Jan 5, 2010
1

Marvell outs Plug Computer 3.0

Gets upgraded CPU, WiFi, Bluetooth and more

MARVELL’S PLUG COMPUTER has been given an overhaul just in time for CES and the new model looks set to be the greatest one yet. Marvell has moved away from its 1.2GHz Kirkwood SoC to the new 2GHz Armada 300 SoC. The Armada 300 is still based on Marvell’s Sheeva core, but Marvell hasn’t disclosed if the Armada 300 is based on the ARMv5 or ARMv7 architecture. Other new additions include WiFi, Bluetooth and an “internal hard drive”.
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Jan 4, 2010

EVGA’s dual socket LGA-1366 gets pictured

One seriously huge motherboard

EVGA HAS MANAGED to gain a fair bit of fame for its unusual and often quite good motherboards, but its latest creation that was sneak previewed on Twitter a couple of days ago is a monster of a motherboard. Not only does it feature two LGA1366 CPU sockets, but it also has six memory slots and seven PCI Express x16 slots. However, there’s one slight problem with this board, it uses a proprietary form factor.
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Jan 4, 2010

Clarkdale and Arrandale NDA’s end

Core i3 well received, Core i5 not so much

TODAY INTEL’S NDA for its Clarkdale and Arrandale CPUs finally ended and the web got plastered in reviews. Most of the reviews take a closer look at the Clarkdale, although a handful of Arrendale reviews have also made it, all of them based on a single Asus notebook model. What is a bit irksome is the fact that Intel has pretty much only seeded the Core i5 661 processor to reviewers and this is of course the model with the much faster IGP than the other Core i5 and Core i3 processors that are being launched later this week.
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Dec 29, 2009

Early Pentium G6950 benchmarks on H55 appear

Can you say Meh?

SOME EARLY BENCHMARKS of Intel’s next generation integrated graphics processor have allegedly been posted by a “local paper” somewhere in Asia. It didn’t take long for them to appear online, but what is important to keep in mind is that these should be the worst case figures. Why? Well, simply because the CPU used is the Pentium G6950 which has its GPU running at a mere 533MHz and will most likely lack Intel’s Turbo feature for the IGP.
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Dec 24, 2009

Futuremark launches Gigabyte System Builder

Slanted much?

WE’RE ALL FOR tools that help people pick suitable parts for their next system build, especially these days as it can be hard to figure out what bits goes with what. Futuremark has just launched a new tool in partnership with Gigabyte called the Gigabyte System Builder. Okay, so you only have the choice of Gigabyte motherboards and graphics cards, but that’s fair enough, as this is a business partnership and monies have been exchanged at one time or another to get this up and running.
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Dec 23, 2009

Shuttle is getting ready to enter the notebook market

Big announcements to come at CES

CES IS THAT first chance in the new year for companies to reveal what they’re working on for the coming year and it looks like Shuttle is getting ready to change its focus, just as so many other companies are. The pre CES press releases on Shuttle’s website talk about a new XPC, a new all-in-one, but also a secret new strategy called SPA and this is the big news that might just make or break Shuttle.
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Dec 21, 2009

New Atom processors get announced early

Performance lacking but power frugal

INTEL’S NEW ATOM processors were expected to launch in early January, but it seems like Intel had a change of heart and decided to announce the new processor family today. The Atom N450, D410 and D510 are all now official alongside the NM10 chipset and Intel’s “new” GMA3150 IGP that’s now an integral part of the CPU packaging. However, what many are waiting to find out is if Intel’s new Atom platform will offer any advantages for the end user.
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Dec 18, 2009

Intel announces that it’ll announce new processors

8:02 am January 7th

CHARLIE IS GOING to have an early start on the first day of CES, at least if he’s planning on attending Intel’s press briefing for its new Core processors that currently go under the code names of Clarkdale and Arrandale. Intel has posted its CES plans and it looks like the most anticipated part is set to start at 8:02 am, which seems a little bit early, at least for most of the journalists we know in the business.
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Dec 18, 2009
1

$99 Linux PC in a keyboard launches

Borrows a few design cues from Amiga

THE ASUS EEE KEYBOARD might be the most desirable computer in a keyboard design, but it’s unlikely to be cheap once it launches considering all the little tweaks Asus had done to it since it was announced. Enter the NorhTec Gecko Surfboard, the $99 PC in a keyboard that runs Linux on a 1GHz x86 SoC. If you found the Eee Keyboard to be way too powerful for your needs, then look no further as the Gecko Surfboard won’t break any performance records.
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Dec 17, 2009

Taiwan researchers make 16nm chip

Using maskless photoresist-free nano-injection lithography

INTEL IS ABOUT to launch its first 32nm processors in early January, with 22nm next on its roadmaps, but it seems like Intel has been beaten to 16nm by the Taiwan National Nano Device Laboratories (NDL). However, NDL is a research and development outfit rather than a profit seeking enterprise and as such is looking for partners in Taiwan to take its research forward.
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Dec 17, 2009

The Asus Pegatron saga continues

ECS to make Asus motherboards?

CONTINUING ON where we left off a couple of days ago, more details about Asus’ plans for the future has appeared. It’s not looking pretty and if the rumours and speculations are true, then we can see a lot of users abandoning Asus as the brand to go to for motherboards in favour for its competitors. However, it’s not all doom and gloom, as at least Asus’ share price has started to level out after a sharp drop over the past few days, but it’ll take some time before it gets back to its previous level.
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