MicroStar International on Wednesday introduced its new family of mobile computers that was designed to wed performance, quality and relative portability necessary for road warriors. Modern notebooks have rather strict positioning: there are ultra-thin business laptops with limited performance, there are extremely advanced gaming or workstations notebooks with limited transportability …
Read More »Intel to help partners launch Atom x3 ‘SoFIA’-based tablets for $79
Intel Corp. will assist its partners in releasing inexpensive tablets based on the company’s recently announced Atom x3 system-on-chips code-named “SoFIA”. The slates based on the SoC will feature different screen sizes and will address various market segments. Intel plans to offer its partners a new set of reference designs …
Read More »Specifications of Intel Core i5/i7 ‘Skylake-S’ desktop processors revealed
A web-site has published what it claims to be specifications of Intel Corp.’s next-generation desktop microprocessors code-named “Skylake-S”. If the information is correct, then the initial “Skylake-S” family will hardly be truly broad and will not impress with high clock-rates. The upcoming Core i5 and Core i7 “Skylake-S” product lineup …
Read More »Luxottica CEO says company is working on Google Glass 2.0
The development of Google Glass was brought back behind closed doors at the start of this year, with the project now being taken up by a small team inside of the Google X labs. However, it looks like progress is being made and Google is even bringing other companies on-board …
Read More »ASML sells 15 EUV lithography scanners, possibly, to Intel
ASML Holding NV, one of the world’s leading makers of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, this week said that it had signed an agreement with one of its major U.S.-based customers to deliver at least 15 ASML extreme ultraviolet (EUV) EUV lithography systems. Given the scale of the order it is highly likely …
Read More »G.Skill debuts ‘world’s fastest’ 128GB 2.80GHz DDR4 memory kit
When it comes to high-end memory modules for enthusiasts, there is always a trade-off between their clock-rates and capacities. It is not easy to overclock DIMMs powered by multiple memory ICs [integrated circuits], which is why it is complicated to install a lot of fast memory. However, G.Skill on Thursday …
Read More »ARM: Our cores have enough performance for notebooks
Rumours about personal computers in clamshell form-factors powered by microprocessors featuring ARM architecture have been floating around for years, but only recently select Chinese companies released notebooks with Google Chrome OS that actually use ARM-based system-on-chips. According to ARM Holdings, these systems are only the beginning. “Just recently we have …
Read More »Intel to release ‘Broadwell’ CPUs with unlocked multiplier in mid-May
Intel Corp. plans to release its long-awaited Core i5 and Core i7 “Broadwell” microprocessors with unlocked multiplier for desktops in the middle of May, according to a slide from the company’s presentation. While the chips will “officially” support overclocking, they may not necessarily get popular among enthusiasts. Intel intends to …
Read More »Intel to strengthen its mini desktop PC platforms – report
Although sales of personal computers in general are declining nowadays, demand for inexpensive mini desktop PCs remains strong. As a result, Intel Corp. intends to strengthen its platforms for such systems, a media report claims. Among other things, the world’s No. 1 microprocessor supplier intends to improve performance of small …
Read More »Possible specifications of unlocked Intel ‘Skylake’ processors leak
A web-site has published what it claims to be specifications of unlocked Intel Core i-series “Skylake” microprocessors. If the specs are to be believed, then the next-generation enthusiast-class central processing units from Intel will feature pretty high clock-rates, which are on par with today’s “Devil’s Canyon” processors. As expected, the …
Read More »Intel still committed to make new Itanium processors
Intel Corp. introduced its latest Itanium microprocessor code-named “Poulson” back in 2012 and since then the company has neither updated the lineup of its IA64 chips, nor revealed exact plans about future Itanium products. But while Intel has been consistently adding new reliability, availability and serviceability features to its Xeon …
Read More »Asus unveils ‘military grade’ TUF Trooper Intel B85 mainboard
Asustek Computer has announced a new mainboard that weds extreme durability and reliability with moderate cost. The new TUF Trooper B85 features complete protection against lightning strikes and electrostatic discharge (ESD) as well as uses “military grade” components that will last longer than standard ones. The platform supports virtually all …
Read More »Intel in talks to acquire Via Telecom
Intel Corp. reportedly plans to acquire Via Telecom, a designer of system-on-chips and baseband processors for mobile devices. The deal would add several new telecommunications products into Intel’s portfolio, which will strengthen its positions on the market of low-end smartphones eventually. Intel and Via Technologies are in the final stages …
Read More »Intel: We are not discussing our 10nm schedules
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 »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 »Intel sees better 14nm yields, ‘Broadwell’ ramp ahead of the plan [UPDATED]
UPDATE: Adding Intel's 14nm vs 22nm cost curve comparison as well as a comment regarding current “Broadwell” costs. Intel Corp.’s 14nm manufacturing process was not a big success for the company because of initial yield issues. However, by now the majority of problems seem to be gone, at least, the …
Read More »CyberLink unveils world’s first hardware-accelerated 4K Ultra-HD player
CyberLink, a leading developer of multimedia software, has introduced the industry’s first media player that can take advantage of hardware acceleration capabilities of ultra-high-definition video decoding found in the latest hardware, such as microprocessors and graphics processing units. The CyberLink PowerDVD 15 is the world’s first software player that supports …
Read More »Intel: We are excited about ‘Skylake’ processors and Windows 10
Slow demand for personal computers in the first half of the year substantially affected Intel Corp.’s business results, but the company remains moderately optimistic and believes that launches of its future microprocessors code-named “Skylake” as well as Microsoft Corp.’s Windows 10 operating system will help its PC business. Intel’s client …
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 »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 »Google: We are happy that Microsoft is working on $150 PCs
In a bid to ensure that its Windows operating system can address all segments of the personal computer market, Microsoft Corp. in the recent quarters has worked hard with various hardware manufacturers to drive down prices of PCs to $200 and even $150 per unit. While hardware makers are hardly …
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 »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 »Intel 750-series SSD for consumers: up to 1.2TB capacity, up to 2.40GB/s transfer rates
Intel Corp. announced its new 750-series solid-state drives this week. The new SSDs are designed for high-performance desktops and the manufacturer calls the drives its “highest-performing client SSDs”. With read speeds up to 2.40GB/s and capacities up to 1.2TB, the Intel 750-series SSD is a dream of any performance enthusiast. …
Read More »Intel to unveil 14nm Celeron and Pentium chips with 4W – 6W TDP
Intel Corp. this week plans to announce a new family of inexpensive Celeron and Pentium central processing units made using 14nm fabrication process. Previously known as code-named “Braswell” microprocessors, the new chips significantly increase performance in multimedia applications compared to previous-generation “Bay Trail” system-on-chips. The new SoCs will be used …
Read More »Intel gets ready for its largest acquisition ever – report
Intel Corp. is negotiating with Altera Corp., a developer of system-on-chips, field programmable gate arrays and other specialty devices, over a possible takeover. The acquisition could strengthen Intel’s positions across many markets. The transaction could top $10 billion, which will be Intel’s biggest purchase ever. Altera develops and sells field …
Read More »Microsoft reportedly working on $149 laptops with Windows 10
In a bid to address emerging and educational markets with inexpensive laptops, Microsoft Corp. is reportedly working with two companies on ultra-cheap personal computers due this summer. The systems are projected to hit record-low $149 price-point per unit, which is on-par with low-end media tablets from renowned brands. The two …
Read More »Intel will help to build 2-in-1 Chromebooks – report
In a bid to increase sales of its mobile system-on-chip devices as well as to continue offering unique solutions to the market, Intel Corp. reportedly plans to team up with Google for hybrid 2-in-1 mobile computers running Chrome OS. Intel already has multiple reference designs of 2-in-1 hybrid PCs with …
Read More »TLC NAND flash to account for 45% of flash memory output by late 2015
Triple-level cell (TLC) NAND flash memory is dramatically less durable than traditional multi-level cell (MLC) or single-level cell (SLC) NAND. However, it has one distinctive advantage over competing technologies: it is more affordable to manufacture. This single advantage drives its popularity among makers of various devices and by the end …
Read More »Samsung rumoured to consider buying Advanced Micro Devices
Advanced Micro Devices faces hard times these days as sales of its central processing units and graphics processing units have been hitting new lows for many quarters. As a result, rumours about possible acquisitions of AMD resurrect. Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest maker of semiconductors, is considering to acquire Advanced …
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