MSC Vertriebs announced a COM Express module with Intel “6 Series” chipset and a choice of seven different “Sandy Bridge” processors. The CXB-6S offers up to 16GB of RAM, an optional 8GB SSD (solid state disk), six PCI Express x1 lanes, dual display support, and four SATA ports, among other features.

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It will be four to six months before Android 4.0 (“Ice Cream Sandwich”) is widely available on handsets, a Motorola Mobility executive has warned. Motorola does not even have the operating system's source code yet, Ruth Hennigar, the company's vice president of software product management, reportedly added.

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HTC announced that at least seven of its smartphones will receive upgrades to Android 4.0 (“Ice Cream Sandwich”). They're the internationally available Evo 3D Sensation, Sensation XL, and Sensation XE, as well as the U.S.-only Rezound, Design 4G, and Amaze 4G, according to the company — whose CEO also told Reuters it will release one or more additional tablets next year.

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Barnes & Noble announced a $249 Android tablet featuring a seven-inch IPS (in-plane switching) display, a dual-core, 1GHz processor from Texas Instruments, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage. The new “Nook Tablet” was joined by enhancements and a $50 price drop for the existing Nook Color, plus a new $99 price for the monochrome Simple Touch.

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Flooding in Thailand will create “massive shortages” of hard disk drives (HDDs) in the first quarter of 2012, some analysts say. Meanwhile, some vendors have already panicked and are turning to the gray market, where prices of HDDs have increased by more than 100 percent in some cases, DigiTimes claims.

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Advantech announced an “infotainment terminal” for hospital patients that includes a capacitive multitouch screen and a dual-core Intel Atom processor. The PIT-1503W offers a 15.6-inch display with 1366 x 768 pixel resolution, CompactFlash or hard disk storage, plus a wealth of options that includes a TV tuner, a two megapixel webcam, Wi-Fi, RFID, and a smart card reader, according to the company.

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Lanner announced its fastest LEC-branded industrial computer to date, featuring an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor and up to 8GB of DDR3 memory. The LEC-2220 has a 2.5-inch SATA bay, dual-screen support via DVI-I and DVI-D ports, I/O including gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0, and serial, plus a choice of mini-PCI-Express, PCI Express, and PCI expansion, says the company.

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Verizon Wireless' Samsung Stratosphere offers 4G LTE support, a four-inch Super AMOLED display, and a QWERTY sliding keyboard for just $150. It's a great deal for business users, if they can tolerate its heft and modest cameras, according to this eWEEK review.

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HTC and Verizon Wireless announced a high-end Android 2.3 phone due Nov. 14 that's said to be the first U.S. smartphone with “Beats Audio” integration. The HTC Rezound is equipped with a 1.5GHz, dual-core Qualcomm MDM9600 processor, 1GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, 4G LTE, and a 4.3-inch 1280 x 720 display, and features lightweight Beats headphones.

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Celio Corporation announced “ScreenSlider,” software that allows Android devices to act as external touchscreen displays for Windows PCs. The company's technology is also being used in “Prodigy One Pro” automotive head units from Directus, designed to mirror output from a connected Android phone.

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Motorola Mobility updated its Xoom tablet with a 10.1-inch Xoom 2 and an 8.2-inch Xoom 2 Media Edition tablet, each running Android 3.2 on a dual-core 1.2GHz processor. The Wi-Fi only devices are debuting in the U.K. and Ireland, and feature 1280 x 800-pixel screens with splashguard coating, while the 10.1-inch model is 10 percent lighter and 33 percent thinner than the original.

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A 21st century revamp of the classic Commodore 64 computer is now offered with Linux Mint 11 running on a quad-core Intel Core i7 processor and 2TB of hard disk storage. Equipped with a classically styled case and “color-matched” keys, the device has modern innards that also include 8GB of RAM, S/PDIF, HDMI, and DVI video outputs, an eSATA port, and wireless networking.

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Sealevel announced a fanless, rugged embedded computer with an RS-422/485 pass-through port that supports the company's N-series SeaI/O expansion modules. The Relio R1420 is equipped with 2GB of DDR2 RAM, a CompactFlash slot and an optional SSD (solid state disk), dual gigabit Ethernet ports, four serial ports, six USB 2.0 ports, and 8-bit GPIO.

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Karuma announced a seven-inch Android 2.3 tablet designed for kids. The PlayBase is equipped with a 1.2GHz processor, 1GB of DDR3 RAM, 8GB of storage, and an 800 x 600-pixel capacitive screen protected by a shock-absorbent silicone cover that can be folded back to use as a stand, says the company.

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IEI announced a ruggedized, fanless panel PC with extensive wireless options. The vehicle-oriented UPC-V312-D525 offers an Intel Atom D525 processor, a 12.1-inch 1024 x 768 display, CompactFlash, a 1.3 megapixel camera, plus redundant DC power supplies, according to the company.

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