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Integrated circuit turns 50, now isn't that nifty?
Hard to believe that Jack Kilby's unsightly concoction (pictured above) turned 50 yesterday, but it's true. Half a century ago, Mr. Kilby crafted the integrated circuit, which ended up having a monumental impact on taking computers from warehouse-sized to, well, not-warehouse-sized. As the story goes, the very first microchip was demonstrated on the 12th of September in 1958, and it passed its first test: "producing a sine wave on an oscilloscope screen." Safe to say we all know how things progressed from there. Here's to you, IC -- and here's to 50 more.[Via MAKE]
Texas Instruments gets excited about energy scavenging
Texas Instruments has a lot to do with the original microchip, if for no other reason than being the employer of inventor Jack Kilby. Now, however, TI is looking to produce chips and other related gizmos that require an infinitesimally small amount of energy to operate. The overriding theme guiding the engineers is "energy scavenging," which alludes to grasping power from even the most unlikely of places -- vibrations from a bridge as cars pass over, capturing wasted exhaust from a car or bottling up all that frustration your sibling shows when you own him / her again in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The possibilities are just about endless, with networked battery-free smoke alarms, solar-powered mobiles and gaming laptops that feed off of extraordinarily focused brain waves in the mix. Okay, so that last one is still eons from reality, but at least we're headed in that direction.
Intel's dual-core Atom 330 processor to ship in Q4 2008
Bad news, Atom fans. That dual-core nugget of netbook-powering goodness that you were so looking forward to seeing in Q3 won't begin shipping until Q4. According to some data picked up by Fudzilla, the Atom 330 will only be debuting in Q3 (September 21st, to be precise), but it isn't scheduled to get a shipping label until a few months later. Also of note, we're told that the chip will sell (at some place in the supply chain) for $43, but don't count on those savings being completely passed onto you.[Thanks, sinai]
Microchip breakthrough could keep Moore's law intact (again)
We're pretty certain we'll be hearing this same story each year, every year for the rest of eternity, but hey, not like we're kvetching over that or anything. Once again, we're hearing that mad scientists have developed a breakthrough that makes Mr. Moore look remarkably bright, as a new approach to chip making could carve features in silicon chips "that are many times smaller than the wavelength of the light used to make them." Reportedly, the new method "produces grids of parallel lines just 25-nanometers wide using light with a wavelength of 351-nanometers," although the grids aren't functional circuits just yet. If you're interested in more technobabble on the matter, head on down to the read link, but we'd recommend against if you're easily frightened by terms like "photolithographic" and "nanotechnology."
Atom processor to cost Intel just $6 to $8?
Ever since Intel compared the criticality of its (still) forthcoming Silverthorne (which now goes by Atom, if you couldn't guess) processor to the original Pentium last June, we've all wondered just how fantasmical our worlds would become when this thing finally dropped. Now, however, Tom's Hardware has discovered that the release may actually do more for Intel than we geeks. After consulting a source it believes to be quite credible, it found that the CPU -- which will likely sell for upwards of $30 at the low-end -- will cost Intel just "$6 to $8, including production, packaging and shipping." Without busting out the abacus, it's still fairly easy to see how profitable said chips could be if Intel can move these at even a snail's pace, but of course, we'd take the dollars and cents estimates with a grain of salt until they actually hit the market.[Via Digg]
IBM's light pulse love affair continues with tiniest nanophotonic switch
Merely months after IBM first inserted silicon nanophotonics into our memory bank, and just weeks after we drooled all over ourselves reading about its green optical link, the mega-corp has chosen St. Patrick's Day to trumpet the development of the "world's tiniest nanophotonic switch." The device, which boasts a footprint "about 100 times smaller than the cross section of a human hair," is said to be a vital part of creating an on-chip optical network. More specifically, it's bringing the gurus behind it one step closer to conjuring up multi-core CPUs that transmit data with light pulses rather than relying on electrical signals on copper wires. This particular switch would essentially divert traffic within the network, ensuring that "optical messages from one processor core could efficiently get to any of the other cores on the chip." Keep on livin' the dream IBM -- just ping us when this stuff is anywhere near ready for the commercial market.
AMD ships triple-core Phenom processors
While there have certainly been questions surrounding AMD's ability to deliver its Phenom 9700 / 9900 chips on time, it looks as if the chip maker is right on target with the launch of its triple-core lineup. Just as we expected it to, AMD has indeed began shipping its Phenom 8400 (2.1GHz) and 8600 (2.3GHz) to Dell -- for use in its OptiPlex 740 -- and HP (respectively), which has it mounted in the AL195AW desktop. Reportedly, the CPUs are only shipping in volume to PC manufacturers at the moment, and unfortunately, it failed to spill the beans on when they'd be available on a wider scale. Nevertheless, those parked across the pond can get their fix of tri-core sweetness by picking up one of two Mesh Computer rigs that are being made available as we speak.[Via PC World]Read - Dell OptiPlex 740 [PDF]Read - HP AL195AWRead - Mesh Computer Matrix xXx PlusRead - Mesh Computer Matrix xXx Pro
AMD demonstrates 45nm quad-core processors at CeBIT
In a woefully unstimulating press release, AMD has meekly trumpeted the fact that it's demonstrating its "first 45nm quad-core chips running multiple operating systems and a range of processing intensive applications" at CeBIT. Unfortunately, little is known beyond that -- aside from the fact that the processors showcased ("Shanghai" for servers, "Deneb" for desktops) were produced in Germany at the firm's Fab 36 300mm manufacturing facility, that is. Still, AMD managed to reiterate that "this milestone" would be "the first of many" as it moves toward the release of 45-nanometer products later this year. Huzzah?
AMD's triple-core Phenoms to launch in March?
Earlier this year, we heard that AMD would be unleashing a few triple-core Phenoms in Q1 of next year, and now DigiTimes has a few more details surrounding the forthcoming launch. Reportedly, the B2 stepping Phenom 8400 (2.1GHz) and 8600 (2.3GHz) will be hitting shelves in March, while the B3 stepping 8700 (2.4GHz), 8650 (2.3GHz) and 8450 (2.1GHz) will be loosed sometime in Q2 2008. Beyond that, it looks as if we'll have to wait for more details to emerge, but at least you've got a few more hard numbers to pencil in for next year, right?
Intel's Nehalem roadmap gets outed
Just a day after hearing that Intel was firing up its new Arizona-based facility in order to crank out heaps of 45-nanometer Penryn chips, along comes more news on the next best thing. Granted, Intel already gave Nehalem a share of the limelight earlier this year, but new documents are giving us a more detailed look at what types of quad-core processors we can expect in late 2008. Among the new names are Gainstown and Bloomfield, both of which are expected to land in high-end rigs and boast "Extreme" monikers. There's not a whole of lot of surprises here, as the charts still point to an estimated Q4 release date and show speeds topping out around the 3.2GHz mark. For those with nothing better to do than overlook the present and long for the future, be sure and hit the read link below -- preferably after you've rounded up a Japanese translator.[Via RegHardware]
Intel fires up Penryn production at new Arizona facility
We don't proclaim to be experts in chip making or anything, but it seems like everything at Intel's new Fab 32 production facility in Chandler, Arizona better function mighty smoothly in order to meet that November 12th street date the firm is still holding to. Yep, today marks the day that Intel starts production on its highly-anticipated Penryn at a $3 billion factory, which is being hailed as the company's "first plant dedicated to churning out 45-nanometer microprocessors." 'Course, Intel's only got six days left if it plans on being the first company to crank out the goods before ole Panasonic steals the thunder, and you can bet we'll be waiting in tense anticipation.[Via Reuters / Yahoo]
AMD keeps it dark with Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Black Edition
Barely a month after showing off its Athlon 64 X2 6400+ Black Edition, AMD is apparently hoping to rope in a few more followers with a lower-priced CPU in the same family. This processor reportedly hums along at 2.6GHz, is built around 65-nanometer technology, boasts 1MB of L2 cache and will play nice with the firm's "580x or upcoming 700-series chipsets." 'Course, enthusiasts will love the "customizable clock multiplier for tunable performance," and word on the street has these new chips "available to channel partners" for just $136 apiece in groups of 1,000.[Via InformationWeek]
Intel looking to delve into HDTV, mobile market
As the news continues to flow from Intel's Developer Forum, we're now hearing that the chip maker could make "surprise moves into consumer electronics chips." More specifically, it seems that the outfit is looking to "roll out a system-on-a-chip code-named Canmore aimed at HDTVs and other products," as well as Silverthorne, which would apparently be reserved for handheld devices. 'Course, Intel has dabbled in these areas without notable success in the past, but analysts are suggesting that gaining traction this time around "could be big" for the firm. Ah Intel, why the tease?
AMD unveils "world's most advanced x86 CPU" -- the quad-core Opteron
We know you've probably grown numb to these "world's best" claims uttered by processor manufacturers, but shortly after introducing the Athlon 64 X2 6400+ Black Edition, AMD is now unveiling what it calls "the world's most advanced x86 CPU." The quad-core Opteron touts a slew of enhancements including a "50-percent increase in integer and floating-point performance" and a boost in "virtualization performance." Interestingly, AMD goes on to brag about the chip's power saving abilities, as it utilizes Dual Dynamic Power Management, CoolCore, and Independent Dynamic Core Technology in order to provide a more energy-efficient device. Systems relying on the newfangled CPU have reportedly begun shipping "from global OEM and system-builder partners," so newfound greatness should be just an order away.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Intel readying slew of 45nm Penryn mobile CPUs?
Hot on the heels of Intel's mobile Core 2 Extreme X7900 comes word that the chip maker has eleven 45-nanometer CPUs in the backroom just waiting to take the laptop scene by storm. DigiTimes has it that Intel will indeed launch the five Penryns we heard about recently "in the first quarter of 2008," and also notes that Q2 holds six more chips destined for the Montevina platform. More specifically, "sources at motherboard makers" suggested that the Q2-bound processors will consume between 25 and 35-watts of energy, sport a 1,066MHz front-side-bus, boast between 3MB and 6MB of L2 cache, and feature clock speeds ranging from 2.13GHz to 3.06GHz. As expected, no model numbers have been assigned just yet, and considering that Intel "declined the opportunity to respond to this report," we suppose you should tuck this all away in the rumor folder for the time being.[Via TGDaily]
Intel launching Core 2 Extreme X7900 mobile CPU?
All set to one-up the 2.6GHz X7800, Intel has reportedly launched the 2.8GHz successor, unsurprisingly dubbed the Core 2 Extreme X7900. The processor purportedly relies on a 65-nanometer die, but boasts updated specs to go along with the 200MHz jump in speed. The chip will apparently offer up an 800MHz front-side-bus, chew through 44-watts of power, and arrive at OEMs unlocked and ready for a (likely minor) does of overclocking. At the GC Press Day, an Intel representative was said to be demonstrating the new CPU on the Asus G2 and a Dell M1730, but nothing was mentioned about a release date.
VIA readying one-watt Eden processor?
Apparently, VIA is hoping to stretch the battery life of devices that sport its forthcoming ULV processor, as the chip manages to hum along at 500MHz yet only consumes one-watt of power. According to DigiTimes, the company announced the CPU during a press conference held yesterday, and also noted that it will "adopt the same VIA V4 bus and 21- x 21-millimeter nanoBGA2 packaging as other Eden models." Reportedly, several industrial PC makers "including Advantech have already adopted the new Eden ULV processor" and hopes to have products shipping to market later this month, and if this thing actually does sip power as its creator suggests, we've all ideas Advantech won't be the last firm placing an order.[Via Wired]
Intel's Wolfdale processor gets benchmarked
Calm down, you haven't overslept by a couple of months or anything, as the Wolfdale we're talking about here is in fact simply a 2.33GHz engineering sample of the forthcoming dual-core processor. Nevertheless, HKPEC labs was able to pit it against the 2.33GHz E6550, and the results weren't too shabby. In a slew of tests including PC Mark, CineBench, Science Mark, SiSoft Sandra, and individual application trials, the Wolfdale managed to best the E6550 in every single facet. Of course, it didn't exactly blow the current Core 2 Duo out of the water, but increasing performance by nearly 11-percent in Doom 3 and Far Cry, 5.53-percent in PC Mark, and around 8-percent in Office applications isn't anything to sneeze at. Still, we've got quite a ride ahead before seeing a finalized Wolfdale, but feel free to humor yourself with the preliminary benchmarks below.[Via The Inquirer]
Sun looses 'world's fastest chip' -- the 1.4GHz Niagara 2
In a bold and presumably calculated statement, Sun Microsystems has proclaimed that its newfangled Niagara 2 is "the world's fastest multi-core commodity chip." Clocking in at 1.4GHz, this eight-core chip also boasts 64 threads, eight lanes of PCI Express I/O, and four memory controllers, all of which will supposedly boost server performance beyond anything we're currently seeing. Reportedly, the aforementioned claim was based on a "pair of record-setting SPEC benchmark results," but we still think that's a bit dodgy to base such a remark on. Nevertheless, Sun is suggesting that this CPU will "consume less power and do more work per clock tick than its rivals," and isn't shying away from taking on the likes of Intel, IBM, and AMD. Eh, we'll stick with our 8.18GHz Pentium 4.[Via The Register]
AMD's low-power Phenom X2 GE-series CPUs seen in latest roadmap
AMD's high-powered Phenom lineup should still be residing in the forefront of your memory, but the company has now loosed details on a series of processors that cater to the more energy-conscience crowd. The Phenom X2 GE-series CPUs currently consist of a trio of units, each reportedly scheduled to land sometime in the first quarter of 2008. The chips all sport thermal design power (TDP) ratings of 45-watts, and while the GE-6400 will clock in at 1.9GHz, the GE-6500 adds 200MHz but lags behind the flagship 2.3GHz GE-6600. The whole lot touts 2 x 512KB of L2 cache, 2MB of L3 cache, and an (estimated) 3,200MHz HT3 bus, so go on and start pinching those pennies for the moment these land in a Socket AM2+ motherboard near you.
