AMD today announced a distinguished line-up of keynote speakers as well as technical session topics for the inaugural AMD Fusion Developer Summit (AFDS), which will be held June 13-16, 2011 at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue, Washington.

Industry keynote presentations will be delivered by esteemed industry experts from AMD, ARM and Microsoft. In his keynote "Heterogeneous Parallelism at Microsoft" Herb Sutter, Microsoft principal architect of Native Languages, will showcase upcoming innovations to bring access to increasingly heterogeneous compute resources directly into the world's most popular native languages.

ASRock launched a new marketing campaign for its AMD platform motherboards, claiming to be the first manufacturer to be out with motherboards that use real AM3+ sockets. AM3+ is the FCPGA socket that has been designed for upcoming AMD FX series "Zambezi" processors based on the "Bulldozer" architecture. As a part of its campaign, ASRock highlighted the benefits of opting for its AM3+ motherboards. In the process, it ended up disclosing quite some technical information about AM3+, and why AMD designed it in the first place, when apparently AM3 can run Zambezi with a BIOS update.

To begin with, ASRock started with the socket itself, showing that AM3+ sockets can be identified by "AM3b" written on the socket, and have wider pin-holes (0.51 mm vs. 0.45 mm of AM3). It is possible that future (retail?) versions of the CPU, if not the engineering samples doing rounds, could use packages with thicker pins that are incompatible with AM3. The thicker pins add durability, and are designed for a different set of electrical specifications.

NVIDIA is set to launch its next upper-mainstream GPU, the GeForce GTX 560 (not to be confused with GeForce GTX 560 Ti) on May 17. Designed to compete with AMD's Radeon HD 6790, the new GTX 560 is based on the same GPU as the GTX 560 Ti, the 40 nm GF114. It has 336 out of 384 CUDA cores enabled, while most other specifications of the GPU are untouched. The core clock speed is said to be not less than 800 MHz, making it faster than GeForce GTX 460, which otherwise has the same specifications while being based on the older GF104 silicon.

AMD today announced revenue for the first quarter of 2011 of $1.61 billion, net income of $510 million, or $0.68 per share, and operating income of $54 million. The company reported non-GAAP net income of $56 million, or $0.08 per share, and non-GAAP operating income of $92 million.

"First quarter operating results were highlighted by strong demand for our first generation of AMD Fusion Accelerated Processing Units (APUs)," said Thomas Seifert, CFO and interim CEO. "APU unit shipments greatly exceeded our expectations, and we are excited to build on that momentum now that we are shipping our 'Llano' APU."

TUL Corporation, a leading manufacturer of AMD graphics cards, today announces the first-to-market video card: the PowerColor HD 6850 single slot edition. The first available HD6850 single slot edition aims to fulfill the desire of performance and multi-function seekers when space is a premium.

The PowerColor HD 6850 single slot edition clocks in at 775MHz core speed and 1000MHz memory speed; accelerating gaming speed with 1.48 teraFLOPs of computing Power. The slim HD6850 can maximize the rig's performance in a single slot design, allowing a 4 way CrossFireX layout that delivers an out-of-box HD gaming experience like no other.

PowerColor is readying a new single-slot AMD Radeon HD 6850 graphics card. The advantages of single-slot aside, the new card will also support 4-way CrossFireX. So now you can pack four of these cards into pooly-designed motherboards with adjacent PCI-E x16 slots, or you can sneak one into the slot that happens to be the bottom-most one. PowerColor's HD 6850 Single-Slot Edition uses a custom PCB design which is not much longer than the reference design, it uses a typical single-slot cooler design with tightly-packed aluminum fin air channels to which heat is fed by a copper plate. Air is flown through these channels by a blower.

Apart from 4-way CrossFireX capability, the PowerColor HD 6850 Single-Slot Edition uses nearly complete display connectivity, with one DVI, a full-size HDMI 1.4a, and two DisplayPort 1.2. Power is drawn in from a single 6-pin power connector. The card uses AMD reference clock speeds of 775 MHz core and 1000 MHz (4.00 GHz effective) memory. There's 1 GB of GDDR5 memory over a 256-bit wide memory interface onboard. Based on the 40 nm Barts GPU, HD 6850 features 960 stream processors, and full DirectX 11 compliance. More details and pictures are awaited of this intriguing new card.

Club 3D B.V. announces the introduction of the AMD Radeon HD 6670 video card based on the Turks XT chipset, AMD' second generation DirectX 11. The new Club 3D Radeon HD 6670 1 GB GDDR5 video card features now the AMD HD3D technology which allows you to have faster access to multimedia applications and gives you all tools to enhanced productivity.

Furthermore you can enjoy the latest 3D Blu-ray movies with EyeSpeed technology. The new card comes equipped with a nice single slot cooler which makes you enjoy your new video card without compromising on your perfect computing environment.

PC giant Acer is ready with a new uppish netbook, the Aspire One 722. This 11.6-inch nebook runs on AMD's Fusion C-50 accelerated processing unit (APU) clocked at 1.00 GHz, and embedding an AMD Radeon HD 6250 DirectX 11 compliant graphics processor. The 11.6-inch screen packs a decent resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. Most other features are identical to those of the Aspire One 522. The 722 feature an aquamarine color tone, with "drop ripple" design on its lid. Battery life is improved by an hour, now up to 7 hours on a full charge. Windows 7 Home Basic is the OS of choice. Price and availability details are not known.

Club 3D B.V. releases the new Radeon HD 6450 1GB DD3 Noiseless Edtition, the industry second generation of DirectX 11 capable graphics card.This new card features a heatsink cooler design aimed at the HTPCs users and with UVD3 (Universal Video Decoder), improved tessellation engine and higher clock speeds makes the perfect fit for users who are looking an entry level card that is affordable and packs a punch. Offering a low profile card customers can expect this card to be bundled with 2 Low Profile brackets like usually offered by Club 3D on Low Profile items.

MSI, the leading graphics card and motherboard manufacturer in the world, today announced the release of three new graphics cards based on the AMD Radeon HD6000 architecture: the R6670-MD1GD5, R6570-MD1GD3/LP, and R6450-MD1GD3/LP. All of the new MSI graphics cards in the AMD HD 6000 family support the latest version of MSI's proprietary Afterburner software with the Predator video capture function. Gamers can enhance their gaming experiences by capturing in-game videos and sharing them with friends over the web!

All of MSI's new AMD HD 6000 graphics cards are equipped with HDMI 1.4a connectivity for the latest in 3D video support, and 7.1 channel lossless high-quality TrueHD and DTS-HD sound. The latest visual effects standards such as DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.1 are also fully supported. The cards utilize Military Grade II components for extreme stability and durability. All in all, the new AMD HD6000 graphics cards offered by MSI provide the most fun and highest quality, qualifying it as the best choice on the market.

ASUS has released the ASUS HD 6670, HD 6570 and HD 6450 graphics cards that offer users superb performance for vivid graphics. All three contain the latest DirectX 11 technology to support ultra- realistic game characters, enhanced speed, and true-to-life special effects. AMD supported App Acceleration accelerates everyday work applications while the HD 6670 and HD 6570 deliver a smooth, high quality 3D video playback experience.

The HD 6670 and HD 6570 are clocked at 810MHz and 650MHz respectively, and both are built with the latest in ASUS advancements for a refined visual experience. ASUS exclusive Super Alloy Power applies special-formulated components to provide an efficient power supply for a 15% performance boost, 35°C cooler operation and 2.5 times longer lifespan. A unique dust-proof fan design dissipates heat efficiently and extends the graphic card's lifespan by 25% (10,000 hours) through increased dust and particle resistance. Native HDMI, Dual-link DVI and Display Port connections on the EAH6670/DIS/1GD5 allow users to experience AMD Eyefinity, which can extend the visual horizon across three displays for engaging HD entertainment.

TUL Corporation, a leading manufacturer of AMD graphics cards, today introduces the graphics for causal gaming and advanced home entertainment: the PowerColor HD6670, HD6570 and HD6450. The latest announced series enhance the home entertainment experience within 75 watts consumed, enabling gamers to be environmentally friendly enjoy the HD gaming experience.

The HD6670 clocks in at 800MHz core speed and 1000MHz memory speed, it's a great mix of performance, price and power. The HD6570 delivers a playable gaming performance which has core speed at 650MHz and memory speed at 1000MHz. And the HD6450 provides the stellar entertaining experience, clocks in at 625MHz and 667MHz of GPU and memory speeds respectively.

SAPPHIRE Technology has just strengthened its range of graphics cards based on the latest graphics technology from AMD with the introduction of several new models in the HD 6000 series aimed at entry level and mainstream users wanting to benefit from the latest features including multi-screen displays and stereoscopic 3D output.

Several models will be introduced with the latest core graphics technology and offering a choice of memory configurations and outputs. All of them feature second generation DX 11 engines from AMD and on-board hardware video decoding with the AMD UVD (universal Video Decoder) - now in its third generation supporting Blu-Ray 3D for stereoscopic 3D over HDMI 1.4a. In addition, models with DisplayPort output also support Eyefinity multi-screen technology. Eyefinity gives users the ability not only to play games on multiple monitors, but also to work across three or more monitors as though it were one large monitor, bringing huge productivity benefits to applications such as photo editing, music creation and document creation.

Amidst speculations that Gigabyte has put a stop to its P67 chipset-based lineup of LGA1155 motherboards and is planning a transition to Z68 top-to-bottom targeting several price points, pictures of the Z68X-UD3P-B3 surfaced. The new UD3P board is based on Z68, features a hybrid-EFI BIOS (dual-BIOS with >3 TB bootable volume support), and is designed exclusively for discrete graphics setup, it lacks FDI display connectivity. The CPU is powered by a 14-phase VRM that uses driver-MOSFETs, and cooled by simple heatsinks.

Expansion slots include two PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x8, x8 when both are populated), with 2-way NVIDIA SLI and AMD CrossFireX support. Storage connectivity includes four SATA 6 Gb/s (two from the Z68 PCH, two from a Marvell-made controller), and four internal SATA 3 Gb/s from the PCH. Other connectivity includes four USB 3.0 ports (two internal/by header), a number of USB 2.0 ports, FireWire, gigabit Ethernet, and 8-channel HD audio. The Z68X-UD3P should join the rest of Gigabyte's Z68X series, for an early May launch.

AMD is giving its C-series Fusion APUs for netbooks and embedded systems a feature update with its upcoming model, the C-60. The AMD C-60 will have the same default clock speed as the C-50, at 1.00 GHz, but features the AMD TurboCore technology, which can up clock speed to 1.3 GHz when the two cores are loaded. The embedded Radeon GPU also features GPU TurboCore, which boosts engine speed from 276 MHz to 400 MHz. The new dual-core C-60 does all this, while limiting itself to the 9W TDP. AMD will release the new C-60 APU in Q3, 2011.

Try not to mistake this for a low-profile CPU cooler, Alpenföhn's latest offering is the Heidi 2 universal graphics card cooler. First pictured at this year's CeBIT event, the Heidi 2 looks more polished and ready to market. Its main heatsink consists of an aluminum fin array to which heat is conveyed by four 6 mm thick nickel-plated copper heat pipes. The 50-odd aluminum fins make for distinct shapes at the edge of the fin array, which improve heat dissipation. The heat pipes converge at a nickel-plated copper base.

The main heatsink measures 144 x 133 x 62 mm, weighing 450 g. Ventilation is care of a 120 mm Alpenföhn WingBoost fan. A large number of GPUs are supported, including AMD/ATI Radeon HD 6850, HD 6870, HD 5870, HD 5850, HD 5770, HD 5750, HD 5670, HD 4870, HD 4860, HD 4850, HD 4830, HD 4750, HD 4670, HD 4650, HD 3870, HD 3850, HD 3690, HD 3650, HD 3450, HD 2600, X1900; and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460, GTX 200 series, GTX 250, GT 240, GT 220, GT 210, 9800 GTX+/GTX/GT, 9600 GT, 8800 GT/ GTS(G92), 8600, 8500, 8400, 7900 GTX/GT/GS, 7800 GTX/GT, 7600, 7400, 7300, 6600. The company did not give out pricing information.

Slated for Tuesday, 19th April, AMD new mainstream DirectX 11 compliant graphics cards, the Radeon HD 6670, and HD 6570, have been drawing some attention as two of the last products to launch in the HD 6000 series. It will probably only be with the HD 7000 series slated for who knows when, that AMD will release new GPUs. DonanimHaber put a HD 6670 and two HD 6570 graphics cards, along with a GeForce GT 440 (NVIDIA's fastest card in the segment), through 3DMark Vantage and 3DMark 11, in performance and extreme presets. The Radeons emerged faster overall. The HD 6670 and HD 6570 are designed for price points below $100.

Today HIS launches HIS 6790 IceQ X Turbo 1GB GDDR5. Offering the HIS awarding winning cooling and overclocking technology, the new model is designed for our most demanding gamers to experience a truly outstanding performance and ultra-high bandwidth in gaming. The HIS 6790 IceQ X Turbo has over-clocked its core clock to 900MHz and memory clock to 4400MHz, delivering serious high-definition gaming frame rates.

What's more, the new model equips with stunning array of advanced technologies, such as AMD Eyefinity technology, AMD's second-generation of DirectX 11-ready graphics,
and AMD EyeSpeed technology. The combined configuration delivers dramatic visual and gaming experience, making it the ultimate solution for performance gamers.

When the entry-level Radeon HD 6450 launches this 19th April, it will not be alone. AMD will back it with product launches of both the Radeon HD 6570 and Radeon HD 6670, according to fresh reports. With it, AMD will have completed its Radeon HD 6000 series product launches, in almost all price-points, top to bottom. Incidentally, the three were also launched together as OEM-only products back in February.

Based on the 40 nm Caicos silicon, HD 6450 packs 160 stream processors, and a 64-bit wide GDDR5/GDDR3 memory interface, designed for low-profile, single-slot graphics cards. The HD 6570 and HD 6670, on the other hand, are both based on the 40 nm Turks GPU, both feature 480 stream processors and 128-bit wide GDDR5 interface. The two are differentiated with the HD 6570 having lower clock speeds.

HP today announced a new lineup of powerful mobile workstations, ideal for engineering, power-computing and content-creation customers who need the performance of a workstation with the portability and convenience of a notebook. HP also unveiled the HP Z210 Workstation, demonstrating its continued investment in the desktop and mobile workstations market, where it holds leading market share.

Building on HP's "FORGE"#8221; design framework, the HP EliteBook w-series embodies a timeless construction, with precision-engineered durability features that are designed for maximum reliability and with the environment in mind. The new products showcase HP's first-ever industrial design specific to mobile workstations, with distinctive features including a radial-brushed gunmetal finish, backlit jewel logo and orange-colored accents.

PowerColor is readying a new high-end Radeon HD 6990 based graphics card that's prepped for water-cooling, the PowerColor LCS HD 6990. Sticking to its LCS tradition, the new HD 6990 from PowerColor comes with a full-coverage water block made by EKWB, the EK-FC6990 pre-installed. The card sticks to AMD reference design PCB, and even uses the reference back-plate to cool memory chips on the reverse side of the PCB. The EK-FC6990 cools all heat-producing components on the obverse side, including the two Cayman GPUs, memory chips, VRM, and bridge chip. PowerColor's LCS HD 6990 is expected to come with out of the box overclocked speeds, and one can expect a hefty price-premium, taking the price closer or beyond the US $800~850 mark, or beyond.

Hailed as the most exciting development in graphics for several generations, the original SAPPHIRE HD 5800 series not only included the fastest single GPU available, but was also the first family of video cards in the world to support the advanced graphical features of Microsoft DirectX 11 and multi-monitor displays in Eyefinity mode. Now it's back - with the exciting new SAPPHIRE HD 5800 series Xtreme Editions!

Two models will be available from April 2011 - the SAPPHIRE HD 5850 Xtreme and the SAPPHIRE HD 5830 Xtreme. Both will represent spectacular value for money - and support all the latest games and applications.

Even as AMD's Radeon HD HD 6450 ebbs and flows between paper-launch and market-launch, NVIDIA is ready with its competitor, launched by its AIC partners: the GeForce GT 520. The new GPU marks NVIDIA's current-generation entry to the very basic low-end discrete graphics card segment, which are intended to be integrated graphics replacement products. NVIDIA's GeForce GT 520 is based on the new 40 nm GF118 silicon, it packs 48 CUDA cores, and a 64-bit wide GDDR3 memory interface, while being compact enough to fit on low-profile single slot board designs, if it's backed by an active (fan) heatsink. It is possible that passive heatsinks take up two slots.

The core is clocked at 810 MHz, and CUDA cores at 1620 MHz. The memory is clocked at 900 MHz (actual, 1.8 GHz effective), churning out memory bandwidth of 14.4 GB/s. The card is designed to have three kinds of outputs which will be available on most partner designs: DVI, D-Sub (usually detachable), and full-size HDMI 1.4a, with HDMI audio. The card relies entirely on slot power. Its maximum power draw is rated at 29W. The GT 520 should take up entry-level price points around the US $50 mark.

The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) today announced the first certified SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0) chipsets. The A75 and A70M FCH chipsets from AMD represent a major milestone for broad SuperSpeed USB adoption among manufacturers, as built-in USB 3.0 support enables designers to seamlessly incorporate SuperSpeed USB into their systems. Certification of AMD A75 and A70M FCH chipsets provides assurance to manufacturers and consumers that the SuperSpeed USB chipsets are interoperable and comply with the USB 3.0 specification.

"The ramp of the SuperSpeed USB ecosystem has been unprecedented, and the first certified SuperSpeed USB chipsets from AMD are a momentous step in the industry," said Jeff Ravencraft, USB-IF President & COO. "SuperSpeed USB integration into the chipsets is a strong incentive for manufacturers to bring an even broader range of SuperSpeed USB solutions to the market."

Here are some of the first pictures of AMD's new socket FM1. FM1 will be the platform for AMD's upcoming "Llano" A-Series accelerated processing units (APUs), in the desktop and notebook platforms. With it, AMD will compete with Intel's LGA1155/LGA1156 processors in consumer and business desktop markets that simply rely on the processor's embedded graphics. The Llano APU integrates a quad-core x86-64 processor with a DirectX 11 compliant AMD Radeon HD 6000 series graphics core (with 400+ stream processors, last we heard); a dual-channel DDR3 memory controller, and a PCI-Express 2.0 hub. FM1 is a pin-grid array, but its exact pin count isn't known. Purely by the looks of it, FM1 package looks smaller than AM3+. Clearly the version of CPU-Z used in the screenshot doesn't fully support the APU, but it does reveal some information. It's reading the quad-core chip as four single core processors with 1 MB L2 cache each. The processor is clocked at 2.4 GHz. Llano APUs are expected to make landfall in May/June.