News

Contest: »http://www.aseforums.com/viewtopic.php?topicid=1008

Siebel pitches Oracle.

Quote

Oracle CEO Larry Ellison delivered a brief taped video message to Siebel customers. He, too, said Siebel's CRM applications will be the foundation for Oracle's post-merger product line. He also lauded Siebel's work at building a service-oriented infrastructure, or SOA--a flexible, standards-based application design--to underpin its applications.

Northrop and Boeing's plans for the CEV.

Quote

The Northrop/Boeing team proposes using lightweight materials for the command module to deliver twice the available interior volume Apollo astronauts had for their trips to the Moon. The new material will allow the 5.5-meter blunt body capsule to ferry as many as six passengers to the international space station and take up to four astronauts to the Moon.

Tropical Storm Wilma.

Quote

Even if the Wilma sputters out, it will present the US National Hurricane Centre with another problem – Wilma is the last of the 21 names designated for this season's tropical storms. Any more tropical storms will have to be named after Greek letters, starting with alpha, beta and gamma. This would be the first time this has happened since the naming system was introduced by the US National Weather Service in 1950.

Contest: »http://www.aseforums.com/viewtopic.php?topicid=1008

Patch up your Windows PCs. Or not...

Quote

Installing the patch can cause serious problems, Microsoft said in an advisory posted to its Web site Friday. The patch could lock users out of their PC, prevent the Windows Firewall from starting, block certain applications from running or installing, and empty the network connections folder, among other things, the software maker said.

Lunar Eclipse tomorrow.

Quote

Remember that an eclipsed Moon sets right around the time when the Sun is rising. As such, the brightening, almost-daylight sky at that time may cut as much as 15 minutes from your eclipse viewing. The western sky needs to be a bit darker and the Moon needs to be a bit higher; at least clear of any horizon haze so that you can have a clear shot at it.

Perhaps these stemcells won't get Bush's panties in a bind.

Quote

A second team at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology managed to genetically damage cells and then use cloning technology to make a crippled mouse embryo that could never develop in the womb. They then developed embryonic stem cells from the embryo. Both methods had been discussed as ways to bypass objections that some people including U.S. President George W. Bush have to embryonic stem cell research. The studies, published in the journal Nature, show they are technically feasible.

No analog TV by 2009.

Quote

U.S. television broadcasters would be required to air only digital signals by April 7, 2009 and an auction of their old airwaves would have to raise at least $4.81 billion, under draft Senate Commerce Committee legislation obtained by Reuters on Friday.

Just wanted to wish everyone a good Yom Kippur. It was this past sundown, but still. Have a great year everyone.

Here are some reviews to read with your morning bagel... Mmmm bagels... »http://www.aseforums.com/viewtopic.php?topicid=1008

Video:

PowerColor X800 GT EVO @ Bjorn3d.

Quote

Today we are looking at something special from PowerColor. Something overclockers will drool at. What if I told you we have a card equipped with its own liquid cooling system? That's right, it's the first card ever to be coupled with Thermaltake's TideWater system. No other AIB used this type of solution before. The card I'm referring to is PowerColor X800 GT EVO based on R480. Let me tell you, it rocks like crazy in our system! Don't mistake it with Mitsubishi Lancer EVO, although I have to say video chipzillas and vendors are using more and more fancy names to attract customers.

HIS X800GT @ VL.

Quote

From a performance standpoint, game experiences were consistently higher than a 6600GT, although in some games it was a close call. Doom 3 was happy to run at 1280x1024 although this was without any AntiAliasing or Anisotropic filtering.

HIS X800GT @ OCC.

Quote

The HIS X800GT that we've had in the shop performed well for a mid-range contender. While it's performance wasn't outstanding, it brought in playable frame rates and decent image quality, just like the 6600GT's that we've seen. However, with ATi's Crossfire technology not quite out in the open yet and nVidia's SLI already close to a year old, you won't be running a dual card setup with the X800GT just yet.

Leadtek 7800GTX @ HCW.

Quote

NVIDIA captured our attention with their launch of "G70" an evolutionary, if not revolutionary graphics core. The top end model was the 7800 GTX, and unlike what we've seen from their Canadian counterparts, NVIDIA had the products on store shelves the very same day they were launched. Fast-forward to now: Manufacturers have had some time to play around with their designs, and we're starting to see some interesting products. Today we're reviewing teh 7800GTX Extreme from Leadtek. They used a Quadro heatsink, and gave it a nice overclock.

HIS X800GT @ Tweaknews.

Quote

So who is this videocard targeted for? It is getting harder and harder to say really. Seems that ATI is going to try to stick as many two letter version releases at the end of the X800 line before it is rendered obsolete in the upcoming months. If you were thinking because of the GT tag that this card is an enthusiast card, you will quickly that it is indeed a low to mid-range mainstream card. Does this mean it is a slacker?....... Oh HELLLLLL no..

MSI 7800GTX @ PCStats.

Quote

MSI videocards are traditionally some of the best on the market, largely because the company bundles the most value into its products by including lots and lots of extras. The MSI NX7800GTX-VT2D256E PCI Express videocards we'll be testing in this review, in single and SLI mode, each come with a full version of the highly popular "The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay" video game.

Powercolor X800GT EVO @ TT.

Quote

Our second review today is of PowerColor's brand new Radeon X800GT EVO graphics card which comes with factory out-of-the-box watercooling. The watercooling unit is actually the ThermalTake Tide Water cooling solution and its clear PowerColor is making moves to get into the hearts of enthusiasts but have they succeeded? Read on for our thoughts on the new graphics card.

Gigabyte 7800GT @ Bjorn3D.

Quote

A quick look at the specifications reveals that the 7800 GT is a slightly crippled 7800 GTX, which actually is not a bad thing if you are a 7800 GT. Although the GT has less power under the hood, it still performs quite well when compared to the GTX. Follow along and keep reading to learn about the first retail GT offering to hit our test benches - the Gigabyte GV-NX78T256V-B.

RAM:

Mushkin XP4000 @ MVKTech.

Quote

In Today's world, let's face it, you simply need more ram capacity to allocate to the every increasing resource eating applications and game titles in the current market's. Take the smash hit game Battlefield 2 for instance, this game simply runs better with 2048 MB of ram, no ifs ands or buts. If you are a fan of this game and want the absolute premium performance then invest in at least another gig of ram or simply purchase a dual channel 2 GB kit such as the Mushkin eXtreme Performance 2GB XP4000 Dual Channel pack.

Crucial Ballistix PC2-5300 @ LR.

Quote

It is hard for me to find a negative with this memory. Its ran very well at its rated speed, overclocked extremely well, looks great, and is priced in line with other modules in its class.

Crucial Ballistix PC4000 @ PC Stats.

Quote

Trying to find the "right" memory for one's PC is a difficult task, what with all the different brands and speeds to choose from for both Intel and AMD platforms. On the test block today is a 1GB set of dual channel DDR from Crucial. Sold under the Crucial Ballistix name, this pair of 512MB PC4000 DDR modules have been well received by the enthusiast community. The 184 pin (unbuffered, non ECC) DDR DIMMs are dual channel compatible and have a default rated speed of 250 MHz, or PC4000. Default timings are very conservative at 3-4-4-8. To reach an overclocked speed of 250 MHz, the memory is rated for use with voltages as high as 2.8V.

Cosair PC2-6400 @ VL.

Quote

In regards to the Corsair TWIN2X2048-6400 PRO itself, the memory is Corsair's usual high quality stuff. Performance is on par with the Ballistix kit, winning some, losing some, and is a good overclocker. This is pretty important for those of you still using 915P/925X based boards where 533MHz is the current official ceiling, so there's plenty of headroom to move upwards. One thing to point out though is your overclocking success will vary depending on the hardware setup you have.

Logitech calls its MX610 "The World's First Smart Mouse!" With its new features, does this mouse have what it takes to stand out in the crowd? Read on...Next Page »

Yes, I realize that the site has been down for about 24 hours. Have you realized it? Enter our contest! »http://www.aseforums.com/viewtopic.php?topicid=1008 Read Nacho's very funny UArt: »http://www.aseville.com/userarticles.php?id=12

IT spending to slow.

Quote

Among key drivers of the next cycle of investment will be digital business architecture based on virtualized hardware and network resources; extended Internet representing new applications ranging from RFID and telematics to mobile networking and biometrics; a new business model for research and development; and software development using social computing and sources of talent and capital from all over the world.

I love how they cite things that are made to track things and individuals... It is a great world we are moving too.

Earthlink ready for wireless broadband. This is a good thing.

Quote

Municipal Wi-Fi looks to be the technology with the most legs at the moment. Just last week, the company announced a contract to build a wireless broadband network for the city of Philadelphia. EarthLink will shoulder the $10 million to $15 million it will cost to blanket the 135 square miles of the city. In exchange, EarthLink gets access to the rights of way to build the network and will also benefit from the city's marketing efforts to promote the new service.

China set to launch two people into space. China will be the biggest threat to the US in some time.

Quote

The secrecy highlights the importance of the space programme to China's national image. In the future, China hopes to send astronauts on spacewalks and set up a permanent space lab, Wang Yongzhi, chief designer of China's Manned Spaceflight Program, told Xinhua.

Play games, go to space.

Quote

"Not too many people have $200,000 that they can spend to get their astronaut wings. It is high time that we open up the hope to fly in space to everyone who can afford an entry. A game is the best way to do that," Dinkin told SPACE.com via email. Gaming will allow hobbyists to put their money where their mouth is, Dinkin said, and support spaceflight companies directly.

I'll have a review posted either tonight or tomorrow. Be sure to read this funny UArt from Nacho: »http://www.aseville.com/userarticles.php?id=12 Remember that ASEville is created and maintained by members, for members. There is no limitation to the topics covered so feel free to talk about music to movies, technology to tartar sauce. Stop by and enter in our contest right now: »http://www.aseforums.com/viewtopic.php?topicid=1008

Microsoft changes licensing.

Quote

Microsoft's new policy seeks to reconcile new technology and old licensing models. Starting in December, the company will calculate the cost of server software products by the number of running instances of that product on any given server, rather than the number of physical processors contained in that server.

Mosquitos with glowing balls.

Quote

The GM mosquito should make it easier to eradicate malaria-carrying mosquitoes by making the specially bred males easier to identify. One strategy to control disease-carrying insects is to flood an area with millions of sterile males.

Russian built launcher fails.

Quote

The ESA official in charge of the CryoSat project, Pascal Gilles, said: "The second stage continued to burn after the onboard computer told it to shut down. There was no separation between the second and third stages of the rocket, and the third failed to ignite."

NASA plans to finish the space station.

Quote

NASA’s revised space station plan, the result of several months of internal study, is slated for public release later in October. A preview of the so-called Shuttle/Station Configuration Options Team (S/SCOT) study provided to Space News shows that NASA intends to launch Europe’s Columbus laboratory module and the Japanese Experiment Module before retiring the shuttle. But NASA’s revised space station plan would eliminate the Russian Solar Power Platform and the Centrifuge Accommodation Module that the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency had agreed to build for NASA under a barter agreement. Both the Russian power platform and the centrifuge module are designed to launch aboard the space shuttle.

Remember that you can win cash and prizes in our contest: »http://www.aseforums.com/viewtopic.php?topicid=1008

A congressman is supporting Fair Use! This story is a perfect example of problems by stupid people. The story links to a congressman (Rick Boucher of Virginia) that supports the hacking of DRM and content protect because of fair use. He states the DMCA is garbage. We actually have someone that is on OUR side. The article I linked to is someone saying that this will STIFLE innovation... No, you stupid moron, DRM and Trusted Computing will stifle innovation. Let me grab a quote...

Quote

But when the content is delivered purely as digital bits, there is no limit to the range of TPM that can be applied. Content producers can also quickly change their options to meet market demand. What is a publisher to do when it finds out that it can't get students to buy e-textbooks when they expire after a mere four months? By changing one line of code, those four months can be expanded to a full year.

Apparently the author of this story cannot wrap his head around the concept of BUYING a product. Why do I want to RENT a product when I should be able to BUY and OWN it. This is the problem with tech companies today.

Quote

What does this infinite flexibility for digital TPM mean for media distributed online? It means consumers will have more choice. More legal music options are already available online, and at The Progress & Freedom Foundation's recent Aspen Summit, we heard Warner Music Group Chairman and CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. promise an e-label for up-and-coming artists.

No, it gives consumers LESS choice. Do you want to buy music that automatically destroys itself after a week or a month? Well, you don't OWN the things you buy, so it doesn't matter which you select. This is a perfect example of stupid people saying stupid things. Get off your soapbox and let FAIR USE reign. When I buy a computer game, I usually copy it and use the copied CDs to play. I effectively save the originals from scratches or other problems. I am forced to use hacks to be able to the play the game I BOUGHT because of 'content protection' or DRM. If this is where all of content and computing is heading, I'll be saying no to much more technology in the coming years.

Tiny organisms mean nano-circuitry.

Quote

The researchers also outline two ways to alter the chemical structure of diatoms. The first is to modify the silica with a gaseous metal at temperatures up to 900°C – a method used to convert diatom shells into magnesium oxide and titanium dioxide structures. The second entails coating the micro-organisms with a solution and then dissolving the silica underneath. This has been used to create structures in zirconium. By combining the two techniques, the researchers were able to make nano-structures of barium titanate.

Intelligent Design gets hammered.

Quote

"Devastating" early drafts of a controversial book recommended as reading at a US high school reveal how the word “creationism” had been later swapped for “intelligent design”, a landmark US trial scrutinising the teaching of ID heard on Wednesday. The early drafts of the book Of Pandas and People, was used as evidence to link the book to creationism, which it is illegal to teach in US schools.

Shuttle foam loss: Human error.

Quote

The top 3 metres of the PAL ramp was removed to access another part as the tank was being prepared for launch. It was a lower part of the PAL ramp that fell off during launch. That was not removed, but could have been cut by plastic knives or crushed by someone leaning on it while the upper part was removed and replaced.

Another high end graphics card solution has been released from ATI. I hope you all like pretty graphs and pictures because this is the sort of thing that 5 people will buy because of the price. When will hardware review websites learn that NO ONE likes to buy graphics cards for $500! Or you can get TWO cards and screw yourself out of a month of pay!

http://www.techreport.com/reviews/2005q4/radeon-x1000/index.x?pg=1
http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=172
http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=ODIy
http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews/r520reviewxvxv/
http://www.hothardware.com/viewarticle.cfm?articleid=734&cid=2
http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=3603

Contest, Contest, Contest: »http://www.aseforums.com/viewtopic.php?topicid=1008 And I'll be adding another way to get entries tonight.

Instruments detect microbes.

Quote

The discovery of "a rare and complex microbial community" in the ice was reported by Hans Amundsen of the University of Oslo, Norway, and colleagues who have been studying the volcano Sverrefjell on Svalbard, an island group north of Norway, in a project called AMASE -- the Arctic Mars Analog Svalbard Expedition.

Paper trails are good. Trust me.

Quote

The Carter-Baker commission's report is likely to fuel efforts by state and federal politicians to mandate some form of audit trails. Without such audit trails, many security researchers have warned, e-voting machines are vulnerable to a slew of problems including software glitches, viruses and malicious programming.

Microsoft stupidly makes play once DVD. DRM again. When will consumers say NO to DRM!

Quote

COMPUTER software giant Microsoft has developed a cheap, disposable pre-recorded DVD disc that consumers can play only once. The discs would give Hollywood increased control over the release of new films and allow consumers the chance to watch a film at the fraction of the price of an ordinary pre-recorded DVD. More important, the discs would prevent copying and digital piracy, which is costing the film and music industry billions in lost revenues. The revolutionary product could be on the market as early as next year, with the new DVD players needed to view them. Microsoft hopes it will help the company dominate home entertainment as it dominates the desktop computer market.

Let me go off on a rant here. The RIAA and the MPAA aren't losing money to 'piracy' at all. They are losing money because the last few years of movies SUCKED. The RIAA is making money hand over fist and can't see through their blinding CD only vision that selling on the internet is the way to go. Eventually, consumers will say no to the MPAA/RIAA and get their content elsewhere. Who wants to see generic film plot #236 again anyway?

It is the Jewish New Year, 5766. Happy New Year. In less than 10 days is Yom Kippur. More services .

Please join the forums to welcome in the new year!

Remember to enter in our 4 year birthday contest: »http://www.aseforums.com/viewtopic.php?topicid=1008

Plant-type thing has a moon.

Quote

Further observations over the coming months with Hubble and Keck should reveal more about Xena and Gabrielle. But according to Brown, discovery of the moon will not resolve the issue of how to define a planet, a debate stirred up by the discovery of Xena: "The fact that 2003 UB313 has a moon does not really change the case one way or another."

AJAX and Open Source Email.

Quote

Clearly, nobody expects AJAX-style applications--just now entering the market--to overtake Office anytime soon. Microsoft has long controlled more than 90 percent of the desktop software market, and the company's Information Worker unit, which includes Office and related tools, generated more than $11 billion in revenue--more than one quarter of Microsoft's total revenue in fiscal year 2005, according to the company.

Robot camera clamps onto your gut.

Quote

The radio-controlled crawling capsule has six legs, each with tiny hooks on the end. These help prevent the device slipping on mucus in the intestine as it moves along, but are too small to damage the soft tissues, says Menciassi. The capsule can park at any site of interest by releasing a clamp with two 5-millimetre-long jaws, each with teeth. These grab onto the gut wall tightly enough to resist the muscular pulsations trying to push the device along.

Headphones are ideal if you live in an apartment with cranky neighbors or don't want to disturb the people around you. They are also great for LAN parties. This headset is built with gamers in mind, and I was quite impressed with the sound quality. Read more...Next Page »

Do you like winning prizes? How about some free cash? You can win in our contest: »http://www.aseforums.com/viewtopic.php?topicid=1008

CPU:

Athlon X2 3800+ @ LC.

Quote

With the latest stepping of the dual processor series, AMD dishes up the Manchester core to set new standards in energy efficiency and price/performance ratio. Taking advantage of the proverbial excellent gaming and floating point performance and stripping the dual cores of 50% of their hard-earned cache in combination with a frequency sweetspot of 2.0 GHz results in a killer CPU at a reasonable price tag. Arguably, there are cheaper processors on the market, there are faster cores out there (as measured in clock frequency) and there are "the others" but after wrapping up this review, there is nothing out there that combines that many positive features as the Manchester running at 2.0 GHz, using the moniker X2-3800+.

Video:

Asus 7800GT @ NGOHQ.

Quote

This card overclocked better than I expected, I was able to reach the core speed of 485 MHz and 1200 MHz on the memory. The card was 100% stable at that speed and no artifacts occurred. In reality and according to Riva tuner the card runs at 526 MHz core and 1200 MHz for the memory, very impressive indeed. Now you are probably curious to see if the Asus Extreme N7800GT is as fast as or faster than the 7800GTX.

Pixelview 7800GTX @ Hexus.

Quote

Given how every 7800 GTX is going to be as near as dammit to the reference design, if bundles and pre-overclocking don't bother you, you'll probably find yourself going for the cheapest, which could give this card an edge. You might, however, find yourself looking at a 7800 GT with a better bundle and cheaper still, while offering almost the same level of performance.

Sapphire X800 GTO @ Hexus.

Quote

Priced at £129.99, the financial cost of having a passively-cooled card is a £10 or so premium over a regular ATI Radeon X800 GT0 256MB card. Is it worth it? That depends upon how much you value silence. Whatever the case, the X800 GTO is another fine addition to ATI's burgeoning PCI-Express family.

RAM:

OCZ PC3500 @ RBMods.

Quote

Today we will be sharing our latest thoughts about the new ram released by OCZ awhile back. We got their new Gold GX gamer memory with low latency and of course high overclocking capabilities as usual when it comes to their memory. We have tested this product vs some other OCZ memory to see how they can perform in normal usage and under overclocking so stay tuned for this new memory review.

OCZ PC3200 @ BFR.

Quote

Three years later here we are with 1GB of their Gold DDR400 dual channel memory ready for interrogation. It is important to note that this is not the VX (Voltage eXtreme) version of memory, just the regular Gold DDR400 memory. However, while it's not high voltage, it does come with some extremely tight 2-2-2-5 timings right out of the packaging.

Motherboard:

Biostar i945P @ Bjorn3D.

Quote

Today, we bring you our first review of a retail 945 motherboard courtesy of Biostar. The I945P-A7 is currently Biostar's sole Intel 945P-based motherboard. It only offers a little more than a standard 945P board, though. Biostar added an additional PCI Express slot that it calls PCI Extreme (PCI-EX). Unfortunately, it's not exactly the SLI goodness you get from other motherboards equipped with dual PCI Express x16 slots - it's not meant for gaming. However, using the two slots in tandem does require installing identical SLI-supporting NVIDIA-based video cards and drivers that support SLI and running it all under Windows XP. The PCI-EX slot operates as an x4 PCI Express slot, and the bridge connecting the two cards is required as it is with standard SLI. Basically, it seems to be a non-gamers SLI but on a mainboard featuring an Intel chipset.

Asus P5WD2 @ TT.

Quote

Today we're taking a look at the ASUS P5WD2 Premium motherboard which is based on Intel's 955X chipset. It includes support for all Socket 775 processors along with the latest Pentium-D and Pentium XE. We're looking at the Premium version which includes additional Wireless and TV Tuner. It's a feature-packed board with plenty to offer, so read on and check it out as we compare it against the older Intel 925XE solution.

Biostar NF4SIE @ Bjorn3D.

Quote

The N4SIE-A7 is another typical Biostar offering. I find it hard to get too excited about it (that's not necessarily a bad thing if you like simple and to-the-point hardware). The bundle is quite skinny, and Biostar didn't add much excitement to the already good nForce4 SLI Intel Edition feature set.

If you come to this site regularly, and haven't entered our contest...what the heck are you afraid of? Do yourself a big favor and post HERE. You'll automatically be entered to win CA$H MONEY AND PRIZES!

Don't forget to take a peek at our video game text and audio reviews right here at ASE Games, stop in at ASE Labs for all of the latest tech news, and check out our cool, FREE online community at ASEville!

Best of luck to everyone! Stay tuned for more game reviews coming soon, including INDIGO PROPHECY and FAR CRY INSTINCTS!

MX3000 Laser Review: »http://www.aselabs.com/articles.php?id=180 No? How about winning some cash? »http://www.aseforums.com/viewtopic.php?topicid=1008

Smart beer mat fills you up.

Quote

The disc-shaped mat can be attached to a normal beer mat so that it still soaks up spilt liquid and displays an advertisement. But it also contains a pressure sensor and radio transmitter to alert bar staff of the need for a refill.

Clothing that pushes you.

Quote

Eventually, sensors in the garments will measure the speed at which the rower moves and how they coordinate their leg and body movements. If the rower deviates from the optimum speed or rhythm, pads worn at the ankle and waist start vibrating at the correct stroke intervals to help the rower recapture the winning action.

Google and NASA. Google is getting too big for their own good.

Quote

The new campus could have an impact similar to the Xerox Park in Palo Alto, which served as an epicenter for industry innovation until Xerox significantly cut staffing and investment in the area in recent years, said Geoffrey Bowker, executive director of Santa Clara University's Center for Science, Technology, and Society.

IGN Gives it a solid 9.0. Check their review out here: http://xbox.ign.com/articles/653/653891p1.html

Sounds great, huh? I dig the whole trap thing, and the customizable stuff really makes it sound like this will last quite a while on LIVE. To quote IGN: "There's basic deathmatch and team deathmatch modes, called Chaos and Team Chaos, as well as Steal the Sample and the standout Predator mode. Players can access drivable vehicles, mounted machine guns, the game's full arsenal and feral power ups. Just about every aspect of the multiplayer like time limits, kill counts, etc., can be modified, the maps are huge and varied, there's basically nothing wrong here. You can customize your character's appearance and view all your stats from the game's on Xbox Live, it's just really a great experience. Add to all that the unique Predator mode, and this could be a console multiplayer shooter you'll be playing for a long time to come, and even more of a reason to purchase this game than the single player."

Predator mode seems especially cool, and it's also worth mentioning that it has a sweet-sounding map editor....plus the game has bloom lighting. Bloom lighting is purty.

Post if you get it and we'll play you online. It looks like me and Aron are picking it up ASAP. Maybe we'll see you there!Next Page »

I just posted a review of Logitech's new Cordless Desktop MX3000 Laser: »http://www.aselabs.com/articles.php?id=180 Remember you can win some cash and prizes here: »http://www.aseforums.com/viewtopic.php?topicid=1008

Giant squid. I hate squid.

Quote

Tsunemi Kubodera of the National Science Museum in Tokyo and Kyoichi Mori of the Ogasawara Whale Watching Association in Tokyo collected more than 550 digital images taken over more than four hours. These show the squid repeatedly attempting to detach a bait dangling beneath the camera, which was at a depth of 900 metres. During these attempts, the club of one of the squid’s long feeding tentacles became caught in the bait equipment. It eventually broke off, and the team retrieved and genetically sequenced the 5.5-metre-long severed section to confirm that the animal was indeed Architeuthis dux. They estimate the squid’s total length was at least eight metres.

DRM for cell phones. We already have this crap.

Quote

A mobile phone is susceptible in theory to the same threats that face computers, he added, including viruses and denial of service attacks. Berger argued that security technology embedded on a chip could prevent such attacks from reaching the handset. The TCG is a non-profit organisation which defines security standards for the high tech industry, including the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) security chip for desktops and laptop.

Ambiguous weather forecasting? No...

Quote

When Reiter and his team compared past weather bulletins with the raw forecast data on which they were based, they found a striking variability in the choice of words used by different forecasters. For instance, when they talked of "evening" weather, some meant conditions around 6 pm, while others meant much nearer midnight. "Late morning" could mean anywhere between 9 am and noon. The UK's Met Office is also reviewing how effectively its forecasters communicate.

Pluto probe nears launch.

Quote

The probe carries a suite of seven science instruments to study Pluto and Charon during its fly by past the planet-moon pair. Researchers hope New Horizons will not map the surface composition of Pluto and Charon, but also record their temperatures, geology and landform history, and study Pluto’s atmosphere.

Logitech releases yet another Cordless Laser Combo. This kit is intended for home use and comes with a great keyboard and mouse. The price has even been lowered from the MX3100. Read on...Next Page »

Like cash? Enter our contest. Just post in this thread and you are entered: »http://www.aseforums.com/viewtopic.php?topicid=1008

Intel and Microsoft back HD DVD. Format wars are GREAT for customers. And you think movie sales were bad this year? Nice job.

Quote

There are several reasons the two companies went with HD DVD, said Richard Doherty, Microsoft's program manager for media entertainment convergence. Among them: HD DVD requires that movies may be copied to a consumer's hard drive, making it easier for people to send movies around home networks; HD DVD supports regular DVD recordings on the flip side of the disc, letting people sell hybrid discs to consumers who have DVD players today but fear their discs will be obsolete; and HD DVD offers more capacity.

DRM for everyone! Computers are turning against us. When the day comes that we can't make our computer do something we want, we're done for... ohh wait...

Google's index is bigger. I think this quote sums up News.com's excellent indepth reporting...

Quote

In a random test, using the search terms "Joe Schmoe" and "pickles," Google returned 451 results, Yahoo returned 62 results, MSN returned 60 results and Ask Jeeves returned 54 results.

Wow, thanks for the highly scientific study. I now know Google is greater than all by at least 7 times!

Magnetar cracks under quake.

Quote

But the magnetar's exterior crust is not so pliable. The crust is made mostly of iron. The magnetic field passes through it in places, which isn't a problem for normal neutron stars. But in magnetars, the field interacts with the core and shifts around erratically, causing crustal stress. Eventually, the stress reaches the point where the crust cracks.

I will be posting a review tonight. Also, make sure to check out the CASH PRIZES we are giving away: »http://www.aseforums.com/viewtopic.php?topicid=1008

China blocks more news sources. And the US keeps shooting themselves in the foot. When China becomes a larger threat, what will we do then? The US is busy in Iraq when we should be paying attention to more important threats...

Quote

The news agency did not detail the rules, but said Internet news sites must "be directed toward serving the people and socialism and insist on correct guidance of public opinion for maintaining national and public interests." Established news media needed permission to run a news Web site, it said. New operators had to register themselves with government information offices.

Screw China. No American company should bother doing business in that country. You are helping China to become BETTER than America you stupid morons. Nice job.

Remember to get your flu shots.

Quote

But at a meeting in Malta last week Ake Ortqvist of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, reported that flu vaccination in Stockholm cut overall deaths among the elderly during the flu season by 15 to 20 per cent. "We could measure this because of Sweden's unique social security system, in which everyone has a number," he told New Scientist. All people over 65 in Stockholm county - and not just those in nursing homes as in other studies - could be followed meticulously, and differences in illness and death rates between vaccinated and non-vaccinated people measured accurately.

School district stupidly forces teaching of Intelligent Design America is so screwed up. Why can't we FOLLOW the constitution and leave RELIGION out of the school system.

Quote

The parents claim the school board violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment by creating new teaching requirements at the end of 2004 that cast doubt on evolution, introduce students to ID and encourage them to read anti-evolutionary, pro-ID literature. The First Amendment prohibits teaching that is religiously motivated, or has the effect of advancing religion. The debate over ID, an idea that opponents call “camouflaged creationism”, has been raging since the publication in 1989 of a book called Of Pandas and People, which introduced the concept. The trial, known as “Kitzmiller-Dover” after one of the parents Tammy Kitzmiller, will be the first to expose ID to the scrutiny of a court.

The stupid space elevator gets its first test.

Quote

The space elevator would be anchored to an offshore sea platform near the equator in the Pacific Ocean. At the other end in space, the ribbon would be attached to a small counterweight. Mechanical "lifters" -- robotic elevator cars -- would move up and down the ribbon, carrying such items as satellites, solar power systems, and eventually people into space.

There is a cash prize contest going on right now celebrating the 4 years this site has been active. »http://www.aseforums.com/viewtopic.php?topicid=1008

Rita is a powerful storm. Chris (my host and friend) has to evacuate from his place in Texas.

Quote

Hurricane intensity is measured by the drop in pressure in the eye of the storm. A US air force reconnaissance plane measured a pressure of 898 millibars. Lower pressures have been recorded in only two other storms: 888 millibars in Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 and 892 millibars in the "Labor Day" hurricane that hit Key West in 1935. Average pressure at sea level is 1013.25 millibars.

Sony to cut 10,000 jobs.

Quote

The 10,000 positions to be eliminated represent about 7 percent of Sony's global work force. The company said it will slash 4,000 jobs in Japan and 6,000 jobs elsewhere by 2008.

Common worm naming.

Quote

The project assigns a unique identifier to a particular piece of malicious software. When included in security software, in alerts and in virus encyclopedia entries, this identifier should help people determine which pest is hitting their systems and whether they are protected, the initiative's backers said.

LCD oversupply means good prices.

Quote

The oversupply will continue at similar levels until the fourth quarter of 2006, iSuppli predicts. Exacerbating the effect was slower-than-expected production of flat TVs and computer monitors, and sluggish sales. Shipments of LCD monitor panels outstrip sales of actual monitors, and inventories of 19-inch panels are beginning to accumulate.

Today ASE Labs turns 4! I am kicking off a new contest! »http://www.aseforums.com/viewtopic.php?topicid=1008

Rules are simple enough, prizes are cold hard cash and other neat things, check out the thread to see all the rules. I owe the readers and the forum posters much more than this simple contest and I am planning on much more contests in the later months. Thank you for sticking with us for these past 4 years. Here comes 4 more!

I posted a 'great' review of the Cooler Master Cooldrive 4. »http://www.aselabs.com/articles.php?id=179

RAM:

Crucial Ballistix PC2-5300 @ Lanaddict.

Quote

Would I recommend this Crucial PC2-5300 DDR2 memory? You bet I would! I feel very confident that the only reason I couldn\'t push this RAM further than a 265MHz FSB had nothing to do with the RAM at all. With better cooling on the CPU and North Bridge, I feel I might have been able to get all the way to a 300MHz FSB!

Crucial Ballistix PC4000 @ RBMods.

Quote

It has been quiet from Crucials side for awhile as the other companies have pushed out high performing memory out on the market. We got a sample though of their new Ballistix Tracer that is the follower to the popular Ballistix memory that was released awhile back. It will be interesting to see how this new Tracer version performs compared to some Mushkin and OCZ ram that are very well known as high performers.

OCZ PC3500 @ VL.

Quote

One of the features I really like is the EVP, that's basically OCZ saying "We know you are going to tweak this RAM to get the best performance possible, and that's OK with us." Features like this show how enthusiasts, gamers etc. have shaped the industry. It wasn't to long ago that doing things like modifying voltage etc would void your warranty. These days manufacturers are providing end users with the tools needed to overclock and tweak their hardware without having to worry about voiding the warranty.

Corsair TwinX PC2-8000 @ PCStats.

Quote

With the release of dual core processors, there is again a bandwidth crunch and DDR2 memory is the only source capable of filling the void. Corsair is quick on the ball, and today we have some very quick PC2-8000 compatible memory to test as a result. According to Corsair, with compatible supporting hardware, its 240-pin DDR2 Twin2X1024-8000UL memory can run at.....1000 MHz! Amazing!

Video:

HIS X700 IceQ AGP @ BFR.

Quote

Today we have a fresh look at what could quite possibly be the very last AGP based video card ever reviewed on BFR. Are we sad? No, not really. AGP has managed to stay around in the graphics market for quite a while, mainly due to business reasons, and we think a final goodbye is well overdue.

HIS X800GT @ BFR.

Quote

A couple days after our fair well to AGP with the HIS X700 review we get back to the lovely PCI Express bus. What better way to do it then with a review of the HIS X800GT Turbo. This card features the R423 ASIC, 8 pixel pipes, 6 vertex engines, and 256MB of GDDR3 memory. The reason why the card is the "Turbo" version is because it comes with HIS's iTurbo overclocking software which overclocks the X800GT's core and memory frequencies with a single click.

HIS X800GT @ HTR.

Quote

ATI has known all along that the biggest thorn in their side in mid-priced range is 6600 series video cards, but up until now ATI had either been aiming to high or to low to make much of dent on this particular cards sales. Well it seems that they have finally got things sighted in now with the release of the X800 GT video card. The card we are looking at today is made by HIS Tech which means it is not nearly as bland as it would be if it came directly for ATI, HIS has added things like their patented IceQ II cooling system that will cool their card 11 degrees cooler than the same card from someone else. It also offers a second benefit of being 20 dba quieter, which is a huge amount and can be greatly appreciated if you like to game late at night. So come on along and check out HIS Tech's latest hit.

MSI NX7800GTX SLI @ VL.

Quote

While we have a lot of praise to bestow upon the MSI NX7800GTX-VT2D256E, there isn't much we can say that we haven't already done so for the 7800 GTX in general. It's fast, occupies one slot, and with it, you can really crank up the image quality settings without sacrificing performance. Another thing we liked about the MSI card is it's a great overclocker, which is an achievement in itself given how close to the ceiling the hardware is already running at.

Motherboard:

Foxconn 945P7AA @ PCStats.

Quote

The Foxconn 945P7AA-8EKRS2 supports 533/800/1066 MHz FSB Pentium 4/D and Extreme Edition processors and can be equipped with up to 4GB of non ECC DDR2-667 memory. The board has plenty of onboard expansion ports, such as an additional IDE/RAID controller, dual Gigabit NICs, IEEE 1394a and Intel's Azalia audio controller.

MSI P4N Diamond @ PCStats.

Quote

While the chipset was announced a months ago, nForce4-SLI Intel Edition motherboards are just now hitting the market. MSI Computers new P4N Diamond looks well... like a real gem of a motherboard! Obviously based on the nForce4 SLI Intel Edition chipset, the motherboard supports Socket 775 800/1066 MHz FSB Pentium 4/XE, Pentium D and Celeron D processors as well as a maximum of 4GB of DDR2-667 memory. The way nVIDIA implemented SLI on its NF4 SLI Intel Edition chipset is a bit different than with the AMD version. With the NF4 SLI Intel Edition the first physical PCI Express x16 slot gets lane 0 and all the even numbered lanes thereafter while the second physical PCI Express x16 slot gets all the odd numbered lanes.

Epox 5NVA+ @ PCstats.

Quote

Motherboards like the Epox 5NVA+ SLI support Socket 775 Pentium 4/D/Extreme Edition as well as Celeron D processors. The four DIMM slots can accommodate up to 8GB of unbuffered non ECC DDR2 memory running at 400/533/667 MHz, while operating in dual channel mode with 1.8V. Epox also bundles a few on board goodies with the board such as Gigabit LAN, a 7.1 audio controller, IEEE 1394 and my personal favorite a Port 80 diagnostics card. If you need something the motherboard does not support, there are two free PCI Express x1 slots (three if you count the second PCI Express x16 slot when only running one videocard) and two open 32 bit PCI slots for legacy hardware. Of course, we must not overlook the two PCI Express x16 slots which will support SLI set-ups with the appropriate videocards either!

Quality control seems to be a problem with Cooler Master. The Cooldrive 4 looked to be a nice product on its surface, but when tested, fell flat on its face. Read why...Next Page »

I have some things to post for review and will be posting something tomorrow.

Office 12 gets a makeover.

Quote

Having sensed that the software has reached the limits of functionality, Microsoft has been preparing its most radical overhaul ever for Word, Excel and friends. With Office 12, due next year, the company plans to do away with a system that depends on people remembering which series of menus lead to a particular command. Instead, users will see a "ribbon" of different commands above their document, with the options changing depending on the task. Microsoft previewed the new look for Office at last week's Professional Developer Conference in Los Angeles.

Intel to make ultra-ultra-low power x86 CPU.

Quote

Creating more-efficient low-power processors was one of the main themes expressed by Intel executives at the Fall Intel Developers Forum in San Francisco. During his keynote, CEO Paul Otellini announced a goal that by the end of the decade, Intel would have another new architecture running x86 code at as low as a half a watt--that is, about one-tenth the demand of the lowest-power version currently available.

Opera Browser for free.

Quote

The most full-featured Internet power tool on the market, Opera includes pop-up blocking, tabbed browsing, integrated searches, and advanced functions like Opera's groundbreaking E-mail program, RSS Newsfeeds and IRC chat. And because we know that our users have different needs, you can customize the look and content of your Opera browser with a few clicks of the mouse. Read the feature list

Spirit sits high on Mars.

Quote

The robot is on the lookout for possible routes into a basin to the south with apparently layered outcrops. Trekking down from the hill, a target is "Home Plate". The inner basin area of the Columbia Hills contains a broad range of interesting geological targets, including Home Plate among other possible layered outcrops.

I have just a few reviews to post this week. My family is over and I'm slowing stuff down a bit.

Block nasty cameras from taking pictures.

Quote

That means that someone trying for a surreptitious snapshot of, say, a product prototype or an amorous couple gets something altogether less useful--a blurry picture (or a video) of what looks like a flashlight beam, seen head on.

Intarweb makes you stoopid.

Quote

If there is a good answer to the question, it probably starts with a contradiction: What makes us intelligent--the ability to reason and learn--is staying the same and will never fundamentally change because of technology. On the other hand, technology, from pocket calculators to the Internet, is radically changing the notion of the intelligence necessary to function in the modern world.

Artists tell how to avoid DRM from Sony.

Quote

my heart is heavy with this whole copy-protection thing. Many PC users have posted problems that they have had importing the new songs (regular disc only, not the dual disc) into programs such as Itunes. Let me first say that as a musician AND as a music fan, I agree with the frustration that has been expressed. We were horrified when we first heard about the new copy-protection policy that is being implemented by most major labels, including Sony (ours), and immediately looked into all of our options for removing this from our new album. Unfortunately, this is the new policy for all new major releases from these record companies. It is heartbreaking to see our blood, sweat, and tears over the past 2 years blurred by the confusion and frustration surrounding this new technology. It is also unfortunate when bands such as ourselves, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, etc... (just a few of the new releases with copy protection) are the target of this criticism, when there is no possible way to avoid this new industry policy.

Pulsar eats companion star.

Quote

A pulsar is a spinning neutron star, which itself formed from the death of a massive star. Spinning neutron stars with strong magnetic fields can radiate energy like beacons as they spin, sending signals that appear as pulses - hence their name - to stationary observers. While they have about the same mass as the sun, neutron stars are much smaller, about 12 miles wide (20 kilometers) or so wide. The Sun, for comparison, is about 865,000 miles (1.4 million kilometers) in diameter.

Source, IGN: http://cube.ign.com/articles/651/651275p1.html - Sigh. The controller does indeed look fairly interesting, but gimmicky, as expected. I'm not sure this would be my first pick when choosing a way to control video games. (I can see my arm getting cramped already.) FYI, this type of technology has been done before on some PC mouse and gaming peripherals, and it's pretty fun to use for a while, but as the primary input device?! We all better hope this thing is super precise, or the new Nintendo system is DOOMED.

Hey Nintendo, it would have been fine to release this controller (with a limited number of games) as an extra for the PS3 and XBOX360...but as your "ace in the hole"? I don't think so.

Microsoft changes Software Assurance.

Quote

Under the new changes, users with Software Assurance on their client operating system will also have exclusive access to Windows Vista Enterprise, a top-end version of the next-generation Windows operating system scheduled for release in 2006, as well as Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs--a Windows variant aimed at helping customers improve security and manageability of their legacy hardware.

Fitness in space.

Quote

One astronaut sits upon a suspended bicycle-like contraption, opposite which hangs a platform containing another astronaut - both are attached to a central pole to form a centrifuge. By pedalling the cycle, the astronaut causes the centrifuge to spin, swinging the bike and platform outwards. On the platform, the crew member could attach a treadmill or perform other exercises. Through the spinning, both astronauts would feel artificial gravity.

Cassini finds Saturn's spokes.

Quote

By observing the spokes on the dark side of Saturn’s rings, Cassini recreated a bit of space exploration history. Its predecessor, Voyager, also first observed the ring spoke phenomena while photographing the unilluminated side of the Saturn’s rings.

To the moon in 2018.

Quote

NASA would like to field the Crew Exploration Vehicle by 2011, or within a year of when it plans to fly the space shuttle for the last time. Development of the heavy lift launcher, lunar lander and Earth departure stage would begin in 2011. By that time, according to NASA’s charts, the space agency would expect to be spending $7 billion a year on its exploration efforts, a figure projected to grow to more than $15 billion a year by 2018, that date NASA has targeted for its first human lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972.

I was going to post a review today, but I got caught by the quality control excellence of CoolerMaster: »http://www.aseforums.com/viewtopic.php?topicid=998

Yahoo mail goes AJAX.

Quote

As first reported in June, the new Yahoo Mail beta will feature e-mail caching; message preview; drag-and-drop filing; the capability of quickly searching e-mail headers, body text and attachments; and the ability to view multiple e-mails at the same time in separate windows and scroll through all message headers in a folder rather than one page at a time.

US death rate falls.

Quote

The reduction in cancer deaths is down to both tobacco control measures and improvements in early detection. Jemal attributes a reduction in the death rate from traffic accidents from 1970 to the early 1990s to the implementation of a 55 mile per hour speed limit during the first energy crisis, in the 1970s.

Controlling the weather.

Quote

Emanuel says the best idea may be to exploit the chaotic features of weather systems to steer them away from populated centres, an idea put forward by Ross Hoffman, a researcher at Atmospheric and Environmental Research, a research and development company based in Lexington, Massachusetts. The idea is based on the so-called butterfly effect - that a small nudge to a chaotic system such as a hurricane could end up having a big enough influence to knock it off course.

Fixing Hubble.

Quote

"What makes Hubble worthwhile," Burch said, "is putting in new science instruments that have state-of-the-art detectors to really make the leaps forward…what we call the 'science discovery factor.' Those are the things that are really going to make Hubble a useful and desirable space research vehicle beyond the 2008 time frame." A Hubble Servicing Mission 4 would have the visiting shuttle crew also boost Hubble into a higher orbit, replace a fine-guidance sensor, and place protective material on top of torn insulation.