PC

Thermal management specialist Asetek has developed a new pump technology that promises to deliver both quieter computing and optimum cooling performance. Liquid Temperature Fan Control offers users either automated fan speed adjustment for plug and play usability or hands-on tweaking, for those who like to take control of their hardware. The company has also updated and re-issued its ChillControl monitoring and control application - a one-stop-shop for checking, defining and adjusting system cooling performance parameters.  Read More

While the various flavors of games console have introduced gaming to the living room, the weapon of choice for most serious gamers is the PC. Not many would settle for an off-the-shelf gaming PC like the one in front of me, opting for a self build or custom model instead. Those who fall in the latter group will definitely be interested in the Luxury edition gaming PC from Pure PC. Benefiting from an open design that's said to help dissipate heat without the need for too many noisy fans, the high-end gaming rig is powered by a Core i7 chip which can be overclocked to 5GHz, at least two NVIDIA graphics cards and up to 24GB of memory. There's a choice of twin SSD or dual HDD storage, USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 connectivity and a Blu-ray burner. So how much would such a system cost? Read on to find out ...  Read More

In addition to the company's Slider PC7 computer, Samsung's high-end Series 9 laptop was one of the CES 2011 standouts that we wanted to go back and take a look at. Many have billed it as a Macbook Air killer, and though we wouldn't go quite that far, the comparison is certainly a valid one. The Series 9 sports a sleek design that will likely turn just as many heads as the afore-mentioned Cupertino competitor.  Read More

While mobile devices have attracted a large part of the casual gaming market, PC games still offer a depth and adaptable user interface that is impossible to match on mobile phones, tablets, or even consoles. With that in mind, gaming-oriented peripherals manufacturer Razer has unveiled a concept device at CES 2011. Called the Razer Switchblade, it looks to bring PC desktop gaming to a portable form factor.  Read More

Pioneer has announced that it's started shipping the world's first optical personal computer drive capable of reading and writing to the new BDXL Blu-ray format. The integration of additional layers into Blu-ray discs offers a single quadruple-layer storage capacity of up to 128GB, and will likely see the new device head straight for media professionals who need to archive broadcast quality, high-definition video.  Read More

The Jack PC from Chip PC Technologies offers a neat and novel thin-client desktop computing solution where the computer doesn't just plug into the wall, it is the plug in the wall. Running on power provided by the ethernet cable that also connects it to the data center server, the computer-in-a-wall-socket supports wireless connectivity, has dual display capabilities and runs on the RISC processor architecture – which gives the solution the equivalent of 1.2GHz of x86 processing power.  Read More

As a longtime fan of the ThinkPad line, I have to admit to being more than a little curious about Lenovo's new ThinkCenter M70z just released in Japan. More than a little clunky-looking, this all-in-one desktop PC is marketed to Enterprise customers and runs Windows 7. With a multi-touch display, the M70z invites you to lay your hands all over it. Think of it as iMac's heftier, more promiscuous cousin.  Read More

In April, NEC announced plans to release a 3D all-in-one (AIO) desktop PC sometime this year. They were probably hoping to lay claim to being the first company to bring such a product to the market but they’ve been beaten to the punch by MSI, who is set to release its Wind Top AE2420 3D AIO PC that also boasts a touchscreen and is also the first AIO PC to feature USB 3.0 ports. Sporting a 24-inch Full HD (1080p) multi-touch display comprising a 120Hz LED panel, the AE2420 3D comes with one pair of rechargeable wireless active shutter glasses and 2D to 3D conversion capabilities.  Read More

Video games and beer – together at last! Actually, a visit to just about any college dorm or rec room will show you that video games and beer can regularly be found together, but now they’re available from the same machine. It’s called the Gamerator, and it combines a classic 80s-style video arcade machine with a mini fridge capable of holding a pony keg of beer and a five-pound aluminum CO2 tank. Bring on the blue ghosts!  Read More