QNAP Systems, Inc. today launched the 2-bay TS-251D NAS. Powered by an Intel J4005 dual-core processor, the TS-251D can be used with QNAP's smart AI photo management application, QuMagie, which integrates AI image recognition to group similar photos together in album "People", "Things" and "Places". The 4K media transcoding and streaming capabilities of the TS-251D brings users an excellent and satisfying cross-device multimedia experience. The TS-251D also provides a PCIe slot for expanding its core functionality.

Powered by an Intel Celeron J4005 dual-core 2.00 GHz processor (burst up to 2.7 GHz), DDR4 RAM (up to 8 GB), one Gigabit LAN port, and supports SATA 6 Gbps drives. The TS-251D provides dependable read/write speeds and Intel AES-NI 256 hardware-accelerated encryption to secure sensitive and confidential data on the NAS. The TS-251D also supports snapshots, allowing users to quickly recover data in the event of accidental deletion/modification or ransomware attack.

QNAP Systems Inc. today announced the release of the energy-efficient and budget-friendly dual-core Compact NAS, including the 1-bay TS-128 and 2-bay TS-228. Designed with a mini-tower form factor that takes less desktop space, they are ideal for home users to create their own personal cloud. The feature-rich TS-128/228 helps users to easily handle file backup and synchronization tasks, and also provides remote access and a wide range of multimedia apps to enrich their digital lifestyle.

"As photoshooting and recording with smartphones, tablets and digital cameras has become mainstream and the desire for high-resolution multimedia content becomes stronger, users are eager to find easier and more convenient methods for digital storage and sharing," said Jason Hsu, Product Manager of QNAP. "The new TS-128 and TS-228 presents an ideal personal NAS at a budget price to provide users with a great base for data storage, backup and multimedia entertainment."

Since Intel fully integrated the core logic (northbridge) with its processors, overclocking them by tinkering with the base-clock (BClk, the primary clock domain from which the CPU's clock speed is set using multipliers), became unstable, as it was used as a cadence for other key components on the chip, such as iGPU and PCIe root-complex. Apparently, with its 6th generation Core "Skylake" processors, Intel has de-linked base-clock from other clock domains, re-enabling overclocking using BClk, which is particularly helpful on non-K (upwards multiplier locked) SKUs.

Some of the first motherboards that enable BClk overclocking on Skylake CPUs come from Supermicro, the server/workstation motherboard maker that's dipping its toes into DIY enthusiast platforms these days. "Dhenzjhen," an overclocker from the Philippines struck gold by achieving a 5.00 GHz overclock on a Core i3-6320 dual-core chip, using a Supermicro C7H170-M motherboard (which is driven by an Intel H170 chipset). Shortly after news of this feat broke, ASRock fired an email to the press, stating that its Z170 Extreme7+ motherboard is able to support 4.50 GHz clocks on a Core i5-6600 quad-core chip, using an experimental BIOS. ASRock is validating this BIOS internally, and hopes to release it "very soon."

Shuttle Computer Group, Inc., one of the world's leading designers of small form factor (SFF) computers, announced its XS35V5 and XS36V5 with improved graphics performance. A host of features make them perfect for commercial applications including digital signage, kiosks, menu boards, and more.

"The latest 4K monitors need higher performance graphics, and our XS35V5 and XS36V5 make images and text pop out loud," said Marty Lash, director sales and marketing, Shuttle Computer Group. "They're easy to configure, have great connectivity, and provide cool-running, non-stop operation. They have everything an integrator needs for any display application."

ASUSTOR Inc., a leading innovator and provider of network storage solutions, has announced the launch of the modern diamond plate finished 31 series NAS devices for multimedia prosumers. The 31 series consists of the 2-bay AS3102T and the 4-bay AS3104T. With its compact size and elegant looks, these models seamlessly complement any space while adding a touch of style.

Toolless installation via hand-screws along with the sliding cover design, allow users to easily install or swap out hard disks. 31 series devices are powered by the latest generation Intel Braswell N3050 dual-core processors which feature automatic overclocking for increased system performance and outstanding multitasking capabilities. Also worth mentioning is that the 31 series devices support AES-NI hardware encryption, providing a secure and high performance storage solution for the new cloud generation.

Synology Inc. today announced the Synology Router RT1900ac, a high-speed wireless router featuring robust connectivity for homes and offices, advanced networking tools, rich add-on software packages, as well as a user-friendly software experience.

Synology Router RT1900ac is powered by Synology Router Manager (SRM) operating system, which boasts professional-level networking tools at a consumer-friendly price point. Application Layer QoS (Quality of Service) makes it possible to monitor and control bandwidth consumption according to not only devices, but also individual applications. Equipped with a vast database of inappropriate websites, the DNS based Web-filter and Parental Control let business owners or parents block thousands of sites and create network access schedules for connected devices with a few simple clicks.

Intel expanded its 6th generation Core "Skylake" processor lineup for the desktop, with seven new models. Built in the LGA1151 package, these chips work on motherboards running the company's 100-series chipset. Besides the overclocker-friendly Core i7-6700K and the i5-6600K already launched, the lineup now includes the i7-6700, i5-6600, i5-6500, i5-6400, i3-6320, i3-6300, and the i3-6100. Of these, the Core i7 and Core i5 models are quad-core, while the Core i3 ones are dual-core.

The Core i7-6700 and i5-6600 are not just different from the i7-6700K and i5-6600K in that they lack unlocked BClk multipliers, they also come with lower clock speeds out of the box. The i7-6700 is clocked at 3.40 GHz with 4.00 GHz max Turbo Boost (i7-6700K offers 4.00 GHz with 4.20 GHz Turbo), while the i5-6600 is clocked at 3.30 GHz, with 3.90 GHz Turbo Boost (i5-6600K offers 3.50 GHz with 3.90 GHz Turbo). The i7-6700 is priced at US $312, while the i5-6600 goes for $213 (single-unit box price).

WD, a Western Digital company and a world leader in hard drives, today announced the expansion of its award-winning WD Black line of performance hard drives up to 6 TB capacity. Shipping now, the 3.5-inch, 7200 RPM drive is the perfect solution for gamers and professionals in need of high-performance desktop systems and workstations.

WD Black hard drives combine 7200 RPM spin speed, 128 MB cache, dual stage actuator technology, SATA 6 gigabits per second (Gb/s) interface, and an integrated dual processor to deliver ultimate performance in a maximum-capacity drive. The WD Black 6TB is up to 29% faster than the previous WD Black 4TB version in maximum data rate throughput and 10% faster in PCMark Vantage.

Intel's upcoming Core "Skylake-U" low-power processors, for ultra-portable notebooks, tablets, convertibles, and fan-less desktops, is where the fruition of Intel's 14 nm process takes shape. These dual-core chips, spanning all five brand extensions - Core i7, Core i5, Core i3, Pentium, and Celeron, offering TDP as low as 7.5W, and no more than 15W. The lineup is kept slim, with no more than 2 SKUs per extension. All three Core extensions feature Intel HD 520 graphics, clocked around 350 MHz, with 1000 to 1050 MHz boost, while the Pentium and Celeron models feature slimmer HD 510 graphics, ticking at 300/900 MHz.

The lineup is led by the Core i7-6600U and i7-6500U. Besides HyperThreading enabling 4 logical CPUs, these two chips feature 4 MB L3 cache, 1050 MHz iGPU boost frequency, and the highest CPU clock-speeds in the series. The Core i5 chips differ from their Core i7 counterparts with sub-3 GHz CPU clock speeds, 3 MB L3 cache, and maximum iGPU boost frequency of 1000 MHz. The Core i3 parts are almost identical to their Core i5 counterparts, except they lack CPU Turbo Boost. The Pentium processors feature very low CPU core speeds, and are almost identical to Core i3, but feature lower 950 MHz iGPU boost frequency, and 2 MB L3 cache. Celeron parts lack HyperThreading. Some of these parts will launch in 2015, others in 2016. Find the exact clock speeds for each SKU in the table below.

Intel topped off its value dual-core processor lineup with a new energy-efficient part, the Core i3-4170T. One of the last chips to be based on the 22 nm "Haswell" silicon, this chip offers two cores with HyperThreading enabling four logical CPUs, 3.20 GHz clock speeds, 3 MB, and a TDP of just 35W (standard i3-41xx series feature 54W TDP). The i3-4170T is priced roughly on par with the current series-leading chip, the i3-4160. A little later this month, Intel will unveil the i3-4170, which will be the fastest part in the series, featuring 3.70 GHz clock speeds.

QNAP Systems, Inc. today announced the release of the TS-251C Turbo NAS, a 2-bay compact NAS that offers the power of an Intel Celeron dual-core CPU at a budget-friendly price tag. Users can easily build a personal cloud and media center to enjoy a rich digital life using the TS-251C and benefit from other features including unrivaled real-time/offline Full HD video transcoding; video streaming via DLNA, AirPlay, Chromecast and Plex Media Server; HDMI-out with XBMC media player; and various apps for file & multimedia storage, backup and sharing.

"The TS-251C is the ideal choice for users to quickly create a secure personal space for file storage, backup, synchronization and multimedia," said Jason Hsu, product manager of QNAP. "It comes with a surprising price tag that offers an incredible choice for budget-concerned users that want the best possible performance." Coupled with flexible storage expansion support, the TS-251C excels in the same price class with its powerful and versatile x86 architecture, and is the perfect solution for the growing needs of digital content storage in modern small offices and home environments.

Along the sidelines of GDC 2015, Intel offered a few details on how the year could look for its desktop processor lineup. The company is preparing to launch socketed Core "Broadwell" processors in mid-2015 (late Q2 or early Q3), likely in the sidelines of Computex 2015. Broadwell is an optical shrink of "Haswell" to the new 14-nanometer silicon fab process, with a minor feature-set update, much in the same way as "Ivy Bridge" was an optical shrink of "Sandy Bridge" to the 22 nm process.

The socketed Core "Broadwell" chips could come in the LGA1150 package, running on existing 8-series and 9-series chipset motherboards, with BIOS updates. The optical shrink seems to be working wonders for the silicon. Quad-core chips based on "Broadwell" could come with TDP rated as low as 65W (and we're not talking about the energy-efficient "S" or "T" brand extensions here). Some dual-core variants in the series may even be based on the smaller Core M "Broadwell" silicon, which physically features just 2 cores (and isn't a bigger quad-core silicon with two cores disabled in what's a colossal waste of rare-earth metals on a production scale). Some of those dual-core parts could come with TDP rated as low as 28W.

Intel's revolutionary NUC (next unit of computing) ultra-compact desktop, which set out to offer performance rivaling desktops ten times its size, was traditionally limited to Core i5 chips at the top-end. Intel wants to change that, and is giving final touches to the first NUC to feature a Core i7 processor, and one based on its 5th generation Core "Broadwell" technology, at that. Bearing a model number of "NUC5i7RYH," this NUC will be driven by a Core i7-5557U dual-core processor (2 cores, 4 threads, 3.40 GHz clocks, 4 MB L3 cache, dual-channel DDR3L-1866 IMC), with Intel Iris-6100 graphics. That could make it the first Steambox-ready NUC to lack NVIDIA or AMD graphics. Intel could use a fan-heatsink to cool the 28W TDP chip.

Synology Inc. today launched the new DiskStation DS115. Featuring a dual-core processor and compact design, this 1-bay NAS server allows homes and small businesses to take advantage of centralized data storage, borderless file sharing, easy cloud synchronization, multimedia streaming, home surveillance, and much more.

"DS115 makes it easy to work, play, and share files from anywhere. With its speedy performance, intuitive interface, and diverse ecosystem of add-on packages, DS115 is a great NAS server for homes or small businesses - especially for people who still rely on external hard drives, flash drives, or cloud services to swap and share files," said Jonathan Wang, product manager at Synology Inc.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards is hosting a press conference today to launch two new products, the GIGABYTE X99-SOC Champion motherboard as well as a new GIGABYTE BRIX compact PC built around the new 5th Gen Intel Core processors. Held at the Neopolitan Ballroom of the Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, USA, the press event also includes a live overclocking demonstration where the new motherboard will be put to the test by GIGABYTE's evangelist overclockers HiCookie, Sofos1990 and Dinos22. Currently holding the highest DDR4 memory frequency World Record, the GIGABYTE X99-SOC Champion will be overclocked on Liquid Nitrogen to see if a new world record can be achieved live at the event.

From January 6th until the 8th, GIGABYTE will be showcasing their latest hardware solutions at the Neopolitan Ballroom of the Caesars Palace including 10 custom made demo systems especially for CES by system builders such as Cyberpower, iBuypower, Origin PC, Maingear, XOTIC PC, Falcon NW and Digital Storm. A few case mods will also be on display from renowned case modders Richard Surroz, Bob Stewart and Larry Andersen.

Apple's next entry to its pathbreaking ultra-portable notebook, the MacBook Air, will be a new 12-inch screen size version. As with every new MacBook Air release for the past two years, there's talk of a screen resolution jump to "Retina" standards. Apple is preparing other cutting-edge hardware updates.

To begin with, Apple will tap Intel's latest Core M "Broadwell-U" chip, an SoC that combines a dual-core "Broadwell" CPU with graphics, a dual-channel DDR3L IMC, and system agent onto a single chip, with an overall TDP of 15W. Apple is working on a new fanless cooling system for this chip. The other big feature-set upgrade is the USB 3.1 port, which Intel plans to launch with the system agent for its next processor platform. USB 3.1 doubles bandwidth to 10 Gbps, and steps up power-delivery, letting you charge your portable devices faster.

QNAP Systems, Inc. today announced that its popular, QvPC technology supported Turbo NAS TS/SS-x53 Pro and TS-x51 lineup now support Full NAS accelerated-encryption technology, a feature now available for the Turbo NAS operating system - QTS 4.1.1. Full NAS accelerated-encryption technology fully utilizes the power of quad/dual-core Intel Celeron processors on the Turbo NAS to remarkably increase the efficiency in data encryption/decryption tasks, with overall NAS read speeds improving by over 50% (over 240MB/s for the TS/SS-x53 Pro, and more than 128MB/s for the TS-x51).

"The TS/SS-x53 Pro and TS-x51 series feature Full NAS accelerated-encryption technology which delivers secure data transmission without sacrificing performance, providing users, particularly business users, with a trustworthy private cloud solution," said Jason Hsu, product manager of QNAP.

QNAP Systems, Inc. today announced the release of the TS-x31 series Turbo NAS for SOHO and Home users. Powered by a dual-core 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex-A9 CPU, it provides a high-performance yet economical solution for file storage, sharing, and data backup coupled with the easy-to-use cloud-based note-taking application and a wide range of multimedia functions.

Available in 1, 2, and 4-bay models, the TS-x31 series is an easy-to-use network storage center for backup, synchronization, remote access, and home entertainment. "Due to the privacy concerns of pubic cloud services, the TS-x31 is ideal for establishing a secure and large-capacity private cloud where users can store, share, and access their files anytime, anywhere," said Jason Hsu, product manager of QNAP.

Here are some of the first pictures of an AIC partner branded NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 graphics card, the Galaxy GTX 970 GC. Spotted across Chinese PC enthusiast forums and social networks, the latest set of leaks cover not just pictures of what the GTX 970 looks like, but also what's under its hood. To begin with, Galaxy's card appears to be built for the high-end market segment. A meaty twin-fan aluminium fin-stack heatsink, coupled by a spacey backplate cover a signature Galaxy blue PCB, holding NVIDIA's new GTX 970 GPU, and 4 GB of GDDR5 memory. The card appears to feature a high-grade VRM that draws power from a combination of 8-pin and 6-pin PCIe power connectors.

ASUS today announced RT-AC87U, the world's first AC2400-class dual-band 802.11ac wireless router with a four-transmit, four-receive (4×4) antenna configuration. This stunningly-designed, easy-to-use router is also the first in the world to employ multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) technology. Combined with ASUS AiRadar universal beamforming, adaptive Quality-of-Service (QoS), plus AiProtection with exclusive Trend Micro security, RT-AC87U is expertly-engineered for outstanding performance and coverage in today's multi-device households. Offering 5GHz speeds that are faster than wired Gigabit Ethernet, along with class-leading 2.4GHz speeds and reliable multi-floor coverage, RT-AC87U is the perfect choice for discerning users with busy multi-device home networks who need extreme coverage, lightning-fast performance, rock-solid stability and total peace of mind.

Intel rolled out six new entry-level socket LGA1150 dual-core processors, based on the "Haswell" micro-architecture. These include four-each under the Pentium and Core i3 brands. Among the Pentium parts are the G3250 (3.20 GHz clocks, 1.10 GHz iGPU, 3 MB L3, 53W TDP, 2c/2t); Pentium G3250T (2.80 GHz clocks, 1.10 GHz iGPU, 3 MB L3, 35W TDP, 2c/2t); Pentium G3450T (2.90 GHz clocks, 1.10 GHz iGPU, 3 MB L3, 35W TDP, 2c/2t); and Pentium G3460 (3.50 GHz clocks, 1.10 GHz iGPU, 3 MB L3, 53W TDP, 2c/2t).

The HyperThreading-enabled Core i3 parts include the Core i3-4160 (3.60 GHz clocks, 1.15 GHz iGPU, 3 MB L3, 54W TDP, 2c/4t); Core i3-4160T (3.10 GHz clocks, 1.15 GHz iGPU, 3 MB L3, 35W TDP, 2c/4t); Core i3-4360T (3.20 GHz clocks, 1.15 GHz iGPU, 4 MB L3, 34W TDP, 2c/4t); and the Core i3-4370 (3.80 GHz clocks, 1.15 GHz iGPU, 4 MB L3, 54W TDP, 2c/4t), which is the fastest dual-core CPU money can buy.

French tech publication 01net noticed something odd about the ZBOX CI540 from ZOTAC it was reviewing. Even for a fan-less compact desktop, its Core i5-4210Y dual-core chip was idling around 80°C. The reviewer then opened it up to find that ZOTAC left the protective plastic film on the thermal pad which conducts heat from the CPU to the body intact. Temperatures dropped with that film peeled. The kicker? Reaching for that thermal pad voids your product warranty.

Even if the ZBOX CI540 is a barebones unit, in which you drop in your own 2.5-inch HDD/SSD and SO-DIMM memory, requiring you to unscrew its body; the storage and memory compartments are located on the reverse side of the motherboard. You're not supposed to unscrew the motherboard to reveal its obverse (front) side, as there's nothing for you to "upgrade" there. The CPU is in the BGA (ball-grid array) package, and hardwired to the motherboard. The screws that let you reveal the front side are capped with warranty seals. We're not sure if it's a one-off bad piece 01net got, or an entire batch hit by one lazy hand on the production line.Update Jun 24: We received following statement from ZOTAC:
ZOTAC has found the plastic film to be isolated to preproduction units. These preproduction units were only used for press sampling and are not representative of final units shipping to retail. However, the plastic film has very little impact on the cooling capabilities of our passive ZBOX C-series nano chassis since the cooling fins that are responsible for the majority of the heat dissipation duties is below the thermal pad. The thermal pad is only used to transfer heat to the secondary heat dissipation plate integrated into the chassis for added cooling capabilities.

Nevertheless, the temperatures observed while testing under load with the erroneous plastic film still in place is still within the thermal guidelines of Intel's 100°C maximum T Junction and does not cause instability. Temperatures observed by users can vary greatly depending on room temperature and system placement since the ZBOX CI540 nano is passive cooled. We apologize for the error but assure our mass production units are not affected.

A set of leaked BIOS'es surfaced on the web, which apparently enable overclocking of Intel's Pentium Anniversary Edition unlocked dual-core chips, on three of MSI's motherboards based on Intel's H97 Express chipset (which is not supposed to support CPU overclocking). Among these motherboards are the H97M-G43, H97 Guard-Pro, and H97 PC-Mate. All three boards are apparently able to overclock the 3.20 GHz chip all the way up to 4.50 GHz, with a simple crank of the BClk multiplier up to 45.0x. Such a BIOS making it to the web is interesting, because the company released statements in the past, opposing overclocking on H87 and B85 chipset-based motherboards, when the likes of ASRock, ASUS, and Gigabyte released beta BIOSes to support it, before Intel cracked down on them. Given that MSI uses common PCB designs across some 8-series and 9-series chipset motherboards (eg: MS-7850), it will be interesting to see how MSI plugs the leak. For the time being, we've hosted the BIOSes for you, to use at your own risk.

The Pentium brand is so important for Intel, that it continues to exist, and the company celebrated its 20th anniversary by launching a special edition dual-core socket LGA1150 Pentium chip that comes with unlocked multipliers. Trouble is, people who buy it would have to opt for expensive motherboards just to overclock it, and would rather balance their expenses with Core i3 and cheaper motherboards, instead. To address that, and bring a bottle to Intel's celebrations, ASRock launched the Anniversary series, with the ATX Z97 Anniversary, and the micro-ATX Z97M Anniversary. As their names suggest, the two are based on Intel's overclocking-ready Z97 Express chipset. The idea behind the two could be to combine the Z97 chipset with a basic VRM that's just about enough to push the Pentium Anniversary Edition chip to its limits.

The Z97 Anniversary is a highly space-optimized ATX motherboard. It draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX, 8-pin EPS, and 4-pin Molex power connectors. It uses a 5-phase VRM to condition power to the CPU, cooled by a heatsink. The CPU is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots, and the lone PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slot. Three PCI-Express 2.0 x1, and two legacy PCI make for the rest of its expansion. Storage connectivity includes six SATA 6 Gb/s ports. Networking is care of an Intel-made gigabit Ethernet controller. The onboard 6-channel HD audio is handled by an ALC887 CODEC, but backed by electrolytic capacitors. HDMI is its only display output.

Gigabyte's entry-level BRIX desktop which leverages Intel Celeron "Bay Trail" SoC, the GB-BXBT-2807, was taken apart, revealing its fan-less innards, and the absolute lack of any moving parts. Gigabyte is using a chunky aluminium heatsink to cool the Celeron N2807 SoC, with a rated TDP of just 4.3W. The chip embeds a dual-core x86-64 CPU clocked at 1.57 GHz, with Turbo Boost speeds of up to 2.17 GHz, full HD graphics, and a single-channel DDR3L IMC. The GB-BXBT-2807 offers one DDR3L SO-DIMM slot, supporting DIMMs of up to 8 GB in density, a half-size mPCIe slot for wireless NICs, a 2.5-inch drive bay with SATA 3 Gb/s connection, one USB 3.0, two USB 2.0, stereo HD audio, D-Sub and HDMI display outputs, and gigabit Ethernet. The unit measures 56 mm x 107 mm x 114 mm (HxDxW), and features VESA mounts.