NVIDIA Quadro Plex 2200 Dedicated Desk-side Visual Computing System (VCS)

The Quadro Plex 2200 is not an average consumer platform in any sense, and you’re not likely to find it in or around many hardcore gaming enthusiasts’ vicinity. However, it’s such a powerful and unique setup that it deserves the attention of the masses. While we’re familiar with the Quadro branch of NVIDIA, which designs machines like this for high-end imaging businesses (3D design, CAD, etc.), what makes the Quadro Plex 2200 special is the use of two or four state of the art NVIDIA Quadro FX 5800 GPUs for an 8GB or 16GB memory capacity (frame buffer) as a ready-made solution.

The Quadro Plex 2200 is not an average consumer platform in any sense, and you’re not likely to find it in or around many hardcore gaming enthusiasts’ vicinity. However, it’s such a powerful and unique setup that it deserves the attention of the masses. While we’re familiar with the Quadro branch of NVIDIA, which designs machines like this for high-end imaging businesses (3D design, CAD, etc.), what makes the Quadro Plex 2200 special is the use of two or four state of the art NVIDIA Quadro FX 5800 GPUs for an 8GB or 16GB memory capacity (frame buffer) as a ready-made solution.


The Quadro Plex 2200 is not an average consumer platform in any sense, and you’re not likely to find it in or around many hardcore gaming enthusiasts’ vicinity. However, it’s such a powerful and unique setup that it deserves the attention of the masses. While we’re familiar with the Quadro branch of NVIDIA, which designs machines like this for high-end imaging businesses (3D design, CAD, etc.), what makes the Quadro Plex 2200 special is the use of two or four state of the art NVIDIA Quadro FX 5800 GPUs for an 8GB or 16GB memory capacity (frame buffer) as a ready-made solution.


The Quadro Plex 2200 is not an average consumer platform in any sense, and you’re not likely to find it in or around many hardcore gaming enthusiasts’ vicinity. However, it’s such a powerful and unique setup that it deserves the attention of the masses. While we’re familiar with the Quadro branch of NVIDIA, which designs machines like this for high-end imaging businesses (3D design, CAD, etc.), what makes the Quadro Plex 2200 special is the use of two or four state of the art NVIDIA Quadro FX 5800 GPUs for an 8GB or 16GB memory cap

acity (frame buffer) as a ready-made solution.



The Quadro Plex 2200 is housed in an aesthetic tower, also referred to as a dedicated desk-side visual computing system (VCS). The breakthrough machine offers professional visual computing power that enhances image quality, facilitates dynamic product scaling, and adds to the arsenal of NVIDIA cores for SLI multi-GPU technology, which in turn enables Mosaic Mode. A Mosaic Mode configuration can use multiple Quadro GPUs on many displays, but with all working in unison as one ultra-powerful processing unit.
Specifications
Form Factor Deskside or 3U Rackmount Kit
NVIDIA Quadro GPU Quadro FX 5800
# NVIDIA Quadro GPUs 2 or 4
Total Frame Buffer 8 GB or 16 GB (4GB/GPU)
Display Channels 4 dual-link DVI
SLI Mosaic Mode
Shader Model 4.0
NVIDIA® CUDA™ Parallel Computing Processor
Genlock/Framelock
Frame Synchronization
FSAA (maximum) 64x
G-Sync Version II
It has the best resolution, image quality, and display size with solutions up to 128 SLI FSAA. The system also features the Quadro G-Sync solution, which enables frame synchronization, frame lock, and gen lock to help with performance, quality, and resolution.
The Quadro Plex 2200 is built on the proven Quadro GPU architecture and has the flexibility to be combined with any certified PCI Express platform with Gen 2 support. The system can be positioned desk-side, or fit into any standard 19" rack environment.
Full pricing information is not currently available, but the unit is said to be priced in the $10,750 range.

Lenovo ThinkPad X301

Technical Specifications:---


CPU 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo U9400 ULV

RAM Included 2GB

RAM Upgradable To 4GB

Hard Drive Size 64GB

Hard Drive Speed 90MB/s Read and 70MB/s Write

Hard Drive Type SSD Drive

Optical Drive Type DVD+RW

Optical Drive Speed 8X

Display Size (inches) 13.3

Native Resolution 1440×900

Graphics Card Intel GMA X4500MHD

Video Memory 384MB

Wi-Fi 802.11a/g/n

Bluetooth Bluetooth 2.0

Mobile Broadband Optional Add-on 3G connection from AT&T ($80) or Verizon Wireless ($150)

Operating System MS Windows Vista Business

Ports (excluding USB) DisplayPort; Ethernet; Headphone; Microphone; VGA

USB Ports 3

Card Slot(s) N/A

Warranty/Support One-year parts and labor/24/7 toll-free phone

Size 12.5 x 9.1 x 0.9 inches

Weight 3.4 pounds


Earlier this year Lenovo released their ThinkPad X300, a great notebook for the business minded. Recently, the X300 has been updated to the ThinkPad X301 model. With many improvements from its already great predecessor, you can expect great things from the X301.


When it comes to design, the Lenovo X301 has the same look as most other ThinkPad notebooks that have come before it. It’s a personal choice if you like the ThinkPad design. Some think it’s dull, some people believe it to be simple and effective. It’s a matter of opinion either way. However, there’s no argument that ThinkPad machines have some strong characteristics that stand out from the competition. The X301 laptop weighs a little less than 3.5lbs with an 8X DVD burner and a 6-cell battery equipped. The X301’s exterior is squared off and has a matte black finish. It’s dimensions are 12.5 x 9.1 x 0.9, and just like it’s predecessor the X300, the sides are slightly tapered. The X301 is a beautifully constructed machine with Lenovo’s internal roll cage design and a carbon and class fiber interior, which according to Lenovo, is not only stronger but lighter than titanium.


The keyboard deck and outer shell utilize a new rubberized soft touch paint which helps provide a more secure grip and a more comfortable feel. The X301 has all the regular connectors and ports with three USB 2.0, Ethernet, microphone and headphone jacks, DisplayPort, and a VGA connector. Unfortunately, no memory card slot is included with this laptop, which means you’ll have to use a USB card reader device or adapter to read from memory cards.



The X301 employs a LED-backlit, 13.3" (1440×900 resolution) display with a matte finish that prevents most glare. The high resolution certainly makes a difference when viewing documents and web pages, though the default text may be too small for some eyes. The backlit, low-reflectivity LED keeps the display legible when outdoors. Rich colors and wide viewing angles are available for watching DVDs and other content. The stereo speakers lacked low-end punch, but due to their close proximity (they’re located in the palmrest), the volume was clear and loud. Above the display is a 1.3 megapixel webcam that provided somewhat dark visuals when tested through video chat.



With the high resolution (1440×900) 13.3" screen, the X301 is great for surfing the web and viewing documents. The LED display is amazingly clear for viewing outdoors because it’s extremely low reflectivity negates glare. The ThinkPad X301 features wide viewing angles with rich colors, which makes watching a DVD or other content more enjoyable. The 1.3 megapixel camera (located above the display) was a little dark during the video chat tests performed via MSN Messenger.


In line with all the other ThinkPad models, the X301 features a magnificent keyboard that definitely ranks with the top runners in the business. The typing experience is excellent because the keyboard provides space in between individual keys. The X301 includes a touchpad and a pointing stick (located between the G and H keys) for navigation. The touchpad may be small for some users since the design accommodates for the larger keys. A biometric fingerprint reader is integrated to the right of the touchpad to help keep private business away from unauthorized individuals. Above the keyboard, you’ll notice buttons for volume, mute, ThinkVantage (for launching Lenovo’s system utilities), and, of course, the power button.



The base configuration is equipped with 2GB of RAM and an Intel Core 2 Due (1.4GHz) U9400 Ultra Low Voltage processor. The ThinkPad X301 achieved a PCMark Vantage score of 3157, which is 400 points higher than most ultraportables. It’s a great score, but still falls about 60 points shy of the Sony VAIO VGN-Z530N’s and almost 500 points shy of the Lenovo ThinkPad X200.
The X301 didn’t fare so well on all of its graphics tests. On the 3DMark03 benchmark, the X301 (which is powered by an Intel GMA X4500MHD graphics card) netted an 1812, a score that’s 400 points higher than its competitors and its predecessor the X300. However, the 3DMark06 score was 200 points less than other machines in its category. F.E.A.R was also tested in auto-detect mode, and the game ran at a miniscule 14fps. When the settings were increased to maximum, it ran at only 6fps. W.O.W ran at 27.4fps, which is okay, but it is important to remember that this is not a gaming laptop, and should not be expected to out perform Alienware, for example.
Lenovo’s X301’s boot-up time was a little slower than expected.

GE, Intel create home health-care venture

NEW YORK, USA: General Electric Co and Intel Corp have joined forces to develop devices to help doctors monitor patients' health remotely, an area they believe could become a multibillion-dollar business.

The U.S. conglomerate and the world's largest chip maker will develop devices that they expect to save money by allowing healthcare workers to monitor the sick and the elderly outside of hospitals or medical offices.

They plan to invest $250 million in the field over the next five years.

"The digitization of healthcare is in the first inning," said Jeff Immelt, chief executive of GE, the world's largest maker of medical-imaging devices. "We think it's going to grow quickly."

It could become a "multibillion-dollar" business, he said.

By treating patients remotely, the venture aims to reduce the cost of healthcare for the elderly and people with chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, which require prolonged periods of treatment.

"Something like 80 percent of the spending today in the healthcare system is on chronic care patients," said Paul Otellini, CEO of Intel. "This has the potential to take that down dramatically because a day at home costs a heck of a lot less than a day in the hospital."

While there has been a lot of discussion about remote technology in the health industry, providers have been slow to implement it, in part because of concerns about a lack of standards in how the devices would communicate, said Andrew Rocklin, principal at Diamond Management and Technology Consulting in Chicago.

"GE is big enough and already has a distribution channel in place," Rocklin said. "If they can ramp up sales of this kind of tool quickly enough, the standards will follow."

The United States' stimulus package includes $20 billion in funding to modernize the health industry's record-keeping system, replacing billions of sheets of paper with a computerized record systems that could more easily communicate with one another.

GE is working on electronic medical records as well, and Immelt said the stimulus program could "tangentially" benefit the GE-Intel program by stimulating investment in healthcare technology.

Other big tech companies working on developing common healthcare information standards include Google Inc and Microsoft Corp.

Growing Niche

The two companies estimate current market demand for home healthcare amounts to $3 billion a year, a figure that they expect to grow to $7.7 billion by 2012.

The venture will likely mean little for GE in the immediate future, but could present an important growth vehicle over the long term, said Matt Collins, capital goods analyst at Edward Jones in St. Louis.

"Investors would be disappointed if they weren't thinking about long-term opportunities," Collins said.

GE and Intel already have products on the market aimed at filling this niche. GE's healthcare unit will take over distribution and marketing of Intel's Health Guide product.

That product allows physicians to check vital signs like blood pressure and weight remotely and to provide patients with reminders related to their health, such as when to take medicine.

GE offers QuietCare, a system primarily used in nursing homes that tracks residents' movements and can alert doctors to falls. GE's current home health-monitoring business generates less than $100 million in revenue, Immelt said.

Intel chose to join forces with GE because it already has a sizable operation selling healthcare products to institutional buyers like hospitals and insurance companies, which are the primary customers for these devices.

GE's healthcare arm, which Immelt headed before taking on the top job at the Fairfield, Connecticut-based company, also makes medical imaging devices like MRI machines. Profit at the unit last year fell 7 percent to $2.85 billion on revenue that rose 2 percent to $17.39 billion.

GE shares closed up 5.6 percent at $10.74 and Intel's rose 4.5 percent to $15.70 on a day that U.S. stocks were sharply higher amid investor hopes that efforts by the G20 would boost the world economy.

Windows Mobile 6.5

LAS VEGAS, USA: Microsoft  expects several phones on the U.S. market to be powered by its Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system after it launches in the fall of 2009, according to a company executive. "We will have over 10 phones available in the U.S alone. We expect to see that grow," said Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's entertainment and devices division said during his keynote speech at the CTIA wireless technology showcase. In the U.S. market Microsoft faces tough competition from rivals iPhone maker Apple Inc and BlackBerry maker Research In Motion. Phone makers that have said they plan to use Microsoft's upcoming operating system include LG Electronics Inc and HTC Corp.