Slim Sound Bar And Sub-Integrated Receiver

This is not something you can find easily on the market, a Sound Bar And Sub-Integrated Receiver- the Yamaha YHT-S400! This is the newest two-piece home theater package offered by Yamaha which should fit perfectly in cramped areas where space is at a premium. The YHT-S400 combines a super-slim sound bar with a subwoofer-integrated receiver, the latter of which looks nothing like anything we've ever seen.

The package provides three 1080p-compatible HDMI inputs, AIR SURROUND XTREME, UniVolume and Extended Stereo technologies for immersive audio for all kinds of music experiences. The sound bar stands 2" high and can easily fit in front of most LCD TVs. It does support the iPod dock and Bluetooth to stream A2DP audio from cellphones or computers. The SRP is $599.95.

(source: http://hothardware.com/News/Yamaha-YHTS400-Includes-Slim-Sound-Bar-And-SubIntegrated-Receiver/)

The only P55 mini-itx board on the market

LANParty MI P55-T36 is the world's first Intel's P55-based mini-itx motherboard. DFI LANParty officially launched the board recently. The MI P55-T36 measures only 17cm x 17cm.

Unlike the J&W mini-itx 785G which runs on AMD chips, the Intel chip-based MI P55-T36 does not come with built-in graphics but it provides a PCIe x16 slot for graphics card.

MI P55-T36 comes with Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi technology on board which is a bonus for movie fans. It supports the latest Intel processors in the LGA 1156 package. There are also 2 DIMM sockets to support dual channel DDR3 memory and 1 power eSATA is on the real I/O. This is the most powerful Intel mini-itx board so far.


(source: http://www.tweaktown.com/pressrelease/2270/dfi_lanparty_mi_p55_t36_is_launched/index.html)

Top Value for Money mATX board - JW-A785GMT EXTREME

   

The JW-A785GMT EXTREME is a low cost mATX board that features a great design and build quality that may outperform or at least on par with their counterparts that with a much higher price tags. It comes with 128MB of DDR3 side port memory, 12 USB 2.0 ports, HDMI/DVI/VGA output, Realtek ALC 888 8-channel HD audio, Realtek RTL8111D Gigabit LAN, IEEE-1394a via the JMicron JMB381 chipset, 16GB DDR3 support, six SATA 3G ports via the SB710, and on-board HD4200 graphics.

Below are the summary of the specifications:

1. 2oz Copper Layer PCB
2. 100% Solid Capacitors, 1394, DUAL BIOS ready
3. Support all socket AM3 processors up to 140W
4. Integrated ATI Radeon™ HD 4200 DX10.1® Graphics
5. Onboard 128MB premium DDR3 sideport memory
6. Support AMD Overdrive™ (ACC) and RAID
7. Built-in UVD 2.0, supports ATI Avivo™ HD
8. Gigabit LAN, 8CH HD Audio
9. HDMI/ DVI/ VGA outputs, HDCP Ready
10. Silent-Cool heatpipe cooling

(source: http://www.jwele.com/motherboard_detail.php?769)

Dell's OptiPlex 780 USFF

Dell has just added a new USFF to its OptiPlex 780 series. The new model only measures 23.9cm x 6.5cm x 23.6cm but still offers easy serviceability, standardized configurations and advanced remote-management capabilities that are similar to the other models in the same series. It equips with mainstream components such as Intel Core 2 Duo processor, processing power should not be an issue.   

The OptiPlex 780 USFF also features energy-efficient, environmentally conscious design that lets you estimate energy usage for multiple customized OptiPlex systems. It qualifies for an EPEAT Gold rating. Gold is the highest standard in the Electronic Product Environment Assessment Tool (EPEAT), a set of performance criteria for evaluating electronic products' environmental attributes in both public and private sectors.

(source: http://www.dell.com/us/en/business/desktops/optiplex-780/pd.aspx?refid=optiplex-780&s=bsd&cs=04)

ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1201N-PU17-BK 12.1-Inch Netbook

A 12-inch ion-based Eee PC which is capable of HD playback will be released soon on January 15, 2010. The new Eee PC features a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Dual Core N330 Processor, 2GB DDR2 RAM (2 x SODIMM Slot, 8GB Max), 250GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM) + 500GB Free Web Storage; NVidia ION Platform, Bluetooth; Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n; 0.3MP Webcam; Free Sleeve Case and Windows 7 Home Premium Operating System (32 Bit) pre-installed.

(source: http://www.amazon.com/Seashell-1201N-PU17-BK-12-1-Inch-Netbook-Black/dp/tech-data/B002ZLOR56/ref=de_a_smtd)

ProMedia 2.1 Wireless iPod/Computer Speaker

Want dynamic, room-filling sound from your laptop or notebook without any wires tying you down? Meet the ProMedia 2.1 Wireless, a powerful speaker system that lets you enjoy your iTunes, Internet radio and more from anywhere in your room—wirelessly.

• USB wireless transmitter streams audio up to 30 feet away
• Robust 2.4 GHz wireless technology provides interference-free performance
• Same award-winning sound as the original ProMedia 2.1
• Easy plug-and-play design, no router or installation software required
• Use Apple’s Remote Application to wirelessly control your iTunes

If you use your laptop or notebook to listen to music, watch movies or play games, but want to get away from your desk and still enjoy true-to-life sound, the ProMedia 2.1 Wireless computer speakers are for you. 

The ProMedia wirelessly “talks” to your computer via a USB wireless transmitter. All you have to do is plug the transmitter into your computer’s USB port and you’re ready to move around your room and still experience the big, powerful sound that’s made Klipsch an industry leader. It’s that simple—no router or installation software is required.

The transmitter can stream audio wirelessly from your computer to the ProMedia up to 30 feet away. Plus, its robust 2.4 GHz wireless technology won’t interfere with other wireless devices, such as cordless phones, so nothing stands in the way of you and amazing sound. (source: http://www.klipsch.com/na-en/products/promedia-2-1-wireless-overview/)