July 24th, 2006
By Michael Santo
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews
Rumors have been flying, and this morning it was confirmed. AMD will acquire ATI for $5.4 billion.
The AMD-ATI marriage could shift the balance of power in the chip industry in significant ways. AMD’s product portfolio which has remained limited to the microprocessors that act as a PC’s main calculating engine would balloon overnight, as it folds in two major new chip categories.
Markham, Ontario-based ATI, which makes chipsets and graphics chips for PCs, also makes a host of semiconductors for consumer products, such high definition TVs and cell phones. Source: AP Via ABC News
We Say: ATI has a page on their site where they talk about the new “processor powerhouse”, as they put it. AMD has the same page on its site. What this really means and how this really works out remains to be seen, and analysts still disagree on whether or not the deal makes sense.
July 24th, 2006
By Jessamy Hawley, Contributing writer
RealTechNews
Samsung has teamed up with Versus, Gianni Versace’s youthful, free-spirited and daring line, to bring us the E500 mobile phone…
Well, not ‘us’ exactly. The chic clamshell goes on sale in Italy in August in three colourways: white and gold, white and antique pink and black and silver.
The E500 Versus totes a 1.3-megapixel camera, music player and Bluetooth, but of course tech specs have nothing to do with why fashionistas will want this handset peeking out of their handbags.
We say: Roberto Cavalli’s handbag handsets are in for some stiff competition.
July 23rd, 2006
By Chief Gadgeteer, Gizmos for Geeks
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews.
Perhaps we may beat our oil addiction yet. A start-up based in Silicon Valley, Tesla Motors, is about to start selling its new car on a small scale soon. Oh yes, the car. It’s all electric, goes from 0 to 60 in 4 seconds, and runs for 200 miles between recharges. Only 1 little problem - the price tag: $100k. In fairness, their first vehicle is a roadster and they have plans for cheaper sedans in the not too distant future.
Source: Gizmos for Geeks.
July 23rd, 2006
By Chief Gadgeteer, Gizmos for Geeks
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews.
You don’t have a phone with a web browser yet, but you sure do have a cell phone, and wished that you could somehow figure out if you’re getting the best price on something when you’re out shopping? Well, your wish has just come true. A new service called Frucall has just launched. Just call the toll-free # (1-888-Do-Frucall) and punch in the barcode of the item. Yep, it’s free; registration is optional, although registering ties your cell phone to your account and allows you to keep bookmarks, take voice notes, maintain a search history. Now if only my cell phone contained a barcode reader…
Source: Gizmos for Geeks.
July 22nd, 2006
By Chief Gadgeteer, Gizmos for Geeks
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews.
Scientists at a number of universities, including Brown, along with Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems Corp. have been having a lot of success with tapping brain waves directly to send commands to computer/electronic devices. They’ve used an implant smaller than an aspirin that sits on top of the brain and reads the person’s electrical brain patterns. The subject has been able to control a mouse, play video games and even use a TV remote control. Next step - instant thought transfer.
Source: Gizmos for Geeks.
July 22nd, 2006
By Michael Santo
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews
The first I read about this was in the Inquirer. I’m certainly not going to post something based solely on information from them. However, since then, I’ve seen more information on this story, including places I trust, such as CNNMoney and TheGlobeandMail.
Chip maker Advanced Micro Devices Inc. is considering a $5.6-billion (U.S.) takeover bid for ATI Technologies Inc., a leading manufacturer of computer graphics chips, sources say. Source: GlobeandMail.com
Advanced Micro Devices Inc., the No. 2 maker of microprocessors for personal computers, is close to a deal to acquire Canadian graphics chip maker ATI Technologies Inc. for $5.5 billion, a source familiar with the situation said on Friday. Source: Reuters
We Say: From the GlobeandMail story, one analyst described such a deal as “a breathtakingly bad idea from a strategic perspective.” Myself … I’m not sure why AMD would need ATI … more the other way around. AMD, in my mind, has been doing a good job against Intel … at least until Intel’s latest offering. The main question is whether or not AMD can up with an answer to Core Duo, not whether buying a graphics company makes sense.
July 22nd, 2006
By Chief Gadgeteer, Gizmos for Geeks
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews.
Here is a top 10 list of the coolest LEGO contraptions, according to TechEBlog. At the top of the list, is the Hammerhead CD Thrower. Here’s a 20 second video of it in action. Of course, you’ll also want to check out the 10 strangest LEGO creations.
Source: Gizmos for Geeks.
July 21st, 2006
By Michael Santo
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews
I’ve been writing here about Zune for a while, and today it was confirmed by Microsoft.
After months of speculation, this might qualify as anticlimactic, but Microsoft confirmed today that it plans to come out with a portable media player and related software under the name Zune. The company announced the project through an article in Billboard magazine, an abbreviated version of which is here. Source: SeattlePI.com
We Say: There is also an official blog here. So now we can stop speculating about if it exists and start speculating about what it will really be. Additionally, rather than Apple looking over its shoulder, this device / service is most likely to hit second-tier (meaning non-Apple) MP3 player manufacturers harder … like Creative Labs, for example.
