Two builds of Firefox 3.5 RC1 were posted in the nightly section of Mozilla's public ftp server yesterday, suggesting an official release of RC1 this week. The Windows version of the almost complete build, entitled Firefox 3.5 “Beta 99” encompases 7.6 MB as a self-extracting archive for Windows 2000 through Windows 7 and did not crash on our test-system.

As we reported in our review of beta 4, Firefox 3.5 features a new, faster, Javascript engine and private browsing mode, as well as improved video integration. According to Mozilla, final quality assurance testing will address everything from last minute bugs to the flawless functionality of extensions, plugins, accessibility, the automatic update feature and the top 500 websites.

Intel has begun phasing out its last remaining Core 2 Extreme processor the flagship QX9775 chip, also known as Skulltrail CPU. Intel is scrapping its only remaining Core 2 Extreme processor. The company said that the demand for the QX9775 processor, currently the companys flagship desktop CPU, has shifted to other Intel processors. Final orders for the processor will be taken on October 9 and final shipments are scheduled for June 11, 2010.

The QX9775 was launched in February 2008 as part of Intels dual-socket Skulltrail enthusiast PC platform. Typically equipped with two (Xeon) LGA771-based 45 nm processors, Skulltrail PCs are priced north of $10,000 and are hitting more than $20,000 in some configurations available from boutique PC vendors. The QX9775 still is the most expensive desktop processor Intel has ever offered. The 3.2 GHz CPU is offered at a tray price of $1499, while street prices are typically much closer to $1600 – $1800.

UQ Communications, Intel to Promote Fast, Widespread Deployment of WiMAX Services in JapanUQ WiMAX Commercial Service Details Disclosed; WiMAX-Embedded Laptops Introduced with Intel Centrino 2 Processor Technology TOKYO, June 8, 2009 – UQ Communications Inc. and Intel Corporation today announced their extended collaboration to promote and expand “UQ WiMAX,” the commercially available WiMAX service from UQ Communications in Japan. Scheduled to launch on July 1, UQ Communications will offer new services to meet

You’ve done it. Don’t even try to deny it.Even if you live in a state with laws requiring the use of a hands-free headset while speaking on the cell phone, it’s almost a certainty you’ve at least once broken that law.Even if you truly, honestly believe it’s dangerous to do so, you just can’t help yourself when your snappy, downloaded ring tone jingle jangles and you snatch it up to answer the phone.The Harris Poll has the evidence, so don’t try to deny it: 72 percent of those surveyed confessed to using their

File this one under “news of the weird.” In a completely strange and unexpected twist of events, Activision has filed a lawsuit that could prevent a Jack Black-based video game from becoming a reality. The aforementioned company sued game developer Double Fine Productions this past week in order to halt the impending release of “Brutal Legand” by Electronic Arts. The suit was filed in Santa Monica, California, and it alleges that Double Fine failed to deliver the game “on time.” Furthermore, it claims that the

As you probably already know, the Radeon HD 4870 X2 employs two RV770 GPUs, each of which is complemented by 1GB of GDDR5 memory (for a total of 2GB frame buffer memory). The reference GPU clock speed for the 4870 X2 is 750 MHz, and the reference memory speed is 900 MHz. Diamond, however, boosted the XOC’s clocks to 800 MHz and 950 MHz, respectively, making this one of the fastest 4870 X2 cards on the market. Click the link below and check it out…Diamond Radeon HD 4870 X2 XOC Review

Today we expected Apple to announce a new iPhone (or two), news of the Palm Pre’s initial sales and other all-around Monday-ness – we didn’t expect a fresh new version of Opera Mobile for Windows Mobile, but that’s exactly what we got.

Opera Mobile 9.7 beta adds Opera Turbo, a server-size compression technology (à la Skyfire) that shrinks requested data before sending it to your handset; this saves time, particularly if you’re on a slower connection (EDGE) and is designed to make the mobile Web a bit more speedy.  It also decreases the amount of bandwidth required to browse the web up to 80%.  That’s good if you have a limited amount of bandwidth per month on your data plan.

In our quick test of 9.7, we certainly felt the speed increase; pages loaded quickly, panning and zooming was smoother and less jerky, and the entire experience feels more desktop-esque.

View a more complete list of Opera Mobile 9.7’s features or download the new version.

We’ve always heard that the best things in life are free. We’ve also heard that nothing great lasts forever. Mix those two mantras together, and you get this. Down in Louisiana, a $0.15 surcharge is being tossed around as an idea to stop online criminal activity (and raise state income, no doubt), which would be levied on Internet access across the state. Sadly, the House has already voted in favor with an 81-9 vote, though Governor Bobby Jindal strongly opposes.The idea here is to raise money to finance a division

Gigabyte supports AMD Socket AM3 processors with their latest and greatest motherboard in the GA-MA790FXT-UD5P. This board supports DDR3 memory and sports the 790FX/SB750 combination of chipsets. Is this the board you have been looking for as you build that new AMD socket AM3 system? Take a look and see how it performs!

While it’s no secret that China blocks web sites that it doesn’t want its citizens to view, the Wall Street Journal is reporting an escalation in this censorship. The WSJ reports that China plans to require that all PCs sold in the country as of July 1st be equipped with software that blocks access to certain Web sites. The software’s Chinese name is “Green Dam-Youth Escort.” The software was developed by Jinhui Computer System Engineering Co. Additional input came from Beijing Dazheng Human Language Technology