Tuesday August 21, 2007

- Intel Integrated Graphics: It is Time for Games - Lionel - 09:30:51

Source : Blog Intel

If ATI/AMD and NVidia are known for being the two main companies fighting to deliver the most competitive GPU, Intel remains the world leader for manufacturing graphic solutions, thanks to its integrated graphics. Of course, the GMA950 powering the Mac mini and MacBook graphic abilities is far from being a GPU killer, and even the recently released GM 3000 (now known as 3001) associated with the Santa Rosa platform was not really bringing the expected performance revolution for integrated graphics. Well, up to couple of days ago...
On paper the GM 3000 is indeed a really improved unit compared to the GM 950, and if the gain of performance was not the one expected, it was mostly due to inefficient drivers. This is where Intel engineers started working on, and came up with the first true dedicated drivers. Currently available only for the Windows XP, those improved drivers allows hardware vertex shading (Vertex Shaders 3.0), and games like Call of Duty 2, Far Cry and Battlefield 2 (which didn’t even run previously) are now playable.
Not convinced yet? Watch the video:



So should we expect better graphic performance for the next revision of MacBook which should then move to Santa Rosa and GM 3001? Not sure, as Apple will have to work on its drivers too... Intel showed Cupertino the way to follow regarding drivers, let's hope that Apple will consider it, but not doing so will look odd especially after EA Games porting announcement during the last WWDC.

[translation by Linathael]

- Paris Apple Expo: One Month to Go - Lionel - 09:24:08

Last year, even without Steve Jobs Keynote, the Apple Expo 2006 was a good year, and it looks very promising this year.
Of course the iPhone will be the main product to be officially unveiled in Europe, and the Apple Expo might even be the date chosen to launch the product in France (Orange), UK (O2) and Germany (T-Mobile). But Leopard should be almost finalized and could drain a lot of attention from "iPhone Lion King". The recently introduced iMac should also be the main goal of visitors as the Apple Expo is during couple of days the largest physical Apple Store in Europe. The Apple Expo could also be the perfect event to introduce the new iPod nano.

As usual, if you are in Paris, you will have the opportunity to meet Macbidouille/Hardmac team members at the Pommier (Apple Tree).

If you did not register to the Apple Expo yet, rush for it, it is not too late yet, and it is free if you pre-register: http://www.apple-expo.com

[translation by Linathael]

- Samsung: More 1.8"HD and Less NAND - Eric - 09:20:45

Source : TGdaily and Digitimes

Samsung announced the future availability of a 1.8"HD featuring 160GB of storage space, known as Spinpoint N2. It will spin at 4200rpm, and be based on two plates of 80GB each. With such capacity; Samsung tries to maintain its HD activity separated from its SSD business by offering customers alternatives based on storage space.

In the meantime, Samsung, the worldwide manufacturing leader for NAND memory, will only supply 85% of requested NAND flash amount. If it remains unclear why Samsung will not be able to fully honor orders, it should not initially hurt too much price of consumer electronic devices based on such memory. But in long-term it might raise price of NAND and delay launch of NAND-based device, such a the iPod nano, soon 1 year old, even though it is probably being manufactured for its rumored introduction late September. Samsung NAND shortage might be also linked to the revision of the iPod nano, as Apple is the main customer for such flash memory. Other NAND manufacturers such as Micron and STM will help unsatisfied Samsung's customers to obtain shipment of NAND chips.