[H]ard|OCP

Microsoft Equipt: A Look Into the Future?

Microsoft’s Equipt is here. Comprised of Office 2007 Home & Student (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote), Office Live Workspace, and Windows Live services, Equipt is based on a subscription model that will cost $69.99 per year, which includes all software updates. Is Windows next?

Back in 2000, I had a conversation with back then new Microsoft president Steve Ballmer and was fascinated that he believed that the market would eventually move to a subscription model. With Equipt, Microsoft takes its biggest step in this direction and it makes me wonder whether Windows will, or should, someday follow.

Readius Almost Ready for Release

Polymer Vision’s “Readius” is a pocket-sized device featuring the same E Ink technology that Amazon’s Kindle uses. The difference is that the Readius’ screen unfolds from a small pocket-sized device into a 5-inch diagonal display. It will be introduced in England, Italy, and Germany this fall and will make it to the US in early 2009.

The price is not yet set, but Thomas van der Zijden, vice president for marketing and sales, said the Readius would be more expensive than the Kindle, which now is selling for $359.

NVIDIA Cuts Prices on High End Cards

Hexus is reporting that NVIDIA, facing pricing pressure on the heels of the impressive release of AMD/ATI's 4800-series, is cutting prices on the 9800 GTX, GTX 260, and GTX 280 cards. The AIB (board partner) prices will be as follows (all prices are USD):

9800 GTX: $165 ($199)

GTX 260: $222 ($329)

GTX 280: $392 ($499)

(Prices in parentheses are target selling prices.)

An interesting issue arising from this move is the extent to which NVIDIA is protecting its AIBs and the broader channel from these price cuts. Even if it just protects the AIBs it could be looking at an additional bill of $10 million or so and, obviously, if it extends that to the entire channel the figure will be considerably higher.

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Why Microsoft Will Win Yahoo

Senior editor of Fortune magazine David Kirkpatrick wrote an article on why he thinks Microsoft hasn’t given up on acquiring Yahoo’s search business. He’s drawing his conclusions from conversations he’s had with MS execs. Interesting read.

To understand why Microsoft so desperately wants Yahoo's search business - which even in its earlier pursuit of the whole company was its primary target - you have to understand how Microsoft sees Google.

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[H] Gaming News

Game release list for week of 7/6 @ Shacknews

The week in demos and patches @ Gaming Today

Dance Dance Revolution for seniors: Touchtown’s Dancetown @ Gamasutra

Console sales slowing down @ San Jose Mercury News

Teen in Mortal Kombat murder case sentenced @ 9News

Five games that impacted the life of Metal Gear Solid series creator Hideo Kojima @ Kotaku

Street Fighter IV anime HD trailer @ GameTrailers

Firefox 3 Sends Mozilla Market Share Above 19%

A Web metrics firm reports that Firefox 3’s release is helping boost Mozilla’s browser share above 19%. IE’s share dropped to 73.01% at the end of June and has been steadily decreasing since August 2007.

Firefox 3's gains came mostly from users upgrading from Firefox 2, the firm said. However, a small portion of the gains, 0.4%, came at the expense of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer.

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Finding the Optimal Laptop Configuration

If you’re in the market for a laptop, this article may help you save some money. The author tested a myriad of configuration choices in RAM and HDD vs SSD and evaluated their effect on battery life and overall price.

Many people believe that you can't have both better performance and longer battery life. My tests found that just isn't true. In fact, finding the configuration that provides the best performance often also provides optimal battery life.

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[H]ardware Roundup: Post-Fireworks Edition

Video

GeForce 9500GT preview + pics @ Fudzilla

Radeon 4850 & 4870 gaming performance review @ Xbit

Cooling

Coolink GFXChilla VGA cooler tested on HD 4850 @ Legit Reviews

Thermaltake ProWater 850i Liquid Cooling System @ Virtual-Hideout

Misc.

Crysis Custom Config fan mod tool @ MadShrimps

The $600 US stimulus check PC @ Icrontic

Memory

G.Skill PI 2x2GB DDR3 PC3-12800 kit @ Hardware Canucks

OCZ Flex-II PC2-9200 2GB kit @ TweakTown

Intel and AMD Show Growth in Q1

Research shows that both AMD and Intel made net gains in Q1 2008, even though they had some setbacks. Additionally, selling prices were steady from Q4 07 to Q1 08, which tell analysts that the pricing war is over. Aw.

"Intel was the short-term winner in the first quarter microprocessor market," said Matthew Wilkins, a principal analyst with iSuppli, in a statement. "AMD's PC microprocessor product portfolio has become much stronger during the last year, particularly on the desktop side. Customers clearly are responding to AMD's moves.”

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Dell Website Gets Redesign

Dell has refreshed the Dell.com website. Head to their blog and read up on the changes or get a look into their design process. It’s in limited release in the US and will be rolled out to other regions throughout the month. It’s already in full release in Canada, Mexico, China, Brazil, and Spain. I'm in TX and I still see the old site.

When we spoke with customers this spring about the new home page, 100% of people found the ideal path to products. We learned that the imagery resonated with both our corporate, small business and consumer customers. We also focused on load time by building a page that will enable you to experience our products, and not to have to wait to enter the site.

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iPhone 3G Line Forming One Week Early in NYC

We’ve all heard of devotees lining up a day or two early for a release of their favorite franchise product, be it the PS3, Madden, Star Wars, etc. At Apple’s flagship store in New York, a line has formed for the iPhone 3G, a full week before its release. Crazy.

Right now, about ten people have started a line outside of Apple's flagship store on 5th Avenue in New York. Word is that the family at the head of the queue are attempting to break some kind of record which involves their baby -- which kind of sounds a little intense if you ask us.

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Go Green With Weather-Sensing Irrigation Gadget

Props to Lethal for this link. This water-saving irrigation gadget connects to the internet wirelessly to determine the local weather and configures the day’s watering schedule accordingly. Hot, humid days get more water while cool, cloudy days get less. Rainy days get none at all. You may even qualify for a rebate with this device, depending on your location. Nice!

One study by the Irvine Ranch Water District found that weather-based irrigation gadgets saved households more than 40 gallons of water a day, skimming roughly 10% off their total water use, according to Lynn Lipinski, spokeswoman for the [Metropolitan Water District of Southern California].

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Adobe Releases PDF Copyright to ISO

Adobe has released their previously-proprietary PDF format to ISO, clearing the way for standardization and making it an open format. Thanks Adobe!

“By releasing the full PDF specification for ISO standardization, we are reinforcing our commitment to openness", says Kevin Lynch, Chief Technology Officer at Adobe. "As governments and organizations increasingly request open formats, maintenance of the PDF specification by an external and participatory organization will help continue to drive innovation and expand the rich PDF ecosystem that has evolved over the past 15 years.”

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Microsoft Update to Get Update

The infrastructure for Windows Update is getting refreshed starting at the end of July, according to the team’s blog. Head on over there to check out what they’re doing.

So what are we doing this time? Well, this particular update won’t really change the way the client looks or feels to you, but you may notice some improvements in the length of time it takes Windows Update to scan for updates and how quickly you’ll receive signature updates.

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Website Allows Users to Prepay for Gas, Lock in Price

A new website allows users to prepay for gas at current prices and possibly save money if prices continue to climb at the pump. Once you buy your gas, MyGallons.com will send you a debit card that can be used at more than 95% of fuel stations nationwide. Interesting and controversial concept. What do you think?

It's a bit of a gamble--a "hedge" strategy similar to that used by businesses such as airlines, which try to lock in fuel prices for the future. With MyGallons, consumers are betting that today's prices will be lower than the pump price when they need to refuel.

Edit: Forum reader Buckus linked to a Consumerist article that shows a warning from the Better Business Bureau about this company. Caveat emptor!

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Internet Explorer 8 Security Improvements in Beta 2

Microsoft’s IE8 Beta 2 will have a new security feature dubbed the “SmartScreen Filter.” This new code builds on the phishing filter and will block malicious code from bad sites, much like Opera’s and FireFox’s blacklisting feature. Other improvements include heuristic detection capability to block known bad sites and DEP/NX memory protection.

In addition to blocking bad sites, the filter also protects users who click on a link leading to a download on a rogue site by interrupting the download with a warning, according to Microsoft.

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EeePC to Offer 3G Wireless

Later this year, Asus plans to release an Eee PC with built-in 3G wireless. Pricing was not announced so you’ll have to wait a little longer to find out how much it will set you back.

The Eee PCs and other mini-notebooks with 3G built-in will likely be bundled with 3G contracts from a service provider, which could lower their initial hardware cost.

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IBM Podcast Explores Future of Movies

As the summer blockbuster movie season enters full swing, IBM explores the "Future of Movies," a podcast with Yair Landau, former President of Sony Pictures Digital and Saul Berman, Global Strategy Leader for IBM's Media & Entertainment Practice, hosted by Tim Washer.

Independence Day

The 4th of July holiday is upon us once again, a day when most of folks in the U.S. celebrate Independence Day with backyard BBQs, friends, family and fireworks. All of us at [H]ardOCP would like to wish all of you a happy 4th and ask that you all take a moment to remember the true meaning of Independence Day. Please stay safe, read the firework safety tips we listed below and have fun! With any luck, we’ll see you all back here tomorrow with all your fingers and toes intact!

On June 11, 1776, the colonies' Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia formed a committee with the express purpose of drafting a document that would formally sever their ties with Great Britain. The committee included Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston. The document was crafted by Jefferson, who was considered the strongest and most eloquent writer. (Nevertheless, a total of 86 changes were made to his draft.) The final version was officially adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4. The following day, copies of the Declaration of Independence were distributed and, on July 6, The Pennsylvania Evening Post became the first newspaper to print the extraordinary document.

Fireworks Safety

If you are staging a home fireworks display this year, you might want to give this checklist of safety tips the once over. If you are planning on drinking today, it is best to let the sober folks handle anything on fire...or the thing “on fire” might end up being your drunk ass.

Fireworks are an American tradition. They can provide hours of wholesome, family entertainment, but must be used by adults carefully and safely. To insure the safety of both the audience and those lighting the fireworks, we recommend that you obey the following fireworks safety measures during your fireworks display.

What NOT To Do on July 4th

As cool as this video is, it is best not to have roman candle fights with your friends.

How Fireworks Work

If you want to know how fireworks actually work, I recommend this link as well as this one. Between the two sites you’ll get a good idea how fireworks are made and how they get their color, incandescence and luminescence. There is also some really, really nice high-res pictures of fireworks here.

Download The Declaration

Every year, on the 4th of July, I like to post this link to the U.S. archives that hosts high resolution copies of the Declaration of Independence, high resolution scans of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and other documents as well. These images will print at up to approximately 24" wide by 29" high at 150dpi.

[H]ardware Round-Up

Cooling

ASUS Triton 85 CPU Cooler @ Overclockers Club

ETC.

ECS Factory Tour @ OCC

Getway G200 CarBook For The Deaf @ VIAArena

MSI European Overclocking Challenge 2008 @ OC3D

Video

PALiT GeForce 9800 GTX @ CPU3D

Sapphire HD 3870 Ultimate Video Card @ Pro-Clockers

Sapphire Radeon HD 4850 Video Card @ BmR

IBM Technology to Protect Customer Data

Researchers at IBM's India Research Laboratory have developed advanced data masking technology that helps call centers protect critical data without disrupting customer service or business operations. As IBM (NYSE: IBM) continuously seeks new methods to ensure privacy and security, the company intends to utilize this capability in its own call center operations to further protect information for its services clients around the world.

Outdated Browsers Put 637M Users at Risk

You and I both know that running old browsers puts you (and others) at risk. The problem is, the majority of the computer using world is clueless about updates and doesn’t care about running the most current version of their browser.

Using data collected from Google web searches and security firm Secunia, the researchers analyzed the browsers used in a report. The researchers aimed to understand why so many recent attacks by criminal hackers have been aimed at the browser, and why those attacks have been so successful.

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ICANN Loses Its Own Addresses

I know I shouldn’t laugh but damn, how embarrassing would this be? Thankfully they are taking “new” measures to prevent anything like this from happening in the future.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN, said it happened when an Internet registration company it oversees got fooled into transferring the domain names to someone else.

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Deliberately Responding To Spam

Some lady, taking part in a experiment sponsored by McAfee, answered all her spam to see what would happen. The female participants received an average of 70 spam messages a day, men received 15 more a day than that. Only 70 spam a day? Ha! That would be a dream come true for someone with a high profile e-mail address. People wonder why we rage against spammers here, try getting 6000 spam a day…no kidding:

The idea of the Spammed Persistently All Month (S.P.A.M.) experiment — which fittingly started on April Fool's Day — was to have 50 volunteers from around the world answer every spam message and pop-up ad on their PC. What would be the experience in 10 countries when everyday people, armed with a PC and e-mail account McAfee provided for the Global S.P.A.M. Diaries project, clicked through the spam and chronicled the results?

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Sony's Stan Glasgow Talks TVs, Blu-ray

Stan Glasgow is either the most down to earth PR person Sony has or the company is taking a new direction with its marketing. This interview has some really interesting nuggets in it for Blu-ray fans and, as mentioned above, it is a surprisingly realistic assessment of where Blu-ray is at today:

The pricing is already coming down more quickly than DVD came down. I don't think it will take as long as 10 years, but I don't think it will penetrate to the same percentage because there's a couple of conflicting forces. Certainly, people that want the best picture are going to want it, without a doubt. People that are OK with upconverting DVD players, which is somewhere close to 600, 650, maybe 700 (lines of resolution)--that's not a bad picture either. So a lot of people may be happy with an upconverting DVD player. And (Blu-ray) may not turn over, it may not penetrate to the same extent, because (DVD) was such a big medium change from tape.

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Microsoft Imagine Cup 2008 Finals Kicks Off Today

Competition begins today for 370 students from 61 countries and regions competing for $240,000 in prize money at the Imagine Cup 2008, an annual competition that gives students around the world the chance to unlock their creative genius and create technology solutions that can help address some of the world’s toughest social challenges. The focus for Imagine Cup 2008 is on building technology solutions that help address challenging environmental sustainability issues. From a pool of over 200,000 participants, 124 teams have been selected to represent their countries in Paris for a week of competition around their innovative technology solutions.