Apple charges for required free service in Italy

Apple is constantly going after other companies for patent infringements, and, ironically, consumers are constantly going after Apple for consumer rights infringements. In a recent article we discussed that Chinese consumers were unsatisfied with Apple’s support in China, and now it’s the Italian’s turn to take a bite out of the Apple pie.

It is the law in Italy for consumers to have the right to get two years of free assistance on electronics and durable goods, but it just so happens that Apple is only offering one year free and consumer has to pay to get support in the second year. Basically, Italians that are paying for an extra year of support from Apple need to get their money back.

According to Reuters, various Apple divisions in Europe have already been imposed with fines of 900,000 euros, and if Apple continues to not comply with Italian authorities then another 300,000 euros will be imposed. Apple has 30 days to respond to the AGCM’s compliance request.

ASRock launches Z68 mini-ITX board

If youve been waiting for an affordable Z68 mini-ITX motherboard, then your wait should be over, as ASRock has launched its Z68M-ITX/HT motherboard which should prove to be one of the more wallet friendly mini-ITX Z68 boards out there. That said, its hardly a crowded market space at the moment with Zotac having the only other two models currently available.

As this is a mini-ITX board, the Z68M-ITX/HT is fairly feature light with only a single x16 PCI Express slot and four SATA ports, as well as a pair of headers for two USB 2.0 ports. The real action happens around the back where we have a PS/2 port, four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, an eSATA port, a Gigabit Ethernet port, 7.1-channel audio with optical S/PDIF out and a DVI, D-Sub and HDMI port.

ASRock also supplies an infrared dongle and a Windows MCE compatible remote with the board which is a nice added extra considering that a fair few of these boards are likely to end up in HTPC type systems. You also get a copy of Lucid Logix Virtu graphics switching software in the box. No word on pricing as yet, but considering that ASRocks H67 version of this board is one of the more affordable H67 mini-ITX boards, wed expect the Z68M-ITX/HT to end up being only slightly more expensive.

Source: ASRock

Le prochain Mass Effect sans Shepard

Après nous avoir régalé d'une excellente trilogie avec ses Mass Effect, BioWare n'a pas jugé bon de lâcher une affaire si juteuse et planche en toute logique sur un nouvel opus de la saga. Si aucune information n'a été lâchée de la part du développeur, une chose est désormais certaine : Shepard prend définitivement sa retraite et pour cause ne sera pas le héros du prochain jeu estampillé Mass Effect.

Fabrice Comdominas, Art and Design Producer chez BioWare, précise au site VG247 qu'on ne retrouvera pas Shepard en dehors de la précédente trilogie. Plus précisément, il est hors de question que le prochain volet contienne un "Shepard 2". Comprenez que le personnage principal ne sera pas un archétype du bon soldat de l'espace. Nous n'avons plus qu'à attendre des informations plus concrètes de la part du développeur, qui espérons le nous prépare un énième blockbuster. Souhaitons toutefois bon vent à Shepard, un des grands héros de cette génération de jeux vidéo.

ASUS Self-designed Graphics Cards with Dark Knight Fansink

In order to cater to users who require excellent graphical performance boosts and exceptional cooling from their graphic cards, ASUS, world-leading producer of top quality graphic solutions, has today introduced a range of self-designed version graphics cards comprising the latest EAH4870 DK and EN9800GTX+ DK Series. These ASUS designed graphics cards will come equipped with the Dark Knight Fansink that delivers extreme cooling and low noise-levels—greatly enhancing gaming enjoyment. The inclusion of the EMI Shield, DIP Spring Chokes, LF PAK MOS, and Japan-made Solid Capacitors will allow users extreme performance and peace of mind at the same time; and furthermore, users will enjoy up to 9% performance improvements for gaming experiences with the ASUS EAH4870 DK TOP and EN9800GTX+ DK TOP.

Extreme Cooling with Dark Knight Fansink

The ASUS designed EAH4870 DK and EN9800GTX+ DK Series come equipped with the specially designed Dark Knight Fansink. This innovative fansink is equipped with 4 heatpipes and a large heatsink surface area; and is made of aluminum alloy to deliver extreme cooling while retaining operating levels at only 32dB—almost imperceptible in a quiet room—catering to users who require maximum cooling without excessive fan rotation noise.

Enjoy Exceptional Gaming Fun with 109% Performance

With the EAH4870 DK TOP/HTDI/512M, gamers can expect GPU and memory clock performance boosts from 750MHz up to 815MHz and from 3.6GHz up to 3.7GHz respectively. This generates an astounding 3DMark Vantage Extreme Preset score of 3733 to provide an astonishing 9% improvement in terms of GPU performance for the EAH4870 DK TOP when compared to any other reference designed board**. While with the EN9800GTX+ DK TOP/HTDI/512M, gamers can expect GPU, shader, and memory clock performance boosts from 740MHz up to 775MHz, from 1836MHz up to 1950MHz, and from 2.2GHz up to 2.36GHz respectively. Such unprecedented performance upgrades help elevate the EN9800GTX+ DK TOP’s 3DMark High Preset score from 4573 to 4848—an astounding 6% improvement in terms of speed when compared to any other reference designed board**. Gamers can now truly feel the adrenaline rush of superb gaming performance—only with the ASUS EAH4870 DK TOP and EN9800GTX+ DK TOP.

Unprecedented 1GB Onboard Memory for Ultimate Graphics

Memory size is very important for performance, as even a powerful GPU can suffer from bottlenecks due to slow and insufficient video memory. The more memory installed on a video card, the more data it can store—eliminating the need to access PC RAM and providing faster graphical performance. With most current and upcoming games requiring increasingly high video memory requirements, the ASUS EAH4870 DK/HTDI/1G, with its unprecedented 1GB of built-in memory, will provide greatly enhanced performances, and allow users to fully enjoy games or movies without lag or stuttering even at very high resolutions and maximum quality settings.

Ultimate Armaments

Keeping in line with ASUS’ Rock Solid promise for quality, the upcoming version of the EAH4870 DK and EN9800GTX+ DK Series will come with several solutions to provide top quality graphic performances. With the EMI shield, 66% EMI Interference can be reduced for more stable signals. The DIP Spring Chokes can also lower temperatures by 5–10°C in comparison with traditional Toroidal Coil Chokes. Additionally, the LF PAK MOS guarantees more efficient power and less heat. On top of all this, the Japan-made Solid Capacitors can lower power loss for more stable operations even under long-term use. Therefore, users will be able to enjoy extreme performance and have peace of mind—only with ASUS EAH4870 DK and EN9800GTX+ DK Series.

Note:

* Testing Platform
CPU: P4 3.0G
M/B: P5B Deluxe
RAM: 1.0G
O.S.: Windows XP
Test Program: 3D Mark ’03 (repeat GT4/Mother Nature)
**Performance Configuration
PCI-Express 16X :
MB: MaximusExtreme Rev:2.00 BIOS:0802
CPU : Intel Core(tm)2 Extreme 3.00GHz (QX9650)
Memory : 2048MB( DDR3 APACER 1333 1024M*2)
HDD : WD SATAII 300 1600AAJS
DVD-ROM : LG DVD-GSA-H55N
Overclocking capabilities may vary when using different cards

Specifications

Apple iPad Mini to launch this October

In a recent investment report from Pacific Crest, analysts predict that Apple will launch a 7.85’’ iPad mini this October priced at around $299.

Rumors of a 7’’ budget slate from Apple have been on the table for a while, and they’re still rumors. However, many OEMs have been either rumored or confirmed to be developing and launching 7-inchers, so it’s no surprise that Apple don’t want other tablet makers to cannibalize their brand.

“Based on our supply checks, we expect Apple to launch a 7.85” iPad in October. We anticipate an entry-level 7.85” iPad with 8GB of NAND capacity to price at $299,” states the report.

The late Steve Jobs, was an opponent of a 7-incher, but apparently Tim Cook, Apple’s current CEO, have something else in mind. An article from Tab Times a couple of months ago rumored that the R&D in Cupertino was testing a 7.85’’ tablet.

Also in the report, analysts suggest that the current gen iPad will receive some upgrades which may include a repositioning of the camera, improved touchscreen interface, reduced weight, and improved battery life. As for the iPad 2, the firm predicts that its shelf-life will end with the launch of the iPad Mini.