Rosewill Intros RK-9000 Series Mechanical Keyboards

Rosewill announced its RK-9000 series of mechanical-switch keyboards. In mechanical keyboards, each key has its own mechanical switch, compared to common membrane keyboards that use rubber conductive pads over a plastic membrane. Mechanical keyboards also tend to be more durable and provide more consistant tactile feedback compared to membrane ones. Rosewill's RK-9000 series is built on the various kinds of Cherry MX series switches, that have different tactile feedback levels.

The RK-9000 (standard) uses Cherry MX Blue switches, the RK-9000BR uses Cherry MX Brown, the RK-9000BL uses Cherry MX Black, and the RK-9000RE uses Cherry MX Red. All RK-9000 keyboards come with detachable cables, and come bundled with both USB and PS/2 cables. The connectors are gold-plated to improve durability. Pricing and availability isn't known, but the keyboards should reach major retail stores very soon.

SAPPHIRE Announces Radeon HD 6850 Vapor-X Edition

SAPPHIRE Technology has just announced a new high performance model in its extensive series of graphics cards - the HD 6850 Vapor-X Edition with SAPPHIRE exclusive Vapor-X cooler. The SAPPHIRE HD 6850 Vapor-X Edition has the same internal architecture as the standard model, with 960 stream processors and 48 texture processing units, but clock speeds are increased to 800MHz for the core and 1100Mhz (4.4 Gb/sec effective) for the memory giving users a considerable boost in performance.

The SAPPHIRE exclusive Vapor-X cooler ensures that the card runs quietly and efficiently. Together with other special hardware features including on-board 10-phase power control and SAPPHIRE’s highly efficient, cool running second generation Black Diamond chokes this ensures there is a good margin for performance tuning (overclocking) by enthusiast users. SAPPHIRE’s overclocking tool for these models - TriXX - is available free for anyone to download from a link on the SAPPHIRE website.

Eyefinity and APP Acceleration
The SAPPHIRE HD 6850 Vapor-X Edition has the versatile output configuration of two DVI, one HDMI and two mini DisplayPort connectors. Using two of the DVI/HDMI outputs as well as the two DisplayPorts enables this card to support up to four monitors in Eyefinity (SLS) mode.

In the HD 6850 Vapor-X Edition the third generation UVD (Unified Video Decoder) supports MVC (Multi-view Video Coding) for the smooth decoding of Blu-Ray 3D with reduced CPU load as well as other HD file formats. Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio are supported, and HDMI capability is HDMI 1.4a. This provides deep colour, enhanced high resolution output for Digital Theatre applications and 3D stereoscopic support as well as 7.1 high bit-rate audio.

The multiple stream processors of the HD 6800 series can be used to accelerate other applications such as video transcoding. The latest generation of web browsers can be GPU accelerated, and this is also supported for enhanced productivity in Microsoft Office 2010.

Second Generation DX11 support
The SAPPHIRE HD 6800 series features the second generation of graphics technology from AMD designed to support all the features of Microsoft DirectX 11 and DirectCompute 11. This family of GPU’s is built in AMD’s 40nm process to deliver high performance with low power consumption.

Advanced hardware features include an enhanced Tessellation unit, dedicated HDR Texture compression, multi-threaded communication with system CPU cores, embedded support for many of the DirectCompute 11 instructions, 3D stereoscopic support, HDMI 1.4a and DisplayPort 1.2.

The SAPPHIRE HD 6800 series is supported by AMD's DirectX 11 WHQL certified graphics driver which delivers support for all of the key DirectX 11 features required for enhanced gaming experiences as well as GPU acceleration of supported applications.

SilverStone Announces Treasure TS07 USB 3.0 to SATA 6 Gb/s 3.5'' Drive Enclosure

SilverStone created an incredible mobile storage product, the Treasure TS07. It connects to the PC via 5Gbit/s USB 3.0 super speed interface which enables data transfer with maximum compatibility and stability, making TS07 the best choice for taking important data on the go.

Special Features

• 5 Gb/s USB 3.0 Super Speed transfer rate.
• Supports 3.5" SATA 6 Gb/s SSD or hard drive.
• An entirely tool-less design.
• Maximum compatibility with USB2.0 (480Mbits)

Scythe Announces New Slip Stream 120 and 140 mm Fan Models

Japanese cooling expert Scythe expands its case fan portfolio by adding two new models from the Slip Stream series. Both axial fans are built in the typical Scythe high quality processing. Ideal application fields are individual airflow optimization inside a PC Chassis and addition for CPU and VGA Coolers. Slip Stream 140 PWM Adjustable VR and Slip Stream 120 PWM Adjustable VR are therefore equipped with two different functions for fan speed adjustments. By using the built-in switch it is possible to choose between conventional voltage regulation and the PWM fan control function which can be customized even further.

Both models are equipped with 120 mm mounting holes enabling wide compatibility range to most on-market PC Chassis as well as CPU Coolers. Switching to the VR mode unlocks the stepless adjustment of fan speed between 500 and 1.900 rpm. Depending on the set fan rpm the airflow varies between 24,5 and 110,31 CFM which is equivalent to 41 - 187 m³/h at a noise level between 7,5 and 37,0 dBA. While using the PWM mode fan speed is adjusted individually by the motherboard PWM fan controller. Users can alter the PWM bandwidth range by turning the VR knob to further optimize airflow and noise level.

Slip Stream 140 PWM Adjustable VR offers same features with a rated fan speed range between 500 and 1.700 rpm. Depending on the settings an airflow between 27,2 and 92,4 CFM respectively 46 and 157 m³/h is being created. While using the PWM mode the PWM bandwidth can be adjusted from 500 and 1.200 rpm (min) to 650 and 1.700 rpm (max).
Both Slip Stream 140 PWM Adjustable VR and Slip Stream 120 PWM Adjustable VR can be purchased as of today for 9,90 EUR (MSRP, excl. VAT/Tax).

Verbatim Introduces New Store ‘n’ Go Traveller HDD

Verbatim announces new Store ‘n’ Go Traveller is a 750GB 2.5” portable hard drive, available in black or silver. The Traveller is built to absorb shock if knocked or dropped giving more protection to the drive. It also has a tough rubber surrounding edge to give extra protection to the drive. With its SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface, the Verbatim Traveller offers extremely high transfer rates when connected to USB 3.0 host systems. That makes it the ideal storage solution for private and professional use on the go.

The drive is plug ‘n’ play and requires no external power for operation. It is also 100 per cent backwards compatible with USB 2.0 systems. For added security Nero BackItUp and Burn Essentials software enables automatic or manual back up of files, folders and drives. The software also includes Nero Express which provides the facility to easily burn files to CD or DVD, and Nero RescueAgent which helps to recover files should they become damaged.

• Tough enclosure to make the drive more resistant to knocks whilst travelling;
• USB 3.0 SuperSpeed data transfer offering up to 4.8 Gigabit per second;
• USB plug 'n' play (no additional power required);
• 100% compatible with USB 2.0;
• Nero BackItUp and Burn Essentials software;
• Quick Start Guide printed in 27 languages.

Also on the drive is Green Button software which reduces energy consumption and extends the drive’s life expectancy by automatically placing the drive into sleep mode after a programmed period of time or by the user manually clicking on the Green Button on the desktop.

ASRock Launches A55 Motherboard Series

AMD’s release of APU processor is a huge revolution. The new Llano architectures are a shot in the arm for integrated graphics, delivering the most powerful discrete-level graphics performance in mainstream market. Following the great launch of ASRock A75 mobo platform, ASRock is delighted to introduce its fantastic APU Motherboard Series based on the AMD A55 chipset. Supporting AMD Fusion A-Series APU, Socket FM1, DirectX 11 technology and a wide range of ASRock signature functions, ASRock brand new A55 APU Motherboard Series will surely bring the perfect components and combos to build up the ultimate rig.

Commenting on the new release, James Lee, V.P of ASRock Sales and Marketing, is with confidence. “ASRock A55 APU Motherboard Series has more to offer than just the combined powers of integrated graphics processor, as ASRock motherboards are best known for its perfect balance between price and performance. If users are looking for a value mobo supporting AMD’s full-power 32nm Llano processor, then ASRock A55 platform is unambiguously the best choice!” He stated.

A55 Pro3, the vanguard of the latest A55 APU Motherboard Series. The innovative AMD Radeon™ Dual Graphics Technology combines the powers of APU and discrete GPU, providing significant performance boost and immersive gaming experience. The most charming feature of A55 Pro3 is obviously the perfect performance of APU graphics. Paired with A55 Hudson-D2 chipset and APU processor, the board brings advanced visual excitements in the field of integrated graphics. It delivers the most powerful APU graphics ever.

Compared with other A55 motherboard, the ASRock A55 series MB provides up to 50.82% performance boost in 3DMark Vantage (performance mode) test. In terms of Onboard APU Graphics and Dual Graphics Performance items, ASRock A55 Pro3 shows its distinctive test result.

Another highlight here is the DRAM support. ASRock A55 platform is the world’s fastest motherboard coming with DDR3 2400+ support.

Users will get a whole new socket in the shape of the FM1 which is compatible of AMD’s 32nm transistor Llano APU. The APU processor integrates AMD Radeon HD 65XX/64XX and DirectX®11 graphics technology, delivering the optimized visual enjoyment to users. Steady Video™ leverages the processing power of the GPU in order to remove shakiness from the home/online video.

Considering high-speed SATA3 and USB 3.0 is a must, ASRock A55 Pro3 provides 2 SATA3 and 2 USB 3.0 ports to satisfy users’ needs. Other features include 2 PCIe 2.0 x16 slots cater for Quad CrossFireX and CrossFireX settings, dual-VGA outputs (D-Sub and HDMI) and 7.1CH HD Audio with THX TruStudio support.

Three ASRock A55 motherboards are available at launch – A55 Pro3, A55iCafe and A55M-HVS, two ATX and one Micro ATX models. In addition to the AMD’s exciting functions, there’s a couple of extra goodies thrown in too. To name a few, ASRock A55 platform comes with graphical UEFI, XFast LAN, XFast USB, On/Off Play, CyberLink MediaEspresso 6.5 (trial) and MAGIX Multimedia suite to facilitate computing environment. ASRock A55 Motherboard Series have superior software tools and better features on other A55 motherboards you’ve seen.

As the pioneer in motherboard industry, ASRock pays special attention to detail in order to provide consumers premium quality and feature-rich motherboards. We always give you more than you expected!

Samsung Announces Trio of Professional Series 3 Monitors

Samsung Electronics unveiled three new high-resolution desktop displays under its Professional Series 3 family, the S27A850, S24A650, S24A350T. The 27-inch S27A850 is targeted at the professional media industry, it provides the benefits of 100% sRGB colorspace coverage, LED-backlighting, and more importantly, a native resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels. Its panel provides viewing angles of 178 degrees, horizontally and vertically. The S24A650 and S24A350T are 24-inch screens, with 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution. The two are capable of 3000:1 static contrast ratio, and are equipped with Samsung's Eco Saving features that reduce power consumption by up to 50%. Pricing of these three displays are unclear at this point.

LG Brings Scanning Convenience To IFA 2011 With Innovative Mouse Scanner

LG Electronics (LG) will be opening a new era for scanners at this year’s IFA with the LSM-100, the mouse with a built-in scanner. Incorporating technology specifically developed for the new device, the LSM-100 offers an array of unique functions that blend surprising innovation and user convenience.

Operating the LSM-100’s scanning function is far more convenient than on conventional scanners. While holding the Smart Scan button on the left side of the mouse, the user simply swipes the mouse over the material to be scanned. The scanned image can then be saved in a variety of file types – PNG, JPEG, TIFF, BMP, PDF, XLS and DOC – or dragged and dropped into the desired application.

The LSM-100 is also equipped with LG’s Optical Character Recognition technology, which converts scanned text into a Microsoft Word document that can then be edited and manipulated as the user sees fit. By eliminating the need to retype text from print media onto the screen, Optical Character Reader saves users a great deal of time.

The mouse’s compact size belies its big-sized capabilities. Because it’s not limited by a frame, the LSM-100 can scan page sizes up to A3, larger than most conventional portable scanners. Additionally, the scanning technology itself has been upgraded to handle faster pass-over rates, meaning that scanning an A3 sheet can be done smoothly and quickly.

The LSM-100 is also a top-end mouse. The laser sensor is accurate and durable, and the stylish design lends itself to easy, smooth motions as well as providing an ergonomic, comfortable grip.

Cooler Master Announces NotePal U Stand

Cooler Master, a market leader in providing thermal solutions, computer chassis, power supplies, peripherals, and notebook coolers, announces an innovative new addition to the NotePal U Series, the U Stand. Crafted with a subdued elegance, the U Stand features a brushed aluminum surface that helps expedite heat dissipation. It is an ideal ergonomic companion for laptops up to 17” that are setup at a home or work office.

By including a 3 port USB hub, five adjustable heights, and two silent and movable 100mm fans, the NotePal U Stand becomes a central hub for productivity. Through these, it effectively transforms a laptop into a form that is more ergonomic and connection friendly, like a desktop PC. Utilize the 3 port USB hub to simultaneously connect devices such as printers, scanners, cameras, and more

Neck and wrist strain are reduced significantly by the five adjustable height settings that empower a user to adjust the viewing and typing angle to one that is more comfortable for their work. In keeping with the Notepal U Series tradition, the U Stand comes equipped with two silent, movable fans. Users may place the fans underneath hot zones to maximize cooling potential. Feel secure in that the NotePal U Stand provides for excellent laptop cooling while being mindful of a users comfort.

ECS Announces G11 All-in-One Desktop PC

Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS), the world’s leading motherboard, graphics card, barebone system, notebook and mobile device manufacturer presents its All-In-One (AIO) system—G11 to delight the market and enrich digital life. As Intel strategic business partner, ECS G11 has been designed in the Thin Mini-ITX form factor complying with Intel’s AIO system standard specification.

ECS G11 is capable of being upgraded easily with devices or motherboards under the standard specification which gives the end user the entertainment of a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) system. G11 is equipped with a 21.5” wide LED touch panel supporting 10-finger multi-touch with up to 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) resolution for a responsive interactive experience. Moreover, ECS G11 adopts the Intel H61 chipset, supporting the latest Intel 2nd Generation Core processors to extend the possibility of powerful performance.


Easy to touch and operate, ECS G11 is an ideal platform for a home entertainment system. Furthermore, with strong upgradability and extendibility, ECS G11 can be a powerful working PC for every kind of task at the office. ECS G11 has no limits of application. With a multi-touch panel, G11 can also be a digital board or educational whiteboard. ECS G11 is the all-new customizable AIO system that meets the needs of next generation desktop computing. Experience the new generation of whitebox All-In-One (AIO) solution. ECS will also present an AIO system with a 24” LED panel in the near future. Stay tuned.

ZOTAC Announces GeForce GTS 450 ECO Edition Graphics Card

ZOTAC International, a leading innovator and the world’s largest channel manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards and mini-PCs, today debuts the new GeForce GTS 450 ECO Edition with enhanced energy-efficiency. The new ZOTAC GeForce GTS 450 ECO Edition delivers best-in-class energy efficiency with a 33-perecent reduction in energy consumption.

“ZOTAC understands the importance of energy-efficient graphics performance for users that demand the latest 3D features with a performance kick,” said Carsten Berger, marketing director, ZOTAC International. “With the ZOTAC GeForce GTS 450 ECO Edition, we were able to improve energy-efficiency and eliminate the external power connector without sacrificing any GPU features.”

The ZOTAC GeForce GTS 450 ECO Edition is the perfect graphics card for home theatre aficionados with superior home theatre-friendly features including hardware video decode acceleration for high-definition Blu-ray and Adobe Flash HD content, audio bitstreaming of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. NVIDIA 3D Vision readiness enables the ZOTAC GeForce GTS 450 ECO Edition to output Blu-ray 3D content via HDMI 1.4a for stunning 3D video playback.

It’s time to play with the ZOTAC GeForce GTS 450 ECO Edition.

Corsair Announces DDR3 Memory Upgrades for Apple Computers

Corsair, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market, today announced worldwide retail availability of 4GB DDR3 memory for Apple Mac desktop and laptop PCs.

Corsair’s Mac memory kits are tested at Apple Developer Compatibility Labs and are guaranteed to work with any Mac desktop or notebook PC that supports 4GB DDR3 SODIMMs, including iMac, Mac mini, Mac Pro, MacBook, and MacBook Pro models. This includes virtually all models offered by Apple since 2010.

HP surprised many last week, when it announced its move to spin off its PC products division, which sells all HP-branded PC products. That sparked off

HP surprised many last week, when it announced its move to spin off its PC products division, which sells all HP-branded PC products. That sparked off speculation about which company will acquire it. There are feelers in the industry, particularly in Taiwan, which houses several OEMs, that Samsung could be in the run for acquiring HP's PC business. The Korean conglomerate deals with the IT and consumer electronics industries under the Samsung Electronics company. Samsung is reported to have contacted Quanta Computer, Compal Electronics and Pegatron Technology, major Taiwan-based OEMs of notebooks, to evaluate the possibility of outsourcing notebook orders.

Samsung manufactures its notebooks though OEMs in mainland China, and had in older occasions, contacted Taiwan-based OEMs for outsourcing manufacturing, without any result. The move to contact them now is fueling speculation that Samsung is planning to expand its PC business in a big way. Sources note that Taiwan's notebook manufacturing industry is unmatched worldwide, in terms of cost control and production efficiency. If Samsung takes over HP's PC department, HP's over 40 million PC shipment volume will still need to depend on Taiwan OEMs. However, related suppliers of components such as panel, memory and battery may be affected as Samsung has a rather strong vertical integration supply chain.

LG Announces 3D-Capable XNote A530 Performance Notebook

LG announced its first 3D-capable notebook, the XNote A530. Two of its biggest selling points are the 15-inch LED backlit display that's capable of 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution, and stereoscopic 3D webcam, that uses two individual cameras to build a stereo 3D video stream, backed by LG's software. The XNote A530 is powered by "Sandy Bridge" 2nd Generation Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M graphics. A Korean press release also mentions that the notebook will back 3D PT software, that allows users to make stereo 3D presentations that can be displayed using 3D-capable displays and projectors. The company did not announce pricing and availability details.

Gamescom News Post Rekindles GTX 590 Successor Rumors

When NVIDIA responded to AMD's Radeon HD 6990 dual-GPU graphics cards with a dual-GPU card of its own, the GeForce GTX 590, it ended up with a disputable performance lead, enough for both GPU vendors to claim that theirs is the fastest graphics card in the market, backed by reviews or specific tests that suit them. There really is no answer to what is the fastest reference-design graphics card that commands a three-figure price. There have been rumors that NVIDIA is planning to address this with a new dual-GPU graphics card. An older report called the new card a mere revision of the GTX 590, though it's now emerging that the new card could get a new SKU name.

A Slovenian gaming news site that looked into some of the PCs running Battlefield 3 at Gamescom mentioned the name "GTX 595". This couldn't have been in error, because the site goes on to mention that the GTX 595 is "a dual-GPU card that is not yet out," adding that "NVIDIA provide[ed] special drivers for EA gamescom to improve a little gaming experience (and probably reduce bugs )." Those could have been early drivers that can run the card. According to older reports, the idea behind GTX 595 (as it's now being referred to), is to strengthen the VRM circuitry of GTX 590, to perhaps facilitate higher clock speeds, and try to create a clear performance lead over Radeon HD 6990. Nothing else is known about the GTX 595 at this point. In our opinion, Battlefield 3 launch (late October) could serve as a good launchpad for a new high-end SKU.

Logitech Announces Gaming Mouse G300

Logitech unveiled the latest addition to its acclaimed G-Series gaming products, the Logitech Gaming Mouse G300. Designed to give PC gamers an advantage over the competition, the mouse features nine programmable controls, letting you move keyboard commands to buttons that are in easy reach.

Additionally, the Logitech Gaming Mouse G300 lets you store up to three game or player profiles in the mouse's onboard memory, so you can run the mouse without software or even move it between computers without having to reconfigure each time. User-configurable lighting assigns one of seven colors to each profile, so you can easily see which profile you're using. Plus, the mouse's sculpted, ambidextrous shape is equally comfortable in either hand.

"The Logitech Gaming Mouse G300 is perfect for PC gamers who want intelligent features that give them real benefits in-game" said Chris Pate, senior manager of product marketing for gaming at Logitech. "Whether you need more programmable buttons for your MMO, better precision for targeting enemies in an FPS, or a compact, comfortable shape to get you through hours of gameplay, we've got it covered."

The Logitech Gaming Mouse G300's gaming-grade 2500-DPI optical sensor tracks slow or fast movements on a wide variety of surfaces, so you get exactly the action you want from every incremental hand movement. In addition, optional drag-and-drop software makes it easy to set the Logitech Gaming Mouse G300 up exactly the way you want. The software also works with G-Series keyboards and headsets, so you can create macros once and share them between your G-Series family of devices.

NLE JULY 2011 top ten !!!!!! released HOT

GELID Announces Gamer Series GX-7 CPU Cooler

Thermal Solutions specialist GELID Solutions reveals the GX-7 CPU cooler of its GAMER product line. Engineers at GELID Solutions have created an outstanding new CPU cooler with 7 power heat pipes. Contrary to traditional heat pipe arrangement for this GAMER CPU cooler “GX-7”, a special array of heat pipes was used to take full advantage of all 7 heat pipes heat transfer capacity. Further V-shaped aluminum fins were used in the center of the heat sink to allow airflow to reach the heat sink more evenly. Openings inside of the heat sink and near the heat pipes let fresh-air flows in from the top and the bottom to zones normally poorly ventilated, and eliminate the creation of hotspots. The unique heat sink shape supports dual fans.

Included in the GX-7 is the multi-award winning Wing 12 PL fan, allowing the cooler to reach remarkable temperature. The Wing 12 PL Blue features blue LEDs and unique Nanoflux bearing which ensures a friction-free and silent operation. Thanks to the clever design and magnetic bearing, the impeller can be detached for easy cleaning. Additionally, fan blade winglets were designed to achieve larger airflow and greater static pressure. The fan also includes a premium PWM control, so the temperature can be controlled precisely by the BIOS.

The patented Nanoflux bearing (NFB) incorporates a clever magnetic design and very high precision manufacturing. It runs friction-free and operates noiselessly. Electromagnetic fields are exploited to keep solid parts from touching. The load is carried by a magnetic field. The Nanotechnology composite ensures lowest abrasion and extreme durability (MTBF 100,000 hours). The nano composite material is self-lubricating compared to conventional sleeve and ball bearings. The high precision self-lubricated material of GELID Solutions Nanoflux bearing eliminates oil leakage.
The multi-award winning high performance GC-2 thermal compound is already included in the package. Additionally, mounting clips for AMD AM2, AM2+, AM3, AM3+, FM1 and for Intel 775, 1366 and latest 1155 &1156 sockets as same as back plates for Intel LGA 775, Core i3,Core i5 and Core i7 boards are all included.

The cooler is RoHS and WEEE conform and carries a 3-year warranty.

"The GX-7 when using dual 120mm fans can provide cooling equivalent to liquid cooling solutions," said Gebhard, Sales Director of GELID Solutions Ltd.

Logitech Introduces Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 for Mac

Logitech brings the power of light to Mac users with the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 for Mac. With the same award-winning design and feature set as the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750, this newest version – available in multiple colors – makes battery hassles a thing of the past thanks to its onboard solar cells that power the keyboard using ambient light.

“We hear from consumers all the time that they want to see more Mac products from us,” said Rory Dooley, Logitech senior vice president and general manager of the Control Devices business unit. “I’m proud to say we’ve listened, and are excited to offer one of our most innovative keyboards designed specifically for Mac users.”


Available in five colors – four exclusively for Mac users – the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 for Mac is powered by light – even indoors. It powers itself with ambient light in the room – there’s no need for direct sunlight – so you’ll never have to hassle with changing batteries. And on a full charge it can work for up to three months in total darkness. Plus, you can download the solar power app that gives you at-a-glance information about battery levels, and even alerts you when you need more light.

With its PVC-free construction and fully recyclable box, this keyboard is designed to help minimize its environmental footprint. A full-size wireless keyboard, the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 for Mac includes a number pad and features a layout designed for Mac users, so everything is where you expect it to be. Combining the best of traditional keyboards and laptops with a Logitech-only concave key-cap design, the keyboard lets you enjoy faster, quieter, feel-good typing – hour after hour. With sleek lines and a thin profile, this stylish, streamlined keyboard adds style to your workspace—whether you’ve got a laptop or desktop.

The Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 for Mac comes with advanced 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity to virtually eliminate delays or dropouts, and a plug-and-forget Unifying receiver that is so small it stays in your laptop, so your keyboard is always ready to use.

SAPPHIRE Supports Latest Intel CPU Family with Pure Platinum Z68 Mainboard

SAPPHIRE Technology, a leading manufacturer and global supplier of graphics, mainboard and multimedia solutions has just introduced a new mainboard developed to support the latest SandyBridge family of CPU’s from Intel

The SAPPHIRE Pure Platinum Z68 is a full ATX sized board that supports the 2nd Generation Intel SandyBridge i3 / i5 / i7 processor family using socket LGA1155. Four dual channel memory sockets are provided, supporting up to 16GB of DDR3 memory with current technology, and capable of supporting up to 32GB when suitable modules become available. There two USB 3.0 ports and four USB 2.0 ports (plus 8 on headers), as well as Gigabit LAN and Bluetooth connectivity with EDR (enhanced data rate). It has four SATA II 3G ports, and two SATA III 6G ports (+ two more on a header) and supports Intel “Rapid Storage” technology as well as RAID 1, 0, 5 and 10.



Four Video output options are provided for the on-chip graphics output of the CPU – VGA, DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort - of which any pair can be used simultaneously. The HDMI 1.4a port supports both video and audio. The rear panel has the standard I/O configuration for the on board 8-channel HD 7.1 Audio as well as SPDIF.

Add-in graphics support is provided by two PCI-E Gen3 x16 slots, spaced to allow the installation of two dual width graphics cards in CrossFireX. Further expansion is provided by an additional PCI-E x16 slot and three standard PCI slots. Lucid Virtu software is bundled with this board, which provides dynamic switching between the built-in processor graphics and discrete graphics cards. This is ideal for people who want to use high-end, 3D cards for high-resolution gaming and enjoy the power savings of switching to the built-in graphics capabiity of 2nd Generation Intel processors for 2D or media applications.

The Z68 chipset supports performance tuning by allowing separate adjustment of clock speeds, multipliers and voltages, ideal for overclocking. All these changes can be made in the BIOS of the SAPPHIRE Pure Platinum Z68. The board has a Dual BIOS, allowing for experimentation and updates, and for the hard-core enthusiast, voltage test pads have been brought out to the edge of the board for the critical voltages on the CPU and memory circuits. Other user friendly features include digital debug display and a push button reset for the BIOS, as well as start and system reset buttons.

Hardware monitoring tools and the SAPPHIRE proprietary Mainboard TriXX software allow users to review and adjust a range of system parameters while optimising performance of the CPU.

The build quality of the SAPPHIRE Pure Platinum Z68 is high. It has a black multilayer PCB, and uses high quality gold plated connectors for USB 3.0 and LAN. It incorporates many of the high end features associated with the SAPPHIRE brand, such as the use of high reliability solid capacitors throughout. The multi-phase voltage regulation circuitry, 6 + 2 phase for the CPU and 3 phase for the memory modules, incorporates the patented SAPPHIRE Diamond Black chokes with coolers that have featured on SAPPHIRE’s high end graphics cards, and the chipset is passively cooled contributing to reliability as there are no moving parts to fail.

ASUS Reveals the Republic of Gamers MARS II with Dual GeForce GTX 580 GPUs

The new ROG MARS II picks up where previous graphics card powerhouses from ASUS ROG left off, and continues the legacy of the finest hardware for hardcore gamers. The limited-edition card is built on twin NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 GPUs and a mammoth 3GB of GDDR5 video memory, with a proprietary ROG design that combines extreme cooling and extensive tuning facilities that cater to the most demanding power user. It also offers colossal pixel-pushing output that is unmatched by any graphics card.

Massive dual GPU power ― 22% faster performance than reference
The super-powered ROG MARS II reaches new peaks of performance — it runs 22% faster than a reference GeForce GTX 590 and offers tremendous potential. Its launch comes at a very opportune time for dedicated PC gamers, since it will be followed by the arrival this fall of several high-profile games that promise genuine next generation graphics with next generation hardware. The ROG MARS II has so much power it will be able to easily run all native DirectX 11 games in resolutions higher than 1080p and detail settings at their maximum levels. Its twin GeForce GTX 580 cores and 3GB of superfast GDDR5 video memory translate into the superlative performance that gamers are always seeking, representing a new benchmark in graphics dominance.

DirectCU II thermal design ― 600% greater airflow and 20% cooler than reference
In addition to the trademark red-on-black ROG color scheme, the ROG MARS II has twin 120mm fans that move up to 600% more air than the reference GeForce GTX 590 design, yet still remain quiet even under stress. ASUS DirectCU II technology means the GPU is cooled directly with all-copper pipes and a heatsink base, resulting in 20% lower temperatures. ASUS has also incorporated a Turbo Fan button on the card itself, allowing users to instantly switch the fans to 100% speed, regardless of driver settings. This feature proves very useful in overclocking situations where heat is a factor, as does the solid aluminum shroud that conducts heat away much more efficiently than the materials used in generic graphics cards.

Enhanced with 21-phase Super Alloy Power for a 15% performance boost
The ROG MARS II incorporates exclusive ASUS Super Alloy Power technology, which utilizes a special alloy mix for power delivery components that resist heat and material fatigue far beyond the norm. For this new graphics card, ASUS has expanded the technology to a 21-phase power architecture to ensure constantly stable wattage and prevent power loss, even in the most arduous of circumstances. This guarantees the kind of extensive overclocking headroom that has never before been seen in any graphics card, much to the delight of enthusiasts. As a result, this graphics card design leads to a 15% performance boost, 2.5 times the lifespan and up to 35°C cooler performance than reference cards. Users also benefit from a patented PCI-E anti-shock sustainer that keeps the card firmly in its slot, preventing deformation as a result of heat exposure and resisting vibration if the PC case is moved.
Collectors’ edition card with GPU Tweak utility

The ROG MARS II is bundled with the exclusive ASUS GPU Tweak utility, which puts users in direct control of the card’s extreme hardware. It offers modification of a wide range of performance parameters, including clock speeds, voltages and fan speeds, and all are accessible via a friendly and clear user interface. The GPU Tweak utility puts the immense processing muscle of the ROG MARS II at the disposal of gamers to make an ideal overclocking environment. A laser-carved, sequentially–numbered aluminum plate certifies each card’s limited edition status, making each one an icon that’s sure to be coveted by collectors.

Product highlights:

• Dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 GPUs with 512 CUDA cores each and 3GB GDDR5 video memory for 22% faster than reference performance
• Laser-carved aluminum plate identifies each card individually as a limited-edition item
• Twin 120mm fans for up to 600% greater air flow
• DirectCU II all-copper thermal design — 20% cooler than reference
• GPU Tweak interface opens up extensive overclocking and tuning possibilities
• Turbo Fan button instantly activates 100% fan speed
• Solid aluminum shroud improves heat dissipation
• Extra stable 21-phase Super Alloy Power architecture for incredible overclocking headroom — 15% performance boost, 2.5 times longer lifespan and 35°C cooler operation
• Custom PCI-E anti-shock sustainer keeps the card securely in place at all times

AMD Releases First Socket FM1 Athlon Processor

Officially as of yesterday, AMD's line of FM1 chips no longer includes 'only' A-Series APUs (accelerated processing units) as the Sunnyvale-based company went ahead and introduced an Athlon II CPU compatible with the FM1 socket.

Known as the Athlon II X4 631, the first non-APU FM1 product features four cores clocked at 2.6 GHz, 4MB of L2 cache, it lacks any kind of integrated graphics core, and bears a TDP rating of 100W. The X4 631 is compatible with A75 and A55-based motherboards and sell for just $79 in 1000-unit tray quantities.

AMD is supposed to be preparing more Athlons, as well as some Sempron CPUs for the FM1 platform so stay tuned.

AMD Catalyst 11.8 WHQL Driver Suite Released

AMD today rolled out this month's major Catalyst software suite release, Catalyst 11.8 WHQL. The software provides the latest WHQL-signed drivers for AMD Radeon GPUs, AMD accelerated processing units (APUs), and AMD chipsets with integrated graphics. This release sees the fusion of AMD Overdrive System (CPU) with GPU overdrive. Both AMD processors and Radeon GPUs can be tweaked using a single application in the Vision Control Center. CPU Overclocking in Vision Center, however, is only supported on Black Edition processor models.

In the GPU driver front, Catalyst 11.8 brings a few major performance improvements, including a 10% performance improvement for Crysis 2 DirectX 11, for both non-Anti-Aliasing, and application enabled Anti-Aliasing modes; 8% performance boosts in FEAR 3 DirectX 11 with application enabled Anti-Aliasing; and a significant 20% boost in Call of Duty Black Ops for single and multi-GPU setups. AMD has redesigned Morphological Anti Aliasing (MLAA) code to boost performance of all applications with MLAA enabled, by up to 30%.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Catalyst 11.8 WHQL

Razer and EA Announce Battlefield 3 Gamers Gear

Razer, the world’s leading high-end precision gaming brand and EA, a leading global interactive entertainment software company, is kicking your explosive war gaming experience up several notches with the exclusive Battlefield 3 co-branded peripherals and gear line. Get total immersion and the technological advantage to win in one of the biggest first person shooter titles from EA to be launched this year.

The Razer Battlefield 3 Collector’s Edition Peripherals line includes a Razer BlackWidow Ultimate mechanical keyboard, a Razer Imperator gaming mouse, Razer Scarab hard mouse mat and a Razer Onza Tournament Edition Xbox 360 controller. This suite of Razer gaming weaponry fully equips fans of Battlefield 3 to take on the most intense firefights and emerge victorious. They’ll be empowered with competitive gaming features like faster key actuation on the Razer BlackWidow, increased swiping precision with the Razer Imperator, enhanced tracking accuracy with the Razer Scarab and fully customizable controls on the Razer Onza.

“Everyone at Razer is eager for the day Battlefield 3 launches and we’re going to be right there next to every other gamer immersed in the most hardcore military game to date,” said Robert “RazerGuy” Krakoff, President, Razer USA. “And we’ll be doing it with the Battlefield 3 Collector’s Edition peripherals and gear line by Razer – the best hardware to complement one of the most hotly anticipated shooters of 2011.”

About the Battlefield 3 Razer BlackWidow Ultimate gaming keyboard
Whether you’re bringing down the thunder in a fighter jet, blasting holes in the enemy base with a tank, or part of a fearless infantry unit ready to destroy, the Battlefield 3 Razer BlackWidow Ultimate takes you full speed into combat with its full-fledged, heavy-duty mechanical key infrastructure. As it delivers crisp, tactile feedback and faster keystroke actuation to your gameplay, this revolutionary, fully backlit gaming keyboard packs a punch for your fight in the hyper-frenetic, immersive military shooter, Battlefield 3.

Availability:
Razerzone.com – 25th October 2011
Worldwide - 25th October 2011

Product Features:

• Full mechanical keys with 50g actuation force
• Individually backlit keys with 5 levels of lighting
• 1000Hz Ultrapolling / 1ms response time
• Programmable keys with on-the-fly macro recording
• Gaming mode option for deactivation of the Windows key
• 10 customizable software profiles with on-the-fly switching
• 5 additional macro keys
• Gaming optimized key matrix for minimized ghosting
• Multi-media controls
• Braided cable
• Audio-out / Mic-in jacks
• USB-passthrough
• Approx. size in mm: 475(L) x 171(W) x 30(H)
• Weight 1.5kg

For more information about the Battlefield 3 Razer BlackWidow Ultimate, please visit www.razerzone.com/bf3

About the Battlefield 3 Razer Imperator gaming mouse
In war, the ultimate weapon is the soldier - a highly-trained and highly-equipped warrior primed to secure victory no matter the cost. With the Battlefield 3 Razer Imperator, its 6400dpi 4G Dual Sensor System ensures that your every movement is translated into frags of pinpoint accuracy. Its rubberized contoured thumb grip and ergonomic right-handed form factor becomes an extension of your will and prowess – making you the ultimate weapon in the hyper-frenetic, immersive military shooter, Battlefield 3.

About the Battlefield 3 Razer Scarab hard mouse mat
A good soldier is highly effective and never wavering in combat, and that’s what the Battlefield 3 Razer Scarab delivers with its Razer Fractal 2.0 textured surface. The surface is specially composed of crystalline coating, with peaks and troughs to aid mice sensors in establishing highly responsive, uniform tracking. Experience precise and effortless swipes across the surface to take enemies down with deadly ease and efficiency.

Product features:

• Fractal 2.0 surface coating
• Optimal performance for both laser and optical mice
• Hard mouse mat providing precise tracking
• Improved rubber base for greater stability
• Large size suited for most gaming environments: 350(W) x 250(L) x 3(H)mm
• Reinforced carrying case for optimal stowing

About the Battlefield 3 Razer Onza Tournament Edition Xbox 360 controller
The Battlefield 3 Razer Onza TE gaming controller for the Xbox 360 gives soldiers the maximum competitive edge on the battlefield; it comes with adjustable resistance on both analog sticks for better sensitivity control and two fully programmable Multi-Function Buttons for faster fragging at your fingertips. On top of that, an improved D-pad, Hyperesponse technology on the backlit action buttons, and a 15 foot light-weight braided cable with quick release USB connector makes the Battlefield 3 Razer Onza TE the perfect choice for heart-pumping military action with Battlefield 3 on the Xbox 360.

Product features:

• 2 Adjustable resistance analog sticks
• 2 Multi-Function Buttons (MFB)
• 4 backlit Hyperesponse action buttons
• Precision D-Pad
• Non-slip rubber surface
• Quick release USB connector
• 15 foot, lightweight, braided fiber cable
• Approx. size in mm: 109(L) x 154(W) x 60.5(H)

About the Battlefield 3 Razer Messenger Bag
In battle, dust, dirt, and shrapnel are some of the things that could come to harm your gaming laptop and gear, so get total armored protection with the highly durable and lightweight Battlefield 3 Razer Messenger Bag. Constructed with tear-resistant, weather-proof heavy-duty 1680D ballistic, your gaming laptop and gear fears neither the elements nor the hardships of war.

About the Battlefield 3 iPhone 4 Protection Case by Razer
In war, a soldier is nothing without effective lines of communication and that’s why he keeps his tactical smartphone with him at all times. The Battlefield 3 iPhone 4 Protection Case by Razer is made from heavy-duty silicone designed in a rugged, military look to protect yours from the shocks of war. Then, call in air-strikes and reinforcements effectively to bring home the win.

Product features:

• Heavy duty silicone for heavy duty protection of your iPhone 4 from the elements
• Rubberized finish for better grip
• Rugged, military Battlefield 3 exclusive design