Intel teases six-core Gulftown, discusses tera-scale computing

The 32nm dual-core Clarkdale processors that recently made their debut are about to pave the way for Intel’s next performance crown chaser, the six-core Gulftown. You might’ve known that already, but Intel’s decided to furnish us with the above slide detailing the particular differences between the two dies, with the most notable being the whopping 1.17 billion transistors that the new CPU will be composed of. The major attraction of Clarkdale chips lies in their power efficiency and competent integrated GPU, but the Gulftown focus will be firmly on the high end. Hence, there’s no integrated graphics, but the built-in memory controller supports three channels of DDR3 RAM and even plays nice with lower-powered 1.35-volt sticks. There’s also confirmation that the forthcoming hex-core chip will fit inside the familiar LGA-1366 socket, so if you bought a high end Core i7, worry not, you’ll be able to replace your still blisteringly quick CPU with an even faster beast. Quad-core variants — by virtue of disabling a pair of cores — are on the cards as well, while Intel also took the opportunity to delve into questions of 1Tbps+ bandwidth interconnects and its 80-core processor project, but you’ll have to hit up the links below to learn more about those.

Intel teases six-core Gulftown, discusses tera-scale computing originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Major infrastucture supplier calls it: LTE over WiMAX

If you’re Clearwire or Sprint right now, the last thing you want to hear is one of the world’s major suppliers of wireless infrastructure badmouthing the very technology that underpins your next-gen network — so we imagine there’s some groaning in the hallways and boardrooms of the world’s WiMAX carriers today. Why? Alcatel-Lucent’s COO of its wireless business, Patrick Plas, has pulled no punches in a statement this week that the firm is “not putting a lot of effort into [WiMAX] any longer” after noticing that there’s “a clear direction taken by the industry towards LTE.” Of course, it doesn’t take an analyst to notice that Europe, Asia, and virtually every carrier in the Americas have all taken on a decidedly pro-LTE slant in the past couple years, and these guys are just following the money — which in turn makes it harder (and more expensive) for the handful of WiMAX proponents with deployed networks to build out and stay technologically current. In the race to actual 4G commercialization, LTE’s still got a ton of catching-up to do — but once it does, it’s looking poised to blow past WiMAX pretty quickly here. In the meantime, we’ll be loving our Overdrives.

Major infrastucture supplier calls it: LTE over WiMAX originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Comcast smears the XFINITY brand across all its services

Apparently worried its On Demand Online project would suffer the shame of a silly name all by its lonely, Comcast has rebranded its cable TV, internet and phone services as Xfinity TV, Xfinity Internet and Xfinity Voice. Other than the name not much is changing (@ComcastCares will still be doing its thing on Twitter), although the rollout of the new branding (starting next week, the first 11 markets include Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Chicago, Portland, Seattle, Hartford, Augusta, Chattanooga, parts of the Bay Area and San Francisco) should sync up with 50mbps or high speeds becoming available. Of course, if those slick flame colored letter started showing up on TV repair guy trucks at the same time as a truly revolutionary new DVR software package instead of the slightly spruced up version we’ll be getting over the next few months, then they could call it anything they want to.

Comcast smears the XFINITY brand across all its services originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Symbian’s revealing something tomorrow, but what? (update: open source!)

Oh, Symbian, you tease! For an organization as committed to openness and sharing its roadmap (and its code) as the Symbian Foundation, it’s pretty unusual that they’d be counting down to a big unveiling of anything — but sure enough, they’ve been tweeting decreasing numbers with the hashtag “#symbiancountdown” starting back on January 26 with 108. Today we’re down to 12 (it’s hard to say what sort of jacked-up counting system they’re using here) with a note of “what will tomorrow bring?” so it looks like we can expect this all to go down in just a few short hours. One thought is that they could announce that Symbian^3 has gone Functionally Complete, a key milestone in getting it pushed to devices — but that’s a shot in the dark. Don’t disappoint, guys.

Update: Looks like it may be the full source for Symbian^2, the Foundation’s first open release.

Symbian’s revealing something tomorrow, but what? (update: open source!) originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HP increases lead over Acer in worldwide laptop shipments

Acer pulled closer to HP than ever in the third quarter of 2009, when it shipped 8.86 million laptops compared to HP’s 9.91 million, but it looks like things swung well back in the other direction during the fourth quarter. According to DigiTimes, HP shipped a whopping 11.38 million laptops worldwide in Q4, while Acer moved 9.5 million units during the same time period — an sizable increase in itself, but likely not enough to cause too much celebration at Acer HQ. As you might suspect, the holiday shopping season was largely responsible for the jump in sales from both companies, with strong sales in North America in particular said to be the main reason behind HP’s widening lead.

HP increases lead over Acer in worldwide laptop shipments originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Indian mobile carriers scramble as illegal towers are shut down

Apparently the dizzying expansion of mobile coverage in India has proceeded a little quicker than the regulatory process there — Indian carriers are in a bit of a tizzy after authorities shut down 300 allegedly illegal towers in a suburb of New Delhi called Noida. The gub’mint says the towers are on private land that’s not approved for commercial use, but the carriers say the move is “arbitrary and uncalled for,” and even “inhuman” because the loss of service means people can’t make emergency calls. That’s a strong card to play — let’s hope this gets sorted out soon.

Indian mobile carriers scramble as illegal towers are shut down originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon buys touchscreen startup Touchco, merging with Kindle division

In what we’re hoping bodes well for future Kindle iterations, Amazon’s pulled out its credit card and picked up New York-based startup Touchco, who specializes in — you guessed it — touchscreen technology. The company will be merged with Lab126, a.k.a. the Kindle hardware division. Here’s why we’re excited: the startup claims its interpolating force-sensitive resistance tech can be made completely transparent, works with color LCDs, and can detect “an unlimited number of simultaneous touch points” as well as distinguish between a finger and stylus. Current cost estimates put it at less than $10 per square foot, which The New York Times says is “considerably” less expensive than the iPad / iPhone screens. We’re not expecting to see immediate results with this acquisition, but given the proliferation of touch in the latest batch of e-book readers, it’d be foolish of Amazon not to join in on the fun. Ready for the Kindle 3 rumor mill to start up again?

Amazon buys touchscreen startup Touchco, merging with Kindle division originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Director of National Intelligence says major cyber attack could wreak havoc on the U.S. of A.

Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair told the National Intelligence Committee that the United States is at risk of a “crippling” cyber-attack, and without the proper tools to defend against such an attack. Blair counseled the US to “deal with that reality,” saying that catastrophic consequences would result if it did not deal with said reality. Specific problem areas he cited include the fact that more and more, foreign companies supply both the hardware and software for private businesses. Blair also noted the fact that the net has served as a breeding ground for “homegrown radicalism.” You don’t say? Hit the source link a fuller detail of yesterday’s proceedings.

Director of National Intelligence says major cyber attack could wreak havoc on the U.S. of A. originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujifilm intros 3D Print System, which probably requires wicked expensive ink

What do you do if you concoct one of the world’s first 3D point-and-shoot cameras? Why, you concoct a 3D printer (definitely not pictured) to work with it, of course! Fujifilm has just kicked out its new 3D Print System, which enables 3D photographs to be created “on the spot” using dye-sublimation technology to print directly on to the base of a lenticular sheet. Unfortunately, prints will only be available in four sizes ranging from 4- x 6-inches to 6- x 9-inches, but we’re hoping that some sort of magical firmware update will enable poster-sized prints for those really looking to drive their retinas batty. Mum’s the word on a price, but it should hit UK shelves by April for an undisclosed rate.

Fujifilm intros 3D Print System, which probably requires wicked expensive ink originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Neonode lives: zForce e-reader touchscreen gets pumped into Koobe Jin Young reader

We’re not surprised anymore when another company jumps on the ever-fattening e-reader bandwagon, because really, pretty much everyone is making one now… including, apparently, companies we thought had basically ceased to exist. That’s right folks, Neonode is seemingly back from the dead (though truth be told it looks like the company was never actually fully cold), pumping its touchscreen tech — called zForce and made specifically for e-readers — into Taiwanese company Koobe’s just announced Jin Young reader. We don’t have fully specs on this bad boy by any means, but we know that it’s going to be a 6-inch e-paper styled affair with 2GB of memory (and up to 16GB by way of microSD). The reader claims to be the thinnest device boasting a touchscreen ever made, and should make its way to retail in April (in Taiwan) for somewhere between NT10,000 and NT13,000 (that’s between $312 and $405), depending on the content agreement. Full press release is after the break.

Continue reading Neonode lives: zForce e-reader touchscreen gets pumped into Koobe Jin Young reader

Neonode lives: zForce e-reader touchscreen gets pumped into Koobe Jin Young reader originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Devour officially coming to Verizon next month

And just like that, it’s official. Verizon Wireless has today announced that Motorola’s scrumptiously named Devour will be heading to its network next month, with it being the first VZW phone to feature Motoblur. Not that we’re seeing any surprises here, but a quick specification run down draws our attention to a 3.1-inch capacitive touchscreen, a touch-sensitive navigation pad, a pre-installed 8GB microSD card and Bluetooth support. Unfortunately, there’s no apparent mention of multitouch, but we’re crossing our fingers (and toes, for that matter) for Google to sling that delightful Nexus One update to the rest of its high-powered Android phones in the very near future. There’s nary a mention of an asking price, but we’ll be sure to keep an eye out as launch day approaches.

Motorola Devour officially coming to Verizon next month originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel swings 25nm factory doors open for a tour de fab

Intel and Micron’s recent announcement that their collective superhero body, appropriately named IM Flash, is sampling 25nm flash chips has been accompanied with a whirlwind tour of their Utah production facilities for a few lucky journalists. PC Perspective bring us the atmospheric photo above, along with some videos, as they prance about one of the most hallowed (and cleanest) environments known to gadget lovers. Apart from the die shrink, the lads also discuss Intel’s reputed plans for a G3 SSD refresh some time “later this year” with snappier controllers onboard, which apparently was echoed by Micron who also intend to pump out faster processors with their SSD products. While you wait for all that to happen, hit the source link to find out how and where the stuff that gets put inside SSDs is made.

Intel swings 25nm factory doors open for a tour de fab originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FlexiKnob paddle controllers are perfect for playing your old Atari Breakout ROMs

Spend any time in a audio or video editing suite of applications and you’ll find yourself overwhelmed by a selection of on-screen controls that have absolutely zero relevance to your on-desk controls — keyboard and mouse don’t really equate to slider and dial. FlexiKnobs bridge that gap, and allow collaborative work too. A project by researchers at the University of Applied Sciences, they’re little wooden mice of a decidedly non-ergonomic shape, but they allow you to move cursor (shown after the break) over on-screen control, then click in the wheel and spin it to adjust the value. The cursor changes depending on whether it’s locked on or floating free, and each bears the color of the FlexiKnob it is associated with. Up to 250 of the things can be paired with a computer at once, which sounds like heavenly pandemonium to us.

[Thanks, Sam]

Continue reading FlexiKnob paddle controllers are perfect for playing your old Atari Breakout ROMs

FlexiKnob paddle controllers are perfect for playing your old Atari Breakout ROMs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ovi Maps downloaded 1.4 million times in first week since going free

People sure do like getting something for nothing. Since Nokia made the big move to stop charging for its walk and drive navigation last week, 1.4 million of us have downloaded the Ovi Maps software — on average, that’s a download a second since launch. The response has been so good that it’s exceeded Nokia’s expectations according to Anssi Vanjoki, Nokia Executive Vice President, with China, Italy, UK, Germany and Spain representing the top 5 downloaders. Hardly a surprise to see consumers responding so favorably to a free offering that makes a device you already have (your smartphone) that much smarter even if it does make your dedicated satnav somewhat mostly redundant. Full press release after the break.

Continue reading Ovi Maps downloaded 1.4 million times in first week since going free

Ovi Maps downloaded 1.4 million times in first week since going free originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hasselblad creates 40 megapixel H4D-40 medium format camera, wants $20k for it

Tough though it may be to believe, Hasselblad’s 39 megapixel H3D II actually came out in 2007. Yeah, last decade. In other words, it’s about time we saw a true successor hit the market, and with PMA just about ready to get going in Anaheim, the bold and beautiful H4D-40 is making its grand entrance. Boasting a 40 megapixel sensor, this medium format behemoth — which we spotted in a leak late last month — also features a “True Focus” AF system and ships with an 80mm lens and a viewfinder. The kit is said to be shipping now across the globe for $19,995 (or €13,995 / £12,995 on that side of the pond), which should make choosing between a new shooter and a public college education remarkably difficult.

Hasselblad creates 40 megapixel H4D-40 medium format camera, wants $20k for it originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 02:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nikon kicks out new Coolpix S- and L-series cams

Keeping with the pre-PMA announcements, Nikon also launched the S and L series of cams just now — the S stands for “Style,” and L stands for “Life.” The Ls are the low-end of the bunch — Life is apparently cheaper than Style — and you’ve got two choices: the $280 L110 superzoom, which has a 15x optical zoom lens in front of a 12.3 megapixel sensor and a 3-inch 460,000-dot LCD, or the $130 L22 compact, which has a 3.6x zoom and a 12 megapixel sensor, and comes in many colors because low-end camera have to come in rainbow colors or the Best Buy people won’t say they’re any good. Nikon says the new $299 S8000 pictured above is the most notable of the Style line, mostly because of its 10x zoom, 720p video, 921,000-dot LCD for previewing. Yeah, not bad at all. After that it’s just incrementally sadder steps down the features scale: the $249 S6000 has a 7x lens and a 230,000-dot LCD, the $200 S4000 adds touchscreen controls to its 3-inch 460,000-dot LCD but has a 12 megapixel sensor and a 4x zoom, and the $149 S3000 has a 2.7-inch LCD, a 4x zoom, and probably isn’t interesting to you at all. Unless it is, in which case you can look at it in the gallery, read the PR after the break, and just generally party the night away.

Continue reading Nikon kicks out new Coolpix S- and L-series cams

Nikon kicks out new Coolpix S- and L-series cams originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ekokook concept kitchen’s mantra: waste not, want not

If, like us, you’ve spent a fair amount of time in a kitchen cooking up a storm, then you’re probably aware of one of the major drawbacks of major home-cooking… it generates a ton of waste. That’s right — up to 85 or 90 percent of a family’s trash can be generated within the vicinity of the kitchen. Faltazi’s concept kitchen should be interesting for just that reason — Ekokook is designed to generate essentially zero waste. The solid waste — things like glass — are ground down using a hand-activated steel ball, and there’s also a manual paper shredder which compacts the leftovers into small bricks. Water is stored, filtered, and reused, with waste water being used to water plants. Oh, and there’s also an eco-friendly earthworm compactor in a drawer! Does it get any better? Well, there’s a video after the break to check out.

Continue reading Ekokook concept kitchen’s mantra: waste not, want not

Ekokook concept kitchen’s mantra: waste not, want not originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zune HD drops $30-$40 at Amazon, Newegg

Zune HD drops $30-$40 at Amazon, Newegg originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nexus One gets a software update, enables multitouch (updated with video!)

The iPhone isn’t the only handset getting bumped today — Google’s just outed a very, very significant update to the Nexus One that includes Google Goggles on board and a re-upped version of Google Maps that includes suggestions and a dedicated night mode. Much more significantly, though, they’ve capitulated and enabled multitouch in Browser, Gallery, and Maps — great news and a big win for the Android community at large. Finally, there are some 3G improvements in there, but you might have to wait a bit — Google expects to have it rolled out to pretty much everyone toward the end of the week. Seriously though, now that we’ve gotten that whole multitouch spat cleared up, it’s time for Engadget to rally around something else: ridding the world of tiny ninjas, perhaps? Follow the break for a video of the new firmware — in all its multi-fingered glory — in action!

Continue reading Nexus One gets a software update, enables multitouch (updated with video!)

Nexus One gets a software update, enables multitouch (updated with video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Displax film could turn nearly any surface into touchscreen, make your keyboard irate

Light Blue Optics already blew our minds up with its touchscreen-creating projector, but it looks like Displax will be the one to really turn the touchpanel into a modern day commodity. The Portugal-based company is trumpeting a new polymer film that can be stuck onto or just under glass, plastic or wood in order to transform a vanilla surface into one that responds to touch and airflow. Furthermore, the tech can be overlayed on curved panels, and it also plays nice with opaque and transparent surfaces. As the story goes, an array of nanowires embedded in the film recognizes your digits or pointed breath, and it then passes the information along to a microcontroller and software suite that transforms the inputs into reactions on your system. In its current form, the solution can detect up to 16 touch points on a 50-inch screen, and if all goes well, the first Displax-enabled wares will start shipping this July. Huzzah!

[Thanks, Ben]

Displax film could turn nearly any surface into touchscreen, make your keyboard irate originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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