13 January 2012

CES 2012: Shuttle Introduces the XH61 LGA 1155 Barebone

Shuttle Computer Handels GmbH, the European subsidiary of Shuttle Inc., one of the leading developers and manufacturers of compact PC solutions such as the world-renowned XPC Mini-PC Barebones, has announced the launch of the XH61, a new 3-litre PC for Intel’s Sandy Bridge processors.
Barely 7 cm high, this Slim-PC barebone extends the product range and introduces a modern 32 nm-architecture CPU platform. The Intel H61 Express chipset selected for this new product supports second-generation Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors for the LGA1155 socket with a TDP of max. 65 W. The two memory banks on the pre-installed motherboard can take DDR3 modules up to a total capacity of 16 GB.


The XH61 is provided with UEFI and has 4x SATA 3 Gbit/s, 6x USB 2.0, 7.1 Sound, Gigabit-LAN and Kensington Lock. An HDMI and D-Sub port in combination with the graphics function integrated in the second-generation Intel Core processors enable dual monitoring and smooth HD playback.
The compact case (24.2 x 20 x 7.3 cm) still provides space for an optical Slimline drive and 2.5″ hard disk or SSD. An external 90 W power unit provides a noiseless energy supply. The optionally available PS01 pedestal accessory enables vertical operation. Alternatively, the optional PV02 VESA monitor mount allows the user to fit the XH61 to a range of screens and surfaces.
“With the XH61, we can now fit second-generation Intel Core processors in our smallest and fastest PCs”, states Tom Seiffert, Head of Marketing & PR at Shuttle Computer Handels GmbH. “The practical format of the XH61 and its predecessor, the XG41, has proven its worth and will continue to be developed in future. 3-litre PCs represent a good compromise between space requirements and computing performance.”

No Major Announcements at Microsoft’s Last CES Keynote

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer took to the stage earlier tonight for the company’s last appearance at CES announcing updates to the Windows Phone OS and the Microsoft Xbox.
Despite rumors that the Xbox 720 would be unveiled during the keynote, there were no announcements about a new gaming console.
Mr. Ballmer’s keynote began with an introduction by Gary Shapiro, President and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association – the organizing body behind CES. President Shapiro said that Microsoft was “taking a break” from CES 2013, contradicting claims from Microsoft that the company was pulling out of the company to concentrate on smaller more focused events.
“We agreed to a pause,” President Shapiro said.
Although Microsoft plans to pull out of CES, President Shapiro claimed that CES has “no rival” in its ability to attract exhibitors and attendees in the tech industry, media, and retailers.
”CES is the dominant show in consumer technology by any measure,” he said.
The introduction and welcoming remarks were followed by video montage highlighting Microsoft’s appearances at CES over the years. Ryan Seascrest then took to the podium to engage Mr. Ballmer in a staged interview.
“I’ve truly always been impressed with Microsoft, and their innovations continue to surprise me,” remarked Mr. Seacrest.
Mr. Seascrest began by talking about the Windows phone with Mr. Ballmer. They unveiled the Nokia Lumia 900, a Windows Phone powered 4G smartphone (available through both Rogers and Telus in Canada). It has a 4.3-inch AMOLED screen and an 8-megapixel camera. The device has a 1.4 GHz Snapdragon processor, and 16GB of memory.
Mr. Ballmer then moved on to demonstrate the Metro UI on the Windows Phone. Metro UI is Microsoft’s new cross platform UI that will be a part of Windows 8. Derek Snyder, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Microsoft, who demonstrated some of Windows Phone’s new features, then joined them on stage.
Mr. Snyder’s first demonstration was of the new Siri-like voice recognition features in the new Windows Phone OS. Unfortunately for Mr. Snyder this demonstration also showed that the voice recognition functionality is bug prone as it only picked up around half of what was spoken.
After this demonstration was over, the subject of conversation moved over to the Windows desktop OS. This segment of the keynote began with a video clip showing off the Aspire S3, the UX31, Portege Z380, Dell XPS 14z, and other Ultrabooks running Windows 7.
Tami Reller, Chief Marketing Officer for Windows then appeared on stage to give a demo of Windows 8.
Ms. Reller said, “Windows 8 is designed to deliver a no compromise experience. It brings together the potential of a tablet and the power of a PC.”
Ms. Reller then demonstrated some of the features of Windows 8, and the Metro UI on stage on both a tablet and a PC.


Ms. Reller’s part of the keynote then shifted to highlighting Microsoft’s iTunes style app store. “Apps are what power the new experience in Windows 8, and it all starts here in the Store,” Ms. Reller said.
The app store itself has nearly all the functionality of the iTunes app store, albeit it is clothed in the Metro UI. Microsoft plans to launch it next month, in every language and region Windows is available in.
The keynote then shifted to the topic of Xbox. To the disappointment of many, no details on the Xbox 720 were unveiled. Craig Davidson, Senior Director of Xbox, who was on stage to talk about the gaming console, showed off some updates to Kinect and some metro like enhancements to the Xbox OS.
Mr. Davidson also announced a partnership with News Corporation, bringing Fox, the Wall Street Journal, Fox News and IGN content to the Xbox.
After highlighting the Kinect, and running through some announcements about Kinect updates, Mr. Davidson left the stage giving the spotlight back to Mr. Ballmer to finish the keynote.
“Metro, Metro, Metro!” and “Windows, Windows Windows!” were Mr. Ballmer’s final remarks which cued applause and the house lights being brightened.
With that Mr. Baller and Mr. Seacrest walked off stage, concluding Microsoft’s last keynote at CES.

CES 2012: ASUS ROG Xonar Phoebus Sound Card Set Redefines In-Game Audio

ASUS’ Xonar lineup has received a new addition with the ROG Xonar Phoebus, a gamer-oriented sound card which includes a break out box controller for volume settings, Dolby® Home Theater V4 surround sound and a GX3.0 gaming audio engine.
In-game audio can make or break the gaming experience, and a high-quality sound card is one of the best investments a gamer can make. The ASUS ROG team worked with Xonar audio specialists to develop the ROG Xonar Phoebus gaming soundcard set that includes an internal soundcard and a break out control box. The internal PCI-E card is made from carefully selected components and perfectly shielded to block electronic interferences from other components housed within the computer case.  It uses the CMI8788DH Oxygen Express from C-Media, making it a native PCI-E solution instead of using a bridge chip like previous designs.  With a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 118dB and a headphone amplifier that can drive 600 ohm audiophile-class headphones, the Phoebus gives a dynamic boost in sound clarity to ensure fully immersive in-game audio.


The Xonar Phoebus control box gives users complete control over volume settings right at their desk; while the latest ROG Command Technology integrates array microphones can effectively reduce up to 50% of environmental noise, helping gamers to command and direct team members with seamless communication. Dolby® Home Theater V4 surround sound and GX3.0 gaming audio engine have been specifically tuned to provide a true-to-life experience for those into racing, flight simulation or FPS games.
High quality pictures below!

CES 2012: ASUS Shows off New High Performance Routers

To many, ASUS is one of the leaders in the router market with several marquee products already under their belts.  At CES 2012, the upcoming RT-N66U dual-band Gigabit Wireless Router and the ASUS EA-N66 dual-band wireless Ethernet adapter were both shown off.

RT-N66U dual-band Gigabit Wireless Router
The RT-N66U dual-band gigabit wireless router delivers incredible network speeds and coverage for the best wireless experience. It is effectively two routers in one, delivering combined wireless speeds of up to 900Mbps through double 450Mbps bands operating separately at 2.4GHz and 5GHz. The RT-N66U is the ideal networking solution optimized for demanding tasks like multiplayer gaming, HD video streaming, and file sharing.


The RT-N66U is the first router to implement the new advanced ASUS user interface. Basic Wi-Fi settings are pre-configured out of the box and once connected to a wireless network, the user is automatically directed to a web-based setup page. The ASUS dashboard lets users monitor and adjust network settings easily; while a download manager allows for file downloads with the PC off, along with remote management of mobile devices like tablets and smartphones.
ASUS EA-N66 dual-band wireless Ethernet adapter
The ASUS EA-N66 is a dual-band wireless Ethernet adapter that delivers selectable 450Mbps bands at both 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Featuring a patented orthogonal antenna design that optimizes wireless signal coverage, the EA-N66 also acts as a 3-in-1 home networking solution with its Ethernet adapter, repeater and access point modes. When paired with the RT-N66U, the EA-N66 gives gamers incredible network speeds and coverage for multiplayer gaming sessions.

CES 2012: NVIDIA Tegra 3 Processor to Power Audi’s Next-Gen Infotainment and Digital Instrument Clusters

NVIDIA today announced that Audi AG has selected the NVIDIA Tegra 3 mobile processor to power in-vehicle infotainment systems — as well as new digital instrument clusters that replace traditional dashboard gauges — across its full line of vehicles worldwide, beginning in 2013.
The tight integration of these systems with the vehicle, as well as their simple user-interface and realistic graphics, will enable safer, more intuitive driving by providing critical information that can be easily understood with a quick glance.
Both the infotainment and the instrument-cluster systems will utilize “Visual Computing Modules” (VCMs) powered by Tegra 3. VCMs are computer subsystems equipped with Tegra processors, memory and IO controllers, designed specifically for automotive applications. By utilizing VCMs, Audi can quickly and easily incorporate the newest Tegra visual computing technologies into their vehicles, enabling it to offer the most cutting-edge visual computing capabilities in the marketplace.
“Audi has long been at the forefront of automotive design, integrating state-of-the-art technology into our vehicles,” said Ricky Hudi, chief executive engineer, electrics/electronics, at Audi. “Our deep relationship with NVIDIA demonstrates how we have consistently stayed ahead of the competition.”
“Last year, we introduced the first live Google Earth experience in a car. This year, we are shipping vehicles featuring the Tegra 2 mobile processor. And next year, we will again break new ground with Tegra 3, delivering beautiful, rich visual experiences through the dashboard and the infotainment system. NVIDIA is the clear choice to power our next generation systems.”


Dan Vivoli, senior vice president at NVIDIA, said, “Audi and NVIDIA are radically narrowing the gap that has existed between consumer electronics and automotive electronics. By leveraging technology from the very latest smart phones and tablets, Audi is leading the market with innovations that enhance safety and make driving more enjoyable.”
Tegra 3 processor is a complete system-on-a-chip that incorporates a quad-core ARM CPU, an NVIDIA GeForce(R) GPU and dedicated audio, video and image processors. This highly energy efficient, integrated design enables ultra-fast application processing and vibrant 3D graphics, while placing fewer demands on vehicles’ electrical systems.

CES 2012: BenQ XL2420T and XL2420TX Gaming Monitors Launch in North America

BenQ America Corp. today announced the North American launch of the XL2420T and XL2420TX, the company’s latest gaming monitors for professional and competitive FPS (first-person shooter) games.
Engineered in conjunction with ZOWIE GEAR – a manufacturer of high-end professional gaming gear and R&D partner to BenQ – the new XL Series models reflect BenQ’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge pro gaming monitors equipped with innovative features to help gamers take their performance to the next level.
“The new XL Series models prove that ‘gaming is in the details, building on the technology of our popular XL2410T monitors, which were featured at huge gaming events such as DreamHack Summer 2011, Global Starcraft II League, and GamesCon 2011, ESEA,” said Lars Yoder, President of BenQ America Corp. “Offering a 120 Hz refresh rate, 2 ms GTG response time, and 12M:1 dynamic contrast ratio, the XL2420T and XL2420TX not only provide the fundamentals essential to mastering FPS gaming, but also possess exclusive features meticulously constructed to provide FPS gamers with the ultimate sense of ease and control.”
The talent behind the design of the XL2420T and XL2420TX includes prominent Counter-Strike legends such as Emil “HeatoN” Christensen, Abdisamad “SpawN” Mohamed, Tommy “Potti” Ingemarsson, Christer “fisker” Eriksson, and Michael “ahl” Korduner, as well as Xanver from UMX-Gaming. This collaboration yielded specific technical refinements critical to FPS gamers: a super-fast response rate, razor-sharp clarity, and tailored control.
The XL2420T and XL2420TX’s unique color-engine technology allows gamers to brighten the image display without over-exposing white levels, while the monitors’ Black eQualizer reveals critical combat details with improved visibility in darkened areas. This enables gamers to screen critical combat details quickly and with added game play comfort, while BenQ’s S Switch remote control allows them to switch swiftly between customized display settings for gaming and entertainment. The stylish controller offers a scroll button that facilitates fast navigation and adjustment of the OSD setting.
To accommodate individual viewing preferences and requirements, the XL2420T and XL2420TX feature a Display Mode that allows gamers to switch among several monitor screen sizes – 17″ (4:3), 19″ (4:3), 19″ widescreen (16:10), 21.5″ widescreen (16:9), 22″ widescreen (16:10), 23″ widescreen(16:9), and 24″ widescreen (16:9). The monitors’ Smart Scaling feature gives the freedom to scale the screen manually to any custom size.


The XL2420T and XL2420TX offer two variations to the preset FPS Mode. Tailored by HeatoN and SpawN, the FPS1 mode configures and optimizes the display for Counter-Strike 1.6, and the FPS2 mode does likewise for Counter-Strike Source, as recommended by BenQ. With these specialized preset modes offering optimal brightness, contrast, sharpness, and color tint, gamers gain the advantage of being able to spot and track their opponents’ every move, even in indistinct situations.
The BenQ Game Mode Loader online platform complements the XL2420T and XL2420TX, storing the gaming presets used by pro gamers and gaming legends HeatoN and SpawN. Users can install these exclusive presets and save them onto the S Switch for quick access. More presets, fine-tuned by Potti, fisker, ahl, and the acclaimed StarTale StarCraft II pro team, will soon be released on Gaming.BenQ.com to keep users on top of their game.
The XL2420T is also a great choice for extreme entertainment. It is certified as NVIDIA 3D Vision 2 ready, providing gamers with full HD 3D gaming and entertainment experiences like never before. For more vivid viewing, it also comes with the NVIDIA 3D LightBoost technology for up to twice the original screen brightness. The XL2420TX is embedded with a 3D IR emitter and comes with an NVIDIA 3D Vision 2 Glasses Kit for a truly immersive 3D experience with no hassles.
The BenQ XL2420T and XL2420TX are available now at MSRPs of $549 and $649, respectively, and will be on display at the 2012 International CES at the BenQ Hilton Suite 28-105.

CES 2012: Monster Digital and Seagate Offer Seagate Momentus XT Upgrade Kits

Monster Digital, a leading innovator and developer of advanced memory storage solutions, today announced it is teaming with Seagate Technology, a global leader in hard disk drives and storage solutions, to make it easy to upgrade laptop and desktop PC storage to Seagate’s Momentus XT solid state hybrid drive (SSHD).
With the new Monster Digital easy upgrade kit, computer users will now be able to turbo-charge the boot times and overall performance of their laptop or desktop PCs with a quick, easy upgrade to the Momentus XT drive. Monster Digital’s “Dakar” series upgrade kit will be offered with 750 GB and 500 GB models of Seagate’s high-performance Momentus XT drive at suggested retail prices of $289.99 and $269.99 respectively.
Momentus XT: High Performance and Big Capacities
The Momentus XT drive couples the massive capacity of a traditional hard drive with SSD speed at a fraction of the cost of an SSD. The Momentus XT drive, Seagate’s second-generation SSHD, combines a 7200 RPM spin speed, a Serial ATA 6 Gb/second interface, 8 GB of single-level cell NAND flash memory and Seagate’s Adaptive Memory and FAST Factor technologies to deliver high-speed boot-up and application response.
Easy Installation Kitfor Upgrading Computer Experiences!
Upgrading your laptop or desktop PC with Monster Digital’s SSHD upgrade kit isn’t a task that requires a computer science degree or a house call from a techie. Monster Digital provides everything needed so just about anyone can safely and easily upgrade their own computer to the amazing experience of hybrid drive technology. The well thought-out kit includes software, cables, an instructional video and even the screwdriver. Don’t worry about handing over your valuable computer and data to a stranger to make the upgrade when you can easily do-it-yourself with Monster Digital.
Monster Digital CEO Jay Tandon noted: “Our alliance with Seagate reflects Monster Digital’s commitment and mission to provide consumers with the products and technologies they need to dramatically enhance their computing experience. Seagate is an undisputed leader and expert in solid state hybrid drive storage technology and we are indeed fortunate to be working with them to bring the SSHD solution to our customers. Today’s computer users want faster access to all their important content, from music and videos to games, documents and more. With our new Monster Digital SSHD solution, they will be able to easily and affordably upgrade their performance capabilities, allowing them to enjoy virtually solid state drive speeds, with much greater storage capacity and lower cost. Best of all, with our easy installation kit, upgrading to SSHD is a snap.”
“The Monster Digital laptop upgrade kit featuring the Momentus XT drive will enable more computer users hungry for performance to experience solid state speed without sacrificing storage capacity or emptying their wallets,” said Henry Fabian, executive director of product marketing at Seagate. “The kit makes it simple and easy to transform a stock laptop into a high-performance computing machine.”


Leading-Edge Technologies for Enhanced Performance
Monster Digital’s SSHD upgrade kit will feature Seagate’s acclaimed Adaptive Memory and FAST Factor technologies (Flash Assisted Storage Technology). Adaptive Memory technology identifies data usage patterns, and then moves the most frequently retrieved information to solid state memory for faster access, tailoring hard drive performance to each user and their computer applications. FAST Factor technology blends the strengths of SSDs and hard disk drives for faster access to applications, quicker boot-up and higher overall system speed.
The Momentus XT drive is up to three times faster than a traditional hard disk drive and rivals SSDs in performance. The all-in-one design of Momentus XT drive makes installation and upgrading simple and easy for any laptop or desktop computer and with any operating system.
In addition to its new SSHD upgrade kit, Monster Digital offers a high performance line of solid state drives, a comprehensive line of super rugged, SD, MicroSD and CompactFlash memory cards. SD cards range in density from 8 GB to 128 GB at class 10 and UHS-1 speeds, as well as MicroSD cards from 4 GB to 32 GB capacities at class 10. Monster Digital’s first CompactFlash Cards are notably 800x speed and UDMA 7. Monster Digital memory card products are waterproof, impact, temperature, magnetic resistant and the best way to safely keep your photos, videos, music and data.

CES 2012: Corsair Announces New Additions to its PC Case Lineup

Corsair, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market, today announced the builder-friendly Obsidian Series 550D ultra-quiet premium case and the compact Carbide Series 300R gaming case.
The Obsidian Series 550D offers a revolutionary combination of noise reduction and a wide array of choices for customizing cooling. The rugged steel and brushed aluminum chassis comes with two 120mm intake fans and one 120mm exhaust fan. Additional fan mounting points are provided for up to ten fans total, including locations for dual side-mounted fans for drawing air directly onto GPUs, and top fan mounts spaced for radiator compatibility. Unused hard drive cages can be removed to improve airflow, and Corsair’s cable routing system allows wires and cables to be tucked behind the motherboard and out of the airflow path.
The front panel and side panels are fully lined with noise damping material, as well as the covers for the side and top intake mounts. The innovative use of noise-damped covers minimizes unused fan intakes causing increased audible system noise. Noise is further reduced through the use of silicone mounts on the fans and hard drive bays. Even the front air intakes are angled for improved noise reduction.
The 550D provides eight expansion slots with room for GPUs of up to 450mm in length, a CPU backplane cutout for easy installation and upgrade of CPU heatsinks, a fully-painted matte black interior, six tool-free hard drive bays with removable caddies with integrated 2.5″ SSD support, and four tool-free optical drive bays. Other high-end features include magnetically-mounted dust filters and side panels that open with the touch of a button. The diamond-cut aluminum front control panel houses two high-speed USB 3.0 connectors and audio connectors.
“In the past, enthusiast PC builders had to make the choice between optimal noise reduction and superior cooling capabilities,” said Ruben Mookerjee, VP and General Manager for Components at Corsair. “The Obsidian Series 550D changes the game, providing outstanding noise reduction along with carefully engineered cooling capabilities for even the most powerful PC systems.”
Great gaming systems begin with a great case, and the Carbide Series 300R provides a remarkable number of in-demand features in an attractive, compact chassis. Builder-friendly features include three tool-free optical drive bays and four tool-free hard drive bays with integrated 2.5″ SSD compatibility. There’s room for high-end GPUs of up to 450mm in length, and the matte black interior incorporates Corsair’s innovative cable routing system that helps keep wires and cables out of sight for a clean look and improved airflow. The 300R comes with intake and exhaust fans, with room for five additional fans including dual side-mounted fans for direct GPU cooling.


“Inexpensive, compact cases often fall short in builder-friendly features, airflow, or the cosmetic features that make great gaming PCs really stand out,” continued Mr. Mookerjee. “The Carbide Series 300R hits the mark for an affordable, enthusiast-quality compact PC case. Its innovative features will be appreciated by both seasoned system builders and PC gamers who are taking the leap and building their first system from scratch.”
Pricing and Availability
The Obsidian Series 550D and Carbide Series 300R are backed by a two-year warranty and are expected to be available in February from Corsair’s worldwide network of authorized retailers and distributors at a US suggested retail price of $159 USD for the Obsidian Series 550D, and $89 USD for the Carbide Series 300R.
                                                              Corsair Carbide 300R
                                                              Corsair Carbide 300R

CES 2012: EVGA’s Upcoming NEX Series Power Supplies Get a Sneak Peak

Since their Classified overclocker-oriented power supply was first introduced, EVGA has been pretty quiet on the PSU front but that’s about to change with the upcoming NEX series.  
EVGA’s power supply stable currently consists of a single -albeit impressive- power supply, the Classified SR-2 1200W which has been on sale for the better part of of a two years now.  It was obviously time to bring things up to the expectations of enthusiasts and they’ve done that by introducing a whole new line of power supplies dubbed the NEX series (word is still out on whether Sony will take issue with this nomenclature).  Since EVGA is using CES 2012 as a preview for some early engineering designs of these power supplies, we’ll surely hear more about them as the release date approaches.
Appearing at this top of this product stack is the  NEX 1500W which holds a long list of features, many of which we don’t have all that many details about.  With that being said, some tantalizing information has emerged.  The headline items of this power supply include a customizable number of +12V rails (presumably from a single combined rail to multiple rails), an ability engage a “Dummy Mode” for multi PSU operation, an “OC Mode” which allows for up to 133A on the +12V rail, 80+ Gold certification and a software bundle that controls some of the NEX’s various features.  EVGA also talked about some additional bullet points like a new type of  cable design and a copper infused PCBs for both the modular interface and main PCB.

Unfortunately, we have less information about the the other PSUs in the NEX lineup but what we do know is that they are composed of 650W, 750W and 1000W units that are all 80+ Gold certified and have modular connectors. Their feature sets will likely be substantially less than the flagship 1500W product but expect their prices to be substantially less as well. As the release date gets closer, EVGA has promised to send out some more information.
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CES 2012: OCZ Shows their Revised SSD Lineup & TLC NAND

Through the latter half of 2011, OCZ announced a wide array of new SSDs so some assumed their CES 2012 presence would be relatively minimal.  Boy were those people wrong.
OCZ’s aim for 2012 is to push the envelope of SSD performance in both the consumer and enterprise markets and their CES 2012 announcements reflect this.  From the new Kilimanjaro enterprise platform to the upcoming Indilinx Everest controller and the new Lightfoot external storage solution, they seem to have something for everyone.  Below we have a quick roundup of what OCZ has coming down the pipeline.

Indilinx Everest 2 Contoller and TLC NAND 

The SATA 3.0-based third generation Indilinx controller is designed specifically for I/O-intensive workloads in a wide range of applications, supporting sequential speeds of up to 550MB/s, and up to 105,000 random read and 90,000 Random Write IOPS with the newest 2xnm flash technology. The Everest 2 platform supports up to 2TB capacity in a compact 2.5-inch form factor.
Everest 2 Notes:
•Next generation SATA 6Gb/s-based NAND Flash Controller Platform
•Best-in-World SATA performance!
•550MB/s Read; 500MB/s Write
•Unparalleled I/O performance: 90,000 Random Write IOPS (4K incompressible)
•Support for up to 2TB in a 2.5 inch format
•Designed to for high performance workloads from servers and storage to workstation and prosumer
Everest + Triple Cell NAND Notes:
Award-winning SSD processor technology paired with TLC NAND Flash (Triple-Level Cell)
•30% lower cost than traditional MLC SSDs
•Ideally suited to client compute platforms such as tablets, laptops, desktops, and workstations
•Driving SSDs into markets previously considered too price sensitive
•Up to 500MB/s and 30K IOPS

Z-Drive R5 & Kilimanjaro Platform

Utilizing the OCZ and Marvell co-developed Kilimanjaro platform, the fifth generation Z-Drive R5 is designed to accelerate “big data” like never before. As the world’s first PCIe x16 Gen 3 SSD, which supports up to 16GB/s of total bandwidth, the R5 will be 2012’s most advanced SSD, featuring performance that reaches up to an incredible 2.52 million IOPS and 7.2GB/s sequential transfers per card, with unlimited scalability and performance aggregation capability. With optional power fail protection the R5 will be available in a range of form factors including full height, half height, and 2.5-inch PCIe. The R5’s industry-leading performance and storage capacities make pure flash storage in mission-critical applications possible.


Kilimanjaro Platform Notes
•OCZ and Marvell joined forces to develop the Kilimanjaro platform to deliver unparalleled performance
•World’s first modularly scalable native PCIe SSD controller paired with a sophisticated combination of software and hardware (OCZ Virtualized Controller Architecture™ 3.0)
•Designed for complete spectrum of enterprise-class applications such as OLTP database, webservers, virtualization, big-data and collaboration.
•Will be available in a range of form factors:
oPCI Express full height and half height
•Up to 2.5 Million IOPS and 7GB/s
o2.5-inch
•Up to 100K IOPS and 1GB/s
oMini PCIe
•Up to 50K IOPS and 500MB/s

Z-Drive R4 CloudServ RM1616

Making 16TB of storage on a single PCIe card a reality, the new Z-Drive R4 CloudServ RM1616 is the newest addition to the award-winning R4 Series. With performance of up to 6.5GB/s and over 1.4 million IOPS, the Z-Drive R4 CloudServ’s level of concentrated performance and capacity enables system architects to design more productive infrastructures while lowering operating costs associated with hard drive technology.
• Up to 16TB of storage on a single PCIe card (RM1616)
•Performance of up to 6.5GB/s and over 1.4 million IOPS
•Concentrated performance and capacity enables system architects to design more productive infrastructures while lowering costs associated with hard drive technology
•OCZ Virtualized Controller Architecture™ 2.0
•2 x OCZ SuperScale™ Accelerators
•Lowest CPU and memory resource utilization in its class
•Industry-leading endurance for enterprise applications (increases drive life by up to five times the rated P/E cycles of the NAND)
•Part of the only PCIe SSD series with complete power fail protection & drive-level recovery

æonDrive DRAM SSD

•Unlimited endurance cycle SSD provides unlimited drive life in the most write intensive applications
•Proprietary controller technology utilizes low cost commodity DRAM as Pseudo-Nonvolatile memory
•Up to 140,000 4K IOPS and 540,000 512 Byte IOPS
•Ultra-low latency (>20 μs)
•Ideal for critical data transactions (e.g., financial and derivatives trading platforms) and caching applications
•Native 6Gb/s SAS interface for seamless integration into existing server and storage platform infrastructures and management software.
•Capacities up to 64GB


“Lightfoot” Thunderbolt-Equipped External SSD

•High Performance Portable SSD for enthusiasts and professionals
•Intel® Thunderbolt™ Interface
•Up to 750MB/s
oTransfer a full-length HD movie in less than 30 seconds!
oBack up one year of continuous MP3 playback in just over 10 minutes!
•Low latency with highly accurate time synchronization for professional audio and video applications
•128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB
•$2 per GB of storage

Kingston Technology Adds HyperX Red, New Look for LoVo Memory

Kingston Technology, a market leader in memory products, today at CES announced the launch of HyperX Red Limited Edition Memory and a new look for HyperX LoVo low-voltage modules. These memory modules have a new look and are designed for PC modders, system builders and entry-level gamers looking to push the performance envelope. HyperX Red Limited Edition has a sleek and aggressive look that provides a stylish accent to any motherboard or desktop computer in which it is installed. HyperX Red is Intel XMP ready and is available in 8GB kits and 4GB single modules at 1600MHz and 1333MHz, in both 1.65v and 1.5v. With the ease of installation and HyperX reliability, these new modules meet the needs of consumers and gamers alike who seek higher performance via faster speeds and larger capacities.
Kingston has also redesigned the look of its HyperX LoVo low-voltage modules. The new streamlined HyperX LoVo will remain in its standard green color but with a heatspreader similar to the HyperX Genesis. HyperX LoVo consumes less power and reduces heat thus requiring less fan speed to create a cool and quiet machine. Running at 1600MHz at 1.35v or 1333MHz at 1.25v, it is perfect for Intel’s mini-ITX ‘Apple Glen’ motherboards, AMD’s Llano platform and “always on home theater PCs or home media servers. HyperX LoVo is available in 8GB and 4GB kits of two.


“The enthusiast community knows the HyperX brand is synonymous with high speed, high quality and stylish design,” said Mark Tekunoff, senior technology manager, Kingston. “The new HyperX Red and the updated look of LoVo are great additions to our HyperX family. We have high-performance memory solutions to meet the specific needs of everyone from the entry-level gamer to the seasoned professional.”
The Kingston HyperX Red has an MSRP of $54 for the KHX 1600 and KHX 1333 have an MSRP of $31.

Kingston Offers Storage Solutions for Growing Ultrabook, Tablet and Smartphone Markets

Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced an array of portable Flash memory based solutions designed for the growing number of thin notebook, tablet and smartphone users. Kingston’s light and thin USB Flash drives focus on small and stylish designs that expand and innovate the storage capacities of smaller form factor computing devices. In addition, Kingston Wi-Drive offers wireless memory expansion for tablets and smartphones such as Kindle Fire, Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.
DataTraveler SE9: Functionality meets style for mobile users with the new DataTraveler SE9 (DTSE9) USB Flash Drive. The ultra-thin, sleek metal case features a large built-in key ring for easy attachment to a backpack, briefcase, purse or keychain. When plugged into a PC, its metal casing and small size provides protection and does not get in the way of other Flash drives when USB ports are clustered together. The DataTraveler SE9 is available in 8GB and 16GB capacities.
DataTraveler Micro: One of the world’s smallest USB Flash drives, the DataTraveler Micro is designed in an ultra-small form factor that can be left in devices such as tablets, slim notebooks, netbooks or car audio systems while barely increasing the overall footprint of the host device. The USB drive’s small size allows it to easily blend in without blocking other ports. DataTraveler Micro is available in 8GB and 16GB capacities.


Kingston Wi-Drive: The portable, wireless storage device for Kindle Fire and Apple devices will be available in a 64GB capacity in later Q1. The device with built-in Wi-Fi allows users to view photos or documents, stream movies and listen to music without relying on Internet access or cloud-based technology. Currently available in 16GB and 32GB capacities, the larger size allows even more sharing of photos, videos, music and more.
“Kingston recognizes the growth in portable computing devices among consumers as tablets and slimmer notebook PCs become commonplace,” said Andrew Ewing, Flash memory business manager, Kingston. “Our various USB Flash drives are light and thin storage solutions which enable tablet and ultra notebook users to extend the capacities and enhance the capabilities of their devices without getting in the way.” The Kingston DataTraveler SE9 and DataTraveler Micro are backed by a five year warranty. Kingston Wi-Drive is backed by a one-year warranty. All products come with 24/7 technical support and legendary Kingston reliability.

CES 2012: Corsair Announces New Line of Solid-State Cache Drives

Corsair, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market, today announced the Accelerator Series solid-state cache drives.
The Accelerator Series is designed for desktop PC users who want to give their Microsoft Windows® based PC a dramatic performance boost with minimal cost and hassle. Corsair’s new line of SSD cache drives includes premium caching software from NVELO, for improved boot times and lightning-quick file access. After connecting an Accelerator Series SSD cache drive to their computer’s SATA port and installing the caching software provided with the drive, users will see an immediate speed boost. No drive mapping, no reinstallation of the operating system or applications, and no complex file management is needed — the Accelerator Series SSD cache drive works in tandem with the customer’s existing hard drive to provide optimized performance. Customers may see an improvement in file read/write speeds of up to 5x their current hard drive performance after installing a Corsair Accelerator Series SSD cache drive.
“Our new Accelerator Series SSD cache drives have compelling price points and provide one of the most economical solutions for a quick system performance boost that doesn’t require manual drive reconfiguration,” said Thi La, Vice President of Memory Products at Corsair. “It’s ideal for consumers and enthusiasts who’d like to improve their PC’s speed without investing the time and cost into a complete PC upgrade. There’s no complex configuration involved, and their PC will work as it always has — just a lot quicker.”


Accelerator Series solid-state cache drives support Windows 7, with Windows 8 support planned, and are compatible with PCs with SATA 2 or SATA 3 ports.
Accelerator Series solid-state cache drives are backed by a three-year warranty and are expected to be available in February from Corsair’s worldwide network of authorized retailers and distributors at a US suggested retail price of $99 USD for the 60GB model, $84 USD for the 45GB model, and $69 USD for the 30GB model. For more information about the products, visit this page. For performance data, visit this page.

CES 2012: Intel Launches Tegra Competitor

Intel unveiled a smartphone chip – dubbed “Medfield” – at CES 2012 designed to compete with NVIDIA’s Tegra System on a Chip (SoC).
At CES Intel’s CEO, Paul Otellini, showed off the Lenovo K800 smartphone which is powered by Intel’s new Medfield chip and runs the Android OS.
Intel’s new mobile platform has been built in conjunction with Motorola Mobility.
“It is a multi-year, multi-product strategy that will bring both phones and tablets to the (US) marketplace starting with a phone in the second half of 2012,” Dave Whalen, a vice-president in the Intel Architecture Group, said of the alliance with Motorola.
Sanjay Jha, the chief executive of Motorola Mobility, said the company would work with Intel on a “multi-year, multi-device” collaboration.


The Medfield chip powering the K800 clocks in at 1.6GHz, and is similar to the Atom Z2460 architecture. According to stats published by VR-Zone, the chip scores around 10,500 in Caffeinemark 3 whilst the NVIDIA Tegra 2 scores around 7500, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8260 scores 8000.
According to VR-Zone the Medfield platform, while having impressive benchmark scores consumes a great deal of power. The website claims the chip consumes 2.6W in idle mode, and 3.6W while playing HD video.
Mike Bell, Intel’s Ultra Mobility Group general manager, told the BBC, “Battery life on this platform is not the best in the mobile market, but it is by far not the worst.”

CES 2012: Dell Launches the XPS 13 13.3-inch Ultrabook

Dell today unveiled its ultraportable XPS 13 laptop, the most compact 13.3-inch Ultrabook featuring an edge-to-edge glass, near “frameless” display, all-day battery life, and the latest innovative technology for a superb overall user experience.
Starting at 2.99 lbs., and less than a quarter-inch at its thinnest point, the XPS 13 combines performance-oriented thoughtful design with the latest Intel technology, such as Rapid Start and Smart Connect, to enable users to be productive, connected and responsive anywhere.
The latest and most mobile laptop in Dell’s portfolio, the XPS 13 is part of Dell’s high-end XPS brand, which is now 20 percent of Dell’s total consumer laptop business. Revenue for XPS laptops has increased 207 percent over last year when the company re-launched the brand to better meet the needs of today’s mobile professionals.
The XPS 13 delivers second-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, Intel HD 3000 graphics and a bright high definition WLED 300-nit display for outstanding viewing experiences, packaged in an elegantly-designed, ultraportable laptop. For users who store movies, music and photos, the XPS 13 has 128 GB and 256 GB solid state hard drive options, plus an additional 100 GB of cloud storage through Dell DataSafe for seamless content backup and sharing at no additional cost. Additionally, all XPS 13 units include a 12-month Skype Premium subscriptioniv to always stay in touch.
“The XPS 13 is the culmination of an extensive design and development process focused on creating the best Ultrabook on the planet,” said Jeff Clarke, vice chairman, Global Operations and End User Computing. “It is specifically engineered to help both our consumer and commercial customers be more productive and connected in every way possible. From the edge-to-edge frameless display that packs more screen into a compact body, to the innovative carbon fiber base that is lightweight and cool to the touch, the XPS 13 exemplifies our commitment to offering industry-leading mobile solutions that deliver durability and performance without compromise.”


Lead with Style and Never Miss a Moment
Purposefully designed and artfully built since it was first conceived in 2010, the XPS 13 maximizes the Ultrabook experience for users: edge-to-edge display with hardened Gorilla Glass; a full-size backlit keyboard with a large glass touchpad with integrated buttons and multi-gestural support; and up to eight hours, fifty-three minutes of battery life. All in a package starting at 2.99 lbs.
The 13.3-inch high definition display with slim bezel fits in a body size similar to the form factor of an 11-inch product, making it the most compact Ultrabook available. (Other 13.3-inch laptops offer the same viewing area but with up to a 15 percent larger footprint.) The carbon fiber composite base extends the design process, offering a premium visual appeal, and is lighter and cooler to the touch than aluminum.
Keeping connected and getting online quickly is now a reality. The XPS 13 is one of the first Ultrabooks to feature Intel Smart Connect technology, which wakes periodically to detect known networks and update calendar and email. With solid state drives and Intel Rapid Start technology, the XPS 13 boots in seconds, giving customers the performance of a laptop with the instant gratification experience of a smartphone. Dell will also integrate location awareness via Skyhook and Google Places shortly after launch. Because the ultrathin and compact XPS 13 is ideal for use on the go, staying connected will be even easier for those who are first to buy one. The first 10,000 customers to purchase an XPS 13 in the U.S. will receive a free T-Mobile 4G Mobile HotSpot and 90 days of free mobile broadband service at up to 4G speeds on America’s Largest 4G Network with no annual contract at time of purchase. The T-Mobile 4G HotSpot lets customers stay connected on the go by linking up to five WiFi devices to high speed Internet using America’s Largest 4G Network.
“When Dell began the conversation of what an Ultrabook could be, we carefully considered how to provide customers not only incredible mobility, but also the kind of performance experience you would expect from something much larger,” said Steve Felice, president and Chief Commercial Officer of Dell. “A ‘good-enough’ Ultrabook wasn’t good enough for us. We were committed to developing what an Ultrabook can and should be with the XPS 13 and providing a superior user experience.”
“The XPS 13 represents the most balanced of the Ultrabook class of notebooks to hit the market so far,” said Rob Enderle, Analyst for the Enderle Group. “Ultrabooks started by forcing people to make a choice between beauty and practicality and Dell took the time to make sure their offering would not only be very attractive, but address the critical needs of business and education buyers as well. Perhaps the best way to describe the XPS 13 is ‘beautifully uncompromised.’”
Best of Both Worlds – Enterprise Friendly Features that the IT Department will Love
Dell went a step further with the XPS 13 to create appeal for all customers – for work and for play – and has made it easier for IT departments to choose laptops that offer the security and services they value in a fit and finish executives and employees demand. Enterprise-friendly features include standard Trusted Platform Module for BitLocker Data Encryption and optional ProSupport after-sales service and Configuration Services such as custom imaging and asset tagging. Combined with available customer service options, including concierge and software support, the XPS 13 is one of the most balanced Ultrabooks available for any need.


America’s Best Protection Plan for Consumers
Dell wants its home customers to experience the XPS 13 with the best standard protection planv in the industry. In addition to the Limited Hardware Warranty, Dell is including one year of Accidental Damage Service and one year of theft protection with Computrace LoJack for Laptops Theft Recovery Service as standard. Accidental Damage Service provides customers with peace of mind by protecting against drops and spills and other accidents that may occur. Computrace LoJack for Laptops Theft Recovery Service helps track, locate, lock down and recover a stolen system, and can even remotely delete sensitive data.
Understanding its customers’ need to purchase responsible products, Dell designed the XPS 13 with the environment in mind. Its energy-efficient LED displays have no mercury or arsenic and Dell eliminated harmful toxins such as Brominated Flame Retardants and Polyvinyl Chloride (BFR/PVCs). The XPS 13 is shipped in many locations with sustainably harvested bamboo packaging material. Every XPS 13 can be configured to be ENERGY STAR qualified, helping customers reduce energy costs. When the time comes, Dell offers multiple recycling options (learn more at Dell.com/recycling).
Detailed Information:
- Ultrathin laptop (0.24-0.71″/6-18 mm) with Microsoft Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium; precision machined aluminum with a carbon fiber composite base
- Intel Core i5 2467M and i7 2637M processor choices
- 13.3″ HD WLED, 300-nit (1366×768) 720p; edge-to-edge hardened Gorilla Glass
- Intel HD 3000 video graphics
- 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333 MHz memory
- 128 GB SSD or 256GB SSD drive options
- Full size, backlit chiclet keyboard; glass integrated button touchpad with multi-gesture support
- Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6230 802.11 A/G/N and Bluetooth 3.0 wireless connectivity
- High definition audio with Waves MaxxAudio 4
- Built-in 47 WHr 6-cell battery (Dell XPS 13 batteries are built into the laptop and are not replaceable by the customer) offering up to eight hours, fifty-three minutes of battery life; 45W AC adaptor
- USB 3.0 (1) + USB 2.0 with PowerShare (1), mini Display-Port, and headset jack (1)
- Built-in 1.3 MP webcam (H.264 enabled via Skype) with dual array digital microphones
- Dell ProSupport for business customers, Dell Configuration Services and Windows Trusted Platform Module options for commercial models
- Dimensions: Height: 0.24-0.71″ (6-18 mm) / Width: 12.4″ (316 mm) / Depth 8.1″ (205 mm); Weight: starting at 2.99 lbs (1.36 kg)
The XPS 13 will be available at the end of February in the United States through www.Dell.com, and in select retail stores nationwide at a starting price of $999 with an Intel Core i5 processor, 128 GB SSD hard drive and 4 GB memory. Customers can reserve the XPS 13 on www.dell.com starting today. The first 10,000 customers in the U.S. to purchase an XPS 13 will receive a free T-Mobile 4G Mobile HotSpot and 90 days of free mobile broadband service at up to 4G speeds on America’s Largest 4G Network with no annual contract at time of purchase – a value of more than $200. The XPS 13 will be available in select geographies around the world in March 2012.

CES 2012: Samsung Announces Galaxy Note for North America

Tablets were the dominant theme at last year’s Computex, and Samsung came out of the show as one of the leading players. Their Galaxy Note looks good, but does it have what it takes to make a dent in Apple’s iPad market share?
Samsung Mobile Communications Canada, the leading supplier of mobile phones in the Canadian marketplace, announced today the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note. Set to provide consumers with that one primary device that really does it all, the Galaxy Note combines smartphone convenience with the power of a tablet.
Featuring a vivid 5.3” display with HD Super AMOLED technology, the Galaxy Note provides a bright, rich, colorful HD viewing experience. The Galaxy Note allows users to choose how they want to interact with and input on the phone. They can take advantage of the 5.3″ touchscreen to text and SWYPE™, or use the newly introduced innovative S Pen, which delivers fast, responsive, precise control while still offering amazing new editing and content capture capabilities.
“With its cutting edge design and innovative features, we are excited to deliver the Galaxy Note to the Canadian marketplace and create a new category of smartphone,“ said Paul Brannen, Vice President, Mobile Communications at Samsung Canada. “Samsung Canada is passionate about delivering innovative products to Canadians and the capabilities of the S Pen along with the 5.3” screen size will further cement Samsung as the leader in the mobile communications market.”
State-of-the-art Display
The Galaxy Note’s 5.3” HD Super AMOLED display provides vivid clarity for the best viewing experience for videos, photos, documents and Web sites. The superior screen also offers a 180 degree viewing angle, allowing videos and images to be enjoyed from every angle. Additionally, a vibrant high resolution display ensures that documents, presentations, web-pages, news apps and e-books can be viewed comfortably with minimal scrolling or zooming.
S Pen Delivers New Input Options for Maximum Versatility
The Galaxy Note is the first smartphone to combine a 5.3” touchscreen with Samsung’s new S Pen, a precise instrument that allows users to capture, create and share content and information in new ways. The innovative S Pen has 256 levels of pressure sensitivity and when applied to the Galaxy Note’s touch screen, acts as a fast, responsive and highly accurate input option.


Smartphone portability, Tablet power – Optimally Sized
Through its research Samsung found that the 5.3” display was an optimal size for one handed device control. With Samsung’s advanced screen technology, the Galaxy Note is 9.65mm thin and weighs 178g, ideally sized at for making and receiving phone calls as well as viewing and inputting content. The device truly delivers the portability of a smartphone and the power of a tablet all in one convenient, primary device bringing professionals one step closer to a true work/life balance anywhere they go.
Capture, Create & Share
The Galaxy Note™ features S Memo™, a multimedia application designed to capture all forms of user-created content captured by the S Pen. Pictures, voice recordings, typed text, handwritten notes or drawings can all be combined via a single application, converted to a ‘memo’, and shared as desired.
An easy screen-capture function also allows users to instantly save any screen, allowing for personalization with the S Pen before being saved or shared.
Superior Usability, Powerful Performance
The 1.5GHz dual-core processor ensures the device is incredibly fast and a smooth user interface ensures seamless usability. Lightning fast network speeds on 4G LTE-enabled networks allows for the device’s super-fast connection, ensuring a quick and seamless browsing experience.
Key Product Information:
  • 5.3” HD Super AMOLED touchscreen (1280×800)
  • Integrated S Pen
  • Enabled for 4G LTE
  • 1.5GHz dual core processor
  • Android™ 2.3, Gingerbread
  • 16GB onboard memory
  • Expandable memory up to 32GB with optional microSD™ card
  • 2500 mAh battery
  • 8MP rear facing camera
  • 2MP front facing camera
  • Mobile HotSpot capable
Availability
The Galaxy Note will be coming to Canadian carriers in the first quarter.  Availability dates from specific carriers will be announced in the coming weeks. Visit www.samsung.com for more information on the Galaxy Note.

CES 2012: ZOTAC Launches Next-Generation DIY Home Theater PC Motherboards

ZOTAC International, a leading innovator and a channel manufacturer, today launches the ZOTAC D2700-ITX WiFi Supreme – a next-generation mini-ITX platform for DIY home theater PC users. The ZOTAC D2700-ITX WiFi Supreme combines the latest energy-efficient Intel Atom processor with world-class NVIDIA GeForce graphics processors for superior energy-efficiency and stunning high-definition video playback.
The latest generation Intel Atom D2700 CedarTrail processor with dual cores and Intel HyperThreading technology enables the ZOTAC D2700-ITX WiFi Supreme to deliver snappy multitasking responsiveness for everyday computing tasks. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 520 graphics processor equips the ZOTAC D2700-ITX WiFi Supreme with hardware-accelerated Blu-ray 3D playback capabilities and HDMI 1.4a technology for the ultimate 3D high-definition experience.

“ZOTAC platforms have been quite popular among home theater PC users. “The ZOTAC D2700-ITX WiFi Supreme succeeds our award-winning IONITX series with upgrades to smoothly playback stereoscopic 3D content, output lossless audio formats and embrace Microsoft DirectX 11 technology while maintaining the compact mini-ITX form factor,” said Carsten Berger, marketing director, ZOTAC International.
Expansion is plentiful with the ZOTAC D2700-ITX WiFi Supreme platform, including two DDR3 DIMM slots, a PCI Express x16 (single-lane) expansion slot, two SATA 3.0 Gb/s ports and two USB 3.0 ports. Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11n WiFi and Bluetooth 3.0 networking technologies round out the platform for lightning-fast network connectivity wired or wirelessly.

Microsoft Tries Again: Second Win 7 Bulldozer Hotfix Now Available

After their first attempt to improve Bulldozer performance through a Windows 7 scheduler was quickly pulled due to performance issues, Microsoft is yet again trying by introducing a new core scheduler update. 
As we reported in our original Bulldozer review, AMD made it abundantly apparent that Bulldozer couldn’t realize its full potential under a Windows 7 environment.   Their reasoning behind these claims was directed towards Windows 7′s core scheduling which just couldn’t take advantage of the new, advanced architecture.  Windows 8 is supposed to do away with many of these issues through the introduction of a new scheduler but Microsoft has now rolled out another update (the first one caused performance issues and was pulled) which is supposed to grant the Bulldozer architecture additional performance improvements under the their current operating system.
More information about the update and a direct download can be found HERE.
There is another essential update for Bulldozer Core Parking (it disabled this feature in Windows) which can be downloaded HERE
Unfortunately, those of you expecting significant, game changing performance will be disappointed.  According to AMD’s blog, users can expect AT MOST a 1-2% increase in situations that use half of the processor’s available cores.  Heavily threaded applications that use more than four of an FX-8150′s cores, there will be little to no difference after the application of this patch.  AMD’s full blog post about this is below:

 
Some of you may remember that AMD FX processors use a unique dual-core module architecture codenamed “Bulldozer”, which current versions of Windows® 7 were not specifically architected to utilize. In essence, for those with an AMD FX-8150 Processor, for example, Windows 7 sees the eight available cores and randomly assigns threads to them.
In initial testing of the upcoming Windows 8 operating system, we’ve seen performance improvements of up to 10% in some applications, when compared to Windows 7. This is because the system correctly recognizes the AMD FX processor architecture and cores. Thanks to close collaboration between Microsoft and AMD, Microsoft recently completed back-porting some of the Windows 8 scheduler code for AMD FX processors into a hotfix for Windows 7.
So if you have an AMD FX processor, here’s what you can do to update your version of Windows 7:
1) Download the scheduler update (KB2645594) and install. This will tell the schedulerthat your AMD FX processor contains dual-core modules (in fact this is similar to the SMT path that the other guys use). In essence, threads 1-4 now get assigned to their own module first.
2) Download the core parking scheduler update (KB2646060) and install. This will prevent Windows 7 shutting down unused cores prematurely when there are threads to be assigned (there’s a performance penalty parking and then un-parking a core).
The best possible cases for improvement are applications that use ½ cores in your AMD FX processor. In our testing using the AMD FX-8150 processor, we found the best improvement in wPrime, Left 4 Dead 2, and Lost Planet.
Our testing shows that not every application realizes a performance boost. In fact, heavily threaded apps (those designed to use all 8 cores), get little or no uplift from this hotfix – they are already maxing out the processor. In other cases, the uplift averages out to a 1-2 percent uplift.
But heck, it is free performance, and this is the scheduler model that will be used in Windows 8(along with some further enhancements), so why not add it to your list of downloads?
If you have an AMD FX processor, head over to Microsoft and grab the free updates.

Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer to Deliver Last CES Keynote Tonight; Will Likely Announce Xbox 720

CES 2012 officially begins tonight with a keynote by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, where he will likely announce Microsoft’s next generation gaming console – the Xbox 720.
Traditionally, Microsoft has always had the keynote at CES though in late 2011 the company announced that this CES would be their last. Microsoft’s head spokesperson, Frank Shaw noted, “our product news milestones generally don’t align with the show’s January timing.”
According to French-language gaming site Xboxygen, Microsoft will announce the first details of the Xbox 720 at CES but leave the grand launch for the gaming focused Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) later this year. Xboxygen’s apparently reliable source claims that the new Xbox will have an eight core CPU and a 2GB graphics card provided by AMD.
Ballmer’s keynote begins at 6:30pm Pacific Time. Check Hardware Canucks later in the evening for our coverage and analysis.

Intel Pushes Ultrabooks at CES 2012

At the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show Press Day today, Intel Corporation described a new era of computing experience that is underway, as the first wave of Ultrabook devices come to market. Leading the event were Mooly Eden, Intel vice president and general manager, PC Client Group, and Kevin Sellers, vice president, Sales and Marketing Group and director, Advertising and Digital Marketing.
Intel first unveiled the Ultrabook at Computex 2011 in Taiwan as a way for PC manufacturers to counter the rise of tablet-culture. Designed to have the portability of a tablet, and power of a PC, Intel claims that their “extensive research” has defined the Ultrabook by figuring out what people want most out of their computers.
In the few short months since the category was created, it is already seeing early momentum as the first wave of Ultrabook systems started to come to market last October.
  • More than 75 Ultrabook designs are in the pipeline for 2012 and will come in a variety of screen sizes (including 14- and 15-inch), shapes and styles. The second phase of Ultrabook devices will be powered by the upcoming 3rd generation Intel® Core™ processor family, initially available in systems starting in the spring and with increasing availability through the year.
  • Security is increasingly becoming more important to consumers who want to protect their data and personal assets. Eden demonstrated a securer, “peace of mind” experience offered by the early results of a strategic collaboration between Intel and MasterCard. This collaboration was announced last year to provide more options for a safer and simpler check-out process for online merchants and MasterCard cardholders using Ultrabook devices.
  • Continued innovation from the industry is required to deliver the sleek, beautiful Ultrabook designs that measure less than just 18 millimeters in thickness. Components from display panels, battery technology and storage solutions to motherboard and cooling technologies all have to be redesigned to fit into the slim designs. Last year, Intel announced a $300-million Ultrabook Fund to fuel development of these and other innovations, and help bring them to market in high volume and at mainstream price points.

The Continued Evolution of Interaction
In response to the success of Apple’s Siri, Intel plans to add capabilities that will let people engage naturally and intuitively with an Ultrabook. Mooly Eden, Intel vice president and general manager, announced a strategic relationship between Intel and Nuance Communications, Inc., a leading provider of voice and language solutions, to develop an intuitive, multi-language, natural voice experience for these devices.
The experience will be based on Nuance’s Dragon voice recognition technology that will be optimized for Intel® architecture and is expected to be available this year.
  • Using this technology, people will be able to control their Ultrabook just by using their voice, from quickly and easily launching applications, playing media, checking and updating social media sites or controlling their email and calendar.
  •  A software development kit for Dragon and other Nuance technologies will be available on the Intel AppUp Center to help developers create new Ultrabook experiences.

As the Ultrabook will likely be one of the anchors of CES, more details are expected as the show progresses.