The first reviews of that GeForce 7950 GX2 graphics card we told you about last week are just coming in, and the guys at FiringSquad took a close look at this 1GB graphics card from NVIDIA that just shipped today. They liked the HDCP (HD copy protection, must also have an HDCP-compliant monitor) support, the shorter board design that lets it fit into computer cases easier, enhanced cooling, and then there’s the fact that this is two graphics cards in one, giving you great performance for the money.

However, the reviewers wished this GeForce 7950 GX2 were capable of quad SLI performance, something they got when they strapped together two GeForce 7900 GTX SLI cards. But they did like the price, where they expect it to sell in a range between $599 and $649, making it a lot more cost-effective than buying two GeForce 7900s. Overall, in this extensive first-look preview which includes lots of “real-world” gaming benchmarks, they gave the card a thumbs up for its performance and value. – Charlie White

GeForce 7950 GX2 Hands-On Preview [FiringSquad]
from gizmodo

 

Like its predecessors, the Flybook VM has a display that is capable of being positioned upward like a desktop LCD monitor. On the inside, you’ll find a 1.66GHz low-voltage Intel Core Duo processor, 512MB of RAM, 30GB HDD, Bluetooth 2.0, Wi-Fi, and stereo speakers. Plus, it has an integrated VGA webcam for easy video conferencing. It measures 29.2 x 22.2 x 2.6cm and weighs just 3.6-pounds. Pricing and availability have not yet been announced.

[via RegHardware]
from techeblog

 

Cornet joins the one terabyte club with the Maximus Platinum drive. Sporting USB 2.0 and both Firewire 400 and 800, this drive should be great for owners of the MacBook Pro 17″, which still has the Firewire 800 port. Windows XP and 2000 are also supported.Available now for $1,230. – Jason Chen

Product Page [Cornet via Extreme Tech]
from gizmodo

Intel is using this week’s Computex trade show to reveal various bits of information about upcoming additions to the Core Duo family, including details on the chipset that will support the new Core 2 Duo (formerly known as Conroe) processors as well as the existence of an impending low voltage version of the current Core Duo CPU. Senior Vice President Anand Chandrasekher announced that the 965 chipset will come in three versions (P965, G965, and U965) sporting either Core 2 Duos or Core 2 Extremes — the latter chip coming in July in a 2.93GHz version, followed by a 3.2GHz model later this year — along with DDR2 memory as fast as 800MHz. As for the new ULV Core Duo processor, the company claims that it will sip an average of just 0.75 watts (compared to the one to two watts consumed by the already efficient Core 2 Duo), and be available in a 1.06GHz configuration called the U2500 for $289 this summer. Release dates for the Core 2 Duo chip are still unknown, although a press conference being held tomorrow may contain that key piece of info, which is already being reported by some sources as July 23rd.

More info
from engadget

Just as we anticipated, Kensington has released that laptop dock we heard about a few months ago featuring Newnham Research’s “NIVO” technology for connecting external monitors through a USB connection. Using only one USB hook-up to your notebook, the wedge-shaped (for keeping your machine cool) Notebook Expansion Dock supports multiple USB devices, Ethernet networking, desktop speakers, and a monitor as big as 17-inches at 1,280 x 1,024 pixels and 32-bit color. You can start turning your laptop into a desktop replacement immediately, for $180.

More info
from engadget

Western Digital is now shipping its My Book Pro Edition ($350), a 500GB external hard disk that works with Macs and PCs and has a triple play of interfaces including FireWire 800, FireWire 400 and USB 2.0. Besides adding that lickety-split FireWire 800 connectivity, it’s a 7200 RPM drive, just like its 500GB brandmates released three months ago, the My Book Essential Edition ($300, USB 2.0), and the My Book Premium ($330, FireWire 400 and USB 2.0).

One distinguishing feature of all three of these drives is their capacity gauge, that backlit blue bullseye LED on the front that shows at a glance how much space you have left on the drive. Hey, that’s a great idea. And then there’s that nostalgic look of the drive itself designed by IDEO, and yes, that’s actually what books looked like, back in olden times. – Charlie White

Update: Reader Brad tells us that not all Western Digital MyBook drives have the external gauge for percentage filled. The MyBook Essential (green box) does NOT have it. The others do. Thanks, Brad!

Product page [Western Digital]
from gizmodo

Remember Averatec’s sweet AHI UMPC concept from a couple months back? Well, they gave us the latest iteration of the device as it’s been moving forward, as well as some details — and we have to say, this is the first UMPC we’ve genuinely been able to get excited about. The sub 2-pounder will supposedly be somehow optimized for VoIP, videoconferencing, viewing live TV and VOD, and apparently even gaming (we’re hoping they mean light gaming — no CrossFire going on up in here). It’s also supposed to have voice recognition systems (presumably for use with GPS guidance and the like),  a docking station, and is set to be priced under $800 for Q4 2006 launch. So basically it sounds like they’re making a bunch of stuff up to get us excited, because we’re having a hard time believing they’re going to meet these goals. Then again, with capabilities so tantalizing and a price that low, we’re a little tempted to turn a blind eye and hope for the best.

Update: Ok, we’ve got some preliminary specs here! Look out for a 1GHz Celeron M,  30 or 40GB drive, up to 1GB RAM, 1.3 megapixel webcam, Bluetooth, 802.11b/g, WWAN optional, 4-in-1 card reader, external VGA and audio outs, and a 5-inch 800 x 480 display. Pepper Pad 3, watchout now, kid.

from Engadget