ECS introduced a new Intel Atom "Cedar Trail" motherboard in the micro-ATX form-factor. The board only slightly steps out of the size specifications of mini-ITX (measuring 190 x 170 mm), yet it wouldn't fit in most mini-ITX cases. The board draws power from a 24-pin ATX power connector. It is driven by Intel Atom D2700 dual-core processor clocked at 2.13 GHz, with HyperThreading technology enabling 4 logical CPUs, and TDP of just 10W; and Intel NM10 chipset.

The CPU is cooled by a chunky passive heatsink.It is wired to two DDR3 SO-DIMM slots, supporting up to 4 GB of single-channel DDR3-1066 MHz memory. Expansion slots include one each of PCI-Express 2.0 x1 and legacy PCI. Storage connectivity includes two internal SATA 3 Gb/s ports. The rest of the connectivity consists of 6-channel HD audio, gigabit Ethernet, serial/COM, eight USB 2.0 ports (four on the rear panel, four via headers), and PS/2. Display outputs include DVI and D-Sub. It is priced at a juicy 7,280 JPY (US $89).

Thecus is proud to present itself as a technological innovator. Once again, Thecus releases an all new 5-bay N5550 server to lead the competition. The past proves merit: link aggregation, LCM display, USB 3.0, multi RAID functions and so on. Impressive technologies have been used to develop the new N5550 NAS to serve one single purpose: improve user experience and satisfaction.

Intel Atom CPU: silent power
Intel Atom CPUs are designed to work without fans. This will dramatically reduce NAS noise and power consumption. Associated with large amounts of DDR3, Intel Atom CPUs will provide much better performance. Don't be restricted to a 4-bay NAS, bring it up a notch, Thecus N5550 is available and boosts the best performance with a great price, without entering larger bay units. Multi-users environment, web hosting, intense backup, data encryption, application serving, heavy RAID computations, and HD multimedia streaming: welcome to the world of smooth multi-tasking!

Shuttle also launched a new line of slimline, fan-less XPC Mini PC barebones driven by the latest Intel Atom D2700 processor. The XS35V3 and XS36V launched today, succeed the XS35/V2 launched last September, which were based on previous-generation Atom D525 chips. Measuring 252 x 162 x 38.5 mm (WxDxH), the XS35V3 features a slimline optical drive bay apart from a 2.5" SATA drive bay to hold an HDD or SSD. It has two DDR3 SO-DIMM slots, supporting up to 4 GB of single-channel DDR3-1066 MHz memory. Front-panel includes a card-reader (supports SDHC/SD/MS/MS Pro), and a USB 2.0 port. Its rear-panel includes stereo line-out and mic-in audio jacks, four USB 2.0 ports, an Ethernet port, and display outputs that include HDMI 1.3 and D-sub (VGA). It also features wireless b/g/n LAN.

The XS36V has a slightly smaller chassis, measuring 200 x 160 x 36 mm. It lacks a slimline optical drive bay, its only drive bay is a 2.5" SATA. Most of its logic board is identical to that of its sibling. Apart from the a card-reader (SDHC/SD/MS/MS Pro) and a USB 2.0 port, the front-panel features two RS232 serial (COM) ports. Its rear-panel is identical to that of the XS35V3. Both models include a 40W external power brick. The XS35V3 is priced around US $149, while the XS36V is priced slightly higher.

After last week's launch of nano-ITX Cedartrail motherboards, J&W launched mini-ITX motherboards under its iconic Minix brand. The new motherboards are designed keeping HTPCs and compact desktops in mind. These include the Minix D2700-HD (Atom D2700, HDMI), and Minix Minix D2500-HD (Atom D2500, HDMI). Pictured below is the Minix D2700-HD.

The Minix D2700-HD runs an Atom D2700 dual-core processor clocked at 2.13 GHz, with two SO-DIMM memory slots supporting up to 4 GB of single-channel DDR3-1066 MHz memory. Its lone expansion slot is a PCI-Express 2.0 x1. The board draws power from a 2-pin DC external input, and gives out a 4-pin Molex output to power connected SATA drives. Connectivity includes dual gigabit Ethernet, two SATA 3 Gb/s, two USB 3.0, 6-channel HD audio, and display outputs that include HDMI and D-Sub. The Minix D2500-HD is driven by Atom D2500 dual-core processor clocked at 1.85 GHz, it is largely identical to its bigger sibling, except for the lack of USB 3.0, and the second Ethernet connection. Pricing and availability information is awaited.

Embedded systems and IPC maker J&W unveiled the first Atom "Cedar Trail" motherboard in the nano-ITX form-factor. The board measures just 120 x 120 mm, and is designed for embedded computing devices. It draws power from a 2-pin 12V DC input. It holds a dual-core Intel Atom D2700 (2.13 GHz) or D2500 (1.83 GHz) processor, one DDR3 SO-DIMM slot (reverse side), which supports up to 4 GB of DDR3-1066/800 MHz memory, and basic connectivity. The lone expansion slot is a mini-PCIe, designed to hold WLAN adapters.

Display outputs include D-Sub (by header), LVDS, and HDMI. Connectivity options include one SATA 3 Gb/s (AHCI), five USB 2.0 ports (three type-A connectors, two via headers), gigabit Ethernet, 6-channel HD audio over HDMI and 2-channel analog audio, RS232 Serial, SD/SDHC card reader, SIM card slot (3G option), consumer IR, and PS/2 (header). The CPU and core logic can be passively cooled. The Cedar Trail Nano-ITX board from J&W will be available to embedded systems and IPC markets, soon.

Intel Corporation today introduced an Intel studybook, a tablet that is part of the Intel Learning Series family and features unique classroom-ready features and capabilities including an ultra rugged design and specialized educational software. Purpose-built for 1:1 e-learning, a studybook's innovative features include front and rear cameras, microphone, light sensor support project-based inquiry and mobile learning environments. It comes with a capacitive multi-touch LCD screen and is based on an Intel Atom processor Z650.

The rugged tablet reference design is constructed from a single piece of plastic and includes shock-absorbers around the screen. It is designed to withstand accidental drops from a standard student desk and is also water- and dust-resistant. Young students, often owners of slippery fingers can learn and have fun in and out of the classroom with reduced stress for parents and teachers concerned about damage.

inXtron showed off its newest small-business NAS server at Intel Storage Forum, the Akitio MyCloud Pro. As the venue might suggest, this 2-bay desktop NAS is powered by Intel x86 architecture. inXtron even put is logic board for display, which revealed it to be driven by an Intel Atom D425 single-core (HTT-enabled) processor, with its usual NM10 chipset. The board also revealed several interesting components, such as two 2-port USB 3.0 controllers, giving out two ports on the rear panel and two for the front-panel, via a standard header.

The primary storage controller is the Intel NM10 chipset itself, the NAS uses a USB DOM (disk-on-module) it boots from, to hold its operating system. The primary network interface is a 1 GbE, driven by a Realtek-made PHY. Interestingly, the board has a vacant mini-PCIe slot, on which WLAN cards can be installed. The MyCloud Pro supports two SATA 3 Gb/s hard drives in the 3.5" form-factor. It supports all modern NAS features, such as UPnP-AV, NFS, FTP, Samba, but DLNA wasn't mentioned. The OS also includes a Bit-torrent client, and Apple iTunes-compatible music server. inXtron has apps for Android and iOS smartphones, with which you can use the phone to control the NAS. inXtron is targeting a sweet price-point under US $200, with the Akitio MyCloud Pro NAS.

Wintel (slang for Windows+Intel architecture) tablets, which launch along with Microsoft's latest Windows 8 operating system, which grab a greater market-share than WoA (Windows on ARM) tablets by the end of 2012, DigiTimes research predicts. This, despite the fact that the x86 and ARM versions of the operating system will be released simultaneously. PC majors such as HP, Dell, Lenovo, Acer, ASUStek and Toshiba, have all pledged 1-3 models of Wintel tablets by the end of 2012. Although still an emerging market-segment, tablets will see a clash between x86 and ARM architectures, as they are wooing for the same exact class of devices for the first time in computing history. Intel has made a lot of progress in miniaturizing the Atom processor, while led by the likes of Qualcomm and NVIDIA, ARM processors are getting stronger.

Imation Japan unveiled two new lines of NAS server products, the T5R desktop/tower, and R4 1U rack-mount NAS. The T5R has five 3.5" SATA HDD bays, along with one Imation RDX cardridge slot (for tape backup of vital data). The T5R comes in two variants, the T5R-5X1TB-HDD, which has five 1 TB HDDs; and T5R-5X2TB-HDD, which has five 2 TB HDDs. The R4, on the other hand, has four 3.5" SATA drive bays, and comes in two variants: R4-4X1TB-HDD with four 1 TB HDDs, and R4-4X2TB-HDD, which has four 2 TB HDDs.

There is a lot in common between the T5R and R4. Both models are driven by Intel Atom D2700 dual-core processor clocked at 2.13 GHz, with 2 GB DDR3 memory, the storage controllers support RAID 0,1,1 E, 3,5,6,10; the primary network interface is a single 1 Gbps Ethernet connection, and expansion features include two USB 3.0, three USB 2.0, and one eSATA. All modern x86 operating systems are supported. Imation did not give out pricing information.

Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS), the world's leading motherboard, graphics card, barebone system, notebook and mobile device manufacturer announces a variety of options of Thin Mini-ITX for users to meet their different demands with AIO (All-In-One) and motherboards.

To target different segments, ECS Thin Mini-ITX motherboards are not only compatible with AIO but also with small form factor PCs, offering a wide range of solutions including H61H2-TI, H61H2-G11 and CDC-TI. With the growth in popularity of AIO, acceptance of the Thin Mini-ITX platform proves to be leading standard of this new trend, allowing for future-proof upgradeability.

Commodore USA, LLC announced today the historic re-unification of the legendary Commodore and AMIGA brands with the launch of the new Commodore AMIGA mini, as well as other new models such as the new C64x Supreme, the new VIC mini and a more powerful VIC-Slim keyboard computer (now with HDMI output). These new products are now in production and available for purchase at www.commodoreusa.net.

The new Commodore AMIGA mini is a trail blazing power-house featuring Intel's i7-2700k 3.5 GHz Quad-Core (3.9 GHz Turboboost) processor, 16 Gb RAM DDR3 1333 MHz and an NVIDIA GeForce GT 430 GPU with 1 GB DDR3. This machine is fully loaded with a 1 TB SATA drive (optional 300 GB or 600 GB SSD), two WiFi antennae and bluetooth. The new Commodore AMIGA mini case is ultra small and features a solid, all aluminum seamless housing,micro-sandblasted with an anodic oxidation finish. It also includes a slot load Blu-Ray drive and internal space for two 2.5" hard drives. It measures 7.5 inches square with a height of only 3 inches. The AMIGA mini's appearance is enhanced with the inclusion of the classic embedded AMIGA logo engraved in the front.

Today Intel announced the Intel Atom CE5300 Media Processor aimed at the next generation of set-top boxes and media gateways. Performance, graphics, power management and user interface improvements in this new product family enables service providers to deploy comprehensive and immersive connected experiences such as the new Amino Freedom Live media gateway which can deliver content seamlessly to TVs, smartphones and tablets around the home. Inside Scoop has more details about this next wave of silicon for platforms supporting the "smart TV experience." For more information, read the inside scoop on the Atom CE5300.

ASUS has launched the Eee PC 1025 Flare Series, an Intel Atom Cedar Trail-powered netbook with a brand new design. The latest Intel Atom dual-core processor offers four times the graphical performance compared to the previous generation, while consuming less battery.

The Eee PC 1025 comes equipped with the exclusive ASUS Super Hybrid Engine II with Instant On technology, which enables 2-second resumption from sleep mode and up to twenty-one days of standby time. Full HD 1080p video playback on HDTVs comes by way of the HDMI output port and the Eee PC 1025 provides Blu-ray 2.0 support as well. Connectivity is a breeze too with the built-in USB 3.0, DLNA, and Wi-Fi Direct.

Shuttle is working on its newest fanless all-in-one PC, the X50V3. Built with a 15.6-inch touchscreen that feature 1366x768 pixels resolution, the X50V3 measures 39.13 x 32.7 x 4.2 cm, weighing just under 3 kg. It is available in black and white body-color options. It is driven by Intel Atom D2700 dual-core processor (2.13 GHz, HTT), and features two DDR3 SOIMM slots, supporting up to 4 GB of single-channel DDR3-1066 MHz memory. There's provision for one 2.5" SATA SSD/HDD.

Display connectivity is expandable with D-Sub and an HDMI connector, which also gives out multi-channel digital audio. At the helm of graphics is the Intel GMA3650 integrated into the Atom D2700. The chassis embeds a 2 MP web-camera. Other connectivity includes four USB 2.0 ports, a 4-in-1 card reader, gigabit Ethernet, and Wireless b/g/n(150). The X50V3 can be configured to ship with memory, storage, and an OS (Windows or OpenSuSE Linux). There's no word of when the product will officially launch, and at what price.

Yet another Cedar Trail-powered Eee PC is ready to reach stores and it comes in a multitude of colors including black, white, grey, brown, pink, red, blue and purple. Dubbed Eee PC R052CE, ASUS' new netbook measures 262 x 178 x 20.7 ~ 34.4 mm, it weights 1.25 kg, and features a 10.1-inch display, a 1.86 GHz Atom N2800 processor, 1 GB of RAM, a 320 GB HDD, a 0.3-megapixel webcam, an SD card reader, an HDMI output, and a 6-cell (5,200 mAh) battery providing up to 12 hours of operation).

The Eee PC R052CE runs Windows 7 Starter (it also comes with the Express Gate instant-on OS) and is available for pre-order at 329 Euro or 339 Euro (depending on the color choice).

QNAP Systems, Inc. today officially launched the next generation of its extremely popular and award-winning Turbo NAS server lineup, the TS-x69 Pro series, and showcased the new NAS Firmware 3.6 and the latest VioStor NVR video surveillance systems.

New TS-x69 Pro Turbo NAS: 220+ MB/s throughput, virtualization ready, USB 3.0 support

The new TS-x69 Pro series, available in 2, 4, 5, 6, or 8-drive versions, are powered by a high performance dual-core Intel Atom processor D2700, equipped with 1 GB DDR3 RAM, and support SATA 6 Gb/s 2.5" and 3.5" HDD, to provide the levels of performance required by SMB users. All models have 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports. "The QNAP lab test statistics reveal that both writing and reading speeds in a Windows environment exceed 220 MB/sec in network trunking mode," commented Laurent Chang, product manager of QNAP.

Toshiba UK today announces the launch of the Mini NB510, the latest model in the award winning Mini NB500 netbook range. Available in a choice of stylish colours, the Mini NB510 features an all-day battery, high definition connectivity and a compact design - matching convenience with portability.

The latest Intel Atom processor and 1 GB of DDR3 RAM ensure the Mini NB510 is capable of running multiple programs simultaneously. Powerful dual-core performance allows users to enjoy high definition movies, stream TV shows on-demand and use social networks on the move. Up to 10 hours of battery life makes the Mini NB510 an ideal companion for travellers on long-haul journeys, or using away from power sockets for extended periods of time.

Following on the footsteps of its sibling, the 1025C, ASUS' Eee PC X101CH netbooks has also made it into stores and is currently available in the US for $279.99. For this price you get an Eee PC with a Seashell design that features a Matte Black coating, a 1.6 GHz Atom N2600 dual-core processor, a 10.1-inch (1024 x 600) display, 1 GB of DDR3 memory, and a 320 GB (5400 RPM) hard drive.

The Eee PC X101CH also comes with a 0.3-megapixel webcam, a micro SD card slot, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, two USB 2.0 ports, and a 3-cell battery allowing up to 4.5 hours of operation per charge. The netbook can be found on sale here.

GIGABYTE today introduced an extraordinary lineup of computers that are redefining mobility and powerful performance. The U2442V is a sleek and stunning 14" Ultrabook that provides fantastic performance with a 3rd generation Intel Core i5/i7 ULV processor, while the U2442N features the same incredible form factor, but has a powerful 3rd generation Intel Core i5/i7 standard voltage processor. Both models feature an excellent NVIDIA GeForce GPU, which provides remarkable graphics performance for multimedia and games.

Other models to be introduced include the P2542G, which is a 15.6" powerful gaming notebook with an exciting race car design; and the Q2542N, an excellent 15.6" mainstream notebook that delivers terrific versatility. Also to be showcased at CeBIT 2012 is the S1081, a 10.1" powerful business slate; the Booktop T1132N, an 11.6" revolutionary 3-in-1 notebook, tablet and desktop; the Booktop M2432, a sleek 14" notebook that provides desktop graphics performance through its unique docking station; and the AC21, an all-in-one PC that simplifies the desktop experience.

ASUS is readying five new Eee PC netbooks for launch at CeBIT, these include the Eee PC X101CH, Eee PC 1011CX, two variants of the Eee PC 1015BX, and the Eee PC 1025C. The X101CH and 1011CX are driven by Intel Atom N2600 processor, the 1025C by Atom N2800, while the 1015BX has two variants, driven by AMD Vision C50 or C60 APUs. All of these are 10.1-inchers. Also common between these models are 1 GB RAM, 320 GB storage, and Windows 7 Starter Edition operating system. The five Eee PCs also feature ASUS Express Gate, a lean web-oriented operating system. In related news, ASUS is also working on 11.6-inch Eee PC 1225B/C, which feature larger screens, with 1366x768 pixels resolution.

Today novero announced the introduction of Solana, a lightweight, 10-inch laptop/tablet hybrid with a flip-rotating design at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Designed to deliver the best combination of everyday business computing and mobile entertainment, Solana offers optimal flexibility and state-of-the-art features in one unique device.

Whether converting between laptop and tablet mode with just one flip of the screen, or switching between the two operating systems Genuine Windows 7 (Windows 8 ready) and Android within seconds, or staying seamlessly connected through high-speed 3.5G (HSPA+), WiFi or Bluetooth, Solana is the premium lifestyle mobile device built to work, watch, listen, play and connect in multiple ways. Its capacitive sensing multi-touch panel, built-in video camera, stereo loudspeakers and six row full QWERTY keyboard all support the requirements of today's mobile life.

One of the three Cedar Trail-based netbooks announced by ASUS in January, the 10.1-inch Eee PC 1025C, can now be found on Amazon on pre-order in two color versions, black and white. Priced at $299.99, the netbook measures 10.3 x 7.0 x 0.815 ~ 1.35 inches and features an LED-backlit (1024 x 600) display, a 1.6 GHz Atom N2600 processor, 1 GB of RAM, a 320 GB hard drive (backed by 3 GB worth of ASUS Web Storage), 10/100 LAN, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, an SD/MMC card reader, a 0.3-megapixel webcam, D-Sub and HDMI outputs, and a 6-cell battery.

Both the Eee PC 1025C-MU17-BK (black model) and 1025C-MU17-WT (white) run Windows 7 Starter (32-bit) and are expected to ship as of March 10th.

Eurotech, a leading supplier of embedded technologies, products and systems, today announces the launch of the EN50155 rated DynaCOR 10-00, a new family of rugged mobile computer that targets demanding machine-to-machine (M2M) applications. Based on the Intel Atom processor, the DynaCOR 10-00 is a purpose-built, low power, mobile computer platform with wide range power supply and IP65 protection.

The DynaCOR 10-00 system is modular and versatile with a fanless design and rugged connectors for long-term reliability in harsh environments. Application specific configurations are easy to implement in several vertical industries enabling reliable M2M solutions even under the most demanding conditions: with a low power, highly efficient design, the DynaCOR 10-00 is a dependable platform featuring CPU speeds of 1.1 GHz, 512 MB RAM and a 2 GB flash disk.

While it won't confirm an exit from the netbook market, Lenovo has distanced itself from this platform by deciding to stop selling netbooks through its online store. Lenovo's Atom-powered machines can still be found through resellers but the company's website is currently only selling some AMD-based models like the (11.6-inch) IdeaPad S205 and ThinkPad X130e.

Spokesman Ray Gorman revealed that Lenovo's Atom netbooks are "not being replaced in the near future" so it seems Cedar Trail is a no-go for yet another PC maker (Dell also said no to the platform and to netbooks in general).

Consumer interest for netbooks has fallen since tablets came into play so it seems Lenovo is just going with the market, putting netbooks on hold while pushing forward its tablet line which starts at just $209 with the IdeaPad Tablet A1.

Visa Inc. and Intel Corporation today announced a strategic agreement to develop mobile commerce solutions tailored to consumers in developed and developing countries. During a press conference at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the companies outlined plans to collaborate to ensure consumers enjoy a consistent, streamlined, secure mobile commerce experience across Intel Atom-based smartphones and tablets.

"Visa's agreement with Intel paves the way for financial institutions around the globe to offer their account holders mobile payments and financial services using innovative mobile devices and technologies designed by Intel," said John Partridge, President, Visa Inc. during the press conference. "This is another example of how Visa is making mobile payments broadly available across devices and operating systems and is ensuring that mobile commerce applications are aligned with existing technology and security standards established by the global payments industry."