Monday, March 03, 2008

Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale Processor Tested (Verdict: "Recommended") [Processors]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/244134298/intel-core-2-duo-e8500-wolfdale-processor-tested-verdict-recommended

Intel%20Core%202%20Duo%20Wolfdale%20GI.jpgThe chaps over at Hot Hardware have put the Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 processor, which belongs to the (45nm) Wolfdale line, through its paces, and they sure were impressed. From their extensive testing, the processor, intended for desktop machines and ideal for gaming especially, did not seem to make any massive changes on an architectural level, however, small adjustments had a great overall effect on performance. The 6MB of L2 cache brought an impressive speed boost, while the power consumption and heat production levels both fell.

Indeed, the Core 2 Duo E8500 was comparable in performance to lower clocked quad-core chips, proving the viability of the Wolfdale architecture. The chip is likely to retail at the +$300 mark and that seems to be the only drawback—it is a little on the steep side. Regardless, the Hot Hardware fellows were still willing to give the Core 2 Duo E8500 the highly coveted "Recommended" badge, and if their test results ring true, we would not disagree. Hit the link to check out the extensive testing [Hot Hardware]


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Sigma DP1 First Grope [Photography]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/244081427/sigma-dp1-first-grope

sigma%20dp1%20GI.jpgThe guys at Pop Photo have managed to get their hands all over the much-hyped Sigma DP1. Apparently, the DP1 has a build quality comparable to the solid Canon PowerShot G9, and the mega sensor monster does away with any fuss with regards to shooting options; you'll find Manual, Auto, Aperture-priority, Program, and Shutter-priority modes for image capture, as well as QVGA video mode (320 x 240 @ 30fps) and an audio capture mode, but beyond that, there are absolutely no ludicrous scene selections to choose from. The chaps at Pop Photo found this a refreshing turn to minimalism, and we would have to agree. All in all, the hype is looking to be well founded. Checkout the full tear down by hitting the link. [Pop Photo]


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Intel's Silverthorn becomes the Atom, Menlow the Centrino Atom

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/244588336/

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Another brain-shattering announcement that you've all been waiting for is here. Intel has officially dubbed the Silverthorn and Diamondville chips "Atom," and the Menlow platform has become the "Centrino Atom." We know, it's hard to believe the day has come, but it's finally happened. Obviously, the 45nm Atom chips, and Centrino Atom technology will be targeted for MIDs, UMPCs, and all manner of small, internet-centric devices. Undoubtedly an unending vista of total awesomeness awaits us now that they've got some fancy new names.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

 

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Sunday, March 02, 2008

Foveon X3(R) direct image sensor

An entirely new way to capture color.

Introducing the Foveon X3® direct image sensor, a new
generation of technology that works just like film.

The Foveon X3 direct image sensor is the most advanced color image sensor ever developed. It represents a giant leap forward in color photography and is the only image sensor technology that combines the power of digital with the essence of film.

A direct image sensor is an image sensor that directly captures red, green, and blue light at each point in an image during a single exposure. Foveon pioneered the development of the direct image sensor using the most advanced developments in semiconductor design, image processing, and signal processing. Here is how it compares to film and typical CCD image sensors.



Film
For over 100 years, color film has traditionally been held as the gold standard for photography. It produces rich, warm tones and incredible color detail that consumers around the world have become accustomed to. Film has achieved this by using three layers of emulsion to capture full color at every point in the image.

Digital
Charged Couple Device (CCD) image sensors were developed approximately 30 years ago, ushering in the era of digital photography. Unfortunately, the rich, warm tones and detail of color film that the world came to expect from film based cameras were not achievable with the new digital cameras. This was due to the fact that CCD digital image sensors were only capable of recording just one color at each point in the captured image instead of the full range of colors at each location.

Foveon X3® direct image sensor
Finally, Foveon has combined the best of what both film and digital have to offer. This is accomplished by the innovative design of the three layer Foveon X3 direct image sensor. Similar to the layers of chemical emulsion used in color film, Foveon X3 image sensors have three layers of pixels. The layers of pixels are embedded in silicon to take advantage of the fact that red, green, and blue light penetrate silicon to different depths – forming the first and only image sensor that captures full color at every point in the captured image.

 

A Dramatically Different Design
The revolutionary design of Foveon X3 direct image sensors features three layers of pixels. The layers are embedded in silicon to take advantage of the fact that red, green, and blue light penetrate silicon to different depths — forming the world's first direct image sensor.


From point-and-shoot digital cameras to high-end professional equipment, Foveon X3 technology offers multiple benefits to consumers and manufacturers alike. At the same time, it opens the door for other innovations, such as new kinds of cameras that record both video and still images without compromising the image quality of either.
 
Pixel Counting Definitions

Prior to the existence of the Foveon X3 direct image sensor, there has been a 1:1 relationship between the number of pixels (photodetectors) and the number of pixel locations for a traditional CCD and CMOS image sensor. Given this relationship, the generic term "pixel" has been commonly used to reference both the pixel (photodetector) and the pixel location. Foveon direct image sensors are a new type of image sensor that incorporates three pixels(photodetectors) at every pixel location on the image sensor. The  definition of a pixel as indicated below is consistent with standard industry conventions as applied to CCD image sensors, CMOS image sensors, and the Foveon X3 direct image sensor.

Pixel
A pixel on the image sensor of a digital camera is a light absorbing element (photodetector) that converts light (photons) into electrons. A pixel is also referred to as a pixel sensor when there is a need to distinguish the pixel from its location.

Pixel Location
A pixel location is the X,Y coordinate on the two-dimensional grid of an image sensor at which the pixel is located.



A Foveon X3 direct image sensor consists of three layers of pixels. Each pixel detects 1 color sample.
 
 

To capture the color that other image sensors miss, Foveon X3® direct image sensors use three layers of pixels embedded in silicon. The layers are positioned to take advantage of the fact that silicon absorbs different wavelengths of light to different depths. The bottom layer records red, the middle layer records green, and the top layer records blue. Each stack of pixels directly records all of the light at each point in the image.



Click here for an Interactive Tutorial

Until now, all other image sensors have featured just one layer of pixels, capturing just one color per point the image. To capture color, the pixel sensors in CCD and CMOS image sensors are organized in a grid, or mosaic, resembling a three-color checkerboard. Each pixel is covered with a filter and records just one color—red, green, or blue.

That approach has inherent drawbacks, no matter how many pixels a mosaic-based image sensor might contain. Since mosaic-based image sensors capture only one-third of the color, complex processing is required to interpolate the color they miss. Interpolation leads to color artifacts and a loss of image detail. Blur filters must then be used to reduce color artifacts. The use of blur filters adversely affects  sharpness and resolution of the final image captured.

With its revolutionary process for capturing light, Foveon X3 technology never needs to compromise on quality, so you get sharper pictures, truer colors, and fewer artifacts. And cameras equipped with Foveon X3 technology do not have to rely on processing power to fill in missing colors, reducing hardware requirements, simplifying designs and minimizing lag time between one shot and the next.

A Side-by-Side Comparison

Foveon X3® technology visibly improves image quality, as these comparisons demonstrate. In this case, an image taken with a mosaic sensor is compared to an image taken with Foveon X3 technology. Both image sensors are the same physical size, however the X3 direct image sensor has three times the number of pixels.

Mosaic Picture
Foveon X3 Capture

For an interactive demonstration click here


Sharpness

Mosaic Capture
Foveon X3



Color Detail
Mosaic Capture
Foveon X3



Artifacts
Mosaic Capture
Foveon X3



 

 

 

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Sigma DP1 priced, dated, and manhandled

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/244278955/

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Looks like the Sigma DP1 has a date and price: according to their site, it'll be out tomorrow for ¥89820, or about $850 US. Those that just can't wait to find out more about this sucker should check out Pop Photo's very early first impressions. Although they don't have a lot of conclusions to make about it in their first 24 hours of testing, there's certainly a sense of excitement in the air about a smallish point and shoot equipped with an over the top 14 megapixel FOVEON X2 CMOS pulled right out of Sigma's SD14 DSLR.

[Thanks, Tano]

Read - Sigma's price n' date
Read - Checking out the DP1

 

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The Cuso PC S600 is not the UMPC of your dreams... or a UMPC

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/244366496/

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Enter the Cuso PC S600 "UMPC," your ticket to near-constant ridicule from friends and family. Sure, you'd think with specs like the blazing 266MHz ARM CPU, 1GB or 4GB of flash memory, 802.11b WiFi, miniSD support, playback of MP3, WMA, ASF, WAV, OGG, AAC, APE, AVI, WMV, DIVX, H.264, ASF, and 3GP files (um, with the freeware app TCPMP), and all kinds of Windows CE-powered document handling (TXT, DOC, XLS, PDF, PPT, PPS) you'd be all set, but we don't think it's that simple. There's something about that cheap looking plastic casing, stereo speakers, and totally out of line use of the term UMPC that tell us this probably isn't much more than a glorified PMP. On the bright side, we're thinking this isn't going to break any banks, though we've got no word on price or release date.

[Thanks, KC Kim]

 

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ASUS busts out 7-inch R70 UMPC at CeBIT

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/244433650/

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It's big, thick, lacking any sort of keyboard and not all that pretty. But if you're aching for ASUS' next gen UMPC to cut loose from the product chute then the R70a is it. Besides toting a 7-inch display with Vista tucked inside a 120GB disk (we think) purring along on a 1.6GHz processor of unspecified Intel make (Silverthorne, please?) we really can't tell you much. Forgive us but the show doesn't open for a few more days -- instead of marketing types the booth is currently staffed with a mustachioed security brute named Dieter. Nevertheless, from the outside we can tell you that it sports a pair of USB jacks, memory card slot, kick-stand for watching videos, and controls in line with the 5-inch R50a. And judging by the way it's displayed as a dashboard-mounted device, it's safe to say that integrated GPS is at least an option. We'll find out more just as soon as ASUS decides to make the R70 official.

 

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