Dell's 6-Core Infused Alienware Area-51 Gaming PC Monster Invades HH Labs

This weekend the weather has been acting up here in the Northeast. We've had some torrential rains causing localized flooding and the wind has been fierce, giving us the feeling that Mother Earth has decided to kick up her wrath a bit, forcing us all to seek shelter indoors. Or, perhaps, the change in atmosphere has nothing to do with dear ol' Mother Earth and more to do with what landed on the HotHardware.com loading dock last week. Perhaps the atmospheric disturbance we're dealing with is a result something extra-terrestrial that has invaded the test area now at HH. See, this little company by the name of Intel, they have a new chip. It has six processor cores in it and it's pretty fast actually. So, this guy Michael... last name begins with a "D"... oh, yeah, Dell, that's it.
Though the interior shot above is well lit by a few strategically positioned LEDs, we can tell you that the system was actually not plugged in to a power source when we held our little impromptu photo-shoot. In fact, the machine comes equipped with some sort of battery back-up that we're still looking into. So, when you open the side panel, even if the system is powered down and unplugged, you're still able to admire its build quality with a little mood lighting to warm you up like Barry White. Of course those dual Radeon HD 5970s (yes, that 4 GPUs folks) will keep the home fires toasty as well.

Intel's Core i7-980X Extreme Edition hits a slew of new gaming desktops

Intel's six-core, twelve-threaded Core i7-980X Extreme Edition has turned the hardcore gaming community on its head, and just about everyone is scrounging around in a (mostly futile) attempt to locate $999. For those in dire need of an entire system replacement, it seems that today's the day to start looking. Shortly after we heard that this 32nm Gulftown chip would be landing with Alienware and Origin PC rigs, a veritable plethora of other outfits have shown up to make similar announcements. Digital Storm has popped an overclocked (4.4GHz) version into its Black|OPS machine (which conveniently starts at $5,642, while CyberPower is now offering the silicon in its Black Mamba, Black Pearl and Gamer Xtreme 3D machines. Maingear's also sliding said CPU into its world-beating Shift "supercomputer," and anyone shopping a high-end Velocity Micro system will also see the option. We suspect most every other PC maker in existence will be following suit soon, so if your prefab PC builder hasn't yet jumped on the bandwagon, just hold tight. Real tight.

Jam TEC update - 02/10/09 Maingear unveils Core i7-packin' SHIFT, your own 'personal supercomputer'

We'll be straight with ya -- we're betting these "personal super computer" claims are just a bit out of line with reality , but even still, there's no denying that maingear has shoved an insane amount of horsepower beneath the (admittedly large) hood of its newest rig. The beastly SHIFT does away with copious LED lighting and blinging accents found on many modern gaming PCs and instead opts for a classier, more ominous tower. Within, you'll find a vertical airflow system, a Core i7 processor, your choice of ATI or NVIDIA graphics, up to 8GB of DDR3-1600 RAM, up to 6 HDDs or 12 SSDs, DVD and Blu-ray options, an Asetek liquid-cooling solution, Razer peripherals, an optional Killer NIC Xeno Pro and Windows 7 running the show. The Intel P55 rig gets going at $2,199, while the X58 model starts $400 higher; for those in creative design fields, Maingear's expected to unveil a SHIFT just for you in the near future. Head on past the break for the full release.

Jam TEC update - 23/03/09 Olympus' E-620 raises the bar for entry-level DSLRs

Olympus just joined the pre-PMA pileup with the announcement of its E-620 DSLR for entry-level enthusiasts. The E-620 is a mash-up of Olympus' semi-pro E-30 and entry-level E-520 in a compact body approaching Oly's own E-420 (the world's smallest DSLR when launched). The resulting cam brings a 12.3 megapixel Live MOS image sensor with sensor-shift image stabilization, 7-point AF, TruePic III+ image processor, built-in wireless flash controller, and a fully articulating, 2.7-inch tilt-and-swivel live-view LCD. It also features Olympus' Art Filters which take in-camera image enhancements a bit beyond sepia. Expect the E-620 body to ship in May for about $700; $800 with the 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 lens. Front-side front after the break.

Jam TEC update -23/03/09 Red 'Resident Evil 5' Xbox 360

Looks like that red Resident Evil 5 Xbox 360 bundle wasn't just some tripped out figment of your imagination. Just moments ago, the package popped up for Xbox Live subscribers, detailing a handsome red Xbox 360 Elite with a 120GB hard drive, Resident Evil 5, Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, and a few other odds and ends (like a handful of cables). There's an indication that you can pre-order the kit, but at this point, we're not aware of any place to follow through. We'll keep our eyes peeled, of course.

Update: According to the German press release just received, the limited edition bundle will hit Europe on March 13th for €299 -- likely $399 Stateside

Jam TEC update - 22/03/09 Microsoft's SideWinder X8

The benefits of BlueTrack over optical or laser mousing technology in gaming situations will probably be debated amongst our children's children, but if you've decided that Microsoft's latest and greatest is the one for you, the SideWinder X8 gaming mouse hits stores this week. Besides that 13,000fps image processing of BlueTrack and a user-configurable 250 to 4,000 dpi, the mouse is a 2.4GHz wireless number with "virtually no latency" and it includes a play-and-charge cable for upping the juice without dropping the action. It even has a decent hands-on under its belt, so if you've been holding out for this one there's nothing really stopping your unemployed self from heading down to a local big box and plopping down $99 for the privilege.

Jam TEC update - 22/03/09 Razer Carcharias headset

Razer's Carcharias headset is yet another audio-related diversion for the input peripheral company, and as with its mighty impressive Mako 2.1 sound system, this here headset was remarkably solid. Originally announced at CES this year, this gaming headset is a multi-functional tool that works first and foremost as a two-way communication device for gamers who love to yap while fragging. Secondly, it can double as a really, really decent set of cans. The flip-down microphone can easily fold up and out of the way, and considering just how light these are, they can be worn for hours on end (trust us, we tried) without any sort of ear pain and unusual pressure on your dome.

The lengthy braided cable was slick, the in-line remote was a thoughtful touch and the headband was amongst the most comfortable we've had the pleasure of coming into contact with at this price point. When speaking with Razer CEO Robert Krakoff, he confessed that these were specifically designed to be worn comfortably for upwards of 10 hours, and we believe it. He also noted that customers were clamoring for deeper bass response in its headphone products, and yet again, it delivered in bringing the low-end to these cans. Not once did we feel the bass was magnified out of proportion, and while it's obviously designed to let gamers feel the "booms," we thoroughly enjoyed how it handled good ole rock 'n roll.

All in all, we're comfortable recommending these to PC gamers who could also use a new pair of headphones for music alone. At $79.99, these are solid enough to last you for quite some time, and the superior comfort level here is really what sets it apart. Razer may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think audio, but these are definitely worth a listen.

Jam TEC update - 22/03/09 Sleek new Studio XPS 435

Well, what do we have here? Dell's own website has outed a new Studio XPS 435. Here's the specs for its supremum configuration: a 3.2GHz Intel Core i7 processor extreme edition on a X58 chipset, up to 24GB DDR3 SDRAM and 4.5 TB with three hard drive bays, ATI Radeon HD4870, Blu-ray disc drive, 15-in-1 card reader, and eight USB 2.0 ports. Of course, getting the max settings is certainly going to cost you a pretty penny, and at this point we've got no deets on pricing or availability.

Jam TEC update -09/03/09 LaCie intros 8x d2 Blu-ray burner, LaCinema Black MAX media streamer

It was May of last year when LaCie last updated its external d2 Blu-ray burner, so it's about time we saw that 4x burn rate double to an entirely more palatable 8x. Available now for consumers in the US, the latest d2 Blu-ray Drive ($449.99) can toast both single- and dual-layer BD-Rs at 8x, and it can connect to one's machine via FireWire or USB 2.0. In related news, the outfit has also introduced a LaCinema Black MAX over in Europe, which acts to serve up all sorts of digital media (photos, video clips, music, etc.) on one's HDTV. You can order it with 500GB / 1TB of inbuilt storage, and the integrated Ethernet jack / WiFi module enables it to pull media (up to 1080p) from other locations on your network. We've nary a clue on pricing / availability for this one, but we'll leave it to those in Europe to hunt it down and brag to us Yanks.

Jam TEC update -09/03/09 Leaked Samsung M7600 phone

We don't know exactly where this one came from... but these leaked photos appear to be of an Ocean-esque Samsung M7600. Here's what we know about it, spec-wise: it's an HSDPA phone which will have a 3 megapixel camera, GPS, a 2.8-inch AMOLED touchscreen display, and yes, a Bang & Olufsen amplifier. We understand that it'll also sport some kind of of DJ scratching app -- which should make your nightlife way more interesting -- and that it's supposedly set to appear sometime in May of this year (though we'd be surprised if we don't see more of it at MWC).

Jam TEC update -09/03/09 How would you change HP's TouchSmart tx2z?

The TouchSmart tx2z isn't the first multitouch laptop out, but HP's pretty adamant that it's the first multitouch "consumer" convertible tablet. Semantics aside, we're interested in finding out just how impressed you early adopters are with what the company has crafted. Are the multitouch capabilities as awesome as you had hoped? If not, what areas could be improved? Would you still recommend it to prospective buyers looking to give their digits a bit more work? We get the feeling we'll see loads of multitouch laptops gracing our presence over the next few months / years, so make sure you really unload on this one. It's what makes progress possible, people.

Jam TEC update -09/03/09 Optoma delivers 1080p ThemeScene HD82 projector to the UK

'Tis a shame Optoma's reserving its latest 1080p beamer for the overseas crowd, but we'll set aside our envy for a tick and just join in the across-the-pond-excitement. The ThemeScene HD82 sports a native 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, 1,300 nits of brightness, a 20,000:1 maximum contrast ratio and a DLP engine. Britons will also enjoy a 1.5x zoom, PureMotion / PureShift technologies, twin HDMI ports and a DVI socket to boot. Of course, enjoying that £2,999 ($4,382) price tag may not be as easy, but it's still comparatively affordable in the grand scheme of things.

Jam TEC update - 09/03/09 Samsung to release 12 megapixels of cameraphone

It's been a few years since Samsung unleashed its 10 megapixel cameraphone onto the world. Now we're hearing that Samsung will push the limits of absurdity to a full 12 megapixels "this month," likely at Mobile World Congress. The phone is expected to hit the production lines in February with a European debut shortly thereafter. No details are provided other than the picture above used (but not attributed) by Unwired View. If this is the unannounced phone then we can obviously expect GPS geotagging, DivX video capture, and WiFi with DLNA support. One thing is clear: Samsung thinks that Europeans are pixel braggarts with little concern for image quality.

Jam TEC update - 17/01/09 Dragon-based gaming desktop

Yet again, IBuyPower is stepping out with a few new gaming rigs for the bargain-minded among us. The most recent duo to be outed by the company is the Gamer HAF 91B and the Gamer Fire, both of which are based on AMD's latest Dragon platform and Phenom II CPU. The former gets going at just $999 and includes the Phenom II X4 920 processor, 4GB of DDR2 RAM, a 500GB SATA II hard drive, a dual-layer DVD writer, ATI's 512MB Radeon HD 4850 graphics card, a CoolerMaster HAS 932 case and a 550-watt power supply. The more fiery sibling ups the ante with a Phenom II X4 940 CPU, a 750GB HDD, LG GGC-H20L Blu-ray drive and an NZXT Guardian 921 chassis. 'Course, you'll be paying $1,439 for that one, but either way you'll be keeping things below the evidently magical $1.5k mark. Order away, should you be so inclined. Full release is after the jump.

iBUYPOWER Launches Two New Dragon Based Systems – Gamer HAF 91B and Gamer Fire

Both systems Feature the AMD Phenom II, and ATI Radeon 4000 Series Graphics Card for under $1,500

El Monte, CA – February 12, 2009 – iBUYPOWER, known for its innovative and powerful gaming PCs, is excited to announce two new systems based on AMD's Dragon Platform both under $1,500. The Gamer HAF 91B and Gamer Fire are priced at just $999 and $1,439 respectively and both feature the new AMD Phenom II processors AMD 790GX Crossfire™ chipset, and ATI Radeon 4000 series graphics cards. The new Phenom II processors provide improved performance and power consumption characteristics over older AMD Quad-cores, with value unsurpassed in the consumer CPU market.

"We felt it was time offer the Dragon Platform technology to casual gamers looking to purchase a high-end system without the high-end price tag," said Darren Su, Vice President of iBUYPOWER. "With the Gamer HAF 91B and Fire we can offer powerful systems that deliver high definition graphics and smooth game play at a great value."

Housed in the highly accessible Gamer HAF enclosure, the iBUYPOWER Gamer HAF 91B ships with AMD Phenom™ II X4 920 Processor, 4GB DDR2-800 Memory, and an ATI Radeon™ HD 4850 512MB Video. The iBUYPOWER Gamer HAF 91B was designed for the entry-level PC gamer looking for powerful, yet affordable gaming system.

For a more comprehensive gaming and media solution, iBUYPOWER offers the Gamer Fire system in the NZXT Guardian 921 Case. Customers who upgrade to the Gamer Fire can take advantage of the speedy AMD Phenom™ II X4 940 Processor, a CPU liquid cooling system, LG GGC-H20L BLU-RAY Reader Drive for HD playback and an 800W power supply for just $440 more. iBUYPOWER also included the dominating ATI Radeon™ HD 4870X2 2GB Video Card in the Gamer Fire to provide a significant boost in gaming performance.

Jam TEC update - 17/02/09 Nokia busts out its own 8 megapixel slider: the N86

Whoa, Nelly! While Samsung is strutting its 8 megapixel Memoir and Sony Ericsson is letting us all in on the forthcoming 12 megapixel Idou, Nokia is getting even with its 8 megapixel N86. Amazingly, we saw that the suits in Espoo had this thing on the brain way back in 2007, but not until today have we seen a real live product. The N-series slider boasts a Carl Zeiss lens, AutoFocus, dual-LED flash and Symbian S60, not to mention a 2.6-inch OLED display, 8GB of internal memory, a 3.5 millimeter headphone jack, microUSB connector and Share on Ovi integration. We're left in the dark when it comes to pricing and availability, but we're hoping to hear more really, really soon. More shots are waiting in the read link.

Jam TEC update - 09/02/17 Nokia's GPS-centric 6710 Navigator and 6720 classic announced

For those less interested in QWERTY keyboards and more inclined for something navigation-centric, Nokia's announced the 6710 Navigator slider and 6720 classic handset. Both phones dedicated GPS service with real time drive-and-walk navigation, and full regional maps. Outside of that, you've got a 5 megapixel camera to capture the memory of our adventure. The 6720 is coming out second quarter of this year for 245 euros, while the 6710 Navigator will be popping in third quarter for 300 euros.

Update: More details from the fact sheets. The 6720 classic's got a 2.2-inch TFT QVGA, music player with support for MP3, AAC and WMA, FM tuner, and a dual-LED flash. Standby time is 20.5 days and talk time is 5 / 8.5 hours for 3G and GSM, respectively. The 6710 Navigator's sporting 2.6-inch outdoor optimized QVGA with ambient light detector, support up to 16GB microSD, 18.5 day standby time and 4.5 / 7.5 hour talk time for 3G and GSM, respectively. Both handsets feature built-in A-GPS and Nokia Maps 3.0, a web browser and Carl Zeiss optics for the 5MP camera.

Jam TEC update - 17/02/05 Nokia Ovi Store unveiled, launches in May

Nokia's just announced at its Mobile World Congress presentation that, lo and behold, the company's launching its own online app and media portal, the Ovi Store. Download, Mosh, widgets are going to be focuses of the Ovi Store. The N97 will be the first device to be "pre-integrated" with Ovi Store, but "tons" of existing S40 and S60 customers will be able to download the service starting in May. The company says it'll learn your tastes over time and anticipate what you want, as well as make recommendations based on your geographical location. A developer site has launched, and is touting a 70% revenue share, which appears to match what Apple's doing with its respective app store.

Jam TEC update - 17/02/07 Nokia E75 QWERTY slider announced with Nokia Messaging built-in

Nokia's second phone of its MWC presentation is the E75, a full QWERTY side-slider that we've seen more than a few times in the past few months. It's the first phone to come equipped with Nokia Messaging built-in. It ships next month for 375 euros, and if you're eager, pre-orders are being accepted starting today on Nokia's site.

Update: Some more details from its fact sheet: The display is a 2.4-inch QVGA, a 3.5mm headphone jack, 3.2 megapixel camera, built-in VPN, HSDA, 802.11 b/g, EGPRS, Bluetooth, and support for up to 16GB microSD card. Standby time is 11 days, and talk time is 5.4 hours on GSM, 4.2 hours on WCDMA, and yes, official colors are silver black, red and copper yellow.

Jam TEC update - 17/02/07 Nokia E55 'compact QWERTY' smartphone unveiled

Nokia's just announced what it's calling the "world's thinnest smartphone," the E55. They're calling it a compact QWERTY keyboard, but let's be honest, it's SureType. According to the press release, it's got 28 days of standby time in its battery, as well as full Nokia Maps and assisted GPS with integration. Look for it this summer for 265 euros unsubsidized.

Update: New details from the fact sheet. The 28 days of standby applies to GSM -- it drops to 19 days on WCDMA -- and talk time for GSM / WCDMA is 8 and 6 hours, respectively. The phone sports a 2.4-inch QVGA screen, 3.2 megapixel camera, 3.5 mm headphone jack, 802.11 b/g, EGPRS, and Bluetooth 2.0.

Jam TEC update - 17/02/07 ATI Radeon 4890 Coming in April

The ATI Radeon HD 4890 will be the fastest single GPU card out when it is released in mid-April. There will also be an overclocked version. It will be here toward the end of April and this car will be as much as 30% faster than the current 4870.

The card is built on RV790 core and is 100Mhz faster than the stock 4870. Here are a few specs:

- RV790 Core
- 850Mhz Core
- 512 MB GDDR5 at 950 Mhz

The overclocked model will have 1GB of GDDR5. The price and full specs for the OC are unknown. The stock model should be around $299. A good deal, if you ask me.

Jam TEC update - 17/02/05 Cooler Master Just Got Cooler

When you talk with PC enthusiasts, they have 1 thing on their mind; performance. They always talk about how fast their processor is, or how much frames they get in Crysis, but what they hide is the fact that the inside of their computers are equivalent to a furnace in during 1600’s in London.

What they always take for granted was the cooling of their PC’s whether it’s cooling the processor, the graphic card or even the RAM modules, they always have some insecurity with their cooling.

All of that is about to change though, because Cooler Master just released their latest and greatest invention yet - The V10.

At first glance, not many people will know what it is, but they will soon because this thing is the sexiest CPU/RAM cooler I’ve seen yet.

These things just hit the shelves a few days ago I believe and they’re selling like hotcakes! I wish CM would send me one of these, I’d love to replace the fans and add my own.

Jam TEC update - 09/02/05 Panasonic's HDC-HS300 HD camcorder

Hey there every one. Hope your enjoying your self. So first of all i need a help from u guys, try to collect more membes to my facebook group and comment on the blogs in Blogger or Multiply.
Anyw lets cut the crap and move to this gorges baby. PEOPLE..!! your looking at the future. the Panasonic full HD camcorder. It'll record 720p 1080p any resolution that's available. This monster is released in the 2008 CES. also the critics says "could well be the best [consumer] camcorder released all year." low light performance was deemed "particularly amazing." There were plenty of outputs, a swank touchscreen LCD and a very impressive cross-shaped array of microphones that could record 5.1 audio. Did i say 5.1????? People you can even make a block buster movie from it.. hahaa.. This thing is awesome in every way. What else you can ask from a camcoder. OOooppSSss. i think i for got to tell the most importent part of the camcoder. Most of the camcoders in the market has only 1MOS but in this pice there are 3MOS. and gives a 10.1megapixel shoot.