Windows 7 32bit Beta - Application Compatibility tests

I am sure you have read lot's of reviews already about it on the net so what I did was to just share with your experience with it and give you a rundown on the working applications we have tested on it.

TEST HARDWARE:
Intel Core i7 920 cooled with SUNBEAM Core Contact Freezer with i7 Adapter.
ASUS Rampage II
ASUS EAH 4870x2 Tri Fan
OCZ Reaper ddr3 2x1G
80Gig Seagate.





The experience in a nutshell:
1.) Almost all drivers were detected except for Chipset and video card.
2.) I Updated Windows and all the drivers updated as well.
3.) Chipset drivers were manually installed using vista chipset drivers.
4.) Video Driver installed itself after windows update.


The Applications tested:
1) Office 2007 - ok
2.) Winrar - ok
3.) Firefox with plugins - ok
4.) Yahoo Messenger - ok
5.) Skype - ok
6.) Playing xvid,mkv divx etc with sharky's Win7 Codecs- ok
7.) 3D Mark 06 - ok
8.) Crisis Warhead - ok
9.) Call of Duty 4 - ok


Here is one 3D benchmark test result:



Will run all the other benchmark tests tomorrow so make sure to bookmark this Blog!

Will also be testing more applications like photoshop, more video file types, synchronization with windows mobile, itunes-sync with itouch. When I get the chance I will also install this on my Kohjinsha SR8 to get to try their so called "TOUCH INTERFACE"

If there are any softwares or application you want me to test let me know.
All in all, Windows 7 is lighter and feels lightning fast.
So far Windows 7 is Rock'n my joint!

OCZ Triple Channel RAM tops reviews in ASIA!

OCZ DDR3 Reaper HPC Triple Channel Kits

Part Numbers: OCZ3RPR2000LV6GK, OCZ3RPR1866LV6GK, OCZ3RPR1866C9LV6GK , OCZ3RPR1866C9LV3GK, OCZ3RPR1800LV6GK
EZONE magazine / Hong Kong / January:
“OCZ Flex EX Series OCZ3FXE20004GK modules are dual channel kits can work at rather unprecedented frequencies either air or water-cooled. On the other hand, Reaper HPC Series OCZ3RPR1866C9LV6GK are solid tri-channel DDR3 models that work flawless under low-voltage requirements of tri-channel platform”

DOS/V Power Report magazine / Japan / February:

“Users looking for a unique heatsink should take a closer look on OCZ Reaper HPC tri-channel OCZ3RPR1866C9LV6GK model. This module is highly recommended for Core i7 users who intend to overclock their system”

OCZ DDR3 Intel Extreme Series Triple Channel Kits

Part Numbers: OCZ3X1600LV6GK, OCZ3X1600LV3GK, OCZ3X1333LV6GK, OCZ3X1333LV3GK



IT oc online / Taiwan / Janaury:

“DDR3 is not enough, DDR3 tri-channel is the way to go! In Core i7 era, DDR3 memory alone is not enough, tri-channel kits are the only way to get the full performance out of your X58 rig. OCZ Intel Corei7 XMP Ready 1333MHz 6GK modules are a good choice and can be easily overclocked to 1600MHz or even 1700MHz, so it can give your system an amazing performance boost”

http://www.oc.com.tw/article/0901/readarticle.asp?id=6695


OCZ DDR3 Platinum Series Low-Voltage Triple Channel Kits

Part Numbers: OCZ3P2000LV6GK, OCZ3P1866LV6GK, OCZ3P1866C9LV6GK, OCZ3P1866C9LV3GK, OCZ3P1800LV6GK, OCZ3P1333LV12GS, OCZ3P1333LV6GK, OCZ3P1333LV3GK
PCMadvance magazine / Hong Kong / January:

“OCZ was the first company to delivery tri-channel DDR3 1866MHz modules to the Hong Kong market. OCZ3P1866C9LV6GK kit is well performing tri-channel DDR3 module and very suitable for Intel Core i7 system”
PC Home magazine / Taiwan / January:

“OCZ Triple Channel Platinum Series modules, OCZ3P1333LV6GK, are one of the most suitable kits for your new Core i7 CPU. OCZ Platinum series modules offer life-time warranty and can be manually overclocked to over 1600MHz”

The ASUS EAH 4870 Matrix 512

It is often said that here in the Philippines, we are always behind or sometimes don't even get cards like this this. Well, I recently got my hands on some ASUS EAH 4870 Matrix cards, take note, "some", because they did send me two of them. I was very excited to try it out so let me not keep you waiting:

The Box and what's inside:

You are greeted with a slick-black knight's sword and shield with the integrated video card definitely made to appeal to those serious gamers out there.



When you flip open the front cover of the box, you will see a detailed explanation of how the HYBRID COOLING SYSTEM Works. The 4870 Matrix comes sports itself the ASUS's HYBRID COOLER TECHNOLOGY. When running 2D applications only which consume very little GPU power, the fans will not turn. It automatically detects the GPU's temps and as soon as it can sense heat from the GPU, it will run one fan first then as it get's hotter, the second fan goes on. As soon as temps drop, the fans automatically shutdown and the process just repeats itself. When playing 3D games though, don't worry, both fans turn on right away and turn themselves off when cooled down. It also defines ASUS's Super Hybrid Engine:
ASUS’ exclusive Super Hybrid Engine (SHE) technology showcases its intelligence via a two-fold process. First gathering detailed information about the GPU loading and temperature, memory and power IC; SHE then calculates an optimized solution for the best performance. All of this happens in real time, without requiring any tinkering from users—making it easy to achieve multi-level GPU and memory voltage adjustments for the ultimate graphics performance or maximum energy savings.

Aside from that you will also see highlights on it's itracker software.
iTracker Offers Users One-click Control over Graphics Card Performances

The iTracker feature is a component of ASUS’ exclusive SHE technology, and offers four default profiles for gamers who desire one-click control over their graphics card’s performance: Optimized Mode, Gaming Mode, Power Saving Mode, and Default mode. This handy application is also able to display real-time graphics card information that includes the GPU/shader/memory clock, GPU/memory voltage, GPU loading, GPU/memory/power IC/ambient temperature, and fan speed—serving as a one-stop, complete system information portal. In addition, the fifth profile—User Defined Mode—enables real-time adjustments to the GPU/shader/memory clock, GPU/memory voltage, and fan speeds to suit different individual requirements.



Inside the box you will find, of course the beautiful Republic of Gamers branded 10.5" Video Card with its cool Dual Fan design. Manual DVD, Driver DVD, DVI to VGA adapter, DVI to HDMI Adapter and an analog to Y/Pb/R converter. To my surprise, the Crossfire cable link was missing but luckily, after telling ASUS Philippines, they immediately sent us two Crossfire Link connectors to complete the package and ensured us that all release version of these cards came with the crossfire connectors.


Now looking more closely at the rear part of the card you will see that one of the DVI ports is yellow in color. This signifies that when you plug an HDMI Cable here via the accompanying DVI to HDMI adapter, you will get digital and analog audio out. So if you monitor has speakers built in then you will definitely get sound on those speakers. You will also notice that the card is think, but dont worry it is not thick enough to be a hindrance on the second PCIe Slot.

Let me not bother you anymore with all these hardware and software definitions and get down to some test results.

My TEST BED:
Core i7 940
Rampage II Extreme- REVIEW TO FOLLOW SOON!
OCZ Reaper 2x1GB 1066
Silverstone RAVEN RV01 CASE
Silverstone OP700
Asus 2x EAH 4870 Matrix 512mb
Seagate 160GB Sata II
OS: Windows XP











1x4870stock (1280x1024)


2x4870 crossfire setup stock (1280x1024)


2x4870 crossfire setup stock clone mode (1280x1024)


2x4870 crossfire setup stock extended desktop(1280x1024)


2x4870 crossfire setup stock extended desktop(1680x1050)

Conclusion:
We only had Windows XP 32bit available to us during the test period but will update this as soon as I get more tests done. We are also expecting OCZ's drives to arrive soon so we will have the Triple Channel Rams and SSD drives as well. Can't wait to test them on that.

These cards performed wonderfully under our test bed. We did not overclock them yet, but when we do I will make to post them here. I would recommend that if you have a third PCIE slot and you are not using it, put the second card there to avoid heat issues on some casings as when you put them side by side like we did, you will really feel the intense heat on the first card as it struggles to breath. When we tested playing crisis on it at full enthusiast level on 1680x1050 Resolution, we experience some minor artifacts. But take note though, we experienced this only once during our test and a repeat test did not give us artifacts anymore. So there will be no harm in keeping it this way but you would be better off putting a gap between the cards.

We will do our best to give you more results as we test this further.

We would also specially like to thank ASUS PHILIPPINES for providing us with such lovely cards.

The ASUS EAH4870 MATRIX 512MB falls a little short by its brother the 1 gig version, but overall, any true gamer would realize that this is definitely one of the smartest video cards in the world today!!

Thank you for reading and watch out soon for our ASUS 4870x2 and RAMPAGE II Review!

Sneak Peak on the AOC 619fh 26" Gaming LCD

Well, you heard me right,with 3ms Response time, this indeed is one for the Gamer! We just got our hands on it and if you want to try it out yourself, go to Istorya.net's 7th Anniversaty Party tonight and visit the FU booth so you can get a taste of this sweet piece of hardware.

I am hoping that AOC will give me more time to review this baby but so far, me likes what I see!

OVERVIEW
The AOC 619Fh delivers exceptional picture quality and a huge widescreen display. It delivers amazing images with it's wide color gamut of 100% NTSC, 10,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 400 cd/m2 brightness, 3ms response time and full 1920x1200 resolution. Applications from spreadsheet, word processor, graphic design, desktop publishing to games and videos will never look better on your desktop. It comes with all digital DVI-D & HDMI input with HDCP so you can view copy protected HD video without distortion. It also comes with a 4-port high speed USB 2.0 hub so you can conveniently connect USB compatible devices.

The AOC 619Fh is the perfect display if you are looking for one with large screen and rich with features for your desktop.

PRODUCT DETAILS
> 25.5" Viewable Image Size
> Resolution: 1920x1200
> Brightness: 400 cd/m2
> Contrast Ratio: 10,000:1 dynamic
> Response Time: 3ms
> Analog Dsub Input
> Digital DVI-D with HDCP Input
> HDMI Input
> 4-port USB 2.0 Hub
> Piano-black Glossy Cabinet
> Wall Mountable

Full Specs Here


Top: SONY BRAVIE 42", Lower Left: AOC 22" 2230FM 2ms Response time with Digital Media Player Built in Lower Right: AOC 26" 619FH

The Price Tag P17,820.00. Not bad at all if you ask me!!!

Btw I am not selling and we do not sell this so do not ask me if you can buy it from me. AOC is just co-sponsoring our setup tonight!

Flash Drive got soaked- but still alive- What to do if does happen to you

I have heard of a couple of guys with their testimony of flash drive surviving a dip in the washing machine but I never though I would experience it myself.

And all I can say it, its ALIVE!

I left my Emtec mini 4GB USB flash drive in my shorts that went straight to the laundry. Our helper wasn't able to check the pockets so, she washed it together with my shorts. Tsk tsk. I had some important files in there.

What I did:
1.) Don't be quick to test it right away. Whatever you do, DO not plug it to the USB PORT.
2.) Get a hair dryer and dry your USB device at all angles possible, especially pointing the hair dryer through the usb connector's mouth (refer to image below). If you can find a way to open the flash drive, even better, dry the circuits directly.
3.) To be safe, wait for at least two days before trying it out and I am sure your USB drive will survive this unfortunate accident.

Take note though that backing-up your data must be your first priority after that wet accident because although the drive turned out ok, these metal circuitry went for a dive, and what happens when metal materials get wet? They may rust and when that happens, it will cause your drive to totally breakdown.

On the bright side though, there is also a chance it wont and you will be able to use your drive for as long as you can. What's important is, you will be able to retrieve your data.

Non the less, if you want to be safe, get the OCZ ATV which is water resistant and I believe will even survive and maybe even enjoy the swim! :-)


POINT TO USB'S MOUTH

Silverstone RAVEN RV01 Gets EDITORS CHOICE on PC Gamers Magazine

Silverstone's latest-one of a kind case under their new flagship series, RAVEN, bagged the editors choice on one of the most read PC magazines in the U.S., PC GAMER MAGAZINE. As we tested this case ourselves here at techisland, we know it deserves that award! Watch out for it's full feature soon on the next coming Episodes of TECHISLAND on RCTV Channel 36, SkyCable Cebu!

Downloaders in the Philippines be WARNED! They are out to getyah!

SOURCE:
Inquirer express

Last update: February 18 2009, 10:56 AM
INFOTECH - INFOTECH


‘Downloaders’ be warned, you're next
Alexander Villafania
INQUIRER.net

February 17, 2009

PASIG CITY, Philippines–Individuals downloading music, movies and software are being targeted by the Pilipinas Anti-Piracy Team (PAPT), a consultant for the software organization Business Software Alliance (BSA) said.

However, trapping and prosecution of individuals may not happen until the country’s Intellectual Property Code is amended.

BSA consultant Bienvenido Marquez III said in an interview that end-users should also be liable for piracy, even if downloads are for personal use.

The growing usage and decreasing cost of broadband Internet services in the Philippines are now allowing people to download larger files, such as software and movies, into their hard drives.

"We can't prosecute individuals because there is no such law. However, we can go after individuals or even shops caught sharing or selling downloaded items," he said.

He added that even the E-Commerce Law has no specific provisions on prosecuting piracy through downloading.

Marquez said Congressman Rufus Rodriguez and Senator Edgardo Angara have proposed amendments to the current IPR Code.

Marquez said downloading of illegal content from the Internet has increased worldwide and in the Philippines and that losses could be in the millions.

There are now a lot software applications and peer-to-peer websites that allow downloading of content from the Internet.

However, there are few laws abroad governing prosecution of users who download content from the Internet partly because content are hosted in different places abroad.

©2009 www.inquirer.net all rights reserved

OCZ's Newest addition to its gaming Keyboard Family- The Illuminati

I have to say it, I love the name. The Memory-Industry Giant is certainly showing it's prowess in other fields. Providng not only hard core overclocabble RAMS, Super Solid State Drives but also Gaming Accesories like keyboards and mices. Following the success of my previously blogged OCZ DOMINATRIX mouse and OCZ Alchemy Elixir II keyboard, the Illuminati will for sure be another breakthrough in the Gaming Keyboard Industry for OCZ.



OCZ Technology Introduces Alchemy Illuminati Backlit Keyboard Designed for Multimedia Users



Sunnyvale, Calif.—February 19, 2009—OCZ Technology Group, a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory and components, today announced the expansion of its peripherals under the Alchemy line, with the introduction of the Illuminati multimedia keyboard series for advanced computing complete with a stylish backlit effect. Featuring a wealth of user-friendly options combined with an ergonomic and sturdy design, the Illuminati’s unique combination of features and value won’t leave users in the dark.



“Building on our Alchemy line of peripherals OCZ is now introducing the Illuminati backlit keyboard,” commented Ryan Edwards, Director of Product Management at the OCZ Technology Group. “The Illuminati Keyboard offers multimedia consumers a host of features including rubber coated keys for comfort while both working and gaming, fourteen quick launch keys to better access to multimedia, and the choice of two backlit colors making it easier to make full use of the keyboard in low light environments.”

http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/ocz_peripherals/ocz_alchemy_series_illuminati_keyboard

OCZ Solid State Drive hits Japan!

OCZ very famous for it's DDR RAMS but lately they have also been growing strong in the Solid State Category. Here is proof that their SSD drives are really one of the strongest SSD drive's out there!

our APEX series SSD is featured for the first time on the cover of popular “PC PARTS Perfect Catalogue 2009” published by the leading DOS/V Power Report magazine. This catalogue is a must for any serious DIY user in Japan

-OCZ

Silverstone SLIM Bluray and DVD player

Silverstone is well known for a lot of their HTPC cases like the Silverstone ML02, which is one the sleekest HTPC cases we have seen in the market today. The ML02 though requires a very specific type of DVD player, similar to those you see in a laptop. The problem though is it is very hard to have access to these type of players in the market as they are usually just built in the laptop's. So Silverstone has just released 2 new products. A Slim Bluray Player and Slim Multi DVD drive.





These products are exclusively distributed by:
Fine Upgrades Technologies Unlimited


Side Note:
I have been quite busy lately that is why I have not been able to update this blog a lot but today I found time to upload three topics. More to come very soon! Hope you enjoy my site!

Sunbeam Acrylic Ultra Tech Station

Surprisingly, even with the world's economic crisis, The enthusiast community is still growing more and more each day and as they grow, so does the hunger for more new and exciting Enthusiast level PC equipments. If you are an enthusiasts, then you should know that one of our favorite things to do is to overclock our rig's and when we do OC, then we need to have an easy to access very cool system, usually an OPEN SYSTEM. An open system is basically having a platform to mount all your parts and have quick access to them anytime you have to without the need to open and close a case. I have seen a lot of this in the market but this is the first time I have seen one in acrylic and hellyah, it look's very coool!

Enjoy!



These products are exclusively distributed by:
Fine Upgrades Technologies Unlimited

AMD Phenom II X4 and ASUS M4A79T with 4780x2 on CF Tops 3DMark 06!!

ASUS M4A79T Deluxe rules again!
The new World Record of 3DMark06 and CPU-Z was made just a couple of days ago with AMD PhenomII and ASUS M4A79T Deluxe!
Watch it on YouTube: YouTube - AMD Phenom II X4 Sets 3DMark06 World Record in Finland!
See this on XtremeSystem: XtremeSystems Forums - View Single Post - New 3DMark06 WR with Phenom II X4

3DMark06 ranking page: Futuremark - Community - Hall of Fame - 3DMark06 Users Top 20
CPU-Z Hall of Fame: CPU-Z Highest Records ! (V1.01)

HTC touch Pro II and HTC diamond II spotted on the web

Source

The Touch Pro II


Touch Pro2 specifications:

* Processor: Qualcomm MSM7200A, 528 MHz
* Operating System: Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
* Memory: 512 MB ROM / 288 MB RAM
* Dimensions: 116 x 59.2 x 17.25 mm
* Weight: 175 grams (6.17 ounces) with battery
* Display: 3.6-inch TFT-LCD touch-sensitive screen with 480 X 800 WVGA resolution
* Network HSDPA/WCDMA:
o Europe/Asia: 900/2100 MHz
o Up to 2 Mbps up-link and 7.2 Mbps down-link speeds
* Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:
o Europe/Asia: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
(Band frequency, HSUPA availability, and data speed are operator dependent.)
* TouchFLO 3D
* Zoom bar
* Keyboard Slide-out 5-row QWERTY keyboar
* Internal GPS antenna
* Bluetooth 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate and A2DP for wireless stereo headsets
* Wi-Fi
* HTC ExtUSB (11-pin mini-USB 2.0, audio jack, and TV Out in one)
* camera: 3.2 megapixel color camera with auto focus
* Second camera: VGA CMOS color camera
* Audio supported formats AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, QCP, MP3, WMA, WAV, MIDI, M4A
* Video supported formats WMV, ASF, MP4, 3GP, 3G2, M4V, AVI
* Battery Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery
* Capacity: 1500 mAh
* Talk time:
* Up to 270 minutes for WCDMA
* Up to 419 minutes for GSM
* Standby time:
* Up to 454 hours for WCDMA
* Up to 348 hours for GSM
* Video call time: Up to 150 minutes
* microSD memory card (SD 2.0 compatible)
* Special Features FM Radio, G-Sensor


The Diamond II



HTC today announced updates to two of its flagship touchscreen mobile phones, unveiling the Touch Diamond 2 and the Touch Pro 2.

Distinguishing between the two is actuallu pretty difficult, since both handsets mirror one another on features at almost every turn. Only looks truly separate them.

HTC’s equipped both with what it called “Push Internet”. The technology’s designed to alleviate the “slow downloading and rendering” of web pages by allowing users to pre-select - and pre-load - their favourite sites.

The Diamond 2 has the smaller of screen of the duo, at 3.2in, while its sibling – the Pro 2 – has a 3.6in display. The Pro 2’s screen also has the advantage of being able to tilt Xpedia X1-fashion.

Both Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional devices are based on 528MHz Qualcomm chips, with 288MB of on-board memory. HTC’s quipped both phones with its existing TouchFLO 3D UI that, apparently, “brings important information to the top-level UI, including quick access to people, messaging, email, photos, music and weather”.

Both devices sport 7.2Mb/s HSDPA 3G connectivity and quad-band GSM/GPRS/Edge. However, texting and surfing the web could be slightly easier on the Pro 2 because of its slide-out, five-row Qwerty keyboard.

One area where the phones do differ is photography. You’ll get a 3.2Mp shooter on the Pro 2, but a 5Mp camera on the Diamond 2. Both include autofocus, but there’s no mention of smile or facial recognition for either device.

A second, user-facing VGA camera for making video calls features on both devices.

Integrated GPS and Wi-Fi are present on the duo, as is Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP.

Audio support is, again, pretty identical on each phone. Both support AAC, WMA and MP3 – to name just a few formats. Video compatibility ranges from WMV and MP4, to AVI and 3GP.

Avid talkers will prefer the Pro 2’s claimed 419 minutes of talk-time over GSM, but then the Diamond 2 will happily stand-by awaiting orders for up to 360 hours over GSM – the Pro 2 runs for 348 hours in standby. Video call-time on both handsets is 150 minutes.

HTC’s Touch Pro 2 won’t be available globally until early summer, but the firm will ship its Touch Diamond 2 out to Europe during Q2. Prices haven’t been announced yet.

Source



I personally think they look awesome! I wonder why they did not release them with Windows 6.5? I hope they have improved speed on this similar to the omnia :-)

2 Terrabyte Drives- Wow

Just when I was slowly replacing my old HD's with 1 terrabyte drives, 2TB came. When 1.5Tb was announced, I said, it would'nt be worth it but I did not expect 2TB to come in this fast :-D

Here is a good review of the current king of the 2TB category:
2tb tech Report Review

The ASUS EAH 4870 and RAMPAGE II Sneak Peak.

I will be doing a full review soon of a lots of Pro Gaming Goodies. This is inline with Techisland's Full Review of www.fineupgrades.com's Ultimate System 09 which will also be set to do a Roadshow amongst all the Companies resellers in Cebu and Manila.

This is not the review yet but I just want to give you a taste of what is to come.
Special Thanks to ASUS Philippines for sending us these Samples.

The Twins. ASUS EAH4870 Matrix 512MB


At first Glance of the box, you will see a minimalist styled gaming box that gives you the inkling to just rip the box out to see the beauty inside.



Low and Behold.. The Twins, waiting to be bridged together.




The board the will most likely do it all? Will it be up to the challenge? Well we will find out very soon!




What lies beneath..



All together now.

Again, this is just a sneak peak, aside form doing individual reviews, I will also be doing the entire system review. There will be two Ultimate Systems by www.fineupgrades.com.

One Intel and One AMD system.

Not all parts have arrived yet so we wait but just so you would know, you will be able to try out these systems for yourself when they go on tour for the roadshow so get ready to be blown away.

Special thanks to:
www.fineupgrades.com
www.asus.com.ph
Steelseries
Silverstone
Sunbeam
OCZ