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Apple is reportedly looking into ways to replace its Intel processors in Macs with new chips based on the designs it uses for its iOS-based devices. The company has previously been rumored to be contemplating such a move, but Bloomberg reports today that Apple’s engineers are now more confident in their underlying chip designs and the ability of those designs to power Mac desktops and notebooks.

Bloomberg has reported similar planned changes in the past, in a retrospective reflecting on the year since Steve Jobs’ death. And around a year ago there were rumors that it was looking at alternatives to Intel as well. The hurdles involved include making sure that software works on Macs based on the new processors; when Apple went from PowerPC to Intel, the transition left a lot of legacy software incompatible and led to transition issues around porting software.

Apple would also have to be extremely confident in their new chipmaking powers in order to drop Intel, and this isn’t likely something we’ll see happen overnight, even now that they’ve achieved greater maturity with their mobile efforts. I’d expect Apple to deliver new architecture alongside a significant OS update, maybe an evolution that finally carries us out of the OS X generation.

Apple designs based on ARM designs would enable the company to create hardware that theoretically runs cooler with less significant power demands, and would make it easier to get OS X and iOS closer together (it seems to be wanting to do just that with its recent executive rearrangement) in terms of cross-compatibility of software and code. But unlike Microsoft, Apple is taking the long-view approach to that unification of platforms. So again, it seems like we’ll probably not see this make its way to actual shipping products for a while, but it’ll be a huge shift for all involved (Apple, users, developers and especially Intel) if it does come to pass.

According to Bloomberg Apple is considering a move away from Intel chips for its cherished Mac line. The move would be the third major CPU shift for the brand which has previously relied on Motorola 68000 and Power PC chips. The move away from Intel could also mean a move away from x86 as Apple has been heavily invested in its own ARM-based chip designs in recent years. Bloomberg’s sources suggest that Cupertino is actively working on a version of its tweaked ARM architecture that would run inside Mac PC, in particular its laptop products could stand to benefit from its battery sipping design.

The change will not happen immediately. In fact, the sources said such a move was years away, potentially not happening till 2017. But, as the gulf between “mobile” and “desktop” products begins to shrink and the boundaries blend, it would only seem to make sense that Apple would look to leverage its high-profile purchase of P.A. Semi to good use and inch ever closer to being a completely self-reliant corporate entity. We don’t think it’s any secret that Apple would, if it could, design and manufacture every component itself.

Filed under: Apple

Apple may ditch Intel chips in Macs, says Bloomberg originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 16:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel’s taking its 48-core processor and applying it to a field beyond academia: the world of mobile electronics. The company this morning announced intentions to slip the 48-core bad boy into future tablets and smartphones (emphasis on future), with CTO Justin Rattner saying the mobile implementation could arrive “much sooner” than the 10-year window predicted by researchers.

Aside from the thrilling world of linear algebra and fluid dynamics that the chipset is currently used for, Intel says it could offload processor-intensive functions across several cores, effectively speeding up various functions (say, video streaming). The availability of so many cores also means faster multitasking possibilities than the current dual- or quad-core offerings in modern smartphones and tablets — just imagine a world where two Angry Birds games can run simultaneously in the background without affecting the paradoxical game of Tiny Wings you decided to play instead. Hey, we understand — it’s just a better bird game. No big. Sadly, few software developers are crafting their wares (warez?) to take advantage of multi-core processing as is, so it’s gonna take more than just the existence of Intel’s 48-core chip to make its vision a reality.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Tablets, Mobile, Intel

Take that linear algebra to go: Intel’s 48-core chip targeting smartphones and tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Oct 2012 14:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Don’t panic, SSD 330 owners: your drive hasn’t been immediately rendered obsolete. Intel’s new SSD 335 is just the first shipping drive using the company’s 20-nanometer flash memory. The shrink down from 25nm is primarily a technological showcase that proves the more scalable, hi-K/metal gate borrowed from processors can fly in NAND-based storage. Buyers will still get the same 500MB/s read speeds and 450MB/s writes in a 2.5-inch, SATA 6Gbps drive that will stuff neatly into many desktops and laptops. Intel is shy about pricing for the lone 240GB variant on offer, although a quick scan finds it selling for a slight premium over its ancestor, at $210. While that’s still frugal in this day and age, we’re guessing that Intel’s vow to “pass along the savings” with the SSD 335 won’t truly be realized without a reseller price drop or two.

Continue reading Intel ships SSD 335 as its first drive with 20nm flash, asks just a little to stay cutting-edge

Filed under: Storage, Intel

Intel ships SSD 335 as its first drive with 20nm flash, asks just a little to stay cutting-edge originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Oct 2012 05:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic introduced last Friday in the US its new 12.5″ convertible with the Toughbook C2. Designed for professional the new C2 comes by default with Windows 8 Pro, a nice 5-point capacitive multi-touch 12.5″ 500 nit LCD IPS display, 4GB of RAM, an Intel Core i5-3427U vPro CPU, USB 3.0, WiFi, Bleutooth, LTE or 3G and a battery life announced for 11h! The Panasonic Toughbook C2 is available this December from authorized Panasonic resellers starting at $2949. The Toughbook C2 …