[H]ardNews 4th Edition

Ban Skype?:

Info-Tech Research Group is encouraging enterprises to ban Skype according to Yahoo! Finance. The free VoIP phone service is made out to be a new threat vector and currently insecurable, the only hitch is 17 million users are employing it for business purposes.

"The bottom line is that even a mediocre hacker could take advantage of a Skype vulnerability. If you are going to use Skype within enterprise, manage it as you would any other IT service: with policy and diligence." With a paid membership of over 25,000 clients worldwide, Info-Tech Research Group is North America's fastest growing full-service IT analyst firm.

Ignore Vista?:

Another analyst firm is recommending enterprise ignore Vista. According to Cnet. In a research paper titled "Ten reasons you should and shouldn't care about Microsoft's Windows Vista client," Gartner Group points out that the majority of upgrades in Vista are available as third-party products already.

While Vista will "offer incremental, evolutionary improvements" over its predecessors, Windows XP users should "pursue a strategy of managed diversity," the analysts recommended. That means they should only bring in Vista on new machines and that not until 2008.

Its For Your Own Good:

The Register is reporting that the Music Industry is set to subvert the proposed European data retention directive to hunt for pirates. But its not the RIAA in this case its Sony BMG, Disney, EMI, IFPI, MPA and Universal Music International in the new Creative and Media Business Alliance.

According to Suw Charman, founder of the Open Rights Group, this means the door is officially open for the entertainment industry to use legislation designed to protect European citizens from terrorists to prosecute them instead. "The industry is attempting to pervert this legislation, to back up a failing business model based on little more than speculation [that downloading is harming the music business]."

[H]ardNews 3rd Edition

Open War:

Its getting interesting down in the trenches, on one side we have Microsoft and various attack dogs, on the other the opensource fanatics, a few reports from the front:

Microsoft's standardization move divides experts.

Industry observers have expressed concern about Microsoft's decision to submit the file formats for its new Office 12 applications to ECMA International, a European standards body. If Microsoft maintains control over its XML-based file format, it will be able to arbitrarily change the standard when it wants, enabling it to keep ahead of any competitors that wish to implement the standard

and this one from ArsTechnica Microsoft says "technological freedom" is political manifesto.

At the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) last week, Microsoft representatives demanded the removal of references to free software from a critical document about creativity in IT.

Open Sesame:

ITweek covers the launch of a new opensource e-magazine named O3 which has been created by SplicedNetworks don't worry they have a special link incase your using Internet Explorer.

Available online and in PDF format, the pilot issue of O3 looks at reducing voice infrastructure costs with open source telephony solutions, multilayer switching support in Linux, an introduction to open source intrusion detection systems, and Google hacks. O3 is distributed free via BitTorrent in full PDF format in both 150dpi and print quality 300dpi.

Cry Wolf:

Perspective seems to be lacking when it comes to threat assessment online, while the battlecry of cyberterrorism has funded many a project the real threat goes largely fought by individuals and system administrators so says Bruce Schneier who was speaking at the SANS Institute.

"I think that the terrorist threat is overhyped, and the criminal threat is underhyped," Schneier said Tuesday. "I hear people talk about the risks to critical infrastructure from cyberterrorism, but the risks come primarily from criminals. It's just criminals at the moment aren't as 'sexy' as terrorists."

[H]ardNews 2nd Edition

Clueless & Stingy:

Nothing new here, seems that the average computer user is both oblivious and a tightwad when it comes to computer security and under the mistaken impression that the limited security measures they have employed and the tales of security thier ISP has spun will keep them safe. Of course this time it was the CEO of British Telecom saying it.

"Most consumers believe that the threat is less than it is and the protection they have is better than it is," said Burke. "They (consumers) need to have the best protection and getting them to pay for it can be difficult."

Intel 946s:

DigiTimes is reporting that the follow up to the Intel 915 chipset family is scheduled for the 2nd Quarter of next year, based on the 90nm process they will be pushing for the widespread adoption of DDR2 and dual core architecture.

By the first half of next year, Intel is expected to launch about seven chipsets that not only includes the complete Broadwater chipset line, but also the 945GT chipset for small-size PCs and the integrated 945GZ, according to the sources.

[H]ardNews 1st Edition

Storage VS Backup:

Virtual-Hideout takes pains to disabuse readers of the notion that external Hard Drives qualify as backup. Can you spell head slap? I knew you could.

Thanks to the widespread adoption of IEEE1394 and USB2.0 interfaces and the current generation of inexpensive, large-capacity, fast access hard disks, many people are tempted to connect a 200 or 300 gigabyte external drive to their computers, and call it a backup. I'm here to tell you, it just isn't so.

Holographic Daydreaming:

Have a big helping of tryptophan and drift off to envision holographic memory discs... by next year. The NewScientist however says thats not such an unrealistic dream, imagine a disc that can hold 60 times the data a DVD could.

The discs, developed by InPhase Technologies, based in Colorado, US, hold 300 gigabytes of data and can be used to read and write data 10 times faster than a normal DVD. "Unlike other technologies, that record one data bit at a time, holography allows a million bits of data to be written and read in parallel with a single flash of light."

[H]ardNews 9th Edition

Sapphire PI-A9RX480:

Need a snazzy looking white motherboard with red accents to slap your Athlon 64 processor in? Check out Bit-Tech’s review of the Sapphire PI-A9RX480 socket 939 motherboard. Damn, that would go very nice in a Christmas themed case mod, wouldn’t it?

The board may not perform as absolutely cutting edge as an nForce4-based motherboard, but it's certainly not slow. Unless you're some kind of serious benchmarker who is obsessed by the smallest of differences that we've highlighted, the performance differences will be invisible during normal system use.

HiS X800GTO IceQII Turbo:

Gamers Hell says the HiS X800GTO IceQII Turbo has all the right stuff, good performance, good looks, great cooling and best of all, the price is right.

While using the HIS X800GTO IceQ II Turbo PCI Express video card, I had a very positive gaming experience, which was reflected well by the benchmarks. It doesn't take a lot of benchmark comparisons to quickly see that this card offers a lot of bang for the buck.

Xbox 360 HDTV Buying Guide:

I’m sure you have heard it a thousand times already, you gotta have a HDTV to really get the most out of it your Xbox 360. That is where this Xbox 360 HDTV Buying Guide comes in handy. The article makes suggestions for people on every budget so it is definitely worth a look. For more information on the Xbox 360, you can see our evaluation here.

Many gamers, not unlike yourself, are ready for the Xbox 360 but do not have a HDTV nor do they knew what to look for to maximize their investment. There are so many options out there that choosing the right set for your lifestyle can be overwhelming. So HD Beat presents the HDTV Buying Guide: Xbox 360 edition.

[H]ardNews 8th Edition - Tech Stuff

All Your Base Are Belong To Porn:

Apparently Google Base was caught with its pants down, literally, allowing unfiltered porn to flood the service. To the disappointment of millions of men world wide…they fixed the flaw.

Google Base allows adult content but should filter most of it if visitors use the company's SafeSearch feature, which blocks pornographic material from appearing in search results. That wasn't the case earlier this week, however, due to a technical glitch that allowed porn to leak into Google Base search results.

Xbox 360 Robbery?

GameSpot says that one of the EB stores was robbed at gunpoint for two Xbox 360s. No word on whether it was one of the customers who preordered back in January and got bumped off the list. Thank Rich for this one.

A Stafford, Virginia, Electronics Boutique store was the scene of an armed robbery this morning. According to sources, the perpetrator made off with two Xbox 360 systems, forcing the store manager to hand them over at gunpoint.

Confessions Of A Black Friday Shopper:

Chris Morris over at CNN Money has a funny article called Confessions Of A Black Friday Shopper. I have to admit, the whole Black Friday does nothing but aggravate me.

It's 4:00 a.m. About 17 degrees. I have a chest cold. But I'm answering the call of my alarm – because this is my day. I'm a dedicated holiday shopper who celebrates Black Friday by arriving at stores before some employees do. I'm part of an odd crowd, admittedly, waking before we normally do in hopes of saving a few dollars.

Want a tip? Shop on Brown Wednesday. I wanted to buy a second 32” LCD TV for the office, it was $899 on Wednesday, waited till today to do all my shopping at once…it is $1,299.00. Oh, but a 3 million pack of CDRs was $3.50. Lovely.

[H]ardNews 7th Edition

BFG 7800GT OC H20:

Oc Projects has a review of the BFG 7800GT OC H20 posted today. Those of you looking to add a new 7800GT to your water cooled system, this card is right up your alley. You can see our evaluation here for comparison purposes.

Basically what I'm trying to say is that it's up to the potential buyer whether or not they see the price as being acceptable. That said, from the packaging to performance, the BFG Tech 7800GT OC H2O screams quality and it is definitely head and shoulders above anything else available.

Sapphire Radeon X1800XL:

Legion Hardware says that the Sapphire Radeon X1800XL, although late to the market, is a solid performer. For more info on the X1000 line of cards, check out our preview here.

Bottom-line is those seeking a high level of performance will get just that with an ATi Radeon X 1800XL graphics card. However, there are a few disappointing aspects of this new Radeon X1000 series.

Forbes On AMD:

There is a decent article over at Forbes today that talks about where AMD is heading and what they need to do to continue to gain on Intel.

AMD's sizable goals for the coming year reinforce the stellar year that AMD has had in 2005, with strong sales and earnings and a stock price momentum to match. More must follow if the stock--already at a four-year high of $27--is to keep climbing.

[H]ardNews 6th Edition - [H]ardForum [H]appenings

[H]ardForum [H]appenings:

Welcome to the Black Friday edition of [H]ardForum [H]appenings! Today we are going to cover nothing but hot deals, hot deals and more hot deals. The [H]ot video card deals today can be found in our NewEgg Hot VGA Deals thread. You can get a 6800GS for just over $200 and a 7800GT for $309. If you are looking for general Black Friday deals, this unofficial BF deals thread has listing of sales and sale items. Those of you shopping on eBay using your PayPal account can get up to $15 off on items over $100. You can also find a comprehensive list of items on sale at Circuit City and at Staples in these threads. Lots of good stuff. While it is not technically a Black Friday “deal”, you can win a free Xbox 360 at ClubIT just for signing up. Done shopping? Stop in this thread and let everyone else know (brag) what you got right here. As always, have fun in the forums and hopefully find yourself a great deal on something today!

[H]ardNews 5th Edition

Intel Adds Entry Level Chipset:

According to DigiTimes, Intel will be adding the 946 series to its Broadwater line of chipsets. Look for motherboards featuring the 946 & 965 chipsets to hit in the second half of 2006.

Intel is scheduled to launch the 946-chipset family in conjunction with the ICH7 southbridge in the second quarter of 2006, the same time when the 965 series bundled with the ICH8 will also hit the market, indicated the sources.

VIA Arena Interviews Gavin Harper:

VIA Arena has a short interview posted with Gavin Harper, author of such books as “Build Your Own Car PC” and "50 Awesome Auto Projects for the Evil Genius".

[H]ardNews 4th Edition - Mods & Ends

Cooling:

Raidmax Glacier CPU Cooler @ BigBruin

Etc.:

Buttkicker Gamer Sound System @ Hardware-Review - Seagate 5GB Pocket Hard Drive @ ARP - iONE Libra-P5 RF 2.4G Presenter Mouse @ Tech-Mods - Startech SV411KA KVM @ Overclockers Online - Saitek Eclipse Illuminated Keyboard @ ThinkComputers

Cases & Modding:

XG Dragon Special Edition Case @ ThinkComputers - PrimoChill X-QPack H2O SFF Case @ GruntvillE

[H]ardNews 3rd Edition

Random [H] Sighting:

Just when we think we have seen the [H] logo pop up in every conceivable place on the planet, it turns up somewhere new….like Dave’s moms house, in her divinity fudge. Talk about a sweet random [H] sighting. Mmmm, fudge.

[H]ardNews 2nd Edition - Consoles In The News

MS Losing Money On Each 360?

Some research firm is estimating that the Xbox 360 costs $552.27 each to make. Call me a skeptic but that number seems extremely high. You could almost buy two retail Dell systems, complete with monitor, for the same price. I guess we’ll know for sure when MS posts it’s financials next quarter.

The firm estimated the total cost to manufacture and test a premium Xbox 360, the software giant's sleek and powerful new gaming machine, which debuted on Tuesday, was $552.27, compared with its retail price of $399.

Nintendo Profits Drop 21%:

Nintendo is having a rough time lately with declining sales hitting its profits hard. The company also says higher than expected R&D costs for the Revolution didn’t help either. This is where I throw in a random “no one said it was easy starting a revolution” joke and we all get a chuckle at Nintendo’s expense.

Profit at Nintendo Co., which makes Super Mario video games and GameBoy Advance handheld machines, slipped 21 percent in the company's fiscal first half because of slumping sales of consoles and game software.