Intel Corp. is confident that its 10nm manufacturing process will enable it to build central processing units cost-efficiently. However, the company does not want to reveal when exactly it plans to start making chips using its next-generation 10nm fabrication technology. In accordance with Moore’s law and Intel's tick-tock cadence, the company needs to …
Read More »Netflix has surpassed 60 million subscribers
Netflix managed to hit a new milestone recently, surpassing 60 million subscribers. The surge in newcomers is largely down to the service's international expansion, hitting new countries like Australia. Although, the majority of subscribers are still from the US. 40 million Netflix subscribers reside in the US, or are at …
Read More »Intel: 10nm and 7nm technologies have perfect economic feasibility
It is not a secret that transitions to newer chip manufacturing processes are getting more difficult from financial capital standpoint since not only research and development costs more than before, but also production equipment is getting more expensive. In a bid to keep their prices at current levels, semiconductor companies need …
Read More »Google accused of abusing online dominance by EU
The European Commission has been critical of Google and its business practices for some time now but today, it finally launched its official investigation in to the company on anti-trust grounds, accusing Google of abusing its online dominance to unfairly promote its own products and services. In a statement of …
Read More »NASA bringing rover tech to driverless cars
Driverless car technologies are coming on leaps and bounds at the moments, with the world's first motorway-only automated features set to hit commercial cars as soon as 2017. However, whether our automated future will look like the cars of old, or something more akin to Google's Pod Car design remains to …
Read More »Asustek and Dell to release laptops, tablets with USB 3.1 type-C connectors
All leading makers of mainboards recently introduced motherboards that support 10Gb/s USB 3.1, but only a few of these platforms actually feature the new reversible USB type-C connectors. Notebook manufacturers appear to be even more conservative and except Apple’s new MacBook, no laptop uses the new interconnection tech. Nonetheless, this …
Read More »Google wants developers to make apps for younger audiences
Google wants Android developers to start making apps that would suit a younger audience in order to keep up with Amazon. Amazon might not have the biggest selection of apps in the world but it does have a FireHD Kids Edition, which is aimed at children and also guaranteed a …
Read More »TSMC: 16nm yields are approaching mature levels
Although Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. has delayed mass production of chips using its 16nm fabrication processes, this did not happen only because of low yields. According to the company, 16nm yields at TSMC are approaching mature levels. This year TSMC will offer two 16nm process technologies for clients: 16nm FinFET …
Read More »Intel is quietly delaying 10nm production – report
Intel Corp. delayed mass production of 14nm chips by nearly a year because of insufficient yields. According to a media report, something similar may happen to its 10nm manufacturing technology. Intel is setting up a small pilot line for 10nm production in D1X development fab in Hillsboro, Oregon, reports SemiconductorEngineering. …
Read More »The FAA is finally on-board with Amazon’s drone testing
It looks like the US Federal Aviation Authority has finally got its act together as it has finally given Amazon the permission it needed to conduct drone test flights on US soil. The move follows strong words of disappointment coming from Amazon, after the FAA approved the use of a …
Read More »Google has a small team working to build better batteries
It seems that smartphone makers are finally starting to take a serious look in to improving batteries. We already know that Apple has a team working on new technology and now it looks like Google is doing the same thing, with a small team working out of the secretive Google …
Read More »YouTube has a paid subscription service on the way
News broke earlier this week that YouTube's long rumored paid subscription service is finally on the way. The new service will let monthly subscribers watch videos without ads and a cut of that revenue will be split between YouTube and content creators. The idea is to boost revenue for everybody, …
Read More »The EFF wants a DMCA exemption to preserve abandoned games
The EFF and the Entertainment Software Alliance are currently battling it out over the need to preserve past games that have since been abandoned by their publishers or developers. The EFF wants an exemption to the DMCA to keep older titles alive once its servers are shut down but the …
Read More »Netflix parodies wearable makers with own watch ad
Much has been said about the upcoming launch of Apple's first official wearable device, the Apple Watch, with detractors and fans of the brand both butting heads over whether it will be decent or a bit of a let down. Something I think we can all agree would flop if …
Read More »TSMC’s 10nm goals: higher density and performance at lower power
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. this week unveiled first details about its 10nm fabrication process at the TSMC Technology Symposium in the U.S. The official goals are slightly less ambitious than those discussed last year, but the general focus of TSMC’s 10nm manufacturing technology is clear: considerable increase of transistor density compared to …
Read More »T1000 incoming: new liquid metal can move and conform
That's it, judgement day is practically a given and as usual, it's all the fault of those meddling scientists. Chinese researchers investigating unique properties of certain metallic alloys have managed to make a self assembling and self propelling liquid metal, which has the potential for a huge range of products …
Read More »Intel and Altera acquisition talks end due to price disagreement
Negotiations between Intel Corp. and Altera have ended because the companies could not agree on price. The world’s largest maker of microprocessors did not want to pay a hefty premium for the company, which is more profitable than Intel itself. If the chipmaker really wants to get Altera, the talks will …
Read More »Pepper spray drones tested in India
Even though drones may bring the promise of faster deliveries, wonderfully gimballed footage and the ability to really up the ante on curtain peeping neighbours, they're also seeing a lot of use in military and policing sectors. In India for example, they've been trialling them for use with crowd control …
Read More »Intel: Moore’s law will last for another 10 years
Intel Corp. predicts that Moore’s law will last for at least another decade and the number of transistors per chip will keep doubling every two years. While there are challenges ahead, Intel’s engineers are going to solve them. Later this month Moore’s law will hit 50 years, an unprecedented date for the …
Read More »Crimea citizens have had their Battle Net accounts suspended
If you are based in Crimea, then it is about to become harder to game as thanks to sanctions imposed on the region by the US, Blizzard can no longer provide its service to those who live there. This means that those living in the area will no longer be …
Read More »Popcorn Time sneaks on to iOS
Popcorn Time, the so-called ‘Netflix for pirates' has managed to sneak its way on to iOS without the need to jailbreak your iPhone or iPad. The app is already available on most other major platforms but breaking on to Apple's terrain took a little extra work. The piracy app has …
Read More »Gadget Show Live 2015: The weird and wonderful
Although it's great to visit tech expos to see some of the new and exciting hardware and the innovative peripherals, it's also a great time to see some rather strange and often intriguing technology that doesn't get quite as much press as a new GPU or gaming mouse release. So …
Read More »Netflix could ban VPN users thanks to updated terms and conditions
Netflix has recently updates its terms and conditions, adding in a new line that says Netflix can ban users found to be using a VPN to access libraries of content not available in your own country. However, it does seem unlikely that Netflix would actively enforce this new rule. While …
Read More »GlobalFoundries: Our lead 14nm product is yielding in double digits
GlobalFoundries on Tuesday clarified claims about its ramp up of 14nm chip production at fab 8 manufacturing facility in Malta, New York. The world's second largest contract maker of semiconductors has taped out multiple 14nm designs and is tweaking its equipment using a lead product at the moment. The company is …
Read More »New leaked image of the Moto 360 2 surfaces
The Smartwatch market is expected to boom this year with the launch of the Apple Watch so as you can imagine, Android Wear smartwatch makers are preparing their own devices in order to compete. We now have our first leaked render of what is apparently going to be the next …
Read More »TSMC looking at new materials, transistor structures for sub-10nm tech
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. this week confirmed that it has a team of engineers working on a manufacturing process that will succeed 10nm fabrication technology towards the end of the decade. While the company did not reveal details about its sub-10nm process, it said that it considers various options for …
Read More »Mubadala: GlobalFoundries begins to ramp up production of 14nm chips
Mubadala Development Co., the Abu Dhabi-based investment and development company, said this week that GlobalFoundries, which is owned by Mubadala, has already begun to ramp up production of chips using 14nm fabrication process. “GlobalFoundries announced a strategic collaboration with Samsung to deliver capacity at 14nm, one of the industry’s most …
Read More »Microsoft is discontinuing Kinect for Windows
Microsoft is officially discontinuing Kinect for Windows, the company will no longer sell a PC specific version of the sensor but Kinect isn't leaving PC entirely. Microsoft will continue to provide the regular Xbox One version of Kinect along with an adapter to get it running on PC. This is …
Read More »On-Live to shut down, Sony acquires patents
On-Live has been struggling ever since launch, the cloud gaming service never really performed up to par and as a result, most people gave up on the service and the idea of cloud-gaming entirely. Now, the company is finally closing its doors this month and Sony will be picking up …
Read More »HBO Go is going to be added to Sling TV
HBO Go is going to be added to Sling TV just in time for the next season of Game of Thrones. Sling TV subscribers will be able to watch HBO shows live as well as via video on demand without needing a cable subscription. Sling TV and HBO have not …
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