TSMC HAS FINALLY come to terms with its 40nm ordeal. In a transcript published by EETimes, Shang-Yi Chiang, TSMC’s R&D boss, laid out six bullet points to explain the situation the company is coming from, what steps it’s taking to make amends and where it's going.
The 40nm yield issues were blamed on the company’s previous lack of experience with the new, smaller node. Without going into too many specifics, Chiang explained the delay in achieving a viable yield was due to it using 193nm shrink immersion on the wafers, which resulted in a high defect rate, and also its low-K process that would damage the dies when converted into a package. TSMC is looking at extreme ultraviolet and e-beam direct write as alternatives to shrink immersion depending, of course, on cost.
Having its clients breathing down its neck couldn’t have been easy. TSMC immediately started developing its 3rd generation manufacturing process on the node. Currently, output for 40nm wafers is 80,000 wafers per quarter, as only Fab 12 is manufacturing these. However, the company vowed it will be able to double that by year’s end, that is, 160,000 wafers per quarter, once Fab 14 is up and running.
He then moved on to explaining what the company plans to do next with its 28nm roadmap. It will start with a 28nm Low Power (28LP) silicon oxynitride, followed a quarter later by the 28nm high performance (28HP) high-K metal gate process. Despite it being the first high-K metal-gate process, Chiang believes that TSMC will be able to migrate the technology as it moves forward with 22nm and 20nm nodes. 28nm should be introduced by Q3 2010, we garnered.
Further along the roadmap comes the aforementioned 22nm node. Chiang expects to see a more mature second-generation high-K metal-gate process kick in. The first 22nm process will be a high-performance one (22HP), followed 2 quarters later by the low-power version (22LP). These should be in place by Q3 2012 and Q1 2013, respectively.
Considering TSMC’s major clients are the likes of AMD, Nvidia, Broadcom and Qualcomm. not to mention Intel, it seems that it's taking fairly important measures to reassure its clientele about its manufacturing. Of course we should expect a reaction from Global Foundries soon, as it are developing competing processes in their own house.
So, if you’re a GPU buff, late 2010 or very early 2011 would be a good estimate for a new generation of GPUs. That, or smartphones. We'll have to wait and see.
MOBILE OPERATOR O2 announced a raft of new price plans in the hope of retaining Iphone customers now that its exclusive on the device has vanished.
The new plans include two sim-only tariffs aimed at Iphone users who are finishing their existing 18 month terms. Those who can do without data are also presented with two new options should they wish to forgo a subsidised handset. And to round things off, O2 presented a "mobile broadband" plan which includes a whopping 1GB per month transfer on either 30 day or 18 month contracts.
Seemingly in denial about not being Apple's only child, O2 apologised about claiming until earlier this week, incorrectly, that it was still the only operator in the UK that had the blessing of Steve Jobs. Of course that isn't the case with Vodafone, Orange and virtual operator Tesco Mobile now peddling the devices.
For Iphone users on O2 that are thinking of jumping ship, O2 are trying to tempt them with a £15 or £20 per month deal with contract lengths of 18 months and 30 days respectively. Both plans comprise of 300 talk minutes, unlimited UK texting and "unlimited" 3G and WiFi data they are a sharp drop from the plans at the Iphone launch.
The good news for Iphone users rolls on with the release of O2's "tethering bolt on". For the measly sum of £2 per day you can use your Iphone as a modem. Just make sure you don't breach their excessive use policy, a policy according to an O2 spokeswoman that doesn't have a figure. Indeed after hours of parsing O2's terms and conditions, we couldn't find an exact figure listed. For now it seems be a case of seeing how far you can push them.
Quite why O2 chose today to make a big song and dance about their Iphone "simplicity" plans is a mystery, as current users have been offered the deal for over a month now. Given that O2's two year exclusivity deal ran out before Christmas, the chosen announcement date remains a pertinent question and one that our O2 spokeswoman was unable to answer.
Maybe a clue could be the launch date of the Iphone 3G. Sales of the original Iphone were lacklustre and only picked up when the second generation device tipped up in July 2008. After some simple arithmetic would tend to suggest a fair chunk of customers' contracts are coming up for renewal very soon.
For O2, the Iphone helped them pinch a vast amount of users from competing networks. Now it seems that it is they, not Apple who will have to work hard in order to keep them.
The viliv S10, weighing a mere 2.67 lb (1.21kg), is an unparalleled tool for mobile productivity, featuring integrated 3G (optional), and a swivel, multi-touch screen. It runs Windows 7 seamlessly, while boasting a 10-hour battery life, thanks to its Intel Atom 1.6GHz (2.0GHz max) CPU and solid-state drive. And, let’s face it: design matters and the S10 has sleek, enviable industrial design worthy of its capabilities.
Ultraslim and Lightweight:
The viliv S10 strikes the perfect balance between usability and portability. At 2.67lb (1.21KG), the S10 measures just 10.23(W) x 7.28(L) x 0.67~1.02(H)inch [260(W) x 185(L) x 17~25(H)mm]. In simpler language, it fits comfortably within the borders of a standard sheet of copy paper, which measures 8.5 x 11 inches—and it’s only an inch thick.
Convertible Multi-touch screen:
The multi-touch display lets you interact with the device by placing up to 3 fingers directly onto the surface of the screen and navigating using the easy gesture controls built in to Windows 7.
Handwriting recognition is also built into Windows 7, and it allows you to use a stylus, or your fingers, to sign documents, draw charts, take handwritten notes - or, of course, to provide super-intuitive navigation. Swivel the screen to show something to a colleague, or twist-and-fold the screen down and you have an extremely portable slate-style device with excellent battery life!
HD LCD:
The viliv S10 has a 10.1-inch HD LCD with a 1366 x 768 (WXVGA) resolution – superb for watching movies, reading e-books/newspapers and surfing the Web in full resolution without the need for constant scrolling.
Processor
Intel Atom Z530 (1.6GHz)
Intel Atom Z550 (2.0GHz)
Storage
60GB HDD
32 or 64GB SSD
Communication
WiFi 802.11 b/g
Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
Built in HSPA modem (optional)
Input/Output
Webcam
Physical Features
260(W) x 185(L) x 17~26(H)mm
10.23(W) x 7.28(L) x 0.67~1.02(H)inch
1.21 Kg
2.67 Lbs
Memory
1GB DDR2 SDRAM (533MHz)
Display (Internal)
10.1" 3-Point Resistive Swivel Multi-touch LCD
Integrated Ports
2 USB Host, 1 USB Link (PC-PC data transfer)
SDHC, Headphone-out, Mic, Stereo Speakers
D-Sub, Multi I/O (Composite / Component / S-Video)
Power
Up to 10 hours battery life max
(7 hour movie playback)
43Wh
Operating System
Windows 7 Home Premium
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These 1GB lightsaber flash drives may have been imported from Japan and they may light up when plugged in, but they still don't feel quite right without some woosh-woosh-zzwoommm-zwing sound effects. Worth $20 without those?
Lenovo's ultraportable ThinkPad X201 isn't the first notebook to upgrade to Intel's new Core i5 and i7 processors, but it's loaded with enough other goodies that it stands out in the growing crowd.
The processor's not the only upgrade from ThinkPad X200. The X201 adds a trackpad where before there was only a nub, and adds a 2-megapixel camera with improved low light performance. It also boots up in 20 seconds and shuts down in just five, about a 50% improvement.
What's missing? There's no USB 3.0, although you do have 3 USB 2.0 ports to work with, including one powered USB. There's no integrated optical drive, if you care about that sort of thing. You're stuck with Intel's subpar integrated graphics. And the X200 features the traditional ThinkPad keyboard instead of incorporating the island-style ThinkPad Edge keys. That's not a downgrade by any means—more just a matter of personal preference.
The X200 can be customized up to 500GB storage with full disk encryption, up to 8GB of memory, a 12-inch WXGA LED display, and a 9-cell battery that yields a listed 11 hours of battery life. The X201s build gets 12.2 hours on a 9-cell battery. Look for the X201 to debut in March starting at $1200, while the X201s base model can be had for $1600.
To start, you've got up to Intel's Core i7-920 Extreme processor, a 17-inch WUXGA (1920×1200) primary display, and Nvidia Quadro FX 3800M graphics. The W701ds can ship with up to 16GB DDR3 memory, 500GB HD storage, and all models have WiMAX support, one USB 3.0 and four USB 2.0 ports, and a 2-megapixel camera.
But really, the star of the show is that secondary display, which allows you to keep your mail your chat windows separate from your primary focus. It's a 10.6-inch, WXGA (1280x800) screen that that's stored in the laptop but pops out when needed for work or a fun party trick. Although with a weight over 9 pounds, it's unlikely that you're going to want to drag this monster to many parties. The W701ds will be available in March starting at $3800.
If you want to forgo the extra screen (because you are a crazy person?) and some power and storage, you might want to take a look at the base model of the W701. It compares favorably to the Dell M6500, while its $2200 base price compares favorably to the Dell's $2750.
It doesn't come as much of a surprise thanks to yesterday's leaks, but HTC has just made the HTC HD mini official. Keeping with the "mini" trend, the HD mini packs many of the features and functionality found in the HTC HD2, but stuffs them all into a much smaller package. Highlights include a 3.2-inch HVGA capacitive touchscreen display, a 600MHz processor, Wi-Fi, 3G/3.5G and HTC's Sense UI atop Windows Mobile 6.5.3.
The HTC Legend takes after the Hero in terms of form factor, but the case is now made from a single piece of turned aluminium, the screen has been upgraded to a 3.2-inch, AMOLED HVGA display and the trackball has been replaced with an optical joystick.
LG just bring on another gizmo during its CES press event, but today a straggler has popped up in the ultraportable realm. The X300 (not to be confused with Lenovo's lappie with the same name) is an 11.6-incher that measures just 17.6mm thin and features a reflective keyboard, borderless touchpad (complete with tactile feedback), a 2GHz Intel CPU, 1.3 megapixel webcam and an SSD. It even ships with a spare 2-cell battery for up to seven total hours of operation, and while we know it'll be rolled out worldwide starting next month, there's nary a mention of a price.
Their latest ultraportable notebook/netbook is the 1.4 pound P-series. It offers two essential elements for portable productivity: a 1600 pixel-wide screen (view entire pages and documents and forget the notion of horizontal scrolling) and a respectably large keyboard (16.5mm pitch).
The 8" LED-backlit 1600x768 display has extremely high pixel density and so is extremely crisp. The Sony P also features an Intel 2.0GHz processor, 256GB solid-state HDD (max), and 2GB RAM. The integrated battery has an optimal 4-hour runtime (2.5 hours under normal use).
The Viliv X70 features a 1024 x 600 7" WSVGA display, 32GB solid-state drive (SSD), and an Intel AtomTM 1.33GHz processor. Its battery lasts for a remarkable 5+ hours of movie playback (actual time), and its instant-on feature allows you to resume Windows XPTM from sleep in under five seconds. With 6 days of standby time, the X70 is a truly ultraportable device that delivers the full rich web experience. Rich web is complemented by rich media. The X70 supports 720p HD video playback, and features integrated Wifi, Bluetooth, and GPS.
Wow, an MID with lots of features. what could you ask for?
- Intel Atom Z510 1.1 GHz, Intel Poulsbo US15W, 1GB DDR2 RAM, 60GB HDD, 8.9-inch touch screen, Microsoft Windows 7 Starter Edition, WiFi, Bluetooth, USB 2.0, 3.5-inch audio jack, 1.3MP webcam, Lithium Polymer battery
The Bad: unresponsive touchscreen, slow hard drive, slow processor and OS is poor.
Just a new gizmo laptop from the japanese, the Toshiba Satellite U500 is the company's first portable computer with multi-touch technology in its 13.3-inch screen. This is its first touchscreen computer in a number of years, with the previous ones having been only single touch, which cannot be operated in the same way as the smartphone put out by the fruit-themed toy company. It comes with Windows 7 64-bit Home Premium, running on an Intel Core i3-330 CPU, which is priced at £649 plus VAT. If you have ever wanted to pinch and zoom on a Toshiba notebook, here's your chance now. This is much better than an IPAD, I'll tell you.
A netbook is a netbook and never be a laptop.
Facts:
- A netbook has no optical drive
- A netbook has a limited user serviceable parts
- A netbook cannot be upgraded
- A netbook has poor graphics performance
- A netbook has less durability and tolerance
- A netbook replaces a PDA
- A netbook is just a big PDA.
- A netbook is just an internet gizmo.
Wow, I have a friend that I spoken to a while ago and told me there were rumors about the next IPAD will be launched soon. it is more bigger and wider screen than current in the market. Its about 15.4" display like a regular laptops but still has a touchscreen. Let us wait and see what this gizmo is capable of.
Toshiba RX2
Since business travelers long for a notebook to be incredibly light and small but large enough for a 12" screen and 17mm (or better) keypitch keyboard, come equipped with a solid-state drive, super multi-DVD, and have the power of Intel's Core 2 Duo CPU, Toshiba put their engineers to the task, to conventional wisdom (and some would say cost restraints) out the window, and crafted this seminal ultralight notebook.
The RX2 boasts a high-quality wide aspect ratio (1280x800) 12.1" LED-backlit display. LED backlighting provides both more luminescence and longer battery life. This crisp display gives you a little extra desktop workspace, and it is great for watching videos.
Its mechanical hard drive has been replaced by a 512GB solid-state drive. Solid-state drives are more expensive, but offer some great advantages: faster performance, less battery usage, and greater reliability. Unlike mechanical hard drives, SSDs are unlikely to lose data in the event that your computer is dropped. In general, Toshiba boasts its durability including water resistance. (It is not waterPROOF and does not have warranty coverage for water damage.)
Wow, is it tough enough to match Panasonic's Toughbook?
Toshiba has been more well known for computers than mobile phones, but they made a big splash when they announced their TG01, the first major device to run Qualcomm's Snapdragon CPU on a mobile platform. An incredibly fast 1GHz CPU, coupled with a 4.1 inch 800x480 resolution display (the largest display size in a mobile phone so far) that supports DivX and Flash, the TG01 will be ready right out of the box to play your favorite movies in just about any format as well as YouTube and other streaming Flash web videos and even play games. This gizmo is built on the Windows Mobile 6.1 platform and featuring a unique color coordinated home screen organization system Toshiba developed, the TG01 is gearing itself to be the perfect device to use for both work and play.
a liverpudlian designer has turned an Iphone into an expensive gizmo filled with golds and diamonds.
the phone is priced at £1.92 million. The phone houses a 271g of 22ct gold. the front bezel has 136 diamonds on it while the logo at back has 53 diamonds on it.
Olympus has recently announced its upcoming super telephoto camera, the SP-800UZ. A gizmo that can extend its optical zoom to a maximum of 30x. Its very impressive considering that this is a non-SLR camera. This is great for travelers and explorers that is more on shooting far distant objects. SP-800UZ features 3" LCD, a 2Gb of internal memory, and a 14 mega-pixel sensor. Its more powerful than its predecessors and it has Dual Image Stabilization to reduce blurry photos. It can shoot HD movie at 720p recording right out from the box. If you are looking for more storage, it has an SDHC storage slot. the gizmo's retail price of £369.99 comes only in titanium silver. watch for it on March 2010.
Netbook maker MSI is introducing its new model to the netbook market, the Wind U135. It has the new Intel Atom N450 processor runs at 1.66ghz paired with 1GB DDR2 Memory. several features are still the same as the previous Wind U100 with 250GB SATA hard drive, integrated webcam with microphone, 10" LED LCD display, a Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth, 6 cell battery, and a 10/100 LAN. It will no longer run on Windows XP since the pre-installed OS is now Windows 7 Starter. The Intel Atom N450 processor is now 64bit capable, supports hyper-threading for multi-tasking applications
The Wind is also one of the cheapest netbook in the market. the unique plastic body shell and the build quality is great. it comes in matte black finish and the keyboard is now better than before. the only downside here where most netbooks fail is the graphics performance. We all know that it has an on-board graphics chip thus it will result in poor playback performance. It doesn't have Nvidia's ION GPU that Lenovo S12 has.
In short, MSI U135 gizmo is just another netbook with an upgraded processor, a fancy design, lacks performance, and an improved build quality, period.
Have you ever heard about the game "Halo" that was developed by Microsoft? It was one of the most popular first person shooting game of all time. I like Halo a lot. Well, if you are a fan of Halo, take a look at this USB drive. it comes in 1Gb of storage. It's Master Chief!
Most of us watch movies and tv series in our portable media player gizmos. Everyday when I go to work, I see Iphones, Ipods, netbooks, all the time. When I'm taking up subway, I see students, lawyers, kids, businessmen, teachers has this gizmo. Apple dominate the market in portable media device.
Well, have you heard that Sony still in the market of manufacturing compact media players? If you looking for an inexpensive compact media players with a decent video playback, then the Sony NW-A800 is for you. the highlighted features include the 2" QVGA display, a 4GB internal storage, you can watch movies, view photos, listen to music. its stylish too in four different colors include black, white, blue, and pink. the battery life is impressive with up to 30 hour music playback and 7 hours video playback. How is the sound quality compare? Its very crisp, loud, and full of bass using the earphones included. Sony is known for it's Walkman series. The video quality playback is fantastic. its smooth and the fps are the same. NW-A800 is user friendly. just plug it in your computer, drag and drop files onto the player. Lastly, this wont burn your wallet with a decent price of $99.
I remember my first digicam has only 3x optical zoom. my camera is bulky and old and it was expensive the time when I bought it. Today, you can buy a good compact cameras with 12x optical zoom for cheap. This is a good alternative if an SLR camera is expensive for you and don't want to spend on expensive zoom lens. What's the importance of having a 12x optical zoom? well, considering shooting far distance objects and landscapes. you can actually take a picture of a full moon using a tripod. You can zoom up distance buildings in New York or you can zoom in Statue of Liberty's torch from the ground. you cant use zoom for shooting tiny like objects wherein macro mode do the job.
What are those digital cameras that have 12x optical zoom? One is the Panasonic Lumix DMCZS1S. It has a focal length of 300mm Leica telephoto lens. Having problems of getting blurred images? There is nothing to worry because it has an integrated MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer). it has 10.1 megapixel, 2.7 inch lcd display, and what's great is the 25mm Ultra wide angle. You get the best of both functionality. this is very good for landscape photos too to capture every corner like a fish eye. Great features include the movie recording of WVGA (16:9 - 848 x 480, 30fps), a wider screen resolution movie recording. Pretty decent for a compact digital camera if you don't want to bring that extra bulky camcorder. The expansion memory card is SDHC which is good because SDHC cards are cheap. Lastly, this wont break the bank for just $199.
If you are looking for other 12x optical zoom compact cameras, the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS is another gizmo. the only difference is 12 megapixels, a larger 3.0 LCD screen, a high definition movie recording resolution of 1280x720 at 30fps, that's 720p. it comes with HDMI output. a price difference of an additional hundred dollars over the Lumix.
Archos introduces its new Archos 5 Internet Tablet. this gizmo is one heavily packed with powerful features. It combines a music player, video player, photo viewer, a GPS, and an internet tablet in a 4.8 inch touchscreen TFT LCD. It has a whooping storage capacity of 500gb, the largest storage ever built in a Portable Media Player.
This gizmo is bulky and heavy. The operating system is Android, which is Archos is famous for in the multi-media players. the screen is sharp with a max resolution of 800x400. Ipod touch will surely be blown by this power pack gizmo but ipod touch is slimmer than Archos 5. So how is the sound quality compare to other leading PMP in the market? Archos 5 has more clarity and bass produced than the Ipod touch but it cannot beat the Zen X-Fi in performance. Archos 5 has an optional HDMI output so that you can watch your movies, photos, right on the big screen. It has also an expansion slot MicroSD if you want to add more storage.
Some of the features include a built in speaker, leg stand. You can browse the internet too with the integrated WiFi and 3.5G! you don't have to carry your netbook with you. you can view the websites cleary in landscape position. The GPS receiver is very handy for travelers so that they wont have to carry their extra GPS devices. But how is the battery life compare to Ipod touch? Archos 5 can stay up to 7 hours in video and 22 hours in music compare to Ipod touch has more battery life.
Archos 5 has supported most popular video compressions includes MPEG-4 HD, MPEG-4, H.264 HD, WMV, MKV, M-JPEG in QVGA resolution so you don't have to convert all your videos. just plug in your USB port and drag all your video files to your Archos 5.
So if you are looking for a PMP that has a massive storage and comes with all multimedia capabilities, look no further, the Archos 5 is for you.
Did you ever think of buying your first digital camera? Are you going to make a decision of replacing your old one because there is a new one with more mega-pixels? Many of us want to have a digital camera. Today, these gizmos are dirt cheap and affordable. you can buy one for as low as $50 dollars. Well, if you are going to get one these gizmos, take a look at my facts and fictions about Digital Cameras.
- A digital camera's performance cannot be judge with the number of mega-pixels.
- A cheap digital camera doesn't mean poor performance.
- A popular brand doesn't mean they are the best in industry.
- An expensive one is not always the best choice.
- A digital camera is superior than film camera.
- A camera with low noise produces more detailed pictures than more mega-pixels.
- A slim camera has less durability but more portability.
- A good looking camera doesn't mean it can shoot great photos.
- An predecessor camera is better than a successor.
- Its not the camera that lies the performance, its the photographer who takes the picture.
Apple launched its new toy recently the "IPAD". the company wanted to dominate the netbook category this time. although, the "IPAD" had some great features than any other netbooks dont have, the "multi-touch" screen which is the innovative feature that originally came from Iphone.
So does it have the much anticipated features of a netbook? well, some of highlighted features comes with 9.7" glossy bright LED display, it's slim than any other netbook out there. Storage type is a flash drive so no moving parts here with a capacity up to 64GB. Battery type is built-in Li-ion battery so it is not user accessible if you want to upgrade it but it can run upto 10 Hours of battery life. there is no keyboard but a virtual keyboard with near full size. pretty nice touch also the Accelerometer and Ambient light sensor. it has WiFi and Bluetooth wireless options too coming soon.
Another thing is has GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz). should i say an oversized Iphone??
Going to its shortcomings, the IPAD doesnt have a USB port, an HDMI port, DVD writer, and a front camera for video conference. Its processor clocks only at 1Ghz? Its too slow for a netbook to be running at such speed. what was apple thinking? they didnt provide details regarding the embedded graphics engine but Apple claimed it can run some pretty good games. True, because all popular games right now are all flash based games. Last but not the least, there isnt any details with regards to the RAM installed. so it doesn't have a regular RAM than any other netbook in the market. IPAD is more like a fusion of an Iphone and an Ipod touch with a large screen.
Apple priced it at $499 with 16Gb and a WIFI. IPAD is great in some instance but not good enough to match a regular netbook that cost less considering a netbook has all the standard features. Its more like an e-book reader. good news for all e-book fans out there. IPAD is also a cellphone but its kinda funny because its too big for such a cellphone. Iphone and Ipod touch is a success but not the IPAD. Lastly, this gizmo wont fit in your pocket.
I'll give IPAD a score of 6 out 10.
Finland's mobile phone manufacturer giant Nokia recently launched its latest smartphone "N900" I was quite impress with this phone. N900 runs on Linux OS. It comes with some great features like a 32Gb storage capacity for those demanding 3rd party applications, watch movies, recorded tv series and play your music library. You can expand the storage with the MicroSD flash storage slot upto 48GB. it has full size sliding keyboard, a touch screen with 3.5inch display, 800 × 480 resolution. it has a 3.5G capability, an Internet browser, WiFi, Bluetooth, 5mp camera Car Zeiss Optics with dual LED flash and a handy GPS for travellers. Really tons of features and applications for a smarthphone. Nokia is known for making great smartphone that looks of a small laptop computer since the very first Nokia 9210i. Going back to N900, its has 256mb of memory paired with fast high performing microprocessor ARM Cortex runs at 600Mhz by Texas Instruments. Currently available now priced at £500. N900 is a gizmo is focused more on demanding business capabilities.
