Official ForceWare 71.84 CeBIT : AMD releases Turion 64 CeBIT : ASUS the original CeBIT: the wood computer CeBIT : X850XT single slot for GeCube CeBIT : Zalman CNPS8000A CeBIT : Finally some PCI Express x1 CeBIT : Blu-ray for Samsung CeBIT : X800XL and X700Pro AGP CeBIT: GPU NVIDIA, nothing really new CeBIT : nForce 4 for Biostar CeBIT: the best of tuning CeBIT : New POV fan CeBIT: how long before the 7K500? CeBIT: ATI's strong presence CeBIT : the nForce 4 P4 arrives CeBIT : Gainward releases 6800U 512 MB SLI CeBIT : Dolby Master Studio for ABIT CeBIT : Nec, Lumileds monitors arrive! CeBIT : Asus releases LCD monitors... CeBIT : THE year tendency!! CeBIT: Sharp is back in the printer market! CeBIT : LCD, the VA 16.2 M colors arrives CeBIT : LCD, Samsung changes backlights

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Official ForceWare 71.84   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 20:31 by Marc

	NVIDIA has just released the new Forceware 71.84 driver today. This driver was already available from the NVIDIA nZone website since a couple of weeks, but it wasn’t WHQL certified yet. This driver is the first WHQL-certified Windows driver of the 70 series. It features: - Compatibility with TurboCache, PureVideo, and SLI - 60 new game and application profiles for the SLI - Possibility to add SLI profiles if not included We have also noticed for laptops new PureVideo functions like the LCD panel overdrive which reduces the afterglow for some of the slowest laptop LCD panels. To download this driver, go to this page.

CeBIT : AMD releases Turion 64   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 02:51 by Marc

	AMD has officially released the AMD Turion 64 processor. This Socket 754 processor is based on the core K8 E revision and consequently features the SSE3. Intended to compete with the Pentium M, it has been released in several versions. The first difference is the power consumption: 35 Watts for the «ML» models and 25 Watts for the « MT » models. The denomination of the AMD Turion 64 is the completed by a sort of new P-Rating to classify them by performance level: ML-30 : 1.6 GHz, 1 MB of cache L2, 35 Watts, 184$ MT-30 : 1.6 GHz, 1 MB of cache L2, 25 Watts, 189$ ML-32 : 1.8 GHz, 512 KB of cache L2, 35 Watts, 220$ MT-32 : 1.8 GHz, 512 KB of cache L2, 25 Watts, 225$ ML-34 : 1.8 GHz, 1 MB of cache L2, 35 Watts, 263$ MT-34 : 1.8 GHz, 1 MB of cache L2, 25 Watts, 268$ ML-37 : 2.0 GHz, 1 MB of cache L2, 35 Watts, 354$ It is interesting to notice that the MT version are $5 more expensive than the ML.

CeBIT : ASUS the original   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 02:29 by Marc

	ASUSTeK has decided to make some noise during this CeBIT with a product which isn’t necessarily useful but really original: the 6800 Ultra Dual. Apparently size doesn’t matter, but still pictures speak for themselves. We have also been able to take a closer look at the CT-479, the Pentium M adaptor for Socket 478 motherboard. It should be available by the end of the month for approximately 40€. To continue to stand out, ASUS also introduced a motherboard based one the new chipset Radeon Xpress, the P5RD1-V, which includes a numerical TV tuner. The TV tuner isn’t managed by the ATI Theater 550, but by a cheaper and of course less good Philips chip. ASUSTeK has also decided to stand out in teh future with original graphic cards equipped with TV WiFi outputs. The graphic card, the Radeon X700 VE, will be sold with a receptor to connect to the TV. We have also noticed the release soon of a new nForce 4 SLI, the A8N-SLI Premium. The difference between this motherboard and the Deluxe version is the lack of SO-DIMM card to change the PCI Express x16 port configuration. This modification is now directly made in the bios. The P5ND2-SLI is based on the nForce C19 for Intel platform. Finally, the manufacturer exposed of course motherboard based on the futures Intel chipsets i945 and i955 like the P5WD2-VC (i945G).

CeBIT: the wood computer   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 02:26 by Damien

	Swedx continue to present keyboards, monitors and mouse matching with your mountain chalet.

CeBIT : X850XT single slot for GeCube   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 02:24 by Damien

	Even if ATI’s reference design used by many partners is a dual slot solution, GeCube showed a card with only one slot and a more “traditional cooling system” apparently less noisy. The solution will interested compact card enthusiast and barebones users.

CeBIT : Zalman CNPS8000A   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 02:24 by Marc

	The famous cooling solution manufacturer released during the CeBIT a new solution, the CNPS8000A. Once more the originality is present for this heatpipe system which inclues not a horizontal, but a vertical fan. Copper and copper/aluminium version will be available.

CeBIT : Finally some PCI Express x1   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 02:23 by Damien

	So far purely decorative, PCI Express x1 slots should now be able to welcome several extension cards. Tul / PowerColor introduced a Tuner TV card to the PCI Express x1 format (and the PCI equivalent) equipped with an ATI Rage Theater 550Pro which provides probably the best quality on the market. Even if the PCI version is available now, we will have to wait a little bit longer for the PCI Express version. The release date hasn’t been unveiled yet. You should also now that these cards aren’t compatible with the SECAM standard.

CeBIT : Blu-ray for Samsung   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 02:20 by Marc

	Samsung introduces during the CeBIT the first Blu-ray burner for computer, the SH-B022A. It should be available by the end of the year and will be able to reach 50 GB for both layers. Speed reached is 2x which correspond to 9 MB /s, whether if it is for BD-ROM playing or BD-R/BD-RW recording.

CeBIT : X800XL and X700Pro AGP   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 02:19 by Damien

	Several partners of ATI exposes X800XL and other X700 AGP version. Club 3D, always first for exotic design shows a X7800XL and a X700 Pro, both with 256 MB, and with the Rialto bridge to convert PCI Express to AGP 8X interface: As you may have probably noticed, these graphic cards are longer than their PCI Express version. If the difference isn’t that important for the X700 Pro, la X800XL is, however, much longer. This shows that they haven’t spend as much time as usual on the PCB, even if it is more difficult to create a more compact design with the Rialto bridge presence.

CeBIT: GPU NVIDIA, nothing really new   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 02:15 by Marc

	While waiting for the release of new products at the end of Q2, NVIDIA remained very quiet here in terms of GPU announcements. NVIDIA has however presented a new GeForce 6800 Ultra with 512 MB and a fanless reference design for the GeForce 6600. The interest of 512 MB of video memory for a non professional graphic card remains to be seen. The only way to start seeing it could with two GeForce 6800 Ultra in SLI which permit to reach, with correctly optimized games, very high graphic settings. The GeForce 6800 Ultra 512 MB is in fact based on the Quadro FX 4400 design. For the GeForce 6600 fanless, the radiator is rather standard but the fact that this solution is pushed by NVIDIA is very interesting. We have also noticed the release of the NV44A, a GeForce 6200 AGP (native). The bus memory is 64, or 32 bits: only for entry level products.

CeBIT : nForce 4 for Biostar   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 02:10 by Marc

	The latest PC Biostar mini computers were of course presented: the iDEQ 330G and 330P respectively based on the Intel i915G and NVIDIA nForce 4 chipsets. We have noticed with the iDEQ 330G a very useful opening system and ventilation which is supposed to improve the processor cooling by combining two fans from each side and an air flow path.

CeBIT: the best of tuning   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 02:09 by Damien

	Next to ATI’s exposition and the LAN party are a couple of the most successful tuning creations. Make your own judgement:

CeBIT : New POV fan   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 02:05 by Marc

	We announced this a few weeks ago, Point Of View has decided to launch a new original graphic card cooling system to stand out from the competition. This cooling solution used here with a GeForce 6800 Ultra PCI Express should be less noisy and still more efficient than the one included so far. Graphic cards with this new ventilation should be available by the end of the month.

CeBIT: how long before the 7K500?   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 02:02 by Marc

	For the CeBIT, Hitachi only exposed recently announced hard rives such as the Hitachi 7K500 (see this news). We have to say that despite this announcement these hard drives are still unavailable… in retail shops. According to Hitachi, the production is exclusively reserved for OEMs, while waiting for 100 GB platter yield improvements. This process should take one or two months. Hitachi didn’t give any information on perpendicular recording, a technology which will allow platters’ density improvement continuation. Hitachi however hopes to release products with technology by the end of the year.

CeBIT: ATI's strong presence   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 01:49 by Damien

	It doesn’t often append, but ATI has a very high visibility at the CeBIT this year with more than half a pavilion and a LAN party co-sponsoring with amongst others AMD. The strong presence of ATI at this CeBIT is justified by the 20th anniversary of the company which shows here a lot of on current products but also a museum with all their creations. For new products, we will have to come back another time. ATI hasn’t introduced a new GPU dur and we will have to wait for the end of Q2 to see the next generation. Only half novelty, the release, at last, of the Radeon Xpress for Pentium 4, with boards introduced by Asus and ECS : The Asus P5RD2-MVP Deluxe and ECS RS400A You will notice that the Asus doesn’t feature a standard chipset but a more advanced version, the RD400, which supports 2 ports PCI Express 16X. ATI should also release soon a product to compete with NVIDIA’s SLI.

CeBIT : the nForce 4 P4 arrives   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 01:47 by Marc

	The nForce C19, which should be named nForce 4 Intel Edition according to several motherboard manufacturers, is quite present at the CeBIT even if NIVIDA will only announce it in a couple of weeks. This solution will probably hit the market before the end of April and will support Pentium 4 FSB800/1066 and up to 8 GB of DDR2 533/667 additionally to 2 PCI Express slots for SLI. The Southbridge features the same possibilities that the nForce 4 (4 SATA-II, Gigabit Ethernet), but the RAID 5 additionally to the 0, and 0+1 has also been mentioned. For all details we will have to wait for an official announcement…

CeBIT : Gainward releases 6800U 512 MB SLI   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 01:46 by Damien

	Gainward announced the release soon of 6800 Ultra 512 MB recently introduced by NVIDIA. They will be available alone, but also in bundle and CoolFX versions. Graphic cards presented by Gainward were non functional prototypes and the CoolFX SLI system wasn’t adapted to the PCB 512 MB. Release date and price are still unknown, but Gainward told us that it would be around 2000€ for the CoolFX SLI version. High end graphic cards have a price… Gainward is also about to release several 6600 GT in 256 MB version. This release will also have a good incidence on results, especially in SLI configuration. Once again, the graphic card price is still unknown. So it is hard to tell today how interesting these graphic cards will be and especially compared to a 6800 GT.

CeBIT : Dolby Master Studio for ABIT   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 01:44 by Marc

	ABIT is one of the rare manufacturers to push specifications defined by Dolby Digital for integrated sound quality, and the reason is that this manufacturer is the first to release Dolby Master Studio motherboards. This standard is supposed to provide a similar quality to specialized sound cards. ABIT uses the same codec at their competitors, Realtek here, but this one is deported with inputs / outputs to an additional board to reduce interferences due to the motherboard. We have noticed however that it isn’t a certification and a 100% quality guarantee, because they have mentioned here “Designed for” Dolby Master Studio. Subtle nuance… The AudioMAX technology has been included to the AN8 and AN8 SLI motherboards based on nForce 4 Athlon 64, the NI8 SLI based one nForce 4 C19, but also the AW8 (i955X). For new chipsets Intel, ABIT also introduced the AL8 based on the i945P, and the BL8, based on the i945G.

CeBIT : Nec, Lumileds monitors arrive!   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 00:06 by Vincent

	Unveiled two years ago only to a few people, and introduced as a prototype during the CeBIT 2004, Lumileds monitors arrive and enter this year mass production. These LCD monitors” backlighting is ensured by a LED matrix, and not neon like usual LCD monitors. So the result is much more accurate colors. The first Lumileds will hit the market in June for a price close to … 5,000 €.

CeBIT : Asus releases LCD monitors...   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 00:05 by Vincent

	…and the least we can say is that they do it loudly. They offer two similarly designed product with only one difference, response time: 16 ms for the first one and 8 for the other (both feature AU Optronic panels). This announcement is actually very interesting because Asus’ monitor warranty is very attractive: zero dead bright pixels for three months. So if a white, red, green or blue pixel shows up in the three months following your purchase, Asus will replace your monitor. The first monitor available, the PM17T (17”, 16 ms) will be available in the weeks to come for 299 €. The 19” version will be released next June.

CeBIT : THE year tendency!!   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 00:04 by Vincent

	The CeBIT is here to give the IT market tendency for the year to come. We came across so many wonderful products, products that we dream of at night. The last one we met was at the Gericom stand. So, according to them 2005 will they year of the leopard cow. Mmm, so much taste...

CeBIT: Sharp is back in the printer market!   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 00:03 by Vincent

	Ah!! it was a good idea to take a look at the Hall 1 …Sharp is back in the inkjet printer market. Memories, memories…the last Sharp inkjet printer tested here finished in a very bad working condition (see this article in French).We had a great laugh! Their product was so accurate, fast, precise and silent and so cheap to use despite 4 separated cartridges that Sharp decided to stop the inkjet production and that was a wise decision. Brave, but not fool, they come back in a few countries but aren’t at the origin of the product they sell. Below it is an HP printer and tt is better that way…

CeBIT : LCD, the VA 16.2 M colors arrives   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 00:02 by Vincent

	So far choosing a VA (MVA or PVA) panel was the only possibility to really have 16.7 millions colors displayed and so to have a good quality for movies. Well this time is almost over. The “low quality VA” is on its way, with a panel manufactured by CMO. The monitor label clearly stipulates that this monitor works natively in 6 bits (262,144 colors), and that it uses a dithering with a FRC to interpolate missing colors and reach the 16.2 millions of colors displayed. In short, now even some of the VA panels will have twinkling effect in movies.

CeBIT : LCD, Samsung changes backlights   Posted on 11/03/2005 at 00:01 by Vincent

	Several manufacturers seem to be aware of current neon limitations which ensure LCD monitors backlighting. Samsung announced to have the plan to replace their CCFL neon by FFL (Flat Fluoresence Light), able to reproduce 90% of the NTSC color spectrum instead of 72% for the first one. This modification will take place in the end of the year. The next step will be the first LCD with LED backlighting end of 2006. With this other improvement the gamut reproduced will reach 105% and the monitor life time will increase from 60,000 to 100,000 hours.