ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih has unveiled the highly-anticipated Padfone along with the latest ASUS innovations, which include new UX Series notebooks, redesigned N Series notebooks with SonicMaster audio technology, the revolutionary and versatile Eee Pad Memo 3D, ultra-thin Eee PC X101 netbooks, and unique home entertainment devices such as the motion-sensing WAVI Xtion and the 27" All-in-One high-definition ET2700XVT desktop PC. With "Break the Rules, Innovation Beyond Expectations" as the dominant theme this year, Mr. Shih has reiterated the company's strength in cutting-edge designs and superior engineering skills to help bring users the devices of their dreams. "Breaking the rules and changing the status quo are the keys to our success, and we strive to offer customers an experience that surpasses their expectations," said Mr. Shih.

Renesas Electronics today announced that the cumulative total shipment of the company's SuperSpeed Universal Serial Bus (USB 3.0) host controllers has reached 30 million units worldwide as of 19 May 2011. This achievement comes a year and a half after starting mass production of the world's first USB host controller (µPD720200) in September 2009. The company also announced that to further address increasing orders from customers, it plans to double production of USB 3.0 host controllers to a monthly production of six million units starting this June.

In May 2009, Renesas Electronics (then NEC Electronics) introduced the industry's first USB 3.0 xHCI host controller and, after four months of its release, the company became the world's first to earn the "Certified SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0)" certification from the USB-IF, and also started mass production of the µPD720200 host controller. In the following year, the company released its second USB 3.0 xHCI host controller (µPD720200A) and passed the compliance and certification testing in only two months. These host controllers have become the de facto USB 3.0 host controller standard realising the best interoperability between PCs and PC peripherals that support USB 3.0.

Lenovo announced today the ThinkCentre Edge 91z all-in-one (AIO) desktop - the first PC in the ThinkCentre Edge family - that blends sophisticated image, purposeful function and productivity into a small, subcompact model. Equipped with up to Intel i7 Quad Core processors, the ThinkCentre Edge 91z AIO makes its debut as the industry's most powerful AIO, as well as the thinnest, measuring just 2.5 inches. It makes an ideal office or home tool for small-to- medium businesses, education customers and power professionals looking for style and high performance with the convenience of a small footprint.

"Until recently, all-in-one desktops lacked the powerful performance many desktop users need, but the ThinkCentre Edge 91z all-in-one turns the paradigm on its head with supercharged processing power and robust graphics all in a sporty and stylish design," said Tom Shell, vice president, ThinkCentre Marketing, Lenovo. "It forms a unique combination of style and substance, outpacing the competition in performance, fast boot up, serviceability and price."

PCMark 7, a new Futuremark benchmark that offers complete PC performance testing for Windows 7, was released today and is now available to download and purchase from here. PCMark 7 is available in 3 editions: the free Basic Edition that offers unlimited runs of the PCMark test suite without registration or expiry, the Advanced Edition which includes all 7 benchmark tests and the Professional Edition which unlocks all features and is licensed for commercial use. PCMark 7 is the latest benchmark from developer Futuremark and joins existing Windows PC tests PCMark05 for Windows XP and PCMark Vantage for Windows Vista.

PCMark 7 provides a set of 7 PC tests for measuring different aspects of PC performance with a high degree of accuracy. Overall system performance is measured by the PCMark test. The Lightweight test measures the capabilities of entry level systems and mobility platforms unable to run the full PCMark test. Common use performance is measured by the Entertainment, Creativity and Productivity tests. Component performance is measured by the Computation and Storage hardware tests. The Storage test is ideal for testing solid state drives (SSDs) and external hard drives in addition to the system drive.

AMD today released this month's timely release of its Catalyst software suite, a unified software package that installs the latest drivers for AMD Radeon graphics processors, AMD HDMI audio device, 7-series and 8-series chipsets, and related system software. This particular release has been touted by its makers within the community to provide significant performance improvements, some of which have been demonstrated by a "preview" version of Catalyst 11.4 released last month. A partial list of those games can be found here. Apart from performance enhancements, Catalyst 11.4 WHQL includes new features such as task based display management controls, an improved Eyefinity setup group, and a new Catalyst update notifier that lets your know if a newer version of AMD Catalyst is available online. There are some OpenCL GPU compute enhancements, and a list of bugs fixed, as listed in the Release Notes document.

DOWNLOAD:AMD Catalyst 11.4 WHQL for Windows 7/Vista 64-bit, Windows 7/Vista 32-bit, Windows XP 32-bit, Windows XP 64-bit

Micro-Star International Co., the world's leading All-in-One PC brands release the latest AIO PC featuring the Intel Sandy Bridge platform: Wind Top AE2410. A 1080p Full HD 24" LCD monitor coupled with the newest 2nd generation Intel Core i processor brings obvious improvements in both CPU and integrated graphics performance. The fantastic 1080p display brings real colors in every image. The AE2410 is also equipped with two USB 3.0 ports, allowing users to transfer data ten times faster than before. One of the USB 3.0 ports combines MSI's exclusive Super Charger technology to speed up USB charging time by 40% and recharge iPhone, iPad or MP3 players while the computer is turned off. These useful features provide more convenience and freedom to enjoy life.

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.

NVIDIA today released its first WHQL-signed 270 Series GeForce software suite. The package provides the latest driver software for GeForce discrete, integrated, and notebook GPUs, ION GPUs, GeForce HDMI audio, and the latest stable releases of NVIDIA PhysX, and NVIDIA 3DVision. Version 270.61 WHQL packs official support for the recently released GeForce GTX 590, GTX 550 Ti, GTX 560 Ti, supermassive performance increases (such as 516% in Dragon Age 2 (GTX 580 SLI 2560x1600 8xAA/16xAF Very High, SSAO on)) specific to GeForce 400 and 500 series; and of course, a stable version of NVIDIA's driver auto-update software.

DOWNLOAD: NVIDIA GeForce 270.61 WHQL.

A list of changes follows.

Futuremark today confirmed that PCMark 7, a new benchmark offering complete PC performance testing for Windows 7, will be released on May 3, 2011. PCMark 7 will be available in 3 editions: the Basic Edition, a free download offering unlimited runs of the main PCMark test, the Advanced Edition which includes all 7 PC tests and the Professional Edition which unlocks all features and is the only edition licensed for commercial use. The Advanced and Professional Editions can be pre-ordered now from this page.

PCMARK 7 BASIC EDITION - Free, available from May 3, 2011

• Free PC test offering unlimited runs of the main PCMark test suite
• Browse, search and compare results online
• Store one result online

Eurocom Corporation, the world's leading developer of highly personalized, high-performance notebook PCs and energy efficient All-in-Ones has been developing a dual CPU notebook solution for years. Eurocom technicians have been testing and verifying the systems performance and quality since the beginning of 2011 and now the system is ready for shipping.

The system is called the EUROCOM Phantom 4.0 and starts at $7999. The EUROCOM Phantom 4.0 can support up to two server class processors, 6 memory slots for 48 GB of RAM via 8 GB sticks, 6 storage drives with RAID 0/1/5/10/30. The Phantom 4.0 supports multiple operating systems (Microsoft Server 2003R2 x32 or x64, Server 2008R2 x64; VMware; Red Hat; LINUX; Solaris; Windows 7)and virtualization.

Acer today announced that its much anticipated dual screen tablet, the Iconia-6120 Dual-Screen Touchbook is now available for pre-sale in North America. Providing a powerful, immersive touch experience like no other, it is the world's first and only tablet to offer two touch-enabled 14-inch high-definition widescreen LED backlit LCDs.

Intuitive to use and customizable to individual needs, it combines the power of Intel Core i5 processing with the familiarity of Windows 7, and is destined to change how people use technology to engage with the world. A winner of this year's prestigious "Last Gadget Standing" award at CES, the Iconia was noted for incorporating the best features of any notebook or tablet device.

Lenovo announced today the ThinkStation E30 workstation and ThinkCentre M81 desktop - two new solutions that bring users speedy performance with 2nd generation Intel Core processors, rapid boot up/shut down and extra productivity features. Designed for creative, engineering and financial professionals who rely on specialized software applications to power their work, users get workstation-class performance and reliability starting at an affordable $599. Meanwhile, the ThinkCentre M81 desktop equips large businesses with the advanced computing features employees need to be most productive.

"Workstation users need the kind of performance that lets them do more each minute. The ThinkStation E30 workstation builds on our strong workstation platform, combining new rapid processing for data-crunching with more vivid and intense graphics capabilities," said Tao Gu, executive director and general manager, Workstation Business Unit, Lenovo. "We created the ThinkStation E30 workstation to offer extremely powerful processing on a software-certified solution at desktop prices."

Futuremark, the developer of the world's most popular benchmarking software, announced PCMark 7 today, a new benchmark offering complete PC performance analysis for Windows 7. PCMark 7 includes 7 separate test suites combining more than 20 individual workloads covering storage, computation, image and video manipulation, web browsing and gaming. A release date has not been announced though the official website states that PCMark 7 is coming soon.

"Hardware innovations like solid state drives (SSDs), and new form factors such as netbooks and tablets are greatly increasing the range of PC performance available to businesses and home users," said Jani Joki, Director of PC Products and Services at Futuremark. "With so much choice available, PCMark 7 is an essential and easy to use tool to test and compare PC performance accurately and reliably across a wide range of usage scenarios."

Gateway today unveils new models in its Gateway NV Series line of notebook PCs with the latest AMD processors, including new models in AMD's Vision Technology line, which deliver enhanced performance capabilities for mobile computing.

The flagship model of the new line is the Gateway NV51B05u, which features an AMD E-Series processor E-350 with Vision Technology and ATI Radeon HD 6310 graphics to deliver heightened performance in a value-based notebook.

The new Inspiron R series joins Dell's expansive collection of laptops and desktops equipped with the latest Intel processors and are fun, stylish and lightning quick. Available today at Dell.com, the new Inspiron R 14-, 15- and 17-inch laptops deliver incredible mobile entertainment, high-definition displays and outstanding battery life, but that's just the beginning.

The perfect combination of brains and beauty - the latest addition to the Inspiron family also introduces an innovative new design twist: new SWITCH by Design Studio interchangeable lids that switch the look of Inspiron R laptops with just a pop and a clicki. The SWITCH by Design Studio collection includes 25 new eye-popping lids sporting vibrant colors and unique designs. Start the day with a Peacock Blue lid, and switch it out for a design-inspired look at night.

TechPowerUp is ready for the numerous enhancements Internet Explorer 9 brings to Windows 7 operating system. We have added IE9 Jumplists for your favorite site to work more like an application, more of a part of your desktop. When pinned to your Windows 7 taskbar using Internet Explorer 9, TechPowerUp behaves like an application. Clicking it launches the TechPowerUp front-page, with a TPU button that takes you to the site from wherever. The navigation buttons on IE9 set themselves to match the red color.

Further, right-clicking the TPU button on the Windows 7 taskbar shows you our Jumplist. Here, you can quickly launch the IE9 with your favorite area on TPU. Five of our latest reviews are displayed in a constantly updating list, so you can catch up with our latest content. To install the TechPowerUp IE9 Jumplist integration, simply drag the TechPowerUp favicon or tab from IE9, and drop it on to your Windows 7 taskbar. It stays there and launches TPU in a flash. Comments are welcome.

Rovi Corporation today unveiled Roxio Game Capture and Roxio PC Game Capture, two affordably priced products that offer a straightforward way for gamers to quickly and easily capture and share PC and console game play videos.

In-product tutorials help everyone get set up quickly and immediately begin to capture and showcase their latest campaigns, adventures, ball skills, and race sequences. Gamers may use the products to post their high scores, tips & tricks, game reviews, or even a feature-length movie, or Machinima, based on game play footage. See the products in action here.

Samsung Electronics America Inc., a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Corporation, today announced three new mobile PC lines for the workplace. The Series 2, Series 4 and Series 6 laptops combine first-rate reliability and enhanced security with features like anti-shock hard drives and pressure-resistant casings to meet the needs of a fast-paced enterprise or educational environment.

"Samsung's new mobile PCs deliver an unrivaled experience for the workplace, with features specifically designed to meet the needs of IT managers and end users," said Scott Ledterman, director of mobile PC marketing at Samsung Enterprise Business Division. "The new Series 2, 4 and 6 laptops present a unique opportunity for Samsung to specifically focus on the enterprise and educational channels and underscores Samsung as a global leader in the enterprise PC market."

Microsoft released Internet Explorer 9, in its stable RTM form, nearly an year after it first released "Platform Previews", followed by Betas and Release Candidates. With its latest release, Microsoft's still popular web-browser underwent a major overhaul in terms of features and browser-engine. The new browser is backed by a faster Javascript engine, a faster rendering engine that makes use of GPU hardware acceleration for drawing, and redesigned user interface elements that make day to day web browsing experience snappier.

With Internet Explorer 9, Microsoft also took a bold step in not supporting Windows XP, which still holds a large chunk of the operating system market share, the new browser only supports Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows 2008/2008-R2 series operating systems. The user interface is far more minimalistic, uses simple icons, the status and menu bars are hidden by default, with tooltips doing the job of a status bar, and the browser continues to support a large number of ActiveX components. The browser also underwent a security overhaul. For 64-bit versions of Windows, the installer also packs a 64-bit version of the browser. Oracle already has a stable 64-bit Java ActiveX plugin, while Adobe Labs has a beta 64-bit Flash player for Windows, two big steps in porting the web-browser to x86-64.DOWNLOAD: Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer 9

Today, Lenovo and Intel Corporation announced the Lenovo Classmate+ PC, a purpose-built laptop designed to improve learning for students in grades K-8. The Lenovo Classmate+ provides schools an affordable, child-friendly complete hardware and software solution. Based on the Intel Learning Series reference design, the PC will come pre-loaded with the Intel Learning Series software suite, specialized educational software and a variety of teaching resources. This spring, the Organization of Ibero-American States will deploy the first wave of 158,000 Lenovo Classmate+ laptops as part of its Conectar Igualdad 1:1 computing program, which will equip students throughout the country with PC technology.

"As the fastest-growing PC company in education, we are committed to creating education solutions that improve schools' efficiency, as well as leading initiatives to evaluate how technology can measurably improve learning outcomes," said Michael Schmedlen, director of Worldwide Education, Lenovo. "Our work with Intel to offer products like the Lenovo Classmate+ PC will create more opportunities for K-8 administrators, teachers and students to realize the benefits of technology-enriched 1:1 learning experiences."

ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of computing, consumer electronics and communications solutions, today announced North American availability of the ViewPad 10. Giving users a choice between Windows 7 and Google Android within the same device, this 10.1" dual-boot tablet is ideal for maximizing business productivity alongside entertainment.

"The lines of professional and personal life are blurring, which creates a need for devices that are suited for both sides," said Adam Hanin, vice president of marketing for ViewSonic Americas. "The ViewPad 10 delivers just that by enabling users to merge business productivity with personal enjoyment anywhere, anytime. We are proud of our 10-year tablet history and are dedicated to further extending our tablet product portfolio to meet every individual need."

Renesas Electronics Corporation, a premier provider of advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced the availability of its two new SuperSpeed Universal Serial Bus (USB 3.0) xHCI host controllers (part number, µPD720201 and µPD720202) for electronic devices such as PCs and digital TVs that feature faster effective data transfer speeds and reduced power consumption in low power mode.

The µPD720201 and µPD720202 devices make it easier for system designers to build electronic devices combining high-speed data transfer, compact size, and extended battery life. In addition, Renesas Electronics device drivers for Microsoft Windows with a proven track record, and device drivers with Linux support, are available for the µPD720201 and µPD720202 host controllers at no cost.

MSI, the innovating leader in the all-in-one touch screen PC market, today unveiled the Wind Top AE2210 All-in-One PC with Intel's latest Sandy Bridge platform. The Wind Top AE2210's large 21.5" Full HD high resolution display comes fitted with the newest 2nd generation Intel Core i processor. Whether it's CPU or built-in graphic card, the performances get a noticeable boost. Unlike models from other brands, the AE2210 houses two built-in speakers specially paired with Hollywood-class THX TruStudio Pro acoustic technology.

This enables the AE2210 to not only provide a satisfying high resolution picture, but also presents users with audio capabilities that are akin to having a personal surround sound system, marking a revolution in audio and video quality. The AE2210 comes with 2 USB 3.0 ports, ensuring ultra-fast data transfer speeds which make life even more efficient. One of the two USB 3.0 ports comes with additional MSI Super Charger technology, which offers 40% faster recharging time compared to a normal USB; it also lets users continue to charge devices through the USB port even while the computer is turned off. This makes life more convenient than ever.

ZOTAC International, a leading innovator and the world's largest channel manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards and mini-PCs, today unleashes the ZOTAC ZBOX AD02 series mini-PCs powered by the AMD E-350 APU platform. The ZOTAC ZBOX AD02 series delivers a premium computing experience with rich high-definition video playback capabilities and outstanding 3D visuals in a compact form factor.

The powerful AMD E-350 APU equips the ZOTAC ZBOX AD02 series with dual processor cores for lightning-fast system responsiveness and snappy multi-tasking abilities. Integrated AMD Radeon HD 6310 graphics enable compatibility with the latest Microsoft DirectX 11 titles for stunning 3D visuals on the ZOTAC ZBOX AD02 series.

Fujitsu today announces the STYLISTIC Q550, a business class slate PC designed for the high-security requirements of mobile enterprise computing. Unveiled at a media briefing in Tokyo today, the STYLISTIC Q550 will be launched at CeBIT 2011, which takes place in Hanover, Germany, from March 1-5, 2011.

Building on Fujitsu's long heritage of creating tablet PCs for professional and business users, the Fujitsu STYLISTIC Q550 Slate PC is a keyboard-less tablet PC that builds in security from the ground up, so that it meets the most stringent IT security requirements of governments and businesses. The Fujitsu STYLISTIC Q550 is developed to meet enterprise mobile computing demands and integrate seamlessly into existing IT infrastructures.