RIM Introduces the New BlackBerry Bold 9780 Smartphone

Waterloo, ON – Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today introduced the
BlackBerry® Bold™ 9780 smartphone – the newest addition to the BlackBerry Bold series of
smartphones. Featuring a premium and iconic design with an incredibly easy-to-use keyboard
and optical trackpad, the BlackBerry Bold 9780 is elegantly styled and packed with advanced
communications and multimedia features. It is also the first BlackBerry Bold smartphone to come
with the new BlackBerry® 6 operating system.
“We are very excited to introduce the BlackBerry Bold 9780 featuring the new BlackBerry 6
operating system,” said Carlo Chiarello, Vice President, Product Management at Research In
Motion. “This new model builds on the highly refined mobile experience that BlackBerry Bold
users already know and love and delivers a wide range of enhancements including a rich new
user interface, a fast and powerful WebKit-based browser, broadly improved communications and
multimedia capabilities, an incredibly useful Universal Search feature and a high quality 5MP
camera.”
The BlackBerry Bold 9780 is a compact and stylish smartphone that offers a compelling blend of
features, performance and design. It supports 3G networks around the world, includes Wi-Fi®
with support for carrier supported Wi-Fi calling (UMA where available) and GPS for locationbased
applications and geo-tagging. It comes with a 5 MP camera with a full complement of highend
features including continuous auto focus, scene modes, image stabilization, flash and video
recording. The BlackBerry Bold 9780 also includes 512 MB Flash memory and an expandable
memory card slot that supports up to 32 GB of additional storage.
BlackBerry 6 is a new operating system that retains the familiar and trusted features that
distinguish the BlackBerry brand while delivering a fresh, approachable and engaging experience
that’s powerful and easy to use. It integrates a new and rich WebKit-based browser that renders
HTML web pages quickly and beautifully for a great browsing experience. The browser offers fluid
navigation using the handset’s optical trackpad, includes tabs for accessing multiple sites
simultaneously and provides a zoom feature that can intelligently auto-wrap text in a column while
maintaining the placement of a page’s key elements for easier viewing.
Additional features of BlackBerry 6 include expanded messaging capabilities with intuitive
features to simplify the management of social networking and RSS feeds (Social Feeds), and
integrated access to BBM™ (BlackBerry® Messenger), Facebook®, Twitter™, MySpace™ and
various instant messaging applications on the BlackBerry Bold 9780 smartphone. Its enhanced
multimedia experience rivals the best in the industry and includes a dedicated YouTube app. It
also features redesigned Music and Pictures applications and a new universal search feature that
allows users to more effectively search for content on the smartphone as well as extend their
search to the Internet or to discover applications on BlackBerry® App World™.
The BlackBerry Bold 9780 smartphone will be available from various carriers around the world
beginning in November. For more information, please visit www.blackberry.com/bold.

SingTel and Nokia launch the new Nokia N8 smartphone in Singapore

Singapore 28 Oct 2010 – Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (SingTel), Asia’s leading communications group and Nokia, a world leader in mobile communications, today announced that SingTel will be the first operator to offer the highly-anticipated Nokia N8 to its customers starting from 5 Nov 2010 for a period of 4 weeks. The handset will also be available in Nokia Stores and Nokia appointed retail outlets from the same date.  As the first smartphone in the world to be powered by the new Symbian^3 operating system, the Nokia N8 is the ultimate multimedia entertainment phone.

Big Screen Bonanza – Entertainment Centre in your pocket

The Nokia N8 is a great portable entertainment centre that offers a cinema-grade audio and visual experience.  With its built-in HDMI interface, it allows users to play music, videos and images through HDMI-compatible televisions and home theatre systems, with full Dolby Digital Plus surround sound.  To bring the best out of the Nokia N8′s multimedia capabilities and to offer customers the best in live sports on the go, SingTel will offer customers one month’s free subscription to its ESPN Mobile TV service. Customers can also enjoy the latest chart hits with SingTel’s award-winning AMPed music service. As an added bonus, customers will receive a free pair of tickets to watch American pop sensation, David Archuleta, in his Singapore showcase on 14 Nov 2010.

Be a David La Chapelle or Steven Spielberg

Right out of the box, the new Nokia N8 sheds your inhibitions about being a photographer because its easy-to-use features allow you to effortlessly capture and edit still images. With its 12-megapixel Carl Zeiss Tessar optics camera, Xenon flash and the largest image sensor of any mobile device, it captures superb, pin-sharp images every time. The Nokia N8 provides the creative freedom to capture and edit HD quality video on the go, and view content on its large 3.5-inch AMOLED screen.  Users can quickly share their photos and videos online in a few easy steps.

Games galore

The Nokia N8 is packed with the latest and most popular games to ensure that there’s never a dull moment.  Favourites such as Angry Birds and Need for Speed Shift HD will keep avid gamers entertained for hours.  Games come to life with every swipe, pinch and tap on the Nokia N8’s super-responsive touchscreen.

Mr Yuen Kuan Moon, SingTel’s Executive Vice President of Consumer Group, said: “SingTel is proud to be the first to bring the Nokia N8 to Singapore.  We are committed to bringing the latest devices and the best mobile experiences to our customers, as we transform into a multimedia solutions company.

“The Nokia N8 is the ultimate multimedia entertainment device that offers endless possibilities for our customers’ mobile lifestyles.  We believe it will be very popular with our customers – especially with the large base of loyal Nokia users, who have been eagerly awaiting its launch. With the widest range of handset offerings and apps, SingTel seeks to allow our customers to reap the full potential of our unrivalled 3G mobile network.”

“Nokia is excited to introduce the new Nokia N8 in Singapore with SingTel.  We believe that our consumers are unique individuals who follow their own path in life. They are participants, not spectators. They see opportunities, even when times are tough. And when the opportunity comes their way, they go for it. What we really do is help people grab life’s opportunities and experience life’s joys. This is where our latest smartphone powerhouse, the Nokia N8 comes in. It will appeal to a broad range of consumers who will enjoy the unparalleled multimedia experience with HD capture and playback, worldwide free turn-by-turn drive and pedestrian navigation, constant live feed access to your favourite social networks, high quality content from both global and local partners like ChannelNewsAsia, E! Entertainment, National Geographic, first class content and applications from Nokia OVI store to mention just few.” said Vlasta Berka, General Manager, Nokia Singapore, Malaysia & Brunei.

Price Plans

SingTel will introduce new N’tertainment 3G Flexi price plans for the Nokia N8. These plans include free local incoming calls and bundled data usage, as well as free AMPed and MobileTV service.

Customers who are interested in the Nokia N8 can currently pre-order the handset at www.singtel.com/n8

Nokia N8 Product Specifications

›   Stylish form carved out of a single block of scratch-resistant anodized aluminium

›   Sleek design measuring 113.5 x 59.12 x 12.9 mm (L x W x H) and weighing only 135 grams

›   Sharp and dazzling 3.5” AMOLED capacitive touchscreen (640 x 360 pixels) that allows high definition picture quality and intuitive and responsive navigation

›   Built-in Wi-Fi® (802.11 b/g/n) for faster web browsing and extended data coverage, positioning, as well as support for Wi-Fi calling via UMA where available

›   12 MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics, variable zoom, autofocus, Xenon flash and video recording in HD 720p

›   Symbian^3 OS, offering users a powerful and intuitive platform with several enhancements including support for gestures such as multi-touch, flick scrolling and pinch-zoom, multiple, personalizable homescreens, a faster and more responsive user interface, greater memory management for a faster multi-tasking experience. 

›   Built-in global Ovi Maps for walk-and-drive navigation in over 70 countries worldwide with built in premium guides from Lonely Planet and Via Michelin for tips on travel, restaurants, weather, and hotels

›   Positioning with GPS, A-GPS, WLAN and Cell-ID

›   Media player for videos, pictures and music (music plays up to 50 hours)

›   Nokia PC suite for both PCs and Macs to enable synching data such as contacts and calendar appointments between a computer and the smartphone

›   USB On-the-Go and Micro-USB 2.0 high speed for file transfers and charging

›   Nokia AV connector 3.5 mm for audio input/output and TV out 3

›   16GB mass memory + micro SD card slot, 135MB internal memory, support up to 32GB memory cards. RAM256

›   ROM512

›   Access to Nokia Ovi Store™, featuring a broad and growing catalog of mobile applications developed specifically for Nokia smartphones. Categories include entertainment, games, IM and social networking, news, weather, productivity and more.

›   Premium and easy-to-access phone features, background noise suppression technology and high quality speakerphone

›   Bluetooth® (3.0) with support for Secure Simple Pairing, hands-free headsets, stereo headsets, car kits and other Bluetooth peripherals

›   Support for Nokia Ovi Mail

›   Support for 3G networks around the world

›   Non-removable, rechargeable 1200mAh BL-4D battery (with 1 year warranty) that provides approximately 12.5 hours of talk time and 16 days of standby time in GSM mode

Nvidia has landed orders for its Tegra 2 processor from Asustek Computer, with total shipments estimated at at least 200,000-300,000 chips, according to industry sources.

Asustek will adopt Nvidia Tegra 2 for its 10-inch Eee Pad to be launched in March 2011 and then smartphones mainly for playing 3D mobile games and playback of movies and multimedia content, the sources indicated.

In addition to Asustek, Tegra 2 has been adopted for tablet PCs by Dell, Samsung Electronics, Micro-Star International and Toshiba, the sources pointed out. Nvidia has also successfully tapped the smartphone market, winning adoption from several vendors including Motorola and LG Electronics, the sources pointed out.

Tegra 2 has so far been adopted in nearly 50 smartphones and tablet PCs, with total volumes reaching one million units, the sources noted.

Source

ASUS and Garmin Announce New Strategy

Singapore (October 26, 2010) — ASUSTeK Computer Inc. (TAIEX: 2357) and Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN) today announced a strategic decision to change the current co-brand business model. Starting from next year, all new handheld products will be sold under the “ASUS” brand with a “Garmin Navigation” logo on the back. The new ASUS smartphones will continue to come preloaded with Garmin’s world leading onboard navigation and Location Based Service (LBS) applications.

Since the announcement of the Garmin-Asus alliance in early 2009, the joint development has led to six devices worldwide. “We are determined to provide the best mobile experience through a combination of personal devices. This new strategy to brand all smartphones under the ASUS name will complete our entire product portfolio and allow us to provide a total solution for seamless connectivity in the new digital era. I believe Garmin’s leading expertise in onboard navigation and LBS applications will give us a unique edge to provide the ultimate mobile experience.” said Jonney Shih, Chairman of ASUSTeK.

ASUS will continue to design, manufacture and distribute location-centric smartphones with Garmin’s onboard navigation. This new strategic move will incorporate the best of both companies to provide the most personal smartphones that will seamlessly integrate into ASUS’ future cloud computing platform along with other cloud mobile devices.

The new branding cooperation will go into effect starting from 2011. This announcement will not affect the sale and service of existing and upcoming models. For more details please visit http://www.garminasus.com.

A new rumor has pegged Apple and its $51 billion in cash and investments as a potential buyer of Sony, prompting the largest trading volume of the Japanese electronics company in 3 months.

The rumors gained steam Tuesday, sending Sony stock up nearly 3 percent at one point, according to Reuters. Sony declined to comment on the rumors, and analysts polled were skeptical of a potential deal, suggesting that if Apple did try to buy Sony, it would be a hostile takeover that would not likely succeed in Japan.

Helping to fuel the rumors was a report issued on Saturday by Barron’s that suggested Apple could buy Sony. It also speculated that Adobe and Disney could be potential targets for the Cupertino, Calif., company.

Another possible source for the rumors could be a recent interview former Apple CEO John Sculley did with Bloomberg. Sculley talked about how Apple co-founder Jobs was fascinated by Sony, its products and its manufacturing process. Sculley said that Jobs wanted Apple to be like Sony, not Microsoft.

“I remember (Sony co-founder) Akio Morita gave us one of the first Sony Walkmans,” Sculley said. “None of us had ever seen anything like that before, because there had never been a product like that. This was 25 years ago and Steve was fascinated by it. The first thing he did was take it apart, and he looked at every single part. How the fit and finish was done, how it was built.”

Apple has more than $51 billion in cash and reserves, and the company was pressed about that money during its quarterly earnings report last week. Jobs told analysts that his company will use that cash for big moves, suggesting that just “one or more” deals could be possible in the near future.

Jobs’ comments have fueled speculation of potential major acquisitions, ranging from Sony to Adobe to Facebook. But until now, Apple has only used its cash for small, strategic purchases.

Source

OCZ RevoDrive PCIe MLC Flash SSD Review
Bluetooth 26 Oct 2010

From HDD to SSD, from SSD to PCIe based SSD. That is probably what we have been looking for since the good old days of PCIe based Flash solution that runs at blazing speeds.

OCZ Technology introduces their PCIe MLC Flash SSD sometime ago. The product, known as RevoDrive aspires to be the next revolutionary product that you would use to speed up your system access.

The OCZ solution is a complete all in one solution that delivers the performance of 2 Vertex 2 drives. This is achieve by having 2 SandForce controller controlling the 2 sets of 34nm MLC flash memory. With the SiliconImage controller, it performs a RAID 0 array on the two sets creating a superfast solution.

As it is a PCIe based card, it bypass the bottleneck of the SATA II interface available on most motherboards. Instead, it uses the PCIe x4 interface for data transfer between the system and the flash.

Unlike other solutions, the card is bootable. You can basically install your favourite Operating System on it to speed up booting speed.

Perforamnce Specifications

Max Reead : 540MB/s, Max Write :480MB/s 4K Random Write (Queue Depth 32 and 4K Ailgned) 75,000IOPS.

In the following pages, we will take a look at the packaging followed by synthetic benchmarks using various tools like ATTO, PC Mark Vantage, IOMETER etc to determine the performance.

Walton Chaintech Officially Entered into the Digital TV Market
- Launching Its Very First APOG?? Digital TV Tuner

Meeting full-range digital TV standards with three Series –
APOG?? UT10, APOG?? UT20 & APOG?? UT30

14 October 2010, Taipei, Taiwan – Walton Chaintech Corporation, manufacturer of memory modules and computer components and accessories, today announces its very first APOG?? Digital TV Tuner (DVB-T). Completely meeting three digital television broadcast standards of DVB-T, ATSC and ISDB-T, the APOG?? Digital TV Tuner is permitted and already available in Europe, North America, Brazil and Japan under three different series names – APOG?? UTV10, UTV20 and UTV30.

In order to fulfill a wide-range of consumer demands, Walton Chaintech decided to enter into the digital TV market, bringing its top quality and leading technologies to the worldwide customers. As competitive as the current market is, Walton Chaintech is confident to offer a series of compact and yet cost-effective digital products under the APOG?? brand.

The APOG?? UTV10, UTV20 and UTV30 series is a digital device using USB interface which provides wireless access to your local digital TV channels no matter where you are located. The broadcasting platform – BlazeVideo HDTV Player – delivers crystal clear images to your laptops or desktops. Weighing under 20g and dimensioned at only 84×26×13.3(mm), the APOG?? Digital TV Tuner is perfectly mobile to hook onto your favorite channels wherever you go.

Initially the APOG?? UTV10, UTV20 and UTV30 are built with the commonly-used USB2.0 interface. Also, all series is bundled with a set of high-sensitive antenna to ensure the best digital image. Last but not least, remote controlled operation interface is incorporated for users’ most convenience.

ASUS Releases New EAH6800 Series Graphics Cards

The latest generation cards from AMD are enhanced by ASUS for more engaged gaming
 

Featuring even more processing power than the successful EAH5000 Series of graphics cards, the new ASUS EAH6800 Series continues to serve PC enthusiasts with cutting-edge technology and a range of exclusive performance-boosting improvements to the AMD reference design.
Both the EAH6850 DirectCU/2DIS/1GD5 and EAH6870/2DI2S/1GD5 cards feature AMD Eyefinity multi-display technology, AMD HD3D technology and DirectX® 11 support. In addition, exclusive Voltage Tweak overclocking technology offers a 50%* performance boost over the reference design. The EAH6850 DirectCU and EAH6870 also ship with factory overclocked cores set to 790MHz and 913MHz..

The ASUS EAH6850 DirectCU also incorporates exclusive DirectCU cooling that uses custom-flattened, all-copper heat pipes in direct contact with the GPU core. This improves cooling by 20%* compared to the reference design and offers quiet operation when the card is idle. The ASUS EAH6870 is equipped with an aluminum fan cover that improves cooling efficiency and reduces surface temperatures by 14 degrees Celsius, compared to the reference design’s plastic cover.
Product Highlights
Exclusive ASUS Voltage Tweak technology offers real-time voltage adjustment of various GPU components, including the core and video memory, making ASUS EAH6800 Series graphics cards 50%* faster than the reference design.
The EAH6850 DirectCU is factory overclocked to perform at 790MHz. This is 15MHz higher than stock performance, resulting in higher frame rates in games.
ASUS proprietary cooling technology, DirectCU, puts copper heat pipes in direct contact with the GPU core. This results in the EAH6850 DirectCU running 20%* cooler than the reference design.
The EAH6870 features a stylish aluminum fan cover that dissipates heat more efficiently. This lowers surface temperatures by 14 degrees Celsius, compared to the reference design’s plastic cover.
Proprietary AMD Eyefinity technology supports up to six** displays for a fully immersive viewing experience.
AMD HD3D technology for stereoscopic 3D gaming and movie watching.
 
* Subject to system configuration and usage. Results may vary.
** DisplayPort 1.2 compatible monitors required for six-screen AMD Eyefinity output. Please visit www.amd.com/Eyefinity for more information.
Availability
ASUS EAH6800 Series graphics cards are expected to ship October 22, 2010 and will be available from authorized ASUS resellers.

Specifications

Kingston Technology Brings Performance, Endurance and Productivity to Ultra-Portable 1.8” Devices

Kingston SSDNow V+180 for road warriors

Hsinchu, Taiwan – October 19, 2010 — Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced the release of the Kingston SSDNow V+180 range, bringing the performance, endurance and productivity of solid state drives (SSD) to the 1.8” form factor. Part of the second generation Kingston SSDNow V+ range, the Kingston SSDNow V+180 is designed for today’s ultra-mobile devices, and with road warriors in mind.

“Kingston Technology has listened to its customers, delivering the SSDNow V+180 Series,” said Nathan Su, Flash Memory Sales Director, APAC Region, Kingston. “Enterprises, SMBs and consumers can upgrade ultra-thin notebooks, certain notebooks, netbooks, and tablet PC with a 1.8” form factor to enjoy supercharged performance, enhanced endurance and boosted productivity.”

Independent IT analyst IDC estimates that the number of mobile workers will hit 1 billion by 2011, driven by technology advances such as high speed networking, and the desire for greater work/life balance. Today’s road warriors demand the highest performance and durability in the smallest and most mobile configuration. Kingston’s SSDNow V+180 Series brings speed and endurance to the ultra-portable 1.8” form factor:

• Kingston’s SSDNow can out-perform hard disk drives (HDD) by up to five times, enabling boot times up to 60 percent faster and allowing users to load, switch and run multiple applications at the same time more effectively.
• SSD’s hugely enhanced endurance brings confidence, particularly when users are on the road and away from IT support. The Kingston SSDNow V+ Series is up to eight times more shock-resistant than hard disk drives and because they have no moving parts, they are less prone to mechanical failures. 
• Less power-hungry than HDDs, SSDs also enhance battery life, meaning users work faster for longer.

The Kingston SSDNow V+180 is available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB capacities, and is the latest addition to the Kingston SSDNow V+ Series family. It is backed by a three-year warranty, free tech support and legendary Kingston reliability. For more information, please visit www.kingston.com/asia.

Kingston SSDNow V+ 180 Features and Specifications:

• Sequential speed*: 230MB/sec. (read), 180MB/sec. (write)
• Innovative: 1.8″ form factor; uses MLC NAND Flash memory components
• Silent: runs silent and cool with no moving parts
• Shock resistant: no moving mechanical parts means the SSD handles rougher conditions
• Cache: 128MB onboard cache
• PCMark HDD 2005 Score †

64GB – 38,177

128GB – 38,065

256GB – 38,272

• Supports S.M.A.R.T.: Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology
• Guaranteed: three-year Kingston warranty, free tech support
• Interface: Micro SATA (mSATA) 1.5 Gb/s & 3.0 Gb/s
• Capacity¹: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB
• Storage temperatures: -40° C to 85° C
• Operating temperatures: 0° C to 70° C
• Dimensions: 54mm x 78.5mm x 5mm
• Weight: 48 grams (+/- 2 grams)
• Vibration operating: 2.7G
• Vibration non-operating: 20G
• Operating shock: 1500G
• Power specs: Active: 2.9W (TYP); Idle: 47mW (TYP)
• Life expectancy: 1,000,000 hours MTBF

* Based on internal testing. Performance may vary based on system settings.

1 Some of the listed capacity is used for formatting and other functions and thus is not available for data storage. For more information, please consult Kingston’s Flash Memory Guide at Kingston.com/Flash_Memory_Guide. 

† Test system: Intel DG45ID Desktop Motherboard, Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 CPU @ 2.83GHz. System Memory 4GB, On-Board SATA 3Gbps with AHCI-Enabled Window XP SP3 32-bit.

Results for nine months ended 30 September 2010

Service revenue up 4.9%, net profit up 5.7%

SINGAPORE, 18 October 2010 – M1 Limited (M1) today announced its unaudited group financial results for the nine months ended 30 September 2010. Net profit after tax increased 5.7% to S$119.6 million year on year.

Operating revenue at S$717.8 million rose 27.0% year on year due to higher service revenue and handset sales. Service revenue grew 4.9% to S$546.0 million, benefiting from growth in both postpaid and prepaid mobile customers, as well as contribution from fixed services. EBITDA at S$235.9 million was up 2.4%.

Revenue from non-voice services rose by 5.9% points to make up 31.5% of service revenue, driven by continual growth in the mobile broadband and smart phone customer base.

M1 added 43,000 new customers in the third quarter, comprising 22,000 postpaid customers and 21,000 prepaid customers. Total customer base was 1.892 million as at 30 September 2010.

Ms Karen Kooi, M1’s Chief Executive Officer, said : “With the commercial launch of the new fibre network on 1 September 2010, M1 was the first to provide ultra high-speed broadband services to customers on this network. This represents a major milestone as we continue to grow our fixed-line business. Both retail and corporate customers can now enjoy a whole suite of next generation fixed-line solutions from M1 at highly attractive prices, and supported by our unrivalled customer care.”

“Based on the current outlook, we are maintaining our guidance that net profit after tax for 2010 is likely to improve year on year,” she said.

More details are available at the following links :

M1 direct weblink :

http://m1.com.sg/M1/site/M1Corp/menuitem.faca305fb9985217f15a947b3f2000a0/?vgnextoid=98141b7faba72010VgnVCM100000275a160aRCRD

SGX direct weblink :

http://www.sgx.com/wps/portal/marketplace/mp-en/listed_companies_info/company_announcements/!ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gTn1DXUFNLYwMLtwA3AyMvZ3Mf09AAA_dAc6B8JE55A3czArq99KPSc_KTgPb4eeTnpuoX5EZUOjoqKgIAFOdGOQ!!/dl3/d3/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/

AMD’s upcoming Radeon HD 6870 pictures get leaked on the net. The first picture is the graphics card ripped apart without heatsink on top. The second is the zoom in view of the GPU. According to reports, the Radeno HD 6870 is rated at 900MHz/4200MHz, it comes with 256bits 1GB GDDR5, core is Barts XT.

Source

ASRock X58 Extreme6 Mainboard Review
Bluetooth 17 Oct 2010

Looking for the most affordable featured pack board. This board is no ordinary X58 chipset mainboard. This board is the first board based on Intel X58 chipset and it support up to 6 USB 3.0 ports on board. ASRock uses 3 NEC USB 3.0 chipsets to control the 4 rear 2 front USB 3.0 portsTo make it Not only that, it also has 6 SATA6Gbps ports on board. That makes it support up to 12 SATA ports (6 SATAII and 6 SATA III – 6Gbps). . In order to supply ample bandwidth, ASRock uses the PLX chip on board.

So how does ASRock achieve that? Basically, we went a bit further to study the block diagram and discovered that ASRock has made one of the better designs. In earlier designs from other manufacturers, the graphics PCIe lanes are hard wired or run at a lower speed. In ASRock’s design, the 3 graphics port lanes are configured as 16x + 8x + 8x. The remaining 4x is split into 2x + 2x, one for the Marvell SATA6Gbps and the other 2 lanes is connected to the PLX PEX8608 chip. The PLX PEX8606 transforms the PCIe x2 to support 3 NEC USB 3.0 (for 6 USB 3.0 ports), 2 Marvell SATA6Gbps chips (for 4 ports of SATA 6Gbps) and 2 PCIe x1 lanes.

Other than this implementation to support the fastest peripherals, ASRock X58 Extreme6 comes with ASRock DuraCap (2.5 x longer life time), 100% Japan-made high-quality Conductive Polymer Capacitors. It supports the 6 core processor and supports Triple Channel DDR3 2000(OC). With 3 full length PCIe slots it supports supports ATI™ Quad CrossFireX™,3-Way CrossFireX™ and CrossFireX™, NVIDIA® Quad SLI™,3-Way SLI™ and SLI™. 7.1 CH HD Audio with Content Protection (Realtek ALC892 Audio Codec), THX TruStudio Pro™ and Premium Blu-ray audio support

Other features include 2 x Front USB 3.0 ports, 4 x Rear USB 3.0 ports, 6 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s connectors, 2 x IEEE 1394ports, Dr. Debug, Smart Switch Design: Power/Reset/Clear CMOS Switch with LED
Supports ASRock Instant Boot, Instant Flash, OC Tuner, IES, OC DNA, Good Night LED, Multi-Speed Fan Control, AIWI, APP Charger.

Free Software : CyberLink DVD Suite – OEM and Trial
Free Bundle: 1 x Front USB 3.0 Panel, 1 x ASRock SLI_Bridge_2S Card, 1 x ASRock 3-Way SLI-2S2S Bridge Card

Sony Ericsson To Unveil Windows Phone 7 Handsets In 2011
Sony Ericsson To Build WP7 Phones in 2011, revealed by CEO Bert Nordberg in it’s report of revenues for 2010.

Sony Ericsson currently holds a 19% revenue share of the total Android market but according to its CEO Bert Nordberg, the company will look to Microsoft’s new Windows Phone 7 operating system after dropping the Symbian OS for its lack of “ecosystem” when compared to Android.

According to our sources, P67 boards should reach retail markets as early as Mid November 2010.

Although the boards will appear on the market, the new processors with 1155 is slated to be lanuched in January 2011 or so. The new embedded graphics on these processors is said to have a 25% improvement in performance over the current LGA1156 processors.

Currently, Intel P55 and H55 boards support overclocking. Unfortunately, the next generation H67 will not support overclocking. So, if you need to overclock, you would have to go for discrete solution, the P67.

Stay tuned to ocworkbench for more updates on these upcoming chipsets and processors.

LG OPTIMUS 7 OPENS A NEW WINDOW TO CONTENT SHARING

A revolutionary mobile social entertainment experience with the LG Optimus 7

SINGAPORE, 12 October 2010 – LG Electronics (LG) today announced the Singapore launch of its first Windows^® Phone 7 devices, LG Optimus 7. Based on Microsoft’s new operating system that offers people the ability to do more in fewer steps, the LG Optimus 7 introduces a revolutionary experience of mobile life for consumers.

A direct result of LG and Microsoft’s partnership in the smartphone market, the LG Optimus 7 offers the glance and go experience of Windows^® Phone 7 combined with unique features available only on the LG devices. These compelling applications — the DLNA-based Play To, augmented reality (AR) ScanSearch and Voice-to-Text — are available as Live Tiles on Windows Phone 7 and can be accessed via integrated “Hubs”.

“We have designed LG Optimus 7 series to include a truly innovative content sharing experience via the Windows Phone 7 environment,” said Dr Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “Having worked closely with Microsoft to develop these fantastic devices, we are thrilled to now be able to reveal our vision of what a true Windows Phone 7 should be.”

Andy Lees, President of the Mobile Communications Business at Microsoft, added: “We are very excited to be working with LG, a mobile phone industry innovator. Windows Phone 7 is designed to bring together what you care about most and LG is a key partner in making that experience a reality for people around the world.”

New Experience in Sharing and Enjoying Entertainment

The LG Optimus 7 offers a breakthrough in mobile social entertainment, putting the mobile device at the centre of today’s digital lifestyle. With Play To, the DLNA-based multimedia sharing technology available only on the LG Optimus 7, users will have the most user-friendly file-sharing experience. LG is leading the innovation of DLNA technology by offering easy and intuitive settings for accessing this feature.

Play To lets users share multimedia files with other digital devices from the picture, video or music Hubs without having to access other menus. Users will be able to display videos and photos captured on their LG Optimus 7 on a TV or enjoy music on their phones through their favourite speakers without wires.

ScanSearch, an AR application that connects users with a world of information, is another unique feature available only on LG Windows Phone 7 devices. Users can access real-time information about shopping, dining, weather, entertainment and banking, bringing together one’s online and offline worlds for a more enjoyable life.

Users can also speak up and be heard, thanks to LG’s Voice-to-Text feature which allows communication without the need for finger input. LG Optimus 7 users will have the freedom to transcribe their voice into text for updating Facebook and Twitter or composing emails and memos for convenient, hands-free communication.

The LG Optimus 7 helps users enjoy a new entertainment experience through the introduction of Microsoft’s popular Xbox LIVE^® and Zune^® services. Consumers will have direct access to their favourite games and music, bringing all entertainment devices together for more convenient enjoyment.

“LG is constantly pushing the envelope in mobile communications in order to elevate users’ experience with innovative technologies,” said Jeff Cheh, Managing Director and CEO, LG Electronics Singapore. “The LG Optimus 7 integrates exclusive functions such as the all new Play To, ScanSearch and Voice-to-Text, enabling users’ access to things that matter most to them. This exemplifies our commitment in creating a phone that delivers not only the latest technology, but also the best user experience.”

Natasha Kwan, General Manager for Microsoft’s Mobile Communication Business in Asia, added, “In partnership with LG, we are delivering a different phone experience to consumers.  Windows Phone 7 is designed to bring together what people care about most, and the Optimus 7 series builds on that to make everyday tasks easier by doing more in fewer steps.”

Creating Powerful Digital Content

LG Optimus 7 immerses users in the entertainment experience with the ability to create powerful digital content. The 720p HD video resolution offers recording and playback of stunning visual quality. Videos can also be easier shared online through social media and offline on a TV through Play To. The LG Optimus 7 also offers a 16:9 aspect capture and playback for shooting and viewing movies in cinematic style.

The advanced 5MP camera offers a host of technological enhancements from LG such as Intelligent Shot, which enable users to take the perfect photo without having to adjust camera settings, and Panoramic Mode for stitching together a full 360-degree landscape scene.

Offering New Forms of Interaction

Windows Phone 7 introduces a new approach to the Start screen experience through Live Tiles that offer easier access to information and services from the Web and applications that matter most to users. The six Hubs of the OS — People, Pictures, Games, Music + Video, Marketplace and Office — organize information on the phones in a whole new way, bringing together related applications, services and content.

A Form Factor That Just Works

LG Optimus 7 comes with an expansive 3.8 inch WVGA LCD display that can capture every detail in a photo with its 800×480 pixels. The screen size makes the Optimus 7 large enough for convenient web surfing but svelte enough to fit in any back pocket. The generous 16GB of internal memory is enough to store hundreds of MP3 files, hours of video and hundreds of applications. What’s more, the extra large 1500mAh removable battery is good for hours of internet browsing, e-book reading or game playing. Or simply for talking.

The LG Optimus 7 will be available in Singapore through all telcos as well as major telecommunications outlets in late October 2010. The recommended retail price for the LG Optimus 7 will be announced later.

LG Optimus 7 Advocates

In conjunction with the LG Optimus 7 campaign, LG has appointed seven personalities to be LG Optimus 7 advocates. They include celebrity chef Willin Low, prominent Asian filmmaker Boo Jun Feng, radio deejay Glenn Ong, Singapore supermodel Serena Kim Absit, producer Gillian Tan, Fannison Leong, one of Female’s 50 Gorgeous People and established international banker David Lim.

These seven personalities have been selected due to their varied and established backgrounds as well as their need to stay connected while on-the-move. The LG Optimus 7 is their perfect companion for their busy lifestyles as it allows them to do more in fewer steps. Said Mr David Lim, one of the appointed LG Optimus 7 advocates: “The LG Optimus 7 is a breeze to use and has become an important device for me to keep track of my schedules and to-dos while staying connected with my friends and family.”

Experience the LG Optimus 7 Revolution

Consumers can witness the brand new LG Optimus 7 at the LG Optimus 7 Experiential Zone at Wisma Atria from 15 – 17 October 2010. At the roadshow, consumers will be able to see the innovative LG features such as Play To, ScanSearch and Voice-to-Text and see how the result of a collaborative partnership between LG and Microsoft can bring about a new realm of mobile communication.

SingTel brings Windows Phone 7 to Singapore

Biostar’s 12 Astrological Signs’ Motherboard

Taipei, Taiwan, Oct 12, 2010 – BIOSTAR MICROTECH INT’L CORP., a professional manufacturer of motherboards today announced an interesting promotion called the “Biostar’s 12 Astrological Signs’ Motherboard”.

Are you familiar with the story and spirit of each zodiac sign? Now, please allow us to walk you through the sky and have a close look at each constellation paired up with a Biostar motherboard. Every match has its own theory and personality – you’ll find the Biostar motherboard is more than just a “motherboard”.

Visit the Biostar website: www.biostar.com.tw/app/en, select the motherboard that you feel perfectly matches the featured astrological sign to win an Intel 40GB SSD.

House Rules:
1. “Biostar’s 12 Astrological Signs’ Motherboard” promotion begins on October 15, 2010. No limitations to the participants.
2. One astrological sign will be introduced every week, simply make your guess as to the most suitable Biostar motherboard for that particular sign (submission can be done from Monday to Sunday).
3. One lucky winner will be selected every week; announcement will be made every Monday.
Winning prize: One Intel 40GB SSD is given away every week

htc Goes big with microsoft; launching
New Windows Phone 7 smartphones

HTC brings its trademark innovation and design to a fresh, new Windows Phone 7 portfolio –
HTC 7 Mozart, HTC 7 Trophy and HTC HD7

SINGAPORE – October 12, 2010 – HTC Corporation, a global designer of smartphones and long-time Microsoft partner, today launched in Singapore three new Windows Phone 7 smartphones: HTC 7 Mozart, HTC 7 Trophy and HTC HD7. This strong and diverse family of phones features Microsoft’s new Windows Phone 7 platform and embodies the stand-out design and innovation for which HTC has come to be known. Each new phone includes a variety of cutting-edge technologies and a series of unique HTC applications that can be accessed through the new HTC Hub that complements the Windows Phone 7 Hub and Tile experience.

“Windows Phone 7 is an entirely fresh mobile experience, on which HTC is excited to be going big. We see tremendous customer opportunities with the integration of Microsoft’s most popular services like Xbox LIVE and Zune,” said Jack Tong, VP, Asia Pacific, HTC Corporation. “The value Microsoft is bringing to mobile customers in Asia sets a new benchmark for the industry. HTC will be introducing three new HTC Windows Phone 7 smartphones at launch to support our customers with a broad variety of choice.”
“HTC has been a partner with Microsoft since we launched our first phones nearly a decade ago, and we couldn’t be more excited to continue this journey with the launch of Windows Phone 7,” said Andy Lees, President of the Mobile Communications Business at Microsoft. “Windows Phone 7 characterizes a new direction for Microsoft and its partners, and HTC is stepping up to support this in a significant way by bringing five new Windows Phones to market.”

Windows Phone 7
Windows Phone 7 has been carefully crafted to help people get more done in fewer steps with a unique Hub and Tile interface. The Windows Phone 7 Hubs offer quick and easy access to a person’s latest and most valuable information and include People, Pictures, Games, Music & Video, Office and Marketplace content. Windows Phone 7 also integrates with many popular Microsoft consumer services such as Xbox LIVE, Windows Live, Bing and Zune.

HTC Windows Phone 7 portfolio
HTC has brought its innovative design and creativity to its new Windows Phone 7 smartphone portfolio by embracing distinctive materials and unique design elements while providing an exciting set of cutting-edge features and technologies. With the new HTC Hub, HTC is providing an exclusive series of applications and utilities that include a new weather and stocks application and a new photo enhancer that enables a person to apply special effects before sharing photos with friends.

HTC 7 MozartCrafted from a single piece of anodized aluminum, the HTC 7 Mozart feels great in the hand and takes HTC’s unibody design aesthetic to the next level. The slim, solid and smart HTC 7 Mozart sounds as good as it looks and integrates SRS WOW HD™ and other astounding sound effects for high-fidelity, virtual surround sound. With Microsoft Zune integration, people can synchronize the HTC 7 Mozart with their PC, enabling them to take their music and video library with them wherever they go.

HTC 7 TrophyHTC 7 Trophy harnesses the power of Xbox LIVE. Gamers will enjoy the speed and responsiveness of fast action gameplay supported by the phone’s high-performance 1GHz Snapdragon processor, and controlled through the vivid WVGA 3.8” touchscreen. High-fidelity, virtual surround sound – through SRS WOW HD™ and other wonderful sound effects – brings a rich audio experience whether the user is playing a game, watching a video or listening to their favorite music.

HTC HD7HTC HD7 owners can enjoy their favorite videos and movies in cinematic-style thanks to the large 4.3” high-resolution screen, while its kickstand allows them to sit back and enjoy the action handsfree. For those who refuse to compromise on their mobile gaming experience, the HTC HD7 realizes the power of Xbox LIVE, bringing gameplay to life in a way that takes console gaming beyond the home.

Availability
The three new HTC smartphones will be available through the following mobile operators in Singapore from November:

HTC HD7 will be exclusively available with SingTel at a suggested retail price of $938*
HTC 7 Mozart will be exclusively available with StarHub at a suggested retail price of $868*
· HTC 7 Trophy will be exclusively available with M1 at a suggested retail price of $798*
*All prices are subject to pricing policies of individual operators.

Lantic Launches its GT430 1GB DDR3
Level-Up Your Game on the Latest DirectX 11 Titles

With NVIDIA launching of GeForce GT430 – the final GPU in the first-generation Fermi stack into the add-in card market, Lantic introduce its lowest priced and a DirectX11 Fermi card – Lantic GeForce GT 430 – a card which is designed to replace the GT 220 be an ideal upgrade for those who have integrated graphics.

Lantic GT430 1GB GDDR3 it’s based on NVIDIA’s Fermi architecture with a 128-bit 1GB GDDR3 memory, uses 40nm GF108 chipset and with 96 built-in CUDA stream processors. The core clock/ memory clock reach to 700MHz/1400MHz and can support HDMI. Lantic GeForce GT 430 provides DX11 compatibility, and with a thermal design power (TDP) of just 49W that can use power sparingly.

Excited with the new upcoming Windows Phone 7 from LG. LG UK has put up a video which gives you an idea of what you would expect from this upcoming phone, the Optimus 7.