VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the VIA VB7009 embedded Mini-ITX board. Measuring only 17cm x 17cm, the VIA VB7009 Mini-ITX is an extremely flexible embedded board with top class functionality and performance for POS and kiosks.

The VIA VB7009 is a cost effective solution offering a broad range of power efficient VIA CPU choices, including the dual core VIA NanoTM X2 processor, providing superior flexibility to match customers' embedded computing needs. Paired with the VIA VX900 unified all-in-one media system processor, the VIA VB7009 Mini-ITX embedded board delivers a highly optimized platform that boasts stunning HD video performance of the most demanding video formats at resolutions of up to 1080p.

Team Group Inc. has overcome the economic stagnation to make another success through slow and steady strategies. iSuppli, the leading research institution, released the latest market statistics of Q2 2011, indicating that the firm ranks no.8 in Flash category in the top 3 Taiwan manufacturers; ranks no. 7 in USB category, moving one place up from the previous quarter; and maintains position as the 12th largest DRAM manufacturer.

According to the President of Team Group, Danny Hsia says that "Team Group Inc. has dedicated itself to Taiwan as well as overseas markets for a long time, and the branding operation has matured. A survey of iSuppli showed our excellent performance, while winning the 10th Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific award is also recognition of Team's potential and competitiveness."

Inherited from its original fashion essence, the combination of exquisite metallic casing, silk-shine exterior, and perfect circular arc brings out its unique modernistic look, SP/Silicon Power hereby launches 3 brand new colors of LuxMini 720 - Peach, Deep Blue and Bronze to represent consumers' individualities through the language of design.

LuxMini 720 is easy to carry and can be used as a decorative accessory suited to the consumers' own lifestyle such as attaching it to a key chain or a necklace It is available in storage capacities from 4 GB to 32 GB to meet different user demands. LuxMini 720 allows instant plug and play and is also compliant with the RoHS requirement conforming with the trend of environmental awareness.

Internationally renowned mainboard and graphic card manufacturer MSI announces today two new exclusive products: MultiConnect Panel and Voice Genie.

With support for Wi-Fi 802.11n and Bluetooth 3.0 wireless transfer, MSI's MultiConnect Panel provides an OC Genie button for MSI mainboard users to instantly increase system performance with a simple push of a button! The MSI-exclusive Super Charger on the MultiConnect Panel also allows users to quickly charge their smart-phones, tablet PCs, wireless keyboards, and wireless mice via any MSI X79 mainboard.

MSI's groundbreaking Voice Genie is the world's first voice control technology with system startup support without the need for keyboard or mouse operation! Aside from turning on and off the system, users can even enable and disable OC Genie, open a web browser, wake up the system, and set the system to sleep mode all via voice command! Full compatibility with all MSI X79 Series mainboards helps bring added value to the MSI computing experience with MultiConnect Panel and Voice Genie.

PNY Technologies, Inc. ("PNY") is considered a leading designer, manufacturer and a worldwide leader in DRAM Memory and Flash Memory products, today announced the new Brick Attaché USB Flash drive. This drive sports a unique, playful and fun building block design of children's toys, steering away from the traditional serious designs associated with USB flash drives.

PNY's new Brick Attaché drive is made of strong non-slip polymer material with a dotted embossed texture. The dark blue body has a wedge-shaped notch at the end far from the white cap, while the cap has a similar shaped protrusion, which fits snugly in this notch. This prevents the cap from getting lost. Additionally, if you have more than one such drives, you can connect them one after another forming a train or any such imaginary object according to your creativity.

Welcome to the TechPowerUp 2011 PC technology Christmas special. We hope that you will enjoy reading it while tucking into your turkey, Christmas presents and a little too much wine... In this article, we go through the technology of 2011 that has had the most significance, the most impact and was generally the most talked about. It's not necessarily the best tech of 2011 which is the most significant though, since lemons can be just as significant as the ground-breakers in how they fail to deliver - and the backlash that goes with it.

January: Intel Sandy Bridge i5 & i7

Released on January 9th, the new Intel Core i5 & i7 processors were based on Intel's second generation Core architecture built on a 32 nm production process (HEXUS review). They included an IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) physically on the same piece of silicon along with HyperThreading. These new dual and quad core processors soundly beat all previous generations of Intel processors in terms of processing performance, heat, power use, features and left AMD in the dust. Therefore, Intel badly needed some competition from AMD and unless you have been living under a rock, you will know how that turned out in October with the launch of Bulldozer. Sandy Bridge was a sound win and is generally considered to be the only architecture worth considering at this point. The i5-2500K is currently at the sweet spot of price/performance. It comes at a stock speed of 3.3 GHz, but typically overclocks to an amazing 4.5 - 5 GHz with a decent air cooler and without too much difficulty in getting there. Models in the budget i3 range were released at various times later. See this Wikipedia article for details.

Japanese company Sanwa Supply announced a new pocket USB 2.0 hub, the USB-HMU403. The hub can be used to expand the number of USB ports to four, and also charge your gadgets, as it supports higher-than spec power delivery. The hub features a retractable standard USB 2.0 connector that plugs into to the host, and also a micro-USB connector that can plug into compatible gadgets (such as Android-driven tablets and smartphones), and expand their USB connectivity, or charge them. Measuring 70 x 43.5 x 9.6 mm (WxDxH), and weighing 26 grams, the hub is available in black and white color options. It is priced at 1,764 JPY (US $22).

Japanese company Elecom unveiled its latest M-TG01DL series designer wireless mice. Available in color options of black, silver, and cherry-red, these right hand-oriented wireless mice use dark-field microscopic optical sensors that let you use it even on transparent glass surfaces with nothing underneath them (such as glass tables). The sensor itself has a resolution of 1200 dpi, which is just fine for most non-gaming tasks.

The mice have five buttons apart from the scroll-wheel. The main unit communicates with a USB micro-receiver over 2.4 GHz radio band, and is powered by a single AAA-size battery which can provide up to 106 days of continuous uptime before needing a replacement. The mouse measures 51.0 x 77.0 x 32 mm (WxDxH), weighing 55 grams (without its battery). The M-TG01DL series will be available in the Japanese market in mid-January, its pricing is not known.

Buffalo Japan has this week announced a new addition to its MiniStation family, an all-white external drive codenamed HD-PCT1TU2-BWJ which offers 1 TB worth of storage space, and features a USB 2.0 interface, a glossy finish, and a power saving mode that can cut consumption by up to 20%.

Buffalo's drive measures 77 x 17 x 114 mm, it weights 210 grams, it comes with a one-year warranty, and is set to become available early next month (Japan gets it first, other markets will probably have to wait a bit longer). Its recommended price tag is 16,800 yen which is about US $215.

Japanese company I-O Data launched its latest TB-PW series of secure USB flash drives, that feature native 128-bit AES data encryption. The drives use USB 2.0 interface, and comes in capacities of 4 GB and 8 GB; and color options of black and blue. The drives stick to the "slider" form-factor, leaving you with no cap to lose. They are slated for availability in early 2012. I-O Data did not give out pricing information.

Here's a good gifting idea for the geek in your family (other than you) or your friends-circle, a new wireless keyboard-mouse combo made it to online stores, that's fabricated almost completely of bamboo wood. Practically every part otherwise made of ABS plastic uses bamboo. The keyboard has a warm wooden feel to it; its frame, and all its keys are made of bamboo. The keys have their symbols/functions etched into them, instead of being printed or embossed upon them. It has a standard 108-key US-QWERTY layout, which also includes a few shortcut keys. Underneath is a common membrane switching mechanism. The keyboard connects to a USB micro receiver over 2.4 GHz wireless band.

The mouse, too, is fabricated almost entirely of bamboo. This includes its top side, its two main buttons, and its underside. The scroll-wheel is made of rubber. The mouse uses a common optical sensor that's fit for everyday tasks. Like the keyboard, the mouse talks to the receiver over 2.4 GHz wireless. The keyboard weighs 1020 g, with the mouse 69 g. The keyboard measures about 465 x 160 x 25 mm, and the mouse 57 x 94 x 35 mm. The combo is priced at US $89.

Sharkoon presents another series of cases: Available in three color editions, the Sharkoon T28 offers a lot of space especially for hard drive installation, thankfully due to the removable hard drive cage, and also perfect for extra-long graphic cards.

Externally the Sharkoon T28 offers a black body and a rectilinear mesh front design. Power and Reset buttons are elegantly chromed. In regards to the front connectors, Audio In/Out stands ready between three USB2.0 ports and a USB3.0 interface. An acrylic window on the left side panel gives an insight into the interior of the colored mainboard tray. Choose from three color editions: Red, green, and for the first time after numerous customer suggestions, blue. Also, the operating and hard drive LEDs illuminate in the edition color as well as the three pre-installed 120 mm fans. Two fans rotate in the front, the third in the back. All possess a 4-pin power supply and a 3-pin mainboard connector.

Windows 8 implements a radical new user interface called Metro for desktop PC's, which has so far received a mixed reception. However, there's many other changes under the hood and one of those is how password security is handled, which we look at here. It's a fact of life, that in today's modern world, we have to remember a plethora of passwords and PIN's, which can be daunting. This leads to security issues as users end up writing down passwords and/or create very insecure ones which can be easily guessed. Windows 8 aims to uphold strong password security, while at the same time, easing the burden on the user. Also, passwords can be obtained in various ways by miscreants, such as phishing, keylogging, guessing, and cracking. Windows addresses each of these problems in three main ways:

Corsair, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market, today announced immediate retail availability of their new line of Vengeance PC gaming peripherals.

Corsair's new PC gaming peripherals line includes four new HID products: The Vengeance K60 and Vengeance K90 gaming keyboards and the Vengeance M60 and Vengeance M90 laser gaming mice. A key feature of all four of these new Vengeance Series products is the use of an aluminum structure to provide strength and durability, as well as a stunning industrial design.

Taiwanese company PQI (Power Quotient International) has this week announced a new flash drive, the compact and sleek i817L which features a capless design with a little twist. The twist is the spring-like mechanism which pulls the USB connector inside the drive's casing as soon as the device is disconnected from a PC or Mac.

The i817L makes use of chip-on-board (COB) technology so it's also waterproof, dustproof, and resistant to (most) shocks. This drive measures 48.63 (L) x 13.4 (W) x 5.6 (H) mm, has a USB 2.0 interface, is backed by a three-year warranty, and comes in three colors (spray white, ocean blue, coral pink) and four capacities (4 GB, 8 GB, 16 GB and 32 GB). Unfortunately PQI didn't announce any prices.

PNY Technologies, Inc., is considered a leading designer, manufacturer and a worldwide leader in DRAM Memory and Flash Memory products, and authorized partnership with HP since 2008. December 2011 PNY has introduced its popular line-up - the HP v240b/v240g, which is a tiny but elegant designed drive targeting mainly business people. The drive comes in no-nonsense plastic casing in classic blue and green colors. The clean design is meant to symbolize tidiness and a coherent professional feeling at the workplace.

The drive comes with a cap to protect the USB plug from dust and water. In fact, the drive is not only rugged, it is also dustproof and waterproof, with the strong polymer lending it durability and resistance to shock. The cap has a keyhole to attach a lanyard, useful to attach it to your purse, keychain, belt, etc. The COB packaging helps achieve such a small dimensions of 7 mm x 16 mm x 31 mm and just 4.2 grams, thus giving it ultra-portability.

Kingston released its newest line of ultra-compact USB flash drives in Europe, the DataTraveler Micro. Available in capacities of 8 GB and 16 GB, the biggest selling point of these drives are their dimensions of 256 x 167 x 84 mm. That aside, they use the older USB 2.0 interface. The drives use a capped design with shortened body. The outer body is a hard plastic shell. There's provision to strap in a lanyard. The 8 GB variant is priced at 8.50 Euros, and the 16 GB one at 16 Euros.

Thecus is well known in the market for always putting innovative hardware and state of the art technology on the table for a fair price in order to guarantee our customers the best value. Thecus's new N4100EVO NAS offer a broad range of advanced features and differentiate themselves with low-energy hardware for those who place strong value on cutting down their electricity costs and carbon footprint. This cost-effective hardware is the first four-bay NAS on the market to feature the speedy and efficient dual-core Cavium CPU to get the quick transfer speeds necessary for large backups and heavy use. The N4100EVO is designed to change the way you run your office, at home or at work.

KINGMAX, a world renowned leading brand of DRAM and flash memory, announced the KINGMAX latest model UI-03 in the urban series. What would surprise you when you choose a USB drive? Whenever a new style of flash drives comes to the marketplace, of course we look for speed, capacity and the latest technology, but nowadays we also consider its added values, and where added value is concerned, for most people, it is a case of whether it is attachable or waterproof.

KINGMAX latest model UI-03 in the urban series, which really has got the "wow" factor! What is unique is its "paper-clip" design hook, making the UI-03 not simply a storage drive but also a handy USB drive that can also be used to attach pieces of paper together. It can even be attached to your collar as a discrete pendant.

The new GlacialTech Cooling Pad is the best way to keep your laptop cool. In order to achieve the best cooling performance, GlacialTech redesigned SnowPad series cooling Pad in the title of N1/ H2 which is compatible with 17"and smaller notebook / computers to include a multi air inlet and ultra - silent fan for super air flow and gives best cooling performance. The USB-powered Cooling Pad can be used comfortably on a desk or in your lap. The SnowPad Series have high quality and full range metal mesh design that looks good in any home or office and allows fast and efficient heat dissipation. The mesh pattern can help it work more efficiently and smoothly while its back props the pad (and your notebook) up at about a perfect-degree angle, both to increase airflow and to give users a better typing position. The Anti-slip design ensures the notebook safety and prevents the notebook from sliding.

Verbatim, the global leader in data storage technology, has just announced its new Ultra-Slim Bluetooth Keyboard is now shipping to retailers nationwide. Designed to work with iPads, iPhones and other Bluetooth-enabled tablets with HID keyboard support, this thin, portable keyboard delivers a more familiar typing method to touchscreen users. By offering a quick and easy way to compose e-mails and other important documents on-the-go, the Ultra-Slim Bluetooth Keyboard enhances productivity and efficiency anywhere.

"The Ultra-Slim Bluetooth Keyboard is all about giving our customers the freedom to be mobile," said Ron Hanafin, Verbatim Product Manager, Accessories & Peripherals. "For on-the-go business professionals, for students working on a late-night term paper at the local coffee shop or for the everyday lifestyle blogger, this portable accessory is the perfect travel companion."

Yes, you heard that right, when completed, the Raspberry Pi foundation will be selling a credit card sized computer running Linux that can plug into your television and play H.264 1080p30 videos. Raspberry Pi is the somewhat cheekily-named UK registered charity which has been set up to design and build a very low cost computer that is targeted for use in computer science lessons in schools, to "put the fun back into learning computing." Why, was it ever not fun?! However, such a simple and cheap general purpose gadget has the potential for many other uses than the classroom, as the world is full of inventive tech-minded people that can tinker with something like this and build innovative projects with them, perhaps by using several of these together.

The product will come in two configurations, a $25 Model A with 128 MB SDRAM & $35 Model B with 256 MB SDRAM and both will come with the same 700 MHz Broadcom BCM2835 media processor featuring an ARM11 (ARM1176JZF-S) core, Broadcom GPU core, DSP core and support for Package-on-Package (PoP) RAM. We expect that in this day and age, most people will go for the 256 MB model, which is still a very small amount of RAM. For those that want to get the most out if this device, the website - www.raspberrypi.org - has a forum and a wiki with tons of technical details on the device, including benchmarks and links to many other news stories & blogs about the product. There's even a shop, although at the moment, it's only selling keyboard stickers of the foundation's logo.

PNY Technologies is considered a leading designer, manufacturer, and supplier of memory upgrade modules launched the HP v112b tiny USB Flash Drive, adding a new USB Flash drive to its HP line-up the v112b, which is a tiny but elegantly designed drive. The drive comes in a shiny translucent sapphire blue casing with wavy design to help get a better grip. It comes with a cap, which also features the same wavy design, continuing the body design when closed. The design makes it water resistant, and it is also resistant to mechanical shocks. The COB packaging helps achieve such a small size.

A lanyard hold at the far end lets you tie it to a keychain, purse, belt, etc. Plug and play functionality lets you use the drive in Windows 2000, XP, Vista and 7, and even on Mac OS 10.3 and above. Being a very tiny drive has its advantages, giving the drive ultra-portability. The small size and weight also makes it convenient to take it wherever you go to share your digital documents, pictures, video clips and music files.

As the joyful Christmas approaches, Team Group Inc. presents the brand new F108-X'mas USB to make the sweetest holiday greetings. The graffiti art Christmas tree is painted and decorated with red reindeers and golden snowflakes. Its colorful and lovely patterns properly match to deliver sincere wishes and create a sugary Christmas fantasy for couples.

In creative packaging, the delicate F108-X'mas limited edition has beautifully carried out the holiday spirits. Using charming red and luxury gold with steamy textures, a pleasant, warm, and kaleidoscopic Christmas is in the air. F108-X'mas limited edition provides 4, 8, and16 GB stock capacities in 2 designs worthwhile to collect. What's more, the company is considerate to grant you lifetime warranty to store every precious memory.

Do you want a really small PC that fits in the palm of your hand? Well, if you do, then VIA Technology have got you covered with their new ARTiGO A1150. As you can see from the pictures, it has a high 'cuteness' factor, due to its diminutive size of just 5.7" x 3.9" x 2". For processing, it sports a 64-bit VIA 1.0 GHz dual core Eden X2 CPU and a VX900H media system processor supporting the latest HD video codecs including H.264, VC-1 and MPEG-2/4 at up to 1080p. Interfaces include HDMI and VGA ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, five USB ports including one USB device port, three audio jacks with optional wireless IEEE 802.11 b/g/n and SD card reader modules.

Target uses include the usual home/office environments, use as a super space-saving desktop PC, a home server, media streaming and surveillance applications. Of course, the real question is what kind of performance can one expect out if it, given that it's targeted at the desktop PC market, so one hopes that it can run Windows 7 at a decent performance level. Oddly, the VIA press release doesn't say anything about the RAM, so it's not clear how much can be fitted, which type and what speed grades are supported.