GeForce GTX 690 Dual GPU Video Card Officially Presented

Nvidia has just announced the GeForce GTX 690 dual GPU video card, on its official website. This is a design that’s surprisingly close to the GTX 680 SLI specifications and, just as we've said, it launches just a month later after the GTX 680.

The new GTX 690 is powered by two fully fledged GK104 very efficient GPUs. As we already suspected here, the GTX 690 design will not handicap the GK104 GPU like the GTX 590 did. 

GTX 590 has significantly lower GPU and memory frequencies, but that was expected at the time as the regular GTX 580 card has a TDP of almost 250 watts. Doubling that would have meant that the dual GPU GTX 590 was supposed to handle and be able to cool a huge 500 watts worth of heat.

So Nvidia instead went for a more modest clocking of the GPUs mounted in the GTX 590 card.

Situation is much different with the GK104. The efficient design of the architecture and close collaboration with the GPU’s manufacturer TSMC, yielded a generation of GPUs with much lower heat dissipation than the older 40 nm GeForce 580.

Therefore the GTX 690 card will sport the same 6008 MHz GDDR5 memory frequency despite the fact that it will come with a 2 x 2 GB memory configuration. The memory BUS width will be the same 256 Bit in a 2 x 256 Bit configuration.

As each GK104 GPU is comprised of 3.5 billion transistors, the GTX 690 video card will come with a total of 7 billion transistors built on TSMC’s 28 nm process and offering an architecture that’s capable of 1/24 FP32 double precision floating point.

So, we have 2 x 1536 CUDA cores clocked at a decent 915 MHz base clock with the possibility of a boost clock of 1019 MHz.

Thus Nvidia’s dual GPU combination of the GK104 GPUs will come with a 9% lower core clock and just a 3.5% lower boost clock. Basically we have double GeForce GTX 680 performance in a single card.

As we’ve said before, the GK104 design on the 28 nm process is so efficient that it’s expectated that Nvidia won’t have to do too much binning to find GPUs with higher than average power qualities. The GTX 580 GPUs that were suitable for the GTX 590 dual GPU configuration were much more rare and harder to find than the GK104 GPUs.

The default power target for the GTX 690 board is 263 watts. That’s the full load power of the card without benefiting from any boost in GPU clocks. The total TDP is 300 watts.

Power will be administrated through two 8-pin power connectors that will allow the card to draw up to a high 375 watts. So overclockers should be quite safe and achieve good results even with the standard design.

Cleaning and leveling the current will be taken care of by the card’s 10 power phases, 5 phases for each GPU.

Software wise the GTX 690 will have an adjustable power target and clock frequency just like the GTX 680 has. NVIDIA’s GTX 690 has a max power target of plus 35%, which given the card’s default power target of 263 watts means you can set it up in the software and allow it to draw up to 355 watts of power.

New to the dual GPU GTX 690 is the use of the PLX PCIe 3.0 bridge chip. Nvidia’s previous dual GPU card, the GTX 590 was still using the NF200 PCIe bridge chip designed by Nvidia’s own chipset division. Since Nvidia’s chipset division has been restructured and the NF200 chip was a PCIe 2.0 bridge, the company went to a 3rd party for a new PCIe 3.0 certified bridge.

While Nvidia has not yet released the full specifications of the card, we can easily see is the official pictures that the cooling system has one big fan in the middle of the card that’s pushing the hot air out in the front and back of the card. This means that the hot air coming from cooling the GPU situated first on the left will go out of the system case and in the back of the computer. The hot air coming from the right GPU will be unfortunately blown inside the case.

This design has its advantages. As the GTX 690 is not such a hot card as the GTX 590 was, the amount of heat dissipated inside the case will be practically less than what a normal single GPU GTX 680 would dissipate in all those custom designs that aren’t pushing the heat out.

Therefore the rotation speed of this central fan will be much lower than a turbine-like back blowing fan. Those turbine-like fans usually have to rotate faster than this design as they’re pushing the air through a much longer tunnel and the friction of the air with the fins is slowing the air speed down. Thus a back, turbine-like fan needs to spin at a higher speed to compensate.

The cooling is using two separate vapor chamber radiators located on the two GPUs. 

This is the first time we’ve seen a vapor chamber used with a 600 series card.

On the connectivity side, Nvidia is using the same 3x DL-DVI and 1x miniDP port configuration that we saw on the GTX 590.

Pricing is quite an unfortunate surprise.

It seems that Nvidia wants to ride the wave of Kepler’s popularity and, at least until AMD launches its own dual GPU card, the official price will be a record 999 USD. That’s around 750 EUR for the European gamers, but we expect that Nvidia won’t miss the chance to overcharge them and we expect prices closer to the 900 EUR mark.

This makes the GTX 690 the most expensive GeForce card in the history of the company. Even the 2007 launched GeForce 8800 Ultra seems cheap at its official launch price of 830 USD.

Since TSMC is so capacity constrained and the demand for regular GTX 680 is so high, the initial availability of the GTX 690 card will appear similar to a paper launch, but that’s not the case. Nvidia has everything it needs to make as many GTX 690 card as the customers want, but right now, since there are so many GTX 680 customers, the GTX 690 will be quite rare as most of the GPU’s will go the GTX 680 way.

Wider availability is expected on May the 7th while the initial reviews should be popping up in the next two days.

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Script: ProcessWire

ProcessWire is a content management system which can easily be installed and used to build nice-looking, modern websites.

On a closer look, ProcessWire is not just a simple CMS, but it blurs out the line between a framework and the CMS itself, becoming a CMF, a content management framework.

Under the hood, ProcessWire is packed with a powerful selector engine and jQuery-inspired API, allowing developers super-fast access to resources and an easy way to customize website core behavior.

As the ProcessWire homepage states: “Managing and developing a site in ProcessWire is shockingly simple-and fun-compared to what you may be used to.”

Check out a ProcessWire demo here. The admin account is 'admin', while the password is 'processwire2'. For updates and news, ProcessWire development is managed via its GitHub page.

Download  ProcessWire here.

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Lenovo Laptop Enables Unbeatable Entertainment and Gaming

Propaganda is the norm on the IT industry, and pretty much every other facet of the world's economy, so we aren't all that shocked to see Lenovo praising its new notebook as the one that provides an “unbeatable entertainment and gaming experience.”

Of course, this also means that we aren't exactly buying into it, unless you add “for its size and price point” to the statement, and even then we have reservations.

As such, we'll allow you all to decide on your own if the IdeaPad Y480, as the item is called, really is all it's crocked up to be.

We'll get the tag out of the way first: $949, or 715 Euro, based on exchange rates.

The price goes up depending on what configuration you find most appealing of course, so think carefully.

The central processing unit can be the 2.4 GHz Intel Core i3-2370M or 2.3 GHz i7-3610QM, from the third-generation Intel Core series.

Meanwhile, graphics prowess is provided by an NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M discrete GPU, based by 1 GB or 2 GB of VRAM.

Furthermore, a hard disk drive of 1 TB and an SSD of 32 GB work together to make sure that not only is the storage capacity high, but that it also runs well.

Everything else (connectivity and I/O) falls in the realms of the easily expected: Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, a webcam (1-megapixel), a 6-in-1 card reader, two USB 3.0 ports and HDMI.

All the above are held within a brushed-metal chassis and accompanied by a 14-inch LED-backlit HD LCD (1,366 x 768 pixels) and an optional backlit keyboard.

Finally, Lenovo tossed in Windows 7 home Premium 64-bit and a 6-cell battery that can keep the whole thing running for up to four hours. Naturally, heavy gaming will deplete the energy faster.

Lenovo IdeaPad Y480
Image credits to Lenovo

Lenovo IdeaPad Y480
Image credits to Lenovo

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Mind-Controlled Robots Now a Reality, for Real

It really was only a matter of time before this happened, and we only hope that the technology doesn't work both ways.

After all, it would not be fun for you to put on a cap and direct your robot only for it to suddenly decide to control you back.

Anyway, a team of scientists from Switzerland's Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne made a technology that allowed a quadriplegic man to record his brain signals with a special cap.

Those signals were then transferred to a small wheeled robot that could be moved left and right with just a thought.

Immobile patients in need of seeing areas outside of their hospital beds are seen as the prime beneficiaries.

There are some issues to sort out though, like the fact that the signal will degrade if you get in any way distracted. You also have to “order” the robot to stop if you don't want it to keep doing whatever you told it to.

A home version is expected to be ready in a matter of years.

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First BlackBerry 10 Prototype Live Pictures Leak

Although BlackBerry continues to lose market share to Android and iOS, Research In Motion (RIM) promised it will offer those developers who did not switched sides yet, a glimpse of what's to come.

Basically, RIM tries to keep developers to its side by giving them a BlackBerry prototype smartphone that would run a modified version of PlayBook operating system.

These devices will be given to those developers who will attend to BlackBerry 10 Jam, at BlackBerry World 2012. This is a 3-day event, which is set to take place between 1-3 May, in Orlando, Florida.

Well, it appears that the first live pictures of the said device have just been spotted on CB forums, two days before the event's opening. 

Even though RIM was pretty clear and stated that this is only a prototype device, which is meant to offer developers the chance to get acquainted with the company's next generation operating system.

This means that it's the software that matters and not the actual spec sheet and design of the product, especially given the fact that RIM announced it won't be able to come forward with any new BlackBerry 10 device until fall.

Moreover, one of company's rep confirmed for CNET that RIM won't be unveiling any BlackBerry 10 hardware. Obviously, hardware is an important part of a product, but lately we've seen that software matter at least as much as the electronics inside.

RIM's only chance to survive is BlackBerry 10 platform, which is why the company wants to make sure it's a success by allowing developers to have a first look on their work. 

It's almost sure the feedback received will help RIM make some changes and improve BlackBerry 10, but it might not be enough for the company if they plan to release the first devices to run the next generation operating system only in October.

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First Windows 8 Business Tablet, HP Slate 8, Spotted

In addition to media tablets, business-oriented slates will appear when Microsoft finally launches the Windows 8 operating system, although not in as high a number.

As one may or may not be surprised to hear, HP is among the companies that will launch a tablet fit for businessmen.

According to murmurs, there is a high chance that it will be part of the EliteBook product line.

For now, though, the rumored “first Windows 8 business tablet” bears the name of HP Slate 8.

The screen size is 10.1 inches, so no surprises here, unless HP somehow equips it with a high-resolution display similar to the Retina.

Given that this is an enterprise product, there isn't as high a need for HD or full HD support. No videos will be played on it after all or, at least, that won't be the point of the product.

Instead, HP focused on security, installing the HP ProtectTools, TPM embedded security and Computrace.

As people may or may not know, many electronics devices get lost or misplaced every year and, oddly enough, laptops are among the most often forgotten in airports or other transport stations, not to mention cabs.

Needless to say, tablets run the same risks, and this can lead to disasters when something holding trade secrets and other business data falls into strangers' hands.

The security features mentioned above should help mitigate the risks, which means that you'll only have to worry about premeditated sabotage attempts.

That said, HP's Slate 8 will be 9.2mm thin and capable of running for up to 8 hours on a single charge, 10 in some cases.

As for the enclosure, it should make use of plastic panels here and there, since wireless Internet and GPS don't run very well when impeded by common chassis metals. Finally, the display will be covered by a reinforced glass panel, probably Gorilla Glass.

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iPhone 5 "Spotted" By Enthusiasts in WWDC 2012 Logo

There’s a five (5) in the WWDC 2012 Apple logo if you look from just the right angle, many Apple enthusiasts agree.

However, by connecting the squares you also get a two (2), and even an eight (8) if you look at the bigger picture.

Despite the fact that Apple does hide clues in its logos occasionally, we have every reason to believe this is nothing more than simple speculation coming from people who love Apple products a tad too much.

So much that they’ll see an iPhone in everything, pretty much like those people who see the Virgin Mary in their coffee dregs.

Not to say there isn’t an offset chance Apple will announce its new iPhone at the WWDC 12 opening keynote, but the chances are so slim it’s not even worth bothering our heads with it. Here’s why.

Apple’s press release confirming the time and place for this year’s developer conference specifically mentions all of the major activities surrounding iOS and Mac OS. And that’s pretty much it - no hardware stuff. Just software!

“We have a great WWDC planned this year and can’t wait to share the latest news about iOS and OS X Mountain Lion with developers,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “The iOS platform has created an entirely new industry with fantastic opportunities for developers across the country and around the world.”

Apple typically doesn’t lay out its roadmap when they’re preparing to announce something big. Whenever Apple announces a major new product or refresh, the press invites generally say “let’s talk iPhone,” or “back to the Mac.”

After all, it’s misleading to suggest a complete focus on software and then BOOM! iPhone 5. Not that it wouldn’t impress people, we have to agree.

And there’s a slim chance Apple will announce some new hardware at the opening keynote. But there’s a bigger chance those will be the new Macs, not the new iPhone.

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Entry-Level Sony Xperia Tapioca (ST21i) Photos and Specs Leak

We have new info on Sony’s Android roadmap for 2012. We already know that the Japanese company plans to release several Android smartphones by the end of the year, along with at least a few carrier-bounded variants of these devices.

Leaked back in January, Sony’s roadmap includes names such as Xperia S, Kumquat, Nypon, Pepper, Hayabusa, Tapioca and others. Some of these smartphone have already been announced and released on the market, but most of them are expected to arrive in Q2/Q3 2012.

We already reported today on the recently leaked Sony LT29i Hayabusa, which is slated for a June release. Apparently, this will be Sony’s new Android flagship smartphone and will feature a 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor and a 13-megapixel rear camera.

However, we’ve just received new info on another device that’s been part of Sony’s roadmap for this year, the ST21 Tapioca.

Opposite to Sony LT29i Hayabusa, Tapioca is one of the company’s low-end Android smartphones, so don’t expect anything outstanding from this one, except maybe the price tag (hopefully).

There is some good news though, as Sony ST21i Tapioca is said to be powered by Google’s Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. Obviously, it will also provide users access to more than half a million apps and games via Google Play store, formerly known as Android Market.

Even though the smartphone is codenamed Tapioca, it’s likely to be launched under a different name. According to TechBlog, the smartphone features a decent 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen display that supports 320 x 480 pixels resolution.

On the inside, Sony ST29i will be equipped with an 800 MHz single-core processor, which will be complemented by an Adreno 200 graphics processing unit and 512MB of RAM. In addition, the handset is said to pack a 3-megapixel rear camera and a 1460 mAh Li-Ion battery.

There are no details on the phone’s price and availability, but rumor has it the Tapioca might be launched on the market as early as July.

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Script: G5 Framework

The G5 Framework is a front-end framework for quickly deploying a basic website front-end, on which to add content and modify along the way.

G5's main role is to speed up development, to reduce time with repetitive tasks by providing a batch of top-of-the-line tools out of the box. Whoever created more than 2-3 web projects can see the bright part in this philosophy.

By not spending a huge amount of time in rounding up front-end utilities, which most developers end up modifying anyway to fit their overall architecture and design style, a developer has more time to spend on creative work, adding content, features or just testing.

The G5 framework is basically a project wireframe (skeleton) on which other tools can be added.

By default it comes packed with jQuery, Modernizr, IE6 fallbacks, CSS3 templates, a grid system, SEO tools, a modal windowing system, tooltips, an image slider for featuring content, and many more other features.

Download the G5 Framework here.

The framework has bee also ported to LESS under the name G5-Less.

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China Choosing the National CPU Architecture: MIPS and Alpha Seem Favorites

China’s high ranking representatives gathered at a top level meeting last month at their Ministry of Industry and IT to discuss ideas and initiatives regarding their own National CPU Architecture.

For those less familiar with processor design, the first thing on the table is the decision on the ISA. 

ISA is short for instruction set architecture and is defined by Wikipedia as:

the part of the computer architecture related to programming, including the native data types, instructions, registers, addressing modes, memory architecture, interrupt and exception handling, and external I/O. An ISA includes a specification of the set of opcodes (operating codes / machine language), and the native commands implemented by a particular processor.

ISA can be RISC or CISC, but historically RISC architectures have been the most successful.

One might say that x86 is very successful and is categorized as CISC, but today’s processors, even since the P5 times of AMD’s K6 innovative architecture and Intel’s heavy Pentium II, have been translating legacy x86 instruction into small micro-instructions or micro-ops that are executed in a quite similar manner with the RISC concept.

Practically, today’s x86 is a legacy ISA “supported” by much more innovative CPUs that have to translate the x86 commands into internal code, execute the commands and then retranslate the result into x86 compatible format.

Therefore, we’re back at RISC. It would certainly be very interesting to start developing a highly parallel architecture that supports other ISAs, just as Transmeta developed x86 over a VLIW architecture. Thus you have a huge advantage over everything that requires parallelism performance and you’re able to execute on different ISAs just as needed.

We don’t think China will want to experiment and it will rather go for a tried and true architecture. X86 is out of the question as it belongs to Intel, and Intel is not licensing it anymore; not that it ever really did.

ARM belongs to AMD Holdings and is quite tempting as it is very popular these days and can handle any project from mobile phones to servers, but we think the most likely candidates are MIPS and DEC’s Alpha.

MIPS is an ISA that has extremely good scaling, efficiency and has been proven in both tablets/mobile devices and servers. MIPS is a tempting buy for quite a lot of companies, and it is available for sale as we’ve reported in detail here.

Alpha is a legendary server-suited architecture that has ruled the first half of the ’90 and it has absolutely revolutionized the PC market too.

DEC’s design team leader Dirk Meyer joined AMD in ’96 and, in three years, using many design elements and concepts similar to the Alpha architecture, managed to build a CPU that was 40% more powerful than any other x86 CPU on the market at that time.

Alpha was unfortunately left to die and now there are no processors build on the Alpha ISA that have any degree of industry popularity.

Alpha could have practically destroyed Intel’s performance advantage if it had ever been developed for the PC market.

Compaq’s misfortune was Alpha’s misfortune: they’ve decided to phase out their Alpha servers and got fooled into investing in Intel’s Itanium architecture. The move was just as good as SGI’s Itanium ill-fated decision to scrap MIPS and go for Itanium. Compaq ended up being sold to Hewlett-Packard. The move was considered “bold” at the time but, under the disastrous management of Carly Fiorina, the HP+Compaq entity ended up having a market share smaller than DELL’s.

With no real guidance, Carly Fiorina’s disoriented HP sold all Alpha intellectual property to Intel. Intel bought everything because it knew they have much to learn from the architecture that helped AMD offer the best computing performance during the 1999 ~ 2006 period.

Having has such a great effect on everything it touched, no matter if that was Compaq, AMD, Intel or DEC, the Alpha ISA is a great candidate for China’s National CPU Architecture project.

There are many Chinese companies successfully using and integrating different ISAs.

There is the MIPS ISA developed at Loongson and Ingeniq (that we’re already reported about here).

The 1995 'Shenwei' Alpha based design currently used for military workstation, servers and supercomputers.

China’s military is also using the 'Fengtian' SPARC design.

We don’t think China will start developing an Isa from scratch and we believe they will rather go for something they’ve already tried.

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