AMD Processor Device

Querying Table Data Using Visual Basic Code in Ms Access

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:50:00 +0000

In order to fully utilize the capabilities of MS Access, one must learn not only learn the Visual Basic (VB) programming language, but should also learn Standard Query Language (SQL). Once a grasp of these two languages have been obtained, MS Access users can begin to build faster and more efficient databases.

One tool that has proved itself very useful to me over the years is querying data from tables or queries using VB and SQL code. A brief introduction to this process is presented in this article. To best understand this process, an example is provided below along with an explanation of its parts.

‘*********CODE***********
Dim rstTemp As Recordset
Dim strSQL As String
Dim routeNum As Integer

strSQL = "SELECT [Route], [Main Route PM], [Intersecting Route], [IntBeginPM], [IntEndPM] “

strSQL = strSQL + “FROM Intersections_list WHERE (((CStr([Route])) = """ + cmbRouteQuery + """));"

Set rstTemp = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset(strSQL, dbOpenDynaset)

If (Not (rstTemp.EOF)) Then
rstTemp.MoveFirst
routeNum = rstTemp(0)

‘************************

After the initial variable declarations, the code assigns an SQL statement to the string variable strSQL. This statement directs Access to gather all the data in the Route, Main Route PM, Intersecting Route, IntBeginPM, and IntEndPM fields of the table named Intersections_list. Furthermore, it directs Access to only gather information from these fields where the Route field is equal to a value held in the combo box cmbRouteQuery.

Once the SQL statement has been set, it is passed to the next line of code which executes it. It should be noted that the dbOpenDynaset variable is built into Access and holds an integer value that changes the type of recordset to open. For most general purposes, using dbOpenDynaset will work just fine.

The “if statement” in the code example verifies that the recordset just created contains information. If information is present, the code directs Access to move to the first record in the recordset. The code then stores the route in the first record (routeNum = rstTemp(0)) in the variable routeNum to be used for later use.

Create Database in Sql Server 2005, Database Statements

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:44:00 +0000

Following is the full syntax used for creating database in Sql Server 2005.

CREATE DATABASE database_name
[ ON [ PRIMARY ] [ < filespec >] ]
{ LOG ON [ < filespec > ] ]
< filespec > : : =
( [ NAME = logical_file_name , ]
FILENAME = 'os_file_name'
[ , SIZE = size ]
[ , MAXSIZE = { max_size | UNLIMITED } ]
[ , FILEGROWTH = growth_increment ] ) [ ,.... n ]
Description ::-

ON specifies the disk file used to store the data portion of the database.

LOG ON specifies the disk files used to store log files.
FILENAME=os_file_name specifies the operating-system file name for the file.
PRIMARY specifies the associated list that defines files in the primary filegroup.
NAME=logical_file_name specifies the logical name for the file.
MAXSIZE=max_size specifies the maxium size to which the file defined in the list can grow.
FILEGROWTH=growth_increment specifies the growth increment of the file defined in the list.
Remember - " FILEGROWTH setting for a file cannot exceed the MAXSIZE setting"

NOTE : Everything written between [ ] is optional .

But remeber that to create a database you must be a member of the dbcreator server role.

After a database is created, to check details of the database use following command :

sp_helpdb [ database_name ]

To drop a user defined database use following command:

DROP DATABASE database_name

Note: you cannot delete a system-defined database.

To rename a user-defined database use :

sp_renamedb old_database_name , new_database_name

Fortunately you can also create a database by a right click on the object explorer, Thanks to SQL SERVER Management studio 2005.

SQL SERVER 2005 contains the following system database :

1. master
2. tempdb
3. model
4. msdb
5. Resource
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If u have any query feel free to ask. If u like this post , rate & comment it.

Regards,

Anuj Tripathi

Laptop Computer LCD Monitors

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 03:31:00 +0000

LCD monitors have become the preferred kind of monitor in the market, having higher resolutions resulting in sharper, brighter, clearer images and thus making for better viewing. There is lesser glare from LCD screen, so looking at one for a long period of time won't be too much on the eyes. Also, LCD monitors are thin and lighter than the bulky CRT monitors. A 21-inch LCD monitor will still be lighter than a 14-inch CRT one. They are therefore more convenient for handling and for use, as they don't take up so much space in a home, and can be hung on or simply pushed against a wall. And because of their weight and dimensions, you can move LCD monitors around to suit you, with the least effort.

Monitors are literally the biggest part of your computer set-up, the printer not counted. Unless of course, you have a monster of a CPU. A monitor is basically where you see everything. It's where images from your computer come out, electronically produced from the video output of your PC or laptop. Monitors are also called visual display units, and come in all sizes possible, from 12-inch to as wide as 48-inch screens. Screen measurements are determined by the distance from one corner of the monitor to another. It's through monitors that you can view pictures, watch movies, type texts, play games, browse the internet and do virtually everything else.

Older monitors made use of CRT or cathode ray tubes to project images. In recent years however, an invention called the LCD or liquid crystal display has been gaining more popularity as the monitor of choice for a lot of people. Check out the rest of Monitors.net for more information on monitors!

Widescreen monitors are fast becoming the rage, especially with those who take pleasure in having a state-of-the-art entertainment system. Widescreen monitors are also the popular choice for computer fans who enjoy, even need to be, working with vivid, large-scale images. With a widescreen monitor, images are are not just bigger, they're brighter, sharper, and overall more fun to see. Watching a movie on a widescreen monitor is almost like watching it in the movie theatre, minus the crowd. Widescreen monitors also mean less eye strain as you can look at it at eye level. Make it an LCD monitor, and you may feel like never getting off your couch again.

It's not just all about fun, either. Working with a widescreen computer monitor offers advantages such as being able see what you're doing better and allowing you to organize your virtual workspace faster, thus making your work more efficient. With widescreen monitors, you can both work and play while enjoying yourself.

Asus En9800gtx Bfg 9800gx2

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 03:26:00 +0000

Where are the beasts? Where are the monolithic giants of graphical technology that make us go moist in the geek glands? Too long have we waited, frustrated at the less than satisfying make-do cards thrown our way like scraps from the table of the tech gods. AMD has tried to placate us with the vast scale of the HD3870 X2, a multi-core behemoth that demands half the space and practically all the power your PC can muster, but what of NVIDIA's top-end cards?

Just over two years ago, the much-heralded age of the DirectX 10-capable graphics card dawned with the supreme G80-powered GeForce 8800GTX. Then a year ago came the updated 8800 Ultra, a card that has remained NVIDIA's top end offering... until now. We've had to wait 12 long months for the refresh, during which we've been treated to a mass of mid-range cards. Admittedly, this included the excellent G92 8800GT; its first 65nm core, but still it's been a long time coming for the 9800GTX and GX2.

Both new cards are powered by the same 65nm G92, a core that is now one year old, and represents the first time that either AMD or NVIDIA have released a brand new family of top-end cards based on old architecture. Replacing the 8800GTX and Ultra is a necessity as far as furthering the NVIDIA brand is concerned, competition-wise though it's less of an issue. AMD still hasn't managed to create anything to seriously outperform these year-old cards. So is the lack of a new core an acknowledgment that NVIDIA only has to turn up to the race to win?

Promises, Promises

Towards the end of the year we are promised the GT200, the current nomenclature of NVIDIA's next chip, with a core designed to power the 9900 family of cards. With this in mind it was necessary for the green side of the graphics market to produce a range of cards to cover the high-end, and so the stop-gap measure of the 9800 cards have been born.

The GTX model is a straight, beefed up version of the G92 with higher clock speeds across the board. While it shares the same number of Raster Operators (ROPs) as the 8800GT, it has the old GTX's complement of shader units at 128, giving it the necessary speed boost. The GX2 follows the example of the old 7950GX2, strapping two G92-stuffed PCBs together, except this time they both face into the same heatsink, housed in a vaguely coffin-like surround. The clock speeds are slightly slower than the GTX, but a fair dose of optimizing has gone into making this single card SLI offering an impressive piece of engineering.

The first difference you'll notice when comparing the specs of the two new cards with the versions they're replacing is the change in memory capacity. Both the 8800GTX and Ultra had a 384-bit memory bus with 768MB of GDDR3, while the 98005 make do with the same 256-bit 512MB of memory that resides on the GTS and GT iterations of the G92-based 8800s.

ROP rules?

Due to its two cores the GX2 comes out tops in the memory bandwidth stakes at 128Gbps compared with the Ultra's 103.7Gbps, but the 9800GTX lags well behind the older cards. What this all means, in real terms, is that at the higher resolutions, and most especially with full screen anti-aliasing turned on, the new cards take quite a hit at the levels we were hoping these big-panel pixel pushers would excel at.

The differences between the GTX and GX2, and indeed the 8800GT, are slight; the GX2 simply relying on the brute force effect of the single card SLI factor. Where the difference between the two new G92 parts is most obvious though is the number of ROPs. The GTX is still hobbling along with 16, less than both the 8800GTX and Ultra at 24, but due to the doubling up the GX2 has 32. The difficulty is in knowing how much of a benefit this multi-CPU's extra ROPs actually gives as opposed to the single card with 24.

The question is: where do we find ourselves with the two new top-end cards? Well, mostly in the same place we were before, to be brutally honest. There's very little difference between this new set and the old, with the 9800GTX being the biggest disappointment.

Bigger, Faster, Stronger?

The 9800GX2 struggles to find any space between itself and the 8800GTX, it's supposed to be replacing, and there's also the fact that you can still pick up the older card - with the extra memory, bandwidth and ROPs - for less than $600. In some places you can save yourself around $100 and come out with an equivalent and, in some cases, faster card. The march of progress seems to have stomped right past this iteration of the 9800 without saluting.

NVIDIA then had to go down the multi-GPU route, not just to prove they could produce a functional version like AMD, but also to create a card that they could legitimately call the fastest graphics card around. Still, the memory constraints hold the GX2 back from being the superlative, stand out, top-end card de jour.

On the lower-res panels, without the silicon-melting anti-aliasing it speeds ahead of the competition, yet with all the bells and whistles cranked up to a deafening roar it struggles to break even with the old 8800 Ultra. Again, if you shop around you can pick up an Ultra for around $500, and be fairly sure that your card will have drivers mature enough to cater for whatever you throw down its tubes.

Essentially, if you've got yourself an 8800GTX or Ultra and felt that twinge of envy at the announcement of this new generation of top-end cards, then quit your worrying right now. In fact, you can probably be downright smug as your slightly geriatric cards are still more than capable of holding their own against these youngbloods. Till the GT200 that is.

Samsung's Technological Bash : Q1 and U4 Mp3 Players

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 03:23:00 +0000

Samsung, one of the leading electronic manufacturing company has created a buzz in the market by launching its two MP3 players - Q1 and U4 at IFA (largest consumer electronics trade shows in the world organised in Berlin). Inspired by the 'Litmus' color gradation effect in chemistry, the YP-U4 is conceptualized with the USB form factor and also combines DNSe 2.0 sound technology, FM radio and a one and a bit inch grey OLED display plus three LED lights. With a weight of 27 gms and measurement of 27x83x13 mm, the MP3 player comes with a battery life of 16 hours and also supports MP3, WMA, OGG. The U4 MP3 player is available in 2 and 4 GB capacity and one can choose the color from rose, purple and blue.

The front surface of the U4 looks completely flush, which is possible due to to the touch-sensitive buttons. One of the main draw of U4 players is the price which is quite a steal at S$89 and S$129 for the 2GB and 4GB versions, respectively. In addition, the Samsung U4 music player is equipped with an integrated USB plug, which eliminates the need for cables and docking stations. This aids in the convenience with which this MP3 player is able to be plugged directly into a PC or Mac USB port, transferring files and charging the player.

Barring the headphones, this is an all-encompassing device that eliminates the need for any additional accessories to operate the player's features. This user friendly music player has created history in the electronic industry, thanks to the user friendly manual that allows one to "drag and drop" music files, sort play lists, and establish favourite data casts to upload automatically. Having a great sound quality, it is a must buy for one and all.

The shiny Q1 'Diamond' model MP3 player on the other hand comes in a DNSe 3.0 sound technology including an audio upscale function, which claims to restore missing sound range. The company has immense hope in the product and is also aiming to make Q1 MP3 player as having 'world's best sound quality'. Bedecked with the automatic EQ effect, this device is able to analyses the mood and genre of the MP3 files and work accordingly. It's compatible with the iPlayer, so one can transfer all the required and desired series in the MP3 player and catch up on the move. Besides this there is also an inbuilt FM radio with 12 preset 'street modes' to accommodate noisy environments and to assist the owner with blocking out the jarring and poorly recorded rap coming from the mobile phones of many. Available at an attractive price of $79.99 (4GB), $109.99 (8GB) and $149.99 (16GB) Q1 is a sleekly designed player which will appeal as much to consumers' eyes as their ears. A glossy finish, minimalist appearance and LED back lighting on the touch pad, QVGA LCD display and a bevy of useful bonus features make this product a hit in the electronic market.

These MP3 players come with visual support and is capable of offering a 2.4-inch TFT LCD display with 30 hours of playback for the music. This device too is available in black, white and silver variants carrying 4GB, 8GB and 16GB memory variations.

Dell Computers, New Zealand

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 03:18:00 +0000

Having trouble looking for the perfect computer? Your search ends right here, at Dell NZ Computers. Because we understand what you need. Dell NZ Computers is in fact an affiliate of Dell New Zealand, and we carry forward the Dell tradition of dealing directly with our customers and ensuring that they get the best! Our focus is upon bringing you the best deals to be found online on computers and laptops.

Choosing and finding the computer or laptop that really works for you can be an ordeal. At Dell Computers New Zealand, we turn that ordeal into an experience you’ll want to have again and again. Specifications, systems, memory, RAM, battery life, warranty – words such as these add to the niggling sense of panic in a first time buyer or even a seasoned hand at computer purchasing. We like to make things simple and uncomplicated at Dell Computers New Zealand.

But, how is that possible? Through information! Correct information can influence your buying decisions in an intelligent and reasoned manner. Dell Computers New Zealand provides extensive information on all Dell products. You will also find carefully researched reviews of the different ranges of Dell laptops and personal computers.

A standard Dell NZ Computers computer review mentions the correct specifications pertaining to the model, discusses the build, design, ports and features, the screen, the keyboard, the touchpad and media controls and most importantly the performance and benchmarks of the model. Prompt reviews of latest products means that you don’t have to wait before you make a purchase. Each detail is taken into account and mentioned. In a nutshell, when you are aware of all that’s available to you, you will necessarily make an informed decision and choose the computer that best suits your lifestyle and your requirements.

The Dell NZ Computers website also offers various helpful tips to consumers, such as tips to keep in mind when selecting a computer model or tips to help you maintain the optimum performance of the battery. We do not want you feeling lost when you come to us. We believe in letting the consumer take charge and relate to the products dynamically. The personal computer is one of the most important electronic appliances of our lives. It makes sense to be meticulous and pay attention to details when buying one; all we do is make sure that when you navigate away from this page, you are confident that you have made a smart purchase.

Intel D945GCLF2 Dual Core Mini-ITX Carputer Motherboard

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:44:00 +0000

After dealing with the numerous issues of my previous AMD Geode carputer motherboard, I decided to upgrade. Some of the problems I had were hanging at POST, bluescreens due to driver issues, and overall weird behavior. I also wanted more features, such as the ability to boot from a USB drive. Not only that, but the board ran pretty hot in my glove box and lacked performance that I wanted.

Alas, the Intel D945GCLF2, based on the Intel Atom, is finally released. One of the key features that caught my eye was the dual core Atom processor. Not only is it dual core, but its power usage is outstanding. It's estimated to use 4 watts under load while consuming milliwatts (thousandths of a watt) when idle. Being in a carputer, power consumption is a vital specification because you need to figure out how large of a power supply you will need. The power consumption spec can also give you an idea of how much heat will be disappated, because after all, the power not used for computing will dissipate into heat.

The power supply I am using is an Opus 120. It's rated for 120 watts and has powered my previous build just fine. I ran into one snag that I didn't expect, however. The motherboard uses a 12v P4 ATX connector (see pic on the website) as well as the standard 20-24pin ATX connector. The power supply I have (and most that I've seen) do not have this connector incorporated into their harness.

To solve this problem, you can either purchase a molex to P4 adapter, or you can mod your existing wiring harness and add the P4 connector. I chose to mod my existing wiring harness and add the P4 connector to one of the existing molex connectors. Basically, I cut off the P4 connector from a regular ATX power supply, stripped the wires, and crammed them into an existing molex connection. See the pictures on the website to see what I mean.

After everything was setup, I installed the full Windows XP Pro with SP3. I opted not to use TinyXP because I felt that it could cause issues down the road with all the drivers it has stripped out. After the installation, I installed the usual Winamp, VLC media player, SpeedFan, iGuidance, Centrafuse, and finally the drivers. Instead of configuring Windows to hibernate after the car was shut off, I chose to shutdown completely because I've had lots of issues with hibernation such as it not resuming correctly.

With 1GB of RAM and a 2.5" 80GB 4200RPM hard drive, the performance isn't too bad. You would think that a 4200RPM hard drive would be kind of sluggish, but I can hardly notice it. Windows starts up from a cold boot quickly and so do all of the programs I use. I'm never left waiting for the next song to load or a program to open.

The low power consumption of the board is also very noticeable. With my old board, the CPU temperature would always be at least 45C upon boot, and rise to a little over 60C after being used for awhile. On a cold morning, at about 55F, The Intel Atom managed to boot up at 30C and after 20 minutes, it had only risen to 35C! Now, when I open my glove box, there's no more hot air oozing out. The air inside the glove box is almost the same temperature as the air in the cabin! However, the temperatures will differ based on the ambient temperature inside the cabin, so the CPU will run hotter on a warmer day. On an 80F day, the CPU boots at 30C and rises to about 55-60C, still not bad on a very warm day.

All in all, the Intel D945GCLF2 is a great buy. At only $89.99 from Mini-box.com, you get tons of features, and best of all, a dual core processor. With low power consumption, low temperatures, and high performance it seems as if the board was made explicitly for carputer usage, in which it excels.

Visit http://www.IsYouGeekedUp.com for more carputer information

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Nguyen

Define Computer Hardware

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:36:00 +0000

By Candis Reade
It is quite well known that the working of the computer is pulled by hardware and software. One can define computer hardware as the electronic, magnetic, and electric devices that carry out the computing functions. Hardware is the physical components of the computer like microprocessor, hard disks, RAM, and motherboard. The peripheral devices such as monitor, mouse, keyboard, printer, and speakers can also be included in the list of hardware parts. The programs that run on the computers like Windows, C++, and Photoshop are the software parts of the computer. A good example for an easy understanding of hardware-software definition is music CDs. The actual compact disk is the hardware, while the songs and music in the CD are the software parts.

There is another way to define computer hardware. Hardware devices are the executors of the commands provided by software applications. For example, let us see what happens when you click the print button of the web browsing software. The software application provides a command to the processor, which is the central part of all computer hardware. Processor in turn checks for an attached printer. If the printer is ready, the software will get a positive response from the processor. Then the software application provides instruction to the printer via the processor to print the web page. In that sense, hardware parts are the foot soldiers and software applications are the commanders in the digital operation that takes place within a computer.

The main player of computer hardware is undoubtedly the microprocessor. It is the sun in the solar system of computer hardware devices. It is the central component and all other components work around it. It is an integrated chip on which a number of functions are incorporated. Two specifications determine its efficiency. One is its processing speed, which is measured in gigahertz. The other is its bit rate. Commonly available processors are 32 bit and 64 bit. The bit rate is a measure of the efficiency of a processor to carry out multiple operations at the same time.

One cannot define computer hardware without mentioning the two types of memory used in computers. One is permanent memory. It refers to the magnetic storage capacity of hard disk. It is measured in gigabytes. The second is RAM or random access memory. This memory is able to store data only when the computer is switched on. The memory will lose all the data when the computer is switched off.

Another important product that one should mention when one defines computer hardware is motherboard. It is the electric and electronic circuit board on which all the other components are inserted. There are several other kinds of products such as sound card, video card, network card, and modem that complete the hardware spectrum.

Candis Reade is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about Define Computer Hardware, please visit Electronics Software for current articles and discussions.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Candis_Reade

Dual-Core Vs Quad-Core - The More the Better?

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:20:00 +0000

By Ray Chee Lim
With the advancement of computer hardware, quad-core prices has dropped down to a level that can compete with dual-core CPU (central processing unit). The quad-core CPU that are commonly known are AMD Phenom X4, Intel Core 2 Quad and the newer Intel Core i7, while dual-core CPU have AMD Athlon X2, Intel Core 2 Duo and Intel Pentium Dual-core. There are also tri-core CPU that manufactured by AMD call AMD Phenom X3.

When dual-core CPU was released, the hardware advertisers claimed that you can do more things in one time without bogging your whole system down. That is true, as you can open a anti-virus scanner while surfing the web or playing games while converting movies. Now, software programmers have devised a way to make program multithreaded for dual-core or more, that is, make the program to utilize 2 cores instead of 1. This causes the software to compete for the cores, which also causes the system to bog down.

The arrival of quad-core saves the day, making software that utilizes 2-cores to run smoothly. However, at the same price point, quad-core CPU have lower GHz count compared to their dual-core siblings. Thus, it may seem that quad-core CPU sometimes outmatched by dual-core CPU when using dual-core multithread software. In software that optimizes quad-core CPU, they can beat the dual-core CPU by 50% or more.

Benchmark software such as PCmark or 3Dmark always shows that quad-core CPU obtains higher score than dual-core CPU. Thus we can safely conclude that in the same price point, quad-core should always be your choice.

Power consumption, on the other hand, is in dual-core favor. Those wishing to make a silent home-theater pc are better off with dual-core as they are more silent and less power hungry. Those wishing for performance are wise to choose quad-core CPU to make use of all it's cores.

In the end, if you wish to assemble a computer now, you are better off with quad-core as they are the future. The more is better after all.

Rig Your Hardware

http://righardware.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ray_Chee_Lim

A CPU Revolution - Sun's UltraSPARC T1 and T2 Processors

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:25:00 +0000

Sun Microsystems's new UltraSPARC T1 and T2 series of microprocessors has revived Sun's position as one of the few third-party manufactures capable of competing with the Big Two processor companies (Intel and AMD) who currently dominating the processor market. Sun fell behind for a few years as their flagship processor, the UltraSPARC IV series, hit its performance limits. But they have reentered the competition with their new UltraSPARC processors, completely redesigned from the ground up, and capable of new heights of power and flexibility.

The UltraSPARC T1 is the first processor produced by Sun that is both multicored and multithreaded. It first became available in 2005 with from four to eight CPU cores. Each core is capable of handling four threads at the same time. This means the processor as a whole is capable of handling anywhere from 16, 24, or even 32 threads simultaneously.

The UltraSPARC T1 is the first SPARC-based processor whose multiple cores can be partitioned. Several cores can be grouped together to work on a single task or set of tasks, while the remaining cores deal with the rest of the processes and threads. Furthermore, the UltraSPARC T1 supports the Hyper-Privileged execution mode, which means that it can partition its cores into as many as 32 logical domains (one for each thread in an eight-CPU system). Each of these logical domains could run its own operating system instance (usually Solaris).

The only drawback to the UltraSPARC T1 is that it is only available in uniprocessor systems, which limits its vertical scalability in large business networks. The UltraSPARC T2, released in late 2007, addressed his problem amidst many other advances and improvements.

The UltraSPARC T2 is in many ways a souped-up TI. It contains eight CPU cores, and each core is capable on handling eight threads each, for a total of 64 threads being handled simultaneously. This is double the maximum capacity of the T1, which toped out at 32 concurrent threads. Also like the T1, the T2 supports Hyper-Privileged execution mode. Whereas the T1 could only partition its cores into 32 logical domains, the T2, with more cores available, can partition them into 64 logical domains. Furthermore, a two-way SMP T2+ system can be partitioned into as many as 128 logical domains, each capable of running an instance of Solaris.

In addition to doing everything the T1 does (only better), the T2 also had several new features. Among other things, it had increased thread scheduling and instruction prefetching, allowing it to achieve a higher single-threaded performance. It also increased the processing speed for each thread from 1.2 for the T1 to 1.4 GHz. While the T1 has a Jbus interface, the T2 has a PCI Express port. The L2 cache on the T2 was increased to 4 MB (as opposed to the T1's 3 MB). It has four dual-channel FBDIMM memory controllers, and eight encryption engines. In early 2008, Sun released a new UltraSPARC T2 Plus processor, which is an SMP-capable version of the UltraSPARC T2.

Sun MicroSystems' UltraSPARC T1 and T2 prove that, despite increasing competition from Intel and AMD, Sun is still in the processor race, particularly in the high-end server processor market. Sun's designs continue to be innovative and, as the core partitioning system demonstrates, flexible.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Kranz

How to Clean your Keyboard-Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:56:00 +0000

Many methods that can be used, some harder and more effective than others.

1. Shake Method. It is so easy that you can do it right now. Pick up your keyboard, turn it over being careful not to press any keys, and shake it. See all of that stuff fall out? It is dirtier than you thought, isn't it? You can use one of the following methods to clean it further.

2. Blow Method - You can buy cans of pressurized air at the computer department or computer store which are made especially for cleaning your computer. They usually have either a hose and nozzle or a tube extending from the nozzle. Hold the keyboard up vertically (that means that end of the keyboard is up and the other end is down), aim towards the keys and press the button. Keep blowing until all of the debris is blown out. Be sure to get around and in between all of the keys. This can be done with the computer on, but it is better if it is off so that you do not have to worry about pressing the keys and coming up with a page of aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa's.

3. Vacuum Method - This is just like the Blow Method except that a vacuum is used instead of a can of pressurized air. It is quite simple. Just turn the vacuum on, pull out the hose, and run the nozzle over the keys. Before doing this make sure your keyboard does not have any loose pop off keys that could be sucked into the vacuum.

4. Cotton Ball Method - This can be done in addition to the above methods and in lieu of the following methods. Take a cotton ball or cloth and wet it with rubbing alcohol. It should not be so wet that the alcohol runs down into the cracks of the keyboard. Wipe the tops and sides of the keys.

5. Dishwasher Method - I hesitate to tell about this method because there is the possibility that it could fry your keyboard. When I had less experience with computers, I dunked my keyboard in a sink full of water to clean it. It did work afterwards, so I don't doubt those who say this method will not mess up your keyboard, but if it does, don't complain to me. I warned you. If your keyboard is not the standard membrane type of keyboard or if it is on a laptop, do not even think of trying this.

6. Disassembly Method - This is the most thorough method, but it should not be done on laptop keyboards or non-standard non-membrane keyboards.

Turn off the computer and unplug the keyboard. Turn the keyboard upside down. You may want to get two books or short boards to place the keyboard on. Position them so that they hold up the keyboard on the edges when it is turned over. This should leave the keys dangling and not touching the books or the floor. This is especially needed when the keyboard's back is off; otherwise the keys will be lifted out of their position by the floor (or whatever surface it is laying on).

Get a screwdriver and remove all of the screws from the back of the keyboard. Lay the keyboard down on the books and carefully remove the back.

Take everything apart and clean thoroughly. It is better to take the keys out one at a time and clean them so that you do not put them back in the wrong place. Wipe each one down with a wet cloth and then with a dry cloth. Any keys that may be hard to put back in, can be cleaned in place without removing them. Wipe around the keys as they sit in place and blow any debris out with your lungs (using compressed air or a vacuum may upset the keys). If you are really brave, you can remove all of the keys at once and give the frame a good wipe down too.

Do a once over and make sure that you have cleaned everything. Then reassemble it all.

Don't forget the keyboard's cable. Wrap a wet cloth around it and wipe it down. It may have an accumulation of grime that needs to be scrubbed off. Also if any of the letters on the keys have rubbed off, you can use a fine point permanent marker to draw the letter back on the key.

How to Clean your Keyboard- Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 05:30:00 +0000

I know most of you will not heed this advice, but KEYBOARDS CAN MAKE YOU SICK (how's that for tactfulness?). Germs live on your hands and fingers. When you type, many of them jump on to the keyboard. When someone else types on your keyboard, those germs transfer to their fingers. Or when you later type on the same keyboard, those germs reconquer your fingers. Regularly disinfecting the keyboard can prevent this.

To disinfect the keyboard, turn off the computer. Then spray disinfectant on a cloth. Be sure to use disinfectant and not just any type of cleaner because not all cleaners disinfect. Also do not spray the disinfectent directly on the keys. Spray it on the cloth. Wipe down the top and sides of the keys. Give the keys a few minutes to dry off before turning the computer back on.

Now that you know how to do it, you should make it a regular practice to disinfect the keyboard. It's one step towards a healthier you.

So you have your keyboard disinfected and life is great. Then your child spills koolaide all over it. What do you do? There are certain steps that you should take when something, like pop, beer, wine, coffee, milk, or kool-aide, is spilled on the keyboard.

The first thing to do is immediately unplug the keyboard from the back of the computer and turn the keyboard over so that its keys are down. This will allow the liquid to drain out. You will probably want to put a cloth under the keyboard or at least make sure that the surface you have put it on is washable.

Then use the mouse to shut down Windows and turn off the computer (this is important because later you will have to plug the keyboard back into the computer and you should never plug any device into a computer while it is on).

While the keyboard is upside down use a cloth to dry as much of the liquid off as you can. If you have a can of compressed air or a vacuum, while the keyboard is upside down blow or vacuum it out. Then let the keyboard set upside down for at least a night so that it can adequately dry out.

If the liquid that spilled on it was sticky, you may want to follow the extensive cleaning procedure explained in the next article, How to Clean your Keyboard - Part 2.

Liquid spilled on a laptop keyboard can easily reach the hard drive, so turn it over immediately and leave it in that position until it dries.

Keyboards are quite resilient and so it should work when you turn it on again. But if not, another attribute of keyboards is that they are cheap and so it won't cost too much to buy another one.

With these pointers in mind and a quick reaction, you just may save your keyboard from total destruction the next time it gets coated with coffee.

AMD Dominates Top 10 Supercomputer Sites and Provides the Muscle for World's First Entirely x86-based Supercomputer

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 04:03:00 +0000

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov 17, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced that its Quad-Core AMD Opteron(TM) processors are powering "Jaguar," the first ever wholly x86-based supercomputer to achieve the petaflop performance milestone. AMD Opteron processors now help drive seven of the Top 10 supercomputer systems in the world.

The AMD Opteron processor-based and IBM PowerXCell processor-based "Roadrunner" system at Los Alamos National Labs again captures the number 1 spot on the bi-annual TOP500 Supercomputer Sites list, while the "Jaguar" supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory comes in at number 2 and is the highest performing entirely x86-based system ever on the survey. "Jaguar" is based on Cray XT4 and XT5 systems and runs on over 45,000 Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors, enabling a balanced system with unrivaled x86 performance.

"Today's TOP500 Supercomputing Sites list reaffirms AMD's leadership and the tremendous performance capability that HPC customers have enjoyed for years," said Patrick Patla, vice president and general manager, Server Workstation Division, AMD. "Seven of the ten most powerful computing systems in the world now leverage the balanced platform of our Direct Connect Architecture. Our commitment to the HPC community only gets stronger with the recent launch of our 45nm Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor which has already set new standards in HPC performance." In addition to seven of the premium top ten, AMD Opteron processors have helped catapult 53 other global supercomputers on the TOP500 to newheights of HPC performance. Today's list highlights industries of all types that are harnessing AMD's world-class computing capability including IT service providers, financial institutions, automotive design, and researchers in energy, geology, meteorology, social sciences, astronomy and many other disciplines.

Recently, AMD announced widespread availability of its 45nm Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors, codenamed "Shanghai." These latest Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors already hold multiple HPC workload-related performance records including: -- 34 percent higher floating point throughput performance than the competition on SPECfp(R)_rate2006 for two-socket servers -- 51 percent more memory bandwidth performance than the competition on STREAM benchmarks for two-socket servers -- Approximately 65 percent faster job runs than the competition on FLUENT 12 beta (ANSYS) for two-socket servers -- More than 30 percent better performance than the competition on LSDYNA MPP971s for two-socket servers.

Additionally, readers of HPCWire this week voted "Shanghai" as one of the Top 5 New HPC Products or Technologies to Watch.

About AMD Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD) is an innovative technology company dedicated to collaborating with customers and partners to ignite the next generation of computing and graphics solutions at work, home and play. For more information, visit http://www.amd.com.

AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, AMD Opteron, and combinations thereof are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

SPEC and SPECfp_rate2006 are registered trademarks of the Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation.

1. Comparison based on SPECfp(R)_rate2006. Results for Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor Model E5472 published on www.spec.org as of October 27, 2008. Results for Quad-Core AMD Opteron(TM) processor Model 2384 based upon data submitted to Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation. Results published on amd.com as of November 13, 2008. See http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_118_8796_8800,00.html.

For the latest SPECfp(R)_rate results, visit http://www.spec.org/cpu2006/results/.

System configurations: "Shanghai": 2 x Quad-Core AMD Opteron(TM) processors Model 2384 in Supermicro A+ Server 1021M-UR+B motherboard, 32GB (8x4GB DDR2-800) memory, 300GB SATA disk drive, SuSE Linux(R) Enterprise Server 10 SP1 64-bit Xeon: 2 x Quad-Core Intel Xeon processors Model E5472 in Supermicro X7DWN+ motherboard, 32GB (8x4GB DDR2-800 FB-DIMM) memory, 74.8GB SATA disk drive, SuSE Linux(R) 10 SP1 64-bit.

http://www.spec.org/cpu2006/results/res2007q4/cpu2006-20071112-02546.html 2. STREAM: Comparison based STREAM benchmark measurements performed at AMD performance labs as of October 27, 2008. STREAM results represent Add, Copy, Scale, and Triad performance. Results published on amd.com as of November 13, 2008. See http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_118_8796_8800,00.html.

System configurations: "Shanghai": 2 x Quad-Core AMD Opteron(TM) processors Model 2384 in Supermicro H8DMU+ motherboard, 16GB (8x2GB DDR2-800) memory, 150GB IDE disk drive, SuSE Linux(R) Enterprise Server 10 SP2 64-bit.

Xeon 5472: 2 x Quad-Core Intel Xeon processors Model E5472 in Supermicro X7DWN+ motherboard, 16GB (8x2GB DDR2-800 Low-Power FB-DIMM) memory, 150GB IDE disk drive, SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP2 64-bit.

3. FLUENT 12 beta (ANSYS) sedan_4m and LSDYNA MPP971s: Comparisons based on 2 x Quad-Core AMD Opteron(TM) processors Model 2356, 2384 in Supermicro H8DMU+ motherboard, 16GB (8x2GB DDR2-800), 150GB IDE disk drive, SuSE Linux(R) Enterprise Server 10 SP1 64-bit and 2 x Quad-Core Intel Xeon processors Model E5472 in Supermicro X7DWN+ motherboard, 16GB (8x2GB DDR2-800 FBDIMM, low power), 150GB IDE disk drive, SuSE Linux (R) Enterprise Server 10 SP1 64-bit. All results based on internal testing at AMD Performance Center of Excellence except competitive data in clusters which is publically available. Performance on final FLUENT software release may vary. Results published on amd.com as of November 13, 2008. See http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_118_8796_8800,00.html.

SOURCE: AMD CONTACT: AMD Public Relations Teresa Osborne, 978-795-2506(PR) teresa.osborne@amd.com or Ruth Cotter, 408-749-3887 (IR) ruth.cotter@amd.com Copyright Business Wire 2008 -0- KEYWORD: United States

North America

California INDUSTRY KEYWORD: Technology

Hardware

Internet

Networks

Software

Telecommunications

Other Technology SUBJECT CODE: Product/Service

ATI TV Wonder™ Digital Cable Tuner

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 03:40:00 +0000

Watch and record high definition digital cable programs and enjoy a stunning home theater experience on your Digital Cable Ready Windows Vista® PC with the new ATI TV Wonder™ Digital Cable Tuner. Designed to work with Windows Media Center, the ATI TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner is the world’s first PC TV tuner offering CableCARD™ support for receiving premium HD content from digital cable channels such as HBO, ESPN, Cinemax, and many others. In addition to being the first product to bring premium digital cable to the PC, it also supports over-the-air ATSC digital TV, NTSC analog TV, and satellite set-top box connectivity. The ATI TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner is the ultimate solution for adding HD entertainment to Windows Vista PCs!

AMD—the leader in HDTV solutions for the PC
The ATI TV Wonder™ Digital Cable Tuner continues AMD’s industry leadership and legacy of multimedia innovation to bring new Digital Cable TV solutions to the PC. Building on AMD’s vast range of experience in both PC and digital TV products, the ATI TV Wonder™ Digital Cable Tuner delivers the ultimate HDTV product for PCs running Windows Vista™.

Premium digital cable content comes to Windows Vista™ computers
The ATI TV Wonder™ Digital Cable Tuner enables Digital Cable Ready Windows Vista™ PCs to view and record premium HD digital cable. With an installed CableCARD™ from a cable operator, the ATI TV Wonder™ Digital Cable Tuner can receive premium HD content from digital cable channels such as HBO, ESPN, Cinemax, and many others.

Cable Labs- Certified™ CableCARD™ support
An OpenCable Unidirectional Receiver (OCUR), The ATI TV Wonder™ Digital Cable Tuner uses CableLabs Certified™ CableCARD™ technology to watch and record premium HD digital cable content on Windows Vista™ PCs. OpenCable certification ensures compatibility with U.S. digital cable networks, and offers technical excellence that delivers a superior entertainment experience on the PC.

Standard and high definition content for Windows Media Center™
The ATI TV Wonder™ Digital Cable Tuner showcases advanced hardware accelerated video processing features including advanced 3D comb filtering, and delivers support for both standard and high definition TV signals. When not using an installed CableCARD™, other options include Clear QAM, over-the-air ATSC digital TV, NTSC analog TV, and satellite set-top box connectivity.

Shipping with new Windows Vista™ PCs
The ATI TV Wonder™ Digital Cable Tuner is shipping with new Digital Cable Ready PCs running Windows Vista®. Hardware requirements include HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) support on digital displays, providing a robust and premium HD viewing experience.

Certified for Windows Vista™ Ultimate and Home Premium
Certified for Windows Vista™ Ultimate and Windows Vista™ Home Premium-based Media Center PCs, the ATI TV Wonder™ Digital Cable Tuner ushers in a new multimedia-rich experience while harnessing the advanced capabilities and premium high-definition content available within Windows Media Center when you have a supporting CableCARD™ from your local cable provider.

AMD Phenom X4 9950 BE processor tested

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:44:00 +0000

AMD recently upped the ante on their flagship Phenom X4 processor line-up. Consumers have been able to purchase a Phenom X4 9950 processor for a couple of weeks now. The 9950 comes in two models, the regular version and a BE version, which is the Black Edition. These little BE tagged processors often are only 10-20 bucks more expensive, yet have a little treat harbored in them. These processors are given the two thumbs up to overclock, and the little bonus is increased in the form an unlocked multiplier allowing you to really push the envelope on your tweaks.

So the BE editions in essence are the 'regular' processor, yet they passed quality and analysis for better overclocking performance and have their multiplier unlocked. This obviously is the product we'll be testing today. We'll conduct our test in two ways though, first off we'll check baseline performance just like the regular Phenom X4 9950 and then start an overclocking session. Throughout our benchmarks we'll show you the results on both that baseline and overclocked performance with all benchmarks.

So what is the Phenom X4 9950 precisely? Last year Phenom was introduced, it's AMD's first quad-core processor. And though they had a really tough launch as the early models had a bug in them, late March/April things took a turn. The bug was fixed and the overall performance of these processors went up dramatically well. There was a little sunshine at the end of the horizon. Ever since April 2008, AMD has been introducing new models of Phenom processors based on the fixed cores. We now even have triple-core processors which quite honestly perform really well, but nobody will buy them just because of that weird unusual number of 'three' on them. That's a nasty stigma to fight, whereas 6 cores... would sound perfectly fine. It's weird how the mind works, eh?

No, the more successful models obviously are the Phenom X4 processors. They are now available in a wide variety, and though it's still difficult to compete with chipzilla Intel, no one will deny that the Phenom X4 processors offer heaps of value and are in fact really good processors to have in your PC. Our office now runs two PCs based on Phenom X4s in combo with 790GX mainboards, and I guarantee you... these PCs are fast and snazzy.

The Phenom X4 9950 BE is the cream of the crop processor of the quad-core product line, it runs at 2600 MHz on all four cores with a multiplier of 13. But really, it doesn't mind 3000 or 3200 MHz either. And that's what we'll show you in today's article. To do so we need to chat a little about the architecture underneath that heat spreader. The Phenom is based on what is called the 'Barcelona' architecture. The silicon has four native independent cores merged together into one die; opposed to Intel who merges two dual-core chips together in one die.

AMD Phenom X4 9850 Processor Review

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:26:00 +0000

When the AMD Phenom series of processors launched back on November 19th, 2007 no one could have expected just how rough things were about to get for AMD. First, they sent out Phenom 9900 processors to the press that were was unable to keep up with the Intel Core 2 series of processors. Second, the Phenom 9700/9800/9900 processors that AMD sent out to the media were pulled at the last second and replaced with the lower clocked Phenom 9600 (2.3GHz) and Phenom 9500 (2.2GHz). Then after the Phenom series was lauched it got caught up in the TLB erratum 298 controversy and found itself plauged by benchmark problems. On top of all this AMD kept telling the media, who in turn told consumers, that everything was fine and AMD was on track to deliver the Phenom 9700 and 9800 later in Q1 with a new 3GHz model in Q2 of 2008.

AMD is committed to bring quad-core to the desktop market in Q4, and we are meeting that commitment with the launch of AMD Phenom quad-core processors 9500 and 9600 (2.2GHz and 2.3GHz) on Nov. 19th. AMD is going to initially introduce these two mainstream AMD Phenom quad-core processor models in order to satisfy customer demand in 2007. Since the October meeting, AMD has decided to launch our AMD Phenom 9700 (2.4GHz) quad core product in Q1 2008, along with our AMD Phenom 9900 (2.6 GHz) quad core processor. The launch of these two higher performance processors models will coincide with the introduction of related, significant performance enhancements in the platform; namely CrossFireX and our new enthusiast graphics product. Higher performance AMD Phenom processors will follow the introduction of the AMD Phenom 9700 and 9900 models, with a 3.0 GHz model in Q2 2008. AMD has a great history of delivering faster parts through a product’s lifecycle, and we are confident that this will remain true. - AMD PR 11/14/2007

The past four months could not have gone by fast enough for Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), but there does seem to be a new hope for Phenom as the latest revision of the core (stepping B3) fixes the TLB erratum along with many other erratums that were on the list. The TLB fix is now done at the silicon level, so the performance hit users were seeing with the BIOS workaround should be gone. AMD has now stopped production on the older core steppings as a result of this change. If you see a Phenom 9500 or Phenom 9600 in a system or for sale at a retailer you know that the procesor is a B1 or B2 stepping that has the TLB issue. All of the new Phenom B3 steppings will be named with the nomenclature of what AMD is calling the '50 series' of processors. The four new AMD Phenom X4 processors that AMD is announcing today are the 9550 (2.2GHz), 9650 (2.3GHz), 9750 (2.4GHz) and 9850 Black Edition (2.5GHz). AMD has told us to expect the new 50-series processors to perform the same, clock-for-clock as older revision (B2) processors operating in a platform that is not implementing the TLB erratum fix. For example, the 2.2GHz Phenom 9550 processor will replace the Phenom 9500 (B2) processor. AMD is basically 'fixing' Phenom and is making the model numbers clear to make sure consumers know what processors they are getting without having to open the retail box.

ATI Theater 650 Pro

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 03:37:00 +0000

The good: Best-looking TV tuner hardware we've seen; supports both NTSC and ATSC; works well with Media Center and other PC DVR apps.

The bad: Even the best TV tuner has a worse image than a standard cable signal; CableCard will make other TV tuners obsolete next year.

The bottom line: Though it improves upon the category leader, with CableCard's technology for PCs on the horizon, ATI's latest TV tuner chip, the Theater 650 Pro, is only a stopgap solution for those looking to add TV to their PC.

ATI TV Wonder™ - TV Tuners for the PC

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 02:43:00 +0000

ATI TV Wonder™ is the perfect product for the media and home entertainment enthusiast. ATI TV Wonder™ will load your PC with all the media power you need for The Ultimate Viewing Experience™. Now on your PC watch, pause and schedule recordings of your favorite TV shows¹. Additionally, you will be able to watch the latest DVD movie titles or burn your own DVD (DVD burner required). Bring life to years of analog video stored on camcorders and VHS tapes as you can watch, digitize and preserve all those priceless family moments. You will even be able to choose from your vast library of TV shows and video and transfer them to your Portable Video Player¹.

ATI TV Wonder™ products provide simple way to add advanced TV, personal video recorder (PVR) and video capture and editing capabilities to your PC. The ATI TV Wonder™ offers more on screen content, accurate colors and crisp lines and high definition, true to life images. Offered as PCI, PCI Express add-in card or as an external USB 2.0 peripheral, the ATI TV Wonder™ Series adds superior multimedia power to your PC. Exceed your living room experience.

Memory Controller Optimizations for Web Servers

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:01:00 +0000

This paper analyzes memory access scheduling and virtual channels as mechanisms to reduce the latency of main memory accesses by the CPU and peripherals in web servers. Despite the address filtering effects of the CPU's cache hierarchy, there is significant locality and bank parallelism in the DRAM access stream of a web server, which includes traffic from the operating system, application, and peripherals.

However, a sequential memory controller leaves much of this locality and parallelism unexploited, as serialization and bank conflicts affect the realizable latency. Aggressive scheduling within the memory controller to exploit the available parallelism and locality can reduce the average read latency of the SDRAM. However, bank conflicts and the limited ability of the SDRAM's internal row buffers to act as a cache hinder further latency reduction. Virtual channel SDRAMovercomes these limitations by providing a set of channel buffers that can hold segments from rows of any internal SDRAM bank. This paper presents memory controller policies that can make effective use of these channel buffers to further reduce the average read latency of the SDRAM.

AMD64 based Computing Platforms for Telecommunications

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 06:22:00 +0000

From a hardware point of view, key equipment within Next-Generation-Networks is
based on server computing technology. Beyond standard server products for Next-
Generation-Networks, AMD Opteron processors are also available in open standard
chassis platforms like AdvancedTCA (ATCA), BladeCenter and CompactPCI. These
platforms are building blocks for solutions that provide the longevity and reliability
required by service providers in communication networks such as IP Multimedia
Subsystem (IMS), Voice over IP (VoIP), Global System for Mobile Communications

(GSM), and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) wireless networks. At this level,
AMD64 technology provides several unique customer value propositions:

1. Industry-Leading Performance-Per-Watt

With the equipment changes and upgrades to accommodate new services and
additional throughput, the costs from power consumption and air conditioning are
becoming a major concern for service providers. AMD PowerNow!™ technology with
Optimized Power Management provides power on demand computing, and can
reduce CPU power consumption by as much as 43 percent while under an
approximate 60 percent load, or up to 75% reduction in CPU power when idle.
Adjusting CPU power for the load creates a ripple effect of benefits in the data center
that can increase dramatically as the number of processors increases. These benefits
can include reduction in the amount of heat produced by the processor and other
components, and reduction in the amount of electricity required to both run and cool
the system. By offering a processor that provides for a dense compute configuration
with low overall power consumption, AMD helps make it possible to put more compute
capability in data centers and central offices and potentially lower utility costs.
Evolutionary deployment of new technology like IMS and 3G must be based on scalable
architectures and the long-term protection of past investments. To this end, AMD64
technology offers an innovative solution that allows network operators and service
providers to run 32-bit and 64-bit applications simultaneously – operators and service
providers can grow into 64-bit computing without sacrificing their existing investments.
Perhaps even more importantly, AMD64 technology was designed from the
ground up with multi-core computing in mind, resulting in high performance for
multi-threaded and multi-tasking environments. Quad-Core AMD Opteron
processors will be socket compatible with today’s DDR2-based AMD Opteron
processors, offering a seamless upgrade path to quad-core performance as
demand increases.
This simplified platform approach to implementing multi-core technology is
further enhanced by Direct Connect Architecture, which provides exceptional
system performance and multi-processor scalability in up to 8-processor
systems.

3. AMD’s revolutionary Direct Connect Architecture

AMD64 technology with Direct Connect Architecture was designed to improve overall
system performance and efficiency by directly connecting the processors, the memory,
and the I/O. Directly connecting these elements helps eliminate the front-side bus
bottleneck inherent in legacy x86 architectures.

On the AMD Opteron processor, the integrated DDR2 DRAM memory controller changes
the way the processor accesses main memory to increase bandwidth and reduce
memory latencies.

With dual channel RDDR2-667 available on the AMD Opteron 2000 and 8000 Series
processors and UDDR2-800 available on the AMD Opteron 1000 Series processors,
theoretical maximum memory bandwidth (per core) is between 10.6GB/s and 12.8GB/s.
Another benefit of integrating the memory controller directly on the processor is that
memory bandwidth scales with the addition of processors. This helps provide highthroughput
responsiveness and scalability with multi-processor platforms.

AMD64 technology with Direct Connect Architecture features HyperTransport™
technology and provides up to 8.0GB/s bandwidth per HyperTransport link— sufficient
bandwidth for interconnect technologies including PCI Express®, PCI-X®, DDR, InfiniBand,
and 10G Ethernet. AMD Opteron processors support up to three HyperTransport links
per processor, providing up to 24.0GB/s peak bandwidth per processor.

These processor-level features can provide a tremendous competitive advantage for
database applications. AMD’s Direct Connect Architecture allows each processor in the
multi-processor compute node to access the memory of the other processors at low
latency with high bandwidth. The up to 256 terabytes of memory address space of
AMD Opteron processors helps the performance of applications when large (or many)
datasets are held in memory, as is the case with billing systems.

4. AMD Virtualization™ Technology (AMD-V™)

Second-Generation AMD Opteron processors are designed to help end the “one server,
one application” problem. With hardware-assisted AMD Virtualization™ technology
(AMD-V™), Second-Generation AMD Opteron processors can help streamline the
Telecom infrastructure to achieve higher levels of efficiency and utilization.
Regardless of the specific network implementation chosen by a particular service
provider, AMD-V™ helps enable a flexible, one–to-many relationship between hardware,
operating systems, and applications, and contributes to functional flexibility,
implementation, and distribution for network equipment vendors.

Business Solutions by AMD: Adding Real World Value to Enterprise IT

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 06:02:00 +0000

AMD is working to develop computing solutions that meet the enterprise needs of today and tomorrow.

Our efforts are focused around business solutions that:

Enable resource consolidation in the data center
More effectively drive database-oriented business applications
Grow the emerging world of cluster and grid computing
Shorten time to solutions with innovative client computing

At the center of every successful enterprise is the ability to develop, manage, and analyze the business-critical information that drives day-to-day operations.

AMD-powered systems provide a performance platform for database engines and business processing and analytical applications.

These are core to manage customer and employee data, pinpoint operational inefficiencies within an organization, and identify ways to gain competitive advantages.

Client Solutions

Desktop, notebook, and data center client solutions from AMD empower today’s businesses with superior stability, essential security and manageability features, exceptional performance, and energy efficiency to keep costs low.

Client infrastructures built on AMD-powered platforms — including AMD Business Class solutions — deliver outstanding value and a reliable foundation for companies of all sizes.

Consolidation Solutions

Today's IT professionals are tasked with boosting data center utilization and efficiency while increasing user productivity and reducing operational costs.

AMD64 processor technology is a premier platform for the virtualization, web infrastructure, and server-based computing solutions that are at the heart of today's resource consolidation efforts.

Database Solutions

Adding Dual-Core AMD Opteron™ processor capabilities to the database infrastructure of a company leads to faster decision making, smooth migration, and lower costs with the ability to move to 64-bit computing while protecting current infrastructure investments.

Clusters

Clusters are increasingly viewed as the new architectures of the data center.

Built on industry-standard technologies, clusters of x86-based systems power complex data analysis and real-world simulations. They also enable organizations to utilize computing resources across department and organizational boundaries in a secure, highly efficient manner.

Business Application Solutions

The Dual-Core AMD Opteron™ processor can significantly improve the performance of business critical enterprise applications with next-generation throughput, a full 64-bit address space, and Direct Connect Architecture.

AMD64 Solutions

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:40:00 +0000

The AMD64 platform is leading the industry to pervasive 64-bit computing.

The AMD Opteron™ processor, the AMD Athlon™ processor family, and AMD Turion™ 64 mobile technology comprise the AMD64 family.

AMD Opteron processor – servers and workstations
AMD Athlon processor family – desktops and notebooks
AMD Turion 64 mobile technology – notebooks

AMD64 is designed to enable simultaneous 32- and 64-bit computing with no degradation in performance. With Direct Connect Architecture, AMD64 processors address and help eliminate the real challenges and bottlenecks of system architectures because everything is directly connected to the central processing unit.

Explore AMD’s 64-bit leadership.

The AMD Turion™ X2 Ultra Dual-core and AMD Turion™ X2 DUAL-CORE Mobile Processors

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:10:00 +0000

Enhanced Processing And Memory Capabilities For The Power To Do More, Faster

Get the performance you need while multitasking and still get the long battery life you want while on the go.

With true multi-core technology, notebook PCs based on AMD Turion™ X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile Processors and AMD Turion™ X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processors can deliver significantly greater bandwidth with support for power-optimized HyperTransport™ 3.0 technology and PCI Express® 2.0, increasing data throughput and improving system performance while helping to extend battery life.

Next-Generation Power Management
Get long battery life with performance on demand. Enhanced AMD PowerNow!™ Technology dynamically switches performance states (processor core voltage and operating frequency) based on processor performance requirements enabling today’s more mobile and demanding PC user to extend battery life. With AMD Dynamic Power Management, each processor core, and the integrated memory controller and HyperTransport™ technology controller are powered by a dedicated voltage plane to give you the performance you need while multitasking on the go. Independent Dynamic Core Technology extends battery life by dynamically optimizing the operating frequency for each core in the processor based on end-user application needs. And AMD CoolCore™ Technology extends notebook usage while on battery by turning off processor features that are not being used.

Range Of Products Provide Smarter Choices For The Money
Choose the right performance for your mobile lifestyle. Mobile solution options include AMD Turion™ X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile Processors, which are designed to enable extreme performance and mobility, and AMD Turion™ X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processors, which deliver exceptional performance and long battery life. All to give more choices to today’s more mobile PC users.

The Security And Reliability You Want With The Value You Expect For The Long-Term
Run the 32-bit applications of today and the 64-bit applications of tomorrow. Get the advantage of today’s powerful applications in a power-efficient notebook PC with the forward-thinking technology to support the advanced applications of the future. Take comfort in security innovations such as Enhanced Virus Protection*.

*As part of a comprehensive security program, AMD strongly recommends enabling Enhanced Virus Protection (EVP) and using up to date third party anti-virus software.

© 2008 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, AMD Turion, AMD Virtualization, Cool'n'Quiet, Dual Dynamic Power Management, AMD CoolCore Technology and combinations thereof, are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. HyperTransport is a licensed trademark of the HyperTransport Technology Consortium. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other jurisdictions. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

AMD Sempron™ Processor Product Brief

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:46:00 +0000

AMD Sempron™ Processor Overview
The AMD Sempron™ processor performs at the top of its class when running the home and business applications most. The AMD Sempron™ processor’s full-featured capabilities can include AMD64 Technology, HyperTransport™ technology, up to 256KB total high-performance cache, One 16-bit/16-bit link @ up to 1600MHz full duplex system bus technology, and an integrated DDR2 memory controller.

The AMD Sempron™ processor provides the productivity enhancing performance you need for your everyday applications. It runs over 60,000 of the world’s most popular applications, so you can enjoy solid performance. With 35 years of design and manufacturing experience and shipments of more than 240 million PC processors, you can count on AMD to provide reliable solutions for your home or business.

Affordable - Performance

The AMD Sempron processor performs at the top of its class on the home and business applications that you need and use most.
The AMD Sempron processor is designed for day-to-day computing and beyond.

Full-Featured to Improve your Computing Experience

The AMD Sempron processor lets you enjoy a dynamic Internet experience with smooth streaming video and audio.
The AMD Sempron processor saves you time and effort; enabling your system to boot and load your applications quickly.
Applications that allow you to communicate with family, friends and colleagues will run smoothly with the AMD Sempron processor.

The AMD Sempron™ processor’s advanced architectural features help ensure affordable performance and full-featured capability. These features include:

AMD64 Technology
HyperTransport technology
Up to 256KB total high-performance, full-speed cache
One 16-bit/16-bit link @ up to 1600MHz full duplex system bus technology,
Integrated DDR2 memory controller on certain models
Built-in security with Enhanced Virus Protection* that works with Microsoft^® Windows^® XP SP2 to help protect against viruses, worms, and other malicious attacks. When combined with protective software, Enhanced Virus Protection is part of an overall security solution that helps keep your information safer.

Enjoy full compatibility with the tools you use daily.
The AMD Sempron processor is designed to run more than 60,000 of the most popular software applications, so you can enjoy reliable performance for a wide variety of computing needs. And since the AMD Sempron processor is compatible with leading PC peripherals, it helps keep everything running smoothly.

Get more value from your PC.
The AMD Sempron processor is ideal for families, students and other budget-conscious or entry-level computer buyers. It includes the right set of features you need for day-to-day computing, and gives you more power for your money than other similar processors. This means you get a PC configured with better components such as CD drives, graphics capabilities, and more.

Reliability from an Industry Leader

AMD is an industry leader that is dedicated to enabling you to get the job done at work or at play.
AMD is constantly striving to find the right solutions for you and your home or business needs.
AMD’s superior quality and track record have long been recognized by a number of the industry’s top publications, organizations and high-tech experts. AMD products, technology, manufacturing, facilities, executives and corporate and community programs have earned a multitude of awards and recognition over the years.

For the latest performance benchmarks and detailed technical documentation of the AMD Sempron processor, please visit Benchmarks and Technical Documentation. For more product comparison information, please visit the AMD Sempron Product Comparison.

*Enhanced Virus Protection (EVP) is only enabled by certain operating systems including the current versions of Microsoft^® Windows^®, Linux, Solaris and BSD Unix. After properly installing the appropriate operating system release, users must enable the protection of their applications and associated files from buffer overrun attacks. Consult your OS documentation for information on enabling EVP. Contact your application software vendor for information regarding use of the application in conjunction with EVP. AMD and its partners strongly recommend that users continue to use third party anti-virus software as part of their security strategy.

AMD Athlon™ X2 Dual-Core Processor Product Brief

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:45:00 +0000

Take multi-tasking to a whole new level with the AMD Athlon™ X2 dual-core Processor
AMD Athlon™ X2 dual-core processors put the power of dual-core technology on the desktop. Dual-core processors contain two processing cores, residing on one chip, that perform calculations on two streams of data to increase efficiency and speed while running multiple programs and the new generation of multi-threaded software. For end-users this means a significant increase in response and performance when running multiple applications simultaneously.

Better Multi-Tasking Means Increased Office Productivity
Productivity in today’s workplace requires smooth, efficient and seamless multi-tasking. AMD Athlon™ X2 dual-core processors deliver TRUE multi-tasking, allowing users to switch from one program to another without always pausing for the computer to catch up and reducing annoying processing pauses.

Setting the Pace in Digital Media Digital media software demands simultaneous processing of data streams, the perfect use for the incredible multi-tasking power of AMD64 dual-core technology. Dual-core technology is like having two processors working together, each one taking care of different applications, so power-users can actually experience greater performance when multiple applications are running. Digital media enthusiasts can usher in the next generation of digital media software for amazing high-definition video and photo editing, content creation, and audio mixing. With an AMD Athlon™ X2 dual-core processor, your PC can perform up to 80% faster than an AMD Athlon™ 4000+ processor on the latest power-hungry digital media software applications.

Get more Power using less Power
Energy-efficient AMD processors with Cool‘n’Quiet™ technology enable smaller, sleeker, more energy-efficient PC’s. In March 2005, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded Cool‘n’Quiet technology special recognition for the advancement of energy-efficient computer technologies. AMD expects that systems built using energy-efficient AMD desktop processors can meet, and in many instances, exceed the new system requirements from the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Version 4 computer specification, effective July 20, 2007.

All the Proven Benefits of AMD64 Technology
Enhanced Virus Protection with Windows® XP Service Pack 2 and VistaTM Enhanced Virus Protection is a feature enabled by AMD64 technology. Enhanced Virus Protection in conjunction with modern operating systems can help prevent the spread of certain viruses, like MSBlaster and Slammer to significantly reduce the cost and down-time associated with similar viruses and improve the protection of computers and personal information against certain PC viruses¹.

AMD Athlon Processor Architecture Performance
HyperTransport™ technology can increase overall system performance by reducing I/O bottlenecks, increasing system bandwidth, and reducing system latency. A fully integrated memory controller helps speed access to memory by giving the processor a direct connection to the main memory. As a result, end users can enjoy quicker application loading and extraordinary application performance.

Ready for the 64-bit future
Like all the processors in the AMD64 family, AMD Athlon™ X2 dual-core processors are designed for people who want to stay at the forefront of technology and for those who depend on their PCs to keep them connected, informed, and entertained. Systems based on AMD64 processors can deliver leading-edge performance for demanding productivity and entertainment software today and in the future.

With AMD64 technology, AMD Athlon™ X2 dual-core processors are fully compatible with existing software, while enabling a seamless transition to 64-bit applications. Both 32- and 64-bit applications can run simultaneously and transparently on the same platform. AMD64 technology enables new, cinematic computing experiences and capabilities, in addition to increased performance. AMD64 technology allows end users to take advantage of new innovations such as real-time encryption, more life-like games, accurate speech interfaces, cinema-quality graphic effects, and easy-to-use video and audio editing.

Purchase with Confidence
Founded in 1969, AMD has shipped more than 240 million PC processors worldwide. Customers can depend on AMD64 processors and AMD for compatibility and reliability. AMD processors undergo extensive testing to help ensure compatibility with Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, Windows NT®, Windows 2000, as well as Linux and other PC operating systems. AMD works collaboratively with Microsoft and other ecosystem partners to achieve compatibility of AMD processors and to expand the capability of software and hardware products leveraging AMD64 technology. AMD conducts rigorous research, development, and validation to help ensure the continued integrity and performance of its products.

¹ Enhanced Virus Protection (EVP) is only enabled by certain operating systems including the current versions of Microsoft^® Windows^®, Linux, Solaris and BSD Unix. After properly installing the appropriate operating system release, users must enable the protection of their applications and associated files from buffer overrun attacks. Consult your OS documentation for information on enabling EVP. Contact your application software vendor for information regarding use of the application in conjunction with EVP. AMD and its partners strongly recommend that users continue to use third party anti-virus software as part of their security strategy.

© 2008 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. All rights reserved. AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, AMD Athlon, and combinations thereof, and are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. HyperTransport is a licensed trademark of the HyperTransport Technology Consortium. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of, and Vista is a trademark of, Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other jurisdictions. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.