OCC TECH NEWS
January 28, 2010
The demos presented at the iPad reveal were plentiful. One that was particularly interesting was the Need for Speed: Shift demo from EA. The game was adapted from the iPhone version and features several improvements. The larger screen provides for better graphics as well as more items that can fit on the screen. This is evident from the multi-touch gear shift and rear-view mirror. The team at EA was able to accomplish all this in just 14 days. An EA VP has stated that the possibilities opened up by the large multi-touch screen will allow games to run better on the iPad than they might on other hand held gaming systems. Scrabble was a game that was mentioned for the ability to have several people play together. I can't personally get too excited about Scrabble, but the technology available should bring some interesting games from developers.
January 27, 2010
AMD has been struggling the past few years, releasing nothing new or innovative for quite a while. All that will hopefully change in 2011 with the release of Bulldozer. Until then though, AMD will have to hold out with 4 new processors based on the Thuban chip. The TDP of these chips ranges from 95-125W, depending what version you get. Three of these processors will be native Hex-Cores, while one of them will be a Quad-Core with two cores disabled. We're not solid on the frequencies of what they will run at, but they will be named as Phenom II X6 1035T, 1055T and 1075T and the Phenom II X4 960T. Unfortunately no other details are available yet, but hopefully will be closer to release.
With the newest version of Ubuntu, 10.04, only a few months away, Canonical has announced a significant change. The default search engine to be used is switching from Google to Yahoo. This will be done by making it the default search engine in Firefox which is included in the installation. Users who wish to go back to Google will be able to very easily. Through this revenue sharing agreement, Canonical hopes to gain funds to continue the development of the Linux based OS. The deal is likely better than the one already in place with Google, or the change wouldn't have been made. I'm fine with changes like this if it means Ubuntu will continue to be free and updated.
January 26, 2010
Even though Apple blocked the official Google Voice app last year, Google Voice is now available to iPhone users. The service is web-based and can be used by any smartphone, notably the Palm Pre and iPhone. Users that have an Android or BlackBerry phone can get apps that run directly on their phone for this functionality. Users of the web based service will have access to nearly all of the functionality of the native apps, but will be missing a few features. One notable issue is the inability to use the contacts stored on your phone. The available screen shots depict a similar interface to that of the Android version.
January 25, 2010
There will be a lot of media attention on Apple this week ("when doesn't it get attention?" you may ask) in anticipation of a press event on Wednesday that may or may not involve the unveiling of a certain rumoured tablet. Ahead of that, Apple has released its financial figures today for the quarter just past, with it posting the best results in the history of the company. That translates into revenues of $15.68 billion and profits of $3.38 billion, largely helped by a sizeable increase in the number of iPhones sold compared to the same period last year. That means an impressive 8.7m units were shifted worldwide in last three months (including the Christmas period), with sales of Mac computers (largely laptops) also growing strongly. Sales of iPods did continue their rate of decline, dropping 8% year-on-year, but sales of the Touch model were up 55%. Engadget have a summary of an analysts conference call should you want to pick up some more detail, but it is safe to say that Apple are pleased with the results.
Now we just have to wait until midweek to see what Apple are planning on introducing next. As Steve Jobs has said, it is a "major new product that we're really excited about.", but then would we really expect him to say anything else?
January 24, 2010
Rumors coming from AT&T indicate that it may lose the exclusivity agreement it has with Apple over the iPhone. This announcement could come this week at the event Apple is holding on January 27, which many expect to be the announcement of the Apple tablet. This could prove to be a double edged sword for AT&T. The iPhone has brought countless subscribers to the network, which has negatively impacted the quality in some areas. The loss of exclusivity could cause AT&T to lose customers, but could also provide some relief for its network. It could also have a profound effect on iPhone sales as many want one, but don't want to be on the AT&T network.
The official Google Voice extension for Chrome was updated on Friday, adding some interesting functionality. Users will now have the ability to click to call any number found while surfing the internet. Clicking on the number will prompt the user for which phone they wish to use. Google Voice will then connect you to that number and dial your phone. Users will no longer have to copy and paste the numbers or dial them with their phone. This definitely looks interesting and I may try it out.
January 23, 2010
January 22, 2010
The 32 year old mother, Jammie Thomas-Rasset, was ordered to pay a nearly $2 million penalty for infringing the copyright of 24 songs. A judge has just ruled that the penalty was shocking, drastically reducing the fine. The initial ruling of $80,000 per song has been reduced to a little over $2,000. Rasset has stated that she still won't be able to come up with the money to pay this reduced penalty, as she doesn't make much money. Joel Tenenbaum, the other file sharer to go to court with the RIAA shouldn't get too excited, as there is no requirement that the same leniency is applied to his case.
As rumors continue to escalate and evolve from internet websites and consumers, more people are talking about Apple producing a tablet that would be in the same type of design as the iPhone and iPod Touch. For now, Apple is neither confirming nor denying current rumor about the device, but as for now, the news reported from Fox is that it will be made for AT&T, for their GSM network and their CDMA network. Many analysts believe that for Apple to receive much more market share, they need to switch over to companies such as Verizon and not go through AT&T solely. More news should be brought out next week on whether Apple is actually going to produce the device and bring it to the masses.
Carbon nanotubes have managed to cut the current size of the best silicon transistors by half - to 15nm. This shows that for now, we can get smaller although there is a fear that soon will we run out of ways to shrink current silicon transistors, so there has been a lot of research and development on new methods, for when we will hit the barrier that silicon transistors have. There are quite a few alternative methods such as the single molecule transistor, although it will be quite a while till that appears. The problem with carbon nanotubes is that they are difficult to make. Whenever a nanotube interacts with any metal an electrical barrier is created hindering the flow of current; Seems like this will terminate any chances of carbon nanotube transistors, but, using thinner nanotubes and putting the metal underneath the nanotube, this basically removes the electrical barrier. Unfortunately the nanotubes are not ready for commercialization and are hard to physically manipulate. At least more and more alternatives are showing up however.
January 21, 2010
If one thing is certain in the world of computing, it's that everything gets faster. This is certainly the case with Corsair's Dominator GTX memory. The DDR3 modules have now been confirmed as the world's fastest Intel XMP-Certified products, coming in at a cool 2333MHz, handily beating the 2000MHz record previously held by Corsair memory. According to Corsair every GTX module is hand-screened and tested to ensure maximum performance, marking it out clearly for overclockers looking to shoot for world record benchmark scores. As well as being Intel-XMP certified at 2333MHz, Corsair guarantee them to work at up to 2400MHz with timings of 9-11-9-27 at 1.65V. Of course, at $200 for a single 2GB module, you'd better be sure you are going to make the most of all that speed.
GTX modules are available exclusively from Corsair's online store and come equipped with the company's DHX+ heatsinks with extra tall fins for more effective heat dissipation.
While ATI has been focusing on the higher end spectrum of the market, and also releasing low-end cards to serve the budget community, they have mainly been focusing on the desktop computer environment. Club3D has taken the Radeon HD 4350 however and converted it into a card that can easily work in an ION computer, and is also able to run faster than standard ION chips as well. The new card runs in a PCIe x1 slot, which is certainly odd, as it is not what most video cards are fitted in, and also consumes only 20W. The Radeon HD 4350 is clocked at stock settings for heat to be kept to a somewhat minimum, as it features a two slot passive cooler. Since it is a two slot cooler however, some ITX cases may not end up fitting the card. Output formats on the card are numbers though, as HDMI, DVI, and VGA are all featured for any type of setup, while the card costs just under $60.
January 20, 2010
I remember when people laughed at the Wii controller before it was released and didn't think the system would fare well against its more powerful competition. Since then, Microsoft and Sony have decided to get on the motion controller bandwagon with Project Natal and the PS3 Motion Controller, respectively. Sony has announced that its controller has been pushed back from spring to fall of this year. Citing a small number of compatible games at the spring release date, Sony felt it would be of more value to the customers in the fall. To use the PS3 controller, the PlayStation Eye Camera will be necessary to recognize the players movement.
The average internet speed in the United States has fallen by 2.4% from last year to 3.9Mbps. This puts the US in 18th place among all countries, with South Korea leading at nearly 15Mbps. There were some cities that offered some hope regarding what speeds could be in the future, with one averaging more than 30Mbps. The US faired much better in internet connectivity, placing 5th. Additionally the study shed some light on the pricing that citizens face in this country. While we are stuck with 3.9Mbps at an average of $40 per month, other countries pay much less. Some areas of France have a package deal similar to those that your ISP offers for $45 per month, including a 20Mbps+ connection.
January 19, 2010
Rumors are circulating that the popular sports network ESPN could soon make its way to the Xbox 360. A deal is reportedly in the works between Microsoft and Disney to bring streaming content directly to the Xbox. The service would be available through a subscription plan through Xbox Live. Microsoft has already made a similar deal with the Sky network in Europe. This would put Microsoft back ahead of Sony and Nintendo, as the companies have recently matched the Xbox in Netflix streaming. Neither company involved has confirmed these rumors yet.
When most people think of middle school science projects foaming volcanoes, solar system mobiles, and something with plants or insects are often what come to mind. However, when it comes to a technology oriented middle school you might expect the science projects to be something more technology oriented. That is exactly what an 11-year-old in San Diego, CA wanted to do. Taking an empty Gatorade bottle, some wires and other components, the kid built a motion detector like device.
What did the vice principal of Millennial Tech Magnet Middle School do when he saw the experiment? He had the school evacuated and called the police and bomb squad to have them examine the device as well as the student’s home. After finding nothing hazardous or even dangerous with the device, what did the vice principal do? He suggestion that student and parents seek counseling. Heck, after a situation like that, most people would need to seek counseling.
Now all that comes to mind is the airplane scene from Meet the Parents. [Sign On San Diego via Gizmodo]
January 18, 2010
In the wake of the recent attack on Google from China and the release of the malicious code responsible, Germany and France have advised that users ditch Internet Explorer. This could be even easier than it was before for some, as Windows is now required to give users an option in the European Union. Microsoft has countered that the attacks were made possible through the use of IE6, an older version of the software, and insists that IE8 is secure. However, it is only a matter of time before the exploit could be made to work against newer versions of the browser. It is still important to use safe internet practices regardless of the browser that you are using.
January 17, 2010
Usually seen in the fourth quarter of every year, processor demand seems to elevate higher than normal as consumers are in search for late school deals and Christmas specials as well. Even though Intel had to pay a fine to AMD this year, which totaled to $1.25 billion, the company still seemed to be able to pull of a large profit of $2.3 billion. The revenue for Intel, one of the largest semiconductor manufacturers in the world, was $10.6 billion, which can be mainly attributed to their new processor releases selling for higher prices, along with the announcement of new chips. Some of these new chips include the new Clarkdale and Arrandale processors, along with the new Pineview Atom processors. Other architectures that are expected to help Intel gain even more revenue are the Gulftown and Sandy Bridge chips.
January 16, 2010
Both AT&T and Verizon have announced changes to voice and data plan prices. Both have reduced the unlimited voice plan from $100 to $70 per month. However, good news for voice customers is coupled with bad news for data customers. For Verizon customers with a 3G phone, a $10 per month plan will soon be required. This doesn't apply to high end phones such as the Droid or Blackberry, but phones like the LG enV will be affected. AT&T will require customers with similar phones to sign up for at least a $20 per month texting or web browsing plan. It is not mentioned if this will only affect new customers or if those already under contract will also be affected.
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