Western Digital Corp. today announced its successful development of four bits per cell, X4, flash memory architecture offering on 64-layer 3D NAND, BiCS3, technology. Building on its pioneering innovation of X4 for 2D NAND technology and past success in commercializing it, the company has now developed X4 for 3D NAND by leveraging its deep vertical integration capabilities. These include silicon wafer processing, device engineering to provide sixteen distinct data levels in every storage node, and system expertise for overall flash management. BiCS3 X4 technology delivers an industry-leading storage capacity of 768 gigabits on a single chip, a 50 percent increase from the prior 512 gigabit chip that was enabled with the three bits per cell (X3) architecture. Western Digital will showcase removable products and solid-state drives built with BiCS3 X4 and systems capabilities in August at the Flash Memory Summit in Santa Clara, California.

"The implementation of X4 architecture on BiCS3 is a significant development for Western Digital as it demonstrates our continued leadership in NAND flash technology, and it also enables us to offer an expanded choice of storage solutions for our customers," said Dr. Siva Sivaram, executive vice president, Memory Technology, Western Digital. "The most striking aspect in today's announcement is the use of innovative techniques in the X4 architecture that allows our BiCS3 X4 to deliver performance attributes comparable to those in BiCS3 X3. The narrowing of the performance gap between the X4 and X3 architectures is an important and differentiating capability for us, and it should help drive broader market acceptance of X4 technology over the next several years."

ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of highperformance DRAM modules and NAND Flash products,today launched industrial-grade ISSS314 solid state drives in 3D MLC and 3D TLC versions. All models can withstand a wide temperature range, extreme shocks and vibrations, as well as humidity to meet the needs of industrial users. Using hardened and carefully sorted components, ISSS314 SSDs consume just 2.5W to lower operating costs while providing speedy 560 MB/s read and 520 MB/s write. They are offered in 3D MLC and 3D TLC NAND plus capacities ranging from 32GB to 512 GB in order to better cover and serve as many budgets and needs as possible.

The increased durability and power efficiency of stacked NAND Flash compared to older planar NAND offers very appealing advantages in applications that require non-stop and long term use. The ISSS314 range has an MTBF of 2 million hours, which is 25% more than comparable 2D NAND drives. At the same time, they consume just 2.5W per drive while reaching 512 GB in capacity. Modest power draw translates into major electricity savings over the life of the drive, especially in large installations where many units are needed. Across the range, ISSS314 drives reach 560 MB/s read and 520 MB/s write.

Graphene has been hailed for some time now as the next natural successor to silicon, today's most used medium for semiconductor technology. However, even before such more exotic solutions to current semiconductor technology are employed (and we are still way off that future, at least when it comes to mass production), engineers and researchers seem to be increasing their focus in one specific part of computing: internal communication between components.

Typically, communication between a computer's Central Processing Unit (CPU) and a system's memory (usually DRAM) have occurred through a bus, which is essentially a communication highway between data stored in the DRAM, and the data that the CPU needs to process/has just finished processing. The fastest CPU and RAM is still only as fast as the bus, and recent workloads have been increasing the amount of data to be processed (and thus transferred) by orders of magnitude. As such, engineers have been trying to figure out ways of increasing communication speed between the CPU and the memory subsystem, as it is looking increasingly likely that the next bottlenecks in HPC will come not through lack of CPU speed or memory throughput, but from a bottleneck in communication between those two.

After announcing their intention to begin mass production of their latest 72-Layer 3D NAND Flash back in April, SK Hynix has now confirmed that it has entered mass production of the high density NAND modules. Apparently, SK Hynix has already achieved the much sought-after "golden yield" ratios, where the semiconductor yield is now at such a level that it is advantageous to finally enter mass production. Apparently, SK Hynix's leadership was fearful of not being able to achieve the golden yield in a timely manner after their announcement of the technology only three months ago; however, after its "management team and engineers repeatedly spent nights doing research, yield went up vertically and has become comparable to Samsung Electronics'" own yield - and as you know, Samsung is kind of the golden standard when it comes to NAND technology.

According to industry sources, SK Hynix is already mass-producing SSDs (Solid State Drives) with the company's own controllers and firmware which leverage this new 72-layer 256Gb NAND flash memory. This is a welcome change for the company which should allow it to increase revenue, since this is the first time controllers are developed in-house. The company is also said to be already producing eMMC (embedded Multimedia Card) for mobile devices based on this technology, with supply already arriving to its customers.

New benchmarks of an RX Vega engineering sample video card have surfaced. There have been quite a few benchmarks for this card already, which manifests with the 687F:C1 identifier. The new, GTX 1080 beating benchmark (Gaming X version, so a factory overclocked one) comes courtesy of 3D Mark 11, with the 687F:C1 RX Vega delivering 31,873 points in its latest appearance (versus 27,890 in its first). Since the clock speed of the 687F:C1 RX Vega has remained the same throughout this benchmark history, I think it's fair to say these improvements have come out purely at the behest of driver and/or firmware level performance improvements.

Even though current VR controllers already do a competent job of tracking our movements in the 3D world, there is always room to improve (and VR has much, much room to improve.) AS such, valve is looking to improve the way we can interact with the VR worlds we are offered. And one of those ways is by improving gesture and hand recognition in these worlds. If ever something seemed to be designed to allow you to taunt your opponent, Valve's "Knuckles" controller is it.

Through the use of a new "CapSense" tech, which basically adds capacitive fields to the grip of the wand controller, games will be able to know whether you're fully gripping the controller or not. These sensors, which for now need to be calibrated on a per-user basis, can "detect the state of the user's hands", meaning, they're able to track the degree to which your fingers are curled or sticking out. Valve has used a technologically impressive solution for those cases where you might drop your controller for eagerness of showing your fingers to your enemies: an adjustable strap on both controllers that tightens around your hands. Valve has started to ship the Knuckles controllers out to developers, but there's no word yet on when consumer versions of the device might be available.After the break: bonus taunts.

DRAM prices have been high for quite some time now, due to a general increased demand over a slowly improving supply capability from manufacturers. Pricing of DRAM has been increasing (to the tune that if I wanted to double my memory capacity, I would have to pay double of what I paid a mere 11 months ago.) NAND pricing has been affected as well, with newer technologies such as 3D NAND not having a relevant impact on end user pricing as was expected, since tight supply and growing demand means process-level savings are dwarfed by the increasing prices on the balance of supply and demand.

Most of our woes can be traced back to high-end smartphones, which make use of up to 6 GB of RAM and have copious amounts of NAND memory. Now, reports are coming in that due to the iPhone 8's impending launch, supply is even tighter, with several firms being either unable to secure the amount of Ram they are looking for, or having to order in significant advance (futures speculation anyone?) Reuters is reporting that some clients have moved to 6-month supply agreements for their DRAM and NAND purchases, accepting higher prices than the customary quarterly or monthly deals, to make sure they get enough memory chips for their products.

BIOSTAR has announced an evolution of their G300 SSDs that it introduced in August 2016. The new, revised G330 series maintains the overall design from the series it supersedes, but upgrades the controller to an SMI 2258 (from an SMI 2256). They're built on Micron's 3D TLC NAND, with a DRAM cache that boosts performance, and come in three different capacities (128, 256 and 512 GB) in a 2.5-inch form factor, with a 6.8 mm height.

The drives feature read speeds up to 565MB/s and write speeds up to 515MB/s over a SATA 6Gb/s interface, and come with a MSRP of $59 for the 128GB model (G330-128GB), $99 for the 256GB model (G330-256GB), and $169 for the 512GB model (G330-512GB).

ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of high performance DRAM modules, NAND Flash products, and mobile accessories today launched the XPG SX950 SSD and its accompanying gaming-styled EX500 drive enclosure. Loaded with up to 960GB of 3D MLC NAND and driven by a SMI controller, the SX950 utilizes a custom ADATA PCB and is backed by an extra-strict chip sorting process to ensure an SSD that can handle prolonged high demand. Performance reaches 560MB/s read and 530MB/s write. Bearing the signature XPG look, the EX500 is aimed at gamers and case modders, boasting a textured enclosure and a vibrant yet aggressive feel. It arrives with a spacer and bracket for easy install on desktops and notebooks. For users that would like to use the SX950 as external storage, the EX500 offers a stylish, durable, and easy-install enclosure that pairs instantly with desktops, notebooks, and game consoles via high speed USB 3.1.

ADATA is completing its transition to stacked memory, or 3D NAND. This allows for SSDs with bigger capacities without a correlating increase in prices paid by end users. The SX950 uses durable 3D MLC (multi-level cell) NAND Flash and SMI controller. Consumers can choose from 240GB, 480B, and 960GB versions of the SX950. Not only denser (higher capacity), 3D NAND is also roughly 10% faster than 2D NAND and so the SX950 outpaces its predecessor, the SX930 - reaching 560MB/s read and 530MB/s write.

Toshiba may be in the ropes for now, but WD, one of its foremost partners (mainly due to its SanDisk acquisition) and most interested party in Toshiba's NAND spin-off efforts, has just announced that it is world first in actually producing a 64-Layer 512 Gb TLC NAND die. WD is developing and producing this 64-layer NAND at its Yokkaichi, Japan fab which it operates alongside - you guessed it - Toshiba, under their joint Flash Forward venture, though there is no indication as to when the new dies will hit full production. The addition of the latest BiCS3 iteration indicates that, despite its recent challenges and snags, Toshiba continues to execute on its semiconductor roadmap, which is certain to be a boon in keeping the value of its NAND production capabilities in the face of the confirmed spin-off and sell-off of a 20% stake on its NAND production business.

There has been some difficulty in achieving any significant ramp-up in 3D NAND production over at the WD-Toshiba venture, with WD having announced a 256 Gb version of the same BiCS 3 technology it employs on the new 512 Gb die last year, to no considerable volume of production. That's one of the reasons for the current NAND shortage and price rises, among other factors, so let's hope all goes well in this ramp up. If all goes well, 1 TB SSD's with 512 Gb TLC NAND dies for $150?

After finally reaching mature yields (comparable to those of planar NAND processes), Micron's 32-layer first generation 3D NAND has grown increasingly prominent in the company's NAND output. Now, the company is looking to ramp-up production of their (currently sampling) 64-layer 3D NAND, promising "meaningful output" by the end of December 2017, looking for an 80% increase in total GB per wafer and a 30% decrease in production costs.

When it comes to the graphics subsystem memory, Micron is looking to transition their 20nm production to a "1x nm" (most likely 16nm) node, in a bid to improve cost per GB by around $20, with introduction of 16nm GDDR5 memory to be introduced later this year. However, GDDR5X volume is expected to grow significantly, in a bid to satisfy bandwidth-hungry uses through GPUs (like NVIDIA's GTX 1080 and potentially the upcoming 1080 Ti) and networking, with GDDR6 memory being introduced by the end of 2017 or early 2018. The company is still mum on actual consumer products based on their interpretation of the 3D XPoint products through their QuantX brand, though work is already under way on the second and third generation specifications of this memory, with Micron planning an hitherto unknown (in significance and product type) presence in the consumer market by the end of this year.

At CES 2017, E-BLUE had a booth specifically built to showcase its latest e-sports developments, with the company presenting what it calls the world's first hybrid-tower monitors. The SCION-32 is built like a usual AIO PC monitor would, except this one prioritizes upgradeability over a low-space footprint.

At CES 2017, Cooler Master unveiled a limited edition of their MasterWatt line of power supply units: the MasterWatt Author ME 1200 W. As the name implies, this is a 1200 W power supply, rated at 80 Plus Titanium efficiency levels (which means >94% energy efficiency), though Cooler Master claims this PSU is able to achieve >95% efficiency levels. Built exclusively with Murata components, Cooler Master are presenting this one as the best power supply they've ever made, and they're therefore pitting it as a special, limited edition PSU, of which only a few thousand samples will be produced and sold: at an over $1000 price-tag.

Business. Business never changes. Whether you're for Keynes or Hayek, some truths just can't be escaped: and the one based on the market tending to equilibrium between the forces of supply and demand is oft times almost akin to a law of physics - other times, not so much. This time, it appears as if the market forces are steering NAND prices through the roof. The causes? Varied, though you probably carry one of them in your pocket most of the time. We earlier reported surging prices in the DRAM market, spurred by the Note 7 fiasco and increased production of that smartphone's competitors (and Samsung's own products) to fill the gaping hole left by its forcible market removal. But not only by DRAM are smartphones powered - they also make use of NAND flash.

Dell announced today at Dell World the most significant refresh to its OptiPlex commercial PC portfolio in five years, the Wyse 5050 AIO zero client for VMware, and new cloud multifunction printers to meet the changing needs of the future workforce. Considering the needs of a tech-savvy workforce always on the go, these new offerings are designed to increase employee productivity by helping them seamlessly connect to the business critical data and applications they need to get the job done. In addition, Dell Services is investing more in mobility applications and strategies to strengthen the way its commercial customers stay mobile, productive and efficient.

"We are defining the future of the PC and the role it plays in meeting our customers' most pressing computing needs," said Jeff Clarke, vice chairman, Operations and president, Client Solutions at Dell. "We are investing in this part of our business like never before, bringing new innovations to market that are redefining the role of the PC - whether it's an ultra-mobile 2-in-1, thin or zero client, or a desktop that now handles workloads for a mobile workforce who require a robust collaboration solution."

ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of visual solution products, unveils its newest visual display technology solutions at CES 2015 in Las Vegas, at the Encore Hotel, January 6-9, 2015. The company's line-up of new products to be showcased at CES will include Ultra HD 4K monitors, newly redesigned and price-competitive digital projectors, comprehensive VDI endpoint solutions and commercial-grade digital signage. With the company's strong display product heritage, ViewSonic continues to lead the visual display industry with innovations such as touchscreen, interactivity, curved, and 5K displays as well as wireless connectivity, cloud and virtual-based technologies that meet today's demanding environments.

"At the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show, we'll introduce new commercial-grade solutions that demonstrate our strength and leadership in the professional and consumer display market," said Al Giazzon, vice president of marketing at ViewSonic Americas. "With new products like our new brighter and smarter LightStream projectors and feature-rich 4K monitors, our product lines continue to deliver the highest level of commercial-grade quality to meet the challenges of any computing environment."

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, today launched the 850 EVO, the latest addition to its branded solid state drive (SSD) line-up. Based on Samsung's 3-bit 3D Vertical NAND (V-NAND) technology, the 850 EVO SSD provides a significant boost in performance and endurance as compared to its predecessor, making it ideal for use in mainstream PCs. With the slogan of "a new caliber of performance & endurance," the new drive will be globally launched in a total of 53 countries in the United States, Europe and Asian markets later this month.

"We are thrilled to be providing users with an improved computing experience through the new 850 EVO SSDs," said Unsoo Kim, Senior Vice President of the Branded Product Marketing team at Samsung Electronics. "Samsung will continue to introduce V-NAND-based SSDs in a variety of form factors, while accelerating the growth of the global SSD market."

In an effort to make interaction with technology simpler, more natural and immersive, Intel Corporation today outlined how it, in collaboration with other companies, is bringing human-like senses to Intel-based devices in a new family of hardware and software products called Intel RealSense technology.

The Intel RealSense 3D camera is one of the first products in the new family and is the world's first integrated 3D depth and 2D camera module that helps devices "see" depth much like the human eye.

MSI's IPC division proudly announced a new embedded system, MS-9A68, for display-critical applications in diversified industrial fields. Aiming at the monitoring, video-interactive, or demanding applications with both intensive displaying and processing tasks, MS-9A68 is designed with high-performance CPU power and brilliant display capability that well-satisfy those applications, such as digital signage, gaming, surveillance, Kiosk, and public transportation. In addition to its outstanding performance, the slim, light-weighted mechanical design makes the MS-9A68 especially ideal for space-limited sites or cabinet installation.

Taiwanese company BenQ is just about ready to release a new gaming-friendly monitor, the 24-inch XL2411T which features a 120 Hz refresh rate, support for NVIDIA's 3D Vision 2 technology, and a 1ms GtG response time (TN panel).

Seen below, BenQ's display also has a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, a contrast ratio of 1,000:1 (12,000,000:1 DCR), D-Sub, DVI and HDMI connectivity, a 0.001-frame input lag, a stand allowing for height, tilt, pivot, stroke and swivel adjustment, plus a FPS Mode, and the Black eQualizer color engine technology (which improves visibility in dark scenes). Unfortunately BenQ has yet to say when the XL2411T will become available of how much it will cost.

The enhanced re-release of Doom 3 is coming just in time for Halloween, publisher Bethesda Softworks has announced. The "BFG Edition" of id's classic FPS will be available on October 16 on PC, Xbox 360, and PS3. The console versions will retail for $40, while the PC version will be $30. BFG adds Doom 3, Resurrection of Evil, and "The Lost Mission"--all optimized in 3D, 5.1 surround sound, achievements, improved rendering and lighting, and a new checkpoint save system. There's also an armor-mounted flashlight, "allowing players to illuminate dark corners and blast enemies at the same time."

The BFG Edition also includes the original Doom and Doom 2, making it the "definitive collection" for the series. Perhaps after this release, id will be a bit more forthcoming about Doom 4.

ASUS today launches the VG23AH 3D IPS LED Monitor. Designed to be a well-rounded and customized display for entertainment and gaming, the VG23AH features the ASUS All-in 3D technology, providing users with the smart choice when it comes to the ultimate 2D and 3D multimedia.

The VG23AH immerses users in a cinematic 3D home theater experience with crisp, clear visuals accompanied by audio from its built-in 3 W stereo speakers. With a wide-view angle IPS display, 80,000,000:1 ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio, and ASUS-exclusive Splendid Video Intelligence Technology, the VG23AH delivers a colorful visual experience in Full HD 1080p. It features a host of connectivity options that allows for greater compatibility with an array of media devices by way of dual HDMI 1.4 ports, single-link DVI, and D-sub input options. It has been ergonomically designed with the user in mind, with swivel, tilt and height adjustment capabilities; along with battery-free 3D glasses for a comfortable viewing experience.

Tobii Technology, global leader in eye-tracking and gaze interaction, and SeeFront, leading developer of proprietary glasses-free 3D technology, have teamed up to develop a glasses-free 3D version of the world's first eye- controlled arcade game, Tobii EyeAsteroids, which was originally introduced last fall at Dave & Buster's in New York City. Tobii EyeAsteroids in 3D will be showcased at Tobii's booth A29, Hall 26, at CeBIT in Hannover, Germany, March 6-10.

"Eye tracking is an essential component of our glasses-free 3D display technology," said Christoph Grossmann, founder and CEO of SeeFront, based in Hamburg. "Adding gaze control to natural 3D viewing combines two highly innovative technologies for a unique user experience. Aside from gaze-controlled 3D gaming - which is great fun - additional applications of this innovative dual technology include use in medical, geographical and automotive devices."

Last week ORIGIN PC announced the availability of their new EON17-X desktop replacement laptop, the most powerful laptop for gamers, artists, and professionals. Today ORIGIN PC announces the world's first 3D laptop with dual graphics cards: The EON17-X3D featuring the latest Intel X79 chipset, 2nd generation Intel hexcore processors, and dual overclocked NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M graphics cards in SLI. The EON17-X3D marks the first 3D laptop from ORIGIN PC with a customizable backlit keyboard with three lighting zones and seven color options.

LG Electronics has today announced the release (in Japan at least) of its D2500N-PN 25-inch monitor offering glasses-free 3D (TriDef software needs to be installed to enable 3D). LG's 3D display makes use of a TN panel, comes with a built-in webcam (which tracks the user's head movement to optimize the 3D experience), and features a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, a 5 ms response time, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio (5,000,000:1 DCR), and 250 cd/m2 maximum brightness.

The D2500N-PN includes DVI and HDMI connectors and is expected to become available at the end of this month priced at about 150,000 yen (~ $1,923).