"Thermaltake introduced the SD100 to target the Mini-ITX home theater HTPC market. With a sleek, glossy black exterior and well ventilated interior, the SD100 is designed to be functional while blending into the rest of a high tech home theater setup. Read on to see what we think of this budget friendly $85 case!"

"At the Professional Developers Conference (PDC) 2009 day two keynote (see my PDC coverage), Microsoft president Steven Sinofsky showed off a very, very early version of Internet Explorer (IE) 9, the next major version of Microsoft's now-venerable web browser. This was an unexpected development, given that Internet Explorer 8 (see my review) shipped earlier this year and was just included with Windows 7 (see my review), which shipped last month. But Microsoft clearly wanted to demonstrate that it would continue advancing IE at a rapid pace, meeting criticisms of the current product and--the real surprise--delivering on some unexpected functionality.

What we don't know about IE 9 is a much broader discussion than that about what we do know. It's early yet, so that's OK, but I do want to set some expectations: The very early IE 9 preview build we saw this week at PDC did not contain any hint at all about the future user interface or other functional aspects of the browser. In fact, the build used in the keynote, and the one I saw separately in a meeting, lacked any kind of user interface at all. It's just a bare window frame that's designed to let the rendering engine do its thing and show off the few bits of functionality Microsoft is now publicly committing to."

"Sometimes you want the best of both worlds, you want a small easily tote-able case and all the graphics power of a good gaming caliber rig. I give you the Silverstone SG04."

"The PHP development team is proud to announce the immediate release of PHP 5.3.1. This is a maintenance release in the 5.3 series, which includes a large number of bug fixes.

Security Enhancements and Fixes in PHP 5.3.1:

Added "max_file_uploads" INI directive, which can be set to limit the number of file uploads per-request to 20 by default, to prevent possible DOS via temporary file exhaustion.
Added missing sanity checks around exif processing.
Fixed a safe_mode bypass in tempnam().
Fixed a open_basedir bypass in posix_mkfifo().
Fixed bug #50063 (safe_mode_include_dir fails).
Fixed bug #44683 (popen crashes when an invalid mode is passed).

Key Bug Fixes in PHP 5.3.1 include:

Fixed crash in com_print_typeinfo when an invalid typelib is given.
Fixed crash in SQLiteDatabase::ArrayQuery() and SQLiteDatabase::SingleQuery() when calling using Reflection.
Fixed crash when instantiating PDORow and PDOStatement through Reflection.
Fixed bug #49910 (no support for ././@LongLink for long filenames in phar tar support).
Fixed bug #49908 (throwing exception in __autoload crashes when interface is not defined).
Around 100 other bug fixes"

"Today NVIDIA launches their first GDDR5 graphics card. The new GeForce GT 240 is based on NVIDIA's brand-new 40 nm G215 graphics processor and features 96 shaders. Palit has built an overclocked "Sonic" Edition card that comes with high clock speeds out of the box and features a sensible temperature based fan control mechanism."

"Today we are going to look at the Novatech X16 HD Pro notebook which is designed with multimedia an d light gaming in mind. It makes use of the somewhat basic nVidia G105M GPU which is based on the 9300M G, but with a few new features."

"Overall, I was able to run the card higher than the clock speeds on the HD 5870 for a nice increase in performance, but to do so brought out the fan noise that ATI reference cards always bring to the table when you bump up the fan for additional cooling. I was able to reach clock speeds of 890MHz on the core and 1260MHz on the memory, with power consumption peaking at 486 watts on the system under load with temperatures that reached 69 degrees Celsius. The vapor chamber cooling does its job keeping this behemoth cool! Not too bad on the clocks and temperatures, but as an enthusiast you always want more performance with less power."

"Up until now we focused primarily on Network Attached Storage (NAS) servers, but Direct Attached Storage (DAS) seems to be a level that consumers are more eager to venture. There could be many reasons for this. DAS products cost less while offering many of the benefits of NAS servers. In this economy disposable income for many has been reduced, but the problems still remain; how is one supposed to keep all their digital files safe from mechanical failure?

AXUS Microsystems is a company that most of us are not familiar with. Their parent company is ASUStek, someone we have all come to know and love for many years now. I am a little surprised to see ASUS not launching storage systems under their own name considering the global brand recognition they have, but Shakespeare said it best; does a rose by any other name not smell as sweet?"

"A silent case may seem like a "sales gimmick" to some people, after all how can a case make noise? While it is true that the case itself isn't loud it can help transmit sound. After all it is the fans and other components that actually generate the noise. But the direct noise is only half of the battle, many of the sounds you hear coming from your case can be traced back to all of the moving parts and their affect on the case itself."

"Today we are looking at the Lian Li Armorsuit PC-P50, a well crafted and premium mid-tower case that packs some very innovative features, classic aesthetics, and impeccable quality for consumers with discerning tastes"

"Benchmark Reviews has monitored the network storage industry for several years now, and the same three features have always held the highest demand: speed, data redundancy, and simple operation. QNAP has earned the title of NAS pioneer, not by being the first to have a network attached storage (NAS) device on the market, but by being the first to consistently offer fast Gigabit Ethernet speeds with failover, RAID hard drive functionality, and a diverse feature-rich user interface. In this article, Benchmark Reviews test the QNAP TS-419P Turbo NAS based on the Marvell 6281 'Kirkwood' processor."

"If you are anything like me, you see a great number of notebooks, netbooks and tablet computers come through your office. If I kept an OEM adapter around for every laptop I had ever serviced, I would have a pirate chest full of tangled booty. Thankfully we have manufacturers who provide us with a simpler solution: the Universal Adapter. Some offerings are cheap and flimsy, while others are quality hardware that make themselves invaluable tools. Today we take a look at the Cooler Master SNA95 Slim Notebook Adapter to see which of these categories it falls into."

"The bright side is the modules ability to run tight timings at their stock frequency. After spending a few hours with them, making sure sure I got the most out of every setting while keeping them fully stable, I was able to drop them to 7-7-7-18."

"HTC Hero touch screen Android smartphone has arrived in our test lab and first feature that we noticed was its unusual design. We got white version that has brushed aluminum frame around display which is rather unusual combination. We made a brief survey among innocent bystanders and their first impressions were contradictory, up to the point when they unlocked the device. Right after unlock impressions became irrelevant…"

"Barracuda XT is the first SATA-600 hard disk drive to arrive the market. It is also the first 2 TB from Seagate that spins at 7,200 rpm – the other 2 TB drive from Seagate, Barracuda LP, is a "green" model spinning at 5,900 rpm. Let's see if the new SATA-600 interface will really make a difference."

"AMD has been pushing out alot of different Athlon 2 versions to the market so today we are giving our attention to their tri channel 435 CPU on our test bench. We decided to run this a couple of AMD cpu's and also vs a Intel processor to give you an idea how this unit performs. We will of course push our luck when it comes to overclocking so lets take a closer look. "

"The BlacX Duet we have on hand today is the third in the BlacX series of hard drive docking stations from Thermaltake. We first saw the BlacX at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show and got our hands on a review sample a month later. We came away from that review very impressed with the concept and implementation, although USB-only transfer left us wanting more. The second coming of the BlacX, dubbed the SE version, featured a 4-port USB hub but still failed to deliver eSATA transfer capability. With the latest release of the BlacX, Thermaltake has done away with the 4-port USB hub, added a second slot that allows for two drives to be mounted simultaneously and finally added eSATA compatibility. This is looking more like the BlacX we hoped for nearly two years ago."

"The graphics solution world is constantly evolving with visual quality being stepped up at an ever-growing exponential rate. The launch of Windows 7 and with it the tantalising prospect of DirectX 11 games is perhaps not so much just a single step up but a whole flight of stairs designed to deliver unparalleled graphics quality.

With nVidia sliding by the way side, ATI is setting about monopolising the market rolling out numerous members of its 5 series cards, each of which offers a different price/performance ratio, following the main launch of the 5870 -- a card which packed some serious performance and certainly turned heads at the beginning of the DirectX 11 era.

However, with DirectX 11 games still very much on the horizon and price of the 5870 way over budget for many enthusiasts, the inevitable introduction of the 5850 followed shortly. Based on the same RV870 core, codenamed Cypress, but located inside the $250 price bracket, the 5850 should consolidate the performance achieved by its bigger brother placing it in the upper mid-range section so as to push all the buttons for DX11 enthusiasts."

"With the release of Windows 7, multi-touch computing has finally been something worth looking into because Windows 7 supports multiple touch points for the first time ever and the interface has been redesigned to be "touch friendly". The HP TouchSmart 300-1025 desktop PC offers a 20" touch screen LCD and has sleek looks that make it an excellent primary or secondary PC that has many different features for many different users."

"So, we've looked at the HD 5970 in single form and we've also seen the massive OC potential of the card. You have to wonder what else there is to do? - We'll, that's easy; install our second HD 5970 into the system and see how CrossFireX goes.

Since the second card arrived from big red themselves, there isn't a whole lot to look at. We'll have a quick peek at the card, just in case you haven't had a chance to see what's happening with it. We'll also snag a quick GPU-Z screen shot to make sure CrossFireX is working before we simply get into the benchmarks."

"When is a Laptop Not a Netbook or a Notebook? The answer is when it's the new HP DM3 powered by AMD's Athlon Neo processor. This 13.3 inch marvel combines properties of both a netbook and a notebook to achieve something truly remarkable. The DM3 has the thinness of a netbook, the resolution and size of an ultraportable laptop, the price of a netbook, and yet nearly the performance of a full laptop. The best thing about the DM3 . . . it does it all with HP styling. So is the DM3 the answer to consumer prayers? Should it be on your holiday wish list? Read on. . . ."

"Elixir is known for their standard JEDEC modules, usually found in budget and mid-range systems. Their 1600 MHz tri-channel kit tries to give you that same value with a hint of overclockability thrown in the mix, for those who want that magical 1600 MHz speed, while spending as little as possible."

"The Western Digital WD TV has plenty of attributes to help it score at the top of the list of media players I have checked out so far. It has a slick but simple appearance, the user interface is attractive and easy to use, the system is quick to respond to commands from the remote control, it supports plenty of file formats, and it has HDMI connectivity."

"The Patriot Box Office is a media player that frees your digital media library from the constraints of a PC and bridges digital media to your home entertainment system. Box Office also the most popular media formats (H.264, ISO, VOB, DivX, xVid, MKV, MOV, MPEG and more) so you can play what you want, where you want to! Read on to see how this recently released media player does!"

"Today we are going to look at the Sharkoon X-Tatic Digital Surround Sound Headset. Aside from being compatible with all PCs which feature multi-channel audio, it is fully compatible with both PS3 and XBOX."

"On the lookout for a P55 motherboard to match that shiny new Lynnfield CPU? Given the sheer selection available, deciding on one can be a hassle. ASUS' P7P55D Pro looks to appeal to a large crowd, though, by offering a slew of useful options, impressive overclocking abilities and a great design for an easy-to-stomach $170."

"We've seen some very fast SSDs over the last while, but they remain very expensive, and for most people, a hotrod SSD just isn't in the cards for a system upgrade. High prices are always a stumbling block to new tech adoption, and SSDs are no different. However, there may be relief on the horizon, as Kingston has released a sub-$100 SSD that looks to be fast, in the hope that it will finally bring solid state drives into the mainstream. So what's the catch? Well, let's have a closer look and find out."

"Convection is when moving air transfers heat to or from a surface. This is the method used by most laptop coolers to keep your CPU, GPU and other critical components from overheating. There are three major factors to effective cooling (or heating), namely temperature difference, surface area, and air flow. Any differences in these factors will lead to differences in performance, even for the same cooler. The Benchmark Reviews team tries hard to provide you with fair and repeatable testing. The Antec Notebook Cooler 200 uses all three factors to achieve effective cooling with minimal power. Our tests show which of those factors makes the biggest difference. We also consider ergonomics, looks and quality."

"In mid-2009, when Microsoft released the first external build of Office 2010, the Technical Preview (TP), it limited distribution to a relatively small group of people. (See my exhaustive, multipart overview of the Office 2010 Tech Preview for details.) But with a public beta release now available, virtually anyone can get their hands on a near-feature-complete version of Microsoft's next office productivity suite. That means this is the perfect time to evaluate what Microsoft's doing with Office 2010 and determine when and how you want to roll it out in your own environments.

Here's what you need to know about the Office 2010 public beta."

"If you take a look at the increased performance brought to the table by overclocking, the GT 220 has a hard time competing with the performance delivered by the HD 4670 that is offered in the same price bucket at 65 to 79 dollars. This price point makes it a hard sell for those looking for an inexpensive gaming card. But this card was not built to push those limits, but to do the work that many a soccer mom does to preserve the family history in a digital format, convert media to a format usable by portable devices, or to clean up those shaky family movies."

"P55 motherboards come in all shapes and sizes while retailing for prices that are sure to fit anyone's budget. On one end of the spectrum we have the budget friendly, basic products while on the other there are the high-end, feature rich enthusiast boards like the ASUS Maximus III Formula. This board looks to offer everything an overclocker could want and them some. Let's hope it delivers."

"So you have yourself a nifty laptop, working away diligently when you start to realize you might need more desktop space. Using a laptop, you find yourself locked into that 15-inch monitor but you need more room, what do you do? Well Samsung might have the perfect solution for you, if you have the extra space; the Samsung LD190G USB Monitor."

"It happens to be one of the two fastest HyperX 2133MHz DDR3 Dual Channel Memory kits in Kingston's arsenal. It's similar to the elite stuff we we saw in action at the GIGABYTE's P55 launch party clocking in at over 2400MHz and it's called the HyperX KHX2133C9D3T1K2/4GX Dual Channel Memory. Boy, is this stuff ever fast!"

"Running with a higher spindle speed of 7,200 RPM and boasting twice the cache of a Scorpio, the Scorpio Black represents the epitome of Western Digital mobile hard disk drive technology."

"Today I've got a brief review for you of another product from Speck, it's called the TwoZip and it's made to be a case for carrying you 2.5" hard drive around, but it can be used for anything really. The TwoZip gets it's name because it has two zippers on it for the two compartments, one large one for the hard drive and one for the cable basically. It's nicely made of durable cloth, with two compartments that are slightly padded and lined with a soft material, and it features heavy duty zippers as well. So read on to learn more about a useful little product from Speck"

"We mentioned in our standalone review that there was really more to the HD 5970 than just what meets the eye. We also covered the fact that ATI have kind of pushed this whole thing about the HD 5970 being "Unlocked." At first glance it's a little hard to figure what exactly ATI mean when they're saying this. Generally speaking, in the computer world the term "Unlocked" tends to refer to a CPU and the fact that it is multiplier unlocked.

So, what does this whole "Unlocked" mean for ATI’s latest giant card? Well, you can't enter some secret key combination and unlock more stream processers or ROPs, nor is there a secret to gaining extra memory. What ATI mean by saying the model is "Unlocked" is its overclocking ability."

"One of the best way to save money and still get a kick ass home theater set up has always been three words, “build it yourself”. Now the company Saybas is changing that and hopefully for the better with the Popcorn Hour C200. The Popcorn Hour C200 is a Network Media Tank that promises to pack a wallop when it comes to home theater set up’s. Thanks to Saybas you now have the option to purchase one of their sleek looking Popcorn Hour C200 units and still have enough in your budget to purchase a few of the latest blockbusters. Ladies and gentleman follow me as I review Saybas’s Network Media Tank, the Popcorn Hour C200."

"As a simple NAS device allowing you to connect up to four USB hard drives to your network, the Seagate DockStar shines. Toss in the capability of using the PogoPlug online service, and the DockStar becomes even more valuable for the average consumer. It is extremely easy to setup and configure, and anybody that can follow simple instructions should be able to use it."