News for Monday, 8 September 2008

Intel updated its Xeon 54xx models. While originally planned to comply with environment-friendly regulations, Intel decided to speed up some models.
So, the high-end Xeon 54xx will feature four cores clocked at 3.4 GHz (1493 USD/CPU), 200 MHz faster than the previous fastest model currently installed in our Mac Pro. The TDP is indicated as 150 W. For saving 30 W on TDP, Intel offers a Xeon clocked at 3.33 GHz (1386 USD/CPU).
Intel will also release a new dual core Xeon CPU, working on a 1333 MHz FSB (first Mac Pro models) and clocked at 3.5 GHz, however the price will be rather high: 1172 USD/CPU.

Hereafter is the famous Microsoft ads featuring Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates, aiming to promote Windows Vista:

In summary, Seinfeld explain to Gates that one needs some time to feel comfortable in brand news shoes... kind of metaphor to explain that Vista users should try harder to like this new OS before dumping it and moving backwards to XP.
When browsing the web, this ads seems to be massively criticized, and several jokes are already circulating... if Microsoft was expecting the web to react about this ads, it is a success, however, not sure it is the way it as intended to be...

Rumours announce that Samsung, the largest producer of flash memory in the world, is interested in purchasing Sandisk. This would allow them to sell direct;y part of their production of chips under this famous name, without intermediaries.
Seagate may also be interested with this purchase but for different reasons: they would acquire an expertise in this market that is strongly expanding, especially in very promising branch of SSD. With the help of Sandisk, Seagate could also propose disks containing flash memory if the traditional disk market comes to an end.
Under these conditions, one imagines that the war of the two giants will be rough, Samsung, also as a manufacturer of hard drive, has a big interest in blocking its direct competitor.

We give the words of Gilles:

Itis rather obvious; an attempt at phishing masquerading as mobileme; it claims that there is a supposed problem during the renewal of the subscription; the link (http://secure787.net/www.apple.com/update.html) requires purely and simply your banking coordinates…
Slts,
Gilles.
Dear Apple Online Member,
Thank you for choosing Mobileme. Unfortunately there has been a problem processing your billing information for the month of Sept, 2008.
Please review our billing requirements at KW: Billing.
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