Digital Trends
Chipmaker Intel has formally announced its next generation of Xeon processors, codenamed Nehalem-EX, and while they’re mainly aimed at data centers and servers, the CPUs could also find their way into workstations and high-end desktops like Apple’s Xeon-based Mac Pro line. The new Xeons will feature eight cores, 16 threads, and 24 MB of onboard cache, offering what Intel is characterizing as the greatest performance gain over the current Xeon 5500 and 7400 CPUs.
Speculation and rumor has been building for months that Apple would be launching new desktop systems…and today the news has dropped, and Apple updating both it’s consumer-oriented Mac mini and iMac desktop systems, along with its Xeon processor-equipped Mac Pros aimed at high-end computing and media production professionals.
Digital projector marker InFocus has long been promoting DisplayLink technology, which enables users to push audio and video to projectors over a standard USB connection, rather than using VGA or HDMI connectors. The advantage: DisplayLink can handle up to six projectors at once, which (depending on graphics capabilities) can mirror the same image or act as independent displays so users can set up video walls or set up presentations that handle multiple video sources.
According to the French newspaper Libération, a researcher at the CNRS research center has studied emissions from as Mac Pro computer and discovered that they contain the hazardous chemical benzene.
Although not in sufficient quantities to cause any immediate danger, the researcher said there was sufficient quantity to cause irritation in his eyes and throat, and prolonged benzene exposure could increase the risk of cancer.
All this comes as Apple has been touting the fact that its products are much greener, but customers have evidently been reporting strange smells from their Mac Pros. Apple is investigating the claims.
In an unusual move, Apple has preempted itself at next week’s Macworld Expo in San Francisco by announcing updates to its most powerful computer offerings: the top-of-the-line Mac Pro desktop, and its rack-based Xserve servers. And for folks who appreciate raw power, the new machines do not disappoint, offering eight processor cores on two Intel Xeon 5400 series CPUs running at up to 3.2 GHz, and a new architecture designed to offer up to twice the performance of their predecessors.
Macworld Magazine has announced its 2006 Eddy Award winners for products and services deemed outstanding for their innovation, excellence, and value. Every year, Macworld reviews hundreds of products and tallies up the opinions of its editors, contributors, and other knowledgeable members of the larger Macintosh community—and this year, it invited the larger Mac-using audience to vote for two Readers’ Choice awards. Polling is closed, and the two winners will be announced December 14.
At its annual World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) today, Apple Computer finally transitioned its computer product line away from PowerPC processors to Intel-based systems, introducing the new high-end Mac Pro Xeon-based desktop systems along with revamped Xserve one-unit servers.
For several articles we have been discussing how to get the most out of your new home theater system. One of the most important tools you can use at home to really optimize your system is to invest in a calibration DVD. These are discs that provide standardized, industrial test signals that will help you set your TV and receiver for the best performance.
Everyone wants to be an insider, and you can be one too! Choose your poison: sign-up for our Newsletter, join us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter. Do all three and you'll be swimming in the the latest news, reviews, videos and more gadget goodness!
Become a DT soldier! Join us on Facebook and share the best news, guides, videos and other cool information directly with all your friends. Some might even thank you for it!
Join the thousands and follow the best of us on Facebook.
Do you like information in small snippets? Then our Twitter feed is just for you. Follow Digital Trends and you'll be able to catch up daily on our latest content, or even interact directly with our team. Tweet Tweet!
Join the thousands and follow the best of us on Twitter.
That’s Right, Sign-up For Our Monthly Random Prize Drawings and You Could Be That Winner.
