"As the year progresses, themes emerging are many: venerable sims like Simbin’s Race Series being enhanced with updates and add-on packs, as well as the Race Room experience continuing; prolonging the life of the original product while we wait for the studio’s first all-new sim in years. GTR 3 — learning that Henrik Roos has left the position as CEO of Simbin is puzzling at best, and that World of Mass Development / Slightly Mad Studios are currently rewriting their business model and forewarning the community that access to the paid alpha versions of their Project CARS, the Community Assisted Race Simulation may soon be closed, hinting that development funds might soon be flowing freely through the company being integrated into something bigger, better, and with ISI facing increasing community pressure to overhaul their mind-bending mod system it seems the road to glory never runs smooth."
Well, you're reading this - so motor racing is your thing! You should take a moment to check out Mittoni's range of Playseat racing cockpits and the super popular Logitech G27 racing wheel, pedals and shifter. If that gets your oil pressure rising, the following video will have you red lined!
"There's a new CPU overclocking record to report and, surprise-surprise (not really), AMD's spunky FX-8150 chip is the one breaking new ground. This time a Taiwanese overclocker who goes by "ksin" was able to push AMD's record setting processor to 8,805MHz (8.8GHz), inching ever closer to the coveted 9GHz mark."
Paul Lilly - MaximumPC
Interested in overclocking? Read the full article on MaximumPC.
Here's a video of the previous attempt at 9Ghz, reaching a stunning 8.4Ghz....
The results of Rackspace Hosting’s latest online shopping survey, conducted by Roy Morgan Research, reveals interesting insights into the behaviours of Australia’s connected consumers.
"Of the respondents, 83.2 percent listed convenience as one of the key benefits, closely followed by price (71.1 percent), price comparison (60.8 percent) and a wider variety of products and services (47.4 percent)."
You've probably noticed that G.Skill 1333MHz and 1600MHz 8GB single modules are now the same price or slight cheaper than 4GB based dual channel packs.
Examples:
GS-F3-10666CL9D-8GBXL vs. GS-F3-10666CL9S-8GBXL
GS-F3-10666CL9Q-16GBXL vs. GS-F3-10666CL9D-16GBXL
GS-F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL vs. GS-F3-12800CL10S-8GBXL
GS-F3-1600C9Q-16GAO vs. GS-F3-1600C10D-16GAO
GS-F3-12800CL9Q-16GBXL(RL) vs. GS-F3-12800CL10D-16GBXL
Whilst this situation may change over the next few weeks with the current and ongoing memory pricing fluctuations, we have a clear indication that 8GB modules will dominate sales into the future.
Another factor driving this sea change in the memory market is the mainboards themselves, with 2 DIMM slot boards being far cheaper to produce than 4 & 8 DIMM boards. Considering consumers are opting for 16GB as the standard memory configuration for Windows 7 64-bit versions, we see both a desire to reduce mainboard costs while increasing RAM it the same time!
"One of the major things that separates the Overseer RX-1 is the amount of internal room of this chassis. Granted, I am using an older but still fairly large AMD/ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 video card with an Arctic Cooling Accelero GPU cooler on it, but trying to find a chassis that can easily handle this large video card configuration is darn near impossible. The Thermaltake Overseer RX-1 chassis not only handles this large card with ease, it makes this large video card look tiny once installed into this chassis."
"Deviation on all rails stayed within .1 volt under the simulated, and real world loads. While we are not able to really overwhelm this PSU with the test rig thrown at it, it instills confidence that we couldnt even register a >.1 deviation while spinning up 4 drives and throwing the GPU load at it. I would say outside of a space heater, you are just not going to saturate this.Overall give this device serious consideration. It’s a contender, and quick forum looks indicate some users stretching this thing reliably closer to 1KW. Pair that with a 7 year OEM warranty on a high failure rate device and you’ve got an absolute prize."
As you may be aware, recently Australian Air Express and Star Track Express merged to form “StarTrack”. For the most part, this merger has been fairly smooth, however we've now encountered our first major change in this service:
“As part of our new suite of products, StarTrack will continue to provide customers with the option of sending consignments directly to Post Office Box addresses in line with the service previously provided by AaE Retail. However, it is necessary to introduce a charge for this service to ensure it remains commercially viable for the future.”
Mittoni has no choice but to pass these fees (totalling $9ex) across to resellers continuing to use PO box addresses for either their own deliveries, or to their end users for DROP-SHIPs. You'll need to obtain a street address for any air satchel sized order in future to avoid having this surcharge imposed on your invoice (or invoiced separately if missed initially by your account manager).
Any questions you may have, please contact your account manager soonest.
"G.Skill has always been dedicated to creating exceptional memory for enthusiasts, and the Trident-X series is no exception. This is due to all the kits in the series being designed to take advantage of the improved memory controller in the Ivy Bridge processors, allowing them to run at incredibly high speeds... The G.Skill Trident-X memory modules also have a sleek modular heatspreader. This design allows the upper portion of the heatsink to be removed from the base, which will come in very handy for users with larger CPU heatsinks. The heatspreader also uses high-quality materials and is thicker than your standard memory heatspreader. The size of this thermal solution helps ensure the ICs are optimally cooled, regardless of whether or not the top fins remain attached."
"During the 1st quarter of 2012, figures showed more than 1/3 of users within the community have chosen G.SKILL DDR3 kits as their memory solution"
As Bill Wang, VP at G.SKILL, stated “G.SKILL memory is widely known for its superior quality and unlimited overclocking headroom. We are excited and thankful that our products are highly recognized by overclocking community and we will continue to strive for ultimate customer satisfaction in the years to come.”
"As RAM prices have steadily fallen over the years RAM sizes consequently have increased. The G.Skill Ares 1866MHz 16GB kit is a testament to this by providing users with massive amounts of memory for a very reasonable price... when you look at the high density of the kit, low profile design, and lifetime warranty the G.Skill Ares kit still comes out on top... The construction quality of the G.Skill Ares kit is superb, the PCB doesn't flex, the heat sinks just fit together, and overall the quality of Ares is as one would expect from a major producer like G.Skill."
"I have been a fan of Thermaltake for a long time, and cases like the Chaser MK-1 will keep me coming back. It is extremely well built, and the design of the case flows really well. Including dual USB 3.0 ports is great, and something that should become a standard feature. The other features of this case provide everything I need. I could rehash every feature and explain why I like them, however what you really need to know is that this case does its job extremely well. It will keep your components cool, and will be nearly silent while doing it. The construction is of the highest quality, which is what I expect from Thermaltake."
"Some modern households are blessed with the addition of a game room. Call them what you will – man caves, bro dens, jock retreats. Most of them are organised in a way that emphasises utility – a place for drinks, a place for gaming, a place to chill. However, some game rooms are made to be showcases....."
Gosh, I thought my setup was impressive, but Pete's Gaming Room pwns mine! Pete has now made a video to answer questions about his setup:
Gaming is important at Mittoni. We're self confessed addicts of many genres, from simulation to RTS and beyond. Stocking just about every type of tool to build a complete kit, you'll find all the right stuff @ Mittoni!
"The V9 BlacX is a very feature rich case. The bay and expansion slots have one of the better tool-less installation designs we have seen in a case. It certainly feels more thought out than the common cheap plastic solutions, which usually break. The dual hard drive dock on top of the case is a very nice feature and will help save desk space since we don’t need our external drive enclosure anymore. The large exhaust fan helps promote the cooling capabilities of this case and the blue LED intake fan gives off a ton of light which makes the case look awesome in the dark. The USB 3.0 port is also a nice addition to the case"
"Considering the price, the Thermaltake Dokker mid-tower case does a good job of providing useful enthusiast features while leaving plenty of options for performance upgradeability. First and foremost, the temperatures are excellent, despite only having a single fan installed. Due to the fact that it is a high airflow design, heat can freely escape, while cooler air is drawn in from multiple angles including the front, sides and bottom. Users with tall aftermarket heatsinks have nothing to worry about as the Thermaltake Dokker can fit a 162mm tall cooler. Large video cards are not a problem either as the HD6990 can easily fit without any fancy maneuvering with some room to spare. All the drive bays have a completely tool-less installation which are easy to use"
"The tone of these speakers is really pleasing and we never got tired of listening, like we do with some of these wireless speakers. The mix was kind of "thick" with lots of mid-bass, but we also loved that we could crank the volume all the way up and there wasn't a lot of audible distortion. It played pretty loud indoors, too - louder than you're likely to want unless you happen to be throwing a rave in your living room."
"A superior low profile CPU cooler that is very quiet in operation and can be mounted quite a few different ways. Overall ThinkComputers gives the Noctua NH-L12 Low Profile CPU Cooler a 10 out of 10 score and our Recommended Award!"
"a successful run at designing a case that is 1/7th the price of the original but still a very fluid and nicely finished mid-tower with one of the best hot swap systems in the industry. The GTS does all these things while managing to retain a wee bit of the Level 10 'cool' factor."
Well, Diablo III went live yesterday. There's been a lot of reports about login issues, with people unable to play, or having a frustrating time of it. Eurogamer are here to help however, having quickly published a "What all the Diablo 3 Error messages mean, and what to do about them" guide. Good work folks!
"G.Skill constantly keeps me amazed with the incredible products they put out... The XMP function is one the easiest features to like about this kit or any other kit for that matter. It is a no-brainer when it comes to running the kit at its rated speeds. a quick trip to the BIOS and selecting the XMP option is all it takes. There is no reason to run at a slower speed when you don’t have to."
PureOverclock's Jim Baranski says that G.Skill's F3-2133C9Q-16GAB [ARES] DDR3-2133 kits "look great, run fantastic, fit with almost any motherboard out there, overclock extremely well, and come with a very reasonable price. We’ve got a top choice here."
It would seem that Dennis didn't have his TrackIR, otherwise he'd have probably seen the bandit coming... If flight sims are your thing, you're in the place with the right stuff. Get some of it today!
"You spend most of your waking hours glued to your computer screen, smart phone, tablet or TV monitor. As the hours go by, you subject your eyes to harsh, high intensity blue light and glare from your screen. Constant viewing of digital screens can create visual stress, eye fatigue, dry eyes, irritation and even headaches."
Gunnar is all about the latest technology in eyewear – helping reduce eye strain around the world, especially for those who are focused on crucial missions at hand – taking out the enemies with precision, accuracy, and focus for hours on end!
Gunnar's range of indoor digital eyewear is available now from Mittoni. The range is ever expanding, so do be sure to check back regularly for new styles!
NiKKTech in a review of the Noctua NH-C14 CPU cooler compared their test results with two other Noctua CPU coolers, the NH-D14 and the NH-L12. As can be seen from the test results, whilst there is no doubt that the NH-D14 is the low temp king, the NH-C14 is right on its heels - and the real stunner is the NH-L12...... So small in footprint, so mighty in cooling performance! Noctua's design team have done themselves proud (black magic I say!!!)
Noctua's NH-D14, LH-C14 & NH-L12 coolers are available from Mittoni. We love them. You will too :)
"Thermaltake has always made reliable products and this is no exception. The build quality of the Frio OCK is remarkable. No corners were cut and as a result the performance is amazing. Managing to keep the overclocked Core i5 CPU at a mere 64 degrees Celsius on high fan speed settings and 67 degrees Celsius on low fan speed settings, the Frio OCK definitely deserves to be considered when looking at the upper class of aftermarket CPU air coolers."
"I was just reminiscing about the various upgrades, both minor and major, I have shelled out so I can pretend I am a WWII combat pilot. I am never going to get to fly a Spitfire, be a belly gunner in a B-17, or land a Komet on a wooden skid, but I can lose myself for a few hours at a time and try and emulate the stories I read as a kid by chasing pixels on a screen."
James "Ajay" Russell - SimHQ
Cast your mind back to the games, the hardware, the excitement and the frustrations of being a PC combat flight sim fanatic with Ajay - As an Australian guest writer for SimHQ, you should read this anyways!
Mittoni offers an outstanding range of flight simulation hardware - we have flight controllers from both CH Products and Logitech, we have the leading head tracking solutions from NaturalPoint and the awesome cockpits from Playseat. Of course, when we talk WWII flight sims, one of the most important factors is sound - as NOTHING sounds as sweet as a Rolls Royce Merlin!
To get all that big, beautiful sound - you need the right stuff - and the right stuff is Auzentech & eDimensional!
"Ever since Apple announced the third generation model for their popular tablet, everyone's talking iPad. But, not everyone's going gaga over the new devices, especially eye doctors. iPads, much like any computer or smartphone screen you stare at for awhile, might contribute to "computer vision syndrome," a set of eye problems caused by staring at a screen for long periods of time without taking a break."
Well eye strain sufferers, time you checked out Mittoni's extensive range of Gunnar digital eyewear, they're designed to combat the kinds of issues mentioned in the CBS report linked above. Looking for further information on eye strain & it's causes? The American Optometric Association has a great deal of information on Computer Vision Syndrome.
"Rrossman2 writes - With the birth of our son (who is now just over two), we have snapped and accumulated a ton of pictures — on Panoramio, Picasa, Facebook, etc. What is the best option for bulk printing the photos to a physical format?"
View the full Ask Slashdot thread discussion on this hot topic!
"I can take this cooler off the test bench and slam it into some of the tiniest HTPC solutions, it doesn't interfere with the memory and even when abused well beyond its specified limits, it takes it well. Even if you don't need a cooler that can get under a 66mm height clearance issue, the NH-L12 has its place in almost any build, so it is well worth considering this for its silence and its ability to handle almost any CPU cooling situation."
"Ergonomics has become a course study in not only psychology but physiology & behavioral sciences as well. It has become an area of medical concern, a workers compensation standard and something most employers take seriously and are generally willing to pay for if you can demonstrate a need (yes, you can convince your boss to buy you a pair of Gunnars for work.)
Ergonomics has become more than just physical comfort in the office, but has branched out into many other industries. Though it is in the office environment that we think of ergonomics the most, and while innovations are being made there, they are also being made in gaming ergonomics as well, with a bit of crossover."
Mittoni offers a wide and ever increasing range of Gunnar Digital Eyewear, designed to combat eye fatigue and many other common complaints for users of digital display devices - from TVs, computers and game consoles, to smart phones and more!
Check out Gunnar's latest video - "How Do They Work?"
"I have at least 10 assorted hard drives ranging from 100 GB to 3 TB, and including external drives, IDE desktop drives, laptop drives, etc. What's the best way to setup a home NAS to utilize all this 'excess' space? And could it be setup with redundancy built-in so a single drive failure would cause no data loss? I don't need anything fancy. Visibility to networked Windows PCs is great; ability to streak to Roku / iPad / Toshiba etc would be great but not necessary. What's the best way to accomplish this goal?"
The reality is, it's probably just easier to purchase one of our Thermaltake MUSE Landisk enclosures if you want to re-use an older IDE drive. If it's SATA drives you want to re-use, then our Lian Li EX-20N is the perfect solution! Perhaps you've a true pile of older drives of mixed interfaces (like I do!), then the Wicked Wired USB 2.0 To 2.5" + 3.5" + 5.25" IDE (PATA & SATA) Powered Adapter is the fella you seek. Bought one yet?
"It’s simple. Gaijin hit a home run with this one. They listened to their customers, and they must have read suggestions in reviews on their other console games. With options, choices, and tons of content, all at a great price, you can’t go wrong with this purchase. And a developer like Gaijin Entertainment deserves our console customer support for going outside of the norm."
Chuck "Magnum" Ankenbauer - SimHQ
Read the full review of this excellent new addition to the suite of high quality combat flight sim titles now available for the PS3 and Xbox360 gaming platforms.
When playing WW2 flight sims, one of the most important stimulus is sound - As nothing on this planet sounds as perfect as a Rolls Royce Merlin engine.... The new Logitech F540 headset is the perfect way to enjoy all the immersive sounds of aerial combat on your game console, so check them out today! Looking for further immersion? Perhaps a Playseat gaming cockpit is what you need - In no time, you'll be tapping your toes to Dame Vera Lynn on the wireless whilst you clear the skies of enemy aircraft!
Stay tuned for some new and exciting simulation products for console gamers due at Mittoni shortly....
"Jann Mardenborough was a shy Cardiff teenager who loved his Gran Turismo computer game. So imagine his parents' surprise when he won a place in the Dubai 24 Hour race"
Giles Richards - Guardian UK
So whom says your gaming addiction will never take you places???? Read all about Jann's rise from Sim Racer to Motor Racer!
"For a very reasonably priced 8GB kit of memory this is a great kit, while it is no 2600+mhz monster kit it would definatly suit most enthusiasts who could very easily sit at 2300MHz @ 9-11-9-30-2T without the need to bump any voltages."
"There aren’t many gaming keyboards out there that you would look at twice within this price range, but for those who want all the options and style of a more expensive gaming keyboard, but at nearly half the price, then you will be very happy with the Logitech G105"