Ivy Bridge: six new Core i5 on approach

Small update on the new Core i5 processor of third-generation approach...

In early June, are six new processors Intel which should be launched in the Core i5 series processor range 3000. Talking about many processors Ivy Bridge engraved 22 nm to desktops, which disembark under these trade names: Core i5-3470, Core i5-3470S, Core i5-3470T, Core i5-3475S, Core i5-3570, Core i5-3570S.

It's CPU with four hearts (except the model with the reference ends with a T, which displays a max of 35W TDP) with 6 MB L3 cache, processors from 2.8 to 3.4 GHz, and 3.5 to 3.8 GHz in Turbo mode. However, not Intel HD 4000 (except for the Core i5-3475S) to the program, but a less powerful Intel HD 2500 iGPU. CPU World table is once more perfect to get all the info at a glance.

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XCOM: Enemy Unknown… An invader who wants you well

It is in the autumn that should be the next alien invasion. And you are going to find out why, this time with a certain impatience expected...

Note the, our universe is divided into two categories of aliens… Those who don't want to harm anyone, who inadvertently crush on our planet, and fun to continue just for the pleasure of dissect them then. And those who arrived with a specific goal in mind: in General, one of us back to the Stone Age in less time than it takes to play the 5 meeting of third Type music notes. Clearly, it is in this second category that the studio Firaxis is held through its next set of battle management, XCOM: Enemy Unknown. A title that we were able to try for a few hours last week, and which has left us excellent impressions, it is for this that are you talking about.

First of all, it should be noted that this new Act of an iconic series on PC and has now nearly two decades was in fact nothing new. He resumed the point about the mechanical of the first episode, in which the player took control of the resistance, and, in a secret base, led the response to the extra land invader. Therefore, gameplay is divided into two parts: a phase of management which was mainly to establish a defence strategy and develop its base and his troops, by building research laboratories or training centres. And a more tactical phase, in turn, where it was flying a squad on the field. Firaxis therefore propose us that a simple remake, say some. Yes, but it does brilliantly.

Take tactical sequences, for example. Quite remarkably, Firaxis was able to print them pretty dynamism, despite the constraint of the turn, proposing particularly interactive environments: buildings, areas of blankets, this car badly parked end street which deserves that it deletes its door, everything is destructible, which requires the player to adapt its strategy and positioning of its troops permanently. Furthermore, developers took care to never offer static landscape during missions: it will always find a small climate effect, some garbage cans on fire, coming a little life to all.

-Side strategy, we of course could not test all possibilities of action, but our brief experience has allowed us to discover a hand both simple, effective, and good taste, each tower allowing a shift and an action, or two trips by soldier. On the tactical range, it looks quite large. Each Member of our group of intervention will thus have of its own arms, and its own competence, which should be used in good intelligence and taking account of synergies. On the other hand, it should be noted that the proposed maps have a vertical dimension, that will be used, or not, to infiltrate a position by a roof, or to offer the best angles of fire for a sniper. And of course, all of this will be scalable: more fighting proceed more modes of travel and arms will develop, through the alien technologies that can retrieve on each battlefield, and study in our laboratories. Thus, our men will develop jet packs, combinations of invisibility, and even psychic powers to take control of the opponent, to dance on the Michael Jackson.

And after each mission, it will be of course the time accounts, an important moment that will remind us that these a few skirmishes on the ground will be seen in a context of more global invasion. For example, each lost unit will mean not only a decrease in your active forces. It will result in a loss in terms of experience, since the recruit to replace will leave zero. Indeed, successive budgets too heavy inevitably lead you to dark defeat. Also be aware that it will give you the choice of missions to accomplish, and by extension, your priority objectives: will all rely you on military power and defend a base hidden in the desert of Nevada, or prefer to develop new technologies that might be critical to the outcome of the conflict, by securing a site for research in China?

In the end, this XCOM seems sailing towards a serene future (as his alter ego FPS, just take a few months of delay in the view), for little that AI is not found with the IQ of a dead goat, and level design to know take advantage of all the tactical possibilities just to expose. And if adventure you are fans of junk (when it is polished, we prefer the term retro-gaming, seems), be aware that you have the possibility to rediscover the original game on Steam for 5 euros, or take advantage of the many free adaptations made by fans, as this UFO2000 (careful, it stings a little eyes still).

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In flight, the specs of a Dell under Windows 8 Tablet

The fact sheet of a Windows 8 tablet already in nature... Fake or not?

View on NeoWin, the fact sheet of what would be a priori a Tablet Dell "10.1 running on Windows 8. If it is a true leak, this is what is called a misstep, while the output of Windows 8 is not expected before next October. According to this capture, would thus case to a Dell Tablet equipped with a screen capacitive multi-touch displaying 1366 x 768 pixels that could benefit from an optional stylus. The dimensions of the device would be 274 x 177 mm 13.4 mm thick and a weight of 740 grams.

Inside, it only would not an ARM processor, but an Intel Atom dual-core of the family Clover Trail, which manage also the graphic part via the circuit integrated. A processor that could rely on the presence of LPDDR2 2 GB 800 MHz. Storage would be given to an SSD that can mount up to 128 GB in capacity. This fact sheet also evokes the presence of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and options for mobile networks, not to mention removable 2-4 cells for 30 or 60 WHr battery.

Finally, this tablet expected speakers, a combo Jack for microphone/headset and two sensors (a 2 MP front first and a second from 8 pm in the back), as well as all kinds of related elements in security, in particular the presence of a TPM chip. Follow...

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Prodigy: the mini-ITX malignant of BitFenix

BitFenix formalizes a very interesting mini-ITX enclosure. Small, it has everything a great!

BitFenix announces the launch of its new creation in mini-ITX enclosures: the Prodigy. Composed of steel and plastic, measures 25 x 40.4 x 35.0 cm for a still unknown mass. What we reserve, this Prodigy? Let's start with its design that reminds us the form of a Mac Pro… But that would be passed to the steamroller, with top a long aeration grid that can support both fans of 12 cm in diameter.

It has also a fan in front of 12 cm with the opportunity to establish a second, or even get up to 23 cm in diameter for a real fresh air supply in this tiny box. At the back, just above the motherboard, BitFenix provides his Prodigy of extraction of 12 cm fan, but can be replaced by another up to 14 cm.

This small case will not embark as a single optical drive, but to the beautiful share hard drives since it will be possible to put five conventional HDD in 3.5 inches and four 2.5-inch disks. Despite its size, it may still allow a long graphics up to 33 cm. It will however be confined to a card double slot because he cannot take large card. Located just below the motherboard food will also be a place to provide electricity all the components.

Available in black or white, this Prodigy is not only steel, but plastic special for cushioning on top positioned coves as down depending on the technology House "FyberFlex Composite" with special for an affected style "peach skin" surface treatment. Nice for the transport, of is damaging hands on sharp metal loops!

Given the surface to front ventilation, BitFenix relegated the Panel usually ports in the front, on the side. Two ports USB 3.0, making for the helmet to the jack format and taking the micro, the reset button and the button of the color of the box chosen ignition, the Panel is complete. Available for the middle of the month next around €70, we look forward to the top hand. In the meantime, we offer the promotional video of this Prodigy BitFenix.

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Diablo 3, or when loot and capitalism are not well...

In this eve long weekend, and rather than to dwell on problems related to Battle.net, we wanted consider the problem of the loot in Diablo 3, enough little rewarding, it must be said.

Among the main grievances that we had raised in our test of Diablo III, the little meaningful side of the loot was in good place. Thus, it is apparent that he was quite rare to receive equipment in line with our standard, and to receive our standard and of good quality, say you that could have been snapping all of our low wages in candle burning that it was still unlikely that this would happen. So that our barbarian has quickly found plunge into an infernal circle: take its objects, to resell them quickly, and snapping the money thus collected sales Hall.

But the loot, this is one of the pillars of the hack type ' n slash, and Blizzard is not what one might call a rabbit with six weeks development. That said, at this stage, and on our experience which is limited in large part to the normal mode, it was difficult to draw other conclusions than the simple assumption of error in balancing on the part of the American firm.

And then we fell on this very interesting interview, conducted by our colleagues of Millennium and in which, Owld, a members of the team Method book his impressions of almost professional on the set. To position things, Method is one of the first guilds (if not the first, the thing is still debate) to have sealed off Diablo III mode Inferno. And that said, our Owld, on top of all his experience: it confirms our first impressions, namely: "the game has very large defects design level and in particular the level of equipment." Farmer of the equipment there is almost no, this farm for gold and buy equipment at the hotel sales, because the random side makes it impossible to obtain optimized equipment that you want. »

Later, he drives the nail: "the majority of your equipment is bought in the sales Hall, because to be effective, you must have statistics perfect on each piece and it is that very rarely find such articles.". Of course, it does not say that the gratification in terms of loot was wisely thought to well highlight the hotel sales, hotel, which Blizzard hopes, as by chance, make substantial profits, but of course, the question arises.

Further evidence: there never really answers to these questions. Is not too good Mike Morhaime landing press conference, and swing: "Hey, the journaleux, are you that there was a guy on our forums which asked us why he loot as shit at stake?". Even one that has nothing in life! It is not that he loot, we, be it slams his wheat to the HDV! ». No, that'd be not serious. And in any event, this is not the first time that a studio directs its gameplay to maximize its revenues: the free to play titles do without judgment, and no longer see us as players for a long time, but as the marketing variables, spear and not especially to release whales (Note: the term whale is not used here at random.) It's a term of marketing is the most profitable players in a cash game). At the time, why the question of this capitalist orientation of gameplay of Diablo III let a bitter taste?

Probably because we are not talking here of a free to play (we would say, "to a vulgar free to play", but it would be unfair, there are very good, and will require that we talk about a day, in fact), or even an unknown studio. It is Diablo and it's Blizzard! Two figures emblematic of the world of the PC, making dream of generations of players. And assuming that this studio, with its means, his talents, his will, prefer maximize profits at the expense of a more positive gaming experience, it is sad on the one hand, and few engaging in consideration of the gaming industry for the people, ultimately making them live. And understand, for the rest, the enthusiasm of a part of the public (and ours) to the phenomenon of crowdsourcing, the independent movement and the titles like Grim Dawn or Torchlight 2.

PS: You are of course invited to share your views on the subject... Or not.

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Info on the Radeon HD 7990 AMD, bi - GPU Tahiti map

Some information on the future graphics card AMD with two GPU Tahiti, the Radeon HD 7990 or HD 7970 X 2?

According to DonanimHaber site, AMD partners manufacturers have confessed already work on maps graphics custom with two GPU Tahiti, the future Radeon HD 7990 or HD 7970 X 2, the name being, prior, not yet defined.

Illustration: PCB Radeon HD 6990 AMD

These maps would be so equipped on their PCBs of dual HD 7970 engraved 28 nm to counter NVIDIA offering, with its GTX 690, taking short AMD on the very high range bi - GPU cards segment. It is unclear yet if these CG House of Tahiti full frequency of origin or revised upward (1 Ghz?), but if the cooling system is well thought with optimal dissipation, nuisances sonores maitrisées and that the card has correct power consumption, NVIDIA has what tremble.

And if AMD position correctly rate this solution bi - GPU, under the €800 for example, and third-party manufacturers may offer alternative versions overclockées, this map could well return AMD in the race for power. The mark having lost the battle of the best performing single-GPU card with his rival to the Chameleon, it has all the cards in hand to win the bi - GPU. More info at the Computex 2012 beginning of June in Taipei…

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[MAJ] An attacker on the stock exchange? Step immediately...

Corsair would quietly be preparing its introduction on the stock market...

According to information of a specialist analyst of the Fellowship in Seeking Alpha, the manufacturer Corsair would prepare its introduction on the stock exchange. We are far from the amounts we hear back to Facebook, because Corsair ambition would be to lift 78 million dollars on the public markets, to enhance the company in the amount of $ 223 million. Talking about the case of Nicolaus & Co, RBC Capital Markets and Stifel Bank to care for this IPO, for which Corsair would use the name of Corsair Components with for acronym CRSR.

If Corsair (renowned for its DRAM and NAND memory products but also its enclosures, power supplies and gaming devices) hopes to lift 78 million, he believes keep 42.5 million for its cash and fund new projects, since the company would benefit to pay 28 millions of dollars of debts that it has accumulated. A priori, Corsair would put on the market a total of 4.1 million shares for this entry in the stock market.

[Last updated on May 25, 2012 at 9: 40 pm]

Finally, Corsair has reported that it gave its entry on the stock exchange by. Andy Paul, co-founder and CEO of Corsair explained to the Wall Street Journal: "our business is growing and generates not only profitability and a stream of cash sufficient." "We have therefore decided reprogram our introduction on the stock market when the stock market conditions are more favourable." However, the latest results of the sociaté are good and this entry on the stock exchange could allow it to accelerate the development of new products. But Corsair is cautious, aware that his activity is heavily dependent on its suppliers, especially in the memory market. No doubt Corsair does see what happens around the Japanese giant Elpida in this area (the possibility of a takeover by Micron seems well advanced), before embarking on the stock market, to reduce the risk for its future shareholders.

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DNSChanger: Google fight against the malware

Google is taking steps to inform users of the presence of DNSChanger on their machine.

Mid-February, we inform you of available group Lexsi of a test to verify if the machine is not infected with DNSChanger, malware that threatens to deprive hundreds of thousands of Internet users Web. A threat that many organizations take very seriously, as the FBI.

Today, it is the turn of Google to engage against DNSChanger. Indeed, the online search giant will integrate into its site a device for identifying infected machines, and display a warning message for positive test to DNSChanger above search results. The idea being of course to inform users that they take the necessary steps before the closing of the FBI DNSChanger servers. That the approach to remove DNSChanger on his computer is very simple.

As a reminder, after the inquiry of the DNSChanger virus makers which, by changing the DNS of users, oriented them towards advertising sites, the FBI has set up its own healthy servers to preserve access to Internet of infected persons. But the FBI will cut these servers on July 9, and even infected Internet users may find themselves without access to the Web. Late April, 350 000 computers were still infected by the FBI.

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Lian Li on the mini-ITX

Three enclosures mini-ITX with a stroke, Lian Li has something for everyone!

To continue in the theme box, after our SilverStone Temjin SST-TJ08-E test and the announcement of the BitFenix Prodigy, Lian-Li announces the release of three new models. All three mini-ITX format, it's a PC - Q02, Q03 - PC and PC - Q16.

Let's start with the PC-Q02 which will be sold with a 300 Watt certified 80Plus power supply. The particularity of this package that will be shared with the PC - Q03, it is the size of the optical drive which must mandatory be Slim, exit so the good old optical drive conventional format.

Size: 14.9 x 23 x 20 cmMasse: 2 kgLecteur 5.25 ": 1 in the format SlimHDD 3.5": 1 convertible 2.5-inch SSD 2.5 ": 2 If the HDD location is convertiSortie PCI: NonVentilation: NonPanneau front: 2 x USB 3 0Prix: €120

The new cube of Lian-Li aptly named PC-Q03 adds to an extension for a mono-slot graphics card slot. In addition the maximum length of this card shall not exceed 18 cm. Always in the mini-ITX format, but which can also support the format mini-DTX motherboards, CPU heatpipe shall not be more than 6 cm high and food which shall not be more than 16 cm long. Support of the optical drive to the Slim format will also accommodate a hard disk formatted 2.5 inches in his place. Let's recap the specifications:

Size: 19.9 x 24.5 x 21 cmMasse: 1.57 kglecteur 5.25 ": 1 in the format SlimHDD 3.5": 1 convertible 2.5-inch SSD 2.5 ": 2 If the HDD location is convertiSortie PCI: 1Ventilation: NonPanneau front: 2 x USB 3 0Prix: €120

Perhaps the most interesting of the three, PC-Q16 will by default provide a 300 Watt also certified 80Plus power supply, but will especially have more place for storage with a hard drive 3.5-inch and three other format 2.5 inches, but loses the output for a VGA card and optical format Slim drive. Everything is broken down by a small wind tunnel of 14 cm in diameter in front. The location of the food is also limited and may not exceed the 10.5 cm long. The heatpipe CPU will also meet the height allowed for this tiny box on the PC - Q03, 6 cm.

Size: 19.9 x 16 x 29 cmMasse: 1.8 kglecteur 5.25 ": NonHDD 3.5": 1SSD "2.5: 3Sortie PCI: NonVentilation: 1 (14 cm) front panel: 2 x USB 3. 0Prix: €130

Last function to these three models, the button of ignition which will illuminate in blue to indicate that the configuration is under tension and red when there is an activity of the hard drives. All these models are available in black or grey to prices listed for each reference.

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