AMD announces ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4000 series graphics chips

NVIDIA has already given its laptop graphics offerings a bit of a boost at CES, and now AMD has followed suit, with it taking the wraps off its new ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4000 series chips. As you may have guessed, these are based on the same core architecture as AMD's 4000 series of desktop graphics cards, and they promise to be as much as twice as fast as their 3000 series predecessors. Helping out significantly on that front is the use of GDDR5 memory, a first for laptop graphics, as well as an increase in the number of stream processing units (800 on the top end HD 4870 and 4850), and a new, cooler 55nm manufacturing process. In addition to those top end graphics options, AMD will also introduce a couple of new 4600 series cards, which use the same GDDR3 memory and 320 stream processing units as before, but are able to fit in tighter enclosures and use less power. Look for the first laptops equipped with the graphics to start rolling out by the end of March.

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Dell Mini 9 gets built-in AT&T 3G option

It's never been much of a secret that the Dell Mini 9 has been 3G-ready from day one, and Vodafone customers have been able to get a 3G-equipped model direct from the carrier for a little while now, but it looks like folks in the US can now finally get in on the mobile broadband action as well, with a built-in 3G option now configurable on Dell's site. Unfortunately, anyone that already took the plunge on a Mini 9 is out of luck, as the $125 upgrade is only available new orders (and only available on Windows XP-equipped models). If that doesn't preclude you, however, you can also expect to get a $120 rebate if you're willing to sign a two-year contract for AT&T's DataConnect service, although it looks like you'll also have to put up with a delay in your ship date at the moment.
[Via: Mobility Site ] [Tag: 3g, att, dell, dell mini 9, DellMini9, mini 9, Mini9 ]

AMD announces Conesus netbook platform, ATI Stream brand, Fusion processor delay

We already got word of AMD's new 45nm Shanghai Opterons this morning, but it looks like that was only just the beginning of a deluge of news out of the slightly troubled company today, which includes the expected announcement of its netbook platform, the introduction of its new ATI Stream brand, and word of a delay to its much-vaunted Fusion platform. On the netbook front, AMD is hoping that its "Conesus" processor will prove to be a formidable competitor to Intel's Atom, with it apparently existing only in a 45nm, dual-core version that includes 1MB of cache and support for DDR2 RAM. Look for it to roll out in the first half of 2009. Coming ahead of that is AMD's new ATI Stream brand, which encompasses a number of the company's different stream and GPU computing initiatives and attempts to make them more attractive to both consumer and enterprise markets. To that end, AMD will be adding Stream support to its next Catalyst update (due in December), which will apparently let folks easily run stream applications that make use of your graphics card's GPU for some added computing power. It's not all high-fives around AMD, however, as the company has also let out word that its Fusion platform based around the dual CPU / GPU "Shrike" processor will be delayed until sometime in 2011, a full year later than originally planned. As if that wasn't enough, it's also shaken up the rest of its processor roadmap a bit, although it's entirely possible that it'll fluctuate a bit further before things really settle down. Hit up the links below to break all that down piece by piece.
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: amd, ati, ati stream, AtiStream, breaking news, BreakingNews, conesus, fusion, netbook, shrike ]

Rambus takes aim at NVIDIA over alleged patent infringement, again

While there still doesn't seem to have been any developments in the lawsuit Rambus filed against NVIDIA earlier this year, that doesn't seem to be stopping the company from opening up another front against its would-be arch rival, and it's now taken its case to the International Trade Commission. As before, Rambus is alleging that NVIDIA and its partner companies are infringing on a whole slew of its memory-related patents, and it's asking for a ban on all imports and sales of NVIDIA products that include DDR, DDR2, DDR3, LPDDR, GDDR, GDDR2, and GDDR3 memory controllers -- or anything with an NVIDIA logo on it, basically. For its part, NVIDIA doesn't seem to be commenting on the matter just yet, but Rambus said in a statement that it believes the action was "necessary given NVIDIA's continued willful infringement of our patents." Look for the ITC to make a decision on whether to start an investigation into the matter or not within the next 30 days, and you can keep tabs on any future Rambus litigation on the Litigation Update section of its website which, yes, actually exists.
[Via: The Inquirer ] [Tag: ITC, litigation, nvidia, patent, patent infringement, PatentInfringement, rambus ]

ARM Cortex-based netbooks said to be coming soon

ARM's Cortex processor was apparently good enough for the folks behind the Pandora project and it looks like we could soon be seeing some netbooks based on the CPU as well. That word comes straight from ARM's UK director of mobile solutions Rob Coombs, who said that both the Cortex-A8 (used in the Pandora) and the forthcoming Cortex-A9 would find their way into netbooks in addition to the expected smartphones, and that we should "expect announcements in the next few months." Of course, he didn't go so far as to name any specific companies we should expect announcements from, but he did helpfully run off a list of A8 and A9 licensees, which includes Samsung, Panasonic, NEC, and Toshiba, to name a few. As Crave points out, one potential drawback to netbook's using the processor is that there's no ARM-compatible version of Windows XP, but the architecture is supported by Windows CE and a number of Linux distributions, and there is the small matter of that other little device that's based on an ARM processor...
[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: ]

EFiX OS X-installing USB device now available?

Well, today's the day that the EFiX folks promised their magical OS X-installing USB device would be available to the general PC-going public and, judging from the company's website at least, it seems like it's no more readily available than it was yesterday. The company has at least put up a product page for the desktop version of the device (pictured at right), however, as well as some non-working links for promised laptop and PCI versions of the device -- not to mention an intriguing (also non-working) link for "complete systems." They've also helpfully provided a list of compatible hardware, which looks to be extensive enough (assuming it all is, in fact, compatible). Feel free to post in comments if you've actually managed to get an order in one way or another, and we'll be sure to let you know if we hear anything more.
[Thanks, Scientist]

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: efix, os x, OsX, osx86 ]

Apple files patent for "solar cells on portable devices"

While we wait, and wait... and wait for manufactures to perfect long-lasting fuel cells, Apple and others are pursuing at least one other approach: solar augmentation. In a patent application dated April 24, 2008 and titled "Solar cells on portable devices" attributed to a number of Apple employees, Apple reveals possible plans to integrate solar cells into devices such as iPods and MacBooks. The application describes a scenario where, "Solar cells are typically stacked with other layers made of transparent or semi-transparent materials... Some of these layers may be used for display or input purposes, and some layers may be coated with various materials or they may be etched with product logos or other patterns." In other words, Apple is looking to cover the entire device, including the transparent display, with a layer of solar cells -- the latter approach already patented by Motorola. While the efficiency of solar cells and existing manufacturing techniques call into question the immediate viability of such an approach, it's intriguing nonetheless as a means to offset any lost battery life on the move to say, 3G.

[Via: MacRumors ]
[Tag: apple,lcd,patent,solar ]

Lenovo has some funny-ha-ha times at MacBook Air's expense

Funny concept, Lenovo -- manila envelope stuffing was just ripe for a demonstration of what all you typical MacBook Air user is going to need on hand -- but we've gotta dock a few points for the shortage of Yael Naïm in this X300 mockumercial. Let it be known that we take our fake commercials based on real commercials based on sexy product war very, very seriously around these parts. Video is after the break.

[Thanks, Lee M]



[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: apple, commercial, lenovo, macbook air, MacbookAir, thinkpad x300, ThinkpadX300, x300 ]

Lenovo's IdeaPad U110 showcased on video, available in US on April 29

We already knew Lenovo's 11-inch darling was shipping to eager US-based consumers "soon," but now we've got a definitive date for you to circle on that jam-packed calendar: April 29th. The IdeaPad U110 will indeed be available for order on Tuesday, and it'll be starting a full Benjamin less than we previously heard (down to $1,899, to be exact) directly from Lenovo. We're still waiting on the full list of specifications as well as the slate of retailers that will likely be selling it, but if you're anxious for more right this very moment, you can check out a promotional video of the unit in black and red right after the break.



[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: Ideapad, Ideapad U110, IdeapadU110, Lenovo, pics, picture, pictures, ship date, ShipDate, U110, ultraportable, video ]