Tech News
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SK Hynix Factory Fire - Not So Bad?
Published: Wednesday, September 4, 2013 | By: DennisThe tech story of the day is the huge fire that broke out at the SK Hynix factory in China at 3:50pm locat time. Orginially the speculation was that a factory fire of this maginitude would send memory prices thru the roof and cause world wide shortages similar to what happened with Hard Drives a couple years ago.
Well, it would seem that Hynix is downplaying the damage in hopes of saving themselves some investor money and claiming that the damage isn't that bad and they should be operational before too long.
From the breaking story
A massive fire on Wednesday at a factory in Wuxi, China owned by Korea’s SK Hynix could send flash memory and random-access memory (RAM) prices soaring. Hynix is the world’s second largest memory manufacturer.
Statements like that encite readers and often prompt quick action without reading the "rest"
At this stage, we don’t know how big the impact will be, but all [memory] suppliers have stopped quoting prices,” Kan says. “We will have a better update and more information in next couple of days.
Source: http://www.techcentral.co.za/hynix-fire-could-send-memory-prices-soaring/43418/Bloomberg is being optimistic and reading from the official reports
There was one minor injury from yesterday’s blaze and no major damage to production equipment, Icheon, South Korea-based SK Hynix said in an e-mailed statement. The company said it’s still investigating the cause of the fire.
“Currently, there is no material damage to the fab equipment in the clean room, thus we expect to resume operations in a short time period so that overall production and supply volume would not be materially affected,” SK Hynix said. The majority of the cost of the damage will be covered by insurance, it said.
Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-04/sk-hynix-shuts-china-computer-memory-chip-factory-after-fire.htmlMeanwhile Micron is enjoying a good jump in stock price over the Hynix speculation which may end up working out in their favor.
The reason is a plant fire at one of its major competitors.
When the stock market closed for the day, Micron stock was up 5.28 percent to end the day at $14.57.
That's because Hynix, one of Micron's two competitors, had a fire at one of its production facilities in China.
That fire then caused a lot of concern that upwards of 15 percent of the world's chip production would stop, sending all eyes on Micron and Samsung, the other player in this market.
Source: http://www.ktvb.com/news/Micron-stock-jumps-after-fire-at-competitors-plant-222404311.htmlOn a positive note, there are major memory makers still operational and these companies have plants all over the world. The chance that we'll have a memory shortage is pretty slim.
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Intel Core i7 4960X Ivy Bridge Launch Day
Published: Tuesday, September 3, 2013 | By: DennisA little over a year ago one of the most interesting processors you could buy was released that featured a staggering 2011 electrical contacts and a heat spreader so large it needed a small hole in the corner to collect thermal paste. Well, it would seem the second edition of this famed monster of X86 silicon has been released, the IVBE.
Web Reviews
- Intel Core i7 4960X Ivy Bridge Extreme Processor Review @ Hi Tech Legion
- Intel i7-4960X Ivy Bridge-E @ LanOC Reviews
- Intel Core i7-4960X Extreme Edition Processor
- Intel Core i7 4820K and 4960X processor review
- Intel i7-4960X Ivy Bridge-E Review @ Hardware Canucks
- Intel Core i7 4960X, 4930K and 4820K tested @ Hardware.Info
- Intel's Core i7-4960X processor reviewed @ TR
- Intel Core i7-4960X Extreme Edition Ivy Bridge-E CPU Review @ HotHardwareUnlike some of the smaller processors that preceded it the Ivy Bridge Extreme is designed for high-end workstations that need excessive memory bandwidth and lots of processing power. Of course the best part is that they drop into existing X79 based motherboards with a simple BIOS update. I can't wait to get my hands on a hex core and quad core version of this processor for some cold LN2 action.
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Product Review (GIGABYTE Z87X-OC) | ChipLoco
Published: Tuesday, September 3, 2013 | By: DennisThe press release doesn't say much about this review but based on the title it has to be epic,
I mean it has to be right?.
For Haswell, we’ve two GIGABYTE OC series motherboards; the Z87X-OC and Z87X-OC Force. The former one is a $200 motherboard with everything an overclocker can wish for and then we’ve the $400 Z87X-OC Force which is for people with deep pockets or for those who want the best of the best.
humm.
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NL: Review Block - Memory and Coolers
Published: Tuesday, September 3, 2013 | By: DennisJust a quick list of memory and cooler reviews including some Crucial stuff? OMG.
Memory
- Avexir Core Series 3100 MHz 2x 4 GB DDR3 @ techPowerUp
- G.Skill RipjawsX F3-2133C9Q-16GXL 2133 MHz 4x 4 GB DDR3 @ techPowerUp
- Crucial Ballistix Sport XT 2x8GB DDR3-1600 RAM @ TechwareLabsCoolers - Its not a coola!
- Gelid GX-7 Rev. 2 CPU Cooler Review
- NZXT Kraken X60 Cooler Review on Technic3D
- Product Review (Noctua NH-U12S) | ChipLoco
- DeepCool Gammaxx S40 Heatsink Review @ FrostytechWow, quite the list.
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MSI GTX 780 Lightning Strikes - Only onTwo Review Sites?
Published: Friday, August 30, 2013 | By: DennisThere are a small handful of companies that offer up custom video card designs and of those only three are accessible in the US, EVGA, ASUS, and MSI. Normally I would group Gigabyte in this mix but based on current card designs I have to draw a line between what is "custom" and is custom. (see what I did there?)
As of this news post the much anticipated competition for the EVGA GTX 780 Classified has been released and makes it debut on two review sites. There may be more but I didn't get the memo. You would think that with a super awesome video card like the GTX 780 Lightning they would at least drop a few into the hands of reviewers that actually overclock.
I guess they are reserving excess inventory for MOA 2013.
Web Reviews
- MSI GeForce GTX 780 LIGHTNING review @ ???
- MSI GTX 780 N780 Lightning Video Card Review @ HiTech LegionI'm sure we will see more related to the GTX 780 Lightning in the coming months.
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Mebotics Debuts World's First Machine Shop in a Box
Published: Friday, August 30, 2013 | By: DennisSomerville, Mass. – August 28, 2013 – Mebotics, LLC is launching the Microfactory – already gaining notoriety as the “world’s first machine shop in a box” – on Kickstarter this week. The Microfactory will be the first widely-available machine to marry both additive and subtractive manufacturing, integrating machining and 3D printing into a safe, self-cleaning, networkable unit. The company has announced a $1 million fundraising goal.
The Mebotics team conceived, designed and built the Microfactory over the past year. “After putting so much effort into what we truly believe to be a revolution in accessible 3D printing technology, we’re thrilled to be ready to share it with the public,” said Jeremy Fryer-Biggs, one of the four co-founders of Mebotics. “The beauty of the Microfactory is its broad range of applications. Imagine being able to do most of your prototyping work, including machining parts and etching circuit boards, on a single machine.”
The Microfactory contains four printing heads on two separate heaters, plus a milling head. This allows it to print in four colors of the same material, or two colors of two different materials, on the same part. The milling component is capable of cutting and etching wood, plastic and some metals (with optional upgrade). Its user-friendly features are designed to bring more industrial capability to smaller workshops. They include a vacuum port to remove all the debris created by cutting, an air filter, prominent emergency-stop button, covered belts and motors (to keep clothing from getting caught by moving parts) and a noise-reducing housing (to keep late-night makers from getting caught by angry neighbors!). The Mebotics team drew on many years experience building and using industrial tools to create an easy-to-use machine for people who are serious about making.Unlike many other 3D printers, the Microfactory contains a full on-board computer, which gives it many unique capabilities. With its Internet connectivity, the Microfactory will allow users to watch the progress of jobs in real-time from a phone or tablet, start and stop jobs remotely, or network machines together for more efficient production. All of the software components of the Microfactory are open-source, and the hardware is designed to be upgraded and modified by more intrepid users: The gantry is intended to support the attachment of different heads, and the entire left wall of the machine is removable to support alternate modules.
“The Microfactory is an open platform designed to be adaptable to the needs of its users,” Fryer-Biggs explained. “Printing and milling seemed like the most obvious initial combination, but we envision people going a lot further -- whether it’s adding a 3D scanning head, converting it to a computerized paint-shop, or making an innovative food-extruder.” He adds, “If anybody does use it for making awesome new food, they’re invited to bring it by the shop.”
Mebotics aimed to make the Microfactory the ultimate all-in-one factory for small businesses -- biotech and design firms, architects, teachers --- as well as artists, early adopters and avid hobbyists. “We’ve tried to leave the door open for even some really extreme applications. With WiFi connectivity, the Microfactory can be run from the middle of nowhere: a research station in Antarctica, a basecamp in the Himalayas, or even a military outpost could download a file and make replacement parts on the spot.” This creative spirit is embodied in the company’s slogan: Ask Me What I Can’t Make.
To learn about the full range of machine specs and available upgrades, visit the Microfactory page on www.kickstarter.com. Backers can donate from $1-$9,995, pre-ordering the Microfactory starts at $3,995. To learn more, visit www.mebotics.com/microfactory.html and follow Mebotics on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mebotics. -
Acronis True Image 2014 Review @ Techgage
Published: Friday, August 30, 2013 | By: DennisI have always had a little respect for Acronis and their awesome imaging software but I cannot lie when I say their server based versions are not good. Maybe I'm "doing it wrong" or need to call the support line but, DAMN.
Techgage is looking at the new 2014 edition of Acronis True Image which is the retail edition anyone can use on Windows 7 and Windows 8. Most people who LOVE Acronis are talking about this edition
The latest version of Acronis' popular backup and recovery suite, True Image, has just been released, and once again, we're taking a look at what's new. We saw good integration of Acronis' cloud service with last year's True Image, but this year's version takes things to an all-new level. Let's check that out, along with all else that's new.
Its too bad they don't offer this version for servers, I would have been "onboard".
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ASUS GTX 670 DirectCU MINI Review @ Hardware Canucks
Published: Friday, August 30, 2013 | By: DennisSo, the MINI in the name has me curious, what the heck is this thing?
Other than a GTX 670 with a DirectCU cooler, I mean that is obvious.
ASUS has released the amazingly compact GTX 670 DirectCU MINI to cater to the small form factor market. It isn't narrowly focused though since we found it to be a surprisingly capable graphics card.
Well, as none of us imagined the DirectCU MINI is a ultra compact GTX 670 that is basically a video card square making the card perfect for Mini ITX systems and for anyone intimidated by size.
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Ivy Bridge E and SSD Overclocking? Say it aint so!
Published: Wednesday, August 28, 2013 | By: DennisSomeone sent in this story posted over at DailyTech. According to the Blog we should see IVBE processors sometime next month. (just a few days away!) Ivy Bridge E is the next generation to the popular LGA 2011 processor with quad memory channels.
The blog goes on to talk about overclocking your SSD using the same methods used to overclock system memory. Basicaly add some voltage and tweak the frequency. I'm not sure how I feel about SSD overclocking since this messes with the storage of your data.
When it comes to the SSD overclocking, the upcoming platform is expected to allow you to apply more voltage to your SSD controller to bump your read, write, and IOPS speed. Performance will be capped at 4.8 Gbps (614 MB/s), though, due to the fundamental ceiling of the current SATA 3 standard implementation supported in Intel chipsets (The raw performance of SATA 3 is 6 Gbps).
Back in the day there was a few attempts to overclock rotational drives by tweaking the firmware and increasing the transfer speed. The results were not all that impressive especially considering that you could get a bigger boost in speed by simply adding another drive in a RAID 0. I suspect that overclocking your SSD may have a similar impact.
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Microsoft Windows 8.1 Goes RTM
Published: Tuesday, August 27, 2013 | By: DennisAppears the Internet is ablaze about the release of Windows 8.1 (Blue) to manufactures. Windows 8.1 addresses many of the issues people had with Windows 8 including a few UI tweaks that made headlines around the world.
Windows 8.1 brings back the Start button and also features Internet Explorer 11, SkyDrive integration, an updated Windows Store experience, DPI scaling improvements (enabling better readability on high-DPI displays), 3D printing support, more customization options, tweaked mouse and keyboard navigation, and a boot-to-desktop option.
Of course none of that really matters since the UI is only useful on a "small" touch device but there are people raving about Windows 8 claiming its the best thing since Windows 3.1.
Look for the new OS sometime around October 18th with ISO leaks on Bittorrent sometime sooner.
