Thursday, May 30, 2013

AMD wants to add Jaguar in servers!


AMD seems to stake everything on their new Jaguar architecture. They have been planted already in the heart of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One after the other; it will be soon land in our laptops, and tablet PCs via hybrid SoC Kabini and Temash. Today, the company announced a further step ahead, as it is now the servers that are specified with the X1150 and X2150 Opteron. Jaguar continues to make its little way and landed in the servers via the Kyoto generation chips, known as references Opteron X1150 and X2150. Yes, when AMD wants, it is able to make simple and effective name, far from what is imposed on us in the consumer market. Thus, the main difference between these two chips is the presence or absence of a graphical part (X2150 only) and the minimum TDP is 9 watts or 11 watts. Maximum, this value will increase to 17 or 22 watts. This discrepancy is explained by the possibility left to the user to set the frequency in the BIOS to adjust its need heating term that is Flexible TDP.

It is of course the architecture GCN (Graphics Core Next) Radeon HD 7000 is going to be used through 128 processing units, but under the name HD 8000. The functionality of video compression and decompression hardware be also present. If Intel starts pushing his QSV solution and the Media SDK on servers, the Texan also seems to be the big competitor of the pie. Each model will have four cores at its CPU, with a maximum frequency of 1.9 GHz (X2150) or 2 GHz (X1150). At the GPU side it will vary this value from 266 MHz to 600 MHz depending on the case. For the rest, everything is the same: a maximum of 32GB of DDR3 is supported and eight PCIe 2.0 lanes, eight USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports and two GB / s Serial ATA ports 6 are found. Everything is in a BGA type packaging 24.5 x 24.5 mm.

AMD still has some clear advantages to play, as this segment of the general public. But in both cases, the quality of image could actually help to convince the customer. We'll see what it is in practice, the inertia in terms of changing attitudes is even more important in the world of servers.

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Talk With Your Chrome 27 Browser!



The new version of Google's browser is here. Yes the Google Chrome; Chrome 27 shines with faster load times and a full screen mode for Android Smartphones. On Android Smartphones Chrome displays 27 sites in full-screen mode. Adding up the loading time of websites is very fast, save all Chrome users together 510 years of their weekly life time, as in Google announcement. Chrome 27 is of fast browser, the manufacturer promises to be an average of five percent faster load times. For this, the developers have optimized the processes. However, the daily surfing these improvements are comparably small. The advantages of faster loading times should be noticed only when accessing complex pages with a variety of different elements. Google's surprise announcement that set instead of the proven WebKit technology in future on its own "browser engine" to come in the current version but not yet to be in force and only going to utilize with Google's new Chrome 28 browser-base indicator in appearance.

As usual, Google has in the new Chrome version again closed some security holes. For the discovery of the vulnerabilities of the Internet giant let go this time almost 15,000 U.S. dollars. With over $ 3,000 received from the Finnish University of Oulu, the highest premium for the detection of memory errors in the audio playback. Security researchers found a total of 14 classified as risky vulnerabilities from Chrome and those have been removed from Chrome 27. In addition, the new browser receives an improved version of the Flash Player. With Chrome 27 Chrome users get the opportunity to use the framework presented in the developer conference intelligent voice search from Google. Interestingly, Google Voice Search understands but not as an exclusive new feature of Chrome 27: In the announcement, the function appeared not once on. Go to the Google search with the latest browser version, a microphone icon appears in the input line. Have appropriate audio hardware installed or connected to your PC, ask and you dictate from then blithely go.

The version for Android devices has received an update. On Smartphones you can now surf with Chrome 27 in full-screen mode. To do this, simply scroll down to leave the address bar disappear. But on tablets that function is not yet available. Use the Omnibox to the web search, this keeps your searches from Chrome 27, instead of the current display the Google address. At the same time there is more space for your search results. For website developers; Chrome offers 27 thanks to support new HTML5 features, the easy way to integrate form elements. How to do this demonstrates in the demo page. Furthermore, the Chrome team has the developer tools optimized in some places, to facilitate the work of the web developer. Also on board is a new audio interface. Which allows feed the browser with a live stream. These benefits include the new standard for real-time communication, which Google introduced Chrome 21. In addition, the makers of Chrome have built a sync file system interface to access data from Google Drive on the Chrome apps. In addition to these changes, the new Google browser comes with a number of other minor improvements.


In Chrome 27, Google continues the trend of its predecessor. The most interesting changes for end users can be found in the Android version. While also gets the big brother profound innovations donated, but play mainly under the hood. With intelligent Voice Search you have the communication with the PC hands free for other things. In terms of speed, Google's browser leaves the competition far behind as usual.

Friday, May 24, 2013

Siri a smarter assistant!


Introduced in fall 2011, Siri was the major novelty of the iPhone 4S. This voice assistant then beta should evolve to become more intelligent, but it is clear that we are far off. Spring 2013, Siri is still wearing a letter "beta" by Apple and it is still limited, or almost. With iOS 6, he certainly won some functions, such as management of restaurants and cinema. Siri is nevertheless a few useful assistant outside the United States, where it is capable of many more things. There, he can answer general questions with Wolfram Alpha, it can reserve tables or movie tickets, but it cannot do everything, far from it. And if his personality with its sometimes funny answers impressed in 2011, it is now tired of seeing Siri fail to meet some simple requests. Already claimed for iOS 6, hopefully enriching Siri by other developers is finally on the agenda in 2013. The wizard and Apple could integrate with any task manager rather than just reminders. It could even incorporate more complete results provided by an application. This should include can easily choose the application to control, but this change makes sense and would probably raise the interest of Siri. Another element that deserves to be controlled by Siri, some simple adjustments like “activate” or “deactivate” the Bluetooth or WiFi, or quickly switch to airplane mode.

It is not related to an update of iOS, but Siri suffers from problems of understanding since its early days and although Apple has promised steady progress, we are still waiting. Too often, the evil wizard understands what you say and you have to wait several seconds and repeat, so we almost always quicker to unlock the device and manually what we wanted do with Siri. This is particularly the case for the management of messages is very buggy and malfunctions too often, so it is very convenient, especially when traveling. Siri is useful in some cases, but it is of no help in many situations. Since this is a voice assistant is the user to activate and ask him a question, then an assistant really useful would himself inform you. This is precisely the challenge as of now, the latest service from Google that is available on Android devices, but iOS. Wizard Google intends to bring you useful information based on your current situation. It may be the weather forecast for the city where you are, but also forecasts for the city where you go. If you fly, now it will display a reminder of the flight with all the necessary information. If you have an appointment at the other end of the city then It calculates the time required to get there and alert you at the right time, taking into account traffic. Apple could make Siri as a helpful assistant. The iPhone user will enter appointments in the phone and the manufacturer now has its own mapping service to calculate the route and prevent the right time. One could imagine other services in iOS 7, such as better management of cinemas with the possibility to notify Siri for your interest in a film and an alert sent automatically when it leaves. Passbook, one of the new iOS 6 could be naturally integrated display shortly before leaving your train ticket. Until then, Apple has chosen a much less intrusive than Google where everything is automatic approach. If you appreciate the discretion that Siri is activated at the request and only what is asked, it would be much more useful with an entrepreneurial spirit. If you put a roast in the oven and you ask him to set a timer for 45 minutes, should not it tell you if you have a scheduled appointment in 15 minutes?

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Evoluent Vertical 4, a special Mac mouse!



The Apple Store sells exclusively the Evoluent Vertical 4 for Mac. Little known on this side of the Atlantic, the Evoluent mouse are known for their ergonomics. With their unusual shapes, they avoid the tension and pressure of certain parts of the arm and hand. The subject is discussed from time to time and the use of vertical mouse or graphics tablet against tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. The handlings of this vertical mouse are quite surprising at first, but in use, they offer a more enjoyable experience than the traditional mouse. The Mac model on sale at the Apple Store communicates with the computer using a Bluetooth connection has a knob and six buttons and powered with one AA battery. It comes with a manager to configure the various buttons available to the user. On the other hand, the Evoluent Vertical 4 has LEDs to display the speed of the pointer that you can simply adjust. In case of low battery, they alert you by blinking. As of now this mouse came in black and white colors only

Flickr offers 1TB of storage now!



Flickr is one of the Yahoo! site dedicated to sharing photos and it has just now received a significant update. All its users are now entitled to 1 TB of storage for their photos, which can store more than 400,000 photos taken with your Smartphone. This storage space is totally free, but the site does not abandon paying formulas. Very important thing is; with this storage, Flickr wants to highlight the images in their native resolution. A new design supports the change and focus on the images in the same spirit as 500px, a competing service. The images are thus put forward with; they always have more space on the page and displays in Flickr albums and photos that are much more modern than previous time. Following the trend of the moment, each account is associated with a cover image to select from the photos. The effect is very successful, provided at least enough to have great pictures. While viewing a photo, we see almost more than the image. Technical information associated with the picture, comments and other elements are relegated to a second zone and must scroll down to see everything.

 Logic for this site that wants to highlight photos of yourchoice, but it will find its bearings. Same story on the home page that totally changes to highlight the latest images from Flickr accounts you are following. Thus we find a column with their latest additions and a sidebar with some elements put forward by the site. Also at the top of its sidebar is meant for advertising: and because it is now the only justification for pay. Until then, Flickr proposed two fairly simple formulas: one free was limited to 300 MB of photos per month and a small number of albums, while the other, pay, unlimited use of the site and allowed to store and organize all your photos without limits. With this new formula is a little more complicated ... The free offer limited to 1 TB of photos, but you no longer have a monthly limit and you can store all the photos or videos you want, as you follow the general limit. It must also rely on some constraints, such as a three-minute limit for videos and 200 MB for each photo, plenty to do.

 The pro offers Flickr will disappear. All those who currently have a subscription will retain the benefits until the end of their period and then they can renew their subscription. They can keep their benefits and will not see advertising, but other users can no longer subscribe to the pay offer. We can, however, purchase a paid subscription, but the basic formula just removes the ads. For about € 40 a year, you will not see advertisement on the site, but you do not have storage space and more. To store more images, you have to subscribe additional one TB that adds another terabyte (2TB total) for 390 € about the year. It's expensive, but for comparison, Google charges the same storage space $ 100 per month. Still supply Flickr pro was more interesting for twenty dollars a year; you could use the site without limits storage space.

If you still have an old subscription, you have more benefits in keeping it. The new site fits up to a certain point on your screen for Smartphones it will always turn to mobile applications. Yahoo! has just announced the release of a new Android application that uses the new Flickr on the iOS App Store. Although some changes are going to happen, especially on the issue of the maximum amount of pictures to be stored, this update of Flickr is unquestionably necessary and is successful in all. The new modern design is nice and highlighting original photos to the best.