ASUS’ new laptop series was a part of a bigger project where the search for something incredible has been running during the last weeks. The mystery is now solved – but have ASUS they found what they were looking for?

For the past few years Asus has played a major role in the uber-high-end market thanks to its ROG series products, including graphics cards named after defunct gods.

The Mars II dual GTX 580 card picks up where the original Mars GTX 295 left off a few years back. It is based on two GF110 cores, clocked at a whopping 772MHz. The reference GTX 590 runs at 607MHz, but it still manages to consume up to 365W of power. There are no power consumption figures for the Mars II, but we can safely assume they are rather high. The Mars II packs 3GB of memory clocked at 1002MHz, about 150MHz higher than reference. The beast supports 4-way SLI, but this is basically a useless feature since it is a triple-slot design.

There is also another issue. At €1260 to €1399, one can hardly describe the Mars II as a bargain. In fact, you can put together a pretty decent gaming rig for that sort of cash, without having Standard and Poor’s downgrade your credit rating.

Overclocked GTX 590 boards usually retail for about €600-€650, but they are a tad slower, so it would make a bit more sense just to get two “normal” cards instead.

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ASUS launched the ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) ENGTX260 MATRIX/HTDI/896MD3 graphics card. This innovative piece of hardware comes equipped with the upgraded dual fansink Hybrid Cooler+ for automatic and independent fan speed control.

Dubbed as the world’s most intelligent cards, the MATRIX Series are also equipped with ROG-exclusive technologies and features that unleash the full power of graphics cards, allowing gamers to enjoy unrivaled in-game visuals.

The graphics cards are able to achieve this through several unique features, including:

* Twin fan control application that provides independent adjustments to the Hybrid Cooler+ fans
* Integrated hardware and software for total graphics card control
* Customizable functions that provide a new level of control to gamers
* Accurate adjustments of GPU and memory voltages
* Total monitoring of GPU/memory/Power IC/ambient temperatures
* Total monitoring of GPU/memory/board power consumption
* Automatic fan speed control in relation to the world’s only advanced GPU loading detection
* Energy efficiency that surpasses generic boards

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It’s been speculated for a while now, and yes .. I get Commodore 64 flashbacks from the 90′ies. But the Asus’ Eee PC Keyboard could appear as early as May.

ASUS is aiming for a Q2 launch for the the device, which incorporates a fully fledged PC and touchpad into a standard five-inch deep keyboard. This could mean May, he said, before opting for June as a surer bet.

CEO Jerry Shen said the firm was working on two SKUs for the keyboard PC: a wireless version and a wired version – this simply refers to the way they connect to a monitor or TV. He said that given the economic situation it was dangerous to be specific on pricing this far out. But, he said, right now the firm expected the wired version should come in at around $400 (£285/€317), while the wireless version could be anywhere between $400 and $600 (£428/€476).

Shih rejected a suggestion that the Eee brand was becoming diluted as the firm slapped its the three letters on everything from netbooks to desktops, via the keyboard PC and even phones.

Shih also said the firm was considering bringing OLED screen technology to its Eee notebooks, and said that it expected that 10ih screens would become the norm on the cultish devices, though smaller screens would continue to have a role in emerging and niche markets. Women, in particular, were more likely to opt for a smaller screened, more mobile device, he claimed.

Adding another item to its successful Eee family, Asus revealed the EeeNAS PC at the current CeBit in Hannover, Germany. The network attached storage server, features 2TB of storage capacity, a 3.5-inch touchscreen display for basic controlling of the device, a sloat-loading DVD-Burner, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), and is supposed to be whisper quiet with only 28dB noise output. Obviously, it works both as a media server, as well as a backup device. [via SlashGear]

Although the current CeBit 2009 reports 25 percent less exhibitors and an about 20 percent smaller floor space, there are some interesting things going on. Just have a look at the “P6T7 WS Supercomputer” motherboard from Asus, for example:

Besides supporting the new Core i7 processors from Intel, this X58 motherboard features seven PCIe 2.0 x16 slots. While three of these are “only” running at x8, the other four slots support full x16. Whether this makes sense or not is questionable, of course. Other specifications include: six Dimm slots for up to 24 GB of DDR3 RAM, six SATA 150/300 ports (supporting SATA RAID 0, 1, 10, 5), two SAS ports (supporting SAS RAID 0, 1, 10), two eSATA 150/300 ports (supporting SATA RAID 0, 1, 10, 5) and two Gigabit-Ethernet-Ports.

That is a pretty sick design really. Our colleagues from Tech PowerUp report that ASUS will intro a new motherboard concept, the Marine Cool series.

The Marine Cool series design goes far ahead from current Republic of Gamers (R.O.G.) mainboard products. For starters, the new motherboard has a new back plate that utilizes “micro-porous ceramic” technology and spreads across the whole PCB. The heat-pipe system that cools the motherboard’s main components is also different, compared to current shipping products. Although the cooling technology remains the same, the whole look of the system reminds of a robot armour.

The weirdest thing is this though, ASUS engineers have decided to use SO-DIMM modules to cope with current Core 2 processors (if I’m right that appears to be LGA775 socket). I know it sounds a bit crazy, but pictures don’t lie. Have a look and write what you think.

The ASUS Marine Cool prototype will first appear during this year’s CeBIT 2009 in Hannover, Germany.

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Seagate today announced channel and OEM shipments of the Momentus XT drive, the world’s fastest 2.5-inch laptop PC hard drive, combining SSD-like performance with the massive capacity and much lower cost of HDDs.

The Momentus XT drive also features Adaptive Memory – a groundbreaking new technology from Seagate that learns and optimizes the drive’s performance to each user by moving frequently used information into the flash memory for faster access. The Momentus XT solid state hybrid drive boots up to 100 percent faster than traditional 5400RPM drives, the mainstream spin speed for laptop PCs, and sets new benchmarks for real-world system performance for laptops and gaming systems.

Today’s high-performance SSDs for mobile computing cost as much as 10 times more than hard disk drives of the same capacity, with the price of a 250GB SSD outstripping even the cost of many laptop PCs. As a result, most consumers and system builders are unwilling or unable to pay the high price for the greater speed and quiet operations of SSDs. Additionally, SSDs offer fewer capacity options than hard disk drives.

The Momentus XT drive is a best-of-both-worlds solution that combines a 7200RPM spin speed, 4GB of solid state memory and Seagate’s Adaptive Memory technology to deliver unprecedented hard drive performance. The unique Adaptive Memory technology works by identifying patterns in how often certain digital data is used, and then moving the most frequently used information to the embedded solid state memory for faster access – effectively tailoring hard drive performance to each user and their applications.

Momentus XT Drive Brings Unprecedented Speed to New ASUS Gaming Laptop PC
ASUS has also announced that it will offer the Momentus XT drive as an upgrade option for its new Republic of Gamers (ROG) G73Jh notebook. The system is powered by an Intel i7 720Qm quad-core processor, 8GB of DDR3 memory, and DX11 capable ATI Radeon Mobility HD 5870.

ASUS introduced the Cine5, a new compact speaker that provides 5-channel sound.

ASUS today announced the launch of the ASUS Cine5 PC speaker which provides accurate 5-channel surround sound in personalized spaces such as study rooms. With its all-in-one design, the Cine5 delivers realistic and dynamic surround sound to satisfy consummate gamers and personal entertainment users. To deliver exceptionally full sound from a compact form factor, ASUS drew on its expertise in high-performance audio cards during the development.

Leading Surround Technology for True Cinematic Enjoyment
The Cine5 is the first PC speaker in the world to offer leading surround sound presence with the new “EmbracingSound Theatre HD” technology. This patented technology leverages on a discrete 5-channel output to deliver full audio surround, which users can experience whenever they are directly in front of the speaker. In a First Player Shooter game, the Cine5 provides precise sound location that improves shooting accuracy and heightens gaming thrills. The Cine5 also revives 5-channel audio from any down-mixed 2-channel source—for a high-fidelity, multi-channel sound during PC gaming or movie sessions.

Space-saving Design and Convenient Home Entertainment Setup
By integrating an array of speaker drivers into a single bar, the Cine5 PC speaker helps users save space in their study rooms. Additionally, installation is simplified by eliminating the need to set up multiple satellite speakers—users just need to place the Cine5 PC speaker below the computer monitor. No positional adjustment is necessary to get the sweet spot for audio recreation.

Refined Audio Performance
Utilizing premium speaker drivers and a specially-designed bass reflex port, the Cine5 provides 15dB more bass than speakers of similar size, thus revolutionizing bass delivery in compact speakers—to add depth to games and movies. Also, its multi-driver configuration reduces individual driver load by 50%, resulting in better high-frequency responses for more brilliant sound.

Dress Up PCs with Elegance
The Cine5 PC speaker represents a modern form in PC speaker design. In a user setting, the three elements of a curved shape, black glossy finish, and its metal knob delivers a touch of elegance. It also blends in with most monitors, with its overall design featuring metal or rubber stands of different heights.

Kingston announced HyperX LoVo DDR3 memory modules that require only 1.35V (low voltage) or 1.25V (ultra-low voltage).

Kingston Technology Co., Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced the release of the world’s first ultra-low voltage memory running at 1.25 volts at 1600MHz. The new offering is part of the new Kingston® ‘LoVo’ (low voltage) HyperX® DDR3 High-Performance memory product line. The dual-channel kit (Kingston part #: KHX1866C9D3LK2/4GX) comes preprogrammed with two XMP-ready profiles: 1.25 volts at 1600MHz and 1.35 volts at 1866MHz. The latter profile is also a world’s first for speed matching higher frequency with a lower voltage.

“Kingston is proud to lead the charge with memory for the new generation of energy efficient systems that yield higher performance,” said Mark Tekunoff, senior technology manager, Kingston. “Energy-conscious consumers need to look no further for memory than the HyperX ‘LoVo’ line when they are assembling the components needed to achieve better PC power performance.”

The flagship product, running an ultra-low 1.25 volts at 1600MHz, is the lowest voltage to date for desktop PCs. In all, Kingston is debuting three HyperX DDR3 dual-channel products in the ‘LoVo’ line: the dual-profile kit, a mainstream low voltage 1600MHz, 1.35 volt kit and an ultra-low voltage 1333MHz, 1.25 volt kit. Kingston tested all three kits to great success on the Asus P7P55D EVO motherboard. All of the memory offerings are designed for use in eco-friendly PCs as systems delivering higher performance while using smaller energy footprints become reality.

Kingston HyperX memory is backed by a lifetime warranty and free 24/7 technical support.

Specifications:

* KHX1866C9D3LK2/4GX (XMP Profile 1): 4GB 1866MHz (CL9-9-9-27 @ 1.35v low voltage) kit of 2 for XMP – $203

* KHX1866C9D3LK2/4GX (XMP Profile 2): 4GB 1600MHz (CL9-9-9-27 @ 1.25v ultra-low voltage) kit of 2 for XMP – $203

* KHX1600C9D3LK2/4GX: 4GB 1600MHz (CL9-9-9-27 @ 1.35v low voltage) kit of 2 for XMP – $158

* KHX1333C9D3UK2/4GX: 4GB 1333MHz (CL9-9-9-27 @ 1.25v ultra-low voltage) kit of 2 for XMP – $154