Intel recasts Pentium chip for servers

The company has started shipping the new Pentium 350 dual-core chip for low-end servers

Intel is giving new life to its Pentium processor for servers, and has started shipping the new Pentium 350 chip for low-end servers.

The dual-core processor operates at a clock speed of 1.2GHz and has 3MB of cache. Like many server chips, the Pentium 350 lacks features such as integrated graphics, which are on most of Intel's laptop and desktop processors.

[ Keep up on the day's tech news headlines with InfoWorld's Today's Headlines: Wrap Up newsletter. ]

The iconic Pentium line of processors has been around for more than a decade, but now is mostly targeted at budget laptops and desktops. Pentium was Intel's flagship PC processor line, a mantle now held by the Core chips. The company once offered Pentium III and Pentium II Xeonprocessors for servers.

An Intel spokesman said the chip is targeted at microservers, which are low-power, compact servers for Web serving and content delivery services. Intel already offers Xeon E3 chips and is soon expected to launch new chips based on Atom for microservers.

The new processor is an acknowledgement of the Pentium brand's staying power, said Dean McCarron, principal analyst at Mercury Research. Besides microservers, the Pentium 350 could also be used in inexpensive, task-specific servers for storage, printing or document sharing, according to McCarron.

"What we're seeing is a repurposed part," McCarron said. The Pentium 350 is a cheaper alternative to Intel's PC chips, which could also be used in servers but are more expensive with additional features, such as integrated graphics.

The new processor draws 15 watts of power and there's a remote chance it could be used in blades, McCarron said. The processor is, however, not a replacement to Intel's current low-power Atom processors. These are typically for netbooks and tablets, but are also being used in high-density servers such as SeaMicro's SM10000-64HD to process cloud transactions.

Targeting the new Pentium chip at servers could also be a tacit acknowledgement that Intel wants Pentium to replace the Celeron brand, which is the lowest rung of Intel's processors. Celeron processors are used in low-cost desktops and laptops, and in a few cases, low-end servers.

Intel declined to provide pricing for the Pentium 350.

New Xbox 720 - Overview

An Overview of the New Xbox 720

Technology is constantly improving. New processors, improved memory, massive hard disc space; we're used to hearing about these every changing elements within our PC computers, but what about our consoles? The Xbox 360 is now more than seven years old, and though the developers argue that its full potential still hasn't been realized there have obviously been technological advances since its launch.

It's unsurprising then that rumors are already starting to circulate regarding the next generation Xbox, fondly dubbed the Xbox 720 until the true name is released from Microsoft. This new console from our favorite games manufacturer will arrive packed full of technology to allow for extraordinary graphics and performance. Although the details are still sketchy given Microsoft's tendency to keep their new projects on the quiet side, this overview should give you an indication about what to expect when this new console reaches the high street.

Suspected Specs
So first things first, let's think about the specifications that we can expect to see the Xbox 720 offer to us. The very first Xbox 360s were released with triple core 3.2GHz processors, and a separate Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) from AMD. Nothing is confirmed as yet, but it looks likely that the 720 could benefit from a Fusion chip, combining the CPU and GPU into one mega-powerful space. The Xbox 360 slim already features a Vejle all-in-one processor, so it seems logical that Microsoft might continue down the same path.

We aren't sure exactly how we'll be receiving the games for our new console, be it through Blu-Ray (doubtful; Microsoft isn't exactly keen to start using a Sony technology), HD-DVD or even Flash drives. There are even some rumors that gaming could be more Cloud based, working in a similar fashion to the Steam system for PCs.

Although we don't doubt that the classic controller for Xbox will be around for many years to come, it is highly likely that the Xbox 720 will feature improvements to the Kinect technology. Will every unit come with the Kinect built in? This seems likely if the developers can make it affordable.

A New Generation of Games

We've established that the technology powering the new console is going to be intense, but what sort of games can you expect to enjoy with it? No one knows for sure, but here are a few titles we expect to see launched onto this new platform:

• Halo 5 (or 6? Or 7?) - Everyone loves a bit of Halo, with sales from Halo Reach topping $200 million on its first day! The announcement that developer Bungie was retreating from the scene left fans devastated, but with new developer 343 Industries taking hold of the reigns we can expect a lot more from this series yet.
• Gears of War 4 - Gears of War was initially announced as a trilogy, culminating in the new Gears of War 3 for Xbox 360, but we really don't believe we've seen the end of it just yet. Even the developers have hinted that the world can continue after the culmination of the last game of the original three, strongly suggesting a sequel to come.
• Assassin's Creed 3 - We've loved Altair and we've loved Ezio. Soon it will be time for Ubisoft to introduce us to a third character in Assassin's Creed 3. With the new processor for the Xbox 720 boasting the ability to vastly improve the artificial intelligence of individual subjects in a created world, we are keen to see exactly how successful this particular title could be.

These are just a few of our ideas; there will undoubtedly be many more games to hit the Xbox 720 swiftly, along with new and improved games to enjoy with the Kinect motion sensor technology.

Our Hopes for a Release Date

By now we should have whet your appetite for the new and improved Xbox 720, but unfortunately there is still a bit of a wait for its release. The Wii U from Nintendo may be headed for a 2012 launch, but we aren't expecting the 720, and rival the Sony PS4, until 2013 at the earliest. Microsoft is suggesting that there is likely to be an overlap between the 360 and the next model, the 720. As the Xbox 360 did start its life as a bit of a flop, costing the company more than $1.2 billion at its launch, Microsoft will be trying to squeeze every ounce of life from this console.

But don't worry. Our sources suggest that Microsoft has recently upped its intake of staff within its console development wing, so before you know it you'll have an all new Xbox to splash your cash on!

PlayStation 4 Release date and Features

The next generation PlayStation may arrive sooner than we think.. maybe even in 2009! But based on the past release cycles ( 6 years ), it should come out anywhere between 2011-2012, concluded from the study below -

PS1 was released in 1994
PS2 was released in 2000
PS3 was released in 2006
PS4 will be released ____ probably in 2012 ?

However, taking accelerating technology and growing demand into consideration, it's safe to assume that the PlayStation 4 console may very well be released before 2010.

The PlayStation4 could either turn out to be the state of the art All-in-one media center with Blue-Ray disk support, IP TV and direct downloads or it may be angled towards a hardcore gaming machine with much better graphics capabilities by adding more Synergistic Processing Elements (SPEs) using their Cell architecture ; And also increase the storage capacity to something like 1 Terabyte or more.

To imagine what a PS4 might be capable of we should look at what the current PS3 doesn't have or doesn't do well ..

Hardware / Software Integration

According to SCEA's CEO Jack Tretton: "The hardware guys developed the [PlayStation 3] fairly independently, then dumped it onto the software guy's lap, effectively saying 'do something with it.'"
The PlayStation4 could either incorporate multiple cell chips or increase the number of on-ship SPEs.The advantage of recycling the Cell is that Sony could retain a familiar development environment and use existing code libraries.

Technology Upgrades

Some obvious technology upgrades would include -
- 802.11n to replace the existing 802.11b/g chipset.
- An external power supply (to reduce the size of the box and to improve cooling).
- A massive hard disk.
- New graphics processor.
- Increase in the onboard memory.

The memory architecture in the PS3 splits 512MB equally between graphics and application use and this limits developer freedom. We can expect the PS4 to address this issue, giving developers more dedicated memory in which to load game levels. Although it's worth pointing out that the PS3 (and any future Cell-based consoles) can use the SPEs for maths-intensive tasks like physics.

The New Graphics Processor

The PS3 uses the NVIDIA-built RSX graphics processor.Rumours suggest that Intel is trying to sell its Larrabee to Sony for the PS4.

Blue-Ray Capability

While the PS3 was instrumental in helping Blu-ray beat off HD DVD, there's a strong argument for dropping an optical drive from the PS4 altogether.Along with the Cell processor, the Blu-ray drive is one of the PS3's most expensive components. The PS3's high price has forced it into third place behind the Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360. Sony will be keen not to price itself out of the next console battle.Console owners are already downloading gigabytes-worth of game demos, video trailers, full-length movies and TV shows. With a giant hard disk in the PS4, games could simply be piped straight to the console on release day; long install/level load times would be eliminated.

Overall Features

Will the PlayStation4 turn out to be an All-in-one media center or the console where the best games are played. The choice needs to be made as satisfying both the demands will push the PS4 's price tag much higher than its competitors , a mistake Sony Corp. may not be willing to repeat.

Opinion: Why Xbox 360 Still Leads the Market

It isn't just the extra year that puts Xbox 360 on the top of the HD consoles

Last week, IGN's Colin Moriarty published an opinion piecesuggesting that the PS3 will beat the Xbox 360 before this generation is over. Citing worldwide averages and conjecture of lifetime sales, Colin makes a compelling argument, stating that the 360's year head start is the main reason for the system's lead over the PS3. However, as he said, you can't ignore the numbers, so let's take a look at what they really say. 

For sure, some of the 360's current lead in sales versus the PS3 can be attributed to launching a year sooner; but what that argument doesn't mention is the fact that the system was able to achieve more than just a market share handicap; it was real estate in the gaming community. People rushed out to buy the 360 because it was the next big thing, the first HD console, and the first next-gen home to stellar games like the Call of Duty franchise (on console, at least), The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and other great titles. 

These early adopters backed the Xbox 360's horse from the beginning, and as Xbox Live continues to build an active and dedicated online community, the system's growth hasn't slowed. According to NPD sales data released two weeks ago, October 2011 sales data showed Xbox 360 hardware up more than 20 percent from last year, with the system poised to be the best-selling console of the year, holding more than 40 percent of the current-generation market share. 

With October hardware sales up 20 percent from last year, the Xbox 360 is not on the decline.

Also in speaking on that year head start, let's look at the time period when the 360 launched. The system's most expensive SKU came out with a $400 price tag; not very cheap, but considerably less than the top of the line PS3 which came out at $600 in the US a year later. First year sales peg each platform at around the 6 million mark with a slight edge going to the PS3, but that can be attributed to supply outstripping demand at the Xbox 360's launch, and the PS3's position in the market at the cheapest Blu-ray player at the time. A look at tie ratios, or the number of games sold per system sold, for the first 23 months of each system's availability, shows the PS3 with 5.3 games per console sold (in third place behind the Wii) and the Xbox 360 with 6.6. It's also worth noting that at the time of the report (the PS3's 23rd month of availability), the Xbox 360 had an impressive tie ratio of 8.1. While each launch had similar unit sales, it's clear that Xbox 360 owners bought more games. 

Had the tables been turned and the PS3 launched first in 2005 instead of the Xbox 360, would their head start have fared better than Microsoft's? Considering that the strength of the PS3's launch relied heavily on its ability to play Blu-ray movies, it's likely not. Here's why; by April 2007, HDTV ownership in American households jumped to a whopping 28 percent, thanks to some aggressive holiday 2006 pricing. Considering that Blu-ray films won't give you any additional benefit when watching on a standard def television and the aforementioned lower tie ratio, it can be safe to assume that many of the early adopters who snagged a PS3 in that early window simply wanted a cheap(er) way to watch high-def movie content on their new HDTV. Had the PS3 launched in 2005 without the support of the HDTV surge, it simply wouldn't have fared nearly as well; real estate as the first HD gaming console or not, it simply wasn't worth the $600 investment for many non-HD gamers. 

Another big point of contention when it comes to the PS3 pulling ahead of the Xbox 360 is console exclusives. Sony has come a long way this generation, offering up some amazing new IP. However, let's turn again to the numbers to see who has really pulled ahead in this particular race. A quick polling of the top 50 games for each platform reveals that the PS3 has 16 exclusives on the list, with total sales of 57.09 million units worldwide of those exclusives. The Xbox 360 has one less at 15 on its top 50 list; but the total sales of these exclusives hits 82.23 million units; a considerable spread. 

Exclusive franchises like Gears of War continue to sell extremely well on Xbox 360.

It's no secret that the Xbox 360 has struggled in Japan. To be sure, the system has failed to gain any foothold in the Japanese market whatsoever, and has been vastly outshined by other platforms. However, the Japanese market in general seems to be shying away from consoles and gaming as a whole has been floundering in the land of the rising sun. As of April this year, the PS3 had sold 6.3 million units total in Japan compared to the Xbox 360's 1.4 million; a healthy margin, but a drop in the bucket compared to worldwide sales where each system has sold well over 50 million units. 

While the PS3 has made some great gains in this console generations, having fought against poor decisions early on and some general marketing mismanagement, the Xbox 360 still looks to be the top dog in the battle of this generation of HD consoles. 

Facebook hit by 'porn' virus

Facebook are investigating reports that some pornographic and violent images are being posted on users' newsfeeds.

The material is thought to have been spread widely in the last 24 hours via a 'linkspam' virus when users click on a seemingly innocuous story link.

Thousands of users have complained via Twitter of the security breach which is allowing photoshopped porn images and, in some cases, pictures of the violent mutilation of animals and people.

No one has yet claimed responsibilty for the breach, although several people have linked the attack to hacking activist group Anonymous after a video appeared on YouTube threatening to "kill" the social network.

However, experts have questioned whether the video was authentic.

A spokeswoman for Facebook said: "[We are] aware of these reports and we are investigating the issue".

Story Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15740798

Google Chrome update addresses high-severity flaw

Google has released an update for Chrome 15 which addresses a high-risk vulnerability. The security issue is the result of an out-of-bounds memory write in the browser's JavaScript engine.

Under normal circumstances such a vulnerability would allow remote code execution and would be considered critical. However, because Google Chrome uses a native sandbox that prevents attackers from executing malicious code, the severity of the bug was downgraded.

The vulnerability was discovered by Mozilla security engineer Christian Holler, who was paid US$1,000 through the Chromium Vulnerability Rewards Programs for reporting it.

The new Google Chrome 15.0.874.121 for Windows, Mac, Linux, also addresses a non-security issue that causes SVG elements loaded within iframes to ignore specified dimensions. This is actually a regression bug introduced by recent code modifications.

Other fixes contained in this release deal with the browser's behavior on Chrome OS, Google's cloud-oriented operating system, and include changes to the default NAT traversal policy used by the Chromoting remote access feature, the downloads folder display, the login process, and the GPU blacklist. The update also includes some minor bugfixes in the V8 JavaScript engine.

Home users are advised to upgrade to the new version by using the built-in Chrome update mechanism, which can be triggered by restarting the browser. Corporate network administrators can deploy it by using the Google Update for enterprise policy.

Nokia confirms the N8 successor is coming next year, sort of

Rest assured cameraphone fans, Nokia is still thinking about you. The manufacturer of the N8 is already working on its successor, which will come out some time next year. The confirmation came at the Nokia Lumia 800 launch event in Russia and was brought by the company VP Eric Bertman so it's pretty official.
According to him, next year Nokia will be releasing something even better than the N8 in 2012. He didn't provide any more details, like the OS that the device will be using. Previously we heard that Symbian is very much on the cards, but Windows Phone certainly seems the more probable platform of choice of the new cameraphone king.

You can check out the full interview in the following video. The N8 bit comes at about 1:36.

So what’re your thoughts on the matter? Is a great camera all that is preventing you from going for a Nokia WP smartphone? Or would you have rather had it in MeeGo flavor? Tell us in the comment section below.

Source

1st Generation Nano recall

Replacements offered by Apple

Apple have recalled their first generation iPod nanos after fears over a battery safety issue.

The 'at risk' nanos were sold between September 2005 and December 2006, the original nanos were only made in black or white and has a plastic front and a metal back.

Apple has determined that, in very rare cases, the battery in the iPod nano (1st generation) may overheat and pose a safety risk.

Customers who think they are eligible for a replacement are being advised to check their model number and fill in the relevant form on Apple's support page at; https://supportform.apple.com/201110/

Story Source: http://www.apple.com/support/ipodnano_replacement/

Intel peaks on PC performance with new six-core chip ....

Intel on Monday announced what it called its fastest chip to date for PCs, the six-core Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition processor, which is based on the Sandy Bridge microarchitecture and designed for use in high-end desktops.

The chip is targeted at enthusiasts such as gamers, who usually are early adopters of the latest technologies. More cores and faster clocks speed up PCs and are valued by gamers, who demand peak performance when playing graphics intensive games.

The Core i7-3960X runs at a default clock speed of 3.3GHz, cranking up to 3.9GHz per core depending on performance required. The chip has 15MB of cache and four channels of memory, also the most available on Intel PC chips to date.

The chip is about 52 percent faster in video editing than the Core i7-2600K chip, which is also based on Sandy Bridge and targeted at enthusiasts. The memory performance is up to 114 percent better, Intel said.

The Core i7-3960X will succeed the Core i7-990X Extreme Edition, which was the fastest chip based on Intel's previous Westmere architecture.

The chip is priced at US$990 for 1,000 units. It will compete with the Advanced Micro Devices' eight-core FX-series chips, which started shipping last month and are also targeted at enthusiasts

Intel and AMD are adding cores and ratcheting up clock speeds in an effort to gain the chip performance crown. AMD in September demonstrated its eight-core FX processor running at 8.429GHz in a system, which the company claimed broke the world record.

Intel also introduced the six-core Core i7-3930K chip, which operates at 3.2GHz and can be clocked up to 3.8GHz. The chip has 12MB of cache, four memory channels, and is priced at $555.

Top 10 Best Gaming Laptops ...

Want to take your PC gaming mobile? Then check out the top 10 best gaming laptops out there today.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Even though companies like Razer may be fighting the cold hard truth that, when it comes to gaming, the platform of choice goes to the consoles. But enthusiasts know that if you want to experience the true quality that a game has to offer, then PC gaming is the way to go. Desktops will give you that extra oomph, but sometimes portability is a necessary factor for LAN party-goers or traveling pros. For those looking to take their game mobile without sacrificing too many frame rates, PCMag has rounded up the best gaming laptops.

Most gaming laptops aren't what we in the business call "ultraportable" (the Acer Aspire AS3830TG-6431 is one exception). The smallest designated gaming rig I've ever encountered is Alienware'sM11xr3; a 3.3-pound laptop. It packs quite a punch, managing 55.6 frames per second (fps) on our Crysis (DirectX 10) benchmark test—a respectable score considering its 11-inch size. However, if you want to bump up your frame rates high-end components need room, which is why its 17-inch brother, the Alienware M17x (Sandy Bridge), can pump out Crysis at 93.3fps on medium quality.

View SlideshowSee all (10) slides

More

It's important to remember that what a laptop lacks in high-end components, it makes up for in battery life. Big GPUs and CPUs require lots of power to keep running. That's why the Alienware M11xr3 will give you 8 hours 3 minutes of relative computing life and the Alienware M17x will give you a mere 2:24. Unless you're the type to carry around an extra battery or two, road warriors may want to factor this in when considering what gaming laptop to buy.

For those looking to game on the lighter end of the 3D graphics spectrum there are laptops with lower-end GPUs that cost a little less than the higher-end stuff out there. If you're a World of Warcraft enthusiast, fan of games like Torchlight, or into older titles like Team Fortress 2, you might go for a laptop like the Dell Inspiron 17R (N7110) or Acer Aspire AS3830TG-6431.

Below are 10 of our best gaming laptops. All have gone through our Crysis test and all have come out around 30 frames per second or better. Pick one that will help you get your game on.

Featured in this Roundup:

Dell Inspiron 17R (N7110)
$1,039.98 direct

The Dell Inspiron 17R (N7110) gives you some 3D performance through its Nvidia GeForce GT 525M graphics chip, creative control of both your virtual media and the laptop's physical appearance, and features to make this desktop replacement laptop pop.

Acer Aspire AS3830TG-6431
$750 street

The Acer AS3830TG-6431 is one of the most powerful ultraportables on the market, equipped with an Nvidia GT 540M graphics chip. This laptop will not only play Crysis, it has enough battery power to get you through a coast to coast flight.

Asus K53SV-B1
$990 street

The Asus K53SV-B1 desktop replacement laptop packs high-end performance without the price tag, offering quad-core Intel Core i7 processing and powerful Nvidia GeForce graphics for under $1,000.

Acer Aspire AS8950G-9839
$1,499.99 street
 
Gamers will love the Acer Aspire AS8950G-9839 laptop's big 1080p-resolution screen, built-in Blu-ray drive, and crisp-sounding speaker system. The AMD Radeon HD 6850M powering the system impress, with playable frame rates on Lost Planet 2 and Crysis.

Dell XPS 15z (Microsoft)
$999 direct
 
The XPS 15z (Microsoft) is available from Microsoft's Store and every bit as luxurious as the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch, but it won't cost you nearly as much.

Asus G74SX-BBK7
$1,199 list

The Asus G74SX-BBK7's huge exterior speaks volumes: Intimidating to the casual consumer, but speaks to the gamer saying, "The bigger I am, the better I game."

Alienware M17X (Sandy Bridge)
$2,254 direct
 
With outstanding gaming scores and the most wicked design, the Alienware M17X (Sandy Bridge) is the best gaming laptop, period.

Alienware M11xr3
$1,099 direct
 
Need a portable gaming device to keep you sharp while you're on the road? Look no further than the Alienware M11xr3.

Asus G74SX-A2
$2,000 street

The Asus G74SX-A2 holds its own against top gaming laptops with its quad-core processor and Nvidia graphics, and its stealthy cooling system kicks in when those components get hot.

Samsung QX411-W01
$799.99 list

The Samsung QX411-W01 is a mainstream laptop that includes top-notch battery life and a sturdy design among its features. It's Nvidia GT 520M won't get you far when it comes to high-end titles, but for those who like to play games like World of Warcraft, Portal, and Indie games like Limbo and From Dust, the QX411-W01 will suit your needs.