Latest Hi Tech News

AnandTech has written a an article about the launch of AMD’s Dual Core Athlon64 X2, which will be taken place this coming May 31.

There will a total of 4 models of this dual core desktop processors, the details are as follows:-

AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+
(2.4GHz w/ 1MB L2 cache-per-core) = $1,001 each
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+
(2.4GHz w/ 512KB L2 cache-per-core) = $803 each
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+
(2.2GHz w/ 1MB L2 cache-per-core) = $581 each
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+
(2.2GHz w/ 512KB L2 cache-per-core) = $537 each

[Source]

Recently, two dangerous unpatched Javascript flaws have been found. Furthermore, the unpatched extremely critical security holes and exploit code has already been circulating on the Internet, according to sources.

The exploit, discovered by Paul of Greyhats Security Group and Michael “mikx” Krax, makes use of two separate vulnerabilities. An attacker could create a malicious page using frames and a JavaScript history flaw to make software installations appear to be coming from a “trusted” site. By default, Firefox allows software installations from update.mozilla.org and addons.mozilla.org, but users can add their own sites to this whitelist.

Mozilla Foundation confirmed that users may be vulnerable if they have added other sites to the whitelist. In other words, if you did not add in any site into the software installation whitelist, you are safe from this issue.

Anyway, firefox user can save yourself while waiting for the patch to be released by Mozilla Foundation, by switching off JavaScript in the meantime.

The following are steps to swich off JavaScript:-

1. Go to Tools, then click Options….
2. Select Web Features on the left panel.
3. Deselect the Enable JavaScript box.

[Source]

I have just changed the blog layout into 3 columns from the default 2 columns. I felt this is the time to expand in order to cater for the seemingly rapid growth of my blog. :D

Some changes in the newly designed layout are as follows:-

• 1. One more column on the left.
• 2. New header picture, which is more suitable to the title of the blog.
• 3. New background, some say the old background was dull. So… :)
• 4. New navigation bar design.

I did not change the space of the content in the middle, simply because the content is the soul of this blog. I can sacrifice the space on both sidebars, but not the content area. Of course there was a compromise on the gaps in between all columns, when I took out those wasted spaces and formed the 3rd column on the left. This attempt of redesigning will avoid the situation when the old sidebar becomes too long if I decided to add in more contents in the sidebar sooner or later.

By the way, I will be glad to make it a template if anyone of you request for it. Probably, I will have free time to do it end of this month, after my semester exam. I need some time to clean up my codes, as this is just a beta version of my new design. :)

In the future, I will put in some videos for viewing online and downloading too. Stay tuned !!

Feel free to drop me a message or two, feedbacks or anything are most welcomed. :)

Since the launch of WinXP x64 last Month, peripherals manufacturers, like Logitech, are taking moves into 64bit too. Logitech said Thursday, May 5, 2005, that all of its mice and keyboards will operate at a basic level within Microsoft’s new 64bit OS.

“We are currently working with our OEM customers to ensure that our products requiring drivers are updated. Many of our OEM products are plug-and-play, as they are supported natively in the operating system, and do not require updates. To meet the needs of the early-adopter PC gaming market, Logitech has worked for several months to develop and test updated drivers for Logitech PC gamepads, steering wheels and joysticks. These updates are now available at www.logitech.com/downloads.”

New drivers will be needed for some peripherals in order to be supported in 64bit environment. Besides, more features and functionalities will be expected in 64bit-enabled peripherals, like button customization and configurations.

“Logitech’s consumer mice and keyboards currently have plug-and-play functionality if used today with a 64-bit system, as supported natively by the Windows operating systems,” Brinks wrote. “Logitech SetPoint software will be updated and available online beginning in June, giving our mouse and keyboard customers added levels of customization and button configuration. Also, we are in the process of updating drivers for many of our webcams so they can operate on 64-bit systems.

Received some photos from a friend about iDog, product from Sega Toys, then I managed to dig out some information about iDog.

It is actually a small little toy, which has a dimension of 116x107x100 and weighted 170g. It operates on 3 AAA batteries.

Basically iDog has the following functionalities:-

1. When you press its noce (the only button on its face) or move its tail, iDog will play you some melodies whie flashing you with combination of LEDs colours. It will sort of shake its head and move its ears as well.

2. iDog is able to act as a small speaker, though the quality is not that good. You just have to plug your source of music, such as a mp3 player, into the jack on its left rear leg.

However, iDog can’t move. It will stay stationary while it is playing with you.

As a conclusion, iDog is a nice toy to play when you are bored, but it will never replace Aibo, from Sony, due to its limited functionality.

I’ve zipped up all full size pictures, feel free to download it here.

Finally I come across article debating this hot issue.

Now Intel and AMD dual core processors are already available in the market, but have you thought that are they value for money spent? It is no doubt dual core processors would certainly take computing to the next level, the question now is by how much and are those two Intel and AMD dual core processors will perform the same?

Anyway, I would have to agree with the following quote from the article regarding the thermal issues. AMD is proud of their Opteron dual core processors regarding low power consumption and low heat generated. AMD stresses on “2 cores with 1 core power consumption“.

Although Intel may have won the race-to-the-launch game, they still lurk behind AMD in majority of the performance tests conducted by various media outlets.

We all know Intel’s recent history with its desktop processors. They were sub-par, to say the least. The Prescott chips were plagued with thermal issues, performance lags due to the use of 31 stage pipelines, high prices and the fact that they couldn’t come anywhere close to what AMD had to offer.

I still remember how Intel was touting “Speed Is King” by emphasizing on the Mhz they labeled on their processors since Pentium III. If you noticed Intel’s move in re-labeling all their processor’s code names last year, you’ll have a doubt why did they do that. I think the reason would be the same as the following quote says: Performance Is Far More Important Than Speed.

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Intel Lost The Dual-Core War ??