SanDisk Launches uSSD 5000 For Low-Cost PCs  


Solid state drives (SSDs) are clearly the wave of the future for mobile devices. The drives are faster, lighter, cooler-running and more power efficient than their traditional hard disk drive (HDD) counterparts. The two dings in SSD's armor currently are the comparatively low storage capacities and high cost of entry.

In the case of Samsung's 32GB SSDs, the 1.8" variety will cost you $434 while the 2.5" version will rings up at $699. Stepping up to Samsung's 2.5" 64GB SSD will set you back a whopping $1,299.

SanDisk is looking to drop the price of SSDs for the entry-level market with its new uSSD 5000 SSD series. The USB-based drives will be used in sub-$250 PCs and will be embedded directly onto motherboards.

"The low-cost educational PC category is an emerging market for flash storage where low cost, ruggedness and low power consumption will be the primary factors for broad-based adoption," said SanDisk general manager Greg Rhine. "At 2GB, the uSSD 5000 solid state drive delivers the necessary storage capacity for low-cost PCs at significantly less cost than conventional hard drives, while meeting performance and reliability requirements for this market."

The uSSD 5000 packaging measures just 27mm x 38mm and is roughly one-fourth the size of a traditional 1.8" HDDs used in mobile applications.

SanDisk will begin sampling the uSSD 5000 within the next month and it will be available in sizes ranging from 1GB to 8GB.


Source from DailyTech

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Sony A810 Series Video Walkmans  


Anyone who was young in the 80’s will immediately think of the big, square cassette tape players when they hear the words Sony Walkman. The younger geeks will be glad to know that no longer is 80’s tech alone associated with the Walkman moniker.

Sony today announced its new NWZ-A810 Walkman video player. The A810 series features three different size capacities – 2GB, 4GB and 8GB allowing it to store a goodly bit of music. Sony equips the A810 series with a 2-inch QVGA display sporting 320x240 pixels.

Everything seems to be going pink these days, with self-defense weapons taking on the feminine hue, the female readers will be glad to hear that Sony offers the A810 series in pink as well as black, blue, silver and white.

Looking at the images of the A810 it is not going to win any awards for style, but it packs in some decent specifications. Audio formats supported are MP3, WMA, AAC-LC, and Linear PCM10. MP3 should make it compatible with the Wal-Mart DRM-free store and LimeWire’s upcoming store.

Also included is a five band equalizer and playback of MPEG4 and M4V video playback along with JPEG image support. The device charges via USB and needs three hours for a full charge and 1.5 hours for 80% charge. Playback time is around 33 hours for music and 8 hours for video.


Source from DailyTech

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Foxconn New Enthusiast Motherboard  


Foxconn today announced its first motherboard catered towards the enthusiast and overclocking crowd – the MARS. The Foxconn MARS features Intel’s P35 Express chipset and is the first of the company’s new Quantum Force model lineup. Foxconn claims to tune the MARS specifically for overclocking with posted front-side bus speeds of 575 MHz, or 2300 MHz effectively.

Foxconn names the overclocking tuned BIOS the Gladiator BIOS, a unique feature to the company’s Quantum Force series. The Gladiator BIOS allows CPU voltage adjustments in 0.0125-volts up to 1.6-volts, DRAM voltage, north bridge voltage, south bridge voltage and a couple other fine tuning voltage settings.

The Foxconn MARS supports all Intel LGA775 processors with front-side bus speeds up to 1333 MHz, officially. The board supports DDR2 memory with speeds up to 1066 MHz.

Foxconn equips the board with two physical PCIe x16 slots for compatibility with ATI CrossFire multi-GPU technology. However, one of the physical PCIe x16 slots feature four lanes, due to chipset limitations. Additionally, the Foxconn MARS features two PCIe x1 and three PCI slots.

Other notable features of the Foxconn MARS include one e.SATA, six SATA 3.0 Gbps, Firewire, 12 USB 2.0, one PATA, 7.1-channel high definition audio and Gigabit LAN.

Expect the Foxconn MARS to hit retail next month. Pricing information is unavailable, but expect to pay a premium, as with most enthusiast and overclocking catered products.


Source from DailyTech

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White PlayStation 2 Console  


Although the PlayStation 2 is clearly a last-generation gaming system, it is still capturing the playtime and dollars of present day gamers. Sony knows that the PS2 is still hot item, and is bringing out a limited edition console that is ceramic white in color.

Coming this November will be a special white PS2 bundled with SingStar Pop and two USB microphones. SingStar Pop, the American take of the immensely popular SCEE franchise, features tracks from Alicia Keys, U2, Rihanna, Ashlee Simpson, The All-American Rejects, The Clash and more.

The bundle will will be available in the U.S. for a suggested retail price of $149.99. The package will also be offered in Canada for $159.99.

"With our expansive library of titles for PlayStation, led by social gaming experiences such as SingStar, and Buzz!, we have an incredible offering for first-time gaming families," said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, SCEA. "At $149, the limited edition Ceramic White PlayStation 2, bundled with the family-friendly social gaming title, SingStar Pop, is an unbeatable value that will provide fun for everyone this holiday."

The latest sales data from NPD Group show that the PS2 is still considerably outselling the newer PlayStation 3 by a considerable margin, even after the recent PS3 $100 price drop. During July, the PS2 sold 222,000 units while the PS3 sold 159,000 for the month.

A report from Nielsen GamePlay Metrics finds that as much as 42 percent of all console use was on the PS2, showing that console’s continued relevance.

According to Sony, the PS2 has an installed base of more than 117 million worldwide with 44 million in North America alone. A further 10 million PlayStation 2 units are expected to be sold worldwide by the end of March 2008.


Source from DailyTech

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Nokia Resurrects N-Gage  


Phones are the one device that most everyone tends to have on their person at all times. The ability to whip out a phone and play games while sitting on the bus or waiting on an appointment is appealing to many people.

Market intelligence firm iSuppli says that the mobile gaming market is set to reach a whopping 184 million users per month by 2010 up from 38 million users in 2005. iSuppli also says that mobile gaming revenues increased by a full 80 percent in 2005 so game developers and publishers are flocking to mobile phone game development to capture some of the lucrative market.

The original Nokia N-Gage didn’t exactly take off; however, Nokia is coming back with games and devices looking to grab a portion of the swiftly growing mobile gaming market. The new N-Gage mobile gaming service allows everyone with a compatible Nokia handset to try all N-Gage games for free.

If customers like the games they try, full versions can be downloaded on a Nokia handset or on a PC. Multiplayer gaming is also supported via the N-Gage Arena.

Nokia says the N-Gage service will be available globally in November and when the service launches users will be able to download the free N-Gage application. The N-Gage application will be embedded in future devices such as the Nokia N81 and the Nokia N95 8GB. N-Gage games sold through the N-Gage Store will retail for between EUR 6.00 and EUR 10.00, or $8 USD to about $14 USD.

A few of the game publishers that will be selling N-Gage games are EA SPORTS, Capcom and Vivendi. Nokia Publishing will also be making games for the N-Gage platform.

The Nokia N81 slider will be one of the first N-Gage devices and will support HSDPA, though Engadgetsays the N81 HSDPA won’t work in America. Other features include integrated speakers, a headphone jack and the phone has 8GB of storage that can be expanded with a microSD card. The N81 also supports video and music files as you would expect. The N81 will retail for about $585 USD.


Source from DailyTech

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Creative Prepares New Slim PMP  


Creative Labs today launched its latest portable media player: the ZEN. The new Creative ZEN drops all suffixes from previous models such as the Zen V Plus, Zen Vision and such. Creative plans to offer the ZEN in three different sizes: 4GB, 8GB and 16GB.

Creative’s ZEN features a 2.5-inch display with 320x240 pixels. It features a 2.17 inch x 3.27 inch x 0.4 inch form factor and weighs in at 2.29 ounces. Creative claims battery life up to 25 hours of audio and 5 hours of video with the ZEN.

It supports audio and video playback of MP3, WMA, AAC, WMV, DivX, Xvid, MJPEG and TiVo to go formats. Other notable features include integrated FM tuner and voice recorder.

Expect the Creative ZEN to release into retail channels next month with a $149 cost of entry.


Source from DailyTech

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MSI Brings Turbo Button to GeForce 8600GT  


MSI this week announced its new NX8600GT Twin Turbo with a slight twist. The new NX8600GT Twin Turbo features dual video BIOSes, each containing different core and memory clock settings. Users can switch between the two clock speed profiles with the press of a turbo button.

With the stock speed profile, the NX8600GT Twin Turbo operates at 540 MHz core and 1400 MHz memory. The shader clock also operates at 1450 MHz with the stock profile. MSI places the turbo button on the metal expansion bracket above the DVI ports.

A press of the turbo button raises the clock speeds up to 580 MHz core and 1600 MHz memory. The shader clock receives a boost to 1508 MHz as well. MSI claims a 20 percent performance boost in 3DMark06 with a press of the turbo button.

Other notable features of the NX8600GT Twin Turbo include dual dual-link DVI, HDCP compliance, HDMI output capable and component video output. The card also comes with 256MB of GDDR3 memory.


Source from DailyTech

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Xbox 360 "Falcon" to Feature 65nm CPU, 90nm GPU  


The Mercury News’ Dean Takahashi reports that the first Xbox 360 CPUs manufactured on the 65nm process are now on ships in the Pacific bound for North America. Should the consoles, which are made in China, arrive soon, then they could be on retail shelves sometime this fall.

Last month, Takahashi reported that the 65nm Xbox 360 chips would come in a revised hardware version that Microsoft has coded “Falcon.” The new chips are not only smaller and roughly 50 percent cheaper to produce than their 90nm counterpart, but they are also cooler – and presumably less prone to the Red Ring of Death defect.

Those expecting the 65nm die shrink to affect the two main chips inside the Xbox 360 will be disappointed to learn that only the console’s main processor will be the manufactured on the new process.

“Falcon is the name for the board that houses the 65-nanometer microprocessor from IBM,” wrote Takahashi. “The board does not include a 65-nanometer version of the ATI graphics chip for the Xbox 360. That version of the graphics chip is coming later.”

The new 65nm chip from IBM will work with both the current 90nm and the future 65nm iteration of the 65nm ATI GPU, according to Takahashi.

Oddly enough, it appears as though the main culprit behind the Xbox 360 reliability woes may be linked to the ATI GPU rather than the IBM CPU. As part of a recent fix to all 90nm-based consoles, Microsoft has been adding additional cooling measures into the Xbox 360. Found first in a repaired European Xbox 360 was a new heatsink with a heatpipe that leads to a secondary “daughter” heatsink helps to further cool the GPU.

The latest Xbox 360 Premium consoles with the HDMI-enabled “Zephyr” motherboard also features the extra heatsinks, providing further evidence that an overheating GPU is the main cause behind the Red Ring of Death.


Source from DailyTech

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VIA Announces 1-Watt x86 CPU  


VIA today announced the world’s most power efficient x86 processor, in a mere 1-Watt envelope, the 500 MHz VIA Eden ULV processor. The new 1-watt processor operates at 500 MHz and optimized for fan-less operation. At idle, the 500 MHz VIA Eden ULV processor only requires 0.1-watt of power.

VIA targets the 500 MHz VIA Eden ULV processor for industrial, commercial and ultra mobile applications. The 500 MHz VIA Eden ULV is a small processor, measuring in at 21 mm x 21 mm and packaged in a NanoBGA2 package.

The processor operates on VIA’s V4 bus clocked at 400 MHz. It has 16-stage pipeline with 128KB of full-speed L2 cache. VIA also integrates the PadLock Security Engine for hardware encryption algorithms such as AES, SHA-1, SHA-256 and Montgomery Multiplier.

“Giving our customers the building blocks to create innovative systems and driving PC technology into new markets defines our ‘Small is Beautiful’ strategy,” said Richard Brown, Vice President of Corporate Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. “With its performance, energy efficiency and compact size, our new VIA Eden ULV processor provides a way for embedded developers to add real value to their systems and push the market forward.”

VIA recommends pairing the 500 MHz VIA Eden ULV with the CX700/M chipset for a system that only draws 3.5 Watts, at a maximum, storage devices not included. VIA expects a system powered by the 500 MHz VIA Eden ULV and CX700/M with storage and connectivity options to consume no more than 10-watts of power.

Expect the 500 MHz VIA Eden ULV processor to show up in embedded systems.


Source from DailyTech

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Razer Announces 4000 dpi Gaming Mouse  


Most gamers understand the value of a good mouse when it comes to optimizing their game play. Certainly, a good mouse won’t make a bad player better, but a good mouse can help a decent player have more fun.

This week Microsoft revived the SideWinder name with a new SideWinder Mouse that had a paltry 2000 dpi. Paltry compared to the new Razer Lachesis, which is equipped with the new Razer 3G Laser engine good for a whopping 4000 dpi non-interpolated sensitivity setting. In addition to the high-sensitivity, the Lachesis also has a tracking speed of 60-100 IPS and can withstand acceleration of up to 25G during play.

Razer also uses the familiar on-the-fly sensitivity adjustment with one notable improvement, rather than using software to adjust the sensitivity levels, all adjustments on the Lachesis are done with hardware. That means you get true sensitivity settings, not settings resulting from interpolation.

The Lachesis uses an ambidextrous design that Razer optimized for a “claw” grip. Razer’s Synapse software handles the mouse programming and the Lachesis also has 32kb of onboard memory to store game profiles.

Ultrapolling at 1000 Hz provides a 1ms response time and the mouse has nine independently programmable Hyperesponse buttons. The data path on the mouse is 16-bit ultra-wide and uses the always-on mode to reduce lag.

The Lachesis only comes with a black body and is available with two lighting colors, Phantom White and Banshee Blue. The Lachesis will be available in October 2007 globally for $79.99.


Source from DailyTech

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Toshiba Announces Huge 32GB and 16GB SDHC Cards  


Any DSLR camera owner can tell you that when it comes to shooting 10-to-12 megapixels or larger RAW format images, you need a giant memory card. Most of us might think the 8GB SDHC cards are still pretty big, but not Toshiba.

Toshiba (requires registration) announced they will have humongous 32GB and 16GB SDHC memory cards in the market soon. The Toshiba 32GB SDHC card, model SD-M32G, is set to be available in January 2008 and will be a class 4 speed card.

The 16GB SDHC card, model SD-M16G, will be available much sooner in October of 2007. The 16GB SDHC card will sell for about $350 when it hits market in October.

If you think that’s a lot of coin for a memory card wait untill you hear this, the 32GB SDHC card will retail for a cool $700. These SDHC cards will also be good choices for those with expandable PMP devices and phones using SDHC cards with the bank account balance to afford the high price. Toshiba also announced they intend to sell a 8GB microSDHC card starting in January 2008. Samsung also announced recently they are planning to market a 8GB microSDHC card.

Toshiba says the 32GB SDHC, 16GB SDHC and the 8GB microSDHC cards will all have the same 6MB/s maximum write speed and require 2.7-3.6V to operate. The class 4 specifications say these cards must each sustain a minimum 4MB/s write speed.


Source from DailyTech

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Microsoft Introduces SideWinder Mouse for Gamers  


Several years ago Microsoft had a line of several gaming peripherals that all were sold under the SideWinder name. From gamepads to joysticks the gear was typically pretty good and worked well for most gamers -- until Microsoft cut the entire line.

Microsoft has pulled the derelict SideWinder name from the shadows and shined it up for a new gaming peripheral called the SideWinder Mouse. This is the first Microsoft gaming peripheral to be built from the ground up at Microsoft.

Gamers familiar with the Microsoft Habu gaming mouse and the Microsoft Reclusa keyboard will know that those two products are little more than re-branded Razer gear. This new mouse has some interesting features, one of the most notable being a Quick Turn macro button that turns your character 180 degrees at the touch of a button. A rapid about face has saved more than one geek in a hectic death match.

Microsoft has also integrated the first ever LCD screen into a production mouse. The screen doesn’t show you game details like the Logitech G15 LCD does, but is used to show the sensitivity the mouse is running at and allows you to see the macros bound to mouse buttons.

Internally the SideWinder Mouse is your standard 2000 dpi gaming mouse fare. This means it will give up some of its luster to the Logitech G9’s 3200 dpi sensitivity for gamers looking for raw speed. Microsoft did give the mouse on-the-fly adjustable sensitivity control via three buttons behind the scroll wheel. All five of the mouse buttons are customizable via included software.

Taking a page out of Logitech’s book, the SideWinder Mouse has weights that allow you to vary the feel of the mouse by adding up to 30g of weight. Microsoft also ships the mouse with three sets of feet, made from different materials, to allow you to further customize the feel to your mousing surface and preferences.

Any gamer who plays for a long period of time runs into issues with too much cable lying on the desk at some point. Microsoft addressed this problem with a built-in cable management system. The system is basically a place to coil up the excess USB cable and stuff it inside the mouse. The compartment can also double as a place to store the extra mouse feet and weights. The Microsoft SideWinder Mouse will be available in October for $79.95.


Source from DailyTech

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Auzentech X-Fi Prelude 7.1 Retail  


Auzentech is prepared to unleash its X-Fi Prelude 7.1 next week. The company has already shipped the cards to distributors and retailers for a Monday or Tuesday launch, but the shipments need to clear customs before they are available for purchase.

Consumers can purchase the X-Fi Prelude 7.1 next week from Auzentech’s online store, according to Auzentech president Stephane Bae,. The card will also be available from Newegg in the US and NCIX in Canada, he added.

Auzentech’s X-Fi Prelude 7.1 is the first third-party sound card based on Creative Labs X-Fi CA20K audio processor. Auzentech one-ups Creative’s official offerings with AKM digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital convertors. The Auzentech X-Fi Prelude 7.1 achieves a 120dB signal-to-noise ratio with 24-bit resolution and 192 KHz sampling rates. Additionally, the X-Fi Prelude 7.1 features a user-replaceable OPAMP for the front-channel audio output.

Unlike other Creative Labs X-Fi offerings, the X-Fi Prelude 7.1 will support Dolby Digital Live, DTS Interactive and DTS NEO:PC algorithms. However, Dolby Digital Live encoding support will not arrive until Q4 2007 with a driver update. DTS Interactive and DTS NEO:PC support will not arrive until Q1 2008. The X-Fi Prelude 7.1 also supports Creative audio technologies such as EAX Advanced HD 5.0, CMSS-3D, X-Fi Crystallizer and SoundFonts.
Expect to pay $199.99 when the card is available next week.


Source from DailyTech

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