Video demo after the cut

The IDTI screen is capable of displaying Full HD resolution video, and the digitizer technology doesn’t impair image quality like you’d find with a resistive touchscreen layer.  It also allows you to rest your palm on the screen without it being recognized as a rogue touch, something previously you’d required a Wacom-style active digitizer to do.

Now, in this video from CeBIT 2010, Charbax seems to think that the display includes PC components like some of the all-in-one desktops we’ve seen lately, but according to IDTI’s site it’s a standalone display only.  $300 would be too cheap for a Full HD capable desktop, frankly, but it’s still reasonable for a screen on its own.

While Atom chips generally balance performance with power savings, in this context – and with the I/O controller – they can fight above their weight.  Intel reckons the platform will allow up to 20 users to simultaneously stream high-definition-level (30Mbps) data within a local network; it also supports six PCI Express lanes, twelve USB 2.0 ports, a port multiplier function and eSATA, along with an integrated gigabit ethernet controller and hot-swap drive capabilities.  Compatible OSes include various Linux builds and Microsoft Home Server, and one of the first devices to use the platform will be LG’s N4B2.

Press Release:

Intel Expands Intel® Atom™ Processor-Based Platform to Home, Small Office Storage Devices

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Intel releases its first storage-optimized Intel® Atom™ processor-based platform for the growing home and small office/home office storage markets.
New single- and dual-core chip options provide performance scalability and flexibility and run on Microsoft Windows Home Server* and Linux operating systems.
Leading storage vendors LaCie*, LG Electronics*, QNAP*, Synology* and Thecus* plan products based on the new Intel Atom processor-based platform.
Intel Atom processors also introduced for embedded applications are ideal for multiple market segments including print imaging, digital security surveillance and industrial.

CEBIT, HANNOVER, Germany, March 4, 2010 – Intel Corporation today launched its first Intel® Atom™ processor-based platform optimized for networked home and small office/home office (SOHO) storage devices.

The energy-efficient platform consists of the Intel® Atom™ processor D410 single-core or D510 dual-core and the Intel® 82801IR I/O Controller and delivers the processing performance and input/output (I/O) connectivity required to meet the throughput demands of leading storage vendors such as LaCie*, LG Electronics*, QNAP*, Synology* and Thecus*.

Home server and SOHO network-attached storage (NAS) devices based on the new Intel Atom processor- based platform act as centralized hubs that organize, manage, protect and share documents, photos, videos and music throughout the home and small office. This makes it possible to keep digital content safe and available anytime, anywhere. “NAS systems have traditionally been found in businesses to manage, store and access data,” said Seth Bobroff, general manager, Intel Data Center Group, Storage. “Today, households and small offices have an ever-increasing number of computers, laptops, netbooks and mobile phones that create and consume digital content. This advancement in mobility coupled with the explosive growth of data and media are creating the need for centralized, easy-to-use network storage solutions for the home and small office.”

With an up to 50 percent power reduction and improved performance1 compared to Intel’s previous generation of Intel Atom processors, the new Intel Atom processors paired with the Intel 82801IR I/O Controller enable vendors to deliver cost-effective, feature-rich and reliable systems that scale to support the demands of the evolving home and small office storage market.

“The introduction of Intel’s Atom processor is a critical advancement that will dramatically change the scale of storage solutions across LaCie’s target markets,” said Erwan Girard, professional business unit manager, LaCie. “We are excited to work with Intel and leverage this game-changing technology to offer a new level of powerful and robust features to our customers.”

Powered by the Intel Atom processor D510, LG’s N4B2 NAS device performs fast “reads” and “writes” of large data files and allows up to 20 users to simultaneously stream high-definition-level (30Mbps) data within a local network. “As multimedia libraries grow, so does the need for secure, redundant storage,” said Dong-Keun Lee, vice president, DS Division, LG Electronics. “Network-attached storage has become more than just a fancy disk drive. It is now a secure, redundant vault for your irreplaceable photos, songs and documents. With the innovative, fast data processing features of N4B2, we are emerging as a leader in this segment.”

The new platform features six PCI Express* lanes, 12 USB 2.0 ports, a port multiplier function and eSATA ports that give OEMs the ability to add peripheral devices and expand storage capacity outside of the box. It also features hot plug capabilities for easy capacity upgrades and an integrated gigabit Ethernet MAC controller for improved data transfers to and from the home server or small office NAS device. The storage platform also offers the flexibility to support Microsoft Windows Home Server* and open source Linux operating systems. Additional information is available at intel.com/go/storage.

Intel Atom Processors in Embedded
In addition to the introduction of the storage platform, Intel also announced two single-core Intel Atom processors, the N450 and D410, and the first dual-core Intel Atom processor, the D510, for embedded devices. With 7-year lifecycle support to meet the performance-per-watt requirements of embedded devices, the Intel Atom processor-based embedded platform is ideal for small, energy-efficient designs for print imaging, digital security surveillance and industrial market segments.

The three processors are paired with an I/O controller designed for the embedded market – the Intel® 82801HM I/O Controller – for a 2-chip solution that provides rich I/O capabilities and adds flexibility via high-bandwidth interfaces, including PCI Express*, PCI*, SATA and USB 2.0 connectivity.

Both all-in-ones have 20-inch displays running at 1600 x 900 resolution, as well as optional multitouch-capable touchscreen layers.  The ET2010AGT pairs its AMD processor with up to 8GB of memory and DirectX 11 support, and will be available as the non-touchscreen ET2010AG as well.

As for the ET2010PNT, that has an Intel Atom D510 dualcore CPU together with 2GB of memory (4GB max) and a 500GB hard-drive.  There’s also a DVD burner and WiFi b/g/n, and as with its sibling there’ll be a non-touchscreen version in the shape of the ET2010PN.  No word on pricing nor availability for either machine.

[via The Tech Report]

One of the most obvious elements in the card’s design is the huge power supply, complete with six regulation lines; that ties in to some details NVIDIA revealed at CeBIT 2010 this week.  Apparently the GTX 480 will be particularly power hungry, and you’ll likely need a 600W minimum PSU.

It’ll also require special fans to keep it cool, not that we’re too surprised at that given the performance angle NVIDIA are going for.  They’ve apparently said that the GTX 480 will be more potent than ATI’s Radeon HD 5870, particularly when it comes to Open CL performance under OS X Snow Leopard.  We’ll have to wait and see when the first shipping cards hit review benches, hopefully later this month.

Chen pointed to the fact that some have described the iPad as nothing more than “one big screen iPhone”, and suggested that “this is something we can improve [on].”  While he declined to go into details regarding exactly what ASUS had in mind, he did confirm that they’re looking to target different segments with different devices, rather than Apple’s one-model strategy.

As for timing, we can certainly expect ASUS’ entrance to the slate market to take place before 2010 is out.  ”It should be this year, that makes sense … Over a year and people forget” suggested Chen.

The RT-N56U supports both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, and will function as a printer server too; it’s also capable of 300,000 concurrent sessions, which is apparently “industry-leading”.  There are two USB 2.0 ports (with 3G modem support), four gigabit ethernet ports and WiFi a/b/g/n.  Similar features can be found on the far more mundane-looking ASUS RT-N76U, which swaps radiator-chic for three aerials.

Elsewhere there are two 3G-compatible routers, the ASUS RT-N13U and the AP-N13M.  Each can share the connection from a 3G USB modem, with the former seemingly intended for stationary home use and the latter for use when travelling.  No pricing or hard specifications on any of the four models.

Press Release (extract):

Easy Connectivity and Enhanced Mobility with ASUS Networking

ASUS wireless routers are easy to set up with their exclusive EZ UI interfaces which enable plug-n-surf installation. Additionally, users of the ASUS RT-N76U and RT-N56U can enjoy ultra-fast and stable downloading with an industry-leading 300,000 concurrent sessions, as well as speedy file transfers in the less crowded 5GHz band with their dual band support. Both routers also support simultaneous printing and scanning to enable wireless printing from anywhere around a home. By connecting a 3G HSDPA dongle to the ASUS RT-N13U, users at home can share wireless services with family members. Similarly at a Hotspot café or restaurant, users can use the ASUS AP-N13M to share a Hotspot wireless service with friends.

Video demo after the cut

According to NetbookNews, when attached the netbook saw a tenfold increase in graphics performance, benchmarking around 5,000 marks in 3DMark06 compared to around 500 when the CULV machine was tested alone.  It’s not just for graphics cards, though; since the i-Power GXT Mini box basically gives you a PCI-Express slot to play with, you can slot in a desktop TV tuner card or a USB 3.0 card.  There are also a couple of USB 2.0 ports on the front panel no matter what guts you opt for.

Shuttle will apparently sell both preconfigured versions of the setup, with a video card already in place, and barebones versions.  Meanwhile the GXT port itself will be showing up on netbooks and nettops from the company, such as the one demonstrated in the video below.

The iHome has a DECT cordless handset and hooks up to your network via WiFi for data services like email, browsing and internet radio.  It has a 2.8-inch 240 x 320 touchscreen, microSD slot and a speakerphone, with stereo speakers in the docking station, and you can pair up to five handsets with a single dock.

Meanwhile the DSP Android-powered Multimedia Handset – which curiously they’ve used a screenshot of HTC Sense for in the render – is intended to work as a combination phone, internet portal, DLNA media player and remote control.  It too has both WiFi and DECT.  No prices or release dates for either device; the Binatone looks to be intended as an end-user platform, while the DSP seems to be designed to slot into the company’s greater home automation range.

[via AndroidCommunity 1 and 2]

That’s because they’ve packed it full, with 4GB of DDR3 memory and an overclocked GPU running at 850MHz.  Meanwhile the memory is clocked at 1,200MHz, and that’s apparently good enough for a 3DMark Vantage score of around 22,000.

Ports include two dual-link DVI and a Mini DisplayPort, along with twin 8-pin power connectors, and the thickness is thanks to a huge heatsink and three supposedly-silent fans.  No word on what this behemoth might cost nor when it will launch, but we’re guessing it’ll be very expensive.

Your money gets you Intel’s Atom N450 1.66GHz processor along with WiFi, Bluetooth and HDMI connectivity.  However, as we found out earlier in the week, 10-inch netbooks will get a shaved-down version of the NVIDIA Ion 2 chipset with just eight CUDA cores, as opposed to the 16-core version found on 12-inch or desktop machines.

That limitation seems to have resulted in – or at least contributed to – relatively low performance in graphics benchmarking, with the Aspire One 532G actually scoring less than its first-gen Ion predecessor.  Still, Acer are claiming up to 10hrs battery life from the AO532G, which is considerably more than the previous model managed, and that’s a compromise we reckon many would-be netbook owners will be willing to accept.

[via Twitter]

Video demo after the cut

The B’ook – apparently pronounced “schubook” – runs a customized build of Android, and like the other devices mentioned uses the LCD for primary navigation and the E Ink screen for actual reading.  Unlike the nook and eDGe, however, the 300g device also has voice call functionality: there’s a microphone below the keyboard and an earpiece above it (along with a webcam) though it’s GSM/EDGE only, and lacks 3G support.  Battery life is 1-2 weeks of ebook reading alone, or 2-3 days if you start making calls.

1Cross are looking for distributors, and reckon the B’ook could come in at around $290 if it makes it to market.  According to Lesen, who shot the hands-on video below, the usability experience is a mixed bag; without physical page-turn keys you’re forced to tap at the keyboard or the touchscreen (with the included stylus), while web browsing on the 480 x 320 touchscreen isn’t much fun either.

Video demo after the cut

Mio are still refusing to put a definitive price tag on the new Moov, but he’s heard them discuss figures ranging from “over €400″ ($545+) to €599 ($816).  Now, despite him saying the V780 does feel very good in the hand, that seems on the high side for what you’re actually getting.

Interestingly, Mio’s unnamed 600MHz processor turns out to be the first-gen ARM11-based NVIDIA Tegra chipset, and the Windows CE OS could be seeing an Android upgrade at some point in the future.  Still, the company’s own UI overlay looks pretty decent from the demo video below, so we’re just left hoping that the Moov V780 comes in at a more realistic price.

SonicMaster is a set of audio specs developed by Asus specifically for its line of notebooks and improves sound for music, movies, and VoIP. All of the machines share very similar specifications including Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 CPU options, Radeon HD 5730 or GeForce GT 325M graphics, up to 8GB of RAM, Blu-ray options, and up to 640GB of storage.

The machines also share the same 6-cell 4400mAh battery. The only difference in the models is the screen size. The N61J is a 16-inch 1366 x 768 LED backlit machine. The N71J gets a 17.3-inch 1600 x 900 LED backlit screen. The Asus N82J is a 14-inch 1366 x 768 LED backlit machine.

Video demos after the cut

In-between there’s the Vision A15VS, Vision A18VB and Vision A24VB, with 1.5-, 1.8- and 2.4-inch displays and 4GB, 8GB and 8GB of storage respectively.  Larger display lovers are catered for with the Archos Vision A30VC, with a 3-inch touchscreen, integrated camera and FM transmitter and 8GB of storage.

The A14VG will be €34.99 ($48), the AV15VS €39.99 ($54), the A18VB €49.99 ($68), the AV24VB €69.99 ($95), the A30VC €89.99 ($123) and the A43VB €99.99 ($136).  They should all go on sale this spring.  The irrepressible Charbax has been hanging out with the new PMPs at the show; check out his hands-on videos with the main Vision range and the 4.3-inch A43VB below.

Press Release:

ARCHOS presents the new “Vision Series”

ARCHOS presents the new multimedia player in the ‘Vision Range’, consisting of MP3 and MP4 players.

More than 1 million players of the “Vision Series” ARCHOS sold worldwide in 2009. The new product line will continue to deliver high quality at an affordable price while offering many features and applications – so every device in the series features video support and the ability to create custom subfolder. Here the user can his photos, videos and music simply drag and drop ‘play – without Artwork Specifications Software – from his PC to the Archos player. The new ARCHOS “Vision Series” is designed for music fans and film lovers. In spring 2010, the new MP3 and MP4 players come with different memory sizes and in different price ranges on the market.
ARCHOS Vision A14VG
With its small size and weighing only 24 grams, the “ARCHOS A14VG” versatile and is suitable as a companion while exercising. The “ARCHOS A14VG” was developed for play music and podcasts, and secure with the 4 gigabytes of memory up to 2000 songs.
Videos and photos will be displayed on the 1.4-inch color display. FM radio and voice recording with built in microphone are also possible.
The “ARCHOS Vision A14VG” will have a suggested retail price of 34.99 euros.
ARCHOS Vision A15VS
The “ARCHOS A15VS Vision” offers a sleek design. His touch field allows a simple and intuitive navigation of the arrow keys to control the menu. With 4 gigabytes of memory “A15VS” up to 2000 songs (MP3, WAV, FALC, APE and WMA), can store video clips or photos. It offers a 1.5 inch color display. Its audio recorder can record music directly from the built-in FM radio or via the built-in microphone.
The suggested retail price “ARCHOS A15VS Vision” is located at 39,99 Euro.
ARCHOS Vision A18VB
With its 1.8-inch color display and sleek rubber case housing is the “ARCHOS A18VB” a robust “all-in-one player in the credit card format. The “A18VB” provides 12 hours of music and offers photo and video playback. 8 gigabytes of internal memory can store up to 4000 songs.
The “ARCHOS Vision A18VB” costs $ 49.99 (U.S. MSRP).
ARCHOS Vision A24VB
The “ARCHOS A24VB” is a great music player with a high-quality 2.4-inch color display that is suitable because of its bright colors and good sharpness for playback of his pictures. Available is the player with 8 gigabytes of memory and thus can accommodate up to 4,000 songs in MP3, WAV, FLAC, APE and WMA. The “Vision A24VB” has an FM radio and voice recorder.
The MSRP of the “Vision ARCHOS A24VB” is located at 69,99 Euro.
ARCHOS Vision A30VC
The “ARCHOS A30VC Vision” is a full featured Media Player reproduces videos and music and also has an integrated camera. In a 3-inch LCD screen, it gives photos and videos back in high quality. The touch screen provides a quick and easy navigation.
The “ARCHOS A30VC Vision” has a battery life of 14 hours, 8 gigabytes of storage space. He also has an FM transmitter for broadcasting of music on a radio, for example, in the car. The audio recorder enables recording on the built-in microphone. In addition, there is a stop-clock and a calendar.
The “ARCHOS Vision A30VC” costs 89.99 euros (MSRP).
ARCHOS Vision A43VB
The “ARCHOS A43VB Vision” is a slim, low-cost multimedia player that supports a number of different video codecs. Videos and photos can be played on the sharp 4.3-inch touch screen, or with an AV-out cable on a television set.
The “A43VB” offers 8 gigabytes of memory and ensures that up to 4000 songs. A memory expansion is possible via the micro SD card slot. The battery life is 30 hours.
The “ARCHOS A43VB Vision” is at a MSRP of 99.99 euros.

Video demo after the cut

Other specs include a 320GB or 500GB 2.5-inch HDD, 1,366 x 768 display and integrated Intel X4500MHD graphics.  Both have a 1.3-megapixel webcam and WiFi, along with a fingerprint reader and optional 3G; the M1405 also gets Bluetooth 2.1+EDR.  Gigabyte reckon the M1305 will last for up to a slightly-unbelieveable 6hrs from the 3-cell 3,800mAh battery; a second, 2,550mAh power pack can be added to extend that by another 4hrs.

We still don’t know how much the two Gigabyte notebooks will cost, but we’re quietly excited.  Having dual-mode graphics in a notebook isn’t new, but it’s arguable whether most people use the higher-performance chip while on the move because of the battery impact.  Instead, they save it for when they’re back at their desk, just like the new BookTops offer.

There’s also 1GB and a choice of models with 160GB or 250GB hard-drives.  Connectivity includes WiFi 802.11n and 10/100 ethernet across the board, with the top-spec models getting Bluetooth too; there’s also an offset 1.3-megapixel webcam.  Glancing at the VGA port tells us that the N1200 Series is certainly thicker than something like Sony’s VAIO X ultraportable, but then again Sony wouldn’t like you calling that a netbook so we suppose Averatec get away with their claims.

All but the base model run Windows 7 (the entry-level machine gets Windows XP) and the standard 3-cell battery is good for just 3hrs of use; you’ll have to splash out on the top model with its 6-cell pack if you want to get Averatec’s quoted 6hrs of runtime.  Prices range from $329.99 to $379.99 and you can find full details in the gallery below.

Press Release:

Averatec Introduces Thinnest, Lightest 10-inch Netbook on the Market

Extended Battery Models Offer Up to Six Hours Battery Life

SANTA ANA, Calif. –(Business Wire)– Mar 02, 2010 TriGem USA today announced the Averatec N1200 Series netbook, the thinnest, lightest 10.1-inch netbook on the market today. The netbook weighs in at 2.2 pounds, measures less than one-inch thick, and offers up to six hours of battery life with the extended battery model. The N1200 will be offered in different models to match a customer’s computing needs and budget requirements, with prices ranging from $329 to $379.

Three models will be offered and feature various configurations based on either the Windows XP Home or Windows 7 Starter operating systems. Extended battery models will also be available to increase battery performance from three to six hours.

To achieve this design, the engineering team at TriGem incorporated materials and components typically found on more expensive ultra-slim notebooks. Cutting-edge technologies such as ultra-slim LED LCDs along with super-slim 7mm hard drives are some of the key components which enable the N1200 Series netbook to be less than one-inch thick. Magnesium-alloy casing and the use of lithium polymer battery cells help to keep the weight down to 2.2 pounds, making it the lightest in its class.

“To build a leading-class netbook, you need to think about how it should be built,” said Bob Davidson, TriGem USA senior vice president. “The lines between low-cost netbooks and ultra-portable notebooks are becoming blurred and consumers are no longer satisfied with mere compact clamshell-shaped netbooks. They want all the premium styling and features found in ultra-portable notebooks but at much more affordable prices.”

The new Averatec N1200 Series netbook features a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor and operating system options for either Microsoft Windows XP Home or Windows 7 Starter. For videoconferencing and video Web chat, the netbook includes a 1.3-megapixel webcam. Storage options include 160GB and 250GB hard drives and the N1200 comes standard with 1GB DDR2 memory which is expandable to 2GB of total system memory.

The Averatec N1200 Series netbook is available for purchase this month at retail partners such as BestBuy.com, TigerDirect.com and OfficeMax.com.

TriGem’s products are backed by a one-year limited warranty and one-year of U.S.-based technical support available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time.

The keyboard also gets quick access to volume, mute and audio controls, though not the audio or USB ports from the SteelSeries 7G.  As for the headset, that breaks down into four pieces for easier transportation, has interchangeable leather or foam ear cushions, and features a retractable microphone arm.  A USB version is also available with virtual 7.1 surround sound support.

The SteelSeries 7H headset is available for preorder now, priced at $119.99, while the USB version – the SteelSeries 7H USB – is $149.99.  As for the SteelSeries 6Gv2, that’s up for preorder for $99.99.

Press Release:

SteelSeries Introduces New Mechanical Gaming Keyboard: the 6Gv2

Modeled After the Award-Winning SteelSeries 7G, The New 6Gv2 is the Straight to the Point Gaming Keyboard Option

CeBIT 2010
HANOVER, Germany–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SteelSeries, the leading manufacturer of gaming peripherals and accessories, today, during CeBIT in Hanover, Germany, introduced the SteelSeries 6Gv2 keyboard. Designed with 18-karat gold-plated mechanical switches, the keyboard offers quicker reaction times and advanced key combinations for more Actions Per Minute and a lifetime more than 10 times that of conventional keyboards.

Like the SteelSeries 7G, the new keyboard utilizes a powerful buffer-system created specifically for gaming, supporting as many simultaneous key presses as there are keys on the keyboard. The “anti-ghosting” feature allows users in first person shooter games to move, crouch, aim, fire and even check the scoreboard, simultaneously. The SteelSeries G product line is the only series of keyboards on the market that allows this type of functionality all at once.

“We’ve been watching professional teams such as Fnatic, SK Gaming, Evil Geniuses and others win grand slam tournaments with the 7G as their weapon of choice and have seen it recognized as one of the most impressive performance keyboards on the gaming market. Keeping that rockstar mentality, we designed the slimmed down SteelSeries 6Gv2 to pack the same punch without compromising response time, durability or performance.” said Bruce Hawver, SteelSeries CEO.

The new keyboard will incorporate SteelSeries’ Media Controls allowing quick access to volume, mute and other audio controls. Features not present in the keyboard, compared to the SteelSeries 7G, are the audio ports for headphone-in and microphone-out, the two USB ports as well as the removable plastic handrest.

The mechanical tactile system is ergonomically designed to ensure ease-of-use, while the no-click switches and iron-infused plastic makes SteelSeries G Series of keyboards both comfortable and durable. The SteelSeries 6Gv2 also has a switch lifetime of 50 million operations, which is more than 10 times the lifespan of a typical “membrane” keyboard known for a maximum of only 1-5 million total keystrokes in a lifetime.

The SteelSeries 6Gv2 Keyboard is available now for pre-sale at Amazon.com for an MSRP of $99.99 USD.

Press Release:

SteelSeries Introduces the 7H Headset

The Newest H Series Headset Provides Gamers With Superior Noise Reduction and High-Quality Sound In A Durable, Easy-Travel Design

CeBIT 2010
HANOVER, Germany–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Kicking off CeBIT 2010 in Hanover, Germany, SteelSeries, the leading manufacturer of gaming peripherals and accessories, introduced the new high-end SteelSeries 7H headset. Designed and built for competitive gamers, the SteelSeries 7H presents a superior soundscape in an exclusive design that travels well and offers two ear-cup choices, hear-through cloth and noise dampening leather.

“We’re introducing the SteelSeries 7H as our high-end headset for gamers who want choices in the type of comfort and sound they need to experience”
The SteelSeries 7H headset features 50mm drivers in the ear-cups which fully cover the ear and delivers a clean soundscape of high, low and mid tones from background, mood setting sounds in MMO games to 3D positional alerts in FPS games. The closed-type headset features superior passive noise reduction, specifically developed in cooperation with competitive gamers for use at loud tournaments and LAN-events. The SteelSeries 7H additionally comes with two interchangeable ear-cushions that offer the option of leather cushions with noise dampening foam or hear-through cloth covered foam.

“We’re introducing the SteelSeries 7H as our high-end headset for gamers who want choices in the type of comfort and sound they need to experience,” said Bruce Hawver, SteelSeries CEO. “The 7H features were developed based on direct feedback from our sponsored Counter-Strike and QuakeLive players, who need to hear their teammates while practicing at home and need to eliminate external noise while competing at loud tournament venues.”

The new SteelSeries 7H all black stealth design features subdued chrome elements around each ear-cup and at the base of either side of the headband. Easily dismantled into four pieces, at the headband, the right and left ear-cup, and at the cord, the SteelSeries 7H is ideal for tournament players who travel often. Its left ear-cup features a retractable, uni-directional microphone that can be hidden when not in use. The durable braided cord is detachable, offering both safety and travel convenience and features a built-in volume and microphone control. An additional 2m extension cord is included for extra convenience.

The SteelSeries 7H headset is available now for pre-sale at Amazon.com for $119.99 USD.

A USB version of the SteelSeries 7H headset is also available, offering optimized sound profiles for first person shooter (FPS), massively multiplayer online (MMO), and real-time strategy (RTS) players as well as customizable environmental settings. The USB version provides 7.1 virtual surround and ensures gamers the exact same sound and settings no matter where they are in the world or at what computer they are playing. The SteelSeries 7H USB is also available at Amazon.com with an MSRP of $149.99 USD.

There’s also a DDR2 RAM slot, 2.5-inch HDD bay and integrated WiFi 802.11n, while other connectivity includes HDMI and eSATA.  Altogether there are six USB 2.0 ports, together with DVI, gigabit ethernet, a 6-in-1 memory card reader and an optical digital audio output.

The Ion GPU itself is the 16 CUDA core chip, rather than the cut-down 8 core version intended for 10-inch netbooks.  No word on when we might see it launch nor for how much, however.

Press Release:

Next-Generation ZOTAC ZBOX Redefines Mini-PCs
New ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 redefines mini-PC with next-generation NVIDIA® ION™ technology

HONG KONG – Mar. 2, 2010 – ZOTAC International, the world’s largest channel manufacturer, today redefines the mini-PC experience with a new generation of eco friendly small form factor platform powered by next-generation NVIDIA® ION™ technology – the new ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 mini-PC. The new ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 mini-PC supercharges the eco friendly computing experience with premium graphics processing, complete high definition playback capabilities and a premium Windows® 7 experience with Aero® user interface.

Premium graphics processing power forms the heart of the ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 mini-PC with a new Next-Generation NVIDIA® ION™ graphics processor with 16 unified shaders and 512MB of DDR3 graphics memory complete with NVIDIA® CUDA™ and NVIDIA® PureVideo™ HD technologies for a superior eco friendly computing experience that goes well beyond simple web browsing.

NVIDIA® CUDA™ technology harnesses the power of the NVIDIA® ION™ graphics processor in the ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 to energize popular video processing and image editing applications for performance that dominates traditional CPUs. CUDA™ technology also enables support for DirectCompute and OpenCL powered applications on the ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 for complete compatibility with general purpose GPU computing applications.

“Software companies took a big step in the last year to enable GPU-acceleration in their applications. Users can edit movies using Super LoiLoScope, enhance the quality of low-quality videos using vReveal and convert video files for use with portable media players using Badaboom with CUDA™ technology and our new ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 mini-PC using just the graphics processor,” said Carsten Berger, marketing director, ZOTAC International. “Just because the ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 mini-PC is small in size doesn’t mean it can’t deliver big system performance.

The ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 mini-PC offers robust high definition playback capabilities with GPU accelerated decoding of popular formats such as AVC, VC-1 and Blu-ray movie titles, dual-stream hardware acceleration for Blu-ray picture-in-picture extra features, dynamic contrast and color stretch for spectacular picture clarity, and other visual enhancing post-processing and features thanks to NVIDIA® PureVideo™ HD technology. GPU acceleration is just the beginning of the high definition playback capabilities of the ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 mini-PC.

Streaming high definition Internet video on popular sites such as YouTube™, Vimeo™ and Hulu™ render smoothly and flawlessly in full screen with the ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 and Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1. Video stuttering is a faint thought of the past with the ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 with NVIDIA® ION™ graphics technology.

HDMI 1.3a connectivity ensures the ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 can connect to the latest monitors and televisions with the best visual quality available and support the latest technologies such as xvYCC Color, Deep color and high-resolution 7.1-channel digital surround sound. New xvYCC Color and Deep color technologies enable a wider range of colors and higher bit depths up to 48-bit color when connecting the ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 to compatible displays for richer colors and greater details.

“The ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 mini-PC is perfect for home theater PC use as well daily usage. Watching high-definition movies with premium audio tracks is a rewarding experience with the ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 mini-PC.” Mr. Berger said. “The amount of clarity high-resolution 7.1-channel digital surround sound audio brings to the experience is phenomenal and can’t be put into words.”

The ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 mini-PCs deliver a premium Windows® 7 experience with Aero® user interface with the NVIDIA® ION™ graphics processor. Windows® 7 features such as Aero® peek, Aero® shake and GPU accelerated media transcoding is fully supported by the ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 for a fully featured premium eco friendly computing experience.

Behind the powerful NVIDIA® ION™ graphics in the ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 and is an energy-efficient Intel® Atom™ processor with Intel® HyperThreading technology. A dual-core Intel® Atom D510 powers the ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 for a powerful combination that delivers unrivaled performance and energy-efficiency.

Customizing the internals of the ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 mini-PC is quick and easy for end users with a new tool-less case design. Users can simply remove two thumb screws to access the internals of the ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 mini-PC and master the mini-PC with ease.

“We designed the ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 with our end users in mind. With the new ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 and HD-IS11, users can equip the mini-PC with components of their choice,” Mr. Berger said.

Internal expansion inside the ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 include space for a single 2.5-inch hard drive and one 200-pin DDR2 SODIMM slot. Greater expansion is achievable externally via six USB 2.0 ports, one eSATA 3.0 Gb/s port and a 6-in-1 memory card reader capable of reading SD, SDHC, MMC, MS, MS Pro and xD memory cards for limitless expansion capabilities.

It’s time to play with the ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 with Next-Generation NVIDIA® ION™ technology.

General details

New ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11
Next-Generation NVIDIA® ION™ platform
NVIDIA® CUDA™ technology
NVIDIA® PureVideo™ HD technology
Intel® NM10 Express chipset
Intel® HyperThreading technology
ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11
Intel® Atom™ D510
Dual-core
1.66 GHz (667 MHz front-side bus)
Tool-less case design
VESA monitor mount included
HDMI (1080p) & Dual-link DVI outputs
HDMI 1.3a compliant
xvYCC Color and Deep Color support
HDCP compliant
Microsoft® DirectCompute ready
Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1 decode acceleration
OpenCL compliant
Gigabit Ethernet
Onboard 802.11n WiFi
Microsoft® DirectX® 10.1 with Shader Model 4.1 compatible
OpenGL® 3.2 compatible
Microsoft® Windows® 7 with premium Aero® user interface ready

Connectivity includes wired ethernet and WiFi b/g/n, though we’re not entirely sure what video/audio outputs there are to go along with that; we’re guessing HDMI will be among them, since it’s present on ASUS’ more basic O!Play range.  Supported media formats include H.264, WMV, MPEG1-4, HDV, VC-1, DivX, XviD, AVI, VOB, MOV, MKV, RMVB video and JPEG, GIF, BMP, PNG and TIFF / TIF stills.

It’s also possible to surf the internet directly from the EM0501, though there’s no indication of whether ASUS will be supplying a remote keyboard to make that a little more straightforward.  Instead there’s talk – but no photos – of an IR-based “multimedia remote control” which will presumably handle basic navigation.  No word on pricing or availability.

Video demo after the cut

The larger BC10C has various programable buttons around the edges, along with an HDMI connector, and an optical mouse integrated into the bottom bezel.  Actually the Celeron-based tablet is slightly smaller (albeit thicker) than its Atom counterpart.  Inside there’s a 250GB hard-drive.

As for the Hanvon BA10E, that will have both a capacitive multitouch display option and an active digitizer option for improved handwriting recognition.  Around the edges there are the same array of buttons, USB and HDMI connectivity, while inside there’s a 120GB HDD and both front and back cameras.

Price-wise, the BA10E will come in at €500-600 while the BC10C will be €600-700.  No word on specific release dates, but since Hanvon are handing out review units we’re guessing they’re ramping up for a launch.

There’s also a 10.1-inch 1024 x 600 display, 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard-drive, to which ASUS will throw in a further 500GB of online storage.  Connectivity includes WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, along with VGA, USB 2.0, a memory card reader and audio in/out.

As for the ASUS Eee PC 1016P Diary, that’s apparently intended for business use and comes with a sensible aluminum chassis.  It gets the same basic specs and processor choices as the Eee PC 1015P Seashell, but you can also upgrade the RAM to 2GB and the HDD to 320GB.  Bluetooth 3.0 is another option, and ASUS reckon you can manage up to 14hrs of runtime from the 6-cell battery.  No news on pricing or availability as yet.

Update: The O!Play HD2 is confirmed to have not only USB 2.0 but USB 3.0 connectivity.

We’re presuming the O!Play HD2 is another networked media player, similar to the two models that have gone before it.  That would suggest 1080p HD video output via HDMI (or composite audio/video and digital audio outputs) together with some degree of networking support, either ethernet or maybe 802.11n like the O!Play Air HDP-R3.

Still, we’re waiting to hear back from ASUS themselves as to what the mediaplayer actually delivers, and hopefully some pricing and availability news too.  We’ll update when that comes in.

The innovative nettop integrates an Atom-based PC into a keyboard chassis, along with a 5-inch touchscreen that can be used to display widgets, a numeric keypad or remotely navigate an on-screen cursor.  Last we heard it would be priced somewhere between $499 and $599, and have options including wireless HDMI and various amounts of SSD storage.  We’re not holding our breath, but roll on April.

Battery life, meanwhile, is sufficient for around 10,000 page turns – the equivalent of around twenty 400-page novels on a single change – though we’re pretty confident that’s with the various wireless options switched off.  ASUS have previously been talking about the DR-950, which looks mighty similar in the press photos to this DR-900, and we’re guessing the two models are basically the same thing.

That means a 1024 x 768 resolution display and support for PDF, ePub and HTML files among formats.  There’s also talk of text-to-speech and RSS, while connectivity includes a USB port and 3.5mm headphone jack.  Onboard storage for the DR-950 ranges between 2GB and 4GB, with an SD card slot to add to that, and ASUS at one point were taking about the potential for WiMAX being added too.

The 1201PN scored 2013 3DMarks, compared to its first-gen Ion predecessor the ASUS Eee PC 1201N which generally scored around 1,580 in 3DMark06.  It’s worth noting that the AO532G tested last month used 3DMark03, hence the fact that you can’t directly compare the scores between the two.

A bigger improvement would obviously have been preferable with the second-gen Ion, but that’s not all NVIDIA are promoting this time around.  Instead, they’ve hooked up their Optimus system which can intelligently direct tasks to both the Ion 2 and the integrated Intel GMA 3150 graphics built into the Atom N450 processor.  That, they reckon, is better for battery life, and in fact are suggesting that Ion 2 equipped netbooks with regular 6-cell batteries should be capable of lasting around 10hrs.  Considering the previous-gen Eee PC 1201N only managed under 5hrs of regular use, that’ll be impressive if the new Eee PC can achieve it.

There’s also WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, together with a 6-cell 63Wh battery; ASUS are being cagey with runtime estimates, however.  Ports include the usual range of USB 2.0 and memory card reader, together with audio in/out and ethernet, but there’s also an HDMI port for hooking up your big-screen TV.

No word on pricing or availability for the Windows XP netbook, though we’re guessing it’ll arrive pretty imminently now that the Atom N450 processor and Ion 2 chipset are both official.  Live pics over at NetbookNews and NotebookItalia.

If you’d rather pair it with a separate graphics card or two, the AMD 890GX supports ATI CrossFireX technology.  Still, the basic integrated graphics are enough to upscale standard-definition DVDs and support DirectX 10.1 gaming, as well as decode the MPEG2, VC-1 and H.264 video formats.

There’s also gigabit ethernet support, HyperTransport 3.0 and PCI Express Generation 2.0 support.  AMD say the 890GX chipset will be the first of several 8-series models, and will form the basis of a new desktop platform that we’ll find out more about in Q2 2010.

Press Release:

AMD Unveils Versatile AMD 890GX Chipset for High Definition Entertainment on Virtually Any PC Budget

New Chipset Serves as the Foundation for 2010 Client Platforms Featuring ATI Radeon™ HD 4290 Graphics, Advanced SATA 3.0, and USB 3.0 Connectivity for an Outstanding Out-of-Box 3D Graphics and HD Entertainment Experience

SUNNYVALE, Calif. —3/2/2010
AMD (NYSE: AMD) and its motherboard partners today unleashed ATI Radeon™ HD 4290 Graphics with the AMD 890GX Chipset, a versatile, affordable and exceptionally energy efficient solution for an incredible, high definition visual computing experience.

The AMD 890GX chipset redefines the way you play with versatile graphics configurations, including DirectX® 10.1 graphics on the motherboard and support for up to two high-performance ATI Radeon™ Premium Graphics cards with ATI CrossFireX™ technology. The same AMD 890GX motherboard which can be used to build an efficient and slim home theater PC using the integrated ATI Radeon HD 4290 Graphics, can be augmented with ATI Radeon™ HD 5450 Graphics for a dual-graphics performance preview, or upgraded to a gaming powerhouse with ATI Radeon™ HD 5870 Graphics and the visual realism of DirectX® 11.

With Integrated ATI Radeon HD 4290 Graphics, family and friends can enjoy accelerated and enhanced high definition and 1080p Blu-ray™ playback including dual-stream PiP (Picture in Picture) on Blu-ray™ 1.1. 1 Standard DVD movies can be viewed in near high-definition quality with DVD upscaling with post-processing to enhance standard and low resolution videos and movies on HD displays. ATI Radeon™ HD 4290 Graphics are designed to decode and play back Blu-ray™ and other HD content with support for MPEG2, VC-1, and H.264 formats.

The AMD 890GX Chipset supports the SATA 3.0 6Gbps hard drive interface to help speed application performance, decrease boot times, and provide faster access to information, HD video, photos and more.2 SATA 3.0 technology on the AMD 890GX Chipset can help speed application performance and Windows 7 data access speeds with high-bandwidth SATA 3.0 solid state drives and in multi-drive RAID configurations.

Many AMD 890GX-based motherboards feature SuperSpeed USB 3.0, quickly synchronizing and transferring digital media files on the new generation of USB 3.0 devices.2 With USB 3.0 and SATA 3.0 support, these platforms are designed to be ready for a new generation of high-speed hard drives and high resolution digital camcorders and media players. The AMD 890GX Chipset also includes support for Gigabit Ethernet, HyperTransport™ 3.0 technology, and PCI Express® Generation 2.0 to create a system designed to provide fast data flow resulting in speedier transfers of work, games, and entertainment files.

The first of the AMD 8-series chipsets, these technologies serve as the foundation for 2010 VISION technology for AMD desktop platforms that are scheduled to be announced in the second quarter of 2010 and are designed to be compatible with the upcoming AMD Phenom™ II X6 six-core processor.

Video demo after the cut

They’ll include all-in-ones and nettops like the Lenovo C200 and the ASUS EeeTop 2010PNT. NVIDIA Ion 2 is intended to work in collaboration with an integrated Intel GMA 3150 graphics chipset; using NVIDIA’s Optimus technology, different workloads can be directed to the Ion or the Intel GPU as appropriate, balancing graphics grunt with power management.

NVIDIA are still claiming ten-times the graphical performance of a regular netbook from the GeForce G210 based Ion 2, along with around 10hrs of battery life (with a 6-cell, 5,600mAh pack) thanks to Optimus’ frugality.  The end result is HD- and gaming-capable netbooks, though we don’t yet know what sort of price impact the Ion 2 will have; its predecessor added around $50 to the purchase price of a machine.

At time of writing, Intel are yet to even update their Atom site with the N470 so there’s unsurprisingly no sign of the N455 or N475.  It’s possible that the company didn’t intend to make the chips public at this point; it’s common for Intel to work with ASUS, Acer, MSI and other manufacturers ahead of launch, and the netbook firms to merely say “Atom powered” until the new chip gets official.

According to the earlier rumors, the first netbooks using the Atom N455 and N475 processors would arrive on the market come Q3 2010.  ASUS didn’t attach a release date to their Eee PC 1018P, so we’ll be waiting to see exactly when devices using the chips will arrive.

Those changes could apparently include a switch from the Archos 9′s current resistive touchscreen to a capacitive panel, together with the inclusion of 3G connectivity.  We’re not sure what that might do to the Windows 7 tablet’s price, but it can’t be good.  Timescale for the more serious changes is roughly after the summer at some point; the CPU update is imminent, though Archos are leaving the sluggish 1.8-inch HDD in place.

That’s strange, because so far we’ve not officially heard of those particular CPU variants being officially announced.  Intel debuted their Atom N470 chip over the weekend, and previous rumors suggested that the N455 and N475 versions would be updated to allow for the use of DDR3 memory.

Elsewhere there’s 1-2GB of RAM, a 250GB to 500GB hard-drive, 10.1-inch 1024 x 600 display and WiFi b/g/n together with Bluetooth 2.1+EDR.  Bluetooth 3.0 is apparently optional.  There’s also a fingerprint reader, some bundled online Eee Storage, and the whole thing measures just 18mm thick.

Video demo after the cut

NetbookItalia have a good all-round photoset of the T1000P, and they also spotted a SIM card reader lurking behind the battery.  That certainly indicates that Gigabyte will be offering a 3G and/or 4G version of the tablet, something that wasn’t mentioned on the original spec sheet.

Meanwhile jkkmobile shot some hands-on video with the twisting convertible netbook, and he seems reasonably impressed.  He reckons the multitouch is actually more responsive than the comparable ASUS machine (the Eee PC T101MT) though the functionality is actually limited by the Windows 7 Starter Edition OS.  What’s left to be figured out is what sort of battery life can be stretched out from the 4-cell or 6-cell packs.

As for the frequencies it uses, there’s a WiFi a/n chipset on the 5GHz band, paired with a 4×4 MIMO antenna.  Netgear reckon it’s stable enough to guarantee 40Mbps HD streams 99.9-percent of the time, and it’ll work with your Xbox 360, PS3, Apple TV, Wii, Blu-ray deck or PC, among other devices.  The Netgear High-Performance Wireless-N HD Home Theater Kit (WNHDB3004) will go on sale in Q3 2010; pricing to be announced closer to the time, but both the pair of towers and individual units will be available.

The Netgear Ethernet to Wireless Adapter (WNCE2001), meanwhile, connects via ethernet but gets its power via a USB port; that means you can – assuming the device you’re plugging into has a power USB free – avoid having to find an AC outlet for a separate PSU brick.  It also uses WiFi-N technology, and will go on sale in May 2010 priced at $79.

Press Release:

NETGEAR Supercharges Home Theater Experience with New Class of WiFi Products to Support Internet-Enabled Set-top Boxes, TVs, Blu-ray Players and Gaming Consoles

High-Performance HD Home Theater Kit (WNHDB3004) Wirelessly Streams Multiple HD Videos Flawlessly Throughout the Home; Industry-First Compact USB-powered Universal WiFi Internet Adapter (WNCE2001) Wirelessly Connects Ethernet-enabled Consumer Electronics to the Internet

HANNOVER, Germany — March 1, 2010 — NETGEAR, Inc. (NASDAQGM: NTGR), a worldwide provider of technologically innovative, branded networking solutions, today announced two new networking accessories for home theaters. The High-Performance Wireless-N HD Home Theater Kit (WNHDB3004) is a carrier-grade, tested and proven solution for wirelessly playing multiple jitter-free 1080p HD video and audio streams to every room in the house flawlessly, and at double the performance and range of solutions in the market today. The Universal WiFi Internet Adapter for Home Theater Devices and Gaming Consoles (WNCE2001) delivers Wireless-N performance of up to 300 Mbps through the Ethernet port of consumer electronic (CE) devices such as Internet TVs, game consoles, Blu-ray players and more.

NETGEAR will display these new products at the CeBIT trade show in Hannover, Germany, March 2-6, 2010, in the Wick Hill booth (Hall 11, Stand D03) of the Hannover Exhibition Hall. Related CeBIT announcements can be found here (http://www.netgear.com/About/PressReleases.aspx).

A growing number of multimedia devices in the home theater are enabled with network connectivity, but oftentimes there is not a wired network connection available in the living room. While many of the available wireless solutions, either embedded or external, offer basic connectivity to the home network to play rich media to the HDTV, no other wireless solutions provide the reliability required for playing multiple, simultaneous, Blu-ray quality HD streams across multiple walls in a large home.

“High-Performance HD Home Theater Kit provides wired-equivalent connectivity and whole-home coverage using wireless,” said Som Pal Choudhury, NETGEAR director of product marketing for Core Networking Products. “The technology is way ahead of the competition. With its groundbreaking speed, range and reliability, it is like WiFi on steroids.”

High-Performance Wireless-N HD Home Theater Kit (WNHDB3004)
With performance doubling that of competing products, the NETGEAR carrier-grade High-Performance Wireless-N HD Home Theater Kit (WNHDB3004) delivers multiple, simultaneous, jitter-free 1080p HD video streams wirelessly throughout the home. It is the only solution that has been tested to provide sustained throughput of HD streams in excess of 40 Mbps 99.9 percent of the time, through multiple walls, throughout an above-average single family home.

The kit consists of a pair of two High-Performance Wireless-N HD Home Theater Adapters (WNHD3004). The set-up is truly plug and play; consumers simply plug the first adapter into the existing router or gateway, and the second adapter into any home theater device with an Ethernet port. The kit is pre-configured with security, so a single touch of a push-button securely connects additional adapters. IPTV customers and video enthusiasts can now wirelessly stream multiple 1080p HD streams with wired-equivalent reliability from the network, Internet or IPTV service provider to their home theater devices, including IPTV set-top boxes, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Blu-ray players, Internet-enabled TVs, Apple TV, NETGEAR Digital Entertainer products and more. The NETGEAR High-Performance Wireless-N HD Home Theater Kit supports point-to-multipoint HD video streaming and the multicast streaming protocol that IPTV service providers demand.

The High-Performance Wireless-N HD Home Theater Kit eliminates the need for expensive structured wiring or messy Ethernet cables. It is also designed to overcome the common problems — wireless signal strength, quality and reliability — associated with interference, frequently changing WiFi environments, and areas of the home that are notoriously difficult to reach. The kit combines 4×4 multiple-input, multiple-out (MIMO) antenna signal processing, real-time spectrum analysis and dynamic digital beamforming with the industry’s highest performance IEEE 802.11a/n 5GHz wireless LAN chipset, providing an unprecedented level of reliability and wireless performance in terms of data rates and range.

“With the rising demand among consumers for HD-quality video, IPTV service providers are increasingly looking for carrier-grade solutions to wirelessly connect IPTV set-top boxes to the home network,” said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at The NPD Group, a leading market research company. “Likewise, VARs, resellers and system integrators specializing in home audio and video automation are looking for ways to cut costs in expensive cabling to connect their customers’ whole home entertainment systems. Wireless devices that are capable of reliably playing multiple HD audio and video streams, like those of NETGEAR, are an ideal solution for the customers, as well as the service providers.”

The Universal WiFi Internet Adapter (WNCE2001) for Home Theater Devices and Gaming Consoles
NETGEAR is also introducing the industry’s first compact USB-powered Universal WiFi Internet Adapter (WNCE2001) that works with Internet TVs, game consoles and Blu-ray players. The first of its kind, the adapter is the only affordable solution in a small form factor that delivers optimal Wireless-N performance and works universally with any Ethernet-enabled CE device. This saves consumers from the confusion and expense of purchasing separate WiFi USB adapters for each CE device in their home theater.

The Universal WiFi Internet Adapter is powered by the USB port, avoiding the need for a long wire to the power outlet and making it more visually pleasing in the already congested home theater environment. With NETGEAR Push Connect technology and CD-less set-up, it is truly a plug and play experience.

Pricing and Availability
Backed by a one-year warranty and 24/7 technical support, the new NETGEAR products are available worldwide through leading retailers, direct marketers, e-commerce sites and value-added resellers. The Universal WiFi Internet Adapter for Home Theater Devices and Gaming Consoles (WNCE2001) will be available in May at an MSRP in the U.S. of $79. The High-Performance Wireless-N HD Home Theater Kit (WNHDB3004) will be available in Q3 of 2010, with pricing for the kit and for single adapters to be announced at the time of market availability.

Photos and Other Product Information:
High-Performance Wireless-N HD Home Theater Kit (WNHDB3004):

http://www.netgear.com/HDWiFi

Universal WiFi Internet Adapter for Home Theater Devices and Gaming Consoles (WNCE2001):

http://www.netgear.com/ConnectWiFi

Note: Maximum wireless signal rate derived from IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications. Actual data throughput will vary from maximum signal rates stipulated. Network conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network traffic, building materials and construction, and network overhead, lower actual data throughput rate.

That’s because Mio are definitely looking at MID functionality to save them; the Moov V780 has a capacitive touchscreen, WiFi b/g and optional 3.5G and WiMAX connectivity, together with a mini USB 2.0 port and MicroSD reader.  It also has an external TV antenna input, for use with the optional DVB-T, TDMB or 1-Seg tuner.

Onboard storage is between 4Gb and 8GB, and there’s a 600MHz processor (type unknown) and 512MB of RAM; apparently that’s good enough for outputting HD video.  Mio will also offer you a snap-on QWERTY keyboard accessory, along with the usual in-car mounts, and you can use their Mio Spirit route guidance system just as you would on a dedicated PND.

OS is Windows CE 6.0 with Mio’s 3D UI sitting on top, and there’s a full run-down of specs and supported media codecs in the gallery below.  No word on pricing; hopefully we’ll find that out when the Moov V780 officially launches at CeBIT 2010 this week.

[via Best Tablet Review - thanks Andy!]

The new Xtreem-S1 SSD uses a Sandforce processor for performance and uses MLC NAND technology. The drive is good for read speed of up to 270MB/sec and write speed of up to 260MB/sec. Team claims that the SSD is two times faster than an ordinary SSD.

The drive also supports Windows 7 Trim, SMART, and offers AES 128-bit data encryption. The SSD will be offered in 60GB, 120GB, and 250GB capacities. Team uses the SATA II 3Gb/s interface for the drive. Pricing and availability are not announced at this time.

The TerraTec SubSession Traveller 3 and Traveller 5, meanwhile, are portable 2.1 speaker systems, each hooking up via USB for both audio and power.  The Class D amp powers dual 0.6W stereo speakers and a 1.2W sub; each also has a 3.5mm line-input, and the Traveller 5 also gets batteries.  Both will go on sale at the end of March, priced at €49.99 ($68) and €59.99 ($82) respectively.

Finally, the SubSession Traveller 1 uses resonance technology to turn any flat surface into a speaker.  The compact box sticks to a wall, window or table via adhesive film, and has a 3.5mm stereo input together with a battery good for up to 20hrs playback.  It’ll go on sale at the end of March 2010, priced at €39.99 ($54).

There’s also a memory card reader and an optional WiFi adapter.  Connectivity includes HDMI, component and composite, together with a digital audio output, while the USB ports are split between the front and side panels.

The company throw in a remote control, for navigating the UI, though we’re still waiting on a full spec sheet with the entire list of codecs supported.  The TerraTec NOXON M520 goes on sale in April, priced at €149 ($203).

Press Release:

TerraTec: Full HD and highest resolution – with a new Media Player NOXON M520

Media Center or streaming clients are becoming more popular. For the user wants at home – usually in the living room access – to all its media and canned goods. This has the multi-TerraTec Electronic manufacturers can not rest. The Nettetaler now present the new NOXON M520. An elegant design and innovative technology while going up a perfect connection. The elegant interface is easy to control via an intuitive remote control. The NOXON M520 is from April to trade and costs 149 euros (229 CHF).
With the full-HD Multimedia Player M520 Noxon films are at the highest resolution in all popular formats to any TV or home theater system launched – including the best multi-channel sound (DTS, Dolby Digital). But of course geht’s also a number of small Whether AVI or XVID, whether mp3 or WMA – the M520 does it all. There are even photos in a slideshow.
The stylish, small aluminum case can be easily and very easy to integrate into the home network – either via LAN or via optional wLAN. This allows very straightforward, all media data stream from the computer or Mac. On two USB 2.0 ports can also external hard drives or flash drives can be connected. A built-in card reader also enables the use of SD cards.
The operation of the player is conveniently by remote control, with the multilingual, clear user interface makes navigation a snap. Elegant, versatile and technically high quality NOXON M520 is the perfect complement for your home’s living room.
Features
• Digital content via network, USB and memory cards to enjoy right on the TV
• Support all popular audio and video formats
• Easy operation with a German menu
• Convenient slide show function
• USB 2.0 and SD / MMC card slot
• Sleek aluminum housing
• Wide range of accessories including HDMI cables and remote control

The Archos 7 Home Tablet has a 7-inch touchscreen and WiFi, along with 2GB or 8GB of onboard storage.  Weight is 350g and the whole thing measures just 12mm thick; the standard battery is good for up to 7hrs of video playback or 44hrs of audio playback.  There’s also a USB port for hooking up a PC or digital camera.  It will go on sale in April 2010, priced at €149 ($203) for the 2GB model and €179 ($244) for the 8GB.

As for the Archos 8 Home Tablet, it has a larger, 8-inch touchscreen and is also 12mm thick; however the weight shifts up slightly, to under 400g.  It, too, is positioned for internet access and media playback.  It will go on sale from May 2010, with 4GB of storage for €149 ($203).

More excitingly, however, Archos are promising a range of 1GHz ARM Cortex powered tablets this coming Summer, with screens ranging in size between 3-inches and 10-inches.

[via UMPC Portal]

In fact, according to Archos this isn’t just a new segment for them but the creation of a whole new acronym: the Family Digital Assistant (FDA).  Such a device would be permanently online and work both as a media deck and as a home organizer.

According to Archos the first such device – the A70HB – will be on show this week, though we’ve no way of knowing whether it’s actually the same tablet as the Archos 7 we’ve seen previously

[via Engadget]

Three initial variants of the AMD hexacore are expected, the Phenom II X6 1035T, Phenom II X6 1055T and Phenom II X6 1075T.  According to earlier rumors they will be backward compatible with AM2+ and AM3 sockets, although there may be a BIOS update required before that will be entirely possible.

[via The Tech Report]