Category Archives: Hardware

Review of Computer Hardwares

Microsoft Arc

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The unusually designed object you see here is one of the latest pointing device from microsoft, and it’s called the Arc. The Arc looks something like the Logitech MX Air, but is in fact just another mouse with a different design.

The Arc is a wireless mouse that comes with a tiny little bluetooth dongle which also attachs itself neatly to the back and controls the device upto 30 feet range. The mouse can fold, very much like the foldable phones we see everyday. This both turns off the mouse and also useful for carrying it around.

Microsoft Arc

Microsoft Arc

With it folded, the Arc can easily fit into any shirt or pant pocket. Its also very good looking, with its dark color and the transparent glossy finish.

There are no issues with using it despite the unusual shape. It has more or less the same comfort levels as any other mouse. Performance doesn’t suffer either. There is no lag whatsoever. It makes a good desktop mouse, but the same can’t be said as a gaming mouse. the mouse feet aren’t very large and don’t seem to help the mouse slide around as easily as the other mice we’ve tested.
The scroll wheel is OK, and apart from the standard three button setup, a fourth button is available on the left side that can be customize through the IntelliPoint drivers.

The mouse runs on two AA batteries, but is still pretty lightweight. The folding mechanism is sturdy and doesn’t look like it will give way anytime soon. The mouse is symmetrical, so left handed users will have no cause for complaint. A small pouch is also supplied, to help you carry the mouse.

The price for the Arc is around $85 and laptop mouse can be bought for well under this price tag. If you want something light and compact, with a stylish design, this is a good buy.

Popularity: 11% [?]

CoolerMaster Real Power M700

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In the age of 3-Way SLI and overclocked quad-core processors, its easy to get carried away with buying a super highend power supply even when you PC doesn’t really need something that hefty to power it. Enter the CoolerMaster Real Power M700 – a 700 watt moduler power supply. This unit is built around ATX 12V version 2.3 specifications.

CoolerMaster Real Power M700

CoolerMaster Real Power M700

The build quality of the unit itself is a mixed bag – cable and connector quality is top notch, butthe guage of sheet used on the body is light. A single 120mm fan provides the basis of cooling.

This power supply supports two PCIe power slots, and two each of the six and eight pin connects have been provided, which means SLI and CrossFire are supported, even for the latest generation of cards like the ATI Radeon HD4870 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280. We loaded up an Intel Core 2 Quad Extreme QX9650, 4GB of RAM, with two WD Raptor 10,000 rpm drives and a GeForce GTX 280 Graphics Card. There were no issue with reboots, false starts or freeze-ups even while stressing the CPU and GPUs with synthetic and real-world benchmarks.

For those who are looking for something basic to power a home PC, this is too mach of a power supply for you. For those looking at 3-Way CroddFire and GeForce GTX 280 SLI look elsewhere too, as the M700 may not be able to support adequate juice to the setup and a power supply in the range of 1KW may be required. If you are looking for something for a fast gaming rig thats not too heavy on power the M700 is worth a glance. At $195, this PSU is overpriced, especially considering the excellent Corsair HX620, which offers nearly the same power output is priced at $155 only.

Specifications:
1. Total Power : 700 Watts
2. Basic Cooling : One 120mm FAN
3. Output Connectors : 4x12V Rails, 8 SATA Power Connectors, 4 Four Pin Connectors, 2 Six Pin PCIe Connectors.

Popularity: 18% [?]

WiFi is no longer a viable secure connection

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WiFi is no longer secure enough to protect wireless data.

Global Secure Systems has said that a Russian’s firm’s use of the latest NVidia graphics cards to accelerate WiFi ‘password recovery’ times by up to an astonishing 10,000 per cent proves that WiFi’s WPA and WPA2 encryption systems are no longer enough to protect wireless data.

David Hobson, managing director of GSS, claimed that companies can no longer view standards-based WiFi transmission as sufficiently secure against eavesdropping to be used with impunity. He also said that the use of VPNs is arguably now mandatory for companies wanting to comply with the Data Protection Act.

He said: “This breakthrough in brute force decryption of WiFi signals by Elcomsoft confirms our observations that firms can no longer rely on standards-based security to protect their data. As a result, we now advise clients using WiFi in their offices to move on up to a VPN encryption system as well.

“Brute force decryption of the WPA and WPA2 systems using parallel processing has been on the theoretical possibilities horizon for some time – and presumably employed by relevant government agencies in extreme situations – but the use of the latest NVidia cards to speedup decryption on a standard PC is extremely worrying.

“The $64,000 question, of course, is what happens when hackers secure a pecuniary advantage by gaining access to company data flowing across a WPA or WPA2-encrypted wireless connection. Will the Information Commissioner take action against the company concerned for an effective breach of the Data Protection Act.”

Popularity: 5% [?]