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Bloomberg: Next Xbox has X86 AMD chip
Microsoft will match Sony's example and use an X86 series processor from AMD in its next console, according to Bloomberg's anonymous sources. The still-unannounced console is said to use a "Jaguar" CPU with integrated GPU, abandoning the IBM PowerPC tech used in the Xbox 360.That means, like the PS4, the new Xbox will have difficulty emulating its predecessor, since it will be built on different architecture. The good news, however, is that with both of those consoles (allegedly) using similar architecture, and PCs also similarly laid out, multiplatform game development will be much easier.Except for the Wii U, of course.The Verge reports that Microsoft is holding some kind of event on May 21, believed to be an Xbox event.
PlayStation 4 lead looked at x86 chips in 2007, wants polished games on day one
Many game developers will tell you that the PlayStation 3's Cell processor was a real bear to support. What they can't tell you: the PlayStation 4's lead architect, Mark Cerny, was already thinking of a solution as far back as 2007. He just revealed to Gamasutra that he'd been researching x86-based processors for the PS4 merely a year after the PS3 launch, knowing that there were "some issues" with realizing the Cell's potential. The new console's unified memory and eight-core CPU were the ultimate results of Cerny's talks with game creators shortly after he took the reins in 2008. We've already seen the shift in attitudes through a very developer-centric PlayStation Meeting, but Cerny wants to underscore just how different the PS4's holiday launch should be versus what we remember from 2006 -- even the first wave of PS4 games should benefit from a healthy toolset, he says. We'll know his long-term planning paid off if the initial PS4 library shows the level of refinement that took years to manifest on the PS3.
PS4 has x86 CPU, 8GB onboard memory, local hard drive
Update: Additional details on the hardware can be found on this post.On stage at today's PlayStation event in NYC, lead system architect on PS4 Mark Cerny revealed some technical specs on the upcoming PlayStation 4. It's built on an x86 CPU, with an enhanced PC GPU and 8 gigabytes of fast onboard GDDR5 memory. Cerny also confirmed there would be a local hard drive.Cerny also confirmed a secondary chip that handles all downloading, so that downloads can be performed in the background. PS4 titles are also playable as they're being downloaded.
Origin and CUPP wed x86 and ARM in 11-inch gaming laptop, we go hands-on (video)
Well, Origin and CUPP dropped a bit of a surprise at CES this year -- a supercharged 11.6-inch gaming laptop that runs Android 2.3.4 and Windows 7 simultaneously. On the Windows side, the machine is powered by a 2.7GHz Core i7 CPU with 4GB of RAM, a beefy GeForce GT 650M GPU with 2GB of dedicated RAM and a 128GB SSD. On the Android end you'll find a single core 1GHz Texas Instruments OMAP 3730 processor with 512MB RAM, an integrated WiFi radio, and an unspecified amount of shared storage -- nothing too exciting in this day and age, but perfectly adequate for Gingerbread. We got an exclusive first look at the machine. It's a bit bulky and heavy considering the tiny screen size, something to be expected considering the sheer amount of hardware crammed inside. There's no shortage of ports however, with the left side playing host to an Ethernet connector, VGA and HDMI outputs, headphone and mic jacks, as well as a pair of USB 3.0 ports. On the right edge is the power input, a pedestrian USB 2.0 port and a Kensington lock. We like the styling, with its lightly textured platform and soft touch lid. Even the slightly recessed hinge lends the laptop an air of aggression that we kinda dig in a gaming rig. Having full ARM and x86 systems in the same machine opens up a whole bunch of new possibilities. You can do some CPU-intensive image editing in Photoshop, put Windows to sleep, press [Fn] + [Shift] to switch over to Android (and back), then upload that edited picture to Flickr using Chrome while sipping only a trickle of power. Or you can render a video in Windows in the background while checking on your social networks on Android. It's a pretty ideal setup for editors like us. Both systems share the same 11.6-inch 1366x768 display, keyboard and trackpad. If this all seems awfully familiar that's because it is. The x86 laptop is based on Origin's EON11-S and the ARM module is CUPP's PunkThis board, which the company's already demoed for us on a Macbook Pro, a netbook and an x86 tablet. Until now all these devices have been one-off prototypes, but CUPP's partnering with Origin to make the PunkThis board available as an option on the EON11-S. The machine we played with was a pre-production unit using CUPP's single core ARM module running Gingerbread, but the company is working on a multi-core version with Jelly Bean. Origin, on its end, plans to add a touchscreen to the laptop for a better user experience in both Android and Windows 8. Want to know more? Check out the gallery below and hit the break for our hands-on video and the full PR after the break.
Apple may ditch Intel chips in Macs, says Bloomberg
According to Bloomberg Apple is considering a move away from Intel chips for its cherished Mac line. The change would be the third major CPU shift for the brand which has previously relied on Motorola 68000 and Power PC chips. Ditching Intel silicon could also mean a move away from x86, as Apple has been heavily invested in its own ARM-based chip designs in recent years. Bloomberg's sources suggest that Cupertino is actively working on a version of its tweaked ARM architecture that would run inside Mac PC, in particular its laptop products could stand to benefit from its battery sipping design. The change will not happen immediately. In fact, the sources said such a move was years away, potentially not happening till 2017. But, as the gulf between "mobile" and "desktop" products begins to shrink and the boundaries blend, it would only seem to make sense that Apple would look to leverage its high-profile purchase of P.A. Semi to good use and inch ever closer to being a completely self-reliant corporate entity. We don't think it's any secret that Apple would, if it could, design and manufacture all of its products' components in-house.
Slackware 14.0 now available, freshens and simplifies a Linux vanguard
When it comes to Linux distributions, Slackware could well be called the archetype. It's not just one of the longest-serving releases at nearly 20 years old -- it's designed to be "pure" and cut back on customized apps, many graphical interface assistants and the requirement to download anything during the installation process. Pat Volkerding and team have nonetheless given us a bit of a break with the launch of Slackware 14.0. While many open-source fans will be downloading a copy for the more recent Linux 3.2.29 kernel and other updated packages, ease of use is the guiding principle for the new build: there's now a graphical NetworkManager interface to manage wired and wireless connections, for a start. In tandem with the newer kernel, updated versions of the KDE and Xfce desktop environments also result in much broader hardware support than many veteran users will remember. Slackware is now much more savvy about removable storage, accelerated 3D video, SATA and other features that have sometimes demanded command line trickery. Anyone can download the revamped distribution for free, including for ARM-based devices like the Raspberry Pi, although we'd consider springing for the $33 subscription to CD-based copies of Slackware to fund Volkerding's long-term efforts.
Intel christens its 'Many Integrated Core' products Xeon Phi, eyes exascale milestone
Been wondering when the next big leap in high performance computing would hit? Well, Intel would like you to believe the time is now and the name of that revolution is the Xeon Phi. Formerly codenamed Knights Corner, the Many Integrated Core product is pushing the field of supercomputers into the era of the exaflop by squeezing a teraflop of performance into a package small enough to plug into a PCIe slot. The Phi brand will, at first at least, be applied to specialized coprocessors designed for highly parallel tasks. The chips are built using Intel's 22nm manufacturing process and 3-D TriGate transistors, piling in more that 50 cores in an effort to combat the inroads made by GPU companies like NVIDIA in the supercomputing space. For more info check out the presentation (PDF) and blog post at the source links.
Intel posts x86-friendly Android 4.0 image, lets you feel the need for speed
Android developers are all too familiar with not-so-hot emulator performance, so it's a relief that there's now an system image in a native x86 for testing. While you'll still likely want to test on ARM, the x86 image will both help ferret out bugs specific to Intel's architecture as well as provide a much faster experience debugging apps now that the ARM-to-Intel translation isn't needed on top of running a whole second operating system. It's not perfectly up to date, running on Android 4.0.3, but it's close enough that the environment will mimic much of what users see -- and a big help if you're jumping into writing specifically for Intel devices. If speed is of the essence, or you're not keen on importing a Lava Xolo X900, you just need to update the SDK Manager to start testing with an Intel-flavored green robot.
VIA unveils fanless, Eden X2-packing AMOS-3002, promises tiny dual-core PC in your car
VIA is planning to get some serious mileage out of its Eden X2 processor -- in the most literal sense possible. It's now producing the AMOS-3002, a Pico-ITX-sized PC intended for in-car infotainment and other situations where an embedded PC needs to have a little more juice for media tasks. The Eden X2 in question comes in a dual-core 1GHz flavor that's completely fanless, but it's fast enough to show 1080p video (when your car is parked, we hope) and can handle more intensive work like dual gigabit Ethernet jacks, optional 3G and even a 2.5-inch hard drive. That breadbox-sized shell can also take a lot of abuse, surviving temperatures between -4F and 140F as well as 50 Gs' worth of shock. You'll have to wait until your favorite car designer or digital sign maker uses the AMOS-3002 to see it in action, but until then, you can get the full details after the break.
BlueStacks App Player hits beta, supports ARM-written Android apps on x86-based Windows (video)
We've been eagerly anticipating the full-on release of BlueStacks' App Player, so imagine our excitement now that the software has officially made the leap from its brief alpha stage to "beta-1" status. If you'll recall, the App Player can virtually run over 450k Android apps on Windows XP, Vista and 7, all without developers needing to tweak their respective coding. Notably, this latest build has a host of updates including LayerCake, allowing x86-based machines to run apps written for ARM -- and with hardware graphics acceleration, no less. Other notable goodies from the beta build include official localization in 10 countries, mock accelerometer support (arrow keys), an updated UI and Direct AppStore Access. If the mere thought of running Android Angry Birds on Windows has your interests piqued, you'll find further details about BlueStacks in the full press release and video overview past the break.
Android SDK updated with big improvements to emulator and build system
We're not sure what anniversary the 17th is but, if we had to guess, we'd say its the x86 anniversary. Google has just released Revision 17 of the Android SDK and ADT and its packing an array of improvements, most notably to the Lint build system and the emulator. While the new build rules, which check performance and guard against errors, are certainly welcome, it's the emulator that's got the headline grabbing changes. First off is the ability to run x86 system images in a virtualized environment (on Windows and OS X), and at near native speeds no less. There is also added support for webcams and sensors, as well as the experimental ability to control the emulator through a tethered android device. For more details, and to download it yourself, hit up the source link.
Microsoft Windows 8 on 82-inch touchscreen hands-on (video)
We don't have 100 fingers -- theoretically the supported limit of Windows 8 on the 82-inch capacitive touchscreen display we just had a chance to go hands-on with at the company's latest OS demo at Mobile World Congress -- but things looked pretty impressive even with just 10. The display we saw is manufactured by a company called Perceptive Pixel, and it may even look familiar -- it's the same glass screen used by television news networks like CNN. But, unlike the giant touchscreens you've seen on TV, this guy is connected to a standard off-the-shelf PC running Windows 8 Consumer Preview. The glass panel is constructed of optically-bonded Gorilla Glass, so there's very little space between the picture and your hand, making for a much more realistic user experience. Naturally, this monitor is all about the visuals, so you really need to see it in action to get an accurate impression of just how slick the experience can be. Jump past the break for our hands-on.
Microsoft Windows 8 Consumer Preview detailed impressions
The early days of Windows were inauspicious ones. Sitting on top of DOS, it was hardly a revolution in personal computing -- instead it felt like a disjointed platform perched uncomfortably atop a command prompt, ready to come crashing down at any moment. That's what it was, and often that's what it did. The early days of Windows required constant jumps from GUI to shell as users ran a wide assortment of apps, only some of which played nice inside a window.It was over a decade later, after Windows 95, that the operating system would truly ditch its DOS underpinnings and feel like a totally integrated system. Why are we reminiscing? Because we're reaching that same point again. With the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, Microsoft is showing off the most complete version of the company's most modern operating system, yet in many ways it feels like 1985 all over again -- like there are two separate systems here struggling to co-exist. How well do they get along? Join us after the break to find out.
Desktop apps may run on Win8 for ARM after all... maybe
The issue of whether or not the ARM edition of Windows 8 will support both desktop and Metro-style apps has been pretty hazy. Some have claimed it would, others that it wont and, even when they've issued denials of the nay-sayers, Microsoft has stopped short of saying that ARM hardware would offer a desktop mode for non-Metro apps. Well, buried in a post about improving power efficiency over at MSDN blogs was a passing reference to "both desktop and Metro style apps" running on "System on Chip (SoC) architectures." Some, including the well regarded Mary Jo Foley, have read this to mean that desktop apps will indeed work on ARM-powered Windows tablets. Now, this seems to make sense since all of the SoC coverage has been focused on the powerful new RISC chips getting crammed in new slates and smartphones, and we've heard that Win8 and Windows Phone 8 will share the same kernel. But, there is one tiny wrinkle in this narrative -- Intel will have its own SoC solutions soon enough thanks to Medfield, so the passage could simply be a reference to those x86 chips. You'll find the relevant excerpt at the via link.
APK puts Windows 95, 98 and XP, plus Linux on the EVO 3D
And here you thought Microsoft bringing Windows 8 to ARM was big news. Turns out, a member of the xda-developers forum has managed to make an APK that puts a variety of Redmond's x86 operating systems on the HTC EVO 3D and its 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon silicon -- Windows 95, 98, XP and even your favorite flavor of Linux are all available for the three dee-equipped handset. All you need to do is install the Bochs Pentium emulator APK and the OS disk image of your choice, modify a couple files, and you'll be doing yesteryear's desktop computing on a handheld in no time. Feeling nostalgic? Detailed instructions how to do it yourself and the necessary files can be found at the source link below, but all we want to know is: does it do the blue screen of death or the force close dance when things go awry?
Google TV officially switching to ARM, Marvell Armada 1500 CPU to lead the charge
After all the rumors including word that Intel was backing away from its Atom CE4100 CPU it's finally official: Google TV is moving from x86 to ARM, and Marvell is letting everyone know its Foresight platform has been selected to power the next generation of Google TV hardware. The Armada 1500 dual-core CPU at its heart promises PC-like performance with cellphone-like power management and support for Blu-ray 3D, video encoding / decoding and upscaling. enabling fanless smart TV products built on the package like this demo box seen above. Marvell Co-founder Weili Dai considers this as an opportunity to fundamentally change the relationship between content producers and consumers, a lofty goal for the second round of products after a lackluster market response to the initial effort. Of course, there are some early signs that this hardware switch could be just what the doctor ordered, like the fact that similar hardware powers the OnLive Microconsole, and likely lurked in the heart of the Vizio Google TVs we observed with inbuilt OnLive capabilities last year. Beyond the lower heat and power requirements this chip may be able to do it all for less money -- something we're sure $99 Revue buyers can appreciate. Check out the press release after the break for a few more details, we'll wait to find out more about the new partners and hardware before jumping on the Google TV 2.0 hype train along with Eric Schmidt.
VIA adds Android support to embedded x86 line (video)
VIA is hardly the first hawker of x86-based chips to start bragging about its Android compatibility, but it certainly doesn't want to be left behind as the open source OS starts worming its way into more and more machines. The EITX-3002 is the first of its offerings to sport official support for Google's OS. At the heart of the Em-ITX board is your choice of a 1.2GHz NANO X2 or a 1GHz Eden X2, and a VX900H, which casn push 1080p video to dual monitors. The target devices are obviously touch-based systems like in-car entertainment computers and kiosks. To see the board in action head on after the break and, please, try to stay calm -- we all know how exciting Froyo-based kiosks are.
Will Windows 8 for ARM tablets cut the cord on desktop mode? (Update: Maybe not)
Is it us, or is the dream of a full Windows experience on low-power ARM tablets getting steadily eroded? We've long known that these slates would sacrifice backwards compatibility with legacy software, but now it seems the familiar desktop mode could be getting the chop too. Paul Thurrott from SuperSite for Windows says he has good insider information that this mode will be limited to x86 devices, which would rule out using the traditional keyboard-and-mouse UI on an ARM tablet and force users to stick with the Metro UI at all times. By the sound of it, though, the matter is still being argued over within Microsoft and it's unclear whether the decision will apply to ARM-based notebooks too. All Thurrott could be sure of is that "the people who don't want there to be a desktop mode [in ARM tablets] have apparently won the day." Man, and just when we thought everyone was starting to get along so nicely. Update: Paul Thurrott has just provided a bit of an update that he heard from a different source that, yes indeed, Windows 8 will include a desktop mode, even when running on ARM. Paul indicates he trusts these two sources equally, leaving us somewhat stuck in the middle.
Android 4.0, meet your granddad x86
Isn't it nice when different generations get together without bickering? Google's x86 version of Ice Cream Sandwich is finally ready for developers and it promises to do exactly that, by playing happily with Intel and AMD's 33-year-old architecture rather than just those young upstarts from ARM. The union isn't entirely harmonious just yet: Ethernet and camera support won't function, while Wi-Fi, sound and hardware acceleration are currently AMD-only. Devs who remain unfazed by such trifles, however, can download the source code via the links below. [Family photo via Shutterstock]
Opera Mobile on Android x86 at IDF 2011 (video)
We discovered this little gem hidden deep within the recesses of the show floor at IDF 2011. It's none other than Opera Mobile running on a Honeycomb tablet -- not just any tablet, mind you, but Intel's Oak Trail-powered (Atom Z670) Green Ridge device. That's right, you're looking at Opera's web browser, compiled using the latest Android NDK and running natively on top of Android x86. First impressions? It's fast, even without hardware acceleration -- scrolling and zooming are smooth as butter, with no signs of checkerboarding anywhere. According to Phillip Grønvold of Opera software, this is just the beginning. Hardware acceleration is already in the works, along with Flash support. So go ahead if you dare -- browse our gallery below and watch our hands-on video after the break. %Gallery-134210% Dante Cesa contributed to this report.
