Nikon announced the availability in Taiwan yesterday of two compact digital still cameras (DSCs) which feature WiFi capability. The 8.0-megapixel Coolpix P1 model is priced at about NT$16,990 (US$510) and the suggested price for the 5.1-megpixel Coolpix P2 is NT$14,590 (US$440). In 2005, Nikon is looking to grab 15-20% of the Taiwan DSC market, up from 12% last year, according to its local distributor, Lin Trading. Nikon Coolpix P-series compact DSCs with WiFi connectivity Item Detail Model Coolpix P1 Coolpix P2 Photo Effective pixels 8.0 megapixels 5.1 megapixels (effective), CCD sensor 1/1.8-inch type (8.31 million total pixels) 1/1.8-inch type (5.26 million total pixels) Lens 3.5x optical, 4x digital Screen 2.5-inch 110,000-pixel TFT LCD Memory 32MB internal, SD memory card 16MB internal, SD memory card Interface WiFi (802.11b/g), USB2.0, audio/video output Power Rechargeable lithium-ion battery (for up to 180 shots on a single charge) Rechargeable lithium-ion battery (for up to 190 shots on a single charge) Weight 170g Dimension 91×60×39mm Source: Nikon website, compiled by DigiTimes, October 2005

Micro-Star International (MSI) yesterday introduced the 915GM Speedster-FA4 motherboard for Intel’s Pentium M CPUs, featuring an Intel 915GM-series chipset, dual-channel DDR2 memory and SATA standard. The motherboard maker also debuted its P1-104A2 1U server based on the 915GM Speedster-FA4 motherboard for server use in the small-to-medium size enterprise and SOHO sectors. Measuring only 24.5×24.5cm in dimension, the compact 915GM motherboard can be assembled in desktop PCs or mini-PC systems, according to the company. The P1-104A2 1U server, with dimensions of 432×42.5×355mm, has two built-in Gigabit LANs providing 10/100/1000 Mbps of network connectivity over a single lane on the PCIe bus. MSI 915GM Speedster-FA4 motherboard Item Details Photo CPU 478-pin Intel Pentium M Dothan (up to 2MB L2 cache)/ Celeron M Dothan (up to 1MB L2 cache) Chipset Intel 915GM northbridge, ICH6/ ICH6R southbridge Graphics core Intel Graphic Media Accelerator (GMA) 900 Main memory Two 184-pin 333MHz non-ECC DDR DIMMs or two 240-pin 400/533 MHz non-ECC DDR2 DIMMs (up to 2GB) Slots Two 32-bit/33MHz PCI, PCIe x1, PCIe x16 Onboard LAN Two Marvell 88E8053 Gigabit Ethernet controllers Onboard audio Realtek ALC880 8-channel codec Onboard IEEE 1394 VIA VT6307 IEEE 1394 controller Dimension Micro ATX form factor: 24.5×24.5cm Source: MSI, compiled by DigiTimes, October 2005 MSI P1-104A2 1U server featuring the 915GM Speedster-FA4 motherboard Source: Company

VIA Technologies and Mini-box.com, a subsidiary of Ituner Networks, recently announced the VoomPC family of x86 car PC kits for the telematics market. Based on the low-power EPIA-series Mini-ITX mainboards from VIA Technologies, the x86-based PC barebone is specifically designed for the ultra-power sensitive conditions of in-vehicle applications, say the companies. With prices ranging from US$299 to US$399, the VoomPC barebone platform is ideal for automotive enthusiasts and vehicle manufacturers alike to integrate a wide range of GPS navigation, communication, entertainment and information functionality into private cars or vehicle-dependent professional service vehicles, such as law enforcement, rescue and commercial transport, where access to data on the road is essential, according to the companies. According to VIA and Mini-box.com, the VoomPC integrates the Mini-box M1-ATX 12V power supply unit to prevent system damage from power surges and eliminate car battery drain by monitoring car battery levels, even when the car is turned off. The VIA C3 processor provides heat dissipation to enable the VoomPC to consume between 15-30 watts, less than the dimmest car parking lights, claim the companies. The VoomPC also features advanced audio control, with 'anti-thump' technology that keeps car amplifiers turned off while the PC starts, eliminating annoying speaker thumps and pops, while the VIA Vinyl Audio Six-TRAC audio codec enables stunning six-channel surround sound for a more authentic listening experience with greater depth, the companies stated. Compatible with Linux or Microsoft Windows operating systems and built within Mini-box’s compact 21x25x6.7cm chassis, the VoomPC is equipped with rich peripheral connectivity, multimedia and telematics options afforded by the VIA’s EPIA Mini-ITX mainboard, including USB2.0, Firewire, Ethernet, PCMCIA types I and II CardBus interface for GPRS or WiFi, S-Video, VGA and six-channel audio, said the companies. The VoomPC Source: Mini-box.com

Albatron announced the launch of its K8NF4X-754 motherboard, which features the Nvidia nForce4 4X chipset and supports dual-graphics card solutions for the AMD Socket-754 Athlon 64 and Sempron CPU lines. According to the company, the motherboard is slated to hit markets in the beginning of November worldwide. Similar to the PX945P motherboard based on the Intel 945P chipset, the two PCIe graphics card slots on the K8NF4X-754 are comprised of one x16 PCI Express (PCIe) slot and one x4 PCIe slot, allowing users to install two x4 PCIe cards at the same time. A suggested retail price is not yet available. Albatron K8NF4X-754 motherboard specifications Item Details Photo CPU Socket-754 AMD Athlon 64/ Sempron FSB 800 MHz Chipset Single-chip Nvidia nForce4 4X LAN chip Broadcom MCSAC131 PHY (up to 10/100 Mb/s) Audio chip Realtek ALC655 I/O chip Winbond Smart I/O W83627THF Memory Two DDR sockets: DDR 333/400 non-ECC DDR SDRAM (up to 2GB) Expansion slots Two PCIe x16 (supports dual graphics x16+x4), two PCI slots (PCI 2.3 compliant) IDE/ SATA connectors Two ATA133 channels (up to four ATA 133 IDE devices), four SATA channels (up to four SATA hard drives) Onboard I/O connectors Floppy connector, four USB 2.0/1.1 header, S/PDIF in/out header, CPU fan header, two system fan headers, two 5-pin system panel header, 3-pin power LED header, front audio header, ABS header Form factor ATX: 293x198mm Source: Company, compiled by DigiTimes, September 2005

Epox Computer yesterday introduced the EP-8NPA SLI motherboard, which features Nvidia's nForce4 SLI (scalable link interface) dual-graphics chipset and is the world’s first SLI motherboard for the AMD Socket-754 platform, claims the company. In the SLI motherboard market, most consumers buy a Socket-939 board plus a 6600TD or 6600GT graphics card, according to the company. Epox said that the 8NPA SLI provides the opportunity of saving on the cost of the CPU and instead upgrade the graphics card for better 3D performance. Besides standard SLI specifications, the EP-8NPA SLI is also the first 754 motherboard to support SATA2 with RAID. Epox EP-8NPA SLI motherboard Item Detail Photo CPU socket Socket-754 Athlon 64/ Semporn up to 3700+ with 1.6GTs HyperTransport processor Chipset Nvidia nForce4 SLI System memory Two 184-pin DDR SDRAM DIMM memory slots, single/double-sided 2.5v DDR-333/400 DIMMs in 128/256/512Mb technologies (for up to 2GB) Expansion slots Two PCI compliant with PCI v2.2, two PCIe x1 compliant with PCI e 1.0a, two PCIe x16 compliant with PCIe 1.0a to support SLI technology (without SLI MXM connector) Connectors Ten USB ports, two IDE ports (up to 4 IDE devices), four SATA2 ports Audio 2/6-CH audio from onboard RealTek ALC65X AC¡¦97 v2.3 compliant CODEC LAN 1Gb Ethernet from onboard VITESS VSC8201RX Gigabit Ethernet PHY Form factor ATX: 305x225x40mm Source: Company, compiled by DigiTimes, September 2005

Asustek Computer on September 27 unveiled the DRW-1608P2S, a new Super-Multi DVD DL (single-sided double-layer) burner that will be available for sale under the ASUS brand name in the Taiwan market early next month at a recommended retail price of NT$2,100 (US$63-64). Pioneer will launch a 16x Super-Multi DVD DL burner in the local market next month as well, while Lite-On IT and Sony will do so in November, according to local retail channels. DRW-1608P2S read and write speeds Writing (burning) Reading DVD+R 16x DVD-ROM 16x DVD-R 16x DVD+R DL 8x DVD-R DL 8x DVD-RAM 5x DVD+RW 8x DVD-RW 6x DVD-RAM 5x CD-ROM 40x CD-R 40x CD-RW 32x Source: Asustek, compiled by DigiTimes.com, September 2005 The ASUS DRW-1608P2S Super-Multi DVD DL burner Photo: Company

Shuttle yesterday released final details of its newest small-form factor PC, the XPC SN26P. The XPC SN26P is powered by NVIDIA’s nForce4 SLI and includes full support for AMD socket 939 processors, SATA 3Gb/s hard drives with RAID, and gigabit Ethernet with hardware acceleration and firewall, according to company information. The compact PC has been approved to be compatible with NVIDIA GeForce 7 series graphics cards in SLI configuration, and will not require a specially designed SLI heat-pipe cooler as seen in prerelease models, said the company. The XPC SN26P has begun shipping around the world and should be available in stores in less than one week, according to the company. The Shuttle XPC SN26P Photo: Company

AnexTEK Global, a wholly owned subsidiary of Wistron, plans to launch its new own-brand PDA phone, the moboDA 3360, in October, according to company sources. The moboDA 3360, manufactured by Wistron, is a pocket PC phone powered by a Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system and runs on a 520HMz Intel PXA 272 processor, the sources noted. The new PDA phone comes one-and-a-half year after the company launched its first PDA phone, the SP230, in March 2004. However, the sources noted that the company will speed up the launch of new phones in 2006, with at least two new models to be introduced in the coming year. The company aims to promote its hand-held products under the new brand name “moboDA,” which stands for mobile plus PDA. moboDA 3360 specifications Category Details OS Windows Mobile 5.0 CPU Intel PXA 272 Network Tri-band (GSM900/1800/1900), GPRS Display 2.8-in 65,536-color TFT (240x320) Built-in camera 1.3-megalpixel Memory 64MB of RAM/192 flash ROM Wireless connectivity Built-in 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, infrared Video format Built-in Windows Media 10, supporting MP3, WMA, WMV, MP4, H264 Expansion slot MMC/SD Dimension 123 x 61.5 x 22 mm Weight 150g Battery 1300 mAh LiON Sources: Company and ePRICE.com.tw, compiled by DigiTimes, September 2005 moboDA 3360 PDA phone Photo: Company

Nvidia on September 20 unveiled the availability of its C51 core-logic motherboard solutions, the GeForce 6100-series integrated graphics processors (IGPs) and its nForce 400-series media and communications processors (MCPs). Motherboard makers Albatron and Biostar Microtech International were quick to announce new motherboards based on the chipsets. Developed for AMD 64-based computing platforms, the Nvidia GeForce 6100 and nForce 400 series are expected to be available for system builders worldwide in October, said the company. With Nvidia’s DirectX 9.0 Shader Model 3.0 and PureVideo technology, the GeForce 6100 and 6150 IPUs deliver sufficient multimedia functionality to mainstream users, according to the company. In line with the release from Nividia, Albatron announced its new KM51PV motherboard based on the new Nvidia chipsets. Taking advantage of Nvidia’s PureVideo Technology, the KM51PV is capable of delivering high quality DVD and MPEG playback with an optional PureVideo DVD decoder utility, according to Albatron. The company said that the KM51PV is scheduled to enter mass production in the mid October but a suggested retail price has not been set. Biostar also debuted its new T-series motherboard that features Nvidia’s GeForce 6100 chipset family – the TForce 6100-939 – targeting the PC gaming and enthusiast markets. Last week, the company began volume shipments of the motherboard to Germany, Japan, and the US, said the company. Albatron KM51PV and Biostar Tforce 6100-939 motherboard specifications   Albatron KM51PV Biostar Tforce 6100-939   CPU AMD Athlon 64/ Athlon 64 FX/ Athlon 64 X2 AMD Athlon 64/ Athlon 64 FX/ Athlon 64 X2, Sempron HyperTransport link 1000 MT/s 2000 MT/s Chipset Nvidia Geforce 6150 + nForce 430 Nvidia GeForce 6100 + nForce 410 System memory Dual-channel DDR 400 (up to 4GB). Dual-channel DDR 333/400, four DDR DIMM memory slots (up to 4GB) Graphics engine Integrated 6150 Integrated 6100 Audio Six-channel AC97 Six-channel ALC655 Expansion slots PCIe 16x, PCIe 1x, PCIe 16x, PCIe 1x I/O connectors DVI, D-Sub, TV out, HDTV ready connector (optional HDTV cable required), USB 2.0, four SATA II, SATA RAID 0.1&0+1 FDD, two IDE support to ATA 100/133, CD-in, two 3Gb/s SATA, S/PDIF (Sony Philips Digital Interface)-out, front audio header, parallel, serial port, VGA port, RJ-45 LAN jack, eight USB 2.0 ports (four rear USB 2.0, four front USB 2.0), line-out/ line-in/ mic, PS/2 mouse, PS/2 keyboard Built-in LAN Broadcom 10/100 PHY LAN. Realtek RTL8201BL with integrated 10/100 transceiver Dimensions Micro ATX form factor Micro ATX form factor: 24.5x24.45cm Source: Company, compiled by DigiTimes, September 2005

Biostar Microtech International today unveiled its small-form-factor (SFF) system based on Nvidia’s new integrated graphics processor (IGP), the GeForce 6100, for the AMD Socket-939 platform. The system should be available by October, said the company. Nvidia unveiled the GeForce 6-series IGP (C51) and nForce 400-series media and communications processors (MCPs) on September 20. The GeForce 6-series graphics core supports Microsoft DirectX 9.0 and Shader Model 3.0, which promise to deliver great digital multimedia performance, according to the company. Biostar iDEQ 330N small-form factor computer specifications Item Detail CPU AMD Athlon 64/ Sempron Chipset Nvidia GeForce 6100 + nForce 410 Memory Dual-channel DDR 400 Hard drives Two Ultra DMA IDE/ two internal SATA with RAID (up to 3Gb/s) Graphics Nvidia GeForce 6100 Audio 8.2 channels Expansion slot PCIe 16x, PCI, mini PCI Networking Gigabit-LAN I/O port Six USB 2.0, S/PDIF in/out, IEEE 1394a, 8.2-channel audio out, D-Sub, serial port, PS/2, RJ45, mini PCI WLAN card (optional) 7-in-1 card reader CF1/ CF2/ SD/ MMC/ MS/ MS Pro/ SM Power supply Internal 250-watt PFC Source: Company, compiled by DigiTimes, September 2005. Biostar iDEQ 330N small-form-factor PC Source: Company