Reg Hardware

27th March 2008 Archive

Browse by publication date, or search the site. Or try the full archive of all our sister sites.

  • AMD announces tri-core, tweaked quad-core Phenoms CPUs

    But why buy an X3 now when faster ones are a month or so away?

    AMD has formally unwrapped its three-core Phenom X3 8000 series, along with new versions of its existing quad-core Phenom X4 processors, now known as the 9050 line. The three-core Phenom X3s, first announced back in September 2007 just ahead of AMD arch-rival Intel's bi-annual Developer Forum, are detailed just before the next …

    Bits 'n' Chips 27 Mar 04:02

  • LG brings 6x Blu-ray, HD DVD drive to Blighty

    Cure for format war hangovers

    LG's 6x speed external Blu-ray Disc burner and HD DVD reader, the BE06LU10, is about to arrive on UK soil, the Korean company chirped today. The black, white and blue-glow unit is being pitched as the perfect cure for format war hangovers, allowing HD DVD backers to play their disc collection on a PC while embracing Blu-ray …

    Storage 27 Mar 08:02

  • Asus Eee PC 900 flips one at MacBook Air with multi-touch input

    Two fingers to Apple

    Asus' next-gen 8.9in Eee PC 900 will come complete with a MacBook Air-style multi-touch touchpad, documents filed with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have revealed. Among them, the 900's manual, which explains that in addition to all the usual tap and scroll actions, the tiny touchpad has "multi-finger gesture …

    PCs 27 Mar 08:28

  • AMD readies two-GPU Radeon HD 3850 X2

    3870 X2's younger brother

    AMD will roll out a dual-GPU version of its ATI Radeon HD 3850 graphics chip in May, it has been claimed. The X2-branded board would sit below the current 3870 X2. The 3850 X2 is said to support between 512MB and 1GB of GDDR 3 or cheap DDR graphics memory, Taiwanese graphics card maker moles claimed. The memory clock will be …

    Bits 'n' Chips 27 Mar 11:20

  • Psychologist calls for movie-style ratings for games

    A government-ordered investigation into the potential risks of videogames and the internet to children has recommended that computer games be rated like movies. The review has also recommend the creation of a UK internet safety body. Psychologist Dr Tanya Byron's 'Byron Review' has proposed a legally binding system of age …

    Consoles 27 Mar 11:22

  • Modern technology killing seaside postcards

    Open sauce

    Video may have killed the radio star, but a new report has found that emails and picture messaging could be killing off the traditional holiday postcard. Bamforth's 'cheeky' postcards have been around since about 1890 Broadcaster ITV surveyed 2000 people recently about the ways they keep in touch with friends and family …

    Gadgets and Gizmos 27 Mar 11:36

  • Wii 2.1 sound system

    Review Nothing wee about this sound system

    It's well known that a speaker set of reasonable quality can substantially enhance your gaming experience, but if a high-end hi-fi system doesn't yet live in your lounge, this 2.1-channel Wii-friendly speaker set might make a superb substitute. Let's face facts, the Wii is better suited to social gaming than either the Xbox …

    Gadgets 27 Mar 12:01

  • Cheap as chips wind-up MP3 player

    Batteries not included, or required

    Trevor Baylis’ hand-cranked media player was a technological innovation upon its release. However, you can now bag yourself a cheaper alternative - provided you don’t mind losing some features. Thanko's Cranking MP3 Player Online retailer GeekStuff4U.com is currently selling the Cranking MP3 Player, which is manufactured by …

    Media players 27 Mar 12:34

  • Boffin seeks US Blu-ray, mobile phone import ban

    Alleges mass infringement of blue-laser diode patent

    The US International Trade Commission (ITC) has named 30 companies it intends to investigate to see if products they import into the States are guilty of patent infringement. Among the names are such luminaries as Sony, Nokia, Toshiba, Hitachi, LG and Samsung. The technologies affected include Blu-ray Disc, HD DVD and mobile …

    Gadgets and Gizmos 27 Mar 12:40

  • Telly addicts developing web addictions

    Time to go cold turkey?

    The internet is now so addictive that many of us can’t bear to be parted from it, even while we’re watching telly – according to a report on Britain's couch potatos. Video search engine blinkx surveyed over 2000 adults and found that 83 per cent checked their email while watching TV. Just under 70 per cent admitted to simply …

    HD 27 Mar 14:30

  • Blu-ray 'to bloom', now HD DVD's dead

    Will you be one of the 18.8m people buying into BD this year?

    Expect demand for Blu-ray Disc technology to explode this year, with 29.4m homes around the globe owning a BD player by the end of the year, it has been claimed. The forecast comes from market watcher Strategy Analytics (SA), which admits that the vast majority of those machines will be PS3 games consoles. Some 13m BD- …

    HD 27 Mar 14:44

  • Wii Remote raised to defuse explosive situations

    Robot loves WiiMote

    The number of additional uses for the Wii console and its components are exploding – literally. Bomb disposal boffins have equipped warzone robots with Wii Remotes so they can be controlled more accurately. iRobot's PackBot: showing off to the crowd According to a report by New Scientist magazine, engineers at the US …

    Consoles 27 Mar 14:50

  • First permitted in-flight mobile call made

    Hello? Yeah, I'm on a plane...

    UK communications regulator Ofcom yesterday cleared the way for mobile phone calls to be made on board aircraft, but airline Emirates has already begun allowing passengers to phone home from the wide blue yonder. The airline today claimed it was the first commercial airline to have permitted a mobile call to be made from a …

    Phones 27 Mar 15:54

  • Apple orders 10m 3G iPhones - analyst

    June release scheduled?

    Apple says it expects to have sold 10m iPhones by the end of the year, and if one market watcher's claim proves correct, it might even double that total. According to Gartner analyst Ken Dulaney, Apple has placed an order for 10m 3G iPhones. That's in addition to the 10m original iPhones Apple has said it expects to sell this …

    Phones 27 Mar 16:32