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  • Lenovo to Invest $800 Million in Mobile Devices

    Lenovo has big ambitions for mobile devices and puts on the line not less than $800 million to be invested in a new facility whose purpose is research and development in mobile phones, tablets and other gadgets.

    The new facility located in Whuan, China, in the coming years will produce tablets, smartphones and other mobile devices addressed to local and global markets. Lenovo’s ambitions aim to achieve a sales figure of $ 1.59 billion by 2014 and five times more in the next five years.

    In other words, Lenovo intends to secure its place among the major mobile devices manufacturers and in order to achieve this, the company’s leaders are willing to invest significant amounts, designed to accelerate the company’s ascent.

    Lenovo products that will come up from the new factory will be built on the foundations of some very promising models such as the laptop IdeaPad Yoga, the ThinkPad range of laptops and the IdeaPad tablets or LePhone S2 – an interesting Android smartphone.

    We must not forget about the agreement reached with Intel, according to which Lenovo can use Intel’s Medfield-core Atom processors for the future range of smartphones.

    As for the company’s current presence in the smartphone market, Lenovo occupies an important position on the Chinese market, but it’s a name almost anonymously in Europe or North America. The situation could change dramatically in the near future if the company’s engineers manage to prove imagination and vision in designing new models of smartphones and tablets.

  • CES 2012: Intel Sets New Standards in Smartphones and Tablets

    Intel has announced a series of progresses on its entire activity in the smartphones industry, including the signing of a partnership for several years on many devices with Motorola Mobility and provided information on a Lenovo smartphone based on the new platform of the Intel Atom processor. More Intel Atom-based smartphones are to hit the market in 2012.

    Paul Otellini, President and CEO of Intel, made the announcements during this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Also, Intel CEO has offered information on the way Ultrabook is seen by users and has described the way the company develops products and technologies in order to provide high performance to a wide range of computing devices.

    Intel Computing Technologies Integrated into Smartphones and Tablets

    Intel CEO also talked about the Intel Atom Z2460 processor, formerly codenamed “Medfield”, which has been created specifically for smartphones and tablets, which is now offering high performance and greater energy efficiency.

    Sanjay Jha, Chairman and CEO of Motorola Mobility, joined Otellini on stage and they together detailed the strategic relationship between the two companies. The partnership includes the smartphones that Motorola will start to deliver in the second half of this year, terminal that will integrate Intel Atom processors and will run the Android platform. Collaboration, which also covers tablets, combines Intel’s leadership in terms of technology based on silicon and innovations in the computer industry with Motorola’s experience in terms of design for mobile equipments.

    Liu Jun, Lenovo’s Senior Vice President and President of Mobile Internet and Digital Home, also went along with Otellini on stage and presented the smartphone Lenovo K800, based on Intel technology and which uses the Android OS. Liu Jun said that the K800 will be available in China starting from the second quarter and will work on the 21 Mbps network of China Unicom. Lenovo K800 uses the Z2640 Intel Atom processor with Intel Hyper-Threading technology, supports HSPA and features Intel’s XMM 6260 platform. As interface, the model uses Lenovo LeOS.

    Otellini said the development of the best mobile experiences is a priority for Intel. Michael Bell, General Manager of Mobile and Communications Group at Intel, has also joined Otellini on stage and he has presented the Intel Smartphone Reference Design technology, which wants to reduce production time and cost for mobile developers and operators. The two Intel officials presented a smartphone with multiple functions, slim and which has a 4.03” touchscreen as well as two 8-megapixel cameras with advanced capabilities, including the “burst” mode, which allows users to take 15 photos in less than a second.

    By presenting the Angry Birds app on the phone, Bell showed that the smartphone equipped with Intel technology can run lots of applications for Android, but also for other operating systems.

    Otellini said that Intel will set new standards in the Tablet PC segment through the compatibility with millions of applications and devices already on the market. On stage at CES 2012 has been presented for the first time the 32nm Intel Atom processor for Tablet PCs and other hybrid devices running on Windows 8, codenamed "Clover Trail."

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  • Nokia and Intel Build Joint Research Center

    Intel, Nokia and the University of Oulu officially opened the Intel and Nokia Joint Innovation Center. It will employ about two dozen R&D professionals and become the latest member of Intel’s European Research Network.

    According to the companies, initially the lab will conduct research for “new and compelling mobile user experiences that could leverage the rapidly increasing capabilities of mobile devices.” They claim that creating interfaces that are more similar to interactions in the real world can enable experiences that are more natural and intuitive, in the same way that modern games and movies are more immersive through the use of realistic 3-D graphics.

    The new lab is aligned with the MeeGo open source platform recently launched by Intel and Nokia.

    "The University of Oulu’s focus on future telecommunications solutions as well as electronics and photonics made it the perfect location for the Intel and Nokia Joint Innovation Center," says Justin Rattner, Intel chief technology officer and director of Intel Labs.

    Another potential area of research could look into technologies that allow displaying a 3-D hologram of the person you are talking to on the phone, a capability only found in science fiction movies today. Consumers will feel more involved and engaged with their mobile experience than with current methods, as the companies claim.

    "3-D technology could change the way we use our mobile devices and make our experiences with them much more immersive," said Rich Green, Senior vice president and chief technical officer, Nokia. "Our new joint laboratory with Intel draws on the Oulu research community’s 3-D interface expertise, and over time will lay down some important foundations for future mobile experiences."

    The lab will be located at the Center for Internet Excellence at the University of Oulu, and will work closely with the Oulu Urban Living Labs, which provide a unique environment for sensor research, testing and piloting technological and social innovations.

    The Intel and Nokia Joint Innovation Center follows a successful industry and academia collaboration model similar to the ones of Intel Labs Barcelona and the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Spain, the Intel Visual Computing Institute and the Saarland University in Germany or Intel Labs Berkeley at the University of California at Berkeley in the United States.

  • Intel and Numonyx Announce a Breakthrough in PCM Technology

    Intel and Numonyx, a provider of memory technologies, announced a key breakthrough in the research of phase change memory (PCM), a new non-volatile memory technology that combines many of the benefits of today’s various memory types.

    For the first time, researchers have demonstrated a 64Mb test chip that enables the ability to stack, or place, multiple layers of PCM arrays within a single die.

    These findings pave the way for building memory devices with greater capacity, lower power consumption and optimal space savings for random access non-volatile memory and storage applications, the companies announced.

    The achievements are a result of an ongoing joint research program between Numonyx and Intel that has been focusing on the exploration of multi-layered or stacked PCM cell arrays.

    Intel and Numonyx say their researchers are now able to demonstrate a vertically integrated memory cell – called PCMS (phase change memory and switch). PCMS is comprised of one PCM element layered with a newly used Ovonic Threshold Switch (OTS) in a true cross point array.

    The ability to layer or stack arrays of PCMS provides the scalability to higher memory densities while maintaining the performance characteristics of PCM, a challenge that is becoming increasingly more difficult to maintain with traditional memory technologies.

    Memory cells are built by stacking a storage element and a selector, with several cells creating memory arrays. Intel and Numonyx researchers were able to deploy a thin film, two-terminal OTS as the selector, matching the physical and electrical properties for PCM scaling.

    With the compatibility of thin-film PCMS, multiple layers of cross point memory arrays are now possible. Once integrated together and embedded in a true cross point array, layered arrays are combined with CMOS circuits for decoding, sensing and logic functions.

    "We are encouraged by this research milestone and see future memory technologies, such as PCMS, as critical for extending the role of memory in computing solutions and in expanding the capabilities for performance and memory scaling," said Al Fazio, Intel Fellow and director, memory technology development.

    Greg Atwood, senior technology fellow at Numonyx, added that the results show the potential for higher density, scalable arrays and NAND-like usage models for PCM products in the future.

    “This is important as traditional flash memory technologies face certain physical limits and reliability issues, yet demand for memory continues to rise in everything from mobile phones to data centers" he said.

    To provide more information about the memory cell, cross point array, experiment and results, Intel and Numonyx will publish a joint paper titled "A Stackable Cross Point Phase Change Memory,” which will be presented at the 2009 International Electron Devices Meeting in Baltimore on Dec. 9.

  • Intel partner applies for WiMAX allocation in South Africa

    Broadband provider, iBurst, has applied to ICASA to extend its WiMAX allocation to 30MHz of frequency spectrum in the 2.6MHz and 3.5MHz ranges. This allocation will be used to support its plans to increase download speeds and to roll out nomadic WiMAX services.

    iBurst was one of the first providers in South Africa to launch a commercial WiMAX service. The iBurst WiMAX network went live in 2008 and has since grown to over 200 base stations in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town, making it the largest commercial WiMAX network in South Africa. iBurst plans to roll out additional WiMAX base stations over the next year.

    WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability Microwave Access) is a new generation technology that is a wireless alternative to leased line and ADSL services, and offers connectivity to small, medium and large businesses. iBurst’s current WiMAX solutions are perfect for businesses that want a wireless alternative to ADSL or Diginet at their premises.

    Although it is not a portable or mobile solution as it requires the installation of a fixed antenna, businesses are able to choose between a broadband (best effort) and a dedicated (assured) solution to accommodate for a range of applications and requirements. Nomadic WiMAX, by contrast, gives business’ and individuals more freedom to roam within WiMAX network coverage and still enjoy the same level of high-speed Internet access as they do at their office or home. Since it is faster to install at the customer’s premises and uses cheaper embedded equipment (for example, a chip in a notebook), nomadic WiMAX will help iBurst to roll these connectivity services out to more people countrywide. However, the additional 15MHz of spectrum is key in deploying nomadic services.

    "The fixed WiMAX offering from iBurst has seen widespread adoption in the parts of South Africa where it is available, giving users a high-speed alternative to fixed-line technologies," said iBurst CEO Jannie Van Zyl. "But provided we are able to secure additional frequency spectrum from ICASA, we will be able to make this technology even more accessible by activating the nomadic version of the WiMAX standard across our network. The network is ready, we are ready. Now we just need the spectrum."

    iBurst’s parent company, Wireless Business Solutions (WBS), recently signed a commercial agreement to jointly roll out WiMAX products with international technology giant, Intel. Intel has been a major driver of both Wi-Fi and WiMAX adoption. In terms of the agreement, Intel will embed WiMAX capability within a range of devices while iBurst will provide the connectivity between the devices and iBurst’s WiMAX network. Although the agreement has been signed, the network and WiMAX enabled laptops will only be available later in 2009. Recent compatibility tests conducted with Intel showed that these devices are now ready to be deployed if the spectrum allocation is increased to 30MHz.

    Van Zyl said "We believe that nomadic wireless products that bundle hardware and access technologies will help more South Africans to get online. In addition, it will help us to make internet connectivity available wherever and whenever our customers need it. Accessing the spectrum we need to roll out nomadic WiMAX is essential if we are to maximise the potential of this technology."

    iBurst was originally issued with 15MHz of WiMAX spectrum by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) in July 2006. WiMax implementations across the globe have demonstrated that at least 30MHz of spectrum is required in order to provide end users with the speeds and quality of service which can be achieved on the WiMax technology. Accordingly, WBS is applying for additional spectrum to take it to the 30MHz level. WiMAX is a family of technologies based on the IEEE 802.16 wireless standards with the iBurst network implementing the later 802.16e standard. Most other WiMax networks in South Africa still deploy the older 802.16d standard.

  • EMC Releases New Version of Retrospect


    EMC has launched a new version of its Mac backup software Retrospect.

    As well as adding back support for PowerPC-based Macs, Retrospect 8.1 also improves performance on Intel-based Macs.

    Eric Ullman, director of product management for Retrospect, said the product, which underwent a significant user interface rework in version 8, debuted initially without any support for PowerPC-based Macs.

    But he said such systems still make up approximately 50 per cent of Retrospect users, so it was important for EMC to make sure to release a version of the software that ran on them.

    "Apple doesn’t make PowerPC-based Macs anymore, but plenty of people still use them," he said. "Whether they’re hand-me-downs from other users who have upgraded to Intel-based Macs, or people who are just trying to extend the lives of otherwise useful systems."

    Ullman said Retrospect is particularly well-suited for small and medium-sized businesses that may have outgrown Time Machine – Apple’s backup system integrated with Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard".

    He added that the software is also useful for businesses that want to centralise backups.

    With version 8.1, a PowerPC system that might have otherwise been relegated to a closet can now be used to manage a Retrospect backup server.

    Other changes have also been made in version 8.1 to improve performance on Intel-based Macs. Backup, data verification and restore activities are all faster, and EMC says that local backup performance has been increased from 10 to 15 per cent over 8.0, 30 to 35 per cent over 6.1. PowerPC-based systems will also see a boost over 6.1 – faster, multiple G5 systems run 10 to 15 percent faster under 8.1.

    Some more user interface tweaks have been made to Retrospect 8.1, as well – icons have been updated, workflow has been improved, and the software provides better responses to user actions, according to Ullman.

    Retrospect 8.1 is available as a free upgrade for 8.0 users; Retrospect 6.1 users who bought their software after January 14, 2008 are entitled to a free upgrade. Upgrade prices are also available for other users.

    The new release is available throughout EMC’s distribution network both as a boxed software product and through download services.

  • Nokia Quashes Android Smartphone Rumor, What About Netbook?


    Nokia has denied that it is developing a handset based on Google’s Android operating system.

    The response came after reports in the UK that the Finnish phone maker would announce an Android-based smartphone in September at the Nokia World Conference.

    Such a move would mean a massive change in direction for Nokia, which took full control of Symbian last year – in what was seen as a counter-move to the challenge posed by Android to its huge market share.

    Although Nokia remains the world’s biggest mobile handset manufacturer, its global share has slipped from 47 per cent in 2007 to 31 per cent at the end of 2008.

    A Nokia spokesman was adamant there is no plan to develop a handset supporting Symbian-rival Android software.

    "Absolutely no truth to this whatsoever," said the spokesman. "Everyone knows that Symbian is our preferred platform for advanced mobile devices."

    The Symbian operating system, in which Nokia has invested hundreds of millions of dollars, powers its Nokia N- and E-Series phones, among others.

    Nokia’s new partnership with Intel and some Android-based handsets would have been an interesting combination, no?

    But if it really is to be ruled out, perhaps there is still mileage in another theory – that Nokia is using Android as a basis for a 3G- or 4G-enabled netbook-type device powered by Intel’s chips.

  • JAJAH Connects One Billionth Call, Promises "Genuine" UC


    JAJAH has announced that it has just connected its one billionth call – a 29-year-old woman in San Francisco who was calling her mother in India.

    Not bad going for a company that launched just three years ago as a web-based consumer VoIP service and now has has over 25 million users and partnerships with the likes of Intel, Microsoft and Yahoo!

    In announcing it billionth call, JAHAH said it was particularly special because it came via one of its partners – in this case Yahoo! – which uses the JAJAH platform to operate its Yahoo! Voice service.

    Earlier this month JAJAH CEO Trevor Healy said there is a "sea change" currently taking place in the communications industry – and that has resulted in JAJAH itself evolving from a consumer VoIP focus to become a global IP communications platform provider.

    The company is currently preparing a new "in the cloud" Unified Communications Platform able to manage any form of data communication.

    It claims this will open up a new phase of genuinely unified communications – something that has been hampered by issues with interoperability and integration.

  • 1080p Video Possible With Intel's New Atom Chipset


    Poor video acceleration – stuttering and frame rate drops – is something of a blight for netbooks when it comes to playing HD video.

    Now Intel has confirmed that the GN40 chipset for Atom chips, when paired with the Atom N280 processor, is capable of playing 1080p video.

    That doesn’t, however, stretch to Blu-ray HD footage.

    An Intel product manager has told Fudzilla that the GN40 is "designed to do 1080p HD playback for typical broadband internet content".

    The semiconductor firm says the more advanced graphics acceleration in GN40 can decode most common bitrates of the full HD resolution without the problems of poor video acceleration encountered with the 945 chipsets used with most Atom-based netbooks.

    It is likely that Microsoft’s own compressed HD format, 1080p WMV, will be playable through the GN40.

    The same may not be true for H.264 and VC1 decoding.

    This will be encouraging for NVIDIA, which has its Ion platform – capable of bringing Full HD-capabilities to the netbook.

    However, Intel says the chipset wasn’t engineered to enable full Blu-ray capability "where the bitrates and demands of multi-layer content are significantly higher than that of internet HD content" – as high as 24Mbps for the video as well as extra layers like picture-in-picture commentary.

    So when are we likely to see a successor to GN40 that is capable of Blu-ray video?

  • Intel To Invest $ 7 Billion in US Manufacturing


    Intel is bucking current trends and investing USD $7 billion in upgrading three of its US factories over the next two years.

    The computer chipmaker said the investment is its largest on new manufacturing and represents 7,000 high-wage jobs.

    Based in Santa Clara, California, Intel said its upgrade plans were for existing facilities in Arizona, New Mexico and Oregon to manufacture its 32-nanometer products.

    Paul Otellini, president and CEO of Intel, said the investment decision was to ensure Intel and the US remained at the forefront of innovation.

    He said the manufacturing facilities would produce the most advanced computing technology in the world.

    Intel president and CEO Paul Otellini

    "The capabilities of our 32nm factories are truly extraordinary, and the chips they produce will become the basic building blocks of the digital world, generating economic returns far beyond our industry," he said.

    While more than a third of Intel’s sales are from outside the US, the company does 75 per cent of its semiconductor manufacturing and research-and-development spending in the US.

    Chips makers such as Intel and Advanced Micro Devices have experienced a decline in demand as global computers sales wither in the face of the economic crisis.

    Last month, Intel announced the closure of manufacturing sites in California and Oregon, and test facilities in Malaysia and the Philippines, resulting in 5,000 to 6,000 job losses.