| Giveaway: Bracketron Case | If outdoor adventures are in your future this summer, enter to win a Bracketron Sport Case with Mount Strap from MacNN and keep that iPhone, iPod or other electronic device safe from the elements. |
In Intel's second major technology announcement in the span of a week, the chip manufacturer has revealed a refresh of its Atom processor line. Intel's new "Silvermont" architecture promises faster speeds and reduced power draw with what the company calls best-in-class performance plus power efficiency.
Yesterday in the MacNN forums, Moderator "P" started a discussion about Intel's new graphics processors, focusing on the specs of the various models as well as the newly-announced naming scheme. Also yesterday, Professional Poster "shifuimam" was looking for a way to speed up a recently-purchased 20-inch (first-generation) iMac G5.
The current chief operating officer of Intel will become the chief executive officer of Intel on May 16th, according to an announcement from the board of directors. Brian Krzanich will take over from the outgoing Paul Otellini, and will become the sixth CEO in the company's history, while Renée James has been elected to be the president of Intel on the same date.
Intel has revealed limited specifications on its fourth-generation "Haswell" Core-series processors' video circuitry. The upcoming chip line features a graphical power boost well above the third generation, with three discrete levels. One tier is aimed at power efficiency, with two tailored for increased video performance.
The Lenovo K900, first revealed at CES in January, will hit its home market in China on May 6. The device is notable as the first smartphone to feature Intel’s Clover Trail+ SoC running a dual-core design. It is also one of the growing number of Android devices crashing through the 5-inch barrier centering on a large 5.5-inch 1080p IPS LCD display.
Intel CEO Paul Otellini has poured cold water on recent speculation that it will fabricate ARM-based chips for Apple, reports CNet. An earlier report by Reuters indicated that the two companies had entered talks on the possibility, however, Otellini’s comments seem to suggest that a straight-forward chip fabrication deal is not on the table. In taking a question on the subject at Tuesday’s conference call, Otellini answered with a point blank, ‘No.’
Touch-based devices running Windows 8 and using the upcoming Bay Trail processor could cost as little as $200 each, according to Intel 's CEO, Paul Otellini. The upcoming Atom Micro architecture due to be released by the end of 2013 will help bring device prices lower, as well as allowing for improved device designs and features.
Intel today reported calendar first-quarter revenue of $12.6 billion, operating income of $2.5 billion, net income of $2 billion and earnings per share of $0.40. The company generated approximately $4.3 billion in cash from operations, paid dividends of $1.1 billion to shareholders, and used $533 million to continue its stock buyback plan and reacquire 25 million shares of stock.
Intel has introduced an improved version of its Thunderbolt interface, doubling the transfer speeds to 20 Gbps upstream and downstream. With a booth at the National Association of Broadcasters expo this week, Intel notes that its next-generation Thunderbolt controller, codenamed Falcon Ridge, has the bandwidth to support 4K video file transfers while simultaneously driving a 4K display.
Say what you will about Windows 8, but it has succeeded in yielding the most interesting crop of PC hardware that we have yet to see on the market. The Asus VivoTab Smart is a shining example of an innovative design that has been directly spawned to take advantage of the dual user interface in Windows 8. It is also one of the best value full Windows 8 tablet propositions out there, powered by a dual-core Intel Atom (Z2760) clocked at 1.8Ghz and all for as little as $450.
Following some earlier reports, Intel has confirmed a bug exists in the silicon of its next-generation Core processor dubbed "Haswell." The bug can cause USB 3.0 devices to vanish after entering a low power state, with the device generally having to be disconnected and reconnected for the file structure to reappear.
US District Court Judge Lucy Koh has denied class action status for workers wanting to sue several major technology and film companies over anti-job poaching practices, Reuters reports. The plaintiffs have accused Adobe, Apple, Google, Lucasfilm, Intel, Intuit, and Pixar of conspiring not to poach workers from each other. While such practices might help stabilize corporate environments, they also reduce the need for employers to compete with each other on wages and benefits.
Intel says that it is preparing an update for the integrated HD 4000 GPU found in its third-generation mobile ‘Ivy Bridge’ Core processors, reports Ultrabook News. The firmware update will fix bugs while also boosting performance by up to 10 percent while simultaneously improving battery life. The update, which is scheduled to arrive in April, will be welcome performance boost for ultrabook owners and others who depend on Intel’s integrated graphics for their systems.
Intel has used the 2013 Game Developers conference to debut two new DirectX extensions designed to enable better gaming capabilities from the integrated graphics cores in its forthcoming 22nm ‘Haswell’ chips. One of the new extensions, PixelSync, will give developers the ability to create more complex geometry without impacting on CPU performance. The technology is currently being incorporated into Creative Assembly’s Total War: Rome II with the aim to make the game look equally good on ultrabooks as well as gaming rigs.
According to reports, Intel is making progress again after some delays in negotiations with Time Warner, NBC Universal, and Viacom to fill out television shows and films for an online pay-TV service. Specific deals are being forged, with the media companies having signed off on the rough details of the service, with some aspects still to be settled.
Two of the industry's heaviest hitters on Wednesday filed amicus curae ("friend of the court") briefs with the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) in support of Apple's position in its appeal over the dismissal last year of a two-way lawsuit with Motorola over patents and FRAND licensing. Microsoft and Intel, who were not involved in the original case, have filed briefs with the court supporting Apple's position that companies should not be allowed to sue over possible infringement of FRAND-eligible patent use.
Asus is set to launch an Intel Atom-powered smartphone, joining Lenovo and Motorola who have both also experimented with Intel’s Clovertrail x86-based chips in their devices. The smartphone will be the second mobile device from Asus in recent times that has adopted an Intel chip, following the debut of the 7-inch Asus Fonepad at Mobile World Congress earlier this year. According to Digitimes, the earliest the new Asus smartphone will arrive is in the month of June.
Indian smartphone manufacturer Xolo is teasing a new device, set for unveiling on March 14. Promotional materials for the unveiling event tout the unnamed device as "the fastest smartphone in the world. The device is said to be the successor to Xolo's X900, the company's first premium smartphone, which packed a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor.
Intel has been in discussions with Apple to fabricate its ARM-based A-series designs, reports Reuters. Executives from the two companies have been investigating the possibility of a contract manufacturing deal that would get Intel into the mobile space, while helping Apple extricate itself from its ties with Samsung. The report follows a similar rumor that first surfaced in mid-2012, which suggested that Intel was targeting Apple’s mobile chip business, albeit with its own x86-based designs.
Confirming recent rumors, Asus has unveiled a new seven-inch tablet, the Fonepad, that is powered by Intel's Lexington Atom processor. Consistent with its name, the Fonepad is a tablet but doubles as a smartphone with 3G voice-calling functionality. We met with Asus at Mobile World Congress to check out the hybrid device and see how it performs as a tablet and as a phone.
Acer is one of a few companies that has partnered with Intel for smartphone hardware, despite the overwhelming popularity of ARM-based chips. We already took a close look at the company's Liquid E1 and Z1 handsets, which are aimed at the entry-level and midrange market, and today we tried out top of the Liquid lineup, the C1, which is powered by a Lexington Atom processor.
Google increased the amount it spent on lobbying the US government 90 percent year-over-year in 2012, according to data compiled by Fortune. The company ended up spending $18.22 million, easily beating out any other American technology firm. Microsoft, in fact, came in second place with $8.09 million, despite likewise increasing its spending. Other major tech businesses that funneled more money toward lobbying last year included HP, Facebook, and Amazon.
Announced at the AllThingsDigital Dive Into Media conference today, Intel plans to launch its long-rumored online television service this year that not only provides content-on-demand like most services, but also streams live television. According to Erik Huggers, the vice president and general manager of Intel Media, the company is currently negotiating deals with content providers.
The first Intel Atom-powered ‘phablet’ is set to debut at Mobile World Congress, according to Digitimes. The rumored 7-inch Asus device is set to be dubbed the ‘Fonepad, ’ which is a reversal of the PadFone name that Asus has previously used for a different smartphone/tablet hybrid device. This device would not integrate a discrete smartphone where the tablet component acts as a dock as with the Padfone, but instead would double as a self-contained super-sized smartphone.
Intel's Atom processor is being used in an Android smartphone in Africa for the first time, courtesy of Safaricom. The Yolo, based on Intel's smartphone reference design shown at CES this year, appears to be a mid-range offering that has been designed for the "cost-conscious and first-time buyers" in the Kenyan emerging market.
Intel has received permission to build a new processor fabrication facility in Ireland, after receiving the go-ahead from Irish planning agency An Bord Pleanála. The $4 billion chip plant will be used by the processor manufacturer to create its 14-nanometer processors, with only the final decision from Intel management left before it can be constructed.
In a sign of the changing PC landscape following the arrival of the Apple iPad, Intel has outlined plans to ramp down its production of desktop motherboards, reports Anandtech. The arrival of the next-generation Intel Haswell platform will be the last series where Intel will develop desktop motherboards to complement its own line of chips. It will retire its own designs, but will still develop desktop CPUs for third party vendors, including ASUS, ASRock and Gigabyte, who will continue to carry the torch.
Over the weekend, Intel added seven CPUs to its budget line of Ivy Bridge-based processors. Seven new models have been added to the Pentium and Celeron lines. The Celeron family has added the G1610, G1610T, and G1620. The Pentium line sees the G2010, G2020, and G2020T. Also supplementing the lower end of the Intel range is the new Core i3-3210. All processors work in existing socket 1155 motherboards.
At a hearing in San Jose, California federal court on Thursday, US. District Judge Lucy Koh ordered Apple CEO Tim Cook to be deposed by plaintiff attorneys in a case alleging an agreement between Silicon Valley tech giants to not poach each other's employees. The judge believes that internal emails prove that the companies felt the agreement would provide financial benefits to each other, despite the accord being in violation of Federal law.
Intel has reported its quarterly and annual earnings, posting decreases year-over-year in most aspects, but still beating analyst's estimates in some areas. The company states full-year revenue of $53.3 billion, operating income of $14.6 billion, with a net income of $11.0 billion. Intel generated approximately $18.9 billion in cash from operations, paid dividends of $4.4 billion to shareholders, and used $4.8 billion to repurchase 191 million shares of stock.
Licensing issues at Intel are keeping the number of Thunderbolt accessories low, says ArsTechnica. Although more accessories should be en route soon, several vendors claim that Intel has been picking a relative handful of companies to work with in order to ensure products meet certification demands. Intel is denying the suggestion that it might be "cherry-picking" vendors, but acknowledges it has a limited amount of resources for approving new products.
Razer has been showing off the Razer Edge, a new gaming tablet powered by Intel and Nvida technology, at CES so Electronista took the time to stop by and check it out. Based on the Project Fiona platform announced at CES 2012, the Edge is a Windows 8 tablet that has been designed to offer a full PC gaming experience in a portable form factor. The base configuration ail sport an Intel Core i5 processor as well as an Nvidia GeForce GT 640M graphics card, 8GB of RAM, and a 128GB SSD. The display is a 10.1-inch capacitive touch screen that runs at a resolution of 1366 x 768 and offers wide viewing angles thanks to an IPS panel.
Lenovo followed up its CES computer announcements with several cellphone unveilings, introducing the K900 alongside several other phones. The flagship phone caught our attention, as one of the first to be powered by Intel's Clover Trail Atom platform, and we had a chance to handle the company's new flagship phone at a CES media event.
Lenovo has used CES to debut the K900, the first device to feature Intel’s first dual-core CPU for smartphones. The chip is the first from the forthcoming Clover Trail+ platform, the Atom Z2580 clocked at a speedy 2GHZ. As it is based on the same architecture as the 2GHz single-core Medfield processor powering the Motorola Razr i, the addition of the second core no more than doubles the performance of the new chip over its predecessor.
Intel has demonstrated its fourth generation of Core processors at the company's CES press event. The demonstration also gave the chip maker a chance to demonstrate a new quad-core 22nm Atom System-on-Chip processor it calls "Bay Trail," as well as low-powered versions of existing architectures and processors aimed towards developing nations.
A project by Intel to roll out a virtual cable TV service with per-channel subscriptions and a cloud-based DVR service has hit longer delays than previously thought, with the negotiations with media companies being the main cause. Recent reports suggest that the discussions pushed the service's potential launch from the end of 2012 to mid-2013 or as late as the fourth quarter.
Intel will soon begin rolling out its virtual cable TV service and an accompanying set top box on a city-by-city basis in order to circumvent licensing obstacles. This according to sources close to the company, who tell TechCrunch that Intel's piecemeal strategy is meant to give the company more leverage and flexibility in negotiating with content providers. Intel will be rolling out a set-top box and subscription service that would target users that don't want to entirely abandon the content they get from a cable subscription.
Apple and Intel are collaborating on a producing a Bluetooth-capable smart watch, claims Chinese site TGBus. The device will allegedly use a 1.5-inch OLED screen from RITEK subsidiary RiTdisplay, and ship in the first half of 2013. Few other details are mentioned, but it's expected to integrate with Siri and the iPhone, allowing people to take calls through the watch alone.
Linux is phasing out support for Intel's i386 architecture, in an effort to simplify maintenance to the operating system's kernel. The changes in the 3.8 version of the kernel marks a departure of the OS from the processor that Linus Torvolds developed Linux on in 1991, an architecture the software supported long after the rest of the computing industry moved on to other architectures.
An International Trade Commission lawsuit brought by technology company X2Y Attenuators against Intel -- claiming that the chipmaker had stolen X2Y's technology and used in chips purchased by other manufacturers -- has failed, with a preliminary ruling by Judge David Shaw that not only did Intel not infringe on the three energy-conditioning patents in question, but that two of the X2Y patents were invalid. Also named in the lawsuit were Apple and HP, since both use certain Intel chips in their products. Both companies were also cleared.
Details on Intel's Haswell processor family have been relatively scarce since the company formally announced the line in September, but now a document has emerged that appears to reveal Intel's plans for the processor line next year. The next year should see the release of at least 14 new desktop CPUs, topping out at a 3.5GHz Core i7 with the potential for 400MHz more in Boost Mode. That model would be operating across four cores and eight threads.
Intel has all but completely denied the rumors that it would move towards only producing hardwired processors. The chip producer has said it would continue to make processors that use sockets in the future, though it was not able to talk about "specific long-term product roadmap plans" which could still be a socket-less existence.
Velocity Micro has started shipping its new Edge all-in-onerunning Windows 8. The new PC centers on a 23.6-inch display with a resolution of 1920x1080 and is powered by a choice of dual- and quad-core Intel processors. In addition to having its CPU and software designed and manufactured in the US, the Edge AIO, like some of the new iMacs, is also assembled in the US.
Intel is rumored to be prepping a version of its Ivy Bridge processor with ultra low voltage capabilities making it more suitable for the current generation of Windows 8 tablets, reports CNET . According to ‘an industry source,’ the new class of Ivy Bridge CPU will draw significantly less power than even the 17-Watt Ivy Bridge chip found in current ultrabooks and the MacBook Air. The new chip is expected to make full-power Windows 8 tablets lighter and more appealing.
Intel is moving towards creating processors that are not replaceable, according to a number of reports. It has been claimed that a new 14-nanometer architecture called Broadwell will replace the current Land Grid Array (LGA) with a Ball Grid Array (BGA), which would make processor-only upgrades effectively impossible to perform.
A fix is in development for flickering on Mac minis connected to a monitor via an HDMI port, according to a post on Intel's forums. "We are aware of the flickering issue, and there will be a fix provided in the future," Intel writes. "The overall flicker issue is also being addressed here; http://communities.intel.com/thread/32932. [Apple] will provide the driver with the fix when they are done configuring our driver (that has the fix). An ETA on this is currently unknown."
It has been announced that Intel CEO Paul Otellini will be retiring from the chip manufacturer in May 2013. He will be moving on from his eight-year term as the fifth CEO in the company's 45-year history into the role of an adviser to Intel's management team, continuing his almost 40-year association with the manufacturer.
Intel’s next-generation mobile SoCs have been detailed in leaked slides. The successor to the new Clover Trail platform is codenamed Bay Trail-T and is scheduled for release in 2014. It will move to a 22nm process, down from the Clover Trail’s 32-nm process, and will bost performance by 50 – 60 percent. Bay Trail-T will also move to a quad-core architecture, but will drop hyperthreading in the transition.
Maingear has followed up the recently introduced 17-inch Nomad 17 gaming notebook with the smaller, 15-inch Nomad 15. Like the larger notebook, it offers an automotive-grade, hand-painted choice of lid colors. As for hardware, it includes a 1080p, anti-glare screen, a 2.3-3.3GHz Intel Core i7-3610QM CPU as standard, and 8GB of RAM.
Qualcomm, manufacturer of many of the ARM-based chipsets powering some of the most popular mobile gadgets in the world, has pulled about even with processor giant Intel in terms of market cap. Shares of the San Diego-based system-on-a-chip manufacturer have gone as high as $61.99 in trading today, giving the mobile chipmaker a market capitalization of $105.5 billion. As of 3:28 PM EST, Qualcomm shares are up $2.49 on the day for a total market cap of $103.32 billion. Intel's shares, meanwhile, are nearly flat on the day, giving the traditional chip market leader a market cap of $104.16 billion.
