Windows 7 installed on multiple computers is an easy task, especially where compatibility and support issues. According to MS Windows 7, the machine can not play as well as the AMD / ATI's Radeon graphics processing unit (GPU) feature displays (PDP for) with built-in technology. Home Page Windows 7 distributed to a user's computer that they could not complete the installation to install the guest.

"Windows 7, the computer will be installed on a black screen during the installation process. Nevertheless, the installation will continue to work. If you are unable to complete the installation in this case. If you have only a black screen when dealing with the main multi-display the problem, "MS said.

MS was particularly uieseo AMD / ATI Radeon GPU under the influence of the above questions, including: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 (PCI \ VEN_1002 & DEV_9480); ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4670 (PCI \ VEN_1002 & DEV_9488); ATI Mobility The Radeon HD 4870 (PCI \ VEN_1002 & DEV_945A); ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4850 (PCI \ VEN_1002 & DEV_944A) and ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 (PCI \ VEN_1002 & DEV_9552). At the same time, Microsoft, Apple IMAC 27 "is included on the infected system is stressed.

Windows 7 DVD is over after the "AMD supports the PRP. As a result, Windows 7 for AMD's Radeon graphics driver does not support the ERP DVD in retail," MS said. "AMD's updated driver improvement has released EDP problem. Install this update to complete successfully the installation process must be included."

Microsoft has a simple solution that the customer is to provide a secondary monitor. In this context, all users on your computer before you install Windows 7 to be connected to the monitor. In this case, they finished the installation process will be able to view and later data processing by using Windows Update to fix the problem, install the updated driver.

In addition, the solution autounattend.xml response file and the latest graphics drivers and includes a USB flash disk is designed for advanced users. USB flash drive to copy the compressed graphics drivers for USB. To do so, the following steps: a Web site to download drivers for graphics adapters, AMD. Executable (. EXE file) to extract the driver. The program asks for an installation location such as C: \ ATI in the \ Support \. After the extraction is complete, you can find the installation folder noted in the previous step. Flash drives, USB to copy the installation folder, "he said in a statement MS.

Users can also create an answer file autounattend.xml need to open the file in Notepad at the bottom of the screen to copy the selected text in blue. autounattend.xml using the file must be stored in UTF - 8 form, and must be copied to a USB root directory.

"After you install the Windows 7 DVD, which eDP.Immediately DVD and then boot your computer by connecting a USB flash drive, an AMD Radeon GPU to run the computer. Follow the instructions to complete the installation process. When the first USB flash drive attempt to restart the system, "MS said.

[ Read More »» ]

NVIDIA acquired PhysX, Ageia, when he bought in 2008. Because the manufacturer of the GPU was publicity of this technology, and showed that the benchmarks that indicate that the GPU performance is superior compared to the GPU in this area. In an interview with bit-tech.net, AMD developer relations manager worldwide, Richard Huddy, "has a pop-up" from NVIDIA, openly questioning the current state of PhysX and the lack of several basic optimizations.

"All of these processor cores, we used a lot, and I'll do another pop NVIDIA here. When purchased AGEIA, are very respectable multi-core application of PhysX. If you look now, most of which works primarily on one, or at least case, the two cores, "Huddy says.

"I wonder why Nvidia did this?" I wonder why Nvidia could not do everything in their spaceship on the things that I do not care - what's working effectively for processor cores - because the company cares about the consumer experience, which is concerned only more for you graphics card sales in consolidation of both the GPU is faster than the CPU. The old tricks that the Intel compiler, which used to do, Nvidia simply takes all the multi-core optimizations on PhysX.

Huddy even said that the CPU is actually the most capable of physics processing in games."While encrypted, the processor can solve most physical situations presented to him. The emphasis we see in physics from the GPU is the excessive emphasis that comes from a company that has a GPU ... Promoting PhysX physics as if it were God's answer to all problems of physics when it is actually more in finding solutions to problems. Huddy says.

NVIDIA is currently the most popular brand when it comes to playing with physics, but Advanced Micro Devices is working with companies to bring these products themselves. "We are working on two areas of physics, which are very important, as the three companies to integrate the physics of the GPU," Mr. actions Huddy.

In the same interview, Huddy talks about some of the company's plans for the current year. He said he did not expect, AMD, always have a fast card for 2010, but that will graphically wise, dominated most of the year.

[ Read More »» ]

One laptop per Child (OLPC) has announced that it is moving closer to its goal of providing every child in the world with access to knowledge and modern forms of education. OLPC has revealed its roadmap for the creation of three new laptop models that will be released from 2010 through 2012. These computers are set not only to surpass the performance of the current XO but will have lower prices as well.

OLPC is a non-profit organization that aims to make modern forms of education accessible to all children in the world. As such, the XO laptops are designed powerful enough to meet these needs but are also built sturdy and resistant to the humidity and/or heat, which abounds in arid or tropical settlements. As such, the XO 1.5 and XO 1.75 will build upon the current design and will deliver better performance while becoming more accessible to the targeted consumer base. The more remote XO 3.0, however, will use an entirely new design.

The XO 1.5 will be based on the current XO industrial design and will become available by January 10. It will replace the currently used AMD processor with one from VIA and will also boast double the speed and four times more DRAM and FLASH memory. The system will be able to run both the Linux and the Windows operating systems and will cost about $200.


The second model OLPC is designing is the ARM processor-based XO 1.75. This will be more accessible to poor and rural communities, costing at most $175. The ARM chip from Marvell is set to double the processing speed while reducing power consumption to a quarter. The outside will be rubber-bumpered while the inside screen will be an 8.9-inch touch-sensitive display. The XO 1.75 is meant as a complement to the x86-based XO 1.5.

Lastly, OLPC is also working on an entirely new device which, the organization hopes, will cost much less than $100. The developers will focus on a design using a single sheet of flexible plastic. The goal is to create a device completely environment-proof, thanks to the total lack of holes, and will still deliver a performance at least as high as that of the X 1.75 model.

“The first version of OLPC’s child-centric laptop, the XO, is a revolution in low-cost, low-power computing. The XO has been distributed to more than 1.4 million children in 35 countries and in 25 languages,” said Nicholas Negroponte, founder and chairman of One Laptop per Child. “To fulfill our mission of reaching 500 million children in all remote corners of the planet, OLPC will continue to innovate in design and performance. Because we are a non-profit, we hope that industry will copy us.”

End-users may become more acquainted with the organization, its plans and the XO laptop by following this link to the official website.

[ Read More »» ]

It appears that the recent reports on the Internet have been correct and that the Sunnyvale, California-based Advanced Micro Devices has now detailed its latest Radeon graphics card, the much-anticipated HD 5970, a dual-GPU monster designed to be the fastest graphics card in the world. Featuring full support for Microsoft's DirectX 11 and the company's recently introduced Eyefinity multi-display technology, this card is expected to deliver a noticeable performance boost over any other card that is currently available on the market.

“With the arrival of the ATI Radeon HD 5970, the fastest graphics card in the world, we’ve cemented AMD as the unquestioned graphics leader,” said Matt Skynner, vice president and general manager, AMD Graphics Group. “With the holiday shopping season right around the corner, the new card, coupled with the awesome power of ATI Eyefinity technology, is the ultimate setup for serious gamers.”

Getting right down to the technical specifications of the new card, it looks like previous reports have been right on target, as it comes with a GPU clock speed of 725MHz and a processing power, for single precision, of 4.64 TeraFLOPS. The new Radeon card comes with 2GB of GDDR5 memory that was clocked at 1GHz (with 4GHz data date), and 2 x 2.15 Billion transistors. There are 3200 Stream Processors, 160 Texture units and 64 ROPs, while the card's TDP has been specified at a maximum of 294W. Interestingly enough, according to AMD, it reaches 42W in idle mode, something that has been enabled by a unique feature that will disable one of the GPUs, when the PC is in Idle.

One thing you should keep in mind is that, this is a monster of a card, by all definitions. It's design might lead to some modifications of your ATX chassis, as this card is 13.3-inches long, which could raise some problems, even for owners of full-tower cases.

With those specs and the fact that NVIDIA currently has nothing on the market that could beat the Radeon HD 5970, expect prices to be high. In fact, according to the world's second largest chip maker, these cards will be available for a MSRP of US$599. The prices are likely to go down when NVIDIA launches its Fermi-based cards, or by the time the 40nm yields at TSMC would improve.

[ Read More »» ]

Sunnyvale, California-based Advanced Micro Devices has announced today the debut of a couple of new desktop processors, part of the company's extending line of Athlon II chips. With Windows 7 just around the corner, these new parts are expected to provide system builders and users alike with a choice for an affordable CPU that can also perform decently for its price range. The new lineup of Athlon II CPUsincludes dual-core,triple-core and quad-core models in total of eight new chips, six of which are part of the chip maker’s energy-efficient lineup.

The lowest priced model, announced today by the world's second largest PC manufacturer is the dual-core Athlon II X2 235e, designed to provide consumers with a clock speed of 2.7GHz and a TDP of 45W. As a matter of fact, all of AMD's new energy-efficient Athlon II processors have been designed with a 45W TDP. The aforementioned 235e model will become available for a price tag of US$69, in thousand-unit quantities, according to AMD.


The new lineup includes the Athlon II X2 240e, 400e, 405e, 600e and 605e, all of which are designed to work with a TDP of 45W and sport clock speeds of 2.8GHz, 2.2GHz, 2.3GHz, 2.2GHz and 2.3GHz, respectively. The Athlon II X2 400e and 405e models are part of AMD's triple-core offering, while the last two are part of the expanding line of quad-core CPUs. Price wise, these models are rated at prices of US$77, US$99, US$102, US$133 and US$143, respectively.



In addition to all of the aforementioned models, the chip maker also announced the triple-core Athlon II X3 425 and Athlon II X3 435, designed with a 95W TDP and core speeds of 2.7GHz and 2.9GHz, respectively. These two will be made available for US$76 and US$86 in thousand-unit quantities and according to early reviews users should be very pleased with the performance/price ratio that the US$435 model offers, especially when compared to similarly-priced Intel Core 2 Duos.

[ Read More »» ]

An investigation carried out by Sky News uncovered severe abuses of trust in computer repair shops around London. Technicians purposely misdiagnosed a simple problem in order to charge more, while others rifled through or copied documents clearly marked as private.

Sky News reporters took a brand-new laptop with Windows installed on it, loosened a memory module so that the operating system would not boot anymore, and took it at six different computer repair shops, some of them being pretty renowned. In addition to the easy-to-fix technical problem, the laptop was rigged with keylogging software and the web camera was set to start recording once Windows booted. A folder called "private" containing photos of a woman in bikini and a document comprising fake login details for email, social networking and online banking accounts was also planted.

The conclusions were that computer repair shop employees could seriously abuse the trust that customers placed in them, most of the times without even realizing. A single repair shop from the ones investigated treated the problem professionally by identifying it, addressing it and even charging no money for the simple job.

Three of the shops said that a new motherboard was required, after they had actually discovered the real problem and fixed it, thus showing a clear intention of deceiving the customers. For one of the shops, the undercover reporter refused to pay for a new motherboard and the technicians soldered the memory-bus pins together.

But the abuse goes much deeper and probably becomes more illegal too. At two of the shops, employees rifled through the personal pictures and even called in other colleagues to watch them together. One particular creepy technician even copied the photos into a folder on his memory stick, called "mamma jammas." He then went on and tried to use the login credentials found in the private folder, giving up after five minutes of trying to access the accounts that, obviously, weren't his.

The results of this investigation raise serious questions about how less technical users should go about fixing their computers while protecting their privacy at the same time. If the problem is with the hardware, one could plug the HDD out and leave the shop to repair the computer using their own hard drive for tests. However, this implies a novice user figuring out that the problem is hardware-related and that they know how to remove an HDD, which can be difficult, especially for laptops.

In order to overcome these issues, it is better to ask the technician to inspect the computer and diagnose the problem right in front of you, if possible. If they determine that the problem is not HDD-related, ask them to remove the hard disk and give it to you. If the problem is software-related (operating system), you might be forced to leave the HDD, in which case it is better to move all the personal documents to a folder and encrypt it with specific software in advance.

Even with all these precautions, it is impossible to cover all scenarios. Moving browsing history, saved-form information, locally stored emails, etc., to the encrypted folder, and then deleting them from their usual location might be too much of a challenge for the less knowledgeable. Because of this, it is always a good idea to call a friend who is more computer-literate to assist you with such tasks.

[ Read More »» ]

Late last month there were some reports indicating that the world's leading chip maker Intel was planning to update its line of Solid State Drives with the introduction of the new 32nm-based solutions. The launch of the new SSDs was supposed to occur in the following two weeks from the report,consequently providing end-users with a choice for a more energy-efficient alternative to other SSDs on the market. However, it now appears
that the much-anticipated SSDs will make their debut early next week, on Tuesday.

The news comes from a recent article on the Inquirer, where the first round of rumors initially surfaced approximately two weeks ago. According to them, new information that they have just come across, indicates that Intel will launch the next-generation SSDs on the 21st of July, which is next-week, on Tuesday. These new Flash-based storage solutions will be powered by the new 32nm flash chips and will provide users with an increase of energy efficiency, better price tag and higher storage capacities.



Intel's upcoming SSDs are expected to become available in capacities of 320GB, 160GB and 80GB and deliver a boost of energy efficiency, compared to the chip maker's previous generation of SSDs. They will most likely be launched in a notebook-ready 2.5-inch form factor and could prove as a noteworthy alternative to other SSDs currently available on the market.

The Inquirer further reports that Intel's new SSDs have also been designed to address a different issue that has been encountered in the adoption of SSDs as a general storage solution. Apparently, these new drives will be considerably cheaper than their direct competitors, which will allow Intel to increase its share in this still growing market. To find out whether that will be the case, we still have to wait a couple of days, until the Santa Clara, California-based chip maker decides to take the official wraps off its new products.

[ Read More »» ]

ASRock, one of the world’s leading vendors of motherboards and computer platforms, has recently expanded its product offering with the introduction of yet another X58-based motherboard, adding to the company's already launched X58 'SuperComputer' and 'Deluxe' models. The new solution, dubbed X58 Extreme, has already been showcased at Computex and is expected to make its way on the shelves of retailers worldwide. As with the other Core i7 platforms, the new motherboard is ready to provide users with support for the latest hardware components on the market.

The ASRock X58 Extreme is clearly intended for high-end users and computer enthusiasts, as it's built to support Intel's fastest processors to date, as well as multi-GPU technologies from both NVIDIA and AMD. The board boasts an advanced V8 Power Phase Design, Intel XMP (Extreme Memory Profile) memory, CrossFireX and SLI technologies as well as ASRock's Smart BIOS, OC Tuner and Intelligent Energy Saver features.

As with other X58 platforms, the system is ready for Intel's latest Core i7 CPU, including the newly released Core i7 975. There are six, triple-channel DDR3 memory DIMMs with support for up to 24GB of memory, three PCI-Express x16 graphics slots for high-end graphics and 6 SATA II connectors. Among some of the unique features that ASRock has enabled on its latest platform, we must highlight the Hybrid Booster, which includes a CPU Frequency Stepless Control, the ASRock U-COP and the Boot Failure Guard (B.F.G.).

Unfortunately, there are no details available regarding the board's pricing and availability, but it should make its way on the shelves of local retailers very soon, adding to the company's growing line of Core i7-supporting platforms. With the launch of the latest model, ASRock looks to provide its customers with a complete line of Intel-based platforms.

[ Read More »» ]

During this year’s Computex 2009 show, NVIDIA took the stage with a number of new Ion- and Tegra-based products, showcased by some of the company’s partners. Despite rumors prior to the debut of the computer show in Taiwan, the Santa Clara, California-based graphics maker didn’t reveal any details regarding its much-anticipated 40nm-based graphics processing units. However, the launch of the new Ion-based PCs, as well as the highly anticipated Tegra devices, confirmed NVIDIA’s business orientation, becoming a company that is involved in more than just graphics.

While we weren’t able to make it to Computex ourselves, we looked for the chance to find out more about what the graphics maker is preparing in the near future, as well as the company’s opinion on the current computer industry. The opportunity was just around the corner, as NVIDIA was actively promoting its latest technologies around the world, holding press events to demonstrate some of the things that were on display at Computex. We took this opportunity and sat down for a one-on-one with the company’s Igor Stanek, Product PR Manager for our region. We wanted to go through some of the most important aspects of the manufacturer’s business, taking into consideration the latest rumors that surfaced on the Internet.

Mr. Igor Stanek was kind enough to provide us with a perspective on what NVIDIA is focusing on, as well as on what to expect from the future line of ARM-based Tegra devices. Unfortunately, we could not find anything about the much-rumored next-generation GPU architecture, allegedly called GT300, whose existence is still a mystery. However, we do have some useful insights into what is to come from NVIDIA. Now, without further ado, we will let you go through the interview itself.

NVIDIA is evolving from a company that was mainly focused on delivering graphics cards for computer enthusiasts and supporting the latest games in the industry to one that is set on providing solutions that could power a complete computer system. What can you tell us about that?

I.S: GPUs are used by gamers around the world to play the latest games at their best. GPUs though have become a power warehouse, thanks to their parallel architecture. The industry and the scientists have now realized that they can use this incredible parallel computing architecture to do other things than games. CPUs are no longer increasing in clock speed yet consumers are demanding more from their PCs today than ever before. In order to provide the much needed performance to deliver on these consumer expectations, the only path available is to go multi-core or parallel – i.e., add more cores and split demanding workloads across them. Due to the very nature of computer graphics, GPUs excel at doing many things at once and are ideally suited to this new heterogeneous computing environment. If you look at what Microsoft and Apple are working on with their new OSes you understand how GPUs are rapidly becoming the most desired chip inside the PC; the upcoming Windows 7 and Snow Leopard use GPU to full extent.

Scientists are using it to accelerate calculation by a factor they were never able to achieve before with CPUs. We consider ourselves a company that provides specific solutions to the resolution of complex problems; whether they are common or most complex ones in medical, astrophysics and more. We develop tailored solutions in different fields; one example is our Quadro business where we develop products that solve specific problems like SDI capture, multi display financial visualization. Dedicated 1U GPU racks, etc.

After seeing all those new Tegra-based and ARM-based devices at Computex this year, can you project a future where an ARM-based device can provide users with everyday computing?

I.S: It all depends on your definition of everyday computing. When you use a Tegra chip your everyday computing is not limited to typing email and surf the web; you expect things that you do on your regular PC but in a smaller footprint. These devices deliver desktop-class Internet browsing with Flash video and animation acceleration and high-definition video playback, all with cell phone-class power management – making days of HD mobile Internet experiences a reality.

Consumers are looking for an always-connected device for social media applications such as Facebook and YouTube, as well as great multimedia performance for recording and watching HD movies and videos on the go. Tegra includes an entire computer-on-a-chip, including an ARM 11 core processor, so to answer your question, yes Tegra, which includes an ARM process, is a fully capable and modern device that fits your communications and entertainment device in your pocket.

Putting that into perspective, can we think about a future without x86?

I.S: I don’t think anybody is saying x86 is out of the picture, but CPUs are losing their breath and GPUs becoming much more important. It’s very simple. Just check how much time you need for transcoding of video on ION and how powerful CPU you need to match ION speed. I think that future is in well balanced PC with CPU and GPU living in harmony. CPU will have more control tasks in operating system and GPU will be focused for most of visual computing staff including some heavy computational tasks. This is the architecture of the future. I believe that PC with 1000 USD CPU and Intel integrated graphics card is already history.

Tegra has been one of the main highlights at Computex this year. How important is Tegra for your future product lineup?

I.S: Tegra is a strategic line of products for NVIDIA. The world is going mobile and expectations are for low power always on, always connected and powerful devices that can do HD is growing rapidly.

Should we expect more Tegra devices to become available in the near future?

I.S: The response from our customers is phenomenal. Tegra is strategic to us and we have a great roadmap that we are sharing with our ecosystem, as I said our partners are extremely satisfied with performance, features and especially the low power used by these devices. We cannot announce products on behalf of our customers, but there are many coming

Do you think Microsoft will play a significant role in the adoption of Tegra?

I.S: Microsoft Windows Embedded CE is a great operating system and we support it with our Tegra devices. We do also provide support for Google Android.

Can you tell us something about the alleged GT300 that has been rumored in the media recently?
I.S: I am not aware of that code name.

What can you tell us about your next-generation chips, transitioning from 55nm to 40nm?

I.S: We don’t comment about unannounced products.

There were reports about TSMC’s problems with their 40nm manufacturing node. What can you tell us about that?

I.S: That is a question you should ask TSMC. We have new mobile parts being announced shortly that will be using 40nm process. It’s not all about process though; it’s also about efficiency of the architecture. 40nm process coupled with this efficient architecture works well for Notebooks, so we are launching this first on notebook.

During Computex AMD took the opportunity to showcase the world’s first 40nm DirectX 11 GPU, revealing a couple of videos with their next-generation solutions. How do you comment on that?

[ Read More »» ]

Cyberlink, a leading provider of multimedia software applications for computer systems, has just announced that it has been successfully collaborating with AMD to optimize their multimedia solutions for the ATI Stream technology. The partnership between the two companies will enable Cyberlink applications to take full advantage of the performance delivered by AMD's Radeon GPUs. In addition, Cyberlink has also announced that it has worked with NVIDIA to showcase CUDA-optimized solutions at this year's Computex show in Taipei, Taiwan.

“As a leading developer of many of the most popular consumer photo and video applications, CyberLink consistently looks for new ways to improve the user experience and is employing ATIStream technology to deliver great results faster than ever before,” said Godfrey Cheng, director of technical marketing for graphics products at AMD. “CyberLink’s engineers have successfully taken advantage of our advanced graphics products as well as ATI Stream technology to significantly speed up video conversion, editing, playback and transfer for consumers.”

As part of the collaboration between Cyberlink and AMD, computer users attending this year’s Computex show in Taiwan, will be able to set their eyes on GPU-optimized multimedia applications. Cyberlink's PowerDirector and MediaShow Espresso will provide users with an enhanced visual experience, thanks to the optimization with the computer's GPU. The same goes for NVIDIA's CUDA-enabled GPUs, which will also increase performance of the PowerDVD 9, Power Director and MediaShow Espresso.

“CyberLink has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to GPU computing by utilizing NVIDIA CUDA technology in their portfolio of multimedia solutions,” said Michael Steele, general manager of Visual Consumer Solutions at NVIDIA. “The maturity and flexibility of the CUDA architecture is what has enabled CyberLink to deliver a wide range of compelling features on NVIDIA GPUs first. We anticipate many more innovative developments to come.”

Optimized for NVIDIA's CUDA and ATI Stream technologies, Cyberlink's multimedia applications will be showcased during Computex, providing attendees with an insight into what GPU-optimization can deliver.

[ Read More »» ]

The group responsible for the developing, managing and driving adoption of the Serial ATA specifications has officially announced the specs of the next-generation SATA Revision 3.0 interface, which will eventually replace today's standard SATA 2.0 technology. As mentioned in previous reports, the new SATA interface further boosts the connectivity speed of today's hard disk drives, solid drives, optical drives and tape drives, by doubling the speed of SATA 2 devices. In addition to the 6Gb/s link enabled by the new interface, SATA 3 also provides users with a couple of new features, specifically meant to improve the connection between today's storage devices.

“As speed becomes critical to today’s storage, the SATA Revision 3.0 specification doubles the maximum transfer speed enabled by technology, paving the way for a new generation of faster SATAproducts,” said Knut Grimsrud, SATA-IO president. “SATA-IO members will be able to design for their customers products with the speed they crave, without compromising the quality and performance they’ve come to expect from SATA technology.”

Following the official announcement from SATA-IO, several companies are likely to announce their latest storage solutions, featuring the newly-announced specifications. In addition, with Computex 2009 just days away from debut, by this time next week, we might also see a number of demonstrations of the next-generation storage interface. Among some of the features that have been enabled with the new SATA 3.0 interface, the group has highlighted the following:

- A new Native Command Queuing (NCQ) streaming command to enable isochronous data transfers for bandwidth-hungry audio and video applications

- An NCQ Management feature that helps optimize performance by enabling host processing and management of outstanding NCQ commands

- Improved power management capabilities

- A small Low Insertion Force (LIF) connector for more compact 1.8-inch storage devices

- A connector designed to accommodate 7mm optical disk drives for thinner and lighter notebooks

- Alignment with the INCITS ATA8-ACS standard

We should also mention that SATA 3 is backwards compatible with current SATA 2 devices, which means users will not be required to upgrade in order to enjoy the upcoming wave of SATA 3-based devices.

[ Read More »» ]

Santa Clara, California-based NVIDIA has just updated its entire line of professional graphics cards, with the addition of several new Quadro FX graphics accelerators. The new lineup includes solutions for users in the sub-$100 entry-level to high-end customer segments demanding the highest-performance professional graphics solution available on the market. Ranging from the newly introduced Quadro NVS 295 to the company's new flagship model, the Quadro FX 5800, each new card comes to provide users with a high-level of graphics performance in their respective market segment.

“Our mission with Quadro is to help customers solve the world’s most challenging visual computing problems,” stated Dan Vivoli, executive vice president of marketing at NVIDIA. “We learn every day from them and are humbled by their brilliance. The new lineup, with the flagship Quadro FX 5800, sets the stage for the next ten years of innovation.”

With the introduction of the new NVIDIA Quadro FX cards the company also announced the new SLI Multi-OS technology, which will enable 3D Workstation virtualisation on the manufacturer's latest range of Quadro GPUs. According to the graphics chip maker, this technology will boost performance and optimize productivity of a single workstation in a virtualized environment, thanks to the graphics capabilities of a multiple Quadro GPU configuration.

“In today’s economy, organisations are turning to virtualisation to increase productivity and maximise cost savings,” says Jeff Brown, general manager of professional solutions at NVIDIA. “Now professionals working with visualisation applications can benefit from virtualisation.”

The new range of NVIDIA professional graphics cards includes the new Quadro FX 5800, the Quadro FX 4800, the Quadro FX 3800, Quadro FX 1800, Quadro FX 580, Quadro FX 380 and the Quadro NVS 295. With the launch, NVIDIA has introduced the industry's first and only 4GB-equipped graphics card, coming in the form of the new Quadro FX 5800.

Both the FX 5800 and the FX 4800 models have been designed as ultra-high-end solutions delivering the highest visualization performance and enabling professional users to work with large-scale models and datasets. The FX 3800 focuses on those users looking for a high level of performance and, as with the other two cards, enables support for NVIDIA's newly launched SLI Multi-OS technology.

The Quadro FX 1800 has been specifically designed for the mainstream market segment, while the 580 and 380 models are meant to provide users with a choice for an entry-level and affordable professional graphics solution. The new Quadro NVS 295 can support up to two 30-inch displays and is designed to meet the requirements of professional entry-level users.

[ Read More »» ]

Santa Clara, California-based Intel is expected to update its lineup of Core i7 processors with the addition of two new models, both of which will be targeted at the high-end enthusiast market segment. The upcoming top high-end CPU model, dubbed Core i7 975, will become Intel's new flagship consumer CPU as it will boast a core speed of 3.33GHz.

The lower-powered Core i7 950 will boost a core speed of 3.06GHz. Both
models are expected to become available at the end of May.


According to a recent update of the chip maker’s pricing list, the new CPUs should be out on May 31. The highly rumored Core i7 975 model will be priced at US$999, while the Core i7 950 will be available for US$562. The price difference between the two is significant but doesn't necessarily reflect the difference in clock speed. While the higher-end Core i7 975 will boast a core speed of 3.33GHz, the Core i7 950 will be featured at a frequency of 3.06GHz.


The updated price list also hints at some other new Intel processors, part of the company's extensive lineup of Core 2 Quad CPUs. Before the launch of the company's new Nehalem-based processors, a couple of new mid-tied versions of the Core 2 Quad S models will be made available. On April 19, Intel will introduce the Core 2 Quad Q8400 and the Core 2 Quad Q8400S, both of which will be featured at a core speed of 2.66GHz. Price-wise, these new models will be offered for US$183 and US$245, respectively.
On the same day as the new Core i7 processors, Intel will reveal the Core 2 Duo E7600, priced at US$133, the Pentium Dual-Core E6300 and the Celeron Dual-Core E1600, priced at US$84 and US$53, respectively.

[ Read More »» ]

AMD's upcoming RV790-based Radeon HD 4890 graphics card continues to make its appearance on the Internet, showing up in one form or another, before the Sunnyvale, California-based graphics maker had a chance to officially unveil it. According to the latest details, the company's upcoming 55nm-based single-GPU graphics card will
be capable of providing its users with an impressive performance level, one that will likely place it as a direct competitor to NVIDIA's current GeForce GTX 285 graphics card.

The guys over at ocheaven managed to score some screenshots of the 3DMark 06 and 3DMark Vantage results of the new Radeon card. As you can see in the pictures below, the RV790 GPU is good for an impressive score of 16096 and P10996, in 3DMark 06 and 3DMark Vantage, respectively. Unfortunately, we don't know what graphics drivers were used for the new card, but these scores could go higher with some improved drivers.

Aside from the early revealed 3DMark scores, the new card is expected to boast a core speed of 850MHz and an impressive memory clock of 3800MHz. The card should come with 1GB of GDDR5 memory and should be equipped with a 55nm GPU and 965 million transistors. It is meant to allow AMD to gain a better market share in the enthusiast and high-performance segment, where the company has no competitor for the newly released GeForce GTX 285 and GTX 295 cards from NVIDIA.

Unfortunately we still have no details on an official release date, but according to earlier reports, AMD's new single-GPU flagship model should make its debut sometime in early April. With the new card, there have been rumors about Advanced Micro Devices planning a new dual-GPU model based on the new RV790 GPU. This will potentially be titled Radeon HD 4890 X2 and compete with NVIDIA's GTX 295.

[ Read More »» ]

Round Rock, Texas-based Dell has just officially introduced the new Studio One 19 all-in-one personal computer system that comes with an optional touchscreen feature. The new machine is designed to provide an easy-to-use alternative to home computer systems and incorporates a unique and stylish design that enables it to be installed in almost every part of the user's home, including the living room or the kitchen. Unlike some of those Atom-based all-in-one systems that were recently launched by companies such as ASUS or MSI, thenew Dell Studio boasts a higher performance Core 2 Duo-based configuration.

“The new Studio One 19 is as nice to look at as it is functional,” said Alex Gruzen, senior vice president of Dell’s Consumer Products. “More and more people are making the kitchen the center of their entertainment and computing experience and the Studio One 19 is the ideal system for that need. The Studio One 19 is about lifestyle and design and is very affordable for the family.”

According to Dell, the new Studio One 19 will provide a choice of an Intel Celeron, Dual-Core Celeron, Pentium Dual Core, Core 2 Duo, and Core 2 Quad Core processors. The system is also packed with a choice of NVIDIA's GeForce 9200 or 9400 integrated graphics solutions. Additional features include support for up to 4GB of memory, a 750GB hard disk drive, slot load optical drive, 7-in-1 media card reader, six USB ports, integrated wireless, web camera and Blu-ray Disc.

One of the main features of Dell's new all-in-one PC is the support it brings for multi-touch technologies, which will offer users fast and easy interaction with the system's features. Additionally, Dell will provide a facial recognition security option, enabled by the system's integrated webcamera.

The Studio One 19 will become available at dell.com for a starting price of $699, on March 23. In some Japanese retail outlets the new all-in-one device is already available.

[ Read More »» ]

After much anticipation, it appears that the specifications and performance results of AMD's first 40nm-based graphics card have finally been made public. As it turns out, the first Radeon graphics card to sport a 40nm manufacturing process will come out sometime in April and will be part of ATI's current HD4000 series of cards. Dubbed HD4750, the new card is built using a 40nm RV740 graphics processing unit.

The first details of the new Radeon 40nm chip have been made public in a recent review article on Guru 3D, which has managed to score an engineering sample of the yet unofficial card. The guys over at Guru 3D have put the card through its paces and provided a number of technical specifications that could change by the time the card will be officially announced, in April this year.

The new chip hasn't been designed for the high-end market segment as it will be a successor to the company's current RV730 GPU, featured in the Radeon HD 4650 and HD 4670 graphics cards. It boasts 640 stream processing units and has GPU core speed of 650MHz, although the reference core speed of the card could be set to 700MHz, when it will be launched. One of the more interesting aspects of the new product is the fact that it will boast 128-bit memory. This might sound as bad news at first, but the framebuffer bandwidth of the card will not be affected, as AMD decided to use GDDR5 memory. Consequently, this has basically enabled the card to benefit from a memory clock of 3200MHz.

The specifications on the card that was tested by the guys over at Guru 3D were not yet finished, which means that performance may vary when it will be launched. However, if the price is going to be around $99, then AMD might have a real money maker on their hands, as this card will provide users with a fair gaming experience for the price of an entry-level one. In addition, a CrossFire setup using this card will up the performance level for less than $200.

[ Read More »» ]

After a series of rumors, Fujitsu is reported to have finally decided to sell its hard disk drive business to Toshiba. The news comes after Fujitsu announced on Wednesday that it would discontinue its hard disk drive head business on March 31, 2009, as part of a broader restructuring plan. This could mean that, according to available details, Toshiba has bought only a part of Fujitsu's HDD business, more specifically the one that doesn't include the HDD head manufacturing part.

Earlier this week, Fujitsu announced that it would close its HDD head manufacturing operations performed at the Nagano Plant. As a result, the company will have to reassign 360 employees, currently working at the site, to other operations within the Fujitsu Group. Aside from HDD head manufacturing, the Nagano Plant also deals with the manufacturing of printed circuit boards designed for servers and telecommunications equipment. These operations are expected to continue at the plant, after March 31. Fujitsu also said that it would take a charge of $56 million in relation to the transition of the 360 employees, a figure that would be attributed to the company's final 2008 quarter.

Currently, Fujitsu hard drive manufacturing operations include facilities in the Philippines and Thailand. According to The Register, the company's Yamagata drive media plant isn't going to be part of the deal with Toshiba, leaving only the sites in Philippines and Thailand. However, there are rumors according to which Toshiba doesn't require the manufacturing operation in Thailand, meaning that approximately 7000 jobs could be cut.

The official selling price is yet to be unveiled, but according to reports, that number could be in the area of 30 to 40 billion yen, or approximately $340m to $450m. The transaction is expected to provide Toshiba with a profitable business, also enabling the company, which is currently the fifth largest vendor of HDDs, to gain a better market share.

[ Read More »» ]

Super Talent, one of the world's leading manufacturers of Flash-based storage solutions and DRAM memory modules, announced today a new Solid State Drive, coming to provide support for ASUS' stylish and slim Eee PC S101 netbook PC. The new SSD has been specifically built as an alternative storage upgrade for the high-end version of ASUS’ Eee PC lineup, the Atom-powered S101.

With the announcement, Super Talent provided three new models of its new SSD product, with capacities of 16GB, 32GB and 64GB, all of which have been designed to provide the same performance specifications. According to Super Talent, these SSDs have a maximum read and write speed of 90MB/s and 55MB/s, respectively. Due to the maximum storage capacity that these SSDs can provide, users of the ASUS S101 netbook will be provided with a reliable storage upgrade.

“You can never have enough storage space. This is sure to be a popular upgrade for the S101,” said Joe James, Super Talent’s director of marketing.

ASUS' Eee PC S101 netbook can provide users with 16GB of storage space, for the Windows XP model, which is why Super Talent's offer couldn't be more welcomed. For a price tag of approximately $169, users can take advantage of 65GB of storage space, a feature that will likely boost the system's performance and total storage. ASUS provides a 64GB SSD option for the Linux-enabled versions of the aforementioned netbook.

The increasing popularity of these small-size, low-power computer systems, better known as netbooks, is expected to also boost the adoption rate of the Flash-based SSDs. This storage solution is expected to become a standard that will follow current traditional drives, as they can provide an enhanced performance level as well as a quieter working environment, when compared to hard drives that use moving parts.

[ Read More »» ]

Another improved version of the Nvidia proprietary video driver for the Linux, FreeBSD and Solaris open source operating systems was made available by the Nvidia Corporation on January 8th, 2009. The major feature brought by the Nvidia 180.22 display driver is the initial support for Linux kernel 2.6.28 and for the following GPUs: Quadro FX 2700M, GeForce 9400M G, GeForce 9400M, GeForce 9800 GT, GeForce 8200M G, GeForce Go 7700, GeForce 9800M GTX, GeForce 9800M GT, GeForce 9800M GS, GeForce 9500 GT, GeForce 9700M GT, GeForce 9650M GT, GeForce 9500 GT. Among other features and fixes brought by the new Nvidia 180.22 video driver for Linux and BSD systems we can notice :

· Added OpenGL 3.0 preliminary support;
· Added support for PureVideo-like features (via the VDPAU API);
· Added support for CUDA 2.1;
· Added performance optimizations for OpenGL workstations;
· Added SDI full-range color support;
· Improved stability and X pixmap placement on GeForce 8 series and newer GPUs;
· The glyph cache was enabled by default and it is now available on all supported GPUs;
· The shared memory X pixmaps option (AllowSHMPixmaps) is now disabled by default;
· Fixed an nvidia-settings issue. The application crashed if the xorg.conf file contained the Device and Screen sections but no ServerLayout section;
· Fixed an nvidia-settings issue with the SDI sync skew controls;
· Fixed a Compiz Fusion issue for Geforce 6 and 7 series GPUs;
· Fixed monitor sync range parsing issue in xorg.conf;
· Fixed crashing issues with some SDI applications;
· Fixed Linux OpenGL library issue. The library crashed when used inside the FreeBSD's Linux emulation layer.

How to install the Nvidia video drivers?

Log out of your current session and hit the CTRL+ALT+F1 key combination, in order to enter a text-mode session. Log in as root (System Administrator), go to the folder where you've downloaded the Nvidia driver installer (see below for links), and type:

sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-180.22-pkg1.run (for x86 users)
sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-180.22-pkg2.run (for AMD64 users)

Then, follow the on-screen instructions to install the Nvidia video driver. Please note that the Linux kernel headers and a GCC compiler will be required to complete the installation!

Download the Nvidia display driver 180.22 for the x86 architecture right now.
Download the Nvidia display driver 180.22 for the AMD64/EM64T architectures right now
Download the Nvidia display driver 180.22 for the FreeBSD systems right now.

[ Read More »» ]

Choosing the right monitor for one's computer is one of the most important decisions a person can make when purchasing a new system. The monitor will influence your vision and will allow you to display more natural colors, which in the end provides for a better working environment, since they generate less stress on the eyes. On the other hand, when watching a movie, most users will want vibrant colors and high-level details, so they can enjoy fast action scenes and beautiful landscapes.

Asus is one of the most important hardware manufacturers in the world and it also provides a high quality LCD line. Its latest addition to the LCD series includes 4 different models. The VH192 has a 18.5-inch diagonal, the VH222 and VH226 use a 21.5-inch diagonal, and, of course, we have the 23.6-inch VH242. As you can see, the displays don't really follow the standard 19, 22, 24 inch rules we are used to. That's because PC monitor manufacturers have finally come to their senses and are now releasing 16:9 AR monitors, which can map HD 720p and 1080p signals 1:1.

All the new displays come with built-in speakers and HDMI inputs, except for the little VH192, which lacks HDMI (poor thing). The little brother is even more dampened by the 720p standard, while all the others can make use of the Full HD standard. They all feature VGA and DVI inputs. You might wonder what are the differences between the VH222 and VH226. All of the other new displays have a 5ms response time, while the VH226 provides a 2ms average response time.

The displays have a mate screen and a black glossy frame. There's no webcam or other features included, since these type of monitors are mostly aimed at hardcore gamers or movie addicts. Prices and availability are yet to be announced.

[ Read More »» ]