Intel's new SSD 510 Series - fast enough to benefit of 6 Gbps SATA..

As Sandy Bridge platform issues get sorted out, Intel themselves set at taking advantage of the 6 Gbps SATA interface the platform offers. With the new 510 Series SSDs Intel cracks 500 MBps sequential read speed while soaking up data at somewhere alike 315 MBps. All you need to know, basically, about the Intel SSD 510 Series is that for uncompromising data pulling bottleneck removal 510 Series SSD and the 6 Gbps SATA interface are the best options. New Intel SSDs are built using 34 nm NAND flash memory based on a Marvel controller. The lineup consists of two options: 250 GB with 500 MBps and 315 MBps reading and writing speeds respectively and costs $ 584. The smaller 120 GB option with 450 MBps and 210 MBps speeds is priced at $ 284.

Recent Android updates roundup..

There is a couple of Android Gingerbread updates for smartphones unsettling the curtains behind the official scenes at the moment. Two of them, in fact. First one is an OTA update for the Nexus One which brings it up to 2.3.3 version number. The update is a minor one, of course. It generally fixes known issues and one of them is a biggie – random reboots. Some additional features are introduced like NFC tags. Unfortunately the update also might break Google Voice on a Nexus One. The other Android update is 2.3.2 for the Nexus S. This, is still to came and its change log is unknown, so we’ll have to wait a bit more for it.

Gigabyte X58A-OC - first mainboard aimed at overclockers..

This week, Gigabyte has officially unveiled the motherboard X58A-OC, details of which appeared in late February. According to the manufacturer, X58A-OC - «The world's first motherboard designed from the beginning for extreme overclockers. Gigabyte say that their performance in this area marked "a new category of mainboards for enthusiasts".
In the advantages of the product size ATX producer writes a choice of switching BUS frequency in power system, the presence of buttons associated with the acceleration, and SATA, which is fed with extra power, which improves the stability of multi-GPU subsystems. In addition, the board has two BIOS chips, the choice between which can be made via hardware switch. According to developers, some of the ideas, to create a new board were drawn from discussions at the thematic forums.
Of course, there were used some traditional methods of increasing stability, used in products that provide acceleration. These, in particular, are polymer capacitors and inductors with ferrite cores.
Gigabyte X58A-OC is based on Intel X58 chipset (Tylersburg) and is equipped with a processor socket LGA 1366, in which you can set the fastest Intel processors, including the flagship Core i7 990X Extreme Edition. It should be noted that it supports triple-channel DDR3 memory and graphics settings 4-Way CrossFireX and 3-Way SLI.

CeBIT 2011 : Archos introduced color e-book and a tablet..

French supplier of electronic devices, Archos has chosen an exhibition CeBIT for the release of e-books with seven-inch color touch screen. Also at CeBIT they presented Arnova - their first tablet of the budget line. New items were displayed in the Planet Reseller pavilion, which can be attended only with an invitation.

A device for reading electronic books Archos 7ob has a seven-inch screen with resolution of 800x480 pixels, combined with a resistive touch panel. The configuration includes 4 GB flash memory which can be expanded via SDHC. In addition to reading (including materials in both PDF and EPUB), the unit provides playback of sound recordings and video recordings, as well as access to web-resources using a wireless Wi-Fi 802.11b/g. It also features USB port, which serves only to communicate with the PC (for charging the batteries you need to use the charger).

According to the manufacturer, one battery charge will power seven hours of video playback. When viewing web-pages the number goes up to eight hours, and you can read books for more than ten hours. Archos will cost $179 in US. The company also revealed the first phone in new line - Arnova - eight-inch tablet with Android 2.1, which will also cost $179. Sales of the tablet will start in three weeks.

 

Netronix to release a 9.7-inch tablet..

Netronix, known for his collaboration with the Pocketbook in the production of electronic books, thinking about the release of Tablet PCs. A prototype of the product was shown at a recent trade show in Hanover, CeBIT. Despite the fact that only a prototype was shown at the exhibition, its appearance did make a very positive impression.There is still not much information on new Netronix device. The prototype runs on Android 2.2, and was equipped with a capacitive touch screen with the same diagonal as that of the iPad - 9,7 inches. Hardware platform for the prototype is SoC Freescale i.mx51. We also know that the tablet has a Micro USB port and USB (!), headphone jack and a pair of built-in speakers. It is assumed that after they finish their device it will go on sale around mid-May. And the cost of it can be half the price of the basic iPad - about $250.

The first AMD processors on the Bulldozer core will be released in June..

The first AMD processors of new generation emerged at the beginning of the year. They, however, low level and was the first attempt to combine the CPU and GPU, which, judging by the tests and the reaction of PC makers, proved quite successful. In the second quarter of the year there are expected models of higher performance based on Bulldozer core. They say that deliveries will begin in June. More precisely, this should happen during third week of the month.
Processors with integrated DDR3 controller, but without the GPU will be released with 32-nanometer technology. It is assumed that they will be promoted under the name FX. In the first wave will include eight models. Four of them will get to eight cores series (FX8000) and 16 MB cache, two - with six cores (FX6000) and two - with four cores (FX4000). There are no details on each model yet. As far as it is known, eight-processor outperforms existing processors such as Core i7 950 (four cores, eight threads) and the Phenom II X6 1100T (six cores) by 50%.

CyberPower and iBuyPower include AMD Radeon HD 6990 3D-cards in configuration of gaming PCs..

AMD has just introduced a graphics accelerator - AMD Radeon HD 6990, which bears the title of the fastest game 3D-cards of the world as producers of PC gaming today announced that the new product is available in their products. CyberPower company added a dual-processor accelerator in a model series Gamer Dragon, Ultra, and Fang EVO. It is also possible to have two HD 6990 beasts in your PC working in SLI. In case you have opted for two video cards, you get a graphics subsystem with 6144 stream processors and 8 GB of GDDR5 memory. The most affordable gaming system with CyberPower Radeon HD 6990 is priced at $ 1399. Of course, with the addition of other high-performance components of the price increases rapidly. iBuyPower - the other provider of gaming PCs is not far behind. It also offers a model with one or two cards, graphics processors that operate at frequencies of 830 MHz (880 MHz, with the inclusion of an alternative version of BIOS). Effective clock frequency of GDDR5 memory is 5000 MHz.

Android vs Windows Mobile 6.5 : a duel on equal devices..

Which of the two operating systems for smart phones more functional, more comfortable, more promising? It is considered that the future - for Android, and Windows Mobile too old and has to be forgot. But let's not make hasty conclusions. Let's try to start to compare these operating systems, giving them an equal chance to prove themselves.
HTC is as if specially provided us with this opportunity, releasing two communicators with nearly identical hardware equipment, but different OS - HTC Tattoo with Android and HTC Touch 2 with Windows Mobile 6.5. There is no better ground for comparison than these two devices. Both smartphones are based on the same integrated platform, Qualcomm MSM7225 processor with a frequency of 528 MHz, equipped with identical amounts of memory, air interfaces, cameras, and even an FM-tuner.
Well, let's move on to the software capabilities.
Interface for both devices is actually the same - it's HTC Sense. However, the differences between versions for Android and Windows Mobile are really great. Common, in fact, is only the main screen. In Windows Mobile Sense it is a set of windows which can be browsed through the horizontal swipes or using icon (icon at the bottom of the screen - a kind of roots of bookmarks). The composition displayed applets can be customized; however it is limited to on / off individual tabs. Android is all about applets, including the objects of the main window - its widgets, they can be also placed on the seven pages of its interface. Some of them repeat the design of Sense applets; others are taken directly from Android. In sum, the shell came out slightly better in Tattoo: flexible configuration options, more modern graphics and animation. As for specific to the OS interface elements themselves, Android is the leader by a wide margin. Notification bar that stretches on to entire screen is more convenient than it is in Windows Mobile; HTC even added a function for it to show in a separate window. Standard application interface elements are bigger and better placed in Android.

As a result, a comparison between two identical devices with different operating systems breaks the stereotype that Windows Mobile is worse than Android in all the aspects. In the hands of producers who have experience with Microsoft and striving to make their devices of high-quality and attractive for consumers, both OS's running approximately equal. Android has a much better interface, and it is more stable under prolonged heavy use, but it has some problems with the file management.My experience also shows that device manufacturers play a key role in the development of the operating system and its adaptation to the needs of the user. Consortia and software companies are more concerned about the functional expansion of the platform, supported by new technologies than on particular aspects of its capabilities and comfort of use. As a result, the general definition of Android as a "crude and unbalanced equipment", and Windows Mobile - as "unstable and slow". But the knowledgeable and skilled work of HTC equals them out.