Hewlett-Packard (HP) on April 26 unveiled four LaserJet Pro series monochrome laser printers for immediate launch in the Taiwan market, namely, the wireless printer P1102w at a recommended retail price of NT$4,999 (US$159), MFP M1132 at NT$5,999, double-side printer P1606dn at NT$10,999 and MFP M1212nf at NT$14,999, according to HP Taiwan.HP LaserJet Pro P1606dn printer featuring automatic double-side printingPhoto: Company

Through its 20 years of pursuit of perfection, MSI has built up considerable R&D and innovation capabilities. MSI's focus on localization has resulted in market-leading motherboard products and more than 150 million customers. As a first-tier motherboard manufacturer that is one of the top three in the world, MSI is trusted by global consumers in all markets.MSI's origin is in the motherboard business, and having accumulated enough market energy to adapt to recent market changes, MSI transformed itself through reorganization while investing in notebooks as well as All-in-one PC products with the aim of creating a complete supply chain and brand niche. However, MSI has never lost sight of its motherboard business. As 2010 is MSI's brand awareness year, the Company intends to reestablish MSI's reputation in motherboard innovation to satisfy customer expectations.Since Intel and AMD launched new CPU and chipsets in 2009, MSI feels that although the new generation products can stimulate the self assembly market from an efficacy level, the motherboard's function and material must be planned according to a brand new mindset. An example of this is the newly launched Big Bang-Fuzion motherboard. It is the world's first motherboard to support mixed use of video cards on the same motherboard. Its launch also created a lot of discussion and interest in the market. MSI has always been customer-oriented and at the forefront of the technology curve. MSI's product range is entirely market driven.On the other hand, taking the global view of the PC market, mid-range to entry-level PCs are easily being replaced by the multitude of products such as barebones and netbook. For power users, self assembled PCs are inevitably mid- to high-end products. For this reason MSI will focus on mid- to high-end motherboards this year with additional efforts on marketing and R&D. Even though this will affect the total shipping volume of motherboards in the short term, the significant gains in mid- to high-end motherboard shipments are already taking up the slack in other segments. This trend is continuing with the Intel X58, Intel P55, AMD790/800 series etc. as well as the highly acclaimed and newly released BIGBANG series high-end motherboard. Furthermore, the mid-range to high-end motherboard market has long split between Asustek, Gigabyte and MSI, each with commendable market shares and sales volumes.As the global economy picks up, demand for 3C products is becoming stronger. Motherboards have long been the core product of MSI. The company understand that only by focusing on our core strength can we develop other products. As the market evolves, constant innovation becomes central to the business strategy. Continual reward for innovation and R&D is the main driving force that keeps MSI at the forefront of global technology development toward a brand new future.

Leading memory module brand Kingmax has announced the addition of the PD-02 to its family of USB flash drives designed for consumer and small- to medium-size business users. The new portable drive comes with a simple streamlined design and is price-friendly, extending Kingmax' reach into the market where cost and simplicity matter.Kingmax said its previous-generation PD-07 has received positive feedback thanks to the product's look of simplicity and affordable pricing. The new PD-02 maintains these attractive features, while adding a slide-out USB connector and anti-scratch body.The slide-out USB connector makes the Kingmax PD-02 slim and cap-less, bringing greater convenience to consumers. Meanwhile, its scratch-resistant surface allows users to not worry if the drive will be scratched or damaged.Featuring a USB 2.0 interface, the new Kingmax PD-02 is now available in 2GB, 4GB, 8GB and 16GB capacities.Kingmax PD-02Photo: CompanyKingmax PD-02 with slide-out USB connectorPhoto: Company

VIA Technologies has announced its Nano E-series processors, bringing native 64-bit software support, virtualization capabilities and extended longevity support to embedded markets.The move to 64-bit software architecture is an essential transition for the future of the embedded industry, said VIA. Forthcoming operating systems such as Windows Embedded Standard 7 will be able to leverage a 64-bit software eco system that provides up to double the amount of data a CPU can process per clock cycle. This translates in to greater ease in manipulating large data sets and an overall performance boost compared to non-native x64 architectures.The VIA Nano E-series also supports VIA VT virtualization technology, allowing legacy software and applications to be used in virtual scenarios without impacting performance. And as with all VIA processors, the VIA PadLock Security Engine offers hardware based data encryption standards that meet widely accepted international standards.Available at speeds from 800MHz to 1.8GHz, VIA Nano E-series processors have a guaranteed product longevity of seven years, while the processors are fully compatible with a range of fully integrated media system processors including the VIA VX800, VIA VX855 and forthcoming VIA VX900 and VIA VN1000 digital media chipsets, offering exceptional hardware acceleration of the most demanding HD video codecs and 3D graphics capabilities. VIA Nano E-series processor specifications Product model Speed VIA V4 FSB Idle power L3050 1.8GHz 800MHz 500mW U3100 1.3+GHz 800MHz 100mW U3300 1.2GHz 800MHz 100mW U3500 1.0GHz 800MHz 100mW U3400 800MHz 800MHz 100mW Source: Company, compiled by Digitimes, April 2010VIA Nano E-series processorPhoto: Company

Canon on April 22 unveiled six smart digital color MFP (multi-function peripheral) models for immediate launch in the Taiwan market. The C5051, C5045, C5035 and C5030 cater to general office use, while the C9075 PRO and C9065 PRO target business users with large-volume printing demands, according to Canon Marketing (Taiwan).Canon ImageRunner Advance smart digital color MFP C5051Photo: Company

Yageo, Taiwan's largest maker of passive components, recently announced the release of what it claims is the industry's smallest ceramic chip antenna (PIFA mode) for use in high-end handheld GPS devices, such as mobile phones, PDAs, portable navigation devices, notebooks and mobile internet devices.Samples of the new chip antenna were delivered to customers earlier in 2010, said Yageo, adding that mass production began in March.The new Yageo 3216 ceramic PIFA GPS antenna features ultra compact volume and high-performance with a dimension of 3.2×1.6mm. The antenna supports a central frequency of 1.575GHz, performing on par with CP GPS antennas. Moreover, the use of SMD packaging along with the compact size of the component makes it easier to mount on circuit boards, thus effectively reducing manufacturing costs, Yageo said."The miniaturization of GPS devices is already an irrevocable trend and built-in GPS functions are an integral part of new generation smartphones," Yageo said in a statement. "One of the more pressing concerns for mobile phone manufacturers is coming up with stable GPS functions for the limited design space."Another point worth mentioning is the design refinement of the 3216 ceramic PIFA GPS antenna, which is a breakthrough from the traditional mono-polar circuit design mode, according to Yageo. This allows a simplified manufacturing process that results in superior product performance in both efficiency and size. Additionally, the use of coupling and parasitic effects reduces the frequency, thus strengthening low frequency performance.Yageo 3216 ceramic PIFA GPS antenna Photo: Company

Germany-based Leica on April 20 debuted the V-LUX20 digital camera for launch in the Taiwan market in May 2010, according to the Taiwan branch of Hong Kong-based Schmidt Marketing which is the exclusive sales agent for Leica in the Asia market except Japan. Leica V-LUX20: Specifications Item Detail Image sensor 12.1-megapixel 1/2.33-inch CCD Zoom 12x optical (20-300mm), 4x digital Screen 3-inch 460,800-pixel TFT-LCD Dimension (W × H × D, mm) 103 × 62 × 33 Weight (including memory card and battery) 218g Source: Company, compiled by Digitmes, April 2010Leica V-LUX20 digital cameraPhoto: Company

Taipei, April 19, 2010 — MSI's rise in the motherboard market had its origin in the design of the first global overclocked motherboard some 20 years ago. These two decades have shown endless innovation in R&D development, perfectionist pursuit of quality and an explosion of new functions to satisfy the general public and advanced players alike. MSI's products are so cutting edge that every new motherboard release from MSI creates a stir in the market and redefines its market segment.MSI's R&D team is the vanguard of technology development and has launched many innovative products over the years. One example of such traffic stopper product is the MSI Big Bang-Fuzion motherboard released in January 2010. It used Hydra Engine technology and still it's unique and is the first motherboard in the world to allow "mixing" 3D video cards from different vendors or different models. It gives the consumers the flexibility to use video cards from different suppliers on a single motherboard like on the MSI Big Bang -Fuzion. Furthermore, MSI's proprietary technologies such as ultra performance energy efficient "DrMOS", overclocking technology "OC Genie", "SuperPipe" cooling design, top of the range "Quantum Wave & THX sound card interface" and the only "hardware based" Active Phase Switching" energy saving technology are all market driven technologies from MSI. All of these technical advantages and unique features present MSI's strong force and push this company to take the lead on motherboard innovations, bringing more value on user experience time and time.In the pursuit of quality, MSI goes all out to improve power design, better cooling with heatpipes, and material quality to create the ultimate durable overclocking motherboard. MSI, as one of the first-tier branded motherboard manufacturer, its motherboards are regular record breakers in the international overclocking championships and their durability is highly recognized. In 2009 MSI's Eclipse SLI motherboard matched with MSI N275GTX Lightning video card, was chosen by MOA overclocking championship as the official platform. Out of the 20 participating Overclocking teams, eight teams broke the world record for 3DMark Vantage test software; The MSI P55 series motherboard broke 21 overclocking world records since it launched in 2009. The highly acclaimed MSI P55 GD-80 won numerous awards on the HWBOT website and broke 19 world records so far. This level of performance is unmatched by its peers. In addition, Tom's Hardware Worldwide Overclocking Championship has chosen MSI's Eclipse (X58) & MSI P45 Platinum DDR3 motherboard as the official overclocking platform in 2008.Furthermore, MSI was the winner in the motherboard category at 2009 Taiwan Excellence Awards. MSI P45 Diamond, the world's first motherboard using Gen II server level component " MSI DrMOS" was awarded "Best Choice of COMPUTEX" in 2009. This motherboard has won the award three years running.MSI's focus on R&D force and pursuit for quality, set the bench mark for the industry. Every motherboard from MSI is backed by MSI's reputation for quality. Positive international press reviews, awards and consumer recommendations are the confirmation of first-tier branded motherboards in the field.

Verizon Wireless on April 15 announced the Droid Incredible Android-based smartphone manufactured by HTC. The Droid Incredible, with a 3.7-inch WVGA touch display, is the first Verizon wireless phone to support Qualcomm's 1GHz Snapdragon processor, and it's the first available phone from the company to include an 8-megapixel camera. The phone will be available beginning April 29. Verizon Droid Incredible smartphonePhoto: Company

DURHAM, N.C., April 6, 2010 — Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE) introduces a new class of products designed to accelerate the adoption of LED lighting by traditional lighting fixture manufacturers and speed time-to-market for their new LED-based fixtures. With this new line of LED module products, Cree customers will now have access to Cree's award-winning TrueWhite technology allowing them to deliver efficient, high-quality light in a compact, easy-to-use product.The first product in the new line is the Cree LED Module LMR4, created to overcome common design issues manufacturers have faced when trying to incorporate LED solutions into their lighting fixtures."Cree customers now have access to our industry-proven TrueWhite technology, allowing them to quickly deliver better products to the market, faster," said Chuck Swoboda, Cree chairman and CEO. "Cree TrueWhite technology is already installed in thousands of locations including restaurants, retail stores, and others that demand both high-quality light and energy-efficiency."The Cree LED Module LMR4 uniquely integrates driver electronics, optics and primary thermal management, making the compact Cree module drop-in-ready. Designed to last 35,000 hours while consuming just 12 watts of power, it delivers 700 lumens at a warm-white color temperature of 2700 with a CRI >90. Fixture manufacturers have the option to include a specially designed heat sink to accommodate specific high-heat applications, like downlights for insulated ceilings.The LMR4 (120V) is UL recognized and the LMR4 (230V) complies with multiple international standards. Fixture makers seeking ENERGY STAR qualification will have access to specification and performance data, including LM-80 reports, which can speed regulatory approvals."We've never seen or worked with any LED product as simple as the Cree LED Module," said Miroslav Masar, OMS, LED department director. "We anticipate our new downlight will be available in summer 2010 - and that's less than six months from when we started working with prototypes of the module. In a fast-paced industry like lighting, this is a keen advantage for us."The Cree LED Module LMR4 can be ordered now for summer 2010 general availability, and sample evaluation kits are available now directly from Cree's website, www.cree.com/modules. Demonstrations of the LMR4 can be seen at Cree's Light + Building stand (Hall 4.2, G71), April 11-16, 2010 in Frankfurt, Germany.The LMR4 has also been designed into demonstration fixtures that can be seen at Disano, Hall 3.1 E21; OMS, Hall 4.2 F10/G10; and LTS, Hall 3.1 A51.Cree LED module LMR4Photo: Company