Albatron K8SLI Motherboard, SwissBit Victorinox retroALOX 1GB
Good afternoon folks! It's been a while since we posted any links to the BIOS Optimization Guide over at Adrian's Rojak Pot, but he's been constantly adding new content to the ever growing list of BIOS features. Also in the news, well future news anyway, is the release of Quake 4 this friday. I'll breakout a "Woot!" for that!
Wireless Industry Leaders Promote Next-Generation Wi-Fi Technology to Accelerate IEEE Standards Development
The Enhanced Wireless Consortium has developed a specification that is designed to enable consumers to enjoy new levels of wireless performance, coverage and interoperability prior to ratification of an 802.11n standard. The EWC specification defines technologies that address the PC and networking equipment market, as well as emerging handheld and consumer electronic applications. The consortium has designed its specification to support speeds of up to 600 Mbps, and is considering the inclusion of other advanced technologies – including Space Time Block Coding (STBC) and beamforming – that will enable systems to deliver greater range for wireless products across multiple market segments and support advanced multimedia applications.
The EWC will make its draft product specification available for public download and will provide implementation rights to all silicon suppliers and system vendors who join the organization. Among the current members are Airoha*, Apple*, Atheros*, Azimuth*, Broadcom*, Buffalo*, Cisco Systems*, Conexant*, D-Link*, Intel Corporation, Lenovo*, Linksys*, LitePoint*, Marvell*, Metalink*, NETGEAR*, Ralink*, Realtek*, SANYO*, Sony*, Symbol Technologies*, Toshiba*, USRobotics*, WildPackets*, Winbond* and ZyDAS*. If the EWC specification is ratified by the IEEE, EWC members have agreed to make their relevant intellectual property (IP) available to all parties on reasonable and non-discriminatory (RAND) terms. For additional information about the Enhanced Wireless Consortium and a complete listing of member companies, please visit www.enhancedwirelessconsortium.org.
Members of the EWC will continue to work within the IEEE Task Group "N" to facilitate a ratified 802.11n standard. Its specification includes many elements of previous proposals, which will accelerate the completion of a merged proposal draft within the official IEEE timeline .
Technical Highlights
The EWC specification comprises a number of technical elements, including:
* Mixed-mode interoperability with 802.11a/b/g networks – provides enhanced performance while maintaining communication with legacy devices;
* PHY transmission rates up to 600Mbps – supports applications requiring high data rates (such as transmitting multiple HDTV streams), and reduces battery drain by minimizing the time required to send and receive data streams;
* Enhanced efficiency MAC with frame aggregation – brings actual throughput closer to the raw PHY rate, providing end users with at least 100 Mbps application level bandwidth;
* Use of 2.4GHz and/or 5GHz unlicensed bands – matches the frequency plan of existing 802.11 devices;
* 20MHz and/or 40MHz channel support – uses more of the wireless spectrum when available to enhance performance;
* Spatial multiplexing modes for simultaneous transmission using 1 to 4 antennas – increases robustness of wireless connections to support very high data rates;
* Enhanced range via multiple antennas and advanced coding – provides for a wider coverage area with consistent wireless speeds.
For information: Click here
SwissBit Victorinox retroALOX 1GB @ ThinkComputers.org
"What do you get when a company that makes fine quality utility knives and a company that makes memory products? You get a sophisticated and sleek next generation tool for the 21st century. What I am talking about is the retroALOX, created when Victorinox the famous makers of Swiss Army Knives and Swissbit, a maker of quality memory products collaborate together."
"In this issue: The approximately $0 audiophile amp, solar power, more LED downlights, video card gooping, kilowatt PSUs, IR cameras, bi-whatevering, regenerative bicycling, sodding Jamster, projector bulbs, laundry balls, wound glue, and more fun with in-line ad companies."
Google: The Microsoft of Tomorrow @ CoolTechZone.com
"People love bashing poor old Microsoft for no reason. Sure it has made more than a few terrible propositions throughout its existence (like buying out small firms that possessed unique bits of technology) to disarm startup competition, but is it all that dreadful? Okay, maybe it is..."
Creative Zen Vision 30Gb Portable Media Player Review @ Tweaknews.net
"Creative have decided to ditch Microsoft's Portable Media Center initiative along with their operating system for Creative's own in-house operating system, more codec support and a plethora of other features that I'm going to tell you all about in this review."
Albatron K8SLI Motherboard @ [H]ard|OCP
"The Albatron K8SLI is so plagued with bugs and configuration issues, there is no way we could recommend this motherboard to anyone."
