Special Weekend Edition: Computex Roundup

The annual Computex exhibition in Taipei, Taiwan, last week offered a clear view of what we can expect in new computer systems over the next year. Considered an important barometer of hardware trends, this is where some of the largest companies that manufacture and supply many of the components and finished computers sold by HP, Dell, and others show off their latest and greatest products.

In case you missed any of the developments at the show, this special weekend edition of the ITworld.com Daily Newsletter highlights all of last week's Computex news.


HIGHLIGHTS

Computex Preview: Hardware makers prepare for Taipei showdown
Servers: Server makers show first Barcelona systems
Notebook Computers: Asus, MSI laptops double as HD players
Notebook Computers: Asustek and Intel working on $199 laptop
Notebook Computers: Hands on with Asustek's $199 Eee PC
Notebook Computers: Asustek previews Net radio, overclocking laptop
Ultramobiles & Handhelds: Ultramobiles are pricey, power hungry, AMD says
Ultramobiles & Handhelds: Ubuntu mobilizes tablet software
Ultramobiles & Handhelds: Intel shows more advanced ultraportable
Ultramobiles & Handhelds: IPhone to ignite smartphone use, Arm chief says
Ultramobiles & Handhelds: Via NanoBook takes aim at ultramobile market
Ultramobiles & Handhelds: Acer wheels out Ferrari PDA
Ultramobiles & Handhelds: Taiwan's FIC to debut ultraportable PC
Storage: Flash guys show certified ReadyBoost drives
Storage: Solid-state disks coming on strong
Storage: Toshiba develops laptop HD DVD-RW drive
Computer Design & Engineering Trends: Intel's rumored graphics chip a no-show
Computer Design & Engineering Trends: Chipsets to survive integration with CPU
Computer Design & Engineering Trends: AMD keeps Barcelona specs under wraps
Computer Design & Engineering Trends: Via develops namecard-sized PC board
Computer Design & Engineering Trends: Via CEO promises even smaller motherboards
Computer Design & Engineering Trends: Bearlake chipsets hit the market


COMPUTEX PREVIEW

Hardware makers prepare for Taipei showdown
Intel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. will square off this week at the annual Computex exhibition in Taipei, where many of the world's largest hardware makers will be showing off products slated for release later this year.


SERVERS

Server makers show first Barcelona systems
Server makers are showing their first systems based on Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s upcoming quad-core Opteron chip, known as Barcelona.


NOTEBOOK COMPUTERS

Asus, MSI laptops double as HD players
Two Taiwanese companies are making laptop PCs users can hook up to their high definition (HD) TVs to make more use of the laptops' internal high definition optical drives, either Blu-ray Disc or HD DVD.


Asustek and Intel working on $199 laptop
Taiwanese hardware maker Asustek Computer Inc. is working with Intel Corp. on a line of notebook PCs priced as low as US$199, according to one of the chipmaker's top executives.

Related Reading: Hands on with Asustek's $199 Eee PC
Asustek Computer Inc.'s US$199 Eee PC is turning out to be one of the stars at Computex 2007, grabbing attention for its small size and even smaller price.


Asustek previews Net radio, overclocking laptop
If the Internet radio with iPod port and laptop PC built for microprocessor overclocking that Asustek Computer Inc. showed off on Monday are any indication of things to come at the Computex Taipei 2007 trade show, then be prepared for a few surprises.


ULTRAMOBILES & HANDHELDS

Ultramobiles are pricey, power hungry, AMD says
Ultramobile PCs, the new product category developed by Microsoft Corp., have been unsuccessful so far because they're too expensive and their batteries don't last long enough, a top Advanced Micro Devices Inc. executive said Friday.


Ubuntu mobilizes tablet software
Canonical, the corporate sponsor of the Ubuntu Linux distribution, has revealed the specs for a mobile version of its software, due in October.

Intel shows more advanced ultraportable
Just two months after Intel Corp. unveiled a package of chips codenamed McCaslin for ultramobile computers, the company rolled out a prototype device running McCaslin's successor, Menlow, at Computex.


IPhone to ignite smartphone use, Arm chief says
The iPhone is about to do for smartphones what the iPod did for digital music players: put one in everyone's pocket.


Via NanoBook takes aim at ultramobile market
Via Technologies Inc. has developed an ultraportable notebook reference design that will soon hit European markets.


Acer wheels out Ferrari PDA
Acer Inc. plans to start selling a Ferrari PDA (personal digital assistant), adding to a line of Ferrari-branded computer gear that already includes notebook PCs and a monitor.


Taiwan's FIC to debut ultraportable PC
Taiwan's First International Computer Inc. will unveil an ultraportable PC at the Computex show that begins on Tuesday in Taipei.


STORAGE

Flash guys show certified ReadyBoost drives
Flash memory stick makers are showing off USB (Universal Serial Bus) drives at Computex that have been certified to work with Windows Vista's ReadyBoot and ReadyBoost functions, which improve boot-up times and the software start-up speeds in PCs.


Solid-state disks coming on strong
If you're in any doubt that flash memory-based solid-state disks are on a course to quickly replace hard-disk drives in laptop computers, just take a look along the aisles of this year's Computex trade show.


Toshiba develops laptop HD DVD-RW drive
Toshiba Corp. will unveil in Taipei on Tuesday a slim HD DVD rewriter suitable for use in laptop computers.


COMPUTER DESIGN & ENGINEERING TRENDS

Intel's rumored graphics chip a no-show
One of the biggest rumors to come out of Computex this week is that Intel Corp. is developing a new high-end graphics processor, which it will begin sampling to graphics cards makers in Taiwan in the next year or two. Graphics card makers at the show said they've seen no signs of it, however.


Chipsets to survive integration with CPU
Computers are getting smaller and functions that once required multiple chips will increasingly be combined or move to the processor. But Intel Corp. said one component is going to survive these changes: the chipset.


AMD keeps Barcelona specs under wraps
Some of the first servers based on Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s (AMD's) upcoming Barcelona quad-core chip are on display at Computex, but details of the chips are being kept tightly under wraps.


Via develops namecard-sized PC board
Taiwan's Via Technologies Inc. has a knack for making motherboards smaller, and its latest design pushes the boundary of what's possible further than ever before.


Via CEO promises even smaller motherboards
Via Technologies Inc. plans to develop PC motherboards that are even smaller than the business card-sized Mobile ITX product it announced on Tuesday.


Bearlake chipsets hit the market
Motherboards that use Intel Corp.'s 3-series chipsets, codenamed Bearlake, seem to be everywhere at the Computex exhibition -- signalling they will soon find their way to store shelves and hardware makers around the world.