HP Offers AMD Processors on New Notebook Lineup

HP today introduced a new consumer notebook lineup that offers customers a choice of processor technology, award-winning support and value beyond the competition.
Select HP Pavilion and Compaq Presario consumer notebook PCs will, for the first time, include the option of AMD Turion 64 mobile technology. AMD's latest mobile processor technology delivers 32-bit performance today and can run tomorrow's 64-bit applications, in addition to offering enhanced virus protection.

As with the company's consumer desktop PCs, HP consumer notebooks come with a full year of support, significantly longer than some competitors' 90-day offerings.

Offering more complete customer support is one way HP provides consumers with the best customer experience possible. In fact, the Customer Respect Group, an international research and consulting firm, recently awarded HP top honors in a study of how well high-tech companies treat their customers online. HP was the only company to earn an "Excellent" rating in both privacy and email responsiveness. The study showed HP's one-hour email response time was particularly impressive considering the significant challenges noted for much of the high-tech industry.

HP updated its consumer notebooks in the categories of: thin and light, value, entertainment and desktop replacement. Specific series include:

-- The award-winning HP Pavilion dv1000 Entertainment Notebook PC
-- HP Pavilion ze2000 Series Notebook PC - available with AMD Turion 64 mobile technology
-- HP Pavilion zv6000 Series Entertainment Notebook PC
-- HP Pavilion dv4000 Series Notebook PC
-- HP Pavilion zd8000 Series Notebook PC
-- Compaq Presario M2000 Series Notebook PC - available with AMD Turion 64 mobile technology
-- Compaq Presario R4000 Series Notebook PC
-- Compaq Presario V4000 Series Notebook PC
-- Compaq Presario V2000 Series Notebook PC - available with AMD Turion 64 mobile technology

Detailed information on available configurations and features, including the AMD Turion 64 mobile technology processor, is available at www.hp.com/notebooks .

Configure-to-order models of select new notebooks are available now direct from HP. The entire lineup is expected to be available later this month. HP offers a one-year limited warranty for notebooks that includes technical support, parts and labor as part of its HP Total Care portfolio of services.

ARM asks Khronos for OpenCL nod for Midgard GPU

(Phys.org) -- ARM wastes no time taking every opportunity to prove its reputation as "GPU computing" kingpins. GPU computing is seen as having a bright future, where the computational performance of the GPU, which was historically used for graphics, is harnessed to augment the main processor. The result is improved performance and energy efficiency. Earlier this week, ARM announced that its Mali-T604 graphics processing unit was submitted for OpenCL 1.1 Full Profile conformance to the standards overseer, Khronos Group.

This is seen as a significant step in advancing the future of mobile ARM is a Promoter Member of Khronos and has representatives participating in OpenCL and other working groups.

Fujitsu launches 'easy-easy' seniors' phone

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Japan's Fujitsu launched a new mobile telephone for the elderly on Wednesday, its latest "Raku-Raku" or "easy-easy" model, with a large, crisp display and one-touch Internet access.

Users of the phone, designed in Japan for telecom giant NTT, have access to a special website with travel and gourmet information tailored to the needs of senior citizens, as well as news, weather and transport details.

The waterproof clamshell model also features an application called "Naoko Takahashi's Walking Clinic", named after an Olympic gold medalist and former marathon runner, which analyses the user's stride.

The phone boasts an 8.1-megapixel "smart camera" that can take pictures automatically when it detects that the subjects are smiling, and sounds an alarm when a finger obscures the lens.

Fujitsu's previous Raku-Raku phones have sold more than 17.8 million units since 2001 in Japan, a rapidly greying society with one of the world's longest life expectancies and lowest birth rates.

Japan.

Epson Develops A6-Size Electronic Paper with World's Highest Resolution Using Plastic Substrate

Seiko Epson Corp. has successfully developed A6-size (7.1 inches on the diagonal) electronic paper using a plastic substrate. Drawing on Epson's original SUFTLA technology, the new electronic paper achieves Quad-XGA resolution (1536 x 2048 pixels) – the world's highest – and shows the potential for increasing screen size. The development was announced on June 9 at the Society for Information Display (SID) international symposium held in San Francisco.

Epson has long been working to develop and manufacture low-power-consumption, space-saving electronic devices. At the cutting edge of these efforts, R&D has focused on thin, light and flexible devices that can be reshaped as needed, and that can become the technology that drives electronic equipment for a ubiquitous networked society. In the course of such development, Epson has amassed a range of proprietary technologies including low temperature polysilicon thin film transistors (LTPS-TFT) and SUFTLA, which enables the transfer of TFT circuits to flexible substrates.

As outlined below, the new electronic paper draws on a number of original Epson technologies and has a range of features suited to portable displays.

1. World's highest resolution
LTPS-TFT formed on a plastic substrate using SUFTLA technology gives this electronic paper Quad-XGA resolution – the highest in the world. This ensures that even the smallest letters on a portable display are fully visible.

2. High contrast guaranteeing high-quality display
With a contrast ratio of 10:1, the new technology achieves the same levels of visibility as images printed on ordinary paper.

3. Narrow border and simple interface
Forming peripheral drive circuits with LTPS-TFT creates a simple structure with very few external terminals, that result in a borderless flexible display, even with the drive circuits included.

4. Low power consumption
Data display does not require power – a memory function ensures that information does not disappear even if the power is turned off. Maximum drive voltage even for editing information is just 6 volts, showing that the display itself consumes very little power.

5. Larger screen
The expanded screen size, from around 2 inches in existing models to A6 size (7.1 inches on the diagonal), is evidence of potential for even bigger screens in the future.

Epson will examine the potential of a range of applications for the technology and conduct further research and development with a view to its practical use.

Source: Seiko Epson

Intel Launches High-Performance 90-nm Multi-Level-Cell Nor Flash Memory

Intel today announced it is shipping in volume the industry’s first 90-nanometer multi-level cell (MLC) NOR flash memory device. The new Intel StrataFlash Cellular Memory (M18) delivers faster performance, higher density and lower power consumption than the previous 130nm version to meet the increasing demand for feature-rich cell phones equipped with cameras, color screens, Web browsing and video.

“Flash memory is one of the driving technologies in enabling the next generation of cell phone applications,” said Darin Billerbeck, vice president and general manager, Intel Flash Products Group. “The M18 delivers to cellular designers the unique combination of performance, density and low power required for today’s phones. Moreover, the M18 is built on Intel’s reliable and cost-effective fifth generation MLC technology and 90nm process lithography.”

The M18 offers the fastest read speeds in the industry, enabling the new flash memory to operate at the same bus frequency as next-generation cellular chipsets – up to 133MHz. This speeds user application execution because the interaction between the chipset and memory operation is faster than in the 130nm version. With write speeds of up to 0.5MB/second, the M18 supports 3MP (mega pixel) cameras and MPEG4 video. OEMs benefit from lower production costs that result from factory programming speeds of up to three times faster than prior 130-nm versions.

The M18 consumes one-third the energy to program and about half the energy to erase than prior generation products, and offers the new Deep Power Down operation mode, all for improved battery life. The M18 also increases the NOR flash density reach, with single chip solutions of 256 Mb and 512 Mb and standard stacked package solutions up to 1 Gb. Intel’s industry-leading standard stacks combine NOR and RAM in multiple bus architectures, and improve OEM time-to-market and supply-line flexibility.

Intel is working across the cellular ecosystem to help customers reduce integration time, increase performance and optimize reference design platforms. According to Billerbeck, Intel has worked with leading cellular chipset vendors such as ADI, Philips, Infineon and MediaTek in addition to such operating system vendors as Symbian and MontaVista to help ensure their products are ready for the 90nm M18 product family. Intel has design wins with eight cellular OEMs, including NEC and Sony Ericsson.

Source: Intel

Early Microsoft Office 15 screenshots are out

Some screenshots have appeared online of Microsofts Office 15 productivity suite following a Technical Preview release that was provided to a number of businesses and partners last month. All applications within are designed to run as standard on Windows 7 or 8 with the ribbon interface that we saw introduced in Office 2007 making its return yet again.

However, things have been changed up extensively this time around with more of a Metro oriented twist to the interface. For one, the ribbon will now be collapsed by default and things like the gradients, panels and dividing lines which were common place previously appear to be mostly removed; all in Microsofts efforts to make Metro a less cluttered, cleaner experience.

Another new feature of Microsofts next-gen Office suite is the ability to broadcast select documents online. This is more or less an expansion of the "Broadcast Slide Show" feature in Powerpoint 2010 where all other Office applications have a similar functionality referred to as "Present Online". The function ties in with Windows Live where your documents are broadcasted.

While its still got fair ways to go before release (theres a public beta due out in the summer which is expected to have most of the new Office 15 features implemented), it looks like the next instalment of Office will be giving us some more real-estate to work with, thanks to its minimalistic layout that should integrate quite well with the Metro UI.

For the remaining screenshots, head over to the source folks.

Source: The Verge

ElcomSoft Breaks iPhone iOS4 Encryption

...press release of the company states:

"ElcomSoft Co. Ltd. enables enhanced and near-instant forensic access to encrypted information stored in iPhone devices, and updates Elcomsoft Phone Password Breaker with tools that can access protected file system dumps extracted from iPhone devices, even if the data is hardware encrypted by iOS 4.While iPhone backups store a lot of information about the usage of an iPhone device, they dont have everything. Forensic wise, dumping the contents of the physical device is the only proper way to handle an investigation. A decrypted dump of the file system can be analyzed by certified, highly advanced forensic tools."You should not be worried about your datas safety though, unless you are planning to do something illegal and getting arrested. As it is clearly mentioned in the press release, a forensics expert needs to get a hold of the device itself in order to retrieve any data.Source : ElcomSoft Press Release

FBI releases files on quot;questionable quot; Steve Jobs

The FBI has released its files on the late Steve Jobs, co-founder and former CEO of Apple, who apparently was a questionable character in the eyes of colleagues and the law enforcement agency.

As part of a freedom of information request the FBI uploaded files to its website, which it collected on Jobs during an investigation into his character when he was being considered for a presidential appointment by George H. W. Bush to a position as advisor on export policy.The files show that several people questioned Jobs honesty and morality. The FBI interviewed a number of people who worked with him and found that he would twist the truth to achieve his goals. Other people said he was honesty and trustworthy, but suggested he had moral issues.The documents also show that Jobs was difficult to work with, a fact backed up by details in his biography released last year.Other details in the files include Jobs experimentation with drugs in the 1970s, particularly LSD, which he claimed was one of the few important things he did in his life. Its unclear if this drug use was what some meant by his questionable morality or if there were more alleged skeletons in his closet.His conversion to Buddhism was also documented, though were not sure whether or not the FBI saw any significance to this in relation to their investigation.Despite the questions raised over his character he secured to post Bush Senior wanted him for in 1991. The position did not involve any financial payment.The files also show that Jobs was on the receiving end of a bomb threat in 1985, which was designed to extort money.Source: BBCImage Credit: Matt Yohe

Enjoy your music with the new Philips DJ-Style headband headphones

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ASUS My Cinema-EHD3-100 NAQ FM AV MCE RC PCI-express Dual TV card

Taipei, Taiwan, May 11, 2009 – ASUS today announced the launch ofits new ASUS My Cinema-EHD3-100/NAQ/FM/AV/MCE RC PCI-express Dual TV card. Designed for users seeking to watch and record both digital (ATSC/QAM) and analog (NTSC) TV channels simultaneously without taking a CPU hit, the ASUS My Cinema-EHD3-100/NAQ/FM/AV/MCE RC is embedded with a MPEG2 hardware encoder that dramatically reduces CPU loading while guaranteeing high quality video.

The Premier Solution for High Quality PC TV Watching
The ASUS My Cinema-EHD3-100/NAQ/FM/AV/MCE RC allows users to watch and record high quality digital (ATSC/QAM) and analog (NTSC) TV programs on their PCs simultaneously. Utilizing the PCI Express x1 interface, it boasts transmission speeds of up to 500MB/s - almost 3 times faster than that of a conventional PCI bus which runs at 133MB/s - ensuring silky smooth pictures regardless of the broadcast content. The ASUS My Cinema-EHD3-100/NAQ/FM/AV/MCE RC also utilizes less CPU resources, thanks to its in-built MPEG2 hardware encoder, allowing users to watch TV while surfing the Internet without impacting the performance of either. Furthermore, the ASUS My Cinema-EHD3-100/NAQ/FM/AV/MCE RC is equipped with noise reduction technology, providing clearer images and delivering the best video quality, bar none.

Dual TV: Enjoy Digital and Analog TV at the Same Time
The ASUS My Cinema-EHD3-100/NAQ/FM/AV/MCE RC ingeniously integrates the capabilities of analog and digital TV receivers. With it, users will be able to view one digital or one analog TV channel, watch an analog or digital TV channel while recording another channel, or record two different channels at the same time.

A Multimedia Entertainment Center in a Card
The ASUS My Cinema-EHD3-100/NAQ/FM/AV/MCE RC also supports FM radio playback,and comes with a Microsoft certified Media Center remote control which enables users to switch channels and record programs with just one convenient click.

Exclusive ASUS GadgeTV Technology for Windows Vista®
The ASUS My Cinema-EHD3-100/NAQ/FM/AV/MCE RC also offers a unique solution for users who love keeping a constant eye on what’s going on on TV even while engaged in other PC-based activities. Dubbed ASUS GadgeTV, this nifty widget adds a small window on the Windows Vista sidebar, allowing users to watch, record and take snapshots of live TV directly from their sidebars. Users can easily enlarge the screen size by pulling the widget onto the main desktop. With ASUS GadgeTV, users will never miss a favorite moment.

Key Features
- Utilizes the PCI-Express port for faster data transmission
- Enhances multitasking through an in-built hardware MPEG2 encoder that significantly reduces CPU load
- Delivers the best video quality through hardware noise reduction technology
- Enables users to watch analog or digital TV (or digital TV through a standard coaxial cable) and record another channel, or record two different channels at the same time
- Adds a convenient TV widget on the Windows Vista sidebar upon startup, powered by ASUS GadgeTV Technology
- Comes with a remote control kit for easy channel surfing
- Equipped with FM radio capabilities
- Sports dual AV inputs for capturing external sources
- Turns the PC into a private security system with ASUS VideoSecurity Online Technology

Source: ASUS

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.

An adventurous venture for Apple a smart TV

Rumor out of China is that Foxconn’s Shenzhen plant will be in charge of mass producing Apple’s smart TV. News of Apple’s smart TV began emerging late last year, but it was unclear when Apple intended to make an official entry into the entertainment display market.

In the late Steve Job’s autobiography by Walter Isaacson, Jobs told Isaacson that he wanted to “create an integrated television that is completely easy to use, [and that] it would seamlessly synced with all of your devices and with iCloud.”

Perhaps the Apple smart TV will be what Jobs envisioned it to be, but TV’s that can sync with other devices and the internet has been around for a while. Tech giants such as Samsung have a variety of smart TV’s on the market, and tech savvy individuals have concocted TV’s that are hooked up to HTPCs. Apple dominates the “ease of use” department, but until there’s an actual product for consumers to review, we won’t know if it will be any easier than current smart TV’s on the market.

Apple’s smart TV will range from 42’’ to 55’’ and have a price tag ranging from US$1,500-2,000 according to wantchinatimes.com. Gene Muster, an analyst that specializes in tracking Apple stock, predicted that “Apple smart TVs can occupy 10% of the global TV market in one to three years.” Considering how mature the TV market is, Munster’s prediction is a rather bold one.

DisplaySearch’s, a market consultant firm, Xie Qinyi backs up Munster’s prediction by reporting to wantchinatimes.com that Apple has four major advantages in developing its smart TVs. One being a large amount of people uses Apple brand products. Secondly, Apple has a lot of money to back up its product. Thirdly, Apple has a rich connection with the entertainment production sector. Lastly, Apple knows how to make quality displays for professionals (think about why graphic designers tend to prefer Apple displays for media creations).

When the first Apple smart TV hits the shelf, it might revolutionize the industry like the iPhone—or it might be a bust. We will just have to wait and see!

Reference: wantchinatimes.com, bgr.com

ASUS launches Eee PC 1025 Flare series, world's fastest netbook with 2 sec resume

The ASUS Eee PC 1025 Flare Series netbook sports a new design with several color options, and incorporates 1.8GHz Intel Atom Cedar Trail dual-core processor, which claims to offer four times the graphical performance to previous generations while consuming less power. It also supports up to 2GB of DDR3 memory, up to 500GB hard drive, and comes with Smart Camera with 4x zoom, built-in USB 3.0, DLNA, and Wi-Fi Direct connectivity. The netbook features the proprietary ASUS Super Hybrid Engine II with Instant On technology that offers two-second system resume from sleep mode, and up to 21 days of standby. It also supports Blu-ray 2.0, and full high definition 1080p video playback via HDMI output. With the built-in data security features, it ensures zero data loss, with user data automatically saved to the hard drive when the battery drops below 5%. Available in eleven different colors, including Addict Pink, Mysterious Blue, and Plucky Purple, the ASUS Eee PC 1025 Flare Series netbook is now available in Singapore at S$499. Users will also receive 3GB of cloud storage space on ASUS WebStorage.

Apple to sell 190 million iPhones in 2012

Apple could sell upwards of 190 million iPhones next year, according to a report by financial services firm Morgan Stanley.

The Cupertino, California-based company is expected to ship between 31 and 36 million iPhones in the final quarter of this year, up to 30 per cent more than other analysts project.That figure is projected to jump to 41 million in the first quarter of 2012, with up to 190 million sales predicted for the entire year, showing that demand is increasing, rather than falling, for iPhones, despite strong competition from rival Android smartphones.Apple is also enjoying high sales for its iPad range, with forecasts that the company will sell 52 million iPads in 2012.This figure could almost double to 90 million if Apple is willing to cut $100 off the price-tag, particularly considering the entry of Amazons Kindle Fire tablet will present people with a choice that is significantly cheaper.Whether or not Apple is willing to reduce its profit margin remains to be seen, but it might be forced to do so if Amazon steals a large chunk of its market share.Source: CNN

Apple and Intel racing to hire former TI engineers

Apple intends to build a new R&D center in Ra’anana, Israel, and is thus looking to hire some engineers. A group of 250 employees fromTexas Instruments Ra’anana development center were conveniently let off recently, and so Apple decided to offer them jobs. The engineers were mainly working on TI’s OMAP and radio chips. When Intel found out about this, they decided to hire the same engineers before Apple could get to them, hoping to put them to use in Intels R&D centers in Haifa, Jerusalem, Petah-Tkva and Kiryat Gat.

As incentive, Intel is offering “healthy compensation packages” to those who come to work for them instead of going to Apple. Apple, meanwhile, is rumored to be planning an interview day specifically for Texas Instruments employees. Apple is planning their new Research and Development center for the end of 2013, but unless they can hire the engineers, the center wont be able to open.

Apple Most Popular Phone for Prospective Buyers

How many people do you think plan on buying an Apple iPhone? Turns out, it’s almost everyone. At least, as long as they already own one.

According to a new survey of 400 consumers by Gene Munster, an analyst for Piper Jaffray, found that 65% of phone owners say that they expect their next phone to be an iPhone. Compare that number to the 19% who plan on buying an Android phone, 6.5% who won’t be purchasing a smartphone, 6% who aren’t sure, and 2.5% who plan on purchasing a Blackberry, and you’ll see that among those surveyed, Apple’s device far outstrips any of its competitors. It is worth mentioning, however, that 52% of the survey group already owned an iPhone, which more than likely skews the results towards Apple’s devices. Munster acknowledges this, but still says that he thinks the iPhone can boost Apple’s share in the smartphone market from roughly 20% to roughly 30% by 2015.

51% of those who planned on buying an iPhone are waiting on the iPhone 5, which to Munster means that roughly 85 million iPhones are already as good as sold, based on his prediction of 170 million iPhones in 2013 and the results of this survey. Also, 94% of iPhone users in the survey group plan on buying an iPhone for the next phone as well, which is a very good thing for Apple, considering that the iPhone now accounts for more than 50% of Apple’s revenue.

While very interesting, the weighting of the study towards iPhone owners leaves me highly skeptical towards any conclusions drawn from the data. In fact, after removing the iPhone users from the data, a surprising shift happens.

I feel that I should mention at this point that this is back-of-the-napkin math and should in no way be taken as conclusive.

With 65% of those surveyed planning on purchasing an iPhone, and 52% of the survey group owning an iPhone (with 94% of those planning on purchasing another), that means that only around 14% of those surveyed plan on purchasing an iPhone without ever having owned one. After removing iPhone users, 38% plan on purchasing an Android phone, 28% plan on purchasing an iPhone, 13% will not purchase a smartphone, 12% are undecided, and 5% plan on purchasing a Blackberry. This new set of data seems to indicate exactly the opposite of the analyst’s conclusions.

More studies need to be conducted to confirm or refute Munster’s findings, but I personally feel that, outside of Apple’s walled garden, Android phones still reign supreme.

ASRock Unveils 3 Z68 Boards; Adds Z68 Pro3 and Pro3-M

Full Press Release

TAIPEI, Taiwan, April 28, 2011 – Tick-tock, tick-tock, one generation, the next generation! The much-anticipated Intel Z68 platform will join the party in late Q2 2011; the new generation brings all major advances over the previous platforms. In the past, if users were looking for extreme overclocking, it’s P67. If users needed integrated graphics, then it’s H67. Now, what you really need is hybrid of the two chipsets, the superb Z68, which could be the most interesting talk this year, bringing together the P67 native OC performance, plus the H67’s support for graphics.Z68 Extreme4ASRock Inc., the global leading motherboard manufacturer is proud to present its latest Z68 express chipset motherboard series. Commenting on the news release, James Lee, V.P. of ASRock Sales and Marketing, is with confidence. “Tech generation comes one after one. It is our responsibility to keep users in the know. As we always apply the world’s best motherboard technology to our products, we’ll have a competitive advantage.” he states. “We’re trying to make all points running on our Z68 lineup to drive performance up. We’re keen on delivering a Happy Building experience to ASRock fans!” said James Lee. “Paired with the strongest processor microarchitecture”, ASRock believes their latest Z68 express platform can deliver the best kit to users.Designed for the most demanding technology, ASRock’s brand new Z68 platform motherboard series not only takes advantages of dual personalities but also gives users the performance they demand.Hybrid Chipset Brings Advanced FeaturesIntel Smart Response Technology & Lucid VirtuThe ASRock Z68 motherboard offerings provide a powerful performance. There are two major new technologies to this hybrid platform. First one is the Intel Smart Response Technology. For users who are tempted to connect the SSD and HDD on ASRock Z68 motherboard series, the Intel Smart Response Technology can make the SSD become the "Cache of the HDD" to boost up the HDD access speed.The numbers are stunningly good. The performance of PCMark 05 HDD and boot time are increased hugely.Another technology pointed out to be part of the Z68 is Lucid Virtu. It’s a software GPU virtualization technology that will allow dynamic switching between the GPU of the Sandy Bridge processors and a discrete graphics card, without the need for a system reboot. It makes the switch based on which application is using the graphics subsystem at the same time. Lucid is designed to work with all second-generation i3/i5/i7 processors, automatically assigns the GPU or external graphics card to do the jobs.? Lucid Virtu software will dynamically assign tasks in real time to the best available graphics resource based on power, performance and features. In video file convert testing, the convert speed on the integrated Intel HD graphics is 235.48% faster than external Nvidia GTX580 graphics card on ASRock Z68 motherboard.Brilliant Software Tools To Achieve Ultimate PerformanceXFast USB, On/Off Play TechnologiesXFast USB is best known for its incredible performance boost, which allows users to enjoy the world’s fastest USB transfer speed. It can not only possibly double the USB transfer speed but also shorten the file-copy time significantly. To drive performance up, all you have to do is just simply enable XFast USB on your ASRock Z68 motherboard series.USB 3.0 Performance ComparisonAs you can see, USB 3.0 transmission speed has improved 185.52% when comparing with other motherboards without XFast USB.The innovative On/Off Play Technology provides a modern and convenient digital life. Even when the system is powered off (in ACPI S5 mode), On/Off Play still ensures users to enjoy the great audio experience from the portable audio devices through the PC speaker. To facilitate computing environment, ASRock also bundles a free 3.5mm audio cable with its Z68 Extreme4 motherboard package.Stupendous Build Quality Delivers The Most Reliable Computing ExperienceDuraCaps & Digi PowerIn addition to the software support of Z68 boards, ASRock has put great efforts on building its hardware components as well. The ASRock signature DuraCaps on Z68 Extreme4 are 100% Japan-made high-quality Conductive Polymer Capacitors; these solid caps represent long life and stable performance.Another highlight here is the Digi Power design. Traditional motherboards are mostly equipped with analog Pulse-width modulation (PWM), which might brings users annoying problems that the CPU power supply is not stable enough, hence affects the computing efficiency. To improve CPU power solution, ASRock Z68 Extreme4 adapts digital Pulse-width modulation, providing CPU Vcore voltage more efficiently and smoothly. On the other hand, the advanced V8+4 power phase design signatures tough components and smooth power delivery to the CPU as well.Z68 Lineup : Z68 Pro3 & Z68 Pro3-MBesides the flagship board Z68 Extreme4, the long-awaited Z68 motherboard series comes with another two models – Z68 Pro3 and Z68 Pro3-M. Both two models are focused on value, but that needn’t mean bargain basement.Z68 Pro3, ATX form factor, supports dual channel DDR3 2133 memory, Intel HD graphics with Built-in Visuals, USB 3.0 and SATA3. Users will get onboard VGA outputs such as D-Sub, DVI-D and HDMI display ports as well. Other noteworthy features include XFast USB Technology, graphical UEFI BIOS, all-in-one AXTU tuning program and the support for 7.1 CH HD audio.Z68 Pro3Z68 Pro3-M, Micro ATX form factor, supports four DDR3 2133 memory slots, Intel HD graphics with Built-in Visuals and comes with four VGA output options : D-Sub, DVI-D, HDMI and DisplayPort. As for software aspect, the board, like other Intel Z68 platforms, is also equipped with XFast USB Technology, graphical UEFI, AXTU programs.Z68 Pro3-MInterestingly, the newly-launched Z68 Motherboard series has bundled with Cyberlink MediaEspresso 6.5 Trial software. It supports Intel Quick Sync Video hardware transcoding and is optimized for second generation Core i7, i5, and i3 processors to accelerated conversion of all your favorite media files for your favorite portable players. The added software is a fabulous piece of kit and makes your digital life so versatile.When considered alongside Intel’s Sandy Bridge, which also offers up integrated graphics, the landscape for processors has shifted. Stunning performance with the added bonus of Intel technologies, the ASRock Z68 motherboard series will definitely serve pretty much all your needs!

An unlikely home for Windows 8 Return of the budget PC

During the holiday shopping weekend, low-end budget PCs running Windows 8 were all the rage at shopping chain Walmart. HP, Gateway, and Toshiba have all teetered recently due to the decline of the desktop and rise of mobile computing. All three companies started to return to form this weekend though, as their low cost Windows 8 running notebooks were a hit.

The notebooks in question ran from $248 - $328, which pitted them in direct competition with netbooks/Ultrabooks and were only a little more expensive than your average tablet computer. Of course, when using a tablet with a keyboard a dock is usually your best choice, so the notebook offerings worked out cheaper than a $200 tablet + $100-$150 dock. The notebooks had average 2GB memory, 300GB HDD, and 1.3GHz dual-core AMD processors. Some models like the Toshiba Satellite C855D were marked from their usual price for more than $300.

While the tablet boom certainly is booming, it still seems some sensible shoppers just want a regular device to do chores on and write the occasional word. Touch screen technology is a great marketing device, but in reality fails to be practical for anything more than a plaything. As computing takes up more of our lives, a media-consuming device like a tablet just doesn’t cut it in some areas.

Either way its good news for Microsoft, whose latest operating system Windows 8 runs on both notebooks and tablets, and is a cunning strategy by the Redmond developer to ensure they get a cut of whatever trend takes hold over the next few years.

It’s not all pie in the sky for Microsoft, as the Microsoft Surface saw far less popularity than the Apple iPad. Fortune columnist Philip Elmer-Dewitt commented that Microsoft’s Store saw 47% less foot traffic than Apple at one particular mall. Most of the items purchased at the Microsoft Store were also Xbox360 games, not Surface tablets.

While official numbers have yet to be released, eye-witness accounts don’t exactly convey a sense of popularity for Microsoft’s tablet that previous iPad launches have had. Perhaps the notebook isn’t dead after all.

Source: geekwire

ASUS unveils Xonar DG gaming sound card

The Xonar DG sound card combines Dolby Headphone 5.1 high definition surround with ASUS’ own GX 2.5 gaming audio engine and an on-board headset amplifier. The result is accurate and deep audio that brings every nuance and sound across fully, making the new Xonar DG an ideal sound card for gamers who want to remain totally aware of their play environments.

The Xonar Advantage for Gaming and Multimedia

The new Xonar DG sound card joins the existing Xonar range, which includes cutting-edge audio products for PCs such as the Xonar Xense and Xonar Essence, all of which have been tailored towards gaming and multimedia sound with built-in dedicated headphone amplifiers. The emphasis with Xonar sound cards has been to ensure truly immersive, precise audio reproduction in games and movies, making interactive and multimedia experiences more enjoyable.

Standard sound cards offer compromised audio when heard through headphones, resulting in muddy and underpowered reproduction. The new Xonar DG resolves this and other issues with headphone-dedicated amplification. The card has been designed from the ground up to cater to PC gamers who prefer to get sound through personal audio.

Realistic Acoustics

Accurate positioning through surround sound can make a huge difference for gamers, especially in first person shooters. Sound cues are often the only means by which players can pinpoint the location of opponents in a play arena, and so a quality sound card that brings out every rustle, footstep or thump can prove pivotal in gaining a tactical advantage.

The Xonar DG has been designed and built to give gamers the audio edge over the competition and to enhance the user experience.

Ideal for Entertainment Center PCs

The Xonar DG comes in a low profile presentation with a low profile bracket. Therefore, in addition to its role as a gaming sound card, it easily integrates into compact home theater PC configurations that use smaller, space-saving cases.

The powerful amplification of the card comes into play beyond games, rendering movie audio in great detail with lively and impressive reproduction. The same traits hold true for music, making the Xonar DG an excellent all-round multimedia choice. This is bolstered by the card’s auto-detection flexibility, as it switches instantly between front and rear panel audio, depending on where headphones are connected.

Source: ASUS PR

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

Answers to Obscure BIOS Options in DFI LAN Party UT ICFX3200-T2R G

Alright, I've gotten an update on some queries regarding some of the obscure BIOS options available in DFI LAN Party UT ICFX3200-T2R/G - RD600 Motherboard. Here they are my friends.

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade now available for Samsung GALAXY S II

Even though Google Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich came to the Samsung GALAXY Nexus first, the company has promised that the upgrade will be made available for selectedGALAXY smartphones such as the popular GALAXY S II. Well, the wait is finally over. Today, Samsung KoreaannouncedAndroid 4.0 ICS software upgrade for GALAXY S II, startinginEurope-Poland, Hungary, and Sweden;as well as Korea andslowly rolling out to other markets.

On top of that, Android 4.0 ICS software upgrade will also be made available for the GALAXY Note, GALAXY SII LTE, GALAXY R, GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus, 7.7, 8.9 and 10.1 soon. Samsung will also provideAndroid 2.3 Gingerbread firmware upgrades for the GALAXY S, GALAXY Tab 7, GALAXY S Plus, GALAXY S SCL(Super Clear LCD), and GALAXY W from end of March. Theupgrades include features such as Face Unlock, Snapshot, Photo Editor and others.

Source: Samsung Korea

Apple in Japan to replace overheating iPod Nanos

According to Apple in Japan,it isusually very rare that iPod Nanos would overheat, especially those that were sold between September 2005 and December 2006.

There has been27 reported cases of overheating devices that caused fire or minor burn injuries since 2008 and the Japan Ministry ofEconomy, Trade and Industry had asked the manufacturer for more information. And Apple in Japan had reported an additional 34 cases which the company failed to report earlier.

But with pressure from the government, Apple Japanhas agreed toreplace overheating iPod Nanos.

Source: Wall Street Journal

Arctic Unleashes Accelero XTREME Plus VGA Cooler

Swiss based Arctic Cooling has launched the Accelero XTREME Plus VGA Cooler, adding on to its Accelero series of graphic cardcoolers.







Measuring 290 x 104 x 56mm and weighing 622g,the beefy cooler features 84 aluminum fins, five copper heat-pipes, acopper base with pre-applied Arctic MX-4 thermal paste, and is equippedwith three 92mm fans that work at 900 - 2000 RPM. The Accelero XTREMEPlus, backed by a six year warranty, is SLI/ CrossFireX compatible andis expected to hit stores come end September at a MSRP of USD 65.95/54.95 Euro.




News via [Techpowerup]

AOpen i975Xa-YDG Board In Early April

AOpen is now offering a compelling innovative ATX motherboard: the i975Xa-YDGis the latest MoDT motherboard to apply Intel’s Pentium Mobile processortechnology to desktop products. By using MoDT technology and the Intel Core DuoCPU, i975Xa-YDG allows end users to enjoy tremendous performance as well as lowpower consumption on the desktop. The i975Xa-YDG is the best of the latestgeneration of gaming motherboard design.

AOpen i975Xa-YDG offers ingenious features not only for power, performance butalso in usage factors.

Dual Power - May Dual Force be with you

AOpen i975Xa-YDG supports the revolutionary Intel Core Duo (Yonah) CPU, whichboosts multitasking computing power and offers you a more versatile computingplatform.In addition, because AOpen i975Xa-YDG is furnished with dual channelDDRII 667 memory architecture, it can double the bandwidth and provide the bestmemory control performance for your system. Adopting Intel 975X and ICH7chipsets, ATi CrossFire™ technology has been supported. With two PCI Express x16graphics interfaces on board, it provides high performance GPU sharingcapability that works with all games. Also, two PCI Express x1 expansion slotsand two PCI expansion slots are provided.

Superior Performance - Take the 975 Express to the next generation of gaming

Intel® 975X Express Chipset delivers incredible high performance for gaming,multimedia entertainment and demanding business applications for today andtomorrow. It supports ATi CrossFire™. With combined multi-GPU power, ATICrossFire™ provides high performance GPU sharing capability that works with allgames. You can enjoy the highest image quality and resolutions. The CPU, DRAMVoltage, CPU Clock, Northbridge, and Power Master setting can be changed inBIOS. Power users can discover the potential power of i975Xa-YDG,. It providesmany setting combinations for gamers to enjoy the greatest fun fromover-clocking.

CPU cooler – The strong and silent type

An illuminated CPU cooler provides excellent temperature and noise control. Thetop speed can reach 2500rpm with only 25dB of noise even during maximumover-clocking. Compared to others, i975Xa-YDG gives a perfect combination ofexhilarating performance, low power consumption and ultra silence.

Hot-Pluggable Serial ATA connector - Plug, Unplug and play

The external Serial ATA II had the fastest transmission speed for storageinterfaces. The Hot Plug function can let you access and store data easily underWindows without rebooting the system and wasting your time.

AOpen is now offering a compelling innovative ATX motherboard: the i975Xa-YDGis the latest MoDT motherboard to apply Intel’s Pentium Mobile processortechnology to desktop products. By using MoDT technology and the Intel Core DuoCPU, i975Xa-YDG allows end users to enjoy tremendous performance as well as lowpower consumption on the desktop. The i975Xa-YDG is the best of the latestgeneration of gaming motherboard design.

AOpen i975Xa-YDG offers ingenious features not only for power, performance butalso in usage factors.

Dual Power - May Dual Force be with you

AOpen i975Xa-YDG supports the revolutionary Intel Core Duo (Yonah) CPU, whichboosts multitasking computing power and offers you a more versatile computingplatform.In addition, because AOpen i975Xa-YDG is furnished with dual channelDDRII 667 memory architecture, it can double the bandwidth and provide the bestmemory control performance for your system. Adopting Intel 975X and ICH7chipsets, ATi CrossFire™ technology has been supported. With two PCI Express x16graphics interfaces on board, it provides high performance GPU sharingcapability that works with all games. Also, two PCI Express x1 expansion slotsand two PCI expansion slots are provided.

Superior Performance - Take the 975 Express to the next generation of gaming

Intel® 975X Express Chipset delivers incredible high performance for gaming,multimedia entertainment and demanding business applications for today andtomorrow. It supports ATi CrossFire™. With combined multi-GPU power, ATICrossFire™ provides high performance GPU sharing capability that works with allgames. You can enjoy the highest image quality and resolutions. The CPU, DRAMVoltage, CPU Clock, Northbridge, and Power Master setting can be changed inBIOS. Power users can discover the potential power of i975Xa-YDG,. It providesmany setting combinations for gamers to enjoy the greatest fun fromover-clocking.

CPU cooler – The strong and silent type

An illuminated CPU cooler provides excellent temperature and noise control. Thetop speed can reach 2500rpm with only 25dB of noise even during maximumover-clocking. Compared to others, i975Xa-YDG gives a perfect combination ofexhilarating performance, low power consumption and ultra silence.

Hot-Pluggable Serial ATA connector - Plug, Unplug and play

The external Serial ATA II had the fastest transmission speed for storageinterfaces. The Hot Plug function can let you access and store data easily underWindows without rebooting the system and wasting your time.

All these fascinating features can be summary as ‘COO’, the so-called ‘Code ofOver-Clock’, is unveiled for you to gain extra performance (over-clocking) foryour PC system in different factors.

IR Remote control provided - Why let TV have all the fun, Speed me up

An included multifunction IR remote control (over-clocking control buttonincluded) allows you to power on/off your system, use DVD and MP3 functions, andover-clock your system with the press of a button.

Low Power - Guilt free gaming

Save the planet and enjoy gaming at the same time, i975Xa-YDG uses 100W lessthan Pentium D.

System: The superior power of the whole system is generated from Dual Core CPUplus Dual Graphic Card and Dual Channel Memory. Design: The best design ofi975Xa-YDG is using the latest Intel 975X + ICH7 chipset, which support supportsATi CrossFire™, with Intel® Core™ Duo mobile CPU
Expert: Only expert gamer know, AOpen i975Xa-YDG IR remote control has providedthe instant enjoyment for game and media simultaneously. Also, the externalSerial ATA II can store data and safe your time easily. CPU: Intel® Core™ DuoProcessor delivers revolutionary dual-core mobile performance and great powerefficiency. Instant enjoyment of amazing responsiveness for both gaming andentertainment is provided.
BIOS: Power users can enjoy the greatest fun from over-clocking by changingdifferent BIOS. Cooler: The best choice of temperature and noise control.

AMD Radeon HD 7970 specifications slide leaked

A slide purportedly detailing Radeon HD 7970 has leaked online. The slide resembles AMDs standard presentation design, and is seemingly part of the press deck held. Aspreviously rumoured, the HD 7970 features the GCN architecture.

The HD 7970 features 32 CU containing 2048 ALUs, clocked at 925 MHz. This amounts to 3.5 TFLOPS (Single Precision). TMUs are upped to 128, as expected. However, ROPs remain at 32 compared to Cayman, which is odd considering the memory bus, as we have observed, is 384-bit. Memory speed remains unchanged at 5.5 GHz, meaning a 50% boost in memory bandwidth. The TDP is rated under 300W, while the idle power is incredibly only 3W. This means a 8-pin + 6-pin power connector configuration. HD 7970 features 4 display outs - 1x DVI, 2xmini-DisplayPort and 1x HDMI. Finally, the slide mentions the embargo release date - 9th January 2012.

Needless to say, faked slides are nothing new for the rumour mill, so the information contained within this slide must be considered with caution. However, most of the details contained are realistic, and the image of the shroud looks identical to the leaked pictures.

Source: OBR-hardware

Apple iPad not to be blamed for weak PC sales

PC sales have fallen and according to market research company NDP Group, the Apple iPad is not to be blamed. Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at NPD, said that "the conventional wisdom that says tablet sales are eating into low-priced notebooks is most assuredly incorrect".

Baker attributed the blame for weak PC sales to the explosion of computer sales when Windows 7 were launched and large increase in netbook sales at that time.

According to NDP data, consumers are looking to buy notebook PCs priced below US$500 and that segment has grown 21 percent between October 2010 and March 2011; while sales of PCs over US$500 has dropped 25 percent in the same period.

Source: PC Magazine

Apple launches iBooks 2 with digital textbooks

Apple has launched iBooks 2 with digital textbooks for schools and colleges, an attempt to secure additional adoption of its iPad tablet computer in educational circles.

The Cupertino, California-based firm has inked deals with publishers Pearson PLC, McGraw-Hill Cos Inc., and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, the three of which rule a whopping 90 percent of the textbook market in the US.The idea to move in this sector, which Amazon is currently the ruler in with its Kindle devices, came from Apples co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs only months before he died. It may mark the last of his great business ideas put into action, with the digital textbook market worth an estimated $8 billion.Initially students will buy books directly from Apple at $14.99, significantly cheaper than their hardcover versions. Apple will take 30 percent of the money generated in this way.iBooks 2 is a free app available on the iPad. There are textbooks available on a wide range of subjects at different levels of education, with many of the books coming with interactive features.Apple is hoping that widespread adoption of digital textbooks will push sales of its iPad, the next version of which is expected for release in March.Apple claims that its iPads are “very affordable,” a difficult marketing spin to swallow, given the starting price of $499, which is two and a half times the price of Amazons Kindle Fire and up to five times the price of a regular Kindle, where students can also get digital textbooks.Source: Reuters

Apple CEO apologises for Maps blunder, suggests using Google Maps

Apples CEO Tim Cook has apologised over the disaster of its new Maps app in iOS 6, even going so far as to recommend that people use rival services like Google Maps instead.

The Cupertino, California-based company touted its own Maps product, based on data supplied by TomTom, as one of the main selling points of the new iPhone 5, but the app is plagued by errors, with cities missing or misplaced, and locations found in rivers or wrongly named, leading to widespread confusion and criticism.“At Apple, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment,” Cook wrote in a message on Apples website. “We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better.”He revealed that there are now 100 million devices running the new Maps app, and that in the space of just one week close to half a billion locations were searched for. He said the more people use Maps “the better it will get.” It really should not need people to use it for it to launch with accurate information, however.“While we’re improving Maps, you can try alternatives by downloading map apps from the App Store like Bing, MapQuest and Waze, or use Google or Nokia maps by going to their websites and creating an icon on your home screen to their web app,” Cook added.Considering Apple ditched Google Maps due to growing rivalry between the companies, this suggestion from Apples head-honcho marks an unusual move for the company. Google said it was up to Apple if it wanted to reinstate its app, and it is probably unlikely that Apple will, but this apology will perhaps humble the company enough to avoid rushing products in order to get one over on rivals.