Techiton

Three new low power mobile processors from Intel have been launched earlier this month. The new chips are based on Intel's 45 nanometer fabrication technology.

The fastest of the lot is the medium-voltage Core2Duo SP9600 with a clock frequency of 2.53 GigaHertz and contains 6 MegaBytes of cache.
The low-voltage Core2Duo SL9600 comes with a clock frequency of 2.13 GigaHertz and the same 6 MegaBytes of cache but has a TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 17 watts.
And finally the ultra-low-voltage SU9600 which is the slowest and cheapest of this lot has a clock frequency of 1.6 GigaHertz and comes with 3 MegaBytes of cache.
All the processors have a bus speed of 1066 MegaHertz except the 800 MegaHertz SU9600. The prices are listed below.

While Intel has covered the slower low powered chips segment it will also soon be launching faster mobile processors which includes T9900, P9700, P8800.

Core2Duo SP9600 Specifications:
Speed: 2.53 GHz
Cores: 2
Cache Size: 6 MB
Bus Speed: 1066 MHz
Power TDP: 25 W
Price: $316

Core2Duo SL9600 Specifications:
Speed: 2.13 GHz
Cores: 2
Cache Size: 6 MB
Bus Speed: 1066 MHz
Power TDP: 17 W
Price: $316

Core2Duo SU9600 Specifications:
Speed: 1.6 GHz
Cores: 2
Cache Size: 3 MB
Bus Speed: 800 MHz
Power TDP: 10 W
Price: $289

Acer's Aspire One series is another netbook offering which falls in the 10-inch category of netbook size. According to Acer's website the Aspire One netbook offers an affordable and simple solution for Web browsing, e-mail management, instant messaging, VOIP calls, streaming video, photo viewing and music enjoyment. In short, it strikes just the right balance between mobility and productivity.

The D150 comes in various models which differ mainly in color and the operating system that comes with it. All models are powered by Intel's 1.6 GigaHertz Atom processor and come with a 1 GigaBytes of memory and 160 GigaBytes of storage.
Other features include Wifi, LAN, webcam, multi-card reader, speakers, mic and three USB ports. It has a battery life of upto 6.5 hours provided by a 6-cell battery.

D150 Specifications:
CPU: Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz (533Mhz FSB/512KB cache)
RAM: 1 GB DDR2 533 MHz
HDD: 160GB
GPU: Intel 945GSE Express
Weight:1.3 Kgs
Screen size: 10.1 inch (1024 x 600 resolution) LCD
Other Features:

• Built in speaker and microphone
• Intel 802.11b/ g Wireless LAN
• 10/100 Mbps Ethernet
• Web Camera
• 3 x USB Ports
• Mutli-in-one Card Reader

[Source: Acer]

HP's new LCD monitor - LP2475w is a 24-inch widescreen LCD monitor that according to HP offers the broadest selection of input connectivity options combined with state-of-the-art LCD panel technologies for power and workstation users and designers.

The monitor has a extra-high brightness with a resolution of 1920x1200 and 1,000:1 contrast ratio which delivers clear, high-resolution onscreen presentation. It provides adjustable height and tilt for comfortable viewing. It has a connectivity options for DVI-I, DisplayPort, HDMI with HDCP, component video, S-video, and composite inputs. It also comes built-in with a USB hub comprising of 6 USB ports in the rear.

HP LP2475w Specifications and Details:
Size: 24 inch
Native Resolution: 1920 x 1200 (At 60Hz)
Contrast Ratio: 1000 : 1
Brightness: 400 cd/m2
Response Time: 6 ms
Connector: DVI-I, DisplayPort, and HDMI with HDCP, component video, S-video, and composite inputs, 6-port USB hub
Warranty: 3 Years
Price: US$ 569
[Source: HP]

Acer, Asustek, MSI see first quarter netbook sales fall short of expectations, reports DigiTimes.
The following is an excerpt from Digitimes News.

Although Acer is estimated to have shipped two million Aspire One netbooks in the first quarter, the sources said that sales in the channel were lower. Meanwhile, Asustek's Eee PC sales were only 900,000 units, lower than the expected one million units, while MSI had sales of 200,000 Wind series netbooks, the sources revealed.

To counter the drop, both MSI and Acer have already turned their focuses toward the ultra-thin notebook market, and will reduce their investment in the netbook segment, the sources claimed.

[Source: Digitimes]

Seagate has launched a new series of drive called Barracuda LP for desktop computers. According to Seagate, "The new Barracuda LP drives deliver all the benefits of a best-in-class low-power drive—including low-power savings, whisper-quiet acoustics and leading performance."

The Barracuda LP drives are able to run on low power without compromising the speed of the drives with power consumption reduced by upto 44%. The drives are of SATA interface delivering speed of 3 Gigabits per second and have a cache size of 32 MegaBytes.

Barracuda LP drives are available in three sizes - 2, 1.5 and 1 TeraBytes.

Specifications:
Size: 1,1.5,2 TB
Cache: 32 MB
Average Seek Time: 5.5 ms
Rotational Speed: 5900 RPM
Interface: Serial ATA II - 3.0Gbps
Usage: Desktop Storage

[Source: Seagate]

Apple the company which adds an "i" to every product it owns has said that netbooks are junky.

"When I'm looking at what's sold in the netbook market, I see cramped keyboards, junky hardware, very small screens, bad software," said Cook during Apple's financial analyst call. He went on to slam netbooks, saying they were "Not a consumer experience that we would put the Mac brand on", said Apple's COO, Tim Cook.

"As it exists today, we're not interested in it nor would it be something customers would be interested in the long term," added Cook. That is not to say Apple won't make a netbook, but if the firm does decide to make one, expect it to be a lot different from what's currently on the market.

"We are looking at the space," Cupertino's Jobs stand-in admitted, but noted "for those who want a small computer that does browsing [and] email, they might want an Iphone or Ipod Touch".

Unless of course "we find a way to deliver an innovative product that really makes a contribution," said Cook, in which case "we'll do that".

[Source: theInquirer]

Intel has planned to launch a new Quad-core CPU named Q8400 somewhere around this month.

The Q8400 is based on the 45 nanometer fabrication technology and is codenamed Yorkfield.
It runs at a speed of 2.66 GigaHertz and shares the same specs as the Q9400 processor except for the cache size of 4 MegaBytes which is 2 MegaBytes lesser than the Q9400 chip.

Update Saturday, April 25, 2009:
Intel has already launched the Q8400 processor along with a low powered version of the same processor. The Q8400S has a thermal design power of 65 Watts compared to 95 Watts of the full powered version.

Core2 Quad Q8400 Specifications:
Speed: 2.66GHz
Cores: 4
Cache Size: 4MB
Bus Speed: 1333MHz
Manufacturing technology: 45nm
Socket: LGA775
Power TDP: 95W
Price: US $213

Core2 Quad Q8400S Specifications:
Speed: 2.66GHz
Cores: 4
Cache Size: 4MB
Bus Speed: 1333MHz
Manufacturing technology: 45nm
Socket: LGA775
Power TDP: 65W
Price: US $245

AMD had earlier this month launched the new Radeon HD4890 which is based on RV790 chip design.
The HD 4890 is based on the 55 nanometer fabrication technology. It comes with 1 GigaBytes of memory, 256-bit memory interface and contains 800 stream processors. The HD 4890 card comes close to Nvidia's GTX275 card. More detailed specifications are listed below:

Update: Saturday, October 3, 2009
AMD has launched the HD5870 which beats HD4890 in terms of the fastest single-GPU graphics card.

HD4890 Specifications:
RAM Size: 1024MB GDDR5
Memory bus size: 256bit
GPU frequency: 850Mhz
Memory frequency: 975Mhz
Stream Processors: 800
TDP: 190W
Price: $259

Links to Review Sites:
OverclockersClub - Sapphire HD 4890 Review
X-Bit Labs - ATI Radeon HD 4890: 1GHz Conquered!
HotHardware - ATI Radeon HD 4890: The RV790 Unveiled
PC Perspective - AMD Radeon HD 4890 RV790 and GeForce GTX 275 Review
Bit-Tech.net - Radeon HD 4890 vs GeForce GTX 275
Guru3d - Radeon HD 4890 review | test
TomsHardware - ATI Radeon HD 4890: Playing To Win Or Played Again?
AnandTech - ATI Radeon HD 4890 vs. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 275

MSI has launched a new series in Wind netbook which consists of three models - U123, U123H and U123T. According to MSI, U123 Series are light and compact which fit into an A4-sized bag but come with a relatively large screen and keyboard. Including special features such as built-in TV-Tuner and support for 3.5G mobile network on selected models.

The U123 is powered by Intel's Menlow platform comprising of the 1.66 GigaHertz Atom processor. It has a memory of 1 GigaBytes. The hard-disk drive capacity comes based on the model ranging from 80 to 160 GigaBytes. The display size is 10 inches and weighs only 1 Kilogram with the 3-cell battery which makes it a very easy to carry netbook.
It features everything including speakers, webcam, microphone, card-reader, wifi and bluetooth connectivity.

The U123T model comes with an integrated TV tuner allows you to watch and record TV programs right on your U123T. Simply connect the antenna and you’ll never have to miss an episode of your favorite TV program again.

The U123H model comes with support for 3.5G mobile network.

Wind U123 Specifications:
CPU: Intel Atom Processor N280 (1.66GHz)
RAM: 1 GB DDR2 533MHz
HDD: 80/120/160GB SATA
Chipset: Intel 945GSE + ICH7-M
Graphics: UMA
Weight: 1 Kg
Screen size: 10 inch LED 1024x600
Other features: stereo speakers, 1.3 or 2 MP webcam, microphone, 4-in-1 card-reader, wifi 802.11b/g and optional bluetooth v2.0+EDR, 3.5G HSDPA (U123H only), Build-in TV tuner (U123T only).
Price: n/a

Samsung's N110 is a mini notebook with a size of 10.1 inches and offers a long battery life of upto 9.5 hours on a 6 cell battery. According to Samsung this netbook gives you the power to accomplish more wherever you are and is an affordable mobile solution ideal for all your online needs.

The N110 netbook is powered by Intel's Atom N270 processor clocked at 1.6 GigaHertz and comes with 160 GigaBytes of capacity, 1 GigaBytes of memory (which is expandable to 2 GigaBytes) and a 10.1 inch screen display. Other features include Wifi, Ethernet, Bluetooth, 3-in-1 card reader and a 1.3 Megapixel Web camera. The netbook weighs in at 1.26 Kilograms and is priced at US $470.

Samsung N110 Specifications:
CPU: Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz (533Mhz FSB/512KB cache)
RAM: 1GB (supports upto 2 GB)
HDD: 160GB SATA
Chipset: Intel 945GSE
Weight: 1.26 Kg
Screen size: 10.1 inches
Other Features:

• Intel 802.11 b/g Wireless LAN card
• Ethernet 10/100 Mbps LAN
• Bluetooth v2.0 + EDR
• 3-in-1 Card Reader (SD/MMC/SDHC)
• 1.3 MegaPixel Web Camera
• Integrated stereo speakers
• Includes Windows XP Home
• 6-cell lithium battery

I/O Ports:

• USB 2.0
• Integraded 10/100 LAN (RJ45)
• 15-pin VGA video connector
• line out
• mic-in
• Card Reader
• AC adapter connector

Price: US $470

Samsung Electronics, a worldwide leader in advanced semiconductor technology is currently making a new wireless universal serial bus (W-USB) System-On-Chip (SoC) designed specifically for the upcoming ultra-wideband (UWB) market. The W-USB will help to instantly transfer mass storage data such as digital photos, movie videos or MP3 music files between electronic devices.

With USB-W users can download a 700MB movie in approximately one minute, with the ability to perform at the raw speed of 480 Megabytes per second and an effective speed of 120 Megabytes per second. It also features a 128 bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) encryption algorithm and a static signal that makes hacking through wiretapping and signal tracing difficult. All this while maintaing a low power consumption of less than 300 milliWatt making it an ideal product for portable electronic devices like mobile phones and digital cameras.

"Connected consumer electronic products are the next step in enabling anytime, anywhere access to information and services," said Dr. Yiwan Wong, vice president, System LSI Division, Samsung Electronics. "One of the keys to wireless connectivity is W-USB technology. While W-USB technology is just beginning to ramp up, its application will soon increase with the consumer electronic and mobile phone markets' demand for wireless connectivity technology and UWB's fast download speeds."

This high-performance chip is expected to be applied to digital cameras and mobile phones and gradually expand to other peripheral electronic devices such as wireless printers, beam projectors, wireless hard disks, wireless displays, and wireless speakers. For example, without any cable connection, consumers can directly send photos from their digital cameras to their PC or view them instantly on their TV. Consumers can directly connect their MP3 players to high-quality surround speakers and listen to their favorite music. Also, multi-media data can be shared among mobile phones through a peer-to-peer network without a host computer.

Samsung's W-USB SoC is currently sampling and will be in mass production starting in Q2, 2009.

[Source: Samsung]

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group or SIG has announced that it is going to launch the next version of bluetooth which is version 3.0 on April 21, 2009.

The bluetooth version 3 will be able to use the 802.11 Wi-Fi radio to establish a wireless connection. A 3.0 Bluetooth stack would be able to switch from the standard low-power, short-range Bluetooth radio to an 802.11a/b/g radio. This means that the transfer speeds on the 11g and 11a will be between 20-24 Megabits per second compared to a maximum today of up to 3 Megabits per second in 2.4 GigaHertz for Bluetooth 2.1 with Enhanced Data Rate.
Another new feature in 3.0 is Enhanced Power Control, which is intended to cut the number of disconnects that can be caused by movement such as placing a handset or other Bluetooth device into a pocket or purse.

“This is the wireless technology equivalent of a low hanging fruit,” Bluetooth SIG executive director Michael Foley said in a statement. “What we are doing is taking classic Bluetooth connections--using Bluetooth protocols, profiles, security and other architectural elements--and allowing it to jump on top of the already present 802.11 radio, when necessary, to send bulky entertainment data, faster.”
This paves way for wireless bulk synchronization of music libraries between PC and MP3 player, bulk download of photos to a printer or PC and video file transfer from camera or phone to computer or TV at a rate of 3 megabits per second, according to the Bluetooth SIG.


The ultimate goal of the Bluetooth SIG is to produce a 480Mbps wireless Bluetooth standard, which would allow it to favorably compete with the wired USB 3.0 standard operating at the same speeds.
"We're committed to speedy wireless personal area network connections, and we'll always be looking for the best near-term and long-term way to accomplish that," Foley said. "The greatness of a generic alternate radio architecture being developed is that it's adaptable."

[Source: ComputerWorld]

Earlier this week Intel celebrated its 1 year anniversary of Atom chips by announcing a new 45nm single core Atom processor part of a new platform codenamed Moorestown. This platform is designed specifically for MID or Mobile Internet Devices.

According to Intel, The Z550 extends the performance of the MID product line to 2 GigaHertz with Intel Hyperthreading technology support, setting a new standard for the highest performance processor in the under-3-watt power envelope. The Z515 incorporates the new Intel Burst Performance Technology (Intel BPT), which enables the processor to run at 1.2 GigaHertz when performance is needed in existing small and sleek MID form factors.

Atom Z550 Specifications:
Speed: 2.0 GHz
Cores: 1
Cache Size: 512 KB
Bus Speed: 533 MHz
Power TDP: 2.4 W
Price: n/a

Atom Z515 Specifications:
Speed: 1.2 GHz
Cores: 1
Cache Size: 512 KB
Bus Speed: 400 MHz
Power TDP: 1.4 W
Price: n/a

[Source: Intel Pressroom]

Netbooks may soon become the personal computer of choice for millions of end users, according to Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs' interview at the CTIA Wireless Show in Las Vegas. Jacobs predicted the netbook’s rise could happen “relatively quickly,” although he declined to give a specific timeline.

There’s little doubt that consumers are taking to netbooks in a big way. Some 21 million netbooks will ship this year, nearly double last year’s total, according to Gartner. Even more impressive is that fact that the netbook’s explosive growth comes in a year when overall PC shipments are expected to fall nearly 12 percent from 2008.

Price is certainly driving the netbook’s success. The mini-notebooks, which are fine for Web-surfing, word processing, email, and a few other basic chores, are relatively cheap, and ISPs like AT&T are now offering netbooks with 2-year service plans for as little as $50.

[Source: PCWorld]

Worldwide sales of the Nintendo Wii games console have topped 50 million, the company's president told an industry conference in San Francisco.

The Wii is now the fastest-selling games console in history, surpassing Sony's PlayStation 2. The announcement was made as Nintendo unveiled some upgrades for the Wii included a new storage system.

Earlier this year the Japanese computer games console maker predicted demand for the Wii console would eventually slow as the rise of the yen undermined the value of sales to the United States and Europe. Satoru Iwata, president of the company, said he hoped the economic slowdown would lead to innovation and creativity. He told the conference, attended by many computer game software experts, that he believed "anything is possible".
He said: "The great depression in the 1930s resulted in the jet engine, TV and chocolate chip cookies. The future of video games is in your hands and I can't wait for you to show us your surprises."

Mr Iwata said that Nintendo's hand-held DS console had shipped 100m units around the world.
Nintendo Wii has more female and older fans than previous games systems because if offers programmes games like virtual tennis and playing musical instruments as well as the usual driving and shooting games.

"Almost no one expected them to reach the current level of mainstream acceptance. It's even beyond what we possibly hoped for," Mr Iwata said. "The market has expanded as video games have been accepted by more consumers than ever before. It's a cliché but it's not just the 18-year-old kid, it's the mom on the train, it's the high-school girl after she's done with her homework, everyone plays games."
He also said that, in the United States. one in five Wii owners had never before owned a games console.

[Source: Telegraph.co.uk]

AMD's new card codenamed RV740 - the HD 4770 details have emerged. The card is aimed to replace the HD4830 and is a bit slower than the HD4850. This mid-range offering by AMD is aimed at budget gamers and will compete with Nvidia's 9800GT.

The HD 4770 is based on the 40 nanometer fabrication technology and will be available in 512 MB GDDR5 bus type memory. It consumes lower power when compared to HD4830 and HD4850 with its TDP rated at 80 Watts.

The cards will be priced competitively at $99 and will launch on 4 May, 2009.

Update Saturday, May 9, 2009
AMD has already launched the HD4770 early this week.

HD4770 Specifications:
RAM Size: 512MB GDDR5
Memory bus size: 128bit
GPU frequency: 750Mhz
Memory frequency: 800Mhz
Stream Processors: 640
Supports DX10.1
Price: US $99