Tech News
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ROCCAT and Alienware Become Exclusive Partners
Two of the biggest names in gaming peripherals and hardware combine creative forces
Hamburg, October 28, 2014 – ROCCAT Studios proudly announces an exclusive partnership with legendary cornerstone in PC gaming greatness, Alienware. Together, ROCCAT and Alienware are bringing the first of their collaborative efforts to gaming fans the world over with the melding of Alienware’s incredible AlienFX lighting system, and some of ROCCAT’s most innovative peripherals, the Kone XTD, Isku FX and groundbreaking Tyon gaming mouse.
Says René Korte, ROCCAT’s CEO and founder, “We are extremely proud and honored to begin this rich, collaborative partnership with Alienware. Since 1996, Alienware has been a benchmark for quality, exciting design, and love for the PC Gaming community. Like us, they value high standards in every product they bring to the public, and relentlessly strive to innovate. Our ROCCAT family is thrilled to take these first steps in what will without question be a fruitful partnership, combining some of our very best peripherals with Alienware’s AlienFX software.”
AlienFX will be paired with the ROCCAT products named above after a driver software update efficient end of November at the latest.
Having pioneered some of the most vibrantly striking, highly customizable lighting systems in the market, ROCCAT’s Kone family of mice were the first in industry sporting multicolor LEDs. Additionally, ROCCAT’s TalkFX was the first software system to provide lighting effects attuned to in-game events for many of our keyboards. Thus, it was only natural to sit down with the minds at Alienware to join in expanding these features. AlienFX brings the exciting lighting event interactions for games like MIDDLE-EARTH: SHADOW OF MORDOR, LEAGUE OF LEGENDS, GAUNTLET, GUILD WARS 2, PAYDAY 2 and 81 more to your favorite ROCCAT peripherals.
Alienware and ROCCAT are a natural fit,” says Frank Azor, Alienware’s CEO. “You look at what ROCCAT brings to the table in terms of quality, fantastic in-house design strategy, and their forward-thinking team from top to bottom, and you see a studio that fits our PC Gaming philosophy on every level. AlienFX combined with ROCCAT’s new Tyon gaming mouse, the Isku FX, the Kone XTD? It was a no-brainer, and we believe fans of our brands will agree.”
ROCCAT Studios and Alienware are excited to take this first step on what will be a long and fulfilling road, with fans reaping the exciting, innovative benefits.
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Apacer Introduces UrKey Security Dongle at Cloud EXPO 2014 Silicon Valley
As more options continue to surface to help secure your data, balancing your data's safety against the convenience of using the security device seems to be paramount. These new plug and play security dongles from Apacer seem to be pretty comprehensible. But as interesting as these new dongles may be, I'm dying to hear about the first case of someone getting the shiny key labeled 'Destroy' plugged into their laptop inadvertently by their kid.
October 27th 2014,Taipei, Taiwan – Apacer’s UrKey USB dongles use their exclusive CoreSecurity Technology for SSD core data security tailored for customers’ system design and use. The newly launched UrKey USB dongle can trigger, enable or remove the three major special security instructions of CoreSecurity through its usb-based 2-way dongle. These include CoreEraser, CoreDestroyer and CoreProtector, which deliver quick erase, full erase and security protection that will facilitate data security and increase storage reliability. The UrKey technology acts as a literal key for computer security. Once inserted in the preset USB slot, it will easily activate any CoreSecurity function and quickly ensures security protection.
Specifically, the UrKey acts as a token for activating or triggering security functions. The UrKey is pre-programmed with the designated Apacer security features of Erase, Destroy, or Write Protect, depending on the specific request. Each UrKey is unique to its paired SSD due to the identification recognition process. In other words, the identifications between the UrKey and the SSD have to match in order to trigger the security feature. If the UrKey is connected with another SSD, the drive’s firmware will not be able to recognize the ID and thus there will be no function triggered.
Come join Apacer at Cloud EXPO 2014 Silicon Valley to check out demonstrations of the UrKey among other solutions from November 4th to the 6th. During the show we will also be showcasing our latest Solid State Drive solutions and innovative technologies which add value to products and solutions.
Please come by our booth #620 November 4-6, 2014 at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, California. Show Hours are:
Tuesday Nov. 4th, 5:45pm – 7:30pm
Wednesday Nov. 5th, 10:30am – 12:30pm
Wednesday Nov. 5th, 2:00pm – 5:30pm
Thursday Nov. 6th, 10:30am – 12:30pm
Thursday Nov. 6th, 1:30pm – 5:00pm -
Finished Borderlands The Pre-Sequel
Mind you this is just the first playthru and Athena and after 20 some hours, some time spent playing Claptrap and one forced restart I can say the following.
OMG This game is way undercooked!
Of course having said that let me list off some reasons why.
- The game is short, way short and every mission is "extended" by BLATANTLY making you do some meaningless sub task just to complete a subtask. ex. a mission to round up some "stuff". First the map is a maze and when you reach the location and they send you off to fetch something else before they will go with you. The maps are also multi leveled so there is TONS of “find the stairs, kill the horde, find the stairs” #justannoying
- The game is BUGGY!, There are glitches everywhere and the most annoying is clipping in the map. if it’s not you running into an invisible wall at a stairwell (yes stairs in front of you that you are required to walk down) preventing you from proceeding unless you jump, it is enemies and loot clipping into the floor or a building and just looking ugly. I read that it is PhysX related but damn, the guys down under can’t afford a GTX 660Ti? #WTF
- The grind is real. The bosses are pushovers however the endless swarms of enemies make it impossible to damage them. To make matters worse weapons seem to be two dimensional. Rare based on color and Rare based on ability. For instance you need a corrosive laser to take down armor and the only ones you can find are from 6 levels back and are worthless now. Basically it is making you stop the story progression and farm for loot, thus attempting to extend the game. Yes this was the case in Borderland 2 but damn it is #annoying. I don’t mind fighting enemies 4 levels above me but using weapons 8+ underleveled makes it tough.
All things considered I had fun, the story was "ok" and I liked how they plan to change things up on the second playthru. However, for a third installment into the Borderlands universe they needed to spend more time testing the maps, searching for bugs and planning the story so that the "tasks" you do were more random and felt more transparent.
I do applaud 2K and Gearbox for making The Pre-Sequel happen and given that they were able to keep everything a secret is both good and bad. On the positive it kept the entire story a surprise to everyone however, not allowing an ample amount of beta testing really hurt the game overall. It’s no wonder they marketed the game so heavily with pre-order bonuses. Had they skipped that step I'm pretty sure it would have haulted DLC sales. #yesthatbad
Best Glitch Ever
I was fighting the final boss running and gunning and noticed that my shield wasn't going down. So, I stopped and noticed that when I got hit the recharge was near instant. This was basically the premise of the Gaige "buck-up glitch" in Borderlands 2. No clue how I made that happen but I'm gonna see if I can reproduce it.
Bottom line, I’m going to continue to play the "Borderlands The Pre-Sequel" Most everything I found is easily fixed and will likely go away with the first patch. After that it should be smooth sailing.
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Rapoo Launches KX Wireless Mechanical Keyboard
For those looking at a budget friendly mechanical keyboard with linear lighted switches. Razoo's newest offering might be one to look into.
Press Release -
LOS ANGELES – Oct. 22, 2014 – Rapoo’s KX Mechanical Keyboard, available now, is a sleek, wireless keyboard with vibration feedback that enhances any user’s computing experience. The mechanical keys provide a comfortable typing experience for up to 60 million operations, and its sturdy stainless-steel casing provides durable and steady placement for a long-lasting appeal.The KX Mechanical Keyboard runs on a reliable 5GHz connection for a wireless and interference-free connection, with a range of up to 32 feet. Boasting a low-energy consuming li-ion battery, the keyboard has a standby time of up to 40 hours. However, if running out of juice, the integrated Dual-Mode feature allows users to plug-in a micro-USB cable for a wired connection. This allows users to recharge via USB while in use, which only takes about 4 hours.
The sleek KX Mechanical Keyboard adds interest to any home or office space. The keyboard features adjustable key illumination to easily type while in dark or dim lighting. With just the press of the FN key, users can toggle between 3 levels of lighting intensity for a customized typing experience. The FN key also activates additional hotkeys for easier and quicker use of multimedia functions.
The Rapoo KX Mechanical Keyboard is available now in black or white for $79.99 MSRP at Walmart.com and other retailers.
The keyboard will be available in other rich hues including red, yellow, or blue in 2015.
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Custom Case Mod Giveaways!! Time to Pick 3
It is that time again. What time you say? Time to pull out the modding tools and make something great even greater.
Attached is a photo of four awesome cases.
1) Thermaltake Core V51
2) Cooler Master HAF Stacker 936 (first gen)
3) Silverstone Raven 5
4) Silverstone Raven 4
I am going to custom paint 3 of these cases and I what my followers to help me pick which three will get a custom coat of Hardware Asylum pearl orange.
You can cast your vote on either the Hardware Asylum Facebook Fan Page Or the Hardware Asylum Google+ Page If you would like to tweet about it use #asylumpick3 -
SteelSeries Siberia V3 Review @ Vortez
While it's cool seeing new products from fresh faces entering the scene, there is something to be said about gaming pedigree. Steelseries has followed up ten years of success by releasing a new Siberia headset.
The design is definitively 'Siberia' and has been crafted with expert precision. They have improved the retractable microphone, upgraded the drivers to the latest generation of SteelSeries speaker drivers that have been refined to give a 'tournament grade' soundscape tailored for gaming. Meaning better situational awareness and separation in sound effects in game.
Between the base models, and the new Prism lineup, there are tons of color combos to choose from to match nearly any system.
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COUGAR 700M Gaming Mouse Review @ NikKTech
The newer adjustable-zone mouse designs are popular for those that want a truly custom mouse fit, and COUGAR, a new player to the peripherals game has just entered the playing field. Their 700M has a lot of popular features found in a top tier gaming mouse at a price nearly half of its competition.
COUGAR became quite the popular name after releasing several high quality PC cases and power supply units which also combined performance and features but it wasn't until just recently that they announced the release of their very first gaming peripherals and today with us we have their flagship gaming mouse model, the 700M.
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ASRock's Z97 Extreme6 Motherboard Review @ Tech Report
With all the new fanfare over the E-Haswell's, we can't forget that the Z97's are still fresh, and a great foundation to build a new system on if you don't have a couple grand laying around for the X99. ASRock just released a new Z97 motherboard with some great features beefing up the onboard M.2 sockets.
The market for Haswell motherboards is crowded with contenders, many of which differ only slightly from one another. ASRock's Z97 Extreme6 manages to stand out among the masses, though. Unlike most Z97 offerings, whose M.2 sockets connect via dual PCIe 2.0 lanes in the chipset, the Extreme6 boasts "Ultra M.2" goodness with quad PCIe 3.0 lanes from the CPU.
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Asustek beefs up motherboard marketing
You hear about this kinda stuff every year and wonder if it really works. Considering that Asus has been hanging back and not overpromoting at Computex over the past two years you begin to wonder if they are just trying to save money or just have no confidence in their products.
Competition in the global own-brand motherboard market between Asustek Computer and Gigabyte Technology is heating up and Asustek has lowered prices and strengthened marketing efforts, according to industry sources.
Gigabyte and Asustek declined to comment about their shipments.
Asustek has already planned several promotions to sell its motherboards bundled with graphics cards, and expects its graphics cards' strong market recognition to help attract consumer demand.
Gigabyte's motherboard and graphics card businesses are separate units and the two departments hardly cooperate over sales and marketing. Although Gigabyte's motherboard business has been performing strongly recently, Asustek's new strategy is expected to impact Gigabyte's motherboard business group, the sources noted.It will be interesting to see what ends up happening. Based on some of the reviews I have seen the new Haswell-E boards are quite good and the video card lineup is looking rather impressive as well.
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GIGABYTE GA-X99-UD4 LGA 2011-v3 Motherboard Review @ [H]
Gigabyte has been trying hard to get a prefect mix of motherboards in the market that not only compliment the price watchers but also deliver outstanding performance throughout the entire range.
The new X99-UD4 motherboards are in the sweet spot of price and performance but do they have enough features to justify the purchase?
GIGABYTE’s new Haswell-E X99-UD4 motherboard offers a no-nonsense, no frills approach to the High End DeskTop (HEDT) market segment. While this certainly is an HEDT motherboard, GIGABYTE's approach to the feature set available on this motherboard has kept its price point in the $240 range.
I've been testing the X99 SOC Force and so far have been impressed with the offering but have also noticed some plague points common with the Z97 release eariler this year.
