AMD A-Series APUs now available in India

AMD, the underdog of processors, has announced the availability of its new A-series Accelerated Processing Unit chips for the Indian market. The new processors will be priced between the Rs. 3,000-8,000 bracket and are being targeted at consumers who would like to do more with their PCs (or laptops) than just browse the web or make word files, without breaking the bank.

AMD’s A-series APUs combine the power of multiple-core processing with the power of discrete graphics, all into one processor. AMD claims that these chips are not only power-efficient, but also pack in a decent punch as far as GPU capabilities go. Hoping that these new processors could replace a dedicated graphics card is obviously hoping for too much, but AMD says that they will definitely allow the casual gamer to indulge themselves in some fun activities.

AMD has always recognized the importance of the gaming community, which is a large and loud chunk of the computer using population. Their acquisition of ATI is testament of that and Ravi Swaminathan, Managing Director and Vice President-Sales and Marketing at AMD India furthered that belief at the launch when he acknowledged that “the world is moving around graphics and the APU is something accepted world over with better battery life (around 10 hours). We have launched the first generation APU a year ago and the new generation is an upgrade to it."

This is AMD bringing ATI’s graphics expertise to the game, shrinking it significantly and packing it into a processor. For example, the A10-5800K model, the top end A-series APU clocks the CPU at 3.8GHz (4 cores that can scale up to 4.2GHz) along with the power of the ATI Radeon HD7660. For a full list of the APU specs, head on over to this link.

Google rumoured to be developing 12.85-inch touch-enabled Chromebook

Google seems to be getting very aggressive with its Chromebooks. If rumours are to be believed, it is reportedly working on Chrome OS-powered 12.85-inch touch notebook slated to come out in the first quarter of 2013, said a report in DigiTimes.

The interesting part is, unlike the two Chromebook launches we saw this year - from Acer andSamsung - the 12.85-inch Chromebook will be made by Google itself.

According to a report in DigiTimes, Taiwanese manufacturers Compal Electronics and Wintek have been roped in to handle the OEM and touch-panel production. The report goes on to say that Compal plans to start shipment by the end of the year. So is Google looking at the unveiling this touch-enabled notebook at the Consumer Electronics Show 2013 in Las Vegas? We don’t know, but it looks quite likely.

Apart from the fact that the notebook will be touch enabled, no details on the hardware were mentioned. The Acer Chromebook runs on an Intel processor and sells for $199, whereas the Samsung Chromebook runs on its own Exynos 5 ARM-based processor and sells for $249. These Chromebooks do not sport a touch features but are ideal low-cost notebooks aimed at schools and business.

Source: DigiTimes
Via: The Next Web

Apple confirms new iMac will hit shelves November 30, reveals pricing

Apple has announced that the new iMac will hit shelves on November 30, 2012, just a couple of days away. The iMac was unveiled at the same event where Apple showed off the iPad Mini. But not surprisingly, it was somewhat overshadowed by the tablet.

The new Apple iMac (read our hands-on preview) is just 5mm at its thinnest, and does away with the optical drive. The chassis is a combination of aluminum and glass enclosure. Apple claims that the display package has been redone to reduce ambient lighting reflections by up to 75%.

The refreshed iMac also includes third generation quad-core Intel Core i5 processors that can be upgraded to Core i7, 8GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive, and the latest generation Nvidia GeForce graphics processors that according to Apple deliver up to 60 percent faster performance. A new implementation, Fusion Drive, is an innovative new storage option that gives customers the performance of flash and the capacity of a hard drive by combining 128GB of flash with a standard hard drive to create a single storage volume that intelligently manages files to optimize read and write performance.

Here is the pricing (exclusive of VAT), as shared by Apple:

• 21.5-inch iMac (2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.2 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M): Rs 85,900
• 21.5-inch iMac (2.9 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.6 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M): Rs 99,900
• 27-inch iMac (2.9 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.6 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M): Rs 1,22,900
• 27-inch iMac (3.2 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.6 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX): Rs 1,34,900

Apple confirms that the 21.5-inch iMac will start shipping towards the end of November and will be available at Apple Authorized Resellers. For the 27-inch iMac, you would have to wait a bit, because they will start shipping sometime in December.

Antec India unveils the X1 gaming cabinet

Antec Inc. has announced the launch of Antec X1 cabinet, which the company says is custom built for gamers. According to the company, the X1 cabinet is suitable for system integrators and casual builders alike as the cabinet ensures 'extensive cooling advantages' and expandability.

The X1 cabinet has maximum cooling with 1 x 120 mm front red LED intake fan and three optional fans, including a 120 mm CPU exhaust fan. Antec says the X1 utilizes seven expansion slots for up to 280mm graphics cards, making it compatible with most of the GPUs available. It has also a tool-less 5.25-inch and 3.5-inch drive bays for easy installation.

Kevan Li, Sales and Operations Head-Antec India said, “The X1 enclosure is designed for higher performance and is yet an affordable gaming case. The extremely efficient cooling design along with the expandability options especially for gaming and will provide a great option for high performance users to build a high end PC. Moreover, it also comes with a locking hole for a Kensington lock for added safety of the internal components. With the growth of the Gaming segment in India, this strong built Case will be a perfect choice for a budget Gaming PC. This product is aimed to fulfill the computing needs of high end gamers, tech enthusiasts, corporate users and regular home users.”

The X1 cabinet is now available in India for an approximate retail price of Rs. 2,750.

Unboxing the new 27-Inch Apple iMac

We just got the 27-inch version of Apple's new, slimmer iMac into PC Labs. As usual, the new iMac has a new set of packaging, which is functional and sets the system apart on the store shelves. The new iMac box is tapered, minimizing the amount of cardboard you'll be schlepping around after your purchase. The top is slimmer than the bottom, so the packaging subliminally lets you know that the new iMac is thinner than its predecessor.

The iMac packaging shows a full color picture of the iMac in front of a white background, keeping with Apple packaging conventions of the past. We found that the system was securely immobilized in the packaging with a few key pieces of Styrofoam, which were easily removed from the iMac itself. You should have no problem rearranging the packaging back into the box, so you can keep it in your collection, or hold it in storage just in case you need to return the iMac to Apple for repair at some future point.

The eighth-generation iMacs have the same silver and glass design as the previous two generations, but now they sport a much slimmer profile since Apple has dropped the optical drive for iMacs. The display measures an incredibly thin 5mm at the edges, though the center of the back panel still bulges out to accommodate the stand, cooling, and the power connector.

We got the 27-inch iMac with Apple's Fusion Drive, which Apple promises will perform better than a system with a simpler, spinning hard drive. Though bulky, the system was easy to move around our labs bench. Keep the included microfiber cloth handy: the screen instantly picks up fingerprints when you touch it. At first glance, the new 27-inch iMac should take up the same amount of desk space as the last version, so it will be a drop-in replacement for many users.

We'll be running the new iMac through our usual set of strenuous benchmark and hands-on tests, so stay tuned for a full review on PCMag.com in the coming days.

iMac Box Opening

Like a suitcase,you open the iMac's packaging by lifting a lid.

Slim Packaging

The iMac's box tapers at the top.

Easy to Carry

There's the usual system beauty shot on the back of the box.

Pretty From the Back

The reverse angle with the whole system.

Waiting for You

We recommend you open the iMac box starting with this orientation.

Turn Me 'Round

The back of the system, plastic wrap intact.

No Glare

The iMac's new laminated screen glass and coatings help it minimize glare.

Upon Reflection

However, glare isn't completely eliminated when the system is off.

Kept Safe

The iMac's fitted padding keeps it safe during delivery.

Full System

Here it is, from the right. We asked Apple for both the Magic Trackpad and the Magic Mouse.

Start Here

"Upside down" and waiting for your next move.

Safe From Fingerprints

Almost there, here's the iMac with its plastic wrap intact.

Snug as a Bug

Loads of preformed foam keeps your system safe.

See You on the Other Side

Both sides of the box taper towards the top.

iMac Box

Another shot of the system you're about to unwrap.

Copyright © 2010 Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc

Google realizes dream of sub $100 laptop with Series 5 Chromebook

Google’s making big strides in the name of goodwill, as they have decided to offer the Samsung Series 5 Chromebooks to public schools and teachers for a heavily subsidized price of $99. Back in 2005, an MIT Professor, Nicholas Negroponte, had claimed that sub $100 laptops would be key to bringing computing power to the masses.

Negroponte’s One Laptop Per Child Foundation, which focused on putting sub-$100 laptops in every child’s hands failed because they could not get the cost of the laptops to go below $200. Google has now stepped in to fulfill this ambitious MIT Professor’s claims, but heavily subsidizing the Series 5 Chromebooks to $99, which normally retail for $249. So technically, the laptops still cost more than $100, but Google’s picking up the tab on this one.

Google is offering the Chromebooks to public school teachers through the Donorschoose program. Teachers who qualify for the program can request up to 30 Chromebooks for the subsidized price, which should be enough for most public school classrooms. For specific details on how to get the Chrombooks, head on over this link.

While Negroponte’s Foundation might have failed in achieving its goal, what it did end up successfully doing is forcing big name corporations like Intel, HP, Microsoft and the likes to put strong focus on delivering much cheaper variants of their otherwise expensive products. This focus is what led to the spawn of netbooks.

Lenovo launches two Windows 8 All-in-One PCs in India, starting Rs. 29,990

Lenovo today announced the latest additions to the C-Series all-in-one (AIO) family - IdeaCentre C340 and IdeaCentre C440. With convenient space-saving designs that fit into any home, theseWindows 8-based AIOs are aimed at offering powerful performance and multimedia features designed for immersive entertainment at a competitive price.

C-Series AIOs are equipped with the following features:

• Up to 1 TB HDD allowing users to hold up to 250 HD movies, 320,000 photos or 200,000 songs
• Up to 8GB memory for smooth multitasking
• Lenovo Education Portal with nine child education games
• 720p HD webcam with YouCam picture enhancements including fun, cartoon effects
• Dolby Advanced Audio V2 for a crisp, clear cinematic surround sound experience
• Powered by Windows 8

The Lenovo IdeaCentre C340 and IdeaCentre C440 all-in-one PCs are optimized for entertainment with an adjustable screen display, Lenovo Dynamic Brightness System, which automatically adjusts screen brightness based on users’ current surroundings and Lenovo Eye Distance System, which alerts users if they are too close to the screen. These AIOs fit into any home environment with a thin “journal” design, modelled after the pages of a journal or book, for a clean, simplistic look, and a unique aluminium stand that utilizes minimal desk space and allows users to slot the keyboard under the screen.

The stunning HD LED displays of the 20-inch C340, 21.5-inch C440 are made for watching HD videos and movies. Users can choose the screen size that best fits their needs – whether that’s surfing the web in the kitchen, creating a presentation in the home office or streaming a video in the living room.

With up to 3rd generation Intel Core i3 processors, the C340/C440 packs powerful performance and supports up to Nvidia GeForce 615 2GB graphics, ideal for PC gaming fun.

Pricing and Availability

• The Lenovo IdeaCentre C340 will be available in December with models starting at approximately Rs. 29,990
• The Lenovo IdeaCentre C440 will be available in December with models starting at approximately Rs. 41,990
• Lenovo IdeaCentre C340 & IdeaCentre C440 will be available at all Lenovo Exclusive Stores (LES), leading Multi-brand Outlets (MBOs) and Large Format Retail stores (LFRs)