Hijinks Inc.

Category: Intel

  • Want More Processing Power? $50 says Intel

    Granted this feature has only been rolled out on a few low end Compaq systems purchased through Best Buy, but apparently Intel has been offering consumers an “upgrade” card, with nothing more than a serial code on it for $50. What does that code do you ask? It “unlocks” threads and cache on y?our Pentium G6951processor.

    Yes, you read correctly. Intel will take an extra $50 of your hard earned cash just so you can use your processor, that you’ve already paid for, to its full potential.

    This is way worse then when Apple charged users $1.99 to enable the Draft-N support in their wireless card. At least that was a feature that wasn’t advertised when people originally purchased the MacBooks.

    So, is the hardware equivalent of DRM the hot new revenue generation model for vendors trying to make up for discounted hardware prices? I sure hope not. Otherwise those websites claiming to “make your PC faster” will be selling fake hardware unlocks to unsuspecting people instead of just bogus software.

     

  • Multi-Touch + ThinkPad = Drool

    X Tablet

    You see something like the new ThinkPad X Tablet and you just want to touch it, right? I know I do. Apparently though, that’s exactly what Lenovo is expecting you to do.

    In addition to being a pen tablet, the screen also sports a MultiView/MultiTouch interface, allowing you to “use your finger or the pen to interact with the notebook, open applications, etc.”

    Check out the full specs and features here.

    No word on how sensitive or precise the touch interface is, but I’ll be looking into this further… stay in touch.

  • Apple to Intel: We like you… but we like ourselves more.

    Intel may have designed a custom processor for Apple and the Macbook Air, but that apparently isn’t enough.

    Apple has agreed to purchase chip manufacturer P.A. Semi for $278 million. P.A. Semi focuses on sophisticated, low-power chips that could be used in future iPhones, iPod touches, etc.

    The decision to center the iPhone design around a chip that Apple could own marks a significant strategic choice by Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs, and is aimed at ensuring Apple can continue to differentiate its flagship phone as a raft of competitors flood the market. According to a source affiliated with the chip company, Jobs and Senior Vice President Tony Fadell led the tiny group of executives who spearheaded the acquisition, which included negotiations that took place in Jobs’ home. [ more on Forbes.com ]

    Pretty sweet deal if you ask me, the timing of the annoucement also happens to conencide nicely with Apple earnings call later today.

  • Where is the innovation?

    I have mad love and respect for AMD, the first computer I ever built was AMD powered, and rocked the K7. Let’s face it, I wouldn’t have been able to afford to build my own computer at age 14 if it weren’t for AMD, they undercut Intel right and left in pricing, they were the processors for the little guy. But I have to stop and ask them, what happened? Sure, your prices are still lower… but so are your clock speeds, so are your benchmark scores!

    You’re just finally getting around to releasing a quad core processor, umm… hello? Intel did that eons ago. I don’t mean to rag on you guys, but seriously, you’re letting me down. Buying ATI was a smooth move, but in the long term it only made you a slightly more annoying thorn in Intel’s side. Blogging Stocks thinks Intel is prepping to crush you like a steroid crazed football player crushes his Mt. Dew can after winning the big game. Your performance lacking and battery draining mobile chip sets still make me cry, the desktop platform looks like you’re only hope, don’t let me down.

    And then you went and dumped how much in to Transmeta? 7.5 mil? And you’re hoping to get what out of this? Bottom line, I like you AMD, but there’s a reason why I own Intel stock.