Microsoft is proceeding with plans to stop selling the Windows XP operating system to retailers and major computer as from June 30th.
Once major manufacturers such as Dell and HP have cleared their stocks of machines loaded with XP, then new machines will only be issued with Vista, and anyone wishing to revert to XP will have to buy Vista Ultimate or Vista Business and then legally “downgrade” to XP.
Smaller PC makers will be allowed to buys XP for resale through til January 2009. Cut down versions of XP will also remain available for use on machines such as the Asus Eee PC.
The decision comes despite vociferous protests from large numbers of people unhappy with Vista and amid calls for XP to be kept on-line until the release of the next Windows version 7, pencilled in for sometime in 2009.
Last week, Microsoft said it would provide full technical support for Windows XP through 2009, and limited support through 2014.
ASUS recently announced the worldwide availability of ASUS EzLink Displays that will include the new ASUS VW223B and VW202B LCD monitors. This new series will allow users to transfer digital video signals from a PC to one or more LCD monitors via a USB 2.0 interface – providing great flexibility for multi-screen applications.
Easy and Fast Expansion with EzLink Technology
Traditionally, to utilize multi-monitor computing would mean to rely on the support of extra graphic cards, detailed installation knowledge and extra time – making it too complicated for general users to fulfill their multi-tasking needs. ASUS’ EzLink Technology makes innovative use of existing USB interfaces to easily spread out the vision and screenspace of multiple monitors for a better viewing experience compared to just VGA; and also helps businesses defray their overheads. After only installing the EzLink driver once, users can expand almost any PC with ASUS EzLink Displays. Content can then be automatically moved back to the main screen or notebook display when the USB cable is disconnected. Monitors also return to previous configurations after reconnections – lowering the complexity of adding more monitors.
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ASUS, a leading name in high quality computer components and solutions, announces the world’s first HDMI 1.3a compliant audio/video enhancement combo card – the Xonar HDAV1.3. Capable of outputting uncompressed multichannel high definition audio from Blu-ray movies, the Xonar HDAV 1.3 also enhances video with an onboard Splendid HD processor – providing ultimate multimedia enjoyment.
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ASUS today released the ASUS P5N72-T Premium motherboard. Equipped with the ASUS exclusive EPU technology for astounding energy savings, this high performance motherboard supports enhanced specifications of the front side bus and memory – able to reach an FSB of 1600MHz (originally 1333MHz) and 1200MHz (originally 1066MHz) respectively.
It is also able to provide amazing graphical performances with the NVIDIA 3-Way SLI support; and includes the ROG SupremeFX II audio card for realistic and exceptional sound effects – making playing games more engaging. What’s more the well-known Kaspersky anti-virus software package with 1-year license is included in the giftbox – providing protection against malicious viruses.
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Asus is to fit its entire range of motherboards with the company’s Express Gate version of Splashtop Linux.
Splashtop boots from a Flash chip on the motherboard in a matter of seconds and is designed to run a small suite of applications including Firefox, Skype and instant messaging.
The Linux-based software will be extended immediately to the new P5Q Deluxe, P5Q-WS, P5Q3 Deluxe and P5Q-E series motherboards, and Asus has pledged to produce a further million Splashtop motherboards per month.
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Amid the buzz of reaching a new milestone of 1 million Eee PCs sold in just 5 months after its launch, ASUS has provided yet another round of excitement with its release of the new Eee PC 900. This new generation of the ever popular PC packs in a whole range of hardware that includes a 8.9 inch widescreen, a 1.3M pixels webcam, the new innovative FingerGlide and 12GB and 20GB storage capacities for Windows and Linux platforms respectively – catering to wider consumer needs while still maintaining the “Easy to learn, work and play” concept by keeping the overall weight under 1kg.
Mobility is one of the major factors attributed to the Eee PC’s success; and this is in part due to the use of the built-in Solid State Disk (SSD) technology – which offers a quiet, energy saving and shock proof design for stable computing on-the-go. Traditional hard disks spin at 5400 RPM (Revolutions per Minute) – making them more prone to data loss or damage if shocks or bumps are received. Conversely, the Eee PC is able to protect against such incidents, and is the perfect tool for outdoor computing – suitable as an ideal companion for reporters, wildlife photographers and other like-minded outdoor enthusiasts.
“Vital feedback from a wide variety of users have been received, which has spurred us on to create more options to cater to different user requirements.” said Jerry Shen, CEO of ASUS.
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