Here a roundup of today's reviews and articles, including Hands on with Microsoft's Perceptive Pixel;, The 50 Best Free iPhone Apps of 2013, ECS GANK Drone Z87H3-A3X L337 Gaming Motherboard Review, ADATA HE720 500GB Slim External Hard Drive Review, and Netgear R6250 Dual Band Gigabit Smart WiFi Router Review



Hands on with Microsoft's Perceptive Pixel; or why I need to borrow $7000 @ Neowin.net

We got some hands on time with Microsoft's Perceptive Pixel and one thing is for sure, this oversized tablet is a fantastic result of Microsoft engineering that is not getting enough attention.

Read more: Hands on with Microsoft's Perceptive Pixel; or why I need to borrow $7000 @ Neowin.net

The 50 Best Free iPhone Apps of 2013 @ TechReviewSource.com

The way to get the most out of your iPhone, whether it's a brand-new iPhone 5s or an older model, is to load it up with great apps. Of course, all those microcharges for 99-cent apps can add up, which is why you're doing yourself a favor by finding the best free ones that are available. Why pay for an app when a free alternative can do the job just as well? In many cases, they do.

Read more: The 50 Best Free iPhone Apps of 2013 @ TechReviewSource.com

Corsair CS Modular 550W Review @ Hexus

They say you can't have too much of a good thing. Component manufacturer Corsair is clearly of this thinking as the company is adding yet another range of power supplies to its burgeoning line-up, now encompassing eight distinct models. The latest entrant is dubbed the CS Series Modular, available in capacities from 450W through to 750W, and rated to the 80 PLUS Gold standard with respect to efficiency.

Read more: Corsair CS Modular 550W Review @ Hexus

Scythe Kaze Chrono Review @ Funky Kit

First of all I want to thank Scythe again for providing me with the Kaze Chrono fan controller.
Who doesn't know fan controllers? The ugly bays with knobs you put in your computer case to change the speeds of your fans to keep your computer from overheating. Maybe, but there are also cool fan controllers with a beautiful LCD display and easy to use buttons to control everything. The Kaze Chrono even warns you when a fan stops spinning to prevent overheating or bad airflow.
The Scythe Kaze Chrono is a multifunctional fan controller which supports up to 4 fans and you can individually change the fan speed for every fan.
Then you also have some temperature sensors included you can install anywhere in your case (or somewhere else) to get the temperatures of that particular area in your computer.
And at last you also have a clock, so you can see how late it is, obviously.

Read more: Scythe Kaze Chrono Review @ Funky Kit

ECS GANK Drone Z87H3-A3X L337 Gaming Motherboard Review @ Legit Reviews

ECS is working on making a bigger name for themselves. Recently they have been coming out with motherboards like the GANK Machine Z87H3-A2X Extreme that are targeted at the enthusiast level market. Today we have a second motherboard from the ECS L337 gaming series of boards, the GANK Drone Z87H3-A3X. The Drone is still targeted at enthusiasts, though more at the enthusiast on a budget as the Drone Z87H3-A3X is hitting the streets with a price tag of only $119.99!

Read more: ECS GANK Drone Z87H3-A3X L337 Gaming Motherboard Review @ Legit Reviews

Sony KD-55X9005A Review @ TechRadar

Ultra HD is an expensive hobby. However, after a year or so of extortionate five-figure sums being bandied around, the new 4K format is finally beginning to slip from the bracket marked 'footballer' to one with a slightly less salubrious 'AV enthusiast' tag.At the vanguard is this 55-incher, which has received an almost immediate price drop from £4,000 to £3,299, thanks to Toshiba's decision to sell its own 58-inch attempt at 4K for a mere £2,999.Ultra HD and 4K TV: Everything you need to knowWith a screen that measures 55-inches in the diagonal, the KD-55X9005A is just about big enough - in our humble opinion - to make the best of Ultra HD sources (not that there are many of them). However, the KD-55X9005A has got something that rival Ultra HD TVs don't have; amazing speakers.

Read more: Sony KD-55X9005A Review @ TechRadar

Sennheiser Presence Bluetooth HD Headset Review @ TechnologyX

Earlier this year Sennheiser released Presence, a Bluetooth headset geared towards business professional's on-the-go, and Technology X got the opportunity of taking one for a test drive. For those of you who are not familiar with Sennheiser, they are a German based company that has been producing audio electronics for the past 70 years. Their focus ranges from aviation headsets to consumer earphones, and Sennheiser's products have even gone as far as winning the Philo. T. Farnsworth award for significantly impacting television technology and engineering.

Read more: Sennheiser Presence Bluetooth HD Headset Review @ TechnologyX

Review: Max Keyboard Blackbird Tenkeyless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard @ Custom PC Review

It’s been well over a year since my last mechanical gaming keyboard review and I’d have to say not much has radically changed in the mechanical gaming keyboard landscape. Cherry MX switches are still the most popular mechanical keyboard switches out there and for the most part, most new mechanical gaming keyboards on the market are becoming some sort of ODM sourced product from some mass keyboard manufacturer in China.

Today we’ll be reviewing the Max Keyboard Blackbird, which is a new tenkeyless mechanical gaming keyboard from the guys who brought you the Max Keyboard Nighthawk series mechanical gaming keyboards. Whereas the Nighthawk series was an off the shelf ODM model with a couple small customizations from Max Keyboard, the new Blackbird tenkeyless is more of a custom design with features implemented based on input from keyboard enthusiasts. Today’s review will be focused on the Max Keyboard Blackbird with the Cherry MX Brown switches and blue LED backlighting although the Blackbird also comes in models with Cherry MX Blue switches and red LED backlighting as well.

Tenkeyless, mechanical and fully backlit? Excited! Let’s dive right in to the review!

Read more: Review: Max Keyboard Blackbird Tenkeyless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard @ Custom PC Review

REVIEW: Gigabyte Aivia Uranium Mouse @ PureOverclock

Gigabyte is one of those companies that doesn’t need an introduction. When it comes to PC products their name speaks for itself. Gigabyte has been supplying us with quality products since 1986, producing motherboards, PC components, peripherals, complete systems and the list goes on. Today we have the opportunity to share one of their newest mouse. The Aivia Uranium is named after the symbol ‘U’ from the periodic table, which is where they came up with Uranium. The Aivia Uranium is remarkable gaming gear, delivering extraordinary power to all your game plays with its GHOST Macro Station, whose built-in memory in the receiver allows you to save commands or Macros. With a maximum of 6500dpi and 1Ghz polling rate, the 2100mAh NiMH rechargeable AA batteries are capable of lasting 50 continuous hours of gaming.

Read more: REVIEW: Gigabyte Aivia Uranium Mouse @ PureOverclock

Tesoro Kuven Devil 7.1 Virtual Gaming Headset Video Review @ HardwareHeaven.com

Today DaveChaos reviews the Kuven Devil 7.1 virtual gaming headset from Tesoro.

Read more: Tesoro Kuven Devil 7.1 Virtual Gaming Headset Video Review @ HardwareHeaven.com

NZXT Source 530 Full Tower Case Review @ Neoseeker

The computer case market can often hold value to different standards. Unlike graphics cards or CPUs, higher prices may not always mean better cooling or overall system performance. That's why many users end up springing for a "good enough" solution, following the philosophy that all computer enclosures fulfill pretty much the same purpose anyway. However as you begin to trek further up price segments, things like aesthetics, build quality, and ease-of-use features start to become the focal points. Denser materials, side panel windows, large-diameter fans, and radiator support become the norm. It's not a bad trade-off – your graphics card or motherboard may last you a generation or two of upgrades, but a good computer case will probably stick for several system builds before getting shelved. Even then, it will most likely be due to the notion of greener pastures rather than an actual product malfunction.

The Source 530 full tower case is NZXT's new iteration of its Source series. Carrying the mantra of "Keeping It Simple", the series combines the cooling potential and features that gamers typically expect while maintaining a low price point. It is the first full-tower case in the Source line, though the California-based company certainly isn't new to the market – its ever-popular Phantom and H series of full-tower and ultra-tower enclosures have grown to become common amongst gamers and enthusiasts due to an abundance of cooling and expansion potential at reasonable prices. The Source 530 is basically the best parts of those lineups, featuring support for up to 9 fans, a top-mounted 360mm radiator, modular hard drive cages, a 10-port fan hub, and E-ATX motherboards, all complemented by a large side panel window. It all comes together into a package retailing at an MSRP of $89.99 – a price point difficult to match even for most mid-tower cases.

Read more: NZXT Source 530 Full Tower Case Review @ Neoseeker

ADATA HE720 500GB Slim External Hard Drive Review @ HiTech Legion

A common notebook upgrade these days is replacing the mechanical drive with an SSD. It is a very logical route to go. After all, replacing an entire two year old laptop is going to garner you very little in terms of an upgrade, excepting the SSD. The current gen Core i5 mobile really won’t offer much in terms of performance over the last gen, screens haven’t evolved much, but the SSD offers a very noticeable performance increase. It isn’t an increase that is a few ticks in a synthetic benchmark, it is very large difference that is easily noticeable. This is not relegated to only last gen, but just about any notebook is going to see a huge, perceivable performance boost.

The one hang up here does tend to be drive size. Replacing a 500GB mechanical drive with a 500GB SSD is going to run over $300 for a quality drive. On the other hand, a 128GB SSD that can run your OS and programs can be had in the $90 range. But, what to do with all of your data? One solution is a USB 3.0 external drive. A 500GB drive that will likely be faster than your current drive will only run ~$70. This leaves you with a huge speed upgrade and no loss of storage for only $160. It also gives you the flexibility to take your data/multimedia with you anywhere to be shared on any computer. For many, this is a very obvious route, especially when a high quality, flexible external can be had.

Read more: ADATA HE720 500GB Slim External Hard Drive Review @ HiTech Legion

Holiday Gift Guide: Tablets, Smartphones, Laptops @ HotHardware.com

Portable devices are becoming ever more powerful, and users are increasingly utilizing them to keep up with news and friends, get work done, and for entertainment. Smartphones and tablets have never been so powerful, and if you're in market for either, it's going to be a fun holiday season, packed with some great options to choose from.

Whether it's for you or someone else, consider this your go-to guide for picking out the perfect tablet or smartphone. We're all about spreading the holiday cheer around here, and if it means sifting through dozens of devices to find the best ones, then so be it. That's what we do, and we'd much rather you spend your time this holiday season with your family and friends than clicking frantically around the web trying to make sense of all the mobile devices available. We've already done it, and these are our picks...

Read more: Holiday Gift Guide: Tablets, Smartphones, Laptops @ HotHardware.com

Lenovo Erazer X700 Gaming PC Review: Is It As Fast As It Looks? @ Toms Hardware

Famed for its ThinkPads, data center-oriented servers, and dependable office PCs, Lenovo is looking to carve out a piece of the enthusiast segment with its Erazer X700 gaming system. Can this sexy-looking setup stand up against our SBM configurations?

Read more: Lenovo Erazer X700 Gaming PC Review: Is It As Fast As It Looks? @ Toms Hardware

Western Digital WD My Cloud Personal Cloud Storage Device @ MEGATech Reviews

We create and consume far more content today than ever before. We have these huge music libraries to go with the thousands of high-resolution photos that we keep taking. It’s important to have a backup of all this treasured data, but at the same time, you don’t want to feel restricted with where you can access those pictures,, movies and music. And that’s where a product like the Western Digital WD My Cloud can come into the picture.

Many of us already know Western Digital as a trusted brand for hard drives and storage solutions, but the WD My Cloud goes further by effectively letting you own and control your own personal cloud. It may look like one of their other external hard drives, but the WD My Cloud is so much more than that. It can supplement or even replace public cloud services like Google Drive, Skydrive and Dropbox.

Read more: Western Digital WD My Cloud Personal Cloud Storage Device @ MEGATech Reviews

Corsair Vengeance 1500 V2 Gaming Headset Review @ KitGuru

Today we are taking a look at the updated Corsair Vengeance 1500 gaming headset. Boasting 50 mm drivers, Dolby 7.1 Surround and a closed-back design the latest revision promises better performance at a competitive price point. So, are they worth the £80 asking (http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SP-019-CS) price?

Read more: Corsair Vengeance 1500 V2 Gaming Headset Review @ KitGuru

ASUS Radeon R9 270 DirectCU II OC Review @ ocaholic

Today, we have a chance to check out the new ASUS Radeon R9 270 DC2OC graphics cards that is a part of ASUS' Radeon R9 line-up and features fully custom design, on both the PCB and the cooler. ASUS decided to use its own DirectCU II cooler that we had a chance to see on some ASUS graphics cards earlier. With a slight factory overclock and full custom design, we definitely wanted to see how it will perform against its big sister the Radeon R9 270X DirectCU II OC and the now retired Radeon HD 7870 DirectCU II Top V2.

Read more: ASUS Radeon R9 270 DirectCU II OC Review @ ocaholic

GeForce GTX 760 SLI vs GTX 780 @ ocaholic

Maybe you're one of the gamers out there who simply can't have enough power coming from the graphics department or maybe you want to assemble a gaming rig with a given budget and you want to get the very maximum out of it. In both cases the following article might be interesting and it might be quite surprising to see how well two GTX 760 in SLI can keep up with the one almost equally priced GTX 780.

Read more: GeForce GTX 760 SLI vs GTX 780 @ ocaholic

Shuttle XPC Barebone SH87R6 w/ Core i5-4570T @ techPowerUp

Shuttle is one of the few manufacturers to specialize in compact but powerful systems. We are testing the SH87R6 using their new R6 chassis. Equipped with Intel's H87 express chipset, it supports the latest Intel Haswell CPUs. It can also take a full length VGA card and two 3.5" or 2.5" drives and a 5.25" ODD.

Read more: Shuttle XPC Barebone SH87R6 w/ Core i5-4570T @ techPowerUp

Compro TN600W Review @ Vortez

Compro have been a key player in the network camera arena since the late 80s, their portfolio is packed with products that both the home and business user can take advantage of. Today we are back again, this time taking a look at the TN600W which was released back in July.

TN600W is a PTZ ready IP camera which brings with it WiFi functionality and the ability to stream live across the globe to any smartphone or tablet via C4Home.

Read more: Compro TN600W Review @ Vortez

Apple iPad mini Retina Review @ TechSpot

Each and every year, Apple refreshes their tablet line-up with new hardware and new features. The full sized iPad got faster, lighter, slimmer and even received a new name (iPad Air), while the second-generation mini is more impressive than ever, thanks to a major update.

This new iPad mini comes with a Retina display: a high-resolution 7.9-inch panel whose resolution is on-par with the Air at 2048 x 1536, bringing 326 pixels per inch. Not only that, but Apple’s new A7 system on a chip is included, alongside a larger battery in a shell that’s nearly identical in size to the original iPad mini. Some aspects of the device remain the same, such as the camera and the connectivity options, but it still has many new features that will hopefully satisfy.

Read more: Apple iPad mini Retina Review @ TechSpot

ASUS Z87I-PRO (LGA 1150) Mini-ITX Motherboard Review @ eTeknix

ASUS has been at the forefront of the high performance mini-ITX revolution since it became popularised by small form factor mini-ITX cases like Bitfenix’s Prodigy. Today we have one of those innovative mini-ITX solutions of which ASUS now have numerous for the Intel Haswell LGA 1150 socket. ASUS’ mini-ITX solutions include the Maximus VI Impact for Z87, the Q87T for Q87, the H81I-PLUS for H81, the H87I-PLUS for H87, the Z87I-DELUXE for Z87 and the Z87I-PRO for Z87 which we have with us today. In terms of the product segmentation both the Z87I-DELUXE and Maximus VI Impact are “better” motherboards than the Z87I-PRO that we have, but the Z87I-PRO is a more cost effective solution.

You’d think that smaller size means less features but it certainly does not as ASUS have done a great job to cram in as much as possible to the Z87I-PRO. Other than the inevitable loss of 2 DIMM lanes and all PCI connectivity except the main PCIe X16 lane ASUS have managed to preserve pretty much everything. You’ve got the full 6 SATA III ports from the Z87 PCH, 8 USB 3.0 ports and 6 USB 2.0 ports. They’ve even managed to cram in a 12 phase VRM with a vertically placed VRM daughter-board at the top.

Read more: ASUS Z87I-PRO (LGA 1150) Mini-ITX Motherboard Review @ eTeknix

Netgear R6250 Dual Band Gigabit Smart WiFi Router Review @ eTeknix

Most home users would like to get a little bit extra from their router, whether it be a better wireless signal or even media and printer sharing capabilities, there is only one option and that is to replace the supplied equipment. Thankfully, for those that will need the facility, a large number of routers come with a built in ADSL modem to get them connected, but other users like myself may not need this option if they have the likes of fibre broadband where a separate specialist modem is required.

Whilst Netgear produce a lot of enterprise level gear like access points and managed switches that we have recently seen, they have also for many years been producing consumer grade solutions that offer up some of the best wireless performance available on the market. Talking about wireless, for a number of years 54Mbps wireless has an was the standard and over the last few years we have seen the implementation of wireless-N taking wireless to the next level with improved range and speed. To improve on this current standing in wireless technology, we are now starting to see an extension and improvement again for the 802.11 standard with 802.11ac.

Read more: Netgear R6250 Dual Band Gigabit Smart WiFi Router Review @ eTeknix

Rosewill RPLC-200PKIT Powerline Adapter Kit Review @ Benchmark Reviews

WiFi is everyone these days; coffee shops, super markets, retail stores. If you are like most people, you also have WiFi at home. I think you would hard pressed to find an ISP that doesn't provide a wireless router with their services. WiFi is great. Right up until you need it to do something very important and it just doesn't quite cut it. Well, there is a solution. A device that will turn the power lines already run in your house into veritable network cables, ensuring that you always have a connection when and where you need it. In this article, Benchmark Reviews is testing the Rosewill RPLC-200PKIT Powerline Adapter Kit.

Read more: Rosewill RPLC-200PKIT Powerline Adapter Kit Review @ Benchmark Reviews