Seagate Technology announced its Cheetah NS hard drive, developed for mission-critical enterprise network storage applications with low power consumption requirements.Leveraged from the same platform as the 15K-rpm Cheetah 15K.5, the Cheetah NS is a new 10K-rpm hard drive that delivers best-in-class capacity, energy savings and performance when compared to standard 3.5-inch form factor 10K-rpm enterprise drives, according to Seagate.The Cheetah NS features up to 33% more capacity at 400GB along with a 33% reduction in power and cooling requirements, stated the company. This additional capacity and reduced cooling profile in the data center means that the Cheetah NS ultimately delivers the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO) for a wide range of mission-critical enterprise network storage applications, said Segate.The Cheetah NS delivers higher IOPS performance when compared with standard 10K-rpm drives, according to Segate, noting that with a seek time of 3.9ms, and operating at 10K-rpm, random performance is increased by 10% while sequential performance is improved by as much as 23%. The Cheetah NS is also available in the most advanced interfaces, 3Gb/sec Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) or 4Gb/sec Fibre Channel, noted the company.Seagate's PowerTrim technology is a set of proprietary features that together reduce the Cheetah NS drive's overall power consumption in the enterprise, said Seagate, adding that using PowerTrim technology, the Cheetah NS helps energy-constrained data centers maximize efficiency with power consumption rated as low as eight watts, resulting in a drive that delivers a best-in-class 34% reduction of power at idle as well as a 33% reduction in operating power compared to other standard 10K drives.Designed for the demanding workloads of the enterprise, the Cheetah NS is rated with a mean time between failure (MTBF) of 1.4 million hours and is backed by Seagate's trusted five-year warranty. Seagate is now shipping the Cheetah NS to leading OEM customers. The Cheetah NS is expected to be available to the worldwide distribution channel during the third quarter of 2007.Seagate's Cheetah NS network hard drivePhoto: Company

Thermaltake Technologies recently announced the addition of its NBcool series of coolers to its notebook cooler offerings. The T500, T1000 series of the NBcool line support up to 15-inch notebooks and use fans ranging from 70mm to 120mm to provide the best cooling with efficiency and silence improving performance of the notebook, according to the company.Thermaltake's NBCool T500 is black accented with racing inspired lines, noted Thermaltake, adding that cooling on the T500 is accomplished with two 80mm fans that produce little noise.The NBCool T1000 utilizes one 120mm LED fan operating at low speed for silence and emits a cool blue light for visual effect, stated Thermaltake.The NBCool T2000 is only half the size of the T1000 but works just as well with two 70mm fans blowing onto the notebook and also elevating the notebook to increase air flow and discharge heat from the bottom of the notebook, said the company.The NBCool series is powered through the USB port of the computer, reducing the need to carry around any bulky AC adapters, noted Thermaltake. The ergonomic design of the series lets the wrist align naturally when typing and increases comfort to the user, according to the company.The Thermaltake NBcool T2000 notebook coolerPhoto: Company

Following Asustek Computer's step into the PSU (power supply unit) market, Gigabyte Technology is also preparing to cut into the market this year, according to sources at Gigabyte.Although the PSU market is getting mature, recent rapid increases in PC performance have raised the demand for high wattage PSUs accordingly, noted the sources. Gigabyte is optimistic over the future of the PSU market, they added.Gigabyte has shipped six new PSUs; Gigabyte Odin GT in 800W, 680W and 550W versions, and Odin Pro in 800W, 680W and 550W in the channel market, and will launch the 1200W Thor series in the near future. The Odin GT series includes P-Tuner monitoring software to allow users to check the total and peak watt usage of the PSUs, added the sources.Gigabyte Odin GT seriesPhoto: CompanyGigabyte Odin Pro seriesPhoto: Company

Sony Ericsson recently announced a series of new phones, including the K850 and Z320 Cybershot phones, the W910 and W960 Walkman phones, and the K530 and Z250 handsets.The K850 Cybershot phone is a tri-band HSDPA and quad-band GPRS/EDGE clamshell phone with a 5-megapixel camera with auto focus and Xenon flash. The phone features a 2.2-inch display with an auto rotate function that automatically adjusts photos on the display to the orientation of the phone. The phone has a new media browser, which allows access to photos, video, music or podcasts from one location, according to Sony Ericsson. The K850 will be available in selected markets from early in the fourth quarter of 2007 and will come in either blue or green.The new Sony Ericsson Z320 is a GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900 and 850/1800/1900 clamshell phone with a 1.3-megapixel camera. The phone has a 1.8-inch 65k color main display and can store up to 100 pictures, according to the company. The handset will be available in selected markets from the third quarter of 2007 in red or blue.Sony Ericsson's W910 is an HSDPA Walkman phone with a 2.6-inch display and 3.2-megapixel camera. The phone features Sony Ericsson's new Media Manager for access to content on the phone and will feature the latest version of the PlayNow mobile download service (PlayNow 4.0), which allows users to download games and music. The phone comes with a 1GB Memory Stick Micro card. The Sony Ericsson W910 Walkman phone will be available in either red or black from the fourth quarter of 2007. The phone will ship in various network versions with the W908c shipping as GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, while the W910 will have UMTS/HSDPA 2100-GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 connectivity.The Sony Ericsson W960 Walkman phone is a UMTS 2100-GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900 phone, which has a 2.6-inch touchscreen. The phone supports up to 8GB of memory and a stereo portable handsfree unit and a Stereo Bluetooth headset will be included with the phone. The W960 will be available in black from the fourth quarter of 2007.Sony Ericsson' K530 is a UMTS 2100 and GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900 phone that is 14mm thick and has 16MB of built-in memory with support for Memory Stick Micro cards. The 3G phone features a 2-megapixel camera, FM radio, media player and a full Web browser, according to Sony Ericsson. The phone is compatible with the company's new GPS Enabler HGE-100, which also was announced with the phone. The GPS Enabler plugs into the phone to turn it into personal satellite navigation system. The K530 is available in silver in selected markets from the third quarter of 2007.The HGE-100 GPS Enabler plugs in to compatible phones and is a personal GPS navigator that is built-in to a stereo portable handsfree unit, which allows users to control calls and music on the device or switch to GPS mode when needed. Users can choose between voice or text commands, with the device having a graphical, icon-based display. The GPS Enabler HGE-100 will be available in selected markets from the third quarter of 2007.Sony Ericsson also announced its Z250 clamshell phone, which is 19mm thick and comes with a 0.3-megapixel camera. The Sony Ericsson Z250 will be in shops worldwide from the third quarter of 2007 in the following versions: Z250i and Z258c (GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900); Z250a (GSM/GPRS 850/1800/1900).The Sony Ericsson K850 Cybershot handsetPhoto: CompanyThe Sony Ericsson Z320 Cybershot phonePhoto: CompanyThe Sony Ericsson W910 Walkman phonePhoto: CompanyThe Sony Ericsson W960 Walkman phonePhoto: CompanyThe Sony Ericsson K530 handsetPhoto: CompanyThe Sony Ericsson Z250 handsetPhoto: Company

Axion has begun shipping the AXN-9701 widescreen LCD digital photo frame to channel distributors and retailers in the US.The new frame has a resolution of 480×234 pixels and brightness control for optimal viewing in any lighting condition. The internal memory on the AXN-9701 can store up to 15 images for viewing without a memory card, according to the company. The frame can display up to 2GB of photos from the memory card and supports flash drives with a direct USB connection.An auto-sort feature provides an automatic thumbnail view of all the images on a memory card regardless of their location (from all folders), while a thin credit card style remote allows users to control a slide show, single image viewing and other key features from up to 25 feet away, highlighted the company. Axion AXN-9701 digital photo frame features Item Description Screen size 7-inch Panel technology TFT LCD Resolution 480×234 Built-in memory Up to 15 pictures Memory card support SD, CF, MMC, xD, Sony Memory Stick Brightness Adjustable Music format MP3 Others Image auto-sort & thumbnail image generator Price US$89.99 Source: Company, compiled by Digitimes, June 2007Axion AXN-9701 7-inch digital photo framePhoto: Company

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