Lenovo intros ultra-slim IdeaCentre Q180 HTPC

Lenovo is reaching out to the HTPC crowd with a new IdeaCentre system it touts as the world's smallest desktop PC. While we can't vouch for their marketing statements, the new IdeaCentre Q180is certainly slim and trim, and it packs a pretty decent feature set for the price.

The base model, priced at $379, uses a dual-core Intel Atom D2700 processor clocked a 2.13GHz with 2GB of RAM and Radeon HD 6450A graphics to keep videos running smooth. You get a 500GB hard drive and plenty of connectivity options, including 802.11n Wi-Fi, four USB 2.0, two USB 3.0, HDMI, VGA ports and 8-in-1 card reader. For $50 more, the next step up pre-build model doubles the RAM to 4GB and adds a DVD drive.

Of course, you can further customize it with up to a 750GB HDD or a 128GB SSD to store all of your media, a Blu-ray drive, and a hand-held keyboard to control your HTPC form the comfort of your couch. You'll aslo have to provide your own monitor or use the VESA mount to fit it behind your HDTV.

The IdeaCentre Q180 is currently available for preorder on Lenovo's website, with units scheduled to start shipping as early as December. A limited time Black Friday promotion brings the price down to $303 or $343, depending on the model, using the coupon code 'BLACKFRIDAYEPE' during checkout.

Nvidia intros second-gen 3D Vision glasses and displays

Nvidia has overhauled its 3D Vision package, introducing refined glasses and displays that let you see more of the stuff you want to and less of the stuff you don't. The updated spectacles have 20% larger lenses that offer a broader viewing area, while the frame around the eyes is better at blocking external light, which some folks complained about with Nvidia's first-gen product. Additionally, the frame is designed with a thinner, more flexible composite material so it should be more comfortable to wear -- especially with headphones.

To complement those changes, Nvidia has announced a patented technology dubbed "3D LightBoost," which enables brighter screens and environment lighting. The company claims its new display technology offers up to double the brightness of existing 3D monitors, along with improved color quality and less 3D ghosting. Asus' $699 VG278H will be the first LightBoost-equipped screen to hit shelves and it features a 27-inch 1080p panel, a 120Hz refresh rate, a 2ms response time, as well as HDMI 1.4 and dual-link DVI inputs.

Acer and BenQ also have LightBoost-ready displays in the pipeline, while Toshiba is preparing roughly half a dozen 3D Vision-ready notebooks across its Satellite, Dynabook and Qosmio lines. Nvidia's second-gen 3D Vision tech will be available this month in a $149 kit that includes two pairs of glasses and a wireless USB IR emitter. Individual glasses will be $99. It's worth noting that first-gen glasses will support LightBoost with a driver update, though you'll still need a new display and they tend to come with glasses anyhow.

Corsair Intros the Hydro Series H100 and H80 CPU Water Coolers Review

A little more than a week after the Corsair H80 and H100 water coolers have been listed online by a Swedish retailer, the company decided to make these two high-performance Hydro Series models official.

Both the H80 and the H100 were designed together with CoolIT and use a low-profile cooling unit with a micro-channel copper cold plate and a split-flow manifold.

Right on the CPU block assembly, Corsair has placed a digital fan control button, which allows users to select between three different cooling modes that control the rotation speed of the radiator fans.

Speaking of the radiator, this is the only component to differ between the two Hydro Series coolers, as the H80 comes with an 120mm unit, while the H100 features a 240mm radiator.

This means that the H100 can only be installed in cases with fittings for a standard 240mm radiator, while the H80 is compatible with almost all chassis that feature an 120mm fan mount.

Both the H80 and H100 include a Corsair Link digital connector, which, when combined with the Corsair Link Commander unit and the special Dashboard software, can monitor and control the water cooler'sperformance.

"With the H80 and H100, we've kept our focus on the key features that have made the Hydro Series a success — closed-loop reliability, straightforward installation, and, of course, the best CPU cooling technology available." said Ruben Mookerjee, VP and general manager for Components at Corsair.

"The user-selectable fan control and Corsair Link Digital compatibility gives performance enthusiasts the power to customize their cooling performance and manage fan noise by selecting the amount of cooling they need," concluded the company's rep.

Both the Hydro Series H80 and Hydro Series H100 will be available starting from June, and their recommended retail price is set at $109 and $119, respectively.

Stealth intros ultra-compact "Little PC" with Core i7

Stealth has launched a new novel-sized PC armed with Intel's Core i5 or i7 mobile processors. More specifically, theLPC-670 comes with last year's Arrandale chips such as the 2.4GHz Core i5-520M, 2.67GHz i5-580M or 2.67GHz i7-620M -- not Sandy Bridge. Nonetheless, the machine represents Stealth's most powerful mini-PC to date and it crams some impressive specs into a mere 6.54 x 6.18 x 1.89-inch aluminum enclosure.

Configuration options include up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM via two SO-DIMM slots, 160GB to 750GB of mechanical storage or 32GB to 256GB of flash storage, and a slot loading DVD or Blu-ray drive. There doesn't appear to be any discrete graphics options or related expansion slot, but Arrandale's embedded graphics engine can handle up to 1080p video playback and should suffice for most standard tasks outside of hardcore 3D gaming.


Despite its size, the LPC-670 squeezes in most of the connectivity you'd require from a basic desktop, including Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11g Wi-Fi, 5.1-channel audio, two USB 2.0 ports, HDMI and DVI-out, as well as a RS232 COM port. The system can be preloaded with your choice of Windows XP, Vista or 7, Ubuntu, as well as QNX, while optional accessories include wall mount brackets and a remote power option. Pricing starts at $1,650.