Promise SmartStor NS2600, NS4600, NS4700, NS6700 and Pegasus DAS with Thunderbolt connectivity
bluetooth 7 Nov 2011

NAS might not be the solution for an individual but it is not the case for a SOHO or enterprise. This is exceptionally important when you are dealing with large amounts of data and you need a simple elegant way of managing it and keep backups of the important data on the HDD.

The Promise SmartStor series can help you to achieve that. With it’s web based visualized management console, you can have access to the device and volume information. You can also check the temperature too.

Unlike other brands, Promise provides a comprehensive backup solution and they include windows bcakup centre, RSYNC over the internet, volume snapshot and backup to the cloud using amazon web services.

The SmartStor comes with Acronis Backup & Recovery version 10 which can be used to do schedule backups. Moreover the license is unlimited and supports Windows Server and Workstation. QNAP, Synology do not provide such a bundle solution. Thecus only provides a solution with limited license for Windows Workstation only.

The 2nd most important feature is backup to cloud. You can now share your documents from the cloud in amazon web services or Dropbox. Using dropbox, you can also view your documents on Apple iPhone, iPad, Android devices.

You can also backup a copy to another server through the internet.

In terms of speed, the benchmark iSCSI write shows that throughput is around 110MB/s average of all the various RAID modes.

It is also easy to configure the NAS. Just insert the HDD, power on, Once the LED initialisation turned on , it is ready for operation.

Another feature is Promise OPAS. When there is no internet access, you can plug in a USB stick to it. The software “USB Retrieval” will export the system log in HTML to the pen drive automatically.

NS2600, NS4600 are suitable for Home/SOHO while the NS4700 and NS6700 are for SMB.

The NAS is also DNLA certified. You can now stream your audio and videos to your DLNA certified TVs. There is also an app for iPhone and Android, allownig you to control the steraming media on the NAS.

Kingston initiates KingstonCare Service in Singapore

Hsinchu, Taiwan — October 17, 2011 Reliable server memory modules with efficient and quality service can largely reduce costly unplanned downtime. To provide better products and services in Singapore, Kingston, the independent world leader in memory products,
today announces to initiate KingstonCare service in Singapore. Kingston has been the most reliable brand for system-specific server and workstation memory modules and also provides the top-rated after-sales services to maximize the productivity of servers or workstations as well as to minimize the downtime at the same time. With a component-
locked build of materials determined to work perfectly in each system, Kingston’s server memory modules guarantee to be compatible with all of today’s server diagnostic pre-failure warning software. Now, Kingston offers KingstonCare, a free, comprehensive
suite of tools and services for its customers, to reduce any potential server downtime.

“Kingston is a company that sees our customers as first priority. Delivering the premium customer service is always our goal,” said Ann Bai, DRAM Memory Sales Director, APAC Region, Kingston. “We are very delighted to initiate KingstonCare service in Singapore. I believe that users of Kingston server and workstation memory modules in
Singapore will be benefited from the efficient and satisfied service.”

KingstonCare is an extension of Kingston’s dedication to quality after-sales customer service. An easy-to-use website (http://kingstoncare.com/tools/tools_asia.asp) is also
provided to take the work out of submitting service requests. KingstonCare service
includes:

Service Reimbursement*
If a server or workstation with Kingston memory installed requires service as a direct result of the Kingston module, Kingston will reimburse Kingston’s appointed service provider or contracted service agent for billable charges related to the event.

Advance Replacement**
Kingston’s advance RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) process offers a
convenient and easy way to return our server memory products should you require an
immediate replacement. To receive an RMA, follow these simple steps:
1. Contact Kingston Tech Support hotline or your distributor
2. Describe the memory problem
3. Receive the Kingston Case Number and RMA Number
4. Send the part back to your distributor with the Kingston Case Number and RMA
Number written on the box.

Kingston will then process your request and a new replacement part will be dispatched
to you through distributors immediately. For those who need a replacement urgently,
Kingston offers a convenient advance replacement policy – through your distributor, a
cross shipment can be arranged.

Onsite Spares***
Kingston understands the risk involved in adding memory to a server. Servers need to be
up and running, day in, day out – you can’t afford for a memory failure to slow you down.
For additional protection for qualified KingstonCare program participants, Kingston
can place a safety stock of spare server modules at your location to use in the event of a
Kingston memory failure.

*This Service Reimbursement offer applies only to Kingston’s family of System-Specific Server or
Workstation memory for use in branded OEM deemed servers or workstations. Kingston ValueRAM and
HyperX modules are not included in this offer.
**Subject to stock availability and Kingston’s terms and conditions.
***Kingston has an addendum agreement to the Service Reimbursement that outlines Kingston’s offering
for onsite spares. Please contact your Kingston representative to determine whether your business qualifies
for KingstonCare onsite spares.

For more details on KingstonCare Service, please visit: http://kingstoncare.com/tools/
tools_asia.asp or reach Kingston’s staff for assistance by dialing the toll-free service
hotline: 800-8861042.

Kingston Ships SandForce-based HyperX SSD

Hsinchu, Taiwan – August 2, 2011 –Kingston, the independent world leader in memory products, today announced it is shipping the HyperX SSD, its first SATA Rev. 3.0 (6Gb/s) solid-state drive. The Kingston Hyper X SSD features the latest SandForce controller and is designed for enthusiasts, gamers and performance users.

Kingston HyperX SSD highlights include:
•
120GB and 240GB capacities*. Ships as a standalone SSD (includes HyperX branded 2.5″ to 3.5″ desktop mounting plate); or as a bundle with the HyperX Upgrade Kit for easy installation (includes Acronis True Image HD migration software, desktop mounting plate, external drive bay, multi-head screwdriver, SATA data cable).

•
Incredible sequential read/write throughputs of 555 / 510MB/s1.

•
SandForce SF-2281 controller featuring SATA Rev 3.0 (6GB/s).

•
Max 4KB random read/write of 95,000 / 70,000 IOPS2 (120GB).

•
Premium Intel 25nm Compute NAND (5k P/E Cycles).

Kingston HyperX SSD

Part number

Capacity and features

SH100S3/120G

120GB Stand-alone SSD

SH100S3/240G

240GB Stand-alone SSD

SH100S3B/120G

120GB HyperX Bundle Kit

SH100S3B/240G

240GB HyperX Bundle Kit

* 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.

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

SP/Silicon Power launches its all-new SATA III SSD

Taipei, Taiwan, July 26 2011 – Leading memory storage brand, SP/Silicon Power today announces the launch of its first SATA III Solid State Drive (SSD), the Velox Series V30. Continuing the efficiency and stability of the V20, the V30 employs the highest spec SATA III 6 Gbps interface on the market, while remaining backwards compatible with the SATA II Gbps interface. Running at over double the efficiency of the SATA II interface, the V30 is a top level product that can meet the needs of computer gamers and professional computer users alike.

The SP/Silicon Power V30 SSD uses a SandForce controller chip, enabling it to reach a top read speed of 550 MB/s, and top write speed of 500 MB/s. It also supports TRIM command and Garbage Collection technology, resolving the issue of decreased efficiency in SSDs used for long periods of time.

The V30 SSD employs multiple techniques to strengthen the product’s stability and durability. These include: DuraWrite^TM and wear leveling, which extends the endurance of MLC memory providing at least 5 year lifecycles with 3-5K cycle MLC flash; Implementation of ECC (Error Checking & Correction) technology then ensures reliability of data transmission; and built-in SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis & Reporting Technology) enables consumers to check on the product’s operating status at any time.

The SP/Silicon Power V3 SSD hard drive comes with a 3 year warranty, and a complimentary 3.5″ adapter bracket that allows easy installment. Come and immediate experience of the SATA III super-high efficiency!

High Efficiency & High Stability

- SATA III 6Gbps backwards compatible with SATA II 3Gbps

- Super-high transfer rate: 550MB/s max. read speed

                       500MB/s max. write speed

- Supports TRIM command and Garbage Collection technology

- Equipped with DureWrite^TM and wear leveling, to extend endurance

- Implement with ECC technology to guarantee data transmission reliability

- Built-in with SMART monitoring system

- Low power consumption

- Shock & Vibration-proof

- Noiseless operation, no latency delay and no seek error

- 3 year warranty

Specification

- Capacity: 60GB/120GB/240GB/480GB

- Dimensions: 100mm x 69.85mm x 9.4mm

- Weight: 70g

- Complimentary 3.5″ Adapter Bracket

- Vibration Resistance Test: 20G

- Shock Resistance Test: 1500G Max

*Transfer rates may vary, depending on system platform.

Kingston Digital Transforms iPad, iPhone and iPod touch Storage Capabilities

New Wi-Drive Stylishly Delivers Wireless, Portable and Shareable Storage

COMPUTEX Taipei and Fountain Valley, CA — (June 1, 2011) — Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced the sleek and functional Wi-DriveTM, built to address the ever-increasing storage needs of Apple iPad®, iPhone® and iPod touch® users (www.kingston.com/flash/wi_drive.asp). Wi-Drive, a wireless, portable storage solution, allows users to expand the number of documents, images, music and video files they can access from Apple devices. The combination of this storage expansion, file sharing and a rugged portable form factor makes it a perfect companion device.

Wi-Drive, along with its app from the App Store SM, allows users to stream videos, access music or share files with other Apple device owners. The distinctively designed, pocket-sized Wi-Drive utilizes Flash-based technology to store data from USB-compatible PCs. These files are then easily retrieved via Wi-Drive’s built-in wireless signal without requiring cables or an Internet connection. Three users can work simultaneously with different file types from a single Wi-Drive without any performance disruption.

“Wi-Drive is an ideal solution for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch users who feel confined by their current storage capacity,” said Andrew Ewing, Flash memory business manager, Kingston. “Wi-Drive allows Apple device owners to wirelessly manage document and media files, and choose to share them with others, while on the go for work or pleasure. This unique functionality, combined with the durability of a Flash-based device, will satisfy both casual users and the most discerning technophiles.”

To begin using Wi-Drive with any of the compatible Apple products, users simply drag and drop files from their PC to Wi-Drive via USB cable, similar to a typical USB Flash drive data transfer. Users then download the Wi-Drive application from the App Store before connecting the Wi-Drive to their device. A video with a demonstration of the solution is also available here: www.kingston.com/flash/wi_drive.asp

Kingston offers Wi-Drive in both 16GB and 32GB sizes and the product will be available for purchase in late June 2011.

Kingston Wi-Drive Features and Specifications:

Capacities*: 16GB, 32GB
Dimensions: 121.5mm x 61.8mm x 9.8mm
Operating Temperature: 32°F to 122°F (0°C to 50°C)
Storage Temperature: 14°F to 185°F (-10°C to 70°C)
Wireless Network Interface: Wi-Fi 802.11g/n with wireless security (WPA/WEP)
Rechargeable Battery: up to four hours of continuous use
Cable: Mini-USB to USB cable included. User can upload files and content from their PC/Mac to the Wi-Drive using the USB cable
Portable: Uses Flash-based technology for durability and reliability
Convenient: pocket-sized for easy transportability
Simple: just plug into a USB port
Guaranteed: one-year warranty
App: downloadable at Apple’s App Store
Compatible with: iPad, iPhone 3G/3GS/4, iPod touch (3G is limited to iOS 4.2.1+)
Configurable APN (access point name) and Key functions to connect to Wireless Access Point
(Internet Connection)
Supported File Formats:
• Audio: AAC, MP3, WAV
• Video: m4v, mp4, mov, Motion JPEG (M-JPEG), AVI
• Image: jpg, bmp, tiff
• Document: pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, txt, rtf, xls

* 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.

Part Number
WID/16GZ
WID/32GZ

Kingston Wi-Drive

Capacity and Features
Wi-Drive 16GB
Wi-Drive 32GB

MSRP (U.S. Only)
$ 129.99
$ 174.99

Small enough for transit, ample storage space for large files and SuperSpeed for rapid data access – Sharkoon raises the benchmark for USB3.0 sticks a little higher and presents in time for Computex another model in their high-performance segment: The Sharkoon Flexi-Drive Ultimate achieves sequential read rates of up to 200 MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 120 MB/s. Storage capacity is available in either 64 GB or 128 GB.

The Sharkoon Flexi-Drive Ultimate uses a powerful Single Chip USB3.0 Controller and four eight-channel controlled MLC storage cells. The memory stick is in a high-quality, black aluminium case with a protective cap and keychain eyelet, measures 79 x 27 x 9.3 mm, weighs 40 grams and supports the operating systems Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 (32 and 64 Bit), Mac OS 10 as well as Linux.

End customers can find the Sharkoon Flexi-Drive Ultimate available during calendar week 23 for the suggested retail price of 139.90 euros (64 GB) or rather 229.00 euros (128 GB) in authorized retailers.

ADATA booth has a number of exhibits that might surprise you. One of such demo system is it’s display of ADATA’s  fastest RAM Disk scoring 6GB/s READ and 9GBs WRITE. Before that, let’s take a look at some of the exhibits on show.

ADATA Booth

ADATA’s focal products: IPC products, XPG DRAM (Overclocking DRAM Products), PSU products
 

Close up of IPC products

Close up of XPG DRAM

Close up of PSU products

G.Skill showcases its latest SATA 3 SSD, Phoenix II Pro, and ultra high performance desktop memory series during 2011 Computex!

G.Skill showcases its latest SATA 3 SSD, Phoenix II Pro, and ultra high performance desktop memory series with massive density at Computex 2011. Taipei, Taiwan – 31^st May, 2011 – G.Skill International Co. Ltd., manufacturer of extreme performance memory and high performance solid-state storage, has released its latest SATA 3 6gbps SSD, Phoenix II Pro, based on the latest SandForce SF-2200 controller with the whopping random write speed up to 60K IOPS, and numerous ultra high performance memory series designed for the latest released platforms at Computex 2011.

Featured products: 

The fatest 16GB kit for Intel Z68/P67 platform – DDR3 2,300MHz CL9-11-9-28 16GB (4GBx4) 1.65V RipjawsX kit 

No compromise! The G.Skill RipjawsX DDR3 2,300MHz 16GB(4GBx4) kit provides the fastest speed and the maximum capacity on the latest Intel P67/Z68 platforms. It once again proves that G.Skill RipjawsX series is the best memory solution for PC enthusiasts and extreme overclockers to reach the best performance of their 2nd generation Intel® Core™ processors. 

The highest performance on AMD 990FX platform – DDR3 2,133MHz 16GB! 

G.Skill Flare series DDR3 memory has been well known as the top performance kit among AMD enthusiasts, since it’s the world’s only one DDR3 2000MHz kit guaranteed at AMD platform. G.Skill has been consistently working closely with our partners to develop faster memory for the latest AMD 990FX platform. After the significant effort, G.Skill is glad to finally bring the ultimate memory with ultra high speed of 2133MHz CL9 and maximum capacity available of 16GB to its Flare family.  

Taipei, Taiwanー1st April 2011ーG.Skill International Co. Ltd., manufacturer of extreme performance memory and solid-state storage with solid quality, today announces its new Phoenix EVO SSD, utilizing the performance leading controller SandForce SF-1222 and high quality 25nm NAND flash chips. The Phoenix EVO drive contains 115GB with rated speed of read/write 280/270 MB/sec, and will be available via G.Skill authorized distribution partners in early April.

Keeping pace with the flash manufacturers’ transition from 3xnm to 2xnm, G.Skill has utilized 2xnm flash chips for its award winning SSD, Phoenix family. To ensure the best performance and reliability during the transition, G.Skill has teamed up closely with SandForce and has run G.Skill Phoenix EVO through a wide range of rigorous tests with the latest firmware. All Phoenix EVO drives only use strictly selected original flash chips from key suppliers to guarantee the top reliability and stability.
Although 2xnm based Phoenix EVO requires more over-provisioning space and less performance comparing with G.Skill current 3xnm based Phoenix Pro drive, it certainly is a great choice for cost effectiveness and delivers a positive impact on affordability for the customer. On the other hand, all G.Skill Phoenix Pro drives still use only 3xnm flash ICs to guarantee the consistency of rated performance and capacity.
 
 
“The performance benchmark of G.Skill Phoenix EVO is listed on G.Skill official website. With the information transparency, consumers can easily choose the right product according to their desire and budget” said Wales Tsai, the G.Skill SSD product manager.
 
G.Skill Phoenix EVO SSD comes with 3 years warranty and the G.Skill technical team is always ready to provide consumers with complete technical support via online forums, telephone and email.

We have learned that a small percentage of our SSDNow V100 sold in the past has experienced a technical issue on the firmware. Kingston strongly recommends that a firmware update be applied to all SSDNow V100 drives to prevent possible data loss.
 
The firmware update will resolve this technical issue and is available via Kingston Technical Support. As with any firmware update, we must caution you to back up all your data prior to applying the firmware revision.

The firmware update to fix the technical issue is available via Kingston Technical Support. As with any firmware update, we recommend that you back up your data prior to applying the firmware revision.

Customer satisfaction and producing high quality products is the key to Kingston’s success, so we want to make every effort to ensure that our customers are aware of this firmware revision and have the opportunity to patch their V100 drive(s).

The firmware update can be downloaded from our dedicated support page: www.kingston.com/support/ssdnow/v100_firmware.asp

Customers can also contact our customer service hotline at 800-8861042 (toll free) or more information.

Affected Part Numbers are:

SV100S2/64GZ, SV100S2D/64GZ, SV100S2N/64GZ
SV100S2/128GZ, SV100S2D/128GZ, SV100S2N/128GZ
SV100S2/256GZ, SV100S2N/256GZ, SV100S2N/256GZ

It is important to note that none of Kingston’s other SSDNow products — with part numbers beginning with SNE, SNM, SS, SNV, SNVP and SVP — are affected by this potential issue.

This year, OCZ showcase a number of products at CeBIT 2011. Other than the newly launched products, it also showcase award winning products ranging from SSDs, power supplies and enterprise class products.

There are also running demos of the Vertex 3 SSD (SATA 6Gbps) which is capable of achieving 550MB/s read, 525MB/s write and up to 60K IOPS 4K Random Write.

For speed freaks, there is the IBIS which offers 740MB/ read, 720MB/s write and up to 125K IOPS 4K Random Write using a proprietary OCZ high speed data link.

The Bootable RevoDrive X2 is also on display. This PCIe x4 card offers 4 x Sandforce SF-1200 and comes in capacities of 100 to 960GB. It has a speed of up to 740MB/s read, 720 MB/s write and 120,000 IOPS 4K random write.

Below are pictures of the exhibits.

Corsair to Preview Force Series GT SSDs at CeBIT

– New SandForce-based High-Performance SSD Line Supports 6Gb/s SATA 3 –

Fremont, California — February 24th, 2011 — Corsair®, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market, today announced it will preview its new Force Series™ GT line of solid-state drives at its booth at CeBIT.

The new Force GT SSDs will use the new SandForce® SF-2000 SSD Processor with native support for SATA 6Gb/s (SATA 3) to deliver incredible performance, with up to 60K Random Write IOPS, read speeds of up to 520 MB/s, and writes speeds of up to 500 MB/s. The new SSD line is designed for enthusiasts who demand the fastest performance available.

“With the rapid adoption of systems with SATA 3 support, enthusiasts are demanding SSDs that can take advantage of the dramatic increase in throughput over SATA 2,” said Thi La, Vice President of Memory Products at Corsair. “The new Force GT SSDs can deliver up to twice the speed of the fastest SATA 2 drives, making them ideal for high-performance systems.”

“Corsair and SandForce have been working together closely, and I am thrilled that Corsair has selected the SF-2000 SSD Processor family for their new set of enthusiast-class solid-state drives,” stated Thad Omura, VP of Marketing at SandForce. “The new Force GT SSDs will enable Corsair’s performance-obsessed customers to break new ground in storage subsystem performance.”

Force Series GT SSDs are expected to be available in early Q2 2011. Details on pricing and capacities have not yet been announced. For more information on Corsair’s other solid-state drives, please visit the Corsair web site.

SAN JOSE, CA—February 24, 2011—OCZ Technology Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:OCZ), a leading provider of high-performance solid-state drives (SSDs) for computing devices and systems, today unveiled its next generation Vertex 3 SATA III SSD product family, a lineup that caters to both client and enterprise applications. Harnessing the 6Gbps speed of the SATA III interface, the new series delivers double the performance of the previous generation.

The Vertex 3 is the first solution to feature the new SandForce SF-2200 SSD processor, and raises the bar in performance with up to 550MB/s read and 500MB/s write transfer rates and up to 60,000 IOPS (4k random write). This maximized speed significantly improves gaming, multimedia, and the overall computing experience over traditional mechanical hard drives, as well as other competing SSDs.

“The new Vertex 3 solid state drive series builds on the success of our previous two generations of products and delivers exceptional performance by utilizing fast synchronous mode 2Xnm MLC NAND flash technology,” said Ryan Petersen, CEO of OCZ Technology Group. “These storage solutions feature both the highest sequential speeds available with a SATA 6GBps SSD and the highest IOPS of any current 2.5 inch SSD on the market today, allowing us to once again set the benchmark for industry leading SSD performance and reliability.”

Also included in the new series is the enterprise-class Vertex 3 Pro which not only delivers industry-leading performance, but is optimized to provide unparalleled reliability, security, and endurance. Featuring the premium SF-2500 SSD SATA III processor, Vertex 3 Pro SSDs are the ideal solution for clients seeking enterprise-grade MLC (Multi-Level Cell) SSD storage for their server farms and IT infrastructures. Due to its ability to implement MLC, Vertex 3 Pro provides an optimized balance of reliability and component-based cost-savings, resulting in superior TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) for enterprise clients.

The new Vertex 3 Series will be showcased at next week’s international CeBIT tradeshow in Hanover, Germany, and will begin shipping following the event through OCZ’s global channel. Vertex 3 SSDs will be available in capacities of 120GB and 240GB, while the Pro edition comes in 100GB, 200GB, and 400GB models. The entire Vertex 3 line features TRIM support to optimize performance over the drive’s lifespan and a 3 year warranty to ensure customer satisfaction.

Corsair Announces Transition Plan for Force Series Solid-state Drives

FREMONT, California — February 18, 2011 — Corsair^®, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market, today announced its plans for the upcoming transition from 34 nanometer to 25 nanometer flash chips used on its solid-state drives.

“There is a lot of confusion in the market about the impact the move from 34 to 25nm flash will have on both the price and the performance of solid-state drives,” said John Beekley, VP of Technical Marketing at Corsair. “We’ve been working closely with SandForce to ensure the smoothest possible transition and we’re sharing the details today.”

Flash memory manufacturers are transitioning to using 25nm process for fabrication, allowing them to boost capacity and reduce costs, which in turn will allow SSD suppliers to pass those savings to the consumer. The downside is that SSDs built using 25nm flash ICs may require more over-provisioning (a technique used to ensure reliability) which lowers the capacity of the SSD and may also see a reduction in performance.

“The Corsair and SandForce engineering teams have been working closely with the key flash memory suppliers to profile and qualify 25nm parts,” continued Beekley, “and we’ve been running our Force drives through performance and reliability testing alongside them. We’re pleased with the progress that’s been made in getting the Force Series 25nm drives ready to ship to customers.”

In the Corsair Labs, using the ATTO synthetic benchmark, only a small reduction in performance (roughly 3-4%) was seen when testing Force Series SSDs built with 25nm flash.  Real-world tests, such as copying groups of files or measuring Windows boot times, support the ATTO results and show little to no performance loss.  However, the over-provisioning needed means that in some cases the capacity of the drives will be reduced.

“So that our customers are perfectly clear about what they are getting, we will be changing the model numbers on all 25nm based drives and transitioning the drive capacities we offer where necessary. For example, a drive that would have been sold as 120GB when built with 34nm flash will be launched as a 115GB version,” said Jared Peck, Global Product Marketing Manager for SSDs at Corsair, “All Force Series drives built with 25nm flash will also have a ‘-A’ suffix on the part and/or model number, making it easy to determine exactly what you’re getting.”

Force Series 115GB and 80GB 25nm drives will be available by the end of February from Corsair’s worldwide network of resellers and distributors.  The F115-A has a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $215 and the F80-A has an MSRP of $169 in the U.S.  For comparison the current Force Series F120 has an MSRP of $249 and the F80 has an MSRP of $199.

If you are still crawling with your USB speeds , transferring large files to and fro USB interface, you are in luck. ASRock has a new utility, which you can download from ASRock’s website. You can turbo boost the USB interface performance and the speed increase is noticeable. Befotre XFast USB is set Turbo, it achieved 156MB/s. With Turbo turned on, it scored 241.32MB/s in Sisoft Sandra Physical Read performance test. More benchmarks can be read from our review of the Kingston HyperX Max 3.0 review.

Here is how the utility looks like :

Kingston HyperX MAX 3.0 External USB 3.0 (64GB) Review
Bluetooth 10 Jan 2011

Kingston Technology joins the ranks of companies delivering SSDs last year. They made in roads with their Value series of SSD products making it available for users. To make it available in a form that is portable and durable, Kingston introduced  the SSDNow V series S2BN that comes with a USB 2.0 enclosure.

Although the SSD performs pretty well, it is hampered by USB 2.0 limitation if connected as an external portable drive.

HyperMAX 3.0 is going to remove the bottleneck (~35MB/s) and give it a speed boost. The HyperMax 3.0 comes in a blue alumimium enclosure which is sealed. Warranty will be void if rip open the enclosure.

The drive comes with a USB 3.0 cable with a blue connector on one end for the PC/Notebook with USB 3.0 connector. The other looks quite different from the usual connector we see. That plugs direct into the SSD drive.

HyperX MAX 3.0 promises a read speed of up to 195MB/s and Write speed of up to 160MB/s.

In the next few pages, we take a look at the package followed by benchmarks of the drive in USB 3.0 with NEC 3.0, Etrontech controller and traditional USB 2.0 connector.

Kingston HyperX MAX 3.0 Features and Specifications

• Performance: USB-IF SuperSpeed-Certified
• Standardized: Complies with USB 3.0 specification standards, compatible with USB 2.0
• Sequential Speed: Read: up to 195MB/sec., Write: up to 160MB/sec
• Shock-resistant: Built with Flash components so no moving parts
• Portable: Aluminum design is sleek, stylish and rugged
• Silent: Runs silently with no moving parts
• Easy: Plug & play with no driver required; utilizes USB bus power with no additional bus power required
• Guaranteed: Three-year warranty
• Capacities**: 64GB, 128GB and 256GB
• Dimensions: 2.89² x 4.67² x 0.47² (73.49mm x 118.60mm x 12.00mm)
• Vibration Operating: 20G Peak, 10-2000Hz, (20min/Axis) x 3 Axis
• Vibration Non-operating: 20G Peak, 10-2000Hz, (12 Cycle/Axis) x 3 Axis, x 20min.
• Operating Shock: 1500G
• Operating Temperature: 0° to 60°C/ 32° to 140°F
• Storage Temperature: -20° to 85°C/ -4° to 185°F
• Power Consumption: 4.5W
• Dual LED: Blue for USB 3.0, green for USB 2.0

EtronTech USB 3.0 outperforms NEC USB 3.0 controller

Lately, we tested a couple of new boards based on the INTEL P67/H67 chipset. Most of these board uses the NEC USB 3.0 chipset to power 2 ports of USB 3.0 interface.

While most vendors prefer to use the tested and proven USB 3.0 controller from NEC, ASRock board uses the EtronTech chipset on it’s P67 and H67 series.

We did some tests on the performance of USB 3.0 with a USB 3.0 SSD drive  and found that the Etrontech does perform better. Here are some quick numbers.

PCMark Vantage HDD benchmark

NEC  21113
EtronTech  22782

Difference +7.9%

SiSoft Sandra 2011 Disk Benchmark

NEC 146.76MB/s
EtronTech 156.11 MB/s

Difference +6.37%

Not only sequential read/write performance, it also outperform it in IOPS in random write.

Click here for more details.

Kingston Digital Launches HyperX MAX 3.0 External USB 3.0 Drive

• USB 3.0 SuperSpeed Certified — Up to 10 Times Faster than USB 2.0
• Highly-portable and Shock Resistant with Flash Memory Design-In
• Available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB Capacities

Fountain Valley, CA — November 22, 2010 — Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced the HyperX® MAX 3.0 External USB 3.0 Drive. Shipping in December, the SuperSpeed USB certified HyperX MAX 3.0 drive is a fast and durable external USB 3.0 storage drive. SuperSpeed USB is the specification delivering USB 3.0 transfer speeds up to 10 times faster than USB 2.0.

Kingston’s HyperX MAX 3.0 has a read speed of up to 195MB/sec., and a write speed of up to 160MB/sec., when paired with a USB 3.0 compatible device. It is also fully compatible with USB 2.0 devices, as the speed defaults back to USB 2.0 capability. During internal testing, a 10GB movie file was transferred in only 1 minute, 12 seconds to the HyperX MAX 3.0 from a USB 3.0 system*. The transfer time increased to 5 minutes, 52 seconds using a USB 2.0 port with the same test bed.

HyperX MAX 3.0 is an excellent drive solution for any prosumer, computer enthusiast or professional requiring extremely fast file transfer to their PC with portability requirements. Moving or backing up HD video, RAW images or other large project files are examples that can take advantage of the extremely high-speed data transfers of the USB 3.0 interface.

“The HyperX MAX 3.0 External USB 3.0 Drive follows the tradition of Kingston’s HyperX enthusiast DRAM family providing users with premium quality and extreme performance,” said Andrew Ewing, USB product manager, Kingston®. “In addition to portability and speed, users will be pleased with the durability of this drive. Its Flash memory-based architecture is designed for the rigors of mobile use.”

HyperX MAX 3.0 is available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB capacities and is sold through Kingston’s authorized channel of distributors, resellers, e-tailers and retailers. It comes with a three-year warranty and is backed by Kingston’s legendary 24/7 service and support.

Kingston HyperX MAX 3.0 Features and Specifications:

• Performance — USB-IF SuperSpeed-Certified
• Standardized — complies with USB 3.0 specification standards, compatible with USB 2.0
• Sequential Speed — Read — up to 195MB/sec., Write — up to 160MB/sec
• Shock-resistant — built with Flash components so no moving parts
• Portable — Aluminum design is sleek, stylish and rugged
• Silent — runs silently with no moving parts
• Easy — plug & play with no driver required; utilizes USB bus power with no additional bus power required
• Guaranteed — three-year warranty
• Capacities** — 64GB, 128GB and 256GB
• Dimensions — 2.89″ x 4.67″ x 0.47″ (73.49mm x 118.60mm x 12.00mm)
• Vibration Operating — 20G Peak, 10-2000Hz, (20min/Axis) x 3 Axis
• Vibration Non-operating — 20G Peak, 10-2000Hz, (12 Cycle/Axis) x 3 Axis, x 20min.
• Operating Shock — 1500G
• Operating Temperature — 0° to 60°C / 32° to 140°F
• Storage Temperature — -20° to 85°C / -4° to 185°F
• Power Consumption — 4.5W
• Dual LED — blue for USB 3.0, green for USB 2.0

* Test system: Motherboard: Gigabyte™ GA-P55A-UD4; CPU: Intel® Core™ i5 @ 3.47GHz; Memory: 8GB DDR3; USB 3.0: NEC Host Controller; Windows® 7 Ultimate x64
** Some of the listed capacity on a Flash storage device is used for formatting and other functions and thus is not available for data storage. As such, the actual available capacity for data storage is less than what is listed on the products. For more information, go to Kingston’s Flash Guide at kingston.com/flash_memory_guide.

3TB HDD is ready, but is your hardware ready for it? BEHOLD! There’s a limitation behind. The operating system cannot recognize the entire space when it’s larger than 2,048 GB (2.2TB). Storage space beyond 2.2TB will be unused and wasted!!

Don’t worry! ASUS sense the users’ thirst of big storage space and breaks this limitation in a quick, easy and fashion way through restructuring the OS.

Disk Unlocker- a brand new exclusive (patent pending) technology from ASUS. This is the first software solution to overcome current operating system limitations that prevent a hard disk drive from utilizing more than 2048GB (also known as 2.2TB). With just a few clicks, Disk Unlocker taps into hidden storage space beyond the nominal 2048GB range, helping you use large hard drives to their maximum potential.

The best thing about Disk Unlocker is that it works with every ASUS motherboard, hassle free. All you have to do is to download it from http://event.asus.com/mb/2010/Disk_Unlocker/ Once installed, it will immediately enable access to hidden space. Disk Unlocker comes with a user-friendly interface and is incredible easy to use.

Enjoy maximum storage, effortlessly. Add data, media and all kinds of content, worry-free. It’s a clever and simple way to maximize not only your storage capacity, but also the value you get from your hard drive. With Disk Unlocker, there’s simply no reason to leave that storage space out of reach!

Disk Unlocker- a brand new exclusive (patent pending) technology from ASUS. This is the first software solution to overcome current operating system limitations that prevent a hard disk drive from utilizing more than 2048GB (also known as 2.2TB). With just a few clicks, Disk Unlocker taps into hidden storage space beyond the nominal 2048GB range, helping you use large hard drives to their maximum potential.

The best thing about Disk Unlocker is that it works with every ASUS motherboard, hassle free. All you have to do is to download it from http://event.asus.com/mb/2010/Disk_Unlocker/ Once installed, it will immediately enable access to hidden space. Disk Unlocker comes with a user-friendly interface and is incredible easy to use.

Enjoy maximum storage, effortlessly. Add data, media and all kinds of content, worry-free. It’s a clever and simple way to maximize not only your storage capacity, but also the value you get from your hard drive. With Disk Unlocker, there’s simply no reason to leave that storage space out of reach!

Compatible models : Download from http://event.asus.com/mb/2010/Disk_Unlocker/

X58 series P55 series H57 series H55 series X48 series
P45 series P43 series G45 series G43 series G41 series
X38 series P35 series G35 series G31 series 946GZ series
946PL series 945GC series 945GZ series 945P series 945PL series

890FX series 890GX series 880G series 870 series 790FX series
790GX series 790X series 785G series 780G series 770 series
760G series 740G series

980a SLI series 780a SLI series 750a SLI series

Walton Chaintech Launches Three Flash Solid State Disks
–  APOGEE A-Series, C-Series & L-Series SSD

Demonstrating its ambitions in fulfilling consumers’ needs with three APOG?? SSD series all at once

3 November 2010, Taipei, Taiwan – Walton Chaintech Corporation, manufacturer of memory modules and computer components and accessories, today announces three brand-new APOG?? SSD series to demonstrate its capability in fulfilling consumers’ requirement in high-speed and large storage equipments. The  APOG?? A-series, C-series and L-series all incorporate the mainstream SATA II interface, and yet, each offers unique features and targets at different segment of gamers, price-sensitive and entry-level consumers, respectively.

APOG?? A-series SSD – Pushing the limits in storage technology for gamers

The APOG?? A-series SSD offers unsurpassed solid performance without sacrificing its cool, quiet and energy efficient operation conditions. Built with SATA II interface, it can be easily integrated into today’s mobile and desktop platforms.

Dimensioned at 99.8×69.63×9.3mm (L.W.H.), the APOG?? A-series is a 2.5” slim design form factor. Incorporating SandForce & Intel MLC solutions, the A-series offers capacity of 60~120GB. The read and write rate can go up to 285MB/s and 275MB/s, respectively, and it offers random 4KB write of 50,000 Input/Output Operations Per Second (IOPS). The seek time/buffering time is  0.1ms. The TRIM feature is also available for the system to inform the A-series to block the data that is no longer considered in use and can be wiped internally. Finally, the APOG?? A-series can handle up to 1500G after the shock resistance test.

The APOG?? A-series is designed to definitely push the envelop in storage technology for those who value speed and reliability.

APOG?? C-series SSD – affordable for price-sensitive consumers

To ensure solid performance coupled with consistent reliability, the APOG?? C-series SSD employs Indilinx Barefoot controllers and Intel MLC solution with a 64MB onboard cache. Also a 2.5” slim design form factor and same size as the A-series, its capacity is from 30GB to 120GB. The read and write rate can go up to 250MB/s and 180MB/s, respectively. All these make the C-series certainly an ideal storage device for consumers who seek for price-performance.

APOG?? L-series SSD – perfect for entry-level consumers

The L-series SSD offers outstanding and reliable performances while maintaining low power consumption and exceptional cost effectiveness. It also employs Indilinx controllers plus Intel MLC solution with a 64MB onboard cache to ensure solid performance coupled with consistent reliability. The capacity is from 30GB to 120GB, while its read and write rates ranged from 125~150MB/s and 70~120MB/s, respectively. The outlook design for L-series is just the same as A-series and C-series, but with a special blue color at the curve to make it even more notable. The APOG?? L-Series SSD can be very attractive to the entry-level consumers.

The three Walton Chaintech SSD series are already available in market at the suggested retail price range below (depending on the model/capacity):

-        APOGEE A-series – US$147~$288

-        APOGEE C-series – US$96~$284

-        APOGEE L-series – US$91~$263