ATI is racing for new records. The last Pro-dedicated graphic card model from ATI, the FireGL V7350, is available with 512MB or 1GB of VRAM!
This card can support up to two 30" displays and costs only 2000 dollars… The 512MB-based model is 500$ cheaper.
If you want to know more, XBitLabs has published a long article about it. Depending on applications, this card is either marginally faster or substantially slower than the nVidia Quadro FX4500.
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/ati-firegl-v7350.html
First a report from Ivan.
Google has released a Google finance Beta service; another new Google service, that is aiming to provide market headlines and summaries.
One funny point is the 3 example given for the stock tracker: examples are "Google", "Cars", and “AAPL"! Google is an example of company name-based search, while car defines a subject/keyword-based search and AAPL (Apple) is a symbol-based search method.
We think that Google is trying to provide users with similar services as AOL tried and failed couple of years ago. Attract everyday a larger number of users by proposing increasing number of services.
http://finance.google.com/finance
Samsung has just announced the availability of a flash memory-based 1.8" HD with either 16 or 32GB storage capacity.
Such HD will need 4 times less power while featuring high data flow rate obtained using a RAID-like system between NAND memory modules. Of course the access time of this drive is far superior to standard HD.
One could also put this information in perspective with a previous news from
Digitimes describing the overstock of NAND memory module due to a lower than expected sales of iPod nano. Those flash memory-based 1.8" HD could be a way for Samsung to get ride of its NAND module stocks.
The major problem for this HD is of course its price: around 1000$.
As we could expect it, Apple has reacted to yesterday first step towards validation of the DADVSI law in France. Apple is of course only commenting on the article related to the "interpolarity act"; meaning make all DRMs compatibles.
The French implementation of the EU Copyright Directive will result in state-sponsored piracy
A point to which we entirely agree, underlining the complete irrelevance of this law; there is a problem with music piracy, but the current law is adding additional problems instead of bringing a solution.
In addition, Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris was commenting that
iPod sales will likely increase as users freely upload their iPods with 'interoperable' music which cannot be adequately protected...Free movies for iPods should not be far behind.
They might expect a drop of iTMS activity, even though it is far to be obvious to our point of view, but for sure "interpolarity" could boost iPod sales.
Once more, Apple is the leader so the first company to react, but there are many other players in the online music stores market.
Will Apple stop iTMS France? Well, it is too early to comment about it, one should not forget, that the entire European iTMS service is located in Luxembourg, so it could also be a way for Apple to appeal against this law (please for additional information, read our yesterday's :
news)
Between an irrelevant law placing in the same bag the fight against piracy, but also against P2P applications, or other Freeware, the French government should really stop trying to give lesson about Human Rights to other countries, and propose a merger with China...
