AMD's upcoming Radeon HD 8000M "Solar System" line of mobile GPUs, which are slated for a CES 2013 launch, were detailed in a press-deck scored by Engadget. According to the slides, the Radeon HD 8000M is based entirely on the new Graphics CoreNext (GCN) micro-architecture, supports DirectX 11.1, and AMD's equivalent of NVIDIA Optimus, the Enduro Technology, which dynamically switches between discrete and integrated GPUs, which coupled with AMD ZeroCore power technology, completely turn off discrete GPUs at low graphics processing loads.

Sharp unveiled the much awaited proof of pudding for the IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) LCD panel technology. IGZO acts as a superior substrate material to amorphous silicon, thanks to higher electron mobility, and lets you achieve either higher pixel density, or faster response times. Sharp chose the former, and launched the PN-K321. This 32-inch professional desktop/workstation monitor packs a native resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. To draw those many pixels from its source, it relies on DisplayPort, although HDMI is also available. It is priced at the equivalent of US $5,500, and could be unveiled stateside at CES 2013 (January).

ASUS unveiled the Zenbook UX42VS, UX52VS and U500VZ. This launch marks the first 14- and 15-inch models in a series that consists of ASUS' flagship Ultrabook products. The UX42VS features a 14-inch 1366 x 768 pixels screen, it tips the scales at 1.9 kg, and features a wedge-shaped chassis that is as just 6 mm thick at its thinnest point. It is driven by Intel Core i3/i5/i7 processor (options), with 6 GB of memory, GeForce GT 645M graphics, and 1 TB of SSD-accelerated HDD storage.

The Zenbook UX52VS and U500VZ feature 15-inch screens. The UX52VS (pictured below), features Core i5/i7 ULV processor options, 10 GB of memory, GeForce GT 645M graphics, and SSD-accelerated 1 TB HDD. The U500VZ is an anomaly in this lineup, as it features mainstream quad-core Core i7 processor, 8 GB memory, 1080p display resolution, GeForce GT 650M graphics. Despite the kind of hardware it packs, it weighs just 2 kg, and retains the wedge-shaped chassis that's as low as 6 mm-thick.

Kotkin Enterprises announces their newest endeavor, Delta Six, a hybrid motion controller designed to enhance performance and create a more immersive experience on titles like Call of Duty Black Ops 2. Former Special Forces operator turned military consultant for Spike's Gametrailers, David B. Johnson, says "When David Kotkin presented this invention, I was excited to be included on such an innovative project." We made a fps simulation controller that is preferred over the standard controller. Our vision is to bridge the gap between motion control and Hardcore First Person Shooters. For the first time a Call of Duty player will feel more immersed in game-play and have more control over the game than ever before. The only way to get more real is to enlist" said David Kotkin, owner and inventor of the Avenger Elite.

No, you're not dreaming. The flickery 360-degree 3D displays envisaged in the Star Wars movies now exists as a prototype project from Microsoft. Called the Vermeer Interactive Display, the research project combines Microsoft's Kinect motion sensing technology to allow you to directly 'touch' and interact with the virtual image being projected, which Microsoft describes as a '3D volumetric/light field display'. In essence, it works by creating an image between two facing parabolic mirrors, which then creates the optical illusion of a colour 3D image floating above them, which can be viewed all the way round. So, could this technology eventually be applied to PC gaming giving an immersive interactive experience not seen before? What kind of graphics power would be needed to drive it? The video below gives a fascinating demonstration of this new technology.

AMD has been slapped with a lawsuit by Quanta for allegedly selling faulty CPUs & GPUs that were unfit for purpose, since they didn't meet specified heat tolerances and subsequently failed. Taiwan-based Quanta may not have a name that the general public immediately recognizes, however they are actually the world's largest contract manufacturer of notebooks, so this lawsuit is a big deal. They claim that the faulty parts were used in notebooks made for NEC. The lawsuit was filed in a district court in San Jose, California and in the filing, Quanta claims they have "suffered significant injury to prospective revenue and profits". As Bloomberg reports, "the lawsuit also claims breach of warranty, negligent misrepresentation, civil fraud and interference with a contract."

The current display technology standard for most PCs and TVs is LCD nowadays. However, LCD technology has significant and well known drawbacks, such as limited viewing angles, poor colours, motion blur and input lag. These problems cause some people to swear by and hold on to the old and now obsolete CRT monitors, as it had none of these problems (it did however, have lots of others). There are various types of LCD technology in mainstream use today which attempt to address these shortcomings, but none fix them all. For example, TN displays are cheap to buy, relatively fast which reduces motion smear and input lag, but at the expense of viewing angle and colour accuracy, making them suitable for fast gaming and animation. Meanwhile, IPS displays have the opposite characteristics, making them suitable for professional photographic work, where accurate colours and vibrant pictures are essential.

Rice University and Duke University are the latest in a long line of educational institutions to fund research on the effect of using restrictive Digital Rights Management (DRM) to try and control levels of so-called "piracy", which is allegedly reducing sales of content-only, infinite goods/virtual products, such as music, movies, computer games and books. (Some observers writing about DRM replace the word "Rights", giving us the phrase Digital Restrictions Management, which seems a more accurate description of what it's really about and removes the veneer of legitimacy from it. When buying DRM'd content, you are buying digital handcuffs, nothing more, nothing less.) The universities sponsored a study called Music Downloads and the Flip Side of Digital Rights Management Protection and what it found is that contrary to popular belief amongst the big content companies, removing DRM can actually decrease levels of piracy and increase sales. The fact is that DRM is always broken by hackers and pretty quickly too, often within a day or two (there isn't a single one still standing) leaving legal users who work within its confinements with all the restrictive hassles that it imposes, while the pirates get an unencumbered product to do with as they please. How is this progress?