Nintendo and NTT: Wii Web access

Video game maker Nintendo Co Ltd and telecoms operator NTT's regional units said they will cooperate in Japan in promoting the broadband Web access of Nintendo's hot-selling Wii game console.

Driving Wii's Internet connection is important for Nintendo since the company next March plans to launch a new service called WiiWare, which allows users of the Wii to purchase new game software titles via the Internet.

source: reuters

BMC releases IT analytics software

BMC Software Inc. on Tuesday released ProactiveNet Analytics, the first product stemming from its acquisition of ProactiveNet Inc. earlier this year.
The software pulls data from hardware and applications across a company's environment, and issues IT workers warnings about upcoming performance problems.
Much like its competitor, Netuitive Inc., BMC touts the software's ability to "learn" how a customer's IT environment changes and adapt its own performance accordingly. It will integrate with both third-party products and its own IT management portfolio, which includes BMC Event Manager and BMC Performance Manager.

source: computerworld

DRAM prices continue to drop

Site DRAM Exchange said prices of contract memory in December will continue to drop with a 512Mbit DDR2 chip costing a piffling 80 cents.

Downward pressure will take those prices even lower, predicted the site, as a result of poor demand.

A 1GB DDR2 667 module currently costs $20 and that is likely to fall too, as nothing in the spot or the OEM market looks like spurring extra sales.

This of course means that if you need to upgrade your own PC, things have never been cheaper. DRAM's been down the whole of the year and the Dramurai must be getting somewhat desperate by now

source: inquirer

Lenovo confirms plans for PC unit in Poland

The facility will support regional EMEA customer requirements including product assembly and configuration, distribution services and logistics along with additional value-added services.

The new Poland facility, which will be located in Legnica Special Economic Zone at Lower Silesia region, is expected to become operational in the third quarter of 2008. The total investment value is estimated at over $20 million USD.

The 30,000 square meter facility in Poland is scheduled to begin operations in August 2008 with an initial production capacity of up to five million PCs per year. Lenovo will employ approximately 1,000 people when the plant is fully operational.

Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD - 1:0 in Europe

High-definition movie DVDs in the Blu-ray format have outsold the rival HD-DVD standard in Europe this year, breaking the 1 million barrier and constituting 73% of all HD movie discs sold.

Citing industry sales data, the Blu-ray Disc Association said in a statement today Blu-ray movie disc sales had topped 1 million units and when counting Blu-ray gaming discs, the total number produced for sale in Europe exceeded 21 million units.

Of the HD movie discs bought by consumers so far this year in Europe, 73% were in the Blu-ray Disc format and 27% were HD DVD, according to sales data provided by Media Control Gfk International.

Source: Computerworld

Fujitsu... 320GB mobile hard drive

The 2.5-in., 5,400 rpm, 3Gbit/sec. Serial ATA drive will be available next February, according to Fujitsu officials. Joel Hagberg, vice president of marketing and business development at Fujitsu Computer Products of America Inc., a unit of Tokyo-based Fujitsu, declined to disclose pricing plans for the new drive.

The MHZ2 BH can greatly reduce power usage during idle, sleep and read/write activity by improving heat dissipation and battery life within the perpendicular magnetic recording device, Hagberg said.

But again 5400rpm it isn't 7200rpm unfortunately.

More: Computerworld

How much does iPhone unlock cost?

T-Mobile GmbH will sell unlocked iPhones for $1,482, the German mobile carrier said today, marking the first time Apple Inc.'s smart phone has been officially available unlocked.

In a statement today, T-Mobile said it would immediately start selling unlocked iPhones, and unlock any already-purchased iPhone for no charge. It made both moves in response to a preliminary ruling Monday in a lawsuit brought by Vodafone Group PLC's subsidiary, Vodafone Germany. According to the injunction, which T-Mobile is appealing, Apple's wireless partner must offer the iPhone without a required 24-month contract.

Source: Computerworld

Choose a tech gift revision 2

Yet another list of presents! :-)

Finding the right technology gift can be a challenge, but the expert buying guides and reviews you'll find here will help you make the right purchase at the right price. Keep in mind that timing is important. For example, big ticket items like TVs and laptops tend to fall in price during the peak holiday shopping period, while smaller products like, cameras, audio players and other handhelds tend to have lower prices after New Year's Day.

Note: Read the whole list!

Tech BigGeeks: Where Are They Now?

These former technology luminaries have all taken different paths. How different? One's a country doctor, one's a budding movie mogul, and one teaches toddlers--and he's not even alive.

One of the rarest things in high tech is finding a major company that's still being run by the people who started it. Once you get past Bill Gates, Michael Dell, and Steve Jobs (part deux), the list gets pretty thin mighty fast.

Note: Read more

Upcoming holidays: Choose a tech gift

The Cool Stuff Holiday Gift Guide is back, with tips for the very best gifts to buy for the tech lovers in your life. This year, be the one whose gifts are the biggest hits.

Our guide features the coolest choices in media players, flat-panel HDTVs, digital cameras, cell phones and much more, selected by the staff of Computerworld. There are also fun gadgets for the home office or your office cubicle, devices to keep you connected around the house, and electronic games for the whole family.

Source: Read more @ Computerworld
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AMD - Spider platform

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. on Monday is expected to launch the Spider platform, which combines the company's next-generation quad-core processors, graphics cards and chip sets in one platform to deliver better graphics, performance-per-watt and improved high-definition video.

Targeted at gamers and multimedia enthusiasts, desktop PCs with the Spider platform include the quad-core Phenom processors and can hold multiple ATI graphics cards to give users the "ultimate visual experience," according to AMD.

Components:

• quad-core Phenom processor


• ATI Radeon HD 3850 and ATI Radeon HD 3870 graphics cards

Source: Computerworld

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