1/13/2001: Avalanche of innovations Apple in hardware and software

    The company of the apple seems to have begun the new millenium with energies and renewed illusions. First of all it has been presented updated models of Power Mac G4, with CDs retape recorder "of series" and new processors of up to 733 MHz, at 3 cache memory levels (up to 57 % more rapid than the Pentium 4 to 1,5 GHz, according to Apple), or in dual configuration to 533 MHz, and with a new system bus to 133 MHz. But the most important innovation is the inclusion of a model with: DVDs engraver!!! (also compatible with CDs reescribibles), allowing to the users the creation of movies DVD, thanks to the connection FireWire for digital devices (digital video cameras) and the inclusion of the software Apple for video edition iMovie, iDVD and iTunes for the creation of CDs (both of audio and of information).
    The second innovation is the new portable Titanium PowerBook G4, which, as its own name indicates, it is constructed in titanium (the plastic ones were finished). Also, DVDs breeding animal integrates in format slot-in, what allows to visualize movies on his screen of 15,2 " in panoramic format, with a resolution of even 1152x768 píxels. As for the processor, it integrates a PowerPC G4 working to the not despicable at all number (in case of the PowerPC) 500 MHz, with the bus to only 100 MHz but with 1 MB of cache memory of the second level. So that our readership does an idea to themselves, the new portable one is capable of overcoming in 30 % the yield of a portable one with Pentium III 850 MHz (again, according to Apple). Of course, it is provided with a wide fan of possibilities of interconnection with all kinds of devices (USB, FireWire, Ethernet, Infrared, VGA.) and up to 5 hours of autonomy.
    And to finish this one monographic on Apple, already the most awaited date is official: the throwing of MacOS X will be March 24. A big number of developers has already confirmed the applications throwing for this new operating system of Apple, between which there is necessary to stand out Mayan of Alias|Wavefront, one of the applications of design more laureates, Microsoft Office (the suite the most popular office computerization of the market), or new versions of programs of Macroaverage and Adobe like Dreamweaver or Photoshop.

1/10/2001: Good times for AMD = more factories in his future

    AMD adds up and continues. Since we have seen recently, Intel with the introduction of his new Celeron with bus of: 100 MHz! (yes, he is not reading ancient news) it has not worried AMD, which with his model Duron dominates the yield on the domestic market (that not the sales, but it already will do it). The Pentiu m 4 has not also taken the sleep from the managers of AMD, who see in his Athlon quite a future platform.
    In this sense, AMD reckons to open a new factory where to produce his chips. At present it has in functioning two, in Austin (Texas) and Dresden (Germany). The new factory would use exclusively waffles of production of 300 mm chips , with a surface much major than the 200 mm current ones , what will allow him to increase the production greatly and reduce the costs.
    The new factory of AMD, so called Fab 35 (for 35 anniversary of the foundation of AMD), will have an approximate cost for 4 billion dollars (4.000.000.000 $) and it would be ready for 2004. Without place to doubt, it is a question of other one of the good ideas to which it has used AMD to us; nevertheless, more than three years it is a lot of time, and more in the world of the chips...

1/8/2001: AMD: Duron 850 and collaboration with Transmeta for 64 bits

    Although recently it should not have presented any innovation of both fame and the Pentium 4 of Intel, one cannot say that AMD should be on holiday not much less. Today it has presented the Duron to 850 MHz, which extends the AMD offer for the domestic segment and ofimático. Likewise, there have bent the prices of the rest of the scale Duron.
    The new Duron does not present significant changes in his design, anything logical if we bear in mind that it turns out to be much more advanced and rapid than his competition, Celeron de Intel (even despite the "new" bus of 100 MHz of the Celeron... which is still the half that the Duron). Also, the new integrated chipsets of ROUTE and SiS can improve the final price of the PCs based on the Duron.
    On the other hand, the collaboration seems already more than a rumor between AMD and Transmeta to develop the future mike of 64 bits of AMD (the Sledgehammer). Transmeta famous by his microprocessor Crusoe and for being provided between his associates with Linus Torvalds (the creator of Linux), would offer to AMD the use on behalf of the technology of emulation of hardware (code morphing) that the Crusoe uses.
    AMD might use this technology to accelerate the yield of the instructions x86 classic in the mike of 64 bits, and also Transmeta might be programming chips Crusoe that were behaving like the still nonexistent Sledgehammer (emulating them with many efficacy), something for that there would be grateful the developers of software of 64 bits. Intel should worry...