Seagate Ships World's Highest-Capacity, Most Reliable Small Form Factor Enterprise Drive: The Savvio 10K.4 Hard Drive Enterprise storage systems can now move to 600GB capacity, 2 million hour MTBF solution Seagate today announced worldwide shipments of its Savvio 10K.4 hard disk drive (HDD), the world's highest-capacity and most reliable 2.5-inch enterprise-class drive. Built for the demands of enterprise servers and to enable new levels of data density in external storage arrays, Savvio 10K.4 doubles the capacity of its nearest competitor to 600GB. It is also the first HDD to achieve an unprecedented 2 million hours Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) reliability rating.

As the industry's only fourth generation, field-proven, 2.5-inch HDD designed for the enterprise, Savvio 10K.4 also features Protection Information for enhanced protection of data-in-flight, a self-encrypting drive (SED) option for the ultimate protection of sensitive data-at-rest and PowerChoice, which allows the Savvio 10K.4 hard drive to deliver improved power savings during idle.

Flash memory module leader, Silicon Power today announces their brand new Helios 101 series USB flash drive. Available in apple green and ocean blue, the new Helios 101 series utilizes natural colors on polished aluminum casing that is sandblasted for the ultimate shine. This combination gives the Helios 101 an extraterrestrial aura feel only seen in the movies! Silicon Power's Helios 101 strives for a futuristic, fashionable, simple and finger-print proof design. It is thin, light and suited for the fashion conscious user!

Distinguishing itself from Silicon Power's four other product lines: Touch, LuxMini, Ultima and Unique series. The aim of the Helios series is to complement the existing product lines so Silicon Power can offer users a complete range of USB flash drives. Whether you are in the market to buy a USB flash drive for speed, looks, practicality or the ultimate flagship model, Silicon Power's got it all!

AMD, in its presentation at the International Solid State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) 2010, presented its plan to build its much talked about 'Fusion' processor platform, codenamed Llano, central to which, is the Accelerated Processing Unit (APU). AMD's APU is expected to be the first design to embed a multi-core x86 CPU and a GPU onto a single die. This design goes a notch ahead of Intel's recently released 'Clarkdale' processor, where Intel strapped a 32 nm dual-core CPU die and a 45 nm northbridge die with integrated graphics, onto an MCM (multi chip module) package. Llano is also expected to feature four processing cores, along with other design innovations.

Some of the most notable announcements in AMD's presentation is that the company will begin sampling the chip to its industry partners within the first half of 2010. The Llano die will be build on a 32 nm High-K Metal Gate process. On this process, each x86 core will be as small as 9.69 mm². Other important components on the Llano die are a DDR3 memory controller, on-die northbridge, and a DirectX 11 compliant graphics core derived from the Evergreen family of GPUs. The x86 cores are expected to run at speeds of over 3 GHz. Each core has 1 MB of dedicated L2 cache, taking the total chip cache size to 4 MB.

SAPPHIRE Technology is now shipping a new family of graphics cards in the highly successful HD 5000 series. The SAPPHIRE HD 5570 is a new low profile model aimed at the mainstream market, whist sharing many of the exciting features of the latest high end series.

The SAPPHIRE HD 5500 series is based on the latest graphics architecture from the ATI division of AMD, the second generation of GPU to be built in its 40nm process. It supports the advanced graphical features of Microsoft DirectX 11, and delivers superb video clarity and visual effects, whilst consuming very low power levels.

TUL Corporation, a leading manufacturer of AMD graphics cards, today introduces the graphics for HD gaming and advanced home entertainment: PowerColor HD5500 series. Compatible with all the latest features, HD5500 series takes advantage of DirectX 11 technology and makes incredible visual realism possible for all popular HD games and Blu-Ray. HD 5500 series will enhance your home entertainment experience and you can be environmentally friendly at the same time with a card that consumes less than 45 watts under full load.

Also, PowerColor includes a special version in the latest HD5500 series lineup, HD5570 low profile edition. With a single-slot low profile design, HD5570 low profile edition enables smooth frame rates at HD setting, delivers vivid HD experience while watching Blu-Ray videos and other HD contents. It is the best choice for small form factor and home theater PCs.

Leading graphics card and motherboard manufacturer, MSI, is launching today R5570-MD1G graphics card in low-profile design to meet the demands of home theatre personal computer (HTPC) users. Powered by ATI Radeon HD 5570 GPU supporting DirectX 11 and Dolby 7.1 channels loss-less surround stereo and equipped with HDMI output for Full HD movie playback, MSI R5570-MD1G is featured with the compact size benefited from the low-profile design, making the product the best-ever choice for building any HTPC.

The brand new MSI R5570-MD1G features as low-profile design to fit the HTPC conventionally with limited space, especially for smaller or slim cases. On the other hand, the low-profile design is good for thermal dissipation to facilitate interior air ventilation. Ultimately, the mini size of R5570-MD1G makes installation much easier and more convenient.

The newest in tool-less technology, the EZvault RFID is the pinnacle of stylish design and functionality. Made with the highest quality materials combined with outstanding design, the EZvault is vibration proof and excellent at getting rid of and keeping out any heat that could damage your hard disc or solid state data drive. Unique is the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) lock. This build in function enables you to lock and protect your data. The supplied RFID key is as small as a quarter and can be used as a key-ring. Your data is locked and save in the new EZVault RFID enclosure from Spire.

AMD today introduced the ATI Radeon HD 5570 graphics card, perfect for end-users seeking an energy efficient, low-profile DirectX 11 card for small form factor PCs. The ATI Radeon HD 5570 graphics card joins the award-winning line of AMD graphics that fully support DirectX 11, as well as ATI Eyefinity multi-display technology and ATI Stream capabilities. This latest offering completes a full DirectX 11 refresh of AMD discrete graphics products, bringing customers a choice of cutting-edge graphics cards to match every budget and form factor.

"AMD recognizes that small form factor PCs are becoming more popular and low profile graphics upgrade options have been limited to date," said Matt Skynner, vice president and general manager, AMD Graphics Division. "Customers purchasing small form factor PCs are looking for improved performance while gaming, watching HD video or working with the latest productivity applications. The ATI Radeon HD 5570 graphics card delivers all of this at a price that won't break the bank."

To cater to consumer demand for data transfer efficiency, renowned RAM and memory card manufacturer Walton Chaintech is officially launching its new CF card convertor - the Apogee SSD Convertor. Consumers may use the high speed, high capacity CF cards as SSD hard disks, using the Apogee SSD Convertor, to expand the capacity of hard disk while achieving blazing fast data transfer speed of conventional SSD. The Apogee SSD Convertor offers both performance and upgrade versatility. When paired with Walton Chaintech's latest CF 606X high speed memory card, users will achieve a perfect match in terms of product compatibility and performance and enjoy velvety-smooth storage and processing experience on their PCs.

The all-new Walton Chaintech Apogee SSD Convertor is built to a standard 2.5" hard disk form factor. It features the high speed SATA II transfer interface and can simultaneously support up to two CF cards on top of Raid 0 and Raid 1 disk array functions. Users can choose to combine the capacity of two CF cards or use them as mirror disks to achieve higher data security based on their own needs. The Apogee SSD Convertor is superior in function to the traditional SSD. The Apogee SSD Convertor is capable of reaching 55MB/sec in actual data read test, which is significantly faster than the 46MB/sec performance of current mainstream 5400-rpm hard disks in terms of transfer efficiency. By choosing high capacity CF cards, users will substantially increase storage capacity without having to replace the convertor, and this greatly boosts the product's scalability.

Club 3D unveiled a 'custom-designed' graphics card based on the ATI Radeon HD 5850 GPU, being sold as the Overclocked Edition. The design of this accelerator resembles that of PowerColor's PCS+ series HD 5800 series accelerators, pointing back at its source. The card features a custom PCB and cooling solution which makes some smart cost-cutting in return for out of the box higher clock speeds. The GPU and memory are clocked at 760 MHz and 1050 MHz (4200 MHz effective), respectively, against reference speeds of 725/1000 MHz.

The cooling system involves a large heatsink with aluminum fins, to which heat is conveyed by four heat pipes. A centrally-located fan blows air on to it. The Radeon HD 5850 GPU is DirectX 11 compliant, features 1440 stream processors, and connects to 1 GB of memory on this card, across a 256-bit GDDR5 memory interface. The display connectivity, we presume, resembles that of the reference design, with two DVI-D, and one each of HDMI and DisplayPort connectors. Club 3D is yet to announce its price.


Source: TechConnect Magazine

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a world leader in digital consumer electronics and information technology, today announced the Samsung S2 Portable, a fully transportable external hard drive, pre-loaded with the movie ‘Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT'.

Timed with the DVD and Blu-ray Disc release of ‘Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT', the pre-loaded external HDD will be available at major European retailers from February 22, 2010.

"We are excited to present this movie starring Michael Jackson, the greatest entertainer of all time, pre-loaded on the Samsung S2 Portable," said H.S. Lee, Vice President, Storage Marketing, Samsung Electronics.

Koolance rolled out its newest CPU water-block, the CPU-360. The new block boasts of broad compatibility with all current CPU socket types, an advanced microfin cold plate with 0.25mm fins, 0.30 mm channels, and an optimized flow path. The cold plate is complemented with a brass top, all metal surfaces have nickel plating to minimize corrosion. The block measures 4.9" x 4.9" x 0.6" (12.5cm x 12.5cm x 1.5xcm), and weighs 411 g (14.5 oz). While the package excludes nozzles, it includes all the retention material needed for Intel sockets LGA-775, LGA-1156, LGA-1366, and AMD sockets AM3/AM2+/AM2. The CPU-360 is listed on Koolance website at US $84.99.

Active Media Products, manufacturer of SSDs and innovative USB drives, today announced the new MotKey key-shaped USB 2.0 drive. This key drive is available today in 4GB and 8GB capacities.

Styled after a car key, this key drive will blend in on any keyring while accommodating up to 8GB of data. "The MotKey is shock- and scratch-resistant, and will look cool on any keychain", commented Active Media Products' VP of Sales, Jerry Thomson. This product is compatible with Windows, Linux and OS X. It measures just 2.9 x 1.2 x 0.5 inches (73 x 30 x 13 mm). AMP includes a keyring and cord with the MotKey.

Intel Corporation today unveiled its 2010 Intel Core vPro processor family to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes for PCs with greater, more flexible performance, theft prevention and cost savings in a rapidly changing business computing environment. These and several other capabilities are at the heart of many new Intel-based business laptop and desktop computers beginning to roll out from computer manufacturers worldwide.

The Intel Core vPro processors arrive as business computing evolves with the emergence of video, Internet telephony, social networking and other heavyweight applications - in many cases running at the same time - making a computer's performance an even bigger priority.

ASRock is developing a new upper-mainstream socket LGA-1156 motherboard based on the Intel P55 Express chipset: the P55-Deluxe3. This motherboard builds on the chipset's feature-set, and offers USB 3.0 and SATA 6 Gb/s connectivity. It further borrows from a design ASUS innovated with its P7P55D Premium, which makes use of a PCI-Express 2.0 bridge chip, which connects to the P55 chipset over its PCI-Express 1.1 x4 link, and gives out PCI-Express 2.0 x1 connections to the USB 3.0 and SATA 6 Gb/s controllers. The SATA 6 Gb/s controller gives out two SATA ports (color-coded white), and an IDE connector. The NEC USB 3.0 controller gives out two external ports color-coded blue.

Expansion slots include two PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x8 when both are populated), a PCI-Express x1, and two PCI slots. Both NVIDIA SLI and ATI CrossFire, are supported. Other connectivity options include 8+2 channel audio with SPDIF connectivity, gigabit Ethernet, eSATA, FireWire, and a number of USB 2.0 ports. The ASRock P55 Deluxe3 should be priced somewhere in the $180~$200 range.


Source: TechConnect Magazine

Thermaltake Technology, leading DIY computer components and power supply brand, today announced a new edition of the award-winning "Toughpower XT" line of high-end PC power supply units. The New Toughpower XT with 25 watts more than other brands in the market. This added wattage is meant to enhance the system upgrade potential. Special features such as the DC-DC Converter Module, Double Forward technology and the new Active PFC circuit design increase the PSU's efficiency up to 89%, while at the same time improving system stability and reliability. The New Toughpowr XT utilizes high quality 105°C / 221℉ Japanese made solid state capacitors and latest PCI-E 6pin & PCI-E 6+2pin connectors to support latest multi-graphics solutions such as SLI and CrossFire X.

The four models of the new Toughpower XT series are all 80 PLUS Bronze certified, they come in four versions with 575W, 675W, 775W and for demanding power users and hardcore gamers with 875W. All of this ensures that even power-hungry setups run at highest efficiency, thereby helping you to effectively save real cash on your next electricity bill while at the same time doing something good for the environment.

NZXT, a company built on realizing the dreams of gamers worldwide, is proud to announce its new line of premium cables and performance fans for PC enthusiasts. The new lineup premium cables consists of VGA, PSU, and HDD cables that are individually sleeved in a black enclosure to provide a sleeker look that seamlessly integrates into the case's interior. The additional benefit from incorporating these premium sleeved cables into your rig is enhanced cable management which is crucial for optimal airflow. NZXT's line of high performance fans includes a 120mm, 140mm, and 200mm version. Each fan has rifle bearings and 9 blade fins.

"For the avid PC enthusiast, effective cable management is a significant, yet time consuming stage of the build" said Johnny Hou, Chief Designer at NZXT. "Our new line of premium cables eliminates the need to sleeve cables on your own and provides a simple solution that will enhance aesthetics, improve cable management and increase airflow so internal temps remain low . Additionally, our new high performance fans provide our enthusiast community additional options when choosing effective airflow for their rig."

The Wind U160, MSI's exquisitely designed small notebook PC, which has already won an Germany's iF product design awards and become a major talking point in the IT industry, has been formally launched onto the market! The Wind U160 is less than one inch thick, and weighs just 1 kg. It uses Intel's Pine Trail platform, with the highly-integrated N450 Atom processor. The laptop casing features MSI's unique color-film-print (CFP) technology with a two-color - Fancy Gold and Jet Black - color scheme. With its attractive external appearance, slim, lightweight design and painstaking attention to detail, the U160 is sure to appeal to any fashion-conscious consumer.

MSI Notebook Marketing Director Sam Chern explains that the Wind U160 is a hi-tech, high-fashion product of MSI's outstanding craftsmanship. The Wind U160's energy-saving 10-inch LED display boasts a reaction time of just 8 millisecond, twice as fast as any other comparable product. The U160 also incorporates MSI's unique Chiclet keyboard, a seamless touchpad and other innovative design features. Besides being attractive to look at and convenient to use, the Wind U160 has a battery run-time in excess of 15 hours, enabling users to keep working all day without having to worry that they may run out of power.

Club 3D B.V. today announced the newest offer out of the latest HD 5000 graphics cards series, the HD 5450 is your start into HD home entertainment. Designed to give you stunning high definition entertainment from your PC, and the best choice for low power consumption and noiseless PC systems. The Club 3D Radeon HD 5450 Noiseless Edition graphics card eliminates the need for an external power connection and makes installation a snap. Get an amazing entertainment experience with DirectX 11 and Windows 7. Club 3D Radeon HD 5450 Noiseless Edition offers the most features and functionality in their class.

Club 3D HD 5450 is available first in two different versions, a 512MB DDR2 and a 1024MB DDR3 model. Both models clock with 650MHz core speed and 800MHz memory speed (DDR2 model) and 1337MHz (DDR3 model). With a maximum power consumption of ~20 Watt, the Club 3D HD 5450 consumes less power than previous generation graphics cards, and makes it the best performance and features combination with the lowest power consumption ever offered in the market.

The XFX ATI Radeon HD 5450 graphics card offers everything you need for gaming and HD home entertainment in one package. Available in multiple low profile configuration options, including DisplayPort or HDMI, and passive or active cooling. Choose the model that's right for you. Enjoy the array of features the XFX ATI Radeon HD 5450 Graphics Card offers.

Do more on your PC with ATI stream technology, which accelerates even the most demanding applications. See more with ATI Eyefinity technology, providing the ultimate gaming experience by allowing up to three displays from a single graphics board.