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Tid-bits
1/7 - Sony has a new VAIO for the Japanese market that may serve as an example for the rest of the world. It's the world's first high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) PC. HDMI is the connection standard for HDTV and CE. Uncompressed high-definition video, multi-channel audio, and other data are combined into a single digital interface. NVIDIA graphics in the VAIO uses this CE standard. The HDMI can connect all high-definition devices with a single cable. The addition of an NVIDIA graphics chip and technology enables the VAIO to pump high-definition content to HDTV. This principle could be extended to other PCs. People could "use their PCs to maximize their home theater system".
Both NVIDIA and Dell showcased new Quad SLI technology at CES. That's two NVIDIA SLI graphics cards for a total of four graphics processors working as a single output stream for intense 3d gaming. Finally a first for gaming on the Intel platform. With the Dell system, NVIDIA introduced support for the first Quad SLI-certified PC. The Quad SLI graphics technology takes gaming to new levels. I'll say. You've heard of high-definition TV and high-definition video. Now there's "high definition gaming".
NVIDIA's arch nemesis ATI previewed a digital cable PC receiver at CES. The device enables a PC to display high-definition cable TV. Cable operators serve approximately 68% of North America. The product should "support any cable television system in North America on the PC".
The NVIDIA Quad SLI graphics was encased in Dell's forthcoming new high end XPS desktop. This system will contain Dell's first overclocked Extreme Edition dual-core processor. Graphics were displayed on the industry's first 30-inch LCD monitor to cost less than $2,200. Compared to Dell's 24-inch rival, the display offers "77 percent more content area".
Western Digital will manufacture a Raptor hard drive model with a clear, see-through top. Why is this? Well, the drive is designed for the enthusiast crowd, who sometimes like to have see-through cases, or to see through one side, and view the inner workings of their PCs. Raptor hard drives, among other things, spin faster and were originally designed for use in the enterprise. The drives, however, also became popular among performance enthusiasts, who would often match the drives up in RAID configurations. This new hard drive model is for them. The hard drive is the only major component inside a computer with moving parts. Now the read and write actions of the drives' head and disk assemblies will be seen. This will be the world's first "clear-top hard drive".
Maxtor is expanding its family of OneTouch III external hard drives. Capacities range from 100GB to 1TB (terabyte). One of the models, which won't be out until late in the first quarter, sports "a triple FireWire 800/FireWire 400/USB 2.0 interface".