Hasta La Gadget!

Phishers are getting so good and so numerous that even the most technically adept of online bankers should think twice before typing in that password. Even if it’s a legit site, databases can be infiltrated and passwords can be cracked. Time for something more, then. Intel is working on it, teaming up with Symantec and Vasco on what’s being broadly termed Identity Protection Technology, or IPT. This tech enables a computer to, in hardware, generate a one-time password (OTP) that a compatible site could accept. That computer would have been earlier paired with the site to ensure that only authorized machines sign on. It’s similar to the random generating key fobs you might need to sign on to VPN, but built in to Intel’s Core i3, i5, and i7 processors. Of course, that won’t help if you e-mail your credit card number to a supposed friend who’s supposedly stranded in some supposedly far away land, but it’s progress.

Intel working with Symantec and Vasco for IPT, hardware-based security measures originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 04:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A problem requiring a “silicon fix” is bad news in the chipset business, and sadly that’s what Intel is announcing. Its new Intel 6 Series chipset, Cougar Point, has been found to have a flaw, something to do with the SATA controller. Intel is indicating that the ports can “degrade over time,” leading to poor i/o performance down the road. All shipments have been stopped and a fix has been implemented for new deliveries, but it sounds like recalls will be starting soon for those with this ticking time bomb silicon within. It isn’t a critical problem right now, though, so if you own a Sandy Bridge Core i5 or Core i7 system keep computing with confidence while looking for a recall notice, but it is bad news for Intel’s bottom line: the company is advising a $300 million hit to revenue.

Update: Jimmy sent us a chat log with an Intel customer service representative indicating that this recall only affects “some desktop boards based on Intel P67 chipset,” that the H67 chipset boards appear to not be affected, but that the company doesn’t have a comprehensive list yet. We’ve certainly seen cases where CSRs don’t have all the info in this sort of situation, but still we’d advise waiting a bit before tearing your new mobo out and bringing it back to the store.

[Thanks, Matt]

Continue reading Intel finds Sandy Bridge chipset design flaw, shipments stopped and recalls beginning

Intel finds Sandy Bridge chipset design flaw, shipments stopped and recalls beginning originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 10:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looks like Sony is preparing to freshen up the top end of its laptop range with a pair of new VAIO series, the SA and SB. An Intel Core i7-2620M is found populating a listing for an SA1X9E/XI model, alongside 4GB of DDR3 RAM, 128GB of SSD storage, AMD Radeon HD 6630M graphics, and a 1600 x 900 resolution squeezed into a 13.3-inch screen. All that for a measly £1,571 (nearly $2,500). What’s intriguing about that 2.7GHz dual-core CPU is that Intel lists a February 20th launch date for it, potentially giving us a hint as to when Sony will put the trigger with its refresh. The VAIO SB laptops are set to be the tamer offering, being built around the latest Core i5 chips, though we’ve yet to know for certain what any of these new machines will actually look like. So, for your speculative pleasure, we’ve embedded a video after the break with some prototypes spotted at CES that could end up slapped with the SA / SB labels.

Continue reading Sony VAIO SA and SB show up at European e-tailers with 13-inch screens, Core i5 / i7 CPUs, SSD options

Sony VAIO SA and SB show up at European e-tailers with 13-inch screens, Core i5 / i7 CPUs, SSD options originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 01:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We didn’t have a date for Samsung’s 9 Series when it became official a couple of days ago, but now we do: it’s coming next month. Sammy’s press release makes sure to run us through all the bodacious specs of this 13.3-inch machine, including the LED-backlit display with 400 nits of brightness, 128GB SSD, 1.4GHz Core i5-2537M CPU, and MacBook Air-like proportions, before disclosing its arrival month as February 2011. The starting price is still a high and mighty $1,599, but then you do get a pretty stellar laptop for your cash money. Check out the full announcement after the break.

[Thanks, Mario]

Continue reading Samsung’s ultrathin 9 Series laptop coming in February

Samsung’s ultrathin 9 Series laptop coming in February originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 09 Jan 2011 15:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just yesterday, ASUS finally officially unveiled its brand new, IPS display-sporting EEE Slate EP121. If you can’t remember yesterday, the EP121 boasts an Intel Core i5-470UM processor, up to 4GB of RAM, and a 64GB SSD all in a 12.1-inch package running Windows 7. This high end tablet is due later this month, but if you simply must pre-order one today, well, taht’s now possible as it recently appeared at popular online retailer Amazon, for $999. Get over there!

[Thanks, DocWllk]

ASUS EEE Slate EP121 shows up for pre-order on Amazon originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 05:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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