How To: Add Wi-Fi To Your Xbox 360 Smartly and Cheaply

By matt buchanan

The Xbox 360 is the best console you can buy. Except it's inexplicably missing something the Wii and PS3 have: Wi-Fi. You could buy Microsoft's $90 dongle. Or you could follow our guide.

The Xbox 360's lack of Wi-Fi is a totally killer hardware flaw—if you're not right on top of your router, you've either gotta string miles of ethernet cable or buy that pricey ass dongle from Microsoft. Unless you check out one of the cheaper alternatives. Here's every major way to get your Xbox going on Wi-Fi, sorted by easiest to hardest (but most satisfying).

Donglage
Dongles are, by far, the easiest way to get your Xbox 360 on a wireless network. But they also tend to be the priciest.

• Microsoft's official wireless adapter is $87, which is absolute horseshit for a Wi-Fi antenna attached to a USB cable. But it looks the nicest and is super easy to use—just plug and play. Update: This weekend you can get one for $69.

• The next stop is a third-party wireless adapter, where you've got your pick from Linksys ($65), Belkin ($70) and hey, Linksys ($90, but it's 802.11n). Same deal, plug and play.

• Finally, your cheapest option is from...Microsoft. Turns out, a regular Xbox wireless adapter (which is a supercheap $50), works just fine, with a tiny bit of finagling: Don't put in its actual install CD. Just plug it in, and set your encryption. It might take two tries to get it to work, but it will. And, it won't eat up a USB port like the official Xbox 360 one. Spoiler alert: This is our pick for best option, based on its combo of cheapness and convenience, if you can find one.

Share Your Computer's Connection
Sharing your computer's connection is the cheapest option—it's actually the freest one. It'll work with a laptop or desktop, though a laptop is more truly wireless—the desktop bit is an option if your router's just a step too far out of the way. Basically, you're plugging your Xbox into the computer's ethernet port, and then having it use your computer's wireless connection to connect to the internet.

Windows
It's actually harder to reliably share the internet love on Windows with its cousin, the Xbox 360, than it is on a Mac: No method worked reliably for us across multiple Windows computers. But here's how it should work:

1. Share your computer's wireless connection. Microsoft actually details the process here, and it's pretty easy. From the Network and Sharing center, click on the manage network connections option on the left. From there, right click on the connect you wanna share (probably wireless, unless you're daisy-chaining 'cause your box just won't reach) and hit properties. Under the sharing tab, just check the box to allow that connection to be shared. Plug your Xbox into the ethernet port.

2. There are a few other ways to proceed at this point, and you're probably going to have try at least a couple of them to find one that'll work. You could bridge the two connections (dicey), or you could manually assign the ethernet port an IP address, detailed here (PDF). This Instructable relies on automagicalness to resolve the settings, and I have had that work in the past, though not when I was sorting through methods for this how to.

All in all, expect to do some Googling and troubleshooting if you go the Windows route.

Mac
You'd think this would be easy, 'cause I heard somewhere that Macs just work, and internet sharing on Macs typically ain't hard, but there is a tiny bit of jujitsu involved here. This method, from Joystiq, is the most reliable one I used.

1. On your Mac, pop open Terminal, and type "ifconfig en0" (number zero, no quotes). A whole bunch of crap will pop up. Find where it says "inet 192.xxx.x.xxx" (it should be 192, anyway). Write that junk down. It will probably be 192.168.2.1, like mine. Also find out your router's IP address, which is most likely 192.168.1.1 (Linksys) or 192.168.0.1 (D-Link uses this), depending on your manufacturer. If you have Apple's Airport gear, the router will be at 10.0.1.1.

2. Then plug your Xbox 360 into your Mac, open up Sharing in Preferences. Turn on internet sharing, and share your Airport's internet connection with ethernet.

3. On the Xbox, flip to your network settings (under system settings), and enter the IP address you got from the terminal freaky deaky earlier but + 1, like 192.168.2.2 to my original 192.168.2.1. Subnet should be 255.255.255.0, and then set your gateway as the ifconfig number, 192.168.2.1. Under DNS (back one screen, then down), put in your router's actual address for both. Test your Xbox Live connection. Your NAT might suck, but you can get on Xbox Live.

Hack Your Router
This method is the least straightforward, and requires a little bit of work on your part. Essentially, you're buying a second router (a cheap one, for about $40) and installing custom software on it that turns it into a giant wireless antenna that's hooked up to your Xbox 360.

There are tons of Linux custom firmwares for routers nowadays, with DD-WRT and Tomato being the most popular. Tomato is a bit more user friendly, but it works with far fewer routers than DD-WRT. DD-WRT works with dozens of different routers (click for the list).

Whichever firmware you go with, the method for putting on your router will vary from device to device, with Buffalo routers being a notorious pain in the ass. Tomato includes instructions with the firmware download—but here are some of the details, and Lifehacker's complete guide to installing and using Tomato.

DD-WRT is my preferred firmware. Here are the detailed install instructions, but with most Linksys routers, you can just drill into the router settings from the web address (192.168.1.1) and upload the DD-WRT firmware, directly, making it pretty easy. But some routers require different, exceptionally specific install methods. So check out the list before you run out to Best Buy or Circuit City.

My preferred router for this because of its tininess and cheapness (under $40), was the Buffalo G-125, which required you to flash it over TFTP backdoor the DD-WRT firmware onto it during a brief window of time, like Luke dropping those bombs into the Death Star's vent shaft. It's a pain in the ass, but everything else about the Buffalo routers make it worth it. Unfortunately, you can't buy it in the States until the next month or so, so your cheapest bet is is Linksys's $40ish WRT54G, which unfortunately, has different install methods depending on the revision. The DD-WRT wiki is very good, so you shouldn't run into problems following it.

Once you get either firmware installed, you're going to set your hacked router up as a wireless client.

1. You're going to need to go into the hacked router's settings. Set the hacked router to client mode.

2. These numbers are going to vary slightly based on your router, but you need to assign it an IP address—if your main router's IP address is 192.168.0.1, set your hacked router at 192.168.0.2 or 192.168.0.101 (a number that's in your main router's DHCP server range). Then make the gateway and DNS the same IP address as your main router.

3. When it reboots you're gonna have to re-login to whatever IP address your hacked router is. Do that, go back in, and give the hacked router the same SSID (name) as your main router (Linksys, gizrox, whatever you have it named). You can also configure wireless security at this point, though for me, it's always been kind of flaky, WEP in particular, so you might have to play around to see what works.

4. To test, try to get online using the hacked router as your internet connection, with all of your computer's IP settings left on automatic. If it works, plug the hacked router into your Xbox. If not, check out the DD-WRT wiki for more halpz.

4. On your Xbox, you can leave everything set to automatic—the hacked router does all the work.

The hacked router method might take the longest, but at least you won't have a useless dongle when the Xbox 720 comes out, you'll have a full-featured router, and it's cheaper than the official dongle. Plus you'll have a feeling of accomplishment that will carry over to gaming, so you should kill a lot more people in Call of Duty.

Read More: Xbox 360, Wi-Fi, Wireless, How To, Xbox, 360, Microsoft, Gaming, Games, Xbox Live, Live, Top, Feature

New Mexico to Use Pot for Post Traumatic Stress, Hep C?

Panel considers cannabis
for more uses

• Reporter: Crystal Gutierrez
• Web Producer: Devon Armijo

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Post traumatic stress disorder, nerve pain and Hepatitis C could soon be added to the list of ailments treated by medical marijuana in New Mexico.

On Thursday, petitioners asked a medical group to recommend the use of medical marijuana for several other ailments.

Medical marijuana became legal in New Mexico in July 2007.

There are currently seven qualifying conditions for acceptance to smoke marijuana in the state.

The petitions were heard by an out of state medical group.

So far four of the 17 ailments petitioned Thursday will be placed on a recommendation list that will go to the secretary of health for approval.

Many of the petitioners said that the recommendations are step in the right direction.

"It helps her cope and it gives her relief from pain. And how could we deny that for anyone with something as safe as medical marijuana," medical marijuana supporter Stephen Hunt said.

The panel has tabled some ailments including chronic pain. They said some of the tabled ailments need to be further researched.

The use of medical marijuana to treat depression was denied by the panel.

206 people in New Mexico have been granted medical marijuana licenses since the law took effect in 2007.

Nudists Save Lingerie Bowl

By Kyle Munzenrieder in Sports

Well, those prudes in Tampa got their way, and the Lingerie Bowl won't be tainting their apparently pure city. Instead a nudist resort in Pasco County stepped in and saved the day. The joint is appropriately called the Caliente Clothing Optional Resort, which should fair well for the Miami Caliente team.

The Caliente will play the Tampa Bay Breeze January 30. The winner will then play either the L.A. Temptations or the Phoenix Scorch during the Super Bowl's halftime in a live pay-per-view program.

No word on whether on-site spectators will be able to watch in the nude, but we're hoping not, because we just got the worse mental image of a nude stadium wave ever.

Buy your Tickets Here.

The 15 Hottest Italian Women I Know Of (Who At Least Have an Accent)

Published by Natty

I happen to think that Italian women are the elite women in the entire world when it comes to aesthetic beauty. I also happen to be a brunette type of a guy but still, it’s not a bad argument. I think it’s Italians and Latinas that kind of get my blood pumping the most.

But for the record there are millions of women of Italian heritage. Hell I could add Aria Giovanni to this list. I could add any American chick that even has a hint of bada bing.

However, no. I’m talking real Italians who were born there, speak the languag,e and would certainly speak it to me in the sack.

Here are 15 of the hottest Italian women I know of.

Rosaria Cannavo

Rosaria is a television personality in Italy and it just goes to show how smart their programming policies are.

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Valentina Dessi

She’s Italian. She’s 20 Years Old. She’s a model. Thanks.

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Letizia Filippi

A former Ronaldo WAG and model. Damn I love her.

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Federica Ridolfi

Most people think of her as the hottest Italian alive. It’s not a bad argument.

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Monica Bellucci

In my eyes, the hottest woman over 40 in the world right now (at least famous person). She’s an actress by the way.

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Rossella Brescia

I assume she’s a model. Who cares at this point?

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Melita Toniolo

An aspiring Italian Actress. Please aspire to be in porn. PLEASE.

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Yesica Toscanini

Obviously a model. And obviously Sports Illustrated needs to get their hands on more models like her.

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Giorgia Palmas

An Italian Television personality. She also placed second in the 2000 Miss World Competition.

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Elisabetta Canalis

Italian model and actress, blah blah.

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Sara Tommasi

Another actress and another reason for me to stay home today.

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Manuela Arcuri

A “starlet” of the 90’s and early 2000 in Italy. She loves to act. Now she just hangs with famous dudes.

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Elena Santarelli

She works with Elite Models and poses topless a lot. Hi.

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Elena Barolo

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Francesca Lodo

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'Smallville' bosses mull 'Melrose' remake. Is Clark safe?

Jan 19, 2009, 11:29 AM | by Michael Ausiello

The plot is thickening over at CW's Melrose Place reboot. On the heels of One Tree Hill boss Mark Schwahn's departure from the project, sources confirm that the net is now talking with Smallville show-runners Darren Swimmer and Todd Slavkin about shepherding the update.

It goes without saying that a likely complication in the talks is the duo's involvement with Smallville and the uncertainty surrounding the show's future. The net has not formally renewed Smallville for a ninth season, although Warner Bros. is already finalizing deals with the principal cast, including Tom Welling. Should Swimmer and Slavkin depart, fellow executive producers Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson would likely become the primary show-runners in season 9.

Schwahn's exit from Melrose 2.0 was announced last week at press tour. According to insiders, the exec was unable to close a deal with producer Paramount due in part to his existing committment to Warner Bros, which produces OTH.

What say you, Smallville fans? Are you willing to lose Swimmer and Slavkin if it means getting a super Melrose Place remake? Sound off below!

CNBC: A Gallery of Medical Marijuana

A Gallery of Medical Marijuana

By: Oliver Quillia,

A Gallery of Medical Marijuana

Positions on the medical use of marijuana vary, but thousands of patients suffering from cancer, AIDS, and other diseases claim marijuana provides them relief from devastating symptoms such as intractable nausea, vomiting.

In a 1997 article for the The New England Journal of Medicine, Jerome P. Kassirer, M.D., wrote that physicians who prohibit prescribing marijuana for seriously ill patient are misguided, heavy-handed, and inhumane.

We asked High Times Cultivation Editor Danny Danko if he could help us put a cost on this relief and what types of pain they ease.

Source: High Times

Watch:

Marijuana Inc. Inside America's Pot Industry
Premieres Thursday, January 22 at 9p |1a ET.

Chemdog
The newest powerhouse of the Kush/Diesel family, Chemdog's potency is the stuff of legend, with glaucoma sufferers in particular praising its qualities for relieving eye pressure. Users say its odor can overpower a room.

Cost:
1 ounce: $500-650
1 pound: $5500-6500

Source: High Times

Jack Herer
Named for the infamous "Hemperor," this strain is a throwback to potent imports from Central and South America. Users claim this strain is a very good appetite stimulant.

Cost:
1 ounce: $350-400
1 pound: $4200-4800

Source: High Times

Island Sweet Skunk
From Vancouver Island, the heart of British Columbia's thriving pot industry, comes the Island Sweet Skunk, which medical users claim has a powerful "up" high.

Cost:
1 ounce: $300-400
1 pound: $3500-4200

Source: High Times

Kali Mist
Users of the Kali Mist say it possesses increased mental upliftment yet a relaxed "body high," qualities that sufferers of spasm and anxiety find very helpful.

Cost:
1 ounce: $350-400
1 pound: $4600-5000

Source: High Times

O.G. Kush
Long prized in California for its intense medicinal qualities, its admirers are growing across the country and overseas.

Cost:
1 ounce: $550-700
1 pound: $6000-7000

Source: High Times

NYC Diesel
Not to be confused with the Sour Diesel, the NYC Diesel is less harsh than other strains of marijuana. Users claim the scent of ripe grapefruit with hints of cinammon and cardamom provide a calming aromatherapy.

Cost:
1 ounce: $400-450
1 pound: $4800-5400

Source: High Times

Sour Diesel
The East Coast version of the Kush, Sour Diesel's power is unrivaled when grown correctly.

Cost:
1 ounce: $550-650
1 pound: $5800-6800

Source: High Times

Trainwreck
A Nor-Cal staple, Trainwreck is easy to grow and very powerful. Patients suffering from nausea, headaches or chronic pain call it a godsend.

Cost:
1 ounce: $350-400
1 pound: $4000-4500

Source: High Times

Super Silver Haze
Super Silver Haze is renowned for stimulating properties and is sometimes referred to as "ampheta-weed."

Cost:
1 ounce: $400-550
1 pound: $4500-5500

Source: High Times

Sweet Tooth
Thi train has become popular due to its high resin count and a sugary taste on the tongue. Users claim it provides relief from stress and tension.

Cost:
1 ounce: $350-400
1 pound: $3800-4600

Source: High Times

Purps
Purps has become shorthand for almost any lavender-colored pot. The best representations provide a sweet candy flavor and a mild yet uplifting high.

Cost:
1 ounce: $400-500
1 pound: $4800-5600

• Related Articles on CNBC:

Is Now The Time To Legalize Drugs?
Inside America's Pot Industry

• Remember to Watch:

Marijuana Inc. Inside America's Pot Industry
Premieres Thursday, January 22 at 9p |1a ET.

2009 Fittest Cities in America

From Men's Fitness: These 25 towns thrive on being active

Your environment has a lot to do with the health habits you develop. Does your city have more Pizza Huts than health clubs? Then maybe it's time for a move.

As we've done for more than a decade, MF collected and analyzed reams of data on the 50 most populated areas in the nation in an effort to determine just which cities take fitness the most seriously. Here are the 25 that landed on this year's list of the Fittest Cities in America.

10.) Virginia Beach, VA

Air quality here is among the best of any city in our survey, according to EPA air quality standards.

Residents don't have far to go to find a park: Virginia Beach has 253 municipal parks, among the most of any city on a per capita basis, according to our exclusive survey of municipal park departments.

Virginia has "snack tax" laws aimed at reducing obesity and improving nutrition.

9.) Omaha, NE

Nebraska is one of 28 states that participate in a CDC-sponsored program to reduce obesity and other chronic diseases.

Golfers can choose from 9 city-owned courses. Relative to population, that's more than almost anywhere else we surveyed.

Omaha residents are 96 percent more likely than average to play recreational baseball. For you stat fans, that's the highest participation rate in our survey.

8.) Seattle, WA

The CDC says 53 percent of adults here get either 30 minutes of moderate exercise five or more days a week or 20 minutes of vigorous exercise three or more times per week.

According to Nielsen Media Research, TV viewers in the Seattle television market spend 25 percent less time in front of the tube than average among cities in our survey.

Residents don't have far to go to find a park: Seattle has 430 municipal parks, among the most of any city on a per capita basis, according to our exclusive survey of municipal park departments.

7.) Honolulu, HI

Health-food stores are plentiful in Honolulu: There's one for every 4,525 residents, handily beating the national average of one store per 12,118 people.

Honolulu has 42 percent fewer pizza places per capita than the average among cities in our survey.

In a per capita comparison of public pools, Honolulu has one pool for every 17,884 residents — 60 percent more than average in our survey.

6.) Portland, OR

You'll find a higher percentage of mountain bikers in Portland than almost anywhere else in our survey — 3.8 percent of residents. The national average is 2.5 percent.

Portland residents participate in sports much more than average — 7 percent more than average, in fact.

Residents don't have far to go to find a park: Portland has 294 municipal parks, among the most of any city on a per capita basis, according to our exclusive survey of municipal park departments.

5.) Albuquerque, NM

Albuquerque residents are fanatics about fitness swimming — they do it about 61 percent more than average, the highest overall participation rate among cities in our survey.

Albuquerque residents are 62 percent more likely than average to go hiking. That's the 3rd highest participation rate in our survey.

Albuquerque's park acreage per capita is 261 percent higher than average and the 2nd highest in our survey.

4.) Denver, CO

5 percent of Denver residents practice martial arts, the highest participation rate in our survey.

Approximately 25 percent of Denver residents have a health club membership. That's 45 percent more than average, and the highest rate in our survey.

You'll find a higher percentage of mountain bikers in Denver than almost anywhere else in our survey — 11.5 percent of residents. The national average is 2.5 percent.

3.) Minneapolis, MN

Basketball courts are practically everywhere here, among the highest number per capita in our survey. There's a court here for every 2,062 residents; the national average is one court per 6,909 people.

On a per capita basis, Minneapolis has 126 percent more gyms and health clubs than average, the 2nd highest in our survey.

Minneapolis residents are 82 percent more likely than average to play tennis — the highest rate of any city in our survey.

2.) Colorado Springs, CO

The local commute is much easier than in most cities — 45 percent less oppressive than average, leaving more time to exercise and prepare healthy meals.

Colorado Springs residents are 100 percent more likely than average to go hiking. That's the highest participation rate in our survey.

18.8 percent of Colorado Springs residents run or jog — 2nd highest in our survey.

1.) Salt Lake City, UT

Approximately 29 percent of Salt Lake City residents exercise with dumbbells. That's 123 percent more than average and the highest rate in our survey.

A whopping 32.8 percent of Salt Lake City residents run or jog — highest in our survey.

Residents of Salt Lake City are 363 percent more likely than average to play racquetball, the highest rate in our survey.

HOW THE REST RANKED:

11. Milwaukee, WI
12. San Francisco, CA
13. Tucson, AZ
14. Boston, MA
15. Cleveland, OH
16. St. Louis, MO
17. Austin, TX
18. Washington, DC
19. Sacramento, CA
20. Oakland, CA
21. Atlanta, GA
22. Fresno, CA
23. Tampa, FL
24. Nashville-Davidson, TN
25. Pittsburgh, PA

Do you make these 6 mistakes when buying a video card?

Since I’ve been a computer geek, I’ve heard many horror stories of people buying a slow video card, thinking that they were getting a fast model.

In general, people make the same several mistakes when they buy their video cards. Have they been with me, I’d have helped them avoid these 6 mistakes when buying a video card:

1- Buying a video card based solely on the amount of memory.

More is better, right? That’s their excuse when you have to justify your purchase to yourself or to your geek friend.

Well yes, but not if you base your purchase solely on the amount of RAM. A video card performance is based on many other factors, such as the GPU chip model, the frequency of the GPU/memory, the memory bus width, etc.

A good example of this would be someone buying a 8600GT 512MB over a 8800GT 256MB. Sure, it may have more memory, but every other factor will limit the card performance in comparison.

Also keep in mind that you won’t need the extra memory unless you play at very high resolutions, such as 1920×1080 and/or with AA/AF quality filtering. Why? Because your video card won’t need/use it.

2- Buying a lower-end new generation model over a higher-end old generation model.

It’s newer, so it must be faster!

Not so quickly. When in the majority of cases, this is true, it is not always true. So? Well, you might miss out on a really good deal, as stores tend to lower prices on older generations, to get rid of their old stock, to make space for the new stock.

Now, the mistake some of you make is to choose your card by using the generation number first. You’d think that a 4xxx card from ATI is automatically faster than a 3xxx model. If you take a Radeon 3870, it’d trash a Radeon 4350 or be faster than a Radeon 4650.

Let me quickly explain how model numbers work, using ATI’s 4850 model as an example.

4850: The first number refers to the generation of the card. A higher number there means that the video card is based on a more recent generation, which always brings in improvements over the previous generation.

4850: The second number refers to the range of that card. Same here, higher is better. In Ati’s case, for the 4xxx series, it goes mostly like this:

• 3: Low end
• 6: Mid range
• 8: High performance

4850: The last two numbers refer to the place of that model, within the hierarchy of that range of video cards (See second point, for the “8″); within a generation (See first point, for the “4″). In the vast majority of cases, a higher number means higher performance, but both ATI and Nvidia tricked people in the past with crippled GS/SE models, so keep an eye open for the suffix if there’s one. No, SE does not mean special edition!!

Although ATI don’t really use suffix on their newer models, Nvidia still are. Here’s a quick reference, from slowest to fastest, when you compare two identical models otherwise:
GS

Just keep in mind that many older generation, higher-end models are often faster than some of the newer models, so make sure to google benchmarks and to compare prices!

3- Not considering the space/power requirements.

So you’ve avoided the two first mistakes, ended up buying a Geforce GTX280, are eager to play the newest games…only to realize that it doesn’t fit in your case! Good job =P

This is especially true when you have a small format case, a HTPC or if you buy a high-end video card.

Lesson here: Measure the space available for the video card in your case (Usually from the back of the case to the hard drive cage) and double-check the length of the card, which is usually found under the specs, before buying it. Check reviews and/or contact the store if you’re unsure.

You’ve bought a great card, it fits in your case, but now you’ve one or several of the following problems? :

• Your video card needs extra power connectors and you don’t have them.
• Your computer won’t boot.
• Your computer boots but crashes under games.

I’m afraid that your power supply may not up to the task of powering your new video card. Now, that’s most probably it, but it might not be it, make sure to troubleshoot before buying a new power supply.

4- Teaming a powerful video card with a slow Cpu

Yay, you’ve got that new Radeon 4870X2 and you’re ready to dominate the virtual world. Only to see that you’re framerates are no where what you expected to be, according to all those reviews.

Well, if you’re using such a powerful gpu with a slow cpu, lik an Intel E4300, it just won’t work as you want it to. Your cpu will bottleneck your video card performance, which mean that it won’t be able to keep up with it and your video card performance will be reduced as it always waits on the CPU.

Simply try to keep your cpu performance in balance with your video card. If you get a midrange video card (9800 GTX, 4850) , try to team it with a midrange CPU (E7400 and such).

If you use SLI/Crossfire or even better (or worse in this case), make sure to team up your video cards with a blazing fast quad-core CPU. Most games may not benefit from quad-core yet, but the video drivers and the cards themselves will. The new Core i7 cpus are a perfect fit here.

5- Buying an overkill video card for the games that you play.

If you play is Counter-Strike 1.6, WoW or the majority of games that are 2 years or older, you probably don’t need the lastest and fastest video card.

If you play on a 17″ or 19″ screen, you probably don’t need the lastest and fastest video card.

This is just like someone who buys a Mustang simply because they want more horsepower. Could they travel to work and do their everyday activities with a Honda Civic? Most probably.

You will waste a lot of money, both on purchase, power consumption and on upgrading the rest of your system (Cpu and power supply) if you buy a video card that is overkill for your needs.

Learn to listen to your wallet, think with your head and figure out how much power you really need for the games that you play!

Now, some of you may not agree with this, as you’ll say that it’s good to have headroom for future games. I don’t think so. Why? By the time that the new game is out, your video card will still be able to handle it, perhaps at lower settings but newer video cards that offer higher performance for the same price will most probably be out by then.

I think that it is better to upgrade at a low cost every so often than to buy some of the most expensive video cards all the time. Not to mention that higher-end cards tend to devalue faster than mid-range video cards. Just like higher-end cars.

Now, if you absolutely need the fastest and most powerful video card with every new release, just to strike your ego and brag about it, go ahead, just be prepared to pay the price!

6- Listening to the recommendations of only one person.

The last, but certainly not the least of the common mistakes done when buying a video card: Listening to the opinion of a single person. What’s wrong with that?

• The person may be a fanboy, who would recommend an inferior product from Nvidia or from ATI simply because they prefer that company.
• The person may not have a clue of what they’re talking about. Not everyone have vast knowledge on video cards.
• That person’s information may be outdated. After all, new video cards are released on a regular base (every couple of months, or even less)

Always make sure to get the opinion of many trusted people, ask around on forums, contact me, read plenty of reviews and comparisons. You’re going to spend a lot of your hard earned cash on that card, so make sure it is the right one for you.

Same goes for me. Don’t just listen to me, I’m human too hehehe.

Conclusion:

Buying a video card requires thoughtful thinking. With such a variety of cards available on the market, it may be confusing, so remember to avoid these mistakes, ask as many opinions as you can and shop around for good prices!

What has been your experience when buying video cards? Have you made any of the mistakes or were you going to? Do you have any tips to share with us or any mistake that I’ve not mentionned that you think we should know of? Let us know in the comments section just below!

Glimpse before Big Bang may be possible

New model suggests cosmos unevenness could be imprint from beginning

	Incomprehensible as it sound, inflation poses that the universe initially expanded far faster than the speed of light and grew from a subatomic size to a golf-ball size almost instantaneously. View related photos
NASA

By Clara Moskowitz

The universe appears to be lopsided, and a new model that aims to explain this anomaly could offer a glimpse of what happened before the birth of it all.

When astronomers look out at the cosmos, the view in one direction is turning out to be different than in the other. Specifically, fluctuations in the density and temperature of the radiation left over from the theoretical Big Bang — called the Cosmic Microwave Background — seem to be strangely larger on one side of the universe.

A new model suggests this unevenness could be caused by an imprint left over from before the beginning of the universe, that is, before the cosmos ballooned almost instantaneously from less than the size of an atom to about golf-ball size. This process is called inflation.

Blowing up the balloon
"Inflation theory does predict that we have these density and temperature fluctuations, but they should look the same everywhere across the sky," said Caltech astrophysicist Sean Carroll, who worked on the new model, detailed in the Dec. 16 issue of the journal Physical Review D. "But people who look at the data say they see one side of the universe has bigger fluctuations, and that's what we're trying to get a handle on."

Scientists think the normal variations in temperature and density predicted by inflation became the seeds for the structure we see today throughout the universe. Soon after inflation, the denser areas would have attracted more matter and eventually grown into the clusters and galaxies we see today, while less dense regions would have become voids mostly absent of galaxies, stars and planets.

Slideshow Month in Space: Worlds of wonder See Saturn’s mysterious moon, Martian marvels and other cosmic highlights from December 2008. more photos

But the normal model of inflation can't account for the asymmetry now noted. To try to explain that, Carroll, astrophysicist Marc Kamionkowski and graduate student Adrienne Erickcek (all at Caltech) tested a new version of inflation theory, in which two fields are responsible for the universe's early bloom of expansion.

In the standard theory of inflation, one field called the inflaton (not inflation) caused both the rapid expansion of the universe and its density fluctuations. But Kamionkowski and team found that an unevenness in the density fluctuations could arise if inflation is caused by two fields instead of one. In the new model, the inflaton is responsible for ballooning the size of the universe, while a second field called the curvaton that had been previously proposed introduces the density variations.

Before the Big Bang?
The model also intriguingly hints at what might have come before inflation, since it suggests that the universe's lopsidedness may be an aftereffect of a great fluctuation that occurred before inflation began.

"It's no longer completely crazy to ask what happened before the Big Bang," Kamionkowski said. "All of that stuff is hidden by a veil, observationally. If our model holds up, we may have a chance to see beyond this veil."

The next step is to gather better data about the Cosmic Microwave Background, to confirm that the unevenness seen so far really holds up.

"So far it seems to be in the data, but that doesn't mean it's in the universe," Carroll told SPACE.com. "There's a chance this asymmetry is coming from errors in the data."

A new European Space Agency satellite called Planck, designed to map the background radiation with unprecedented sensitivity and resolution, is set to launch in 2009. If Planck finds the radiation densities to be off-balance, too, then cosmologists must really come to terms with this puzzling aspect of inflation. Though it would require some serious amendments to current theories, many physicists would relish the challenge.

"That's what everyone wants — it's much more interesting that way," Carroll said.

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McG Wants A Bad Boy To Go 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea!

By Kellvin Chavez

I am writing this after watching the Terminator Salvation roadshow presentation that I saw with my good buddy Ron Henriques, whose in depth coverage you can read HERE!

Director McG did a hell of job selling the shit out of Terminator Salvation, and if you ask me, I think this guy deserves a chance to prove himself, and will do so with the Christian Bale driven Terminator sequel. There were many questions raised such as whether or not this is a John Connor or Kyle Reese/Marcus film and surprisingly it looks to lean towards the latter.

Anyhow, the bigger story that I have to report came after the presentation. Just like I did for the Watchmen presentation where I got a chance to chat with DC Comics president Paul Levitz and talk about Superman when this sneak peek was over we all went out to have some drinks and got a chance to speak to McG personally.

Ron and I talked a bit with Mcg about any time travel elements within this Terminator story and he explained the origins of the Marcus character and how his journey doesn't involve travellng to the past or present. I also asked him straight out “What the hell. Are we seeing Arnold or not?" to which he responded with a grin saying, “You have to wait and see, can’t give that away cause we’re in the Warner Bros. building and they will shoot me if I say anything”

There I was with Ron and we’re getting our shit to leave, and McG was kind of still hanging out with us while the room emptied.

I continued pressing McG for information and I remembered that at one time he was going to direct SUPERMAN, and he talked about what happened “I actually got fired from that due to my fear of flying.” As to how his vision would have been different he answered “I would’ve made it a much darker film. I like Bryan I think he's a fantastic director and I like Donner too, but I would have made it darker.” And would have he chose Lex Luthor as a villain or another? "DOOMSDAY. I like DOOMSDAY.”

FINALLY I had to go for the kill so then I asked him, “How do you go from Terminator to the Captain Nemo story?”

McG talked a bit about his idea and frankly I was getting my jacket to get out of there when all of a sudden I heard him say, “The character Nemo in this film is more about obsession, he is obsessed and people tend to forget that when you become so obsessed you end up being the villain.”

AND THEN THE KILLER ANSWER!! (In an interesting way.)

McG continues, “'Man I’m trying to get Will Smith to do it, been trying to get a hold of him. I've been wanting to work with him for a long time already. That guy's great”

I stopped and looked at Ron and we both gave each other that “Did he say what I thought he just said” look. That’s right! McG is pitching to the studio that he wants Will Smith to play the lead role of Captain Nemo. Now, he mentions that Nemo’s antagonist is himself, a dark side that he battles with. So I am not sure if McG wants Smith to play Nemo played by James Mason in the original film or protagonist sailor Ned Land played by Kirk Douglas. Good, bad, or both? All I know is that he wants Will Smith, and is pushing the studios to go after him!

What do you guys think? I think that it will be sort of interesting to see Smith play a villain for once if you ask me. I don’t think he’s ever played a villain. You all know that whatever Smith touches turns to box office gold…well with the exception of SEVEN POUNDS. So it would benefit the studio to consider him. Now it is just a matter of time whether or not Will Smith believes in McG. Pretty sure the success of Terminator Salvation could dictate that.

And no this is not a RUMOR! This is coming straight from the man himself and FOR ALL YOU IN THE WEST COAST go ahead and find out yourself cause after posting this information I KNOW FOR A FACT that some of you will go ahead and start your investigation or ask McG about Nemo since he will be in LA doing the Terminator Salvation thing as well.