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Serial ATA International Organization (SATA-IO), the industry consortium dedicated to sustaining the quality, integrity and dissemination of Serial ATA (SATA) technology, today announced the ratification of its revision 3.2 specification. The latest specification includes SATA Express, a new specification that enables the coexistence of SATA and PCIe storage devices, as well as enhancements in power management, new SATA form-factors, and optimizations for solid state hybrid drives (SSHDs).
"SATA technology continues to evolve to accommodate ever-changing storage industry requirements," said Mladen Luksic, SATA-IO President. "The updates featured in the revision 3.2 specification, such as SATA Express and enhancements for emerging solid state hybrid drives, are driven by current market trends. These new features demonstrate SATA-IO's ongoing commitment to providing low-cost, high-performance storage solutions."
Initially introduced in January 2013, the SATA Express specification enables a client storage ecosystem that allows SATA and PCIe solutions to coexist. A host implemented to this specification will connect to and function with either a SATA or PCIe storage device. PCIe technology enables increased interface speeds of up to 2GB/s (2 lanes of PCIe 3.0), compared with today's SATA technology at 0.6GB/s (6Gb/s). The increased speed of PCIe provides a cost-effective solution for optimizing performance of Solid State Drives (SSDs) and emerging SSHDs. Storage devices not requiring the increased speed of PCIe, such as traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) and optical drives, will continue to be supported by SATA.
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The USB 3.0 Promoter Group today announced the completion of the USB 3.1 Specification which adds enhancements to enable SuperSpeed USB to operate at up to 10 Gbps. This latest release of the specification will be available today for download from the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) website.
SuperSpeed USB 10 Gbps uses a more efficient data encoding and will deliver more than twice the effective data through-put performance of existing SuperSpeed USB over enhanced, fully backward compatible USB connectors and cables. Compatibility is assured with existing USB 3.0 software stacks and device class protocols as well as with existing 5 Gbps hubs and devices and USB 2.0 products.
Developers interested in implementing the new USB 3.1 Specification have the opportunity to learn technical details during three developer conferences currently being planned. The international conferences planned in Europe and Asia will offer more advanced system design training as breakout sessions on the second day. For more details and conference registration instructions, please visit the USB-IF website.
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Diamond Multimedia has introduced the newest addition to their USB 3.0 Ethernet Adapter line, the Diamond USB303HE 3-port SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Hub with 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet Port and mini docking station. The high performance plug-and-play Gigabit Ethernet port offers energy efficient settings while still providing the most proficient Ethernet adapter services for most operating systems by using a standard USB port. It is equipped with ASIX AX88179 chipset and USB to RJ45 connection. The pocket-sized USB303HE does not require an external power supply, making it ideal for not just the home and office but also traveling -- when WiFi is not easily available.
The USB303HE is fully functional, easy to use and outfitted for desktops, notebook PCs, Ultrabooks, Macbooks®, docking stations, game consoles and digital-home appliances. It ensures true 10/100/1000Mbps network speed through an existing USB port with a small form factor and simple, fast plug-n-play connectivity. The USB303HE can provide high-speed wired connectivity for Ultrabooks that don't have a standard RJ45 port. The USB303HE is able to outfit many operating systems such as: WIN 8. WIN 7 64, WIN VISTA 64, WIN XP, MCE, MAC OS X. Additionally it is compliant with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 specifications.
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Western Digital Corporation has acquired privately held VeloBit, a provider of high-performance storage I/O optimization software. VeloBit will be fully integrated into HGST, a wholly owned subsidiary of Western Digital. Headquartered in Lincoln, MA, VeloBit enhances storage system performance with its software technology by adding a transparent acceleration layer utilizing solid state drives (SSDs). Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The acquisition builds on HGST's strategy to enhance the overall value of datacenter storage by integrating HGST SSDs with software. VeloBit's SSD caching software dramatically accelerates applications and increases server density by enabling higher I/O performance, lower latency, and more efficient usage of processor and storage resources.
Both the VeloBit acquisition and the proposed sTec acquisition by Western Digital reflect acceleration by its HGST subsidiary in the fast growing and strategic enterprise SSD space, augmenting its technology position and IP portfolio with additional engineering and design resources.
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Verbatim, a global pioneer of data storage technology, introduces MediaShare Wireless – a portable device which connects with up to five Wi-Fi enabled tablets and smartphones allowing you to view, play, stream and back up photos, video clips and music simultaneously, anywhere.
For times when it is impractical to access a computer or on-board storage is limited, the portable device effectively creates its own Wi-Fi network enabling users to wirelessly stream or archive media files securely and quickly between an iPad, iPhones, iPod Touch and Android based device. For example, Verbatim’s MediaShare Wireless could help keep children entertained on long journeys by streaming media content chosen by parents through to the child’s tablet, smartphone or portable media player.
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HighPoint Technologies unveils the Industry's first 6Gb/s SATA Expander Module with Built-in Enclosure Management - the Rocket EJ340. Rocket EJ340 SATA Expander Modules are ideal for applications that demand cost-effective, high-capacity 6Gb/s storage configurations, and are available for PC and Mac platforms. The Industry standard Mini-SAS connectors and Centronics compliant form factor allow Rocket EJ340 expander modules to be easily integrated into a variety of storage Enclosure.
The Rocket EJ340 allows RocketRAID series 6Gb/s HBA's support up to 16 SATA hard drives from a single connector, effectively quadrupling the storage capability of each external Mini-SAS port! Rocket EJ340 SATA Expander Modules EXPAND the Storage Capability of RocketRAID 6Gb/s Mini-SAS RAID HBA's: 400% more Storage Capacity and Scalable Performance.
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Western Digital Corporation and sTec, Inc. announced today that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which sTec, Inc., an early innovator in enterprise solid-state drives (SSDs), will be acquired by HGST, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Western Digital. sTec will be acquired for approximately $340 million in cash, which equates to $6.85 per share. This represents approximately $207 million in enterprise value, net of sTec’s cash as of March 31, 2013.
The pending acquisition augments HGST’s existing solid-state storage capabilities, accelerating its ability to expand its participation in the rapidly growing area of enterprise SSDs. HGST remains committed to its highly successful joint development program with Intel® Corp. and will continue to deliver current and future SAS-based SSD products with Intel.
sTec has strong engineering talent and intellectual property that will complement HGST technical expertise and capabilities. HGST will continue to support existing sTec products and collaborate with its customers to understand their future requirements.
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ASUS today announced the Xonar Essence STU USB external digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and headphone amplifier, based on the acclaimed design and quality of Xonar Essence ST/STX internal sound cards and going beyond their already high standards. Offering audiophile-grade performance, Xonar Essence STU delivers USB connectivity and accessible external controls.
It offers clear sound with a 120dB signal to noise ratio (SNR), strong 600ohm headphone amplifier, asynchronous USB audio and swappable Op-Amps for DIY sound modification. Precision clock tuning technology further enhances audio fidelity, making Xonar Essence STU a great choice for discerning music lovers who need a quality DAC and headphone amplifier to drive the full capabilities of high-end headphones.
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ASUS today announced the compact Xonar U7 USB external soundcard and headphone amplifier, which offers powerful and clear 114dB SNR audio with USB convenience. It incorporates a headphone amplifier, Dolby® Home Theater v4 support, plus dedicated microphone and volume controls.
Xonar U7 serves the needs of PC gamers who want to enjoy strong and clear sound via headphones, and is also ideal for listening to music as it produces much more impactful and detailed audio than onboard hardware. Connecting via USB, it requires no standalone power supply and works instantly setup-free with no need to open the PC case.
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Realtek Semiconductor Corp., one of the world’s largest IC design houses and a market leader in USB interface application technology, today announced the Realtek SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0) hub controller (RTS5401) has passed USB 3.0 compliance and certification testing by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF).
“The USB-IF is pleased that Realtek has achieved certification for its SuperSpeed USB hub controller (RTS5401),” said Jeff Ravencraft, President & COO, USB-IF. “Realtek is a USB-IF member company dedicated to USB device standardization, and their efforts support the USB-IF’s mission to expand the SuperSpeed USB ecosystem”.
As the SuperSpeed USB market continues to grow at a rapid pace, hub solutions are needed to conveniently manage multiple consumer devices using USB 3.0. Realtek SuperSpeed USB hubs provide a flexible connection between the host and peripheral devices, with no sacrifice in transmission performance.
