The UEFI Forum has ratified an update to the UEFI 2.3.1 Specification that adds important firmware considerations and addresses numerous engineering change requests. The updated Specification will be referred to as "UEFI 2.3.1C".

• UEFI 2.3.1C adds: An OS Indications Variable - OS/FW feature & capability communication - when implemented, allows end-users to make an OS menu request to enter BIOS setup after next reboot.
• UEFI 2.3.1C adds: A mechanism which, when implemented, facilitates Open Source Operating System installations and OS- agnostic end-user configurations of retaining the factory default keys while in Setup Mode (see Specification for full technical detail of Setup Mode).
• UEFI 2.3.1C removes: Runtime driver requirement on Network UNDI drivers - this allows UNDI drivers to be delivered in EFI Byte Code (EBC) Virtual Machine format supporting systems based on different processor architectures.

NVIDIA rolled out the first WHQL-certified GeForce drivers for Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 operating system. The company just released GeForce 302.82 WHQL for desktop GPUs running on Windows 8 Release Preview. Notebook GPU users, on the other hand, will have to wait a little longer, and continue using the GeForce 302.80, which has been out since 15th June. NVIDIA announced that it was working on dishing out the first WHQL-certified graphics drivers for Windows 8 since late May. Version 302.82 WHQL doesn't appear to come with a contingent of performance updates, at least not according to its release notes document. It's likely to be based on Release Driver 302, with the Microsoft WHQL certification for Windows 8. The driver is meant only for Windows 8, and shouldn't be used with Windows 7 or Vista.

DOWNLOAD: NVIDIA GeForce 302.82 WHQL for Windows 8 64-bit and 32-bit

SAPPHIRE Technology has just announced the SAPPHIRE HD 7870 Flex Edition - only the second model in the highly acclaimed HD 7000 series of graphics cards based on the Graphics Core Next architecture from AMD to feature SAPPHIRE's unique solution to multi-screen graphics.

Most graphics cards based on AMD technology require the third monitor in an Eyefinity set-up to be a DisplayPort monitor, or connected with an active DisplayPort Adapter. The SAPPHIRE FleX family can support three DVI monitors in Eyefinity mode and deliver a true SLS (Single Large Surface) work area without the need for active adapters. The first two monitors are connected to the two DVI ports and the third to an HDMI to DVI cable (supplied) with no extra active hardware required. The DisplayPort outputs are still available for the connection of additional monitors - for example the recently announced SAPPHIRE HD 7950 FleX with its two DisplayPort outputs can support up to 5 screens in Eyefinity.

MSI announced today that their Intel 6/7 series mainboards have officially acquired Windows 8 certification from Microsoft. During the Computex exhibition this year, MSI already lead the Windows 8 market by displaying several mainboards that meet the Windows 8 certification requirements and showing off various new Windows 8 features live for the exhibition audience.

Not only did the MSI mainboards get officially certified from Microsoft, they are currently the only leading mainboard brand that runs 3DMark for Windows 8 successfully on their certified mainboards, which proves that MSI is fully ready for Windows 8 in terms of both software and hardware, safeguarding the Windows 8 system's stability and compatibility for consumers and providing the best user experience!

Futuremark today released its first trailer for the next version of 3DMark. Designed for measuring the gaming performance of everything from tablets and notebooks to high-end desktop gaming systems, the next 3DMark for Windows will be the world's first unified graphics benchmark allowing testing of DirectX 9, DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 capable hardware through the DirectX 11 API. Expected to be released after the launch of Windows 8, this new 3DMark will also be compatible with Windows 7 and Windows Vista. The new trailer provides a preview of the DirectX 11 test and is now available online and in high definition for the first time at 3DMark.com.

Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) today announces that it is the first hardware manufacturer to support the Windows 8 Hardware Program for its entire product line. Including all ECS motherboards, graphics cards, and AIOs currently on the market, ECS' products are optimized to take full advantage of the improved speeds, capabilities and features with the most anticipating technology Microsoft Windows 8, allowing users to fully experience its unique operating system.

After the success of Windows 7, this year Microsoft has revealed it's another masterpiece-Windows 8. Apart from the old-known operating system, Windows 8 has brought up a brand new image beyond your imagination.

MIPI Alliance and the USB 3.0 Promoter Group today announced the completion of the SuperSpeed USB Inter-Chip (SSIC) specification. The specification defines a chip-to-chip USB based internal interconnect for mobile devices as well as other platforms. SSIC offers MIPI Alliance's M-PHY high bandwidth and low power capabilities combined with SuperSpeed USB performance enhancements.

The M-PHYSM interface, a high speed serial interface, targets up to 2.9 Gbps per lane with scalability up to 5.8 Gbps per lane and offers a low pin count and exceptional power efficiency. SuperSpeed USB offers a 5 Gbps signaling rate, up to 10 times faster than Hi-Speed USB (USB 2.0), enhanced protocol and power management and backward compatibility with the existing USB device and software model.

Today at an event in Hollywood, Microsoft unveiled Surface: PCs built to be the ultimate stage for Windows. Company executives showed two Windows tablets and accessories that feature significant advances in industrial design and attention to detail. Surface is designed to seamlessly transition between consumption and creation, without compromise. It delivers the power of amazing software with Windows and the feel of premium hardware in one exciting experience.

Intel released a new beta driver for processors with integrated graphics, for the Windows 8 Release Preview. Carrying the version number 15.28.0.64.2770, the driver supports Windows Display Driver Model Version 1.2 (WDDM 1.2), and enables features such as stereoscopic 3D, optimized screen rotation detection, and DirectX 11 (on select graphics controller models). It supports Intel HD Graphics 4000/3000/2500/2000 (Core "Sandy Bridge" and Core "Ivy Bridge"). Intel recommends use of its Windows 7 driver for reliability with OpenGL 3.3 applications.

DOWNLOAD: Intel HD Graphics Beta Driver for Windows 8 Release Preview

Cyberpower Inc., a global manufacturer of custom gaming machines, wants customers to get a jump on the upcoming release of Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system. All customers who purchase a qualifying Windows 7 CyberpowerPC system direct from the company or its authorized resellers, now through January 31, 2013, will receive a $14.99 offer for a downloadable copy of Windows 8 when it becomes available.

CyberpowerPC customers who retire their systems now can be assured they will have a new rig with the horsepower to run Windows 8. The process is as simple as 1-2-3.

• Buy a qualifying CyberpowerPC running Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate now through January 31, 2013.
• Visit the promotional website windowsupgradeoffer.com to register for a Windows 8 upgrade.
• Come back when Windows 8 is available for purchase and download it.

Today during a keynote address at COMPUTEX, Steven Guggenheimer, corporate vice president of the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) division at Microsoft Corp., demonstrated the breadth of innovation happening across Windows and the Windows ecosystem. He announced the second community technology preview (CTP) for Windows Embedded Standard 8, unveiled Quanta's new private cloud server solution, highlighted Ford's launch of its award-winning SYNC in-car connectivity system for Taiwan, and showed off some of the latest Windows devices.

When it comes to delivering Windows technologies across PCs, servers, phones and specialized devices, Microsoft is taking a holistic approach by providing familiar tools and technologies that enable customers and partners to maximize their investments. To that end, Microsoft today announced the second CTP for Windows Embedded Standard 8, which delivers the power of Windows for specialized devices running line-of-business applications within intelligent systems. Windows Embedded Standard 8 encompasses tools for natural, immersive user experiences and the ability for OEMs to define and control the device capabilities, with additional technologies that extend the power of Windows on industry devices. The CTP is available immediately for download by visiting this page.

Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced its roadmap of new computing devices designed for Microsoft Windows 8. Toshiba's new mobile solutions showcase the advanced functionality and capabilities Toshiba plans to bring to market while enhancing the experience of the new operating system.

"These inspiring new PC and tablet designs will allow consumers and business users to interact with Windows in amazing new ways," said Carl Pinto, vice president of marketing, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division. "These products reflect Toshiba's long history of engineering breakthrough computing hardware in thin and light form factors and our close relationships with Microsoft and our silicon partners to bring them to market."

Intel Corporation Senior Vice President Tom Kilroy officially introduced the next wave of Ultrabook systems during a keynote address at Computex Taipei 2012. Making a bold statement around the importance of touch technology, Kilroy also announced that Intel has signed agreements with several leading touch panel manufacturers to ensure adequate capacity to meet the expected demand for touch-enabled Ultrabook experiences over the next several years.

He also highlighted the company's efforts to deliver user-centric experiences across a range of mobile devices from the Ultrabook to smartphones and tablets, pointing to momentum across all three.

Qualcomm Atheros Inc., the networking and connectivity subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, today at COMPUTEX TAIPEI demonstrated the industry's first solutions that integrate 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity for tablets and notebook computers. Qualcomm Atheros' 1-, 2- and 3-stream solutions are part of the company's end-to-end 802.11ac ecosystem, which is driving Gigabit-class wireless connectivity in mobile, computing, consumer electronics and networking products.

As consumers use tablets and notebooks to create, download and stream media files over wireless networks, Qualcomm Atheros' 802.11ac solutions are designed to deliver connectivity with the speed and reliability essential to today's mobile computing environments. Qualcomm Atheros' 802.11ac offers more than three times the Wi-Fi performance of 802.11n per stream and is capable of delivering up to 1.3 Gbps PHY rates with the company's 3-stream solutions. The new solutions also feature Bluetooth 4.0 with low-power mode for connecting mobile computers to wireless keyboards, headsets, speakers, printers and other peripherals while also conserving battery power.

hat if your tablet or phone knew what you were watching on TV and presented bonus features without you having to lift a finger? What if you could use your tablet to draw up a play in EA SPORTS' "Madden NFL" and then perform it to perfection on your TV? What if you could control your favorite websites on the TV with a simple swipe, pinch or zoom on your tablet's touchscreen?

To kick-start the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Microsoft Corp. today unveiled a bold new vision for enjoying entertainment at home and on the go with Xbox SmartGlass. Launching this year, Xbox SmartGlass is an application for Windows 8, Windows Phone, and other portable devices that connects phones, PCs and tablets with your Xbox 360 console to make your entertainment smarter, more interactive and more fun.(1) The intelligence of Xbox SmartGlass makes your entertainment more engaging, Web surfing more effortless, and playing games more immersive by delivering companion content and control to enhance your TV experience.

SanDisk Corporation, a global leader in flash memory storage solutions, today announced it is using the world's most advanced semiconductor manufacturing process to produce SanDisk's highest performing embedded memory products.

iNAND Extreme is now being built on SanDisk's 19 nanometer (nm)* process technology to enable the large-capacity, high-performance embedded NAND flash memory products that are ideally suited for high-end tablets and smartphones. Products running the Android operating system as well as the upcoming Microsoft Windows RT version of the Windows 8 operating system can benefit from iNAND Extreme capacity, performance and small size.

Toshiba announced the first SSDs based on its swanky new 19 nm-class NAND flash memory. These include four models in the 2.5-inch 9.5 mm-thick form-factor (standard), another four models in the 2.5-inch 7 mm-thick form-factor (slim, for Ultrabooks); and three models in the super-compact mSATA form-factor. The 9.5 mm-thick and 7 mm-thick 2.5-inch models differ only with their thickness, and are otherwise identical, since SSDs are essentially just printed circuit boards with NAND flash memory, controllers, caches, and ancillary components soldered onto them.

The 9.5 mm-thick 2.5-inch models carry the model number scheme THNSNFxxxGBSS (xxx = number of GB capacity), while the 7 mm-thick 2.5-inch models use THNSNFxxxGCSS. Both lines are available in 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB capacities. The 128, 256, and 512 GB models offer transfer rates as high as 524 MB/s, while the 64 GB model offers up to 440 MB/s. Toshiba implemented a new controller that features next-generation Deterministic Zeroing TRIM (a feature exclusive with Windows 8 and future *nix kernels), Quadruple Swing-by Code (QSBC), a performance-optimized ECC-equivalent, and a read-only mode. The mSATA models (model number scheme THNSNFxxxGMCS) offer similar performance to their 2.5-inch cousins, but are available in only three capacity options, 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB. Toshiba will release its new line of SSDs in August.

Acer presents two of its newest Windows 8 tablets at Computex Taipei. The ICONIA W510 evolves the computing experience with three different modes of touchscreen operation, while the ICONIA W700 is the best-performing Windows 8 tablet with the added versatility of a cradle. Both designed to set new standards in ergonomics and user-friendliness.

The most unique part of the W510 tablet is the tri-mode, allowing users to touch, type and view. Aside from the conventional tablet mode, it can be used in productivity mode. A detachable keyboard dock can be connected to the tablet for optimal typing as well as extending the battery life up to 18 hours. Rotating the tablet 295 degrees allows it to be used in presentation mode, which is excellent for watching a video, browsing a webpage or viewing a PowerPoint presentation.

MSI will be rolling out its latest generation of G Series gaming laptops, including the GT60, GT70, GE60, and GE70, June 5-9 at Booth L0810 on the fourth floor of TWTC Nangang Exhibition Hall. Other notebook computers to be displayed include the U270 with AMD's latest Brazos 2.0 processor, the high performance, highly mobile U180 netbook, the CX70, CR70, CX61, CR61, and CR41--five multimedia laptops from the solid C Series. The slender and powerful MSI Slider S20 will also be there. Popular the world over, this ultimate in ultrabooks sports an 11.6-inch screen and classy looks. Tipping the scales at just 1.3 kilograms, it is less than 2 centimeters thin. What's more, the Slider ultrabook can be collapsed to give you the most powerful tablet in the world.

AMD is proud to announce that it has received Windows Hardware Certification (WHC) for an AMD Catalyst graphics driver (with full support for the new WDDM 1.2 driver model) on Windows 8. This landmark moment reflects both our commitment to AMD Radeon graphics customers, and our vision of providing quality hardware/software solutions for Microsoft Windows products.

Formerly known as the Windows Logo Program, WHC is a rigorous mark of compatibility and reliability for products intended for use with Microsoft Windows. It also allows AMD to serve as an official partner in the upcoming Windows 8 release, use the "Windows 8 Compatible" logo, and offer the drivers on Windows Update.

Acer today introduces its newest premium Windows 8 Ultrabook devices - the Aspire S7 Series - at Computex Taipei. Available in two sizes, 13.3-inch and 11.6-inch, these are the thinnest and smallest, respectively, Full HD touch Ultrabooks. Both feature a sleek aluminum metallic unibody design and provide a more engrossing computing experience. The larger model additionally sports a glossy, sculpted glass cover, delivering a trendy and elegant appearance.

With the aluminum unibody design, the S7 Ultrabooks are exceptionally slim and light, yet durable enough to handle the rigors of everyday use. The 13.3-inch model offers up to 12 hours of battery life, while the 11.6-inch model can run for up to 9 hours, to ensure a full day of on-demand productivity and media consumption from a single charge. To make the best of the powerful performance components, Acer designed its innovative Acer Twin Air cooling system to produce efficient cooling and deliver the best thermal comfort.

Acer today announces two new Windows 8 all-in-one (AIO) PCs at Computex Taipei: the Aspire 7600U (27-inch) and the Aspire 5600U (23-inch).

The striking Aspire 7600U supports up to 64-point simultaneous touch from all angles, enabling use by multiple users at once. It features 0 to 90 degree viewing and swivels at four sides when laid flat for enjoyment by more than one user. At just 35 mm thin, the 7600U is ultra-slim. It delivers Full HD visuals and Dolby Home Theater surround sound. This AIO is made for modern day explorers who want a cutting-edge multimedia experience.

Microsoft Corp. today announced the availability of the Windows Upgrade Offer for consumers purchasing a qualifying new Windows 7 PC. The Windows Upgrade Offer provides consumers who buy an eligible Windows 7 PC the option to purchase a downloadable upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for an estimated retail price of just $14.99 (U.S.) during the time of the promotion, which will be redeemable when Windows 8 is generally available. The Windows Upgrade Offer is just the first of many consumer offers that will roll out in conjunction with the general availability of Windows 8.

"We've seen a great interest in Windows 8, especially given the availability of the Windows 8 Release Preview this week, and yet we know many consumers want a new PC now," said Tami Reller, chief marketing officer and chief financial officer of Windows at Microsoft. "The Windows Upgrade Offer gives people the flexibility to purchase the new Windows 7 PC they need today, with the knowledge they can easily get Windows 8 when it's available."

At IDF Beijing, 2012, Intel unveiled a large selection of its upcoming Ultrabook designs, including what it referred to as "Letexo," a sliding-Ultrabook, which bridges the gap between high-performance Windows 8 tablets, and Ultrabooks (devices with keyboards). MSI is working on one such device, which lays to rest the looming question of whether the company plans to do Ultrabook PCs. The unnamed Letexo by MSI was unveiled as a teaser picture, earlier today. The device is a fully functional Windows 8 tablet, driven by Intel architecture, a comfortable and responsive chiclet keyboard slides out, when you have a lot of typing to do. We expect to see this device at Computex.

Microsoft Corp. today announced the availability of the Windows 8 Release Preview, the next milestone of the highly anticipated Windows 8 operating system. Available for download today in 14 languages at here, the Windows 8 Release Preview delivers a fast and fluid experience, along with a new user interface that responds equally well to touch as it does to keyboard and mouse. Since the February release of Windows 8 Consumer Preview, which was downloaded more than 1 million times in the first 24 hours, Windows 8 has become the most tested Microsoft operating system of all time, and with today's release, it enters its final phase of development before it releases to manufacturing.

We're thrilled to be at this milestone with the Windows 8 Release Preview," said Steven Sinofsky, president of the Windows and Windows Live Division at Microsoft.