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ECS A780GM-A Black Series Motherboard Review 05-10-2008 "I have few summarized thoughts on the Black Series Motherboard that need a little explaining. First, the obvious. The BIOS could use a little better organization even if it's a budget gaming motherboard. And the descriptions of each setting on the right aren't the clearest or most legible of descriptions."

Tuniq Miniplant 950w Power Supply Review 05-05-2008 "Who wouldn't want a near-1000 watt power supply in a standard size PSU enclosure? The Tuniq Miniplant 950W proves to be a solid and stable performer, with plenty of PCI-E connections for the hardcore gamer."

OCZ Rally2 Turbo 4GB USB Flash Drive Review 05-01-2008 "The Rally2 Turbo lived up to the caliber of performance we've come to expect from OCZ. This isn't just a sleek-looking drive; it's a sleek-looking drive with the transfer rates to match. With fast read and write transfer rates and a minimalist look/design, the Rally2 Turbo stands out among a crowd of "flashy" drives...."

Vantec NexStar Hard Drive Dock Review 04-28-2008 "The Vantec NexStar Hard Drive Dock lived up to its promise. It provides a convenient method of connecting any SATA drive to your system so that you can easily access the data on it. Performance was up to par, but the real benefit is from the design. During disaster recovery, you need something..."

GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS3P Motherboard Review 04-25-2008 "The Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS3P Motherboard is an aggressive, extreme, yet efficient platform. It's a shock to see this board do so well and do it even better at more extreme frequencies. It's more affordable than most P35 overclocking motherboards and has plenty of the top end features a power user could want."

LapWorks Attaché Laptop Stand Review 04-23-2008 "With the aluminum and plastic construction, the Lapworks Attaché is extremely light to carry around; however, it's not meant to be something you lug around in the laptop bag due to its shape. Instead, it's meant to sit on your desk and act like a docking station, raising the elevation of the screen to keep the user from craning their neck and causing undo strain."

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Perf-PC Real Modular PSU Inventor!

By now you've all probably heard that ULTRA is suing just about every modular power supply maker under the sun for a so-called "patent infringement" on the modular PSU.

All you long time readers out there might remember we reviewed the worlds first modular power supply invented by our friends over at Performance-PC's way back in May 2003! Don't remember? Check it out!

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VH News: Friday 2nd Edition Posted by Diceman on Friday, May 9, 2008 @ 10:51

Guitar Hero: On Tour to land in Nintendo DS bundle this June There's not a lot of details on this one just yet, but Activision CEO Mike Griffith has dropped word in an earnings conference call that the company's upcoming Guitar Hero: On Tour game / controller combo will not only be released on its own this June, but in a new Nintendo DS bundle as well. No word on a price, unfortunately, nor is there any indication that the DS itself will be undergoing any Guitar Hero-inspired changes, but it seems like those little details should be making themselves known soon enough. Apple's Sparking Power Supply Lawsuit Settled (Verdict: They're Paying) The class action lawsuit brought against Apple for PowerBook and iBook power bricks with the potential to spark has been settled. If the final approval for the settlement goes through, Apple will pay $25 to $79 to customers who "bought an adapter made by Apple or another company to replace a failed one." Mortal Kombat's creator: 'Dramatic' changes for game Since its 1992 debut in arcades, Midway's fighter Mortal Kombat has been acclaimed by players and denounced by livid parents. The superviolent fatalities and finishing moves put it front and center at the local quickie mart as a must-play arcade game, but those same moves also fueled parent groups, which used what they deemed as a growing out-of-control level of violence in videogames to help form a formal ratings system. In April, Midway announced the eighth version of the super successful American fighting series, Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe, debuting the likes of DC superheroes Superman and Batman along side Mortal Kombat characters Sub-Zero and Scorpion. Data Recovered From Space Shuttle Columbia Hard Drive Like other Columbia debris, the mangled disk drive turned up in Texas. It was six months after the disaster when a NASA contractor sent the drive to Kroll Ontrack, which specializes in data recovery. Edwards had reason for pessimism. Not only were the drive's metal and plastic elements scorched, but the seal on the side that keeps out dirt and dust also had melted. That made the drive vulnerable to particles that can scratch the tiny materials embedded inside, destroying their ability to retain data in endless 0s or 1s, depending on their magnetic charge. However, at the core of the drive, the spinning metal platters that actually store data were not warped. They had been gouged and pitted, but the 340-megabyte drive was only half full, and the damage happened where data had not yet been written.

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VH News: Friday Edition Posted by Diceman on Friday, May 9, 2008 @ 6:13

BUILT's Laptop Backpack keeps your files close, peripherals closer Not one to just follow the crowd, BUILT has thrown an interesting twist on the oh-so-popular Neoprene laptop case. The Laptop Backpack enables users to tote their 12- to 17-inch machine right on their back along with textbooks, LAN party flyers and a copy of The Daily Bugle; you'll also find a couple of smaller compartments for storing peripherals and accessories. The material itself is water- and stain-resistant, and the pack is available in two sizes to fit all but the most atypical of frames. According to BUILT, the new wave of laptop carrying should begin today at $80 a pop. More at BUILT Giant NES controller coffee table "Pirates" maker to turn "BioShock" game into film SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Take-Two Interactive Software Inc (TTWO.O: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Friday that "Pirates of the Caribbean" director Gore Verbinski will make a movie version of "BioShock," its hit video game about an underwater utopia gone disastrously wrong. The movie will be made by Universal Pictures, a unit of NBC Universal owned by General Electric Co (GE.N: Quote, Profile, Research), and John Logan, the screenwriter behind "Gladiator" and "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," was in talks to pen the script, Take-Two said. "Gore is an avid video gamer and true fan of 'BioShock'. That was extremely important to us in deciding to move forward with this project," Christoph Hartmann, president of Take-Two's 2K Games label, said in a statement. Oh God. This could be the best or worst movie ever. Bioshock was an incredible game and could actually be an incredible movie based on the plot and effects in the game. It's certainly doable with todays special effects. *crosses fingers* Texas may claim Amazon owes sales taxes DALLAS - Texas officials may claim that Amazon.com owes millions in sales taxes on purchases that state residents made from the Internet retailer. A 1992 U.S. Supreme Court ruling lets states collect sales taxes from out-of-state retailers that have a "physical presence" in their state. Seattle-based Amazon runs a distribution center in Irving. The Dallas Morning News reported in Friday's editions that it asked the Texas comptroller's office why the retailer didn't charge sales taxes on Texas customers. Robin Corrigan, a sales tax policy executive in the comptroller's office, said the agency didn't know Amazon operates a facility in the state. Internet sales tax is Da` Debil! (waterboy) Google sees YouTube products soon; warm on Yahoo MOUNTAIN VIEW, California (Reuters) - Google Inc expects to launch new products for its YouTube Web video service in the next few months and sees reason for closer cooperation with Yahoo Inc, Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt said on Thursday. Schmidt has said getting the video sharing site to make money is the Web search company's top priority for the year. He did not give details of the products, however, and they are not even in initial, or beta, testing. Apple Canada Offers 80,000 Canadians Store Credit Over iPod Battery Concerns Apple continues to very successful in the marketplace with its class leading iPod line of portable media players. However, some of Apple’s claims on battery life and storage capacity of its iPod devices have led to suits being filed. Apple Canada has reportedly offered $3.45 million in Apple store credits to Canadians who bought iPod’s in the first, second or third generations before June 24, 2004. Prior to that date, Apple marketing claimed that the iPod’s had a battery life of 8 hours between charges. The suit contends battery life is only 3 hours. The Most Ridiculous Beer Pong Table Ever Automatically Washes Your Balls A group of electrical engineering students at West Virginia University has built the most insane beer pong table ever. It's got lights all around that react to the music playing as well as a pair of built-in swirling ball washers. It's incredible. They're taking orders for them now if you want one of your own, but be warned: this first one cost them $1,000 and 400 hours of work to complete, so it won't be cheap. Hit the jump for a video of it in action, and be sure to skip to 2:30 unless you think still photos of electrical engineering majors and circuit boards are suddenly cool when set to Linkin Park. GO MOUNTAINEERS#!@# Stolen MacBook Victim Uses Screen Sharing and iSight to Bust Thieves A White Plains, NY woman who was the victim of burglary, including her MacBook, used the Back To My Mac screen sharing feature to turn on her webcam and capture images of the unwitting culprits using the computer. As a result, police were able to arrest the thieves and recover most of the stolen goods, which included two laptops, two flat-screen televisions, two iPods, gaming consoles, DVDs and computer games. This plan first launched into action when a co-worker of the nameless woman at the Apple Store noticed her computer online and notified the woman. She was then able to log into her computer and the rest is history. So the moral of the story is this: If you steal a MacBook, please be sure to cover the iSight with some tape. Otherwise, you could also be charged with a second degree felony. Awesome! Kick his ass!! Quick Bytes: XtremeMac Tango X2 Review @ Digital Trends Canon IXUS 80 IS Review @ InsideHW Diamond Viper HD 3650 1GB at Overclockers Online Scythe Zipang 139MM CPU Cooler Review @ OCC GIGABYTE X48T-DQ6 @ Bjorn3D SilverStone Kublai Series KL03 Case Review @ Madshrimps GFXChilla Graphics Card Cooler @ PC Freaks & Geeks Abit IX38 QuadGT Socket 775 Motherboard @ 3dgameman Coolermaster Aquagate Mini R80 Watercooling CPU Heatsink Review @ Frostytech.com FSP 500 Watt Blue Storm II Power Supply Review @ HardwareLogic

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VH News: Thursday Edition Posted by Diceman on Thursday, May 8, 2008 @ 9:13

Geek Wheels scooter: so many distractions, you're bound to crash Not like we haven't seen capable nerds, um, nerd-ify their scooters before, but one of the geekiest forms of transportation just got even geekier. The imaginatively named Geek Wheels scooter possesses more hardware than you can imagine, with a ginormous rear-mounted antenna, Garmin GPS unit, WiFi module, OTA TV tuner / FM tuner, high-resolution webcam, full-fledged Linux-based computer and an 8-inch touch panel to boot. The most amazing part? The creators have promised to provide regular updates and a how-to guide in short order. Make sure you invest in a high-quality helmet, alright? Video games don't create killers, new book says SAN FRANCISCO, May 8 (Reuters Life!) - Playing video games does not turn children into deranged, blood-thirsty super-killers, according to a new book by a pair of Harvard researchers. Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl Olson, a husband-and-wife team at Harvard Medical School, detail their views in "Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games and What Parents Can Do", which came out last month and promises to reshape the debate on the effects of video games on kids. "What I hope people realize is that there is no data to support the simple-minded concerns that video games cause violence," Kutner told Reuters. Gates: Vista is Moving at a "Rapid Sales Rate" Windows Vista seems to be everyone's favorite whipping boy these days. PC World labeled it the #1 Biggest Tech Disappointment of 2007 and mini "E-Wars" are guaranteed to prop up anytime the names Windows Vista and Windows XP are uttered with the same breath. Despite the explosive nature regarding any discussion of Vista, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates says that the operating system is doing just fine. According to Gates, Microsoft has sold over 140M copies of Vista globally since its consumer launch on January 30, 2007. "That's a very rapid sales rate," said Gates who has been very supportive of the operating system despite the backlash. HIPerSpace monitor wall makes a great Grand Theft Auto IV canvas Rolling around jacking up innocents and tossing Molotov cocktails is pretty enthralling on your vanilla 46-inch HDTV, but can you even imagine the rush of swiping a hot dog, burning out in someone else's whip and then snagging a new pair of kicks on this? Researchers (and gamers, obviously) down at UC San Diego have re-engineered their middleware to enable such masterpieces as this to be played on the big monolithic HIPerSpace screen, and needless to say, we can't imagine much real work getting done with this new functionality coming to light. Head on down to the gallery to see what you're missing -- science, research and 4.0 GPAs are such beautiful things. 100+ iPhone 2 Designs I Guarantee Steve Jobs Won't Unveil Anytime Soon Google execs hope for long-term ad deal with Yahoo MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. - Google Inc.'s top executives on Thursday expressed hope that the Internet search leader will be able to form a potentially lucrative advertising partnership with Yahoo Inc. — a deal that would lower the odds of Microsoft Corp. renewing its attempts to buy Yahoo. "We have been talking to Yahoo and we are very excited to be working with them," Google co-founder Sergey Brin told reporters before the company's annual shareholders meeting. "We share a lot of values with them." OCZ Introduces New Additions to the Reaper HPC Series, with High Density DDR3 Kits Featuring Incredible Speeds Sunnyvale, CA—May 7, 2008—OCZ Technology Group, a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory, today announced two new Reaper HPC solutions for enthusiasts upgrading to next generation of cutting-edge platforms. The PC3-14400 and PC3-12800 Reaper HPC Series are now available in both 2GB and 4GB dual channel kits to meet the specific needs of customized gaming systems or workstations, offering perfect compatibility with the latest platforms and chipsets at the height of DDR3 performance. “At OCZ we know that there is more than just one type of high end user, and we continually expand our DDR3 offering to deliver tailored solutions for a wide range of unique applications,” said Alex Mei, CMO of the OCZ Technology Group. “Our latest Reaper DDR3 kits are an ideal solution for hardcore gamers and overclockers looking for a combination of higher performance and stability supported by superior heat pipe based cooling.” Quick Bytes: Razer Destructor Professional Gaming Mat Review @ ThinkComputers.org Eagle Tech Consus M-Series Hard Drive Enclosure Review @ Hardware Canucks Canon EOS Rebel XSi Review @ Digital Trends NZXT Tempest Case @ 3dgameman Hyper Sonic AG2 Notebook @ techPowerUp VisionTek Radeon HD 3870 X2 Overclocked Edition Review @ OCC ASUS P5E3 Premium WiFi-AP @n @ Techgage Thermaltake M9 Mid-Tower PC Case Review @ DragonSteelMods ASUS Xonar DX PCI Express 7.1 Audio Card @ HotHardware.com ASUS P5Q3 Deluxe (Intel P45) @ Hardwarezone Preview: Gigabyte EP45-DS4 "Eaglelake" Motherboard @ Hardwarezone

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VH News: Wednesday Edition Posted by Diceman on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 @ 4:56

"Grand Theft Auto" sales top $500 mln in 1st week NEW YORK (Reuters) - Take-Two Interactive Software Inc (TTWO.O: Quote, Profile, Research) scored over $500 million in global sales of its criminal action game "Grand Theft Auto 4" in its first week, making it one of the most lucrative entertainment launches in history. The video game publisher is sure to use the strong results, which topped even the most bullish expectations, to strengthen its bargaining position in talks with rival Electronic Arts Inc (ERTS.O: Quote, Profile, Research), which is trying to buy it for $2 billion, or $25.74 per share. Sprint Spending $100 Million to Kick iPhone in the Nuts (iPhone Wearing Cup) Starting May 9th, Sprint will begin a massive, $100 million marketing campaign aimed straight at the iPhone's nether regions. Stacking its 3G Instinct against the iPhone, Sprint hopes to show that EVDO and GPS make their product way better than anything coming out of Cupertino. The problem isn't that the Instinct is necessarily a bad phone, or that Sprint is a worse service than AT&T. It's that Sprint's series of commercials will cost the company $100 million to promote a message that will most probably be a moot point in one month if/when Apple announces their 3G iPhone. Philips Working on a Full Touchscreen Phone? Philips Xenium phones are generally known for their long-life battery performances but if these photos are in fact real, then the designers are venturing into new iPhone, Diamond touchscreen territory. PC World China is saying that the upcoming Xenium x800 will have an "e2e" screen— that's an edge-to-edge touchscreen, apparently. From the photos it looks like it's got an orientation sensor, Wi-Fi, a browser, a curved design and a bevelled metal edge. Sounds a little familiar? Check out the photos yourselves. Yahoo is Now Interested in Microsoft Deal After Getting Rejected Yahoo seemingly made its position absolutely clear -- it felt Microsoft's offer of $31 a share, a 62 percent premium on current prices at the time of the offer, was unfair and undervalued the company. It argued that anything less than $37 a share, or roughly a 91 percent premium on the price at the time, would be unsatisfactory. In the end Microsoft dropped its offer, citing that Yahoo's expectations were unrealistic, while Yahoo tried desperately to reassure employees and shareholders that it had a plan to weather the tough times ahead. New Far Cry 2 Trailer hits Electronic Arts looks to Wii to drive sports growth VANCOUVER (Reuters) - Video-game publisher Electronic Arts Inc (ERTS.O) unveiled two initiatives on Tuesday to breathe new life into its sports business by making games that are easier to play and customized for Nintendo Co Ltd's (7974.OS) popular Wii console. Key games such as "Madden" football, "NBA Live" and "FIFA" soccer will come out in special versions for the Wii, which has become the best-selling game system by drawing in older and female players with friendly graphics and simple motion-sensing controls. EA is also starting a sub-brand dubbed Freestyle that will be home to a new set of games not tied to any existing league and therefore free of expensive licensing rights. The first game will be "Facebreaker," a cartoonish and whimsical boxing game due out in September. Quick Bytes: ASUS M3N-HT 780a SLi Review @ OCC Logitech diNovo Mini Review @ TechwareLabs Thermolab Nano Silencer TLI-U Low-Profile Heatsink Review @ Frostytech.com In Win B2 Stealth Bomber Case Review @ Rbmods ASUS M3N-HT Deluxe Motherboard @ Legit Reviews Hanns-G Hi221D 22in Widescreen Display Review @ OCIA.net Archos 705 WiFi Review @ Digital Trends Thermaltake M9 Review @ OCC Xigmatek Achilles S1284 HDT CPU Cooler @ Benchmark Reviews OCZ ReaperX HPC DDR3-1333 2GB Memory Kit Review @ ThinkComputers.org Corsair Survivor 32GB @ t-break Silverstone Treasure TS01B RFID Enclosure @ techPowerUp Hades Gaming Ares H1 Optical Gaming Mouse @ DragonSteelMods NESTEQ ECS7001 700W Power Supply Unit Review @ TechwareLabs

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