LaCie announced an economic way to add media player functionality to existing storage devices. LaCinema Classic Bridge enables users to leverage the investments already made on internal and external storage solutions, and turn them into dynamic multimedia devices. Simply connect the Classic Bridge to a desired TV, add a storage device, and play libraries of movies, music, and photos in flawless 1080p HD resolution.

The attractive and compact LaCinema Classic Bridge fits seamlessly into entertainment centers, and enables two options for adding storage. Option one allows users to connect an external USB drive to the front of the device for easy access to their multimedia content. Option two allows users to easily insert an internal hard disk directly into the device for a clean, fully integrated set-up, just like the LaCinema Classic. Users may also choose to implement both options for expanded capacity.

HDMI Licensing, LLC, the agent responsible for licensing the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) specification, today announced the features that will be incorporated in the upcoming HDMI 1.4 specification. This latest version of the HDMI specification will, among other advancements, offer networking capabilities with Ethernet connectivity and will add an Audio Return Channel to enable upstream audio connections via the HDMI cable. The HDMI specification 1.4 will be available for download on the HDMI LLC website no later than June 30, 2009.

HP added two more netbooks to its growing lineup, the Mini 1101 and Mini 110. The latter has two variants: Mini 110 XP and Mini 110 Mi. Both these models feature 10.1 inch LED screens. Users can choose between Atom N270 and N280, with as much as 1 GB of memory, 160 GB HDD, and Intel GMA 950 graphics.

The Mini 110 XP offers a few exclusive features. Users can opt for a 32 GB SSD and WLAN. It comes with Broadcom Crystal HD Enhanced Video Accelerator, that provides smooth playback of HD video at resolutions of 1080p. It comes with Windows XP Home SP3 pre-installed. The Mini 110 Mi is physically identical, except for that it comes with a popular Linux distribution pre-installed, and allows users to opt for a 250 GB HDD or 2 GB of system memory. The Mini 1101 will retail in June with a base price of US $329. The Mini 110 Mi, with Linux, will be priced significantly lower, at $279.

Acer's Aspire One is the world's leading brand of netbooks, and the company is building on the lineup with more, premium variants. The chassis of the Aspire One 571 resembles that of the D150 series. Under the hood are some interesting components: Intel Atom N280 clocked at 1.66 GHz, aided by Intel's homegrown chipset. The 10.5-inch screen provides a resolution of 1280x720 pixels (HD 720p), and the netbook boasts of HD video hardware acceleration thanks to the Quartics QV1721 multimedia coprocessor, that accelerates full-HD (1080p) video encoding/decoding. Removable storage is care of a V-Media disc-drive left of the touchpad. A V-Media disk is a Blu-Ray disc with a diameter of 32 mm enclosed in a plastic sheath (floppy-style). It provides 1 GB of storage, with a 2 GB version in the works. Its launch-date isn't known although with Computex around the corner, this netbook may have found its launch-vehicle.

VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the VIA Surfboard C855 Reference Design - an ultra-compact mainboard incorporating the VIA C7-M ULV processor, the brand new VIA VX855 unified IGP chipset, and advanced VIA multimedia and connectivity silicon, that has been specifically designed for easy integration into devices targeted at the rapidly growing mini-notebook market.

Unveiled today at the VIA Global Mobility Bazaar (GMB) Tech Forum Spring in Shenzhen, China - an event bringing together a host of PC manufacturing and infrastructure partners focused on delivering affordable, power efficient mini-notebooks to global markets - the VIA Surfboard C855 Reference Design will not only reduce development time and costs for system manufacturers, but offers the latest advancements in ultra-mobile technology including smooth playback of high bit-rate 1080p HD video and outstanding 8-channel HD audio.

VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the VIA VX855 Media System Processor (MSP) - an ultra power efficient, all-in-one chipset that addresses the key performance and entertainment requirements of today's small form factor and mobile PC systems.

Increasingly, content is being filmed in high-definition (HD), with movies, TV shows and sporting events taking advantage of the smooth playback, extraordinary picture clarity, and brilliant colors that HD video offers. However, until now the high bit-rates associated with quality HD video have posed a real challenge to the processing capabilities of power efficient PC systems such as those found in small form factor and mobile devices.

LG announced a new fleet of full-HD capable LCD monitors today. The lineup consists of three models of different screen-sizes under the Wxx53V-PF naming scheme: the 22 inch W2253V-PF, 24 inch W2453V-PF and 27 inch W2753V-PF. LG seems to have emphasized on both form and function with these ones. Sporting a piano-black shell with a dash of clear acrylic, the monitors pack LCD panels with 2 ms response time. All models have native resolutions of 1920 x 1080 pixels (1080p HD), and are HDCP-capable.

Additionally, they feature intelligent Auto Bright, Live Sensor, and Cinema mode proprietary features. The monitor detects the intensity of light in the environment it's working in, and accordingly adjusts brightness and contrast levels. All models support offer DVI-D, D-SUB, and HDMI port as input connectivity options. LG is yet to release or price these monitors outside the Japanese market as of now.

About a week into introducing the high-definition LCD-MF242X family of 23.6 inch monitors, I-O Data adds another one to its ranks, the 21.3 inch LCD-MF221XGBR. The new monitor seems to be more of a scaled-down version of the LCD-MF242X. Dimensions aside, it has an identical feature-set.

The monitor comes with a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels (1080p-ready), and an LCD response-time of 5 ms. It comes with a maximum brightness of 300 cd/m², static contrast-ratio of 1,000:1 and dynamic ratio of 10,000:1. Coming with a generous set of connectivity options, the monitor takes input from DVI, D-Sub and HDMI 1.2a connectors. It tips the scales at 4.5 kg (around 9.92 lbs). Backed by a three-year company warranty, the LCD-MF221XGBR sells for around US $227.

MSI today unveiled the EX625 performance notebook. MSI EX625 features Cinema Pro Technology, which offers consumers the finest movie viewing experience. With a simple touch of the exclusive Cinema Pro button; you may immediately switch to Movie Mode. The quality on screen will be more detailed, the richness in sound and the subwoofer as well as Dolby sound will be activated, providing the finest sensory of the theaters. Furthermore, the embedded high performance subwoofer design can create shocking effects.

Combing Color Film Print Technology with ocean wave patterns in design, the EX625 has been injected with a brand new texture to personal notebook computers. The most advanced ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4670 graphics card with GDDR3 512MB VRAM, for a more fluid, more detailed, more realistic 3D high-definition viewing experience. In the other hand, EX625 selects the brand new ECO Engine Technology, the outstanding and unique power saving function by MSI Notebook, as the power management function to extend the battery running time while performing different tasks.

ASUS today continued its heritage of producing high performance, richly-featured LCD monitors with the addition of new HDMI-equipped models to its lineup. Available in screen sizes ranging from 18.5" to 23.6", and driven by an array of exclusive image enhancing innovations such as Splendid Video Intelligence Technology and ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio (ASCR) technology, the VH192, VH222, VH226 and VH242 are designed to deliver the ultimate multimedia experience. VH Series monitors boast a perfect aspect ratio of 16:9, ensuring the flawless playback of movies and games.

Without any official release from Western Digital, a new product of theirs has emerged on Best Buy called the WD TV HD Media Player. It is a very small device not much bigger than the remote it comes with, but what is unique about this gadget is that it allows you to plug in a USB flash drive or USB hard disk drive (HDD), and play full 1080p high definition videos, pictures and music, on to your TV. It supports two USB2.0 devices simultaneously, measuring only 1.6x4.9x3.9 inches and weighing a mere 10.7 oz, it could be the answer for many people instead of having HTPC's or trailing cables from their main PC's. The RRP of the device appears to be $129.99, however it is currently on sale at Best Buy for $99.99.

Cognizant that the brilliant reproduction of colors is the key to believability and immersion during movie watching and gaming, ASUS today launched the VK266H and VW266H widescreen (16:10 aspect ratio) LCD monitors which support 1920x1200 high resolution, Full HD 1080p video playback via an HDMI input, a high 20000:1 contrast ratio, 2 ms (gray-to-gray) response time and ASUS' exclusive Splendid Video Intelligence Technology. Splendid utilizes a color engine that analyzes the properties of video content being played back and automatically optimizes image quality for the best visual results in any usage scenario-ultimately making for a vastly improved personal entertainment experience. In keeping with ASUS' recent drive to integrate video conferencing features into its monitors, the ASUS VK266H is also equipped with a rotatable 2.0 megapixel webcam with Smart EV (Exposure Value) Control technology to enable high quality and convenient real-time video communications under different lighting conditions.

Presenting the fastest IGP to date. The upcoming AMD 790GX chipset, unlike preliminary reports suggesting it was going to be an extreme performance competitor to the GeForce 8200 IGP incorporated NForce 780a, is a high-end chipset armed to compete with the likes of NForce 750a, Intel G35. It supports ATI Crossfire multi-GPU technology.

In two new company slides published by the Chilean website CHW.net, early performance evaluations of the 790GX IGP were conducted, where the AMD chip beat the GeForce 8200 IGP by a very significant margin. It outperformed the Intel G35 by nearly 300 per cent margins in some tests. Apart from this ferocious little IGP, the 790GX supports ATI Crossfire with the energy-saving Hybrid-Crossfire feature. When not gaming, the display is handled by the IGP, depending on the load, the graphics card(s) are powered and speeds are adjusted. So when playing a game that the graphics card(s) can churn out 300 fps from, the GPU parameters can be lowered so you still get say, 100 fps while the GPU power is reduced significantly.

ViewSonic Corp. introduces the latest addition to its complete range of LCDs with the affordable, feature-rich VA2626wm LCD monitor. At less than $530, the 1080p Full HD panel offers a large workspace for the productive multi-tasker and the ultimate viewing experience for movie buffs and gamers. Multiple inputs, like HDMI, VGA and DVI with HDCP compatibility, allow Blu-Ray" disc player, cable box, satellite box, or gaming console connections, and quickly take users from work to play.

AMD Releases ATI All-In-Wonder HD Series Card

AMD today expanded The Ultimate Visual Experience for North America with the ATI All-In-Wonder HD, combining award-winning ATI Radeon Premium graphics and ATI TV Wonder HD tuner technology card in one PCI Express 2.0 solution. As the newest multimedia powerhouse to join the long line of All-In-Wonder offerings, ATI All-in-Wonder HD transforms the PC into a highly immersive digital video recorder for HDTV and analog TV, plus expands the realm of exceptional gaming with cinematic HD graphics for mainstream PCs. Blu-ray disc playback can be enjoyed in full HD glory (1080p) thanks to ATI All-in-Wonder HD's unified video decoder (UVD) technology, ensuring movies play back smoothly and with incredible detail.

The graphics core is derived from the Radeon HD 3650, 55 nm, clocked at 725 MHz (memory: 600 MHz DDR2). AMD claims that the graphics performance of the card will beat a standard Radeon HD 3650 by 5 to 15% in popular games. The card incorporates the ATI Theater Pro 650 chip. Other prominent features include ClearQAM, a hardware MPEG-2 encoder and full hardware acceleration for H.264 and VC-1. The Adaptive Comb-filter provides better image quality.

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With 1080p rapidly becoming the new standard in display content BenQ released E2200HDA, the world's first 21.5" Full HD 16:9 LCD monitor featuring 100% mapping to 1080p content. With 100% dot-for-dot matching to Full HD materials, BenQ's new 16:9 large screen delivers immaculate rendering of 1080p content without losing any detail. The screen provides native resolution of 1920x1080, 10,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 300 cd/m2 brightness and a fast 5ms response time. Benq also pack E2200HDA with integrated speakers and its Senseye technology. Five new 21.5" and 24" Full HD 16:9 models will further pioneer 1080p displays later on, spreading across BenQ's E Series and M Series LCD displays. BenQ 16:9 1080p Full HD LCD displays will be available in China and select countries in Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America in Q3.