Back in August, it was reported that the retail packages of some, if not all, Intel's Sandy Bridge-E Core i7 LGA2011 processors will not pack the certified cooling solution like Core i7 LGA1366 processors do. It was also reported that Intel will sell its own-branded cooling solutions separately. It became a little obvious right then, that Intel won't selling dinky-little heatsinks that cost a couple of dozen Dollars. At the ongoing IDF event, Intel displayed its first retail-packaged cooling solution that's not only LGA2011-compatible, but also supports older socket types such as LGA1155, LGA1156, and LGA1366.

The cooling solution is a closed-loop (self-contained) liquid cooler made by water cooling OEM Asetek. Called the RTS2011LC, the cooler is rated to cool processors with TDP of up to 130W. The cooler consists of an exposed-copper block that also houses the pump, tough and flexible tubing that runs to the radiator assembly, which houses a reservoir, and a fancy-looking 120 mm fan. Along with the fan, the Intel logo on the block lights up blue. The radiator used looks similar to that on the Hydro Series H70, a popular cooler by Corsair, which is also made by Asetek. Expected to be available around the same time as Core i7 LGA2011 processors, the Intel RTS2011LC could command a price over $99.

Here are the first pictures of ASUS' latest gaming desktop under its premium Republic of Gamers banner, the ROG CG8565. This black beauty is sculpted with the typical "edgy" design that has been found on recent ROG products. The case has no windows, but its design is enough to be an eyeball-magnet at LAN parties. The case looks well-ventilated with its intricately-designed vents on its top and sides. The front door slides down revealing the front panel, with two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, audio, multi-format card reader, a Blu-ray ROM + DVD-RW combo drive, and a 3.5-inch SATA hard drive hot-swap bay. The ROG logo glows red when the system is powered on.

Under the hood, the ROG CG8565 is a Sandy Bridge-powered system. It is driven by an Intel Core i7-2600K quad-core processor, that's overclocked out of the box at 4.20 GHz. There are two higher OC presets that's selectable using the ROG panel, OC1 runs the CPU at 4.40 GHz, and OC2 runs it at 4.60 GHz. The CPU makes use of liquid cooling. In all likelihood, the motherboard is an ROG Maximus IV-class. There's 16 GB of dual-channel DDR3-1600 MHz memory.

Intel is in no mood to settle down its high-end client solid-state drive (SSD) lineup, the company is preparing a new line of SSDs in the 2.5-inch SATA 6 Gb/s form-factor that succeeds the SSD 510 Series. Called the SSD 520 Series, the new line consists of various size options that didn't exist with SSD 510 Series, improvements in performance and price per gigabyte, and a few new features. While the SSD 510 is available only in two sizes (capacities): 120 GB and 250 GB, SSD 520 Series comes in a lot more: 60 GB, 120 GB, 160 GB, 240 GB, and 480 GB. It's as if Intel is taking SandForce SF-22xx SSDs head-on at each price-point.

Sequential and random access performance figures are known to vary between different models (capacities) with Intel SSDs, but there's one set of them that we have in hand, perhaps it's of the fastest model: up to 530 MB/s read, 490 MB/s write sequential performance; and 40,000 IOPS reads and 45,000 IOPS writes random performance. SSD 520 Series drives make use of 25 nm MLC NAND flash memory, and a complete feature-set for today's client SSDs: TRIM, SMART, NCQ, and ACS-2 compliance. The drives are rated with 1.2 million hours MTBF, can operate between 0 and 70°C, and withstand up to 2.7 G (RMS) vibration. Production of Intel SSD 520 Series SATA 6 Gb/s drives are expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Even as AMD struggles to get its FX series processors out, and into to the market, Intel seems to be doing the opposite: trying to get Sandy Bridge-E (enthusiast) out as quickly as possible. The new high-end desktop/workstation platform was slated for December, and then there was news that chipset delays could push it into 2012. Fresh news pin-points the launch date to Week 46 of 2011, more specifically, November 15. On that day, Intel will have processors as well as compatible Desktop Board products (Intel-branded motherboards) out in the markets, ready for purchase. Ideally, motherboard vendors should have their socket LGA2011 products stocked up by then, too.

Intel will begin the Sandy Bridge-E platform with Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition 6-core Unlocked processor, Core i7-3930K 6-core Unlocked processor, and Core i7-3820 4-core processor. Intel X79 Express is the De facto desktop chipset. The first compatible Intel Desktop Board products include DX79SI, and DX79TO.

In the weeks to come, Intel will unveil a new family of solid state drives, the SSD 710 series, codenamed "Lyndonville". These come in the 2.5-inch form-factor, and use the 3 Gb/s SATA interface. Intel is pitching SSD 710 series to the enterprise computing segment, as a potential successor of even the X25-E series. Its design principles include giving the enterprise segment an SSD with lower price per gigabyte and endurance comparable to X25-E. Intel is able to achieve lower price per gigabyte because it is using High Endurance Technology Multi-Level Cell (HET-MLC) NAND flash memory chips built on the 25 nanometer fabrication proces, and not 50 nm SLC NAND flash.

Intel's SSD 710 series are available in three capacities - 100 GB, 200 GB, and 300 GB. The endurance rating, 4 KB and 8 KB random read/write performance, and even sequential transfer rates vary between the three. Endurance and performance are also affected by overprovisioning. The drives can be set provide its maximum advertised unformatted capacity, or 20% of it can be overprovisioned. The SSD 710 drives provide up to 1,500 TB 4 KB random write endurance, and up to 2,400 IOPS 4 KB random write performance.

Intel launched as many as 16 new processors over the weekend, including 11 desktop socket LGA1155, and 5 mobile chips. The new wave includes several new sub-$100 parts covering key price-points, and carrying the Pentium and Celeron brands. Leading the pack is a new quad-core chip that is sure to strike a price-performance sweetspot: the Core i5-2320. This chip displaces the Core i5-2300 from its price-point of US $177, and is faster. While the i5-2300 is nominally clocked at 2.80 GHz, the i5-2320 runs at 3.00 GHz. Another significant introduction here is the Core i3-2130, which displaces the i3-2120 from its price-point of $139. The new dual-core chip is clocked at 3.40 GHz, 100 MHz faster than the chip it's displacing.

Then there's another kind of change, the Core i3-2125. This chip is identically clocked with the i3-2120 at 3.30 GHz, but it might be tweaked in other parameters (such as GPU clock speed, feature-set, etc). Core i3-2120T is a new low-power desktop chip, that's clocked at 2.60 GHz, and nearly half the rated TDP, at 35W. Then there's a trio of Pentium-branded dual-core chips, including the G630T, G860, and G630, clocked at 2.30 GHz, 3.00 GHz, and 2.70 GHz, displacing the G620T, G850, and G620, respectively.

Gigabyte released a new utility that allows you to change the mode of the chipset SATA controller between IDE, AHCI, and RAID (if available), from within Windows. While the switching isn't exactly on-the-fly (because changing SATA mode is effectively changing the SATA controller as Windows sees it, and hence can't happen on-the-fly), it certainly saves the trouble of going into BIOS setup and digging out that option. The utility works by writing the value of the selected mode to the CMOS, and prompting a system reboot for the change to take effect. Gigabyte's Disk Mode Switch utility works on Gigabyte motherboards based on Intel 6-series chipset (H61, H67, P67, and Z68). Now why you'd need a Windows-based utility to change a BIOS setting as infrequently changed as SATA controller mode is something we'll leave it to you to comment on.DOWNLOAD: Gigabyte Disk Mode Switch

Last week, Intel released a firmware update (0362) for its SSD 320 Series products that it claimed would address the "8 MB bug", which results in a data loss with the drive not being able to see more than 8 MB of the installed NAND flash memory. After application of the firmware update, some reported back to Intel Support Community claiming that the new firmware did not effectively address the 8 MB bug, and has in some cases, made the drives even more unreliable. The users note that a SSD self-test cycle by the drive is causing Windows to crash with a bluescreen (BSOD). Intel has not responded to these posts.

LG announced its first 3D-capable notebook, the XNote A530. Two of its biggest selling points are the 15-inch LED backlit display that's capable of 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution, and stereoscopic 3D webcam, that uses two individual cameras to build a stereo 3D video stream, backed by LG's software. The XNote A530 is powered by "Sandy Bridge" 2nd Generation Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M graphics. A Korean press release also mentions that the notebook will back 3D PT software, that allows users to make stereo 3D presentations that can be displayed using 3D-capable displays and projectors. The company did not announce pricing and availability details.

Thermal Solutions specialist GELID Solutions reveals the GX-7 CPU cooler of its GAMER product line. Engineers at GELID Solutions have created an outstanding new CPU cooler with 7 power heat pipes. Contrary to traditional heat pipe arrangement for this GAMER CPU cooler "GX-7", a special array of heat pipes was used to take full advantage of all 7 heat pipes heat transfer capacity. Further V-shaped aluminum fins were used in the center of the heat sink to allow airflow to reach the heat sink more evenly. Openings inside of the heat sink and near the heat pipes let fresh-air flows in from the top and the bottom to zones normally poorly ventilated, and eliminate the creation of hotspots. The unique heat sink shape supports dual fans.

Included in the GX-7 is the multi-award winning Wing 12 PL fan, allowing the cooler to reach remarkable temperature. The Wing 12 PL Blue features blue LEDs and unique Nanoflux bearing which ensures a friction-free and silent operation. Thanks to the clever design and magnetic bearing, the impeller can be detached for easy cleaning. Additionally, fan blade winglets were designed to achieve larger airflow and greater static pressure. The fan also includes a premium PWM control, so the temperature can be controlled precisely by the BIOS.

Intel today released the much awaited fix for the "8 MB bug" (BAD_CTX 0000013x error) affecting some 320 Series solid state drives, which it announced it was looking into, back in July. The fix comes as a firmware update, version 1.9. The bug is caused by an unexpected power loss, which causes the drive to stop seeing data above 8 MB, resulting in a data loss. Intel fixed this bug with a new firmware update, which can by run by downloading the disk image (.iso file), burning it onto a blank CD, and booting from it. The firmware update can be downloaded from this page.

This fall, Intel plans a series of price-cuts covering its second-generation Core processor family, and Sandy Bridge-based Pentium Dual Core processors. The cuts will see prices lowered by roughly $10 across the board. The cuts cover dual-core Intel Pentium G630 and G850, dual-core Core i3-2120, i7-2390T, and quad-core Core i5-2400S, i5-2405S, i5-2500S, i5-2500T, and i7-2600S. Prime selling enthusiast models such as i5-2500, i5-2500K, i7-2600, i7-2600K don't feature in this list. Most of these cuts will come into effect in September, the price cuts of i3-2120, and the two Pentium Dual Core chips, will come into effect in October.

Intel's upcoming Core i7 processors in the LGA2011 package, codenamed "Sandy Bridge-E," will come in a unique package that's completely different from what's being reported as AMD's, in which self-contained liquid CPU coolers will be bundled with some FX-series processors. Intel's upcoming Core i7-3820, Core i7-3930K and the Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition processor boxes will lack Intel's certified (stock) heatsink-fan (HSF). Instead, Intel plans to sell the certified coolers separately, probably having the same market reach and availability as the processors themselves.

The idea behind this is that the target users of Sandy Bridge-E will most likely use third-party cooling solutions. Hence it makes sense to save them of a chunk of metal they'll probably never use. For those who do use stock cooling, seldom/never overclock, and rely on the Intel certification to go with the cooler, Intel will have the certified cooler available separately for purchase, with its retail partners. Sandy Bridge-E processors have a rated TDP of 130W, though tests by those having access to engineering samples have shown that it can reach as much as 180W on load, even without overclocking. It is expected that PC cooling products manufacturers will have entire lines of LGA2011-ready coolers in time for the launch of Sandy Bridge-E.

Here are some of the first motherboards by Intel's Desktop Board brand of consumer motherboards. Towards the end of 2011, Intel will release its Sandy Bridge-E high-end desktop platform. Like with the launch of any new chipset or desktop platform, Intel will have its Desktop Board products in place, that follow the chipset and branding specifications to the letter. With Sandy Bridge-E, Intel will launch two Extreme Series motherboards, the DX79SI and the DX79TO. In the second half of 2011, Intel will also launch a variety of Intel Atom boards, including one codenamed "Marshaltown".

Then in the first half of 2012, Intel will launch its next-generation 22 nm "Ivy Bridge" desktop processors in the LGA1155 package (compatible with Sandy Bridge). To back its launch, Intel will release a new chipset called Z77 Express. There will be no discrete graphics chipsets. H77 is the client desktop chipset that lacks overclocking features. Z77 has them, and support for Smart Response technology. Q77 adds a few enterprise management features. Intel's Z77 based motherboards include two Extreme series models, and two top-end Media Series models.

Team Group Inc. makes an active plan and layout to break into the industrial class and server memory module market in 201. Facing the emerging cloud computing market, Team Group is optimistic about the future potential of cloud technology. To satisfy the customer's need for a more flexible customized server production, Team Group has been actively trying to cut into the industrial class memory module market by means of its advantages in strong R&D and procurement.

Team Group's Registered DIMM memory module comes in two clock specifications, DDR3 1066/1333, and a selection of three capacities of 4GB, 8GB and 16GB. The 16GB was made under a more stringent technological standard than the industry's norm and a more rigorous product testing. It is double-sided and dual-layered to achieve the maximum capacity. The Registered DIMM is compatible with the latest chip sets such as Intel 5500/5520 and AMD SR5670/5690 to provide servers with the most stable memory storage space, making it the best partner for building a cloud server.

Panasonic Solutions Company, provider of collaboration, information-sharing and decision-support solutions for government and commercial enterprises, today announced the Panasonic Toughbook S10. Powered by an Intel Core i5-2520M vPro processor, the Toughbook S10 delivers up to 12.5 hours of standard battery life - the longest in its class - and weighs only 3.0 pounds. The notebook offers optional Gobi2000 mobile broadband and other enhancements to increase performance and drive return on investment. This lightweight device is ideal for road warriors and other highly mobile workers in a variety of markets.

Panasonic has designed the Toughbook S10 for the most demanding mobile users, offering exceptional battery life, connectivity, security features and performance. The Toughbook S10 also supports both USB 3.0 and 2.0, analog (VGA) and digital (HDMI) video and the latest SD card standard (SDXC) to enable faster file transfer speeds and greater flexibility. A host of security features, including an optional fingerprint reader, are available to keep your data protected and secured while on the road.

Until recently, conventional wisdom stated that SLC-based (single level cell) solid state drives (SSDs) were the only drives suitable for demanding Tier 0 Enterprise applications. That has changed with the introduction of Hitachi Global Storage Technologies' (Hitachi GST) new Ultrastar SSD400M MLC (multi level cell) SSD family. As a cost-effective alternative to SLC SSDs, Hitachi GST's Enterprise MLC SSDs are the most advanced in the industry, utilizing Intel's 25 nanometer (nm), highest endurance Enterprise-grade, MLC NAND Flash and delivering outstanding performance. Couple this with Hitachi GST's known quality and reliability, and the result is a compelling Enterprise-class MLC SSD that meets the performance, capacity, endurance and reliability demands of today's Enterprise and Cloud data centers. Targeting Enterprise capacity sweet spots, the Ultrastar SSD400M family is available in a 2.5-inch form factor with a 6Gb SAS interface in capacities of 200GB and 400GB.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co., Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards and computing hardware solutions today announced their entire range of 6 series motherboards are ready to support the next generation Intel 22nm CPUs (LGA1155 Socket) as well as offer native support for PCI Express Gen. 3 technology, delivering maximum data bandwidth for future discrete graphics cards.

Wanting to provide maximum upgradeability to customers, GIGABYTE has enabled native support for PCI Express Gen. 3 across the entire range of GIGABYTE 6 series motherboards, including the recently launched G1.Sniper 2 motherboard, when paired with Intel's next generation 22nm CPUs. By installing the latest BIOS for their 6 series motherboards today, users can be assured they are ready to take advantage of all the performance enhancements tomorrow's technologies have to offer.

Last month, there reports of Intel pushing its Sandy Bridge-E enthusiast desktop platform to 2011. It was originally scheduled for 2011, but was reportedly delayed to 2012 because of issues Intel was facing with its flagship desktop chipset, codenamed Patsburg-D. Intel will be launching Sandy Bridge-E this year, but the first wave of motherboards will feature Patsburg-A/B chipsets, which have fewer SATA 6 Gb/s ports than Patsburg-D.

Intel put its launch plans on paper with its latest desktop platform roadmap, that shows the first three models of socket LGA2011 Sandy Bridge-E processors, the six-core Core i7-3960X, Core i7-3930K, and the quad-core Core i7-3820, featuring in the Q4 2011 column. The roadmap shows that the three processors will hold their market-positions till Q2-2012, when Intel will release faster models to displace them. The roadmap slide also shows that Ivy Bridge, Intel's next-generation socket LGA1155 processors that are built on the 22 nm fab process, will be released in March or April 2012, and not early 2012 as speculated earlier.

Biostar released a new, improved variant of its TZ68A+ socket LGA1155 motherboard, the TZ68K+. The new board looks almost exactly the same as its predecessor except for the stronger CPU VRM. The CPU is now powered by an 8-phase VRM, compared to the 4-phase VRM on the previous version. The VRM cluster north of the CPU socket has its own little heatsink as well. Apart from that, it's the same budget Z68 chipset based motherboard in the ATX form-factor that TZ68A+ was.

Expansion slots include one PCI-Express 2.0 x16, one PCI-E x16 (electrical 2.0 x4), a PCI-E 2.0 x1, and two PCI. The board builds entirely on the chipset's and the LPCIO chip's feature-sets. In the storage department, we have two SATA 6 Gb/s, four SATA 3 Gb/s ports, all internal. Connectivity includes legacy ports such as LPT and COM given out as headers, wired to the LPCIO chip, a number of USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports on the rear panel, 6-channel HD audio, and PS/2 keyboard connector. Display outputs include HDMI 1.4, DVI, and D-Sub. Being Z68 based, it features Intel Smart Response technology. Like the TZ68A+, it uses UEFI firmware. We don't expect much of a price-difference between this board and the TZ68A+.

Stealth.com Inc., a leader in the industrial computer and peripherals market has released a new ultra small PC designed specifically for in-vehicle/mobile/embedded applications. Stealth's model LPC-125LPM is a rugged small form PC that operates in extreme temperatures and is energy efficient, drawing less than 20 Watts in operational power.

Housed in a rugged aluminum enclosure this energy efficient & versatile PC measures out at only 4.0" x 6.1" x 1.45" (102mm x 155mm x 37mm) or about the size of a deck of playing cards. The Stealth Mini PC weighs in at a mere 1.2lbs or 0.54kg. The PC operates from 10-26V of DC power making it ideal for DC powered applications typically found in vehicles and mobile applications.

It's not just host nations of the Olympics that are decided almost decades in advance, but also Intel's silicon names and the fab process they're going to be built on. Intel has its plan for the greater part of this decade already charted out, well beyond the upcoming Ivy Bridge architecture. Intel follows the "tick-tock" product cycle, where every micro-architecture gets to be built on two succeeding fab processes, and every fab process getting to have two succeeding micro-architectures built on it, in succession. Westmere is an optical shrink of the Nehalem architecture, it was a "tick" for the 32 nm process, Sandy Bridge is its "tock", and a new architecture. Ivy Bridge is essentially an optical shrink of Sandy Bridge, it is the "tick" for 22 nm process.

Ivy Bridge will make its entry through the LGA1155 platform in 2012, it will make up the 2012 Core processor family. Haswell is the next-generation architecture that succeeds Sandy Bridge and IvyBridge, it will be built on the 22 nm process, and is expected to arrive in 2013. Roswell is its optical shrink to 14 nm, slated for 2014. Looking deep into the decade, there's Skylake architecture, that will span across 14 nm and 10 nm processes with Skymont. This model ensures that Intel has to upgrade its fabs every 2 or so years, an entirely new micro-architecture every 2 or so years as well, while providing optical shrinks every alternating year. Optical shrinks introduce new features, increased caches, and allow higher clock speeds. 10 nm for processors by 2018 sounds realistic looking at the advancement of NAND flash technologies that are pushing the boundaries of fab process development. NAND flash is much less complex than processor development, and hence serve as good precursors to a new process.

Panasonic today launched the Toughbook CF-H2, its second generation, fully rugged tablet PC designed specifically for health workers. Setting new standards in ease of use, connectivity and productivity, the CF-H2 is a lightweight, water-resistant, shock and drop-tolerant and easily disinfected tablet device that meets the highest demands for mobility and networking within clinical environments. It allows doctors and nursing staff to benefit from instant access to medical records at the point of care, accurate documentation on patient conditions and medication, and enables greater efficiency of clinical processes.

With the latest Intel Core i5-2557M (1.7GHz) Ultra Low Voltage processor with vPro and the Intel HD 3000 graphics for enhanced multimedia capabilities, the Toughbook CF-H2 performance has been improved more than 400% over its CF-H1 predecessor. The CF-H2 is ideal for power hungry healthcare applications such as Electronic Patient Records (EPR) and Patient Administration Systems (PAS). RAM has also been raised to 2 gigabyte as standard, with up to 6 gigabyte optional, and it comes with a 160 gigabyte hard disk drive as standard with 128 gigabyte SSD as an option.

Intel Corporation today reported its fifth consecutive quarter of record revenue, with double-digit revenue growth across all business segments. On a Non-GAAP basis, revenue was $13.1 billion, operating income was $4.2 billion, net income was $3.2 billion, and EPS was 59 cents. On a GAAP basis, the company reported second-quarter revenue of $13.0 billion, operating income of $3.9 billion, net income of $3.0 billion, and EPS of 54 cents. The company generated approximately $4.0 billion in cash from operations, paid cash dividends of $961 million, and used $2.0 billion to repurchase 93 million shares of common stock.

"We achieved a significant new milestone in the second quarter, surpassing $13.0 billion in revenue for the first time," said Paul Otellini, Intel president and CEO. "Strong corporate demand for our most advanced technology, the surge of mobile devices and Internet traffic fueling data center growth, and the rapid rise of computing in emerging markets drove record results. Intel's 23 percent revenue growth in the first half and our increasing confidence in the second half of 2011 position us to grow annual revenue in the mid-20 percent range."

Intel Corporation today announced it signed a definitive agreement to acquire Fulcrum Microsystems Inc., a privately held fabless semiconductor company that designs Ethernet switch silicon for data center network providers.

"Intel is transforming from a leading server technology company to a comprehensive data center provider that offers computing, storage and networking building blocks," said Kirk Skaugen, Intel vice president and general manager, Data Center Group. "Fulcrum Microsystems' switch silicon, already recognized for high performance and low latency, complements Intel's leading processors and Ethernet controllers, and will deliver our customers new levels of performance and energy efficiency while improving their economics of cloud service delivery."