Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Thursday, March 11th, 2010
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AMD is finally looking to get into the netbook game for real. Forget about the thin-and-light NEO chipset that’s been out for a while—we’re talking about an honest, netbook-specific chipset based on the company’s Fusion initiative that’ll blend power-sipping CPUs with ATI graphics. The platform will draw between 10 and 15 watts of power and will be designed for screens 12 inches and smaller. With all these netbooks coming out now that are powered by Intel Atom CPUs paired with either Broadcom HD graphics accelerators or NVIDIA ION GPUs, it appears that AMD must finally be thinking to itself, “These guys from all these different companies have to pair this CPU with that GPU or add this accelerator because Intel’s GPUs stink. We have our own CPUs and our own powerful ATI GPUs. We could do this much more easily and cheaply.” AMD’s Nigel Dessau told InternetNews.com the following: “It will have a good processor integrated with graphics, so you won’t need the Ion graphics to give it half-decent performance… If we’d had a part, we’d have been in this space. We didn’t have a part so we went and worked on a part for the thin and light space. The plan is to come to market next year with a Fusion part that fits it nicely in a netbook type thing.” With the impending confusion that’ll be caused (or is already being caused) by all the pairings between Intel, NVIDIA, and others, AMD is in a prime position to come in with a few netbook chipsets comprised of its own AMD CPUs and respectable ATI GPUs, price them $50 less than comparable Intel offerings, and watch the sales roll in. Unfortunately by 2011, who knows what state the netbook market will be in? AMD can’t just show up and say, “Look! We have a new platform that’s better than the Intel + ION pairings from last summer!” The company’s got a big opportunity here. Netbooks aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, but people are expecting to be able to do more and more with them—an area where Intel has purposely under delivered in order to try to convince consumers to purchase more expensive CPUs. As it turns out, most consumers don’t really care how fast the CPU is. They just want to watch HD videos and play games. If anyone can deliver that experience in a single, integrated, inexpensive package, it’s AMD. [ HardwareCentral via Liliputing ]
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Thursday, March 11th, 2010
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You know the good feeling you get when you think about how your computer is running Folding@home all the time, or that you’ve been careful to clip six-pack rings all your life? Well, soon you might have one more warm fuzzy feeling, if this project underway at Intel Labs Berkeley comes through. They’re designing portable air-quality sensors that monitor and sample the air around you throughout the day and allow it to be shared and analyzed later. Read the rest of this story at MobileCrunch…
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Thursday, March 11th, 2010
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You might have seen a little story bouncing around the net yesterday that Newegg unintentionally sold some fake Intel Core i7 processors to a few upset customers. Can’t really blame Newegg, since the packaging is almost exactly the same as the real ones, and of course they shipped out replacements right away. You could probably just send back the fake processor, but hey, why not keep it and take some pictures? Gearlog put up a little pictorial that honestly is only funny if you’ve ever ordered a retail box processor. The fact that the fan is just a sticker cracks me up. And it’s amazing that they can get the embossed hologram right, but spell “socket” and other things wrong.
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010
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Now we’re cooking with a substance that appears to be similar in smell, flame size, and cost per energy unit as “gas.” Asus ’ impending Eee PC 1005PR is a 10.1-inch netbook with a 1366
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010
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Dell made a huge splash back in December when it launched the Core i7 Extreme Precision M6500 beast , but it isn’t exactly a perfect mobile solution weighing in at 8.5 lbs weight and 17-inch screen. The new Precision M4500 aims to solve that dilemma by offering nearly the same power with a Intel Core i7-920XM Quad Core Extreme Edition and Nvidia Quadro FX GPU options, but with a so-much-more portable 15.6-inch screen and 6 lbs weight. Dell is calling this the most powerful 15.6-inch notebook available and we can find no fault in that claim. The company came to that conclusion by the combination of the Core-i7920XM Quad Core Extreme Edition and the Nvidia Quadro FX 1800m GPU. Combined with a maximum of 16GB, the M4500 will stand toe to toe with the M6500 and nearly any graphic workstation. The 100% user selectable color gamut sRGB LED-backlit screen helps secure its spot as a true desktop replacement notebook, too. Dell also worked in some mobility solutions, too. The M4500 packs the obligatory webcam, along Gobi 2.0 mobile broadband support and an 64GB SSD MiniCard for additional data storage that doesn’t require users to swap out the optical drive. The M4500 is also the first notebook available for Dell’s new instant-on application. Dubbed Dell Precision On, it provides users near instant access to email, calender, contact, and even the internet and virtual remote desktops. Think of it as a business-oriented splash launch screen like what’s found on most netbooks and consumer notebooks these days. The M4500 line starts out at an somewhat affordable sub-$2,000 price point, but that’s the plain jane, Core i5 model. You’re going to want to ask your IT department to get you the fully-stocked rig, which will no doubt cost more than your company-issued Corolla when they ship later this month.
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Monday, March 8th, 2010
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What is it with the last three letters of the alphabet? Why aren’t the letters STU more popular? We have the Sony Z-series and now what amounts to the LG X-series. Anyway, this wee laptop is only 17.5mm thick and weighs 2 pounds, which makes it considerably smaller than the Z-series. Standard specs: a 2GHz processor, 11.6-inch screen, and a 1.3-megapixel webcame. X-citing! No US availability right now. It is, as so many things are, Asia-only. SEOUL, Mar. 7, 2010 –LG Electronics (LG), a global leader and technology innovator in mobile communications, today announced the launch of the LG X300, the ultra-thin premium mobile PC. Its sleek and stylish look wowed the visitors at CES 2010 in Las Vegas. “Given how demanding and discerning consumers are nowadays, we were delighted to receive such acclaim from the public and media at the CES for our new mobile PC,” said Dr. Skott Ahn, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “It’s a vindication of LG’s efforts to maintain the very highest standards in design without any sacrifices in high-tech or functionality, and ensure our consumers’ experiences with LG PCs just keep getting better.” The LG X300, LG’s new flagship mobile computing device for 2010, tips the scales at a mere 970g and is only 17.5mm thick for the ultimate in portability. What’s more, the LG X300 boasts an array of enticing design features. The sleek but wide 11.6-inch LCD screen maximizes the viewing area by eschewing a bezel. Also, its unique reflective keyboard and borderless touchpad add further elegance to this premium mobile PC. To offer the complete package for the most style-conscious users, the LG X300 comes in two colors, shiny white and light brown. Fitted with a 2.0 GHz Intel Menlow platform with up to 2GB memory and 128GB SSD, the LG X300 runs Windows 7 Home Premium OS and ships with a spare 2-cell battery to provide up to seven hours of use. Thanks to its fan-less, silent operation, the portable PC is also extremely quiet to run, while the LG Smart Pack – LG’s smartest software suite for PC users – ensures the LG X300 is easy to use, even for novices. The LG X300 packs multimedia features including a 1.3-megapixel webcam with a You-Cam viewer, and SRS TruSurround HD sound. And thanks to an embedded 3G modem chipset, users can easily get online via GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, or HSDPA networks. The LG X300 will be available in Asia starting in March, followed by the Middle East and South America. Prices will vary country-to-country and will be announced separately in each market.
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Friday, March 5th, 2010
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Barco , makers of high-end medical displays, just launched the CliniScape and ProScribe tablets. The screens are 10.4-inches and 12-inches respectively and are ruggedized and drop resistant. They are also, presumably, blood-proof. The devices run an Intel Core Solo and Windows XP. The devices also come with a cool-looking aluminum dock and, most important, they are “easy to wipe clean to reduce spread of infection.” Don’t expect to pick one of these up at the local Best Buy. They’re probably crazy expensive. via MedGadget
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010
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Vince Briel, computer creator, has rebuilt the original Altair 8800, the world’s first home computer, and added a VGA and PS/2 keyboard. The computer emulates Intel’s 8080 processor with an Atmel AVR microcontroller and it has a full complement of exciting lights on the front for you to impress your friends with. Briel will be selling the PC as well as the case itself if you want to put your own PC inside an Altair lookalike. He also makes an Apple 1 replica for you to “solder together,” which sounds like a hoot. via Retrothing
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010
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Looking for a decent web-browsing machine? Sellout.Woot! is selling the 18.4-inch Averatec all-in-one with Atom CPU and Windows XP for $300 today. I reviewed the model with the big-boy Athlon X2 processor and Windows Vista back in July, should you need more info . Specs: Intel Atom N270 CPU at 1.6GHz Windows XP Home Built-in Wi-Fi (b/g) Built-in DVD burner 18.4-inch screen at 1680
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010
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Just 3.2 pounds, folks. That’s all. Jetsetting, globetrotting, running after trains and then jumping into that one open car with all the hay in it. That could be you. Except once you’re in the hay car you could get on Twitter and be like, “Just ran alongside train and jumped in open car filled with hay. Need a Claritin! Blah! ROTFLOL!” The features, please: Intel Core i5 CPU at 2.4GHz (with “Turbo Boost” up to 2.93GHz) 12.1-inch LED-backlit multi-touch screen at 1280