Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Dell to introduce its Intel Ultrabooks at 2012 CES. Will they include Ivy Bridge processors?

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The jury is still definitely out on how well Intel’s new Ultrabook platform will do in the market, especially initially as prices remain on the high side. But the company keeps adding vendors to the Ultrabook fold, with Dell apparently ready to finally join the party.

According to DigiTimes, Dell will launch its Ultrabooks at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show. The svelte laptops will then go on sale in the first quarter of next year, joining models from Acer, Asus, HP, and Lenovo. Our sister site CNET is reporting a similar rumor, and even speculates that Dell could be choosing the timing of its announcement to coincide with Intel’s introduction of its Ivy Bridge chips at CES.

Despite claims that it hasn’t helped lower prices on Ultrabooks sufficiently, Intel has been ponying up big marketing dollars to its partners to support the new laptops. Presumably Dell will be the latest to step up to that trough.

Sean Portnoy is a freelance technology journalist.


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IDF 2011: Intel makes the case for more cores

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Summary: On the final day of the Intel Developer Forum, CTO Justin Rattner made the case for more powerful PCs and servers with tens or even hundreds of processing cores.

On the final day of the Intel Developer Forum this week, CTO Justin Rattner made the case for more powerful computers, or more specifically for many more cores. During his keynote Intel demonstrated a range of interesting applications-both consumer and business-that harness the power of multi-core and many-core PCs and servers. And he sought to debunk the widespread belief that you need to be “some kind of freak to actually program these things.”

(You can view Webcasts of the IDF keynotes here.)

Five years ago at IDF, Rattner introduced the Core microarchitecture and the shift to using more cores running at lower speeds, rather than one or two very fast cores, to improve performance and power-efficiency. At the time, he said, no one could have imagined that a few years later we’d be talking about processors with tens or even hundreds of cores. This includes not only CPU core (what Intel refers to as IA cores) but other specialized cores such as graphics processing units (GPUs) and accelerators-a concept known as heterogeneous computing.

Intel’s main product in this emerging segment is the Knights family of processors based on the company’s Many Integrated Cores (MIC) architecture. Some customers are already testing Knights Ferry, a development chip, and reporting that can port existing multi-core applications to the MIC architecture and realize good speed-ups, according to Rattner. Based on these results, Intel will “soon” launch Knights Corner, a processor with more than 50 cores manufactured using the company’s most advanced 22nm process. As part of a separate Tera-scale Computing Research Program, Intel Labs recently announced a prototype Single-Chip Cloud Computer (SCC) with 48 cores designed for scale-out cloud applications. Finally Intel has been busy creating better tools to address the challenge of programming these many-core processors, he said.

Rattner showed results of a series of application tests on systems ranging from one to 64 cores. The tests were not limited to traditional High-Performance Computing (HPC) applications-which often lend themselves to systems with many cores and threads-but also included business and consumer applications such as home video editing. The results looked very good (though the devil is always in the details with benchmarks), in some cases showing speed-ups that were close to linear. In other words, doubling the cores nearly doubles performance. “This has given us a lot of confidence that people are going to be able to put this architecture to work,” Rattner said.

Andrzej Nowak from the CERN openlab, a collaboration with companies such as Intel to develop computer technology for the Large Hadron Collider, talked about the group’s many-core efforts. The massive collider generates 40 million particle collisions per minute producing 15 to 25 petabytes of data per year (a petabyte is equal to 1,000 terabytes). To analyze all of this data, the openlab uses software that consists of millions of lines of code and 250,000 Intel cores distributed across hundreds of data centers. Nowak said the fact the same programming tools from Xeon server processors also work on the MIC architecture makes it easier to port this software. Because the workload is “heavily-vectorized and highly-threaded,” it scales almost linearly with the number of cores and threads. “We will take any amount of cores you can throw at us,” Nowak said.

To prove that many-core can work on both the server and clients, Rattner highlighted a series of real-world applications. Noting that many Web applications were really a collection of databases accessed by many users concurrently, Rattner said traditional servers were not designed for these sorts of workloads. He demonstrated how a different type of server, with a 48-core processor and in-memory database, could address this problem by handling about 800,000 transactions per second. Similarly, on the client side, Brendan Eich, the CTO of Mozilla and inventor of JavaScript, said that when he created the scripting language “in 10 days in May 1995? it was not designed for parallel applications. Intel Labs announced Parallel Extensions for JavaScript, code-named River Trail, which leverages multi-core and many-core to speed-up JavaScript applications. In the demo, a 3D Nbody Simulation in Firefox ran at 3 frames per second on a single processor and at 45 frames per second using all of the cores. Intel said these extensions will enable a new class of browser-based apps in areas such as photo and video editing, physics simulation, and 3D gaming.

One of the more intriguing demos was an LTE wireless base station, developed as part of a project with China Mobile, which uses standard PC parts including a second-generation Core i7 processor. Rattner said Intel will be doing field trials with China Mobile and other partners next year, adding that that it will try a similar approach with routers and switches. Communications and networking gear generally uses programmable logic devices or specialized ASICs, but Intel believes that it can match the performance with off-the-shelf multi-core CPUs. In the final demo, Intel showed how a PC can use facial recognition to decrypt and display only the correct images from a photo album on the fly. This demonstration used both the IA cores and on-die graphics in Sandy Bridge.

“I hope at this point there is no question in your mind that the time is now– if you haven’t already started–to build multi-core or many-core applications and you don’t need to be a ninja programmer to do it,” Rattner said.

If this isn’t ambitious enough, Intel has an even bigger goal in mind: an exascale computer by 2018. An exaflop is one quintillian (10^18) floating-point operations per second. To put that in perspective, Nvidia’s Tesla C2070 GPU is capable of 515 gigaflops, or billions of operations per second. The world’s fastest supercomputer the K Computer at the RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science in Kobe, Japan, is capable of 8 petaflops, or 8 quadrillion (10^15) floating-point operations per second.

The real challenge here, though, is power. Today’s petascale supercomputers already use seven to 10 megawatts, so simply scaling them up isn’t an option. An exascale computer would require several nuclear power stations to supply its six gigawatts of power. The practical limit for a datacenter is around 20 megawatts, which means we will need a 300x reduction in total system power to build an exascale computer. Intel’s Shekhar Borkar is leading the company’s effort to develop a prototype system by 2018 as part of the DARPA-funded Ubiquitous High Performance Computing project. Three other organizations, Nvidia, MIT and Sandia National Laboratory, are also developing prototype “ExtremeScale” supercomputers.

One way to reduce system power is to make the CPU more efficient. To illustrate this, Rattner demonstrated an experimental Pentium-class chip, code-named Claremont, which is capable of operating close to the threshold voltage of the transistors-the power required to switch a transistor on and off. CEO Paul Otellini had already given a quick preview of this chip running Windows earlier this week, but Rattner showed it running Linux and offered more details. Because Claremont operates within a couple hundred milliwatts of the threshold voltage, it sips power and can be run entirely from a solar cell about the size of a postage stamp. Intel got a 5x reduction in power using the older Pentium core, but it could achieve an 8x reduction using a newer core, Borkar said. Intel also showed Claremont’s “wide dynamic range,” meaning its ability to boost the frequency up to ten times to handle more intensive tasks, by running a Quake demo.

Rattner also talked about the Hybrid Memory Cube, a concept developed by Micron that consists of a stack of DRAM chips in a compact cube with an efficient, high-performance controller and interface. Intel said the HMC is capable of nearly 1Tbps of throughput yet it uses seven times less power than today’s DDR3 DRAM. Stacked memory is difficult to manufacture, and therefore still relatively expensive, but the HMC seems like a promising concept for networking equipment and servers.

We’re at a significant point in time where technology is no longer the limiting factor,” Rattner concluded.

John Morris is a former executive editor at CNET Networks and senior editor at PC Magazine.


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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

New AMD Bulldozer release date rumored to be October 12

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The latest rumors surrounding the release date of AMD’s Bulldozer, or FX series, or Zambezi, desktop processors have them coming sooner than later (for a change). After being bumped from September to October, they now apparently will debut on October 12.

Better still, the price keeps dropping on them. The top Bulldozer, the eight-core FX-8150, should cost around $245, while another eight-core, the FX-8120, will be priced at just $205. The six-core FX-6100 will run $175.

At that price, the FX-8150 should seriously undercut the price of the Intel Core i7-2600K (currently around $315), unless Intel decides to drop its price. Considering that it is rumored to be readying the i7-2700K for release soon to counter the Bulldozer launch, Intel may very well be planning to make the i7-2600K more affordable.

[Via Fudzilla]

Sean Portnoy is a freelance technology journalist.


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Dell delivers Inspiron One 2320 all-in-one desktop PC

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Summary: Days after Samsung released its first all-in-one PC, Dell has countered with yet another one for its Inspiron lineup. The Inspiron One 2320 uses Intel Core i5 and i7 processors — unlike the AMD-based Inspiron One 2305 — built into a 23-inch 1,920×1080-resolution display. Other base specs include 6GB of RAM, 1TB hard drive, DVD burner, [...]

Days after Samsung released its first all-in-one PC, Dell has countered with yet another one for its Inspiron lineup. The Inspiron One 2320 uses Intel Core i5 and i7 processors — unlike the AMD-based Inspiron One 2305 — built into a 23-inch 1,920×1080-resolution display.

Other base specs include 6GB of RAM, 1TB hard drive, DVD burner, built-in Wi-Fi, HD Webcam, and even an HDMI input to connect home theater devices to the display. As is de rigueur with many all-in-ones these days, the Inspiron One 2320 features touchscreen capabilities, a wireless keyboard, and the ability to wall-mount the display.

The $949.99 model comes with a Core i5-2400 processor and integrated graphics, while a $1,249.99 version bumps the memory to 8GB, the hard drive capacity to 2TB, and graphics to a Nvidia GeForce GT 525M discrete card. Upgrading to a faster Core i7 is promised in the company’s press release, but does not yet seem available on the Dell Website.

Sean Portnoy is a freelance technology journalist.


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Monday, December 19, 2011

Intel preparing Sandy Bridge-E processors for November 15 release?

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HP doubles down on business tablets with $699 Windows-powered Slate 2

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Summary: Like Dell, HP is hoping that is can compete better with the iPad in a corporate setting, rather than on consumer store shelves. It’s just announced an updated version of its Slate business tablet that runs Windows 7 and features a slew of improvements. Dubbed the Slate 2, it comes with an Intel Atom Z670 processor [...]

Like Dell, HP is hoping that is can compete better with the iPad in a corporate setting, rather than on consumer store shelves. It’s just announced an updated version of its Slate business tablet that runs Windows 7 and features a slew of improvements.

Dubbed the Slate 2, it comes with an Intel Atom Z670 processor and promises an improved six hours of battery life. It now includes Swype’s finger-swiping software to input text on the 8.9-inch touch screen. (You can also use the optional Slate Digital Pen for stylus input.) The Slate 2 also has a front-facing Webcam, rear-facing 3-megapixel camera, a pair of USB ports, an HDMI output, and an SD memory card slot.

Enterprise-friendly features include an embedded security chip with HP ProtectTools to manage its settings, Computrace Pro support to remotely erase data in case of theft, and optional accessories like the Point of Sale Case, which includes a barcode reader and magnetic stripe reader.

At $699, the Slate 2 is priced lower than Dell’s similar $859 Latitude ST, though the Latitude comes with a bigger 10.1-inch screen. Of course, these are both pricier than the cheapest iPad 2 (even a 3G model), but Dell and HP are clearly betting that corporations (and their IT departments) will feel more comfortable using Windows slates than Apple tablets.

Sean Portnoy is a freelance technology journalist.


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Sunday, December 18, 2011

IDF Preview: Ivy Bridge, Ultrabooks and tablets, Windows 8 and more

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Summary: Next week is shaping up to be a blockbuster with the Intel Developer Forum and Microsoft’s Build conference, plus DEMO and TechCrunch’s Disrupt. I’ll be at IDF in San Francisco where Intel will be talking Ivy Bridge, Ultrabooks and tablets, Windows 8 and more.

Next week is shaping up to be a busy one in the tech world. Intel will be holding its annual developer conference in San Francisco. Meanwhile, several hundred miles down the road in Anaheim, Microsoft will be holding its Build conference where it will disclose more details on Windows 8. To top it off, software companies will be making their pitches at DEMO and TechCrunch’s Disrupt SF, both in the Bay Area.

I’ll be at the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) where, as usual, CEO Paul Otellini will provide the big picture, Mooly Eden will give his pitch for reinventing the PC and CTO Justin Rattner will look into his crystal ball for the future of computing in keynotes. But there will also be more than 150 talks on topics ranging from Intel’s upcoming microarchitecture, code-named Ivy Bridge, to Ultrabooks to tablets to Windows 8.

At the top of the list is Ivy Bridge, Intel’s next microarchitecture and the industry’s first processors manufactured using a 22nm process. Back in May Intel revealed that Ivy Bridge will use a new 3D tri-gate transistor structure and demonstrated working chips. The new design allows Intel to cram more transistors onto a chip, continuing Moore’s Law, while increasing transistor performance and reducing power. Ivy Bridge processors are already in production in Intel’s development fabs in Oregon and will be available in laptops, desktops and servers next year.

With Ivy Bridge right around the corner, I’m hoping to hear more about it next week and there are several sessions devoted to the new microarchitecture. Intel Fellow Mark Bohr will give an overview of the 22nm tri-gate technology while Intel engineers will talk about how the technology will be used “to deliver new levels of processor performance, power conservation and architectural feature extensions.” Other talks will focus on specific features such as HD videoconferencing using Intel’s Quick Sync video encoding and Media SDK 3.0 and cryptography using the new processor-based random number generator, code-named Bull Mountain.

Chips that use less power will be the key to Intel’s efforts to reinvent the PC for a world in which users are spending more time with tablets and smartphones. Earlier this year Intel introduced the Ultrabook concept, and at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin last week, Acer, Asus, Lenovo and Toshiba all announced their opening salvos in this category. These laptops have 11- to 13-inch displays, are very thin and lightweight, and use low-voltage second-generation Core processors (Sandy Bridge) and solid-state drives (SSDs). They should also cost less than $1,000, though some of the first ones may cost a bit more.

Intel has previously said that Ultrabooks could account for 40 percent of all laptops sold to consumers next year, and it has put a lot of time and money behind making them happen, so it’s no surprise they will be a big theme next week with numerous sessions on topics such as the different designs and enhanced power management to extend battery life. Intel and LG Display will also hold a joint talk on next-generation displays for Ultrabooks that have Embedded DisplayPort (eDP) and Panel Self-Refresh technologies to save power. I also expect to hear a lot more about how Ultrabooks will evolve to be more like tablets with instant-on, longer battery life, multi-touch displays and Windows 8. This week Intel CFO Stacy Smith told analysts at an investor conference that future generations of Ultrabooks would be more like convertible tablets.

Of course Intel also wants to compete head-to-head with the many companies designing chips using the ARM architecture for tablets and smartphones. Many people will want to hear whether Intel is making progress with its Atom SOCs. Intel will have several sessions on tablets including talks on designing Android tablets based on the Medfield SOC processor, and developing new apps and porting existing Android apps for the x86 architecture. Intel engineers will also give an update on the Atom roadmap including the next-generation 32nm Atom platform code-named Cedar Trail-M. Intel has a long way to go in tablets, but Atom is used in many other places and there will be sessions on using the low-power platform in netbooks, classmate PCs, desktops, servers (in a joint talk with Dell and Sea Micro) and embedded applications. It’s worth noting that the word “smartphone” barely appears in the agenda, and is only mentioned in passing, though there are a couple of sessions on Intel’s MeeGo operating system.

Finally I’m looking forward to hearing more about Windows 8. Lately Microsoft has started posting a lot more details on features of Windows 8 and next week’s Build conference will no doubt generate a lot of headlines too. At IDF, Intel engineers and Microsoft program managers are promising a “glimpse” into Windows 8 and what the two companies doing to enable a new computing experience. One of the big changes in Windows 8 is that it will run not only on x86 processors from Intel and AMD, but also on ARM-based chips from Nvidia, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments. Rumors are swirling that Samsung will demonstrate a tablet running Nvidia’s Kal-El quad-core processor and Windows 8 at Build. So I’ll be interested to see how Intel positions x86 platforms against this coming wave of new Windows 8 devices. I’m also hoping to get a better idea of how the Metro-style user interface will co-exist with the conventional Windows interface on laptops and tablets.

In short, it should be a very interesting week. I’ll be covering all of it here so check back for lots more from IDF.

John Morris is a former executive editor at CNET Networks and senior editor at PC Magazine.


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