The upcoming CS3 version of Adobe Photoshop will not include 64-bit version of this popular image-editing software. According to Photoshop co-architect Scott Byer, “at some point it will make sense to do a 64-bit version”.
“It’s definitely a ‘when’ question, not an ‘if’, and there are a lot of factors involved,” Byer said in his blog.
ASUS is expected to launch world’s first AMD 690 integrated graphics chipset based motherboard in January, although it will most likely lack HDMI and HDCP support, DailyTech reports.
The AMD 690 chipset is currently in its A12 stepping, which is near final silicon. However, AMD has run into a slight delay with the AMD 690 chipset, likely due to HDCP and HDMI licensing issues, according to DailyTech. The report says it appears AMD is waiting until early February 2007 to officially launch the “long-awaited and delayed AMD 690″ with HDCP and HDMI.
AMD 690 is a renamed ATI RS690 chipset. It is believed to contain a Radeon X700 graphics core with DirectX 9 and Pixel Shader 2.0 support, as same as 16 PCI Express lanes for an dedicated graphics card. According to the RegHardware, AMD will offer two 690 chipset variants: one which shares system memory for its video buffer and another which has its own video memory.
The new Intel’s chipsets, code-named Bearlake, supporting 1333 MHz Front Side Bus, will be launched in Q2 2007, along with new Intel Core-based 1333MHz FSB desktop processors.
The Intel’s first 1333 MHz FSB chipsets will be Bearlake P mainstream chipset and Bearlake G with integrated graphics processor. HKEPC’s sources indicate Bearlake P and G are only a 1333MHz version of current 1066MHz 965 chipset, without any changes except its FSB. But, other reports say Barlake P and G will also support DDR3 1066MHz memory. The DDR3 SDRAM (Double Data Rate 3 Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory) is the successor to DDR2 SDRAM. The DDR3 is said to have power consumption reduction of 40% compared to current DDR2 modules.
A first-hand evaluation of the latest Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard 9A321 build shows that the new Apple’s operating system is unlikely to be released for public at or around Macworld Expo San Francisco which begins January 9, 2007, the Think Secret reports.
“Overall, performance feels improved with the latest build of Leopard but stability remains a significant issue, even with such basic items as System Preferences or Preview. Apple has also curiously removed keyboard navigation from Spaces in 9A321, suggesting bugs remain to be ironed out with that feature, as well,” according to the report.
Shuttle announced the launch of 1337 SDXi gaming small form factor desktop PC system featuring Intel QX6700 processor with four cores, dual AMD ATI Radeon X1950XT CrossFire graphics or optional XFX GeForce 8800 GTS and a liquid cooling.
Based on Intel 975X chipset, Shuttle 1337 SDXi features 2GB of Crucial Ballistix DDR2-800 memory with support for up to 8GB of RAM, and Western Digital Raptor 150GB SATA hard drive spinning at 10,000rpm. The HDD storage can be upgraded to 400GB SATA at 7200rpm.
Vigor Gaming Computer will debut its Vigor Force Recon QX4 gaming desktop system, based on AMD Quad FX4 dual-socket processor platform, at CES 2007.
The Vigor Force Recon QX4 is powered by a pair of the latest AMD Athlon 64 FX-74 dual-core processors. Besides gaming, the Vigor’s Force Recon QX4 is a desired rig for post-production work, audio/video editing and content creation, streaming high-definition content, and running multi-layered business applications, the press release says.
Intel plans to launch the Q6600 processor, the company’s third four-core CPU, in January. The Q6600 specifications are the same as for the Intel quad-core QX6700 CPU, but the new one runs at 2.4GHz instead of QX6700’s 2.66GHz, the Inquirer reports.
Intel plans to price Core 2 Quad Q6600 at $851 per piece, according to the report.
The new chip follows Intel’s launch in November of its quad-core Xeon 5300 for servers and Core 2 Extreme QX6700 for desktop gaming systems.
NewEgg is about to announce availability of AMD Quad FX bundle, which consist of Asus L1N64-SLI WS mainboard and two paired dual-core Athlon 64 FX 70,72 or 74 CPUs using Socket F (1207FX).
The Inquirer reports the Asus-made Quad FX - also known as AMD 4×4 platform - motherboard should end up priced at $349 but is likely to drop very soon to suggested $299 while the CPUs will costs $999 for pair of two FX74, $799 for pair of FX72 and $599 for the slowest two FX70 processors.
Asus today introduced the Commando motherboard, a new addition to its ROG (Republic of Gamers) series. The Intel P965 Express chipset based Asus Commando provides extreme overclocking ability taking FSB and memory up to 2,280MHz and 1,300MHz, respectively. The Commando supports LGA755 Core 2 processors, maximum 8GB of dual-channel DDR2 memory and PCI Express x16 graphics, according to press release.
The new gaming motherboard features Extreme Tweaker, a one stop solution for fine tuning system performance - frequency adjustment, over-voltage options, memory settings etc. It also has the 8-phase cap-less power design and LCD Poster, located at the back I/O, which displays the names of each boot-process instead of using codes. When system hangs due to faulty connection or configuration, the LCD Poster will freeze on the displayed process name that caused the hang up.
Asus Commando Specifications
CPU: LGA 775 Core2Duo, Quad-Core CPU
DDR2: 800/667/533
FSB: 1066/800
Chipsets: Intel P965 + ICH8R
6 SATA II 3Gb/s
Supports ATI Crossfire Graphics
SupremeFX Featuring ADI 1988b
Extreme Tweaker
LCD Poster
8 phase capless power design
Onboard switches
http://www.asus.com/news_show.aspx?id=5291
AMD has unveiled elements of its forthcoming processors and other chips planed to arrive in next two years, such as HyperTransport 3.0, use of L3 cache shared between the CPU cores, use of DDR3 memory, PCI-Express 2.0, shift to DirectX 10 and use of hybrid graphics in laptops. AMD also showed details of desktop, notebook and server/workstation processors roadmaps for 2007/2008, as same as a concept of the future multi-core chips called Accelerated Processing Units, during company’s Financial Analyst Day held this week.
Regarding desktop processor and chipset roadmap, AMD plans quad-core CPU introduction in mid-2007, featuring Level 3 cache shared between the cores. At the same time, AMD will introduce CrossFire chipset family for use with multiple graphics cards. This AMD platform will incorporate HyperTransport 3.0 providing faster chip-to-chip and board-to-board communications. HT 3.0 extends HyperTransport 1’s 800 MHz clock to 1.8 GHz, 2.0 GHz, 2.4 GHz and 2.6 GHz, while the PCI Express 2.0 will double the bus standard’s bandwidth. DirectX 10 graphics in AMD’s desktop platforms will also debut in mid-2007, while the new AM3 CPU socket will be introduced in 2008.
The DDR3 memory support will show up in AMD powered desktops in mid-2008, along with new single-, dual- and quad-core parts. The DDR3 SDRAM (Double Data Rate 3 Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory) is the successor to DDR2 SDRAM. The DDR3 promises a power consumption reduction of 40% compared to current DDR2 modules, according to the Wikipedia.
AMD Desktop Roadmap - Source: AMD
The laptop platform refresh will include processors update, as same as use of hybrid graphics and forthcoming wireless 802.11n standard, according to the unveiled company’s public roadmap.
The mobile ‘Hawk’ processors will debut in second half of next year with an 800MHz DDR2 memory support. Additionally, in 2008, AMD’s Griffin processors and ‘Puma’ notebook platform will bring low-voltage portable computing, PCI Express 2.0, HyperTransport 3.0 and DirectX 10.
An interesting feature in next generation AMD-based notebooks will be hybrid graphics, scheduled to arrive in 2007. It is a combination of integrated and discrete GPUs. According to AMD, simply plugging in or unplugging the laptop’s AC adaptor will automatically flip between the discrete and integrated graphics. The battery life is to be saved by using less power-demanding integrated graphics chip, when laptop is unplugged from power supply.
AMD Mobile Roadmap - Source: AMD
In the field of server and workstation computing, AMD Opteron CPU roadmap announces a quad-core processor code-named Barcelona, which will come out mid-year in 2007. The CPU will be aimed at two-socket and four-socket platforms, according to the reports. At the same time, Budapest will debut as a quad-core Opteron offering for one-socket servers and workstations. The Budapest will shift Opteron platforms to HyperTransport 3.0.
In the first half of 2008 the quad-core Shanghai will be introduced featuring HT 3.0 and L3 cache. It will still have DDR2 (not DDR3) options, according to the AMD’s officials.
AMD Opteron Processor Roadmap - Source: AMD
The mentioned Accelerated Processing Units represent a future of multi-core chips that include a mix of processor cores and other dedicated cores. The dedicated cores could be used for separate physics processing or audio/video encoding for example. According to the reports, APUs may bring specific tailored processors in the future, such as office, gaming or CAD CPUs. This direction of processor development is significantly different from Intel’s strategy, based on adding large number of identical cores to existing dies.
AMD Accelerated Processing Units - Source: AMD
All announced AMD’s processors will certainly be 64-bit units.
AOpen today unveiled XC Cube EZ956 and XC Cube EU965, the small form factor (SFF) Windows Vista Premium Ready barebone systems supporting Intel’s 64-bit Core 2 Duo processors.
Both based on Intel G965 Express chipset, the white AOpen XC Cube EZ956 and black EU965 come with integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3000, which enables use of Vista Aero interface, but also provide a slot for a dedicated PCI Express x16 graphics card. The EZ956/EU965 barebone’s motherboard supports up to 4 GB of dual Channel DDRII memory modules running at 800/667/533 MHz. It has 3 SATA2 ports, HD-Audio 7.1, and 6 USB 2.0 ports.
DFI announced LANParty UT ICFX3200-T2R/G, the gaming motherboard based on ATI’s RD600 chipset and made for Intel’s Core 2 Extreme/Quad/Duo processors. The RD600 chipset provides Dual Crossfire VGA support technology, as same as the 3D Physics Rendering technology.
DFI LANParty UT ICFX3200-T2R/G provides users with 3 sets of PCI Express x16 slots. Two of the slots are used for ATI Dual x8 Crossfire processing while the other PCIe slot (the 3 rd slot) provides PCIe x2 for the physics rendering card.
The LANParty UT ICFX3200-T2R/G motherboard supports voltage adjustments for the memory, Northbridge, HT, Southbridge as well as the CPU core. The wide range of BIOS options allows users to easily fine tune the board. It is said that these carefully designed overclocking adjustment options together with DFI’s BIOS technology designed for overclocking will be sure to provide enthusiasts with a whole new level of overclocking experience. The DFI designed LANParty UT ICFX3200-T2R/G with a Six Phase Digital PWM to “provide more stable power supply”.
The new LANParty MoBo supports single or double sided DDR2 800 and DDR2 1066 memory and also allows the memory voltage to be raised up to 3.2V.
DFI LANParty UT ICFX3200-T2R/G comes with Teaming technology. When transferring large data files between computers, this technology effectively doubles the original Ethernet bandwidth, enabling bottleneck free LAN gaming. The motherboard is provided with two Teaming technology equipped GbE LAN interfaces controlled by the high-performance Marvell 88E9052 GbE PCI-E and Marvell 88E8053 GbE PCI-E chips.
The UT ICFX3200-T2R/G motherboard also provides 7.1 channel audio using RealTek ALC885 8CH sound decoder chip.
There is no info on motherboards pricing and availability in DFI’s press release.
AMD has just added the two new processors to its Athlon 64 x2 dual core series. The 64-bit Athlons 5600+ and 5400+ with 2000MHz HyperTransport bus are both clocked at 2.8GHz and made for AM2 sockets.
The Athlon 64 X2 5600+ has 1MB of dedicated L2 cache per core and is priced at $505, while the 5400+ with 512K of L2 cache per core costs $485.
EpoX has launched the EP-AF570+ Ultra motherboard made for enthusiast users. “The EpoX EP-AF570+ Ultra is designed with layout, tuning features and quality component as top priority”, the company’s press release says.
Based on NVIDIA nForce4 Ultra media and communications processors, EpoX EP-AF570+ Ultra features AMD Socket AM2 with a 1GHz HyperTansport link. It supports 4 DDR2 SDRAM DIMM slots in dual-channel mode and it’s ready for the ultra high speed DDR2-800 up to 16GB system memory. EpoX EP-AF570+ Ultra has six SATA2 ports and ten USB ports.
Dell Precision M90 is a rare laptop offered with Windows XP Professional x64 OS, along with 32-bit XP Pro. The installation of 64-bit Windows was enabled by recent addition of 64-bit Intel’s Core 2 Duo (Merom) processors to M90 mobile workstation.
Dell Precision M90 laptop workstation is designed for work with graphically-demanding applications like animation, special effects, video editing and CAD design and modeling. Dell has also added the latest NVIDIA Quadro FX 3500M graphics, as an option when configuring the M90. The mobile workstation features the 17-inch widescreen display, up to 4GB of DDR2 main memory, and a 120GB SATA hard drive.
The Dell Precision M90 price starts at $1714. There is also an upgrade option to Windows Vista Business for $10.
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