Processors

4 February 2008 - Intel today disclosed more details about its new low power IA microarchitecture, which is the basis of the 45nm high-k metal gate Silverthorne processor being targeted for first-generation Mobile Internet Devices. It is fully compatible with the Core 2 Duo instruction set, is based on dual-code, dual-issue, in-order execution and implements a 16-stage processor pipeline. It supports Intel Hyper-Threading Technology too, delivers sub-watt performance and a 2 GHs speed at one watt some time in the future.

22 January 2008 - We took 2 screenshots of the Phenom 8600 and 8400 Triple-Core processors running on the DFI 790FX board. The Triple core processors are slated for launch in Q1 this year and will be based on B2 stepping initially.

17 January 2008 - • Core 2 Extreme QX9300 will launch in Q4 '08 while X9100, T9600, T9400, P9500, P8600, P8400 will launch in June • SP9400, SP9300, SL9400, SL9300, SU9300, U3300, 723 will launch in Q3 '08

8 January 2008 - Marvel today announced that its award-winning Qdeo™ video processing is a featured technology of the Onida 42” Xaria LCD-TV, developed for the emerging markets of India and the Gulf countries. Part of the Marvell® 88DE2710 digital video format converter, Qdeo delivers quiet, natural video free of artifacts and noise, enhances the color, and intelligently scales all video inputs into a high-definition format.

28 December 2007 - Christmas is the time of giving and we gathered the geeks for a little adventure when Santa and his elves were busy. Having a Seagate Christmas Affair beats having Monica Lewinsky as long as you Get IT @ Sim Lim Square!

4 December 2007 - Techreport has learned that a chip-level problem has impacted the supply of these chips to both server OEMs and distribution channel customers. It is related to the translation lookaside buffer (TLB) in the processor's L3 cache. The erratum can cause a system hang with certain software workloads. The erratum is present in all AMD quad-core processors up to the current B2 revision. A revision B3 is in the works and expected in Q1. This bug too affects the newly introduced Phenom 9500 and 9600 processors. Although AMD has a fix for the problem in the works now but it degrades performance by 10%. Future revisions of the Phenom, including the planned Phenom 9700 model at 2.4GHz and the 9900 at 2.6GHz, will include the fix. AMD plans to replace the current Phenom 9500 and 9600 models with new 9550 and 9650 models, based on the B3 chip and more than two triple-core Phenom variants by the end of Q1.

29 November 2007 - In bringing people together and connecting us to an inexhaustible resource of information, resources, and services, nothing comes close to the power of the computer and the Internet in empowering the individual. Yet, these benefits were not universally available in the past, mainly because many people found computers to be highly complex and difficult to use. For its rugged build, and unrivalled ease of use, the ASUS Eee PC shatters all former barriers of access, putting the immense resource of the Internet within the reach of everyone. By mere point-and-click, it is changing the way we work, live and play.

24 November 2007 - Phenom 9900 with its 140W TDP is also a cause for concern of mainboard makers. Thermal stresses, particularly on the Voltage Regulation Modules would be significant enough to impact failure rates and production costs. Considering the case of Prescott's takeover on Northwood boards, history could repeat itself if TDP does not fall to 125W or less. Looks like AMD won't be coming up with open challenges against Intel anytime soon like they did during the Presler/A64 era.

25 January 2008 - VIA today announced details about their new Isaiah architecture, designed from ground up by Centaur Technology. These processors are built in 65nm technology and provide two to four times the performance of current VIA processors (at the same GHz) at the same price point with little or no increase in power consumption. The initial products will start shipping in the spring of 2008. Isaiah CN at 25W TDP will have to compete with 25W Penryn processor in the SFF and HTPC space while the Isaiah CN ULV processor will have to pit against the Silverthorne/Diamondville in the MID and UMPC space.

17 January 2008 -

17 January 2008 - • Core 2 Quad Q9650/Q9400 and Core 2 Duo E8600 will be available in Q3 '08. • Core 2 Quad Q6700/Q6600, Core 2 Duo E4600/E2200/E2180 price cut on 20-Apr • Core 2 Duo E4700 launch on 2-Mar • Core 2 Duo E8300 and E2220 launch on 20-Apr • New 45nm E7200 and Celeron Dual-Core E1400 available in Q2’08 • C2D E4700 launch on 2-Mar and E4600 price cut on 20-Apr

8 January 2008 - Intel unveiled 16 products today at the International 2008 Consumer Electronics Show at Las Vegas - including the company’s first 45nm processors for Intel® Centrino® Processor Technology based laptops. All of these new chips include the company’s new transistor formula and 45nm manufacturing process that boost a PC’s speed, reduces power requirements, saves on battery life, helps the environment and comes in smaller packages for more fashionable and compact computer designs. With the introduction of the new processors, Intel will be offering a total of 32 desktop, laptop and server processors based on these industry-leading innovations.

12 December 2007 - Today, XFX rolled out their GeForce 8800 GTS 512 MB Alpha Dog Edition graphics cards in Standard(PV-T88G-UDF) and XXX (PV-T88G-UDD) variations. The standard version boosts a core clock of 650 MHz clock, a 1625 MHz shader clock and 1.94 GHz effective memory clock on the Standard version. For the overclocked XXX version, the core clock stands at 678 MHz with a 1725 MHz shader clock.

29 November 2007 - "Neoptica has been acquired by Intel, where we are working on a number of exciting efforts in interactive computer graphics." "Previously, Neoptica developed software intended help change how interactive computer graphics is produced, used, and enjoyed. We posted a technical whitepaper that describes the technology trends acting on interactive graphics and the opportunities from harnessing current and near-future hardware architectures for programmable graphics."

24 November 2007 - Rumours afloat say that AMD intends to acquire the manufacturers of Ageia Physics Accelerator in order to access physical acceleration technology. This could be AMD's answer to Intel's acquisition of physics acceleration engine development company, Havok. However, graphics industry watchers point out that the current Ageia PhysX is of low popularity compared with Havok. Coupled to AMD's fund shortages, AMD's acquisition of Ageia not probable.

30 October 2007 -