I hope you haven't already installed the beta driver we reported earlier today, because a new one is now available for download. Not that the betas are bad, but have in mind that the newer 177.41 WHQL driver is already here. Here are some of the highlights for this release:

• Supports GeForce GTX 280 and GeForce GTX 260 GPUs.
• Supports single GPU and NVIDIA SLI technology on DirectX 9, DirectX 10, and OpenGL, including 3-way SLI Technology with GeForce GTX 280 and GeForce GTX 260 GPUs.
• Supports CUDA Technology.
• Supports Folding@home distributing computing application.

DOWNLOAD: Windows XP 32-bit|64-bit,
Windows Vista 32-bit|64-bit

BFG Technologies, Inc., the leading North American and European supplier of advanced NVIDIA-based 3D graphics cards, power supplies and other PC enthusiast products, announced today, the BFG GeForce GTX 280 OC2 and the BFG GeForce GTX 280 OCX factory overclocked graphics cards.

With the launch of each new NVIDIA graphics processing unit (GPU), BFG typically releases three increasing levels of factory overclock: OC, OC2, and OCX. All BFG factory overclocked graphics cards go through extensive testing to find the right mix of speeds for the core, memory, and shader clocks that will produce the best performance and uncompromised stability at each level. As with all BFG Tech graphics cards, the BFG GeForce GTX 280 OC2 and OCX versions are backed with 24/7/365 free technical support and a lifetime warranty.

CoolIT Systems announces the availability of the NV200 VGA Coldplate compatible with the new GeForce GTX280 and GTX260 cards recently announced by NVidia. The solution features a single slot, high performance liquid cooling solution that effectively cools the GPU, RAM, nVio Chip and VR that, when mated with CoolIT's award-winning liquid cooling technology, provides extreme cooling to achieve optimal performance for the GTX280 in single card or SLI setup.

NVIDIA, the leader in visual computing technologies, today introduced its new family of GeForce GTX 200 graphics processors (GPUs) - which includes the GeForce GTX 280 and GeForce GTX 260 GPUs - taking graphics beyond gaming and gaming beyond anything that's ever been possible before on a consumer computing platform.

A week ahead of its release date, NVIDIA's next generation flagman the GeForce GTX 280 1GB is already starting to appear on various European etailers. Both the French TDShop.fr and the German HW ELEKTRONIK are now offering the card for roughly 590 Euro ($912). I sincerely hope the price will drop after the cards are out.