ivy bridge

Intel 'Ivy Bridge' chip lineup outed--report

Intel's imminent Ivy Bridge processor lineup has been revealed in all of its model-number glory.

CPU World has posted the specifications and model numbers for all to see (see chart below).

Ivy Bridge, for the uninitiated, is Intel's next-generation processor technology that will feature improved graphics silicon, built-in support for USB 3.0, and Intel's 3D transistor technology, among others goodies.

Here's what CPU World says about the new chips due to be announced in the CES 2012 timeframe: "The third generation Core i7 processors will integrate 4 CPU cores, 8 MB L3 cache and … Read more

Intel: Ultrabooks have to be 'cool'

At an Intel Capital conference this week an Intel executive spelled out how and why the market will transition to ultrabooks over the next few years. In a word, ultrabooks need to be "cool."

Intel is driving the PC industry to ultrabooks with a $300 million ultrabook fund--principally for hardware development--and a second fund announced this week, the $100 million AppUpSM Fund, targeted at applications for future ultrabooks.

Erik Reid, the general manager of the Mobile Platforms Division at Intel's PC Client Group, detailed Intel's thinking in a session at the Intel conference this week in Huntington Beach, Calif.

The coolness factor: "Users want something that's cool," said Reid. Intel research shows that when people see an ultrabook they think that "it must be better engineered because it's thin. It's harder to make a thin device than a thick device. It's more forward-looking." … Read more

$800 ThinkPad Ultrabook to reportedly take on MacBook

Next year is shaping up to be the year that the Ultrabook takes on the MacBook Air in earnest, with a new report hinting at an $800 ThinkPad from Lenovo and even talk of a fall release of Windows 8.

Intel has been espousing Ultrabooks as the next wave in Windows-based laptop computing. An important part of the argument is price: Ultrabooks have to be considerably cheaper than the popular MacBook Air in order to get consumers interested. (Note to picky Ultrabook reviewers: PC makers are going have to cut some corners to get the price down.)

Well, Lenovo appears … Read more

Ultrabooks to see fast growth, says analyst

Ultrabooks will capture more than 40 percent of the laptop market by 2015, becoming, in effect, a counterweight to tablets like Apple's iPad, according to market researcher IHS-iSuppli.

In a research note titled "Ultrabooks to Deliver Ultrafast Growth," iSuppli sees these svelte Windows laptops that run on Intel processors taking 43 percent of the laptop market by 2015.

Currently, Windows 7-based ultrabooks from vendors such as Acer and Asus compete with Apple's MacBook Air. But new designs based on Windows 8 and future Intel processors in the coming years are expected to make them attractive alternatives … Read more

Apple prepping Air-like 15-inch MacBook, report says

Apple is readying a MacBook that would extend the ultrathin Air design beyond the 13-inch market segment, according to reports.

Japanese-language site Macotakara says a new 15-inch model has entered the test phase.

It's not clear at this point whether this will be an addition to the MacBook Air series--currently offered in 11- and 13-inch sizes--or a new MacBook Pro.

One tech site claimed back in July that a 15-inch model would be part of the MacBook Pro line. Macrumors, which also supports the MacBook Pro theory, had originally reported about an ultrathin MacBook back in July. … Read more

Intel revenue tops $14 billion for first time

Intel's revenue in the third quarter jumped 28 percent year over year, while profits also shot up over the previous year.

The world's largest chipmaker reported revenue of $14.2 billion on a GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) basis, on GAAP earnings of 65 cents per share. Adjusted income was 69 cents per share. This compares to $11.1 billion in revenue in the year-earlier period, or 52 cents a share.

Intel was expected to report earnings of 61 cents a share, on revenue of $13.9 billion, according to an analysts' consensus.

The chipmaker surpassed $14 billion … Read more

Apple's Jobs still shapes PC laptop future

Steve Jobs' imprint on PC laptop design in 2012 and beyond will be large. But we have to step back a few years to see the arc of that influence.

In January 2008 Apple introduced the MacBook Air. That groundbreaking design bore most of the hallmarks of PC laptops that are expected to flood the market in 2012.

Let's look at what Jobs said at that time (see video below).

Highlights of Jobs' MacBook Air presentation in January 2008:

"Instant-on the minute you open it up" "Generous trackpad" Multitouch gesture support Solid-state drive Under 0.… Read more

Intel next-gen chip to support key Apple tech

Intel's next-generation processor is expected to add support for a key OS X technology that accelerates gaming and financial applications. That potentially means a more powerful MacBook Air in the future.

Listed as a "core" OS X technology, OpenCL "dramatically accelerates" applications by tapping into the special processing power of the graphics processing unit (GPU), according to Apple. It taps into what an Apple developer page states as the "the amazing parallel computing power of the GPU."

GPU-centric acceleration can be used for financial modeling, accounting applications, analysis on large media files, games, and media applications. In general, the GPU is much better than the CPU (central processing unit) at certain types of computations--thus the necessity of GPUs in games. … Read more

Intel's Ivy Bridge chip packs understated goodies

Intel's upcoming Ivy Bridge processor will pack two key--some might say essential--technologies that will make it the platform of choice for Ultrabooks. Hint: one of them is not Thunderbolt--the widely publicized connection technology that is now part of the entire Apple MacBook lineup.

For the uninitiated, Ivy Bridge is Intel's next-gen processor that is being manufactured now and is due to land in laptops by the first quarter of next year. It will have more powerful graphics silicon than the current Sandy Bridge chip and offer improved power saving features to boost battery life.

But those marquee features … Read more