Intel Inside

Intel Centrino 2 Processor Technology For Mobile Computing

2009-06-07T21:41:00.001-07:00

The best notebooks have Intel Centrino 2 processor technology inside

Intel’s NEWEST and BEST performing notebook technology includes:

Up to 50% faster performance when multitasking
Up to 2X greater range and up to 5X better wireless performance
Designed for the longest possible battery life
Up to 90% faster performance on intensive multimedia applications like HD video encoding

Unsurpassed mobile computing performance

Get performance that meets the processing needs of the most demanding multitasker, whether you’re editing photos, watching HD video, or gaming. With a minimum of 3MB Smart Cache and 1066MHz Front Side Bus, Intel Centrino 2 processor technology delivers performance gains of up to 50 percent. No more waiting for your notebook to catch up!

Break free with longer battery life

To keep you unplugged longer, we’ve incorporated Deep Power Down and other energy-efficient capabilities into Intel Centrino 2 processor technology. So you won’t need to search for power outlets at every stop along your travels.

Like you’ve never seen or heard before

With HD video and audio decoding, you can access and enjoy more exciting media content than ever while on-the-go.

The future of wireless today

Operate wireless with up to five times better wireless performance, including faster Web browsing, file transfers and rich media downloads.Go from office to park bench to cafe and back home again without missing an online minute.

Enhanced digital media experience

With Intel Graphics Technology, you’re choosing a smarter, integrated solution for your visual needs. You’ll experience the hottest media in razor-sharp 1080p HD with crystal-clear images and brilliant color. And you’ll enjoy more than three times better graphics performance for a rich, realistic and immersive experience while you’re gaming or watching video.

Go thinner and lighter and still enjoy every feature of a standard size Intel Centrino 2-based notebook.

Intel helps puts lighter, sleeker notebooks at your fingertips. How? By making their powerful Intel Centrino 2 processor technology 50 percent smaller. So go thin and unplug with Intel’s smallest Centrino 2 processor technology.

Intel Core2 Duo Processor For Notebooks

2009-06-07T21:40:00.002-07:00

Outstanding energy-efficient performance and multimedia power.

Experience energy-efficient performance with the Intel Core2 Duo mobile processor. Become a multitasking master with the ability to run multiple applications simultaneously without slowing down. You’ll enjoy outstanding performance when encoding your HD videos or running other intensive multimedia applications.

The power to multitask

Get revolutionary energy-efficient performance with next-generation hafnium-infused 45nm technology and more smart cache allowing you to multitask twice as fast.

Energy-efficient performance

Stay unplugged longer with the enhanced power and energy efficiency technologies.

Thinner, lighter notebooks

Enhanced Intel Core micro architecture enables outstanding performance with thin and light notebook designs.

Rich video quality

Intel Clear Video Technology, a built-in feature of the latest Intel Graphics, lets you enjoy an enhanced video experience with smoother playback. And with new Intel HD Boost, you’ll experience up to 50 percent faster performance for intensive multimedia applications like video encoding.

The ultimate Windows Vista experience

With Intel Graphics, you can enjoy the full spectrum of visual advancements offered by Windows Vista Home Premium edition.

Intel Pentium Dual-Core Processor For Notebooks

2009-06-07T21:40:00.001-07:00

Enter the world of multitasking with dual-core performance.

The Intel Pentium dual-core processor gives you the processing power you need to multitask with ease. Download music, organize digital photos and run office software—all at the same time. Intel Pentium dual-core lets you do extraordinary things with everyday computing.

Expand your options

Two processing cores deliver superior performance when multitasking several applications at once.

Fortify your defences

The Intel Pentium dual-core processor comes with built-in Execute Disable Bit technology, which helps keep your notebook safe from viruses, worms, and other malicious attacks.
Less energy consumption

Chipset advancements provide increased energy efficiency with less drain and longer battery life.
Self-adjusting frequency

Intel SpeedStep technology allows your system to dynamically adjust processor voltage and core frequency to decrease power consumption and heat production.

Intel Celeron Processor For Notebooks

2009-06-07T21:39:00.002-07:00

A lifetime of computing starts here

Everyone has different computing needs. And there’s no better way to meet your "everyday" needs than with the Intel® Celeron® processor. Stay connected with friends through email, track your finances and get your work done while you’re on the move.

Dual-core

Enjoy dual-core performance for everyday multitasking.

The single scene
Get peace of mind with a reliable and affordable solution.

Strengthen your defences

Intel Celeron processors come with built-in Execute Disable Bit technology, which helps keep your notebook safe from viruses, worms and other attacks.

Less energy consumption

Chipset advances provide increased energy efficiency, with less drain and longer battery life.

Proven technology

Intel has a proven track record as the leading manufacturer of computer processors for over 30 years.

Intel Atom Processor For Mobile Internet Devices

2009-06-07T21:39:00.001-07:00

Unleash the best Internet experiences on your Mobile Internet Device when you’ve got:

No need to settle for less from your wireless handheld computer when you've got:

Blazing performance for stunning video streaming/playback
Amazing battery life
Integrated wireless to connect when and where you want

All in the palm of your hand

Groundbreaking silicon design and new hafnium-based micro-circuitry enables blazing-fast performance and amazing video streaming/playback in small wireless handheld devices, making it easy to take an amazing Internet experience along with you – on a device that can fit in your pocket.

Breathtaking graphics

Forget what you think you know about handheld computers. With the Intel Atom processor, you’ll see beautiful graphics and stunning video that blows away typical Internet devices. There’s no need to settle for anything less than a full Internet experience.

Long battery life keeps you entertained and productive

Power-efficient design enables extended battery life so you can keep on surfing, blogging, listening to music, watching video and communicating with the world as you move through your day.

Reliable built-in wireless

Maximize your Internet device’s potential by staying connected whether you’re watching a movie at home, emailing from a cafe or chatting on a social networking site while on vacation. Devices with optional GPS functionality let you access location-specific information so you can meet up with your friends and track down reviews of nearby restaurants.

Intel Atom Processor For netbooks

2009-06-07T21:38:00.001-07:00

Simple devices for the Internet and email.

The Intel Atom processor serves as the brain for a range of simple, compact devices designed for the Internet called net books. The Intel Atom processor delivers the performance needed to enjoy popular activities like streaming videos or music, emailing, web surfing or instant messaging. Whether you’re at home, traveling, or hanging out at a cafe, you can enjoy your favorite online activities.

Designed to be compact in size

Based on a groundbreaking low-power microarchitecture, the Intel Atom processor powers Internet devices designed to go where you go. Sometimes all you want is to go online to keep in touch with friends or follow your favorite Web sites. Netbooks with the Intel Atom processor deliver convenience and flexibility for a good Internet experience.

Empowering your Internet lifestyle

The Intel Atom processor was specifically engineered to deliver the performance you need to keep surfing, blogging, listening to music, watching video or communicating with the world as you move through your day. And the Intel Atom processor’s low-power design enables extended battery life so you can stay online and on the go longer.

All of the Internet, none of the baggage

Perfect for when you want to take Internet capabilities with you and leave the rest behind. Whether you want a companion machine dedicated to online activities or an easy-to-use device for letting your family explore the Web, the Intel Atom processor makes those Internet activities accessible.

Intel Atom Processor For nettops

2009-06-07T21:37:00.000-07:00

Internet within reach

If you’re a prolific emailer, avid Web surfer or dedicated VoIP user, you may want a computer focused on getting you online. The Intel Atom processor was specifically designed for simple, compact desktop devices or nettops that deliver affordable Internet experiences, making it a great choice for people who primarily want to engage in basic online activities.voice for people who primarily want to engage in basic online activities

Designed for the Internet

Bring a world of Internet content and information into your home. Intel Atom processors are specially designed for compact Internet-focused desktop devices called nettops, so you can send emails or instant messages, talk to friends over VoIP or have the entire Web easily at your fingertips.

Everything you want, nothing you don’t

Nettops powered by the Intel Atom processor are great for letting your family learn and explore on the Web or as a secondary machine devoted to the basic things you do online.

Internet: Meet Your New Processor

2009-06-01T23:21:00.002-07:00

Intel Corporation introduced 17 enterprise-class processors led by the Intel® Xeon® Processor 5500 series. It is Intel's most revolutionary server processors since targeting the market with the Intel® Pentium® Pro processor nearly 15 years ago. The chips can automatically adjust to specified energy usage levels, speed data center transactions and customer database queries, and will play a key role in scientific discoveries by researchers who use supercomputers as their foundation for research, all while delivering great energy-efficiency for reduced electricity costs.

The Intel Xeon Processor 5500 series represents a new era in computing. Intel helped spark the Internet revolution with the Intel Pentium Pro processor. Featuring new levels of intelligence and versatility, the Intel Xeon Processor 5500 series will usher in an exciting era of innovation and discovery by enabling customers to tap new growth markets such as cloud computing, high performance computing and embedded systems.

As use of the Internet expands towards Intel's vision of 15 billion connected devices, the Intel Xeon Processor 5500 series will also power an upcoming transformation for the Internet's infrastructure. The high-tech industry has rallied around a goal to run applications from optimized processors and computing hardware, which are available on demand and scalable to the masses. Often called cloud computing, this vision could flourish due to the adaptability, capability and intelligence of the Intel Xeon Processor 5500 series.

Fifteen Billion Connected Devices
As use of the Internet expands toward Intel's vision of 15 billion connected devices, the INTEL xeon seris 5500 will also power an upcoming transformation for the Internet's infrastructure. The high-tech industry has rallied around a goal to run applications from optimized processors and computing hardware that are available on-demand and scalable to the masses. Often called cloud computing, this vision could flourish helped by the adaptability, capability and intelligence of the Intel Xeon processor 5500 series.

Greatest Intel Xeon Performance Leap in History¹
With over 30 new world records² the Intel xeon 5500 seriesestablishes new standards for two-socket performance while delivering gains of more than double the previous- generation Intel Xeon processor 5400 series.

Fujitsu's PRIMERGY* server platforms set records for SPECint*_rate_base2006 and SPECfp*_rate_base2006 with scores of 240 and 194, respectively. The HP ProLiant DL370 G6 server, on the TPC*-C benchmark, shattered the previous record with a score of 631,766 tpmC using the Oracle 11g database. Using the SAP*-SD 2-Tier benchmark, the IBM System x* 3650 M2 server set a record with a score of 5100 SD users. Cisco delivered an outstanding result on SPEComp*Mbase2001, a high performance computing benchmark which helps evaluate performance of OpenMP applications, that was 154 percent better than previous generation 5400 series. On the SPECpower*_ssj2008 benchmark, which measures energy-efficient performance of servers, a Xeon 5500 series-based IBM System x 3650 M2 server platform smashed the previous world record with a score of 1860 ssj_ops/watt. Using the VMmark* benchmark, which measures virtualization performance, several Xeon 5500 series-based platforms shattered the previous record by as much as 150 percent versus the previous-generation Intel Xeon processor 5400 series, including a Dell* PowerEdge R710 platform score of 23.55@16 tiles.

Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I

2009-06-01T23:21:00.001-07:00

The economical Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I offers exceptional entry-level hardware SAS/SATA RAID and non-RAID data off-load for server systems and workstations. This RAID controller allows for point-to-point connections with a SAS universal interconnect interface allowing for 1.5 and 3 Gb/s SATA hard disk drives along with logical SCSI compatibility for the extra reliability and manageability that SAS drives provide.

The SASWT4I leverages the LSI SAS1064E ASIC’s advanced LSI Fusion-MPT* architecture to provide entry-level hardware RAID. While other SAS controllers drive large RAID software stacks between the host CPU and controller, this RAID controller utilizes the embedded CPU in the LSI SAS1064E ASIC to perform integrated RAID 0, 1, and 1E/10E operations. By avoiding the PCI bus traffic and reducing RAID code overhead, the SASWT4I delivers world-class READ/WRITE operations.

ADVANTAGES:-

1.Cost effective data protection Provides a low-cost RAID 0, 1, and 1E/10E solution for entry-level server and workstation environments where high-performance and reliable data protection are required.

2.Connect SAS or SATA devices within the array. Use SAS drives for speed, reliability and scalability; use high-capacity SATA drives for budget-friendly storage.

3.Supports up to 122 physical devices in SAS mode which is ideal for employing JBODs (Just a Bunch Of Disks) or up to 14 devices in RAID 0, 1, 1E/10E mode through direct connect device attachment or through expander backplane support.

4.LSI Fusion-MPT architecture provides over 140,000 I/Os per second while communicating over the PCI Express* 4-lane Host Bus.

5.Includes a suite of tools that are common across all Intel® SAS/SATA RAID solutions, for easy installation and advanced management.

Intel® EP80579 Integrated Processors

2009-06-01T23:19:00.000-07:00

Based on Intel® architecture, the Intel® EP80579 Integrated Processor product line is the first in a series of breakthrough system on-a-chip (SOC) processors, delivering excellent performance-per-watt for small form factor designs.

This fully compatible product line (Intel EP80579 Integrated Processor and Intel® EP80579 Integrated Processor with Intel® QuickAssist Technology) provides an outstanding combination of performance, power efficiency, footprint savings and cost-effectiveness compared to discrete, multi-chip solutions.

These integrated processors are ideal for small-to-medium business (SMB) and enterprise security and communications appliances (including VPN/firewall and unified threat management), transaction terminals, interactive clients, print and imaging applications, wireless and WiMax access applications, SMB and home network attached storage, converged IP PBX solutions, converged access platforms, IP media servers, VoIP gateways and industrial automation applications.

These SOCs include an Intel architecture complex based on the Intel® Pentium® M processor, integrated memory controller hub, integrated I/O controller hub, and flexible integrated I/O support with three Ethernet MACs, two Controller Area Network interfaces and a local expansion bus interface.

The Intel EP80579 Integrated Processor with Intel QuickAssist Technology also includes High Speed Serial¹ ports for TDM or analog voice connectivity, security accelerators for bulk encryption, hashing and public/private key generation, and data path acceleration. The integrated accelerators support Intel QuickAssist Technology through software packages provided by Intel.

Intel provides the following software packages for embedded, security and IP telephony designs:

Intel® EP80579 Software Drivers for Embedded Applications contains all software drivers needed to utilize the hardware features on the integrated processor.
Intel EP80579 Software for Security Applications on Intel QuickAssist Technology builds upon the software drivers for embedded and enables acceleration of cryptographic and packet processing for a wide variety of applications.
Intel EP80579 Software for IP Telephony Applications on Intel QuickAssist Technology builds upon the software for security applications by adding features important for converged IP PBX solutions, converged access platforms, IP media servers and VoIP gateways.

WiMAX connecting Latinos in Washington County

2009-05-24T07:12:00.001-07:00

As a Portland, Oregon resident and Intel employee, I've been lucky enough to experience wireless 4G WiMAX Internet broadband, as well as speak with others who are amazed by its speed, availability, and their overall experience. What I find most inspiring, however, is to hear how WiMAX is truly making a difference in peoples' lives.

My latest find is Centro Cultural and the "Digital Connectors" in Washington County, Oregon. Digital Connectors are youth trained to promote technology in their community using Washington County Beehive. The online guide was created to empower the local Latino community with tools supporting computer literacy and job training.

Through its Adelante con Tecnología (Moving Forward With Technology) program, Centro Cultural and Intel have been working to help bridge the digital divide among Latinos in this community, and the program has been quite successful. In fact, in a two-month timeframe (Dec. 2008 through Jan. 2009), 22 Adelanta con Tecnología volunteers reached 49 families, more than 100 individuals, during that time.

Intel's Social Media Story - just the beginning

2009-05-24T07:11:00.000-07:00

We introduced Intel’s blog program 2 years ago this month. I’d like to use this Intel anniversary as an opportunity to reflect and look back at some of our social media efforts over the past decade.

Its not possible to go into every project and program in one blog post. Nor can I properly speak to all of the hard work from our various social media teams. So, I look to others to help fill in those gaps, but here’s a high-level overview of just some of the activities to date at Intel.

We created Blogs@Intel as a new business tool for our customers and employees to directly communicate and collaborate from keyboard to keyboard. We launched the blogs on April 10th 2007.

Yet in fact, our social media story started much earlier. 8 months prior, we launched our IT@Intel pilot blog. It was a big success, so we launched more blogs, including this one. Moreover, the Intel Software Network started our popular developer blogs and wikis for software collaboration back in May of 2006.

Internally, grassroots employee blogging started as early as 2003 consisting mainly of self-maintained servers under desks. These internal employee blogs gained a tremendous following. Intel CEO Paul Otellini launched his employee blog in 2004. Other top execs and leaders followed throughout 2005 culminating in a fully IT-supported platform that same year.

Team-based wiki collaboration started in 2004, culminating in our enterprise-wide “Intelpedia” created by Josh Bancroft in November of 2005. Today, Intelpedia contains over 15K articles from Intel employees defining, collaborating and documenting their part of the vast Intel workplace. Intelpedia was founded in the spirit of open information sharing and community moderation of content, much like the very popular Wikipedia.

We created all of these social spaces to foster dialogue and make important contributions to a widening range of issues relevant to our customers, to our employees and to the future of technology.

Since then, we were the first to offer a corporate blog in the People’s Republic of China with Blogs@Intel China(ok, Dell may have beaten us by a few days in May ‘07, but I’ll need to exchange notes with Lionel about that). We soon followed with Russian, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese and English blogs on topics ranging fromcorporate social responsibility and research to jobs and customer support. Intel’s on-domain social media offering now totals over 35 blogs and vibrant communities.

Our social media guidelines are public in over 25 languages. And our strategy is simple:

Build community
Engage others
Empower employees
Expand the conversation
Strengthen relationships through active listening
Be social media leaders
Amplify Intel and our brand

Today, we’re scaling our participation even further. Since last December, Intel launched a global initiative and training program (Digital IQ) that is open to all employees to become active participants in all forms of social media. We built this framework to ensure employees are successful, to protect their own privacy online and to engage in ways that are consistent with our ethical and corporate standards.

We want employees to get involved online - engage, comment and participate in the areas where they’re most passionate. We encourage them to engage in conversations on competitive topics but in those cases where the topic is part of pending or existing legal or litigation matters, we ask that employees contact our legal department before proceeding, as there could be risk to the employee and to the company.

Within 12-weeks, over 700 Intel employees have “raised their hands” and volunteered to tell their story, lend their experience and share their knowledge directly on places like Twitter, Facebook, technology websites, BBSs in China and support forums throughout the planet. We’re reaching out by engaging in technology conversations in existing communities where our knowledge is welcome and when participation is appropriate.

And, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

As a part of the Intel Social Media Center of Excellence and on behalf of my colleagues, we appreciate your continued feedback and participation. My hope is that this participation empowers us all and that we continue to discuss technology that defines tomorrow.

In follow-up posts, I’ll be talking more specifically around some of our challenges, successes, and disappointments. What we’ve learned and the common struggles we share.

Reality Check - Windows XP Mode and Intel's chips

2009-05-24T07:07:00.000-07:00

So, there have been quite a few stories recently about support for Windows 7’s new ‘Windows XP Mode’.

‘Windows XP Mode’ is a feature that will be available with some versions of Windows 7. The short version is this: it will let you run a copy of Windows XP SP3 on your Windows 7 PC or notebook within a virtual partition using hardware virtualisation. ‘Windows XP Mode’ will however have some cool bells and whistles including great integration into Windows 7 (copy and paste will work etc…). This is another very cool use of our VT technology.

Intel introduced its Virtualization Technology in 2005 and has shipped over 100 Million chips with the feature. Windows XP Mode is targeted for business customers. It is available on the mid to higher end versions of Windows 7 and is supported in hardware by many Intel processors. Intel vPro technology PCs are required to have an Intel VT capable CPU and Intel VT capable BIOS. They are the best platforms for testing and deploying Microsoft Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode.

However, there have been a lot of articles berating the fact that consumers with Intel processors without VT will ‘lose out’ on the Windows XP Mode, or that it ‘won’t work’.

Cnet for example mentions that there are at least 30 versions of consumer laptops using the VT’less T6400 version of the Core 2 Duo processor.

Here is an example of such a notebook: It comes with Windows Vista Home premium. (As do most of them)

Here is the list of Windows 7 versions that will ship according to ZDnet: Home Premium is a middle sku.

Windows 7 Starter Edition (for emerging market and netbook users)
Windows 7 Home Basic (for emerging market customers only)
Windows 7 Home Premium (the main “Media Center” equivalent)
Windows 7 Professional (the business SKU for home users and non-enterprise licensees)
Windows 7 Enterprise (for volume licensees)
Windows 7 Ultimate (for consumers who want/need business features)

And finally according to TheRegister.co.uk: The Windows XP Mode will only come with Windows 7 Professional and up.

So not having VT on these consumer laptops is not going to be an issue - because the consumer versions of Windows 7 (Starter, Home Basic, and Home Premium) do not include Windows XP Mode.

Intel® Core™2 Duo Processors

2009-05-10T06:09:00.002-07:00

With 45nm Intel® Core™2 Duo processors, you'll experience revolutionary performance, unbelievable system responsiveness, and energy-efficiency second to none. And, you won't have to slow down for virus scan, multiple compute intensive programs, or home video editing—these desktop processors include Intel® HD Boost and are up to 70 percent faster when processing high-definition memories with your HD video camera.

Now the best gets even better with Intel's latest Core 2 Duo processors built using Intel's 45nm technology, using hafnium-infused circuitry to bring you the latest arsenal of performance-rich technologies. These amazing new processors include up to 6 MB of shared L2 cache, up to 1333 MHz front side bus for desktop, and up to 800 MHz front side bus for laptop.

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Dual Core Processor

2009-05-10T06:09:00.001-07:00

Core 2 Duo E8400 Dual Core Processor
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Dual Core Processor
(3GHz, 6MB, 1333MHz FSB, LGA775 Socket T - MPN: BX80570E8400)
Price Range: $169.99 - $269.66 from 17 Sellers
Description: Based on Intel Core microarchitecture, the Intel Core 2 Duo processor family is designed to provide energy-efficient performance so you can do more at once without slowing down.
Quick Glance
Processor Socket: Intel Socket T (LGA775)
Processor Class: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Type: 2
Bus Speed: 1333MHz
Processor Speed: 3000
Processor Speed + Class
Bus Speed: 1333MHz
Processor Speed: 3 GHz
Processor Class: Intel Core 2 Duo
Physical + Memory Specifications
Included Fan Type: ATX
L2 Cache Size: 6 MB
Number of Processor Cores: 2
Processor Socket: Intel Socket T (LGA775)

Intel® Core™2 Extreme processor QX9770

2009-05-10T06:07:00.000-07:00

Get untouchable desktop performance from Intel's latest Extreme processor. Play games, edit high definition video and easily tackle the most demanding multitasking environments like never before.

Intel® Core™2 Extreme processor
For extreme computing. Enjoy revolutionary levels of performance enabling vivid, high-definition experiences and multi-tasking responsiveness from state-of-the-art Intel dual-core and quad-core technologies.

Intel® Core™2 Quad processor
Multimedia enthusiasts, prepare to enthuse. Bring quad-core performance to your desktop with the Intel® Core™2 Quad processor. It's the ideal engine for highly threaded entertainment applications and highly productive multitasking.

Intel® Core™2 Duo processor
The power to perform. With power-optimized enabled dual-core technology and exceptional energy efficiency, the Intel® Core™2 Duo processor excels running the most intense applications.

* Google tests ActiveX alternative *

2009-05-08T07:07:00.001-07:00

Google has released new software designed to let Web developers write more powerful programs that can work directly with an operating system, rather than having to be run through a browser called Native Client, the software was released under an open-source software license by Google engineers on Monday. It's still in an early stage of development, but Google says it could eventually help Web developers create Web programs that would run more quickly and feel more like real desktop applications.

Developers could use Native Client to speed up a photo-sharing Web site, for example, so that users could touch up photos without ever leaving the site, Google spokesman Brad Chen wrote on a company blog. "Modern PCs can execute billions of instructions per second, but today's web applications can access only a small fraction of this computational power," he said.

Google doesn't expect the software to be widely used just yet. "Native Client is a research technology so the goal of this release is to expose it to the research, security and open source communities for their feedback and contributions," a Google spokeswoman said.

Native Client looks similar to Microsoft's ActiveX technology but will run on Linux and the Mac OS as well as Windows, Web experts said Monday. It also bears a resemblance to an Adobe technology called Alchemy.

"Google is clearly reaching for ways to take more control over the desktop, the Web browser and user content," said Robert Hansen, CEO of security consultancy SecTheory. "Native Client appears to be another way to reach into people's computers and use as many resources as possible. It's not a matter of whether it can be done. It's a question of if it should be done. We haven't even solved yesterday's problems yet, let alone another ActiveX clone."

Native Client is not intended to replace any existing technology, Google said. "We believe developers can use this technology alongside others to create applications that provide a richer, more dynamic experience than ever before," the Google spokeswoman said.

The software does not yet work with Microsoft's Internet Explorer, but runs on the Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Opera browsers. The developers hope to support Internet Explorer eventually, the spokeswoman said.

To keep Native Client secure, Google has built what it calls an "inner-sandbox" that will analyze code for security bugs and protect the rest of the operating system from being compromised.

*THIS WEEK HOT NEWS*

* New beta is the first version of Firefox to turn on a much faster JavaScript engine and sport a working privacy mode.

*n pledging to "renew our information superhighway," President-elect Barack Obama has offered the broad outline of an economic stimulus plan likely to lead to major increases in IT spending -- especially for broadband deployment and technology for schools and health care.

*In a tribute to computer industry pioneer Doug Engelbart, dignitaries from IT and academic realms espoused the concept of "collective intelligence" at a technology event Monday, emphasizing developments such as search engines that promote the idea.

*Microsoft has released an early version of an open-source content management platform that developers can use to build sophisticated blogs or large Web sites.

*Dell and EMC have agreed to extend their worldwide storage partnership, even though the existing deal -- which has generated billions in sales for the two companies -- doesn't end until 2011.

*Intel said on Friday it is researching technology to harvest free energy from the environment, which could lead to devices like mobile phones running for indefinite periods without recharging.

*If you install the beta of Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) expecting to see visible changes to your version of Vista, you'll be sorely disappointed. At least in this initial beta, all the changes are under the hood, and even they are far from earth-shaking.

Google launches Cross-Language Enterprise Search

2009-05-08T07:06:00.000-07:00

Cross-Language Enterprise Search works only with the Google Enterprise Search Appliance and will find internal documents written in any language, no matter what language was used to create the query.It is automatically translate the document if that feature is activated by the administrator through a dropdown menu. Otherwise, it can bring back the search results in the language they were written in.

*THIS WEEK HOT NEWS*
------------------------------
*The U.S. government should spend $44 billion to improve its broadband infrastructure and extend broadband to rural and other underserved areas, a media reform advocacy group recommended Wednesday.

*A "clerical error" by Mozilla omitted one of the security patches that was supposed to be included in the Windows version of Tuesday's Firefox 2.0 .0.19 release, a company executive said Wednesday.

*Adobe Systems is extending on Thursday its AIR (Adobe Integrated Runtime) technology to Linux desktops.

*Adobe Systems is extending on Thursday its AIR (Adobe Integrated Runtime) technology to Linux desktops.

*IBM's Rational Software unit announced Wednesday several new applications that provide collaboration, automation, and reporting features that take advantage of Web 2.0 technology.

*Yahoo said Wednesday it will anonymize most of the data it collects about people's Web searches after three months, a move that could put further pressure on competitors Google and Microsoft to do the same due to privacy concerns

*Microsoft will publish technical documents on Tuesday describing how it built support for the rival Open Document Format (ODF) within Office 2007.

*Microsoft Tuesday said that the release candidate for Internet Explorer 8 is "just around the corner" and urged developers to get ready to test their sites with the new browser.

Rambus' memory controller interface DDR3

2009-05-08T07:05:00.000-07:00

Rambus' memory controller interface solution for industry-standard DDR3 DRAMs features a fully integrated macro cell which provides the physical layer (PHY) interface between the controller logic and DDR3 or DDR2 DRAM devices for data rates of up to 1600 MHz.

The Rambus DDR3 interface solution incorporates Rambus innovations such as:

FlexPhase™ timing adjustment circuits for precise on-chip data alignment with the clock
Calibrated output drivers.
On-die termination.
LabStation™ software environment for bring-up, characterization and validation of the DDR3 interface in the end-user application.

Other key interface features include:

800 to 1600 MHz data rates
Support for DDR3 and DDR2 signaling modes
On-chip phase-locked loop (PLL)
On-chip delay-locked loop (DLL)
Levelization support for fly-by command and address architecture
Rambus FlexPhase™ based in-PHY module that provides characterization and testing capability in the production system
Multi-drop bus and multi-rank module support for large capacity systems
Variable data bit-widths (8-, 16-, 32-, and 64-bit) with optional ECC support

Rambus interface solutions provide a comprehensive architecture and system design, as well as design models and integration tools. Included in the solution are reference GDSII database, timing models, layout verification netlists, gate-level models, place-and-route outline, and placement guidelines. Package design and system board layout services are also available.

*THIS WEEK CURRENT NEWS*

>Perhaps pre-alpha was a bit too early for Mozilla to release its Fennec mobile browser for Windows Mobile.

>Symantec Tuesday unveiled Endpoint Virtualization Suite, its set of server-based tools for controlling and delivering laptop and desktop application environments through flexible online provisioning.

>Microsoft warned last week that it would be easy for cybercriminals to build new attacks using bugs it patched in the Internet Explorer browser; now that prediction has come true.

>Altor Networks' firewall software for virtual environments now supports a unique identifier to keep track of particular versions of virtual machines, even as they replicate themselves to different hosts.

>Microsoft will introduce an application store with its newest version of Windows Mobile software, it planned to announce at Mobile World Congress, where it also was to formally open a limited beta for its My Phone data backup offering.

>Acer has jumped head first into the smartphone market with its Tempo family of devices. They are all touch-enabled and based on Windows Mobile, the company announced on Monday.

>Skype is developing a VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) software client for Nokia's top-of-the-range N97 smartphone, executives of both companies said Tuesday.

>The battle by Microsoft to secure its Live Hotmail system from spammers appears to have failed yet again with the news that the latest version of its CAPTCHA authentication system has been broken.

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0GHz - Wolfdale Arrives

2009-05-03T21:10:00.000-07:00

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0GHz - Wolfdale ArrivesIn the summer of 2006, Intel released their 65nm Conroe-based processors, and to say they won the hearts of many would be an understatement. It was one product-launch that Intel didn't want to hit lightly, especially since AMD were actively taking from their customer base - on the enthusiast side, most notably. When said and done, Intel did accomplish what they planned to do. They put the industry through a blender and showed us how to be excited about processors again.Although frequencies with Conroe were not as high as what we were used to seeing from Intel, the folks in Santa Clara proved that a high frequency didn't mean much if the processor itself was inefficient. Indeed, a 2.4GHz Conroe Dual-Core proved just how much better an efficient processor could be, and it quickly became the most common processor choice for the enthusiast.The following summer, follow-up processors were released, including the E6750 Dual-Core which we evaluated at the time. Besides speed bumps, those processors didn't bring much to the table in way of new features, except for native 1333FSB support. Instead, the processor we are taking a look at today is one of the few new models that effectively replace the Conroe-based chips that we came to love so dearly in summer of '06.I won't delve deep into how 45nm improves on 65nm, as I explained all of that in our QX9650 review, but I will touch on things briefly. One large benefit that comes with all die shrinks is better power efficiency and lower temperatures. Chips have the capability to run just as fast, if not faster, than their predecessors, all while running cooler and drawing less power. It's a win/win situation.But with 45nm, Intel introduced more than just a die shrink. The biggest feature that most people will be interested in is the SSE4 instruction set. It affects media-buffs only - those who encode videos - but the performance gains are so evident, that developers of such applications are bound to begin supporting it sooner than later. The speed increases could be as large as 2x, even though it's difficult to believe.Other improvements include increased L2 cache, half-multipliers (eg, 9.5x), a faster front-side-bus, improved Super Shuffle Engine, Smart Cache (to improve how split loads are accessed and stored) and so many transistors on a single die, it can give people headaches to think about it!The obvious downside of the QX9650 launch in November was the fact that no other processors complimented it. Therefore, it was QX9650 or bust - until now that is. During CES earlier this month, Intel officially announced their 45nm launch plans, which include the desktop side, server and also mobile. We found out at that time that the Quad-Core models (Q9300 - Q9550) were pushed back to sometime in Q1. Although a solid date was never settled on, original road maps showed January as the scheduled launch. However, the rumor is that due to poor performing Phenom Quad-Core sales, Intel decided to hold off on the launch to help push remaining 65nm models to consumers first.So how does the road map stand now that some time has past? Although Intel announced near-immediate availability of all 45nm desktop Dual-Cores at CES, only the E8400 has shown up on e-tailers. One popular e-tailer has the other models listed for availability in April. How true that is, I'm unsure, but it's strange given the fact that they were supposed to be available by now.Processor NameCoresClockCacheFSBTDP1Ku PriceAvailableIntel Core 2 Extreme QX977543.20GHz2 x 6MB1600MHz150W$1,499Q1 2008Intel Core 2 Extreme QX977043.20GHz2 x 6MB1600MHz136W$1,399Q1 2008Intel Core 2 Extreme QX965043.0GHz2 x 6MB1333MHz130W$999NowIntel Core 2 Quad Q955042.86GHz2 x 6MB1333MHz95W$530Q1 2008Intel Core 2 Quad Q945042.66GHz2 x 6MB1333MHz95W$316Q1 2008Intel Core 2 Quad Q930042.5GHz2 x 3MB1333MHz95W$266Q1 2008Intel Core 2 Duo E850023.16GHz6MB1333MHz65W$266Jan 2008Intel Core 2 Duo E840023.00GHz6MB1333MHz65W$183NowIntel Core 2 Duo E820022.66GHz6MB1333MHz65W$163Jan 2008Intel Core 2 Duo E819022.66GHz6MB1333MHz65W$163Jan 2008The biggest downside to the road map is that the Q9xxx are not available. Once they are, they are no doubt going to sell like hotcakes, given the improvements over the previous generation and the fact that the prices do not increase. The upside, though, is that even though the E8400 is the lone desktop Dual-Core to be available right now, we can be happy that it is the model most people would be after.What makes the E8400 such a great choice is the fact that it's affordable, at $220USD on average, and has a nice clock speed. Let's face it... where overclocking is not concerned, having a 3.0GHz CPU looks better to the ego than say, 2.66GHz. It's all about the smooth frequencies, baby.

Intel® Core™2 Duo Processors

2009-05-03T21:09:00.002-07:00

Maximum everything. Energy-efficient performance. Multimedia power.

Based on Intel® Core™ microarchitecture, the Intel® Core™2 Duo processor family is designed to provide powerful energy-efficient performance so you can do more at once without slowing down.
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo desktop processors
With Intel Core 2 Duo desktop processor, you'll experience revolutionary performance, unbelievable system responsiveness, and energy-efficiency second to none.
Big, big performance. More energy efficient.¹ Now available in smaller packages. The Intel Core 2 Duo processor-based desktop PC was designed from the ground up for energy efficiency, letting you enjoy higher performing, ultra-quiet, sleek, and low power desktop PC designs.
Multitask with reckless abandon. Do more at the same time, like playing your favorite music, running virus scan in the background, and all while you edit video or pictures. The powerful Intel Core 2 Duo desktop processor provides you with the speed you need to perform any and all tasks imaginable.
Love your PC again. Don’t settle for anything less than the very best. Find your perfect desktop powered by the Intel Core 2 Duo processor and get the best processing technology money can buy. Only from Intel.
• Up to 6MB L2 cache
• Up to 1333 MHz front side bus
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo mobile processors
At the dual-core heart of Intel® Centrino®2 processor technology, the Intel® Core™2 Duo processor family features a faster FSB (up to 1066 MHz), higher clock speeds, and enhanced microarchitecture technologies, helping to maximize Intel®Centrino®2 processor technology's dual-core performance and power savings.
• 6 MB of total L2 cache
• Up to 1066 MHz front side bus

Intel Core 2 Duo Knocks Down AMD Athlon 64

2009-05-03T21:09:00.001-07:00

Intel has regained the performance crown from AMD, after its launch of Core 2 Duo line of processors which are based on Intel’s new Core micro architecture. The processors are expected to ship by 27th July 2006. The performance Core 2 Duo is found to be superior than the AMD’s current line of processors.
Intel’s Core 2 Extreme X6800 didn’t lose a single benchmark in our comparison; not a single one. In many cases, the $183 Core 2 Duo E6300 actually outperformed Intel’s previous champ: the Pentium Extreme Edition 965. In one day, Intel has made its entire Pentium D lineup of processors obsolete. Intel’s Core 2 processors offer the sort of next-generation micro-architecture performance leap that we honestly haven’t seen from Intel since the introduction of the P6.
Compared to AMD’s Athlon 64 X2 the situation gets a lot more competitive, but AMD still doesn’t stand a chance. The Core 2 Extreme X6800, Core 2 Duo E6700 and E6600 were pretty consistently in the top 3 or 4 spots in each benchmark, with the E6600 offering better performance than AMD’s FX-62 flagship in the vast majority of benchmarks. Another way of looking at it is that Intel’s Core 2 Duo E6600 is effectively a $316 FX-62, which doesn’t sound bad at all.
We’re still waiting to get our hands on the E6400 as it may end up being the best bang for your buck, but even the slower E6300 is quite competitive with AMD’s X2 4200+ and X2 3800+. If AMD drops the price on those two parts even more than we’re expecting, then it may be able to hold on to the lower end of the performance mainstream market as the E6300 is not nearly as fast as the E6600.
For industry experts, Core 2 Duo beating the Athlon 64 processor family is no surprise: On the one hand, Core 2 Duo is a brand-new state-of-the-art processor, whereas the Athlon 64 X2 has been around for a while. On the other hand, Intel must come out with a superior product to finally beat AMD after two years of Athlon 64 headwinds.
Core 2 is an eighth-generation x86 architecture microprocessor to be produced by Intel based on an all-new CPU design called the Intel Core Microarchitecture, which will replace the NetBurst architecture that has powered Intel processors since 2000. Core 2 also will mark the retirement of Intel’s Pentium brand name that has been used from 1993 and the reunion of Intel’s notebook and desktop product lines since Pentium M was released apart from Pentium 4 in 2003.
Unlike NetBurst-based processors, such as the Pentium 4 and Pentium D, Core 2 will not stress designs based on extremely high clock speeds but rather improvements on other CPU features, including cache size and number of cores. Intel claims that the power consumption of these processors is to be extremely low compared to the Pentiums before.
Intel Core 2 processors will feature EM64T, Virtualization Technology, and Execute Disable Bit. The release will also introduce LaGrande Technology, SSE4, Enhanced SpeedStep Technology, and Active Management Technology (iAMT2).

SLI support on Intel DX58SO Motherboards

2009-05-03T21:07:00.000-07:00

According to the System Diary Technology News Blog several days ago representatives from Intel Inc. announced following upgrade:

technology news Intel SLI

We glad to inform you that Intel and NVIDIA signed contract to integrade SLI support to the new Intel Motherboard DX58SO. Official full release of this contract can be found on the NVIDIA site. This upgrade covers all DX58SO models even the one which been already sold to the retailers. For the customer who already bought these motherboards can download BIOS (v. 3435) upgrade to active SLI support.Release of this new feature for Intel motherboards can bring another huge competitor to the overclocking arena.

Manufacturer Intel UK Price Reviews

2009-05-03T21:06:00.001-07:00

Manufacturer: Intel
UK Price (as reviewed): £99.33 (inc. VAT)
US Price (as reviewed): $119.99 (ex. Tax)

To round up our short mini-ITX season, we've finally got around to reviewing Intel's little blue G45 board. Today we're going to strip it down and get to grips with how it compares to the competition coming from other LGA775 based mini-ITX boards.

While Intel's G45 maybe continually ribbed for its extremely poor gaming performance, we're reviewing the DG45FC under the HTPC guise, because that's what Intel concentrates its driver development on. At £20 less than the Zotac GeForce 9300-ITX WiFi, is it a better buy or will the more expensive Nvidia solution be a more complete package? Can Intel design motherboards, as well as it can make chipsets and CPUs? Let's find out.

Box and Bits

Click to enlarge

The tiny box is actually quite informative (see the back of it, above) and inside Intel gives about a tree's worth of documentation, instead of just a manual and driver CD (there is one, but not shown).

With a couple of SATA cables, a basic, metal rear I/O plate and even a floppy with RAID drivers it's as basic as other mini-ITX products. Since the board has no floppy port though, it leaves this up to USB floppy support which makes us wonder whether it's even worth the bother.

For software, the package includes a three month subscription to Cyberlink Live Premium, although the non-Premium version is available for free for everyone, as well as Acronis True Image 11 Home, Diskeeper Home Edition, DivX Pro, Dolby Control Centre, Laplink PCmover Express and a few other anti-viral bits and bobs, including Norton that no one should ever use.

That's a surprisingly good bundle! Especially Acronis True Image and Diskeeper, which we use in the labs all the time.

ABOUT INTEL

2009-05-03T21:05:00.001-07:00

Intel pushes the boundaries of innovation so our work can make people's lives more exciting, fulfilling, and manageable. And our work never stops. We never stop looking for the next leap ahead—in technology, education, culture, manufacturing, and social responsibility. And we never stop striving to deliver solutions with greater benefits for everyone

In the mainstream and high end motherboard markets, there seems to be an "arms race" between the various manufacturers; each stuffing as many integrated peripherals and features into its products as possible. Consumers are definitely benefitting, motherboards these days come with almost every features you can think of, and ample expansion space on top of that.

While most of the attention has been spent on physical attributes, a few manufacturers like Foxconn are moving beyond the hardware and into software features. Overclocking is big business now and a strong software overclocking/tweaking utility can help win over users. After all, who wouldn't love the ability to tweak their computer settings while from the comfort of the Windows desktop?

Foxconn has made a pretty big splash in the retail market with its motherboards and videocards, and the company is considered a top tier manufacturer (in terms of quality) with the likes of Asus, MSI and Gigabyte. The Foxconn MARS motherboard certainly looks like a great enthusiast friendly motherboard, particularly because it's based on Intel's hot P35 Express and ICH9R chipsets.

With a retail price of $187 CDN ($190 US, £92 GBP), Foxconn is targeting high end users with the MARS motherboard. In terms of integrated goodies, the motherboard has a Gigabit network card, two IEEE 1394a ports, onboard 7.1 channel high definition Azalia audio codec, six Serial ATA II ports (with RAID 0,1,5,10) along with an eSATA jack and twelve USB 2.0 (six on the rear I/O, six headers).

In terms of expansion the Foxconn MARS motherboard offers up two PCI Express x16 slots for videocards, two PCI Express x1 and three 32 bit PCI slots. This Intel P35 Express based motherboard will support all current Intel Pentium 4/D/XE and Core 2 Duo/Quad processors running on an 800/1066/1333 MHz FSB. The four DDR2 memory slots will accommodate a maximum of 8GB of DDR2-667/800/1066 memory. The Mars platform supports Windows Vista and the next-generation 45nm Intel multi-core processor.

INTEL MOTHER BOARDS HISTORY

2009-05-03T21:04:00.001-07:00

The motherboard is the centre piece of you system it contains all the circuitry and components either directly on the board or via additional components which connect directly to it. The motherboard is also often referred to as the main board.

The motherboards many connectors and slots include a socket for the processor to be installed along with memory slots, a number of expansion slots, connectors to IDE/SATA devices and smaller connectors for USB, serial and printer connectors.

The motherboard plays an essential role in the following aspects of your computer system:

Organization of devices: Everything is eventually connected to the motherboard. The way that the motherboard is designed and laid out dictates how the entire computer is going to be organized.

Control of the devices: Built-in to the motherboard is the chipset and BIOS program, which between them control the majority of data flow throughout the different computer systems.

System Communication: Almost all communication between the PC and its peripherals, other PCs, and you, the user, goes through the motherboard.

Processor Support: The motherboard socket depicts which choice of processor you can use in your system.

Peripheral Support: The motherboards components determine what type of peripherals you can use in your PC. For example, you can not use AGP cards if you only have PCI slots.

System Performance: The motherboard is a major factor in your system's performance; it dictates which type of processors, memory, system buses, and hard disk interface speed your system can have via its connectors or BIOS settings. Often if you are upgrading after a number of years you will need to replace the board, CPU, and memory.

Upgradeability: As motherboards are developed newer processors may not be compatible with your hardware as limitations of the circuitry built-in to the board itself will not allow them to run. As a result you can look for any upgrades via your maker's website but may need to consider upgrading.

Intel Xeon 5500: The IT Manager's ATM?

2009-04-26T04:29:00.001-07:00

You’ve no doubt heard that Intel’s new Xeon 5500 series processors can deliver a return on investment in as little as 8 months when you replace an older, single-core Xeon server. You may even have heard Pat Gelsinger refer to the new servers as becoming ‘cash machines’ after eight months. It’s certainly a bold statement, and we understand if you’re a skeptic. However Intel is now offering a tool that supports this statement and helps IT departments assess the value of replacing their aging x86 hardware with new Intel servers. The Intel® Xeon® processor-based Server Refresh Savings Estimator lets you enter data about your existing server environment and evaluate whether replacing older server technology with the latest generation of Xeon-based servers is worth the investment. Here’s how it works:

• You can run a simple or customized analysis based on 11 potential models of cost and savings categories that Intel developed with the help of industry leading ROI and TCO consultant Alinean. These models include cost avoidance of new construction, OS license expenses, server maintenance, server migration expenses and server disposal costs.

• The tool also gives users a choice of two scenarios: server consolidation with or without virtualization software.

• There are two types of analysis - simple or custom. Simple takes as little as five minutes to complete and examines a few key variables. A custom analysis runs more detailed scenarios and allows users to change cost, system details, performance and environmental assumptions to match their situation.

• You can print out a report featuring summaries based on the different assumptions and calculations you entered into the estimator. This report can also be shared via email with your colleagues.

For example, one scenario might involve consolidating from 100 Intel-based servers to 10 new Xeon® 5500 series-based servers. After entering the data, several figures, including hardware and software maintenance, and network and utility expenses are significantly lower. The result is a more than 450% return on investment which translates into payback within nine months. The details of this scenario underscores the impact of an investment in Xeon servers and can be seen in this how-to-use guide which includes step-by-step directions on how to use the Server Refresh Savings Estimator.

Please give the Server Refresh Savings Estimator a try and don’t hesitate to provide us with feedback in the Intel Server Room. We’re positive you’ll find this to be a valuable resource as you consider your IT investments.

New Intel instructions + algorithms = https://everywhere

2009-04-26T04:27:00.000-07:00

At Fall IDF 2008, Intel presented solutions toward realizing a vision that can accelerate secure Internet transactions by orders of magnitude. Our vision was of a world where the internet is entirely secure and attackers have no place to hide. A major step toward realizing this vision of world-wide security is making sure that all the traffic exchanged between servers and clients is encrypted. This is very difficult technical challenge since networking speeds are excessively high (10-100 Gbps), whereas cryptographic algorithms consume millions of processor cycles to execute. Since IDF, we have also worked on designing new cryptographic algorithms that can potentially offer new security/performance tradeoffs and be essential components of future computing platforms and networks. In this blog we summarize our past as well as recent accomplishments.

https://everywhere! Encrypting the Internet white paper View .pdf

First, the latest Intel® Core™ micro-architecture (Nehalem) re-introduces the feature of Simultaneous Multi-threading Technology, SMT into the CPU. SMT is ideal for hiding the cycles of compute-intensive public key encryption software under the stall times of network application memory lookups. Following Nehalem, Westmere adds new instructions for potentially speeding up symmetric encryption by a factor of 3-4X. These instructions not only provide better performance but also protect applications against an importance type of threats known as side channel attacks. Third, Intel® has developed superior Integer arithmetic software that can speed key exchange and establishment procedures by a factor of 2X.

Last, we have developed a new cryptographic hash function called Vortex that can be implemented using our new processor instructions. Vortex is one of the fastest collision resistant hashes known to us when implemented on Intel processors. A main strength of the Vortex design is that this hash function can achieve a potential performance of much less than 7 cycles per byte using the AES round and carry-less multiply instructions announced for future Intel processors. The Vortex family produces message digests of 224, 256, 384 and 512 bits. The main idea behind Vortex is to use well known algorithms with very fast diffusion in a small number of steps. These algorithms also balance the cryptographic strength that comes from iterating block cipher rounds with S-box substitution and diffusion against the need to have a lightweight implementation with as small a number of rounds as possible.

Intel© vPro™: O que o torna tão especial?

2009-04-26T04:25:00.001-07:00

Você já imaginou um mundo onde o administrador de uma rede corporativa possa instalar o sistema operacional de um desktop ou notebook remotamente, sem nenhuma intervenção do usuário mesmo que este se encontre desligado e sem nenhum sistema operacional instalado em seu disco rígido? Você já imaginou poder ligar/desligar/reiniciar a máquina remotamente, mesmo através de redes roteadas em localidades longínquas? Diagnosticar problemas de hardware, ligar o computador acompanhando a tela de inicialização (POST) e ainda manipular a BIOS de um computador remoto sem precisar sair da sua mesa (figura 1)? Essas são algumas características que um computador Intel© vPro™ disponibiliza. Quando você pega essas funcionalidades e as mistura com as funcionalidades de um software de gerencia, os benefícios são imediatos: imagina a distribuição de pacotes de correção de software podendo ser realizados a noite ou nos finais de semana sem se preocupar se máquina está ou não ligada, inventariar a máquina sem precisar que ela esteja com o sistema operacional rodando, em casos de proliferação de malware na rede, poder isolar uma máquina contaminada e ainda assim ter acesso a ela para aplicar vacinas e correções, entre muitas outras possibilidades… parece até mágica, mas é o que acontece quando se coloca inteligência no hardware, e esse hardware ou melhor, plataforma, inteligente se chama Intel© vPro™.

Intel Xeon

2009-04-03T08:16:00.001-07:00

Intel Xeon microprocessors are heavy-duty microprocessors. These microprocessors powers servers and workstations on a network. The Xeon microprocessor supports two microprocessors on the same system.

Processor Clock Manufacturing Number of Cache Bus Speed Process Transistors Speed (GHz) (Micron) (million) (MHz)

Intel Xeon Processor 3 0.13 169 4 MB Integrated
MP L3 Cache 400

Intel Xeon Processor 2.80, 2.70, 0.13 169 2 MB Integrated 400
MP 2.20 L3 Cache

Intel Xeon Processor 2, 1.90, 1.50 0.13 108 2 MB, 1 MB 400
MP Integrated L3 Cache

Intel Xeon Processor 1.60, 1.50, 0.18 108 256 KB Adv. 400
MP 1.40 Transfer L2 Cache, 8 KB Execution Trace L1 Cache

Intel Xeon Processor 3.20 0.13 108 1 MB L3 Cache 533

Intel Xeon Processor 3.06 0.13 108 1 MB L3 Cache 533

Intel Xeon Processor 3.06 0.13 108 512 KB L2 533 Cache

Intel Xeon Processor 2.80, 2.60, 0.13 108 512 KB L2 533 2.40, 2 Cache

Intel Itanium

2009-04-03T08:15:00.000-07:00

Intel Itanium microprocessor powers network servers and workstations. For example, dedicated servers that handle database requests and email servers use the Intel Itanium processors. It is a powerful microprocessor and can execute three instructions at a time. It is a Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) microprocessor and has limited instructions built into the microprocessor.

Processor Clock Manufacturing Number of Cache Speed Process Transistors (Micron) (million)

Intel Itanium 2 Processor 1.60 GHz - 0.13 410 3 MB L3 Cache
1.40 GHz

Intel Itanium 2 Processor 1.40 GHz 0.13 410 1.5 MB L3 Cache
(for dual processor systems)

Intel Itanium 2 Processor 1.50 GHz 0.13 410 6 MB L3 Cache

Intel Itanium 2 Processor 1 GHz, 0.18 220 3 MB and
900 MHz 1.5 MB L3 Cache

Intel Itanium Processor 800 MHz - 0.18 25 2 MB and
733 MHz 4 MB L3 Cache

Intel Pentium 4 Processor

2009-04-03T08:14:00.000-07:00

The Intel Pentium 4 processor was released in the year 2000. This processor enables us to work with applications such as digital photography that require a lot of processing. The Pentium 4 has a 20-stage pipeline for executing instructions. The Pentium 4 microprocessor comes in two sizes. The first microprocessors were large in size with 423 pins. These processors only supported RDRAM. Intel later decreased the size of the Pentium 4 microprocessor and increased the number of pins to 478. The microprocessor now supported SDRAM. The RDRAM and SDRAM are different types of memory. The Pentium 4 microprocessor is also available in the Hyper-Threading (HT) edition and the HT Extreme edition. The HT technology enables the microprocessor to process two parts of the program simultaneously. This ensures that the program executes faster. The Pentium 4 HT edition is targeted for gamers because 3D games such as Counter Attack and FIFA Football 2004 are complexprograms and require a lot of processing.The Pentium 4 HT Extreme edition is similar to the Pentium 4 HT edition. The only difference is that this edition has an additional 2 MB of L3 cache built into the microprocessor.

Processor Clock Manufacturing Number of Cache Bus Speed Speed Process Transistors (MHz) (GHz) (million)

Intel Pentium 4 3.40, 3.20 0.13-micron 178 2 MB L3 cache, 800 Processor
512 KB L2 Extreme Edition cache (HT Technology)

Intel Pentium 4 3.60, 3.4, 90 nano- 125 1 MB L2 800 processor
3.2, 3, 2.80 micron cache supporting HT Technology 560,550, 540, 530,520

Intel Pentium 4 3.40, 3.20, 90 nano- 125 1 MB L2 800Processor 3,
2.80 micron cache (HT Technology)

Intel Pentium 4 3.40, 3.20, 0.13-micron 55 512 KB 800 Processor
2.80, 2.60, Advanced (HT Technology) 2.40 Transfer L2 cache

Intel Pentium 4 3 0.13-micron 55 512 KB 800 Processor Advanced
(HT Technology) Transfer L2 cache

Intel Pentium 4 3.06 0.13-micron 55 512 KB 533 Processor
Advanced (HT Technology) Transfer L2 cache

Intel Pentium 4 2.80, 2.66, 0.13-micron 55 512 KB
533 Processor 2.53, 2.40, Advanced 2.26 Transfer L2 cache

Intel Pentium 4 2.60, 2.50, 0.13-micron 55 512 KB
400 Processor 2.40, 2.20, Advanced 2 Transfer L2 cache

Intel Pentium 4 2, 1.90, 1.80, 0.18-micron 42 256 KB
400 Processor 1.70, 1.60, Advanced 1.50, 1.40 Transfer L2 cache

Installing the Microprocessor

2009-04-01T05:05:00.002-07:00

The microprocessor and the motherboard are dependent on each other. Before, we install the microprocessor, we must check that the motherboard and the microprocessor voltage are compatible with each other.

Hands on exercise

The Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket uses a lever that makes it simpler and safer to install the microprocessor on the motherboard. This socket also makes it easy to remove the microprocessor 40 from the motherboard without damaging the pins located on the underside of the microprocessor or the microprocessor itself.

To install the processor in the ZIF socket :

1. Check the voltage requirements from the motherboard and the microprocessor documentation.

2. Wear an anti-static wristband.

3. Place the motherboard on the work desk.

4. Take the microprocessor out from the anti-static bag by holding the microprocessor at the edges.

5. Check that all the pins on the underside of the microprocessor are straight.

6. Locate the socket where the microprocessor must be installed

Location to Install the Microprocessor

7. Find the lever located besides the socket for the microprocessor.

Viewing the Lever

8. Raise the lever so that it is at the right angle with the motherboard.

9. Align the notch on the microprocessor with the alignment notch on the motherboard.

Aligning the Microprocessor

10. Gently, place the microprocessor in the socket.

11. Press the microprocessor firmly in the socket keeping in mind that no damage is caused to the pins.

12. Push the lever back down such that it is parallel to the motherboard and locked in place, taking care not to break the lever while lowering it .

Locking the Lever to Install the Microprocessor

2009-04-01T05:05:00.001-07:00

Hands on exercise

The Low Insertion Force (LIF) socket does not have a lever to install the microprocessor. We must force the microprocessor into the motherboard socket to install it.

To install the processor in the LIF socket:

1. Check the voltage requirements from the motherboard and the microprocessor documentation.

2. Wear an anti-static wristband.

3. Place the motherboard on the work desk.

4. Take the microprocessor out from the anti-static bag by holding the microprocessor at the edges.

5. Check that all the pins on the underside of the microprocessor are straight.

6. Locate the socket where the microprocessor must be installed.

7. Align the notch on the microprocessor with the alignment notch on the motherboard.

8. Gently place the microprocessor in the socket.

9. Use force to press the microprocessor firmly in the socket keeping in mind that no damage is caused to the pins. The microprocessors for Pentium II, Pentium III, and Celeron are available a card with the microprocessor installed on it. To install these microprocessors, we must fix the card holding the microprocessor in the slot on the motherboard.

The microprocessors for Pentium II, Pentium III, and Celeron are available a card with the microprocessor installed on it. To install these microprocessors, we must fix the card holding the microprocessor in the slot on the motherboard.

Hands on exercise

To install the processor in the slot:

1. Check the voltage requirements from the motherboard and the microprocessor documentation.

2. Wear an anti-static wristband.

3. Place the motherboard on the work desk.

4. Locate the slot where the microprocessor must be installed

5. Affix the plastic retention brackets on the motherboard, if not already installed.

6. Take the microprocessor out of the anti-static bag.

7. Hold the microprocessor perpendicular to the motherboard over the slot.

8. Align the microprocessor with the plastic retention brackets.

9. Slide the processor carefully in the motherboard slot

10. Pull the lever on the microprocessor outward, if required, to lock the microprocessor to the plastic retention brackets

Configuring the Microprocessor

2009-04-01T05:04:00.001-07:00

The motherboard usually auto-detects the microprocessor. We can also configure the microprocessor by adjusting the jumper settings. Microprocessors can also be configured using the settings from the system Basic Input Output System (BIOS). The BIOS stores the system information.

Speed of the Microprocessor
The microprocessor is built and set to perform at the recommended speed. The recommended speed of the microprocessor is set below the maximum speed of the microprocessor. To modify the speed of the microprocessor using the system BIOS:

1. Start the system.

2. Press the Delete key on the keyboard to enter the BIOS setup.

3. Select CPU PnP from the displayed menu using the navigations keys specified besides the menu.

4. Press Enter to display CPU PnP setup screen that enables to modify the settings for the microprocessor.

5. Use the Page Up or Page Down key on the keyboard to select the required CPU Ratio. The CPU ratio is a multiplier that sets the microprocessor clock speed.

6. Press Esc to return to the BIOS main menu.

7. Press F10 to save and exit.

Overclocking

Overclocking the microprocessor increases the speed of the processor. You can overclock the microprocessor by changing the jumper settings on the motherboard. You can also overclock the microprocessor by increasing the CPU Ratio from the CPU PnP Setup Page from the BIOS settings. Additional cooling devices such as CPU fans must be installed to cool down the processor because overclocking makes the microprocessor heat up very fast. The extreme heat level can reduce the life of the processor and can also damage the processor. Overclocking must be implemented with care by increasing the clock speed little by little. You must also check the documentation of the microprocessor and the motherboard before overclocking. Overclocking a processor beyond its maximum capacity can permanently damage the microprocessor.

Upgrading and Troubleshooting Microprocessors

2009-04-01T05:03:00.000-07:00

The speed and the performance of microprocessors increase with the release of new processor. Besides this, every microprocessor has its own limitation. To keep the system up-to-date and to remove the limitations of the microprocessor, we must upgrade the microprocessor. To upgrade a microprocessor, we replace the microprocessor in the system with a new compatible microprocessor.

Troubleshooting microprocessor techniques solve the problems that arise due to the improper functioning of the microprocessor. The general problems that arises from the microprocessor are overheating and slow processing.

Overheating

A microprocessor produces heat while processing the data. The microprocessor also overheats when it is performing beyond the recommended speed. Overheating can cause permanent damage to the microprocessor. Adequate cooling devices, such as a processor fan must be installed to cool down the microprocessor.To solve the problem of overheating :

1. Check that the processor fan is installed and functioning properly.

2. Check the jumper settings on the motherboard and the BIOS settings to see that the microprocessor is not overclocked.

3. Check that the voltage supplied by the motherboard is compatible with the microprocessor.

4. Check the motherboard manual to see that the motherboard supports the microprocessor.

Slow Processing

The microprocessor generally runs slow if there is some fault within it. A microprocessor can also run slow if the speed settings are not correct or due to some other fault in the system. To solve the problem of slow processing :

1. Check if the vendor has supplied the correct microprocessor.

2. Check if the microprocessor supports the applications that are running.

3. Scan the computer for viruses.

4. Check the jumper settings on the motherboard and the BIOS settings of the microprocessor.

5. Troubleshoot the RAM.

Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Preview

2009-03-19T00:15:00.000-07:00

it hasn't been a full year since we saw Intel launch their Core 2 Duo processors, but we will soon be seeing a line-up refresh. This is one product that really needs no introduction, but seeing as this is a refresh, refreshing everyones minds seems appropriate. Intel launched the Core 2 Duo to much fanfare last July. Months prior to this, enthusiasts were drooling over leaks of performance reports, which fortunately, turned out to be right on the money.

The entire Conroe line-up is built on a 65nm process, with the mainstream products offering 4MB of L2 cache. Improved over the previous Pentium 4/Pentium D line-up was better power efficiency resulting in a lower TDP and better overall temperatures. This is appreciated, as two cores under the same IHS can potentially create an unwanted room heater.

All but the lowest end Core 2 Duos take advantage of a 1066FSB. This is where this refreshed line-up comes into play, as it ushers in 1333FSB computing. This noticeable speed bump is all done while retaining the same TDP.

All Conroe 1333FSB processors are identified by by a 50 at the end of the product name, hence E6750, which is effectively taking over the spot of the E6700. Nothing has changed except for the FSB and speeds, except the ratio of course, which had to be altered in order to compliment the upgraded frequency.

One thing that should be cleared up is that most overclocking enthusiasts have already accomplished the same speeds we are seeing today, with most being exceeded. In fact, there is nothing stopping anyone from popping in an E6600 and overclocking using a 333FSB and 8 multiplier. That would effectively give you the exact same speed as the E6750 we are taking a look at today.

You might be wondering where the benefit is, with this official speed bump. Primarily it will benefit those non-overclockers most. There is no comparison to equal processor speed at 1066FSB and 1333FSB. That added FSB frequency should make a much more noticeable performance difference than the CPU frequency boost itself.

Intel Core 2 Duo Knocks Down AMD Athlon 64

2009-03-19T00:13:00.001-07:00

Intel has regained the performance crown from AMD, after its launch of Core 2 Duo line of processors which are based on Intel’s new Core micro architecture. The processors are expected to ship by 27th July 2006. The performance Core 2 Duo is found to be superior than the AMD’s current line of processors.

Intel’s Core 2 Extreme X6800 didn’t lose a single benchmark in our comparison; not a single one. In many cases, the $183 Core 2 Duo E6300 actually outperformed Intel’s previous champ: the Pentium Extreme Edition 965. In one day, Intel has made its entire Pentium D lineup of processors obsolete. Intel’s Core 2 processors offer the sort of next-generation micro-architecture performance leap that we honestly haven’t seen from Intel since the introduction of the P6.

Compared to AMD’s Athlon 64 X2 the situation gets a lot more competitive, but AMD still doesn’t stand a chance. The Core 2 Extreme X6800, Core 2 Duo E6700 and E6600 were pretty consistently in the top 3 or 4 spots in each benchmark, with the E6600 offering better performance than AMD’s FX-62 flagship in the vast majority of benchmarks. Another way of looking at it is that Intel’s Core 2 Duo E6600 is effectively a $316 FX-62, which doesn’t sound bad at all.

We’re still waiting to get our hands on the E6400 as it may end up being the best bang for your buck, but even the slower E6300 is quite competitive with AMD’s X2 4200+ and X2 3800+. If AMD drops the price on those two parts even more than we’re expecting, then it may be able to hold on to the lower end of the performance mainstream market as the E6300 is not nearly as fast as the E6600.

For industry experts, Core 2 Duo beating the Athlon 64 processor family is no surprise: On the one hand, Core 2 Duo is a brand-new state-of-the-art processor, whereas the Athlon 64 X2 has been around for a while. On the other hand, Intel must come out with a superior product to finally beat AMD after two years of Athlon 64 headwinds.

Core 2 is an eighth-generation x86 architecture microprocessor to be produced by Intel based on an all-new CPU design called the Intel Core Microarchitecture, which will replace the NetBurst architecture that has powered Intel processors since 2000. Core 2 also will mark the retirement of Intel’s Pentium brand name that has been used from 1993 and the reunion of Intel’s notebook and desktop product lines since Pentium M was released apart from Pentium 4 in 2003.

Unlike NetBurst-based processors, such as the Pentium 4 and Pentium D, Core 2 will not stress designs based on extremely high clock speeds but rather improvements on other CPU features, including cache size and number of cores. Intel claims that the power consumption of these processors is to be extremely low compared to the Pentiums before.

Intel Core 2 processors will feature EM64T, Virtualization Technology, and Execute Disable Bit. The release will also introduce LaGrande Technology, SSE4, Enhanced SpeedStep Technology, and Active Management Technology (iAMT2).

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Dual Core Processor

2009-03-19T00:12:00.001-07:00

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0GHz - Wolfdale Arrives

2009-03-19T00:10:00.000-07:00

In the summer of 2006, Intel released their 65nm Conroe-based processors, and to say they won the hearts of many would be an understatement. It was one product-launch that Intel didn't want to hit lightly, especially since AMD were actively taking from their customer base - on the enthusiast side, most notably. When said and done, Intel did accomplish what they planned to do. They put the industry through a blender and showed us how to be excited about processors again.

Although frequencies with Conroe were not as high as what we were used to seeing from Intel, the folks in Santa Clara proved that a high frequency didn't mean much if the processor itself was inefficient. Indeed, a 2.4GHz Conroe Dual-Core proved just how much better an efficient processor could be, and it quickly became the most common processor choice for the enthusiast.

The following summer, follow-up processors were released, including the E6750 Dual-Core which we evaluated at the time. Besides speed bumps, those processors didn't bring much to the table in way of new features, except for native 1333FSB support. Instead, the processor we are taking a look at today is one of the few new models that effectively replace the Conroe-based chips that we came to love so dearly in summer of '06.

I won't delve deep into how 45nm improves on 65nm, as I explained all of that in our QX9650 review, but I will touch on things briefly. One large benefit that comes with all die shrinks is better power efficiency and lower temperatures. Chips have the capability to run just as fast, if not faster, than their predecessors, all while running cooler and drawing less power. It's a win/win situation.

But with 45nm, Intel introduced more than just a die shrink. The biggest feature that most people will be interested in is the SSE4 instruction set. It affects media-buffs only - those who encode videos - but the performance gains are so evident, that developers of such applications are bound to begin supporting it sooner than later. The speed increases could be as large as 2x, even though it's difficult to believe.

Other improvements include increased L2 cache, half-multipliers (eg, 9.5x), a faster front-side-bus, improved Super Shuffle Engine, Smart Cache (to improve how split loads are accessed and stored) and so many transistors on a single die, it can give people headaches to think about it!
The obvious downside of the QX9650 launch in November was the fact that no other processors complimented it. Therefore, it was QX9650 or bust - until now that is. During CES earlier this month, Intel officially announced their 45nm launch plans, which include the desktop side, server and also mobile. We found out at that time that the Quad-Core models (Q9300 - Q9550) were pushed back to sometime in Q1. Although a solid date was never settled on, original road maps showed January as the scheduled launch. However, the rumor is that due to poor performing Phenom Quad-Core sales, Intel decided to hold off on the launch to help push remaining 65nm models to consumers first.

So how does the road map stand now that some time has past? Although Intel announced near-immediate availability of all 45nm desktop Dual-Cores at CES, only the E8400 has shown up on e-tailers. One popular e-tailer has the other models listed for availability in April. How true that is, I'm unsure, but it's strange given the fact that they were supposed to be available by now.
Processor Name

Cores

Clock

Cache

FSB

TDP

1Ku Price

Available
Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9775
4

3.20GHz

2 x 6MB

1600MHz

150W

$1,499
Q1 2008
Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770
4

3.20GHz

2 x 6MB

1600MHz

136W

$1,399
Q1 2008
Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650
4

3.0GHz

2 x 6MB

1333MHz

130W

$999
Now
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550
4

2.86GHz

2 x 6MB

1333MHz

95W

$530
Q1 2008
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450
4

2.66GHz

2 x 6MB

1333MHz

95W

$316
Q1 2008
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300
4

2.5GHz

2 x 3MB

1333MHz

95W

$266
Q1 2008
Intel Core 2 Duo E8500
2

3.16GHz

6MB

1333MHz

65W

$266
Jan 2008
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400
2

3.00GHz

6MB

1333MHz

65W

$183
Now
Intel Core 2 Duo E8200
2

2.66GHz

6MB

1333MHz

65W

$163
Jan 2008
Intel Core 2 Duo E8190
2

2.66GHz

6MB

1333MHz

65W

$163
Jan 2008

The biggest downside to the road map is that the Q9xxx are not available. Once they are, they are no doubt going to sell like hotcakes, given the improvements over the previous generation and the fact that the prices do not increase. The upside, though, is that even though the E8400 is the lone desktop Dual-Core to be available right now, we can be happy that it is the model most people would be after.

What makes the E8400 such a great choice is the fact that it's affordable, at $220USD on average, and has a nice clock speed. Let's face it... where overclocking is not concerned, having a 3.0GHz CPU looks better to the ego than say, 2.66GHz. It's all about the smooth frequencies, baby.

Features and benefits

2009-03-14T05:01:00.000-07:00

With four processing cores, up to 12MB of shared L2 cache¹ and 1333 MHz Front Side Bus the Intel Core 2 Quad desktops processor delivers amazing performance and power efficiency enabled by the all new hafnium-based circuitry of 45nm Intel Core microarchitecture.
Whether you're encoding, rendering, editing, or streaming HD multimedia in the office or on the go, power your most demanding applications with notebooks and desktops based on the Intel Core 2 Quad processor.
Plus, with these processors you get great Intel® technologies built in²:
Intel® Wide Dynamic Execution, enabling delivery of more instructions per clock cycle to improve execution time and energy efficiency

Intel® Intelligent Power Capability, designed to deliver more energy-efficient performance
Intel® Smart Memory Access, improving system performance by optimizing the use of the available data bandwidth

Intel® Advanced Digital Media Boost, accelerating a broad range of multimedia, encryption, scientific and financial applications by significantly improving performance when executing Intel® Streaming SIMD Extension (SSE/SSE2/SSE3) instructions.
Intel® HD Boost³, implementing new Intel® Streaming SIMD Extension 4 (Intel SSE4) instructions for even greater multimedia performance and faster high definition video editing and encoding.
Intel® Virtualization Technology (Intel® VT)², enabling greater security, manageability, and utilization.
Future ready, designed to perform in highly threaded programs with powerful Intel® multi-core technology.

Intel® Desktop Board D5400XS

2009-03-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

The ground-breaking Intel® Dual Socket Extreme Desktop Platform is the first dual socket desktop board from Intel, the world leader in silicon innovation. With dual CPU capability that provides up to 8 core processing, the Intel® Desktop Board D5400XS delivers unmatched performance for advanced digital media creation and editing.
The platform also delivers heart-pounding performance for multi-core enabled game titles, particularly in a multi-tasking environment where simultaneous applications

Intel® Core™2 Duo Mobile Processor

2009-03-14T04:59:00.000-07:00

Notebook freedom starts here. Unplug and multitask in more places.
When you power your notebook with an Intel® Core™2 Duo mobile processor, you'll get the performance you need for today's mobile multitasking. Built on the breakthrough 45nm halfnium-based technology, the Intel® Core™2 Duo mobile processor gives you plenty of power to run many demanding applications simultaneously, whether at home, in the office, or on on-the-go.
Features and benefits
More multitasking power. Less power consumption. Ready for technology that increases your productivity? You'll get it with Intel® Core™2 Duo. Intel Advanced Smart Cache, up to 1066Mhz Front Side Bus, and Intel HD Boost ensure solid mobile performance for the latest applications. With Intel® Core™2 Duo, you'll do more and wait less.
Intel® Intelligent Power Capability, designed to deliver more energy-efficient performance and smarter battery performance in your laptop
Intel® Smart Memory Access, improving system performance by optimizing the use of the available data bandwidth
Intel® Advanced Smart Cache, providing a higher-performance, more efficient cache subsystem. Optimized for multi-core and dual-core processors
Intel® HD Boost, accelerating a broad range of applications, including HD and standard definition video, speech and image, photo processing, encryption, financial, engineering and scientific applications
25W Thermal Design Power (TDP), allows for thinner, lighter mainstream notebooks

Intel Intros 45nm Core 2 Duo Processor

2009-03-08T23:00:00.000-07:00

Intel Corporation recently announced the 45-nanometer (nm) Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E8400 with 7-year lifecycle support for embedded applications. To enhance security in embedded solutions, the processor also supports Intel Trusted Execution Technology. Based on Intel's high-k metal gate transistor formula and manufactured on the company's 45nm process, the E8400 processor offers increased performance by doubling transistor density and increasing cache size up to 6 MB, which is a threefold enhancement over the previous-generation Intel Core 2 Duo E6400. The E8400 processor is available to customers today and costs US $183 in quantities of 1,000. A hardware extension to the E8400 processor, Intel Trusted Execution Technology brings hardware data security to the embedded market, making the dual-core processor ideal for military and government, mid-range network security appliances, and retail applications. This security technology is designed to guard data within tamper-resistant virtualized computing environments and to protect against software attacks, viruses and other threats. The 45nm processor includes a Super Shuffle Engine that enhances Intel Streaming SIMD Extensions (SSE) algorithms optimized for graphics and multimedia processing. The Super Shuffle Engine reduces latency and improves the speed of existing SSE instructions while enabling significant gains on the latest Intel Streaming SIMD Extensions 4 (SSE4) instruction set.

Intel Pentium Extreme Edition

2009-03-08T22:58:00.000-07:00

Get advanced performance for high-end gaming and the most demanding power applications. The Intel Pentium 4 Processor with HT Technology Extreme Edition is designed specifically for those who know their technology and crave high performance.FeaturesHyper-Threading Technology Streaming SIMD extensions 3 Intel Extended Memory 64 Technology Execute Disable Bit capability 1MB L2 Advanced Transfer Cache for each core Specifications General Product Type Processor Expansion / Connectivity Compatible Slots 1 x processor - LGA775 Socket Miscellaneous Package Type Intel Boxed Processor Type / Form Factor Intel Pentium Extreme Edition Dual-Core 840 Processor Qty 1 Clock Speed 3.2 GHz Bus Speed 800 MHz Processor Socket LGA775 Socket Cache Memory Type Advanced Transfer Cache Installed Size L2 cache - 2 MB What is a PowerLeap adapter? This device from PowerLeap allows socket 7 and socket 5 motherboards to have clock multiplier speeds up to 6.0x, even if you original motherboard has a maximum multiplier that is lower. Additionally, this adapter will also provide you with the proper split voltages for all AMD, CYRIX and Intel MMX processor to work on your system. Once the Powerleap adapter is installed you are only limited by your BIOS.Because my original motherboard does not support AMD Processors or 6.0x clock multipliers I needed to use the PowerLeap adapter in my tests. But as you can see below this combination has given me a dramatic increase in speed over my original Pentium 133 that came with my system.

Intel 5000P Chipset Processors

2009-03-08T22:56:00.000-07:00

Intel's new server chipsets for the Dual-Core Intel® Xeon® processor 5000 series enable Intel® dual-processor (DP) balanced server platforms that are efficient, dependable, and responsive.
Intel® dual-core processor-based platforms help businesses better utilize assets with effective virtualization and increase density in their data centers through optimized power and thermal features.
With the Intel 5000P or Intel 5000V chipset and Dual-Core Intel Xeon processor 5000 series, system designers can offer new platforms that help IT services move ahead with increased productivity, higher throughput, and faster time-to-solution.
The Intel® 5000P chipset, the next generation Intel® dual-processor (DP) server chipset technology, offers increased graphics performance, reduced power consumption, and improved platform reliability and system manageability

Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Preview

2009-03-03T19:02:00.001-08:00

It hasn't been a full year since we saw Intel launch their Core 2 Duo processors, but we will soon be seeing a line-up refresh. This is one product that really needs no introduction, but seeing as this is a refresh, refreshing everyones minds seems appropriate. Intel launched the Core 2 Duo to much fanfare last July. Months prior to this, enthusiasts were drooling over leaks of performance reports, which fortunately, turned out to be right on the money.
The entire Conroe line-up is built on a 65nm process, with the mainstream products offering 4MB of L2 cache. Improved over the previous Pentium 4/Pentium D line-up was better power efficiency resulting in a lower TDP and better overall temperatures. This is appreciated, as two cores under the same IHS can potentially create an unwanted room heater.
All but the lowest end Core 2 Duos take advantage of a 1066FSB. This is where this refreshed line-up comes into play, as it ushers in 1333FSB computing. This noticeable speed bump is all done while retaining the same TDP.
All Conroe 1333FSB processors are identified by by a 50 at the end of the product name, hence E6750, which is effectively taking over the spot of the E6700. Nothing has changed except for the FSB and speeds, except the ratio of course, which had to be altered in order to compliment the upgraded frequency.
One thing that should be cleared up is that most overclocking enthusiasts have already accomplished the same speeds we are seeing today, with most being exceeded. In fact, there is nothing stopping anyone from popping in an E6600 and overclocking using a 333FSB and 8 multiplier. That would effectively give you the exact same speed as the E6750 we are taking a look at today.
You might be wondering where the benefit is, with this official speed bump. Primarily it will benefit those non-overclockers most. There is no comparison to equal processor speed at 1066FSB and 1333FSB. That added FSB frequency should make a much more noticeable performance difference than the CPU frequency boost itself.

Intel Pentium 820 D 2.8GHz 90nm Dual Core

2009-03-03T19:01:00.000-08:00

It wasn't too long ago that we were all asking the question, "Should I go dual core?" Times have proven that dual core is the future and has clear benefits, which turned that question into, "Which dual core should I get?" Even if you are buying the lowest dual core on the scale, you are essentially getting twice the computing power than from a single chip. As more and more applications take advantage of dual cores, it makes the buying decision easier. Of course, the ability to multi-task without slowing your OS down is another huge benefit.
Intel and AMD both have a great selection of dual core chips, for all wallet sizes. Intel dual cores almost always cost less than AMD's, which makes them look more attractive. Generally speaking though, tests have proven AMD dual cores better for gaming on high-end systems. But, if you are looking for a cheap solution to get yourself a dual core rig built, then Intels offerings are worth looking at.
Today's processor in question is the 820 D. It was the bottom of the barrel when it came to Intel DC's, until the lower clocked 805 D came out. But before we get into specifics and feature comparisons, let's delve a bit deeper into why dual cores are beneficial to you.
Features
PCs that have two CPU cores are not necessarily new, although it is for the consumer market. A few years ago, you would need two separate CPU's in the same machine. You can now have the same benefit but with only one CPU. There was a lot of speculation when dual cores came to be, but there's no denying just how beneficial they can be. Because you essentially have two CPU cores under the same IHS, multitasking proves less groggy with larger applications. As you open new instances of applications, the CPU will decide which core to use. The goal is to allow you to do more on your PC than with a single core, without having a sluggish experience.
Even though you have a dual core, things can still slow down your PC, but that primarily only happens with multiple intensive applications that are stressing the same components at once, such as ram or your hard drive. As a great example though, you could play a game and convert a video file at the same time and feel virtually no lag or slowdown. Try doing that on a single core and it will not be a fun experience. Because of these possibilities, it's no wonder why dual cores are growing in popularity.

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600

2009-03-03T19:00:00.000-08:00

There's no doubt that 2006 was one of the most incredible years in technology in recent memory. There were scandals, impressive landscape-shifting mergers, strange new alliances and many new products and technologies unveiled. One launch that stands out in everyone's mind is Intel's Conroe last summer. We were teased with leaked benchmark results and other information months before the release and once the launch finally hit, we were all relieved to see that it actually lived up to the hype.
After a launch like this, we didn't think that a follow-up would arrive for a while. We were wrong. In the early fall, we first learned about Intel's quad-core CPU, which is essentially two Conroes under the same IHS. I admit, I didn't expect to actually see it so soon, but come November, it was publicly available for anyone to purchase. Intel's at the top of their game, and don't want to step down anytime soon.
When they first launched their QX6700, they held off launching the Q6600 until early January. We don't know the reason for the delay, but now the possibility of having your own quad-core machine without breaking the bank has finally arrived. Let's first get the basics out of the way.
Oh My Quad
The Q6600 is a 2.4GHz chip, like its little brother the E6600. Both CPUs are nearly identical and use the same die(s), except that the Q6600 has two of them. Essentially, everything is doubled. Twice the cores, twice the cache and twice the drool. Like the other Core 2 Duos, Core 2 Quads are based on a 65nm process, although the process requires a slightly higher stock voltage. Since both the Quads are so similar to the Duos, it's no surprise to see that the die size is simply doubled as well, resulting in 2 x 143mm^2.
When compared to the top of the line QX6700 chip, the specs are again identical except for the 2.66GHz clock speed. Other than that, the CPUs are the same, just binned differently. When comparing to the top end Core 2 Duo, the differences are a lot more meaningful. While the QX6700 retails for just under $1,000, so does the X6800. However, when considering the QX6700, you receive a lower clock speed in return for twice the cores. At that point, it's up to you whether you want or need the sheer clock speed or greater benefits for your multi-thread applications.
To help put everything into perspective, here's a simple graph showcasing all of Intel's current Core 2 offerings.
CPU Model
Clock Speed
FSB
L2 Cache
TDP
Cores
Pricing
Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 2.66GHz 1066MHz 4MB x 2 130w 4 $999
Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800 2.93GHz 1066MHz 4MB 75W 2 $999
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.40GHz 1066MHz 4MB x 2 105W 4 $851
Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 2.66GHz 1066MHz 4MB 65W 2 $530
Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.40GHz 1066MHz 4MB 65W 2 $316
Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 2.13GHz 1066MHz 2MB 65W 2 $224
Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 1.86GHz 1066MHz 2MB 65W 2 $183
Intel Core 2 Duo E4300 1.80GHz 800MHz 2MB 65W 2 $163
One interesting point to note is that even though the Q6600 is essentially 2 x E6600, the TDP is not doubled, but rather sits at a comfortable 105W. The higher clocked QX6700 is 130W, however, which is why we don't see a QX6800 instead. A TDP of 130W is high to begin with, but considering the much slower 820 D we reviewed less than a year ago also had a TDP of 130W, power consumption still hasn't entered uncharted territory, and there are thermal solutions available to deal with that kind of heat.
Below, you can see a highly detailed illustration of the quad-core's innards. In case you thought that two dies would be a tight squeeze, think again! Despite having four cores, there's still a reasonable amount of breathing room in there. For a more realistic view of the chip with the HS off, you can check out the picture provided by Intel

Intel Brands 'Nehalem' Processors as Intel Core

2009-03-01T19:44:00.004-08:00

At the 2008 Intel Developer Forum, the IT community and PC enthusiasts will get a first look at the Intel Nehalem processor, which represents a whole new microarchitecture. Intel is also planning to brand its first "Nehalem" chips as Intel Core, and the first of these chips will appear in gaming PCs and high-end desktops.
Intel is planning to devote most of its energy at IDF on detailing the features behind its processor microarchitecture dubbed "Nehalem," including a new brand name for this upcoming family of desktop chips.
Intel is expected to officially brand the processors that will be built on the Nehalem architecture as Intel Core on Aug. 11. The first set of these microprocessors will be offered for gaming machines and high-end PCs, and the first processor will be an Extreme Edition chip called the Intel Core i7.
"The Core name is and will be our flagship PC processor brand going forward," said Sean Maloney, Intel's executive vice president and chief sales and marketing officer.
While Intel has focused most of its energy this year to bring its Atom processors to market to support whole new classes of devices, from low-cost "netbooks" to MIDs (Mobile Internet Devices), Nehalem is expected to be the biggest announcement the chip maker makes in 2008, and it will radically alter the company's approach to its chip microarchitecture.
Nehalem will allow Intel to create processors that can scale from two to eight cores. Each core supports two instructional threads that will then allow the chips to perform several tasks simultaneously. Intel will also introduce a new technology called QuickPath, a high-speed chip-to-chip interconnect technology that will allow the Nehalem family of processors to connect to another component or another chip on the motherboard.
Perhaps the greatest improvement with Nehalem is that Intel will integrate the memory controller—the part of the CPU that communicates with the DDR (double data rate) memory chips—into the processor die itself, which eliminates the traditional FSB (front side bus). This type of integration will allow for greater levels of performance without increasing the clock speed of the processor, which should also keep the thermal envelope the same as the previous generation.
"When you go to an integrated memory controller, you reduce a substantial portion of the memory latency between the processor, and the system memory and typically the initial access memory latency is a big determinant of performance," said Dean McCarron, founder of Mercury Research. "Typically, you can get a performance increase of anywhere between 10 and 25 percent when you fix that latency problem."
Advanced Micro Devices has been building processors with an integrated memory controller for a number of years now, and that chip design helped AMD close the gap between its processors and Intel's chips, McCarron said. Now, Intel is catching up and will eliminate one of the technological advantages AMD has enjoyed.
"When AMD introduced the integrated memory controller, it allowed them close the gap between them and Intel very rapidly," McCarron added. "With Intel doing this, the performance gains will probably not be as great as what happened with their competitor because Intel has fairly large caches, which cover up part of that problem. There is little question, however, that making this move results in substantially higher performance gains with no increase in clock rate, so you are getting more performance at the same clock speed."

Intel Xeon X3210 2.13GHz Quad-Core B3-Revision

2009-03-01T19:44:00.003-08:00

With last months launch of Intel's 6x50 series of processors also came price drops that everyone had been anticipating for months. Rumors were that you would be able to purchase a Quad-Core for close to $300, and to everyone's relief, it proved absolutely true. However, while most will run towards the Q6600, many will overlook the Xeon alternatives. While not normally clocked the same, they had price drops as well, and should not be ignored.
One of the more popular Xeon's that were noticed was the X3210, a Quad-Core clocked at 2.13GHz. While the clock speed leaves a bit to be desired for desktop users, it was hard to ignore the $250 price tag. This was at a time when Q6600s retailed for $280 - $300, so a small frequency drop could save you upwards of $30.
But, to say 'less expensive' almost seems silly. Just last year, an E6600 cost close to $400, while a Q6600 today retails for $300 or lower. It's a great time to be building a new computer, there's no doubt about that.
After last months price drops though, prices have fluctuated constantly. One day, the Q6600 might retail for $280 from your favorite e-tailer and then the next, you'll find it for $350. So needless to say, if you spot the CPU on the cheap, it's probably not the best idea to sit back and wait, if you want to secure it for the lowest price possible.
At the time of writing, US e-tailers are selling the Q6600 2.4GHz Quad-Core for an average price of $280.00, while the X3210 sits at closer to $260. At that point, if big overclocking is in the cards, then the Q6600 is well worth the extra $20, unless you happen to find a X3210 G0 revision. Ahh, revision hunting.
When Intel released G0 revision processors, it was a good day for enthusiasts. Every model seemed to overclock far beyond what was possible with previous revisions, so it's important to keep an eye out if overclocking is important to you. This is where things get tricky, however. If you are purchasing a processor from a random e-tailer, chances are good that it's a luck of the draw. However, you might be lucky enough to visit an e-tailer that will list the entire spec number.

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850 Quad-Core

2009-03-01T19:44:00.001-08:00

When Intel launched their P35 chipset two months ago, it ushered in not only DDR3 support, but also native 1333FSB support. This wasn't much of a surprise, since DDR3-1333 is a standard, and it's common to want to run 1:1 ratios with the FSB and memory frequency. We saw this with 800FSB CPUs and DDR2-800 memory and also 1066FSB CPUs with DDR2-1066 memory. The next big thing from Intel will be 1333FSB Penryn, which we have taken a look at in depth in previous months. To tide us over until then, Intel is launching refreshing parts of their Core 2 line-up to include native 1333FSB processors.
We took a look at their second-to-top offering a few weeks ago, in the form of a 2.66GHz E6750. Although it's an incredible CPU for the money, we already knew what to expect since it was a 'mere' speed bump and retained identical TDPs. You could take any Core 2 Duo and clock it to 1333FSB and have the same performance, in reality.
As I mentioned in that review, though, the biggest reason you should look forward to these new launches is because of their price points. The 2.66GHz E6750 will retail for around $200, which is an incredible thought considering what prices were set at last year. $200 will now get you a very powerful processor that will not be the bottleneck in gaming or other activities. In years past, you almost had to hand over $1,000 for a new CPU if you wanted ultimate performance. The Core 2 series has well proved itself since launch however, with even the budget offerings giving any enthusiast the performance they crave.
Those who don't enjoy overclocking, or are skeptical of the activity, are in luck because of the fact that they can still have a great CPU and not skip a car payment. But, despite the fact that there are powerful CPUs out there for reasonable prices, the Extreme line exists for two types of people. Those who want a top of the line processor without overclocking, and those who want to get every last ounce out of their overclocking. Because Extreme CPUs are binned higher, it's not unusual to see the top overclocks performed with them.
The only downside, of course, is the price. One has to wonder if the premium nowadays is truly worth it, considering the performance of the budget offerings can still be considered extreme by todays standards. Nothing stops overclockers from achieving the same frequencies with ease, either. Still, those who refuse to overclock for the sake of stability or what-have-you, but still want the best performance available, can't go wrong.
That's where the QX6850 comes into play, a 3.0GHz Core 2 Extreme that offers four cores to computing enthusiasts. This is the fastest Core 2 processor ever released, and in turn the fastest processor the market has to offer. Price as expected, is $999 in quantities of 1,000. You should expect to see it retail for closer to ~$1,250 at your favorite e-tailer, or even higher though. It's like buying a Ferrari, where paying $50,000 over SRP is not uncommon. This is just on a far smaller scale.
Although we are taking a look at the top offering for the 1333FSB processors, there will be a total of five being released immediately, with availability in the coming weeks. Below you will find the completely up-to-date line-up.
CPU Model
Clock Speed
FSB
L2 Cache
TDP
Cores
Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850 3.0GHz 1333MHz 4MB x 2 130w 4
Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6800 2.93GHz 1066MHz 4MB x 2 130w 4
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6700 2.66GHz 1066MHz 4MB x 2 130w 4
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.40GHz 1066MHz 4MB x 2 105W 4
Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 3.0GHz 1333MHz 4MB 65W 2
Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800 2.93GHz 1066MHz 4MB 65W 2
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 2.66GHz 1333MHz 4MB 65W 2
Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 2.60GHz 1066MHz 4MB 65W 2
Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.40GHz 1066MHz 4MB 65W 2
Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 2.33GHz 1333MHz 2MB 65W 2
Intel Core 2 Duo E6540 2.33GHz 1333MHz 2MB 65W 2
Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 2.13GHz 1066MHz 2MB 65W 2
Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 1.86GHz 1066MHz 2MB 65W 2
Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 2.2GHz 800MHz 2MB 65W 2
Intel Core 2 Duo E4400 2.0GHz 800MHz 2MB 65W 2
Intel Core 2 Duo E4300 1.80GHz 800MHz 2MB 65W 2
Compared to the previous top-end processor, the QX6850 has a 70MHz advantage. Though a non-impressive frequency boost, it should prove much faster than the QX6800 overall, thanks to the much-improved FSB frequency.
The first Extreme Quad-Core released late last year was the QX6700, clocking in at 2.66GHz. Because of this new launch, it is being re-released as the Q6700, meaning no unlocked multiplier. Its price will also be dropped, alongside the rest of the line-up.
Below is a table of just the new processors, with their prices in quantities of 1,000.
CPU Model
Clock Speed
FSB
L2 Cache
TDP
Cores
$1,000
Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850 3.0GHz 1333MHz 4MB x 2 130w 4 $999
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6700 2.66GHz 1066MHz 4MB x 2 130w 4 $530
Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 3.0GHz 1333MHz 4MB 65W 2 $266
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 2.66GHz 1333MHz 4MB 65W 2 $183
Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 2.33GHz 1333MHz 2MB 65W 2 $163
Also announced today is Intels first extreme mobile part, the X7800. Like the desktop counter-parts, this Extreme processor features an unlocked multiplier, so it's overclocking friendly. This dual-core CPU is clocked at 2.6GHz and features an 800MHz FSB and 4MB of L2 Cache. Like all other extreme offerings though, it doesn't come cheap, costing $851 to OEMs.
The 6x50 series will be available to consumers in two weeks time, through your favorite retailer or e-tailer. The X7800 mobile CPU is being sold to OEMs now, and should be available in various notebooks in the coming weeks.
With that, let's cover our testing methodology and then jump right into benchmarking.

Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Preview

2009-03-01T19:43:00.001-08:00

Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile Processor Review - T7600

2009-02-28T08:00:00.001-08:00

A month ago we showed you exclusive testing results (here) of the new Intel Core 2 Duo T7400 â€œMeromâ€� CPU . While those initial results showed good improvements in floating point operation, a quick test revealed that battery life (here) showed that our testing platform was still not ready for prime time as the T7400 should have battery performance by design.
The Core 2 Duo T7600 we are looking at today is a production sample (read: very likely the same quality and performance you will get at a retailer) clocked at 2.33 GHz, slightly faster than the 2.16 GHz on the T7400 sample we tested a month ago. And what a difference a month makes! Intel has made the improvements where it counts -- lower power consumption which translates into better battery life!
Intel has done it! While in our early look at the T7400 showed rather poor battery performance the T7600 we have tested today, which is heading into production, has made drastic improvements. We can now say without a doubt that Intel's latest mobile CPU has nailed the holy grail in mobile computing - it performs faster, consumes less power, and generates less heat. What else is there to say besides that?
Now with power and heat issues all sorted out, there's no reason why you shouldn't consider the Core 2 Duo in your next laptop. With price points as low as $209 for the T5500 up to the T7600 at $637, thereâ€™s a Core 2 Duo mobile CPU to suit all budgets and designs. It really looks like Intel has another hit CPU on their hands and with all the design innovations from laptop vendors, it's hard not to be a little excited when looking forward. It's definitely a good time to be looking into a notebook computer and Intel has given us many reasons to with their Core 2 Duo CPUs!
So in the end, we're giving this CPU an Editor's Choice Award. The latest Core 2 Duo mobile CPU is cooler, faster, and runs longer than the older Core Duo. Not only that, it has technology improvements under the hood like a larger level 2 cache (4MB) and 64-bit extensions to support 64-bit OSes like the upcoming Windows Vista. If you've had reservations before about getting a laptop, the Core 2 Duo should have you convinced. Intel's track record in this arena is strong, and their latest CPU just solidifies their lead.

Intel Core 2 Extreme quad-core processor

2009-02-28T07:59:00.001-08:00

When more is better-with four processing cores the Intel Core 2 Extreme processor delivers unrivaled¹ performance for the latest, greatest generation of multi-threaded games and multimedia apps.Now with a new version based on Intel's cutting edge 45nm technology utilizing hafnium-infused circuitry to deliver even greater performance and power efficiency. The Intel® Core™2 Extreme processor QX9770 running at 3.2 GHz delivers the best possible experience for today's most demanding users.
12 MB of total L2 cache
1600 MHz front side bus
Intel® Network Processors

Built on a high-performance fully programmable architecture, Intel network processors offer the speed, flexibility, and ease-of-use/reuse you need to accelerate time-to-market, extend time-in-market, and to enable a broad range of services from the customer premises to the core of the network. Network processors optimized for home, small-to-medium enterprise, and networked embedded applications. Flexible wire-speed processing for OC-3 to OC-12 multiservice network applications.
The Intel® IXC1100 control plane processor extends the benefits of Intel XScale® technology, including its rich set of development tools, to meet the processing needs of multi-service switches, VoIP media gateways, wireless infrastructure and other networking equipment.The information on this page is provided for the benefit of customers with existing designs.

Intel Core 2 (Conroe) Performance Review

2009-02-28T07:58:00.000-08:00

It has finally happened, Intel will be putting to rest the long standing Pentium branding for their next generation of desktop microprocessors in favor of a totally new line-up simply called Core. However, this isn't just a re-branding exercise for Intel. The Core processors mark Intel's first true major revamp of microprocessor technology since their launch of the NetBurst microarchitecture with the Willamette core Pentium 4 back in the year 2000 and before you know it, we're already at Core 2. Now we're getting ahead of ourselves. Considering the major gear shift at Intel to bring about this day, let's take a brief recap on the chain of events that have lead to the development of the new Core processors.

AMD's sharp rise in market share from their hugely successful Athlon XP, Athlon 64 and dual-core Athlon 64 X2 processors in the past two years has been a rude awakening for Intel. AMD was even making inroads into the server market with their Opteron products and went as bold as to openly challenge Intel's dual-core Xeon on both performance and power consumption fronts in 2005 - a challenge which Intel chose to ignore resulting in defacto bragging rights for AMD for a period of time.

Intel of course has not been sitting idle all this while and we've seen a huge effort in promoting their next generation microarchitecture over the past year, which was basically Intel telling the world 'Wait and see, we'll be back and then we will rock!'. Intel officially unveiled the revolutionary Core microarchitecture early this year at IDF Spring 2006 in San Francisco and wet our lips with a preview of the enhanced power saving features (if not the performance) with the launch of the Core Duo (codenamed Yonah) dual-core mobile processor.

Intel G35 Express Chipset Processors

2009-02-27T06:43:00.001-08:00

The Intel® G35 Express Chipset continues the Intel® chipset legacy and extends it to new levels with purpose-built capabilities designed specifically to address the key needs of the enthusiast home user.The Intel G35 Express Chipset continues the Intel chipset legacy and extends it to new levels with purpose-built capabilities designed specifically to address the key needs of the home user. With advancements in graphics, video, and system responsiveness, the Intel G35 Express Chipset allows your PC to be the center of home computing, communication, and entertainment.Desktop PC platforms based on the Intel G35 Express Chipset, combined with either the Intel Core 2 Duo or Intel Core 2 Quad processor, and with support for next-generation 45nm Intel® Core™2 processor family, deliver innovative capabilities and usages for digital home consumers and new levels of 3D and media performance while enabling lower power and quieter systems.

Intel Launches Quad-core Products for Servers

2009-02-27T06:40:00.000-08:00

To provide energy efficient performance, coupled with enhanced virtualization capabilities, Intel India has unveiled quad-core processors, which are specifically designed for Multi-Processor (MP) servers.
The 6 Quad-core Xeon 7300 series processors can deliver more performance per watt over the company's previous generation dual-core products. Commenting on the new launch, R. Ravindran, director (sales) of Intel South Asia said, "With the Xeon 7300 series, Intel is delivering new levels of performance and performance per watt, and driving the Intel Core microarchitecture into such innovative systems as 4 socket, 16 core blades that use less energy than our older models." For channel customers looking for complete platforms based on these new processors, Intel offers the Intel S7000FC4UR server platform. Many software vendors are also supporting Xeon 7300, which include BEA, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, and VMware. The 7300 series and Intel 7300 chipset offer up to four times the memory capacity of Intel's previous MP platforms. With the introduction of the Xeon 7300, users can pool their Intel Core microarchitecture based server resources, whether they are single-, dual- , or multi-processor based, into a server infrastructure that can improve usage models like failover, load balancing, disaster recovery, or server maintenance. More than 50 system manufacturers, including HCL, Wipro, Dell, Egenera, Fujitsu, Fujitsu-Siemens, Hitachi, HP, IBM, NEC, Sun, Supermicro, and Unisys, will announce the Xeon 7300 series processors. Depending on the speeds, features, and amount ordered the pricing of these new quad-core processors ranges from USD 856 to USD 2,301 in quantities of 1,000.

Multi-Core Processor Support

2009-02-27T06:24:00.001-08:00

Designed to take advantage of Intel® Core™ microarchitecture, Intel XML Software Suite provides thread-safe and efficient memory utilization, scalable stream-to-stream processing, large XML file processing capabilities, with continuous workload support.

Intel® XML Software Suite for C/C++

2009-02-27T06:21:00.000-08:00

Intel XML Software Suite provides a set of flexible and powerful C++ XML functions allowing the software suite seamless integration into C/C++ applications. Intel has developed an easy to use C++ API delivering all the required functionality to support existing XML applications or customize and create new XML applications.Intel XML Software Suite consists of two major parts for C/C++ environments: the C++ API and the underlying XML Core responsible for XML processing. These components interact by using the C++ interface provided in the product. Performance is gained by processing XML data in the library core. In addition the design uses an internal efficient document format for high-speed internal cross-function communication and to process large files. As a result, performance is enhanced for applications and environments demanding complex XML processing in C/C++ environments.

Intel® Core™ i7 Processor

2009-02-27T06:20:00.000-08:00

With faster, intelligent, multi-core technology that applies processing power where it's needed most, new Intel® Core™ i7 processors deliver an incredible breakthrough in PC performance. They are the best desktop processors on the planet.¹
You'll multitask applications faster and unleash incredible digital media creation. And you'll experience maximum performance for everything you do, thanks to the combination of Intel® Turbo Boost technology² and Intel® Hyper-Threading technology (Intel® HT technology)³, which maximizes performance to match your workload.

Intel® vPro™ Technology

2009-02-27T06:18:00.001-08:00

Notebook and desktop PCs with Intel® vPro™ technology enable IT to take advantage of hardware-assisted security and manageability capabilities that enhance their ability to maintain, manage, and protect their business PCs. And with the latest IT management consoles from Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) with native Intel vPro technology support, IT can now take advantage of enhanced features to manage notebooks over a wired or corporate wireless network- or even outside the corporate firewall through a wired LAN connection.
PCs with Intel vPro technology integrate robust hardware-based security and enhanced maintenance and management capabilities that work seamlessly with ISV consoles.¹ Because these capabilities are built into the hardware, Intel vPro technology provides IT with the industry's first solution for OS-absent manageability and down-the-wire security even when the PC is off, the OS is unresponsive, or software agents are disabled.²

Intel® Core™2 Processor with vPro™ Technology

2009-02-27T06:15:00.000-08:00

Designed from the ground up to empower IT while meeting the demanding needs of business, the Intel® Core™2 processor with vPro™ technology provides enhanced security, remote manageability, and industry–leading performance¹ so you can spend more time on strategic initiatives while reducing PC issues and downtime.²

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 - Quad-Core Power for Desktops

2009-02-27T04:02:00.000-08:00

Intel's Core 2 Duo processor family bearing the new Core microarchitecture broke new grounds when it was launched a scant four months ago, catapulting Intel back into the driver's seat of the microprocessor industry, a 'show hand' that arch-rival AMD has yet to deliver a response till date. Despite the rave journalistic buzz however, the Core 2 Duo is still a dual-core processor and dual-core processors themselves aren't anything new (Intel's Pentium D and AMD's Athlon 64 X2 have been around since early 2005), not to mention that three and a half months is hardly enough time for the Core 2 Duo to really penetrate the retail channels.

The news that have been most anticipated within tech circles however, has been the talk of Intel's upcoming quad-core part, codenamed Kentsfield. During the recent IDF Fall 2006, Intel confirmed the launch and we were even given the opportunity for a hands-on performance preview, which you can check out here . Today, Kentsfield becomes official. Quad-core processing has indeed arrived in the consumer space as Intel increases its leadership position even more.

The official name of the Kentsfield series will be Core 2 Quad in the mainstream segment and the Core 2 Extreme in the enthusiast segment. The first Kentsfield processor to be available at launch will start with the top-end 2.66GHz Core 2 Extreme QX6700 priced at US$999, which is the same as the 2.93GHz Core 2 Extreme X6800 during its launch. The QX6700 will be followed by the mainstream 2.4GHz Core 2 Quad Q6600, tentatively set to be released first quarter of 2007 and rumored to be priced around US$851. Whether the corresponding Core 2 Duo processors will receive price cuts remain to be seen as nothing has been announced yet.

This naming convention is based on the fact that the Kentsfield processors are in the same generation as the dual-core Conroe and Allendale - hence, 'Core 2' designates the processor series and the 'Duo' or 'Quad' suffix designating the number of cores. What may be initially confusing however is that both Conroe and Kentsfield enthusiast parts will be named Core 2 Extreme. For these processors, the CPU model numbers give away its pedigree. Those with a 'Q' prefix are quad-core models, eg. Core 2 Extreme QX6700

Intel Core 2 Duo 'Conroe' E6400, E6600, E6700, X6800

2009-02-27T03:51:00.001-08:00

Without a doubt, Core 2 Duo or "Conroe" as it is code-named has been one of the most anticipated product launches in the hardware community for quite some time. Everybody has been waiting to see if Intel can claim back the performance crown and push under the rug the disappointment that was the NetBurst architecture. The string of Pentium 4/NetBurst products that Intel released had so many faults that I won't embarrass Intel by listing them. Put simply, NetBurst never reached the potential Intel believed it was capable of. However, financially it did very well as Intel is incredibly good at marketing, while AMD seems happy to sit by as the underdog expecting PC enthusiasts to do all its advertising for it.
On a number of occasions I've had the opportunity to play with Pentium M on desktop motherboards and it has been the closest experience yet to re-creating my Mendocino Celeron A overclocking days. So naturally, I have been looking to Conroe with anticipation.
Conroe is nothing like any previous Pentium 4 products. In fact, it's based on the mobile Core Duo design which is in itself based on Pentium M, which is based on Pentium 3 architecture. So Intel has actually done a bit of a U-turn.
Compared to Pentium 4, Core Duo (not to be confused with Core 2 Duo) offers low power consumption, low waste heat and high performance per clock. This is almost an exact opposite to the Pentium 4 which used so much power that the ATX specification had to be modified to add more 12V rails, and produced so much heat that they often throttled and made reaching 4GHz almost impossible. Not only this, but clock for clock performance wasn't stellar – hence the need for higher clock speeds in the first place. The resultant disparity between AMDs and Intel's clock speed was one of the primary reasons for AMD introducing PR ratings (eg. 5000+) so that consumers didn't feel like they were getting a raw deal.
AMD's biggest selling point has been its on die memory controller. This has had a lot of knock on effects (such as almost identical performance from motherboard to motherboard), but the main effect is a huge reduction in memory latency as communication is no longer passed through the north bridge. This, in combination with HyperTransport reduced the bottleneck of the front side bus. Memory performance affects system performance significantly, so Intel processors were suffering in this area a lot.
Intel's solution to this is several minor improvements to the Core architecture in order to reduce this memory latency and increase overall system performance. Most of these optimisations are quite minor, but put together add up to more than the sum of their parts. Quite frankly, how Intel has improved their architecture so much is largely irrelevant - performance figures tell us all we need to know.
Possibly the biggest improvement is an added pipeline. Where as Core Duo can complete three instructions per cycle, Core 2 Duo can now complete four which an obvious increase in processing power and efficiency.
To help reduce bottlenecks, the front side bus has been increased to 1,066MHz from the 800Mhz that all but a few of the Extreme Edition processors used. This is at a base frequency of 266MHz, quad pumped.
If it wasn't completely obvious, the "Duo" portion of the name indicates that these are dual-core processors. Unlike previous Pentium D processors, these use a shared Level 2 cache (2MB or 4MB depending on the processor). This can be dynamically allocated depending on the task being run. For instance, if running an application that isn't multi-threaded (i.e. can't take advantage of a second core), then the primary core would get the full 4MB of Level 2 cache. Having more Level 2 cache means that fewer requests need to be made to the system memory – one of the biggest causes of latency

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 (Kentsfield Quad Core)

2009-02-27T03:46:00.001-08:00

Core 2 Duo has been one of the most important launches for Intel in quite some time, really taking back the Desktop market by storm. Yet, even when I was in Germany at a pre-launch briefing of Conroe/Core 2 Duo, Intel suggested that quad core wasn't far off either. In fact, the computer being used for the PowerPoint presentation, was in fact Kentsfield – Intel's code name for its quad core processor. Not particuarly good use of resources, but an excellent demonstration of the state of play.
November has come around, and true to Intel's word, quad-core is here. It seems like only yesterday we were marvelling at the first dual-core solutions, so to have a “quad-core” processor in front of me, seems almost surreal. However, in actuality, this isn't as much of a technological feat as you might think. Eighty cores, as demonstrated at IDF
Intel has basically taken two Core 2 Duo dies and just put them in to one package. I think Intel realises that this is cheating a little and that's why the product name is Core 2 Extreme QX6700, which apart from the subtle “Q”, doesn't mention quad anywhere in the name. This is an Extreme Edition processor, so is naturally expensive, initially priced at $999. This isn't far off the current price of an Core 2 Extreme X6800 (£643), so in comparison, it's pretty good value.
Technically speaking, the fact the cores are in the same package is irrelevant. In order for data to be communicated between the two dies, the data needs to go through the North Bridge, via the Front Side Bus. Essentially, it means the performance will be identical to having two separate processors in two separate sockets.
Intel's approach does have its benefits though. For one, by having all four cores in the same package, there is only one heatsink. Any boards that currently support Core 2 Duo, will support Kentsfield as well. In saying that, we had to update the BIOS on our Gigabyte 965P motherboard, in order to get it to boot. It also makes designing a decent motherboard a lot easier and means we can expect to see quad-core hitting the MicroATX platform

Intel Inside

Intel Centrino 2 Processor Technology For Mobile Computing

Intel Core2 Duo Processor For Notebooks

Intel Pentium Dual-Core Processor For Notebooks

Intel Celeron Processor For Notebooks

Intel Atom Processor For Mobile Internet Devices

Intel Atom Processor For netbooks

Intel Atom Processor For nettops

Internet: Meet Your New Processor

Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I

Intel® EP80579 Integrated Processors

Based on Intel® architecture, the Intel® EP80579 Integrated Processor product line is the first in a series of breakthrough system on-a-chip (SOC) processors, delivering excellent performance-per-watt for small form factor designs.

WiMAX connecting Latinos in Washington County

Intel's Social Media Story - just the beginning

Reality Check - Windows XP Mode and Intel's chips

Intel® Core™2 Duo Processors

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Dual Core Processor

Intel® Core™2 Extreme processor QX9770

* Google tests ActiveX alternative *

*Google launches Cross-Language Enterprise Search*

*Rambus' memory controller interface DDR3*

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0GHz - Wolfdale Arrives

Intel® Core™2 Duo Processors

Intel Core 2 Duo Knocks Down AMD Athlon 64

SLI support on Intel DX58SO Motherboards

Manufacturer Intel UK Price Reviews

ABOUT INTEL

INTEL MOTHER BOARDS HISTORY

Intel Xeon 5500: The IT Manager's ATM?

New Intel instructions + algorithms = https://everywhere

Intel© vPro™: O que o torna tão especial?

Intel Xeon

Intel Itanium

Intel Pentium 4 Processor

Installing the Microprocessor

Locking the Lever to Install the Microprocessor

Configuring the Microprocessor

Upgrading and Troubleshooting Microprocessors

Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Preview

Intel Core 2 Duo Knocks Down AMD Athlon 64

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Dual Core Processor

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0GHz - Wolfdale Arrives

Features and benefits

Intel® Desktop Board D5400XS

Intel® Core™2 Duo Mobile Processor

Intel Intros 45nm Core 2 Duo Processor

Intel Pentium Extreme Edition

Intel 5000P Chipset Processors

Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Preview

Intel Pentium 820 D 2.8GHz 90nm Dual Core

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600

Intel Brands 'Nehalem' Processors as Intel Core

Intel Xeon X3210 2.13GHz Quad-Core B3-Revision

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850 Quad-Core

Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Preview

Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile Processor Review - T7600

Intel Core 2 Extreme quad-core processor

Intel Core 2 (Conroe) Performance Review

Intel G35 Express Chipset Processors

Intel Launches Quad-core Products for Servers

Multi-Core Processor Support

Intel® XML Software Suite for C/C++

Intel® Core™ i7 Processor

Intel® vPro™ Technology

Intel® Core™2 Processor with vPro™ Technology

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 - Quad-Core Power for Desktops

Intel Core 2 Duo 'Conroe' E6400, E6600, E6700, X6800

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 (Kentsfield Quad Core)

Google launches Cross-Language Enterprise Search

Rambus' memory controller interface DDR3