Synology America Corp. announces the release of the DS213j, the latest in their line of affordable, energy-efficient, dual bay NAS devices. Serving up advanced storage for the home user, the DS213j is the ideal companion for users who want complete control over their cloud-accessible content. Powered by a 1.2Ghz processor with an integrated FPU, the DS213j can generate multi-sized thumbnail images faster than its predecessor. The unit also includes 512MB of RAM; furthering overall performance when running multiple applications. The DS213j takes advantage of Synology's DiskStation Manager (DSM 4.2). With DSM, the DS213j makes features and accessibility easily available to users.

During her keynote at the Intel Developer Forum today in Beijing, Diane Bryant, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's Datacenter and Connected Systems Group, discussed how her company is helping users harness powerful new capabilities that will improve the lives of people by building smarter cities, healthier communities and thriving businesses.

Bryant unveiled details of upcoming technologies and products that show how Intel aims to transform the server, networking and storage capabilities of the datacenter. By addressing the full spectrum of workload demands and providing new levels of application optimized solutions for enterprise IT, technical computing and cloud service providers, unprecedented experiences can be delivered.

Super Micro Computer, Inc., a global leader in high-performance, high-efficiency server, storage technology and green computing, is exhibiting its range of GPU optimized platforms at the 2013 NVIDIA GPU Technology Conference (GTC 2013) in San Jose, CA this week. At the show, Supermicro will exhibit its extensive line of FatTwin and SuperServer GPU platforms, including the industry's only 1U 3x NVIDIA GRID K2 qualified SuperServer (SYS-1027GR-TRF).

Live systems featuring NVIDIA GRID K1 and K2 boards will demonstrate how NVIDIA Kepler architecture-based technology maximizes server utilization and, when scaled out, can support over 600 users per 42U rack in existing reference designs, and with a forthcoming 4U FatTwin configuration can support 1,800+ users per rack. Combined with increased security and system manageability, NVIDIA GRID delivers the most flexible, accelerated VDI experience for end users. In addition to the demos, Supermicro executives will present strategies and server architecture designs to consider when selecting GPU platforms for HPC, cloud and workstation applications.

Dell today unveiled a solution that extends the value of cloud client computing to the next level, enabling people to manage the increasing convergence of their work lives and personal lives by using a compact, portable device to access not only secured professional assets, but also personal content via the cloud. The ultra-compact multimedia-capable device, called Dell Wyse "Project Ophelia," is slightly larger than a USB memory stick and enables users to convert any capable TV or monitor into a functioning interactive personal display device without using a computer, tablet or smartphone.

Acer today announced cross-platform support for AcerCloud, the company's file sharing and media management solution, free to Acer customers. Consumers can now share, retrieve and enjoy their multimedia and data files using a variety of computing devices, regardless of which operating system they are running -- Windows, Android or iOS.

AcerCloud uses the free space on a PC's hard drive as cloud storage space. Users simply designate one of their PCs as their "Cloud PC," enabling them to use the available hard drive space on their own PC, giving them security and full control over their storage needs.1 And unlike other cloud solutions, consumers won't receive constant reminders about exceeding capacity with solicitations to pay for more storage.

Six leading international cloud-gaming companies plan to use the NVIDIA GRID Cloud Gaming Platform to deliver gaming services to global broadband companies, NVIDIA announced today. The NVIDIA GRID Platform enables the smooth, seamless interactive experience of a high-performance gaming PC anywhere, on any screen -- including smart TVs, PCs, tablets and smartphones.

NVIDIA GRID is a server designed to concurrently serve up to 36 times more HD-quality game streams than first-generation cloud-gaming systems, while reducing lag. It is fully integrated with a high density of NVIDIA GPUs, specialized graphics-application streaming software and NVIDIA VGX Hypervisor technology, which allows multiple users to share a GPU.

Today LaCie announced the 5big NAS Pro, its latest high-performance 5-bay network-attached storage solution powered by Intel. Thanks to hybrid cloud technology, the LaCie 5big NAS Pro lets employees collaborate easily using a single interface for both network/cloud storage and remote access. Plus, data stays secure thanks to novice-friendly SimplyRAID and client-side cloud encryption.

Fast Professional Collaboration
With transfer speeds up to 200 MB/s, the LaCie 5big NAS Pro boosts business productivity. Powered by a dual-core 2.13 GHz Intel 64-bit Atom processor and 4 GB RAM, it also features dual LAN and link aggregation for optimized network speeds. This performance-driven combination accelerates file sharing, remote access, and backups for small businesses.

Oracle today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Eloqua, Inc., a leading provider of cloud-based marketing automation and revenue performance management software for $23.50 per share or approximately $871 million, net of Eloqua's cash. Eloqua's modern marketing cloud delivers best-in-class capabilities to ensure every component of marketing works harder and more efficiently to drive revenue.

The combination of Oracle and Eloqua is expected to create a comprehensive Customer Experience Cloud offering to help companies transform the way they market, sell, support and serve their customers. The combined offering is expected to enable organizations to provide a highly personalized and unified experience across channels, create brand loyalty through social and online interactions, grow revenue by driving more qualified leads to sales teams, and provide superior service at every touchpoint.

D-Link today enhanced its award-winning line of cloud-enabled products with the availability of the Cloud Router 2500 (DIR-836L), Cloud Router 1100 (DIR-626L) and SharePort Mobile Companion (DIR-505L), delivering increased wireless speeds, extended coverage and enhanced feature sets for today's connected home and users on-the-go.

The N750 Dual-Band Gigabit Cloud Router 2500 is ideal for high-bandwidth activities delivering speeds of up to 750 Mbps for uninterrupted HD video streaming, online gaming and seamless downloading and uploading. For basic Internet needs, the Cloud Router 1100 delivers up to 300 Mbps perfect for seamless web-browsing, email and online chatting.

Cisco today announced its intent to acquire privately held Meraki Inc., a leader in cloud networking. Headquartered in San Francisco, Calif., with offices in New York, London and Mexico, Meraki offers midmarket customers easy-to-deploy on-premise networking solutions that can be centrally managed from the cloud.

As the IT industry transforms in the mobile-cloud era, Cisco is solving customers' networking and business enablement challenges by delivering cloud networking and device and security services. The acquisition of Meraki complements and expands Cisco's strategy to offer more software-centric solutions to simplify network management, help customers empower mobile workforces, and generate new revenue opportunities for partners.

Today LaCie announced an all-new network storage solution that connects the entire family to their music, movie and photo files. The LaCie CloudBox stores files in a single location so family members can easily share them with friends, and access them from anywhere on any device.

ONE-PLUG, ONE-CLICK SETUP
The LaCie CloudBox makes setup worry-free thanks to its two-step set-up process. Simply plug the LaCie CloudBox into a power outlet and connect the Ethernet cable into a router. The LaCie CloudBox does the rest with no software to install. In just a few minutes, the LaCie CloudBox will appear on the user's Mac or PC just like a connected device.

HP today announced HP Service Anywhere, a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) IT service management (ITSM) solution that delivers a simple-to-use, modern experience that enables IT professionals to increase productivity while managing and delivering high-quality services.

HP Service Anywhere integrates key technologies, such as the market-leading HP Universal Configuration Management Database (UCMDB), which manages services, applications and hardware across the IT environment. It is populated and maintained with HP Universal Discovery software, which automates discovery and dependency mapping of relevant IT elements.

Engineers and design professionals will be able to work anywhere on virtually any device and still have access to the computing and graphics performance of a GPU-powered workstation, with today's launch of the cloud-based NVIDIA VGX K2 GPU. Built on the NVIDIA Kepler architecture -- the world's fastest, most efficient GPU architecture -- VGX K2 adds unprecedented workstation capabilities to the NVIDIA VGX platform, which was announced earlier this year.

The NVIDIA VGX platform utilizes the GPU to allow enterprises to efficiently deliver virtualized workstation performance and capabilities -- including rich multimedia and 3D graphics -- to users on smartphones, tablets or PCs. Its VGX K2 board, which includes two workstation-class GPUs, enables enterprises to increase user density without sacrificing performance or application compatibility.

Microsoft Corp. and StorSimple Inc. today announced that Microsoft has reached a definitive agreement to acquire StorSimple, a leader in Cloud-integrated Storage (CiS) solutions. The addition of CiS will advance Microsoft's Cloud OS vision and help customers more efficiently embrace hybrid cloud computing.

"Customers faced with explosive growth in data are looking to the cloud to help them store, manage and archive that data. But, to be effective, cloud storage needs to integrate with IT's current investments," said Michael Park , corporate vice president, Server and Tools Division for Microsoft. "StorSimple's approach helps customers seamlessly integrate on-premises storage with cloud storage through intelligent automation and management."

Small businesses are grappling with how to manage the dramatic growth of critical files, email and media. Meanwhile consumers are creating and purchasing vast amounts of digital content, including music, movies, photos, e-books and videos. To help them have greater control over of their data, Intel Corporation today announced its next-generation Intel Atom processor-based storage solution.

Recognizing the ongoing, real-time growth of storage demands, this solution, powered by the Intel Atom processor D2550 or the Intel Atom processor D2500, combines impressive multimedia capabilities, energy efficiency and excellent performance to deliver the personal cloud to businesses and consumers.

At HP's (NYSE: HPQ) annual Securities Analyst Meeting, being held today in San Francisco, the company's leadership is mapping out strategic priorities for the future and providing a detailed multiyear roadmap to turn the company around.

During her keynote, HP's president and chief executive officer Meg Whitman outlined progress made over the past year to stabilize the business and lay the foundation for a multiyear turnaround. The operating and organizational models have been integrated, centralized and streamlined, and a talented executive team is in place to execute the strategy.

Seagate announced the Seagate Cloud Builder Alliance, a new strategic partner category within the company’s existing Seagate Partner Program. The new program provides technical information, customer insights, market knowledge and delivers partners the tools needed to expand their businesses providing cloud storage technology. The Seagate Cloud Builder Alliance highlights system builders that design, integrate, and deliver custom servers and storage systems used in cloud data centers.

Through the Cloud Builder Alliance, partners will receive business and technology planning, sales and marketing resources, lead generation, training and certification, and system reference design development from Seagate Design Centers globally. The program will also equip members with dedicated sales tools including a cloud sales playbook, market insights and customer presentations. Select partners will collaborate with Seagate on solution development and reference designs, PR and marketing initiatives, and strategic direction and business planning. Seagate Cloud Builder Alliance participants include Ciara Technologies, Intequus, NuCloud Global, Supermicro, Xyratex, and ZT Systems to name a few.

AMD today announced an investment in CiiNOW, a provider of cloud gaming technology that enables game publishers, retailers and carriers to tap into the growing video game market expected to reach $81 billion by 2016. AMD, through AMD Ventures, has invested in this innovative software company serving a large and growing market that can create better end-user experiences by taking advantage of AMD technologies. With the investment and strategic collaboration facilitated by AMD Ventures, AMD and CiiNOW will work jointly to enable the best online gaming experience possible through a vibrant worldwide developer ecosystem and differentiated hardware.

The cloud gaming industry, which was once thought of as technologically impossible, is now disrupting the gaming market for both consumers and game publishers as more and more casual and hardcore gamers are making the jump to playing games online. CiiNOW addresses this trend with the first cloud gaming solution powered by AMD Radeon graphics that offers a cost-effective, end-to-end solution that includes the full suite of required hardware and software components. CiiNOW delivers a high-speed, low latency streaming solution with up to eight HD streams per server blade, and up to 272 HD streams per server rack for HD-quality game streaming instantly from the cloud, providing ubiquitous game streaming across all subscribers, devices and access technologies.

Today in a global online launch event Satya Nadella, president of Microsoft Server and Tools Business, announced the general availability of Windows Server 2012. In his keynote speech, Nadella described how Windows Server 2012 is a cornerstone of the Cloud OS, which provides one consistent platform across private, hosted and public clouds.

"The operating system has always been the heartbeat of IT and is now undergoing a renaissance in the new world of continuous cloud services, connected devices and big data," Nadella said. "Microsoft's unique legacy in the most widely used operating systems, applications and cloud services positions us to deliver the Cloud OS, based on Windows Server and Windows Azure, helping customers achieve a datacenter without boundaries."

Delivering gigabit wireless speeds, higher capacity and broader coverage for home networks, D-Link today announced its first 802.11ac router – the Cloud Router 5700 (DIR-865L) – is now available. The Cloud Router 5700 offers superior dual-band wireless performance of up to 1750Mbps for today's high-bandwidth gaming and HD streaming applications, and features D-Link's industry-leading Cloud App, allowing consumers to monitor and control the home network remotely. The Cloud Router 5700 provides users with easy access to manage and stream local content from a connected USB drive to mobile devices via D-Link's SharePort mobile app.

WD, a world leader in external storage and connected home solutions, today introduced powerful new collaboration and file management features, including Dropbox integration, in the next generation of its popular WD 2go mobile app for their personal cloud products, the My Book Live, My Book Live Duo and My Net N900 Central HD router with storage.

WD's personal cloud products provide shared storage on the home network, letting customers centralize their important documents, photos, videos and music in one place as well as automatically backup all the computers in their home. With the WD 2go app customers can access and share that content from outside the home on their mobile devices.

Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) today announced that it entered into a definitive agreement on June 30, 2012 (Japan Time) to acquire Gaikai Inc., the world's leading interactive cloud-based gaming company, for approximately USD 380 million. Through the acquisition, SCE will establish a new cloud service, ensuring that it continues to provide users with truly innovative and immersive interactive entertainment experiences.

"By combining Gaikai's resources including its technological strength and engineering talent with SCE's extensive game platform knowledge and experience, SCE will provide users with unparalleled cloud entertainment experiences," said Andrew House, President and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. "SCE will deliver a world-class cloud-streaming service that allows users to instantly enjoy a broad array of content ranging from immersive core games with rich graphics to casual content anytime, anywhere on a variety of internet-connected devices."

Today during the Structure Conference in San Francisco, Jason Waxman, GM of the Cloud Infrastructure Group outlined Intel’s vision and roadmap for microservers and discussed how they best suited to handle emerging “scale-out” applications. Waxman provided an update on Intel's roadmap for microservers including new generations of Intel Xeon processors and Intel Atom architecture based 22nm SoC chips codenamed "Avoton", both scheduled for 2013. In his blog Jason also talks about why within the new segment of servers it is the application that will decide which core – Intel Atom or Xeon - will be the optimal solution. Waxman's presentation can be found here.

Today Atlantis Computing, a leading provider of storage optimization software for virtual servers and desktops, will unveil Atlantis ILIO FlexCloud 1.0 onstage at GigaOM Structure, one of the most influential cloud computing conferences. The new software product makes it possible for enterprises and service providers to fundamentally change the performance and economics of storage-intensive virtualized server and cloud applications like databases, big data and custom enterprise applications.

"With our success in the desktop virtualization market, we are constantly asked by customers to bring to market solutions for virtual servers that optimize storage utilization like we do for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)," said Bernard Harguindeguy, CEO of Atlantis Computing. "With the introduction of Atlantis ILIO FlexCloud 1.0, we are demonstrating how our technology has the flexibility to deliver similar performance, cost and scalability benefits to server virtualization and the cloud."

SanDisk Corporation, a global leader in flash memory storage solutions, today announced a suite of USB flash drives that includes SanDisk’s fastest, thinnest and highest-capacity USB products ever. The drives offer consumers the storage they need to carry libraries of digital content with them wherever they go, transfer their files quickly and do so with style.

“Whether consumers are seeking super-fast transfer speeds, maximum storage capacity or a stylish fashion statement, we offer a drive to meet their needs,” said Bob O’Keefe, vice president, retail marketing, SanDisk. “SanDisk pioneered the USB drive and now offers one of the broadest lineups in the industry, with a wide range of form factors and reliability that consumers can count on to store their important files.”