Tech-Reviews.co.uk » Reviews

Synology DS110J NAS Disk Station

Rhys — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:57:27 +0000

Introduction

In recent years network attached storage devices have gained in popularity as the number of computers per household rises. Once upon a time designed for the business segment of the market, NAS devices now offer households shared file storage and an easy backup solution. Synology’s DS110J is aimed directly at this market. However, not simply offering the basic tasks we’d expect from a cost-effective NAS, the DS110J also packs advance features we’d expect to find in more pricey network storage devices.

Features

FTP Server
Web Station
Surveillance Station 4
Photo Station 4
Download Station 2
Audio Station 2
DLNA/UPnP Media Server
iTunes Server
Printer Server
Synology Packages
– SqueezeCenter
– Mail Station
– Webalizer
– phpMyAdmin
iPhone Applications
– DS photo
– DS audio
– DS cam

Specifications

CPU Frequency: 800MHz
Hardware Encryption Engine
Memory Bus: 16bit@DDR800
Memory: 128MB
Internal HDD: 3.5" SATA(II) X1 or 2.5" SATA/SSD X1
Max Internal Capacity: 2TB
Size (HxWxD): 160mm X 63mm X 218mm
External HDD Interface: USB 2.0 port X3
Weight: 0.81kg
LAN: Gigabit X1
Wireless Support

WorldCard Mobile App

Andrew — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 20:58:21 +0000

Introduction

If you’re in business or your job requires meeting many people, storing business cards and contact information is often a great hassle. Cleverly though, there’s a new iPhone App developed by a company called Penpower Technology Ltd. which seeks to solve this problem, introducing WorldCard Mobile…

About Worldcard Mobile

"WorldCard Mobile is the leading business card recognition system for the iPhone and iPod Touch. It instantly recognizes the captured data from business cards and sorts it into organized fields which are then added directly into your contact list! Just point your camera at the card, take a picture, and WorldCard Mobile puts it into your contact list!"

Features

Superior recognition quality
Significantly faster recognition speeds
Allows for data export to any desired contact group
Automatically sort your contact data into appropriate categories
Auto image rotation in the event image scans sideways
Partially recognize and pull into desired field. (Manually crop by finger and pull into right field, such as name, company, department, position, main phone, fax to re-do recognition.
Merge data into existing contacts).
Support interface and recognize 7 languages (English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch).
Recognize business card from saved images.

Where to Purchase

WorldCard Mobile full version can be bought from the Apple App store for £3.49. A lite version is also available, for free.

CoolIT Systems ECO A.L.C CPU Cooler

Andrew — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 11:05:34 +0000

Introduction

Back in July last year we reviewed one of the first budget water-cooled CPU cooler bundles, the CoolIT Domino, which proved to be a great success. Since then, other competitors have released similar products at lower prices boasting more rewarding temperatures. CoolIT have risen to this competition and fought back with their all new pre-assembled watercooling package, meet the CoolIt ECO A.L.C. …

About CoolIT

“For years, CoolIT has been working with leaders in the computer industry to research, design, and provide an affordable new cooling product that provides a comprehensive solution for end users while exceeding high OEM standards. This carefully designed and patented technology unleashes the full potential of a PC, providing superior cooling performance while reducing system level noise and improving reliability of vital components. This small, but potent, pre-assembled product can also be easily installed inside any standard chassis. The CoolIT MTEC Technology can be found in the top names in performance computing like Dell, Alienware, Velocity Micro, MAINGEAR, Hypersonic, Biohazard, Ultra, Ultraforce, Systemax, BFG, Commodore Gaming, War Machine and Shuttle.”

Features

A Revolutionary Leap in Design that Delivers Industry Leading Reliability, Performance and Value

The ECO Advanced Liquid Cooling (A.L.C.) system is an elegantly engineered ultra low profile thermal solution positioned at an economical price point.

CoolIT’s engineers have focused on offering a superior propriatary cooling technology that delivers the ultimate performance in a compact design.

The whisper quiet ECO cooler is widely compatible with the majority of PC cases featuring a 120mm fan and can be installed in 3 easy steps.

CoolIT’s selection and design of each component has been scrutinized to ensure the ECO provides industry leading performance and reliability resulting in the ultimate maintenance free cooling solution.

Specifications

CoolIT CPU FHE (Fluid Heat Exchanger)

Copper Micro-Channel
CoolIT Proprietary Pump
Quiet, compact, long life CFF1 pump

Ceramic bearing

Life Cycle: 50,000 Hours MTTF
CoolIT Coolant
CoolIT Systems low toxicity with anticorrosion/

anti fungal additives
CoolIT Radiator
Custom engineered for low noise high heat dissipation
CoolIT Fan
High reliability, Quiet 12V

Speed: 1800 RPM MAX
CoolIT CPU Thermal Grease
CoolIT Systems Pro A.T.C.

(Advanced Thermal Compound)
CoolIT 2 Year Manufacturer Warranty

NZXT Beta Case

Andrew — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 10:58:35 +0000

Introduction

Although NZXT aren’t one of the biggest case vendors when compared to the likes of Antec and Cooler Master, they do have a large range of enclosures and have recently been busy revamping their product line with affordable, well designed cases. Their cases are mainly aimed at gamers and are popular due to being innovative and affordable. One of these is the NZXT Beta, which is a mid-tower case, manufactured from steel and has a few handy features such as a screw-less design and a black internal finish. Let’s find out if the Beta is the ideal budget gaming case…

About NZXT

“NZXT, a company built upon gamer’s dreams, hopes to create products that put consumers first. With the objective of designing unique products catered for hardware enthusiasts and gamers, NZXT has grown into a globally renowned brand recognized for dedication towards creating the next great gaming product. NZXT has won numerous awards from media and publications from across the globe with a product line spanning from gaming chassis, power, and gaming input devices. As a corporation formed by gamers, NZXT continues to expand into new horizons and push the limits further with each product unveiling.”

Features

Fits ATX standard motherboards and power supplies.
Fits large 10.5″ performance graphics cards.
Expanded cooling directly cools video cards and CPU.
Screw-less installation for hard drives and external 5.25″ drives.
Black internal finish for sleek look.
Meshed front panel allows for better airflow than traditional cases.
Top mounted Dual USB/Audio/ESATA for convenient usage.

Specifications

MODEL	Beta Series
CASE TYPE	Mid Tower Steel
FRONT PANEL MATERIAL	PLASTIC
DIMENSIONS (W x H x D)	200 X 430 X 501 mm / 7.87″ x 16.9″ x 19.7″
COOLING SYSTEM	FRONT, 1 X 120mm Blue LED (included) REAR, 1 X 120mm SIDE, 2 x 120mm
DRIVE BAYS	9 DRIVE BAYS 4 EXTERNAL 5.25″ DRIVE BAYS 5 INTERNAL 3.5″ DRIVE BAYS Screw-less Rail Design
MATERIAL(S)	Steel with black finish
EXPANSION SLOTS	7
POWER SUPPLY	500 WATT PS2 ATX 12V 2.0 ( OPTIONAL )
WEIGHT	7.28 KGS (W/O Power)
MOTHERBOARD SUPPORT	MOTHERBOARDS: ATX, MICRO-ATX, BABY AT

Tsunami Ultimate II 3500 2xHDD JBOD Enclosure

Andrew — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:36:16 +0000

Introduction

The Tsunami Ultimate II is a dual hard drive enclosure which is JBOD/BIG capable. This enables it to be used as two independent drives or combining the capacity of two hard drives. Unlike many dual hard drive enclosures, the Tsunami Ultimate II 3500 is priced at only £22. Does this cheap price impact in poor performance and quality? Time to find out…

About Tsunami

“Tsunami was founded in 1994 with one simple vision: Make technology delightful, enjoyable, and life- inspired. We have established manufacturing plants in emerging markets e.g. China and Brazil. Along the years, Tsunami has successfully developed itself as a main player in supplying innovative and high quality products globally. In 2007, based on its extensive experience, Tsunami Group has decided to extend their arms into the UK market.”

Features

2-bays 3.5” HDD enclosure
Interface: SATA I, II to USB 2.0 (480mb/s).
Support 2 X 3.5” SATA I, II Hard drives
Support JBOD (2 Separated Disk) or BIG (1 Bunched Disk) mode
External JBOD/BIG jumper switch
40 x 40 x 10mm Cooling Fan with great cooling efficiency
Panel with air vent for better cooling effect
OTB (one touch backup) function and software bundled
Anti-skid rubber foot stand
Dual colour LED display (Power and HDD access)
Comes with 3 stylish changeable colour bezel
Anti-shock design
Hot swappable and truly Plug-n-Play
Insulating designed PCB
Soft-start for slow turn-on feature prevents high inrush currents
Backward compatible with USB 1.1
One year manufacturer’s limited warranty.
Free unlimited online support

Specifications

OS support: Windows Vista/XP/2000/Me/Windows98/SE, MAC OS (Drivers bundled)
Power supply: AC100~240V,50~60Hz;DC5V/3A+DC12V/3A
Case material: Aluminium (great heat dissipation)
Size: L212 x W116.3 x H64(mm)
Weight: 1.3 KG (GW)

OCZ ModXStream Pro 600 Watt

Andrew — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:47:22 +0000

Introduction

Quite some time ago we were kindly given the chance to review the OCZ Fatal1ty 700 Watt. Today, OCZ have kindly let us take a look at the 600W ModXStream Pro. Will this 600W Modular power supply perform to the standards of the other units we’ve tested? Time to find out…

About OCZ

“Entering the memory market in August 2000, OCZ Technology was built around the determination to manufacture the best high speed DDR and RDRAM. OCZ was founded by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts, and our commitment to the end-user has not digressed.”

Features

500W, 600W, 700W Configurations
OCZ PowerWhisper Technology
Internal 135mm fan (500W,600W,700W)
SLI™ Certified
3 year warranty backed by OCZ’s exclusive PowerSwap™ Warranty replacement program. No more endless return-for-repair loops!

Specifications

150 x 160 x 86mm (W x L x H)
ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V
Typical load 86% Efficiency
80+ Certified
Overvoltage/OverPower/Short-Circuit protection
(.99)Active PFC
MTBF: 100,000 hours @ 25C

Coolink Lapchilla Laptop Cooler

Andrew — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:29:41 +0000

Introduction

Laptop technology has advanced greatly over the years with different releases of more powerful and compact systems constantly replacing the top notebooks of the year before. However, improving the performance of laptops usually has the knock on effect of producing more heat and so users will commonly seek advice in order to better cool their laptop. An often used approach to this problem is a Laptop Cooler.

However, most laptop coolers do more than simply draw hot air from your system. Many laptop coolers also have become a key feature in making the experience of using a portable machine at a desk more comfortable overall. Most coolers provide an elevated position for the actual laptop which usually features a sort of incline to the keyboard, thus allowing comfortable angles for typing during the longer sessions at the computer.

Today we have the Coolink LapChilla Laptop Cooler. Coolink has created a cooler which allows you to change the adjustment for your particular use with a multi-angle design.

About the company

“Coolink International Corporation is a cooling specialist established in 1996 and well known among industry insiders. Throughout the years, Coolink designed and manufactured many top-performing heat-sinks under various brand names that succeeded in international markets. An experienced R&D team and ultra-modern production plants in Taiwan ensure continuous progress, efficient manufacturing conditions and strict quality standards.”

Specifications

Colour	White
Material	ABS Plastic
Dimension	300 x 270 x 25 mm
Weight	0.8 kg
Adjustable Height	15o / 32o
Power Type	USB
Power Connector	USB Loop-through connector

Fan Specifications

Size	220 mm
Speed	600 RPM
Airflow	50 m3/h
Acoustical Noise	16 dBA
Input Power	0.5 W
Input Current	0.1 A

Features

The all-purpose design fits well with the ergonomics of this product with the 2 different tilt angles
Extremely light at 0.8 kg and can be collapsed for portability
Very little noise emitted from the 220mm cooling fan (16dBA)
The reduction in risk of heat related failures
Loop-through USB connector saves the amount of USB ports used
Overall universal design for laptops with a display size of up to 15.4’’
This product also comes with 2 years warranty

Zaward Golf Fan II

Andrew — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:00:50 +0000

Introduction

Many of you wouldn’t have heard of Zaward before and don’t feel disheartened if you’re one, they’re a fairly new company specializing in specifically computer cooling. One of the most innovative products in their catalogue is what’s called the ‘Golf Fan II’. Unlike most case fans, the Golf Fan 2 features a patent golf-ball-like texture on its fins which according to Zaward reduces noise levels by 15% at the same RPM and airflow. Now I’ve reviewed a lot of case fans in my day and many boast large claims like this, to find out whether Zaward’s marketing department are not just playing about, let’s put it to the test and find out whether it’s true to its word.

The second series of Zaward’s Golf Fan’s have a collection of 11 fans altogether of different sizes, specifications and colours. We’ve kindly been sent four by Zaward, which include:

ZG2-080B
ZG2-080D
ZG2-120B
ZG2-140A

However, for the purpose of this review, we will be analysing just one -the ZG2-120B.

About Zaward

“Zaward Corporation was founded in 1996 as the sole worldwide agent of Globefan Technology Co., Ltd., one of the leading manufacturers of DC fans that established since 1986 in Taiwan to provide major personal computer power supply companies with the best quality products.”

Features

Unique patent Golf dimple blade reduces 15% noise level at the same RPM & airflow.
Low Noise level from 10~22.6dBA depends on fan speed.
Long life expectancy of 60,000 hours in 40 degree C.
It increases fan’s efficiency and reduces current consumption.
PWM function supported, starting at low speed minimizing with very low noise level without reducing efficiency. (Not supported on ZG2-140A)

Specifications

Dimension	120 x 120 x 25mm
Fan Speed	300±250rpm ~ 1300±200 rpm
Bearing Type	Duro bearing
Max.Air Flow	56.05 CFM
Operation Voltage	12V
Life	60,000 Hrs
Noise Level	10 ~ 20.8 dBA
Weight	156g
Colour	Black
Led	N/A

SteelSeries Kinzu Gaming Mouse

Andrew — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:47:02 +0000

Introduction

SteelSeries have a established themselves a fine reputation as a solid producer of quality PC gaming peripherals, so as I review this mouse I have high hopes for a product which does exactly as it says it will at a high level. The Steelseries Kinzu optical mouse, described as being ‘in a league of its own’ with regards to reliability and stability, can be picked up for the relatively low price of £21 (or $33 US Dollars).

About Steelseries

“SteelSeries Kinzu was developed in close cooperation with professional gamers to set new standards for performance in optical mice. The Gaming Grade image correlation sensor has been optimized to improve stability and eliminate jitter.”

So What Does This Mean?

Expect a very high quality product! Steel series are very proud of the fact that they work with the consumers rather than just staying in the labs and doing what they think is going to be effective and work well (see their about pages on their website for more.) Some readers may be concerned/put off by the fact that this is an optical mouse rather than a laser mouse (the DPI count on mice made with the latter is significantly higher) but there are still many gamers who opt for the optical mouse. This too means that the price of this mouse can be kept much lower than any of the new laser mice – possibly a selling point for those on a budget – and with a good mat many argue that the difference is negligible at any rate.

Specifications

Frames per second: 9.375
Inches per second: 50
Megapixels per second: 3.75
Counts Per Inch (CPI): 400 – 3200
Acceleration: 20 G
Buttons: 3
Cord: 2 m / 7,9 ft (braided to improve durability)
Polling: up to 1000 Hz
Lift distance: ~2.0mm
Large pressure points that reduce friction for optimized glide
Driverless, plug-and-play feature for LAN gamers
Built-in memory for 3 profiles
Measurements: 117 x 64 x 36 mm / 4,6 x 2,5 x 1,43 in
Operating systems: Win XP / Vista / Win 2000 / Mac OS

*Configuration software only available for Windows operating systems

Features

Ambidextrous lightweight ergonomic finger-tip / palm design
Slip-resistant coating for superior mouse grip and control
Gaming Grade optimizations for pro gaming CPI values
CPI toggle for on-the-fly high & low sensitivity adjustments
Customizable report rate between 125hz-1000hz / 1 ms response time.
3200 Counts Per Inch
9375 Frames Per Second
Acceleration on/off toggle via software
50 Inches Per Second and 20G of acceleration
Low-friction high-performance polyethylene feet

InWin Maelstrom PC Enclosure

Andrew — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:09:19 +0000

Introduction

In recent years computer hardware has been developing at an amazing rate. But whilst much attention is given to new graphics technologies and new CPUs it seems that system enclosures are often left without much time in the limelight. However, one such case demands time in the forefront, with both its audacious aesthetics and its plethora of features, the InWin Maelstrom demands attention.

About InWin

"In Win has become a leading manufacturer of core technology in order to meet market and consumer needs and demands. Our company’s management team has laid a strong foundation in terms of eight major elements: innovation, service, speed, value, safety, warmth, faithfulness, diligence. These elements help In Win to remain a leader in the business realm and also help to differentiate us from our competition."

Features

Superb Expandability
Able to support five 5.25” & six 3.5” drive bays, the Maelstrom has a four CPU M/B compatibility ranging from Micro-ATX to Extended-ATX.
User Friendly Ergonomic and Mechanical Design
Designed to provide quick maintenance and upgrade solutions, the patented shock-free railing system protects each drive bay. The retaining holes on the M/B tray offer easy CPU cooler replacement.
Superior Acoustic and Vibration Solutions
The Maelstrom offers a quiet environment and silent operation for gamers via acoustic absorbers laid inside the chassis. The tough casing structure efficiently reduces the acoustic noise levels and vibrations.
Revolutionary High Efficiency Thermal Solution

Ten front, side, and top 12cm fans enhance airflow while a meshed front and top panel provide superior ventilation. The Maelstrom offers an unparalleled thermal solution for any gaming system.
Luxurious Exterior and Interior Painting
Fully draped in a dark metallic black, the Maelstrom offers a luxurious look with its intimidating size. The black coating on the exterior and interior of the chassis prevent damage from humidity, oxidation, and extend the lifespan of the Maelstrom.