HP outs new business All-In-One PC - Compaq 8200 Elite

Steve Dougherty | Computer Systems | Aug 22, 2011 2:36 PM CDT

While things are a little up in the air as to what exactly is on the cards for HP following this news late last week, it hasn't stopped them releasing new models just yet, with a new all-in-one PC becoming available in stores from today under their Compaq series.

The new Compaq 8200 Elite is a business oriented all-in-one PC which uses a 23-inch LED-backlit 1920x1080 display. Packed inside is a 2nd Gen Intel Core (Sandy Bridge) processor, up to 8GB of system memory, a HDD (or optionally, SSD), webcam, SRS Premium Sound and highly efficient power supply (up to 89% efficiency).

HP backs the Compaq 8200 Elite with a 3 year warranty (honored, regardless of what becomes of the company in its volatile future) and bears a base price of $999 USD.

Continue reading: HP outs new business All-In-One PC - Compaq 8200 Elite (full post)

AMD polishes off Brazos with three new APUs

Steve Dougherty | CPU, APU & Chipsets | Aug 22, 2011 1:32 PM CDT

While inevitably not bringing anywhere near the amount of excitement the upcoming FX-Series will once launched, AMD has just kicked out three new APUs catering to its Brazos platform - the E-450, E-300 and C-60.

Using AMD's Bobcat x86 architecture, all three models are dual-core, built on the 40nm process. The new top dog "Zacate" E-450 APU clocks in at 1.65GHz (where the previous top model, the E-350 ran at 1.60GHz). The integrated Radeon HD 6320 GPU has its core clocked at 508MHz and with its TurboCore tech it can be driven at up to 600MHz.

THe E-300 lacks TurboCore on both its CPU and GPU components, with the CPU clock at a fixed 1.30GHz, and the Radeon HD 6310 GPU at 488MHz. As for the C-60, this is AMD's latest ultra low power APU with a TDP of only 9W (the other two are double that). The C-60 does have TurboCore technology embedded for both its CPU and GPU components. The CPU's stock clock rate is 1.00GHz, but with the help of TurboCore can head north to 1.33GHz, while the Radeon HD 6290 GPU has its core clocked at 276MHz, but TurboCore can increase it to 400MHz.

Continue reading: AMD polishes off Brazos with three new APUs (full post)

Intel's "Cedar Trail" Atom platform delayed due to DX issues

Steve Dougherty | Laptops | Aug 22, 2011 10:36 AM CDT

Late last week news hit the web that Intel was pushing back its new netbook platform, Cedar Trail-M from a September release to November, with the reason given that the platform had encountered some graphics driver hiccups resulting in a failure to meet Windows 7 certification.

Fast forward to the other side of the weekend and we're now finding out that there's unsurprisingly more to it than that. Where it was initially thought to be just some video decoding issues holding them back, it's actually a different, more alarming element of the driver that Intel can't rustle out at this time, one directly relating to DX9 (not a typo).

The story goes that while the graphics core in Cedar Trail is based around DX10.1, Intel wasn't going to have supporting DX10.1 drivers ready in time for the platform's launch as it was, so that's where (what was supposedly) easier to build DX9 drivers came into play, to give a working base for the launch until such time as Intel can produce the DX10.1 drivers.

Continue reading: Intel's "Cedar Trail" Atom platform delayed due to DX issues (full post)

Ukrainian champions hold a cool $1M following fierce DOTA 2 battle at Gamescom

Steve Dougherty | Contests & Giveaways | Aug 22, 2011 9:10 AM CDT

After five days of intense competition in the International DOTA 2 Championships at Gamescom, six Ukrainian kings have emerged victorious, known as team Na'vi (yes, Avatar fans). And along with the immense pride in securing their #1 result, they also get to walk away with a cool $1M in prize money.

Chinese team EHOME came in a close second, securing their runner up prize of $250,000. The remaining top six teams (out of 16 teams in total for the event) that were awarded include :-

1. Scythe.SG - $150,000

Continue reading: Ukrainian champions hold a cool $1M following fierce DOTA 2 battle at Gamescom (full post)

Valve's Gabe Newell says "We want EA's games on Steam"

Anthony Garreffa | Gaming | Aug 21, 2011 10:30 PM CDT

The ongoing bitch-slapping between Valve and EA has resulted in (what my opinion will be) the biggest FPS title of the year being blacklisted from Steam; Battlefield 3. EA have decided to launch Origin, their own digital distribution service and ditch Steam in favor of it.

Valve boss, and leader of the resistance of releasing Half Life 3, has sais that [in response to EA pulling a bunch of games from Steam":

I don't think Valve can pick just one thing and think that the issue would go away if we fixed that," he said, noting that it was Valve's responsibility to prove that EA stands to gain by having its games on Steam. "We have to prove we are creating value on an ongoing basis, whether it's to EA or Ubisoft or whoever. We want EA's games on Steam and we have to show them that's a smart thing to do.

Continue reading: Valve's Gabe Newell says "We want EA's games on Steam" (full post)

Borderlands 2 details, includes splitscreen online, re-worked UI, more

Anthony Garreffa | Gaming | Aug 21, 2011 9:30 PM CDT

GamesCom 2011 - News is flowing through for Borderlands 2 and it's sounding like its coming along well. Details from the Borderlands 2 livestream are that it includes (new in the sequel); Splitscreen online, trading items with others in a "reasonable way".

The UI has been "nearly entirely reworked. The splitscreen skill tree is way better". There are also now "no problems with eligibility for multiplayer". Gearbox are aiming for more diversity in the environments and there will be a new game+ mode.

Gearbox also talked of "refined" vehicle controls, inclusive of power-sliding and "independent suspension", Randy Pitchford also teased they might try to support Halo-style point and go controls and direct steering, he says "as a gamer, I want both."

Continue reading: Borderlands 2 details, includes splitscreen online, re-worked UI, more (full post)

NVIDIA hints at streaming games through your house

Anthony Garreffa | Gaming | Aug 21, 2011 7:25 PM CDT

GamesCom 2011 - NVIDIA has hinted at GamesCom that they could be working on technology that would allow users to stream games from their PCs to other devices within the home.

Bit-Gamer talked to "an NVIDIA representative" who wouldn't offer any concrete details [of course], but did give some hefty hints towards such a device:

Imagine you're playing Crysis 2 on your PC and you're able to stream it around your home to a tablet device, which you could then plug into your TV if you wanted

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Apple lying once again in lawsuit filing? Are Apple scared of Google?

It seems Apple have shrunk the size of the Samsung Galaxy S to make it look more like a clone of the iPhone in their latest Dutch lawsuit filing. As you can see in the picture below, not only have Apple shrunk the physical size of the Galaxy S handset, but they've also gone into the App Drawer so it looks identical to the home screen of the iPhone. Android users will know, this is not how the phone looks like by default, as there is a desktop with widgets - not Apps like the iOS.

Apple have shrunk the Galaxy S by what seems around 10%, to look absolutely identical in physical size to the iPhone so they can cry fowl that Samsung are copying their design. It was only last week in which Apple submitted shrunken pictures of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet from Samsung, in which they filed a picture misrepresenting the Galaxy Tab 10.1 as an incorrect 4:3 aspect ratio, while the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is actually a 16:10 ratio.

Apple - are you scared? Well, you must be. How about instead of playing like spoilt bullies, you bring out something that changes the industry again, instead of being stagnant and attacking the competition with lies.

Continue reading: Apple lying once again in lawsuit filing? Are Apple scared of Google? (full post)

Blizzard is "very serious" about Diablo on consoles, I am "very serious" when I say "no"

Anthony Garreffa | Gaming | Aug 19, 2011 12:00 AM CDT

GamesCom 2011 - If there's something I don't want on consoles, it's two things. Half Life (at least release it exclusively for PC, Valve, that's all you can do) and Diablo games. Well, it looks like Blizzard weren't listening to me and are now wanting to push Diablo onto consoles. Blizzard all but confirmed that it's preparing Diablo for consoles at GamesCom. Diablo 3 lead designer Josh Mosqueira said that Blizzard "is very, very serious about bringing the Diablo 3 experience to the console."

He noted that Blizzard are already assembling a team to handle the project with Josh continuing:

We're looking for programmers, designers, artists who think their dream job would be to bring Diablo to the console. Trust me, it is a dream job. All I can say is, it's going to be awesome. Stay tuned.

Continue reading: Blizzard is "very serious" about Diablo on consoles, I am "very serious" when I say "no" (full post)

DOTA 2 will be a 2012 release

Anthony Garreffa | Gaming | Aug 18, 2011 11:00 PM CDT

Gabe Newell, founder and all-round awesome sauce man at Valve has confirmed that DOTA 2 will not see the light of day until 2012 at the earliest. Right now, the only thing close to a release is an invitation-only beta that is planned to follow the GamesCom 2011 show in Cologne, Germany. Newell has been quoted saying:

We'll just go into progressively wider and wider distribution. I don't think it'll be shipped until next year. [But then] with a game like this, you just keep shipping. You add new heroes. You try out new game modes. You are constantly tweaking item and hero balance. It's very much an ongoing thing.

DOTA 2 has however, been playable on the show floor at GamesCom 2011, but only for teams invited to compete in Valve's tournament dubbed, The International. Newell also stated (in regards to the business modem that Valve will use for the game) that they "don't have a plan." He did add:

Continue reading: DOTA 2 will be a 2012 release (full post)