spin

What you might not know (or conceivably care about), is that ahead of almost every single product launch by AMD, Nvidia's notoriously aggressive PR department sends around an e-mail to reviewers challenging the presumed benefits of its competitor's products. We usually ignore these e-mails, not least because they tend to arrive during the flurry of testing and the forming of our own opinions for the review of the product in question.

We've often thought it might be mildly interesting to publish one of Nvidia's e-mails as an example of aggressive tech marketing (or something), but we … Read more

I only run when chased, so biking has always been my preferred method for a cardio workout. However, I've never been much for stationary bikes or spinning. The RealRyder ABF8 spin bike, however, might change my mind. (Though I doubt I'll have the $1,995 to buy one anytime soon.)

Instead of a rigid ride, the bike has an articulating frame letting you lean, steer, and sway from side to side as if you were on a typical road bike.

The company claims the instability allows for a more complete workout, engaging core and upper-body muscles since you … Read more

VoIP provider Skype plans to announce Tuesday that it will be working with SpinVox to provide its users with voice-to-SMS messaging in four languages.

This adds another option to Skype's messaging notifications for both Windows and Mac, and it includes a free e-mail notification or a simple SMS notification when a contact leaves a message.

Converting the messages from voice to text won't be cheap, however. Users will pay 25 cents per message, not including the standard Skype text message rate, and long voicemails could be spread out over as many as three messages. If the entire voicemail … Read more

Google is calling in its chips in its $1 billion investment in Time Warner's AOL.

The search giant, which struck the hefty deal back in 2005, gave it a 5 percent stake in AOL.

The 2005 arrangement, not only included collaboration on advertising, instant messaging and video, but also gave Google "certain customary minority shareholder rights," such as those related to any future sale or public offering of AOL.

With the markets in the doldrums and AOL's business continuing to take a beating, as evidenced in Time Warner's fourth-quarter earnings report Wednesday, Google is looking … Read more

Update Tuesday 4:12 a.m. PDT: AMD has made the official announcement of the manufacturing spin-off.

On Tuesday, Advanced Micro Devices will announce a long-expected restructuring, according to sources familiar with the deal.

As expected, the No. 2 supplier of PC processors will split into two companies: one for designing chips, the other for manufacturing them. The capital-intensive business of manufacturing chips is weighing on AMD as it reels under a $5 billion debt load.

The investment is expected to allow AMD to remain directly involved in chip manufacturing--crucial for competing with Intel, which has used its manufacturing prowess … Read more

Advanced Micro Devices chip plant spin-off rumors won't die. Probably because they may be partially--or more than partially--true.

But the timing is the big unknown. AMD claims the launch of its so-called Asset Smart strategy is not imminent.

The latest rumor was triggered by a blog at the Austin American Statesman that said AMD may "spin-off of its manufacturing operations within two weeks." The blog cites a Wall Street securities analyst, John Lau with Jefferies & Co.

AMD said that's not so. "We hope to get it done by the end of the year. There'… Read more

Technological advances in beauty products may one day render hands useless. But for now, women will at least have to hold a mascara brush to their eye, even if they don't have to do much after that.

First there was a battery-operated vibrating mascara that coats lashes and shakes at the same time. Now, with a makeup gadget named SpinLash, mascara has learned how to twirl.

Beauty retailer Akasha claims the product has a stabilizing trunk that controls brush movement, a pressure-sensitive brush that automatically stops when the user pushes too hard, and a control panel that reacts to … Read more

Update on July 24, 5:50 p.m. PDT with additional information and corrections.

UPDATE: According to Kirk Ladendorf, the author of The Austin American-Statesman article, the Statesman will issue an update, likely sometime during the week of July 28. In short, it appears that AMD's contention that Dirk Meyer was misquoted is true.

Advanced Micro Devices will split into separate companies as it spins off its manufacturing operations, according to a report.

The Austin American-Statesman had one of the most unambiguous statements to date when it interviewed AMD's new CEO, Dirk Meyer, last week: "Meyer says … Read more

Is MRAM better than flash memory? That's a question a new venture business will try to answer.

Former Motorola chip unit Freescale Semiconductor announced Monday that it has joined with several venture capital firms to form an independent company focused on MRAM (Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory).

The new company, EverSpin Technologies, will "expand its current portfolio of standalone MRAM and related magnetic-based products," the companies said in a statement.

MRAM uses magnetic materials combined with conventional silicon circuitry to deliver a high-performance permanent storage device.

But MRAM must compete with quickly evolving technologies like flash memory-based solid … Read more