Asus has announced a new range of motherboards that offer up true USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s data performance. This specially-designed onboard IC doubles the bandwidth of the PCIe interface from Gen 1 to Gen 2, delivering 10 times faster USB 3.0 throughput compared to the previous USB 2.0 standard.

ASUS Xtreme Design P7P55D-E series motherboard has onboard support while the P7P55D series utilises the ASUS U3S6 PCIe x4 expansion card to deliver the latest USB and SATA data transfer capabilities. Both motherboard series come equipped with the Intel P55 Express chipset that supports the latest LGA 1156 socket for Intel Core i7/Core i5 Processors and exclusive Hybrid Technology (Hybrid Processor, Hybrid Phase, and Hybrid OS) to give users intelligent performance enhancement, active cooling, and rapid online access. The series is driver-ready for users choosing to upgrade to Windows® 7.

“The USB 3.0 controller has been connected to a PCIe 2.0 x1 lane (i.e. bandwidth of 5Gb/s) from [the] X58 chipset directly, hence its theoretical bandwidth should not be limited (considering the top speed required for USB3.0 is 5Gb/s),” an Asus spokesman said in an email. “Also, because of that, there is no need for a PLX [bridge] chip. However, the experimental result may vary depending on the equipment used.” PCmag.com reported

Kingston has announced a new SSDNow V Series 40GB Boot Drive kit that is downright affordable.Solid State Drives (SSD) have been very popular with enthusiasts since their introduction into the market. They offer amazing load times over standard hard drives, consume less power, have a lower failure rate, and generate less heat.
The model has been specifically designed to host just 40GB of capacity, making for an ideal choice for a desktop computer’s first partition. The performance specifications of this storage solution clearly indicate that it hasn’t been designed to replace a PC’s hard drive, but rather the OS partition, enabling users to increase their system’s overall performance with faster boot times and speedier applications.
The new 40GB boot drive kit can be had for only $84.99 after rebates available at Newegg.com. The normal retail price of the SSD kit is only $115, so even without rebates it is still affordable enough for most users. Kingston bundles the 2.5-inch SSD with everything needed to migrate to the new boot drive.
this 2.5-inch drive is based on MLC NAND flash memory chips and provides read and write speeds of up to 170MB/s and 40MB/s, respectively. The drive also features a SATA 3.0 Gbps interface and a MTBF of 1 million hours.
Ariel Perez, SSD business manager, Kingston.”The 40GB Boot Drive is the latest offering in our V Series SSD line. It provides a low-cost upgrade solution that complements the installed hard-disk drive to extend the life cycle of existing desktop computers and workstations in homes and offices” Prnewswire.comreported

The latest portable external USB HDD from Verbatim boasts an impressive 640GB of space. The product is now available in stores at a price £119.99 (suggested retail price). The size and weight of the 2.5″-format silver external hard drive from Verbatim are no different from that of a PDA or smartphone – and it fits equally comfortably in your hand.The portable hard drive weighs 157 g and measures 135 x 85 x 21 mm (L x W x H). The 640GB HDD is capable of storing up to 1280 videos, 160.000 songs or 290.000 photos.It has speed of 5400rpm to ensure the transfer of 480 Mbit/s via the USB port, which also provides power source. The system includes a software package, Nero BackItUp 4 Essentials, user can use to quickly and easily create backup copies of important data

“Verbatim’s pledge is to combine high storage capacities with a stylish appearance. With this new hard drive, we have succeeded in creating a lot of memory without having to compromise the slimline and classy design “, says Kai Miroschnik, Business Development Manager HDD Verbatim EUMEA at Verbatim Europe