Posts filed under 'Hardware Tech'
Dual graphics cards aren’t exactly commonplace, but NVIDIA and Dell seem to have decided that even two isn’t enough power to keep up with gaming demands.
Delivering the a high definition gaming experience, Quad SLI features four of NVIDIA’s flagship GeForce 7800 GTX GPUs each with two GeForce 7800 GTX graphics processing units (GPUs) on-board with an NVIDIA nForce4 SLI X16 motherboard. This revolutionary technology was introduced on the forthcoming Dell XPS 600 Renegade, as part of a keynote presentation by Michael Dell at CES in Las Vegas.
John Medica, senior vice president, Product Group at Dell, stated: “Our demonstration of the first Quad SLI PC with NVIDIA is a major technology innovation, that when combined with the Dell XPS 600 Renegade and the new Dell 30-inch flat panel makes true high definition gaming a reality.”
NVIDIA Quad SLI technology allows consumers to run today’s hottest games at extreme high definition (HD) resolutions, including 2560×1600 at silky smooth frame rates.
“[ Our ] demonstration of the new Dell XPS 600 Renegade with our Quad SLI technology takes gaming to new levels,” said Dan Vivoli, executive vice president of marketing at NVIDIA. “The ability to run today’s hottest titles in extreme HD resolutions with all the eye candy turned on is absolutely amazing.”
In addition, NVIDIA announced that Dell will be shipping the award-winning NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GTX 512 in the Dell XPS 600 PC.
January 8th, 2006
Maxtor Corporation has announced a new family of Maxtor OneTouch III external storage and backup solutions that offer a range of features, capacities and performance for home users, creative professionals and business executives.
Available on retail shelves starting this month, the line of Maxtor OneTouch III storage solutions, with capacities from 100GB to one terabyte ( 1,000 GB ), provide easy-to-use, automated backup and restore capabilities for PC and Mac users. New software tools, including the ability to synchronize data between two or more computers and a System Rollback feature that helps return PC systems to a healthier state after a damaging spyware attack, are now integrated into the entire Maxtor OneTouch III family of products.
The Maxtor OneTouch III solution, with a triple FireWire 800/FireWire 400/USB 2.0 interface, was selected as a CES 2006 Innovations Design and Engineering Honoree in the Computer Accessories category. It was chosen for its engineering qualities, the product’s intended use/function, unique features, and aesthetic and design qualities, among other reasons. To meet the needs of mainstream creative and business professionals, Maxtor is offering the Maxtor OneTouch III with dual interfaces, FireWire 400 and USB 2.0, for quickly and easily backing up photos, music and data. For the home PC market, the company is offering a USB 2.0-only interface model that provides basic file-level backup capabilities.
Like the 1TB Maxtor OneTouch III, Turbo Edition launched in October 2005, the expanded Maxtor OneTouch III family sports an innovative new industrial design, an improved consumer friendly user interface and a redesigned retail package from award-winning consulting firm frog design inc. Built to last, the Maxtor OneTouch III family features improved acoustics, an inner disk drive casing and shock mounts for additional durability and drive protection. The entirely new user interface is simple to navigate for both Mac and PC users, making it easier to set up and manage data backup, file archiving and system settings. All Maxtor OneTouch external storage and backup systems come with an added data security feature called Maxtor DriveLock(TM), which provides a password protection option to safeguard contents if the drive is ever lost or stolen.
“Digital entertainment and data have become absolutely integral to our everyday lives, for people and businesses, but the vast majority of us still don’t protect valuable files by backing them up,” said Stacey Lund, vice president of marketing, Maxtor Branded Products Group. “At Maxtor, we strive to bring innovative solutions to market that make it simple to expand, share, and protect your digital life. Our new Maxtor OneTouch III family is designed from the inside out to be the easiest, most trustworthy way to back up and store photos, videos, games, music, business data and personal information.”
Based on customer feedback and innovative technologies, Maxtor has added Sync, the ability to automatically synchronize files between two or more systems on the same operating platform, across its new family of Maxtor OneTouch III storage solutions. Increasingly, customers want to share data easily and automatically between home and office, synching files and folders in both computers. Also, to combat spyware, adware and computer registry issues that can slow a system to a crawl or even a screeching halt, the new Maxtor OneTouch III product family includes a System Rollback feature that reverts the system to a healthier point in time while preserving the most current user data in Word and Excel documents, photos, music and other digital files. System programs that can be rolled back in time include operating system, settings and applications.
Maxtor OneTouch III external storage and backup solutions will be available starting in January at major retailers, distributors and online stores, as well as at www.maxstore.com www.maxtor.com . Worldwide availability varies by region. The Maxtor OneTouch III with a triple interface will be available late in Q1 2006. Please visit for local distribution channels and retail outlets.
The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) for the Maxtor OneTouch III family ranges from $159.95 for the 100GB USB 2.0 only version to $479.95 for the 500GB triple interface solution. MSRP for the 1TB Maxtor OneTouch III, Turbo Edition is $899.95.
January 8th, 2006
Alienware has announced the new Area-51 3550 and Area-51 5400 featuring the new Intel Viiv technology platform.
The Area-51 3550 delivers the integrated functionality of a CD player, DVD player, media server, digital video recorder (DVR) and more while enabling quick and easy distribution of digital media content that can be distributed throughout the home.
The Area-51 3550 with Intel Viiv Technology delivers:
* Intel Pentium D processor technology
* Fast and easy organization of personal music collections, recorded television programs, family pictures, home videos and any other digital media
* Intel Quick Resume Technology, which provides one-button on/off operation - similar to a traditional television or cable box
* Immediate access to movie and music content services such as Virgin Digital, MTV and On-Demand media
* Dual-core processors for a seamless entertainment experience whether playing graphics-intensive games, editing digital videos or simply watching your favorite movie
* An astonishing home theater experience with support for up to 7.1 surround sound speakers and high-definition output
* The ability to wirelessly distribute digital media content such as music and videos from the Area-51 3550 to any room in the home
In addition, Alienware is announcing an innovative and incredibly sleek all-in-one form factor that serves as a truly transportable entertainment desktop. The new breakthrough Area-51 5400 includes:
* Intel Centrino Duo mobile technology featuring dual-core processing power that satisfies demanding digital media content applications like video and photo editing
* Intel Viiv Technology for the ultimate home entertainment experience
* Ultra-quiet acoustic levels making it an ideal solution for bedroom, home office, dorm and kitchen settings
* Robust wireless capabilities (including keyboard and mouse) — with integrated 802.11a/b/g and Bluetooth support, it is virtually cable-free, requiring only a single power cord
* Impressive desktop-like graphics power of the NVIDIA GeForce Go 6600 256MB graphics card, making it ideal for entertainment applications
* An integrated camera with microphone array technology that facilitates effortless and crystal-clear VoIP and video chat communications with others
* Optional TV Tuner support
* Support for Microsoft Windows XP 2005 Media Center Edition and Windows XP Professional
“The exciting new Intel Viiv-based Area-51 3550 and Area-51 5400 desktops open an exciting array of entertainment possibilities for every member of the household by enabling instant access to all their digital media from anywhere in the home,” said Mark Vena, Vice President of Marketing for Alienware. “With these new products, Alienware continues to demonstrate its commitment to technology innovation that gives customers complete control over how they experience their favorite forms of entertainment.”
Alienware will begin accepting orders of the Area-51 3550 and Area-51 5400 on its website in late January with expected delivery in the late 1Q06 timeframe. Both products are expected to be affordably priced at less than $2,000. More details on these new products can be found at www.alienware.com/viiv.
“PCs powered by Intel Viiv technology, such as Alienware’s Area-51 3550 and Area-51 5400, will transform the face of home entertainment by giving consumers more opportunities to enjoy the entertainment they love than ever before,” said Gerald Holzhammer, Vice President of the Digital Home Group at Intel. “As our first platform created specifically for the digital home, Intel Viiv technology extends the same successful principles of Intel Centrino mobile technology over to the home entertainment arena.”
January 8th, 2006
Toshiba has fired a salvo at Blu-Ray by announcing that it will launch two HD-DVD players in the USA in March.
The two models, the HD-XA1 and HD-A1, will sell for $799 and $499, respectively.
“HD-DVD represents the future of HD digital video,” Yoshihiro Matsumoto, president of Toshiba America Consumer Products, said at a news conference at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. “It gives consumers a clear migration path from DVD.”
Despite the high price relative to standard DVD players, Toshiba are confident that they have an attractive offer to tempt users to the new format. “It’s a price point to accelerate market adoption,” said Jodi Sally, president of US marketing for Toshiba’s digital audio-visual products.
Sony, who yesterday were cheered by a calvalcade of annoucements from major film studios announcing Blu-Ray releases in 2006, said that their first Blu-Ray player would hit the streets in June, three months behind Toshiba’s HD-DVD offering.
“Blu-ray disc technology is the final piece needed to complete our vision of the high-definition world,” said Dick Komiyama, chief operating officer at Sony’s US arm.
Meanwhile Samsung is also expected to announce it’s first Blu-Ray player at CES this week.
January 5th, 2006
Lexar has announced it is bringing Google applications directly to customers by including Picasa, Google Toolbar and Google Desktop Search applications on its line of popular USB flash drives. The offering is the first time consumers will be able to install Google applications from a USB flash drive directly to their desktop to edit photos, find files and search the web using popular Google applications.
“While these popular applications have traditionally been available on the web directly from Google and other web affiliates, offering them on a Lexar JumpDrive provides a new channel to reach customers,” said Steffen Hellmold, vice president of USB flash drives at Lexar. “Taking web-based applications from Google and making them available on the Lexar JumpDrive line is appealing to retailers and is very valuable to consumers worldwide.”
Customers who purchase a Lexar JumpDrive simply have to plug the device into the USB port, on their computer, where the user will be prompted with instructions to easily install the free applications. If the user accepts installation, Google products automatically install to their computer and are then removed from the USB flash drive.
“We’re excited to make it possible for people to easily search the documents, photos, music and video they store on their Lexar JumpDrives and computer hard drives as well as to find information on the Internet,” said Marissa Mayer, Google’s Vice President, Search Products & User Experience.
Lexar JumpDrive products with Google applications will be available worldwide beginning in January 2006.
December 20th, 2005
HP has joined the HD-DVD promotions group in a move that will see it back both of the next-generation DVD formats.
The support for HD-DVD is not surprising given the fact that HP has moved in the last month to position itself away from Blu-Ray and had even issued an ultimatum about two technologies supported by HD-DVD, but not by the alternative, Sony-backed, format.
Mandatory Managed Copy allows users to copy legally purchased discs onto hard drives for streaming around a home network. HD-DVD also uses an XML-based technology known as iHD, reportedly supported in Windows Vista, for providing interactivity, whereas Blu-Ray uses the rival BD Java.
“By joining the HD-DVD Promotions Group and continuing work with the Blu-Ray Disc Association, HP will be in a better position to assess true development costs and, ultimately, provide the best and most affordable solution for consumers,” HP said in a fence-sitting move.
The news comes at an uncomfortable time for HD-DVD with the admission that the launch of the format might be delayed until the end of Q1 next year, bringing it into direct competition with Blu-Ray.
Source: DVD Recorder World
December 19th, 2005
Terratec has announced a dual digital TV tuner card that will allow you to watch one digital TV channel while you record another.
As it has in the past, the Cinergy 2400i DT receives digital terrestrial television through an antenna, and because the signal is distributed to the two tuners internally, a single connecting cable is all you need. The card is inserted into the PCI Express port of your PC, which also makes it future-proof for your next computer. In conjunction with CyberLink PowerCinema 4.5 or Windows XP Media Center Edition, you can enjoy all the benefits of the new TV technology—and, thanks to the included remote control, you can enjoy the convenience you have come to expect.
If you are interrupted for any reason during a program, you can use the time-shifting function to restart it later exactly where you left off, without missing a single scene. If you want a quick overview of all programs currently in progress, simply go to the multi-channel preview. All of the functions of PowerCinema 4.5, which plays DVDs, pictures and music as well as TV, can be controlled quickly and intuitively using the easy-to-understand selection menus.
You can also use the Cinergy 2400i DT as a video recorder for recording digital terrestrial TV programs with timer and full MPEG-2 support. You can then burn the finished recording to CD or DVD with just a few mouse clicks. The electronic program guide (EPG) helps you to confidently navigate the sea of channels and set the timer for recording, and the integrated videotext function makes sure you’re excellently informed even beyond the TV program.
There are two versions for you to consider, one with and one without a remote.
December 16th, 2005
Maxell has made a mockery of the Blu-Ray / HD-DVD debate by announcing an optical disc featuring 1.6 TeraBytes of storage capacity and 120 MBPs transfer rate.
The technology in question is holographic storage which they claim is a real breakthrough in optical media, rather than the evolution reflected by Blu-Ray and HD-DVD.
Holographic data storage is superior to existing disc and hard drive technologies, and is also competitive against tape technologies in capacities and transfer rate. In addition, it offers a 50+ year media archive life and random data access. Finally, the media is expected to have the lowest cost per gigabyte of any commercial quality removable storage.
“Holographic media makes it possible for millions of pages of information and high definition images to be held on one small, relatively inexpensive disc,” said Steven Pofcher, senior marketing manager at Maxell. “Imagine having a person’s entire medical history, complete with MRI images, or storing a broadcast network’s entire HD Library on a single disc. These are both possible with holographic technology, which has such large capacity that approximately a half million 300-page books can be stored on a single disc.”
Holographic recording technology utilizes intersecting signal and reference laser beams to store data in a number of 3D hologram images capable of saving hundreds of data pages in a single location. One 5¼ inch-diameter optical disc can store up to 150 million pages - more than 63 times the capacity of DVD. Also, with holographic recording, a multiple of form factors, such as discs, cards, etc., and laser wavelengths (red, green, and blue) can be used.
“Combining high storage densities and fast transfer rates with durable, reliable, low cost media, Holographic technology is poised to become a compelling choice for next-generation storage and content distribution needs,” said Liz Murphy, vice president of marketing for InPhase Technologies. “Unlike other technologies that record one data bit at a time, holography allows a million bits of data to be written and read in parallel with a single flash of light. This enables transfer rates significantly higher than current optical storage devices.”
The first generation of holographic media with 300 GB of storage capacity and a 20 MBPs Transfer Rate is scheduled for release in late 2006.
November 28th, 2005
Samsung announced today that it has developed the world’s largest transmissive TFT LCD (thin-film transistor, liquid crystal display), with sufficiently high resolution to display digital television content.
The seven-inch, 640×480 (VGA-standard) flexible display uses a transparent plastic substrate that is thinner, lighter and more durable than the conventional LCD glass panels used today. Moreover, the full-color transmissive LCD panel maintains a constant thickness even when it is bent.
Considered the next-generation in flat panel displays, this technology involves the use of pliable plastic instead of rigid glass substrates in TFT-LCD production. The plastic will not break when flexed, allowing much greater freedom in commercial designs requiring flexible full-color, high-resolution display components. The seven-inch flexible TFT-LCD is optimized for mobility applications, including cell phones and notebook computers. System designers and OEMs also may apply the advanced Samsung display technology to new applications, such as fashion-enhancing or wearable electronic display designs, thanks to its differentiated flexible format.
The new display is double the size of Samsung’s five-inch flexible LCD display prototype announced in January 2005.
With this advancement, Samsung has overcome daunting problems involving the plastic substrate’s heat sensitivity including a previous challenge to maintain the display’s substrate thickness when subjected to typical commercial thermal conditions. Samsung developed a low-temperature processing technique that can be used to manufacture the display’s amorphous thin-film transistors, color filters and liquid crystals at process temperatures much lower than standard glass-based, amorphous silicon (a-Si) technology.
Drawing on technology adopted for the production of low-temperature (less than 130 degrees Celsius) a-Si TFT LCD and color filter, Samsung’s proprietary LCD technology minimizes substrate deformation by preventing not only changes in thickness but also distortion of images by binding two extremely-thin panels together through a new proprietary system design.
The latest flexible LCD panel was developed under a three-year program funded by Samsung Electronics’ next-generation display development group under the auspices of the Korean Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy, supported by Samsung’s Corporate Research Fund.
November 28th, 2005
It’s the TV tuner card that we’ve been waiting for. Hauppauge Digital has released a new add-on card to convert a PC into a satellite TV receiver.
Available immediately, the WinTV Nova-s receives free satellite channels, and will work with Freesat, the service announced by the BBC and ITV in September. No viewing card and no subscription fee are required.
The £59.99 inc VAT device plugs into a spare slot inside any desktop PC and decodes signals from a satellite dish. Owners can watch satellite TV on the full screen, or in a window whilst working on something else on the PC. Programmes can even be recorded to the PC’s hard disk for later viewing.
The WinTV Nova-s will appeal to householders who already have a satellite dish and wish to use a PC in the kitchen, study or bedroom as an additional digital TV. The Nova-s is also compatible with Microsoft’s Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE), the entertainment version of XP.
Owners of Hauppauge’s WinTV Nova-s can receive all the BBC TV channels immediately, including One, Two, Three, Four, CBBC, Cbeebies and BBC News24. The BBC’s radio channels are also available, including Radios 1 to 7. ITV services, including ITV1, ITV2, ITV3 and Men&Motors will become available shortly, and more channels will be added early in 2006 when Freesat officially launches.
“Freesat will be the satellite equivalent of Freeview,” said Yehia Oweiss, Managing Director of Hauppauge Digital. “Already broadcasting BBC, the service is be available to all UK households and bring free digital TV to the 25 per cent who are outside Freeview’s area. Consumers can buy our Freesat tuner now and enjoy many digital channels now, with more being added all the time.”
The WinTV Nova-s is also compatible with HDTV (High Definition TV). HDTV broadcasts are expected to be delivered by satellite in 2006/7, offering stunning visual images.
The EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) broadcast by Freesat will be available on the Hauppauge card. In the meantime, owners can obtain an EPG via the Internet. The Nova-s will allow for scheduled recordings, using the hard disk in the PC to store programmes at their original broadcast quality. Owners could play back the recordings or copy to DVD for playback elsewhere.
As an added bonus, the Hauppauge WinTV Nova-s has a video input socket. This allows a camcorder to be plugged directly into the PC. Home movies can be digitised into MPEG format, edited and then copied to DVD for preservation.
ITV currently encrypts, or scrambles, its transmissions via satellite, using the service provided by Sky. In the next few months, ITV will begin to broadcast its channels “in the clear” - without encryption - so they can be watched through any satellite receiver. The BBC started doing this in 2003.
Source: MediaCenterPCWorld.com
November 22nd, 2005
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