Quality Electronics
BlackBerry Playbook: You Had Me at Hello… But What About Others?
Not everyone wants an iPad. Sure, I’ve played with Apple’s (AAPL) hot device, but I belong to another tribe; I love Research In Motion’s (RIMM) Blackberry. That’s my disclaimer; I’m a Blackberry fan and brand evangelist. So while others rejoice in iPad 2 news, I’m eagerly awaiting the launch of the Blackberry Playbook. I actually expected to find RIM and the Playbook front and center at the CTIA Wireless show in March but was disappointed to find that they skipped the event this year to focus on their own Blackberry World conference in May.
With all of the buzz surrounding iPad 2, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab, and Motorola’s (MMI) Xoom, I began to wonder how the Playbook will fare when it launches on April 19th. For answers,
Nvidia’s Dual-GPU GTX 590 Already Sold Out
Nvidia’s new high-priced, dual-GPU GeForce GTX 590 sold out in less than a week.
Softpedia reports that Nvidia’s just-released dual-GPU GeForce GTX 590 graphics card has sold out here in the States.
Sporting two GF110 GPUs, the GTX 590 is Nvidia’s answer to AMD’s monster dual-GPU Radeon HD 6990. Both are packed with DirectX 11 support and geared to gamers with big, big wallets. The AMD solution is priced at an impressive $700 whereas the Nvidia card is asking nearly $650.
Given the card’s high price point, Nvidia reportedly launched the GTX 590 in modest, limited numbers, just a few thousand cards in Europe alone.
Microsoft begins shipping early builds of Windows 8 to key OEMs
Tantalizing bits of Windows 8 have been revealed since June last year, and at CES 2011, Microsoft officially revealed the hardware agnostic nature of the upcoming platform, touting support for both ARM and x86 designs. Now, accompanying the latest leak of a Windows 8 System Reset feature, come reports that Microsoft has already begun shipping early builds of Windows 8 to key OEMs, such as HP.
Microsoft is supposedly distributing build 7971.0.110324-1900 (Windows 8 Milestone 3) through its Connect external testing system. The OEMs who have received this build are part of what is known as the Windows 8 and Server vNext Pre-Release program – companies that will help Microsoft test builds and offer feedback.
Microsoft is expected to release a full-fledged beta of Windows 8 by September 2011, ahead of its release candidate and launch sometime in 2012. A
An Eye on Investing in the Era of Mass Computing
There is a new technology infrastructure under construction with significant implications for companies and technology users. In 1999, in the midst of the “dot.com boom” there were less than 100 million IP addresses. We are entering a stage of mass adoption of technology in which the dot.com adoption pales in comparison. Hundreds of millions of IP addresses are now being added each year. Those who understand the depth and breadth of the implications of this accelerated adoption of computing technology will stand to benefit from yet another technology disruption. The investing advantage often goes to those who know where to look. Tec Get more info…
AMD: DirectX Comments Taken Out of Context
AMD is performing damage control, announcing its full support for DirectX after last week’s interview with Richard Huddy.
Just over a week after AMD’s worldwide developer relations manager of its GPU division, Richard Huddy, spoke out against DirectX and other APIs, the company now says that it supports DirectX and that the previous comments were taken out of context and exaggerated. While that may be true, Huddy’s latest interview with CRN– along with senior director of ISV relations at AMD Neal Robison–also comes across as damage control.
“The [Bit-tech] interview started off being about OpenGL, and the way APIs are developed,” Huddy said.