Genius SP-900BT Wireless Bluetooth Audio Speakers, True Wireless Speakers Officially Available

Well-known PC multimedia, peripherals and accessories company Genius has just announced a new set of wireless speakers that are really true to the definition of the “wireless” concept. The new gadgets come with integrated rechargeable batteries that will power the speaker.

Genius’ new speakers have an output power of just 2 watts and impedance of 4 Ohms. The audio signal will be transmitted using Bluetooth 3.0 and the 700 mAh battery will be able to power the speakers for up to ten whole hours. The lithium-ion integrated battery can be charged using a simple USB cable. Here are the official specifications for the Genius SP-900BT wireless speakers:

• Output Power - 2 watts;
• Impedance - 4 ohms ± 10%;
• Frequency range - 200-20 000 Hz;
• Battery capacity - 700 mAh;
• Communication range - 10 m (32 feet);
• Data transmission - Bluetooth 3.0;
• Battery charging time - three hours;
• Weight - 180 g (0.39 pounds);

Pricing is listed online in Spain at $33 and that’s 27 EUR for the European buyers. Surprisingly, this is a 34% lower price than the initial estimations.

Genius SP-900BT Wireless Bluetooth Audio Speakers
Images credits to Genius

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Thomson X-View 2: Dual-SIM, 5.3-Inch Display with Android ICS

It’s not every day that we learn about companies that enter the smartphone market. Thomson, manufacturer of modems and specific infrastructure, has decided to launch its first handset, the X-View 2.

This is a bold move coming from a company that has no experience in this domain whatsoever. Even though the newly announced device may seem appealing at first glance, it does come with a pretty awkward combination of features. For example, the X-View 2 boasts a huge 5.3-inch capacitive touchscreen display, which only supports 480 x 800 pixels resolution. We would have expected Thomson to include a higher quality screen for their first smartphone. When it comes to hardware, the X View 2 is clearly not aimed at the high-end smartphone market. The device is equipped with a MT6570 chipset that packs a 1 GHz processor, probably single core. The CPU is complemented by an Adreno 220 graphics processor unit and 512MB of RAM. There’s also 1 GB of ROM inside, along with microSD card slot for memory expansion (up to 32GB). The phone features a slim (10.9mm) design for its size (150 x 81mm), but it’s pretty heavy (212g, battery included). Samsung Galaxy Note which sports a similar 5.3-inch display only weighs 178g (battery included).

Anyway, the good news is that the X-View 2 is powered by Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, though it’s highly unlikely to see this one being upgraded to Jelly Bean in the future. Furthermore, Thomson’s first Android smartphone features dual-SIM capabilities and a 2450 mAh Li-Ion battery, which has yet to be rated by the manufacturer. Last but not least, the X-View 2 packs a 5-megapixel main camera on the back, which features LED flash, autofocus and video recording. No word on the availability of a secondary front-facing camera for video calls yet. via Fudzilla.

Thomson X-View 2
Image credits to Fudzilla

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Counters App Call Management for Nokia Lumia Phones

A new application is now available for download for the owners of a Windows Phone-based Nokia Lumia device, namely Counters.

Released with support for Lumia 610, Lumia 710, Lumia 800, and Lumia 900, the new application was meant to provide owners with the option to easily manage their calls, messaging and data use each month. Moreover, the new software comes with a simple and friendly design, allowing people not only to see how intensively they use the phone, but also to reset the counters on their monthly billing dates. With the new application, users will be able to easily set usage limits for their calls, messaging, and mobile data. Moreover, they will have the option to see who the top contacts they interact with are, and to change the start of the counting period as they please.

However, the development team behind this Windows Phone application also notes that there are some limitations that people should take into consideration when choosing to download and install it. Among these, we can count:

• Counters app requires particular phone software. You can check operating system version in Settings>about>more information>"OS version." You should have either 8773 or 8779 in the string. Check for updates here.
• there are no notifications when set limit is achieved (will come later)
• conference calls are not counted properly
• not possible to set data limit counter with a fractional part (i.e. not possible to set 1.5GB limit)

Even with these limitations inside, the software might still sound like a great option for many. They can head over to the Nokia Beta Labs to download the application today. Those reading this post on their Lumia phones can download the app directly from this link. The Counters development team also encourages them to provide feedback on their experience with the application, so that new features and enhancements could be added into the mix.

Counters app for Nokia Lumia devices
Image credits to Nokia Beta Labs

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Yeston Powerful Custom Designed AMD Radeon HD 7750 Video Card

Less-known video card company called Yeston has just launched a custom designed AMD Radeon HD 7750 video card, but there is something very strange regarding the new product. The PCB is really short, which makes us think this is built for small cases, but the cooling system is quite large and occupies two adjacent slots.

The new card is powered by AMD’s “Cape Verde” graphics processing unit that comes with a very small 123-square millimeter die size, containing 1.5 billion transistors. The default GPU speed is 800 MHz when working in full load 3D mode. In 2D mode, the frequency of the GPU will drop to a low 300 MHz. The 1024 MB of GDDR5 memory is clocked at 4500 MHz default when in 3D mode, but it drops to 600 MHz when working in 2D. The memory and the GPU work on a tight 128-bit BUS, so playing games with very high resolutions will be a little less rewarding. The “Cape Verde” GPU is part of AMD’s GCN architecture and comes with much improved GPU compute performance.

This Radeon HD 7750 GPU has 512 unified shader processors, 32 texturing units and 16 ROPs, while the “full” “Cape Verde” comes with 640 shaders and 40 texturing units. The GPU is quite modest in its power requirements, and the HD 7750 mounted on Yeston’s new card clearly needs less energy than a “full” “Cape Verde” on a Radeon HD 7770 Ghz Edition video card. Usually, the HD 7750 doesn’t come with an extra power connector, but Yeston has decided to fit the new card with one. The cooling system has just two heatpipes and a rather large cooling fan that seems to have a 90-millimeter diameter and eleven blades.

The manufacturer only used solid capacitors on its new card, and the 4-phase VRM is completely covered with aluminum heatsinks. Considering that the GPU is clocked at 950 MHz instead of the reference default of 800 Mhz and the memory comes at 5 GHz instead of the usual 4.5 Ghz, we understand the necessity for the large cooling system, Expreview reports. There is no information on pricing available yet.

Yeston Pre-Overclocked AMD Radeon HD 7750 Custom Video Card 950/5000
Images credits to Expreview

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Microsoft Surface for Windows RT Confirmed for October 26th

Microsoft’s Windows RT-based Surface tablet PC is expected to arrive on shelves on October 26th, the same day when the Windows 8 operating system becomes available for purchase.

Of course, Microsoft has said before that the new slate is meant to hit shelves the very same day as Windows 8, but that was the only mention it made regarding the product’s availability. However, it appears that official confirmation that October 26th will mark the commercial launch of Microsoft’s Surface for Windows RT has already emerged. Paul Thurrott of WinSupersite notes that Microsoft did mention the release date in a filing with the US Security and Exchange Commission. "The next version of our operating system, Windows 8, will be generally available on October 26, 2012,” the filing reportedly reads. “At that time, we will begin selling the Surface, a series of Microsoft-designed and manufactured hardware devices.”

For those out of the loop, we should note that Microsoft also announced that only the Windows RT-based Surface slate would hit shelves this year. The second model, running under Windows 8 Pro, is expected to land on shelves three months after the ARM-powered device – which would be late January 2013. The Windows RT iteration of Microsoft Surface will be launched in two different flavors, one with 32GB of internal memory, and another with 64GB of built-in storage space. The Windows 8 Pro variant, which packs an Intel processor inside, will be released with 64GB and 128GB of internal memory, respectively. The Surface tablets will also sport a highly appealing design, featuring a thin body and being accompanied by special keyboards from Microsoft, which also act as screen covers.

For the time being, Microsoft hasn’t made an official announcement on the price tag these tablets will sport. However, it did say that the cost would be in line with today’s tablets – for the ARM version – and ultrabooks – for the Intel model.

Microsoft Surface
Image credits to Microsoft

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Two New Intel 7-Series Motherboards for Q3 Release

Intel really likes to name its products weird things, so we are only half-bemused by the names of the two 7-Series, socket LGA 1155 motherboards that VR-Zone unearthed.

Intel already has a number of 7-Series motherboards out. The line was launched all the way back in March after all (2012). The ones we are looking at here are based on the Z77 chipset, making them qualify as high-end desktop platforms. The one bearing the name "Gasper Light" is really called Extreme Series DZ77GAL-70K and will start shipping this quarter (Q3 2012). Overall, it has the same specifications as the DZ77GA-70K, detailed in full here. The only real difference is that the Gasper Light doesn't come with a WiDi-capable WLAN add-on card, an antenna kit, 3.5-inch USB 3.0 front-panel port kit, the Extreme Series mouse pad and the Bluetooth dongle.

The second product, Media Series DZ75ML-45K "Middle Lake," will start shipping at the same time as its sibling. It has a PCB identical to that of the DZ77SL-50K and DH77KC, but no Intel Smart Response technology, so SSD caching doesn't work on it (the Z75 chipset doesn't support it). DZ77GAL-70K should sell for around $170 / 138.80 Euro, since it is essentially the DZ77GA-70K without the extras. As for the DZ75ML-45K, it will ship for about the same sum as the DH77KC: $110 / 90 Euro, give or take. Finally, due to the period when the mainboards become available, they will have BIOS versions ready to tackle Microsoft's Windows 8 OS.

On looking over the current product lineup and roadmap, we suppose Intel is doing its best to cover as much of the motherboard customer base as possible before the arrival of the new operating system. That way it can partially make up for the disadvantage of having so many established motherboard brands to compete against.

Intel DZ77GAL-70K
Image credits to VR-Zone

Intel DZ75ML-45K
Image credits to VR-Zone

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Samsung Galaxy S DUOS Photo and Full Specs

With Galaxy S III out of the way, Samsung can focus on future Android devices. In this regard, the company has already confirmed it will launch a new Galaxy device on August 15.

According to the latest hearsay, Samsung plans to announce a sequel to the highly acclaimed Galaxy Note. The new smartphone is expected to come with improved hardware and a slightly larger 5.5-inch display. However, until the South Korean company decides to go live with the Galaxy Note 2, we have another device to talk about. The folks over at GSMArena have just published the photo of an unannounced Samsung Galaxy S DUOS, which will probably be launched in the following weeks. The device strongly resembles Samsung’s Android flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S III, but features a slightly modified Home button. Furthermore, the phone is much smaller than the Galaxy S III and sports a 4.0-inch capacitive touchscreen display with support for 480 x 800 pixels resolution. The Galaxy S DUOS measures 121.5 x 63.1 x 10.5 mm and weighs only 120g (battery included).

As expected, the smartphone runs Google’s Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, though the 1 GHz Qualcomm MSM7227A Snapdragon single-core processor included inside makes it a bit underpowered. The phone’s CPU is complemented by an obsolete Adreno 200 graphics processing unit and 512MB of RAM. There’s also 4GB of storage which can be further expanded up to 32GB via microSD memory card. On the back, the Galaxy S DUOS is said to pack a 5-megapixel photo snapper with autofocus, LED flash and video recording, while on the front there’s a secondary VGA camera for video calls. As the name suggests, Samsung Galaxy S DUOS comes with dual-SIM connectivity, but also offers 3G and Bluetooth support, along with Wi-Fi and GPS. Last but not least, the smartphone is powered by a 1500 mAh Li-Ion battery, which has yet to be rated by the manufacturer.

Samsung Galaxy S DUOS
Image credits to GSMArena

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RIM 10’’ BlackBerry PlayBook Emerge

Next year, Canadian mobile phone maker Research In Motion is expected to unveil to the world a new, bigger flavor of its PlayBook tablet PC.

Packing a 10-inch touchscreen display, the device can be seen in the allegedly leaked photos that emerged over at Tinhte. Overall, the upcoming 10-inch tablet PC appears to sport the same looks as the smaller 7-inch slate, though it would pack some hardware modifications inside, it appears.

The news site claims that it will have a 7,250 mAh battery inside, along with 4G connectivity (3G HSPA+ should also be included inside), and a SIM slot to go with wireless networks. RIM is also expected to launch a 4G flavor of the 7-inch PlayBook in the coming months, but the 10-inch device might not become official until the first quarter of the next year, rumor has it.

RIM 10’’ BlackBerry PlayBook
Images credits to Tinhte.vn

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Microsoft Windows 8-Optimized Mice and Keyboards

With Windows 8’s official release drawing near each day, it was only a matter of time before Microsoft started to announce new devices specifically designed for the platform.

Today, the company made a first step on this road, with the launch of new mice and keyboards that have been specifically designed to fit the new operating system. The first of these is the Microsoft Wedge Touch Mouse, which features a compact, artful and minimalist design, BlueTrack Technology, a Backpack Mode that puts it to sleep, and an estimated retail price of around US$69.95. The mouse is accompanied by the slim Microsoft Wedge Mobile Keyboard, specifically designed to fit the needs of tablet users. It comes with hot keys and media keys, as well as with a lightweight design, but features a durable cover which also functions as an on / off switch. It can be connected to tablets via Bluetooth and comes with an estimated retail price of US$79.95.

Next, there is the Sculpt Touch Mouse, with a four-way touch scroll strip, Bluetooth technology packed inside, and a price of around US$49.95. The Sculpt Mobile Keyboard that accompanies it also features Bluetooth connectivity, the same design as Microsoft’s Comfort Curve, battery-saving technology inside, and a suggested price of US$49.95. Additionally, the Redmond-based software giant notes that its Microsoft Touch Mouse is getting updated functionality aimed specifically at the upcoming Windows 8 platform. At around US$79.95, the mouse will make it easily for users to navigate in Windows 8:

• One-finger swipes allow customers to move naturally and intuitively side to side or up and down, shifting content on screen.
• Two-finger movements manage apps, switch through open apps and show app commands.
• Three fingers allow customers to zoom in and out.
• Thumb gestures navigate backward and forward within apps.

As stated above, all these products have been optimized for use on the upcoming Windows 8 platform. Thus, they come with Bluetooth connectivity, BlueTrack Technology (for use on almost all surfaces), and other specific functionality. Offering a great experience regardless of user’s lifestyle, the new hardware can be used with all sorts of Windows 8 devices, including desktops, laptops and tablet PCs. “Our new mice and keyboards really light up Windows, providing fast and fluid navigation, increased productivity, and enhanced mobility packaged in sleek, stylish designs,” said Brett Kelleran, general manager, Microsoft Hardware. “Microsoft Hardware is designed by Microsoft, optimized for Windows.”

“Starting July 30th, you will be able to pre-order the Wedge Mobile Keyboard, Wedge Touch Mouse, Sculpt Mobile Keyboard and Sculpt Touch Mouse on Amazon.com, NewEgg.com, TigerDirect, and Buy.com,” Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc announced.

Microsoft Sculpt Mobile Keyboard
Image credits to Microsoft

Microsoft Wedge Touch Mouse
Image credits to Microsoft

Microsoft Sculpt Mobile Keyboard
Image credits to Microsoft

Microsoft Sculpt Touch Mouse
Image credits to Microsoft

Microsoft Sculpt Touch Mouse
Image credits to Microsoft

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EVGA GeForce GTX 660 Ti Video Card

We reported here about Nvidia’s possible decision to launch two versions of the GeForce GTX 660 video card and here we uncovered more detailed information about the two models. Now, we can finally see how a rather plain reference GeForce GTX 660 Ti video card will look like.

Traditional Nvidia video card manufacturing partner EVGA is apparently ready to launch its own GeForce GTX 660 Ti graphics adapter, and the first piece to be pictured looks very similar to the GTX 670 cards. The card comes with a single 6-pin power connector and has a TDP of only 120 watts, VideoCardz reports.

The memory is clocked at the same 6 GHz and the GPU works at a default frequency of 980 MHz with a Boost option greater than 1 GHz. The GPU used is still the same GK104, but the cooling system is surprisingly small.

EVGA GeForce GTX 660 Ti Video Card
Image credits to expreview

EVGA GeForce GTX 660 Ti Video Card
Image credits to expreview

EVGA GeForce GTX 660 Ti Video Card
Image credits to expreview

EVGA GeForce GTX 660 Ti Video Card
Image credits to expreview

EVGA GeForce GTX 660 Ti Video Card
Image credits to expreview

EVGA GeForce GTX 660 Ti Video Card
Image credits to expreview

EVGA GeForce GTX 660 Ti Video Card
Image credits to videocardz

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AMD Sempron X2 198 and AMD Athlon II X2 221 CPUs

This time around, we aren't bringing you information about some new or upcoming chip, but of a pair of processors that escaped the public eye for a long time.

Truth be told, we aren't all that shocked that a couple of APUs with disabled GPUs managed to slip the attention of the world for so long. After all, when Advanced Micro Devices released the FM1 socket and accompanying chips, everyone kept tabs on the Llano accelerated processing units. Nevertheless, there were chips with their GPUs disabled, marketed as part of the Athlon II and Sempron series. What we are looking at today are the dual-core Athlon II 221 and Sempron 198. They first surfaced in CPU lists in mid-2011 but have only now been spotted. The Sempron 198 powers the HP Pavilion p6-1152cx, Pavilion p6-1159cx, Pavilion p6-1230cx and p6-1231cx desktop computers. It is a dual-core unit with a clock speed of 2.5 GHz, L2 cache memory of 1 MB, DDR3-1600 RAM support and a TDP (thermal design power) of 65 Watts.

The other CPU, AMD Athlon II 221, is shipped in HP Pavilion p6-1169cx and Pavilion p6-1226cn computers. Like the Sempron, it features two cores, 1 MB of L2 cache memory, DR3-1600 support and a 65W TDP, but its clock frequency is higher, at 2.8 GHz. AMD 64, Virtualization, and SIMD instructions up to SSE3 are available on both models. All things considered, it is a bit late in the game for these parts to surface, now that socket FM2 is what everyone is looking forward to. Then again, the Athlon chips compatible with it have, so far, been mid-to-high-tier versions, and it may take a while for the new technology to reach the lower levels of the industry. Until then, we may just see these two in low-cost all-in-one PCs, nettops, etc.

AMD logo
Image credits to AMD

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Samsung Two Windows Phone 8 Devices, “Odyssey” and “Marco”

South Korean mobile phone maker Samsung is one of the handset vendors set to launch Windows Phone 8 devices when the new platform becomes available, and it seems that the company has at least two such smartphones ready.

As part of an ongoing lawsuit with Apple, Samsung brought as evidence said two Windows Phone 8 smartphones, codenamed "Odyssey" and "Marco." According to the company, both these smartphones will come to the market with dual-core application processors inside. To be more precise, the documents that Samsung showed to the court unveiled that these handsets are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon MSM8960 dual-core 1.5GHz chip, The Verge reports. This is the same SoC that Microsoft has been previously said to have been using for testing the upcoming platform release, meaning that Samsung’s devices will be fully optimized for Windows Phone 8.

Additionally, the aforementioned documents unveiled that both phones will pack support for LTE and HSPA+ 21Mbps connectivity. Samsung Odyssey will sport a 4.65-inch HD sAMOLED touchscreen display, while featuring an 8-megapixel photo snapper on the back, and a 2MP camera on the front. The handset will also become available with NFC (Near Field Communication) capabilities, which means that it will provide users with support for Wallet Hub and Tap + Send features. Codenamed Marco, the second Samsung Windows Phone 8 handset will pack a 4-inch WVGA sAMOLED display, along with a 5-megapixel camera on the back, and a 2MP camera on the front.

Said documents also show that Samsung was planning to make these two available for purchase sometime in the fourth quarter of the year, in line with previous rumors on Windows Phone 8’s launch. When released, Windows Phone 8 will be loaded on devices coming from other handset vendors as well, including Nokia, which is considered to be Microsoft’s primary partner on this. The first Windows Phone 8 smartphones might become official in September, yet market availability is expected to occur only in October or November.

Windows Phone 8
Image credits to Microsoft

Samsung Windows Phone 8 devices
Image credits to The Verge

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Alleged Photos of a Fully Assembled iPhone 5

The next iPhone model might become available for purchase as soon as next month, if the latest reports on the matter are accurate, yet we still don’t have an official confirmation on what the device might look like.

However, we can now have a look at what allegedly are photos of a fully assembled iPhone 5 model, complemented by images of its internal circuitry. Coming from repair shop iLab, these photos are not limited to showing us only parts of the new iPhone, as some of the previous leaks on the matter did. Instead, they unveil what might prove to be the final look of the device, with all the purported changes from the current-generation iPhone in tow. At the bottom of the new handset model, you can see the smaller, 19-pin dock connector that Apple decided to go with, along with the headphone jack that was placed on the top side before. Moreover, the new smartphone will land on shelves with a front camera placed in the center, while featuring a modified, metallic back cover.

The rear camera is in the same place as on iPhone 4, the same as the volume buttons on the left side, and the SIM slot on the right. iPhone 5 is also expected to arrive on shelves with a larger screen when compared to previous models, and should feature support for nano-SIM cards, according to the latest reports. While no official confirmation on the specific launch date of the new iPhone model has emerged so far, rumors on a possible September 21st unveiling might pan out. As the release date draws near, more such iPhone 5 parts are starting to leak to repair shops, and we should expect for more details on the matter to emerge soon.

In the meantime, you can have a look both at the photos that iLab provided with the iPhone 5, as well as at a video that Macotakara has posted with the device.

Alleged iPhone 5 images
Images credits to iLab Factory

iLab Factoryが入手した、次期iPhoneと思われるパーツ
http://www.macotakara.jp/blog/index.php?ID=17255
Video credits to Macotakara

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BlackBerry 10 BBM with New User Interface and More Features

Canadian mobile phone maker Research In Motion is gearing up for the release of its new BlackBerry 10 operating system, and some more info on what the platform will include is now available.

A new set of leaked documents from RIM provide us with a glimpse at what the BlackBerry Messenger in the upcoming OS will look like. According to the guys over at N4BB, who published the aforementioned leaked docs, BBM on BlackBerry 10 will land on shelves with a new user interface with TAT Cascades.

The messenger will arrive with a series of features hidden from the users’ view, but that will emerge through simple swipe gestures. On N-Series devices, for example, BBM will come with support for keyboard shortcuts (including C for new chat, T for top, N for next day, and S for search).

BlackBerry 10 BBM
Images credits to N4BB

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Assembly Work at HP Chinese Manufacturing Facility

All those individual and mass suicides at Foxcon's Chinese plant, whether carried out or not, have painted a grim picture of what work is like on the assembly lines.

The video above, depicting a random scene in the lives of employees responsible for quality control, might lay some misgivings to rest. Sure, it's not a Foxconn plant that we're looking at, but the HP contract manufacturer, Quanta, is still every bit a Chinese plant. All in all, there doesn't seem to be much to worry about, except the repetitiveness of the job maybe, but that's hardly something to frown at. Almost all jobs involve a certain routine, and we know of many that are much more physically demanding but just as, if not more, dull.

The only potential gripe left is the payment: $2 / 1.62 Euro an hour. Then again, this is China, so the cost of living there is (most likely) much lower than in the US or EU. That said, Quanta just needs to make sure it doesn't overwork these people, as overtime is the main cause of Foxconn's problems.

Video credits to AnteBoyanROX

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Intel Core i3-3120ME and i3-3217UE CPUs Details

CPU-World reported: Two new Intel CPUs have been exposed, but they aren't the sort that most of us consumers are ever going to see or use.

Called Core i3-3120ME and i3-3217UE, they are aimed at the embedded market, making them best suited for transportation, fire safety, safety and security, medical applications and life critical systems. Consumer electronics like PDAs and home-automation systems might use them too though. That said, the Core i3 CPUs have two cores each, 3 MB L2 cache memory, HD 4000 graphics, Hyper-Threading and DDR3-1600 memory support.

The Core i3-3120ME, being the faster one, operates at 2.4 GHz and boasts a GPU clock of 650 / 900 MHz. Its TDP is 35W. Meanwhile, the Core i3-3217UE is slower, at 1.6 GHz and 350 / 900 MHz GPU speed, but its power draw is much lower (17W). No prices are known for the chips, unfortunately, but sales should begin this quarter.

Intel Core i3 logo
Image credits to Intel

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AMD Yangtze Brings Supportt of xHCI 1.0 and SD/SDIO 3.0

AMD is in no hurry to upgrade its Brazos 2.0 nettop and netbook platform, as Intel’s own Atom is very much behind in performance and manufacturing technology. The A68 chipset has brought USB 3.0 support, but the company is working hard on the new Jaguar APU and the Yangtze FCH.

The company is taking the tablet market very seriously, and considering that the tablet sales in the following years will be much more than all the global PC sales from 2012, all the work for the Jaguar APU and the supporting platform is very important for AMD’s future. For energy-efficient platforms, low power consumption and features integration are probably the most important aspects. Therefore, the Yangtze FCH doesn’t bring extraordinary performance features, but it rather brings increased feature integration and a much needed power efficiency. Tablet specific functions like the xHCI 1.0 and SD/SDIO 3.0 support will come inside AMD’s new chipset, and the 7.8 watts TDP AMD’s Bolton dissipates will likely be reduced in the Yangtze chipset, Fudzilla reported.

The xHCI 1.0 is a different way of managing the USB devices connected to the chipset and the SD/SDIO 3.0 support means that there will be no need for an additional SD Card reading controller to be added to the platform. AMD’s Jaguar APU will likely use a more powerful, or rather more advanced iGPU than the Richland desktop APU. Both will come with Steamroller x86 cores that are said to be 15% better than Piledriver, but considering that the desktop domain is not the main issue for AMD right now, the new chipsets will be just as interesting and innovative as the new APUs.

AMD lets the FM2 and AM3+ desktop platforms stay alive and largely unmodified until next summer, but then new chipsets are likely to come to the market together with the Steamroller upgrade.

AMD FX8150 Bolldozer Based CPU
Image credits to legitreviews

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Nokia City Scene for MeeGo Gets Minor Update

Nokia City Scene for MeeGo has just been updated with a few bug fixes meant to improve the overall experience of the users, as well as the performance of the application.

Aimed at Nokia N9 and N950 owners, the application allows users to explore cities in 3D. Nokia City Scene currently features a slew of US ones, but also quite a high number of European cities. However, developers are constantly adding new ones, so expect Nokia City Scene to feature dozens of new cities in the following months. The latest version of Nokia City fixes issues related to installing on N950, but also includes improved panorama problem reporting.

Although the application is compatible with all Nokia N9 and N950 smartphones, keep in mind that it requires device firmware PR1.1. In order to update to the latest version of Nokia City Scene, simply open the “Store” app on the N9 and search for the application. via MyNokiaBlog.

Explore cities in 3D with Nokia City Scene from Nokia Research Center. http://nokia.ly/u8ioGb Click on buildings to browse their stores and services, or use search to jump to what you are looking for. Connect to your social networks to find friends' check-ins or share locations. Now featuring about a dozen US cities with coverage expanding both in the US and to Europe

Video credits to Nokia

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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 and GTX 660 Ti Full Specifications Confirmed

Californian fabless GPU and ARM CPU designer is apparently dead-set on launching a GeForce GTX 660 Ti video card that will be able to use the GTX 670 PCB. This means that the Ti suffix will come together with a 256-Bit memory interface.

The lesser GeForce GTX 660 version will come with the same GK104 GPU, but it will feature a 25% narrower memory BUS that will also allow the card to fit into a more modest 130-watt TDP. There are various sources that talk about a GK106 GPU that will likely power the GTX 660 in the future once it tapes out from TSMC.

The full specifications show a well-known GK104 Kepler GPU that will have only 1152 CUDA cores active clocked at a default 980 MHz frequency, with a 1033 MHz Boost option and the same 6008 MHz frequency for the 1.5 GB of GDDR5 video memory, VideoCardz reported. The GTX 660 Ti model might come with a 1133 MHz Boost option, but we find that very unlikely.

Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 and 660 Ti Specifications
Images credits to VideoCardz

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