The Daily PlanetAMD64

Seagate Momentus XT Hybrid Hard Drive

Mon, 24 May 2010 08:00:58 -0400

It has been a while since we knocked out a review of our own but when Seagate ask if we would like to try out a new “game changing” device we were not about to say no thanks.� We’re going to take a look at the Momentus XT, a newly designed hybrid hard drive.� Many of us will remember when Seagate tried to give this a try a few years ago with little success. Luckily they took a lot away from the previous hybrid drive and didn’t give up on the idea.� Jump ahead to today and Seagate has released their second hybrid hard drive, the Momentus XT.

The Momentus XT is trying to bridge the gap between the blazing speed of a Solid State Drive (SSD) and a typical mechanical platter Hard Disc Drive (HDD).� It does this buy having a 7200rpm platter,� 4GB of onboard solid state flash, and Seagate’s Adaptive Memory technology.� WTF is Adaptive Memory technology you ask? According to the guys at Seagate it is, “a groundbreaking Seagate technology that moves frequently used information into flash memory for faster access.”� The Seagate Adaptive Memory algorithm works by identifying patterns in how often certain digital data is used. It then moves the most frequently retrieved information to flash memory for faster access than from the spinning disks – effectively tailoring hard drive performance to the user and applications.�� Well 4GB isn’t a very big hard drive you say, and you would be correct.� The Momentus XT currently comes in capacities of up to 500GB (250GB and 320GB are the other options).� As you may have also already figured out because of the name, the Momentus XT is a 2.5″ drive.� The final gap between SSDs and HDDs that the Momentus XT fills is price, the 500GB unit should hit the street with a MRSP of $156 (250GB – $113, 320GB – $132). A 500GB SSD would nearly require a new mortgage to be drawn on the house.

Key Features and Benefits
• Boots 40 percent faster than traditional 7200-RPM drives (for overall system performance, that’s
within 1% of an SSD*)
• Cuts costs by 75 percent compared to SSDs by combining solid state and hard drive technologies
• Delivers the perfect balance of speed and capacity
• Uses Adaptive Memory technology to optimize performance in real time by storing frequently used
files and data on the solid state drive component
• Ensures compatibility with any operating system or application with a standard 9.5mm notebook
drive form factor and the characteristics of a traditional 7200RPM drive
• Offers all the benefits of SSD performance with the high capacity, storage, battery life, power
consumption and heat generation of a traditional hard drive
*Per Seagate benchmark data, using SysMark07 combined with 4GB of RAM on the system side

- 500GB, 320GB, 250GB hard drive capacities – Sweet spot capacity points that performance enthusiasts are looking for
Ensures that you will have the capacity you need for any type of application or digital hobby—ample digital play room
- 4GB solid state flash Speeds bootup and application response time
- 7200RPM spin speed Performance that won’t increase the noise, heat or power consumption of your hard drive—speed without the excess baggage.
- Seagate Adaptive Memory Technology – Customizes system performance to the user. Usage patterns are constantly monitored and updated for dynamically improved response times.
- 32 MB cache

On to the performance of the drive.� Our test drive arrived on Friday, unfortunately this is also a holiday weekend here in Canada (where I live) and we had a ton of stuff scheduled, so I was a bit limited to what I was able to do testing wise.� All tests were done in my slightly aging desktop PC after a clean install of Windows 7 Home Premium x64, plus several apps that I typically use regularly (WoW, Firefox, utorrent, Ventrilo, Dropbox, KeePass, DisplayFusion). For comparison to another HDD I used a Barracuda 7200.10 750GB drive and is really only included for reference since it is an older drive and certainly not the speediest of drives currently available.� Since it generally takes running a program three times for the algorithm to put the necessary data into the flash each test was run three time and then the average of the following three runs was taken. For example the first time I ran PCMark Vantage the HDD Suite scored 5278 before jumping up several hundred points to the final average of 5806.

Intel C2D E8500 @ 4GHz
Asus P5Q-Pro
4GB G.Skill PC2-8500
BFG 9800GTX
Razer Barracuda AC-1

I started off with a good old fashioned, “How long does my PC take to start up?” test. Using a web based stopwatch on my wife’s PC I timed from pressing the power button until I saw the Windows background. No modifications were made to Windows to prevent anything from loading on start up. After half a dozen cold boots I took an average of the last 3 and came up with 47 seconds.

Next up was a HDTach running in windows XP compatibility mode.

Momentus XT
Barracuda 7200.10

Random Access
0.3ms
13.7ms

CPU Utilization
2%
3%

Average Read
85.9MB/s
66MB/s

Burst
230.9MB/s
242.6MB/s

To finish up a quick round of tests I ran PCMark Vantage full test suite.

PCMark suite
HDD Suite

Momentus XT
6948
5806

Barracude 7200.10
6406
3449

Since I have only ran this drive for a weekend I haven’t had an opportunity to really see it perform.� However, just playing the little bit that I have with it I have seen improvements with load times for games like World of Warcraft and just an overall snappier system.� Seagate hit the spot with this drive and I think this kind of technology is going to really help bridge the gap to SSD performance without breaking the bank.� I am really looking forward to spending more time with this drive and see what else it can help improve. This would be an ideal hard drive for a performance laptop or even a netbook that you wanted to squeeze out some more performance without losing all the storage space that switching to a SSD would cause.� Overall this little drive is getting highly recommended to any user looking to get some more performance without paying the big bucks for a solid state drive.

For anyone that is interested in getting some more information, the following webcast is open to anyone.

ASUS and Seagate Unveil the Momentus XT and the ROG G73JH with a live webcast

On Wednesday, May 26, at 11 a.m. PST, Seagate and OEM customer ASUS will co-sponsor a live webcast unveiling not only the new Seagate Solid State Hybrid drive, Momentus XT, but also featuring the new ASUS ROG G73JH system with two Momentus XT drives.�� Three lucky attendees of this webcast will win a new G73 system just for attending. In addition, special guest speaker and famous gaming reviewer N’Gai Croal will provide an in-depth review of the new G73 powered by Momentus XT and how this system will transform high-performance computing.

To register for this live webcast:

https://seagate-events.webex.com/seagate-ev...amp;d=644000350

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Major Win7 x64 security flaw

Thu, 20 May 2010 14:07:26 -0400

http://blogs.technet.com/msrc/archive/2010...9-released.aspx

QUOTE(Microsoft Security Response Center)

We�re currently developing a security update for Windows that will address the vulnerability. In the meantime, customers may choose to disable Windows Aero as a workaround to protect against potential threats. With Aero disabled, the path by which cdd.dll can be exploited is bypassed.

Thecus N7700 Pro – More Than Just a NAS

Wed, 05 May 2010 19:42:47 -0400

�

Thecus, makers of fine storage products for all kinds of users and platforms, recently sent us the Pro version of their N7700 class NAS device. With a little help from our friends at Seagate, who graciously donated 8 TB of hard drives for us to test with, we take the N7700 Pro for a spin around the block and see what differentiates this storage device from an ever crowding field.

�

[DISCLAIMER: Thecus provided an N7700 Pro NAS unit for review in exchange for advertising space on PlanetAMD64 and PlanetX64. Seagate donated the drives to us with no compensation other than to be mentioned as our source of hard drives.]�

�

�

�

Appearance

Despite the “Pro” moniker, the Thecus N7700 Pro uses a mini-tower form factor. This is not a rack-mountable device. However, it is smaller than a typical PC mini-tower, so it does not occupy that much space. If stored in a rack enclosure on some sort for shelf, it will occupy a little over 7U of space, so plan accordingly. Clad in anodized black and silver, the mini-tower can hold seven drives in its chassis. That’s potentially 12 TB of RAID-5 storage with the largest drives currently available.

�

Status information is provided via an LCD display on the front. Several manual controls on the front can be used to modify basic setup settings in case the network gets misconfigured and the web interface is not accessible.

�

�

Features

Where to start? The unit is fully buzzword compliant and has recently been awarded VMware compatibility status. This means that VMware’s Hypervisor can reliably recognize the N7700 Pro as a storage device and even boot virtual machines from mounted iSCSI images.

�

Supported clients can be any combination of Windows, Mac, or Linux/Unix.

�

The N7700 Pro has Thecus’ Dual DOM architecture which means if the primary ROM gets messed up during an update, you can boot from a secondary ROM and reset the primary.

�

RAID modes offered include: 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 & JBOD. Up to 3 modes can be supported simultaneously.

�

The unit is managed via a browser-based UI that is clean, well-designed and easy-to-use.

�

During setup you are offered a staggering variety of filesystems (EXT3, XFS, & ZFS) to choose from. Most notable among them is ZFS, a 128-bit journaling filesystem designed and built by Sun Microsystems which packs upper storage limits so ridiculously large, you would have to use every atom in the Earth’s crust to fill it. ZFS also allows for data expansion via zpools, so you can start small and add drives later to expand. Combine this with RAID-6 (dual parity redundant) volumes and you have the makings of a storage device that can only be taken out of commission through acts of sabotage. By creating ZFS volumes you can enable Snapshot version control for the ultimate in data redundancy.

�

It supports online migration, online expansion, hot-swap, & hot-spares.

�

It can communicate directly via RS-232 & USB to UPS systems.

�

The 7700 Pro sports 2 GbE ports which can be load-balanced, 802.3ad (ganged) or setup in a failover configuration. But for real speed, there is a 10 GbE option (for all you bleeding-edge types.)

�

Add a wireless dongle and the N7700 Pro also acts as a wireless access point.

�

The N7700 Pro can act as a DHCP Server or Client.

�

The N7700 Pro includes backup software for Windows and Mac clients. Linux/Unix client can backup via cron+rsync, as can more gregarious Mac users. I tested the rsync facilities using ChronoSync for Mac. By mounting an iSCSI target volume, Mac user can designate the N7700 Pro as a target for Time Machine backups. If you are going this route, I highly recommend setting up the network as 802.3ad ganged for maximum throughput (unless you have access to 10GB switches and NICs for Macs.)

�

The N7700 Pro includes a print server, media server (Windows Media and iTunes), Download Manager (Bittorrent, FTP, HTTP)

�

The N7700 Pro provides a plethora (I love using that word) of methods to access your data:

TCP/IP
CIFS/SMB
AFP
NFS
HTTP/S
FTP
FTP-SSL/TLS
[/list]
�

The N7700 Pro is also extensible. Thecus offers several add-on modules to enhance the functionality of the device (as if it didn’t do enough already.) The list (as of this review) includes:

�
- Mail Server Module
- Backup to USB/eSATA External Drive Module
- RAID Volume Replication Module
- Twonky Media Server Module
- MySQL Module
- Web Server Module
- Bi-directional USB Copy Module
- IP Camera Server Module
- NZB News Server Module
  [/list]
  �
  
  Performance
  
  In a nutshell, the N7700 Pro is FAST. I only had it configured with one GbE port and was able to back up my entire Windows Home Server (3.5 TB of data) via a Thermaltake BlackX USB drive toaster over the network in a matter of three days. The bottleneck there is the USB drive. In regular operation, I saw a noticeable improvement in my photographic workflow which includes saving a copy of all of my RAW image files to the NAS at ingestion.
  
  �
  
  The media server functions all work as advertised providing streaming audio, video, and photo services to any device on the network that understands the protocols. Installing the Twonky Media Server adds file transcoding to the N7700 Pro’s burgeoning resume. I was able to see videos on Macs, PCs and even my DirecTV HR200 DVR.
  
  �
  
  iSCSI targets are limited to 5 per filesystem but this is not really much of a limit in the N7700 Pro’s target demographic: SMB’s and advanced home networks.
  
  �
  
  Reliability
  
  While not empirically tested, the N7700 Pro’s design has reliability as a top priority. If I had to pick a nit in this area, I would cite the lack of a redundant power supply as the only missing feature. Still, with a nice strong UPS attached the N7700 Pro offers users a product that can be counted on to keep their data safe.
  
  �
  
  Price
  
  I have seen the N7700 Pro as low as $843 USD (without drives) in some casual Google searches. The average price tends to hover around $950 USD and some places as high as $999 (the MSRP.)
  
  �
  
  The Contest
  
  As part of the Save the Planets Sponsorship drive, we are giving away a Thecus N7700 Pro NAS with 8TB of hard drives. All you have to do is become a PlanetAMD64 Sponsor and follow me on Twitter (@etrigan63). That’s it. No guessing games, no scavenger hunts. The winner of the N7700 Pro NAS will be announced on Twitter at the end of May 2010.
  
  �
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Apple Sells One Million iPads

Mon, 03 May 2010 09:17:59 -0400

CUPERTINO, Calif., May 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Apple� today announced that it sold its one millionth iPad™ on Friday, just 28 days after its introduction on April 3. iPad users have already downloaded over 12 million apps from the App Store and over 1.5 million ebooks from the new iBookstore.

“One million iPads in 28 days—that’s less than half of the 74 days it took to achieve this milestone with iPhone,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Demand continues to exceed supply and we’re working hard to get this magical product into the hands of even more customers.”

iPad allows users to connect with their apps and content in a more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before. Users can browse the web, read and send email, enjoy and share photos, watch HD videos, listen to music, play games, read ebooks and much more, all using iPad’s revolutionary Multi-Touch™ user interface. iPad is 0.5 inches thin and weighs just 1.5 pounds—thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook—and delivers up to 10 hours of battery life.*

Developers have created over 5,000 exciting new apps for iPad that take advantage of its Multi-Touch user interface, large screen and high-quality graphics. iPad will run almost all of the more than 200,000 apps on the App Store, including apps already purchased for your iPhone� or iPod touch�.

*Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution with the Apple II, then reinvented the personal computer with the Macintosh. Apple continues to lead the industry with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system, and iLife, iWork and professional applications. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store, has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

� 2010 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac OS, Macintosh, iPad, Multi-Touch, iPhone and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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McAfee program goes berserk, reboots PCs

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 06:33:57 -0400

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36694120/ns/te...ch_and_gadgets/

huh didn't see this one coming

Thecus Enterprise NAS Now VMware Ready Certified

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 10:53:20 -0400

3/25/2010 -Thecus^�, the leader in storage solutions and a member of the VMware^� Technology Alliance Partner program, has always focused on providing business users with advanced and innovative storage solutions. Now, Thecus^� is ready to bring more good news by announcing that its enterprise NAS servers, the N7700+/PRO/SAS and N8800+/PRO/SAS, are now officially VMware^� Ready certified.

Receiving the VMware^� Ready certified logo means that these Thecus^�NAS products have passed all relevant laboratory testing and met all the integration and interoperability criteria outlined by VMware^�. VMware^� Ready certification also means that these products are fully compatible with VMware^� ESX 4.0 and are ready to run in a production environment to carry out mission critical business applications and operations.

Besides VMware^� support, Thecus^� enterprise NAS servers are packed with all the essential technologies for modern businesses. Together with 10GbE or SAS HDD support, businesses have the speed and technology required to create a storage network that is able to efficiently and effectively manage their data, enabling them to provide timely services to their customers.

Users can now find these products listed on the VMware^�Compatibility Guide.

For more information on Thecus^� products, please go to:

http://www.thecus.com/products_over.php?cid=11&pid=198

For more information on VMware^�, please go to:

http://www.vmware.com/

For more information on Thecus^�, please go to:

http://www.thecus.com

About Thecus�
Thecus� Technology Corp. specializes in IP Storage Server solutions, including Network Attached Storage (NAS), DAS, External Storage and Wireless Media NAS (Bank) products. The company was established in 2004 with the mission to make technology as transparent and easy-to-use as possible, and to make products that are not only the best on the market, but are accessible to experts and novices alike. With a best-in-class R&D team highly experienced in storage hardware and Linux software and with a keen customer focus, Thecus� stays close to the market to develop high-quality products to fulfill the storage Server needs of today’s world.

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ATI Catalyst 10.3 Windows 7 Driver Analysis

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:32:43 -0400

QUOTE

The Catalyst 10.3 drivers are really weird this month. What tends to happen is that we'll get the driver a few days before it goes up live on the ATI website. Once it goes live then we release our performance analysis comparing the latest version to the previous one.

If you want to get in on the 10.3 action now you can head over here or you can simply wait for the WHQL driver due out early next week.

TweakTown sLINKy

Thecus N4200 NAS with 6D Technology

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:34:48 -0500

03/01/2010 – Whether people are taking photos of their baby’s first steps, or filming their vacations with their digital camcorder, the need for more digital storage is growing at a rapid rate. For these users who need to make sure that their precious memories are protected, Thecus� has created the N4200 featuring exclusive 6D Technology.

Dual Core CPU – The N4200 is powered by the new Intel� Atom™ D510 dual-core processor. Running at 1.66GHz, this CPU, paired with 1GB of DDR2 memory, delivers quick system response and can even smoothly handle multiple client access. Data can be accessed and transferred quickly, so you don’t have to wait around to enjoy your favorite movies, music, photos and more. The N4200’s Intel� Atom™ D510 dual-core CPU offers wicked performance for the home user.

Dual DOM Technology – The Disk On Module (DOM) of a NAS device contains all of the software necessary to operate the machine. Should it fail for any reason, your NAS will become inaccessible and your data could be at risk. To ensure maximum uptime, the N4200 includes Thecus�’ Dual DOM Technology, which allows a secondary DOM to reprogram the primary one if anything goes wrong.

Dual Displays – Take control of your NAS with the N4200’s Dual Display Technology. The N4200 comes with an LCD display that shows you critical system information, while the 2.8” OLED display allows you to change a number of settings right from the device including WAN, LAN, Link Aggregation and language. Managing your home NAS just doesn’t get any easier than with the N4200.

Dual Power – If the power happens to go out during a critical firmware upgrade, your NAS could be in trouble. The N4200 comes equipped with its own Battery Backup Module (BBM) – a lithium-ion battery pack that kicks in during a power outage and allows the system to save unwritten data to the hard disks, thereby maintaining data integrity.

Dual HDD Profile Support – The N4200 features combo drive bays that allow users to install either 2.5” or 3.5” hard disks. Users can install the smaller 2.5” drives to save power and lower noise, or choose 3.5” drives for huge capacity, making the N4200 an incredibly flexible NAS.

Dual RAID – Why choose between performance and security? The N4200 allows you to configure two RAID modes simultaneously for optimum data transfer rates and rock-solid data integrity. With the power of Dual RAID, the N4200 is your digital data fortress.

Fast, secure, and incredibly easy-to-use, the N4200 with 6D Technology is the ideal storage device for the digital lifestyle.

For more information on the N4200, go to:
http://www.thecus.com/products_over.php?ci...mp;#038;pid=220

For more information on Thecus, go to:
http://www.thecus.com

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Thecus Introduces 1U4600 Rackmount NAS Server

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 11:03:20 -0500

02/16/2010 – Two short years ago, Thecus� Technology shook up the world of enterprise storage with the release of the 1U4500 – a rackmount storage server which utilized SATA technology. Today, Thecus� is pleased to announce a follow up to this groundbreaking device: the 1U4600 Rackmount NAS Server. Offering increased system performance and complete security and flexibility, the 1U4600 is an excellent storage solution for the growing enterprise.

Business users need to access data as quickly as possible, which is why the 1U4600 is built for speed. Powered by Intel� Celeron technology and 1GB of DDR memory, the 1U4600 delivers tremendous data transfer performance and quick system response even with multiple client access. For organizations that require cloud computing applications, the 1U4600 fits the bill nicely with its cloud networking ability. This feature allows multiple 1U4600 units to be accessed by a master system, forming a huge data pool. Being a Thecus� product, data security is also top-notch, featuring multiple RAID modes, including RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 and JBOD. Best of all, administrators can take advantage of online-RAID volume management to handle such tasks as RAID expansion or migration with zero downtime.

But the 1U4600 is also incredibly flexible. For starters, it can be used in NAS, DAS, or iSCSI mode, depending on the needs of the organization. To keep things running smoothly, the 1U4600 is built with a dual DOM design, which enables the main system DOM to be reprogrammed by a secondary DOM should it fail for any reason. And to guard against sudden power supply failure, power redundancy is also available with the 1U4600R, which packs a 250W redundant power supply for uninterrupted service.

“Enterprises need superior storage at a price that fits within budget, and the newly updated 1U4600 meets these requirements,” said Florence Shih, Thecus General Manager. “With multiple redundancies and superior performance built-in, the 1U4600 sets the new standard in powerful yet versatile enterprise storage.”

For more information on the 1U4600, go to:

http://www.thecus.com/products_over.php?ci...anguage=english

For more information on Thecus, go to:

http://www.thecus.com

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The RV870 Story

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 12:30:54 -0500

The Call:

My love/hate relationship with AMD PR continued last year. But lately, it�s been far less hate. Let�s rewind back to the Summer of 2009. I�d been waiting for AMD to call for weeks.

We all knew that the RV870 was going to launch sometime before the end of the year, and we�re normally briefed on new GPUs around a month or so before we get hardware. The rumors said that the launch had been pushed back, but just like clockwork I got a call in June or July of last year. It was my old friend, Chris Hook of AMD PR.

This time he wanted me to come to a press event on a carrier off the coast of California. Sigh.

It�s not that I have anything against carriers. It�s just that all I cared about at that time was the long awaited successor to the RV770. The RV770 was the GPU that unequivocally restored my faith in ATI graphics, an impact shared by others last June. But that�s not how the game is played I�m afraid. AMD promises its management and its partners that they can fill a room (or carrier) up with important press. We get promised access to engineers, useful information and free drinks.

And now "The Rest of the Story"
Source: http://anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3740&p=1

2333MHz Corsair Dominator GTX confirmed as World’s Fastest Intel XMP-certified memory

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:52:58 -0500

FREMONT, California, January 21, 2010 — Corsair, a worldwide leader in high-performance computer and flash memory products, today announced that the Dominator GTX1 ultra-high performance DDR3 memory module (CMGTX1) has passed Intel’s XMP-Ready certification at the blistering speed of 2333MHz, surpassing Corsair’s 2000MHz modules as the fastest XMP-certified memory in the world.

Corsair Dominator GTX modules are individually hand-screened and tested to ensure unmatched performance. They are designed specifically for enthusiasts and overclockers who want to achieve the highest performance possible, and to break benchmark world records.

Intel’s engineers awarded the XMP-Ready certification to 2 x 2GB Corsair CMGTX1 modules running at the incredible frequency of 2333MHz using low timings of 9-11-9-27 at a voltage of just 1.65V. The test platform was a Gigabyte™ GA-P55A-UD4P motherboard. The successful XMP certification is a testament to the performance capabilities as well as the stability of both the memory and the target platform.

“Building the fastest memory for extreme overclockers and enthusiasts requires considerable engineering expertise, combined with a unique understanding of the complexities of overclocking,” said Kevin Conley, VP of Engineering at Corsair. “Intel is one of the most meticulous and sophisticated technology companies in the world, and so achieving XMP-Ready certification at the astonishing frequency of 2333MHz once again clearly demonstrates Corsair’s performance leadership.”

Corsair Dominator GTX1 modules are individually screened and tested on multiple high-performance Intel P55 chipset platforms. In addition to the XMP-Ready certification at a frequency of 2333MHz, they are guaranteed by Corsair to operate at up to 2400MHz at timings of 9-11-9-27 at 1.65V.

Corsair Dominator GTX modules are available exclusively from Corsair’s Online Store. They utilize Corsair’s patented DHX+ heatsink and are supplied with extra-tall cooling fins to maximize heat dissipation. They are sold as a single module, allowing enthusiasts to simply buy the number of modules they require. Corsair recommends using the GT Airflow fan with tall mounting brackets, also available from the Corsair Online Store (part number CMXAF2 GTL).

As Corsair Dominator GTX1 modules are screened by hand, in multiple passes, at Corsair’s lab in Fremont, California, availability is extremely limited and is on a first come, first served basis only.

More information about Intel XMP-Ready memory, including lists of XMP-certified memory products, can be found at: http://www.intel.com/Consumer/Game/extreme-memory.htm

For more information on Corsair DDR3 Memory for Intel Processors, please visit http://www.corsair.com/products/memory_home.aspx.

About DHX+ Technology

Corsair’s patented DHX+ technology uses specially designed, high-quality heatsinks and a custom-designed PCB that allows both the front and rear of the memory ICs, as well as the printed circuit board itself, to be cooled. DHX+ technology also allows for the cooling fins to be removed, allowing for a range of modular cooling accessories including extended heatsink fins, the Corsair Cooling™ Hydro Series H30 water cooling block and Corsair Cooling™ Ice Series T30 sub-ambient cooling subsystem, which cools the memory up to 20�C below room temperature for maximum overclocking performance. DHX and DHX+ designs are covered by US Patent number 7,606,034.

About Corsair

Founded in 1994, Corsair Memory, Inc., is a worldwide leader in high performance components for personal computers. Specializing in very high performance memory and ultra- efficient power supplies, our flagship products, Including Dominator™ memory modules, are the choice of overclockers, enthusiasts, and gamers everywhere. Our expertise in design and manufacturing is also evident in our complete line of Flash Voyager� and Flash Survivor™ USB storage devices. Corsair offers 24/7 customer support via forums and the Tech Support Express helpdesk. For more information, please visit www.corsair.com

Copyright� 2010 Corsair. All rights reserved. All company and/or product names may be trade names, trademarks, and/or registered trademarks of the respective owners with which they are associated. Features, pricing, availability, and specifications are subject to change without notice.

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Thecus Launches the N4200 NAS Server

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 03:56:59 -0500

Cutting-edge performance, security and convenience for the home user

01/04/2010 (Pre-CES) – In the digital age, people are creating and accessing digital content like never before. As such, they require a storage device that is powerful enough to store and serve this content, but friendly enough to manage quickly and effortlessly. Today, digital storage leader Thecus� Technology is proud to announce the Thecus� N4200. Fast, secure, and incredibly easy-to-use, the N4200 is the ideal home NAS for the digital lifestyle.

The N4200 was designed to enable users to access their data both quickly and easily. It begins with the new Intel� Atom™ dual-core processor D510, which runs at 1.66GHz and, in combination with 1GB of DDR2 memory, delivers both blistering data transfer speeds and increased system response. Users can easy manage their unit with the N4200’s dual displays. The LCD offers a wealth of system information, including hard disk and network status, while the big and bright 2.8” OLED display allows users to modify a number of settings directly on the device including WAN, LAN, Link Aggregation, languages and more, making the N4200 the friendliest Thecus� NAS ever.

“The enormous growth of Internet-connected devices and rich media content in the home is driving demand for innovative Network Attached Storage solutions that are powerful yet easy to use,” said Seth Bobroff, General Manager, Data Center Group – Storage. “The Intel� Atom™ processor D510 powers the Thecus N4200 NAS Server to deliver a responsive and reliable storage solution that enables consumers to enjoy and conveniently manage their digital lifestyles.”

Of course, the N4200 is incredibly adept at both storing and securing data. Four SATA II hard disk bays offer up to 8TB of storage capacity, which is plenty of space for all sorts of digital photos, movies, and music. To keep data safe, the N4200 comes with multiple RAID modes, including RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 and JBOD. The N4200 is equipped with Dual DOM technology, which uses a secondary DOM to reprogram the primary DOM in the event of a failure, and ensures maximum uptime and data availability. The N4200 can even handle itself during a power outage, thanks to the built-in battery backup module (BBM). Should the power go out for any reason, the N4200 automatically retains unwritten data in hard drives to maintain data integrity.

“Some memories are simply irreplaceable, which is why many home users would greatly benefit from the data security features of our new N4200,” said Florence Shih, Thecus General Manager. “Featuring both Dual DOM and battery backup, the all-new N4200 is the perfect device for storing, sharing, and securing all of our digital memories and media.”

For more information on the N4200, go to:

http://www.thecus.com/products_over.php?ci...anguage=english

For more information on Thecus, go to:

http://www.thecus.com

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Happy Christmas

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 05:41:51 -0500

Yohoho and a bottle of rum.... Oh wait, that doesn't sound like Santa...

Have yourselves a very merry Christmas and remember to put your feet up!

Corin

Hardware and Software reviews from around the Planet!

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:57:01 -0500

For the most up-to-date reviews from around the PLANET!
Hardware
Software

Free e-book: �First Look: Microsoft Office 2010�

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 10:18:43 -0500

For a limited time you can download this free e-book without stepping through any registration. First Look: Microsoft Office 2010, by Katherine Murray, offers 14 chapters of early content, organized like so:

Part I, �Envision the Possibilities,� introduces you to the changes in Office 2010 and shows you how you can make the most of the new features to fit the way you work today. Chapter 1, �Welcome to Office 2010,� gives you a play-by-play introduction to new features; Chapter 2, �Express Yourself Effectively and Efficiently,� details the great feature enhancements and visual effects throughout the applications; and Chapter 3, �Work Anywhere with Office 2010,� explores the flexibility factor by presenting a set of scenarios that enable users to complete their work no matter where their path takes them.

First Look: Microsoft Office 2010

Super Talent Launches Industry-leading CFast Storage Card

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:53:44 -0500

San Jose, California – December 3, 2009 – Super Talent, a leading manufacturer of Flash storage solutions and DRAM memory modules, proudly released a brand new compact digital storage product line, CFastTM storage cards. Just like the traditional SD card and its enhanced version, SDHC, the CFast storage card, with SATA interface, has improved, unmatched write/read performance speeds.

Super Talent CFast storage card is an evolution of the traditional CompactFlashTM card which has been in the industry for over 14 years, satisfying storage needs for mobile digital devices such as PDAs, digital cameras, etc. CFast has a bandwidth of 375MB/s which is four times more than the fastest High Speed 600x (90MB/s) CompactFlash card while still keeping the small original CF mechanical form factor. The new CFast storage card breaks the speed bottleneck between the SSD and the device by using a SATA interface. Super Talent has clocked these CFast cards at up to 200MB/sec read speeds. With Super a Talent CFast storage card installed, there will be no waiting time for the camera to catch up, and it will be much swifter to view pictures on a camera or to copy them to computer.

Measuring 36.4 x 42.8 x 3.3mm for Type I CFast storage cards and 36.4 x 42.8 x 5.0mm for Type II, the same physical dimensions as the CompactFlash card, the CFast Storage Card has a single-chip controller and flash memory module. The SATA interface consists of a 7-pin signal connector and a 17-pin power and control connector. The card operates at 3.3V.

Super Talent is offering five different CFast storage cards, 8GB and 16GB based on SLC (Single Level Cell) flash and 8GB, 16GB and 32GB based on MLC (Multi Level Cell) flash. The first generation of CFast storage cards supports transfer speeds up to 200MB/s.

About Super Talent Technology

Super Talent Technology Corporation based in San Jose, California, designs and manufactures a full range of DDR, DDR2, and DDR3 memory modules and Flash based storage devices for computers and consumer electronics. An ISO 9001 certified company, Super Talent utilizes its state-of-the-art factories and leading-edge components to produce award winning products with outstanding reliability. Super Talent is an active member of the JEDEC and ONFI standards bodies. With over 250 patents, the company was ranked 38th in the 2008 Wall Street Journal’s Patent ScorecardTM for the IT industry.

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Thecus Intros i8500 iSCSI NAS Device

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:37:08 -0500

11/20/2009 – Storing, securing, and managing data is vital for virtually every business today. This is why companies require storage solutions that deliver on all of these fronts while remaining cost effective. For these users, Thecus� Technology, a worldwide leader in digital storage, is pleased to introduce the i8500 Storage Device, a cutting-edge data storage solution for the enterprise user.

In business, users have to be ready for the unexpected, which is why the i8500 was engineered with total data security in mind. It begins by giving the system administrator a bevy of RAID modes, including RAID 0, 1, 0+1, 3, 5, 6, 10, 30, 50, 60 and JBOD for ultimate flexibility and data protection. The eight SATA II hard disk bays of the i8500 can accommodate up to 16TB of storage, and dual Gigabit Ethernet ports allow users to access stored data quickly. To further ensure data integrity, the i8500 can also be configured with an optional battery backup module (BBM), a Li-ion battery that retains unwritten data inside RAM for up to 72 hours. Once power is restored, this data is automatically written to the disks for safe keeping. The i8500 can even take up to 32 snapshot versions, allowing admins to easily rollback any changes made to the system. With features like these, the i8500 is a digital stronghold for the corporate network.

But the i8500 is also built for flexibility. With online disk roaming, admins can easily remove the hard disks and install them into another i8500 unit while retaining all stored data. Got a large organization? The i8500 can also support 32 host cluster connections per volume, which means that up to 32 users can access a particular volume simultaneously and offers a centralized data storage pool for even large organizations. The flexibility continues with support for Windows, MAC OS and Linux, as well as online volume expansion and migration, auto-rebuilding, and support for up to 256 logical volumes. Snappy system response is delivered by the onboard Intel� Xscale IOP Processor and 1GB of DDR RAM, which provides transfer speeds of up to 150MB/s with a single port and 190MB/s with dual ports.

“The i8500 raises the bar once again for enterprise-class storage,” said Florence Shih, Thecus General Manager. “With massive storage capacity, iron-clad data protection, and nearly infinite flexibility, the i8500 is ideal for corporate environments where data security and availability are paramount.”

For more information about the i8500 click here.

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Superior Storage Solutions with Thecus and Intel

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:48:41 -0500

11/19/2009 – Every day, business and family around the world need to store, secure, and manage copious amounts of data. As the size of these digital grow, so must their data storage capabilities, which is why Thecus� NAS devices are the ideal choice for small business and home. Featuring Intel� technology, these state-of-the-art digital storage devices redefine NAS technology, combining performance, security, reliability, and convenience all-in-one.

With a Thecus� NAS device, users have everything they need to efficiently manage their data infrastructure with a single device. Use your Thecus� NAS to seamlessly share files between office computers – both online and remotely. Keep critical business data safe by scheduling automatic backups of all clients on the network, and easily expand storage capacity without complicated procedures or costly service interruptions. With a Thecus� NAS, you can centralize your company’s documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and marketing materials, so that employees have instant access to the tools they need. And with Intel� processor technology, multiple clients can access and write data simultaneously, hiccup-free. Any way you slice it, Thecus� NAS devices with Intel Inside� are the ultimate NAS solution for the small offices and Sohos.

Thecus� NAS appliances come in a wide variety of configurations to suit any business environment. Larger organizations can select from one of Thecus�’ seven-bay models, including the feature-packed N7700, the versatile N7700SAS with SAS hard disk compatibility, and the powerful N7700PRO, or opt for an eight-bay rackmount solution like the N8800 and N8800SAS. Small to medium-sized businesses can choose a five-bay solution like the N5500, N5200PRO and the innovative N0503 ComboNAS™. No matter what your business needs, Thecus� has the right solution for you.

“Our enterprise-class NAS units are renowned for their overall performance, stability, and feature sets that are tailored for businesses of all shapes and sizes,” said Thecus� General Manager Florence Shih. “Discover the many benefits of secure centralized data storage with a world-class NAS device from Thecus� Technology!”

For more information on Thecus� NAS solutions with Intel Inside�, go to:

http://www.thecus.com/intel_series/

For more information on Thecus, go to:

http://www.thecus.com

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HP to Acquire 3Com for $2.7 Billion

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:17:40 -0500

PALO ALTO, Calif., and MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Nov. 11, 2009

HP and 3Com Corporation (NASDAQ: COMS) (“3Com”) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which HP will purchase 3Com, a leading provider of networking switching, routing and security solutions, at a price of $7.90 per share in cash or an enterprise value of approximately $2.7 billion. The terms of the transaction have been approved by the HP and 3Com boards of directors.

This combination will transform the networking industry and underscore HP’s next-generation data center strategy built on the convergence of servers, storage, networking, management, facilities and services. The resulting business outcome will help customers simplify the network, deploy a unique and innovative edge-to-core network fabric for the enterprise and improve IT service delivery capabilities, all delivered with best-in-class price-performance.

“Companies are looking for ways to break free from the business limitations imposed by a networking paradigm that has been dominated by a single vendor,” said Dave Donatelli, executive vice president and general manager, Enterprise Servers and Networking, HP. “By acquiring 3Com, we are accelerating the execution of our Converged Infrastructure strategy and bringing disruptive change to the networking industry. By combining HP ProCurve offerings with 3Com’s extensive set of solutions, we will enable customers to build a next-generation network infrastructure that supports customer needs from the edge of the network to the heart of the data center.”

“Our extensive product line and innovative technology together with HP’s breadth and scale will expand our global opportunity,” said Bob Mao, chief executive officer, 3Com. “3Com’s networking products are based on a modern architecture which has been designed to offer better performance, require less power and eliminate administrative complexity when compared against current network offerings. Our products are enterprise proven and widely deployed in the world’s largest banks, manufacturers, Internet service providers, public utilities and retailers.”

The acquisition of 3Com will dramatically expand HP’s Ethernet switching offerings, add routing solutions and significantly strengthen the company’s position in China – one of the world’s fastest-growing markets – via the H3C offerings. In addition, the combination will add a large and talented research and development team in China that will drive the acceleration of innovations to HP’s networking solutions.

3Com also brings to HP best-of-breed network security capabilities through its TippingPoint portfolio. For the past four years, TippingPoint has been the leader in Gartner’s “Magic Quadrant” in its evaluation of leading network security products. Approximately 30 percent of the Fortune 1000 companies have already deployed TippingPoint intrusion prevention systems.

“We are confident that we can run our entire global business of 300,000-plus employees, including our next-generation data centers, entirely on the new HP networking solutions,” said Randy Mott, executive vice president and chief information officer, HP. “Based on our experience and extensive testing of 3Com’s products, we are planning to undertake a global rollout within HP as soon as possible after the completion of the acquisition.”

Under the terms of the merger agreement, 3Com stockholders will receive $7.90 for each share of 3Com common stock that they hold at the closing of the merger. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of domestic and foreign regulatory approvals and the approval of 3Com’s stockholders. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of calendar 2010.

HP anticipates that the transaction will be slightly dilutive to fiscal 2010 non-GAAP earnings.

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Is AMD's Bulldozer CPU 128-bit?

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:59:51 -0400

I really shouldn't post this, but news has been slow lately, so here goes. With the recent revelation that Microsoft plans to integrate 128-bit support into Windows 8, Bright Side of News postulates that AMD's next-generation Bulldozer core could be 128-bit. In fact, it could possibly be the world's first 128-bit CPU.

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