Intel Unveils New Product Plans for High-Performance Computing

During the International Supercomputing Conference (ISC), Intel Corporation announced plans to deliver new products based on the Intel Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture that will create platforms running at trillions of calculations per second, while also retaining the benefits of standard Intel processors.

Targeting high-performance computing segments such as exploration, scientific research and financial or climate simulation, the first product, codenamed "Knights Corner," will be made on Intel's 22-nanometer manufacturing (nm) process - using transistor structures as small as 22 billionths of a meter - and will use Moore's Law to scale to more than 50 Intel processing cores on a single chip. While the vast majority of workloads will still run best on award-winning Intel Xeon processors, Intel MIC architecture will help accelerate select highly parallel applications.

Industry design and development kits codenamed "Knights Ferry" are currently shipping to select developers, and beginning in the second half of 2010, Intel will expand the program to deliver an extensive range of developer tools for Intel MIC architecture. Common Intel software tools and optimization techniques between Intel MIC architecture and Intel Xeon processors will support diverse programming models that will place unprecedented performance in the hands of scientists, researchers and engineers, allowing them to increase their pace of discovery and preserve their existing software investments. The Intel MIC architecture is derived from several Intel projects, including "Larrabee" and such Intel Labs research projects as the Single-chip Cloud Computer.

"The CERN openlab team was able to migrate a complex C++ parallel benchmark to the Intel MIC software development platform in just a few days," said Sverre Jarp, CTO of CERN openlab. "The familiar hardware programming model allowed us to get the software running much faster than expected."

"Intel's Xeon processors, and now our new Intel Many Integrated Core architecture products, will further push the boundaries of science and discovery as Intel accelerates solutions to some of humanity's most challenging problems," said Kirk Skaugen, vice president and general manager of Intel's Data Center Group. "The Intel MIC architecture will extend Intel's leading HPC products and solutions that are already in nearly 82 percent of the world's top supercomputers. Today's investments are indicative of Intel's growing commitment to the global HPC community."

TOP500

The 35th edition of the TOP500 list, which was announced at ISC, shows that Intel continues to be the platform of choice in high-performance computing, with 408 systems, or nearly 82 percent, powered by Intel processors. More than 90 percent of quad-core-based systems use Intel processors, with the Intel Xeon 5500 series

The www.top500.org .

MacBook Pro batteries experiencing failure

No one ever said change would be without incident or event. Amid Apple Computer's 2006 transition of its product lines to Intel components, several users have reported horror stories of batteries holding less than their normal charge, overheating and swelling to larger sizes in recently purchased MacBook Pro laptop computers. In certain extraordinary cases, the batteries have been compared to appearing as if they've suffered internal explosions, yet continued operating.

The batteries, apparently storing excess heat, are among the first generation of Apple Computer's Intel-component-based laptop computer line. To date, these computers have been lauded as running at faster speeds and cooler temperatures than their PowerPC-based predecessors.

Though perhaps isolated to a select batch or group of batteries, other problems have been reported such as laptop units randomly shutting down while operating on battery, requiring connections to AC power via the included power cord or failing within a few weeks after erratic behavior began.

Individual cells on the batteries have also been reported as failing in some instances, the current technology employing three functioning power cells per battery. Failure within one of those cells can reduce the battery's potential functionality and lead to overall failure over time.

To date, Apple has handled the battery repairs and replacements on a case-by-case basis but has yet to admit to a wide-scale issue.

"There's potential for a gremlin or two to sneak in there," said Michel Gartenberg, an analyst for Jupiter Research, a business analysis firm. "We're not hearing about a widespread problem or widespread dissatisfaction, but the important thing is for Apple to follow up on it appropriately or quickly.

"I've heard of situations in which you have certain batteries or products, AC adapters or early runs of the machine. It wouldn't surprise me that early adopters are having problems with machines made in the first production run," Gartenberg said.

Feedback from customers who had batteries repaired or replaced placed the blame within the manufacturing process. A purported excess amount of thermal paste, which helps the computer dissipate heat properly through cooling fans and the heat pipe system, may have contributed to the problem, allowing an excess amount of heat to feed back into the battery despite the typically lower heat output of the new Intel components.

Other comments have pointed to errors within a batch of batteries themselves.

"I didn't experience swelling. ... I had a cutoff issue with the battery. When it got between 25 percent and 33 percent of remaining battery life, the computer would just power off," said Jason O'Grady, editor of O'Grady's PowerPage, a popular Macintosh news site and blogger for ZDNet's Apple page. "No warning, data was lost, the whole bit."

Despite agreeing that too much thermal paste was applied to the design, O'Grady's experience led him to believe that the problems lay within the batteries themselves, as his original battery failed and the replacements have worked correctly since he received them. In calls placed to Apple tech support, support personnel have paid close attention to the serial numbers of the failed batteries prior to instructing customers to send the units in for replacement.

"The machines are very, very fast and excel considering the price per performance ratio," O'Grady said. "The speed and ability to also run Windows far outweigh issues such as battery problems."

O'Grady then suggested that Apple, which is renowned for its secrecy regarding new and upcoming products, could avoid similar troubles with first-generation hardware by testing them with larger focus groups. The MacBook Pro machines, though groundbreaking, may have only been placed in a small test group prior to release.

In what may be considered a quiet response to part of the problem, Apple recently released a firmware update for the 17" MacBook Pro model that adjusts fan cycles within the unit, allowing it to operate at cooler temperatures. While this may not be equivalent to a widespread or focused recall of certain battery units, it may be the company's way of gradually addressing the larger issue.

An Apple Computer representative was unavailable for comment.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International

Nothing but first-class seats at the movies

Invisible, but audible, is the latest attraction at the Bavaria Film Studios near Munich. The "4D cinema experience" is the second movie theater in Germany to have departed from conventional multi-channel sound. The IOSONO system creates perfect surround sound at every seat.

Visitors to the 4D cinema in the grounds of the Bavaria Film Studios can plunge into a completely new kind of movie experience. Not only are the images real enough to touch – as is usual in 3D movie theaters – but the sound, too, gives viewers the feeling of being in the thick of events.

Against the backdrop of an abandoned mine, the wind drives bales of dry tumbleweed across the seats of the movie theater. A thunderclap makes the audience flinch – the thunderstorm is right over their heads. Then down comes the rain, so close that they can almost feel it.

A hissing rattlesnake darts out of an old tipper truck and turns into the ghost of the old mine keeper, who takes the visitors on a helter-skelter journey through the haunted mine.

The illusion is created by state-of-the-art video and audio engineering methods. The IOSONO sound system developed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT in Ilmenau ensures perfect acoustic reproduction in all seats – regardless whether a viewer is sitting at the front or the back, at the side or in the middle.

Until now, only a few seats offered perfect surround sound. The traditional multi-channel system works by cleverly mixing the sound signals coming from right and left, back and front, but the desired surround-sound effect is only achieved at a central point in the room, the so-called "sweet spot".

IOSONO no longer has such a sweet spot, or rather, the sweet spot is everywhere. A ring of loudspeakers is positioned right round the movie theater. The acoustic signals emitted by the speakers overlap and interact in such a way as to create the perfect surround sound experience in every seat. "The IOSONO technology makes sound waves spread evenly across the room, rather like the ripples you create when you throw a pebble into a pond," explains Dr. Sandra Brix of the IDMT, a member of the IOSONO development team.

A "synthetic wave field" is generated by superimposing the sound waves from all 432 loudspeakers. Although calculated by several computers, this wave field conveys a realistic impression of natural sound. Nothing is left to chance: The sound engineer can place a virtual sound source at any point in the room, and the software ensures that the loudspeakers produce the corresponding acoustic signals – such as the rattlesnake, which appears poised to strike the viewer, regardless of whether he or she is sitting in the front or the back row.

Source: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Fenrir X'mas Edition

Fenrir - X'mas Edition

Titan’s Fenrir HSF has garnered numerous awards worldwide since itsintroduction in 2008. To celebrate this achievement and Christmas,Titan has launched the X’mas edition of the Fenrir (TTC-NK85TZ/CS-RB). Featuring a high density fin design and 4 8mm heatpipes with Heat PipeDirect Contact technology for rapid heat dissipation, the X’mas Fenrircomes bundled with a powerful 12cm fan with embedded PWM speedcontroller. With its universal mounting system, the Fenrir X’masEdition is fully compatible with all Intel LGA 775/LGA1156/LGA1366 andAMD K8/AM2/AM3 sockets. With a unique plating technology, Titan is ableto create an aesthetically pleasing “triple-color gradation” on theX’mas Fenrir. We believe the thermal performance of the X’mas Fenrirshould be in-line with its predecessors and its distinctive looks mayappeal to modders who have transparent side panels.

Features
4 nos. 8mm heatpipes with Heat Pipe Direct Contact feature for rapid heat dissipation120mm fan for superior silent performance at 17dBA Embedded PWM intelligent controller automatically adjusts fan speedHigh density fin design maximizes thermal performanceUniversal mounting allows full compatibility with Intel LGA 775/LGA1156/LGA1366 and AMD K8/AM2/AM3 socketsNews via [Titan]

Dates for Intel Xeons WoodCrest

Intel is set to announce Core and Dual-Core WoodCrest on the19th of June 2006, with the goods being delivered no later than 25th of June2006. The retail name will stick with the established Intel Xeon name. Duringthat time there will be Xeons based on the Dempsey Core and the new WoodCrestCore so consumers should take note that Xeon 50xx refers to one on the Dempseycore while Xeon 51xx refers to one on the WoodCrest.

The initial WoodCrest processors we will see include Xeon 5110(1.6GHz/4MBL2/1066MHz FSB), Xeon 5120(1.86GHz/4MB L2/1066MHz FSB), Xeon 5130(2GHz/4MBL2/1333MHz FSB), Xeon 5140(2.33GHz/4MB L2/1333MHz FSB), Xeon 5150(2.66GHz/4MBL2/1333MHz FSB) and the top-range Xeon 5160(3GHz/4MB L2/1333MHz FSB), based onthe LGA 771 socket. These processors are relatively low power-consuming, drawinga maximum of 80w, compared to the 130w maximum consumption of the previous genDempsey. They will support Intel EM64T, Intel Execute Disable Bit, IntelVirtualization Technology while Demand-Based Switching will only be supported onXeon 5140 and higher models.

The low voltage Xeon LV Sossaman core  and the new generation of Xeon LVwill both still be based on Socket 771, LV WoodCrest Core will be the Xeon 5148(2.33GHz/4MB L2 Cache/1333MHz FSB) drawing only 40w of power. They will fullysupport Intel EM64T, Intel Execute Disable Bit, Intel Virtualization Technologyand Demand-Based Switching.

Xeon 5110, 5120, 5130, 5140, 5150 and 5160 will be retailing for USD$ 209, $ 256,$ 316, $ 455, $ 690 and $ 851 respectively. Xeon 5148 will retail for around USD$ 519and Intel will not be putting out any models higher than Xeon 5160 before thesecond quarter of 2007. The first Quad Core Xeon CloverTown will debut inquarter 1 of 2007.

Dell Smartphone Gets Official Appearance in China

With speculations all over the net, Dell's Smartphone have made an official appearance in China.

Branded Mini 3i, things are starting to get interesting here for Dellas the Mini 3i is on-hand as part of the launch of China Mobile's newApplicationPlatform that offers music, video, and app downloads to various mobilephone manufacturers and that includes Dell.

The Dell Mini 3i is a candybar device that comes with the Android-based Open Mobile System (OMS) and has a 3.5-inch 360 x 640 pixel device with capacitive touchscreen.

The downside ? It lacks WiFi (or Chinese WAPI) and is strictly 2G GSM(no 3G) but does come with a 3 megapixel camera, microSD slot,Bluetooth, and 950mAh battery. G

No details given for the retail date or the price.

CyanogenMod 9-RC1 now available

Before taking off for the Google I/O in San Francisco, the CyanogenMod team announced the release of the CyanogenMod 9.0-RC1.

It has been 225 days since Google unleashed Android ICS for developers to work on, and within that time the people working on CM9 has managed to whip out official support for 37 devices. The team claims that CM 9.0 RC1 is a stable build which they have put countless hours into producing.

Although 37 devices may not seem like a big number, it is because of the effort of the official CM9 devs that people outside of the official team can work on porting CM other devices.

The CM team points out that the RC1 release will be the first of many more RC1’s, and support for additional devices are on their to-do list.

Check out the official post here for more details.

DDR SDRAM Prices Falling

DDR prices have fallen by more than 10 percent on the open market. The pricing fluctuation occurred when Hynix Semiconductor allegedly dumped 5 million 256-megabit DDR SDRAM devices in China. Open market pricing for the DDR 32 x 8 fall from the $ 6.65 range to the $ 5.30 to $ 5.90 range, depending on manufacturer. Admittedly many were caught unaware and speculators further contributed to the price erosion by unloading additional product into the market rather than risk getting caught in a losing situation, resulting in a 10 percent slide in DDR pricing. Choppy DDR pricing over the next several weeks with the 32 x 8 fluctuating between the $ 5.10 to $ 5.70 range and 16 x 16 configured product to sell in the $ 5.65-$ 6.00 range.

AMP Announces Gold Bullet USB Flash Drive

PRESS RELEASE



Fremont, California – November 3, 2010 – Active Media Products, a leading manufacturer of SSDs and USB drives, today launched a new USB 2.0 flash drive in the shape of a 50-caliber bullet. This gold bullet drive features a rugged aluminum case with an air-tight rubber seal, making the drive waterproof when closed. Measuring about 3.0 inches in length and 0.6 inches in diameter, the bullet drive is offered in 4GB and 8GB capacities. "Our goal is to constantly reinvent the USB drive, making a unique combination of style and functionality." commented Active Media Products VP of Sales, Jerry Thomson.


The bullet includes a strong steel keychain and clip for attaching the drive to a backpack or keyring. This new bullet drive is available now through Amazon, at approximately $12 for the 4GB model and $21 for the 8GB drive.


About Active Media Products

Based in the heart of Silicon Valley, Active Media Products LLC is dedicated to developing creative new media products that improve performance and enhance the user’s experience. Our focus on innovative product development enables us to bring new technology to market a step ahead of the competition. AMP is a leader in small form factor SSDs and manufactures the Wink and the endangered species line of USB drives.

Apple's Genius ad not a smart move

Apple, for a long time, has relied heavily on marketing to sell their products. It’s anyone’s call to judge whether or not an Apple product lives up to the marketing hype, but it doesn’t take a “Genius” to know the world’s hunger for Apple’s apples is almost unappeasable at times.

Despite all the successes of past campaigns, Apple’s recent “Genius” ads are receiving some harsh criticism from Ken Segall—known for his involvement in the “Think Different” campaign.

In recent a blog post, Segall said that the Genius ads dont fully express the quality of the Apple brand. The “idea” behind the ads were good, but according to Segall the “execution” was poor.

“The ‘idea’ is pretty good. I’m not convinced it’s worthy of an ongoing campaign, but there is some good comedy in the basic concept. The problem is, a good idea is only half of the winning formula in advertising. The other half is execution — and that’s where this campaign went south.”

Yikes, Apple’s Genius ads are causing the company’s image to go south? This is a harsh rejection from a person that is relatively familar with past Apple marketing campaigns. Segall argues that Apple’s past ads instill the concept of “ordinary people doing extraordinary things” with the help of an easy to use product.

The recent Genius ads, however, take away the sense of self-reliance, which is a direct contrast to Apple’s past ads. Therefore, consumers are the ones on the “dim side”, and the Genius employee becomes the all-important figure in the campaign. The element of flattering a consumer’s ego is not there, and if a potential buyer doesn’t feel good about himself then he won’t feel good about the product.

“Therein lies another problem with this campaign. In the effort to show that the Genius is the most helpful guy in the world, Apple has created customers who, shall we say, are on the dim side. In past ads, Apple has shown “ordinary people doing extraordinary things,” simply because Apple products are so easy to use. Now we have thick people who want to be better, but need a Genius to help. Not exactly flattering.”

Segall vehemently objects the Mac vs PC idea, as he believes it downgrades the “quality” of the Apple brand. Apple is not Best Buy or an OEM like Dell, therefore, according to Segall, the ads should reflect the unique Apple brand and not the brands of others.

“The idea of creating a “character” from an Apple employee is… well…. damn, I can’t even say this without feeling awful… it feels like something Best Buy would do. Maybe even Dell. Between the writing, casting, directing and production, this campaign has a very “local” feel to it. It doesn’t have the feel of quality that has defined previous Apple advertising.”

So Segall thinks Apple screwed up the Genius ads, but if the late Steve Jobs was still around, could such a failure be rectified?

“Every one of us, Steve Jobs included, has experienced failure,” Segall said.

In the end, it goes without saying that "customers are always right." You decide the genius behind the Genius ads.

Arctic Cooling Announces Standalone Accelero Twin Turbo Pro

Accelero Twin Turbo Pro

Swiss based Arctic Cooling has launched its standalone Accelero Twin Turbo Pro,a revised version of its predecessor, the Accelero TWIN TURBO.Measuring 215 x 115 x 52mm and weighing 450g, the Accelero Twin TurboPro is embedded with 2x 92mm (Fluid Dynamic Bearing) fans, capable ofup to 2000 RPM (depending on GPU load) and features 4 copper heatpipes,35 aluminium fins and pre-applied Arctic MX-2 thermal compound on itsbase.


Top View


Base With Arctic MX-2

Elevation

Fully compatible with a myriadof ATI and Nvidia graphic solutions*, the Accelero Twin Turbo Pro iscurrently bundled with premium Inno3D, PowerColor/Vertex3D, ELSA andAxle graphic cards. Backed by a 6-year limited warranty, the AcceleroTwin Turbo Pro will be available in December a MSRP of US$49.90 and34.90 Euro (excl. VAT) via its online store.

“The Swiss lownoise cooling solution provider ARCTIC COOLING today announced thelaunch of the Accelero TWIN TURBO PRO. This dual-fan cooler is designedfor fitting ATI and nVIDIA graphic cards, offering a truly cool andquiet solution for most enthusiasts.”


*ATI Radeon HD 5870, 4890, 4870, 4850, 4830, 3870, 3850, 2600, 2400, X1950, X1900, X1800, X1650, X1600, X1550, X1300 series

*nVIDIAGeForce GT240, GTS250, 9800GTX+, 9800GTX, 9800GT, 9600GT, 8800GTS(G92),8800GT, 8600, 8500, 8400, 7950GT, 7900, 7800, 7600, 7300, 6800, 6600series

News via [ArcticCooling]

Les designers de SWTOR lorgnent sur le free-to-play

Emmanuel Lusinchi, designer principal de BioWare sur Star Wars : The Old Republic, a confié au site web GamesTM qu'il s'intéressait à une éventuelle évolution du jeu en free-to-play. Selon lui, le marché du MMO se veut très compétitif et très dynamique, exigeant une certaine capacité d'adaptation que semble offrir le modèle free-to-play, en vue des succès que ce modèle rencontre ces derniers temps.

Rien n'est encore décidé à l'heure actuelle, mais Emmanuel Lusinchi a bien spécifié qu'il y réfléchissait sérieusement, afin de pallier entre autre aux quelques 400 000 abonnés perdus plus tôt dans l'année. Mais aussi pour faire face à la compétition toujours plus rude entre les différents MMO.

· Forum Star Wars : The Old Republic

ARCTIC COOLING Silentium T11 and ARCTIC HC 01-TC

Chassis with Quality and Durability

Choosing a well-made chassis for your computer core components is an initial and critical decision for computer builders. A chassis nowadays is more than just a skeleton to provide structure for the components, it should also be a framework that allows good and silent cooling, and have a stylish appearance at the same time. The new chassis, ARCTIC Silentium T11, contains all the superior qualities that any computer users may look for. This series is affordable, yet offering exceptional durability, expandability and accessibility to users.

The Silentium T11 is a mid-tower with dimensions of 49 (L) x 43 (H) x 19cm (W). The design of this chassis features sturdy and durable steel construction that provides solid foundation for computer internal hardware.

There are two USB and audio ports on the front of the chassis to allow users to connect external and audio devices easily. For visual appearance, the front panel also includes two covers to conceal CD-ROM and DVD-writer device bays. It contains four 5.25" external drive bays and one 3.5" internal drive bay. Its design also supports up to 35cm long high-end VGA boards. The spacious space inside the chassis is ideal for overclockers to install.

The Silentium T11 also showcases tool-free installation for quick assembly and upgrade. Side panel slides open easily with thumb screws. Similarly, tool-free and screwless installation for mounting 5.25" drive bays is also very convenient for builders. The Silentium T11 is available in black and white.

The Case with ARCTIC Temperature-Controlled Fans

The Silentium T11 comes with two temperature-controlled ARCTIC 120mm fans. These controlled fans complement with the framework of the chassis to provide adequate airflow and offer maximum cooling performance at a minimum noise level. The temperature controlled fans are ideal to provide sufficient ventilation inside the chassis.

Since these fans are able to self-regulate their speed and work automatically according to the internal chassis temperature, further adjustments in computer settings are not required. The speed of the fan is able to remain at its lowest rpm at most times. This is to offer adequate ventilation at lowest noise level possible. However, the fan speed is adjusted to its maximum to provide instant cooling when the internal temperature reaches its critical range.

The Air Flow inside the Chassis

Unlike other generic PC cases, the design of the Silentium T11 is different in several ways to provide maximum cooling capacity to the internal computer hardware. Besides the two intaking fans, the Silentium T11 incorporates an unprecedented feature, a VGA air hood, to guide intake air directly to the VGA board. The air hood acts as a tunnel to trap the incoming air to flow into the VGA board directly and thus, provide maximum cooling effect to the VGA board.

The rear fan pulls in cool air into the case and gives sufficient cool air to the CPU. The CPU is then able to maintain at a low temperature since the rear fan is feeding cool air into the CPU cooler. This is what makes the Silentium T11 to be superior since it offers new fan ventilation technology.

All in all, the Silentium T11 is an ultimate computer case for anybody – from personal or home office users to professional overclockers. Since it is embedded with high-quality and convenient features, the ARCTIC Silentium T11 is an excellent option when choosing a computer case.

MB Form Factor:Full / Micro ATX
Material:SECC
Drive Bays:4 x 5.25" (external), 1 x 3.5" (internal)
Expansion Slots: 7
Front Panel I/O: 2 x USB 2.0, 2 x Audio
Ventilation:2 x 120mm ARCTIC F12 TC
Dimension:49 (L) x 43 (H) x 19 (W)
Net Weight:5kg

The Silentium T11 comes with a 2 year limited warranty. It is available in mid of October 2010. The MSRP is US$59.95/ 49.95€, excl.VAT.

ASUS Eee Pad Shipments Hit 400,000 units a Month

The sleek tablet is gaining popularity quickly. ASUS had already shipped 400,000 units of the Eee Pad Transformer for the month and it is expected to increase further. ASUS had set a goal of shipping two million sets in 2011 and it seems that it will meet the target effortlessly. Sources also indicated that ASUS had requested a monthly target of 400,000 to 500,000 units from its touch panel suppliers.

Source: Digitimes

ASUS Xonar D2 Live Demo @ Computex

These slides are released by Asus and VR-Zone will test out these two cards soon ina soundcard shootout.

ASUS has unveiled their Xonar D2 series at CeBIT previously and now for the first time, they are going to have a live demo of their Xonar D2 sound card at Computex. Check out what ASUS has to say about their solution vs the Creative X-Fi Elite Pro.

The Creative X-Fi can also support EAX 1,2,3 & 4 as well as EAX 5 and support all the games that uses EAX Hardware acceleration at this point of time.

ATi Demo R520 at E3

ATI is running working R520 silicon behind closed doors at their booth here at E3. The R520 was running in an Intel PCIe system at ATI's booth. The system was used to demonstrate Remedy's upcoming title called Alan Wake. Alan Wake is designed for the next-generation consoles (e.g. Xbox 360 and PS3), and thus wasn't running perfectly smoothly on the R520 but performance was quite respectable. Prey, another title using the Doom 3 engine, may have also been running on R520 silicon. We have received information that ATi will be launching their R520 in August and the versions they are going to have are not finalized yet.

ASUS PR P7F7-E WS SuperComputer Motherboard Leverages the Latest I O Innovations

ASUS Introduces Next-generation Serverboard Connectivity Features
ASUS today announced the launch of the new ASUS P7F7-E WS SuperComputer motherboard which maximizes transmission speeds by integrating the industry's latest I/O technologies such as USB 3.0, SATA 6G storage interface, and IEEE 1394b FireWire standard. Additionally, the ASUS P7F7-E WS SuperComputer is equipped with the LGA1156 socket and the latest Intel® 3450 chipset with onboard graphics. For extreme gaming enjoyment, up to four ATI® CrossFireX cards or 3-way/2-way NVIDIA® SLI cards can be accommodated to generate smoother and sharper visuals. It also leverages NVIDIA® CUDA(tm) parallel computing architecture to support up to four NVIDIA® Tesla cards with Clarkdale Processors for intensive high-performance computing.

Ultra-fast Throughput with USB 3.0, SATA 6Gb/s and IEEE 1394b InterfacesThe ASUS P7F7-E WS SuperComputer is the best choice for providing comprehensive I/O support. It includes USB 3.0 ports-the latest connectivity standard with 4.8Gb/s speeds-to support next-generation components and peripherals. USB 3.0 transfers data ten times faster and is backward compatible with USB 2.0 components. Additionally, the ASUS P7F7-E WS SuperComputer includes Serial ATA (SATA) 6Gb/s storage interfaces for 6.0Gbps data throughput, thus enhancing scalability, accelerating data retrieval, and doubling the bandwidth of current bus systems. To support FireWire-enabled digital video recorders and computers, the ASUS P7F7-E WS SuperComputer also includes two IEEE 1394b ports supporting up to 800Mb/s speeds-doubling the previous IEEE 1394a speeds.
Massive Computing Power up to 4 Teraflops with CUDA Parallel ProcessingA powerful and efficient platform, the ASUS P7F7-E WS SuperComputer supports high-performance computing for life sciences research, engineering and financial modeling with its NVIDIA ® CUDA(tm) parallel computing architecture. By accommodating up to four NVIDIA® Tesla cards with built-in Clarkdale processors, the ASUS P7F7-E WS SuperComputer generates up to 4 Teraflops of processing power from a total of 960 CUDA parallel processing cores.
Stunning Graphics with Multi-GPUs Powered by SLI or CrossFireX(tm) TechnologyThe ASUS P7F7-E WS SuperComputer provides incredible graphics flexibility and enhanced scalability from a single motherboard by supporting either 3-way/2-way SLI or 4-way CrossFireX technology. Users can install up to three SLI-capable GeForce® graphics cards at x16, x8, and x8 connection speeds, or two graphics cards at true x16 connection speeds.
Six Embedded Memory Slots for Flexible Memory OptionsEmbedded with six memory slots, the ASUS P7F7-E WS SuperComputer can accommodate up to 16GB of DDR3 memory. The flexible options include installing four 4GB modules or two 4GB modules and two 2GB modules. As the price of a 2GB module is 15% less than a 4GB module, the ASUS P7F7-E WS SuperComputer gives users the flexibility to acquire the most RAM at the lowest cost.
GPU Boost Delivers Free iGPU UpgradeGPU Boost overclocks the integrated GPU in real time for the best graphics performance. The user-friendly UI supports direct frequency and voltage adjustments. Its ability to deliver multiple overclocking profiles also provides rapid and stable system-level upgrades within the OS environment.
Easy Connection of USB-based Devices with Quick GateUsers can directly connect USB-based devices via the on-board Quick Gate interface-without an extension cable. This reinforces the connection link and prevents partial transmissions and loss of data.
SpecificationsModel:P7F7-E WS SuperComputerCPU Socket:1x LGA1156 socket for Intel® Xeon(tm) 3400 series, Core(tm) i7/Core(tm) i5/ Core(tm) i3/Pentium®Supports Intel® Turbo Boost TechnologyChipset:Intel® Ibex Peak 3450 Chipset/ Nvidia NF200*1Memory:6 DIMMs, supporting up to 16GB DDR3 2000(O.C.)*/1600/1333MHz.ECC, un-buffered memoryPower Phase:16 + 3Expansion Slots:2x PCIe 2.0 x16 (@ x16 or x8),2x PCIe 2.0 x16 (@ x8),3x PCIe x1 (@ x1)Multi-GPU:Supports 3-way/2-way NVIDIA® Geforce SLI(tm) technology,Supports ATI® CrossFireX(tm) technology, up to Quad CrossFireX(tm)CUDA Support:Support up to 4 NVIDIA GPUs,3x NVIDIA Tesla cards + 1x NVIDIA Quadro fX5800 card up to 960 coresEach core delivers one teraflop of processing powerStorage:2x SATA 6Gb/s, 6x SATA 3Gb/sGigabit LAN:2Audio:10-channel output, DTS encodingOther I/O ports:1*PS/2, 1*IEEE1394a, 2*LAN, 6*USB(4 for USB2.0 and 2 for USB3.0, 1*Optical S/PDIF out, 1*DVI-I output potUSB:2 USB 3.0 ports ( 2 ports at back panel),12 USB 2.0 ports ( 6 ports at back panel, 6 ports at mid-board)1394a:2 1394b ports (2 at back panel) + 1 1394a port (1 at back panel)Form Factor:ATX Form Factor, 12 inches x 9.6 inches ( 30.5cm x 24.5cm )
Specifications are subject to change without prior notice. Please visit www.asus.comfor more details.

AMD Unveils New Consumer Products In Singapore, Under Vision Brand

Tomo Kamiya, Regional Vice President of AMD, South Asia, was present at the event.

"What we want to make sure is when a customer has a purpose to buy a PC, it will be easy for them. When they purchase one with an AMD platform, we want to give them the best visual experience they can find. You won't see a single processor or RAM details; you will see Vision, Vision Premium, Vision Ultimate and Vision Black" says Kamiya.

Some of the laptops showcased at the AMD event, including a Toshiba with AMD Triple Core processor. Other models include Fujitsu Lifebook LH520, ThinkPad x100eand ASUS N61da.

AMD will also have a booth at the PC Show tomorrow and you can expect to see PC makers selling the laptops and desktops with AMD Vision. Check it out if you're there.

ASUS P5B Deluxe w C.G.I Technology

Asus Technology Pte Ltd (ASUS), the worldwide leader of motherboards is proudto announce the self-developed Cross Graphics Impeller (C.G.I.) technology,which provides a significant performance increase over competing Intel P965/ATICrossFire motherboards without this advanced innovation. C.G.I is now availableon the ASUS P5B Deluxe and P5B Deluxe/WiFi-AP motherboards.

C.G.I found exclusively in ASUS P965 motherboards

CrossFire performance optimization offered by C.G.I occurs in Direct MediaInterface (DMI) between the P965 Northbridge, which carries one x16 PCI Expressslot (x16 PCI Express Lanes) , and ICH8R Southbridge, where another x16 PCIExpress slot (x4 PCI Express Lanes) resides. C.G.I streamlines data transferbetween the Northbridge and Southbridge, delivering enhanced performance duringCrossfire dual-GPU mode.

Simple upgrade

Users of the two ASUS motherboards can upgrade to C.G.I by dowlonding the latestBIOS on the ASUS support website, www.support.asus.com, with the friendlyLiveUpdate utility for BIOS reflash. C.G.I is automatically activated whenCrossFire graphics cards are installed.

P5W DH Deluxe (975X)P5B Deluxe with C.G.I

P965 motherboard without C.G.I3DMark051730816021156323DMark061007191828948

AMD to Drop ATi's Brand Name

It looks like the acquisition just might be the death of ATI. At least as a brand name, that is. CustomPC had the chance to interview AMD's Gareth Carter, who stated assuredly that after the deal is finished, "The new company will be called AMD."

Richard Baker, Marketing Manager for AMD in Northern Europe, also weighed in during the interview, saying that it was unknown whether the familiar Radeon brand name would bite the dust as well. "'We haven't made any final decisions yet," he said. "But I'd personally be very surprised if we dropped any of those product names. The ATI company name is definitely going, though."

Baker went out of his way during the interview to stress the fact that the AMD/ATI deal was in no way a merger, but instead a complete takeover. Therefore, it is sensible that AMD would no longer retain the monikers of the acquired company, instead opting for a uniform brand-name throughout its products.

Chris Hook, Head of European PR at ATI, also provided a response to CustomPC on the name dump, stating "I don't have a personal emotional attachment to it, one way or another." He then moved topics to talking a little bit about what is to (hopefully) come of the acquisition:
"I think the important thing is that we're going to make good products. ATI may be gone, but certainly lots of discussion is going to come over the next few days about the rest of our brands and their strengths."

Apple iOS and Android tied in Christmas sales

Apple iOS and Android devices were popular Christmas gifts throughout the world, with the two rivals virtually tied in the heated battle for holiday sales.

There were 12 times more new devices using the mobile operating systems form Apple and Google over the Christmas weekend compared to previous weekends, according to mobile app analytics firm Localytics.Despite the two platforms being roughly neck and neck, their popularity differed greatly from region to region. For example, Apple devices sold best in the US and Germany, while Android devices did better in South Korea and Sweden.iOS devices were up 12.5 times, with a 14 times increase in iPhone sales, but a massive 21 times increase in iPods, showing that Apples classic music player still has some life in it.Androids increase was not far behind at 12 times more sales, but Android now leads in more markets than Apple, ruling 14 of the top 20 global markets, which will likely see it become the overall market leader in the months and years to come.South Korea was a particularly strong victory for Android, with a lead of over 80 percent compared to iOS. Sweden and Japan also saw huge gaps between the two, with Android leading by 45 percent and 50 percent respectively.

Apple released codes for Grand Central Dispatch

Snow Leopard's new Grand Central Dispatch feature, which serves as a system-wide mechanism for managing parallel task execution across multiple processor cores for developers, involves multiple components in the operating system.

The user-space implementation of the Grand Central Dispatch services API, called libdispatch, has been delivered as its own open source project, joining with other components that are part of projects Apple has already designated as open, including the kernel components in the Darwin OS XNU kernel and the blocks runtime that is part of the LLVM project.

Apple's code giveaway was "something of a surprise," according to MacResearch, a website covering the use of Apple technologies in the scientific research community, because the new feature of Snow Leopard "could be seen to give Apple a competitive edge in the new world of multi-core."

However, opening the code to the community could help pave the way for its adoption. Writing for MacResearch, Drew McCormack noted, "Until today, it would have been very unlikely that any new UNIX tools would be developed on Mac OS X using Grand Central, simply because they would only run on the Mac. With the possibility that Grand Central will become available on other UNIX systems, the likelihood that Grand Central will be incorporated into command line tools is greatly increased."

McCormack said there was little risk to Apple of sharing its new code, saying that it was "unlikely that Grand Central would be used by any direct competitor to Apple, like Microsoft," and noting that its adoption by other Uunix and Linux systems would not "really pose a threat to Apple’s consumer-based business."

Apple contributes to and runs a variety of open source projects, from WebKit to CUPS. Some efforts to open source its code have been wildly successful, while other have seen little enthusiasm. For example, there has been no real interest in Apple's launchd among the greater open source community out side of Mac OS X, in large measure because it would require a massive reworking of Linux in order to put it to use.

Open source support for other Apple code that is easier for others to use has been a mixed bag. There has been some limited use of Darwin Streaming Server, Apple's RTSP streaming project incorporated in Mac OS X Server as QuickTime Streaming Server. Webkit has been wildly successful, particularly in the mobile arena. Bonjour has been implemented for Linux, and taken in new directions.

Significant new outside interest in Grand Central Dispatch could result in a wider support base for building parallelism compatible with Apple's other open technologies, such as OpenCL. The availability of the dispatcher on Linux and other Unix operating systems would also help generate demand for other command line utilities that tap into its power. That would help Apple leverage its technologies in markets where it has a minority position, such as in the enterprise and supercomputing.

Source: AppleInsider

Apple customer satisfaction plummets in last 18 months

Apple remains the industry leader in terms of customer service quality, but that may soon change, as customer support satisfaction has been steadily dropping for the company over the past 18 months, according to a report by Vocal Laboratories.

During the second half of 2011 Apples support call satisfaction, where customers said they were “very satisfied,” was down to 54 percent, a huge drop from its 73 percent satisfaction in the first half of 2010.This still leaves Apple ahead of the competition, such as HP with 49 percent and Dell with 44 percent, but the gap between them is significantly narrower than it was before, and such a large drop in such a short space of time presents a worrying future for the customer satisfaction rating of the company.“Despite its significant decline, Apple continues to lead our survey in overall tech support quality,” said Peter Leppik, CEO of Vocal Laboratories. “But where Apple used to be well ahead in nearly every measure of service quality, there are now areas where Apple is tied with, or even behind, its competitors.”In terms of customer complaints, only one percent complained about the language skills of their support technician, compared to 10 percent for HP and eight percent for Dell. Likewise, one percent complained about costs, compared to six percent for the rival companies.Apple has prided itself on a consistently high rating of customer satisfaction, but as competition mounts in many of its dominant sectors, the crown could finally be slipping.

ASUS launches P6X58-E WS workstation motherboard

Singapore (March 15, 2011) - Proving the Intel® X58 architectures enduring potential and value, the P6X58-E WS ships with multi-GPU support for both NVIDIA® SLI™ and AMD CrossFireX™, SATA 6Gb/s and USB 3.0. It also includes built-in server-class Intel® LAN, as well as ASUS-developed highlights such as Xtreme Phase power delivery and EPU energy consumption optimization. The new board ships with the ASUS 24X24 pledge, meaning 24-hour non-stop operation and 24-month guaranteed market availability to reduce costs due to involuntary product replacement.

Flexible multi-GPU configuration

A dedicated expansion slot controller ensures increased bandwidth availability for each connected graphics card, hence the P6X58-E WS supports up to 3-way NVIDIA® SLI™, with each of the triple PCI-E channels working at full X16 speeds. For AMD CrossFireX™, the P6X58-E WS offers up to quad-GPU arrangements, with each PCI-E channel working in X16.

This graphics flexibility and capacity aims to serve the needs of workstation users who require advanced graphics processing capabilities for professional ventures, including computer-aided design, graphics rendering, high definition video editing, animation, engineering and modeling.

SATA 6Gb/s and USB 3.0

The P6X58-E WS represents the first appearance of SATA 6Gb/s and USB 3.0 data transfer standards on an Intel® X58-based workstation motherboard. USB 3.0 works up to ten times faster than USB 2.0, offering significant time savings when handling large amounts of data. SATA 6Gb/s likewise doubles the throughput of SATA 3Gb/s, expediting transfer rates and creating a more reliable and efficient work environment.

Dual server-class Intel® Gigabit LAN

Two hardware-accelerated Intel® Gigabit LAN ports double the connection bandwidth available to users, while at the same time reducing CPU utilization. The implementation by ASUS of server-grade Intel® LAN reduces CPU load in half when compared with competing workstation motherboards by carrying out net-related calculations off the main processor. As a consequence, connections become faster and more stable, featuring reduced packet loss and lower latency. Users also benefit from an overall faster system, as greater CPU resources remain free to tackle other tasks. These accelerated Gigabit ports support dedicated server operating systems as well as VMWare® virtualization for increased functionality and efficiency on streamlined hardware.

Exclusive ASUS Features

To better handle professional applications, the P6X58-E WS features ASUS Xtreme Phase power delivery components for more efficient, cleaner power, improved stability and increased reliability. Users also benefit from the inclusion of the exclusive Energy Processing Unit, or EPU, a proprietary ASUS programmable microchip that supervises energy consumption across the system to reduce power wastage. The AI Suite II application center brings together a wide range of utilities and ASUS tools, offering users greater control over system performance, capabilities and features, among them the versatile TurboV overclocking interface.

Specifications

CPU

1 x Socket LGA1366

Intel® Core™ i7 desktop processors
Intel® Xeon 5500 / 5600 / 3500 / 3600 series server processors

Chipset

Intel® X58 Express
NVIDIA® NF200

Memory

6 x DIMM, max 24GB

DDR3 2000(OC)/ 1866(OC) / 1800(OC) / 1600 (OC) / 1333 / 1066MHz, ECC / non-ECC unbuffered memory

Power delivery

Xtreme Phase 16+2

Expansion slots

2 x PCI-E 2.0 x16 (@x16 or x8)
2 x PCI-E 2.0 x16 (@ x8)
1 x PCI-E 2.0 x16 (@ x16)
1 x PCI-E x1 (@ x1)

Multi-GPU support

NVIDIA® 3-Way GeForce SLI™
AMD® quad CrossFireX™

CUDA support

Up to 4 NVIDIA® Tesla™ GPUs

Gigabit LAN

2 x Intel® 82574L

Storage

2 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s
6 x SATA 3.0 Gb/s

USB

2 x USB 3.0 (at back panel)
12 x USB 2.0 (6 ports at mid-board, 6 ports at back panel)

Audio

Realtek ALC889, 8-channel HD

Firewire

2 x 1394a (1 port at mid-board, 1 port at back panel)

Back I/O

1 x PS/2 KB / Mouse, 1 x IEEE1394a, 2 x Intel LAN, 1 x S/PDIF Out (optical and coaxial), 8 x USB (2 for USB 3.0 and 6 for USB 2.0), 1 x 8-channel audio

Form factorATX, 12" x 9.6"

Source: ASUS Press Release

Apple's iPhone 5 will not support NFC technology

Yep, you read the headline right. After months of speculation about the various kinds of technology Apple may support with their upcoming smartphone, the iPhone 5, it seems that the latest turn of events have proven once again that the truth can sometime hurt. Apparently, all the rumours about the iPhone 5 featuring a Near Field Communications (NFC) module has been overturned, thanks to a news report made by the Independent.

According to the report, several large mobile operators in the UK have disclosed to the Independent that Apple has confirmed the lack of NFC support on the iPhone 5, with the Cupertino giant attributing its reluctance solely to the "lack of a clear standard across the industry".

Ironically, Apple has been said to be working on its own implementation of NFC which will allow an upcoming version of its smartphone to link purchases via its iTunes software, and is likely to be a proprietary implementation at that.

Source: Independent

Antec Releases New mini-ITX PC Chassis

Antec ISK300-150

Antec has unveiled two new mini-ITX chassis, the ISK 300-150 and ISK 310-150, adding on to its line-up of compact chassis.


ISK300-150 - Black Matte Front Bezel


ISK310-150


ISK310-150 - Silver Front Bezel

Measuring 96 x 222 x 328mm and weighing 2.5kg, the steelchassis have one 5.25” bay, two 3.5” bays, a 150W PSU and a front sidepanel with two USB 2.0 ports, eSATA and audio connectors. Available intwo colors (ISK300-150, black matte front bezel and ISK310-150, silverfront bezel), both chassis are equipped with side-placed 80mm TriCoolfans for cooling. Backed by a three year warranty, they can be purchasedfrom major retailers and e-tailers at a MSRP of USD 99.95/ £69.


"Boththe ISK 300-150 and ISK 310-150 deliver efficient cooling andversatility, all within a petite design that's perfect for Mini-ITXusers," said Scott Richards, Senior Vice President at Antec. "With anincluded 150-watt power supply and a refreshed look, these cases giveusers a reliable, compact and convenient system with the flexibility tofit in either an office or home environment."


News via [Techconnect]

Android 4.0 ICS update slowly rolling out for Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi

Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi owners in US are getting Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update, starting last night. The company has promised an update the Android ICS six weeks after receiving the core code, though the update is reportedly to be for the Wi-Fi version of the Xoom tablet at this point in time. To receive the update, you need to be connected over a Wi-Fi connection. If you are not connected via Wi-Fi, or your Motorola XOOM is off when the notification arrives, you will see the notification when you next connect to a Wi-Fi network.

Source: wireless and mobile news

ARCTIC Breeze - Portable USB Desktop Fan

This summer is going to be hot, hot and hot! Of course you need to keep yourprecious CPU and VGA coolers nice and cool during the summer, but how aboutbuying yourself a cool gadget as well? Don’t you want to breathe some fresh andcool air while you are gaming or working hard?

Stay cool this summer with ARCTIC COOLING’s latest ARCTIC Breeze, a cool,quiet and portable USB desktop fan offering refreshing breeze in hot, sunnyweather!

What a cool fan!
The ARCTIC Breeze outperforms other USB fans in the market. Same as other ARCTICCOOLING products, the 92mm fan is equipped with a low noise impeller, making ita quiet fan at all speed.

Whether it is warm or hot, the ARCTIC Breeze offers you the cooling you need.The fan comes with two levels of speed – 1200 rpm and 2000 rpm. With the fanspeed switch, users can adjust the speed to their preferable level easily,offering the lowest noise level possible.

While other USB fans provide only a USB connector, the ARCTIC Breeze providesan on/off switch. Users can switch on and off the fan simply by one click,instead of plugging and unplugging the entire fan. The 1.5m long cable is longenough for your PC case underneath the table. Excess cable can be rolled upunder the fan base, keeping your desk nice and tidy. Installation cannot beeasier. Just plug the fan directly into a USB port, then you are ready to playwith the wind! The ARCTIC Breeze offers a 2-year limited warranty. It will beavailable in June 2008. The MSRP is US$ 15.95 and 9.95€ (excl. VAT).