30th August 2006 Archive

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ATI unveils HDCP-native chipset for Intel CPUs

RS600 debuts as Radeon Xpress 1250

ATI last night rolled out its latest chipset for Intel processors, pitching the part at both desktop and notebook systems. The launch marks the arrival of the chip maker's RS600 North Bridge and features not only its Avivo video processing pipeline but full HDMI and HDCP support. The announcement of the Radeon Xpress 1250 …

Bits 'n' Chips 30 Aug 2006, 09:03
HTC touts record results

As i-mate rolls out latest smart phones

Smart phone company i-mate has announced its versions of HTC's TyTN and MTeoR handsets even as the manufacturer, which is now selling its products under its own name, announced record financial results. i-mate's versions of the TyTN and the MTeoR are called the JASJAM and SP JAS, respectively. Both are 3G devices and support …

Phones 30 Aug 2006, 09:41
Fujitsu preps perpendicular laptop HDD for Q4

Anticipating Intel's 'Santa Rosa' Centrino update?

Fujitsu has extended its 2.5in, notebook-oriented hard disk drive line up with both parallel ATA and SATA models, the latter utilising the perpendicular recording technique to offer up to 160GB of unformatted storage capacity. The MHW2160BH SATA drive will also ship as an 80GB unit. Both capacities are delivered by platters …

Storage 30 Aug 2006, 10:04
Japan tells Apple to probe burning battery problem

Risk of big ~~fires~~ fines if it doesn't

Japan's trade ministry has given Apple a week to explain why one of the Mac maker's notebooks allegedly burst into flames in April this year and to detail what's being done to make sure the incident isn't repeated. The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry yesterday revealed one owner of an iBook G4 received minor …

Mac 30 Aug 2006, 10:27
Sony ships 'world's fastest' DVD±R burner

Claims 18x burn speed

The first fruit of Sony's optical drive partnership with NEC have arrived in Europe: a drive the company claims is the world's fastest DVD±R writer, capable of burning single-layer discs at up to 18x speed. Sony admitted the availability of media certified for use at 18x was "limited", but it claimed the drive - dubbed the …

Storage 30 Aug 2006, 11:00
Dell kits out XPS 700 gaming PC with Core 2-class CPUs

Order backlog cleared?

Dell UK has formally upgraded its XPS 700 gaming machine to include Intel's Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme desktop processors, dropping the Pentium D chip the system was originally specified with. Prices for the Core 2 incarnation of the XPS 700 start at £1,099 inc. VAT and delivery, Dell UK said today. The XPS 700 was …

PCs 30 Aug 2006, 11:25
Mac OS X-friendly OpenOffice to go public next month

No more X11... soon

A version of OpenOffice that will run natively under Mac OS X's Aqua user interface will be demo'd in public at Apple Expo Paris next month, the team behind the software have revealed. To date, the open-source productivity software suite has only run under the X11 Unix windowing system. Apple bundles an X11 implementation …

Mac 30 Aug 2006, 11:46
Orange SPV M3100 3G handset

Review The ultimate smart phone?

Although the Orange SPV M3100 is a version of the HTC TyTN, Orange has come up with a better-looking design. That said, the two devices are otherwise identical. The black device with silver trim looks great and that's only the beginning of it, as this is a really terrific smart phone... The SPV M3100 has taken all the good …

Phones 30 Aug 2006, 13:34
Samsung models skinny 3G phones in Europe

Oh la la

Samsung has launched its Ultra Edition slimline 3G phone series in Europe, pledging to make then available cross-continent by the end of the year. This time round, Samsung's naming the trio after their respective widths, so we have the Ultra Edition 13.8, the 11.8 and the 8.4 for fans of slider phones, clamshells and candybar …

Phones 30 Aug 2006, 14:44
TomTom ships a pair of Ones

One-touch GPS gagdet updated

Satellite navigation specialist TomTom today found its way to releasing the successor to its TomTom One GPS gadget, rolling out two versions of the next-generation product: one for pan-European travellers, the other for drivers motoring around Britain. The new models use the SiRFStar III GPS chipset and a 266MHz processor. …

Gadgets and Gizmos 30 Aug 2006, 15:10
Core 2 Duo jargon decoder

Intel's dual-core technical talk translated

Intel's Core 2 Duo may be the world's most advanced desktop microprocessor, but like all those that have come before it - and almost certainly those yet to appear - its arrival is accompanied by a veritable dictionary of jargon and tech-talk. Baffled by 'Digital Media Boost'? Can't get your head around 'Viiv'? Look no further …

Bits 'n' Chips 30 Aug 2006, 15:12
Core 2 Duo-ready software compendium

Enter the age dual-core computing with these Core 2 Duo-friendly applications

Here is a selection of some of the many, many applications and utilities that are ready to take full advantage of Intel's dual-core processor architecture. All software applications will gain from the higher processing performance the Intel Core 2 Duo delivers, but programs specially written to be 'multi-threaded' are ready to …

Bits 'n' Chips 30 Aug 2006, 15:12
Creative adds wider screen to Zen Vision PMP

Full 16:9 ratio now

Creative has updated its Zen Vision:M digital music player and Zen Vision video device, at least in the company's native Singapore. Both gadgets had appeared in Western magazine ads, but this is the first time the company has discussed them officially. The Vision:M gets a 60GB hard drive, double the capacity of the first …

Gadgets and Gizmos 30 Aug 2006, 16:35