nitynate
Nov 28, 06:29 PM
No thanks.
I pay for my music.
I pay for my music.
savar
Sep 13, 07:17 AM
I was interested to see that they were unable to max out CPU utilization on all 8 cores in the system. I hope it's due to the software these days not being ready to fully utilize more than one or two cores and not due to OSX's ability to scale to larger core counts. Since that's obviously where we're heading. Does anyone know about the potential for scalability of OSX to large numbers of CPU's/cores? I know some *nix varieties and BSD varieties do this really well, but one wonders if they were thinking this far in the future when they developed OSX. It'll be interesting to see...
Older versions of OS X had severe limitations due to kernel re-entrancy...or lack thereof. There were only two locks for the entire kernel (also known as "funnels")...but Apple has revised the kernel for 10.5 and will be implementing much more granular locks, which should alleviate the re-entrancy problem.
Older versions of OS X had severe limitations due to kernel re-entrancy...or lack thereof. There were only two locks for the entire kernel (also known as "funnels")...but Apple has revised the kernel for 10.5 and will be implementing much more granular locks, which should alleviate the re-entrancy problem.
SkyStudios
Apr 25, 04:37 PM
Block box in your car tracks not only where you are but the speed in which you are traveling. These black boxes are used by the insurance company if you get in an accident.
The phone company tracks where you are - and it is stored and can be requested by any law enforcement agency and have the data within 10 minutes of the submission.
I wonder if people are going to sue the auto industry, the insurance industry, and the phone companies.
Oh wait, this is American, land of lawyers - give them until Friday to write their brief and file in a some courthouse located in the Eastern District of Texas.funny we are both from Chicago and i missed your post, should of went to the last page, you nailed it brotha but you missed something, we PURCHASED IPHONES AND IPADS and where not told we would be watched for political views, emails and chats other then locations last year in another apple lawsuit.
The phone company tracks where you are - and it is stored and can be requested by any law enforcement agency and have the data within 10 minutes of the submission.
I wonder if people are going to sue the auto industry, the insurance industry, and the phone companies.
Oh wait, this is American, land of lawyers - give them until Friday to write their brief and file in a some courthouse located in the Eastern District of Texas.funny we are both from Chicago and i missed your post, should of went to the last page, you nailed it brotha but you missed something, we PURCHASED IPHONES AND IPADS and where not told we would be watched for political views, emails and chats other then locations last year in another apple lawsuit.
crees!
Jul 14, 03:01 PM
Could ThinkSecret's "radical design" posting have been geared toward the rumor of a compact motherboard which is now suspected to be more "normal" in dimensions?
bluedevil14
Nov 28, 10:22 PM
This is ridiculous. The record companies are obsessed with money. They didnt seek royalties on CD players but iPods are somehow different. They are MUSIC PLAYERS. They record industry should have no part in music hardware, its just ridiculous.:mad:
RichP
Sep 13, 09:33 AM
After that, what will be the next method of radically increasing computing throughput?
Personally, I still see data transfer, namely from storage media, as a huge bottleneck in performance. Unless you are doing something really CPU intensive (vid editing, rendering, others) Most of the average "wait-time" is the damn hard drive.
Personally, I still see data transfer, namely from storage media, as a huge bottleneck in performance. Unless you are doing something really CPU intensive (vid editing, rendering, others) Most of the average "wait-time" is the damn hard drive.
Iconoclysm
Apr 19, 08:34 PM
Well Rovio (Angry Birds) thinks otherwise:
http://www.insidemobileapps.com/2011/03/13/angry-birds-android-ios/
"The company said in December that it expected to make $1 million per month from Android by the end of 2010. (...) Now that the app has seen about 100 million installs across all platforms, Rovio is not getting the same initial bump in paid download revenue from Apple�s app store. On Android, the company doesn�t offer paid Angry Birds apps, but sees recurring revenue from advertising."
So they make more money with their free Android version than they do with the paid iOS version.
Actually, that article does not say they make more money - they say that the two are making about the same money RIGHT NOW. After the initial amount that they made from Apple, when revenues were much higher.
http://www.insidemobileapps.com/2011/03/13/angry-birds-android-ios/
"The company said in December that it expected to make $1 million per month from Android by the end of 2010. (...) Now that the app has seen about 100 million installs across all platforms, Rovio is not getting the same initial bump in paid download revenue from Apple�s app store. On Android, the company doesn�t offer paid Angry Birds apps, but sees recurring revenue from advertising."
So they make more money with their free Android version than they do with the paid iOS version.
Actually, that article does not say they make more money - they say that the two are making about the same money RIGHT NOW. After the initial amount that they made from Apple, when revenues were much higher.
KT Walrus
Apr 7, 10:58 PM
I know some Apple Stores hold back iPad 2 stock for "special customers". I was talking to a retired school teacher who had a contact at an Apple Store and she said she got her iPad 2 by having her contact hold one for her when he could. She got hers a few days after they first went on sale when her contact called and all she had to do was pick it up at her convenience.
Best Buy employees aren't the only ones setting aside stock of iPad 2s. It isn't about first come first served, but who you know.
Best Buy employees aren't the only ones setting aside stock of iPad 2s. It isn't about first come first served, but who you know.
balamw
Aug 7, 04:15 PM
This is not what Apple is doing here, as they are simply storing the old version of the file on the backup system.
Which takes us back to the behavior that was the default on VAX systems running VMS 20 years ago... Microsoft is implementing something similar in Vista as well. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060730-7383.html
B
Which takes us back to the behavior that was the default on VAX systems running VMS 20 years ago... Microsoft is implementing something similar in Vista as well. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060730-7383.html
B
kenypowa
Apr 27, 08:09 AM
Funny comment from Engadget:
Q: Why is my iphone tracking me?
A: It's not. It's tracking networks and cell towers near wherever you go.
Q: What is the difference between tracking me, and tracking the towers wherever I happen to go? Isn't that the same thing?
A: No. Because it's crowd-sourced. Total crowd size = 1.
Q: Umm. Ok? Soo. Why have you been keeping logs for the past year?
A: That was a bug.
Q: Then why was it unencrypted?
A: That was a bug.
Q: Right. Then why when I opted out did it ignore my choice?
A: That was a bug.
Q: Why is my iphone tracking me?
A: It's not. It's tracking networks and cell towers near wherever you go.
Q: What is the difference between tracking me, and tracking the towers wherever I happen to go? Isn't that the same thing?
A: No. Because it's crowd-sourced. Total crowd size = 1.
Q: Umm. Ok? Soo. Why have you been keeping logs for the past year?
A: That was a bug.
Q: Then why was it unencrypted?
A: That was a bug.
Q: Right. Then why when I opted out did it ignore my choice?
A: That was a bug.
tobio
Aug 7, 06:46 PM
The time machine features are just like salvage files on our old netware servers (before we "upgraded" to win2k3 with the quite embarressingly bad volume shadow copies). Obviously time machine is prettier, but the way it worked on netware was that all files whenever they are overwritten or deleted sit inbetween space. You can go into filer or use the right click menu to go back to previous versions of files unless you have purged them. This feature would turn off when you get down to 10% free space remaining.
If time machine lets you preview the contents of documents before you restore them, instead of going restore... is it that one? nope, try this one? nope... ah here we go found it. then hot damm thats a slick new feature
If time machine lets you preview the contents of documents before you restore them, instead of going restore... is it that one? nope, try this one? nope... ah here we go found it. then hot damm thats a slick new feature
0815
Apr 6, 02:34 PM
This can't be right. MR posters have assured me that the Xoom is better than the iPad. I mean, if you can't trust MR posters, whom can you trust?
Ballmer?
As someone who likes his Apple products, part of me laughs seeing numbers like this for the Xoom, but the other part thinks the same thing you post above--that Apple needs to have a successful competitor in the space to keep Apple's progress from stagnating. More competition will make them take bigger steps more quickly.
As long as SJ has some say he (and Apple) will follow his vision, not the competition (and this is a good thing) - the competition will follow Apple [Remember how Android Phone Prototypes looked like before the iPhone was out - just a copy of BlackBerry phones]
That's a common misreading of what Jobs said.
iOS was developed for the phone first, although its idea of using a touch UI was not.
As Jobs explained, there was a simple UI demo done on a touch device originally designed to be a keyboard input prototype. That demo gave him the idea to go all touch on the iPhone. That's what he meant by "the tablet came first".
Since we know that during summer/fall the first iPhone UI concepts were done using iPods with wheels, his touch "eureka" moment probably came in late with the UI demo almost certainly done under OSX.
According to all known histories, the actual creation of iOS didn't begin until 2006. Prior to that, some at Apple were still proposing using Linux for the phone OS.
Maybe it should be put in these words: iOS was designed for the iPhone with a tablet in mind ....
I didn't know the "proposing Linux" part, very interesting - do you have any links on this so that I can read up on it?
Ballmer?
As someone who likes his Apple products, part of me laughs seeing numbers like this for the Xoom, but the other part thinks the same thing you post above--that Apple needs to have a successful competitor in the space to keep Apple's progress from stagnating. More competition will make them take bigger steps more quickly.
As long as SJ has some say he (and Apple) will follow his vision, not the competition (and this is a good thing) - the competition will follow Apple [Remember how Android Phone Prototypes looked like before the iPhone was out - just a copy of BlackBerry phones]
That's a common misreading of what Jobs said.
iOS was developed for the phone first, although its idea of using a touch UI was not.
As Jobs explained, there was a simple UI demo done on a touch device originally designed to be a keyboard input prototype. That demo gave him the idea to go all touch on the iPhone. That's what he meant by "the tablet came first".
Since we know that during summer/fall the first iPhone UI concepts were done using iPods with wheels, his touch "eureka" moment probably came in late with the UI demo almost certainly done under OSX.
According to all known histories, the actual creation of iOS didn't begin until 2006. Prior to that, some at Apple were still proposing using Linux for the phone OS.
Maybe it should be put in these words: iOS was designed for the iPhone with a tablet in mind ....
I didn't know the "proposing Linux" part, very interesting - do you have any links on this so that I can read up on it?
MacsRgr8
Aug 6, 01:56 PM
why do you think so? Conroe chips showed up online a few weeks ago, and woodcrest has been shipping to manufacturers for some time now. Merom hasn't, Conroe is ahead of Merom in terms of shipping IIRC.
You're right.
I got it the wrong way round. somehow I believed the Merom's to be already shipping, and not the Conroe, But as others have stated too, it's the Conroe which already has seen some daylight!
Makes it difficult though.
Will the Mac Pro low(er) end get the Conroe?
And only the top end (presumably a Quad config) a Woodcrest?
Can't wait!!
You're right.
I got it the wrong way round. somehow I believed the Merom's to be already shipping, and not the Conroe, But as others have stated too, it's the Conroe which already has seen some daylight!
Makes it difficult though.
Will the Mac Pro low(er) end get the Conroe?
And only the top end (presumably a Quad config) a Woodcrest?
Can't wait!!
iMrNiceGuy0023
Jun 9, 01:21 AM
I think this will be great for AT&T; and Apple....Radio Shack is the closest store out of AT&T; and Apple Store
Radio Shack and Best Buy use the same AT&T; POS system to upgrade and activate phones
I got my 3G and 3GS from Best Buy.....but i'll go to Radio Shack for my iPhone 4
Looks like AT&T; and Apple are looking to do big numbers with this release
Radio Shack and Best Buy use the same AT&T; POS system to upgrade and activate phones
I got my 3G and 3GS from Best Buy.....but i'll go to Radio Shack for my iPhone 4
Looks like AT&T; and Apple are looking to do big numbers with this release
Tommyg117
Aug 5, 09:51 PM
Come on iPod and iPhone! and Mac Pro with blu ray!
mactoday
Apr 6, 11:22 AM
I still don't think this means new MacBook Airs in June. Can anyone really see Apple releasing new hardware before Lion is released?
I bet you that you'll see Air's refresh before June.
I bet you that you'll see Air's refresh before June.
ChazUK
Apr 6, 03:12 PM
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.3.3; en-gb; Nexus S Build/GRI40) AppleWebKit/533.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/533.1)
Shame people are brainwashed by Apple with their crappy product, and the superior tablet is behind on sales. Im sure it will pick up soon.
WTF? Others are playing catch-up because Apple put out a fantastic product before everyone else. Now its catch-up time for the competition.
Shame people are brainwashed by Apple with their crappy product, and the superior tablet is behind on sales. Im sure it will pick up soon.
WTF? Others are playing catch-up because Apple put out a fantastic product before everyone else. Now its catch-up time for the competition.
JackSYi
Aug 6, 03:09 AM
I really think Apple should buy out Quicksilver and implement it with Spotlight.
Fabio_gsilva
Jul 28, 04:52 PM
Thanks, and yes, me too. I just hope they do something to fill that headless hole between the mini and pro. And I hope the innards are more accessible than the mini.
A headless iMac would be very nice to mee, indeed. I own a Mini, so I don't want to throw my keyboard, mouse and display right now... And I don't have enough money to replace them now too.
A headless iMac would be very nice to mee, indeed. I own a Mini, so I don't want to throw my keyboard, mouse and display right now... And I don't have enough money to replace them now too.
Dr.Gargoyle
Aug 11, 03:22 PM
Who wants to go through the trouble of doing a software change to unlock their phone.
It is a code you are given to unlock the cell. NOT a software change, unless the carrier changes the entire phone software.
It is a code you are given to unlock the cell. NOT a software change, unless the carrier changes the entire phone software.
AmbitiousLemon
Nov 28, 07:43 PM
This reminds me of this article from BBspot: http://www.bbspot.com/News/2006/11/home-theater-regulations.html
MPAA Lobbying for Home Theater Regulations
By Scott Small
Los Angeles , CA - The MPAA is lobbying congress to push through a new bill that would make unauthorized home theaters illegal. The group feels that all theaters should be sanctioned, whether they be commercial settings or at home.
MPAA head Dan Glickman says this needs to be regulated before things start getting too far out of control, "We didn't act early enough with the online sharing of our copyrighted content. This time we're not making the same mistake. We have a right to know what's showing in a theater."
The bill would require that any hardware manufactured in the future contain technology that tells the MPAA directly of what is being shown and specific details on the audience. The data would be gathered using various motion sensors and biometric technology.
The MPAA defines a home theater as any home with a television larger than 29" with stereo sound and at least two comfortable chairs, couch, or futon. Anyone with a home theater would need to pay a $50 registration fee with the MPAA or face fines up to $500,000 per movie shown.
Related News
"Just because you buy a DVD to watch at home doesn't give you the right to invite friends over to watch it too. That's a violation of copyright and denies us the revenue that would be generated from DVD sales to your friends," said Glickman. "Ideally we expect each viewer to have their own copy of the DVD, but we realize that isn't always feasible. The registration fee is a fair compromise.
The bill also stipulates that any existing home theaters be retrofitted with the technology or else the owner is responsible for directly informing the MPAA and receiving approval before each viewing.
Unfortunately the BBspot article is a joke, and Reuters story isn't.
MPAA Lobbying for Home Theater Regulations
By Scott Small
Los Angeles , CA - The MPAA is lobbying congress to push through a new bill that would make unauthorized home theaters illegal. The group feels that all theaters should be sanctioned, whether they be commercial settings or at home.
MPAA head Dan Glickman says this needs to be regulated before things start getting too far out of control, "We didn't act early enough with the online sharing of our copyrighted content. This time we're not making the same mistake. We have a right to know what's showing in a theater."
The bill would require that any hardware manufactured in the future contain technology that tells the MPAA directly of what is being shown and specific details on the audience. The data would be gathered using various motion sensors and biometric technology.
The MPAA defines a home theater as any home with a television larger than 29" with stereo sound and at least two comfortable chairs, couch, or futon. Anyone with a home theater would need to pay a $50 registration fee with the MPAA or face fines up to $500,000 per movie shown.
Related News
"Just because you buy a DVD to watch at home doesn't give you the right to invite friends over to watch it too. That's a violation of copyright and denies us the revenue that would be generated from DVD sales to your friends," said Glickman. "Ideally we expect each viewer to have their own copy of the DVD, but we realize that isn't always feasible. The registration fee is a fair compromise.
The bill also stipulates that any existing home theaters be retrofitted with the technology or else the owner is responsible for directly informing the MPAA and receiving approval before each viewing.
Unfortunately the BBspot article is a joke, and Reuters story isn't.
ugp
Jun 9, 02:49 PM
I am probably going to Radio Shack since I use to Manage one and my best friend is still a Manager at a local store. They are more than likely opening at 6AM and where I live the nearest AT&T; store is 30 minutes away and Apple store is 1-1/2 hours away.
I am not sure if I am doing the trade in or not since I have a 16GB 3GS recently replaced by Apple so it's Like New but I really don't want to mess with eBay just to make a couple of extra dollars on it over the Trade-In price.
As for Upgrade Fees I am not concerned since I know the AT&T; Rep for the Radio Shack still and I can get it waived regardless. I am sure Radio Shack will work something out and give some sort of incentive because Wireless is their main focus and biggest money maker right now.
I will agree with most everyone else though that Radio Shack has a bad name for itself because of their employees not being helpful and that comes down to the Manager at fault. When I was Manager I ran a tight ship and my store was there to serve the customers walking in and to solve their problems regardless where they bought their product. Stores forget what Customer Service is about. If it were for my best friend still the Manager there I would not be going to a Radio Shack to purchase my new iPhone. I would probably go to the AT&T; store like I did with the rest of the iPhones I purchased. Where you purchase doesn't really matter because the warranty will be the same and have the same process.
I just called a local store here in SC and this was pretty much all confirmed. His computer system was down, so he didn't have the info in front of him, but he said it would run pretty much like the EVO did, with a $50 downpayment for the pre-orders. Unfortunately he wasn't yet sure if all stores would be doing pre-orders or just the "in-stock" stores. I'll call back Monday to see if that store can get me a phone on the 24th, since it's close to my work. We'll see, I guess.
I was told the same $50 Down-Payment via a Radio Shack Gift card would be the process more than likely like they did with the Evo. And if a Pre-Order is placed you will receive your phone launch day. The shipments will arrive at the store on the 23rd. This source came from the Store Manager. No Memo yet has been issued to them, only verbal information from the DM via a Conference Call after the iPhone was announced.
BEST BUY HAS BETTER TRADE IN PRICE
32gb 3GS = $315.00 compared to radioshacks $279
Personally i would try ebay, theyre going for about 400-500, thast 100-200 dollars more. Spoke to radioshack managers and they charge the upgrade fee, ATT and Apple and best buy are waiving upgrade fee.
Early Upgrade fee also available at all retail locations, Wal-mart, apple, att, radioshack, best buy
I would not ever go to a Best Buy myself and purchase a Cell Phone. They have no incentive to sell you anything really. An AT&T; Store would be a better choice if you have no Apple Stores local. Best Buy and Wal-Mart would be my last option hands down. I would rather go somewhere that the employee makes commission and has more of a reason to serve and help you with your purchase than someone that is being paid hourly to be there. Apple Store is an exception here.
That's "THE SHACK" to you sir! Sorry, I still can't over this crappy, crappy branding decision of theirs to call themselves "The Shack." Really?
When I watched basketball performances, it was from "The Shack." When I was 12, I had my porno hidden in "The Shack." And when I was 15 and in the Boy Scouts and I went camping/boating, I took a crap in "The Shack." But, when I was 16 and built a home-made rocket, I got my parts from "RADIO SHACK."
I agree with you, I am glad I quit Radio Shack before they transitioned to all this new stuff. The reason I see they are rebranding is because they no longer are in the Radio business and want to move along with the Technology and keep up. The parts they were known for selling when they started is just not a high demand market and is hard to target.
I am not sure if I am doing the trade in or not since I have a 16GB 3GS recently replaced by Apple so it's Like New but I really don't want to mess with eBay just to make a couple of extra dollars on it over the Trade-In price.
As for Upgrade Fees I am not concerned since I know the AT&T; Rep for the Radio Shack still and I can get it waived regardless. I am sure Radio Shack will work something out and give some sort of incentive because Wireless is their main focus and biggest money maker right now.
I will agree with most everyone else though that Radio Shack has a bad name for itself because of their employees not being helpful and that comes down to the Manager at fault. When I was Manager I ran a tight ship and my store was there to serve the customers walking in and to solve their problems regardless where they bought their product. Stores forget what Customer Service is about. If it were for my best friend still the Manager there I would not be going to a Radio Shack to purchase my new iPhone. I would probably go to the AT&T; store like I did with the rest of the iPhones I purchased. Where you purchase doesn't really matter because the warranty will be the same and have the same process.
I just called a local store here in SC and this was pretty much all confirmed. His computer system was down, so he didn't have the info in front of him, but he said it would run pretty much like the EVO did, with a $50 downpayment for the pre-orders. Unfortunately he wasn't yet sure if all stores would be doing pre-orders or just the "in-stock" stores. I'll call back Monday to see if that store can get me a phone on the 24th, since it's close to my work. We'll see, I guess.
I was told the same $50 Down-Payment via a Radio Shack Gift card would be the process more than likely like they did with the Evo. And if a Pre-Order is placed you will receive your phone launch day. The shipments will arrive at the store on the 23rd. This source came from the Store Manager. No Memo yet has been issued to them, only verbal information from the DM via a Conference Call after the iPhone was announced.
BEST BUY HAS BETTER TRADE IN PRICE
32gb 3GS = $315.00 compared to radioshacks $279
Personally i would try ebay, theyre going for about 400-500, thast 100-200 dollars more. Spoke to radioshack managers and they charge the upgrade fee, ATT and Apple and best buy are waiving upgrade fee.
Early Upgrade fee also available at all retail locations, Wal-mart, apple, att, radioshack, best buy
I would not ever go to a Best Buy myself and purchase a Cell Phone. They have no incentive to sell you anything really. An AT&T; Store would be a better choice if you have no Apple Stores local. Best Buy and Wal-Mart would be my last option hands down. I would rather go somewhere that the employee makes commission and has more of a reason to serve and help you with your purchase than someone that is being paid hourly to be there. Apple Store is an exception here.
That's "THE SHACK" to you sir! Sorry, I still can't over this crappy, crappy branding decision of theirs to call themselves "The Shack." Really?
When I watched basketball performances, it was from "The Shack." When I was 12, I had my porno hidden in "The Shack." And when I was 15 and in the Boy Scouts and I went camping/boating, I took a crap in "The Shack." But, when I was 16 and built a home-made rocket, I got my parts from "RADIO SHACK."
I agree with you, I am glad I quit Radio Shack before they transitioned to all this new stuff. The reason I see they are rebranding is because they no longer are in the Radio business and want to move along with the Technology and keep up. The parts they were known for selling when they started is just not a high demand market and is hard to target.
gnasher729
Jul 27, 05:59 PM
but is still more productive because it handles more calculations per clock cycle
I'm no processor geek. I have a basic understanding of the terminology and how things work so correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't this one of the advantages that the PPC had over Intel chips? Does this mean Intel is moving toward shorter pipes? Are we talking more instructions per clock cycle or what? What does "calculations" mean in this context?
With most processors, especially the Intel/AMD processors, "instructions per cycle" is not a useful number. These processors have both simple instructions (add register number 3 to register number 6) and complex instructions (add register number 3 to the number whose address is in register number 6). A PowerPC has the simple instructions, but not the complex ones. Instead it would need three instructions "load the number whose address is in register number 6, and move it to register 7", "add register 3 to register 7", "store register 7 to the location whose address is in register 6". But the Intel processor doesn't magically do three times as much work. Instead, it splits the complex instruction into three so-called "macro-ops", and does exactly the same work. So in this case, the PowerPC would execute three times as many instructions per cycle (3 instead of 1), but because it doesn't do more actual work, that is pointless. Instead you would count the number of operations, and they are more or less the same.
Intel is indeed moving towards shorter pipelines. They have done that already with the Core Duo chips. Longer pipelines have the advantage that each pipeline step is a bit faster, so you can get higher clockspeed. Shorter pipelines have the advantage that they take much less energy (very important; at some point your chips just melt), they are much faster handling branches, and they are just much much easier to design. Pentium 4 needed absolutely heroic efforts to produce it, and would have needed twice the heroics to improve it. Instead, the Core Duo has a much simpler design, that is just as powerful, and because it was so simple, Core 2 Duo could improve it.
And Core 2 Duo can now execute up to four "micro-ops" per cycle, same as the G5, compared to three for Core Duo, Pentium 4 and G4. It also has some clever features that reduce the number of micro-ops needed up to 10 percent, and some other improvements.
I'm no processor geek. I have a basic understanding of the terminology and how things work so correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't this one of the advantages that the PPC had over Intel chips? Does this mean Intel is moving toward shorter pipes? Are we talking more instructions per clock cycle or what? What does "calculations" mean in this context?
With most processors, especially the Intel/AMD processors, "instructions per cycle" is not a useful number. These processors have both simple instructions (add register number 3 to register number 6) and complex instructions (add register number 3 to the number whose address is in register number 6). A PowerPC has the simple instructions, but not the complex ones. Instead it would need three instructions "load the number whose address is in register number 6, and move it to register 7", "add register 3 to register 7", "store register 7 to the location whose address is in register 6". But the Intel processor doesn't magically do three times as much work. Instead, it splits the complex instruction into three so-called "macro-ops", and does exactly the same work. So in this case, the PowerPC would execute three times as many instructions per cycle (3 instead of 1), but because it doesn't do more actual work, that is pointless. Instead you would count the number of operations, and they are more or less the same.
Intel is indeed moving towards shorter pipelines. They have done that already with the Core Duo chips. Longer pipelines have the advantage that each pipeline step is a bit faster, so you can get higher clockspeed. Shorter pipelines have the advantage that they take much less energy (very important; at some point your chips just melt), they are much faster handling branches, and they are just much much easier to design. Pentium 4 needed absolutely heroic efforts to produce it, and would have needed twice the heroics to improve it. Instead, the Core Duo has a much simpler design, that is just as powerful, and because it was so simple, Core 2 Duo could improve it.
And Core 2 Duo can now execute up to four "micro-ops" per cycle, same as the G5, compared to three for Core Duo, Pentium 4 and G4. It also has some clever features that reduce the number of micro-ops needed up to 10 percent, and some other improvements.
Enigmac
Aug 7, 03:31 PM
Not a glimpse of the Finder...! :eek:
*cough* TOP SECRET *cough* :rolleyes:
*cough* TOP SECRET *cough* :rolleyes:
