The VirtualLink Consortium was formed in July 2018 with some of the major VR industry players such as Oculus, AMD, NVIDIA, Valve and Microsoft as founders. HTC has joined the group, and will therefore begin to support the implementation of the VirtualLink specification, which makes it possible to connect VR headsets to the PC with just one USB-C cable. Enjoying premium virtual reality experiences has so far been cumbersome. The cables needed to keep the headset connected to the PC limit the movements, and in fact that is one of the reasons that the standalone headsets are beginning to gain interest among users.

VirtualLink cable spec is based on the Alternate Mode function of the USB Type-C standard, and allows the cables and connectors to carry non-USB signals. The VirtualLink cable can carry four high-speed DisplayPort High Bit-Rate 3 (HBD3) lanes, a single USB 3.1 data channel, and 27 watts of power for the headset's displays and sensors. Setting up and using the VR headset with this kind of cable and connector will be therefore easier and not as clunky as before.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, announced the release of the Z390 DESIGNARE motherboard with full support for the newest 8-core Intel Core i9-9900K processors. The newest addition to the GIGABYTE DESIGNARE series is a feature-packed motherboard that provides content creators the fastest and most efficient tools to showcase their creativity and craftsmanship. GIGABYTE DESIGNARE Series motherboards bring out the best in workstation graphics cards, maximize M.2 SSD and DDR4 RAM performance, and fully support powerful CPUs such as the newest 8-core Intel Core i9-9900K CPU. With built in USB Type-C Thunderbolt , and native USB 3.1 Gen 2 to provide 40Gb/s transmission speed, the board is designed with effective storage performance as a key feature. GIGABYTE Ultra-Durable Technology and exclusive software also bring additional value for digital content creators and design professionals.

"Today's content creators are seeking faster and more efficient performance from their PCs. GIGABYTE created the DESIGNARE series a few years back to fulfill these user demands," stated Jackson Hsu, Deputy Director of the GIGABYTE Channel Solutions Product Development Division. "Z390 DESIGNARE is the newest addition to this constantly evolving content creation focused series and is loaded with features that enable content creators to express their artistic creativity through their PCs with excellent performance and efficiency."

MyDigitalSSD is out with a relatively ingenious solution for users looking to get the best portable, external SSD performance available. Their new M2X external M.2 enclosure will allow users to create an external storage solution via a DIY kit. The M2X is built on JMicron's JMS583 USB 3.1 Gen 2 to PCIe 3.1 x2 bridge chip (meaning that a PCIe 2x NVMe will be sufficient in maxing out available performance), will only be limited by USB 3.1 Gen 2's 1GB/s throughput. The DIY assembly packs a thermal pad and the enclosure, as well as USB Type-C and Type-A cables, and will be available from Amazon for $39.99 or through MyDigitalDiscount for $36.14.

ASUS has revealed their entire lineup, interpreting NVIDIA's RTX 2070 silicon (and its TU106 die, a first - remember that **70-class cards previously featured cut-down versions of the full NVIDIA chip). There aren't many surprised here - ASUS has already spent enough R&D in previous years so as to only need to minimally iterate on their designs for each new generation.

The ROG Strix graphics cards sit at the top of the heap, featuring the company's DirectCU III cooling tech (triple fan) in a 2.5-slot design. RGB lighting and dual BIOS support are par of the course by now, as are some of the other features - backplate and metal brace included. Connectivity-wise there are 2x HDMI 2.0b ports, 2x DisplayPort 1.4 outputs, and 1x USB Type-C port for VirtuaLink. The graphics card draws power from the 6-pin and 8-pin PCIe power connectors and will be available in three versions (Gaming OC, Gaming Advanced, and Gaming) according to factory overclocks.

PATRIOT, a global leader in performance memory, SSDs, gaming peripherals, and flash storage solutions today has announced the availability of the EVLVR Thunderbolt 3 external SSD, offering a breakthrough evolution in SSD technology. The amount of data that users transfer and store has been getting larger over the years due to major evolutions in technology and the ability to quickly process large amounts of data. Ideal for HD content, portable boot drives, video game libraries, high capacity jobs and more, Patriot's EVLVR Thunderbolt 3 external SSD brings fast speeds and convenience for consumers everywhere.

"EVLVR" is an abbreviation for "Evolver", and the technology itself presents a breakthrough evolution in SSD technology. "We dedicate to offer power users an evolutive idea about an SSD product, evolving appearance with an evolutionary technology, that's how EVLVR has been created. It's perfect for video editing, photography, multi-app usage, and more content creation. "said Les Henry, Vice President of Engineering at Patriot, "Our R&D team especially proud of implementing Thunderbolt 3 which allows Patriot to build such portable storage solutions with blasting-speed and ultra-quality," he added.

NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc., a leading provider of commercial displays and projectors, today announced the availability of two new desktop monitors: the MultiSync EA271Q and MultiSync P243W.

"The 27" MultiSync EA271Q significantly updates our popular E275WMi monitor, and the 24" MultiSync P243W refreshes the P242W," said Art Marshall, Senior Product Manager for Desktop Displays at NEC Display Solutions. "These two new models provide users sleeker, more productive monitors and show our ongoing commitment to technological innovation and to helping our customers improve their workflows."

Straight off the heels of Gamescom 2018, where Dell announced their new gaming monitors and the refresh of their Alienware desktops, the excitement continues at IFA 2018. Dell is unveiling a new suite of innovative devices that elevate the computing experience for the everyday consumer, mobile professional and fast-paced small business owner. The enhanced Inspiron, XPS and Vostro portfolio is built with a combination of beautiful design, superior materials and top performance dedicated to deliver a device for every function and user. In addition, Dell is expanding its monitor leadership with a stunning new Dell 27 USB-C Ultrathin Monitor built with beauty and function.

Dell's commitment to thoughtful design and truly immersive cinematic experiences on the PC continues with this generation of new products. Launched at CES 2018, Dell Cinema is the combination of several cutting-edge technologies all working in concert to give the viewer an immersive, captivating experience on their PCs. Dell Cinema is available across the XPS portfolio and new Inspiron products starting this autumn.

In the aftermath of NVIDIA's RTX 20-series announcement, we returned to NVIDIA's Palladium venue to see if there were any new "faces" to spy. And sure enough, there were. Lo and behold, a non-rendered RTX 2080 Ti, which was left to reporters' guises and cameras, where we can look at the dual fan solution and NVIDIA's industrial design - which still looks great, perhaps even better, in this latest iteration.

It has to be said that the new generation of graphics cards sports internal changes as well as on the shroud: there's a revised vapor-chamber solution to keep the increased power consumption in check - and keeping that low noise profile. You'll also note the added USB Type-C connector to the back of the card, aiding in the new data transfer protocol (VirtuaLink) for VR headsets.

NVIDIA today unveiled the GeForce RTX series, the first gaming GPUs based on the new NVIDIA Turing architecture and the NVIDIA RTX platform, which fuses next-generation shaders with real-time ray tracing and all-new AI capabilities.

This new hybrid graphics capability represents the biggest generational leap ever in gaming GPUs. Turing -- which delivers 6x more performance than its predecessor, Pascal -- redefines the PC as the ultimate gaming platform, with new features and technologies that deliver 4K HDR gaming at 60 frames per second on even the most advanced titles.

With its GeForce "Maxwell" family, NVIDIA, riding on the multi-monitor fad, began equipping its graphics cards with up to three DisplayPort connectors, besides an HDMI, and optionally, a legacy DVI connector. Prior to that generation, AMD dabbled with equipping its cards with two mini-DisplayPorts, besides two DVI and an HDMI.

With the latest GeForce RTX "Turing" family, NVIDIA could push for the adoption of USB type-C connectors with DisplayPort wiring, and perhaps even USB-PD standards compliance, pushing up to 60 Watts of power from the same port. This USB+DP+Power connector is called VirtuaLink. This could make it easier for VR HMD manufacturers to design newer generations of their devices with a single USB type-C connection for display and audio input form the GPU, USB input from the system, and power. We reckon 60W is plenty of power for a VR HMD.

GIGABYTE, a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, today announced the release of the new B450 AORUS Motherboard series. These new models support the full spectrum of AMD Ryzen processors and boast innovative technologies including AMD StoreMI as a way to accelerate traditional HDDs to speed levels only found in SSDs. Excellence in computer experience is achieved through the use premium details such as the integrated I/O shield, next-gen Wi-Fi and USB Type-C connectivity. A new armor design highlights the contours of the AORUS falcon while providing an advanced cooling solution for one of the most critical areas of the motherboard.

With this launch, GIGABYTE is also introducing a new naming scheme for the AORUS models. It better represents model hierarchy using terminology more familiar to gamers with B450 AORUS PRO and B450 AORUS ELITE as the top options based on the B450 chipset from AMD. True optimization for all 2nd Gen Ryzen CPUs requires a robust power design and to meet all power requirements with the utmost quality, the motherboards utilize solid pins inside the power connectors.

(Editor's Note: Naturally, the adoption of such a standard does imply that graphics card manufacturers will have to start fitting USB 3.1 connectors on their graphics card outputs. This opens up a proverbial can of worms on backwards compatibility of this new data delivery protocol, however, in that even current top-of-the-line graphics cards lack such a port - meaning that this protocol will only be compatible with eventual, future GPU releases.)

A new industry consortium led by NVIDIA, Oculus, Valve, AMD, and Microsoft today introduced the VirtualLink specification - an open industry standard that enables next-generation VR headsets to connect with PCs and other devices using a single, high-bandwidth USB Type-C connector, instead of a range of cords and connectors.

iKBC shared a booth space with Mistel, and decided that this year was the year of the wireless mechanical keyboard. In doing so, they showed off the Bluetooth version of their budget-friendly CD108 full-size keyboard. The new CD108 BT has PBT plastic keycaps, a battery tray for two AAA batteries on the back, cable management for the removable USB Type-C cable for when you want to go wired, dipswitches for onboard functionality controls and a choice of genuine Cherry MX switches to choose from. Releasing later this year, the iKBC CD108 BT looks to be one of the only options for a wireless full-size mechanical keyboard coming up.

Sony is expanding its External Solid-State Drive (SSD) range with a brand new top of the range SL-E series. This new model is a stylish, high-capacity external SSD that is small enough to put in your pocket but powerful enough for high-speed and safe data transfer. Designed with the needs of professionals such as architects, engineers and researchers in mind, the handy external solid-state drive is smaller than a credit card, so you can take it anywhere and with up to 960GB of storage you can keep all your important files with you all the time.

Compatible with wide range of devices
This SSD is equipped with compact and reversible USB Type-C ports for connection to all the latest mobile technology, as well as standard-A cables. Having both ports ensures usability with a wide range of devices including Mac and Windows PCs, Android smartphones and tablets.

LG has released a behemoth of a new monitor that aims to deliver the same image quality as a standard 4K panel in a much, much wider package. The 38WK95C is a 37" monitor with a staggeringly wide 24:10 ratio, which delivers its 3840x1600 pixels in an ultrawide field of view that's sure to be a powerhouse of a working environment. There's even FreeSync support, as is the case for many LG monitors, so that users who want to try and catch some gaming can do so at a buttery-smooth frame rate - if they can find some games that get around the ultrawide aspect ratio and can actually play with no distracting graphical glitches, that is.

The panel is an IPS affair with 5 ms gray-to-gray response time and 75 Hz refresh rate - somewhat adequate to the resolution this monitor will be used at. LG does seem to be back at their misleading HDR badges, though, as they claim HDR10 support, despite the fact that brightness is set at a pretty low 300 cd/m² brightness. The bare minimum that AMD considers for an entry-level HDR-capable display is 400 nits of brightness, so LG seems to be merely quoting support for HDR inputs - there's likely no real HDR image quality enhancement at play here. The panel is being quoted as being 10 bit (8-bit+FRC) color capable. As for inputs, there are 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.2 and 1x USB Type-C connectors; the monitor includes 2x 10 W speakers, a headphone jack and 2x USB 3.0 ports, and will enter the market at a $1,499 asking price.

HP today announced immediate availability of some monitors specifically geared for the professional - or at least pixel-conscious - crowd. The EliteDisplay S270n monitor features a 4K, IPS, 27" diagonal, 350 cd/m² brightness, 1300:1 static contrast ratio panel with 14 ms gray to gray response times. Display input duties can be allocated towards 1x DisplayPort 1.2 or 2x HDMI inputs (1.4 and 2.0). Additionally, there's 1x USB Type-C supporting Displayport 1.2 which is able to deliver up to 60 W of power to a connected device.

The other three models HP has announced today sport the Z27, Z32 and Z43 monikers, which directly reference the diagonal size of the monitors. The feature set is practically the same across all three of these models; they offer the same 4K UHD resolution and IPS based panels. 350 cd/m² remains as the peak brightness value, as well as a 1300:1 static contrast ratio, but the response time is improved on the 27" and 42" models to 8 ms gray to gray (the 31-inch model is at 14 ms, just like the EliteDisplay). The HP Z27, Z32 and Z43 all support 1x USB Type-C which supports DisplayPort 1.2 and can send up to 65W of power to the connected device. Display outputs are the same across these monitors (1x DisplayPort 1.2, 1x Mini-DisplayPort 1.2, 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x USB Type-C, but the Z27 and Z32 pats only carry three additional USB 3.0 ports, while the Z43 ups that number to 5x. All monitors are available now, with pricing being set at $549 for the EliteDisplay S270, while the Z27, Z32, and Z43 are priced at $559, $899, and $799 respectively.

Akitio, creators of premium, high quality, external storage solutions, today announced an important expansion of their storage product offerings - to integrate hard drives into select Akitio storage enclosures. The expansion creates a new line of products for Akitio as previously the company sold only unpopulated enclosures. The first Akitio enclosure that will be available with drives will be the new Akitio Thunder3 RAID Station and it will be populated with two Seagate 2TB Iron Wolf Pro drives. Akitio also plans to offer higher capacity drives and also incorporate them into other Akitio enclosures.

This new product expansion makes Akitio products even more flexible than they already were by offering consumers and businesses the option of purchasing either a fully populated, plug and play storage solution or an empty enclosure and installing their own drives.

After years of experience in the optical disc, computer equipment, auto and industrial markets, Pioneer has recently made the leap into the consumer electronics market and launched its all-new USB Type-C Series which include a docking station, multiport adapter, and external Portable SSD and more.

Versatile Docking Station helps build a super powerful personal workstation
The docking station features a simple design, intuitive use, and perfect compatibility with MacBooks and Thunderbolt computers. Only the USB-C terminal is required to connect all devices to significantly improve work efficiency. It supports Windows dual-screen output, having the complete expanding capability for the A/V output. It is flexible, easy to use and charges your device to greatly enhance your work efficiency.

Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC), a committed technology leader, announces the latest additions to its line of portable hard drive solutions for personal storage, the CANVIO PREMIUM, ADVANCE and BASICS models, offering flexible capacity ranging from 500GB, 1TB, 2TB and 3TB options. Although the models may differ in materials and features, the CANVIO line brings a unified design of flat and rounded devices thanks to the new 1TB-per-platter technology.

The CANVIO PREMIUM series offers versatile connectivity in a stylish design with an aluminum finish and diamond-cut edges in silver metallic. The device is easy to store with the thinness body and give it a sharper look. It is accompanied by a USB Type-A to USB Type-C2 adapter that can be inserted in any orientation for easy connectivity to everything from notebooks to high-end desktop PCs. The 2TB devices in the Premium line have a 13.5mm profile, 5.5mm slimmer than the previous model. The 1TB devices also have a 13.5mm profile and the 3TB devices have a 19mm profile.

USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), the support organization for the advancement and adoption of USB technology, today announced the expansion of its Certified USB Charger Compliance and Logo Program to include Certified USB Fast Chargers. Certified USB Fast Chargers support the Programmable Power Supply (PPS) feature of the USB Power Delivery 3.0 specification.

The USB-IF Certified USB Charger Initiative was first announced in August 2016 to provide a universal charger for the evolving device and computing markets. The Certified USB Charger Initiative aims to increase the reusability and sharing of chargers across all compliant USB Type-C devices, reduce electronic waste in landfills, and provide a reliable and easy to use charging solution for consumers. USB-IF anticipates USB Fast Charging to become the de facto industry standard for charging.

At today's Consumer Electronics Show 2018 (CES 2018), Western Digital unveiled new and breakthrough consumer solutions that address today's personal content explosion, including voice-activated media streaming via popular Smart Home devices, the world's smallest 1TB USB flash drive and a portfolio of ultra-mobile, high-performance, wireless and high-capacity flash storage products. Sold under the SanDisk and WD brands, these offerings ensure that personal experiences and memories can thrive for years to come.

Smartphones, drones, action cameras and virtual reality (VR) goggles are capturing and creating rich content that users want to access and share with friends and followers alike. Innovations in multi-lens cameras, 8K video, 5G wireless, VR, augmented reality (AR) and video streaming are enabling more immersive experiences. As a result, consumers are looking for easier ways to capture, preserve, access and share their personal content as it becomes richer and more robust.

Kingston Digital Europe Co LLP, an affiliate of Kingston Technology Company Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, is set to share its latest and upcoming products at CES. Kingston will have demonstrations highlighting the capabilities of their family of solid-state drives and encrypted USB Flash drives, as well as additions in the consumer lifestyle space with mobile and embedded solutions.

"We are excited to share what's to come from Kingston in 2018. CES week provides a great opportunity to showcase the many quality technology solutions that make up the Kingston family," said Robert Allen, Director Marketing and Technical Services -EMEA, Kingston. "From enterprise SSDs, encrypted USBs, consumer mobile products to embedded solutions, we continue to offer customers rock-solid reliability, ultimate security and maximum performance. When guests visit our suite, they will fully understand Kingston's commitment to offering the most complete family of performance solutions."

To complement the release of the highly anticipated new Define R6, Fractal Design announces two accompanying accessories to even further expand the capabilities of the new case, both visually and technologically. The Connect D1 upgrade kit enhances speed and convenience with full USB 3.1 Gen 2 support and the latest Type-C connector. The Connect D1, available for purchase in early 2018, enables fast charging and blazing 10Gbps transfer speeds on compatible motherboards and devices with hassle-free bidirectional Type-C connections.

The Flex VRC-25 offers a unique step-up in style as a vertical PCI-E riser card and extender, making your graphics card the outward facing centerpiece of your build. Coming late January, R6 owners can free their GPU from the bounds of traditional mounting with confidence knowing the Flex VCR-25 is stress-tested for guaranteed stable, uncompromised performance. The Flex VCR-25's patented shielded overlap cable and riser card solution is specially fitted with custom standoffs for the Define R6, ensuring every installation is as clean-looking, reliable and rock-solid as the case itself.

LG Electronics (LG) will introduce its latest LG gram notebooks that deliver superior portability, enhanced powerful performance and convenience features. Since the incredibly lightweight notebook line debuted in 2014, LG has consistently surprised consumers by maximizing portability without sacrificing performance. The 2018 LG gram notebooks push the boundaries of portable computing with improved mobility and durability, as well as upgraded processors and more versatility.

"The new LG gram PCs have been designed for those users who want an all-round, high performance notebook with maximum portability," said Tim Alessi, head of product marketing at LG Electronics USA. "The 2018 gram series ticks all the boxes for users who want versatile and lightweight notebooks with faster processing capabilities."

Transcend Information Inc., a leading manufacturer of storage and multimedia products, is proud to announce the release of the StoreJet 200 for Mac portable hard drive. This large capacity, elegantly designed, and lightweight drive is an instantly classic accessory for Mac devices. Featuring the USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface, a USB Type-C connector, and pre-formatted with the HFS+ file system, the StoreJet 200 is ready to go right out of the package.

Lightweight and capacious
Transcend's StoreJet 200 for Mac is only 9.95 mm thick and weighs in at just 133g, making it the perfect storage companion for work or travel. In addition to its portability and sleek design, the StoreJet 200 for Mac has a storage capacity of 2TB, allowing users to enjoy their digital life wherever they may roam.