Area 51
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'Storm Area 51' event creator is working on an alien festival
Facebook may have shut down the "Storm Area 51" event that racked up more than two million followers, but the spirit of the meme is going to live on in the form of a festival. Matty Roberts, the creator of the original event, announced that he teamed up with event producer The Hidden Sound to create Alienstock, a three-day festival that will be hosted in Rachel, Nevada. The event, which promises a bunch of headlining music acts who have yet to be announced, will start September 20th.
The best desktops for students
For some of you, picking up a MacBook like the rest of your peers just won't do. If you're willing to trade portability for power, desktop computers are the way to go. Since it's probably the biggest-ticket item you'll buy for your apartment throughout college, it's important to choose the right one for your needs (and budget). This goes double for those of you spending a little more on a machine that will get you through graduate studies and beyond.
Alienware puts its new gaming desktop and 13-inch laptop up for sale
If you liked the looks of Alienware's new thin-and-light 13-inch laptop or its bigass, futuristic-looking Area-51 desktop, then listen up: Both are on sale beginning tomorrow, with shipments starting in November, and we finally know the full specs. Starting with the Alienware 13, it goes from $999 (£949 in the UK) with a dual-core Core i5-4210U processor, 8GB of RAM, a 2GB NVIDIA GeForce 860M GPU, 1TB 5,400RPM disk and a fairly low-res 1,366 x 768, non-touch matte display. If you like, you can step up to 16GB of RAM, either a hybrid hard drive or up to a 512GB SSD, and either a 1080p non-touch display or a 2,560 x 1,440 touchscreen. It would seem, though, that despite those various upgrade options, there's only one choice for the CPU and graphics card. Regardless of the configuration you get, the whole thing comes wrapped in a slimmed-down package that weighs about four and a half pounds and measures an inch thick.
Engadget Daily: Google's delivery drone, Nintendo's new 3DS handhelds and more!
Today, we take a look at Google's "Project Wing" delivery drone, go crazy with emoticons, learn about Nintendo's new 3DS and 3DS XL handhelds and more. Read on for Engadget's news highlights from the last 24 hours.
The Alienware Area-51 gaming rig just got one hell of a redesign
After a few years finding itself/getting a heavy-duty industrial makeover, Alienware's well-respected (and, importantly, customizable) desktop gaming PC has returned. The Area-51 isn't small, but it now has a new triangular... hexagonal... something-between-the-two design, intentionally hewn that way to maintain airflow and keep it cool, even when positioned against a wall. It's certainly come a long way since the tower desktop days of 2011. Given its size, two of the corners have handles to lug it around with -- we hope you can bicep-curl 45 pounds though, because that's how much it weighs. It also looks nothing like Alienware's incoming Steam Machine. (Ironically, the new Area-51 chassis looks far more "Valve," in a lot of ways.)
CIA documents tip Area 51 as Cold War surveillance site, definitely not an alien cover up
span.redacted { color: black; background-color: black;} The truth, as a great man once said, is out there. It's just not 125 miles northwest of Vegas. And while no one's denying the seemingly great potential for extraterrestrial life on the outskirts of Sin City, newly declassified documents have shed further light on the long mysterious nature of Area 51. The good news: yes, the CIA acknowledges that Area 51 is , indeed, a thing. And it has the map to prove it. The bad news: there's nary a mention of aliens on stretchers or a besuited Will Smith. Nope, there's no one wearing cool sunglasses so far as we can tell -- heck, even the references to the U-2 program are largely Bono-free. Nope, the area was reportedly the site of Cold War surveillance -- programs that like Oxcart, which have been previously acknowledged. All in all, a perfectly normal base, as far as the government is concerned. Likely story, CIA.
Alter-Ego: A quick and dirty guide to Area 51
When it comes to taking your first steps in DC Universe Online, the sheer amount of different types of missions and objectives can be a bit daunting. "What is this Alert thing sitting in my quest log?" you might say. "What does it do? It is PvP? PvE? What's the point of doing an Alert?" Well, to help demystify some of DC Universe Online's content for you, I wanted to offer up a basic overview to the very first in-game Alert: Area 51. However, knowing that some of you have already run this instance, I also wanted to make it useful for those who may have popped in but not spent a great deal of time in the zone. That's why this post not only contains a first-timer's overview of this Alert but also gives more advanced players a handy guide to all the Investigations, Player Briefings and Collections -- as well as a couple of other things I found in the Area 51 zone that might have been missed otherwise. Ready to dig in and help beat Brainiac back from trying to take over? Curious about what kind of extra goodies can be gained? Join me after the break as I take some of the mystery out of the notorious Area 51!
New DC Universe video shows off Area 51 alert
It's hard to tell which pending AAA MMO release has folks more worked up around these parts. In one corner, you've got Trion's forthcoming RIFT fantasy opus, and in the other corner you've got perennial contender SOE and its heavyweight intellectual property courtesy of DC Universe Online. Score one for the crusty veteran, then, as DCUO's Facebook page has just updated with a new video that throws a stiff jab at the competition. The clip features game director Chris Cao talking about the title's alert system, a quick-grouping mechanic that allows players to jump in to action-packed scenarios for vital defense missions at locations around the globe. The video showcases the infamous Area 51 research facility and features a group of players breaching the compound in order to fend off Brainiac's nefarious takeover plans. Area 51 is the first alert mission you'll tackle as either a hero or villain character, so be sure to give the video a look-see (on the official Facebook page or right here after the cut) to get a heads up.
Aliens, strongmen, clowns, and doom featured in new shots from DCUO
DC Universe Online continues to break the boundaries of what makes a great MMORPG. The action-based game by SOE and Warner Bros. features the amazing art of Jim Lee and WildStorm Studio. The riggers and texture artists at SOE's Austin studio have done their best to capture what it feels like to live and breathe in the DC Comics world. Today, the development team has sent us some brand-new screenshots showcasing the locations your legendary hero can visit in DCUO. If you're a Batman fan, you know Bane, the super-strong villain who pumps himself up on a serum called Venom. And if you don't know the Joker, then you don't know DC Comics. Of course, the Hall of Doom is the underwater fortress at which all the baddy-bads of the world can gather. Brainiac is amassing forces against the research centers at Area 51. Bane's Venom Lab, Joker's Amusement Mile, Area 51, and the Hall of Doom are all featured in the gallery below. After you check out the screenies, visit the official DCUO website to preorder the game. The next legend could be you! %Gallery-107324%
U-2 spy plane lens used on homegrown camera, and other DIY monstrosities
DIY photography isn't a new school art, but one Chris McCaw has been credited with pushing the boundaries of it more so than just about anyone else in the business. This bloke is responsible for using bits and pieces of gear in order to concoct monstrous cameras that are then used to photograph long exposures of the sun, eventually leading to beautifully artistic shots known best as sunburns. During a recent interview with photo-eye, Chris detailed one of his latest inventions: a wheelchair camera that looks suspiciously like Mike Wazowski. The camera is so huge that it requires a jack just to raise and lower the lens (goodbye, lens shake!) and a handicap ramp is necessary to load and unload it from a van. The unit itself relies on a lens that was purportedly taken from a Lockheed U-2 spy plane, and if you're unfamiliar, that flavor of surveillance craft is largely credited with obliterating relations between America and the Soviet Union in 1960. Hit the links below for more -- it's definitely fascinating stuff.
Alienware's Core i7-980X-infused Area-51 desktop gets reviewed, puts other rigs to shame
Surely you recall that snazzy new Alienware Area-51 desktop that popped up last week with Intel's flashy Core i7-980X Extreme Edition within, right? The benchmarking gurus over at Hot Hardware have since put the stratospherically priced ($4,569 as tested) rig through its paces, and suffice it to say, there's hardly a machine on the planet that's faster than this rig today. Put simply, the test machine -- which was equipped with a pair of ATI Radeon HD 5970 cards -- bested every other gaming desktop they'd seen, with the only shortfall coming up in the HDD tests. Naturally, SSD-equipped rivals were a good bit faster there, but nothing's stopping you from swapping out those traditional platters and installing a bit of NAND yourself. Ah, why bother with the details -- if you're looking for "quite literally the fastest desktop PC on the earth," this can definitely be it with the right configuration. Hit that source link for the mind-boggling benchmarks and a hands-on video.
Alienware sneaks Core i7-980X Extreme Edition into Area-51 ALX desktop
We heard at Intel's GDC press event that Alienware would be one of the first PC manufacturers to ship systems with the newest six-core consumer processor, but neither company's representatives would confess to "when." Now, we've our answer... sort of. Hot Hardware has received a shiny new Alienware Area-51 ALX, complete with twin ATI Radeon HD 5970 GPUs, a self-contained LED system that stays lit even when the rig is unplugged (could be a great or awful thing, actually) and Intel's Core i7-980X Extreme Edition to boot. We're told that a full review is on the way, but in the meanwhile, you can hit the source link for a few more looks at this here monster -- you know you'll be ordering one in a few days, anyway.
Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: Desktops
Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! The team here is well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties of the seasonal shopping experience, and we want to help you sort through the trash and come up with the treasures this year. Below is today's bevy of hand curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season. Let's face it, not everyone needs (or wants) to carry their computer around on the daily routine. Sacrificing portability can have its advantages -- and while nettops and all-in-one PCs have become a much more dominant force this year, the traditional, highly upgradeable desktop tower is still the reigning bang-for-the-buck champ. Just make sure your certain special someone has enough desk real estate for whatever potentially-enormous chassis you decide to take home and wrap. %Gallery-80501%
TGS 2009: Oh yeah, this is that Alienware announcement
Did you feel that? It could only be one of two things: the Large Hadron Collider has exploded, tearing our universe in half, or Alienware has completely shaken "the gaming world to its foundation." According to Alienware, the M15x is "the most powerful 15-inch gaming laptop in the universe" and its Area-51 and Area-51 ALX are "designed for extreme gamers and tech enthusiasts who demand only the latest, most advanced equipment." Wait ... this can't be ... just as we predicted! Oh, and the desktops have retractable ventilation scales. Seriously. Better watch out for micro black holes!
Alienware's redesigned Area-51, Aurora, and updated M15x hands-on
Okay, so it's not quite the invasion that the company touted, but Alienware definitely gave itself a fairly sizable retail space at this week's Tokyo Game Show, on hand to show off its Area-51 / Aurora revised desktops and its upgraded m15x laptop. We think you can already grasp the gist of the lineup from the company's long-standing modus operandi: large, powerful, and covered inside and out with LEDs. Enjoy the sight of six hard drives aligned in a wall by way of the gallery below, and stay tuned after the break to see a very brief demonstration on how those "scales" on top of the desktops work. %Gallery-73864% %Gallery-73865%
Alienware slaps 2GHz Core i7 920XM in M15x, new designs on Area-51 / Aurora desktops
It's a wild day in the land of Dell, so it makes sense that said meshugaas is carrying over to the company's Alienware portfolio. We knew that five new rigs were slated to launch today, and now we've finally got the details you've been craving (in official fashion, no less). Up first is the revamped Area-51 M15x laptop, which boasts a streamlined chassis and the entirely overused "most powerful 15-inch gaming laptop in the universe" tagline. Those with deep pockets can get this pup outfitted with a 2.0GHz Core i7 920XM (yes, that's the new Clarksfield mobile Core i7!) and a 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M, both of which should work wonders on your most demanding NES ROMs. You'll also find up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, a 500GB HDD or 256GB SSD, slot-loading Blu-ray drive, FireWire, gigabit Ethernet, a trio of USB 2.0 sockets, VGA and DisplayPort video outputs, an ExpressCard slot and an 8-in-1 card reader. There's no mention of a starting price, but before you even look, you should decide whether or not you're kosher with toting around a 1.92-inch thick machine weighing 9 pounds.Moving on, there's the all-new Area-51 and Area-51 ALX desktops, both of which usher in yet another case change along with ridiculously fast / pricey innards. The standard Area-51 is a liquid cooled beast with factory overclocked Core i7 CPUs (as high as 3.6GHz), an array of multi-GPU options from ATI and NVIDIA, internal lighting effects and a handy door to quickly access the HDD compartment. All of the hard drives are loaded via a cable-free dock, and there's enough room for six SATA II HDDs. The rig also holds up to 12GB of 1,333MHz DDR3 memory, twin Blu-ray drives and a pair of gigabit Ethernet jacks. The ALX edition, on the other hand, is the "most powerful desktop" the company has ever created, as it packs an optional 3.86GHz Core i7 975, twin 1.8GB GeForce GTX 295 GPUs and a power supply large enough to trip most household breakers. Closing things out is the Aurora and Aurora ALX, the latter of which is the most potent microATX rig Alienware has ever called its own. The liquid cooled ALX can be equipped with a 3.6GHz Core i7 975, dual 1GB ATI Radeon HD 5870 GPUs and up to 12GB of DDR3 RAM, while the slightly more affordable Aurora -- which goes down as the smallest mid-sized desktop ever crafted by the outfit -- can be upgraded nearly as much itself. Pricing on these rigs still remains open, but we've a feeling that'll be cleared up just as soon as the new product pages go live.%Gallery-73748% Show full PR text DELL FEEDS GAMERS' PASSIONS WITH FIVE NEW 'ALL POWERFUL' ALIENWARE GAMING RIGS All-New Alienware Gaming Systems Include the M15x Laptop and Aurora and Area-51 Desktops Alienware M15x Features the New Intel® Mobile Core™ i7 Processor Alienware M17x Laptop Receives Up To 145 Percent Graphics Performance Boost with Addition of Dual 1GB ATI Radeon Mobility™ HD 4870 Alienware Peripherals, Including the New Alienware TactX Keyboard and Mouse, Offer Gamers a Fully-Integrated PC Gaming Ecosystem ROUND ROCK, Texas, Sept. 23, 2009 – PC Gamers now have five new ways to level up with a fleet of high-performance gaming rigs from Alienware, including four overclocked* liquid-cooled desktop systems and the most powerful 15-inch gaming laptop in the universe. Jointly developed by the Dell and Alienware teams, and featuring the latest technologies for maximum performance, aggressive designs and unmatched customization and personalization through Alienware's exclusive Command Center software suite, these systems represent a new era in PC gaming.The All powerful Alienware Aurora, Aurora ALX, Area-51 and Area-51 ALX desktops and the Alienware M15x laptop join the M17x, launched in June, to expand the Alienware arsenal and reaffirm Dell's position as visionary and designer of the industry's most coveted gaming systems. The News: Alienware M15x – The most powerful 15-inch gaming laptop in the universe. Sporting Alienware's acclaimed new mobile ID which debuted with the M17x laptop, the M15x offers Alienware performance in a compact package guaranteed to appeal to mobile enthusiasts and hardcore gamers on the go. The first Alienware laptop to feature a mobile Core i7 processor, the M15x also offers a 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M GPU* and up to 8GB DDR3 1333MHz memory* to take on, and dominate, even the most intense game titles. Prices start at $1,499 and additional technical specifications are here. Alienware Aurora and Aurora ALX – The Aurora is most upgradeable and the Aurora ALX is the most powerful MicroATX desktops Alienware has ever created. Featuring the latest Intel® Core™ i7 processors, including an optional Extreme Edition overclocked** to 3.6GHz, the Aurora line of desktops are designed to deliver the power needed for hardcore gaming, pro-level HD audio and video editing, 3D animation and more. To crank up your gaming performance, Aurora and Aurora ALX have options for dual 1GB ATI Radeon HD 5870 graphics cards, up to 24GB DDR3 1333MHz memory[asterisk] or 12GB DDR3 1600MHz memory, respectively, and up to 2TB of hard drive storage – all in a compact, MicroATX chassis for taking up less desk space. Prices start at $1,299 and additional technical specs are here. Alienware Area-51 and Area-51 ALX designed for extreme gamers and tech enthusiasts who demand only the latest, most advanced equipment, the Area-51 line of desktops features Intel Core i7 processors factory overclocked* to an intense 3.86GHz for peak performance. To max out your graphics benchmarks, these systems offer the quad-GPU power of dual NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 295 graphics cards. Other featured specs include up to 12GB DDR3* memory clocked at 1333MHz or 1600MHz, respectively, and six easy-access, cable-free hard drive bays that support both 7,200RPM and 10,000RPM drives, solid state drives and RAID 0, RAID 1 and RAID 10 configurations. Prices begin at $1,999. The ALX brand denotes a distinguished class of Alienware systems that deliver both unique designs and peak performance. Both Aurora ALX and Area-51 ALX offer technology options beyond their respective standard editions, allowing for higher benchmarks, extended future-proofing and all-around increased bragging rights. Aurora ALX features design elements not available on Aurora such as the Active Venting louver system, internal theater lighting and cable-free hard drive bays. Area-51 ALX ups the ante with an anodized aluminum body and motorized front panel. All Alienware desktops also offer CPU liquid cooling right out of the box which allows the ease of overclocking that deliver extreme computing.Also announced today, Alienware customers can now configure the M17x laptop with the intense power of the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4870 in both single and ATI CrossFireX configurations for up to a 145 percent graphics performance increase1. The result is an immersive, cinematic experience when playing the latest HD games and movies.Alienware users can build out a complete, high-performance gaming ecosystem with the recently announced Alienware TactX Mouse and Keyboard, and the Alienware OptX™ AW2210 Monitor which features a 21.5-inch full HD screen for experiencing the latest generation games and HD movies in glorious 1080p resolution.The Aurora and Aurora ALX start at $1,299, and are available for order immediately at www.alienware.com The Area 51 and Area 51 ALX start at $1,999, and will be available to order in the coming weeks. The Alienware M15x starts at $1,499 and is available for order immediately at www.alienware.comThe branded peripherals can be ordered immediately at: www.alienware.com Alienware is one of two brand pillars within Dell's broader consumer portfolio. Dell's Alienware gaming brand delivers high-performance computing for enthusiasts and tech lovers alike, and complements the Adamo by Dell brand, which offers unmatched style, design and craftsmanship. Alienware and Adamo are the standard-bearers of Dell's personalization efforts, which extend to the entire consumer portfolio, including Inspiron and Studio and Dell Design Studio, which reinvents the way people can customize their laptops as extensions of self-expression.Quotes:"These newest additions to the Alienware lineup represent the culmination of months of hard work, bringing together two world-class teams to create a family of world-class products targeting PC gamers," said Arthur Lewis, general manager of Dell's Gaming Group. "Our current offering of desktops, notebooks and peripheral products signals our commitment to providing the best PC gaming experience possible and to being the global industry leader for PC gaming products." "Alienware systems are, and always have been, our benchmark for PC gaming performance," said Michael Tatelman, vice president of sales and marketing for Dell's consumer business. "Through the Alienware brand, Dell is committed to offering gamers the richest possible PC gaming experience with the latest technology and coolest designs." "The new Intel® Core™ i7 mobile processor redefines expectations for performance, flexibility and extreme gaming on mobile platforms," said Mooly Eden, vice president and general manager of the PC Client Group at Intel. "We are pleased that Alienware has designed the Intel® Core™ i7 920Xm processor into their latest mobile gaming laptop." "As the first-ever DirectX® 11-capable graphics card, the ATI Radeon™ HD 5870 is the pinnacle of PC graphics performance," said Matt Skynner, Vice President & General Manager, GPU Division, AMD. "By pairing the awesome power of this card with Alienware's reputation for industry-leading technology, gamers can expect an unmatched gaming experience."
Alienware launching new M15x laptop and Aurora / Area-51 ALX desktops at TGS
Wondering what all those teasers were about? So were we, and now we've got the skinny on what exactly is looming at the Tokyo Game Show. For starters, you may have noticed that Alienware has completely removed the option to purchase an Area-51 m15x gaming laptop except in refurbished form, and the only desktop remaining in the store is the Area-51 X58, which is conveniently discounted today. The reason? It's launching five of its most powerful creations yet on September 23rd (that's tomorrow, bub), including the quickest 15-inch lappie in the galaxy (the all-new M15x) as well as the dual-GPU Aurora / Aurora ALX desktops. Finally, a refreshed Area-51 and Area-51 ALX will also be on tap, though exact specifications for the whole lot won't be revealed until the 23rd. Oh, and we'll totally be on hand in Japan to provide all the hands-on media you can stand, so stay tuned![Thanks, Anonymous]
Romain Jerome's watch reveals The Truth About Roswell
It's all here: alien remains, the Yucca Flat tracks of a US Air Force collection vehicle, and the exploded gears of an unearthly aircraft. No, this hellish landscape is not some declassified aerial view taken aboard a Janet Airlines flight. Rather, it's the latest watch face from Romain Jerome's Moon Dust-DNA collection. Unfortunately, the price of The Truth About Roswell watch is all very hush-hush as you'd expect from a Swiss-crafted watch limited to a 9 piece run. Now hurry up and check the un-cropped image after the break -- we're expecting the authorities any second. [Via A Blog to Read]Read [Warning: PDF]
Alienware gets in the Core i7 game with Area-51 X-58 desktop
Now that Intel's mighty Core i7 is all out in the open, it's no shock to see a wave of gaming rigs come along boasting said chip. Following in the footsteps of Dell and Gateway comes Alienware with the Area-51 X-58 -- a beast that's a leap above (in terms of power and price) the recently revealed Area-51 750i. Serious gamers can select from the Core i7 920 (2.66GHz), 940 (2.93GHz) or Core i7 Extreme (3.2GHz) along with dual gigabit Ethernet jacks, one or two 2GB ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2s, up to 2TB of HDD space, an optional dual-layer Blu-ray burner and the usual complement of ports. The sky's the limit once you really start speccing it out, but the ball gets rolling at "just" $1,649.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Update: Alienware also introduced the even more robust ALX X-58, which starts at $3,699. Full release after the break.
Alienware stoops lower with $1,049 Area-51 750i gaming desktop
Remember when the average Alienware was like four large? Ah, those were the days. As the used-to-be-boutique gaming PC company looks to attract a wider range of customers and fight off the effects of this economic quandary we're involved in, it has introduced the (relatively) affordable Area-51 750i. Predictably based on the NVIDIA nForce 750i SLI motherboard, this rig can be outfitted with a Core 2 Extreme QX9650, twin ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 graphics cards (or dueling GeForce GTX 280s, if you prefer), 8GB of DDR2 RAM, Windows Vista 64-bit, more hard drive space than you'll ever have use for, an optional Blu-ray burner and the usual complement of ports. We needn't remind you that the $1,049 baseline rig doesn't have a specs list nearly that impressive, but if it's all about that glowing case, you can get in the game quite cheaply right now.
