la zhang blog
Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Gadgets Desk keeps your computer, lap cool
Tuesday, 18 June 2013
Intel Launches New Quad-Core Server Processors
Designed for companies running performance-critical server and workstation applications, the Intel Xeon Processor X5365 is the industry's first 3.0 GHz quad-core processor to fit inside a standard 120 watt power envelope. The X5365 also features front-side bus (FSB) speed of 1333MHz.
With the energy-sipping Intel Xeon Processor L5335, Intel is delivering higher performance quad-core processors designed for servers that require optimal space and power utilization. The processor includes a 2.0 GHz clock speed and 1333MHz FSB within a 50 watt power envelope – or just 12.5 watts per processing core.
"Intel innovation continues to enable us to be the multi-core trailblazer providing a choice of quad-core products for those craving the highest performance, lowest power and all points in between," said Kirk Skaugen, vice president of Intel's Digital Enterprise Group, and general manager of the Server Platforms Group. "Moore's Law, Intel's silicon design and process technology and the Core microarchitecture are allowing us to deliver even greater levels of end-user value by essentially enabling price parity between dual and quad-core Intel Xeon processors at a given clock frequency, further accelerating quad-core market adoption."
The processors are ideal for conducting simultaneous design and analysis transactions, improving rendering performance and managing faster analytics for industries such as financial services. Both processors are easily "drop-in" compatible with select existing Intel server platforms.
Using the SPECint_rate_base2006 benchmark, which measures integer throughput, a Fujitsu-Siemens PRIMERGY RX300 S3 server based on the quad-core Intel Xeon Processor X5365 scored 98.9, setting a new world record1. Using the SPECjbb2005 benchmark, a Dell PowerEdge 1950 server based on the quad-core Intel Xeon Processor X5365 broke the previous record with a score of 238,472 business operations per second.
A number of systems vendors are supporting the new processors, including Dell, Fujitsu Siemens Computers, HP, IBM, SGI, SuperMicro, Rackable Systems, Verari and more than 40 others.
Intel also integrated advanced technology capabilities into the Intel Xeon Processors X5365 and L5335 to streamline virtualization and further improve energy efficiency. In addition to Intel Virtualization Technology, which increases the efficiency of virtualization solutions and enables 64-bit guest operating system support, the processors also feature new Intel Virtualization Technology processor extensions for improved interrupt handling in virtualization of 32-bit Microsoft Windows Operating Systems.
As part of Intel's efforts to ensure that system builders can meet energy efficiency requirements, and end-users can continue to manage their overall energy consumption, these processors include new system-transparent energy smart technology that reduces idle power usage by up to 50 percent.
In addition to including this technology on the new quad-core processors, Intel is driving its entire volume server processor line to take advantage of this new lower idle power utilization.
Source: Intel
Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Nokia 7705 Twist puts a new twist on messaging
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Verizon Wireless and Nokia introduce the Nokia 7705 Twist, a fun phone with a unique square shape that swivels open to reveal a full QWERTY keypad. The phone's shortcut buttons provide quick access to messaging, the 3.0 megapixel camera, Web browsing, V CAST Music with Rhapsody, voice commands, and speakerphone options.
The Contact Light Ring, located in the lower right corner, can be customized to identify a message or a call from those listed in the contact directory. Customers may purchase the Nokia Twist online at verizonwireless.com beginning Sept. 13 and in
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Features:
- Compatible with services including VZ NavigatorSM, V CAST Music with Rhapsody, V CAST Video, Visual Voice Mail, Mobile Broadband Connect and Corporate Email
- Habitat mode activates a unique interface for visualizing your social circle and allows customers to easily organize their calls and messaging history
- 3.0 megapixel camera/ • Color effects: normal, antique, black & white, negative
• Capture mode: landscape and portrait
• Photo editing: pan and zoom, rotate
• Customized slideshow
• Video capture and playback
- Media Center-capable for downloading games, ringtones and more
- Threaded messaging helps customers keep track of a variety of conversations
- "Post to Blogs" feature allows multimedia to be posted to a blog or social networking site
- HTML browser
- Support for Mobile Email, Mobile Web Mail, Chat and Blogs
- Built-in mirror
- Supported Bluetooth profiles include headset, hands-free, dial-up networking, stereo, phonebook access, basic printing, object push (for vCard and vCal), file transfer, and basic imaging
- 2.4-inch, 262K TFT QVGA screen
- EV-DO Rev. 0
- 2.5 mm headset jack
- Dimensions: 2.71" x 2.71" x 0.59"
- Usage time: up to 270 minutes
- Standby time: up to 312 hours
- Weight: 3.44 ounces
The Nokia Twist will be available for 99.99 USD after a 50.00 USD mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.
Source: Nokia
Wednesday, 1 May 2013
Freescale manufactures world's first 24-Mbit silicon nanocrystal memory
The 24-Mbit memory array technology was manufactured at Freescale's Austin Technology & Manufacturing Center using 90-nanometer CMOS bulk technology. The production of a working 24-Mbit memory device requires that silicon nanocrystals be deposited with excellent uniformity and integration approaches that keep the nanocrystal properties intact during subsequent processing. In successfully achieving this, Freescale has overcome major challenges to introducing this technology into production.
As the industry begins manufacturing at smaller geometries — 90-nm and smaller — embedding floating gate-based flash becomes difficult to produce cost-effectively. At those dimensions, the chip area consumed by the 9-12V high-voltage transistors required to write and erase the conventional flash module cannot be scaled down. Furthermore, engineers cannot reduce the high voltage in floating gate-based flash without compromising reliability or risking memory failures and loss of data.
Silicon nanocrystal memories are part of an advanced class of memory technologies called thin-film storage. They are more scaleable than conventional floating gate-based flash technology, as their tunnel oxide thickness can be reduced without impacting data retention. The charge is stored on isolated nanocrystals and is lost only from those few nanocrystals that align with defects in the tunnel oxide — while the same defects would result in significant charge loss from a conventional floating gate.
A thinner tunnel oxide permits lower-voltage operation, substantially reducing the memory module area needed to generate the bit-cell programming voltages, and allowing for significant wafer processing simplifications and manufacturing cost reductions. The combination of higher bit density and reduced cost translates to lower cost per bit to embed silicon nanocrystal memories. Freescale expects significant reductions in cost per bit of silicon nanocrystal thin-film storage memories.
"Silicon nanocrystal storage is a promising alternative to industry-standard embedded NOR memory, as it offers the capability of lowering both the size and cost of the device," said Semico Analyst Jim Handy. "Freescale's achievement is a key development in the introduction of the ‘faster, cheaper' memory that the semiconductor industry increasingly requires."
Freescale successfully pioneered the use of nanocrystals in memory devices in March 2003, and discussed the demonstration of its first-of-its-kind 4-Mbit nanocrystal memory device at the December 2003 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) in a paper entitled "A 6-V embedded 90-nm silicon nanocrystal nonvolatile memory."
Source: Freescale
Sunday, 14 April 2013
Gadgets Sonos S5 makes your music wireless
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The Sonos S5 music system is advertised as an all-in-one device for home use and after trying it, I can say it is just that.
With the free SonosController
Photographers have been using the Photoshop software for 20 years and to celebrate that, Adobe has loaded the new CS5 version with some great features.
Manipulating images is now easier than ever to produce outstanding results.
It doesn't matter if you are taking an unwanted object (or person) out of a family reunion image or fine tuning images for clients.
Adobe has added more than 30 features to help photographers of every level improve their daily digital imaging workflow.
New features include automatic image straightening, rule-of-thirds and the ability to save 16-bit images as JPEGs.
I've always been a fan of the Clone Stamp Tool, and a new feature in CS5 called Content Aware Fill takes this to a new level.
Users can paint over anything to remove it from the image, and the software will fill that area with matching pixels sampled and chosen from the surrounding area.
Also new: a Mixer Brush that blends an unlimited amount of colors on a single paintbrush tip and then choose Bristle Tips to make lifelike brush strokes.
Puppet Warp lets users straighten objects in photos such as horizon lines or anything else that's bent or warped and needs a straighter perspective.
Photographers working with high dynamic range (HDR) capabilities can combine the images with speed and accuracy to preserve the highest quality.
Details: adobe.com, $1899 for the suite; prices vary for individual programs.
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The Empire Brands Wicked Audio line headphones have four new earbuds.
They are the top of the line Wicked Empires, which I tested along with the Wicked Little Buds, Jaw Breakers and Metallics.
What makes these different, in addition to the consistent sound, is that each features a design on each earbud with choices of an ace of spade, an eight ball, a skull or a star and knight symbol.
The Wicked headphones have a 10mm drive, 160hm and a frequency of 20-20.00 Hz along with a cord just short of 4-feet.
The custom fitted earbuds come with three sizes to make the right fit for any user.
Each earbud is made with high-quality construction. Since they are in-ear style, they are noise isolating, blocking out a good amount but not all of your surroundings.
Details: empirebrandsinc.com, Wicked Empire WE-8800 Earbud - Ace is available online for $22.85
Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Far Cry 3 delayed until December 4
Ubisoft announced earlier today that Far Cry 3 will be delayed until December 4, three months later than the previous planned release date of September 4.
In Far Cry 3 you play as Jason Brody who is searching for a missing girlfriend on a stranded island full of insane mercenaries, especially Vaas—the lead antagonist. In the demo at E3, the sceneries are spectacular, but that’s if you have the time to actually catch a glimpse as you have to constantly stab or gun down the enemies.
The new Far Cry will be powered by the Dunia 2 engine, and three other studios are involved in the game development. Ubisoft has yet to confirm why the game is delayed, and releasing the game three months later means that there are stiff competitions from titles such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Halo 4. However, since the Far Cry 3 new release date is around the holiday season, the competition factor may be negated by demands during Christmas.
Ubisoft raked in $1.3 billion in sales last year and the Far Cry franchise has to do a lot with it. The third installment is highly anticipated, and hopefully Ubisoft doesn’t disappoint now that they’re taking an extra three months to work on the title.
Source: ubi.com
Friday, 15 March 2013
Dark Souls 2 wordt toegankelijker, andere director Xbox 360 games
Dark Souls 2, dat vannacht is onthuld tijdens de Spike TV Video Game Awards, moet toegankelijker dan het eerste deel worden. Dit is een gevolg van de twee nieuwe game directors die het stokje overnemen van bedenker Hidetaka Miyazaki, meldt Edge.
Hij blijft de ontwikkeling van het spel overzien, maar doet een stapje terug als director en laat deze taak over aan Tomohiro Shibuya en Yui Tanimura. Shibuya zegt dat hij de voorkeur geeft aan een meer "directe aanpak" van de serie, in plaats van een subtiele. Dit moet ervoor zorgen dat het spel meer "rechttoe rechtaan en begrijpelijk" wordt.
Uitgever Namco Bandai belooft wel dat het tweede deel de typische uitdaging behoudt waar Dark Souls bekend om staat. Het spel krijgt een vernieuwde multiplayer, die een variant wordt op hoe het in Dark Souls en Demon's Souls ging, namelijk dat spelers berichten konden achterlaten voor anderen en hen in de eigen spelwereld konden oproepen. Dark Souls 2 komt uit voor Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 en PC.