Star Wars: The Old Republic MMO launches

Star Wars: The Old Republic has launched across the globe – with the MMO hoping to overhaul industry behemoth World of Warcraft with a stellar brand.

The arrival of SW:ToR is a major shot in the arm for PC gaming, bringing the Star Wars brand to the MMO world for the second time following the innovative but ultimately doomed Star Wars Galaxies.

"This is the moment you've been waiting for, Star Wars: The Old Republic is officiallyreleased.
Get your copy today* and join the hundreds of thousands of other players alreadyonline.

This time around it is Bioware that has developed the world – building on the popular single player Knights of the Old Republic franchise – and try to make this a key MMO.

Star Wars fans

"Everyone is coming to this game because they're fans of Star Wars - no-one is a fan of this game because no-one's played this game yet," the game's senior writer Alex Freed told CVG.

"So when people are coming in with these expectations and very strong emotional associations with Star Wars, you don't want to let them down.

"You want to do a story that they're really going to love, that they're going to get excited by, that fits the Star Wars that they want to see while also feeling new and fresh enough.

"Having this many people coming to the game because they love Star Wars... it's a big responsibility. It is something that you worry about now and then."

For the tech world this represents a game that, should it become a success, could be a major boost for the PC, as it battles with the consoles for a share of the gaming market.

Read more...

Micromax Launches Bling-2 Android Phone

Read more...

launches Shift 2 Unleashed for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360

The launches of Shift 2 Unleashed this Thursday, March 31 for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 represents a chance for fans of racing games to hope the novelty in this sector. Collectors will throw on the Limited Edition.


For those who may be surprised not to see included in the Need For Speed ​​title game Shift 2 Unleashed which nevertheless seems to result in Need For Speed: Shift, there is a simple explanation to this mystery. This new simulation game racing intends to stand out from the Need For Speed ​​license rather marked arcade game to move towards more realistic simulation. The realism is indeed the watchword of the game developed by Slightly Mad Studios whatever
level of available vehicles, tours or career mode. Shift 2 Unleashed fate So this Thursday, March 31 for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

Classic gameplay

After the success of Need For Speed: Shift the pressure is on for successor and the first tests of Shift 2 Unleashed deliver mixed reviews, especially regarding the AI ​​opponents and not really innovative gameplay. But first of all discover what this new racing game published by EA Electronics has to offer. Playing Shift 2 Unleashed players will have a fairly classic evolve from a Novice to Elite level by earning points through his virtuosity in the race and garner lots of cash to improve its vehicle. In the race it will obviously cross the finish line before his competitors in
record time or by adopting optimal trajectories especially in turns and avoiding other cars that have them to heart as we send the decor.

Porsche, Bugatti, Lamborghini ...

If the player's driving skills are one of the key aspects for successful participation in Shift 2 Unleashed, the car selected and improvements will also play an important role. The player has a choice in the game between a hundred vehicles from actual stables as prestigious as Bugatti, Porsche, Audi, Ford or Lamborghini. Once the model is chosen according to your means acquired you can improve performance by changing the engine, brakes, tire pressure and even the cockpit to adapt your vehicle type and racing circuits on which we'll have shine.

Camera height of the helmet and night races

The realistic aspect of the game is greatly improved by the choice of placing the camera at the level of quality headphones for spectacular immersion. The camera lets you feel the vibrations of the car and simulate the movements of the body with quite realistic. We can also acknowledge the quality of the soundscape entirely credible. Another aspect that reinforces the impression of realism, the opportunity now offered to participate in races at night. Regrettably in this regard that developers Slightly Mad Studios have not seen fit to include a weather system for epic races in torrential conditions in an atmosphere or under the snow muffled dodger.

Tests: AI not really realistic

Among the criticisms found in the first tests of Shift 2 Unleashed often found mention of AI judged by cons not very realistic and see that your competitors spend much time trying to get you out of the track and achieve at least shock same light. In cons-part, we admire the minutes of the crumpled sheet. If it will unfortunately not possible to play this game in split screen racing simulation, which are too bad, it will still be possible to share his exploits online.

A Limited Edition

Shift 2 Unleashed fate So this Thursday, March 31 for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. The game is also available in Limited Edition, which lets you start the game with 3 vehicles instead of one, have a budget much more comfortable to double experience points and the opportunity to participate in exclusive events . If you want to learn more, you can make a small tour on the official website of Shift 2 Unleashed and watch the video below cons.

Read more...

Intel launches 2GHz Atom Z550

Intel will announce a couple of new Z-series chips for MIDs (Mobile Internet Devices). Already rumored, the 45nm Atom Z550 and Z515 are clocked at 2 and 1.2 GHz respectively, and feature a 533 MHz FSB and 512kB of cache. The Z515 also have the Burst Performance Technology which enables it to automatically adjusts its working frequency depending on computing needs.

Intel has marked the Atom's first anniversary with the launch of two new parts, the Z550 and Z515.

The Z515 runs at up to 1.2GHz and supports Burst Performance Technology, which allows it to adjust the frequency automatically depending on performance demands. It supports US15W and UL11L chipsets and it will primarily be used in MIDs.

The Z550 runs at 2.0GHz, but still stays withing the 3W power envelope. We are not sure if the Z550 will find its place in new products any time soon. When it comes to Atoms, there is usually a hefty price premium to pay for a slightly higher clock, and for example, a 1.8GHz model costs twice as much as the 1.6GHz we see all over the place.

Both chips have a 2.4W TDP, they idle at 0.22W, have 512KB of L2 cache and run on a 533MHz FSB.

Read more...

AMD Launches the ATI Radeon HD 4770

AMD Launches the ATI Radeon™ HD 4770, World’s First Desktop Graphics Card Utilizing Industry-Leading 40nm Process Technology

(NYSE:AMD) today launched the ATI Radeon™ HD 4770 graphics processor, a groundbreaking product that harnesses the state-of-the-art 40 nanometer manufacturing process for the desktop PC market, delivering best-in-class performance and energy efficiency at anticipated launch prices as low as $991. The ATI Radeon HD 4770 graphics card is the newest addition to the award-winning ATI RadeonTM HD 4000 series.· The new card features third-generation hardware support for the latest DirectX® 10.1 games like Battleforge, HAWX, S.T.A.L.K.E.R Clear Sky and Stormrise, delivering higher game performance and improved visual quality when compared to DirectX® 10.

· The ATI Radeon HD 4770 continues the AMD tradition of bringing industry-leading technology to market that drives a superior user experience. The ATI Radeon HD 4770 makes use of the latest GDDR5 memory technology, providing incredibly high data rates for fast game performance.
· Gamers looking to get the most value out of their graphics hardware investment can scale their performance using ATI CrossFireX™ technology, allowing a second ATI Radeon HD 4770 card to be added for a near-linear increase in performance.2
· The ATI Radeon HD 4770 graphics card allows users to enjoy HD digital content3 with incredible visual fidelity. The new card helps enhance the definition and clarity of lower resolution media, and through the second generation AMD Unified Video Decoder (UVD 2.0) technology, users can be assured of smooth video playback, crisp images, and vibrant colors on all HD content including Blu-ray discs.4 With support for HDMI, picture-in-picture (PiP) and the latest HD audio technologies like 7.1 surround sound, the new graphics card enables an impressive cinema-quality home entertainment experience.
· Celebrating the company’s 40th Anniversary, AMD continues its heritage of focusing on the design and development of new products and platforms that deliver compelling user experiences at an exceptional value. By combining new AMD Athlon™ X2 7850 processors, AMD 7-Series chipsets and ATI Radeon™ HD 4770 series graphics cards, AMD enables a PC platform that can bring HD video to life while delivering massive performance headroom and video processing acceleration.

“Consumer pressure in this economic downturn is shifting demand to lower prices and the price band around $100 has the highest demand and highest volume,” said Rick Bergman, senior vice president and general manager, Graphics Products Group, AMD.5 “AMD has responded with the launch of the ATI Radeon HD 4770, targeting this market with cutting-edge technologies like 40 nm processors, support for DirectX 10.1 gaming and GDDR5 memory. This strategy stands in stark contrast to the old “trickle down” technology approach some still use to address this important segment.”

“As a leading source of cutting-edge game development tools, Emergent has a passion for delivering realistic, visually stunning game play as well as improved performance,” said Doug Kubel, vice president, Product Development, Emergent. “By supporting DirectX 10.1 in the Gamebryo LightSpeed development system, we are able to deliver improvements in both image quality and frame rates. DirectX 10.1 graphics hardware like the ATI Radeon HD 4770 makes it possible to fully unlock the experience delivered by the combined power of DirectX10.1 and Gamebryo LightSpeed.”

Read more...

Alienware Launches Three New Gaming Laptops - M11z, M14x, M18x

Alienware has launched three new, all-powerful laptops, including the soon to be released M18x, which lays claim to the title of “most powerful 18-inch gaming laptop in the universe;” the M14x, which delivers unprecedented performance and portability; and an enhanced M11x, already a favorite among gaming enthusiasts, and the most-powerful sub-14-inch notebook in the universe. The two new faces in the Alienware laptop family, the upcoming M18x and the M14x, along with the new M11x, deliver unprecedented power to the gamer on the go. All three platforms offer the latest in gaming technology, and feature second-generation Intel Core i processors to deliver the most immersive high-performance gaming experience imaginable.

• The M18x will offer dual-graphics technology and the industry’s only Intel Core i7 Extreme CPU option factory overclocked to 4GHz;
• The M18x and the M14x offer optional wireless HD audio and video for latency-free streaming to larger screens;
• All three laptops also offer HDMI 1.4 for connection to 3D-capable HDTVs for incredible, lifelike 3D gaming and SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports for up to 10x the speed of USB 2.0 connections for a new level in data transfer.

“If you’re a gamer, you’re going to love our new family of laptops, which deliver on the features gamers care most about – uncompromised graphics performance, latency-free wireless HD streaming to HDTVs, and lifelike 3D gaming,” said Arthur Lewis, general manager of Alienware. “We are committed to delivering the best gaming systems for enthusiasts everywhere and we take great pride in helping them ‘pwn’, no matter where they are in the world.”

Read more...

Epson launches Endeavour MR4100 Desktop PC

Epson has recently launched a new desktop PC by the name of Endeavour MR4100.This great looking device from the company is powered by Intel Core i3-2100, Core i5-2400, Core i5-2500 or the Core i7-2600 processor. It comes along with a list of interesting specifications which make it a superior Desktop PC.

The Epson endeavour MR4100 comes with a 2GB RAM which is upgradeable to up to 16GB.It comes along with a choice of an NVIDIA GeForce GT430 or an ATI FirePro 2450 graphics card. The other features which this model sports are a 15.6 inch LCD display screen which is capable of letting the users enjoy a resolution count of WXGA type and several USB 3.0 ports for facilitating the connectivity on this device.

The other features supported by this device and the kind of the hardware and software that it offers, makes it apt for business use. Though, with the correct choice of the processor, one can use it at home too.

Read more...

Acer launches H274H Full HD Monitor

Acer is slowly and gradually becoming one of the top brands which produce notebooks and computers. This company has recently launched a new Full HD Monitor which is known as Acer H274H. This monitor looks pretty interesting because of its sleek design and sharp edges.

This device is mainly aimed at attracting those users who are interested in gaming and other multimedia usage. It has got a 27 inch LED backlight display screen which is capable of providing a resolution count of 1920×1080 pixels that too in full HD technology. The other features provided are 100000000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 300 cd /m2 brightness, 5ms response time and 178/170 degree viewing angles.

When it comes to the connectivity options provided by this device, there are many different features that you get. There is the D-Sub, DVI and HDMI output. This H274H is a full series which will be launching many other models of the similar features.

Read more...

Intel's Codename Light Peak Launches as Thunderbolt

Back at IDF 2010, we wrote about Intel Light Peak nearing its eventual launch in 2011. Back then, the story was a 10 Gbps or faster physical link tunneling virtually every protocol under the sun over optical fiber. Though an optical physical layer provided the speed, in reality the connector and physical layer itself wasn’t as important as the tunneling and signaling going on beneath it. Daisy chain devices together, and connect everything with one unified connector and port. 

 

That dream lives on today, but sans optical fiber and under a different name. Intel’s codename “Light Peak” is now named Thunderbolt. 

]]>

Read more...

AMD Launches The Radeon HD 6950 1GB

Good morning everyone.

Today AMD is launching the long-awaited 1GB version of the Radeon HD 6950. For reasons we can't really delve in to, the NDA for the 6950 is expiring here at 4am PDT, however we're not ready to talk about the 6950 1GB quite yet. We'll be back in a few hours with a full explaination, but in the mean time we can say that performance is virtually identical to the 2GB card throughout our test suite at 1920x1200 and 1680x1050. It's only at 2560x1600 and under Eyefinity that we see the 2GB card make a name for itself.

We'll have more in a few hours.

]]>

Read more...

Samsung launches the touch screen F480

Samsung Telecommunications launched the F480 . The Samsung TouchWIZ has innovative features like customizable 'Drag n Drop' and auto smile shot that combined with the full touch navigation feature makes the phone usage experience easy and user friendly.

The Touchwiz's 5 MegaPixel, AutoFocus-LED Flash camera, metal body casing and luxurious leather cover combine the best of form and function to create new benchmarks in lifestyle space in mobile phones.

The TouchWIZ is being launched alongside the Olympic Games 2008 and the entire communication campaign for this phone is centered around the Olympics.
The Samsung F480 looks so promising and will be a massive success, we know quite a lot about mobile phones and when we get our hands on this you can be sure we will look right into it. Anyway please do look at the main specification list below, if you like the sound of the Samsung F480

• GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900 - 2G Network
• HSDPA 2100 - 3G Network
• 2.8 Inch TFT touchscreen display - 256K colors/240 x 320 pixels
• Vibration
• MP3 & Polyphonic Ringtones - Customization/Download
• 30 missed calls, 30 received, 30 dialed (Call records)
• Photocall, 1000 entries (Phonebook)
• microSD (TransFlash) Card slot
• 3G HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps
• EDGE Class 12
• Bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP
• GPRS Class 12 (4+1/3+2/2+3/1+4 slots), 32 - 48 kbps
• USB
• MMS, SMS, EMS, Instant Messaging, Email
• HTML & WAP 2.0/xHTML Browser
• 5 Megapixel Camera - 2592х1944 pixels, autofocus, video, flash
• Java MIDP 2.0
• H.264/H.263/MPEG4 player & MP3/AAC/AAC+ player
• Document viewer & Organiser
• Built-in handsfree
• 95.9 x 55 x 11.5 mm

Read more...

Dell launches Latitude range of business laptops

Dell just announced a bunch of laptops, but these two are particularly interesting to us because we love ultra-portables (who doesn't?). The 12.1" Latitude E4200 weighs only 2.2 Lbs (thanks partly to its SSD drive), making it the lightest Latitude laptop ever. And it does that while preserving a size that allows to have a comfortable keyboard. Secondly, the E4300 is a 13.3", which is probably the best compromise between portability and work comfort. It weighs 3.39lbs. Both laptops feature a 1280x800 resolution display
The Latitude E6400 and E6500 are replacing the Latitude D630 and D830 as the new 14- and 15.4-inch form factors, respectively. Both have a magnesium-alloy backbone like their predecessors, but you'll notice that Dell has moved away from a matted silver finish in favor of brushed aluminum paint. Dell understands that design, especially in this age, is an important business element, which is why red-and-blue-color schemes will also be available in the September 2008 timeframe. Other notable features include dual-pointing devices, as the E6400 and E6500 have both a pointing stick and a touchpad; an RFID SmartCard sensor rather than an actual slot; and a one-screw-remove-plate at the base, so getting to the innards of the laptop is as simple as removing one screw. One of the most memorable things about the D630 was the impressive battery life and multiple battery options. With both laptops, you have the option of a 9- or 12-cell battery.

Dell's new Latitudes feature:

• All-day computing on the E6400 with breakthrough battery life of up to 19 hours
  
• Full-frame magnesium alloy construction and all-metal hinges
  
• Sophisticated keyboard design
  
• Ease of use with Dell ControlPoint, centralizing control of user settings for power management, connectivity configurations and security management in a single application
  
• First business-class laptop with an intelligent backlit keyboard that automatically adjusts to ambient light levels
  
• Exclusive ControlVault solution - intelligent security sub-processors with embedded non-volatile storage that centralizes and helps protect user credentials and security keys in a single hardened security ''vault'' away from the systems main drive
  
• The E6500 is the only laptop with both a contact-less Smart Card reader and a fingerprint readers that complies with Federal Information Processing Standards
  
• Simplified IT with compatible peripherals, adapters, docking and robust manageability features across the entire portfolio.

Read more...