Cool toys and Gadgets

We’re starting up a new feature here at Krunker (something I used to do on WhiningDog.net). Since we get so many review emails every day, I thought it would be good to simply list them out in a single blog posting for all of you to check out – a lot like how BluesNews does it.

BTW – if you have a new review that you’d like us to post up here at Krunker.com, please send it to news at krunker.com.

So without further ado, here goes nothing!

Hardware Secrets reviews the BFG MX-550 Power Supply Unit(above) and has this to say:

“The new MX series of power supplies from BFG features a modular cabling system, one 120-mm fan and one 80-mm fan that only kicks in when the temperature on the secondary heatsink is above 50º C. Let’s see if the 550 W model (MX-550 or BFGI550WMXPSU) is a good product.”

TechwareLabs reviews the NZXT TEMPEST Enthusiast Steel Mid-Tower case (right). Here’s their snippet:

“With a professional look that can fit anywhere, you’re sure to intimidate others with the very presence of this case”

TechwareLabs also has a review of the Altec Lansing SoundBar (above). Been looking for a soundbar myself for the bedroom. I wonder how these will do. Here’s a snippet:

“Looking for a set of computer speakers that are compact, but still loud enough to blow you away? Are you a audiophile that really wants to hear your music while at the office? Look no further. Today JasonD takes a look at the Altec Lansing SoundBar. Featuring XdB bass technology, the SoundBar is definitely something to check out”

ThinkComputers has a review of Xilence RAM Cooler HP Duo memory cooler. Here’s a snippet:

“The RAM Cooler HP Duo has a pair of copper heatpipes with lots of pretty copper fins, so besides providing extra cooling for those hot memory chips, you also get an excuse to add more shiny copper to the inside of your rig.”

OverclockersOnline has a review posted of the E-Power Thunder 650W 3 in 1 power supply. Here’s what they say:

“Topower manages to do an excellent job balancing price and performance. While there are cheaper power supplies available, and at the same time better performing power supplies available, Topower has managed to reach an equilibrium”

TrustedReviews has a review of the ASUS Maximus Extreme Mobo here on their website. Here’s their summary:

“You pay plenty for the Maximus Extreme, but that’s true of any X38 motherboard. We’re not convinced about the merits of three graphics slots but neither can we see any harm in the set-up that Asus has chosen and the cooling system and Fusion block are simply superb.”

The freaks at Test Freaks has a review of the HTC AT&T Fuze handset. Here’s what they think of it:

“The HTC Fuze is not a bad phone overall, it will take most users quite a bit to get accustomed to the new interface and the lack of buttons, the Fuze is meant to be navigated with the fingers primarily, and for those of us that like buttons and navigation pads, we’re out of luck”

Need a new pair of headphones for the holidays? Check out TechLounge’s review of the Sennheiser HD 595 headphones on their website.

“… the Sennheiser HD 595s are a great choice if you like listening to music alone at home. They won’t fly on a commute or in any public situation due to invading outside noise, and you might get in trouble for inadvertently broadcasting your music selections to those around you.”

Is your notebook running a tad bit hot? Check out TechPowerUp’s review of the Vizo mini Ninja II Notebook Cooler.. (I couldn’t help but laugh when I read the Ninja naming…). Here’s what they had to say:

“The mini Ninja II does the job quite well, just like the other versions from Vizo”

Digital Trends reviews the HTC Touch Diamond on their website here. Like many other earlier reviews, Digital Trends didn’t have high regards for the software. Here’s a snippet:

“..we have very few complaints about the outside of the Diamond Touch, and wish the software inside could live up to its promise.”

And finally, TweakNews has a review of a new HTPC case – the Antec Veris Fusion Remote Max Premium HTPC case that is (that’s a long name!). Here’s what they thought of the case:

“If you’re in the market for an HTPC chassis, and don’t want to spend a small fortune for it, I can easily recommend the Antec Fusion Remote Max. The combination of quality, functionality, quiet cooling performance and value is going to be difficult to beat. I like the Max a lot, and I think you will too.”

Technorati Tags: Review roundup, HTC Touch Diamond, HTC Fuze, Antec HTPC case, Sennheiser headphones, ASUS motherboard, power supply, altec lansing soundbar

HP has brought a multi-touch enabled laptop to the fray. The 12.1-inch TouchSmart tx2 notebook sports a capacitive touchscreen enabling the user to perform gestures like pinch, rotate, arc, flick, press and drag and single and double tap. The notebook also comes with a rechargeable digital ink pen.

Tx2 runs Windows Vista with a base configuration of 2.1GHz AMD Turion processor, ATI Radeon HD 3200 GPU, 3GB RAM and 250GB HDD. It also has a webcam, Wi-Fi, Altec Lansing speakers and an 8X DVD burner. Pricing for the laptop starts from $1150 and goes up to $2270 that includes a 2.4GHz AMD Turion, 8GB RAM, 400GB hard drive and a LightScribe DVD burner.

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Section: Computers, Mobile Computers, Laptops, Features

HP is rolling out their newest TouchSmart and it’s a Tablet PC.  What’s the big deal?  Well, Gadgetell got a chance to actually play with the HP TouchSmart TX2 and it is really something.

At first blush, the TX2 looks like a standard Tablet PC with a hinge that allows the entire 12.1-inch screen to be turned around and folded down for a slate style experience.  The real fun is in the touch screen which is capacitive and not resistive; that means you don’t have to press the screen very hard for the computer to register inputs.  A simple tap to the screen is enough for the TX2.

Multi-touch

The laptop supports multi-touch input as well.  While Windows Vista doesn’t do multi-touch yet, HP has built this technology into the drivers.  The multi-touch inputs are translated into keystroke commands so you can have multi-touch beyond HP’s MediaSmart software. 

The screen was pretty responsive to touch, although there were instances where my touch didn’t register.  Strangely, the same thing happens to me on my iPhone.  Perhaps I do not play well with touch screens, but when others tried the screen, it was very responsive.  It was very easy to close apps, hit the Start button, and it was even possible to get into the system tray using a touch if you were careful.  Considering that the TX2 has a 12.1-inch screen, I was rather impressed. 

Quirks

Since this is a Tablet PC and not a desktop, there were some quirks.  The HP MediaSmart software, HP’s multi-touch enabled photo/video/music player, does not play well in portrait mode.  In fact, if you are running the software and switch to portrait, a message will pop up on the screen saying that the HP MediaSmart software is not optimized for this display and will now quit.  The app doesn’t just disappear, you do have to click an “OK” button. 

Also, the HP MediaSmart music player did not have any onscreen volume controls.  This is not really a problem in most cases, but if you are using the TX2 in slate mode, you will have to go into your Windows system tray to adjust the volume.  The HP rep was a bit confused by this oversight as well, so I would imagine it will be fixed in the long run. 

The Hardware

The laptop hardware is very nice.  The hinge on the device seemed pretty sturdy as it required some force to turn the monitor around.  The hinge locks into place after you’ve turned it 180 degrees.  If you push down on the monitor, you can turn the TX2 into a slate-style PC.  A latch locks the monitor down once you’ve converted it into slate mode.

The keyboard was fine.  While it looked a bit glossy, my fingers did not slip at all.  The function and escape keys on the top row are smaller than average, but the main part of the keyboard is very comfortable. 

HP has packed in an optical drive, an ExpressCard34 slot (which HP has filled with an IR remote for media center) and dual headphone jacks so you can share your screen with someone.  The laptop comes equipped with two IR sensors so that you will be able to use that included remote in any of the laptop configurations.  That’s a small thing, but very helpful. 

The laptop weighs a little over 4 pounds and is available today starting at $1,149.99.

SPECIFICATIONS

OPERATING SYSTEM

• Genuine Windows Vista Ultimate OR,
• Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium OR,
• Genuine Windows Vista® Business

PROCESSOR

• AMD Athlon X2 Dual-Core Processor QL-64 (2.1 GHz, 1MB L2 Cache) OR, 
• AMD Athlon X2 Dual-Core Processor QL-62 (2.0 GHz, 1MB L2 Cache) OR,
• AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor RM-74 (2.2GHz, 1MB L2 cache) OR,
• AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor RM-72 (2.1GHz, 1MB L2 cache) OR,
• AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor ZM-80 (2.1GHz, 2MB L2 cache) OR,
• AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor ZM-82 (2.2GHz, 2MB L2 cache) OR,
• AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor ZM-84 (2.3GHz, 2MB L2 cache) OR,
• AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor ZM-86 (2.4GHz, 2MB L2 cache)

MEMORY

• Up to 8GB DDR2 SDRAM System Memory (2 SODIMM; 64-bit OS)

VIDEO GRAPHICS

• ATI Radeon HD 3200

HARD DRIVE

• 160/250/320/400G/500B 5400 rpm SATA

FINISH AND FEATURES

• HP Reaction Imprint finish with HP Webcam and integrated microphone

MULTIMEDIA DRIVE

• SuperMulti 8X DVD±R/RW with Double Layer Support OR,
• LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD±RW with Double Layer Support

DISPLAY

• 12.1-inch diagonal WXGA (1280 x 800), Integrated touch-screen, Convertible display

NETWORK CARD

• Integrated 10/10/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 connector)

WIRELESS OPTION

• 802.11b/g WLAN OR,
• 802.11b/g WLAN and Bluetooth OR,
• Wireless 802.11a/b/g/n WLAN OR,
• Wireless 802.11a/b/g/n with Bluetooth

AUDIO

• Altec Lansing

KEYBOARD

101-key compatible and 3 Quick Launch Buttons

EXTERNAL NOTEBOOK PORTS

• 3 USB 2.0 ports
• 1 VGA
• 1 RJ-11
• 1 RJ-45/Ethernet
• 2 Headphone out - 1 with SPDIF Digital Audio & 1 stereo
• 1 Microphone in
• 1 Expansion port 3
• 1 Consumer IR for remote control
• Digital pen with integrated docking bay

DIMENSIONS

• 12.05 in (L) x 8.82 in (W) x 1.23 in (min H) / 1.52 in (max H) (with 4-cell battery)

WEIGHT

• Starting at 4.33 lb / 1.97 kg(16) (with Touchscreen, Digitizer, Weightsaver, 4-cell battery)

POWER

• 4-cell (37 WHr) OR,
• 6-cell (55 WHr) OR, 
• 8-cell (73 WHRr) Lithium-Ion battery OR,
 
• 65W HP AC Adapter

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

HP brings their multi-touch technology to the convertible notebook market with the introduction of the HP TouchSmart tx2 Notebook PC. Featuring “capacitive multi-touch technology, you’ll be able to interact with the tx2 using gestures such as pinch, rotate, arc, flick, press and drag, and single/double tap. Since it’s a convertible notebook, you’ll be able to interact with the tx2 in three different modes – PC, display, and tablet. Specs include the following:

• AMD Turion X2 Ultra Dual Core Mobile Processor or AMD Turion X2 Dual Core Mobile Processor
• Windows Vista Home Premium
• 12.1 inch BrightView LED display
• HP Imprint “Reaction” design
• Features HP MediaSmart digital entertainment software suite which allows users to “more naturally select, organize, and manipulate digital files”
• ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics
• LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+-R/RW with DL support
• 250GB  to 400GB 5400 RPM SATA HDD
• 3GB to 8GB of DDR2 memory
• Webcam
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
• Bluetooth
• Altec Lansing stereo speakers
• ExpressCard/34 slot
• 6 or 8 cell lithium ion battery
• Measures 8.82 x 12.05 x 1.23 inches and weighs 4.65 lbs

You can order the HP TouchSmart tx2 convertible notebook either at HP shopping or at Amazon.com wit a starting price of $1149.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: HP TouchSmart tx2, convertible notebook, multi-touch display

Empower your gaming potential with the full throttle power and portable performance of the G Series from ASUS, part of the prestigious Republic of Gamers that is committed to delivering innovative and best performing PC solutions for gamers.
With the world´s leading 15.6" LCD and fast screen response time graphic effects are sharper with no ghosting and shadows. With exclusive crystal bright screen technology, the game comes alive with vibrant colours and details!
Get the full gaming package when you buy a G Series notebook: the must have Republic of Gamers backpack – the right look for your next LAN party; the ideal gaming mouse from ASUS offering real time sensitive adjustment and 1600dpi, and the cool comfort of the Siberia Steelseries Gaming Headset.

Features:

Review By reviews.cnet

The Asus G50V’s 15.4-inch wide-screen display has a sharp 1,680×1,050 native resolution–just shy of 1080p, though not enough to notice on our downloaded HD content. We’d likely appreciate the sharp resolution more if the G50V were equipped with a Blu-ray drive (it’s not). But as it is, even standard-definition movies look attractive, with excellent clarity and sharpness. Our only complaint is that the display’s glossy coating produced rather annoying reflections in our brightly lit environment.

Read Full Review Here

Review By coolcomputing

With the G50V, you don’t even have to boot into Windows to accomplish simple tasks such as browsing the web or uploading digital photos. Just press the G50’s Express Gate button and in seconds you’ll be in a fully-functional Linux environment – perfect for quickly checking your email, listening to music, or making a Skype call.

Read Full Review Here

Review By notebookreview

The inside of the notebook has a design that is just as flashy as the lid. The trim surrounding the keyboard and bordering the right and left edges of the chassis are glossy orange plastic. The palmrest area is made of the same rubberized textured material found on the back of the lid. The touchpad is bordered by brushed aluminum trim. Above the keyboard is a strip of glossy black plastic where all the touch controls are located, and on either side of that are the two Altec Lansing speakers. Above the screen is a webcam embedded in a mirrored surface. Even the bottom of the notebook has an interesting design - the single large intake vent for the fan has a shiny silver border and an orange vent.

Read Full Review Here

Review By laptopmag

There are four soft touch buttons along the top of the keyboard, one for launching the ASUS console for overclocking, changing the lights, and customizing the messages. The second button will launch Windows Media Center in Windows, or ASUS’s Express Gate quick boot operating system which boots in 8 seconds and allows you to do the basics, like chat, surf the Web, or use Skype. The third button switches between three power performance profiles to change your battery life. The final button toggles the touchpad on and off.

Read Full Review Here