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Book covers creation of PS3's Cell processor, how Microsoft cribbed it for Xbox
Written by two designers of the Cell processor, The Race for a New Game Machine, is a new book covering the creation of Sony's ambitious PlayStation 3 chip, and how Microsoft got a hold of its architecture for the Xbox 360. The Wall Street Journal, which gave a rather gloomy forecast for the PS3 earlier this week, has an extensive preview.According to the book, Sony, Toshiba and IBM started working on the Cell in 2001 and planned to spend $400 million over five years. If everything went according to plan, the PlayStation 3 would be out by Christmas 2005. In 2002, Microsoft approached IBM about making a chip for what would later be known as the Xbox 360. IBM ended up making a new chip "built around the core" of the Cell it was currently creating for Sony. In the end, Xbox made the 2005 launch (with a time bomb under the hood) and Sony came out a year later.As the WSJ points out, for all the power and money behind Microsoft and Sony's consoles, Nintendo has outsold both using a "sound strategic vision" with the less-powerful Wii.
New book explains how Sony inadvertently helped make Xbox 360
There's one company that's getting rich out of every video game system you buy. IBM chips are at the heart of all three home consoles, from Wii to PS3. While PS3's unique Cell processor is well-known for its supercomputing power, a new book from one of Cell's designers explains how R&D spent on PS3's advanced chip was used in making the Xenon processor for Microsoft's Xbox 360. "The Race for a New Game Machine" from David Shippy and his co-worker Mickie Phipps delves into their time at IBM working on the chips for both of these competing consoles.Sony approached IBM to create the Cell processor in 2001, with plans to target a Christmas 2005 launch for the PS3. Microsoft approached IBM in 2002, and it appears Sony agreed to let Microsoft not only see early prototypes of Cell, but purchase components as well. "All three of the original partners had agreed that IBM would eventually sell the Cell to other clients. But it does not seem to have occurred to Sony that IBM would sell key parts of the Cell before it was complete and to Sony's primary videogame-console competitor. The result was that Sony's R&D money was spent creating a component for Microsoft to use against it," the Wall Street Journal book review summarizes.While the end result for Cell and Xenon are both quite different, it's ironic to think that Sony may have inadvertently aided its primary competitor. Of course, console success stories are always based on quizzacle corporate decisions. Let's not forget that Sony's first console, PlayStation, was originally a collaboration with Nintendo to make an extension to the SNES.[Thanks, DirtyOFries!]
PlayStation 3 used to hack SSL, Xbox used to play Boogie Bunnies
Between the juvenile delinquent hordes of PlayStation Home and some lackluster holiday figures, the PlayStation has been sort of a bummer lately, for reasons that have nothing to do with its raison d'etre -- gaming. That doesn't mean that the machine is anything less than a powerhouse -- as was made clear today when a group of hackers announced that they'd beaten SSL, using a cluster of 200 PS3s. By exploiting a flaw in the MD5 cryptographic algorithm (used in certain digital signatures and certificates), the group managed to create a rogue Certification Authority (CA) which allows them to create their own SSL certificates -- meaning those authenticated web sites you're visiting could be counterfeit, and you'd have no way of knowing. Sure, this is all pretty obscure stuff, and the kids who managed the hack said it would take others at least six months to replicate the procedure, but eventually vendors are going to have to upgrade all their CAs to use a more robust algorithm. It is assumed that the Wii could perform the operation just as well, if the hackers had enough room to spread out all their Balance Boards.[Via ZD Net]
Researchers use PS3 cluster to reveal internet security flaw
Stopping cancer, simulating black hole collisions, and now ... breaking internet security? Is there anything the PS3 can't do? Researchers have been using the PS3 in interng ways. Most recently, a team of researchers from the U.S., Switzerland and the Netherlands have found a way of bypassing the security of digital certificates provided by companies like Verisign. These digital certificates help transmit your credit card information on the internet in a secure manner.By using 200 PS3 systems linked together, researchers were able to do the math that helped them decrypt the MD5 hash that's used by Verisign. The researchers would be able to mimic online retail sites, potentially stealing tons of valuable information from consumers. It appears researchers want the hash to be replaced by a more potent one.It's unrealistic to expect hackers will be able to replicate the results of these researchers any time soon. Getting 200 PS3s linked to each other can be quite a pricey feat! Of course, when you're stealing all of the internet's credit card info, you might be able to afford buying a few hundred PS3s.[Thanks, BPerry!]
FCC to revise emergency backup power rule for cell towers
Even though the FCC could have simply overridden a White House decision to reject the backup power requirement, it's deciding to reel in its ego and revise things for the betterment of all involved. After taking a fair amount of flack for its emergency plan being too outlandish and impossible to afford / implement, the agency has stated that it will issue a new proposal "with the goal of adopting revised backup power rules that will ensure that reliable communications are available to public safety during, and in the aftermath of, natural disasters and other catastrophic events." Details beyond that are scant, but we suspect the whole "at least eight hours of backup power" could be changed to something smaller. Moral of the story? Don't ditch that Y2K preparedness kit just yet.[Via mocoNews]
FCC's cell tower backup power plan gets spiked by White House
The White House's Office of Management and Budget has rejected the FCC's plan to require carriers to juice most cell towers with at least eight hours of backup power, citing a failure to solicit public comments. In this case, "public comments" would particularly refer to the CTIA and its members, which had sued to stop the FCC in its tracks; besides the staggering cost of outfitting a majority of towers with backup power systems, carriers have argued that they already have sufficient disaster recovery plans in place for making sure service interruptions are held to a bare minimum following a loss of juice. The FCC says it's "considering [its] options" following the ruling; technically they can overrule the OMB on the matter, but they'll just be staring down the barrel of the CTIA's suit if they do.
Leadtek intros SpursEngine-packing PCI-E card
Well, it looks like Toshiba isn't just keeping its Cell-based SpursEngine chip confined to its laptops and super-resolution DVD players, as Leadtek has now also taken the wraps off a PCI-E card that'll let you add some of that "faster than real-time" HD video transcoding to your desktop PC. Dubbed the WinFast PxVC1100, the card promises to encode and decode H.264, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 video with ease (and entirely in hardware), and it includes 128MB of 1.6GHz XDR memory to aid in the process. Just don't expect it to come cheap, as the card's apparently set to demand ¥30,000 (or $286) when it hits Japan later this month.[Via Custom PC]
Impress Watch: Sony contemplating upgraded Cell for PlayStation 4
Sure, it's been only 690 days since the PlayStation 3 officially launched, but it's never too early to for discussion on the next next-gen consoles. According to reputable Impress Watch technology writer Hiroshige Goto (via IGN), Sony is looking into using an upgraded version of the Cell processor for the PlayStation 4. Goto speculates that Sony's upgraded processor would feature between 10 and 20 cores (current Cell uses 8) and boast twice the power. Keeping with the Cell -- as opposed to developing a new chipset -- would not only be cost efficient for the company, but it would also likely prove beneficial to manufacturing costs, software development (it'd be a familiar architecture) and backwards compatibility. Remember: although this is from a reputable source, the news is unconfirmed and, given the PS4 is likely many years away, subject to change even if true.Fun fact: There are approximately 1900 days (over 5 years) between the PS2's March 2000 launch and Sony's E3 2005 unveiling of the PS3.
PC Watch: PS4 could be based on Cell architecture
Perhaps the PS3 was a bit too ahead of its time. The console was almost absurdly expensive when it launched -- and not just for consumers. In spite of an initial $600 price tag, Sony lost hundreds of dollars on every system manufactured. The combination of Blu-ray drive and Cell processor made the PS3 a bit too bleeding edge, perhaps. A report from respectable Japanese site PC Watch suggests that Sony may be considering a cheaper alternative for the next-generation PS4.Nintendo found great success (and profitability) with Wii by releasing hardware that was only marginally more powerful than the Gamecube. Sony may mimic that trend by having PS4 hardware based on the same Cell architecture as the PS3. Keeping the same architecture will help developers, many which have only recently come to grips with the complex processes of Sony's proprietary system.However, one particular note in the report has us quite worried: according to PC Watch, the Sony wants to launch a new system, before the competition -- eyeing a 2011 release. With the PS3 still so relatively young, we'd hate to see Sony raise a white flag and move on to something new, especially when they've harped about the "10 year life cycle" so often. Too soon of a hardware release could be seen as a betrayal by many, and could result in a serious backlash. For us, we'd love to get more time out of the significant investments we've made in our PS3 hardware.[Via NeoGAF]
45nm Cell processors coming in 2009
Sony, Toshiba and IBM will start mass production on a 45nm version of the Cell processor in 2009, according to Japan's Nikkan. We first heard about the 45 nm shrinkage in February 2008, when Ars Technica reported the smaller chips would run off only 80 watts of power (compared to the 200 watts of the 90nm Cell when the PlayStation 3 first launched). There is no reported time frame indicating when in 2009 production will begin. The new chip will also be cheaper to produce, meaning Sony is approximately 200% more likely to use these for PS3 production as soon as feasibly possible.[Via Engadget]
Sony/Toshiba making 45nm Cells in '09, slim PS3 on way?
The current PS3s already have efficient functionality with the shrunken 65nm Cell processor, but now things are going to get even smaller. Sony and Toshiba have plans on mass producing a 45nm Cell processor starting in 2009. The plan is to integrate them first into PS3s. The result of which will allow PS3s to save power up to 40 percent.As usual, smaller chips mean less heat, less space, and more reliability. Engadget suggests that this new hardware revision could usher in a price cut and a PS3-slim model. All seems logically sound, though -- even if the chips were produced early in the year -- we still wouldn't see the end product until late 2009 at the very earliest. So if you've been holding out for a PS3 until the slim comes into town ... you've still got a long wait ahead of you buddy.[Via Engadget]
Sony and Toshiba to begin mass producing 45nm cell processor in 2009 -- cheaper, slimmer PS3s to come?
Japan's Nikkan is reporting that Sony and Toshiba will begin mass production of the 45nm Cell processor in 2009 -- not this autumn as previously rumored. The smaller chip which cost less than the current 65nm Cell to manufacture also require 40% less power to run. This opens the door to possible price drops on existing PS3 consoles in 2009 as well as slimmer, cooler running rigs should Sony decide to refresh the industrial design.
Video: Toshiba's gesture control coming to its cell-based TVs?
Remember that Qosmio G55 laptop with gesture control? Yeah, the one with the Cell-based SpursEngine under the hood. Well it looks like Tosh is bringing that so-called "natural" gesture input to its future cell-based televisions. Judging by the latest video alone, the gesture control seems more at home on the big-screen TV than smaller-screened laptops that require a higher degree of precision and closer viewing proximity. Demonstrated on a prototype, Toshiba hints that the tech might come to future Cell-based TVs -- interesting what with the cell-based ZF televisions already announced for Europe. While we find pushing buttons on a remote about as natural (and lazy) as it gets, here's hoping for this arm-flailing gesture control on future Toshiba TVs just for the nerdiness of it. Video of the G55 gesture input as well as the prototype television show at IFA after the break.[Via AVING]
Multitouch Oy demos Cell multitouch display
Microsoft had better hurry and get more than one Surface rig out on the market, because there are plenty of other companies working on large-format multitouch hardware -- the latest is Finland's Multitouch Oy, which recently demoed its Cell display for jkkmobile. Just the usual photo pinching demo, but it's running at an impressively fluid 60fps on desktop hardware, even with multiple users. Multitouch Oy says it'll run about $7,000 for a 32-inch model when it hits -- yeah, we'll stick with the DIY kit for now. Video after the break.[Via jkkmobile]
Toshiba's new ZF LCDs include Cell-based Resolution+ upscaling
As expected, Toshiba is offering a new (supposed) world's first here at IFA: a true upscaling TV, finally getting rid of the middle man for upconverting those SD sources. The new ZF Series LCDs include Cell processors and Toshiba's home grown Resolution+ technology, which does similar edge and detail enhancement to Toshiba's XDE upscaler -- sharpening detail, smoothing edges, and leaving the rest of the image alone -- but with the added fun of Cell power in the mix. As for the actual displays, Toshiba will be shipping the 40ZF575D (40-inch) and the 46ZF575D (46-inch), both offering 1080p, 30,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 6ms response times and Active Vision M100 HD 100Hz 5:5 pulldown processing, along with four HDMI plugs, component video, RGB and PC input. Right now this is just a Europe launch, and we don't have exact ship dates or pricing, but hopefully Toshiba will soon rectify that.%Gallery-30651%
PS3 SKUs compared, no PS2 backwards compatibility found
It's been at least an hour since Sony has released a new PlayStation 3 SKU, so our friends at Joystiq took the time to take a breath. In that moment, they came up with a handy -- and somewhat startling -- chart that explains which PS3 model has what, including Cell chip size (the more efficient and quieter 65nm vs the older 90nm), USB port count, pack-in freebies, and which ones have PS2 backwards compatibility. It's charts like that remind us that no currently-shipping PS3 comes with HD video cables or PS2 backward compatibility, for better or worse. Hit the read link for the breakdown, and start your fanboy engines.
New 80GB PS3 may be sporting 65nm RSX to match 65nm Cell
We don't know for sure if Sony downsized the PlayStation 3's RSX graphics chip to 65nm, matching the already 65nm Cell processor, but we might have some anecdotal evidence from an external source. A forum poster at slickdeals used a Kill-a-watt device to check the power consumption of the 40GB and 80GB models during idle phase, while spinning a DVD and with Metal Gear Solid 4 in the drive, and found a 12-20 watt difference favoring the new 80GB. It's not enough to say Sony has finally upgraded its RSX graphics chip, but it is interesting to ponder. Now, can someone end this speculation by voiding their 80GB's warranty and snapping a photo of the guts?[Via Engadget]
MIT working up microbatteries to power implantable medical sensors
In the never-ending quest to make even the smallest devices on Earth a touch smaller, a talented team of MIT engineers have developed a method for creating and installing microbatteries, which could eventually power a plethora of diminutive devices including "labs-on-a-chip and implantable medical sensors." It's bruited that this is the first time in which "microcontact printing has been used to fabricate and position microbattery electrodes and the first use of virus-based assembly in such a process," and while you'd likely have to be a colleague to even digest that, the take away is that these gurus are one step closer to generating battery-powered Scrubbing Bubbles. And your shower could use 'em.[Via PCMag]
Sony wrangles Cell chip into ZEGO BCU-100 video rendering system
Not that most of us are on the hunt for 1U server blades to build a rendering farm out of, but it's always fun to see Sony's PS3 hardware put to a use that actually earns Sony money. The Cell-based ZEGO BCU-100 includes the PS3's RSX graphics processor and is designed for processing HD video. Sony plans to work with software developers to take advantage of the unique architecture, and will be launching 'em later this year in the States. No word on price.[Via Electronista]
Toshiba plans new LCD HDTVs for IFA, will include Resolution+ technology
Okay, so we really have no clue what's going on inside of Toshiba's labs, but one thing is for certain: it has upscaling on the brain. After hearing of an elusive super-resolution DVD player and seeing an all-too-curious new DVD logo, in flies word from Germany that the outfit is prepping an updated line of Picture Frame LCD HDTVs for release at IFA 2008. On the surface, there's not too much different about these REGZAs compared to any others, but internally, the newcomers are expected to tout Cell-based Resolution+ technology, which will upscale SD images in an attempt to make something (read: HD) out of nothing. Granted, Tosh has been talking up this stuff since CES, so it's not an entirely new concept, but we'll be interested to see if this has anything to do with those rumored DVD deck plans.[Via Big-Screen, danke Joel]
