Americanfreaks take on everything

Packard Bell, one of the leading technology brands in Europe, introduces today the dot, the first 8’9-inch netbook specially designed for consumers. It is the latest example of how Packard Bell excels at using design to make cutting edge technology user-friendly with a look and feel that appeals to mainstream consumers.

Consumers have embraced notebook computers in droves. But there remain circumstances where a full-size notebook is too cumbersome or too visible to be practical, and a smart phone is too small. This is why Packard Bell designed the dot.

“We’ve been watching netbooks ever since they first appeared. But we’ve always considered them too austere and too business oriented for consumers,” says Emmanuel Fromont, Sales & Marketing Vice President, Packard Bell. “So we told our designers and engineers to rethink the netbook, to look at it through the eyes of a family, not a company. The result is the dot.”

Perfect companion on the go. A notebook doesn’t sit discreetly on a café table, but the dot does. Its small size makes it perfect for consuming content on the go. A notebook doesn’t slide easily into a handbag, but the dot does. A parent would think twice about entrusting their child with the family notebook for a school trip, but the dot would be the perfect companion. The Packard Bell netbook is designed for situations like these. If the notebook is the main family car, then the dot is a scooter. It is the ideal additional PC/internet access point for the whole family everywhere.

Designed to be a discreet and practical companion, the dot has a slim case that fits neatly into a shoulder bag, while the 8.9-inch 1024×600-resolution display that is easy going on the eyes. It’s hard to type messenger conversations on a smart phone, but not on the dot. The keyboard is large enough for children and adults. And the full Windows XP operating system provides users with the features and interface they know so well.

Intel released its dual-core Atom 330 processor on September 21 which will mainly target the nettop market.

The CPU features a core frequency of 1.6GHz, 533MHz FSB, 1MB L2 cache and has a TDP of 8W.

The Atom 330 processor is priced at US$40 in thousand-unit tray quantities, while the single-core Atom 230 is priced at US$29.

The initial launch price of Atom 330-based motherboards in the channel is expected to surpass US$70, which will put Atom 330-based nettop prices at around US$299, while Atom 230-based nettops will be priced around US$249.

The dual-core and single-core Atom processors are pin-compatible, single-core Atom platforms will only need a BIOS update to support the dual-core CPUs

Intel has updated its partners with details its latest desktop CPU roadmap, as well issuing product discontinuance notice (PDN), end of life (EOL) and price cut schedules for the next few months, sources at motherboard makers have disclosed.

The company is planning PDNs for the Core 2 Extreme QX9770 and 9650 in the first quarter of 2009, and the two CPUs will phase out of the market in the second quarter. The company will also send out PDNs for four quad-core CPUs including the Core 2 Quad Q9450, ten dual-core CPUs including the Core 2 Duo E8300, three Pentium CPUs including the Pentium E2220 and the Celeron E1200 starting in November, and all products will phase out between the first and second quarters next year.

On October 19, the company will cut the price of the Core 2 Quad Q8200 and Q6600, Core 2 Duo 7300, and Pentium E2220 and E2200 CPUs, and will launch the Core 2 Duo E7400.

On November 30, the company is planning to launch the Core 2 Quad Q8300 with a core frequency of 2.5GHz, Pentium E5300 at 2.6GHz, and dual-core Celeron E1500 at 2.2GHz, priced at US$224, US$86 and US$53 in thousand-unit tray quantities, respectively.

On January 18 next year, the company will launch the Core 2 Duo E7500 CPU at 2.93GHz and priced at US$133, and will reduce pricing for the Core 2 Quad Q8200 from US$193 to US$183, Core 2 Duo E7400 from US$133 to US$113, Pentium E5200 from US$84 to US$76, Pentium E2220 from US$84 to US$64 and Celeron E1400 from US$54 to US$43.

Intel will launch its Core i7 CPUs and X58 chipsets in November. Model numbers for the three Core i7 CPUs available at launch have been detailed as: Core i7 965 with a core frequency of 3.2GHz, Core i7 940 at 2.93GHz and Core i7 920 at 2.66GHz. The company will launch more models in the second quarter of 2009.

Intel declined the opportunity to respond to this report saying it cannot comment on unannounced products.

source Digitimes 

ELSA Technology, the renowned high-end video card and professional graphic card manufacturer, is dedicated to developing of the latest products and insists on using only the finest materials, design and craftsmanship. To show our concern for mankind’s wellbeing and the state of our environment, ELSA is committed to delivering eco-friendly products with unparalleled quality and excellent after-sales services. ELSA held its 2008 Q3 Product Conference on September 3 to showcase its latest offerings for the third quarter to interested consumers, the media, collaborating partners and supporters. Apart from the high performance video cards that we have invested significant time in developing, ELSA displayed other exciting gadgets. Of note were our gaming oriented motherboards, next generation ultra light & ultra slim notebook PCs along with ELSA’s exclusively patented LED digital lamps that boast energy efficiency, eco-friendly and exquisite vogue designs. Through the event, ELSA presented solutions of technology, fashion and lifestyle that incorporated green concepts to present comprehensive selections and diversified digital lifestyles to consumers.

ELSA Technology once again flexes its muscles as the leading brand name in the green technology sector by emphasizing environmental protection, energy conservation, carbon reduction and high economic benefits to advocate the cause of “Caring for Our Earth”. To reflect ELSA’s determination to protect our planet, ELSA’s latest products for the coming quarter are designed with features such as our high efficient cooling and dust-proof video card series, low power consumption mini notebook PCs and motherboards that pass the EU’s strict RoHS directive. Not only that, ELSA’s AC LED MEPP bulb, which is the fruit of ELSA’s several exclusive patented technologies, redefines “MEPP” (saving Money, Energy, Power for environmental Protection). At the conference, ELSA demonstrated the comparison of its AC LED MEPP bulb against traditional incandescent bulbs and CFL bulbs in terms of wattage rating and heat generated to adequately present the green technology concept that ELSA’s AC LED MEPP stands for in the simplest yet most evident way.

ELSA Technology adheres to its objective of developing the latest technological products of the highest quality for consumers and remembers its corporate social responsibilities and care for mankind. ELSA wishes to remind the general public to work hand in hand to protect the environment and show our passion to the land of our growth. With a line up of high performance, high efficient and dust-proof video cards, professional motherboards manufactured in compliance to the strictest standards, mini notebook PCs that are energy efficient and easy to use, along with our exclusively patented, eco-friendly LED MEPP bulbs as the focus of its product conference, ELSA has faithfully demonstrated its unique green corporate concept. By offering green products that feature eco-friendly, technology, and fashionable lifestyle concepts, ELSA hopes consumers may truly appreciate the company’s noble spirit and its concern for the environment we live in.

?ELSA’s high performance video card series to offer high efficiency cooling and dust-proof capabilities

ELSA’s GLADIAC 950 GT Lion King Dust-proof video card features a 65nm graphic chip with a 32-bit streaming processor that supports Direct X 10, Shader Moder 4.0, OpenGL 2.1 and PureVideo HD2. In addition, it comes with a built-in VP2 engine and supports VC-1, DXVA-C decoding along with H.264 hardware decoding. The video card features standard PCB design and is crafted from quality materials, with carefully selected premium grade solid capacitors and inductive components from Japan. Not only that, GLADIAC 950 GT is equipped with a uniquely designed, dust-proof fan. To reduce dust buildup, the fin configuration on the heat sink is designed perpendicular to the graphic card. The cooling fan blade is positioned at a 30° angle to the horizontal plane to direct the airstream generated by the cooler to flow vertically downwards. This design creates two airstreams flowing in opposite directions to significantly accelerate the speed of the downward airstream to remove dust particles accumulated within the cooler, effectively eliminates dust buildup in the cooler for a true, dust-proof effect.

?ELSA’s latest offering of mainstream Intel gaming and business oriented motherboard

Manufactured with the company’s insistence on fastidious craftsmanship and high quality materials, ELSA’s new gaming and business oriented motherboard G43IM-C2 features the same outstanding performance and unique business applications you expect from ELSA. Built with an Intel^® G43 chipset, the motherboard supports Intel’s latest 45 nm processor along with several onboard technologies including Intel Clear Video Technology for improved image sharpness and precise color control. The technology dramatically enhances fluidity in high definition video format playback to bring you unparalleled visual experience. G43IM-C2 also supports Microsoft’s Direct X 10 and OpenGL 2.0 to render ultra realistic in-game graphics. The motherboard supports a maximum of 8G of DDR2-800 to deliver optimal performance. In addition, G43IM-C2 offers DVI and D-SUB I/O to provide single or dual video output for users to create powerful multi-purpose, multimedia platforms. If you are looking to build a true power behemoth, simply throw in an ELSA Gladiac 950GT with your G43IM-C2 for dramatically enhanced gaming performance and multimedia experience. G43IM-C2’s excellent stability and compatibility makes it the number one choice for motherboards amongst gamers. In addition, the motherboard also offers full compatibility with Windows Vista OS and its specifications specifically designed to offer stable and reliable operations on any system. Regardless of your needs, ELSA’s G43IM-C2 is unquestionably the best product available on the current market.

?ELSA PAL BOOK ? e-R800-W: the world’s lightest notebook PC to feature x86 structure

ELSA PAL BOOK ? e-R800-W is ELSA’s offering for the next generation MID (Mobile Internet Device). Ultra compact and super lightweight, ELSA PAL BOOK ? e-R800-W is encased in an elegant and refined glazed aluminum finish to redefine unparalleled portability and impeccable fashion taste. Featuring a touch panel, users will easily experience all the functions ELSA PAL BOOK ? e-R800-W has to offer available at their fingertips. The notebook PC is perfectly built as a mobile internet device with full multimedia functions to offer convenient technology and simple digital lifestyle. ELSA PAL BOOK ? e-R800-W comes with an x86 SoC processor to allow easy system restoration without formatting for low power consumption. It is equipped with integrated display capabilities to playback high quality multimedia contents, and is powerful enough to render 3D gaming graphics to deliver a refined visual experience. For users used to Microsoft’s operating systems and not accustomed to Vista, the notebook is compatible with Windows XP to offer quick and effective utilization of various functions. With its shock resistant characteristics, ELSA PAL BOOK ? e-R800-W’s SSD hard disk provides enhanced protection against data damage along with attractive features such as low noise and low power consumption to lengthen standby duration. The SSD hard disk allows for a complete system boot up within seconds. Last, but not least, the notebook has built-in wireless network capabilities to provide all the conveniences of internet services such as sending/receiving e-mails, participating in online courses, searching for the latest information or chatting with friends with various online messaging software. With ELSA PAL BOOK ? e-R800-W, you can now experience communication and share your exciting lifestyle with your loved ones.

?Responding to Environmental protection from around the world, ELSA sets the new trend in energy conservation and carbon reduction with its AC LED MEPP bulb

ELSA’s exclusive patented AC LED MEPP bulb is named from the phrase, “saving Money Energy Power with environmental Protection”. Featuring more than ELSA’s patented technology and outstanding craftsmanship, the AC LED MEPP bulb is eco-friendly, energy saving, and carbon reducing. Its unique light emitting design is capable of optimizing comfort to users’ eyes by offering the right amount of luminance. Boasting a stunning lifecycle of 50,000 hours, the AC LED MEPP bulb is designed to be compatible with conventional light fixtures for improved convenience, so users will easily adjust the intensity of light emitted by the LED to their preferences. Built with ELSA’s patented liquid cooling technology, the AC LED MEPP bulb offers 360-degree illumination along with all-directional cooling design through an enclosure filled with harmless cooling liquid to effectively lower heat dissipated. As the cause of environmental protection gains increasing global recognition in mankind’s effort to promote sustained development for the planet, high-efficiency lighting design plays an important role. ELSA’s AC LED MEPP bulb has met the strict requirements of EU’s RoHS directive by using 100% recyclable materials in its design and is compliant with green eco-friendly technology. With selling points such as high efficiency energy/power saving and eco-friendliness, ELSA’s AC LED MEPP bulb is definitely your only choice for next generation lighting devices that elevate the quality of living and environment for all mankind.

About ELSA Technology.

ELSA Technology has long assumed the leading position in the industry with its 3D grahpic solution technologies and services. ELSA takes pride in its excellent product quality, comprehensive after-sales services and professional application experiences that have been widely recognized and praised by consumers in the professional graphic card sector. ELSA Technology Inc. was initiated in 2003 and the company is specialized in delivering comprehensive and profsesional marketing services and technical support for its clients. ELSA made its name by introducing professional graphic cards such as the FireGL and FireMV series to the domestic market, followed by GLADIAC series and FALCOX sereis 3D accelerator cards, ELSAVISION multimedia products, professional graphic workstation products and motherboards. Apart from high performance video card and grahpic card products, ELSA is also dedicated to the development and production of diversified technological products and digital consumable merchandizes so as to provide consumers with more choices, more comprehensive marketing services and technical support solutions.

Boston, MA– September 18, 2008 - Peak Products, a gaming peripheral company dedicated to providing the best in instrument-quality gaming controllers, announces the immediate availability of Starpex Obsidian, the first-ever full-size, wood, PS2™ / PS3™ Guitar controller with the look and feel of an actual guitar.  The Starpex is available now at Circuit City, J&R, MicroCenter and www.go-peak.com for an MSRP of 179.99. Peak Products will expand its lineup of Starpex controllers with the introduction of new colors in the Starpex Dead Rose and Black Sunburst coming this October.

Starpex boasts a premium quality, high-gloss lacquered finish with a hardwood body, neck, and headstock handcrafted by a leading guitar manufacturer giving the authentic guitar experience that Guitar Hero™ and Rock Band™ enthusiasts crave.  Other unique features include…

• Full Guitar Hero and Rockband Functionality for PS2 and PS3 – Starpex is compatible with both PS2 and PS3, and allows users to experience the full list of game play features in both Guitar Hero and Rockband, including toggle effects switch and solo button functionality.

• Unique Speed Star Power / Overdrive Button provides the fastest and most accurate access to Star Power and Overdrive.  Additionally, built in tilt sensor technology allows users to access Star Power and Overdrive in a more traditional way.

• Optimized Whammy Bar maximizes comfort, provides better feel, reduces fatigue and provides a higher level of durability.

• High Quality Ten Fret Button Design features optimal button travel for enhanced feel, reduced fatigue, and higher score potential.  Ten fret buttons means that players have the option of using traditionally positioned fret buttons, or rock out with solo buttons high up on the neck which also provide critical soloing capabilities in Rockband.

• Enhanced Strum Bar gives the perfect balance of tactile and audible feedback to maximize enjoyment and scoring. 

• Connectivity Options – Dual wired / wireless capabilities allow players to use a 15’ wired cable or a 2.4 Ghz wireless connection (both included). 

• Forward - Thinking Compatibility – Starpex’s modular design allows users to easily separate the electronic components from the body of the guitar which will allow for further customization including new guitar bodies, pick guards, and more.

April 30, 2008 -GlacialTech Inc., a diversified provider of cooling, power supplies and PC enclosure solutions for consumer and industrial applications, today announced the launch of AL Series Power Supplies Units (PSU) targeted at performance desktops, graphic workstations and gaming machines. Available in 4 different models with rated wattages of 350, 450, 550 and 650 watts respectively, all AL Series PSUs offer Active Power Factor Correction (APFF) and 8/12 cm fan options for efficient cooling.

According to an insider close to the situation, VoodooPC as we know it might not be around for much longer. An e-mail is apparently being circulated throughout the company noting layoffs, although the number of people to be culled is unclear. However, VoodooPC itself wouldn’t have that many employees to begin with, so any layoffs could be a sign of what’s to come.

Read more here

Posted on September 22, 2008 4:00 PM by Rob Williams at Techgage

Here is an interview with some that works Digg to get top placement for money. Here is a quote… “

There are couple different ways I offer my services. If someone
wants me to submit an article without any promotions involved, I charge
anywhere between $300 - $500 depending on the quality of article. My
submissions grow pretty fast so most people do not opt for promotion.
For a submission and promotion I charge $700 irrespective of whether
the article is good or not. As you know a front page can never be
guaranteed.

These prices are irrespective of whether or not the article makes it
to the front page. If the article does make it to the front page there
is an additional charge of $500.”

Read the full interview  at invesp.com

From WebProNews:

Thursday, September 04, 2008

A top Digg user with a popular ratio of 34% has been getting paid well for
promoting articles on Digg. His/her popularity has allowed numerous stories to
reach the Digg Home Page, and when that happens he/she gets paid even more.

Editor’s Note:
It’s hard to imagine this is limited to Digg or even to the social media
umbrella. It’s even harder to distinguish how this differs from other
PR/marketing tactics like celebrity endorsement or message creation and
dissemination. The ethics road is a virtual quagmire of journalistic idealism

vs. economic realism; but no one is altering truth, just presenting a truthmore prominently.
An interview with this person (who wishes to remain anonymous; for the
purpose of this article, let’s call them “Digg Throat”), and provides
quite an interesting look into the behind-the-scenes world of Digg marketing
and social media marketing in general.

“I have worked for many popular blogs and I know most top users do,”
explains Digg Throat. “As of now I am involved with three blogs/companies
that I regularly help with social media promotion, especially on Digg. To put
it in short : my status and reach within the community allows me to help
businesses leverage their opportunities by reaching a different crowd and a
large crowd for that matter.”

Digg
Throat has been charging up to $700 per article for his/her promotion, and if a
particular item reaches Digg’s home page, he/she gets another $500. Now that’s
some easy money. Too bad it’s frowned upon by Digg, and Digg users alike.
However, paid promotion is just a fact of Digg. It’s not a surprise, and users
who have a real problem with it, will likely just find another site to read.
Besides, is this really that much different than paying PR staff to push your
message?

What is Digg to do though?

“Digg should strongly consider placing clearly labeled advertisements
within the news stories,” says
TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington. “Even as paid ads they’ll get a ton of
traffic and Digg can charge accordingly. TechMeme, a tiny site in comparison,
has done this successfully for some time. If Digg can’t stop its users from
making a little money on the side, they may as well get in on the game.”

Something like this could work for Digg. It could incorporate spots into ad
campaigns with existing clients like
YouTube allegedly does with its promoted videos. Digg users may not be too
enthusiastic about such a scenario though.

Something tells me Digg is going to be doing some investigating. They ought to
be able to at least narrow down the number of possible suspects for Digg
Throat’s identity. He/she may have wished to remain anonymous, but may have
still given enough information away for Digg to figure out who they are. This
may not do much to combat that problem of what some would refer to as
“Digg Spam”, but I’m sure they would like to at least get closer to
the bottom of it.

Comcast, one of the country’s largest Internet providers, said this week that it would place limits on customers’ broadband usage.

Beginning
Oct. 1, Comcast will put a 250 gigabyte-a-month cap on residential
users. The limit will not affect most users, at least not in the
short-term, but is certain to create tension as some technologies gain
traction.

A Comcast spokeswoman, Jennifer Khoury, said 250
gigabytes was about 100 times the typical usage; the average customer
uses two to three gigabytes a month. Less than 1 percent of customers
exceed the cap, she said.

Many Internet providers reserve the
right to cancel the service of the most excessive users. The
250-gigabyte cap is Comcast’s way of specifying a longstanding policy
of placing a limit on Internet consumption, and it comes after customer
pushed for a definition of excessive use.

But on the Internet, consumer behavior does not stand still. As the technology company Cisco stated in a report last winter, “today’s ‘bandwidth hog’ is tomorrow’s average user.”

Some
commentators were quick to characterize Comcast’s decision as having a
chilling effect. Om Malik, the founder of the technology Web site
GigaOm, called the cap “the end of the Internet as we know it.”

DSLReports.com,
a Web site about consumer broadband information, said it indicated “a
significant shift in the U.S. broadband market that won’t be
reversible.”

In recent months Comcast and other companies have
considered clamping down on their most active subscribers, saying the
limits were necessary to ensure fair access to the network for all.

Comcast’s
cap does not amount to Internet metering, the charging of different
prices for different broadband speeds or usage, but the change to
Comcast’s policy does not rule out metering in the future.

In June, Time Warner Cable
began a metering trial in one Texas city by offering various monthly
plans and charging extra when consumers exceeded their bandwidth limit.
AT&T
has said that it is considering a similar pricing plan. The concept is
not a foreign one; consumers already pay by usage for water and
electricity. But broadband access has seemed unlimited, and any
stifling of that is sure to concern some customers.

Until now,
Comcast had not defined excessive use, but it had contacted customers
who were using the heaviest amount of broadband and asked them to curb
usage. Most do so willingly, the company said. The ones who do not curb
their usage receive a second notice and risk having their accounts
terminated.

Although the 250 gigabyte cap is now specified, users
who exceed that amount will not have their access switched off
immediately, nor will they be charged for excessive use. Instead, the
customers may be contacted by Comcast and notified of the cap. The
company did not say how 250 gigabytes was selected.

According to
Comcast, a customer would have to download 62,500 songs or 125
standard-definition movies a month to exceed the caps. But
high-definition video and video gaming require a higher amount of
bandwidth. S. Derek Turner, the research director for the nonpartisan
media policy group Free Press, said broadband caps could create a
disincentive to view online video.

“As media companies put
content online, consumers can bypass the cable companies and get their
content directly from the Internet,” Mr. Turner said. “A 250 gigabyte
cap may seem very high — and it is for today’s Internet use. But it’s
essentially the equivalent of four hours of HD television a day.”

Critics
have charged that Internet providers are trying to protect their cable
TV and telephone businesses by stifling Internet access. Comcast says
Fancast, its online video Web site, will count against the 250 gigabyte
limit, but its digital voice service will not.

Comcast said there was no link between the caps, announced Thursday, and the Federal Communications Commission’s finding on Aug. 1 that the company was improperly inhibiting customers who used BitTorrent, a popular file-sharing program.

But
Andrew Jay Schwartzman, the president of the Media Access Project, said
the caps appeared to be a direct result of that finding. Mr.
Schwartzman’s group represented Free Press in its complaint against
Comcast about the file-sharing controls.