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NotebookReview.com have put together a very useful guide on the pros and cons of Solid State Drive storage

I thought I would put this guide together to help the NotebookReview.com community as SSDs (Solid State Drives) are coming upon us so quickly and the interest seems to be going through the roof. Since my first article ‘Comparing SSD Performance to Mechanical SSD Performance in a Dell Laptop’ and consequently, my follow up to that ‘Showdown at Big Sky — Sandisk 32GB SSD Vs. Seagate 160GB 7200RPM HD’, the interest in the SSD has become overwhelming with respect to messages I’ve received from people, questions and advise given.

Instead of continuing to answer all of those questions individually, this guide is an attempt to answer basic questions about SSD that people have.

Click for more on An Introductory Guide to SSD Storage »

Though many leaks of the product have been circulating for some time, Intel officially took the wraps off and launched their new X38 Express chipset for the high-end desktop motherboard market.

With this launch, the Intel desktop chipset line-up gets a new flagship. Intel’s new X38 chipset encompasses all of the technology advances that have made the P35 a success and adds a slew of new features designed to increase memory and graphics subsystem performance, like PCI Express 2.0 SerDes and Intel Extreme Memory technology in the new X38 MCH. The Asus motherboard tested by HotHardware even features an embedded Linux-based OS that boots in a matter a seconds.

Click for more on Intel X38 High End Chipset Launch and Benchmarks »

The secret to NVIDIA’s success as a fabless semiconductor company

FiringSquad has up a behind the scenes look at NVIDIA’s Santa Clara HQ. In addition to the usual shots of the server farm, they spend several pages talking about the Silicon Failure Analysis Lab which is the secret to NVIDIA’s success as a fabless semiconductor company.

They also have shots of NVIDIA’s thermal analysis lab where they run the GPUs at 40 deg C and 0 deg C, and the Performance analysis labs.

Asustek Computer has introduced the PCI Express interface Xonar D2X and the USB interface Xonar U1 audio devices.

Despite the failure of Creative Labs., ASUS steps into the market of dedicate sound card by two new products recently.

Click for more on ASUS releases Xonar audio card products »

AMD has adjusted prices for its desktop processors along with  new 45 watt single-core CPUs in the manufacturer’s lineup.

The price reduction is less dramatic than the previous rounds, but drives the firm’s fastest desktop processors even deeper into the mainstream and entry-level segment, making room for the higher performing Phenom CPUs. AMD’s dual-core desktop processors, excluding the $599 Quad FX-74, include 14 different CPUs ranging from $68 for the Athlon 64 X2 4000+ to $220 for the X2 6400+ Black Edition. In comparison, Intel offers 22 dual- and quad-core processors from $74 to $530 (not including four Extreme Edition CPUs)

Click for more on AMD lowers desktop CPU prices »

Tests show some clear benefits–but other results were inconclusive.

When they were introduced a couple of years ago, hybrid hard drives seemed enticing. Pairing a standard hard drive with a flash component sounded like a good way to deliver on the theoretical performance boosts that flash can offer while still providing the long-standing price, capacity, and performance benefits of hard disks.

We looked at Seagate’s Momentus 5400 PSD drive, announced today, and Samsung’s SpinPoint MH80 drive, released this summer. Both models are 2.5-inch, 160GB notebook drives with 256MB of nonvolatile flash memory cache on board. The hard-drive industry concentrated on introducing the new technology in laptop drives because notebooks would be more likely to reap the benefits that hybrid tech promises, including faster boot time and power savings.

Click for more on Tested: New Hybrid Hard Drives From Samsung and Seagate »

Version 1.1 of the Wireless USB specification will include “touch and go” capabilities, which will allow devices to be brought into close proximity with the host, allowing them to be instantly associated, without the need for manual setup.

The Wireless USB specification, version 1.0, is slowly rolling out as part of wireless devices. Both IOGEAR and Icron have announced their own Wireless USB hubs, although both are pricey: $395, in the case of the Icron hub.

Click for more on Next-Gen Wireless USB Will Include Touch-and-Go »

ATI adds value priced HD 2900 PRO 512MB and 1GB graphics cards to lineup, same core as 2900XT but a lower clock.

The first of the HD 2900 PRO cards features 512MB GDDR3 and a 9-inch fansink. The card will include two DVI-I to VGA adapters, one component HDTV adapter, an ATI DVI to HDMI adapter, and one 9-pin VIVO adapter and a CrossFire bridge interconnect.  AMD claims this card will hit store shelves at $249.

Click for more on ATI Radeon HD 2900 PRO Graphics Cards: Announced and Reviewed »

Microsoft rebuts talk at DiskCon that current Vista drivers must be improved for hybrid drives to work better.

Microsoft on Sept. 21 denied claims by hard drive industry executives and analysts that the world’s largest software company isn’t providing optimized drivers for the new hybrid drives about to come into the market.

Click for more on Microsoft: Vista Supports Hybrid Storage Drives »

The 802.11n standard is imperiled because the Commonwealth Science and Industrial Research Organization has refused to submit a Letter of Assurance, promising not to sue those who implement the standard.

The realization that CSIRO holds essential patents, and has failed to provide a Letter of Assurance as required by the IEEE, could prevent the standard ever being finalized. This means that anyone who implements, or is implementing, 802.11n is at risk of being sued by CSIRO, and that the standard is very unlikely to be approved. As the internal memo, addressed to 802.11 Chair Stuart J Kerry, makes clear:

Click for more on 802.11n May Never Happen Due to Patent Concerns »