Apple in the top 3 of computer sales in the USA

After the smartphone and tablet, Apple returned to the field on its computer division with the MacBook Air.

The latest estimates, by Digitimes, provide that 10 million of MacBook Air will be sold in 2011. According to MacRumors, Apple surfera on the success of his extra fine computer soon offering a 15-inch version that will complement its Air range already consisting of a 13 and 11 inches.

Apple is very present on the market of devices, it could lead users of its iPod, iPad and iPhone to buy a Mac to harmonize their Park. In this sense, there is already on 2011, Apple holds 11% of the US computer market loan, announces Gartner. He thus advanced to the third place, just behind Dell and HP.

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LaCie: a USB key to lock and unlock the computer

The LaCie brand marketed for several years already the USB key in the form of... key. Constructor is now proposing a little particular model because the CooKey can lock and unlock the computer. Simply install the LaCie PC/Mac Lock software (comes with the key), and then insert the CooKey for lock/unlock.

Note that a single key can manage an unlimited number of computers locking. This USB key offers ranging from 4 to 32 GB storage space and can even be extended via the Wuala online storage service. Finally, the CooKey is able to resist water, scratch and advertised rates can reach 30Mo/s.

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Electronic neurons for a computer think as human

 

Researchers at the University of Exeter in England and Stanford engineers work to consider the creation of synapses and electronic neurons whose behavior mimics human brain cells.

The English paper published in the journal Advanced Materials shows that it is possible to design an electronic system that processes and stores the information simultaneously, like the human brain. In a classical computer, these two functions are separate. Very schematically, a processor has memory caches to store information and units of calculation to treat them. However, using an alloy composed of germanium, antimony and tellurium similar to layer writable DVD - RW, it is possible to reproduce the same cerebral phenomenon that allows to store and process information at the same time.

These searches are interesting because they show, for the first time this alloy also known as the GST can be used as a storage medium and unit of General, as calculations of the additions, subtractions, multiplications and divisions. English scientists are considering the creation of "artificial neurons." and synapses "This means that an artificial system composed entirely of phase change materials could learn and process information like our own brains". David Wright Professor leading the research States that "we (the authors of the paper, Editor's note) have revealed a technique to potentially develop a new form of computer systems mimicking the brain which could learn, adapt and change over time.Stanford researchers draw exactly the same conclusion in an article published in Nano Letters. They were able to emulate the operation of a human synapse with a nanoélectrique component. Their research also focused on the functioning of a cell GST imitating a neuron and Synapse. Specifically, the molecular structure of this alloy can be crystalline or amorphous. Nevertheless, the alloy can flaunt crystalline or amorphous States qualified. Research speak of "1% step" and compare these changes with variations in light intensity of a light bulb. A synapse GST would thus have more than 100 States. Ipso facto, an electronic neuron to basis of germanium, antimony and tellurium can store more information than a simple 1 or 0 as human neurons.Similarly, the brain learns through repetition, because a synapse is stimulated, more it will be strengthened and it will be inclined to send information. Similarly, the electrical resistance of a neuron GST drops when it passes the amorphous State in the crystalline state, editing the electrical path depending on its use.

We can imagine faster computers, using less energy, and with a power closer to the human brain. Research use tools of production and materials already available in large quantities, which is good sign for the future discussed technologies. Stanford scholars explain that their purpose is not to replace the processors we use, but to design completely different systems and that are now out of reach. To do this, it will first improve the yields and the density of synapses and electronic neurons to be closer to the human brain. Thus, it would be possible to design platforms capable of processing a very large number of data in parallel to serve as a decision-making aid or enable better understanding of the functioning of the human brain system.Should still take a lot of hindsight. The conquest of the world by Skynet will not be tomorrow. The most powerful supercomputer today application eight and a half minutes to five seconds of human brain behaviour and application 140 000 times more energy.

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K, the most powerful computer in the world

Small victory for the Japan: the land of the rising sun took over first place in the ranking of supercomputers to China. Built by Fujitsu for the RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science (AICS) in Kobe, K Computer offers a computing power of 8 petaflop (8 million billion operations per second floating-point), 3 times higher than that of Tianhe 1 - Chinese A, the previous world champion.

The measured power is very close to the theoretical power of K Computer (8.77 PFlops) which is unusual for a supercomputer. Unlike a recent trend, K Computer does not appeal to hearts GPU to accelerate treatment and is based entirely on a CPU. Fujitsu has used its home, the SPARC64 VIIIfx with eight hearts processor and running at 2 GHz. 68 544 processors form K Computer, for a total of 548 352 hearts. The monster requires 9.9 MW of electrical power, a new record also. Here its commissioning official in 2012, K should still grow (80,000 CPU) to exceed the symbolic cap of 10 PFlops.

Supercomputers crossed another cap as the top 10 in the world exceed all the petaflop. The France class in ninth position with the Tera 100 built by Bull for the CEA, which offers 1.05 PFlops, consumes 4.6 MW.

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The 1 Thunderbolt computer without Apple

Sony has presented its new ultra portable, the VAIO Z, which has the particularity to have a Variant owner of the Thunderbolt that connects the computer to Power Media Dock containing external graphics and a Blu - ray player. The Mini Display Port port, it uses a modified USB port, but the firm explains well that it is the architecture code-named Light Peak which allows to pass four lines PCI-Express (cf. "Thunderbolt: 10 gigabits/s, 10 W, Light Peak").

The idea has merit to be interesting. Sony operates the technology of Apple and Intel has different purposes. If there is doubt that it benefits the cause of the Thunderbolt, the firm tries to Light Peak in the hands of individuals, which is not the case of compatible device manufacturers today (cf. "+ 800 MB/s for Thunderbolt discs").

Power Media Dock graphic card is a Radeon HD 6650M that has 1 GB of DDR3. The station also has a HDMI port and a VGA port. It is therefore possible to connect two screens to the dock and a screen to the computer to take advantage of four monitors if one includes the laptop with a 13.3-inch diagonal and a high resolution of 1,600 x 900. Power Media Dock also contains a USB 3.0, two USB 2.0 ports and a Gigabit Ethernet port. It weighs 685 g.

The idea of using an external graphics on the Thunderbolt is interesting, but it remains limited to entry-level models coupled with small PGI. Indeed, the port carries only four lines PCI-Express 2.0, which will be insufficient to maps above range. Nevertheless, the idea to propose a media station Blu - ray only needing only the processor and the computer software to work should seduce users seeking an ultraportable, but did not want to invest in a desktop computer to fill its gaps.

The computer to which it is connected is impressive. It integrates a Core i7-2620M running at 2.7 GHz and can climb up to 3.4 GHz in TurboBoost and Windows 7 Professional 64-bit, a Raid 0 SSD 256 GB, totaling a PGI Intel HD 3000 and the traditional modules Wi - Fi n, 3 G and Bluetooth, the two conventional USB ports and a 1.3 Mpixel webcam. It weighs 1.18 kg, which is less heavy than the MacBook Air 13 inches, reaching 1.32 kg. It is also slightly thinner with a thickness of 16.65 mm, 17 mm for the Apple model. The VAIO Z has to 7 hours depending on the constructor, but it is possible the double with an external battery just attach below the aircraft. Prices remain unknown, but Sony announced in its press release that the European release is planned for the end of July.

Apple should present an update of the MacBook Air the next month. There is no doubt that Sony has just complicate the announcement of the firm to the Apple by offering an attractive alternative.

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