==================================== NEXT BENCH NEWS ==================================== What's Happening This Month in the HP + VoodooDNA and VoodooPC Worlds July 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------- In This Issue: -------------------------------------------------------------- - An Awesome New Family of Voodoo Computers - Highlights from the official community of Voodoo & HP with VoodooDNA - Movie Night at the Next Bench Theater - The Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures Released - A Peek Behind the Lab Door: How the Blackbird Got Done - An incredible offer on the HP Blackbird 002 Exhilaration Edition -------------------------------------------------------------- Special Alert -------------------------------------------------------------- Great Savings on the Hp Blackbird 002 Exhilaration Edition! Check it out! http://h20435.www2.hp.com/exhilaration/ -------------------------------------------------------------- The Inside Story -------------------------------------------------------------- An Awesome New Family of Voodoo Computers HP has just launched a new line of Voodoo computers targeted at sophisticated users hungry for products that combine luxurious quality, personalized styling and unmatched technological innovation. The first two devices are the powerful new Omen desktop and the ultra-mobile Envy 133 notebook. -------------------------------------------------------------- The Voodoo Omen: can raw power and sophisticated styling co-exist? Oh yes! The new Voodoo Omen was created for discerning technology lovers who want their high-end machines to look as awesome as they perform. The Omen's clean lines and square edges give its exterior a classic look. Use its personalization options to express your own individual look. While its exterior design hints at its Voodoo heritage, this Omen has been completely redesigned. The result is an incredible piece of advanced engineering that definitely stands out from the crowd. Learn more about the new Voodoo Omen http://www.voodoopc.com/#/productsomen -------------------------------------------------------------- Make your own rules with the Voodoo Envy 133. This incredible example of design engineering is just 0.70 inches thin when closed and weighs less than 3.4 lbs. The Voodoo Envy combines sleek styling and personalization with a full suite of critical functions that will delight even the most demanding mobile users. These include wireless and Ethernet connectivity, USB 2.0 and HDMI ports, a super-sharp 13.3-inch backlit LED display and much more. The Envy also offers up some technologies you won't find anywhere else in the ultra-mobile market. All of these amazing features are wrapped in a visually stunning carbon fiber case that you can customize via a full pallet of Voodoo Allure paint finishes, Voodoo Ink designs and Voodoo Iconographic patterns. Learn more about the Voodoo Envy http://www.voodoopc.com/#/productsenvy Watch these videos to learn more about the Voodoo Omen and Voodoo Envy: - Watch the exciting unveiling of the Omen and Envy by VoodooPC founder and CTO Rahul Sood at PSG's "Connect Your World" event held recently in Berlin. http://www.thenextbench.com/hpg/blog/article?message.uid=387 - Don't miss this interview with Rahul Sood as he discusses some of the key features that set the Omen and Envy apart from the rest of the pack. http://www.thenextbench.com/hpg/blog/article?message.uid=433 -------------------------------------------------------------- Observed in the Wild -------------------------------------------------------------- The Next Bench Highlights from the official community of Voodoo & HP with VoodooDNA. "At the core of HP and VoodooPC beats the heart of The Next Bench; designers and engineers sharing technology and information, crafting products that make life better, less stressful, more fun. We thrive on the creative spark that ignites when ideas are exchanged and unique viewpoints are expressed. Be you gamer or gadgeteer, old pro or confused Joe, we built The Next Bench community for you." -Rahul Sood, CTO VoodooPC -------------------------------------------------------------- The Voodoo Envy is lean and mean-and it isn't shy! Bored to death with beige, and think black is getting too mainstream? Well hold on to your hat and take a look at how Rahul spec'd his new Voodoo Envy 133. You don't need wheels to go ZOOM! http://www.thenextbench.com/hpg/blog/article?message.uid=5830 -------------------------------------------------------------- "So I went a little crazy this weekend..." On a recent weekend, The Vede wasn't able to play his favorite games due to family obligations. But that didn't stop him from going on a buying spree when he finally got a few hours to himself. You might be surprised at some of his choices. -------------------------------------------------------------- The Vede on MLG San Diego-with video to prove it really happened. Guys, MLG's PC Pro Circuit event in San Diego this last weekend was a resounding "epic win". Not only did thousands of people show up in the flesh to watch and participate, but the World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade 3v3 tourney saw more than 700,000 (!!!) video streams served on gotfrag.com. I'm also happy to report that not a single one of the 32 Blackbirds the pros played on all weekend had any problems whatsoever. In fact, one of MLG's head referees said that he was a little bored because the event ran so smoothly and he didn't have to spend any time at all troubleshooting computer issues. -------------------------------------------------------------- Circle the wagons, the Mac Fanboys are attacking! When Voodoo CTO Rahul Sood used a MacBook Air as a knife to cut his birthday cake, it caused loud a stir among the Mac fanatics. He talks about why he put his life on the line, and what the results where, in an article in CPU Magazine that's reprinted on his blog. Rahul proves he can dish out as good as he gets. -------------------------------------------------------------- The Next Bench is definitely worth checking out! The Next Bench is a rich source of information, tips and resources for anyone who is seriously into gaming and performance computing. Find out for yourself by visiting www.thenextbench.com or clicking here. -------------------------------------------------------------- Movie Night at the Next Bench Theater. Each issue of the NEXT BENCH NEWS will link to a video from the Next Bench library that's of particular interest to gamers and power users. This month, Dan Robideaux from the Voodoo Business Unit at HP demonstrates the ease of upgrading a Blackbird 002. Then he actually shows you how the upgrade boosts game performance using before and after scenes from Call of Duty 4. Robideaux also shows us the procedure for overclocking a Blackbird and offers tips on the best settings. If you don't already have a Blackbird, one of the things you'll learn from this video is that this astounding machine provides easy, tool-free access to all of its components. And since these components are all industry-standard, there are no proprietary obstacles to upgrades and modifications. -------------------------------------------------------------- Everybody Play Nice -------------------------------------------------------------- The Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures Released This game plays better if you have a Blackbird and some really good body armor. The game starts out simple enough. You were on a slave ship that was attacked by pirates. Now you've awakened on the beach of a strange island named Tortage with a bad case of amnesia and a strange tattoo. Thus begins Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures, one of the most highly anticipated MMO games in history, according to its Norwegian developer, Funcom. It may actually be true. There's something different happening here. The game has only been out a short time and already over a half-million gamers have plunked down their $15-per-month fee to join in the bloody fun. The first 20 levels of game play is a learn-how-to-kill-things-without-getting-killed-yourself single-player storyline as you monster-bash your way through the jungle until you reach Tortage City. Then the game gets really interesting. The action in the next 80 levels gets progressively gorier and more dangerous. No wonder this game is rated Mature. You'll meet monsters that nightmares are made of and women who are as deadly as they are beautiful. One of the things that set Age of Conan apart from all of the others is its Real Combat system, a revolutionary approach to online RPGs that gives you real-time directional control of your character's weapon. Unlike with other MMOs you're dodging blows and timing combos like you're part of the action. Then there are Age of Conan's stunning graphics. According to Wired Magazine, "If you have the technology to run the game properly, there is no better looking MMO on the market. Clothing looks realistically worn and textured, water reflects images realistically and combat is as bloody and visceral as you'd hoped." Age of Conan delivers the kind of graphic realism that screams for an HP Blackbird 002. With this machine's combination of super-fast CPU, top-of-the-line graphics capabilities and memory, you get the frame rates and smooth action this cage of monsters demands, even at maximum resolution. All we'll say is that the first time you decapitate an opponent's head...will we go to hell for saying this?...the rush you'll get will be worth the price of an HP 30-inch LCD monitor. -------------------------------------------------------------- A Peek Behind the Lab Door -------------------------------------------------------------- How the Blackbird Got Done Aerospace engineering and thermodynamics mixed with late-night pizza. Back in 2004, when the innovative ideas behind the HP Blackbird were just a fantasy in a sleeping power user's dreams, an alliance of engineers and designers set out to make them a reality. HP brought its vast technological resources to the table-along with an industrial-strength paint shaker (more on this later). Designers from Voodoo PC were there, too, with their own twisted ideas of what the perfect high-end computer should be-based on their long experience building machines for serious addicts. -------------------------------------------------------------- The HP Gaming Council. Another element that played a key role in the development of the Blackbird was a mysterious group called the HP Gaming Council. This cadre of hardcore gamers moves among the gaming community incognito, gathering feedback on what gamers really want in a performance PC. Members must have built their own PC and be thoroughly immersed in gaming culture. Each member of the Council serves a six-month term, ensuring that there's always a fresh perspective at the table. As a result of this unholy alliance of scientists, engineers, designers, and gamers, the HP Blackbird 002 was born. -------------------------------------------------------------- So what happened to the Blackbird 001? We thought you might ask that question. Sadly, the Blackbird 001 never made it out of the lab because it didn't survive its "Little House of Horrors." This is HP's specially designed torture chamber for new technologies that's designed to identify how they stand up to every-day wear and tear-and then some. Everything went fine with model 001 until it was placed in an industrial-size paint shaker to see if anything would break. When it did, it was re-engineered again and again until it didn't. The final result is the Blackbird 002. Though we don't recommend throwing it down a flight of stairs, this machine is designed to be around for a long, long time. To learn more about the HP Blackbird 002, and what sets it apart from other gaming machines, click here. -------------------------------------------------------------- Improve Your Game -------------------------------------------------------------- HP Blackbird 002 Exhilaration Edition CLICK HERE FOR AN INCREDIBLE LIMITED-TIME OFFER http://hp.com/go/exed -------------------------------------------------------------- THIS IS THE ULTIMATE MACHINE FOR GAMERS AND POWER USERS! With its liquid-cooled Intel(R) QX9770 Quad Core Extreme and NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) GTX 280's, the only thing we've left out of this perfect example of bleeding-edge performance and technology is an ejection seat! The Blackbird 002 Exhilaration Edition is packed full of top-level components that give you bragging rights. Learn more about what's inside the Blackbird here. http://www.hp.com/voodoodna -------------------------------------------------------------- DON'T MISS THIS SPECIAL OFFER! Order your HP Blackbird 002 Exhilaration Edition NOW! https://h20435.www2.hp.com/Default.aspx --------------------------------------------------------------