ECS G31T-M

This board installed very well except for the on board Realtek RTL8101E 10/100 LAN (co-lay RTL 8111B GigaLAN). We tested with trixbox 2.4.2. The sataraid otion only works if you use a SATA CD-ROM. IRQ assingment looks good. Use a PCI NIC until the next kernel release.

Specs:

G31T-M (V1.0)

Intel® latest Bearlake value chipset and graphics designed for use with the Intel® Core 2 Duo, Wolfdale processors in desktop platforms .

CPU LGA775 socket for latest Intel® *Core 2 Quad/Core 2 Duo / Pentium Dual-core (E21xx series)/Celeron 4xx processors
Supports Intel 45nm Core 2 Quad(Yorkfield) and Core2 Duo(Wolfdale) series processors. (please refer to the CPU support list for more detail)
FSB 1333/1066/800 MHz
* G31T-M is capable to support Core 2 Quad Q6700 G0 and Q6600 G0



CHIPSET Intel® G31 & ICH7
North Bridge: Intel® G31
South Bridge: Intel® ICH7



GRAPHICS Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 3100 (GMA3100)
Max Dynamic Video Memory : 287MB (Vista) / 384MB (XP)



MEMORY Dual-channel DDR2 memory architecture
2 x 240-pin DDR2 DIMM socket support up to 4 GB
Support DDR2 800/667 DDR SDRAM



EXPANSION SLOT 1 x PCI Express x16 slot
1 x PCI Express x1 slot
2 x PCI slots



STORAGE Supported by Intel®ICH7
2 x Ultra DMA100/66 devices
4 x Serial ATA2 devices



AUDIO Realtek ALC662 6-channel HD audio CODEC



LAN Realtek RTL8101E 10/100 LAN (co-lay RTL 8111B GigaLAN)



REAR PANEL I/O 1 x PS/2 keyboard & PS/2 mouse connectors
4 x USB ports
1 x VGA port
1 x Serial port (COM1)
1 x RJ45 LAN connector
1 x Audio port



INTERNAL I/O CONNECTORS & HEADERS 1 x 24-pin ATX Power Supply connector
1 x 4-pin ATX 12V connector
1 x FDD connector supports two 360K~2.88MB FDDs
4 x Serial ATA connectors
2 x USB 2.0 headers support additional 4 USB Ports
1 x Clear CMOS header
1 x Front panel header
1 x Front panel audio header
1 x LPT1 header
1 x Speaker header
1 x SPDIF out header
CD in header
CPUFAN/SYSFAN connectors



SYSTEM BIOS AMI BIOS with 8Mb SPI ROM
Supports Plug and Play 1.0A, APM 1.2, Multi Boot, DMI
Supports ACPI revision 1.0 specification



FORM FACTOR Micro-ATX Size, 244mm*200mm

NEW PRODUCT : Nanovision USB displays

These TFT monitors are connected to a Windows PC USB connector. The display is working as an additional display which can be added to the main display area on the left, right, upper or lower. The display can be swiveled in steps of 90°.

In addition, the UM-740 model comes with touchscreen and a microphone. It also has an earphone-output, which gets connected to the PC.

NEW PRODUCT : Jetway Atom ITX mainboard

The Jetway NC92-230-LF is an alternative mainboard for Intel D945GCLF. Because of its Jetway daughter board connector it can easily get extended with several functions and additional connectors.

NEW PRODUCT : Truck Navigator PND

With these new PNDs truck navigation is becoming even more easier. Turn on and start driving ! Available with 5" or 7" Touchscreen display. Both models come with internal battery and Bluetooth (enables hands-free calling).

NEW PRODUCT : 10" and 12" Open-Frame VGA Touchscreen TFT Display

As an addition to our Open-Frame TFT display-series now the new models CTF1020-M (10.2", 16:9, 800x480), the CTF1040-M (10.4", 4:3, 800x600) and das CTF1210-M (12.1", 4:3, 800x600) are available.

Jetway JNC62K Mini-ITX AMD AM2/AM2+

Intel Itanium 2 9000 Series Processors Unveiled

ntel unveiled five new products in the Dual-Core Intel Itanium 2 Processor 9000 series. Previously codenamed “Montecito,” the new 64-bit Itanium server processors “double the performance and lower energy requirements, improving performance per watt by 2.5 times compared to existing, single-core versions”, Intel’s press release says.

The Dual-Core Intel Itanium 2 processor 9000 series delivers performance at a system scale unmatched by competing RISC architectures. According to Intel, Itanium 2 sets world record results in several key server benchmarks including a score of 4230 SPEC_int_rate_base_20001, nearly triple the previous record.

Intel shows off 'giant iPod Touch'

Intel demo'd what one staffer called a "giant iPod Touch" at the chip giant's gathering of Taiwanese developers this week.

The inflated tablet is based around an 11.1in touch-sensitive display and Intel's small form-factor Core 2 Duo processors - the same chips found in the MacBook Air and other ultra-skinny laptops.
ntel's offering is, of course, merely a concept, developed to encourage the company's customers to steer their own product design efforts. This one's called Urban Max, which implies folk carry these things around town centres, tuning in to the wireless internet and playing HD video.

No, we're not convinced either. Most people seem happy enough with devices like the Touch, the iPhone and the growing array of rival touchscreen handsets.

And it's not as if Intel's Mobile Internet Device (MID) notion has taken off in a big way - or at all - let alone a machine with a notebook-size screen, notebook-class processor, high-capacity SSD and probably Windows Vista.

Evolve All-In-One PC-TV

26" Multimedia PC-TV Built with separate TV and PC circuitry but offers seamless integration of both the functions of TV and PC on one large 26 Inch High Clarity LCD display. The PC-TV offers a new and complete home entertainment solution that can combine source of Live TV with full PC applica

Evolve All-in-one LCD PC - G206T

Evolve All-in-One G206T The 3rd Generation All-in-One LCD PC, Our latest innovative product launch in 2007, is developed to run with Intel Core Duo T060 1.6GHz. Processor Memory Lcd Hardisk Display Adapter ...

Multimedia Keyboard & Mouse

Multimedia Keyboard & Mouse
Sturdy, Stylish, and very very functional. Widow Knows input devices. This combo set is ROCK Solid!

- Keyboard: PS/2
- Mouse: Optical PS/2

20X Dual-Layer DVDRW w/Lightscribe

20X Dual-Layer DVDRW w/Lightscribe
This is one of the most versatile high-performance half-height internal drives Widow has ever offered. The DVD dual drive supports DVD+R / DVD-R / DVD+RW / DVD+R9(DL) / DVD-R9(DL) / DVD-RW / DVD-RAM / DVD-ROM / CD-R / CD-RW / CD-ROM formats.

- Type: Internal
- Color: Black
- Speed: 20x
- Features SMART-BURN, SMART-X, & VAS, Lightscribe

4GB High-Speed DDR2-800 Memory

4GB High-Speed DDR2-800 Memory
When you need dependable memory, Widow is here to help. We’ve partnered with Silicon Mountain Memory to offer the finest memory in the industry! Offering both rock solid reliability and stellar performance, Silicon Mountain Memory modules will stand the test of time. Guaranteed to be compatible with your system, and run under maximum duty cycles with no problems.

- Memory Size: 4GB (4 x 1GB)
- Memory Speed: DDR2-800
- Max RAM: 4GB

500GB 7200RPM SATA-II Hard Drive

500GB 7200RPM SATA-II Hard Drive
Widow only uses the finest Western Digital hard drives for our systems! WD is known for the fastest, most reliable drives in the industry, rated for high performance uses!

- Capacity (GB): 500GB
- Speed: 7200RPM
- Interface: Serial ATA-II
- Cache: 8MB

NVIDIA 9800GTX 512MB Video Card

Advance to the next generation of gaming with incredible performance, life-like graphics and support for the latest Microsoft DirectX 10. With PCI Express 2.0 support, you’re ready for games that will demand faster throughput. And thanks to plug-and-play nVidia SLI upgradeability, it is easy to turbo-charge your 3D performance.

- Direct X10.Support
- Core Clock: 675Mhz
- Memory Clock: 2200Mhz
- Shader Clock: 1688Mhz
- Memory Configuration: 512MB GDDR3

Optimus Gaming Tower

The Optimus 6XM1 chassis is ideal for those needing a chassis with exceptional air flow, tool-less design, and solid construction.

- Dimensions: 8.3"W x 18.1"H x 16.9"D
- Material: Steel
- Color: Black
- 250mm Side Fan
- 5 External 5.25" Bays
- 1 External 3.25" Bays
- 4 Internal 3.25" Bays
- Front USB, e-SATA, Firewire

Thermalright New HR-07 DUO Memory Cooler

Thermalright has officially released another new memory cooler, HR-07 Duo which features:

* Double heatpipes to double heatsinks for fast and efficient coolin
* Proprietary through holes on every fin for efficient ventilation in passive mode
* Vast compatibility across multiple types of memories (DDR1/DDR2/DDR3 - only support duble sided memory modules)
* No tools needed for an easy installation keeping manufacturer’s warranty in tact without voiding it
* Supports Dual Channel Mode. Option to install on all four memory slots.

Intel's New Stock Heatsink Fan for Core 2 Extreme Processors

Feb 20 Intel Mainstream SSDs Degrade in Performance Over Time? Intel Says That's Not True
Feb 19 Intel Discontinues Core 2 Extreme QX9650 and QX9770
Dell OptiPlex FX160 is First Product to Support SiSM671 Chipset and Intel Atom CPU
Feb 19 ''Wouldn't Rule Out a Renegotiation If We Win The Suit'': Intel
Feb 18 Intel Sues NVIDIA Over Chipset License, NVIDIA Responds
Shuttle Unveils Liquid-Cooled SDXi Carbon SFF PC
Feb 16 LG Electronics, Intel Collaborate on Future Mobile Internet Devices
Intel X58 Chipset Moves from B-2 to B-3 Stepping in April
Feb 15 Eurocom Preparing GT2xx SLI-Based Desktop Replacement Notebook
A-Data and PQI Joining SSD Co-Branding Alliance With Intel
Feb 11 NVIDIA SLI Technology Now Available For Intel Branded X58-Based Motherboards
Intel Presents 32 nm Westmere Family of Processors
Feb 11 Intel Preparing Core i7 950, Expanding Lineup
Feb 10 Intel to Invest $7 Billion in U.S. Manufacturing Facilities
Feb 9 Intel Developing Clarkdale to Replace Havendale Desktop Dual-Core Chip.

Elpida Develops World's First Ultra-Low Voltage (1.2V) 533Mbps DDR2 Mobile RAM

Elpida Memory, Japan's leading global supplier of Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), announced today that it has completed development of the world's first 512-megabit DDR2 Mobile RAM operating at an ultra-low voltage of 1.2V. The new product achieves 533Mbps high-speed with the same power consumption of DDR Mobile RAM.
DDR2 Mobile RAM is JEDEC LPDDR2-compliant and an advanced Elpida Mobile RAM product that combines the high performance with low-power consumption suitable for mobile phone and other mobile devices.

From the beginning Elpida has relied on its pioneering product planning and development capabilities to focus on DRAMs for mobile phones and digital consumer electronics. As a result, our Mobile RAM was soon well established in Japan and is now popular with the world's leading mobile phone makers in Europe and Asia, thus giving us the top share in the mobile DRAM market.

Elpida's Mobile RAM is now used in many high-performance 2.5G and 3G mobile phones, which in recent years have gone beyond music downloading and website surfing to offer such high-performance features as video viewing, video recording and video output. Given expectations of growth in high-definition (HD) video functions, products that can rapidly process high-resolution graphics and other high-density data will become increasingly important.

Elpida has developed DDR2 Mobile RAM ahead of its competitors to respond this growing need for high performance low-power memory. As a No.1 supplier of Mobile RAM, Elpida will continue to develop the most advanced products to meet customer's demands.

The main features of DDR2 Mobile RAM are as follows:

* Advanced development of DDR2 Mobile RAM compliant with the JEDEC LPDDR2 specification now undergoing final standardization.
* Including the DRAM core operates at 1.2V versus 1.8V for DDR Mobile RAM
1.2V high-speed operation achieved using 70nm process technology (now in use in mass production) and new peripheral circuit technology.
Ultra-low voltage alley block and ECC circuits that use global top-level technology enabled dependable functionality with 1.2V I/O and low self-refresh current.
* 533Mbps high-speed functions based on the DDR2 interface
* Partial alley self refresh (PASR), automatic temperature compensation self refresh (ATCSR), deep power down (DPD) and other standardized Mobile RAM special low-power functions enable a longer battery operating time.

NVIDIA Announces New Quadro FX 5600 SDI and FX 4600 SDI

Broadcast, video and film professionals engaged in editing, compositing, and color grading can now benefit from the advanced features of new NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600 SDI and Quadro FX 4600 SDI graphics cards. These next-generation graphics-to-video-out solutions from NVIDIA, which allow real-time rendering to become an integral part of the production work flow, feature 8-, 10- and 12-bit uncompressed SDI output in SD, HD, or 2K formats, Genlock support, improved 2D video compositing capabilities, 3D graphics and graphics processing unit (GPU) programmability

Saitek 3,200DPI Cyborg Gaming Mouse

Sitek is readying a SideWinder design competitor mouse, the Cyborg Mouse. This is fully-featured, adjustable, laser gaming mouse with 3200dpi. By adjustable, I mean you can extend or contract the top of the mouse to suit any size of hand or remove weights from the base for quicker movement. The 4-way scroll wheel is also adjustable - you can change the speed and the click strength of the wheel. According to Amazon.com the Saitek Cyborg mouse will be available on January 11th for £40/$83.

Intel Reveals New In-Store Concept Technologies at Retail's Big Show

Taking advantage of a high-performing and energy-efficient chip the company already sells to computer makers, Intel Corporation today unveiled a retail point-of-sale (POS) proof-of-concept system that could lower a store's total cost of ownership while improving customer satisfaction. Revealed at the National Retail Federation Convention (NRF) in New York, Intel's proof-of-concept exhibits the latest in digital signage and point-of-sale technology in a kiosk form factor, and demonstrates how technology can enhance the retail shopping experience.
Accommodating consumer preferences for self-service fueled by e-commerce trends, the kiosk demonstration includes features that match the perks of Internet shopping, such as suggestive selling real-time inventory access, as well as showing promotions, product details and customer reviews. These features, in turn, facilitate sales associate up-selling and cross-selling opportunities, which will increase a retailer's bottom line and customer loyalty.
Accommodating consumer preferences for self-service fueled by e-commerce trends, the kiosk demonstration includes features that match the perks of Internet shopping, such as suggestive selling real-time inventory access, as well as showing promotions, product details and customer reviews. These features, in turn, facilitate sales associate up-selling and cross-selling opportunities, which will increase a retailer's bottom line and customer loyalty.

The POS demo is based on the very popular and energy-efficient 45nm Intel Core 2 Duo mobile processor that is inside hundreds of millions of today's laptops and PCs. Compared with legacy POS platforms, the processor in the demo can enable more than a 70 percent reduction in required power use while still providing as much as double the amount of raw processing performance as previous generations of processors.1 As such, energy savings from this POS system are passed on to retailers by way of lower energy bills.

Shuttle SP35P2 / SP35P2 Pro PC

Featuring the new Intel P35 Chipset, the new Shuttle SP352 / SP35P2 Pro PC is the latest product launched by Shuttle. It is designed to support the latest Intel multi-core processors up to 1333 MHz and the soon to be released Intel 45nm processors.

Shuttle SP35P2 Pro PC incorporates the Fingerprint Recognition Technology to ensure that all your personal documents and information remain safe. Apart from this, it provides a faster data sharing with e-SATA and an innovative USB Speed-Link feature. On the other hand, Shuttle SP35P2 features Intel High Definition Audio. Not only this, it comes with 7.1 channels surround sound to deliver an exceptional multimedia entertainment and gaming experience.

The new Shuttle SP352 / SP35P2 Pro PC is going to be a hit among gamers as they will be able to take the advantage of its higher memory performance with very less power consumption to run high memory applications like high definition video and 3D graphics.

PRODUCT INTRODUCTION

It has become so hard to choose a good aftermarket cooler for your CPU these days. With so many good brands offering such a broad spectrum of products one can quickly get a headache deciding what to buy. So, what do you do when you aren't sure what to buy? Well, you look for reviews, be it customer reviews at your favorite E-Store or on sites like this one. In this review we are going to be looking at a relative newcomer to the aftermarket-cooling arena, Antazone's AS-CU1000. Although it bares a visual resemblance to some of Zalman's offerings the similarities end there. With such a competitive market Antazone needed something special to get a foot in the door

Intel Pocket Series

Intel also introduced the Pocket PC Camera and Pocket Concert Audio Player. The Pocket Concert Player is a portable MP3 player that boasts a whopping 128 MB of storage or about four times as much as most players. The Pocket PC Camera is a Web cam that doubles as a digital still camera, similar to the Web Cam Go by Creative.

Intel Wireless Series

Intel has introduced several wireless devices including a mouse, keyboard and gamepad [pics 88, 89]. All of these devices use the same base station, which can support up to eight devices. A prototype of a wireless e-mail device was shown at CES. Incorporating a long narrow LCD and a small keyboard, this device allows you to check e-mail while away from your computer or while someone else is using the computer.

Intel Web Tablet

This device is a wireless add-on to your PC. Using Intel's Anypoint wireless home network, the tablet is an extension of the desktop. It relies on the processing power and Internet connection of your PC to work properly. What it gives you is mobility and the ability to have two people surfing the Web from the same PC. The large color LCD is a touchscreen. The Web Tablet features a complete Web browser and several other applications.

Optimized Solution

The M600 blade server is paired with the M1000e modular blade enclosure for an optimized blade solution. The M1000e is designed from the ground up to combat IT complexity to deliver levels of energy efficiency and flexibility that HP and IBM can’t beat. Designed to support future generations of Dell blade servers and technologies, your M1000e investment is protected for the future.

Easy Expandability and Manageability

Easy Expandability and Manageability
With blade servers expanding your data center has never been easier. Once you have installed a blade enclosure, adding an additional server is as simple as sliding in a new blade and powering it up. Coupled with the Altiris® Deployment Solution for Dell servers, and Dell OpenManageTM Systems Management tools, Dell blades are one of the easiest to deploy and manage in the industry.

Streamlined Virtualization

Dell’s most energy efficient Blade solution, the PowerEdge M600 offers outstanding virtualization performance in a 2-socket blade server combined with optional, factory integrated virtualization capabilities. Dell continues to simplify virtualization by streamlining virtualization deployment and providing ease of use in virtual infrastructures. By factory integrating VMware® ESXi 3.5, customers receive VMware capabilities and migration of virtual machines within a few clicks of a mouse.
Our virtualization-ready server configurations provide an easy path to virtualization through factory-integrated hypervisors and recommended hardware configurations that support an ideal virtual infrastructure.

PowerEdge M600 Blade Server

The Dell Blade AdvantageThe Dell PowerEdge M600 blade server, featuring the latest Intel® Xeon® Quad-Core processors, simplifies IT by improving application performance, lowering security risks, and easing operational complexity. DellTM PowerEdgeTM blades address datacenter server sprawl and complexity by delivering one of the most energy efficient, flexible, and manageable blade servers on the market

“Perfect Storm” Intel Processors

The “Perfect Storm” series is new from G.SKILL and is equipped with a powerful air-cooling fan to provide outstanding temperature performance, creating the ultimate G.SKILL product that infuses incredible reliability, stability, and extreme performance for all enthusiasts.

A rigorous, 100% hand-tested regime assures all G.SKILL memory products have a solid-quality, superb compatibility and ultimate reliability. With G.SKILL Lifetime Warranty and ever ready technical back-up, the “Perfect Storm” triple channel kit is total solution for extreme performance enthusiasts.

Memory Series for Intel® CoreTM i7 proceser

International Co. Ltd., a world leader in extreme performance memory with solid quality, today announces Triple Channel DDR3 2000HMz performance memory at enhanced CL 7-8-7 timings and is designed for the latest Intel® CoreTM i7 processors / Intel® X58 Express Chipset. This combination affords unparalleled performance margins allowing for the very best Overclocking and memory bandwidth.

intel P45AL

Intel® Core™2 Extreme, Core™2 Quad, Core™2 Duo, Pentium® Dual-Core, Pentium® Dual-Core processors, Socket T (LGA775)
Supports Intel® 45nm Multi-Core processors
1600(oc**)1333/1066/800 MHz (FSB)
Dual channel DDR2 1066(oc**)/800/667 x 4 DIMMs, Max. 16GB
1* PCIe2.0 x16, 2* PCIe2.0 x1, 3* PCI
1* ATA133, 6* SATA II
7.1 channel HDA, Realtek® ALC888S
Gigabit LAN, Realtek® RTL8111B
12 USB 2.0 ports

Video: Moorestown MID platform taken for a spin around the Intel labs

We finally nabbed a video of the first Moorestown silicon -- a mashup of Intel's Lincroft and Langwell chips and a third party power management chip -- slapped together and running on a validation board inside of an Intel lab. It's nothing like the form factor of that crazy MID mockup Intel's been showing. Nevertheless, first silicon out of fab is pretty significant, especially when it promises 10x the power savings of Menlow (made famous by the Atom CPU) which Moorestown replaces. Full video after the break

Intel's crazy concept MID shown

Intel's been talking up MIDs for a while now, and it looks like LG's ready to buy in -- the two companies just announced that they'll be cooperating on a series of devices running Intel's Moblin OS on the Moorestown platform. Interestingly, the release says the first product will deliver the "functionality of today's high-end smart phones," which seems to suggest that Intel's willing to shift some product definitions around. Still, we wouldn't expect a straight-up phone out of this one -- we're hoping for something more like Intel's crazy concept MID shown here. We'll see what these two come up with over the next year, it should definitely be interesting.

Intel Core i7-920

Up until this juncture we have talked about features and specifications that generally apply to the entire Intel Core i7 Processor family. It's now time to focus solely on the i7-920 and look at the features this processor brings to the table that cause it to be called the Extreme Edition. The Core i7-920 derives its 2.66 GHz clock rate by multiplying the system's 133MHz base clock by the i7-920's standard multiplier of 20. Unfortunately the i7-920 has a locked multiplier the only exception is when turbo mode is activated and the conditions are right; in this case turbomode will automatically boost the base clock multiplier of 20 to 21, giving the you essentially 133 MHz of extra processing power without ever touching the first setting.

Intel Core i7-920

On November 3, Benchmark Reviews had the pleasure of publishing our first in a series of articles and reviews covering Intel's newest processor series, the Core i7. As we alluded to in that article the time frame from receiving our review kit to publishing the finished product was only a matter of days, so something had to give. We opted to stick with the basics and present a general overview of the entire product. As a result we had to omit many of the extras we would have normally included in a feature article of this type. Since the release of that article we have had a number of our readers request future articles in our series that deal more with with the specifics of each processor. The same group was somewhat adamant that we showcase both performance tuning and the overclocking capabilities of each product.
Today we are releasing the third review in our Core i7 series which focuses on the features and performance of the Intel Core i7-920. The Core i7-920 is considered to be the processor for the mainstream consumer primarily because of its price to performance ratio. The i7-920 doesn't have the unlocked multipliers that its more mature sibling does, but it is still a quite capable chip with its 2.66 GHz factory clock. We intend to share all of our findings and hope after reading this review you will have a much better understanding of the Core i7 family in general and the i7-920 in specific. We also plan to go into as complete of a discussion as possible on everything you can do to enhance capabilities this processor brings to the table. Unfortunately we don't have a QX9770, Intel's previous "King of the Hill", to compare the i7-920 to; but we should note that in all the test results we've seen the i7-920 outperforms the QX9770 in all processor dependant tasks. So the only true competition for the i7-920 are the other members of the Core i7 family which we will be testing for comparison purposes.
In our first article, Intel Core i7 CPU & DX58SO X58 Platform we covered most of the available information regarding both the Nehalem Technology and the architecture used with the Intel Core i7 Processor family. We will therefore not repeat that discussion, instead; our goal today is to spend most of our energy concentrating on those features and performance aspects of the Intel Core i7-920 (model BX80601920) that have led it and its other i7 kin to be dubbed "The Fastest Processor on the Planet" by Intel

DX58SO Motherboard

The Intel Desktop Board DX58SO is designed to use the Intel Core i7 processors with support for up to eight threads of raw CPU processing

Intel graphics

First some background. Intel makes integrated graphics silicon--that is, graphics functionality that is built into its chipsets. Performance is not the name of the game for Intel. Delivering power-efficient, adequate graphics that can handle everyday tasks and do basic gaming is the goal. Anything beyond this is left to the high-octane discrete chips from ATI and Nvidia.
"We've always been consistent that high-end gamers should use discrete graphics," said Intel spokesman George Alfs. Intel graphics is also inexpensive and comes virtually free on some PCs.
But Intel graphics silicon is everywhere. It ships in tens of millions of PCs every year. And herein lies the issue. The silicon becomes the lowest common denominator that Microsoft and game developers must write to because it's so ubiquitous.
This is the root of the Intel 915 integrated graphics and the "Vista Capable" controversy. As widely reported, Intel's 915 (which shipped as standard in many PCs) was not up to running Vista's Aero Glass interface (among other features). So, Microsoft dropped this as a requirement.
Reams of material have been released according to this Seattle Times blog documenting the infighting that took place trying to resolve the 915 issue. The documents stem from a lawsuit that alleges Microsoft misled consumers by lowering the requirements so a 915-based PC could be designated as "Vista Capable."
According to an unsealed motion citing e-mail and internal Intel and Microsoft documentation released by U.S. District Court Judge Marsha Pechman, Microsoft objected to an internal Intel link "positioning the 915 GM as optimum for Windows Vista on mobile PCs." The motion states that Microsoft viewed this as "misleading" and "egregious" and that Microsoft asserted that the 915 chipset "should not even be in the list of recommended hardware for Windows Vista" and further opined that the "higher end of the chipset choices" from Nvidia and ATI were more suitable.

Will MacBook chip end Intel graphics franchise

Intel has a successful integrated graphics franchise and is the leader in laptop graphics. Before I get slammed, let me be clear that I'm not talking about performance. I'm referring to market share. Many laptop suppliers--particularly in the low-cost and ultraportable segments--default to Intel graphics because it offers adequate performance, reasonable power efficiency, and it's cheap (if not free).
The question is, can Nvidia's GeForce 9400M change the industry practice of opting for Intel simply because its solution is adequate and cheap? And, is Apple signaling a sea change? The first indications are that the 9400M offers improvement over Intel's graphics, according to CNET Reviews. (Games and photo editing applications like Photoshop are two obvious areas where Nvidia will beat Intel's newest GM45 integrated graphics.)
And Apple was getting plenty of feedback apparently. Nvidia's recent statement in a conference call may be representative of what other PC makers are hearing from their customers. Apple was getting "a lot of feedback...from the Apple community" who were demanding better graphics, according to Bill Henry, director of notebook marketing at Nvidia.
Nvidia's one-chip 9400M is truly an integrated solution and thereby a direct Intel competitor. In addition to the graphics-dedicated transistors that make up about 70 percent of the die (chip) area, the 9400M chipset includes a memory controller, PCI Express, USB ports, SATA ports, high-definition audio, and legacy support. Importantly, Nvidia said it has maintained the same power envelope of Intel graphics.
But it's not clear whether this will change the dynamics of the market. Whether, for example, the largest vendors that now use Intel integrated graphics in ultraportables will opt for Nvidia as Apple did with its Air. There is a formidable list of vendors that use Intel's GM45. Hewlett-Packard (EliteBook 2530p), Dell (Latitude E4200), Sony (Vaio VGN-TT190UBX), and Toshiba (R600-S4202).
Or maybe a market shift will happen elsewhere. Toshiba has offered a glimpse of what some may do. The high-end Toshiba Qosmio X305-Q708 ($4,199) was announced last week, packing an Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9300, a 128GB solid state drive, and integrated GeForce 9400M graphics paired with two Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTS graphics chips.
The beauty of this design is that a user can switch between the power-sipping 9400M when doing undemanding tasks and the powerhouse 9800 GTS graphics when playing games.
And reports claim that new designs from HP, Dell, and Asus will use the 9400M.
But the jury's out. We'll have to wait to see what other PC makers elect to do over the coming months and whether putting Nvidia graphics in ultraportables and other laptop designs is a new imperative.

Intel outside Apple's pending MacBook launch

Apple might have decided its partnership with Intel doesn't mean it has to use all of Intel's products.
AppleInsider reports that Apple could be using a chipset from a different company--or even an internally developed one--in the next iteration of the MacBook, expected to arrive in the next six or eight weeks. Like other notebook vendors, Apple had been using Intel's mobile Centrino chipsets in its MacBook line ever since 2006 but it's going to pass on the Montevina version of those chipsets this time around, according to the report.
Intel has done an excellent job reinventing the company around mobile processors, starting with the original Pentium M design back in 2004 and carrying forward to today's Core 2 Duo. But it has done a much less stellar job with the integrated graphics chipsets that connect those processors to the rest of the system, such as the memory chips and hard drives.
Most notebooks use integrated graphics chipsets over discrete graphics chips to cut down on power consumption, but the graphics performance of Intel's chipsets leave a lot to be desired. Microsoft was less-than-thrilled about the performance of the chipsets that were scheduled to arrive with Windows Vista, and Intel has had problems getting other chipsets to live up to their promise.
If it's an internally designed chipset that Apple has in place for the new systems, history would be repeating itself at the company, which used to design much of the internal hardware that went along with IBM's PowerPC chips back in the day. Apple recently acquired a passel of chip designers from P.A. Semi, but Steve Jobs has said those folks are working on future chips for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
AppleInsider thinks Apple might have contracted with Advanced Micro Devices or Via for the new chipsets, but offers no details on what might actually be inside the new systems. Given Nvidia's huge mobile chipset problem this summer, it is probably not in the running if Apple's looking at other suppliers.
In other pending MacBook news, Computerworld reports that the new systems will arrive in September with glass touchpads, which seems a bit curious. Glass might allow for all kinds of trackpad-oriented multitouch goodness, but it seems like a warranty nightmare to me.

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