Video: Intel's four-screen laptop prototype hands-on

Well, here's something you don't see every day: Intel's got a concept laptop here at IDF that features three OLED touchscreens below the 15-inch screen. In keeping with the hype of the moment, the primary idea is to run widgets and other passive apps on the little screens, but they're actually integrated with the main screen, so you can flick content up to view it full-size, and even use the mouse to interact with the widgets instead of your fingers. It's definitely cool, but it's also definitely a little odd in practice -- although Intel says they're talking to OEMs, things will have to be significantly refined before this can hit production. More pics in the gallery, video after the break.

Intel unveils Light Peak 10Gbps optical interconnect for mobile devices

USB 3.0 might be one of the big stories here at IDF, but Intel just showed off a glimpse of the future: Light Peak, an optical interconnect for mobile devices that can run as fast as 10Gbps. That's fast enough to do everything from storage to displays to networking, and it can maintain those speeds over 100-meter runs, which is pretty astounding. Intel says the idea is to drastically reduce the number of connectors on mobile devices, which should allow them to get even smaller -- but the demo was on a huge Frankenrig, so don't expect to see Light Peak devices shipping any time soon.Update: We just snapped a quick pic of the connector -- it's a connector, that's for sure. Check it after the break.

INTEL PROCESSORS

Intel® Core™2 Duo Processors
Based on Intel's revolutionary Intel® Core™ microarchitecture, the Intel® Core™2 Duo processors were designed from the ground up delivering the best system level overall performance per watt. To meet the needs of the embedded platforms, there are multiple processors in offering: the new Intel® Core™2 Duo processor T9400, the Intel® Core™2 Duo SL9400, SL9380, SP9300, SU9300 and the Intel® Core™2 Duo processor E8400, E7400 based on industry-leading 45nm process technology, as well as the Intel® Core™2 Duo processor E6400, the Intel® Core™2 Duo processor E4300, the Intel® Core™2 Duo processors T7500 and T7400, the Intel® Core™2 Duo processors L7500 and L7400, and the Intel® Core™2 Duo processor U7500. These processors utilize the Intel® Core™ microarchitecture along with the following key features:
Intel® Wide Dynamic Execution enabling delivery of more instructions per clock cycle to improve execution time and energy efficiency.
Intel® Intelligent Power Capability designed to deliver more energy-efficient performance. The 45nm process technology delivers a new super shuffle engine, which improves existing SSE instructions while enabling significant gains on the latest SSE4 instruction set. As a result, SSE4-optimized applications such as video editing and encoding in high-definition resolution will see additional performance improvements.
Intel® Smart Memory Access improves system performance by optimizing the use of the available memory data bandwidth.
Intel® Advanced Digital Media Boost accelerates a broad range of applications, including video, speech and image, photo processing and encryption.
Intel® Advanced Smart Cache Provides a higher-performance, more efficient cache subsystemIntel® Xeon® Processor 5000/3000 Sequence
Breakthrough performance, energy efficiency, extended lifecycle support and common socket Intel Xeon processor-based systems make them the ideal choice for compute-intensive embedded, storage and communications applications.
Lower thermal design power (TDP) and higher Tcase temperature Intel Xeon processor options are ideal options for low power consumption and/or compliance with the AdvancedTCA* form factor and NEBS level-3 thermal specifications*.Intel Pentium M Processor
The Intel® Pentium® M processor utilizes a new microarchitecture to meet the current and future demands of high-performance, low-power embedded computing, making it ideal for medium-to-large enterprise communications applications, transaction terminal, interactive client, and industrial automation applications. While incorporating advanced processor technology, it remains software-compatible with previous members of the Intel® microprocessor family.Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core Processor E2160The Intel® Pentium® dual-core processor delivers great performance, low power enhancements, and multitasking for embedded computing. The Intel® Pentium® dual-core processor E2160Δ with a thermal design power of 65 watts delivers energy-efficient dual-core performance for cost-sensitive embedded designs. Intel® 65nm process technology makes it possible to integrate two complete execution cores in one physical package, providing advancements in simultaneous computing for multi-threaded applications and multi-tasking environments.
This dual-core processor is well suited for a wide range of performance-intensive, low-power embedded applications in smaller form factors such as interactive clients (i.e., point-of-sale terminals and ATMs), gaming platforms, industrial control and automation, and print imaging. While incorporating advanced processor technology, these processors remain software-compatible with previous IA-32 processors.
The Intel Pentium dual-core processor E2160 is validated with the Intel® Q35 Express Chipset and Intel® Q965 Express Chipset. The Intel Q35 Express Chipset platform brings a new level of power reduction in idle and maximum power, making it an ideal choice for embedded applications meeting high-performance, low-thermal specifications.Intel® Xeon® Processors LV and ULVThe Intel® Xeon® processor LV and Intel® Xeon® processor ULV are members of Intel’s growing product line of multi-core processors. Each dual-core processor combines the benefits of two high-performance execution cores with intelligent power management features to deliver significantly greater performance-per-watt over previous single-core Intel Xeon processor-based platforms. The dual-core/dual-processor capabilities are ideal for a wide range of low-power communications and embedded applications.Features
Transform complex and visually intensive data into actionable information enabled by up to eight computational cores of pure performance.
Enjoy optimized visualization by balancing processing, memory and bandwidth resources to deliver rich visual experiences.
Do more in less time with up to 6X the throughput¹ so you can mega-task your way through parallel workflows

Dual-core Processor Wars: AMD X2 Vs Intel Pentium D

There's a war going on and the latest battle continues to offer the promise of good prices to consumers looking for the best stuff for their computer.

Since the inception of dual-core processors a little while back the race has been on to see who can get the better chip with this dual-core processor technology.

During the final days of the single-core battles, there was a stalemate between AMD and Intel. Intel's clocked higher but were unable to match the speeds that the AMD managed at lower clock speeds.

The oldest difference between them has been their suitability for specific tasks. AMD have had the gaming sector in the bag, especially in terms of the value for money possible with their lower clocked chips, which could be overclocked to the same speeds as their top models. Intel has the crown for general performance. When it comes to office related tasks, Intel processors are able to outperform AMD chips in these areas.

As the ability to clock the chips any higher became more and more difficult technically, the next step was to just add another core, theoretically allowing twice as much number crunching in a dual-core processor. This is not exactly how it works however.

Modern operating systems and programs have not been designed with multiple-core or dual-core processors in mind. They were designed to make use of one core on one processor. The major expense that went with multiple processor computers was the circuitry needed to split tasks up amongst the processors and sharing cache.

Dual-core processors simply act like two places for tasks to go. Instead of single tasks getting split up and performed in two different places, as is the case with traditional single core processors, single threads get split up amongst the cores. This essentially means that each program gets assigned to a core.

Because of this there is absolutely no increase in speed for gaming from dual-core processor chips. Only once the games themselves have been programmed to take advantage of dual-core processors will there be a difference.

This is due to the intensive nature of games and the number crunching needed for intense graphics, which for now cannot be split over multiple cores in dual-core processors.

So back to the battlefield.

AMD were the first to introduce their dual-core processor solution to a desktop computer. This gave them a slight lead over Intel. Despite this, AMD gave people a bit of a surprise with their new offering.

Always having been renowned for giving far more than expected for the price, these new dual-core processors were very expensive. Part of what managed to give AMD a hold in a market previously dominated by Intel was their good pricing. This shock did not go down well with consumers.

To add insult to injury, Intel's dual-core processor offerings came in at remarkably good value. Both of their initial dual-core processors cost less than AMD's lowest priced model. That's right, AMD's cheapest dual-core processor cost more than Intel's most expensive. This definitely put the ball in Intel's court and was downright disappointing for AMD fans.

AMD did manage to introduce a cheaper model to compete better with the Intel offerings. Despite this, Intel was still the forerunner in this area.

Performance remains an area that is sketchy.

With the relatively new technology involved it is hard to draw a clear conclusion on who is faster. With operating systems only recently oriented towards fully utilizing dual-core processor technology, it is still new territory. Both offer increased performance, but as to who will rule the roost, we'll have to see.
For the meantime it would probably be advisable to just watch. Being a cautious buyer I prefer to buy into a sure thing, once things have settled down, prices will balance out and all the related technology will be in place. Then we will be able to get a true opinion on where to put your hard earned cash.

AMD vs INTEL-CPU war

If you are in the market to purchase a computer there are many options in existence. You can purchase a Hewlett Packard, Gateway, IBM, or a custom built system. But there is one thing that all of these computers will utilize and that is a CPU (central processing unit). The CPU is responsible for interpreting and executing instructions for the motherboard. CPU's are key to the functioning of your new computer. CPU's from Intel and AMD power virtually every personal computer that you can purchase today.

The argument over an AMD CPU versus an Intel CPU and which has a higher functionality is currently raging. Simply two years ago this was not even a question. Anyone would tell you that the Intel CPU won the speed and complex algorithm war with AMD CPU's without question. Fast-forward to today and Intel is now playing catch-up to the latest in AMD technologies.

Intel played marketing games with their CPU's pricing them high and touting the functionality that they posses as cutting edge. AMD started out as the cheap alternative CPU manufacturer for computer brands such as e-Machines and low-end Compaqs. From the beginning, AMD CPU's were fighting an uphill battle to catch up with the technology in the Intel CPU. As the years have progressed, AMD has progressed.

AMD now clearly leads in the consumer pricing wars. AMD CPU equipped machines with similar performance specifications will cost you hundreds of dollars less than equivalent Intel CPU based machines. This cost differential is now enough to push many Intel CPU customers to the upstart AMD CPU equipped machines.
If performance is the main concern over price, the AMD CPU line was the first to include 64 bit technology. In 2003 AMD pushed the first 64 bit CPU to market. It was unstable and unreliable at first. But the underlying architecture was sound. The AMD 64 bit CPU was soon running stable and fast. The performance of this AMD CPU caught the Intel CPU team off guard.

Intel had to rush to market their EMT64 CPU to compete with this upstart challenge from AMD. The next item on the board was dual CPU power. Again, AMD one-upped the Intel CPU rule.

AMD CPU's have the information transfer on a dual chip machine flowing through the chips. The Intel dual CPU has a bridge to the motherboard where the information that is being processed by the dual CPU's flows for splitting.

The internal data flow in the AMD CPU's allows them to function with lower heat generation than the dual core Intel CPU's. As a consumer this lower heat generation allows the AMD CPU to last longer than the Intel CPU.

If you are energy conscious, then the AMD CPU will be for you as well. The AMD CPU equipped motherboard will function with approximately 275 watts of power. Compare that to a similarly equipped Intel processor at 400 watts of power, and you have major energy savings by going to the AMD CPU.

So where do the Intel CPU's win out over the AMD CPU's? The Intel CPU's are able to function faster with single programs. So, if you are going to play one game and only that game on your machine, the Intel CPU equipped machine can pull and analyze the data faster. However add in chat and e-mail running in the background and the AMD CPU machine catches up.

All in all, the CPU processor war that is currently waging between AMD and Intel is great for the consumer. Each company is in the middle of a CPU processor one-upmanship and both are looking to gain market share.