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AMD Does 5 GHz

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AMDFXLogo

Using eight cores built on AMD’s Piledriver architecture, the FX-9590 is the world’s first processor to reach 5GHz that will be available to consumers from a chipmaker.  The 5GHz barrier has been broken before in labs and basements where extreme cooling techniques were applied to CPUs but not in a boxed chip thats available to the public.

The FX 9590’s frequency will range between 4.7 to 5GHz and will utilize AMD’s AM3+ socket. The processor will be built on a new 32 nanometer die and have 8MB of L2 and L3 cache. The chips power consumption is considerable at 220W but that’s to be expected with a chip like this, especially early on. AMD has always had great pride in producing a lot of bang with a small amount of power and it’s my guess that power consumption will likely get better. It’s also important to note that AMD’s power management will likely keep the CPU “Cool n’ Quiet” when there isn’t a large demand for power from the system.

The new chip isn’t cheap as it will cost you around $900 to pick up and although early benchmarks indicate that the performance is solid, it may not be the ultimate processor we are looking for AMD to release. Still, 5GHz is impressive and well, awesome.

Best Buy Does iPad Trade in Deal

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iPad4

You still have one day left (7-13-13) to head to Best Buy where they are offering $200 or more in trade-in value when you trade in your iPad 2 or 3rd generation iPad.  You can opt to receive the trade-in on a gift card or use it to buy a 4th generation iPad.If your tablet is in really good condition you can get even more money.

I would check online pricing for your iPad on Amazon and eBay just to be sure you’re getting your maximum value. You should also take the connivence of getting your cash immediately into consideration as well.

It’s likely that BestBuy is trying to clear out some of it’s inventory ahead of the release of the anticipated iPad 5 this fall.

How To Make a Yellow SNES Look New

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Yellowing SNES

We all love our vintage electronics but the one inevitable part of collecting and using this stuff is that it starts to age. Sometimes we get lucky and things seem to hold up pretty well over the years, while others just look plain nasty. One of the most common issues is the yellowing of plastics on computers and other hardware like the Super Nintendo (SNES).

Ok, so the big question here is why is this happening at all? What’s causing my stuff to turn yellow?

Well, someone actually asked Nintendo this very question and this is the response that they got:

 

Hi!

Thank you for contacting us. That’s an interesting question! For the Super NES, this is a normal condition and no cause for alarm. Cleaning or handling the system will have minimal impact to change or revive the original color.

The Super NES, as well as our other systems, are made with a plastic containing flame-retardant chemicals to meet safety guidelines. Over time, the plastic will age and discolor both because of these chemicals as well as from the normal heat generated from the product or exposure to light. Because of the light color of the plastic of the SNES and NES, this discoloration is more easily seen than with other darker plastics such as on the N64 and the Nintendo GameCube.

Thanks for your email!
Nintendo of America Inc.
Casey Ludwig

That’s actually a fairly accurate answer as to what’s happening to our old electronics but it’s not just light and or heat that’s causing it, but also exposure to air itself. It’s pretty much unavoidable. The only time you may not have a yellowing piece of hardware is if you were lucky enough to get a balanced batch of plastic. To get a more detailed answer as to what’s going on you can get a Doctor’s official answer at VintageComputing.

Now that we know that’s causing it, let’s fix it!

There are many methods you can use to remove yellowing but the method that seems to be the most effective is the use of Hydrogen Peroxide. The big issue with using Hydrogen Peroxide is that it’s a liquid and it doesn’t stay in the area you apply it, it just runs off and makes a mess. Another problem is that the stuff you buy at the store is too diluted and therefore not strong enough to get the job done. The solution to this problem is to make a Hydrogen Peroxide gel that has a higher percentage of Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) in it. This will allow you to easily put the gel on the section of plastic that you’re trying to fix.

So how do you make the gel? Here’s the best part, you don’t need to. You can actually use hair developer cream, which you can get from SallyBeauty.

Here’s what you will need:

  • A clean workspace with adequate ventilation.
  • Plastic Gloves / Eye Protection
  • Plastic Wrap
  • Salon Care 40 Volume Cream Developer  (Read the safety precautions on the developer to protect yourself)
  • A UV Light Source
  • Lot’s of Time

Depending on what your trying to clean up you may need a lot of developer, so make sure you get a larger bottle.

If you can, carefully take off the plastic parts that you are trying to clean to avoid damaging the electronics inside. If you can’t take things apart or don’t want to, then just be careful and be smart about where you place the developer.

Once the parts have a good coating of developer on them, place a piece of plastic wrap over them to avoid any evaporation and to keep things in place.

Turn on your UV light source and make sure that the affected area is getting plenty of light. For best results, wait for 24 to 36 hours before cleaning off the developer.

*Tip:

Once you have finished the process you should find that much of the yellowing has gone away. This doesn’t mean it’s gone for good though, the plastics are still composed of the same chemicals as before and will eventually begin to yellow again. Your best bet, if you want to avoid cleaning them again, is to slow down the process by applying a spray-on UV protectant coating.

**This project is something you can do at home, but you do so at your own risk!

Ancient Underwater Forest Discovered

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Alabama Under ocean Forest
Sonar Map of the Ancient Underwater Forest of the Coast of Alabama (CREDIT: Grant Harley, Kristine DeLong)

Just off the coast of Alabama, divers have discovered and ancient forest beneath the waves of the Gulf of Mexico. This Bald Cypress forest was hidden under the sand for over 50,000 years and was likely uncovered by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The undersea forest, which is about 60 feet below the ocean surface, was preserved amazingly well because of the lack of oxygen that exists under the ocean sediments. Now that the area is exposed it won’t be around for very long as it will soon be destroyed by living creatures.

Ben Raines was one of the first divers to see this amazing place. Ben is the executive director of the nonprofit Weeks Bay Foundation. He mentioned that a local dive shop owner had been trying to keep the place a secret because he feared that divers take things from the dive area and would eventually spoil the ancient underwater forest.

You can experience the underwater forest in the video above, which takes you down under the Gulf of Mexico and gets you up close and personal with these amazing ancient trees. You can read the complete article on this forest by LiveScience.

 

Nintendo Loses Domain Dispute for Wii U

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WiiU Controller

 

Earlier this year Nintendo wanted to acquire “wiiu.com” but found that it was already taken. Nintendo went ahead and filed a complaint for cybersquatting. Unfortunately for Nintendo, Fusible is reporting that they have lost the dispute and will not be able to take control of the domain.

Nintendo will likely have to fork over some serious cash in order to own the domain and what makes this worse is that prior to the complaint, the domain was up for auction. This is just one of many battles that major companies have had with domain holders over the years. It kind of makes you wonder why these businesses don’t do a little more research before they name a product.