Biostar announced the launch of its Sigma Gate V8603TS51 graphics card, featuring the Nvidia GeForce 8600GTS graphics processor.The Sigma Gate V8603TS51 supports the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system and DirectX 10 applications. Biostar has packaged the V8603TS51 with 512MB of DDR3 memory onboard, something the company claims is the first for a GeForce 8600GTS card.The SLI-supporting card's built-in PureVideo HD processor allows users to watch Blu-ray or HD DVD movies, according to Biostar.According to Biostar, the Sigma Gate V8603TS51 will have a recommended retail price of US$240 and will be available in North America by the end of June and in Europe by early July. Specifications of the Sigma Gate V8603TS51 Item Details GPU Nvidia GeForce 8600GTS Engine clock speed 675MHz Memory type DDR3 Memory size 512MB Memory clock speed 2000MHz Memory interface 128bit Interface PCIe x16 Dual RAMDACs 400MHz DVI Dual HDTV Yes HDCP Yes SLI Yes Source: Company, compiled by Digitimes, June 2007 The Biostar Sigma Gate V8603TS51 graphics card featuring the Nvidia GeForce 8600GTS graphics processorPhoto: Company

Eastman Kodak announced the global launch of its M-series digital cameras for the value segment. The Kodak Easyshare M-series consists of four cameras, the M753, M853, M873 and M883.The M753 and M853 feature a 2.5-inch LCD screen and are equipped with 3x optical zoom lenses and 7- and 8-megapixel resolution respectively, which allows consumers to print clear, crisp images up to 30×40-inches in size. The M753 is available in black, silver, purple, copper, pink and blue, while the M853 is produced in white, red, graphite, silver and espresso.The M873 and M883 both offer 8-megapixel resolution and high ISO settings. The M883 has built-in face detection technology, and features a 3-inch LCD screen. The all-metal bodies of the M873 and M883 come in silver and black with the M883 also produced in red.The M753 will carry a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of US$149 beginning in June 2007, while the M853 and M873 will follow in August, retailing for US$79 (MSRP) and US$199 (MSRP), respectively. The M883 will be available in September and will retail for US$229 (MSRP).M753M753M853M883 Photos: Company

HTC announced that its recently unveiled Touch handset will make its Asian retail debut in Taiwan.HTC has selected Chunghwa Telecom (CHT), Taiwan's largest telecommunications operator, as its exclusive partner in retailing the HTC Touch, and the device will be made available to consumers island-wide beginning in mid-June. The new HTC-designed homescreen of the Windows Mobile 6 Professional-based Touch provides one-touch access to emails, text messages, calendar appointments, and contacts, as well as current weather conditions and forecasts for hundreds of cities around the world, according to HTC.The HTC Touch is the first device to feature TouchFLO, a 3-D user interface that allows users to move through on-screen options by sweeping their fingers across the screen, or scrolling up and down using a fingertip, stated HTC. The interface can be spun by swiping a finger right or left across the display, providing efficient access to the features consumers use most. TouchFLO also enhances finger touch scrolling and browsing of Web pages, documents, messages and contact lists. The interface has even been programmed to intelligently distinguish between finger and stylus input and then responds accordingly, noted the company. Specifications of the HTC Touch Item Details Operating system Windows Mobile 6 Professional with Direct Push Email and HTML email support Display 2.8'' LCD touch screen with backlight, 240 x 320 dots resolution with 65,536 colors Camera 2.0-megapixel CMOS color camera Memory 1GB microSD storage card included / 64MB RAM, 128MB ROM Wireless connectivity GSM/GPRS/EDGE Tri-band: 900, 1800,1900, Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11 b/g and Bluetooth 2.0 Battery life Rechargeable Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 1100 mAh Standby time Up to 200 / talk time: Up to five hours Dimensions (mm) 99.9(l)×58(w)×13.9(t) Weight (g) 112 (with battery) Colors Choice of two colors at launch - black or green Suggested price NT$15,900 (US$481) Source: Company, compiled by Digitimes, June 2007The HTC Touch handset featuring TouchFLO touchscreen interfacePhoto: Company

Nokia announced on June 11 shipments of its N77 PDA phone will start in Finland and that later this month Vietnam and India will start shipments of the device.The Nokia N77 features mobile TV capabilities based on the DVB-H mobile TV standard.The Nokia N77 offers the advantage of 30 second replay and live TV watching continues after the replay clip, noted Nokia. Through the Program Guide in the mobile TV application, viewers can see program information up to seven days, browse TV channels, purchase new channels if desired and select the TV program they are interested in, according to the company.The N77 features functions common on most Nokia N-series producst, including MP3 player, 2-megapixel camera (1600×1200 pixels), web browsing, email access, calendar and to-do lists.The Nokia N77 is based on the the Symbian operating system and will be offered in markets where commercial mobile TV services based on DVB-H technology are available.The Nokia N77Photo: Company

Netgear has announced the availability of its Space-Saving Powerline Network Extender (XEPS103).Compatible with other Netgear HomePlug 1.0 Powerline devices, the Space-Saving Powerline Extender enables consumers to extend secure home network connections from a wired or wireless router to any electrical outlet in the home. Its 2-in-1 design replaces the router's existing power adapter and supplies both power to the router or gateway and an 85Mbps network extension via Powerline – reducing AC electrical outlet clutter without impacting Ethernet performance, the company highlighted. A kit version of the Network Extender (XEPSB103), bundled with Netgear's 85Mbps Wall-Plugged Ethernet Adapter (XE103), will be available in early summer 2007.The Space-Saving Powerline Network Extender comes ready for simple plug-and-play installation, with a space-saving 2-in-1 design that reduces clutter by requiring only one plug to supply both power and a network extension. The device provides power to the power input of the Netgear router or gateway. It also provides an Ethernet connection to Ethernet port of the router or gateway, thus extending a secure 14 or 85Mbps network connection to any electrical outlet.Backed by a one-year warranty and 24/7 technical support, the Netgear Space-Saving Network Extender (XEPS103) is available via leading retailers, direct marketers, e-commerce sites and value-added resellers, at a suggested retail price of US$79.99.The Netgear Space-Saving Powerline Network Extender (XEPS103)Photo: Company

Sony has introduced a new line of thin and lightweight Vaio CR notebooks. The notebooks are available in five fashion colors – sangria, cosmopolitan, dove, indigo and black – with a weight of 5.5 pounds (with a standard battery) and are portable enough to take just about anywhere, according to the company. The PCs adopt Intel Centrino Duo processor technology.The Vaio CR notebooks are equipped with a 14.1-inch widescreen display, built-in 802.11n wireless LAN and pre-installed Windows Vista Home Premium operating system (Windows Vista Business edition is optionally available), noted Sony.The notebooks also include an S-video port, allowing them to connect to a compatible television set to watch DVDs or play games on a bigger screen. They also have a built-in digital camera and microphone for quick photos and participation in live video chats, pointed out the company.Sony Vaio CR notebooks will be available at the end of June starting at US$1,350, added the company.Sony Vaio CR is available in five fashion colors – sangria, cosmopolitan, dove, indigo and blackPhoto: Company

Seagate has announced that it has begun worldwide volume shipments of what it claims is the industry's first 250GB-per-disc, 3.5-inch disc drive on the strength of second-generation perpendicular magnetic recording technology.The company says its one-disc Barracuda hard drive has an industry-leading data density of 180Gb per square inch and sets new benchmarks for power consumption, acoustics and performance for Seagate desktop PC hard drives. Low power consumption reduces operating temperatures, crucial in ensuring high reliability and a long drive life, added Seagate.The Seagate Barracuda 3.5-inch 7200.10 desktop drive is built with a SATA 3Gb/s interface and will serve as the foundation for Seagate's 1-terabyte desktop, enterprise, consumer electronics and external hard drives, noted the company.

Formosa21 a developer and manufacturer of human interface products and technologies, announced a new series of remote controls for Windows Vista Media Center Edition PCs at Computex 2007.The company's series of remote controls is certified by Microsoft for users to control MCE platform PCs or notebooks and is designed to be used with Microsoft Windows Vista Media Center Edition (MCE), according to the company.With the new remote controls, users can easily connect with a computer through a small USB dongle with a built-in transceiver, noted Formoas21. The transceiver can learn the protocol of the remote control of another device, such as a set-top box, and after learning of the protocol the MCE remote controller can control the set-top box directly, according to the company.Formosa21's has a display in Computex Taipei 2007 in Hall 2, booth number E022/023.Formosa21's remote control for Windows Vista MCE PCsPhoto: Company

Inventec Multimedia & Telecom, which goes by the trade name of Importek, produces multimedia products ranging from high-definition TV modules to micro camera units to VoIP phones. Though people may be more familiar with Inventec Electronics or Inventec Appliances, the makers of notable products such as Hewlett-Packard (HP) notebooks and Okwap phones, many may not have heard of the Importek subsidiary of the Inventec Group.However, the company plays a major role in the IT industry, with the company's main product lines including HDTV modules, VoIP phone products and micro camera units (MCUs). The company's HDTV modules are incorporated by LCD TV makers in Korea, China and Taiwan, but the company especially targets the Japan market, with some sources estimating that the company has about 5% of the module market in Japan.Although first-tier TV makers in Japan, including Sony and Toshiba, produce their own HDTV modules, many second tier makers outsources their production to dedicated makers. However, because Japan uses a different digital TV standard (ISDB-T) than most other global markets, and because it is difficult to develop products for the ISDB-T platform, most module makers shy away from the Japan market, with Importek probably being the top ISDB-T module maker from Taiwan in the market there.According to industry sources, Importek's HDTV modules can be found in LCD TVs from Taiwanese makers Jean, Ya Hsin Industrial and Teco.Importek ISDB-T HDTV ModulePhoto: Company

Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) is showcasing its 945GCT-M motherboard which features data recovery technology built into the BIOS.The 945GCT-M adopts the Intel Core 2 Duo processor with FSB up to 1066MHz, Intel GMA 950 graphics and the 945GC chipset, noted ECS.The 945GCT-M has data recovery technology built in its BIOS, users do not need to rely on software or hard drive recovery functions. If a hard drive stops functioning, the motherboard can still boot into the BIOS to open up previously saved images to recover data, said ECS.ECS will adopt the technology into its new Intel 3 (Bearlake) series motherboards in the near future, added the sources.System adopts ECS 945GCT-M motherboardPhoto: Yen Ting Chen, Digitimes