Asustek Computer on November 20 launched four gaming notebooks in the Taiwan market amid expectations of rising demand for high-performance notebooks in line with the upcoming Microsoft Windows Vista OS (operating system), according to company and market sources.All of the four models – the G1, G2, A8Js and F3Jc – are powered by Intel Core 2 Duo processors, with the G1 and G2 available between NT$58,900-88,900 (US$1,790-2,702) and the A8Js and F3Jc available between NT$42,800-52,800, said sources at Asustek.With shipments of gaming notebooks currently accounting for 30% of its total notebook shipments, the company stated that the advantage it enjoys in the manufacturing of motherboards and graphics cards allows Asustek to bring the new models to the gaming market in a fast manner, the sources stated. Dell's recently introduced a 12-1-inch XPS-series gaming notebook, powered by Intel's Core 2 Duo T5600 CPU, which carries a suggested retail price of NT$37,900 and has received positive response from the Taiwan market, according to market sources. Another model from Dell, powered by an Intel 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo T7200 CPU, is available for NT$43,000, indicates Dell's aggressive marketing to expand its share in the local gaming notebook segment, the sources said.Asustek's G1 and G2 gaming notebooksPhoto: Company

Sony Electronics on November 17 introduced an optical high-definition (HD) recorder to capture and store HD video of medical procedures in 1,440×1,080i resolution. The device can record and store up to two hours on a 23GB PFD-23 XDCAM disc, which is sealed to help prevent scratches and preserve data with minimal degradation for more than 50 years, based on Sony's accelerated testing.The PDW-70MD XDCAM HD recorder integrates a 3.5-inch color LCD screen that allows users to view thumbnail-sized stills of footage accessible through RAM. This enables users to quickly identify points of interest without manually winding through hours of footage."Sony's HD products are helping to improve all levels of medical visualization," said George Santanello, Sony Electronics' director of marketing for medical products. "With the advent of surgical HD camera systems, the recorder will prove to be a tool offering the bandwidth and storage capacity required for recording HD content, Santanello said.The recorder has a compact design and can be positioned horizontally or vertically to improve integration within existing digital operating rooms.The PDW-70MD recorder is available through Sony resellers at a suggested list price of US$14,995.Sony's new HD recorder for medical usePhoto: Company

Thecus Technology has added to its YES Box series a media server edition, the N2100BM, featuring embedded media server technology from Mediabolic, which makes music, photo, and video files available over a network for streamed playback on connected entertainment products. The Mediabolic software resides on the N2100BM and aggregates personal media so that it was can be accessed by a variety of players, such as network TVs, IP set-top boxes (STBs), and digital media adapters. This software is DLNA Certified, which means that increased interoperability with other DLNA certified devices. The embedded media server software aggregates content from multiple sources on the network into a single, unified directory, and enables advanced digital rights management, an auto setup wizard, and auto-generating video thumbnails. Under the hood, the YES Box N2100BM features an Intel 80219 Processor and two internal 3.5-inch bays that accommodate two SATA hard disks for up to 1.5 terabytes (1500GB) of storage. The YES Box N2100BM also offers users several disk storage options, including RAID 0, RAID 1, and JBOD. With advanced power saving management, the YES Box N2100BM consumes 30% less power compared to a similarly configured PC, but comes fully equipped with dual Gigabit Ethernet ports and three high-speed USB 2.0 ports for quick file transfers. The YES Box N2100BM can be used as an FTP server to allow friends or customers to access digital assets, or configure it as an iTunes server to make music accessible by networked PCs with iTunes installed. The YES Box N2100BM comes equipped with the YES Community Photo Web Server, turning it into a fully-fledged photo bank. "Ensuring superior usability and interoperability are some of the principles we have when designing a new product. Our new N2100BM accomplishes these goals by integrating Mediabolic's media server software," says Edwin Lin, Thecus CEO. "Meeting both UPnP specifications and DLNA Certification, the N2100BM makes digital media easily accessible over virtually any network. We are thrilled to have developed the N2100BM with Mediabolic technology, and are looking forward to further collaboration between our two companies in the future."The Thecus N2100BMPhoto: Company

Toshiba today announced the launch of its second-generation HD DVD players in the Japanese market. The company will roll out two new players, the HD-XF2 and HD-XA2, from late December.The new HD DVD players are smaller and offer improved speed in loading and response times over the HD-XA1, which Toshiba introduced to the market in March 2006. The new high-end HD-XA2 supports Deep Color technology, an optional standard under HDMI that improves representation of color tones and achieves finer color gradation.At 65.5mm, HD-XF2 achieves the industry lowest height of any next generation digital high-definition player (as of November 15, 2006), according to Toshiba.Through the HDMI interface, high-definition pictures stored on a disc can be displayed digitally in HD, on digital TVs and displays that incorporate HDCP capable HDMI input. Through the HDMI interface, standard definition DVDs can be up-converted to an output resolution of 720p or 1080i (1080p for HD-XA2), to complement the performance of a HDTV. HD-XA2 integrates a 1080p compatible up-scaler and a high performance IP converter that supports Deep Color technology to achieve finer color gradation.In addition to prerecorded DVD software, the new players support playback of DVD-R and DVD-RW discs. The players are also compatible with music CDs and can play back CD-R and CD-RW discs, according to Toshiba.Both players offer advanced navigation and interactive features unique to the HD DVD format. A Picture in Picture (PIP) function include the ability to play supplementary video over the main program, allowing viewers to watch bonus content, The players' "pop-up menu" displays movie chapters with thumbnails while the movie plays, and allows users to navigate menu features without pausing playback. HD-XF2 and HD-XA2 support AACS (Advanced Access Content System), the next generation content protection system.The new HD DVD players comply with the European Union's RoHS directive, which came into force in July 2006.Toshiba's HD-XF2 HD DVD playerPhoto: CompanyToshiba's HD-XA2 HD DVD playerPhoto: Company

LG Electronics recently introduced two new PDP (plasma display panel) TVs and two LCD TVs in the Taiwan market, according to LG Electronics Taiwan Taipei (LGETT).The new 55-inch PDP TV (50PC1D) has a resolution of 1,366×768, a brightness of 1,000cd/m2 and a contrast ratio of 10,000:1 while its 42-inch PDP TV (42PC1D) features a resolution of 1,024×768, a brightness of 1,000:1cd/m2 and a contrast ratio of 10,000:1, according to the company.The company is offering 50-inch and 42-inch PDP TVs at NT$129,000 (US$3,938) and NT$79,900, respectively, LGE added. LGE also introduced 42- (42LC2D) and 37-inch (LG 37LC2D) LCD TVs in the Taiwan market. Featuring a resolution of 1,366×768, a contrast ratio of 1,600:1, a brightness of 500 cd/m2 and a viewing angle of 178 degrees, the 42- and 37-inch LCD TVs are priced at NT$89,900 and NT$69,900, respectively, said the company. The existing flat panel TV lineup from LGE in Taiwan include 32-, 37- and 42-inch LCD TVs and 42- and 50-inch PDP TVs.LGE offers a new 42-inch LCD TV (42LC2D) in TaiwanPhoto: Company LGE's new 50-inch PDP TV (50PC1D)Photo: Company

Albatron Technology announced its latest performance cards, the 8800GTX and 8800GTS, featuring support for the DirectX 10 standard that promises a faster, more exciting gaming experience for the market, according to the company.The 8800GTX features the Nvidia GeForce 8800GTX GPU (graphics processing unit) while the 8800GTS has the Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS GPU. In short, the 8800GTX GPU has more horsepower than the 8800GTS, according to Albatron.The 8800GTX will also bear a longer footprint than the 8800GTS at 280mm versus 241.9mm. The 8800GTX is expected to run several hundred dollars (USD) more than the 8800GTS, said the company.Both of these cards use PCI-Express, SLI compliant and include Nvidia's PureVideo technology and support HDR (High Dynamic Range lighting). These cards also support High Definition H2.64, MPEG-2, WMV hardware acceleration and High-Quality Scaling. They will support dual-link DVI ports supporting two displays with resolutions up to 2560×1600, according to Albatron.Aside from the driver CD and install guide, both of these cards will also come with an HDTV cable (S-video and composite out), S-Video 4-pin Cable, AV cable and DVI adapter. Albatron’s new graphics cards Item 8800 GTX 8800 GTS Stream Processors 128 96 Core clock 575MHz 500MHz Shader clock 1350MHz 1200MHz Memory clock 900MHz 800MHz Memory amount 768 (DDRIII) 640 (DDRIII) Memory interface 384-bit 320-bit Memory bandwidth 86.4 64 Texture fill rate 36.8 24 Source: Company, compiled by DigiTimes.com, November 2006Albatron's 8800GTX and 8800GTS graphics cardsPhoto: Company

Biostar Microtech International has announced two new high-end solutions for PCI-Express x16 systems with SLI function, the Sigma Gate VP8803GX73 and Sigma Gate VP8803GS63.The VP8803GX73, with 768MB of onboard memory, and the VP8803GS63, with 640MB of onboard memory, represent the next generation of cards supporting DirectX 10, according to the company.The VP8803GX73 and VP8803GS63 feature Nvidia's SLI-Ready GeForce 8800 graphics processing units (GPUs). The world's first DirectX 10 GPUs feature a powerful unified architecture that delivers an incredibly true-to-life gaming experience, according to Biostar. Specifications Item VP8803GX73 VP8803GS63 GPU 8800GTX 8800GS Engine clock 575MHz 500MHz Memory type DDR3 DDR3 Memory size 768MB 640MB Memory clock 1800MHz 1600MHz Memory interface 384bit 320bit Interface PCIe PCIe Dual RAMDACs 400MHz 400MHz DVI Dual Dual HDTV Yes Yes HDCP Yes Yes SLI Yes Yes Source: Company, Compiled by DigiTimes.com, November 2006 VP8803GX73 and VP8803GS63 Features Nvidia unified architecture GigaThread technology DirectX 10 support Nvidia SLI technology Nvidia Lumenex engine:16x Anti-aliasing, 128-bit floating point High Dynamic-Range (HDR) Nvidia Quantum Effects technology Nvidia ForceWare Unified Driver Architecture (UDA) OpenGL 2.0 optimizations and support Nvidia nView multi-display technology Dual dual-link DVI support Built for Microsoft Windows Vista Nvidia PureVideo technology Source: Company, compiled by DigiTimes.com, November 2006Biostar's VP8803GS63-640MB and VP8803GX73-768MB graphics cardsPhoto: Company

Apple Computer unveiled its new line of MacBook consumer notebooks that now include Intel Core 2 Duo processors. Just one-inch thin, the new MacBooks are up to 25% faster than the previous generation and feature a built-in iSight video camera for on-the-go video conferencing and Apple's MagSafe Power Adapter that safely disconnects when under strain, according to Apple.The new MacBook lineup includes three models: sleek white 1.83 GHz and 2.0 GHz MacBook models, and a black 2.0 GHz MacBook model. With Intel's latest Core 2 Duo processors, the new MacBook is up to 25% faster than the previous MacBook and up to six times faster than the iBook, said Apple. Consumers will also benefit from the added power in the new 2.0 GHz models, including double the memory and greater storage capacity than the previous generation, as well as a double-layer SuperDrive for burning professional-quality DVDs.The new MacBook features a 13-inch glossy widescreen display and at just one inches thin, includes a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing or chatting with friends or family using iChat AV, according to Apple.The MacBook includes Apple's MagSafe Power Adapter that magnetically connects the power cord to the MacBook and safely disconnects under strain, preventing the notebook from falling off its work surface. Apple now also offers a new MagSafe Airline Adapter that makes using a MacBook on an airplane even more convenient by connecting to in-seat power ports for continued productivity throughout the duration of a flight, said Apple. The MacBook also includes Apple's Sudden Motion Sensor, designed to protect the hard drive in case of a fall, and a simple and intuitive Scrolling TrackPad for scrolling through long web pages or panning across large photographs.The MacBook comes with iLife '06, the next generation of Apple's suite of digital lifestyle applications featuring iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, GarageBand and iWeb. The MacBook also comes with the latest release of the Mac OS X version 10.4.8 Tiger, including Safari, Mail, iCal, iChat AV, Front Row and Photo Booth, running natively on the Intel-based notebook. The new MacBook is available immediately through the Apple Store (www.apple.com ), Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter is available for a suggested retail price of US$59 (US). New Apple MacBook specifications Item 1.83 GHz, 13-inch white 2.0 GHz, 13-inch white 2.0 GHz, 13-inch black Screen 13.3-inch glossy widescreen 1280×800 display with 250 cd/m2 brightness Processor 1.83 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor Front-side bus 667 MHz 667 MHz 667 MHz Memory 512MB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 2GB 1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 2GB 1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 2GB Hard drive 60GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor 80GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor 120GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor Optical drive Slot-load Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) optical drive Slot-load 6x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive Slot-load 6x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive Graphics Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 Video Mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately) Webcam Built-in iSight video camera Ethernet Gigabit Ethernet port Connectivity Built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR Ports Two USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire 400 port Audio One audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog Misc Scrolling TrackPad, infrared Apple Remote, 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter Suggested retail price (US$) 1,099 1,299 1,499 Source: Apple, compiled by DigiTimes.com, November 2006Apple's white Core 2 Duo MacBookSource: Company

Epson on November 2 debuted its PictureMate (PM) 210 and 250 photo printers, featuring direct printing from handsets and game consoles, in the Taiwan market at recommended retail prices of NT$6,990 (US$211) and NT$7,990, respectively.According to market surveys by Epson, the global demand for 4"×6" photo printers will increase from 11.3 million units this year to 14 million next year, said general manager Victor Chen for Imaging & Information Solution Business Group of Epson Taiwan. For the Taiwan market alone, International Data Corporation (IDC) estimates the demand for 4"x6" photo printers will grow from 11,300 units in 2006 to 13,800 in 2007, Chen indicated. But Epson is more optimistic, projecting the Taiwan demand to be 14,000 units for this year and 27,600 units for next year mainly because the IDC forecast is based on photo printing from digital cameras mainly but demand from printing from phone cameras and digital TVs is growing, Chen pointed out. The demand for direct printing from phone cameras is expected to grow especially fast since the mainstream camera resolution is shifting from 1.3 megapixels to 2-3 megapixels which is suitable for color photo printing, Chen added. Epson PictureMate 210/250: Main specifications Specification PictureMate 210 PictureMate 250 Resolution 5,760 x 720 optimized dpi with Variable-sized Droplet technology Screen 2-inch color LCD 2.5-inch color LCD Printing speed 53 seconds for a full-color 4"x6" photo 42 seconds for a full-color 4"x6" photo Printing format USB direct printing, PictBridge Dimension (W×H×D, mm) 215×262×339 Weight (including inkjet cartridge) 2.5kg Source: Epson Taiwan, compiled by DigiTimes.com, November 2006 Epson recently launched its PictureMate 210 and 250 portable photo printers in TaiwanPhoto: Epson Taiwan

GeCube recently announced its RX1650XT graphics card series, which utilizes the ATI RV560 80nm chip. The series supports Native CrossFire Technology and has built in 256MB GDDR3 high-speed memory, according to the company. The use of the 80nm chip and an increased efficiency in cooling has increased performance-per-watt to 15%, which represents a 10% improvement in comparison to its predecessor that used a 90nm chip, according to GeCube. Moreover, the Native CrossFire Ready platform is supported, and only two sets of bridge jumpers are required to connect two graphic cards together, noted the company, adding that the RX1650XT can also support resolutions to as high as 2560×2048.The 1650XT product series not only supports Shader Model 3.0, but also has a 24-pixel pipeline, said GeCube. For HDTV digital output support, the Dual DVI (2 Dual Link) feature makes it far more efficient than products of the same level, and it also supports Windows Vista so you can upgrade your system in no time.GeCube's RX1650XT graphics cardPhoto: Company