AMD's answer to a lot of Intel's processors in the low-power category, be it the Core i3/i5 "Clarkdale", Core CULV, or even the Atom, seems to have finally taken shape with "Bobcat". This processor is a major design overhaul, as it integrates a number of key components, including a GPU. Since the GPU component is so complex and integrated with the rest of the processor at such a level, AMD decided to name the processor an "Accelerated Processing Unit" or APU. Beyond just driving video and 3D graphics, the GPU component of Bobcat is designed to lend a hand to the CPU cores whenever needed.

The GPU doubles up as a raw SIMD engine array that works with applications over OpenCL and ATI Stream technologies to step up performance. The "Bobcat" Fusion APU integrates x86 processor cores with a high-performance switch that doubles up as a memory controller, which connects to a SIMD engine, a UVD display controller, and platform interfaces that include connection to the southbridge chipset and display I/O.

AMD is finally going to embrace a truly next generation x86 processor architecture that is built from ground up. AMD's current architecture, the K10(.5) "Stars" is an evolution of the more market-successful K8 architecture, but it didn't face the kind of market success as it was overshadowed by competing Intel architectures. AMD codenamed its latest design "Bulldozer", and it features an x86 core design that is radically different from anything we've seen from either processor giants. With this design, AMD thinks it can outdo both HyperThreading and Multi-Core approaches to parallelism, in one shot, as well as "bulldoze" through serial workloads with a broad 8 integer pipeline per core, (compared to 3 on K10, and 4 on Westmere). Two almost-individual blocks of integer processing units share a common floating point unit with two 128-bit FMACs.

AMD is also working on a multi-threading technology of its own to rival Intel's HyperThreading, that exploits Bulldozer's branched integer processing backed by shared floating point design, which AMD believes to be so efficient, that each SMT worker thread can be deemed a core in its own merit, and further be backed by competing threads per "core". AMD is working on another micro-architecture codenamed "Bobcat", which is a downscale implementation of Bulldozer, with which it will take on low-power and high performance per Watt segments that extend from all-in-One PCs all the way down to hand-held devices and 8-inch tablets. We will explore the Bulldozer architecture in some detail.

Worldwide PC microprocessor unit shipments and revenues in the second calendar quarter of 2010 (2Q10) increased 3.6% and 6.2%, respectively, compared to the first quarter of 2010, according to the latest PC processor study from International Data Corporation (IDC).

The average sequential change in unit shipments between a calendar year's first quarter and its second quarter is an increase of 1.6%. For revenues, the average sequential change is a decrease of -2.8%. So, these increases represent better performance than usual for a second calendar quarter.

"Such a sequential increase in PC processor shipments alone would have been enough to conclude that the first half was strong for the market," said Shane Rau director of Semiconductors: Personal Computing research at IDC. "However, a modest rise in revenues, too, points directly to a rise in average selling prices. System makers bought more and higher-priced PC processors in 2Q10 than in 1Q10. Digging a little deeper into the numbers shows that they bought more mobile processors and more server processors, while desktop processors remained flat."

MSI's entry to the reinvigorated tablet PC market is the WindPad 100, which gets showcased at the IFA event in Berlin. Unlike tablets such as the Apple iPad, the MSI WindPad 100 is based on the Intel x86 architecture, running Microsoft Windows 7 operating system. The tablet features a multi-touchscreen 10.1" display, and is loaded with connectors in all sides, such as USB 2.0, an SDHC-compatible card reader, front-facing 1.3 megapixel webcam and HDMI to connect to displays and projectors.

Under its hood is a second-generation Intel Atom Z530 processor, 2 GB of DDR3 memory, and possible HDD/SSD options for storage. Connectivity for the tablet includes USB 2.0, 3G HSDPA, and WiFi b/g/n, though it can be expanded by an optional dock, which lets you convert the tablet to a desktop PC. The dock provides USB 2.0, audio expansion, gigabit Ethernet, D-Sub and HDMI display outputs, apart from doubling up as the tablet's battery-charging cradle.

VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced device development kits for the VIA AMOS-5000 series, facilitating a more rational design infrastructure for a broad range of application-specific and fanless Em-ITX-based devices.

VIA AMOS-5000 series development kits combine application specific VIA EM-IO expansion modules with specially designed extendable aluminum chassis kits. This allows embedded OEM and ODM customers to easily and quickly develop a variety of fanless embedded box systems suited to for a range of applications.

VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced it latest Mini-ITX board, the VIA EPIA-M840, designed for a range of embedded device designs including advanced industrial and factory management applications.

The VIA EPIA-M840 packs the latest 64-bit VIA Nano E-Series processor, dual Gigabit LAN, eight COM ports and support for two dual channel 24-bit LVDS displays, creating the ideal backbone for a range of embedded applications including intelligent industrial automation applications that integrate remote network access, network management and other advanced application management scenarios.

Closely trailing ASUS' launch of the Eee Pad compact tablet, MSI displayed its Wind Touch 10.5 inch tablet. Wanting to cash in on the replenished tablet PC segment, Wind Touch, like the Eee Pad, offers the advantage of being powered by the Intel x86 architecture, driven by an Atom processor, and running Windows 7 operating system. While giving you the ability to run all your Windows applications, the tablet has MSI's own multi-touch enhanced user interface that makes it easy to do all essential tasks. Apart from sporting most common connectivity features such as WiFi, the tablet has a built-in web camera. There is no word on when MSI releases it to the market, though it shouldn't take very long given consumers' newfound love for compact tablets.

ASUS displayed its latest creation, the Eee Pad. This 12 inch tablet has sports uncanny resemblance to the Apple iPad, except that it's x86 powered, and uses Windows 7, with ASUS' own visually-appealing UI. It can run any Windows application that its hardware allows, which includes Intel Core 2 Duo CULV, and Intel graphics. The UI takes advantage of the multi-touch screen and related abilities of the Windows 7 Home Premium OS it comes bundled with. Other known details include a web-camera, and a battery that is rated to last 10 hours on a full charge. ASUS will also introduce a slightly smaller 10 inch tablet which uses Windows 7 Embedded Compact, a new variant of the OS designed for devices such as these. The two will be out in Q1 2011.

Intel has once again shelved plans to come back to the discrete graphics market, with the much talked about GPU codenamed Larrabee. In a recent post by Director, Product and Technology Media Relations Bill Kircos on the company blog, it was detailed that the company's priorities at the moment lie with releasing industry-leading processors that have the graphics-processing horsepower for everyday computing. The Intel HD graphics will only get better with the 2011 series of Core processors based on the Sandy Bridge architecture, where the iGPU core will be completely integrated with the processing complex.

An unexpected yield of the Larrabee program seems to be that Intel has now perfected many-core processors. Since Larrabee essentially is a multi-core processor with over 32 IA x86 cores that handle graphics workload, it could as well give Intel a CPU that is Godsent for heavy-duty HPC applications. Intel has already demonstrated a derivative of this architecture, and is looking to induct it into its Xeon series of enterprise processors.

VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced how it's working with Logitec to implement next-generation security encryption on its latest range of NAS products.

Logitec Inc, a leading designer, manufacturer and supplier of PC peripheral equipment and storage devices is one of the first companies to take advantage of the VIA ACE-CNX security service. VIA's team of security experts have worked closely with Logitec, implementing data encryption technologies that meet widely accepted international standards in an entirely seamless, fast and entirely unobtrusive end-user NAS experience.

VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the new VIA EPIA-M830 Mini-ITX board. Designed specifically to meet the needs of next generation kiosk, POI and POS applications, the VIA EPIA-M830 places the latest 64-bit, high performance VIA Nano E-Series processor in a streamlined, application specific Mini-ITX form factor board.

Kiosk and POS systems will soon support an incredible array of increasingly complex human-machine interactions that reach beyond traditional ticketing or retail scenarios. The VIA EPIA-M830 is designed to take the kiosk to this next phase, providing the backbone of devices that offer cashless purchasing and self service infrastructures in supermarkets and gas stations as well as more secure and interactive, multimedia-rich POI, lotto and gaming machines.

The Intel juggernaut rolls on in Q1 2010, according the latest IDC report covering PC processor sales. Similar to the GPU market, processor sales grew by 39% compared to this time last year (Q1 2009), but declined by 5.6% compared to Q4 2009. Revenues went up 40.4% year-on-year and down just 2% sequentially. Intel's market share grew by 0.5%, slightly at the expense of AMD, which went down 0.6%.

Intel holds 81% of the processor market, while 'rival' AMD holds 18.8%. VIA holds a tiny 0.2% of the market. In the x86 server market, Intel holds 90.2%, with AMD and others at 9.8%. With the notebook and desktop segments it reached 87.8% and 71.7%, respectively. For 2010 IDC is predicting a CPU unit growth of 15.1%. Q1 2010 saw Intel propagating processors based on its new architecture to the crucial value and mainstream market segments, with the Core i3, Core i5, and Pentium dual-core processors in the LGA-1156 package.

At Embedded Systems Conference today, AMD announced two new complete platforms for the embedded market, the compact ASB2 platform and the high-performance AM3 platform, that offer myriad combinations of power and performance with up to 74 percent improvement in performance-per-watt over previous generations. AMD's new flexible embedded platforms consist of chipset and graphics solutions along with high-performance CPUs as low as 8W TDP for the ideal solution based on application requirements. System designers focusing on their next-generation products can see immediate benefits commonly associated with industry-standard x86 processors, including streamlined design and development, a large software ecosystem, and fast time-to-market.

"The barriers to widespread adoption of x86 in the broad embedded market have traditionally been a combination of power, price and the physical footprint of the silicon," said Buddy Broeker, director, Embedded Solutions Division, AMD. "AMD's embedded solutions have been steadily driving down those barriers while adding enterprise-class performance and features that may not have been readily available to designers in the past. Our commitment to the embedded market grows stronger as we look to a future introduction of AMD Fusion technology products into the embedded space."

VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the VIA Nano E-Series processor, bringing native 64-bit software support, virtualization capabilities and extended longevity support to embedded markets.

The move to 64-bit software architecture is an essential transition for the future of the embedded industry. Forthcoming operating systems such as Windows Embedded Standard 7 will be able to leverage a 64-bit software eco system that provides up to double the amount of data a CPU can process per clock cycle. This translates in to greater ease in manipulating large data sets and an overall performance boost compared to non-native 64-bit architectures.

AMD announces availability of a new server platform featuring the world's first 8- and 12-core x86 processor for the high-volume 2P and value 4P server market. The AMD Opteron 6000 Series platform addresses the unmistakable needs of server customers today - workload-specific performance, power efficiency, and overall value - while delivering more cores and more memory for less money. Leading OEMs including HP, Dell, Acer Group, Cray, and SGI are introducing new systems based on this highly scalable and reliable platform.

"As AMD has done before, we are again redefining the server market based on current customer requirements," said Patrick Patla, vice president and general manager, Server and Embedded Divisions, AMD. "The AMD Opteron 6000 Series platform signals a new era of server value, significantly disrupts today's server economics and provides the performance-per-watt, value and consistency customers demand for their real-world data center workloads."

VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the new VIA VX900 media system processor, a full featured single chip solution that will be coupled with the latest VIA Nano-3000 Series processors to bring truly stunning video playback to the latest HD online video services.

"VIA's trail-blazing VX900 will bring welcome relief to those pining for the best view of HD video online," said Richard Brown, Vice President of Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. "The VIA VX900 represents the most complete solution for HD digital content consumption on the market today."

VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced its participation at Digital Signage Expo 2010, Feb. 24 - 25, Las Vegas. Join VIA at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Hall C1-2, Booth 1240 and experience the latest technologies for next-generation signage systems, including a demonstration of the forthcoming S3 Graphics Chrome 5400E x2; a dual GPU add-in-board aimed at advanced, multi-display digital signage applications.

The S3 Graphics 5400E x2 is a highly integrated and flexible video card that features dual graphics and multimedia processors. Boasting extreme hardware acceleration of the latest HD video codecs, the S3 Graphics 5400E x2 uses S3 Graphics' PanoChrome technology to provide up to four independent HD video streams at resolutions of 1080p on up to eight displays, employing a variety of display modes and configurations.

AMD, in its presentation at the International Solid State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) 2010, presented its plan to build its much talked about 'Fusion' processor platform, codenamed Llano, central to which, is the Accelerated Processing Unit (APU). AMD's APU is expected to be the first design to embed a multi-core x86 CPU and a GPU onto a single die. This design goes a notch ahead of Intel's recently released 'Clarkdale' processor, where Intel strapped a 32 nm dual-core CPU die and a 45 nm northbridge die with integrated graphics, onto an MCM (multi chip module) package. Llano is also expected to feature four processing cores, along with other design innovations.

Some of the most notable announcements in AMD's presentation is that the company will begin sampling the chip to its industry partners within the first half of 2010. The Llano die will be build on a 32 nm High-K Metal Gate process. On this process, each x86 core will be as small as 9.69 mm². Other important components on the Llano die are a DDR3 memory controller, on-die northbridge, and a DirectX 11 compliant graphics core derived from the Evergreen family of GPUs. The x86 cores are expected to run at speeds of over 3 GHz. Each core has 1 MB of dedicated L2 cache, taking the total chip cache size to 4 MB.

VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced its latest technology platform for fleet management device designs. The VIA EPIA-P710-D is a Pico-ITXe expansion module that allows system integrators to easily create cutting-edge fleet management devices that incorporate a range of the latest communication and intelligent management technologies.

Designed for easy integration into the dashboard of any vehicle, this new fleet management hardware platform provides the advanced x86 backbone necessary for today's advanced fleet and logistics management applications including fuel management, active scheduling, advanced routing, asset monitoring and the latest emergency, safety and rescue features.

AMD's upcoming six-core desktop processor, codenamed "Thuban" is on course for a May 2010, suggests a report. The series is likely to receive the brand name Phenom II X6. There are four models planned for release within Q2, 2010. The Thuban core is AMD's desktop implementation of the Istanbul core, in the socket AM3 package, supporting dual-channel DDR3 memory. It is a monolithic multi-core design with six x86-64 cores, each with 128 KB of L1, 512 KB of L2 cache, and a 6 MB L3 cache shared between the six cores. Just as with K10 dual, triple, and quad core processors where AMD used a HyperTransport interface clock speed of 1800 MHz (3600 MT/s), or 2000 MHz (4000 MT/s), the new processor will take advantage of HyperTransport 3.x interface, with a HT speed of 2400 MHz (4800 MT/s). Thuban will be built on GlobalFoundaries' 45 nm node.

The table below lists out details of the four planned models. The model number of the top part isn't known. Most likely it is a Black Edition part, which comes with an unlocked BClk multiplier. It operates at 2.80 GHz, with a TDP of 140W. A step below is the Phenom II X6 1075T, which has an expected TDP of 125W, the 1055T is a notch below, and 1035T being the cheapest part. The exact clock speeds of the latter three models isn't known as yet. A month ahead of releasing these chips, AMD will announce the AMD 8-series chipset platform, led by 890FX (high-end, best for CrossFireX), 890GX (performance integrated graphics with CrossFire support). The AMD SB800 series southbridge chips will feature native support for SATA 6 Gb/s. Its on-die SATA controller gives out six SATA ports complete with RAID support. Some existing AM3 motherboards based on 7-series chipsets may also support Phenom II X6 with a BIOS update.

Worldwide PC microprocessor shipments in the fourth calendar quarter of 2009 (4Q09) rose modestly, compared to 3Q09, but still achieved all-time record levels for a single quarter, according to IDC's latest PC processor study. Notably, when compared to 4Q08, shipments in 4Q09 rose 31.3%. For the full year 2009, total PC processor unit shipments grew 2.5%, while revenue declined 7.1% to $28.6 billion.

"Compared to 3Q09, the modest rise in shipments in 4Q09 indicates that the market is returning to normal seasonal patterns," said Shane Rau, director of Semiconductors: Personal Computing research at IDC. "Compared to 4Q08, the huge rise in shipments indicates that the market has put the recession behind it. Both comparisons indicate that the PC industry anticipates improvement in PC end demand in 2010."

VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the VIA EPIA-T700: the first product based on the recently announced Mobile-ITX form factor. Measuring a mere 6cm x 6cm, the VIA EPIA-T700 is a uniquely compact computer-on-module that is designed for a range of ultra-compact embedded devices in medical, military and in-vehicle applications.

Designed to deliver a simple modular approach to device design that precipitates greater miniaturization and portability, the Mobile-ITX-based VIA EPIA-T700 makes it easier than ever before to design and manufacture compact devices. With customized carrier boards connected using ultra low profile 3mm connectors, the VIA EPIA-T700 is in a class of its own.

AMD today announced availability of the production release of its second-generation ATI Stream SDK, its second-generation ATI Stream SDK, the first production SDK for both AMD GPUs and x86 CPUs. This release of ATI Stream SDK v2.0 supports a wide range of ATI graphics processors, including the new ATI Radeon HD 5970, the world's fastest graphics card generating five teraflops of compute power. Enabling compute intensive codes to leverage all of the system's resources, the ATI Stream SDK v2.0 helps developers deliver a better application experience.

This release of AMD's ATI Stream SDK v2.0 provides developers, ISVs and OEMs with a production development environment that allows them to more easily accelerate applications. By enabling developers to utilize combined CPU and GPU computing power, ATI Stream technology helps developers to leverage heterogeneous architectures to improve the computing experience.

Intel's Atom processor platform will get its successor in the next-generation "Pine Trail" platform sooner than expected, what Intel refers to as a 'fast transition to the next-generation platform'. The company plans to detail the new platform for netbooks and nettops on the 21st of December, 2009, by means of a press release. Launches of products based on the new Atom N450 will start as early as by 4th January, 2010, in time for the CES 2010 event.

At the center of the Pine Trail platform is the "Pineview" processor. Unlike its predecessor, Pineview integrates a DDR2 memory controller, graphics processor, and a video decoding processor by Broadcom into a single package. The new processor will support the x86-64 instruction set, indicating that netbooks and nettops could use over 4 GB of memory very soon. The processor also comes with higher performance, and a brand new chipset. Sources reveal the following three initial models to X-bit labs:

• Intel Atom N450: single-core with Hyper-Threading support, 1.66GHz, 512KB cache, x86-64, BGA437 package, $63 price-point;
• Intel Atom D510: dual-core with Hyper-Threading support, 1.66GHz, 1MB cache, x86-64, BGA437 package, $63 price-point;
• Intel Atom D410: single-core with Hyper-Threading support, 1.66GHz, 512KB cache, x86-64, BGA437 package, $43 price-point.

VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the VIA AMOS-5000, a specially designed chassis kit for Em-ITX form factor boards such as the VIA EITX-3000, offering fast and easy assembly of a variety of fanless, robust IPC designs.

Built using only five sections the VIA AMOS-5000 has the VIA-developed Em-ITX at its heart, offering developers a wealth of advantages including rich and versatile I/O configurations through expansive dual I/O coastlines, coupled with a variety of expansion modules for wide variety of application specific I/O configurations and a flexible EMIO bus supporting a wide range of modern and legacy bus technologies. Systems build using the VIA AMOS-5000 are shock resistant and can withstand a wide range of temperatures.