Design flaw in Sandy Bridge support chip will cost Intel $700M to fix

Intel Corporation has discovered a design issue in a recently released support chip, the Intel® 6 Series, code-named Cougar Point, and has implemented a silicon fix which will cost the company $700 Million. The chipset is utilized in PCs with Intel’s latest Second Generation Intel Core processors, code-named Sandy Bridge.

Click to read more ...

Breaking News: Google TV introduced at I/O Developer Conference

Google announced its Google TV initiative which integrates Android, Chrome, cloud computing and high definition TV into a singular experience.

Features will include a search box and the ability to personalize content. The demo operated by a wireless computer keyboard takes the user across the TV and Web. Powered by Android OS 2.1, Google TV is apparently an experiment in convergence. During the demo, Google's CEO Eric Schmidt brought in the CEOs of its partner companies in the Google TV project.

Click to read more ...

Intel's Nehalem architecture and the promise of efficient yet powerful computing

Nehalem from Intel Corporation The desktop processor wars between Intel and AMD have been a tug of war for the ages but it looks like Intel is gearing up for its secret weapon. Codenamed Nehalem, the next-generation chips are called Intel Core i7 and boast an entirely new architecture that focuses not only on blazing performance by unrivaled efficiency. This “best of both world,” approach is expected to trickle down to the mobile, desktop and server market segments for the processor giant. More on Nehalem from Intel after the jump Most of us are probably pretty happy with the processors we have today, in fact, anything produced in the past two years has enough power to run all but the most demanding applications, right? The Core 2 Duo architecture has been stellar in most of its iterations for desktop and mobile applications. Even the low-voltage processors used in the likes of netbooks and ultra-slim notebooks like the MacBook Air and ThinkPad X300 manage to run the most demanding applications admirably. So what can Nehalem offer that we don’t have today? Launching initially as the Extreme Edition line, the Intel Core i7, is designed to manage data at an unprecedented rate. Nehalem is capable of simultaneous multi-threading, these processors will handle eight software “threads” on four processor cores. That’s an unparalleled amount of data crunching and will be useful for high-volume data transfers such as video and audio encoding, gaming and scientific applications. This marks a bold step in processor design, with more cores built into chips than ever before. Think of each chip as being a cluster of cores acting as mini-computers, each core with the processing power of one desktop from 2 years ago. Intel isn’t just bunching together Core 2 Duo chips to create 4 core Frankenstein processors, it is building multi-core processors on a single-die. This guarantees improved bandwidth and reduced latency Coupled with Intel’s fastidious architecture and cooling design, its is only a matter of time before we see these chips powering all sorts of PCs from slim servers to notebooks and tablets. There are actually three variants of the Core i7. The first, Bloomfield, is the high-performance and gaming-class chip which is already out in the market and which slings a 3.2Ghz Quad Core processor. Soon to hit the market are more affordable mainstream models called Lynnfield and Ibex Peak. The bandwidth on these bad boys is expected to be double that of the fastest bus interconnect available on current Core 2 chips. Turbo Mode and Multi-threading inside These fast processors will be offering users some new features such as Turbo Mode, which independently ramps up the operating frequency of individual cores. This means that the clock speed of one, two or three cores can be increased by up to 266 MHz above the official rating whenever the chips detect single, double or triple-threaded software is being processed. As multi-threaded applications become more common, the power of the eight core Nehalem processors will be put to better use. Caption: Nehalem Demoed by Intel. The processor game isn’t just about raw power and brute force but also about properly channeling all this computing power effectively and distributing the workload among the different cores. Expect great things from Intel on the processor front, those who are slated to replace their desktops in 2009 and who are considering getting Nehalem processors will be no doubt rewarded with unparalleled power, efficiency and versatility that these new chips offer in abundance. -By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Click to read more ...

Hands on with Asus Eee PC 1000HA

The ASUS Eee PC model 1000HA (without the Wireless N and Bluetooth) was a revelation in terms of netbooks. Compared to the smaller, SSD-toting Eee PCs, this one can really be an all day machine. Costing $480 from Canada Computers - this is one netbook that can replace your laptop if you don't mind the missing optical drive and the smaller 10' inch screen. There are a number of features that make the Eee PC 1000HA a compelling netbook option. The 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor is a sprightly beast that can apparently be tuned down to 1.2Ghz on economy mode and boosted to 1.7GHz using the included Super Hybrid Engine application. Running it on power saving mode for this review was just fine. More on the Eee PC 1000HA after the Jump A tiny computer that can easily switch gears is great to have, you can downclock the processor for those long haul flights and kick it into overdrive when trying to beat a deadline or when it is plugged in. We also like the size of the keyboard which is very usable unlike other netbook keyboards which are absolute hell to type on. The keys themselves could be a bit stiffer but everything else about the keyboard is spot on except for the nagging placement of a page up button where the shift button should be. The touchpad is too sensitive and we managed to click and close browser windows we were still reading. Still it is of ample size and works well. Atom inside Running Windows XP, we popped in a 2GB RAM stick and the Eee PC seems to be snappier than a similar spec ThinkPad X60s which has a low power 1.6GHz Core Duo processor. Is the Atom Processor really that much faster? Its doubtful but we're more concerned about the battery life and the alleged 6-7 hours squeezed out of the Eee PCs 6 cell battery. We'll have more info on that as we put it through its paces. With Windows XP, this netbook runs efficiently and is fast for most uses. We threw on Google Chrome and it just flew, loading websites quickly and with minimum fuss. It is also whisper quiet, we have to glue our ears to the vents to hear if the fan is on at all. Same with the heat generation, the Atom processor seems to run cucumber cool while maintaining performance expected of its Pentium pedigree. Look and Feel Although plasticky with a godawful glossy finish, the Eee PC 1000HA feels more substantial and less toylike than the Eee 700. The 10 inch screen, I think, Is the sweet spot for actually getting stuff done. Fit and finish is not bad, nowhere near as solid as the HP netbooks but still pretty good for what you are paying for. The black model can certainly make you feel at home in a corporate setting and it could actually pass for a higher end Fujitsu or even a VAIO subnotebook. Upgrading the RAM is dead easy, two screws allow you to lift a panel that accesses the RAM (one slot only) and the Hard Drive. With the cheap cost of RAM these days, we suggest bumping up your spec to 2GB since this also shares the load of the integrated graphics card. You get three USB 2.0 ports and a card reader which we think should come standard on any notebook since its so convenient to work on your photos when you are travelling. Black Eee PC Conclusion Its hard to pry us away from our new MacBook but this Eee PC is just so darn light and such fun to use. The LED screen on this is gorgeous and makes the purchase price totally worth it. We have brightness down to 1/4 on the dial and it is still brighter than our ThinkPad on full setting. This means turning down the brightness to save battery life won't come at the cost of our eyesight. Yay! The styling is a bit fancy albeit still generic, the construction is solid enough but the battery seems not to lock into the body completely which makes it feel a tad flimsy. Still, for the price, this is one netbook we wouldn't mind taking out for lattes or to long flights. We'll have more info and photos in the coming days as we use the Asus Eee PC 1000HA as our daily driver. ---- UPDATE Read the Full Review on the Asus Eee PC 1000H here!

Click to read more ...