iPhone 4...Shame on Apple

Well the iPhone 4 was released back in June, and since then it has caused an uproar in the smart phone community.  Why?  Well if you haven't heard it has a bit of antenna issue with it's new design.  Antenna issue = signal loss.

At first, the culprit seemed to be AT&T's network that was causing the issue.  However, extensive testing finally revealed that it was in fact the phone antenna that was causing the problem.  The phone would lose signal when it was held in the wrong way (well what Apple deems the wrong way).  The problem with holding like the picture on the left, is that the user was actually gripping the antenna band.  By doing so, the user would inadvertently disrupt the signal to and from the phone, causing dropped calls and very slow speeds.

To remedy this issue Apple had a great idea to give out free cases to everyone who purchased an iPhone 4.  Since the case would fix the issue everyone was happy, similar to how Nintendo gave out free rubber sleeves for their controllers. The problem is that Apple has now decided to stop giving away free cases on September 30th.  So anyone that buys an iPhone after the 30th is boned.  Apple claims that the number of phones that are actually having an issue is far lower than they thought previously.  After hearing this from Apple, I couldn't help but think of the scene in Fight Club, where Edward Norton is talking about how he works for a large car company and explains their recall procedure.

"A new car built by my company leaves somewhere traveling at 60 mph. The rear differential locks up. The car crashes and burns with everyone trapped inside. Now, should we initiate a recall? Take the number of vehicles in the field, A, multiply by the probable rate of failure, B, multiply by the average out-of-court settlement, C. A times B times C equals X. If X is less than the cost of a recall, we don't do one."

The whole process just reeks of shadiness.  If you make a foul product Apple, and any other company out there, do the right thing and correct it...for free!

So, if you were one of the ones that bought the iPhone4 and have been putting off getting that free case they were offering, you had best get on it because getting one easily is going out the window soon.  Too be fair to Apple, they are still offering the program to get a free case but you are going to have to jump through quite a few hoops to get it.

Best Budget Gaming PC 09/2010

A budget gaming rig is the most common PC that I find myself putting together for customers.  I want to point out that this PC is also a great everyday use computer, as the major difference between the two is a quality graphics card.  So without further adieu, let's begin.

Case:  Antec Three Hundred 

Antec combines size, quality, features and low price to deliver the ultimate gaming case. The smallest of Antec’s “Hundred” series designed for the Do-It-Yourself gamer, it is equipped to deal with the increased heat output of high-performance systems as well as providing a flexible design to best suit your needs. Its overall matt-black finish shows that you – and your system – mean business.

The front panel includes a pair of USB 2.0 inputs as well as jacks for a headphone and microphone. The front bezel is perforated for maximum air intake and it has a washable filter to reduce dust within the system. Inside, are a total of nine drive bays – six 3.5” internal HDD’s and a trio of 5.25” external drives. Seven expansion card slots let you load up on graphic and other options up to – and including – a full height ATX motherboard. A rear-mounted 120mm TriCool fan as well as a top-mounted 140mm TriCool fan – both with 3-speed switch control – draw air through the case.

In addition, there's space for an additional pair of 120mm fans behind the front bezel to cool the HDD’s as well as the option to mount a third 120mm fan on the side of the case to cool the GPU.

Motherboard:  MSI 880GM-E43 AM3 AMD 880G 

Get affordable computing performance with MSI's 880GM-E43 motherboard. Based on AMD 880G chipset, this micro-ATX form-factor board is designed to support the latest AM3 Phenom II including X6, Athlon II and Sempron 100 Series processors. With MSI’s OC Genie and Unlock CPU Core technology, you can easily dig the most potential out of your CPU for extra performance.

Dominate your applications and games with up to 16GB of DDR3 memory fitting into four 240-pin slots with dual channel support and overclock up to 1600MHz for increased performance. The integrated ATI Radeon HD 4250 GPU provides adequate 3D and video playback capabilities and if that is not enough for you, simply update your display subsystem with one PCI Express 2.0 x16 graphics card. Onboard lossless 24 bit/192kHz HD audio chipset offers top-level audio quality of extra high fidelity.

Five SATA 3Gb/s connectors give you the ability to store massive amounts of data locally with several RAID configurations possible for extra security and high-speed performance. Count on the reliability and stability offered by MSI's 880GM-E43.

Processor:  AMD Athlon II X4 620 Propus 2.6GHz 

 

Save time and accomplish more with multi-core processing that makes multitasking quick and simple. The Athlon II X4 features the next-generation AMD Direct Connect Architecture for a fast, responsive PC. This processor is also optimized to take advantage of the power management features in Windows 7 using AMD PowerNow! 3.0 Technology.

 

Energy efficiency is important to AMD, allowing you to enjoy a cool, quiet PC while saving energy and reducing heat, noise and the effect of your computer on the environment. Energy efficiency innovations include Cool’n’Quiet, AMD CoolCore and AMD Smart fetch. These technologies reduce power consumption and processor activity. You’ll experience up to 50% energy efficiency over previous AMD Athlon II processors.

AMD Athlon II processors also offer support for Virtualization Technology. You can run virtual environments on one system with ease, allowing you to use legacy programs on a separate operating system. Also providing 64-bit support, this processor can handle the most demanding programs with ease.

RAM:  G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB DDR3 1600 
 

Eliminate data bottlenecks by taking advantage of multi-channel technology and multiplying your memory bandwidth. Ripjaws Series memory is designed specifically to complement Core i7 processors, the P55 Express Chipset and AMD AM3 platform. Optimized for speed, low latency and high stability, Ripjaws Series memory is the perfect solution to faster programs and quicker load times.

 

Heat management is always important for any PC builder and enthusiast. G.SKILL understands this concern, which is why each Ripjaws Series DIMM comes with a stylish comb-like design heat-spreader, which dissipates heat by exposing it to cool air over a greater surface area and will look great in any case. These DIMMs also operate at a cool 1.5V for better internal temperatures and overclocking versatility.

Graphics Card:  SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 5770 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 

 

ATI Radeon HD 5700 Series graphics processors. Loaded with advanced technology, these GPUs have the power and premium features you need for fully immersive gameplay. Expand your visual real estate across up to three displays and get lost in the action with revolutionary ATI Eyefinity Technology.

 

Hard Drive:  SAMSUNG Spinpoint 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 

Optical Drive: LG SATA Black 24X DVD Burner

   

Power Supply:  CORSAIR 650W ATX12V / EPS12V 

 Okay, it's a power supply. Not much excitement there unless it starts smoking, right? But this one is so cool, it's smokin'! Like the 52 Ampere +12V rail (and there's just the one +12V rail, so you don't have to balance your power needs by hand.). How about the ability to auto-sense your input voltage from 90Vac to 264Vac, 50/60Hz? No more voltage selector switches!

Runs cooler, too, because it can be up to 80% efficient (tested at 20%, 50% and full load), meaning less waste heat from the supply. Compatible with both ATX 2.0 and ATX 2.2 systems, it includes long cables for even full-sized tower installations. Nvidia SLI support. It includes power connections for eight SATA drives. A 120mm variable speed fan with double bearings gives good airflow with minimal noise. Active power factor correction helps deal with inductive loads (drive and fan motors, mostly).


Recap:  Total: $622.00

So this is the build that as of 09/10/10, I like to suggest for people looking for a decent gaming PC.  While a cheaper gaming computer could be built, I don't like to build computers that will be obsolete in a year.   All of the compenents in this build also have great overclocking ability which will also help extend the life of the computer.

LCD vs Plasma

Well since this is a tech blog, I feel like I need to include other things here besides computers.  That being said, expect the majority of the posts on this blog to be focused on computers simply because that's where my passion lies.  But I've had a couple of friends requesting a post describing the difference between LCD and Plasma TVs and which one I suggested.  In addition, TVs make excellent PC displays if you have one available to use.

To answer the question of which I prefer, simply put, it would be neither.  I like them both.  Both Plasma and LCD TVs are great products being offered right now and now that production of both has increased so much, the prices on both have dropped drastically since they were first released.  To start with, let's take a look at how each TV actually works.

Plasmas displays are made up of a bunch of small "plasma" cells that are filled with different gases.  These cells are squished between two glass plates, given an electric charge, some magic (science way above my head involving photons and differing energy levels) happens and you have your picture.

LCDs are a very different technology.  In an LCD, liquid crystals are squished between two polarized panels, light is shone through the panels and crystals and BAM, you have your picture.  The light is usually generated by a cold cathode fluorescent lamp.  LED TVs that you see out now are actually LCD TV just with a different light source.  Changing from a fluorescent lamp to LEDs.

Instead of typing out my own thoughts on here, I'm going to refer you to an excellent article written by an excellent TV reviewer.  I pretty much agree with all of his thoughts, however, I think the quality between the two is even much closer than he thinks.  Follow the rabbit here.  Or here is the link to copy and paste:

http://www.lcdtvbuyingguide.com/lcdtv-plasmavslcd.shtml

To sum up what Phil says, both technologies have gotten much closer in the quality picture they offer.  However, Phil still gives the edge to plasma tvs.  Phil states the picture quality, contrast ratios, color accuracy, viewing angles, fast moving action, and value is all better with a plasma TV, especially with larger screen sizes.

My take on this is the average viewer will not be dissatisfied with either LCD or Plasma.  My advice, shop around, find the best deal, and get the best TV you can find for your budget.  You won't be disappointed with either and as time goes on, the quality of each is becoming closer and closer.