- Printer does ink-free
- Sunny day for Solaris in Intel pact?
- "Today is Sun Day," Intel says
- Update: PS3 able to run Office?
- HP banks on Voodoo magic
- Google to call for energy efficiency
- Virgin eases laptop restriction
- Roll up laptop displays on the way
- Flaming ThinkPad battery: It's a Sony
- Exploding Dell forces Yahoo evac
January 31, 2007 | Comments: (0)
I'm coming to you from the floor (well, really more like a big conference hall) of the Demo 2007 conference, billed as the "Launchpad for Emerging Technology." Historically, Demo has always been all about products, products, products -- demonstrators get six minutes to pitch their little hearts out to the crowd, hoping to win VC funding, partnerships, or press coverage. Also in keeping with the tradition, much of the stuff being shown here for the first time is cool and innovative; a much smaller percentage has any real chance of commercial success.
For the next day, I'll be doing tag-team coverage with my colleague Ephraim Schwartz, who will be posting to his Reality Check blog. First up, I'll take a shot at a few of the more intriguing consumer-ish goodies on display, starting with the ZINK printer.
ZINK Imaging's presenter kicked off his presentation by repeating the phrases "zero ink" and "printing without ink," so many times, I feared there would be no time for an actual product demonstration or explanation of the technology. Not to worry: He ultimately got to the printer itself -- a device about the size of a deck of playing cards. It has no ink cartridge or no ribbon -- just some electronics, a rechargeable battery, and a ten-pack of special paper. The paper looks like regular print stock, but is embedded with dye crystals. The presenter took a picture, hit a button, and the ZINK printer did some quick processing and spit out a vivid CMY color printout. The prints themselves are waterproof and look great, and the paper is apparently protected by multiple patents. ZINK plans to sell handheld standalone mobile printers as well as embed the printer in other devices, including a soon-to-be-announced 7-megapixel camera (no names yet). The device supports bluetooth (critical for printing from phones) and has a USB connector. Paper prices will be set by distributors, but company reps say it will be cheap -- likely something in the neighborhood of 20 cents per sheet. Business models and things like the channel for distributing the paper still need some ironing out. But a bigger questions is whether this will this play in a business document context, where you need full-size printouts (as opposed to snapshots, where the potential is high). A promising product for mobile printing, I wouldn't be surprised if ZINK gets some traction.
Posted by Steve Fox on January 31, 2007 12:20 PM
January 22, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Sunny day for Solaris in Intel pact?
Intel chips are back in favor at Sun Microsystems once again, following a four-year hiatus in which Sun built its x86 server line exclusively using chips from Intel rival AMD.
At a press conference held in San Francisco this morning, Sun announced a line of Intel-based servers, beginning with a dual-Xeon model to be available in June. In return, Intel will elevate Sun's Solaris to the status of a "tier one" operating system.
Exactly what that means, of course, remains to be seen. At the press conference, Intel and Sun representatives said that Intel developers would work to accelerate Solaris on Intel hardware. But then, Solaris already runs on Intel hardware just fine, so it seems doubtful that much engineering effort will be required to squeeze a little extra performance out of it. More significant, probably, will be Intel's commitment to "really promote Solaris," cited by Sun CEO Jonathan Schwartz.
According to Schwartz, the majority of customers who have downloaded Solaris for the x86 architecture are already installing it on Intel-based hardware. By offering a line of Intel servers of its own, Sun could potentially broaden the market for its x86-based hardware. At the same time, Intel's marketing efforts may indeed be the catalyst to "build a marketplace and ecosystem" for Solaris, as Schwartz says -- something Sun has so far struggled to do on its own.
Solaris, combined with Sun's Sparc-based servers, was once the premier operating platform for Unix-based applications. In recent years, however, Solaris's traditional customer base has increasingly turned to Linux running on industry-standard servers. To counter this trend, Sun has executed a number of competitive moves, including open-sourcing Solaris and slashing the cost of its OS support offerings, as part of an aggressive campaign aimed squarely at top Linux vendor Red Hat.
For the conspiracy-minded among you, Sun's partnership with Intel could be seen as further evidence that the company is moving away from its RISC-based past to concentrate on the x86 architecture. For its part, however, Sun denies any insinuation that it will abandon Sparc. Its representatives say the company is still on track to ship its forthcoming multi-core Sparc chip, codenamed "Rock," in mid-2008.
Posted by Neil McAllister on January 22, 2007 01:08 PM
January 22, 2007 | Comments: (0)
"Today is Sun Day," Intel says
Sun Microsystems and Intel are partnering on a chip usage arrangement, according to Intel's Web site.
Sun will offer a set of Intel-based servers, with plans for single, dual and multi-core enterprise servers, telecommunications servers and workstations supporting Solaris, Windows and Linux. Sun's first Intel Xeon systems will be out in the first half of 2007.
As part of the arrangement, Sun's Solaris OS can be deployed on Xeon-based servers.
Sun previously has used rival, Intel-compatible chips from Advanced Micro Devices as well as its own SPARC chips.
Full story and analysis to come.
Posted by Paul Krill on January 22, 2007 10:29 AM
November 21, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Update: PS3 able to run Office?
Sony's new game console may not just be for gaming, and you might even be able to claim your new "toy" as a business expense, writes InfoWorld Test Center's Ted Samson.
This is thanks to Sony being good enough to make available Open Platform for PlayStation 3, which has allowed Linux enthusiasts to load their new PS3s with Fedora Core 5 OS.
Samson writes:
Intrigued? Well, QJ.net has some instructions on how to go about doing the installation, and videos are popping up on sites like YouTube showing how it's done.According to QJ.net, once you've put Fedora on your PS3, "you will be able to install any app as long as it has a PPC build of it. That includes most major applications like Mozilla Firefox, VLC player, and more."
Update: Well, So, Codeweavers CrossOver Linux software does run Windows apps on Fedora 5, but not a PS3 with because it runs on a Cell processor..
According to one blog entry found in this Google search, Codeweavers works pretty well.
But could not virtualization software do the trick? Just not sure if any is done for Cell. According to IBM Research, Cell does virtualization.
Is it possible?
Challenge, or Game in this context, is on...
Posted by Mike Barton on November 21, 2006 04:40 PM
September 29, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Already cursed by allegations of naughty behavior, HP is now about to dabble in Voodoo.
Specifically, the company has announced plans to acquire Calgary, Alberta, Canada-based VoodooPC, a maker of high-end PCs for gamers.
"HP is already a market leader in two of the three major segments in the gaming market by providing industry-leading workstation solutions for game development and powering the largest online game services," said Todd Bradley, executive vice president, Personal Systems Group at HP, in a written statement. "Together with VoodooPC's leadership and influence, HP will have the expertise to become the leader in the gaming customer segment."
The company appears to be following the lead of Dell, which last March beamed up Alienware, another gamer-oriented-PC boutique.
Once the transaction closes in November, HP will form a separate business unit within its Personal Systems Group focused on the gaming industry. VoodooPC co-owner Rahul Sood will become chief technologist for the unit and co-owner Ravi Sood will become the unit's director of strategy, according to a statement from HP.
In his blog, Sood goes into great detail about the decision leading up to selling the company to HP:
"HP's management team is comprised of a totally focused, forward thinking group of people. With a little bit of oil and elbow grease they are getting rid of the excess inefficiencies that the company has gained over the years. Under Mark Hurd and Todd Bradley HP is transforming into the most deadly PC company in the world. They also share a common goal with us at Voodoo.""HP is hungry for new innovations, and if you can imagine what plugging our corporate DNA into their labs would do - well, you get the picture. We are now in the position to create absolutely fantastic products in all categories. Voodoo and HP are complementary opposites. This deadly combination of Voodoo's gaming/luxury PC expertise and our brand DNA and influence, with HP's innovations, scale, and leverage is going to lead to some of the most compelling machines money can buy."
(Sood also links to an interesting blog entry about his discussions with Michael Dell prior to the company's purchase of Alienware.)
Will this be a good move to HP? Time will tell. The company's stock has slowly increased over the past few days.
Terms of the deal weren't disclosed, and InfoWorlders were reluctant to probe too deep for fear of pretexting.
Posted by Ted Samson on September 29, 2006 01:58 PM
September 26, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Google to call for energy efficiency
Google will present a white paper at the Intel Developer Forum that calls for the computer industry to move from multi-voltage power supplies to a single 12-volt standard.
According to a report in The New York Times, Google will argue that the simpler design of the alternative power supply would make it easier to achieve overall efficiencies in PCs.
Google, according to the Times report, contends a design flaw dating to the introduction of the first IBM PC has led to "overprovisioning" in today's PC power supplies that is akin to "putting a 400-horsepower engine in every car."
Google, in its white paper, maintains that using the new power supplies in 100 million PCs running eight hours a day would save 40 billion kilowatt-hours over three years -- more than $5 billion at California's energy rates.
Posted by Caroline Craig on September 26, 2006 06:36 AM
September 25, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Virgin eases laptop restriction
Dell and Apple laptop users are now a little freer to mouse around the cabin of Virgin airplanes.
Earlier this month, Virgin decreed that passengers could not use certain Dell and Apple laptops running on batteries while in flight.
The problem leading up to the restriction: Some Sony-spawned lithium-ion batteries found in certain Apple and Dell machines were overheating and causing systems to burst into flames. Both Dell and Apple have both since announced battery recalls.
Since then, the airline has revised the rule: Flight crew will check the serial number of the battery in your laptop. If it's not on the recall list (here's Apple's and Dell's), you're free to work and play your flight away.
Otherwise, you have to stow the battery and go computer-less -- unless you're sitting in one of the cushier parts of the plane and have a power source in your seat in which to plug in your portable.
I'm just waiting for the airline to announce that it will sell batteries on-board -- at a 200% markup, of course.
Posted by Ted Samson on September 25, 2006 01:35 PM
September 25, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Roll up laptop displays on the way
As reported in the Sydney Morning Herald and in a very nice blog site--nice if you're interested in all things display--Displayblog, a company called Cambridge Display Technology, is developing a flexible display technology.
The technology, polymer light emitting diode technology, will deposit conductive metal tracks on to plastic and or glass substrates.
The results will be a flexible tube that can be unfurled and locked into place for your viewing pleasure.
Imagine the day that you're delayed at the airport and you want to take part in an important company video conference. With the flexible display you simply unroll your display, use your cell phone for the video camera and you're in.
Posted by Ephraim Schwartz on September 25, 2006 10:45 AM
September 21, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Flaming ThinkPad battery: It's a Sony
Lenovo has confirmed the battery that caught fire in a Thinkpad notebook at Los Angeles International Airport was indeed a Sony, just like the exploding battery that is believed to have caused an evacuation at Yahoo yesterday.
Lenovo uses Sony batteries but was not part of the massive recall and said last week its laptops were safe.
Sorry, Lenovo. And what if a plane had crashed because of it? Maybe you should have played it safe?
CNET Asia reports: "[We] are pretty certain the Korean and Australian national carriers may be considering adding ThinkPads to the list of banned laptops on their flights."
Let's hope other airlines follow until the risk is gone.
Posted by Mike Barton on September 21, 2006 04:19 PM
September 21, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Exploding Dell forces Yahoo evac
Yahoo! Santa Clara HQ smoke alarms were triggered this week by yet another exploding laptop battery, "forcing several hundred employees to evacuate the building".
Flickr exec Stewart Butterfield snapped the laptop and placed the image on the pic stream site.
"We just all had to leave the building for 45 minutes because this thing set off all the fire alarms. It was on the 8th floor and we could smell it on the 3rd," he wrote on Flickr.
Question for Dell (which Tech Watch will be asking): Is this latest firey battery from the mega-recall replacement batch?
Butterfield says in his photo post that the battery is a Sony, so apparently it was an individual's computer which had not had its battery replaced. We'll still ask Dell :)
So the question we posed, Free battery refresh, or pain in the butt?, appears to be answering itself with an explosive pain in the behind.
But do feel free to comment further.
Posted by Mike Barton on September 21, 2006 10:41 AM
September 15, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Virgin puts battery ban on Apples, Dells
Taking strict airline "No Smoking" policies to new heights, Virgin Airlines has joined Qantas and Korean Air in restricting usage of many Apple and Dell laptops on flights.
Specifically, owners of Apple and Dell systems can't run them on battery power while flying, because the airline fears they pose a potential fire hazard.
The move comes in response to the recent recalls of batteries in some of the companies' respective laptops. The lithium-ion batteries, made by Sony, had an unfortunate habit of overheating and bursting into flames, resulting in startling computer pyrotechnics.
Dell announced the recall of 4.1 million batteries last month. A week later, Apple followed suit, recalling 1.8 million batteries.
Passengers can still bring their Dell and Apple laptops on board; they just can't run them with battery power. That means only customers sitting in Premier Economy or Upper Class seats, who have access to in-seat power supplies, will be able to use their systems.
According to Virgin's Web site, customers will be permitted to bring two individually wrapped/protected" batteries in their carry-on baggage.
The restriction is indefinite. "Virgin is in communication with Apple and Dell. As soon as this safety issue is resolved these restrictions will be lifted," according to the site.
Posted by Ted Samson on September 15, 2006 01:43 PM
September 11, 2006 | Comments: (0)
The largest leveraged buyout ever in the technology sector is brewing, reports The New York Times.
A consortium of investment firms was near a deal late last night to acquire Freescale Semiconductor, a former unit of Motorola, for more than $16 billion, according to people briefed on the negotiations.
The move would be more than interesting given Intel's 10,500 layoffs, which follows increased competition and price cutting in the PC chip market.
But Freescale is not in the PC market:
The heart of Freescale’s business is in making specialized, or "embedded," chips that provide intelligence for things as varied as automotive engines and cellphones.Freescale, which was spun out of Motorola in 2004, is now the worlds' 10th largest chip maker with some $5.8 billion in revenues last year. The company plays a major role in electronic markets including the automotive and communications industries. Customers include Motorola and their extensive line of cellphones, Sony Electronics, Whirlpool appliances, Cisco routers, and car companies such as Mercedes, BMW, Ford, Hyundai and General Motors.
The chips used in these companies' products are similar to the microprocessors that control desktop and portable personal computers. However, the software that controls the chips is stored in special memory chips referred to as flash memory.
So, do this mean the PC is dead?
I don't know. Intel sold off its XScale unit so it could focus in a time of intense competition.
Big trend watch: Watch this space. Intel might have cut off the arm that would have fed it in 10 years' time. Who does not want to get chips that don't need to boot up to be smart? I want smart gadgets, but I don't want Windows in my washing machine.
Posted by Mike Barton on September 11, 2006 01:29 PM
August 28, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Jaguar supercomputer hits 54TFs
There are system upgrades, and there are system upgrades.
The Cray XT3 supercomputer, or Jaguar, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory recently got the latter, now clocking in at a mind-blowing 54TFs (teraflops).
The upgrade involved replacing all 5,212 processors with Cray's latest dual-core processors, doubling the memory and adding additional interconnect cables to double the bisection bandwidth. The Jaguar now features more than 10,400 processing cores and 21TB of memory.
The largest computer in the Department of Energy's Office of Science, Jaguar is also the major computing resource for the DOE's Innovative and Novel Computational Impact on Theory and Experiment, or INCITE, program. Boeing, DreamWorks Animation, and General Atomics, all INCITE grant recipients, are doing their work at ORNL.
"The XT3 is a remarkable system for scientific calculations, and the upgrade of all system components maintains the balance of the machine while doubling the performance," said ORNL's Thomas Zacharia, associate laboratory director.
"It is probably the fifth-fastest machine" in the world, Zacharia told the Associated Press. "It is clearly the fastest open-science machine in the U.S. today."
The supercomputer was previously ranked No. 13 on the TOP500 list, which ranks and details the 500 most powerful computer systems in the world. The current list, updated last June, ranks the IBM BlueGene/L as the faster system, boasting a speed of 280.6 TFps running the Linpack benchmark.
Not on that list is the MDGrape-3 at Riken in Japan, which clocked in at 1 petaflop (one quadrillion calculations per second) last June. A special-purpose system built for molecular dynamic simulations, it didn't make the TOP500 because it can't run Linpack.
DOE's Leadership Computing Facility is on a path to exceed 100 teraflops by the end of this year and to reach a petaflop, or 1 quadrillion mathematical calculations per second, by 2009. The multiyear contract between Cray and the DOE will cost nearly $200 million, according to AP.
Posted by Ted Samson on August 28, 2006 10:50 AM
August 15, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Dell recall -- free battery refresh, or pain in the butt?
With Dell recalling over 4 million Lithium Ion laptop batteries from both consumer and enterprise customers, the question of the day: is this a good thing or a bad thing?
Let's start with the "glass is half empty" argument. As with most product recalls, there's a considerable amount of customer pain here, Anyone who has ever had to hang around at a car dealership while a defective part got replaced can attest to this. The customer pain will be especially acute in enterprises that have standardized on Dell hardware.
You see, Dell -- being Dell-- outsourced battery production to a number of vendors, including Sony. However, the company claims that only Sony batteries from a specific manufacturing batch have the defect that makes them prone to explosions and fire. Dell spokeswoman Ann Camden told TechWatch that the company is erring on the side of caution in the recall, flagging "an entire generation of batteries," even though it's not sure that all are prone to fires (the company claims to know of only six flameouts, in total).
What does that mean? Barring a very detailed and up-to-date asset database, it means IT admins going cube to cube, popping batteries out of Inspirons, Latitudes and other affected gear and reading teeny tiny little serial numbers to see if they've got a winner...and that could take a while.
My friend Clarke Morledge in the IT dept. at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA, told me that it could be months before staff there have a clear idea how many Dell systems are impacted by the recall.
Now the "glass is half full" argument, which basically boils down to this (no pun intended): "Hey, it's a free battery upgrade/replacement. Go for it," to quote Corey Null, at Principal Financial Group (an HP shop, and damned proud of it).
Sure, your execs and salespeople might be tethered to a power outlet for a few days while they wait for a replacement, but the pay-off is a brand new, fully chargeable Li-ion battery. Send Dell that sorry excuse for a power supply and get to enjoy, oh so fleetingly, every minute of the battery life that Dell advertises on its Web site.
Still, that opinion is in the minority. With worker (and public) safety at risk, and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission investigating, companies really don't have a choice about complying with this recall. Sure, its only a handful of batteries out of 6 million, but who wants to be on the hook if an employee is badly injured in a flame out, or an airplane has to make an emergency landing?
Other enterprise sources had varying reports on the impact of the recall that tracked pretty closely to how much they relied on Dell hardware, with more than one declaring the whole affair a "pain in the butt."
Anecdotal evidence from enterprise IT sources also indicated that Dell's going to have a big hill to climb to regain the trust of its customers, especially in the enteprise space. One IT admin told me that his company switched to IBM/Lenovo long before exploding battery videos made the rounds on YouTube. The cause: a batch of defective laptop motherboards.
TechWatch wants to hear your opinion on Dell's battery recall. Is this a bump in the road or a major IT headache at your company?
Posted by Paul Roberts on August 15, 2006 09:55 AM
August 14, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Michael Dell hoses flaming laptops
Dell Computer honcho Michael Dell was in Sydney hosing down concern about those flame-prone Dell laptops on Monday.
He told The Sydney Morning Herald they were still being investigated. "We are fully investigating that incident and a few other reported incidents to understand exactly what is going on and taking appropriate steps to provide the best outcome for our customers."
Mr. Dell answered questions about Dell's image given how the news spread like widfire on blogs, saying Dell had set up its own blog to fight fire with fire.
"Even though we don't delight in 100 per cent of it, as a general proposition it's going to be a very good thing for us to have a deeper, faster, richer experience with users. It doesn't really change our approach or strategy. Our intention is to really shorten the cycle time for us to understand new trends and new requirements, and jump on top of it," he said.
Not that fast with that hose: The Wall Street Journal reported (paid registration required) the problem got new wings today, noting that "transportation and product-safety officials are expressing concerns that batteries in laptops and other electronics pose a serious risk to airplanes -- for reasons completely unrelated to global terror."
Talk back to us below, or Dell.
Posted by Mike Barton on August 14, 2006 11:59 AM
August 11, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Some Web publications are touting tomorrow, Aug. 12, as the 25th anniversary of the PC. Depending on how you define PC, you may disagree that the IBM Personal Computer Model 5150 was the first.
However, it's certainly fair to say that the system revolutionized the computer market and to give the 5150 some credit for the PC being name Time Magazine's 1982 "Man of the Year."
On Aug. 12, 1981, International Business Machines announced at a press conference in New York the forthcoming IBM 5150, which would ship that fall. (It would come running an OS called MS-DOS, by some outfit called Microsoft. I understand the company has done fairly well since.)
Depending on your generation, the system's specs are likely to elicit guffaws or reminiscent sighs -- or perhaps both.
Processor: 4.7MHz Intel 8088
Co-Processor: Optional 8087 math coprocessor
RAM: 16K - 640K
ROM: 64KB
OS: MS-DOS 1.0, CP/M-86
Standard storage device: Cassette tape
Floppy drive: Optional
I/O ports: Five internal 8-bit ISA slots, monitor, Centronics, cassette
Peripherals: 5, 10, and 20MB hard disks
Display: 12"
Base price: Around $1,565 (around $3,500 in 2006 figures)
Now as I noted, other systems deemed "personal computers" came out before the IBM 5150. The Xerox Alto, for example, came out in 1973. There was also the ever-popular Apple II, introduced in April, 1977. Even IBM had several microcomputers before the 5150.
There were key differences, though, which helped the IBM PC 5150 earn a special place in PC history. First, it was more affordable than its predeces-sors. Second, it was more utilitarian than its older brethren. The 5100, for example, was geared toward engineers, analysts, statisticians, and other problem-solvers. The 5520 Administrative System was ideal for creating, storing, and retrieving documents. The 5150 offered those capabilities in one tidy package, thus broadening its appeal and spawning a new generation of clones.
The IDG News Service has an in-depth look at the impact of the 5150 on the PC market, as well as a look at what the future holds.
Personal Computer World got an exclusive look at the machine when it came out. Here's an abridged version of the magazine's review.
For some images and personal accounts about experience with the IBM 5150, check out Eric Klein's Vintage Computers.
Posted by Ted Samson on August 11, 2006 04:32 PM
July 31, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Dell on fire again: Laptop ignites
Dell is on fire again, and not in the good sense. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that another laptop ignited and turned into a flamethrower.
The newspaper's Web site said that a reader who asked that he not be identified said his Dell laptop, supplied to him by his company, had burst into flames last November.
The man said he was working late in the office when the computer suddenly began to make "popping noises".
"It wasn't quite an explosion, but white smoke began to pour out of the machine, completely filling up the room, and there were flames coming up the sides of the laptop," he told smh.com.au.
This latest report follows a flaming Dell laptop that was captured on film in Osaka, Japan last month, and another Dell that was reported to have burst into flames at an office in Illinois just last week
Dell owners, are you concerned? We'll see if we can get Dell to comment. More to come.
Talk back to us.
Posted by Mike Barton on July 31, 2006 04:23 PM
July 28, 2006 | Comments: (0)
An innocuous piece of legislation, Senate Bill 3684, is looking at data center power consumption. The bill would authorize the EPA to study electricity use and encourage the use of energy-efficient servers.
Although it is only a study that is how the EPA started when it looked at air quality. Now, thanks to further legislation we actually have cleaner air to breathe.
Who knows where this study of servers and data centers will lead. If the government gets it right it might be a good idea. But what do senators know about data centers and about how to make them more efficient?
Maybe they'll decide all you need is two processors in every server. Highly unlikely but there is one company, Azul, that is offering 96-way and 384-way processor cores that are more power efficient by an order of magnitude over traditional Intel and AMD processors.
While a traditional two-way server might use up to 1000 watts, an Azul 96-way uses 700 watts and the Azul 384-way uses 2500 watts, according to Stephen DeWitt, president of Azul.
The processors are used to run managed code environments like Java.
Grid computing, if used improperly can actually waste more energy than save, according to Kevin Esptein at Scalent.
If you organize a grid so that it has a bunch of computers always at the ready in case more compute power is used, the grid may raise the efficiency of computer cycles on each server but at the same time there will be far too many in standby mode wasting watts.
Scalent designs data center software that is able to turn on and off servers and delegate applications on the fly.
Meanwhile, AMD is spearheading, along with other equipment manufacturers, the effort to build green servers and data centers. You can go to their site thegreen-grid.orgto see more.
Here's the bottom line from Congress
"It is the sense of Congress that it is in the best interest of the United States for purchasers of computer servers to give high priority to energy efficiency as a factor in determining best value and performance for purchase of computer servers."
I couldn't have said it with more redundancy myself.
Posted by Ephraim Schwartz on July 28, 2006 03:00 PM
June 08, 2006 | Comments: (0)
BlackBerry addicts have a crack at freedom when they check into one Chicago hotel: the manager will put the communications devices and others like them under lock and key for guests who want a break, reports Reuters.
Okay, so I dragged this one out of the wire from yesterday, but it really struck a chord with me. I bought a BlackBerry 7290 and got my InfoWorld e-mail set up and ended up sending the Berry back to Cingular because I was no longer winding down on my train ride home with my eyes glued to a small screen. This after staring at a bigger screen all day for a living.
While Treos and Berries are still toted mostly by business people, what could happen to our youngish people if the BlackBerry meets the iPod design team to create the AppleBerry, as has been suggested is set to fruit.
Could we see a whole new detox trend for our troubled, tech-drunk youngins?
Talk back to us...
Posted by Mike Barton on June 8, 2006 12:06 PM
June 05, 2006 | Comments: (0)
AppleBerry: The next big thing?
"Is the day near when you will get music on your BlackBerry and e-mail on your iPod?," Globeandmail.com asks.
The juicy little prognostication of an "AppleBerry" partnership between Research In Motion and Apple Computer "was floated yesterday by Peter Misek, an analyst with Canaccord Capital Inc., who last year accurately predicted a partnership between RIM and Intel," the site reports.
Such a deal would have huge merit because each company lacks what the other provides. RIM wants a firm foothold in the consumer market and Apple doesn't have a presence in the booming wireless data sector, he said.
Arstechnica has its take on the fruity combination here; and MacDailyNews writes: "AppleBerry certainly is more appetizing than BlackApple. Although, BlackApple is sort of cool sounding. (both names are already in use in various ways by various companies). And, no, we're not going to stoop to suggesting the combination of RIM and Steve's last name.
Read the digg entry for reader comments on the pie-challenged possible match-up here.
I say let the splicing begin because RIM as we know it is too business-centric, and Apple could bring some consumer charm to the next-generation of smart phone design. Others in the office say, why wouldn't RIM just go on a big consumer ad spree and do it alone -- what does Apple really bring to the game?
Talk back to us below.
Posted by Mike Barton on June 5, 2006 06:00 PM
May 31, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Poor Sun. The quality of its products is widely recognized. Solaris is a great OS. Java is an undisputed success. The new Niagara processor is generating a lot of buzz, and Sun's AMD-based x86 servers are top notch. Despite all this, however, the question that remains on everyone's mind is whether Sun will be able to capitalize on all this great R&D. Just how, exactly, does it plan to reverse its financial misfortunes of the last few years?
We may now have one part of the answer. IDG News Service reports that Sun plans to lay off some 5,000 employees, amounting to as much as 13 percent of its workforce. In addition, it will sell three of its U.S. campus facilities.
Sun's board has already approved the moves, as well as new operational goals, including modest revenue growth. But what do you think? Is tightening its belt what it will take to pull Sun out of its slump?
Posted by Neil McAllister on May 31, 2006 02:50 PM
May 17, 2006 | Comments: (0)
MacBook: price parity a first?
Apple's new 13-inch widescreen MacBook in black has road warrior written all over it. But perhaps more interesting is that it will, for the first time, put a Mac notebook a near price parity with closely equipped Wintel laptops.
And don't forget Boot Camp means Windows on the new Intel-based MacBooks is but a restart away.
At the full-tilt, and if you want business black, the MacBook is well well equipped (especially if you consider the Mac software bundle) at $1,499. They start at $1099.
Yeah, you can buy some Celeron Dells for about $500, but that's not what these compete with. HP-Compaq's new NC6400, which is pretty close, sells for $1549 online.
I think 14-inch widescreens are the sweetspot for portability and big as needed screen. The new MacBook is 13-inch, which nudges more into ultralight and is probably pretty good for most uses. And, despite having to pony up for a full version of XP if you go dual boot, the ability to do so could be enough to push some now that price parity is there.
Is price parity the big news here? Talk back to us below.
Posted by Mike Barton on May 17, 2006 11:42 AM
April 25, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Matsushita's Panasonic will introduce a "waterproof" laptop, the AP reports. But the Japanese manufacturing giant simply says the Let's Note CF-Y5 "features a waterproof sheet and special drainage system that protects the hard drive and circuit board from light water damage," the AP reported at MercuryNews.com said.
Panasonic, a legend for its Toughbook laptops, will sell the new notebook from May 19 in Japan for about $2,300.
With a toddler in the house, I would consider one. But then again many corporate laptops such as the NX/NC series by HP-Compaq have keyboard splash guard features.
Agreed, Griffon (comment below). If I could take the notebook poolside I think it might be a bit more of a mover.
Does anyone know of a truly waterproof laptop, or one that is customized to take a dip?
Posted by Mike Barton on April 25, 2006 05:18 PM
March 30, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Apple has introduced music volume capping to its iPods following concerns about its effect on peoples' hearing.
Okay, so the headline is a lame reference to 1984 comedy "This is Spinal Tap's" dialogue where Nigel said the mock band's amps went up to 11, but the message is loud and clear: turn down the music you kids. (Hey, there's even a wiki entry to explain how "up to 11" has become a popular idiom.)
The Independent reports that "parents can set a volume cap on children's iPods and lock them in with a combination code." It follows American iPod user attempting to sue Apple over claims that the MP3 players can cause hearing loss. The Indy said Apple's downloadable "volume control" software works with fifth generation iPods and the slim-line iPod nano.
Attorneys immediately said Apple's volume limit admits flaw. Maybe Spinal Tap should be held accountable?
Posted by Mike Barton on March 30, 2006 11:47 AM
March 24, 2006 | Comments: (0)
The original PalmPilot, which is attributed with kicking off mobile smart devices for the masses, was first introduced 10 years ago Friday. CNET has a video chat on the anniversary.
After some ups and downs, Palm is alive and well in the age of mobile computing. It was reported today that, thanks to strong sales of its Treo smart phone, the company beat analyst expectations for quarterly profits.
Our own David L. Margulius wrote recently that voice is still the killer app.
But the concept of the must-have PIM, integrated with the ubiquitous cell phone, that struck me as the killer gadget. I can still remember the excitement when I was first shown the Handspring VisorPhone (see right) while at PC Computing.
Its form factor reminds me of my new BlackBerry 7290, which makes for an somewhat off-putting phone but a great PIM (personal information manager) with live e-mail and calendar updating.
Having e-mail with you at all times is nice, but have I mentioned how cool Google Talk for BlackBerry is? And Google Local.
Makes you wonder where what Palm started is going and what's next. Faster 3G cellular internet access is great, and playing catch-up with Wi-Fi, but WiMax is going to blanket areas with lightning-fast internet broadcasts, making for true broadband mobile computing.
Maybe Microsoft has hit the nail on the head with Origami for the next generation of smart mobile devices.
But the friendly looking, portable, all-in-one factor of the latest Treo is hard to beat.
Take Palm's trip down memory lane and look into the crystal ball and share your thoughts on the future of mobile computing below.
Posted by Mike Barton on March 24, 2006 02:10 PM
March 08, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Intel displayed prototypes of this year's and next year's Origami mobile device this week at its IDF conference in San Francisco this week.
Of course they would not call it Origami. Instead their name is the UltraMobile PC platform. There are plenty of pictures on the UMPC site.
By now everyone knows about the models that are due out in a few months. They are hefty by handheld standards, 1.7 pounds, with a 7-inch screen and will include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and support for GPS if the manufacturer decides to include it. Most models will have a 40GB or 60GB hard drive and a 900-MHz or 1-GHz processor.
More interesting was the prototype of a model Intel was showing off that can be expected from OEMs next year.
The Intel rep I spoke with said that Intel is developing a new
micro-architecture, silicon, for these smaller devices that will have an 8-hour battery life, equivalent or better performance than this year's model and a 1024 x 1024 display.
It will weigh about half pound, have a 5-inch screen.
Next year's device also has a keyboard that sits flush up against the back of the devices and is swiveled out for use. Once put in position one side has the keyboard, about the size of a RIM keyboard and the other side has multi-media controls, like play, pause, fast forward for listening to music or watching videos.
Marketing issues aside, such as who will want one, the downside is that it will use yet another version of the Windows operating system. According to the rep I spoke to it will also require software makers to redesign their PC applications to run on the
system.
Microsoft is expected to announce Origami at the CeBIT show in Germany this week.
Posted by Ephraim. Schwartz on March 8, 2006 03:30 PM
March 07, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Word is that that a Origami-like device has been unveiled by Intel at Cebit.
The report said the device, called a Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC), has a 7-inch touch screen, standard Intel processors, and runs full versions of desktop OSes including Linux and a Windows XP variant, which apparently is the heart of the real Origami.
The device will cost under $1000. The next generation is set to shrink to pocket size, operate all day on a charge, and will sell for $500.
Other online reports have also pieced the hype puzzle together, and offer some more pics. IGN writes: "The fact that Intel is apparently going to announce it's product before Microsoft has lead many to suspect that the Origami Project is likely little more than Microsoft's spin on Intel's well known plans to launch this new form factor. Rather than a piece of real Microsoft hardware like the Xbox, UMPC devices will be manufactured by a variety of companies and will be united by a common operating system."
So, all the buzz is over and Origami is just software, with hardware to come from Intel and to be built by a number of makers including Samsung.
Well, if it ushers in a new generation of mobile computing, who cares. Many people, such as students and mobile pros, will benefit from more choice in form factor and features.
Posted by Mike Barton on March 7, 2006 12:03 PM
March 02, 2006 | Comments: (0)
There is a bit more from Microsoft today on its rumored design for a mini-tablet, Origami. Okay, it will run Windows XP. But the picture is far from clear what will make it stand out.
Let's say for a moment that Origami is what people say it is: an $800-$500 mini-tablet, running Microsoft applications with a 5-inch to 7-inch screen, and weighing about one pound with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi built in.
For more details see the Forbes site.
The question is if there is a market for it?
Perhaps as vertical solutions, such as in health care where doctors and nurses can use a small mobile device with Wi-Fi to access and read patient records, enter notes from a patient visit and order up meds, but in the great race to capture the mass market I don't see it being successful, unless there are a few surprises in store.
On the minus side.
Handheld sales were down for the last two years and will continue to decline as cell phones gain in power and performance.
But you can't run and you wouldn't want to run a major application on a cell phone or on a handheld for that matter. For quick in and out queries they are ideal but beyond that is a tablet a better solution?
Light, easy to store, powerful enough to work on my CRM application off or online, perhaps there is a niche for a mini-notebook, except…can it replace my regular notebook?
Not if it doesn't have a built-in keyboard. Not if the screen isn't big enough so that I can comfortably view all of the application I use every day in a single view without having to scroll down.
No, I'll still need to buy a notebook.
But there is a plus side as well.
What could save the rumored Origami design from the trash heap of failed devices is if it had enough power to become your desktop.
In other words, when you get back to your desk, if you could plug in a large keyboard, a flat screen monitor, decent storage and an Ethernet cable, to be used until the office network goes wireless, and it had the processing and graphics power to run all of my regular apps then I'd buy one.
Or if the world goes to streaming applications and I would be able to use it as my terminal, again with the same connections, that also has appeal. Then I would imagine a lot of people would buy want one.
Of course, there's always IT to get around. Let's face it, the last thing IT needs or wants is yet another hardware profile to support.
Well, we'll have to wait until next week to see how this thing plays out.
Posted by Ephraim. Schwartz on March 2, 2006 02:47 PM
March 02, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Origami to be a paperback-size PC?
The buzz about Microsoft's Origami Project continues with an anonymous source close to Microsoft telling The Associated Press today that Origami is a paperback-sized computer that will run Microsoft's regular Windows XP operating system.
Microsoft has confirmed that an ultra-mobile PC is in the works, but the company has declined to offer specific details.
The AP reports that early versions, which are expected to sell for between $500 and $1,000, are slated to debut at an industry conference on March 9 and should be available to consumers soon after.
The source told AP that the computers will be less powerful than full-fledged PCs, but will have all the functionality of a Windows PC.
Is Microsoft barking up the right tree in thinking consumers are eager to have "ultra-mobile PCs" that they can easily take on vacation or on a subway? Tell us what you think.
Posted by Caroline Craig on March 2, 2006 07:53 AM
February 28, 2006 | Comments: (0)
With a lot of hype surrounding Microsoft's upcoming launch of the Origami ultraportable Windows PC and the introduction of the origamiproject.com website without much info to go with it, Tech Watch thought it right to fill the void with what info can be had on the Net.
Kevin 2.0 has posted pictures of what it says appears to be authentic video of the Origami, which could be a boon to the mobile-savvy enterprise. (Update: The video has apparently been taken down.)
The device would not be without competition from the likes of the OQO, which sells as the world's smallest Windows XP computer.
So what is going to set it apart other than Microsoft flexing its market muscle? The world could know this week, or maybe a little bit more of what all the hype is about.
It may be smaller than a tablet, and actually add life to that market segment, but will the form factor be small enough -- with ever-smarter smart phones out there -- to get people to commit to a new box?
Let the speculation continue...
And, if so, let TW know why you care by leaving a comment below.
Posted by Mike Barton on February 28, 2006 11:47 AM
January 03, 2006 | Comments: (0)
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Google is in whispered negotiations with Wal-Mart to sell a low-price Google PC.
According to the Times, the Internet-connected device would run an OS created by Google, not Microsoft's Windows, and would be priced as low as $200. The OS would probably be a Google-flavored version of Linux.
Some are theorizing that Google Co-Founder and President of Products Larry Page's CES keynote in Las Vegas on Friday might be the launch pad.
If this comes to pass, I wonder if it will relate at all to Google's disappointing partnership announcement with Sun Microsystems. In the build up to that collaboration, many observers theorized that Google might be prepping a service version of Sun's StarOffice productivity suite. If a Google branded PC does surface, maybe StarOffice, or the open-source OpenOffice suite, will have its day after all.
Posted by Cathleen Moore on January 3, 2006 10:54 AM
October 13, 2005 | Comments: (0)
Roundup: Early reviews of Apple's video iPod
Another Apple rumor ripened into truth yesterday when the company unveiled the video iPod. And the reviews and opinions have been sprouting around the Web these last two days.
Wired News wrote: "I don't think this was quite the device many iPod nuts were hoping for." The post goes on that there are, however, some significant enhancements to the iPod.
A story from IDG News Service quotes an industry analyst referring to the move as conservative because Apple is replacing its high-end iPod at the same price point, but with more functionality and additional capacity.
Mac Observer writer Andy Ihnatko fears that the Purple Cloud of Insanity could become a factor with the video iPod. Yes, that's the same purple cloud that is responsible for the fact that "Ricky Martin once was a pop star," and the reality that "in any major city, there are no shortages of places where you can hand a total stranger $100 dollars and they'll cheerfully stick pieces of metal through your nipples, expecting you to thank them for the service," Ihnatko wrote in So: It's a video iPod, Sweet!
Fortune, in The video iPod: It rocks weighs in on the bigger picture:
Based on my brief hands-on experience with Apple's new Front Row software, I'd say Apple has done a better job with content-management software than Microsoft has with its Media Center PC. This may not be enough to give Apple the edge in the battle for the digital living room, since Microsoft has a huge headstart. But Microsoft doesn't have Disney, and that's a huge plus for Apple.
The Motley Fool points out that the deal between Apple and Disney was set just days after CEO Michael Eisner left Disney. (Registration required.)
The San Francisco Chronicle speculates that Apple has created the potential to do for video what it did for music, in a very complete look at the new device, with the piece As Apple unveils video iPod, it hints at a media-focused future.
Tim Bajarin of Technology Pundits summed up the impact of the new player in writing that Apple and Steve Jobs brought to market much more than a video player. "In a sense, he has shown the tech world what it means to create a total consumer eco-system for integrating images, music and video into a digital lifestyle."
Jack McCarthy contributed to this blog post.
Posted by Tom Sullivan on October 13, 2005 10:52 AM
July 27, 2005 | Comments: (0)
In addition to the z9 mainframe and virtualization technologies IBM announced yesterday, Big Blue also launched a blog dedicated to the mainframe.
"We're now hip," said Bill Zeitler, senior vice president and group executive for IBM's systems and technology group. Zeitler added that the blog "is even run by someone younger than 30" years old.
Mainframe Weblog appears to have several contributors, mostly from within IBM, but also including James Governor, co-founder of analyst firm RedMonk.
The first post, titled The Mainframe Geek, makes the point that mainframers share some distinct personality characteristics, and lists several ways to determine whether you are, in fact, a mainframe geek. But I'll let you read those for yourself.
China Martens of the IDG News Service wrote about the new hardware and software in IBM unveils new mainframe, talks up virtualization.
Posted by Tom Sullivan on July 27, 2005 07:30 AM
July 26, 2005 | Comments: (0)
Apple on Tuesday unveiled a new line of G4 iBooks featuring faster processors, bolstered memory, and two types of built-in wireless connectivity.
The 12-inch iBook offers a 1.33GHz PowerPC G4 processor and starts at $999, while the 14-inch notebook is powered by a 1.42GHz processor for $1,299. Both come with 512MB of memory.
The new iBooks also feature two popular Apple technologies from the PowerBook G4 line: the scrolling TrackPad, which speeds scrolling through long Web pages, and the Sudden Motion Sensor, designed to protect a spinning hard drive if the notebook is dropped.
In addition, the notebooks' wireless capabilities are improved with both built-in Bluetooth 2.0 and AirPort Extreme 54Mbps 802.11g wireless. Bluetooth 2.0 features Enhanced Data Rate technology, which promises as much as three times great data rates for connecting to peripheral devices.
The new iBooks also include built-in 10/100 BASE-T Ethernet for high-speed networking, two USB 2.0 ports, and one FireWire 400 port. The notebooks ship with Mac OS X version 10.4, also called Tiger.
Posted by Cathleen Moore on July 26, 2005 04:56 PM
July 15, 2005 | Comments: (0)
Thin clients are getting bigger
IDC this week released a report indicating that thin client shipments grew nearly 20 percent in the first quarter of this year.
IDC's report also stated that customers continued to favor the top suppliers: Wyse, Neoware and HP, with those three constituting nearly 76 percent of the market.
As Dan Tynan pointed out in Think Thin, thin clients currently comprise less than 1 percent of today's desktop machines, but IDC projects they could make up 10 percent by 2008. Tynan's story was part of our online package Is the desktop PC history?
It's a bit early to draw a conclusion like that, but the package contains several stories about companies that are embracing the thin client approach, among both vendors and customers.
Microsoft and Sun are also in the thin client fray. Team Redmond is working on a version of Windows XP, code-named Eiger, that it's building specifically for thin clients, while Sun offers Sun Ray systems.
And the Linux Terminal Server Project (LTSP) is working on a way for open source users to tie thin clients to Linux servers.
Posted by Tom Sullivan on July 15, 2005 07:12 AM
June 22, 2005 | Comments: (0)
Jack Kilby's momentous contribution
At the time when Jack Kilby's experiments resulted in the first integrated circuit that was about half the size of a paper clip, computers were about 50 feet long, weighed eight tons, and used more than 5,000 vacuum tubes. The internal storage capacity of the UNIVAC, one of a handful of mainframes available in 1958, totaled 1,000 words or 12,000 characters.
It's easy to see how Kilby's invention, which laid the groundwork for the modern microprocessor, was extraordinary. Another important piece of his legacy was the fact that Kilby and his employer, Texas Instruments, were able to settle a patent dispute with Robert Noyce, who later went on to co-found Intel. Noyce filed a patent for a silicon-based integrated circuit only a few months after Kilby and TI filed for their integrated circuit patent. The legal agreement reached between TI and Fairchild Semiconductor, Noyce's employer at the time, allowed the companies to cross-license their technologies, which let the semiconductor industry thrive.
In 2000, Kilby was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his part in the invention of the integrated circuit, according to TI. Kilby died this week in Dallas at the age of 81.
Posted by Cathleen Moore on June 22, 2005 11:47 AM
June 05, 2005 | Comments: (0)
Apple, Intel deal gathers steam
If the rumors are true, people in a certain very warm place may be doing Dorothy Hamill-like triples right now. The rumors floating around for the last few weeks that Apple will turn to Intel processors for future systems are now being moved from the rumor column to the confirmed column, according to some news organizations.
The official announcement may come Monday. The move is reportedly coming because Apple's current supplier, IBM, is not developing a line of PowerPC chips broad enough for Apple's needs. If the move does take place, there will be plenty of repercussions. It will mean some skull work for Apple software developers and Apple engineers who will have to adapt to the new technology. It may not be easy for customers either. They will have to deal with yet more transition.
And that doesn't even count those people who now have to learn to ice skate.
Posted by Bob Francis on June 5, 2005 09:29 PM
May 23, 2005 | Comments: (0)
AMD, HP in tandem with Lance Armstrong Foundation
AMD and Hewlett-Packard have teamed up with the Lance Armstrong Foundation to create a laptop with a cause. The Lance Armstrong Foundation, set up by the six-time Tour de France winner following his own battle with cancer, supports people diagnosed with cancer through research, education and other outreach programs.
HP's new Special Edition L2000 Notebook PC is powered with an AMD Turion 64 processor. Prices start at $999 for a system with a 14-inch widescreen display and weighs in at 5.3 pounds. The systems should be in retail stores by July and available from HP's online store in June.
That's the technology side of the consumer notebook. The L2000 also has Armstrong's "LiveStrong" motto in big yellow letters on the lid and a reproduction of Armstrong's signature just below the keyboard. HP and AMD will give $50 to the Lance Armstrong Foundation for every laptop sold. AMD has made a two-year commitment to help generate a minimum of $4 million for the Lance Armstrong Foundation from this initiative.
In addition to the $50 the foundation will receive from each notebook, HP has purchased yellow LIVESTRONG wristbands to be packaged with yellow stereo ear buds with every notebook. To further support the cause, AMD and HP plan to donate notebooks for use in Lance Armstrong Foundation-funded cancer survivorship centers throughout the United States. In addition, the two companies are inviting PC buyers to join the battle against cancer by matching or exceeding the $50 per unit that goes to the foundation.
Posted by Bob Francis on May 23, 2005 11:31 AM
April 22, 2005 | Comments: (0)
Dual-core rivalry between AMD and Intel includes HP
Joining the dual-core race sponsored by AMD and Intel, Hewlett-Packard unveiled new servers, the HP ProLiant BL45p for the HP BladeSystem and the dual-core HP ProLiant DL585, which use AMD's new dual-core AMD Opteron processor.
HP said it also plans to release the HP ProLiant BL25p, BL35p and DL385 and the HP xw9300 Workstation with dual-core technologies in mid-2005, when AMD delivers its Dual-Core AMD Opteron processor 200 Series.
"The advent of dual- and multi-core processor technologies represents an industry defining change which returns us to the performance promise of Moore's Law at industry-standard prices," Brad Anderson, senior vice president and general manager, Industry Standard Servers, HP, said in a statement.
AMD and Intel have run a tight race to beat each other to market with their dual-core chips, IDG News Service said. Earlier this week, PC vendors Dell and Alienware began shipping systems with Intel's first dual-core processor, the 3.2GHz Pentium Extreme Edition 840.
The marketing blitz behind dual-core has turned out to be one of the more interesting aspects of this technology, said Kevin Krewell, editor-in-chief of Microprocessor Report, in San Jose, California. "They both launched their chips in the same week, which is pretty amusing," he said. "They're fighting tooth and nail."
"The reality is neither AMD nor Intel are first to the party," Krewell said. "In fact, they are late to the party for dual-core processors."' IBM and Sun Microsystems have been shipping dual-core servers since the advent of their Power4 and UltraSparc IV chips, and many other vendors, including Azul Systems, which this week unveiled systems based on a 24-core processor, have mastered the move to multicore designs, he said.
Posted by Jack McCarthy on April 22, 2005 05:58 PM
April 21, 2005 | Comments: (0)
In a week fraught with processor news, AMD on Thursday stepped onto the floor and showed off its dual-core moves, a mere 3 days after Intel trotted out the Pentium Extreme Edition 840 dual-core chip.
This latest round of processors is the first from each company to include two separate cores integrated into a single chip. AMD and Intel claim dual-core processors perform better than single core chips even at slower clocks speeds because they reduce power consumption and heat dissipation.
In InfoWorld's technology preview, AMD's Opteron finds a new gear, InfoWorld Test Center technical director Tom Yager wrote:
Dual-core systems will be most attractive to those who have an eight-cylinder appetite but only a four-cylinder budget. But dual core is no bargain if it shortchanges customers on performance. AMD told us that the second core delivers a 70 percent to 90 percent performance improvement to multiprocessor applications.
In short, Yager found, in his words, that Opteron is as close to future-proof as an entry-level 64-bit desktop or server architecture can be. He also wrote:
To be blunt, Intel's claim of technological parity with AMD is an easily penetrated smoke screen.
If all other technical differences were set aside, AMD's on-chip memory controllers, dedicated memory banks for each processor, and independent I/O channels among CPUs would decide the battle with Intel's EM64T. All these features are unique to AMD's x64 system implementation, and we'll see them exploited by major commercial OSes and development tools, including Windows Server 2003 x64 Editions and Visual Studio 2005 (currently in beta).
InfoWorld's full special report Opteron times two, includes the complete review and a handful of related pieces, including Yager's take on benchmarks.
Intel, for its part, had some other spots on its dance card this week. On Monday the chipmaker also launched its WiMax wireless broadband chip formerly code-named Rosedale, and detailed backing from vendors and providers.
Intel also said this week that sales of notebook chips helped boost its first quarter results.
While chips keep coming out a feverish pace, IDG News Service correspondents Tom Krazit and Sumner Lemon teamed up to write With chips, Moore's Law is not the problem, a piece about how the law of diminishing returns is impacting chipmakers. Last week Gordon Moore reflected on the past 40 years.
Market researcher IDC, meanwhile, said that China is the third largest and fastest growing market for semiconductors, fueled by purchases of PC, notebooks and servers. (Full disclosure: IDC is owned by International Data Group, the parent company of InfoWorld.)
Posted by Tom Sullivan on April 21, 2005 07:33 AM
April 20, 2005 | Comments: (0)
Toshiba reincarnates the Libretto
Toshiba announced this morning that it will once again sell its Lilliputian notebook computer, the Libretto. After three years of not doing so, the move is likely to raise a few skeptical eyebrows. Will the new Libretto U100 be more successful this time around?
Perhaps. The Libretto was king of the "wow" factor in its day, and that is a title it could regain. But accompanying that status is a high price tag and an elite, a.k.a. small, user base.
Now with standard-sized notebooks even smaller than when Toshiba took the Libretto off the market, more people simply used to carrying laptops around on a regular basis, and the proliferation of Blackberry and other handhelds used primarily for sending and receiving e-mail, Toshiba likely will struggle to find a niche for the newest Libretto. It won't be as an e-mail device, that's for sure. The Libretto is too expensive and too hefty for that.
With the Libretto's crammed keyboard, its market nook probably won't be as a smaller replacement for people who don't want a full-sized notebook either.
By way of a comparison, the Libretto weighs 2.16 pounds and retails at $1,999. Dell's lightest laptop touches down on the scale at 2.5 pounds, and runs $1,699. Both have built-in Wi-Fi and Pentium M chips. The main differences under the hood are that the Libretto has twice the memory and hard drive space as Dell's system. The outside is a different story, though. Dell's system features a 12.1-inch screen, while the Libretto has a 7.6-incher.
Other notebook makers, meanwhile, are focusing on price-reduction more than innovation, according to a story by IDG News Service correspondents Martyn Williams and Sumner Lemon. The piece, Cost key in driving laptop technology, says that the concentration on keeping prices down means that future machines are bound to closely resemble those sold today, albeit with the usual memory, CPU and software upgrades.
There could be some truth in that with the Libretto: Engadget described the ultraportable as having a "boxy, mid-80's" design.
Posted by Tom Sullivan on April 20, 2005 09:37 AM
April 19, 2005 | Comments: (0)
Dell offers up dual-core processors but the AMD question lingers
Intel announced dual-core chips this week and Dell was right behind the chipmaker with new systems that feature the processors.
The issue of whether or not Dell will ever use chips from AMD, however, still remains. Some Dell customers lately have been calling for the PC and server hardware maker to add AMD chips to its lineup. The competition and the choice, they say, would be beneficial.
But there may be more to Dell's monogamous relationship with Intel than the oft-considered reasoning. Speculators mostly predict that Intel applies significant arm-twisting and pressure on Dell behind closed doors, while publicly stating that Dell gets advantageous price breaks, first crack at new technologies, and other benefits from its fidelity.
In the article Despite dual-core, AMD still out with Dell, Tom Krazit of the IDG News Service delves into the less-contemplated facets of the debate, primarily that Intel is not the only one who gains from the exclusive relationship.
Dell, in fact, might have more to gain than anyone. Krazit explains how sticking with just Intel as a supplier helps Dell keep its costs down and that, in turn, reduces the price customers have to pay.
Of course, losing enterprise customers who want AMD chips to another hardware vendor won't help Dell's bottom line.
AMD is set to announce its dual-core processors on Thursday, and the pricing for those chips has emerged in press reports already.
Posted by Tom Sullivan on April 19, 2005 07:57 AM
April 01, 2005 | Comments: (0)
Dell, Gateway, lighten laptops, but how much has really changed?
This week's laptop news from Dell and Gateway got me to harken back to the days when I wrote for Mobile Computing & Communications magazine, a bit short of 10 years ago. So I snuck out to my garage, dug out some old MCC issues from the mid-90's, and dusted them off.
When I started at that publication, 166-Mhz was the speediest engine under the hood of any notebook on the market, MMX was the crowning feature of Intel processors, vendors boasted if they could fit a 12-inch screen into the system, Windows 98 was but a notion, RAM was upgradeable to 64MB, and a common pricier hard drive option was 2.1GB.
Oh yes, and notebooks weighed, well, I recall when we got our anxious hands on what was at the time the top of IBM's ThinkPad line: The 770D, a monster with a 14-inch screen and a DVD player, stepping onto the scale close to the 8-pound class. At the slimmer end of the spectrum was Digital's HiNote Ultra II LTS 5150, a super-model notebook at the chic weight of 4 lbs. flat.
Today, it's hard to find a notebook with most of those specs. Memory has sky-rocketed, generations of OS's have come and gone, chips in the gigahertz realm would leave even then-futuristic 233-Mhz processors stunned in their wake, and battery life has improved.
Dell on Wednesday touted its lightest notebook yet, weighing in at 2.5 pounds. That's an impressive feat, to be certain. One day later, Gateway announced that it had put its 8.8-pound M675 high-end laptop on a diet and, as a result, managed to bring to market the M680, which features a 17-inch screen, Pentium M 730 processor, 512MB DDR2 memory, and a 40GB hard drive, according to an IDG News Service story by Tom Krazit.
Even though Dell came through with a notebook light enough to be noteworthy, weight still remains a problem for road warriors. Weight, of course, is not the only persisting issue. Hot-swapping was a real pain in the neck in the late 90's, endurable only because hope existed that one day very soon hardware vendors would figure it out and the problem would go away. Well, whenever I take my ThinkPad out of its dock and switch from using the external monitor to the laptop screen, the transition is funky at best, and more often than not requires a reboot. Likewise, trying to dock my system and shift to the external monitor rarely works.
Battery life, too, still plagues mobile workers. Along with the new Latitude X1, for instance, Dell offers an optional 6-cell battery it claims will last 6 hours, Tom Krazit pointed out in another story.
But I doubt it lasts long when you're running more than one Office app, browsing with multiple windows open, let alone both IE and Firefox simultaneously, and if you happen to have Lotus Notes open, well, a more realistic battery life is probably about half that.
While I was shuffling through the old Mobile Computing issues, I came across a piece on finding a high-tech hotel. Back then, the search was for rooms with phone jacks suitable for going online via a 56K connection. That hunt is still on, albeit for the treasured Wi-Fi in rooms.
Despite ostensibly sound predictions at the time that the natural order of technology would see notebooks kill off desktop PCs and, in even quicker order, convergence devices such as the Nokia 9000 Communicator and its brethren would eventually free mobile workers from having to lug around laptops, when most workers take to the road these days they pack that additional briefcase with a heavy notebook, power cord and an extra battery pack.
The numbers and some specifications that vendors use to describe notebook computers have changed, but the user experience itself is essentially the same.
Posted by Tom Sullivan on April 1, 2005 09:24 AM
February 02, 2005 | Comments: (0)
Further evidence that Dell customers want AMD chips
Dell appears to be in a state of denial about its customers and AMD chips.
Merrill Lynch released a CIO survey that just so happens to back up a topic I blogged about yesterday.
At its press conference yesterday outlining new Latitude notebooks, Dell officials responded to questions about whether or not the company will inject its systems with AMD chips by saying that the company gauges customer demand and will offer AMD chips when it feels customers want them.
That company line is becoming increasingly thin given the number of Dell's competitors that sell servers with AMD chips.
Even still, in an interview after the press conference, Dell execs reiterated that the company's posturing has always been to "evaluate the marketplace."
Well, Dell, look no further.
Merrill Lynch's survey says that while CIOs anticipate that Dell will gain market share faster than its rivals, many users would like to see Dell offer servers running AMD's Opteron.
There is some hope, though, for those Dell customers who want AMD chips. CEO Kevin Rollins told InfoWorld in November that he believes Dell will use AMD chips at some point.
"I am sure there will come a time when we are going to use AMD. We are going to want to add [AMD] to our product line in the future," Rollins said.
Perhaps that time has come. Dell's customers want AMD chips, and those same customers also likely have hardware from Dell's competitors -- and almost all of them carry the Opteron.
Posted by Tom Sullivan on February 2, 2005 10:12 AM
February 01, 2005 | Comments: (0)
Dell execs say it is 'staying the course' with Intel chips
Dell held a press conference this morning at the Nasdaq in New York City to unveil new business notebook computers and related services.
IDG News Service correspondent Tom Krazit wrote a story about the new systems and services.
During the brief question session that followed the announcements, a fellow reporter asked Dell executives if they have any plans to use AMD chips in the near future.
The exec toe'd the company line, saying that Dell frequently gauges customer interest and will provide AMD chips when Dell feels its customers want systems with them inside.
Let's see here: All the other hardware vendors offer AMD chips and, in fact, people buy them, but for some reason Dell, the largest PC vendor, has a legion of customers that do not want AMD chips, or at least do not pressure Dell to offer them.
That could be true, I suppose, and before AMD beat Intel to market with a 64-bit Opteron processor that boasted 32-bit extensions, essentially making it backward-compatible with existing 32-bit apps, I just might have believed Dell's company line on AMD chips.
But no more.
After the actual press conference I spoke with Jay Parker, Dell's director of marketing for Latitude notebooks, and Mark Vena, Dell's director of outbound communications.
I thought I was reminding them of how Dell CEO Kevin Rollins told Bob Francis, Ed Scannell and me that he is sure Dell will want to add AMD chips to its product line in the future.
Rollins exact words were: I am sure there will come a time when we are going to use AMD. He also said, and this too is verbatim: We are going to want to add [AMD] to our product line in the future.
So to be fair, Rollins did not commit to a timeframe, and he certainly didn't say that AMD chips would be inside th