Aug 29 - Samsung Electronics Announces 256Mb GDDR2.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world's leader in advanced semiconductor
memory technology, today announces production of its 256-megabit (Mb)
Graphics Double Data Rate2 (GDDR2) SDRAM. The 256Mb capacity will
enable ultra high-density graphics memory cards of 512Mbytes, supporting
the expanding market of 3D graphics software.
The new device, which has already been supplied to
leading graphics card manufacturers, adopts a JEDEC standard 144-ball
Fine-pitch Ball Grid Array (FBGA) package. This enables graphic card
manufacturers to easily build memory density from 128Mb GDDR2 SDRAM
without redesigning the graphic card. Samsung's 256Mb GDDR2 SDRAM
also supports GDDR3, which awaits JEDEC standard approval next month.
Samsung's GDDR2 devices incorporate new technical features
such as On-Die-Termination (ODT), Off-Chip driver-Calibration (OCD)
and posted CAS to boost performance by 50 percent over graphics DDR
SDRAM. The 1.6-gigabit per second pin data rate delivers an aggregate
bandwidth of 6.4-gigabytes per second.
Samsung has introduced GDDR2 SDRAM ahead of competition
by developing the industry's first 1Gbps 128Mb GDDR2 SDRAM in July
2002. Samsung's full-scale production of next generation graphics
DDR SDRAM in the second half of 2003 will further accelerate its advanced
graphics memory business. Samsung's goal is to maintain 50% market
share in graphics DRAM which is forecast to reach 1.7 billion US$
by 2005.
For more information, visit www.samsungsemi.com.
Aug 29 - Visioneer Announces
First 3200 dpi Scanner To Ship For Under $150. Visioneer, a leader
in intelligent imaging solutions, today announced the newest addition
to their Slimline scanner series, the Visioneer OneTouch(TM) 9320
USB color flatbed scanner. The new OneTouch 9320 USB is an extremely
fast color flatbed scanner with the ability to scan up to 3200 x 6400
dpi in 48-bit color and has a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 interface. It began
shipping into retail stores last week and has a suggested retail price
of only $149.99.
"We are entering an exciting time when technology
can allow us to introduce a 3200 dpi scanner for only $150 when several
years ago, pre-press scanners at this resolution were selling for
thousands," said Murray L. Dennis, Visioneer's President and
CEO.
"The OneTouch 9320 also includes a built-in transparency adapter
and film holder for scanning 1 negative or 1 slide at a time at the
scanner's maximum resolution of 3200 dpi. This feature allows customers
to scan and store their old negatives at resolutions comparable to
specialized film scanners at a fraction of the cost. The scanner's
high 3200 x 6400 optical resolution eliminates rough edges and captures
the finest detail from originals."
The OneTouch 9320 USB is the next generation in Visioneer's
Slimline scanner series and features 5 OneTouch buttons that are pre-configured
for the most common scanning tasks, so users get great results within
minutes of opening the box. It also features 48-bit output color and
Visioneer's patented FlashBack(TM) Bi-directional AutoScan Technology.
The scanner comes with a Hi-speed USB 2.0 interface that is backwards
compatible with USB 1.1 ports.
The Visioneer OneTouch 9320 USB is currently available
through Dell and will be available in early October at Office Max,
CompUSA and other authorized retailers, computer super stores and
online services, mail order catalogs and from Visioneer's web site
at www.visioneer.com. The suggested
retail price is $149.99. For additional information, consumers can
visit the Visioneer web site.
Aug 29 - Addonics Announces
Mini ExDrive Serial ATA Hard Drive Kit. Addonics Technologies
today announced a hard drive kit that converts any 2.5-inch hard drive
into an external Serial ATA drive to make high-speed Serial ATA data
transfers practical and affordable for both desktop and notebook PCs.
The new Addonics Mini ExDrive is the one of the smallest
and most portable external hard drive kits on the market. This new
drive kit turns any 9 mm height 2.5" IDE hard drive into a fast
150MB per second Serial ATA external hard drive. The Mini ExDrive
can be powered directly from the USB port of most computers, and can
also be used as a bootable drive on any desktop computer equipped
with a Serial ATA port.
The drive enclosure fits in the palm of your hand and
weighs 10 ounces with the hard drive mounted. The sturdy aluminum
body of the Mini ExDrive provides excellent protection and fast cooling
for the hard drive.
To convert any 9 mm 2.5" IDE hard drive into a
Serial ATA portable hard drive users just need to:
1.) Separate the SATA interface module from the drive enclosure.
2.) Attach the 2.5-inch hard drive to the IDE connector on the
interface module and then slide the drive all the way into the
enclosure.
3.) All that's left to do is to secure the back panel to the
enclosure by inserting and tightening two screws. Attach the
Addonics Serial ATA cable and power cable. Mission
accomplished.
The Mini ExDrive supports Windows 95, NT4, 98SE, Me, 2000 and XP,
and DOS. System requirements include a PC/AT or compatible Pentium
or greater system; one available Serial ATA port; minimum 32 MB RAM;
and 10 MB minimum free hard disk space.
The complete Mini ExDrive Serial ATA package (Model #AESEXDSA) includes
an External 2.5" hard drive enclosure with Serial ATA interface,
a 3-foot External Serial ATA cable, USB power cable, 110/220 AC/DC
power adapter, and User Guide. List price of the Mini ExDrive is $55.00.
Addonics products are available through the company online store
www.shopaddonics.com, major catalog
companies, resellers, VARs and distributors, including StorageUSA.com,
Amazon.com, PC Connection, CDW, Buy.com, Provantage.com, Insight,
Ingram Micro, and Ma Lab.
Aug 29 - Wireline-to-Wireless Local Number
Portability Will Reshape U.S. Telecom Market. As wireless-to-wireless
local number portability (LNP) soon becomes a reality, wireline-to-wireless
LNP remains the last portability barrier for wireless carriers to
overcome. By mid-2004, Gartner, Inc. (NYSE:IT) (NYSE:ITB) analysts
expect the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to approve a wireline-to-wireless
LNP mandate that will have a major effect on the U.S. telecommunications
market.
Gartner analysts said this action by the FCC would allow customers
to take their phone numbers with them when they switch between wireline
and wireless carriers.
"The impact of such a mandate will be more dramatic than wireless
number portability," said Ron Cowles, research vice president
for Gartner. "It will turn marketing strategies upside down and
have a significant impact on customer calling patterns and areas,
state and federal regulations, pricing and interconnection agreements,
and product offerings and plans. It will also likely raise questions
about market coverage, reach, telecom quality and security."
According to Gartner, nearly 10 percent of wireline consumers will
transfer their service to wireless once they have the option to keep
their current wireline phone numbers. That is in addition to customers
that have already migrated from wireline to wireless and are likely
to do so despite the number portability limitation.
"In the longer term only service providers with business models
that offer consumers a full range of both wireline and wireless services,
and easy transition between the two technologies, will succeed,"
said Alex Winogradoff, research vice president for Gartner. "Unaffiliated
wireless operators will find it difficult to compete against affiliated
operators and will likely go out of business unless they adopt a more
comprehensive business model or partner with, acquire or be acquired
by a wireline operator."
Carriers that already own wireline and wireless operations will
be the least vulnerable to a restructuring of the market, but Gartner
advises that they must develop truly integrated wireline and wireless
solutions.
"Many technical, product and regulatory issues will have to
be resolved before wireline-to-wireless number portability can be
fully implemented," said Winogradoff. "Wireline-to-wireless
LNP will predominately affect the mass market, but it is unlikely,
in the near term, that it will impact the business market to any significant
degree until wireless coverage and quality-of-service issues are resolved."
For more information, visit www.gartner.com.
Aug 29 - Electronic Arts to Develop Titles
for Nokia N-Gage Mobile Game Deck. Nokia today announced an agreement
with Electronic Arts (EA), the world's leading interactive entertainment
software company, to deliver select EA titles for the highly anticipated
Nokia N-Gage(TM) platform.
Beginning this year for the holiday season, EA will deliver some of
its leading game titles for the Nokia N-Gage, the world's first mobile
and connected game deck that will be available globally on October
7, 2003.
"This is a great opportunity for us to extend titles
from EA SPORTS and EA GAMES onto a new and exciting game platform,"
said EA Executive Vice President of North American Publishing Nancy
Smith. "We plan to make use of all the great features of the
Nokia N-Gage."
"We are thrilled to have Electronic Arts, an undisputed
industry leader, on board the Nokia N-Gage. In recent years, EA has
set a new industry standard on game design and interactive gameplay,"
said Ilkka Raiskinen, Senior Vice President, Entertainment and Media
Business Unit, Nokia Mobile Phones. "By working with world's
leading publishers like EA, we are continuing to focus on the long
term success of the Nokia N-Gage platform."
About N-Gage
The Nokia N-Gage game deck is an innovative mobile device that is
creating an entirely new market for the games industry. Built for
active and hardcore gamers, the Nokia N-Gage is the first mobile and
connected game deck to feature online high-quality 3D multiplayer
gameplay over Bluetooth wireless technology and GPRS. The Nokia N-Gage
also offers unique online games services as well as a comprehensive
and growing games catalogue from the leading game publishers. Nokia
is the world leader in mobile communications. Nokia and N-Gage are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Nokia Corporation. Bluetooth
is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc.
About Electronic Arts
More information about EA's products and full text of press releases
can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.
Aug 28 - Fujifilm Announces
New Digital SLR-Type Camera for Everyday Consumers. Fuji Photo
Film U.S.A., Inc. today announced the arrival of the Fujifilm FinePix
S3000, a digital SLR-type camera for everyday photographers.
This model replaces the existing FinePix 3800, and
will be available to consumers in October - just in time for the busy
holiday season. The FinePix S3000 offers 3.2 million effective pixels
to create crisp, colorful images perfect to share with family and
friends through retail printing and email. The camera's compact, SLR-inspired
styling and 6x optical zoom offer a familiar experience to consumers
who already enjoy traditional photography.
The FinePix S3000 offers 3.2 million effective pixels,
which can produce images of 2048 x 1536 (3.15 million) recorded pixels
for best-quality prints up to 8 x 10 inches in size. The camera also
offers 6x optical and 3.2x digital zooms, movie recording without
sound and several scene positioning modes.
"Fujifilm knows that as consumers become more sophisticated
about their digital photography options, they want a product that
feels more like a traditional film camera while providing the benefits
of digital," said Eric Thorng, Senior Marketing Manager, Consumer
Digital Cameras, Photo Imaging Division, Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc.
"The FinePix S3000 is a great example of how Fujifilm has integrated
its film industry expertise with world-class digital technology -
resulting in an easy-to-use, high performance camera. It's a great
holiday gift for family and friends who love to capture best-quality
everyday images with minimal fuss."
The FinePix S3000 comes bundled with a 16MB xD-Picture
Card, four AA alkaline batteries, shoulder strap, USB cable, lens
adapter ring, FinePix Viewer 4.1, and ImageMixer VCD 2 for FinePix.
The camera will be available for purchase in October 2003 at the suggested
list price of $399.99.
For more information on Fujifilm products, access the
Fujifilm USA Web site at www.fujifilm.com.
Aug 28 - Toshiba Unveils Next-Generation
DVD Recordable Drives for Mobile Computers. Toshiba Storage Device
Division (SDD) today introduced two slim-line optical disk drives
that provide higher media recording speeds for mobile computers, and
allow PC manufacturers to deliver better functionality to professionals
on the go. The SD-R6112 slim DVD recordable drive enables mobile users
to take advantage of 2x DVD recording, while the SD-R9012 super slim
CD-RW/DVD-ROM combination drive delivers 16x CD recording speeds in
a petite 128mm x 9.5mm x 126.1mm format.
"As more and more computer users transition to
mobile PCs, they're demanding desktop performance in a mobile package,"
said Maciek Brzeski, vice president of marketing at Toshiba SDD. "Toshiba's
new optical disk drives help OEMs continue to build lighter, thinner
and more functional mobile computers even as some system components,
like display screens, grow larger."
The Toshiba SD-R6112 drive supports 2x DVD-R, 1x DVD-RW,
1x DVD-RAM read, 16x CD-R and 10x CD-RW, allowing users to take advantage
of multiple technologies in a single drive. The SD-R9012 supports
8x DVD-ROM, 16x CD-R and 10x CD-RW. Both drives include buffer underrun
technology and a 2MB buffer. The tray loading drives are also shock
resistant and feature low energy consumption, making them ideal for
laptop design.
Toshiba's SD-R6112 and SD-R9012 slim-line drives will
begin shipping to mobile PC manufacturers in late August. For more
information, visit www.sdd.toshiba.com.
Aug 28 - Amazon.com Teams
with New York Attorney General to Combat Email Forgeries. Amazon.com
(Nasdaq:AMZN) today and Monday filed federal lawsuits in the United
States and Canada seeking to restrain 11 online marketers from sending
email forgeries falsely labeled as coming from Amazon.com. As a deterrent
to others, the suits also seek millions of dollars in punitive damages.
Simultaneously, the New York Attorney General's office
has announced a settlement of civil fraud charges with one of the
email forgers identified by Amazon.com. The agreement followed an
investigation conducted with Amazon.com's cooperation. The settlement
agreement prohibits Cyebye.com from using third parties' names to
market, unless the company obtains authority to do so. The company
is also required to keep records of all commercial emails during the
next two years and provide the Attorney General's office with regular
updates of its compliance with the settlement.
Cyebye.com must pay $10,000 in penalties to the State
of New York. Amazon.com has also reached a settlement in principle
with Cyebye.com. The agreement prohibits Cyebye.com from sending e-mail
messages of any kind that include the Amazon.com name in any way without
specific authorization from Amazon.com. The agreement also includes
payment by Cyebye.com of monetary damages.
The Amazon.com lawsuits are only part of a broader
company initiative to crack down on and eliminate email forgeries,
also known as "spoofing," that affect the company. Spoofing
is an illegal, deceptive online marketing ploy that conceals the true
identity of an email sender and instead falsely identifies someone
else as the sender.
"Spoofers lie about who's really sending these
emails," said David Zapolsky, Amazon.com Vice President and Associate
General Counsel. "Spoofing is forgery, and we're going after
spoofers to the full extent of the law."
Zapolsky said the company has set up a special email
account, stop-spoofing@amazon.com, for consumers to report suspected
spoofing involving Amazon.com or to turn in email forgers posing as
amazon.com.
Amazon.com is not the only trusted domain name that
spoofers have abused with their email forgeries. According to Zapolsky,
"Spoofing is a problem faced by any company with a trusted domain
name that uses e-mail to communicate with its customers. It's not
just spam; it's consumer fraud. And the actions taken today by Amazon.com
and by the state of New York will send a strong message to anyone
engaged in this conduct that it will not be tolerated."
The lawsuits will be available online at www.amazon.com/stopspoofing.
In addition to the lawsuits, Amazon.com:
-- Will continue to investigate and take legal action against
those who use Amazon.com's name to send deceptive email.
-- Has begun working with several internet service providers and
other owners of trusted domain names in an attempt to explore
and promote technical solutions that would make it more
difficult to deliver a spoofed e-mail message to unsuspecting
consumers.
-- Will continue to support federal anti-spam legislation that
would impose tough penalties against spoofing and similar
deceptive email practices.
Aug 28 - Best Data Products Inc. to Re-Launch
Diamond's popular SupraMax modems. Best Data Products Inc., a
leading developer and manufacturer of analog and broadband communication
products, today announced it has acquired assets of Diamond Multimedia's
communication division from SONICblue Incorporated, including business
assets, product inventory, trade names and trade marks, and other
intellectual property. Under the ownership of Best Data, Diamond Multimedia
will re-launch the complete line of its popular SupraMax modems.
"We are very excited to have acquired the modem assets of Diamond
Multimedia," said Bruce Zaman, president and CEO of Best Data.
"The Diamond SupraMax brand continues to have very strong recognition
and appeal with consumers and value-added resellers. We know customers
will be thrilled to see the Diamond SupraMax products updated with
the latest technology back on the shelf. We are looking forward to
working with our retailers and channel partners to make the re-launch
extremely successful."
SONICblue CFO, Marcus Smith, said, "We are very pleased that
Best Data has acquired Diamond Multimedia assets. With their reputation
for quality and service and their experienced management team, we
are confident Best Data is the ideal company to successfully re-launch
the Diamond Multimedia brands."
About Best Data Products Inc.
Best Data Products Inc. is celebrating its 20th year of manufacturing
an extensive line of data communications products including analog
modems, broadband products, wireless home networking products, and
other digital products for home and office use. Best Data sells its
products worldwide through retail stores, catalogs and direct sales
to OEM customers. Best Data can be reached at its web address: www.bestdata.com.
Aug 28 - Visioneer Announces Trademark
Licensing Agreement with Xerox. Visioneer, Inc. announced today
that it has entered into a trademark licensing agreement with Xerox
Corporation (NYSE:XRX) for Visioneer to develop, market and support
a new line of Xerox-branded document scanners and digital projectors
on an exclusive basis.
"By integrating the power of the Xerox brand with Visioneer's
technology, we expect to further strengthen our position in the marketplace,"
said Murray L. Dennis, Visioneer's president and chief executive officer,
noting that the Xerox-branded products will be distributed through
Visioneer's extensive sales channels in North America, Latin America
and Europe.
"Both companies' commitment to quality is recognized in the
licensing agreement with provisions to maintain the highest standards
throughout the product lifecycle," he added.
"A leading and recognizable global brand, the Xerox name is
synonymous with innovation, quality, reliability and customer satisfaction,"
said Christopher AuClair, Xerox manager of corporate identity. "Like
Xerox, Visioneer has a proven track record for its high quality and
advanced products. These attributes align with Xerox's objectives
of ensuring the sanctity of our brand."
The licensing agreement between Visioneer and Xerox is for a term
of 3.5 years with an option for an additional 3-year extension.
Aug 27 - Symantec Launches
Virus Protection for Handheld Devices. Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq:SYMC),
the world leader in Internet security, today announced the Symantec
AntiVirus for Handhelds line of consumer and enterprise solutions.
These three products will protect Palm OS- and Microsoft Pocket PC-compatible
devices against viruses, worms and other malicious code.
Symantec AntiVirus for Handhelds will provide both
real-time and on-demand scanning. In addition, Symantec AntiVirus
for Handhelds will also introduce LiveUpdate Wireless. This new feature
will enable users with a wireless Internet connection to download
virus definitions and Symantec product updates directly to their device
over the Web.
The Symantec AntiVirus for Handhelds line of consumer
and enterprise solutions will include: Symantec AntiVirus for Handhelds
-- Annual Service Edition, Symantec AntiVirus for Handhelds -- Corporate
Edition, and Symantec AntiVirus for Handhelds -- Corporate Edition
with Event and Configuration Manager. All three products are scheduled
to be available for purchase in early September.
"As handheld devices are used in more homes and
corporations, they make an increasingly attractive target platform
for viruses and malicious code," said Steve Cullen, senior vice
president of Consumer and Client Product Delivery at Symantec. "Symantec
AntiVirus for Handhelds protects these devices which, in turn, strengthens
overall home and enterprise security."
According to Gartner Dataquest, more than 20 million
handheld computers have been sold during the past five years. Many
of them are connecting with enterprise systems at work, while being
used during off-hours to surf the public Internet and casually connect
with other compatible devices. Yet, industry experts estimate that
virus protection is on only one percent of these devices; the remaining
99 percent are unprotected. This places both enterprise environments
and homes at risk.
Symantec AntiVirus for Handhelds will protect these
handheld devices from viruses, worms, and other malicious threats.
The product's small footprint will fit unobtrusively in resource-constrained
handheld devices and will also be easy to install. The software will
be downloaded first on a desktop PC; application files for the Palm
or Pocket PC will then be installed on the handheld device during
the next synchronization.
Symantec AntiVirus for Handhelds -- Annual Service
Edition is available for pre-order at Symantec's online store at www.symantecstore.com.
The product is scheduled to be available for purchase from retail
stores and online retailers in early September.
The Annual Service Edition product will be offered as an annual, renewable
subscription service to home users at an estimated retail price of
US$39.95. This service will provide regular product updates as well
as virus definition updates. When the annual subscription period ends
and virus protection terminates, users will be able to renew their
subscription to the service for the current renewal price of US$19.95.
Aug 27 - ATI's TV WONDER
PRO Arrives Just In Time For Fall TV Viewing. ATI Technologies
Inc. (TSX:ATY) (NASDAQ:ATYT) is now shipping the new TV WONDER(TM)
PRO, for (US) $69, and the new TV WONDER(TM) PRO REMOTE CONTROL EDITION,
for (US) $99.
Both new additions to the TV WONDER family are now available
in North America and provide owners with a digital VCR and electronic
program guide (EPG) plus improved video capture quality. TV WONDER
PRO REMOTE CONTROL EDITION includes the critically acclaimed radio-frequency
REMOTE WONDER(TM) to allow easy access to computer application control.
These new add-on cards plug easily into any PCI (peripheral
component interconnect) slot, available on almost all PCs. Owners
can experience ATI's industry recognized video encoder and VIDEOSOAP(TM)
that enable improved video quality. VIDEOSOAP allows users to "clean
up" any captured video stream - from camcorder, old VHS tapes
or poor TV signals - using a series of customizable filters for the
best video quality results. When combined with an ALL-IN-WONDER(TM)
video card, TV WONDER PRO owners can experience MulTView(TM) that
enables Picture-in-Picture based on ability to support dual tuners
in a single PC.
"Customers are demanding clear live TV experiences
with no compression artifacts and our new TV WONDER PRO products meet
that requirement," said Blair Birmingham, Group Product Manager,
Multimedia Products, ATI Technologies Inc. "The TV WONDER family
is designed to entertain and inform owners by offering a Digital VCR
with a no-fee EPG, plus quality signal reception, and low computer
system demands that all combine to provide a great TV-on-the-PC experience.
With the additional VIDEOSOAP feature, owners can 'clean up' family
videotapes before archiving them to a digital media for safe keeping
and future viewing."
The new TV WONDER PRO solutions also deliver real-time
MPEG-2 compression at full 720x480 resolution when using the Digital
VCR that's included as an essential part of the software package.
For more information, visit www.ati.com.
Aug 27 - DISH Network First
to Offer Free Digital Video Recorder. EchoStar Communications
Corporation (Nasdaq:DISH) and its DISH Network(TM), a leading satellite
television service, today announced the introduction of the DISH Player
- DVR 510, the newest combination satellite TV receiver and digital
video recorder (DVR).
As a pay-TV industry first, DISH Network is offering
this new DVR for free to new customers as part of its latest "Free
DISH" promotion, including its DISH Video On Demand service for
the new DVRs.
The DISH Player - DVR 510 features a seven-day on-screen
program guide, a 120-gigabyte hard drive capable of up to 100 hours
of tapeless recording, parental locks and more. With the new Free
DISH promotion, new customers will receive a free DISH Player - DVR
510, satellite dish, remote control and free standard professional
installation. This is a savings of $299! This promotion ends Jan.
31, 2004.
DISH Network's new DISH Video On Demand service allows
viewers to skip commercials and other pre-recorded programming without
videotape, as well as pause live TV, perform slow-motion instant replays,
fast forward and fast reverse. The DISH Video On Demand's tapeless
recording capabilities give viewers complete control of their television
to watch what they want at their convenience, including network programs,
pay-per-view movies, sports, news or special events.
"DISH Network now delivers to consumers a free
DVR satellite TV system, low-priced video recording on-demand and
the lowest-priced, all-digital TV package in America," said John
Scarborough, senior vice president of Marketing at EchoStar. "DISH
Network's new DISH Video on Demand service lets new DVR customers
record their favorite shows and skip commercials with the touch of
a button. As a result, they watch more TV in less time."
The free DVR promotion requires a $49.99 activation
fee, which will be credited on the customer's first bill. This promotion
also requires a 12-month commitment, a minimum programming purchase
of America's Top 50 or DISH Latino Spanish-language package, and includes
free standard professional installation. Customers who make a 24-month
commitment will be able to get a free Dish301 satellite television
receiver in addition to the DISH Player - DVR 510, allowing them to
watch different TV programs in separate rooms.
There is no monthly DISH Video On Demand service fee
for DVR customers who sign up for America's Everything Pak programming
package. For DVR customers choosing America's Top 100 or America's
Top 150 programming packages, a monthly service fee of $4.98 will
apply.
For more information on DISH Network and any of its
products or services, visit www.dishnetwork.com.
Aug 27 - Elpida Memory's
512 Megabit DDR400 SDRAM Devices Enable High-Speed. Elpida Memory,
Inc. (Elpida), an industry-leading provider of Dynamic Random Access
Memory (DRAM), today announced the availability of its 512 Megabit
DDR400 SDRAM components and its 1 Gigabyte unbuffered dual in-line
memory modules (DIMMs) designed for high-density, high-speed performance
in desktop and workstation applications.
Within the computing industry, DDR400 memory is considered
to be an important architecture for achieving maximum system performance
because it allows the microprocessor's front-side bus and the memory
to be synchronized at the very high data rate of 400 Megabits per
second (Mbps) per pin. On a 1 Gigabyte module, this translates to
3200 megabytes per second (PC3200).
"High-performance computers will really benefit
from the lower latency products because of their ability to decrease
memory access clock cycles," said Jun Kitano, director of Technical
Marketing for Elpida Memory. "Elpida's DDR400 devices and modules
combine both high-frequency and low latency operation to create an
optimal environment for robust system performance."
Elpida Memory, Inc. is a manufacturer of Dynamic Random
Access Memory (DRAM) with headquarters based in Tokyo, Japan, and
sales and marketing operations located in Japan, North America, Europe
and Asia. Elpida offers a broad range of leading-edge DRAM products.
Elpida is a joint venture company formed by NEC and Hitachi on Dec.
20, 1999 and has been in operation since April 2000. For more information,
visit www.elpida.com.
Aug 27 - Adobe Announces
New Video Software Bundles. Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE)
today announced the availability of the new Adobe Video Collection
-- Standard and Professional editions -- which are comprised of new
versions of the company's award-winning video products: Adobe(R) Premiere(R)
Pro, Adobe After Effects(R) 6.0, Adobe Audition(TM), and Adobe Encore(TM)
DVD. Also available for individual purchase, these products create
an all-Adobe workflow to help professionals transform video and audio
into compelling stories.
"Adobe's new video line-up delivers professional-quality
results without having to invest in costly proprietary video production
systems," said Bryan Lamkin, senior vice president of Digital
Imaging and Video Products at Adobe. "The combination of these
new Adobe video products allows customers to create stunning video
productions on the leading video technology platform."
The Adobe Video Collection is available in two versions
for Windows: Standard and Professional. The Professional edition includes
Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects (Professional edition), Adobe Audition,
Adobe Encore DVD, and Adobe Photoshop(R) 7.0 software, delivering
tools for editing digital images; designing motion graphics and visual
effects; real-time video and audio editing; and DVD authoring.
The Standard edition includes After Effects (Standard edition) for
basic video and audio production, but doesn't include Photoshop. Both
versions of the collection offer tremendous cost savings and allow
users to expand their professional knowledge by adding new tools to
their repertoire.
The Standard and Professional editions of the Adobe
Video Collection for Windows XP are now shipping and can be purchased
for an estimated street price of US$999 for the Standard edition and
US$1499 for the Professional edition. The products are available from
www.adobe.com, Adobe certified resellers,
as well as licensing and education programs. Until September 30, 2003,
customers can purchase the Standard edition of the Adobe Video Collection
for US$799.
Aug 26 - Apple Ships New Power
Mac G5. Apple® announced that it has begun shipping the two
single processor models of its Power Mac® G5, the world’s
fastest personal computer featuring the first 64-bit desktop processor
and the industry’s first 1 GHz front-side bus. The dual 2.0 GHz
Power Mac G5 will ship late this month, as planned. Apple also announced
that it has received orders for over 100,000 Power Mac G5s since its
introduction on June 23.
“The Power Mac G5 is a big hit with customers and developers,”
said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide
Product Marketing. “The two single processor Power Mac G5 models
are available now, so we wanted to get those into customers hands
as soon as possible, and we’re right on track to deliver the
dual 2.0 GHz Power Mac G5 later this month.”
Powered by the revolutionary PowerPC G5 processor designed by IBM
and Apple, the Power Mac G5 is the first personal computer to utilize
64-bit processing technology for unprecedented memory expansion and
advanced 64-bit computation, while running existing 32-bit applications
natively.
Delivering the industry’s highest system bandwidth, the Power
Mac G5 line offers dual 2.0 GHz PowerPC G5 processors, each with an
independent 1 GHz front-side bus, for an astounding 16 GBps of bandwidth.
The line also features the industry’s highest bandwidth memory
(400 MHz 128-bit DDR SDRAM with throughput up to 6.4 GBps); the industry’s
fastest PCI interface available on a desktop (133 MHz PCI-X); and
cutting-edge AGP 8X Pro graphics capabilities, all within a stunning
new professional aluminum enclosure featuring innovative computer-controlled
cooling for quiet operation.
The two single processor models of the Power Mac G5 are available
through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com),
at Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.
Aug 26 - Hitachi Ships High Performance
4GB Microdrive. Hitachi Global Storage Technologies today announced
that it is now shipping qualification samples of its 4GB Microdrive
to consumer product manufacturers worldwide. The one-inch diameter
drive features a data transfer rate that represents a 70 percent increase
from the previous-generation Microdrive. The new drive will also continue
its tradition of offering a significantly lower cost-per-megabyte
than competitive solid-state memory solutions.
Hitachi's 4GB Microdrive is the world's smallest hard disk drive,
weighing just over a half an ounce (16 grams) and equivalent in size
to a matchbook. The miniaturized hard drive is designed for users
who demand maximum capacity for storing large quantities of high-resolution
digital photos and video, MP3 music, electronic games and other large
files. The data storage available on the 4GB Microdrive is roughly
equivalent to a full-length DVD movie or 75 hours of high-quality
digital music.
Consumer product manufacturers that are evaluating the new Microdrive
for compatibility with current and future products include Blaupunkt,
Kodak, Minolta Co., Ltd., Nikon, Olympus, Pentax Corporation, Sigma
and Sony Corporation. Many of these industry-leading companies already
support Hitachi's current-generation Microdrive in their consumer
electronic devices.
"As we migrate into a world of mobile computing and communications,
we will see significant growth in portable devices that use more data
and have greater storage requirements," said J. Gerry Purdy,
Ph.D., principal analyst, MobileTrax. "The new 4GB Hitachi Microdrive
provides the capacity necessary to satisfy the skyrocketing need for
affordable, high-capacity data storage in portable devices."
Product Compatibility and Availability
Hitachi's new 4GB Microdrive (officially known as the Hitachi Microdrive
3K4 series) is designed to the Compact Flash Type II industry standard
and is compatible with a wide variety of devices that accept CF+ Type
II media. The 4GB Microdrive is formatted at the factory using the
FAT32 file system to remedy the 2GB limitation of the FAT16 file system.
Therefore, when used in a digital camera, the camera must support
a FAT32 file system. For additional information about the new Microdrive,
please visit www.hgst.com.
Hitachi will continue to offer its current 1GB Microdrive to customers
throughout the world and is planning to introduce a 2GB version of
the Microdrive later this year. The company expects the new 4GB Microdrive
to be available on retail shelves in major markets this November at
a MSRP of $499.
Aug 25 - Plextor Delivers External Dual-Format
DVD+/-R/RW Drive. Plextor(R) Corp., a leading developer and manufacturer
of DVD and CD recording equipment, today announced the new external
PX-708UF DVD+/-R/RW drive for burning DVD+R/RW, DVD-R/RW, and CD-R/RW
discs.
A dual interface supports both Hi-Speed USB 2.0 and full-speed compliant
IEEE 1394 FireWire(R) for data transfer. Now Plextor customers can
easily share a single high-performance DVD/CD recorder among multiple
Apple(R) Macintosh(R) and Microsoft(R) Windows(R)-based personal computer
systems.
The new Plextor drive helps remove the risk of purchasing a DVD/CD
burner that does not comply with future DVD recording standards, and
it gives customers greater flexibility in choosing which DVD recordable
media they use today. The PX-708UF supports 8X DVD+R and 4X DVD-R
Writing; 4X DVD+RW and 2X DVD-RW Rewriting; and 12X max DVD-Reading.
The DVD/CD burner also boasts high-speed 40X CD-R Writing, 24X CD-RW
Rewriting, and 40X max CD-Reading. The drive includes a bundle of
premium digital media software from Roxio (NASDAQ:ROXI), including
Roxio(R) Easy CD & DVD Creator(TM) 6 - DVD Edition, Roxio Toast(R)
5 Lite, and Roxio PhotoSuite(R) 5 SE.
"The PX-708UF DVD/CD drive offers our customers the ultimate
in adaptability and flexibility," said Howard Wing, vice president
of sales and marketing for Plextor. "This external burner handles
CDs and DVDs, supports DVD- and DVD+ recording format standards, and
interfaces with both PCs and Macs via USB 2.0 or FireWire. The PX-708UF
offers a highly reliable solution, whether at the office or at home,
and no matter what the application -- from archiving data to copying
audio CDs to editing video DVDs."
Pricing and Availability
The Plextor PX-708UF DVD+/-R/RW drive is scheduled for shipment to
distributors and resellers in North and South America in September
2003. The PX-708UF drive has a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price
(MSRP) of $359.00 USD. All retail packages include unlimited toll-free
technical support and one-year full warranty. Reservations for the
PX-708UF drive are now being accepted at www.plextorshop.com.
Aug 25 - PCFX Launches 64-bit OPTERON
Gaming Computer. PCFX is proud to announce the immediate availability
of the new Leviathan III, based on AMD’s Opteron 64-bit high
performance CPU.
The Leviathan III will be available with Opteron models 240, 242,
244, 246, and will be paired with nVidia’s new nForce3 system
platform processor, bringing AGP 8X, dual channel DDR, Serial ATA,
and more to the already impressive feature list of the Leviathan III.
“We are very excited to offer the power of the Opteron processor
in our Leviathan III gaming computers”, says Chris Morley of
PCFX Technologies. “The AMD Opteron brings an unprecedented level
of forward-looking performance, with extremely fast 32-bit performance
today, and compatibility with tomorrow’s 64-bit operating systems,
applications, and games.”
PCFX Technologies is a designer of high performance custom computers,
with a focus on gaming, 3D modeling, and digital content creation.
For more information visit www.pcfx.cc.
Aug 26 - Close Call - the Sobig.F Activation
Was Prevented. The expected activation of the Sobig.F worm has
been prevented. The activation was programmed to take place on Friday
the 22nd of August at 19:00 UTC. The activation was prevented through
a 24-hour race against the clock by various organizations around the
world.
Everything started from the detailed analysis of the worm by the
F-Secure research team, which found and decrypted the list of 20 Encrypted
compromised server IP addresses from within the worm. Armed with the
list of 20 IP addresses F-Secure, various internet service providers,
CERT organizations from around the world, FBI and Microsoft were able
to locate and disconnect or shut down most of the master servers necessary
for the activation to be successful.
Six hours before the deadline, 11 of them were disconnected from
the Internet. Just before the activation, 18 of them were disconnected.
One of the remaining servers was unreachable, perhaps turned off.
One was still operating when the attack started, but it immediately
became unreachable as tens of thousands of infected machines from
around the world started sending traffic to it.
F-Secure has been attempting to connect to all the 20 machines from
three different sensors in three different countries to confirm that
they are down. So far, we've been unable to connect even once. If
we can't connect, neither can the infected machines - and the activation
won't succeed.
Sobig.F, which is currently the most widespread worm in the world,
contains an encrypted list of 20 servers located in USA, Canada and
South Korea. The worm tried to connect to these servers to download
the address of another server from which the worm would have downloaded
an unknown application. The application would have then been immediately
executed on all the infected computers.
More information about the Sobig.F worm and the attempted attack
is available at http://www.F-Secure.com.
Aug 25 - Dell Lowers Prices
Across Broad Range of Products. Dell (Nasdaq:DELL) today announced
price reductions on popular enterprise, small-medium business and
consumer products by as much as 22 percent, extending its position
as the industry's value leader for computer systems and peripherals.
"Historically, Dell has delivered the best total value in the
industry and we are extending that legacy," said Kevin Rollins,
president and chief operating officer. "All Dell customers, from
large corporations to home users, can benefit from the price reductions
we are announcing today."
Dell corporate and institutional customers can save up to $50 on
Optiplex desktop computers, and up to $550 on certain Precision workstation
configurations. In the data center, customers deploying powerful four-processor
servers now pay up to $2,800 less for the PowerEdge 6600 -- a 22 percent
difference in price. Popular rack-dense servers have been reduced
in price by up to 10 percent.
Consumers and small-to-medium businesses can save up to 6 percent
on Dimension desktops and 3 percent on Inspiron notebooks. Printer
and projector prices have been reduced by 10 to 13 percent, and a
popular 17-inch flat panel monitor has been reduced by 20 percent
to $399. For example, the Dell J740 personal inkjet printer is now
available for only $79.
"The efficiency of the Dell model has enabled us to continually
reduce prices and return savings to the customer," added Mr.
Rollins. "Today's announcement is another example of how Dell
consistently delivers the products and services that customers need
at the best quality and prices in the market. This in turn has driven
consistent and leading levels of customer satisfaction across our
product lines and has helped deliver shareholder value and company
growth."
For more information, visit www.dell.com.
Aug 25 - SoBig.F Virus Protection
Auto-Responders Flooding The Internet. MX Logic, Inc., a provider
of email protection and security services, is enabling its service
provider, enterprise and reseller customers to automatically block
third-party virus protection auto-responders that are currently flooding
the Internet due to the proliferation of the SoBig.F virus. These
notifications are distributed automatically via email almost every
time anti-virus engines detect the SoBig.F worm.
"A consequence of the SoBig.F virus is that anti-virus software
solutions are flooding the Internet with automated responses to many
or all instances of the worm. The end result is a clogging of corporate
networks, disrupting and seriously impacting mission-critical business
operations," said Scott Chasin, chief technology officer, MX
Logic.
"To address this problem, MX Logic has developed a global content
filter that enables its customers to opt-in and block the virus protection
auto-responders. This solution is provided as a part of MX Logic's
email protection security services that stop email threats at the
network perimeter, blocking viruses before they enter the network.
The end result for our customers is complete protection from the SoBig.F
and its ramifications."
The latest version of the SoBig mass-emailing computer virus, a strain
that first debuted in January, spreads by sending messages to email
addresses it finds in the victim's machine, usually those from downloaded
Web pages, emails and other files. Messages are received with subjects
such as "Re: Thank you!" or "Your details," attachments
such as "document_9446.pif", "application.pif",
"wicked_scr.scr" or "movie0045.pif" or body such
as "See the attached file for details." The SoBig.F worm
variant, as with the previous variants of the virus, is programmed
to terminate its propagation on Sept. 10, 2003.
MX Logic's Virus Guard service enables enterprises and service providers
to identify, quarantine, block and strip viruses and worms before
they enter the network. MX Logic's services can be implemented immediately
and require no integration, migration or upfront costs.
For more information about MX Logic, visit www.mxlogic.com.
Aug 25 - I/OMagic Debuts New Dual Format
Rewritable Drives. I/OMagic Corporation (OTCBB:IOMG), a leading
developer and marketer of data storage and digital entertainment devices,
announced today the first in a series of new dual drives -- the internal
DVD +/-RW/+/-R Dual Format 4x DVD Rewritable Drive.
The internal DVD +/-RW/+/-R Dual Format 4x DVD Rewritable Drive is
available in a beige or black bezel design and is the latest advancement
in DVD burning technology. It also includes Pinnacle System's award-winning
Studio SE, Expression and Instant CD/DVD software, and new CD burning
technology that increases storage capacity giving users up to 1.4GB
of storage space on standard CD-R, double the normal storage capacity
of a CD-R.
"This is just the first in a series of new dual drives for I/OMagic.
It makes sense to offer drives that are compatible with a broad variety
of media and players, and combine the best technologies into one drive,"
said Tony Andrews, vice president of Engineering and Product Development
for I/OMagic Corporation. "With our new dual format drives, users
no longer have to worry about what type of media to buy or the differences
between plus and minus rewritable technologies."
The internal DVD +/-RW/+/-R Dual Format 4x DVD Rewritable Drive burns
DVDs in +R, +RW, -R, and -RW. It features write speeds of 4x for DVD+R
and DVD-R, 2.4x for DVD+RW and 2x for DVD-RW.
The internal DVD +/-RW/+/-R Dual Format 4x DVD Rewritable Drive features
Pinnacle System's award-winning Studio SE, Expression, and Instant
CD/DVD software which allows for the creation of DVD movies that can
be played on home DVD players, authoring tools for data management
and disk creation, as well as fun and easy ways to share digital photos
on CD or DVD. Operating systems supported are Windows XP/2000/Me and
98 SE.
The internal DVD +/-RW/+/-R Dual Format 4x DVD Rewritable Drive has
an introductory price of $229 and is currently available at Best Buy,
Circuit City and CompUSA. For more information, visit the I/OMagic
Web site at www.iomagic.com.
Aug 25 - Systemax Announces $499 Venture
PC Bundle. Systemax, Inc. (NYSE: SYX - News), a leading manufacturer
and distributor of PCs and related computer products, leaps ahead
of the competition in the PC pricing war with the announcement of
the industry's most aggressively priced PC bundle, the Systemax Venture(TM)
U22R "Back To School" special offer.
Designed to help students get power, performance and versatility
at the most affordable price available today, the complete system
features an Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 Processor at 2.2 GHz, a 14"
LCD Flat Panel Display, a Lexmark(TM) printer, and lifetime antivirus
protection, all for a limited time offer of $499 after rebates. The
system is currently available for ordering and the offer runs through
October 10th.
The new Systemax Venture PC bundle also offers a huge 40 GB hard
drive for storing thousands of songs, videos, digital photos and even
homework assignments and term papers. The bonus Lexmark printer generates
high quality color photos and sharp text for neat, crisp printing.
The system also features a 52X (max) CD-ROM for tackling the most
demanding applications and music CDs, while the on-board 10/100 Ethernet
card lets you plug into a high speed connection and start surfing
the Web instantly. The 14" LCD Flat Panel Display monitor completes
the sleek, modern profile.
For a limited time, Systemax is offering a total of $150 in rebates
to bring the final price of this complete package to just $499. Flexible
configuration options are also available without losing the rebates.
"Having a state-of-the-art PC system is a critical tool to help
students of any age get ahead, and in an era of skyrocketing education
costs, Systemax is committed to making it easy to afford the best
technology available," said Sean Aryai, Director OEM Marketing,
Systemax Inc.
"Our new $499 Venture system offers the most PC 'bang for the
buck' available today, including an impressive Pentium 4 processor
and flat panel monitor. Additionally, we back all our products with
a first-class 24/7 customer service program, provided by fast and
knowledgeable specialists trained to help resolve caller questions
as quickly and efficiently as possible."
For more information on ordering the Venture(TM) U22R System, visit
www.globalcomputer.com.
