Gigabyte X79-UD7 Motherboard Is EOL, Company Says It Was a Limited Edition Model

Introduced in November 2011, Gigabyte’s GA-X79-UD7 motherboard was apparently a limited edition model, the Taiwanese company having just confirmed that the high-end LGA 2011 board is no longer in production. The motherboard was recently deactivated by Newegg, which made Legit Review reach out to Gigabyte to find out what happened to the X79-UD7. Gigabyte’s response came as a surprise to us all, since the company said that their flagship Intel X79 motherboard was a limited edition SKU and that they had sold out. Furthermore, Gigabyte also went on to say that no more were being produced, thus the board is end of life (EOL). Introduced at about the same time as Intel’s first Sandy Bridge-E processors, the X79-UD7 motherboard borrowed not only...

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LG Optimus Vu Packs a 5-Inch Display, 1.5GHz CPU

LG plans on playing with the big boys on the smartphone market, as the company is preparing for the launch of a new, high-end device, supposedly called LG Optimus Vu.  Rumor has it that this new mobile phone will be like nothing else you’ve seen before from the South Korean handset vendor.  In fact, it will be different from all other smartphones out there, courtesy of an extra-large touchscreen display, expected to measure 5 inches diagonally.  The large display (though Samsung Galaxy Note remains the largest out there) can deliver a unique 4:3 aspect ratio. LG appears set to unveil the new mobile phone in the near future, as it has already teased some of its main features in the video that can be seen embedded below.  The...

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Intel Ivy Bridge Motherboards Entered Mass Production

Motherboard makers started to get ready for Intel’s upcoming release of its first 22nm Ivy Bridge processors, sources in Taiwan claiming that some companies have already begun mass production of LGA 1155 boards based on Intel 7-series chipsets. According to SweClockers, this list includes three major names in the motherboard business, but the publication hasn’t revealed who they are. Most of the solutions that have entered production are apparently based on the Intel Z77 chipset, the most advanced PCH in the 7-series Panther Point range. The biggest change introduced by Intel with these new chipsets is the native support for USB 3.0, as previously motherboard makers had to rely on third party ICs in order to add this functionality to their...

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No Media Center in Windows 8 Consumer Preview

Microsoft is gearing up for showing to the world the next version of Windows 8, which should land before the end of this month as Windows 8 Consumer Preview.  Some more info on what the platform version is bound to include has started to emerge, suggesting that there could be no Media Center available inside it.  The fact that there will be no Media Center in the Consumer Preview is not as surprising as some might believe.  After all, Microsoft did have it removed from the Windows 8 Developer Preview made available in September last year.  Moreover, the Redmond-based software giant said at the time that it would have Media Center incorporated in "premium" SKUs for Windows. Moreover, the software company stated at the...

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Asus Transformer Prime Update Brings Bug Fixes, Better Overall Performance

Working hard on improving the Transformer Prime, Asus has just started sending out a new firmware update to its users, believed to fix some bugs and improve the overall performance of the tablet. So far, information about this new software is limited, but some owners of the Asus tablet are reporting that it fixes some random reboot issues that plagued the Prime as well as a series of problems with the stability of third-party apps. We’re still waiting for Asus to confirm these bug fixes, but until then we can tell you for sure that the new firmware updates the Prime’s WiFi version to 6.1.1.18 and bumps Bluetooth up to version 9.26. The kernel has also been updated, according to Phandroid. The new firmware version should soon arrive to all...

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Android 4.0 CyanogenMod 9 Not Ready Yet

The team behind the popular CyanogenMod has just announced that they need some more time before making the latest flavor of their software ready for public use.  The new CM9 is based on the latest version of Google’s mobile operating system, namely Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.  Apparently, the changes that Google packed with the platform in comparison with the previous OS flavor, Android 2.3, prevented the team from having the software ready for users.  “Android 4.0 contains many internal changes that require updated graphics drivers. Unfortunately, these drivers are almost always closed-source and don’t appear until a device or devkit is released with them,” CyanogenMod notes in a blog post. “For many devices, our hands...

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G.Skill Creates Ares Low Profile DDR3 RAM

G.Skill is living up to its name as world-class supplier of memory products by unleashing a new range of DDR3 RAM for smaller systems and other unusual desktops. G.Skill already has an extensive collection of RAM products for high-end, huge PCs, so it figured it may as well see what other people need. Thus it was that the Ares low profile memory modules and kits came into being. A low profile means that the height of each module is smaller than most customers may be used to. The capacity and performance didn't get hit, though, and there is quite the variety of latencies and clock speeds to choose from as well. There are eight clock speed options in total, with power requirements of 1.5V or 1.65V, and capacities of 8GB, 16GB or even 32 GB. The...

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Cowon Z2 Plenue PMP Runs Android Using a 1GHz Cortex-A8 CPU

Media players might not be as popular as they were just a few years ago, but this hasn’t stopped Cowon from releasing a new PMP model, the Z2 Plenue running Google’s Android OS. Behind that classy looking chassis, the company installed a 1GHz Telechips ARM Cortex-A8 processor which enables it to play back not only music but also 1080p HD video. This can be displayed either on the 3.7-inch 800x480 pixel AMOLED display of the new Plenue or on an external display linked via the available micro-HDMI output. Other features include WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, FM radio functionality, built-in speakers and mic, while for storage duties Cowon pairs the Z2 Plenue with between 8GB and 32GB of memory. More can be added by installing a microSD card slot, according to Everything USB. Right now,...

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Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds ILC Camera Now Official

After all sort of leaked specs and images bombarded the Web in these last few weeks, Olympus has finally brought forth the OM-D E-M5 retro-looking interchangeable lens camera that uses the company’s own Micro Four Thirds sensor format. The first thing that one notices when taking a look at the new OM-D is just how much this camera differs from Olympus’ other interchangeable lens solutions released into the PEN-series. Moving past its design, the crown jewel of the new Olympus E-M5 is its 16 megapixel Live MOS Micro Four Thirds sensor, which comes complete with five-axis image stabilization, allowing it to shift up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonal to compensate for camera movement. This is paired together with an advanced autofocus...

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No Flash for Google Chrome on Ice Cream Sandwich

Google’s just announced Chrome browser for devices running under Android 4.0 or newer will not enjoy the benefits of Flash, Adobe has confirmed.  This is in line with what Adobe revealed last year, namely that it would no longer develop the Flash Player for mobile devices.  Chrome for Android Beta does not offer support for Flash content at the moment, and will never do. However, Flash will be available for Android 4.0 users as long as they browse the web using the native application.  In a recent blog post, Bill Howard, Flash Platform, Product Management, announced that Adobe would continue to push Adobe AIR to mobile devices, and that it also planned on continuing the development of Flash for desktop browsers as well.  However,...

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Olympus Goes Rugged with New TG-820 Digital Camera

After Panasonic, Canon and Nikon have all announced their rugged camera options for 2012, it’s now Olympus’ turn to show us their own take on the matter. Called the Tough TG-820, the 12MP snapper comes in a variety of colors and Olympus says it’s not only waterproof to depths up to 10 meters but also shockproof, freezeproof and crushproof. In terms of the usual camera specs, Olympus has decided to pair the TG-820 with a 5x wide optical zoom (28-140mm) that is seconded by the company’s TruePic VI image engine. Others special features include support for the iHS technology, HDR backlight adjustment, a 3D shooting mode, dual-image stabilization and a range of magic filters. Video recording is also supported, the camera being able to capture...

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Sigma DP1M & DP2M Compact Cameras Pack 15x3MP APS-C Foveon Sensor

Since being first to market with a large sensor, prime lens compact hasn’t helped Sigma all that much, the outfit has now returned with two new DP-series cameras that take things one step further. While from the outside the DP1M and DP2M don’t look all that special, deep inside their compact bodies Sigma installed a 15x3MP APS-C Foveon image sensor, the same sensor used for the company’s flagship camera, the SD1 DSLR. Together with the new sensor, the two DP-series cameras also feature totally redesigned lenses, with the DP1M including a 19mm F2.8 lens (28mm equivalent) and the DP2M having a 30mm F2.8 lens to give a 45mm equivalent field-of-view. Other features include RAW and JPEG recording, a Flash hotshoe, and a 3-inch LCD screen with...

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Symbian-Based Nokia 803 Emerges Again

Rumor has it that Nokia is getting ready to nail Symbian’s coffin, and that we’ll soon see the last handset powered by this OS being unveiled to the world.  The phone is said to be a high-end device, and info on it has just emerged online courtesy of BGR, who claims that Nokia will launch it in May with Belle on board.  According to the news site, the handset will be called Nokia 803 and will arrive on the market with a 4-inch AMOLED display, HDMI-out port, microSIM support and NFC. Moreover, it will include one of the largest camera sensors in the world.  Save for the camera sensor, all these details point at the recently leaked Nokia 801, also said to be the last Symbian phone out there. 803 was spotted in December last...

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Olympus SP-620UZ Point-and-Shoot Debuts: 21x Optical Zoom & 16MP Sensor

Olympus’ newly released OM-D E-M5 might pack all the flexibility and features that one needs, but for those of you looking for a much simpler camera, the company has also introduced the SP-620UZ. Like all super zooms, the most important asset of the SP-620UZ is its 21x lens, enabling it to reach focal lengths of up to 525mm, but the rest of its specs are equally strong. Speaking of which, these include a 16MP image sensor, dual image stabilization, 720p HD movie recording, a special 3D photo shooting function, and a series of 11 built-in Magic Filters for the moments when you start feeling creative. The best part however is that the SP-620UZ doesn’t require any sort of custom battery packs, as Olympus made it work with plain, old, AA batteries. Japan...

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ECS BR95IIX Compact Desktop with Sandy Bridge CPUs Visits the FCC

Even though they aren’t as popular as its motherboards, ECS also builds and sells a series of compact desktop PCs designed around various Intel platforms, such as the ECS BR95IIX that recently popped up online featuring Intel Sandy Bridge processors. The compact computer, which resembles a nettop more than a fully-fledged SNB desktop PC, has showed up on the FCC website earlier this week, where it was spotted by liliputing. Together with the ECS BR95IIX, the FCC also received the computer’s manual. This reveals that the system measures a compact 8.9x7.6x1.9 inches (22.6x19.3x4.8 cm) and that is was designed to fit in a living room environment as easily as in an office.  Moving past the exterior of this PC, we find that ECS has decided...

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Canon's New MX512 and MX432 Printers Are AirPrint-Enabled

Digital imaging company Canon U.S.A. has announced two new AirPrint-enabled devices - the PIXMA MX512 and MX432 Wireless2 Office All-In-One inkjet printers. Introduced by Apple in iOS 4.0, AirPrint is a wireless printing standard that enables iPad, iPhone and iPod touch users to beam their photos, email, web pages and documents right to devices like the two I just mentioned above. There’s no need for complicated set-up procedures and there aren’t any drivers to install either. As Canon themselves put it, the experience is as seamless as it gets. The company used this opportunity to announce that more inkjet printers from its portfolio are about to get the AirPrint treatment. In fact, all of the Canon PIXMA Wireless All-In-One inkjet printers...

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AMD Quietly Intros Two New Llano-Based Athlon II X4 CPUs

AMD has just added two new processors to its Athlon II X4 range, both of these chips being based on the Llano architecture traditionally used for A-Series APUs. With the launch of Llano in mid-2011, everybody expected AMD to retire the Athlon II and Sempron brands that were previously used for mid-range processors on the K10 architecture. However, the company continued to use the Athlon II and Sempron names for Llano products that didn't have on-board graphics cores. The first Athlon II processor for FM1 was actually released by the chip maker shortly after the introduction of the A-Series APUs. This chip was called the Athlon II X4 631 and it included four computing cores clocked at 2.6GHz. A few months later, AMD released the Athlon II...

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Pentax Readies Optio WG-2 Waterproof Cameras

Pentax is one of the few companies that has waterproof cameras which don't necessarily drain people of all their funds. The new Optio WG-2 is one of them. Pentax has officially introduced the Optio WG-2 series of consumer-oriented cameras, even though it is not ready to sell them yet. Still, it should not take too long for shipments to begin, no later than the end of this month in fact, though the same cannot be said for a certain accessory. As it happens, Pentax also intends to offer a chest harness, but that item won't be available before late spring/early summer. That said, there are two WG-2 camera, if the color options are not taken into account. One of them, the standard one, is priced at $349.95, or 263.69 Euro according to exchange...

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