IvyBridge
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Linux kernel hits 3.1, adds support for NFC and Wiimotes
In May Linux finally saw the release of kernel version 3.0, an evolutionary update to the popular open-source platform that was nearly 15 years in the making. Today, version 3.1 is making its debut, once again primarily offering small tweaks like better support for Intel's Ivy Bridge and Cedar Trail chips and improved power management. But there are some new features getting baked in, including support for NFC and drivers for Wiimotes. The brave amongst you can download the sources from Git now (it hasn't been posted to Kernel.org just yet), but we suggest you hold out until your distro of choice releases an official update.
Intel: Ivy Bridge GPU to support 4K resolutions
Color us unsurprised that Ivy Bridge is destined to be faster and smaller than its predecessor, but unbeknownst to us is an interesting tidbit concerning the upcoming architecture's GPU. The revamp will support resolutions in excess of 4K (topping out at a maximum of 4,096 x 4,096) -- a sizable jump from the WQXGA (2,560 x 1,600) limitation of its Sandy Bridge's forebearer -- opening the door to all sorts of resolution independent goodness. Guess that means you won't need a discrete GPU in the future to power that bodacious (but pricey) pro-level display. Have a peek in the links below if you're hungry for more.
Intel hypes Ivy Bridge, leaves poor old Sandy in its wake
Intel reps just can't resist whispering about their 2012 Core i-series. AnandTech is reporting a claimed 60 percent boost in 3DMark Vantage scores from the next-gen integrated graphics compared to Sandy Bridge, which could well put an end to Intel's frame-rate humiliation at the hands of AMD's A-series APUs. The bragging also extended to Quick Sync, which is "privately" said to deliver video encoding at twice the current speed. However, these claims only relate to the top tier of the Ivy Bridge range and they skirt around the key battlegrounds of raw CPU power and pricing -- which is precisely where we suspect AMD's FX series will bring the ruckus.
Intel Ultrabooks to sell for under $1000, take a page from ASUS' design book?
Back at Computex, Intel whipped out its magic 8-ball to predict a "you may rely on it" 40 percent share for the upcoming Ultrabooks market. While we can neither confirm, nor deny the company's powers of retail clairvoyance, we can point you to a purported bill of materials that would usher its line in at a sub-$1000 price. The report from Digitimes doesn't lay out the specific assembly costs, but pegs the chipmaker's 18mm and 21mm thick laptops at $493 - $710 and $475 - $650, respectively. Intel is also reportedly meeting with manufacturers in Taipei next week to figure out a way to deliver on the budget-friendly goal, aimed at producing 11 - 13-inch models for the thinner entries and girthier 14 - 17-inch models. If you're wondering what sort of form factor the company's after, take a glance at ASUS' UX21 and UX31 ultrabooks -- supposed reference designs for the svelte, Ivy Bridge-powered computers. We hope that's the only bit of strategy Intel cops, otherwise we're all in for a disappointingly priced ultraslim future.
Ultrabooks to start arriving in September, more expensive than expected
Looks like those skinny Ultrabooks Intel was trying to sell us on at Computex will all be hitting the market at roughly the same time. Despite earlier suggestions that HP would beat ASUS's planned September launch, DigiTimes reports the Palo Alto company's Air competitor may not actually ship until as late as Q1 of 2012, thanks to LCD supply issues. Those problems scoring enough panels are also holding up similar systems from Acer and Dell. To make matters worse, it seems those promised sub $1,000 price points were a bit optimistic. ASUS told the Taipei Times that its UX line would only be able to hit such a price using slower Core i3 chips -- upgrading to a Core i5 and sticking in an SSD would push the price towards the $2,000 mark. [Thanks, Marco]
Compal's 'Ultra Mobile' Ultrabook eyes-on
Intel's already teased Compal's "Ultra Mobile" Ultrabook from afar, but when this Ivy Bridge laptop popped up on the show floor after the Computex keynote, we decided to give it a closer look. While this prototype isn't quite in the same league as ASUS' gorgeous UX21, do bear in mind that we're still looking at a relatively slim package for a 14- to 15-inch Core i7 rig. Also visible around the machine are a couple of USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI-out port, a LAN socket, and an SD card reader. Until we hear more about this Ultra Mobile, enjoy our eyes-on photos below. %Gallery-125292%
Intel reveals skinny Ivy Bridge 'Ultrabooks,' Moore's Law-defying Atoms
Intel took the opportunity at Computex to update the tech-loving world on its processor plans, and it looks like those whispers we heard about low power and an accelerated Atom roadmap were spot on. Executive VP Sean Maloney didn't divulge specific TDPs but did confirm that we could look forward to reduced power consumption and sleek designs in 2012. The Intel exec declared that new class of PC, dubbed "Ultrabooks," will make up 40-percent of the market by the end of 2012. These machines, powered by the 22nm Ivy Bridge, will be less than 0.8-inches thick and start at under $1,000 -- which sounds just like the lines we were fed about CULV chips back in 2009. Maloney also confirmed that, going forward, the Atom line would be getting a die shrink every year, as opposed to every two. The upcoming, 32nm Cedar Trail will usher in the new Moore's Law-smashing era with promises of a 10 hour battery life and weeks of standby, and will be succeeded by 22nm and 14nm models. Intel even talked up Medfield, it's Atom variant designed specifically for smartphones and tablets, and showed off more than 10 tablets based on the Oak Trail-flavored Z670. With AMD merely a fading blip in the company's rearview mirror it looks like Chipzilla is gunning for all those ARM-touting manufacturers. Check out the full PR after the break. %Gallery-124884%
Linus Torvalds releases Linux kernel version 3 to celebrate 20 years of penguin-powered computing
It's been nearly twenty years since Linus Torvalds let loose Linux on an unsuspecting world, and yesterday he finally updated the open source OS kernel to version 3.0. This third iteration, currently named 3.0.0-rc1, comes 15 years after 2.0 first hit the web and brings driver support for Microsoft Kinect -- a move that should have visions of sugar plum fairies (or maybe just Android avatars) dancing in hackers' heads. Also included is code optimized for AMD's Fusion and Intel's Ivy and Sandy Bridge silicon, and some updated graphics drivers, too. Despite these tasty new treats, Torvalds is quick to point out that this new release is an evolutionary change and unleashing the big three-oh was all about moving into a third decade of distribution, not about overhauling the OS. There's still work to be done, as it is a release candidate in need of refinement, but curious coders can grab the latest Linux at the Kernel.org source link below.
Intel's Ivy Bridge coming Q1 2012, growing festive moss while you wait
If you were religiously awaiting the fruition of last month's Intel leak, brace yourself: we've got another one. Although Intel's updated roadmap hasn't changed anything per se, it does offer a few specifics. Whereas the previous schedule only suggested we'd be crossing the Ivy Bridge in the first half of 2012, the new roadmap shows the 22 nanometer processor penned in at the end of the first quarter. The Sandy Bridge E series is still on schedule for Q4 however, so unless you just have to have native USB 3.0 and DirectX 11 support, you still have plenty to look forward to. Otherwise, we'll see you in April.
Intel will mass produce 3D transistors for all future CPUs, starting with 22nm Ivy Bridge (video)
Looks like 3D isn't just a fad, folks, so long as we're talking about silicon -- Intel just announced that it has invented a 3D "Tri-Gate" transistor that will allow the company to keep shrinking chips, Moore's Law naysayers be darned. Intel says the transistors will use 50 percent less power, conduct more current and provide 37 percent more speed than their 2D counterparts thanks to vertical fins of silicon substrate that stick up through the other layers, and that those fancy fins could make for cheaper chips too -- currently, though, the tri-gate tech adds an estimated 2 to 3 percent cost to existing silicon wafers. Intel says we'll see the new technology first in its 22nm Ivy Bridge CPUs, going into mass production in the second half of the year, and it's planning 14nm chips in 2013 and 10nm chips in 2015. Also, 3D transistors won't be limited to the cutting edge -- Intel reps told journalists that they "will extend across the entire range of our product line," including mobile devices. Three videos and a press release await you after the break. Chris Trout contributed to this report.
Intel announces USB 3.0 in "Ivy Bridge" and will support Thunderbolt
"Intel is going to support USB 3.0 in the 2012 client platform. We're going to support Thunderbolt capability. We believe that they're complementary." CNET reported this remark from Kirk Sakaugen, a VP of the Intel Architecture group, in a presentation streamed from the Intel Developer Conference in Beijing. This dual-I/O support will arrive in the first half of 2012 with the rollout of the "Ivy Bridge" processor, which will be the next generation after the "Sandy Bridge" technology currently built into the the newest MacBook Pros. This is the first time in ten years that Intel has built the most current USB technology into its processors. Currently Intel uses USB 3.0 in a small number of high-end motherboards, sourcing a component from NEC to make it work. USB 3.0 is ten times quicker than USB 2.0, topping out at a theoretical speed of 4.8 Gbps. Thunderbolt, in turn, beats out USB 3.0 easily; it allows transfers of data and DisplayPort video simultaneously at speeds of up to 10 Gbps on one cable. Although nothing specific has been said about when Intel will integrate Thunderbolt technology, The Inquirer notes that the January launch of "Sandy Bridge" would have been the perfect time for Intel to build USB 3.0 into its silicon. By dragging its heels, the company may be promoting the integration of Thunderbolt. Currently Apple is the only computer maker using Thunderbolt, but AMD as well as Intel have said they will eventually include Thunderbolt support.
Intel to support USB 3.0 alongside Thunderbolt, coming with Ivy Bridge in 2012
We were just pondering this very thing yesterday -- would Intel dedicate itself to Thunderbolt and give USB 3.0 the cold shoulder -- and now we have our answer from the Santa Clara crew, albeit delivered from Beijing. The Chinese capital is the site of Intel's currently ongoing developer conference, which is where Kirk Skaugen, VP of the company's Architecture Group, assured the world that the promise for native USB 3.0 support in Intel chipsets will be fulfilled. Not this year, mind you, but it'll be with us in 2012 as part of the Ivy Bridge CPU refresh. That matches AMD's plans to support USB 3.0 in Fusion APUs, and was augmented with a strong word of endorsement from Skaugen about the connector's future. He urged developers to embrace USB 3.0 on an equal footing with Intel's proprietary Thunderbolt interconnect, describing the two technologies as "complementary." If you say so, captain.
Intel Roadmap charts rollout dates for Ivy Bridge, Cedarview, Sandy Bridge E-series
What's that? You can't get enough of Intel? Well, it's your lucky day, because we just got our hands on the chip maker's roadmap for 2011 and 2012. According to the leaked slides, we can expect to see the Sandy Bridge E-series in Q4 of 2011. Alternately, the 22nm Ivy Bridge is slated for a somewhat less specific release in the first half of 2012. We're also likely to see the new Pentium and Celeron-based Sandy Bridge models in Q3 this year, and the Atom-equipped Cedarview in Q4. The roadmap's also giving us a rather vague look at pricing for the chipsets, and from what we gather, we can expect the E-series to sport a hefty price tag and Cedarview to bring the value. If that's not enough to sate that animal appetite for Intel news, you can hit the source link for more roadmap goodness.
Intel teases 32nm Cloverview tablet processor, 22nm Ivy Bridge CPU
It hasn't even been a week since Intel rolled out Oak Trail, and it's already teasing us with yet another tablet-ready chip called Cloverview. What's more, we're also seeing unofficial details emerging for its next generation Ivy Bridge CPU. Starting from the top: PC World is reporting that Intel's Doug Davis introduced the Atom-based Cloverview at the firm's Developer Forum in Beijing Tuesday, touting its 32nm architecture and low power consumption. Meanwhile a set of rather convincing slides are showing off the 22nm stylings of Sandy Bridge's successor, Ivy Bridge. From the look of things, the CPU will support DirectX 11 graphics, USB 3.0, and 1600MHz DDR3 memory -- its desktop platform has been christened Maho Bay. Ivy Bridge is reportedly expected to arrive in the first half of 2012, but we're still waiting on Cloverview's ETA. Isn't silicon fun?
Intel's Panther Point to include native USB 3.0 support, Z68 chipset to launch May 8th?
We just saw some fairly big official news about some new Intel silicon yesterday, and we've now got a bit more news of the unofficial sort. According to the seemingly authentic slide above that we've just obtained, it looks like the company's forthcoming Panther Point chipset will indeed include native USB 3.0 as previously rumored, along with support for both Ivy Bridge and Sandy Bridge processors, and support for up to three displays. What's more, a separate rumor is now also pointing to Intel's high-end Z68 chipset being released on May 8th. It supports the latest Sandy Bridge processors, and will allow for performance to be boosted even further with things like overclocking and RST SSD caching.
Intel's next CPU refresh will include DirectX 11 graphics support
Tick, the CPU and GPU get integrated into the same 32nm die, tock, they both go down to 22nm with the latter gaining DirectX 11 support. Intel's only just unveiled its Sandy Bridge processors, but the next update to the company's desktop and laptop hardware has already gained an important detail. Mooly Eden, general manager for the PC Client Group, has disclosed the news that Ivy Bridge -- the die shrink of the Sandy Bridge microarchitecture -- will include DX 11 graphical capabilities when it arrives late in 2011. We're inclined to agree with Intel that DirectX 11 really wasn't a necessary implementation for Sandy Bridge given its humble gaming credentials, but Mooly expects a lot more applications will have harnessed the available APIs by the time we come to cross the Ivy Bridge. Let's hope it is so.
