· Intel Introduces Itanium 9300 Processor · ATI Unveils Radeon HD 5570 Graphics Card
Intel Introduces Itanium 9300 Processor Intel Corporation yesterday introduced the Itanium processor 9300 series, previously codenamed "Tukwila," which delivers more than double the performance of its predecessor, boosts scalability and adds reliability features to the Itanium platform. The two-billion transistor Itanium processor 9300 series has twice as many cores as its predecessor (four versus two), eight threads per processor (through enhanced Intel Hyper-Threading Technology), more cache, up to 800 percent the interconnect bandwidth, up to 500 percent the memory bandwidth, and up to 700 percent the memory capacity using-industry standard DDR3 components. The Itanium processor 9300 series adds to the architecture's world-class resiliency with new reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) features that extend across the processor, its Intel QuickPath Interconnect technology, and the memory subsystem. The processor's advanced machine-check architecture coordinates error handling across the hardware, firmware and operating system, and improves system availability by enabling recovery from otherwise fatal errors. The Itanium 9300 processor employs the second generation of Intel Virtualization Technology to improve performance and robustness. Its Intel 7500 chipset can directly assign I/O devices to virtual machines, further boosting efficiency. OEM systems based on the Intel Itanium processor 9300 series will be binary-compatible with existing software and can provide major performance improvements without the need for additional software optimization. "Poulson," codename for the next Itanium processor, will add an advanced multi-core architecture, instruction-level and hyper-threading enhancements, new reliability features and more. Future Intel Itanium processors in development today are being designed for socket and binary compatibility with Intel Itanium 9300 processor-based systems and software. They are designed to scale in performance and capacity through component upgrades, without software recompilation, so customers can continue to expand and adapt their mission-critical computing systems. The Itanium 9300 processor series and the future Intel Xeon processor, codenamed "Nehalem EX," share several platform ingredients, including the Intel QuickPath Interconnect, the Intel Scalable Memory Interconnect, the Intel 7500 Scalable Memory Buffer (to take advantage of industry standard DDR3 memory), and I/O hub (Intel 7500 chipset). The common elements foster shared innovation, design synergy, and manufacturing efficiency across Intel Xeon and Itanium processor families, and flexibility for customers. An enhanced form of Demand-Based Switching (DBS) lowers power consumption when utilization is low. Intel Turbo Boost Technology automatically senses and adapts to provide the right performance boost when needed, and to conserve power when it is not. The Intel Itanium processor 9300 series ranges in price from $946 to $3,838 in quantities of 1,000. OEM systems are expected to ship within 90 days. Source: Intel Corporation ATI Unveils Radeon HD 5570 Graphics Card Today AMD unveiled the new ATI Radeon HD 5570 graphics card, also with DirectX 11 support. The company believes this novelty should be in demand among owners or builders of compact PCs. ![]() Along with DirectX 11, the card supports ATI Eyefinity (simultaneous output to up to three display) and ATI Stream. It also can play Full HD 1080p content. The Radeon HD 5570 graphics card features 400 stream processors, 650 MHz GPU core, 128-bit bus, 512MB/1GB of memory clocked at 900 MHz. Having an active cooler, the card still occupies a single slot in a PC enclosure. Finally, the street price is about $80.![]() Speaking of multimedia features, ATI Radeon HD 5570 doesn't yield to the higher-end ATI Radeon HD 5870, featuring HDMI 1.3a with support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. Considering the aforesaid, Radeon HD 5570 is one step lower than Radeon HD 5670, thus being a very attractive alternative to the entry-level Radeon HD 5450 that debuted last week. Being 60% as expensive as HD 5450, HD 5570 offers three times the performance. Source: AMD Microsoft Launches SideWinder X4 Keyboard With Advanced Anti-Ghosting Technology Microsoft Hardware launched the SideWinder X4 Keyboard featuring company's most advanced anti-ghosting technology. Developed by the Applied Sciences Group, this new technology ensures gamers' most complex key combinations will be recognized by the computer to keep the game in action. The new keyboard also supports macro recording, mode and profile switching, and adjustable backlighting. ![]() The advanced technology allows gamers to press up to 26 keys at once. Because each key is scanned independently by the keyboard hardware, each key press is correctly detected regardless of how many other keys are being pressed at the same time. The SideWinder X4 Keyboard also offers more of the features gamers need to stay at the top of their game. Macro recording lets them string together multiple moves into one press of a button, and the new automatic macro repetition feature lets them repeat the macro over and over as needed with one key. Mode and profile switching also provides easy ways to customize the keyboard for different games and users while adjustable backlighting lets gamers select the lighting level that meets their needs. The SideWinder X4 Keyboard will be available in March 2010 for the estimated retail price of $59.95 and will be available for pre-sale on Amazon.com later this week. The SideWinder X4 Keyboard is backed by a worldwide three-year limited hardware warranty. Source: Microsoft Intel, Micron Introduce 25nm NAND Intel Corporation and Micron Technology today announced the world's first 25nm NAND technology, which provides a more cost-effective path for increasing storage capacity in such popular consumer gadgets as smartphones, personal music and media players (PMPs), as well as the new high-performance class of solid-state drives (SSDs). ![]() Manufactured by IM Flash Technologies (IMFT), Intel and Micron's NAND flash joint venture, the 25nm process produces 8GB of storage in a single NAND device, creating a high-capacity storage solution for today's tiny consumer gadgets. It measures just 167mm2 -- small enough to fit through the hole in the middle of a CD, yet packs more than 10 times the data capacity of that CD. The 25nm, 8GB device is sampling now and is expected to enter mass production in the second quarter of 2010. For consumer electronics manufacturers, the device provides the highest-density in a single 2 bits-per-cell MLC die that will fit a thin small-outline package (TSOP). Multiple 8GB devices can be stacked in a package to increase storage capacity. The new 25nm 8GB device reduces chip count by 50 percent compared to previous process generations, allowing for smaller, yet higher density designs and greater cost efficiencies. For example, a 256GB solid-state drive (SSD) can now be enabled with just 32 of these devices (versus 64 previously), a 32GB smartphone needs just four, and a 16GB flash card requires only two. Source: Intel Corporation
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