Where's overall speed of browsing, snappiness of UI, especially after a long session with many tabs open?
On Ubuntu 9.04 and 9.10 and on Windows, Opera 10 is visibly quicker at everything than Firefox. It is especially noticeable when switching between tabs. Opera 10 is also much more responsive than IE8, especially when creating tabs and switching between them. On Mac OS X Safari seems a bit more responsive than Opera.
It's a fantastic chip. Low power and really fast. I'm seeing about 2x the CPU performance on benchmarks over an Intel Atom N270. And the GPU performance is just amazing compared to the intel GMA stuff.
Any comparisons to the Atom N450? CPU performance is slightly improved over the N270, but the GPU is a generation newer, and the CPU/memory controller/GPU are all integrated for significantly reduced power usage). (And the GPU with most Atom N270 systems is a low-power version of the five year old GMA 950 - I got my first laptop with the GMA 950/945GM in January 2006, four years ago.)
I often joke that Tegra 2's ARM could emulate x86 in software faster than an Atom could run it natively. Put that in your Windows pipe and smoke it!
The Atom is very slow per unit of clock, by design. It is much slower than a Pentium 3/Core CPU running at the same clock speed. I've seen its performance compared to a 900 MHz Celeron M (which used much more power).
2009 was the first year of linux dominating on TVs and STBs since 2009, and probably the year of *nix on smartphones as well.
If it was the "year of linux dominating on TVs and STBs", who cares...? How many of these devices have any accessible method of replacing or modifying the software? My TV has a USB port that can play pictures and music and upgrade the firmware, but there's no documentation on how to do so and hasn't been a firmware upgrade. And I have my doubts about any mass-market STB hardware being open enough to change the software unless you're the provider or some extremely skilled hacker (at least for US mass-market hardware).
It's not like simply using Linux (or any open source software) will make bad TV programming better, or will enhance picture quality.
the year of *nix on smartphones as well.
The important of a smartphone running *nix seems minimal to me - smartphones are much more than a kernel or unixlike environment. It's the software users interact with and the phone/messaging functionality that matters. If that software happens to run on top of Linux or some other open source kernel, it means the software creator didn't want to create their own or pay to use somebody else's kernel.
My iPhone runs Darwin, but most of the important software that runs on it is closed-source (with the notable exception being WebKit).
639,000 for i hate "t-mobile" 716,000 for i hate tmobile Also it would make sense to adjust the numbers for the number of customers each has. But T-Mobile offers service in other English speaking countries, and Verizon, AT&T and Sprint brands are/were used for more than wireless service.
Spectrum licensing. Mobile carriers pay big bucks to license their spectrum.
AT&T's MicroCell (which is a UMTS base station) includes a GPS receiver and requires a GPS signal in order to operate, because it transmits only on frequencies licensed to AT&T in the area the device is being used. (Mobile carriers in the USA do not have nationwide spectrum licenses, and the frequencies they are permitted to use vary throughout the country.)
UMA is a great idea: basically, any WiFi hotspot that you can connect to become a "cell tower" (well, it routes cell phone traffic over a tunnel on the Internet, to T-Mo's network, so it basically becomes VoIP)
This isn't ideal: wifi uses more power than GSM or 3G.
This Femtocell idea is something that some of the other carriers are sort of testing (I have some relatives on Sprint who got one because there is very poor reception at their house).
whereas UMA would work with any Internet connection and most Wifi hotspots, which means that I could take advantage of it at other locations if they have WiFi (relatives or friends houses, school, work, shopping, etc) too.
The Internet connection must have sufficient bandwidth and performance characteristics. Seems like something you'd need to test at each location?
The people who get free content won't have to deal with this restriction; many DVD/Blu-ray rips are available online before the retail release date anyway.
There are stores that sell movies other than Amazon, like Wal-Mart, Target, and Best Buy in the United States, all of which have thousands of retail locations and sell new media on the release date.
Than buy another graphics card powered by ATI. Seriously, my X1300xt was only supported for like 3 years. Now I can't even use it on a current distro whilst retaining the full functionality/performance of the closed driver.
This sounds more like a Linux/X.org problem than an ATI problem. Users of old graphics cards in Windows can keep using the old drivers, even in newer operating systems. Even Windows 2000/XP drivers continue to work in Windows 7/2008 R2, although without the features made possible with newer drivers.
The goal of ESX(i) isn't to support all modern x86_64 compatible hardware though; it works with a subset of the hardware supported by Linux 2.6.18 and officially supports a subset of that. That's why they have a HCL.
SPARC is open. I don't see open source z/Arch or POWER.
But you have a choice of different OS's supported on their proprietary hardware, unlike Sun.
So? If you want to run Linux or Windows, Sun will sell x86-64 hardware.
Sun sells many proprietary products.
Many of Sun's software products are available for free if not open source. Java and Solaris are examples of Sun products that have been open sourced.
Oracle also makes contributions (check the stats for recent kernels, Oracle is normally somewhere around number 3-5 corporate contributor, behind Red Hat, Novell, IBM.
And Sun has open sourced an entire kernel and operating system.
You don't just pay a fee, but you actually help. It's like working in the soup kitchen versus giving money to the homeless shelter.
I would imagine paying for Red Hat Enterprise Linux or SUSE Linux Enterprise has a much bigger impact than helping Ubuntu directly. Red Hat is a big contributor to extremely important projects such as the Linux kernel, GCC, glibc, Gtk, and GNOME. They (or companies they have since acquired) created GFS, LVM2, and KVM, and they maintain a lot of other projects that make up any modern Linux distribution.
I can't find a similar list for Novell, but they are the second biggest contributor to the Linux kernel.
How well does remote wiping work with SD cards? Steal the phone, pop out SD card, profit?
Windows Mobile can encrypt content on SD cards which would make the content unreadable after a remote wipe deletes the key. I would assume that BlackBerry devices can encrypt SD card contents too or at least disable the SD slot.
On my iPhone I can set a password. If it's entered incorrectly 10 times, the device automatically wipes itself.
Only the iPhone 3G S can do this quickly, and only if device encryption is enabled. With encryption, the device just erases the key. Without encryption, the wipe must overwrite the entire memory area.
Is there any evidence that an open source program is less secure in the short term than a closed source one?
There's nothing inherently secure or insecure about open source software. It's not like all open source software is built with different tools or in safer languages.
After all, when coding an program they know will be open sourced, programmers are much less likely to add a vulnerable piece of code in the hope it won't be spotted or with the intention to fix it at some later date.
One could assert that open source programmers (at least those working for free) don't need to care about reliability or security since they aren't getting paid. One could also assert that anyone can create / contribute to an open source project, including those who don't know what they are doing. However I don't think there's evidence for your assertion or my assertions.
So, you're comparing a third-generation iPhone with a first generation Android phone?
3G indicates support of third-generation wireless technology (in this case UMTS), which was not in the first iPhone. The iPhone 3G is actually the second iPhone model.
All iPhones have most of the same software features, including the original iPhone (non-3G). So far Apple has released OS updates for all models.
You can't get any mainstream x86 processor with spectacular battery life. Even the Atom pales in comparison to ARM.
The i7 has bad battery life relative to i5/i3 and mobile Core 2 Duo CPUs, which have bad battery life relative to Core 2 LV/ULV CPUs. And ARM systems do not have the performance of mainstream x86 processors and chipsets.
I think the article writer misunderstands how hardware video decode assist actually works. It isn't magically engaged when you play any HD movie in any media player (usually it has to be turned on in an option somewhere with a media player app that supports it)
DXVA acceleration works automatically with Windows 7 and any application using the proper built-in decoder and EVR renderer. It should also work with Media Player Classic Home Cinema, if the default renderer is compatible.
I still have no idea if the new intel graphics chip actually offers any HD video acceleration at all.
It does. The G45/GM45 chipsets released in 2008 also have full decoding.
A lot of drugs are banned because they make the user dangerous to other people while on them.
Do you like to post about things you don't know about?
Schedule I drugs are the closest to being banned (no prescriptions can be issued). Many of these drugs had medical use in the USA before entering Schedule I or currently have medical use outside of the USA. Many Schedule I drugs do not actually meet the criteria for being placed in Schedule I:
The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.
The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.
Slashdot Mirror
On Ubuntu 9.04 and 9.10 and on Windows, Opera 10 is visibly quicker at everything than Firefox. It is especially noticeable when switching between tabs. Opera 10 is also much more responsive than IE8, especially when creating tabs and switching between them. On Mac OS X Safari seems a bit more responsive than Opera.
Any comparisons to the Atom N450? CPU performance is slightly improved over the N270, but the GPU is a generation newer, and the CPU/memory controller/GPU are all integrated for significantly reduced power usage). (And the GPU with most Atom N270 systems is a low-power version of the five year old GMA 950 - I got my first laptop with the GMA 950/945GM in January 2006, four years ago.)
The Atom is very slow per unit of clock, by design. It is much slower than a Pentium 3/Core CPU running at the same clock speed. I've seen its performance compared to a 900 MHz Celeron M (which used much more power).
If it was the "year of linux dominating on TVs and STBs", who cares...? How many of these devices have any accessible method of replacing or modifying the software? My TV has a USB port that can play pictures and music and upgrade the firmware, but there's no documentation on how to do so and hasn't been a firmware upgrade. And I have my doubts about any mass-market STB hardware being open enough to change the software unless you're the provider or some extremely skilled hacker (at least for US mass-market hardware).
It's not like simply using Linux (or any open source software) will make bad TV programming better, or will enhance picture quality.
The important of a smartphone running *nix seems minimal to me - smartphones are much more than a kernel or unixlike environment. It's the software users interact with and the phone/messaging functionality that matters. If that software happens to run on top of Linux or some other open source kernel, it means the software creator didn't want to create their own or pay to use somebody else's kernel.
My iPhone runs Darwin, but most of the important software that runs on it is closed-source (with the notable exception being WebKit).
639,000 for i hate "t-mobile"
716,000 for i hate tmobile
Also it would make sense to adjust the numbers for the number of customers each has. But T-Mobile offers service in other English speaking countries, and Verizon, AT&T and Sprint brands are/were used for more than wireless service.
Spectrum licensing. Mobile carriers pay big bucks to license their spectrum.
AT&T's MicroCell (which is a UMTS base station) includes a GPS receiver and requires a GPS signal in order to operate, because it transmits only on frequencies licensed to AT&T in the area the device is being used. (Mobile carriers in the USA do not have nationwide spectrum licenses, and the frequencies they are permitted to use vary throughout the country.)
This isn't ideal: wifi uses more power than GSM or 3G.
It is being marketed by carriers: AT&T markets it as 3G MicroCell
The Internet connection must have sufficient bandwidth and performance characteristics. Seems like something you'd need to test at each location?
Is this true with UMTS as well?
Not if there are no open ports due to 802.1x.
Millions of Americans have no problem driving to a store, and might even drive past stores that sell new DVDs/Blu-rays daily.
Netflix subscriptions cost money.
The people who get free content won't have to deal with this restriction; many DVD/Blu-ray rips are available online before the retail release date anyway.
There are stores that sell movies other than Amazon, like Wal-Mart, Target, and Best Buy in the United States, all of which have thousands of retail locations and sell new media on the release date.
This sounds more like a Linux/X.org problem than an ATI problem. Users of old graphics cards in Windows can keep using the old drivers, even in newer operating systems. Even Windows 2000/XP drivers continue to work in Windows 7/2008 R2, although without the features made possible with newer drivers.
Released May 2009.
The goal of ESX(i) isn't to support all modern x86_64 compatible hardware though; it works with a subset of the hardware supported by Linux 2.6.18 and officially supports a subset of that. That's why they have a HCL.
SPARC is open. I don't see open source z/Arch or POWER.
So? If you want to run Linux or Windows, Sun will sell x86-64 hardware.
Many of Sun's software products are available for free if not open source. Java and Solaris are examples of Sun products that have been open sourced.
And Sun has open sourced an entire kernel and operating system.
VMware ESX(i) 4 uses code from 2.6.18 (I think the service console uses the RHEL kernel) and works fine on the hardware corporate users run it on.
Except for SUSE Linux Enterprise and Mono.
Did you forget about the whole Java thing (almost all open sourced)?
I would imagine paying for Red Hat Enterprise Linux or SUSE Linux Enterprise has a much bigger impact than helping Ubuntu directly. Red Hat is a big contributor to extremely important projects such as the Linux kernel, GCC, glibc, Gtk, and GNOME. They (or companies they have since acquired) created GFS, LVM2, and KVM, and they maintain a lot of other projects that make up any modern Linux distribution.
I can't find a similar list for Novell, but they are the second biggest contributor to the Linux kernel.
Windows Mobile can encrypt content on SD cards which would make the content unreadable after a remote wipe deletes the key. I would assume that BlackBerry devices can encrypt SD card contents too or at least disable the SD slot.
Only the iPhone 3G S can do this quickly, and only if device encryption is enabled. With encryption, the device just erases the key. Without encryption, the wipe must overwrite the entire memory area.
There's nothing inherently secure or insecure about open source software. It's not like all open source software is built with different tools or in safer languages.
One could assert that open source programmers (at least those working for free) don't need to care about reliability or security since they aren't getting paid. One could also assert that anyone can create / contribute to an open source project, including those who don't know what they are doing.
However I don't think there's evidence for your assertion or my assertions.
3G indicates support of third-generation wireless technology (in this case UMTS), which was not in the first iPhone. The iPhone 3G is actually the second iPhone model.
All iPhones have most of the same software features, including the original iPhone (non-3G). So far Apple has released OS updates for all models.
The i7 has bad battery life relative to i5/i3 and mobile Core 2 Duo CPUs, which have bad battery life relative to Core 2 LV/ULV CPUs.
And ARM systems do not have the performance of mainstream x86 processors and chipsets.
You can't get a small/lightweight Core i7 laptop, though. I doubt any of them have spectacular battery life.
DXVA acceleration works automatically with Windows 7 and any application using the proper built-in decoder and EVR renderer. It should also work with Media Player Classic Home Cinema, if the default renderer is compatible.
It does. The G45/GM45 chipsets released in 2008 also have full decoding.
Do you like to post about things you don't know about?
Schedule I drugs are the closest to being banned (no prescriptions can be issued). Many of these drugs had medical use in the USA before entering Schedule I or currently have medical use outside of the USA. Many Schedule I drugs do not actually meet the criteria for being placed in Schedule I: