Dailytech has published a test of the new nVidia's flagship GPU, GeForce 8800 GTX.
The card sends the ATI Radeon X190XTX flagship to the entry-level class... the GF8800GTX is between 59 to 92% faster!
This new high-end nVidia's GPU sucks power like never before, 45W more when idle status (!!!!), and only "10W" more at 100% GPU load.
Now let see if ATI, or should we say AMD, will react. The challenge is quite serious for the ex-Canadian GPU company... will AMD's feature plan to merge CPU and GPU will prevent ATI to release a strong competitor to the GF8800GTX?
Most PC websites have published test of the forthcoming Intel Core 2 featuring not 2 but 4 cores.
As expected it does not provide real improvement performance wise, and gains can only be measured with some specific applications able to benefit from multi-CPU/core architecture, such as Cinema 4D.
So for the time being, such processor will be dedicated only to some niche applications, and will represent more a marketing flagship than a real solution for mass users. In addition, this processor is "simply" two Core 2 Duo on the same die, it is not a real quad core CPU with an optimized shared memory, bus bandwidth and access.
One will have to wait till mid-2007 to get the first state-of-the-art Quad core CPU, but more importantly one will have to wait for updated compilers as well as developers agreeing to code applications to benefit from multi-core CPU.
ifixit has published online a step-by-step procedure to disassemble an iPod Shuffle 2G.
There are no real parts that can be modified or exchanged, but it demonstrates how Apple and its suppliers can design and integrate technologies in a compact manner.
It also makes us wondering how a messy and faulty APX electronics could be designed by the same brand...
We originally missed it, but better later than never, hereafter is a new Repair Extension launch by Apple and concerning Power Mac G5 Power Unit (PSU):
The Power Mac G5 Repair Extension Program for Power Supply Issues applies to Power Mac G5 systems that have power-related issues as a result of a specific component failure within the computer's power supply. If your Power Mac G5 fails to start up after the power button has been pressed and your computer's serial number is within the noted ranges, your computer may be eligible for repair, free of charge. There are no known safety issues caused by this component failure.
Identifying Affected Power Mac G5 systems
The affected Power Mac G5 models were sold between approximately October 2005 and August 2006 and feature Dual 2GHz, Dual 2.3GHz or Quad 2.5GHz PowerPC G5 processors.
Serial Number Ranges:
CK539xxxxxx - CK608xxxxxx
G8539xxxxxx - G8608xxxxxx
YM539xxxxxx - YM608xxxxxx
RM539xxxxxx - RM608xxxxxx
It probably concludes a story we had initiated in ... 2004 in this
news, while our lest reports on this story and how Apple solved it were published in 2006 (
here)
So, let's hope that the issue affecting Airport Express base will find a similar happy end before 2007...
