Latest AV-Comparatives Test (October) Fresh !

Here you find the the Removal-Test results of av-comparatives (released this month).

This tests focuses only on the malware removal/cleaning capabilities, therefore all used samples were samples that the tested Anti-Virus products were able to detect. It has nothing to do with detection rates or protection capabilities. Of course, if an Anti-Virus is not able to detect the malware, it is also not able to remove it.

The main question was if the products are able to successfully remove malware from an already infected/compromised system. The test report is aimed to normal/typical home users and not Administrators or advanced users that may have the knowledge for advanced/manual malware removal/repair procedures. A further question was if the products are able to remove what they are able to detect.

Title	Date	Review / Report (PDF)
Removal Test	October 2009	Review (English)

Source:  AV-Comparatives

5 New Technologies That Will Change Everything

While sipping a cup of organically farmed, artisan-brewed tea, I tap on my gigabit-wireless-connected tablet, to pull up a 3D movie on the razor-thin HDTV hanging on the wall. A media server streams the film via a superspeedy USB connection to a wireless HD transmitter, which then beams it to the TV.
That actor--who was he? My augmented-reality contact lenses pick up the unique eye motion I make when I have a query, which I then enter on a virtual keyboard that appears in the space in front of me. Suddenly my field of vision is covered with a Web page showing a list of the actor's movies, along with some embedded video clips.
These technologies will come to life in the distant future, right? Future, yes. Distant, no.
Speed and content (much of it video) will be paired consistently across mobile, laptop, desktop, and home-entertainment systems. New ways of using video--including adding 3D depth or artificial visual overlays--will require more speed, storage, and computational power.
In our preview of technologies that are well on their way to reality, we look at the connective tissue of USB 3.0, 802.11ac, and 802.11ad for moving media--especially video--faster; at HTML5 for displaying video and content of all kinds consistently across all our devices; at augmented reality to see how the digital world will stretch into our physical reality by overlaying what we see with graphics and text; and at 3D TV, which will add image depth and believability to the experience of watching TV.

USB 3.0

The new USB 3.0 standard preserves backward compatibility by allowing older cables to plug into newer jacks; but newer cables like this one have extra pins that boost the data rate to 4.8 gbps.

Before you leave work, you need to back up your computer. You push a button, and 5 minutes later, while you're still packing up, your system has dumped 150GB of data onto an encrypted 512GB superfast solid-state drive, which you eject to take with you for offsite backup. On your way home, you stop at a movie kiosk outside a fast-food restaurant and buy a feature-length 3D video download on sale. You plug in your drive, the kiosk reads your credentials, and while you watch a 90-second preview of coming attractions, the 30GB video transfers onto your SSD. You pull out the drive and head home.

Students Reporting Problems With $29 Windows 7

The upgrade installer isn't playing nice for students.

Are you a student in need of Windows 7? Then you might want to look at DigitalRiver's offer for Windows 7 Home Premium for students.
Valid students can still grab a download upgrade copy of Windows 7 for just $29.99 – a pretty stellar deal if you ask us. All you need is to be part of an eligible college or university. Find out more here.

Unfortunately, some users who have purchased that upgrade are reporting problems when unpacking the files and trying to install on a 32-bit machine. So far there seems to be a mix of both successes and failures, depending on how many hoops the user is willing to jump through to jimmy that upgrade into his or her Vista install.

Engadget received a tip that Microsoft is now offering refunds to those who are having trouble in getting this product to work, but of course those who managed to snag Windows 7 for less than $30 likely won't be giving up so easily.
In any case, Microsoft has a support thread going where the company is trying to sort everyone out.

Did you grab the $29.99 deal? If so, have you been having any problems?

Source : Tom's Hardware US

Five Things You Should Know About Upgrading From XP to Windows 7

Now that Windows 7 is here, the three out of four users who have rejected   Windows Vista and clung to the tried and true Windows XP can breathe a sigh of relief and consider moving to the new flagship operating system.
Upgrading or switching operating systems often comes with some trials and tribulations and the Windows 7 upgrade is no exception. Microsoft has tried to provide the tools users need to make the transition as easy as possible, but you may hit some snags. Here are five things you should be aware of as you upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7.

Does Turbo Boost Help Or Hurt Core i5/i7's Power Efficiency?

Intel’s new LGA 1156-based processors, namely the Core i5-700- and Core i7-800-series, arrived with a bang. Our launch article by Chris Angelini provides all the key information. But, in short, the new processor delivers increased performance compared to Core 2 Quad. No surprise there. But Intel also claims that power consumption went down significantly, so we decided to tackle this prospect with a closer look.

Core i5, i7: Intel’s new processors for LGA 1156.

The Core i5 Innovation

The new P55 platform and Intel’s Lynnfield processors make a are impressive enough from a performance angle, but I’d like to look at the facts from a different perspective. The platform’s foundation still centers on the Nehalem architecture first seen as Core i7 for LGA 1366 late last year, hence the level of innovation in Lynnfield is less revolutionary and more of an evolution.

Intel is great at tweaking, though. From a technology standpoint, Core i5 incorporates a lot more integration, stepping closer to the inevitable SoC (system-on-chip) future by adding PCI Express onto the die. A more aggressive implementation of Turbo Boost adds extra performance for non-threaded applications. Considering that Intel plans to integrate graphics with Clarkdale in coming months, this step could also be looked at as a necessity. Improved Turbo Boost is another building block for turning dynamic overclocking into a real feature. In reality, though, the large motherboard makers have been offering similar features for a few years already.

I see two main benefits of the new LGA 1156 processors for buyers. First, you have decreased power consumption thanks to the integrated memory controller and PCI Express 2.0 interface. The second benefit is performance. Turbo Boost helps to elevate LGA 1156-based parts to Core i7-900-class performance levels in certain applications. Both benefits became obvious in our article, Intel’s Mainstream Magnum Opus.

Access and Customize Windows 7's Extended Context Menu

With Windows 7 pushed out to the masses, it's only a matter of time before the Web is flooded with all sorts of nifty tips and tricks as the inquisitive and tech savvy have their way with Microsoft's latest operating system. To get the ball rolling, we're going to show you how to access Windows 7's extended context menu, as well as how to edit, add, and remove items from it.



The context menu is nothing else but the options you get when right clicking on a file or folder. In Windows 7, some less popular options are left out and placed on the extended context menu, which is accessible by holding down shift when you right click on an item (shift + right-click).
This applies to just about everything, from files and folders to the desktop, and allows for quick access to specialized operations, such as opening a file as read-only, executing something as another user, or opening a command prompt at a specific location.

It also allows you to quickly accomplish things like an undo move, which is useful if you're unfamiliar with thecountless Windows shortcuts (Ctrl+Z is undo, by the way), or directly copy a drive path. The extended "Send to" menu (see screenshot below) comes in handy if you find yourself moving things using this shortcut often.
And while the pre-defined extended menu items may be helpful, they are still limited to what comes by default. ShellMenuView is a very lightweight utility (~80KB and doesn't require installation) that is compatible with everything from Windows 98 to Windows 7 x64. You can download the utility here (32-bit | 64-bit).
Once you open the program, you'll immediately be faced with dozens of entries that you can enable or disable -- both in the standard and extended context menu.

Through ShellMenuView you can get rid of all of the annoying program-specific clutter that has accumulated in your context menu (think: anti-malware software, all-in-one utilities, text editors and office applications, image mounting tools etcetera). Don't get me wrong, some of these entries are time-saving, but others are flat out annoying, and are usually are placed without your consent.


ShellMenuView's interface and feature-set is pretty straightforward. Scroll through the list of entries to find the offender, right click on it and choose "Disable Selected Items". Likewise, you can enable or even set other items to appear (or not) in the extended context menu with the same motion. ShellMenuView also gives you quick access to the registry entries of context menu listings.
In our tests using ShellMenuView we were able to manipulate context menu entries for most of our programs: VLC, Windows Media Player, Imgburn, OneNote, TVersity, and some of Windows own shortcuts. We had a few problems removing a stubborn entry for MagicISO, but using another program called ShellExView (from the same developer), we were able to get rid of the annoying extra shortcuts.
But obviously that's just the tip of the iceberg. Feel free to share your custom context menu or any other Windows 7 tips in the comments.

Did you know?

You can also easily edit Firefox's right-click menu with Menu Editor and spare yourself of unwanted items like "Send Link" or "Copy Email Address" every time you right click within your browser screen. Isn't that great?

Source: http://www.techspot.com

Intel delays USB 3.0 support until 2011 ?

Those looking forward to the wide rollout of USB 3.0 are in for a major disappointment, if an unnamed industry source talking with EETimes is to be believed. Pointing out that the new interconnect "won't get real traction until it gets integrated in the chip sets," the source claims that Intel won't be offering motherboard integration before 2011, so vendors who want USB 3.0 will have to turn to costly third party controllers.

The information is said to come from a senior technology manager at a "top tier PC maker," who explains that Intel chipset teams are more focused on supporting the current Nehalem platform, as well as transitioning to the 5 GHz PCI Express 2.0 specification. The chip maker may also be showing preference to its own optical cable interface, Light Peak, which can handle transfers up to 10Gbps and will enter mass production early next year.

Intel has declined to comment on these assertions. If true, it doesn't necessarily mean we won’t see any USB 3.0 support next year, but you probably shouldn't expect to see the new interconnect on cheap boards, which in turn means less USB 3.0 compatible peripherals as the market will simply be too limited to be profitable.

Windows 7 born from Vista's frustrations

If consumers like the new Windows 7 operating system, they'll have the much-maligned Windows Vista to thank.

In part, that's because Windows 7 actually builds on the under-the-hood changes that came with Vista. But, it also turns out that the vast headaches created by Vista were just what the PC industry needed to improve their cooperation.

With consumers lukewarm to Vista and many businesses shunning it entirely, both Microsoft and the computer makers realized that the standard way of business just wasn't cutting it, particularly with Apple coming on strong.

Windows 7's 'XP Mode' is among the features that evolved from close communications between Redmond and the PC makers.

(Credit: Microsoft)

Redmond, in particular, was humbled by the response to Vista. When it came time to planning the next version, newly installed Windows development chief Steven Sinofsky took the company's earliest ideas and met with PC makers.

That marked a huge change from past releases, where, as some PC makers described it, Microsoft would just develop windows in secret and then "throw it over the wall."

"Until Vista, Microsoft was fully thinking on their own and implementing their own ideas and then releasing it," said Gianpiero Morbello, a vice president for Taiwanese PC maker Acer.

Intel quietly rolls out Core i7 960 processor

Intel has quietly made a new addition to their "Bloomfield" series of processors, the Core i7 960. Coming in at the same 3.20GHz frequency as the original Core i7 965 Extreme Edition, which was replaced by the now flagship 975 Extreme Edition, the new chip will effectively take the 950’s position in the Core i7 lineup.

Besides having a faster clock, the Core i7 960 features the same $562 list price and basic specifications as its 950 predecessor, including four cores, eight threads, 8MB of L3 cache, 4.8GT/s QuickPath Interconnect speed, 130W thermal envelope, and LGA1366 package. It's also priced in the same range as the Lynnfield-based Core i7 870, which fits into cheaper LGA1156 motherboards, drops the faster QPI link in favor of DMI, and uses two memory channels instead of three.

The new chip has actually been available for some time in Australia (home of our own technical editor Steven Walton) so we've had some hands-on experience with it already. Although not in a dedicated review, you can find some benchmark numbers in our Intel Core i5 750 review and see how it fared against the competition.


Source: http://www.techspot.com

How I Keep Clean Without an Antivirus Guarding My System

Most people sleep better at night knowing their PC is well equipped to thwart oncoming malware attacks. Out of paranoia some actually install multiple antivirus programs -- even though that's overly counterproductive.Indeed, with everything that you do on your computer and the information that resides on it, the safety of your sensitive data should be top priority. That said, with a little experience you can traverse the World Wide Web in peace with minimal security on active patrol.
Many readers will probably say "no thanks" and slip out the back door, which is totally understandable. I will tell you flat out that most people are better off with some form of antivirus watching over their shoulder. But regardless of whether or not you keep one on guard, having safe browsing habits is essential to keeping your computer malware-free.
To elaborate on that briefly, "safe browsing habits" means that those who spend their days on shady porn and warez sites need not apply. Recognizing the nefarious from innocuous is your greatest line of defense. Typically, malware gets onto a computer by being bundled with seemingly legitimate software, media, email attachments, and so on; so if something infects your system it's likely you've unknowingly let it mosey through the front door.

Microsoft's Windows 7 launch: Deals, deals, deals

With Windows Vista, Microsoft staged a fancy launch, complete with this human billboard in New York City. Thursday's launch is expected to be a bit more subdued.

(Credit: Caroline McCarthy/CNET News)

With Windows 7, Microsoft is going back to basics.

It's true of the product, which is as notable for its everyday performance as any one new feature. It's also true of how Microsoft plans to launch the new operating system on Thursday.

Rather than go for flash, the company is focused on making sure that all of its partners are ready to sell lots of PCs and copies of Windows 7.

"We're living in a different world today," Microsoft Vice President Tami Reller said in an interview with CNET News.

Microsoft is hoping to strike a contrast with the launch of Vista, which was marked by ambitious marketing (Remember "The Wow starts now"?) but a product that wasn't fully baked, nor were other software and hardware makers ready for the big changes that came with Vista.

Windows 7, meanwhile, offers only minor changes to the Windows core from Vista, and aims to be faster and easier to navigate than its predecessor.

Reller said the goal with the marketing of Windows 7 is to let the product speak for itself. Early ads have featured Kylie--the perfectly precocious preschooler--reading some of the product's positive reviews.

"We'll stay true to that on October 22, and we'll stay true to that post-October 22, which just results in sort of less acrobats, and more customers," Reller said, adding that there will be more than just Kylie.

Among the promotions Microsoft tried with Windows Vista was an outdoor human billboard, which left spectators--quite literally--out in the cold on a very nippy New York day.

Microsoft said this time around, it is putting nearly all its energy on getting the product in front of as many people as possible. As has been the case with past Windows launches, there will be plenty of specials and promotions tied to the Windows 7 launch. Customers, she said "can expect great, great deals."

"This is where we've put a lot of coordination effort to make sure that customers more than ever get some great, great value, starting on October 22 and continuing."

And, of course, Microsoft is planning a massive advertising campaign to promote the product. The launch of Windows 7 is key for Microsoft, which gets a huge chunk of overall sales and profits from Windows.

Although some PC makers have already started introducing their Windows 7-based models, Reller promised there are other machines yet to be announced.

"You'll see a few more PCs for sure in all categories, whether they're gaming machines, whether they're new notebooks, a few new Netbooks," Reller said. "You will see more."

Some stores will also open at midnight, Reller said, without offering specifics. Microsoft itself is opening its first retail store--in Scottsdale, Ariz.--to coincide with the launch, although that store opens at 10 a.m. on Thursday. Sources said to expect a celebrity or two, plus some nice goodies for whoever happens to be the first to walk out of the store with a copy of Windows 7.

Microsoft is also opening a "Windows Cafe" in Paris, though that location will be selling lattes rather than laptops.

As for formalities, Microsoft plans launch events around the globe, with Windows unit head Steven Sinofsky in Japan kicking things off, followed by Julie Larson-Green at an event in Britain and finally, (due to time zones) Steve Ballmer presiding over the main event in New York.

Microsoft will also ring the opening bell on Nasdaq on Thursday, while Microsoft will join with its computer maker partners to end the day's trading.

Unclear is whether Microsoft will be making a return appearance to late-night TV. With the launch of Vista, Bill Gates took to the Daily Show stage, talking tech with Jon Stewart.

"You'll certainly see a lot of coverage from us that day, but no commitments on the exact venue," Reller said.

I'll have more from my interview with Reller in a post on Tuesday morning, including her thoughts on Apple and those now-infamous Windows 7 house parties.

Update, 6:05 p.m. PT: Most retailers have not yet posted their Windows 7 deals yet, but Office Depot has an online ad up touting hundreds of dollars of "free after rebate" software with the purchase of Windows 7.

Source: http://news.cnet.com

Visual Studio 2010 to launch in March

Microsoft is set to announce on Monday that it is ready with a second beta version of its Visual Studio 2010 and .Net Framework 4.0 developer tools. Both products are set for a final release on March 22, Microsoft said.

"Microsoft has reached the home stretch for Visual Studio 2010," said Dave Mendlen, a senior director in Microsoft's developer division. "This is probably the biggest release we've had in many years."

Among the product's features is a Tivo-like recording featurethat Microsoft has now dubbed "IntelliTrace."

"That's our time machine," Mendlen said. "We're very proud of that."

Other features new to the 2010 release include support for Windows 7 and Windows Azure as well as tools for building on top of Microsoft's Sharepoint product.

With Visual Studio 2010, Microsoft is also taking the opportunity to scale back the number of different versions it sells, cutting the number of subscription options from seven to three. In a telephone interview, Microsoft Vice President S. "Soma" Somasegar said that move came from customer requests.

They told us "one place you can do better is making it simpler how you package your products," Somasegar said.

Under the new plan, myriad Visual Studio options will be consolidated into Professional, Premium, and Ultimate. Microsoft is planning an "ultimate offer" promotion that will give many current subscribers access to the next-higher version of Visual Studio as well as 750 Windows Azure compute hours per month. Next year, the company plans to change that to offer varying amounts of Azure compute time based on the level of the Visual Studio subscription.

Source : http://news.cnet.com

How to Decide Between Laptops and Notebooks

f you have decide it is time to up grade your old laptop, or if you have decided that the desktop PC has served its purpose but now you really need the space then you may be looking into the range of new laptops that are on offer and maybe wondering what these notebooks are also, they weren't there last time you looked, and a notebook is paper bound with a spiral spring isn't it? Laptops and notebooks can become a bit of a confusing area, but don't despair!

Well, gone are the days of notebooks just meaning paper you can write on, now we have laptops and notebooks on offer, all professing to do all the things computer related, desktops are fast becoming old technology, so it is natural that you may have many questions to be answered, especially with the massive range of prices on offer, so how do you know what to choose to make sure you get the best deal and the most use from your device, most importantly how do you make sure you spend your money wisely.

Laptops and notebooks are similar, however the laptop is considered device that is more closely able to replicate all the features of a desk top, and fit with the term 'desk top replacement', this means that they have more powerful processors, more memory and tend to be a minimum of 14 inch screens. This makes them heavier units, although they are still light enough to be portable, and can potentially get hotter than a notebook when resting on your lap.

Where as the notebook is considered to be the more portable device, lighter and available in smaller units, this may mean having to sacrifice some of the processor speed and memory, but as you wont be looking to it to do all the jobs that a desktop based PC does, in face you may choose to keep your desktop and transfer files to it for storage to keep the notebook running at optimum speeds, and just have the bits you are actually working on stored on the notebook itself.

Have laptops and notebooks seems to be a more family friendly thing to do also, as this means you are no longer spending hours shut away in the study, or squashed in under the stairs whilst you get the work done, or sort the Christmas present shopping online, but are free to sit on the sofa or dining room table and still interact with the family as you type.

The laptop and notebook culture is also ideal for students or those who travel a lot, as they are portable and fairly lightweight, and as well as being a work machine you can use them to play DVD's or games, especially if you have the smaller notebook style, which can relieve the boredom of long journeys and save on pay per view films in hotel rooms, simply take a stack of your favourite films along with you, plus many hotels offer internet access as standard, meaning you can get online and surf the net or chat to friends and family to help pass the time instead.

Low end laptops and notebooks are definitely worth considering if that is all you can afford, as they will do a good job, however if you can afford to spend a bit more, choose a good brand first then look at things like processor speed and memory as these are key to a machine that runs well, after all there is nothing worse than having to sit watching the egg timer for ages every time you try and do something, save a document, or reload a web page for example.

Rolf Joho is a writer with many various interests and he owns several websites on a variety of topics. Some great resources for you would be to visit Laptops and Notebooks

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rolf_Joho

Apple performs major product overhaul, intros world's first multitouch mouse

Steve Jobs wasn't kidding when he said Apple had a strong lineup prepared for the holiday season and beyond. The company has just about refreshed its entire product line, introducing the world's first multitouch mouse, as well as new iMacs, a low-end MacBook, and a new Mac mini.

The "Apple Magic Mouse" is void of the usual buttons and instead has a multitouch surface that is reliant on touch, taps, and swipes -- as interesting as this may be, I can't see it being useful beyond basic use. The Magic Mouse connects via Bluetooth and can be purchased for $69 alone, but it ships with the new iMacs launched today.

Apple's iMac refresh includes the introduction of new 21.5" and 27" models, which effectively replace the old 20" and 24" units. The 21.5" iteration features a 1,920x1,080 LED-backlit display with 178-degree viewing angles, a 3.06GHz or 3.33GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, Nvidia GeForce 9400M integrated or ATI Radeon HD 4670 discrete graphics, 500GB to 2TB of storage, an iSight camera, all of the typical connectivity and starts at $1,199. Meanwhile, the larger model bumps the screen resolution to 2,560x1,440, a 2.66GHz or 2.8GHz Intel Core i5, dedicated ATI Radeon HD 4670 or 4850 graphics, and starts at $1,699.

Read the rest after the jump.

Cupertino is also shipping a revamped version of its entry-level MacBook, which is now a bit thinner, lighter, and more powerful. It measures just over an inch thick, weighs about 4.7lbs, and is housed in a glossy-white polycarbonate body which boasts a similar construction to the aluminum MacBook Pros. The new 13" MacBook has a glass multitouch trackpad (sans buttons), a 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB of DDR3 RAM (up to 8GB), Nvidia 9400M graphics, a 250GB HDD (320GB and 500GB options available), a seven-hour battery life. It is available today from $999 and ships with Snow Leopard and the iLife Suite.

The company's Mac mini line has received faster processors, more memory, and now includes a server configuration. Apple's updated Mac minis are priced the same as before, with the $599 system featuring a 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB of 1066MHz RAM, and a 160GB hard drive, while the $799 model features a 2.56GHz Core 2 Duo, 4GB of RAM, and a 320GB drive -- both have Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics. The new $999 Mac mini server has no optical drive, but instead includes a second HDD to make 1TB of total storage.

Source: http://www.techspot.com

Windows 7 Arrives This Week: What You Need To Know

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The much anticipated release of Windows 7 is finally upon us. This Thursday, October 22, Microsoft's latest operating system arrives on the scene looking to win over skeptics disappointed with the much-hyped but often criticized Windows Vista. Whereas its predecessor got off to a rough start with plentiful compatibility issues and incessant "allow or deny" prompts annoying users, Windows 7 represents a major leap forward and has generally been regarded as a snappier and more polished operating system.

We've been playing with it ever since the beta became available, and can honestly say that much of the hype is justified. Although Windows 7 is still very much the same as Vista at its core, hundreds of small improvements make it work more smoothly, easier to navigate and overall better looking than before. With few exceptions, compatibility isn't expected to be a major issue either.

In preparation for the launch this week, we thought it would be a good idea to run through a few things worth keeping in mind before taking the plunge. If you are thinking about going Windows 7, read on.

First, get up to speed

There's been no shortage of coverage on Windows 7 -- here and elsewhere. But if you are still undecided on whether Microsoft's latest operating system is worth your hard earned cash, or are simply uninformed about what it has to offer, reading a few reviews online should help.

Engadget and WinSuperSite have long pieces sharing their hands-on experience with the final, RTM version of Windows 7. You can also have a look at our news archive and get the gist of what have been going on the past few months.

Choose the version that fits you best - 32 vs. 64-bit

In contrast with Vista, Microsoft has cut down on the number of Windows 7 editions to just Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate. Although additional versions will be available for specific regions, the aforementioned three are what primarily will be available to the general public. A pretty straightforward chart comparing each of them on a feature-by-feature basis is available here.

You should know that retail versions of Windows 7 will include both 32-bit & 64-bit discs on the box so you can install either version. For a brief run down on the advantages and disadvantages each possess, check out our previous article on the subject.

• Should You Install Windows 7 32-bit or 64-bit?
• Windows 7 editions comparison

Possible upgrade paths

Microsoft will be granting both Windows XP and Vista users the right to buy "Upgrade" versions of Windows 7, which run for considerably less money compared to a full license. However there are a few considerations one must take into account, such as the Windows edition you are upgrading from. In an attempt to smooth things out for our readers, we've created a condensed, easy-to-digest reference with all of the potential paths.

• Understanding Windows 7 upgrade paths

Make sure your hardware is up to the task

If you bought your computer in the last couple of years or are already running Windows Vista smoothly, then you are probably all set as far as hardware requirements are concerned.

If you need to be 100% sure you are covered, Microsoft provides a simple upgrade tester called the Windows Upgrade Advisor, which scans your hardware, devices, and installed programs for known compatibility issues, gives you guidance on how to resolve potential issues found, and recommends what to do before you upgrade.

• Windows Upgrade Advisor
• TechSpot's PC Buying Guide

Get comfortable upgrading

If you haven't been running any of the test releases as your main installation, setting up Windows 7 on top of your existing copy of Windows may feel a bit premature. Thankfully, setting up a dual boot configuration is both easy and practical, so you can run both side by side until you are ready to make the switch. Whatever you decide, it's just as easy to go back to your previous configuration following our partition removal guide.

• Dual Boot Windows 7 with XP/Vista in three easy steps
• Removing your Windows 7 installation, partition

Get the best deal

Microsoft is currently giving anyone with a valid .edu email address the chance to buy a Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional license for just $30. This offer is valid through January 3, 2010 which gets you a digital copy of the operating system in either its 32 or 64-bit version.

If you missed the initial pre-order discount, or don't qualify for the current student offer, going for an OEM copy of Windows 7 may be the next best thing in terms of savings. You'll get no phone support or fancy boxes, and will have no other choice than to perform a clean install (which we recommend anyway), but the up to 50% lower price tag is definitely worth it in our opinion.

Don't forget that for the first time Microsoft is offering the Windows 7 Family Pack. This includes three Home Premium upgrade licenses for $150, which equates to just $50 per user, or about the same price as the initial pre-order offer.

• Windows 7 student discounted licenses
• Windows 7 Family Pack information
• Windows 7 OEM shopping
• Windows 7 comparison shopping

Go for it

Windows Vista users may choose to perform an in-place upgrade, but we recommend a clean installation. Remember to back up your stuff and take a look at some useful applications to install on your fresh Windows 7 system.

• No apps left behind: A backup checklist before reinstalling
• Top applications to install after a fresh OS installation
• 11 awesome applications you've never heard of

Source: http://www.techspot.com

ATI HD Radeon 5870: The Fastest Videocard Ever (PS It's $380)

AMD packs 2.15 billion transistors into a tiny chip, offering outstanding performance, DirectX 11 support, and triple-monitor (or better) capability. Nvidia’s response is nowhere to be seen

AMD’s graphics division, the former ATI Technologies, loves a good surprise. The company has been a perennial also-ran in the graphics performance arena, but every now and then, it one-ups the competition in a big way. That happened back in 2002, with the launch of the original Radeon 9700, which stole the performance lead from archrival Nvidia. It happened again last year, with the Radeon HD 4800 series. The 4850, 4870, and 4890 weren’t always faster than the competition, but they were small, efficient chips that forced Nvidia into a price war that was good for users but bad for Nvidia’s bottom line.

Now AMD’s doing it again, putting some serious hurt on the competition with the first GPU to support Microsoft’s upcoming DirectX 11 API. AMD’s also been paying close attention to the emerging market for non-gaming apps accelerated by GPUs, such as video transcoding and digital photography, fully supporting DirectCompute 11 and OpenCL standards for general purpose computing on graphics cards.

This new chip is no shrinking violet in the numbers department. Every number associated with the new Radeon 5800 series is staggering: 2.15 billion transistors, 2.7 trillion floating-point operations a second, more than 20 gigapixels per second throughput, 1,600 shader units. Other numbers impress because of their smallness. One example: The idle power is a scant 27W— lower than many entry level GPUs.

Given the sheer scale and ambition of this GPU, does it deliver in the performance realm? And will it deliver at a price normal humans can afford? Let’s find out.

Digging into the Radeon HD 5870

At its core is a no-compromise GPU more efficient than any in graphics history

Two years ago, AMD’s ATI division decided to bow out of the game of building huge, hot chips that were expensive to make, ceding the high-end glory to Nvidia’s GT200 chip. That’s not to say AMD gave up on performance; it instead adopted the mantra of building the best performance GPU within a certain cost and power envelope. The Radeon HD 5800 series, originally code-named RV870, is the culmination of that approach. Taking advantage of Moore’s Law, ATI’s designers were able to build a GPU with few compromises using a 40nm manufacturing process.

Radeon GPUs Compared

Radeon HD 4890 vs 5870

	Radeon HD 4890	Radeon HD 5870
Die Size	263mm-squared	334mm-squared
Transistor Count	956 million	2.15 billion
CPU Clock	850MHz	850MHz
Memory Clock	975MHz	1200MHz
Memory Quantity (GDDR5)	1GB	1GB
Manufacturing Process	55nm	40nm
Stream Processors	800	1600
Texture Units	40	80
ROPs	16	32
Maximum Board Power (TDP)	160W	188W
Idle Power	90W	27W

Power and Performance

The new GPU is just 334mm2—30 percent larger than the earlier 4870 GPU, but packing more than twice the number of transistors.

At 27W, the idle power is astonishingly low for such a large chip. The key factor was enabling lower memory clocks and voltages during idle, a feat made possible because of significant improvements in the 40nm manufacturing process. The net result is very low power when the board is just rendering your Windows desktop. At the same time, the VRM (voltage regulator module) interface has been improved, preventing overheating while allowing somewhat higher power consumption when performance is actually needed.

So the HD 5870 can draw less power while it’s doing nothing. But we also expect to see better performance, particularly given some of the other specs listed by ATI. The faster memory gives the 5870 overall memory bandwidth of 153GB/s. Feeding that huge pipe is a GPU with twice as much hardware where it matters—stream processors, ROPs, and texture units.

The graphics engine itself sports some new features—particularly the hardware tessellation engine. While past ATI products have offered hardware tessellation, the new engine fully supports Microsoft’s DirectX 11 tessellation API. ATI is fond of pointing out that this is actually its sixth generation tessellation hardware.

A Sneak Peek at Intel’s Core i9 Gulftown

Intel is preparing for launch of the 32nm six-core processor codenamed Gulftown in 1H 2010 according to Fudzilla, and the enthusiast JC has managed to grab the sample of Core i9 Gulftown.

With support for Socket LGA1366, Gulftown is based on 32nm technology, operating at 2.4GHz (18*133MHz), with 12MB of L3 cache.

Compatible with the X58 chipset, Gulftown is really something to look forward to.