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Xilinx, Altera showing off FPGA coprocessors at IDF
While Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) haven't benefited from a good deal of buzz just yet, things could be taking a turn, as both Xilinx and Altera caught a few eyes at IDF. We've already seen the unique, albeit highly specific chips in a supercomputer, but the dedicated coprocessor / accelerator modules could be landing beside your Intel Xeon CPU. Essentially, the devices plug "directly into the processor socket of dual- or quad-socket servers" in order to provide "high performance application acceleration ranging from 10x to 100x compared to processors alone, while simultaneously reducing overall system power consumption." The modules act as targeted CPUs, effectively computing very specific tasks in a much more efficient fashion than a general microprocessor can alone, which could boost the speed of scientific, financial, and life science applications that rely on very particular calculations. Of course, mainstream adoption still has quite a ways to go, but the quicker we get dedicated physics and AI coprocessors to go along with these snazzy new GPUs, the happier (and poorer) we'll be.[Via RobotSkirts]Read - Altera demonstrates FPGA at IDFRead - Xilinx demonstrates FPGA at IDF
Via's VT6047 mainboard becomes first in Pico-ITX lineage
Making good on its promise to deliver an uber-small mainboard for tight-space and media-centric applications, Via has announced its first product in the 10- x 7.2-centimeter Pico-ITX lineup. Checking in over 75-percent smaller than Mini-ITX boards of the past, this x86-based reference design seeks to embrace a "new world of ultra compact embedded PC systems and appliances." The board was purportedly designed to be powered by one of Via's own C7 or Eden CPUs, and should be available shortly to board vendors and hardware designers interested in concocting even smaller PCs for their customers. The design also relies on the firm's VX700 chipset and provides Ethernet, eight-channel HD audio, four USB 2.0 ports, a SATA connector, and a multi-format card reader. Reportedly, the VT6047 will be priced anywhere from "$300 to $500," but we guess that's just the premium you pay for a palm-sized PC.[Via LinuxDevices]
New Wii motherboard & (some) modchips don't solder (like before)
DigiTimes has a provocative explanation for reports of a new Wii motherboard in production. "Nintendo has altered the circuit layout of its Wii games console in order to block the increasing use of modification chips," reports Digi. If that were true, then why, as Wii Fanboy notes, does the updated circuitry only affect quicksolder modchips, like WiiKey? We emphasize "affect" because WiiKey most certainly is not blocked by the new board. According to a MaxConsole forum post (#6), solder point 3 is no longer on the PCB, so WiiKey must now by connected via the 5th leg of the IC chip -- got it?If Nintendo revised its motherboard to thwart modders, the engineers failed miserably. Our guess? The minor nuisance that the new hardware poses to modchip users is just a coinkydink.
Asustek / Gigabyte call off joint venture
It's not uncommon to find two corporations with nothing better to do than join forces and fight the world together, but even we didn't expect the joint venture between Asustek and Gigabyte to be so short lived. Just seven months after the honeymoon began, the two have agreed to break off the partnership due to "confusion of clients and suppliers, together with the changes of both internal and external factors," which honestly doesn't tell us a whole lot. Nevertheless, both firms seem to agree that "the necessity of forming the joint venture is no longer as strong as expected," and while a bitter breakup would've been so much more fun for everyone not directly involved, Asus is actually being exempted from penalties relating to the separation, further proving that this decision actually does seem mutual in nature. Notably, the Gigabyte United spinoff seems to still be on track, but unless we see yet another change of heart, the original partnership is officially dead.[Via Inquirer]
Europe's PlayStation 3 motherboard on display
Typically, we don't single out just one aspect of an entire console or gizmo, as it's always a beautiful sight to see a perfectly assembled console do its thang in reverse, but Sony's European PlayStation 3 is a different animal. If you'll recall, the American PS3 features a neatly attached PS2 chipset to make sure that backwards compatibility was all but a minor issue, but even after countless delays and a staggeringly high price point, Europe's unit was hamstringed still. While we'd heard that the late-coming PS3 would sport limited abilities in the PS2 department, it still made us cringe when those whispers were proved true, and now its time to witness just how bare this motherboard looks as it uses emulation to crank up a few (literally) PS2 titles. Grab your tissues, and click on through for a few more shots.[Via PS3Scene]
AMD integrates ATI Radeon X1250 into Vista-certified 690 chipset
Although ATI's R600 graphics chip may have hit a recent snag, it seems that the company's Radeon X1250 GPU is coming along just fine, as it claims the proud title of "world's first" integrated graphics unit to receive Vista certification. The chip, of course, is a critical piece of AMD's latest 690-series chipset, which integrates Aero-capable graphics, 1GHz HyperTransport interface speeds, and support for Sempron, Athlon 64/64 FX/64 FX X2 processors, PCI Express, Microsoft's DirectDraw, hardware acceleration for MPEG-2/4 and WMV9, TV output, HDCP-compatible DVI / HDMI outputs, and the general smorgasbord of connectors we're all used to seeing these days. Putting the resources of the ATI / AMD merger to full use, the 690 family claims to be the first chipset from the pair that supports ATI's Avivo technology, which purportedly makes your multimedia experiences within Vista a smooth ordeal. AMD's latest should be available right now for an undisclosed price, but we'd wait for a few hands-on opinions before rushing out and skipping over a dedicated GPU in your next rig.[Via 64-Bit-Computers]
Albatron showcasing Nano Abox V2.0 Mini-PC at CeBIT
It looks like Asus' LED-backlit laptop and NVIDIA's three-way SLI will have to share the limelight with someone else at CeBIT, as Albatron is planning to showcase its wee Nano Abox V2.0 Mini-PC for literal computing on the go. While not quite a laptop per se, this miniature PC has a 6.1- x 3.4-inch LCD screen flanking the top, and while a brief glance may bring back delightful memories of the Wii laptop design, this multimedia-centric device isn't just fun and games. Aside from boasting Viiv certification, it packs an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, integrated graphics, DVI output, eight-channel audio, USB 2.0, FireFire, and gigabit Ethernet. Of course, no pricing or availability details have yet been divulged, but if you're looking for an average HTPC that can hit the road without taking up too much space, Albatron's got you covered.[Via 64-Bit-Computers]
Asus ScreenDUO auxiliary desktop display previewed
Although Windows Vista has been scrutinized in just about every aspect imaginable, Asus threw out a clever deviation to Microsoft's SideShow functionality when it unveiled the ScreenDUO-equipped desktop motherboards. Unlike SideShow on a laptop's auxiliary display, this bundled in module connects directly to Asus' motherboards and includes the firm's own proprietary software to offer up useful extras on your handheld screen that Gates and Co. aren't likely to supply. The kind folks over at TechReport were able to give us a first-hand look at the stylish display, and also offered up a few suggestions of how it's best utilized. The unit itself measures about 4- x 2.5- x 0.75-inches, rocks a 2.5-inch QVGA screen, a directional pad, rear kickstand, USB port, and several buttons placed along the top and front. It was noted that Asus' software catered more towards desktop needs, and rather than providing easy access to "things like email," it offered up customized iTunes / media player controls, calendar views, photo viewers, Outlook contact lists, RSS readers, hardware monitoring applications, etc. Interestingly, the ScreenDUO was dubbed less like a secondary display and more like a "secondary interface," and while the initial list of widgets are respectable, the company's future support of the display will likely make or break its usefulness -- but honestly, where's the touchscreen support, Asus?
Via Epia PX motherboard spawns Pico-ITX SFF form-factor
Although it wasn't too awfully long ago that AMD unveiled what it hoped would become an accepted standard for small form factor PCs, it looks like Via is already trying to one-up DTX. The forthcoming Epia PX media-oriented motherboard will clock in at just 3.9- x 2.8-inches, which provides "half the surface area of its already-tiny 4.7- x 4.7-inch Nano-ITX" standard and looks utterly dwarfed beside the 6.7- x 6.7-inch mini-ITX. Via's boards have become commonplace in applications which can sacrifice raw horsepower for low-power requirements and cool operation, such as being housed in Mini-Box's VoomPC-2. Consequently, the the Epia PX will purportedly tout just a 1GHz C7 processor (at least initially), and there's speculation that some flavors might actually support HDTV resolutions and video-in, but most of the expansion will be done through pin headers. Via hasn't opened its mouth to divulge details surrounding price nor availability, but it's assumed that this wee motherboard will run folks between $250 and $350 whenever it finally lands.
Asus intros SideShow-ready motherboards
While CES graced us with laptops aplenty touting SideShow capabilities, Asus is bringing the secondary display love over to the desktop realm with its latest lineup of motherboards. The M2N32-SLI Premium Vista Edition and P5B Premium Vista Edition each come Vista-ready and support Asus' own ScreenDUO technology, which "provides a second display panel to enable the user to conveniently view important information without having to start up the PC." Users purchasing the boards actually get the secondary display in a bundled package, but there's no word on if (or how) you can connect your own screen in the future. Nevertheless, the boards also feature AI Remote, AP Trigger, TPM support, and the firm's Accelerated Propeller to reportedly "shorten boot times and program initiation" while in Vista. Asus is lookin' out for both the Intel and AMD camps, as the M2N32-SLI provides socket support for AMD Athlon 64 FX processors, while the P5B plays nice with Intel's Core 2 Quad chips, and although pricing information isn't readily available, these mobos should be hitting shelves shortly to coincide with the Vista release.[Via 64-Bit-Computers]
Canadian lawsuit pegs Dell for knowingly selling defective laptops
Sure, it's a new year, but it's the same ole problems for Dell. Yet again the Texas powerhouse is facing a lawsuit claiming that the company knowingly and willingly sold laptops to loyal buyers even though they were defective, and this time it's coming from our northerly neighbors. A group of Canucks who purchased toasty Dell lappies have slapped some legal action on Dell through the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, and the filing claims that "Dell was negligent in designing the computers and sold them even though the company knew of the problems." The models in question reportedly include the 1100, 1150, 5100, 5150 and 5160 models of the Inspiron, and rather than focusing on batteries that erupted in their laps, it claims that the "notebooks suffer from design defects that cause premature failure of the motherboard due to overheating just after the one-year warranty expires." As expected, a Dell spokesperson didn't have a comment on the pending suit, but we're sure it'll be a bit more diligent to show up in court than in previous scenarios.[Via Inquirer]
AMD introduces DTX open standard to boost SFF adoption
Although vanilla desktop PCs have (generally) been the same size and shape for years, the small form factor world has never really settled down, and while various other protocols have been thrown out there, no one has actually stepped up the task of standardized an SFF chassis until now. AMD has just announced the DTX "open standard," which the firm hopes will "enable broad adoption" of the SFF PC in order to deliver "innovative solutions to market that are smaller, quieter, desktop-friendly," and less taxing on the ecosystem. Reportedly, the DTX standard "will be designed to embrace energy-efficient processors and allow an optimally designed small form factor system to consume less power and generate less noise." Additionally, an open standard that's widely embraced will make the lives of OEMs much easier, and will hopefully give us folks looking for those wee PCs a bit more choice when it comes to picking one up. Notably, it seems that Asus has latched on already, boasting that it will start busting out DTX-compliant motherboards here shortly, likely to be bundled in some fashion with an AMD chip. If all goes as planned, this open standard should actually decrease manufacturing costs across the board over time, and AMD stated that a "review copy of the DTX specifications" should be made available sometime this quarter.[Via Inquirer]
ASUS' new motherboards convert PSTN to VoIP
If you still haven't pulled the trigger on setting up a VoIP system in your domicile, and you're looking to build a new rig from the ground up anyway, ASUS is handing over the perfect excuse to do both. While the firm has already teamed with Gigabyte for a bit of motherboard collaboration, the M2N/TeleSky and P5B/TeleSky boards will now include a "telecom adapter" to convert your standard PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) lines to VoIP. Moreover, the adapter touts the ability to "to switch the house phone connection between PSTN and VoIP networks" depending on call-to-call preferences. While we aren't certain on how much ASUS plans on charging for the limited edition units, we do know that 60 SkypeOut minutes will be included "while supplies last," so you may want to make haste on picking one up if this combo suits your fancy.
Silicon Image readies two new PC-ready HDMI transmitters
Ok, so it's certainly not as flashy as Radiospire's wireless HDMI chipset, but Silicon Image has unveiled its latest pair of VastLane HDMI transmitters that reportedly provide "a single-chip solution for enabling PC manufacturers to drive digital output to PC monitors and HDTVs." Doubling up on the performance realized in the first generation of the product, the SiI1392-3 and SiI1932-3 can supposedly drive "any of the biggest, highest-resolution PC monitors" on the market, specifically mentioning Apple's own 30-inch behemoth. In a presumed attempt to get these sets onto motherboards of the future, the firm is releasing them at the same price point as their predecessors, which would hopefully lead to more "standard PCs" offering HD DVD / Blu-ray playback through HDMI. While specific pricing info wasn't available, Silicon Image has its new duo "available for testing," so it shouldn't be too long before these hit retail boards.
Apple quietly responds to whining (of MacBook Pros)
Rickard Almqvist at MacInTouch is reporting that Apple has apparently (and finally) produced a tweaked version of the MacBook Pro logic board in response to everyone's whining - MacBook Pro whining, that is. Rickard received a letter from Apple detailing the new board and stating that it was brand new, "only a few days old". Also of note is the need for new installation DVDs that contain 10.4.6, not the 10.4.5 discs the machine originally came with. And just for all you skeptics out there, Rickard has also posted a picture of Apple's letter on his blog, so you can let your "that was Microsoft Worded" and "Photoshopped!" naysaying fly.Here's hoping MacBook Pros everywhere can finally stop whining. The one question I have is: are you going to be sending your MBP in for the new board? Or is iTunes usually blaring loud enough for you to still wonder what all this 'whine' talk is about?[via MacDailyNews]Thanks Miguel
Abit IL-80MV first motherboard with HDMI output
Building that Vista (and HDCP)-ready HTPC just came one step closer. Dailytech has pics and information of Abit's IL-80MV motherboard which comes with an HDMI port built right in. Core 2 Duo support, dual SATA 3.0Gbps ports, Firewire, optical ins/outs and more are all a part of the package. Some features are apparently missing however, like a PCIe x16 slot. It is still undergoing AACS certification -- does that mean AACS is done? -- but is expected to be available in June.
Toshiba HD-A1 HD DVD player goes topless
Although not the complete screw-by-screw disassembly that we're accustomed to, here's your first chance to get a glimpse inside Toshiba's new HD-A1 HD-DVD player and check out the magic circuitry delivering all that 1080p goodness. As we learned yesterday, a few retailers (we're looking at you, Best Buy) jumped the gun on Tuesday's scheduled rollout and began selling some of their stock early, much to the delight/frustration of early adopters who got the latest tech but no HD content to play on them. Luckily for us, one of those foolish trailblazing souls was kind enough to remove the lid from his unit's case (gently, we hope) and snap some photos of the guts for all Internetland to peep. Nothing really exciting here -- like the VCRs and DVD players before it, most of the content is air -- but there is a nice closeup of the rather imposing heat sink, along with the obligatory CPU and RAM shots. Click on for another pic, or hit the "Read" link for the entire set...[Via HD Beat, thanks Dave Z.]
