AMD Showcases Fusion APU Technology

AMD has demonstrated earlier today a working version of its Accelerated Processing Unit or APU technology codenamed Fusion, during an event at Computex in Taipei.

Fusion will bring together an x86 processor combined with a DirectX 11 GPU, video decoders, memory controller and system I/O interfaces. AMD will have two versions running aimed primarily at the mobile segment.

Elano will target the ultra portable market and compete with Intel's CULV/i3 products while the Ontario range will square up with Intel's mainstream product family.
Intel has already started to work on a similar concept with its current generation Arrandale Core i3 and i5 processors which bring a CPU and a GPU die on the same package. The next generation, Sandy Bridge, will actually merge both together the same way as Fusion.
This will leave Nvidia as the only one without a similar product yet. It did purchase a company back in 2006 called Stexar which was apparently going to bring in some smart x86 related technology with it but 44 months down the road and still nothing in sight.

The only other potential x86 competitor could be VIA and we might see a partnership between the two given that they both have much to lose otherwise.
AMD's Fusion demo also included a 30-seconds walk through of the graphics intensive Alien vs. Predator game which showcased the capabilities of the platform. It was not as flawless as one might expect, but then, Intel's integrated graphics unit would have come up worse.

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Intel Previews Next Generation Of Atom CPUs

Intel has announced, at Computex 2010, a new range of Atom processors codenamed Oak Trail that could bring on a new generation of laptops which will make the Mac Book Air look positively obese.

The new range of laptops and tablets, known as "Oak Trail", will come to market in early 2011 and be the based on the Moorestown architecture which was only launched back at the beginning of last month and is specifically targeted smartphones.

It will not only sport a thermal design power that's 40 per cent lower, 40 per cent smaller and 35 per cent thinner than the current generation but it will also support Google Chrome OS, Meego, Android as well as Windows 7 (Embedded Compact we suppose rather than the bloated edition)

Oak Trail Devices built around the Lincroft" System-on-Chip will support HDMI, full 1080p content as well as promises of much longer battery life.

Intel also demoed a new form factor, Canoe Lake, which comes with a dual-core processor and at 14mm, is thinner than the Mac Book air (which is up to 19.4mm thick).

Another device that will almost certainly be ported to Oak Trail at some point in the future is the just-announced Google TV which currently uses the rather long-in-the-tooth Atom CE4100 platform.

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YouTube Video Used To Catch Illegal Snake Handler

A YouTube video has been used as evidence in an investigation involving a licensed snake-handler accused of illegally releasing captured snakes.

Sunshine Coast snake catcher, David Dixon Jolly, 72, pleaded guilty to 62 charges concerning the illegal treatment of snakes at Maroochydore Magistrates Court yesterday after being confronted in court with clips from the online video sharing site.

The crime could cost him up to $7500 Aud in fines.

According to Australian laws, upon capturing a snake, a snake-handler should release captured snakes in a suitable habitat somewhere close to the location it was found.

The authorities became aware of Jolly's actions after seeing YouTube footage of him and two associates capturing and releasing snakes on the Sunshine Coast.

Annastacia Palazczuk, the acting climate change minister for Queensland, said: “Registered wildlife handlers with licences to capture or rehabilitate injured wildlife have a fundamental responsibility to care for native wildlife in their care and to abide by the highest standards of their industry.”

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Google To launch Chrome OS By Year's End

Google may launch Chrome OS, its second consumer operating system, by the end of the year according to a senior executive who is managing the project.

Sundar Pichai, Google's head of Chrome, told reporters at Computex 2010 (as reported by Reuters) that the operating system would be available by "late fall".
Google Chrome OS will be based on the eponymous open source browser and may actually be a combination of both entities, something that brought a shedload of trouble for Microsoft back in 1998 with the whole Windows & Internet Explorer saga.
Pichai says that the OS will initially target laptops and is likely to integrate seamlessly with Google's expanding array of cloud-based services, ranging from email to photo-editing services.
The announcement come only 24 hours after the Financial Times reported that the search giant had started a company ban on Windows operating system and encouraged its staff to move to Linux, Google's own OSes or Mac.

It also throws out the question of where will Android OS fit in. The mobile platform has been used in the past to power tablets and netbooks and the recent Froyo version gave us a glimpse of what was possible.

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Microsoft Hits Out Over Google Engineer's Hacking Tips

Microsoft has hit out at Google after one of the search giant's engineers released a full description of a vulnerability in the Windows Help and Support Center function for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, complete with exploit code.

The software company, along with several other security firms, said that although the information was helpful, irresponsible disclosure of vulnerabilities over the web could provide information useful to hackers in attempting to exploit the vulnerabilities.

Google engineer Tavis Ormandy posted a document detailing the vulnerability in Windows XP, explicitly explaining how an attack exploiting the vulnerability could be carried out by hackers.

Oblivious to the criticism, he said:  “I would like to point out that if I had reported (the issue) without a working exploit, I would have been ignored. This document contains my own opinions. I do not speak for or represent anyone but myself.”

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Watch 2010 FIFA World Cup Live Online

FIFA 2010 Football World Cup in South Africa is ready to commence from tomorrow i.e. June 11 and will last for 1 month till July 11. A total of 64 Football matches among 32 teams will be played.FIFA fans can watch the soccer action live on Internet for Free.



Live Streaming links for FIFA 2010 World Cup –

• ESPN3 – Watch Live Streaming Soccer Online
• Tv Bunch – Live streaming from the soccer World Cup South Africa
• ATDHE.NET – Watch Live Sports or Live TV
• USTREAM – Live Soccer (Multiple channels)

• efootballtv – Football highlights , Live Score, FIFA world cup 2010 streaming online

You can also follow official FIFA account @fifacom on twitter for latest updates.
South Africa 2010 Match Schedule [PDF]
Do share any links for live streaming which you find useful.

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Could humans be infected by computer viruses?

Name:
Dr Mark Gasson
Job Title:
Senior Research Fellow

A scientist at the University of Reading has become the first person in the world to be infected by a computer virus.

Dr Mark Gasson, from the School of Systems Engineering, contaminated a computer chip which had been inserted into his hand as part of research into human enhancement and the potential risks of implantable devices.

These results could have huge implications for implantable computing technologies used medically to improve health, such as heart pacemakers and cochlear implants, and as new applications are found to enhance healthy humans.

Dr Gasson says that as the technology behind these implants develops, they become more vulnerable to computer viruses.

"Our research shows that implantable technology has developed to the point where implants are capable of communicating, storing and manipulating data," he said. "They are essentially mini computers. This means that, like mainstream computers, they can be infected by viruses and the technology will need to keep pace with this so that implants, including medical devices, can be safely used in the future."

Dr Gasson will present his results next month at the IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society in Australia, which he is also chairing.

A high-end Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip was implanted into Dr Gasson's left hand last year. Less sophisticated RFID technology is used in shop security tags to prevent theft and to identify missing pets.

The chip has allowed him secure access to his University building and his mobile phone. It has also enabled him to be tracked and profiled. Once infected, the chip corrupted the main system used to communicate with it. Should other devices have been connected to the system, the virus would have been passed on.

Dr Gasson said: "By infecting my own implant with a computer virus we have demonstrated how advanced these technologies are becoming and also had a glimpse at the problems of tomorrow.

"Much like people with medical implants, after a year of having the implant, I very much feel that it is part of my body. While it is exciting to be the first person to become infected by a computer virus in this way, I found it a surprisingly violating experience because the implant is so intimately connected to me but the situation is potentially out of my control.

"I believe it is necessary to acknowledge that our next evolutionary step may well mean that we all become part machine as we look to enhance ourselves. Indeed we may find that there are significant social pressures to have implantable technologies, either because it becomes as much of a social norm as say mobile phones, or because we'll be disadvantaged if we do not. However we must be mindful of the new threats this step brings."

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Gmail adds Drag and drop attachments feature

GMAIL, the highly popular email service by Google has now added 2 new features – Invitation and Drag and drop attachments.
The Drag and drop files to Gmail is really handy and time saving. You can now upload files to Gmail messages in an easy way, without opening Attach a file > browse file and then open it. One or multiple files can be uploaded at once.

To attach files, just open the desired folder, select the files and ‘drag n drop’ them to Gmail. Gmail will then show a green box asking to add them as attachments.
Note: Currently, you can drag and drop attachments in Chrome and Firefox only.
The 2nd new feature ‘Invitation’ brings tighter integration between Gmail and Calendar, making it easier to create Calendar events from within Gmail. When you compose an email message, there’s now an "Insert: Invitation" link right under the subject line.
via [Official Gmail Blog]

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Google announces Long Awaited “GPhone” [ Cost $199 ]

The well-known global Internet-focused company, Google has announced its long awaited “Google Phone” (also known as Gphone). This is first mobile phone to use Google Inc’s Android mobile operating software and will cost $199.

The phone, which features a slide-out keypad, is being manufactured by HTC Corp and will be sold by Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile USA unit, is set to be launched on the 23rd of September, 2008.

“It will open the mobile phone to do things that people now do on their PCs,” said Todd Greenwald, a financial analyst with Nollenberger Capital Partners in San Francisco.
Source: First Google Android phone to cost $199

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Google Introduces Google TV – Video

On the 2nd day at Google I/O 2010 developer event, Google has announced Android 2.2 with Flash along with Google TV, a new technology for television and Internet freaks. Google TV is a new experience made for television that combines the TV you know and love with the freedom and power of the Internet.

Watch the Introducing Google TV video below:

Google TV is coming to a living room near you. Watch the Google TV announcement.

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