ASUS and Pegatron are headed for a complete split as far as motherboards and notebooks are concerned. Following reports of ASUSTek divesting in its former part and partner after split, Pegatron, ASUS plans to end manufacturing of its motherboards by it. ASUS will find other ODMs, such as Cal-Comp, ECS, Global-Brands Manufacture, and Info-Tek Corp. Pegatron is a notable ODM of motherboards, notebooks, AIO PCs, and other PC components. ASUS is also working to get its notebooks manufactured by ODMs such as Foxconn, Quanta, and Compal, while reducing its orders to Pegatron. This move could see further independence of ASUS and Pegatron from each other.

Even as Ivy Bridge-powered notebooks are weeks, or even months away, biggies like HP have their designs in order. HP even posted promotional videos of some of its notebooks on YouTube, including in three new Pavilion lines: dv4, dv6, and dv7. The dv4-5000 is a 14-incher with 1366x768 pixels resolution, Core i7-3610QM (2.30 GHz) processor, up to 8 GB memory, GeForce GT 630M 2 GB DDR3 graphics, and up to 1 TB of HDD space.

The dv6-7000 packs a 15.6-inch screen with up to 1366x768 pixels resolution, the same i7-3610QM chip, GeForce GT 630M or GT 650M graphics, up to 2 TB of HDD space, and a little more connectivity than the dv4-5000. Lastly, there's the dv7-7000, with 17.3-inch screen with up to 1920x1080 pixels resolution, GeForce GT 650M graphics, up to 2 TB HDD space, and even more connectivity options. Apart from the three, HP also unveiled Pavilion g4-2000, g6-2000, g7-2000; which are 14-inchers, with 1366x768 pixels resolution, AMD "Trinity" A6 APU or Intel Core processors, AMD Radeon HD 7670M or AMD Radeon HD 7520G + 7670M Dual GPU, and mainstream connectivity.Detailed specifications and videos follow.

AVADirect recently began to offer Mini SATA SSDs for all compatible notebooks. This is an extremely convenient option for those who want massive amounts of storage and fast performance with very little affect to their wallet. These new Mini SSDs offer speeds as high as 220 MB/s per read/write with TRIM compatibility. The MINI SSD cards are installed in notebooks internally via the mini PCI-E slot, usually where wireless cards have been installed for some time.

The reduced size of the mini SSDs provide a form of durability that 2.5 SSDs are not able to match. We will begin to offer these mini SSDs as an option in all appropriate notebook configurations and will continue to update our selection as they are released. This is a very exciting period for notebooks as they continue to become less limited in the amount of performance they can provide next to a desktop. To view all mini-SSDs we offer click Mini-SSDs at AVADirect.

Eurocom, (www.eurocom.com) a developer of long lifespan, fully upgradable Notebooks, high performance Mobile Workstations and Mobile Servers, is offering a complete line of NVIDIA Quadro GPU powered Mobile Workstations from 15.6" to 18.4" that are specifically designed for Engineers and Designers.

Eurocom offers a complete line of NVIDIA Quadro mobile GPU's from 3000M, 4000M and 5010M within notebooks ranging from a very small and portable 15.6" EUROCOM Racer to 17.3" Eurocom Neptune and Panther to the 18.4" EUROCOM Leopard 2.0. This enables Eurocom customers to choose the perfect Quadro based system for their professional needs, with up to 4 GB GDDR5 video memory, and 384 CUDA cores.

Panasonic unveiled new 12.1-inch notebooks under the LetsNote NX and LetsNote SX families. Both feature 16:10 aspect ratio screens with 1280x800 pixel resolution, but buyers can opt for a wider 16:9 aspect ratio screen with 1600x900 pixels. A 720p web-cam and fingerprint reader can also be opted for. Where the NX and SX differ is with the SX featuring a top-loading optical drive, while NX lacks it.

Both models are driven by Intel Core i5-2450M processor. HDD comes standard, while faster SSDs can be opted for, which boot the system in under 9 seconds thanks to Panasonic's QuickBoot Manager software. Connectivity features for both include USB 3.0, WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR, and display outputs that include HDMI.

Eurocom Corporation (www.eurocom.com), a developer of long lifespan, fully upgradable Notebooks, high performance Mobile Workstations and Mobile Servers is now supporting NVIDIA Quadro Quad buffering via external display for an immersive and professional 3D experience. Eurocom Notebooks support NVIDIA's high-end line of mobile GPU's for the best in professional graphics processing.

Quad buffering is a technology for implementing stereoscopic frame rendering in computer graphics. For stereoscopic rendering, each eye must receive a separate image. Quad buffering uses double buffering with a front buffer and back buffer for each eye, totaling four buffers: left front buffer, left back buffer, right front buffer, right back buffer.

AMD's next-generation accelerated processing unit (APU), codenamed "Trinity", was demonstrated at CES. Trinity will make up AMD's 2012 A-Series APU lineup, and will be designed for mainstream-thru-performance notebooks, and mainstream desktops (different standards for different form-factors). Pictured below is what its notebook-specific BGA package looks like. The package has an exposed rectangular die, with a stabilizer frame around it (like with GPUs). Notebooks' cooling assembly heat pipes make direct contact with the die. Trinity packs two Piledriver modules (an evolution of Bulldozer), and DirectX 11.1 AMD Radeon HD 7000M graphics (notebook APU) or HD 7000D (desktop APU).

Shown to the CES crowd was a mind-boggling demo. The public were first shown what appeared to be an ATX desktop connected to two monitors, one monitor running a DIRT 3 DirectX 11 game demo at high-quality settings, and another screeen revealing the APU to be running GPU-accelerated video transcoding. No discrete graphics was used, it's just the embedded HD 7000 at play/work. If that alone didn't raise a few eyebrows, the AMD representative removed the lid of the ATX desktop case to which those two monitors were connected, to reveal a 14-inch laptop inside doing all the work. And there's more - the laptop's main screen wasn't idle, it was running a high-definition video playback. Whatever synthetic benchmarks end up telling about Trinity, its real world performance does impress!You have got to watch the video after the break!

Lenovo today announced its new portfolio of small-to-medium business (SMB) laptops loaded with serious business technology and personal lifestyle computing features. The portfolio includes the premium ThinkPad Edge S Series to the mainstream ThinkPad Edge E Series to entry-level laptops in the essential Lenovo B Series, available in select markets. The chic ThinkPad Edge S430 laptop comprises high style and genuine substance with performance technologies and innovations like the latest Intel Core processors and Thunderbolt technology. The ThinkPad Edge 11, 13, 14 and 15-inch laptops include new useful technologies like Lenovo Solution Center to solve common IT tasks, while simultaneously addressing users' entertainment needs with rich visual and deluxe audio features.

Apple reportedly started ground-work on developing a design with which future Macbooks can be powered by fuel-cells, pushing the battery life envelope further up. Apple has applied for two key patents with USPTO, titled "Fuel Cell System to Power a Portable Computing Device", and "Fuel Cell System Coupled to a Portable Computing Device."

The filing states "Our country's continuing reliance on fossil fuels has forced our government to maintain complicated political and military relationships with unstable governments in the Middle East, and has also exposed our coastlines and our citizens to the associated hazards of offshore drilling." It continues "These problems have led to an increasing awareness and desire on the part of consumers to promote and use renewable energy sources."

PC major HP made a slight slip, disclosing AMD's upcoming Radeon HD 7000M series GPUs as options available for some of its notebooks. These are the first public disclosures of a 28 nm GPU. The new options that had been made available were Radeon HD 7670M, and Radeon HD 7690M, both based on the "Thames-XT" GPU. The Thames-XT GPU is built on the 28 nm process, and features current-generation VLIW4 stream processors, a 128-bit wide GDDR5 memory interface, and is DirectX 11 compliant. AMD unveiled this GPU at a press event in London on the 5th.

Western Digital, a leader in the desktop, mobile, high-capacity enterprise and consumer markets for hard drives, today announced that it has commenced volume shipments of its WD Scorpio Blue 9.5 mm, 2.5-inch mobile hard drive with 1 TB capacity. Designed for mainstream notebook computers, the new WD Scorpio Blue 1 TB hard drive utilizes 500 GB-per-platter areal density and is now available in the highest capacity for 2.5-inch hard drives in the industry-standard 9.5 mm, two-platter (2-disk) form factor.

WD Scorpio Blue mobile hard drives are designed with ruggedness, reliability and data-protection features that actively watch over valuable data. The WD Scorpio Blue 1 TB mobile hard drive also achieves excellent power and performance, making it an ideal solution for notebook computers and other portable devices that require extended battery life and cool, ultra quiet operation.

Patriot Memory, a global pioneer in high-performance memory, NAND flash, storage and enthusiast computer products, today announced it is now shipping their new Wildfire series solid-state drives powered by a new SandForce SSD processor. The Patriot Wildfire series obliterates expectations of storage devices and delivers enterprise-like performance to consumer desktops and notebooks.

The Wildfire series utilizes the new SandForce SF-2200 processor enabling it to shatter previous SSD performance records with up to a blazingly-fast 555 MB/s sequential read and up to 520 MB/s sequential write speeds all backed by a SATA 6.0 Gb/s interface.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a world leader in digital consumer electronics and information technology, today announced its 500 gigabyte per platter, one terabyte internal hard disk drive, Spinpoint M8 for use in mobile computing applications such as notebooks. Samsung's Spinpoint M8, which consists of two 500 gigabyte platters, provides users with one terabyte storage space. The form factor support the 9.5mm height to comfortably fit in mobile computing applications.

The high density was achieved by utilizing advanced format technology (AFT), which raises the data storage density per unit area, enabling efficient and convenient data storage. A reduced number of components such as disks and heads also contribute to approximately seven percent increase in operation speeds and eight percent decline in power demand.

AMD today launched its 9-Series chipset line-up today, helping PC builders to develop next generation high performance desktop platforms. The company also unveiled its 2011 HD Tablet Platform, based on the AMD Z-Series Accelerated Processing Unit (APU), enabling vivid media display and content creation capabilities for the fast-growing market of Microsoft Windows-based tablets. These new AMD products are designed to enable more immersive digital experiences for the PC and tablet markets.

"As consumer appetites for more compelling, lifelike visual experiences increase, there is greater need for high performance, smooth, vibrant graphics as well as unparalleled computing power," said John Taylor, product marketing director, AMD. "From tablets to desktops, AMD is making powerful computing accessible to everyone."

The Eurocom Optimus line are performance-oriented business and gaming-friendly notebooks based on Intel's Sandy Bridge technology with discrete NVIDIA GT 555M graphics and longer battery life thanks to NVIDIA Optimus Technology. NVIDIA Optimus technology intelligently optimizes your notebook PC, providing the outstanding graphics performance you need, when you need it, all the while extending battery life for longer enjoyment. They are built around the Intel Huron River HM65 platform and support Intel's mobile line of Sandy Bridge Core i7, i5 and i3 processors.

If you're looking for superior performance and the ultimate multimedia experience-and who isn't?-look no further. The new MSI FX420 and FX620DX not only pack Intel second generation Core CPUs, both of these mean machines sport high-end discrete graphics cards to meet the needs of extreme gamers. The FX620DX, in particular, comes with the nVidia GeForce GT540M discrete graphics card and Intel Core i7 quad core processor for adrenaline-pumping speeds.

Eric Kuo, associate vice president for global sales, MSI Notebook, notes that the 14-inch FX420 and the 15.6-inch FX620DX not only pack power, they come with cinema-grade THX TruStudio Pro wrap around sound and Cinema Pro image enhancing technology to give you the definitive audiovisual experience. What's more, MSI's design team cast aside standardized, non-user-friendly designs that characterize the exteriors of traditional high tech products and sheathed these high-performance laptops in its own raised totem seal coating and color film print, giving them class, while protecting them against scratching and wear.

HP today revamped its corporate and enterprise (C&E) and small and medium business (SMB) notebook PC lineup with new technology aimed at boosting performance and productivity, while offering an enriched and sophisticated industrial design that improves notebook quality and reliability.

The company's new FORGE design framework ensures HP business notebooks embody a timeless construction, with precision-engineered durability features that are designed for maximum reliability and with the environment in mind. Precision aluminum-alloy hinges, cast titanium-alloy display latches and the HP DisplaySafe frame are a few of the design highlights behind the FORGE approach.

Power, design and mobility come together beautifully with the new VAIO S Series of 13.3" (33.7cm) slim notebook PCs from Sony. The slim, light VAIO S Series features a stylish new 'full flat' design that's crafted in magnesium with a wide aluminium palmrest for strength, lightness, usability and looks. There's also a cleverly concealed hinge mechanism that doesn't distract your view of what's on screen. Overall thickness shrinks to less than 24mm, while weight is a travel-friendly 1.75kg (approx.)

VAIO S Series introduces a smart new battery concept that lets you keep working day and night without a pause. The internal lithium polymer battery provides power for up to 7 hours on-the-go computing (in Stamina mode). It's partnered by a second thin, flat optional lithium polymer extended battery that can be charged separately from the PC and added without removing the internal battery. The second battery attaches without having to switch off the PC, boosting stamina to up to 14 hours if you're far from mains power.

Seeing really is believing. With eye-grabbing looks that demand attention, the colourful new 14" VAIO C Series from Sony makes a dramatic lifestyle statement. It's also a fully-featured notebook PC, with ample power to handle your day-to-day computing needs. The latest VAIO C Series showcases a radical style direction by Sony that stands out from run-of-the-mill notebook PCs. A choice of fashion colours include two special orange and green 'light emitting' options. This audacious design scatters light along edges of the translucent PC lid and other key surfaces to create a dramatic glow effect.

Aside from ground-breaking looks, new VAIO C Series balances portability and performance to make light of everyday tasks - from emailing to editing presentations. The high contrast 14" (35.5cm) real-wide VAIO Display with LED backlighting provides plenty of screen space for web browsing, photo viewing and document editing.

Toshiba Computer Systems, a division of Toshiba Europe GmbH, today announced the Satellite R800 series, a new range of slim, light and high-spec notebooks targeted at consumers. The series includes the 33.8cm (13.3") Satellite R830, the 35.6cm (14.0'') Satellite R840 and the 39.6cm (15.6'') Satellite R850. Thanks to a sophisticated heat management system Toshiba has managed to integrate Intel's latest full-performance CPUs into the slim casings. The Satellite R800 series models are estimated to be available during the second quarter 2011 throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa.

"The new Satellite R800 series include slim, lightweight and fully-featured high-quality notebooks that are affordable for the masses," said Marco Perino, General Manager Digital Products Division, Toshiba Europe. "It offers an unparalleled blend of innovative technologies, the latest connectivity tools, high quality, durability, comprehensive configuration and a remarkable price performance ratio."

MSI has been informed by Intel about the design issues in the Intel 6 series chipsets. According to Intel the performance of some of the Intel SATA ports on Intel 6 series products can degrade over time. MSI takes the quality of our products very serious, so at this moment we are investigating product batches that may be affected and, meanwhile, have stopped all shipments to our distributors and resellers. Additionally, we asked resellers to hold sales of the Intel 6 series based MSI products to customers until the issue can be resolved.

As of the 31st of January MSI informed all our distributors, retails and reseller to stop directly the sales of Intel 6 series based products of MSI and to hold any products pending shipments to customers. No need to worry in the case that you purchased an Intel 6 series based product form MSI after the 31st of January because we will take care for you. Consumers can check the section "How to get serviced".

Notebook major Toshiba announced a recall-drive of all notebook PCs it sold that are based on Intel's Huron River platform, consisting of processors based on Sandy Bridge architecture and Cougar Point chipset, after Intel announced a critical design flaw with the chipset. In a consumer notice, Toshiba advised current owners of affected notebooks to return the notebooks for a full refund. It also asked users to backup data and remove all personal, confidential, or proprietary information before returning the units.

Affected models include variants of Satellite A660, Satellite A665, Satellite A665 3D Edition, Satellite E305, Satellite L655, Satellite M645, Portege R835, Qosmio X500, Qosmio X505. Details of which exact model numbers are affected, are tabled below. This Monday (1/31), Intel announced the discovery of a critical design error of the chipset that drives Intel's Sandy Bridge processors. In some cases, the SATA ports of the chipset will degrade in both performance and functionality. Intel had announced a massive component recall drive to pull out affected components from manufacturers.

NVIDIA announced the GeForce 500M series of notebook graphics processing units (GPUs), designed to power laptops featuring next-generation Intel Core CPUs (Sandy Bridge). GeForce 500M GPUs are expected to power some of the industry's best notebooks in 2011. The GPUs feature category-leading performance in media-rich HD, 3D, Web, and Gaming applications, as well as enhanced battery life, courtesy of NVIDIA Optimus technology. NVIDIA Optimus technology enables extra long battery life by switching on and off the GPU so that it runs only when needed.

Only NVIDIA GPUs support NVIDIA Optimus technology, which enables extra-long battery life by automatically switching on and off the GPU so that it runs only when needed. Introduced less than a year ago, NVIDIA Optimus is now designed into over 80% of 500M Series notebooks across leading OEMs.

AMD today introduced its next generation mobile graphics technology, the AMD Radeon HD 6000M series, delivering AMD's highest performing notebook graphics for those who want to experience games, entertainment, and productivity on the go. Harnessing AMD's second-generation of Microsoft DirectX 11-capable mobile graphics architecture, the AMD Radeon HD 6000M series provides users with:

• Models offering up to 1.3 teraFLOPS of compute power for an unrivaled gaming experience on up to six displays using AMD Eyefinity technology.
• AMD HD3D technology for the ultimate in stereo 3D entertainment.
• AMD EyeSpeed technology for improved video and application performance.

Eurocom is the world's first notebook developer to support 24GB of memory in a notebook computer. Eurocom line of Panther Mobile Workstations and Mobile Servers is designed for maximum performance and the most demanding users. CAD/CAM designers, engineers, architects and designers who must frequently travel, yet need access to powerful computing, are the core target for Mobile workstations. With unrivaled power, unsurpassed features and unmatched style, the Mobile Workstation is the ultimate evolution of the Desktop Replacement notebook.

Eurocom Panther series is the world's first workstation-class professional super-notebook powered by the fastest desktop 6-core Intel processors and NVIDIA SLI with two GeForce GTX 480M or NVIDIA Quadro FX 5000M. Whether you're a designer developing the latest automobile, a 3D artist working on the next blockbuster film, or a financial trader on Wall Street, EUROCOM Panther series delivers unmatched power and performance for all professional workstation applications, and is ideal for the CAD (computer-aided design), CAE (computer-aided engineering), DCC (digital content creation), visualization, and corporate markets.