Lenovo and IBM today announced that they have completed the initial closing for Lenovo's acquisition of IBM's x86 server business under the terms described in their announcement on Monday, September 29, 2014. Lenovo is acquiring System x, BladeCenter and Flex System blade servers and switches, x86-based Flex integrated systems, NeXtScale and iDataPlex servers and associated software, blade networking and maintenance operations. IBM retains its System z mainframes, Power Systems, Storage Systems, Power-based Flex servers, and PureApplication and PureData appliances.

As part of the agreement, Lenovo and IBM have also established a strategic alliance where Lenovo will serve as an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to IBM and will resell select products from IBM's industry-leading storage and software portfolio. These include IBM's entry and midrange Storwize storage product family, Linear Tape Open (LTO) products, and elements of IBM's system software portfolio, including Smart Cloud software, General Parallel File System and Platform Computing solutions.

AMD (NYSE: AMD) today will make the first public demonstration of Apache Hadoop running on an ARM Cortex-A57-based AMD Opteron A-Series processor. In a technical session at the JavaOne conference to be delivered this afternoon by AMD corporate fellow Leendert van Doorn, the company will show how the expanding AMD Opteron A-Series server software ecosystem now includes Hadoop, the Java-based framework for storage and large-scale data processing. In addition, Henrik Stahl, vice president, Java product management and Internet of Things at Oracle, will join van Doorn on stage to discuss Oracle's support for AMD's 64-bit ARM server architecture.

Hadoop, a distributed processing technology used primarily for big data analysis, is a rapidly expanding market expected to reach upward of $50 billion by 2020. The combination of 64-bit ARM-based servers and Hadoop is designed to accelerate the changing economics of large-scale computing by enabling distributed processing across clusters of ARM-based servers. Running on the recently announced AMD Opteron A1100 development platform, the demonstration will feature Apache Hadoop running on the Oracle JDK. Leendert will also show multiple nodes running the same demonstration using Linux environments based on Fedora technology from the Red Hat-sponsored Fedora community and the community supported OpenSUSE Project.

Lenovo announced today that conditions for Lenovo's acquisition of IBM's x86 server business have been satisfied and the parties anticipate they will begin closing the transaction effective on October 1, 2014. The acquisition will make Lenovo the third-largest player in the $42.1 billion global x86 server market. Lenovo is acquiring System x, BladeCenter and Flex System blade servers and switches, x86-based Flex integrated systems, NeXtScale and iDataPlex servers and associated software, blade networking and maintenance operations. IBM will retain its System z mainframes, Power Systems, Storage Systems, Power-based Flex servers, PureApplication and PureData appliances.

"With the close of the x86 acquisition, Lenovo will add a world-class business that extends our capabilities in enterprise hardware and services, immediately making us a strong number three in the global server market," said Yang Yuanqing, chairman and CEO of Lenovo. "Now, our priorities are to ensure a smooth integration and deliver a seamless transition for customers. By combining Lenovo's global reach, efficiency and operational excellence with IBM's legendary quality, innovation and service, I am confident that we will have competitive advantages to help us drive profitable growth and build Lenovo into a global enterprise leader."

Jon Peddie Research (JPR), the industry's research and consulting firm for graphics and multimedia, announced estimated graphics chip shipments and suppliers' market share for 2014 2Q.

Graphics chips are without doubt one of the most powerful, exciting, and essential components in tech today: not only does every computer require one (or more), but the technology is entering into major new markets like supercomputers, remote workstations, and simulators almost on a daily basis. New technologies and compute programs are taking advantage of the ability of GPU power to scale. On top of that, PC gaming momentum continues to build. It would be no exaggeration to say that GPUs are becoming the 800-pound gorilla in the room.

Only the third active licencee of Intel's x86 machine architecture, VIA Technology, is readying its first x86 processor in years, codenamed Isaiah II. This chip is based on a brand new 64-bit x86 core design by VIA and the engineering team it acquired from Centaur Technology, another erstwhile x86 licencee, and features modern instruction sets such as AVX 2.0. VIA began sampling a quad-core processor based on Isaiah II, which was put to live test by the company, at its InfoComm 2014 booth. It was compared to Intel's "Bay Trail" Atom and AMD's "Kabini" Athlon chips. It turns out that the Isaiah II is pretty good, if it comes out soon enough.

The Isaiah II based quad-core chip, featuring 2.00 GHz clock speeds, and 2 MB of L2 cache, was put through SANDRA. The BGA chip was running on a VIA-made motherboard, with its own VIA VX11H chipset. It was compared to AMD Athlon 5350 (quad-core "Jaguar" with 2.05 GHz clocks), and Intel Atom Z3770 (quad-core "Silvermont" with 2.40 GHz clocks). The results are tabulated below. At 2.00 GHz, armed with the latest multimedia and cryptography instruction-sets, VIA's chip is faster than Intel's in most tests, despite lower clocks. It trades blows - and wins - against AMD's chip, in most tests. VIA is expected to launch the first chips based on Isaiah II in late-August, 2014. VIA is hedging its bets with efficient compact PCs, kiosks, and digital signage, with its new chip.

AMD today announced a roadmap of near- and mid-term computing solutions that harness the best characteristics of both the x86 and ARM ecosystems, called "ambidextrous computing." The cornerstone of this roadmap is the announcement of AMD's 64-bit ARM architecture license for the development of custom high-performance cores for high-growth markets. Today's announcement also provides a forward-looking glimpse into AMD's development plans to deliver truly unmatched ambidextrous computing and graphics performance using a shared, flexible infrastructure to enable its customers to blaze new paths of innovation for the embedded, server and client markets as well as semi-custom solutions.

"Before today, AMD was the only company in the world to deliver high performance and low-power x86 with leadership graphics. AMD now takes a bold step forward and has become the only company that can provide high-performance 64-bit ARM and x86 CPU cores paired with world-class graphics," said Rory Read, AMD president and CEO. "Our innovative ambidextrous design capability, combined with our portfolio of IP and expertise with high-performance SoCs, means that AMD is set to deliver ambidextrous solutions that enable our customers to change the world in more efficient and powerful ways."

AMD Senior Vice President and General Manager, Global Business Units, Lisa Su has been named a winner in the EE Times and EDN 2014 UBM Tech ACE Awards in the Executive of the Year category. The awards program honors the people and companies behind the technologies and products that are changing the world of electronics.

The winners were announced at an awards ceremony Tuesday, April 1, at The Fairmont San Jose, during EE Live! "I am flattered and honored to be selected for the UBM 'Executive of the Year' award. When I look at the list of this year's nominees and past winners, it is a who's who of the industry's leaders," said Su. "AMD is in the middle of an important and comprehensive transformation, but it is very much a team effort. On behalf of the entire AMD team, we very much appreciate the recognition for the work."

Intel is ready with an NUC form-factor system based on its Atom "Bay Trail" SoC. Called the NUC DN2820FYKH, the system runs a Celeron N2820 SoC, which integrates a dual-core 64-bit x86 CPU clocked at 2.40 GHz, and a TDP of under 7.5W. Its board features a single DDR3L SO-DIMM slot, a single SATA 3 Gb/s port, a single USB 3.0 SuperSpeed port, two USB 2.0 ports, HDMI display output, and stereo audio. Network connectivity includes gigabit Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n WLAN, IrDA, and Bluetooth 4.0. The unit measures 116.6 x 112 x 55 mm, and features a VESA wall-mount, letting you latch it onto your monitor. Intel plans to sell it for US $139.

Here are the first pictures of an AMD A10-7700K "Kaveri" APU with its integrated heat-spreader (IHS, or 'lid') removed. Put next to its predecessors, "Richland," "Trinity," and "Llano," AMD's new APU silicon is its biggest for the DIY PC market, more so because it's built on the 28 nm silicon fab process, compared to its predecessors being built on 32 nm. The die measures roughly 245 mm², and packs a staggering 2.41 billion transistors.

Under the IHS, AMD is using a thermal paste to transport heat from the die, and not a solder. The chip should be easy to de-lid, if you know what you're doing. Kaveri integrates two "Steamroller" x86-64 CPU modules with two cores each, a total of 4 MB of L2 cache, a massive on-die GPU with 512 stream processors based on the Graphics CoreNext micro-architecture, a dual-channel DDR3 IMC with hUMA and DDR3-2400 native support; and a PCI-Express 3.0 root complex.

AMD is inching toward a possible post-x86 future for itself, beginning with its enterprise product stack. In a blog-post, the company outlined a landmark product bearing its enterprise Opteron branding, codenamed "Seattle," which will be designed for scalar data-centers. Based on the 64-bit ARMv8 architecture by ARM, the chip will feature either four or eight cores based on AMD's own implementation of ARMv8, and a high-bandwidth integrated memory controller with support for up to 128 GB of system memory with ECC.

Since ARM-based processors are traditionally part of heavily integrated systems on chips (SoCs), "Seattle" will be an SoC, and among other things, will integrate a 10 Gb/s Ethernet controller, with support for AMD's FreedomFabric technology. Linux kernel 3.7 and above will come with ARMv8 architecture support, and Microsoft is already developing a Windows kernel with ARMv8 support that will be implemented on both its client (Windows RT, Windows Phone) product lines, and a future version of Windows Server. That said, AMD won't give up on x86. As the only active x86 licensee apart from VIA, AMD will continue to make APUs with 64-bit x86 cores for as far as the eye can see (in other words 2015). Future of its client CPU (non-APU) lineup based on the AM3+ socket, however, appears bleak.

Xi3 Corporation today announced that its PISTON Console will be available for purchase beginning on Black Friday: November 29, 2013. Xi3 customers who pre-ordered a PISTON Console during or before the SXSW 2013 Gaming Expo will receive their PISTON Consoles on or before November 15, 2013.

"The PISTON Console is just Xi3's first step in what we believe will be a transformative technology revolution for the Living Room," said Jason A. Sullivan, Xi3's founder, president and CEO. "Unfortunately, I can't tell you what I know is coming because it's not time to tell you. But I will say this: the bar has been raised. PISTON is smaller, lighter, and will last longer, provide more gaming options and be more powerful than any other gaming console on the planet. The reason I feel confident in saying this is because we started with a clean slate, unlike competing manufacturers. And that Tabula Rasa approach is what sets PISTON apart from other gaming systems today and what will set us apart tomorrow.

AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced a new addition to its 2013 Elite Mobility processor family, expanding the options available for anyone seeking crystal-clear HD entertainment, power efficiency, and accelerated performance in small screen touch notebooks, tablets, and hybrids. The AMD Elite Quad-Core A4-1350 accelerated processor is the second quad-core accelerated processing pnit (APU) in this category, with an estimated average power at or below 3 watts for many common use cases. The new APU is expected to begin shipping to customers in October, 2013. Other AMD Elite Mobility APUs are available in systems today, including the HP Pavilion11 TouchSmart and the Acer Aspire V5.

"Following the tremendous reception from customers to the launch of our 2013 Elite Mobility APUs, we are excited to strengthen our portfolio with the addition of the A4-1350," said Bernd Lienhard, corporate vice president, AMD Client Business Unit. "With quad-core performance, AMD Radeon HD graphics and long battery life, the A4-1350 is an ideal solution for new form factors like hybrid and convertible PCs."

AMD today announced new CPU offerings for the AMD Embedded R-Series high-performance computing platform, along with the introduction of a discrete GPU promotional program to provide embedded designers more choices for meeting demanding performance requirements.

The new options include quad-core and dual-core CPUs scaling from 2.2 GHz to 3.2 GHz with Thermal Design Power (TDP) ranging from 17 to 35 watts for applications that require high performance x86 compute such as network attached storage (NAS). To address high-end visual needs for applications like digital gaming and signage that require high-performance x86 compute coupled with industry-leading discrete graphics, AMD is introducing a new discrete GPU promotional program that provides customers with both a CPU and discrete GPU for savings of up to 20 percent.

Jon Peddie Research (JPR), the industry's research and consulting firm for graphics and multimedia, announced estimated graphics chip shipments and suppliers' market share for 2013 2Q. While the news was disappointing year-to-year, the news was encouraging quarter-to-quarter. AMD overall unit shipments increased 10.9%, quarter-to-quarter, Intel increased 6.2%, and Nvidia decreased by 8%. The overall PC market declined 2.5% quarter-to-quarter while the graphics market increased 4.6%. Overall this net 7.1% increase reflects an interest on the part of consumers for double-attach-the adding of a discrete GPU to a system with integrated processor graphics, and to a lesser extent dual AIBs in performance desktop machines.

On a year-to-year basis we found that total graphics shipments during Q2'13 dropped 6.8% while PC shipments which declined by at a faster rate of 11.2% overall. GPUs are traditionally a leading indicator of the market, since a GPU goes into every system before it is shipped and most of the PC vendors are guiding down to flat for Q3'13. The popularity of tablets and the persistent economic slowness are the most often mentioned reasons for the decline in the PC market and the CAGR for PC graphics from 2012 to 2016 is -1.4%; we expect the total shipments of graphics chips in 2016 to be 319 million units.

AMD today announced a new low-power Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) in the award-winning AMD G-Series SOC family with the GX-210JA, further reducing x86 power requirements for embedded designs. The new GX-210JA APU, a full System-on-Chip (SoC) design, uses one third less energy than the previous low-power Embedded G-Series SOC product while providing industry-leading graphics capabilities.

At only 6 watts maximum thermal design power (TDP), and approximately 3 watts expected average power, this new member of the G-Series SOC family will enable additional fanless designs for a variety of applications ranging from industrial controls and automation, digital gaming, communications infrastructure and visual embedded products including thin client, digital signage and medical imaging.

Even though AMD's next-generation Kaveri APU, based on the Steamroller x86 CPU, GCN (Graphics Core Next) GPU, and HUMA memory architecture might not arrive until late in 1H of 2014, its successor is already named and being worked on by AMD. Carizo, successor to Kaveri, will arrive sometime in 2015, we are betting before the end of 1H 2015, and will feature further improvements in AMD's big APU push.

While nothing is confirmed, Carizo most probably packs AMD's next-in-line Excavator CPU core and perhaps an improved GCN based GPU core. Memory architecture will undoubtedly feature further improvements, in line with AMD's big push for heterogeneous computing and unified memory.

Acer America today announced that it has expanded its line of Acer C7 Chromebook models for its commercial customers, including schools and businesses that need reliable, fast and affordable technology for their students and work forces. The two new models both have a fast 16GB Solid State Drives (SSDs), which enhance boot times and access to apps, as well as a 6-cell battery that delivers up to 6-hour battery life for all-day learning and productivity. Customers have the choice of two new models -- the Acer C710-2826 with 2GB of DDR3 RAM, and the Acer C710-2815 with 4GB DDR3 RAM.

Our new Acer C7 Chromebooks deliver exactly what the K-12 education market and so many businesses require -- solid performance at an affordable price with up to 6-hours of battery life," said Gregg Prendergast, vice president, U.S. Commercial Sales, Acer America. "Acer C7 Chromebooks will help our customers at schools -- students, teachers and administrators -- as well as our business customers, get to work and be productive right away for longer."

Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced it is shipping server memory solutions for microservers, a new and growing segment of the server market. Kingston has both 1.35v low-voltage ECC SO-DIMMs and unregistered DIMMs in 1600MHz and 1333MHz frequencies to support both x86 or ARM-based processors and system-on -chip (SoC) designs.

Microservers are quickly gaining in popularity as companies seek powerful, yet more energy- and physical-space efficient solutions that serve specific data center needs or cloud applications. Examples include web and cloud hosting, and big data where terabytes or petabytes of information sets are analyzed per second. Kingston's low-voltage, high-performing microserver memory modules are the perfect match to help accomplish these tasks.

SanDisk Corporation, a global leader in flash memory storage solutions, today announced a significant upgrade to its enterprise software portfolio with a new version of its FlashSoft software for Windows Server and Linux operating systems. FlashSoft 3.2 server-side solid state caching software complements and enhances the performance of existing applications, and server and storage systems.

"Solid state storage strategies are changing the economics of data management. The challenge, however, is adding enterprise flash technology without major disruptions to ongoing IT operations," said Jeff Boles, senior analyst and director of Lab Validation Services, The Taneja Group. "SanDisk's FlashSoft software efficiently integrates solid state cache into servers without changing where data is stored or the features and capabilities of a consolidated storage approach. This 'disruptionless' approach dramatically simplifies the introduction of solid state, and allows SanDisk customers to immediately address performance challenges without changing existing storage strategies."

AMD today publicly disclosed its strategy and roadmap to recapture market share in enterprise and data center servers by unveiling innovative products that address key technologies and meet the requirements of the fastest-growing data center and cloud computing workloads.

Additionally, AMD revealed details of its 2014 server portfolio including best-in-class Accelerated Processing Units (APUs), two- and four-socket CPUs, and details on what it expects to be the industry's premier ARM server processor. This is on the heels of announcing the general availability of the AMD Opteron X-Series processor, code named "Kyoto," which dominates the small-core server market on every performance benchmark. These forthcoming AMD Opteron processors bring important innovations to the rapidly changing compute market, including integrated CPU and GPU compute (APU); high core-count ARM servers for high-density compute in the data center; and substantial improvements in compute per-watt per-dollar and total cost of ownership.

AMD unveiled the first batch of Athlon X4 CPUs in the socket FM2 package, based on its latest Richland silicon. These chips stop short of being labeled APUs, for they lack integrated graphics. You need a discrete graphics card. Unlike its previous generation "Trinity" silicon-based Athlon X4 CPUs, AMD unveiled a few parts with high clock speeds, some even with unlocked base-clock multipliers, targeting consumers who want to build socket FM2-based gaming PCs, but don't intend to use the integrated graphics.

At the top of the stack is the Athlon X4 760K Black Edition (AD760KWOHLBOX). This chip offers 3.80 GHz of clock speed, and 4.10 GHz maximum Turbo Core frequency. Despite its lack of the graphics core, its TDP is rated on par with the A10-6800K, at 100W. In its consumer-friendly PIB (processor-in-box) package, the X4-760K Black Edition is priced around US $135. A variant of this exact chip, which lacks unlocked BClk multiplier, is named just Athlon X4 760K (the "K" here can be misleading), and is priced around $100. AMD has other quad-core and dual-core Athlon parts based on the "Richland" silicon planned for later.

AMD today announced exclusive collaboration with Square Enix to optimize "THIEF" for the Graphics Core Next architecture in select AMD Radeon graphics processors, as well as the x86 and graphics architectures featured in AMD A-Series APUs. Developed in conjunction with the AMD Gaming Evolved program, "THIEF" will extensively leverage the advanced capabilities of AMD Radeon graphics processors, including AMD Eyefinity multi-display technology for panoramic gaming, AMD CrossFire multi-GPU technology for supreme performance, and state-of-the-art DirectX 11 rendering for pristine image quality.

"The 'THIEF' franchise has a storied history that we are proud to join in this latest installment," said Matt Skynner, corporate vice president and general manager, Graphics Business Unit, AMD. "We are even more pleased to work so closely with their development team to realize the vision for these games with the incredible gaming performance of a PC powered by AMD Radeon graphics. And as the exclusive hardware partner for 'THIEF,' we continue to demonstrate that the best experience for gamers and developers lives at AMD with the Gaming Evolved program."

AMD today unveiled its most powerful member of the legendary AMD FX family of CPUs, the world's first commercially available 5 GHz CPU processor, the AMD FX-9590. These 8-core CPUs deliver new levels of gaming and multimedia performance for desktop enthusiasts. AMD FX-9000 Series CPUs will be available initially in PCs through system integrators.

"At E3 this week, AMD demonstrated why it is at the core of gaming," said Bernd Lienhard, corporate vice president and general manager, Client Products Division at AMD. "The new FX 5 GHz processor is an emphatic performance statement to the most demanding gamers seeking ultra-high resolution experiences including AMD Eyefinity technology. This is another proud innovation for AMD in delivering the world's first commercially available 5 GHz processor."

Intel announced its much anticipated 4th generation Core processor family, codenamed "Haswell." The company launched as many as eight desktop retail processor models, all of which are quad-core, and spread across the Core i7 and Core i5 families. Leading the pack is the Core i7-4770K, which fully utilizes the 1.4 billion-transistor silicon, including four x86-64 cores with HyperThreading enabling eight logical CPUs, a new-generation HD Graphics 4600 core with 20 execution units, 8 MB of L3 cache, a dual-channel integrated memory controller supporting up to 32 GB of high-frequency DDR3 memory, and a 20-lane PCI-Express gen 3.0 root complex. The chip features unlocked base-clock multiplier, three BClk ratios, and iVR (integrated VRM).

The i7-4770K features 3.50 GHz clocks, and 3.90 GHz Turbo Boost. It is priced around US $350 in most stores. A variant without the unlocked base-clock multiplier and 3.40 GHz clocks, the Core i7-4770, is being sold around $320. An energy-efficient version of this chip, the Core i7-4770S, is priced around $310, it lacks unlocked BClk multiplier, and is clocked at 3.10 GHz, with the same 3.90 GHz Turbo Boost. While the other two feature 84W TDP, the i7-4770S features 65W.

AMD today unveiled a new family of low power server processors: the AMD Opteron X-Series optimized for scale-out server architectures. The first AMD Opteron X-Series processors, formerly known as "Kyoto," are the highest density, most power-efficient small core x86 processors ever built. The new X1150 and X2150 processors beat the top performing Intel Atom processor on key performance benchmarks, including single thread and throughput performance with superior power-efficiency, twice the cores and L2 cache with a more advanced pipeline architecture, higher integration and support for up to 32 gigabytes of DRAM -- 4x more than the Intel Atom processor.

The AMD Opteron X-Series processors come in two variants. The AMD Opteron X2150, which consumes as little as 11 watts, is the first server APU system-on-a-chip integrating CPU and GPU engines with a high-speed bus on a single die. This enables customers to take advantage of leading-edge AMD Radeon HD 8000 graphics technology for multimedia-oriented server workloads. The AMD Opteron X1150, which consumes as little as 9 watts, is a CPU-only version optimized for general scale-out workloads.