Philips launches new Moda monitor with LightFrame technology in Singapore

MMD, the brand license partner for Philips monitors, has announced their new Moda monitor, the latest addition to the companysX-Line of consumer monitors which aredesigned to offer healthier visual experience to users. The Philips LightFrame Moda 248X3LFHSB sports a 23.6-inch screen and features an aluminum die-cast base with two-toned glossy finish. Incorporating the proprietary LightFrame technology, the monitor emits a gentle blue light that soothes and refreshes the eye, hence reducing eye fatique and improving concentration. The Moda also features dual HDMI ports and a VGA connectors that allow you to connect to multiple devices. Other features include SmartColor that extends visual color range for rich and vibrant images; SmartTxt which can improve clarity of text-based applications including Word and PDF documents; and SmartResponse for fast transitions between moving frames. The Philips Moda is priced at S$399 and is available from todaythrough MMD partners.

Seagate launches the first 3TB external desktop drive

The high-capacity Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk 3TB easily surpasses Western Digital's single-drive offerings, which top out at 2TB. The Seagate 3TB is likely to be four platter design, with each platter packing 750GB worth.

However, we noted that Western Digital has quietly moved to 3-platter designs for its Caviar Green 2TB 3.5-inch internal desktop drives. While we are not sure when would Western Digital respond to Seagate's 3TB announcement (be it a similar external desktop storage drive, or an internal storage drive), a drive larger than 2TB is definitely in the works.

---

The following is an overview of the GoFlex Desk drive:

- Automatic continuous backup of your data

- Securing backed up files and protection of privacy with powerful encryption software

- Includes the Seagate® Dashboard management tool for easy management of backup schedules and file encryption, and viewing drive statistics

- Includes the GoFlex Desk USB 2.0 desktop adapter with illuminated capacity gauge

- Offers vertical or horizontal orientation to fit in any desktop environment

There are available upgrade cables and kits that make it easy to move up from USB 2.0 to USB 3.0 or FireWire® 800 for up to 10x faster transfer speeds for large files and HD movies.

The Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk 3TB is already available at press time, and is going for about US$250. The USB 3.0 and FireWire 800 bases are available at an additional US$40 and US$50 respectively.

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SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. – June 29, 2010 – Putting more terabytes in the hands of consumers worldwide, Seagate (NASDAQ: STX), the leader in hard drives and storage solutions, today announced the world’s first 3 Terabyte (TB) external desktop drive.

Available immediately, the 3TB FreeAgent® GoFlex™ Desk external hard drive helps to meet the explosive worldwide demand for digital content storage in both the home and the office. With 3TB of capacity people can store up to 120 HD movies, 1,500 video games, thousands of photos or countless hours of digital music.

Soltek GeForce FX5700 Cards

After the successful version of Soltek NVIDIAGeForce FX5600 series graphics cards, Soltek today officially releases its brandnew GeForce FX5700 graphics cards, which are available with OpenGL 1.5 & DirectX9.0 supported. Soltek's GeForce4 FX5700 graphics cards are specially designedfor high-end market, this graphics card provides users with the most advancedgraphics technology, the latest video features, and the most innovativeentertainment solutions.

Right now Soltek has 2 models in the new GeForceFX5700 series:

Model Name

SL-5700-QD

SL-5700-XDGPU

GeForce FX5700

GeForce FX5700Memory Size

256MB DDR

128MB DDRBus Standard

AGP 8x

AGP 8XTV-Out

Yes

YesDVI

Yes

Yes

Upcoming DirectX 9.0c Info

Q1 2004NVIDIANV40 (AGP8X)
NV36X (PCI Express x16)ATiR420 (AGP8X)
R380 (PCI Express x16)
R370 (PCI Express x16)DirectX ClassDX 9.0c (Shader3.0)

The upcoming implementation is likely simply to be calledDirectX 9.0c. It will be matched with the Software Developers Kit 2004 updateand it will have bug fixes that will improve Shaders 3.0. It will enable 3.0’shigher lever shading language (HLSL) support in D3D. No precise timings as towhen it will be released but It should be out really soon. It may match the lateMarch announcements of NV40 and R420.

Rambus buys Unity Semiconductor for next-generation memory

Intellectual property holder Rambus has bought computer memory company Unity Semiconductor for $35 million, a move designed to strengthen its position as a major licensor of memory products.

The deal involves the team behind Unity Semiconductor joining Rambus ranks and continuing to work on next-generation non-volatile memory technology like CMOx, which is intended to replace existing NAND memory products by offering higher density, faster performance, lower manufacturing costs, and greater data reliability.Rambus is currently one of the dominant players in the memory industry, particularly when it comes to NAND, so its not surprising that its preparing for changes in technology that could otherwise upset its position.“At Rambus, we are creating disruptive technologies to enable future electronic products,” said Sharon Holt, SVP and GM of the Semiconductor Business Group at Rambus. “With the addition of Unity, we can develop non-volatile memory solutions that will advance semiconductor scaling beyond the limits of today’s NAND technology. This will enable new memory architectures that help meet ever-increasing consumer demands.”Rambus has gained notoriety in technology circles for numerous lawsuits against chips firms over the alleged infringement of its many patents, including heavweights like Samsung and Nvidia. The acquisition of Unity Semiconductor will give it more ammunition for lawsuits and licensing deals, like the recent one it secured with Broadcom, for the next wave of memory products.Image Credit: Unity Semiconductor

Samsung to unveil new Galaxy Note smartphone this month

Samsung has announced that it will unveil its next Galaxy Note smartphone at an event towards the end of the month, pre-empting Apples expected release of the iPhone 5 a month or two later.

A spokesperson for the company confirmed that the new Galaxy Note will be showcased at the Samsung Mobile Unpacked event in Berlin on 29 August.Samsung has not revealed the spec of the upcoming device, but reports from South Korean media suggest it will have an extra-durable 5.5-inch display, a faster processor, and a better camera.The move will see Samsungs latest model hit the shops before the highly-anticipated new iPhone, widely believed to be announced in September, with a possible launch in October. Samsung has been stealing much of the limelight from Apple in recent months, overtaking it last year as the top smartphone manufacturer in the world and shipping nearly twice as many smartphones in its most recent quarter, while Apple saw a 26 percent decline in shipments as consumers wait for the next model.The two companies are currently embroiled in a bitter legal dispute over who copied who, with a high-profile case currently being heard in the US. The battle has extended beyond just the companies, with Samsungs top lawyer under fire over authorising the release of inadmissible evidence to the media, which he claims was already out in the open.While the future of this case remains unknown, we can be sure that the two technology giants will continue to butt heads as they launch new products in this lucrative market.Source: Reuters

Qimonda Unveils AENEON XTUNE DDR3-1333 Modules

AENEON, a Qimonda AG brand, announced the availability of its new XTUNE™DDR3-1333 CL8 memory modules. DDR3 is the upcoming memory technology which willbe mainly used in high-end desktop platforms. The XTUNE™ DDR3 series is theAENEON solution for these platforms addressing enthusiasts’ highest performanceneeds as well as enabling fast, stable and reliable system operation.

The XTUNE DDR3-1333 memory module is available with a density of 1GByte(AXH760UD00-13G) and the single module is tested to run at 1333 MHz at a latencytiming of 8-8-8-15 at the standard DDR3 voltage value of 1.5 V. The modules canbe organized as 128M x 64-bit DDR3-1333 based on 16 components of 64M x 8-bitDDR3 FBGA components. The XTUNE DDR3-1333 memory modules are offered in dualchannel kits with two identical modules (2x1GB) tested together in dual channelmode at 1333MHz at a latency timing of 8-8-8-15 on several platforms.

“Our new XTUNE DDR3 memory series in combination with leading edge motherboardand processor technology will leverage the enthusiasts’ performance experienceand demonstrate the DDR3 main advantages as one of the first products in themarket: offering high-speed computing as well as limiting power consumption dueto a reduced memory supply voltage of 1.5 V”, said Dr Carsten Gatzke, VicePresident of the Business Unit AENEON at Qimonda.

The 240-pin DIMMs are equipped with gold contacts and a high-quality heatspreader to avoid critical operating temperatures. The XTUNE DDR3-1333 DualChannel Kit 2x1GB is available now through the authorized AENEON salesrepresentatives and distributors for $ 400.

AENEON memory modules are developed, manufactured and fully-tested by Qimonda.The current product portfolio offers DDR and DDR2 SO-DIMMs with densities of upto 2 GB for notebooks and unbuffered DIMMs with capacities ranging from 256 MBto 2GB for desktops. With the XTUNE overclocking and DDR3 series AENEON broadensits portfolio to the 3D gaming and enthusiasts’ market. AENEON products aredesigned to serve the needs of PC system manufacturers, small system integratorsand DRAM upgrade resellers. Further information is available at www.aeneon.com

Pentium 4 6x1 C-1 to D-0 Stepping Change

The boxed Intel® Pentium® 4 processors 631, 641 and 651 will undergo thefollowing changes for the C-1 to D-0 processor stepping conversion:

• CPUID will change from F64 to F65.
• New S-specs for converting products.
• Converting products will change from the 2005 Mainstream FMB (95W) to the 2006FMB (65W)
• TDP will change from 86W to 65W, Max Icc will change from 100A to 65A, MaxIcc_StopGrant will change from 50A to 40A, Max Icc_Enhanced_auto_halt willchange from 40A to 25A, and thermal profile will change from 05A to 06 thermalprofile.
• The Electrical, Mechanical and Thermal Specifications remain within thecurrent specifications. Intel anticipates no changes to current customerplatforms designed to Intel guidelines
• Converting products will ship in the Alternate Equivalent package only. Whilethe packages are visually different, Intel anticipates no changes to customerplatforms designed to Intel guidelines (Please see below)

The Platform Compatibility Guide indicating the processor FMBwill be changing from 05 to 06 to the processor mark as illustrated with thefollowing example:

Sapphire Motherboards Support 125W Phenom

Sapphire Technology is pleased to announce that the new high end, 125W PhenomCPU’s just released by AMD (Model numbers 9750 and 9850) are fully supportedacross the latest range of SAPPHIRE mainboards, including the high endPC-AM2RD790 - PURE CrossFireX 790FX, the new mainstream CrossFire boardPC-AM2RX780 - PURE CrossFireX 770, and the microATX Hybrid CrossFire board withintegrated graphics, PI-AM2RS780G - Hybrid CrossFire 780G.

The PI-AM2RS780G and PC-AM2RD790 will require a BIOS update to recognise the newCPU ID’s correctly. The new BIOS are already posted in the driver section of theSAPPHIRE web site www.sapphiretech.com

Of particular note is that SAPPHIRE has full support for these new CPU’s on its780G product, PI-AM2RS780G. This is NOT the case for the majority of competing780G designs as they have used a far less capable configuration for the powersections and will only be able to support the earlier 95W CPU’s. (9500, 9550,9600, 9650)

Scythe Announces Kaze Server 3.5 Intelligent Fan Controller

Scythe has launched the Kaze Server 3.5 Intelligent Fan Controller (model no: KS01-BK-3.5), a 3.5” variant of its older brother, the KazeServer 5.25 fan controller.



Measuring 102 x 25 x 93mm and weighing 130g, it features a brushedaluminum front panel, a LCD display, support for two fan channels (max 1Amp & 12 W per Channel), three operation modes*, and monitors up totwo temperature channels (0 - 100°C/ 32 - 199.9°F). The Kaze Server 3.5Fan Controller is bundled with three temperature sensor cables, two fanextensions, a power adapter, adhesive tape for temperature probes, andmounting screws. It can be purchased from major retailers, e-tailers anddistributors at a MSRP of 25.00** Euro/ USD 36.00**.


*Kaze Server 3.5 Intelligent Fan Controller allows manual, fullyautomated or semi-automatic operation mode. Manual mode let userscontrol the fan speed via knobs. Auto mode turns the fan on when afreely adjustable temperature is exceeded. In Semi mode, users can settwo fan speeds rpm and a temperature value. Depending on whether themeasured temperature is above/ below the set value, either the first/second setting is used for the fan.

**Price excludes tax


News via [Tweaktown]




http://www.tweaktown.com/pressrelease/3412/scythe_announces_kaze_server_3_5_intelligent_fan_controller/index.html

Samsung Digital Imaging's quot;Tap and Take! quot; Teaser

Seoul, August 03, 2009 -- Samsung Digital Imaging has launched an online teaser campaign called ‘tap and take’ in advance of the launch of its new range of Smart Cameras. The cameras, which will be launched this month, promise to transform the way consumers take pictures and will feature a host of new technologies designed to bring fun and ease of use.

The teaser campaign which will run from 3rd Aug until 12th August can be viewed at http://www.tapandtake.com/ where clues will be given about the new features on what users can expect to see from the cameras as well as teasing the visitor with silhouettes of the products.

The innovative and interactive ‘tap and take’ campaign will be supported by online banner advertising (UK, France, Italy, and Singapore) and regular updates which will be available from the Tap and Take Facebook Fan Page (http://www.facebook.com/SamsungTapandTake) and Twitter account (http://twitter.com/TapandTake).

The new products will be launched simultaneously in a series of events hosted in New York, Beijing, Bangkok, London and Seoul, starting from August 13th.

Source: Korea Newswire

TSMC's 28nm in volume production

TSMC has announced that its much awaited 28nm process is in volume production and the first production wafers has already been shipped to customers. TSMC currently offers 28nm tech in three forms - 28nm High Performance (28HP), 28nm High Performance Low Power (28HPL) and 28nm Low Power (28LP). 28nm High Performance Mobile Computer (28HPM) is due to be ready for production by the end of the year.

NVIDIA and AMD are both preparing next-gen GPUs on TSMCs 28nm, presumably 28HP and 28HPL. Due to cancelation of 32nm and delays for 28nm, 40nm has lived as the flagship process for GPUs an unprecedented over two and a half years. For NVIDIA, AMD and consumers alike, the volume production of 28nm will be a long built up sigh of relief.

AMD is rumoured to ship its first 28nm GPUs in December, with NVIDIA following in Q1 2012. However, the first 28nm GPUs are likely to be "pipe-cleaners", relatively small/mainstream GPUs to test the new process, with larger performance/enthusiast GPUs releasing later in 2012. AMD is also planning to source certain GPUs on its HD 7000 line from Globalfoundries 28nm bulk process later in 2012.

Source: TSMC Press Release

Palit New HD4870 Card Comes With OC Switch

Palit Microsystems, leading graphics card manufacturer, today proudlyannounces Palit Radeon™ HD 4870 1GB Sonic Dual Edition with pre-overclocked 750MHz core speed and 3.8 GHz memory speed. This innovative Sonic Dual Edition cardfeatures the overclocking friendly “Smart Switch” allowing users to easilyturbocharge the card to 775 MHz core and 4GHz memory speed.

Overclocking is easy and friendly! With its dual bios design, Palit Radeon™ HD4870 1GB Sonic Dual Edition has a core frequency of 750 MHz and 512 MB ofcutting edge GDDR5 memory at 3.6 GHz and is able to turbocharge to 4GHz memoryspeed and 775 MHz core speed with the “Smart Switch”! Every user can be anenthusiast! The revolutionary Palit designed dual-fan cooling system releasesusers from the worries of overheating. Furthermore, Palit HD 4870 1GB SonicEdition is equipped with advanced DisplayPort and HDMI making it a future proofgraphics card.

Palit Radeon™ HD 4870 1GB Sonic Dual Edition with pre-overclocked core andmemory speed combined with 1024MB king-size memory provides astonishing graphicsperformance while offering extra memory buffer, allowing users to enjoy extremeperformance improvements while playing the latest DX10 PC games under HD largescreen and high quality image (such as 8xAA).

Palit Radeon™ HD 4870 1GB Sonic along with the latest PCI-Express 2.0platform and Microsoft DirectX® 10.1 Shader Model 4.1 technology deliver thebest gaming, video playback and computational GPU solution. If you want 2X theperformance of Palit Radeon™ HD 4870 1GB Sonic, it supports ATI CrossFireX™Technology!

Samsung plans to launch more Windows Phone 7 in 2011

According to a pie chart from iMobile, Samsung intends to launch more smartphones based on the latest Microsoft Windows Phones 7 platform next year. 32% of the Samsung smartphone portfolio for 2011 will beAndroid, while Windows Phone 7 will take up 63%, which is about twice that of Google's mobile operating system. Samsung's own Bada platform will occupythe remaining6%.

Currently, other phone makers are still monitoring the progress of Windows Phone 7, while Google's Android platform has become world's number two mobile operating system. Samsung has achieved great success this year with their Android smartphones, like the Galaxy S, and perhaps the reason why Google chose the Korean maker to build the Nexus S.

Butthisseems contradicting when thecompany shows itsplan tobuild moreWindows Phone 7 next year. Maybe Samsung has great confidence in Windows Phone 7 and we can only wait and see the products they bring out for this platform.

Source: imobile.com.cn

Spire Releases TherMax Eclipse CPU Cooler

Spire's TherMax Eclipse

Spire has launched the TherMax Eclipse CPU cooler,building on the success of its predecessor, the TherMax. Measuring 131× 70 × 152 mm, the black coated TherMax Eclipse features five 8mmcopper U-shaped direct touch heat-pipes, 46 “stamped” aluminium finsand pre applied BlueFrost thermal compound on its base.


Side Profile





Base Plate


Accessories

Fullycompatible with Intel's LGA 775, 1156 and 1366 and AMD's Socket 939,AM2/AM2+ and AM3 processors, the cooler comes equipped with two“Blackstar” 120mm ball bearing fans running at speeds of up to 2200 RPMat 29.0 dBA. The cooler also comes bundled with anti-vibration rubberfan mounts for quiet operation. Available in December, Spire has yet toconfirm the pricing, so stay tuned for more updates.


Features:

Five (5) 8mm all copper U-shaped direct touch heat-pipesStraight lined heat-pipes allowing air to easily pass through46 stamped Aluminum wide fins for best surface rateBlack coated heat-sink to preserve killer looks from oxidationTwo (2) 120mm BlackStar 9 blade fan designHigh Quality, Long MTBF Japanese Ball bearingAnti-Vibe universal rubber fan mountsSupports 775/1156 & 1366 incl. Intel Core i7 Extreme 150W
News via [Tcmagazine]

Scientists make breakthrough in thermal cloaking technology

Scientists have made a breakthrough in demonstrating how technology can be developed to make people or objects appear invisible to thermal-imaging devices, bringing us one step closer to science fiction-style cloaking.

The researchers at the Institut Fresnel in France have shown how optical cloaking using transformation optics can be applied in a way to prevent heat from being seen by heat-sensing equipment, effectively masking the object from detection."We can design a cloak so that heat diffuses around an invisibility region, which is then protected from heat," said Dr. Guenneau from Institut Fresnel. "Or we can force heat to concentrate in a small volume, which will then heat up very rapidly."The technology could potentially be used in multiple fields, including by the military and criminals. Soldiers could use it to plan stealthier attacks, while thieves could use it to hide from the thermal cameras on police helicopters, providing, of course, they can steal the technology in the first place.The military has already taken advantage of similar technology to make a tank look like a car to heat-sensing devices. While it does not make it completely invisible, it does recreate the shape of the device in terms of generated and detected heat, leading to new tactics in warfare.Scientists have been trying to discover ways to develop an invisibility cloak for a number of years now, an idea that was once thought to be impossible, but now looks limited only by time and research.Source: BBC

Motorola Alpha leaked, could be Motorola CLIQ 2

When we all thought that T-Mobile has showcased every product from CES 2011, it looks like that is not all true. From internal documents that were recently leaked, it looks like there is a new Motorola phone by the name Alpha. From the screenshot, both the Motorola Alpha and Motorola CLIQ appeared on the same page.

Reports stated that Motorola Alpha could just be a temporary name for Motorola CLIQ 2, as it has long been known as "Begonia". Moreover, it is obvious that smartphones care categorized accordingly, and for Motorola Alpha to be on the same page as CLIQ would already mean the new phone could be the successor. We would only find out when T-Mobile officially announce the Motorola CLIQ 2.

Source: imobile.com.cn

New HP Notebook Dv2 Brings The Zen With Athlon Neo

(Hewlett-Packard Japan) HP Japan has announced their newest lineup for notebooks- HP Pavillion dv2.



The design of the notebook boasts HP's imprint design - Zen Kirameki, which claims to have a zen design.

With a stylish looking design, the internals are packed with AthlonNeo MV-40 (1.60GHz), Memory 2GB(maximum 4GB), HDD 320GB, ATIMobility Radeon HD 3410 (512MB), DVD drive, 1280 × 800 resolution on a 12.1 inch Wide-LCD display. dv2 will be pre-installed with Windows Vista Home Premium.

Small and powerful, it is definitely a strong contender ascompared to the netbook models which comes with the standard Atomconfiguration.

MSI's upcoming A75A-GD55 motherboard pictured

So far MSI has only officially unveiled a pair of AMD A75 motherboards, the A75A-G35 and the A75MA-G55, but the company should have at least another four models coming. VR-Zone has managed to get hold of some exclusive pictures of the upcoming A75A-GD55 model which will be MSIs high-end A75 motherboard and possibly also the most expensive model in the line-up.

We dont quite understand what MSI has done here though, as the A75A-GD55 is very similar to the A75A-GD35, although the PCB is a lot wider while remaining nearly void of components past the memory slots. In fact, at first glance the only obvious difference between the two models is that the A75A-GD55 has gained two memory slots for a total of four. The power connector and Voltage regulation for the memory has been moved further out on the PCB alongside with a pin header and a fan header, but theres really nothing much else here and it seems like the extra PCB was simply added to allow for the screw holes.

MSI has changed the chokes for its SFC branded ones over the regular chokes found on the A75A-GD35 and theres a larger heatsink on the MOSFETs. The slot layout remains the same with a two x16 PCI Express slots of which the lower one has four lanes of bandwidth at its disposal, three x1 PCI Express slots and two PCI slots. The internal USB 3.0 pin-header is still in the same awkward position and MSI decided to keep the jumper blocks for switching between DVI and HDMI output, which is really disappointing and a feature we wouldnt expect to see on a board this far up in MSIs product range.

The rear I/O also remains unchanged with a pair of PS/2 ports, four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, 7.1-channel analogue audio jacks and a D-Sub, DVI and HDMI port. We cant but to feel that MSI couldve done better, but at least the good news is that the price difference between the A75A-GD55 and the A75A-GD35 is very small as we found a couple of European online retailers listing the A75A-GD55 for around €80 (S$140) whereas the A75A-GD35 is listed for around €75 (S$131) and while the A75A-GD55 is a better choice in terms of future upgradeability of the memory, it has little else to offer to its advantage.

OCZ 1GB PC3500 amp; PC-3700 Memories

OCZ Technology Group today announced the release of PC-3500 and PC-3700 1 GBUnbuffered DDR memory modules and 2 GB Dual Channel kits in its Performanceseries line of DDR memory.

Each PC-3500 module and Dual Channel kit features an integrated copperheatspreader to aid in heat dissipation and are rated for CL3-3-3-8 (read:CAS-tRCD-tRP-TRAS) latencies at 2.7 volts. OCZ PC-3700 modules and Dual Channelkits are rated for CL 3-4-4-8 latencies at 2.7 volts. Both the PC-3500 andPC-3700 1 GB DDR memory modules feature High Density Low Compensation (HDLC)technology to allow for higher frequencies and more aggressive timings.

In order to ensure that OCZ PC-3500 1 GB unbuffered modules and Dual Channelkits perform to OCZ’s exacting performance and quality standards, all modulesand Dual Channel kits are hand-tested by OCZ technicians using the Asus P4C800Deluxe mainboard before they are shipped. OCZ PC-3500 and PC-3700 1 GBunbuffered modules are covered by OCZ’s no-hassle lifetime warranty andtechnical support service.

“OCZ is pleased to extend its performance line to include PC-3500 and PC-37001 GB modules and 2GB kits,” said Dr. Michael Schuette, director of technologydevelopment with OCZ Technology Group. “OCZ has spent a considerable amount oftime developing our PC-3500 and PC-3700 modules and we are very excited of thelevel of performance and stability we have been able to achieve.”

OCZ PC-3500 and PC-3700 1 GB modules and Dual Channel kits will beginshipping immediately. For price and availability please check with your favoriteOCZ retailer. For more information o­n OCZ 2 GB PC-3500 Dual Channel kits,please visit the OCZ product page here. More information about OCZ 2 GB PC-3700Dual Channel kits can be found here.

Product Link:

http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/memory/OCZ_DDR_PC-3500_Dual_Channel
http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/memory/OCZ_DDR_PC-3700_Dual_Channel

Next Gen. PCI Express Spec Doubled To 5GT s

The PCI-SIG®, the Special Interest Group responsible for PCI Express™architecture, announced today that the data rate for the next planned revisionof the PCI Express specification will be 5 Giga transfers per second. This newspecification extends the performance capability of its flagship I/Ointerconnect architecture to meet the anticipated system requirements acrosscomputer and communication industry applications. The doubling of the data ratefollows historical performance increases for I/O specifications in the industry.

The PCI-SIG board of directors considered market requirements and technicalanalysis of a range of data rates to obtain the most feasible, highestperformance, backward compatible solution within the current PCI Expressecosystem. Platform implementation cost, high-volume manufacturability, systemtopologies, validation and interoperability were the key considerations studiedby the PCI-SIG board members in the process to extend the PCI Express data rateto 5GT/s.

Many of the leading electrical experts who developed the PCI Express 1.0aspecifications have been chartered to draft the new specification. The PCI-SIGexpects to deliver the new specification in the second half of 2005 in time forproduct introductions beginning in 2007.

"The PCI-SIG continues to deliver on the promise of timely PCI Expressenhancements to meet the ever-growing bandwidth requirements of the I/Oindustry," said Tony Pierce, PCI-SIG chairman. "The board of directorsthoughtfully considered an array of technical and market data and arrived at thebest decision for the next revision of the PCI Express architecture. We plan todeliver the new 5GT/s PCI Express specification consistent with our members’expectations for 100% backward compatibility, low-cost manufacturability andworld-class compliance and interoperability."

"The new 5GT/s PCI Express specification will enable the required performanceboost for bandwidth-hungry applications such as cinema-quality graphics andmultimedia, enterprise servers and storage, and multi-gigabit networking," saidAjay Bhatt, chairman of the PCI Express steering committee, responsible formanaging the technical development and coordination of PCI Expressspecifications. "The electrical specification will introduce evolutionarymethodologies to meet the technical challenges of running at 5 Giga transfersper second while maintaining compatibility with existing system topologies andsilicon processes."

Nvidia G92 based Quadro FX 3700

NVIDIA (Nasdaq: NVDA - News), the world leader in visual computingtechnologies, once again takes the lead in improving productivity forcomputer-aided design (CAD) and digital content creators with the announcementof the NVIDIA Quadro® FX 3700, a high-end graphics board capable of delivering aperformance increase of up to 2X as compared to the previous generation ofproduct.

"Dassault Systemes' PLM solutions customers have always demanded the optimalcombination of large-model performance and feature set from their graphicsolutions. Now with the tight integration of GPU-based vertex scaling and CgFX-basedrealistic material shaders within CATIA, the NVIDIA Quadro FX 3700 comes at theideal time and with the ideal combination of performance and features," saidChristophe Delattre, Dassault Systemes, R&D manager, Visualization. "Wecertainly feel the Quadro FX 3700 will address our users' demandingexpectations."

The Quadro FX 3700 graphics board offers high throughput for interactivevisualization, and with 112 parallel processors, 512 MB of onboard graphicsmemory, and a 256-bit memory interface, the card easily manages the large modelsand complex, real-time shaders that dominate the CAD and digital contentcreation (DCC) markets. To greatly streamline the user experience, the Quadro FX3700 graphics board incorporates the NVIDIA® Application Configuration Engine(ACE), which automatically configures the graphics hardware and software todeliver maximum application performance. The board also offers award-winning SLItechnology to dynamically scale graphics performance, enhance image quality, andexpand display real estate.

The advanced NVIDIA Unifed Architecture, introduced last year, enablessophisticated shaders to simulate a virtually unlimited range of physicalcharacteristics, such as lighting effects (dispersion, reflection, refraction,BRDF models) and physical surface properties (casting effects, porosity, moldedsurfaces). Real-time shaders allow these effects to be combined and modifiedinteractively, something that is impossible with simple 2D static texture maps.

The Quadro FX 3700 graphics board also offers PCI-Express Gen 2 support,essentially doubling the data transfer rate between the GPU and the Gen 2chipsets to a blazing fast 16 Gbps. Also, being Energy Star 4.0 compliant, theQuadro FX 3700 graphics board consumes less than 80 watts of power for improvedenergy management.

"The NVIDIA Quadro FX 3700 graphics board is proof positive that NVIDIAcontinues to invest heavily in leading-edge solutions for professional users,"said Dan Vivoli, executive vice president of marketing at NVIDIA. "It combinesrich features with outstanding performance to successfully complete atop-to-bottom series of professional visualization solutions that are unmatchedin the industry."

The Quadro FX 3700 graphics board supports the NVIDIA CUDA(TM) technology, aC-language development environment for NVIDIA GPUs that allows applicationdevelopers to utilize the massively parallel computation power of the Quadro FX3700 graphics board to greatly reduce the time it takes to solve complexvisualization problems.

NVIDIA Quadro solutions are widely available through leading PC manufacturerslike HP, Dell, IBM, and Sun; leading workstation system integrators; and NVIDIAchannel partners PNY Technologies (US and EMEA), Leadtek (APAC), and Elsa(Japan). For more information about the full lineup of NVIDIA professionalsolutions please visit http://www.nvidia.com/quadro. The Quadro FX 3700 graphicsboard has an MSRP of $ 1599 (US).

NVIDIA nForce Chipsets For Intel

NVIDIA and Intel today announced that the companies have signed a broad,multi-year patent cross-license agreement spanning multiple product lines andproduct generations. Additionally, the companies signed a multi-year chipsetagreement for NVIDIA to license Intel's front-side bus technology. This willenable NVIDIA to deliver the NVIDIA nForce(TM) platform technology onIntel-based systems.

"Today's agreements are significant for both companies and, more importantly,represent a win for our mutual customers who now have more choices for enhancingthe PC experience," said Louis Burns, Intel vice president and general manager,Desktop Products Group. "NVIDIA and Intel are working together to enhance theend-user computing experience," added Jen-Hsun Huang, president and chiefexecutive officer of NVIDIA. "NVIDIA's product portfolio offers excitingtechnology options to Intel customers, including the NVIDIA nForce platform andthe PCI Express-based SLI graphics technology solution."