Lenovo today announced its new lineup of consumer and business Windows 8 touch-optimized devices at the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show. Headlining the collection are new additions to the ultra-portable IdeaPad U Series Ultrabooks and the multimedia intensive IdeaPad Z Series laptops as well as new models of IdeaCentre all-in-one desktops, from the sleek and stylish A Series to the affordable and space-saving C Series.

Lenovo also introduced an extreme performance gaming desktop PC, the Lenovo Erazer X700, designed for enthusiast-level gaming and graphics-hungry applications. For small businesses, the ThinkPad Edge E431 and E531 laptops introduce a unique Lenovo OneLink technology for new docking capabilities, and to complete the new range of Windows 8 touch devices, the ThinkPad Mobile Monitor makes a great companion as a second display, especially for complementing non-touch devices with touch functionality.

CPU cooler manufacturer Arctic (aka Arctic Cooling) may have inadvertently leaked a very long list of 4th generation Intel Core processors based on its LGA1150 socket. Longer than any currently posted lists of Core "Haswell" processors, the leak includes model numbers of nine Core i7, seventeen Core i5, five Core i3, and two Pentium models. Among the Core i7 models are already known i7-4770K flagship chip, i7-4770S, and a yet-unknown i7-4765T. The Core i5 processor list is exhaustive, and it appears that Intel wants to leave no price-point unattended. The Core i5-4570K could interest enthusiasts. In comparison to the Core i5 list, the LGA1150 Core i3 list is surprisingly short, indicating Intel is serious about phasing out dual-core chips. The Pentium LGA1150 list is even shorter.

The list of LGA1150 processor models appears to have been leaked in the data-sheets of one of its coolers, in the section that lists compatible processors. LGA1150 appears to have the same exact cooler mount-hole spacing as LGA1155 and LGA1156 sockets, and as such upgrading CPU cooler shouldn't be on your agenda. Intel's 4th generation Core processor family is based on Intel's spanking new "Haswell" micro-architecture, which promises higher performance per-core, and significantly faster integrated graphics over previous generation. The new chips will be built on Intel's now-mature 22 nm silicon fabrication process. The new chips will begin to roll out in the first-half of 2013.

It's no secret that nearly all Intel Core processors are carved out of essentially one or two physical dies, be it the "2M" die that physically features four cores and 8 MB of L3 cache, or the "1M" die, which physically features two cores and 4 MB of L3 cache. The two silicons are further graded for energy-efficiency and performance before being assigned a package most suited to them: desktop LGA, mobile PGA, mobile BGA, and with the introduction of the 4th generation Core "Haswell," SoC (system on chip, a package that's going to be a multi-chip module of the CPU and PCH dies). The SoC package will be designed to conserve PCB real-estate, and will be suited for extremely size-sensitive devices such as Ultrabooks.

The third kind of grading for the two silicons relates to its on-die graphics processor, which makes up over a third of the die area. Depending on the number of programmable shaders and ROPs unlocked, there are two grades: GT2, and GT3, with GT3 being the most powerful. On the desktop front (identified by silicon extension "-DT,") Intel very much will retain dual-core processors, which will make up its Core i3, Pentium, and Celeron processor lines. It will be lead by quad-core parts. All desktop processors feature the GT2 graphics core.

In an interview with DigiTimes, ASUS general manager of motherboard business Joe Hsieh commented on reports of Intel abandoning CPU sockets in favor of processors being hardwired to motherboards in BGA packages. Hsieh said that the issue will not be as bad as people think and Intel could find a strategy that allows both soldered and socketed processors to be sold, which is much like today, except that hardwired processors are limited to notebooks (Core i3 and i5 processors in the BGA1224 package) and low-end Atom-driven desktop motherboards.

What lends Hsieh's statement weight, apart from the fact that he leads the biggest PC motherboard design team, is that Intel recently denied those reports, saying it would provide socketed CPUs for "the foreseeable future." Last month, Japanese publication PC Watch, credited for generally accurate tech predictions based on information at hand, reported that following its 22 nm Core "Haswell" CPU family, Intel could transform its entry-, mainstream-, and performance-segment client CPUs to hardwired BGA packages, probably leaving socketed CPUs only to HEDT (high-end desktop) and enterprise Xeon processor lines. Other PC motherboard vendors DigiTimes spoke with echoed ASUS' opinion, they don't believe Intel could "suddenly" completely change the way processors are sold to consumers.

Infortrend, the professional data storage solutions provider, today announced the new EonNAS flagship line, the EonNAS X. The first two additions to the flagship line, the EonNAS Pro 850X and EonNAS 1510X, feature 8-bay tower and 2U/12-bay rack mount form factors respectively. The two offer affordable and powerful unified storage solutions with 8 GB of DDR3 RAM and 10-GbE connectivity included. The higher transfer speed reduces waiting time thus enhancing business productivity for businesses of any size while the added RAM helps to cache data and boost data deduplication performance.

As the demand for faster backup and virtualization increases, the need for 10-GbE network connectivity becomes even more essential. With the deployment cost for a 10-GbE infrastructure becoming more affordable each day, it is critical for businesses to transition into this technology. The new EonNAS X line offers two models both equipped with 10-GbE LAN ports that can be used to fulfill the most bandwidth demanding applications such as backup, file sharing, video editing, and virtualization.

Thin and light with long battery life, Acer America today announced availability of the new TravelMate B113 notebook PC for U.S. and Canadian customers. An ideal solution for institutional customers, the TravelMate B113 meets all the needs for productivity, communication and mobility needed in today's e-learning environment.

"Acer has had great success with the 11.6-inch form factor in the education market because their compact size is ideal in a classroom setting, even for the youngest of students," said Michael O'Beirne, Acer senior director, commercial product marketing. "The TravelMate B113 notebook is an important addition to our notebook portfolio, as it combines everything educators and students need, including exceptional performance, durability and reliability for a best-in-class mobile experience."

With the dawn of 2013, and no catastrophes in sight, Intel is going ahead with its usual business of phasing out old processor models, and making way for new ones. By the end of 2012, Intel will stop taking orders for several processor models mostly based on the older 32 nm "Sandy Bridge" silicon. These include chips such as the Core i7-2700K, Core i5-2310, Core i3-2105, Pentium G440, and surprisingly, an early demise of the 22 nm Core i5-3450, which is cannibalized by the Core i5-3470 at the same price point. Pentium G870, G645 and G645T as well as Celeron G555, G550 and G550T are the other chips on the chopping block.

Come 2013, Intel will release Pentium and Celeron series processors based on its 22 nm "Ivy Bridge" micro-architecture. These include the Pentium G2130, G2020 and G2020T and Celeron G1620, G1610 and G1610T. In the mobile (notebook) CPU sphere, Intel will launch dual-core "Ivy Bridge" chips to layer out its Ultrabook product segment. These include the Core i7-3687, Core i5-3437U, Celeron 1037U, 1007U, 1020M and 1000M. In March, the company is expected to launch its 4th generation Core "Haswell" line of processors.

Wortmann has this week released a new laptop running Microsoft's Windows 8, a 15-inch model called TERRA MOBILE 1529. This mobile machine weights 2.2 kg and features an LED-backlit (1366 x 768) display, a 2.4 GHz Core i3-3110M processor, 4 GB of RAM, Intel HD graphics, a 500 GB hard drive, and a DVD writer.

The TERRA MOBILE 1529 also has a 2-megapixel webcam, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth, a 9-in-1 card reader, two USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI output, and a 6-cell battery. The notebook is backed by a two-year warranty and costs €619.

Wortmann AG has this week a new version of the Terra Mobile Ultrabook 1450 II, one that comes with Windows 8 Pro (64-bit) pre-installed. Pictured below, this Win8 ultrabook weights 1.6 kg, is 19 mm thick an features a 14-inch (1366 x 768) screen, a 1.8 GHz Core i3 processor, 4 GB of RAM, Intel HD Graphics 4000, and a 120 GB solid state drive.

Wortmann's creation also has a 1.3-megapixel webcam, Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, Bluetooth, a 3-in-1 card reader, one USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI output, and a 7,800 mAh battery providing up to 7 hours of operation. The Terra Mobile Ultrabook 1450 II is backed by a two-year warranty and costs €729.

Acer has just announced a new addition to its REVO line of mini PCs, the REVO RL80 which measures 8.26 x 2.13 x 8.26 inches and runs Microsoft's Windows 8. This model features a Celeron or Core i3 processor, Intel HD graphics, up to 8 GB of RAM, up to a 1 TB hard drive, a DVD writer or Blu-ray combo drive, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, a multi-in-1 card reader, two USB 3.0 and four USB 2.0 ports, and DVI and HDMI outputs.

The REVO RL80 is backed by a two-year warranty and starts at €279.

ASUS unveiled the Zenbook UX42VS, UX52VS and U500VZ. This launch marks the first 14- and 15-inch models in a series that consists of ASUS' flagship Ultrabook products. The UX42VS features a 14-inch 1366 x 768 pixels screen, it tips the scales at 1.9 kg, and features a wedge-shaped chassis that is as just 6 mm thick at its thinnest point. It is driven by Intel Core i3/i5/i7 processor (options), with 6 GB of memory, GeForce GT 645M graphics, and 1 TB of SSD-accelerated HDD storage.

The Zenbook UX52VS and U500VZ feature 15-inch screens. The UX52VS (pictured below), features Core i5/i7 ULV processor options, 10 GB of memory, GeForce GT 645M graphics, and SSD-accelerated 1 TB HDD. The U500VZ is an anomaly in this lineup, as it features mainstream quad-core Core i7 processor, 8 GB memory, 1080p display resolution, GeForce GT 650M graphics. Despite the kind of hardware it packs, it weighs just 2 kg, and retains the wedge-shaped chassis that's as low as 6 mm-thick.

At a press event in New York, ASUS unveiled the ET2300, an all-in-one desktop featuring a 23-inch IPS LED touchscreen that can be tilted on desk to make touch ergonomic. The desktop comes with optional Thunderbolt connectivity, a variety of processor options spanning the Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 lines, GeForce GT 630M graphics, 8 GB of memory, 2 TB of HDD storage, slot-loading DVD SuperMulti drive, and Windows 8 to drive it all.

Acer is now preparing its next generation of mini PCs, the new Veriton N Series. Set to be available in two versions - with or without an optical drive, these incoming SFF PCs feature an Intel Celeron or Core i3 processor, up to 8 GB of RAM, integrated graphics, and up to a 1 TB hard drive (or an SSD topping 128 GB).

Acer's compact creations also have Gigabit Ethernet (WiFi is optional), a multi-in-one card reader, two USB 3.0 and four USB 2.0 ports, plus DVI and HDMI outputs. The updated Veriton N Series PCs start at 356 Euro and will become available in November.

Samsung Electronics America Inc., a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd, today announced details about its upcoming Windows 8 mobile PC and All-In-One product lines. Building on its leadership position in the PC and tablet market, Samsung is bringing premium computing power, elegant design and an intuitive user experience to its PCs along with seamless convergence across devices, thanks to Samsung AllShare Play. In addition, Samsung offers a range of unique applications across devices including Samsung Quick Starter, and exclusive S Pen apps such as S Note and S Memo.

"Samsung has seen extraordinary growth in the mobile PC category over the past few years, and we're now taking our success to the next level by connecting the PC to other devices in the home or office through our convergence technology, Samsung AllShare Play," said Mike Abary, senior vice president of consumer IT product marketing at Samsung Electronics America. "The launch of Windows 8 provides an inflection point in the evolution of the PC. Samsung has always focused on pushing the boundaries of design to create truly remarkable products that consumers and businesses want. We're confident that we will continue to lead the future with our thoughtful, powerful approach to the computing experience."

Samsung is working on a fleet of devices that take advantage of Microsoft's new Windows 8 operating system. These include touch-capable Ultrabooks, tablet hybrids, and all-in-one desktops. Samsung's Windows 8 Ultrabook lineup begins with Series 5 Ultra Touch. Starting at $809.99, these 13-inch Ultrabooks are powered by Core i3 "Ivy Bridge" dual-core processors (upgradable to Core i5 for $50 extra), 4 GB of RAM, 1366 x 768 pixels touchscreen display, and 500 GB HDD accelerated with 24 GB cache-SSD. It tips the scales at 1.73 kg. Samsung's second Ultrabook in the new lineup is the premium Series 9 Ultra Touch, starting at $1,300 for 13-inch and $1,400 for 15-inch.

Moving on, Samsung has two lines of Windows 8-loaded notebooks, starting with Series 3, which is available in a variety of hardware and screen size options, priced in the range of $450 to $900; and Series 7 15-inch notebook, which starts at $1,100. Samsung's new all-in-one lineup begins with Ativ SmartPC 500T and 700T, powered by Intel Atom Z2760 and Core i5, respectively, with memory ranging between 2 GB to 4 GB, featuring 64 GB to 128 GB SSD storage. The 500T starts at $649.99, while the 700T starts at 1,199.99. Samsung's mid-range all-in-one offering is the Series 5, which starts at $800, featuring a 21.5-inch HD screen. Its premium all-in-one PC offering is the Series 7, which starts at $1,100 for 23.6-inch and $1,700 for 27-inch variants. These devices will be launched closer to that of Windows 8, slated for October 26.

Liantec announce ITX-QM77 industrial Mini-ITX Intel QM77 Ivy Bridge Mobile motherboard solution. The ITX-QM77 is based on Mini-ITX form factor and Intel Ivy Bridge (IVB) computing platform, supports Intel 3rd generation Ivy Bridge and 2nd generation Sandy Bridge Core i3 / i5 / i7 mobile processors, 16 GB of memory capacity, onboard dual Intel Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI, DVI, HD audio, SATA-III 6Gbit/s, and SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports. The ITX-QM77 also offers x16 PCI Express slot and onboard MiniCard socket with x1 PCI Express and HiSpeed USB 2.0 interface for additional expansion.

With Intel latest Ivy Bridge platform, the ITX-QM77 provides advanced graphics computing capacity with Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU, supports Microsoft DirectX 11, OpenGL 3.1, and OpenCL 1.1. Besides, the ITX-QM77 also supports x16 PCI Express 3.0 bus interface with 8 GT/s of data transfer rate on the expansion slot, suitable for add-on graphics or I/O card that need more data transfer bandwidth.

Acer America today announced the Aspire V5 series, a popular range of thin and light notebooks will be available with Windows 8 beginning October 26 in North America. Ideal for consumers looking for impressive performance, style and full-featured mobility at an outstanding value, the Aspire V5 notebooks series has models suited for a wide range of consumers.

The Aspire V5 Series are 30 percent slimmer than previous value-based notebooks(2), making them extremely easy to handle on the go. Under one inch thin, the Aspire V5 series are available in three convenient display sizes - the 11.6-inch Aspire V5-171 is about 3 pounds, the 14-inch Aspire V5-471 is 4.63 pounds, and the 15.6-inch Aspire V5-571 version is just about 5 pounds. The notebook's chassis has a smooth and silky surface, making it comfortable to carry, available in either silver or black.

Acer America, the number two notebook provider, today announced that the Acer Iconia W700 tablet PC, a high-performance mobile PC in a tablet PC form factor, will be available for the U.S. market. Acer's first Windows 8-based tablet PC for the U.S., the Iconia W700 features a versatile, portable design that delivers a first-rate touch and typing experience for productivity-focused PC users.

The Acer Iconia W700 tablet PC with Windows 8 delivers excellent performance using responsive and fast Intel Core i3 and Core i5 (Ivy Bridge) processors, enabling the system to take on spreadsheets, presentations, and more with ease. The powerful processors allow customers to use the Iconia W700 as their main PC for all of their everyday computing tasks, such as content creation, running multiple apps, and sharing multimedia.

The incredible tropical-paradise visuals we were treated to in trailers of FarCry 3 called for some serious hardware muscle. The studio released minimum, recommended, and high-performance system requirements lists for the upcoming AAA title. The lists are quite accommodating of today's mid-range hardware, but can be quite demanding of PCs more than 2 years old. It was also announced that the game will implement a revised Uplay DRM scheme that needs a one-time activation, and doesn't require you to stay logged-in when playing the single-player campaign.The system requirements lists follow.

Panasonic, an industry leader in rugged, reliable mobile computers since 1996, today announced upgrades to the Panasonic Toughbook 31, its best-selling fully-rugged laptop PC, including a faster processor, expanded storage, a more responsive touchscreen and other improvements. The Toughbook 31 is the gold standard for mission-critical mobile workers - including military personnel, first responders and field service workers - requiring exceptional performance in extreme environments.

Powered by new 3rd generation Intel Core processors, the upgraded Toughbook 31 delivers enhanced performance alongside world-class reliability. Other improvements include expanded storage (up to 500GB 7200 RPM HDD with 4-8 GB RAM) and improved touchscreen responsiveness.

3rd Generation Intel Core i3 desktop processors are now available providing value-priced CPU horsepower for those wanting to take advantage of features such as Intel HD Graphics with Intel Quick Sync Video, Intel Wireless display, and more. They will be offered in standard and low wattage models, designated by an "s" or a "t" in the processor name, with frequencies ranging from 2.8 GHz to 3.4 GHz. More information is available here.

If the prices trickling in from leading distributors such as BLT are anything to go by, AMD's next-generation A-Series "Trinity" APUs will occupy price-points competitive with Intel's Core i3 and Pentium chips based on the "Ivy Bridge" silicon. AMD thinks its quad-core (two module) Piledriver architecture cores, coupled with VLIW4-based graphics cores have a fair shot against dual-core Ivy Bridge Core i3 chips, with triple- and dual-core A-series "Trinity" chips going up against Pentium "Ivy Bridge." Two of the chips leading AMD's lot will be the A10-5700 (quad-core, 3.40 GHz, 384 SP), and A10-5800K (unlocked multiplier, quad-core, 3.80 GHz, 384 SP).

Intel Corp. has yesterday expanded its CPU offer, adding to it both desktop and mobile models built on 22 nm and 32 nm technology. On the desktop side, the company launched several Core i5 and i3 chips, including the GPU-less Core i5-3350P, plus one Celeron and six Pentium CPUs based on the Sandy Bridge architecture (see the SB mention in the chart). These mid- to low-end desktop parts are priced between $177 and $37.

While Intel had nothing high-end for desktops, the company did introduce a new mobile flagship, the 22 nm Core i7-3940XM which costs a whopping $1,096 and packs four cores clocked at 3.0 GHz. Other releases include two more quad-core models - the 2.8 GHz i7-3840QM and the 2.7 GHz i7-3740QM, and a couple of low-end Celerons (B830 & 887).

Besides rolling out new chips Intel has also lower the price tag of three processors, the 3.40 GHz Core i3-2130 (from $138 to $117), the Pentium G2120 (from $86 to $75) and the Pentium G550 (from $52 to $42).

Intel's new entry-mainstream line of client processors, the Core i3-3000 series, is inching toward a Q3-2012 launch. The new chips are based on the company's 22 nm "Ivy Bridge" silicon. Ukranian retailer Hotline.ua listed two of the first five Core i3-3000 series models for pre-order. These include the Core i3-3240 and Core i3-3220. The Core i3-3240 is clocked at 3.40 GHz, while the i3-3220 runs at 3.30 GHz. The two are socket LGA1155 dual-core processors featuring 3 MB of L3 cache. When launched, the i3-3240 will sell for around US $147, while the i3-3220 will sell for US $125.

Fujitsu today expanded its mobile portfolio -- debuting the versatile STYLISTIC Q702 business hybrid tablet featuring an 11.6-inch AH-IPS HD, dual digitizer, multi-touch display for pen or touch input -- and a productivity-enhancing optional attachable keyboard docking station that turns the sleek tablet into a traditional notebook. For business professionals requiring a tablet with a keyboard attached at all times, Fujitsu has refreshed the LIFEBOOK T902 convertible tablet PC, featuring a frameless 13.3-inch HD+ anti-glare widescreen display -- the largest screen available with touch and pen support. Fujitsu designed the STYLISTIC Q702 hybrid tablet and the LIFEBOOK T902 tablet PC with the goal of being used with Windows 8.

The STYLISTIC Q702 hybrid tablet is designed to accommodate various work-styles. Ideal for on-your-feet computing, the STYLISTIC Q702 is perfect for use in healthcare, education, retail POS, insurance and anywhere where a tablet is the preferred solution, but it doesn't end there. Attach the optional keyboard dock and your tablet transforms into a notebook complete with WLAN, USB, and VGA connectivity as well as an additional battery. Complete all your keyboard intensive tasks with the keyboard dock and then, with the flip of a switch, you're back in tablet mode. You only need to take with you what you need when you need it.