HITmagazine

It's still a little ways away from actually landing in some graphics cards, but Samsung has announced that it has begun mass production of its new 50nm GDDR5 memory, which promises to support a maximum data transfer speed of 7.0 gigabits per second and boast a maximum bandwidth of 28 gigabytes per second. According to Samsung, the shift to a 50nm manufacturing process also increases production efficiency by a full 100 percent, and allows the memory to operate at 1.35 volts, which is a 20 percent reduction compared to current GDDR4 memory. From the looks of it, however, manufacturers will have to make do with a 32Megabit x 32 configuration (also configurable as a 64Mb x 16 device) initially, although Samsung says it plans to expand the 50nm process throughout its graphics memory line-up by the end of the year.

The Samsung Memoir could easily be mistaken for a real camera. On one side is a full touch-screen, and on the other is an 8-megapixel camera, 16x digital zoom, and Xenon flash.
The phone, which we first saw hints of in December, will run on T-Mobile's 3G network. Besides the 8-megapixel camera, it also has a full-touch virtual QWERTY keypad, a music and video player, built in GPS, and Bluetooth.

SAMSUNG MOBILE AND T-MOBILE USA INTRODUCE BEST-IN-CLASS
8-MEGAPIXEL CAMERA PHONE

Samsung Memoir™ Captures and Shares High-Quality Images
With Advanced Features and Touch Screen

DALLAS, and BELLEVUE, WASH. — Feb. 5, 2009 — Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) and T-Mobile USA, Inc., today announced the upcoming availability of the Samsung Memoir™, a full touch-screen mobile phone equipped with an 8-megapixel camera and premium multimedia features, placing it among the highest quality imaging phones available in the U.S.

The Memoir, available exclusively from T-Mobile, is designed to look and feel like a customer's current point-and-shoot digital camera. The built-in 8-megapixel camera with Xenon flash, 16x digital zoom and five shooting modes empower customers to capture exceptional photos and videos from their phone — whether they're on the go, on a vacation or just hanging out around the house.

The touch-screen phone, enabled by Samsung's TouchWiz™ user interface and powered by T-Mobile's high-speed 3G network, makes sharing photos easy. Samsung's new photo widget allows customers to post images taken with the Memoir directly to their favorite online photo sharing source, such as flickr®, Kodak® Gallery, Photobucket and Snapfish.

"With the 8-megapixel Samsung Memoir, T-Mobile customers can capture and share little slices of life in all their vibrant brilliance," said Denny Marie Post, chief marketing officer, T-Mobile USA. "With the ability to share photos at your fingertips, the Memoir helps make those connections more meaningful by their immediacy."

The Memoir's full-touch virtual QWERTY keypad and multiple messaging capabilities, including text, multimedia messaging, instant messaging and e-mail, make staying connected quick and easy while on the go. The Memoir is complete with a music and video player and built-in Assisted GPS navigation, which allows customers to utilize location-based services including turn-by-turn directions. For hands-free use, the Memoir features stereo Bluetooth® technology, speakerphone and voice-activated dialing.

"This is the camera phone that will make people want to leave their digital camera at home," said Bill Ogle, Chief Marketing Officer for Samsung Mobile. "When you combine the Memoir's imaging capabilities, customizable menus and music player, not only is it a great phone, but the entertainment possibilities are unlimited."

T-Mobile's 3G coverage available in select markets. Samsung Memoir also works on T-Mobile's 2G network. See coverage maps at T-Mobile.com

Model number: SGH-t929

Psyko Audio Labs is looking to push doubters over the edge with its incredibly heinous 5.1 Directional Audio Headphones. Supposedly, the company uses a special alignment technology that delivers accurate surround sound to each ear "in a natural 3D sound field." In case you weren't skeptical enough, there's also a "subwoofer" in each ear cup, which sounds like a feat you'd truly have to hear to believe. Yeah, we guess the built-in amplifier -- which lets gamers "customize volume and bass levels" -- is pretty nifty, but for $299.99, they'd have to knock our equilibrium clean out of balance.

HP Pavilion dv3 Specifications

Display: 13.3″ TN (Twisted Nematic) Wide TFT LCD with LED Backlight
Aspect Ratio: 16:10
Pixel Format: 1280 x 800
Webcam: Yes
GPU: ATI Radeon HD 3200
CPU: 2GHz Athlon X2 QL-62 to 2.4GHz AMD Turion Ultra X2 ZM-86
RAM: Up to 8GB DDR2
HDD: 160/250/320/400GB 5400RPM HD, Optional SSD
Connectivity: 5-in-1 Media Card Reader, WiFi (ABGN), Bluetooth, Gigabit Ethernet, ExpressCard, USB 2.0, VGA, HDMI, eSATA/USB Combo, Mic-In, Speaker-Out
Optical: Slot-loading SuperMulti DVD player
Other: Magnesium Chassis, Fingerprint Reader (optional)
Battery: 6/9-cell Lithium Ion
Dimensions: 12.2 x 9.1 x 1.3″
Weight: 4.35lbs
Price: Starting MSRP US$799

While you and HP can argue the rest of the night away about the most accurate moniker for its Pavilion dv2, the dv3 is definitely an ultraportable. The AMD-powered machine comes in a plethora of configurations with CPUs ranging from 2GHz (Athlon X2 QL-62) to 2.4GHz (Turion X2 Ultra ZM-86), ATI's Radeon HD 3200 graphics, up to 8GB of DDR2 RAM, 160/250/320/400GB hard drive choices, WiFi / Bluetooth, a dual-layer DVD burner, gigabit Ethernet, an ExpressCard slot and a satisfactory array of ports including three USB 2.0 sockets, VGA, HDMI, eSATA combo (with a third USB port) and audio in / out. Users can select from a six or nine-cell battery, and there's even an optional fingerprint reader if you're unashamedly paranoid. Interested? It's available today, junior, for $799 and up.

Headline pretty much says it all, and it's a big one. Tipping the scales at 377MB (or 190MB for some; see image after the break), the OS X 10.5.6 update is now available via Software Update.

Update: Apple has posted the official changelog. Here are the highlights:

• Improves the reliability of AirPort connections, including improvements when roaming in large wireless networks with an Intel-based Mac.
• Improves reliability of Address Book syncing with iPhone and other devices and applications.
• Includes general improvements to gaming performance.
• Includes fixes for possible graphics distortion issues with certain ATI graphics cards.
• Contacts, calendars, and bookmarks on a Mac automatically sync within a minute of the change being made on the computer, another device, or the web at me.com.
• Improves Apple File Service performance, especially when using a home directory hosted on an AFP server.
• Improves reliability and performance for AT&T 3G cards.
• Improves printing for USB-based Brother and Canon printers.
• Fixes issues that could cause Time Machine to state the backup volume could not be found.
• Improves Time Machine reliability with Time Capsule.
• Adds a Trackpad System Preference pane for portable Macs.
• Personal Engadget favorite: Improves the performance and reliability of Chess.
• Nary a mention of Blu-ray. It's still hurting, we guess.