IT-Code-News: IT News HeadLines (HotHardware) 02/09/2010

Telcel Exec Says iPhone 4 HW Revision Coming
Telcel started selling the iPhone 4 on their network last Friday, August 27th. Buyers might want to hold off, however: the carrier also said that Apple will be releasing a hardware revision after September to address the well-known "Antennagate" issues. The report comes via CanalMX, which spoke to Marco Quatorze, Director of Value Added Services of Telcel. He said that initially, the hardware would be identical to the U.S. model. However, he added that after Sept. 30th, there would a hardware revision to fix
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Asus Selects Amimon For WHDI Wireless Streaming
And now, the wireless streaming war really begins. Intel has their Wireless Display technology. There's WDHI. There's Wireless HD. And even HP has a new dongle out with an undisclosed technology underneath. And now, it's Asus' turn. The company responsible for the Eee PC netbook craze has just sided with Amimon, enabling their WiCast Wireless PC to TV product line to come to Asus' product labs. Asus has also elected to join the WDHI Consortium, which signals that this is far from the last wireless WHDI device
Read More ...

HP Introduces Mini 5103 And Mini 210 Netbooks
HP is definitely on a roll. First comes a slew of new notebooks and a Wireless Adapter, and now the company is issuing a pair of new netbooks. Way to round things off, guys! The newly redesigned Mini 210 is a sleeker, slimmer and more powerful Mini than what you're used to, equipped with built-in Wi-Fi, a webcam, microphone, near-full-size keyboard and a dual-core Intel Atom N550 or Atom N455/N475. The unit supports DDR3 memory, measures under 1" thick, weighs 3.1lbs. and comes standard with an inline 6-cell
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Xbox LIVE Seeing Price Hikes To Cover Extra Content
Enjoying your Xbox LIVE subscription? Exactly how much are you enjoying it? We only ask because starting November 1st, it will cost you even more to maintain it. For the first time since Xbox LIVE's inception, Microsoft is being forced to raise prices for members in Canada, Mexico, the UK and the United States. The price increases aren't huge, but they're notable. The 1 month Gold subscription is creeping up from $7.99 to $9.99, the 3 month Gold is going up from $19.99 to $24.99, and the 1 year Gold subscription
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ViewSonic's ViewPad 7 Is An Android 2.2 Tablet And Phone
Another tablet? Of course! As the entire PC-based universe gears up to take on the iPad, ViewSonic is even getting in on the action. But there's a difference between this tablet and some of the other Microsoft-blessed tablets coming soon. The ViewPad 7 is Android-based, and in fact, it's the world's first 7" Android 2.2 (Froyo) tablet with phone functionality. That's right: a 7" tablet that can double as a phone! Dell's Streak is a 5" slate with phone support, but this is even larger. It's designed to be used
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Nintendo Dropping Prices Of DSi And DSi XL Gaming Handhelds
Now, here's a tactic you don't see very often. In fact, we hesitate to even call it a "tactic." Most companies are deathly afraid of letting impending price drop information leak before the drop actually happens, primarily in fear of the information slowing existing sales. Not so with Nintendo, which just announced quite boldly that they will be dropping the price of their Nintendo DSi and DSi XL systems nearly 2 weeks from now. In other words, this is the moment when you put a hold on your DSi/DSi XL purchase
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HP Intros Envy 17 3D, Pavilion dm3 And Beats Envy 14 Notebooks
Don't ever accuse HP of not being on top of things. The computer company has just revealed quite a few new machines tonight, with a couple of them being firsts of their kind. Of course, a new line of notebooks wouldn't be a new line of notebooks without a bit of 3D mixed in, and the HP Envy 17 3D offers just that. It's the first 17" notebook to support 1080p 3D and Blu-ray, and that's just the beginning. Internally, this one features a Core i7 CPU, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 graphics and up to 2TB of storage.
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ATI Radeon HD 5500 Series GDDR5 Review
A few weeks back, AMD quietly released a couple of new graphics cards in the Radeon HD 5500 series. For a while there, starting with the Radeon HD 5870 in late September of last year, it seemed like AMD was releasing a new series of graphics cards aimed at different price points, practically every few weeks. Things slowed down a bit once the company had a complete top-to-bottom line-up of DX11 and Eyefinity capable cards from prices ranging from about $49 to $600, but obviously AMD wasn’t quite done beefing
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Samsung Announces Wave 723 With Bada OS
Samsung recently announced its latest Bada powered smartphone, the S7230E Wave 723. This new smartphone features a 3.2-inch touchscreen, a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and auto-focus, an FM radio, and Dolfin Browser 2.0. Connectivity features include 3G, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, aGPS, and Bluetooth 3.0 + EDR. For storage, the Wave 723 has 90MB of onboard memory and a microSD card slot with support for cards as large as 16GB. The Wave 723 is built on Samsung's open Bada platform (SDK 1.1) with auto UI scaling
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MSI Introduces Core 2 Duo-Powered WindBOX III Slim PC

Need an average PC, but don't have the space for even an SFF unit? Problem, solved. MSI's WindBOX line has been solving this issue for years, and the company's newest is their most powerful yet. The WindBOX III houses an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, and while the box itself remains a familiar design, the fanless approach means that you can strap this onto the rear of your LCD and have a fully-functional PC that you'll never ever hear working.

The new WindBOX also supports 1080p media playback and has six USB 2.0 ports, a DVI output, VGA output, HDMI output, a pair of mini-PCIe slots and a module that has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Per usual, MSI is keeping quiet about pricing, but it should be out shortly.

MSI IPC Launches WindBOX III with IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ 2 Duo for Fanless System

?Taipei, Taiwan?MSI, the global leading brand in motherboard, announced the launch of the upgrade version of WindBOX III (MS-9A35) to IPC market in August, 2010. This is the latest ultra-low power system with fanless solution.

Followed the fanless design of WindBOX series, MSI debuts the WindBOX III based on the IntelÂ® CoreTM 2 Duo processor and the IntelÂ® GS45 + ICH9M chipset to provide the latest ultra-low power and slim form factor into solid embedded applications. For clientsâ€™ strong demand of supporting high resolution video, MSI debuts WindBOX III (MS-9A35) with great 3D graphics performance for a high definition up to 1080P. It supports directX10, shader model 4.0 and IntelÂ® clear video technology. MSI enhances I/O connectivity covers 6 USB 2.0 ports, 2 powered COM ports, and multiple video output (DVI-I for VGA and DVI-D, HDMI) for dual independent display. To fulfill the expansion demand, WindBOX III improves two mini-PCIe slots. For the internet demand, WindBOX III comes with a module that has a built-in WiFi 802.11b/g/n and blue-tooth module. Â

MSI WindBOX III enhances the flexible design for easily changing preferred memory/HDD/mini-PCIe devices.

MSI WindBOX ? supports VESA wall-mount interface forÂ easily mounting flat panel monitors and TVs and various scenarios like digital signage, thin client, and POS with affordable expenditure. Based on endless innovation, MSI keeps providing you more efficient and economical products and being with you to fulfill your demand.

Looking for some IT career advice from the gurus.
Hey guys,
I'm new here to HotHardware and it seems to be a pretty solid and helpful community, so I figured I'd fish for some helpful advice. A little about me, I'm currently a soldier in the US Army. My job is a Signal Support Specialist (commo for any ex-military guys). My job responsibilities for two deployments to Iraq now has included a lot of basic tech support, position is called IMO (Information Management Officer). I've run phone lines, built and maintained networks, and troubleshooted everything under the sun with Windows XP, printers, basic hardware issues, etc. Pretty much the go-to guy for any trouble people have with their laptops. I have always had a knack for computers and messed around with a bit of web design during high school (learned basic HTML, flash, CSS). I have also built upwards of 30 PCs for friends over the past 4 years and try to keep pretty up to date on newest hardware and tech. So, basically in summary I am a jack of all trades (very loosely) in the IT field, but do not have a deep knowledge of anything specifically.
My question is, what would those of you that work in the IT field currently suggest as a top notch career to work toward right now? I'll be out of the Army in 4 months with a full ride to college and right now my plan is to pursue a 2-year Network Engineering type degree and with that focus on getting a handful of certifications. Is this a good plan, or should I consider first finding a company and catering my education to their requirements and going from there? There seem to be a lot of options and different ways to go in the IT field and honestly my interest isn't in anything specifically. Any advise or insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

New Xbox 360 Controller Offers "Transforming D-Pad"

Well, here's something rather interesting. Microsoft is introducing new Xbox-related hardware! No, it's not another Xbox 360, not even a slimmer-than-slim one. It's a new...controller. Yeah, a controller. We can't remember the last time a gaming company introduced a new controller in the middle of a console's life, but that's exactly what Microsoft has done here.

The most interesting thing is that the "old" Xbox 360 controller never seemed to be flawed. We rarely heard complaints about it, aside from a jokester here and there who would wish for the old "Duke" styled controller. But at any rate, the company has just issued a new one with a "transforming D-pad," which will go from a plus to a disc with the twist of the wrist. We actually do enjoy the idea now that we're seeing it, but it will only be available at first on the new matte silver controller. Additionally, this new device features concave analog sticks and gray A,B,X,Y buttons for added style.

Another gotcha: this new controller will only ship with a Play & Charge kit, meaning that it will cost you a whopping $64.99. We aren't too sure that we'd be willing to pay such a premium for the new D-Pad, but hopefully they'll start bundling these with new console shipments as well.

Motorola Warns Over Leaked Droid X Froyo Update

Can't wait for a Froyo build for your device? Just remember, if you flash your device with a leaked ROM, you may not have an upgrade path to the released build. That's what Motorola is warning Droid X owners. In their support forums, Motorola says:

WARNING: Do NOT load the leaked 2.2 upgrade that has been floating around on the Internets. There is currently no upgrade path from that load to the official 2.2 load that will be released by early September. This could make it more difficult to upgrade to the official version. Please consider this if you're thinking about loading it.

Those who remember a similar issue with the Evo will recall that HTC had to push a fix to the device so that it could get the correct Froyo update. In this case, Motorola makes it sound that you may not be able to update, at all.

Fortunately, there's a downgrade path to the old build, so you can get the OTA without issue. Instructions are here. Of course, it requires a little technical expertise, but assuming you already flashed the leaked ROM onto your Droid X, you ought to have enough knowledge, right?

It's just something to remember; there's really no "good" reason to rush a leaked ROM build onto your device. You could end up in a bad situation.

Telcel Exec Says iPhone 4 HW Revision Coming

Telcel started selling the iPhone 4 on their network last Friday, August 27th. Buyers might want to hold off, however: the carrier also said that Apple will be releasing a hardware revision after September to address the well-known "Antennagate" issues.

The report comes via CanalMX, which spoke to Marco Quatorze, Director of Value Added Services of Telcel. He said that initially, the hardware would be identical to the U.S. model. However, he added that after Sept. 30th, there would a hardware revision to fix the "death grip" issue permanently.

As most know, if the iPhone 4 is touched in such a way that the gap between antennas is bridged, calls and signal strength can drop. Apple launched a free case program last month, as a case between the iPhone 4 and human skin prevents any such occurrence, but announced the program would end Sept. 30th. Thus, there's been plenty of speculation that a hardware revision might be in the works.

Asus Selects Amimon For WHDI Wireless Streaming

And now, the wireless streaming war really begins. Intel has their Wireless Display technology. There's WDHI. There's Wireless HD. And even HP has a new dongle out with an undisclosed technology underneath. And now, it's Asus' turn. The company responsible for the Eee PC netbook craze has just sided with Amimon, enabling their WiCast Wireless PC to TV product line to come to Asus' product labs. Asus has also elected to join the WDHI Consortium, which signals that this is far from the last wireless WHDI device that Asus will have a hand in.

The new kit is fairly simple in concept: it allows users to connect their PC (desktop, notebook or netbook) to their TVs. The device will be available later this month, and it will interface with any HDTV via HDMI. Better still, this adapter is powered by a notebook's USB port, so they're super easy to transport and use on various machines. Pricing information remains hidden, but we're hoping to see more of this stuff integrated into Asus machines as well.

ASUS Selects AMIMON for Its WiCast Wireless PC to TV Product Line and Joins WHDI Consortium
Now Consumers Can Watch All Their PC Connect Easily on Their HDTV via AMIMONâ€™s No-Latency Wireless HDTV Link

Santa Clara, CA & Taipei, Taiwan â€“ August 31, 2010 â€“ AMIMON, the market leader in wireless HDTV semiconductor solutions announced today it has been selected by ASUS for its upcoming WiCast EW2000 PC to TV connectivity kit. The WiCast is based on AMIMONâ€™s WHDIâ„¢ (Wireless Home Digital Interfaceâ„¢) technology; it enables users to wirelessly connect their PC (desktop, notebook or netbook) to their TVs. The AMIMON based wireless PC to TV connectivity products from ASUS will be available in September this year. Additionally, ASUS has also announced that it will join the WHDI consortium as an adopter.

The AMIMON based ASUS WiCast adapters will enable a simple and easy connection between any PC and TV. The adapters will come as a set (HD video transmitter and receiver) in a compact consumer friendly design, and will interface to the PC and TV via HDMI. Adding to the ease-of-use, the adapters are powered by the PCâ€™s USB ports making them highly portable for use with notebooks and netbooks.

With the AMIMON based ASUS wireless PC to TV products consumers can view the entire content of their desktop, notebook or netbook screen on their TV. Content such as Internet video, flash media, digital photos and PC games can all be viewed and experienced on the TV with a convenient wireless connection. AMIMONâ€™s technology has no noticeable latency (less than one millisecond) enabling consumers to enjoy full interactive PC applications on their TV, including gaming. In addition to PCs, the WiCast can connect to any source device with an HDMI port such as set-top-boxes (STBs) and gaming consoles to enable a wireless connection from devices with HDMI ports.

â€œASUS is the first to offer consumers wireless PC to TV products based on AMIMONâ€™s WHDI technology. Several other PC to TV connectivity products will be launched later this year, including notebooks and tablet PCs with embedded WHDI modules,â€ said David Shefler, vice president of sales and business development for AMIMON. â€œWHDI, with its high quality, low latency and low power consumption, is the only solution that will enable all portable computing, gaming and HD source devices to wirelessly connect to TVs.â€

â€œAMIMONâ€™s WHDI is an ideal technology for wireless PC to TV connectivity; it offers a high-quality, robust link enabling wireless HD video and graphics with practically zero latency giving PC users seamless interaction,â€ said James Lai, director of product marketing at ASUS. â€œJoining the WHDI consortium will enable us to develop WHDI standard based products like PCs embedded with WHDI that interface directly to WHDI TVs.â€

The ASUS WiCast products will feature AMIMONâ€™s second generation chipset, AMN2120/2220, enabling robust, high-quality wireless 1080p 60Hz in the 5GHz unlicensed band. The HD wireless video technology from AMIMON is the basis of the WHDI standard.

The AMIMON based modules inside the ASUS wireless PC to TV products are developed by Quanta Microsystems, Inc. (QMI). Additionally, the AMIMON technology implements HDCP revision 2.0 enabling wireless viewing on the TV of all PC content including Blu-Ray movies and DRM protected content.

ASUS is the latest major CE manufacturer to join the WHDI consortium. They add to the growing membership of the WHDI organization, its membership consists of the top CE companies from around the world, including companies such as: AMIMON, Haier, Hitachi, LG Electronics, Maxim, Mitsubishi, Motorola, Samsung, Sharp, Sony and Toshiba.

ATI Radeon HD 5500 Series GDDR5 Review

A few weeks back, AMD quietly released a couple of new graphics cards in the Radeon HD 5500 series. For a while there, starting with the Radeon HD 5870 in late September of last year, it seemed like AMD was releasing a new series of graphics cards aimed at different price points, practically every few weeks. Things slowed down a bit once the company had a complete top-to-bottom line-up of DX11 and Eyefinity capable cards from prices ranging from about $49 to $600, but obviously AMD wasnâ€™t quite done beefing up the Radeon HD 5000 series.

The recently released Radeon HD 5500 series cards differed from their predecessors in only one meaningful wayâ€”they were equipped with GDDR5 memory. The original 5500 series cards sported GDDR3 or GDDR2 memory. The move to GDDR5 allowed AMD to crank the memory clock speed up a bit, which would have a positive impact on overall performance...

ATI Radeon HD 5500 Series GDDR5 Review

HP Introduces Mini 5103 And Mini 210 Netbooks

HP is definitely on a roll. First comes a slew of new notebooks and a Wireless Adapter, and now the company is issuing a pair of new netbooks. Way to round things off, guys! The newly redesigned Mini 210 is a sleeker, slimmer and more powerful Mini than what you're used to, equipped with built-in Wi-Fi, a webcam, microphone, near-full-size keyboard and a dual-core Intel Atom N550 or Atom N455/N475.

The unit supports DDR3 memory, measures under 1" thick, weighs 3.1lbs. and comes standard with an inline 6-cell battery that is supposedly good for 10.75 hours of battery life. It's available in charcoal, crimson red, lavender frost, luminous rose and ocean drive. It has a 10.1" display, and it's equipped with the Broadcom Crystal HD Enhanced Video Accelerator (optional) for superior HD movie playback.

If you need something even slimmer, there's the Mini 5103, which weighs just 2.64lbs. and supports the Atom N550, N455 and N475. It also supports DDR3 memory and comes in standard or touch-enabled versions. This one also has a 10.1" LED display with a couple of resolution options, as well as an optional Broadcom HD video decoder card, 95% full-size keyboard and a 4- or 6-cell battery. The Mini 210 is currently shipping in the U.S. with a starting price of $329, while the 5103 is as well with a starting price of $399.

HP Updates Mini Notebooks with New Colors, Stylish Designs

PALO ALTO, Calif., Sep 01, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- HP /quotes/comstock/13*!hpq/quotes/nls/hpq (HPQ 38.45, -0.11, -0.29%) today enhanced its award-winning portfolio of mini notebook PCs with new products that span consumer, business and education markets.

With thin, striking designs, the new models are engineered to provide an unsurpassed customer experience:

-- The redesigned HP Mini 210, an affordable companion PC, gives consumers all-day computing, optional high-definition (HD) video playback(1,2) and a broad range of color options in a new slim and stylish design.

-- The HP Mini 5103, HP's latest touch-enabled mini notebook,(2,3) is designed for students and mobile professionals alike. It incorporates the latest dual-core Intel(R) Atom processorand features an all-metal case in a new espresso color.

"HP Minis have no equal when it comes to industrial design, use of innovative materials and overall feature sets," said Ted Clark, senior vice president and general manager, Notebook Global Business Unit, Personal Systems Group, HP. "With these additions to the HP Mini portfolio, customers have a broad choice of sleek companion PCs that allow them to stay more easily connected to the people and digital content that is important to them."

HP Mini 210

The HP Mini 210 is the ideal companion PC for the mobile consumer, providing all-day computing(4) in an ultra-portable and stylish design.

Created for consumers who surf the web, check email, listen to music, and need access to friends, family or information while on the go, the Mini 210 includes built-in WLAN,(5) webcam, microphone and a nearly full-sized, island-style keyboard. It also is offered with the optional new dual-core Intel Atom processor N550, in addition to the Intel Atom N455 and N475 processors,(6) all of which support DDR3 memory.

Less than 1-inch thin and weighing 3.1 pounds,(7) the Mini 210 comes standard with an inline six-cell battery(2) that provides up to 10.75 hours of battery life(4) and fits flush, complementing the overall design.

The Mini 210 is available in a choice of five HP Imprint finishes: charcoal, crimson red, lavender frost, luminous rose and ocean drive.

An optional 10.1-inch diagonal HD display and optional Broadcom Crystal HD Enhanced Video Accelerator enables smooth 720p and 1080p HD content(1,2) playback and video streaming from popular websites, allowing users to experience their own personal multiplex. Dolby Advanced Audio delivers optimal playback for movies, music and gaming.

New software enhances the HP Mini 210's multimedia experience:

-- HP Media Suite provides one location to easily organize, store and play multimedia content such as music, photos and videos.

-- Evernote note-taking software allows users to quickly capture and search for notes.

Additionally, HP QuickSync(8) makes it easy to automatically synchronize files with a home PC over a wireless connection. HP QuickWeb(9) allows users to access the web in seconds without booting up the notebook.

HP Navigator, included with the optional global positioning system (GPS),(10) provides general mapping, route planning, points of interest and voice-guided navigation.(11)

HP Mini 5103

With a starting weight of only 2.64 pounds,(7) the HP Mini 5103 is a full-performance companion PC designed for mobile professionals as well as K-12 and higher-education students. The HP Mini 5103 supports the Atom N550, Intel's latest dual-core processor, in addition to the new Atom N455 and N475 processors,(6) all of which support DDR3 memory.

Available in standard or touch-enabled versions,(3) the HP Mini 5103 features a sturdy, lightweight, anodized-aluminum display enclosure with a brushed, espresso-colored finish. It also includes an optional handle for easy transport.(2)

The HP Mini 5103 features a spacious, functional, 95 percent of full size QWERTY keyboard plus a touchpad, providing an optimal experience for email, instant messagingand other text-driven applications.(12) The optional touchscreen allows users to work intuitively and quickly, through multitouch gestures, finger taps and swipes across the screen, providing easier navigation of applications, information and websites.(2,3)

The HP Mini 5103 features a large, 10.1-inch diagonal LED display, available in either WSVGA or HDresolutions.(1,2) When equipped with the Broadcom HD video decoder card, the HP Mini 5103 can play back high-resolution 720p and 1080p HD video content from the most advanced video websites.(1,2)

Customers can choose either a four-cell battery for lighter weight or optional six-cell battery for longer battery life.(2) When configured with the optional six-cell battery, the HP Mini 5103 delivers up to 10 hours and 15 minutes of battery runtime.(4)

The HP Mini 5103 also includes HP DayStarter,(13) a software program that allows users to get a head start on the day's activities through a customized 12-hour calendar display that offers quick access to appointments and battery status, all while Windows(R) boots.

Accessories, pricing and availability(14)

Matching accessories are available for HP Minis such as durable, neoprene mini sleeves, which include a plush interior lining and help safeguard against everyday use. Matching mice include advanced 2.4 GHz wireless technology(5) for less interference and a longer range of operation. Prices for the accessories start at $19.99.

For the HP Mini 5103, the HP USB 2.0 Docking Station uses universal USB technology to pass through critical signals such as video and LAN and connect with peripherals such as a keyboard, mouse or printer. Since USB is a widely adopted industry standard, the HP USB Docking Station 2.0 is ideal for mini or notebook computers that don't have an integrated docking connector. Users can simply plug the dock into the USB port and extend their mini or notebook capabilities for a true desktop experience.

The HP LAN and USB Travel Hub is an affordable, compact hub designed to go anywhere. Measuring only 2.36 inches x 2.36 inches, it fits easily into a carrying case, backpack or even a pocket. It also can be plugged directly into a notebook with the built-in USB 2.0 cable, enabling users to access up to four USB 2.0 ports and a RJ-45 LAN port.

The HP Mini 210 is currently available in the United States with a starting price of $329.

The HP Mini 5103 is currently available in the United States with a starting price of $399.

About HP

HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world's largest technology company, HP brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure to solve customer problems. More information about HP is available at http://www.hp.com.Â

HP Intros Envy 17 3D, Pavilion dm3 And Beats Envy 14 Notebooks

Don't ever accuse HP of not being on top of things. The computer company has just revealed quite a few new machines tonight, with a couple of them being firsts of their kind. Of course, a new line of notebooks wouldn't be a new line of notebooks without a bit of 3D mixed in, and the HP Envy 17 3D offers just that. It's the first 17" notebook to support 1080p 3D and Blu-ray, and that's just the beginning. Internally, this one features a Core i7 CPU, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 graphics and up to 2TB of storage.

The HP Envy 14 Beats Edition is the same HP Envy 14 the world knows and loves, but with a special audio tweak by Dr. Dre and friends that supposedly makes the sound quality Beatalicious. It also ships with a pair of Beats by Dr. Dre Solo headphones, for what it's worth, and it offers up to 13 hours of battery life with the optional Slim Fit Extended battery. If you're in need of something a bit less wild, the tamer 13.3" Pavilion dm3 features a smaller footprint and a new HP-developed intelligent cooling system to minimize heat and provide consumers with advanced comfort. Our question is why don't all HP notebooks have this cooling technology? One of the most frustrating things about using a full-size notebook these days is just how hot they become with even moderate use, so we're anxiously hoping that HP brings this new cooling tech to the rest of their lineup as soon as possible.

And we all know new notebooks just wouldn't be complete without an accessory or two, so HP's also introducing the Wireless TV Connect, which when paired with a compatible notebook, allows users to stream 1080p HD Blu-ray content from their machine to their TV. Full details on all of the machines (and the accessory) are below.

HP Unveils Stylish New Consumer Notebook PCs Featuring Advanced 3-D and Cooling Technologies

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- HP today revealed new consumer notebook PCs that fuse advanced technologies with stylish designs to deliver a superior computing experience.

Â Â Â * For maximum sensory appeal, HP delivers the thrill of 3-D entertainment to the HP ENVY 17 3D â€“ the first 17-inch notebook PC to support 1080p 3-D and Blu-ray â€“ and superb audio to the HP ENVY 14 Beatsâ„¢ Edition.
Â Â Â * The HP Pavilion dm3 notebook PC features an HP-developed intelligent cooling system to minimize heat and provide consumers with advanced comfort.
Â Â Â * HP Wireless TV Connect allows customers to wirelessly experience 1080p high-definition (HD) Blu-ray multimedia content.

â€œWith these new technology and design enhancements, we are offering customers visually stunning entertainment and an overall better computing experience,â€ said Kevin Frost, vice president and general manager, Consumer Notebooks, Personal Systems Group, HP. â€œThese new HP notebooks and accessories deliver breakthrough technology, power and advanced styling to satisfy the most discerning user.â€

HP ENVY 17 3D

With advanced 3-D technology as well as Beats Audio and an HP Triple Bass Reflex subwoofer, the HP ENVY 17 3D has the power and performance to deliver an unbelievable entertainment experience â€“ just like in movie theaters.

Offering the best stereoscopic 3-D(1) visual experience without compromising 2-D content, the 17.3-inch HP 3D Ultra BrightView Display provides crisp, 1080p full HD(2) viewing and an ideal visual experience for 3-D Blu-ray content.

HP 3D Active Shutter Glasses provide a seamless viewing experience by wirelessly synchronizing each frame of the 3-D content between the display and the glasses, enabling a higher quality image.

Included content allows customers to experience instant 3-D gratification. As part of HPâ€™s ongoing partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA), select models include sizzling 3-D action from the 2010 NBA All-Star Game. Additionally a 3-D movie trailer for the upcoming animated film â€œMEGAMINDâ€ from DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. is included.

Crafted in precision-etched brushed aluminum, the HP ENVY 17 3D offers a sleek and stylish exterior to match its powerful interior.

With up to 2 terabytes(3) of storage capacity, powerful quad-core IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i7 processors(4) and ATI Mobility Radeonâ„¢ HD 5850 discrete graphics, the HP ENVY 17 3D has the horsepower and flexibility to handle the most demanding tasks simultaneously.

The HP ENVY 17 3D also offers an immersive visual experience with ATI Eyefinity Technology for multiple external display support.

HP ENVY 14 Beats Edition

HP ENVY 14 Beats Edition is designed and engineered to offer power and performance along with state-of-the-art audio technology and an overall superior PC experience.

This Beats Edition notebook includes Beats Audio, a unique, high-performance technology developed by HP and Beats by Dr. Dreâ„¢ to provide the optimal sound experience â€“ the way the artist intended it â€“ when playing music or audio through headphones or external speakers.

In a sleek and soft-touch, precision-crafted aluminum design, the HP ENVY 14 Beats Edition maintains the signature Beats Audio black and red design style and includes a red backlit keyboard and three custom Beats-themed wallpapers.

To take advantage of its powerful performance and entertainment capabilities, the HP ENVY 14 Beats Edition â€“ as well as the HP ENVY 17 â€“ includes Adobe PhotoshopÂ® Elements 8 and AdobeÂ® Premiere Elements 8 software for photo and video editing on select models.

Offering up to 6.5 hours of battery life with the standard battery, and up to 13 hours with the optional HP Slim Fit Extended-Life battery,(5) the HP ENVY 14 Beats Edition includes powerful Intel Core processors and ATI Mobility Radeon HD(2) 5650 graphics for demanding tasks.

Each HP ENVY 14 Beats Edition comes with Beats by Dr. Dre Soloâ„¢ Headphones from Monster with ControlTalkâ„¢, and additional headphones may be purchased. Beats Solos have an advanced driver design for precise audio clarity.

Beats Audio was developed in collaboration with legendary artist and producer Dr. Dre and chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records and Beats co-founder Jimmy Iovine. Unveiled last October in the first Beats Edition notebook, Beats Audio also is available on all HP ENVY premium notebooks as well as the HP Pavilion dv7 and HP TouchSmart 600.

HP Pavilion dm3

Thin and light, the HP Pavilion dm3 notebook PC is literally a cool notebook. Innovative HP CoolSense Technology combines advanced hardware and intelligent cooling software to pioneer a notebook that feels noticeably cooler and automatically adjusts cooling levels according to a customerâ€™s personal preferences.

Advanced materials â€“ metal alloys, soft-touch paint and non-conductive surfaces â€“ plus strategically placed vents minimize heat and channel it away from the bottom of the PC for optimal comfort.

HP Thermal Assistant software detects how the PC is being used â€“ for example, around the house or on a desk â€“ and an accelerometer automatically shifts into either a maximum cooling mode or maximum performance mode based on the customerâ€™s choice.

With HP Fences, users can effortlessly organize desktop multimedia content, such as photos, music and videos, by categories, then access them quickly, keeping the desktop uncluttered.

The HP Pavilion dm3 includes a 13.3-inch diagonal HD(2) display, an island-style keyboard with optional backlit feature and a stylish and durable metal finish with soft-touch surfaces in matte black.

Offering up to 7.5 hours of battery life(5) and measuring less than 1-inch thin, the HP Pavilion dm3 gives consumers the ideal balance of mobility and performance in an affordable, slim and light notebook PC.

HP Wireless TV Connect

Complementing HPâ€™s PC portfolio, HP Wireless TV Connect allows customers to wirelessly stream 1080p HD multimedia content, such as Blu-ray movies, videos and photos, from the notebook PC to a TV or home entertainment center without the clutter of audio or video cables.

By simply connecting the PC adapter to the notebook PC and connecting the TV adapter to the HDTV via HDMI, users have the freedom to experience 1080p HD content without a timelag between the notebook PC and the display and without installing software. HP Wireless TV Connect fully supports protected content such as Blu-ray and DVD movies.

Additionally, the notebook adapter is powered off the USB port, freeing up the user to sit anywhere in the room. The Wireless TV Connect functions with almost any notebook PC with an HDMI port.

Pricing and availability(6)

The HP ENVY 14 Beats Edition and HP Pavilion dm3 are currently available in the United States with the following starting prices:

Â Â Â * HP ENVY 14 Beats Edition: $1,249
Â Â Â * HP Pavilion dm3: $549

The HP ENVY 17 3D is expected to be available this holiday season with pricing to be determined. Additional information about the HP ENVY 17 3D is available at www.hp.com/go/ENVY.

The HP Wireless TV Connect accessory is expected to be available in the United States next month with a starting price of $199.

Starting today, customers can reserve an HP ENVY 17 3D or an HP Wireless TV Connect by calling +1 800 230 5752.

Additional information is available at www.hp.com/personal.

Christmas in July! Eyefinity contest prize unboxing
Hi all,
I apologize for the delay in getting these posted. I wanted to wait until I had Eyefinity up and running, but there was a slight delay getting the dongle for the 3rd monitor. All is well now, though, so without further ado:
The packages arrive!

ASUS 23" monitor, 1 of 3 !

The ASUS Matrix 5870!

ASUS Matrix 5870 product packaging. Lots of graphs and charts, but you had me at "hello":

ASUS Matrix 5870, ready for it's closeup:

Rest easy, the 5870 has a good home. More pics of the full build to come:

Rushed out and got a Logitech G27 and Dirt2 to complete the experience:

Thursday, September 2, 2010

IT News HeadLines (HotHardware) 02/09/2010

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