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Flash Memory
Samsung announced this week that it has developed the world's fastest 256GB multi-level cell (MLC) based solid state drive (SSD). This new 2.5" SSD is equipped with a SATA II interface which allows it to read at 200 MB/s and write at 160 MB/s.
Samsung Electronics, the world leader in advanced memory technology, announced today that it has developed the world's fastest, 2.5-inch, 256 Gigabyte (GB) multi-level cell (MLC) based solid state drive (SSD) using a SATA II interface, at the fifth annual Samsung Mobile Solution Forum held here today. Samsung's new 256GB SSD is also the thinnest drive with the largest capacity to be offered with a SATA II interface.

With a sequential read speed of 200 megabytes per second (MB/s) and sequential write speed of 160MB/s, Samsung's MLC-based 2.5-inch 256GB SSD is about 2.4 times faster than a typical HDD. Furthermore, the new 256 GB SSD is only 9.5 millimeters (mm) thick, and measures 100.3x69.85 mm.

Once introduced, the Samsung's 256GB SSD will mark the largest capacity SSD from the global market leader in SSD sales, effectively eliminating density as a barrier to SSD adoption in the consumer space.
Samsung is expected to begin producing its new 256GB SSD by year end, with customer samples available in September. A 1.8-inch version of the drive is expected to be available in the fourth quarter of 2008. Full details can be found here. Add a comment

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Optical Storage
I/OMagic recently announced that they have started shipping their new internal and external Blu-ray burners. To test the technical support needs of these new drives, I/OMagic has decided to offer them exclusively through their website.
I/OMagic (OTCBB: IOMG), a leading online retailer of personal data storage devices to major retailers, announced today the availability of internal and external Blu-Ray drives from their new redesigned website. I/OMagic is among the pioneers of optical storage and has maintained a strong presence in this market by offering quality, reliable CD and DVD optical drives. The addition of the Blu-Ray optical drives is an ideal extension of the I/OMagic optical drive line, which already encompasses internal and external dual layer, LightScribe, and slim notebook drives.

"There is strong demand for Blu-Ray burners for video editing, data backup and archiving, playing high resolution movies and state-of-the-art games," says Don Wallis, VP of Marketing. "With ever increasing need for more storage for video, photos, and data, Blu-Ray discs satisfy this need with their huge 25GB to 50GB data storage capacity on a single disc."
Unfortunately, I/OMagic has not released any details about the drives themselves or how much they will be. As we find out more, we'll let you know. In the mean time, I/OMagic's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment

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Optical Storage
With increased competition for OEM orders, the price of optical drives has dropped considerably over the last few years. According to DigiTimes, these price drops will soon be coming to an end. Due to the increased cost of materials and components, companies like Lite-On and Quanta plan to raise the price of optical drives by as much as 10% in the third quarter of 2008.
Lite-On IT and Quanta Storage, the largest Taiwan-based ODM/OEM makers of half-height and slim-type optical disc drives (ODDs), respectively, are planning to increase their ODM/OEM pricing by 3-10%, depending on the type of ODD, in the third quarter of 2008, according to industry sources in Taiwan.

The planned hike in pricing is because procurement costs for key materials and components have cumulatively risen to levels beyond Lite-On IT and Quanta Storage's tolerance, the sources explained.
With the price of oil going through the roof, we should feel lucky that manufacturers are raising prices by only 10%. If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes. Add a comment

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Home Entertainment
Panasonic announced today that it has developed a single-chip signal processing LSI for Blu-ray Disc players. The MN2WS006 offers support for the latest BD standards and includes functions such as dual-screen simultaneous video playback, high-quality audio playback and network compatibility.

Panasonic, the leading brand by which Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. is known, has developed the world's first Blu-ray Disc (BD) player-specific single-chip signal processing LSI (product number: MN2WS006), in response to the latest BD standards. This LSI combines a front end to read the signal from the BD, and a back end to convert this into AV data. Samples of this LSI will begin shipping in June 2008.

By using this product, Panasonic will be able to realize smaller sizes and lower power consumption in BD players compatible with the latest BD standards.
If you'd like to read more, Panasonic's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment

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Optical Storage
I/OMagic announced this week that it has begun shipping its new Portable USB 2.0 DVD-RW drive. This slim and lightweight drive weighs less than half a pound and is powered through its USB port. It also features 8x DVD±R and 4x DVD+R DL writing speeds and is capable of storing 8.5GB of data onto a single DL disc.
I/OMagic Corporation (OTCBB: IOMG), a leading provider of data storage products, announced today that they are shipping their Portable USB 2.0 DVD ReWritable disk drive that comes in a sleek, sturdy, black enclosure. This attractive and easy to use Portable USB 2.0 DVD-RW is powered by the USB port making it a very easy to use add-on to a personal computer or notebook for burning large amounts of music, photos and video, and data.

"The greatest demand for our Portable DVD burners are notebook users," says Tony Shahbaz, I/OMagic's CEO. "Most of the less expensive notebooks only have DVD readers and sub-notebooks have no DVD at all, so the need for Portable DVD burners is growing as the notebook market grows."
I/OMagic's Portable USB 2.0 DVD disk drive is available now for suggested retail price of $99.99. Full details can be found here. Add a comment

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Other

Aeneon XTune 2GB DDR3 - 1600 Mhz Memory @BCCHardware
Antec Three Hundred Case @ASE Labs
ASUS BC-1205PT SATA Blu-ray Disc Optical Drive @Benchmark Reviews
ASUS M3N-HT Deluxe/Mempipe @InsideHW
Cooler Master CM-600 @BHmag.fr
Cooler Master CSX Shag Wagon Aluminum Chassis @Bigbruin.com
Crucial 32GB 2.5" Solid State Drive @BCCHardware
Passive CPU Coolers Shoot Out: CM Z600 vs Scythe Ninja CU @Madshrimps
Thermaltake DuOrb CL-G0102 VGA Cooler @HardwareLogic
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Hard Disks
Western Digital has announced a new series of portable drives, designed specifically for the Mac. The My Passport Studio portable drives come equipped with both FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 interfaces and are HFS+ formatted for use with Apple's Time Machine backup software.

Expanding on its popular portable storage offerings, WD (NYSE: WDC) today introduced its new Mac-formatted My Passport Studio Portable Drives. The newest members of the My Passport family are designed for Mac users on-the-go and are equipped with both FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 interfaces, a clever capacity gauge, and include a soft drawstring carrying bag for protection from scratches and dirt. Available now at select retailers and at WD's online store (www.shopwd.com), the My Passport Studio portable drives are offered in capacities of 320 GB and 250 GB.

Weighing in at less than 5 ounces, the My Passport Studio portable drives make it easy to securely carry office files, thousands of songs, videos or photos and back up a Macintosh laptop using Apple Time Machine backup software utility. With an elegant silver metallic finish that perfectly complements other Mac products, these portable drives feature a shock-resistant enclosure to provide protection from the bumps and jars of everyday life on-the-go. Ultra portable, these drives are USB-bus powered which eliminates the need for an external power adapter.
WD's My Passport Studio portable drives are available now in 250GB and 320GB capacities and are priced at $159.99 and $219.99, respectively. Full details can be found here. Add a comment

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Flash Memory
SanDisk recently announced the launch of its Mobile Ultra line of premium mobile phone storage cards. The Mobile Ultra microSD, microSDHC and Memory Stick Micro (M2) cards come bundled with a MobileMate Micro Reader and are available in 2GB, 4GB and 8GB capacities.

A must-have product for consumers who embody the digital lifestyle, the SanDisk Mobile Ultra high-performance cards are “best of breed” premium cards that provide fast side-loading speeds. This means that users will experience accelerated transfer rates of digital files to and from their mobile memory card and their computer. In addition to speed, SanDisk Mobile Ultra cards allow consumers to “wake up” the multimedia features of mobile phones by increasing the phone's storage capacity for maps, music, videos, photos, games and other essential applications. For avid mobile phone videographers, events and experiences captured by the phone's video camera can be quickly and efficiently transferred to social media or video-sharing websites. For added value and convenience, the card is bundled with a MobileMate Micro Reader that plugs directly into a USB 2.0 port to assist in this quick transport and easy management of digital content.
SanDisk Mobile Ultra memory cards will be available at various retail outlets in early June. More information, including pricing, can be found here. Add a comment

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Home Entertainment
Traxdata sent out a press release this morning, announcing the availability of its new multimedia hard disk drive. The MultiMediaDrive gives users the ability to take the photos, music and video stored on their PC and play them back on their TV at resolutions up to 1080i.

With a huge 500GB storage capacity, users can create their own media library using Traxdata's MultiMediaDrive to watch movies, view holiday snaps, and play their favourite songs on their television instead of on a computer. Since the drive is equipped with a multitude of audio and video connections it is compatible with most TV sets.

The MultiMediaDrive is easy to use and works by transferring files stored on a computer to the drive, through the USB 2.0. It can then be plugged into any audio and video interface, including high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), allowing users to make full use of their HDTV (up to 1080i) without losing image and sound quality. To further enhance user experience Traxdata has included a remote control with the drive, allowing customers to control their entertainment from the comfort of their armchair.
If you'd like to read more, Traxdata's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment

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Other

ABS Tagan BZ900 900 Watt Power Supply @TweakTown
Aeneon Xtune DDR3-1600 2GB Dual Channel Memory Kit @ThinkComputers.org
Apevia Warlock 900 Watt Power Supply @High Tech Reviews
Asus P5Q Deluxe P45 Motherboard @ HotHardware.com
Behringer Digital Monitor Speaker MS20 And MS16 @TweakPC
Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 @TweakTown
Targus Fandango Tote Women's Laptop Bag @ThinkComputers.org
XFX 9800 GTX Black Edition Video Card @I4U
VIZO Mini Ninja Notebook Cooling Stand @Futurelooks
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