TheTechLounge - Recent Articles: Editorials

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of The Patriots

Tue, 8 Jul 2008 00:09:22 -0500

Before MGS4 hit the shelves, a flurry of gameplay videos hit the web, and I couldn't help but watch a couple of them. These videos left me deeply worried about the game. Reservedly excited, you might say. The thing that really had me worried was that it seemed the formula might have been modified a bit too much - elements I had loved so much in the previous titles didn't seem to be there anymore. In a way, it just looked a bit like Call of Duty meets Splinter Cell, with some Metal Gear Solid rainbow sprinkles on top. So, after playing the game all the way through (and then some), were my reservations justified?

Updated Video Card Testing Methodology

Fri, 23 May 2008 13:36:21 -0500

As dry as this topic is, it's time to update and explain our benchmarking systems. If you're reading this, stop, get back to work, you lazy git! No but yeah, I'll do my best to make this painless. While benchmarking, in theory, is universal, many reviewers use different methods; this will explain why and what our reviews say without having to bog down each review with methodology details individually.

Catalyst 8.3: Better Hardware through Drivers

Tue, 4 Mar 2008 20:07:14 -0600

As of Catalyst 8.3, a.k.a. "The New Beginning" a.k.a. "The Big One" a.k.a. "The Humptyback Zinglebert," it's clear that CrossFireX has picked up where SLI left off. Right now, it's a better arrangement, with a lot of advantages not limited to performance. It's just that now there's even more reason for NVIDIA to improve SLI, and when they do, they're likely to start with a hardware advantage. When is this going to happen? AMD didn't include a slide on that subject.

Microsoft Windows Home Server

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 11:49:05 -0600

It's been over nine months since Microsoft announced the Windows Home Server at CES 2007 in Las Vegas. There has been a lot of hype, and a very strong enthusiast community stands behind it. Microsoft has set out to create a simple server - one that everyday folks can use and manage, which won't require an MCSE or the neighborhood computer kid.

Late in August Microsoft announced the gold version of WHS, and after about five or six weeks of anxious waiting, it finally became available at US outlets like Newegg for around $185. So how does the final 1.0 version of Windows Home Server stack up? Fairly well, read on for more details.

Life After Vista

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:37:06 -0500

Vista makes you look good naked. I've made the switch to Vista. Completely. My home theater PC and file server is running Home Premium x64, my gaming computer uses Vista Ultimate x64, and my laptop, my precious workhorse, the heart of my professional life*, is running Vista Home Premium x32. None of them run perfectly, but I'm never going back to XP, and it will take a lot to get me using Ubuntu or OS X again anytime soon.

Apple Launches iPod Touch and More...

Wed, 5 Sep 2007 14:22:31 -0500

Finally, the iPod touch. The iPhone minus the phone. People have been asking for one ever since they laid eyes on the iPhone (Ed - I wanted one ever since I first heard rumors of one, long before the iPhone). And Steve really delivered this time. The iPod touch's screen and device dimensions are nearly identical to the phone, except that it's only 8mm thick (or thin). The iPhone is 11mm thick. Apple was smart enough to leave WiFi built in so that users can continue to browse the web from the device. They even left in YouTube integration, so you can watch videos on the iPod touch. The iPod touch also shares other smaller applets with the iPhone, such as contact lists, calendar, and calculator. I was surprised at the lack of a notes applet, though.

Apple iWork 08

Sun, 26 Aug 2007 21:06:32 -0500

One thing you find after you install iWork '08 is that, when you start, you're offered quick tutorials. If you have time, I'd strongly recommend the initial tour of iWork '08, as well as the video tutorials on basic features and, also, the various features that set the iWork '08 applications apart from their competitors. Apple offers a 30 day free trial of iWork on their website. So how do the new versions of Pages and Keynote compare to their '06 counterparts? How does the suite stack up against Microsoft Office for the Mac?

Apple iLife 08

Wed, 8 Aug 2007 23:13:53 -0500

The Apple Special Event today also announced iLife '08. iLife is composed of five applications - iPhoto, iMovie, iWeb, iDVD and Garage Band. These applications are designed to help you and your digital lifestyle. Apple also improved .mac by increasing the storage space to 10GB, transfer quota up to 100GB as well as better integration with the iLife suite. Apple also introduced iWork, so watch for my review of iWork later this week.

Custom USB Drive - Project: Enter the USB

Wed, 1 Aug 2007 01:45:33 -0500

Once I had successfully freed the USB drive from its lame shell, it was time to think. Whatever am I going to put this little thing inside? And so the search began. I thought about doing a better Lego mod - unoriginal; ChapStick - too thin; film canister - too fat; USB cable shell - too short; gutted iPod - too spendy. Hmm... nothing on my desk was really striking me as a great idea. So the search continued. To the closet! As I rummaged through piles of miscellaneous electronics, cables, and computer accessories, I paused as I held an old keyboard in my hand.

Microsoft Windows Home Server Beta 2

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 19:40:42 -0500

The beta process for Windows Home Server was open to allow the public to get involved. Luckily, I happened to be one of those selected. Even more interesting is the lack of any non-disclosure agreements, so not only do I get to use it for a few months, but I get to write this article and tell you all about it. So what benefits does Windows Home Server offer over a NAS-style device? How well does the software work now, and what is it expected to do when it is released? And what you're all wondering! would it be worth your money?

Onboard Video Acceleration: ATi Vs. Intel Vs. nVidia

Thu, 12 Apr 2007 07:10:03 -0500

Every major chipset manufacturer has chipsets with onboard video. Since ATi's added Avivo to their motherboards, the pot has been stirred. So the question begs asking... of Intel, NVIDIA and ATI, whose chipset delivers the best video acceleration performance?

The "New" DRM

Sun, 18 Feb 2007 10:57:27 -0600

The music industry wasn't real happy when Steve hammered out his deal with the music industry but they went along figuring it would be a good test and they had control. The rest of the computer industry figured this was another one of his dumb ideas that would fall on its ***. It wasn't revolutionary... just elegant. And it was obviously wildly successful. So what the hell? The rest of the industry obviously wanted their piece of the action. Or as Walter Huston (Howard) said... "Ah, as long as there's no find, the noble brotherhood will last but when the piles of gold begin to grow... that's when the trouble starts."

Anatomy of a Podcast: White Roof Radio

Wed, 8 Nov 2006 13:45:20 -0600

If you haven't heard of podcasting, chances are you're still using a Sony Discman and reading your news off dried wood pulp. Time to join the 21st century. I remember listening to a radio news broadcast back in 2004 which proclaimed that "podcasting" was to be the future of radio. It's true; podcasting breached the mainstream and now offers users a new dimension to the old terrestrial radio format while expanding the popularity of handheld video. In this article we'll talk a bit about the history of the podcast and how it is working to penetrate the mainstream. We'll also chat with the guys behind the popular podcast at WhiteRoofRadio.com to get a little behind-the-scenes info on how they do things.

Computers and Cat Litter

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 22:25:51 -0500

You may think the two have absolutely nothing in common, but using the wrong litter in the vicinity of an air-sucking computer can have devastating effects!

Pandora Town Hall Meeting

Wed, 4 Oct 2006 18:41:11 -0500

I recently had a chance to meet with Pandora's President, Tim, and have a sit down, face-to-face type meeting!a rare thing in the world of the internet. Tim spends about half of his time working on Pandora, searching for new music, and refining the service. The other half of Tim's workdays is spent traveling across the U.S. talking to people about Pandora and the future of digital music. He mainly frequents colleges and universities setting up lectures and question and answer sessions with students and townspeople in what he calls town hall meetings. Fortunately, Tim recently set out towards my side of the country from Pandora's home base in San Francisco. A quick once through Virginia allowed me to catch up with Tim and follow up on what Pandora has been up to in the last 3 months since he and I last chatted on the phone. And as an added bonus, I was able to sit in on one of the Pandora town hall meetings later in the evening. But first, I'll share some of our one on one discussion.