Seagate Technology on March 12 announced the worldwide distribution channel availability of its 7200-rpm notebook PC hard drive, which combines capacity-boosting perpendicular recording technology with free-fall protection.The Momentus 7200.2 delivers up to 160GB of capacity using perpendicular recording technology and combines Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s interface with a 7200-rpm spin speed. The hard drive is also offered with an optional free-fall sensor to help prevent drive damage and data loss upon impact if a notebook PC is dropped, according to Seagate. The sensor works by detecting any changes in acceleration equal to the force of gravity, then parking the head off the disc to prevent contact with the platter in a free fall of as little as eight inches. Momentus 7200.2, Seagate's second-generation 7200-rpm notebook drive, is designed for a wide range of systems including mainstream notebook PCs, workstations, RAID enclosures, and small form factor desktop PCs, according to the company. The 2.5-inch drive is available in 80GB, 100GB, 120GB and 160GB capacities. Seagate's Momentus series hard drives are built to withstand up to 900Gs of non-operating shock and 350Gs of operating shock to protect drive data, making them ideal for systems that are subject to rough handling or high levels of vibration, stated Seagate. The hard drives are also lean on power consumption, allowing notebook users to work longer between battery charges, and are very quiet due to Seagate's innovative SoftSonic fluid-dynamic bearing motors and QuietStep ramp load technology, claimed the company.Seagate's Momentus 7200.2 160GB 2.5-inch hard drivePhoto: Company

Anydata on March 12 announced the release of its AWR-600WK Wi-Fi router with broadband WCDMA/HSDPA network access.The AWR-600WK router offers a secure Wi-Fi local network with data exchange rates of 54Mbps using the WLAN 802.11 b/g standard. The AWR-600WK router takes advantage of mobility and broadband 3G speeds of the 90+ HSDPA networks commercially available by GSM carriers worldwide, said Anydata.The AWR-600WK features 3G HSDPA Release 5 with data rates of up to 7.2Mbps download, backward compatibility with WCDMA, four RJ-45 ports and a built-in DHCP server that can support up to 253 users. The router also has a Web-based configuration wizard that allows administration, firmware upgrades and diagnostics, and advanced Wi-Fi and Ethernet security features, according to the company.For wireless security, the AWR-600WK features 64bit or 128bit WEP encryption as well as WPA-PSK authentication. LAN security features include a firewall, IP filtering, DMZ, NAT with DHCP, Denial of Service, and MAC clone. It also supports VPN pass through virtual server.The AWR-600WK has dimensions of 155×28×120mm. For maximum performance, it features two antennas – one for the local Wi-Fi network and one for the WCDMA network.The Anydata AWR-600WK Wi-Fi routerPhoto: Company

Intel has announced its entry into solid state drives with the Intel Z-U130 Value Solid-State Drive featuring NAND flash memory with industry standard USB interfaces. With advantages over hard disk drive (HDD) or removable USB storage devices, Intel's Solid State Drives deliver faster boot times, embedded code storage, rapid data access and low-power storage alternatives for value PCs, routers, servers, gaming and industrial applications, said the company.The Intel Z-U130 Value Solid State Drive is the company's first solution in the Intel Value Solid State Drive family that will offer different industry standard interfaces and densities. The product comes in 1GB, 2GB, 4GB and 8GB densities. With reads of 28MB per second and write speeds of 20 MB per second, this higher performing solid state drive is a faster storage alternative for common PC or embedded application operations such as locating boot code, operating systems and commonly accessed libraries, according to Intel.The drives will also be used in a variety of Intel-based computing platforms, such as servers, emerging market notebooks and low-cost, fully featured PCs. In addition, it will be used in Intel embedded solutions for routers and point of sale terminals, said Intel.Intel's Z-U130 Value Solid State Drive will be distinguished from other solid state product offerings by its extensive validation, including more than 1,000 hours of accelerated reliability testing, and is expected to meet an average mean time between failure (MTBF) specification of five million hours. The product can be integrated into original design manufacturers' (ODM) designs because of its USB 2.0 and 1.1 compliant interfaces, 2x5 USB connector and standard single-level cell NAND in thin small outline package (TSOP) devices. The company is also considering next-generation products that could incorporate cost-effective multi-level cell (MLC) technology.Intel Value Solid State Drive (front)Photo: CompanyIntel Value Solid State Drive (back)Photo: Company

Further expanding its quad-core processor family lineup, Intel has announced two energy-efficient 50-watt server processors that represent a decrease ranging from 35% to nearly 60% in power from Intel's existing 80- and 120-watt quad-core server products.These new processors, requiring just 12.5 watts of power for each of the four cores, deliver similar performance yet set a new standard in energy efficiency, said Intel, which has introduced 11 server, workstation and desktop PC quad-core processors since November 2006.The two low-voltage processors, the Intel Xeon processor L5320 and L5310, operate at 1.86GHz and 1.60GHz respectively, feature a unique 8MB of on die cache for faster memory data communication and run on dedicated 1066MHz front side buses. In 1,000 unit quantities the L5320 is priced at US$519 and the L5310 at US$455.These processors can be coupled with Intel's existing "Bensley" server platform and have been designed to be "drop-in" compatible with the existing dual-core and quad-core Intel Xeon processor families.Servers based on the new low-power, quad-core processors are designed for dense Internet datacenters, blade servers and industries such as financial services where the scale and density of servers are highly sensitive to power, real estate and cooling costs. The potential for cost savings by replacing aging infrastructure with quad-core Intel Xeon processors and deploying virtualization technology can be as much as US$6,000 per year over the lifetime of each server based on Intel's own evaluations.In addition, these new processors represent a nearly ten-fold improvement in power consumption per core in just one and half years, said Intel.Servers based on these new processors are expected to be available worldwide over the next few months from Acer, Dell, Digital Henge, Fujitsu Siemens, Hewlett Packard (HP), HCL, IBM, Rackable Systems, Samsung Electronics, Verari, Wipro and other companies.Intel Xeon 50-watt quad-core processor Photo: Company

Sony on March 8 introduced its 6-megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-G1 digital camera, the company's first digital camera with the ability to send photos wirelessly to other Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA)-enabled devices, such as another camera or a PC.The G1 model features a 3.5-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 921,000 pixels, four times higher than the average compact digital camera and all previous Sony Cyber-shot models, according to Phil Lubell, director of marketing for digital cameras at Sony Electronics.The new model's camera-to-camera wireless capability makes it possible to send a photo at the push of a button. It's also possible for up to four camera users to send each other photos in real time. With a DLNA-compatible PC, storing and sharing photos becomes simplified through wireless image transfer from the camera to the PC, according to Sony.The G1 comes with 2GB of internal memory and can store up to 7,500 VGA-quality photos or 600 6-megapixel pictures. If additional storage is needed, the camera's capacity can be expanded with an optional Memory Stick Duo media card or Memory Stick PRO Duo card, now available in capacities up to 8GB, said Sony.In addition to storage capacity, the G1 incorporates an auto image management system with search functions. Photos can be searched by events, such as vacations or birthdays, and retrieved later by keywords or labels. It's also possible to select an image and search for other photos with the same face, same color, or a similar composition, noted Sony.Sony's new camera also includes Super Steady Shot optical image stabilization to minimize motion blur, and also has high light sensitivity, up to ISO 1000, to facilitate shooting at higher shutter speeds, as well as low-light conditions for more natural exposures or for settings where flash is not permitted. The camera also features a Carl Zeiss 3x optical zoom lens.The DSC-G1 digital camera will ship in April for about US$600. Additional accessories will include lenses, filters, batteries, travel chargers, sports packs and cases. All can be purchased at Sony's online and retail stores or at authorized dealers.Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-G1 6-megapixel wireless digital cameraPhoto: Company

Info-Tek has released under its own-brand, GeCube, the X1950XT X series series of graphics cards. These ATI Radeon R580+ GPU based cards support PCI Express x16, 512MB of GDDR3 memory, and come equipped with the company's proprietary Turbo Extreme Silent cooling system. The GeCube X1950XT X series offers the checklist of R580+ GPU-based features – 48 pixel pipelines, Shader Model 3.0, Windows Vista Premium certification, and high-definition video including support for HDCP formats such as Blu-ray and HD DVD, to name a few. Added to the mix is GeCube's Turbo Extreme Silent Fan, a copper-based, three heat-pipe cooling system which offers reduced air resistance, improved heat dissipation and lower noise, according to the company. Under load, the proprietary fan design keeps noise-levels under 18db, claimed GeCube, adding that the X1950XT X series is also designed to support overclock through ATI's Overdrive Control Panel utility. GeCube X1950XT X series specifications Item Description Product Name GC-HV195XTG3-E3 GPU ATI Radeon R580+ Core Frequency 628MHz Pixel Shaders 48 Shader Model 3.0 Memory Bus 256-bit Memory Type GDDR3 512MB Interface PCI Express x16 Out-put DVI (Dual Link)/ TV out(HDTV)+ DVI (Dual Link) HDCP+HDMI compatible D-Sub Yes (By Dongle) Cooling GeCube Extreme Silent fan with copper heatsink Source: Info-Tek; compiled by DigiTimes.com, March 2007GeCube X1950XT X series with Turbo Extreme Silent FanPhoto: Company

Nikon on March 6 introduced the successor to its D40 digital SLR camera, the 10.2-megapixel D40x. The D40x maintains the same size, portability and ease-of-use as the D40 and includes faster continuous shooting capability and wider ISO sensitivity, according to Nikon.The D40x powers-up in 0.18 seconds and can shoot up to three pictures per second, non-stop for up to 100 shots, stated Nikon, adding that the D40x's 10.2-effective megapixel CCD imaging sensor is complimented by Nikon's exclusive 3D Color Matrix Metering II and an improved Nikon Image Processing Engine.The D40x has a 2.5-inch color LCD screen that displays everything from menu options, pictures in playback mode and Nikon's new visually-intuitive information display system that presents camera and shooting information in a user-friendly, graphically represented way. The camera also features a built-in help menu that can be accessed at the touch of a button.The D40x includes eight preset modes, including a new Flash Off mode that shuts off the camera's flash and boosts its ISO so users can easily take pictures in places where flash photography is not allowed, inappropriate or when they prefer the look of naturally lit pictures. As users gain experience with the camera, the D40x offers advanced controls such as Aperture-priority and Shutter-priority modes that offer greater creative control over the look and feel of their pictures.The D40x's new Retouch menu offers exclusive in-camera image editing features that allows users to retouch photos without the need for a computer. Included in the Retouch menu is Nikon's D-Lighting, which brightens dark pictures and Red-eye correction that automatically detects and corrects red eye. Image Trim allows for cropping of an image and creates smaller files for easy e-mailing.The D40x comes packaged with the new 3X 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens that allows the versatility to capture everything from candid portraits to wide-angle landscapes. The D40x is also compatible with all of Nikon's AF-S and AF-I Nikkor lenses, including the 18-135mm f/3.5- 5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens and the new 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor lens.For flash photography of subjects at greater distances, the light and ultra-compact SB-400 Speedlight proves to be a perfect companion to the D40x, providing a simple solution for adding more power and bounce flash capability. Keeping with the D40x's remarkable ease of use the, SB-400 Speedlight is as simple as sliding it on, turning it on and shooting.The D40x will be available throughout the United States beginning April 2007 at an estimated selling price of US$729.95 for body only or US$799.95, packaged with the 3X zoom 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens.The Nikon 10.2-megapixel D40x digital SLR cameraPhoto: CompanyThe Nikon 10.2-megapixel D40x digital SLR camera, back viewPhoto: Company

Fujitsu has announced the development of the company's new MHW2 BJ series 7,200-rpm 2.5-inch hard disk drives (HDDs) targeted primarily at high-performance notebook PCs. The drives are based on the SATA 3.0 Gb/s interface and utilize perpendicular magnetic recording technology to reach storage capacities of up to 160GB.In the 2.5-inch HDD drive market, the MHW2 BJ series' spindle speed (7,200-rpm), data transmission speed (up to 300MB/s) and capacity (up to 160GB), put the drives among the top in the industry, and help bring the performance of these notebook PC HDDs on par with those used in some desktops. The series also features acoustic noise levels of 2.5 bels at idle, and power consumption is rated at 2.3 watts or less when reading or writing data, according to Fujitsu. The MHW2 BJ series will be available on a global basis at the end of May, 2007 and Fujitsu has set sales targets of 1.6 million units for 2007.Fujitsu 2.5-inch 7,200 RPM HDDs for high-performance notebooksPhoto: Company

Panasonic announced on March 5 the availability of the Panasonic KX-WP1050 Wi-Fi phone for use with Skype.The KX-WP1050 is one in a series of planned products that are Skype Certified, according to Panasonic. This new device uses Wi-Fi access to allow Skype users to make and receive free Skype-to-Skype calls, make SkypeOut calls to landlines and mobiles worldwide, and receive SkypeIn calls from landlines and mobiles. With the included Wi-Fi base unit, the solution is simple to plug in and use, without using a PC, stated Panasonic.According to Panasonic, the KX-WP1050 frees Skype users from their PCs, allowing Internet calls in the home, office or other open Internet access points. Business travelers, for example, can set up a Wi- Fi hotspot in their hotel room, as long as there is an available broadband Internet connection, noted the company.Panasonic said it has improved the user experience by providing a complete kit, which can be set up and used by virtually anyone. The included travel router takes the complexity out of setting up the Wi-Fi access point, and guarantees a secure wireless connection with automatic 256-bit AES encryption setup (WPA). The AC adapter is compatible with all voltages from 100V to 240V, so it can be used by simply attaching the AC plug (sold separately) for that country.This new model offers the range and security of WPA encrypted Wi-Fi technology, as well as Quality of Service (QoS) to improve voice quality, according to Panasonic. It features easy menu-driven operation, and a handset speakerphone, as well as a built-in headset jack, is 0.62-inches thick and weighs less than four ounces. The 730mAh Lithium-ion battery can provide up to a 55 hours standby time, and 4.5 hours talk time, and can be charged with the included travel router, or from a USB connection on a PC, noted the company.The KX-WP1050 is available through online Internet retailers with a manufacturer's suggested retail price of US$399.The Panasonic KX-WP1050 Wi-Fi phone for use with SkypePhoto: Company

Microsoft announced plans to launch a 512MB memory unit for the Xbox 360 game console and an increase in the official size limit of Xbox LIVE Arcade games from 50MB to 150MB. The company made the announcements on March 5 at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2007, which runs in San Francisco from March 5 to 9.The 512MB memory unit, available worldwide beginning April 3, 2007, will retail for an estimated retail price of US$49.99 in North America, according to Microsoft. The 512MB memory unit will be pre-loaded with the Xbox LIVE Arcade game "Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved" from developer Bizarre Creations for a limited time. The original 64MB memory unit will simultaneously drop in price from an estimated retail price of US$39.99 to US$29.99, according to Microsoft.Beginning today, the Xbox LIVE Arcade game size limit has increased from 50MB to 150MB, giving developers greater flexibility in game design and expanding the opportunity to add advanced game features while still keeping games compact, noted Microsoft.Microsoft's current 64MB memory unit for the Xbox 360. Microsoft recently announced that it will offer a 512MB memory unit to be available on April 3, 2007.Photo: Company