Pittsburgh LAN Coalition

Taipei, Taiwan, April 2, 2009 – GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co., Ltd., a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards today is pleased to launch their latest  graphics card. Building on the ultimate kernel of ATI Radeon™ 4890 art-of-the-state single-GPU architecture and advanced GDDR5 memory technology, the GIGABYTE GV-R489-1GH-B delivers seamless frame rates with massive graphics processing muscle for any tomorrow’s demanding applications. In addition, the GIGABYTE GV-R489-1GH-B features a wide range of the latest graphics technologies, including TeraScale graphics engine, Dynamic Geometry Acceleration, Quad mode ATI CrossFireX™ multi-GPU support, UVD 2 and PowerPlay™. Just take crazy control over your game and max out the settings at your will.

The GIGABYTE GV-R489-1GH-B features ATI’s latest TeraScale graphics engine, boasting it’s over one teraFLOPS of GPU computing power with 800 stream processors and nearly one billion transistors. With 1GB GDDR5 memory, the GV-R489-1GH-B provides twice the data per pin of GDDR3 memory at the same clock speeds. In combination with 24x custom filter anti-aliasing (CFAA) and high performance anisotropic filtering, the GV-R489-1GH-B is able to create true-to-life graphics for everything from grass to facial features so you can max out the settings of the most demanding next generation games or revitalize your favorite titles. Also, with ATI Stream Technology, every user can easily use the massive paralel processing power of GPU for physics, attificial intelligence, stream computing and ray tracing calculations, and tackle demanding tasks like video transcoding with incredible speed. Deservedly, the GIGABYTE GV-R489-1GH-B graphics card provides DirectX 10.1 graphics capabilities to support Shader Model 4.1 for life-like realism and stunning 3D gaming effects.

Benefiting from Avivo™ HD video and display technology, the GV-R489-1GH-B fully supports UVD 2 for decoding processing-intensive content for 1080p HDTV and HD video with additional support for dynamic contrast and enhanced DVD upscaling. The GIGABYTE GV-R489-1GH-B also provides advanced connectivity to TVs and displays with HDMI with 7.1 digital surround audio support. Delivering the ultimate solution for high definition home theaters, the GV-R489-1GH-B is able to take full advantage of Blu-ray functionality with dual-stream, picture in picture (PIP) capabilities and one-cable HDMI™ connectivity.

For breakthrough efficiency of power consumption, the GIGABYTE GV-R489-1GH-B is equipped with ATI PowerPlay™ technology, maximizing performance per watt by delivering the highest level high performance when needed and conserving power when the demand on the GPU is low. GIGABYTE graphics products are also 100% RoHS compliant, from manufacturing to on the store shelves, GIGABYTE provides greener computing solutions with better power efficiency.

For more details of the GIGABYTE GV-R489-1GH-B, please visit the GIGABYTE VGA website at:
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/VGA/Default.aspx

Greetings Gamers!

Iron Storm X is only a week away and if you haven’t registered or paid, you might want to do so NOW. Pre-registration will end Thursday, March 19 at 11:59 pm. After this, the only payment option available is cash or check at the doors.

You’re all probably wondering what we’ll have for prizes at the LAN. Lets just say I’m going to need to get a U-Haul to bring it to the LAN. Please take the time to check out our sponsors since they are providing all of the following worth over $5000!:

Slappa

Estimated Prize Cost: $1000+
Everyone will be receiving a Neo Jacket from Slappa!

• 80 x Neo Jacket – Celtics
• 80 x PSP Neo Jackets – Magic
• 2 x BulkHead 4:1 PRO Laptop Travel Bag
• 3 x PSP HardBody Daily White/Silver

Gigabyte

Estimated Prize Cost: $500+

• 1 x GV-NX96T512HP Video Card
• 1 x GA-EP45-UD3R Motherboard
• Lots of swag!

King of the Mountain Electronics

Estimated Prize Cost: $150

• 1 x PNY VCG981024GXEB GeForce 9800 GT 1GB Video Card

Cooler Master

Estimated Prize Cost: $780

• 3 x CM 690 Cases
• 3 x RS-750 Power Supplies

FSP Group USA

Estimated Prize Cost: $470

• 1 x Kingcraft 1000
• 1 x FX600-GLN-E
• 1 x FSP300-1E01 (BoosterX3)

NZXT

Estimated Prize Cost:

• 1 x Avatar Gaming Mouse
• 1 x Case
• 1 x Case

ThinkComputers.org

Estimated Prize Cost: $400+

• NZXT Cases
• Laptop Coolers
• And More!

In Win

Estimated Prize Cost: $200+

• 1 x F-430 Case
• 1 x AL-13 03 Case

Crucial

Estimated Prize Cost: $100

• 2 Stick Pack of Ballistix
• Other Swag

SilverStone Technology

Estimated Prize Cost: $100

• 1 x Raven Gaming Mouse
• 2 x AeroSlots

MotherboardPro.com

Estimated Prize Cost: $500+

• 25 x DFI Backpacks
• Other swag

Jinx

Estimated Prize Cost: $150

• Tons of Stickers
• 2 x Hats
• 5 x Shirts
• 15 x Lanyards

Computer Power User Magazine

Estimated Prize Cost: $500+

• 8 Gift Certificates
• 200 Magazines

Velocity Micro

Estimated Prize Cost: $100

• Assorted Swag

AMD Game

Estimated Prize Cost: $100

• Assorted Swag

Thermaltake

Estimated Prize Cost: $50

• Assorted Swag

Pictures of the Prizes! Click for a bigger view.

Continue reading ‘Iron Storm 10 Prize List – Don’t Forget To Register and Pay!’ »

March 12, 2009, CHARLOTTE N.C. — Earlier this month SLAPPA Distribution announced they have partnered with professional eSports organization and current Intel Extreme Masters III Champions Fnatic, and today SLAPPA showed further commitment to the eSports community by announcing the sponsorship of Pro Gaming team Paragon of Virtue (POV) and a working partnership with E-Sports Entertainment (ESEA).

Now that SLAPPA is the title sponsor and the official bags and cases for team POV, the team will be sporting co-branded shirts and hoodies, and will use exclusively SLAPPA gear at their tournaments.

“When POV approached us we liked their desire and confidence” says SLAPPA president Dominick Martinetti. “These guys have a laser focus on becoming one of the top 3 teams in the U.S., and I connected with their drive to be the best. I hope that as their sponsor, SLAPPA can help POV achieve every goal they have as a team.”

Colin DeShong, POV Executive Director added, “As the 2009 season begins, we are excited to have SLAPPA partnering up with our team for all our endeavors. It’s one thing to be considered ‘professionals’ in the game, but it’s another to actually exude professionalism in one’s appearance. We’re confident that with SLAPPA by our side, we’ll be turning heads in both arenas.”

In addition to adding team POV to the team roster, SLAPPA is now getting active with E-Sports Entertainment through www.ESEA.net. Martinetti continues, “Over the past six months, SLAPPA has been sponsoring LAN tournaments such as Lanapalooza, Fites, the Pittsburg Lan Coalition and many others, so when the opportunity to partner with ESEA came up, we were very enthusiastic about working together with them. ESEA has a great community and together we have come up with some cool cooperative programs, such as exclusive SLAPPA product bundle offers, sponsoring tournaments and ‘Play with the Pros’ events. We are very excited about working with Craig and the ESEA team.”

“I was immediately drawn to the design, quality, and commitment to innovation that SLAPPA brings to all of their products” says Craig Levine of E-Sports Entertainment. “When we were presented with the opportunity to bring SLAPPA products to the ESEA community and the opportunity for fans to play alongside POV using our premium gaming environment I was very excited.”

Continue reading ‘SLAPPA increases presence in Professional eSports Market’ »

Taipei, Taiwan 03 03, 2009 – The latest GIGABYTE Ultra Durable VGA graphics accelerator GV-N250ZL-1GI uses high quality components and provides unrivaled performance
GIGABYTE Technology Co. LTD., a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, today launched the GIGABYTE Ultra Durable VGA graphics accelerator GV-N250ZL-1GI. Supporting NVIDIA’s latest processors-GTS 250, GIGABYTE GV-N250ZL-1GI features 1GB GDDR3 memory and 128 stream processors to enable gamers to enjoy enhanced gaming performance. In addition, the GV-N250ZL-1GI is equipped with the latest NVIDIA SLI^® , NVIDIA PureVideo^® HD, NVIDIA PhysX™, NVIDIA CUDA™ technology and Microsoft DirectX 10. Output interfaces support Dual-Link DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI with HDCP. The GIGABYTE GV- N250ZL-1GI gives gamers ultra stable and ultra cool gaming resolutions.

Continue reading ‘GIGABYTE Extends Ultra Durable VGA Range with GV-N250ZL-1GI Graphics Accelerators’ »

Taipei, Taiwan 03 03, 2009 –
GIGABYTE Technology Co. LTD., a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, today launched the latest GIGABYTE unique technology: Ultra Durable VGA. GIGABYTE latest innovative technology-Ultra Durable VGA features 2 oz copper PCB board, Samsung/Hynix memory, Japanese solid capacitor, Ferrite Core Chokes, and Low RDS (on) MOSFET to deliver incredibly low GPU temperature, unrivaled overclocking capability, low power switching loss, and guaranteed longer life. Compared with traditional graphics accelerators, Ultra Durable VGA graphics accelerators can lower GPU temperature by 5%~10%, lower power switching loss by 10%~30%, and increase overclocking capability by 10%~30%. GIGABYTE Ultra Durable VGA graphics accelerators can provide truly both “high-performanced” and “green” graphic card resolutions.

Continue reading ‘GIGABYTE Released Latest Unique Technology Ultra Durable VGA’ »

With an eye on the gaming market, SLAPPA focuses on partnering with the best

March 3, 2009, CHARLOTTE N.C.— SLAPPA Distribution today announced that they have partnered with professional eSports organization Fnatic, and together the two organizations will be working closely to further enhance the eSports market.  SLAPPA will be supporting the Fnatic professional team, made up of some of the best squads in the world, such as, Counter-Strike, World of Warcraft, Starcraft, Dota and COD4, and will also work with the Fnatic squads to develop a complete line of professional gaming gear.

Now that SLAPPA is the official provider of bags and cases for Fnatic, you will see the Fnatic squads sporting SLAPPA gear at their tournaments, but that’s not all the two will be doing together.

SLAPPA president Dominick Martinetti explained in more detail, that the two companies are developing more gamer-specific products together, and will even be co-branding some models.  “Over the past 6 months, we have been blindsided by a large number of eSports teams and tournaments who want SLAPPA to enter the world of gaming.  As the number of inquiries grew, we realized that the SLAPPA product philosophy was seen as a perfect match for the gaming world.  My objective then was to partner with the best in order to develop world-class product for gamers.  Now that we are partnered with Fnatic, I’m very confident that we are on our way to building great gear for gamers.  We bring expertise in the case and bag market, and a very strong brand name that stands for quality and innovation.  Fnatic brings the best gamers, practical knowledge on the needs of gamers and a brand name that is synonymous with winning. I’m very excited about what this partnership will produce”, says Martinetti.

Business Development Manager of Fnatic, Neil Kirk has this to say:
“SLAPPA designs and creates professional gear for individuals that want and demand high quality, long lasting items.  eSports is no different and it is with great delight that we see this relationship beginning to give gamers who want to achieve the highest ranking and best results the same.  Our squads strive for and in most cases achieve those same goals; they are professionals in the world wide phenomenon of electronic sports. Our expertise, coupled with SLAPPA’s knowledge and professional gear will bring to market a great product for gamers, helping make our players even more of a force to be reckoned with. We are looking forward to commencing this relationship and the successes it can bring.”
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About SLAPPA

SLAPPA’s line of cd cases, dvd cases, laptop bags and backpacks are made with the highest quality materials, unique designs and patented technologies that when combined together, “break the mold” in a category otherwise flooded with mundane products.  For more information please contact SLAPPA at slappa.hq@slappa.com.

About Fnatic

The Fnatic Team is a professional video gaming team, consisting of players from across the globe that all make a living through competing in video game tournaments. The Fnatic Team has been ranked as the world’s number one Counter Strike team for the past 2 years, and have world class squads in other games such as World Of Warcraft, Defence of the Ancients, Call of Duty 4, Warcraft 3 and Starcraft. Fnatic is committed to the growth of Video gaming as an Electronic Sport, and will continue to be at the forefront of this ever expanding and maturing market. The Fnatic team has established itself as a vibrant, well coordinated outfit with a clear vision for the future of competitive gaming and as a brand has a global reach. The Fnatic team was founded in 2004 and has won many world titles as well as supporting numerous of the world’s most successful gamers over the years including Laurens “Lauke” Pluijmaekers, Sander “Vo0” Kaasjager, and more recently the famous Counterstrike team with the likes of Patrick “f0rest” Lindberg, and the World of Warcraft squad with Rumay “Hafu” Wang. For more information visit the company on the World Wide Web at www.fnatic.com.

Gigabyte is planning on providing 1 Motherboard and 1 Graphics Card for our Iron Storm X event on March 21-22nd. They have informed me that they will be providing the GV-NX96T512HP for this LAN. The motherboard that they will be providing, GA-EP45-UD3R, will be one of the UD3 or Ultra Durable 3 Series of motherboards.  Please take the time to read about the Ultra Durable 3 Technology.

Don’t forget to Register and Pay for the LAN if you haven’t already done so!

GIGABYTE Ultra Durable™ 3 series motherboards once again lead the motherboard industry for the highest quality and most innovative motherboard design. Featuring the industry’s first consumer desktop motherboard design to introduce 2 ounces of copper for both the Power and Ground layers, GIGABYTE Ultra Durable™ 3 motherboards deliver dramatically lower system temperature, improved energy efficiency and enhanced stability for overclocking.

GIGABYTE Ultra Durable™ 3 motherboards also feature Japanese Solid Capacitors boasting 50,000 hours of operation, Ferrite core chokes with higher energy efficiency compared to the commonly used iron core chokes and Lower RDS(on) MOSFETs that features a lower resistance, which reduces power consumption and heat generation. The GIGABYTE Ultra Durable™ 3 series motherboards promises to provide the stability, reliability and longevity essential to meet the power needs of high-end processors and other components running today’s most demanding applications and games.

MIAMI-July 31, 2008 – BAWLS Guarana, the drink of choice for video gamers everywhere, today announced the launch of a partnership with GameFly, the leading online video game rental service. Through this new affiliation, BAWLS will give customers a chance to try GameFly free for 30 days and GameFly users will receive substantial, limited-time discounts on the purchase of BAWLS Guarana/GameFly co-branded products.

“As a continued supporter of the video game community, partnering with GameFly is a perfect fit for BAWLS Guarana,” commented Founder and CEO Hoby Buppert. “GameFly’s easy-to-navigate site, expansive inventory and growing popularity will be a big hit among our customers, the majority of whom are avid gamers.”

On July 8^th, GameFly users will receive a $2-off coupon for co-branded BAWLS/GameFly 16 oz. can 4-packs – available exclusively at Target stores nationwide. BAWLS customers can also find 30-day GameFly trial subscription codes inside BAWLS/GameFly specialty branded 4-packs – available at Target stores nationwide this month.

“BAWLS Guarana is an excellent partner for GameFly. They are huge supporters of the video game industry and their beverage appeals to GameFly’s members,” said Sean Spector, GameFly Co-Founder and Senior Vice President, Business Development and Content. “This promotion will allow us to connect with new customers via the on-pack promotion and special one month offer. It will also introduce BAWLS to our members by providing exclusive discounts on all BAWLS Guarana/GameFly co-branded products.”

No stranger to the video game world, BAWLS Guarana is the nation’s largest supporter of video gaming, sponsoring over 1000 gaming events each year. BAWLS Guarana is also the Official Energy Drink of some of the world’s largest gaming events, including QuakeCon 2008 and PAX 2008 and is a supporter of Child’s Play – a global charity created by the video game community.

About GameFly

GameFly™ is the leading online video game rental service. With a choice of more than 5,000 titles, GameFly offers the widest selection of games for the PlayStation® 2, PlayStation® 3, Xbox™, Xbox 360™, GameCube™, Game Boy™ Advance, Nintendo DS™, Nintendo Wii™ and PSP™ without the hassle of due dates or late fees. With plans starting at $15.95 a month, GameFly subscribers can rent one to four games at a time and keep them for as long as they like. Subscribers manage their GameQ™ online and receive games directly from the U.S. Postal Service via first class mail. GameFly is also a great source for high quality, used video games at exceptional prices. For more information and a free trial, please visit www.gamefly.com

About BAWLS

BAWLS is the brainchild of entrepreneur Hoby Buppert, CEO of Hobarama, LLC, who named the beverage for the caffeinated “bounce” the drink packs. Widely distributed to local supermarkets, convenience stores (7-Eleven, Speedway/SuperAmerica), Target, Microcenter stores and gaming venues; BAWLS is a premium, non-alcoholic, carbonated beverage made from the guarana berry harvested in the Amazonian Rainforest. The caffeine found in BAWLS Guarana contains the same amount of caffeine as coffee and nearly three times that of traditional sodas due to a naturally occurring form of the stimulant found in the guarana berry. BAWLS’ unique refreshing flavor tastes like a citrus infused cream soda and its popularity continues to grow among caffeine-deprived, refreshment-seeking techies, students, professionals and athletes in need of a Bounce. For more information, visit www.BAWLS.com

CHICAGO, July 29, 2008 – The leading manufacturer of innovative professional gaming gear, SteelSeries, today announced its acquisition of certain assets in Ideazon, Inc., the North American-based developer and manufacturer of gaming peripherals and technologies. This acquisition further strengthens SteelSeries’ peripheral technology and will help expand the company’s broad support within the gaming community.

“SteelSeries has brought together two rapidly growing companies in the gaming space, making SteelSeries one of the fastest-growing gaming peripherals manufacturers globally,” said Bruce Hawver, CEO of SteelSeries. “No other organization works as closely with both gamers, and now software creators, in order to create arguably the most responsive gaming products in the world, optimized for gamers’ preferences, as well as specific gaming publishers and specific titles.”

SteelSeries has achieved success and recognition over the past few years in working with and establishing new professional gaming events, like Iron.Lady and King of the Hill, as well as its support of more than 1,200 events globally. Ideazon has helped enhance the gaming experience through its relationships with top game developers and publishers, but its start in gaming also came from the gamers’ perspective and has grown from there.

“Ideazon’s game-branded line of PC peripherals is incredibly popular and enjoys a dedicated following,” added SteelSeries’ Hawver. “Their products truly complement our own by extending our reach to a broader audience of gamers. Our combined expertise with competitive gamers will help speed the development of game- branded products by linking the game developers with the strongest group of pro gamers in the world.”

SteelSeries supports more than 200 professional gaming teams globally and has involved many more pro and competitive gamers during its product development process. Ideazon has also inspired a community of gamers in terms of both sponsorships and event support.

“This acquisition will further establish SteelSeries as a leading global gaming peripherals manufacturer,” said Jacob Wolff-Petersen, Founder of SteelSeries . “No other organization works as closely with gamers and industry partners, or has a more comprehensive line of products to support every type of gamer. The synergies between Ideazon and SteelSeries are evident in the design, relationships and industry influence that both companies bring to the table to create this new gaming powerhouse.”

The new combined organization will be headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark with offices in North America and Asia.

About SteelSeries

SteelSeries is a leading manufacturer of gaming peripherals and accessories, including headsets, keyboards, mice, software and gaming surfaces, available in more than 75 countries. SteelSeries, whose motto is “winning is everything,” has been on the forefront of professional gaming gear since its inception in 2001. The company has set a new benchmark for gaming accessories around the world thanks to continued innovation and product development in cooperation with leading professional gamers, the world’s most demanding IT consumers, who actually make a living based on the quality of SteelSeries products. SteelSeries’ development strategy is simple: Only products that take performance to the next level will be introduced. This ensures optimum performance and durability across a variety of gaming and other demanding applications. For more information, please visit www.SteelSeries.com.

About Ideazon Inc.

North American-based Ideazon Inc. develops, manufactures and markets the next generation of gaming peripheral technologies that enhance the gamers experience. Working with the gaming community – with partners, game developers and publishers – Ideazon develops its entire line of Precision Gaming Tools to maximize comfort, control, and in game dominance. Since its beginnings in 1999, the company has grown to be an industry leader in gaming technologies and has assembled an impressive list of technology partners including Activision Blizzard, Eidos Interactive, Electronic Arts, NCsoft Corporation, Microsoft Game Studios, NVIDIA and Sony Online Entertainment. For more information, visit the Web site at www.ideazon.com.