Corsair Launches Reactor, Nova SSDs

Now you can get an SSD that could match your Corsair RAM in your rig.

Early last month we learned the Corsair has prepared two new lines of 2.5-inch SSDs. Now, those SSDs, the new Reactor Series and Nova Series, are available immediately from Corsair’s authorized distributors and resellers worldwide.

The Reactors have 128MB of onboard cache with its second-generation JMicron JMF612 controller, and read and write speeds are quoted at 250MB/s and 110MB/s, respectively, for the 60GB drive, and the larger 120GB offering will hit 250MB/s and 170MB/s.

Those who want more speed and are fond of the Indilinx Barefoot controller with 64MB of cache can turn to the slightly more expensive Nova series, also in similar capacities as the Reactor. The quicker model features read speeds of up to 270MB/s and write speeds of 130MB/s on the 60GB model and 190MB/s on the 120GB model.

Both Reactor Series and Nova Series SSDs fully support the TRIM command in Microsoft Windows 7.

After the iPad? The iBoard and iMat, Of Course!

Bigger is always better, right?

Most people don't like the way Apple rolls out products. The company releases a device, only to roll out the "next version" a year later. The newer model usually contains only a few minor tweaks, which could have been implemented on the original (copy-paste on the iPhone anyone?).

It was this mindset that had people criticizing the iPad. "It's just a giant iPhone," they said. "It even runs the same OS as the iPhone and iPod Touch!" Well here's one for the people who think Apple's line of products has gotten just a bit too linear.

The folks over at begeek.fr have predicted the next two iterations of the Apple iPad. Behold! The iBoard and the iMat!

PS3 Bug Blocks Users From Gaming On and Offline

Sony is investigating a bug that is preventing some PS3 owners from accessing the PlayStation Network and in some cases, playing certain games offline.


Kotaku reports that late Sunday night PS3 users started having trouble. Upon booting their consoles up, they were unable to sign into their accounts, check their trophies, use dynamic themes or access the PlayStation Network. However, it soon transpired that this was not just a connection problem; users were unable to play some games offline too.
Kotaku's Luke Plunkett writes:

The issue is said to be only affecting older PS3s as opposed to the PS3 Slim, and some speculate it has something to do with a calendar bug. This, however, has yet to be confirmed.

Samsung's First 3D HDTV: The Good and Bad

Samsung's first 3D HDTV received a positive review.

TechRadar recently reviewed Samsung's 40-inch 40C7000 3D HDTV, apparently the first of its kind in the UK. There's a lot riding on the first generation of 3D HDTVs: if the technology doesn't initially make a goof first impression, then 3D technology may fall out of the public eye again.

Naturally there are a few hurdles 3D must overcome to really sink its teeth into the consumer's wallets: the price of the glasses, the availability of actual 3D content, viewer comfort and so on. On the content side, Samsung's 40C7000 hits the nail on the head, offering the ability to convert 2D video into 3D. And what happens if you throw a party? Are you going to purchase multiple 3D glasses?

Overall the HDTV scored rather well. The site points out that the new HDTV is more than just a platform for 3D, serving as a "home entertainment hub" with USB and Internet functions, a "host of user parameters," and a great potential for expansion.

But on the negative side, TechRadar felt that the 3D functions would work better on an HDTV larger than this 40-inch model. There's also the whole price issue: forcing consumers to purchase additional shutter glasses and a 3D-capable Blu-ray player. The price may not justify a possibly passing fad. Worse, TechRadar said that sometimes things would appear in the wrong order of depth. A person's head for example, would appear in the foreground whereas his body would be in the background.

TigerText iPhone App Nukes Texts, Allows Cheating

Now you can feel secure about cheating on your spouse and/or boss.

One of the negative aspects about texting is the footprint these digital messages leave behind. Not only is the text on the sender and recipient's device, but it's also located on the ISP server that actually transmitted the message. This is bad news for a parent of a sexting teen, as ISPs and mobile carriers will hold onto those messages and images for a good few years.

TIME reports that there is a new Apple App for the iPhone that eliminates the footprint of electronic messages. The drawback is that both the sender and receiver must use this application, however the secure feeling of knowing there will be no evidence of the conversation is probably tenfold. Called TigerText (no lie), the app is free to download and promises that its messages doesn't last "forever."

Apparently it works like this: the sender loads up the app and sends the text to the recipient (who also has TigerText). The message is actually stored on the TigerText servers-- the recipient can read the message without downloading it onto the device. The sender can also set parameters that determine when the message will be deleted, ranging from a "Delete on Read" setting to up to five days storage.

Although the app is free, the actual service isn't. The first 100 messages sent over 15 days will be free, and it will always be free to read incoming messages. However iPhone users will be charged $1.49 for every 250 messages per month, or they can pay a flat rate of $2.49 per month for unlimited texts.

Naturally this app would be ideal for industrial spies and cheating spouses. Secure your marriage and employment by downloading TigerText from the App Store here.