Want a free Windows Phone? Sure, just tell Microsoft you're a Malware victim, oh and an Android owner

Anthony Garreffa | Mobile Devices | Dec 14, 2011 10:29 PM CST

Android owner? Malware victim? Like free stuff? Well, all you'll need to do is tell Microsoft about the problems you've had with malware on your Android-based phone.

Microsoft's latest social media marketing intiative, is not to push their own Windows Phone-based products, but to take a stab at Google and their malware woes. Ben Rudolph, Microsoft Windows Phone "evanglist", is behind the scheme, which uses the hashtag "#droidrage" on Twitter.

Linking followers to current news articles about Android malware, Rudolph says he will give an "upgrade" to a Windows Phone to the "5 best" stories of being a victim of Android malware.

Continue reading: Want a free Windows Phone? Sure, just tell Microsoft you're a Malware victim, oh and an Android owner (full post)

RumorTT: iPad 3 to launch in Q1 2012

Anthony Garreffa | Mobile Devices | Dec 14, 2011 5:23 AM CST

We know it's coming, but building the excitement is part of the ride, isn't it? Apple's Asian part supplier believe that Apple is gearing up to release another iPad in just 3-4 months time. According to DigiTimes' sources, iPad 2 production is already beginning to wind down, to allow parts for a new tablet to begin making their way through the supply chain.

If it were to hit in 3-4 months time, it would launch perfectly in the spring time set by the two previous iPad launches. This news does come with an included pinch of salt, as Apple is quite the sneaky company when it comes to this type of news.

According to Apple's supply chain partners, production of the iPad 3 is expected to include just under 10 million units during Q1 2012. This is an expanded number, that has increased as its thought that most first-generation iPad owners will upgrade to the new iPad when it hits. iPad 2 production is said to drop to 4-5 million for Q1 2012, with the iPad 3 the reason of its declined production.

Continue reading: RumorTT: iPad 3 to launch in Q1 2012 (full post)

G.Skill unveil 64GB RipjawsZ DDR3 2400MHz kit, becomes the boss of memory

Anthony Garreffa | RAM | Dec 14, 2011 4:27 AM CST

G.Skill hot on the heels of their RipjawsZ series quad-channel DDR3 memory announcement, have again staked their claim of pushing the boundary with RAM. Today brings the announcement of their insanely hot looking 64GB kit of DDR3 memory built specifically for Intel's X79 platform.

The 64GB kit comes at DDR3 2400MHz CL10 speeds, with 8GBx8 sticks to build up to an amazing 64GB of RAM. G.Skill have tested every single memory module, with each stick being hand-tested, hand-picked by G.Skill's legendary R&D team. All the chips in this range are highly selected and tested with G.Skill's rigorous internal validation process that ensures maximum stability, while maintaining a decent overclocking headroom.

As always, G.Skill memory comes with a lifetime warranty, as well as the G.Skill technical team always at your fingertips through online forums, telephone and e-mail.

Continue reading: G.Skill unveil 64GB RipjawsZ DDR3 2400MHz kit, becomes the boss of memory (full post)

Hands-on with Kyobo color e-reader using Qualcomm's mirasol display

Cameron Wilmot | Mobile Devices | Dec 14, 2011 4:06 AM CST

Earlier on today we attended a Qualcomm media roundtable in Taipei where we were introduced to a partner product of theirs from a Korean bookstore company called Kyobo.

Kyobo is famous in Korea and its digital catalog includes some 90,000 titles including regular ebooks, children's books, video books and video lectures. With almost a 100% literacy rate and an aggressive government very keen on high levels of education and parents with enough deposable income for youth learning gadgets, Korea is a perfect market for Qualcomm to spread its wings and work with its partners to bundle its mirasol display technology on mobile products.

The result of said above is the launch of the first color e-reader featuring Qualcomm's mirasol display tech. Mirasol is different to that of LCD, LED or plasma in that there are no harmful chemicals used in the production of the display and there is no back light, which some consider harmful to human eyes over extended periods of use. Mirasol reflects natural ambient light in your surrounding and uses it to create the color display. So, you aren't going to get the same quality display as LCD, but Qualcomm are not trying to compete with LCD and mirasol displays use less power. This is only going to result in a device with longer battery life at the end of the day.

Continue reading: Hands-on with Kyobo color e-reader using Qualcomm's mirasol display (full post)

AMD Catalyst 11.12 and AMD Catalyst 12.1 Preview drivers are now available

Anthony Garreffa | Software & Apps | Dec 14, 2011 3:27 AM CST

AMD have released two new drivers, the AMD Catalyst 11.12 and the AMD Catalyst 12.1 Preview drivers. Highlights of the Catalyst 11.12 driver are: AMD OpenGL 4.2 production support, where it includes official support for the OpenGL 4.2 specification. Enhancements for Eyefinity are included, with support for AMD HD3D technology when using 3x1 Landscape Eyefinity display group, on supported DisplayPort 3D monitors.

Also included is AMD Vision Engine Control Center enhancements for Dual Graphics, where AMD have implemented to better facilitate the enabling and control of the Dual Graphics within the Vision Engine Control Center. Next up, we have the gem that is the AMD Catalyst 12.1 Preview, which includes multiple improvements and new features such as:

AMD HD3D technology support enhancement

Continue reading: AMD Catalyst 11.12 and AMD Catalyst 12.1 Preview drivers are now available (full post)

Microsoft reveals SkyDrive Apps for both Windows Phone, iPhone

Anthony Garreffa | Software & Apps | Dec 14, 2011 12:30 AM CST

Microsoft have unveiled SkyDrive for both Windows Phone and iPhone today, with Microsoft releasing it as people are increasingly needing access to their files on-the-go. Microsoft's Mike Torres has said:

As devices proliferate, having a great experience on the Web is only one piece of a pretty complex puzzle. People are choosing where to put their files based on how portable and accessible they are across the various devices they use; therefore, it's critical that we continue to extend the SkyDrive experience to the devices you use every day.

Windows Phone's latest update, Mango, has deep integration with SkyDrive through its hubs Pictures and Office, which allows sharing of text, e-mail or IM. Users, as always, wanted more. Torres adds:

Continue reading: Microsoft reveals SkyDrive Apps for both Windows Phone, iPhone (full post)

LeakedTT: Intel's Desktop Platform Roadmap for 2012

Anthony Garreffa | CPU, APU & Chipsets | Dec 13, 2011 10:31 PM CST

To look, or not to look. Ah, come on. You know you're going to take a peek. What does it include? Well, the gist of it, there's not much exciting happening for CPUs (in my opinion) for 2012. The roadmap shows that Intel's superhero, the Core i7-3960K, won't be replaced any time throughout 2012. So, if you have one, you'll feel safe knowing you have the knees that are on those bees throughout the year.

But, there will be shifts in all other segments: premium (Core i7), mainstream (Core i5), transactional (Core i3), legacy (Pentium) and value (Celeron and Atom). The biggest change we'll see from Intel in 2012 is the launch of the 22nm-based Socket 1155. There will be a bunch of CPUs released under this new fabrication.

These chips include the Core i7-3770K which will sit at the top of the hill, clocked at 3.50GHz, sporting 8MB of cache, 8 threads, and a Turbo Boost speed of 3.90GHz. TDP sits at 77W and does so throughout the entire 22nm-based range. This is down from the 32nm-based chips with TDP's at a max of 95.

Continue reading: LeakedTT: Intel's Desktop Platform Roadmap for 2012 (full post)

AMD Catalyst 12.1 Preview, AMD turns a new leaf in drivers

Anthony Garreffa | Software & Apps | Dec 13, 2011 9:34 PM CST

AMD have had quite the trouble lately with drivers, a botched RAGE driver, no CrossFire support in Battlefield 3 without micro-stuttering for most users, and Skyrim took nearly a month to get going for HD 5000-Series owners with CrossFire.

But, 2012 is a new year, and AMD have their Graphics Core Next (GCN) debuting, which is their first architectural change since the R600 (2900XT). With it, AMD have added some herbs and spices to their drivers, to not propel the new series of GPUs, but to revamp their old ones, too.

AnandTech really cover the Preview drivers well, but a rundown is that they're heavily modified, and have tonnes of new features baked in that should impress pretty much everyone. One thing most people are going to love: custom application profiles. Hooray! This new feature allows users to create new application profiles and to modify the application profiles that are distributed through drivers and CAP updates.

Continue reading: AMD Catalyst 12.1 Preview, AMD turns a new leaf in drivers (full post)

Valve tease Half-Life 3 at Spike Video Game Awards?

Anthony Garreffa | Gaming | Dec 13, 2011 8:26 PM CST

Valve have always been masters of secrets, as we all know Gabe has been playing Half-Life 3 for a few years now and just wants to master it completely in every way possible before releasing it. Until, that is, the Spike Video Game Awards over the weekend.

The VGA's saw quite the number of teases, and announcements and this nugget of info is no different. Steam's message boards have been going absolutely crazy trying to figure out if Valve actually teased the upcoming game, with theories heavily relying on a half-speed YouTube video of Portal 2's AI "Wheatley" giving a speech.

The center of attention lies on a line of text at the top of the video, which is written in Greek. The translation for this text, according to the Steam message boards, is "OBSERVATION SATELLITE "LANTHANUM."

Continue reading: Valve tease Half-Life 3 at Spike Video Game Awards? (full post)

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 passes $1 billion milestone in just 16 days

Anthony Garreffa | Business, Financial & Legal | Dec 13, 2011 4:25 AM CST

Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. announced today that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 passed the $1 billion mark in sales in just 16 days since its November 8 launch. This beats the record set in 2009 from James Cameron's "Avatar" which hit $1 billion in 17 days.

The Call of Duty community now consists of more than 30 million gamers, which is more than the combined populations of the cities of New York, London, Tokyo, Paris and Madrid. Some crazy, crazy numbers. Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard has said:

Engagement of our Call of Duty audience continues to rise around the world. Call of Duty as an entertainment franchise has made an indelible mark on popular culture and its broad and continued success is further validation that audiences increasingly value interactive experiences over passive experiences.

Continue reading: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 passes $1 billion milestone in just 16 days (full post)

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