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Lenovo “follows” HP

admin — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:32:58 +0000

Microsoft and PC manufacturers expect the campaign to upgrade for free will encourage users to buy new pcs even if the time Windows 7 is coming.

Lenovo is the latest PC manufacturers commitment to support users upgrade to Windows 7.

Accordingly, all the Lenovo computers sold in the period from 31 / 1 to 26 / 6 equipped operating system version Windows Vista Home Premium, Ultimate Business is a free upgrade to Windows 7 if user needs.

Lenovo is the 2nd manufacturers after after implement program that supports customers. However, HP perform only the free upgrade for the systems purchased from 25 / 6 to 22/10.

Microsoft itself has plans to support users. Last June 26th, Microsoft said that they will be discounts for those who order Windows 7 before the operating system release.

Microsoft and PC manufacturers hope that the free upgrade will encourage users to buy new PCs this summer instead of waiting until Windows 7 officially release on October 20th.

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LG W53 SMART Series LCD Monitor

admin — Fri, 01 May 2009 08:35:27 +0000

LG W53 SMART Series LCD Monitor

LG Electronics, one of the leading manufacturers of business solutions has recently launched its newest LCD monitor series.

According to the press release, LG’s W53 SMART Monitor Series boasts of “cutting-edge SMART technologies” that, aside from providing the usual “top picture quality,” significantly reduces eyestrain.

The SMART Monitor series comes equipped with Auto Brightness feature which allows for automatic brightness adjustment. As a side plus, this feature reduces power consumption by lowering backlight intensity.

The Cinema Mode takes out online video viewing distractions by blacking out “everything except for the video clip” and letting users concentrate on their video clip.

Central to the eyestrain reduction theme is a timer which comes with LG’ SMART monitors, obviously to remind users to take a breather. Users can easily set reminders according to their preference via the interface that controls the monitor’s settings.

The SMART monitor series also comes with a proximity sensor located under the monitor’s bezel which detects a hand as it approaches the screen. Detection activates lights that make buttons easy to find when necessary. Lights automatically go out when not in use.

LG’s W53 SMART Monitors are available in sizes from 18.5 to 27 inches. The bigger monitors – 21.5 inches and up – provide 1920 x 1080p Full HD resolution with a 16:9 aspect ratio, which makes them perfect for games and Full HD movies.

The monitors also feature a digital fine contrast ratio of up to 50,000:1 and a 2ms response time.

According to the press release, shipping of the new W53 SMART Monitor Series starts this April (though some gadget review sites pin the shipping date on May) but there are no updates on pricing yet.

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Apple Xserve Quad-Core and 8-Core Servers

admin — Fri, 01 May 2009 08:15:52 +0000

Apple has recently released its new line of servers making use of Intel’s Xeon family of processors. The Apple Xserve Quad Core and 8 Core servers feature the Intel Xeon Nehalem processor and is touted to have sizable improvements in performance and power efficiency capabilities. Its features speak for itself.

The new Apple Xserve servers, using the next generation Intel processors and with a new system architecture, are said to offer twice the performance of previous Xserve servers. Along with that, the new Xserve models are more energy efficient than its predecessors, using 19 percent less energy when idle than previous Xserve models.

The new Apple Xserve servers make use of either one 2.26 GHz, 2.66GHz or 2.93 GHz Quad Core Intel Xeon 5500 processors. Make that two for the 8 Core server version. The single Quad-Core version has 3GB worth of 1066MHz DDR3 ECC internal memory, a 160 GB SATA drive and an Nvidia GeForce GT 120 graphics card with 256MB memory. The Apple Xserve Quad-Core server starts at US$2,999 and is available at the Apple Store.

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Comfort Wave 450 Keyboards for Business Professionals

admin — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:42:16 +0000

When it comes to computer use, keyboards used as the main interface may not be relevant but when you mention Logitech, you know it has to be something different. Logitech for Business today introduced the Logitech Comfort Wave 450 keyboard – the latest in a line of keyboards, mice, webcams and headsets especially designed for businesses.

Logitech for Business offers computer peripherals and accessories that help companies adapt to the evolving face of the workspace. For businesses that want to get the most out of their IT expenditures and their workforce, Logitech for Business is ready for what businesses need right now. With its acclaimed Wave design, the Comfort Wave 450 keyboard delivers natural and adjustable comfort for people working with a desktop computer or a notebook PC in a docking station or notebook riser.

The Logitech Comfort Wave 450 keyboard is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe in April for a suggested resale price of $39.99 (U.S.).

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iBuyPower rolls LAN party-friendly Core i7 PC

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 06:59:42 +0000

iBuyPower this afternoon publicized a relatively unique small form factor game PC designed to be easily transportable to a LAN gaming party but without sacrificing its speed. The LAN Warrior is only slightly larger than some SFF boxes with its NZXT case but has room to accommodate Core i7 processors up to the 3.2GHz Core i7 Extreme courtesy of dual side fans and liquid cooling. It can also address as much as 12GB of DDR3 memory and two GeForce GTX 295 or Radeon HD 4870 X2 cards. A rare twist sees all systems come with a harness and carrying system that lets them haul the computer more easily than regular towers.

The official base system starts at $999 with a 2.66GHz Core i7, 3GB of memory, a 500GB hard disk, a DVD burner and a GeForce 9500 GT suited to low-demand 3D. Besides key performance choices, the LAN Warrior scales up to a 1000W power supply, as many as 4 hard drives, Blu-ray and specialized add-in cards like a Sound Blaster X-Fi for audio or a Killer K1 for networking. Systems bought through iBuyPower today should ship in less than two weeks.

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Dell Studio One 19 on sale in the US

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 06:38:06 +0000

As promised, Dell today made its Studio One 19 all-in-one desktop available in the US. The 18.5-inch system in US trim starts at $699 and has slightly better performance than the Japanese version launched in March. A 2.5GHz Pentium dual-core, 2GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive and GeForce 9200 integrated video serve as the baseline in the system, which is more consciously designed as a lower-priced alternative to an iMac. Additional trim levels bring some of the promised extra features. A $799 (on sale) system adds the vaunted multi-touch screen that can be used to scroll, zoom and otherwise navigate certain apps; it also boosts RAM to 3GB. An $899 model jumps to a 2.93GHz Core 2 Duo and 500GB of space while keeping multi-touch, and a $994 flagship brings a 2.33GHz Core 2 Quad, 4GB of memory and a faster GeForce 9400 for visuals.

Every system has options for features they lack: multi-touch, different-colored display bezels, up to a 3GHz Core 2 Duo with more L2 cache, a 750GB hard drive, Blu-ray and Wi-Fi are all choices. Orders taken today for stock Studio One 19 models ship in mid-May.

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AMD debuts 40nm Radeon HD 4770 GPU w/DDR5

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 06:36:07 +0000

AMD on Tuesday launched its Radeon HD 4770 graphics processor as its latest performance product in the 4000 series for the desktop PC market. Featuring over 826 million transistors and the latest 40nm manufacturing process, the GPU offers performance starting at $99 (after mail-in rebate). The new card features third-generation hardware support for the latest DirectX 10.1 games (e.g., Battleforge, HAWX, S.T.A.L.K.E.R Clear Sky and Stormrise) as well as support for 128-bit GDDR5 memory (twice as fast as GDDR3 at the same clock speeds for better performance), and ATI CrossFireX, which enables a second ATI Radeon HD 4770 card to be added for a “near-linear” increase in performance.

The ATI Radeon HD 4770 graphics card enhances the definition and clarity of lower resolution media — including standard definition video — through high performance anisotropic filtering and 24x custom filter anti-aliasing (CFAA) to smooth jagged edges. The GPU also features the second-generation AMD Unified Video Decoder (UVD 2.0) technology, enabling users to enjoy HD content without burdening the main processor and supporting decoding of VC-1, H.264 and now MPEG-2 content as well as Blu-ray functionality with dual-stream (HD+SD), picture in picture (PIP) capabilities. According to the company, the GPU can upscale video display to 2560×1600 on dual-link monitors — nearly twice the display resolution of 1080p displays.

The new card also offers support for HDMI, DisplayPort, OpenGL 3.0, picture-in-picture (PiP), dynamic/automatic contrast, dynamic power management, and HD audio technologies such as 7.1 surround sound (including AC-3, AAC, DTS) as well as Accelerated Video Transcoding (AVT) to help accelerate the conversion of standard and HD video into multiple formats for use on differing consumer electronics devices. In addition, xvYCC support allows users to enjoy a wider range of color when connected to a capable HDTV.

“Consumer pressure in this economic downturn is shifting demand to lower prices and the price band around $100 has the highest demand and highest volume,” said Rick Bergman, senior vice president and general manager, Graphics Products Group, AMD.5 “AMD has responded with the launch of the ATI Radeon HD 4770, targeting this market with cutting-edge technologies like 40 nm processors, support for DirectX 10.1 gaming and GDDR5 memory. This strategy stands in stark contrast to the old ‘trickle down’ technology approach some still use to address this important segment.”

AMD says that the Radeon HD 4770 GPU w/512MB of memory is available immediately for $110 (before $10 rebate).

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IBM’s Watson to challenge humans on Jeopardy

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 06:19:19 +0000

Computer component and system maker IBM on Monday said its Question Answering system, codenamed Watson, will make an appearance on the Jeopardy TV game show and compete with human contestants. Watson has been in development for nearly two years, and its creators believe the computer will have the precision and speed necessary to challenge the brightest humans contestants. Watson will not have access to the Internet, but instead rely on what IBM calls massively parallel analytical capabilities. In Jeopardy, contestants must answer a range of questions regarding topics that range from history, literature, politics, film, pop culture and science. Hints come from the subtle meaning, irony and riddles in the wording of the question, which Watson will have the ability to decode on its own, without any sort of external assistance, IBM says.

While the appearance of Watson on Jeopardy, which has more than 10 million daily viewers, is largely a promotional stunt for IBM meant to showcase the system’s capabilities on a grand scale, IBM plans to carry the technology over to the business world.

“The essence of making decisions is recognizing patterns in vast amounts of data, sorting through choices and options, and responding quickly and accurately,” IBM chief Samuel Palmisano says. “With advanced computing power and deep analytics, we can infuse business and societal systems with intelligence.”

Watson is designed to handle semantics and identify relevant content while dismissing irrelevant information, interpret expressions and puns and decompose questions into sub-questions in a matter of seconds. The system will then decide how confident it is in the answer and produce it.

Neither IBM nor Jeopardy announced when Watson will make its appearance on the game show.

Asus EEE Keyboard

admin — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:49:09 +0000

Asus has been known for bringing the most innovative computer products to date. During the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show, the people behind Asus revealed its latest pet project, a fully-functional PC crammed inside a QWERTY keyboard.

The Asus EEE Keyboard is powered by Intel Atom processor and has a wide selection of USB and video ports around the back, with solid state hard disk and Wi-Fi connectivity. The keyboard also has a 5-inch touch screen at the side, displaying a suite of media controls or a Windows desktop, as well as an Ultra-Wideband Wireless HDMI port, which can be used for streaming films and video from the keyboard to your HDTV.

The idea behind integrating a PC inside a keyboard is that you do not need an additional computer monitor to perform. All you need is to attach your integrated keyboard with a high-definition television and it is as good as a monitor, thereby saving money and space. The EEE keyboard is expected to have a battery life of about three hours. Although an optical drive is not included in this keyboard, Asus told the tech press that a range of themed peripherals will be launched following the EEE keyboards official release, allegedly in September 2009.

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Shuttle X50, the All-In-One PC

admin — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:46:35 +0000

Shuttle Inc. has been known for their bare bone PCs that would require you to add your own CPU and other hardware for it to function superbly. However, the company recently announced a new all-in-one machine they called the X50. This portable PC-note that such a term is different from laptops, notebooks, and the like-consists of a 15.6-inch screen that can be operated using a stylus or a finger, an integrated 1.3MP webcam and microphone, and an integrated stand that can be used as a carry handle, all in a very slim 36mm of thickness.

Because of its sleek and streamlined design, the X50 only takes up little desk space, whiles its touch-screen display offers easy and responsive operations whether you are a novice or a working professional. It also makes it easy for you to take pictures or stream live images across the Internet using real-time chatting, using just a touch of a button, so that you are connected with friends, family, and your social network.

The X50 is also a convenient way to enjoy movies, videos, photos, and stored music. Call it a multimedia entertainment device that creates an instant happy hour every time you use it.

Removing the stand enables you to mount the X50 on a wall using a VESA mount. The all-in-one PC also uses an Atom 330 CPU operating on an Intel 945GC + ICH7 chipset. It can support up to 2GB of RAM, although only 1GB is included. Meanwhile, graphics are processed through the Intel GMA 9560 and data is stored in a 160GB HDD. The X50 works on Windows XP Home edition.

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Stealth Computer’s Fanless Mini PC

admin — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:44:58 +0000

Computers are notorious for having bulky parts that work hard for your demanding job or relaxing recreation. Whether you are working on a new spreadsheet, watching the funniest Web videos, or playing the latest online games, the parts on your computer would heat up and would require a fan or two to cool them down. Otherwise, your PC would be at risk of slow performance, malfunction, or complete system shutdown.

The problem with fans, however, is that not only they tend to take space but also can be very noisy. It would be great if one day PCs would no longer need bulky and noisy fans, which some companies are taking the initiative. One of these groups is Stealth Computer and its fanless Mini PC. The LPC-625F is a small firecracker at 7.9 x 7.9 x 2.4 inches and running on Intel Core 2 Duo processor.

This Mini PC also features a lot of I/O connectivity from Gigabit LAN, 8-USB ports, a serial, and even some Audio 7.1 ports. It can support up to 4GB worth of memory and has a built-in 2.5″ high-shock hard drive containing up to 500GB storage space for archived data. This Mini PC also provides optional choices from Wi-Fi connection to a Solid State Hard Drive to withstand extra high shock, vibration, and wide temperature ranges.

It is compatible with Microsoft XP or Vista, Linux, and other latest operating system. The fanless LPC-625F can also be customized to fit the exact needs of the end user. The price for this thing? Around US$1,6000.

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Medigenic’s Infection Control helps keep germs away

admin — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:05:24 +0000

Perhaps your immune system isn’t up to par with what it should be or perhaps you just want to take every precaution you can to keep germs out of your work space. Or maybe you’re just sick of pulling out each and every key to get your keyboard squeaky clean.

Either or, you should check out Medigenic’s Infenction Control keyboard and mouse combo designed for use in hospitals. Apparenly this thing has the ability to decipher when there are harmful germs on its surface and has a flashing reminder light to notify you of it. Heck, it even has a feature that allows the user to disable the keys for a quick clean up. You know, incase you sneeze or spill radioactive chemicals on it, the usual.

You can pick this keyboard up now for $140 and the mouse for $80. Hey, nobody said staying healthy is cheap, right?

Read (Oh Gizmo!)

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Mitra Mini-PC

admin — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 07:03:19 +0000

Mitra PC

The Mitra, a stylish mini-PC that gets its power from the sun, is being targeted at people living in rural areas of India. This solar-powered mini-PC concept is intended to be used for online teaching, online medical help and online help for rural Indian farmers. Designed by Indian-based industrial designer Yogesh, the Mitra mini-PC has a small, clamshell-styled LCD display, a built-in LED projector, Wi-Fi connectivity and an onboard storage battery.

The mini-PC also performs as a portable energy-efficient notebook computer. Solar panels are fastened onto the body of the PC but in case of a rainy day, you can power the system using the hand crank. No word on when this device may become available.

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Mitsubishi HL2750U Projector

admin — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:30:00 +0000

People all too often confuse “high-resolution” with “detail-oriented”. Unfortunately, however, Mitsubishi is not referring to those details. The Mitsubishi HL2750U Projector features a hardly respectable SXGA+ (resolution of 1,400 x 1,050), so you can forget about this device handling your much loved Blu-ray films in full HD glory. The 3,100 ANSI lumens of brightness should be enough for brightly or mildly lit rooms.

This 10.8 pound beamer touts a lamp life of about 5,000 hours, various lens options, digital horizontal and vertical keystone correction, Ethernet/RS-232c ports, as well as array of video inputs. You have the choice to play it nice with optional OL-XL2550 lenses for personalized installations. This allows you to go for long throw distances when the need arises. It can throw images ranging from 40 inches to 300 inches in size.

The Mitsubishi HL2750U Projector uses inorganic LCD technology to double its life span compared to units in the same class available on the market. It has a 600:1 contrast ratio. Connectivity options include D-Sub, PC, and DVI-D with HDCP. Clearly, we are recommending you to look elsewhere for a dedicated home theater. We suspect that you will agree with us after forking out $3,995 for this projector.

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IBM deal to buy Sun may come Monday

admin — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 03:31:00 +0000

IBM’s rumored deal to take over Sun may close as soon as the start of next week, multiple sources indicate. Initially thought by sources of both the New York Times and Wall Street Journal (one, two) to be worth as much as $7 billion, the Financial Times now says negotiations and the market have tentatively pushed that number down to $6 billion but that a deal could be made public as early as Monday. Discussions are characterized as hectic and have the price changing from moment to moment.

Since rumored last month, the buyout is believed to reflect mutual interests. Sun has struggled to maintain relevance in databases and servers in the face of free or low-cost Linux distributions, while IBM can use Sun as a competitive advantage against other close rivals in databases, such as Microsoft or Oracle.A combined company would not only create a larger database firm but would create an even larger proponent of open-source software. While IBM often protects the code for some of its middleware, both it and Sun regularly back open-source apps and are champions of Linux in particular. It would further give IBM direct control over Java.

Neither of the involved companies has offered to comment.

ASUS outs ADSL2+ and Wi-Fi hybrid modem/router

admin — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 02:56:06 +0000

ASUS on Friday announced it will soon offer the DSL-N11 hybrid modem that offers both a 300gMbps Wi-Fi 802.11n router with an ADSL2/2+ modem for fast internet and data access. A new graphical user interface called ASUS EZ UI combines installation and management programs that are meant to make is easy for any user to set up and manage the functions of the modem. The Quick Internet Setup automatically detects local VPI and VCI settings as well as Internet connection types. The Network Map offers detailed network status information, including the number of wired and wireless devices connected to the device. Another application dubbed Dr. Surf helps with troubleshooting connection problems and offers real-time diagnostics. It does this by showing possible problems and listing ways of correcting each, instead of just a simple and incomprehensible error page. What ASUS calls EZQoS allows user to set data priorities for various network operations, devoting a set amount of bandwidth for such activities as online gaming, FTP sites, voice calls and the like.Interfaces on the DSL-N11 include four 10/100Base-TX MDI/MDIX Ethernet ports and a single pair of RJ-11 ADSL ports.

ASUS has not revealed pricing nor release dates for the DSL-N11 hybrid modem.

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Apple mistakenly confirms Nehalem Xserves

admin — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 11:20:51 +0000

Apple today has accidentally confirmed plans of its own to launch Xserve rackmount servers based on Xeon processors using Intel’s Nehalem architecture. A Hong Kong product page (still active as of this writing) has a broken image link that asks users to “pre-order the new Xserve using Intel Xeon (Nehalem)” but doesn’t take visitors to a relevant page. No specifications or other details have surfaced with the link itself. The posting virtually confirms anonymous leaks from earlier this week and would give the server its first update since January 2008, when Apple updated to the now obsolete Harpertown-based Xeon. Nehalem is more efficient per clock than its predecessor thanks to a design that integrates the memory controller and creates a point-to-point link between the processor, its memory and peripherals. It also supports twice as many program threads courtesy of Hyperthreading and speeds up software that only uses a limited number of cores by ramping up clock speeds on certain cores while switching off others.

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NVIDIA intros GeForce GTX 275

admin — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:47:32 +0000

NVIDIA on Thursday announced that its GeForce GTX 275 is due to arrive in certain stores as soon as next week. The GPU features 240 processor cores operating at 1,404MHz, 80 texture processing units, and a 448-bit memory interface. The card uses the existing GTX 260’s 896MB of memory, and shares the same 644MHz 55nm GT200 processor in the GTX 285, splitting the two existing products in terms of price and performance, according to NVIDIA. Many believe the company has made the announcement early in order to avoid being left out of the limelight, as competitor ATI also debuted its Radeon HD4890 on Thursday. At least 16 hardware partners will offer the GPU in their products, with ASUS, MSI, Leadtek and PNY being among them. One, Palit, is already offering what it calls the “first non-reference design” GeForce GTX 275 card for £200 (about $290) in the UK, including tax.

When the GPU does reach more stores and more markets, buyers can expect compatibility with Windows 7 systems, as well as NVIDIA 3D Vision and CUDA support. It further supports PhysX technology for better physics simulation, and includes new GeForce Release 185 drivers, adding an ambient occlusion setting meant to enhance shading effects on objects. Resolutions up to 2560×1600 are possible, and the default card design includes two Dual-Link DVI ports, with HDMI connections made possible via an adapter.NVIDIA has simultaneously released Power Pack #3, with content that showcases PhysX and CUDA. Included is a new Star Tales game demo, a Sacred 2: Fallen Angel patch, a PhysX-enabled screensaver, and the CUDA-accelerated MotionDSP vReveal and SETI@home.

While exact prices for the GTX 275 have not been set, NVIDIA promises that the GPU will be the highest-performing option in the $229 to $249 price range. The hardware will be available in all markets by or before April 14th.

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New ATI Radeon HD 4890 GPU offers 1.36Tflops

admin — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:36:46 +0000

AMD on Thursday morning further expanded its “Dragon” desktop platform with the introduction of the ATI Radeon HD 4890 graphics card, featuring 1.36 TeraFLOPs of computing power, faster GDDR5 memory, and engine clock speeds capable of nearly 1GHz. The GPU card offers support for DirectX 10.1 titles, including Ubisoft’s Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X., Electronic Art’s BattleForge and SEGA’s Stormrise released last month, as well as GSC Gameworld’s S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Clear Sky. According to the company, the new graphics card is not only designed to provide exceptional value to OEMs and channel partners but also to do-it-yourself (DIY) consumers. According to the company, the new desktop graphics card can handle “the most intense games at high resolutions and image quality settings” and can be tuned for further performance enhancements as well as combined with as many as three other ATI Radeon HD 4890 cards in a single PC utilizing ATI CrossFireX technology.

The card also features ATI Stream technology, which in combination with a number of ATI Stream-enabled applications, can accelerate the conversion of standard and HD video into multiple formats for use on differing consumer electronics devices. Software companies such as CyberLink has optimized its video editing software PowerDirector 7 to make use of ATI Stream technology to provide GPU accelerated video conversion.As with previous generation chips, the ATI Radeon HD 4800 series cards supports smooth playback of HD digital content using AMD’s second-generation Unified Video Decoder (UVD 2.0). In addition, the cards support HDMI, picture-in-picture and 7.1 surround sound.

The ATI Radeon HD 4890 graphics card is expected to be integrated PCs from OEMs such as ASUS, Club 3D, Diamond Multimedia, and MSI. The cards also available immediately for $250 (and priced at select etailers as low as $230 after mail-in rebate).

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EchoStar intros T2200S set-top DVR cable box

admin — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:14:15 +0000

EchoStar has introduced the T2200S, a cable version of its SlingLoaded DVR that was designed to work with Dish Network. The new device is compatible with any Tru2way cable system and provides standard DVR features in addition to integrated Slingbox functionality. The box features a 1TB hard drive, dual-tuner and Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) support, a built-in DOCSIS cable modem and a SlingGuide search engine. The Slingbox features will enable access to live or recorded programming from computers or mobile devices, with support for Windows, Mac, Windows Mobile, Symbian and BlackBerry platforms. The company in January announced plans to offer an iPhone client sometime in the first half of the year.

EchoStar has not released pricing information, but suggests the T2200S will be ready for testing by June and likely on the market near the end of the year.

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NVIDIA updates Quadro line, adds multi-OS SLI

admin — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:04:20 +0000

NVIDIA on Monday launched what it considers a sweeping change to its pro graphics with significant re-launches and updates to much of its Quadro line. The FX 3800, 4800 and 5800 now all support a new technique known as multi-OS SLI: in systems with multiple supporting cards, a card can be dedicated to an individual virtual OS in Parallels Workstation Extreme and give it nearly the same performance as if the graphics were native. It can also be used for CUDA or other general-purpose tasks that would normally be off-limits to a virtual machine. The cards start with the flagship FX 5800, which continues to have 240 visual effects cores and 4GB of memory; the FX 4800 occupies the upper mid-range with 192 cores and 1.5GB of memory, while the FX 3800 uses the same amount of cores but 1GB of memory and reduced bandwidth in return for using up the space of one regular video card. At the mid-range and lower end, the FX 1800, 580 and 380 scale through 64, 32 and 16 cores while scaling memory from 768MB through to 512MB and 256MB respectively.A lone Quadro NVS update, the 295, tackles many-monitor output. It has just 8 cores and 256MB of memory but has dual DisplayPort outputs that can handle two 30-inch displays, including through DVI when using adapters.

NVIDIA has pricing for the cards scaling from “sub-$100″ for the NVS 295 to $3,150 for the FX 5800. Support officially extends to Linux and Windows systems so far.

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HP outs Xeon-powered Z-series Workstation PCs

admin — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:51:35 +0000

HP on Monday announced the upcoming release of three new Z-series workstation PCs. The flagship Z800, mid-range Z600 and entry-level Z400 are powered by Intel’s Nehalem-era Xeon processors and require no tools to access and service all of their components, including their power supplies and motherboards. The modular interior design is cable-less, while the exteriors are designed by BMW Group Designworks USA and thought to add extra appeal to normally plain pro systems. The flagship Z800 Workstation is meant for highly-advanced applications such as 3D animation, broadcast video or medical imaging. The Z800 can hold as much as 192GB of DDR3 memory, along with up to two Intel Xeon processors, with the 3.2GHz, quad-core W5580 being the top offering. Storage space tops out at 7.5TB in the Z800, which has a standard 8-channel SAS controller. Blu-ray burners are offered as options for backing up data. For graphics processing, NVIDIA’s SLI technology is supported, with HP offering the graphics company’s 4GB Quadro FX 5800 or Quadro CX cards, as well as ATI’s 1GB FirePro V7750.The Z600’s specs are largely the same, although RAM is limited to 24GB, with storage capped at 4.5TB.

The Z400’s chip options range from 2.4GHz to 3.2GHz using Intel’s Z58 express chipset, with RAM topping out at 16GB. The integrated SATA 3GB/s controller accommodates as many as four 3.5-inch drives in RAID 0, 1, 5 or 10 setups for a total capacity of 6TB; users can option up an SAS controller, letting them integrated four 15,000RPM SAS drives for 1.8TB of capacity. Graphics processing comes via either NVIDIA’s 1GB Quadro FX 3800, a 1.5GB Quadro FX 4800, the Quadro CX, or ATI’s 1GB FirePro V7750. A Blu-ray burner, three external 5.25-inch bays and two 3.5-inch internal bays are part of the package.

The Z400 offers connections that include two PCI Express Gen2 x 16 slots, one PCI Express Gen2 x8 mechanical/x4 electrical slot, one PCI Express Gen1 x8 mechanical/x4 electrical slot, and two PCI slots. Connections on the Z600 and Z800 comprise of two PCI Express Gen2 x16 slots, two PCI Express Gen2 x16 mechanical/x8 electrical slot, one PCI Express Gen2 x8 mechanical/x4 electrical slot, one PCI Express Gen1 x8 mechanical/x4 electrical slot, and one PCI. Peripherals and other external devices connect via one of 12 USB 2.0 ports, and there are two FireWire ports and dual gigabit LAN.

Starting in July, HP will offer a liquid-cooling option for the new workstation PCs.

HP SkyRoom makes its debut on the Z800 and gives it an ultra-fast video conferencing system with sub-100ms latency and support for 3D graphics.

The Zs will begin shipping on April 6th, with the Z400 starting at $969, the Z600 at $1,679 and the Z800 at $1,999.

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Intel officially launches Nehalem-based Xeons

admin — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:47:24 +0000

Intel this afternoon finally made its Nehalem-based Xeon processors available to a wider audience. First introduced in the Mac Pro, the single-socket Xeon 3500 (not used by Apple) and the dual-socket Xeon 5500 share the same roots as Core i7 and drop the old northbridge system controller and system bus in favor of a point-to-point architecture known as the QuickPath Interface that talks directly to memory and peripherals. The memory controller is now built-in and can talk to three memory channels, improving bandwidth even as it drops lag. They also add support for HyperThreading, which potentially runs as many as eight program instructions at once on a quad-core processor. For apps that don’t depend on heavily parallel code, a Turbo Boost feature that dynamically shuts down unused cores but ramps up clock speeds on the remaining cores. Both moves let ordinarily lower-clocked Xeons at times outperform the earlier 5400 and 3300 models.The Xeon 5500 line’s bulk prices range from $188 for a 1.86GHz dual-core part up to $1,600 for a 3.2GHz quad-core example. Xeon 3500 models are currently limited to just three models between 2.66GHz and 3.2GHz, but their reduced tolerance for multiple sockets lets Intel drop the prices to $284 for the base CPU and $999 for the 3.2GHz version.

While Apple was the first to get access to the processors, Dell has just recently started offering Precision systems with the new chips, while HP’s new Z800 tower also uses the faster technology.

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Dell Gives Inspirons Color Splash Design

admin — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:27:38 +0000

Dell on mid-Monday launcheed a major update to the look of its Inspiron desktops. The new models have sleeker redesigns and come in 8 solid colors for both slimline and regular mini-tower versions. The Texas PC creator also promises a wide spread between low-cost and mid-range systems ranging from either an AMD Sempron or Intel Celeron starter up to quad-core Phenom X4 and Core 2 Quad chips. While full specifications aren’t yet available, Dell vows support for as much as 8GB of memory on either model and maximum storage of either 750GB on the slim systems or 1TB on the fuller models. Blu-ray will be an option for optical storage, and users can trade up to dedicated ATI Radeon HD video from the stock integrated hardware.

Dell anticipates releasing the new

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Epson Intros PowerLite 410W Classroom Projector

admin — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:23:31 +0000

projectors, which is due to replace the current 400W (pictured) when it launches. Both short throw, widescreen 3LCD projectors share the same 1280×800 native resolution, filling out the 16:10 aspect ratio of most modern notebooks. Changes from the older model center on a shorter-throw lens that lets the 410W create a 60-inch, 16:10 image from just two feet away. To improve its usefuleness in small classrooms, the projector also gets a wall-mounting option. Epson on Monday announced it will soon add the PowerLite 410W projector to its line-up of classroomEpson also upped the brightness of the 410W, now rated at 2,000 lumens versus the current model’s 1,800 lumens. Otherwise, the 410W uses Epson’s E-TORL lamp technology that is rated at up to 4,000 hours of battery life in economy mode, with replacement bulbs costing significantly less than the competitors’.

A 10-watt speaker and closed captioning decoder are built-in for the students’ benefit, while an Ethernet port and LAN connection let IT staff control and monitor it remotely. Increasing installation options is a 1.35 digital zoom and a 15-degree vertical keystone correction for squaring off-center images. Added versatility comes from eight background color modes that allow color-correct images to be displayed on surfaces that are white or black or six other colors.

Shipping to stores late in April, the Epson PowerLite 410W will be priced at $1,299.

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Active Print Traveler 1.0 Now Available

admin — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:32:45 +0000

Here is a handy software for all iPhone and iPod Touch Users. Printer interface is important for some, particularly the students and business professionals and a software to aid them have important documents or files is a must. Hence, all of these needs are addressed with the release of the Active Print Traveler 1.0 from Pocket Watch Software.

Pocket Watch Software is proud to announce the release of ActivePrint Traveler for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch. With the addition of ActivePrint Traveler to the Apple iTunes App Store, we have now brought a new level of printing capability to iPhone users for just $3.99 (USD).

With ActivePrint Traveler on your iPhone all you need is an internet connection, something to print, and the free ActivePrint Traveler Helper Application (available for free) which can be run from a USB flash drive on any Windows PC. No juggling IP Addresses, port numbers, or network security. Simply print from your iPhone no matter where you go.

Features include:

Printing photos from your photo album or device camera
Contacts from the address book
Web pages
Plain text from a built in notepad screen
Support for multiple copies
Portrait and Landscape paper orientation

Print via any internet connection no matter where you go to practically any printer.

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Acer’s New Veriton X270 Desktop Series

admin — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 05:18:04 +0000

While many companies are focusing on laptops, Acer has divided its attention and started offering business-based desktops. Acer America, the third largest vendor in the PC market, today announced that the Acer Veriton X270 series of business desktop PCs are available in the North American commercial channel. Offering multi-core power and high data security in a compact design, the Veriton X270 delivers the speed, flexibility and reliability to take on demanding business applications.

The Veriton X270 leverages a choice of Intel processors, including Intel Core 2 Duo, high-performance Serial ATA hard disk technology and DDR2 memory for quick and efficient multi-tasking between email, spreadsheets and presentations. NVIDIA GeForce 7100 graphics with PureVideo HD technology provide superior picture quality and crisp streaming media, which is increasingly important for video-conferencing.

Specs:

Up to an Intel Core™ 2 Duo Processor (Up to 95 W)
Integrated NVIDIA GeForce 7100 and nForce 630i Graphics
Up to 4GB DDR2 557/800 MHz SDRAM (Single Channel Support on Two DIMMs)
Serial ATA Hard Disk Up to 500GB(2)
SuperMulti with Labelflash™ Technology
Low-Profile Expansion Slots: One PCI Express x16, One PCI Express x1, Two PCI 2.3
Gigabit LAN
Genuine Windows Vista Business
Microsoft Office Professional 2007 (60-Day Trial)
Embedded High-Definition Audio With 5.1-Channel Surround Sound Support

The Veriton X270 desktop PCs are now available in North America via Acer authorized resellers with prices beginning at US$399. The Veriton X270 desktop PCs come with a standard one year limited warranty with limited on-site service.

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IOGEAR Outs Mac, PC-friendly Printer Switch

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 04:13:44 +0000

IOGEAR today slipped out a two-port Printer Auto Sharing Switch that it says is the first to truly recognize both Macs and Windows PCs at the same time. The peripheral lets two computers of either platform share any USB printer and automatically detects whichever system is requesting a print job. Power is handled entirely over the USB bus for the switch, which needs a minimum of either Mac OS X Panther or Windows 200 and ships today for $40.

Also on tap is the 4-port USB Net ShareStation, which lets its owner share as many as four typical devices over the local network, including external storage and printers. It connects to the network solely over Ethernet and currently requires a Windows 2000 or later PC to work through its dependence on UPnP support. It ships later this month for $100.

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