MSI is rolling out its new generation GT685-the ultimate gaming machine. In addition to featuring the Intel second generation Core i7 quad core processor, it is the first laptop to sport the nVidia GeForce GTX 580M, the world's fastest discrete graphics card, 32G DDR3 of memory, and accelerated dual hard disk architecture. It comes with Dynaudio and THX TruStudio Pro smart wrap around sound as well as a full HD screen. You'll be impressed by how smoothly online 3D games play and with the edge that your new GT685 gives you against opponents.

The machine won the CES 2012 award for product innovation, seen by many as the highest honor of the high tech industry. MSI, where designing high-end record-breaking gaming notebooks is par for the course, will continue to design faster, more powerful notebooks that follow in the tradition of its gaming NBs best epitomized in the MSI GT685. The GT685 utilizes the wildly anticipated nVidia GeForce GTX 580M top-end discrete graphics card which boasts 384 more CUDAs (Compute Unified Device Architecture) than the previous generation with advanced 256 bit broadband and 2GB GDDR5 of display memory. You will be awed by how smooth 3D games run and the new edge you enjoy in battles will help you rack up wins.

Although ASRock's lineup of socket LGA2011 motherboards is expansive, covering several price-points, and being available in various form-factors (ATX, XL-ATX, and Micro-ATX), all its X79 Extreme series motherboards launched so far, barring the X79 Fatal1ty Profess1onal, features the same black+silver color scheme. ASRock wants to add some color and side-branding to its X79 Extreme motherboards without necessarily investing much in coming up with new designs. Hence it came up with the idea of making Hasbro Transformers-themed motherboards.

On its Facebook page, ASRock disclosed some rough-sketches (for now, Photoshop quickies), of the X79 Optimus Prime, and the X79 Bumblebee, named after two of the most iconic Autobots from the franchise. These essentially look like the X79 Extreme9 with appropriately-colored heatsink shrouds and expansion slots. The quality of those pictures indicates that ASRock is still in the brainstorming stage of these products, seeking opinions of its Facebook fans, and it will be a while before these products take shape, if they take shape to begin with.

Shipment delays aside, Asus now has another problem involving its Tegra 3-powered Eee Pad Transformer Prime tablet, a trademark lawsuit. Last week US-based toy maker Hasbro has filed a complaint with the Los Angeles federal court through which it accuses Asus of violating its uber-popular 'Transformers' trademark.

Hasbro is obviously annoyed with the name of Asus' tablet which combines two important brands - Transformers and Optimus Prime. To 'make things right', Hasbro is asking for monetary damages and a temporary injunction that would prevent the sale of the Transformer Prime in the US.

Asus didn't respond to the lawsuit but it's probably taking action to ensure nothing disrupts Transformer Prime sales.

Russian studio Art. Lebedev detailed the latest iteration of its super-keyboard, the Optimus Popularis. The studio also put up its newest creation, the Mini Six, up for pre-order. The Optimus Popularis is, as its makers put it, "a million keyboards in one". Each of its keys has a sharp color LCD display. Backed by its key design and function software (for Mac and Windows), users can pretty-much come up with their own unique key-sets. The software includes hundreds of key designs, more can be downloaded.

The design also allows users to change languages on-the-fly, as the keyboard morphs its key-set with OS IME changes. Each key can further be used to display a specific applet (such as graphs, "live buttons" that link to Facebook or GMail, displaying unread updates/mail. Further, between its main key cluster and its topmost row, is a display bar that can be used by applets and gadgets. The Optimus Popularis is no more a concept, it can be purchased for the equivalent of US $1,086. The studio also put a six-key micro-keyboard, the Mini Six, for pre-order, priced at $376.

Razer, maker of high performance gaming gear, has reported that two of their prototype gaming laptops were stolen on the weekend of 4th November from their Bay Area R&D lab. Looking at the basic specs of the laptop, one can see why they were so attractive to thieves: Intel Core i7 2640M Processor (2.80 GHz), 8GB 1333MHz DDR3 Memory, 17.3" LED Backlit Display (1920 x 1080 pixels) & NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M with NVIDIA Optimus Technology and 2 GB Dedicated GDDR5 Video Memory and of course the styling. The outfit is understandably miffed about this and have announced the theft on their Facebook page:

NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) reported revenue of $1.07 billion for the third quarter of fiscal 2012 ended Oct. 30, 2011, up 4.9 percent from the prior quarter, and up 26.3 percent from $843.9 million in the same period a year earlier.

On a GAAP basis, the company recorded net income of $178.3 million, or $0.29 per diluted share, for the third quarter of fiscal 2012. That compares with net income of $151.6 million, or $0.25 per diluted share, in the prior quarter and $84.9 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, in the same period a year earlier.

On a non-GAAP basis -- which excludes stock-based compensation, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, other acquisition related costs, and the tax impact associated with these items -- net income was $217.0 million, or $0.35 per diluted share. That compares with net income of $193.5 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, in the prior quarter, and net income of $117.4 million, $0.20 per share, in the same period a year earlier.

Earth will soon shroud in the dark of the moon as the great war between the AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICONS explodes, threatening to tear our planet apart. Razer, the world leader in high performance gaming hardware, under license from Hasbro, Inc., will unleash a unique Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon Collector's Edition product line to prepare you for the metal on metal battle of epic proportions now available on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Megatron, and Shockwave: four legends crafted and transmuted into four uniquely designed Razer DeathAdder mice to give you unparalleled gaming performance while evoking the heart-pumping excitement and robot wonder of the Transformers universe.

ASRock's frontline mini PC product, Vision 3D, is set to get a hardware specifications update, to the second generation Intel Core processor "Sandy Bridge" family, from its current Core "Westmere" family. The new model will be available with your choice of Core i3, i5, or i7 processor, and will come with an updated connectivity. Aiding the Sandy Bridge processor will be NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M GPU. Using NVIDIA Optimus technology, users will be able to switch between the GeForce discrete GPU and the Intel integrated GPU. The desktop supports NVIDIA's stereo 3D technologies.

In its tiny dimensions of 200mm(W) x 70mm(H) x 200mm(L), the Vision 3D packs 4 GB of dual-channel DDR3-1333 MHz memory, several storage options, a slot-in Blu-ray drive and connectivity that includes four USB 3.0 ports, gigabit Ethernet, eSATA, 8 channel THX-compliant audio with optical SPDIF output, and display outputs that include HDMI 1.4 and DVI. A Windows Media Center Remote comes bundled, completing the package of what will be a great mate for your HDTV.

The PC industry today has never looked bleaker. The world's largest PC-maker Hewlett-Packard just announced their intention to explore the separation of its PC business. With PC manufacturers increasingly abandoning design and technology in lieu of outsourcing and cost-cutting, the PC industry has seen a severe dearth of innovation in recent years. Gaming consoles have also taken advantage of this innovation slump in the PC industry to garner attention from game developers and gamers alike, to the extent that now PC versions of cross-platform games are often sub-par ports of their console counterparts.

Razer, the world leader in high performance gaming hardware, introduces the Razer Blade - a full aluminum chassis gaming laptop featuring true portability, incredible performance, and an all-new revolutionary user interface. With the introduction of the Razer Blade - a feat of modern-day systems engineering and technology, Razer is reinvigorating technological and design innovation for the entire PC industry, and encouraging gamers and developers to return to the PC as the primary gaming platform of choice.

NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) today reported revenue of $1.02 billion for the second quarter of fiscal 2012 ended July 31, 2011, up 5.7 percent from the prior quarter, and up 25.3 percent from $811.2 million in the same period a year earlier. On a GAAP basis, the company recorded net income of $151.6 million, or $0.25 per diluted share, for the second quarter of fiscal 2012. This includes a two-cent dilutive impact from the Icera acquisition. It compares with net income of $135.2 million, or $0.22 per diluted share, in the prior quarter. In the same period a year earlier, the company had a net loss of $141.0 million, or $0.25 per diluted share.

On a non-GAAP basis -- which excludes stock-based compensation, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, other acquisition related costs, and the tax impact associated with these items -- net income was $193.5 million, or $0.32 per diluted share. That compares with net income of $165.7 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, in the prior quarter, and net income of $47.6 million, $0.08 per share, in the same period a year earlier.

SMART Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc., a leading independent manufacturer of solid-state storage products and memory modules, today announced the Optimus solid-state drive (SSD) for enterprise storage applications. Featuring a native Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) 6Gb/s interface and up to 1.6 TB usable capacity, Optimus is the industry's highest capacity and fastest SAS multi-level cell (MLC) SSD. Delivering high performance, endurance, and reliability, the costeffective Optimus SSD satisfies the demands of I/O intensive, web-facing, and cloud-based applications in today's IT infrastructure.

Optimus was developed using SMART's extensive experience in flash technology, SAS firmware, and enterprise storage. SMART's world-class manufacturing and accomplished enterprise organization ensures that the Optimus SSD, as well as SMART's business and support processes, will meet the needs of the most demanding enterprise storage customers.

NVIDIA today announced the world's fastest notebook graphics processing unit (GPU), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M. Available now in the Alienware M18x, the new GPU sets new standards in industry leading benchmarks and games. It will also be available soon in the Alienware M17x notebook along with NVIDIA Optimus technology.

"The best game support. The best gaming features. The best gaming performance available anywhere. That's the essence of the GeForce GTX 580M," said Rene Haas, general manager of notebook products at NVIDIA. "With power like this, you can turn all the knobs to 11."

Acer America today elevates its highly-touted Acer Aspire TimelineX series notebooks with a new sleek and stylish, thin and light design complemented by long battery life and the latest technology and new entertainment features, including Dolby Home Theater v4 Audio. Models are available now in the United States.

The Acer Aspire TimelineX Series is a best-in-breed notebook line that combines performance and portability in an incredibly beautiful and refined form factor. The notebook's upscale look and feel centers around its uncluttered, elegant design. The notebooks have a clean layout with a large touchpad and chiclet keyboard to promote both enjoyment and productivity. Available in three sizes -- the 13.3-inch 3830T, 14-inch 4830T and 15.6-inch 5830T -- the designs measure about an inch thin and are very lightweight.

NVIDIA today unveiled the first gaming notebook graphics processing unit (GPU) in its award-winning GeForce 500M Series of notebook GPUs. The GeForce GTX 560M graphics processor hits the "sweet spot" for gaming notebooks by delivering a no-compromise gaming experience at full 1080p resolution in the hottest new DirectX 11 titles. For the first time, leading OEMs will also be offering GeForce GTX gaming GPUs with NVIDIA Optimus technology.

"The GeForce GTX 560M and NVIDIA Optimus mean gamers get 50 frames per second in Duke Nukem Forever and five hours of battery life in Microsoft Office," said Rene Haas, general manager of notebook products at NVIDIA. "That's real power and real portability." Available only with NVIDIA GPUs, NVIDIA Optimus technology enables extra-long battery life by automatically switching on and off the GPU so that it runs only when needed. The smart convenience of NVIDIA Optimus technology is designed into over 80 percent of GeForce 500M Series notebooks and is used by every major notebook OEM.

The Eurocom Optimus line are performance-oriented business and gaming-friendly notebooks based on Intel's Sandy Bridge technology with discrete NVIDIA GT 555M graphics and longer battery life thanks to NVIDIA Optimus Technology. NVIDIA Optimus technology intelligently optimizes your notebook PC, providing the outstanding graphics performance you need, when you need it, all the while extending battery life for longer enjoyment. They are built around the Intel Huron River HM65 platform and support Intel's mobile line of Sandy Bridge Core i7, i5 and i3 processors.

While NVIDIA and AMD are just about done with their consumer GPU launches for the current generation, NVIDIA has something in store for Computex, 2011, one of the year's biggest technology tradeshows. The GPU giant will announce NVIDIA Optimus technology's desktop avatar, for now known as "Synergy". The technology allows on-the-fly switching between a computer's integrated graphics and discrete NVIDIA GeForce graphics processor, giving you access to the feature-set of both, and allowing a fair amount of power-saving in the process.

NVIDIA's new technology is designed specifically for Intel's Sandy Bridge desktop platform, particularly motherboards with Intel H61, H67, and Z68 chipsets (you can't access IGP with P6x). Unlike SLI, motherboard vendors needn't shell out a license fee or sign an agreement to implement the technology. A supportive motherboard will have authorization code implanted into SBIOS, much like SLI. In practice, the technology will allow users to switch to a GeForce GPU (or a pair of GPUs on Z68) when gaming or in 3D-heavy applications; while falling back to the power-efficient IGP or even making use of Intel's QuickSync technology, when not gaming.

Lenovo today announced six new ThinkPad laptops - the T420s, T420, T520, L420, L520 and W520 - that maximize performance and offer a higher level of productivity for today's mobile business professionals. These laptops are built upon a platform of new Lenovo innovations that respond to key business needs including: video and voice calling, smart PC features for power and performance management, all-day battery life, enterprise management and an intuitive, easy-to-use computing experience.

The ultra-thin, sub four pound ThinkPad T420s speeds up boot time 30 percent1 with Lenovo Enhanced Experience 2.0; the T420 reaches new battery life benchmarks of up to 30 hours with an extended battery; the W520 mobile workstation offers twice the performance of previous models; and the L Series gives customers recognized ThinkPad durable design at an exceptional value.

NVIDIA today reported revenue of $886.4 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011 ended Jan. 30, 2011, up 5.0 percent from the prior quarter and down 9.8 percent from $982.5 million from the same period a year earlier.

On a GAAP basis, the company recorded net income of $171.7 million, or $0.29 per diluted share, compared with $84.9 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, in the previous quarter and GAAP net income of $131.1 million, or $0.23 per diluted share, in the same period a year earlier. GAAP gross margin was a record 48.1 percent compared with 46.5 percent in the previous quarter and 44.7 percent in the same period a year earlier.

Booktop, the revolutionary docking station concept GIGABYTE thrived on, has evolved to a whole new level! Following the success of M1022 in 2009, the first generation 10.1" Booktop laptop and the only laptop to win a Golden Pin Design Award, GIGABYTE immediately introduced M1305, the second generation 13.3" laptop equipped a docking station featuring a desktop-level NVIDIA graphics card. This brilliant innovation has already dazzled the market, but GIGABYTE is not satisfied just yet.

Perceiving growing consumer demand for mobile computing applications and the lack of integration between individual functions for similar mobile devices in the market, the RD team at GIGABYTE capitalized on its 20 years of professional experience and introduced T1125, the third- generation swivel 11.6" touch screen Booktop and the first of its kind in the industry that creatively combines the advantage of a tablet PC and docking technology in 2010. T1125 features both a swivel touchscreen and a removable Super multi DVD . With the docking station, T1125 instantly turns into a tablet PC on the go and a desktop PC with a DVD-ROM at home. T1125 is the first three-in-one computing device that provides users with a multitasking mode and completely revolutionizes all existing laptop user scenarios.

NVIDIA today released PhysX System Software version 9.10.0513. The software installs the NVIDIA PhysX runtime and GPU acceleration support by any NVIDIA GeForce GPU since 8-series that has over 256 MB of memory. While normally new versions of the PhysX System software accompany new GeForce driver launches, this release comes shortly after 2K Games released the PhysX-optimized version of Mafia 2 demo on Steam, which in turn came shortly after NVIDIA released its latest WHQL-signed GeForce drivers. The software fixes some important performance issues with the game. Apart from this, the new version also fixes an important bug that prevents PhysX GPU acceleration in notebooks with NVIDIA Optimus technology. This release will also be included in the next version of the GeForce driver.

DOWNLOAD: NVIDIA PhysX System Software 9.10.0513

Eurocom launches line of gamer-friendly notebooks with Optimus, the latest in graphics switching technology from NVIDIA. Eurocom's new line of gamer-friendly notebooks features NVIDIA's Optimus technology, which intelligently switches graphics between 1GB DDR3 NVIDIA GeForce GT330M and Intel HD integrated graphics to deliver optimal battery life (up to 240 minutes).

It also offers a choice of 15.6" and 17.3" Full HD 1920x1080 displays and comes with Intel Core i5 and Core i7 technology. The Eurocom Fox line is available for order today starting at $999 for 15.6" B5100M FOX and $1199 for 17.3" B7110 FOX model.

ASUS extended its lead in the thin and light notebook segment with two new U Series models that offer unprecedented performance while maintaining super slim form factors.

The ASUS U35 and U45 notebooks are powered by standard voltage Intel Core i5 or i3 processors, adding much-needed computing muscle to a breed of notebooks typically associated with compromised performance. The heat generated by standard voltage CPUs previously made their use unfeasible in super slim notebooks, but ASUS' engineers have found a way to incorporate them without any detrimental thermal effects.

ASUS is preparing two new Calpella platform-based mid-sized notebooks, 14-inch N82JV-VX020V and 16-inch N61JA-JX008V. Both notebooks are driven by an Intel Core i5 520M processor, aided by 4 GB of DDR3 memory, and with 500 GB of storage. Both models have screens with 1366 x 768 pixels resolution. Connectivity options are also similar: Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, USB 3.0, FireWire, and Bluetooth. A 6-cell battery is used on both models. The differences kick in with the 14-inch N82JV-VX020V having NVIDIA GeForce GT 335M 1GB graphics which makes use of NVIDIA Optimus technology to minimise power idle draw, while the 16-inch N61JA-JX008V goes all-out for performance with an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 1GB graphics. The N61JA-JX008V and N82JV-VX020V are expected to reach Europe in mid-April, each costing 1049 EUR.

ASUS is excited to be an NVIDIA launch partner in introducing the new NVIDIA Optimus technology for its latest range of notebooks in coming months. These include the powerful multimedia N Series, several slim and light U/UL Series models and versatile mainstream K Series notebooks.

The ASUS N Series notebooks represent the latest in mobile multimedia entertainment technology, combining optimized graphics performance and long-lasting battery life that will satisfy even the most discerning of multimedia fans. Its capabilities are due to the new NVIDIA Optimus technology, which intelligently monitors applications, and then summons the right amount of graphics performance for the job. It uses the discrete GPU for multimedia, games, and GPU computing applications, and integrated graphics for the Internet, emails and documents. It does so automatically and without the need for user intervention, delivering both convenience and a seamless computing experience for users on-the-go.

NVIDIA Corp., announces NVIDIA Optimus technology, a breakthrough for notebook PCs that chooses the best graphics processor for running a given application and automatically routes the workload to either an NVIDIA discrete GPU or Intel integrated graphics - delivering great performance while also providing great battery life.

"Consumers no longer have to choose whether they want great graphics performance or sustained battery life," said Rene Haas, general manager of notebook products at NVIDIA. "NVIDIA Optimus gives them both - great performance, great battery life and it simply works." Just as a Hybrid car chooses between the gas-powered and electric car engine on-the-fly and uses the most appropriate engine, NVIDIA Optimus technology does the same thing for graphics processors. NVIDIA Optimus Technology instantly directs the workload through the most efficient processor for the job, extending battery life by up to 2 times compared to similarly configured systems equipped with discrete graphics processors (GPUs). When playing 3D games, running videos, or using GPU compute applications the high-performance NVIDIA discrete GPU is used. When using basic applications, like web surfing or email, the integrated graphics processor is used. The result is long lasting battery life without sacrificing great graphics performance.