Epox's 8HDA5+, The PC Plasma Ball & Other Goodies

Good afternoon folks!  How is everybody doing today?  I hope those of you in the northeast are enjoying the awesome weather we're having.  All I can say is thank God for WiFi! :)  There's been some more activity the last few hours, so I figured I'd pop back in serve up another helping of news.  So, here you go...

 Epox 8HDA5+ Review @ Neoseeker:

"The 8HDA5+ has one of the most full-featured back panels, putting the majority of the really important stuff on without needing to resort to multiple headers and twenty PCI brackets. You can see the dual LAN onboard, SPDIF and Coaxial outputs as well as the 6 jacks for the 7.1 sound. Unlike other motherboards that use the line-in and microphone jacks for the center and rear channels, you can actually use the microphone while using surround sound. Big bonus for you gamers who like to talk smack while listening to the bullets whiz around in full 7.1 glory."

 PC Plasma Ball @ XYZ Computing:

"We have another review for you! XYZ Computing just took at look at the PC Plasma Ball, available at Xoxide.com. The PC Plasma Ball is a miniature Van de Graaf generator that can be placed on our desk or even in your car. Its the coolest computer add-on that we have seen in some time."

 Quetec 4-in-1 Wireless Solution Review @ myWORLD Hardware:

"Quetec has brought us a uniquely innovative product that performed admirably. Their all-in-one concept provides a cheap alternative to setup Wireless Network without forking out a big wad of cash. Another bonus is its ease of setup, which makes it appealing for novice users who want to start on making their networks cable free. The provided software/driver is also relatively easy to customize and settings are amended live in a matter of seconds. From Internet Sharing to WEP, the software is able to provide a straightforward setup without compromising functionality."

 Ars Technica: Mac.Ars takes on security: <-- Very good stuff, you have to love Ars...

"Viruses, Trojan horses, and worms have been around for a long time. Until recently, many Mac users have thought of such things as somebody else's problem. Now with news of various bits of malware and browser exploits for Mac OS X being in circulation, it is time to take a look at the state of security on OS X.

The facade of the inherent safety of Mac OS X is rapidly being stripped away, and Mac.Ars is here to take a look at the phenomenon as well as examine the implications for Apple and how it deals with security issues. In addition, there is coverage of the new PowerPC emulator for x86 (PearPC) and Apple's announcement of the creation of an iPod Division within Apple."

 Coolmax Fanless Switching PSU @ TechTastic.ca:

"One of the newer trends for computer enthusiasts nowadays is to build a silent computer system. This can involve using larger fans at lower rpms to get the same potential as the smaller fans. Videocards can now be outfitted with fanless heatsinks with heatpipes technology, etc. One potential source of noise that hasn't been dealt with comes from the power supply. That is till now. Coolmax has stepped up to the plate with their new Fanless Switching Power Supply. This power supply operates completely silent with absolutely no fans."

 Beginners Guides: Diagnosing Bad Hard Drives @ PCStats:

"The hard drive is the single most important device behind the mass acceptance of personal computers in the home and workplace. The ability to save significant amounts of data within a computer itself, rather than being forced to place it on external media finally fulfilled the potential that the PC had never quite lived up to, at least as a business tool."

OK, gotta run.  Be cool folks.  Comeback soon!  Come back often!