Logitech will announce the Cordless Desktop MX 3100, the first package keyboard + mouse with the Logitech MX 1000 during the CES. The Logitech MX 1000 is Logitech’s best cordless mouse. The key board will be the same as the one found in LX 700 and MX 3000 packages. We were expecting this package in January, but the Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 3100 has been strangely announced for March. The suggested retail price in the US should be $149.95 (EU 120€).

	Verbatim has just made several announcements about blank media. For dual layers, the manufacturer started shipments of DVD-R DL 4x samples (the DVD-R DL 4x should be available in shops end of Q1 2005). The manufacturer is also working on 8x versions of the DVD+R DL which should be released during the third quarter. It will be possible to burn 8.5 GB in approximately 16 minutes with these media. For single layers, Verbatim announced the release of DVD-R 16x in shops for the end of the month. We are expecting however the DVD+RW 8x for the end of the first quarter. Verbatim also announced the release of LightScribe media. With this technology it is possible to personalize the top of your CD/DVD. The price announced for 10 CD-R 52x LightScribe is US$9, and we are also expecting a DVD+R 8x version this month. Finally Verbatim announced plans to support the development of both Blu-ray and HD-DVD.

	We mentioned several time the Gigabyte 3D1 in past news, a graphic card based on two GeForce 6600 GT chips. Each chip support 128 Mb of memory and communicates with NVIDIA’s technology. We know now this graphic card price, or at least the price of its package as this limited edition will be sold only with the GA-K8NXP-SLI motherboard (based on a nForce 4 SLI). This package recommended price is $550, and as the motherboard price alone is $255, the price for the Gigabyte 3D1 is $295. This is $65 cheaper than buying two 6600 GT separately. This price is attractive but as the motherboard price is quite high (compared to the Asus) in the end this package price isn’t really interesting. It is unfortunate because from a technical point of view the 3D1 doesn’t need a nForce4 SLI motherboard. The Gigabyte 3D1 is clocked at 500/560 MHz, instead of 500/500 MHz for standard 6600 GT. In practice performances are 1 to 2% higher than two 6600 GT with the same frequencies in SLI. The Gigabyte 3D1 suffers from the same problems as two 6600 GT in SLI: with very good raw performances, but performances restrictions due to the memory (128 MB / 128 bits) with high resolutions such as AA 4x/Aniso 8x in 1600*1200 or even in 1280*1024. The SLI isn’t also always optimum (see our SLI test). From a technological point of view the 3D1 is very interesting but it is less interesting from a buying point of view like most of the current SLI solutions available. It is only possible to choose between the 6600 GT (which performances are restricted with high resolutions) and very expensive 6800 (compared to their performances). We hope that the release of 6800 GT PCI Express combined with a price reduction due to the release of the X800 XL will be new factor in this situation.

	Hitachi announced today three new hard rives the 7K500, T7K250 and 7K80. The 7K500, available in Serial-ATA (HDS725050KLA360) and Parallel-ATA (HDS725050KLAT80) versions has a capacity of 500 GB. The P-ATA has 8 MB of cache and the S-ATA 16 MB. This hard drive also supports the SATA-II which makes possible to reach a transfer rate of 300 MB/s between the hard drive and the interface (this transfer rate isn’t however very useful). The 7K500 is equipped with 5 platters of 50 GB for each side and access time announced by Hiachi is 8.5 ms for a sustained transfer rate between 64.8 et 31 MB/s whether if it is in the beginning or the end of the disc (instead of 61.4 to 29.8 MB/s for the 7K400). The noise level is equivalent to the 7K400: 31 dBA in rotation. 4 versions of the T7K250 will be released: - HDT722525DLAT80 : 250 GB, P-ATA - HDT722516DLAT80 : 160 GB, P-ATA - HDT722525DLA380 : 250 GB, S-ATA - HDT722516DLA380 : 160 GB, S-ATA Like the 7K500 these versions are equipped with a new Serial ATA compatible with the SATA-II norm, but the cache is only 8 MB for all versions. Compared to the 7K250, the T7K250 is no longer equipped with 80 GB but 125 GB platters (85% of the platter is used for the 160 GB version). Logically the transfer rate is increased from 29.7 to 61.4 MB /s for the 7K250 to 32.9-67.8 MB /s for the T7K250. Access time is unchanged to 8.5ms, and the noise level is also equivalent for the same amount of platters (28 dBA for two platters). Finally four versions of the 7K80 will be released - HDS728040PLAT20 : 40 GB, P-ATA, 2 MB of cache - HDS728080PLAT20 : 80 GB, P-ATA, 2 MB of cache - HDS728040PLA320 : 40 GB, S-ATA, 2 MB of cache - HDS728080PLA380 : 80 GB, S-ATA, 8 MB of cache These versions don’t include any major innovations. Like the 7K250 of the same capacity, their access time is 8.8 ms and their transfer rate varies between 29.6 and 61.1 MB /s (29.7-61.4 MB /s). The noise level is also identical: 26 dBA in rotation. In fact the only real difference is the SATA-II. Also unlike precedent Hitachi hard drives, these hard drives follows the European norm 2002/95/EC. So they won’t include any mercury, cadmium, lead, hexavalent chrome, PBB and PBDE flame retardants.

	Since the X800 XL announcement and our test, we were looking for the exact price of this product as we thought that its performance / price ratio could be very interesting. Some found that the price announced by ATI ($299) and other manufacturers was quite optimistic. And indeed it seems that this price is really too optimistic. According to our information this recommended price leaves only a reduced margin to the distributor. So it will only be applied to ATI BBA (build by ATI) graphic cards and graphic cards produced by others manufactured will probably be more expensive. The X800 & X800 XL should be available in a couple of weeks. The PCI Express <-> AGP ATI bridge, the Rialto, expected end of 2004, will only be released in the end of Q1 2005. So these graphic cards will only be released in PCI Express versions, a very small market except for OEMs.

	Samsung is proud to announce the world’s largest OLED screen: 21” (53 cm) of diagonal. According to this press release this TV prototype has a WUXGA resolution (1920 x 1000 pixels), a contrast ratio of 5000 : 1 (hum, not really believable...) and a brightness of 400 cd/m². Update: however unlike the press release title, this isn’t the largest OLED screen (Epson introduced a 40” LCD screen mid May), but the largest with a single panel. Epson’s screen was in fact build with four panels.

	This very interesting information has been released last month, but unfortunately we have missed it. JVC has announced the development of a ROM disc combining two DVD layers. The outer BD layer will hold high definition video signals up to a capacity of 25GB while the inner DVD dual layer stores up to 8.5GB of standard definition video signals. 20 to 30% more expensive than a simple BD-ROM, this disc opens the way for the emergence of video releases in high and standard definition on a single disc. JVC intends to obtain the validation of this format by the Blu-ray disc association next quarter, and is planning to start mass production in 2006. HD-DVD isn’t left out also and Toshiba has developed with Memory Tech a similar media. This disc is however only a dual layer media, one for DVD (4.7 GB) and the other one for HD-DVD (15 GB). These discs might be manufactured on current Memory Tech production lines and shouldn’t be more expensive than the dual layer DVD or HD-DVD. Once more the Blu-ray format has the advantage for the capacity and the HD-DVD is the less expensive.

	Still during the CES, Philips should introduce the prototype of a computer burner compatible with CD, DVD and Blu-ray formats for reading and writing. NEC should also introduce a similar product, but this product will be CD, DVD and HD-DVD compatible. We don’t know though if these burners, which should be release in shops during the second half 2005, will be equipped with one or two different optical head. To develop one player compatible with three formats and so able to use three different wavelength (405, 660 and 785nm for the BD, DVD and CD), it was necessary most of the time to use two optical heads. Sony announced last May an optical head which supports CD, DVD and Blu-Ray formats, but we weren’t expecting this product before 2006.

	Pioneer announced the introduction of two new products during the CES in Las Vegas. The first one is the DVR-A09XL, but unfortunately we don’t know the innovations brought by this product. We are however expecting that this dual layer DVD burner might only be an evolution of the A08XL, with for example an increased burning speed for rewriting media or the compatibility with dual layer DVD-R. Pioneer also continues to support to the Blu-ray Disc format. The manufacturer will introduce home and computer Blu-ray DVD burner. Both burners will be able to read and burn most of the DVD format additionally to of course Blu-ray discs. Computer Blu-ray burners should be available this year (during the fourth quarter), and the release of the home DVD burner will be just after the release of movies to the Blu-ray format end of 2005 early 2006.