Help for Geeks: A Smart Closet

The stereotype is that geeks can't dress themselves, or rather, that they can't dress stylishly.  Technology is here to help them get past that minor obstacle.If you've ever stood in front of your closet trying to figure out what to wear for an important meeting, a new high-tech wardrobe invention might be just the thing for you.The "smart wardrobe" keeps track of when you wore an item, where you wore it, and can even tell you when your clothes need to be dry-cleaned.If you're not sure what tie matches your suit, if your skirt is too tame for your new animal print pumps, or whether you should...

Hitwise: Facebook > Porn

by Chad Weirick - Mon, Nov 05, 2007

Just about everybody has heard some sort of interesting search-related fact that has to do with pornography on the Internet.  First it was that searches for Jesus Christ came up with less results than the word porn on Google.  Then it became a big deal to be 'bigger than porn' when it came to Google hits.But the number of search results doesn't accurately depict the number of searches on a subject, just the volume of related material.  So who's 'bigger than porn' this week?  According to Hitwise it's none other than Facebook, at least with one of its key demographics:"Perhaps...

And People Wonder Why Geeks Are Lonely

by Michael Santo - Wed, Oct 31, 2007

A recent survey indicated that as many as 25% of people would be happy left all alone, as long as it was in cyberspace.Conducted by Zogby International, a polling firm in Utica, N.Y., the survey questions were e-mailed to a scientifically selected sample of nearly 9,800 U.S. adults, who offered precise feedback to not-so-burning questions like, "Can the Internet serve as a substitute for a significant other?" To that question, 24 percent answered "Yes." Apparently, a good broadband connection and all the possibilities it opens up would compensate for not having a companion who might, after all,...

Microsoft Takes Stake in Facebook

by Michael Santo - Wed, Oct 24, 2007

Microsoft actually managed to beat Google at an acquisition, or rather, in this case, a partial stake in a company.  Google had also been rumored to have been pursuing a minority stake in Facebook.The final deal resulted in a 1.6 percent stake in the social-networking company, notably smaller than the 5 to 10 percent that had been talked about in recent weeks. "We are pleased to take our Microsoft partnership to the next level," Owen Van Natta, vice president of operations and chief revenue officer at Facebook, said in a statement. "We think this expanded relationship will allow Facebook to...

Zalman Z-Machine GT1000 High End Gaming Case

by Shane Unrein - Wed, Oct 17, 2007

As enthusiasts, we're always looking for the next great design in computer cases. We're eager to see companies innovate in various areas of design, including cooling, tool-less installation, and style. When we see a new case hit the market, we often hope that it is made of aluminum, includes quiet 120mm or larger fans, and is easy to work in. We like aluminum because it usually looks good and is typically lightweight. We prefer the convenience of tool-less installation features because we are frequently swapping out parts. We happen to have a new case in the labs that meets some of these...

Intel Introduces “Cool Software” Social Network

by Michael Santo - Mon, Oct 08, 2007

Today, October 8, at 8:00AM Pacific Time, Intel launched a new Web 2.0-inspired Web site. Similar to Digg, it offers a forum where people can submit and vote for their favorite software company or product.You can go to the site, register, set up an account and start submitting stories, sites, etc. They are most interested in software companies, but they are also interested in technologies in general. The site has the following categories: Digital Home, Mobility, Enterprise, and Healthcare which are, of course, the same as the various “platforms” Intel supports. There’s also an Other category, naturally....

MTV to launch activism social network

by Michael Santo - Fri, Sep 21, 2007

MTV is launching a social network, which makes sense, given the youth of its audience. What's different about this social network is its focus on activism. The site, Think.MTV.com, is designed to be a resource for social and political issues, aiming to inform as well as let users connect with other like-minded people on issues from the environment to sexual health and discrimination. It will let users create pages, as on other online social networks Facebook and MySpace, and upload photos and videos, some of which may be aired on...

Yahoo gets social

by Michael Santo - Sun, Sep 16, 2007

Are you ready to social network, Yahoo-style? On Friday Yahoo! started sending out invitations to Mash, its beta social networking site. Note that you will need an invitation to mash with the rest of us. Mash is different from other social networks in that you can start profiles for your friends and "open" your own profile to friends you trust, according to the Mash blog. What that means, exactly, is still a bit unclear. You can also reportedly customize your profile or friends' profiles with other apps, ala Facebook. "One last note before you jump in: Mash...

HP Blackbird 002 High Performance Gaming System

by Marco Chiappetta - Wed, Sep 05, 2007

A short while after Dell purchased Alienware late last year, news broke that Hewlett Packard had acquired boutique system vendor Voodoo PC. Voodoo PC is best known for their high performance gaming PC's that feature custom cases, some with lavish paint jobs, unique cooling solutions, and impeccable wiring jobs. We evaluated a Voodoo Omen some time back and found it to be an excellent product. If you check out the Omen, you'll see why HP was interested in Voodoo. After HP's acquisition of Voodoo PC, many speculated that the company's entrance into the high-end gaming PC market...

The Real Social Networking Security Hole - Users

by Michael Santo - Tue, Aug 14, 2007

There has been much concern over the security and privacy of social networking sites. Much of the flak has been directed at the sites themselves. But a study run by security company Sophos showed, once again, that the real security hole, lies in users.By creating a fake ID around a green frog name "Freddi Staur" (which is an anagram of ID Fraudster), and inviting 200 real users to be its friend, Sophos showed just how easy it is to get private info. Without any "hacking" whatsoever, the tub toy managed to acquire a treasure trove of personal data. About 73 people were willing to...

Apple Debuts iTunes Social Networking Widgets

by Michael Santo - Mon, Aug 13, 2007

It's called social networking iTunes-style. Today Apple unveiled web widgets designed to facilitate social networking between iTunes users. It allows customers to share their purchases, reviews, and favorite artists. Called My iTunes, the service includes three flash-based widgets that use a customers account information to create customized lists of music based on that users purchase history. The widgets can be placed on a user's blog, Web site, or social networking profile.Three widgets are currently available: the first lists recent purchases; the second shows music that the user has...

IRS Vulnerable To Social Engineering

by Chad Weirick - Sun, Aug 05, 2007

The TIGTA (Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration) has recently run a survey of the IRS to determine how well the agency would respond to a little old fashioned social engineering.TIGTA callers posed as helpdesk representatives and requested assistance changing a password. The results are quite surprising: “In 61 of 102 cases, the TIGTA caller was able to convince an IRS employee to change his or her password as requested. Furthermore, only eight of the 102 IRS employees contacted actually contacted the audit team, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Office of Investigations,...

GeekSquad Pilfering Media?

by Chad Weirick - Sun, Jul 08, 2007

Have you ever dropped off your PC for repairs and wondered if the techs might be looking over your private media collection? If so, you’ve not alone. The Consumerist decided to do a little research on the subject, using the Geek Squad techs as their test subjects. Instead of just using logfiles for evidence, they actually have video of the alleged incident. “To investigate claims by current and former Geek Squad techies (see "The 10 Page Geek Squad Confession - "Stealing Customers' Nudie Pics Was An Easter Egg Hunt"), we loaded a computer with porn and rigged it to make a video of itself....

Antec Nine Hundred Advanced Gaming Case

by Robert Maloney - Fri, May 25, 2007

Heat as you all know is one of the main enemies of the PC and its many components. Just visit any PC Hardware-related site out there today and you will find whole sections devoted to heatsinks, coolers, etc., the sole goal of which is to cool down the ever growing number of heat producing components in a typical PC. Motherboard manufacturers have also jumped into the fray, providing their own customized cooling solutions, ranging from passive heatsinks linking the CPU, NorthBridge, and SouthBridge to the oversized Turbo coolers than we found on the Gigabyte G1-Turbo a few months back....

Geeks Are Love Machines!

by Chad Weirick - Sat, Apr 07, 2007

Wired.com has all the proof you'll need to convince your prospective partner that you'll be a good lover. <insert your own joystick joke here> "I've read recently that geeks make better lovers because they are so unaccustomed to romance that they will do anything for their mates. Also because geeks don't have the social skills to cheat (wanna bet?). Yeah, ha ha, let's chuckle at the stereotypes. Might as well add that geeks won't waste valuable relationship time watching football. Or that geeks are clueless and fashion-impaired and have the social skills of a bowl of fruit. But you...

Alienware Area-51 7500 Gaming System

by Shane Unrein - Wed, Mar 28, 2007

If you are a regular here at HotHardware.com, you have most likely heard of Alienware, one of the companies that helped establish the market for high-performance, gaming PCs. Since hitting the scene in 1996, Alienware has become a leader not only in gaming PCs but also in high-performance desktop, notebook, media center, and professional systems. Alienware's refreshing philosophy emphasizes building a system "as if it were your own." As most of you probably know, Dell acquired Alienware about a year ago in order to leverage Alienware's edgy brand. Some may fear that...

Dell XPS 710 H2C Performance Gaming System

by Michael Lin - Mon, Feb 19, 2007

Last summer, Dell agreed to purchase Alienware in a controversial merger of two very different companies. Alienware, who was looking to raise capital to fund its world-wide expansion, found a good partner in Dell when it came to realize that it would be able to meet its demands while simultaneously benefiting from Dell's famous supply chain efficiencies. The later being a great boon for Alienware, who had been suffering from supply woes, with customers often waiting a month or more to receive their orders. In turn, through the merger, Dell hopes to gain access...

iPhones Are For Geeks; Prada Is For The Glitterati

by Gregory Sullivan - Thu, Jan 18, 2007

LG electronics announced they've got an answer to that touchscreen phone wonder, Apple's iPhone. Instead of making it cheaper, they're making it available in February in Europe, and they're charging even more for it than an iPhone will cost. How? By teaming with fashion giant Prada LG's Prada Phone is being produced in partnership with the Italian fashion brand. It is set to go on sale in late February for 600 euros ($780) at mobile phone dealers and Prada stores in Britain, France, Germany and Italy, and comes to Asia in March....

Quad-Core Core 2 Extreme - GeForce 8800 GTX SLI NF680i Ultimate Gaming Rig

by Dave Altavilla - Wed, Nov 15, 2006

NVIDIA's two major launches last week marked a significant advancement in both 3D Graphics and PC Motherboard feature-set and performance.  The launch of NVIDIA's G80 GPU with their GeForce 8800 series of graphics cards was the advent of the first truly DX10 capable GPU architecture on the market.  Furthermore, upon its introduction, the nForce 680i SLI was widely acknowledge as the most feature-rich chipset for the Intel Core 2 dual-core and quad-core platforms to date; even more-so than Intel's own P965 and 975X Express chipsets.  In industry...

ASUS G2P Gaming Notebook Preview

by Sean Pelletier - Tue, Oct 31, 2006

Recently, we were given the opportunity to take a look at a preproduction sample of a new gaming platform coming from ASUS. Dubbed the "G2P", this is a robust new product that combines the latest flagship mobile components with a unique new aesthetic and gaming-specific features in one convenient package. Although we've opted to wait a few weeks so we can review the complete retail package the notebook will ship with, we've taken the liberty of posting some images to whet your appetite in the interim. At the heart of the ASUS G2P is a platform which utilizes a 17" LCD....

Systemax Sabre Intel Core 2 Extreme Gaming PC

by Jeff Bouton - Tue, Sep 19, 2006

  What's in a name?  So often hardware companies name their products to paint a mental picture, or set the tone for how they want potential customers to view their particular component.  The names chosen are meant to invoke feelings of speed, performance, size or perhaps the supposed exhilaration you will experience when you see that piece of hardware in action.  With the latest gaming PC to hit the HH labs, we take a look at the Sabre Intel Core 2 Extreme Gaming PC from Systemax and start off by asking: What's in a name? Merriam-Webster's online...

New Bill Could Ban Social Websites On Public Terminals

by Matt Beauvais - Thu, Jul 27, 2006

A new bill that passed 410-15 in the U.S. House of Representatives could soon spell the end to chat room use on public terminals, like ones found in schools in libraries. The bill is a response to the increasing threat of child predators on sites like MySpace. The problem with the bill though, is that it's a bit vague in its wording, and could be interpreted to mean the barring of any site that a personal profile can be made on (such as hardware forums). So, is it a well thought out bill that will protect children using the internet, or a knee-jerk reaction to a problem that's...