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MiniPC's latest: the LS800A PC with gigabit Ethernet and eSATA
Clearly, Minipc.jp isn't looking to win any design awards for their lineup of somewhat wee PCs. No problem, these kits are aimed at bespectacled roll-your-lowners not Shibuya fashionistas. The obvious change in this model is the fan. The new LS800A moves it from the top like the LF870 it replaces, and onto the side. The dimensions, however, remain unchanged at 4.5-inches tall -- not very "mini" by today's standards. They've added a DVI jack as standard now, an option for 2x gigabit Ethernet ports, external SATA, and support for PCI Express X1 (low profile) add-in cards. Otherwise, things look pretty much the same: stuff the box with any Core 2 Duo, Core Duo, Core Solo, or Celeron M processor of your choosing, up to 2GB of DDR2 memory (2x PCS-5300), up to 2x internal 3.5-inch SATA hard disks, 6x USB 2.0, Firewire, 802.11b/g WiFi, S/PDIF output, Intel 945GM Express graphics, optional DVD writer and more. Expect this blackest of black boxes to pop for Japan later this month starting at ¥59,850 (about $493) -- yeah, without a CPU or HDD. Catch the LS800A in a fit of hot geeky sexiness after the break.[Via Impress]
AMD introduces DTX open standard to boost SFF adoption
Although vanilla desktop PCs have (generally) been the same size and shape for years, the small form factor world has never really settled down, and while various other protocols have been thrown out there, no one has actually stepped up the task of standardized an SFF chassis until now. AMD has just announced the DTX "open standard," which the firm hopes will "enable broad adoption" of the SFF PC in order to deliver "innovative solutions to market that are smaller, quieter, desktop-friendly," and less taxing on the ecosystem. Reportedly, the DTX standard "will be designed to embrace energy-efficient processors and allow an optimally designed small form factor system to consume less power and generate less noise." Additionally, an open standard that's widely embraced will make the lives of OEMs much easier, and will hopefully give us folks looking for those wee PCs a bit more choice when it comes to picking one up. Notably, it seems that Asus has latched on already, boasting that it will start busting out DTX-compliant motherboards here shortly, likely to be bundled in some fashion with an AMD chip. If all goes as planned, this open standard should actually decrease manufacturing costs across the board over time, and AMD stated that a "review copy of the DTX specifications" should be made available sometime this quarter.[Via Inquirer]
Shuttle launches XPC X200 mini PC, goes Core 2 Duo
While tossing an Intel Core 2 Duo chip into last year's rig isn't enough to impress anyone anymore, Shuttle's hoping to catch the eye of studio-bound media freaks who need that HTPC flexibility in a very tight space. Upping the ante on last year's X100, the XPC X200 comes in two flavors (X200MA and X200BA), and measures in at just 5.5-centimeters tall and taking up "no more space an A4 sheet of paper." Externally, the form factor has remained similar, but this rendition has received a trendy black makeover (including a vertical stand) on the outside, and a whole new lineup of hardware on the inside. Powered by your choice of dual-core / Celeron M Intel processors, this wee machine also touts Intel's GMA950 integrated graphics set, a hybrid TV tuner for analog / DVB-T reception, SATA hard drive, up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, 7.1-channel HD audio, FM radio tuner, dual-layer DVD burner, built-in 802.11b/g, PS/2 connectors, DVI output, multi-format flash card reader, an audio input jack, and an IR remote to boot. Notably, it managed to lose the FireWire and S-Video ports found on the X100, but it does boast five USB 2.0 ports in a feeble attempt to compensate. Both versions should be hitting the market soon, and while the somewhat stripped X200BA will run you just £499 ($972), the beefed-up X200MA will demand at least £637 ($1,240) depending on options.[Via RegHardware]
AOpen's XC cube EZ/EU965 brings couples together
AOpen has a new flagship XC cube in the works with this, their EZ/EU965 (white/black) PC. Having come a long way from their noisy, Mac mini clone, their latest is dubbed "Vista Ultimate ready" after adopting Intel's G965 Express chipset. Inside, you'll find room for a Core 2 Duo, up to 4GB of DDR2 memory running at up to 800MHz, a single PCI Express x16 slot for graphics, 3x SATA connectors , HD-audio 7.1ch, and 6x USB 2.0 ports. That just edges-out their previous top-ender -- the EZ495 -- but not without a lot of bitch slapping and ratted hair. No price or ship date announced, but judging by that picture up there, buying one will make you as content as a Hindu cow.[Via 64-bit-computers]
Samsung's MX-10 slim PC: with Core 2 Duo, and an "M"
The slim PC tower market is sure hottin' up with yet another introduced today, this time from Samsung. The MX10 mini PC measures a mere 55 x 265 x 299-mm (2.2 x 10.4 x 11.8-inches) and sports a Core 2 Duo and ATI Xpress 1100 graphics. If it looks familiar, it's 'cause it is: Samsung also has an AMD version which goes by the name of NX10 -- we peeped that one back at the Korea Electronics Show. Fully spec'd, the MX10 should pull about 1,100,000 Korea Won or about $1,265 of the lean green. Now, if Samsung could just get around to providing some official specs we could decide just how (in)appropriately priced the MX-10 really is.[Via Akihabara News]
MiniPC goes Core Duo with the LF800
Japanese consumers looking for yet another Mac mini-style PC will soon be able to pick up the LF800 from miniPC, which won't run as silently as the ED612E we recently saw from this same company, but delivers a much more impressive set of specs. Instead of that pokey 1.2GHz VIA Eden processor powering the last offering, this model throws down a Core Duo T2300, while also doubling the RAM to 512MB and jacking up the hard drive capacity from 40GB to 250GB. If that particular configuration doesn't suit your needs then you're in luck, because you can also pick up a bare bones model that includes integrated Intel graphics, a PCI-Express x16 slot, and CF reader, along with gigabit Ethernet, FireWire, USB 2.0, S/PDIF, and S-Video ports. Both the fully assembled rig as well as the DIY version will be available sometime this month, with the former going for around $1,080 and the latter priced just under $600.[Via Impress]
The Mini koobox: AOpen's MiniPC in disguise
What do you do when you're a maker of just another mini PC? Relaunch under a new name of course. Calling itself the "first small form-factor Linux machine on the market" (which isn't even remotely true) the Linspire Mini Koobox is just the AOpen MiniPC running Linspire's flavor of Linux, all bundled up and shoved out the door of Mirus Innovations. Unfortunately, this ain't the Core Duo MiniPC CNET was so impressed with, this dog brings a 1.5GHz CeleronM 370 proc, 256MB DDR2 RAM, a 40GB, 5400RPM disk, slot loading DVD combo drive, and the usual suite of USB 2.0, Firewire, and media-outs. In fact, this is nearly the same box AOpen was touting last year only this time without the Mac mini, ehem, inspired dress. Priced at $400, they throw in speakers, a mouse, and keyboard this time and maybe even a little whine.[Via PRNewswire]
