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Microsoft may have new hardware up its sleeve. The tech giant is rumored to host an event this spring to reveal a new Surface Book 3 laptop and Surface Go 2 tablet. Both products are expected to get internal and external upgrades, though they won't be getting major overhauls, according to a report Friday from Brad Sams with tech sites Petri and Thurrott . The Surface Book 3 will reportedly be powered by a 10th-generation Intel processor and a Nvidia GTX 16 series graphics card . The top-end Surface Book may also have an option for a Nvidia Quadro card, according to Sams, citing people familiar with Microsoft's plans. The Surface Go is a more portable but less powerful version of Microsoft's Surface tablet. The Surface Go 2 will reportedly be powered by an Intel Pentium Gold processor, though there may also be an option for a Core M processor. It's unclear how much the new devices may cost. The Surface Book 2 started at $1,499 for the 13-inch and $2,499 for … [Read more...] about Microsoft rumored to reveal Surface Book 3, Surface Go 2 this spring

REUTERS: Qualcomm Inc on Wednesday said it will acquire Nuvia Inc, a chip startup founded by Apple Inc veterans, for US$1.4 billion, with plans to put the firm's technology into its smartphone, laptop and automotive processors. The deal marks a big push by Qualcomm to reestablish a leading position in chip performance after several years of high-profile patent licensing litigation with rival Apple and regulatory authorities. It also comes amid a change in the helm with Qualcomm announcing this month that Cristiano Amon, its current president and head of its silicon division, will replace outgoing CEO Steven Mollenkopf, effective June 30. Founded by three of Apple's former top semiconductor executives in charge of iPhone chips, Nuvia has been working on a custom CPU core design that it had said would be used in server chips. Qualcomm, however, plans a broad use of Nuvia's processors, saying they would power flagship smartphones, next-generation laptops, infotainment … [Read more...] about Qualcomm eyes challenge to Apple, Intel with US$1.4 billion deal for chip startup

REUTERS: Activist hedge fund Third Point LLC is pushing Intel Corp to explore strategic alternatives, including whether it should keep chip design and production under one roof, according to a letter it sent to the company's chairman on Tuesday that was reviewed by Reuters. Were it to gain traction, Third Point's push for changes could lead to a major shakeup at Intel, which has been slow to respond to investor calls to outsource more of its manufacturing capacity. It could also lead to the unwinding of some of its acquisitions, such as the US$16.7 billion purchase of programmable chip maker Altera in 2015. Third Point Chief Executive Daniel Loeb wrote to Intel Chairman Omar Ishrak calling for immediate action to boost the company's position as a major provider of processor chips for PCs and data centers. The New York-based fund has amassed a nearly US$1 billion stake in Intel, according to people familiar with the matter. Intel shares rose 6.1per cent to US$49.95, the most … [Read more...] about Exclusive: Hedge fund Third Point urges Intel to explore deal options

Lenovo is having its annual conference for its business partners and customers, and with that comes a spate of new hardware announcements. Let's start simple: the ThinkPad X1 Extreme, the 15-inch counterpart to the regular X1 , has been updated to a 9th-generation Intel Core i9 processor and an Nvidia GTX 1650 GPU MaxQ, further enhancing its powerhouse specs, while continuing to weigh under 4 pounds. There's also a new 4K OLED touchscreen option that looks fab. Maximum storage has been doubled to 4TB. Pricing starts at $1,499.99, with availability in July. Lenovo currently has two main laptop brands: the mass-market IdeaPad, and the high-end/corporate ThinkPad line, with the latter honoring the IBM ThinkPad legacy with their black cases and red TrackPoint mice. To these, the company is adding a third range: ThinkBook. These are intended for small and medium business customers, and they arguably split the difference between the IdeaPad and ThinkPad lines. They have … [Read more...] about Lenovo bumps X1 Extreme to i9, GTX 1650, introduces new mainstream ThinkBooks

Where do you begin when talking with inventor, IBM Fellow, engineer, and professor Dr. Mark Dean? His work on the IBM PC, ISA system bus, and Color Graphics Adapter in the 1980s is surpassed only by the project he led in the early 2000s, breaking the 1GHz clock speed barrier with a chip for the first time. Dr. Mark Dean Dr. Mark Dean earned a BSEE degree from the University of Tennessee in 1979, where he would return as John Fischer Distinguished Professor later in life. He also has an MSEE degree from Florida Atlantic University (1982), and a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University (1992). In between all that he was breaking convention and working on cutting-edge technologies at IBM. Dean went on to become CTO of IBM Middle East and Africa, before shifting gears to achieve another lifelong goal of becoming a faculty member at a university, researching neuromorphic computing and advanced computer architectures at The University of Tennessee Knoxville, Tickle … [Read more...] about Gamers have a lot to thank Dr. Mark Dean for, and the world’s first 1GHz chip is only the start