Quantcast
PCWorld.com is upgrading some back-end systems. Some site features, such as user registration, may be temporarily unavailable.

Blogs

    Plugged In

  • Senior Editor Eric Dahl covers buzzworthy products, ideas, and trends with his unique take on the latest tech news.
  • Subscribe to this blog

Fast, Cool Intel Chips Ahead

Eric Dahl, PC World

Intel's 45nm Step

Intel Core2 Quad logo.The Buzz: While AMD prepares its next set of processors--a multicore design code-named Barcelona and due this summer--Intel has already demonstrated samples of its more-advanced Penryn chip. It's manufactured in a 45nm process that uses hafnium-based high-k dielectric and metal gates to decrease current leakage--and yield faster, more energy-efficient chips. The new materials help combat problems that manufacturers start to run into as chips shrink. Intel's 45nm manufacturing process should be the first to mass-produce CPUs using these innovations. Penryn slightly refreshes the Core 2 Duo design with additional cache memory and new SSE4 instructions, and should ship in the second half of the year. AMD and IBM plan to introduce a similar manufacturing process when they transition to 45nm chips next year.

Bottom Line: Intel has built a nice performance lead with its Core 2 Duo chips. With Penryn waiting in the wings and AMD's Athlon CPUs stuck for a while on a 65nm process, Barcelona had better be one heck of a chip.

Suing Spammers

Illustration by Gordon Studer.

Illustration: Gordon Studer
The Buzz: While your inbox continues to overflow with phishing attempts and Viagra offers, take solace in the fact that some spammers finally have to face the music--and possible jail time. Jeffrey Goodin, a phisher who targeted AOL users, was the first to be convicted under the CAN-SPAM Act and faces up to 101 years in prison. And online heavyweight MySpace is embarking on its own antispam battle. It is suing Scott Richter, a once-notorious spammer who settled a high-profile suit with Microsoft and New York state in 2004. MySpace claims that Richter sent millions of unsolicited bulletins to its users.

Bottom Line: If only this progress led to an actual reduction in spam. Unfortunately, sending spam (and running the phishing sites that profit from it--see "Phishing Sites Explode on the Web") is still a low-cost business with the potential for great rewards. Until people find a way to change that, you'd best sharpen your spam filters.

LED in Your Laptop

The Buzz: Yet another reason to be excited about this summer's crop of notebooks: New high-end and thin-and-light models should begin to include displays with LED backlights, a technology we've been tracking for a while now. Compared with traditional CCFL backlights, LEDs are thinner, reproduce more of the color spectrum, and use less power, leading to better-looking laptops with more battery life. Sony already puts LED backlights in its VAIO SZ series; rumor has it, Apple and HP will jump on the bandwagon this summer.

Bottom Line: The first LED-backlit models will carry a price premium, though nothing like a $4000 LED-backlit unit that we tested a couple of years ago. We're talking closer to $100 here. Not bad.

Super Camera Sensor
If you've been to a concert recently, you've probably noticed how the glow of camera phones has replaced that of held-aloft lighters. Not that any of those low-light pictures end up looking halfway decent. Well, Planet82, a Korean firm, aims to change that, with an image sensor that's capable of taking clear photos in dim light without a flash. Unlike the CCD or CMOS sensor that you find in most cameras, Planet82's Single-Carrier Modulation Photo Detector (SMPD) sensor can react to much lower light levels. A black-and-white sensor for cars and security cameras is set for this year; a full-color model should debut in 2008.
Here\Now
  1. Goodstorm: Site has a cool interface for designing custom T-shirts.
  2. Shuttle SDXi: Shuttle packs a water-cooled gaming PC into its compact XPC 1337 boxes.
  3. Streaming: Stream songs from your home and share them with your friends through Avvenu's beta Music Player.
  4. GooSync: Free service can sync your Google Calendar with a mobile phone or a PDA.
  5. Apple TV: Living-room media streamer with an Apple interface. A 40GB model goes for $299.

Contact PC World Senior Editor Eric Dahl and read additional Plugged In columns.

  • Recommend this story?
  • 0 Yes
    0 No

"Fast, Cool Intel Chips Ahead" Comments

  • Great year-end deals
    for small business!
  • Get 24/7 live remote AT&T Tech Support 360* service along with select Lenovo* PCs (with Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processors) and save up to 200!

    Learn more

  • HP EliteBook* 6930p Notebook with Intel® vPro™ technology and a free HP Basic Docking Station - $641 instant savings!

    Learn more

People who read this also read:

All PC World Blogs

  • 15 Minutes to a Secure Business Get the Secure in 15 toolkit starting with the "15 Minutes Month-at-a-Glance" calendar. McAfee will send you additional tools and tricks to stay protected around the clock.
  • A Buyer's Guide to Data Protection Implementing data protection products and processes can be daunting. Make the right decisions by exploring what is available and what makes sense for your organization. Use this simple guide to evaluate different vendor offerings.

Sponsored Links