ConsumerIT - For Europe's High Volume PC Retailers, Distributors & Builders

The USB 3.0 Promoter group publishes the USB Power Delivery specification-- boosting the power USB cables and connectors can deliver to up to 100W, enough to power laptops and external HDDs.

The specification requires Power Delivery-certified cables for full 100W performance and enables a switchable power source without changing cable direction. It is compatible with existing USB cables and connectors and should coexist with the USB Battery Charging 1.2 specification and existing USB-bus powered applications.

The Promoter Group describes the specification as a step towards a future of "universal [USB] charging... most notably for charging notebook PCs using standardised USB power bricks."

The power boost also represents a move by USB against the new incumbent, Thunderbolt-- while USB 3.0 cannot match Thunderbolt in terms of data, Thunderbolt can only handle 10W of power.

Go USB 3.0 Promoter Group Announces Availability of USB Power Delivery Specification

With ultrabooks and mobile devices going for quad-core processors, the future demands new memory-- LPDDR3, which should account for 20% of total mobile DRAM shipments by H2 2013 according to TrendForce's DRAMeXchange.

Making LPDDR3 attractive is higher bandwidth and efficiency than LPDDR2. The next Intel platform, Haswell, should support LPDDR3 once it hits the market in 2013.

DRAMeXchange predicts LPDDR3 will take over 50% of the global DRAM market (thus becoming mainstream) by H2 2014-- once Samsung, SK Hynix and Elpida start LPDDR3 mass production.

Samsung and SK Hynix already have product samples ready for testing, while Elpida will boost LPDDR3 production following company restructuring.

Currently LPDDR3 should only find a home in few high-end smartphones and notebooks, with too-high prices for shipments to meet market expectations within the next 2 quarters. As a result the analyst estimates LPDDR3 prices will only hit the "sweet spot" in around 3-5 quarters, once the technology breaks into the notebook market.

High demand (from ultrabooks and tablets) should help lower LPDDR3 prices at a higher rate than earlier LPDDR prices. With 3 global DRAM makers investing in the company, DRAMeXchange expects LPDDR3 to become the memory of choice for thin and light mobile applications.

Go Next-Generation Mobile DRAM: LPDDR3 Price to Hit Sweet Spot Next Year (DRAMeXchange)

The European Commission (EC) antitrust watchdog serves charges to 13 optical disc drive makers in the European Economic Area (EEA) for allegedly forming a global price-fixing cartel, breaching of EU laws.

The charges accuse the unnamed companies of illegally co-ordinating bids on CD and DVD drives with at least 2 major PC OEMs for the past 5 years, price rigging the EC describes as as "one of the most serious breaches of EU antitrust rules."

Should it find the accused companies guilty the Commission has the power to impose fines worth up to 10% of turnover.

Philip has immunity in the EU investigation, being the first company offering evidence of potential wrongdoing.

This probe into optical disc drive sales is not the first-- US authorities charged a Hitachi-LG joint venture for alleged price fixing.

Go Antitrust: Commission Sends Statement of Objections to Suspected Participants in Cartel

Broadcom announces the BCM4335-- the "first complete 5G wifi combo chip" for mobile applications, combining 802.11ac wifi, Bluetooth 4.0 and FM radio on the same silicon die.

According to the company the chip handles speeds x3 faster than existing wifi radios (reaching up to 433Mbps) with x6 more power efficiency than current 802.11n solutions.

Being platform-agnostic, vendors can add the chip to any smartphone, tablet or ultrabook.

The BCM4335 should be available from Q1 2013 once it exists "full sample phase."

Go Broadcom Introduces 5G Wifi Combo Chip for Smartphones and Tablets