What's a blog?

So clearly i haven't posted on here in a while. I have been very busy and more than a bit lazy.

But lots has gone off; the Ipad has been launced, Windows Phone 7 has been launched, Playstation move, Xbox Kninect and a 3D Nintendo handheld. And a shed load of 3D tv's. I will get some reviews out on some if not all of these products in the near future, so dear readers (if any of you are left) i leave you with a sort of promise for more frequent updates. Until then Toodle-Pip

-GingerFox
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Windows 7 Phone Series

Let me start off by saying there is a lot to write about this, so i'm not going to. Instead I'm going to direct you to my favourite tech site, Engadget.

However, a small breakdown: Microsoft my favourite software giant is in the process of releasing its new windows mobile OS; Windows Mobile 7.
Which seems to be trying to integrate a lot of what Microsoft does, like its zune services and xbox live, plus a new marketplace for apps. So good stuff happening there, I believe in the corporate world its called 'synergy'

Also Microsoft seems to be taking a slightly more locked down approach, specifying minimum hardware requirements and what not, which I think is definitely a good move, it should improve the quality of phones.

And this is where I leave you to do more reading on Engadget, as they have had hands on time with the news phones and are as such better informed.

-GingerFox
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Want to know the real people behind the blog?

Its twitter time!

So i caved and joined twitter, it will be interesting at the very least.

Follow me:
http://twitter.com/Luke_UK


-Read
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-GingerFox

Apple has indeed launched a tablet, the iPad

I will update as i get them!
Is running a form of the ipod/iphone OS

• Full Capacitive multi-touch
  
• 16GB, 32GB or 64 GB
• 0.5 inches thick, 1.5 pounds
• 9.7inch IPS display
• The 1GHz Apple A4 chip.
• Bluetooth
• Wifi 802.11n
• Accelerometer
  
• Compass
• Speaker and Mic
• 10 hours batter life
• Run iphone apps unmodified!
• Has no trouble with youtube HD
• Optional 3G!

All looks very slick so far, when using iphone/ipod apps they run in a small window nativly, but can be full screened. Which looks silly on some (facebook app springs to mind) but on others pretty good, like racing games.

Has a ibook app for downloading ebooks ( ePub format), buy them straight from the ipad, has a virtual bookshelf, nice touch.

Models with 3G, they will be unlocked, in the US AT&T giving 250mb a month for $14.99 unlimited for $29.99 with no contract.
Price starting at $499 at current exchange rate that's £308 but I would imagine it being a lot more than that in the UK.
Availability 60 days for the wifi only version, 90 days for the 3G version.

-GingerFox
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Antec 900 Review

Antec 900 Review

The Antec 900 is a truly massive case.... hight wise, but length wise, its not a great deal bigger than your average PC chassis, and that's is its main flaw, instead of paying £80 odd to buy a big case, you've got a slightly taller, modified standard chassis that doesn't offer you much space in terms of neat, tidy upgrades.

For instance, I've installed my Radeon HD 5850 into it, and as a result of its relatively short length, I had to move one of the hard drives, down a notch on the cages, not a big thing, but it was hassle that anyone could do without, especially when all you'd want to do, when you've bought kit like that is just to play games and not faff around with case management. And it could of easily been a bigger issue if say all your HDD cages are full.

However, the 900's saving feature is its incredible airflow. Its 3 120mm fan and its 200mm top fan are able to shift over 160 CFM (cubic foot per minute), which if your bothered, about cool components, is fantastic, the only way to get a PC cooler than it, would be to water cool it. Saying that though, 40 degrees C under full load for a stock CPU cooler isn't anything to look down at.

Sadly though, even though this case is very well built, and it has brilliant airflow. The cable management is far from brilliant, there aren't enough holes, in the right places or any space behind the motherboard to build a tidy PC, which when one side panel is mostly window, you'll want to have it as tidy as possible.

However it does have some other nice features such as a front esata port and a sort of charging bay on top. Pluss the fans have blue LEDs in them, if you like that sort of thing.

However my final say would be that at £80 there are other cases that would be far better to buy, such as the HAF 922, which is much longer and superior cable management.

I'd recommend this case if you like the blue lights, its brilliant cooling, and its looks and don't intend on putting in a long graphics card. But if you don't mind the looks of the HAF, as there both priced in the same price range, then the HAF seems like a better case to buy.


-Sam Cooper
-GingerFox

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Sorry for the lack of posts, lots of reviews coming soon!

So basically its A level exam time, so I've been quite busy, but hopefully over this weekend we should have some reviews written up for the: HD 5770, Haff 922, Antec 900 and a plethora of other tech items!

Sit tight.

-GingerFox
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XFX 5850 Review

The new card arrived today in a weird X shaped box that will take even the best of us a good five minutes to figure out how the bloody thing opens without reading instructions, which lets face it no body does anymore.

After removing it from the box, and getting a slight workout while doing so, due to the cards horrendous size and weight, I realised that this probably wouldn't fit in my Antec 900. No worries, move half internals of the computer about and that's the size issue of it sorted. If you've got a small case I'd recommend you buy another, as this will overheat and fill up more space than a whale in a small hatchback.

So, whats the new card like? Well the current range of drivers aren't that bad, after all the new 9.12 drivers have sorted out some of the bugs of the card.

If you'd want one of these you'd have to pay £100 more than the RRP of the thing, and no one has them in, go, look on a site, I can virtually guarantee you that no one has one (at the time of writing).

So, whats the performance like of the card I hear you ask. Well on the winSAT- windows benchtest, it scores 7.7 / 7.9 on stock clocks. I'd assume you could get 7.8 7.9 overclocked but if you want to do that, then may i suggest you buy a 5970 instead, and jam a nicely sized spike into your head if all you do is play on farmville.

I've got no idea whether the card is noisy on low fan speeds because, in the 12 hours I've had the thing running the fans been running at 100%, and cooking at around 40-45 degrees C.

The card is fking quick though, running Crysis warhead comfortably at 1680x1050, with 2xAA and everything on enthusiast settings, which is good enough, because lets face it your eyesight probably isn't good enough to notice a difference when your tearing through the jungle at some ridiculous speed.

Should you buy one?

If your a gamer then yes. If not then no.

-Sam Cooper

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Ever think about using your pc to look for a job?

As obvious as it may sound, i assume there are people out there who have never thought about the jobs that are often only avaliable to apply online for.

Go onto almost any business's website and usually at the bottem is a small link for 'jobs' 'careers' or something simple. Then its just a matter of filling in an application form! And who knows maybe you will get lucky.

Another top tip from me....

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-GingerFox

Hosting a pic, don't mind me.

Google Chrome OS; first impressions.

Google Chrome OS

A few of you may have heard that the search engine giant, Google, is having a stab at creating its own operating system – yours or mine is likely Windows (being XP, Vista or 7) or OSX (what Mac’s run on).

Now, before I start, Google’s OS wasn’t designed to work, or behave like any OS before it. As everything is based on the internet, referred to as cloud computing. This means that all your programs, apps and documents are stored not on your computer, but on the internet, which may be a little tricky to get adjusted to at first. However, this concept is something that you should look into if you’re buying a low power netbook that you’re using at home, or somewhere with a constant internet connection, or if you find yourself messing up or constantly adjusting your current computers settings allot. If this is the case, it may benefit you to install Google Chrome OS.

One of the great things about Chrome is that it’s just plain quick, you can login and be on the internet in less than 10 seconds, which by modern OS standards is nearly impossible, and would certainly require you to have a ridiculously expensive computer, so if all you do is go on Facebook, and YouTube and basic document creating then this is the system may be for you. Using Google’s vast library of apps you can create word documents, spreadsheets and presentations among other things.

There are some drawbacks though, in its current state you can’t do a lot with it. Sure you can get onto the internet, and create some documents but that’s about it. I can almost guarantee you that it won’t work on your current PC’s as there is no drivers out for it at the moment.

Well, I was going to give you a guided tour of it, but Chrome has crashed, what’s expected of pre-release stuff. Anyway, here are a few screenshots of it when it was working.

Chrome certainly won’t make an impact on Gamers and power users, apart from those that dual boot it with Windows, but it could make inroads into netbook OS’s and as a second dual booted OS. As is stands this OS has a lot of potential. I just hope Google gets it right.

-Sam Cooper

PS3 3.1 update, brings facebook with it, the joy.

See that? That is the bastard child of facebook and PS3, all it lets you do is post trophies and other in game awards (like lap times perhaps) onto facebook, you carn't even update your status, how great...

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-GingerFox

Folding Folding Folding@Home

So what the hell am i on about? Obviously i'm talking about the distributed computing network that helps solve the mysteries of how proteins in the human body fold, so therfore understanding how deseasies like cancer and what not affect us. Hopefully one day being able to treat/prevent them better! HUZZAH!

So how can you help? Simples, download the client that best fits your needs (theres a single core client, a client for multicore machines (SMP) and a graphics card client (thats where the most power is) Download pages:

Single core download for Windows, Mac and linux

Multicore and GPU clients for Windows only.

Then all you got to do is follow the instructions and leave it running, feels good don't it? Helping others?

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-Read-Folding@home Home page

-GingerFox

Orange Iphone prices revealed.

Pay as you go plan that same 8GB 3G will cost you £343, while the 32GB 3GS is a rather more painful £539

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-GingerFox

Apple has released new imacs, mini, macbook, oh and a mouse

So there has been a flurry of mac news as of late, but i have just been far too lazy too post, but anyway here they are. The magic mouse is a new single button multi touch mouse that as far as reviews are concerned 'ok' citing it not really being big enough for multi touch, but is ok.

The new mac minis have had a slight spec bump and a new machine added to their ranks, a mini server. Basically a mac mini running osx server, it sacrifices its optical drive for a second hdd, how wonderful.

The new macbook is unibody plastic, so no more splintering corners its also had a spec bump so its in line with the lowest macbook pro.

And finally the imac, apples flagship computer has been updated to include Intels newest CPU's the i5's and i7's and a beefier GPU.

I still don't recommend buying one, but theres the info, hit the read link and check the apple store for more info.

-Read
-Read (store)
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-GingerFox

Asus has created the first motherboard that has USB3 and SATA 6Gbps built in

So there you have it, this motherboard has 2 loverly, shiny, speedy, blissful er well you get the picture USB 3 ports. Which should give you speedy external devices, and we just love speedy computers here so these are all good, they all support the new SATA standard which will be helpful if you have SSD's and what not.

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-GingerFox

Ubuntu 9.10 has been released

For all you linux fans out there Ubuntu 9.10 has been released ready for your downloading pleasure. Out of all the distros out there this is the one i like, install it and have a play, who knows you might like it.

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-GingerFox

Orange Iphone date, the 10th of november

Yeah the orange date has been confirmed as the 10th, however things initially will not be cheaper as orange intends to 'add value' so gutted in that respect. Also Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U should be carring the iphone for orange aswel, no real suprises here. Remember Vodafone gets it next year aswel, then FINALLY we might get some real competition.

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-GingerFox

Support page for pc's sold by: Luke Wilkinson, Wilkinson7030(ebay) or GeneriCo

For help and support for pc's bought from: Luke wilkinson and Wilkinson7030
Please email Luke_wilkinson@live.co.uk

For help and support for pc's bought from GeneriCo
Please Email Generico@live.co.uk


Phone support may be avaliable, but is not guaranteed, unless you have bought from GeneriCo.

For Windows Home Server support, check out the link below:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/windowshomeserver/support.mspx

For items currently for sale, please check this link:

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/wilkinson7030/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=25

For custom builds/quotes please email: luke_wilkinson@live.co.uk

Thank you
-GingerFox

Ati have released their 5000 series of GPUs

So yeah sorry im late with this but i don't get paid of this so 'gis a break'.

So ATI have released the :

ATI Radeon

HD 5870

HD 5850

HD 5770 and 5750

All of which are fully Directx 11 compatible and are pretty snappy. Although for the massive price increase of the top end cards there is not a great deal of improvement over say a 4890, so maybe your better off getting one of those on the cheap?

Anywho have some read links and drool worthy pics.
http://hothardware.com/Articles/AMD-ATI-Radeon-HD-5870-Unquestionably-Number-One/
http://hothardware.com/Articles/AMD-ATI-Radeon-HD-5850-Performance-Review/
http://hothardware.com/Articles/ATI-Radeon-HD-5770-and-5750-Mainstream-DX11-GPUs/?page=1

Blog

-GingerFox

Cheap Windows and other Microsoft software for students and staff!

Here's the short version: Bash this link to get windows 7 Home Premium OR Professional for just £30. http://www.microsoft.com/uk/education/studentoffer/

OR if you go to any of these places:

School	Department	City	Country	Software Center
SSAT-Outwood Grange College	NULL	Wakefield	UNITED KINGDOM
WAKEFIELD COLLEGE	Information Technology	Wakefield	UNITED KINGDOM
Woodkirk Specialist Science High School	Information Technology	Wakefield	UNITED KINGDOM
Zenos - Wakefield Academy	NULL	Wakefield	UNITED KINGDOM

You can get most MS software for FREE through MSDNAA. Contact your IT guys for info and check this link: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-gb/academic/default.aspx

The msdnaa offer is normally for staff aswel so check it out!

And now for the people that like to read more stuff:

You can get windows 7 Home Premium OR Professional for just £30. This looks to be an ungrade version but the small print says you can do custom installs, so you can do a loverly fresh install!
But if your still rocking XP you will HAVE to do a custom install, vista users can upgrade if they want, but i would never advise it, you will have a must faster system with a clean install.

Also on that first link is Office Ultimate 2007 for £39.50 again a steal for what it normally goes at.

For this offer you will need to have a valid .AC.UK If your staff and you have one of these then i don't see why you cann't be sneaky and pretend your a student;)


So if your up for some cheap or in some cases free software, get clicking, and i would DEFINATLY advise getting windows 7, its fantastic, faster, easier and safer than XP or Vista.

Read-Win7 and Office link

Read-MSNDAA link

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-GingerFox