Cool Tech Reviews

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that Ubuntu seems to have the buzz as the “hottest” Linux distribution and now Jason Brooks weighs in at eWEEK:

Canonical’s Ubuntu 6.06 LTS is an excellent Linux-based operating system—so excellent, in fact, that it not only earned eWEEK Labs’ Analyst’s Choice designation but has also become our clear favorite among Linux desktop distributions.

This latest Ubuntu release, which became available in June, has won our ardor with a tight focus on desktop usability; an extremely active, helpful and organized user community; and a software installation and management framework that’s unsurpassed on any OS platform.

In addition to outperforming Linux rivals as a desktop OS, we found that Ubuntu is a solid choice for server deployments—provided, at least, that the sort of graphical management hand-holding that one would expect from Microsoft’s Windows Server or from Novell’s SUSE Linux Enterprise Server isn’t a priority.

Hit the link for the full review.

Intel is reacting fiercely to AMD’s market share gains last quarter and it’s good news for PC buyers. George Ou at ZDNet - Prices released on Conroe, AMD may need to slash 70% on FX62:

The word is out on Intel Core2 Conroe processors. The price and model numbers have been set on the new Intel processors while the price on older Pentium D processors have been slashed. Even the dual core Pentium D 945 running at 3.4 GHz has been slashed to $163 on July 23rd which is cheaper than the slowest C2D E6300 at 1.86 GHz.

More by following both links but here’s the net:

The new Conroe processors will have a devastating effect on current inventory from AMD or Intel. It’s kind of like a scorched earth tactic where Intel’s own legacy “Netburst” inventory will suffer collateral damage in the war against AMD. Anyone who’s buying computers right now should definitely hold off for 2 more weeks since there will be massive price drops on current AMD and Intel CPUs.
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The good news is that no matter what you buy 2 weeks from now, it will be a lot cheaper or it will be a lot faster.

It doesn’t hurt that PC sales have been weak in recent months either.

No sooner did I spot the LG Flatron L1970HR LCD monitor for gamers, than ASUS jumped into the 2ms response game. It’s too early for reviews and the pricing and availability have still to be revealed, but Gizmodo has some of the specs:

To start with the nitty gritty, this behemoth has a 1280×1024 native resolution, 800:1 contrast ratio, 320cd/m2 brightness and a very nice 2ms response time for optimal gaming and minimal ghosting. The fun doesn’t end there, either. This display has three USB 2.0 ports, DVI-D, D-SUB, 1.3-megapixel webcam, microphone/headphone inputs and even an integrated 2.1-channel speaker system that includes a fancy tube-like subwoofer on the back side.

There’s more by following the link and at ubergizmo, but I think it’s clear this baby will have a premium price.