News for Thursday, 2 February 2006

ATI has licensed from Analogix Semiconductor in order to use the HDMI interface.
This interface is aimed to replace the current DVI, not only for our monitors but also for TV and other audio-video devices.
The HDMI is linked to the HDCP DRM, and ATI should propose in the future graphic cards able to manage protected HD video contents.
Of course, it is a huge and really important market, as we already mentioned it couple of days ago.
Currently, there are no cards able to display/manage such protected HD videos.
So, as a Mac user one will not be able with the current machines to play DRM-enable HD videos, without mentioning that monitors and LCD displays will also require a specific port and a dedicated electronic system.

Maxon has released an Universal Binaries-based version for Cinema 4D, and this version will for sure support Apple in its decision to move to x86.
Why? When running this application with an iMacIntel with a Core Duo 2GHz, the result shows that the first iMacIntel is twice faster than the iMacG5 2.1GHz (for this bench). Scores are as follow:
CB-CPU: 600 iMacIntel vs. 300 for the iMacG5.
The score is even higher than the previous PMG5 dual 2.0GHz (586). Only the PMG5 Quad is the clear leader with 1100.
Of course, one can claim that Cinema4D has never been fully optimized for PPC processors. The G5 version for CineBench is still a beta version.
This Universal Binaries update for Cinema 4D R9.x is available for free from Maxon website:
www.maxon.net

NTT DoCoMo demoed 3 prototypes of cellphones based on the HSPDA norm (high-speed downlink packet access). This norm also called 3,5G will allow reaching theoretical speeds up to 10 Mbits/s.
As the name has it, this norm might be implemented without replacing the UMTS equipments which have cost so much to install.
Still there is the usual question : what good will such a speed be on cell phones whose screen size and capacities will necessarily be limited?

The sudden 20'' iMac G5 price drop, more than anything else proves that those machines were suddendly considered obsolete by the arrival of Intel based iMacs.
It seems the speed figures communicated by Steve Jobs himself, though optimistic we may find them, proved effective. Maybe a bit too much.
Probably the people at Apple didn't expect such an enthousiasm, and certainly not a sudden, massive customer move from the G5 to the Core Duo iMac.
In some way, this surprise might result in difficulties for the company, until the end of the migration.
If a large amount of every Mac lines decide to wait before renewing their machines, sales will drop accordingly.
The transition will then probably be accelerated as fast as possible. The limit being Intel CPUs availability.
Initiating MacBook Pro 17'', and perhaps 12'', will require many Core Duo, while Core Solo will be needed for launching new MacBooks [not pro] and Mac mini.
And the problem might even prove trickier for Powermacs. Intel won't have before September CPUs that might successfuly replace Quad G5s.
For once, let's hope iPod sales will continue to shatter records. For Apple's quotation sake.

The site woojo presents a step by step description of how to open an iMac Core duo to change your HD.

Beware of those two elements though:
- Unmounting it seems quite as difficult as with an iBook.
- Some HDs such as 400 Go Western Digital are currently not compatible.

Here's a situation point about the one year and more Airport Express base stations disorder we've already told you before.
For starters, we're still getting testimonies everyday from people whose base station suddendly stop working. The symptom are always identical to those we described earlier.
Ever since we asked for testimonies, we noticed that apart from a few exceptions, breakdowns occur in countries using 220 or 240V power. It is probably the obvious main of this phenomenon, as noticed earlier on the first G5 iMacs.
We keep collecting testimonies and go on with our investigations.