Jun 23 - Intel Ships 1 Million Chipsets For Servers,
Workstations In Under 15 Months. Intel Corporation has shipped
1 million chipsets for enterprise computing since introducing its
new generation of chipsets for servers and workstations in early 2002.
This chipset family chiefly targets the Intel® Xeon™ processor,
and began with the Intel® E7500 chipset for two-way server systems.
The company will soon add support for new technologies such as PCI
Express and double data-rate (DDR) memory.
A chipset consists of one or more silicon chips that serve as a computer's
central nervous system, transmitting signals from the computer's "brain"
-- the microprocessor -- to the rest of the system.
In late 2002, Intel extended its enterprise chipset offerings with
new workstation chipsets: the Intel® E7205 chipset (for entry-level
Intel® Pentium® 4-based workstations) and the Intel® E7505
(for Intel Xeon-based workstations). At that time, the Intel®
E7501 chipset was also introduced for Intel Xeon processor-based servers
with a 533 MHz system bus.
"This is a significant milestone for Intel, and attests to the
accelerating acceptance of Intel enterprise chipsets as the choice
for original equipment manufacturers and system builders around the
world," said Tom Macdonald, general manager, Advanced Components
Division, Intel Enterprise Platforms Group. "These products give
our customers the peace of mind of knowing they have been fully validated
with Intel processors while also delivering innovative technologies
to enhance reliability, scalability and performance."
Intel also produces the Intel® E8870 chipset for Intel® Itanium®-based
servers. The scaleable architecture of the E8870 chipset allows manufacturers
to design dual- and multi-processor server systems.
More Products, New Technologies Coming
Intel this fall will introduce a new enterprise chipset, code-named
"Canterwood-ES," for uni-processor Intel Pentium 4-based
server systems. Canterwood-ES, which will include PCI-X I/O expansion
capability, shares many of the features and benefits of the Intel®
875P chipset, which was introduced in April.
In 2004, Intel will introduce new chipsets for Intel Xeon processor
MP-based servers (code-named "Twin Castle") as well as two-way
Intel Xeon processor-based servers (code-named "Lindenhurst").
These are expected to be the industry's first chipsets to incorporate
PCI Express and DDR2 memory technology. PCI Express is a high-speed,
general-purpose, serial point-to-point I/O interconnect for computing
and communications platforms. DDR2 is the next generation of memory
technology for all computing segments with higher data rates, increased
peak bandwidth and improved thermals.
Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer
of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information
about Intel is available at www.intel.com.
Intel, Intel Pentium, Xeon and Itanium are trademarks or registered
trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United
States and other countries.
Jun 23 - HP Announces New Offerings that
Work Together to Enhance the Mobile Experience. HP (NYSE:HPQ)
today introduced several new computing products engineered explicitly
for mobility, simplicity and ease of use, including a 3.5-pound, ultra-portable
notebook PC, a 15.4-inch widescreen notebook PC and a wireless wide
area network (WWAN) expansion pack for the HP iPAQ Pocket PC.
During the next six months HP, the worldwide sales leader in notebook,
Tablet and Pocket PCs,(1) plans to roll out close to a dozen new mobile
computing products all designed and engineered to enhance the mobile
experience.
Upcoming notebooks, handhelds and Tablet PCs will share technologies
such as Secure Digital slots, Bluetooth(TM) wireless technology, 802.11
connectivity and common print drivers to allow mobile users to exchange
data and information across a variety of computing, imaging and printing
products.
"Mobile users want products and solutions that work seamlessly
together to enable them to get more done while on the go," said
Alex Gruzen, senior vice president and general manager, mobile computing
group, HP Personal Systems Group. "For example, an insurance
adjuster working in the field can capture photos with an HP digital
camera, transfer that information to either a notebook or iPAQ using
the built-in SD slot, incorporate the images into a report and then
print the report to an wireless-enabled HP printer to leave with the
customer."
"HP is uniquely positioned to deliver this complete 'better
together' solution," added Gruzen.
Technologies that work better together across multiple platforms
improve the mobile experience and allow customers to focus more on
their business and less on the technology.
"I have a competitive advantage because of the way HP mobile
products work together; I have instant access to the information I
need, when I need it," said Michael Johnson, real estate agent,
Keller Williams Real Estate. "I can seamlessly transfer the data
between a variety of devices such as my HP notebook and HP iPAQ Pocket
PC using technologies such as the built-in SD slot to save me time,
and increase my rate of return.
"Whether I'm using my HP notebook PC, my HP printer either at
home or the office, or my HP iPAQ Pocket PC, having the tools I need
to conduct business on the go has increased sales opportunities."
Notebooks
Among the first companies to market with consumer notebook PCs --the
HP Pavilion and Compaq Presario notebooks -- featuring integrated
wireless networking compliant with the draft 802.11g specification,
HP continues to offer mobile customers a wide range of wireless options.
With today's introduction of the value-priced HP Compaq Business
Notebook nc4000, HP is bringing integrated tri-mode 802.11 a/b/g(2)
wireless networking technology to the market. This thin, lightweight
notebook featuring the Intel Pentium-M processor allows users to stay
connected over a variety of secure wireless connections and remain
productive while on the go.
HP also introduced its latest Intel(R) Centrino Mobile Technology
offering, the HP Compaq Business Notebook nx7000. This wirelessly
enabled 15.4-inch widescreen notebook PC provides users a new approach
to graphics-intensive and multimedia applications in a thin and light
design.
HP plans to offer optional Bluetooth connectivity on additional notebook
models introduced throughout the year. Bluetooth connectivity allows
users to synchronize and share their data with other Bluetooth enabled
devices, such as HP iPAQ Pocket PCs, HP mobile printers or cell phones,
to create their own personal area networks.
HP notebooks also feature software designed to facilitate printing
from mobile computers to network-connected, postscript-enabled HP
printers. By printing through a wired or wireless networked printer
anywhere inside a company, organizations can increase productivity,
facilitate decision making and enhance the overall user experience.
Handhelds
HP will expand its portfolio of handheld products with the planned
introduction of several new HP iPAQ Pocket PC models next week, including
the HP iPAQ H2210. This new, lightweight device features both a Secure
Digital and Compact Flash Type II slot, as well as built-in Bluetooth
connectivity. The dual-slot expansion offers customers the flexibility
to increase storage as well as extend the capability of the iPAQ device
based on which card best fits their needs.
Built-in Bluetooth connectivity across a range of iPAQ products allows
users to connect to a Bluetooth cell phone, enabling users to access
wireless GPRS or CDMA networks to download information from the Web
or tunnel into corporate data. This configuration gives users the
flexibility to carry the appropriate solution to meet their data and
communication needs wherever they may be.(3)
Bluetooth connectivity also allows users to synchronize and share
their data with other Bluetooth enabled devices, as well as print
to Bluetooth enabled printers.
To provide simple, easy mobile printing from an IPAQ handheld, HP
provides a ready-to-use application that users install on their devices
to enable direct printing for various content types to enabled printers.
These new notebook and handheld devices form an integral component
of HP's evolving wireless and mobility solutions strategy to deliver
solutions in the areas of mail and messaging, sales force automation,
field force automation and public wLAN. Customers get the best of
all possible worlds - leading-edge hardware; innovative software,
worldwide services delivery -- all based on open industry standards.
More information about HP is available at www.hp.com.
Jun 23 - HP Delivers Widescreen, Wireless
Business Notebook PC. HP (NYSE:HPQ) today introduced the HP Compaq
Business Notebook nx7000 featuring a high-resolution 15.4-inch wide
aspect ratio display that enables professionals to tackle performance-intensive
applications with the mobility to be productive while on the road.
One of the thinnest widescreen notebook PCs on the market, the HP
Compaq nx7000 is ideal for working on multiple applications side by
side, viewing spreadsheets, or editing digital images and video for
desktop publishing or other graphics-intensive work.
The widescreen display is 20 percent brighter, features 33 percent
wider viewing angles and includes an improved contrast ratio compared
to traditional notebook displays. The nx7000 also is 20 percent wider
than traditional 15-inch notebook displays, providing users the additional
screen space they need to be even more productive.
Powered by Intel(R) Centrino(TM) mobile technology, the thin and
stylish HP Compaq nx7000 delivers a powerful combination of performance,
battery life and wireless connectivity. The notebook is 1.3-inches
thin and weighs 6.5 pounds, making it easy for mobile professionals
to take while on the go. Featuring the Pentium-M processor designed
specifically for mobile computing, the nx7000 notebook can achieve
up to 5 hours of battery life while still providing performance to
meet the needs of demanding applications.
For multimedia users, the HP Compaq nx7000 is available with ATI's
Mobility Radeon 9200 graphics with 32-MB or 64-MB video memory, JBL
Pro speakers and three USB 2.0 ports. The unit also features an IEEE
1394 connection for blazing fast connections to digital camcorders
and other consumer electronic devices. Additionally, it features an
integrated Secure Digital (SD)/MultiMedia memory card (MMC) slot that
allows for quick transfer of digital photos, music or other files
to and from the PC and digital cameras, printers, handhelds and other
devices.
The notebook's integrated Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 LAN provides the
foundation for clear and compatible connections across 802.11b Wi-Fi
(wireless fidelity) networks. For an additional cost, optional integrated
Bluetooth(TM) wireless connectivity allows mobile professionals to
synchronize and share their data with other Bluetooth enabled devices,
such as HP iPAQ Pocket PCs, HP mobile printers or cell phones, to
create their own personal area networks.
Starting at an estimated U.S. street price of $1,699, the HP Compaq
Business Notebook nx7000 PC is available for purchase through the
Web at www.compaq.com.
Jun 23 - 3com Introduces New Family Of
802.11g Compliant Wireless Connectivity Devices. 3Com Corporation
(Nasdaq: COMS) today unveiled its new family of fully complaint 802.11g
wireless offerings the 3Com® OfficeConnect® Wireless 11g solution
at CeBIT America.
3Com's new 802.11g wireless solution is ideally suited for the small
or home office as well as emerging enterprises and wireless "hot
spot" locations. Today's announcement raises the bar by offering
high-speed, plug-and-play wireless devices that are among the first
to ship with fully compliant 802.11g standards that increase data
rates five-times faster than existing 802.11b standards and 256-bit
WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) encryption for added protection against
unwarranted access to data transmissions.
"The 3Com OfficeConnect Wireless 11g solution addresses two
major issues with existing wireless product offerings: speed and security,"
said Robert Winch, 3Com's director, responsible for OfficeConnect
solutions. "By combining the new robust encryption techniques
with the industry's new high speed, long-range wireless connectivity
standards, 3Com is able to offer a competitively priced solution with
54 Mbps data rate and 256-bit security encryption at a distance of
over 300 feet from the access point to PC card."
Combining Two Wireless Techniques Into One New Powerful Solution
3Com's new OfficeConnect Wireless 11g solution is among the first
wireless products to ship with full Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers (IEEE) 802.11g™ standardization and new Wi-Fi Protection
Access (WPA) security.
The new 802.11g standards simply combines the 54 Megabit Per Second
(Mbps) speed of the existing IEEE 802.11a™ standards with the
long-range wireless connectivity of 328 feet associated with the IEEE's
existing 802.11b™ standards, into a uniformed method of providing
faster speeds and greater distances from a wireless access point to
a wireless PC card.
The new Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) overcomes security limitations
found in current wireless connectivity devices by strengthening the
encryption of wireless packets to 256-bit encryption - in essence,
better scrambling techniques for wireless data transmissions so the
risk of unauthorized access is minimized significantly.
3Com OfficeConnect Wireless 11g Solution
3Com's new OfficeConnect Wireless 11g solution includes three individual
devices.
3Com® OfficeConnect® Wireless 11g Access Point - Aside from
the 802.11g compliance and WPA security, the new access point can
be configured as a client bridge or an access point and provides Clear
Channel Select and easy set up of wireless profiles.
3Com® OfficeConnect® Wireless 11g Gateway - The wireless
gateway also incorporates 802.11g, WPA and Clear Channel attributes
found in the access point as well as additional wired security including:
stateful packet inspection firewall, hacker pattern detection, VPN
pass through, NAT and URL filtering.
3Com® OfficeConnect® Wireless 11g PC Card - The wireless
PC card incorporates 802.11g compliance and WPA security with features
such as Wireless Card Manager, enabling the network administrator
to perform wireless profiles and site scan/browse techniques.
Pricing and Availability
The OfficeConnect Wireless 11g Access Point and Gateway are anticipated
to ship in July 2003 with an expected average street price of $135.00
and expected average street price $125.00 respectively. The OfficeConnect
Wireless 11g PC Card is anticipated to ship June 2003 with an expected
average street price of $79.00.
For further information, please visit www.3com.com.
Jun 23 - Logitech Introduces New Line
of PC Headsets. Logitech (Nasdaq:LOGI) (Switzerland:LOGN), today
announced a new line of USB headsets that bring superior digital audio
quality to people who want premium headsets for voice chat, multi-player
online gaming, music listening and speech recognition.
These headsets offer advanced digital USB technology for superior
audio clarity and the simplicity of a single USB plug-and-play connection.
Both headsets have noise-canceling microphones and an adjustable headband
engineered for an ultra-comfortable fit, which is designed to accommodate
microphone placement on either the right or left side of the head.
The Premium USB Headset 300 pampers the wearer with velvet ear pads
and is equipped with in-line volume and mute buttons for fingertip
access to the sound controls.
"More and more people are using headsets with their PC, as it
increasingly serves as a communications hub for work and play,"
said Ray Weikel, director of product marketing for Logitech's Audio
Business Unit. "Since so much time is spent at the PC, Logitech
focuses on adding comfort and quality to its voice access products,
so we can deliver the best user experience."
The Logitech Premium USB Headset 300 ($49.99 MSRP) and the Logitech
USB Stereo Headset 200 ($39.99 MSRP) are currently available in retail
outlets and online at www.logitech.com.
Recently, Logitech also introduced two stereo headsets, with appealing
form factors and features. The Logitech Internet Chat headset, which
has an MSRP of $24.95, offers a sleek behind-the-head design, with
rich stereo sound, a noise-canceling microphone, and in-line control
for extra convenience.
It also comes with four interchangeable color plates, so people can
customize their individual headset, to match their style. Logitech's
Premium Stereo Headset retails for $24.99 MSRP and is perfect for
users who want comfort and quality sound. It includes a noise canceling
microphone and in-line volume and mute control.
Jun 23 - Consumer Files Class Action Alleging
Defective HP Notebook Computers. According to the lawsuit, consumers'
displays "black out" or flicker as a result of the defect,
rendering the computers essentially useless.
The plaintiff in the lawsuit experienced problems with his display
during the warranty period and sent his computer to HP for repair.
Less than four months after his computer was returned, but after the
warranty period expired, the display went black again. This time,
HP demanded more than $600 to fix the problem.
He says HP should permanently fix the problem at no cost or replace
his entire computer with a defect-free equivalent or better model,
and that HP should do so for every consumer whose HP computer has
similar backlight display problems. He also wants HP to return any
money it has collected thus far to repair the defective computers.
Green & Jigarjian attorney Jenelle Welling says that her law
firm has been contacted by many consumers with similar complaints.
A search of HP's website reveals that the company is aware of backlight
display problems in several of its computer models.
To visit Green & Jigarjian’s website for more information,
please go to www.classcounsel.com.
Jun 22 - Sunday Shopping
Watch.
Best Sunday Deals - See our Best Sunday
Ad Deals Table below for specific system prices.
Weekly Comparison. Many more stores advertisements
this Sunday. Most are for higher-end systems. A good Sunday to buy
peripherals.
This Sunday's Special Discounts and Financing.
In addition to sales on specific items, the following store-wide sales
are advertised this week. (Note that these
ads are for the Dayton, Ohio area. Prices or offerings may be different
where you live.)
Best Buy has switched to offering 3 Months of free AOL with any
computer purchase. They are also offering $100-$200 mail-in rebates
on all Pentium 4 processor desktop packages, and 12 month no-interest
financing on all desktop packages.
Circuit City is offering
12 month no-interest financing on all desktop packages and laptops.
Office
Depot
is offering 90 day no interest financing on computer purchases of
$299 and higher.
CompUSA has 6 months no payment,
no interest financing on purchases of $199 and higher.
Staples has no store-wide promotions
this Sunday.
Compare
to Online Prices - Compare the Sunday ad prices to
those being offered at DealTime, it searches over 160 online computer
stores.
InfoHQ Related Shopping Pages
Shopping Alerts
- Our latest shopping advisories on buying digital cameras and camcorders,
desktop computers, laptops, and other computer items.
Windows XP
Upgrade Guide - All about upgrading to Windows XP.
What You Need to Know
About Dial-up Internet Service Rebates - The pros and cons of
'free' Internet service deals.
Definitions. A complete desktop system/package/complete
package is defined as a computer with monitor and printer
or scanner.
A build-to-order system is customized at the retailer
and then ordered from a computer manufacturer. In addition to the
computer's stated price, you still pay sales tax and shipping charges
(if you order direct from the vendor without going through the chain
store, you may not have to pay sales tax and you could get a better
warranty).
Caution about advertised prices.
When reading advertisements, read the fine print of the ad to make
sure you know what is being advertised and what it cost. For example,
many advertisers will show a complete system with computer, monitor,
and printer but advertise a price for the computer only.
* Prices discussed in this article. We report
prices after rebates and discounts are subtracted.
Items highlighted in Black are good deals.
Items highlighted in Red means prices have
gone up and the system is not a good buy this week.
Items in normal text means prices are about the same as the previous
weeks.
|
Best Sunday Ad Deals
|
|
Category
|
Product Description
|
Price* (see above)
|
Prices up or Down this Week
|
Store
|
|
1. Best Celeron
Deal
|
eMachines 2.2 GHz complete system with
17" monitor
|
$423
|
-
|
Office Depot
|
|
2. Best Celeron
Deal
|
eMachines 2.3 GHz complete system with
17" flat panel
|
$579
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
1. Best Pentium 4 System
|
HP 2.66 GHz with 17" monitor
|
$1099
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
2. Best Pentium 4 System
|
HP 2.60 GHz complete system with 15"
flat panel and DVD-R/W
|
$1279
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
3. Best Pentium 4 System
|
Sony 2.66 GHz complete system with 15"
flat panel and DVD-R/W
|
$1249
|
-
|
Circuit City, CompUSA ($1299)
|
|
4. Best Pentium 4 System
|
Sony 2.66 GHz complete system with 15"
flat panel and DVD-R/W and Gigapocket TV recording
|
$1649
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
5. Best Pentium 4 System
|
HP 3.06 GHz complete system with 15"
flat panel and DVD-R/W
|
$1994
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
1.Best AMD Athlon XP System
|
Compaq 2200+ complete system
|
$559
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
2.Best AMD Athlon XP System
|
Compaq 3000 + with 17" monitor
and DVD-RW
|
$999
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
1. Best Low-cost Laptop
|
Toshiba 2.0 GHz Celeron with DVD/CD-RW
|
$1049
|
|
CompUSA
|
|
1. Best High-end Notebook
|
Sony 2.66 GHz Pentium 4 with DVD/CD-RW
|
$1399
|
|
Circuit City, Best Buy
|
|
2.Best High-end Notebook
|
Toshiba 2.2 GHz Pentium 4-M with DVD/CD-RW
|
$1599
|
|
CompUSA
|
|
|
|
Peripherals
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Western Digital 7200 RPM 200 GB hard
drive with 8 MB buffer
|
$169
(after rebates)
|
|
CompUSA
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Western Digital 7200 RPM 120 GB hard
drive with 8 MB buffer
|
$89
(after rebates)
|
|
Circuit City
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Maxtor 7200 RPM 80 GB hard drive with
8 MB buffer
|
$69
(after rebates)
|
+$10
|
Office Depot
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Asylum GeForce FX 5600 256 MB
|
$199
(after rebates)
|
|
CompUSA
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
ATI Radeon 9600 128 MB
|
$179
(after rebates)
|
|
CompUSA
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
PNY Verto GeForce FX 5200 Ultra 128
MB
|
$139
(after rebates)
|
|
Best Buy
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Sony 4X multiformat DVD-RW
|
$329
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
TDK 4X multiformat DVD-RW
|
$299
(after rebates)
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
|
Additional Information. For additional technical
information, advice on how to buy a laptop or desktop, and vendor
and manufacturer links, please see our Computer
Buying Advice page.
About Sunday Shopping Watch. Sunday Shopping
Watch appears every Sunday (except some holidays like Easter and Christmas)
in our News and Rumors column. It is a review of local (Dayton, Ohio)
computer chain store advertisements. While we can not guarantee your
local chain store has the same items, this article can help you make
informed buying decisions.
Jun 20 - Toshiba Announces
Availability of Tecra A1 Notebook Series. Combining the power
of a desktop PC with the added benefits of mobility, the Tecra(R)
A1 notebook computer is an affordable desktop replacement for corporate
users. Packaged in a sleek industrial design, the Tecra A1 delivers
value-focused productivity tools for the mobile employee, including
the Intel(R) Mobile Pentium(R) 4 Processor-M, 2.20GHz, up to 1GB of
memory and a generous 15.0" diagonal display. Offering greater
flexibility and productivity, the Tecra A1 can be configured with
dual integrated Wi-Fi(R) (IEEE 802.11a/b) wireless connectivity.
The Tecra A1 Series also includes the ConfigFree(TM) software. The
software enables the end user to find communications problems, offers
the user suggestions and also creates profiles for easy switching
between locations and communication networks. This cuts down on an
organization's overall support costs and eliminates needless trouble
shooting calls to Toshiba's service and support call center. Additionally,
the added value of a single image across all Tecra A1 configurations
results in the reduction of the total cost of ownership.
FEATURES:
Tecra A1 Series (Featured Configuration)
-- Intel(R) Mobile Pentium(R) 4 Processor-M, 2.20GHz
-- 30GB hard disk drive
-- 256MB of RAM
-- 15.0" diagonal display
-- DVD-ROM drive
-- Integrated V.92 modem, 10/100 Ethernet
-- Two USB 2.0 ports
-- Microsoft Windows(R) XP Professional Edition
-- 6.2 pounds
-- ESUP: $1499.00
Toshiba's new Tecra A1 series is available at www.shoptoshiba.com,
traditional sales channels, mail order, or through Toshiba enterprise
sales team and authorized distributors or dealers.
Jun 20 - Fujitsu Enhances LifeBook C
Series and LifeBook S2000 Notebooks. Fujitsu PC Corporation today
gave recent grads the chance to get a head start in the real world,
offering a pair of new LifeBook(R) notebooks.
The company has refreshed its popular all-in-one multimedia LifeBook
C Series notebook and award-winning "thin & light" LifeBook
S2000 notebook just in time for commencement.
Grads, business professionals and anyone else who wants a lot of
bang for their buck will certainly appreciate the dazzling multimedia
capabilities of the LifeBook C Series notebook. The desktop replacement
notebook features the Mobile Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 Processor -- M
at 2.4 GHz or 2.5 GHz, which supports Enhanced Intel(R) SpeedStep(R)
Technology and an ATI(R) Mobility(R) Radeon(TM) integrated graphics
chip with up to 128 MB of selectable shared UMA graphics memory.
The combination delivers the extra power to tackle video editing,
computer gaming and general productivity applications on its vivid
15-inch SXGA+ display. Outfitted with an integrated DVD-RW drive,
the system becomes an all-in-one multimedia solution. Users can easily
download home movies from their digital camera and burn them onto
a DVD. They can also save their favorite music and data onto a CD.
Configurations with a DVD-RW drive start at $1,499.
Also, for all those frequent travelers, commuters and studio apartment
dwellers out there, Fujitsu has optimized its thin & light LifeBook
S Series notebook for even better performance. The highly portable
yet affordable system recently received top honors from CNET winning
Editor's Choice for the fifth time.
The latest version is equipped with a low-voltage mobile AMD Athlon(R)
XP-M 1900+ processor with AMD PowerNow!(TM) Technology and a 512 KB
L2 cache. The new processor and larger L2 cache improves the notebook's
overall performance while still offering great battery life. The LifeBook
S2000 notebook starts at $1,199.
The LifeBook C Series and LifeBook S2000 notebooks are now available
through various retail and online outlets as well as direct at www.fujitsupc.com.
Jun 20 - Addonics Brings
Serial ATA to Notebook Computers. Addonics Technologies today
announced the first solution to support Serial ATA's (SATA) 150-MB/sec
transfer rate, and a wide range of SATA peripherals on notebook computers
with its CardBus Serial ATA adapter.
Addonics also expanded its SATA desktop and server product line with
the addition of an internal/external SATA port adapter, and new External
Serial ATA Upgrade Kits for desktop and notebook systems.
The Addonics CardBus Serial ATA Adapter instantly adds two high-speed
SATA ports to any notebook computer via the CardBus/PCMCIA slot. Users
need a PC card 32-bit CardBus compliant slot to gain SATA performance
on their mobile computer.
When used with the optional Addonics External Serial ATA interface
cable, users can have one of the fastest external notebook hard drives
on the market. The data 150MBs transfer rate of Serial ATA is two
and half times faster than USB 2.0. Users can also gain better performance
on ATAPI devices such as DVD-RRW, CDRW, DVD, or CD-ROM drives.
The Addonics CardBus Serial ATA adapter is fully compliant with the
Serial ATA 1.0 standard and will support hard drive capacities of
137GBs or bigger in a single partition. Drivers are included for Microsoft
Windows NT 4.0, 98SE, Me, 2000 and XP.
List price of the Addonics CardBus Serial ATA adapter is $65, which
includes a user guide and driver diskette. Addonics also offers a
CardBus SATA upgrade kit, which includes the Addonics CardBus Serial
ATA adapter and a 3-foot External Serial ATA interface cable for $99.
Visit Addonics at www.addonics.com.
Jun 20 - Planar Introduces New 21-Inch
Flat-Panel Monitor. Planar Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:PLNR), a worldwide
leader in flat-panel display systems, is introducing the PX212M, a
21.3-inch flat-panel LCD monitor. The PX212M is designed to fill the
growing demand among high-end home users, small businesses and large
corporate users for an LCD monitor that is capable of producing multiple
video images simultaneously and providing the resolution and screen
size required to run several complex applications at once.
The PX212M is the latest in Planar's premium PX-line of monitors,
and features an S-video input that enables a direct connection between
devices such as game systems, DVD players and camcorders, producing
a better video image than monitors that require an external video-processing
accessory.
The monitor's picture-in-picture functionality allows users to perform
multiple tasks at once, such as analyzing video while working on a
spreadsheet or surfing the Internet. The PX212M also features the
innovative QuadStand base, allowing for simple height, pivot, swivel
and tilt adjustments, providing great flexibility of viewing position
for the user. Demonstrating Planar's commitment to customer satisfaction,
the PX212M includes its industry leading 3-year "Customer First"
warranty featuring free 2-day air monitor advance replacement.
"Planar continues to lead the market in delivering new features,
functionality and performance," said Erick Petersen, general
manager of the commercial business for Planar. "The PX212M is
a further testament to Planar's strategy of growing its presence in
the high-end desktop market. We've recognized the increasing demand
for a variety of video inputs on the desktop, and by providing a monitor
with S-video input, picture-in-picture capability and the QuadStand
base, we've brought to market the most versatile 21-inch display available."
"We see strong growth in the market for flat-panel LCD monitors
larger than 20 inches over the next three years," said Ross Young,
president of DisplaySearch, a worldwide leader in flat-panel display
market research and consulting. "In 2003, the number of units
shipped worldwide in this segment is estimated to grow from two percent
of the 46 million total units shipping (0.9 million units) to six
percent of 114 million units shipping in 2006 (7.3 million units)."
With UXGA (1600x1200) resolution, multiple video inputs (S-video,
composite video, analog and digital), picture-in-picture capability
and integrated speakers, the PX212M is well suited for high-performance
video and office applications, including CAD/CAM and video editing
and development.
The 400:1 contrast ratio, brightness of 250 cd/m2 and viewing angle
of 170 degrees make the PX212M an ideal monitor for use in a wide
range of home or office settings.
Planar's PX212M will be available July 18, 2003 in black or silver/black
at an estimated street price of $1,399, and comes bundled with Portrait
Display's PivotPro software for quick adjustment from landscape to
portrait viewing orientation.
For more information please visit www.planar.com.
Jun 19 - AMD Ramps up Mobility
Choices with New Mobile AMD Athlon XP-M Processors. AMD (NYSE:AMD)
today announced three new mobile processors designed to bring notebook
users the features and mobility they need for an outstanding computing
experience whether at home, on a flight or in a client's conference
room. All three processors feature 512KB L2 cache that helps increase
performance and lets notebook users work more quickly and efficiently.
The low-voltage mobile AMD Athlon(tm) XP-M processors 2000+ and 1900+
bring balanced mobility and extended system battery life to thin-and-light
notebooks while providing excellent performance for home and business
users. Like all AMD mobile processors, AMD's low-voltage offerings
are designed with an open architecture that allows computer manufacturers
a wide choice in determining which solutions best meet the needs of
business and home consumers. AMD mobile processors are compatible
with industry-leading graphics and wireless solutions, including 802.11a,
802.11b and 802.11g.
The mobile AMD Athlon XP-M processor 2800+ enables best-in-class
graphics and wireless connectivity for users who demand dynamic power
management and performance in a full-size desktop replacement notebook.
"AMD works closely with computer manufacturers to understand
what their customers look for in a notebook," said Rich Heye,
vice president and general manager of AMD's Microprocessor Business
Unit. "The addition of these three new mobile AMD processors
helps ensure that manufacturers can deliver on-the-go productivity,
crisp graphics and extended battery life to their customers."
Fujitsu PC Corporation announced it will be one of the first OEMs
to power a system -- its LifeBook S2000 notebook -- with the new low-voltage
AMD Athlon XP-M processor 1900+. "Equipped with the new low-voltage
mobile AMD processor, the LifeBook S2000 notebook fills an important
gap in the thin-and-light notebook market by eliminating the need
for end-users to compromise functionality, performance and/or portability
for price," said Sara Nelson, vice president of marketing for
Fujitsu PC Corporation.
Time Computers in the UK will feature the mobile AMD Athlon XP-M
processor 2800+ in its Time Traveller 'AR' series of notebooks beginning
June 17, and additional computer manufacturers are expected to offer
notebooks later in the year. Other computer manufacturers worldwide
are currently featuring recently announced mobile AMD Athlon XP-M
processors in notebook computers.
Availability
The low-voltage mobile AMD Athlon XP-M processors 2000+ and 1900+,
designed for thin-and-light notebooks, and the mobile AMD Athlon XP-M
processor 2800+, designed for desktop replacement notebooks, are available
immediately worldwide.
For more information, visit www.amd.com.
Jun 19 - Canon Introduces
Two New Color Bubble Jet Printers. Canon U.S.A., Inc., a subsidiary
of Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ) today introduces two new desktop color bubble
jet printers - the Canon i250 and i350.
Designed to deliver crisp text, clear web pages and quality photos
at a value price, these two printers feature advanced MicroFine Droplet
Technology(TM) high color resolution and photo and web printing software.
"By including sophisticated features like advanced MicroFine
Droplet Technology and up to 4800 dpi color resolution into our latest
entry-level products, we can give customers top-end functionality
at an excellent price point," said Yukiaki Hashimoto, senior
vice president and general manager of the Consumer Imaging Group at
Canon U.S.A., Inc. "These products demonstrate Canon's commitment
to providing a full range of high-quality printing solutions that
meet any level of consumer need."
Canon i350 Color Bubble Jet Printer
The i350 printer combines stylish design, quality performance and
key features that deliver great prints. With a sleek, small footprint,
this printer delivers color resolution of up to 4800x1200 dpi and
the high-density print head produces print speeds of up to 16 pages-per-minute
(ppm) in black and up to 11 ppm in color.
Users can expect the i350 printer to create consistent high-quality
prints from a variety of sources, including e-mails, web pages and
digital images. Canon's combination of advanced Microfine Droplet
Technology, Exif Print and Vivid Photo help the i350 printer deliver
excellent photo quality. Advanced MicroFine Droplet Technology uses
a revolutionary nozzle system that ejects microscopic, prescribed-volume
droplets with remarkable accuracy for smoother, more photo-realistic
images while Canon's exclusive Vivid Photo feature gives pictures
sharp detail and deeply saturated colors without losing natural shading
or skin tones. The i350 printer can produce 4x6 and 5x7 inch true
borderless photos.
Canon i250 Color Bubble Jet Printer
Quality and simplicity are the key features on Canon's new i250 printer.
The i250 printer's high-density multi-nozzle printhead has advanced
Microfine Droplet Technology, for up to 4800x1200 dpi color resolution
to deliver excellent text, graphic and photo printing.
Fast and easy to use, the i250 printer prints at speeds up to 12
ppm in black and up to 9 ppm in color. Price, performance and quality
in a compact stylish design make the Canon i250 a strong contender
in the category.
Compatibility, Price and Warranty
Both of these printers are compatible with a wide range of operating
systems including Windows(R) XP/2000/Me/98 and Mac(R) OS 8.6 to 9.x
and Mac OS X version 10.2.1 to 10.2.x. The i250 and i350 printers
will be available in July for a suggested retail price of $49.99 and
$59.99, respectively. A one-year limited warranty with InstantExchange
comes standard with the option to purchase an additional two-year
extended limited warranty for $25.00.
For more information, visit www.usa.canon.com.
Jun19 - Actiontec Introduces
`Dual PC Modem' for Dial-Up Users. Actiontec Electronics today
introduced the Dual PC Modem, one of the first analog modems enabling
two or more PCs to share a single 56K dial-up Internet connection
as well as printers and other computer resources. The unit utilizes
the Quick Connect feature of the newly ratified V.92 protocol to deliver
faster dial-up, outperforms other analog modems because of a controller-based
design, and installs in just a few minutes.
"Shared Internet connections have been available to broadband
users for several years, but until recently this has not been an option
for the eight out of 10 Internet users who still access the Internet
through dial-up," said Dean Chang, President and CEO of Actiontec
Electronics. "Our Dual PC Modem eliminates the need to add extra
phone lines and pay for multiple ISP accounts to accommodate family
Internet usage. Now multiple users can go online simultaneously over
the same 56K analog connection."
With this new external modem, two PCs connected via Ethernet cables
can share Internet download speeds of up to 56K and establish a network
making it possible to exchange files, use the same printer, and share
other peripherals. Additional PCs can be connected through a hub or
wireless access point.
The product's support for V.92-based Quick Connect enables the modem
to memorize the characteristics of the user's phone line to reduce
connection time. In addition, the modem's controller-based design
ensures that users will be able to run other applications while using
the Internet, because no power is required from the computer itself.
In contrast, Windows-based modems draw their power from the computer
processor, frequently limiting the user's ability to perform online
and offline operations at the same time.
Other features of the Dual PC Modem include:
-- A "dial on demand" function that begins the Internet
dialing
process automatically when the user opens a web page.
-- Automatic disconnect when the user has been idle for a
specified period of time.
-- Easy installation with color-coded cables and Actiontec's
exclusive Installation Buddy, an on-screen visual aid that
guides users through the installation process.
The Dual PC Modem also includes a built-in firewall that hides local
PCs from Internet detection; support for the popular V.90 and K56flex
protocols as well as the new V.92 standard; and compatibility with
most Internet Service Providers. Service providers must support V.92
in order for users to take advantage of the modem's Quick Connect
features.
Actiontec's Dual PC Modem comes with two Ethernet cables for connecting
two PCs, a six-foot modular telephone cable for accessing the dial-up
connection, a power cord, an Installation Buddy CD-ROM, a Quick Start
Guide, and a user's manual on CD-ROM. Minimum system requirements
include a Pentium 133 PC with 64MB RAM running Windows 98, 98SE, ME,
2000 or XP, and an available Ethernet port. Two Ethernet ports are
required when connecting two PCs for shared Internet access. A CD-ROM
drive is required on each computer to use the Installation Buddy.
The product will be available from the Actiontec online store at
www.actiontecstore.com
and will be available next month through retail channels for $69.95
(MSRP).
Jun 19 - Belkin Delivers
IEEE 802.11g-Compliant Wireless Networking Products. Belkin Corporation,
the leading manufacturer of connectivity solutions, today announced
full compliance with the newly ratified IEEE 802.11g specification
for its entire 54g wireless networking line. The Belkin 54g line is
currently shipping globally.
Belkin's latest revisions of 54g products include all necessary features
to comply with the specification ratified by the IEEE committee and
will interoperate with other 802.11g- or 802.11b-compliant products.
Consumers can be assured that 54g products purchased from Belkin will
offer all the advantages of the 802.11g specification. Additionally,
all Belkin 54g products shipped prior to the ratification are immediately
upgradeable to meet the fully ratified 802.11g specification via drivers
that are available as free downloads from the Belkin website (www.belkin.com).
"We feel that the new 802.11g specification will help drive
commonality and reduce confusion in the wireless market, both of which
are important strategic goals of Belkin," states Eric Tong, Director
of Marketing and Product Management.
Belkin products are available through www.belkin.com
as well as through a network of major distributors, resellers, and
superstores.
Jun 18 - Canon's New LiDE
50 Scanner Offers Consumers Fast USB 2.0 Interface. Canon U.S.A.,
Inc., a subsidiary of Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ) today launched the USB
2.0 Hi-Speed CanoScan(R) LiDE 50 Color Image Scanner. This new flatbed
unit's easy-to-use features, high resolution and fast performance
come in an ultra-slim design for customers who need a full-featured
scanner with a small footprint.
"As a global leader in imaging technology, Canon has maintained
a solid reputation for high quality, stylish design, and versatility,"
said Yukiaki Hashimoto, senior vice president and general manager
of the Consumer Imaging Group at Canon U.S.A., Inc. "By constantly
introducing new products with upgraded technology, Canon is able to
deliver on customers' demands for power, performance and ease-of-use
features."
Ease-of-use is clear right from the start via the scanner's included
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed cable, which provides both super-fast connectivity
and power to the unit. Canon's four-button design - copy, scan, e-mail
and - help users expedite common scanning tasks with single-touch
simplicity. In addition to the default settings from Canon, each button
can be customized to perform the tasks most often used by the consumer.
The LiDE 50 scanner provides quality scanning with up to 1200 x 2400
dpi optical resolution and 48-bit color (both input and output) for
over 281 trillion possible colors. The scanner also features Canon
technology that automatically removes most dust and scratches on photos
while scanning.
Canon's exclusive Z-Lid(TM) expansion top lifts high and stays flat
for scanning books and magazines while the super slim design, just
over an inch high, and scanner stand allows users to scan and store
the scanner on its side to save space. The Multi-Scan mode helps save
time by scanning multiple images at one time, saving each image to
its own file for archiving or editing. The unit also scans multi-page
documents to a single PDF file.
The CanoScan LiDE 50 flatbed scanner is compatible with Windows XP/2000/Me/98,
Mac OS 9.0 to 9.x, Mac OS X v 10.1 to 10.2.x (Classic mode) and Mac
OS X v 10.1.3 to 10.2.x (Native mode). A one-year limited warranty
with InstantExchange is included with an option to purchase an extended
three-year warranty from Canon for $50. The LiDE 50 scanner will be
available in July for a suggested list price of $99.
For more information, visit www.usa.canon.com.
Jun 19 - Buffalo Technology Announces 802.11g
Wireless USB Adapter. Buffalo Technology the global leader in
the design, development and manufacturing of wireless networking solutions
for home, SOHO and SMBs, introduced today the latest addition to its
sophisticated line of AirStation(TM) G54 products - the AirStation
54Mbps Wireless USB Adapter (WLI-USB-G54). Buffalo's new USB adapter
is based on the newly ratified IEEE 802.11g standard and delivers
instant wireless connectivity for any Windows compatible PC or laptop
with a USB port.
The WLI-USB-G54 is based on USB 2.0 technology and capable of data
transfer rates of up to 54Mbps, giving users the ability to swiftly
connect to just about any home or office wireless network or hotspot.
"For Buffalo Technology, the wireless USB adapter is just another
advancement as we continue to develop high-performance products,"
stated Morikazu Sano, vice president of Buffalo Technology. "The
WLI-USB-G54 is excellent for users who want to connect to multiple
devices wirelessly, and since our 11g products are certified for 802.11b
compatibility, users can protect their investment while using the
latest technology available on the market today."
The WLI-USB-G54 is an easy to install, plug-and-play device that
provides high-speed network connectivity with a range of up to 410
feet. With a physical feature size of 2.3" X 4.8", Buffalo's
wireless USB adapter takes up less storage space and is very compact
and portable. The WLI-USB-G54 boasts high security features such as
Wi-Fi Protected Access(TM), 802.1X, 64/128-bit WEP, password protection,
MAC address registration and AES support. This wireless USB adapter
also supports Buffalo's external antennas for increased signal range
and enhanced signal strength.
Backed by a limited two-year warranty and toll-free 24/7 technical
support, the AirStation 54Mbps Wireless USB Adapter (WLI-USB-G54)
will be available August 2003 at an MSRP of $179.00. For more information
about Buffalo Technology and its products, please visit the company's
Web site at www.buffalotech.com/wireless.
Jun 19 - Bluetooth SIG Unveils Version
1.2 of Wireless Technology Specification. From Bluetooth World
Congress, being held this week in Amsterdam, the Bluetooth SIG today
announced that Bluetooth Specification version 1.2 is in its final
testing phases. The new version of the rapidly growing worldwide standard
is backwards compatible with the existing v1.1 specification and includes
many new features that improve the reliability and performance of
wireless technologies in the unlicensed 2.4Ghz spectrum. This will
ultimately result in a more robust and versatile technology for end
users.
New features address security, co-existence with 802.11 systems,
enhanced voice processing, user setup and improved quality of service.
Additionally, the Bluetooth SIG announced the availability of working
drafts to its Associate Members of two product designer Implementation
Guides which will improve out-of-the-box experience.
Innovation Continues in Version 1.2 of Bluetooth Specification
Adaptive Frequency Hopping (AFH) is one of many new features of the
specification. AFH was explicitly designed to reduce interference
between wireless technologies sharing the 2.4 GHz spectrum. Cordless
telephones, microwave ovens and certain Wireless Local Area Networking
(WLAN) technologies including IEEE 802.11b generally share the same
wireless frequencies as Bluetooth wireless technology. AFH works within
the spectrum to take advantage of the available frequencies without
limiting the Bluetooth transmission to a set of frequencies occupied
by other technologies. This 'adaptive hopping' allows for more efficient
transmission within the spectrum, thereby benefiting the end users
with greater performance, even if using other technologies along with
the Bluetooth wireless technology.
Other features of v1.2 include:
-- Enhanced Voice Processing, which will improve the quality of
voice connections, particularly in noisy environments, using error
detection methodologies.
-- Enhanced Quality of Service (QOS), which will increase the
performance of multi-point implementations where one radio can
service more than one client at one time with better traffic
management scheduling.
-- Anonymity Mode, which further increases the security of
Bluetooth wireless connections by masking the physical address
of a radio so as to prevent identity attacks and snooping.
"The adoption of wireless products continues to accelerate,
and quite some time ago our members identified enhanced approaches
to core radio operations that would further improve the user experience
- the v1.2 of our Core Specification is a result of this foresight
and hard work," said Mike McCamon, executive director of the
Bluetooth SIG.
For more information, please visit www.bluetooth.com.
Jun 18 - Microsoft and DivX Will Lead
Internet Video Over Home Networks. A new Yankee Group research
note, "Who Will Win the Format Battle for Internet Video Downloads?,"
analyzes the leading video formats across multiple criteria, and picked
two clear winners--Microsoft and DivX.
"The time was ripe for this analysis; consumers are beginning
to transfer content from their PCs to their televisions over home
networks or on recordable media," says Ryan Jones, Yankee Group
Media & Entertainment Strategies senior analyst. "However,
for PC-to-TV content sharing to mature, device manufacturers and content
owners must agree on video formats for encoding and content protection
that allow seamless content access, management, and playback."
The research analyzed formats from Real, Microsoft and DivX along
various dimensions including playback quality, security, cost, and
industry momentum.
"DivX leads today because of support from the global file trading
community and because chipset vendors have been quick to market with
affordable decoding solutions. Yet content owners prefer the overall
quality and security the Microsoft solution offers. Ultimately, device
manufacturers will be able to integrate both formats into their designs,"
says Jones.
Jones predicts the retail industry soon will feel the impact of these
format winners. "Expect 30 to 50 percent of DVD players to have
either one or both of these formats by the end of 2004, as video chipset
manufacturers refine and economize components, content owners become
more comfortable with Internet content distribution, and consumers
seek out new video content on the Web."
The Yankee Group can be found online at www.yankeegroup.com.
Jun 18 - Worldwide Wireless
LAN Equipment Shipments Experience Triple-Digit Growth. Worldwide
wireless local-area network (LAN) equipment shipments experienced
triple-digit growth in 2002, but revenue results did not show the
same explosive growth rates, according to Gartner, Inc. (NYSE:IT &
ITB).
Worldwide wireless LAN equipment shipments totaled 19.5 million units
in 2002, a 120 percent increase from 2001 shipments of 8.9 million
units. However, end-user spending increased just 29 percent in 2003
because of falling prices on equipment.
"As one of the few growth areas in network equipment, the wireless
LAN market is attracting a large number of vendors. The resulting
competition is forcing prices down, benefiting end-users by creating
a wide choice of low-cost products," said Andy Rolfe, principal
analyst for Gartner's worldwide telecommunications and networking
group.
Buoyed by its strength in the wireless LAN adapter and wireless LAN
broadband gateway segments, Linksys overtook Cisco Systems as the
leading wireless equipment vendor in 2002, accounting for 14.1 percent
of end-user spending. Cisco slipped to the No. 2 position with a 13.9
percent market share.
Linksys also led the worldwide wireless LAN industry based on unit
shipments in 2002 with 14.6 percent of the market . D-Link was the
No. 2 vendor with a 9.6 percent market share, but the task for other
vendors to attempt to take a leadership position in the market became
much more difficult in 2003.
In March of 2003, Cisco announced an agreement to acquire Linksys,
which will result in the company extending its lead in the market
both on a revenue and shipment basis in 2003. "In acquiring Linksys,
Cisco is re-entering the high-growth consumer and SOHO network markets.
We expect Cisco to expand the Linksys distribution channel to include
telecom service providers that want home networking products to bundle
with their broadband offerings," Rolfe said.
"Demand for the benefits of mobile access to corporate applications
will continue to drive strong growth in the sales of wireless LAN
equipment. The market requires multi-vendor compatibility, since wireless
LAN adapters are being increasingly integrated into new mobile PCs,"
said Rolfe. "However, the standards are as yet incomplete, particularly
with regard to security. End-users and wireless LAN service providers
should not rely on overly proprietary features, but should employ
standard wireless LAN networks and provide security at higher layers."
For more information, visit www.gartner.com.
Jun 18 - Internet Machines Expects to
Field First PCI Express Product. Internet Machines Corp., a developer
of highly integrated communications ICs (integrated circuits), today
disclosed plans to expand its markets by introducing an iMPress(TM)
product family of PCI Express based bridge and switch devices.
The new product line, the first member of which has already been
taped out by the company and is expected to be the first PCI Express
product in the market, leverages the next-generation I/O interconnect
standard and is targeted for bandwidth-bottlenecked applications including,
servers, blade servers, workstations, desktops, storage, networking,
and other embedded systems.
The Internet Machines iMPress devices are based on an architecture
and intellectual property already developed in-house for the currently
available iMpower(TM) chipset that provides a complete solution for
implementing packet processing, traffic management and switching in
next generation networking and storage systems.
"We believe that the adoption of PCI Express technology will
accelerate the convergence of computing and communications. With PCI
Express as a standard I/O interconnect that can support the scalability
challenges of 10 Gigabit networking (whether WAN, MAN, LAN, or SAN)
or the emerging Gigahertz speed CPUs, system vendors can now begin
offering performance-enhanced products with reduced time-to-market
and development cost by relying on non-proprietary, off-the-shelf
standards-based interconnect components," said Chris Hoogenboom,
Internet Machines' CEO and founder. "Our PCI Express strategy
will not only enable us to offer additional solutions for our traditional
target markets in networking but also allows us to expand into the
computing and industrial markets."
PCI Express technology uses serial, differential, low-voltage signaling
to relieve the I/O bandwidth bottleneck and deliver the performance
and features necessary for next-generation platforms. The PCI Express
architecture provides a highly flexible serial I/O solution, enabling
system designers and manufacturers to realize significant time and
cost savings in converting from PCI-based designs to PCI Express-based
designs.
PCI has been widely adopted as a standard I/O interconnect in almost
every technology segment. OEMs recognize that using standards-based
solutions for system design will reduce development time and risks,
as well as product costs. With a straightforward migration path from
PCI, system designers can readily take advantage of PCI Express technology
to quickly develop and introduce new products to market that scale
up in performance. Another key benefit of PCI Express is its backward
compatibility with the current PCI software base, allowing significant
savings in engineering effort as OEMs upgrade their systems by adopting
PCI Express interconnect.
"Adding the PCI Express interface to the currently shipping
SE200 device to provide PCI Express-based switching devices plays
well with our strategy to expand quickly into new markets," said
Aloke Gupta, Internet Machines' VP of Marketing. "With our history
in offering the most integrated, lowest power point to point switched
interconnection using embedded SerDes technology, we expect Internet
Machines to be a leader in offering PCI Express products."
Internet Machines has been a strong advocate of PCI Express technology
adoption. It is an active participant in the PCI Express industry
groups, including PCI-SIG and the Arapahoe working group, and has
been a leading contributor since early part of the 2002. Currently
Internet Machines chairs the PCI Express Advanced Switching flow control
and congestion management working group.
More information on Internet Machines can be found by visiting their
web site at www.internetmachines.com.
Jun 18 - MicroOptical Announces Eyewear-Mounted
Display for Mobile Personal Computers. The MicroOptical Corporation,
the leader in eyewear viewers for the portable electronics industry,
today announced the availability of its SV-6(TM) PC Viewer (SV-6),
the first eyewear-mounted display specifically designed for use with
mobile personal computers. The SV-6 is a small, ultra-lightweight
and highly ergonomic display that provides head-up, hands-free viewing
of information from Tablets, laptops, wearable computers, ruggedized
computers or other mobile computing devices with a VGA output.
The SV-6 has two key features that help the user take full advantage
of the mobile WiFi environment. The SV-6 functions as a second monitor
utilizing the Microsoft Multiple Monitors feature in Windows 2000
and XP. Users now have the advantage of two monitors: a primary monitor
for standard information and the SV-6 head-up display for mission
critical information, which is especially useful in untethered WiFi
applications. In addition, the SV-6 will automatically format SVGA
for the VGA viewer, eliminating the need to reset the resolution.
A patented combination of optics, electronics and a microdisplay
allows users to project the equivalent of a full-size screen in front
of their eyes at a distance that is adjustable from two feet to 15
feet. The virtual image created by the SV-6 appears with minimal obstruction
to vision so users can still focus on their work. The image is bright
and usable both indoors and outdoors, further enhancing mobile WiFi
Tablet PC applications. The SV-6 also offers 18 bit color resolution,
making it well suited for displaying Web content and photos, as well
as output from standard computer applications.
"MicroOptical's SV-6 heralds a new era of mobile data presentation,
one in which information is truly portable and private, and where
data are presented hands-free without blocking vision," said
Mark Spitzer, CEO of MicroOptical. "Designed to free mobile workers
from the constraints imposed by conventional displays screens, the
SV-6 will be used in a variety of fields, including medical procedures,
finance, field force automation and military tasks."
Pricing and Availability
The battery-powered SV-6 PC Viewer is currently available at a price
of $1995. To learn more, visit www.microoptical.net/products.html.
Jun 18 - PCI-SIG Announces Availability
of PCI Express Mini Card Specification. The PCI-SIG(TM), the Special
Interest Group responsible for PCI Express(TM), PCI(TM) Conventional,
and PCI-X(TM) industry-standard I/O technologies, announced that it
has finalized a companion specification to the PCI Express technology
suite of technologies.
The new PCI Express Mini Card specification outlines a Mini Card
form factor for PCI Express designs in mobile platforms.
The PCI Express Mini Card specification complements the PCI Express
Card Electromechanical form factor and is expected to be implemented
in a wide variety of wired and wireless communication peripherals
meeting requirements of the Build-to-Order (BTO) and Configure-to-Order
(CTO) business model for notebook and mobile computers.
The PCI Express Mini Card design is expected to follow the successful
conventional Mini PCI(TM) card specification that is implemented in
mobile devices today. The PCI Express Mini Card specification provides
an alternate solution to the existing conventional Mini PCI form factor
serving these market segments.
"Completion of the PCI Express Mini Card specification underscores
the industry progress in PCI Express technology development,"
said Tony Pierce, PCI-SIG chairman. "This companion specification
extends the value of PCI Express technology to the industry by enabling
the mobile market segment to leverage the benefits of additional form
factors."
"With the release of the PCI Express Mini Card specification,
we have significantly grown the application space and interest for
PCI Express technology development," said Ajay Bhatt, chairman
of the PCI Express technical workgroup. "The PCI Express Mini
Card specification is the result of the diligent efforts of many leading
OEMs and IHVs in the mobile computing industry to produce a state-of-the-art
specification that uniquely addresses the requirements of that market
segment."
Benefits of Membership
Like all other PCI Express specifications, the PCI Express Mini Card
specification is available to all PCI-SIG members and can be downloaded
from www.pcisig.com.
Jun 17 - Philips New Lifestyle Solutions
Create Unique Experiences for Consumers. Philips Electronics is
providing consumers with unique product solutions that further connect
their homes and their environments this holiday season. At the 2003
Holidays in June/Consumer Electronics Line Show, Philips demonstrated
state of the art technologies and exciting new lifestyle products
including FlatTV(TM) systems featuring Pixel Plus(TM) technology,
wireless products and the latest in DVD recording. In addition, Philips
showcased its complete line of audio, video, television, business
solutions and baby care products.
"Our 2003/2004 line of products showcases our deep understanding
of people's lifestyles and how that leads to new experiences and enjoyment,"
said Larry Blanford, president and chief executive officer, Philips
Consumer Electronics, North America. "From our new portable Infotainment
products, to Cineos(TM) televisions, to our wireless products including
DesXcape(TM) detachable monitors and Streamium(TM) audio products,
we are exceeding consumer needs and delighting them with exciting
designs featuring the latest technologies."
Connecting Consumers' Lives: Philips Range of 802.11b Products
Philips features a range of wireless products allowing consumers
to experience more freedom and a better entertainment experience whether
looking for a total home theater control, the latest music via Internet
Audio or to wirelessly connect to a PC from another part of the house.
The Philips iPronto remote control panel offers consumers the ultimate
wireless home theater control. The sleek and stylish remote features
Internet connectivity, which provides consumers not only the latest
home theater control, but also the ability to access the web or utilize
the internal electronic program guide (EPG) to ensure they don't miss
their favorite show. The product can be completely customized to the
comfort level of the end user. By employing wireless technology WiFi
(IEEE 802.11b), iPronto remote control panel able to control devices
out of their line of sight and has an always-on Internet connection
by which new features and software can be sent to the unit by customer
request.
Philips' Streamium MC-i250 system offers consumers a tremendous assortment
of music through wireless Internet Audio connectivity. Developed for
simple and easy control, with the touch of a button and a broadband
Internet connection, users can easily connect their home to radio
stations and multiple online music services around the world. The
Streamium MC-i250 system connects easily to a Wireless LAN (WLAN)
thanks to an integrated WiFi (802.11b) card inside.
Philips' DesXcape 150DM (pronounced 'Desk Escape') detachable monitor
offers users the freedom to access PC applications and data in their
office or home using wireless network (802.11b) connectivity -eliminating
the constraints of the PC's fixed desktop location. Featuring an elegant
design, the DesXcape monitor is a multifunctional "smart display"
that is based on Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP technology and uses Intel's
highly scalable platform for smart displays based on Intel(R) XScale(TM)
technology-based processors.
Brightening the Future in Viewing: Philips Newest Display Technologies
Philips' complete television line offers consumers a variety of innovative
entertainment solutions. Philips' proprietary Pixel Plus technology
has taken consumers and critics by storm. With Pixel Plus technology,
the televisions are HDTV Monitors and provide HD-like picture charteristics
from any conventional source like VCR or DVD. Pixel Plus technology
is now available in an extended line of products including the new
Cineos televisions and the new FTR9965 e-box for the FlatTV systems.
Cineos HDTV monitors are Philips' first venture into the micro-display
market and one within which the company expects to create substantial
ownership. These slim, lightweight tabletop televisions produce unbelievable
picture quality thanks to Philips' single panel LCOS technology. In
addition, the new 17-, 23- and 30-inch widescreen FlatTV LCDs will
be launched later this year and join the widest selection of flat
TVs available from any one manufacturer.
As part of Philips' commitment to enhancing the U.S. consumer entertainment
experience, Philips has developed a unique partnership with Lane Furniture.
Together, Philips and Lane have accepted the challenge to create a
fully integrated home entertainment experience within the traditional
American furniture genre.
Redefining Lifestyle Entertainment: Infotainment
Philips Electronics line of Infotainment products offers consumers
the latest technological solutions in small, hip designs. Philips'
new line of Infotainment devices brings a completely new level of
style and mobility to portable electronics. Featuring KeyRing MP3
Players and Digital Cameras, as well as a new 15GB hard disc audio
jukebox, the Infotainment products are lightweight and extremely portable.
Weighing less than six ounces, the new HDD100 Audio Jukebox fits
perfectly in the user's pocket. The HDD100 Audio Jukebox features
15GB (more than 3,000 songs) of capacity, offering consumers the ability
to carry hours and hours of their favorite tunes. Featuring MP3 and
WMA playback, the Audio Jukebox includes Philips' patented SuperScroll(TM)
technology providing fast and precise navigation. With the HDD100's
double action search buttons, users can easily speed through large
libraries of music files. Additionally, users can move through playlists
one song at a time or rapidly by holding down the SuperScroll button.
Recording Memories for A Lifetime: Philips DVD+RW Recorders
Philips' new DVDR77 and DVDR80 offer consumers an unmatched entertainment
experience this holiday season. The new players not only feature the
latest DVD Recording capabilities, but also feature entertainment
enhancing technologies including progressive scan imaging play back
as well as integrated electronic programming guides (EPG).
Philips' new DVDR77 offers consumers the versatility of recording
television programming, home movies, and images onto DVD with a Digital
Photo Manager. The integrated PCMCIA slot offers a fast transfer from
memory card to DVD without the hassles of wires or software installation.
This allows users to place more than 3500 JPEGs of their favorite
images on to a single DVD. The DVDR77 also features playback of CDs
and DVDs.
The DVDR80 provides consumers the ultimate in DVD Recording with
high quality picture and sound performance, as well as ease-of-use.
Point and click programming through an on-screen TV guide allows for
the ultimate programming so the consumer will never miss their favorite
TV program. The DVDR80 also is the first DVD recorder to feature Sat
Mouse technology which will automatically change the channels on your
satellite receiver simplifying the recording process even further.
With both recorders, consumers can easily create perfect copies of
home videos through the i.LINK(R)(TM) digital connections from their
camcorders.
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