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Dell, Asus, BFG, Biostar, DFI, ECS, EVGA, Gigabyte, MSI and XFX mobos...

Nvidia today said that it will offer a specially tailored version of its Nforce 500 chipset for Intel's upcoming Core 2 Duo processors. While the success of the Nforce 4 on Intel was very limited Nvidia takes another shot at the next generation platform to open up the massive Intel business - which is pretty much owned by Intel itself an ATI today.

The availability of Nforce 500 series media and communications processors will enable SLI configurations to Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme, which seem to be challenging AMD's Athlon64 processors for the gaming crown.

SA: http://www.tgdaily.com/2006/06/07/nv...rce_for_intel/

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Shuttle marked the first day of Computex Taipei 2006 by adding four new products to its range of XPC systems and barebones. Each of the new products has been specifically designed to meet the unique requirements of Shuttle's targeted media center, home, business and enthusiast markets. Ken Huang, chief designer and architect of Shuttle, described the new additions as, "some of the most radical and innovative designs created by Shuttle, since the original XPC."

The new XPC lineup includes the XPC Media Center M2000 series based on Intel's digital home (Viiv) technology, the ultra-small XPC X100 capable of 3.5-inch hard disk drives and the ATI graphics solution, the XPC SS31T utilizing standardized components in a nanoBTX form factor and the XPC SN27P2, which is powered by the Nvidia nForce 570 Ultra MCP for the AMD platform.
Depending on local markets, the new products are expected to be available in stores in three to four weeks.

SA: http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20060607PR201.html

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Toshiba on Monday unveiled its third update for the next-generation of computer storage even as most competitors have yet to release their first.
n August, the company will start shipping a 200-gigabyte hard drive for laptop computers, its first using the burgeoning perpendicular magnetic recording technology, or PMR.
"That's 178 GBs per square inch. That is an incredible number in terms of density. Nobody else has gotten close to that in any hard drive – enterprise or desktop," said Maciek Brzeski, vice president of marketing for Toshiba Storage Device Division in Irvine.

Previously, its largest 2.5-inch notebook drive was 120 GB. Now, with a 200 GB drive, users could store 42 DVD movies or 269 music CDs or 204,800 high-res photos at 1 megabyte each. Toshiba expects the drives to start showing up in computer makers' high-end lines that target gamers, multimedia users and anyone who needs lots of digital space.
To make the leap, Toshiba used PMR, which stacks digital data perpendicularly on the hard drive instead of horizontally. The improvement can squeeze up to 10 times more data bits on the same-sized drive. At the moment, only one other competitor, Seagate Technology, makes PMR drives. Seagate recently announced a 750-GB desktop drive, which should be available in stores soon for $590. Seagate also has a 160-GB PMR notebook drive.

IBM introduced the first hard drive 50 years ago based on longitudinal technology, which has been used ever since. To increase capacity, companies shrunk data bits but the limit was reached a few years ago, said Mike Hall, a spokesman at Seagate. To increase capacity again, the industry had to go perpendicular.
"We used longitudinal recording for 50 years. It took us that long to reach the 500 GB capacity. In the first iteration of perpendicular recording (to 750 GB), we've increased capacity by 50 percent," Hall said.

Toshiba's advance is very significant for consumers and for the industry, said John Donovan, vice president of market researcher TrendFocus. It shows that a company doesn't have to make every single component of the drive to succeed (Toshiba buys hard-drive parts, like heads and media, from other companies, while Seagate builds everything in house). That's good news for companies in similar situations, such as Western Digital. It's important for investors to understand that, Donovan said.
"The important thing about the drives is that these won't just be in Toshiba notebooks, but several big-name companies really want this product," Donovan said. "These will also expand into multiple segments, not just the notebook side, but the desktop side, the consumer electronics side for LCD TVs and all-in-one TVs."


Other hard-drive competitors, including Western Digital in Lake Forest, have said they plan to add the technology later this year.

SA: http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister...le_1170748.php

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Supplied in SDIP packaging - making them 50% smaller than previous devices - the new photocouplers are suitable for a variety of applications including CAN bus interfaces, high speed data transfer, and intelligent power module signal isolation.
The new photocouplers integrate a GaAlAs infrared LED and a high-gain, high-speed photodetector within a surface-mount 6-pin SDIP package measuring just 6.8mm x 4.5mm x 3.6mm. Isolation voltage is rated at 5kVrms (minimum), while the totem pole output stage provides both source and sink driving functionality.

The new TLP702 and TLP706 photocouplers are suitable for isolating input control signals to intelligent power modules (IPMs) as well as meeting the requirements of industrial inverters and motor drives. The devices are particularly well suited to industrial CAN applications as well as medium-speed (5Mbps) data transfer. The TLP702 provides inverter logic functionality, while the TLP706 is aimed at designs requiring buffer logic. Both devices operate with power supply voltages of 4.5V to 20V and deliver a maximum switching time of 600ns.
The new Toshiba TLP716 photocoupler suits high-speed data transfer, making it ideal for plasma panel displays (PDPs), high-speed interfaces and factory automation equipment. Maximum propagation delay is just 75ns, and typical switching speed is rated at 15MBd. The device operates with a supply voltage of between 4.5V and 5.5V.
The photocouplers feature an internal shield that provides a 'guaranteed' common-mode transient immunity of 10kV/µs. The devices are lead-free (Pb-free) and provide 'guaranteed' performance over a temperature range of -40C to 100C. As with all other devices in Toshiba's TLP7xx lineup, the couplers meet international safety approvals, says the company.
In addition to the standard parts, wide pin-out versions of the new devices are available for applications requiring creepage distance and clearance of up to 8mm

SA: [url]http://www.electropages.com/viewArticle.aspx?intArticle=7100[/url]

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The images produced by Nvidia’s Quad SLI graphics technology are stunning, but you will not see them displayed on the show floor at Computex.
Nvidia told graphics board makers not to show Quad SLI systems at their booths, or to even mention the technology by name before the end of the month, because the drivers are not yet ready, according to an industry source familiar with the situation. Drivers are software that allow a computer to control different components and peripherals.
While Nvidia has not yet released drivers for Quad SLI, some board makers have managed to adapt drivers to support the technology, albeit without the capability to harness its full potential, the industry source said.Quad SLI allows a PC to use four graphics processors to drive a single display at high resolution. The result, as showcased by Nvidia in a demonstration suite away from the show floor, is near-movie-quality images with a resolution of 2,560 by 1,600 pixels. Nvidia offers technology that allows a computer to run two graphics processors.
As demonstrated by Nvidia, the Quad SLI system pairs two Nvidia GeForce 7950 GX2 graphics cards. The company showed the boards running on computers using Intel and Advanced Micro Devices processors.
Motherboards are ready to support Quad SLI, which requires dual PCI Express slots as well as other features, but the release of the graphics card has been held up by the lack of drivers, the industry source said. Nvidia has not said when the cards will be available.

Computex runs through June 10.


SA: http://www.cio.com/blog_view.html?CID=21810

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Would you like CrossFire or SLI with that?

Epox has unveiled new NVIDIA nForce 590 SLI and ATI Xpress 3200 based motherboards—the EP-MF590 SLI2 and MD580 XR. The EP-MF590 SLI2 is based on the nForce 590 SLI and supports DDR2-533/667/800 MHz memory. Four 240-pin DIMM slots are available with support for up to 16 GB of system memory.
Expansion slots come in pairs with the Epox EP-MF590 SLI2. Two PCI Express x16, two PCI Express x1, and two PCI slots are available. Epox specifications claim the board has one Express Card connector but it’s nowhere to be seen on the board.




The standard six SATA II ports and single parallel ATA supported by the nForce 590 SLI is implemented in the EP-MF590 SLI2 as well. Epox has taken the extra step to offer a JMicron JMB363 for two SATA II ports and one parallel ATA port. Two 1394a ports are also available as an option too.
A Marvell 88E1116 Gigabit PHY provides Ethernet functionality for the Ethernet controllers built into the nForce 590 SLI. The onboard Ethernet supports Teaming and TCP offloading features. Lastly audio is provided by a Realtek ALC883 high definition audio codec. Eight channels of audio output is supported as well as S/PDIF in and outputs.
The MD580 XR uses the Radeon Xpress 3200 (RD580) coupled with the new ATI SB600 south bridge. Since NVIDIA purchased ULi motherboard manufacturers are starting to use ATI south bridges on boards instead of the ULi M1575. Luckily the performance problems that plagued previous ATI south bridges were fixed with the SB600.
Four 240-pin DIMM slots are available with support for up to 16 GB of system memory. DDR2-533/667/800 MHz modules in dual channel are supported. Expansion slots are pretty generous with two PCI Express x16, two PCI Express x1, and three PCI slots. Four SATA II ports with support for RAID 0, 1, and 0+1 are available via the ATI SB600. As with other Epox boards announced a JMicron JMB363 is available as an option for two more SATA II ports and one PATA port.
While recent boards have been showing up with two Gigabit Ethernet controllers, the MD580 XR is equipped with a single Marvell 88E8055 PCI Express controller. Lastly audio is provided by a Realtek ALC883 high definition audio codec with support for eight channels of audio.


sa: http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=2658

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The Alpha A100 has a 2.5-inch LCD, its lithium ion battery is rated to last 750 shots on one charge, and the sensor moves both to remove dust and to fight blur in photos. The camera has a nine-point autofocus system and an eye sensor so the camera begins focusing as you put your eye to the viewfinder rather than waiting until you press the shutter button. The A100 takes CompactFlash cards, and comes with an adapter for MS Duo cards.

If all you're counting is megapixels, this new Sony delivers a lot for the money. Our lab tests show that a lot of megapixels alone don't ensure better photo quality over comparable cameras, though Sony also claims that the A100's new image processor optimizes dynamic range to improve detail in highlights and shadows. We look forward to testing this model, especially to see how well its noise reduction works at its highest sensitivity--ISO 3200. Many digital cameras that can shoot at such high settings deliver images with an excessive amount of digital noise.
Sony is announcing six lenses with the camera, and plans to introduce about nine more in a few months. A total of 22 lenses (mostly rebranded Konica Minolta lenses) will be available.

sa: http://blogs.pcworld.com/staffblog/archives/002089.html

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Motorola Inc. said this week that it plans to invest an additional $60 million to turn Singapore into its global supply-chain hub.
Motorola spokeswoman Mary Lamb said the company selected Singapore since it already hosts many of its core business operations, including R&D, manufacturing and marketing.
The chip maker said in a statement that its Global Supply Chain Control Tower would by 2007 employ some 200 workers responsible for overseeing supply-chain management activities for all Motorola's business units, including mobile devices and enterprise networks.
Motorola's Singapore operation already handles purchasing, procurement and sourcing. The hub will be expanded into "new and strategically important functions" and provide supply-chain support to all its business lines, the company said.
Motorola said the facility would help it "create and drive operational efficiencies" in manufacturing, and "catalyze new and enhance existing partnerships with suppliers and EMS."
The company also plans to "enhance" its manufacturing capabilities in Singapore to include new GSM, 3G and CDMA products.

SA: http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/s...leID=188702455

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Vendors announce imminent release of Aspire range of three high-definition offerings

Acer has teamed up with graphics vendor nVidia for the launch of some of the world’s first high-definition (HD) notebooks.
The notebook maker has announced three high-end models, the Aspire 9110, 9510 and 9800, that will boast HD DVD drives and use nVidia’s GeForce Go graphics processing units (GPUs) with PureVideo technology.
As the market leader in notebooks, Acer’s choice to release notebooks using the HD DVD format will be a boost for the HD DVD camp in the coming battle with Sony’s Blu-Ray format. Acer is reportedly expected to launch Blu-Ray drive-equipped notebooks, but there was nothing on show at the recent Computex 2006 show in Taiwan.
The Aspire 9110 will boast a 15.4in screen and come with the GeForce Go 7600 processor. The 9510 will feature a 17in display and be powered by a choice of the GeForce Go 7600 or the more powerful 7600GS processor. The Aspire 9800 will sport a massive 20.1in screen and be powered by the 7600 GPU. All GPUs comes with 256MB of graphics memory and use PureVideo HD video processing technology for smooth playback of the first generation of HD DVD films.
Campbell Kan, head of Acer’s mobile computing business unit, said: “With the Acer Aspire 9800, 9510 and 9110 series, our goal was to create notebooks with HD DVD movie playback quality that rivals living room players. This is a complex project involving diverse components such as video acceleration, content security management and software support.”

sa: ttp://www.pcw.co.uk/crn/news/2157923/acer-nvidia-join-reveal-hd

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Image:

Image: http://images.dailytech.com/nimage/1...z_socket_f.jpg

2.6GHz Opterons with land-grid arrays

The Computex 2006 trade show is over but we still have a few tidbits of information here and there. Over the past few days we've gotten a good look at some of the AMD Socket F motherboards and chipsets, and today we have a few shots of the CPUs at the DailyTech labs.
The OSA2218GAA6CQ is a dual-core 2.6GHz AMD Opteron Revision F processor, code named Santa Rosa. The CPU features DDR2-667, Pacifica virtualization support, Presido security extensions and 1207 land-grid array pins. Like current Intel processors, AMD's Revision F Opterons have the entire pin interconnects on the motherboard, and the processors simply use connected pads to interface with the motherboard. The processor also features enhanced memory RAS and registered DIMMs. An AM2 version of the processor dubbed Santa Ana is expected later this year as well.
The general consensus from manufacturers is that the July 11 embargo date that was originally set by AMD public relations may be overly optimistic. The motherboards and CPUs appear ready, so the root of this speculation may revolve around the actual channel launch date and not the OEM availability.
AMD is expected to get at least one more revision out of the LGA-1207 Socket F; the Deerhound quad-core Revision G processor is also slated to use the LGA-1207 socket. After Deerhound, AMD roadmaps show plans for quad-core K8L processors using HyperTransport 3.0, but these same roadmaps have not confirmed which socket interface the processors will use.
sa: http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=2782

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I offer my most heartfelt apology to all members and readers who may be looking forward to the future zone posts...
i have neither quit nor neglected to be mindful of the dailies..
I have been unwell
I visited my doctor on thursday and will have to return for tests next week...
so the news may be best reported by someone else...
for the next few days, i will try
to catch up my reading and post what i find that you may
find interesting but...
it wont be as much or as detailed as normal...
i will be getting through this...
may take some time but i keep going...
VR-Zone Owns the Web..
(thats breaking news if you didn't know)

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Intel Corp. said it has recently made advances in developing more efficient tri-gate transistors for high-volume manufacturing.
The Santa Clara, Calif., company said new geometry allows the three-dimensional chip to function at higher speeds and consume less energy than planar, of flat transistors.
Intel expects the chips to go into production for the chip generation coming out in 2009, or 2011. The company will decide on the development timing in the second half of this year.
The next generation 45 nanometer chip, compared with the current 65 nanometer variety, is slated to reach the market in late 2007.
The tri-gate chip uses new geometry and materials allowing transistors to be switched on an off faster and more efficiently by surrounding the current on three sides, so it can be controlled from three different directions at once.
The company plans to present a paper outlining advances in the new technology tomorrow at a conference in Hawaii.

sa: http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Stor...24%7D&keyword=

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Advance Nanotech, in collaboration with the Center for Advanced Photonics and Electronics (CAPE) at the University of Cambridge, U.K., expects the development to makes possible low-cost printing of a number of electronic and optoelectronic components, ranging from RFID tags to OLEDs and displays as well as various semiconductors.
Advanced Nanotech and Center for Advanced Photonics scientists report that a year of intensive R&D efforts has enabled them to optimize the chemical treatment of nanostructured materials and effectively disperse them in a range of polymers. Selected nanomaterials have been successfully incorporated in organic polymers, thus turning insulating materials into composites that show promising transistor characteristics, scientists noted.
"A one nanometer gap between the molecules of an organic polymer is sufficient to prevent effective change transport," said Dr. Paul Beecher, a CAPE scientist on the project. "Our technology explores an alternative approach to overcoming the poor electrical properties of most organic semiconductors by exploiting the enhanced conductivity brought about by selected nanometerials."
According to the scientists, the composites have also proven quite stable, with no tendency to quickly form aggregates in solution, therefore making them suited for inkjet print manufacturing.

sa: http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/s...leID=189400380

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Chip-equipment provider Axcelis Technologies Inc. has rolled out a new tool that claims to enable "molecular implantation."
An extension of the company's new Optima HD platform, the Optima HD Imax is an ion implanter designed for use in the production of logic and memory devices.
It is said to implant clusters of boron, instead of individual atoms. The first Imax-enabled Optima HD tools will begin shipping by the end of the year.
"Molecular implantation is an enabling technology in the sub-65-nm device era. It allows customers to achieve productivity goals faster, making certain applications — like dual poly gates — economically viable for the first time," said Mary Puma, chairman and CEO of Axcelis (Beverly, Mass.), in a statement.
The Optima HD Imax implants molecules of B18H22, including 18 boron atoms, resulting in higher productivity than users could achieve with traditional approaches, without the risk of energy contamination associated with beam deceleration, according to the company.

sa: http://www.eetimes.com/news/semi/sho...leID=189400501

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TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Toshiba Corp. and three other microchip makers said on Tuesday they have agreed to standardize technology to make advanced chips with a circuitry width of 45-nanometres or finer.

The three other companies are Fujitsu Ltd., NEC Electronics Corp. and Renesas Technology Corp., a joint venture between Hitachi Ltd. and Mitsubishi Electric Corp..
The firms are looking to possible mutual use and consolidation of their plants in the future.
Analysts have said Japanese chip makers need to join forces to regain competitiveness and better compete with larger rivals such as Intel Corp., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and Texas Instruments Inc..
Finer circuitry decreases the size of a chip and enables data to be processed faster. It also cuts production costs per chip.
But costs for development and production equipment have increased as technology moves to ever-more intricate circuitry, making it difficult for chip makers to shoulder the burden alone.
A nanometre is one billionth of a meter. Most of the world's advanced semiconductor factories currently make chips with a circuitry width of 90 nanometres.
In a related development, Toshiba, Renesas and Hitachi said they have decided not to pursue their tentative plan to establish an independent microchip foundry.
The three companies in January set up a planning company to look into the feasibility of a semiconductor foundry, taking aim at a market dominated by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. and other Taiwanese chip makers.
The announcement came as little surprise since business daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun said earlier this month the project was likely to be scrapped due to expectations that such a venture would not make money.

sa: http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/new...archived=False