Archive for May, 2005
AMD’s new dual-core processor for home systems has had its official launch today. The AMD Athlon 64 X2 shows up to an 80% performance boost over traditional single-core processors.
AMD boast that their dual-core processors will see the ‘end of the hourglass’.
“With the introduction of the AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor, desktop users will gain incredible performance benefits with the ability to multi-task and do more in less time,” said Bob Brewer from AMD. “Today, AMD demonstrates yet another performance lead within the industry as the only company with a broad portfolio of multi-core technology, from server and workstation to now client solutions with the addition of the new AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor.”
AMD admit that the X2 is currently aimed at digital media enthusiasts, as well as computer users who need to run many software applications simultaneously. The average user doesn’t need to rush out and invest in a dual-core system to run FreeCell or browse the web, but buying one now would certainly future-proof for a few years.
The Athlon 64 X2 comes in four flavours, ranging from the 4800+ running 2.4 GHz with two separate 1MB caches as well as a 4600+, a 4400+ and a 4200+ with slightly slower clock speeds and variable cache configurations.
May 31st, 2005
ATI has unveiled technology that it calls ‘CrossFire’ which enables two GPUs to work together to provide faster graphics processing. The cards must be ATI Radeons, although only one card needs to be a CrossFire card for the technology to work.
However, not just any Radeon will do as the ’slave’ unit. The two CrossFire boards announced so far are the Radeon X850 CrossFire Edition and the Radeon X800 CrossFire Edition. The X850 board will only work with X850 Radeons and likewise, the X800 will only combine with another X800 board.
CrossFire will either give you a performance boost (up to 2x) or an improvement in graphic quality, but not both.
CrossFire can be hosted by any motherboard with twin x16 PCI Express slots, but ATI suggested boards based on its own Xpress 200 CrossFire Edition chips would provide the “optimal” gaming experience. Asus, ECS, Gigabyte, Tul, MSI, Sapphire and DFI will all offer CrossFire Edition motherboards later this month for both Intel and AMD processors.
System builders such as ABS, Alienware, Cyberpower, Falcon Northwest, Hypersonic, Ibuypower, Monarch PC, PC Club, Polywell, Velocity Micro, VoodooPC, and ZT Group will also carry CrossFire systems for gamers wanting pre-built systems.
“ATI’s CrossFire platform delivers the best gaming experience bar none,” said Rick Bergman, Senior Vice President and General Manager, PC Business Unit, ATI Technologies. “It is by far the most broadly compatible and flexible multi-GPU platform and gives users the most options for enhancing performance and visual quality. We believe this platform sets the stage for outstanding gaming now and in the future, with systems powered by ATI’s graphics processors and chipsets.”
May 31st, 2005
My Computer, My Documents, My Music - all these terms are for the chop in the next version of Windows, Longhorn.
The ‘My’ prefix was created by Microsoft back in the day when your average person thought a computer was a scary beast that would as soon electrocute you as allow you to organise your files. They thought it would make the PC seem fluffier, nicer and generally yours.
But, Microsoft has now decided that the days of having to make computers seem friendly has long gone and the new version of Windows will lose the ‘my’. Instead you will access ‘Computer’, ‘Documents’ and ‘Music’.
What difference will this make? None whatsoever, unless it’s the first part of a sneaky plan by Microsoft to take ownership of your files. Perhaps future versions of Windows will have folders called ‘Bill’s documents that he’s loaning to you’?
May 31st, 2005
Making a CD copy for ‘personal’ use is something that we’ve all done, but of course, we draw the line at making copies for our friends. Don’t we?
It seems Sony are about to put to the test, the popular view that copy protection is bad because it stops us backing up our music CDs. They are to trial a technology that would allow a single CD copy to be burned, but attempting to rip tracks from the burned CD would be prevented, effectively limiting the reach of a single copied CD.
The technology, known as ’sterile burning’ has been developed by UK company First4Internet.
“The secure burning solution is the sensible way forward,” First4Internet chief executive officer Mathew Gilliat-Smith said. “Most consumers accept that making a copy for personal use is really what they want it for. The industry is keen to make sure that is not abused by making copies for other people that would otherwise go buy a CD.”
Sony have not revealed which CD releases will be protected by sterile burning.
Source: ABC (Australia)
May 31st, 2005
The price of flash memory, in particular NAND flash, is set to fall sharply as DigiTimes reports that Samsung and Toshiba are “aggressively planning to ramp up their output of 8Gb NAND flash chips”. In the meantime, the journal also reports that Apple will release a 2Gb version of the iPod shuffle in June, with a 4Gb version in August.
The increase in capacity of the iPod shuffle is a natural progression in the light of falling prices for flash memory.
The original price of US$58 for an 8Gb NAND flash chip is expected to eventually fall to $30.
Samsung’s 4Gb NAND flash memory was first developed in September 2003. Following the New Memory Growth Model of double density growth every 12 months (conceived by Dr. Chang Gyu Hwang, president and CEO of Samsung Electronics Semiconductor Business), five generations of NAND flash memory have been introduced consecutively: 256Mb in 1999, 512Mb in 2000, 1Gb in 2001, 2Gb in 2002, 4Gb in 2003 and 8Gb in 2004. The company expects to roll out a 16 GB part in the second half of this year.
May 30th, 2005
TechSmec.com has always been a believer in the saying ‘you reap what you sow’ and the plain and simple fact is that in today’s era of the internet you can’t really expect someone to take nude photos of you without them showing up online at some point in your lifetime. However, that’s just what Oregon woman, Cecilia Barnes, aged 48 expected when her then boyfriend took naked pictures of her.
The problem for Cecilia is that the relationship ended, presumably on a sour note, and her ex took to posing as her in Yahoo online chatrooms. He created an online profile that not only showed the pictures, but suggested that she might be more than liberal with her sexual favours.
As a result Barnes was plagued by the more naive users of the internet turning up at her workplace (her kind ex had posted that information as well) expecting to get their collective legs over. Not surprisingly this didn’t go down too well and Barnes asked Yahoo to remove the images. Yahoo allegedly failed to do so, despite several requests and only agreed to take them down after Barnes went to the local television station.
However, Barnes claims the photos are still online and is suing Yahoo for $3 million. Nice money if you can get it.
TechSmec.com is currently looking for a new partner with whom to take nude photos, break up and launch a similar law suit….
May 27th, 2005
If you view RSS feeds in Internet Explorer, but you’ve recently downloaded Netscape 8, you may have noticed a few problems, namely that you can’t see them any more.
“We have just confirmed an issue that has started to be reported on newsgroups and forums that, after installing Netscape 8, the XML rendering capabilities of Internet Explorer no longer work,” wrote Dave Massy, senior programme manager for IE, on the Microsoft IE blog.
He posted the following workaround.
1. Uninstall Netscape 8
2. START->RUN
1. Type: regedit
2. Hit ENTER
3. Navigate to the following:
4. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Plugins\Extension
5. Highlight and right-click the node titled “xml” and select delete.
6. Restart Internet Explorer
Unfortunately if Netscape 8 remains installed then the registry key is continually rewritten so this is an essential step if you are to be able to view XML content in IE.
According to AOL, however, this workaround is unnecessary. “This issue affects a very small number of users who visit sites that require that advanced technology,” said Andrew Weinstein, an AOL spokesman, implying that AOL users may not be the most advanced of netizens if they don’t bother with RSS feeds.
“We would not encourage people to uninstall or effect their browser settings,” Weinstein said, attempting to protect Netscape 8’s currently small share of the browser market. “It’s a minor issue.”
Netscape said they would release a fix next week.
May 27th, 2005
Intel have launched a range of dual core processors known as the Pentium D. The new Pentium D 840, 830, and 820 processors are the second set of dual core chips launched by the chipmaker following the release of the Pentium Extreme Edition in April, but Intel is aiming the new chips squarely at the home entertainment user and is pricing competitively to attract that market.
The processor and its accompanying 945 chipset come with a range of enhanced features, supporting wireless networking, VoIP, high-definition displays and enhanced security.
The home entertainment user will benefit from support for wide aspect ratio, (1,080i and not 1,080p) as well as Intel’s new Media Expansion Cards (MEC). These provide a DVI output for integrated graphics and can contain twin TV tuners. The MECs are low profile and so could fit into small form factor cases and also feature passive cooling for silent operation.
Intel are suitably bullish about their new release with Robert Crooke, vice president and general manager, Business Client Group saying “Intel’s new home….platforms mark a new era in personal computing that matches the way people are increasingly using their PCs to work, communicate, entertain and play.”
The new processor is available immediately to resellers and OEMs and is already incorporated into some lines from Dell and HP.
May 27th, 2005
The president of Toshiba, Tadashi Okamura, has said that there should be a single, unified format for next-generation optical storage, but he remained unoptimistic about an agreement any time soon.
“We may actually have a situation where merchandise from both sides is put on store shelves. But the market would not allow that situation to last very long,” he said, confirming what many industry commentators have recently been saying - that one format would emerge on top. However, that one format might not necessarily be a compromise solution and instead might take the form of one or other of the competing technologies.
“They are going to lose the product launch [if work begins now on a single unfied format],” said Gerry Kaufhold, an analyst with In-Stat. “There is already substantial momentum and if you stall for 18 months you will lose millions of dollars.”
The balance has recently tipped towards Blu-Ray with the announcement that it will be supported by the PlayStation 3.
Source: DVDRecorderWorld
May 27th, 2005
The rest of the world may only just be waking up to the potential of 3G, but Japan telco NTT DoCoMo will soon develop its last 2G handset.
On the surface the move would seem to be a sign of the strength of 3G in Japan, but in fact NTT DoCoMo only has 25% of its subscribers on a 3G service. The launch of 3G was a damp squib for the company with critiscism of bulky phones and poor coverage.
There are no immediate plans to phase out the 2G service, but with the last new phones to be developed hitting the market later this year, the writing must be on the wall. DoCoMo no doubt hopes to steer new users towards 3G and eventually to switch existing users over as well.
DoCoMo intends to expand its 3G handset lineup by adding new models, including one without camera functions and another featuring mp3 playback, this summer.
May 26th, 2005
Previous Posts