AMD's US$109 3D card focuses on low-cost gaming

With a new 40-nanometer manufacturing process behind it, AMD has just announced the ATI Radeon HD 4770 3D graphics chip. Available now on 3D cards starting at US$109, the Radeon HD 4770 is the first 3D chip built on the 40-nanometer process, which allows for faster, more power-efficient hardware than AMD's previous 55nm chips.

The various enthusiast review sites found the 512MB Radeon HD 4770 fast enough to play most current games at lower resolutions and image quality settings. Think 1,680 x 1,050 or lower and with little to no anti-aliasing. The Radeon HD 4770 also outpaced Nvidia's US$95 GeForce 9800 GT on almost every test, and competed well with the approximately US$130 Geforce 250 GTS (aka the GeForce 9800 GTX+). Its power consumption seems to stand out mostly under load, but its idle results showed little benefit.
Read more »

Microsoft wraps up Vista update

Microsoft has wrapped up work on the second service pack update to Windows Vista, the company has announced.

The update provides, among other things support for Bluetooth 2.1, an updated Windows search technology and the ability to natively record data to Blu-ray discs.

In a blog posting, the company said the update should be publicly available later this quarter. Microsoft is also ending a blocker tool that prevented computers from downloading Vista Service Pack 1, so those customers who had been using the tool will now see Vista SP1 offered via Windows Update.

The update has been in broad testing since late last year. A near-final release candidate version was issued in February.

Microsoft said earlier that it was releasing the second service pack update to Office 2007. Windows Vista and Office 2007 had their mainstream launch on the same day in January 2007.

Via CNET Blogs

New holographic optical standard can hold 500GB

Though not as fast as conventional harddisk or even solid-state device standards, that doesn't mean that optical storage technology is standing still when it comes to storage capacities. The jump from the 700MB CD to 4.8GB DVD was a seven times leap, while the 50GB Blu-ray format beats DVDs by about a factor of 10. But all these pale in comparison to holographic discs with data densities of 500Gbit/m2. Though InPhase Technologies already has plans to introduce holographic storage capabilities this year, this requires specialized discs and an US$18,000 machine. Hardly a solution for the average home user.
Read more »

Dell Studio XPS 435: Future-proof PC

Dell has unveiled the sleek-looking Dell Studio XPS 435, a desktop with assorted upgrade options to turn it into a multimedia, superstorage monster.

It packs an Intel Core i7 processor with Intel Turbo Boost Technology, which sounds exciting, but unfortunately doesn't make your computer leap over police roadblocks. It just makes it do stuff a bit faster.
Read more »

The countdown to Microsoft's Kumo

Microsoft has reportedly put up a clock in one of its buildings with a 40-day countdown to the launch of its next-generation search engine, codenamed Kumo.

Enthusiast site LiveSide noted recently that a reader on Neowin, another enthusiast site, said Microsoft had a TV in one of its search buildings with the countdown clock.

The software maker has been testing its search engine internally since last month, but has not said exactly when the service would launch. The countdown appears to roughly coincide with a speech from newly minted online boss Qi Lu, who is slated to speak at the SMX Advanced event on June 3. The timing also seems to coincide with reports that Microsoft plans a big ad campaign for its search engine starting this summer.
Read more »

Crave is...

The name says it all. Crave is our blog about cool gadgets and other crushworthy stuff.

Drop us an email if you have tips or suggestions.

Crave for...

» Mobile Phones (2242)

» Digital Cameras (988)

» Notebooks (1242)

» PC & Peripherals (1312)

» Handhelds (585)

» Printers (83)

» Home AV (1147)

» Music & Play (897)

» Gadgets (1488)

» Future Tech (396)

» Green Tech (172)

» Lifestyle (158)

» Luxury (22)

» Home Appliances (58)

» Cars (99)

» Games and Gear (248)

» Software (96)

» Web (119)

Previously...

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

Hot Topics

Subscribe to
Crave

What's Hot

apple apple inc. apple iphone apple ipod asia battery camera game google inc. iphone microsoft corp. microsoft windows mobile phone photograph singapore smart phone software sony corp. video

Today on CNET |  Reviews |  Crave |  Blogs |  CNET TV |  Digital Living |  Downloads