<![CDATA[ABXZone Computer Forums - Frontpage Articles & Site Announcements]]> http://www.abxzone.com/forums/ Articles and industry news will be posted here and shown on the front page. Member submissions welcome! They will be reviewed by our news team and posted if accepted. en Thu, 09 Sep 2010 10:46:20 GMT vBulletin 1 http://www.abxzone.com/forums/images/element/misc/rss.jpg <![CDATA[ABXZone Computer Forums - Frontpage Articles & Site Announcements]]> http://www.abxzone.com/forums/ Apple unveils new TV box http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/apple-unveils-new-tv-box-120515.html Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:55:22 GMT Early this morning, Apple unveiled a smaller, cheaper version of Apple TV, which connects to a high-definition television and can show rented movies and TV shows from Apple's own service, plus photos on Flickr, YouTube clips and more.

The device lets people rent, not buy, content. Apple TV owners will pay 4.99 USD to rent first-run high-definition movies the day they come out on DVD. High-definition TV show rentals will be $0.99 USD.

Read the story here and here

The device is reportedly based on iPhone OS 4, powered by Apple's custom-built A4 processor, and offering 1080P cloud-based streaming content -- all starting at just $99.
I think there is a possibility that we could run other iPhone OS4 apps on the device.

Seriously, Apple will rule the world one day... ]]> ]]> http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/apple-unveils-new-tv-box-120515.html The Enterprise Pay-Off.... http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/enterprise-pay-off-120513.html Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:58:11 GMT The Cloud model helps businesses to become more responsive, reducing the time it takes to purchase and deploy new server and storage systems.

It also aids reaction to peaks and troughs. But would enterprises ever take this as a pay-off for systems ever being unavailable, as has happened with high-profile outages experienced by some of the Public Cloud providers?

I don't think so....

CZ ]]> CloudZone http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/enterprise-pay-off-120513.html Graphics world... http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/graphics-world-120511.html Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:00:13 GMT BFG Tech Sending Out RMA Denial Letters: Winding Down Business | Hardware Canucks (http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/news/video/bfg-tech-sending-rma-denial-letters-winding-business/) AMD kills ATI brand, you can look forward to blood-stained Radeons -- Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/30/amd-kills-ati-brand-you-can-look-forward-to-blood-stained-radeo/) BFG Tech Sending Out RMA Denial Letters: Winding Down Business | Hardware Canucks

AMD kills ATI brand, you can look forward to blood-stained Radeons -- Engadget ]]> WolfSoul http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/graphics-world-120511.html 3D Display Review: 120Hz is the Future http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/3d-display-review-120hz-future-120496.html Sun, 22 Aug 2010 02:06:17 GMT Anand put up a very interesting review of a new Asus monitor with 120Hz refresh rate. Whats interesting is the impact on 3D gaming and its all good news. Up until now 3D has been problematical; with flicker the biggest issue and of course older games not designed for 3D having clipping and menu issues, but games that are built from the ground up for 3D wont suffer these problems and 120Hz monitors will drive them to success. In Anands piece (over here (http://www.anandtech.com/show/3842/asus-vg236h-review-our-first-look-at-120hz/1)) the reviewer uses Metro 2033 as a benchmark and says: ---Quote--- ...What makes Metro 2033 a particularly good example is how everything is 3D. The initial menu screen is 3D, everything is 3D. There isn’t a jarring difference between content that obviously was never intended to be viewed in 3D and the rest of the game - in Metro 2033 it just works... ...The game is just completely immersive in a different way. It’s difficult to explain just how much more engaging this game feels in 3D compared to 2D. Suffice it to say things like the very final level where you’re running on floating platforms or in a maze away from the dark ones, or up in Ostankino tower, are amazingly different and trippy. Honestly, Metro 2033 in 3D is close to if not entirely NVIDIA 3D Vision’s killer app... ---End Quote--- Other benefits of 120Hz is that tearing will not be visible at framerates below that, which will be a huge step forward. Toms also posted an article earlier which can be found here (http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/3d-vision-surround-stereoscopic-gaming,2672.html) I gotta say, I am getting excited about 3D. While I dont find it impressive in regular TV (like sports) it may be that it drives the next level of gaming. This is because Immersion and suspension of disbelief are critical in gaming, especially where a story is included, and 3D may help to lift the standard. Anand put up a very interesting review of a new Asus monitor with 120Hz refresh rate.
Whats interesting is the impact on 3D gaming and its all good news.

Up until now 3D has been problematical; with flicker the biggest issue and of course older games not designed for 3D having clipping and menu issues, but games that are built from the ground up for 3D wont suffer these problems and 120Hz monitors will drive them to success.

In Anands piece (over here) the reviewer uses Metro 2033 as a benchmark and says:
Quote:
...What makes Metro 2033 a particularly good example is how everything is 3D. The initial menu screen is 3D, everything is 3D. There isn’t a jarring difference between content that obviously was never intended to be viewed in 3D and the rest of the game - in Metro 2033 it just works...
...The game is just completely immersive in a different way. It’s difficult to explain just how much more engaging this game feels in 3D compared to 2D. Suffice it to say things like the very final level where you’re running on floating platforms or in a maze away from the dark ones, or up in Ostankino tower, are amazingly different and trippy. Honestly, Metro 2033 in 3D is close to if not entirely NVIDIA 3D Vision’s killer app...
Other benefits of 120Hz is that tearing will not be visible at framerates below that, which will be a huge step forward.

Toms also posted an article earlier which can be found here

I gotta say, I am getting excited about 3D. While I dont find it impressive in regular TV (like sports) it may be that it drives the next level of gaming. This is because Immersion and suspension of disbelief are critical in gaming, especially where a story is included, and 3D may help to lift the standard. ]]> ]]> http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/3d-display-review-120hz-future-120496.html Intel to Acquire McAfee, Moving Into Online Security http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/intel-acquire-mcafee-moving-into-online-120489.html Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:56:36 GMT
Intel, the chip maker, has turned into Intel, the security specialist. Making one of most eye-catching moves in its 42-year history, Intel announced Thursday that it planned to acquire McAfee for $7.68 billion in cash.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/20/te...p.html?_r=1&hp
]]> ctal http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/intel-acquire-mcafee-moving-into-online-120489.html Contemporary Graphics Cards in StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/contemporary-graphics-cards-starcraft-ii-wings-120460.html Sat, 07 Aug 2010 01:33:17 GMT The world has been waiting for the sequel of the legendary StarCraft for over a decade. While only time will tell whether the novelty will be as popular as the predecessor, the game has already captured minds of almost all gamers in the world. With the release of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, a question of possible hardware upgrade arises, and we are going to help you to come up with an answer.

Benchmarks over at Xbit

This game is looking really good. I've just finished METRO 2033 and have to get back to Mass Effect 2, so its gonna be a while before I can play it - but I'm definitly looking forward to it since I really liked Reign of Chaos and Frozen Throne. ]]> ]]> http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/contemporary-graphics-cards-starcraft-ii-wings-120460.html HP CEO Hurd Resigns After Sexual Harassment Claim http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/hp-ceo-hurd-resigns-after-sexual-120459.html Sat, 07 Aug 2010 00:51:03 GMT HP today announced that Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President Mark Hurd has decided with the Board of Directors to resign his positions effective immediately...

This surprising shuffle was a result of an investigation of the facts and circumstances surrounding a claim of sexual harassment against Hurd and HP by a former contractor to HP...

..."I realized there were instances in which I did not live up to the standards and principles of trust, respect and integrity"...

Story here

Just reading about his pay (base rate + bonus + stock + perks) leaves me shaking with awe. What do you do with all that cash? And he's so young! Early 50's... I feel that jolly green giant of jealousy... wow is he set or what?

But seriously, was he worth it?
He seems to be credited with a lot, but dont market factors ultimately decide the fortune of companies? I guess if a CEO was doing a bad job that would impact the bottom line, but otherwise, if they do what they're supposed to do each day then isnt it the market that determines the outcomes? Arent they trained experienced people at what they do?
Or should we believe that CEO's are special people, who can work miracles that no one else could have, or foresee the future beyond the rest of us?

Somehow I suspect that people like Mark Hurd just get lucky. Was a head kicker at a time when that was seen to be necessary. Just a guy who could talk the talk riding a wave of historical inevitability...

Wouldnt it be different if we measured the success of a corporation by the number of employees it was able to support? A corporate ethic to not only be profitable for the shareholders and CEO but also to improve the lot of as many of their fellows as they could... now that would be something to be proud of.

I suppose that someone like Mark might say that cost cuts protect profitability which in turn protects jobs, or some similar circular argument.
But those sums that CEO's earn and ultimately the payouts they receive seem astounding in the face of such a philosophy, dont they? ]]> ]]> http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/hp-ceo-hurd-resigns-after-sexual-120459.html <![CDATA[Microsoft patches 'critical' crack in Windows operating system]]> http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/microsoft-patches-critical-crack-windows-operating-120454.html Wed, 04 Aug 2010 01:26:27 GMT Microsoft released an emergency patch for a "critical" crack in Windows operating system software that could let hackers take control of computers over the internet.

Link to story ]]> ]]> http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/microsoft-patches-critical-crack-windows-operating-120454.html US FBI challenges Wikipedia http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/us-fbi-challenges-wikipedia-120453.html Wed, 04 Aug 2010 01:24:09 GMT :pointand: link to story (http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/us-fbi-challenges-wikipedia-over-use-of-its-seal-20100804-116ua.html) just cant comment on this. Too stupid for words. :pointand: link to story

just cant comment on this. Too stupid for words. ]]> ]]> http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/us-fbi-challenges-wikipedia-120453.html <![CDATA[iPhone jailbreaking is now "legal"]]> http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/iphone-jailbreaking-now-legal-120437.html Tue, 27 Jul 2010 03:53:48 GMT ... as well as circumventing some copy protection on DVDs and video games.

iPhone jailbreaking (and all cell phone unlocking) made legal - Yahoo! News

:whistler:Interesting... very, very interesting:whistler:

I guess Apple, the MPAA, and the SIIA won't be banging down as many doors in the future as they thought! ]]> mindx2 http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/iphone-jailbreaking-now-legal-120437.html Hello http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/hello-120436.html Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:50:25 GMT hello everyone!!!:p hello everyone!!!:p ]]> sanjiwny http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/hello-120436.html Half of all PC game purchases in 2009 were Online http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/half-all-pc-game-purchases-2009-a-120432.html Sat, 24 Jul 2010 01:00:14 GMT Services like Steam and Direct2Drive continue to mount in popularity...
...market researchers at the NPD Group, entitled "PC Games Digital Downloads", almost half of the purchases of PC games in 2009 were done online. The survey estimates that 21.3 million PC games were purchased online, while 23.5 million games were sold in U.S. retail stores last year...

Story here

I wonder if they count the time when you are forced to download from STEAM even tho you bought the DVD? (As in updates).

Honestly, I realise STEAM delivers some benefits, but I often found it a PITA to use and I truly miss those innocent days when you pop a CD in the drive and install without having to go online to "activate" it, or when you could search for a patch, download it, and play without having to "register". :( ]]> ]]> http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f132/half-all-pc-game-purchases-2009-a-120432.html