Motorola contest yields 'mood' phone

Motorola's "MOTOFWRD" grand-prize winner from Duke University was awarded a $10,000 scholarship and a new Bluetooth-enabled car.

Designed to improve social interactions, especially for tens of thousands of people who suffer from a mild form of autism called Asberger's Syndrome, student John Finan's "Mood Phone" would light up in a spectrum of color -- from warm reds to cool blues -- based on the verbal patterns of everyday speech received through a phone handset. Seen through the corner of the eye, the visual stimulus would help users interpret the mood and inflection communicated through the words and phrases they hear.

The biomedical engineering Ph.D. candidate's concept was judged to be best among the scores of ideas presented through Motorola's first-ever MOTOFWRD competition that asked college students to envision the future of seamless mobility. Concepts ranged from the fantastic to the practical: mobile technology that could access information, contacts, music and video with the blink of an eye, to location-aware cell phones that could lead to new friendships, inspire public debate or help identify and book a vacant parking spot in a crowded downtown.

"I entered this competition because I thought Motorola was asking the right question with their theme of seamless mobility," said Finan, a Dublin, Ireland, native. "A new toy can entertain for a time but a new tool that really makes you feel closer to home and freer to move can change behavior, and that is how a revolution begins."

"The Mood Phone is a truly inventive technology solution to a problem most of us wouldn't assume could be answered with a mobile device," said Padmasree Warrior, Motorola's chief technology officer. "If the technology becomes reality, it would make all of our lives easier. But the most important idea here is that these college students who entered the MOTOFWRD competition have truly impressed us with their level of innovation and creativity."

Copyright 2006 by United Press International

Fujitsu USB 3.0-SATA Bridge IC Earns USB-IF Compliance Certification for SuperSpeed USB

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Fujitsu Microelectronics America today announced that its USB 3.0-SATA bridge IC has been certified as compliant with the USB 3.0 standard by the USB Implementers Forum, Inc.

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To complement the specification and enable measurement of compliance in real products, the USB-IF has instituted a compliance program that provides reasonable measures of acceptability. Products that demonstrate this level of acceptability are added to the Integrators List and have the right to license the USB-IF logo. To learn more about the USB Implementers Forum visit www.usb.org/developers/ssusb .

HDTV sales in the U.S. to grow 71 percent by 2009

Television manufacturers will see a surge in cumulative HDTV sales over the next few years, which will boost the overall market value to $65 billion by 2009, according to "Adoption of High-Definition TVs and Services," a new study from Parks Associates.

The report, which includes data from Parks Associates' "Mobile Entertainment Platforms & Services" study, finds consumers are growing less skeptical about HDTV, which is creating a gradual increase in demand for high-definition products and services. Nearly 47% of TV households in the U.S. plan to buy an HDTV in the next twelve months. This increase would boost HDTV sales by 30% and HD video services by 38% by the end of 2006.

"Consumers are beginning to see the true benefits of HDTV," said Deepa Iyer, a research analyst at Parks Associates. "Consumers who were once hesitant to spend huge dollars on an HDTV are now reconsidering this product category."

As a result, service providers, including broadcasters, cable, and DBS operators, are beginning to feel a push to expand their HD video services in order to attract more HD subscribers. Service providers, content producers, television and chipset manufacturers, and other solution providers are all working to bring more high-definition products and services to market, although Iyer warns that they need to ramp up their efforts. The overall market penetration for high-definition televisions and services is very low. The current subscription rate for HD programming is barely 10% among all digital video subscribers, while only 35% of total HDTV households subscribe to HD video services.

"It is a chain reaction," Iyer said. "An increase in HDTV sales will fuel the demand for other services including high-definition VOD, local content, primetime programming, and movies. However, this industry lacks a sense of urgency in its efforts to bring compelling HD services to consumers. It has to recognize that HDTV will become ubiquitous only if all collateral forces within come together to embrace the change."

Parks Associates will further examine the issue of meaningful content delivery at the upcoming executive conference "Fall Focus: Making Media Meaningful," hosted November 9-11, 2005, at the Fairmont San Jose. With sessions such as "Enhancing the Television Experience via Interactivity" and "The "Eyes" Have It: Video Content on Consumers' Terms," this event will feature analysis and discussion on the expanding paradigm for video services.

"Adoption of High-Definition TVs and Services" provides an analysis of the enablers, inhibitors, and opportunities for high-definition TVs and services in the U.S. It provides insight into service providers' strategies and consumer behavior patterns for next-generation services and applications.

Source: Parks Associates

Exclusive Mobile quad core OEM Ivy Bridge processors unveiled

A week ago we gave you Intels mobile Ivy Bridge roadmap, but it seemed to be missing a few CPUs, specifically the much expected 35W quad cores. Well, today we bring exclusive details of a few additional mobile quad core Ivy Bridge processors destined for OEMs, the kind of CPUs that Intel doesnt put in its official price list.

The additional quad core models are similar to the lower-end Sandy Bridge quad cores such as the Core i7-2630QM all the way up to the 2675QM, models youll find in notebooks from big brand name players such as Dell, HP, and Lenovo etc. The OEM Ivy Bridge models are the Core i7-3615QM, Core i7-3612QM and Core i7-3610QM, all of which sports 6MB L2 cache, support for DDR3 1600MHz memory and a base graphics clock of 650MHz which for reference is very similar to the Core i7-3720QM.

Intel seems to have gone and made things all confusing with its model numbering scheme here though, as the Core i7-3615QM is a 2.3GHz part with a top turbo boost speed of 3.3GHz and unless theres a typo or two in the information weve seen, then this CPU is identical to the Core i7-3610QM. The Core i7-3612QM on the other hand is slower with a base clock of 2.1GHz with a top turbo boost speed of 3.1GHz. That makes these by far the lowest clocked Ivy Bridge processors and although we dont have any TDP specifics, we have a feeling that these are the 35W parts Intel has mentioned in the past. There should be more OEM models coming and well keep you posted as we find out more details.

'Digital health' movement in focus at tech show

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With an app, a game or a gadget, technology startups and major companies across all sectors are trying to tackle some of the thorniest problems in health and medicine.

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Hoyland said the company has other programs such as using mobile apps to provide rewards to pregnant women to encourage prenatal visits. The women are given a gift certificate but if they receive the right care, "we can offset those costs and keep them healthier," she said.

"It turns out gamification of health really works," said James McQuivey, analyst at

"This past year alone, we've seen a surge in businesses, healthcare companies and school districts seeking to offer weight loss programs that will better engage and excite the staff and, ultimately, more successfully achieve health and overriding fiscal program goals," HealthyWage CEO David Roddenberry said in a statement.

Other firms are finding ways to use

The program, which has not yet been publicly marketed but is available for free, was developed by an SAP employee to coordinate care among several specialsts for a child with a rare medical condition.

"This gets around privacy concerns because the care is controlled by the guardian or individual," said Rishi Diwan, a product manager at SAP who showed the app to CES visitors.

Diwan said the app can help people with special needs, and that the company is working with the Alzheimer's Association and Breast Cancer Foundation to generate interest in the platform.

As of now, the app is not part of any effort to generate revenue but "we are thinking about ways to work on electronic medical records," he told AFP.

Other exhibitors at CES showed exercise arm bands and other gadgets to track factors such as heart rates, or real-time monitoring of blood sugar for persons with diabetes. Another showed a digital fork that monitors caloric intake and vibrates if its user is eating too much too fast.

Some use low-power Bluetooth-connected patches to transmit data to a smartphone, a godsend for Bastian Hauck, a competitive sailor with type 1 diabetes who attended CES to promote the Continua Health Alliance for mobile wellness.

Hauck told AFP the Bluetooth patch he wears transmits to a smartphone and enables him to monitor glucose in real time, helping him determine the best eating and insulin intakes. He shares that information with other diabetics.

Treating diabetes, Hauck said, "is like a guessing game. You have to do it 24/7. There is no rest."

Although he could write down his readings, the wireless app "makes it easier" and provides extra motivation by being part of a community battling the same disease.

NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck showed CES a new skullcap from a company called MC10 that can fit under the helmet of a football player or other athlete and measure the impact of a collision, in an effort to better deal with concussions and similar injuries.

"In the NFL, you get hit in the head a lot," he said, adding that this is a major concern not only for professionals but for youth sports.

"This doesn't prevent a concussion but it's another set of eyes on the athlete," Hasselbeck added. "Our hope is that we can change the culture."

Dell updates Vostro desktop lineup with Intel's Sandy Bridge platform

With laptops starting to receive the Sandy Bridge treatment from their respective OEMs, it should probably come as no surprise that other computing devices such as desktops and tablets are bound to receive the same upgrade in time. After all, performance is often a major selling point, and simply parroting Intel's claims of the new microarchitecture being x% faster than the previous Nehalem platform is usually enough to bring in sales.

While most OEMs would probably opt to fit their consumer-oriented products with Intel's latest platform to capture more sales from the tech-savvy crowd, it appears that Dell has got slightly different plans in store. Instead of appealing to the hardware enthusiast, the company has opted to give its business desktops first dibs on Sandy Bridge, with the new Vostro 460 being what Dell touts as the first ever Sandy Bridge business desktop tower to hit the market and is now available for sale locally.




True enough, a quick visit to Dell's online store reveals that the new Vostro 40 business desktop is as real as it can get, and clicking the 'Customize' button on the product pages reveals that users have a choice of configuring their Vostro 460 with three different Sandy Bridge-based processors.




In addition to sporting the latest Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors, Dell has also bundled the Vostro 460 with a 320GB hard disk, although additional options exist in the Dell online store. Those who feel that 320GB is not sufficient may op to have a 1.5TB hard disk instead, while options for RAID are also available, namely RAID 0 and RAID 1.



Lastly, Dell also offers users the option of bundling the Vostro 460 with a graphics card for better video and graphics performance in the event the built-in Intel HD Graphics 2000 are simply not up to par with consumer needs.




But that's not all. Apparently, Dell has taken to heart the old saying of "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" by announcing that customers will have the choice to include an internal Blu-ray optical disk drive. Apparently, this option was added in to ensure that workers can let loose after a long and hard day at work by watching Blu-ray movies and playing games on their Vostro. And no, we are not making this up.



Reference: Dell Singapore

Even Sportlifestyle company PUMA has come up with their own PUMA PHONE..

The PUMA PHONE is a touchscreen phone with a simple user interface. According to PUMA, it uses the similar platform as the Samsung Galaxy, though that's all we know about it. You can set the background colorto eitherred or black (which is fairly limited), but the menu option icons are fairly large to ensure you press on the right one.

On the right is the camera/shutter and volume control buttons (whichalso performs as the camera zoom control).

On the left, we find a microSD card slot for users who require more memory storage.

At the rear is a the solar panel for solar charging of the phone, as well asa 3.2-megapixel camera with LED flash. PUMA said that ten to fifteen minutes of solar charging will provide approximately one minute of talk time. The intention of solar charging is when you go jogging (as an example), you cansecure the phone to your arm with an armband and has the solar panel facing outward. That way, it helps to charge the phone while you are on the go which in turnhelps to be environment friendlytoo.

The PUMA PHONE also allows you to get connected to your social applications such as Twitter and Facebook easily. In addition, you can access PUMA World on the phone and get the latest news, product information and even sports-related stories.

According to PUMA, the phone will first be available in Europe, and other parts of the world later. It maycome to Singapore,but the likelihood of having telco tie-up with PUMA seems pretty unlikely. Moreover, the phone isn't at all very affordable considering its a smartphone. The PUMA PHONE will be retailing around 400 Euros, andif its dollar-to-dollar, that could be an affordable S$400 (or an expensive S$800 if converted from Euros). Well, we could only wait and see how this goes.

Exclusive hands on pictures of ASRock's new Gen3 motherboards

Last week details of ASRocks new PCI Express 3.0 motherboards appeared on the web and today we bring you exclusive hands on pictures of the Z68 Extreme3 and Z68 Extreme7. ASRock will be using the new styling for all of its upcoming motherboards, so expect a lot more black and gold in the future, the only exception being the Fatal1ty boards of course.

Neither board holds any real secrets beyond the specs that were posted last week, but this is the first high-resolution, detailed picture of the Z68 Extreme3. A couple of things with missed with regards to the rear I/O of the Z68 Extrem3 includes a PS/2 port and optical S/PDIF out. The board also sports a POST80 debug LED which is an unusual feature for a board this far down in the pecking order. The Z68 Extreme3 is in our opinion looking like the Z68 board to get from ASRock if youre looking for something that wont be horrendously expensive, yet offering a well-balanced feature set.

Moving on we have the Z68 Extreme7 and were still quite flabbergasted that ASRock has made a board like this. All of the heatsinks are screwed on and the attention to detail is very high. Some interesting things that we thought we should point out is that ASRock is using two SATA 6Gbps controllers from ASMedia for this board, but more interestingly it also has a pair of Broadcom Ethernet controllers. A peculiar addition we also noticed is a pin-header for a PS/2 port, although no actual port is supplied as far as were aware.

As it happens, a UK online retailer has listed a price for the Z68 Extreme7 and as we mentioned last week, its going to be expensive. The board is listed at £250 (S$490) which makes it one of the most expensive Z68 boards out there pretty much only beaten by Asus Maximus IV Extreme-Z so far.

Wed like to pick up on something here, namely PCI Express 3.0. According to ASRock, any current 6-series motherboard should at least in theory work with PCI Express 3.0, but as soon as you involve lane switches you run into problems unless the switches are PCI Express 3.0 compliant. Sandy Bridge does not have hidden support for PCI Express 3.0 and you wont be seeing any performance advantage until Ivy Bridge comes out, or at least this is not something that ASRock has seen in their testing.

Weve put a few more pictures of the boards on the next page, alongside with a few pictures of the Fatal1ty Z68 Professional Gen3. Do note that the boards we looked at were pre-production boards and the heatsink finish isnt that of final products. ASRock is also running a competition at the moment where you can win one of its new Gen3 boards, so if youre keen on getting one, head over to the competition website.

Drivers Issues Delay HD 3870 X2 Launch

Fudzilla talked about AIB partners stocking up on Radeon HD 3870 X2 anddriver issue delaying the launch where VR-Zone has heard similar news. One AIBpartner told us that there will be more HD 3870 X2 out in the market than HD3870. The 8.453 drivers which reviewers are using and even the shipping CDbundle has performance issues with certain games like Crysis. The fix should beout soon hopefully.

Asus launches 3 new notebooks F8P, U3S amp; U6S

The ASUS F8P series brings the ultimate expression of mix and match. The hand picked and crafted premium leather adds tactile warmth to the notebook design while the painted surface keeps it sleek. The new level of fusion is further complemented with state-of-the-art computing technologies, including Intel® Centrino® Duo Processor Technology and Genuine Windows Vista® Business operating system, offering both the look and the power of stylish computing on the go.

Mix & MatchAvailable in Amazing White and Galaxy Black, the F8P offers everything that the ASUS Leather Series carries in a whole new way. The unique LCD cover with half leather and half painted surfaces is a bold statement of contrast yet the softness and the sturdiness complements each other to create a new computing style. In addition to the tactile enjoyment, the F8P also adopts the unique bamboo hinge that’s with integrated power button on the side, offering ergonomic operating convenience.Mobile MultimediaEquipped with a Hybrid TV tuner, the F8P gives the user maximum versatility with the ability to take advantage of both digital and analog signals. A card type remote control is incorporated, in line with the chic portability of the F8P lifestyle, giving the user the ability to take charge of entertainment while being easily carried. Furthermore, a built-in swivel webcam allows instant high-resolution face to face communication without the hassle of external connections and messy wires.Unparalleled GamingTo power the most demanding 3D intense games, the F8P is equipped with abundant graphics power with top of the line specifications, including the latest Intel Core2 Duo processors, up to 2GB of DDR2 memory, DirectX 10 support and a choice of the most powerful graphics processing systems currently available: the world’s first ATI Mobility Radeon HD2400 graphics engine, stocked with 256MB of physical VRAM and HyperMemory up to 1024MB.Seamless SecurityTo give business travellers peace of mind, the F8P features safeguards that combine high-level security with ease of use. The fingerprint authentication allows for heavy duty security of data with the convenience of a finger swipe. The Trusted Platform Module (TPM) encrypts data, password retention and system log on for added data protection measures.F8P (F8P24MD25LBU-PW) Specification· Intel® Centrino® Duo Processor Technology- Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T7700 (2.4GHz, 800MHz, 4MB L2)- Intel® Next-Gen Wireless-N 4965ABGN network connection 802.11a/b/g/n- Intel® 965PM Express Chipset· Genuine Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Business· ATI Radeon HD2400 (with 256MB VRAM) and up to 1028MB Hypermemory· 14.1” WXGA+ (glare 1440 x 900) LCD· 2GB DDR2 RAM and 250GB SATA 5400rpm HDD· TPM-Trusted Platform Module and DVD Super-Multi Double Layer Drive with LightScribe· Integrated Bluetooth™ 2.0 + Enhanced Data Rate· Built-in 1.3 Mega Pixels swivel Web-Camera and Built-in 6-in-1 Card Reader· Accessories: 6-cell battery, notebook bag and mouse· Limited edition only for Christmas SeasonAvailability: After 20th Dec 07 RSP: S$ 2,998 (GST Included)

Arctic Cooling's Accelero Xtreme Plus II VGA Cooler

The new VGA cooler has a copper base, five 6mm heatpipes and 83 aluminium cooling fins aside from the 9cm fans. It is reported to be able to fit a wide variety of cards including the newly released GTX 560.

Read the full article from Expreview.

Apple iOS 5.0.1 released with battery bug fix, security updates

The iOS 5.0.1 update can be installed over-the-air, a new capability found only in iOS 5. To initiate it, just go to the Settings App, ‘General à ‘Software Update. The update process worked seamlessly for me, completing in about five minutes. The software update will automatically reboot your iOS device when done.

Unfortunately, the battery issue does not appear to be fixed for some. Already, a number of disgruntled users have logged on at the Apple Support Communities to complain that their battery is draining at the same rate.

On other hand, reports from other users say the improvement in the battery life of their iPhone has been significant. Reader Donald Kuntzman - who had an early preview of iOS 5.0.1, told Wired that:

"Frankly, the difference is nothing short of amazing... To go almost an entire day without a change in the meter reading seems unbelievable. Where before I could almost watch the battery drain, now it doesnt move at all."

Battery fix aside, the update also patched five security vulnerabilities, including one revealed by prominent security researcher Charlie Miller earlier in the week. Miller had released an app onto the App Store which exploited an undisclosed flaw to ‘sideload arbitrary and unauthorized code from external sites.

Such a vulnerability would have far-reaching ramifications to the walled-garden security of the App Store, allowing hackers to circumvent Apples strict approval process with Trojan apps. As it is, Millers stunt swiftly earned him the ire of Apple, and the company has since banned Miller from its developers program.

Other improvements in iOS 5.0.1 include multitasking gestures added to the first-gen iPad, improved voice recognition for Australian users using dictation, and tweaks to resolve "some issues with Documents in the Cloud."

Source: Wired

Angry Birds developer shows trailer for next game

Rovio, the developer behind the popular Angry Birds series, has released a trailer for its next game, Amazing Alex, which promises to bring more physics-based puzzles to mobile gamers.

The game focuses on Alex, a kid who sets up various contraptions with his toys, giving players over 100 levels of physics puzzles that will make use of toy cars, footballs, balloons, and any piece of furniture in the vicinity.Another unique feature of the game is a level creator, which means gamers can expand the possible game experiences with 35 interactive objects, a number which is sure to grow over time. Player-created levels can also be shared online and Rovio is promising plenty of free updates.If the game is as well-crafted as Rovios bird-flinging pig-crushing antics the gaming world could be in for another puzzle phenomenon.Amazing Alex launches tomorrow, 12 July for the iPhone, iPad and Android devices.

AMD's naming scheme for Dual Radeon Graphics is confusing

AMD has come up with some rather imaginative names for when it combines one of its new APUs with a discrete Radeon graphics card and the company has moved away from the familiar CrossFire branding and simply gone for Dual Radeon Graphics. However, things get interesting when you start looking at the specifics, as depending on which APU is teamed up with which discrete GPU, the names change.

Back at Computex AMD unveiled its new logos and branding for the APUs that were announced earlier today and it looked complicated and unclear at best back then, but thanks to a slide posted over at Anandtech today, things have gotten a lot more complicated. Some additional details on how it all works have also come to light and we have a feeling that this is not only going to be a headache for consumers, but also for the notebook makers and AMD itself.

Lets try to keep things as simple as possible, so were going to do this bullet point style.

We have three new A-series APUs, the A4, the A6 and the A8. All three have different graphics cores with the A4 sporting a Radeon HD 6480G, the A6 a Radeon HD 6520G and the A8 a Radeon HD 6620G.Each of the APUs can be combined with a discrete graphics option for better graphics performance and it works more or less like AMDs old Hybrid CrossFire, although its now called Dual Radeon Graphics.The good news is that Dual Radeon Graphics is asymmetrical, so a faster GPU can be used with a slower discrete option, something that wasnt possible with Hybrid CrossFire, which makes this a lot more interesting and usable.One thing that isnt very clear and which Anandtech seems to have forgotten to mention is the fact that you need to run dual-channel memory for Dual Radeon Graphics to work. Considering how many notebooks out there that are shipping with a single stick of memory, this is a pretty big deal, but more on that later.If you take a look at the slide below youll notice that the various APUs combine differently with the same discrete GPU and as such create various odd combinations based on, well, some kind of logic, we hope.AMDs Eyefinity technology is not supported by the graphics in the APU, nor in Dual Radeon Graphics mode. Hopefully this is something AMD will be fixing in the future though.

If the slide above hasnt gotten your head spinning, then youve done better than we did the first time we looked at it. The peculiar thing is the two topmost options, as here the A6 and A8 APUs end up with the same naming scheme for the Dual Radeon Graphics which adds further confusion as to how it all works. Its possible that the Radeon HD 6750M and 6770M are fast enough to take precedence here while the other discrete cards are not, but that doesnt quite make sense either.

The dual core A4 APU also get crippled here as it only works with the Radeon HD 6400M series of discrete GPUs which means that theres no real performance option in place here, at least not as long as the integrated graphics is still being used. We can sort of see what AMD has done here, but then why bother at all with a Dual Radeon Graphics option?

Back to point 4 above, the part about dual-channel memory. Apparently AMD is expecting the notebook manufacturers to put a different sticker on notebooks with only a single stick of RAM in them, as the integrated graphics in the APU will be disabled in these machines if theres also a discrete card in them and as such theyll not pass some kind of sticker certification from AMD. However, we have a feeling that this wont be followed to the letter, especially considering how easy and affordable it is to add a second stick of RAM to a notebook.

The reason behind this is simple, there isnt enough memory bandwidth for the integrated graphics in the APU to keep up with the discrete card in single channel mode and this is also one of the reasons that AMD is pushing for DDR3 1600MHz RAM for Llano based notebooks (and 1866MHz for desktops), as itll help boost the performance of the integrated graphics.

Theres a lot more to the new platform and a few things arent quite making sense, but were not going to go into that here and now. We have a feeling that AMDs new naming scheme is going to cause plenty confusion on its own, not taking into account all the different configuration options available. Well most likely only see one or two discrete options per notebook SKU from AMDs partners, but this is also limiting the purchasing options and might lead to certain notebook manufacturers ending up more favourable than others.

Source: Anandtech

ATi Launch Spots For R520

ATI is throwing a big party at Europe's most infamous party spot, at Ibiza,Spain and plans to do the briefings and the launch of R520 and the othergeneration of the cards. ATI invited about 100 press beggars and it plans tobook PR spinners and its staff in a four star beach hotel. Some of key ATIpeople known for both architecture knowledge and partying skills will be there.ATI will have its VP of desktops, a chap named Richard Heye and some other namesas Raja Koduri, Terry Makedon, Richard Huddy. Some university professors fromthe US will be at the launch and apart from the marchitecture, previews,overclocking and seeing the R520 in action ATI plans to hold some wild parties.ATI Canada is also throwing a party in Oakland, California. So, Oakland orIbiza?

Ed's note : We also came to know that there is launch in Taiwan toowhere most of the ATi's AIB partners are located at. Expect a massive worldwidelaunch on Oct 4th.

ATi amp; NVIDIA PCIe GPU War In Q4

A battle for the PCIe GPU channel market between ATI and NVIDIA looms in the fourth quarter, despite an ATI claim that it has delivered over one million native PCIe GPUs to the market. However, channel sales of ATI PCIe chips have not gone well. This has allowed rival Nvidia, which recently launched a native PCIe-enabled GPU, the GeForce 6600, a chance to compete effectively with ATI in the channel. In the fourth quarter, Nvidia plans to launch its NV44-series of native PCIe-enabled chips, which will target the US$ 79-99 graphics card segment and should give a boost to the sales of Nvidia’s PCIe chips.

AMD Socket M2 CPU Processor Running!

AMD Socket M2:Here are two pictures of AMD's working Socket M2 processor. This particular unit is running at 2.4GHz. You will notice the "extra" M2 pin bringing the total pin count up to 940 (from the current 939). Just to note that we are not showing you a current 940-pin Opteron, you will notice that the areas that are void of pins are in spaces other than what you would find on a Opteron processor. This processor is also lacking the usual ceramic Opteron substrate. The second picture shows the POST screen where we have highlighted "AMD Engineering Sample" along with the noted DDR2-667 memory bus speed.

Asustek co-brands Nexus 7 to increase value of their own brand

Asustek and Google are partners in the development and distribution of the Google Nexus 7, and, according to an analyst, Asustek is utilizing the co-branding opportunity to enhance their brand rather than to make money.

The price tag of a Nexus 7 will be $199.99, and that’s the same price as the production cost. Now, why would an OEM produce a co-branded device for no profit, and hoping just to break even? An analyst, Thompson Wu of Credit Suisse, from Taiwan suggests that Asustek is not aiming to net any profit from the Nexus 7. Contrary to traditional OEM business methodology, they are seeking to build their brand in a system where OEMs “have limited opportunities to differentiate” from the brands which Asustek is making hardware for.

“We believe Asustek realizes that in a market where OEMs have limited opportunity to differentiate without content and operating systems, its demonstrating its edge via research and development and innovation, while building upon its brand value,” Wu says.

Asustek has already cemented itself as a high quality OEM, but perhaps they are aiming for something more. Perhaps they want to totally dominate the Android tablet market, and the recent flood of Asus-branded Android tablets is testimonies to how “valuable” the Asus brand is.

Source: focustaiwan.tw

Asetek New Versatile Socket Kit For VapoChill

Asetek is proud to present the NEW VapoChill SOCKET KIT whicheasily fits both Intel S478 & AMD S754/940 CPUs. Now you will not only be ableto obtain the greatest CPU cooling system in the world, but you will also beequipped with a system that is easy to assemble & has a flexibility never seenbefore! The NEW VapoChill Socket kit will be available as a Socket kit that fitsall existing VapoChill models and sold in combination respectively withVapoChill XE systems and VapoChill XE stand-alone units.

Easy mounting alike WaterChill - no tools needed - assemblywith finger screws Best possible contact between evaporator and CPU forefficient heat removal [Fixed evaporator] Flexible mounting system - easy to change between Intel &AMD CPUs No more sticking foam on the backside of the motherboardAt least same high performance & overclocking possibilities

Prices in EU

Socket kit, AMD S754/940 & P4 S478
Note: Release date January 5th MSRP ex. VAT € 99,00

VapoChill XE, Titan. w. case win., S754/940 & S478
Note: Release date January 19th MSRP ex. VAT € 704,00

VapoChill Stand-alone unit, XE, S754/940 & S478
Note: Release date January 19th MSRP ex. VAT € 567,00

Prices in US

Socket kit, AMD S754/940 & P4 S478
Note: Release date January 5th MSRP ex. VAT $ 109,00

VapoChill XE, Titan. w. case win., S754/940 & S478
Note: Release date January 19th MSRP ex. VAT $ 879,00

VapoChill Stand-alone unit, XE, S754/940 & S478
Note: Release date January 19th MSRP ex. VAT $ 679,00

Apple New iPods

Apple introduced its fourth-generation iPod portable music players Monday with lower prices and longer battery life. The new models have up to 12 hours of rechargeable battery life, compared to about 8 hours with the current crop. The prices are $ 299 for a 20-gigabyte model and $ 399 for a 40-gigabyte model -- each $ 100 less than their earlier counterparts. The new iPod versions are also thinner and have improved software features, including a quicker way to shuffle songs and a variable playback speed of audio books.

Apple Launched MacBook Air in Singapore

Earlier today, Apple today unveiled MacBook® Air, the world’s thinnest notebook. MacBook Air has a stunning 13.3-inch LED-backlit widescreen display, a full-size and backlit keyboard, a built-in iSight® video camera for video conferencing, and a spacious trackpad with multi-touch gesture support so users can pinch, rotate and swipe. The new MacBook Air will be available in February for a suggested retail price of S$ 2988. Apple also introduced Time Capsule, a backup appliance that automatically and wirelessly backs up everything on one or more Macs running Leopard™, the latest release of Apple’s Mac OS® X operating system including the amazing Time Machine™ automatic backup software. Time Capsule will be available in February for a suggested retail price of S$ 489 for a 500GB hard drive and S$ 788 for a 1TB hard drive.

Apple Launches iPad touchscreen tablet

SAN FRANCISCO—January 27, 2010— Apple today introduced iPad, a revolutionary device for browsing the web, reading and sending email, enjoying photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games, reading e-books and much more. iPad’s responsive high-resolution Multi-Touch display lets users physically interact with applications and content. iPad is just12.7mm thick and weighsjust 680g — thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook. iPad will be available in late March starting at the breakthrough price of just US$499.

iPad features 12 Multi-Touch applications withevery app working in both portrait and landscape, automatically animating between views as the user rotates iPad in any direction. The precise Multi-Touch interface makes surfing the web on iPad an entirely new experience, dramatically more interactive and intimate than on a computer. Reading and sending email is fun and easy on iPad’s large screen and almost full-size “soft” keyboard. Import photos from a Mac, PC or digital camera, see them organized as albums, and enjoy and share them using iPad’s elegant slideshows. Watch movies, TV shows and YouTube, all in HD or flip through pages of an e-book you downloaded from Apple’s new iBookstore while listening to your music collection.

iPad runs almost all of the over 140,000 apps on the App Store, including apps already purchased for your iPhone® or iPod touch®. Apple also announced the new iBooks app for iPad, which includes Apple’s new iBookstore, the best way to browse, buy and read books on a mobile device. The iBookstore will feature books from major and independent publishers. Apple also introduced a new version of iWork® for iPad, the first desktop-class productivity suite designed specifically for Multi-Touch. With Pages®, Keynote® and Numbers® you can create beautifully formatted documents, stunning presentations with animations and transitions, and spreadsheets with charts, functions and formulas. The three apps will be available separately through the App Store for US$9.99 each.

iPad syncs with iTunes just like the iPhone and iPod touch, using the standard Apple 30-pin to USB cable, so you can sync all of your contacts, photos, music, movies, TV shows, applications and more from your Mac or PC. All the apps and content you download on iPad from the App Store, iTunes Store and iBookstore will be automatically synced to your iTunes library the next time you connect with your computer.

iPad’s brilliant 9.7-inch, LED-backlit display features IPS technology to deliver crisp, clear images and consistent color with an ultra-wide 178-degree viewing angle. The highly precise, capacitive Multi-Touch display is amazingly accurate and responsive whether scrolling web pages or playing games. The intelligent soft keyboard pioneered on iPhone takes advantage of iPad’s larger display to offer an almost full-size soft keyboard. iPad also connects to the new iPad Keyboard Dock with a full-size traditional keyboard.

iPad is powered by A4, Apple’s next-generation system-on-a-chip. Designed by Apple, the new A4 chip provides exceptional processor and graphics performance along with long battery life of up to 10 hours.

iPad comes in two versions—one with Wi-Fi and the other with both Wi-Fi and 3G. iPad includes the latest 802.11n Wi-Fi, and the 3G versions support speeds up to 7.2 Mbps on HSDPA networks. Apple and AT&T announced breakthrough 3G pre-paid data plans for iPad with easy, on-device activation and management.

Pricing & Availability
iPad will be available in late March worldwide for a suggested retail price of US$499 for the 16GB model, US$599 for the 32GB model, US$699 for the 64GB model. The Wi-Fi + 3G models of iPad will be available in April in the US and selected countries for a suggested retail price of US$629 for the 16GB model, US$729 for the 32GB model and US$829 for the 64GB model. iPad will be sold in the US through the Apple Store® (http://www.apple.com/), Apple’s retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers. International pricing and worldwide availability will be announced at a later date.

Here's a video of Steve Jobs doing a demo on the iPad (BNETvideo)

Apple bringing $19 Lightning to Micro USB adapter to the U.S

The United States is something of an anarchy when it comes to mobile device chargers, adapters, etc. That is why Apple, an American corporation, was able to invent yet another charging and syncing protocol with the release of the iPhone 5, known as Lightning.

This new release was met with a good deal of criticism, since it forced some consumers to purchase adapters or Lightning cords for their new Apple devices. Additionally, a special security technology inside of Lightning cables make them a very difficult target for imitation, therefore wiping out a good deal of cheaper alternatives which might otherwise have been available from Chinese imitators on the internet.

Apple is not known for cheap anything, and their cables are no exceptions.

The problem of needing to purchase an adapter still existed in Europe, but nobody with a Micro USB cable had to worry about getting a new cable. The European Commissions guidelines require all mobile devices to be compatible with the Micro USB standard.

In order to meet this standard, Apple released a Lightning to Micro USB adapter in Europe. For a long time, this convenient device has been unavailable in America, except through 3rd party resellers.

Image from Apple

Those Americans that do not simply follow along with Apples comparatively Draconian methods will be elated to learn that the adapter is now available to purchase, directly through Apples website.

Although the adapter costs $19.00, the experience of being able to use an already purchased cord with a new Apple product in the U.S should be like a splash of cool, clear water on the face of a man trapped in a sweltering desert*.

The adapter is compatible with all current iOS devices, including the iPad mini, and with the seventh generation iPod nano.

It is capable of charging, and syncing devices in the same manner of a standard Lightning cord.

Source: AppleInsider

*Please note that the author of this article is an American.

ASUS M2N32SLI Deluxe nForce 590 Mobo

Guess what? We just got our hands on Asus's top of the line AM2 motherboard. It's spanking new and piping hot! What is better than letting the pictures do the talking? :D

Check out more pics and specshere

ASUS to showcase latest innovations at CeBIT 2011

Singapore (February 28, 2011) - ASUS today kicked off CeBIT 2011 with a booth media tour where journalists from around the world were given the opportunity to explore and experience the latest ASUS innovations prior to the official opening of the event.

Echoing the CeBIT theme of Work and Life in the Cloud, ASUS will showcase four different tablet computers at CeBIT 2011, along with the latest motion-sensing technology called WAVI Xtion (pronounced way-vee action), the all-new K series notebook and a wide range of gaming products designed for a superior gaming experience.

ASUS will address various consumer needs with its range of tablet PCs. These include the 12-inch Eee Slate EP121, the 7-inch Eee Pad MeMO (mee-mo), the Eee Pad Slider with a sliding keyboard and the Eee Pad Transformer which comes with the option of a full size docking keyboard that also serves as an extended battery pack.

As the industrys leading innovator, ASUS will also showcase the first motion-sensing technology for PCs - WAVI Xtion. It is a PC peripheral that allows consumers to access content on their PCs wirelessly with simple gestures in front of their TV sets. The preloaded Xtion Portal interface provides intuitive access to PC content as well as allows users to browse ASUS @vibe for the latest multimedia content.

The ASUS tradition of combining performance and aesthetics across all its notebooks continues. New ASUS K Series notebooks combine the multitasking power of 2nd generation Intel® Core™ processors with NVIDIA® GeForce™ graphics to deliver spectacular computing, and are offered in 14", 15.6", 17.3" and 18.4" screen sizes. Models are available in a variety of colors including classic brown and silver, passion red, party gold, urban green, chill blue, seduction pink and simplicity white. These use unique textured aluminum covers that are both stylish and durable. The K Series also includes new AMD® Brazos™ processors, with powerful graphics for better gaming and multimedia. All new K Series notebooks feature exclusive ASUS IceCool technology to keep palm rests cool for increased comfort during the longest sessions.

As a mainstay in the gaming community, ASUS continues to develop and widen its product portfolio to serve gaming enthusiasts. An entire line of gaming products including notebooks, motherboards, graphics cards, 3D monitors and a noise cancelling headset will be well-received by the gaming public.

CeBIT 2011 Information

ASUS plans an extensive showing during CeBIT 2011, taking place March 1-5 in Hannover, Germany. The ASUS booth can be found at Hall 17, stand J06. Members of the media may contact local ASUS representatives to arrange for interviews and private product demonstrations.

Further details on ASUS at CeBIT 2011 may be accessed from: http://cebit2011.asus.com

Source: ASUS Press Release

ASUS A8N32-SLI Premium Board

ASUS has an upcoming A8N32-SLI Premium board that has two PCI-E x16 slots running at full x16 bandwidth each. This is made possible by pairing up two nForce4 chipsets; CK8-04 and C51D together to offer up to 40 PCI Express lanes where 32 PCI Express lanes are allocated to the two PCI-E x16 graphics slots, 2 to network and RAID controllers and the remaining 4 to the PCI-E x4 slot.

ASUS Eee BOX Actual Product First Look

Our friends fromCHW hastaken a snapshot on the upcoming desktop variant of the EeePC from ASUS. Knownas the Eee BOX B202, it is using Intel Atom processor with 945 chipset, 1GB DDR2memories, 80GB hard drive and runs on Linux. ASUS is slated to unveil it over atComputex in June.

ATI and Nokia announce strategic relationship

ATI Technologies and Nokia today announced a long-term strategic relationshipto bring enhanced mobile multimedia experiences to Nokia customers. As leadersin their respective industries, ATI and Nokia are now working closely togetherto drive high quality multimedia experiences such as music playback, 3D gaming,mobile TV, video and more for Nokia mobile device users worldwide. "Workingwith ATI underscores the commitment that Nokia has in providing unparalleledmobile multimedia experiences to consumers," said Ilkka Raiskinen, SeniorVice President, Multimedia Experiences, Nokia. "With the mobile devicenow at the center of people's lives, we want people to have access to fantasticmobile content when and where they want. We are announcing our collaborationwith ATI now, so that developers have the next 12 to 18 months to be innovativeand create world class mobile multimedia experiences."

With mobile devices becoming ever more powerful and complex, ATI and Nokiaare working to drive the complexity out of multimedia development by promotingopen standards and providing integrated hardware, software and tools. In thisway, developers need only create content once for consumers to enjoy on arange of devices. Specifically, ATI aims to provide a dedicated tools chainand software development kit (SDK) for developers in the fall of 2006. ATIand Nokia will also hold a series of joint workshops in the second half ofthis year to showcase the environment to key developers.
"Our role is to enable all content, from ultra-high quality music playbackto 3D gaming, and we'll jointly guide and support the members of the contentdevelopment community as they focus on creating amazing user experiences,"said Paul Dal Santo, Vice President and GM, Handheld Products, ATI. "Witha shared vision of how multimedia impacts the mobile market, Nokia and ATIare providing much needed direction and a framework to move the whole industryforward."

ASUS Unveils First quot;The Ultimate Force quot; (TUF) Series Motherboard - Sabertooth 55i

ASUS, the leader in innovative motherboard solutions, today unveiled the first motherboard in its newly-developed “TUF” (The Ultimate Force) Series, the SABERTOOTH 55i. The TUF Series is specially developed to meet the heavy computing demands of power users and perform well even under extreme conditions. Such computer enthusiasts often demand high-quality motherboard components and the most stable computing platforms. To achieve uncompromising stability, TUF Series motherboards have undergone a more stringent testing program than what most motherboard producers currently undertake. Solidly constructed and equipped with resilient components that have passed demanding military-style testing, the TUF Series triumphs over the harshest operating conditions to deliver robust performance. The debut SABERTOOTH 55i model, designed around a “Marine Cool” concept, incorporates the Intel® P55 chipset and “tough” features to give users a supremely solid and stable computing platform.

Ultimate Heatsink Cooling with Unique CeraM!X Microfin Coating

The ASUS SABERTOOTH 55i motherboard, equipped with the new CeraM!X heatsink, delivers exceptional cooling to active components and uncompromising system stability even under intense operating conditions. With its advanced ceramics-based composition—commonly used in the aerospace industry for heat insulation—the heatsink dissipates heat rapidly to achieve ultimate cooling. Ceramics replace traditional anti-oxidant compounds to create a microfin surface texture for enhanced cooling. This rough surface offers an expanded area for heat induction into the surrounding air. As a result, more heat is rapidly conducted away from the active system—allowing users to enjoy previously unattainable levels of stability.

Direct Memory Cooling with Affordable CoolMem! Fan Frame

As optimal memory operation relies on good cooling, the SABERTOOTH 55i motherboard includes the CoolMem! Fan Frame that encloses most standard 40mm or 50mm computer fans and fits them directly over the memory module. Users thus gain an affordable cooling solution that significantly stabilizes memory operation.

Resilient Performance from Military-certified Capacitors and MOSFETs

To ensure users experience uncompromising performance, the SABERTOOTH 55i incorporates only high-grade, rigorously-tested components. These perform robustly even under the most demanding conditions. For example, all its capacitors have undergone thermal shock tests to ensure continuous, stable operations during rapid temperature changes in the 60°C range. In fact, all its capacitors and VRM MOSFETs have been certified for military-level use through stringent testing.

Optimized Power Usage with E.S.P.

The SABERTOOTH 55i motherboard delivers E.S.P. (Efficient Switching Power) to all major components for superb system efficiency. Besides delivering efficient power to the CPU and memory, the power design also applies the same level of efficient power to the PCIex16 expansion slots and IC. This improves overall power efficiency and reduces the amount of heat generated—resulting in cooler and more reliable operations. Additionally, the E.S.P. converts power at 90% efficiency compared to a conventional linear design that is only about 60% efficient. Built for robust performance, the SABERTOOTH 55i—and ASUS TUF Series motherboards as a whole—incorporates the latest breakthroughs in heatsink composition and high-grade, military-tested components to enable users to build their DIY systems around one of the most solid and stable motherboards ever created.