When it comes to SSD, controllers like SandForce, Indilinx and Intel will surely come to mind. Thus far there haven’t been many contenders, but now an expert in memory chips have arrived. Samsung has included an in-house controller for their latest Samsung 470 Series SSD. Thus far, reviews shown that the controller is quite up to par with the other few kids.

Though the speed isn’t really up to what the SATA 6Gbps can offer, but it does well in write speed besides read speed, what the other kids failed to perform in. Reviews also mentioned that performance was very consistent during the abusive period of testing. But performance comes with a price, and USD 550 isn’t cheap for a 256GB metal plate with some chips.

SOURCE via CNET

D-Link has launched their new ShareCenter Pulse NAS Storage, which has a new sleeker exterior skin. Looks more like a nettop than a toaster with 2 large bricks. The NAS is able to hold a pair of 3.5-inch SATA hard drives, and supports UPnP media streaming, iTunes server functionality, standalone BitTorrent downloads, and various power management systems that D-Link reckons, making the ShareCenter Pulse relatively green. Help saves you abit at the bills too.

The ShareCenter Pulse also supports hard-drive hibernation and “Green Ethernet”, which intelligently controls networking power consumption based on the state of your cabling, together with a smart fan that automatically adjusts according to temperature. You can also schedule fixed downtime, turning the NAS off automatically as you wish according to your timetable, and use it with Apple’s Time Machine backup. The D-Link ShareCenter Pulse NAS Storage is now available in the UK for £89.99 ($141). No drives included.

Here’s another cool pen for those creative in minds and hand. Apen has unveiled the A2 Smart Pen that allows you to digitize and record writing and drawing on a standard paper. You can also connect the A2 to a Mac or Windows-powered computer for writing on images, Microsoft Office documents, or Outlook messages. The gadget uses a wireless receiver that clips to a sheet of paper, providing a storage capacity of 100 pages before content drawn on the paper is transferred to a computer. The A2 Smart Pen will be launched later this month for $100 each. There’s also refill ink for that, but they fail to mention how much. Still not as useful as a drawing tablet though.

After teaming up to launch a DJ headphone which looks more like a kid’s headphone, Sennheiser and Adidas have yet again launch two new co-branded headphones models under the collaboration: the Adidas Originals HD220 and CX310 headphones.

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Here’s something that I bet many peeps out there will love to have. The ElectroHub is a new wireless charging station, which the company plans to debut at CES 2011 next month. What makes the ElectroHub unique is that it doesn’t require the device to have a special case, but actually provides ElectroHub batteries, which come in both AA and AAA sizes. What a huge let-down. And you thought you could at least charge your new Nokia N8 which has a removable battery.

By swapping the device’s original battery for an ElectroHub battery, you can charge it just by putting it on top ElectroHub. Measuring 9.2-inch x 6.1-inch x 0.8-inch and weighing at only 11 ounces, the hub is designed to charge up to six devices simultaneously. The ElectroHub is slated to be available during the first quarter of 2011 and will cost $39, which includes one set of ElectroHub batteries. Other battery sets can be purchased separately for about $10.

Android 2.3 is ‘unofficially’ ready for the world, as Google drops the SDK for Gingerbread to developers. Oddly, Gingerbread ROM for Nexus One isn’t ready for download yet. Nevertheless, let’s have a look at the SDK. Here’s Engadget’s take on the new UI of Gingerbread. Read more…

Google’s Andy Rubin has just demoed Android 2.3 Gingerbread at D: Dive Into Mobile event yesterday on a prototype Motorola tablet, and announced that Honeycomb will indeed be ready next year. The UI of the OS is indeed very different from current Android, as there’s no more buttons, and the system looks more “desktop”. But the system isn’t final yet, as you can still see some ‘grids of icons’.

SOURCE via Engadget

HTPC are rarely associated with the word ‘performance’, but we’ve seen company that throws in a decent Core i7 processor into a nettop. Now here’s another similar scenario. Giada has done the same, by throwing in a Core i7 into their latest super-slim nettop PC called the Giada D2301, which looks quite sleek for a HTPC, though the antenna makes it look like an FM radio.

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Here’s a crossover keyboard called the U7 Crossover from LUXEED. Not exactly something like an SUV, but the design combines their U5 and the power of the raMa keyboard. The end result seemed quite funky though.

The new LUXEED U7 lets you switch between Plug & Play or Software Control Method, allows you to save an unlimited number of ColorSkins and Share with other LUXEED users your color creations. Additionally, the keyboard has adjustable brightness controls, integrated multimedia keys, and all the other unique features you have come to expect from the Luxeed Keyboard. The Luxeed U7 Crossover retails for $99.95 each.

This might be what future external hard drive looks like. Designed by Sequoia-studio, the Octave is a creatively designed hard drive that incorporates a simple yet sleek U-shape and airy architecture. This external hard drive features a thin black anodized aluminium grid to increase ventilation and improve heat dissipation. The polished and perforated aluminium plate help keeps this high-capacity drive silent and cool. The device also features a lacquered white coat, slip resistant rubber pads and a power button. There’s a blue LED which indicates read/write status and a white LED which indicates the Octave is running. Unfortunately, the Octave is only a concept at this time.

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