without his permission. The MPAA’s vice president of corporate communications admitted they did it but said it was because “it had implications for our employees”. But, according to their own standards, there is no reason you should copy and distribute a DVD…correct? Heh…I’m loving’ the irony here. Thanks to Brian Kilby sending me this link and making my day.

Kirby Dick, the film's maker, submitted the film in November and said that the MPAA's lawyer admitted to copying the DVD. He has now filed a suit to recover all copies of the film and to determine who ordered the illegal actions.

[H]ardNews 3rd Edition - Mods & Ends

Cooling:

Vantec Vortex 2 HDD Cooler @ Techgage - PCToys System Maxx Fan Controller @ OCModShop

Etc.:

Flexity PowerSquid Surge Protector @ Designtechnica - CoolerMaster Musketeer 3 Review @ PC Modding Malaysia - RedOctane Afterburner Metal Dance Pad @ Driver Heaven

Cases & Modding:

"The Year of the HTPC" at XYZ Computing - CoolerMaster Stacker 830 @ R&B Mods - merliniplexi 2.0 Guide: Part II @ Gideontech

[H]ardNews 2nd Edition

Record Labels Fights RIAA:

Nettwerk Music Group, Canada's leading privately owned record label has joined the fight against the RIAA. You heard me right, against the RIAA. This is what the CEO had to say:

Suing music fans is not the solution, it's the problem. Litigation is not 'artist development.' Litigation is a deterrent to creativity and passion and it is hurting the business I love. The current actions of the RIAA are not in my artists' best interests

Welcome To Last Year:

Talk about being late to the party…the L.A. City Attorney is suing Take-Two Interactive for “hiding pornographic material” inside GTA: San Andreas.

Rocky Delgadillo said his office sued Rockstar Games and its parent company, Take-Two Interactive, for making misleading statements in marketing the game and engaging in unfair competition.

[H]ardNews 1st Edition - Press Releases

Microsoft Reports Record Revenue:

Microsoft Corp. today announced revenue of $11.84 billion for the quarter ended December 31, 2005, a 9% increase over the same period of the prior year, marking the highest quarterly revenue in the company’s history. Net income for the quarter was $3.65 billion, which grew 5% from $3.46 billion for the same quarter of the previous year. Diluted earnings per share for the quarter were $0.34. Net results included $108 million, or $0.01 per share, in tax benefits. Operating income for the quarter was $4.66 billion, a 2% decline from the same period in the prior year reflecting in part the impact of significant sales, marketing and product development expenses associated with major product launches.

AT Imageon 2380 & 2388:

With the explosion in demand for quality visual experiences on the cell phone, ATI Technologies Inc. has leveraged its extensive experience with video and graphics to deliver the latest in handheld technologies with the Imageon® 2380 and the Imageon® 2388. A complete audio and visual solution, the Imageon 2380 and Imageon 2388 offer end users an enriched multimedia and gaming experience by leading the industry with the implementation of OpenGL ES 1.2, which allows developers to push the boundaries of 3D content development.

World’s Smallest PSU Offers Many Possibilities:

Mini-box.com, a division of Ituner Networks today announced the picoPSU, the world’s tiniest PC power supply. Measuring only 31x45x20mm, about the size of two AA batteries, the picoPSU is 10 to 20 times smaller than standard PC power supplies. The tiny picoPSU delivers the same power as standard power supplies, enabling design of smaller PCs and smart appliances and giving devices such as robots less weight and mass to bear for longer periods of autonomous operation. The picoPSU is compatible with all Mini-ITX mainboards and standard motherboards.

[H]ardNews 10th Edition

Go Mod Something!

Since there isn’t a whole lot going on in PC land tonight, why not grab your dremel, a hole saw and head on out to the workshop and mod your PC. Need ideas? Head on over to our Case Modding forums, a great place to get inspired. What kind of inspiration you ask? How about this guy’s water cooled, Plexiglas case mod? Or maybe this guys water cooled workstation mod? Here are a two pictures of the mods mentioned (in order):

Xbox 360 Dashboard Update Soon?

Xboxic claims that there is a major Xbox 360 update on the way that will address known dashboard issues and other game-specific issues. We are checking on the authenticity of this as we speak and will update you when we have more information.

An inside source at Microsoft informed us that Microsoft is currently finishing off one huge update for the Xbox 360 that is going to put an end to all the common problems in both games and the system itself. It will contain fixes for all currently known lockups in games, missing or impossible to get achievements and a bunch of new functionality in the Dashboard.

*Update* Our man on the inside says that "an auto-update is imminent". So there you have it.

[H]ardNews 9th Edition - Tech Edition

Dual Boot On Intel Mac Contest:

There is a total of $6,000 being offered to anyone who can dual boot Windows XP on an Intel based Mac. If anyone can do it, it would be one of you guys.

A self-professed Mac lover who jump-started a prize award for the first person to figure out how to boot Windows XP on an Intel-based Macintosh is confident that someone will step forward to claim the bounty, now at nearly $6,000.

AGEIA Interview:

The crew at Xzentech has part one of their interview with one of the founders of AGEIA online today. Most of the answers are too lengthy to quote here so I’ll just give you a slice of the intro instead:

Exactly what is a PPU? It is an acronym that stands for Physics Processing Unit. Introduced by AGEIA, this term has gone across the PC enthusiast world like wildfire. Today we sit down for a nice “chat” with Manju Hegde. The first of a two part interview, we will be discussing AGIEA’s upcoming plans along with their PhysX chip.

Spammer Fined $5 Million:

Yahoo News says that the courts have fined some spamming-scumbag $5 million dollars for sending out billions of herbal Viagra spasm. The article even has a picture of the spammer known as “Rizler”. Feel free to laugh at his expense, I did.

A man who sent billions of junk e-mails hawking online college degrees, sexually explicit Web sites and "generic Viagra" must pay more than $5 million in penalties to America Online, a federal judge ruled.

[H]ardNews 8th Edition

Gamer Parents Surveyed:

ShackNews has a bit of info on a recent survey regarding parents and video games. The information goes a long way towards dispelling much of the accusations made by the anti-gaming groups out there. Definitely a good read.

"This first-ever study of 'gamer parents' dramatizes the increasing and positive role that video games play in American family entertainment," said Douglas Lowenstein, president of the ESA, the trade group representing U.S. computer and video game publishers. "The data provide further evidence dispelling the myth that game playing is dominated by teens and single twenty-somethings. It tells us that parents see games both as an enjoyable activity on their own, and one that allows them to engage with their children as well."

[H]ardNews 7th Edition

XFX 7800GT XXX Edition:

Motherboards.Org has the XFX 7800GT XXX Edition (go ahead and laugh, take a moment if needed) strapped to the review bench today. According to the review, the sexy XXX card was lubed up, inserted into the PCI-E slot and performed like a race horse. There are lots of pics and even an animated GIF of the card in action.

Overclocked, good looking and fast, that is my opinion of the new XXX 7800GT from XFX as it delivers what's promised right out of the box. Package content is above the average and at least gives you a few decent game titles to wet your gaming appetite with.

DFI NF4 SLI-DR Expert:

Hardware Logic has a review of the DFI NF4 SLI-DR Expert posted today for your viewing pleasure. Overall, it would seem like they liked the board, here is a quote:

While I love my DFI LANParty NF4 SLI-DR and appreciate its dedication and service through 12 abusive months…it is now being retired in favor of the DFI LANParty NF4 SLI-DR EXPERT EDITION. First DFI stepped back and looked at what made their NF4 LANParty boards successful (the overclocking) and improved it.

Speaking of the DFI NF4 SLI-DR, you can see our review of that board here for comparison purposes.

More On E3 Booth Babes:

JCal over at GameCloud rounded up commentary on booth babes from industry giants such as Cliff Bleszinski and my man Randy Pitchford. Here is a sampling of the opinions given:

"I think they need to figure out a faster way for me to get between the halls that doesn't involve pushing through a massive crowd of folks lined up for a free T-shirt. If that means less booth babes or more clothes on said babes, so be it. I'm at E3 to work. Save the naked ogling for evenings at The Body Shop over on Sunset."

I have done the whole E3 thing and let me tell you, I totally agree with CliffyB.

[H]ardNews 6th Edition

Microsoft Developing A Handheld?

BusinessWeek seems to think that Microsoft is developing a handheld music / gaming device.

BusinessWeek has learned that the software giant is working on plans to develop its own portable digital media device to rival the iPod, rather than just providing technology to partners. Microsoft hasn't decided if it will go ahead.

If you ask me, I think Microsoft should try to compete in this arena but not by developing its own device…I think they should buy Nintendo outright or buy controlling interest in them. I can just hear Bill Gates throwing down the check to buy them yelling Pikachu, I choose you! O.K., maybe that is more Steve Ballmer’s style but they have the money to do it.

New DS Coming:

Speaking of Nintendo, the company will offer a Nintendo DS Lite, a slimmed down version of the DS. Anyone who has seen the DS knows they are like me a bit on the "thick" side.

"Nintendo President Satoru Iwata today announced Nintendo DS Lite, a slimmer version of the best-selling Nintendo DS™. Also featuring brighter screens, Nintendo DS Lite will launch in Japan in March. Nintendo DS Lite will be less than two-thirds the size of the original Nintendo DS and more than 20 percent lighter.