processors

The iPad 2 is "winning" with two double-your-fun hardware features. Buh-bye iPad 1.

After using the iPad 2 for a few weeks, I can now say the upgrade was worth it. Even waiting in line with the huddled Los Angeles masses, yearning for the iPad 2, was worth it.

Allow me to insert a brief parenthetical by saying I wouldn't be completely honest if I didn't mention there's always a psychological need to justify the purchase of a pricey gadget. Not unlike seeking absolution for a sin. That said, I'm pretty sure this review … Read more

What do you do when you buy a cool new gadget, and the company that makes it suddenly and without warning announces it's canceling it, even though that device is the hottest one in its category?

That's what millions of Flip camcorder customers are asking themselves this week. Despite being ranked as the No. 1 mini camcorder on Amazon, Cisco Systems shocked loyal Flip fans this week when it announced it was killing the product line. Cisco bought Pure Digital, the maker of the popular Flip mini video camera a couple of years ago, as part of its … Read more

Oracle has signed the death certificate for Intel's Itanium chips, saying that none other than Intel has decided to end the high-end processor family.

The old software giant and new server maker announced yesterday that it has "decided to discontinue all software development on the Intel Itanium microprocessor." After several discussions, Oracle said, "Intel management made it clear that their strategic focus is on their x86 microprocessor and that Itanium was nearing the end of its life."

Nonsense, said Intel Chief Executive Paul Otellini in a reply today.

"Intel's work on Intel Itanium … Read more

Apple released the latest update to its iOS operating system just this morning, and already savvy coders have found signs that the company may be testing dual-core processors in the next version of the iPhone.

The iPad 2 is the first iOS device to ship with the A5, Apple's new dual-core processor that succeeds the A4. The A4 had been released first on the iPad before making its way to the iPhone 4, then later to the iPod Touch and Apple TV.

Riffing off the discovery of the A5 processor's code name within iOS 4.3's code by Chronic Dev group member Chronic, iOS developer Filippo Bigarella found mention of "N94AP," a code name that would signify a yet-to-be-released iPhone based on past device code names. The N94AP mention was then linked up with "S5L8940," the name for the A5 within the iOS code.

Is this a definitive sign the next iPhone will sport a dual-core processor? Certainly not, but it would jibe both with last year's processor refresh pattern of the iPad's chip trickling down to other iOS devices, and advanced notice of other Apple products from within development code. That was most recently the case with the Verizon iPhone, which was referenced in iOS 4 code back in August, some five months before it was officially announced.

(Via 9to5Mac) … Read more

The iPad 2's A5 chip is sending a strong message to the competition: Apple is moving to dual-core processing power in a completely redesigned tablet but keeping the 10-hour battery life.

Apple's A5 processor supersedes the A4 chip currently used in the iPad and iPhone 4. The A5 effectively doubles the processing power by adding another processor core to the single-core A4.

"We get up to twice as fast on CPU [Central Processing Unit] performance," said Steve Jobs, speaking at the iPad 2 event today in San Francisco.

And Apple is also trumpeting its graphics processing. &… Read more

Samsung may soon join Logitech in the Google TV market.

The company is working on Google TV-based products that run on its own processors, Bloomberg reported yesterday, citing unnamed sources. The news service's sources said that Google first required Samsung to use Intel chips but later relented after the electronics maker balked at delivering a device running on another company's processor.

The fact that Samsung is possibly working on Google TV-based devices that run on its own chips is important. So far, all Google TV products have used Intel processors. However, recent rumblings have suggested that ARM is in talks with Google to allow device makers to use its chips as well. Samsung's processors are ARM-based.

The first Google TV products, including the Logitech Revue and Sony devices, launched in October. The search giant's platform allows people to search the Web and access multimedia content, among several other features. The device also connects to a DVR to make it a more integrated option in the living room.… Read more

It is not uncommon for kitchen appliances that do one thing well to do another, similar thing just as well. Often that secondary functionality becomes your primary use for the product (think grinding spices in a coffee grinder).

You may not think it makes any sense to use a blender as a scale, but that's exactly what DeLonghi has done--incorporate a scale into a food processor. The DFP950 12-Cup Food Processor combines two similar kitchen gadgets with a third--not altogether unlikely--kitchen essential. Featuring a tare function, you can add exactly the amount of ingredients you need directly in your … Read more

Intel announced shipments of the first 3G chips--and future 4G silicon--that sport its branding today at Mobile World Congress--the fruits of its acquisition of Infineon's wireless business.

"Intel Inside" takes on a new meaning with 3G chips. After the acquisition, Intel Mobile Communications has overnight become a major supplier of so-called baseband processors, which handle the 3G connection and are one of the most critical chips in a smartphone or tablet.

Intel's--formerly Infineon's--3G chips are used in prominent devices such as the iPhone and iPad.

Announced today, the XMM 6260 is designed for smartphones … Read more

When Apple announced earnings last month, the company's CFO mysteriously dropped a bit of info about a big contract the company signed worth $3.9 billion. He declined to elaborate further except to say that it was for product components that Apple feels will be central to its future products.

It's not unusual for Apple to sign large contracts with suppliers to ensure its own access to certain components as well as make it difficult for its competitors to get similar parts. Apple did it with LG for displays two years ago, and is regularly the largest buyer … Read more