Internet News

Ad blocking isn't wrong, Ken Fisher writes, but it can deal a severe financial blow to Web sites, especially tech sites where a large percentage of readers have blockers installed. This applies to SPCR as well as Ars Technica, which has been experimenting with technology to block content for readers with ad blockers, a new twist in this online struggle. And, just a day later, a counterpoint from Techdirt's Mike Masnick who argues, Don't Blame Your Community: Ad Blocking Is Not Killing Any Sites. || These articles have provoked lively debate and a wide range of responses in the SPCR forum discussion.

In a relevant "classic" match, MadShrimps compares two similarly equipped systems based around the midrange Intel Core i3-661 and AMD's fastest but still cheaper quadcore, Phenom II X4-965. Results are intriguing. Discuss this news in the SPCR forums.

Experience the fun of PC gaming and a chance to try out new Core i7 processors at the Intel Extreme Masters global challenge. Watch PC gamers from around the world compete in top PC games: Counter-Strike 1.6, World of Warcraft and Quake Live. Visitors can also experience the thrill of BMW Sauber F1 Simulators and win cool prizes. This international throw-down has great prizes for pro gamers and the public. The games begin at the West Edmonton Mall, Dec 11–13. Full details at www.intelextrememasters.com.

Intel recently launched a worldwide custom desktop challenge. The challenge is to build desktops powered by Intel Core i7 and Core i5 processors that envision the possibilities of tomorrow's technology. >> Discuss this news in the SPCR forum.

TechWare Labs posted a mod article by Artiom that transforms a $120 Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 1.5TB into a speed demon that outperforms a $230 VelociRaptor 300TB in almost every way. The mod only requires the use of Seagate's own Sea Tools utility. Discuss this news in the SPCR forum.

Madshrimps' first CPU Cooler Roundup of 2009 reportedly took 200 hours of testing, and features 23 different products that can be compared to 72 Intel/AMD heatsinks they've tested in the past. It's one of the few sites outside SPCR that takes noise consistently into consideration in assessing heatsink/fans. * Discuss this news in the SPCR forums.

A recent article by The Register describes how Apple is filing patents about computer silencing. Most of the concepts mentioned are old hat for SPCR, namely noise/thermal management of components for not only low measured noise but also low annoyance factor. It's interesting to see a major computer maker taking the matter seriously enough to try to patent the concept of automated noise management based on user preferences. It's doubful that such a system would actually work well enough to make it worth implementing. It's easier and cheaper to make inaudible computers using the principles and practises we've been honing at SPCR for years. On the other hand, business is not always about effectiveness but marketability. Apple has a knack of pitching to the public, and for some consumers, anything they touch is gold. - Discuss this news in the SPCR forum.

FrostyTech reports: "Diamond thermal paste? Yup, the penultimate material for thermal conductivity has been turned into thermal paste by Scottish company called Electrospell. Electrospell's Thermodimeâ„¢ diamond heat transfer compound is an ultra high thermal conductivity thermal interface material composed of pure surface-modified diamond microcrystals (1-micron diameter) suspended in a special carrier fluid." Several times higher rate of heat transfer over conventional TIM is claimed. - Discuss this news in the SPCR forum.

Madshrimps compares the performance/noise balance of 35 different 120mm fans from AcoustFan, Aerocool, Arctic-Cooling, Cooler Master, Coolink, CoolJag, Delta, Gelid, GlobalWin, mCubed, Nexus, Noctua, NoiseBlocker, Papst, Revoltec, Scythe, Sharkoon, SilenX and Xthermal. Discuss this news in the SPCR forums.

A chorus of reviews on the web today sing the praises of five new AMD Phenom II processors for AM3, prompting some to proclaim a new era of serious competition for Intel, the undisputed king of x86 processors for the past several years.

Anandtech - Xbitlabs - Legit Reviews - HotHardware - Benchmark Reviews - PC Perspective

Vancouver, the home of SPCR, and the rest of Canada (as well as much of the US) has been hit for the past week with serious winter weather. A Canada-wide white Christmas is expected, the first time since 1971. All this may even impact SPCR editorial content delivery. Meanwhile... Happy Holidays, everyone!

Maui is a fusion of AMD Live! Media Center software and AMD hardware that combine into a complete home theater PC platform. Maui features an Athlon X2 or Phenom series processor, an energy-efficient AMD M780G chipset (used normally for notebooks) motherboard, a special audio preamp aand a high quality PCIe multi-channel amplifier that eliminates the need for an external amplifier. Various HTPC combo packages with MSI and AMD products for DIY builders are offered at Newegg. A complete Maui HTPC system sample is in the SPCR lab right now. This PC contains a 65W energy-efficient Phenom 9350e quad-core, the ATI TV Wonder 650 Combo tuner/video card, and the MSI Live DIVA (MS-7411) motherboard that has D2's programmable audio chip onboard for up to 7.1 pre-amp or 5.1 amplified home-theater quality audio right out of the back of your HTPC, and the audio quality said to be is on par with $1,000+ A/V receivers. Look for our review in the near future. *Discuss this news in the SPCR forums.*

Intel chose the day before the voting day of the 2008 US presidential elections to lift the news embargo about its latest processor. Naturally, the tech web sites are overflowing with articles today about Intel's Core i7; they've had upwards of a month to prepare. Intel could have lifted the news embargo after the elections, but perhaps Intel bigwigs felt even obsessed computer geeks might be distracted by tomorrow's outcome at the polls. Here are some of the reports on Core i7 released today, in no particular order: The Tech Report * Hardware Secrets * Lost Circuits * Tweaktown * Benchmark Reviews * Hexus * Hot Hardware * Driver Heaven * Tom's Hardware * Ars Technica * Mad Shrimps * Legit Reviews * bit-tech.net * HardOCP * AnandTech -- Discuss Core i7 in the SPCR forums.

Daily Tech says new reports from a competitive market research firm indicates netbooks and bargain notebooks are driving global PC sales in a market where concerns over the global economic crisis have pushed budget PCs to the fore. According to Gartner, netbooks are leading the increase in sales, although it is not that clear whether sales are being driven by new models or by cannibalized older models that have seen their prices slashed. One fact not mentioned is that the popular budget models are less speedy, and much more energy efficient than their bigger, pricier conventional counterparts. For computer users, it's one way to go on an energy diet; we all need to get used to the idea. Discuss this news in the SPCR forums.

The Tech Report has a review of Intel's soon-to-come high end X25-M SSD today. Ditto Ars Technica, Legit Reviews, PC Perspective, and Hot Hardware also has a comparison of four SSDs and a WD Velociraptor.

But by far the most comprehensive and authoritative review comes from Anandtech, one of the oldest PC tech sites: Anand's investigative 17-page review of Intel's MLC-based SSD is a must read for geeks. These make for an interesting snapshot of the current state of solid state drives, a subject of great interest for anyone interested in silent computing. Discuss this news in the SPCR forums.