Saturday, February 1, 2014

Gigabyte F2A88XM-D3H review

If you’re desperate for AMD’s brand-new A10-7850K “Kaveri” processor you’ll need a motherboard to go with it, and the Gigabyte F2A88XM-D3H, with its budget price, could be just the motherboard you need.
The F2A88XM-D3H is a microATX FM2+ board compatible with not just the latest Kaveri processors but older FM2 processors too. This means you can upgrade to the F2A88XM-D3H now if you already have an FM2-compatible processor and then upgrade the processor to a Kaveri chip at a later date.
Gigabyte F2A88XM-D3H
Although the F2A88XM-D3H is a microATX motherboard, it has all the features that most user will need. There are four memory slots into which you can press a maximum RAM capacity of 64GB. Even better, the F2A88XM-D3H supports memory speeds up to 2,400MHz, which is comforting given the better on-chip graphics performance afforded by faster memory.
The F2A88XM-D3H also has a whopping eight SATA3 ports, which is more than enough for even the most dedicated disk hoarder, and you can be sure that all your drives will be working at the highest potential.
Gigabyte F2A88XM-D3H
The F2A88XM-D3H is a compact motherboard, measuring just 244x244mm, so there’s predictably little room for expansion. However, the board does have two PCI Express x16 slots that support CrossFire. Bear in mind, though, that only the first PCI-E x16 slot conforms to the PCI Express 3.0 standard. The second x16 slot conforms to the PCI Express 2.0 standard and runs at x4.
The board also has a single x1 slot, which is ideal for adding USB3 and LAN cards, for example, and a single legacy PCI slot for installing older expansion cards such as TV tuners. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to access the x1 slot if you use a dual-slot graphics card.
Looking at the rear of the board, it’d be good idea to add a USB3 card. There are only two USB3 ports on the backplate, along with four USB ports, a single PS/2 port, three 3.5mm analogue ports, an optical S/PDIF port and a Gigabit Ethernet port. The F2A88XM-D3H also has three graphics outputs, one of which is a HDMI output that supports a massive resolution of 4,096x2,160.
Gigabyte F2A88XM-D3H
We tested the F2A88XM-D3H with an A10-7850K, and the test system scored 70 in our multimedia benchmarks, which is what we’d expect to see. If you’re using an unlocked processor, you can alter clock and voltage settings in the F2A88XM-D3H’s BIOS.
We like the Gigabyte F2A88XM-D3H, especially the four memory slots and support up to 64GBs of fast RAM and many SATA3 ports. However, it isn’t perfect, with few USB3 ports and expansion slots. Even so, if you need a compact motherboard for your new Kaveri processor and don’t want to spend a lot of money, you should check out the bargain F2A88XM-D3H.

Basic Specifications

Part CodeGA-F2A88XM-D3H
Review Date1 Feb 2014
Rating**** stars out of 5
Processor socketFM2+
Form factormicroATX
Size244x244mm
Processor supportTrinity, Richland, Kaveri APUs
Processor external bus100MHz
Chipset north bridgeA88X
Chipset south bridgeA88X
Passively-cooled north bridgeyes
Integrated graphicsNo
Supported memory typeDDR3
Maximum memory speedPC3-19200
Memory slots4
Maximum memory64GB
Dual-channel supportyes

Internal Ports

Power connectors1x 24-pin ATX, 1x 8-pin ATX
PCI-E x16 slots2
Dual graphics architectureCrossFire, AMD Dual Graphics
PCI-E x4 slots0
PCI-E x1 slots1
PCI slots1
Fan headers2
Floppy ports0
IDE ports0
Serial ATA ports0
RAID chipset (max disks)AMD A88X (RAID 0, 1, 5, 10, JBOD)

Features

Wired network ports1x 10/100/1000
Sound (ports)Realtek ALC887 (optical S/PDIF, 3x analogue)
USB2 ports / headers6/3
Firewire ports / headers0
Legacy portsparallel header, serial header
Other portsVGA, DVI, DisplayPort, HDMI
Cables included2x SATA
Brackets includednone
Software includednone

Setup and Overclocking

Voltage adjustmentCPU/RAM/Chipset
CPU clock max adjustment40MHz

Buying Information

Price£53
Supplierhttp://www.ebuyer.com
Detailswww.gigabyte.co

Poor iPhone 5C demand overshadows bumper sales figures for Apple


Apple has admitted that it badly misjudged demand for its polycarbonate plastic iPhone 5Chandsets, as its share price plunged nearly 10 per cent despite impressive earnings for the quarter.
When Apple was rumoured to be planning a low-cost iPhone, designed as competition to the wide range of budget-friendly Android handsets available from its rivals, there was considerable interest. Sadly, when Apple launched the iPhone 5C alongside its flagship iPhone 5S it became clear that 'low-cost' wasn't the company's goal: despite a cheaper polycarbonate body and last-generation internals, the handset cost nearly as much as its far better equipped sibling - and lacked the headline-grabbing TouchID fingerprint scanning security system.
Shortly after launch, Apple began to struggle for stock of the popular iPhone 5S while suffering from a surplus of iPhone 5C handsets. Now, Apple chief executive Tim Cook has confirmed that it badly misjudged how the colourful iPhone 5C would sell. "It was the first time we ever ran that play," Cook told analysts during the company's latest earnings call, referring to launching two devices at different price points simultaneously. "Demand percentage turned out to be different than we thought."
The result of the admission on investors was nothing short of electrifying: despite announcing overall revenue of $57.6 billion for its last quarter - up from $54.5 billion a year ago - and a record of 51 million iPhone handsets sold over the three-month period, the company's share price dropped by over eight per cent in after hours trading - wiping $40 billion from the company's market cap value.
Apple, however, is determined to fight back, with Cook promising 'innovative' new products for the coming year - hinting at the long-rumoured iWatch.

Nokia X (Normandy) specs seemingly confirm budget focus

Nokia's work on an Android-powered smartphone can't stay much of a secret any longer, as another leak has apparently revealed the handset's specifications. Perhaps disappointingly for some, it seems the Nokia X (otherwise known asNormandy) will be firmly focused on the budget end of the market.
According to notorious twitter technology revealer @EVleaks, the Nokia X handset will be powered by a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor running at 1GHz, paired with 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage. A 4in, 800x480 resolution display, 5-megapixel rear camera, 1,500mAh battery and dual SIM-card slots were also listed.
Nokia Normandy UI#
It's common knowledge that the handset will run a customised version of Android, with previous user interface leaks showing a similar appearance to Nokia's existing Asha range of budget smartphones, but according to the leak the X phone will include both the Nokia Store and "third-party" downloads, potentially indicating the inclusion of the Google Play Store. This would make the new handset a more well-rounded device than the Asha range, which is restricted to a few basic apps.
The leak also mentions a choice of six colours. Nokia's Lumia handsets are renowned for their bright colours, so it's unsurprising yet appreicated to see the same level of choice brought to this new range.
Of course none of this leaked information has been confirmed by Nokia, but with only a few weeks to go until the company's Mobile World Congress press conference, we won't have long to wait to judge its accuracy.

Tesco Mobile opens 4G to pay monthly and SIM only customers

Tesco Mobile opens 4G to pay monthly and SIM only customers.
Tesco Mobile has opened up its 4G super-fast network up to new and existing customers on pay monthly or SIM only contracts, axing the old price premium that charged extra over 3G speeds.
Customers can choose to use 4G and pay from £7.50 a month with a SIM Only tariff that gives 250 minutes, 5,000 texts and 500MB data, with no long term contract commitment.
As the first Mobile Virtual Network Operator to introduce 4G, Tesco Mobile said it will now offer quicker 4G speeds and larger data allowances, at no extra cost on all Pay Monthly and SIM Only contracts.
"The deal is the latest move in [Tesco Mobile’s] ambition to make 4G easily accessible for all its customers," the operator said. It added, that over the coming weeks, in addition to free 4G, the network will be launching 4G data bundles for Pay as you go customers and expanding its range of 4G enabled devices, launching handsets such as the Sony Z1 compact and the Moto X to offer a wider variety.
Simon Groves, chief marketing officer of Tesco Mobile, said "As a network we hope that this move will challenge others in the market and encourage the industry to follow suit. We want to see 4G with no extra cost become the norm and networks making the very latest technologies accessible for all."
The current £2.50 4G premium will be lifted on 30th January 2014. Existing customers will receive a credit on their monthly statement

‘Flappy Bird’ for iOS and Android game review

For some of you, Flappy Bird needs no introduction. The game has garnered a lot of attention these days and it seems everyone and their grandmother is playing it. The game is known for its extremely simple gameplay that takes no time to learn but nearly impossible to master. Thanks to this, Flappy Bird will have you pulling your hair out in no time at all.
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Flappy Bird was originally launched on iOS but recently made an appearance on Android as well. So we thought we’ll take a closer look at the game for the four of you who still haven’t installed and played it, yet.
Title
Flappy Bird
Developer
.GEARS Studios
Platform
iOS
Android
Content rating
4+
Everyone
Size
894KB
2.4MB
Price
Free (Adware)

Gameplay

Flappy Bird is a side-scrolling 2D game where your objective is to keep the bird airborne and avoid the pipes as you move forward. You keep the bird in air by tapping on the screen and the more pipes you avoid the higher your score.
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Sounds simple enough, right? If only that was the case. Soon you’ll learn that it is easier to keep an F-22 Raptor with one wing missing in air than the bird in this game. The bird in this game is basically a brick with wings and will go down just as quick if you stop tapping on the screen. Understandably, then, navigating something like this through tight gaps requires the precision of a neurosurgeon on cocaine otherwise you will find yourself going face first into the first pipe that you come across. And you’ll be running into a lot of pipes, which explains why the bird’s beak is so puffy.
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The gameplay is very addictive, especially if you get into comparing scores with your friends. Then you can’t stop playing even if you want to because you keep thinking you will make that high score the next time. If you don’t throw your phone out after the first five hundred times you die in the game, then eventually you learn how to keep the bird in the air without touching the pipes for a while. After about a day of playing I managed to reach 25 without breaking the phone but that’s just because I have the patience of a monk.
Being a free game there are ads in the game. Thankfully, there are no ads when you are actually playing the game but you do see them in the menus. I wish there was an option to pay and remove the ads.

Graphics and Sound

Flappy Bird has an 8-bit look to it, which is quite popular these days. It’s extremely bare bones, however, and there is not a lot of detail in the environment. Not that it’s a big deal as it doesn’t really affect the game negatively. The game is meant to be simple and it shows in the visuals. Besides, it’s less than 1MB on Android.
The same minimalism continues in the sound, which has no music whatsoever. There is one sound for flapping of wings, one for when you successfully pass a set of pipes and one when you hit something. The audio too takes on an old-school approach and sounds like old 8-bit games.

Verdict

Flappy Bird is one of those games that hooks you by simply being frustratingly difficult. The reason you keep playing is because on surface it seems so easy that you are not willing to accept that you are not great at it, so you keep trying to prove yourself wrong again and again. Add to the fact that everyone seems to be playing it these days and comparing scores, you are almost obligated to play it as well just to see if you can beat them at it. It’s simple and fun and also free to download. So if you haven’t already, give it a try. You’ll regret it almost instantly when you can’t stop playing.
Rating: 8/10
Pros: Simple, addictive gameplay
Cons: No option to pay to remove the annoying ads
Download: iOS | Android

HP Slate7 VoiceTab


Preliminary official specifications
GENERAL2G NetworkGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G NetworkHSDPA
SIMDual SIM, (dual stand-by)
Announced2014, January
StatusComing soon. Exp. release 2014, February
BODYDimensions9.5 mm thickness
Weight-
DISPLAYTypeIPS capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size800 x 1280 pixels, 7.0 inches (~216 ppi pixel density)
MultitouchYes
SOUNDAlert typesVibration; MP3 ringtones
LoudspeakerYes, with stereo speakers
3.5mm jackYes
MEMORYCard slotmicroSD, up to 32 GB
Internal16 GB, 1 GB RAM
DATAGPRSYes
EDGEYes
SpeedHSDPA, HSUPA
WLANYes
BluetoothYes
USBYes, microUSB v2.0
CAMERAPrimary5 MP, 2592х1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
FeaturesGeo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, panorama
VideoYes
SecondaryYes, 2 MP
FEATURESOSAndroid OS, v4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
CPUQuad-core
SensorsAccelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
MessagingSMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, IM, Push Email
BrowserHTML5
RadioTBD
GPSYes, with A-GPS support
JavaYes, via Java MIDP emulator
ColorsBlack/White
 - SNS integration
- Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
- MP4/H.263/H.264 player
- MP3/eAAC+/WMA/WAV/Flac player
- Document viewer
- Photo viewer/editor
- Voice memo/dial
- Predictive text input

BATTERY Li-Ion battery
Stand-by
Talk time