Corsair recently unveiled its Flash Survivor super rugged line of USB 2.0 flash drives.Flash Survivor drives are water-resistant, encased in a CNC- (computer numerical control-) milled aluminum casing and shockproof to safely store information and files in the most demanding environments, according to the company. The drives come in two versions: the Flash Survivor GT 8GB and Flash Survivor 4GB.Sealed with an EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) waterproof seal, Flash Survivor drives are designed to provide 200 meters of water resistant durability. Additional protection from shock and vibration is provided through a rubber molded collar shielding.Each Flash Survivor drive delivers sustained read/write performance up to 34MB/sec and 28MB/sec, respectively, according to Corsair. Engineered with highly screened NAND flash and an advanced memory controller, the new Flash Survivor drives features enhanced dual channel and interleave memory technologies, resulting in fast file transfers, noted Corsair.The Flash Survivor family of USB drives is pre-loaded with a security application that allows users to create a hidden, password-protected partition on the drive. The password is encrypted with 256-bit AES encryption, one of the most secure encryption algorithms currently available, stated Corsair.The Corsair Flash Survivor GT 8GB and Flash Survivor 4GB are available immediately at a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of US$129.99 and US$59.99, respectively.The Corsair Flash Survivor 4GB USB 2.0 flash drivePhoto: Company
OCZ Technology announced its VBoost USB 2.0 flash drives, which are optimized for Windows Vista ReadyBoost. Vista ReadyBoost enables the OCZ VBoost to double as supplemental cache memory for faster retrieval and storage of system data and applications. By providing an instant supply of additional memory, this drive is a cost-effective alternative to expensive RAM upgrades, according to OCZ.As Microsoft's next generation operating system, Vista has many new features. As consumers make the switch to Vista, it is beneficial for users to expand on compatible accessories and take full advantage of what Vista has to offer. Here the VBoost prevails, not only by acting as a high-capacity storage device, but by supporting ReadyBoost to impact application loading and closing time.Unlike flash drives with easy-to-lose caps, the VBoost features a retractable USB key that is unsheathed from its housing with the click of a switch. Typical removable caps may get lost and leave the connector plug exposed to possible damage, but the VBoost design eliminates the possibility of losing the cap along with providing protection. Like all OCZ flash drives, portability and size is a defining factor; users are able to operate adjacent USB ports without needing to unplug other peripherals, noted the company.The VBoost flash drive is available in 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB capacities to truly personalize the size needed for maximum ReadyBoost execution and desired increase in system responsiveness. Although OCZ offers a full line of upgrade memory modules for Vista desktops, the VBoost flash drive family is an effective stand-in and is backed by a three year warranty.The OCZ VBoost USB 2.0 flash drivePhoto: Company
Wistron said its after-tax profits declined 14.7% on year to NT$1.1 billion (US$33 million) in the first quarter of 2007, making it the only one of the four first-tier notebook makers to experience a setback in profitability in the quarter. The three other first-tier makers – Quanta Computer, Compal Electronics and Inventec – saw their after-tax earnings grow in a range between 18-62.5% in the January-March quarter, according to data from the companies. The weak earnings might reflect Wistron's declined notebook shipments in the first quarter, said market sources, who estimated that Wistron shipped about two million notebooks, down 10% from a year earlier. However, Wistron's first-quarter net EPS (earnings per share) of NT$0.87 were higher than Compal's NT$0.69 and Inventec's NT$0.71, although they were lower than Quanta's NT$1.02, according to data from the companies.
OCZ Technology has announced two new additions to the Reaper HPC family. The two new kits will be available in two classifications depending on the platform at hand and desired performance levels. While both feature DDR2-800 speeds, the PC2-6400 Reaper Enhanced Bandwidth Edition is designed for optimal performance on Nvidia nForce 680i chipsets.As one of OCZ's Enhanced Bandwidth (EB) editions, the PC2-6400 Reaper EB increases effective memory bandwidth through the optimization of memory latencies between the system memory, the chipset, and memory controller, says the company. At 800MHz, the Reaper EB edition is rated for 4-3-3 timings on 680i platforms, while the standard PC2-6400 Reaper is rated to run CL4-4-4.These unique DDR2-800 modules feature the Reaper HPC (Heat Pipe Conduit) heatspreader which is engineered to deliver silent heat dissipation. The Reaper HPC is an innovative cooling solution developed by OCZ to effectively minimize heat produced by high-speed memory. As heat rises into the thermo-conductive copper heat pipe conduit, it is dissipated through a compact aluminum fin array. By strategically guiding performance-robbing heat away from key memory components, the unique Reaper HPC design maximizes passive cooling to improve longevity and stability of the modules, according to OCZ.An OCZ Reaper HPC memory modulePhoto: Company
Kingston Technology has announced a new Photo Loader Card: a 1GB Secure Digital (SD) flash memory card with software that allows for automatic transfer of photos from ones PC to Shutterfly, the Internet-based social expression and personal publishing service.Once digital photos are taken and the SD card is placed into a PC card reader, the Photo Loader software automatically downloads the photos from the card to PC, and then uploads them to a personal Shutterfly account. Consumers who purchase the card also get 25 free 4×6-inch prints from Shutterfly, Kingston noted."The Photo Loader Card is the latest example of our company's commitment in the digital photography arena," said Jaja Lin, flash marketing manager at Kingston. "We believe this all-in-one solution on a Kingston card is a win-win for consumers." The Photo Loader Card (Kingston Part number SD/1GB-SMP) has an MSRP of US$12.99 and is available only through Amazon.com. The Photo Loader software was developed by MacroPort, a provider of mobile technology and content services. The Kingston Photo Loader Card is compatible with Windows XP Service Pack 1 and above and Internet Explorer 5.0 and above, and carries a lifetime warranty along with Kingston's 24/7 technical support. Kingston Photo Loader Card Photo: Business Wire
Mio Technology, the own-brand product division of Mitac International, on April 25 launched two in-car GPS devices, the C720t and C520, in Taiwan, with both models featuring a 4.3-inch LED display and built-in 3D maps.The C720t carries a suggested retail price of NT$15,800 (US$476), while the C520 is priced at NT$11,800, according to sources in the channel.Additionally, Mitac also expects its shipments of GPS devices worldwide to double in the second quarter from over one million shipped in the first quarter, buoyed partly by the launch of the 4.3-inch models, according to Mio president Samuel Wang.Overall, Mitac's shipments of GPS products, including Mio-branded models, are expected to total eight million units in 2007, accounting for a 32% share of the global GPS market, Wang noted.Mio has also established cooperation agreements with the top-four automakers in China to develop the in-car GPS market, and the company has already received orders for 66,000 GPS devices from the makers, said Wang, noting that China shipments will account for 6% to its own-brand shipments in 2007.Mio C520 in-car GPS devicePhoto: Company
Sony recently announced three AVCHD high-definition (HD) camcorders, the HDR-CX7, HDR-SR7 and HDR-SR5.According to Sony, its new Handycam HDR-CX7 model is the world's smallest and lightest AVCHD high-definition camcorder and can record nearly three hours of full HD 1080 video on an 8GB Memory Stick Pro Duo media card (LP mode). The HDR-CX7 weighs just 15-ounces with the supplied battery, noted Sony.Sony's new HDR-SR7 AVCHD high-definition camcorder can record more than 22 hours of full HD 1080 video on its built-in 60GB hard disk drive, while the HDR-SR5 model's 40GB hard drive can hold more than 15 hours of footage (LP modes). In addition to long recording times, these two models offer compactness and Sony's HDD Smart Protection system to safeguard against data loss as well as easy connection to PCs via USB, noted Sony.The new camcorders debut enhanced functions for easy browsing and searching on their high-resolution, 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus screens. Users can swiftly find scenes via the new film roll button to view footage as a film roll index, which displays multiple scenes as thumbnails within a single movie file. Sony also integrated new face index technology so users can also access specific scenes by familiar faces.For more advanced searching on a compatible PC, users can use the camcorders' bundled Picture Motion Browser software to access the highlight index. It incorporates a search engine for voices and colors as well as faces so people can quickly get to the scenes they want to watch. All three models incorporate Sony's ClearVid CMOS sensor technology.The HDR-CX7 and HDR-SR7 models utilize Sony's 3-megapixel sensor for full HD 1080 video and 6-megapixel digital still photos. They are also equipped with Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization to produce smooth video results, as well as virtually blur-free photos. The HDR-SR5 model integrates a 2-megapixel sensor for full HD 1080 video and produces a 4-megapixel photo.Additionally, all models benefit from Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T optics for increased contrast and true-to-life color saturation.The new models support the AVCHD camcorder recording format based on the MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 codec for video compression and Dolby digital audio. In addition to high-quality video, the camcorders have built-in Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround sound recording.The models' supplied Handycam Stations include a One Touch Disc Burn button for easy DVD creation using a PC and the bundled software. These stations now feature HD component output for instant connection to a compatible HDTV set when the camcorders are cradled.High-definition content recorded on standard DVDs can be played back on compatible Blu-ray Disc devices, PlayStation 3 (PS3) and standard DVD drives on compatible PCs with the models' bundled software. The next-generation Sony DVDirect recorder will also be compatible with these camcorders for HD video transfer to standard, 5.25-inch DVDs. The HDR-CX7 unit's Memory Stick PRO Duo or Memory Stick PRO HG media cards, featuring high data transfer rates, can also be played back directly on compatible PCs and PS3 by a system software update scheduled in the summer of 2007.The HDR-SR5, HDR-CX7 and HDR-SR7 camcorders will ship in June for about US$1,100, US$1,200 and US$1,400, respectively, with an array of optional accessories. All will be available at Sony's online store, in Sony Style retail stores, and at authorized dealers throughout the US.The Sony HDR-CX7 HD camcorderPhoto: Company
VIA Technologies and Everex jointly unveiled the notebook, which features a VIA C7-M processor and will be available through US retailers.The new StepNote NC1501 comes with a Windows Vista Home Basic operating system, a 15.4-inch widescreen display with DiamondBrite technology, a built-in wireless LAN and DVD burner. The notebook is powered by a 1.5GHz VIA C7-M processor, which is designed to provide ultra-low power consumption, advanced security features at a mere 12W peak power.The StepNote NC1501 is expected to aid users in reducing their overall electricity usage while lowering the total cost of ownership. According to the two companies, utilization of VIA Enhanced PowerSaver and TwinTurbo technology allow the notebook to dynamically transition between intermediate power states, providing users with 20% longer battery life than comparable systems.The notebook is available in Wal-Mart stores throughout the US and online through BestBuy.com and WalMart.com at a price of US$499. Everex StepNote NC1501 specifications Item Detail Processor 1.5GHz VIA C7-M processor Operating system: Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic Graphics: VIA Chrome9 HC IGP Memory: 512MB DDR2 533MHz SDRAM Sources: Everex, VIA, compiled by Digitimes, April 2007Everex StepNote NC1501 notebookPhoto: Everex
SiS has announced that its SiS671FX chipset is to be used in the new Fujitsu T671ME-FJ motherboard which recently entered mass production.In order to match the features of Windows Vista, the SiS671FX chipset is designed to meet all the requirements so that the system will be more secure, reliable, and easy to use, SiS claimed. This is one of the most critical advantages of the SiS671FX chipset, and is why Fujitsu has adopted it for its T671ME-FJ motherboard, according to SiS.The Fujitsu T671ME-FJ supports Intel Core 2 Duo, Celeron D, and Pentium 4 processors as well as DDR2 667 memory. For graphics, the SiS671FX chipset delivers the integrated Mirage 3 graphics engine in addition to one PCI Express x16 slot to allow for upgrades.The T671ME-FJ adopts the SiS968 southbridge which adds one PCI Express x1 slot, Serial ATA, and six USB 2.0 ports. Additionally, the T671ME-FJ features 6-Channel Audio and Gigabit Ethernet. Fujitsu T671ME-FJ motherboard specifications Item Detail CPU Intel Core 2 Duo, Celeron D, Pentium 4 Memory DDR2 667 VGA Mirage 3 graphics engine One PCI Express x16 slot Southbridge SiS968 chipset Source: SiS, compiled by Digitimes, April 2007Fujitsu T671ME-FJPhoto: Fujitsu, SiS
OCZ Technology Group announced its new StealthXStream 600W power supply designed for the value-minded consumer seeking simple, quiet performance.The StealthXStream is kept cool with a 120mm fan and features a standard ATX power supply form factor resulting in a compact footprint to accommodate virtually all computer towers. With a sustained output of 600W and four +12V rails to provide uniform distribution of power, the StealthXStream is well-suited for and driving today's higher end systems. The StealthXStream is built to provide sufficient output to power dual GPU and CPU platforms, complete with two PCI-Express cables and a 4/8 CPU auxiliary connector which are wrapped in a flexible mesh promoting a tidy environment inside the case, according to OCZ.The OCZ StealthXStream 600W power supplyPhoto: Company
