mids

Intel versus ARM for the mobile computer

The ongoing tussle between Intel and AMD has dominated the news in recent weeks, but there's another potential battleground shaping up for Intel that could have a huge impact on personal computing.

A major topic I want to cover over the next several months is the looming showdown as the smart phone industry tries to develop more powerful computers, and the PC industry tries to build smaller and smaller computers. This week has provided a decent glimpse of Intel's vision of where it thinks the industry needs to go with its Silverthorne processor, designed for a new concept … Read more

Intel has new ideas for mobile computing

SAN FRANCISCO--Intel's a big company, with lots of money and smart people. It will need both to take over two separate industries.

The company's official search for the next big thing is settling quite definitively on mobile computers. But this is actually two big things: not only does Intel want to create an entire new category of handheld computers called Mobile Internet Devices, it wants to set up a whole new network to service those devices.

Intel executives Dadi Perlmutter and Anand Chandrasekher laid out the company's mobile strategy Wednesday here at the Intel Developer Forum during … Read more

Intel's Otellini has company focused on low power

With the next two generations of Intel's chips set in place, the company is looking forward to a low-power future.

So said Intel CEO Paul Otellini in his keynote address kicking off the Intel Developer Forum at San Francisco's Moscone Center on Tuesday. Intel will launch the server and high-end desktop versions of its Penryn generation of chips on November 12, in line with previous reports to expect those chips before the Thanksgiving holiday. And Intel has also completed the design for Nehalem, a more radical overhaul of the company's chip blueprints.

The more interesting news was … Read more

And now, the car guitar

OK, we're officially depressed. First, we hear about the air guitar T-shirt. Bad enough. Then came the USB electric guitar. But a guitar that plays through your car stereo?

As Red Ferret reports, owners of new Volkswagen Golfs, Beetles, Rabbits and Jettas will get a complimentary guitar with their purchase. Why? Here's an explanation from First Act GarageMaster, which makes the guitars: "Owners of new VW models can transform their cars into mobile amps, with a newfound freedom to rock in the driveway, play at outdoor parties, or shred in the beach parking lot. New rockers will … Read more

Self-illuminating hair gel

Ah, to be young again. Being forced to grow up, we missed the whole rave thing. Flash mobs too. But now we're ready to play catch-up big time, with this self-illuminating hair gel. Just mix the gel, apply as directed, and you're good to go for up to 8 hours (which, at our age, is way more time than needed.) You can even enhance your Halloween accoutrements with it. Now we just have to figure out how to get it past airport security.

(Photo: House of Rave)