text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Feb 28, 2002
|Filing date
|Sep 12, 2001
|Priority date
|Mar 25, 1996
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Deborah Sherman, John Clark, John Lamer, Steven White
|Original Assignee
|American Home Products Corporation
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Referenced by (7), Classifications (14), Legal Events (4)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
[0001] This application continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/964,328, filed Nov. 5, 1997, which is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 08/821,137, filed Mar. 20, 1997, which, in turn, claims priority from Provisional Application No. 60/014,006 filed Mar. 25, 1996.
[0002] Extended release drug formulations are conventionally produced as compressed tablets by hydrogel tablet technology. To produce these sustained release tablet drug dosage forms, the active ingredient is conventionally compounded with cellulose ethers such as methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose or hydroxypropylmethylcellulose with or without other excipients and the resulting mixture is pressed into tablets. When the tablets are orally administered, the cellulose ethers in the tablets swell upon hydration from moisture in the digestive system, thereby limiting exposure of the active ingredient to moisture. As the cellulose ethers are gradually leached away by moisture, water more deeply penetrates the gel matrix and the active ingredient slowly dissolves and diffuses through the gel, making it available for absorption by the body. An example of such a sustained release dosage, form of the analgesic/anti-inflammatory drug etodolac (Lodin) appears in U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,768. U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,393 discloses sustained release therapeutic compressed solid unit dose forms of an active ingredient plus a carrier base comprised of a high molecular weight hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, methyl cellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose and or other cellulose ether.
[0003] Where the production of tablets is not feasible, it is conventional in the drug industry to prepare encapsulated drug formulations which provide extended or sustained release properties. In this situation, the extended release capsule dosage forms may be formulated by mixing the drug with one or more binding agents to form a uniform mixture which is then moistened with water or a solvent such as ethanol to form an extrudable plastic mass from which small diameter, typically 1 mm, cylinders of drug/matrix are extruded, broken into appropriate lengths and transformed into spheroids using standard spheronization equipment. The spheroids, after drying, may then be thin-coated to retard dissolution. The fin-coated spheroids may then be placed in pharmaceutically acceptable capsules, such as starch or gelatin capsules, in the quantity needed to obtain the desired therapeutic effect. Spheroids releasing the drug at different rates may be combined in a capsule to obtain desired release rates and blood levels. U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,475 discloses a sustained release pharmaceutical composition consisting of a hard gelatin capsule filled with film-coated spheroids comprised of propanolol in admixture with microcrystalline cellulose wherein the film coating is composed of ethyl cellulose, optionally, with hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and/or a plasticizer.
[0004] Venlafaxine, 1-[2-(dimethylamino)-1-(4methoxyphenyl)ethyl]cyclohexanol, is an important drug in the neuropharmacological arsenal used for treatment of depression. Venlafaxine and the acid addition salts thereof are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,186. Venlafaxine hydrochloride is presently administered to adults in compressed tablet form in doses ranging from 75 to 350 mg/day, in divided doses two or three times a day. La therapeutic dosing with venlafaxine hydrochloride tablets, rapid dissolution results in a rapid increase in blood plasma levels of the active compound shortly after administration followed by a decrease in blood plasma levels over several hours as the active compound is eliminated or metabolized, until sub-therapeutic plasma levels are approached after about twelve hours following administration, thus requiting additional dosing with the drug. With the plural daily dosing regimen the most common side effect is nausea, experienced by about forty five percent of patients under treatment with venlafaxine hydrochloride. Vomiting also occurs in about seventeen percent of the patients.
[0005] In accordance with this invention, there is provided an extended release (ER), encapsulated formulation containing venlafaxine hydrochloride as the active drug component, which provides in a single dose, a therapeutic blood serum level over a twenty four hour period.
[0006] Through administration of the venlafaxine formulation of this invention, there is provided a method for obtaining a flattened drug plasma concentration to time profile, thereby affording a tighter plasma therapeutic range control than can be obtained with multiple daily dosing. In other words, this invention provides a method for eliminating the sharp peaks and troughs hills and valleys) in blood plasma drug levels induced by multiple daily dosing with conventional immediate release venlafaxine hydrochloride tablets. In essence, the plasma levels of venlafaxine hydrochloride rise, after administration of the extended release formulations of this invention, for between about five to about eight hours (optimally about six hours) and then begin to fall through a protracted, substantially linear decrease from the peak plasma level for the remainder of the twenty four hour period, maintaining at least a threshold therapeutic level of the drug during the entire twenty-four period. In contrast, the conventional immediate release venlafaxine hydrochloride tablets give peak blood plasma levels in 2 to 4 hours. Hence, in accordance with the use aspect of this invention, there is provided a method for moderating the -plural blood plasma peaks and valleys attending the pharmacokinetic utilization of multiple daily tablet dosing with venlafaxine hydrochloride which comprises administering to a patient in need of treatment with venlafaxine hydrochloride, a one-a-day, extended release formulation of venlafaxine hydrochloride.
[0007] The use of the one-a-day venlafaxine hydrochloride formulations of this invention reduces by adaptation, the level of nausea and incidence of emesis that attend the administration of multiple daily dosing. In clinical trials of venlafaxine hydrochloride ER, the probability of developing nausea in the course of the trials was greatly reduced after the first week. Venlafaxine ER showed a statistically significant improvement over conventional venlafaxine hydrochloride tablets in two eight-week and one 12 week clinical studies. Thus, in accordance with this use aspect of the invention there is provided a method for reducing the level of nausea and incidence of emesis attending the administration of venlafaxine hydrochloride which comprises dosing a patient in need of treatment with venlafaxine hydrochloride with an extended release formulation of venlafaxine hydrochloride once a day in a therapeutically effective amount.
[0008] The formulations of this invention comprise an extended release formulation of venlafaxine hydrochloride comprising a therapeutically effective amount of venlafaxine hydrochloride in spheroids comprised of venlafaxine hydrochloride, microcrystalline cellulose and, optionally, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose coated with a mixture of ethyl cellulose and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. Unless otherwise noted, the percentage compositions mentioned herein refer to percentages of the total weight of the final composition or formulation.
[0009] More particularly, the extended release formulations of this invention are those above wherein the spheroids are comprised of from about 6% to about 40% venlafaxine hydrochloride by weight, about 50% to about 95% microcrystalline cellulose, NF, by weight, and, optionally, from about 0.25% to about 1% by weight of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, USP, and coated with from about 2% to about 12% of total weight of film coating comprised of from about 80% to about 90% by weight of film coating of ethyl cellulose, NF, and from about 10% to about 20% by weight of film coating of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, USP.
[0010] A preferred embodiment of this invention are formulations wherein the spheroids are comprised of about 30% to about 40% venlafaxine hydrochloride by weight, about 50% to about 70% microcrystalline cellulose, NT, by weight, and, optionally, from about 0.25% to about 1% by weight of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, USP, and coated with from about 2% to about 12% of total weight of film coating comprised of from about 80% to about 90% by weight of film coating of ethyl cellulose, NF, and from about 10% to about 20% by weight of film coating of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, USP.
[0011] Another preferred lower dose formulation of this invention are those wherein the spheroids are comprised less than 30% venlafaxine hydrochloride. These formulations comprise spheroids of from about 6% to about 30% venlafaxine hydrochloride by weight, about 70% to about 94% microcrystalline cellulose, NF, by weight, and, optionally, from about 0.25% to about 1% by weight of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, USP, and coated with from about 2% to about 12% of total weight of film coating comprised of from about 80% to about 90% by weight of film coating of ethyl cellulose, NF, and from about 10% to about 20% by weight of film coating of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, USP.
[0012] Within this subgroup of lower dose formulations are formulations in which the spheroids are comprised of from about 6% to about 25% venlafaxine hydrochloride and from about 94% to about 75% microcrystalline cellulose, with an optional amount of from 0.25% to about 1% by weight of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. Another preferred subgroup of spheroids in these formulations comprises from about 6% to about 25% venlafaxine hydrochloride and from about 94% to about 75% microcrystalline cellulose, with an optional amount of from 0.25% to about 1% by weight of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. A ether preferred subgroup of spheroids in these formulations comprises from about 6% to about 20% venlafaxine hydrochloride and from about 94% to about 80% microcrystalline cellulose, with an optional amount of from 0.25% to about 1% by weight of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. Within each of these subgroups is understood to be formulations in which the spheroids are comprised of venlafaxine HCT and microcrystalline cellulose in the amounts indicated, with no hydroxypropylmethylcellulose present Each of these formulations is also preferably contained in a gelatin capsule, preferably a bard gelatin capsule.
[0013] 1-[2-(dimethylamino)-1-(4methoxyphenyl)ethyl]cyclohexanol hydrochloride is polymorphic. Of the forms isolated and characterized to date, Form I is considered to be the kinetic product of crystallization which can be converted to Form II upon heating in the crystallization solvent. Forms I and II cannot be distinguished by their melting points but do exhibit some differences in their infrared spectra and X-ray diffraction patterns. Any of the polymorphic forms such as Form I or Form II may be used in the formulations of the present invention.
[0014] The extended release formulations of this invention are comprised of 1-[2-(dimethylamino)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl]cyclohexanol hydrochloride in admixture with microcrystalline cellulose and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. Formed as beads or spheroids, the drug containing formulation is coated with a mixture of ethyl cellulose and hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose to provide, the desired level of coating, generally from about two to about twelve percent on a weight/weight basis of final product or more preferably from about five to about ten percent (w/w), with best results obtained at from about 6 to about 8 percent (w/w). More specifically, the extended release spheroid formulations of this invention comprise from about 30 to 40 percent venlafaxine hydrochloride, from about 50 to about 70 percent microcrystalline cellulose, NF, from about 0.25 to about 1 percent hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, USP, and from about 5 to about 10 percent film coating, all on a weight/weight basis. And preferably, the spheroid formulations contain about 35 percent venlafaxine hydrochloride, about 55 to 60 percent microcrystalline cellulose NF (Avicel� PH101), about one half percent hydroxypropylmethylcellulose 2208 USP (K3, Dow, which has a viscosity of 3 cps for 2% aqueous solutions, a methoxy content of 19-24% and a hydroxypropoxy content of 4-13%), and from about 6 to 8 percent film coating.
[0015] The film coating is comprised of 80 to 90 percent of ethyl cellulose, NF and 10 percent hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (2910), USP on a weight/weight basis. Preferably the ethyl cellulose has a ethoxy content of 44.0-51% and a viscosity of 50 cps for a 5% aqueous solution and the hydroxypropylmethylcellulose is USP 2910 having a viscosity of 6 cps at 2% aqueous solution with a methoxy content of 28-30% and a hydroxypropoxy content of 7-12%. The ethyl cellulose used herein is Aqualon HG 2834.
[0016] Other equivalents of the hydroxypropylmethylcelluloses 2208 and 2910 USP and ethyl cellulose, NF, having the same chemical and physical characteristics as the proprietary products named above may be substituted in the formulation without changing the inventive concept. Important characteristics of suitable hydroxypropylmethylcelluloses include a low viscosity, preferably less than 10 cps and more preferably 2-5 cps, and a gel temperature above that of the temperature of the extrudate during extrusion. As explained below, these and other characteristics which enable the extrudate to remain moist and soft (pliable) are preferred for the hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. In the examples below, the extrudate temperature was generally 50-55� C.
[0017] It was completely unexpected that an extended release formulation containing venlafaxine hydrochloride could be obtained because the hydrochloride of venlafaxine proved to be extremely water soluble. Numerous attempts to produce extended release tablets by hydrogel technology proved to be fruitless because the compressed tablets were either physically unstable (poor compressibility or capping problems) or dissolved too rapidly in dissolution studies. Typically, the tablets prepared as hydrogel sustained release formulations gave 40-50% dissolution at 2 brs, 60-70% dissolution at 4 hrs and 85-100% dissolution at 8 hrs.
[0018] Numerous spheroid formulations were prepared using different grades of microcrystalline cellulose and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, different ratios of venlafaxine hydrochloride and filler, different binders such as polyinylpyrrolidone, methylcellulose, water, and polyethylene glycol of different molecular weight ranges in order to find a formulation which would provide a suitable granulation mix which could be extruded properly. In the extrusion process, heat buildup occurred which dried out the extrudate so much that it was difficult to convert the extruded cylinders into spheroids. Addition of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose 2208 -to the venlafaxine hydrochloride-microcrystalline cellulose mix made production of spheroids practical.
[0019] The encapsulated formulations of this invention may be produced in a uniform dosage for a specified dissolution profile upon oral administration by techniques understood in the art. For instance, the spheroid components may be blended for uniformity with a desired concentration of active ingredient, then spheronized and dried. The resulting spheroids can then be sifted through a mesh of appropriate pore size to obtain a spheroid batch of uniform and prescribed size.
[0020] The resulting spheroids can be coated and resifted to remove any agglomerates produced in the coating steps. During the coating process samples of the coated spheroids may be tested for their distribution profile. If the dissolution occurs too rapidly, additional coating may be applied until the spheroids present a desired dissolution rate.
[0021] The following examples are presented to illustrate applicant's solution to the problem of preparation of the extended release drug containing formulations of this invention.
[0022] Venlafaxine Hydrochloride Extended Release Capsules
[0023] A mixture of 44.8 parts ( 88.4% free base) of venlafaxine hydrochloride, 74.6 parts of the microcrystalline cellulose, NF, and 0.60 parts of hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose 2208, USP, are blended with the addition of 41.0 parts water. The plastic mass of material is extruded, spheronized and dried to provide uncoated drug containing spheroids.
[0024] Stir 38.25 parts of ethyl cellulose, NF, HG2834 and 6.75 parts of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose 2910, USP in a 1:1 v/v mixture of methylene chloride and anhydrous methanol until solution of the film coating material is complete.
[0025] To a fluidized bed of the uncoated spheroids is applied 0.667 parts of coating solution per part of uncoated spheroids to obtain extended release, film coated spheroids having a coating level of 3%.
[0026] The spheroids are sieved to retain the coated spheroids of a particle size between 0.85 mm to 1.76 mm diameter. These selected film coated spheroids are filled into pharmaceutically acceptable capsules conventionally, such as starch or gelatin capsules.
[0027] Same as for Example 1 except that 1.11 parts of the film coating solution per part of uncoated spheroids is applied to obtain a coating level of 5%.
[0028] Same as for Example 1 except that 1.33 parts of the film coating solution is applied to 1 part of uncoated spheroids to obtain a coating level of 6%.
[0029] Same as for Example 1 except that 1.55 parts of the film coating solution is applied to 1 part of uncoated spheroids to obtain a coating level of 7%.
[0030] In the foregoing failed experiments and in Examples 1-4, the extrusion was carried out on an Alexanderwerk extruder. Subsequent experiments carried out on Hutt and Nica extruders surprisingly demonstrated that acceptable, and even improved, spheroids could be made without the use of an hydroxypropylmethylcellulose.
[0031] In such fierier experiments the applicability of the invention was extended to formulations wherein the weight percentage of venlafaxine hydrochloride is 6% to 40%, preferably 8% to 35%. Thus, the extended release spheroid formulations of this invention comprise from about 6 to about 40 percent venlafaxine hydrochloride, from about 50 to about 94 percent microcrystalline cellulose, NF, optionally, from about 0.25 to about 1 percent hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, and from about 2 to about 12 percent, preferably about 3 to 9 percent, film coating.
[0032] Spheroids of the invention were produced having 8.25% (w/w) venlafaxine hydrochloride and the remainder (91.75%, w/w) being microcrystalline cellulose, with a coating of from 3 to 5% (w/w), preferably 4%, of the total weight. The spheroids with 8.25% venlafaxine hydrochloride and 4% coating were filled into No. 2 white opaque shells with a target fill weight of 236 mg.
[0033] Further spheroids of the invention were produced having 16.5% (w/w) venlafaxine hydrochloride and the remainder (83.5%,w/w) being microcrystalline cellulose, with a coating of from 4 to 6% (w/w), preferably 5%, of the total weight. The spheroids 16.5% venlafaxine hydrochloride and 5% coating were filled into No. 2 white opaque shells with a target fill weight of 122 mg.
[0034] The test for acceptability of the coating level is determined by analysis of the dissolution rate of the finished coated spheroids prior the encapsulation. The dissolution procedure followed uses USP Apparatus 1 (basket) at 100 rpm in purified water at 37� C.
[0035] Conformance with the dissolution rate given in Table 1 provides the twenty-four hour therapeutic blood levels for the drug component of the extended release capsules of this invention in capsule form. Where a given batch of coated spheroids releases drug too slowly to comply with the desired dissolution rate study, a portion of uncoated spheroids or spheroids with a lower coating level may be added to the batch to provide, after thorough mixing, a loading dose for rapid increase of blood drug levels. A batch of coated spheroids that releases the drug too rapidly can receive additional film-coating to give the desired dissolution profile.
TABLE 1 Acceptable Coated Spheroid Dissolution Rates Time (hours) Average % Venlafaxine HCl released 2 <30 4 30-55 8 55-80 12 65-90 24 >30
[0036] Batches of the coated venlafaxine hydrochloride containing spheroids which have a dissolution rate corresponding to that of Table 1 are filled into pharmaceutically acceptable capsules in an amount needed to provide the unit dosage level desired. The standard unit dosage immediate release (IR) tablet used presently provides amounts of venlafaxine hydrochloride equivalent to 25 mg, 37.5 mg, 50 mg, 75 mg and 100 mg venlafaxine. The capsules of this invention are filled to provide an amount of venlafaxine hydrochloride equivalent to that presently used in tablet form and also up to about 150 mg venlafaxine hydrochloride.
[0037] Dissolution of the venlafaxine hydrochloride ER capsules is determined as directed in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia (JSP) using apparatus 1 at 100 rpm on 0.9 L of water. A filtered sample of the dissolution medium is taken at the times specified. The absorbance of the clear solution is determined from 240 to 450 nanometers (nm) against the dissolution medium. A baseline is drawn from 450 am through 400 nm and extended to 240 nm. The absorbance at the wavelength of maximum absorbance (about 274 mm) is determined with respect to this baseline. Six hard gelatin capsules are filled with the theoretical amount of venlafaxine hydrochloride spheroids and measured for dissolution. Standard samples consist of venlafaxine hydrochloride standard solutions plus a gelatin capsule correction solution.
[0038] The percentage of venlafaxine released is determined from the equation
[0039] where As is absorbance of sample preparation, Wr is weight of reference standard, mg; S is strength of the reference standard, decimal; V1 is the volume of dissolution medium used to dissolve the dosage form, mL; 0.884 is the percent free base, Ar is the absorbance of the standard preparation, V2 is the volume of reference standard solution, mL; and C is the capsule claim in mg.
[0040] Table 2 shows the plasma level of venlafaxine versus time for one 75 mg conventional Immediate Release (IR) tablet administered every 12 hours, two 75 mg extended release (ER) capsules administered simultaneously every 24 hours, and one 150 mg extended release (ER) capsule administered once every 24 hours in human male subjects. The subjects were already receiving venlafaxine hydrochloride according to the dosage protocol, thus the plasma blood level at zero time when dosages were administered is not zero.
TABLE 2 Plasma venlafaxine level (ng/mL) versus time, conventional tablet (not extended release) versus ER causule 75 mg 2 � 75 mg 1 � 150 mg (IR) tablet (ER) capsules (ER) capsules Time (hours) (q 12 h) (q 24 hr) (q 24 h) 0 62.3 55.0 55.8 0.5 76.3 1 135.6 53.3 53.2 2 212.1 69.8 70.9 4 162.0 138.6 133.3 6 114.6 149.0 143.5 8 86.7 129.3 129.5 10 118.4 114.4 12 51.9 105.1 105.8 12.5 74.7 13 127.5 14 161.3 90.5 91.3 16 134.6 78.2 78.5 18 106.2 20 83.6 62.7 63.3 24 57.6 56.0 57.3
[0041] Table 2 shows that the plasma levels of two 75 mg/capsule venlafaxine hydrochloride ER capsules and one 150 mg/capsule venlafaxine hydrochloride ER capsule provide very similar blood levels. The data also show that the plasma level after 24 hours for either extended release regimen is very similar to that provided by two immediate release 75 mg tablets of venlafaxine hydrochloride administered at 12 hour intervals.
[0042] Further, the plasma levels of venlafaxine obtained with the extended release formulation do not increase to the peak levels obtained with the conventional immediate release tablets given 12 hours apart. The peak level of venlafaxine from (ER), somewhat below 150 ng/ml, is reached in about six hours, plus or minus two hours, based upon this specific dose when administered to patients presently under treatment with venlafaxine hydrochloride (IR). The peak plasma level of venlafaxine, somewhat over 200 ng/ml, following administration of (IR) is reached in two hours and falls rapidly thereafter.
[0043] Table 3 shows venlafaxine blood plasma levels in male human subjects having a zero initial blood plasma level. Again, a peak blood plasma concentration of venlafaxine is seen at about 6 hours after dosing with venlafaxine hydrochloride extended release capsules in the quantities indicated The subjects receiving the single 50 mg immediate release tablet showed a peak plasma level occurring at about 4 hours. For comparative purposes, the plasma levels of venlafaxine for subjects receiving the conventional formulated tablet can be multiplied by a factor of three to approximate the plasma levels expected for a single dose of 150 mg. conventional formulation.
TABLE 3 Plasma Blood Levels in Human Males Having No Prior Venlafaxine Blood Level Time 1 � 50 mg 2 � 75 mg 1 � 150 mg (Hours) IR tablet ER capsules ER capsule 0 0 0 0 1 27.87 1.3 0 1.5 44.12 6.0 2.2 2 54.83 20.6 12.8 4 66.38 77.0 81.0 6 49.36 96.5 94.4 8 30.06 93.3 86.9 10 21.84 73.2 72.8 12 15.91 61.3 61.4 14 13.73 52.9 51.9 16 10.67 47.5 41.1 20 5.52 35.2 34.0 24 3.56 29.3 28.5 28 2.53 23.4 22.9 36 1.44 11.9 13.5 48 0.66 5.8 5.2
[0044] The blood plasma levels of venlafaxine were measured according to the following procedure. Blood samples from the subjects were collected in heparinized evacuated blood tubes and the tubes were inverted gently several times. As quickly as possible, the tubes were centrifuged at 2500 rpm for 15 minutes. The plasma was pipetted into plastic tubes and stored at −20� C. until analysis could be completed.
[0045] To 1 mL of each plasma sample in a plastic tube was added 150 μL of a stock internal standard solution (150 μg/ml). Saturated sodium borate (0.2 mL) solution was added to each tube and vortexed. Five mL of ethyl ether was added to each tube which were then capped and shaken for 10 minutes at high speed. The tubes were centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 5 minutes. The aqueous layer was frozen in dry ice and the organic layer transferred to a clean screw cap tube. A 0.3 ml portion of 0.01 N HCl solution was added to each tube and shaken for 10 minutes at high speed. The aqueous layer was frozen and the organic layer removed and discarded. A 50 μL portion of the mobile phase (23:77 acetonitrile:0.1M monobasic ammonium phosphate buffer, pH 4.4) was added to each tube, vortexed, and 50 μL samples were injected on a Superco Supercoil LC-8-DB, 5 cm�4.6 mm, 5 μ column in a high pressure liquid chromatography apparatus equipped with a Waters Lambda Max 481 detector or equivalent at 229 nm. Solutions of venlafaxine hydrochloride at various concentrations were used as standards.
[0046] Manufactured by the techniques described herein, another preferred formulation of this invention comprises spheroids of from about 30% to about 35% venlafaxine hydrochloride and from about 0.3% to about 0.6% hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. These spheroids are then coated with a film coating, as described above, to a coating level of from about 5% to about 9%, preferably from about 6% to about 8%. A specific formulation of this type comprises spheroids of about 33% venlafaxine hydrochloride and about 0.5% hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, with a film coating of about 7%.
[0047] Lower dosage compositions or formulations of this invention may also be produced by the techniques described herein. These lower dosage forms may be administered alone for initial titration or initiation of treatment, prior to a dosage increase. They may also be used for an overall low-dose administration regimen or in combination with higher dosage compositions, such as capsule formulations, to optimize individual dosage regimens.
[0048] These lower dose compositions may be used to create encapsulated formulations, such as those containing doses of venlafaxine hydrochloride from about 5 mg to about 50 mg per capsule. Particular final encapsulated dosage forms may include, but are not limited to, individual doses of 7.5 mg, 12.5 mg, 18.75 mg, or 28.125 mg of venlafaxine HCl per capsule.
[0049] The spheroids useful in these lower dose formulations may comprise from about 5% to about 29.99% venlafaxine HCl, preferably from about 5% to about 25%, from about 75% to about 95% microcrystalline cellulose, and, optionally from about 0.25% to about 1.0% hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. The spheroids may be coated as described above, preferably with a film coating of from about 5% to about 10% by weight. In some preferred formulations, the spheroids comprise the cited venlafaxine HCl and microcrystalline cellulose, with no hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose.
[0050] Spheroids comprising 16.5% venlafaxine HCl and 83.5% microcrystalline cellulose were mixed with approximately 50% water (w/w) to granulate in a Littleford Blender Model FM-50E/1Z (Littleford Day Inc., P.O. Box 128, Florence, Kent. 41022-0218, U.S.A.) at a fixed speed of 180 rpm. The blended material was extruded through a 1.25 mm screen using a Nica extruder/spheronization machine (Aeromatic-Fielder Division, Niro Inc., 9165 Rumsey Rd., Columbia, Md. 21045, U.S.A.) for a 12/20 mesh cut after drying. Two portions of the resulting spheroids were coated with a 5% and 7% coating level, respectively, by techniques described above using the coating formulation:
Ingredient % (w/w) Methylene Chloride 60.000 Methanol Anhydrous 35.500 Ethylcellulose, NF, HG 2834, 50 cps 3.825 Hydroxypropyl Methylcelluose, 2910 USP, 0.675 6 cps
[0051] The 5% and 7% coated lots were tested for dissolution on a Hewlett Packard automated dissolution system over a 24 hour period, resulting in the following dissolution patterns:
% Dissoluded % Dissolved Time/hr 16.5%/5% 16.5%/7% 2 12.4 5.6 4 42.8 25.4 8 70.7 60.4 12 82.2 75.4 24 94.3 92.7
[0052] A formulation of spheroids containing 8.25% venlafaxine HCl and 91.75% microcrystalline cellulose was prepared according to the techniques of Example No. 6 and coated with a 5% film coating. In the Hewlett Packard automated dissolution system these spheroids provided the following dissolution profile:
% Dissolved Time/hr 8.25%/5% 2 4.4 4 24.2 8 62.9 12 77.8 24 93.5
[0053] Thus, the desired dissolution rates of sustained release dosage forms of venlafaxine hydrochloride, impossible to achieve with hydrogel tablet technology, has been achieved with the film-coated spheroid compositions of this invention.
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Oct 25, 2002
|Mar 9, 2004
|Dexcel Pharma Tech, Ltd
|Venlafaxine formulations
|Nov 17, 2003
|Dec 30, 2008
|Andrx Pharmaceuticals, Llc
|Extended release venlafaxine formulation
|Nov 19, 2008
|Apr 26, 2011
|Andrx Pharmaceuticals, Llc
|Extended release venlafaxine formulation
|Mar 18, 2011
|Mar 11, 2014
|Andrx Pharmaceuticals, Llc
|Extended release venlafaxine formulation
|Nov 17, 2003
|May 19, 2005
|Manesh Dixit
|Extended release venlafaxine formulation
|Oct 29, 2004
|Aug 2, 2006
|ANDRX Pharmaceuticals LLC.
|Extended release venlafaxine formulation
|May 7, 2007
|Nov 15, 2007
|Jubilant Organosys Ltd
|Extended release pharmaceutical formulation comprising venlafaxine hydrochloride
|U.S. Classification
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Apr 12, 2002
|Nov 23, 2005
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Nov 20, 2009
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8
|Nov 26, 2013
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 12


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Grayson Perry gets behind Homeless Veterans appeal with pledge of art
Over the past few weeks this newspaper's campaign for Homeless Veterans has been endorsed by some extraordinary figures, from Prince William and the Archbishop of Canterbury to Angelina Jolie and the leaders of the three main political parties.
Schoolboy at war author Rebecca Stevens backs 'inspiring' Homeless
The author of a book about the youngest known soldier to die in the First World War says Britain has a responsibility to look after its veterans.
- Review


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Einhorn Has Option to Own 60% of Mets in 3 Years, ESPN.com Says
May 28 (Bloomberg) -- David Einhorn, the hedge-fund manager who will buy a one-third stake in the New York Mets, has an option to own 60 percent of the team in three years, ESPN.com reported, citing an unidentified person familiar with the terms.
Owner Fred Wilpon and his family can block Einhorn from gaining the majority stake by returning Einhorn's $200 million investment, though Einhorn would keep his 33 percent ownership, ESPN said, citing the unidentified person.
The Mets declined to comment to ESPN on the terms. The article said the agreement has yet to be made final.
To contact the reporter on this story: Dan Hart in Washington at email@example.com
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Sylvia Wier at firstname.lastname@example.com


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An Unfinished fight scene from short film Flatmates? by Scott Russell. Shot at Advocates Close in Edinburgh City Centre.
Filmed, Directed and Edited by Scott Russell.
Stunt Co-ordination by C. Wilson Meloncelli and Dougie Graham.
Music: 'Bled' by Jaded Playboy.
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Part of a small group of similar names with similar roots — Ivor, Iver, Ivo, Ives — which are all worth looking at. Used throughout Scandinavia, Ivar is currently a Top 100 name in Sweden. In the Willa Cather novel O Pioneers!, there is a character known as —oops —Crazy Ivar.
Lists containing Ivar:
- Cool Boy Names From Around the World
- Vowel Baby Names for Boys
- Cool Baby Names That Start With I
- Scottish Baby Names


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Sno-Isle Libraries seeks public comment on future library buildings
Open houses slated in five locations and online
Sno-Isle Libraries will host five open houses from Oct. 14-27, to hear from the public whether, and how, community library buildings should change.
The tax-supported district serves nearly 700,000 residents in Snohomish and Island counties and has 21 community libraries. Residents are invited to attend one of the following open houses to help shape the future of their library system:
People who can't make one of the in-person open houses can join the conversation through an online open house that will run from Oct. 12-Nov. 6 at MySnoIsleLibrary.publicmeeting.info.
Population growth in formerly rural areas may warrant the construction of additional libraries, said Director of Facilities Jeanne Crisp. Changes in services and people's needs are also driving the district's 10-year planning process, she added.
"The popularity of downloadable eBooks and movies means there is less need to store print books and DVDs," said Crisp. "At the same time, many customers want access to public computers, printers and other technology; meeting rooms and study spaces; even small-business centers and maker-spaces."
Community input will be used along with analysis of population and demographic trends and library usage to develop facilities recommendations. The final facility report will be presented to the Sno-Isle Libraries Board of Trustees in March. For more information, visit sno-isle.org/facplan.
About Sno-Isle Libraries
For more information, contact:
Sno-Isle Libraries joins in Great Shakeout earthquake awareness effort
Sno-Isle Libraries will taking part in the Great Washington Shakeout on Oct. 15, a statewide opportunity to practice how to be safe during big earthquakes. It is part of "the world's largest earthquake drill."
On that morning, customers visiting many of its community libraries will be invited to take part in a "Drop, Cover and Hold On!" drill.
Disaster book displays, posters, and emergency preparation literature are available in the libraries. The library district's online earthquake disaster resource page, sno-isle.org/earthquakes, features suggested books on the subject, quick links to other online resources, and a news feed of the latest earthquake stories.
A special program, "Whidbey Island Earthquakes: What to Expect, How to Prepare," will be presented at Freeland Library, 5495 Harbor Ave., 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 30 and at Langley Library, 104 2nd St., at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 15. It will feature a documentary produced by Whidbey Island's 4-H video club for the Islands Chapter of the American Red Cross, followed by a question and answer session.
About Sno-Isle Libraries
For more information, contact:
Sno-Isle Libraries to present 'save our youth' forum on sex trafficking
Victims of the sex trade in the North Puget Sound will be the focus of an Oct. 8 public forum in Lynnwood.
"Trafficking: Saving our youth from the sex trade" will begin at 7 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre, 20310 68th Ave. W., on the Edmonds Community College campus. The event is part of the Sno-Isle Libraries Issues That Matter series.
Moderator will be Tim Matsui, director of "The Long Night," a film set in Seattle that gives voice to minors who are coerced into the American sex trade. The documentary weaves together the stories of seven people whose lives have been forever changed by the issue.
"Sex trafficking is not just a big-city problem," said Chuck Pratt, head of the Sno-Isle Libraries Issues That Matter team.
"By one recent estimate, 250 girls and women work as prostitutes in Snohomish County, where the hotline to report sex trafficking received 93 calls over a nine-month span," he said. "The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children estimates that one in six endangered runaways reported to them are likely sex trafficking victims."
During the forum, a panel of experts will discuss the extent of victimization in the region, how communities can support survivors of sex trafficking, and what can be done to prevent youth from being exploited.
Panelists will include:
The program is sponsored by the Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation and hosted by Lynnwood Library. More information, including library resources and links related to the topic, is available at sno-isle.org/issues-that-matter.
About Sno-Isle Libraries
For more information, contact:
Libraries schedule 'Raising of America' film showing, dialogues
Community dialogues about early childhood, part of the national Raising of America campaign, will be presented on Oct. 7 at Camano Island Library and Oct. 27 at Mountlake Terrace Library. Both programs will start at 6:30 p.m.
The Raising of America: Early Childhood and the Future of Our Nation is a media/public engagement project that aims to reframe the way Americans look at early child health and development.
The library events, hosted by the Snohomish County Early Learning Coalition will start with a 30-minute excerpt from the documentary series "Raising of America." The five-part series will be broadcast on PBS this fall. It will explore such questions as: Why are so many children in America faring so poorly? What are the consequences for the nation's future? How might we, as a nation, do better? What it is like to be a parent today? And what policies and structures help or hinder the raising of healthy, happy and compassionate children?
More information about the campaign is available online at raisingofamerica.org.
About Sno-Isle Libraries
For more information, contact:
Joy Feldman, Early Learning Coordinator, 360-651-7015, firstname.lastname@example.com
TechtoberFest coming to Lynnwood Library Oct. 10
LYNNWOOD, Wash. — On Oct. 10, Lynnwood Library will showcase the hardware and software that are available free to the public in its Creative Tech Center. Those tools can be used for everything from making movies to converting old VHS tapes to digital video, from printing resumes to learning computer programming.
TechtoberFest will take place 2 to 4 p.m. at the library, 19200 44th Ave. W.
Activities will include:
Participants will be given USB drives if they finish four of five core activities (iMac Photo Booth, Media Conversion Station demo, Microsoft Office template tutorial, scavenger hunt, and trivia). People will be given a raffle ticket for each core activity completed, each ticket good for a chance to win a $25 Best Buy gift card.
For information about Sno-Isle Libraries' Creative Tech Centers at both Lynnwood and Marysville libraries, visit sno-isle.org/creative-tech.
Customers can also make an appointment for individual technology instruction using Sno-Isle Libraries' Book-a-Librarian service. For details, visit sno-isle.org/book-a-librarian or contact any Sno-Isle community library.
About Sno-Isle Libraries
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Library hosts 'Read and Rock' concerts for kids, caregivers
During a series of free fall concerts presented by Sno-Isle Libraries, celebrated musicians will share fun ways to get kids ready to read.
Performers will be Caspar Babypants, Marco Cortes, Charlie Hope, Nancy Stewart and Gansango Music & Dance. It's an exciting lineup, said Joy Feldman, early learning coordinator for the library district.
"Singing is one of the Ready Readers five practices essential to early literacy. Singing is not only fun, it's a natural way to learn language and boost vocabulary," said Feldman. "The other ways that caregivers can help kids learn to read are talking to them, reading aloud, practicing drawing and writing, and playing with them."
The concerts are designed to appeal to children five and under, as well as their parents and other caregivers. The musicians and their concert information are:
Caspar Babypants is the stage name of children's music artist Chris Ballew, who is also widely known as the singer of The Presidents of the United States of America.
Camano Island Library: 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15
Lynnwood Library: 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15
Mukilteo Library: 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15
Clinton Community Hall: 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15.
Marco Cortes is a Chilean-born teacher of music and Spanish whose music speaks of different Latin American cultures.
Stanwood Library: 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12
Edmonds Library: 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 19
Marysville Library: 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 28
Granite Falls Library: 10 a.m. Monday, Oct. 5
Sultan Library: 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 19
Charlie Hope is a singer-songwriter whose "I'm Me!" CD has won top honors at the Independent Music Awards, with Best Album & Best Song for 2009.
Oak Harbor Library: 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15
Darrington Library: 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16
Monroe Library: 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 24
South Whidbey Park: 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26
Lake Stevens Library: 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 1
Gansango Music & Dance draws on the stunning talent of a multicultural group of international dancers and musicians presenting traditional and contemporary dance and music from West Africa.
Snohomish Library: 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12
Nancy Stewart has won national and local awards for her songwriting and children's recordings, and been honored by the Washington Library Association.
Coupeville Library: 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16
Brier Library: 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30
Arlington Library: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7
Mill Creek Library: 9:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 9
Mountlake Terrace Library: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21
Hand-in-Hand Head Start: 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23
About Sno-Isle Libraries
For more information, contact:
Joy Feldman, Early Learning Coordinator, 360-651-7015, email@example.com
Camano Island Library to dedicate 'Pillar of Wisdom' sculpture Sept. 26
CAMANO ISLAND, Wash. — The Camano Island Library will dedicate "Pillar of Wisdom," a Columbian basalt outdoor public sculpture crafted by artist Josh Henrie, on Sept. 26 at the library.
The celebration from 2 to 4 p.m. will include light refreshments and a dedication ceremony at 2:15 p.m. The public is invited.
Henrie, a carver for more than 20 years, was born and raised in Bellingham. His pieces reflect local themes.
As a tribute to the new library building, which opened on Aug. 1, the sculpture was made possible by donations from the Camano Island Library Friends, the Citizens for a Camano Library, and 66 individual contributors.
This is the first of seven pieces of that will be installed at the library, all made possible by donations. Each piece will be dedicated and permanently placed in the library. The deadline for the second call for art submissions is Sept. 15. Information is online at sno-isle.org/locations/camano/call-to-artists.
About Sno-Isle Libraries
For more information, contact:
More viewing sites added for much-anticipated TEDxSnoIsleLibraries
With the main venue for TEDxSnoIsleLibraries already full, 10 community library viewing sites have been added for the Nov. 6 event.
"The registration response has been amazing. Both the formal theater and casual viewing seats at the Edmonds Center for the Arts have been spoken for," said TEDx organizer and Sno-Isle Libraries Communications Director Ken Harvey.
"We have set up simulcast viewing sites for that Friday to accommodate the tremendous interest," he said. "People there will be able to watch the talks in real time, connect with other attendees, and discuss what they have heard."
The event will be simulcast to libraries at Camano Island, Coupeville, Darrington, Edmonds, Freeland, Granite Falls, Lynnwood, Marysville, Monroe, and Snohomish.
Anyone interested in attending a library viewing group should register online at sno-isle.org/tedx/attend. People can also go to that Web page to get on the waitlist for Edmonds Center for the Arts seats.
The day-long event, "Creating New Futures," will feature speakers from the region and beyond who have "ideas worth spreading."
Starting in September, speakers and performers will be announced at sno-isle.org/tedx, via TEDxSnoIsleLibraries on Twitter and on the Sno-Isle Libraries Facebook page, Harvey added.
"TEDx is known for inspirational presentations by high-caliber speakers," he said. "Our audiences, wherever they are, won't be disappointed."
TED stands for technology, entertainment, and design. It is the name of a non-profit foundation devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less). TED conferences and TED Talks have become a global phenomenon.
TEDx events are local independently organized under license from TED. Some of the best TEDx presentations are featured on TED.com and garner millions of views.
TED and TEDx events are often filled to capacity. The solution has been to offer live group viewing at alternate locations, Harvey said.
"In our case, people may also find it more convenient to travel to their community library," he said. "Plus, children are welcome in the libraries while the main venue is restricted to audience members age 14 and older."
About Sno-Isle Libraries
For more information, contact:
Sno-Isle Libraries schedule Sept. 7-8 closure for holiday, training
In addition to being closed on Labor Day, Sept. 7, Sno-Isle Libraries will be closed on Sept. 8 so that employees can attend a day of in-service training.
The Monday-Tuesday closure affects the district's 21 community libraries and Library on Wheels. Online services will remain available through the website sno-isle.org.
"Providing outstanding library service is a point of pride with us," said Deputy Director Kendra Trachta. "This district-wide day of training, held every other year, helps all Sno-Isle employees uphold the high level of library service our customers deserve."
The district's 450 employees will delve into such topics as technology, social media, strategic innovation, and the increase in electronic media available for customers.
About Sno-Isle Libraries
For more information, contact:
Sno-Isle Libraries starts planning for future facilities
MARYSVILLE, Wash. — Driven by changes in library services, population growth and some outdated buildings, Sno-Isle Libraries is working on a facilities plan for the next decade.
The tax-supported library district serves nearly 700,000 residents in Snohomish and Island counties and has 21 community libraries. As part of the planning process, people in each community will be invited this fall to say whether and how their library building should change.
"About a third of our libraries are undersized for their service areas. The need for new buildings is already being discussed in cities such as Lake Stevens and Mill Creek," said Director of Facilities Jeanne Crisp. "In other places, remodels or additions might be desirable. And some libraries are so new that we don't anticipate any changes in the next 10 years."
Population growth in formerly rural areas may warrant the construction of additional libraries, Crisp said.
The first step in creating the 2016-2025 facilities plan was hiring a consulting firm, Margaret Sullivan Studio of New York, to take a big-picture, futuristic look at library facilities.
For example, Crisp said, the popularity of downloadable eBooks and movies means there is less need to store print books and DVDs. At the same time, many customers want access to public computers, printers and other technology; meeting rooms and study spaces; even small-business centers and maker-spaces.
Margaret Sullivan Studio will deliver its findings by September. That report will be used by a second company, EnviroIssues of Seattle, as it works with Sno-Isle Libraries staff to create the final facilities plan. EnviroIssues will solicit public comment, gather geographic and demographic information, and coordinate with planning documents of local governments and public agencies.
The final report will be presented to the Sno-Isle Libraries Board of Trustees in March.
Updates on the facilities project will be posted online at sno-isle.org/facplan.
That Web page includes a link to "Libraries for the 21st Century: Sno-Isle Libraries Capital Facilities Plan: 2007-2025." Some of the recommendations in that 18-year plan have been met, Crisp said, but the recession slowed progress. The quickly evolving nature of library services convinced Sno-Isle Libraries managers that an update was needed and a 10-year timeline was more realistic.
About Sno-Isle Libraries
For more information, contact:
For photos of individual libraries, contact:
Arts Commission invites artist proposals for TEDxSnoIsleLibraries
The Snohomish County Arts Commission is seeking a Washington state artist or artistic team to create a temporary, interactive-based work that will be featured at TEDxSnoIsleLibraries.
The day-long event presented by Sno-Isle Libraries will be held Nov. 6 at Edmonds Center for the Arts. Its theme, "Creating New Futures," should be the inspiration for the installation. Performance art will also be considered.
The concept must be "original, bold, innovative and visionary." The artist or artists whose work is chosen will receive $4,500 to cover all costs associated with the project. The submission deadline is Aug. 17; artists will be notified by Sept. 30.
Detailed information is available at bit.ly/TEDxART.
Sparked by the celebrated TED conferences worldwide, TEDxSnoIsleLibraries will feature talks, demonstrations and performances under 18 minutes each. The program will harness the spirit of TED's mission, "ideas worth spreading," and focus on the rich innovation, invention and cultural depth of the region.
About Sno-Isle Libraries
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Friends of the Library issue second call for Camano Island Library art
(updated July 24, 2015, 5:18 p.m.)
CAMANO ISLAND, Wash. — A call to artists for the new Camano Island Library, which will open Aug. 1, resulted in an outdoor sculpture of an eagle. Now, the Camano Island Library Friends group is seeking proposals for an indoor work of art.
The two-piece basalt sculpture has been installed and will be dedicated in September. It is the work of Josh Henrie, a Pacific Northwest native with more than 20 years of carving experience. The first piece of the sculpture depicts an eagle perched high on a pillar overlooking a book; the second piece is a smooth basin bowl which will naturally collect water and is representative of the ocean and tide pools that surround the island.
The themes of the art competition were Pacific Northwest, water, beach, reading and writing. The Camano Island Library Art Committee selected the winning design. The art committee is comprised of Friends of the Library members, project architects, and Sno-Isle Libraries staff.
The committee is now seeking submissions with the same theme for a two-dimensional piece that will be mounted in the library's reading room. Members strongly encourage the artists to include a child or children in the design. Preference will be given to artists from Camano Island or Stanwood; however, all are encouraged to apply. The budget for this project is not to exceed $4,500, including installation.
The submission deadline is 4 p.m. Sept. 15 and the artwork is to be installed in April 2016.
Details on sculpture requirements, theme, budget, and submission content are available online at sno-isle.org/locations/camano/call-to-artists.
The residents of Camano Island passed a bond to build a permanent library on Camano Island in April 2014.
About Sno-Isle Libraries
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Lynnwood Library to host candidate forum July 22
LYNNWOOD, Wash. — Candidates who are running for Snohomish County Executive, Snohomish County Council, and Lynnwood City Council will answer questions at a public forum on July 22 at the Lynnwood Library, 19200 44th Ave W., from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m.
The forum is presented by the League of Women Voters of Snohomish County (LWVSC), Sno-Isle Libraries, American Association of University Women (AAUW), and Snohomish County Elections.
Candidates for Snohomish County Executive who plan to attend are Dave Somers, John Lovick, Robert Sutherland, Norm Nunnally, and James Robert Deal.
Candidates for Snohomish County Council who plan to attend are Greg Tisdel and Brian Sullivan. Stephanie Wright is unable to attend.
Candidates for Lynnwood City Council who plan to attend are Shirley Sutton, Loren Simmonds, Maria Ambalada, Chris Frizzell, Benjamin Goodwin, George Hurst, Shannon Sessions, and Van Aubuchon. Sid Roberts plans to send a representative and Douglas Jones is unable to attend.
About Sno-Isle Libraries
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New Camano Island Library to open Aug. 1 with community celebration
(Correction made to new open hours, July 16, 2015, 3:53 p.m.)
CAMANO ISLAND, Wash. — Sno-Isle Libraries and the Camano Island community will celebrate the grand opening of a new library on Saturday, Aug. 1. The public is invited to attend the opening ceremony at 9:30 a.m. and enjoy the library's first day of service in its newly renovated location in the Terry's Corner complex at 848 N. Sunrise Blvd.
The 4,900-square-foot library facility will replace the nearby interim library, which served as the site of the pilot library over the last seven years. The new Camano Island Library will boast a larger collection of materials, expanded public computer resources, a reading room, children's room, and a community multi-purpose room that will also be used for library programs and classes.
Sustainability was a major consideration in the choice of carpeting and furniture. The new library also features extremely efficient heating, ventilation and lighting.
"We are excited to present the Camano Island community with the larger, permanent library which voters approved in April 2014," said Sno-Isle Libraries Executive Director Jonalyn Woolf-Ivory.
The last day of service in the nearby interim Camano Island Library will be July 25. That library will be closed from July 26 to July 31 to prepare for the opening of the new facility on Aug. 1. Items requested by library customers will be available for pick-up at the Stanwood Library, 9701 271st St. NW, during the one-week closure.
Wireless Internet access will continue to be available in the interim library parking lot during the closure. The book drop will also be available.
The new open hours of the Camano Island Library effective Aug. 1 will be Monday and Wednesday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and closed on Sundays.
The celebration continues the following Saturday, Aug. 8, with the Camano Island Library Friends' book sale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"I am very grateful for the community support that has made the Camano Island Library a reality," said Woolf-Ivory. "We appreciate the work of our architect, construction crews and the building committee, which has resulted in a unique library space for the community."
About Sno-Isle Libraries
Sno-Isle Libraries serves 697,770 residents in Washington's Snohomish and Island counties through 21 community libraries, online services, and Library on Wheels.
For more information, contact:
Ken Harvey, Communications Director, 360-651-7030, firstname.lastname@example.com
Library to host panel discussion on police-community relations (panelist lineup updated)
(Panelist lineup updated July 10, 2015)
OAK HARBOR, Wash. — On July 30, a panel of experts will address issues on police-community relations, including body cameras and the use of deadly force.
The Whidbey Island public forum, "21st Century Policing: Big Job, Big Questions," will take place at 7 p.m. at the Oak Harbor Library, 1000 SE Regatta Dr. The event is part of the Sno-Isle Libraries Issues That Matter series, held in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Whidbey Island.
In recent years, an increase in confrontations between police and civilians have made regional and national headlines. Police are using technologically advanced tools, which can present big questions. For example: When is the use of deadly force appropriate? Are police forces becoming overly militarized? Are officers adequately trained in the use of non-lethal force? What are the pros and cons of officers' body cameras? The panel will address these and related police matters, and take questions from the audience.
Panelists will be Greg Banks, Island County prosecutor; Mark Brown, Island County sheriff; Ray Heltsley, law enforcement instructor at Skagit Valley College and retired police officer; and Chris Carney, attorney representing the American Civil Liberties Union.
Dr. Marshall Goldberg will moderate. The panel discussion is free and open to the public.
"We are pleased to partner with the League of Women Voters in getting people together to discuss this important topic," said Mary Campbell, managing librarian at the Oak Harbor Library. "The years of experience and insights our panelists bring to the discussion are invaluable. We encourage community members to participate and to bring their questions."
For more information, visit sno-isle.org/issues-that-matter. The Web page includes links to websites and library resources relating to law enforcement.
About Sno-Isle Libraries
Sno-Isle Libraries serves 697,770 residents in Washington's Snohomish and Island counties through 21 community libraries, online services, and Library on Wheels.
For more information, contact:
Mary Campbell, Managing Librarian, 360-675-5115, email@example.com
MEDIA ADVISORY -- Snohomish City Council candidate forum canceled
The Snohomish City Council candidate forum originally scheduled for July 25 at the Snohomish Library has been canceled due to the non-availability of more than one scheduled participant. We apologize for any inconvenience.
For more information, contact:
Pop culture historian to talk about geeks and gamers
LANGLEY, Wash. — Scholar and pop culture historian Jennifer K. Stuller will present "Using Their Powers for Good: Geektivists, Geek Grrls, and Gaymers" at 10 a.m. June 20 at Langley Library, 104 Second St.
Stuller is a Seattle writer, scholar and pop culture historian. Her talk, presented by Langley Library and Humanities Washington, is free and open to the public.
Stuller contends that geek activists, geek grrls and gaymers are making the personal political. Inspired by their love of fandom, tech, comics, games, television, costuming, and conventions, they are using their powers of good to challenge the self-appointed gatekeepers of geekdom with efforts that ensure their beloved culture is progressive, representative, and inclusive.
She will discuss how people and organizations are using community-building to create alternative spaces, crowd-sourcing to circumvent traditional modes of production, media criticism to challenge and raise awareness, and performance to subvert gender norms.
Stuller is co-founder of GeekGirlCon, an organization dedicated to the recognition, encouragement and support of women in geek and pop culture and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). She is an author and contributor to multiple publications, including Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors: Superwomen in Modern Mythology, and the editor of Fan Phenomena: Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She regularly appears at the Comic Arts Conference, the Slayage Conference on the Whedonverses, and San Diego Comic-Con International.
Humanities Washington sparks conversation and critical thinking using story as a catalyst, nurturing thoughtful and engaged communities across our state.
Sno-Isle Libraries serves 697,770 residents in Washington's Snohomish and Island counties through 21 community libraries, online services, and Library on Wheels.
For more information, contact:
Vicky Welfare, Branch Manager, Langley Library, 360-221-4383, email@example.com
New manager heads Lake Stevens Library
(updated June 16, 2015, 2:13 p.m.)
LAKE STEVENS, Wash. — Sno-Isle Libraries has named Sonia Gustafson as managing librarian for Lake Stevens Library.
Gustafson previously worked for the Spokane County Library District, where she was employed since 2007. She led that library district's strategic planning initiative.
Her most recent position was manager of Spokane Valley Library.
"Lake Stevens seems like an engaged, connected community — and I'm excited to be a part of it," she said.
Gustafson is a graduate of the College of Wooster in Ohio and holds a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Washington.
Lake Stevens Library has a 14-person staff. Gustafson's first day there was June 8.
About Sno-Isle Libraries
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Boy who sought refuge in Stanwood Library returns as successful author
STANWOOD, Wash. — Author Joshua Safran, who as a child found shelter and identity at Stanwood Library, will speak at 7 p.m. June 25 at the Stanwood Camano Community Resource Center, 9612 271st St. NW.
Safran will discuss his memoir, "Free Spirit: Growing Up on the Road and Off the Grid." Following his talk, a reception and book signing will be held across the street at the library.
Safran was born to a coven of lesbian witches in a Haight-Ashbury commune. He spent part of his formative years in northwest Washington. His book recounts his childhood hitchhiking, and surviving the elements and a violent alcoholic stepfather before finally finding his way to law school and becoming an Orthodox Jew.
In "Free Spirit," he writes:
"The Stanwood Library opened its doors to me without question. The patient librarians didn't care about my frayed clothes and never questioned my determination to spend every waking hour under their roof. Mercifully warm and clean, the library was a shelter from the rain and the echoes of my mother screaming in the night. I washed my face in the clean white sink and took refuge in books about the Talmud, the Golem of Prague, and Israel."
Publishers Weekly hailed "Free Spirit" as a "beautiful, powerful memoir . . . reminiscent of David Sedaris's and Augusten Burroughs's best work: introspective, hilarious, and heartbreaking."
In his 2013 Huffington Post blog post, "My Library Card to Redemption," Safran recaps how the library made a lasting impact on his life.
Safran is a nationally recognized advocate for survivors of domestic abuse and the wrongfully imprisoned. His seven-year legal odyssey to free an incarcerated survivor of domestic violence from prison was featured in the award-winning documentary film "Crime After Crime," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and on the Oprah Winfrey Network.
About Sno-Isle Libraries
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Library program helps students avoid 'summer slump'
Sno-Isle Libraries has launched its 2015 Explore Summer program, offering kids and teens a way to have fun and be ready for school come fall.
Students involved in summer activities that include critical thinking, creativity and hands-on discovery begin the school year better prepared for success, said Leslie Moore, Sno-Isle's youth and outreach services manager. "Research confirms what every teacher knows: that students can easily fall behind academically during the summer. It's commonly known as 'summer slump.'"
Explore Summer Participants who read for 10 hours during the summer will win a free prize book at their local libraries. If they read for 50 hours, they earn the title of "Power Reader" and will be entered into a drawing to win a Kindle Fire HD 6. All will be encouraged to take advantage of library programs that build skills for school success. They will have the chance to create catapults, discover insects, explore super science, write online book reviews and meet real-life heroes.
Online registration is required. Children can register at sno-isle.org/summerkids; teens can register at sno-isle.org/summerteens.
Reading logs can be printed online or picked up at one of Sno-Isle's 21 community libraries and Bookmobile.
Moore encouraged parents to watch the two-minute video Summer Learning, which explains how much activities can enhance school success.
About Sno-Isle Libraries
For more information, contact:


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A tour through the booths at Computex 2012
Subject: General Tech | June 6, 2012 - 01:08 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: computex, computex 2012, nvidia, corsair, asrock
The Tech Report have been every bit as busy as Ryan, trying to get in as much of Computex as possible and post the sights to the web. They dropped by Broadcom's booth to see new ARM based SoCs which will be used in the next generation of 802.11ac routers, taking wireless beyond gigabit speeds, with USB 3.0 added on for easy media distribution. They snapped a few pictures of the ASRock motherboards we saw earlier this week, including the dual Thunderbolt Z77 Extreme which features a DisplayPort in port to allow you to use a Thunderbolt display without needing Lucid's Virtu to translate. They also saw Corsair's surprise new SSD controller from Link_A_Media Devices (LAMD), which will provide SATA 6Gbps and can use either ONFI or Toggle DDR NAND. NVIDIA was showing off the new GT 640 which will use a 28nm Kepler chip sport 384 shader ALUs and cost under $100 and should bring a bit more power to low end machines, though don't expect a huge jump from the previous GTS450
Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
- Computex 2012 Day 1 - Hit the floor sleepy @ Ninjalane
- Computex: Zalman prepares T1 chassis for affordable victory @ Kitguru
- SilverStone unveils the Raven RV04 and Fortress FT04 @ Kitguru
- Techies beg world to join the 1% on IPv6 launch day @ The Register
- Trend in mobile computing: Q&A with Intel's Gregory Bryant @ DigiTimes
- Samsung takes a seat with Intel and IBM at the Linux Foundation @ The Inquirer
- Windows Phone 8 launches on 20 June @ The Inquirer
- Ubuntu 12.10 Sets To Make ARM Even Stronger @ Phoronix
New GeForce Equipped Ultrabooks Announced At Computex
Subject: Mobile | June 5, 2012 - 04:04 PM | Matt Smith
Tagged: ultrabook, nvidia, news, laptop, gpu
Earlier this year I had the chance to take a look at the first ultrabook with discrete graphics, the Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra M3. My review was not particularly favorable, but the idea of placing discrete graphics in an ultrabook is both compelling and necessary. Intel's low-voltage processors have difficulty with gaming when paired with the HD 4000 IGP and this flaw is difficult to excuse in products typically priced at $800 or above.
Four new ultrabooks with NVIDIA discrete GPUs have been unveiled to tackle the problem of gaming with a slim laptop. The list includes two laptops from Acer, two laptops from Gigabyte and one from ASUS.
The Gigabyte U2442N, which has a 14" 1600x900 display and a GeForce GT 650M GPU, is obviously the most powerful and the product that offers the most promising gaming experience on paper. Only the ASUS UX32 looks questionable. There's no way that a GeForce GT 620M is going to handle gaming on a 1080p display.
Unfortunately, a closer look at the announcement suggests these product lines aren't that exciting. The Gigabyte laptops have received a lot of positive attention, but Gigabyte has no meaningful presence in the North American laptop market and it's nearly guaranteed the laptop won't be popular on this side of the pond. The Acer M5-581TG appears to be an Ivy Bridge updated version of the Acer Aspire M3 that we reviwed – and did not like – while the M5-481TG is just a smaller version.
That leaves the ASUS UX32 and its GT 620M which, although likely quicker than Intel HD 4000, isn't sufficient for serious gaming.
Hopefully NVIDIA will be able to bring discrete graphics to more products from larger manufacturers, but the fact so few companies have gone this route suggests there is some underlying reason. My personal guess? Heat. The Acer Aspire M3 became quite toasty during load. It'll be interesting to see if the U244N has some design trick that makes the GT 650M manageable – or if Gigabyte, like Acer, doesn't mind putting out a laptop with high exterior temperatures.
Computex: ASUS Mars III Dual GTX 680 Card Comes With 8GB RAM
Subject: Graphics Cards | June 5, 2012 - 12:59 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: nvidia, mars 3, gtx 680, computex, asus
ASUS has created a graphics card that places two NVIDIA GTX 680 GPUs and 8GB of RAM on a single PCB cooled by three fans and a heatpipe-aided fin array. With three PCI-E power connectors and a dual slot design, you can bet that it will be expensive, large, and in charge (of your electric bill). (Even so, I still want one even if I have to get a new case :P).
ASUS is showing off a graphics card at Computex that is sure to be of interest to enthusiasts everywhere. The successor to their elusive Mars II (which we reviewed here), the new ASUS Mars III is a dual GPU graphics card utilizing two NVIDIA GTX 680 GPUs and a total of 8GB of GDDR5 memory on a single PCB. The dual slot card is cooled by three fans on an aluminum and heatpipe aided fin array. Around the back of the card are three eight pin PCI-E power connectors for up to 525watts of power! There is also a red button to the left of the connectors that spins the fans up to 100% for maximum overclocking. Towards the front is a single SLI connector (for up to 4-way SLI) along with three DVI ports and a mini-DisplayPort for video output.
In short, this graphics card is a total beast. Although we do not yet know clockspeeds or other specific details, you can expect the cards to be expensive and very fast. According to VR-Zone, the card being shown off at Computex 2012 is an engineering sample and the company is still working to refine the final design – particularly the cooler and PCB. You can find more photos of this massive card here.
NVIDIA Announces New GTX 680M, The World's Fastest Mobile GPU
Subject: Mobile | June 4, 2012 - 08:15 PM | Matt Smith
Tagged: nvidia, laptop, gtx, gpu
NVIDIA recently revised its notebook GPU lineup, but there was one part notably missing – the GTX 680M. The x80M part has been NVIDIA's fastest mobile GPU in each generation for some time, so we knew that a GTX 680M was coming. We had only two questions. When? And what architecture will it be based on?
Now we have the answers to both questions. NVIDIA has pulled the wraps off its flagship component. The new GTX 680M is a Kepler component (unlike other high-end 600 series parts, which are Fermi) packing 1344 CUDA cores and up to 4GB of GDDR5.
The green team is laying out some big numbers in its press release by claiming that performance is up about 80% in comparison to the GTX 580M and 30% in comparison to the AMD Radeon 7970M. NVIDIA also says that the new part will play every game available today at 1080p with maximum in-game settings.
Other selling points include NVIDIA's FXAA and TXAA, Adaptive V-Sync, Optimus, SLI, PhysX and 3D Vision. The company is clearly making a strong effort to distinguish itself from AMD not only with performance but also with features.
Five launch laptops were announced. They include the Alienware M17x and M18x, the MSI GT70 and the Clevo P150EM/P170EM. The Clevo units are the chassis used by companies like Maingear, Origin and other boutiques. Only the M18x has confirmed SLI support and only the M17x has confirmed 3D Vision support. Pricing has not been announced.
We will of course be looking to obtain a review unit so we can see if the GTX 680M is as mightly as claimed.
Podcast #204 - ioSafe soloPRO and Synology DiskStation 212+, NVIDIA news, the OCZ Agility 4 and more!
Subject: General Tech | May 31, 2012 - 03:53 PM | Ken Addison
Tagged: video, synology, ssd, podcast, ocz, nvidia, iosafe, diskstation, agility4
PC Perspective Podcast #204 - 05/31/2012
Join us this week as we talk about the ioSafe soloPRO and Synology DiskStation 212+, NVIDIA news, the OCZ Agility 4 and more!
You can subscribe to us through iTunes and you can still
The URL for the podcast is: http://pcper.com/podcast - Share with your friends!
- iTunes - Subscribe to the podcast directly through the iTunes Store
- RSS - Subscribe through your regular
- MP3 - Direct download link to the MP3 file
Hosts: Ryan Shrout, Jeremy Hellstrom, Josh Walrath, and Allyn Malvantano
Program Schedule:
- 0:00:30 Introduction
- 0:00:50 Random Sound Card Discussion
- 1-888-38-PCPER or email@example.com
- http://pcper.com/podcast
- http://twitter.com/ryanshrout and http://twitter.com/pcper
- 0:06:30 Take the PC Perspective Survey, win prizes!!
- 0:08:40 ioSafe SoloPRO and Synology DiskStation 212+ Review - Disaster-proof Networked Storage
- 0:18:38 Tegra 3 to see 30 devices this year, LTE support
- 0:20:25 NVIDIA claims GTX 680 sales outpacing GTX 580 sales
- 0:27:30 NVIDIA shows ASUS Zenbook Prime UX32VD
- 0:29:50 HP has 27,000 too many employees
- 0:32:00 Dell leaks Latitude 10 Windows 8 tablet
- 0:34:40 Dell promotes their "Copper" ARM-based servers
- 0:39:30 OCZ Launches Agility 4 based on Indilinx Everest 2
- 0:51:20 Intel shows you how to make a processor
- 0:54:00 Time for a GPU Stock Update?
- 0:57:00 Crysis 2 back on Steam? EA and Valve make up?
- 0:59:00 Hardware / Software Pick of the Week
- Ryan: Corsair Vengeance 2000 Wireless headset $149
- Jeremy: The best way to blow $10,000
- Josh: Faster Internets... Worth it! http://west.optimum.com/services/high-speed_internet/optimum_online_boost/
- Allyn: is lame
- 1-888-38-PCPER or email@example.com
- http://pcper.com/podcast
- http://twitter.com/ryanshrout and http://twitter.com/pcper
- Closing
Leaking low end Kepler specs
Subject: General Tech | May 31, 2012 - 01:08 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: leak, nvidia, kepler, gt610, gt620, gt640
We will have to wait until the scheduled Computex release for verification but for right now Kitguru seems to have an idea of just what the lower end of NVIDIA's Kepler line will be like. They are not sure of the connectivity options, especially the number of displays a single card can manage but as far as the size of the memory interface, clock speeds and size of the cards Kitguru seems fairly certain they are at least close to the actual specs. Check out the whole list they published here.
"So far, nVidia's launch of the Kepler range has gone smoothly. The only real hiccups have come with stock and the re-branding for some of the old 5xx cards into the 610 and 620. With the low and high ends sorted, focus for Bryan Del Rizzo moves to the mid-range and those pesky 7000 cards hanging out below £100. KitGuru spies hang around outside nVidia's favourite KFC to see what can be overheard."
Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
- One Of The New Valve Linux Employees Is... @ Phoronix
- Intel's Medfield finally tips up in Orange San Diego @ The Inquirer
- Boffins build all-silicon CNOT gate @ The Register
- Data logging directly to Google Docs (Google Drive) @ Hack a Day
- Samsung WB750 12.5 Megapixel BSI CMOS Sensor Wide-Angle Digital Camera Review @ ModSynergy
- NewerTech NuGreen Energy Efficient Flexible Neck LED Desk Lamp @ Nikktech
- Inside the Apple III @ Hardware Secrets
- Weekly Giveaway #27: Alpenföhn Matterhorn Pure Edition CPU Cooler @ eTeknix
- Win a unique Enermax Fulmo 'England' case for Euro 2012 @ Hardware.Info
Graphics Card (GPU) Stock Check - May 30th, 2012
Subject: Graphics Cards | May 30, 2012 - 09:21 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: stock check, radeon, nvidia, HD 7970, hd 7950, hd 7870, hd 7850, hd 7770, hd 7750, GTX 690, gtx 680, gtx 670, geforce, amd
Due to popular request, I am going to try to keep our readers up to date on the current availability of graphics cards and pricing on the market. With the recent price drops from AMD, the frequent out-of-stock status of the GTX 680 cards and the release of the GTX 670, I thought this would be a great summary of the current situation.
NVIDIA's highest end offering, the GTX 690
We will try to post new updates weekly or maybe more frequently as we see fit. Newegg is our partner of choice for this today, so let's see what we have.
AMD Radeon HD 7000 Series
Radeon HD 7970 3GB - In Stock
Starting at $469
Radeon HD 7950 3GB - In Stock
Starting at $389
Radeon HD 7870 2GB - In Stock
Starting at $329
Radeon HD 7850 2GB - In Stock
Starting at $249
Radeon HD 7770 1GB - In Stock
Starting at $129
Radeon HD 7750 1GB - In Stock
Starting at $109
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 600 Series
GeForce GTX 690 4GB - No Stock
Starting at $999
GeForce GTX 680 2GB - In Stock
Starting at $539
GeForce GTX 670 2GB - In Stock
Starting at $399
This week we have some good news! For two full days (in a row!) NVIDIA has had GTX 680 SKUs in stock at Newegg.com. The only downside is that two available at the time of this writing (EVGA Superclocked+ and Zotac AMP!) are priced a bit higher thanks to their overclock settings. The EVGA part has a base clock of 1058 MHz while the Zotac has an impressive 1098 MHz base clock compared to the reference speed of 1006 MHz. As of this post you can find the EVGA model for $539 and the Zotac option for $549. We are almost at the point to offering up these cards in our leaderboard... Gasp!
AMD is still doing great on availability with the Radeon HD 7970 and HD 7950 widely available for the price of $469 / $389 with a set of three free games including DiRT Showdown and Dues Ex: Human Revolution.
If you are looking for our latest graphics reviews to judge the performance of the above cards, here you go:
- GeForce GTX 670
- GeForce GTX 690
- GeForce GTX 680
- MSI R7970 Lightning
- Radeon HD 7870 and HD 7850
- Radeon HD 7770 and HD 7750
- Radeon HD 7950
- Radeon HD 7970
NVIDIA claims GTX 680 sales outpace GTX 580
Subject: Graphics Cards | May 29, 2012 - 04:56 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: nvidia, kepler, gtx 680, GTX 580, GK104, fermi
During the annual investors meeting with NVIDIA top-brass and the powers that hold the money on Wall Street, an interesting slide was presented in a somewhat veiled answer to the questions we (among many others) have had to the availability and yields of their latest Kepler GPUs.
At first glance, the graph would seem to validate claims that the stock and shipping rate of the new GeForce GTX 680 is simply unable to keep up with higher than expected and higher than normal demand. The line on the bottom represents the GTX 580 (both lines are mislabeled as GT rather than GTX) launch, the top the GTX 680 with the lower axis represented as weeks after launch. The vertical axis is labeled as "Units Sold Out Globally" but there are no numbers attached to it, making things incredibly vague.
When I asked for clarification all I was really given was that "it means sales of boards from AICs to distributors, system builders, e-tailers and retailers." This indicates that we are talking about boards either on Newegg.com, at Fry's or being sold through system builders like Maingear and Puget Systems.
NVIDIA's GTX 690 - one of the Kepler based cards MIA
The term "sold out" gave me a bit of pause - but when questioned "is it fair to translate 'units sold out globally' to 'units sold globally'?" I received an affirmative.
If we take NVIDIA's information as it is presented, then we see that after six weeks of product availability, the GTX 680 has sold and shipped at a rate 60% higher than that of the GeForce GTX 580 which launched in November of 2010. If that is true then we can agree with NVIDIA that demand is much higher for the GTX 680 than any other flagship GPU launch in recent memory and the continued stock and availability problems for Kepler are buyer created and strictly an NVIDIA yield issue.
NVIDIA has told me many times that they would obviously love to have more GTX 680s to sell to consumers as having them out of stock is only costing themselves money. How long it will take NVIDIA to balance out capacity with demand has yet to be seen though, so you can continue to check out our sort-of-weekly updates on GPU stock.
NVIDIA's big chip, the GK110
Subject: General Tech | May 25, 2012 - 11:28 AM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: nvidia, kepler, GTC 2012, gk110
We at PC Perspective were not the only ones who became a wee bit excited when we had the news from NVIDIA about what the GK110 Kepler chip is going to be capable of. The chip will be powering professional HPC systems with the Telsa K20 board which will deliver over a teraflop of double precision processing power. That precision is not so important to the proper rendering of fluid dynamics in the underground water of Crysis 2 but for scientists trying to model the real world it is double what they say from the previous generation of Fermi based Tesla boards. Check out The Tech Report as they delve into how NVIDIA tweaked their new architecture to deal with new choke points and the compute enhancements they've added.
"At its 2012 GPU Technology Conference, Nvidia revealed plenty of details about the biggest GPU of its Kepler generation. Here's what you need to know."
Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
- Grab your iron and add GameCube back to the Wii @ Hack a Day
- Have Internet, will travel @ The Tech Report
- GeIL Taipei Factory Tour - We almost broke an IC Testing Machine @ Tweaktown
- MSI GT70 Ivy Bridge Gaming Notebook Giveaway @ AnandTech
NVIDIA Tegra 3 gets boost with LTE Support, 30 Devices this year
Subject: Mobile | May 24, 2012 - 08:05 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: wayne, tegra 3, tegra, nvidia, LTE, icera, grey
In the middle of 2011, NVIDIA acquired a small company by the name of Icera, a maker of baseband and RF technologies that would eventually allow the company to integrate the two into a single chip. As LTE-capable devices from Verizon, AT&T and even Sprint have been announced and ship, no NVIDIA Tegra-powered phone or tablet has been able to support the feature with the lone exception of the ZTE Mimosa X in February of this year.
Today NVIDIA officially announced support and validation from AT&T on their new and growing LTE network for the Icera 410 LTE multimode chipset. This will finally allow Tegra + LTE devices to be sold and available in the US and other markets when product manufacturers integrate the two processors in future designs.
As to when we will see those designs, we aren't quite sure but nothing was announced during the NVIDIA investors day today. All we know now is that they will be coming "through this year and next."
"Validation with AT&T is an achievement that paves the way for NVIDIA Icera-powered LTE devices on the AT&T network through this year and next," said Stan Boland, senior vice president of Mobile Communications at NVIDIA.
The NVIDIA Icera 410 LTE modem delivers lightning-fast web browsing, video streaming and multiplayer gaming to tablets and clamshell devices. It is the first Icera modem to implement 4G LTE in NVIDIA's software defined radio baseband processor. Together with its multimode radio transceiver, the chipset offers 4G LTE at category 2 data rates (up to 50 Mbps) as well as 4G HSPA+, 3G and 2G compatibility.
What we DID learn at the NVIDIA investors meeting is that Mike Rayfield, GM of Tegra business unit, things we'll see as many as 30 Tegra 3 based devices for sale this year.
NVIDIA has 30 devices planned for the year. So far, we've seen just two. Of those 30 devices, some 15 will be planned for sub-$200 pricing. That's certainly the sweet spot for impulse purchases.
NVIDIA's also looking to make inroads into the Chinese market, with 18 of those 30 tablets targeted for the Asian nation. By comparison, NVIDIA only released five devices in China in 2011, Rayfield said.
The big name to know for the rest of the year is Kai. That's the low-cost, high-performance system that NVIDIA is crowing about these days, and it's what will help bring prices down while keeping prices at a more affordable level. Will there be higher-performing tablets? Sure. But will they be $200?
Producing a number of devices, like 30, is impressive but without context the fact means very little. How many of these devices are going to tablets and how many are phones? How many will be running the Microsoft Win RT operating system for ARM due out in fall?
Speaking of Icera though, NVIDIA also showed the roadmap for LTE integration including the upcoming Icera i500 LTE controller for high-end phones and tablets with newly planned integration directly on the Tegra core in a new chip called "Grey". This new processor will run parallel with the planned 2013 release of "Wayne" though it will be targeted at smartphones and lower end tablets; Wayne is planned to find its way into higher end tablets and the onslaught of clamshells we'll see with Windows RT.
There is a lot more to learn and we expect see more news come our way as we approach Computex in Taipei!
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