Mobile Quad-Core Processors to be Launched by Intel

Keeping in mind the advent of desktop based quad-core processors in the mainstream, it was just a matter of time before they showed up in a mobile version too. This was confirmed by Digitimes, which goes onto say that Intel will be planning to launch its first quad-core CPU for notebooks, the Core 2 Extreme QX9300, in the third quarter this year. This new processor will be manufactured at 45nm and have a core frequency of 2.53GHz. The CPU will support FSB speeds up to 1066MHz, include 12MB L2 cache and have a maximum TDP of 45W.

While this announcement is good in terms of consumer choice, it raises a number of interesting questions. Despite the low heat dissipation of these processors, they will be a lot more power hungry as compared to standard dual-core processors and this will directly affect battery life. Secondly with such powerful chips, the GPU market will also need to keep pace enabling more realistic gaming on laptops, which is abysmal to say the least at its very best.Source

9051H Cheetah Professional Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Kit

The Cheetah Gaming Keyboard features 17 individual keys specifically for gaming input commands. The unique gaming keys are ergonomically designed and laid out on a gaming wheel for adjustable gaming positions. The keyboard features two sets of user customized commands configured in A and B memory modes, and can be setup for different games, or within the same game for different character controls. The Cheetah Gaming Keyboard use patented multicolored backlight technology that can be enabled at the press of a hotkey. If the speed of key presses increase during intense gaming, the color of the backlight will gradually turn red. When the keyboard is left idle mode, the backlight of the keyboard will glow blue.

This Laser Gaming Mouse reigns supreme with a true 2000dpi Laser sensor, which enables movement speeds of 2 times that of a standard 800dpi optical sensor. In the meanwhile, 2000 dpi Gamer - Grade Laser Engine for enhanced tracking on a wider range of surfaces.Gamers may now use 3 DPI Shift to speed up or slow down the pace of the mouse at their fingertips. Click to quickly shift from 800,1300 to 2000 DPI as the scroll wheel changes color -800(green) / 1300(blue) / 2000(red) dpi resolution between shifts.It also provides two programmable gaming buttons - Virtual-Run button and Wave Action button. In game play this powerful and useful Wave Action button, fires forever with just one click, and holding Virtual-run button, let you instant 180 degree turnaround to easily defeat your opponent.
Like a Cheetah attacking its prey this gaming keyboard and mouse kit will enable you to play games with breathtaking speed and ultimate precision ! Join the gaming elite using the 9051H Cheetah Professional Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Kit — your competition doesn't stand a chance!Source

USBee is flexible, doesn't fall apart.....

How many times have you broken a USB flash drive? I’m pretty hard on mine, and I can think of three different drives that I’ve broken. Two of them had the USB connector broken off due to me just being clumsy while the third’s outer casing just kind of fell apart. This is why I usually take interest in any such drives that claim to be resistant to breakage such as this USBee (get it?) concept drive.

This bee-themed concept drive utilizes a combination of a silicon and aluminum shell which allows for a bendable neck. The ability to bend at the neck will help to prevent both the drive and the USB port from getting broken. The black stripes are actually a cleverly-disguised cooling system to keep it from getting too warm. This is currently only a concept, so who knows if we’ll ever see it in production.Source

This Week in Gaming Mar 9-15, 2008

A mixed week for gamers; nevertheless, sit back and enjoy the ride as we take you through a whirlwind tour of what happened or didn't this week in the world of gaming.
Capcom announced releasing their next edition, "Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies" on both Xbox 360 and the PC on May 27th. Essentially the same game, plus a few perks, the game saw a recent release on Sony's PS3. The highlight of this iteration is the all new modes for a single-player campaign; these include: Score Attack, with each enemy and destructible object having points assigned, and players awarded different points basis how they defeat the enemy; Trial Battle, where players take on each of the game's Bosses, one after the other; Off limit, a roller-coaster ride of sorts -- complete with super-charged weapons, unlimited ammunition, and increased speed of movement; New online modes; and Cross-platform battles, where Xbox 360 owners join forces or play against PC gamers. Meanwhile, we think gamers won't be too excited about this one; all the same the game will carry a price tag of $30. Creators of the wildly popular 'Burnout Paradise' series, Criterion, announced they will add more cars to the existing collection via DLC or downloadable content; Islands expansions will be free. Recently announced by Criterion Head Honcho, Alex Ward, Islands or the new DLC areas, are intended to give more head room to gamers to race in open-ended 'Burnout' environs. Now, Islands will come free to download and play. Good news this, and coming from an EA studio, surprising!
A big blow for PC gamers the world over: Epic President, Tim Sweeney's announcement that the next version of their legendary 'Unreal Engine' will be developed primarily for gaming consoles (Xbox 360 and PS3) and their successors. Considering Unreal built a reputation and a cult following around their amazing game engines that made PC games look 'unreal', this kind of capitalist twist (consoles making more moolah) to the story is surely going to disappoint PC gamers. Sad that the PC has been relegated to secondary citizen status when Unreal 3 Engine forms the backbone of some of the highest-selling PC games. If it's any consolation, Unreal Engine Next is unlikely to surface till about the next five years.

Lastly, this one's the mother of them all: for weeks after Toshiba declared the HD DVD format dead, Microsoft kept everyone guessing whether they would or wouldn't ultimately go with the rival Blu-ray format. Just a few days back, it was reported that Sony and Microsoft are in talks for the latter to add Blu-ray support to their Xbox 360 gaming console. Finally there it was: Microsoft confirmed they are trying to figure out the best way to connect with Blu-ray. They are also working on ways to include device driver support for Blu-ray drives in their Windows operating system. So why we wonder, did Group Product Manager for Xbox 360, Aaron Greenberg, recently tell Reuters that "Xbox is not currently in talks with Sony or the Blu-ray Association to integrate Blu-ray into the Xbox experience."Source

N1 Wireless Router by Belkin In India...!!!!

Belkin Asia Pacific Limited, has announced the launch of the N1 Vision wireless router in India. Offering an extended operating range of 1600 feet, the N1 Vision wireless router seeks to offer the best user experience, through its plug-and-play "CD-less" installation and simple network security setup. Designed for streaming music, videos and photos, playing online games, emailing, web surfing, emailing or simply chatting with friends online, the Belkin N1 Vision wireless router is packaged in a new, sleek and sophisticated design that offers the best in networking performance with its wireless 802.11n 3x3 MIMO radio design and wired gigabit ports.
Belkin Asia Pacific Limited, has announced the launch of the N1 Vision wireless router in India. Offering an extended operating range of 1600 feet, the N1 Vision wireless router seeks to offer the best user experience, through its plug-and-play "CD-less" installation and simple network security setup. Designed for streaming music, videos and photos, playing online games, emailing, web surfing, emailing or simply chatting with friends online, the Belkin N1 Vision wireless router is packaged in a new, sleek and sophisticated design that offers the best in networking performance with its wireless 802.11n 3x3 MIMO radio design and wired gigabit ports.Source