Acer has announced the Aspire 6920 line, a new notebook PC series designed to for the enjoyment of high-definition content, according to the company.The Aspire 6920 series is powered by Intel Core 2 Duo processors, the mobile Intel PM965 Express chipset and includes an integrated module for wireless connection, supporting Acer SignalUp with InviLink Nplify wireless technologies.Acer is one of the first to market with a 16-inch notebook series that features either a Full HD CineCrystal LCD panel with 1920×1080 resolution or a HD CineCrystal LCD screen at 1366×768 pixel resolution, 8ms response time, and native 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio, ideal for HDTV or Blu-ray Disc content, the company highlighted.The screen is managed by the latest Nvidia GeForce 9500M GS GPU with up to 1280MB of TurboCache, and support for Nvidia PureVideo HD technology, Shader Model 4.0 and Microsoft DirectX 10.Acer Aspire 6920 series notebookPhoto: Business Wire

Transcend Information recently introduced 16GB and 32GB versions of its JetFlash V20 USB flash drive.The V20 features an attractively shaped pearlescent chassis with a semi-transparent color-band that lights up during use, noted Transcend.JetFlash V20 drives are equipped with software tools specifically designed for computer users who are constantly on the go and support Windows Vista, Windows 98SE / Me / 2000 / XP and Mac and Linux operating systems.The JetFlash V20 16GB and 32GB version USB flash drives have an untaxed list price of US$94.10 and US$185, respectively.Transcend JetFlash V20 USB flash drives in 16GB and 32GB versionsPhoto: Company

Shuttle recently introduced its K45 mini-PC barebone, based on the Intel 945GC chip set and supporting both power-saving and current dual-core processors.Simplicity was of primary importance in the development of the K45, according to Shuttle. In contrast to the orientation of Shuttle's XPC-series towards covering as many application areas as possible, the K45 is entirely targeted in its functionality: whether as an office PC, (thin) client on a terminal server, a control PC for information stands, a cashier system or a home server, the platform-independence with respect to Windows and Linux is ideal, stated the company.The mini-PC barebone also features Gigabit networking and has space for two hard drives. It can also optionally be equipped with WLAN.Dispensing with an optical drive and front-side connections means additional security for your company, according to Shuttle. Company data cannot be removed and damaging software cannot be introduced in this way.The Shuttle Barebone K45 is available now at a recommended price of 94 euros (US$144) before tax in Europe or US$99 in the US.Shuttle is also planning to offer the KPC, a pre-built K45-based system which ships with Foresight Linux, Intel Celeron CPU and 512MB RAM, with US pricing starting at US$199. Shuttle Barebone K45 specifications Item Detail Supported CPUs Intel Core 2 Duo E6xxx / E4xxx, Pentium Dual-Core 2xxx and Celeron 4xx (max. 65W) series with Socket 775 (to FSB 1333) Chipset Intel 945GC/ICH7 Memory Max. 2 GB DDR2-667 (OC up to 800MHz) Audio 6-channel audio PCI 1x PCI (32 bit) Network Gigabit LAN Connectivity 4x USB 2.0, 2x SATA2, 1x ATA100 Power supply 100W Dimensions (mm) 280×190×170 Source: Company, compiled by Digitimes, March 2008Shuttle K45 mini-PC barebonePhoto: Company

Thecus recently announced its i5500 NAS device for enterprises looking to store and secure mission-critical data.The i5500 comes with an Intel Xscale IOP80331 CPU and 512MB of DDR memory. This enables the i5500 to deliver iSCSI performance up to twice that of its predecessor, the N5200 PRO, the company claimed adding that with block level data transmission over regular Ethernet, businesses can forgo implementing a fiber channel network altogether.The i5500 comes with five hot-swappable SATA drive bays that accommodate up to 5TB of storage. A selection of RAID modes including RAID 0, 1, 0+1, 3, 5, 6, 10, and JBOD as well as instant RAID volume availability, auto volume rebuilding, and support for up to 256 logical volumes offers flexibility. And because downtime equals lost revenues, the i5500 also features online RAID expansion allowing businesses to increase their storage capacity without taking down their system.Included with the i5500 is Logical Unit Number (LUN) support, enabling administrators to specify read and write access to specific hosts accessing the unit through the iSCSI protocol. The i5500 also packs data protection capabilities in its compact housing, including Local N-way mirroring, offline array roaming and smart faulty sector relocation. Compatibility with all major operating systems including Windows NT/XP/2003/Vista, Mac OS 9.1 and above including OSX, OSX Server and XServe, and all Linux builds with SCSI support ensures seamless integration with existing corporate environments. Administration can be conveniently performed through Thecus' sterling web interface, and should something go amiss, the i5500 can notify administrators immediately via email or SNMP trap.Thecus i5500 NAS device for enterprisesPhoto: Company

VIA Technologies and Bitway, a Brazil-based system integrator, have announced a new desktop computer based on the VIA pc2500 motherboard. The Bitway Flex PC will be available at major retail stores throughout Brazil for a price of BRL$800 (US$474.21).The Flex PC features VIA's 1.5GHz C7-D processor which uses 76% less power than other same level desktop processors, according to VIA. The system comes with monitor, speakers, keyboard and mouse. Bitway Flex PC specifications Item Detail Processor 1.5GHz VIA C7-D desktop processor Chipset VIA CN700 IGP chipset Graphics VIA UniChrome IGP Pro integrated 2D/3D graphics processor Memory 512MB DDR2 Audio VIA Vinyl 6-channel AC97 Audio Hard Drive 80GB SATA Optical Drive DVD-RW Drive Networking 10/100 Ethernet Peripherals Monitor, keyboard, mouse and stereo speakers OS Support Bitlinux Dimensions 36cm X 40cm X 18 cm Source: Company, compiled by Digitimes, March 2008Bitway Flex PCPhoto: Company

Transcend Information has released a new high-capacity USB flash drive, the 16GB JetFlash V85.Packaged in a compact zinc-alloy body, the JetFlash V85 measures 49.5×15.8×7.4mm and is now available in 16GB capacity.The JetFlash V85 also comes bundled with Transcend's JetFlash elite software package that includes seven tools specifically developed to help users manage mobile data more efficiently and increase productivity, according to the company. The V85 supports Windows 98SE/2000/Me/XP/Vista, Mac and Linux.The 16GB JetFlash V85 is available now for an untaxed list price of US$114.Transcend 16GB JetFlash V85Photo: Company

SanDisk announced the availability of its FlashBack adapter as a backup storage media to protect against unexpected PC system failure or hard disk drive (HDD) crash.The FlashBack adapter fits into the ExpressCard slot where it will automatically and continuously back up and encrypt critical data onto a SecureDigital (SD) or SD HighCapacity (SDHC) card. With the backup card nested completely inside the notebook, the system is literally out of sight.Once the adapter is installed, users pre-select backup sources by individual files, folders and/or file types. The device will then back up and encrypt data automatically and continuously from the computer's HDD to the memory card. Backup occurs as soon as there is a change to a designated file, or when a file is added or deleted. There is no need for scheduling backups and no need for further user intervention. Also, the application has a screen indicator to show the amount of storage available, along with a taskbar icon that displays the ongoing backup status.SanDisk highlighted the easy data restoration process. Once the application is open, users only have to log in to access, select the encrypted files on the memory card and indicate the restore destination. Users can also restore data from the memory card on any PC that uses Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Vista and has an SD memory card reader.For protection against laptop theft and to easily share backed-up files, the SanDisk FlashBack adapter also offers users an option for backing up content online at BelnSync.The SanDisk FlashBack adapter is being demonstrated this week at the CeBIT electronics trade show in Hannover, Germany.SanDisk will start shipping the adapter worldwide in the second quarter and carries a suggested retail price of US$29.99 (excluding memory card).SanDisk FlashBack adapterPhoto: CompanyIllustration of FlashBack adapter in a notebook PCPhoto: Company

Asustek has released the Z7S WS workstation motherboard, equipped with dual 771 sockets. The board utilizes the latest Intel 5400 chipset and also supports fully buffered DDR2 800MHz dual-channel memory, dual PCI Express 2.0 x16 slots; and comes in the compact CEB form factor.The Z7S's particular heat-pipe design is made to increase durability, life spans and enhance thermal capacity. It also provides highly efficient operation with less heat than traditional heat sink designs, according to the company.The optional Asustek Patented MemCool Kit maximizes FB-DIMM performance by eliminating the potential risk of system memory throttling from over-temperature; as well as minimizing effort for SIs targeting thermal and acoustic solutions, pointed out the company Asustek Z7S WS workstation motherboard specifications Item Detail Processor Supports two Socket LGA771 dual-core Intel Xeon 5100/5200 or quad-core Intel Xeon 5300/5400 processor with FSB up to 1600MHz Chipset Intel 5400 Memory Controller Hub (MCH) Intel ESB2E I/O Controller Hub (ICH) Form Factor CEB form factor Memory 6 slots (4-channel) DDR2 800/667/533 memory support up to 24GB Source: Company, compiled by Digitimes, March 2008Asustek Z7S WS workstation motherboardPhoto: Company

Biostar Microtech International has launched an IGP (integrated graphics processor) motherboard, the TA780G M2+, in China.The TA780G M2+ features AMD's ATI Hybrid Graphic Technology to allow a performance boost with a discrete graphics card, while the motherboard also supports AMD's latest Phenom series processors. Biostar TA780G M2+ motherboard specification Item Detail CPU Support AMD Phenom series/Athlon 64 X2/64/FX/Sempron processors Chipset AMD 780G/SB700 Socket AM2+ VGA Integrated ATI Radeon HD 3200 Source: Company, compiled by Digitimes, March 2008Biostar TA780G M2+ motherboardPhoto: Company

Transcend Information recently introduced its latest high-capacity USB flash drive, the 32GB JetFlash V60.About the size of an AA battery (61×18.6×9.8mm), the 32GB JetFlash V60 is equipped with software tools, including: Website AutoLogin, PC-Lock, Mobile Favorites, Secret-Zip encryption, Mobile E-mail, DataBackup and Online Update. The JetFlash V60 supports Windows 98SE/Me/2000/XP/Vista, Mac and Linux.The JetFlash 32GB V60 is available now for an untaxed recommended list price of US$194.Transcend 32GB JetFlash V60 USB flash drivePhoto: Company