- Details
- Optical Storage
Asustek Computer's contract for OEM production of optical disc drives (ODDs) for Pioneer will expire in July 2008, and the Taiwan-based vendor of motherboards and PCs may dispose of its ODD business by closing the business unit or selling it, according to industry sources in Taiwan.Lets hope that Asustek doesn't pull out of the optical disc drive business altogether. While some of their more recent drives have had their share of issues, they've come up with some pretty unique designs over the years. Anyway, if you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes. Add a comment
While Pioneer has been Asustek's largest OEM client of ODDs, the Japan-based vendor has been expanding its ODD production capacity at its two factories in Dongguan, southern China, the sources pointed out. In addition to half-height and slim-type ODDs, the two factories began to produce Blu-ray Disc (BD) Combo drives earlier this year, the sources indicated.
- Details
- Software
Nero, creators of liquid media technology, today announced that through a new cooperation, Packard Bell has chosen to bundle Nero 8 Essentials with their latest line of PCs and laptops.If you'd like to read more, Nero's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
Nero 8 Essentials offers users the latest digital media technology designed for ease of use with user-friendly interfaces and intuitive features. Users can create and manage their digital media projects with the latest state-of-the-art tools for burning, copying, and ripping their personal audio, video, and photo content.
“Nero is pleased that Packard Bell has decided to bundle their leading-edge PCs and laptops with Nero 8 Essentials,” said Patrick Peeters, General Manager EMEA, Nero AG. “Our software solutions are created specifically for users looking to live the digital life and maximize their digital content. Packard Bell creates outstanding hardware for the same user-focused reason, making this an ideal cooperation.”
- Details
- Other
Add a comment
CradlePoint MBR1000 Mobile Broadband Router @ThinkComputers.org
Hiper Osiris HTC-1K514-A1 Mid-Tower Computer Case @Benchmark Reviews
Intel Core 2 Extreme Mobile X9000 Processor @HotHardware.com
MSI P7N SLI Platinum (750i) Motherboard @Madshrimps
NVIDIA GeForce 9800GTX 512MB @Phoronix
NZXT Tempest Midtower ATX Case @Futurelooks
XFX GeForce GTX 280 XXX Edition @TweakTown
ZEROTherm ZEN FZ120 Cooler @HardwareLogic
- Details
- Software
CyberLink Corp. (5203.TW), innovative solutions provider for the connected digital lifestyle, today announced that CyberLink PowerDVD has received certification for two advanced features of the Blu-ray Disc format—BD-Profile 2.0 (BD-Live) and AVCREC—confirming PowerDVD’s support for the playback of interactive BD-Live movie content and high-definition MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) content stored on DVDs.CyberLink PowerDVD with support for BD-Live and AVCREC is available for purchase online. Existing PowerDVD 8 users can also update their software for free. If you'd like to read more, CyberLink's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
PowerDVD supporting BD Profile 2.0 (BD-Live) format allows Internet-connected activities such as multiplayer gaming, e-commerce, the downloading of movie trailers and subtitles, as well as social networking. These features provide PowerDVD users with more ways to enjoy movies. Supporting AVCREC format enables PowerDVD to playback the recording of high-definition video onto DVD recordable discs using the MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) format. With the growing popularity of high-definition video camcorders and video editing software, users are able to produce their home movies in high-def formats, or record HDTV programs, and playback their recorded high-definition video with PowerDVD.
- Details
- Optical Storage
Sony will launch its new Blu-ray Disc (BD) Combo drive in the Taiwan market at a tentative retail price of about NT$7,000 (US$230) in July 2008, according to Sony Taiwan.We haven't heard anything from Sony regarding their new BD combo drive. However, if they truly do plan to launch it in July, we should be seeing an official announcement soon. If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes. Add a comment
While Sony has launched the BDU-X10S BD-ROM drive in the Taiwan market at a retail price of NT$6,999 plus a free BD movie disc, the model to be launched in July is the company's first BD Combo model in Taiwan, Sony Taiwan indicated.
- Details
- Software
CyberLink Corp. (5203.TW), innovative solutions provider for the connected digital lifestyle, announced today that PowerDVD receives certification by DTS for the support of DTS-HD Master Audio technology.CyberLink PowerDVD featuring DTS-HD Master Audio support will be available as an upgrade to existing users in July 2008. Full details can be found here. Add a comment
The combination of CyberLink PowerDVD and DTS’s latest technology enables the ultimate entertainment experience when playing high-definition content and Blu-ray discs movies on PCs. DTS-HD Master Audio allows bit-for-bit reproduction of the original studio master soundtrack and supports up to 7.1-channel output, for a lifelike audio performance.
- Details
- Optical Storage
While the third quarter of each year is traditionally an off-peak period for Taiwan-based blank CD-R and DVD+R/-R disc makers, the third quarter of 2008 will potentially see makers facing an additional negative impact as polycarbonate suppliers plan to raise prices from the current level of US$2.3-2.4/kg by 5-7% due to large hikes in oil pricing, according to industry sources in Taiwan.The article also states that it is unclear whether or not the increased cost of polycarbonate will have an effect on OEM pricing. For the benefit of consumers, lets hope that the price stays where it is. If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes. Add a comment
The traditional slow sales period is mainly due to decreased demand in the US and Europe over the summer, the sources indicated. Based on received OEM orders, utilization rates are estimated to drop from 70-80% currently to 50-60% in the third quarter of 2008, the sources noted.
- Details
- Other
Add a comment
ASRock K10N750SLI-WiFi nForce 750a Motherboard @ThinkComputers.org
ASUS MK241 LCD Monitor @ I4U
Boogie Bug Black Pearl MicroATX Case @Madshrimps
G.Skill 4GB DDR3-1600 Pi Series Dual Channel Memory Kit @Bigbruin.com
Samsung SyncMaster 2693HM @InsideHW
Tagan Icy Box IB-290STUSD-B External HDD Enclosure @HardwareLogic
Toshiba Portege M800 Notebook @Hardware Zone
Zalman VF900-Cu Ultra Quiet Heatpipe VGA Cooler @Benchmark Reviews
- Details
- Hard Disks
In this review we'll take a look at some of the features found on the My Book Mirror Edition and see how it performs. Is it a good choice for those looking to backup their data and keep it safe? You'll have to read the review to find out.
If you have any comments or questions about this review or the Western Digital My Book Mirror Edition, please post them in the forum. Add a comment
Western Digital 2TB My Book Mirror Edition
- Details
- Optical Storage
This time, NEC Electronics employed a wideband analog signal processing circuit in order to support Blu-ray 8x recording and playback. The circuit was originally developed for use in 20x DVD systems. Furthermore, the company adopted the CMOS technology to produce the analog circuit, instead of using the BiCMOS technology.NEC is currently shipping samples of both the SCOMBO/UM2A and SCOMBO/UM2P (playback only) and are priced at $14 and $19, respectively. The company currently plans to produce 300,000 units per monthy, increasing to 1,000,000 per month by the end of 2008. If you'd like to read more, Tech-On's entire report can be found here. Add a comment
As a result, the analog circuit can be integrated with the digital signal processing unit in a single chip. Compared with the company's existing product, the footprint of the latest chip is 20% smaller, and the power consumption was reduced by 33% to 1.8W.
