PaulSpoerry.com

My name is Paul… and I’m a geek. Seriously, like in need of a 12 step program kind of geek.

Geeks like us spend a ridiculous amount of time browsing the Web. We get our nerd news online, we converse with like-minded individuals online, we get ideas online, we learn about new products online, and so on. We live and breathe the mighty cloud.

To feed your surfing habits, ExtremeTech presents a list of 25 of it’s own favorite sites.

Geek News
Blue’s News
The quintessential PC gaming news site, Blue’s News has been blogging away since before the word blog was even coined. Visit it for all the latest on demo releases, patches, product announcements, and much more; proprietor “Blue” even bends a bit from the PC gaming focus to present daily (and sometimes twice daily) updates on tech bits and console news (the latter named “Consolidation”). One visit to this linktastic site will keep you surfing for hours.

The Inquirer
The title of the site couldn’t be more appropriate; it’s the closest thing to The National Enquirer the tech world has. The rotating blurb above the title is always entertaining (on our last visit, it read “THE INQUIRER—Not listening to readers for years”) and the writing is often blisteringly sarcastic, almost to the point of bitterness. Take what you read here with a big grain of salt, but enjoy the rumors while they last.

BetaNews
“A decent news blog isn’t the main attraction here. It’s the frequent news about version updates for all kinds of software and utilities that PC enthusiasts find indispensible.” BetaNews indeed lives up to its title, with piles of prerelease software to try out complete with changelogs and user ratings.

Ars Technica
One of my personal favorites for new updates. Though it’s full of spot-on reviews, the best feature of ars technica is the daily technology news blog. Ars blends up-to-the-minute reporting with its own unique, informed blend of analysis. As far as tech news goes, Ars covers the entire spectrum; tabs along the top direct you to business IT, gaming, hardware, a new security section, and more.

OSNews
The ultimate source for operating system information, OSNews features links to tech and OS information all across the Web as well as its own OSNews Originals. The latter includes commentary, product reviews, and all manner of indispensible technology chatter. Continued…

Geek Reviews Beyond3D
A site for those really into the graphics scene, the technical level of discussion is extremely high. But through its articles and forums, you can learn a lot about why different GPUs work the way they do. Beyond3D is for serious geeks who either are, or want to become, well-informed about the nuts and bolts of 3D graphics.

[H]ard|OCP
Founded by the charismatic and famously, furiously opinionated Kyle Bennett, [H]ard|OCP (often simply referred to as [H]) is essentially a PC technology news blog, with frequent and incredibly in-depth reviews. Negative reviews here are possibly the most entertaining tech copy you can read anywhere; the [H] guys know how to slam a product—but they always give credit where due.

The Tech Report
With a Web full of hardware review sites, many of which seem to be half-assed blogs there to justify the owners getting free stuff from unassuming vendors, sites like The Tech Report are refreshing. With its amazingly thorough review process, you can be positive about how a product praised or dinged here will behave in the real world. The feature articles are entertaining and informative.

AnandTech
Do we really need to explain this one? Anand Shimpi is simply one of the smartest, most observant, and most painstaking hardware gurus in the industry. To apply an appropriate cliché, he’s forgotten more about technology than most of us will ever know. His entire staff presents some of the most accurate tech reviews on the Internet. Continued…

Geek DIY MVKTech.net
ET analyst Loyd Case referenced this site in his Graphics Card Hacking piece, and the rest of us have had it bookmarked ever since. When the time comes that you’re ready to get into some serious graphics card tweaking, come here for BIOS flashing utilities and BIOS files. As a bonus, MKVTech.net includes a decent array of tutorials, plus reviews on tools and hardware.

SilentPCReview.com
One downside of building big, high-performance systems is the noise they generate, especially when running a resource-hungry game or application at full bore. SilentPCReview.com (aka SPCR) features articles on reducing noise in systems, plus reviews of components based on power usage and noise levels. Sections include a blog by site guru “Silent Mike”, systems designed by SPCR, and a healthy set of forums.

The Guru of 3D
This 3D supersite contains all manner of tech news and coverage, but the reason we placed it in the DIY (Do It Yourself) section is due to the fact that it has the single most exhaustive collection of leaked graphics card drivers anywhere. Hit the download section to check it out. While you’re there, stop by the forums for intelligent discussion concerning 3D cards, hardware, and other tech stuff.

Hack n Mod
When it comes to mods, hacking, and other off-the-beaten-path hardware wrangling, the Web is full of destinations. Possibly one of the finest is Hack n Mod, which is packed with tutorials and articles. The content isn’t just limited to computers; a glance at the sections reveals hacks about free energy, lasers, robots, and most of the current game consoles. This is where to go for everything from LED mods to building a pneumatic pirate cannon. Continued…

Geek Discussion Tech Forums
Building, buying, overclocking, networking, and just about every other PC topic are all covered on the message boards at Tech Forums. Engage in discussion with PC enthusiasts, educate yourself on new gear, or tech a n00b which end of the optical drive the cable plugs into. You’ll find all levels of users here, and the discussions are always engaging.

DriverHeaven.net Forums
When ET analyst Joel Durham Jr. posted about AMD/ATI’s Catalyst 7.3 driver issues, he’d learned about them from the forums on driverheaven.net. In fact, that’s where AMD’s Terry Makedon went to inform the users at large about efforts to repair the drivers. You can’t get more “insider” than that! Check out driverheaven.net’s forums for gaming, hardware, software, and, of course, drivers.

[H]ard|Forum
[H]ard|Forum is the only site we’ll double-pump. Although we already mentioned [H]ard|OCP, the [H]ard|Forum is worth its own entry. It’s one of the most robust tech forums on the Web, with thousands of posts under nearly every topic. There are plenty of places to ask questions, discuss what’s on your mind, and get help for virtually any tech-related problem.

AV Science Forum
Also known as AV Science forum, this amazing site is a depot for all things audio-video. The front page is a blog-style survey of the industry with up-to-date news and feature content. Click on the forums button to delve into a deep realm of message boards that cover displays, AV components, home theater PCs, high-def, and everything else that has to do with hearing or viewing technology. Continued…

Geek Blogs Rock, Paper, Shotgun
An extremely entertaining gaming blog that pulls no punches, Rock, Paper, Shotgun is casual and personal whiles still managing to be informative. It links to news all over the Web but includes its own writers’ comments, which are invariably witty and engaging.

Joel on Software
Not only does this guy have one of the greatest first names in all of history, but his knowledge of the ins and outs of the software industry is spectacular. Joel’s blog is consistently insightful, always entertaining and full of stuff you just can’t learn anywhere else. Set aside some time, as the posts tend to be very long, but they’re so well-written that you’ll feel like you’ve reached the end in a matter of seconds—and you’ll invariably come away a little more informed on what’s still an emerging and mysterious industry.

GamePolitics.com
As its name implies, this blog covers any news in which gaming and politics converge. Frequent subjects include the current videogame violence controversy (and, as you’d expect, news of anti-gaming hack Jack Thompson comes at an almost constant barrage), game news concerning the current U.S. presidential race, and research into the effects of playing videogames. Though the blog itself is unbiased, the readers who respond in the comments sections tend to be extremely opinionated.

Engadget
This tech blog has gadget in its title, and gadgets are its specialty. That said, it’s hardly a narrowly-focused site; it covers tech gadgetry in virtually every aspect of technology, including personal music devices, audio-video equipment, and even notebook computers. The writing is pithy and entertaining, and you’ll probably learn about products that you’d never have imagined would have existed.

Coding Horror
Jeff Atwood keeps a blog of some of the most ridiculous, unpredictable, and hilarious programming gaffs ever. Riffing on everything from the true use of the middle mouse button to why registration keys suck, Atwood writes with wit and grace—often brimming with biting satire. This blog is a must for every coder, and anyone remotely interested in or connected to computer programming. Continued…

Geek Miscellany ThinkGeek
When you need to buy a gift for your favorite nerd, or for yourself, there isn’t a better repository of useful and/or useless technology stuff than ThinkGeek. It’s where you’ll find stuff like a Spazztroids caffeinated cereal, GPS star trackers, Cube World cubes, plush microbes, and the awesome Khet laser “chess” game, among thousands of other geeky goodies. If you’ve never been here, lock up your credit card before your first visit. (Seriously, before I got married and my wife told me I dressed like a geek I think every t-shirt I owned came from ThinkGeek).

Xkcd
An online webcomic only a true geek could love. The stick-figure art is poor, sure. And there’s a limited audience for the kind of math-and-science oriented person that will even understand most of the jokes. That audience is you.

Mike’s Hardware
Mike evidently has a crystal ball of some sort next to his computer. A simple, uncluttered site, Mike’s Hardware’s look belies the sheer quantity of information that Mike’s Hardware has to offer. It’s quite simply the best source for CPU names, numbers, and specs on the Internet, and also includes sample systems, tech roadmaps, CPU pricing, and lots more.