Intel as expected officially confirmed the information that three of its CPUs: Pentium G622, Core i3-2102 and Core i3-2312M – may be “improved” while in use by customers. All that it takes is to purchase an advance card and enter the code printed on it into a special “unlock application”. All three processors are built on Intel’s Sandy Bridge architecture.

Link to the original article…

Lenovo announced the industry’s first hybrid PC for consumers, the IdeaPad U1 hybrid notebook, a groundbreaking concept and new genre in PC form factors. The IdeaPad U1′s unique design is engineered to provide consumers with two PCs in one device – each with its own processor and operating system – that work together and independently as either a clamshell laptop or a multitouch slate tablet.

The IdeaPad U1′s fashionable scarlet red exterior has a footprint just smaller than a piece of paper and is paired with an equally impressive 3.8 pound thin and light design. With its unique detach-and-converge form factor, users can easily remove the screen to instantly switch from clamshell mode into a multitouch slate tablet. When the IdeaPad U1 is in its traditional clamshell form, the system boasts an 11.6-inch HD LED screen and runs Windows 7. When the 1.6 pound, multitouch screen is removed, it becomes an independent slate tablet with a powerful ARM processor, running Lenovo’s customized Skylight operating system.

Leveraging the benefits of both CPU, the two devices can synchronize to work as one with the ability to share battery power, 3G wireless, data and documents. In this way, the base laptop system can serve as a hub and docking station and the slate tablet as a mobile device. The two PCs have been engineered to work together and independently through Lenovo’s Hybrid Switch technology that enables seamless toggling between the two processors. For instance, users can surf the Web in laptop mode and then continue from the same point without interruption if they detach to tablet mode.

The IdeaPad U1′s laptop and tablet modes each support more than five hours of 3G Web browsing and 60 hours of 3G standby. In addition, the U1 comes with integrated video camera and two stereo speakers with integrated microphone with echo cancellation make this the ideal PC for users who need flexibility but do not want to compromise features or functionality.

The Lenovo IdeaPad U1 hybrid notebook will be available June 1, 2010 with an estimated retail price of for under $1000.

Link to the original article…

MSI has unveiled Intel’s next-generation Atom platform based netbook Wind U135, which is expected to be launched next year. The new version of Atom processors, codenamed Pine Trail, will consume 20 percent lesser power than its predecessor. And it consists of a new processor and a low-power Intel chipset N450 that allows integration of graphics into the CPU, thereby enabling improved performance and smaller form factor. Adopting a 10-inch LED backlit display with 1024 x 600 resolution, the MSI Wind U135 features 3.5G WiMAX support, chiclet keyboard and anti-slip design coated with color film. Coming in Trendy Blue and Cherry Red, the Wind U135 will be available in Korea market in January, 2010.

No words on pricing yet.

Link to the original article…

Before you jump to conclusions, it’s not that IBM will no longer manufacture that precious little chip that powers your Sony PlayStation 3, but the Sony, Toshiba and IBM co-developed processor will not see the previously announced 32 SPE processor ever happen now. Not by IBM at least. And previously, Toshiba bought out Sony’s stake in the Cell CPU foundry [ article here ] almost two years ago.

IBM’s most recent development in the Cell Processor’s design is the PoweXCell 8i, which is featured in the second most powerful supercomputer in the world; Roadrunner.

However, this is where Cell will end for IBM. The company’s Vice President David Turek, told German website Heise Online that the planned 32 SPE Cell processor will not be made.

Fret not… the PlayStation3 processor will still live on. And if Sony wants to use a variation of the Cell in the PlayStation4, I’m sure IBM can be convinced with a few briefcases of money. But it does make you wonder what else will happen for this “wonder” chip. Seems to me like it’s finally starting to lose to the faster, more efficient (to program for at least) CPU plus GPU combination.

[ PlayStation University ] [ Heise Online ] [ IBM ]