Samsung launched a new PC monitor targeting 3D gaming (as in gaming with stereo 3D). The SyncMaster S27A750D is a 27-inch LED-backlit LCD monitor that is geared for stereo 3D, thanks to support for 120 Hz refresh rate. The display boasts a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, with 2 ms (GTG) response time. Other panel specifications include 10,000,000:1 Mega Dynamic Contrast Ratio, 1,000:1 static contrast ratio, and 300 cd/m² brightness.

The SyncMaster S27A750D is equipped with ambient light sensors to adjust brightness accordingly, and a motion sensor that detects if the user is away, so it can dim down the panel and save power in the process. Display inputs include HDMI and DisplayPort. A pair of 3D shutter glasses come bundled. The SyncMaster S27A750D is priced at €518, on pre-order.

ZOTAC International, a leading innovator and the world's largest channel manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards and mini-PCs, today debuts the palm-sized ZBOX nano AD10 series mini-PCs. The new ZOTAC ZBOX nano AD10 series shrinks the standard ZBOX form factor and adds more home theatre PC friendly features for your digital media needs.

Powered by the AMD "Brazos" E-350 APU Platform with Discrete-Class AMD Radeon HD 6310 graphics, the ZOTAC ZBOX nano AD10 series packs plenty of performance with hardware video decode acceleration technologies for popular high-definition video formats, including Blu-ray and Adobe Flash, into a miniature 127mm x 127mm x 45mm form factor that fits in the palm of your hand.

OCZ Technology Group, Inc., a leading provider of high-performance solid-state drives (SSDs) for computing devices and systems, today announced the release of the RevoDrive Hybrid PCI Express (PCIe) storage solution. Designed to dramatically accelerate applications and system responsiveness, the RevoDrive Hybrid's superior combination of SSD and hard disk drive (HDD) technology is a revolutionary step forward for high-performance, economical storage.

The RevoDrive Hybrid integrates the benefits of both SSD and HDD technology into a single solution to offer both enhanced responsiveness and ample storage capacity. The drive comes bundled with Dataplex caching software which dynamically manages the use of the 100GB SSD with the 1TB HDD for superior overall storage performance. This combination creates an environment where the most frequently used "hot" data stays on the ultra-fast SSD, while the "cold" data remains on the larger capacity HDD. Advanced caching algorithms learn user behavior and adapt storage policies to ensure optimal performance for each individual user, maximizing productivity for the most demanded programs and applications.In addition, the drive not only eliminates the SATA bottleneck unleashing ground-breaking bandwidth up to 910 MB/s, but also features up to 120,000 IOPS (4K random write) for high transactional workloads delivering true SSD-level performance. Finally, the RevoDrive Hybrid provides unique benefits to users by incorporating features of OCZ's proprietary Virtualized Controller Architecture (VCA) 2.0.

"The RevoDrive Hybrid leverages the best attributes of both solid state drives and traditional hard drive technology to deliver dynamic data-tiering on a single easy to deploy PCIe storage drive," said Ryan Petersen, CEO of OCZ Technology Group. "Leveraging Dataplex software to efficiently manage frequently accessed data delivers superior performance and capacity, making the RevoDrive Hybrid the ideal solution for high performance computing and media content creation."

The all-new OCZ RevoDrive Hybrid 1TB comes backed by a three-year warranty and will be available worldwide for an MSRP of $499.99, delivering the industry's best price per GB for SSD-level performance.

And you thought 128 GB was too much data to put on a flash drive - even USB 3.0 at that? Wait till you see Transcend's latest flash drive developed in collaboration with Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), that claims to be able to hold no less than 2 terabytes (TB) of data! Called the Transcend Thin Card, the drive is about as long and broad as most USB 3.0 flash drives, but is just a little thicker than a Penny. Thin Card models will start at 16 GB in capacity, and will go all the way up to 2 TB. A Transcend representative told Tom's Hardware that an international standard for USB 3.0 thumb sticks has yet to be set, and so it's not been sold so far. Thumb sticks are flash drives that are thinner than the standard USB connector, and slide into common USB ports.

Internationally renowned mainboard and graphic card manufacturer MSI has launched the brand new A55M-P35, equipped with the AMD A55 chipset for AMD Llano platforms. Extending the tradition to MSI Llano mainboards, the A55M-P35 is equipped with the MSI-exclusive OC Genie-II one touch overclocking technology - boosting system performance by 110% with the push of a button. Requiring neither complicated nor difficult OC tuning, the MSI A55M-P35 is the most convenient and value-oriented OC solution for the AMD Llano platform.

The A55M-P35 also supports Click BIOS Concept, based upon the UEFI architecture for users to configure their system with a mouse. Additionally, the use of high-quality all solid capacitors allows users to enjoy outstanding system performance as well as a longer product lifespan. Along with the exclusive Winki 3 and i-Charger features, the A55M-P35 from MSI will surely be the best choice of AMD users.

Gigabyte is one of the oldest motherboard manufacturers that made component choice, PCB construction, and the resulting durability as a selling point, with its Ultra Durable moniker. Each succeeding version of Ultra Durable denotes a higher grade of durability, with the introduction of newer classes of components that add to the durability. Ultra Durable started off as denoting motherboards with all Solid-state capacitors (conductive polymer), that are more durable compared to electrolytic ones. Ultra Durable 2 upped it with Ferrite Core chokes that have lower energy loss to noise and head, and lower resulting RDS(on) MOSFETs. Ultra Durable 3 further upped that with a PCB that has additional copper layers that help improving signalling, grounding, and cooling.

Today, Gigabyte added the fourth version of Ultra Durable, that addresses more elements that threaten the durability of a motherboards. Ultra Durable 4, as it's called, is a set of technologies that are layered on top of Ultra Durable 3, and addresses the problems of humidity, electrostatic discharge, high temperature, and power surge. Humidity is a natural element, moisture eats into components that have pure metals such as aluminum and copper, over time. Electrostatic discharge has a devastating impact on sensitive electronics, while power surges, usually caused after recovery from a power outage, can fry power conditioning electronics of the motherboard. And then we all know what high-temperature can do to tiny capacitors and FETs.

Japanese cooling expert Scythe is hereby announcing a special edition of Ninja 3 CPU Cooler. Silent Version of Ninja 3 CPU Cooler is modified with the aim to create a specially silent operating CPU Cooler. While normal Ninja 3 version comes with a PWM controlled fan operating in a range from 470 to 1.900 rpm, new Ninja 3 Silent Version is equipped with a Slip Stream 120 mm fan (SY1225SL12L) which is spinning constantly at a fan speed of 800 rpm. Hence allows the CPU Cooler to operate at the impressively low noise level of only 10,70 dBA. At the same time the attached Slip Stream 120 mm fan is able to create an airflow of 40,17 CFM, respectively 68 m³/h.

Razer, the world's leading high-end precision gaming brand, is emerging from the shadows to unleash a flurry of hurt with the Razer BlackWidow Stealth Edition mechanical gaming keyboards. Both the Ultimate and Standard versions of this hardcore mechanical keyboard have been refitted with a keyset that offers tactility but with a quieter feedback for the true silent assassins of gaming.

The Razer BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth Edition also comes with extreme anti-ghosting. This is an improvement over the traditional anti-ghosting matrix when it allows up to 6 simultaneous key presses anywhere on the keyset so your orchestra of destruction is executed in its entirety.

Lancool, a manufacturer of mid- to high-end computer chassis, has launched a new mid-tower PC case - the PC-K9 Series designed for ATX, Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX motherboards. Manufactured with easy hardware installation in mind, the case cradles components in a reduced-vibration housing with top-rate thermal performance capabilities. The Lancool PC-K9 makes a lasting impression with its a striking black or silver brushed aluminum exterior, and SEC steel interior - a true compliment to any computing environment, including gaming.

Renesas Electronics Corporation, a premier provider of advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced the availability of its new SuperSpeed Universal Serial Bus (USB 3.0) SATA3 bridge system-on-chip ([SoC], part number, µPD720230) that enables data transfer between a USB3.0 host system and a Serial ATA (SATA) device in external USB storage equipment. The new SoC is the world's first USB 3.0 Bridge SoC that supports the UASP (USB Attached SCSI Protocol) protocol that significantly speeds up data throughput for large volumes of data.

USB 3.0 achieves data transfer speeds more than 10 times faster than the previous version of the standard, USB 2.0 (currently the mainstream data transfer technology) and therefore easily supports the growing need for increased data-recording media capacities. Renesas has led the industry by releasing the µPD720200 USB 3.0 host controller in May 2009 and began mass production in June that same year. Since then, the company's lineup of USB 3.0 host controllers has been widely adopted by customers worldwide. Total shipments of these products have already exceeded 40 million units since May 2010, and Renesas has ramped up production of its USB 3.0 host controllers to 6 million units per month. During this period, the company also released in December 2009 a UASP driver that achieves high-speed data transfers for storage devices by improving the performance limit of the BOT (Bulk-Only Transfer) standard used by USB 2.0, making it possible for external storage devices to take advantage of the increased speed offered by the new USB 3.0 standard.

Lian Li Industrial Co. Ltd, maker of high-end, all-aluminum computer chassis for over 12 years, today introduced a full-tower chassis, the PC-90. Available in striking black or silver hairline-brushed, anodized metal casing, the PC-90, also known as 'The Hammer', represents the best of Made-in-Taiwan ingenuity and quality, with the ease of tool-less design.

The Lian Li PC-90's unique internal layout allows large HPTX motherboards to be held in a standard, full-tower case with a weight of only 6.6kg. 'The Hammer' PC-90 is light and compact, and can easily fit under a desk like a standard PC chassis. This makes the chassis an excellent solution for systems/servers/workstations without needing a large, heavy steel case.

Corsair, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market, today announced worldwide retail availability of 180GB and 240GB Force Series GT SSDs. The new high-capacity 180GB and 240GB models join the 60GB and 120GB Force Series GT models already on the market.

Force Series GT is designed for enthusiasts who demand the fastest performance available. It uses the SandForce SF-2280 SSD Processor, with native support for SATA 6Gb/s (SATA 3), combined with ONFI synchronous flash memory. Force Series GT SSD upgrades deliver outstanding read/write performance and significantly faster system response, boot times, and application load times than SATA 2 solid-state drives, with out-of-box performance of up to 85K Random Write IOPS, read speeds of up to 555 MB/s, and write speeds of up to 525 MB/s. The use of synchronous flash memory makes the Force GT Series particularly adept at reading and writing non-compressible data, such as video and music files.

Sharkoon is expanding their collection of PC cases: The Sharkoon Tarea comes with nine 5.25" bays and a straightforward, simple mesh front design as a follow-up to the successful Sharkoon Rebel9 Economy.

The ATX case, to include the interior, maintains a completely black lacquer finish. The front presents itself with nine different mesh faceplates, while mesh inserts in the rounded, vertical frame edges complete the design. The nine 5.25 inch bays and seven card slots offer more than enough room for hard drives, optical drives, function panels and expansion cards of your choice.

Gigabyte released a new utility that allows you to change the mode of the chipset SATA controller between IDE, AHCI, and RAID (if available), from within Windows. While the switching isn't exactly on-the-fly (because changing SATA mode is effectively changing the SATA controller as Windows sees it, and hence can't happen on-the-fly), it certainly saves the trouble of going into BIOS setup and digging out that option. The utility works by writing the value of the selected mode to the CMOS, and prompting a system reboot for the change to take effect. Gigabyte's Disk Mode Switch utility works on Gigabyte motherboards based on Intel 6-series chipset (H61, H67, P67, and Z68). Now why you'd need a Windows-based utility to change a BIOS setting as infrequently changed as SATA controller mode is something we'll leave it to you to comment on.DOWNLOAD: Gigabyte Disk Mode Switch

Active Media Products, a leading manufacturer of small form factor SSDs and DOMs, today announced a new line of SaberTooth M1 mini SATA (mSATA) SSD drives for notebook upgrades that deliver transfer speeds up to 160 MB/sec, write speeds of up to 80 MB/sec, and are fully compliant with the JEDEC MO-300B mSATA specification.

mSATA is a new JEDEC standard for small form factor SSDs based on the ubiquitous SATA-II, 3Gbps interface. Measuring only 2.0 x 1.2 inches (51 x 30 mm) mSATA SSDs are extremely small and lightweight. This very small and low cost package is perfectly suited for netbooks, notebooks and other ultra mobile computing devices. mSATA drives use an existing mini PCIe connector, but with a modified SATA pinout.

KINGMAX, a renowned leading memory and flash drive manufacturer, has recently unveiled 128GB huge capacity USB 3.0 flash drive, the ED-01. With huge capacity, the ED-01 flash drive not only meets the market's demands for large media file storage and transferring, but also transports the user to a super-speedy experience that every second counts.

The ED-01 sports a sleek contoured design that stands out from its competitors and wins design award from media. It has a delicate read/write LED indicator to display the flash drive's status while in use and the unique Clip-Cap design that prevents the cap from accidental drop-offs or loss. Besides, made with durable plastic combined with a special finishing procedure, the leather-like texture of the ED-01 is warm and smooth to the touch. Its elegant, low-profile design will demonstrate your taste for luxury and that you appreciate and use only the latest in technological advances.

ViewSonic released two new 27-inch PC monitors, the VG2732m-LED and VP2765-LED. Part of the gamer-oriented VG series, the VG2732m-LED has low response time of 3 ms. The VP2765-LED, on the other hand, is fine-tuned for graphics professionals, making use of an Advanced MVA (AMVA) panel, with a response time of 5 ms, and packs 2W stereo speakers. Both displays make use of a slim bezel design, use LED-backlit illumination, full-HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution, 300 cd/m² brightness, and 20 million to 1 dynamic contrast ratio. Further, both displays feature 4-port USB 2.0 hubs, display inputs that include DVI, D-Sub, and DisplayPort; and stands that allow 90° pivot, tilt and height adjustments. The VG2732m-LED is priced at US $429. The VP2765-LED goes for $459. Both are expected to be released next week.

Dell rolled out a new ultra-slim 21.5 inch monitor, the S2230MX. It is just 9.9 mm thick at its thinnest point. The monitor is this slim thanks to two things: first, it uses LED-backlit illumination instead of CCFL; and second, it uses an external power brick. The Dell S2230MX uses a TN panel that provides 82% color gamut coverage.

With a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, the Dell S2230MX panel offers 2 ms (GTG) response time, 1000:1 contrast ratio with 8 million to 1 DCR, and brightness of 250 cd/m². While display inputs on the panel include DVI and D-Sub, a HDMI-to-DVI adapter is bundled. Backed by a one-year warranty, the Dell S2230MX is priced at US $219.99.

LG Electronics (LG) will be taking the wraps off its new high-end monitors - the ultra-slim, vivid picture-quality E91 and D237IPS - at IFA 2011 in Berlin, Germany. The E91's 7.2 mm depth and luxurious acryl finish are sure to make it a hit with style savvy consumers while the D237IPS boosts LG's market-leading Film Pattern Retarder (FPR) 3D display technology on IPS panels, for even clearer, brighter 3D images.

"These monitors aren't just for work and internet browsing, they were designed to be the center of entertainment for any bedroom, study or dormitory," said Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG Electronics Home Entertainment Company. "The E91 and D237IPS combine elegant design and unique technology to look great in any room and still be able to deliver exceptional images and videos."

A new firmware update by Crucial for its M4 series SATA 6 Gb/s SSDs was released last weekend, marked 0009. The new firmware, applicable to Crucial M4 SSD models CT064M4SSD2 (64 GB), CT0128M4SSD2 (128 GB), CT0256M4SSD2 (256 GB), and CT0512M4SSD2 (512 GB), packs a large number of changes. To begin with, the update is said to increase sequential read speeds by 20%. Tests run by SSD Review verify this. PCMark Vantage Disk performance is also increased.

The new firmware also works to increase throughput performance, lower write latency, wider compatibility with latest chipsets (AHCI modes), and fixes various kinds of cold-boot failures. The firmware lowers SATA speed negotiation time with host controllers, resulting in faster boot. Depending on the model, the 0009 firmware update for Crucial M4 series SSDs can be downloaded from here.

The PC industry today has never looked bleaker. The world's largest PC-maker Hewlett-Packard just announced their intention to explore the separation of its PC business. With PC manufacturers increasingly abandoning design and technology in lieu of outsourcing and cost-cutting, the PC industry has seen a severe dearth of innovation in recent years. Gaming consoles have also taken advantage of this innovation slump in the PC industry to garner attention from game developers and gamers alike, to the extent that now PC versions of cross-platform games are often sub-par ports of their console counterparts.

Razer, the world leader in high performance gaming hardware, introduces the Razer Blade - a full aluminum chassis gaming laptop featuring true portability, incredible performance, and an all-new revolutionary user interface. With the introduction of the Razer Blade - a feat of modern-day systems engineering and technology, Razer is reinvigorating technological and design innovation for the entire PC industry, and encouraging gamers and developers to return to the PC as the primary gaming platform of choice.

Avexir may be an unknown brand in these areas of the world, but is already present in the market since 2006. The products of the memory specialist are available immediately at Caseking. The assortment currently consists of four series - the "Green", "Budget", "Standard" and "Blitz" which range from 2 GB to a monstrous 16 GB, but will be expanded considerably in the near future.

As a consumer oriented company, Avexir Technologies Cooperation always listens to the continually growing fan base, taking their suggestions and wishes seriously. From the affordable "Budget" and "Standard" series to the "Blitz" family of memory, you will find something for everyone from Avexir.

Japanese cooling expert Scythe is releasing new information and details about upcoming products exhibited at IFA 2011 in Berlin. Attendees of the consumer electronics fair IFA 2011 (Berlin, Germany) are able to checkout brand new products from Scythe. Located in the Home Entertainment hall 3.2 at booth number 116 new products are displayed with focus on the Audio segment. Three new Class D Digital Amplifiers PCI Slot Amp (SDAS-1000), 3,5 inch (8,89 cm) sized Bay Amp Pro mini 2000 (SDA35-2000) and the double-decker Kama Bay AMP SDAR-3000 will be introduced to the public.

New Top model from Scythe will be the Kama Bay AMP SDAR-3000 amplifier which is built to fit into two 5,25 inch (13,3 cm) bays of a PC Chassis. Core of this high-end amp will be the Power IC TB2924AFG from Toshiba. Hence allows connection of four different audio sources from which users can choose by switching. More convenient operation is achieved by adding an infrared remote control. Output Power is rated with 16 Watt. Further features are the retro-look analog meters with several different background light colors and one USB Power Charge connector in the front.

Thermaltake, a premium computer components designer and supplier, an expert in creating leading-edge innovations and fascinating environment for gamers and enthusiasts, has provided customers with the ideal blend of high quality, performance, and efficiency power supplies to improve system performance and bring the users to the up most potential. Since the end of 2010 on the release of Toughpower Silver Series 1350W 80Plus Silver certified, this is the well-proven success formula and showing the intelligent interaction with technical innovations. Thermaltake globally adding three more silver stars (80Plus Silver Certified) to the series in August, 2011.

Now the Toughpower Silver Series 80Plus Silver series will includes 1000W, 1200W, and 1500W along with 1350W for today's dynamic systems and power hungry enthusiasts. This Toughpower Silver Series high-efficient power supplies offer high-end features and exacting performance standards, but are still energy efficient and targeted at high-end users. With the proof of 80 Plus silver certification, Toughpower Silver Series power supplies stands out from the crowd and inherit the Thermaltake's passion to technological craft and application of life entertaining culture.

Micron Technology, Inc., today introduced the highest-density Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) NOR memory available, launching 1 gigabit (Gb), 512 megabit (Mb) and 256Mb products in both 1.8V and 3V power supply voltages. Employing state-of-the-art 65nm process technology, the N25Q product family offers the highest-speed quad I/O in the industry and a full set of advanced features and small packages that improve overall system performance and time-to-market in networking, set-top boxes, automotive and a wide range of industrial, computing and consumer applications.

Extending the company's legacy of memory leadership, Micron's new SPI NOR product line balances customers' needs for cost-effective solutions at higher densities while ensuring compatibility among future chipsets. Micron's long-term commitment to customers in the embedded markets is reinforced by Micron's Product Longevity Program (PLP) - a 10-year commitment to provide stable memory architectures for customer designs. The new N25Q products will be offered as part of this program to provide design assurance for its PLP customers.

Digital Storm, the predominant name in computer system integration and engineering, proudly debuts its latest innovation in the quest to design the most superior PC on the planet: the Cryo-TEC Cooling System. Based on the Sub-Zero Liquid Chilled system developed by Digital Storm that chills liquid below 0°C, this redesigned version is smaller, more powerful and utilizes direct contact heat dissipation technology.

The new and improved Cryo-TEC cooling system from Digital Storm is a radical leap forward in cooling technology. The Cryo-TEC system utilizes the same thermo-electric technology as Digital Storm's previous generation Sub-Zero Liquid Chilled system; however, the Cryo-TEC cooler now incorporates new direct contact heat dissipation technology. By placing the processor in direct contact with the thermo-electric cold plate, the Cryo-TEC system is more efficient in lowering processor temperatures below 0°C and increasing overclocking performance. The Cryo-TEC cooling system also includes a control board designed by Digital Storm engineers that automatically optimizes cooling power and efficiency.

Other World Computing (OWC), a leading zero emissions Mac and PC technology company, today announced the $129.99 MSRP 60GB capacity model to its award-winning, built in the USA OWC Mercury Electra 6G Solid State Drive line. Offering a lower starting price point to one of the industry's fastest 6G SSD lines, the new SandForce Driven 6Gb/s 60GB capacity OWC Mercury Electra 6G SSD utilizes the highest quality components available, including Tier 1/Grade A NAND, to deliver 556MB/s read and 523MB/s write sustained data rates for over 7X faster performance than a standard factory hard drive found in Mac and PC computers.

Today, gaming hardware designer BitFenix is pleased to launch its latest gaming chassis. Named Outlaw, this mid-tower ATX enclosure offers premium features, innovative layout, and superior styling at a groundbreaking price point.

"We set out to design a value gaming chassis like no other on the market, and the result of that is Outlaw," says BitFenix Product Manager David Jarlestedt. "Offering features normally found on chassis twice the price, Outlaw is a gaming case that really does break all the rules."

AOC released two new monitors brandishing LED-backlit IPS (in-plane switching) panels, both with full-HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution. These include the 21.5-inch i2252Vwh and the 23-inch i2352Vh. The two feature static contrast ratios of 1,000:1, 20 million to 1 DCR, and maximum brightness of 250 cd/m². Both pack display inputs of DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI. AOC did not give out pricing.

AMD announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Rory P. Read, 49, President and Chief Executive Officer of AMD, effective today. Mr. Read has also been appointed to the Company's board of directors. Read joins AMD from Lenovo Group, Ltd., where he was most recently President and Chief Operating Officer responsible for leading day-to-day global operations while overseeing the development and implementation of the company's growth strategy.

"Rory is a proven leader with an impressive record of driving profitable growth," said Bruce Claflin, Chairman of AMD's Board of Directors. "He is ideally suited to accelerate AMD's evolution into the world's leading semiconductor design company. As President and COO of Lenovo he helped take the company into dynamic new markets while growing market share and expanding profitability. His sound strategic thinking and natural customer orientation will help amplify the voice of the customer inside AMD."

I'm at a loss of words to describe what Point of View's 'point of view' could have been, when coming up with a GeForce GTX 550 Ti based graphics card that packs no less than 4096 MB of memory on-card. The company thinks that adding four times the normal amount of memory that runs at half the speed, DDR3 instead of GDDR5, could somehow spice up the specs sheet. Carrying the product code VGA-550-C1-4096, the card's DDR3 memory runs at 1066 MHz (2133 MHz effective) across a 128-bit wide memory interface, while the GeForce GTX 550 Ti runs at 900 MHz core. Its 192 CUDA cores are clocked at 1800 MHz. Point of view did not give out images of the card yet, but we understand it has one each of DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI as display connectors, takes power from one 6-pin power connector, and uses a custom fan-heatsink. It is priced as low as 113.34 Euros. Below is a generic picture of a Point of View GTX 550 Ti graphics card.

Rosewill announced its RK-9000 series of mechanical-switch keyboards. In mechanical keyboards, each key has its own mechanical switch, compared to common membrane keyboards that use rubber conductive pads over a plastic membrane. Mechanical keyboards also tend to be more durable and provide more consistant tactile feedback compared to membrane ones. Rosewill's RK-9000 series is built on the various kinds of Cherry MX series switches, that have different tactile feedback levels.

The RK-9000 (standard) uses Cherry MX Blue switches, the RK-9000BR uses Cherry MX Brown, the RK-9000BL uses Cherry MX Black, and the RK-9000RE uses Cherry MX Red. All RK-9000 keyboards come with detachable cables, and come bundled with both USB and PS/2 cables. The connectors are gold-plated to improve durability. Pricing and availability isn't known, but the keyboards should reach major retail stores very soon.

SAPPHIRE Technology has just announced a new high performance model in its extensive series of graphics cards - the HD 6850 Vapor-X Edition with SAPPHIRE exclusive Vapor-X cooler. The SAPPHIRE HD 6850 Vapor-X Edition has the same internal architecture as the standard model, with 960 stream processors and 48 texture processing units, but clock speeds are increased to 800MHz for the core and 1100Mhz (4.4 Gb/sec effective) for the memory giving users a considerable boost in performance.

The SAPPHIRE exclusive Vapor-X cooler ensures that the card runs quietly and efficiently. Together with other special hardware features including on-board 10-phase power control and SAPPHIRE's highly efficient, cool running second generation Black Diamond chokes this ensures there is a good margin for performance tuning (overclocking) by enthusiast users. SAPPHIRE's overclocking tool for these models - TriXX - is available free for anyone to download from a link on the SAPPHIRE website.

SilverStone created an incredible mobile storage product, the Treasure TS07. It connects to the PC via 5Gbit/s USB 3.0 super speed interface which enables data transfer with maximum compatibility and stability, making TS07 the best choice for taking important data on the go.

Japanese cooling expert Scythe expands its case fan portfolio by adding two new models from the Slip Stream series. Both axial fans are built in the typical Scythe high quality processing. Ideal application fields are individual airflow optimization inside a PC Chassis and addition for CPU and VGA Coolers. Slip Stream 140 PWM Adjustable VR and Slip Stream 120 PWM Adjustable VR are therefore equipped with two different functions for fan speed adjustments. By using the built-in switch it is possible to choose between conventional voltage regulation and the PWM fan control function which can be customized even further.

Both models are equipped with 120 mm mounting holes enabling wide compatibility range to most on-market PC Chassis as well as CPU Coolers. Switching to the VR mode unlocks the stepless adjustment of fan speed between 500 and 1.900 rpm. Depending on the set fan rpm the airflow varies between 24,5 and 110,31 CFM which is equivalent to 41 - 187 m³/h at a noise level between 7,5 and 37,0 dBA. While using the PWM mode fan speed is adjusted individually by the motherboard PWM fan controller. Users can alter the PWM bandwidth range by turning the VR knob to further optimize airflow and noise level.

Regarded as the heart and soul of Apple Inc., Steve Jobs has decided to step down as the CEO of the company, making way for the board-elected Tim Cook to take up the position. This marks a graceful exit of one of the major architects of the technology industry as we know it. "Steve's extraordinary vision and leadership saved Apple and guided it to its position as the world's most innovative and valuable technology company," notes a company press release. Jobs will stay on as the Chairman of the company he co-founded. His replacement, Tim Cook, has previously served as the COO of the company, with 13 years of service to the company in various positions.A letter written by the outgoing Apple CEO follows.

Xigmatek released its latest XAF series case fans, including the XAF-F1451 (black) and XAF-F1452 (white). The two are 140 mm (140 x 140 x 25 mm) in size, but are designed to fit the in the mount holes of both 140 mm and 120 mm cases (provided there's room around the fan frame). There are several selling points, starting with the wavy blade design that is claimed by Xigmatek to increase air-flow by 25% and reduce noise by 10% (compared to typical 140 mm fans spinning at its speed). The fan supports PWM control, and spins at speeds between 800 and 1300 RPM, with noise levels under 18 dBA. The motor uses copper bushing axis bearing, and is rated to have an MTBF of 150,000 hours. European retailer Caseking.de has them up for sale at €14.90.

Sharkoon is expanding the USB3.0 collection to their "QuickPort" Hard Drive adapter family: The Sharkoon SATA QuickPort H3 USB3.0 offers the traditional plug-in slot for SATA Hard Drives and is directly connected to you computer via the USB3.0 port. With the latest model three USB3.0 Hub ports are integrated into the front side, over the already external SuperSpeed device, for example USB3.0 sticks, which can be directly connected with the system.

The plug-in slot for SATA hard drives in 2.5 and 3.5 inch format contains, similar to other QuickPort models, a hard drive ejection button and LEDs indicating both power supply and hard drive activity. On the backside of the device you will find a separate power button. The Sharkoon SATA QuickPort H3 USB3.0 measures 133 x 71 x 95 mm (W x H x L) and weighs 520 grams. Shipping also includes an instruction manual, power supply, power and USB3.0 cable.

Verbatim announces new Store 'n' Go Traveller is a 750GB 2.5" portable hard drive, available in black or silver. The Traveller is built to absorb shock if knocked or dropped giving more protection to the drive. It also has a tough rubber surrounding edge to give extra protection to the drive. With its SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface, the Verbatim Traveller offers extremely high transfer rates when connected to USB 3.0 host systems. That makes it the ideal storage solution for private and professional use on the go.

The drive is plug 'n' play and requires no external power for operation. It is also 100 per cent backwards compatible with USB 2.0 systems. For added security Nero BackItUp and Burn Essentials software enables automatic or manual back up of files, folders and drives. The software also includes Nero Express which provides the facility to easily burn files to CD or DVD, and Nero RescueAgent which helps to recover files should they become damaged.

AMD's release of APU processor is a huge revolution. The new Llano architectures are a shot in the arm for integrated graphics, delivering the most powerful discrete-level graphics performance in mainstream market. Following the great launch of ASRock A75 mobo platform, ASRock is delighted to introduce its fantastic APU Motherboard Series based on the AMD A55 chipset. Supporting AMD Fusion A-Series APU, Socket FM1, DirectX 11 technology and a wide range of ASRock signature functions, ASRock brand new A55 APU Motherboard Series will surely bring the perfect components and combos to build up the ultimate rig.

Commenting on the new release, James Lee, V.P of ASRock Sales and Marketing, is with confidence. "ASRock A55 APU Motherboard Series has more to offer than just the combined powers of integrated graphics processor, as ASRock motherboards are best known for its perfect balance between price and performance. If users are looking for a value mobo supporting AMD's full-power 32nm Llano processor, then ASRock A55 platform is unambiguously the best choice!" He stated.

Samsung Electronics unveiled three new high-resolution desktop displays under its Professional Series 3 family, the S27A850, S24A650, S24A350T. The 27-inch S27A850 is targeted at the professional media industry, it provides the benefits of 100% sRGB colorspace coverage, LED-backlighting, and more importantly, a native resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels. Its panel provides viewing angles of 178 degrees, horizontally and vertically. The S24A650 and S24A350T are 24-inch screens, with 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution. The two are capable of 3000:1 static contrast ratio, and are equipped with Samsung's Eco Saving features that reduce power consumption by up to 50%. Pricing of these three displays are unclear at this point.

LG Electronics (LG) will be opening a new era for scanners at this year's IFA with the LSM-100, the mouse with a built-in scanner. Incorporating technology specifically developed for the new device, the LSM-100 offers an array of unique functions that blend surprising innovation and user convenience.

Operating the LSM-100's scanning function is far more convenient than on conventional scanners. While holding the Smart Scan button on the left side of the mouse, the user simply swipes the mouse over the material to be scanned. The scanned image can then be saved in a variety of file types - PNG, JPEG, TIFF, BMP, PDF, XLS and DOC - or dragged and dropped into the desired application.

Cooler Master, a market leader in providing thermal solutions, computer chassis, power supplies, peripherals, and notebook coolers, announces an innovative new addition to the NotePal U Series, the U Stand. Crafted with a subdued elegance, the U Stand features a brushed aluminum surface that helps expedite heat dissipation. It is an ideal ergonomic companion for laptops up to 17" that are setup at a home or work office.

By including a 3 port USB hub, five adjustable heights, and two silent and movable 100mm fans, the NotePal U Stand becomes a central hub for productivity. Through these, it effectively transforms a laptop into a form that is more ergonomic and connection friendly, like a desktop PC. Utilize the 3 port USB hub to simultaneously connect devices such as printers, scanners, cameras, and more.

Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS), the world's leading motherboard, graphics card, barebone system, notebook and mobile device manufacturer presents its All-In-One (AIO) system-G11 to delight the market and enrich digital life. As Intel's strategic business partner, ECS G11 has been designed in the Thin Mini-ITX form factor complying with Intel's AIO system standard specification.

ECS G11 is capable of being upgraded easily with devices or motherboards under the standard specification which gives the end user the entertainment of a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) system. G11 is equipped with a 21.5" wide LED touch panel supporting 10-finger multi-touch with up to 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) resolution for a responsive interactive experience. Moreover, ECS G11 adopts the Intel H61 chipset, supporting the latest Intel 2nd Generation Core processors to extend the possibility of powerful performance.

NZXT, a company built on realizing the dreams of gamers worldwide, is proud to announce Sentry Mix. This high performance 6 fan controller features an intuitive slide design and a power output of 50W that will satisfy the cooling needs of enthusiasts. Sentry Mix also provides aesthetic enhancements with a matte-black finish and interchangeable numerical LED lights to color code your fan control.

"Sentry Mix takes its inspiration from the legendary sound mixers that command the acoustics of rock concerts" said Johnny Hou, Founder and Chief Designer at NZXT. "Mix puts the power right at your finger tips with optimal control and customization with a simple, quick slide."

Crucial, a leading global brand of memory and storage upgrades, today introduced Crucial 8GB DDR3-1333 MHz UDIMM (desktop) and SODIMM (laptop) memory modules to fully support the latest 2nd generation Intel Core i7 and i5 processors. Users demand more from their computers than ever before, simultaneously running and switching between multiple, complex applications such as photo editing, high-definition video editing, and gaming software. With that in mind, Crucial high-capacity 8GB desktop and laptop memory modules enable users to meet these computing challenges head on, enhancing the user experience by providing a more responsive system.

The new modules also allow for high-capacity memory in smaller form factors such as laptops, All-in-One PCs, and home theater PCs. Traditionally, most laptops have been limited to one or two DIMM slots for system memory needs. As form factors continue to shrink, providing even less space on the motherboard to populate memory, an 8GB Crucial laptop module is ideal for newer, more portable form factors that only have one DIMM slot available. Additionally, these new 8GB DDR3-1333MHz SODIMM modules are 1.35V, compared to their standard 1.5V counterparts. For laptops that support the lower voltage, the modules help reduce power consumption and operating temperature while increasing battery life.

ZOTAC International, a leading innovator and the world's largest channel manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards and mini-PCs, today debuts the new GeForce GTS 450 ECO Edition with enhanced energy-efficiency. The new ZOTAC GeForce GTS 450 ECO Edition delivers best-in-class energy efficiency with a 33-perecent reduction in energy consumption.

"ZOTAC understands the importance of energy-efficient graphics performance for users that demand the latest 3D features with a performance kick," said Carsten Berger, marketing director, ZOTAC International. "With the ZOTAC GeForce GTS 450 ECO Edition, we were able to improve energy-efficiency and eliminate the external power connector without sacrificing any GPU features."

Corsair, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market, today announced worldwide retail availability of 4GB DDR3 memory for Apple Mac desktop and laptop PCs.

Corsair's Mac memory kits are tested at Apple Developer Compatibility Labs and are guaranteed to work with any Mac desktop or notebook PC that supports 4GB DDR3 SODIMMs, including iMac, Mac mini, Mac Pro, MacBook, and MacBook Pro models. This includes virtually all models offered by Apple since 2010.

Last week, Intel released a firmware update (0362) for its SSD 320 Series products that it claimed would address the "8 MB bug", which results in a data loss with the drive not being able to see more than 8 MB of the installed NAND flash memory. After application of the firmware update, some reported back to Intel Support Community claiming that the new firmware did not effectively address the 8 MB bug, and has in some cases, made the drives even more unreliable. The users note that a SSD self-test cycle by the drive is causing Windows to crash with a bluescreen (BSOD). Intel has not responded to these posts.

HP surprised many last week, when it announced its move to spin off its PC products division, which sells all HP-branded PC products. That sparked off speculation about which company will acquire it. There are feelers in the industry, particularly in Taiwan, which houses several OEMs, that Samsung could be in the run for acquiring HP's PC business. The Korean conglomerate deals with the IT and consumer electronics industries under the Samsung Electronics company. Samsung is reported to have contacted Quanta Computer, Compal Electronics and Pegatron Technology, major Taiwan-based OEMs of notebooks, to evaluate the possibility of outsourcing notebook orders.

Samsung manufactures its notebooks though OEMs in mainland China, and had in older occasions, contacted Taiwan-based OEMs for outsourcing manufacturing, without any result. The move to contact them now is fueling speculation that Samsung is planning to expand its PC business in a big way. Sources note that Taiwan's notebook manufacturing industry is unmatched worldwide, in terms of cost control and production efficiency. If Samsung takes over HP's PC department, HP's over 40 million PC shipment volume will still need to depend on Taiwan OEMs. However, related suppliers of components such as panel, memory and battery may be affected as Samsung has a rather strong vertical integration supply chain.

LG announced its first 3D-capable notebook, the XNote A530. Two of its biggest selling points are the 15-inch LED backlit display that's capable of 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution, and stereoscopic 3D webcam, that uses two individual cameras to build a stereo 3D video stream, backed by LG's software. The XNote A530 is powered by "Sandy Bridge" 2nd Generation Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M graphics. A Korean press release also mentions that the notebook will back 3D PT software, that allows users to make stereo 3D presentations that can be displayed using 3D-capable displays and projectors. The company did not announce pricing and availability details.

Silicon Power unveiled its Marvel M01 USB flash drive, which makes use of the new USB 3.0 SuperSpeed interface. Measuring 60.6 x 18.0 x 8.1 mm, the drive weighs about 10 g, which makes it fairly compact by USB 3.0 flash drive standards. The drive has a brushed-aluminum outer body, and polycarbonate cap. It comes in capacities of 8, 16, and 32 GB. Silicon Power did not give out two key details: transfer speeds, and price. It is, however, said to be backed by lifetime product warranty.

JEDEC Solid State Technology Association, the global leader in the development of standards for the microelectronics industry, today announced selected key attributes of its widely-anticipated DDR4 (Double Data Rate 4) standard. With publication forecasted for mid-2012, JEDEC DDR4 will represent a significant advancement in performance with reduced power usage as compared to previous generation technologies. When published, the new standard will be available for free download at www.jedec.org.

DDR4 is being developed with a range of innovative features designed to enable high speed operation and broad applicability in a variety of applications including servers, laptops, desktop PCs and consumer products. Its speed, voltage and architecture are all being defined with the goal of simplifying migration and facilitating adoption of the standard.
A DDR4 voltage roadmap has been proposed that will facilitate customer migration by holding VDDQ constant at 1.2V and allowing for a future reduction in the VDD supply voltage. Understanding that enhancements in technology will occur over time, DDR4 will help protect against technology obsolescence by keeping the I/O voltage stable.

When NVIDIA responded to AMD's Radeon HD 6990 dual-GPU graphics cards with a dual-GPU card of its own, the GeForce GTX 590, it ended up with a disputable performance lead, enough for both GPU vendors to claim that theirs is the fastest graphics card in the market, backed by reviews or specific tests that suit them. There really is no answer to what is the fastest reference-design graphics card that commands a three-figure price. There have been rumors that NVIDIA is planning to address this with a new dual-GPU graphics card. An older report called the new card a mere revision of the GTX 590, though it's now emerging that the new card could get a new SKU name.

A Slovenian gaming news site that looked into some of the PCs running Battlefield 3 at Gamescom mentioned the name "GTX 595". This couldn't have been in error, because the site goes on to mention that the GTX 595 is "a dual-GPU card that is not yet out," adding that "NVIDIA provide[ed] special drivers for EA gamescom to improve a little gaming experience (and probably reduce bugs )." Those could have been early drivers that can run the card. According to older reports, the idea behind GTX 595 (as it's now being referred to), is to strengthen the VRM circuitry of GTX 590, to perhaps facilitate higher clock speeds, and try to create a clear performance lead over Radeon HD 6990. Nothing else is known about the GTX 595 at this point. In our opinion, Battlefield 3 launch (late October) could serve as a good launchpad for a new high-end SKU.

Logitech unveiled the latest addition to its acclaimed G-Series gaming products, the Logitech Gaming Mouse G300. Designed to give PC gamers an advantage over the competition, the mouse features nine programmable controls, letting you move keyboard commands to buttons that are in easy reach.

Additionally, the Logitech Gaming Mouse G300 lets you store up to three game or player profiles in the mouse's onboard memory, so you can run the mouse without software or even move it between computers without having to reconfigure each time. User-configurable lighting assigns one of seven colors to each profile, so you can easily see which profile you're using. Plus, the mouse's sculpted, ambidextrous shape is equally comfortable in either hand.

European company EKL's Alpenfohn unveiled the first pictures of its Triglav tower-type CPU cooler. Its heatsink makes use of 'massive' 10 mm thick heat pipes. To put that into some perspective, 4~6 mm thick heat pipes are common, 8 mm thick ones have till now been considered thickest, for round heat pipes. The three 10 mm thick heat pipes are made of nickel-plated copper, and pass through 46 aluminum fins that are arranged in a turbulence-inducing pattern (improves heat dissipation, so fan speed can be lowered at its expense). Ventilation is care of a 120 mm Hydro Bearing fan that features PWM control, spins between 800 and 1500 RPM, with up to 21.4 dBA noise output. The Alpenfohn Trigav is priced at €39.90.

Active Media Products, a leading manufacturer of SSDs and DOMs, today began shipping a 64GB mini 1.8-inch PATA ZIF SSD that measures only 2.1 x 1.3" (54 x 32 mm) and is ideal for upgrading many popular laptops including the HP Mini 1000. This new SSD delivers transfer speeds up to 80MB/sec, which is substantially faster than most 1.8" PATA hard disk drives (HDDs), yet it is much smaller and lighter than an HDD.

Active Media Products VP of Sales, Jerry Thomson stated, "We're pleased to finally offer the SaberTooth Z in a 64GB capacity. We've had so many requests from our upgrade customers for this product. This advancement demonstrates AMP's continued commitment to developing ever faster, more capacious solid state storage solutions." The SaberTooth Z accommodates a wide range of ZIF cable thicknesses that includes standard Toshiba and Hitachi cables, and it is 100% compatible with 40-pin ZIF HDDs.

AMD launched a trio of new E-series and C-series accelerated processing units (APUs), these include the E-450, E-300, and C-60. The three come in BGA packages, and are based on the Brazos platform, making use of the Bobcat high-efficiency x86 micro-architecture by AMD. All three are dual-core, and are built on the 40 nm process. The trio is topped by E-450 "Zacate". The processor component of the E-450 is clocked at 1.65 GHz (E-350 has 1.60 GHz). The Radeon HD 6320 GPU core is clocked at 508 MHz, and features TurboCore technology, that can drive it up to 600 MHz.

The E-300 lacks TurboCore on both its CPU and GPU components, its CPU component is clocked at 1.30 GHz, and Radeon HD 6310 GPU core at 488 MHz. The C-60 is AMD's ultra low power APU with its TDP at just 9W (E-450 and E-300 are 18W). The C-60 features TurboCore technology on both its CPU and GPU components, the CPU is clocked at 1.00 GHz, that can increase to 1.33 GHz, while the Radeon HD 6290 GPU core is clocked at 276 MHz, which can increase to 400 MHz. On all three APUs, the GPU component packs 80 stream processors, and is DirectX 11 compliant. All three feature a single-channel DDR3 memory controller supporting DDR3-1333 MHz memory. The integrated GPUs of all three support HDMI 1.4a and DisplayPort, apart from the usual DVI and VGA.

Japanese display technology major iiyama a couple of new ProLite full-HD LED-backlit LCD monitors, the 24-inch XB2472HD-B, and the 27-inch X2775HDS-B. The two use vertical alignment (VA) panel technology, that enables good viewing angles both horizontally and vertically (i.e. when the panel is oriented in landscape and portrait modes), with viewing angles of 178°. The two boast of 5 million to 1 dynamic contrast, and 1,000:1 static contrast ratios. The XB2472HD-B features a stand which has a telescopic arm, that allows easy height adjustment, to make room for the panel to rotate into portrait mode. The X2775HDS-B features a 4-port USB 2.0 hub. Both models take display input from DVI and HDMI.

Since neither Intel nor AMD have concrete plans in place to fully integrate USB 3.0 SuperSpeed controllers into their motherboard chipsets, at least not beyond a couple of ports, the market for third-party controllers is intact. Renesas is planning to make its 2-port PCI-Express 2.0 x1 controllers even more competitive in a market that is now seeing competition, a market which its controllers pioneered. Renesas acquired the USB 3.0 controller IP from NEC. By early 2012, Renesas will be in a position to price its controllers as low as US $1.20 per unit. Compare that to the $5 these controllers cost when they entered the market.

Renesas' mainstream USB 3.0 controllers, the µPD72020x series, are sold in the upstream supplier market for $2 per unit, as competitors' controllers are going for US$1.50-1.70. The company is facing competition from a number of new and established manufacturers, including VIA Labs (VLI), ASMedia, and Etron Technology. While most motherboard manufacturers have, at some point, used NEC/Renesas controllers, the major ones are beginning to move to its competitors. For instance, ASMedia controllers can be seen on newer motherboard models from ASRock and ASUS, Etron can be seen on Gigabyte ones. VLI is emerging as a favorite of USB 3.0 add-on cards.

FinalWire, the company behind AIDA64, and the people behind its predecessor Everest, announced the latest version of the popular system diagnostic and benchmarking suite, AIDA64 1.85. Apart from the usual load of security and stability fixes, AIDA64 1.85 packs a number of new features, including advanced multi-device Logitech LCD support; improved support for socket FM1 motherboards; temperature, fan and voltage measurement corrections; preliminary support for next-generation AMD Trinity accelerated processing units (APUs); support for NVIDIA GeForce 510 and GTX 580M; and support for detecting a GPU's compliance with OpenGL 4.2 API.DOWNLOAD: AIDA64 1.85 Installer | ZIP Package

PC major HP announced its decision to scrap TouchPad, the company's flagship tablet device. But in a move that could rattle the OEM industry, there are feelers that HP might spin off its PC business. This is similar to what IBM did with its PC division, resulting in the subsequent creation of Lenovo. This move could take effect as early as by the end of this year. This is one of the most extreme makeovers in the company's 72-year history. It is sought to increase the company's long-term competitiveness against rival IBM.

It is not known if the decision to spin off the PC division will affect any of the 300,000 jobs HP maintains worldwide. HP's PC division (that sells desktop PCs, notebooks, and netbooks and related support services), is its biggest revenue generator, but also it's least profitable division. Whatever the reasoning behind this, the decision is a 180 degree turn from last decade, when HP spent no less than US $24 billion to acquire Compaq Computer, on its road to become the biggest PC vendor.

Thermal Solutions specialist GELID Solutions reveals the GX-7 CPU cooler of its GAMER product line. Engineers at GELID Solutions have created an outstanding new CPU cooler with 7 power heat pipes. Contrary to traditional heat pipe arrangement for this GAMER CPU cooler "GX-7", a special array of heat pipes was used to take full advantage of all 7 heat pipes heat transfer capacity. Further V-shaped aluminum fins were used in the center of the heat sink to allow airflow to reach the heat sink more evenly. Openings inside of the heat sink and near the heat pipes let fresh-air flows in from the top and the bottom to zones normally poorly ventilated, and eliminate the creation of hotspots. The unique heat sink shape supports dual fans.

Included in the GX-7 is the multi-award winning Wing 12 PL fan, allowing the cooler to reach remarkable temperature. The Wing 12 PL Blue features blue LEDs and unique Nanoflux bearing which ensures a friction-free and silent operation. Thanks to the clever design and magnetic bearing, the impeller can be detached for easy cleaning. Additionally, fan blade winglets were designed to achieve larger airflow and greater static pressure. The fan also includes a premium PWM control, so the temperature can be controlled precisely by the BIOS.

Kanex, maker of audio-visual solutions for Apple computers, is excited to announce the C24DL, a full resolution dual-link digital video inverter (DVI) to 27 inch Apple LED Cinema Display (ACD). The C24DL is a simple dual-link DVI with USB to Mini DisplayPort converter designed for users with legacy Macs (2006-early 2008 MacBook Pro, 2005-mid 2007 Mac Mini) or PCs with high-end graphics cards to connect specifically to a 27 inch ACD.

The Kanex C247DL supports the native HD resolution (2560x1440) of the ACD not available with other standard DVI adapters. The innovative converter actively converts the video signal from the dual-link DVI delivering pixel perfect resolution. The included USB cable powers the C247DL, allows for audio transfer to the ACD speakers, and supports all USB 2.0 functions including use of the iSight camera.

Corsair, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market, today announced worldwide retail availability of Force Series 3 and Force Series GT SSDs in 90GB configurations.

Corsair Force Series 3 high-performance SSD upgrades have native support for SATA 6Gb/s, with a maximum sequential read speed of 550MB/s and a maximum sequential write speed of 500 MB/s. The Force Series 3 uses asynchronous flash memory to provide the industry's best 90GB SSD performance value. Force Series GT, designed for enthusiasts who demand the fastest performance available, uses ONFI synchronous flash memory and boasts read speeds of up to 555 MB/s and write speeds of up to 505 MB/s. The use of synchronous flash memory makes the Force Series GT SSD particularly adept at reading and writing non-compressible data, such as video and music files.

Japanese company Green House launched two lines of SSDs for use in compact devices and embedded applications. These include the GH-SSD*S-H in the "half-slim" SATA form factor (where * stands for number of GB in capacity), and GH-SSD*S-M in mSATA form factor. The half-slim form factor is basically a half length SSD PCB with its case stripped out, which makes it a lot more compact. The two are further available in two variants based on NAND flash type used, SLC and MLC. The SLC variants come in capacities starting from 1 GB to 16 GB, including 2, 4, and 8 GB models along the way; while the MLC variant includes capacities starting from 4 GB to 128 GB, with 8, 16, 32, and 64 GB models along the way.

Transfer rates are different between each specific model. The the SLC variant, it's 29 MB/s (read) / 17 MB/s (write) for the 1 GB, 55 MB/s (read) / 34 MB/s (write) for 2 GB, 100 MB/s (read) / 65 MB/s (write) for 4 GB, and 120 MB/s (read) / 100 MB/s for the 8 and 16 GB models. Moving on to MLC, it's 34 MB/s (read) / 12 MB/s (write) for the 4 GB, 66 MB/s (read) / 24 MB/s (write) for 8 GB, 120 MB/s (read) / 45 MB/s (write) for 16 GB, 135 MB/s (read) / 90 MB/s (write) for 32 GB, 200 MB/s (read) / 170 MB/s (write) for 64 GB, and 200 MB/s (read) / 200 MB/s (write) for the 128 GB model. All drives make use of a Phison-made controller, with 64 MB DRAM cache. The drives are rated to have 1,000,000 hours of MTBF, and pack standard features such as TRIM command support and NCQ. They are backed by 1 year warranty.

Logitech brings the power of light to Mac users with the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 for Mac. With the same award-winning design and feature set as the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750, this newest version - available in multiple colors - makes battery hassles a thing of the past thanks to its onboard solar cells that power the keyboard using ambient light.

"We hear from consumers all the time that they want to see more Mac products from us," said Rory Dooley, Logitech senior vice president and general manager of the Control Devices business unit. "I'm proud to say we've listened, and are excited to offer one of our most innovative keyboards designed specifically for Mac users."

The new ROG MARS II picks up where previous graphics card powerhouses from ASUS ROG left off, and continues the legacy of the finest hardware for hardcore gamers. The limited-edition card is built on twin NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 GPUs and a mammoth 3GB of GDDR5 video memory, with a proprietary ROG design that combines extreme cooling and extensive tuning facilities that cater to the most demanding power user. It also offers colossal pixel-pushing output that is unmatched by any graphics card.

SAPPHIRE Technology, a leading manufacturer and global supplier of graphics, mainboard and multimedia solutions has just introduced a new mainboard developed to support the latest SandyBridge family of CPU's from Intel.

The SAPPHIRE Pure Platinum Z68 is a full ATX sized board that supports the 2nd Generation Intel SandyBridge i3 / i5 / i7 processor family using socket LGA1155. Four dual channel memory sockets are provided, supporting up to 16GB of DDR3 memory with current technology, and capable of supporting up to 32GB when suitable modules become available. There two USB 3.0 ports and four USB 2.0 ports (plus 8 on headers), as well as Gigabit LAN and Bluetooth connectivity with EDR (enhanced data rate). It has four SATA II 3G ports, and two SATA III 6G ports (+ two more on a header) and supports Intel "Rapid Storage" technology as well as RAID 1, 0, 5 and 10.

Intel today released the much awaited fix for the "8 MB bug" (BAD_CTX 0000013x error) affecting some 320 Series solid state drives, which it announced it was looking into, back in July. The fix comes as a firmware update, version 1.9. The bug is caused by an unexpected power loss, which causes the drive to stop seeing data above 8 MB, resulting in a data loss. Intel fixed this bug with a new firmware update, which can by run by downloading the disk image (.iso file), burning it onto a blank CD, and booting from it. The firmware update can be downloaded from this page.

Along with its first triple-core APU, the A6-3500, AMD released the first Athlon branded processor in the socket FM1 package. The Athlon X4 631, as it's called, is a quad-core processor. Notice I said processor and not APU, because this chip lacks the integrated graphics core. Or at least it's there on the silicon and permanently disabled. The processor still has integrated dual-channel DDR3 memory controller, and more importantly, the integrated PCI-Express 2.0 root complex.

The Athlon X4 631 has its four x86-64 cores clocked at 2.60 GHz, lacking TurboCore. There is 4 MB of total cache, arranged as 1 MB dedicated L2 cache per core. The processor has a rated TDP of 100W, above the 95W TDP of the socket AM3 Athlon X4 chips, but given that the northbridge is completely fused with the processor, the 5W TDP jump is fair. The chip is compatible with all socket FM1 motherboards based on the AMD A55 and A75 chipsets. It is priced at US $79 a piece in 1000-unit tray quantities.

Razer, the world's leading high-end precision gaming brand, brings true pinpoint positional audio to hardcore gamers everywhere with the Razer Tiamat headset range - the world's first discrete 7.1 surround sound and 2.2 stereo gaming headsets. Get the tactical advantage in combat when you can hear and react to every gunfire, explosion and voice realistically all around you. And with bass so powerful, the Razer Tiamat will blow you away.

"The Razer Tiamat headset range is the pride of our audio engineering, the world's first 10 driver headset, built to deliver the most powerful, clear and accurately produced positional audio gamers will ever need for the competitive edge," said Robert "RazerGuy" Krakoff, President, Razer USA. "Surprise the enemy trying to creep up for a stealth kill, when you can hear their footsteps loud and clear behind you."

Razer, the world's leading high-end precision gaming brand and EA, a leading global interactive entertainment software company, is kicking your explosive war gaming experience up several notches with the exclusive Battlefield 3 co-branded peripherals and gear line. Get total immersion and the technological advantage to win in one of the biggest first person shooter titles from EA to be launched this year.

The Razer Battlefield 3 Collector's Edition Peripherals line includes a Razer BlackWidow Ultimate mechanical keyboard, a Razer Imperator gaming mouse, Razer Scarab hard mouse mat and a Razer Onza Tournament Edition Xbox 360 controller. This suite of Razer gaming weaponry fully equips fans of Battlefield 3 to take on the most intense firefights and emerge victorious. They'll be empowered with competitive gaming features like faster key actuation on the Razer BlackWidow, increased swiping precision with the Razer Imperator, enhanced tracking accuracy with the Razer Scarab and fully customizable controls on the Razer Onza.

AMD released its first triple-core accelerated processing unit (APU), the A6-3500. Armed with three x86-64 cores, the A6-3500 socket FM1 APU is positioned to offer superior performance and performance per dollar compared to Intel's Sandy Bridge-based Pentium Dual Core processors. The A6-3500 features Radeon HD 6530D graphics, which is DirectX 11 compliant, and makes use of 320 stream processors. The CPU component of the A6-3500 is clocked at 2.10 GHz with 2.40 GHz in TurboCore mode, while the GPU component runs at 443 MHz.

There is 3 MB of L2 cache on the chip (1 MB per core), the dual-channel DDR3 memory controller natively supports DDR3-1866 MHz memory. The TDP of the chip is rated at 65W. AMD's A6-3500 triple-core APU is priced at US $95 in the PIB (processor in box) retail package, which includes the certified heatsink, while in 1000-unit tray quantities, it is priced at $89 a piece.

AMD today rolled out this month's major Catalyst software suite release, Catalyst 11.8 WHQL. The software provides the latest WHQL-signed drivers for AMD Radeon GPUs, AMD accelerated processing units (APUs), and AMD chipsets with integrated graphics. This release sees the fusion of AMD Overdrive System (CPU) with GPU overdrive. Both AMD processors and Radeon GPUs can be tweaked using a single application in the Vision Control Center. CPU Overclocking in Vision Center, however, is only supported on Black Edition processor models.

In the GPU driver front, Catalyst 11.8 brings a few major performance improvements, including a 10% performance improvement for Crysis 2 DirectX 11, for both non-Anti-Aliasing, and application enabled Anti-Aliasing modes; 8% performance boosts in FEAR 3 DirectX 11 with application enabled Anti-Aliasing; and a significant 20% boost in Call of Duty Black Ops for single and multi-GPU setups. AMD has redesigned Morphological Anti Aliasing (MLAA) code to boost performance of all applications with MLAA enabled, by up to 30%.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Catalyst 11.8 WHQL

JEDEC Solid State Technology Association and the ESD Association today announced the publication of ANSI/ESDA/JEDEC JS-001-2011 for Electrostatic Discharge Sensitivity (ESD) Testing - Human Body Model (HBM) - Component Level. The product of a ESDA /JEDEC agreement to produce joint standards in the field of device ESD sensitivity testing, the new revision represents a significant update over the prior version of the standard. ANSI/ESDA/JEDEC JS-001-2011 may be downloaded free of charge at www.ESDA.org or www.JEDEC.org.

The primary changes are described in a new pin combination table (Table 2A). The older set of combinations are still permitted and summarized in Table 2B. An expanded annex provides further guidance to allow the user to minimize the interaction between the HBM tester parasitics and the device under tests. This will allow for more accurate HBM tests.

Cooler Master, an industry leading chassis, thermal solution, peripheral, and accessory manufacturer, uncovers the ultimate follow-up to the widely popular GeminII CPU Cooler, the GeminII S524. The GeminII S524 is the embodiment of versatility, efficiency, and silence.

GeminII S524, a unique alternative to traditional CPU & system memory cooling. Rotated 90 degrees, it harnesses the constant flow of cool air from the side of the system and directs it to the heatsink fins to cool the CPU. Unique to this design, the GeminII S524 channels a portion of this cool air to the system memory to help dissipate the heat generated by critical system components. Benefiting from a larger heatsink surface area, increased clearance for high-end system memory modules, and an easily upgradeable fan, the GeminII S524 claims its position as a transformative cooling solution while maintaining an impressive performance-to-noise ratio.

MSI Computer Corp., a leading manufacturer of computer hardware products and solutions, announces the availability of the stylish X460 and X460DX notebooks, the 14-inch mobile powerhouse for professionals on the go. Part of the X Series ultra-slim notebooks, both units are powered by Intel Core processors, Integrated Intel GMA HD or NVIDIA GeForce GT540M video cards, Microsoft Windows 7, and THX TruStudio PRO.

"The X460 and X460DX takes our current X Series to another level, shrinking the power and performance of a larger notebook into a mobile unit with exceptional battery life," said Andy Tung, Vice President of Sales for MSI US. "Crafted with the mobile professional in mind, these units feature a sleek design that reflects MSI's pursuit for innovation and style."

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced the development of 32 gigabyte (GB) double data rate-3 (DDR3) registered dual Inline memory modules (RDIMMs) that use three dimensional (3D) through silicon via (TSV) package technology.

Samsung's advanced 30 nanometer (nm) class technology leverages module performance and power features to deliver a substantially greener memory solution than the preceding 40nm-class based modules. Engineering samples have been released for evaluation.

This fall, Intel plans a series of price-cuts covering its second-generation Core processor family, and Sandy Bridge-based Pentium Dual Core processors. The cuts will see prices lowered by roughly $10 across the board. The cuts cover dual-core Intel Pentium G630 and G850, dual-core Core i3-2120, i7-2390T, and quad-core Core i5-2400S, i5-2405S, i5-2500S, i5-2500T, and i7-2600S. Prime selling enthusiast models such as i5-2500, i5-2500K, i7-2600, i7-2600K don't feature in this list. Most of these cuts will come into effect in September, the price cuts of i3-2120, and the two Pentium Dual Core chips, will come into effect in October.

Active Media Products, a leading manufacturer of SSDs and DOMs, today announced immediate availability of 8GB and 16GB low-profile 9-pin USB 2.0 disk on module (DOM) drives that are designed for servers and embedded computing applications.

"We're continuing to expand our lineup of DOM products, which already includes 9 different types of SATA and PATA DOMs in capacities up to 64GB. These new USB DOMs are by far the smallest, lightest and lowest power drives in our DOM family," Active Media Products VP of Sales, Jerry Thomson said in a statement. Maximum active power for these USB DOMs is rated at a mere 150MA. Moreover, DOMs offer superior resistance to shock, vibration, dust and temperature extremes than hard disk drives, making them advantageous for use in industrial environments.

Mozilla's Firefox version number inflation drive continues as it plays catch up with Google Chrome 13 and Internet Explorer 9. Released today, Firefox 6 packs small number of new features, improved font rendering, along with the usual load of security and bug fixes. To begin with, the navigation toolbar got a couple of updates: the address bar now highlights the domain name of the loaded webpage. The site identity box (which displays the favicon, and security status of the loaded webpage), is now "streamlined" with the rest of the address bar.

Firefox 6 supports the latest draft version of WebSockets with a prefixed API. It adds support for EventSource / server-sent events, window.matchMedia. There's an improved web-console to help developers. The browser has better discoverability with Firefox Sync. It starts faster when using Panorama. Again, there's the a load of security and stability fixes.DOWNLOAD: Mozilla Firefox 6

PNY Technologies, Inc. launches their all-in-one Liquid Cooled Graphics solution, now available to consumers nationwide. The new line of Liquid Cooled Graphics will debut with two options: the XLR8 Liquid Cooled GeForce GTX 580 and XLR8 Liquid Cooled GeForce GTX 580 with CPU Cooling.

PNY and Asetek, a leader in CPU thermal management, have combined forces to launch a high-end Liquid Cooled Graphics solution geared towards gaming enthusiasts. Consumers will receive a fully integrated XLR8 GeForce GTX liquid cooled graphics system, with a combination GPU/CPU cooling version available as well. Engineered with a closed loop system, and built with an Asetek sealed water cooler already attached, the PNY design offers consumers an out-of-the-box ready, simple to install and reliable product.

SteelSeries, the leading global manufacturer of gaming peripherals, today introduced the first in a series of co-licensed products with Valve Corporation, creator of best-selling game franchises (such as Half-Life, Portal, Left 4 Dead, and Counter-Strike) and leading technologies (such as Steam and Source). The SteelSeries QcK+ DotA 2 Edition provides players with a smooth and consistent glide surface and a non-slip rubber base that keeps the mousepad in place regardless of the gaming environment. Optimized to achieve precision and accuracy for optical and laser technology, the oversized mousepad is 17.7 x 15.7 x 0.08 inches and features the vibrant colors of the Dota 2 black and red game logo.

Ltd, maker of high-end, all-aluminum computer chassis for over 13 years, is proud to announce the release of two new PC cases: the HTPC PC-V353 and Mini-Tower PC-Q25. A new edition to Lian Li's HTPC chassis series, the PC-V353 features a handsome front mesh design and is available in eye-catching black or silver. The aluminum-front mini-tower PC-Q25 offers a contemporary design that lends itself to any professional or home environment, and is available in black and silver colors. Both of these models offer impressive engineering, the convenience of tool-free installation, and excellent air-flow.

ASRock released a new mini-ITX form factor motherboard that runs socket FM1 AMD A-Series "Llano" APUs, the A75M-ITX. As the name suggests, it's based on the AMD A75 chipset. Like most other decent mini-ITX motherboards from reputed manufacturers, the A75M-ITX puts much larger motherboards to shame when it comes to connectivity and features it provides in its tiny board-space. The board draws power from standard 24-pin ATX with 4-pin CPU power. The FM1 socket is powered by a 4-phase VRM, it is wired to two full-length DDR3 DIMM slots, supporting dual-channel DDR3-1866 MHz memory, and the lone expansion slot, a PCI-Express 2.0 x16.

Storage options include four internal SATA 6 Gb/s ports, and one eSATA 6 Gb/s. There are four USB 3.0 ports on the rear panel, two USB 2.0 ports, and six USB 2.0 ports by internal header. Display outputs include HDMI 1.4a and D-Sub. There's gigabit Ethernet, and 8-channel HD audio, which includes optical SPDIF output. ASRock's new motherboard is priced in Japan at the equivalent of US $115.

Sharkoon presents the newest model to their successful X-Tatic headset series: The Sharkoon X-Tatic SR offers, through Dolby Headphone Technology, realistic Surround Sound on the Xbox, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 gaming consoles, to include PC, Notebook and other audio sources.

The integrated Dolby Headphone Technology transforms "Dolby Digital 5.1" signals and, in conjunction with "Dolby Pro Logic II" Decoders, "Dolby Digital 2.0" signals into 5.1 speaker sound for stereo headphones. Thanks to authentic sounding localization while gaming, the player can approach their virtual opponents from all directions. High-quality 40mm speakers contribute to an intensive sound experience.

EVGA made finally released a backplate accessory for NVIDIA's reference-design GeForce GTX 560 Ti graphics cards. Priced at $20, the backplate is made of brushed metal. It helps reduce PCB bending by reinforcing it, as well as helps with heat dissipation. Then there's the obvious aesthetic lift it gives to your rig by covering up the soldered parts of the PCB. The backplate should fit NVIDIA reference design GTX 560 Ti graphics cards of all makes. It is available on the EVGA online store.

In its latest presentation to industry partners, AMD detailed its upcoming Deccan low-power computing platform, targeting the market Intel's Atom and VIA's Nano processors do. AMD is currently behind the "Zacate" and "Ontario" processors, which deliver high performance/watt x86 computing at low power draw and costs. The company's future platform will be called "Deccan," consisting of processors codenamed "Wichita" and "Krishna," targeting the ULV desktop and netbook markets, respectively. With the next generation, AMD is looking to take advantage of the 28 nanometer manufacturing process to put four x86-64 cores based on the Bobcat architecture on a single piece of silicon, with an integrated memory controller and AMD Radeon discrete-class graphics.

The biggest change here isn't the fact that there are four cores, or that it's built on 28 nm, but that Wichita and Krishna are completely single-chip. The FCH or Fusion Controller Hub has been completely fused into the APU silicon. Motherboards and notebook logic boards will have just one big chip, with no "chipset" of any form. This makes AMD's Wichita and Krishna the industry's very first true x86-based consumer SoC (system on chip). The integrated memory controller now supports DDR3-1600 MHz memory. The integrated AMD Radeon graphics is set to get a performance and SIMD boost, as well, including a Secure Asset Management Unit (SAMU). AMD's next generation APUs are slated for 2012.

ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules and NAND Flash application products, today announced the launch of the SH14. The company is touting the super-tough exterior of the SH14, and is again targeting the on-the-go crowd whose active lifestyles call for shockproof performance. The new SH14 offers a new approach to shock-resistant designs, combining a modern style and a SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface with military grade shockproof and water-resistant construction. The result is a fashionable break from the cold and monotonous outer form often seen in drives of this class.

The SH14 drive exterior is constructed of a unique silicone material, providing a smooth surface texture that is seldom seen in external drives. The military specification shock-resistant structure, coupled with water-resistant and impact-damping silicone shell, create a formidable line of defense important data. Users need not worry about data loss from accidental drops or spills, which can cause irreparable damage in conventional storage devices. The curved grid pattern of the drive body demonstrates an elegance and charm of modern technology, making the SH14 suitable for use by both active and trendy consumer groups.

After a period of sales lead by AMD in the category of notebook discrete graphics, NVIDIA's sales grew in Q2 2011 by 8.9pp, taking it to 50.6%, making it the leader in the category by a slim margin. Analysts predict that this figure will only go up in the third quarter of 2011, as ASUS, MSI, and Clevo are scheduled to launch more GeForce 500M series based notebooks in the quarter. These include ASUS 17-inch G74SX and 15-inch G53SX, both which use GeForce GTX 560M; MSI's GT780 and GT683 based on GTX 570M, and Clevo's 17-inch X7200 that packs GTX 580M.

German brand EOLIZE is hereby announcing its first Mini-ITX Case aiming for private and corporate market. EOLIZE SVD-NC11-4 chassis is ready to be used for NAS and Home Servers based on common aftermarkets Mini-ITX Motherboards.

Prices for Hard Drives are falling constantly while the capacity increases as well as the demand for mass storage solutions from private and corporate users. Hence puts NAS and Home Servers more into focus of end-users, small and medium-sized businesses. EOLIZE SVD-NC11-4 Mini-ITX chassis is a comparatively cheaper solution for these applications. It furthermore comes in a stylish black overall design to fit in most environments.

Millenniata, a new optical disc company, ushered in a new era of information storage with the release of its M-DISC and M-READY disc storage technology-technology that permanently etches data onto the write layer of the disc for use anytime and for generations to come without any data loss. The company also announced a manufacturing and marketing partnership with Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc. to manufacture Millenniata compatible (M-DISC compatible) DVD drives and market them through its sales channels.

Whether for music, photos, videos, genealogical records, business records, data loss prevention, permanent file backup, medical imaging, government or archive, M-DISC provides long-lasting storage by literally etching data into a rock-like material. The M-DISC will not degrade over time and is usable on a daily basis.

Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) and Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Google will acquire Motorola Mobility for $40.00 per share in cash, or a total of about $12.5 billion, a premium of 63% to the closing price of Motorola Mobility shares on Friday, August 12, 2011. The transaction was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies.

The acquisition of Motorola Mobility, a dedicated Android partner, will enable Google to supercharge the Android ecosystem and will enhance competition in mobile computing. Motorola Mobility will remain a licensee of Android and Android will remain open. Google will run Motorola Mobility as a separate business.

Larry Page, CEO of Google, said, "Motorola Mobility's total commitment to Android has created a natural fit for our two companies. Together, we will create amazing user experiences that supercharge the entire Android ecosystem for the benefit of consumers, partners and developers. I look forward to welcoming Motorolans to our family of Googlers."

MSI just rolled out its CR430 multimedia laptop computer with the new generation AMD dual-core E-450 CPU and AMD Radeon HD 6320 discrete-class display chip under the hood. The new processor and graphics chip mark a huge improvement over previous generations with power that puts them on par with discrete graphics card. What's more, the CR430 also sports SRS PC Sound with superior cinema-class stereo surround sound, which coupled with MSI's exclusive Cinema Pro image enhancement technology, maximizes display performance to provide you the ultimate multimedia experience.

Eric Kuo, associate vice president for global sales, MSI Notebook, points out that in addition to offering outstanding performance and top-of-the-line sound, the CR430 multimedia laptop computer comes with a chicklet keyboard and nickel-plated touchpad keys with a nice, solid feel. The multipoint touchpad can be used to scroll as well as to change the size of and rotate pictures, making your digital life just that much more enjoyable.

The world-renowned premium gaming gear company QPAD announced the release of their latest mouse; the QPAD OM-75. Targeted at hardcore, pro gamers and demanding enthusiasts, this white piano finish beauty features QPAD's award winning five-finger grip and an optical sensor that you can trust.

Unlike many other brands that focus on DPI in their selling pitch, QPAD has focused on the technology that does matter: The image processing, sensing pixels, response time, micro control unit and max speed and last but not least the overall performance quality of the sensor.

Intel's upcoming Core i7 processors in the LGA2011 package, codenamed "Sandy Bridge-E," will come in a unique package that's completely different from what's being reported as AMD's, in which self-contained liquid CPU coolers will be bundled with some FX-series processors. Intel's upcoming Core i7-3820, Core i7-3930K and the Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition processor boxes will lack Intel's certified (stock) heatsink-fan (HSF). Instead, Intel plans to sell the certified coolers separately, probably having the same market reach and availability as the processors themselves.

The idea behind this is that the target users of Sandy Bridge-E will most likely use third-party cooling solutions. Hence it makes sense to save them of a chunk of metal they'll probably never use. For those who do use stock cooling, seldom/never overclock, and rely on the Intel certification to go with the cooler, Intel will have the certified cooler available separately for purchase, with its retail partners. Sandy Bridge-E processors have a rated TDP of 130W, though tests by those having access to engineering samples have shown that it can reach as much as 180W on load, even without overclocking. It is expected that PC cooling products manufacturers will have entire lines of LGA2011-ready coolers in time for the launch of Sandy Bridge-E.

Valve, creators of best-selling game franchises (such as Counter-Strike, Half-Life, Left 4 Dead, Portal, and Team Fortress) and leading technologies (such as Steam and Source), today announced Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO).

Targeted for release via Playstation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, and Steam (for PC and Mac) in early 2012, CS: GO will expand upon the team-based action gameplay that it pioneered when it was launched exactly 12 years ago (CS beta 1, August 1999).

Here are some of the first motherboards by Intel's Desktop Board brand of consumer motherboards. Towards the end of 2011, Intel will release its Sandy Bridge-E high-end desktop platform. Like with the launch of any new chipset or desktop platform, Intel will have its Desktop Board products in place, that follow the chipset and branding specifications to the letter. With Sandy Bridge-E, Intel will launch two Extreme Series motherboards, the DX79SI and the DX79TO. In the second half of 2011, Intel will also launch a variety of Intel Atom boards, including one codenamed "Marshaltown".

Then in the first half of 2012, Intel will launch its next-generation 22 nm "Ivy Bridge" desktop processors in the LGA1155 package (compatible with Sandy Bridge). To back its launch, Intel will release a new chipset called Z77 Express. There will be no discrete graphics chipsets. H77 is the client desktop chipset that lacks overclocking features. Z77 has them, and support for Smart Response technology. Q77 adds a few enterprise management features. Intel's Z77 based motherboards include two Extreme series models, and two top-end Media Series models.

An industry pioneer and continual innovator, Thermaltake is the leading performance brand in PC thermal solutions, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the e-Sports hardware market, with "delivering the perfect user experience" as the optimized mission. With a design perfected through an revolutionary sense of style, highly exclusive appointments and cutting-edge technology, the extensively updated Thermaltake Spacecraft VF-I mid-tower chassis will be available from mid August, 2011.

The new Thermaltake Spacecraft VF-I mid-tower chassis embodies the unique design for eSports look and feel, that encourage space addicts to explore cyberspace with endless possibility, together with an external USB 3.0 connection, the water cooling support for internal 240mm radiator; it is designed especially for Micro-ATX and ATX motherboards, also it now benefits from the impressive ventilation performance of the HDD, CPU and "VGA" Air Cooling Systems. In terms of the unique mechanical design and enhanced thermal system of the Spacecraft VF-I mid-tower chassis, it is a great alternative for DIY users of all levels. Allowing for flexibility, easy maintenance and upgradeable possibilities, the advanced features make the new Spacecraft VF-I mid-tower chassis be an accessible e-Sports chassis in the market.

SilverStone announced FP57, a product that will come handy for those in need of hot-swapping hard drives. The FP57 is an internal hard drive enclosure that occupies a 5.25" drive bay, and allows hot-swapping of a 3.5" SATA hard drive. Pulling out a hard drive is as easy as retracting the slider to open the lid. Inside, the FP57 has a completely tool-free mechanism to plug the hard drive into the SATA power/data receptacle. A number of these enclosures can be stacked, limited only by the number of 5.25" bays and SATA ports you have. Once stacked a fan can be attached to the rear of the stack, to ventilate it. Slated for release on the 16th of this month, the SilverStone FP57 will be priced at €19.

NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) today reported revenue of $1.02 billion for the second quarter of fiscal 2012 ended July 31, 2011, up 5.7 percent from the prior quarter, and up 25.3 percent from $811.2 million in the same period a year earlier. On a GAAP basis, the company recorded net income of $151.6 million, or $0.25 per diluted share, for the second quarter of fiscal 2012. This includes a two-cent dilutive impact from the Icera acquisition. It compares with net income of $135.2 million, or $0.22 per diluted share, in the prior quarter. In the same period a year earlier, the company had a net loss of $141.0 million, or $0.25 per diluted share.

On a non-GAAP basis -- which excludes stock-based compensation, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, other acquisition related costs, and the tax impact associated with these items -- net income was $193.5 million, or $0.32 per diluted share. That compares with net income of $165.7 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, in the prior quarter, and net income of $47.6 million, $0.08 per share, in the same period a year earlier.

Dell today introduced the Vostro V131, a thin, powerful, and sleek addition to the award-winning Vostro laptop line. As one of the lightest and thinnest products in the Vostro portfolio, the Vostro V131 is designed specifically for small business customers. An ultrathin, ultra-stylish chassis houses up to Intel Core i3 and i5 processors, making the Vostro V131 a portable powerhouse engineered to maximize business productivity. A removable 6-cell battery with 2nd generation Intel Core processors, both available as an option, will deliver up to 9.5 hours of battery life, allowing users to work virtually anytime, anywhere.

"We designed the Vostro V131 to deliver fast, uninterrupted multitasking for today's business challenges," said Sam Burd, vice president of Dell's Consumer & SMB Product Group. "The result is a feature-rich laptop for mobile professionals who want full performance to support their technology demands without sacrificing design and portability. In addition, the V131 offers services and software solutions that improve productivity and data security."

The certified fan-heatsink that comes with the CPU is perhaps the first thing enthusiasts get rid of, from their machines. The bundled heatsinks are almost never built in a way that allows you to squeeze the most out of your CPU. It looks like AMD is deciding whether to change this notion with some of its top-tier 8-core "Bulldozer" FX-series processors. The company reportedly plans to bundle self-contained liquid-based coolers with their processors.

Over the last couple of years, consumers have taken a liking for $100 self-contained CPU water coolers, kits that include the block with a motor, pre-fitted tubing to the radiator, which latches onto the common 120 mm rear fan hole of most cases. Bundling water coolers indicate two things: firstly, that the top-end FX-series chips will be hot, secondly, AMD is trying to woo enthusiasts. AMD could have asked its cooler OEMs to come up with a heavy tower-type fan-heatsink, but it chose water-cooling instead. So the move to pack water-cooling could either work for AMD's image (wooing enthusiasts), or against it (to convey that FX chips are so hot that nothing short of water-cooling is fit for them). Pictured below is a popular self-contained water-cooler by Corsair.

Leading the buzz at this year's GamesCom, SteelSeries, the leading manufacturer of premium-quality peripherals, today introduced the most customizable mouse to ever hit the competitive gaming industry - the SteelSeries Sensei. Its 32 bit ARM processor allows for the advanced SteelSeries ExactTech calculations to be done directly on the mouse and allows for easy configurations via its LCD screen. Perfected with the world's most successful, professional gaming teams, the Sensei has an ambidextrous design with a metal, non-slip grip coating and three areas of illumination with 16.8 million color options. Debuting alongside the mouse is the new SteelSeries Engine software suite which allows for multiple layers of customization and extended programmability.

"We truly believe in building peripherals that sets the expected standards for competitive gamers. The intent is to make them faster, more accurate and allow them to play longer - essentially, peripherals that gives users the freedom to play how and where they want, and that will help them win," said Bruce Hawver, SteelSeries CEO. "The Sensei is really the culmination of thousands of hours of research and testing with competitive players that combines a distinctive aesthetic design with the access to superior functionality for all levels of players. Users will have the luxury of choosing a quick configuration directly on the Sensei's LCD screen or dive into the multiple layers of advanced macros and settings through the new SteelSeries Engine software."

Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. announced today the shipping of the Cyborg R.A.T. Albino Gaming Mouse, compatible with both PC and Mac and available for order today. A special edition of the Guinness World Records-winning R.A.T.7, the Cyborg R.A.T. Albino comes complete with an enhanced 6400DPI sensor, improved tracking capabilities and a matt Albino white finish.

"Our range of Cyborg R.A.T. Gaming Mice continues to perform impressively at retail and show sustainable longevity in the range." said Darren Richardson, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. "We recently announced compatibility with Mac OS via a free download and we are excited to introduce the special edition Albino model, which we believe will allow us to continue our strong growth in this sector and keep us at the forefront of gaming technology."

Gigabyte launched a new socket LGA1155 motherboard in the mini-ITX form-factor, the GA-H61N-USB3. It is targeted at HTPCs and compact desktops, and is based on the Intel H61 Express (B3) chipset. In its tiny board area of 289 cm², Gigabyte manages to cram in the essentials that the board's consumers will need. The LGA1155 socket is powered by a 6-phase VRM design. The board draws power from a standard 24-pin ATX and 4-pin CPU power connectors. The CPU is wired to two DDR3 DIMM slots for dual-channel DDR3-1333 MHz memory. The lone expansion slot is a PCI-Express 2.0 x16.

In the area of connectivity, we're a little baffled by Gigabyte's choices. There are two SATA 3 Gb/s ports, but that's next to a TPM header, which could have easily made room for two more SATA ports. The board uses high-quality Realtek ALC889 HD audio CODEC, but instead of wiring it to an 8-channel audio jack cluster, it's wired to a 6-channel one, and space is wasted on an optical/coaxial SPDIF out cluster. Instead, Gigabyte could have used the hybrid cluster that has 8-channel analog outputs as well as a TOSLINK output, like this one. Nevertheless, there's plenty of display connectivity, including DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI 1.4a. There are four USB 2.0 ports, and two USB 3.0 ports driven by Fresco FL1009 controller. There is one power-eSATA port wired to the PCH. A gigabit Ethernet connection makes for the only networking option. The Gigabyte GA-H61N-USB3 is priced at around $105.

The world-renowned motherboard and video card manufacturer MSI has officially announced the all-new AMD Llano series motherboard - A75A-G55 today. In addition to continuing the motherboard advantages of the first model A75MA-G55 and scoring P1646 points for 3DMark 11's built-in display performance record, it also displayed MSI's superb R&D strength, crossing the OC Genie II technology onto the AMD Llano platform. There are no complicated settings, and it only requires one button (step) and one second to easily boost the system's overall performance by 110%.

It is the simplest and easiest overclocking tool whether it's for beginners or advanced computer enthusiasts. In addition, different from the AMD Dual Graphics technology used by other manufacturers, the MSI A75A-G55 motherboard can even work with MSI's video card overclocking software, Afterburner, to increase performance. The overall 3D operation performance can be increased to a maximum of 390%, again showing the outstanding features and multiplied effects of MSI's motherboard and video cards.

Team Group Inc. makes an active plan and layout to break into the industrial class and server memory module market in 201. Facing the emerging cloud computing market, Team Group is optimistic about the future potential of cloud technology. To satisfy the customer's need for a more flexible customized server production, Team Group has been actively trying to cut into the industrial class memory module market by means of its advantages in strong R&D and procurement.

Team Group's Registered DIMM memory module comes in two clock specifications, DDR3 1066/1333, and a selection of three capacities of 4GB, 8GB and 16GB. The 16GB was made under a more stringent technological standard than the industry's norm and a more rigorous product testing. It is double-sided and dual-layered to achieve the maximum capacity. The Registered DIMM is compatible with the latest chip sets such as Intel 5500/5520 and AMD SR5670/5690 to provide servers with the most stable memory storage space, making it the best partner for building a cloud server.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in advanced semiconductor technology solutions, announced today volume production of SSDs (solid state drives) that support the Serial ATA Revision 3.0 interface with data transmissions at six gigabits per second (6Gb/s). The new high-performance PM830 SSDs are available at up to 512 gigabyte (GB) densities.

Samsung's new high-speed SSDs are ideally suited for use in high-performance OEM notebooks and tablets. Sample production of the SATA 6 Gb/s 512 GB SSDs began in May, with volume production initiated earlier this month. The new drives are expected to replace SATA 3 Gb/s-based SSDs by year-end.

Addonics Technologies today announced the 5-port HPM-XU, a feature-rich hardware port multiplier (HPM), which connects up to five SATA hard drives to high speed eSATA or the latest SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports on any system via a single eSATA or USB cable. Addonics also unveiled a family of RAID storage solutions that integrate with its HPM. The new port multiplier comes with built-in RAID accelerator and supports sustained transfer exceeding 240 MB/sec with 5 drives in RAID 5 configuration.

The 5-port HPM-XU will benefit anyone wanting to attach numerous hard drives to desktops or servers as individual drives or as high performance RAID volumes with redundancy. You can also connect five SATA optical drives, such as DVD-RRW or Blu-ray drives, to your system and do simultaneous data copying. The device supports all current versions of Windows, Mac OS X and above, Linux kernel 2.4 and above, and Mac OS X 10.4.x.
The 5-Port HPM-XU fits perfectly inside the Addonics family of tower and rack storage products, plus many standard multi-bay enclosures with a standard SCSI-1 connector cut out.

Panasonic Solutions Company, provider of collaboration, information-sharing and decision-support solutions for government and commercial enterprises, today announced the Panasonic Toughbook S10. Powered by an Intel Core i5-2520M vPro processor, the Toughbook S10 delivers up to 12.5 hours of standard battery life - the longest in its class - and weighs only 3.0 pounds. The notebook offers optional Gobi2000 mobile broadband and other enhancements to increase performance and drive return on investment. This lightweight device is ideal for road warriors and other highly mobile workers in a variety of markets.

Panasonic has designed the Toughbook S10 for the most demanding mobile users, offering exceptional battery life, connectivity, security features and performance. The Toughbook S10 also supports both USB 3.0 and 2.0, analog (VGA) and digital (HDMI) video and the latest SD card standard (SDXC) to enable faster file transfer speeds and greater flexibility. A host of security features, including an optional fingerprint reader, are available to keep your data protected and secured while on the road.

Transcend Information, Inc. (Transcend), a worldwide leader in storage and multimedia products, today released a new addition to its StoreJet line of portable hard drives, the StoreJet 25A. This new drive boasts an attractively slender yet shock-resistant design, and is available in both SuperSpeed USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 versions. Featuring strikingly fast data transfer speeds, powerful software tools and up to a full terabyte of storage capacity, the StoreJet 25A is ideal for everyday backup, storage, and transport.

The StoreJet 25A3 portable hard drive is equipped with a next-generation SuperSpeed USB 3.0 connection interface that provides 10 times the bandwidth of USB 2.0. Thanks to the improved connection speed of USB 3.0, the StoreJet 25A3 delivers real-world transfer speeds of up to 90MB/s - fast enough to transfer a full DVD in just 50 seconds. If ultimate transfer speed is not absolutely essential, the StoreJet 25A2 USB 2.0 version of the drive offers the same eye-catching design and features at an attractive price.

Buffalo Technology rolled out two new high-capacity desktop hard drives, HD-LXU3 and HD-LXVU3. The former comes in 1 TB and 2 TB capacities, while the latter in 3 TB. The drives use Buffalo's workhorse chassis that makes up most of its desktop hard drives, measuring 39 x 123 x 189 mm. Both drives use USB 3.0 SuperSpeed interface to connect to the host over a bandwidth of 5 Gb/s, they do, however, rely on DC power adaptors.

The bundled ecoManager software parks and spins down the drive when it's idling, reducing power consumption by 70 percent. Backup and encryption software is bundled, too. In USB 3.0 mode, the 5 Gb/s bandwidth can't bottleneck the drive, but when connected to USB 2.0, the bundled Turbo PC EX can help make the most out of the available 480 Mb/s interface bandwidth. The drives are fitted with noise-dampening materials that reduce noise and vibration. A tiny fan ventilates the unit, which can be secured using the Kensington lock slot. The 1 TB and 2 TB HD-LXU3 are priced at around $175 and $230, respectively. The 3 TB HD-LXVU3 goes for around $320 in Japan.

SilverStone launched the DS321 dual-3.5" drive enclosure. It was first spotted at this year's Computex event, in June. The DS321 can holt two 3.5" SATA hard drives or SSDs as standalone or RAID volumes, with RAID modes including 0 (performance) and 1 (data redundancy). A limitation here is that the enclosure supports drives only up to 2 TB in size. The enclosure connects to the host over USB 3.0 SuperSpeed interface, almost eliminating the interface bottleneck, with 5 Gb/s of bandwidth to conduct its business with the host. Measuring 182 x 123 x 81 mm, the enclosure uses an external power brick, and keeps the drives cool using its 40 mm exhaust fan that can spin at speeds of up to 2800 RPM. Set to reach stores in Europe by the 16th of this month, the SilverStone DS321 is priced at €59.70 (without VAT).

Today, BitFenix is proud to introduce the latest entry in their critically-acclaimed lineup of gaming enclosures. Dubbed Merc, this mid-tower ATX design offers killer features and styling at an unbelievable price point, making it the ideal case for gamers on a budget.

"Packed with premium features and BitFenix design DNA, users will see that we didn't cut any corners with Merc," says BitFenix Product Manager David Jarlestedt. "From the clean yet bold design, to the black interior coating, quality black cabling, and robust connectivity, cooling and cable management features, gamers will be hard-pressed to find a better value enclosure in this segment."

SanDisk Corporation, a global leader in flash memory storage solutions, today announced that it has implemented the new SATA µSSD specification into its SanDisk iSSD product line of postage stamp-sized embedded SSDs. SATA-IO, an industry consortium dedicated to sustaining the quality, integrity and dissemination of serial ATA (SATA) technology, introduced the standard today.

The number of media tablets shipped worldwide is expected to grow from 17.8 million units in 2010 to 53.5 million units in 2011. The five-year CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) is 48.5 percent, according to the IDC 1Q11 Media Tablet and eReader Tracker Forecast. These thin, high-performance mobile computing platforms combine sophisticated components in a small physical area, compounding design complexity and driving the need for industry standards.

Leading memory storage brand, SP/Silicon Power, today announces the launch of the D05 external portable hard drive. Made in urban and business styles, it delivers a smooth and seamless elegance. D05 adopts the super-speed USB3.0 interface and provides an ultra-high capacity of 1TB. With the up to date SP Widget back up and security tool, customers can enjoy safer and more efficient data mobility.

D05, continues Diamond series in their delicate design and exterior the solid and scratch resistant case by metallic grain surface embosses the diamond mark. The pocket-sized and easy for carry design is indeed the priority choice for urban and business people.

The USB 3.0 Promoter Group is announcing that it is creating a new power delivery specification which will significantly extend the capabilities and usages of cable bus power in USB applications. The new specification will enable delivery of more power via the familiar USB connectors and cables, and will coexist with the USB Battery Charging 1.2 specification and existing USB bus-powered applications.

"Building on the rapidly increasing industry momentum for using USB bus power to charge a broad range of mobile devices, the new USB Power Delivery specification extends USB's cable power delivery capabilities beyond simple battery charging," said Brad Saunders, USB 3.0 Promoter Group Chairman. "For example, charging the battery of a notebook PC, or simply powering that notebook PC while actively using the USB data connection, would be possible. Conceivably, a notebook PC could rely solely on a USB connection for its source of power."

ECS announced a trio of socket FM1 motherboards supporting AMD A-Series APUs. It includes an ATX motherboard targeting the home/gamer PC market, the A55F-A, a micro-ATX board targeting HTPCs, the A55F-M2, and another one targeting office desktops, the A55F-M3. Featuring in ECS Black Series, the A55F-A has just about all the goods to make up a budget gaming PC based on the A-Series APU. Budget gamers can start off with the integrated GPU (which is quite fast for 720p gaming), and then add discrete graphics cards. The extra room of standard ATX is wasted by three legacy PCI slots. There's plenty of connectivity, including USB 3.0, eSATA 6 Gb/s, five internal SATA 6 Gb/s, etc.

The A55F-M2 ticks all the checkboxes for an HTPC motherboard, one that doesn't rely on discrete graphics and yet has the resources for quality 1080p video playback. In this case, taking advantage of the powerful integrated GPU of AMD A-series, and HDMI 1.4a output (making it Blu-ray 3D ready). The HDMI port gives out 7.1 channel digital audio, or there's 6-channel analog audio to fall back on. All six SATA 6 Gb/s ports are internal, to run all the 3 TB hard drives you can afford to throw in. The A55F-M3 is a compact micro-ATX board with just about enough features to make for an office desktop based on the AMD A-Series APU platform. There's no fancy connectivity, there's SATA 6 Gb/s to support the latest hard drives and cheap SSDs in the future, analog D-Sub video output (not very future-proof), and bare essential connectivity.

The Serial ATA International Organization (SATA-IO), the industry consortium dedicated to sustaining the quality, integrity and dissemination of Serial ATA (SATA) technology, today announced it is developing SATA Express, a new specification that combines SATA software infrastructure with the PCI Express (PCIe) interface. SATA Express enables the development of new devices that utilize the PCIe interface and maintain compatibility with existing SATA applications. The technology will provide a cost-effective means to increase device interface speeds to 8Gb/s and 16Gb/s.

Solid state (SSDs) and hybrid drives are already pushing the limits of existing storage interfaces. SATA Express will provide a low-cost solution to fully utilize the performance of these devices. Storage devices not requiring the speed of SATA Express will continue to be served by existing SATA technology. The specification will define new device and motherboard connectors that will support both new SATA Express and current SATA devices.

Today, SteelSeries, the leading manufacturer of premium-quality, competitive gaming peripherals and Ignite Game Technologies, an online gaming company focused on building a new form of auto racing game, announced their partnership and plans to bring an exclusive new form of racing controller to market, later this year. The partnership is being announced today in conjunction with the announcement of Ignite's online racing game environment, Simraceway.

The joint venture was formed to examine innovative ways to improve driving game controllers and will leverage SteelSeries' deep expertise in professional gaming equipment with unique expertise developed from Ignites' research into improving the racing game. The hardware will be designed to work with all major PC racing titles but will work particularly well with Ignite's just announced online racing game environment - Simraceway.

Spansion Inc., today announced the industry's first single-die 4Gb (gigabit) NOR Flash memory product at 65nm. The 4Gb Spansion GL-S delivers high-quality and fast read performance to enable a better user experience with interactive graphics, animation and video in games and automotive applications.

The newest addition to the flagship Spansion GL-S product line is sampling this month. Based on Spansion's proprietary, highly reliable MirrorBit charge-trapping technology, the Spansion GL-S delivers the fastest read performance in the industry, up to 45 % faster read than competing NOR Flash products. The Spansion GL-S family is currently offered at 128Mb through 2Gb densities and the company is gaining design win momentum for the product family with consumer, automotive, gaming, telecom and industrial applications.

Seagate has shipped its one millionth solid state hybrid drive for laptop PCs after launching the product - Momentus XT - in spring 2010. Major computer makers including Alienware, ASUS, Dell, Sony and Toshiba now offer laptops powered by the 2.5-inch drive that blends performance rivaling solid state drives with the enormous capacity and much lower cost of hard disk drives.

The Momentus XT solid state hybrid drive, a 7200RPM drive with up to 500GB of capacity, boots up to 50 percent faster than traditional 5400RPM drives and sets new benchmarks for real-world system performance for laptops and gaming systems. Seagate's Adaptive Memory technology is key to the drive's speed, optimizing its performance by moving frequently used information into the 4GB of onboard solid state memory for faster bootup and application access.

NVIDIA today released this month's first major GeForce software update, version 280.26. The suite provides the latest WHQL-signed drivers for all NVIDIA GeForce GPUs since 6-series, and ION platform. It includes updated PhysX system software (v9.10.0514), and NVIDIA HDMI audio drivers (v1.2.23.3). The new drivers include support for SLI on AMD 990FX, 990X, and 970 desktop chipsets (on certified motherboards only). Apart from that, the 3D Vision component has undergone a massive overhaul.

The 3D Vision Controller driver is now included with all GPU driver installations. The 3D Vision player now supports windowed mode. Support is added for new 3D Vision compatible monitors, such as ViewSonic V3D245, and 3D Vision compatble projectors such as Acer X1111, BenQ W710ST, and NEC NP-V300W.

DOWNLOAD: NVIDIA GeForce 280.26 WHQL for Windows 7/Vista 64-bit | Windows 7/Vista 32-bit | Windows XP 32-bit | Windows XP 64-bit

Until recently, conventional wisdom stated that SLC-based (single level cell) solid state drives (SSDs) were the only drives suitable for demanding Tier 0 Enterprise applications. That has changed with the introduction of Hitachi Global Storage Technologies' (Hitachi GST) new Ultrastar SSD400M MLC (multi level cell) SSD family. As a cost-effective alternative to SLC SSDs, Hitachi GST's Enterprise MLC SSDs are the most advanced in the industry, utilizing Intel's 25 nanometer (nm), highest endurance Enterprise-grade, MLC NAND Flash and delivering outstanding performance. Couple this with Hitachi GST's known quality and reliability, and the result is a compelling Enterprise-class MLC SSD that meets the performance, capacity, endurance and reliability demands of today's Enterprise and Cloud data centers. Targeting Enterprise capacity sweet spots, the Ultrastar SSD400M family is available in a 2.5-inch form factor with a 6Gb SAS interface in capacities of 200GB and 400GB.

Lenovo today announced the ThinkCentre M71 all-in-one (AIO) desktop designed for large businesses, schools and governments. The new AIO boasts a variety of performance features, from fast boot up to the latest second generation Intel Core processor family, interactive touchscreen options and advanced video conferencing features.

"We're seeing more and more business customers embrace all-in-one desktops for their space savings, portability and style benefits," said Tom Shell, general manager and vice president, Worldwide ThinkCentre Business Unit, Lenovo. "We've built the ThinkCentre M71z to go beyond these advantages and give any business that needs it the highest levels of desktop performance."

The Khronos Group today announced the immediate release of the OpenGL 4.2 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 4.2 integrates developer feedback and continues the rapid evolution of this royalty-free specification while maintaining full backwards compatibility - enabling applications to incrementally use new features, while portably accessing state-of-the-art graphics processing unit (GPU) functionality across diverse operating systems and platforms.

The OpenGL 4.2 specification has been defined by the OpenGL ARB (Architecture Review Board) working group at Khronos, and includes the GLSL 4.20 update to the OpenGL Shading Language. The OpenGL 4.2 specification contains new features that extend functionality available to developers and enables increased application performance. The full specification is available for immediate download here.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co., Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards and computing hardware solutions today announced their entire range of 6 series motherboards are ready to support the next generation Intel 22nm CPUs (LGA1155 Socket) as well as offer native support for PCI Express Gen. 3 technology, delivering maximum data bandwidth for future discrete graphics cards.

Wanting to provide maximum upgradeability to customers, GIGABYTE has enabled native support for PCI Express Gen. 3 across the entire range of GIGABYTE 6 series motherboards, including the recently launched G1.Sniper 2 motherboard, when paired with Intel's next generation 22nm CPUs. By installing the latest BIOS for their 6 series motherboards today, users can be assured they are ready to take advantage of all the performance enhancements tomorrow's technologies have to offer.

PC cooling and power-supply specialist Cougar started selling Vortex series of performance PC fans in the UK. Cougar's new fans include the high-end Vortex PWM, followed by Vortex HDB, and Vortex (standard). Vortex PWM and Vortex HDB feature hydro-dynamic bearing, the Vortex HDB lacks PWM-based speed control. The standard Vortex fans feature hyper-spin bearing. Vortex PWM is currently only available in 120 mm size, while the Vortex HDB and standard Vortex are available in 120 mm and 140 mm sizes.

All five fans feature speeds in the higher-end of the spectrum of typical fan speeds. The Vortex PWM 120 mm features a PWM-controlled speed range of 800~1500 RPM, Vortex HDB models spin at 1200 RPM, and so does Vortex standard 120 mm. It's just the Vortex standard 140 mm that spins a little lower, at 1000 RPM. But no gripe there. Going by Cougar's ratings, any of these five fans will give you airflow in excess of 100 m³/h, and stay under 20 dBA in noise output. All five models look the same, with their rounded-rectangular frames with rubber padding, and orange-colored impellers, keeping up with Cougar's signature colour scheme.A specifications table follows.

SteelSeries, a leading manufacturer of professional gaming peripherals and creator of the MMO Gaming Mice based on Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft and World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, today announced their latest custom product for World of Warcraft players. The SteelSeries World of Warcraft MMO Gaming Mouse Legendary Edition is a finely crafted weapon of precision balancing style and function. This sleeker, more compact option shares the enhanced features of the previous World of Warcraft mice including in-game integration and superior illumination and software functionality.

"We've established an incredible partnership with Blizzard Entertainment and the amazing World of Warcraft community. We've taken all the excellent suggestions and feedback we've received, merged it with the latest gaming technology, and come up with a truly unique lineup of MMO Mice for World of Warcraft players." said Bruce Hawver, SteelSeries CEO. "The new Legendary Edition allows us to meet the needs of gamers looking for a smaller, less complex gaming mouse that delivers the same impressive functionality found in the original and Cataclysm versions."

Seagate, today unveiled the GoFlex Turbo performance drive with SafetyNet data recovery services (DRS). SafetyNet data recovery is the first recovery service offering by a hard drive manufacturer to be included as part of the purchase price of an external drive. With the latest super speed USB 3.0 interface and RPMs clocked at 7200, the GoFlex Turbo drive is equipped to handle transfer speeds up to 40% faster than that of its USB 2.0, 5400-RPM siblings. This latest addition to the GoFlex family was developed with the understanding that those who place a high value on their data should have the peace of mind that their data is even more secure regardless of what unforeseen incident might occur to the drive. The new GoFlex Turbo performance drive features two-years of SafetyNet data recovery services and is now available from Best Buy for a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $119.99 for 500GB and $139.99 for 750GB.

After much delay, EVGA released its first wave of LGA1155 motherboards based on the Intel Z68 chipset featuring Intel Smart Response technology. Quite surprisingly, none of EVGA's Z68 motherboards feature display outputs. The series is topped by Z68 FTW, designed for enthusiasts and overclockers; followed by Z68 SLI, geared for gamers with NVIDIA SLI graphics setups; and Z68 SLI Micro, an SLI-ready board in the micro-ATX form-factor.

The Z68 FTW uses a similar layout to the P67 FTW. It uses a strong VRM to power the CPU and memory, it provides as many as six PCI-Express x16 slots, making use of a nForce 200 bridge chip that makes it 3-way and 4-way SLI ready. It is loaded with overclocker-friendly features such as EVbot support, a front-panel OC controller, and an overclocking gauge. The Z68 FTW is also available as a package without those two accessories.

StarTech.com, a leading manufacturer of hard-to-find connectivity parts has announced the release of the USB to HDMI Adapter (USB2HDMI) - a convenient multi-monitor solution that enables users to connect an HDMI-capable display to a Windows or Mac-based laptop or desktop computer, through a USB 2.0 port.

The adapter is a cost-effective solution for adding a secondary monitor or several monitors (using multiple adapters), without having to update the computer video card, or even open the computer case. The adapter offers practical, scalable technology that could be utilized in many environments, including business and home applications. As a solution for enterprise or SOHO business users, the adapter makes it easy to add multi-monitor configurations for the sake of improved employee productivity, while home-users/end-users could benefit from the adapter's use as a cost effective way to connect their home computer to an HDTV, for watching videos, viewing photos, or simply using the Internet.

At first glance, one would have discarded the news as some company's attempt to use the AMD brand to sell memory modules, but it is indeed AMD selling memory. AMD is selling Radeon-branded DDR3 memory modules to the consumer market, not just OEMs, which were spotted in stores in Japan. AMD is selling certified DDR3 memory in three segments: Entertainment, UltraPro Gaming, and Enterprise. Entertainment deals with DDR3-1333 MHz modules that are best suited for home and business client PCs, UltraPro Gaming deals with DDR3-1600 MHz modules suited for gaming PCs of all shapes and sizes, while Enterprise deals with registered un-buffered DDR3 memory for use in AMD Opteron-driven servers and workstations.

While baffling, the move to sell its own-branded memory makes some sense. High performance DDR3 memory kits sold in the market today that operate at DDR3-1600 rely on Intel eXtreme Memory Profiles (XMP), a proprietary SPD extension by Intel to let users set the marketed speeds easily. AMD platform motherboards don't support XMP, leaving it at an obvious disadvantage. Radeon-branded memory use JEDEC profiles for 1600 MHz, along with certified timings and voltages to run stable and perform optimally. It might also be using AMD's own SPD extension called "Black Edition profiles", but CPU-Z doesn't seem to be able to spot that. Pictured below is the Entertainment 2 GB module, which uses AMD-branded memory chips. In Japan, the 2 GB module is priced at the equivalent of US $20. Other pricing information is unknown for the moment.UPDATE (11/8): We contacted AMD to talk a little bit about these new memory products that surfaced literally out of nowhere. AMD told us that these are channel products, and as such they don't plan to sell it in a big way on the retail market:

AMD does not manufacture memory and does not plan to sell system memory directly to our customers. AMD is currently determining if the sale of AMD Radeon-branded memory through channel partners is a viable opportunity and as such it has appeared in some regions for purchase through retail.

It is curtains for as many as 20 Intel processor models in H2 2011, according to a slide detailing the product lifecycle of Intel processors in the market. The 20 models will reach EOL (end of life) stage of their market-life. When a product is marked EOL, Intel stops taking orders for it from OEMs and channel vendors, clears outstanding orders, and stops its production. Intel will honor warranties on those products in accordance with its warranty policies.

Up for EOL are the socket LGA1366 Core i7-970, socket LGA1156 Core i7-880, Core i7-875K, Core i7-870S, Core i5-760, Core i5-750S, Core i5-655K, Core i3-530; and most socket LGA775 processor currently in the market. LGA775 models include Core 2 Quad Q9650, Q9550/Q9550S, Q9500, Q8400/Q8400S, Q8300; Core 2 Duo models E8600, E8500, and Pentium E5400. Several other products are marked PDN (product discontinuation notification), a stage that precedes EOL, which formally notifies OEMs and channel-vendors that they should place their last orders (and so they should choose quantities wisely).

Last month, there reports of Intel pushing its Sandy Bridge-E enthusiast desktop platform to 2011. It was originally scheduled for 2011, but was reportedly delayed to 2012 because of issues Intel was facing with its flagship desktop chipset, codenamed Patsburg-D. Intel will be launching Sandy Bridge-E this year, but the first wave of motherboards will feature Patsburg-A/B chipsets, which have fewer SATA 6 Gb/s ports than Patsburg-D.

Intel put its launch plans on paper with its latest desktop platform roadmap, that shows the first three models of socket LGA2011 Sandy Bridge-E processors, the six-core Core i7-3960X, Core i7-3930K, and the quad-core Core i7-3820, featuring in the Q4 2011 column. The roadmap shows that the three processors will hold their market-positions till Q2-2012, when Intel will release faster models to displace them. The roadmap slide also shows that Ivy Bridge, Intel's next-generation socket LGA1155 processors that are built on the 22 nm fab process, will be released in March or April 2012, and not early 2012 as speculated earlier.

Active Media Products, a leading manufacturer of SSDs and DOMs, today announced three new ZIF SSD upgrade kits for the first generation MacBook Air, most Sony Vaio models and other popular laptops that include a ZIF SSD, a cloning device, a mini screwdriver and an illustrated installation booklet. AMP's cloning adapter enables customers to quickly clone their existing ZIF drive onto the new ZIF drive through a USB port.

"Our cloning adapter will help customers get up and running that much faster because now they don't need to reinstall the OS and all their applications. We included a detailed installation guide and a mini screwdriver in the box to simplify the upgrade process," stated Active Media Products VP of Sales, Jerry Thomson. AMP does not include a USB cable or cloning software in these kits.

Super Talent Technology, a leading manufacturer of flash storage solutions and DRAM memory modules, today announced the USB 3.0 Express ST2, a new dual channel USB 3.0 flash that hits price points comparable to USB 2.0. As USB 3.0 begins to proliferate through the market, customers are anxious to utilize the new capabilities of these machines and get a taste of what USB 3.0 has to offer. Many are simply looking to hit speed here to fore impossible on the USB 2.0 bus, without breaking the bank. For those customers, the ST2 is perfect. Fully backward compatible to USB 2.0, the ST2 is future proof, offering excellent performance on bus the USB 2.0 or 3.0 bus.

Offering similar performance as our USB 3.0 Express DUO (67MB/s read, 24MB/s write), the ST2 now gives our customers a choice in case design. Based on our popular design recently debuted with the Express RC8, the ST2 is enclosed in a sleek aluminum housing and accented by a translucent blue plastic trim. The design characteristics offer both feature parity and a strong family resemblance. Just like the RC8, the translucent plastic features on the ST2 serve as both a means to retain the cap and it acts as a light pipe for the enclosed blue LED; even straight through the cap. Available in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB capacities, the new USB 3.0 Express ST2 is NOW IN STOCK and ready for immediate shipment. MSRP for the 8GB ST2 is $20 USD.

In order to satisfy the new generation's need for extreme speed, the world's leading memory storage product brand Team Group Inc. released the first generation 2.5 inch SATA III SSD to firmly display their ambition to grab market share. SSD S3 uses the high standard SATA3 6Gb/s interface, and is equipped the enthusiast level SandForce controller as the core helmsman; when compared to the previous generation SATA 2, not only does it maintain Team Group's consistent high standard product stability and security, it also comprehensively increases the reading and writing speed, leading SSD's super efficiency towards a new revolutionary realm.

Team Group Inc. officially announced the Xtreem SSD family's second SATA3 super high-speed solid state drive - Xtreem S2. In addition to the outstanding performance and energy-saving abilities, the Xtreem S2 SSD features customized product positioning and market strategy in accordance with the need of mainstream enthusiasts, allowing enthusiasts to enjoy the speedy pleasure of extreme performance at an economical price.

In consideration of the rapidly growing need for performance-oriented SSD on the mainstream market, Team Group roll out Team Xtreem S2, offering high quality at preferential price, based on on the mission of SSD promotion, and the core product concept of high cost-performance ratio. Team Xtreem S2 achieves max read speed of 550 MB/s and max write speed of 520 MB/s With high performance and a more competitive price which compared to other SSD products on the market, Team Group show their determination to introduce its high-speed SATA3 device to all power users.

Village Instruments ran a snap poll on Facebook to see if the Mac user community is interested in a graphics card enclosure that makes use of the Thunderbolt IO interconnect. The response was positive, and so the company decided to work on such a device. The enclosure holds a PCI-Express x16 slot along with a variety of miscellaneous I/O connectors. It connects to the latest generation of Macs and Macbooks over the 10 Gb/s Thunderbolt interconnect. It will power the graphics card using an external power brick. Village Instruments isn't new to such devices, the company currently sells ViDock, a device that does the same over ExpressCard interface. ExpressCard's bandwidth is much lower than that of Thunderbolt, but it still gets the job done in running a graphics card, even if not at its top performance. The ExpressCard ViDock is pictured below.

CTL, known for its 2goPC affordable convertible tablet-PCs, released as many as three new ultra-slim LED-baclit LCD monitors. These include the 21.5-inch LP2151, the 23.6-inch LP2361 and the 27-inch LP2701. All three feature a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 (full-HD), a response time of 2 ms, contrast ratios of 1,000:1 static and 5,000,000:1 dynamic; and maximum brightness of 300 cd/m². All three feature display inputs of D-Sub, DVI, and HDMI; and pack stereo speakers. Backed by 3-year warranties, the The LP2151, LP2361 and LP2701 are priced at $216 , $258 and $330, respectively.

While using a low-capacity SSD to cache a hard drive has shown in some cases to be the next best thing to owning a large SSD as the proper primary drive, SSD caching is limited by the availability of the right technology. On the one hand, you have Intel offering it with its Smart Response Technology, on the other you have special storage enclosures such as HDDBoost from SilverStone. Smart Response Tech for now is limited to socket LGA1155 platform, and in it, Z68 Express chipset-based motherboards. In Japan, a new add-on card design has surfaced, by a company called Kuroutoshikou, which lets you use an mSATA SSD to cache a SATA hard drive, and its installation is claimed to be fairly straightforward.

The PCI-Express 2.0 x1 add-on card pictured below, makes use of a new Marvell-made 2-port SATA 6 Gb/s controller. One of its two ports is wired to an mSATA, the other to a standard SATA port. The SATA controller in this card features Marvell's HyperDuo technology, which works similar to Intel's Smart Response Technology, and installation is almost plug-and-install-driver. The card uses a half-height PCB, and packs a low-profile expansion bracket cover, if your SFF case demands it. Pretty much any make of mSATA SSD and SATA hard drives can be used. This addon card is priced in Japan for 3,980 Yen, which is about US $50.3, a $20 premium over some of the cheapest 2-port SATA 6 Gb/s cards are around that price range. It's possible that peripheral specialists of the likes of Rosewill, Siig, Syba, etc., might market such cards Stateside in the future.

About a month ago, we were treated to the first pictures of G1.Sniper 2, Gigabyte's first LGA1155 motherboard in its G1.Killer series of motherboards targeting the gamer-overclocker market segment. High resolution pictures showed the prototype of having PCI-Express Gen. 2 slots like most other LGA1155 boards. It turns out, according to a photo-session of a production sample by tech-blog SIN's Hardware, that Gigabyte refined the design with the production version (the one that will be sold in the markets), it features PCI-Express 3.0 (Gen. 3) graphics slots.

For a LGA1155 motherboard to have Gen. 3 PEG slots, it requires Gen. 3 specifications compliant switching circuitry, which wasn't available to motherboard vendors when they were designing their first LGA1155 boards. With availability of those components, motherboard vendors are not wasting any time in rolling out new variants of their LGA1155 boards that feature Gen. 3 PCI-Express slots. Gigabyte placed "PCI-Express 3.0" marking on the board manually using stickers, going on to show that adding Gen. 3 slots indeed may have been a last-minute decision at Gigabyte. The other interesting marking on the G1.Sniper 2 carton is the mention of the board being ready for upcoming 22 nm "Ivy Bridge" Core processors. More pictures, and a preview at the source.

Leading memory storage brand, SP/Silicon Power, today announces the launch of the Touch 835 USB flash drive. The delicate product weighing only 4.5g strikes a modern impression with a starlight blue color and a metallic look. SP adopted a metal sandblasting technique for the coating of Touch 835, protecting the surface from scratches as well as adding a high quality finish. It is dustproof, shockproof, waterproof, and it comes in a variety of capacities, spanning from 2GB to 16GB.

Data storage veteran TDK announced the GBDriver RS3 series solid state drives (SSDs) for use in embedded devices, tablets, and thin-clients. It includes low-capacity single-level cell (SLC) SSDs, available in 8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB, and 64 GB sizes; and mainstream capacitity multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash SSDs in sizes of 16 GB, 32 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB. The SLC models provide transfer rates of 160 MB/s read and 60 MB/s write; while the MLCs ones read/write at 160/25 MB/s. All drives use SATA 3 Gb/s interface. The GBDriver RS3 series features an in-house SSD controller made by TDK, that provides automatic 128-bit AES data encryption, Static Wear Leveling functions, and SMART. The drives offer 500,000 hours of MTBF, and make use of aluminum casings. TDK is expected to ship the drives in late September.

SMART Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc., a leading independent manufacturer of solid-state storage products and memory modules, today announced the Optimus solid-state drive (SSD) for enterprise storage applications. Featuring a native Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) 6Gb/s interface and up to 1.6 TB usable capacity, Optimus is the industry's highest capacity and fastest SAS multi-level cell (MLC) SSD. Delivering high performance, endurance, and reliability, the costeffective Optimus SSD satisfies the demands of I/O intensive, web-facing, and cloud-based applications in today's IT infrastructure.

Optimus was developed using SMART's extensive experience in flash technology, SAS firmware, and enterprise storage. SMART's world-class manufacturing and accomplished enterprise organization ensures that the Optimus SSD, as well as SMART's business and support processes, will meet the needs of the most demanding enterprise storage customers.

SAPPHIRE Technology - the world leading supplier of graphics solutions, mainboards and other PC products - has just announced the SAPPHIRE HD 6950 TOXIC Edition, the fastest production card in its class.

The SAPPHIRE HD 6950 TOXIC Edition ships with clock speeds of 880MHz for the core and 1300Mhz (5.2 Gb/sec effective) for the memory making it the fastest production HD 6950 on the market. This has been achieved by building the card on a high specification PCB with digital VRMs for excellent power regulation and 8 + 6 pin power connectors. It has a high performance cooler featuring a Vapor Chamber, blower fan and a new perforated backplate to increase airflow out of the system case.

Mach Xtreme Technology Inc., a worldwide leader in top performance, high reliability and user-friendly designed PC components, today unveiled Urban Series Dual-Channel DDR3 high-density memory kits based on the latest DRAM chips.

Urban high-density DDR3 modules offer desktop users groundbreaking computing experience at an attractive price point. Featuring enhanced capacity of 4GB per module, these new high-density 8GB kits provide customers with cutting-edge memory solution that significantly increases memory space. Users working with the latest operating system can keep multiple applications open or run smoothly memory intensive graphic programs. The uniquely designed lightweight heatsink is made of specially imported top grade Japanese aluminum.

ZOTAC International, a leading innovator and the world's largest channel manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards and mini-PCs, today unveils two new water-cooling solutions - the GeForce GTX 580 Infinity Edition and ZOTAC Omni for gamers that demand a water-cooled graphics card or want to upgrade their existing graphics card with water-cooling.

"As graphics processors become more powerful, greater cooling performance is a necessity which typically results in greater noise levels. To combat the heat and noise levels, water-cooling is an excellent solution," said Carsten Berger, marketing director. "By equipping the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 580 Infinity Edition with a water-cooler, we were able to reduce temperatures by over 25-percent and produce lower noise levels."

Zaward is readying a wave of new PC fans branded under its Golf Fan G3 series. The most prominent feature of these is the dimpled surface of the fan blades, which improve airflow, which then offsets lower fan-speed, resulting in lower noise-to-airflow. Zaward claims 15% improvement of that ratio compared to fans with regular blades (generic fan design). Zaward is preparing to release no less than 12 models, that include 80 mm, 120 mm, and 140 mm sizes. There are models with speed range (likely PWM control), and those with fixed rated speeds (should be controllable by voltage). All fans will pack rubber bolts that absorb the fan's vibration, and works to reduce overall system noise. The fans are up for inquiry for pre-order on the company website, at undisclosed prices.

Corsair, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market, today announced worldwide retail availability of the Special Edition Arctic White Vengeance Low Profile memory.

The Special Edition Arctic White Vengeance LP memory operates at a 1.35V and is ideal for ultra-quiet systems and other low-voltage applications. It consists of two rigorously-screened 4GB DDR3 DRAM modules, guaranteed to operate at 1600MHz with a tested latency of 9-9-9-24. The Vengeance low-profile heat spreader has a reduced height of 1.03" (26.25mm) and is designed for high-performance systems with extra-large CPU coolers, small form factor system builds, or any other space-constrained application where standard Vengeance memory may not fit.

KFA2, the European focused NVIDIA only graphics card partner, announced today its launch of the new series of graphics cards; the MDT series - (Multi Display Technology) The KFA2 GTX 560 Ti MDT X5 and the KFA2 210 MDT X4 is aimed at the multi-display user. This new series of graphics cards are powered by the ViewXpand VMM1400/1402 chipset enabling the end-user to stack, clone and even create a virtual single display across multiple screens without having the extra expense of having to upgrade other system components.

The KFA2 GeForce GTX 560 TI MDT X5 is the only GTX 560 Ti graphics card in the world that supports a maximum of 5 monitors simultaneously. Enjoy multiple screen gaming utilizing the virtual single screen mode, providing a virtual resolution of up to 5760x900 (1440x900 on each display) in 4-monitor mode or 5040x1050 (1680x1050 on each display) in 3-monitor mode. This single graphic card can run 5 displays providing the perfect solution for any multi-display users.

In order to satisfy the consumer needs for mobile life and welcome the coming times of high definition Full HD, Team Group Inc. released the TR11A1 pocket card reader specially designed for micro SD/SDHC memory cards; it is the size of a tiny piece of chewing gum and comes in two colors: sweet pink and sunny blue. The USB connector design makes the memory card ready to use once it's plugged in so that you can abandon those extra cables. The easy access will make your modern digital life much more convenient!

Team TR11A1 is a single slot card reader with a USB 2.0 interface, and is downward compatible with the USB 1.1 standard. It allows direct reading and writing of mainstream memory card formats such as Micro SD (SDHC)/Trans Flash with plug and play feature. Once the memory card is inserted, it is immediately transformed it into a portable flash drive with capacity expansion at anytime, and the multiple functions of TR11A1 makes itself more substantial.

MSI is unveiling its new generation top-of-the-line GT683DX gaming computer, featuring the ultimate in performance and hardware. It packs Intel's second generation Core i7-2630QM quad core processor, nVidia's latest and greatest GeForce GTX 570M discrete graphics card, four DDR3 memory slots, accelerated dual hard disk architecture, as well as Dynaudio and THX TruStudio Pro smart wrap around sound. Taipei-MSI just introduced the GT683DX gaming laptop with powerful hardware, including Intel's 2nd generation Core i7-2630QM quad core processor and nVidia's newest GeForce GTX 570M discrete graphics card (1.5GB GDDR5 display memory), representing a 20% improvement in performance over other discrete graphics cards currently on the market to deliver hiccup-free graphics even when you play the latest high-resolution games. It received a record 12,475 points when it was tested in the performance mode on 3DMark Vantage.

Cooler Master, an industry leading chassis, thermal solution, peripheral, and accessory manufacturer, unleashes the overwhelmingly powerful Hyper 612 PWM CPU Cooler. Striking a delicate balance between cooling potential and noise, the Hyper 612 PWM outperforms all-in-one liquid coolers and high-priced counterparts alike while maintaining minimal noise levels.

The Hyper 612 PWM CPU Cooler is designed for optimum heat dissipation at low fan speeds thanks to wider fin gaps, a PWM fan with a special fin blade design, and a precise heat pipe layout that directs each of its six heat pipes across CPU "hot zones". Employing this unique heat pipe layout allows the heat pipes to multiply into twelve virtual heat pipes that cool the hottest parts of the processor.

OCZ Technology Group, Inc., a leading provider of high-performance solid-state drives (SSDs) for computing devices and systems, today announced the release of Z-Drive Revision 4 (R4) PCI Express (PCIe) storage solutions designed to dramatically accelerate enterprise applications and significantly reduce total cost of ownership in the data center. The Z-Drive R4 product line features OCZ's second generation proprietary Virtualized Controller Architecture (VCA) 2.0, providing the utmost in performance, flexibility, durability and enhanced reliability features, allowing data centers, for the first time, to rely on a PCIe-based SSD as their primary tier one storage solution.

"Objective Analysis forecasts that the PCIe interface will become dominant in the enterprise SSD market in 2012, with unit shipments greater than the combined shipments of its SAS and Fibre Channel counterparts," said SSD analyst Jim Handy of Objective Analysis. "This is because the PCIe interface puts less drag on the NAND-to-processor communication channel than do standard HDD interfaces. By 2015, Objective Analysis expects well over two million PCIe SSDs to ship, a number larger than all of the SATA SSDs that shipped in 2010."

ZOTAC International, a leading innovator and the world's largest channel manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards and mini-PCs, today announces the ZOTAC DisplayPort to Dual HDMI and mini-DisplayPort to Dual HDMI adaptors designed to double display output capabilities on desktops and notebooks.

The ZOTAC Dual HDMI adaptors transform native DisplayPort and mini-DisplayPort outputs from notebooks, desktops - graphics cards and integrated graphics - to dual HDMI outputs. The HDMI outputs are capable of resolutions up to 1920x1080 per port for a combined spanned resolution of 3840x1080 with the ZOTAC Dual HDMI adaptors.

Iomega, an EMC company and a global leader in data protection, today announced the new Iomega Mac Companion Hard Drive, a speedy, large capacity desktop hard drive styled to match the latest Mac computers with a first-of-its-kind convenient high-powered port to charge your iPad, iPhone and iPod, as well as selection of computer interfaces for connecting peripherals like a printer or other external storage device.

"With the new Iomega Mac Companion Hard Drive, Mac users now have a convenient and stylish way to quickly charge their iPads with the bonus of plenty of new storage capacity for their Mac computer," said Jonathan Huberman, president of Iomega Corporation. "With more than nine million iPads sold in the last quarter alone, the new Mac Companion Hard Drive is the perfect complement for all those iPad owners. This futuristic drive blends effortlessly with the latest Mac computers and the Apple ecosystem of mobile devices. Together, form and function rarely looks as good or works as well as the new Iomega Mac Companion Drive."

SilverStone is on course for releasing the Nightjar ST50NF this Thursday. The ST50NF is a 500W, fan-less (completely silent), 80 Plus Gold compliant, non-modular power supply (PSU). The PSU does away with the 120 mm fan, and replaces it with a large aluminum heatsink that draws heat from numerous smaller heatsinks below that in turn draw heat from the various hot components. To try and offset the weight it puts on with all those heatsinks, and to make the unit airy, the outer body is made of thin perforated aluminum sheets.

The Nightjar ST50NF delivers 500W of continuous power, it is standards-compliant with ATX 12 V2.3 & EPS 12V. It features active PFC (power factor correction), and uses a single +12V rail design. All its cables are fixed to the unit. There should be enough cabling for a performance PC with a single graphics card. The PSU carries an MTBF rating of 50,000 hours. SilverStone's Nightjar ST50NF will be priced at €129.

Toshiba today announced its first 2.5-inch hard disk drives (HDDs) featuring capacity up to 1 TB using 500 GB/platter technology in the industry-standard 9.5 mm high form factor. With an industry-leading areal density of 744 Gb/in², Toshiba has increased the quantity of data stored per square inch by over 37 percent compared to prior 2.5-inch models, enabling a significant boost in data transfer speed. Available in capacities ranging from 1 TB to 250 GB, the MQ01ABD series provides the capacity, performance, and power efficiency necessary for even the most data-intensive and energy-sensitive mainstream storage applications.

The MQ01ABD drives are ideal for high-end notebook and desktop PCs, mobile workstations, gaming consoles, DVR set-top boxes, external storage solutions, and other applications requiring high-capacity and cost-effective storage. In addition to delivering best-in-class storage density, which contributes directly to increased performance, Toshiba's MQ01ABD series HDDs have been engineered for superior energy efficiency - the series HDDs consume only 0.55 W during idle mode. The MQ01ABD drives also offer improved acoustic performance, emitting a maximum of 19 dB at idle and 24 dB during seek operations. This combination of areal density, power utilization, and acoustic performance enables PC and consumer electronics makers to build differentiated systems based on capacity, performance, heat dissipation, and power efficiency.

Thermaltake Technology, a leading computer components and power solutions brand, is more than ever committed to create a uniquely innovative and adventurous enthusiasm of been "committed to creating the perfect User experience". The New Thermaltake Dr. Power II Universal Digital Power Supply Tester designs for DIY enthusiast and PC gamers with a builder-friendly philosophy to enable you to test and diagnose the power supply's condition before damage occurs. Further impressive features of the new Dr. Power II Universal Digital Power Supply Tester included oversized LCD panel that accurately shows the value of each specific power rails and sets the latest standard in fast, easy and accurate PSU Tester. With the innovative design and unique style, the Dr. Power II Universal Digital Power Supply Tester evokes the next-generation legendry and is the number one choice for PC DIY enthusiasts worldwide.

ASUS unveiled its first socket FM1 motherboard in the mini-ITX form-factor, catering to the premium HTPC and small form-factor (SFF) markets. Like with similar mini-ITX boards, the F1A75-I Deluxe crams in all the connectivity features it can on its tiny PCB, outdoing even large ATX boards. It is based on the AMD A75 chipset. The FM1 socket supports AMD's A-Series "Llano" APUs, and is powered by a 4+1 phase VRM. It is wired to two full-length DDR3 DIMM slots, supporting dual-channel DDR3-1866 MHz memory. The board draws power from standard 24-pin ATX with 4-pin CPU power.

The lone expansion slot is a PCI-Express 2.0 x16, letting you plug in just about any PCIe addon card. Storage connectivity includes four SATA 6 Gb/s ports with RAID support, and one eSATA 6 Gb/s. Other connectivity features include 6-channel HD audio with optical SPDIF (our only gripe), four USB 3.0 ports (two on the rear panel, two by header), WiFi b/g/n, gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth, and a number of USB 2.0 ports. Display connectivity includes one each of DVI, HDMI 1.4a, and DisplayPort 1.2. The HDMI 1.4a output includes 8-channel HD audio of the GPU, so the 6 analog audio channels is sort of compensated. The board features ASUS TPU performance control chip, EPU energy-efficiency chip, and a UEFI firmware with ASUS EZ-mode GUI setup program. There's no word on pricing.

HighPoint Technologies, Inc., an industry leading HBA and storage solutions manufacturer, unveils the Industry's first 4-Port PCI-E Gen 2 x4, 20Gb/s USB 3.0 SuperSpeed HBA, the RocketU 1144A. Designed for high-performance Desktop PCs, each of the RocketU 1144As four dedicated USB 3.0 ports provides 5Gb/s of throughput, and are optimized for today's fastest USB 3.0 external storage devices. USB 3.0 HBAs that already exist in today's marketplace impose a performance bottleneck on multi-drive configurations, limiting transfer rates to 5Gb/s. Such controllers limit the potential of today's high-speed SSD's and external RAID enclosures.

HighPoint has capitalized on recent advances in USB 3.0 connectivity, and has made 5Gb/s per-port performance a reality. No longer limited to the convenience of plug-and-play, USB 3.0 has emerged as a truly viable option for today's high-speed SSD and hard drives. HighPoint's RocketU 1144A employs the latest USB 3.0 technology to deliver an unbeatable 20 Gb/s transfer bandwidth for under US $100. This optimal balance of cost and performance makes it an ideal external storage solution for high-performance PCs.

Once a PC enthusiast-centric company, OCZ is taking the solid state drive business seriously, across all market segments, consumer-thru-enterprise. The company now has SSDs in nearly all form-factors, making use of nearly all industry standard interfaces, it even has its own high-bandwidth interface modelled. Some of its highest performance SSDs are in the PCI-Express addon card form-factor, that include SSDs with transfer rates well within the gigabyte per second range.

OCZ CEO Ryan Petersen will be holding a conference call with the press later today, in which he will be talking about the company's enterprise SSD business, and unveil a new PCI-Express SSD, called Z-Drive R4. Z-Drive is OCZ's enterprise PCI-E SSD targeted at systems in which throughput is everything. The Z-Drive R4 was spotted at this year's Computex event, it is essentially a PCI-Express 2.0 x8 addon card that has an 8-port SATA 6 Gb/s controller, driving eight, yes, eight SSD subunits in RAID 0. Each subunit consists of a SandForce SF-2281 controller with its own NAND flash memory. As with all compound SSDs, the RAID 0 volume is completely abstract to the host machine.

Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced the launch of the Kingston USB 3.0 Media Reader. The reader takes advantage of performance benefits offered by USB 3.0 technology, allowing for faster data download times.

The Kingston USB 3.0 Media Reader supports multiple card formats including the newer high-capacity SDXC. With its quick and easy plug-and-play design, it delivers up to 5.0Gb/s data transfer speed for high-resolution images, large data files and more making it ideal for serious enthusiasts who need a fast and reliable data transfer device. It is also backwards compatible with USB 2.0.

Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced it is shipping the HyperX SSD, its first SATA Rev. 3.0 6Gb/s solid-state drive. The Kingston HyperX SSD features the latest SandForce controller and is designed for enthusiasts, gamers and performance users.

Elpida Memory, Inc., Japan's leading global supplier of Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM[1]), today announced that as of the end of July it had started sample shipments of the smallest chip now available in the DRAM semiconductor memory industry. The new chip uses ultra fine-width process migration technology to achieve a circuit line width of 25 nanometers (nm). Elpida completed development of this advanced manufacturing process in May and has begun to apply the process to commercial production.

The new 25nm process-generation product now being shipped is a DDR3 SDRAM with a memory capacity of 2-gigabits (see product specifications below). A 25nm 4-gigabit DDR3 SDRAM is expected to become commercially available by the end of 2011.

Feel the need to keep up with the latest on TechPowerUp on the go? Carry something a lot more compact than a netbook? We've got you covered. TechPowerUp Mobile is now live and stable for mobile users. The new mobile site is specifically designed with small screens and low bandwidth in mind, and features a minimalist, yet functional interface to grab the latest news, reviews, forums, and browse through the "Today's Reviews" section. To access the mobile page, simply point your mobile's web-browser to www.techpowerup.com, and it will redirect you to the mobile site. You can disable the auto redirect, customize how the site displays to you a little. The mobile site is designed to scale its elements to fit smartphone screens of most sizes.

ASUS is ready with a new silent (passive-cooled) graphics card based on the AMD Radeon HD 6770 graphics processor, the ASUS HD 6770 DirectCu Silent. ASUS designed a new passive GPU cooler from ground up, which makes use of heat pipe direct-touch design, which ASUS refers to as DirectCu (direct copper). The cooler is essentially a large aluminum fin heatsink that uses four nickel-plated copper heat pipes, conveying heat to a large aluminum fin stack, that is longer than the card's PCB itself.

Based on the 40 nm "Juniper" silicon, the HD 6770 is a rebrand of the HD 5770, it packs 800 stream processors, and a 128-bit wide GDDR5 memory interface to hold 1 GB of memory. The core is clocked at 850 MHz, and memory at 1200 MHz (4.80 GHz effective). The card draws power from one 6-pin PCI-E power connector. It uses high-grade "Super Alloy" VRM components, that are efficient, and don't lose energy to high-pitched noise on load. The card's display outputs include one each of DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI 1.4a. There's no word on the pricing and availability.

LG Electronics (LG) will be unveiling its first all-in-one PC which will feature the innovative Film-type Patterned Retarder (FPR) display, found in its popular CINEMA 3D TVs. The LG V300, developed in partnership with Intel, will be unveiled at Computex 2011, Asia's largest IT exhibition, in Taipei from May 31 to June 4.

The LG V300 will come with an impressive list of features including 2nd Generation Intel Core processors, 3D FPR display, In Plane Switching (IPS) screen technology that creates a stunning 178-degree viewing angle and a triple camera system for superb multitouch capability.

ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of computing, consumer electronics and communications solutions, today continues its leadership in display innovation with the new V3D245 - a 24-inch 3D, full HD (1080p) LED monitor that includes a built-in NVIDIA 3D Vision wireless emitter and NVIDIA 3D Vision glasses.

Combining world-leading LED technology with extraordinary power-saving performance, this 24-inch (23.6-inch vis.) monitor offers a stunning 120Hz frame refresh rate and ultra-fast 2ms video response time, and HDMI 1.4 input making it ideal for delivering a truly immersive 2D and 3D entertainment and gaming experience. Paired with a 1920x1080 full HD resolution, 20,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and 300 nits high brightness, users can expect great color accuracy and picture detail for unsurpassed 3D image quality.

Verbatim's Store 'n' Go USB 3.0 portable hard drive has been released in two new liveries to keep up with the summer shopping season. The 500 GB hard drive is now available in Hot Pink and Caribbean Blue, two metallic (non-chrome, matte) color options. The new generation Store 'n' Go eliminates interface bottleneck of USB 2.0, and can run its hard drive as if it were running over eSATA or fixed internally, when used with USB 3.0 compatible PCs. It is, however, backwards-compatible with older versions of the USB interface. The Green Button software allows you to save energy by spinning down the drive when it's idle. The bundled Nero BackItUp and Nero Burn Essentials software allow you to schedule backups, keep data synced, or burn data to optical media using an installed optical disk burner. Backed by a huge 7-year warranty, Verbatim's Store 'n' Go USB 3.0 Hot Pink and Caribbean Blue portable hard drives are priced at US $99.

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.

Thermaltake Technology continues to fulfill the corporate mission of "delivering the perfect user experience", and regard "building Thermaltake Technology into a cultural brand for the enjoyment of entertainment, e-Sports, technology and lifestyle" as a vision, in order to bring the joy to all the users worldwide. Since the collaboration with BMW DesignworksUSA for the creation of "Level 10" and got awarded with "red dot design award : product design 2010", the "Level 10 GT", especially built for e-Sports gamers and DIY enthusiasts, deriving from the concepts of Thermaltake and BMW DesignworksUSA, has also got the award of "red dot design award : product design 2011" which is recognized as the Oscar Award of the designing field this year, breaking an impressive record.

This July, with the special and unique aesthetics evolutionism that Thermaltake has, the new exciting professional eSports chassis Level 10 GT Snow Edition captivates with a purist design and expresses a passion for visual aesthetics combined the dark black and pure white to give all users a new visual experience. It is more than just a high-end gaming chassis, but rather a true piece of art, allowing gamers and enthusiasts to experience the power of their high-end computers through the sophisticated design.