technicalupdates

Apr 13, 2009

Dell adds liquid cooling option to XPS 625, 630

Dell's XPS 625 and XPS 630 gaming desktops may be known for one of the best price-to-performance ratios around, but it looks like Dell isn't ignoring those primarily concerned with performance, and it's now added a liquid cooling option to both models that should please the overclockers out there. That comes in the form of an Asetek liquid cooling system, which should be considerably more quiet than the standard fan-based system, while also keeping the system nice and chilly. Just be prepared to shell out an extra $120 on top of the $899 and $1,099 base price for the 625 and 630, respectively, and wait until late this month for the liquid-cooled systems to actually ship.

Hitachi unveils 11 latest Wooo plasmas and LCDs: Greener, better looking & network connected

This year's edition of the Hitachi Wooo line of flat panels look a lot like their predecessors on the outside (120Hz IPS LCDs, 250GB HDD equipped models with iVDR slots for additional hard drives and Wooonet DLNA network support) but it's what's inside that counts. The four new XP plasma models range from 42- to 50-inches and promise even better contrast ratios, as high as 40,000:1, with better color reproduction and the promise of greater energy efficiency. The ultra-thin 35mm / 1.4-inch thick LCDs are back in four new models, with UWB wirelessly connected tuners, auto sensing/adjusting brightness and aforementioned "eco" power sipping improvements. The relatively fat XP line of LCDs consists of just three displays, but just like all the rest, buyers can still hook up to the 'net and pull down video on-demand or Yahoo! Japan's web TV portal -- features unlikely to make the jump when we see U.S. versions of these later this year. The XP plasmas and LCDs go on sale in Japan later this month or next, while the ultra-thins will be crash dieting until October.

HP Pavilion dv6, HDX 16

In the market for an HP laptop? Then it looks like your buying decision just got a tad tougher, with another round of official and not quite official announcements affecting four more models among the company's many offerings. Those include the dv6 (pictured above), which is now available with lower-cost Intel Pentium Dual-Core T4200 or Core 2 Duo T6400 processors and ATI Mobility Radeon HD4530 or HD4650 graphics, and the considerably higher-end HDX 16, which gets a boost in the graphics department courtesy of NVIDIA's GeForce GT 130M GPU with 1GB of on-board RAM. What's more, while HP isn't saying anything about it just yet, Notebook Italia seems pretty sure that the 18.4-inch HDX 18 will also be getting a similar graphics upgrade in the coming days. Lastly, it seems that the 17-inch Pavilion dv7 laptop has also seen a mild update in the form of the dv7-2000, which now packs ATI's latest Mobility Radeon HD4000 series graphics, and a Core 2 Quad Q9000 processor on the top-end configuration.

Corsair's ultra speedy 256GB SSD

My, how fast the cutting edge becomes dull. Nary four months ago, we were introduced to Corsair's first SSD: a 2.5-inch 128GB slab of MLC NAND goodness that promised 90MB/sec read and 70MB/sec write speeds. Needless to say, those numbers weren't about to shatter any records, so the company went out and produced something that just might. The benchmarking fiends over at HotHardware managed to scoop up a 256GB S256 from the company and put it through the first of many tests. As for results? Early reports show average read speeds nailing the 200MB/sec mark, while average write rates hovered just under 170MB/sec. The only issue is the breathtaking $749 price tag (expected, anyway), but at least you've apparently got a few months to save up.

Mitsubishi debuts 3D-ready Home Theater TV line, 82-incher included

content whenever it infiltrates the home? No need for 16 speakers built right into your next HDTV? How's about the ability to watch 3DMitsubishi's other big introduction today comes in the form of its 2009 Home Theater TV line, a family that includes the 737 Series (60-, 65-, 73- and 82-inch), 837 Series (65-, 73- and 82-inch) and the standalone 82-inch WD-82737. The big screen crew is completely 3D ready and the whole lot features 120Hz dejudder technology, the firm's exclusive 6-color processor, four HDMI 1.3a sockets and a JADE Activity-based user interface. For those badly in need of a new set after suffering through March Madness on that 22-inch CRT, you'll be elated to know that every set mentioned here is shipping now from $1,499 to $4,999, with the full gamut of details waiting just past the break.

Mitsubishi introduces 16-speaker Unisen LCD HDTV line

With Mitsubishi's LaserVue lines humming along once more, it's time for the company to bust out a few more big announcements in the HDTV space. First up is the new Unisen line, comprised of the 151 Series (40-, 46- and 52-inches), the 153 Series (40-, 46- and 52-inches) and the high-end Diamond 259 Series (46- and 52-inches). Each set in the line comes with a built-in "5.1-channel" 16-speaker audio bar, much like the iSP LT-52149 that we reviewed last fall. Each model also incorporates a new UltraThin Frame design, Smooth 120Hz Film Motion technology, four HDMI 1.3a inputs and a USB media port. The top end crew also includes an iSP calibration microphone, Plush1080p 5G 18-bit digital video processing, a wired IR input and a few swank blue accents to really woo the ladies. The whole family should ship to the United States next month and range from $1,799 to $3,299. Exact pricing is just after the break.

Toshiba's Satellite Pro S300-EZ2521

Ready for one more excuse to snooze through hump day? Here you go. Toshiba's Satellite Pro S300-EZ2521, obviously the latest in its growing S300 line, is about as perfectly average as a 15.4-inch laptop can be. We're talking a 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 3GB of DDR2 RAM, a 250GB (5400RPM) hard drive, SuperMulti DVD burner, WXGA resolution panel, GMA 4500MHD graphics, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and a built-in webcam. Furthermore, the actual enclosure just screams "Designed For Office Cubes," and while we don't have confirmation just yet, we'd wager that the 40 metric tons of bloatware would further substantiate that claim. There's no mention of a price, but those in the market for a strictly-business machine should find it shipping any day now.

Kensington outs new handful of netbook accessories

It was just a matter of time, really. We've seen desktop accessories, laptop accessories and now netbook accessories. Kensington has today launched five new products aimed specifically at the blossoming market, and while the tiny wired ($14.99) and wireless ($24.99) mice aren't anything spectacular, the Power Adapter for Netbooks ($49.99) clearly shows a pinch of ingenuity. The unit is compatible with a whole slew of netbooks (not surprising given just how similar they all are), and includes a built-in USB port to give you that extra charging socket that you've been secretly longing for. There's also a new security lock ($24.99) and reversible sleeve ($14.99), which ought to join those other pieces we mentioned on store shelves later this month.

HP Pavilion dv2 review

We figure the design just to the left of the touchpad is more than enough to convince you to impulse-buy the $750 HP Pavilion dv2, but just in case you hesitated, the reviews are in and it's not all sunshine for the AMD Neo-powered non-netbook. Laptop Magazine notes it handles HD video pretty well, but it suffers from a cramped keyboard, above average heat, and a less than stellar battery life. Instead, they suggest a Samsung NC20 as a ligher, cheaper alternative. CNET said it got beat performance-wise by Intel Core 2 Duo laptops of comparable price range, and although it bested Atom in most tests, the two processors tied when multitasking. As for PC World, like Laptop, they did give kudos for better graphics performance, but added the caveat that the NC20 and upcoming MSI X-Slim X320 would give it a run for its money. For all the nitty-gritty details, browse through the reviews below.

ViewSonic debuts 24-inch VG2427 1080p LCD monitor

With little to no fanfare, ViewSonic has followed up its recently outed VT2230 with an all-too-similar VG2427. Said display packs a 24-inch panel, 1,920 x 1,080 native resolution, 20,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 300 nits of brightness, a height adjustable stand and hidden stereo speakers. Additionally, you'll find a 2-port USB hub, ECO mode for sucking down less energy (while idle, we presume) and a seductively slim bezel to boot. It's up for grabs right now for $499.

Dmedia renames G400 MID, hopes to showcase M0 at Computex

here lately, we've been decidedly left in the lurch with regard to its elusive MID. Initially spotted last November as the While dmedia has definitely shown signs of lifeWiMAX-packin' G400, said unit skipped out on promised booth appearances at both CES and Mobile World Congress 2009. Being that we're the forgiving bunch, we're still maintaining some level of hope that the recently renamed M0 will indeed make itself seen at Computex this June. Outside of the identity swap, most everything else looks the same; specifications include a 4.3-inch touchscreen (800 x 480 resolution), a 5 megapixel webcam, a Fujitsu-sourced WiMAX module, built-in GPS module and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR. Details beyond that are few and far betwixt, but hopefully we'll know more as warmer months approach.