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 Verbatim has just announced the release of new dual layer DVD+R media available in pack of three. Compared to precedent medias these DVD+R have a 4x/5x certification instead of 2.4x, and will be compatible with burners able to reach this writing speed. Their price announced is $34.99. This price corresponds to the previous models certified in 2.4X (pack of three).
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During the CEATEC in Japan, Pioneer indicated that they would release in 2005 a burner able to burn DVD±R at 8X, DVD±RW at 4X, DVD-R DL at 2.4X, and also single and dual layer BD-R in 2X. The BD-R reading speed will also be 2X. Prices and release date are still unknown. Thanks to PC Watch for the following pictures:
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 Like almost every year, the memory prices have increased in September. So after reaching $4.13 mid-September, the 32 MB DDR400 chips prices have increased and are now $4.82 (16.7% increases). This situation should continue in October and prices could easily reach $5. We are still far from last April’s prices which reached $6.5. For the moment most of the manufacturers have kept their prices steady thanks to their buffer stock. |
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 Sharp has released the 1rst of October a module with a CCD 2 megapixels sensor and a 2X optical zoom for cell phones. Unlike standard cameras, this isn’t a continuous zoom, but a zoom with two positions: wide angle or zoom 2X. There isn’t an intermediate position.
Sharp is currently starting the mass production of these equipments. They should quickly reach 400 000 units per months. |
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 Two formats are fighting for the DVD-ROM succession the Blu-ray Disc, and the HD-DVD.
The Blu-Ray can store up to 25 GB of data per layer (a non-approved version yet is able to store 27 GB), instead of 15 GB per layer for the less expensive HD-DVD.
Blu-Ray disc is supported by the Blu-Ray Disc Association including Dell, HP, Hitachi, LG Electronics, Matsushita, Panasonic, Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, TDK, Thomson, and the HD-DVD is principally supported by NEC, Toshiba and Sanyo.
Sony with their announcement a few weeks ago to use the Blu-Ray technology for their future Playstation 3 might carry a weight in the decision. To counter this announcement NEC is trying to work with Microsoft to define the HD-DVD as the standard for the Xbox 2. For the computer market, Sony and NEC are planning to release players during the second half 2005. Prices are currently unknown, but rumours announce $250 to $400.
 For the movie industry, Sony is also present with the recent purchase of MGM. In 2003, MGM was the number 2 for DVD sales with 17% of market shares. Sony with Columbia-Tristar had 11.3% of the market. So Sony is now virtually the number 1, in front of Time-Warner which reached 20% of the market. On the top of that the 20th Century Fox has recently joined the Blu-Ray Disc Association…
Who is going to win? The future will tell us. But we hope for the consumer best interest that one format will quickly extricate itself, or better- but a little bit utopian – that all players find an agreement to avoid the presence of two concurrent formats on the market. |
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 Intel has just updated their development tools. The main innovation is on the Extended Memory 64 Technology management. This x86 to 64 bits extension is close to the one adopted by AMD with the AMD64. This modification is applied to the Intel C++ and Intel Fortran compilers changing to the 8.1 version, and Intel Integrated Performance Primitives tools, Intel Math Kernel Library and Intel VTune Performance Analyzers. They are all currently available except for VTune released at the end of the year.
Intel’s compilers have always provided executable with excellent performances, whether if it is with an Intel or an AMD processor. Now we have to wait and see how this executable will work with an EM64T compilation with Intel’s compiler compared to those compiled in AMD64 ISA with the existing compliers (GCC, PathScale or PGI). |
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Additionally to the GeForce 6800 Ultra, GT and 6800 standard, a fourth version has been released the GeForce 6800 LE. This GPU only has 8 pixel pipelines and 4 functional vertex engines, and a 300 MHz frequency. The graphic cards characteristics are in the following table:
 The fillrate and geometrical characteristics of the GeForce 6800 LE chip are way below a standard 6800. The only identical aspect is the bandwidth. This part is actually the only one higher than a GeForce 6600GT. The GeForce 6600GT is faster for all other characteristics. The 6800 LE fillrate is even equivalent to a standard GeForce 6600! So the GeForce 6600GT will definitively be faster than a GeForce 6800 LE.  The problem is that the 6800 LE is no longer exclusively dedicated to OEMs. So far, all cards were sold only under no-name brands, but Leadtek has just included to their catalogue the WinFast A400 LE TDH based on the GeForce 6800 LE. Prices are still unknown but should be around $260. This price is superior to the faster 6600 GT ($250), but only available in PCI Express version. The AGP 6600 GT version should be released early November. The GeForce 6800 LE isn’t equivalent to the GeForce 6800GT or the standard GeForce 6800, so if you are about to buy a graphic card you should also consider the cheaper GeForce 6600 GT or even the 9800 Pro… |
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 AMD gave some information on their future Dual Core processors. These processors will be release mid-2005 for servers and working stations and during the last semester 2005 for desktops.
Currently, the 106 millions of transistors of the Opteron processors have a 130 nm fabrication process and use a 194 mm² surface. The future dual-core Opteron will have 205 millions of transistors (each core has 1 MB of cache L2) with a 90 nm fabrication process, and the die surface will be within 5% equivalent to the previous one. 95 Watt will be the maximum electrical consumption and these processors will have an improved pre-fetching and 10 of the 13 SSE3 instructions.
The SPEC benchs performances gains estimated by AMD should be from 39 to 57% between two mono cores CPU and two dual core CPU. These improvements might seem disappointing, but AMD specified that for heating reasons dual cores processors frequencies were 600 MHz lower than their mono core counter part. This situation explains the performances gap. With a 1GHz lower frequency, performances gains vary approximately from 26 to 45%. |
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 VIA gave some information on their next architecture called Isaiah, expected in the first half of 2006. This architecture innovations are the compatibility with x86 64 bits instructions, a faster bus processor, a new FPU able to process additions and multiplications in two clock cycle (instead of 6 and 8 for a Prescott), a larger cache and an out-of order and super scalar architecture. This new architecture should make possible for the VIA range to provide simultaneously high performances and low energy consumption… Wait & See ! |
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Corsair has release new XMS2 memory modules, the 4300C3. Available in Pro or standard versions (with or without activity LED) and in TwinX 1 GB pack or single 512 MB memory module, the 4300C3 distinctiveness is to be certified at 3-3-3-8 with a 269 MHz (DDR2-538) frequency.
Initially Corsair had release the XMS2-4300 memory modules with a 4-4-4-12 timing. After the release of the XMS2-5400 in 4-4-4-12 (DDR2-675), they gave up the XMS2-4300 production. Corsair chooses to release a DDR2 ValueSelect PC2-4200 range with he same timings certified.
 Of course the 4300C3 aggressive timings have a price. $400 for the 2x512 MB 4300C3 set and $420 for the same set in 5400. The ValueSelect 4200 price is approximately $310. Now the question is: What is the “standard” DDR2 denomination: 4200 or 4300? Actually the situation is a little bit complicated. The memory denominations are based on the bandwidth calculations (1Kb = 1000 octets). The result is 4266 MB/s for the DDR2-533, so some manufacturers choose to use 4200 and other 4300. The JEDEC documentations mention the two denominations. To avoid this denomination issue, Corsair has decided to certify their XMS2-4300 in DDR2-538 (269 MHz) instead of DDR2-533 (266 MHz). So with this slightly increased frequency, the final score obtained is 4304 Mb/s. |
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 HKEPC’s tests showed that the Athlon 64 90nm warmed up more than the Athlon 64 130nm. With Tech Report’s tests it was the other way round. Now it is Sudhian’s turn to measure the temperature (however they haven’t measure the electrical consumption).
This time results are intermediate. At 2 GHz, the 90 nm version is 2°C lower in stand by but 5°C warmer in use. However the problem is that these measures made on a MSI card are in complete contradiction with measures made on an ASUS card a few days before. Despite a beta bios forcing a 1.6V tension on the Athlon 64 90nm (instead of 1.4V), the processor temperature was 2°C higher in stand by and 1°C lower in use.
Under those circumstances it is hard to say who is right and who’s wrong. It would be useful to measure the temperature on the radiator base. This measure would give a reliable result… that’s what we would do if we could get one of these processors. |
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