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SGI's ICE Cube Air Modular Data Centers can be deployed anywhere, even in the hood
SGI is a shadow of its former self, selling its name to Rackable Systems and appearing in some disgraceful situation comedies. We like to remember the old, harder, edgier SGI, a pioneer in the computer graphics industry when it came straight outta Sunnyvale in the '80s. Now it's back, launching the ICE Cube Air Modular Data Center, capable of housing four racks and expandable up to 80 and a total of 97,920 cores and 143.36PB of storage. Each unit is almost entirely self-sufficient, requiring only power and a supply of water, which can come from a plain old garden hose. Cost starts at $99,000, which isn't cheap, but we went ahead and ordered four. You know how we do it.
NAD coming to CES bearing gifts for AV enthusiasts
New two-channel gear aside, you just know NAD wouldn't turn its back on components for this fad of moving pictures with audio. Sure enough, New Audio Dimensions is bringing out updates to its T-series of AV receivers (T 785, T 775, T 765), T 175 AV Tuner-Pre-Pro and Master Series M15HD Pre-Pro. The most notable new tech here is the use of Modular Design Construction (MDC) -- a design that allows NAD to build new functionality into products module-by-module for tasks like audio decoding and image processing. The $4,000 T 785 receiver packs in the top of the line AM 200 and VM 200 modules for audio and video, respectively, and things step downward to the AM 100 and VM 100 modules by the time you get to the $3,000 T 765 receiver. Follow the link for full model line pricing info.
Microsoft Windows 7 beta due out in January 2009?
Not even a full day after hearing that the Windows Vista / Server SP2 beta would be breaking loose for select individuals tomorrow, in flies word that a Windows 7 beta could be out and about as early as next month. Granted, this conjecture is far less written in stone, but on the official MSDN Developer Conference website we're told that "all attendees will receive a Windows 7 Beta 1 DVD." The events are scheduled to run from December to January, and given the whole "attendees at events scheduled for December will have DVDs mailed to them when they become available" coupled with the line we quoted before, it's a pretty safe bet that next month is it. Hang tight, Windows lovers -- your first real peek into the wide world of WinVII could be just around the bend.[Via PC World]
What's the deal with Seinfeld doing ads for Microsoft?
Microsoft has set aside $300 million for an ad campaign featuring once-funny comedian Jerry Seinfeld in a series of advertisements targeting Apple. [Insert "master of his domain" joke here. -Ed.] According to the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft will pay Seinfeld $10 million to appear in a series of ads for its "Windows, Not Walls" campaign that will feature Seinfeld and Bill Gates, Microsoft's chairman. According to AdWeek, other highly-relevant comics like Chris Rock and Will Ferrell may also appear in the ads. Wired notes that Microsoft's "choice of Seinfeld was an effort to avoid pandering to the kids with 'a celebrity that was too hip.'" Mission accomplished. It's unclear why the titan even has to advertise; its highly successful Windows Vista and Zune media player products have dominated the landscape for ... I'm sorry. I just can't type anymore. I'm laughing too hard. The campaign is due to launch September 4, and will be produced by MDC Partners' Crispin Porter + Bogusky. The agency is responsible for such memorable hits as Burger King's "Subservient Chicken" and Miller Lite's "Man Laws," the latter with Burt Reynolds. Will his star ever stop rising? [via Macworld]
Women who love to play men who love women
Don't let the flippancy of my title fool you; this is a serious request. It's a well-known MMO-ism that a great many female avatars are driven by males. Why? The reasons are varied, but the most often-heard one is 'I'd rather look at a hot chick than a dude'. Well, if you've ever wondered if the reverse is true as well, now's your chance to find out!Metaverse development company (or 'MDC' for short, a term that refers to a real life company whose focus is virtual worlds) Metaversatility is asking real life females who play as males in Second Life to share their experiences and reasons for the purpose of a public discussion on identity and cross-gender avatars. If interested, please contact Haver Cole ( haver@metaversatility.com) or Adri Saarinen (adri@metaversatility.com). I'm more than a little curious about this myself; can't wait to see how this develops!
