Update: For now, IBM's just saying that the successor to the current PowerXCell 8i is canned, not all Cell development. [Fudzilla via MaxConsole, Driver Heaven]

Well, at least not in Roaming Navigation view.

Instead, the shows are grouped by relationship—common threads like genre, title, and hours of original play. The more overlapping qualities, the closer the thumbnails are sorted to one another.

At first, the idea of sorting by title similarity sounds a bit ridiculous, but for those who watch CSI, CSI:Miami, CSI:NY, CSI:Indianapolis, and CSI:Millersburg, OH, it's probably pretty handy—especially if they watch Law & Order, too. [Tech-On]

The new SpursEngine is a quad-core chip based upon Cell architecture (think of it as a scaled back PS3). Bundled in Toshiba's upcoming Qosmio multimedia laptops, the chip not only assists the Core 2 Duo in intense calculations and decodes MPEG2 and MPEG4, but it will "clean up" internet video like a sort of YouTube upscaler.

This video enhancement only works through Internet Explorer when video is played back full screen. And the technology is Japan-only for the time being, arriving in laptops this week that start at $2,000. Maybe if the SpursEngine simply blocked all YouTube content, we'd have a deal. [Network World]

It's anecdotal evidence, sure, but these folks are undoubtedly ahead of the curve on technology. And what they're saying is they're more comfortable using mobile devices as a primary computing and communications tool than they are with notebooks, or even netbooks.

[Notebooks are] still here, but are far fewer. Right now I can see several open tables and an entire open outlet. Instead people are clustered around mobile phones, showing off applications, photos or videos. You can see little clusters of them dotting the halls, like this group I photographed here. I've even seen one or two people charging their iPhones, rather than charging notebooks, in an outlet. As for netbooks, I haven't seen many at all. - Stacey Higginbotham, GigaOM

GigaOM notes, and I agree, that this is not the End Times for notebooks. It just means people are much more comfortable with using their phone as a computing/communication tool than they were the year before. Expect that to continue as phones get even more robust and the networks get faster.

Update: Well, people were using smartphones en masse at SXSW, so long as they were not iPhones. At&t apparently dropped the ball in Austin. [GigaOM]

Now the good stuff. We've had two separate tipsters ping us with the rumors today, which Rose talked about last night during the live Diggnation show at SXSW in Austin.

The breakdown of unconfirmed rumors goes like this:

- Cut and paste in 3.0
- Users magnify or double tap a word to bring up cut and paste
- Pinch "boundaries" to select word(s); Rose called them "copy boundaries"
- Then you get option to cut, paste or copy

Also, the 3.0 update will have enough new features and additions to bring it up to the Palm Pre levels. Whatever Palm Pre has shown us so far, apparently, the iPhone will have too when 3.0 becomes official. That point remains a bit hazy right now, so anyone who was at Diggnation last night who can help elaborate a bit more would be awesome in my book.

Lastly, there will NOT be video, nor will there be MMS. Boo. This last point seems to contradict BGR's MMS rumor from the other day. [Thanks, Kyle and Abdul!]

Apart from the weird look, the home theater speaker is particularly interesting as it can run for months without needing a recharge.

I'm not so sure about the indoor fuel charger, however. Would it be cheaper than just connecting your devices to your computer or power plug? []

We're always looking at ways to reduce costs [in the PS3], replacing the current 65 nanometre Cell chip with a 45 nanometre one probably in middle of year.

So why should you care? Well, the chips should run cooler and at a lower wattage. But more importantly, shrinking the processor to something cheaper to build is absolutely essential if we're ever to see a cheaper PS3.

What we're a little confused about is why it's taking Sony so long to make this switch. Because, according to reports, IBM has long figured out how to make a 45nm Cell. So is Sony sitting on a pile of 65nm chips that haven't sold since last year? [The Guardian via Engadget]

Representative Massa made the 300 mile NY to DC trip in a car that has a maximum range of 200 miles. How? By enlisting the help of two SUVs to tow two fuel cell cars while not in use.

Massa drove one fuel cell car while a hybrid SUV [Chevy Tahoe] towing an additional SUV followed along. Once he got half way, he switched to new fuel cell car [which I assume was towed to the half way point sometime earlier so that it would be waiting for the environmentally-conscious congressman]. The empty fuel cell was then towed back by the first SUV. As he continued on his journey, the second SUV followed. Once Massa arrived in DC, the second SUV then towed the second fuel cell car back to NY.

So basically, one SUV traveled 400 miles and one SUV traveled 600 miles for a total of 1000 miles on a 300 mile trip. That's not even counting the mileage on the fuel cell car. Nice work there Captain Planet. [Famous DC via Boing Boing]

The WSJ pulls out facts like IBM employees trying to hide their work from people from companies in cubicles next to them, helping one team out (the Microsoft team) with their design process based on knowledge they had already gained from the Sony side, and most importantly, that Microsoft received the chip from manufacturing BEFORE Sony did because they ordered "backup manufacturing capacity from a third party." [WSJ via PS3 Fanboy]

Blood analysis usually requires either large and expensive equipment or a trained technician to manually examine the material. Both are out of reach for many remote areas, especially in parts of Africa where HIV and malaria are rampant. UCLA researcher Dr. Aydogan Ozcan developed software that allows blood samples to be analyzed with the use of inexpensive, off-the-shelf camera sensors and a filtered light source. The key is the software's ability to analyze thousands of blood cells at once, providing an accurate result within minutes.

The photo above shows a Sony-Ericsson phone modded for this type of use. That bulge on the back is the filtered light source. It's great to see cool mods done for great social welfare rather than our gadgety amusement every once in awhile. [Wired]

While a megapixel pissing contest may be an effective marketing strategy, it's doubtful that it'll be most conducive to higher quality photos — the biggest weaknesses of current phone cameras have nothing to do with pixel count, but crappy CMOS sensors and dumpy little lenses.

This declaration was buried in between a few other predictably optimistic projections: LTE connectivity at 100Mbps, 1GHz CPU speeds and 1024x768 screen resolution. Interesting numbers for sure, but they don't really much vision for what such a device might actually look like. [TechOn]

1. Athlete's Foot
2. Polio
3. Feline Senior Dementia
4. the Bends
5. Priapism
6. the Vapors
7. Seasonal Affective Disorder
8. the Bubonic Plague

So things really aren't so bad. [CTV]

Jul 15, 2008 00:01

Toshiba Qosmio World's First Laptop with Cell Processor Technology

¶ TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Cell Processor Provides Revolutionary Multimedia Experience Through Enhanced Speed and Control
IRVINE, Calif. —(Business Wire)— Jul. 15, 2008 Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced the world's first laptop PC to feature Cell processor technology. This computing advancement, called the TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Processor(1), is available on Toshiba's Qosmio(R) G55-Q802 laptop PC and delivers a revolutionary high-definition, multimedia user experience.

"In terms of the Qosmio laptop brand, innovation is the key ingredient," said Jeff Barney, vice president and general manager, Digital Products Division, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. "The addition of the TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Processor marks a watershed moment in the multimedia and HD segments. Qosmio G55-Q802 laptop PC users now have the power and ability to control and manipulate their personal content with unmatched precision and speed while also enjoying their full DVD collections at resolutions up to 1080i."

The TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Processor was designed to better serve the creative process by alleviating the intense burden that's placed on the CPU while handling a wide range of multimedia tasks, such as video transcoding. The complex task of transcoding and encoding a personal video project monopolizes a majority of the processing power of today's advanced computer systems. Through the addition of the TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Processor, along with the combined strength of Intel's latest Core(TM) 2 Duo processor(1) technology and the NVIDIA GeForce(R) 9600M(2) GT graphics card, tasks that once took hours to complete now are accomplished in a fraction of the time with Toshiba's Qosmio(R) G55-Q802 laptop PC.

This revolutionary Cell processor technology was co-developed by Toshiba, Sony and IBM, and is best known for its use within the popular Sony PlayStation(R) 3 and various supercomputers. Branded the TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Processor, it currently consists of four cutting-edge, distinctive proprietary features:

— Upconvert/Upconversion - Through "Upconvert/Upconversion," standard-definition video files, such as home videos and DVDs, are upscaled in real time to 720p high-definition. Combined with the use of the Qosmio's HDMI-CEC port, users can output today's standard DVDs in stunning clarity up to 1080i on an HDTV.

— Transcoding - The included Ulead(R) DVD MovieFactory(R) 5 for TOSHIBA has been optimized to take advantage of the Toshiba Quad Core HD Processor to dramatically reduce the time needed in high-definition video editing. Transcoding video between high-definition formats or converting high-definition video into standard definition for burning to DVD can be completed up to 10 times(3) faster on the Qosmio(R) G55-Q802 laptop PC.

— Video Indexing - "Video Indexing" provides the power to catalog video clips based on an individual's face in a scene. This unique technology enables quick and easy scene access by eliminating the need to manually search through hours of video content.

— Gesture Control - Using a remote to control DVDs, CDs and PowerPoint is a thing of the past. Through the use of "Gesture Control" and the Qosmio's Webcam, physical motions, such as extending an arm and simple hand gestures, users can control the play, pause, rewind and fast-forward functions of their movies, music and slides.

The Qosmio G55 series laptop is also available without the TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Processor, but the series was collectively designed to enhance the digital lifestyle by providing cutting-edge innovations that are built upon the backbone of sharp picture quality and pristine sound reproduction. In addition to the technological advancement of the TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Processor, the Qosmio is built around an expansive 18.4-inch diagonal widescreen TruBrite(R) high-definition display that sports a true 16:9 aspect ratio. Users can take advantage of more of the display and enjoy their widescreen movies with less of the black bar letterboxing, which frames a picture on other displays. To further enhance the visual experience, the Qosmio G55 laptop PC sports two premium Harman Kardon(R) stereo speakers, a sub-woofer and Dolby Home Theater(TM) technology, which allows users to experience their content in surround sound. The Qosmio can be seamlessly integrated into a user's home theater system for a complete surround sound experience thanks to its REGZA LINK(TM) HDMI technology while empowering users with simultaneous instant device configuration and the ability to control REGZA LINK enabled devices, such as Toshiba's REGZA(TM) HDTVs and a Qosmio laptop, with a single remote.

The Qosmio G55 laptop PC has several design features that magnify its cutting edge nature, such as its striking Fusion(TM) finish with Vibe design, white-LED FeatherTouch multimedia buttons and a flush-mounted Touchpad. These external features do much to enhance the overall quality and premium feel of the new Qosmio, which has a starting price of $1,299.99(4).

For the first time, Toshiba will offer users the option of configuring their laptop to run either a 32-bit or 64-bit(5) version of Windows Vista, depending on a user's preference and intended computer use.

The Qosmio G55 laptop PC is available from a variety of major consumer electronic and computer stores nationwide or directly from Toshiba at http://www.toshibadirect.com. Detailed product information is available at http://www.explore.toshiba.com/G55.

The Qosmio G55 series is available in the following configurations: -0-

Qosmio G55-Q802 Unique Specifications (MSRP $1,549.99(4))
—OS selection at first boot:
- Genuine Windows Vista(R) Home Premium (SP1, 64-bit5
version)(default)
- Genuine Windows Vista(R) Home Premium (SP1, 32-bit version)
—Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo Processor T7350(1)
- 2.0 GHz, 3MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB
—TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Processor(1)
—4096MB PC2-6400 DDR2 800MHz SDRAM memory(6)
—500GB using two 5400 RPM Serial ATA hard disk drives(7)
—DVD SuperMulti (+/- double layer) drive with Labelflash(TM)
supporting 11 formats
—NVIDIA(R) GeForce(TM) 9600M GT with 512MB GDDR2 discrete graphics(2)
memory,
—Atheros(R) 802.11 b/g/n wireless-LAN(8)

-0-

Qosmio G55-Q801 Unique Specifications (MSRP $1,299.99(4))
—OS selection at first boot:
- Genuine Windows Vista(R) Home Premium (SP1, 64-bit(5)
version)(default)
- Genuine Windows Vista(R) Home Premium (SP1, 32-bit version)
—Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo Processor T7350(1)
- 2.0 GHz, 3MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB
—4096MB PC2-6400 DDR2 800MHz SDRAM memory(6)
—320GB (5400 RPM) Serial ATA hard disk drive(7)
—DVD SuperMulti (+/- double layer) drive with Labelflash(TM)
supporting 11 formats
—NVIDIA(R) GeForce(TM) 9200M GS with 256MB GDDR2 discrete graphics(2)
memory
—Atheros(R) 802.11 b/g/n wireless-LAN(8)

Multimedia: Qosmio G55 Series

According to Toshiba, HD processing that once took an hour now only takes 10 minutes. And though the SpursEngine chip can handle graphics processing for games, no PC games are currently optimized for the chip, rendering it useless. But game development built around the processor is in the works. Tentatively, the Qosmio will also feature gesture based controls via webcam, but will lack the usual Blu-ray drive, 1080p resolution and TV tuner. But it will only run for $1700, shaving about $1300 off the price.

As for the TV, it will make use of Sony's Cell microprocessor for realtime HD upscaling, recording of multiple channels, and "displaying video as if it is being viewed through opera glasses" (whatever that means). The Qosmio notebook is planned for a 2008 release while the TV will hit stores in Fall 2009. [Electronista and Gadgetress]

Along with the higher processor yields, what's most attractive is the power/heat savings. These 45nm Cells use 40 percent less power than the current, 65nm Cell. Sure that's a power savings for customers, but it's also a major heat savings for designers. The PS3 may not have the red ring of death problem like we've seen in the Xbox 360, but a cooler, smaller Cell could fit in a cooler, smaller PS3 (requiring less fans, etc.).

And while Sony has already managed to nearly break even on their console production cost vs. retail prices, the impending redesign could help Sony cut a legit profit from hardware (or allow Sony to cut prices again, instead). We'll keep an eye out for the new chips, but unless they come bundled in a smaller or cheaper PS3, none of this will really matter to you anyway.

Note: that photo is of the old, fat, ugly, 90nm Cell. [arstechnica]

The cellphone will seamlessly switch between 2G and 3G networks depending on availability, and the creators hope to define a new niche in the market, where functionality does not come at too steep a price. The Purple Magic handset will be showcased at the Mobile World Congress later this month, but is said not to have any of the euphoric effects of purple haze—major downer. Nevertheless, we'll be sure to try and smoke it give it a grope when we get to Barcelona. [Slashphone]