Panasonic Promises: One in Ten PCs Will Feature HD Recorders

The coming year won't bring us the happiness of a new beginning, but will take us to further steps in home entertainment, or at least Panasonic executives think so. According to them, about 10% of personal computers (PCs) will incorporate either Blu-ray or HD DVD drive next year, as the technology becomes
more and more accessible following the recent price drops of blue laser-based optical disk drives.

"The adoption of blue-laser optical disc drives (ODDs), Blu-ray Disc (BD) and/or HD DVD, built into desktop and notebook PCs will increase from less than 1% of all PCs in 2007 to 10% in 2008," said Panasonic general manager Masayuki Kozuka.

The Panasonic executive has also overestimated the selling rates for Blu-ray or HD DVD, and figured for a 5 percent of the optical disk drives this year, while the reports say that he was 4 percent more optimistic. The difference between expectation and reality could also be the result of a slower adoption of the new optical technology.

Blu-ray and HD DVD players have become extremely popular in Japan, the market promoter of the high-definition technology. Kozuka has estimated that BD or HD DVD players percentage has risen from 14.8% in 2006 to 20% in 2007 and will continue growing to more than 50 percent in the following year, which is quite a breakthrough if we look back at the fainting figures for other countries (less than 5 percent of the overall optical disc drives).

The only problem in HD media expansion is still the salty price, as Blu-ray standalone prices make the technology unavailable to the average home entertainment consumer. The good news is that Pioneer and the Philips-LG joint venture are working on more affordable desktop PC versions. Toshiba has entered the HD market and is now offering affordable drives for both notebooks and desktops.

Cable Modems Pending 100Mbps Certification for 2008

CableLabs have already begun testing the new set of DOCSIS 3.0 (Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications) equipment submitted by five cable internet service providers. The DOCSIS 3.0 standard is still awaiting certification, but some cable ISP in Asia have already launched their lines of DOCSIS 3.0 modems
, pending certification.

As for now, the common standard adopted by worldwide ISPs is the long-runner DOCSIS 1.1 which has already proven fail-safe, but as the distribution technology evolves, and more and more ISPs switch to fiber, DOCSIS 1.1 becomes the main bottleneck in networking distribution. Since the advent of digital high-definition content, speed is everything – just what lacks the old DOCSIS 1.1 standard.

DOCSIS 3.0 is supposed to fix the unfortunate aspect, by providing download speeds up to 160Mbps and uploads of up to 120Mbps, marking a four-fold increase over today’s current high-speed standards.
The modem can reach amazing download and upload speeds by using a process called "Channel Bonding" - which means that multiple channels of data transfer are used rather than just one (DOCSIS 1.1).

On top of that, the new standard is Ipv6 compliant, supporting lots of security features as well as enhanced network management. When using the DOCSIS 3.0 standard, there is no physical restriction in using IPTV or other high-definition video streaming services.

During the tests, the DOCSIS 3.0 gear had exemplary results: customers of a South Korea service provider witnessed download speeds of 100Mbps, while a trial in Singapore revealed download speeds up to 145Mbps.

The DOCSIS 3.0 certification is an important step for internet-over-cable service providers, who have constantly been threatened by the expansion of fiber-optics. Cable companies should be able to deploy DOCSIS 3.0 compliant equipment at the beginning of 2008 – especially in territories already under the rule of fiber-optics internet service providers.

Windows XP SP3 to Drop Concomitantly with Windows Vista SP1?

First Half of 2008?

Yes, it's time for every Windows user's favorite obsession: Windows XP Service Pack 3. The third and final service pack for Windows XP has been quite elusive for the past three years. The logical step in the evolution of XP, following the introduction of Service Pack 2, formerly codenamed Springboard, SP3 got pushed back into the background and in the shadow of Windows Vista. Despite Microsoft's initial estimates, it failed to ship in 2006 and in 2007, getting postponed all the way back to 2008. The first half of 2008 that is.

Microsoft remained consistent amidst speculations pointing to the cancellation of the service pack, and only broke the silence of Windows Omerta to reinstate its commitment to deliver SP3 by mid 2008. And now with both the service packs for XP and Vista under construction, the first half of the coming year holds a great deal of promise for Windows users. Vista's rough corners will be softened down to the texture of a baby bottom, SP1 bringing to the table boosted performance, increased reliability and enhanced support. And XP will get a few Vista features along with just about every hotfix, update and patch that Microsoft will be able to squeeze into a standard service pack.

And all by mid 2008. This is because, following the departure of Jim Allchin, the former Co-President, Platforms & Services Division, on January 30 2007, the same day that Vista shipped to consumers, Microsoft forced Windows into the Sinofsky era. Steven – codename Translucency – Sinofsky, is the senior vice president for the Windows and Windows Live Engineering Group — the user experience of Microsoft Windows and Windows Live services, and
the architect of Windows Omerta. And Sinofsky brings with him a new development strategy focused on the delivery.

Or the First Quarter?

On the official Microsoft webpage for Windows Service Pack Road Map, the Redmond company has posted general details about the delivery date of Service Pack 3 for Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional. The two messages read as following: "SP3 for Windows XP Home Edition is currently planned for 1H CY2008. This date is preliminary. SP3 for Windows XP Professional is currently planned for 1H CY2008. This date is preliminary." Therefore, SP3 by mid 2008 is nothing but a preliminary change. And in this context, subjected to change.

Tucked away from the prying eyes of Windows users, Microsoft updated Windows Service Pack Road Map on October 15 2007 with an entry for Windows Vista: "SP1 for Windows Vista is planned for 1Q CY2008. This date is based on beta feedback." So... the first quarter of 2007. Microsoft is not playing around with the patience and frustration of Windows users. For both Vista SP1 and XP SP3 the company will ultimately decide the release data in accordance with the beta testing feedback. The more positive the input, the closer the availability date of the two service packs.

But as abstract that the first quarter/half of 2008 mighty seem, chances are in fact that Microsoft will make available Windows XP SP 3 and Windows Vista SP1 at the same time, and closer to the beginning of next year rather than to summer. This of course has not been confirmed by the Redmond company and it is pure speculation on my part. However, there is an intimate connection between XP SP3 and Vista SP1 that supports such a scenario.

Siamese Service Packs

Windows Vista SP1 and Windows XP SP3 have been joined at the hip ever since they debuted into beta testing in mid July 2007. The two beta preview builds of the service packs were dropped in the laps of a select pool of testers, but Microsoft did point to the broadening of the test driving process for both releases. Windows XP SP3 build 5.1.2600.3180 (xpsp.070718-2058) – 350MB and the Vista Vista SP1 ISO file pre-beta build 6001.16549, marked the debut of service packs tandem releases, synchronized around new development milestones of Windows Server 2008, formerly codenamed Longhorn.

At the end of September, Microsoft delivered on its promises with the evolution of Vista SP1 and dropped the first beta for the service pack. Windows Vista SP1 Beta Build 6.0.6001.16655 (longhorn_rc0.070907-1905) was shortly followed by the availability of Windows XP SP3 Beta Build 3205 in early October. And Microsoft kept this up while moving the two service packs into Release Candidate stage.

The past week, testers were permitted access to a preview version of the Release Candidate for Windows Vista SP1 – build 6001.17042. The RC for XP SP3 accompanied the new milestone release of Vista SP1 with Build 2600.xpsp.071030-1537: Service Pack 3, v.3244 - 337 MB. And all this time Microsoft was also advancing Windows Server 2008 in the background. In this regard, it seems only a logical conclusion that the synchronization of the testing builds of Windows XP SP3 and Windows Vista SP1 will also translate to the final versions.

The fact of the matter is that every way you look at it, the first half of 2008 automatically includes the first quarter. And XP SP3 and Vista SP1 moving roughly at the same pace through Beta Previews, Beta and Release Candidate stages, manage to provide an insight into the continuation of development up to the final release.

Marketing Suicide? Or Is It?

Although Windows Vista is currently in the limelight for Microsoft, Windows XP is still far from expiration. One view over the XP vs. Vista face-off in terms of the install base is that SP3 will be a marketing suicide for Vista, SP1 or no SP1. Still, Microsoft, even before Vista hot the shelves, added support to Windows XP throughout 2014. In addition, the company prolonged XP's availability via the retail and original manufacturer channels until mid 2008.

XP is deeply rooted, having had no less than five years to dig itself in, and is now at approximately 80% of the operating system market. Vista is still far; Microsoft, after the first year since the platform was released to manufacturing, applauded shipping 88 million copies to its channel partners, which approximately reflects the 8% market share. And by all means, SP3 will be an incentive for XP users to stick with what they got, while SP1 will increase adoption of Vista.

But, at the same time, Microsoft is targeting corporate users. Deploying a service pack throughout a business ecosystem involves a massive logistical effort impacting all aspects of the IT infrastructure. With Windows 7 planned for 2010, and with the perspective of deploying either Vista with SP1 or SP3 for XP, more and more corporate users are going to opt to migrate/upgrade to the latest Windows client available.

Asetek Provides Low Cost Liquid Cooling Solutions

The low-cost cooling solution from Asetek is aimed at the needs of OEM companies and it is worth trying it since HP has already implemented it in the Blackbird 002 gaming computers line. The liquid cooling solution is not oriented towards the motherboard
only, it also takes care of the video card's GPU as well.

Although it may seem complicated, installing such a system proves to be simple and the do-it-yourself enthusiasts would be more than satisfied. No matter what platform you are using, you can take advantage of having a liquid cooling solution, as it is compatible both with Intel and AMD processors in any possible configurations.

The CPU block is the core component in the system. It contains a miniaturized version of a powerful water pump, but there is no water reservoir. The cooling solution is made of three components linked in a closed circuit. Other components can be added if required (for example in multi-computer environments). The CPU block has, however, to be connected to one of the standard, 12-volt, power sources that your system does not use.

The water from the reservoir is cooled by two powerful fans that can be attached to the CPU fan connector on the motherboard, which would allow for RPM control – a handy feature when it comes to fighting noise. The cooling unit can also be used for GPU cooling. The graphic card radiator supports fans from 80 to 120mm and there is a 120mm fan shipped in the package.

The only problem the user may encounter with this low-cost liquid cooling solution is the fact that it isn't to be found on the retailers' shelves. It is exclusively dedicated to the OEM sector in order to be integrated in gaming and high performance systems.

The Hunt for Asus Eee

Here we are in the final month of the year, and the shopping frenzy has already begun. The times when teddy bears and candies were appreciated gifts are long since dead. The nowadays kid is more tech-savvy and looks for other types of entertainment. This should only make
the IT world rejoice once again.

The Asus Eee PC is the most wanted notebook of all, or so report sales giants such as Amazon and the CNET networks. Contrary to unanimous belief, the must-have of the year has even surpassed the iPod Touch and the iPhone. The Eee model became so popular than all the available units in the retailers' stores have been snatched to the bottom of the stock. The main problem retailers have to face is that the Christmas shopping spree has not even started, and they are already unable to provide enough units.

People queue for days in the vain hope of putting their hand on the popular gadget. The Asus Eee PC has already been sold in more than ten thousands units in only two weeks since it first appeared on the market. But the USA are not the only battlefied for the notebook. In places such as Taiwan and Hong Kong, Asus Eee PC is sold out as soon as it gets displayed on the shelves. Everywhere you go, it's already sold out and you have to subscribe to a waiting list, then wait for the next shipment.

Even schools are frenetically buying Eees for classroom usage. Their simple design and limited hardware – of course, at a decent price - makes them the ideal aid in teaching, as there's nothing to mess up while operating such devices. The Fresno Unified School District in California have purchased more than 1,300 Eee units that are part of the training process. Teacher can display, manipulate and transfer multimedia content to the students' Eee PCs inside the classroom.

Compact and fancy, but at the same time wearing a flavor of advanced technology, they have been quickly adopted by school kids worldwide. You only need a whole bunch of luck to find a piece for your kid's Christmas present.