Here a roundup of today's reviews and articles:

Acer XR341CK review: first 34" 75Hz FreeSync monitor
Amazon Fire Review
Blackbird MX-1 USB 3.1 PCIe Card Review
Compact Mini-ITX Case Round-Up
Fox Web Security add-on for Firefox
Hands-on review: HP ZBook Studio
How to Create ZFS Filesystem with File Compression on Linux
Install Kodi 15.2 on Ubuntu 15.10
Interactive Fit for Fan guide - will the cooler fit on this motherboard
MSI Z170I Pro Gaming AC Preview
NZXT GRID+ V2 Digital Fan Controller Review
Rantopad FF Gaming Mouse and MAX Aluminum Pad Review
Rivet Networks Q&A: From The Bigfoot Killer NIC To Qualcomm And Back
Tenda AC15 AC1900 Router
The NOON VR Headset; VR Goes Mobile
Zalman ZM-K700M keyboard Review
Zotac Premium Edition 240GB Solid State Drive Review

Acer XR341CK review: first 34" 75Hz FreeSync monitor

2015 remains a good year for monitors, with a lot of new models and sequential, incremental innovations. The Acer XR341CK is a familiar face in many areas. 34" diagonal, a slightly curved panel, UWQHD resolution. However, it brings some new tricks to the table: a higher-than-standard refresh rate and Freesync support. We tested Acer's 'entertainment monitor' and conclude that there is no better choice at the moment for all-round gamers. 

Read full article @ Hardware.Info

Amazon Fire Review

Whereas even two years ago tablets in various shapes and sizes were still selling like hot cakes, global sales have taken a turn for the worse of late. Even Apple, virtual founder of the form factor, has been feeling the pinch – and Amazon is no Apple.Manufacturers are increasingly targeting the budget end of the market with a slew of polycarbonate slates for the masses, of which Amazon's £50 (US$50) Fire is the latest example; indeed the tablet is so cheap and cheerful that the e-tailer is selling it in multi-packs – buy five and get a sixth free!Amazon is trying to be everything Apple isn't, and reach every nook and cranny that Cupertino hasn't. While Apple is preaching to the high-end converted, Amazon is setting its sights on every tablet-deprived Tom, Dick and Harry.At such low price points the big question, of course, becomes: what about quality? If spending £399 (US$499) or more on a tablet guarantees a smooth user experience, a machined glass and metal body and class-leading specs, what compromises will inevitably be encountered in the budget knock-off?DesignThe Amazon Fire tablet looks rather like one of those prototype slates you occasionally see in blurry screenshots taken in foreign labs – and in the hand it feels much the same as you suspect one of those devices might.In short, everything that the iPad is, the Amazon Fire is not.

Read full article @ TechRadar

Blackbird MX-1 USB 3.1 PCIe Card Review

If you are looking for an easy way to add USB 3.1 Type-A & Type-C ports to an older PC that doesn't have any the only real option you have is to install a PCI-Express x4 add-in card which provides a pair of USB 3.1 ports. This is a rather inexpensive way to add the latest USB 3.1 ports that are rated at 10Gbps to an aging computer to give it a little upgrade to ensure you are getting the most performance possible from your desktop PC. There are a number of add-in cards on the market that can do this, but today we are taking a closer look at the Blackbird MX-1 USB 3.1 add-in card that runs $39.99 Shipped on Amazon...

Read full article @ Legit Reviews

Compact Mini-ITX Case Round-Up

Today we're putting three compact Mini-ITX cases to the test: Cougar's QBX, ID-Cooling's T60-SFX and Lian Li's PC-Q10.

Read full article @ Toms Hardware

Fox Web Security add-on for Firefox

Fox Web Security is a neglected add-on for the Firefox web browser that blocks or allows connections to websites based on blocklist information of the three DNS providers Yandex, OpenDNS and Norton ConnectSafe.

There are plenty of security solutions out there for the Firefox web browser to improve the default state of the browser in this regard.

Fox Web Security takes a different approach than most as it uses the DNS system to allow or block connections.

Read full article @ gHacks

Hands-on review: HP ZBook Studio

The HP ZBook Studio mobile workstation (starting at $1,699, about £1,118, AU$2,400) is the perfect compromise between style and performance. Unlike mobile workstations of the past, which were heavy, ugly and really only meant to be transported when necessary, the Studio blends consumer-level style with business-class performance. This 15.6-inch laptop competes with devices like the Lenovo ThinkPad P50. Both notebooks feature 4K displays, Intel Xeon processors and Nvidia Quadro Graphics, which means you're running top-of-the-line visuals with optimal processing and graphics performance. Unfortunately for Lenovo, the Studio is a lighter and thinner device that looks and feels a lot cooler. DesignThe Studio is only 0.7 inches (18mm) thick and 4.4 pounds (1.9kg), which is about 0.3 inches thinner and 1.2 pounds lighter than the P50. This isn't exactly light, especially if you're comparing it to consumer laptops. However, for a mobile workstation, this is an excellent size. In fact, it's less than a pound heavier than the Surface Book and the same weight as the 15-inch MacBook Pro, neither of which comes with a Xeon processor or more than 1TB of storage. The laptop is built with a black, studded aluminum and magnesium chassis that is a pleasure to touch. You won't notice any fingerprints or smudges when you handle this device, which can't be said about the stain-heavy P50.

Read full article @ TechRadar

How to Create ZFS Filesystem with File Compression on Linux

ZFS filesystem is getting a wider recognition on Linux. In ZFS, you can enable compression at the filesystem level. This will store the data in compressed format, which will save lot of disk space. In this article, well explain how to create the filesystem from the ZFS storage pool and enable compression on ZFS.

Read full article @ The Geek Stuff

Install Kodi 15.2 on Ubuntu 15.10

Kodi (formerly known as XBMC) is an award-winning free and open source (GPL) software media center for playing videos, music, pictures, games, and more. Kodi runs on Linux, OS X, Windows, iOS, and Android, featuring a 10-foot user interface for use with televisions and remote controls. It allows users to play and view most videos, music, podcasts, and other digital media files from local and network storage media and the internet.

Read full article @ Ubuntu Geek

Interactive Fit for Fan guide - will the cooler fit on this motherboard

Since the year 2001 OCinside.de followed the question, which CPU cooler can be used for which motherboard. With this interactive fit for fan guide one can find out exactly this with a few clicks, by moving the desired CPU cooler virtually on the selected motherboard. You can not only see if CPU cooler fits on the motherboard and how much space is left for the remaining components, but also listen to the fan sound, check the current price and read a review. Now also with Intel LGA1151 motherboards and many new CPU coolers !

Read full article @ OCInside.de

MSI Z170I Pro Gaming AC Preview

With the Z170I Pro Gaming AC MSI has a new mini ITX motherboard in its portfolio, which comes with a very reasonable feature mix and an attractive price point. There is for example an M.2 slot as well as a well positioned CPU socket and a WiFi AC module.

Read full article @ ocaholic

NZXT GRID+ V2 Digital Fan Controller Review

The NZXT Grid+ V2 is a voltage regulated, 30W digital fan controller fits in practically any case (it’s about the size of two SSDs stacked on top of each other) and adds digital fan control capability for up to eight fans across six separate channels. Join Benchmark Reviews as we take a quick look at the capabilities NZXT’s GRID+ V2 digital fan controller will bring to your build.

Read full article @ Benchmark Reviews

Rantopad FF Gaming Mouse and MAX Aluminum Pad Review

The FF Gaming Mouse from Rantopad is clearly not in the same league as the other high-end products we have tested in more recent reviews, but comes with good quality materials and is shape is quite comfortable to be used for many hours at a time. While most manufacturers nowadays like to leave the mouse performance customization via software, FF Mouse allows adjustment via two switches on its bottom, for Polling Rate and DPI. At the heart of the mouse we will find the proven Avago A3090 sensor, which can drive the DPI up to 3500.

Read full article @ Madshrimps

Rivet Networks Q&A: From The Bigfoot Killer NIC To Qualcomm And Back

PC gamers and longtime HotHardware readers will no doubt be familiar with the Killer series of network controllers. We’ve taken a look at a number of the add-in versions over the years, including the original beast with the massive “K” heatsink. Many of today’s gamer-targeted motherboards also feature Killer networking technology, for example.

Though at their core Killer NICs are network controllers, that function just like more basic, mainstream solutions, they offer additional features designed to enhance performance and potentially improve the gaming experience. How the Killer NICs work their magic isn’t quite clear to gamers, however, so we thought we’d chat with the folks at Rivet Networks – the current purveyors of Killer Networking product – to learn more about what the company is up to and where it’s headed...

Read full article @ HotHardware.com

Tenda AC15 AC1900 Router

When it comes to networking nearly all of the companies that come to mind have been around for what seems like forever. It is rare to see new companies bust into the market. Well recently a new company called Tenda reached out to me about covering their latest router. I found out when researching them that Tenda has actually been around for 16 years, even though their name isn’t exactly a household name. The AC15 router that they wanted me to check out caught my eye though and I figured I would see what Tenda has to offer and find out if their new AC1900 router has what it takes to be the router you go with when moving to Wireless AC.

Read full article @ LanOC Reviews

The NOON VR Headset; VR Goes Mobile

The future of virtual reality looks bright. The first purpose-built consumer VR headsets are coming onto the market over the next six months, and PC users have been promised a whole new world of interactivity. Yet big advancements are also being made on the mobile side, with new devices that take advantage of the better processors and high-res displays of the latest smartphones to give you VR on the go. But with the big divide in computing power between desktops and smartphones, are we ready for mobile VR? The Noon VR is an attempt to answer that question.

Virtual reality headsets use a pair of lenses to focus the viewer’s eyes on a screen a few inches from their face, and display a separate image per eye to give the user the perception of looking in three dimensions. Head tracking is also important for VR, and while desktop versions such as the HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift use separate cameras to track your movement and adjust the image accordingly, the Noon VR and other mobile VR devices use your phone’s gyroscope to accomplish that feat.

Read full article @ Hardware Canucks

Zalman ZM-K700M keyboard Review

We review the Zalman ZM-K700M mechanical keyboard. This Cherry MX mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX red switches comes with a new single color (white) LED animation system. Overall a simple and straightforward looking yet intensely versatile keyboard with some very cool per key LED lighting features that can animate. It even has fiver game-macro keys that are programmable without the use of any software.

As Zalman extends a new chapter in their product line, called the Z-MACHINE Gaming gear range, they now introduce the ZM-K700M. A simple looking yet very extensive mechanical keyboard that has white per key LED back-lighting while being fitted with Cherry MX mechanical switches. It's not just all about the LEDs and cool lighting animations of course, the keyboard comes in a really sturdy black design and as simple as it is, it just looks incredible (though I'll immediately acknowledge that taste is a very subjective thing). The LED lit Cherry MX based keys are coated for long lasting letters, and yeah keys and can be lit and animated per key, withouth the use of software. A few LED animation modes are thrown in as well like wave, breathing and responsive effects.

Read full article @ Guru3D

Zotac Premium Edition 240GB Solid State Drive Review

Zotac is a company we mainly know for their high performance graphics cards and line of ZBOX Mini PC’s. Recently they announced they were getting into the solid state drive market with their Premium Edition solid state drive line. Entering the solid state drive market for Zotac makes more sense than most companies. The solid state drive market can be very profitable, plus it gives them an option for storage with their ZBOX line of mini PCs. Zotac’s Premium solid state drives are powered by the quad-core Phison S10 controller and matched with MLC NAND. Zotac will be initially offering this drive in 120 GB, 240 GB, and 480 GB versions. Today we have the 240 GB version (ZTSSD-A5P-240G-PE) on the review block. Let’s see if Zotac has a winner in their Premium Edition solid state drives!

Read full article @ ThinkComputers.org