ASUS Working on MARS II Dual GTX 480 Graphics Accelerator
20.07.2010
After treating the enthusiast community to the Republic of Gamers (ROG) ARES Dual HD 5870 graphics accelerator, ASUS isn't wasting any time in designing its successor, referred to (for now) as "MARS II". This graphics accelerator uses two NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 (GF100) GPUs on one board, that's right, the first dual-GPU accelerator based on GF100, which is dreaded for its thermal and electrical characteristics so much, that NVIDIA is content with having the second-fastest graphics card in the market (GTX 480), with no immediate plans of working on a dual-GPU accelerator.
ASUS' ambitious attempt is in the design stage deep inside its R&D, where the design is in an evaluation stat. To begin with, the card's basic design is consistent with almost every other dual-GPU NVIDIA card in recent past. There are two independent GPU systems, each with its own VRM and memory, which are interconnected by an internal SLI, and connected to the system bus by an nForce 200 bridge chip. On this card, two GF100 GPUs with the same configuration as GeForce GTX 480 (GF100-375-A3) are used, each having 480 CUDA cores, and connecting to 1536 MB of GDDR5 memory across a 384-bit wide memory interface.
Seagate has just launched Momentus XT, an HD/SSD hybrid drive that combines the low cost of hard disk drives with the high performance of SSD units. This disk features a smart technology that actively monitors the frequently-used applications and data files and stores them in the SSD for quick access. The product is available in 250 GB, 320 GB and 500 GB capacities, has SATA-300 interface, 32 MB cache, spins at 7,200 rpm and has 4 GB SLC flash memory.
NVIDIA has just launched its first DirectX 11 mobile GPU, GeForce GTX 480M. The chip works internally at 425 MHz, has 352 processors running at 850 MHz, works with GDDR5 memory (1 GB) running at 2,400 MHz QDR (600 MHz real) thru a 256-bit interface and supports SLI, PhysX, CUDA, 3D Vision and PureVideo technologies. The first notebooks equipped with GeForce GTX 480M will reach the market next month.
3D Mark 11 The Gamers Benchmark for DirectX 11 3DMark 11 is the latest version of the world’s most popular benchmark for measuring the 3D graphics performance of gaming PCs. 3DMark 11 uses a native DirectX 11 engine designed to make extensive use of all the new features in DirectX 11, including tessellation, compute shaders and multi-threading. 3Dmark 11 is the best way to consistently and reliably test DirectX 11 under game-like loads. 3DMark is trusted by gamers and enthusiasts worldwide to cut through marketing hype and technical jargon to give accurate and unbiased guidance for PC hardware purchasing decisions. Coming Q3 2010.
Nvidia Releases Next-Generation GTX400 Series Graphics Cards
30.03.2010
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 400 series gives your games an adrenaline shot with incredible performance and futuristic, visually-stunning graphics. Experience heart-pounding, cinematic visuals on your favourite games with the combined power of DirectX 11, CUDA, 3D Vision Surround and NVIDIA PhysX technologies. And expand your visual real estate across three HD displays in jaw-dropping stereoscopic 3D for the ultimate in immersive gaming.
Give your games an adrenaline shot with the fastest GPU on the planet.
Experience heart-pounding, cinematic visuals in stereoscopic 3D with the combined power of DirectX 11, NVIDIA® PhysX® and NVIDIA® 3D Vision™ Surround technologies.
FEATURES
Total Immersion:
Breakthrough the boundaries of your screen. Games, movies and photos enter a new dimension with NVIDIA 3D Vision technology. Thrill seeker? Use two GeForce GTX 480 cards in NVIDIA® SLI® configuration to project across three displays with NVIDIA 3D Vision Surround* technology. *Warning: May cause screen envy. Learn More
Stunning Gaming Effects:
Cutting-edge Microsoft DirectX 11 graphics and NVIDIA® PhysX® technology take gaming to a new level. Witness effects so realistic that you’ll have to remind yourself it’s just a game. Repeat: It’s just a game.
Futuristic Graphics:
Prepare yourself for the future of gaming. GeForce GTX 480 powers interactive raytracing, bringing spectacular, photo-realistic renderings to your screen for the first time. Go ahead, spoil your eyes.
Intel Corporation announced new Intel Atom processors today that feature integrated graphics built directly into the CPU, enabling improved performance and smaller, more energy-efficient designs in a new generation of netbooks and Atom-based entry level desktop PCs. Major OEMs have committed to having systems on the new Intel Atom processors and a new companion chipset available within the next few weeks.
The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) today announced the finalization and release of the "Blu-ray 3D" specification. The specification, which represents the work of the leading Hollywood studios and consumer electronic and computer manufacturers, will enable the home entertainment industry to bring the 3D experience into consumers' living rooms on Blu-ray Disc, the most capable high definition home entertainment platform.
Next Generation Broadcom Crystal HD Technology brings HD to the Intel Atom Netbook Platform
18.01.2010
Broadcom Corporation, a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced that its Crystal HD technology will be available to OEMs wanting to deliver best-in-class video playback on the new Intel Atom processor platform for netbooks. The Broadcom BCM70015 Crystal HD solution will be offered as an option for OEMs designing netbooks using the Intel Atom processor N450 and Intel NM10 Express chipset platform. Crystal HD technology provides netbook users with a rich multimedia experience by enabling cost effective, quality playback of multi-format, high definition (HD) video and will be featured on select 2010 netbook platforms from top-tier OEMs including ASUS, Dell and Samsung.
DFI Mashes Two Systems into One, Rolls out Hybrid Motherboard
26.09.2009
The term 'Hybrid' these days probably relates most to hybrid cars. DFI has taken the concept of two machines - a high-power one, and an energy-efficient one, to a whole new level with its Hybrid P45-ION-T2A2 socket LGA 775 motherboard. This motherboard literally packs two motherboards sharing a PCB: one P45+ICH10R based socket LGA-775 system, and another portion holding an Intel Atom processor powered by NVIDIA ION chipset. Each has its own memory and storage subsystems, and share the machine's IO (input devices and display) in a somewhat KVM-style. So even as the major system is busy playing games, transcoding media, or running other power-hungry tasks, the minor system is quietly running the downloads, playing music, etc. When the major system is not needed, the minor system provides enough juice for media consumption and internet browsing, and general productivity at a really low energy footprint. A pretty neat concept.
DFI's engineers describe it further in this YouTube video.
Google Maps, finally with Aussie traffic
21.09.2009
It's taken a while, but it's finally here: Google Maps now includes real-time Australian traffic info.
Today, Google and Suna announced that live traffic data has finally been incorporated into Google Maps Australia. Updated every few minutes, traffic information is available for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
There's also updates for major roads and freeways heading through or past Wollongong, the NSW Central Coast (namely Gosford and Woy Woy), Geelong and the Sunshine Coast. It is expected to be availabe in Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and other major centres in the near future.
Traffic data is accessible via the Google Maps website, as well as the Google Maps app that's supplied on various phones — it has been successfully tried it on the Apple iPhone, a Palm Centro and the Nokia 6710 Navigator.
As with the info that's supplied via Suna's traffic message channel (TMC) service to various GPS sat nav units, the company collects traffic data from various sources. Key amongst these are the cameras, road plates and traffic lights operated by state road agencies.
Google Maps' traffic feature was first made available in a number of US cities in 2007.
Intel Plans 3.40 GHz Celeron E3900 for 2010
31.08.2009
Although a large chunk of products based on the new sockets LGA-1156 and LGA-1366 arrive in 2010, effectively pushing LGA-775 out of the extreme, performance, and upper mainstream segments, Intel will continue launching new low-end LGA-775 processors in an effort to digest inventories of motherboards and memory compatible to that socket. The company's grassroot processor brand Celeron will be updated with the E3000 series, consisting of dual-core processors based on the Wolfdale-1M core. The 45 nm based core offers the essential features for basic computing, while running cool and priced low.
Two quarters ahead of its expected launch, sources in the Chinese media unearthed Celeron E3900, perhaps the last SKU in the E3000 series. Slated for Q1 2010, the Celeron E3900 runs at 3.40 GHz (200 MHz x 17), with an FSB speed of 800 MHz. It has a shared L2 cache size of 1 MB, and supports the most common instruction sets including SSE3, SSSE3, and x86-64, although SSE4.1 and Intel-VT isn't part of it. The latest company roadmap of the essential and value segments show that the company looks as far as Q3 2010 with its Celeron and Core 2 Duo brand products, with existing number schemes. In essence, retailers in Q3 2010 shouldn't have stock problems selling you these processors.
AMD Lists Out Cypress Technologies, Tentative Branding?
28.08.2009
In a release to its manufacturing partners, AMD listed out the key features of its high performance GPU in the Evergreen family, codenamed "Cypress". While not getting into the GPU specifications, it lists out the key technologies the GPUs support. It comes as no surprise that AMD will name Cypress-XT and Cypress-Pro as Radeon HD 5870 and Radeon HD 5850, a model number scheme that's been running for the past two generations. While the product launches, tentatively on September 22, retail availability can be expected only in October, just in time for the release of Windows 7.
• 1GB GDDR5 memory
• ATI Eyefinity technology with support for up to three displays
• ATI Stream technology,
• Designed for DirectCompute 5.0 and OpenCL
• Accelerated Video Transcoding (AVT)
• Compliant with DirectX® 11 and earlier revisions
• Supports OpenGL 3.1
• ATI CrossFireX™ multi-GPU support for highly scalable performance6
• ATI Avivo™ HD video and display technology
• Dynamic power management with ATI PowerPlay™ technology
• DL-DVI, DL-DVI, DisplayPort, HDMI
• PCI Express® 2.0 support
Core i9 ''Gulftown'' Comes to Life
04.08.2009
Intel's posterboy processor for the 32 nm Westmere architecture, the six-core Gulftown is now living, breathing silicon. The company seems to have already dispatched samples of the chip. Gulftown is based on the LGA-1366 socket. Featuring 6 cores and 12 threads with HyperThreading enabled, it holds 12 MB of L3 cache to support the additional data load over the QuickPath Interconnect.
Going by older information, Gulftown should be implemented in a commercial product in Q1 2010, when Intel plans a host of other important product launches. When released as Core i9, the processor will target the premium enthusiast market.
Western Digital Ships Industry's First 1 TB Mobile Hard Drive
28.07.2009
WD today announced two new mobile hard drives that reach new capacity extremes. The highlight is a one terabyte model - the industry's highest-capacity 2.5-inch drive available. Industry-leading 333 GB-per-platter technology enables the new WD Scorpio Blue SATA 2.5-inch hard drives to offer mobile storage device and notebook users an enormous 1 TB capacity. A 750 GB WD Scorpio Blue model also will be available.
The WD Scorpio Blue 750 GB and 1 TB hard drives have a 12.5 mm form factor and are ideally suited for use in portable storage solutions, such as the newly released My Passport Essential SE Portable USB Drives. Other applications include select notebooks and small form factor desktop PCs, where quiet and cool operation are important. Both WD Scorpio Blue drives deliver high-performance with a 3 gigabits per second (Gb/s) transfer rate.
Kingston Releases 256GB DataTraveller USB Flash Drive
23.07.2009
Kingston Technology today announced its new high-capacity USB flash drive, the DataTraveller 300 (model: DT300/256GB), which packs a massive 256 GB of data in a pocketable package measuring 70.68 x 16.90 x 22.99 mm (as big as a typical flash drive, nearly twice as thick). The package design is cap-less, with the USB connector popping-out at the push of a slider. The drive offers read speeds of 20 MB/s, and writes data at 10 MB/s. The company packs its own data-encryption software to protect data. The drive supports Windows ReadyBoost technology on Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems. No price available as yet.
Microsoft Releases Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 to Manufacturing Partners
23.07.2009
Industry partners are finalizing new products in time for the worldwide launch.
Microsoft Corp. today announced the release to manufacturing (RTM) of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, the next versions of its flagship desktop and server operating systems. With the completion of this development phase, industry partners are readying products in time for the Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 worldwide general launches. Windows 7 will be generally available to customers around the world on October 22, and Windows Server 2008 R2 will be generally available on or before that date.
Acer to launch 3D notebook at the end of October, new netbook for 3Q10
11.06.2009
Acer plans to launch a 15.6-inch 3D notebook, which the company jointly developed with Wistron, at the end of October 2009, according to Campbell Kan, vice president of Acer's mobile computing business unit.
The notebook features built-in software which can convert regular 2D movies to 3D, and will also directly support 3D movies.
Currently, users still need to wear stereoscopic glasses for the 3D to be effective, however, Acer is developing a model without the need for glasses, although it still has quite a few technological obstacles to overcome, Kan noted.
The notebook will come equipped with Windows 7 and therefore Acer will not make an official announcement until Microsoft launches the OS, Kan added.
In addition to Windows and Android models, Acer is also working on its third-generation netbook, which will feature a similar concept as MIDs or smartbooks with strong network connectivity and convenience, and it is targeting a launch date in the second of third quarter of 2010, Kan noted.
Microsoft confirms Windows 7 release date
11.06.2009
Microsoft has confirmed that the official release date for the new Windows 7 operating system will be 22 October.
In an announcement on the company's Windows blog Brandon LeBlanc, Windows communications manager, said that the launch date was now set and the company would begin selling the new operating system earlier than the previously announced date of 2010.
Final code development will be finished this month, he said, and manufacturers will start getting the code next month, at which point Windows Server 2008 R2 should also be ready.
"Release to manufacturing [RTM] is an important milestone," wrote LeBlanc. " We anticipate making the RTM code for Windows 7 available to our partners sometime in the second half of July. We also expect to be able to make RTM code for Windows Server 2008 R2 available to our partners in this time frame as well. "
The release will mean that Windows 7 will be in place for the crucial Christmas shopping period, when hardware sales are strongest. Microsoft is also instituting a scheme to ensure that sales do not die off in the meantime called Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program.
Under the scheme, which is still being finalised, users who buy a computer with Windows Vista will get a free upgrade to Windows 7.
Microsoft should avoid the problems that the similar Vista Capable campaign caused because Windows 7 should not need a major hardware upgrade over existing systems.
Windows 7 was released as a beta in January and has had largely positive reviews. It has taken a little under three years to develop, in contrast to Vista which took five years and has been unpopular with buyers.
Microsoft Windows 7 RC Available for Download
07.05.2009
The wait is over, Microsoft has published the official download page for Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC). Offered now directly from Microsoft are five different language versions (English, German, Japanese, French, and Spanish) of both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 RC.
Minimum system specs to run Windows 7 include:
1 GHz or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
1 GB RAM (32-bit) / 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
16 GB available disk space (32-bit) / 20 GB (64-bit)
DirectX 9 graphics processor with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
Don't waste any more time.Go directly to the Windows 7 RC download page now.
Click here to download>>
AMD Introduces New Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Processor
24.04.2009
AMD announced a platform refresh today for Dragon platform technology, including the new AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition processor. As AMD's fastest ever quad-core processor, it brings all the capabilities gamers, enthusiasts and do-it-yourselfers have come to expect from AMD, including world record setting performance, high-speed DDR3 memory support and AMD OverDrive 3.0 technology, giving users more control over their computing experience.
The Dragon technology refresh consists of the new AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition processor, AMD 7-Series chipsets and award winning ATI Radeon HD 4890 graphics. With this platform refresh, AMD is combining its fastest processor with the massive graphics processing muscle of its most powerful GPU to deliver high definition video entertainment and "beyond HD" resolutions3 that allow gamers to take the latest games to the extreme.
ASUS Quietly Presents 10-inch 1004DN Eee PC with DVD Burner
02.04.2009
With the quiet introduction of 1004DN, the ASUS Eee PCs are an inch closer to changing their names from netbooks to laptops or notebooks if you want. Up until now all netbooks were missing the presence of any optical drives, and that was partly what made them different from normal laptops. Well, that's about to change with the ASUS Eee PC 1004DN netbook which offers integrated DVD burner that makes possible reading and writing CDs and DVDs on the go. There's only one step left until Eee PCs and netbooks all become normal laptops - their screen sizes.
Back on the Eee PC 1004DN except the DVD burner, it has a 10-inch LED-backlit TFT WSVGA screen with a 1024 x 600 resolution, an Intel Atom N280 CPU working at 1.66 GHz, an Intel GN40 chipset and 1 GB of DDR2 RAM expandable to 2 GB. For storage the 1004DN uses single 1.8-inch PATA 120 GB 4,200 RPM hard drive and an Express Card slot for expansion. The Eee PC 1004DN measures 277 mm x 194 mm x 27.4-34 mm and weights 1.45 kg (with a 6-cell battery). Expect pricing and availability date information soon.
MSI Intros the U110 ECO Wind Netbook with up to 9 Hours of Battery Life
17.3.2009
Micro Star International or MSI for short rolled out today the U110 ECO Wind netbook. What's new in the U110 ECO Wind is the extended battery life period, equal to around 9 hours according to the manufacturer. That's roughly enough for a whole day work on the netbook without recharging. Hardware specs of the netbook include a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom Z530 and Intel's traditionally MID-oriented Menlow chipset with an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3200. The installed memory is 1 GB DDR2 at 533 MHz (max 2 GB), there's also a 160 GB 2.5-inch HDD, a 1.3 MP built-in webcam, modem, GbE LAN, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a 10-inch 1024x600 LCD display and a legal copy of Windows XP Home or Windows Vista Home Basic to have entire disposal of the hardware.
ASUS mATX ROG Rampage II GENE Motherboard Officially Announced
ASUS, the world’s leading producer of motherboards, today released the new X58-based ROG (Republic of Gamers) Rampage II GENE in response to overwhelming demand for a mATX gaming and enthusiast motherboard. Hailing from ASUS´ world record-breaking Rampage II lineage, the Rampage II GENE boasts premium features such as MemOK! for worry-free memory upgrades, CPU Level Up for easy system performance boosts, and onboard SupremeFX X-Fi for true-to-life surround sound.
Atomic in Size, Atomic in Power
With the Rampage II GENE, ASUS has masterfully filled the mATX gap in its lauded ROG product line. For the first time, users will be able to harness the full power of the Intel® Core™ i7 processor in a chassis the fraction of the size and weight of an ATX desktop PC. The Rampage II GENE’s awesome combination of overclockability, tweakability and stability enable it to easily outgun other full-sized ATX motherboards.
MemOK! Any Memory is A-Okay!
MemOK! was developed to provide users with a worry-free memory upgrade experience. In the event of a boot failure after installing new RAM, all the user has to do is press an easily accessible button on the motherboard and MemOK! will automatically load the failsafe settings needed to ensure a successful system boot. MemOK! is able to rapidly detect and resolve memory issues—even if bad or unstable memory is used!
Supreme In-game Audio with SupremeFX X-Fi
An onboard SupremeFX X-Fi solution delivers crisp audio and incredibly realistic in-game sound effects. Official EAX sound effects from EAX 1.0 to EAX HD4.0 allow gamers to enjoy total immersion in supported games. X-Fi CMSS3D’s groundbreaking positional audio gives gamers a distinct in-game advantage, while Crystalizer enhances overall audio quality dramatically.
World's First DC Inverter Type Micro Refrigeration Cooling System
18.2.2009
Thermaltake has officially announced the Xpressar RCS100 ; the world’s first DC-inverter-type micro-refrigeration cooling system for a PC. Essentially what Thermaltake has done is combine its Xaser VI computer case with the guts of a refrigerator, which is definitely a cool idea. Apparently, the Xpressar RCS100 was able to cool an Intel Core 2 Duo E8400, which had been overclocked to 4.05 GHz, down to 35-degrees Celsius. If the claims are true, that is 20-degrees cooler than the average water-cooling system. As well, with a single 120 mm fan running at 1600 RPM, the noise in the system is claimed to be a near inaudible 20 dB. Somehow it seems hard to believe that the system’s condenser pump would also be that quiet however.
Lite-On Announces New 24x PATA and SATA DVD Writers
12.2.2009
Lite-On, a global leader of optical storage solutions, today announces a new line of internal DVD writers that deliver a maximum write speed of 24X on select DVD media, the fastest in the market. Select drives will also include Lite-On's own LabelTag and SmartErase technologies -- unique labeling and data erasing features for DVDs and CDs.
Compared to similar devices in the market today, Lite-On's new internal writers offer the fastest DVD recording available with its DVD writing speeds of 24X. All drives will include new Lite-On technologies designed for true power users who are concerned with more than just writing speeds. Lite-On's SmartErase technology will be included in all drive versions, and the iHAS624, available in Mid-May, will also feature LabelTag -- a new solution in disc labeling.
These new DVD writers will be available in the following versions:
iHAS324 - 24X SATA with SmartErase; available in Mid-March
iHAP424 - 24X PATA with SmartErase and LightScribe; available end of March
iHAS624 - 24X SATA with SmartErase, LightScribe and LabelTag; available in Mid-May
NVIDIA GeForce Driver Version 182.05 BETA Released
10.2.2009
NVIDIA today also released new BETA GeForce driver version 182.05 for both Windows Vista and Windows XP. Some games will run a bit faster with this driver compared to the latest official version 181.22:
* Up to 8% performance increase in Fallout 3 at high resolution and AA.
* Up to 10% performance increase in F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin.
* Up to 9% performance increase in Half-Life 2 at high resolution with AA.
* Up to 11% performance increase in Left 4 Dead at high resolution with AA.
* Up to 10% performance increase in Race Driver: GRID at high resolution and AA.
Skype 4.0 for Windows launched with full-screen video calling
4.2.2009
When it comes to making free calls across the internet using Voice over IP technology, Skype is certainly leading the pack. With almost 26 million people having downloaded the software, Skype is the most used free internet application.
Developed by the people behind the file-sharing service Kazaa, Skype offers free internet telephony with another PC user as long as both have the Skype software.
Of course, you're not limited to making calls, either. If you can see another Skype user online, you can request a text-based chat, in the same manner as you would through Windows Live Messenger or similar applications. If they're not at their desk, they will see your message as soon as they return.
This is the official release of Skype 4. New features include a brand new user-interface, improved alerts, better audio clarity, an improved method of managing multiple chats and much more.
Samsung develops 4Gb DRAM chip: 32GB DIMMs around the corner
2.3.2009
Samsung Electronics has developed the first four gigabit DRAM memory chip using its 50 nanometer technology. 16GB modules using the 4Gb chips use 40% less power than previous DDR3 modules thanks to higher density and half the number of chips.
The 4Gb chips operate at 1.35 volts, a 20% increase in throughput over a 1.5 volt DDR3 chip, and have a maximum speed of 1.6 Gbps.
The 4Gb chip will make its way into 16GB registered DIMMs for servers, 8GB unbuffered DIMMs for workstations, and 8GB small outline DIMMs for laptops.
Using dual-die package technology, the 4Gb chip allows modules of up to 32GB - double that of the 2Gb chips which were state-of-the-art in September 2008.
Google Earth goes to the oceans, Mars
2.2.2009
San Francisco »Google Inc. on Monday launched a new version of Google Earth that allows users to explore the oceans, view images of Mars and watch regions of the Earth change over time.
The new features mark a significant upgrade to Google Earth, a popular software program that provides access to the world's geographical information through digital maps, satellite imagery and the company's search tools.
Google Earth 5.0 was unveiled at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, where former Vice President Al Gore, singer Jimmy Buffet and others spoke about its capacity to educate the public about global warming, ocean acidification and other threats to the planet.
"This is an extremely powerful educational tool," said climate-change activist Gore.
Google Earth has been downloaded more than 500 million times since it was launched in 2005. The software is available for free on Google's Web site.
John Hanke, director of Google Earth and Maps, said the idea of adding oceans came three years ago when a scientist pointed out that the software was missing the water that covers almost three-quarters of the Earth's surface.
Google Earth users can now go beneath the ocean's surface and explore three-dimensional images of the underwater terrain..
New AMD mobile chip could give Intel Atom a run for your money, if you're thinking of a mini notebook.
AMD has unveiled a new mobile platform which it claims will fill a gap in the laptop market between low-cost netbook models such as the Asus Eee PC and traditional ultraportable systems.
The Athlon Neo is based on the same core architecture as AMD's other Athlon and Opteron chips, and is clocked at 1.6GHz. In the new platform, codenamed Yukon, it is combined with an M690T chipset and an optional discrete ATI graphics chip.
Windows 7 enters next phase
12.1.2009
Everyone will be able to download a beta of Windows 7 by the end of the week (US time), as Microsoft moves into its next phase of replacing the OS that shall not be named.
Windows 7 beta (as opposed to be pre-beta) has already appeared on file sharing networks, but now Microsoft says the public will be able to download it without worrying about a knock on the door in the middle of the night.
The general public will be able to download Windows 7 Beta 1 by Friday in the US – for Australians hopefully that should mean you can start downloading on the weekend.
Microsoft remains confident Windows 7 will be released on time, which means sometime around January 2010 (though there’s speculation it could be as early as late 2009).
AMD spreads Dragon wings in 2009
8.1.2009
While Intel pushes gaming in the form of a chip, AMD is again going with a fantasy theme – which may or not be a good thing, depending on whether you get excited about spiders and such, and whether CPU, GPU and chipsets and be boiled down to a single brand.
Last year this platform was called Spider, and this year it’s Dragon.
The special sauce that makes Dragon is:
- 45nm Phenom II
- ATI Radeon 4000 series
- AMD 7 series chipset (such as the 790)
Whether Dragon can compete with Core i7’s multi-threaded abilities, which promises big gains once more threaded games appear, will make for an interesting battle in 2009
AMD has unveiled four tiers of Mobility Radeon 4000 series cards for laptops in 2009. At the top end this is the HD 4800 Series, while “thin performance laptops” get the HD 4600, and the 4300 is for thin and light notebooks. The “mainstream” card is the 4500/4300, which looks like being a good choice for 1080p playback rather than gaming.
Logitech Gives Gamers Complete Control With New G-series Peripherals for PC Gaming
6.1.2009
The G-series line of gaming peripherals from Logitech® gives gamers what they want: complete control. On CES, Logitech unveiled an extension of its award-winning G-series by introducing three new products that deliver precision, high performance and customization: the Logitech® G19 keyboard for gaming, the Logitech® G35 surround sound headset and the Logitech® G9x laser mouse. Delivering everything gamers need for a competitive edge – from programmable buttons to 7.1-channel surround sound and 5000 dpi laser sensors to backlit keys – Logitech's best-in-class gaming peripherals are engineered to deliver everything you have always wanted.
SanDisk Launches World’s First Button Backup USB Flash Drive
3.1.2009
SanDisk Ultra Backup USB Flash Drive: Back up critical files with the simple touch of a button
With no cables required, or any complicated software to install, the new SanDisk Ultra Backup USB flash drive is a complete backup solution that provides an incredibly easy way to protect digital files. It uses patent-pending backup technology with capacities up to 64GB, large enough to back up average consumer requirements, as well as critical small business files and documents. In addition to one’s digital personal life, these products protect critical work files with a dual layer of both password protection and AES hardware encryption. This ensures content stays private and secure (via data scrambling at the flash controller level) when the drives are either physically removed for portability, or stored away for safe keeping.
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