AMDs first embedded APU launches
AMD has been working towards APUs and processors that I have integrated graphics and CPUs for a long time now. The company has announced that it has launched its first embedded G-Series APU as of today. The Fusion tech inside the new APU uses a combination of a low-power x86CPU based on the Bobcat core and a GPU core.
Along with that Bobcat core comes a DirectX 11 enabled GPU as well that can deliver 3D and graphics processing without needing a separate GPU. The processor has power management features with C6 and power gating along with support for DDR 800 to 1066 memory. The APU can have a single or dual CPU cores inside and has a 9W or 18W TDP depending on the cores inside. It has a third gen unified decoder and has a physical footprint of 890mm square.
Those dimensions include the AMD Fusion I/O controller Hub. "AMD's commitment is to ensure the game-changing technologies we develop for consumers and the enterprise are also available for the vast and growing embedded market," said Patrick Patla, corporate vice president and general manager, Server and Embedded Division, AMD.
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Playboy Magazine coming to iPad in March, uncensored
Steve Jobs has already said that he doesn't want porn on Apple devices but some Tweets from Hugh Hefner of Playboy fame have surfaced today that point to a change of heart at Cupertino. Apparently, all issues of Playboy from the start of the publication up to current issues will be coming to the iPad this March.
That means that users will be able to get issues going back to the founding of the publication in the 1950's. The catch here is that with the stipulation that no porn will be on the iPad and Hef saying the mag will be uncensored, what sort of deal has been worked out and will more porn apps be coming to the App Store as well.
Mashable reports that the current Playboy app has no full frontal nudity in it. I wonder if the pics will only be ones from the issues that have no frontal nudity. Those could be uncensored and still meet the guidelines in use now. I also wonder if it will include the articles so you will have an excuse for buying the app if someone asks.
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TweakTown Commander rig gets a solid update
Itchin' to build yourself a fully decked out new rig now that Intel has dished up Sandy Bridge? - Let us help guide you with our well balanced "Commander" PC that we've just updated with some of the latest and greatest parts.
Keeping the overall cost under $2000 USD, we've suited the Commander up with a new CPU, motherboard and RAM, whilst also adding in an extra SSD for RAID 0 goodness.
For the full detailed list of components with updated pricing for the Commander, click here.
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Download of the Day: SmartFTP 4.0.1160.0
Our Download of the Day today is SmartFTP 4.0.1160.0.
SmartFTP is an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) client which allows you to transfer files between your local computer and a server on the Internet. With its many basic and advanced features SmartFTP also offers secure, reliable and efficient transfers that make it a powerful tool.
SmartFTP can be used for:
• Web site publishing and maintenance
• Upload and download of images, documents, movie and music files
• Share your files with your friends and coworkers
• Backups of local or remote files
SmartFTP offers these features:
• Quickly rename multiple files.
• Search your hard drive in the Local Browser (Windows Vista and higher)
The latest version includes the following changes:
Changes in Version 4.0.1160.0
* Fix: Text Editor: Cursor position with auto indent
* Fix: Multi Upload: Drop of Favorites to Multi Upload
* Browser: Performance and memory improvements for shell browser
* File Exist Dialogs: Added access keys (Alt+D and Alt+S)
* Windows XP: SP3 is required
* Scheduler: Added sort in view
* Other internal changes
* Text Editor: Added option to disable fly-by toolbar
* Scheduler: Queue Item Action: Added "Guarantee serialized execution" option.
* Fix: Favorites Properties: Use Default Settings option was available for the default favorite
* Fix: FTP: If compression was set to auto for uploads, compression was never used
* Fix: Custom commands: Restore defaults
* Fix: Favorites: Browsing to shared favorite folders (Settings: Favorites) did not work
* Fix: Browser: File Exist dialog did not display file/folders that contained & correctly
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Deal of the Day: Patriot PSD32G13332 PC10600 1333Mhz 2GB DDR3 Desktop Memory for $9.99 after Rebate!
Our Deal of the Day today is the Tiger Direct - Patriot PSD32G13332 PC10600 1333Mhz 2GB DDR3 Desktop Memory for $9.99 after Rebate!.
Offer: Get a single 2GB stick of PC10600 1333Mhz DDR3 SDRAM for just $9.99 after $10 rebate (expiring 1/19/11). Choose economy shipping in your cart, and the shipping charge drops to $1.99.
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Nintendo 3DS will most likely be region locked
Those who are either world travelers or like to buy Japan-only titles through any means necessary will be a little disappointed that Nintendo will most likely be including region-lock software on the Nintendo 3DS.
According to a statement by Nintendo, "there is the possibility that Nintendo 3DS software sold in one region will not function properly when running on Nintendo 3DS hardware sold in another." This doesn't rule out game publishers making their 3DS games region free, so it may depend on the title whether you can play world-wide or not.
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Twitter now available in Korean
Twitter.comis now supporting its seventh international language: Korean. Korean joins English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish as officially supported languages on the popular social networking site.
Twittier has also partnered with the web portal Daum and telcom service LG+ to make Tiwtter available on SMS as well for full access to Korean users. The South Korean userbase has grown 10x over last year, even without official language support. More languages are coming as 2011 rolls on, although the ones in the works have not been made official yet.
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HTML5 has a new logo, looks pimp, pinches itself and says so
HTML5 has been given a makeover with a new dedicated logo from it's parent organization, the W3C. The new logo (to me) looks like something a superhero would put on their chest.
W3C has talked about the logo, saying "It stands strong and true, resilient and universal as the markup you write. It shines as bright and as bold as the forward-thinking, dedicated web developers you are. It's the standard's standard, a pennant for progress. And it certainly doesn't use tables for layout."
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Kinect developer Johnny Chung Lee leaves Microsoft for Google
Infamous Wii-hacker Johnny Chung Lee has left Microsoft after working for them with Project Natal (now known as Kinect). Johnny worked for Microsoft for three years working on human tracking algorithms for the Kinect within the Microsoft Applied Science group.
He has jumped ship to Google and is taking a position as a "Rapid Evaluator" - what this is, I do not know, but it could be a big win for Google's rumored Gaming portal.
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NVIDIA unleashes WHQL-certified GeForce 266.58 drivers
NVIDIA has released WHQL-certified drivers in the form of version 266.58 - the usual fixes and performance enhancements apply in games like Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Far Cry 2, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and many others.
The new drivers also include ambient occlusion support for StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty which improves the quality of lighting, shadows and depth perception in many parts of the game. Along with the various performance increases in games there's also NVIDIA Surround improvements and more SLI profiles for various games.
Updated PhysX System Software, 3D Vision support for various games and applications, 3D Vision game profiles and support for devices such as 3D LCD monitors, projects and all-in-one PC's are also included.
Choose your driver and Windows flavor below:
Windows XP 32-bit
Windows XP 64-bit
Windows Vista/7 32-bit
Windows Vista/7 64-bit
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Portal 2 to be cross-platform, PS3, PC and Mac
Sony and Valve have finished shaking hands and the results of this is a win-win situation for all gamers, console and PC, oh and even Mac! An owner of the PS3 can buy Portal 2 which will have full Steam integration, with it comes a free copy of Portal 2 for PC and Mac OS X.
This is achieved by linking your PlayStation Network and Steam accounts, you'll also have the ability to chat and play with friends on the PC and Mac versions of the game. The game saves will be kept in the cloud also which means they can be accessed from any system.
"We made a promise to gamers at E3 that Portal 2 for the PlayStation 3 would be the best console version of the product," said Gabe Newell, cofounder and president of Valve. "Working together with Sony we have identified a set of features we believe are very compelling to gamers. We hope to expand upon the foundation being laid in Portal 2 with more Steam features and functionality in DLC and future content releases."
Project lead on Portal 2 at Valve, Josh Weier said "PS3 gamers will be able to simply drop the Blu-Ray disc in the PS3, link to their Steam account from inside the game, and all their Steam friends (on PC and Mac) will be visible and accessible for chat and game invites."
If this is the future of console and PC gaming, I'm quite happy with it. This is how it should've been done from the beginning and I hope this is a sign of things to come.
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SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-I memory card unveiled
SanDisk is huge in the flash storage market with all manner of flash drives and memory cards for digital cameras and other devices. When it comes to shooting lots of high-resolution images in fast bursts using high-end DSLR cameras a slow memory card will really mess things up for the camera user. SanDisk has announced a new memory card that promises to be fast and deliver all the speed that people with fancy cameras need.
The new memory card from SanDisk is called the Extreme Pro SDHC UHS-I and it promises up to 45MB/sec read and write speeds. The specification also cause for a minimum of 10MB/s continuous write speed. To take advantage of the speed the card offers the user needs to be shooting with a UHS-enabled Digital camera like the Nikon D7000.
The video card will also work well for writing large file size HD video and even 3D video according to SanDisk. The card uses a proprietary Power Core controller to hit the fast speeds it is capable of. The cards will be offering 8GB to 32GB capacities with prices ranging from $109.99 to $349.99 and they are available right now.
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Cool 15.6-inch LCD is powered by a USB port
LCDs that get connectivity for video and power from a single USB port aren't new. They have been around for a while now and are often used by folks with notebooks and netbooks to get a larger screen in the office and on the go. The thing that most of the users USB-powered screens have in common is that they tend to be small with screens 10-inches and under in size.
A new LCD has surfaced from a Japanese company called Green House dubbed the GH-USD16K that has a very large 15.6-inch screen. It's not that a 15.6-inch LCD is big by any means, but when you consider that the LCD gets all the power it needs to operate and the connectivity for video from a single USB port the screen is huge.
The power sipping nature of the screen is what allows it to operate on a USB port. The screen needs only 5W to operate and you can hook as many as six of the screens to one computer. The resolution is 1366 x 768 and it has a 400:1 contrast ratio. The screen has a brightness rating of 220cd/m2 and has a Japanese price that works out to about $215 in the US. There is no word on availability outside if Japan.
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Is the Nintendo 3DS making users sick?
When it comes to 3D movies and content some people just can't stand the stuff. This isn't always just because they aren't fans of 3D; some people really can't watch 3D content without getting sick. I know a few people who never see 3D films because they get dizzy and feel bad. Reports are coming in that Nintendo held a showcase for the new 3DS console in Japan recently and journalists covering the show claim that some people got ill from playing the 3DS.
One of the publications is called Friday and is described by Kotaku as a tabloid. According to the author of the story in the Friday publication, several people using the 3DS at the show complained of feeling ill. In fact, the author of the story in the tabloid said he felt "seasick." Friday wasn't the only publication on hand that noted some folks felt sick.
Nikkei was there and did a video interview with one user who complained that after a minute of play, his eyes felt "tired", but he noted he could "bear it" and kept playing. I would say that 3D on the 3DS will be no different than 3D on other mediums and will cause some folks discomfort.
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Epson announces new G6000 series projectors
Epson has announced a new line of projectors that will slot into its range of education offerings that have some nice new features. The projectors should be perfectly acceptable for other uses in the home and office too. The new line includes the D6150, G6155W, and the D6250. The three projectors have many common features like a filter life of 10,000 hours and a lamp life of 5,000 hours.
The D6150 has 3500 lumens of color and white light output and XGA resolution. The D6155W has the same 3500 lumens of light output and has WXGA resolution. The D6250 bumps the brightness up to 4,000 lumens and has a XGA resolution. The projectors have the same connectivity with HDMI, USB plug and play, sound and mouse support over one cable, and the ability to give presentations directly from USB drives.
The projectors also have integrated Ethernet connectivity and can be fitted with an optional WiFi adapter for wireless networking. Side-by-side screen tech is built-in and the projectors have lots of adjustability for screen settings. Lenses used on the projectors have 1.6x optical zoom and the projectors use 3LCD tech for image quality. The 6150 will sell for $1649, the 6155W sells for $1799, and the D6250 sells for $1799 with all three shipping in April.
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Silver Bullet flash drive from AMP won't get you drunk
Flash drives are one of those things that are so common today that most of us have a bunch of them lying around that we use when needed. There are a lot of folks out there that like to collect flash drives, especially of the novelty variety that Active Media Products is famous for. The company has unveiled a new larger-than-life .22 caliber silver bullet flash drive.
The drive looks like a .22 bullet with a silver colored case. The flash drive is much larger than a tiny .22 though with dimensions of 2.6" x 0.6". Like all flash drives, most computers won't need drivers to use the storage device. It will work on USB 2.1 and 1.1 ports on Mac and PC computers.
The drive is plug-and-play capable and has a metal case that is rugged and shock resistant. The case also has a rubber seal that keeps water from getting to the storage media inside the bullet case. You can order the Silver Bullet USB Drive on Amazon right now with a 4GB version for $13.95 and an 8GB version for $20.95.
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Download of the Day: FastStone Image Viewer 4.3
Our Download of the Day today is FastStone Image Viewer 4.3.
FastStone Image Viewer is a fast, stable, user-friendly image browser, converter and editor. It has a nice array of features that include image viewing, management, comparison, red-eye removal, emailing, resizing, cropping and color adjustments.
Its innovative but intuitive full-screen mode provides quick access to EXIF information, thumbnail browser and major functionalities via hidden toolbars that pop up when your mouse touches the four edges of the screen.
Other features include a high quality magnifier and a musical slideshow with 150+ transitional effects, as well as lossless JPEG transitions, drop shadow effects, image annotation, scanner support, histogram and much more.
It supports all major graphic formats:
• BMP
• JPEG
• JPEG 2000
• animated GIF
• PNG
• PCX
• TIFF
• WMF
• ICO
• TGA
It also supports popular digital camera RAW formats:
• CRW
• CR2
• NEF
• PEF
• RAF
• MRW
• ORF
• SRF
• DNG
The latest version includes the following changes:
Changes in Version 4.3
- Added Clone Stamp and Healing Brush
- Added "Auto-Adjust Colors" to Colors menu.
- Added "Adjust Lighting" to lighten or darken shadows and highlights
- Added "Adjust Levels"
- Added "Adjust Curves"
- Added USM (Unsharp Mask) option to Sharpen/Blur
- Added Sketch and Oil Painting effects
- Added outward-pointing tails to text objects in Draw Board
- Now images in Slide Show Builder, Multi-page File Builder, Image Strip Builder and Email list can be drag-and-dropped to rearrange the order
- Supported EPS format by displaying the preview image
- Updated the RAW format library. Sony SR2 raw format is supported
- Improved memory management to handle larger images
- Other minor bug fixes and improvements
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Deal of the Day: 13.3" LED-backlit Ultraportable Dell Vostro V13 Laptop with Intel Core 2 Duo ULV, 2GB Memory, 320GB HD, Wireless-N, Webcam, Bluetooth, Verizon Broadband, and More for $399 plus $8 Shipping
Our Deal of the Day today is the Dell Small Business - 13.3" LED-backlit Ultraportable Dell Vostro V13 Laptop with Intel Core 2 Duo ULV, 2GB Memory, 320GB HD, Wireless-N, Webcam, Bluetooth, Verizon Broadband, and More for $399 plus $8 Shipping!.
Offer: Dell has an incredible price on their thin (0.65" thick), light (3.5lb) 13.3" LED-backlit Vostro V13 at just $399 after $345 instant discount: 13.3" LED-backlit Dell Vostro V13 ultraportable laptop with 1.3Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo ULV SU7300, 2GB DDR3 SDRAM, 320GB 7200RPM hard drive, 802.11b/g/n wireless, 1.3MP webcam, Bluetooth, Verizon Wireless Broadband Built-in, 6-Cell LiOh battery, Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit, and 1 year warranty. Shipping comes out to just $8 too. While this was scheduled to expire 11/17/11 at 11AM CT, it looks like they've extended it. We're unsure of when the new expiration is.
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Music Unlimited from Nokia cut from most markets
One service that many Nokia customers are used to getting with their phones is Ovi Music Unlimited, a service that allows free music downloads and is backed by some major players like Vivendi's Universal Music, EMI, Warner Music Group and Sony. Well, it seems the service isn't as popular as Nokia would like and it is being cut from most worldwide markets.
Apparently the fact that the music had DRM that locked any music that was downloaded to that specific device doesn't go over very well with customers, especially with so many other DRM-free options available. Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Turkey and South Africa are among the markets that will still have the service available. Current users in markets that are losing the service will still have access to downloaded tracks, and Nokia's music store will still be available for those who want to download DRM-free tunes.
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A behind the scenes look at how Lexar makes their products
Found this video on my daily troll of websites, a behind the scenes look at Lexar (a division of Micron) and their production process. Micron is the only chip manufacturing plant in the US and more specifically it's in Ohio.
The video is great, little facts amaze me like, the plant's clean room is 100 times cleaner than a hospitals operating room. Crazy fact! It also shows just how much work can go into something so small.
The YouTube details also say that the entire video was shot on the Canon 5D Mark II DSLR with 32GB Lexar Professional 600x CF cards.
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Steve Jobs takes medical leave of absence from Apple
It looks like Apple CEO Steve Jobs is off to battle another nemesis, and it's not the PC or competing tablets. Jobs announced to his employees this morning that he is taking a medical leave of absence from Apple, leaving Tim Cook to handle the day to day operations at Apple.
You can say what you want about Jobs, but you can't say he isn't tough. His previous medical history includes a bout with Pancreatic Cancer in 2004 and a liver transplant in 2009, both of which he fully recovered from. No specifics were relased about the reason for the latest leave of absence, but more may be released during Apple's Q4 and 2010 earnings release tomorrow.
The full memo from Jobs: (Courtesy of TechCrunch:)
Team,
At my request, the board of directors has granted me a medical leave of absence so I can focus on my health. I will continue as CEO and be involved in major strategic decisions for the company.
I have asked Tim Cook to be responsible for all of Apple's day to day operations. I have great confidence that Tim and the rest of the executive management team will do a terrific job executing the exciting plans we have in place for 2011.
I love Apple so much and hope to be back as soon as I can. In the meantime, my family and I would deeply appreciate respect for our privacy.
Steve
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GeForce GTX560 Ti gets spotted, Gigabyte branded
Titanium, it's back. NVIDIA are set to launch the GeForce GTX560 range any day now and Gigabyte are one of the first to be pictured running the old moniker of "Ti". The Gigabyte model number is GV-N560OC-1GI - the card is based off of the GF114 GPU, with 384 CUDA cores and 1GB of GDDR5 memory.
The card doesn't look that much different to a GTX460 and rumor has it that the GF114 is pin-compatible with GF104 which means R&D costs would be down, and a simple slot in GPU and BIOS is added and voila, GTX560 powah.
Gigabyte's GV-N560OC-1GI is an overclocked model and Gigabyte is also saying their GTX560 Ti will be competitive against the red teams Radeon HD 6950. Not long now folks!
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FastMac begins shipping wall outlets with included USB sockets
It's been announced, delayed due to "safety concerns," and pushed back some more, but it looks like the FastMac U-Socket outlet is ready to make itself available to the world. This outlet, which provides standard (U.S.) 110V power along with two handy USB ports for your electronic device charging needs, is officially now available from FastMac.
Apparently demand is high because although shipping has started today, the site is giving a 4-5 week turnaround time for new orders. Apparently no harder to install than a regular wall socket, this will be a great addition to any wall which is plagued by the huge AC adapters for things like smartphones that we all know and hate. Order one now for $20; if you're lucky you'll have it in time for Valentine's Day.
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A video tour of the HP Smart Home at the Cupertino Campus
After the craziness that was CES in Las Vegas earlier this month, I headed on up north west to San Francisco where I had the chance to meet up with several big players in the tech industry. One of them was HP who invited me to their Cupertino campus to take a video tour of their impressive Smart Home.
What is the Smart Home? It's literally a house that sits in one of the parking lots and is used as a very effective way to showcase the latest and greatest products to come from HP. It was first setup and displayed several years ago at CES in Las Vegas as a means to show customers and media a true to life implementation of connected HP technologies inside the home.
The decision was made to send the house back to HP's Cupertino campus in California and set it up permanently. After what sounded like endless back and forth with the local city government, HP gained approval for the home to be placed in an area usually reserved for industrial use. They did have to promise that nobody would sleep in the fully functional home and then they were good to go.
These days the Smart Home is manned by a friendly chap named Josh Schoonmaker who carries the title of Smart Home Manager and it's his job to keep the candy topped up around the house to make sure all guests maintain a good blood sugar level during their visit. Well, that and Josh carries out anywhere up to four or five tours per day and makes sure everything in the house is working as it should. And as you will soon see, that is no easy task with up to $300,000 worth of HP tech goodies inside the house at any time.
The house is split up into rooms as you'd imagine which each effectively showcase different user scenarios that allow HP to show off their latest products that fit in each environment. Each room is interconnected with a Home Control panel that allows essential functions of the house to be controlled from anywhere, including things like lights, audio, alarm and security cameras.
In the video below we take you through each section of the house including the living room, kitchen, child's room, home office, master bedroom and the "media closet". Down below you will also find our photo gallery that has plenty of photos from our visit.
We hope you enjoyed our video tour of the HP Smart Home. I would like to thank Josh, Ann and Ken for their time and hospitability during my visit.
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MSI GeForce GTX 580 1536 MB in SLI Overclocked
Introduction
NVIDIA jumped to the top of our TPR graphs when we posted our GTX 580 in SLI article. It wasn't a surprise, as in single form the GTX 580 1536MB is faster than the HD 6970 2GB. Scaling for NVIDIA has always been strong and while I think AMD have pretty much caught up with both companies offering nearly 100% gains in some areas, NVIDIA still has the raw power of the GTX 580 on their side.
We came to two conclusions really when we tested the GTX 580 in SLI. It's DAMN FAST! - And it's going to play pretty much anything you throw at it, at any resolution, at any level of detail.
So you ask; why bother overclocking a setup so fast? Well, for starters, because we can. Mainly, though, for the simple reason we love power. Overclocking gives us more of that and we want to find out exactly how much more. For so many people a single GTX 580, GTX 570, or HD 6900 series is probably more than enough performance at stock. We ultimately overclock for the same reason people buy two, three or even four of these high end models. We love performance!
Overclocking
When we overclocked the MSI GTX 580 by itself we ended up with a core clock of 900MHz and memory clock of 4200MHz QDR. Now, we know that when we add a second card into the mix we tend not to be able to get the same kind of overclock due to the added heat from running two cards together.
Just for the fun of it, though, we made that our starting point and thought we'd work backwards.
When we set that and ran a full loop of Vantage without an issue, we were pleasantly surprised. Just to make sure everything was ok, I fired up Heaven. This is a great benchmark for testing overclocks; the large pressure on the tessellation engine and just the general intensity of the benchmark means if it can pass this, it'll pass everything.
1680 x 1050 and 1920 x 1200 both completed without an issue. Moving higher on the clocks, we ran into some problems, but at the same clocks we got for the single card, the setup ran perfectly.
What we ended up with were the same clocks which are 900 MHz on the core, 1800 MHz on the Shader and 4200 MHz QDR on the 1536MB of GDDR5 memory; a nice increase from the reference 772 MHz / 1544 MHz / 4008 MHz QDR setup.
Of course, we like to double check that SLI is enabled and you can see in the above GPU-Z screenshot it is. Hopefully the overclock will help yield us a nice performance increase, so let's get into our test system to find out.
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The State of Solid State in 2011
Introduction
The picture isn't crystal clear just yet, but at CES we cleared part of the cloud surrounding companies 2011 solid state drive products. At the very least we will see seven new SSD controllers enter the market in 2011. Of those, four are directed at the consumer market and three are enterprise designs. Only time will tell which consumer controllers get converted to enterprise models and vice versa. Of the seven overall, we saw working samples of three and they were all twice as fast as the Crucial RealSSD C300 128GB drive.
2011 isn't all about controllers, though. The types of flash memory will play a more significant role this year. The new flash will make it possible to practically deliver 512GB SSDs while at the same time reducing the cost of SSDs across the board. Don't look for price reductions until Q4, though. Just like last year, the controllers will be expensive and companies will need to recoup their tooling costs early in the production runs.
When it comes to pricing, we only heard from one controller manufacturer and he stated that launch prices should be around 20% higher than the products that are on the market now. With SandForce 120GB SSDs dipping down to 200 USD on a good day, we might actually see a 120GB next generation SandForce SSD selling at 240 USD, but for some reason I have my doubts about that fairy tale until late 2011. We will keep our fingers crossed, though.
Today we are going to break down the rumors and facts and divide everything up based on controller manufacturers. Let's dive in and get started.
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Dead Rising 2: Case West Xbox 360 Review
Dead Rising is a funny series. First released exclusively on the Xbox 360, many gamers and possibly even Capcom were unaware as to how successful the series would be. Last year Capcom released Case Zero for Xbox Live Arcade. This served as an introduction to the Dead Rising 2 universe and for five bucks gave you a few hours of good gaming. After the success of Dead Rising 2, Capcom announced they wanted to bring Frank West, the original protagonist, back, and so Case West was born; a game where the storylines of DR1 and DR2 meet. Again, it's on Xbox Live Arcade, but this time for ten bucks. We have mixed feelings about whether the extra five bucks is worth it or not.
Case West picks up right after the end of Dead Rising 2. Chuck has successfully left Fortune City and as well as this proven he was not responsible for the zombie outbreak which occurs in that game. However, Chuck is still not proven innocent. Since the events of the original game, Frank West has been trying to figure out more about the zombie invasion and more specifically, Zombrex, when he comes across someone internal at the Zombrex manufacturer who will provide information. It is up to Frank and Chuck to go to the facility and meet the source to get the information.
There are a few changes to note in Case West that could be a prelude to what Dead Rising 3 (if it exists) may contain. First of all, you still rescue survivors; however, without the help of your aide from Dead Rising 2, you are not radioed missions. Instead, you stumble across them.
Once you reach the survivors you are either sent on a quest (such as finding some body parts they require, or following a note they have left as to where they have gone), or the mission completes instantly. There is no taking survivors back to the safehouse; instead they seem to know where to go. This is a significant improvement to the series where you are no longer trying to baby sit survivors.
Also, Case West plays out over the course of one day instead of three. Due to this, there are only three main cases and most of those cases are very quickly played out. In Case West, more than any other Dead Rising game we found ourselves waiting around checking the time on Chucks watch. Even with the survivor missions you will be waiting around for a long period of time waiting for missions to start.
There are also not as many distractions at Fortune City as the size of the complex is significantly smaller. That said, there are new weapons to check out and new enemies which do mix the gameplay up some, but not enough.
The game itself is quite short as well. We were not expecting a Fortune City style game with huge levels and a lengthy campaign, but for ten bucks I think we can expect more than a three hour playthrough.
The game is also significantly easier than Dead Rising 2. Instead of starting at Level 0, you start at Level 40 and while some of the game does take this into account, you can take more of a beating than you could at the beginning of Dead Rising, and most fans will breeze through this game in one sitting.
The main point to Case West is of course the introduction of Frank West. In multiplayer co-operative mode you can choose to play as Frank, but not in the single player game. Given the focus on Frank as the reason for the downloadable game, this is a puzzling decision. It would be just as easy to have you control Frank and the AI control Chuck, as to what Capcom actually decided, which is the other way around.
The engine of the game is, as expected, that which was used for the Fortune City world, and many of the loading screens still display Fortune City. The graphics are around the same level and not that improved, but given Dead Rising 2 was quite good in the graphics department already, this is not a problem. The script and voice acting can be grating and some of the performances are not good, but in the end they are adequate and keep the game moving along.
Case West is an interesting title. You don't need Dead Rising 2 to play it despite the fact the opening five minutes contains a complete spoiler for the original game. You can come in fresh and play this game and some people who have found certain mechanics of Dead Rising unplayable in the past may find what they want in Dead Rising 2: Case West.
However, for ten bucks it is hard to recommend as the game is quite easy to complete and doesn't last long. Waiting around for missions is also an all too common annoyance in Case West. A real shame.
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Opera chosen by Sony for LCD television and Blu-ray Disc players
Opera chosen by Sony for LCD television and Blu-ray Disc players
Oslo, Norway, and Tokyo, Japan, January 19, 2011
Opera Software today announced to deliver its world-class browser on Sony BRAVIA televisions and Blu-ray Disc (TM) players. Opera aims to deliver more "lean-forward", interactive components to connected home users by offering Opera's solution to Sony's state-of-the-art devices.
The Opera Devices Software Developer Kit (SDK) is the cross-platform, standards-based backbone of Opera for connected TVs and Blu-ray Disc players. As a robust, open platform for creating web-standards-based solutions, Opera Devices SDK forms the ideal foundation for developing full web browsers and user interfaces. Opera brings customization and ease of content distribution to global markets by enabling the delivery of web applications, widgets, full web browsing and emerging standards such as HTML5, HbbTV and OIPF.
Previously, consumers were required to have multiple devices to surf the Internet while watching television. As more connected home electronics devices arrive in living rooms, Internet use is changing. The Internet is becoming more closely connected with people's everyday life, such as the ability to enjoy video on-demand services on television, exchange opinions with friends through social networks about the program they are watching, and buy online directly from their televisions the items seen on TV dramas.
"The Web as we know it is evolving, and we are committed to making it more accessible across diverse devices," said Christen Krogh, Chief Development Officer, Opera Software. "Our ability to address key hybrid broadcast-broadband initiatives in numerous markets makes us a natural fit with Sony. By delivering both a global viewpoint and the necessary technology, we are able to stay on the cutting edge of the industry."
About Opera Software ASA
Opera Software ASA has redefined web browsing for PCs, mobile phones and other networked devices. Opera's cross-platform web-browser technology is renowned for its performance, standards compliance and small size, while giving users a faster, safer and more dynamic online experience. Opera Software is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with offices around the world. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at http://www.opera.com/.
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AMD Delivers the WorldÂ’s First and Only APU for Embedded Systems
AMD Delivers the World's First and Only APU for Embedded Systems
The low-power AMD Embedded G-Series platform uniquely meets today's market trends, provides embedded market a brand new x86 core integrated with GPU and DirectX® 11 support
SUNNYVALE, Calif. —1/19/2011
AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced immediate availability of the new AMD Embedded G-Series processor, the world's first and only Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) for embedded systems. The AMD Embedded G-Series, based on AMD Fusion technology, delivers a complete, full-featured embedded platform and incorporates the new low-power, x86 CPU based on the "Bobcat" core with a world-class DirectX® 11-capable GPU and parallel processing engine on a single piece of silicon.
- This new class of accelerated processor combines more compute capabilities on a single die than any processor in the history of computing and represents opportunity for major advancements in embedded systems.
- No solution with this level of advanced computing is available for the embedded market today.
- Numerous embedded systems based on the AMD Embedded G-Series are available today or expected to launch in the coming weeks from companies including Advansus, Compulab, Congatec, Fujitsu, Haier, iEi, Kontron, Mitec, Quixant, Sintrones, Starnet, WebDT, Wyse, and many others.
- Expected products include graphics-intensive solutions like digital signage, internet-ready set top boxes, mobile and desktop thin clients, casino gaming machines, point-of-sale kiosks, and small form factor PCs, as well as numerous single board computers (SBCs).
- Shane Rau, research director of Computing and Storage Semiconductors at IDC, expects shipments of processors for embedded systems to increase at a double digit rate each year for the next five years.
- This brand new platform continues AMD's mission to lower power, shrink physical component area, and reduce the costs of designing and producing x86 embedded systems.
"AMD's commitment is to ensure the game-changing technologies we develop for consumers and the enterprise are also available for the vast and growing embedded market," said Patrick Patla, corporate vice president and general manager, Server and Embedded Division, AMD. "Today, we have a record number of embedded launch partners. They are using the unique advancements of the AMD Embedded G-Series APU to develop a brand new generation of highly differentiated, energy-efficient, small form-factor embedded systems that can deliver the vivid visual experience expected in our always-connected world."
AMD has assessed many of the trends shaping today's embedded market, including the ever-pressing need for power efficiency and a small footprint, along with high CPU performance, full feature sets, and a strong graphics solution. The embedded market is one where differentiation can be critical to the long-term success of a design. The AMD Embedded G-Series APU provides a small, open and flexible platform where system designers can be creative yet still meet strict requirements around development cost.
Design and Development Support
- The open development ecosystem for the AMD Embedded G-Series platform includes multiple BIOS options, support for various Microsoft Windows®, Linux, and real-time operating systems, the integrated OpenCLTM programming environment, and source-level debug tools.
- AMD provides a dedicated design support team to help customers create distinctive new products and bring them to market quickly.
- Online resources include an embedded developer portal, AMD embedded product selection guide and customer-submitted details on available boards and complete systems.
AMD Embedded G-Series APU Specifications
- 1 or 2 x86 "Bobcat" CPU cores with 1MB L2 cache, 64-bit Floating Point Unit
- Up to 1.6GHz
- 9W and 18W TDP
- Array of SIMD Engines
?DirectX® 11 capable graphics
?Industry-leading 3D and graphics processing
- 3rd Generation Unified Video Decoder
- Power management features, including C6 and power gating
- DDR3 800-1066 memory with support for 64 bit channel and 2 DIMMs
- Ball Grid Array (BGA) package
- 890mm² physical footprint, including the AMD Fusion I/O Controller Hub
About AMD
AMD (NYSE: AMD) is a semiconductor design innovator leading the next era of vivid digital experiences with its ground-breaking AMD Fusion Accelerated Processing Units (APUs). AMD's graphics and computing technologies power a variety of devices including PCs, game consoles and the powerful computers that drive the Internet and businesses. For more information, visit http://www.amd.com.
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Lancool Releases Three New PC Cases At Once
Lancool Releases Three New PC Cases At Once
First Knight Series: The PC-K57, the PC-K59, and the PC-K63
19 January 2011, Keelung, Taiwan - Lancool, maker of mid to high-end computer chassis for over twenty years, has launched three, new, mid-tower PC cases: the PC-K57, the PC-K59, and the PC-K63. Utilizing their affiliation with high-end chassis manufacturer Lian-Li, Lancool has designed all three of these PC cases with anti-vibration, tool-less installations of components, all-black SECC steel exteriors, and superior thermal performance capabilities, while providing exceptional aesthetic appeal.
PC-K63
The extremely sexy PC-K63's blacked-out interior is visible through a transparent side-panel window. Blue LEDs illuminate the PC-K63's two 140mm front panel fans as well as the 120mm rear panel fan. Two, top panel 140mm fans improve airflow inside the PC-K63 as well.
PC-K59 & PC-K63
Users can mount ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX motherboards in Lancool's new PC-K59 and PC-K63. Six 3.5" and four 2.5" HDDs (internal) can be mounted without tools, as well as graphics cards up to 285mm long. Both chassis also accept three 5.25" ODDs (external), mounted on the front panel with no tools needed. Air-filters in front of two 140mm front panel fans ensure users' equipment is protected from heat and dust. Both chassis also include one 120mm exhaust fan located at the top of the rear panel.
PC-K57
Tool-less installation of three 5.25" ODDs (external), three 3.5" HDDs (internal), and two 2.5" HDDs (internal), as well as PCI slots allowing VGA cards up to 415mm long make this an excellent PC case for gamers and enthusiasts alike. ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX motherboards are all compatible in the PC-K57. One 140mm intake fan on the front panel (with air-filter for dust-protection) and one 120mm exhaust fan, located at the top of the rear panel, keep modified components from over-heating. For users who prefer, the PC-K57 has an additional 140mm front panel fan mount (fan excluded). With a unique front panel design, reminiscent of medieval armor, Lancool's PC-K57 looks every bit as good on the outside as it does on the inside.
Specialty Side Panel
On the side panel of the PC-K59 and PC-K57 there is venting directly over the the CPU. Behind the venting, on the inside of the chassis, is a protective cover with four pop-off sections, allowing for one or two, 140mm or 120mm, fans to be mounted. If fans are not desired, the protective pop-off panel can be kept in place to keep dust from entering the chassis.
All three chassis include eight tool-less PCI expansion slots, a cable management clasp running from the top of the case to bottom for increased organization, an air-filtered vent directly below the PSU (tool-less mount at the base of the case) to aid airflow, two rubber-lined holes on the back panel enabling LCS, one USB 3.0 port, one USB 2.0 port, and HD Audio ports. An e-SATA port is also included on the PC-K59 and PC-K63. The dimensions of the PC-K59 and the PC-K63 stand at 215mm x 530mm x 530mm (W, H, D) while the dimensions of the PC-K57 are 210mm x 472mm x 505mm (W, H, D).
For more details on the Lancool First Knight Series, please go to the Lancool website: www.LancoolPC.com
About Lancool
The Lancool brand is owned by Lian-Li Industrial Co. Ltd. With over 20 years of service excellence, ISO 9001 certification and a team of professional staff willing to do the utmost to deliver durable, superior quality products, the Lancool brand caters to the mainstream gamer and enthusiast in the mid to high-end market segment. The Hybrid Aluminum and Steel Chassis provide unique and definitive solutions for the discerning needs of enthusiast level gamers. For more information please visit the Lancool website: www.LancoolPC.com.
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ICY TIP: Easily Install an 2.5-inch SATA SAS Hard Drive and SSD into Mac Pro 3.5" slot using the ICY DOCK MB982IP-1S Full Metal SSD Converter
ICY TIP: Easily Install an 2.5" SATA SAS Hard Drive and SSD into Mac Pro 3.5" slot using the ICY DOCK MB982IP-1S Full Metal SSD Converter
As most people familiar with the computer industry are aware, solid state drives are slowly taking hold of most people's computers, whether they are from companies like HP or Dell, or if they are custom built by the user. However, in all of this commotion, one group of people has been neglected, and that is the large community of Mac Pro desktop users. Even now, Mac Pro desktops are not set up to natively uses a 2.5" SSD, so the user is left to find their own solution. But a simple bracket will not allow an SSD to be mounted like on a normal PC case. The problem must be solved with a product that emulates a 3.5" SATA HDD so that it can be mounted in the Mac Pro drive tray, and slide in for a smooth and seamless installation.
As a leader in the storage enclosure industry, Icy Dock is proud to provide the top rated solution for Mac Pro users. Using the Icy Dock MB982IP-1S, a Mac Pro user can insert a 2.5" SATA / SAS hard drive and SSD and can then easily mount it to the Mac Pro drive tray for installation. The MB982IP-1S is a perfect simulation of a 3.5" SATA HDD, using the same dimensions, mounting hole locations, and connections. It is constructed with a full metal frame and a stylish silver finish to match perfectly with the Mac Pro.
Here are some great SSDs to consider for use with Mac Pro systems for lightning fast performance:
A-DATA S599
Crucial RealSSD
G.Skill Phoenix Pro
Intel X25-M
Kingston SSDNow V
Kingston SSDNow V+
OCZ Vertex 2
OCZ Agility 2
OWC Mercury Extreme™ Pro SSD
The MB982IP-1S is now available at Other World Computing (Macsales.com):
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/IcyDock/MB982IP1S/
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WD(R) Expands Line of SAS Hard Drives for Enterprise Applications
WD(R) Expands Line of SAS Hard Drives for Enterprise Applications
WD's New SAS Hard Drives Bolster Enterprise Product Portfolio for Mission Critical Server and Storage Systems
IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --
Western Digital(R) (NYSE: WDC), a leader in the desktop, mobile, high-capacity enterprise and consumer markets for hard drives, today announced the availability of its second-generation WD S25 SAS drives (photo) and its latest WD RE SAS 3.5-inch drives for the traditional enterprise market. Shipping now, the 2.5-inch, 10,000 RPM, WD S25 with SAS 6 Gb/s interface hard drives offer IT professionals ultra-reliable and efficient, high-performance storage with new 450 GB and 600 GB capacities. The WD S25 line, including the previously released 147 GB and 300 GB capacities, is designed for mission-critical server and storage systems.
Also shipping now to OEMs, the new 3.5-inch, 7,200 RPM, WD RE SAS with 6 Gb/s interface hard drives offer 1 TB and 2 TB capacity points, and represent a key addition to WD's expanding enterprise product portfolio. The WD RE SAS drives mark an important commitment to the expansion of WD's SAS portfolio for high-capacity data center storage, storage area networks (SAN), network attached storage (NAS), direct attach storage (DAS), networked surveillance systems and cloud storage.
"Meeting the demands of our customers and IT professionals in the enterprise market is the primary driver of our long-term commitment to SAS drives," said Darwin Kauffman, WD's vice president of enterprise storage solutions. "Our focused strategy in the enterprise continues to ensure that customers who have rewarded WD with their preference of WD drives in other application segments receive the same outstanding values of quality, reliability, performance and availability with WD's SAS drives. It is with that commitment that we are now able to meet a wider set of customer requirements."
"Over the past three years, SAS has established itself as the preferred interface for HDDs in servers and enterprise storage systems, representing more than 50 percent of all HDDs shipped for enterprise applications in 2010," said John Rydning, research director, hard disk drives at IDC. "The performance, scalability, and reliability of SAS will result in more than two-thirds of HDDs shipping with a SAS interface for enterprise applications by 2014."
WD's latest product offering provides a full spectrum of SAS drives to fit specific enterprise needs. The WD S25 family of drives delivers high performance with its 6 Gb/s SAS interface and is fit for use in a broad range of mission-critical applications including dense server and storage systems. WD RE SAS hard drives are engineered to offer data-hungry SAS-based storage systems the massive capacity they need without compromising top-of-the-line performance. This uncompromising combination of high-capacity, peak performance and best-in-class reliability make WD RE SAS drives ideal for business critical applications. More information about WD S25 SAS hard drives may be found on the company's website at http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=10 and information about WD RE SAS hard drives can be found at http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=580.
About WD
WD, one of the storage industry's pioneers and long-time leaders, provides products and services for people and organizations that collect, manage and use digital information. The company designs and produces reliable, high-performance hard drives and solid state drives that keep users' data accessible and secure from loss. Its advanced technologies are configured into applications for client and enterprise computing, embedded systems and consumer electronics, as well as its own consumer storage and media products.
WD was founded in 1970. The company's storage products are marketed to leading OEMs, systems manufacturers, selected resellers and retailers under the Western Digital(R) and WD(R) brand names. Visit the Investor section of the company's website (www.westerndigital.com) to access a variety of financial and investor information.
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WD(R) Announces Q2 Revenue of $2.475 Billion and Net Income of $225 Million, or $0.96 Per Share
WD(R) Announces Q2 Revenue of $2.475 Billion and Net Income of $225 Million, or $0.96 Per Share
IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --
Western Digital Corp. (NYSE: WDC) today reported revenue of $2.475 billion, hard-drive unit shipments of 52.2 million and net income of $225 million, or $0.96 per share, for its second fiscal quarter ended Dec. 31, 2010. In the year-ago quarter, the company reported revenue of $2.619 billion, shipped 49.5 million hard drives, and reported net income and earnings per share of $429 million and $1.85, respectively.
The company generated $505 million in cash from operations during the December quarter, ending with total cash and cash equivalents of $3.1 billion.
"We are pleased to deliver better-than-expected revenues, profitability and gross margin in the December quarter, reflecting solid execution and an improvement in hard drive industry conditions compared with the prior two quarters," said John Coyne, president and chief executive officer. "The opportunity for profitable growth in our industry remains tremendous and we are committed to improving our financial performance over the longer term. We plan to do so with a continued emphasis on our industry-leading low-cost structure, high quality, highly reliable and highly available products, and a sharp focus on matching production with true customer demand."
The investment community conference call to discuss these results will be broadcast live over the Internet today at 3 p.m. PST/6 p.m. EST. The call will be accessible live and on an archived basis via the link below. The company is publishing an expanded investor summary sheet today on the investor relations section of its Web site. After the conclusion of today's webcast conference call, the summary sheet will be updated to reflect the company's guidance.
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Apple Reports First Quarter Results
Apple Reports First Quarter Results
Record Mac, iPhone, iPad Sales Drive Highest Revenue and Earnings Ever
Revenue Grows 71 Percent; Earnings Grow 78 Percent
CUPERTINO, California—January 18, 2011—Apple® today announced financial results for its fiscal 2011 first quarter ended December 25, 2010. The Company posted record revenue of $26.74 billion and record net quarterly profit of $6 billion, or $6.43 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $15.68 billion and net quarterly profit of $3.38 billion, or $3.67 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 38.5 percent compared to 40.9 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 62 percent of the quarter's revenue.
Apple sold 4.13 million Macs during the quarter, a 23 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter. The Company sold 16.24 million iPhones in the quarter, representing 86 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter. Apple sold 19.45 million iPods during the quarter, representing a seven percent unit decline from the year-ago quarter. The Company also sold 7.33 million iPads during the quarter.
"We had a phenomenal holiday quarter with record Mac, iPhone and iPad sales," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "We are firing on all cylinders and we've got some exciting things in the pipeline for this year including iPhone 4 on Verizon which customers can't wait to get their hands on."
"We couldn't be happier with the performance of our business, generating $9.8 billion in cash flow from operations during the December quarter," said Peter Oppenheimer, Apple's CFO. "Looking ahead to the second fiscal quarter of 2011, we expect revenue of about $22 billion and we expect diluted earnings per share of about $4.90."
Apple will provide live streaming of its Q1 2011 financial results conference call beginning at 2:00 p.m. PST on January 18, 2011 at www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/earningsq111. This webcast will also be available for replay for approximately two weeks thereafter.
This press release contains forward-looking statements including without limitation those about the Company's estimated revenue and earnings per share. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ. Risks and uncertainties include without limitation the effect of competitive and economic factors, and the Company's reaction to those factors, on consumer and business buying decisions with respect to the Company's products; continued competitive pressures in the marketplace; the ability of the Company to deliver to the marketplace and stimulate customer demand for new programs, products, and technological innovations on a timely basis; the effect that product introductions and transitions, changes in product pricing or mix, and/or increases in component costs could have on the Company's gross margin; the inventory risk associated with the Company's need to order or commit to order product components in advance of customer orders; the continued availability on acceptable terms, or at all, of certain components and services essential to the Company's business currently obtained by the Company from sole or limited sources; the effect that the Company's dependency on manufacturing and logistics services provided by third parties may have on the quality, quantity or cost of products manufactured or services rendered; risks associated with the Company's international operations; the Company's reliance on third-party intellectual property and digital content; the potential impact of a finding that the Company has infringed on the intellectual property rights of others; the Company's dependency on the performance of distributors, carriers and other resellers of the Company's products; the effect that product and service quality problems could have on the Company's sales and operating profits; the continued service and availability of key executives and employees; war, terrorism, public health issues, natural disasters, and other circumstances that could disrupt supply, delivery, or demand of products; and unfavorable results of other legal proceedings. More information on potential factors that could affect the Company's financial results is included from time to time in the Company's public reports filed with the SEC, including the Company's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 25, 2010 and its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 25, 2010 to be filed with the SEC. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or information, which speak as of their respective dates.
Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple is reinventing the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.
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TRENDnet® Now Shipping First to Market 450Mbps Wireless Gaming Adapter
TRENDnet® Now Shipping First to Market 450Mbps Wireless Gaming Adapter
TORRANCE, Calif. -January 18, 2011-TRENDnet, a best-in-class wired and wireless networking hardware brand, today announces the shipment of TRENDnet's first to market 450Mbps Wireless N Gaming Adapter, model TEW-687GA, to online and retail partners.
The 450Mbps Wireless N Gaming Adapter networks computers, gaming consoles, televisions, and DVRs to the Internet with never before seen 450Mbps wireless connection speeds. Setup is quick and simple, with no drivers to install. A Gigabit Ethernet port maintains high performance wired connections. Advanced Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna technology with three spatial streams per antenna generates a maximum theoretical wireless throughput of 450Mbps.
Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) integrates other WPS supported wireless adapters at the touch of a button. Gone are the days of entering complicated encryption codes; simply press the WPS button on your router (most TRENDnet routers have a WPS button), and then press the WPS button on the TEW-687GA-the devices will automatically exchange information and connect. WMM® Quality of Service (QoS) technology prioritizes gaming, Internet calls, and video streams. LEDs on the front of the adapter convey device status. Cut your cables and start winning with ultra-high performance 450Mbps wireless n.
"TRENDnet was first to market with a 450Mbps wireless router and now with a 450Mbps adapter," stated Zak Wood, Director of Global Marketing for TRENDnet. "Consumers can now, for the first time, connect their media centers and gaming consoles to a 450Mbps wireless network-the highest performing wireless network on the market today. With the proliferation of network enabled devices, streaming video to the home, and rich media content, a 450Mbps TRENDnet wireless network will not be the bottleneck in a home network."
The 450Mbps Wireless N Gaming Adapter, model TEW-687GA, comes with a three year limited warranty and an MSRP of U.S. $149.99.
Product Launch Video:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Pixelpro80?ob=5
About TRENDnet
For TRENDnet logos visit: http://trendnet.com/asp/partners/marketing.asp
TRENDnetis an award winning global brand, dedicated to providing a completeline of high quality yet affordable networking solutions for small tomid-sized business and home users alike. Founded in 1990, TRENDnetis headquartered in Torrance, California, and maintains branch officesin Europe, Central America, South America and Asia. TRENDnet productsare sold in over 125 countries. The TRENDnet brand is consistentlyrecognized for high quality, exceptional performance and unparalleledsupport. For more information visit www.trendnet.com or call +1 (310) 961-5500.
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Puget Systems Refreshes and Expands Popular Serenity Silent PC Line
Puget Systems Refreshes and Expands Popular Serenity Silent PC Line
Puget Systems uses its expertise in silent computing to expand its popular Serenity line into the home theater market, and into a new smaller form factor.
SEATTLE, WA - Puget Systems (www.pugetsystems.com), a boutique integrator of custom PC systems for enthusiasts, gamers, consumers and SMB markets, today announced a number of updates and new additions to their popular line of Serenity PCs.
"We are very proud of our expanded Serenity line," said Jon Bach, president of Puget Systems. "Our rigorous testing and thermal imaging have allowed us to take on the challenge of providing excellent quiet cooling without sacrificing high performance. Serenity is a product line that takes our best practices, and packages them into highly optimized configurations ideal for home computing, gamers and for the professional workspace. Our Serenity PCs are truly unmatched in the industry."
Serenity SPCR Edition
The Serenity SPCR Edition, their most quiet offering to date, has been updated to Intel's Sandy Bridge platform, and has been certified quiet and reliable by Silent PC Review (SPCR).
"Puget's SPCR-certified Serenity PC is a truly well-crafted high performance computer that remains at the cutting edge of silent computing." wrote Mike Chin, founder and owner of Silent PC Review. "At idle, it is still really hard to tell that the system is on using only sonic cues, even sitting next to it." Silent PC Review certified the system with a measured sound pressure level of just 11 dBA@1m at idle and 12 dBA after an hour at full system load.
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Serenity Home Theater
To meet the needs of high quality home theater rooms, Serenity Home Theater is designed to run cool and quiet even in minimally vented enclosed cabinets. It allows for blu-ray playback, HD online streaming, and even mid-range gaming -- all at extremely low noise levels. It allows for up to 8TB of internal storage, and comes with full options for a TV tuner, remote control, and a handheld keyboard and mouse. It is expected to include quad channel HD cablecard tuner support in upcoming months.
"Home theater PCs provide a unique challenge, because aesthetic and noise level concerns are more pronounced than in your typical desktop PC," said Richard Millard, General Manager at Puget Systems. "We've specially modified that chassis so that it is less obtrusive in your home theater, while still providing the cooling and quiet noise levels that a HTPC requires." The system is also specially designed to reduce the transmission of annoying vibration to home theater shelving.
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Serenity Mini
Puget Systems brings their experience with silent computing to a smaller form factor with Serenity Mini. This compact PC uses all the same principles of the full size Serenity, and achieves even quieter operation through the use of a completely passive power supply, and more tightly packed cooling systems allowing for more effective air channeling. The result is a near-silent system that is capable of anything from anything from web browsing to high performance gaming.
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Available Systems
The Puget Serenity Series is available for immediate purchase, in fours models. For more information, or to custom tailor a Serenity system, please visit (http://www.pugetsystems.com/serenity.php). Customers ordering online using the Puget Systems Serenity configurator will have their new systems shipped within 5-7 business days.
About Silent PC Review
SPCR is dedicated to reviews, news and information about quiet, low noise, and/or silent computers and components as well as their energy efficiency and thermal performance. For more information, please visit http://www.silentpcreview.com/.
About Puget Systems
Puget Systems is a specialized integrator of custom personal computing systems meticulously designed to exceed the discriminating requirements of consumers, enthusiasts, gamers and businesses in multiple industries. Puget Systems combines industry-unique custom innovations, the highest quality leading-edge components with an unparalleled commitment to personal service and support. Founded in 2000, Puget Systems is headquartered in its facility in Auburn, Washington. For more information, please visit www.pugetsystems.com.
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TYAN Announces S8225 Workstation Motherboard - Supporting AMD Opteron™ 4100 Series Processors
TYAN Announces S8225 Workstation Motherboard - Supporting AMD Opteron™ 4100 Series Processors
New Levels of Power-Efficient Performance for Graphics Workstation and GPU Computing
Fremont, California - January 18, 2011 - TYAN, an industry-leading server platform manufacturer, and a subsidiary of MiTAC International Corp., announces the S8225 workstation motherboard. With support for two six-core AMD Opteron™ 4100 series processors and up to four double-wide PCI-E 2.0 GPGPU compute accelerators, the S8225 is ideal for graphics workstation and personal supercomputing applications.
"The S8225 workstation motherboard enables price sensitive customers to experience GPU computing performance," stated TYAN Director of Product Marketing, Kevin Hart. "The AMD Opteron™ 4100 series processors provide improved power efficiency at a lower cost."
In addition to four double-wide PCI-E 2.0 x16 slots, the S8225 features four 1-Gbit Ethernet ports, integrated support for IPMI 2.0, and an optional LSI 2008 SAS controller. The S8225 also provides integrated audio, IEEE 1394a headers, and TPM 1.2 support in an EATX 12" x13" form factor.
The S8225 is available now through TYAN distributors worldwide. OEM pricing is available on request.
- Specifications
- Photos
About MiTAC
MiTAC Group (TSE:2315) operating IDMS(Innovation, Design, Manufacture, Service)business approaches for offering consolidate service to customers and users. MiTAC Groups is consisted of four important business unit, including CSBU (Consumer system Biz Unit), ESBU (Enterprise system Biz Unit), MBU (Mobil Communication Devices Biz Unit) and TBU (TYAN Business Unit). TYAN officially merged by MiTAC International Corporation in 2007 and has become one of the core business units of MiTAC, named TBU (TYAN Business Unit). MiTAC is heading to server platforms and Storage device industry with emerging MiTAC strength in IT industry with R&D, engineering, manufacturing, supplying chain, RMA and TYAN strength in R&D in high end server territory.
About TYAN
TYAN, as a leading server brand under MiTAC Group, designs, manufactures and markets advanced x86 and x86-64 server/workstation board technology platforms and server solution products. Its products are sold to OEMs, VARs, System Integrators, and Resellers worldwide for a wide range of applications. TYAN enables its customers to be technology leaders by providing scalable, highly-integrated, reliable products for a wide range of applications such as server appliances and solutions for high-performance computing, and server/workstation usage in markets such as CAD, DCC, E&P and HPC. For more information, visit MiTAC website at http://www.mitac.com or TYAN brand website at http://www.tyan.com
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Eurocom Unleashes the Most Powerful 15
Eurocom Unleashes the Most Powerful 15" Notebook on the Planet
Eurocom (www.eurocom.com) announces an addition to its already extensive line of fully configurable, performance based Mobile Notebooks with the EUROCOM Racer. This new model will feature next generation technology from ATI, Intel and NVIDIA and will support Intel's new seventh generation chipset platform, the Huron River HM 65. The EUROCOM Racer is expected to ship February 1, 2011.
The EUROCOM Racer will support up to a 100W GPU which will allow it to run up to an NVIDIA Geforce GTX 485M, AMD Radeon Mobility HD6970M or NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800M graphics solution.
A major innovation in the EUROCOM Racer model is support for four memory modules which can be configured with up to 32GB of RAM. The EUROCOM Racer supports both DDR3-1333 and DDR3-1600 memory.
The EUROCOM Racer is powered by a 180W AC Adapter which allows support for powerful GPU's, up to 32 GB of RAM and Intel Sandy Bridge processors.
The EUROCOM Racer can be equipped with a Matte or Glossy Full HD 16:9 display panel.
The EUROCOM Cheetah 3.0 is a high end professional and gaming notebook. Being fully configurable and customizable allows customers to build their system to their exact specifications.
"The EUROCOM Racer is the perfect little package that is capable of much more than its size suggests. With powerful Intel Core i7 Extreme Mobile processors, MXM 3.0 graphics technology supporting AMD Radeon Mobility technology, NVIDIA Geforce and Quadro this platform is very capable of matching up against the best in the gaming and professional industries" said Mark Bialic, President and CTO of Eurocom Corporation.
EUROCOM Racer key Specs:
- Display:15.6-inch Full HD 1920-by-1080; Backlit LED Display with Glossy/Matte Surface o Memory: up to 32GB; 4x RAM sockets, DDR3 1333/1600 MHz o VGA: Modular Design; MXM 3.0b; 100W; supports both NVIDIA Geforce, Quadro and AMD GPUs; single VGA operation o Processor: supports Sandy Bridge line of Intel i5 and i7 Core processors; up to Intel Core i7 2920XM Extreme Edition with 8GB of L3 cache o Storage: up to 2 physical drives, SSD, hybrid or mechanical, up to 1.75TB of storage.
- Card Reader:9-in-1: MMC/RSMMC SD/MinSD/SDHC/SDXC MS/MS Pro/MS Duo o Ports: 2x USB 3.0; 2x USB 2.0; DVI-DL; 1x IEEE1394a; 1x eSATA; 1x HDMI out; 1x Headphone jack; 1x Microphone jack; 1x S/PDIF out; 1x Line-in; 1x RJ45 for LAN o Communications: 1Gigabit LAN on-board; optional WLAN N or Bluetooth + WLAN Combo and/or 3.75G Mini Card UMTS/HSDPA
VGA Options
- NVIDIA
o NVIDIA Geforce GTX 485M
o NVIDIA Geforce GTX 480M
o NVIDIA Geforce GTX 470M
o NVIDIA Geforce GTX 460M
o NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800M
o NVIDIA Quadro FX 2800M
- AMD
o AMD Radeon Mobility HD6970M
Processor Options
o Intel Core i7-2920XM
o Intel Core i7-2820QM
o Intel Core i7-2720QM
o Intel Core i5-2520M
o Intel Core i5-2540M
About Eurocom
Eurocom is the world's leading developer of desktop replacement and mobile workstation technology. Eurocom began with the goal of creating the most advanced computer systems and using advanced engineering techniques typically unseen in the computer industry. The company has produced many firsts and continues to engineer well-balanced machines and VGA solutions that inspire and enable individuals to reach great possibilities. For more information on Eurocom or to customize a machine, visit Eurocom.com.
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ECS H67H2-I Brings New Lifestyle for Home Entertaining Enthusiasts
ECS H67H2-I Brings New Lifestyle for Home Entertaining Enthusiasts
Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) is delighted to introduce the latest Intel based mini-ITX motherboard - ECS H67H2-I motherboard, designing to support the 2nd generation Intel Core processors and redefining home theater PC of the new era.
ECS has been very experienced and professional at Research & Development of small form factors motherboards, and we have envisioned that there will be a growing trend for HTPC. At both CeBIT & Computex exhibitions in 2010, ECS H55H-I was the first HTPC platform of mini-ITX form factor; it definitely caught visitors' attention among all similar categories. ECS H55H-I motherboard has successfully fulfilled product differentiation from the origins and ECS H67H2-I motherboard definitely will break the record in 2011. ECS H67H2-I motherboard continues carrying the advantages of space-saving, power-efficiency and surely brings much more vivid 3D visual experience as it supports amazing GPU O.C capability along with features of blu-ray HD playback and 3D gaming experience.
Expand Your Digital Experience
ECS H67H2-I motherboard is not only a successful pioneer, but also rapidly upgrades HTPC specifications. Other than its 95W CPU power design to support the whole series of INTEL Sandy Bridge CPU, the most notable feature is the on-board Bluetooth interface that offers wireless connection to portable devices within 10-meter distance. To integrate Bluetooth on ECS H67H2-I motherboard is a breakthrough in regards of creating a user-friendly PC environment. It avoids your PC to be surrounded by lots of messy cables, which makes your life become easier and more comfortable. Small as it is, ECS H67H2-I motherboard contains on-board mini PCIe slot for expanding usage of WIFI/TV Tuner/mSATA SSD cards. All in all, ECS H67H2-I motherboard definitely creates a new trend to every HTPC dreamer.
The Most Compact Solution Ever
Followings are other amazing features that are included in ECS H67H2-I motherboard:
• Supports Bluetooth devices up to 10 meter distance.
• Mini PCIE slot fully supports mini PCIE and mSATA devices.
• 2x SATA 6 Gb/s ports, providing 2 times faster bandwidth than previous SATA 3G.
• 2x USB 3.0 ports at the rear I/O delivering 5Gb/s super speed transfer rate.
• HDMI 1.4a to deliver 3D Blu-ray HD playback content.
• ECS unique M.I.B III BIOS interface to boost up GPU performance for excellent visual experience.
• ECS Multi-language UEFI contains 10 world-wide languages.
• ECS EZ Charger is designed to apply on Apple devices such as iPad, iPhone and iPod family via USB ports
• ECS exclusive software kits which includes eSF/eBLU/eDLU/eJIFFY.
• Norton Internet Security 2011 bundled.
• Supports Intel VRD - Voltage Regulator-Down 12.0
• 8 channel HD audio with S/PDIF optical output.
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Zalman Announces HDD Enclosure with Virtual Drive Feature
Zalman Announces HDD Enclosure with Virtual Drive Feature
Zalman announced its first external HDD enclosure. Unlike any other External HDD enclosures, we have spiced it up with world's first virtual drive function on ZM-VE200. Now, end users do not need to carry around uncomfortable CD/DVDs. All they need to do is simply extract ISO image from the CD/DVDs and store them in the ZM-VE200. ZM-VE200 comes with the LCD that displays the list of the ISO files that have been loaded. Then they can install various OS / software by user's choice with faster USB connection. Also with its stylish slim design will definitely attract customers to take anywhere they go.
Key Features
• Replaces existing CD/DVD drives or players with the use of any ISO files.
• CD/DVD image (ISO file) loading software pre-installed
• Select and automatically load ISO files.
• Doubles as an external HDD drive
• External SATA 3 Gb/s connection available.
• Auto-detect as Mass Storage Disk and External ODD
• Easy Access to internal HDDs
• Write Protect Key
• Luxurious Aluminum Touch Case for Cool Esthetic and Thermal Cooling
• USB Powered
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SanDisk Announces SDHC Card Featuring UHS-I Technology
SanDisk Announces SDHC Card Featuring UHS-I Technology
SanDisk Corporation, the global leader in flash memory cards, today introduced the SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC UHS-I card. The card features Ultra High Speed (UHS) technology from the newly released SD 3.0 specification and achieves up to 45 MB/sec read and write performance with long-term reliability by distributing data rapidly and efficiently using SanDisk's proprietary Power Core Controller.
"SanDisk has a long history of developing fast, highly reliable cards for photography enthusiasts and professionals," said Susan Park, director, retail product marketing, SanDisk. "Our new SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC card lets consumers take their skills to the next level by capturing high-resolution still images, fast-moving action shots and HD videos of the highest quality."
Designed for the latest cameras
As DSLRs offer increasingly sophisticated features such as high megapixel continuous burst shooting and high-definition (HD) video capture, photographers need advanced memory cards capable of unlocking their cameras' full potential. The card achieves high performance and efficient power consumption in UHS-enabled cameras such as the Nikon D7000.
Performance
The SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC card's write speed of up to 45 MB/sec delivers improved shot to shot performance of RAW images using continuous burst mode. The card also adheres to the new UHS Speed Class 1 video class rating, offering 10 MB/sec minimum sustained write speed capable of recording HD 1080p videos or even 3D content**. In addition, the card's fast read speeds of up to 45 MB/sec let users avoid lengthy wait times when transferring content from the card to a computer.
SanDisk develops its flash controllers and memory chips together, allowing the company to perfectly match and fine-tune the two technologies throughout the testing process. The SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC card uses an intelligent Power Core controller to achieve its speed. The controller's data prediction and binary caching features allow for improved overall performance.
Reliability
Featuring an automatic error-code correction (ECC) engine, the SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC card offers long-term reliability that comes from the brand trusted by professional photographers. Advanced wear leveling extends card endurance by distributing data evenly throughout the card. For added protection, the card includes one year of RescuePRO media recovery software, which lets photographers recover their images in case of accidental deletion.
Durability
Designed to withstand the most extreme conditions, the new card offers photographers peace of mind knowing that their photos are stored on one of the most rugged cards in the world. Able to withstand punishment, the SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC card is water proof, temperature proof, shock and vibration proof, x-ray and magnet proof. The card is backed by a lifetime limited warranty.
Availability and Pricing
The card is shipping to major retailers worldwide and is available immediately at sandisk.com. The card comes in 8GB to 32GB capacities carrying suggested retail prices ranging from $109.99 to $349.99.
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Active Media Products Debuts 22-Caliber Silver Bullet Shaped USB Flash Drive
Active Media Products Debuts 22-Caliber Silver Bullet Shaped USB Flash Drive
New Waterproof Bullet Drive Features Aluminum Casing with Screw-on Lid
Fremont, California - January 18, 2011 - Active Media Products, a leading manufacturer of SSDs, DOMs and USB drives, today launched a 22-caliber silver bullet shaped USB 2.0 flash drive. "The Bullet-2 drive is the ultimate USB drive because it is rugged, reliable, waterproof, dustproof, small enough to comfortably fit on your keychain, and is a classical icon of form", stated Active Media Products VP of Sales, Jerry Thomson.
The Bullet-2 is AMP's second style of bullet shaped USB drive. Both Bullet-1 and Bullet-2 models are encased in air tight aluminum enclosures that protect all data from harsh environments such as water, snow, sand and dust. Bullet-1, in gold color, is shaped like a 50-caliber bullet, while the silver-colored Bullet-2 is in the form of a 22-caliber shell. The bullet includes a strong steel keychain and clip for attaching the drive to a backpack or keyring. This new bullet drive is available now through Amazon, at approximately $14 for the 4GB model and $21 for the 8GB drive.
- Specifications
- Images
ABOUT ACTIVE MEDIA PRODUCTS
Based in the heart of Silicon Valley, Active Media Products LLC is dedicated to developing creative new media products that improve performance and enhance the user's experience. Our focus on innovative product development enables us to bring new technology to market a step ahead of the competition. AMP is a leader in DOMs and small form factor SSDs and manufactures the endangered species line of USB drives.
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Transcend Upgrades SSD Lineup with Latest Advanced Controller
Transcend Upgrades SSD Lineup with Latest Advanced Controller
Transcend Information, Inc., a global leader in storage and multimedia products, today announced the launch of its upgraded 2.5" solid state drives (SSDs). Built on a faster and newer controller, the revamped SSDs provide random read speeds of up to 40MB/s, resulting in significantly faster system boot up and application launch performance.
The newly released SSDs are available in 32GB, 64GB, 128GB and 256GB capacities. Thanks to their use of the new advanced controller chip and 64MB of built-in DDR2 DRAM cache memory, the new SSDs feature sequential read and write speeds up to 260MB/s and 240MB/s, and random read/write speeds of 40MB/s and 27MB/s. This dramatically improved performance not only reduces average system boot times, but also offers stutter-free response and stability for netbooks, notebooks, high-end gaming PCs and industrial computers. Users can also take advantage of their cool, noiseless operation to enjoy the perks of silent and practical computing.
For added value, Transcend's new 2.5" SSDs fully support the TRIM command used by modern operating systems to help maintain optimum write speeds and reduce long-term SSD wear. Engineered for long life and maximum reliability, the upgraded SSDs have built-in Error Correction Code (ECC) functionality and static wear leveling that evenly distributes data written to or erased from the drive's flash memory cells. All models are guaranteed to conform to RoHS standards for manufacturing without the use of hazardous materials.
Transcend's 2.5" SATA SSDs are extremely durable and are built with a robust tamper-resistant outer casing. All Transcend 2.5" Solid State Drives are backed by a two-year limited warranty.
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Transcend Announces StoreJet 35T3 USB 3.0 External HDD
Transcend Announces StoreJet 35T3 USB 3.0 External HDD
Transcend Information, Inc., a worldwide leader in storage and multimedia products, today introduced the StoreJet 35T3, its latest 3.5" external hard drive featuring the SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface. The black, sleek-looking StoreJet 35T3 delivers real-world transfer rates of up to 130 MB/s, offering dramatically enhanced external storage performance for today's speed-conscious users.
As technology marches forward, large files generated by modern devices such as digital cameras and camcorders can quickly fill an internal hard drive and slow the computer down. Designed for users with high-capacity requirements, the StoreJet 35T3 not only offers an enormous 2TB of storage space for large files, but also supports the next-generation USB 3.0 standard that boosts data transfer rates up to 130MB/s in real world testing—fast enough to transfer an entire DVD movie in a mere 30 seconds. Instead of wasting time transferring gigabytes of files and data to an ordinary USB 2.0 drive, users now have a much faster and easier way to store their digital content.
One Touch Auto-Backup & Eco-Friendly Design
The StoreJet 35T3 makes external storage more efficient with its unique One Touch auto-backup button; an exclusive feature normally found only on smaller 2.5" portable hard drives. The One Touch auto-backup technology helps users instantly backup and synchronize data with their computer, ensuring important files are updated to the latest version and safely stored in a secondary location.
Also an eco-friendly drive, the StoreJet 35T3 fully meets the European Union's eco-design requirements for Energy Related Products (ErP). Moreover, the StoreJet 35T3 automatically goes into power-saving sleep mode after ten minutes of inactivity, allowing energy-savings of nearly 70%.
The StoreJet 35T3 is backed by Transcend's three-year limited warranty, and comes bundled with the StoreJet Elite software that offers advanced 256-bit AES file and folder encryption, intelligent backup scheduling, Internet tools and advanced security features. Now available in 2TB capacity, the StoreJet 35T3 is the perfect choice for high-capacity external storage in today's space-hungry digital world.
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Axtremex Technology and IndieGrip Ship First 128 GB CompactFlash 600X Card
Axtremex Technology and IndieGrip Ship First 128 GB CompactFlash 600X Card
Axtremex Technology and their distributor, IndieGrip.com LLC, are proud to announce the immediate availability of the world's first 128 GB CompactFlash cards. While others have announced 128 GB CompactFlash cards, no one has announced or shipped a high performance 128 GB 600x card. The Axtremex Ultra DMA 128 GB 600x card supports up to 90 Megabytes per second Read Speed and up to 60 Megabytes per second Write Speed.
In addition Axtremex is announcing the availability of a very high performance 64 GB CompactFlash card. The Axtremex Ultra DMA 64 GB 600x Plus card supports with up to 90 Megabytes per second Read and Write Speeds. Both cards are built using premium memory chips and may be used in a wide variety of devices, such as audio recorders, video recorders, still cameras, and other devices that use CompactFlash cards. Of course not all devices will support these cards.
Axtremex Technology is happy to report that Convergent Designs has been testing these cards round the clock since November 1, 2010 and the cards have achieved "Fully Qualified" status from Convergent Designs. Thus the cards may be used in the nanoFlash, nano3D and Flash XDR with confidence, at any bit-rate option up to and including the 220 Mbps speed. The nanoFlash and nano3D are state-of-the-art, compact-sized, HD/SD Video and Audio recording and playback devices. These are Type 1 cards so it will fit into all CompactFlash card devices.
Initially these cards are available from www.nanoFlash.net and other major dealers will be stocking them soon. These high-performance cards are priced at $499.99 with a street price of $489.95.
For the 128 GB card, this is less than the cost of two quality 64 GB cards, and much less than the cost of two quality 600x CompactFlash cards. The 64 GB card is also priced less than any other card with similar specifications. These cards have a Limited Lifetime Warranty by Axtremex Technology. Axtremex is pronounced "Ax-stream-ex". "When you have a big job to do, get an Ax!"
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Lantic GT430 2GB ultra-large memory capacity cruises the gaming world along with you
Lantic GT430 2GB ultra-large memory capacity cruises the gaming world along with you
Lantic Technology Inc. and GF Station together strongly recommend the Lantic GT430 2GB DDR3 high-capacity basic edition, satisfying your need to enjoy high resolution without having to pay too high a price; let the ultra-large memory capacity cruise the gaming world with you and help you train on all your skills.
The size of the memory is always most important for a video card, so obviously, video cards with a large memory capacity can bring faster processing speed for our computers. The size of the memory determines the monitor resolution size and the depth of color the monitor can display. Generally speaking, the more the memory, the more video data may be stored, and the higher the supported resolution and color depth is; 2D and 3D image render display performance will be higher too.
Just like the memory for our system, the more the better. Ordinary consumers focus on the video card's core / memory frequency, but for Win 7, high resolution video playback and DirectX 11 games, in order to achieve better experience, a large memory capacity is most effective. The Lantic GT430 2GB version supports the world's fastest DirectX 11 (DX11) gaming performance, and supports the NVIDIA 3D Vision, Surround, PhysX, SLI and CUDA technologies.
About Lantic Technology
Lantic Technology is a developer of 3D graphics processing technology. By drawing on its extensive past experience in Europe and around the world, Lantic seeks to help consumers overcome bottlenecks in technology. The company offers consumers a comprehensive sales and distribution network that will, in the future, be backed by a complete sales and support network. Lantic develops custom products tailored to meet consumer requirements on quality, price and service. With Lantic products, consumers can expect the best user experience and product guarantees. The perfect balance between performance, quality, price and service is the goal of Lantic as well as the pursuit of extreme performance and overclockability. Only the best materials and latest technologies are used to deliver the highest cost-to-performance ratios. With 24-hour customer support and courier pick-up throughout Taiwan, Lantic insists on the highest standards every step of the way.
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Intel Reports Record Year and Record Fourth Quarter
Intel Reports Record Year and Record Fourth Quarter
Intel Corporation today reported full-year revenue of $43.6 billion, operating income of $15.9 billion, net income of $11.7 billion, and EPS of $2.05 - all records. The company generated approximately $16.7 billion in cash from operations, paid cash dividends of $3.5 billion, and used $1.5 billion to repurchase 70 million shares of common stock.
For the fourth-quarter, Intel posted revenue of $11.5 billion. The company reported fourth-quarter operating income of $4.3 billion, net income of $3.4 billion, and EPS of 59 cents. Fourth-quarter revenue, operating income, net income, and EPS were also all records. "2010 was the best year in Intel's history. We believe that 2011 will be even better," said Paul Otellini, Intel president and CEO.
Full-Year 2010 Key Financial Information
• PC Client Group revenue up 21 percent, Data Center Group revenue up 35 percent, other Intel architecture group revenue up 27 percent, and Intel® Atom™ microprocessor and chipset revenue of $1.6 billion up 8 percent.
• Gross margin of 66 percent, up 10 percentage points compared to 2009.
• Full-year capital spending was $5.2 billion, consistent with the company's expectation.
• The company used $1.5 billion to repurchase 70 million shares of common stock.
Q4 2010 Key Financial Information
• PC Client Group revenue flat, Data Center Group revenue up 15 percent, other Intel architecture group flat, and Intel Atom microprocessor and chipset revenue of $391 million flat, all sequentially.
• The average selling price (ASP) for microprocessors was slightly up sequentially.
• Gross margin was 67.5 percent, slightly above the company's expectation.
• R&D plus MG&A spending of $3.4 billion was higher than the company's expectation.
• The net gain of $140 million from equity investments and interest and other was better than the company's expectation.
• The effective tax rate was 24 percent, lower than the company's expectation of 31 percent primarily due to the retroactive reinstatement of the U.S. R&D tax credit.
Business Outlook
Intel's Business Outlook does not include the potential impact of any mergers, acquisitions, divestitures or other business combinations that may be completed after Jan. 13.
Q1 2011
• Revenue: $11.5 billion, plus or minus $400 million.
• Gross margin percentage: 64 percent, plus or minus a couple percentage points.
• R&D plus MG&A spending: approximately $3.4 billion.
• Impact of equity investments and interest and other: gain of approximately $200 million.
• Depreciation: approximately $1.2 billion.
Full-Year 2011
• Gross margin percentage: 65 percent, plus or minus a few percentage points.
• Spending (R&D plus MG&A): $13.9 billion, plus or minus $200 million.
• R&D spending: approximately $7.3 billion.
• Tax rate: approximately 29 percent.
• Depreciation: approximately $5 billion, plus or minus $100 million.
• Capital spending: expected to be $9.0 billion, plus or minus $300 million.
For additional information regarding Intel's results and Outlook, please see the CFO commentary intc.com/results.cfm]here.
Status of Business Outlook
During the quarter, Intel's corporate representatives may reiterate the Business Outlook during private meetings with investors, investment analysts, the media and others. From the close of business on March 4 until publication of the company's first-quarter earnings release, Intel will observe a "Quiet Period" during which the Business Outlook disclosed in the company's news releases and filings with the SEC should be considered as historical, speaking as of prior to the Quiet Period only and not subject to an update by the company.
• Full-Year Results Revenue $43.6 billion, up $8.5 billion, 24 percent year-over-year
• Gross margin of 66 percent, up 10 percentage points year-over-year
• Operating income $15.9 billion, up $10.2 billion, 179 percent year-over-year
• Net income $11.7 billion, up $7.3 billion, 167 percent year-over-year
• EPS $2.05, up $1.28, 166 percent year-over-year
• Full-Year Results, Excluding the EC Fine and AMD Settlement Agreement On a non-GAAP basis, operating income $15.9 billion, up $7.5 Billion, 89 percent year-over-year
• On a non-GAAP basis, net income $11.7 billion, up $5.0 billion, 76 percent year-over-year
• On a non-GAAP basis, EPS $2.05, up 88 cents, 75 percent year-over-year
• Fourth-Quarter Results Revenue $11.5 billion, up $355 million, 3 percent sequentially
• Record gross margin of 67.5 percent, up 1.5 percentage points sequentially
• Operating income $4.3 billion, up $211 million, 5 percent sequentially
• Net income $3.4 billion, up $433 million, 15 percent sequentially
• EPS 59 cents, up 7 cents, 13 percent sequentially
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Sparkle Announces Low-Profile GeForce GTS 450 Graphics Card
Sparkle Announces Low-Profile GeForce GTS 450 Graphics Card
SPARKLE Computer Co., Ltd., the professional VGA card manufacturer and supplier, today unveils SPARKLE GeForce GTS 450 Low Profile Graphics Card, an ideal product for home theater enthusiasts and gamers. Exclusively on the SPARKLE GeForce GTS 450 Low Profile Graphics Card, users get the best cooling performance with Axial Fan design.
This design features dual axial fans which bring greater amount of wind volume. The unique airflow guide technology can bring the heat generated by GPU to the outside smoothly. Thanks to the axial fan design, now users can get lower working noise from the SPARKLE GeForce GTS 450 Low Profile Graphics Card, making it a ideal products for home theater enthusiasts who seek quiet operation environment.
Tests done in the SPARKLE hardware labs show that the GPU idle and full loading temperature are 4 and 1 degree centigrade lower than the reference board, the idle and full loading fan working noise are 7% and 4% percent lower than the reference board.
Low Profile Design
Consummately designed low profile, the PCB height of SPARKLE GeForce GTS 450 Low Profile Graphics Card is 6cm,only half the height of ordinary Graphic Cards with full profile design, which makes the SPARKLE GeForce GTS 450 Low Profile Graphics Card to be the best partners for HTPC. HTPC enthusiasts don't need to worry about the inconvenience caused by narrow space HTPC chassis and full profile designed graphics cards. With low profile design, the SPARKLE GeForce GTS 450 Low Profile Graphics Card not only can easily meet the HD video playback and DX11 gaming demand from HTPC users, but also can easily satisfy the requirements from SSF, mini-chassis and industry PCs which demand compact and practical graphic cards.
1024MB GDDR5
The SPARKLE GeForce GTS 450 Low Profile Graphics Card provides incredible large 1024MB GDDR5 video memory to mainstream gamers, to satisfy the rigorous need on the video memory bandwidth, conquering today's hottest DX11 game, such as Stalker: Call Of Pripyat, Metro 2033, even to meet the requirement from 3DMark 11 launched this autumn.
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Antec and Asetek Unveil New Partnership, Create Next-Generation CPU Cooling Products
Antec and Asetek Unveil New Partnership, Create Next-Generation CPU Cooling Products
In its 25th anniversary year, Antec, Inc., the global leader in high-performance computer components and accessories for the gaming, PC upgrade and Do-It-Yourself markets, has teamed up with Asetek, the industry-leading supplier of OEM liquid cooling systems for computers, to bring the latest iteration of Asetek's award-winning, sealed liquid cooling technology to the well-established Antec brand, with the launch of the KÃœHLER H2O series.
The KÃœHLER H2O series is the next-generation top-of-the-line solution -- crafted to bring sealed liquid CPU cooling to mainstream PC hardware and gaming enthusiasts world-wide -- all delivering a Quiet Computing experience that requires Zero Maintenance, and that's built to OEM standards for reliability.
"Antec's global reach and excellent reputation make them an ideal partner to bring Asetek's next generation of sealed liquid cooling technology to the DIY and system integrator markets," said Steve Branton, director of marketing at Asetek. "From a technical perspective, we are delighted by the new levels of performance, quiet operation and just plain fun features that partnering with Antec is bringing to the new KÃœHLER H2O series."
"Our collaboration with Asetek demonstrates that we've taken an important step to deliver a solidly-built, trusted cooling product to our core users," said Scott Richards, senior vice president at Antec. "We are thrilled to release the new KÃœHLER H2O series as it represents the pinnacle of joint-development efforts, and provides users with a quiet performing, easy-to-install solution -- one that offers a richer experience and that's compatible with a wide array of builds."
The first model in the series, the KÃœHLER H2O 620, features Asetek's low-profile pump for exceptional liquid circulation while preserving internal airflow, and easy-bend tubes for maximum flexibility in radiator positioning. Additionally, each model in the KÃœHLER H2O series utilizes liquid temperature controlled fans to deliver Antec's renowned Quiet Computing technology for quiet, efficient performance and uses the latest generation copper cold plate for optimal conduction.
The KÃœHLER H2O series of high-performance CPU coolers are backed by Antec's Quality 3-Year (AQ3) Limited Warranty on parts and labor and were showcased at this year's CES show. The first model, the KÃœHLER H2O 620, will be available at the end of January through major retailers, e-tailers and distributors.
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New ZOTAC ID41 Series Introduces USB 3.0 and DDR3 Technologies to the ZBOX Mini-PC
New ZOTAC ID41 Series Introduces USB 3.0 and DDR3 Technologies to the ZBOX Mini-PC
ZOTAC International, a leading innovator and the world's largest channel manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards and mini-PCs, today takes the award-winning ZBOX to SuperSpeed with the new ID41 series. The ZOTAC ZBOX ID41 series introduces SuperSpeed USB 3.0 and DDR3 technologies to the ZBOX mini-PC.
"External expansion is vital with mini-PCs. By adding SuperSpeed USB 3.0 technology to our award-winning ZBOX mini-PCs, we are able to offer external connectivity capable of speeds up to 5.0 Gb/s," said Carsten Berger, marketing director.
DDR3 memory technology combined with an Intel Atom D525 processor and Next-Generation NVIDIA ION graphics deliver outstanding energy-efficiency with plenty of processing power capable of flawless high-definition streaming video and Blu-ray playback on the ZOTAC ZBOX ID41 series.
Two models are available in the ZOTAC ZBOX ID41 series - the customizable ZBOX ID41 with room to accommodate one 2.5-inch SATA HDD or SSD and two DDR3 SO-DIMM slots and the ZBOX ID41 Plus, which includes a 250GB hard drive and 2GB of DDR3 memory. Users can supply their choice of operating system for the ZBOX ID41 series.
It's time to play with the ZOTAC ZBOX ID41 series.
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