1 Gigabit LAN
Many of latest applications require the transmission of large files over the network. Scientific applications demand ultra-high bandwidth networks to communicate 3-D visualizations of complex objects ranging from molecules to aircraft. Magazines, brochures and other complex, full-color publications prepared on notebook computers are transmitted directly to digital-input printing facilities. Many medical facilities are transmitting complex images over LAN and WAN links, enabling the sharing of expensive equipment and specialized medical expertise. Engineers are using electronic and mechanical design automation tools to work interactively in distributed development teams, sharing files in the hundreds of gigabytes.
Many companies are now employing Internet technologies to build private intranets, enabling users in an organization to go beyond electronic mail and access critical data through familiar Web browsers, opening the door to a new generation of multimedia client/server applications. While intranet traffic is currently composed primarily of text, graphics and images, this is expected to expand in the near future to include more bandwidth-intensive audio, video and voice.
6-in-1 Card Reader
802.11 wireless LAN
AMD Athlon 64-bit Processor
The AMD Athlon 64 processor is the first and only Windows®-compatible 64-bit PC processor. The AMD Athlon 64 processor runs on AMD64, a revolutionary technology that allows the processor to run 32-bit applications at full speed while enabling a new generation of powerful 64-bit software applications. Advanced 64-bit operating systems for the AMD64 platform from Microsoft®, Red Hat, SuSE, and TurboLinux have already been announced, and they only run on processors with AMD64 technology.
With the introduction of the AMD Athlon 64 processor, AMD provides customers a solution that can address their current and future computing needs. As the first desktop PC processor to run on the AMD64 platform, the AMD Athlon 64 processor helps ensure superior performance on today’s software with complete readiness for the coming wave of 64-bit computing. With AMD64 technology, customers can embrace the new capabilities of 64-bit computing on their own terms and achieve compatibility with existing software and operating systems.
To read more, go to www.amd.com.
ATA and SATA Hard Drives
The ATA standard is a 16-bit, parallel connection. Parallel ATA uses source-synchronous (non-interlocked) clocking, which means that the clock signal is actually sent with the data. This can create problems as data rates -- and hence, clock rates -- increase. Because of potential signal reflection and signal skew issues, the ATA100 standard reduced the voltage for ATA100 signaling to 3.3v. The high clock rates also require 80-conductor cables, with alternating ground and signal wires. The net result is a maximum cable length of 18 inches for reliable operation in a wide variety of environments.
Serial ATA is, as the name implies, a serial link. A single Serial ATA (S-ATA) cable consists of a minimum of four wires, with differential pairs for transmitting and receiving data. The standard also allows for additional ground wires as deemed necessary. Maximum cable length for the S-ATA 1.0 standard is 1 meter (roughly 3.1 feet). This makes external S-ATA drives possible.
S-ATA is also point-to-point. Each S-ATA connection supports a single drive, so the days of figuring out which jumper to set for master or slave will become an historic artifact.
Making S-ATA point-to-point also makes termination much easier, as opposed to parallel ATA's requirement to have a device attached to the middle of the cable. Today's systems typically only support two S-ATA connections. This is partly because current systems still require parallel ATA connections and partly because all of today's Serial ATA implementations work through PCI host adapter cards or chips. Being bound to PCI adds additional overhead and potentially limits throughput.
S-ATA also offers "first party" DMA support, meaning that devices aren't dependent on a host controller for DMA. The standard also has hot-swapping designed in, which means you can (in theory) swap drives while the system is running.
S-ATA uses a 7-pin connector (to accommodate any additional ground wires), and is considerably more compact than the parallel ATA plug.
As you can see, four S-ATA cables and connectors take up roughly the same room as a single parallel ATA cable. In the future, when motherboard core logic directly supports S-ATA, we'll probably see as many as four S-ATA connections on a motherboard.
Parallel ATA won't vanish overnight. If nothing else, optical drive makers will transition to S-ATA more slowly, since they view the additional bandwidth as more a luxury than a necessity for their applications.
ATI Mobility Radeon 9600
Bluetooth
Built-in Webcam
Card Reader: Memory Card Types
Memory cards are made by a variety of manufacturers, and come in different sizes. Prices among capacities and types of memory cards also vary. Some types of memory cards have a wider range of memory capacities available, and the prices vary between these types and capacities.
Remember that memory card types are not compatible with one another - so check your owner's manual or camera to make sure you buy the right type of memory card for your camera.
EUROCOM notebooks support six main types of memory cards: CompactFlash (CF), MemoryStick (MS), Secure Digital (SD), SmartMedia (SM), and Multimedia (MMC).
Here is a brief rundown on each type of memory card:
CompactFlash (CF) type I and II is one of the oldest types of memory cards. It's been around for a while, and it's a popular choice for many digital cameras. CF cards are available in sizes of up to 4GB.
Secure Digital (SD) and MultiMediaCards (MMC) look very similar to each other, and in some cases, are compatible with each other - but check your camera's manual first. The main difference between SD and MMC cards is that SD cards have technology built-in to allow copyright protection - hence the term "secure". SD cards are currently available in sizes up to 512MB, while MMC cards come in sizes up to 128MB.
Memory Stick (MS) cards are currently available in sizes between 32MB and 256MB. Memory Stick Pro cards are coming out now in larger capacities. Sony uses Memory Stick cards in lots of their electronics.
SmartMedia (SM) cards are available in sizes between 2MB and 128MB, and are used only by a few digital camera manufacturers - which means that there is less development in larger capacity cards.
Dual-Core Processor
The AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 dual-core processor has been designed to address a key issue with computing today—the increased need for PC processors to deal with multiple threads of information simultaneously.
This need manifests itself through the increasing tendency of PC users to run multiple programs at once, either to multi-task or to protect their computers with virus/firewall software in the background while running applications in the foreground. In addition, more software, especially in the digital media and content creation space, is being written so that different aspects of the software can access the processor at the same time. This type of software is called "multi-threaded" software. Dual-core processors contain two processing cores, residing on one chip, that perform calculations on two streams of data simultaneously. Additionally, the elegant design of the AMD64 architecture allowed for the planning of dual-core processors from the ground up, which means that the AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 processor is designed to ?t in the same 939-pin infrastructure as single-core processors. All that is required is a BIOS update, saving our partners the costs of redesigns and obsolete inventory. The AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 processor can outperform similar single-core processors on multi-tasking and digital media benchmarks, on average by about 15% and 38% respectively.
The AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 dual-core processor provides the same level of system features customers have grown to expect with the AMD Athlon™ 64 product family:
DVD Drive Types and Formats
DVD drives come in a variety of speeds and options. The original drive (1x) transferred data at 1.35MB per second. By doubling the spindle speed (RPMs) for 2x drives, the transfer rate increased to 2.7MB/sec and has been increasing ever since. Each DVD x speed is equivalent to nine CD x's because DVD 1x is 1.35MB and CD-ROM 1x is only 150KB.
Most DVD drives can play DVD movies (DVD Video) and music CDs as well as read DVD-ROMs and CD-ROMs. Other drives may also support all, or some combination of, DVD-R, DVD-RW, CD-R or CD-RW media.
Drives and media that use the dash or minus sign (DVD-R, DVD-RW) are endorsed by the DVD Forum. A competing technology uses a plus sign (DVD+R, DVD+RW). Many DVD drives support both formats.
DVD-R: Its capacity is 4.7 gigabytes. As with CD-R, users can write only once to this disk.
DVD-RAM: This makes DVD a virtual hard disk, with a random read-write access. Originally a 2.6-gigabyte drive, its capacity has increased to 4.7-gigabyte-per-side. It can be re-written more than 100,000 times.
DVD-RW: Similar to DVD-RAM except that its technology features a sequential read-write access more like a phonograph than a hard disk. Its read-write capacity is 4.7 gigabytes per side. It can be re-written up to about 1,000 times.
DVD+R: (DVD+Recordable) A write-once (read only) version of the DVD+RW optical disk from the DVD+RW Alliance. DVD+Rs hold up to 4.7GB of data per side and can be read by DVD-Video players and computer DVD-ROM drives.
DVD+RW: (DVD+Read Write) A rewritable (re-recordable) DVD disk for both movies and data from the DVD+RW Alliance. DVD+RW media can be read on DVD-Video players and computer DVD-ROM drives. Using phase change technology, the first DVD+RW disks held 3GB per side, but were later increased to the industry standard 4.7GB. A double sided disk holds 9.4GB. DVD+RW supports both the CLV and CAV recording formats, the latter providing more uniform random access for interactive data applications.
DVD+R/+RW: A DVD drive that reads and writes DVD+R and DVD+RW media. It also typically reads DVD-RW and DVD-R media.
EUROCOM DVD Burners support the most widely compatible DVD standard, giving consumers the highest level of compatibility with legacy DVD devices. The slim line drive is made by Toshiba and weights just 0.2 kg. DVD Burners are available in all current EUROCOM notebook models and portable LCD PCs.
Multi-Layer Storage
To increase the storage capacity even more, a DVD can have up to four layers, two on each side. The laser that reads the disc can actually focus on the second layer through the first layer. Here is a list of the capacities of different forms of DVDs:
| Format | Capacity Approx. | Movie Time |
| Single-sided/single-layer | 4.38 GB | 2 hours |
| Single-sided/double-layer | 7.95 GB | 4 hours |
| Double-sided/single-layer | 8.75 GB | 4.5 hours |
| Double-sided/double-layer | 15.9 GB | Over 8 hours |
DVI-I
DVI-A, designed for analog signals, DVI-D, designed for digital signals, and DVI-I (integrated), designed for both analog and digital signals.
Using a DVI connector and port, a digital signal that is sent to an analog monitor is converted into an analog signal. If the monitor is a digital monitor, such as a flat panel display, no conversion is necessary. Many monitors now include a DVI connection and many video adapters include a DVI port along with, or instead of, the traditional 15-pin Video Graphics Array (VGA) port.
FireWire IEEE1394
With its high data-transfer speed, FireWire IEEE 1394 is the interface of choice for today’s digital audio and video devices, as well as external hard drives and other high-speed peripherals. Now transferring data at up to 800 Mbps, FireWire 800 delivers more than double the effective bandwidth of the USB 2.0 peripheral standard. That means you can send more than a CD’s worth of data every ten seconds.
Why do you need FireWire? For digital video. FireWire ensures the transport of data so that every packet arrives in a steady stream, which is exactly what a digital camcorder needs. With a FireWire link between your digital camcorder and a notebook, you can take full control over the playback of all the recorded video stored on your camcorder, playing, pausing, rewinding, and fast-forwarding the action at will.
GPRS
General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) enabled networks offer 'always-on', higher capacity, Internet-based content and packet-based data services. This enables services such as colour Internet browsing, e-mail on the move, powerful visual communications, multimedia messages and location-based services.
GPRS has several unique features which can be summarized as:
SPEED
Theoretical maximum speeds of up to 171.2 kilobits per second (kbps) are achievable with GPRS using all eight timeslots at the same time. This is about three times as fast as the data transmission speeds possible over today's fixed telecommunications networks and ten times as fast as current Circuit Switched Data services on GSM networks. By allowing information to be transmitted more quickly, immediately and efficiently across the mobile network, GPRS may well be a relatively less costly mobile data service compared to SMS and Circuit Switched Data.
IMMEDIACY
GPRS facilitates instant connections whereby information can be sent or received immediately as the need arises, subject to radio coverage. No dial-up modem connection is necessary. This is why GPRS users are sometimes referred to be as being "always connected". Immediacy is one of the advantages of GPRS (and SMS) when compared to Circuit Switched Data. High immediacy is a very important feature for time critical applications such as remote credit card authorization where it would be unacceptable to keep the customer waiting for even thirty extra seconds.
NEW APPLICATIONS, BETTER APPLICATIONS
GPRS facilitates several new applications that have not previously been available over GSM networks due to the limitations in speed of Circuit Switched Data (9.6 kbps) and message length of the Short Message Service (160 characters). GPRS will fully enable the Internet applications you are used to on your desktop from web browsing to chat over the mobile network. Other new applications for GPRS, profiled later, include file transfer and home automation- the ability to remotely access and control in-house appliances and machines.
SERVICE ACCESS
To use GPRS, users specifically need:
Intel® Centrino™ Mobile Technology
Now you can work, play and connect without wires. And choose from a whole new generation of thin, light notebooks designed to enable extended battery life.
This new innovative technology enables:
- Integrated wireless LAN capability
- Breakthrough mobile performance
- Extended battery life
- Thinner, lighter designs
With Intel Centrino mobile technology, three components work together to enable outstanding mobile performance, extended battery life and integrated wireless LAN capability in thinner and lighter notebooks. These components include the Intel® Pentium® M processor, the Intel® 855 chipset family and the Intel® PRO/Wireless Network Connection Family.
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor Extreme Edition with HT Technology
Designed specifically for those who know their technology and crave high performance, this processor runs at 3.20 GHz with an advanced 800 MHz system bus and a whopping 2MB of L3 cache. Built-in Hyper-Threading Technology (HT Technology) provides immediate value in today's computing environment by enabling the processor to simultaneously execute two software program threads. This lets you run two software applications in parallel without sacrificing performance.
Based on Intel NetBurst microarchitecture and built on Intel's 0.13-micron technology, the Pentium 4 Processor with HT Technology Extreme Edition delivers reliable performance for gamers and power users who demand processing strength to handle today's most advanced applications.
MPEG
When movies are put onto DVDs, they are encoded in MPEG-2 format and then stored on the disc. This compression format is a widely accepted international standard. Your DVD player contains an MPEG-2 decoder, which can uncompress this data as quickly as you can watch it.
If an average DVD movie were uncompressed, it would take at least a year to download it over a normal phone line.
A movie is usually filmed at a rate of 24 frames per second. This means that every second, there are 24 complete images displayed on the movie screen. American and Japanese television use a format called NTSC, which displays a total of 30 frames per second; but it does this in a sequence of 60 fields, each of which contains alternating lines of the picture. Other countries use PAL format, which displays at 50 fields per second, but at a higher resolution (see How Video Formatting Works for details on these formats). Because of the differences in frame rate and resolution, an MPEG movie needs to be formatted for either the NTSC or the PAL system.
PCI Express
One of the most significant changes to come to PC systems in a decade, PCI Express is a new interconnect technology designed to provide universal connectivity for use as a chip-to-chip and chip to adapter card interconnect. PCI Express architecture provides for extremely high bandwidth at low cost.
PCI Express can offer up to 70 times the bandwidth of today's PCI architecture and is scaleable for the future. PCI Express will be featured across all Intel platforms including desktop, server, workstation and in the latter half of 2004 with mobile platforms as well. PCI Express will be the I/O architecture for everything from graphics adapters to Ethernet cards to TV tuners. This massive bandwidth will alleviate many current and future performance bottlenecks on the adapter bus.
PCI Express is based on a type of serial communications technology somewhat like that in USB or SATA hard drives. The mechanical (physical) board connectors come in one of four types: x1, x2, x4, and x16 (see illustration to the right) in order to meet different peak bandwidth requirements.
PCI Express Technical Specs:
* Note: PCI Express is NOT the same as PCI-X slots, it is a totally new technology.
PCI Express Bandwidth
| LANES | Peak Bandwidth (Duplex Mode) |
| x1 | 500MB/s |
| x4 | 2 GB/s |
| x8 | 4 GB/s |
| x16 | 8 GB/s |
Key Advantages of PCI Express
PCI express is a highly flexible, reliable, modular and scalable design that will eventually replace all PCI slots on the motherboard and AGP slots. It has better power management, native hot-plug support, backwards compatibility with PCI software, support for streaming media (such as video camera or TV), and truly scalable configurations. In addition:
PCI Express and 3D Graphics
The x1 PCI Express slots will easily replace the standard 32-bit PCI slots and have four times the bandwidth.
The high-performance x16 configuration will have up to 4GB/sec bandwidth (8GB/sec concurrent) to replace AGP technology and will also have four times the bandwidth of AGP 8x!
With the advent of PCI Express video cards whole new worlds of 3D gaming and superior graphics performance will be possible. ATI has already developed RADEON video cards using PCI express architecture and in just a short couple years will be the dominant video card interface and only choice for 3D graphics power users. ATI’s video processors have a native, or “true” PCI Express interface. They can communicate directly with the PCI Express bus at PCI Express speeds (do not need to use a bridge).
More information from Intel:http://developer.intel.com
Prescott Processor
The Prescott Processor improves on the Pentium® 4 processor's hyper-pipelined technology to achieve even higher clock rates than previous generations of Pentium 4 processors. At the same time, the new processor has larger first-level and second-level caches, more store buffers, writecombining buffers.
PNI support does not require new OS support for saving and restoring the new state during a context switch, beyond that provided for Streaming SIMD Extensions. The PNI set is fully compatible with all software written for Intel® architecture microprocessors.
RAID
Serial Attached SCSI
As the technology evolves, device support will be further enhanced, making it an even more attractive alternative for enterprise users who want a solution far superior and more flexible than any other storage technology. The results of aligning the Serial Attached SCSI and Serial ATA technologies to serve storage users, who need large capacity at a lower cost, will provide even greater choice to the storage industry.
SRS (Sound Retrieval System)
SRS (Sound Retrieval System®), replaces stereo as the method of accurately reproducing sound, and, is rapidly becoming the standard for 3-D audio technology. It creates a three-dimensional sound image from any audio source with only two conventional stereo speakers. Whether the signal is mono, stereo, or surround sound encoded, SRS® expands the audio material and immerses the listener in an exciting three-dimensional sound field.
Subwoofer
In short, it is an extra low frequency add on speaker for your notebook that allows you to hear and feel very low frequency sounds not clearly reproduced by standard speakers.
The EUROCOM D470 series and D870P notebooks offer enhanced 4 speakers stereo surround sound with an additional subwoofer.