Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Intel's Atom S1200 lays claim to title of world's first 6-watt server-class processor

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/11/intel-atom-s1200-server-data-centers/

Intel's Atom S1200 lays claim to title of world's first 6watt serverclass processor

We often hear talk about the most powerful servers and supercomputers, but the most power-efficient are just as important. On that latter front, Intel has today announced what it claims is the world's first 6-watt server-class processor, the Atom S1200. That's a 64-bit system-on-a-chip designed for use in data centers, and it comes in three variants ranging from 1.6GHz to 2.0GHz, each of which support up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, eight lanes of PCI Express 2.0, and all the basic features an x86-based data center requires. Not surprisingly, going the Atom route also entails a relatively low up-front cost, with the processors starting at just $54 in quantities of 1,000. And Intel is naturally promising even bigger advances in energy efficieny for the future, including a "leap further ahead" in 2014 when it moves to 14nm manufacturing for low-power Xeon processors, and Atoms after that.

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Source: Intel

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Mozilla launches Firefox OS Simulator 1.0 into the wild, alongside per-window private browsing for nightlies

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/11/mozilla-firefox-os-simulator-download-private-browsing/

Mozilla launches Firefox OS Simulator 10 into the wild let the testing begin

We knew it was en route, and now developers anxious to try out potential apps for Firefox OS can finally get to cracking without the need to source any additional hardware. The 1.0 build of the Firefox OS Simulator enables devs to test their programs for the outfit's new mobile OS without having to find a compatible phone. Mozilla's calling this a "preview" for now -- given that Firefox OS itself is still in development -- but it's still an exciting launch for those who've been waiting patiently to get their code dirty. Moreover, the company is bringing per-window private browsing to Firefox, though it's being reserved for the experimental Nightly versions of Firefox until it's stable enough to hit the release channels. Head on over to the source links for more, or pop past the break for a video demonstration.

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Via: TechCrunch

Source: Mozilla (1), (2)

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Allwinner throws A20 dual-core and A31-quad-core processors into ARM fray

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/11/Allwinner-A20-A31-ARM-cortex-a7-processors/

Allwinner throws A20 dualcore and A31quadcore processors into ARM fray

Whimsically monikered Chinese chip-maker Allwinner has added a pair of ARM Cortex-A7 processors to its lineup supporting Android 4.2 or higher systems. The A20 is a dual-core design with 512KB L2 cache, dual-core Mali 400 graphics and 2160p HD video playback support, while the quad-core A31 packs a 1MB cache, PowerVR SGX 544 graphics and UHDTV (4k) video decoding talents. The A20 is pin compatible with its Linux-hobbyist favorite sibling, the A10 -- meaning devices such as the MK802 mini-PC using that chip could likely be upgraded by manufacturers on the cheap. However, the more powerful A31 seems destined for higher-end Android or Windows RT devices only, considering its beefier PowerVR graphics. On top of the extra zip, licensor Imagination Technologies keeps its source code cards close to the chest -- likely ruling out Linux for that chip.

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Via: TG Daily

Source: Allwinner (translated)

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Toshiba goes perpendicular to solve MRAM's power issues, rethink cache memory

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/10/toshiba-goes-perpendicular-to-solve-mram-power-issues/

Toshiba goes perpendicular to solve MRAM's power issues, rethink mobile memory

As much of a breakthrough as magnetoresistive RAM might be for its ability to retain data while powered off, its susceptibility to leak currents while turned on has made it impractical as a replacement for cache-oriented memory like SRAM. Toshiba's new approach could almost literally turn the situation on its head. By magnetizing spin torque MRAM (ST-MRAM) in a direction perpendicular to the magnetic layer, Toshiba cuts off the avenues for leaks without sacrificing speed. The switch away from in-plane magnetization is an upside for the memory as a whole -- it shrinks normally large elements to below 30 nanometers and cuts the overall power draw of MRAM by about 90 percent. While there's no timetable for when we'll see such cache in a shipping product, Toshiba expects it to reach mobile processors, where even slight power savings can make a big difference. If our next smartphone or tablet survives that much longer on battery through memory we can't even see, we'll know who to thank.

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Via: MRAM-Info

Source: Toshiba

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Intel talks up work on 22nm SoCs with Tri-Gate tech geared for mobile devices

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/10/intel-working-on-22nm-socs-tri-gate/

Intel talks up work on 22nm SoCs with Tri-Gate tech geared for mobile devices

Now that Ivy Bridge processors with Tri-Gate tech are in the wild humming away inside PCs, Intel's used the 2012 International Electron Devices Meeting to discuss its work on SoCs that also use the 22-nanometer 3D transistor tech. The processor giant didn't rattle off much in the way of specs or name the product lines that'll make use of the mobile-centric silicon, but it expects the hardware to handily outperform its 32-nanometer SoCs by 20 percent to 65 percent. Ballpark estimates on price are also MIA, so it's still unclear how the folks in Santa Clara will fare against ARM-based solutions with the new chips under their belts. In any case, Intel anticipates the fresh components will find their way into smartphones and tablets once they're ready to roll.

[Image credit: huangjiahui, Flickr]

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Via: CNET

Source: The Wall Street Journal

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