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SAN JOSE, CA—March 10, 2010—OCZ Technology Group, Inc. (OTCBB:OCZT), a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory and flash-based storage as an alternative to hard disk drives (HDDs), today unveiled the OCZ Onyx SATA II 2.5” Solid State Drive (SSD) Series, an ultra-affordable Multi Level Cell (MLC)-based solid state storage solution designed for consumers looking to take advantage of flash-based storage technology. Offering a faster and more durable alternative to traditional hard drives in a cost-efficient SSD, the Onyx delivers reliable performance without the high price normally associated with SSD drives.

“As new technologies become available, OCZ continues to expand both our enterprise and consumer SSD lines, and one of our goals is to make SSDs more affordable to end-users. Our new Onyx series SSD does exactly that and is a perfect solution for netbooks, laptops, or home desktop PCs,” commented Ryan Petersen, CEO of the OCZ Technology Group. “Designed to offer the best of both worlds, the new OCZ Onyx SSD delivers the speed and reliability of solid state storage to mainstream consumers at an aggressive price point that makes the technology more accessible to customers who want to take advantage of all the benefits of the SSDs without incurring the high cost normally associated with the solution.”

With a sub 100 dollar MRSP the aggressively priced Onyx 32GB SSD delivers an enhanced computing experience with faster application loading, snappier data access, shorter boot-ups, and longer battery life. Onyx SSDs feature HDD-dominating access times, up to 125MB/s read and 70MB/s write speeds, 64MB of onboard cache, and unique performance optimization to keep the drives at peak performance over the long term.

OCZ Onyx SSD drives feature a durable yet lightweight housing, and because OCZ SSDs have no moving parts, the drives are more rugged than conventional hard drives. Available first in 32GB capacity the Onyx state drives are ideal for use as a boot up drive or for mobile PCs and Netbooks as a quality hard drive replacement. Designed for ultimate reliability, Onyx SSDs have an excellent 1.5 million hour mean time between failure (MTBF), and OCZ also offers a leading 3-year warranty and award-winning technical support with the series, making SSDs a more viable upgrade for users requiring ultimate levels of customer service

OCZ Onyx Series SATA II 2.5" SSD OCZ Technology

News surrounding the dual-socket 1366 motherboard from EVGA has excited many due to it being truly ferocious in its specified abilities. We now have a name for this board. The EVGA 270-WS-W555 or W555 for short.

The rumours should stop here, below are the official specifications for the W555.

More features than you can poke a stick at... Enjoy!



CPU Socket
2 Socket LGA1366 for Intel Xeon processor 5500 series.
Support QPI(Quick Path Interlink) up to 6.4GT/s, base on 20bit-width up to 25.6GB/s

Chipset
5520+ICH10R chipset with dual nVidai nF200 X16

System Memory
Six 240-pin DDR3 SDRAM DIMM sockets for each CPU, total 12 DIMM sockets
Support 1.5v DDR3-1066/1333 DIMMs with triple channel architecture
Support x16 and x8 DIMMs, non-ECC, unbuffered DIMMs
Support up to 48GB system memory

Expansion Slots
Six PCI Express (x16) connector compliant with PCI Express 2.0

USB
Ten USB connectors compliant with USB2.0 from embedded USB controller (6 connectors at rear panel)

USB 3.0
2 USB 3.0 connectors from NEC uPD720200F1-DAK-A, support up to 5Gbps data transfer rate. (At rear)

P-ATA IDE
One IDE ports (up to 2 IDE devices) with UDMA-33, ATA-66/100/133 support from Marvell 88E9128
controller

S-ATA
Six S-ATA II ports with up to 300MB/s from chipset with RAID 0,1,10, 5

E S-ATA
Two S-ATA II from JMB362 controllers (2 at rear panel)

S-ATA 3.0
Two S-ATA 3.0 ports with up to 600MB/s from Marvell 88SE9128 (PE G2 x1 interface, 2S1P)

LAN
TWO Gigabit Ethernet from Marvell 88E8057 Gigabit Controller

Audio
Selectable 2, 6 or 8-CH audio from Realtek ALC889 HDA compliant CODEC (Co-layout ALC 892)
Support SPDIF output
Support Front panel audio for Mic-In and stereo Line-out only.
(Front panel Line-out electrically shared with rear panel Line-out).
Support Jack detection for fool-proof audio device installation

I/O
Onboard Fintek 71883 LPC bus I/O controller
Legacy peripheral interface for PS/2 keyboard
Support Hardware Monitoring for fan speed monitoring, CPU and System temperature.
Intelligent fan speed control for CPU-fan (PWM) for quiet operation

BIOS
8Mb Flash SPI EEPROM with Award Plug & Play BIOS
Support ACPI S3 (Suspend To RAM) mode in ACPI compliant O/S
Special Features:
Support USB resume in S3
Onboard 80 Post-Port LED display
Onboard Button for convenient power-on, Reset, Reset CMOS
2 sets ATX12V 8pin+6pin power for each CPU
8 phase digital PWM for each CPU, 8 Layers PCB
PCI-E reset turn off jumpers.
V_Core, V_DIMM, VTT, IOH, CPU PLL, QPI PLL, ICH IO, ICH Ground voltage measure point. (TBD)
Support Asynchronous clocking mode
OC BIOS for excellent overclocking features:
Programmable FSB and PCI Clock output frequency with 1MHz fine tuning
Support BIOS adjustable CPU multiplier, QPI clock, PCI-E x16 clock, DIMM frequency
Support BIOS adjustable voltage for CPU Core, chipset and DIMM

Form Factor
345.5mm x 381 mm Extend- ATX Size,
Supported O/S:
Windows XP/Vista/ 7

Accessories
User’s manual
User Visual Guide
Four way SLI bridge card (Optional)
Three way SLI bridge card (Optional)
Two way FPC SLI Bridge card(Optional)
6 S-ATA data cable;
4 port USB bracket Cable (Optional)
CD for drivers, utilities and bundle software
IO shield
ECP V3 with 2 link cables (Optional)

It seems Inno3D is preparing massive box loads of Fermi cards to ship around the world. We recieved the below photos of the GTX470/480 boxing in the early hours this morning. This gives you a good idea of how things will look - the pictures speak themselves!

Hannover, Germany. March 2, 2010 — Corsair, a worldwide leader in high-performance computer and flash memory products, announces the Corsair Cooling™ Air Series A70 and A50 high-performance CPU coolers, the newest additions to Corsair’s award-winning range of cooling solutions.

The Corsair Cooling Air Series A70 has been designed to offer exceptional cooling performance for enthusiasts who demand state-of-the-art CPU temperature management. The Air Series A70 is a great choice for enthusiasts looking to squeeze every last megahertz of performance out of their high-end Intel® and AMD™ processors, without sacrificing low noise levels.

The Corsair Cooling Air Series A50 is ideal for PC builders and hobbyists who want to upgrade from the stock Intel and AMD coolers. The Air Series A50 delivers significantly lower CPU temperatures than stock coolers, resulting in a cooler, quieter, and more reliable PC, with increased overclocking headroom.

“The Corsair Cooling Hydro Series H50 brought a new level of performance, design, expertise, and ease of installation to the CPU cooling market. Our all–new Air Series was designed with the same goals in mind.” said Jim Carlton, VP of Marketing for Corsair. “The Air Series A50 and A70 expand our CPU cooling line with class-leading performance that satisfies not only extreme performance enthusiasts, but anyone who understands that improved CPU cooling provides additional performance and stability, as well as enhanced protection from the damage heat can cause to their CPU.”

The Air Series A70 utilizes four direct-contact 8mm copper heat pipes, integrated into a highly-polished aluminum base placed directly on the CPU for maximum heat dissipation. Two dual-speed 120mm fans, arranged in a “Push-Pull” configuration, are attached to the all-aluminum cooling fin assembly with noise- and vibration-reducing rubber mounts. The result is superior cooling performance with minimal fan noise.

The Corsair Cooling Air Series A50 employs a compact design with three 8mm heat pipes integrated into a base placed in direct contact with the CPU. The A50 uses a single 120mm cooling fan with rubber mounts to reduce noise and vibration.

Both the Air Series A70 and Air Series A50 are compatible with all current CPU socket designs, including Intel LGA775, LGA1156, and LGA1366, and AMD Socket AM2 and Socket AM3.

The Air Series A70 and A50 are supplied with a Two Year limited warranty, and are backed up by Corsair’s legendary customer service and technical support. http://www.corsair.com

Sharkoon has now expanded it's specifically designed for gamers "Rush" product series to mouse pads: The Sharkoon Rush Gaming Mouse pad in its large size defines itself with precise sliding qualities and also with a new, strainable textile surface in particular for demanding PC gamers.

Exceptional tightly woven fibers and an elaborate manufacturing process ensure the texture is abrasion resistant and water proof. Dust, crumbs, and liquids will not penetrate into the fabric and can simply be wiped off. Ruinous and unattractive coffee or sweat stains are a thing of the past. In addition, the granular texture ensures fast and precise mouse movements with the rubberized base keeping the pad in place even in the most hectic situations.

The mouse pad has a thickness of 4mm and offers a 444mm x 345mm edge length which provides a generous action surface particularly for the Low-Sense-Gamer, who plays with less mouse resolution and requires freedom of movement. The cloth pad is suitable for all mouse types, and the mouse pad can simply be rolled together for easy transport.

The Rush Outplay has already successfully passed the test of a demanding gamer. Jan "moon" Stolle, who is a multiple German Counter-Strike 1.6 champion with "Team ALTERNATE," provides the assessment: "The pad has a very fast surface due to the special yarn used. The Slap Stick Effect (Status Friction Effect) is reduced to a minimum by the rough surface texture. Therefore, even smaller mouse movements are extremely precise! The sensitivity remains constant during a long period. For me, a genuine alternative to my plastic pad! My recommendation!"

End customers will find the Sharkoon Rush Outplay Gaming Mouse pad available immediately for the retail price 14.99 euros in authorized retailers. Sharkoon

You have a 2.5" HDD or SSD and want to mount it in your desktop PC or Mac but it takes only 3.5" drives. What do you do? A short time ago this meant a lot of work on your part but now it's easier than ever. The MB882SP-1S-2B Premium SSD Converter by ICY DOCK features additional airflow vents, less weight and better cost efficiency. It converts a standard 2.5" drive into a 3.5" drive - exact same mounting holes, connections and dimensions as a regular 3.5" drive. And the best part is, you do not need any screws or tools to install your drive.

As with the Premium Converter, the MB882SP-1S-1B Advanced Converter will keep your 2.5" SATA HDD or SSD safe and make it fit perfectly into your internal 3.5" bay or 3.5" external enclosure. It features internal steel brackets for your drive which guarantee stability and security. In addition it features a comfortable opening mechanism which lets you easily exchange drives.

For more information please go to: Beyond Technologies Ltd - Storage

Hamburg, 19th of February 2010. The monotonous and boring cases, which bore the name “PC” a couple of years ago, have served their time. In our days, the design of PC cases plays an important role. Who wants to put a grey plastic case into his living-room or even take it to a LAN party? One puts emphasis on simple elegance, the other one is searching for a spectacular gaming case. On the Enermax booth at this year’s CeBIT, both will find their ideal PC case. Enermax presents two completely different Midi Towers and one high-end Big Tower:

Volcanus: Hot Design – Cool Case
Many CeBIT visitors will be enthusiastic about the new Midi Tower Volcanus. The exceptional flame design on the front and side panels is dedicated to gamers and all people who like eye-catching cases. Enermax delivers its new Midi Tower with an integrated Apollish Vegas fan. By pushing a button on the front panel, Users can switch between seven special light effects. Apart from that, Volcanus offers a great cooling performance. It accommodates up to five fans and ensures a steady air circulation due to the meshed front panel.



ECA3190: Luxury Midi Tower
The high-glossy front of new Midi Tower ECA3190 is made of charcoal black acryl. Even behind this only partially light-permeable surface (10% light transparency), the pre-installed Apollish Vegas fan generates intense colours and extraordinary light effects. The luxurious outer design meets a comfortably equipped interior: Enermax integrated various useful tools, which ensure quick and easy installation of system components.



More information can be found at: Enermax Technology Corporation

SAN JOSE, CA—February 18, 2010—OCZ Technology Group, Inc. (OTCBB:OCZT), a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory and flash-based storage as an alternative to hard disk drives (HDDs), has unveiled the highly anticipated Vertex Limited Edition (LE). Based on a cutting-edge new architecture, OCZ’s Vertex LE is the epitome of innovation for power users seeking to integrate a new class of SSD in their Windows-based systems. For early adopters, a Vertex LE drive can take a high-end computing experience to the next level. OCZ will offer Vertex LE through its extensive network of distribution partners over the next few weeks.

“OCZ has an excellent reputation as a leader in solid state drives, and as new technologies become available, we are continually expanding our solution portfolio to bring enhanced performance benefits to the complete spectrum of our client’s applications,” commented Ryan Petersen, CEO of the OCZ Technology Group. “The new Vertex Limited Edition SSD is our fastest, multi-level cell (MLC), performance-based drive yet and delivers both exceptional speed and reliability for customers demanding a superior storage solution including intensive applications such as audio/video editing, mobile computing, and even use in workstations.”

As a follow-up to the acclaimed Vertex Series, this Limited Edition series is designed to please even the most demanding enthusiasts. The Vertex LE delivers unparalleled transfer rates at up to 270MB/s read and 250MB/s write speeds and reaches 15,000 IOPS (4K random write), promoting excellent throughput and ultra-responsive performance. The Vertex LE makes use of the latest controller technology and is the ultimate upgrade from hard drives or older solid state drives for consumers who want the fastest SSD available.

The Vertex Limited Edition is designed to push the envelope in storage technology for those who place a premium on speed, reliability and efficiency, but demand the affordability of MLC flash memory. Built with SATA 3Gb/s, the Vertex LE Series easily integrates into today’s mobile and desktop platforms and features TRIM support[1] to optimize performance over the drive’s lifespan. While the Vertex LE line will only be available for a brief time in 100GB and 200GB capacities, like all OCZ SSDs it comes backed with a 3-year warranty and renowned support and service for the ultimate peace of mind.

For more information please go to: OCZ Vertex Limited Edition SATA II 2.5" SSD OCZ Technology

FREMONT, California, February 18, 2010 — Corsair, a worldwide leader in high-performance computer and flash memory products, today announced the availability of its new Flash Padlock 2 secure USB flash drive. This unique USB flash drive is very cleverly and comprehensively designed to protect your critical business or personal data from unwanted exposure.

The Flash Padlock 2 employs two security technologies for superb data protection. The first of these technologies is a user-definable personal identification number or PIN. To unlock the drive and access the data, this PIN is entered using the drive’s integrated numeric keypad. The Flash Padlock 2 cannot be accessed without correctly entering the PIN for that individual drive. The second technology used is secure 256-bit AES data encryption of the drive contents. 256-bit AES is recognized worldwide by both corporations and governments as the premier standard for data protection, and its use in the Flash Padlock 2 ensures that data protection cannot be compromised by disassembling the drive to gain access to the flash ICs.

“USB flash drives are the floppy disk of the 21st century, and their capacity and convenience allows us to carry our lives with us wherever we go,” stated John Beekley, Vice President of Technical Marketing at Corsair. “The Flash Padlock 2 provides valuable protection against loss of personal or corporate data as well as identity theft, allowing us to carry the most personal of data with complete peace-of-mind, and in a rugged, portable, convenient format.”



Another key feature of the Padlock 2 is platform independence. Most hardware-encrypted USB flash drives require the use of a software application to enter the password for the device. However, the Flash Padlock 2 has an integrated keypad, so no software application is necessary. This allows the user to access their secure data in any environment, including Windows PCs, Macs, Linux computers, even gaming consoles and home entertainment equipment.

The new Flash Padlock 2 features several enhancements of the original award-winning Padlock drive. In addition to implementing 256-bit AES hardware encryption, the security of the communication between the on-board processor and the USB controller has been dramatically increased. The Flash Padlock 2 also includes the ability to create a new PIN in the event the original PIN is lost, a procedure which securely erases the contents of the drive. Finally, the enclosure is smaller and has been ruggedized, providing your data with protection from the elements as well as from prying eyes.

The Flash Padlock 2 has a capacity of 8GB, and is available immediately from Corsair’s authorized distributors and resellers worldwide. The Corsair Flash Padlock 2 is backed by a 10-year Limited Warranty. Complete customer support via telephone, email, forum and Tech Support Xpress is also available.

ASUS continues to lead in high performance optical storage devices with a full range of top quality products, from mainstay DVD-RW drives to Blu-ray Disc combos that have become the standard for high-end professional storage environments. Powered by USB 2.0 connectivity, the new ASUS SBC-06D1S-U and the ASUS SDR-08D1-U slim-type external optical disc drives are designed to provide optimized reading and writing capabilities. Both are tailored to discerning users keen on award-winning design, meticulous craftsmanship, enhanced multimedia capabilities and environmentally-savvy operation.

Built to Thrill—Acclaimed Design and Enhanced User Experience
ASUS external slim drives are recognized worldwide for outstanding functionality and fetching looks. The SBC-06D1S-U sports the same progressive design philosophy that has garnered the company’s range of optical drives prestigious accolades, including the iF Design Award 2010, the Taiwan Good Design Product Award and the Taiwan Excellence Award.

ASUS brings together technology and aesthetics in a single product: sturdy construction meets innovative, diamond-cut shapes and the benefit of a classic stand design. As a result, convenient dual placement options help users save space while lending considerable style and sophistication to any work environment. The new drive even offers ASUS’ BluTuner, allowing for five levels of display brightness while reading Blu-ray discs or reading and writing DVD and CD media. These touches complete the exquisite experience provided users, whether at home, the office or on the move.



ASUS SBC-06D1S-U—Fastest Speeds and Innovative Video Enhancement
The ASUS SBC-06D1S-U external slim-type optical disc drive performs at six times the standard Blu-ray reading speed. It features True Theater High Definition (TTHD) technology, a pioneering suite of advanced video enhancements that delivers unmatched HD quality for DVD playback on PC-based home theater systems. The result is sharper video, significant decrease in background noise, and enhanced aliasing for a smoother image.

The ASUS SBC-06D1S-U also comes with the peace of mind afforded by comprehensive and flexible data protection. Disc encryption allows users to protect an entire disc or even individual files with a pre-determined password. Additionally, users can choose to hide files to prevent data from being tampered with.

The intuitive drag and burn interface that accompanies the new drive takes the hassle out of data backup and media storage. Extremely easy to pick up and use, the interface reduces what would traditionally be a six-step process down to just three easy steps.

ASUS SDR-08D1-U—Extreme Mobility and Environmental Awareness
The ASUS SDR-08D1-U presents an industry-leading slim design, offering advanced portability to users. The ergonomic top-loading design, inspired by turntables, constitutes a true space-saving piece of art. At the same time, functionality remains center stage, as the SDR-08D1-U keeps enhanced multimedia entertainment from coming at the cost of a huge power bill. It does so by utilizing the E-Green engine, which automatically shuts down drive activity when users leave the drive idle for two minutes or more. This saves energy and at the same time cuts on wear and tear, so consumers get a longer-lasting, peak performance product. Users can even track power savings via the included E-Green application.

The ASUS SDR-08D1-U also comes with the E-Media software routine, which boosts reading and copying performance. E-Media automatically detects the user’s needs based on the in-drive media, optimizing performance for each given task. Users thus benefit from significantly reduced spinning noise as well as faster copy speeds.

More details can be found over at: http://www.asus.com

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