Placing Windows on a USB and booting it is not as easy as it may seem, mainly because Windows was not built for live sessions. For some GUI addicted users the result may not be at all what they expected, plus the functionality is cut off drastically. Virtualizing the operating system and running it from a removable storage device has its advantages but it will not pull you out of a jam in case the host operating system is damaged.

If you plan on rescuing data off a Windows-running machine or if you simply feel the need of an alternate operating system then Linux seems to be the solution. There are plenty of distros to choose from, with Ubuntu reigning over them through its ease of use and flexibility to run both installed on your machine as well as from a live CD.

Another Linux distro that can be handled with ease is Fedora. And in this case there is a little tool called Live USB Creator that will place the OS on the USB in about 6 minutes if the distro's image has been previously downloaded. Also, you get to choose which Fedora should be placed on the stick and the options vary from the 9th edition to the 11th, which is in alpha stage, for both 32-bit and 64-bit computers.

The entire process requires just a few clicks in a very easy interface and no wizard is required as all the options are right under your nose. It automatically detects the target devices and all you have to do is select one. In case you already have the image on your computer there is an option allowing you to use an existing Live CD.
The Live CD image is a generic name in the application as the file can be any ISO on your computer. Fedora Live USB Creator can be used for extracting absolutely any image to a thumbdrive with no problems. We tested the app with all sorts of images (Ubuntu Live CD was one of them) and they all worked like a charm.

No alert is present upon completing the image extraction to the removable drive, but the result is amazing as you will benefit from a fully functional operating system that comes integrated with generic drivers. The tool proves pretty useful when you try to rescue data off a system beyond recovery or if you just want to switch to an alternate, open-source operating system.

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Despite the fact that Facebook has just recently introduced major layout changes to its service, the company may now find itself in a position of having to undo them, on account of the massive negative backlash it has gotten from its users. Approximately one million people said that the changes were not inspired, and that the old templates were far better than the new ones, so the site will now try to implement the old look all over again.

“Since we launched Facebook's home page design, we've received thousands of emails, Wall posts and comments from you along with direct feedback from all of our friends and family. (...) We're focusing on improvements immediately and over the next several weeks,” product director Christopher Cox told his readers in a blog post late on Tuesday.

The website has already pledged to reduce some of the clutter on its pages and to make the new interface more user-friendly and more similar to the previous one. The new changes introduced a more Twitter-like interface, which seems to have upset Facebook users.


“We've heard feedback that there is a lot of application content appearing in the stream. We will be giving you tools to control and reduce application content that your friends share into your stream,” Cox added in the blog entry.

Instead of refreshing the browser page in order to see new posts, users will receive “the ability to turn on auto updating in the near future so you no longer need to refresh the page.” The “Highlights” section of the website will also “update more frequently and will show you more content throughout the day to mirror more closely the content that the earlier news feed provided,” the announcement went on to say.

“Redesigns are generally hard to manage, in part because change is always hard and in part because we may miss improvements that any individual user may like to see. With the recent home page changes, we're trying to present the right balance between what's happening right now and what's interesting over a longer period of time,” Cox explained about Facebook's decision to change its interface.

The percentage of people that oppose the changes is fairly small, as less than one million of the website's 175 million users say that they are dissatisfied with them. Still, the number is, objectively speaking, massive, and the website did good to lend an ear to what people had to say.

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Santa Clara, California-based NVIDIA has just updated its entire line of professional graphics cards, with the addition of several new Quadro FX graphics accelerators. The new lineup includes solutions for users in the sub-$100 entry-level to high-end customer segments demanding the highest-performance professional graphics solution available on the market. Ranging from the newly introduced Quadro NVS 295 to the company's new flagship model, the Quadro FX 5800, each new card comes to provide users with a high-level of graphics performance in their respective market segment.

“Our mission with Quadro is to help customers solve the world’s most challenging visual computing problems,” stated Dan Vivoli, executive vice president of marketing at NVIDIA. “We learn every day from them and are humbled by their brilliance. The new lineup, with the flagship Quadro FX 5800, sets the stage for the next ten years of innovation.”

With the introduction of the new NVIDIA Quadro FX cards the company also announced the new SLI Multi-OS technology, which will enable 3D Workstation virtualisation on the manufacturer's latest range of Quadro GPUs. According to the graphics chip maker, this technology will boost performance and optimize productivity of a single workstation in a virtualized environment, thanks to the graphics capabilities of a multiple Quadro GPU configuration.

“In today’s economy, organisations are turning to virtualisation to increase productivity and maximise cost savings,” says Jeff Brown, general manager of professional solutions at NVIDIA. “Now professionals working with visualisation applications can benefit from virtualisation.”

The new range of NVIDIA professional graphics cards includes the new Quadro FX 5800, the Quadro FX 4800, the Quadro FX 3800, Quadro FX 1800, Quadro FX 580, Quadro FX 380 and the Quadro NVS 295. With the launch, NVIDIA has introduced the industry's first and only 4GB-equipped graphics card, coming in the form of the new Quadro FX 5800.

Both the FX 5800 and the FX 4800 models have been designed as ultra-high-end solutions delivering the highest visualization performance and enabling professional users to work with large-scale models and datasets. The FX 3800 focuses on those users looking for a high level of performance and, as with the other two cards, enables support for NVIDIA's newly launched SLI Multi-OS technology.

The Quadro FX 1800 has been specifically designed for the mainstream market segment, while the 580 and 380 models are meant to provide users with a choice for an entry-level and affordable professional graphics solution. The new Quadro NVS 295 can support up to two 30-inch displays and is designed to meet the requirements of professional entry-level users.

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Santa Clara, California-based Intel is expected to update its lineup of Core i7 processors with the addition of two new models, both of which will be targeted at the high-end enthusiast market segment. The upcoming top high-end CPU model, dubbed Core i7 975, will become Intel's new flagship consumer CPU as it will boast a core speed of 3.33GHz.

The lower-powered Core i7 950 will boost a core speed of 3.06GHz. Both
models are expected to become available at the end of May.


According to a recent update of the chip maker’s pricing list, the new CPUs should be out on May 31. The highly rumored Core i7 975 model will be priced at US$999, while the Core i7 950 will be available for US$562. The price difference between the two is significant but doesn't necessarily reflect the difference in clock speed. While the higher-end Core i7 975 will boast a core speed of 3.33GHz, the Core i7 950 will be featured at a frequency of 3.06GHz.


The updated price list also hints at some other new Intel processors, part of the company's extensive lineup of Core 2 Quad CPUs. Before the launch of the company's new Nehalem-based processors, a couple of new mid-tied versions of the Core 2 Quad S models will be made available. On April 19, Intel will introduce the Core 2 Quad Q8400 and the Core 2 Quad Q8400S, both of which will be featured at a core speed of 2.66GHz. Price-wise, these new models will be offered for US$183 and US$245, respectively.
On the same day as the new Core i7 processors, Intel will reveal the Core 2 Duo E7600, priced at US$133, the Pentium Dual-Core E6300 and the Celeron Dual-Core E1600, priced at US$84 and US$53, respectively.

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After reviewing the first clamshell manufactured by RIM, BlackBerry 8220 Pearl Flip, Pure Mobile has offered us the opportunity to test the first BlackBerry smartphone to feature a touch screen, BlackBerry Storm 9500. The device itself has been especially developed to be a direct competitor to Apple's iPhone 3G, T-Mobile's G1 by HTC, and to the lastest HTC Touch family device. Whether it either succeeds or not, we will discover in the following review. Bear in mind that while the device is only sold branded, there are still unlocked versions of the smartphone, which allows owners to use it with any GSM service provider.

Announced in September 2008, the Blackberry Storm 9500 smartphone was made available on the market two months later, in November 2008. At the moment, the handset can be acquired for the amount of $520USD, unlocked with no plan.

Design

Blackberry Storm 9500 is not only the first Blackberry device with a touch screen, but also the first to lack a physical keyboard. For businessmen, who are the main target of the smartphone, this might sound pretty awkward at first glance. To substitute this lack of keypad, RIM has introduced a new, innovative technology called SurePress. RIM's SurePress patented technology makes the touch screen physically react like a button when pressed. It also provides haptic feedback, which means that you won't feel the difference between a physical keyboard and this one. Nevertheless, the feeling that you get when clicking a flimsy touch screen that seems not to have been solidly attached has scared me. First time I kept it in my hand, I thought the device had a big flaw, as the display was 2mm shorter than the frame and you could easily see through these spaces left up and below the screen. The screen is protected by a thin foil, so it won't get too many fingerprints.

Except for it, the device seems to have been constructed solidly. It feels good in your hand, but might be a little heavier than expected (155g, including battery). The metallic back cover seems to be taking its toll on the weight of the device. Still, Storm 9500 is not such a big handset as compared with the HTC Touch HD or even the iPhone 3G, measuring only 112.5 x 62.2 x 14mm.

Display and Camera

As I have also mentioned above, Storm 9500 is the first Blackberry device to feature a capacitive touch screen. It measures 3.25 inches and supports 65k colors and a 360x480-pixel resolution. The capacitive touch screen eliminates the need to employ a stylus, and is also scratch-resistant. It embeds the innovative SurePress technology, a Research-In-Motion patented technology that provides haptic feedback. This screen allows the user to navigate through the phone using their fingertips, similar to a computer's mouse, and "click" the screen by pushing down select, which provides the user with a haptic feedback. They have the ability to adjust the screen's settings so that double tapping can be employed as an alternate method to select and navigate the phone, but the sensitivity of scrolling can also be set.

The 3.2-Megapixel camera of the Blackberry Storm 9500 features the autofocus and the LED flash. Unfortunately, the camera interface misses entirely. The only way to adjust the few settings that the camera has is to click on the Menu key after the camera function has been opened. Instead of this annoying thing, you get some nice features: geotagging and image stabilization. The maximum resolution for pictures is of 2048x1536 pixels, but that can be lowered for storage purposes. The only other settings of the camera are White balance and Colors effect, as well as Picture quality. Taking pictures with Storm's 3.2-Megapixel camera seems pretty difficult, as the preview screen is covered at the base with a bar that features some settings.



Menu and Software

Blackberry Storm 9500 runs the Blackberry 4.7.0 operating system, platform 4.0.0.98. It seems to be the 4.6.0 OS, which has been converted for the touch screen. As of now, this is the latest OS from Blackberry available for touch screen devices.

Anyway, in case you already have or have had a Blackberry device, the 9500's interface won't surprise you at all, as RIM hasn't come up with anything new in terms of productivity tools. Instead, the unchanged BlackBerry interface is now looking much better than the older ones. The colors of the icons you'll find in the main menu are softly lighted in contrast with the dark background, and make a very good overall impression. The usual Office package, called Documents To Go, developed by DataViz, is also included in 9500's operating system.

Unfortunately, as you can see from the screenshots, you can only read or edit Word docs, Excel docs, and PowerPoint presentations, but need to pay if you want to make new documents. Instead of getting more new features that might not come in handy at all, RIM has preferred to keep all the old stuff and give everything a shiny look. Not too bad, as all Blackberry's productivity tools are pretty solid. The problem comes when you dig deeper and see that menus are pretty boring, looking like a white-board.

The phonebook can store an unlimited number of contacts, as long as your available memory allows it to. Each contact can be filled with multiple numbers, e-mail addresses, birthday and anniversary information, a picture and a slot for both work and home addresses.

There are also two games that you can play when you're bored: BrickBreaker and Word Mole. Of course, there's always the possibility to add more software, Blackberry- or Java- compatible.


Communications

One of the main drawbacks of the touch screen smartphone is the fact that it lacks Wi-Fi connectivity. Still, this is balanced by the fact that it features an HSDPA one.

The Blackberry that I received has been branded by Vodafone, and it features the Opera Mini browser, which is working great. Web surfing is good and pages are loading pretty fast, especially when using the HSDPA connection.

You can choose to see the page in Mobile view, or simply the whole of it. Anyway, the main reason people are buying RIM devices is messaging. Blackberry Storm 9500 is no stranger to that, and features the whole Blackberry package. Should you either want multiple emails or instant messaging, this smartphone has them all. You can use any of the following instant messaging applications: Yahoo! Messenger, Windows Live, AIM, ICQ, or Google Talk. All are easy to access and work within the parameters. Unfortunately, you will be limited to BlackBerry Internet Service email accounts on the Storm.

Blackberry Storm 9500 is a quad band GSM (850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900) smartphone, which features GPRS, EDGE, and HSDPA. Other connectivity tools include the Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP and the microUSB for PC synchronization (including charging). The call quality is exceptionally good, almost impressive. You'll thus be able to talk on the phone even in more crowded areas. The GSM signal is also very good, on the EDGE network, as well as on WCDMA.



Processor and Memory

The Blackberry Storm 9500 is powered by a Qualcomm processor running at speeds of up to 624 MHz. This seems to be a powerful CPU, still I have experienced annoying lags and lock-downs, occasional hiccups, and I'm not really sure what's really causing them. This is definitely a major drawback, and I believe the fault stands in the software part and is not hardware-related.

The smartphone embeds a 1GB user-free, internal storage memory and a 128 MB Flash memory. The storage space can be expanded up to 16GB through the hot-swappable microSD slot card. The sales package also contains an 8GB microSD card.



Multimedia

As a business device, I wasn't expecting too many high-quality multimedia features. Even if these are only basic, I have been surprised to find out that the quality of the sound is pretty high. The music player looks very appealing and features options like Shuffle, Repeat, Playlists, and Equalizers. Users can listen to songs stored in MP3, AAC, and WMA files. The music player can also display the album cover art when a song is playing.

The phone features a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you'll be able to change the earphones that are coming with the smartphone, or you can choose to listen to the music through the stereo Bluetooth feature. The music player can be run in the background, however, be careful how many applications you are using at a time. The external speaker is very loud and pretty clear.



Battery

The 1400 mAh Li-Ion battery has an officially stated life expectancy of 360 hours in standby, and of about 5 hours and 30 minutes in talk time mode. Our test unit has made it for about 4 days at a medium use. Heavy users will need to charge the smartphone twice every week. The autonomy is pretty acceptable for a Blackberry owner that only employs the specific Blackberry services, namely the messaging capabilities.


Impressions

At first glance, the Blackberry Storm 9500 looks very appealing. Even more when you start using it, but there are some functionality flaws that make the device not as good as expected. Being the first in a line could prove to be fatal for some devices, but the Storm 9500 makes a good overall impression, even if it has some drawbacks.



The Good

As a business tool, the Blackberry Storm 9500 should be considered an exceptionally good smartphone. The wide range of messaging capabilities, as well as the HSDPA connectivity, make the device very appealing. I would also like to mention the surprisingly good multimedia features, the 3.2-Megapixel camera, but also the good battery of the handset.



The Bad

The thing I have found unbearable with the product regards the lags that I have experienced when browsing or operating with various functions of the smartphone. Furthermore, the lack of a Wi-Fi connectivity might hurt those who want to stay connected even in areas that don't have a GSM network coverage. Some small improvements to the user interface would've been more than welcome.


Sales package:

1 BlackBerry Storm 9500 Smartphone;
1 Standard Battery;
1 USB Data Cable;
1 Wired Headset / Ear Piece;
1 Standard Carrying Case;
1 Cleaning Cloth;
1 Software Suite;
1 User Manual.

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AMD's upcoming RV790-based Radeon HD 4890 graphics card continues to make its appearance on the Internet, showing up in one form or another, before the Sunnyvale, California-based graphics maker had a chance to officially unveil it. According to the latest details, the company's upcoming 55nm-based single-GPU graphics card will
be capable of providing its users with an impressive performance level, one that will likely place it as a direct competitor to NVIDIA's current GeForce GTX 285 graphics card.

The guys over at ocheaven managed to score some screenshots of the 3DMark 06 and 3DMark Vantage results of the new Radeon card. As you can see in the pictures below, the RV790 GPU is good for an impressive score of 16096 and P10996, in 3DMark 06 and 3DMark Vantage, respectively. Unfortunately, we don't know what graphics drivers were used for the new card, but these scores could go higher with some improved drivers.

Aside from the early revealed 3DMark scores, the new card is expected to boast a core speed of 850MHz and an impressive memory clock of 3800MHz. The card should come with 1GB of GDDR5 memory and should be equipped with a 55nm GPU and 965 million transistors. It is meant to allow AMD to gain a better market share in the enthusiast and high-performance segment, where the company has no competitor for the newly released GeForce GTX 285 and GTX 295 cards from NVIDIA.

Unfortunately we still have no details on an official release date, but according to earlier reports, AMD's new single-GPU flagship model should make its debut sometime in early April. With the new card, there have been rumors about Advanced Micro Devices planning a new dual-GPU model based on the new RV790 GPU. This will potentially be titled Radeon HD 4890 X2 and compete with NVIDIA's GTX 295.

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Windows XP seems to have been among us for ages and, for those who have taken up computers only a few years ago, it may be perceived as the way to follow if you want to properly use a computer. Sure, this happens if you grow your computer skills in a Windows environment as there are other solutions on the market to choose from: Mac provides that clean and simple to handle environment, Linux makes available a myriad of distributions. I will stop to these two alternatives as they are the most spread OSs and benefit from the largest market share, for now.

But regardless of these two operating systems, Windows XP has risen above them and became the most popular OS of all times. But times are just beginning and it seems that there are parties wanting to combine all of XP's functionality, ease of use and adaptability to hardware, into one free of charge package. Makers and creators of ReactOS have taken upon themselves the task of building a Microsoft Windows XP compatible operating system. That is not to be confused with duplicating XP, as the ReactOS team try to develop a similar architecture that will permit the end user the utilization of ReactOS with the same ease as Windows XP.


This means the main goal is to make ReactOS so similar to Windows XP that complete binary compatibility is achieved with both applications and device drivers designed for windows NT and XP systems. The result would be an XP equivalent that is open source (anyone can modify it) so everybody can use it for free, no strings attached.

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Round Rock, Texas-based Dell has just officially introduced the new Studio One 19 all-in-one personal computer system that comes with an optional touchscreen feature. The new machine is designed to provide an easy-to-use alternative to home computer systems and incorporates a unique and stylish design that enables it to be installed in almost every part of the user's home, including the living room or the kitchen. Unlike some of those Atom-based all-in-one systems that were recently launched by companies such as ASUS or MSI, thenew Dell Studio boasts a higher performance Core 2 Duo-based configuration.

“The new Studio One 19 is as nice to look at as it is functional,” said Alex Gruzen, senior vice president of Dell’s Consumer Products. “More and more people are making the kitchen the center of their entertainment and computing experience and the Studio One 19 is the ideal system for that need. The Studio One 19 is about lifestyle and design and is very affordable for the family.”

According to Dell, the new Studio One 19 will provide a choice of an Intel Celeron, Dual-Core Celeron, Pentium Dual Core, Core 2 Duo, and Core 2 Quad Core processors. The system is also packed with a choice of NVIDIA's GeForce 9200 or 9400 integrated graphics solutions. Additional features include support for up to 4GB of memory, a 750GB hard disk drive, slot load optical drive, 7-in-1 media card reader, six USB ports, integrated wireless, web camera and Blu-ray Disc.

One of the main features of Dell's new all-in-one PC is the support it brings for multi-touch technologies, which will offer users fast and easy interaction with the system's features. Additionally, Dell will provide a facial recognition security option, enabled by the system's integrated webcamera.

The Studio One 19 will become available at dell.com for a starting price of $699, on March 23. In some Japanese retail outlets the new all-in-one device is already available.

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