Over the weekend, Activision released the minimum system requirements (MSR) list of its upcoming AAA title, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, for the PC platform. The publisher maintains that with the new engine being designed for DirectX 11, the game will no longer support Windows XP, yet it can make do with DirectX 10 hardware running on newer operating systems (Windows Vista and above). All you need to run Black Ops 2 is:

• Intel Core 2 Duo E8200 (2.66 GHz) or AMD Phenom X3 8750 (2.40 GHz), processor
• 2 GB for 32-bit, 4 GB for 64-bit environments, memory
• NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT 512 MB or ATI Radeon HD 3870 512 MB, video card
• Windows Vista SP2 or Windows 7 or above, operating system

Source: CallofDuty.com

The market for socket LGA775 is still far from dead as there are large inventories of cheap Core 2, Pentium, and Celeron chips left in the market, as well as buyers upgrading their DDR2 systems to those with DDR3, to benefit from the DDR3 fire sale. Gigabyte introduced a new revision of its GA-EG41MFT-US2H, revision 1.4, with an updated gigabit Ethernet chip. The micro-ATX motherboard uses 3+1 phase VRM to power the processor, a wide range of Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad processors are supported. The processor is wired to Intel's G41 northbridge. Surprisingly, its graphics controller gives out an HDMI connection apart from DVI and D-Sub. It is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots, supporting up to 8 GB of memory.

Expansion slots include two PCI, one each of PCI-Express 1.1 x16 and PCIe x1. The ICH7 southbridge drives four SATA 3 Gb/s ports, and an IDE connector. The gigabit ethernet controller has been updated to RTL8111E, from the 8111D found on the older revision. Other features include 8-channel HD audio, Firewire, FDC, COM, and a number of USB 2.0 ports. Expect a sub-$100 pricing for this board.

NVIDIA today announced that system builders worldwide are now shipping the fastest PC gaming platforms ever built, thanks in part to NVIDIA SLI technology and the just-released Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition processors and X79 chipset-based motherboards.

The combination of NVIDIA SLI technology -- which allows for multiple GPUs to run on a single PC -- and new X79-based motherboards allow gamers to customize their PC experience with up to four NVIDIA GeForce GTX GPUs, including the GeForce GTX 580 and GTX 570, the world's fastest DX11 GPUs. Licensed by the world's leading motherboard manufacturers -- including Intel, ASUS, ASRock, EVGA, Foxconn, Gigabyte and MSI, SLI technology is crucial for playing this year's hottest graphics-intensive games, such as the recently released Battlefield 3 and upcoming Batman: Arkham City with detail, resolution and immersion settings cranked up.

It is curtains for as many as 20 Intel processor models in H2 2011, according to a slide detailing the product lifecycle of Intel processors in the market. The 20 models will reach EOL (end of life) stage of their market-life. When a product is marked EOL, Intel stops taking orders for it from OEMs and channel vendors, clears outstanding orders, and stops its production. Intel will honor warranties on those products in accordance with its warranty policies.

Up for EOL are the socket LGA1366 Core i7-970, socket LGA1156 Core i7-880, Core i7-875K, Core i7-870S, Core i5-760, Core i5-750S, Core i5-655K, Core i3-530; and most socket LGA775 processor currently in the market. LGA775 models include Core 2 Quad Q9650, Q9550/Q9550S, Q9500, Q8400/Q8400S, Q8300; Core 2 Duo models E8600, E8500, and Pentium E5400. Several other products are marked PDN (product discontinuation notification), a stage that precedes EOL, which formally notifies OEMs and channel-vendors that they should place their last orders (and so they should choose quantities wisely).Source: DonanimHaber

Bringing industry leading security and manageability, and better, more flexible performance to business computing, Intel Corporation today unveiled its newest family of business processors. The new 2nd generation Intel Core vPro processor family features the performance and capabilities of Intel's new microarchitecture, enhancements to Intel vPro technology and new security features, including a 3G "poison pill" option to help protect a PC's data.

Computer makers around the world, including Dell, Fujitsu, HP and Lenovo, are introducing new laptop, convertible-tablet, desktop and all-in-one PCs for businesses based on the new Intel Core vPro processors.

After giving its price-performance ratio a huge boost in late December, Dell introduced an even newer value variant of the Adamo ultra-slim ultra-portable notebook. The company's latest offer includes a 13.4-inch Adamo priced at US $799 ($100 less than the performance variant introduced last month), and driven by Intel Core 2 Duo SU9400 (clocked at 1.40 GHz), and 2 GB of memory. The 13.4-inch screen offers 1366 x 768 pixels resolution, and the chipset embeds Intel GMA X4500 graphics. Storage is care of a 128 GB SSD. Connectivity includes WiFi and Bluetooth. Other features include a 1.3 megapixel webcam. Windows 7 Home Premium x64 comes preinstalled.

Dell's iconic ultra-portable, the Adamo, got a much-needed specifications update, along with a welcome drop in price of the base model. The 13-inch 0.65" thick notebook now starts at US $899 (earlier $1100), and features faster hardware, including Intel Core 2 Duo SL9600 processor clocked at 2.10 GHz (compared to the much slower Core 2 Duo SU9300 1.20 GHz), Intel X4500 graphics, 4 GB of memory, a 128 GB SSD storage, and connectivity that includes WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1 EDR. It comes with Windows 7 Home Premium x64 pre-installed.

Stealth.Com Inc., a leader in the industrial computer and peripherals market has released a new ultra small PC designed specifically for in-vehicle/mobile/embedded applications. Stealth’s model LPC-100M is a rugged small form PC that operates from 10-26 VDC power input making it ideal for DC powered applications typically found in vehicles and remote applications.

According to Stealth CEO, Ed Boutilier; “One of the unique attributes the LPC-100M mobile computer possesses is a user selectable smart power control interface. Start-up and shut-down times are user definable allowing for safe application launching along with a controlled shutdown period. This is absolutely critical in preventing data corruption when power sources are interrupted in mobile and field environments.”

MSI debuts the IA-Q45 based on the Intel Core 2 Duo / Core 2 Quad processor and the Intel Q45+ Intel ICH10DO chipset to provide the most powerful Micro-ATX form factor platform into ATM and Gaming applications. MSI IA-Q45 is a high performance industrial-grade Micro ATX motherboard with a full-range of integrated peripherals for high-end industrial and embedded applications like ATM and gaming applications. Based on Intel Q45+ Intel ICH10DO chipset and featured LGA775 socket for Intel Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad different level processors, IA-Q45 enables customers to deploy more responsive, high-performance, low-power, or even cost-effective systems and can fit in any Micro ATX chassis.

MSI, the global leading brand in motherboard, announced the launch of the upgrade version of WindBOX III (MS-9A35) to IPC market in August, 2010. This is the latest ultra-low power system with fanless solution. Following the fanless design of WindBOX series, MSI debuts the WindBOX III based on the Intel Core 2 Duo processor and the Intel GS45 + ICH9M chipset to provide the latest ultra-low power and slim form factor into solid embedded applications. For clients' strong demand of supporting high resolution video, MSI debuts WindBOX III (MS-9A35) with great 3D graphics performance for a high definition up to 1080P.

It supports directX10, shader model 4.0 and Intel Clear Video Technology. MSI enhances I/O connectivity covers 6 USB 2.0 ports, 2 powered COM ports, and multiple video output (DVI-I for VGA and DVI-D, HDMI) for dual independent display. To fulfill the expansion demand, WindBOX III improves two mini-PCIe slots. For the internet demand, WindBOX III comes with a module that has a built-in WiFi 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth module.

Apple released the latest version of its Mac mini desktop. Mac mini serves as an entry-level product to let consumers into the world of the Mac. Connected to any HDMI display, USB keyboard and mouse, the user is good to go. Its new specifications include Core 2 Duo CPU running at 2.40 GHz, 2 GB of memory, NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics, 320 GB hard drive, slot-in DVD-writer, and connectivity which includes FireWire 800, USB 2.0, gigabit Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n wireless network, and Bluetooth 2.1 EDR. It comes with Apple OSX Snow Leopard and iLife pre-installed. The new Mac Mini goes for US $699. A higher variant which goes for $999 includes OSX Snow Leopard Server, 2.66 GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 4 GB of memory, and 500 GB hard drive.

ASUS displayed its latest creation, the Eee Pad. This 12 inch tablet has sports uncanny resemblance to the Apple iPad, except that it's x86 powered, and uses Windows 7, with ASUS' own visually-appealing UI. It can run any Windows application that its hardware allows, which includes Intel Core 2 Duo CULV, and Intel graphics. The UI takes advantage of the multi-touch screen and related abilities of the Windows 7 Home Premium OS it comes bundled with. Other known details include a web-camera, and a battery that is rated to last 10 hours on a full charge. ASUS will also introduce a slightly smaller 10 inch tablet which uses Windows 7 Embedded Compact, a new variant of the OS designed for devices such as these. The two will be out in Q1 2011.Source: Engadget

Apple gave the 13.3-inch variant of its MacBook line a specifications update, with faster processor and graphics, which also steps up battery life along the way. The MacBook now comes with a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2 GB memory (4 GB available as an option), NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics, 250 GB of storage, and 8x DVD writer. The display has a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. Connectivity features include gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 2.1, and WiFi. The 63.5 W/h lithium-polymer battery gives up to 10 hours of usage on a full charge. It retains the price-tag of US $999.

MSI's latest ultra-thin and lightweight X-Slim Series of the dual-core model, X420, features the Intel CULV ultra-portable and energy-efficient platform equipped with the Intel Core 2 Duo processor together with ATI's Mobility Radeon HD5430 3D external display adapter (with built-in 1GB DDR3 VRAM), SRS-certified audio, as well as a battery life that lasts up to 9 hours.

MSI Director of Marketing Sam Chern points out that the X-Slim X420 is MSI's latest 14-inch ultra-thin notebook that carries on X-Slim Series' fine tradition of thin and elegant design. Weighing only 1.88kg, the entire unit is no more than one inch thick. The exterior of the new generation X420 is decorated with many new fashion elements. MSI's exclusive textured pattern color film print coating is used, the cover is treated with translucent Cappuccino Brown color, and the palm rest area is coated with golden film. The entire unit from the inside out is imbued with a bright and smooth pearl texture, redefining the new standard for notebook fashion.

Lenovo today unveiled 11 new IdeaPad laptops and IdeaCentre desktops at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show that demonstrate the company's re-energized commitment to personal computing design and engineering specifically for consumers. The new IdeaPad laptop PCs – S10-3t, S10-3, Y460, Y560, G460, G560, V460 and V360 and IdeaCentre desktop PCs – A300, C310 and K320 – include industry leading design and technology that will help enhance performance, style and entertainment capabilities across Lenovo's consumer products lineup.

"Our new Idea PCs are the next step in our exciting new worldwide product portfolio designed with the consumer in mind," said Liu Jun, senior vice president, Idea Product Group, Lenovo. "These additions to our Idea portfolio demonstrate Lenovo's commitment to giving our customers the capabilities they expect, at prices they can afford, while showcasing our forward-thinking innovations."

Lenovo today announced a new ThinkPad laptop Series, simply called “ThinkPad Edge,” with 13, 14 and 15 inch models designed specifically for the small to medium sized business (SMB). The 13 inch model represents the first ThinkPad laptop to offer AMD dual core processor technology and to be offered on AMD’s VISION Pro Technology. In addition to performance, the new laptops are designed with style and affordability in mind for today’s budget-conscious customers. For example, they include new rich and vibrant color choices and a new contemporary keyboard. Lenovo is also expanding its retail sales channel to offer select ThinkPad Edge models in Best Buy stores.

“Small to medium business customers tell us they want PCs with bold yet professional designs, uncompromising durability and reliability with the latest technologies that meets their budgets,” said Fran O’Sullivan, senior vice president, Think Product Group, Lenovo. “Our answer is the new ThinkPad Edge family of laptops. They deliver stunning technology and powerful performance at an unprecedented value.”

ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of visual display and computing products, today expanded its PC Mini lineup with the new VOT530 and VOT550. These full-featured, small-format PCs are ideal for power computing and enjoying digital media anywhere in the home, all while using up to 45% less energy and up to 50% less plastic than tower PCs.

The VOT530 and VOT550 PC Minis come standard with a Windows 7 Home Premium operating system, powerful Intel Core 2 Duo 2.2 GHz processors and 802.11b/g/n wireless connectivity, making them perfect media entertainment systems or home computing hubs. Whether streaming Internet content to a TV or accessing movies and music saved on the hard drive, these compact computers are ideal for downloading, managing and displaying digital content on any standard display or HDTV.

Businesses rely on data every day and how this data is stored is of critical importance. Data has to be accessible at all times, but it also needs to be fast enough to keep up with the speed of modern business. Today, Thecus is proud to launch its latest 2U rackmount NAS device – the N8800PRO. With outstanding performance, rock-solid stability, and complete flexibility, the N8800PRO sets a new standard in enterprise storage.

To enable businesses to access their data as quickly as possible, the N8800PRO features a multitude of performance enhancements. Powering the N8800PRO is an Intel Core 2 Duo processor coupled with a full 4GB of DDR2 800 memory for lightning-quick system response and increased concurrent connections. All of this technology allows the N8800PRO to achieve data transfer speeds of over 300MB/s! And to ensure compatibility with future technologies, the N8800PRO even comes with an internal PCI-e slot. which enables users to install a 10Gbit PCI-e NIC for greatly increased throughput. In terms of storage, the N8800PRO comes equipped with eight 3.5” SATA hard disk bays for a maximum of 16TB of storage. System admins that require more storage can actually attach up to five different N8800PROs to it and manage them all using one master device using the stackable feature, or use the N8800PRO with iSCSI initiators. The N8800PRO even supports iSCSI thin provisioning! Expandable and flexible, the N8800PRO can grow along with your business.

Intel recently released quad-core notebook processors based on the Nehalem architecture. The company wants to further develop its ultrathin notebook processor portfolio with three new dual-core processors based on the "Arrandale" core, carrying the Core i7 and Core i5 brand identifiers. These models are slated for launch in the first half of 2010. Included, are the Core i7 640UM, Core i7 620UM, and Core i5 520UM. While the Core i7 640UM is clocked at 1.20 GHz, the Core i7 620UM and Core i5 520UM carry the same clock speeds of 1.06 GHz. We would imagine a feature such as HyperThreading Technology to differentiate the two.

While the clock speeds may seem low, it is important to note that these ultra low voltage processors succeed similarly clocked Core 2 Duo SU9000 and SU7000 series processors. Speaking of which, in the run up to the new chips, Intel will introduce six new models within Q4 2009, namely Core 2 Duo models SU9600, SU9400, SU7300, Pentium models SU4100, SU2300, and Celeron 743. The Core i7 640UM, 620UM, and Core i5 520UM are expected to be available to manufacturers at US $305, $278, and $241, respectively. All prices are in 1000-unit tray quantities.Source: DigiTimes

Lenovo today reshaped its ThinkCentre business desktop line by introducing its first all-in-one (AIO) desktop PC – the ThinkCentre A70z. Built for the needs of small and medium businesses (SMB) all the way up to large corporations, the AIO delivers a compelling alternative to the traditional desktop PC, starting at just $499. Despite the budget-friendly price tag, the high performance all in one comes with Intel Core2Duo processors and delivers blazing fast boot up time as one of Lenovo’s Enhanced Experience certified PCs. The ThinkCentre A70z saves 70 percent more space, takes less time to set up and service and consumes less power than traditional desktops. At the same time, the AIO adds a new touch of style and sophistication for today’s modern office. Lenovo today also introduced the ThinkCentre A58e tower desktop, bringing SMBs an affordable and reliable computing solution.

“We’ve heard from a number of IT managers in a variety of industries, from education, to finance to healthcare, and they’ve all told us they need desktops that conserve space, save on energy consumption and are easy to maintain and service,” said Dilip Bhatia, worldwide desktop marketing, Lenovo. “The new ThinkCentre A70z exceeds these needs – not only is it compact, super energy efficient and quick to service, but it’s also high performance and extremely affordable.”

Acer America today announced its new Aspire 5738DG – an innovative notebook with 3D viewing technology. Featuring advanced display capabilities, high-definition graphics engine, premium Intel Core 2 Duo processor and Dolby Surround sound, the Aspire 5738DG delivers cinematic images that literally pop from the screen, while maintaining the performance and productivity features of a desktop replacement notebook.

Introduced with the exciting new Windows 7 Home Premium operating system, the new Acer Aspire 5738DG 3D notebook will be available this week at select retailers. “This holiday season, we are seeing 3D content become more prevalent in popular films and games,” said Ray Sawall, senior manager of product marketing for Acer America. “The new Acer Aspire 5738DG notebook enables consumers to enjoy exciting new 3D entertainment on a mobile PC that can also replicate a 3D experience from standard 2D content. This product upholds Acer’s strong tradition of combining innovation with value by delivering leading-edge technology at an affordable price that makes it accessible to the average consumer.”

Apple gave its flagship desktop computer, the iMac a healthy specifications update that warps the iMac right back into competing with the PCs of this generation. The update involves introducing two new models, a 21.5-inch one, and another massive 27-inch model, to replace the existing 20 and 24-inch offerings, respectively. The major update aims to achieve giving the iMac a true widescreen display that is at least full HD capable, powerful hardware including the advent of quad-core processors to the iMac, and a host of changes to the hardware and peripherals. Prices start at $1199.

To begin with, the 21.5-inch model features a 16:9 full HD display with a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, while the 27-inch model comes with 2560 x 1440 pixels resolution. The displays on both use IPS panels that provide a viewing angle as wide as 178°, with high color fidelity. The displays use LED backlit for uniform, instant-on illumination. Such technologies we previously found on Apple's high-end Cinema displays. Both feature enclosures that are distinctively "wide-screen", and slim at that. Both feature all-aluminum backs.

The new Gateway EC Series notebook PCs debut today in two of the most popular sizes for today’s busy computer users – 15.6-inch mainstream size for productivity maximizers and the 11.6-inch ultraportable size for road warriors – both delivering up to eight hours of battery life. The new Gateway EC Series models will both be available this week in retail stores nationwide with the launch of Windows 7.

The new Gateway EC58, EC54 and EC14 notebook PC lines deliver all-day productivity, reliable wireless connectivity and 6-8 hours(1) of battery life, so customers can get more done while away from their home or office. Plus, the Gateway EC models let customers go longer without having to recharge, reducing energy consumption and making them very environmentally friendly.

Toshiba today introduces the Satellite L450 and the Satellite L555 laptops – a duo of new Satellite models aimed at consumers looking for affordability without compromising on style and performance.

Combining power and ease-of-use, both Satellite models are equipped with Toshiba LifeSpace software, a new application suite exclusively for Toshiba laptops featuring Windows 7. Designed to help consumers keep desktops free from clutter, Toshiba LifeSpace facilitates the organisation of tasks such as personal appointments, and reminders, making it easier for users to keep track of important dates and documents. A virtual and customisable ‘Bulletin Board’ enables users to create instant thumbnail shortcuts, keeping desktops organised and offering one-click access to important files and folders. ‘ReelTime’ also accelerates file searching by automatically adding a shortcut to the timeline of recently used files, which can list up to 5,000 items visually.

Thecus Technology is always pushing the boundaries of what NAS devices are capable of. Today, Thecus is proud to introduce the N7700PRO, the follow up to the award winning N7700. While the original N7700 made its mark by being the world’s first seven-bay NAS device, the N7700PRO raises the stakes with breathtaking performance, unmatched reliability, and maximum flexibility.

With the N7700PRO, blistering performance is the name of the game. At its core is an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU and a whopping 4GB of high-speed DDR2 800 memory, making it the most powerful NAS unit available. In fact, with its PCI-e slot, the N7700PRO can reach data transfer speeds of over 300 MB/s by adding a PCI Express 10 Gbps Ethernet adapter. All of this raw power easily manipulates large amounts of data – perfect for the N7700PRO’s seven 3.5” SATA drive bays that can accommodate up to 14TB of storage. Need even more storage at your disposal? With its stackable feature, you can connect up to five N7700PROs together and easily manage them all via a master unit. The N7700PRO is even compatible with iSCSI initiators and supports iSCSI thin provisioning for added performance and flexibility.