Filed under: Design, Education
Vision of Humanity is one of the most beautiful and thorough visualizations that I have recently seen.
It's a zoomable Flash world map, which lets you browse and compare a vast number of "peace indicators," such as level of violent crime, access to weapons, jailed population, relations with neighboring countries, and more.
You view a world heat map, which shows where that index is most prevalent. You can zoom in on a specific country and browse through all of its indicators, and you can compare two or more countries.
The site takes all of these indicators and derives a single number, which it calls the "peace index." At a glance, you can basically see which countries are the most peaceful and which ones rank worst on the list.
As per usual with these tools, the tool itself is very impressive, but I cannot say that I fully trust the data. The data comes from an entity that calls itself the Institute for Economics & Peace, which is an incredibly nebulous name. Even reading their About page didn't improve my level of trust in this "institute." There's a Wikipedia entry about them, so they seem to be real. I cannot, however, vouch for the quality of the data.
Still, from a technology/design viewpoint, this is an impressive visualization that I could easily spend a great deal of time with, discovering new (if troubling) facts.
Share TweetVision of Humanity offers beautiful infographics on the state of the planet originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Vending Machines Test Mental Agility
By Olivia Solon, Wired UK
Britvic has installed vending machines across the UK which dispenses free drinks to those who can prove their intelligence via a series of tests
The “smart” vending machines, which promote a brand of�flavoured spring water called�Juicy Drench, have touch-screens programmed with games that test mental agility. The [...]
Britvic has installed vending machines across the UK which dispenses free drinks to those who can prove their intelligence via a series of tests
The “smart” vending machines, which promote a brand of�flavoured spring water called�Juicy Drench, have touch-screens programmed with games that test mental agility. The [...]
Gmail?s Permanent Failure: Only Humans Can Build Software For Humans
Editor's note: Guest author Adam Rifkin is a Silicon Valley veteran who organizes a networking group for entrepreneurial engineers called 106 Miles. In this post he argues that Gmail is perhaps not the best vessel for Google's social ambitions.
Last week was marred for me by a temporary but super-painful Gmail failure, and the software's behavior points to why a "more social" Gmail would be a PERMANENT FAILURE. It pains me to write this because I actually believe the Gmail team has been the best web application team long-term in the entire company, and they come way closer than anyone else inside Google to understanding how normal people work and think.
So it's telling that even within the Gmail team, there is a basic, fundamental, deep-seeded inability to put things together in a contextually graceful way that makes sense to actual (non-Googler) users?in other words, to deliver a great user experience. Let me explain with a personal experience.
Last week was marred for me by a temporary but super-painful Gmail failure, and the software's behavior points to why a "more social" Gmail would be a PERMANENT FAILURE. It pains me to write this because I actually believe the Gmail team has been the best web application team long-term in the entire company, and they come way closer than anyone else inside Google to understanding how normal people work and think.
So it's telling that even within the Gmail team, there is a basic, fundamental, deep-seeded inability to put things together in a contextually graceful way that makes sense to actual (non-Googler) users?in other words, to deliver a great user experience. Let me explain with a personal experience.
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Apptio Raises $16.5 Million From Andreessen Horowitz, Greylock And Others
Apptio, a Bellevue, Washington-based provider of SaaS-delivered Technology Business Management solutions this morning announced that it has closed a $16.5 million Series C round - the company has now raised up to $37.5 million in venture capital.
The financing round, which the company says was oversubscribed, was led by Shasta Ventures, with participation from all current investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Greylock Partners and Madrona Venture Group.
The financing round, which the company says was oversubscribed, was led by Shasta Ventures, with participation from all current investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Greylock Partners and Madrona Venture Group.
Did Microsoft Russia leak the new Internet Explorer 9 user interface?
Filed under: Microsoft, Beta, Browsers
This time the leaked Internet Explorer 9 image we're looking at is a bit more trustworthy than the mock-up we received back on April 1st. As Mary Jo Foley reports, the image above was posted by Microsoft's Russian PR site, though the post has since been pulled from the server and now returns a 404 error.
If this is the new interface, it's certainly been simplified from the IE8 incarnation. A few things look odd to me, however. First, there's the way the back button is cut off by the Bing Web page -- it seems like the UI element should float on top rather than being cropped by the content below. I'm also not convinced that placing the tabs next to the address bar is a good move -- the bar will be quite cramped when multiple tabs are open.
I do like the look of the favorites, home, and history(?) button on the far-right side and the introduction of a unified address/search box. Too often I've had a circular conversation while trying to instruct users to type into the address bar and not the search box in IE. This is one change I'd be really happy to see.
It's only two and a half more weeks until we find out if this is our first look at the IE9 beta interface. Even then, it'll be a beta version -- and could very well change before the final version ships early next year.Did Microsoft Russia leak the new Internet Explorer 9 user interface? originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
This time the leaked Internet Explorer 9 image we're looking at is a bit more trustworthy than the mock-up we received back on April 1st. As Mary Jo Foley reports, the image above was posted by Microsoft's Russian PR site, though the post has since been pulled from the server and now returns a 404 error.
If this is the new interface, it's certainly been simplified from the IE8 incarnation. A few things look odd to me, however. First, there's the way the back button is cut off by the Bing Web page -- it seems like the UI element should float on top rather than being cropped by the content below. I'm also not convinced that placing the tabs next to the address bar is a good move -- the bar will be quite cramped when multiple tabs are open.
I do like the look of the favorites, home, and history(?) button on the far-right side and the introduction of a unified address/search box. Too often I've had a circular conversation while trying to instruct users to type into the address bar and not the search box in IE. This is one change I'd be really happy to see.
It's only two and a half more weeks until we find out if this is our first look at the IE9 beta interface. Even then, it'll be a beta version -- and could very well change before the final version ships early next year.Did Microsoft Russia leak the new Internet Explorer 9 user interface? originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Convertible Coffee Table to Make Surfing in the Family Room Easier
If you spend a lot of time using your laptop in the family room because you like to surf while watching TV or because you don’t have a dedicated office space, a convertible coffee table could be a back-saver.� I’ve seen these tables in lots of styles and price points at furniture stores,�and now even�Hammacher [...] Filed in categories: Home Tech, NewsTagged: Computer furniture, convertible coffee tableConvertible Coffee Table to Make Surfing in the Family Room Easier originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 31, 2010 at 7:03 am.
Is Mozilla making a huge mistake by breaking add-ons so badly on Firefox 4?
Filed under: Mozilla, Browsers, Op-Ed
I'm stoked about Firefox 4; I think many of us are. It's a beautiful browser, and with the addition of Tab Candy (now "Panorama"), it's even cooler.
Whenever Mozilla release a new version of Firefox, add-ons break. It's become routine, so nobody's overly worked up about it by now. The Mozilla add-ons site is littered with yesteryear's great extensions, including such crowd pleasers as Hit-a-Hint, which has not been updated since 2007.
Okay, ... so with every iteration, some add-ons get left behind, and some are updated by their creators and live on. That's just how the system works, right?
In the past, whenever a new Firefox version came out, the blogosphere was soon full of posts showing how to disable the add-on compatibility check. You just make Firefox stop checking for compatibility, and all of your add-ons work again. Great!
But with Firefox 4, something has changed: Mozilla has made bold, significant, lasting changes that may drastically impact the amount of work the average coder needs to put into their extension to make it compatible with Firefox again.
That's a gutsy move. I mean, when you see a blog post aimed at developers that includes language such as "The nsIExtensionManager interface is no more, along with its RDF backend," you can tell they're not taking any prisoners in their quest for modernizing the aging browser, which now seems kind of sluggish when compared to Chrome (and even Opera 10.61).
You can see it in the adoption rate, too. I have 22 add-ons on my own system, including massively popular ones like Read it Later, Greasemonkey, Adblock Plus, Delicious Bookmarks, ... you get the picture. Firefox is now in its 4th Beta, and none of these extensions are compatible yet (at least on my system.
That's definitely an indication, at least to me. And that's a change as compared to past release cycles, where add-on compatibility updates were much swifter (and easier).
Right now, Firefox 4 is kind of like Opera. It's very neat, very sexy, and completely lacking in add-ons. Chrome definitely has the upper hand on Firefox 4 right now in terms of "working extensions."
It seems like Mozilla is taking a large step back in hopes of taking an even bigger one forward. I hope this dance move works.Is Mozilla making a huge mistake by breaking add-ons so badly on Firefox 4? originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
I'm stoked about Firefox 4; I think many of us are. It's a beautiful browser, and with the addition of Tab Candy (now "Panorama"), it's even cooler.
Whenever Mozilla release a new version of Firefox, add-ons break. It's become routine, so nobody's overly worked up about it by now. The Mozilla add-ons site is littered with yesteryear's great extensions, including such crowd pleasers as Hit-a-Hint, which has not been updated since 2007.
Okay, ... so with every iteration, some add-ons get left behind, and some are updated by their creators and live on. That's just how the system works, right?
In the past, whenever a new Firefox version came out, the blogosphere was soon full of posts showing how to disable the add-on compatibility check. You just make Firefox stop checking for compatibility, and all of your add-ons work again. Great!
But with Firefox 4, something has changed: Mozilla has made bold, significant, lasting changes that may drastically impact the amount of work the average coder needs to put into their extension to make it compatible with Firefox again.
That's a gutsy move. I mean, when you see a blog post aimed at developers that includes language such as "The nsIExtensionManager interface is no more, along with its RDF backend," you can tell they're not taking any prisoners in their quest for modernizing the aging browser, which now seems kind of sluggish when compared to Chrome (and even Opera 10.61).
You can see it in the adoption rate, too. I have 22 add-ons on my own system, including massively popular ones like Read it Later, Greasemonkey, Adblock Plus, Delicious Bookmarks, ... you get the picture. Firefox is now in its 4th Beta, and none of these extensions are compatible yet (at least on my system.
That's definitely an indication, at least to me. And that's a change as compared to past release cycles, where add-on compatibility updates were much swifter (and easier).
Right now, Firefox 4 is kind of like Opera. It's very neat, very sexy, and completely lacking in add-ons. Chrome definitely has the upper hand on Firefox 4 right now in terms of "working extensions."
It seems like Mozilla is taking a large step back in hopes of taking an even bigger one forward. I hope this dance move works.Is Mozilla making a huge mistake by breaking add-ons so badly on Firefox 4? originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Bye Bye iPhone 4, Hello Droid X!
Well, it’s official folks. My AT&T contract has been terminated and my new line on Verizon has been activated with the Motorola Droid X. The whole process was quick and painless. I know I’m going to miss the iPhone 4 hardware and apps. I’m not even going to pretend that I won’t. But one look [...] Filed in categories: Android related, News, iPhone, iPad, iPod relatedTagged: droid x, iPhone4Bye Bye iPhone 4, Hello Droid X! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 26, 2010 at 2:45 pm.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Joojoo lawsuit shocker! Court rules Fusion Garage and TechCrunch were business partners, tosses most everything else
It's been a few blissful months since we've thought about or had to interact with the Joojoo, but the court case Michael Arrington and TechCrunch filed against Fusion Garage just reached a significant milestone: the judge threw out several of Arrington's claims while importantly holding that TechCrunch and Fusion Garage were in fact business partners with legal obligations to each other. Here's the basic timeline so far: since there was (unbelievably) never a contract between TechCrunch and Fusion Garage to develop the CrunchPad / Joojoo, TechCrunch had to rely on a variety of alternative arguments in its initial complaint, which reached a zenith of optimistic fabrication in something called "misappropriation of business ideas." (We ran down the whole list way back in December, and also broke down Fusion Garage's subsequent motion to dismiss in February.)
The court didn't buy most of those arguments and dismissed everything but the breach of fiduciary duty claim in this latest ruling, which is both a significant loss and a significant win for TechCrunch: breach of fiduciary duty has always struck us as TechCrunch's strongest argument, and the court's now effectively ruled that Fusion Garage and TechCrunch were indeed involved in a joint business venture with legal obligations to protect each others' interests. That's not a bad position from which to proceed -- although TechCrunch now has to prove that Fusion Garage actually violated its duty by releasing the Joojoo on its own, which is a whole new fight. (The court also gave TechCrunch 20 days to try and amend some of its other claims, but "misappropriation of business ideas" was basically thrown out the window entirely.) So what's next? We're guessing another few months of cheerfully hostile motions accusing the opposing party of thwarting discovery and some firecracker depositions, all culminating in a matched pair of snippy motions for summary judgment. The suits, they dine well tonight.
P.S.- How or why either company continues to pay for all these legal bills is beyond us, but we've actually heard rumors of a Joojoo 2, so things could get even crazier. And potentially even less responsive to touch-based events.Joojoo lawsuit shocker! Court rules Fusion Garage and TechCrunch were business partners, tosses most everything else originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Daring Fireball | Ruling (Scribd) | Email this | Comments
The court didn't buy most of those arguments and dismissed everything but the breach of fiduciary duty claim in this latest ruling, which is both a significant loss and a significant win for TechCrunch: breach of fiduciary duty has always struck us as TechCrunch's strongest argument, and the court's now effectively ruled that Fusion Garage and TechCrunch were indeed involved in a joint business venture with legal obligations to protect each others' interests. That's not a bad position from which to proceed -- although TechCrunch now has to prove that Fusion Garage actually violated its duty by releasing the Joojoo on its own, which is a whole new fight. (The court also gave TechCrunch 20 days to try and amend some of its other claims, but "misappropriation of business ideas" was basically thrown out the window entirely.) So what's next? We're guessing another few months of cheerfully hostile motions accusing the opposing party of thwarting discovery and some firecracker depositions, all culminating in a matched pair of snippy motions for summary judgment. The suits, they dine well tonight.
P.S.- How or why either company continues to pay for all these legal bills is beyond us, but we've actually heard rumors of a Joojoo 2, so things could get even crazier. And potentially even less responsive to touch-based events.Joojoo lawsuit shocker! Court rules Fusion Garage and TechCrunch were business partners, tosses most everything else originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Daring Fireball | Ruling (Scribd) | Email this | Comments
LG to unveil LEX8 3DTV at IFA featuring 'Nano LED' backlighting
Now that LED backlighting has trickled down to nearly every HDTV lineup, it appears the big manufacturers will have to find new ways to differentiate their products, like LG's upcoming LEX8 television. Set to debut at IFA in Berlin before going on sale in Germany and Korea next month (no word on the US), LG claims that thanks to a 'thin film of miniscule dots positioned in front of a full array of LEDs' its Nano Lighting technology -- perhaps of the Nanosys variety it licensed earlier this year -- makes for a clearer, smoother picture, with the slimmest and narrowest outline of any LED TV, ever, at just .88cm thick with a 1.25cm bezel. Of course LG's NetCast widgets and Magic Motion remote are along for the ride as well, while we'll have to wait until the show opens later this week to get our eyes on this beauty, check after the break for a few more pictures.Continue reading LG to unveil LEX8 3DTV at IFA featuring 'Nano LED' backlightingLG to unveil LEX8 3DTV at IFA featuring 'Nano LED' backlighting originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Aug 2010 20:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Korea Telecoms suffers an Identity Tab crisis
What's this? A 7-inch, aluminum-trimmed, multitouch tablet from Korea running Android? Why it could be none other than the Samsung Galaxy, er, KT Identity Tab. Think of this 1GHz tablet with TFT-LCD, 8GB of internal memory (and SD expansion), DMB TV tuner, light and gravity sensors, built-in ebook reader, and 3 megapixel camera as KT's answer to Samsung's Galaxy Tab Android 2.2 tablet expected to hit SK Telecom, South Korea's largest carrier, sometime in September. And with KT's take on the Tab priced at KRW300,000 (about $253) or free with KRW27,000 per month contract and 50G WiMax (aka, WiBro in Korea) data plan, it certainly sets the expectation for how Samsung will price its Tab later this week. More pics of this oh too familiar tablet design after the break.Continue reading Korea Telecoms suffers an Identity Tab crisisKorea Telecoms suffers an Identity Tab crisis originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 02:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Akihabara News | Today Korea, Wall Street Journal | Email this | Comments
HIGH TECH COMPUTER HON HAI PRECISION IND HYNIX SEMICONDUCTOR
Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 for AT&T review
We've already published a pretty exhaustive review of Sony Ericsson's Xperia X10 some five months ago, but it's taken until this month for it to reach AT&T's network and retail chain. A lot's changed in the mobile phone market since then -- the iPhone 4, the EVO 4G, Dell Streak, numerous Verizon Droids, and so on. Does the X10 still compete? Read on to find out.Continue reading Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 for AT&T reviewSony Ericsson Xperia X10 for AT&T review originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Aug 2010 13:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Nikon Coolpix P7000, D7000 DSLR rumored to be launching September 8th, 15th
We've already heard some rumors for both Nikon's Coolpix P7000 point-and-shoot and its supposed D90-successor, the D7000, but it looks like things are unexpectedly heating up a bit further ahead of Photokina next month. According to Nikon Rumors, the two announcements will supposedly be split up, with the P7000 set to be announced along with some other Coolpixes on September 8th, while the D7000 will be announced on September 15th alongside at least two new lenses and a new Speedlight. As before, the P7000 is still expected to actually drop in resolution to 10-megapixels, and pack some RAW shooting capabilities, 720p video shooting, a 28-200mm equivalent zoom lens, and a 3-inch LCD. Details are still comparatively light on the D7000, but Nikon Rumors has previously suggested that it would boast 100% viewfinder coverage and dual memory card slots.Nikon Coolpix P7000, D7000 DSLR rumored to be launching September 8th, 15th originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Aug 2010 11:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Electronista | Nikon Rumors | Email this | Comments
Spy Gadgets ? Cell phone tapper
Wanna play international spy or probably more appropriate, concerned parent? Install this cell phone spy software from Spy Gadgets on a Symbian, Android, Blackberry or Windows Mobile smartphone (sorry, it’s not compatible with the iPhone), then login to a special website to see all the activities of that phone. You’ll be able see all incoming/outgoing [...] Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News, Spotlight GadgetsTagged: cell phone, SpySpy Gadgets – Cell phone tapper originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 27, 2010 at 5:43 pm.
Cyanogen Mod 6 -- the one with Froyo -- hits target list of devices, first stable release
If 6.0.0 RC1 just wasn't cutting it for ya, CyanogenMod-6.0 has released what's being touted as the "first stable release based on Android 2.2" and has hit the target number of supported devices, which by our quick count includes EVO 4G, Slide, Nexus One, Dream / Magic, Aria, and Droid -- and we might be missing a few.. You know the drill; if you need a bit of Froyo in your mobile life.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Cyanogen Mod 6 -- the one with Froyo -- hits target list of devices, first stable release originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Cyanogen | Email this | Comments
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Cyanogen Mod 6 -- the one with Froyo -- hits target list of devices, first stable release originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Cyanogen | Email this | Comments
VistaSwitcher is a beautiful Alt-Tab replacement
Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Productivity
VistaSwitcher is a beautiful Alt-Tab replacement. It's aimed mainly at Windows Vista and 7, but it also works under Windows XP.
You get a huge thumbnail of the destination window; it's far larger than the one that comes with the "stock" Alt-Tab. Another neat feature lets you Alt-Tab between the windows of just one application. It's kind of like pressing Win+[number] in Windows 7, but you don't have to look at the taskbar and count the icons in order to see what the number is for the application that you want to switch to. That's done using Alt+` (backtick) by default, but it's configurable.
VistaSwitcher also introduces one feature that I've never seen before: Alt-Tabbing between the windows on the current monitor only. I use two monitors, but I'm not convinced that this is a handy feature. Still, it's certainly innovative and can help split your desktop into two distinct workspaces.
One thing that bugs me about VistaSwitcher is that it looks very similar (visually) to another Alt-Tab replacement that I saw a long time ago (but, for some reason, I can't find it now). I'm not saying it's a clone; it certainly innovates on its own, and it seems to be a very interesting application. It definitely looks like another application, though. Help me out in the comments.VistaSwitcher is a beautiful Alt-Tab replacement originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
VistaSwitcher is a beautiful Alt-Tab replacement. It's aimed mainly at Windows Vista and 7, but it also works under Windows XP.
You get a huge thumbnail of the destination window; it's far larger than the one that comes with the "stock" Alt-Tab. Another neat feature lets you Alt-Tab between the windows of just one application. It's kind of like pressing Win+[number] in Windows 7, but you don't have to look at the taskbar and count the icons in order to see what the number is for the application that you want to switch to. That's done using Alt+` (backtick) by default, but it's configurable.
VistaSwitcher also introduces one feature that I've never seen before: Alt-Tabbing between the windows on the current monitor only. I use two monitors, but I'm not convinced that this is a handy feature. Still, it's certainly innovative and can help split your desktop into two distinct workspaces.
One thing that bugs me about VistaSwitcher is that it looks very similar (visually) to another Alt-Tab replacement that I saw a long time ago (but, for some reason, I can't find it now). I'm not saying it's a clone; it certainly innovates on its own, and it seems to be a very interesting application. It definitely looks like another application, though. Help me out in the comments.VistaSwitcher is a beautiful Alt-Tab replacement originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Friday, August 27, 2010
Intel\'s Upcoming Laptop Chips Will Play Blu-ray 3D
Intel\'s upcoming next-generation laptop chips will have a dozen new features to improve graphics performance and will be able to play Blu-ray 3D movies, the company said on Thursday.
Laptops with processors based on the Sandy Bridge architecture will play Blu-ray 3D movies while preserving battery life, said Nick Knupffer, an Intel spokesman. Users won\'t need to buy a separate graphics processor to specifically view 3D content.
Sandy Bridge chips are due to go into production later this year, Knupffer said. Company officials have said that PCs with the new chips could hit store shelves in the first half of next year.
The company is expected to shed more light on Sandy Bridge\'s graphics performance at the upcoming Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, Sept. 13-15.
Intel\'s graphics improvements come from higher levels of integration and the addition of specialized accelerators to decode video, analysts said.
Intel for the first time will integrate the CPU and graphics processor on a single chip, said Nathan Brookwood, principal analyst at Insight 64. The current generation of chips based on the Westmere architecture have the CPU and graphics core on one piece of silicon, but as separate units.
The higher levels of integration will also help Intel cram in more transistors to improve graphics performance, Brookwood said. The Sandy Bridge CPUs and GPUs will be made using the 32-nanometer process, while with current chips, the CPU and GPU are made using the 32-nm process and the 45-nm process, respectively.
Graphics performance typically doubles from one chip generation to the next, said Dean McCarron, principal analyst at Mercury Research.
Intel\'s current laptop chips are capable of 1080p video, and improvements in Sandy Bridge chips could bring a noticeable graphics improvement to PCs, McCarron said.
Intel\'s chips go into more than 80 percent of the world\'s computers and the company is widely recognized for its CPU design, but lags behind Advanced Micro Devices in graphics. AMD later this year will release a family of chips called Fusion that integrate the CPU and GPU in a single chip. The first Fusion chip, code-named Ontario, will go into netbooks and ultraportable laptops. The next wave of Fusion chips for laptops and desktops will be released next year. AMD has already said Fusion will allow users to view Blu-ray movies and play 3D games.
However, Intel\'s improvement in integrated graphics will not affect the discrete graphics market, McCarron said. There is a growing interest in switchable graphics, in which laptops have both integrated and discrete graphics, McCarron said. That allows users to switch between them depending on the application they\'re using.
More laptops are shipping with both graphics processors -- up to 45 percent of the laptops worldwide in the second quarter, McCarron said.
\"Irony here is that each graphics solution -- whether it\'s Intel integrated or discrete -- is succeeding on its merits,\" McCarron said. \"It\'s not like you\'re picking one or another.\"
The sudden ramp-up in adoption of discrete graphics cards in laptops came at the start of this year, when Intel released its new Core family of processors, McCarron said. Users were perhaps unhappy with the integrated graphics performance of Core chips, which is why they bought discrete graphics cards.
source http://www.idgnews.net/
Laptops with processors based on the Sandy Bridge architecture will play Blu-ray 3D movies while preserving battery life, said Nick Knupffer, an Intel spokesman. Users won\'t need to buy a separate graphics processor to specifically view 3D content.
Sandy Bridge chips are due to go into production later this year, Knupffer said. Company officials have said that PCs with the new chips could hit store shelves in the first half of next year.
The company is expected to shed more light on Sandy Bridge\'s graphics performance at the upcoming Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, Sept. 13-15.
Intel\'s graphics improvements come from higher levels of integration and the addition of specialized accelerators to decode video, analysts said.
Intel for the first time will integrate the CPU and graphics processor on a single chip, said Nathan Brookwood, principal analyst at Insight 64. The current generation of chips based on the Westmere architecture have the CPU and graphics core on one piece of silicon, but as separate units.
The higher levels of integration will also help Intel cram in more transistors to improve graphics performance, Brookwood said. The Sandy Bridge CPUs and GPUs will be made using the 32-nanometer process, while with current chips, the CPU and GPU are made using the 32-nm process and the 45-nm process, respectively.
Graphics performance typically doubles from one chip generation to the next, said Dean McCarron, principal analyst at Mercury Research.
Intel\'s current laptop chips are capable of 1080p video, and improvements in Sandy Bridge chips could bring a noticeable graphics improvement to PCs, McCarron said.
Intel\'s chips go into more than 80 percent of the world\'s computers and the company is widely recognized for its CPU design, but lags behind Advanced Micro Devices in graphics. AMD later this year will release a family of chips called Fusion that integrate the CPU and GPU in a single chip. The first Fusion chip, code-named Ontario, will go into netbooks and ultraportable laptops. The next wave of Fusion chips for laptops and desktops will be released next year. AMD has already said Fusion will allow users to view Blu-ray movies and play 3D games.
However, Intel\'s improvement in integrated graphics will not affect the discrete graphics market, McCarron said. There is a growing interest in switchable graphics, in which laptops have both integrated and discrete graphics, McCarron said. That allows users to switch between them depending on the application they\'re using.
More laptops are shipping with both graphics processors -- up to 45 percent of the laptops worldwide in the second quarter, McCarron said.
\"Irony here is that each graphics solution -- whether it\'s Intel integrated or discrete -- is succeeding on its merits,\" McCarron said. \"It\'s not like you\'re picking one or another.\"
The sudden ramp-up in adoption of discrete graphics cards in laptops came at the start of this year, when Intel released its new Core family of processors, McCarron said. Users were perhaps unhappy with the integrated graphics performance of Core chips, which is why they bought discrete graphics cards.
source http://www.idgnews.net/
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