Toshiba delivers new line-up of 7200 RPM 2.5-inch HDDs

Toshiba Storage Device Division has begun to roll out the MKxx56GSY series of hard drives, a new line-up of 2.5-inch spinners working at 7200 RPM. Coming in 160, 250, 320 and 500GB capacities, the drives have a SATA 3.0 Gbps interface, a 16MB of cache, and an average seek time of 11ms."This new family delivers faster overall system performance, which boosts user productivity - a key differentiator that PC manufacturers can provide to commercial and consumer notebook users," said Maciek Brzeski, vice president of marketing at Toshiba Storage Device Division. " As a result, we expect that 7,200 RPM HDDs will grow to more than 25 percent of 2.5-inch HDD shipment within two years. In addition the half-terabyte capacity, decreased environmental impact and low power consumption are also benefits, demonstrating Toshiba's continued leadership in delivering the right solutions to meet emerging market needs."The MKxx56GSY hard drives are currently being delivered in limited quantities to PC builders and are expected to enter mass production in Q4.

News source: TC Magazine

LG introduces the XPION X30 ION-based nettop

South Korean company LG has just revealed the XPION X30, its first nettop based on the Nvidia-promoted ION platform. The compact new PC weights just 1.1kg, and features a 1.6GHz Atom 230 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, GeForce 9400 integrated graphics and, by the looks of it, at least a DVI output.The XPION X30 is pre-loaded with Windows Vista Home Basic and is said to debut in LG's home market tomorrow.

News source: TC Magazine

I-O Data readies slim new 8x external DVD writer

I-O Data is currently gearing up to update its optical storage offer with the introduction of the DVRP-U8SLE series portable DVD writer. Coming in black and white, the new drive measures 137 (W) x 154 (D) x 20 (H) mm, weights 320 grams, has a USB 2.0 interface, and feature maximum write speeds of 8x for DVD-R/+R SL and DVD+RW, 6x for DVD-R/+R DL and DVD-RW, 5x for DVD-RAM, 24x for CD-R and 16x for CD-RW.I-O Data's slim DVD burner is set to become available early next month for $94.

News source: TC Magazine

A-Data serves up 4GB DDR3 modules for Macs

A-Data has now introduced a couple of new 4GB DDR3 So-DIMMs that are specifically aimed at Mac users. Said to be unleashing "the power of the new Apple Mac OS X Snow Leopard," the memory modules work at 1066 and 1333 MHz and have been rigorously tested in order to ensure compatibility with the latest Mac OS release.According to A-Data, the modules work at low voltages and with low latencies but somehow we doubt that they are under the JEDEC-approved values. The Mac-loving So-DIMMs are expected to become available in the next weeks.

News source: TC Magazine

LG unveils the WIDEBOOK laptop series

LG Electronics has now announced a new family of laptops which are claimed to offer a "cinematic experience." The WIDEBOOK series machines come in different sizes - 13.3-inch (R380), 14-inch (R460, R480) and 15.6-inch (R560, R580), have 16:9 HD (1366x68 /1600x900) LED-backlit displays, feature a UV coating and low-profile chrome hinges, are powered by Core 2 Duo processors and include 2/4GB of RAM and Nvidia GeForce graphics.The notebooks also boasts 1.3 megapixel webcams, eSATA and HDMI connectors, 3G modems, and SRS TruSurround HD sound. The first markets to get the WIDEBOOK models are those in Turkey, Dubai and Saudi Arabia, with the plan being to release the laptops in Europe, the Americas and other Asian countries throughout September.

News source: TC Magazine

Pioneer to readies its first 12x Blu-Ray writer

For next month Pioneer is preparing the release of BDR-S05J-BK, its first Blu-Ray disc writer capable of a burning speed of 12x. Seen below, the internal drive has a SATA connection interface, 4MB of buffer memory, the PowerRead and PureRead 2 technologies, and write speeds of 12x for BD-R/-R DL, 6x for BD-R LTH, 2x for BD-RE/-RE DL, 16x for DVD-R/+R, 8x for DVD-R/+R DL and DVD+RW, 6x for DVD-RW, 5x for DVD-RAM, 40x for CD-R and 24x for CD-RW.The Pioneer BDR-S05J-BK will hit Japanese stores with a price tag around $417.

News source: TC Magazine

HP announces two new DreamScreens

HP has now revealed a couple of new, stylish photo frames, the 10.2-inch DreamScreen 100, and 13.3-inch DreamScreen 130. Both featuring a piano-black finish and flush glass display with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels, the two DreamScreens have 2GB of built-in storage, a 6-in-2 card reader, stereo speakers, USB, Ethernet and WiFi 802.11b/g connectivity, and touch sensitive controls.HP's devices also come with the SmartRadio service which streams broadcasts from over 10,000 internet radio stations, includes a Facebook icon to keep users to date with the latest happening on social networks, provides access to the Snapfish photo sharing site, and is bundled with a remote controlThe DreamScreen 100 and 130 are now available at Amazon for $249.99 and $299.99, respectively.

News source: TC Magazine

Viewsonic's VNB132 ultra-thin laptop gets detailed

Already in the netbook game, ViewSonic is going to expand its portable PC offer in Q4 with an Intel CULV (consumer ultra-low voltage) based ultra-thin laptop, the VNB132. The upcoming machine features a 13.3-inch screen with a native resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, a 1.3GHz Core 2 Solo SU7300, 2GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive and optionally, a slim 8x DVD writer.The ViewBook VNB132 or the 'Pro' also comes with an ExpressCard/34 slot, a 7-in-1 card reader, D-Sub and HDMI outputs, a battery lasting up to 8 hours on one charge and Windows 7. The ultra-thin is expected to debut in November at $799 for the DVD-RW-less version, and $899 for the model equipped with an optical drive.

News source: TC Magazine

My Tunes and not iTunes

Tired of using head sets ? Here is the solution. The my tunes is an external speaker to which you can connect your iPod and start rocking. It has a 5 watt output, so you might not be able to extrart the best sound output, but it would be pretty decent enough to cool you while you are so much desperate to relax. This speaker costs just 40$. It's like a plug and play device, enjoy !!!

ECS announces the Black Series P55H-A motherboard

Today is Lynnfield day and ECS has obviously rushed to introduce its first Socket LGA 1156-supporting motherboard, the P55H-A. The new release is part of ECS' Black Series and features a black PCB, 6-phase PWM, four DDR3-2130 memory slots, two PCI-Express x16 slots supporting CrossFireX, plus one eSATA and six SATA 3.0 Gbps ports.The board also boasts Dragon style heatsinks, a debut LED, 7.1 channel audio, Gigabit Ethernet, a Clear CMOS button and the M.I.B. II OC BIOS utility. The P55H-A should become available shortly.

News source: TC Magazine

DFI introduces the P55-powered LANParty DK P55-T3eH9

DFI has now officially announced its first P55 motherboard, the LANParty DK P55-T3eH9. Coming with the expected LGA 1156 support, DFI's board also includes four DDR3-1333 memory slots, digital PWM, three PCI-Express x16 slots (ready for both SLI and CrossFire), and the ABS II 'CPU auto upgrade technology'.The P55-T3eH9 packs one eSATA and eight SATA ports, Gigabit Ethernet, 7.1 channel audio, a debug LED, Power and Reset buttons, plus a mini USB port. Those interested can find the LANParty DK P55-T3eH9 for just about 166 Euro.

News source: TC Magazine

Active Media Products intros the Predator GT SSDs

Penguin flashing company Active Media Products has now introduced the Predator GT family of 2.5-inch solid state drives. Coming in 64 and 128GB capacities, the SSDs feature a SATA 3.0 Gbps, have 128MB of buffer memory, a MTBF (mean time before failure) of 1 million hours, and top read and write speeds of 220 and 200 MB/s (120 MB/s for the 64GB model), respectively."Predator GT SSDs are one of the best possible ways to upgrade your desktop PC because not only do they deliver more punch to your system than most CPU or memory upgrades, they also come with the 3.5-inch mounting hardware to easily fit into your case", said Jerry Thomson, vice president of marketing at Active Media Products.Together with the 3.5-inc bracket, the 64GB and 128GB Predator GT SSDs are set to cost about $199.95 and $369.95.

News source: TC Magazine

Gateway delivers the SX and DX series compact desktops

Spotted cube promoter Gateway has expended its PC line-up with a couple of new compact products, the small form factor SX series and mini-tower DX series desktops. Claimed to be ideal for productivity, entertainment and digital photography, the SX line-up debuts with a model priced at $499.99 that features a 2.33 GHz Core 2 Quad Q8200 CPU, 4GB of RAM, GMA X4500 integrated graphics, a 640GB hard drive, a 18x DVD writer, a multi-card reader and a HDMI output.The DX family of multimedia and entertainment powerhouses includes two PCs, the $750 DX4300-03 and $900 DX4820-02. The former boasts a 2.4 GHz Phenom X4 9750 CPU, 8GB of RAM, a Radeon HD 4650 with 1GB of memory, a 1TB HDD, a DVD burner, plus a TV tuner.The DX4820-02 comes bundled with the FHX2300 bmid 23-inch Full HD widescreen monitor and is equipped with a 2.66 GHz Core 2 Quad Q8400, 8GB of DDR3 memory, a GeForce G210 512MB graphics card, a 750GB hard drive, and the same 18x DVD drive as its SX and SX brothers. All three systems are pre-loaded with Microsoft's Windows Vista Home Premium 64bit.

News source: TC Magazine

HP readies the 13-inch ProBook 4310s business laptop

HP has now revealed that it is going to serve small and midsize businesses and mobile professionals a new ProBook notebook next month. Weighting in 1.96kg, the 13.3-inch ProBook 4310s will come with a glossy noir or merlot finish, and boast an Intel (Celeron/Pentium/Core 2) CPU, up to 8GB of RAM, and either integrated graphics or an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330.The portable machine also packs a DVD/Blu-Ray drive, an ExpressCard slot, a dual-array microphone, a webcam, a multi-card reader, HDMI connectivity, and can be equipped with a fingerprint reader."The ProBook 4310s maintains a savvy style and refined simplicity in a small, light package that offers increased mobility,” said Carol Hess-Nickels, director, Marketing, Notebook Global Business Unit, Personal Systems Group, HP. “Its first-class business features, coupled with an array of wireless options, offer small business professionals the productivity and efficiency they require while in the office or on the go.”The HP ProBook 4310s is set to become available in the US on July 20 with a base price tag of $799.

News source: TC MagazineHP

Shuttle offers the X50 All-in-One PC barebone

XPC maker Shuttle has stepped up the barebone game by releasing a customizable All-in-One PC based on its X 5000TA desktop. The X50 Barebone comes in both black or white, features a 15.6-inch touchscreen, a dual-core 1.6GHz Atom 330 CPU, and provides users the option of installing up to 2GB of RAM and one HDD or SSD.The 3.6cm thick X50 has GMA 950 integrated graphics, includes Gigabit Ethernet and WiFi connectivity, a 1.3 megapixel camera, a card reader, and is bundled with a 65 Watt power supply."The market introduction of the X50 Barebone has enabled customers to adapt Shuttle’s All-in-One-PC even more flexibly to their own requirements," says Tom Seiffert, Head of Marketing & PR at Shuttle Computer Handels. "For sophisticated technical users it can be built in only a few steps."The X50 Barebone should be hitting stores any day now and cost about 361 Euro, without taxes.

News source: TC Magazine

Dell introduces the Vostro All-in-One desktop PC

As of yesterday Dell's Vostro family of business machines can officially brag with having a shiny All-in-One among its ranks. Seen below, the Vostro AiO features a 19-inch LCD panel with a maximum resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels, and features an Intel Pentium or Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, GMA X4500 integrated graphics, and a DVD writer.The All-in-One can be loaded with either Windows Vista Home Basic or Vista Business and is now available in Asian markets with prices starting at just about $630. The new Vostro is expected to reach North America and Europe, Middle East and Africa on August 11 and August 23, respectively.

News source: TC Magazine

Mushkin readies ultimateFX Radeon HD 4850

The ultimateFX series GeForce cards hasn't even managed to reach shelves and Mushkin has already announced a couple of new additions to its graphics card offer. This time though, we've got a relatively special treat as we're talking about two AMD/ATI-flavored cards, a stock, and a factory overclocked Radeon HD 4850.Both featuring a custom design (seen below), the cards have 800 Stream Processors, a 256-bit memory interface, a dual-slot cooler that looks like an Arctic Cooling Accelero, CrossFireX support, D-Sub, DVI, plus HDMI outputs, and come in a wooden box. The stock clocked version comes with GPU/memory frequencies of 625/1986 MHz, while the OC model 'tops' 700/2020 MHz. No word on pricing or shipping date just yet.

News source: TC Magazine

GeIL announces four DDR3 Green series memory kits

GeIL is now about to update its Green line-up of energy-efficient memory with four nice DDR3 kits. Backed by a lifetime warranty, the new kits come in packaging made out of recycled paper pulp, are RoHS compliant, and are ensured for high reliability with the Die-Hard Burn-In technology.The dual channel 2 and 4GB kits work at 1066 and 1333 MHz with CL 8-8-8-20 and 9-9-9-24 timings, respectively, and are powered at 1.3V, a full 0.2V lower than the standard voltage for DDR3 memory. Now all we need is for the kits to reach stores.

News source: TC Magazine

HP ProBook 4310s starts selling

Just as planned, one month after it was announced, the ProBook 4310s 13.3-inch ultra-portable has become available through HP's online store. Seen below, the 1.97+ kg business-aimed portable PC features an LED backlit screen with a top resolution of 1366x768, a Core 2 Duo CPU going from 2.10 to 2.80 GHz, up to 8GB of RAM, a 160/250/320/500GB 7200 ROM hard drive, a DVD or Blu-Ray drive, and GMA 4500MHD integrated graphics or an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330.The ProBook 4310s also comes with Gigabit Ethernet and WiFi, a Express Card/34 slot, a 4- or 8-cell battery, and can ship with Windows XP (via a downgrade), Windows Vista Home Basic/Home Premium/Business, or FreeDOS. The laptop starts off at $779.

News source: TC Magazine

eMachines introduces the EZ1601 All-in-One PC

Acer has now rolled out a new PC under its eMachines brand, the EZ1601-01 All-in-One desktop. Seen below with its slim and shiny forms, the system comes with a matching black keyboard and mouse, and features a 18.5-inch LCD panel with a native resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, s 1.6 GHz Atom N270 CPU, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and GMA 950 integrated graphics.The All-in-One PC also boasts a 8x DVD writer, a multi-card reader, WiFi, built-in speakers, and is powered by Microsoft's Windows XP Home. The price? Just $400.

News source: TC Magazine