Intel has finally unleashed the brand new Centrino 2 (a.k.a Montevina) notebook platform. It is available in two versions: customers and professionals (vPro). Features include enhanced Blu-Ray playback and support for 802.11 draft n WiFI. Unfortunately, WiMax is not supported yet, but Intel has promised it for Fall this year. Check below for the detailed press release and stay tune for the attack of Centrino 2-based laptops.

SAN FRANCISCO, Jul. 15, 2008 Intel Corporation unveiled its Intel(R) Centrino(R) 2 Processor Technology products for laptops today, powered by five new Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo processors. Close to 250 innovative consumer and business notebook PC designs are on the way, including those equipped with the right combination of powerful processors, graphics and battery life to enjoy viewing stunning high definition videos and myriad other computer and Internet activities.

Intel also introduced the world’s highest-performing dual-core mobile processor, the Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Extreme processor running at a brisk 3.06 GHz, as measured by SPECint(1)_rate_base2006, an industry benchmark (http://www.spec.org)(2).

Rounding out a mobile-focused summer for the company, Intel said it also plans to unveil eight processors within 90 days that will include first-ever mobile quad-core products and second-generation products for ultra-thin and light notebooks. In total, Intel will bring 14 diverse new processors into the marketplace as laptop sales continue to outpace desktop PCs.

Formerly codenamed Montevina, Intel Centrino 2 processor technology and Intel(R) Centrino(R) 2 with vPro(TM) Technology improve upon every facet of a laptop’s main features, including performance and battery life via new processors and chipsets, faster draft 802.11n wireless (with WiMAX arriving later this year), and new business-class manageability capabilities.

“When we first introduced Intel Centrino back in 2003, there were very few Wi-Fi hotspots, YouTube videos and social media didn’t really exist, ‘thin and light’ only referred to weight goals and desktop PCs outsold notebooks by a very wide margin,” said Mooly Eden, Intel corporate vice president and general manager of the company’s Mobile Platforms Group. “Today, notebooks outsell desktops in the U.S., and we’re paving the way to HD entertainment, rich online gaming, faster broadband wireless speeds and an easier and more secure way for businesses to manage, update and repair their notebook fleets.”

Intel is introducing five dual core processors based on Intel’s reinvented transistors (high-k metal gate formula) and advanced 45-nanometer manufacturing process. These processors come with a faster 1066MHz front side bus and up to 6MB of L2 cache, and three versions reduce laptop processor wattage about 30 percent, down to just 25 watts. Also featured is Deep Power Down Technology that turns off processing components such as core clocks and cache memory when the laptop is idle for greater energy savings.

Intel also unveiled its Mobile Intel(R) 45 Express Chipset and wireless Intel(R) Wi-Fi Link 5000 series that is shipping to customers now, with laptops arriving later in July and August. Delivering five times the speed and twice the range of older 802.11a/g technology, the Intel Wi-Fi Link 5000 series provides 802.11 draft-N support that delivers the fastest data rates possible today — up to 450 Mbps.

Switchable graphics, a new optional power-saving feature available on Intel Centrino 2-based notebooks, provides both integrated and discrete graphics on a single notebook, enabling users to easily switch between the two options. Switchable graphics delivers greater 3-D performance when needed while providing the option for greater power savings for the best of both worlds.

For consumers, Intel Centrino 2 processor technology delivers the horsepower and battery life to enjoy a typical full-length, Blu-ray(1) high-definition video on a single battery charge for the first time, plus the ability to play a variety of online games, download music or post videos faster than before.

For businesses, Intel Centrino 2 with vPro technology offers enhanced manageability and security options. This is increasingly important as companies replace desktops with notebooks and need to remotely diagnose, update and repair systems over a wireless network. Improved manageability with AMT 4.0 has also been added that provides wireless manageability during system sleep states, ongoing remote configuration capabilities, support for next-generation management standards (WS-MAN and DASH 1.0) and the ability for an employee to initiate communications to IT from outside a company’s firewall.

OEMs and Channel system builders will deliver close to 250 systems to market. For more information including Intel product pricing, visit http://www.intel.com/go/processor_pricing. For a full media version of this release including photos, videos, related blogs and other information, visit http://www.intel.com/pressroom/archive/releases/20080715comp_sm.htm and the Intel Centrino 2 technology press kit at http://www.intel.com/pressroom/kits/centrino2.

WiMAX Momentum

Later this year in the United States, Intel will begin shipping its first-ever combined WiMAX/Wi-Fi module, part of the Intel(R) WiMAX/Wi-Fi Link 5050 Series that is an optional feature for future Intel Centrino 2-based laptops. WiMAX is a 4G, Internet protocol-based broadband wireless technology that complements Wi-Fi networks.

WiMAX also provides much wider Internet and phone voice coverage, and unlike Wi-Fi has the ability to unwire entire cities or communities, connecting users even when they’re on the move. Intel is working with service providers around the world to deploy WiMAX networks, with initial U.S. network availability starting later this year from Sprint XOHM and Clearwire.

Microsoft is going to cuts the price of its XBox 360 Pro gaming console $50 down next Sunday. After the cut, the 20GB version of this console should be retailed for $300. However, this information won’t be made public until July 13th, a day ahead of the formal start of the E3 gaming expo. Hmmmm, time to get one?

I own XBox 360 myself and I love it. It can’t beat Wii on the fun aspect, but it rocks on the rest.

Anyway, there’s also a rumor that Microsoft will be released a new XBox 360 model with 60GB of storage. I guess the company will officially announce it during upcoming E3 Gaming Expo event. If it’s true…

[ Via ]

People in Abu Dhabi will soon be able to pay their taxi fare by simply sending SMS from their cell phone! As reported by Gulf News, this system is made possible by the new e-payment system caled Q-Cash which is scheduled to go public by the end of August or September this year. All taxis in the Emirate are hoped to eventually offer this service to their customers.

[ Via ]

Need a USB hub? Check this one out, a unique, yet original 4-port USB hub from Donya which features the character of the emergency Exit (usually found on the Emergency Door). The hub is placed on the character’s bag, hand, leg, and base.

More pics after the jump.

[ Via ]

According to Reuters, Microsoft Corporation is going to cut Windows Vista’s retail price down. In United States, Windows Vista Ultimate’s price will be reduced to $319 (from $399), while the upgrade from Windows XP to Vista will cost just $219 (from $259). These reductions will vary depend on the country.

[ Source ]

Yup, it’s true, soon Nintendo DS owners will be able to download NDS games (either full version or demos) through their Wii via broadband access, and then wirelessly transmitted them to their DS via Bluetooth. Reggie Fils-Amie, Nintendo US CEO, confirmed this news on New York Times. Not just games, additional content, such as extra levels, characters, maps, etc, will be available as well.

Let’s hope there’ll be more detail about this wonderful feature later.

[ Source ]

Asus has just made the OS source code of its Eee PC laptop available to public. The OS is based on Linux Kernel. Currently, the company is working on a new SDK to aid in the development of third-party apps for this extremely cheap notebook PC.

[ More ] [ Via ]

One hundred and two players who survived from online provisional selections will compete to acquire only 17 tickets at Quest Hall, Tokyo.

Starting with ‘Navy Field(gamespace24.net/navyfield-neo)’ from last September, GNGWC Japan regional final online provisional selections finished with ‘Silk Road(www.silkroad.jp)’ division. 102 players who selected from online provisional selections will compete to have Grand Final (Seoul, Korea) tickets on Nov. 17th at Quest Hall, Tokyo.

Only two Japanese players out of 17 players will be selected for Grand Final in Silk Road division. Player who hunts more monsters at the dungeon will be advanced to the next tournament match. The ‘Shot Online’ will select two players out of 8 players with 9-hole stroke play tournaments.

Also ‘Lunia’ will select winners who won 2 out of 3 matches with 1-on-1 tournament match, but final two players will have 3 out of 5 matches to be winner of Lunia division. The ‘War Rock(warrock.jp)’ will have 5-on-5 team death matches and only one team will be join the Grand Final and Navy Field will select two clans which consist with 15 members each for the Grand Final.

GNGWC regional finals, supported by KT, are finished with this Japan regional final. Players who selected from Europe, USA, S.E. ASIA, Japan, and Korea will compete for No.1 place on Dec. 1st at GNGWC2007 Grand Final. Each division winner will receive 5,000(USD), 2nd place for 3,000(USD) and 3rd place for 1,000(USD).

For more information: http://www.gngwc.com

[ Source ]

LG Electronics is going to take participation on upcoming PT/Expo Comm China 2007 (China Expo), the largest IT show in China which will be held on Tuesday until Saturday. The company will use its 460-sq. m booth to showcase some of its state-of-the-art cell phones, including Viewty, Shine, and Chocolate series. LG will also show off its mobile TV and other third-generation handsets during that event.

The Viewty is LG’s cell phone with professional camera functionalities. It boasts a 5 megapixel camera module, Schneider Optics lens, image stabilizer, video recording capability @ 120fps, and both automatic and manual focus.

[ Via ]

Intel is going to update its Santa Rosa notebook PC platform with the new “Santa Rosa Refresh”. As announced during Intel Developer Forum (IDF) 2007 event in San Fransisco, this platform adopts “Penryn”, a mobile processor with 45nm technology and enhanced graphics capabilities. According to the press release, the usage of Penryn will highly improve both perfomance and battery life features, as well as graphics. Many advanced graphics technologies will be unlocked and developers can take advantage of it via DirectX 10 engine. Moreover, Santa Rosa Refresh will feature Intel Mobile 965 Express chipset family, Intel Next-Gen Wireless-N network connection, Intel 82566MM and 82566MC Gigabit Network Connection, and optional Intel Turbo memory.

Along with Santa Rosa Refresh, Intel also showcased another new notebook platform which is called “Montevina”. Scheduled to be released in the middle of 2008, this one sports Penryn Mobile Processor, integrated HD-DVD/Blu-Ray support, optional WiMAX wireless technology, enhanced data manageability, and improved security features. According to Intel, Montevina is about 40% smaller in components than those in current Santa Rosa platform, thus smaller and lighter Centrino-based laptops can be expected once Montevina released.