You could soon have NVIDIA Tegra 3 processors running entry-level PCs. COM (computer-on-module) and IPC (industrial PC) designer Kontron developed an NVIDIA Tegra 3 system board in the slim mini-ITX form-factor (170 mm x 170 mm), which is compatible with most ITX/ATX cases. The board has most common PC peripheral interfaces, and is fit to drive an entry-level PC. The KTT30/mITX from Kontron features an NVIDIA Tegra 3 SoC, with 4+1 ARM Cortex-A9 cores clocked at 900 MHz and GeForce ULP graphics. The GPU is fit to drive 1080p displays with H264 MPEG-4 encoding/decoding acceleration. Display outputs include HDMI 1.4a (up to 1920x1080 pixels), and LVDS 24-bit (up to 2048x1536 pixel @ 18bpp).

The Kontron KTT30/mITX packs 2 GB of DDR3L memory. For storage, it has an mSATA 3 Gb/s port, two SD card slots, and a bootable eMMC slot. Two mPCIe slots and a SIM card slot (for 3G HSDPA) handle on-board expansion. System interfaces include two RS232 (serial/COM), three USB 2.0. Apart from 3G HSDPA, the board supports gigabit Ethernet. For audio, there's 2-channel analog and multi-channel digital (S/PDIF) audio outputs. The board draws power from a 2-pin DC input. The board should be able to run most distributions of Linux for ARM (including Android and Chrome OS), and technically should also be able to run the upcoming Microsoft Windows 8 RT operating system.

Greenliant Systems, a leader in energy-efficient, highly secure and reliable solid state storage products, is now sampling its e.MMC NANDrive GLS85VM embedded solid state drive (SSD) product family to select customers. The new NANDrive devices support the JEDEC e.MMC 4.4 standard and are backward compatible with 4.3. While the JEDEC operating temperature range specification is -25 to +85 degrees Celsius, e.MMC NANDrive operates at full industrial temperatures between -40 and +85 degrees Celsius, giving customers data storage that can withstand the most severe conditions.

e.MMC NANDrive combines Greenliant's internally developed NAND controller with NAND flash die for a fully integrated SSD in a multi-chip package. It is available with 2-bits-per-cell (MLC) or 1-bit-per-cell (SLC) NAND to meet varying customer requirements for lifespan, endurance and performance. Measuring 14mm x 18mm, e.MMC NANDrive is offered in a 100 ball grid array (BGA) package, with 1mm ball pitch for increased long-term reliability.

Embedded System Expo (ESEC) Japan 2012 will hold during May 9th to May 11th in Tokyo, and KINGMAX will demonstrate its series of industrial grade of FLASH storage products - SSD (Solid Sate Drive), memory cards, DRAM and embedded memory - on the booth WEST11-65. Leveraging more than 20 years of DRAM and FLASH expertise in R&D and manufacturing, KINGMAX will present a complete series of industrial solution which is not only at latest specification but also has been undergone strict reliability test and verification to ensure the most stable quality.

KINGMAX Group is the world first memory module manufacturer owning IC packaging and testing facilities, and has long been committed to the innovation of the best memory module solutions. Leveraging years of R&D and manufacturing competency, KINGMAX first-launched Industrial products include three categories: Industrial Storage, Industrial Memory and Embedded Memory. First, KINGMAX will exhibit a series of industrial SSD, including SATA III and SATA II SSD-both withstand wide operation temperature(-40℃~ 85 ℃. KINGMAX will also release mSATA SSD and Half-Slim SSD for Ultrabook and small form factor embedded systems.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a global leader in advanced semiconductor technology solutions, announced today that it started producing embedded multi-chip package (eMCP) memory for use in the rapidly expanding market segment for entry- to mid-level smartphones. Samsung's new eMCP solutions come in a wide range of densities, utilizing LPDDR2 (low power double-data-rate 2) DRAM made with 30 nanometer (nm) class process technology and NAND flash memory using 20 nm-class technology.

VR-Zone have been having a little chat with Intel 'sources', who have leaked some juicy tidbits for us to enjoy in the form performance and power news. The upcoming next generation Medfield platform is Intel's first true System on a Chip (SoC) and is designed to compete with various low power ARM offerings in the tablet space. To help achieve this, they've gone through an internal restructure, merging four business units into just one: Ultra-Mobility, Mobile Wireless, Mobile Communications and Netbook & Tablet PC. The business unit is now simply known as Mobile and Communications. It's being run by Mike Bell and Hermann Eul and the first product to emerge from it will be is the 32 nm Medfield SoC solution.

VR-Zone explained that the competition will be "Apple's A-Series, NVIDIA Tegra, Qualcomm Snapdragon, Samsung Exynos, Texas Instruments OMAP and the likes. Out of all the chips mentioned above, only Samsung's Exynos is currently manufactured in 32nm process, just like Medfield."

ASUS today launched the ASUS Eee Pad Slider, a tablet that builds on the great success of the Eee Pad Transformer. Prior to its launch, the Eee Pad Slider has already made its mark with its winning design at the International Design Excellence Awards 2011. The Eee Pad Slider, which comes in either pearl white or metallic brown, features a slide-out keyboard, the new Google Android 3.1 operating system (Android 3.2 upgradable), as well as a plethora of powerful multimedia features. In pad mode, users can experience rich visuals on the 178° wide viewing angle IPS display. Connectivity is a breeze too, with the built-in USB port, Micro SD card reader, and mini-HDMI port. In slide-out mode, users can take advantage of the keyboard to compose emails and blog posts faster than ever.

This Friday, ASUS will launch what it is touting to be a revolutionary new ultra-portable computing device, the Eee Pad Transformer (EP101), at a high-profile launch event in Taipei. The EP101 is a slate-type 10.1-inch tablet that can attach to a bottom-half that includes a keyboard and trackpad, and transform into a netbook. Two of its biggest features include NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor that make it both fast and its UI visually intensive; and Google's Android Honeycomb operating system largely customized by ASUS, that is optimized for larger touch devices such as tablets.

Notable components include Tegra 2 processor, 1 GB LPDDR2 memory, 16/32/64 GB eMMC storage with unlimited cloud storage, IPS display with capacitive touch and resolution of 1280 x 800, 1.2 MP front and 5 MP rear cameras, Tegra 2 graphics that can play back 1080p video, and a load of connectivity feature including WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 EDR, 3G (optional). Other human interface devices include g-sensor, compass, gyro, light sensor, and GPS. The Eee Pad Transformer is expected to be priced in Taiwan at 19,596 NTD (around US $663).More pictures follow.

OCZ Technology Group, Inc., a leading provider of high-performance solid-state drives (SSDs) for computing devices and systems, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Indilinx Co., Ltd, a privately held fabless provider of flash controller silicon and software for SSDs.

Indilinx is headquartered in South Korea and currently sells its line of flash controllers to SSD manufacturers and Tier One OEMs for use in a broad array of products addressing multiple markets, including embedded and industrial as well as laptops and PCs. Indilinx controllers have been deployed within OCZ's SSD products since December 2008, and are currently featured in the Z-Drive series of PCIe-based SSDs. Indilinx's technology is expected to enable OCZ to expand its presence into the embedded, hybrid storage, and industrial markets.

JEDEC Solid State Technology Association, the global leader in standards development for the microelectronics industry, today announced the publication of JESD84-A441: Embedded MultiMediaCard (eMMC) Product Standard v4.41. Continuing the evolution of eMMC as an industry-leading memory technology, the new v4.41 contains corrections of critical errata found in the previous v4.4 specification, and offers new, optional features that designers may utilize to improve system performance. The v4.41 update is a replacement of v4.4 which is now considered obsolete. JESD84-A441 is available for free download at www.jedec.org.

Designed for a wide range of applications in consumer electronics, navigational systems and other industrial uses, eMMC is an embedded non-volatile memory system, comprised of both flash memory and a flash memory controller, which simplifies the application interface design and frees the host processor from low-level flash memory management. This benefits product developers by simplifying the non-volatile memory interface design and qualification process - resulting in a reduction in time-to-market as well as facilitating support for future flash device offerings. Small BGA package sizes and low power consumption make eMMC a viable, low-cost memory solution for mobile and other space-constrained products.