Mac OS X Lion Available Today From the Mac App Store

Apple today announced that Mac OS X Lion, the eighth major release of the world’s most advanced operating system with more than 250 new features, is available today as a download from the Mac App Store for $29.99. Some of the amazing features in Lion include: new Multi-Touch gestures; system-wide support for full screen apps; Mission Control, an innovative view of everything running on your Mac; the Mac App Store, the best place to find and explore great software, built right into the OS; Launchpad, a new home for all your apps; and a completely redesigned Mail app.

“Lion is the best version of OS X yet, and we’re thrilled that users around the world can download it starting today,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “Lion makes upgrading a Mac easier than ever before; just launch the Mac App Store, buy Lion with your iTunes account, and the download and install process will begin automatically.”

Additional new features in Lion include:

• Resume, which conveniently brings your apps back exactly how you left them when you restart your Mac or quit and relaunch an app;
• Auto Save, which automatically and continuously saves your documents as you work;
• Versions, which automatically records the history of your document as you create it, and gives you an easy way to browse, revert and even copy and paste from previous versions; and
• AirDrop, which finds nearby Macs and automatically sets up a peer-to-peer wireless connection to make transferring files quick and easy.

Pricing & Availability
Mac OS X Lion is available as an upgrade to Mac OS X version 10.6.6 Snow Leopard® from the Mac App Store for $29.99 (US). Lion is the easiest OS X upgrade and at around 4GB, it is about the size of an HD movie from the iTunes Store. Users who do not have broadband access at home, work or school can download Lion at Apple retail stores and later this August, Lion will be made available on a USB thumb drive through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com) for $69 (US). Mac OS X Lion Server requires Lion and is available from the Mac App Store for $49.99 (US).

Lion requires an Intel-based Mac with a Core 2 Duo, i3, i5, i7 or Xeon processor and 2GB of RAM. Lion is an upgrade and can be installed on all your authorized personal Macs. Details regarding Business and Education licensing can be found at apple.com/macosx.

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AMD Readies A8-3870 APU with Unlocked BClk Multiplier

After a modest launch of two Fusion A8 series desktop accelerated processing units (APUs) with A6-3650 and A8-3850, AMD is planning to launch a new APU that's better equipped for overclocking. The new A8-3870 APU will feature an unlocked base clock (BClk) multiplier that makes overclocking easier. Currently, a BIOS bug that is spread across motherboard manufacturers, lets users "set" a higher multiplier value for A8-3850 than it's advertised or capable of responding to, resulting in a false illusionary overclock that doesn't yield any performance improvements over the default 29x multiplier value. More on that here.

The A8-3870 APU, however, will have a genuinely unlocked multiplier, increasing the multiplier value will genuinely increase clock speeds and performance. The A8-3870 is expected to have a default clock speed of 3.10 GHz, four x86-64 cores, the GPU component with 600 MHz core clock, 400 stream processor, DirectX 11 compliant Radeon HD 6550D graphics, and dual-channel DDR3-1866 MHz integrated memory controller. Leaked product cycle slides indicate that AMD will release the A8-3870 Unlocked APU in Q4 2011.

Source: DonanimHaber

CM Storm Unveils Sirus 5.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset

Cooler Master, an industry leading chassis, thermal solution, peripheral, and accessory manufacturer, today announces the release of the new CM Storm Sirus 5.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset. Boosting no less than 8 speakers (4 on each side) Sirus delivers powerful, immersive 5.1 surround sound and marks the beginning of a new range of CM Storm audio gear for gamers and audiophiles alike.

Sirus delivers real 5.1 surround sound with a dedicated extra large 40mm sub driver for explosive bass sound. Thanks to no less than 6 additional 30mm drivers, each fed by a discrete audio channel, Sirus produces precise and crisp directional sounds. Combine all channels and pair it with the bundled Tactical Mixing Console and you get full 5.1 channel-adjustable, real-time 360 degree audio. In addition, Sirus is coupled with a uni-directional microphone with background noise cancellation that enables crystal clear communications with teammates to coordinate strikes or mock your enemy’s after a dominating victory.

Suitable for extended Missions
Engineered to provide ultimate comfort and style, CM Storm Sirus features a futuristic military design and extra large comfortable cushions that sit around your ears and not on them. You can choose between smooth leatherette and breathable weaved earpads that can be clipped on and off in-combat within a few seconds.

On-the-Fly Customizations
Setting itself apart from the competition, the CM Storm Sirus includes a Tactical Mixing Console that is capable of precise real-time adjustments to the all separate 8 speaker channels. Loading an FPS game? Quickly lower the center channel and raise the remaining channels to simultaneously reduce distractions from your own gun noise and steps and increase your ability to detect enemy footsteps with pinpoint accuracy.

Advanced Tuning
CM Storm Sirus features a Tactical Software Console to further tune the performance of the headset to each user’s needs. Those with a keen ear will appreciate the ability to delve deeper into the settings to make detailed changes to various levels or disguise their voices with a few simple clicks.

Praised with awards before hitting the battlefields!
Sirus has already won the Red Dot Design Award 2011 and Computex Design & Innovation Award 2011, both of them praising its futuristic rugged carbon looks with smooth rubberized surfaces that not only prevent fingerprints and smears but give it a solid comfortable grip, and its innovative 8 massive speaker design with on-the-fly channel control.

Pricing and Availability
The CM Storm Sirus 5.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset will be available in EU market beginning –August 2011 at an MSRP of 119.99€ (included VAT-TX) at every serious gaming gear shop.

For more information, visit the product page.

Sandy Bridge-E Model Numbers, Clock Speeds Surface

Here are details of the first three models of Intel's "Sandy Bridge-E" Core i7 processors in the LGA2011 package. Some of these details were made public as early as mid-April. It was then analyzed that Intel was driving two distinct lines of LGA2011 client processors: Enthusiast and Performance, and within Performance, there were BClk multiplier-unlocked six-core, and locked quad-core chips. With the new series, Intel will move to the 3000 series of processor model numbering, indicating that the new processors will be part of Intel's 3rd generation Core processors, even though they're based on the Sandy Bridge architecture.

Before we move to the model numbers, here's a quick run up of the brand extenders. "X" denotes Extreme Edition, "K" denotes "Unlocked" (BClk multipler unlocked). Leading the pack will be Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition. This six-core (6 cores, 12 threads with HTT) chip has a nominal clock speed of 3.30 GHz, Turbo Boost speed of up to 3.90 GHz, and features the full 15 MB of L3 cache present on the Sandy Bridge-E silicon. Expect this chip to have a four figure price-tag.

Next up, is the Core i7-3930K, with 6 cores, 12 threads, a nominal clock speed of 3.20 GHz, and Turbo Boost speed of 3.80 GHz; but 12 MB of L3 cache compared to 15 MB on the Extreme Edition chip. This chip features an unlocked BClk multiplier, making overclocking it possible.

The most affordable LGA2011 chip will be Core i7-3820, with 4 cores, 8 threads, nominal clock speed of 3.60 GHz, Turbo speed of 3.90 GHz, and just 10 MB of L3 cache. Unlike the other two, this one has its BClk multiplier locked. All three models feature quad-channel DDR3 memory controllers, but it is likely that the lower-end models could also have lower DRAM multiplier limits. All three chips will have other features in common, including a PCI-Express 3.0 root complex that gives out two x16 links to drive graphics.

Source: DonanimHaber

The Mouse Bungee Returns To Keep Your Mouse In Check

Back in ‘96, when Quake and rocket jumping were synonymous with skilled gaming, there was another product that helped gamers keep their competitive spirits revved and their mouse swiping optimal – the Mouse Bungee. And now 15 years on, Razer, the world’s leading high-end precision gaming brand has taken this well-loved old-school accessory and given it a modern makeover to keep up with the next generation of professional gamers.

The product was so well-loved by Razer that when its inventor Ed Larkin expressed interest in joining the team back in 2010, it was the perfect opportunity to bring him into the fold. Now Ed is part of Razer’s innovation team that forges new paths and progresses technological advancements for the betterment of gaming.

“Back in the old days, mice weren’t as well-made as today and the cord would tangle and drag against surfaces, a major source of annoyance for any serious gamer,” said Robert “RazerGuy” Krakoff, President, Razer. “Then the Mouse Bungee came along and solved all that by keeping the mouse cord off the ground so your swiping is optimally drag-free. Razer’s proud to rejuvenate such an innovative contraption for next generation gamers looking to achieve the highest level of gaming performance with their mice.”

Outfitted with a stable, taut arm, the Razer Mouse Bungee threads your mouse cord through to keep it from dragging against surfaces or tangling. This ensures your perfectly lined-up headshots aren’t messed up by unnecessary cord hindrance. Anti-slip feet and a weight installed in the Razer Mouse Bungee’s base ensure it remains immobile no matter how aggressive your swipes. Razer’s updated sleek design and pitch black finish makes it an essential space-saver and aesthetic addition to your gaming setup.

About the Razer Mouse Bungee
An exciting update to an old-school accessory, the Razer Mouse Bungee threads your mouse cord through its stable arm to prevent tangles or surface drags during swiping for improved game performance. Anti-slip feet and a weighted center ensure the Razer Mouse Bungee remains stationary no matter how crazy you swipe. Its sleek, space-saving design makes it an essential and aesthetic addition to any gaming setup.

Price: US$19.99 / EU€19.99;

Availability:
Razerzone.com – Preorder Now

Shipping 28th July
Worldwide – July 2011

Product features:

• Anti-slip feet
• Rust-resistant taut spring arm to allow cable flex
• Head grip for mouse cord management
• Weighted base for stability
• Space-saving structure

For more information, visit this page.

Cooler Master Cosmos II Pictured

Here are the first pictures of the Cooler Master Cosmos II, the next major version of the iconic PC case that solidified its maker's brand in the premium casing segment. The Cosmos II retains its trademark rail-suspended box shape of the original, and combines it with a wealth of features that became industry standards towards the end of the last decade. The Cosmos II is mostly black in color, and is curvier than the original. It's about the same size as Cosmos 1000. From the pictures, we can see that the case is airier, with gill-shaped intakes on the side panels.

The front features a feature-rich utility panel on the top, that includes USB 3.0 ports with standard headers, eSATA, and feather-touch buttons and LEDs. A sliding visor covers the external drive bays, once slided down, three 5.25" and two 3.5" bays are exposed, the bays have tool-free covers. Don't let the fact that there are just five exposed bays for a full-ATX case disappoint you, inside the case you will find no less than 11 internal drive bays arraged along two groups. Each of the bays take 3.5" drives, the tool-free drive trays can accommodate 2.5" drives such as SSDs, too. The lower group of bays is compartmentalized with a lid that can hold two 120 mm fans, while the upper group relies on the front-intake fans.

The PSU bay is roomy, padded to absorb vibrations, has a large intake for the PSU fan, and valved cutouts at the right spots to guide cables through. Then there's the spacious motherboard tray, which can even hold XL-ATX form-factor motherboards with 10 expansion slots. There is a wide opening behind the CPU socket area, suggesting that the board is game for even dual-socket motherboards such as the EVGA SR-2. There are plenty of holes to guide liquid-cooling tubes. The case has a number of spots you can install fans in, apart from the usual front intakes, rear exhaust, and top exhausts, there are side intakes, and intakes for the drive bays.

Update: Our sources tell us that Cosmos II will be available in the markets by late September or early October.

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A8-3850 Has Ineffective BClk Multiplier

"Empty Overclocking" is a term we just made up, to describe unreal overclocking headroom that does not translate into any performance improvements, with AMD's A8-3850 APU. This chip has an upwards unlocked base clock (BClk) multipler. Setting it above the factory default will increase clock speed (at least the clock speed that's reported to you), but that "increased" clock speed will not translate to any performance improvements at all.

This means that the multiplier is ineffective in driving the clock above its maximum default value. So the next time you see screenshots screaming something like "6.00 GHz" on air with the base clock at its default 100 MHz, don't be fooled, trust only those overclocking feats in which the multiplier is set at the maximum default (29.0x) or lesser, and in which the overclocker has increased the base clock among other things.

Update: It seems like AMD is aware of the issue, and forewarned reviewers about it. Apparently a glitch in the BIOS code allows the users to "set" higher multiplier values than the chip can respond to, even as the chip doesn't run at those values. Utilities like CPU-Z read those BIOS-set values and display the effective clock speed, even as the actual clock speed doesn't budge. AMD recommends only the base clock increase method for overclocking. As always, AMD warned that overclocked chips are not covered by product warranties. Perhaps future BIOS updates by motherboard vendors will fix this bug.

Source: OCWorkbench, Image Courtesy Newegg.com

Prolimatech Designs Camouflage Series Heatsinks to Complement ASUS TUF Sabertooth

n late June, Prolimatech unveiled its latest variant of the Megahalems heatsink, the Black Edition, which has a grainy matte surface that is designed to radiate heat better than the smooth piano-black fins on the Super Mega (an older black-colored Megahalems variant). Now, Prolimatech is taking it further with the Camouflage series of heatsinks based on the Megahalems and Genesis heatsink designs. The two feature fin stacks that are mostly black, but with a dash of pale green that blends perfectly with the color of chipset and VRM heatsinks on ASUS TUF Sabertooth series motherboards.

Both heatsinks feature fins with matte surfaces. The Megahalems Camouflage is an aluminum fin dual-stack tower-type heatsink. Six nickel-plated copper heat pipes pass through the base, making a U-shape. On each of the two arms of the "U", is an independent stack of fins. Some of the upper fins have a dash of the pale green color. The Genesis Camouflage has a unique heatsink design in which six heat pipes that pass through the base convey heat to two differently oriented aluminum fin stacks: one propagates perpendicular to the plane of the motherboard, the other parallel to it, hovering over the memory area. Pricing and availability details are not known.

Source: Expreview

Gigabyte G1.Killer Series Meets Sandy Bridge with New G1.Sniper 2 Motherboard

Gigabyte released pictures of G1.Sniper 2, the company's first socket LGA1155 motherboard in the G1.Killer series of motherboards designed for gamers with overclocker alter-egos (the same market ASUS Republic of Gamers targets). The board is based on the Intel Z68 Express chipset without any additional PCI-E bridge chip such as NVIDIA nForce 200. The board supports 2nd generation Core "Sandy Bridge" LGA1155 processors. The first G1.Sniper was a LGA1366 motherboard based on Intel X58 chipset.

Apart from being yet another high-end 2-way SLI/CrossFire Z68 motherboard, which Gigabyte's mainline Z68X series motherboards already achieve, the G1.Sniper 2 packs two extremely gamer-specific onboard devices: the Bigfoot Killer E2100 low-latency, high-offload PCI-Express network controller with its of dedicated memory; and Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi hardware audio with CA20K2 PCIe processor and 64 MB XRAM, backed by a high-grade Cirrus Logic DAC and OPAMP circuit, driving signal-noise ratio easily above 105 dBA with punchy bass.

That aside, the G1.Sniper 2 is your typical high-end LGA1155 motherboard, with 12-phase CPU VRM, 2-phase for the dual-channel DDR3 memory; expansion slots that include two PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x8/x8 when both are populated), two each of PCI-E x1 and legacy PCI; storage connectivity that include two SATA 6 Gb/s, five SATA 3 Gb/s, one power eSATA; four USB 3.0 ports (two by header), and HDMI being the lone display output. Given that Killer E2100 and SB X-Fi are together worth well over $200 when purchased as separate add-on cards, one can expect this to be the most expensive LGA1155 motherboard from Gigabyte, yet.

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ASUS WX-Lamborghini Wireless Mouse Appears in Stores

ASUS detailed its WX-Lamborghini wireless mouse, which has been in cold-storage since September 2010, when it was first spotted. ASUS is an authorized manufacturer of Lamborghini-branded electronics, which has a line of high-end notebooks branded and inspired by the fast-car maker. Measuring 106.5 x 68 x 36 mm, the design of this mouse is inspired by the Lamborghini Concept S, the mouse uses 2.4 GHz wireless technology with a range of up to 10 meters from its receiver. The optical sensor's resolution can be set between 800 and 2,500 dpi. It has a total of 7 buttons, and a vertical scroll-wheel that's resembles the design of Lamborghini's stock wheel. It is retailing in Europe for around €38.

Sources: TechConnect Magazine, TechinStyle.tv