Hardware Archive

SiOx Memory: How it Works

Submitted by poundsmack 2010-09-08 Hardware 5 Comments

"The recent announcement that Rice University grad student Jun Yao has demonstrated a new memory device has created a stir. As well it should. The new device is non-volatile, offers fast sub-100 ns switching times, can be written 10,000 times and is fully compatible with current CMOS manufacturing processes. A 1,000 bit proof-of-concept chip has been built by a private company."

Mac Cloner Quo Computer Still Going Strong

Thom Holwerda 2010-09-08 Hardware 56 Comments

There's this hole here at OSNews, a hole left when Psystar was dealt a devastating blow by Apple's legal team. That whole saga provided a nice steady stream of news articles that's been dried up for a while. However, Psystar was not the only clone maker out there - what happened to Quo Computer, that clone maker with an actual real-world store front? They're still here, and just launched a new product.

Commodore USA Announces the PC64: Atom in a C64 Case

Submitted by poundsmack 2010-08-26 Hardware 37 Comments

I'm not really sure what to do with this. I mean, I know how popular the Commodore 64 was and still is, and how significant a machine it really was. So, when Commodore USA sends out a press release that it has acquired the rights to produce an exact replica case of the C64 (but with Intel Atom innards), I knew a lot of people would like this. At the same time, Commodore USA's website always seemed a little... Sketchy to me.

Toshiba’s Breakthough Could Herald Mega-capacity Drives

Submitted by poundsmack 2010-08-20 Hardware 15 Comments

"Toshiba said Wednesday that it had made a breakthrough in hard disk design that will allow hard drives to have much higher capacities than what is currently possible today. The research is in something called bit-patterned media, a magnetic storage technology. The recording surface is broken up into tiny magnetic bits, each of which can hold a single bit of data. The bits are made up of several grains, which are organized in rows. This organization is what makes it possible for data to be found easily."

A New Kind of Microchip

Thom Holwerda 2010-08-19 Hardware 20 Comments

"A computer chip that performs calculations using probabilities, instead of binary logic, could accelerate everything from online banking systems to the flash memory in smart phones and other gadgets. Rewriting some fundamental features of computer chips, Lyric Semiconductor has unveiled its first "probability processor," a silicon chip that computes with electrical signals that represent chances, not digital 1s and 0s."

Flexible Plastic Displays

David Adams 2010-08-09 Hardware 8 Comments

Displays built out of plastic instead of glass would be a gadget lover's dream: they'd be rugged and lightweight, and they should be inexpensive to make on "roll-to-roll" systems similar to those used for newsprint. But to develop prototypes for flexible tablet computers and other gadgets with plastic displays, the device makers have had to develop custom equipment.

Threads or Cores: Which Do You Need?

Submitted by estherschindler 2010-08-04 Hardware 44 Comments

Anyone contemplating a new computer purchase (for personal use or business) is confronted with new (and confusing) hardware choices. Intel and AMD have done their best to differentiate the x86 architecture as much as possible while retaining compatibility between the two CPUs, but the differences between the two are growing. One key differentiator is hyperthreading; Intel does it, AMD does not. This article explains what that really means, with particular attention to the way different server OSes take advantage (or don't). Plenty of meaty tech stuff.

How to Revitalize Mature Computers

Guest post by Howard Fosdick 2010-08-04 Hardware 49 Comments

In previous OSNews articles I've claimed that discarded computers up to ten years old can be refurbished and made useful to someone. They shouldn't be discarded. They should be refurbished -- fixed up and reused -- rather than recycled -- destroyed and separated into their constituent materials. So how does one do this? In this and several subsequent articles, I'll describe how to revitalize older computers.

Kingston Introduces Water-Cooled HyperX Memory

Submitted by sal 2010-08-03 Hardware 4 Comments

The newest member of Kingston's performance memory series is the HyperX H2O. As you can probably guess from the name these DDR3 memory modules are liquid-cooled, with the line running along the top of the heatsink. The kits will come in dual- and triple-channel varieties in 4GB and 6GB capacities. The 2Ã—2GB kits come in frequencies of 2000MHz or 2133MHz.

AMD Set to Beat Intel in USB 3 Race

David Adams 2010-07-31 Hardware 20 Comments

AMD plans to start shipping the USB 3-equipped chipset in the fourth quarter of 2010, beating Intel to the post. Intel hasn't announced its official plans for integrated USB 3 support yet, but various sources say it's not expected until we're well into 2011.

Building Superfast Electronics Components

Submitted by fran 2010-07-26 Hardware No Comments

For years, researchers have touted graphene as the magic material for the next generation of high-speed electronics, but so far it hasn't proved practical. Now a new way of making nanoscale strips of carbon--the building block of graphene--could kick-start a shift toward superfast graphene components.

Humane Reader is a $20 8-bit PC for TVs

Submitted by fran 2010-07-26 Hardware 4 Comments

Humane PC and its Humane Reader child are open source hardware projects with some seriously low-cost internal components. At volume the PC could retail for as low as $20, and that's with 2GB of microSD storage, USB / PS/2 plugs, and video out. The PC is primarily designed to output low-res, black and white text to a TV, making it a low cost reader for developing countries, and the Humane Reader project pre-loads the device with thousands of Wikipedia articles (much in the vein of the OpenMoko WikiReader).

India Unveils ‘Laptop’ Costing $35

Submitted by orfanum 2010-07-26 Hardware 19 Comments

India's Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal unveiled a touchscreen tablet that he claims they will be able to produce for just $35. The device is being aimed at students, and seems to be taking the One Laptop Per Child idea and running with it. "Despite the price, users will get a touch-screen, a PDF reader and a webcam for video conferencing. There has been no confirmation of its specifications but reports suggest 2GB of memory, Wi-Fi and Ethernet and power consumption at just 2W. Naturally, the device will run Linux."

Asus Drops Windows 7 In Favor of Android

Submitted by strestout1 2010-07-21 Hardware 24 Comments

The Eee Pad, announced at Computex recently, was to be Asus' first foray into the tablet market, running Windows 7 and coming in both a 10 inch and 12 inch versions. The latests rumors, according to German site NetbookNews.de, state the Asus may be dropping Windows 7 in favor of a custom version of Android. With HP dropping their Windows tablet project some months back, and now Asus backing out of their plans, is there any hope for Windows to take hold in the tablet market?

Vibration Recharge Batteries

David Adams 2010-07-20 Hardware 14 Comments

Japanese printer company Brother has invented a battery that can be recharged by shaking it. It's intended for devices like remote controls that use very little power and would normally require infrequent battery charges, so unfortunately you couldn't use it to power a car that could drive forever on a bumpy road.

The Ten Most Short-Lived Gadgets

David Adams 2010-07-13 Hardware 19 Comments

Following up on the news a couple of weeks ago that Microsoft had killed the Kin, its first Windows Phone 7 device, after only a month on the market, we found a list of ten gadgets that, despite their promise, didn't make it in the marketplace. Some of these devices, such as the Modo, laid the groundwork for blockbuster products (iPod). Some, like the Audrey, developed a cult following once their failure made them affordable on eBay. Others just flat out failed (DataPlay). Are there any short-lived gadgets that didn't make the list? What about the CueCat?

64bit Making Inroads on Desktop Market

David Adams 2010-07-12 Hardware 15 Comments

Seven years after AMD first unleashed its Athlon 64 desktop chips, it looks as though the 64-bit revolution is finally about to kick off. Microsoft has revealed that out of all the Windows 7 installations out there, a massive 46 per cent of them are 64-bit.

10 Reasons Why the PC Is Here to Stay

Guest post by snydeq 2010-07-06 Hardware 61 Comments

InfoWorld's Neil McAllister offers 10 reasons why the PC is here to stay despite Steve Jobs' recent pronouncement that the iPad signals the end of the PC era. 'Depending on whom you ask, the iPad will save journalism, rescue the book publishing business, transform the movie industry, change the way we communicate, and make the perfect omelet. But there are plenty of reasons to suspect that at least some of these predictions will prove overly optimistic. Even more dubious is the idea that the iPad signals a true sea change in computing,' McAllister writes. Chief among the reasons the PC is not dead yet are desktops' comparative cost-effectiveness, the lack of versatility of mobile devices, the fact that desktop and mobile OSes don't mix, and limitations inherent to tablet devices' dependencies on the cloud.

Dell Accused of Shipping Desktops Known to be Faulty

Submitted by Mr.Manatane 2010-07-05 Hardware 12 Comments

The story was first reported by The New York Times, which stated that Dell employees were aware that the approximately 11.8 million affected computers might break or cause fires, but were instructed to downplay the problems when talking to customers.

The World’s First 3TB External Desktop Drive

Submitted by Skeletor 2010-06-30 Hardware 20 Comments

Archivers rejoice! Seagate introduces the world's first 3TB external HDD. One can fit up to 120 HD movies or 1,500 video games on this 3.5 inch thick external hard drive.