• Have you ever wanted to build your own PC?
• Would you like to upgrade components on your PC?
• How about setting up your Home theatre/Entertainment system?
• Are you interested in overclocking but need someone to show you how?

If you answer is yes, then why not sign now up for one of classes?

Class schedule:

18-Aug-2011 – O/S Installation & Maintenance
25-Aug-2011 – System Optimisation & Troubleshooting
30-Aug-2011 – Build your own PC
01-Sep-2011 – Overclocking

Visit the events page for updated info on locations and class times.

Location & time

Note

Location and time are subject to change. You will be notified of any changes in advance of the classes. Limited class sizes so book your place early.

How to register

To book your place on a class, find out more information and register @ Build & Upgrade PC Classes or send an email to Byopc@komplett.ie detailing your name and the class you wish to be registered for.

PS – If you require mobility assistance please contact Byopc@komplett.ie.

And even if you find the first 40 seconds boring, be sure to watch the video until the end!

Icy Box Nas Media Server - Komplett.ie

Convert it into a server

If you have a home network with family members on it, reusing the PC as a NAS (network-attached storage) box or even as an actual server may be just the ticket. However, it’s not simply a matter of plugging an old PC into a network connection. Most desktop systems aren’t configured to be effective servers or storage systems. For one thing, they probably use too much power. You’ll want to set BIOS power management to run cooling fans in quiet mode, if that option exists. You’ll also need to set up the operating system so it doesn’t shut down at inconvenient times, yet runs in a low-power state when not being actively used. Bear in mind that you’ll probably want to run your server ‘headless’ (that is, without a monitor), and sans keyboard and mouse as well.

While you’ll require a display and input devices for initial setup, make sure that the reused system will work properly without them, Also, the operating system is likely not well suited for storage applications, particularly for multiple users. Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7 can function well as a storage repository for a couple of users, but you’ll want to create user accounts for each person who might need access. You may also want to set storage quotas. A better solution: Install a proper network operating system. Once choice is Windows Home Server. However, it costs €90 and may prefer newer hardware.

Make it a secondary computing server

Not a widely regarded option but if you’re a content creator using applications like 3Ds max, Adobe After Effects, Sony Vegas, or AutoCAD, having another PC to help with distributed rendering can greatly speed up final renders for complex projects.
Each application handles distributed rendering a little differently, so you’ll need to consult your documentation. Typically you’ll install a lightweight application on the secondary rendering system, which will take data and commands from the primary system and then return results when done. The main application on your production system, or a separate manager app, manages the rendering across multiple networked systems.

Ubuntu - Viable alternative to Windows

Turn it into an experimental box

You’ve probably heard about this Linux thing, and maybe you’d like to give it a whirl. But the thought of trying to create a dual-boot system on your primary PC leaves you a little green around the gills. Now you can experiment to your hearts content on your old box. Check out Ubuntu (www.ubuntu.com), the sexy Linux distribution that geeks love to, well, love. The neat thing about Linux is all the built-in support for older hardware, so installation is usually easy – in fact, installing Ubuntu is sometimes simpler than installing Windows. And a wealth of free software for Linux is just waiting to be tried out. A number of true Unix-based operating systems are available, ranging from FreeBSD or PC-BSD (based on the Berkeley Unix version) to OpenSolaris, based on the Sun Microsystems version of Unix.

Home Theatre PC

Set up a HTPC

Media streamers are fantastic pieces of kit. They allow you to send all of the TV and movies that you have stored on your PC or NAS box, straight over your home network onto the TV in your living room. While plugging a media streamer is relatively straight forward, configuring it to work with your home entertainment system can be a bit tricky.

With a Home Theatre PC (HTPC) or Media Center appliance you have -

This could happen if you're not careful...

The Wii seems all cute and innocent, but  it can truly be a horrible dangerous device. When you combine video games with physical activity, there’s bound to be accidents, based on people fooling around, not paying attention, or being just stupid.

Destroyed TVs, stereos, ceiling fans, holes in windows, shattered glass, downed companions, black eyes, bruises, broken chairs -  the Wii is well known for all sorts of accidents.

We decided to put the top 5 Wii accidents in one place — the most hilarious (and worse) Wii accidents of all-time. Do let us know if you come across a Wii accident we’ve missed!

Number 5

Number 4

Number 3

Number 2

Number 1

Acer W500 Iconia Tablet 32GB w/ Windows 7

The popularity of android tablets is rising on a day-to-day basis. The Tablet market is literally saturated with so many options that it can be quite intimidating for the first time buyer. Due to its vast scope of application/interoperability, an end to the stream of tablets and tablet PCs doesn’t appear in sight. It is therefore of the utmost importance that the prospective buyer/user is well versed in the features and applications of these devices. We will analyse the essential features of an android table from this viewpoint, highlighting the areas of Processor, Display & Screen Resolution, Operating systems, Storage Capacity, Battery life, Pricing and User interface.

Processor

The processor, as any computer technician will tell you, is the heart of any PC. Usually medium to low end tablets use 600MHz processors but the processor which works best should be at least 1 GHz. Some of the more popular 1GHz (soon to be 2 Ghz) processors are the Cortex A8 and Nvidia Tegra 2.

The processing power of the tablet essentially correlates with how well the tablet handles multiple operations or tasks. Gaming, for example, is quite processor intensive as some require and utilise graphics acceleration and multi-touch.

Display  & Screen Resolution

The display size depends on the user and how he/she intends to use the tablet. Screen resolution is an important factor in how images, video and applications are displayed on the tablet. The higher the screen resolution, the sharper/crisper the graphics. Tablet displays come in different sizes ranging from 7 – 10″. Depending on everyday use, the device could be larger in size if it is required for home use only whereas it could be smaller if portability is necessary.

Operating Systems

Newer tablet PCs are based on the latest and immensely popular Android 3.0 system. Built on the GNU and Linux kernel, the open source operating system allows users to develop and share their applications via the Android marketplace. It is also compatible with other third-party applications which may not be possible with other operating systems. As for the Android market, it is growing at such an incredible pace that although Apple is currently ahead of it in the number of applications available to download, according to Analyst Markus Pohl, from Research 2 Guidance, the Android Market is on track to have more apps than the Apple App store by August 2011.

Google’s Android Market is the fastest growing app store today. Currently it shows growth rates more than twice as high as Apple’s App Store. In April Android added 28,000 new apps, whereas Apple lagged behind with only 11,000 apps. Each market leaders adds more apps to their store every month than other platforms have in total.

Storage Capacity

For optimum performance the minimum ram requirement for an android tablet PC would be 512MB or more. Higher end Tablet PCs now come with 1GB RAM and HDDs in the range of 8-32 GB depending on the potential user’s requirements. Additionally prospective users should ensure that there is an expansion slot for the tablet PC so that that its storage capacity can be extended in future should the need arise.

Battery Life

Perhaps the most important factore for any purchase of a tablet PC is battery life. Since the Ipad supports ten hours of web surfing with battery alone.

Yarvik Android Tablet @ €111?

Pricing

If you’re someone who feels that price matters (it must do to some degree, with the economy as it is, people are looking to obtain the best priced deals whilst retaining quality), then going with an Android Tablet might make a lot of sense. But if you’re a tablet purchaser  looking to ensure you have the best chance at finding the application you’re looking for, it might be best to make sure you check out other platforms carefully to see if the application you’re looking for is available.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 running Android 3.0 Honeycomb price ranging from €569 up to €729

User Interface

Lastly, there is the little matter of the user interface. With an Android Tablet, there are various skins with which each tablet is released, depending on which product you end up with. So at the end of the day, Android is most likely to provide you with the most choices, best pricing (shopping around), and of course plenty of great software.

If you’re looking for lots of accessories like a keyboard, plus all of the other after-market stuff available, then the iPad might be the best option under those circumstances.

Other Advanced Features

Android tablet PCs come with many advanced features such as -

• Networking – 3G (4G tablets are now entering the market) as well as Wi-Fi. 3G supported versions being slightly more expensive than their Wi-Fi only counterparts.
• HD Video – Some android Tablet PCs have both rear and front-facing cameras and the capacity to record video in full HD.
• Capacitive touch screen – Always better than resistive, though some people prefer the latter. While the former depends on electric touch like that of the human body, the latter depends on pressure being applied to the screen. Multi touch and multi finger zoom are examples in favour of capacitive touch screens.

We’re looking for 3-5 teachers for the workshops and are hoping to talk to individuals who are knowledgeable in the areas of computer components and assembly, and who can successfully impart critical parts of this knowledge to complete newbies in the space of a few short hours.

Position Requirements:

• Be 18 years old
• Demonstrate the ability to build a pc
• Have good communication and teaching skills
• Comp TIA A+ certification (bonus)
• IT Qualification (bonus)

We are going to hold a series of interviews in a few weeks and will test your technical abilities.

Salary: €14 per hour (total of 3-9 hours depending on number of attendants)

If you think you qualify, send us now your cv at byopc@komplett.ie

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Komplett Team

For most of us, the important considerations for gaming are the gaming machine itself, a comfortable desk layout, a good monitor and a fancy mouse & keyboard but we tend to underestimate the importance of a good pair of headphones. From shooters and role playing games to simulation and adventure titles, nearly every modern game with a first or third person perspective supports high quality audio, surround system output as well as positional audio. To fully enjoy a game to its full extent, you’ve got to have the gear to use it.

But which headphones to buy? What is the difference between a €30 and €280 set? And what should you think about before making your decision?

Cost & Budget

The first thing you’ll need to think about is obviously your budget. It’s usually a safe bet to say that the more money you spend, the better the product, but it’s not always the case. Some of the most expensive solutions are not inevitably the best and many of the good/better headphones are priced in the middle of the pack.

Comfort

As many gamers enjoy logging on for extended sessions on the weekends or free days, it’s crucial that the headphones must be comfortable, light and non-fatiguing. If your ears begin aching after thirty minutes forcing you to take your headset off to rest, it deprives you of an improved experience and shortens the session. There are generally 2 types of headphones: In-ear and circumaural cup designs.

Different headphone types

In-ear headphones are very popular at the moment because of their design and discretion but can become very uncomfortable during extended use. That’s the reason why gamers prefer circum-aural headphones. Thanks to their build and sound quality, they tend to be more expensive.

Sound quality

Sound quality is an important factor when choosing headphones and will influence the price of the headset you choose.  Expect to pay more for surround sound- crucial for anyone playing first person or immersion games.

Also, another new trend in headphones is the positional audio, which allows you to hear a sound depending on your actual position in the game you are playing.  With this option gamers will hear the enemy before they see him. It gives anyone wearing the headset the ability to pinpoint action and sounds without looking. It goes without saying that it can be a big advantage…

Another point to consider is noise cancellation. Do you want headsets with noise cancellation capabilities? If you’re going to be playing in a noisy environment or are planning to use your headphones for listening to music in the bus, then this feature will help you enjoy your gaming or music without all the unwanted noise creeping in. Again, if you want this feature,  expect to pay more

Headset or heaphone?

The difference between a headset and a headphone is that a headset has a built-in microphone and a headphone doesn’t. Gaming headsets give you the ability to communicate with team mates, which adds a huge amount of fun and realism to many games, as you’re able to coordinate your actions. (photos) If you play multiple player games, you may want to opt for this solution.

Compatibility

Not all headsets are compatible with multiple systems, across different platforms and electronic devices.  Many gamers have a platform of choice, but may play occasionally on a platform different than what they normally prefer.  Also, some headsets are easy to use with TVs, Blu Ray and DVD players. Be sure to have this in mind before buying a headset.

The factors that are listed above must be considered when purchasing a new gaming headset and the choice you will make will depend mostly on the buying points you are willing to compromise on.

To have a look at Komplett.ie range of gaming headphones/headsets, click here: Komplett Headphones Range

Users will be able to create lists stating that their data will only be shared with sites they want to see it, according to a company blog post.

In the post, Microsoft said many people did not realise that when they visit a website what they look for, view or buy there is often shared with other companies without that user’s knowledge.

As a BBC report points out, IE9 will see the introduction of what Microsoft calls ‘Tracking Protection Lists’ that it says will work like the ‘Do Not Call’ lists that limit who marketing firms can cold call. The lists will be defined by users and limit the sharing of data only to those sites which a user is happy to see the information. When switched on, the system might mean that some adverts or other features do not appear when users visit sites.

Anyone will be able to write a list and share it with others so they can get the same protection, said Microsoft. It also plans to release the formatting and standards for the lists under an open licence so other browser makers can adopt them.

The tracking system will be turned off by default and users will have to “opt in” to use it.

Microsoft said early versions of the tools would be included in the version of IE9 due for release in early 2011. Said the company statement, “We believe that the combination of consumer opt-in, an open platform for publishing of Tracking Protection Lists (TPLs), and the underlying technology mechanism for Tracking Protection offer new options and a good balance between empowering consumers and online industry needs. They further empower consumers and complement many of the other ideas under discussion.”

It is not the first browser to offer such functionality. Chrome, Firefox and Opera also allow users to create lists of trusted sites.

Want a free RIM Playbook?

According to reports today, RIM is offering a free Playbook to anyone who submits an app for the gadget and gets it accepted. The company wants as many apps as possible for the launch of its debut tablet next year.

The Blackberry App World portal is now open and accepting Playbook application submissions. If yours is accepted, a Playbook will be on its way to you.

As TG Daily notes, “it’s hard to get developers interested in a new platform, especially when they don’t own the device themselves. So it’s sort of always a catch-22 situation,” hence the new course of action.

There’s still plenty of doubt out there that the Playbook will be able to make a dent in the iPad’s business and indeed by the time the RIM device hits shelves, the iPad 2 may be on release too. Most tablets thus far have gotten lost in Apple’s slipstream – can RIM be any different?

The worlds biggest computer manufacturer appears to have won out in the battle for data storage company 3Par, beating out rival Dell.

Dell has issued a release indicating that it will not increase its most recent $2 billion proposal to acquire 3PAR, and the company’s has ended acquisition talks for the data storage company.

Dell is entitled to receive a $72 million break-up fee from 3PAR upon the termination of its merger agreement.

HP upped the ante today with an offer worth $33 per share or $2.4 billion. 3PAR has accepted HP’s bid.

Dell also said that its improved offer included a proposed commercial relationship and an increased break-up fee.

Dell had previously signed an agreement to acquire 3PAR for $18 per share or $1.13 billion, with a provision for matching competing bids.

HP then effectively outbid the company and offered $1.6 billion, but Dell matched that offer yesterday, after which HP made a renewed bid for $1.8 billion. HP then offered $2 billion last Friday, which Dell matched.

HP basically doubled Dell’s original bid for 3PAR, which was high to begin with. 3PAR provides a virtualized utility storage platform that enables customers to significant drive down cloud computing infrastructure, storage and associated management costs.

Making Shelton jealous since 2010

With that in mind, I figured I’d venture down to the Pick-Up Point and RMA Lab and find out just what it is that the hearts of men desire.

3. Paul-(Social Media stand-in) wants a home theatre:

My room at home has a pretty nifty set up, if I do say so myself. Blu-Ray, XBox 360 and digital TV combine to make it a bit of a slackers paradise. I do a lot of work there and get distracted from doing even more!

The one thing I don’t like, however, is the sound from my tv. It has no front facing speaker and for some reason regular tv and movies have a huge disparity in the sound needed.

So, I’ve been looking at this Sony BDV system, which at €518 is a very good saving.

You can stream music, video and the latest Catch Up TV direct from the internet via the BRAVIA Internet Video platform DLNA Ready for streaming music, video and pictures from a PC.

Auto calibration for perfect acoustics regardless of speaker location, make this a product that I would have already, were it not for my crippling poorness!

2. Ross (Pick-Up Point Manager) wants a 750GB hard drive

Ross likes hard drives. Or, rather, he likes what drives can do; hold lots of files.

“I record a lot of music and being able to move it around easily is a pretty big concern.”

The item Ross has pointed out to me in between bites of his chicken roll is this Western Digital My Passport hard drive.

For €115 and having 750GB, it allows you synchronize files between home and office and encrypt everything on the drive for added security and is a steal.

1.Shelton (RMA Manager) wants a BIG TV!

“When my old room-mate moved out, he got custody of our jointly owned TV. So right now there’s a gaping hole in the living room.”

Shelton says “living room” because he’s Canadian. And as such, doesn’t bother with RTE, but he does want something to watch Blu-Rays on and he’s got his massive, lumberjack-sized sights on this Samsung 55″ LED TV.

At €2,249, it’s not cheap, but it is very, very desirable.

Inspired by designs from the automotive and fashion industries, Samsung’s molding process eliminates the need for glue or screws to construct the television cabinets. The result is an LCD HDTV with a clean, smooth finish infused with a hint of a translucent color.

The worlds biggest computer manufacturer, locked in a battle with Dell to acquire 3Par, denied that it had broken the law, but the US department of justice (DoJ) hailed the decision as a victory against contractors who failed to deal fairly with the government.

The case centred on claims, dating back to 2004, that HP was part of a group of IT and consultancy vendors who paid “influencer fees”, a very Mafia-esque term, to each other in return for recommendations.

“As this case demonstrates, we will take action against those who seek to taint the government procurement process with illegal kickbacks” said Tony West, assistant attorney general for the civil division of the DoJ.

HP said that it had agreed to the payment to end the case.

“HP denies engaging in any illegal conduct in connection with these matters,” the company said in a statement. “We believe it is in the best interest of our stakeholders to resolve the matter and move beyond this issue.”

The DoJ brought the charges against HP in 2007. It claimed that the company, along with Sun Microsystems and Accenture, paid discounts and rebates among themselves and to other IT companies to help win “numerous” government contracts since the late 1990s. The DoJ argued that the trio’s “alliance relationships”, under which they would charge each other less when working on a contract, amounted to kickbacks.

Accenture and Sun both denied the charges, and have not settled with the DoJ.

Ignoring any suggestion that the boom is attributed to brand loyalty, Apple’s all-conquering marketing or product as fashion statement, manufacturers are ploughing into the re-emerging market.

Last week, shots leaked of Toshiba’s new slate, increasing speculation on its specs.

Now, the slate has been revealed and named, with the Tegra 2 based tablet believed to be the Toshiba Folio 100.  It’ll pack a 10.1-inch 1024 x 600 multitouch display, according to NotebookItalia, along with Android 2.2, 16GB of internal storage, WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth and 3G.

Unlike the iPad, there’ll be plenty of  ports, making the Folio more real-world applicable.

These will include HDMI, both a full-sized USB 2.0 and a mini version, a 3.5mm headphone jack and an SD card reader.

There’s also a 1.3-megapixel webcam, stereo speakers and microphone, while Toshiba say the 1020mAh battery is good for up to 7hrs.

Toshiba has also readied a useful little charging dock, with the slate weighing in at 760g and measuring 281 x 181 x 14 mm.

While the slate carries Android 2.2 (which apparently boots in 30 seconds), the slate will access only Toshiba’s app market place and not the full Android market.

The slate comes with the Opera browser preloaded along with Flash Player 10.1 and various other apps.

The move comes as the chip giant looks for an increased presence in the burgeoning smartphone market.

“The global demand for wireless solutions continues to grow at an extraordinary rate,” Intel CEO Paul Otellini said in a statement. “The acquisition of Infineon’s WLS (Wireless Solutions) business strengthens the second pillar of our computing strategy–Internet connectivity–and enables us to offer a portfolio of products that covers the full range of wireless options from Wi-Fi and 3G to WiMax and LTE (4G).”

Infineon are the worlds fourth-largest cellular baseband company, holding a 10.7% market share and supplies the likes of Apple, Nokia and Samsung amongst others.

Big-spending Intel have been making a lot of headlines recently, with this deal coming on the heels of Intel’s announcement earlier this month that it would buy security software vendor McAfee for $7.68 billion.

Intel also has a deal in the works to acquire the cable modem unit of Texas Instruments for an undisclosed sum.

With Intel having sold it’s own communication chip business to Marvell back in 2006, the move to acquire Infineon is seen as a way back into the market and a more profitable one at that.

Intel is slated to bring out a smartphone-centric chip called Medfield by early next year that squeezes what is now two pieces of silicon into one chip, using Intel’s most advanced 32-nanometer manufacturing technology.

The board of directors of Intel and the supervisory board and the management board of Infineon have approved the transaction, Intel said, adding that the deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2011, subject to certain regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions specified in the definitive agreement.

Paul Allen (right) with Bill Gates and a magnificent beard.

The legal action against Apple, Yahoo, Facebook, Google and eBay, as well as six other firms, asserts that web technologies first developed by Interval Licensing, a company Allen founded in the 90′s, have been infringed upon.

The suits claim that the technology is key to how search engine and e-commerce websites are run.

Google, Facebook and eBay immediately said they would fight the accusations.

“This lawsuit against some of America’s most innovative companies reflects an unfortunate trend of people trying to compete in the courtroom instead of the marketplace,” a Google spokesman said in a statement.

“Innovation – not litigation – is the way to bring to market the kinds of products and services that benefit millions of people around the world.”

A Facebook spokesman called the action “completely without merit”.

In the suit, filed on Friday, Interval says it is claiming damages and a stop to patent infringement.

The other companies named in the lawsuit are AOL, YouTube, Netflix, Office Depot, OfficeMax and Staples and the technology is related to search enquiries, enabling ads to be suited to the search.

Interval does not name a precise figure for damages, but a spokesman told the BBC that it would be “determined as this progresses”.

“We will do whatever is necessary. This is an important step. It is the first time that Paul Allen has filed a suit like this,” David Postman said.

“Some of the technology developed by people working for Paul Allen a decade ago is now key to this search and e-commerce space. It is part of our daily life on the web and has shown itself to be of value to the industry today.”

So much so, that US Smithsonian agrees.

Starting March 16, 2012, the Smithsonian American Art Museum plans to stage an exhibit titled “The Art of Video Games,” featuring game footage, video interviews, classic systems and selected games for visitors’ enjoyment.

It claims to be “the first to examine comprehensively the evolution of games as an artistic medium.”

The exhibit also features “Get Lamp,” a documentary about classic text adventures, offering fans a glimpse at the history and culture surrounding the field’s earliest smash hits.

In an excellent piece on CNN, Scott Steinberg of the Game Theory web show examines the cultural effects of games and how the Smithsonian exhibit falls short of being the homage most hardcore gamers will have hoped for.

Speaking in the CNN piece, Bob Bates, founder of Legend Entertainment says that the art form is still in its’ infancy.

“Classic TV shows got taped over to save a few bucks. Movie prints deteriorated in vaults and no one cared for a long time,” he said. “If we survive as an art form, at some point someone is going to look back at the early days and say, ‘Why didn’t anyone preserve all that material?’ ”

Whatever happens, 2012 in the Smithsonian will be an intriguing time.

Currently locking horns with Dell for the attentions of Data Centre giant 3Par (though probably not while both using pugel sticks on top of a shaky platform, which is a shame.) has acquired Stratavia, a database and application automation outfit.

The Denver based Stratavia is a privately-held company and, as such, the details of the deal were not disclosed.

HP said in a statement that the acquisition will be integrated into its software division.

Stratavia’s software will be used to deploy, manage and configure enterprise databases, middleware and packaged apps.

In recent years, HP has either acquired or built numerous tools to automate applications and data centers, with 3Par fitting that bill neatly.

Stratavia’s software will also be used in HP’s cloud automation services.

Stratavia’s various software products are designed to automate data centers. Other modules focus on automated content, audit trails and various integration points in the enterprise.

Their website claims “Stratavia develops and markets database, server and run book automation software which helps customers reduce the cost of operating their enterprise environments.”

It was not all good news for HP, however, as news came that Dell this morning raised its offer for 3Par to $24.30 a share in cash from $18, topping the $24 offer from HP.

The Offer is worth about $1.6 billion and it remains to be seen if HP will be willing to up the ante.

That’s the word ahead of Facebook’s flotation on the US stock exchange, anyway.

The latest data shows that shares in the social networking giant are trading at up to $76 each, doubling their value at the start of this year.

While Facebook is still privately held, shareholders are able to sell the company’s stock through “secondary market” trading.

By buying the stock at these prices, investors are saying that Facebook is worth more on the market than eBay, Dell and Yahoo, which at a “mere” $18 billion, is nearly half the value of Facebook.

Facebook is expected to earn around $1.285bn (£824m) of advertising revenue this year, a figure that is tipped to rise sharply to $1.76bn in 2011.

While thought to be profitable, there is really very little information available, given that it is a private company.

That is all set to change with founder Mark Zuckerberg’s plan to float the company in what will be the biggest IPO of tech shares since Google went public six years ago.

In 2007, Facebook sold a 1.6% stake to Microsoft for $240m, a deal that valued the whole social networking firm at $15bn,  after Zuckerberg had rejected a $1bn takeover offer from Yahoo!.

With any IPO not expected to happen until 2012, there is still time for the company to receive an offer they can’t refuse, but would Microsoft or Apple be willing to take the risk?

A deal would suit either company, with Microsoft having the ability to link Facebook to a world of it’s products and with Apple products practically social networking tools themselves, the tie-in is obvious.

The only question is; do either want to spend $33 billion?

I predict a riot shield.

But one man is taking it just a little bit further, trying to reach the top level on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 without killing a single person.

Gameinformer reports of one of their readers, Glen McCracken, who is attempting to reach level 70 by pacifist means.

In two hours of playing, Glen has reached rank 5 without taking a life, estimating it will take him roughly two months to be the first player to reach rank 70 with zero kills.

It seems like a very odd way to play a game, so why bother? “I’ve already hit Prestige five times. I thought it would be something interesting to do,” Glen said. “It definitely gives you a different perspective on the game, and it’s fun and challenging.”

So, how does he do it? Glen says he  uses a riot shield and flash bangs, and uses rockets to blow up killstreaks. He achieves experience points by securing flags in Domination.

He does play team deathmatch, and finds his teammates are not happy with his zero kill performances, currently standing at a 0 and 89 Kill-Death ratio.

He plays Modern Warfare 2 on the PlayStation 3 under the name Mister_No_Kills if you want to help him out, but wouldn’t it be more fun to goad him into knifing you?

The whole thing brings me to think about other strange ways of playing games. Friends have regaled me of stories of completing Deus Ex without firing one of your own weapons, of only using the right countries gear in class selection and, most bizarrely, refusing to score in FIFA with anyone other than a right back!

Games make people do some weird things!

Kindle; bookface.

The real story is that Amazon has announced that more “next generation Kindles were ordered in the first four weeks of availability than in the same timeframe following any other Kindle launch, making the new Kindles the fastest-selling ever.”

While holding back on releasing an actual figure on units sold, the company did reveal that in the four weeks since the introduction of the new Kindle and Kindle 3G, customers ordered more Kindles on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk combined than any other product.

The new version of the Kindle started shipping to customers today, two days earlier than previously announced.

Huge growth in the new generation of Kindle isn’t surprising, given that two major things have gone its way. Firstly, Amazon’s recent assertion that it sold three times as many Kindle books in the first half of 2010 as it did in the first half of 2009, with the Kindle still the number one product sold on Amazon.

And, secondly, the gradual falling in price for the hardware has made a lot of book readers more open to the thought of putting away the paper backs.

The updated version has a sleeker design with a 21 percent smaller body 15 percent lighter weight, 20 percent faster page turns, up to one month of battery life with wireless off, doubled storage to 3,500 books, built-in Wi-Fi for the lower price of $139. The new Kindle 3G with all of these new features plus with free 3G wireless is $189.

Now, it’s the turn of Samsung to get in on the act, with their Galaxy Tablet.

The company released a teaser video for the slate from which we learn that it will to be running Android2.2, and that it will have a 7″ screen. The video itself is slightly weird, a short 20-second burst of footage promising Augmented Reality, full web browsing and a “portable 7″ screen”, whatever that means?

With IFA in Berlin next week, the video closes with September 2nd, Berlin across the screen, hoping to create buzz for next Thursdays official launch.

With titles for video call, HD movie playback, PC line out, e-reading and navigation on offer, the video hardly offers a specs sheet, but these mean it will need a high-density screen (for the HD playback) and a front-facing camera (for the video calling) and possibly GPS (for the navigation). To do augmented reality, it stands to reason that there would be a rear-facing camera – which is a lot of cameras.

No word on price yet, but at a 7″ screen, with phone capability and camera, the big question will be whose needs will it fit?

This announcement, coupled with a host of other companies getting in on the tablet act have completely shifted industry focus and buzz away from the fledgling netbook business and nearly solely onto tablets and slates.

Of course, while nobody would suggest that the iPad has totally redefined the market, 3 million units in about 80 days has definitely reawakened manufacturer interest in tablets.

Not a slate, merely a well priced Samsung TV.

Adam and Jane; no more?

Now, in the UK at least, “up to” is about to get a drastic overhaul, thanks to an Advertising Standards Agency ruling that BT had misled it’s customers with a promise of “consistently faster broadband”.

In a move that will make broadband providers on both sides of the Irish Sea shuffle nervously and look at their shoes, the ASA said that it had not seen sufficient evidence to support the claim and concluded that the advert was likely to mislead.

The ad campaign, featuring actor Kris Marshall and Esther Hall, had run for five years, documenting the lives of a fictional family, with Marshall the bumbling but lovable father who worked long hours away from home.

After the ASA had received 17 complaints, BT told the agency that “the sequence shown in the advert had not been intended to be an actual comparison”, which begs the question of just why the sequence was shown?

In the offending ad, Jane is shown advising Adam on a property by logging onto a website quicker than the estate agent, before a voiceover promises “BT is rolling out up to 20 meg speeds to give you a consistently faster broadband throughout the day even at peak times.”

There were 17 complaints from the public and competitors Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin.

Some felt the 20Mb claim was misleading and could not be substantiated.

And three people said the speed at which the “Jane” character navigated various web pages was faster than anyone could achieve at any connection speed.

In reaching its decision, the ASA said: “Because we had not seen sufficient evidence to support the claim that BT’s new broadband service was consistently faster than its existing 8Mb service even at peak times, we concluded that the ad was likely to mislead.”

The advertising watchdog said viewers could expect the internet speed demonstrated by “Jane” to be available to them, adding that this was not the case.

While this is a UK ruling, the implications could be far-reaching as customers begin to tire of outlandish claims regarding broadband speeds.

Rumours that the Wimax guy is currently writing a sombre apology song can’t be confirmed at this time.

John Marston, haxxor free.

Then a guy on a flying horse materialises through the wall and shoots you with a bazooka.

Ok, so maybe that’s a little extreme, but every gamer has, at one stage or another, screamed in frustration at a kill that could never have hit you or a guy seemingly impervious to bullets. And we’ve all accused them of cheating.

The truth is that a small enough percentage of online gamers cheat. And those that cheated on Red Dead Redemption simply exploited a hack to gain XP, which unlocks better items.

But, publisher RockStar has declared a bounty on the heads of those who hacked their saves in order to level up.

Having given players seven days to delete “stolen” XP, RockStar brought down the swift ban-hammer of justice on users, indefinitely banning users for “violation of the terms of use.”

A statement on their website read: “This will not apply to those people who simply took advantage of temporary exploits to rapidly grind up XP a few weeks ago.”

“We are able to tell who actually hacked their save to have impossible scores.

“Banned hackers will also be removed from the leader boards.”

The move reaffirms that I’m actually quite good at video games and all of you n00bs are just cheating.

Last week it was reported, inaccurately claim EA, that players would be able to take on the role of the Taliban in the games multi-player mode, allowing them to shoot and kill British soldiers.

“Medal of Honor is an 18-rated highly authentic depiction of the soldier’s experience in Afghanistan – matching US forces against the Taliban in today’s war,” said a spokesperson for the company.

“Multi-player combat is a long-standing, common and popular feature of videogames. In multi-player, teams assume the identities of combatants on both sides of the conflict. Many popular videogames allow players to assume the identity of enemies including Nazis and terrorists. In the multi-player levels of Medal of Honor, teams will assume the identity of both US forces and the Taliban.”

The company insists that no British soldiers will be depicted and it worked closely with the US military to ensure authenticity in the title.

The moral outrage over the game seems to have missed two salient points, however.

One; why is only when British soldiers are getting shot at is a game offensive? Would the game be ok if the Taliban were all NPC’s who have the AI of a potato?

Two; Moral outrage over video games does one thing; sell video games. The GTA series, Modern Warfare 2 and Manhunt have all successfully rode the wave of controversy all the way to the bank.

So a message for anyone who still gets bugged by video games; ignore it, you’re only making me want to play more!

Want an edge in your gaming? Check out this Razer Orochi Gaming Mouse for under €75.

NotebookItalia shows a slate that looks like another hugely-marketed tablet, but just what it is, we can’t tell…..

Black, slimline, big touch screen, it looks like Toshiba will have to work hard to shake iPad comparisons and the specs help with that a great deal.

HDMI and USB ports already promised by Toshiba are in evidence on the full set of pictures, coupled with mini USB, a memory card reader and a 3.5mm audio port, and the tablet seems pleasingly slender and non-bulky.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer suggested in July that a Windows 7 version could be in the pipeline, though the model leaked is most definitely an Android model.

The buttons show search, back, home and menu buttons, while a front facing webcam and stereo speakers built into the tablet mean that this could be a very interesting product.

The SmartPad was originally leaked in Australia earlier this year with a senior figure in Toshiba stating that the product would arrive by October 2010, with no details on pricing.

With IFA 2010 just around the corner, the speculation is increasing that the SmartPad will be officially announced there and released at the back-end of October.

We don’t have the SmartPad, but we do have a wonderful Toshiba Notebook for less the €500.

HP has offered $24 a share, or roughly $1.6 billion, a substantial improvement of Dell’s bid of $18, which equates to roughly $1.15 billion.

Before the opening bell on Wall Street today, 3Par’s share price jumped 36% to $24.60 premarket, while Dell rose 0.3% to $12.10 and H-P slid 1% to $39.45.

The move comes at a time of considerable activity in the tech sector, with cash reserves at an all-time high and a struggling market.

HP and Dell are both looking to gain a bigger share of corporate spending in the data-utility sector, with revenues from personal computer sales, both companies main business, falling.

Data centres are seen as a potential growth industry as budgets are gradually returning to corporate expenditure.

For those of you wondering “who are 3Par?”, the company was founded in 1999, they build high-end systems that help companies store and manage their data more efficiently, using what are known as virtualization technologies.

It competes with products from data-storage giant EMC Corp., Japan’s Hitachi Ltd., as well as HP and International Business Machines Corp.

Waging an external bidding war seems like an odd move for both companies, as they are both involved in internal battles.

Earlier this month, HP said CEO Mark Hurd would be stepping down, following sexual harassment claims against him and the company. HP’s chief financial officer Cathie Lesjak is serving as interim CEO but the company has made no mention yet about its CEO succession plans.

Meanwhile, a sizeable number of Dell investors showed their disdain for CEO and company founder Michael Dell by withholding their support for him at the company’s recent shareholder meeting. That meeting took place just weeks after the computer maker settled a fraud case with the Securites and Exchange Commission.

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703846604575447161523031450.html?mod=googlenews_wsj#ixzz0xRAXN1vK

Your every move scrutinized, judged and leaked to websites dedicated solely to scrutinizing and judging your every move.

You can’t even internally test the latest iteration of your operating system in peace, which is what Apple Insider report is happening right now.

iPod Touch; Getting a facelift.

The system is reportedly being tested against a fourth generation iPod Touch, iPad and a mystery product, the appearance of which has set the internet alight with speculation.

The  cause of the speculation is a screen cap of “configuration descriptors” for three products using IOS 4.1. With thee iPod Touch generally following iPhone design within a couple of months, the safest money is on a new version of the all-conquering media player to be on shelves within months.

With Apple’s yearly music and media event slated for next month, chances are high that the launch could come as early as then.

Likely changes include; the addition of a second, front facing camera, FaceTime support and a higher resolution display.

With the second product listed as iProd 2,1, it seems likely that iPad users will enjoy an update to their operating system soon, with iPad listed as iProd 1,1 on it’s release.

But the real fun in rumours comes in that glorious time when rumour and conjecture are all you have and that is what the third iProduct gives us.

Listed only as “unknown hardware”, the early speculation is that it is Apple’s long-awaited update to it’s TV device. Doing away with Mac OS-X in favour of IOS 4.1 means that the device would be able to download and install applications from the App Store, an intriguing propostion.

But, while we have the time, let’s dream of what we’d really like to see Apple do, which for me is the iRad. A more user-friendly way of heating your home.

Apple Insider Story

'A likely story...'

The nasty app also attempts to lure people into completing an online survey, for which the scammers are paid money.

Graham Cluley of security form Sophos told the BBC that this was the latest in a series of “survey scams” that included links to a video purporting to show an Anaconda vomiting up a hippo, which to be fair would be hard to resist a look at.

“One thing we commonly see is that the message starts ‘OMG, shocking video’,” he said. “And they appear to come from your Facebook friend, giving it a ringing endorsement.” The dislike button scam prompts people to download an application with the message: “Download the official DISLIKE button now.”

When users click on the link it prompts them to install a rogue application, which does not function as a dislike button. Once a user has given it permission to access their profile, it updates the user’s page with a link and a message: “I just got the dislike button, so now I can dislike all of your dumb posts lol!!!”

Interestingly, Cluley also told BBC News that the surveys appear to be from genuine companies, he said. “As far as we can tell, they appear to be legitimate,” he said. “It could be that the firms are not policing their affiliates properly.”

The scam finally points users towards a Firefox add-on that installs a “dislike” button. Cluley said the add-on also appears to be legitimate, though its makers did not respond to request for comment.

A spokesperson for Facebook said that the site had a “very quick process in place” to make sure that links and rogue applications were taken down quickly. “We always encourage people to not click on links that appear suspicious – even if posted from a friend,” a spokesperson said.

Toshiba says the feature can also be used to securely erase user data prior to returning a leased system or decommissioning a system prior to disposal. The technology is simple enough, though how widespread its usage will be is another matter.

Anyway, the big idea is that when a drive is switched off, Toshiba’s system goes into action and invalidates the security key which was used to encrypt the stored data. While the data is still, technically, in place, there’s no way to access it without the new-erased key – making the data to all intents and purposes gone.

A BitTech report notes that Toshiba is aiming this latest range at manufacturers of printers and photocopiers that feature in-built storage devices in order to prevent cached documents from being leaked when leased systems are returned to their owners or older equipment gets sold off.
Toshiba is positioning the technology as a time-saver for those who already worry about the security of their data and either use overwriting software to scramble the contents of old disks or those who physically destroy drives, rendering them useless for re-use or re-sale.

The first drive to feature Toshiba’s automatic wiping technology is a 7,200 RPM 2.5″ mechanical drive – but if successful, Toshiba is likely to extend the functionality to other drives in its range.

GPS market leader, Garmin has seen it’s stock price fall by nearly 50% over the past two years, going from $51 to $29, with the that figure expected to drop once more –towards $26 – in the next few weeks. Meanwhile the company’s first foray into smartphones (the Garminfone) is also floundering.

Regarding its share-prices first, Forbes reports that Bank of America/Merrill Lynch has downgraded Garmin stocks to the “underperform” category – which will obviously scare off plenty of potential investors.

TG Daily quite rightly noted that most smartphones now have GPS technology built-in, and many of them have turn-by-turn direction software. Android phones also have Google’s new Navigation software, and the iPhone can , to a certain extent, double as a GPS device.

There is more bad news for the company too. While Garmin has attempted a ‘if you can’t beat them join them’ approach by launching it’s Garminfone in the US (which represents its biggest market by some distance) this too has fallen flat with sales said to be hugely disappointing since the smartphone’s launch a month ago.

T-Mobile USA is said to be “struggling” to get rid of the handset and according to some estimates T-Mobile has sold around only 20,000 Garminfone units so far.

Of course, the death-knell of the satnav may be some way off but there’s no doubt that this market has been evolving rapidly over the past year – with the wind blowing firmly in the direction of the smartphone. Whether Garmin and other vendors in this space can take a piece of that action is another question, but the early signs aren’t great.