According to Digitimes ... MSI motherboard shipments have grown. Mmmm ... Q2 is not as bleak as everyone predicted.

Digitimes

"Micro-Star International (MSI) shipped 4.7-4.9 million motherboards in second quarter 2008, a slight increase compared to the first quarter due largely to performance in emerging markets. The company also shipped 2.4-2.5 million graphics cards, according to a Chinese-language Apply Daily report.

In the first half of this year, MSI shipped 9-9.5 million motherboards, an increase of 10% on year, and around five million graphics cards, added the paper."

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BBC

"China now has the world's largest net-using population, say official figures. More than 253 million people in the country are now online, according to statistics from the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC).

The figure is higher than the 223 million that the US mustered in June, according to Nielsen Online. Net penetration in the US stands at 71% compared to 19% in China suggesting it will eventually vastly outstrip the US. The development is significant because the US has had the largest net-using population since records of how many people were online started to be kept.

"This is the first time the number has drastically surpassed the United States, becoming the world's number one," said a statement from the CNNIC, the nation's official net monitoring body. The 2008 figure is up 56% in a year, said CNNIC. Analysts expect the total to grow by about 18% per annum and hit 490 million by 2012. "

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CPU3D Preview: Asus Rampage Extreme (X48) Motherboard

We just received the Asus Rampage Extreme (X48) Motherboard sample. It's one of Asus's most high-end enthusiast class motherboard in the ROG (Republic of Gamers) range, and features the Intel X48 chipset with ICH9R southbridge. It supports DDR3 ram, 2000FSB, and features a unique onboard, custom designed chipset waterblock for watercooling enthusiasts.

          

This motherboard promises a lot ... we'll have to wait and see. Watch out for a full review coming soon ... right here at CPU3D, but in the meantime take a look at our photo gallery below.

BBC

"German chipmaker Infineon Technologies has unveiled plans to cut 3,000 jobs as the firm slashes costs to cope with a slowing economy and a stronger euro. Accounting for about 10% of its total workforce, the job cuts were announced as Infineon reported a quarterly loss of 592m euros ($932m; £466.9m) to June.

The loss compares with a net profit of 192m euros in the same period a year ago and was much worse than expected. Losses at its memory-chip unit Qimonda were largely to blame, the firm said.

Infineon is keen to sell the 77.5% stake it owns in Qimonda, which has been a drag on its business. The unit was classifed as a discontinued operation in Infineon's results to prepare for its disposal. The Munich-based firm said it had cut the value of its Qimonda stake by 411m euros. This follows a previous a write-down of 1bn euros earlier in the year. "

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Techreport

"Have you ever wanted to spend the value of a full desktop PC on a couple of memory modules? If so, now's your chance. Corsair has announced that its new TW3X2G2133C9DF 2GB Dominator DDR3-2133 memory kit is now available at "select Corsair retailers."

The Dominator DDR3 kit can run at speeds of up to 2133MHz, or a theoretical maximum of 17GB/s per channel, making it the world's fastest, according to Corsair. Both 1GB modules in the kit have latencies of 9-9-9-24, and Corsair says they'll need 2.0V of juice to hit their rated speed. The firm claims to have tested the modules successfully at those specs in the "black" memory slots of an Nvidia nForce 790i-based motherboard. To avoid heat problems, Corsair sells the TW3X2G2133C9DF with a cooling bracket that has three tiny fans mounted on it.

We had a look around to check availability and found the kit in stock at Newegg for $549 with free shipping—a few bucks cheaper than Corsair's $575 MSRP."

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CPU3D: Special Weekend Deals 

Here's this week's list of special deals from our sponsors ... Also check out our discussion forums for further deals. Click HERE.

 - Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 CPU @ £116.55
 - Creative Vado 2Gb Silver pocket sized personal video cam @ £67.50
 - Asrock P45TurboTwins2000 Skt775 Intel P45 DDR2 + DDR3 @ £73.27
 - ASUS Geforce GTX 280 - 1Gb DDR3 @ £298.72
 

Immortal Gaming

 - Asus P5Q Deluxe (Socket 775) P45 DDR2 Motherboard @ £129.24
 - 2GB G.Skill DDR2 PC2-8500 (5-5-5-15) PK Series Dual Kit @ £41.07
 - EVGA 8800 GT 512MB Superclocked GDDR3 @ £117.44

TweakTown

"It’s been a while since we’ve seen anything from Leadtek, but they have graced us with their presence today bearing a 9600 GSO Extreme which carries with it 384MB of GDDR3 memory.

We’re not quite sure what makes this 9600 GSO so Extreme, but we intend to find out today. Not unlike its 8800 GS twin brother, the 9600 GSO hasn’t really had much attention due to AMD offering two new cards, the 9600GT already being excellent value and of course NVIDIA offering two new high-end models as well.

You have to wonder what the point of buying a 9600GT is? - Ultimately though, if you want a little bit more memory and you’re going to overclock, the performance it offers is better again than the 9600 GSO overclocked. At the moment the line-up looks like this. The 9600 GSO is the slowest, and by slowest we mean only 10% slower than a 9600GT. From there you can spend some more dollars and get an overclocked 9600 GSO or a stock clocked 9600GT, which for the most part perform the same. The fastest setup out of the lot is an overclocked 9600GT which is going to cost more money again."

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I think my Orange contract runs out in October ... iPhone 3G, here I come :)

The INQ

Weekend Reviews from around the net ... original compilation supplied by TechReport.

1. Microsoft CEO backs web spending, "done" with Yahoo
2. Charts: how Microsoft spends its money online
3. Zune phone really in the works at Microsoft?
4. AnandTech and HardwareZone on Intel's SoC (System-on-Chip) designs
5. Fudzilla reports Bloomfield 3.2GHz has 130W TDP
6. NordicHardware speculates that Nvidia will announce something big in September
7. DigiTimes reports more graphics card makers to start selling IGP motherboards
8. HardwareZone reports new Panasonic camcorders and compacts unveiled
9. PC Perspective's hardware leaderboard update
10. Rbmods.com has Qpad giveaway

Software, gaming, and movie

1. Glimpse of big Vista campaign? Microsoft says no
2. Microsoft hints about new profile-centric Win Live wares
3. PCMech on downgrading from Vista to XP
4. TG Daily on Windows hacking for the iPhone 3G
5. Epic's Capps: Unreal Engine 4 due for 'next console generation'
6. Shacknews has The Borderlands E3 interview
   and Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty preview
7. Video from World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King beta test
8. [OC]ModShop reviews X-Files: I Want to Believe (movie)

Systems, storage, and graphics

1. t-break reviews Asus Eee PC 901
2. Techgage reviews Asus M70Sa 17" notebook
3. Tech ARP updates Core 2 processor performance comparison guide to rev. 2.4
4. Overclockers Club reviews Asus P5QL-E
5. TechwareLabs review 8GB PQI Cool Drive U350H
6. Hardware Secrets reviews Sapphire Radeon HD 4870
7. Elite Bastards review Sapphire Radeon HD 4850 Toxic 512MB
8. Motherboards.org reviews XFX GeForce GTX 260 XXX Edition
9. BIOS reviews Sony HDR-TG3E HD handycam

Multimedia, power, and cooling

1. TweakTown on making a sound decision on speakers
2. DriverHeaven reviews Razer Lycosa gaming keyboard
3. I4U reviews Wolfking Trooper MVP gaming mouse
4. DragonSteelMods compare iPhone vs. iPhone 3G
5. [OC]ModShop reviews Otterbox Defender case for iPod nano
6. Tweaknews reviews 1200W Thermaltake Toughpower PSU
7. Tech ARP reviews be quiet! Dark Power Pro 850 PSU (in German)
8. FrostyTech's latest top 10 heatsink chart - July 2008
9. Mikhailtech reviews Tuniq Tower 120 CPU cooler
10. UpgraderGuides.com reviews Arctic Cooling Accelero S1

Enjoy ...

Associated Press

"BEIJING (AP) — China's booming Internet population has surpassed the United States to become the world's biggest, with 253 million people online despite government controls on Web use, according to government data reported Friday.

The latest figure on Web use at the end of June is a 56 percent increase over the same time last year, the China Internet Network Information Center said. It said the share of the Chinese public using the Internet is still just 19.1 percent, leaving more room for rapid growth.

The United States had an estimated 223.1 million Internet users in June, according to Nielsen Online, a research firm. The Pew Internet and American Life Project puts U.S. online penetration at 71 percent.

"This is the first time the number has drastically surpassed the United States, becoming the world's No. 1," a CNNIC statement said.

The communist government encourages Internet use for business and education but tries to block access to Web sites deemed pornographic or subversive. Web surfers have been jailed for posting or e-mailing material that criticizes communist rule or is deemed a violation of vague national security laws. "

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