Windows 8 streamlines printing, puts old architecture on the chopping block

Windows 8 streamlines printing, puts old architecture on the chopping block

Anyone who’s ever attempted to configure a new printer from their PC knows the process can be cumbersome at best and Microsoft largely agrees. So, in anticipation of its upcoming OS refresh, Redmond’s pulling back the curtain on how it managed to trim the fat from its previous printing architecture. The new system which will underlie both consumer-focused iterations of Windows 8, simply dubbed v4, slims down the 768MB of disk space previously required on Vista for a significantly lighter 184MB (an average) footprint in Windows 8 and adds greater in-box support for more commonly used, contemporary printers — specifically for Windows RT. The team’s also worked hard to keep the experience consistent, separating manufacturer UIs from drivers and paving the way for Metro-style support where necessary. The changes will reportedly ease the load on ARM-based devices and streamline the end user experience with a hassle-free, plug-and-play approach. In the words of team program lead Adrian Lannin, “it just works.” Indeed, we’ll be sure to find out if it does this October 26th. Hit up the source below to sift through the minutiae of these behind-the-scenes changes.

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Windows 8 streamlines printing, puts old architecture on the chopping block originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jul 2012 18:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIA makes its first ARM-based Pico-ITX board, adds dual graphics for your in-car pleasure

VIA makes its first ARMbased PicoITX board, adds dual graphics for your incar pleasure

VIA has only ever really had a dalliance with ARM; the VAB-800 might be a sign that it’s willing to go steady for awhile. As the company’s first Pico-ITX board with an ARM chip, the 800 stuffs up to a 1GHz, Freescale-made ARM Cortex-A8 and 1GB of RAM into a tiny, 3.9 x 2.8-inch board. Somehow, it still fits up to four USB 2.0 ports, mini HDMI, VGA and as much as 64GB of storage. The board’s real tricks are its dual integrated graphics processors: the VAB-800 can independently steer two displays, just in case your in-car infotainment system can’t be contained by merely one screen. You’ll likely have to be a car designer or an industrial device maker to make an order, although the 5W power draw and support for Android, Ubuntu Linux and Windows Embedded Compact 7 should soon see the VAB-800 crammed into logic-defying spaces everywhere.

Continue reading VIA makes its first ARM-based Pico-ITX board, adds dual graphics for your in-car pleasure

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VIA makes its first ARM-based Pico-ITX board, adds dual graphics for your in-car pleasure originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jul 2012 05:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ARM Q2 ’12 sees profits jump by 23%

It’s the end of the second quarter, so a whole host of financial results are flooding in from technology companies. ARM continues to see strong growth, seeing a 23% increase in net profit at £66.5 million (~$102.9 million). That’s up from £54.2 million (~$83.9 million) earned during the second quarter of last year. Revenue has also increased to £135.5 million (~$209.7 million) from £117.8 (~$182.3 million) million, a 15% increase, and operating margin has jumped ever so slightly to 46.4%.

ARM is attributing the growth to the licensing of a new ARMv8 processor for networking applications, 23 processor licenses that have been signed across a bevy of mobile devices, and the 2 billion chips that have been shipped so far, a 9% increase over the same period last year. Royalties for processors have also increased by around 14% despite the fact that the industry saw an overall decline of 7%.

Finally, 3 licenses for the Mali GPU were signed in the second quarter, with 2 of those being with new customers. CEO of ARM, Warren East, seems pretty pleased with the results overall too: “ARM’s royalty revenues continued to outperform the overall semiconductor industry as our customers gained market share within existing markets and launched products which are taking ARM technology into new markets.” Going forward, ARM expects a small increase in industry revenues during the third quarter, but things aren’t looking as good in Q4 as “as macroeconomic uncertainty may impact consumer confidence.”


ARM Q2 ’12 sees profits jump by 23% is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


ARM sees profit surge 23 percent, tests forecasters’ patience

ARM sees earnings surge  23 percent, tests forecasters' patience

Just when financial boffins expected ARM’s consistent double-digit growth to slow-down, the company has beaten their projections with a 23 percent rise in pre-tax profit compared to Q2 of last year. It made £66.5 million ($103 million) in profit from £135.5 million ($213 million) in revenue from its numerous mobile and low-power processor design licensees. Analysts expected lower performance for the simple reason that the world’s biggest chip-makers have warned of tougher “macroeconomic” times ahead — rival Intel has been careful to dampen people’s hopes for its next quarter, for example, and Qualcomm (a major ARM customer) has also reduced its forecasts. Still, it’s all just different shades of rolling in it.

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ARM sees profit surge 23 percent, tests forecasters’ patience originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jul 2012 02:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel porting Jelly Bean to its Atom architecture, is in no hurry to tell you when it’s done

Intel working on Atomflavored Jelly Beans for portable devices

Intel has revealed that it’s working on bringing Jelly Bean to its low-power Atom architecture. In an email to PC World, company rep Suzy Greenberg confirmed the project was ongoing, but didn’t offer a timeline as to when the latest flavor of Google’s mobile OS would arrive on a device. It’s the same story regarding when Ice Cream Sandwich would turn up on Medfield-powered devices like the San Diego and its brethren. The report also pours cold water on hopes for Clover Trail powered Android gear — saying that it’s pencilled in as a Windows 8-only platform.

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Intel porting Jelly Bean to its Atom architecture, is in no hurry to tell you when it’s done originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jul 2012 12:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vizio Co-Star Google TV set-top box is up for pre-order, $100 brings it your way in August

Vizio CoStar Google TV settop box is up for preorder, $100 brings it your way in August

As promised, Vizio has starting taking pre-orders for its Co-Star Google TV box. For a penny less than a Benjamin, it adds the new Google TV experience to your existing setup, and brings along its remote with QWERTY keyboard on the underside and integrated IR blaster. Based on one of Marvell’s ARM processors it’s ready for apps like OnLive, and now that the price is competitive with the hockey puck streamers like Roku, Western Digital or Apple, we’ll see which one consumers choose. August 14th is the current estimated shipping date, if you’d like to be the first with one (and take advantage of a “limited time” free shipping offer) before the box hits retailers hit the source link to get in line, or check out the press release and quick video preview embedded after the break.

Continue reading Vizio Co-Star Google TV set-top box is up for pre-order, $100 brings it your way in August

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Vizio Co-Star Google TV set-top box is up for pre-order, $100 brings it your way in August originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jul 2012 06:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ARM and TSMC team up on 64-bit chips and FinFET transistors

ARM and TSMC team up

ARM and TSMC are renewing their vows and plan to continue collaborating well into the future, as they work to optimize the 64-bit v8 architecture for the Taiwanese company’s FinFET transistor tech. The two will push next-gen ARM chips to 20nm and beyond, and hopefully shorten the time to market for new designs. The FinFET process should also help boost frequencies, while keeping power consumption low — a key to the continued success of the RISC architecture. The FinFET architecture is similar to Intel’s own tri-gate transistor technology that was instrumental to nudging the Core architecture forward with Ivy Bridge. After those 64-bit ARM chips are up and running at 20nm and powering your next-gen smartphone, TSMC will begin to look at even smaller processes, with an eye on 15nm next. You’ll find the entire joint profession of their love for one another after the break.

Continue reading ARM and TSMC team up on 64-bit chips and FinFET transistors

ARM and TSMC team up on 64-bit chips and FinFET transistors originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jul 2012 01:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ARM and TSMC ink 64-bit deal to oust Intel from businesses

ARM and TSMC have inked a deal for the next-generation of 64-bit processors, paving the way for phones, tablets, notebooks and even servers which outclass x86 chips on performance and efficiency. The deal, which builds on an existing multi-year agreement between ARM and TSMC on 20nm production, will see ARM optimize its ARMv8 architecture and Artisan IP with TSMC’s FinFET process technology, slashing the time it takes to bring new, advanced chips to market.

64-bit is the next step in ARM’s continued encroachment into markets that would traditionally have looked to Intel and AMD x86 processors. Although ARM-based chipsets are currently dominant in phones and tablets, where their power frugality makes them ideal to balance limited battery life with the expectations of all-day runtime from users, 64-bit readiness will enable the company to broach the enterprise and server segments.

“The 64-bit architecture has been designed specifically to enable energy-efficient implementations” ARM said in a statement on the deal. “Similarly, the 64-bit memory addressing and high-end performance are necessary to enable enterprise computing and network infrastructure that are fundamental for the mobile and cloud-computing markets.”

Meanwhile, TSMC’s “ability to quickly ramp volume production of highly integrated SoCs in advanced silicon process technology” and FinFET process will mean chips on sale sooner and that use less power.

Dell and HP have both revealed plans for ARM-based servers, and the chipsets will get an extra boost when Windows RT – previously known as Windows-on-ARM – arrives in October. Samsung and others are expected to release Windows RT tablets using ARM-based processors, while one of Microsoft’s own Surface tablets will run on ARM technology.


ARM and TSMC ink 64-bit deal to oust Intel from businesses is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


Raspberry Pi production ramped up to 4,000 per day, 5MP camera module on its way (video)

Raspberry Pi production ramped up to 4,000 per day, 5MP camera module on its way (video)

If you’d been frustrated thanks to all the Raspberries having been picked, and had even considered the bitter taste of other fruit, there’s hope for you yet. The tiny computer’s maker has just announced that production is now at 4,000 units per day, and the previous restriction of one purchase per person has been lifted. Good news. In addition to this is the announcement of a new camera board in the works. The 5-megapixel module (as expected, dropping a few notches from the 14MP prototype) is expected to cost around $20-$25, and be available in around three months. So now you can have your fill of the sweet little berries and look forward to your next upgrade too. Now you just need to think of a suitably sweet application for it.

Continue reading Raspberry Pi production ramped up to 4,000 per day, 5MP camera module on its way (video)

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Raspberry Pi production ramped up to 4,000 per day, 5MP camera module on its way (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 17:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kontron preps first Tegra 3-based Mini-ITX board, homebrew gets an ARMful

Kontron preps first Tegra 3based MiniITX board, homebrew gets an ARMfull

Believe it or not, there’s a potentially cheaper (and more customizable) way to get NVIDIA’s quad-core Tegra 3 into your life than to spring for a Nexus 7. Kontron is readying a rare Mini-ITX motherboard, the KTT30, that combines the ARM-based chip with expandable RAM and a trio of mini PCI Express slots for expansion like a micro SATA drive or a 3G modem. The external ports are more the kind you’d find on a do-it-yourself x86 PC, too: full-size HDMI, USB and even Ethernet make a show at the back. The only hurdles are an unusually throttled back 900MHz processor speed and, quite simply, the lack of release details. Kontron hasn’t promised more than a release “coming soon” — with much more complete Tegra 3 devices now hitting the $199 mark, though, we can’t see the KTT30 putting much strain on any budding hobbyist’s wallet.

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Kontron preps first Tegra 3-based Mini-ITX board, homebrew gets an ARMful originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Jul 2012 23:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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