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Buffalo Launches New MiniStation Plus USB 3.0

Seagate Debuts First Mobile Wireless Storage

Avatar Kinect to Project Your Expressions Into a Virtual World

WD Launches 3TB SATA Hard Drives For AV Platforms

VIA Announces 32-bit/384kHz Audio Controllers

Restoration of PlayStation Network And Qriocity Services Begins

Samsung Offers Android 2.3 'Gingerbread' Upgrade for GALAXY S and GALAXY Tab

ECS Presents A75 Motherboards Based on AMD Hudson-D3 Chipset



Buffalo Launches New MiniStation Plus USB 3.0

Buffalo Technology today announced the MiniStation Plus USB 3.0 portable storage solution. The device is USB-powered and requires no separate power source. It supports 256-bit AES hardware encryption and comes with Buffalo Tools utility suite, including TurboPC for 3x faster transfers.



Buffalo MiniStation Plus is backed by a limited one-year warranty. The novelty will become available in June 2011 at an estimated street price of $84.99 for the 500GB MiniStation Plus (HD-PNT500U3) and $119.99 for the 1 TB MiniStation Plus (HD-PNT1.0U3).



Specifications:

  • Drive Interface: SATA 3 Gb/s
  • Standard Compliance: USB 3.0 / USB 2.0
  • Connector Type: Micro-B type
  • Number of Ports: 1
  • Dimensions: 3.23 x 4.65 x 0.63 inches (HD-PNT500U3), 3.23 x 4.65 x 0.75 inches (HD-PNT1.0U3B)
  • Weight: 0.4 oz (HD-PNT500U3), 0.5 (HD-PNT1.0U3B)
  • Power Supply: DC 5V (USB-powered)
  • Power Consumption: Max. 3.1 W
  • Client OS Support: Windows 7 (32-bit/64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit/64-bit), Windows XP, Mac OS X 10.4 or later




Source: Buffalo Technology


Seagate Debuts First Mobile Wireless Storage

Seagate today announced GoFlex Satellite mobile wireless storage, its first battery-powered external hard drive to wirelessly extend the storage capacity of any Wi-Fi enabled mobile device.



With 500GB, USB 3.0 and Wi-Fi access over 802.11 b/g/n, and a rechargeable battery, this latest member of the GoFlex family provides the ability to carry an entire library of video, music, pictures and documents with you. Devices are wirelessly connected directly to the GoFlex Satellite drive by use of the free GoFlex Media app–available now on iTunes and the Apple App Store–or a web browser.

GoFlex Satellite is available immediately for preorder for a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $199.99, and is scheduled to arrive in Best Buy stores in July 2011. Global availability is planned for later this summer.

Source: Seagate


Avatar Kinect to Project Your Expressions Into a Virtual World

Today, Microsoft announced Avatar Kinect, a new Xbox LIVE social experience that uses the sensor's facial-recognition capabilities to project your face and your expressions into a virtual word.



When it rolls out later this spring, Avatar Kinect will enable you to hang out with up to seven friends in creative themed environments, from talk-show sets to a tailgate party, projecting your facial expressions and voice.

When your virtual-self arrives at the designated gathering place, you will — in real time — see your friends' smiles (or frowns) projected on the image of them that pops up on your screen.

Buzz about Avatar Kinect began after Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer previewed the new technology at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.

Source: Microsoft


WD Launches 3TB SATA Hard Drives For AV Platforms

Western Digital today added 2.5 TB and 3 TB versions to its family of WD AV-GP SATA hard drives, serving the audio-video market.



The WD AV-GP family of drives delivers 24x7 reliability along with power-saving WD GreenPower Technology. The WD AV-GP drives are field-tested to have a 1.0 million hour MTBF rating. Drives with capacities in excess of 2.19 TB currently present barriers for certain PC hardware, firmware and software. For example, drives larger than 2.19 TB are not supported by systems running Windows XP; and systems with 32-bit versions of Windows Vista or Windows 7 relegate drives larger than 2.19 TB to be used as secondary drives. Thus, it is important to review existing PC specifications prior to installation of either the 2.5 TB or 3 TB WD AV-GP drives.

The WD AV-GP 2.5 TB hard drives (model number WD25EURS) and 3 TB WD AV-GP hard drives (model number WD30EURS) are available now in the U.S. at select resellers and distributors. MSRP for the WD AV-GP 2.5 TB hard drive is $159.99 USD and the 3 TB hard drive is $179.99 USD. WD AV-GP hard drives are covered by a three-year limited warranty.

Source: Western Digital


VIA Announces 32-bit/384kHz Audio Controllers

VIA Technologies today announced VIA Audio's first 32-bit/384kHz audio controllers, VIA EnvyUSB VT1730 and VIA EnvyUSB VT1731.



According to the press release, the new VIA Vinyl EnvyUSB 2.0 audio controllers are specifically designed to achieve cinema-quality audio recording and playback in high-fidelity USB and MIDI system applications. The higher bitrate and oscillating frequency of those bytes means that more points along the soundwave are recorded and saved, improving user experience when it is converted into analog sound during playback.

VIA EnvyUSB VT1730 is an 8-channel, 32-bit/384kHz audio controller using the bandwidth capacity of USB 2.0 to simultaneously support audio streams from a guitar, bass, keyboard and microphone, or delivering true-to-life sound to multiple speakers in a home theatre set-up. VIA EnvyUSB VT1731 is a 2-channel, 32-bit/384kHz audio controller offering the highest audio quality for those who do not demand a full surround setup.

Providing an interface between USB, analog and digital audio devices, VIA EnvyUSB VT1730 and VIA EnvyUSB VT1731 can be used in USB sound cards, headphones, audio hubs, recording consoles, and MIDI devices that require streaming of considerable audio data between a host system and audio I/O system via the USB interface.

VIA EnvyUSB VT1730 and VIA EnvyUSB VT1731 also support the I2S standard enabling Blu-ray Disc audio content protection.

Source: VIA Technologies


Restoration of PlayStation Network And Qriocity Services Begins

Sony Network Entertainment International begins a phased restoration by region of PlayStation Network and Qriocity Services. The phased restoration will be on a country by country basis beginning in the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Middle East.

The first phase of restored services for these countries and regions will include:

  • Sign-in for PlayStation Network and Qriocity services, including the resetting of passwords
  • Restoration of online game-play across PS3 and PSP
  • Playback rental video content, if within rental period, of PlayStation Network Video Delivery Service on PS3, PSP and MediaGo
  • Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity, for current subscribers, on PS3 and PC
  • Access to 3rd party services such as Netflix, Hulu, Vudu and MLB.tv
  • 'Friends' category on PS3, including Friends List, Chat Functionality, Trophy Comparison, etc
  • PlayStation Home

As the result of a criminal cyber attack on the company's data-center located in San Diego, California, U.S.A., SNEI shut down the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services on April 20, in order for the company to undergo an investigation and make enhancements to the overall security of the network infrastructure. Working with several outside security firms, the company has implemented new and additional security measures to prevent unauthorized activity.

The company has made considerable enhancements to the data security, including updating and adding advanced security technologies, additional software monitoring and penetration and vulnerability testing, and increased levels of encryption and additional firewalls. The company also added a variety of other measures to the network infrastructure including an early-warning system for unusual activity patterns that could signal an attempt to compromise the network.

As the restoration of the services begins across the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Middle East, consumers will be able to use some of the online functionality provided by both the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services. Phased restoration in Japan and other Asian countries and regions will be announced in due course. The company expects to have the services fully restored by the end of May 2011.

The company will be offering customers a "Welcome Back" package of services and premium content to all registered PlayStation Network and Qriocity account services. The details of this program will be announced in each region shortly.

Source: Sony


Samsung Offers Android 2.3 'Gingerbread' Upgrade for GALAXY S and GALAXY Tab

Samsung Electronics today announced the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) upgrade to the Samsung GALAXY S, GALAXY Tab, and GALAXY Ace/Gio/Fit/mini, giving users enhanced performance and an improved user interface.

The upgrade from Froyo 2.2 to Gingerbread 2.3 offers the following:

  • Faster performance — Multimedia content now has a lower CPU consumption rate, while support for more powerful 3D graphics helps gaming.
  • Upgraded usability — The user interface has become more intuitive, enabling faster access and control. Users will also benefit from improved copy-and-paste functionality.

The Android 2.3 upgrade will start with GALAXY S in the UK and Nordic countries from mid-May, and gradually rolled out to other European markets, North America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East Asia, Africa and rest of the world according to the regional plan.

The upgrade will be available via Kies, Samsung's device management software. Kies can be downloaded from Samsung's corporate website.

Source: Samsung Electronics


ECS Presents A75 Motherboards Based on AMD Hudson-D3 Chipset

Elitegroup Computer Systems introduced the new ECS Black Deluxe A75F-A, A75F-M and A75F-M2 motherboards based on the AMD Hudson-D3 chipset and supporting the latest AMD A series APUs codenamed Llano.

ECS A75 series motherboards support company's proprietary technologies, including EZ Charger/eDLU/eBLU/MIB III have antistatic (ESD) protection.

Specifications:


Model Chipset Supported CPU Specification Form factor
A75F-A (Black Deluxe) AMD Hudson D3 AMD A-series APU 4xDDR3, 4xUSB 3.0, 5xSATA 6.0Gb/s,
1xeSATA 6.0Gb/s, 1xPCIex16, HDMI/DVI/D-Sub
8-Ch HD Audio with S/PDIF
ATX
A75F-M 4xDDR3, 4xUSB 3.0, 6xSATA 6.0Gb/s,
1xPCIex16, HDMI/DVI/D-Sub,
8-Ch HD Audio with S/PDIF
Micro-ATX
A75F-M2 2xDDR3, 4xUSB 3.0, 6xSATA 6.0 Gb/s,
1PCIex16, HDMI/DVI(Optional)/D-Sub,
6-Ch HD Audio

Source: Elitegroup Computer Systems


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