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Back in mid-August, Intel's Nick Knupffer made a promise to casual 3D gamers by suggesting that a new driver update would give systems that use the Intel G965 integrated graphics chipset a much-needed performance boost. I was highly skeptical of this claim, but wanted to put Intel's claims to the test.

To test Intel's claims, I chose an Acer TravelMate 4720-6727 laptop, which uses a 2GHz Core 2 Duo T7300 CPU, 1GB of RAM, an integrated 965GM Express graphic chipset with 384MB memory allocated, and running Windows XP Professional SP2. While this hardware combination is not the … Read more

Last week, I had the honor of being a guest on G4's Attack of the Show with Forbes deputy editor David Ewalt, as host Kevin Pereira grilled us on whether we're reaching a tipping point when it comes to online social networking. I think the general answer was "yes and no"--yes, we're reaching a point where most new entries into general-interest social networking sector (hello, Pownce, Flux, and Mash) have a rather uphill climb ahead, but no, this stuff's not going to go away altogether.

P.S.: Do I look like I'm … Read more

Say what you will about Sony computers, but they've always been at least a finalist in laptop version of The Biggest Loser--the most recent lightweight contender being the first to break the 2-pound barrier with its Vaio G series. Yet the latest upgrade to that line apparently has a feature that has little to do with weight but is extremely close to home for some of the less coordinated road warriors among us.

According to Engadget, the G series now has a waterproofing function that discharges your spilled Red Bull or chai latte through a "water pit&… Read more

ZDNet's David Borlind has a bug up his butt about 3G.

If the report is true, this could be worse news for Apple given that the price drop had to have come so soon to stimulate demand. There's nothing that kills demand for the current generation of a product like an announcement that the next generation won't be stillborn with obsolete networking technology the way the currently available generation was.

Aarrrrrgh!

And that's not the Macalope talking like a pirate (it's Talk Like A Pirate Day)! It's him wanting to stick pointy objects in … Read more

Apple announced its first iPhone deal outside of the U.S. this morning, and might have made its second big mistake in the early days of its iPhone strategy.

The company announced an iPhone partnership Tuesday morning in London with U.K. carrier O2. CEO Steve Jobs made an appearance at the Regent Street Apple store to answer questions from the British press, who were curious as to why Apple decided to introduce the same EDGE phone that's on sale in the U.S. to the U.K. market.

Engadget's live blog reported that Jobs is still concerned … Read more

When I use my computer, I typically find myself listening to music and podcasts, or maybe even watch some videos. And while my six-year old Altec Lansing speakers do a pretty nice job of reproducing sound, the Logitech G51 Surround Sound Speaker System does it far better than any other computer surround sound system I've used.

Design

The Logitech G51 Surround Sound Speaker System is well-equipped and quite attractive. It comes with four speakers (FL, FR, RL, RR), a center channel, subwoofer and a control pod that does your bidding. The subwoofer is cased in a nice black plastic, while the speakers are small, yet adequately sized to fit any space. Even better, the G51 came with extra designs that you can cut out and apply to the side of the speakers for additional customization. If you'd rather to do it yourself, you can also surf over to this page to download software and artwork. If that still doesn't work, you can always design your own and insert it into the "patent-pending mod system" on each satellite speaker. Sure, it's not the greatest of add-ons, but it does add some personal flair to an otherwise run-of-the-mill design.… Read more

Again, the video here tells most of the story for this new sixth-generation version of the iPod, now called the iPod Classic. Still, there are a few specific details worth focusing some extra attention on.

Capacity

The iPod Classic is now the only iPod Apple makes with a storage capacity over 16GB. In fact, the base model ($249) starts with a whopping 80GB of storage, and the next model up ($349) jumps to 160GB. These are serious numbers that are bound to excite those of us who carry huge music and/or video libraries. Many people were worried that Apple would ditch high-capacity players altogether with their latest line of iPods, but maintaining a high-capacity legacy MP3 player makes sense. After all, the iPod at this point has become an icon of industrial design and a symbol (for better or for worse) of our current digital music economy.… Read more

Apple's newly announced iPods are sure to wreak havoc on holiday wish lists this year. Here's the lowdown straight from Job's mouth to our ears.

New iPod Nano

The new iPod Nano, which is just as slender as its predecessor but shorter and squatter, has a 2-inch display with an iPod video's 320x240 resolution. The new Nano--available beginning this weekend--supports Cover Flow and video games (three are included--Vortex, Sudoku, and a mystery game). Cover Flow on the Nano shows albums against a white background, differentiating itself from the iPhone's cover flow. The Now Playing screen … Read more

When it comes to hardware with a flair for the dramatic, there's little to compare with military aircraft. After all, just imagine Tom Cruise's career without Top Gun.

The place to be this week for aerospace shoppers is an airfield just outside Moscow, for the MAKS 2007 International Aviation & Space Salon. There awaits a cornucopia of flying weaponry, much of it Russian-made, from MiGs to helicopters to a mock-up of a work-in-progress unmanned stealth craft, the Skat. If you can get there by this weekend, you might still have a chance to admire the craftsmanship, mingle with … Read more