Core i7 hits Singapore

For those living under the proverbial tech rock these past weeks, here is a simple quiz.

What is Core i7? Is it:

a) The sequel to Pixar's Wall-E?
b) A seven-core chip?
c) The latest quad-core desktop processor with heart-stopping performance and price tag?

If you answered a or b, you need to click on this link before proceeding. For those who answered c, congratulations on getting the right answer and your prize is, you guessed it, more information on the new platform.

Starting tomorrow, all three versions of the latest Core i7 will be available in retail stores. According to Intel, the prices for 1000 units of the 2.66GHz Core i7-920, 2.93GHz Core i7-940 and 3.2GHz Core i7-965 Extreme Edition are US$284, US$562 and US$999, respectively. But don't let these bulk purchase prices fool you into whipping out your wallet.

Remember that since the new processor is not compatible with old mainboards, you'll need to fork out extra for a new set. In addition, the new three-channel DDR3 memory support means even more added cost. Based on a white box set from Fuwell, a popular IT electronics retailer in Singapore's Sim Lim Square, S$1,968 (US$1,414.30) will net you a machine with a 2.66GHz Core i7-920 processor, Intel DX58SO mainboard, 512MB ATI Radeon HD4850 discrete graphics card, 3GB DDR3 RAM, 500GB HDD, DVD writer and Windows Vista Home Premium. Bumping up to Core i7-940 adds S$410 (US$294.65) to the cost, while a Core i7-965 Extreme Edition requires a whopping S$1,170 (US$840.82) to upgrade.

Netgear Powerline adapter comes with power socket

Powerline adapters generally don't work with power strips or surge protectors, needing to be plugged directly into the wall socket. This would be a problem if you have only one power outlet at the remote corner of the house where you want to put that home server.

This is why it's rather significant that Netgear introduced on Monday its new Powerline HD Plus Ethernet Adapter Kit that has a pass-through power socket. This really comes in handy in homes with a limited number of power outlets.

Other than that, the UPA-based Powerline HD offers network connections up to 200Mbps over existing electrical wires. This means you can bring your Internet and stream high-def content from anywhere there's a power outlet.

The kit has a plug-in design for easy setup. However, this design also means the adapter might obstruct other power sockets near by, unlike the more space-conscious extension-cord design that Cisco introduced awhile ago.

The Powerline HD Plus Ethernet Adapter Kit contains two identical Powerline HD Ethernet Adapters (HDXB111); each offers only one 10/100 Ethernet port. This is rather disappointing, because you'll need a separate switch if you want to add more than one network device at the remote corner. The Cisco adapter, on the other hand, offers up to four ports.

One more thing: The Netgear Powerline HD Plus's network port caps at 100Mbps, which is half of the speed that Negear claims the adapter can deliver.

The Powerline HD Plus Ethernet Adapter Kit comes with a one-year warranty and is available now for US$170. Netgear also offers the Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Kit, which has the same specs minus the pass-though power socket and costs US$150.

Via CNET Crave

Study: Young people, men more optimistic when tech fails

When faced with a technology breakdown, levels of optimism and frustration vary depending on age and gender, according to a new study to be released on Sunday.

That's the straight lead. The one I was pondering writing is:

I'm a late-baby-boomer woman and I hate technology.

That's not entirely true. I love technology when it works and is easy to use. But I get annoyed when my computer gets jangy or my wireless goes down. And apparently, I'm not unusual for my demographic.

"Younger users are generally much more optimistic than older adults when their gadgets fail," says the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project which sponsored the survey of 2,054 US adults.

"Although young adults age 18 to 29 years old are no more likely to be able to fix devices on their own, they were significantly more likely to be confident that they were on the right path to fixing it, and they were significantly less likely than older adults to feel discouraged or confused about fixing devices," according to the report.

There is no data on whether they were successful in fixing the devices, only that they thought they could. (Elsewhere, the data shows that of the 52 percent of tech users who are comfortable learning to use new devices on their own, 35 percent fix broken technology on their own.)

Meanwhile, the gap between the percentages feeling confident when their devices fail versus discouraged and confused narrowed as the age ranges went up.

Now for gender-based differences:
Read more »

Samsung launches S series external storage

External storage drives are so common, we almost never bother with press releases dealing with just another portable harddisk. However, Samsung's new S series external hard drives caught our attention because, in a nod to all things small, it includes a 1.8-inch version--the S1 Mini.

Unlike it competitors and DIY models in which the SATA to USB adapter is located on the enclosure itself, Samsung's portable drives integrate the USB controller directly onto the harddisk. According to the Korean maker, this results in a 17 percent size reduction and 30 percent less power consumption for the 2.5-inch S2 Portable. In addition, the bundle includes data security and auto backup software to bring more functionality to your investment.

The S series come with a three-year warranty and will be available in late November with four color choices-black, brown, white and red. Singapore will see the first units in the upcoming SITEX show on November 27. The 120GB S1 Mini cost S$199 (US$143.01), while the S2 Portable comes in 250GB (S$169 (US$121.45)), 320GB (S$199 (US$143.01)) and 500GB (S$289 (US$207.69)) capacities.

Skype wirelessly with Drone Bluetooth adapter

Most new laptops have built-in Bluetooth these days, but if yours doesn't, you might want to get what CallPod introduced as the Drone.

The Drone is not a regular Bluetooth adapter. It's a high-powered device that offers a range of up to 90m; that's about 10 times the range of regular Bluetooth devices.

Designed mainly for audio purposes, once plugged in, the Drone is recognized by a computer as a speaker. The Drone's built-in firmware then streams the computer's audio feed to Bluetooth headsets or speakers.

For this reason, the device is perfect for computer-based VoIP calling, and works with Skype, right out of the box. If you are listening to music when a Skype call arrives, the Drone automatically switches over the the call.

As an audio device, the Drone is 100 percent plug-and-play; software installation is only required for advance functions, such as data transfer.

The Drone Bluetooth adapter is A2DP-compliant and compatible with both PCs and Macs. It's available now for US$49.95, which is significantly more expensive than other regular Bluetooth adapters.

Via CNET News

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