VIA's QuadCore targetting ... well, everything!

While Intel and AMD target their quad core processors at high end gaming rigs only (coupled with massive cooling) VIA says that it's low power consuming QuadCore chips are suitable for mainstream desktop PCs, laptops and servers.

"The new 1.2Ghz x86 chip offers a TDP (thermal design power) of 27.5 watts, which is about 21 percent more energy-efficient than comparable chips from Intel and AMD, according to Via officials. They said the chip could be used in everything from desktop PCs, notebooks and small form-factor PCs to all-in-one PCs and mini-servers." - eweek.com

VIA announces new Vinyl audio controllers

VIA has been in the business of producing audio codecs and controllers for ... must be over twelve years now. VIA AC97 was the most common audio controller on desktop motherboards for a time. Then came the VIA Vinyl audio controllers, also featured on desktop motherboards, and the high-end Envy24 controllers that were found on third party sound cards. VIA has today joined the two monikers together in their announcement of the VIA Vinyl EnvyUSB VT1730 and VT1731 audio controllers.

The chips are designed to be featured on USB sound cards and professional level audio equipment like headphones, audio hubs, MIDI devices, recording consoles, etc. The VT1730 is 8-channel whilst the VT1731 is 2-channel.

"The VIA EnvyUSB VT1730 and VIA EnvyUSB VT1731 also support the I2S standard enabling Blu-ray Disc™ audio content protection; solutions without this feature dramatically reduce audio quality to that of a regular CD, with a sampling rate of only 16-bit/48kHz."

Find out more in the official Press Release.

VIA Labs gets new VL701 chip certified as first USB 3.0 controller for hard drives

VIA Labs has been able to boast of being the first in a number of designs over the last couple of years. The VL701 Low-power USB 3.0 SATA Bridge Controller is the design to get USB-IF Bus-Powered certification for regular hard drives.

"Featuring an industry-first fully-integrated 5V switching regulator, the VIA Labs VL701 Low-Power USB 3.0 to SATA Bridge is a single-chip solution that achieves the highest power efficiency while offering users transfer rates up to 10 times that of USB 2.0."

VIA Labs will be hoping for a lot of sales of the new chip:

"Cal-Comp Electronics and Communications, a leading Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) and Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) that contracts with many name-brand customers worldwide, adopted and integrated the USB-IF Certified VL701 it into its upcoming USB 3.0 external storage products."
-Source.