QSynchronization -
07/31/10 - Synchronize personal or public folders, calendars, and Outlook data.
Site: techPowerUp! Thermaltake Toughpower Ultra Slim 95W The Power To Travel Light and Work Smart - Thermaltake Technology, leading computer components brand, today announced the latest addition to the popular "Toughpower" line of universal laptop and mobile device adapter, the Toughpower Ultra Slim 95W. With its ultra slim size and lightweight, the Toughpower Slim 95W (with up to 120W peak) dramatically saves space and easily travels along. The power adapter includes nine exchangeable color-coded DC output tips to support most brand name laptop computers.
Laptop computers are becoming ever popular. According to market research, people with laptop computers have the need to be mobile but, unfortunately the original power adapter can be burdensome when traveling. It is usually big, heavy, and difficult to carry! Thermaltake Technology knows that consumers are often annoyed by heavy and thick original power adapters; therefore, the entirely new 95W slim adapter with its low-profile design offers a small and light solution to power up your notebook and mobile devices anywhere you find wall outlet.
Gainward Designs Overclocked GTX 460 Graphics Card with Double Memory - Gainward is working on an upper-mid range graphics card based on the newly released NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 graphics processor, with 2 GB of GDDR5 memory across a 256-bit wide memory interface, and some factory-overclocked speeds. It is branded under Gainward's GOOD Golden Sample marker. That card uses Gainward's own design PCB and cooling solution. The red PCB is of the same length as the reference PCB, but holds four display connectors (any two can be used simultaneously), that include two DVI, one D-Sub, and HDMI. Based on the 40 nm GF104 GPU, Gainward's card has clock speeds of 700 MHz core (vs. 675 MHz reference), 1400 MHz CUDA core, and 900 MHz (3600 MHz effective) memory. It is likely to cost over 210 EUR.
Source: TechConnect Magazine TSMC Reports Second Quarter EPS of NT$1.55 - TSMC announced consolidated revenue of NT$104.96 billion, net income of NT$40.28 billion, and diluted earnings per share of NT$1.55 (US$0.24 per ADS unit) for the second quarter ended June 30, 2010. Year-over-year, second quarter revenue increased 41.4% while net income increased 64.8% and diluted EPS increased 65%. Compared to first quarter of 2010, second quarter results represent a 13.9% increase in revenue, and a 19.7% increase in both net income and diluted EPS. All figures were prepared in accordance with R.O.C. GAAP on a consolidated basis.
Gross margin for the quarter was 49.5%, operating margin was 38.6%, and net margin was 38.4%. In the second quarter, demand for TSMC's wafers continued to be strong, and wafer shipments in all major semiconductor market segments increased from their first quarter levels. Advanced process technologies (0.13-micron and below) accounted for 72% of wafer revenues. 90-nanometer process technology accounted for 16% of wafer revenues, 65-nanometer 27%, and 40-nanometer 16% of total wafer sales. Samsung Releases X180 and X430 Notebooks in Korea - Samsung released two new notebook models in Korea, the X180 and X430. While the X430 is a 14-inch model with LED-backlit display that has 1366 x 768 pixels resolution, Intel Core i3 330UM, 4 GB of memory, NVIDIA GeForce 310M graphics, and 4 GB of memory, the X180 is a 11.6-inch model with an LED-backlit display of the same resolution, same processor, but Intel integrated HD graphics, and 3 GB of memory. Both models boast of over 8 hours of battery life. For now the model is available only in Korea.
Source: Akihabara News PowerColor Releases HD 5770 Single-Slot Graphics Card - TUL Corporation, a leading manufacturer of AMD graphics cards, today added a slim solution to the HD5700 series: the HD5770 Single Slot Edition. The latest variation uses a single-slot fan design that enables users with limited space in their cases to build performance centric rigs. The HD5770 single slot edition can maximize your rig's performance by providing the possibility for gamers to upgrade their rig without compromising space.
PowerColor's HD5770 Single Slot Edition clocks in at 850MHz core speed and 1200MHz of memory speed. The one slot cooling design optimizes air flow and cools down the temperature efficiently, enabling high gaming performance the likes that have never before been seen in a slim design. The special fan design also provides the potential for gamers to set up a 4-way Crossfire graphics love fest.
Kingston Intros DataTraveler G3 Flash Drives to the EU Market - Kingston released its DataTraveler G3 series of flash drives. These fairly standard USB 2.0 flash drives come in capacities of 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 GB, and offer transfer speeds of 16 MB/s (read), 5 MB/s (write). The units measure 65.68 x 10.66 x 22.37 mm, and use a capped body. The 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 GB variants are priced at €5.85, €7.11, €11.98, €25.42 and €52.10, respectively.
Lenovo Intros IdeaCentre A700 All-in-One PCs to the Market - Lenovo has started selling its IdeaCentre A700 all-in-one PC aimed at capturing the same market Apple's iMac is after, with nearly the same hardware at similar price-points, but driven by Windows 7. The lineup starts at US $999 with the 40243BU variant, it features a 23-inch display with 1920 x 1080 px resolution, Intel Core i3 350M 2.26 GHz processor, 4 GB of DDR3 memory, Intel HD graphics, 500 GB of storage, and a DVD-RW drive. Next up is the $1,149 40242BU variant that has the same chassis and screen, but with a more powerful Core i5 430M processor (also 2.26 GHz, but with Turbo Boost), ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 graphics, and 640 GB of storage. At the top is the $1,599 40241CU. This variant is powered by an Intel Core i7 720QM 1.60 GHz quad-core processor, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5750 graphics, 8 GB of DDR3 memory, 1 TB of storage, and a Blu-ray + DVD writer combo drive. All three variants come with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit pre-installed.
Source: TechDaring ASUS Intros Eee PC 1015PD Netbook, Packs DDR3, USB 3.0, and Bluetooth 3.0 - ASUS rolled out its Eee PC 1015PD netbook which brings with it a certain new hardware features, after numerous Eee PC models carrying essentially the same hardware. The new netbook packs second-generation Intel Atom N475 (1.83 GHz) or N455 (1.66 GHz) processor, 1 GB of DDR3 memory. USB 3.0 and Bluetooth 3.0 are the other new components that expand its connectivity, apart from the familiar 10/100 Ethernet, WiFi b/g/n, and a 6 cell battery. Standard components include a 10.1 inch screen with LED backlit illumination that has a native resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels, 160, 250, or 320 GB HDD options, Intel GMA 3150 graphics, and a VGA webcam. It comes with Windows 7 Starter pre-installed. ASUS did not give out its pricing.
Source: Electronista Stealth Introduces a New Ultra Compact Mini PC - Stealth.com Inc. (Stealth Computer) a leading ISO 9001 manufacturer of industrial rugged computers and peripherals has released a new form factor of mini pc, the model LPC-100 their smallest to date.
The new Stealth ultra small form factor PC offers tremendous processing power in a tiny package that measures only 4.0" x 6.1" x 1.45" (102mm x 155mm x 37mm) or about the size of a paperback novel. The machine weighs in at a mere 1.2lbs or .62kg. The Stealth ultra small PC outperforms most other small sized PC systems due to the integration of the latest Intel Core 2 Duo mobile processors. The LPC-100 is available with a standard Intel Dual Core Celeron T3100 (1.9GHz) or optional Intel Core 2 Duo processors P8400 (2.26Ghz) or T9400 (2.53Ghz). Stealth's space saving computer utilizes the Intel Mobile GM45 Express Chipset featuring Intel's graphic media accelerator with superior 3D graphics performance.
Creative Announces Sound Blaster X-Fi MB2 Software Suite - Creative Technology Ltd. today announced the Sound Blaster X-Fi MB2 software suite - a powerful audio platform equipped with cutting-edge audio technologies designed to enhance ordinary PC systems limited by only basic onboard audio. The Sound Blaster X-Fi MB2 software suite builds on the success of the original Sound Blaster X-Fi MB, bringing enhancement of onboard PC audio to even greater echelons. Through THX TruStudio Pro audio technology and the latest Creative EAX Advanced HD 5.0, users get to enjoy premium audio quality, effects and features on their PC systems.
Gamers can anticipate being blown away by the amazing realism from the unrivalled headphone surround and gaming sound enhancement technologies delivered by the Sound Blaster X-Fi MB2. Creative EAX Advanced HD 5.0 features state-of-the-art multi-environment rendering and reverb modelling, delivering an ultra-realistic and incredibly immersive 3D gaming experience for powering the next generation of cutting-edge PC games. The additional audio cues provided by EAX can also give gamers a competitive advantage in early detection of enemies. More GeForce GTS 450 Details Trickle In - NVIDIA's march into the mainstream graphics segment with graphics processors derived from the Fermi architecture is headed by the GF106 GPU. One of the first SKUs based on it us the GeForce GTS 450. PCB drawings of its reference board surfaced last week. According to fresh details sourced by Donanim Haber, NVIDIA pushed back the launch of GTS 450 from 31st August to 13th September. The site also sourced clock speeds of the SKU, which are 789 MHz (core), and 3760 MHz or 940 MHz actual (memory). The GPU on this SKU has a 128-bit wide memory interface, carrying 1 GB of GDDR5 memory. NVIDIA is targeting the $160 price point with the GTS 450.
Source: DonanimHaber 1, 2 MSI Introduces GX660R and GX660 Gaming Notebooks - MSI's unparalleled team of designers has once again done its magic, creating the GX660 and GX660R, the latest G series laptop computers destined to cause serious salivation among gamers. Under the hood, both are fitted with top end ATi Mobility Radeon HD 5870 discrete graphics card (with 1GB GDDR5 VRAM) and the ultimate in sound from Dynaudio. The GX660R also comes with RAID 0 architecture, doubling capacity to 1TB, while doubling read speed. The powerful performance and unmatched multimedia specs will knock your socks off.
MSI Marketing Director Sam Chern adds that MSI's GX660 not only comes with an advanced discrete graphics card and Dynaudio sound, it also boasts Intel's most powerful Core i7 processor and MSI's own TDE technology to throttle up system performance with just one touch. These NBs mark the start of a new era in gaming excitement. MSI also incorporated its exclusive, user friendly Cooler Boost technology to boost fan RPMs at the touch of a finger for better heat dissipation, while MSI's ECO technology provides you with a powerful, silent, and extended computing experience.
AMD Surpasses NVIDIA in Discrete Graphics Shipments - AMD has finally surpassed NVIDIA in terms of shipments of discrete graphics (graphics cards), according to market research firm Mercury Research, in a report released on Wednesday. AMD's discrete graphics products held 51% of the discrete graphics market, with NVIDIA slipping down to 49%, in terms of discrete graphics products shipments in Q2 2010. For the same quarter last year, the two were poised at 41% for AMD and 59% for NVIDIA, indicating a significant growth, fruition of AMD's DirectX 11 push of deploying a new-generation lineup that spans all price-points in a span of four months.
For the overall GPU industry, with integrated graphics included, the picture for Q2 2010 looks like Intel holding 54.3%, AMD holding 24.5%, and NVIDIA with 19.8%. Last year, in Q2 2009, NVIDIA held 29.6% versus AMD's 18.2%. NVIDIA's deployment of a DirectX 11 compliant GPU lineup has been rather slow, with only two GPUs and four SKUs deployed so far, starting at $199. NVIDIA does not have the fastest graphics card. On Wednesday, the Santa Clara based company warned that its revenue would fall short of earlier projections (set at the time of Fermi's launch). This announcement came after Apple announced a series-wide transition of graphics chips inside its Macbooks, iMac, and Mac Pro computers to AMD's ATI Radeon from NVIDIA GeForce.
Source: CNET NZXT Unveils Crafted Series Phantom Full Tower Case - NZXT, a company built on realizing the dreams of gamers worldwide, is proud to announce Phantom, the company's most elegant and intelligent chassis design to date. Phantom exudes sophistication with pristine contours and a robust menu of high performance features that will satisfy the demands of even the most discerning PC enthusiast.
Phantom's extensive cooling capabilities include 7 fan cooling options with dual 200mm, single 230/200mm, triple 120mm, and front 140mm fans. For enhanced control and expandability, NZXT includes dual radiator support, quad watercooling cutouts, and an integrated fan controller with up to five 20W channels.
AOC Readies 10 New Widescreen Displays - AOC Display looks to cash in on the back-to-school shopping season, the company has lined up no less than 10 new widescreen LCD display models for release. This includes displays sized at 18.5-inch, 19-inch, 21.5-inch, 22-inch and 23-inch, with resolutions ranging from 1366 x 760 to 1920 x 1080. Of these, four models use LED backlit for illumination, rest use the more common CCFL. The contrast ratios (dynamic) for these are 60,000:1 for the CCFL-lit ones, and 20,00,000:1 for the LED-lit. Response time values are either 2 ms or 5 ms, and connectivity includes D-Sub and DVI. Some models have special features such as stereo speakers and USB hubs. AOC did not reveal the exact model names or prices yet.
Source: TechConnect Magazine Elpida Develops Smallest 2-Gigabit LPDDR2 Memory Chip - Elpida Memory, Inc., Japan's leading global supplier of Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), today announced that it had developed a 2-gigabit DDR2 Mobile RAM, the DRAM industry's smallest LPDDR2 chip. The new DDR2 is expected to become the main product manufactured by the 40nm process line at Elpida's Hiroshima Plant (the 40nm line is currently undergoing a capacity expansion).
The new 2-gigabit DDR2 Mobile RAM was developed to target the smart phone and tablet PC markets. In addition to featuring low operating voltage of 1.2V it achieves a 1066Mpbs high-speed data transfer rate and can reach 8.5GB/second for a 64-bit system configuration. Because it uses roughly 30% less operating current compared with Elpida's existing 50nm products the new Mobile RAM is an eco-friendly DRAM that contributes to extending the operating time of mobile devices. AMD Readies New Southbridge Chipset with Native USB 3.0 Support - Although USB 3.0 and SATA 6 Gb/s served as features central to new motherboard models by manufacturers for an entire year, their adoption by chipset vendors has been rather slow. While AMD has integrated SATA 6 Gb/s into its SB850 southbridge, which features a 6-port SATA 6 Gb/s RAID controller, neither Intel nor AMD have USB 3.0 integrated, with no real indication Intel doing so in the foreseeable future. Sources in the motherboard industry, however, reveal that AMD is designing a new southbridge that integrates a USB 3.0 controller, just like present chipsets have USB 2.0.
AMD's move follows a recent announcement of collaboration with Renesas, the company behind the popular NEC uPD720200 controller, to promote USB 3.0 as an industry standard, and a new universal UASP driver model for USB 3.0 controllers. The new southbridge is codenamed "Hudson D1", which will release along with AMD's 40 nm Ontario Fusion APUs in Q4-2010. The company also plans to release the Llano Fusion APU in 2011.
Source: DigiTimes Super Talent Introduces new UltraDrive MX Dual-Interface SSDs - Super Talent Technology, a leading manufacturer of Flash storage solutions and DRAM memory modules, today announced the new "UltraDrive MX SSD". The UltraDrive MX features a new dual-interface for both SATA II and mini-USB connections. The new dual-interface enables this SSD to offer a new level of flexibility and consumer convenience by enabling the customer to use this drive as either an internal SSD or an external SSD.
For customers thinking about upgrading their PC or notebook to a Solid State Disk, the dual-interface UltraDrive MX is a dream come true. Customers can first utilize the USB connector to create an image of their existing internal hard drive. Once complete, the drives can be swapped and the PC rebooted. In the past, creating such an image required an external hard disk enclosure. Now this operation can be completed, faster, easier and with less expense.
Patriot Launches 60GB, 120GB and 240GB Inferno Series Sold-State Drives - Patriot Memory, a global pioneer in high-performance memory, NAND flash and computer peripheral solutions, today announced the immediate availability of three new capacities to the award winning Inferno Series of SSDs. The Inferno 60GB, 120GB and 240GB drives build upon the earlier 100GB and 200GB product offerings found in the family.
Designed around the SandForce SF-1200 SSD processor, the Inferno series delivers incredible performance while also providing superior reliability and longevity utilizing SandForce DuraClass technology. Inferno's blazing performance of 285 MB/s read and 275 MB/s write (sequential) are more exceptional when the 24K IOPS (write) at 4K file sizes are considered. The result is a series of SSD optimized for enthusiast use as a primary system boot drive.
Intel Milestone Confirms Light Beams Can Replace Electronic Signals in the Future - Intel Corporation today announced an important advance in the quest to use light beams to replace the use of electrons to carry data in and around computers. The company has developed a research prototype representing the world's first silicon-based optical data connection with integrated lasers. The link can move data over longer distances and many times faster than today's copper technology; up to 50 gigabits of data per second. This is the equivalent of an entire HD movie being transmitted each second.
Today computer components are connected to each other using copper cables or traces on circuit boards. Due to the signal degradation that comes with using metals such as copper to transmit data, these cables have a limited maximum length. This limits the design of computers, forcing processors, memory and other components to be placed just inches from each other. Today's research achievement is another step toward replacing these connections with extremely thin and light optical fibers that can transfer much more data over far longer distances, radically changing the way computers of the future are designed and altering the way the datacenter of tomorrow is architected.
Sparkle Announces GeForce GTX 470, GTX 465 Graphics Cards with Own Design Cooler - Sparkle Computer announced a pair of new graphics cards based on the GeForce GTX 470 and GeForce GTX 465 graphics processors, and sporting Sparkle's own design as far as the cooler goes. The SXX4701280D5-NM (GTX 470) and SXX4651024D5-NM (GTX 465) feature a GPU cooler that makes use of a dense aluminum fin array to which heat is conveyed by five copper heat pipes, and cooled by an 80 mm fan. With this cooler, Sparkle claims to have brought down temperatures by 4 °C on the GTX 470, and 5 °C on the GTX 465. Both cards retain NVIDIA's reference design PCB, except for that it is blue in color. Both models stick to reference NVIDIA clock speeds and other specifications. Sparkle did not give out a price, though one can expect these to be priced just a little over the reference design cards.
SanDisk Launches its Smallest USB Flash Drive in North America - SanDisk Corporation, the global leader in flash memory cards, today announced the availability of its smallest USB flash drive to U.S. and Canadian consumers. The SanDisk Cruzer Blade is about the size of a standard size paper clip and weighs approximately the same as a penny, creating a tiny footprint that fits easily on a keychain or mobile phone dongle. Despite its small size, the drive packs high-capacity storage at an affordable price.
Available in capacities ranging from 2 gigabytes (GB) to 16GB, the SanDisk Cruzer Blade lets consumers take their favorite digital content with them wherever they go. A 4GB drive can store 1,000 songs, 1,200 high- resolution photos, or 8 hours of 768kb/s video*. The SanDisk Cruzer Blade offers reliable storage in a sturdy form factor, helping consumers rest assured that their digital content is safe.
Micron Introduces New Memory Device Supporting Intel Processor-Based Tablets, Netbook - Micron Technology, Inc., today announced a new 2-gigabit (Gb) 50-nanometer (nm) DDR2 memory device to support the upcoming Intel Atom platform for tablet and netbook personal computers, codenamed "Oak Trail." The small form factor, high-density and low-power consumption of the 2Gb 50nm DDR2 makes it an ideal memory solution for the tablet PC market where size and battery life are key features.
The transition of Micron's 2Gb DDR2 product to the more advanced 50nm process node demonstrates the company's continued commitment and ongoing investment in technologies that meet market demand. In addition to the increase in density from 1Gb to 2Gb-based components, the move to the 50nm process inherently provides improved power savings and a smaller memory footprint. Apple Unveils Hardware Specs. Updates for iMacs, Mac Pro, and a New Cinema Display - Apple today announced a large-scale refresh of its Mac line of computers. The refresh includes new models, and hardware updates on existing ones. Highlights include: 1. a complete transition to Intel 2010 Core Series processors (i3/i5/i7, across the board), a speed step up on existing SKUs, and a brilliant new Cinema display. To begin with, the entire range of iMac desktops now feature Core i3/i5/i7 processors, moving forward from Core 2 Duo that featured on the lower models. The lineup starts with Core i3 processors with speeds of up to 3.06 GHz (at the 21.5" $1,199 point), Core i3 3.20 GHz (at 21.5" $1,499 and 27" $1,699 points), and 2.80 GHz Core i5 quad-core (at the 27" $1,999 point).
Earlier, the 27", $1,999 model featured a 2.66 GHz Core i5 processor. Each of these models optionally offer faster processors. While the 21.5" $1,199 model packs ATI Radeon HD 4670 512 MB graphics, the $1,499 and $1,699 models come with ATI Radeon HD 5670 512 MB graphics, and the 27" one packs ATI Radeon HD 5750 1 GB. All models pack 4 GB of dual-channel DDR3-1333 MHz memory.
New NVIDIA Fermi-Class Quadro Launches the Era of Computational Visualization - NVIDIA today launched the era of the 'computational visualization workstation' for designers, engineers, researchers and animators by introducing its Quadro graphics processing units (GPUs) based on NVIDIA Fermi architecture, and by also introducing the new NVIDIA 3D Vision Pro solution. The new Quadro GPUs deliver performance that is up to five times faster for 3D applications and up to eight times faster for computational simulation, shattering previous benchmarks.
The NVIDIA Quadro Plex 7000 array, and Quadro 6000, Quadro 5000 and Quadro 4000 GPUs feature the new NVIDIA Scalable Geometry Engines and leverage NVIDIA Application Acceleration Engines (AXE) to enable the world's fastest performance across a broad range of CAD, DCC and visualization applications. Rated at an unheard of 1.3 billion triangles per second in raw performance, the Quadro 6000 enables users to interactively work with models and scenes that are five times more complex than ever before.
Thermaltake Launches V6 BlacX Edition Chassis with Single Bay Top HDD Dock - Thermaltake, leading DIY chassis brand, is introducing their first mid-tower chassis with integrated single bay docking station on the case top for convenient easy-swap of 3.5" and 2.5" SATA drives. Users can handle data access and transfer on-the-go without the need to install their harddrives or having to add an external docking device. Two USB 2.0 connectors as well as HD audio microphone and earphone jacks on the top of the front bezel put all major multimedia connectors right in your hand's reach. The tool-free, all black Thermaltake V6 BlacX Edition offers a total of 8 drive bays for maximum storage expansion and 7 PCI expansion slots.
As characteristic for Thermaltake chassis, special attention had been paid to optimized ventilation and airflow. Therefore one 20 cm blue LED exhaust fan on top and another 12 cm exhaust TurboFan in the back warrant that heat dissipated by the CPU is immediately blown out of the case. Further airflow is created by 2 pre-drilled ventilation hole areas on the right side panel and the top of the case.
Dell Intros AMD-Powered Inspiron M101z Netbook - Dell released a netbook based on the AMD-platform this time around, the Inspiron M101z. This one sports a 11.6 inch screen with 1366 x 768 pixel display, driven by ATI Radeon integrated graphics, and comes with bezel colors that include Clear Black, Peacock Blue, Tomato Red and Lotus Pink. Under the hood is an AMD Athlon II Neo processor, 4 GB of memory, up to 320 GB of storage, and connectivity features that include 10/100 Ethernet, and optional Bluetooth 3.0, 3-in-1 card reader, 1.3 MP webcam, and a 6-cell battery. It comes with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit pre-installed, and sells for £379 in the UK.
Source: TechConnect Magazine Khronos Drives Evolution of Cross-Platform 3D Graphics with Release of OpenGL 4.1 - The Khronos Group today announced the immediate release of the OpenGL 4.1 specification, bringing the very latest graphics functionality to the most advanced and widely adopted cross-platform 2D and 3D graphics API (application programming interface). OpenGL 4.1 is the sixth update to OpenGL specification in two years, continuing the rapid evolution of this royalty-free specification. This new version continues to maintain full backwards compatibility to enable developers to begin using new features whenever they choose, while portably accessing state-of-the-art GPU functionality across diverse operating systems and platforms.
The OpenGL 4.1 specification has been defined by the OpenGL ARB (Architecture Review Board) working group at Khronos, and includes the GLSL 4.10 update to the OpenGL Shading language and is accompanied by a number of extensions introducing cutting-edge functionality to the OpenGL standard. The full specification is available for immediate download here. JEDEC Publishes Widely Anticipated DDR3L Low Voltage Memory Standard - JEDEC Solid State Technology Association, the global leader in standards development for the microelectronics industry, today announced the publication of JEDEC DDR3L, a widely anticipated addendum to its JESD79-3 DDR3 Memory Device Standard. Continuing the evolution of DDR3 as the dominant DRAM standard today, DDR3L will enable a significant reduction in power consumption for a broad range of products that utilize memory; including laptops, desktops, servers, networking systems and a wide array of consumer electronics products. The updated version of JESD79-3, including the DDR3L addendum, is available for free download here.
Called DDR3L for DDR3 Low Voltage, devices adhering to the new standard will operate from a single 1.35V power supply voltage compared to 1.5V in existing devices. Under the new standard, DDR3L memory devices will be functionally compatible to DDR3 memory devices, but not all devices will be interoperable at both voltage ranges. Toshiba Announces Family of Small Form Factor Drives Targeted at High-End Computing - Toshiba Storage Device Division (SDD), the pioneer in small form factor hard disk drives (HDDs), today announced a new family of 7,200 RPM 2.5-inch SATA drives. This represents the industry's first broad line of 7,200 RPM 2.5-inch models optimized for demanding performance, power consumption, and durability requirements across a wide range of high-performance and business-critical applications.
Continuing the Toshiba tradition of leadership and innovation in small form factor storage, this product family offers systems designers a choice of capacities across standard, high-durability, and self-encrypting models. This new HDD family provides extremely quiet operation-the seek acoustics are the same as idle mode. Halogen-free2 and power-efficient, the new models also deliver lowered heat generation and power consumption during operation.
ITC Issues Notice of Final Determination in Rambus Matter Regarding NVIDIA Products - Rambus Inc., one of the world's premier technology licensing companies, today announced that the International Trade Commission (ITC) issued its notice of final determination in the action brought by Rambus against NVIDIA Corporation and other Respondents. In its notice, the ITC has affirmed the findings of the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), with certain modifications. The final determination, including such modifications, has yet to be released.
On November 6, 2008, Rambus filed a complaint with the ITC requesting an investigation pertaining to certain NVIDIA products. The complaint sought an exclusion order barring the importation, sale for importation, and sale after importation of products that infringe nine of Rambus' patents. The accused products include graphics processors, application processors, media and communications processors, and chip sets which incorporate infringing memory controllers. The complaint named NVIDIA as a proposed Respondent, as well as companies whose products incorporate the accused NVIDIA products and are imported into the United States. These Respondents include: Asustek Computer Inc. and Asus Computer International, BFG Technologies, Biostar Microtech and Biostar Microtech International Corp., Diablotek Inc., EVGA Corp., G.B.T. Inc. and Giga-Byte Technology Co., Hewlett-Packard, MSI Computer Corp. and Micro-Star International Co., Palit Multimedia Inc. and Palit Microsystems Ltd., Pine Technology (Macao Commercial Offshore) Ltd., and Sparkle Computer Co. Four of the asserted patents were later withdrawn from the investigation. AMD Releases ATI Catalyst 10.7 WHQL Software Suite - AMD rolled out its latest ATI Catalyst Software Suite today, as expected. The latest release is Catalyst 10.7 WHQL. The Catalyst Software Suite provides drivers for ATI Radeon graphics processors, AMD 7-series chipsets, and ATI multimedia products. Version 10.7 WHQL ironed out an important issue with VLC Media Player, which enabled DXVA2 hardware h.264 video acceleration (with VLC 1.1.1 or later installed), which results in smooth video playback and reduced system resource usage. Important enhancements to the HydraVision technology were also added, such as taking into account bezel compensation when maximizing windows across displays. The new pull-down detection algorithm improves visual quality of certain types of videos. And finally, ATI CrossFireX now supports rotated displays, which was particularly longed for by users of ATI Eyefinity setups that make use of rotated physical displays. A list of performance improvements are also included, pertaining to Borderlands in single and multi GPU modes, with and without AA.
A list of changes follows. ADATA Releases USB2.0 Combo 2-in-1 Interfaced Connector N909 Flash Drive - ADATA Technology, a leading vendor of DRAM modules and flash memory products, launched the industry first ever USB flash drive N909 featuring with the latest eSATA+USB 2.0 COMBO interface, designed to outperform conventional USB 2.0 USB drives with enhanced data transfer speed. The N909 adopts the 4-channnel technology that sets to boost data transfer rates up to 90MB/s and 50 MB/s in sequential read/write performance respectively.
N909 is one of the first innovative storage device equipped with eSATA+USB 2.0 combo interface with a single connector. Apart from using in eSATA+USB 2.0 combo port, N909 supports the easy plug-and-play on compatible platforms and is also backward compatible with USB 2.0 port. In addiction, the combo interface also provides an access for charging via the USB interface which used to be considered as an inconvenient problem on the eSATA interface. Combining the revolutionary combo interface, N909 offers the best solution for transferring large amount of data compared to the preceding USB 2.0. In other words, a 4GB avi only needs 59 seconds to be read as opposed to 4.2 minutes via a conventional USB 2.0 interface.
Heads Roll in Lords of Overclocking Competition Cheating Scandal - Over the last week, the enthusiast community witnessed high drama as some world-renowned overclockers were disqualified from the MSI Lords of Overclocking online competition for engaging in malpractice. Futuremark noticed that some validation entries from top scoring candidates originated from the same setup, confirmed from consistency in Futuremark product key and PCI devices. Top three position-holders at the LoOC competition admitted to using scores generated by a third person, AndreYang. Hiwa, eXtremetweaker.de, KJ and Skinnee were named as disqualified candidates.
What happened next could come as a surprise to some. Major overclocking communities banned these individuals, some permanently, with enthusiast charts aggregator HWBOT handing out a 1 year ban to each of them (although HWBOT wasn't involved in that competition), and XtremeSystems.org issuing lifetime bans. Even as some question the motives behind Andre sharing scores with four people at the same time, the candidates deny that Andre had any intention to profit from it, other than just helping. Thermaltake Launches Massive23 LX Notebook Cooler - Thermaltake Technology, leading PC and notebook thermal solutions brand, has launched the newest member to their popular Massive23 line of notebook coolers, the Massive23 LX. With design considerations particularly focusing on comfort of use, it offers an ergonomic typing angle and two convenient carry handles. In addition, the stylish black metal mesh design enhances its overall appearance. The USB port powered Massive 23 LX comes with separated fan on/off and LED light control switches.
The Massive23 LX offers even more functionality than its predecessors, supporting dual-USB ports and an integrated cable shelter to store the bundled USB power cable when not in use. Moreover, special anti-slip rubber strips on the surface guarantee a firm setting of your notebook. But most importantly an oversized 23cm silent fan underneath the metal mesh of hexagonal-vents offers unparalleled cooling performance.
Active Media Products Launches IDE Flash Disk Module (DOM) Line - Active Media Products, a leading manufacturer of DOMs, SSDs and USB drives, today announced a new line of IDE Flash DOM (Disk on Module) drives that are smaller, lighter, faster and more reliable than rotating media, making them ideal for use in servers, networking, industrial, military and embedded applications. These new Parallel ATA flash disk modules are offered in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB capacities, built with highly reliable MLC NAND Flash.
"We developed these PATA DOMs in response to demand from our industrial customers who need relatively small but highly reliable storage drives for use in server appliances," explained Active Media Products VP of Sales, Jerry Thomson. These DOMs have been validated on the latest Opteron 6100 (Magny Cours) server motherboards to ensure compatibility with the newest server hardware. Designed with industry standard 40-pin and 44-pin female IDE connectors, they are compatible with myriads of existing motherboards and systems.
ASRock Designs Six Core-Ready AM3 Motherboard Based on AMD 480X Chipset (circa 2007) - ASRock is known for innovations in the motherboard industry that are borderline-wacky and defy the norm. For example, the socket AM2 motherboard based on the six year old NVIDIA nForce 3 chipset that supports Phenom II series (read here), or a socket 939 motherboard based on the more recent AMD 780G chipset (originally meant for AM2+/AM3 platforms) called the 939A785GMH-128M, or the numerous examples of older Intel 900 series chipsets supporting Core 2 processors. Perhaps this is ASRock's way of clearing new old-stock chipsets from manufacturers, by giving them a lease of life. The latest such creation is the M3A UCC.
This socket AM3 motherboard supports all AM3 processors including six-core ones, and DDR3 memory at speeds of up to 1800 MHz, is based on the AMD 480X, one of AMD's first discrete graphics chipsets after it took over ATI. The 480X was meant to be a value discrete graphics chipset with dual x8 lane CrossFire support. It is paired with the SB600 southbridge that gives out four SATA 3 Gb/s ports. Expansion slots include PCI-Express 1.1 x16, two PCI-E x1, and three PCI. Six channel audio, Gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0, serial and parallel ports, make the rest of it. The UCC chip lets you unlock disabled cores on X3 and Phenom II X2 processors. The idea behind this product could be to deliver an inexpensive motherboard that just works. This further validates the point that any AMD chipset since nForce 3 can support any AMD desktop processor with IMC made till date, if motherboard vendors fine-tune their business interests to think more like ASRock.
