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CES 2008 — LAS VEGAS –BUSINESS WIRE– Jan 07, `08 — Hauppauge announced today the introduction of the new dual tuner WinTV-HVR-2250, USB based WinTV-HVR-1950, WinTV-HVR-950Q and WinTV-HVR-1250.

– The WinTV-HVR-2250 has two complete on-board analog and digital TV receivers, which allow users to watch and record two NTSC, ATSC or clear QAM digital cable TV programs at the same time.

To support the popular analog and digital TV formats used in North America, the WinTV-HVR-2250 supports NTSC analog cable TV, over the air ATSC high definition digital TV plus clear QAM digital cable TV. There are two complete TV receivers on the WinTV-HVR-2250, which allow two programs of any type to be watched, paused or recorded at the same time.

WinTV-HVR-2250 will be available in February 2008 for $129.

– The WinTV-HVR-1950 allows a PC or laptop user to watch, pause and record NTSC, ATSC or clear QAM digital TV onto their hard disk, without slowing down their computer. To support the popular analog and digital TV formats, the WinTV-HVR-1950 supports NTSC analog cable TV, over the air ATSC high definition digital TV plus clear QAM digital cable TV.

WinTV-HVR-1950 will be available in February 2008 for $149.

–  The WinTV-HVR-950Q is a small, portable USB TV tuner “stick” which can be used to watch and record clear QAM digital cable TV on a laptop or desktop PC. In addition, it can also be used to watch and record NTSC analog cable TV and over-the-air ATSC high definition digital TV. ATSC is the new standard for high definition TV broadcasts in North America, and is transmitted at up to 1080i. These three TV formats, NTSC, ATSC and QAM, are the most popular TV transmission formats.

WinTV-HVR-950Q will be available in January 2008 for $99.

– The WinTV-HVR-1250 allows PC users to watch, pause and record analog NTSC cable TV, ATSC high definition digital TV and clear QAM digital cable TV on their Windows XP or Vista PC, in a window or full screen.

WinTV-HVR-1250 will be available in January 2008 for $49.

SAN DIEGO — Dec 17, `07 — Qualcomm today announced that it has acquired San Diego-based SoftMax Inc., a market leader in noise reduction for mobile devices.

SoftMax brings leading-edge, multi-microphone noise suppression and echo cancellation expertise to Qualcomm, broadening the audio and voice capabilities of the Company’s product portfolio for integration into devices such as mobile handsets, Bluetooth headsets, VoIP phones and notebook PCs.

SoftMax’s leading-edge voice algorithms for signal separation, echo cancellation and signal processing have enabled some of the latest wireless devices on the market to separate a speaker’s voice from various background noises. The result is a dramatic improvement in voice quality, providing significant differentiation for the end product. More at Qualcomm.

New S3200 specification delivers higher speed than competing technologies - and much sooner - with no changes to connectors or cables.

Dallas — On Dec 12, The 1394 Trade Association announced a new specification to quadruple the speed of FireWire to reach 3.2 gigabits per second.

The new electrical specification, known as S3200, builds upon the IEEE 1394b standard, preserving all the advantages of FireWire while offering a major and unprecedented boost in performance.

The new speed uses the cables and connectors already deployed for FireWire 800 products, making the transition forward easy and convenient for 1394 product vendors and their customers. Because the 1394 arbitration, data, and service protocols were not modified for S3200, silicon and software vendors can deploy the faster speed FireWire quickly and with confidence that it will deliver its full potential performance.

The S3200 specification is expected to be ratified by early February. More at 1394TradeAssociation.org.

New low-power, rugged 1.8-inch HDDs feature up to 120GB capacity with an 80GB light-weight model for PC applications, along with a series of 60GB drives optimized for CE devices.

IRVINE, Calif — On Dec 12, Toshiba Storage Device Division announced expansion of its 1.8-inch HDD lineup with a series of five new HDDs for PC and consumer electronics (CE) applications.

Highlights include a high-capacity 120GB model for thin and light mobile PCs, as well as slim, single-platter 80GB and 60GB models for ultra-mobile PC and portable handheld CE devices.

Toshiba’s new 1.8-inch HDDs for PC applications include the 120GB MK1214GAH, the 60GB MK6028GAL and the lightweight 80GB MK8025GAL, weighing two grams less than traditional 5-millimeter-high 1.8-inch HDDs. All three models are equipped with a PATA interface, 2MB buffer and 512 byte-per-sector format for tablet, mobile PC, ultra-portable, ultramobile PC (UMPC) and other applications.

For CE applications, Toshiba introduced two single-platter, 60GB 1.8-inch HDDs in the slim, 5-millimeter-high form factor with special attributes for mobile and handheld products.

The MK6014GAL offers a 4,200 RPM spin speed and 2MB buffer for faster data throughput, while the MK6015GAA supports a 3,600 RPM spin speed for quieter operation. Toshiba’s two 60GB CE HDDs demonstrate the company’s lead in the design and manufacture of long data sector technology with 1K byte-per-sector formats optimized for CE.

In addition to spurring miniaturization and mobility for PC and CE devices, 1.8-inch HDDs deliver better power efficiency, improved ruggedness and quieter acoustics for music and video playback over long periods of time, compared to larger form factor HDDs.

More at ToshibaStorage (in pdf).

Applied double tunneling layer to realize 100 gigabit density.

TOKYO, Japan — Toshiba Corporation on Wednesday, Dec 12, announced that it has developed a new double tunneling layer technology applicable to future 10nm generation flash memories. This elemental technology opens the way for memory devices with densities of over 100 gigabits in the 10nm generation, which lies four generations ahead. The technology was today announced at the IEDM (International Electron Devices Meeting) held at Washington DC.

Toshiba developed a tunnel layer, which controls in and out of electron, in the SONOS (Silicon Oxide Nitride Oxide Semiconductor) type device structure, a memory structure that holds electrons in the nitride layer in the gate insulator.

The new structure sandwiches a 1.2 nm silicon nanocrystals layer between the 1nm thickness oxide films, achieving long-time data retention and high speed writing and data deletion at the same time, using the natural characteristic that resistance changes with changes in gate voltage. As the new tunnel layers are thinner than early version SONOS element tunnel layers, it is easier to migrate to advanced devices with finer lithography.

Toshiba also increased the saved electrons amount by changing the nitride film from Si3N4 to Si9N10, a material that contains more silicon, and optimized such aspects of the element structure as channel impurity concentration. The prototype has realized and maintained equivalent to over 10 years performance.

Toshiba is investigating various technologies for future advanced memories, including 3D structures, and believes that realizing operation in the 10nm generation with its new double tunneling layer technology is a step forward to future practical devices. More at Toshiba.

TOKYO, Japan — On Monday, Dec 10, Toshiba announced its entry into the emerging market for NAND-flash-based solid state drive (SSD) with a series of products featuring multilevel-cell NAND flash memories.

Offered in a range of form factors and densities, Toshiba’s solid state drives are designed primarily for notebook PCs. They will be showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, from January 7th to 10th. Samples and mass production will follow from the first quarter (January to March) of next year.

Moving NAND-based storage architecture forward, Toshiba’s first solid state drives offer three densities: 32 gigabytes (GB), 64GB and 128GB. SSD realize low power consumption, a fast boot time, and lightweight, but market penetration has been held back by low densities and high prices.

Toshiba’s new SSD integrate an original MLC controller supporting fast read-write speeds, parallel data transfers and wear leveling, and achieve performance levels comparable to those of single-level NAND flash SSD. By applying MLC technology, Toshiba has realized a 128GB density in a 1.8 inch form factor. Toshiba expects the launch of its SSD line-up to speed up acceptance of solid state memory in laptops and digital consumer products, and to widen the horizons of the NAND flash market.

The new products utilize NAND flash memory fabricated with 56nm process technology, along with controller chips and DRAM, on a 70.6mm (L) x 53.6mm (W) x 3.0mm (H) platform. The maximum read speed is 100MB a second, and the maximum write speed of 40MB a second with the SATA2 interface (transfer rate of 3Gbps), which is compliant with high speed serial interface. The operating life is 1,000,000 hours. More at Toshiba.

- Retail Store Operations Will Wind-Down, Offering Consumers Attractive Holiday Bargains on Computer and Electronics Products

DALLAS, Dec 07, ‘07 /PRNewswire/ — CompUSA today announced that it has been acquired by an affiliate of Gordon Brothers Group, LLC, a global advisory, restructuring and investment firm specializing in retail, consumer products, real estate and industrial sectors. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Gordon Brothers Group will initiate an orderly wind-down of CompUSA’s retail store operations and is engaged in discussions with various parties regarding the sale of certain assets. CompUSA’s 103 retail stores will remain open and staffed during the holiday season, and will offer consumers attractive bargains on computer and electronic products as part of store closing sales.

Active discussions are under way to sell select stores in key markets as well as the company’s highly-regarded technical services business,
CompUSA TechPro, and its productive Internet sales operation, CompUSA.com. CompUSA TechPro and CompUSA.com will be operated by the company as going concerns until any sale transactions are closed.

CompUSA will be run by Bill Weinstein, a Principal at Gordon Brothers Group, acting as Interim President, and by Stephen Gray, Managing Partner at restructuring firm CRG Partners, who will serve as Chief Restructuring Officer. Current CEO Roman Ross will continue to serve the company in an executive advisory capacity during the transition period.

DJM Realty, a Gordon Brothers Group company that specializes in real estate disposition and valuations, will assist in assessing the leases for
CompUSA’s store locations. More at PRNewsWire.

Dec 06, ‘07 — LaCie is accepting pre-orders for its user-friendly 320GB External Hard Drive, which is designed by Neil Poulton.

Here’s what LaCie says about its newest addition: LaCie Hard Drive, Design by Neil Poulton adds sophisticated style to your desktop yet its presence is quiet and unobtrusive. It has a unique distinguishing feature - a cool, blue LED strip on its underside that creates an ambient glow.

Its subtle, all-black design blends perfectly into dark home entertainment setups and workstations. Very small for its vast capacity, this lightweight, compact drive has a fashionable, mirror-polished finish. The smartly engineered design allows for heat dissipation and near-silent, fanless operation.

You can pre-order one for $119.99 at LaCie.

LAKE FOREST, Calif — Dec 03, ‘07 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Just in time to make a perfect holiday gift, Western Digital today announced that its new 320 GB capacity WD Passport Portable Drives are now available for $229.99 at select retailers and this week at WD’s online store ShopWD.com.

At less than five ounces, this lightweight drive fits neatly in a pocket or backpack and is the perfect gadget to back up today’s increasingly large files.

WD Sync software allows consumers to take desktop content with them by simplifying the synchronization of essential personal files and
Microsoft Outlook data on a PC. Should owners misplace the drive, they know their data is protected with 128-bit encryption. Google software on the drive allows users to quickly locate files with the Google Desktop Search search tool, manage photos with Picasa photo organizer software and simplify Web searches with the Google Toolbar search bar.

Nov 28, ‘07 — Brando is offering this USB to SATA / eSATA with 5 USB Ports Combo Hub turns any SATA or eSATA mass storage device into a convenient external USB 2.0 High-Speed drive.

This adapter supports 2.5″ and 3.5″ SATA hard drives, SATA CD/DVD drives and eSATA drive enclosure. It is a great test bench device perfect for technicians or anyone needing to copy or offload files from one hard drive to another. In additions, it contains a 5-Port hub, it is more convenience to use.

Get yours for $33 or $43 with power at Brando.com.hk