Slashdot: Hardware
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News for nerds, stuff that mattersen-usCopyright 1997-2008, SourceForge, Inc. All Rights Reserved.2008-05-09T19:50:20+00:00SourceForge, Inc.help@slashdot.orgTechnologyhourly11970-01-01T00:00+00:00Slashdot: Hardwarehttp://images.slashdot.org/topics/topicslashdot.gif
http://hardware.slashdot.org/
Researcher Discusses iPod Supercomputer
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~3/287005492/article.pl
schliz writes to mention that in a recent interview with ITNews researcher John Shalf explained the purpose and some of the technical details of the newly-announced "iPod supercomputer". "Microprocessors from portable electronics like iPods could yield low-cost, low-power supercomputers for specialized scientific applications, according to computer scientist John Shalf. Along with a research team from the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Shalf is designing a supercomputer based on low-power embedded microprocessors, which has the sole purpose of improving global climate change predictions."<p><a href="http://mobile.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/09/1629211&from=rss"><img src="http://hardware.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=08/05/09/1629211"></a></p><p><a href="http://mobile.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/09/1629211&from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?a=SMZ4cy"><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?i=SMZ4cy" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~4/287005492" height="1" width="1"/>ScuttleMonkey2008-05-09T18:01:00+00:00handheldmelts-in-your-hand-not-in-your-rackmobile5656,55,45,36,10,7,6http://mobile.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/09/1629211&from=rssRound Robin Scheduling Not Power-Efficient
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~3/286893951/article.pl
Via_Patrino writes "While having to distribute load between several servers, round robin, or any other technique that balances load equally, is the most common approach because of its simplicity. But a recent study shows that trying to accumulate load on some servers can improve energy efficiency because the other servers will be mostly unused during off-peak periods and then able to make better use of power saving methods. Specially, where load involves lots of concurrent power-consuming TCP connections, which was the case in the study, a new load-balancing algorithm resulted in an overall 30% power savings. Here's the paper (PDF)."<p><a href="http://news.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/09/1355248&from=rss"><img src="http://hardware.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=08/05/09/1355248"></a></p><p><a href="http://news.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/09/1355248&from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?a=ixfpWU"><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?i=ixfpWU" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~4/286893951" height="1" width="1"/>kdawson2008-05-09T15:01:00+00:00earthtoward-cooler-server-farmsnews9191,90,75,57,16,13,8http://news.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/09/1355248&from=rssx86 Evolution Still Driving the Revolution
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~3/286827586/article.pl
An anonymous reader writes "The x86 instruction set may be ancient, in technology terms, but that doesn't mean it's not exciting or innovative. In fact the future of x86 is looking brighter than it has in years. Geek.com has an article pointing out how at 30 years old x86 is still a moving force in technological advancement and, despite calls for change and numerous alternatives, it will still be the technology that gets us where we want to go. Quoting: 'As far as the world of the x86 goes, the future is very bright. There are so many new markets that 45nm products enable. Intel has really nailed the future with this goal. And in the future when they produce 32nm, and underclock their existing processors to allow the extremely low power requirements of cell phones and other items, then the x86 will be the power-house for our home computers, our notebooks, our cell phones, our MIDs and other unrealized devices today.'"<p><a href="http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/09/1239256&from=rss"><img src="http://hardware.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=08/05/09/1239256"></a></p><p><a href="http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/09/1239256&from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?a=9yBAxB"><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?i=9yBAxB" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~4/286827586" height="1" width="1"/>kdawson2008-05-09T13:22:00+00:00intelwhat's-a-few-nanometers-among-friendstech6262,61,49,43,13,7,4http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/09/1239256&from=rssHave You Changed Your Opinion On eBook Readers?
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~3/286513200/article.pl
An anonymous reader writes "The Kindle made waves when it came out, but they've now had the chance to calm. How many of you have been using your eBook readers since you've received them? How many of you forgot you had one, and how many of you swear by your reader? I like my single-purpose (well, dual — music player) Sony Reader because I actually use it to read, rather than multitasking myself to death. Is this technology as convenient and useful as you expected?" If not, what refinements or improvements would reKindle your interest?<p><a href="http://ask.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/2317250&from=rss"><img src="http://hardware.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=08/05/08/2317250"></a></p><p><a href="http://ask.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/2317250&from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?a=cO57lx"><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?i=cO57lx" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~4/286513200" height="1" width="1"/>Soulskill2008-05-09T02:11:00+00:00handheldindispensible-or-expensive-e-paperweightaskslashdot491491,486,397,295,98,53,34http://ask.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/2317250&from=rssR2D2-Shaped DVD and Videogame Projector
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~3/286296510/article.pl
Rikardon writes "Nikko Home Electronics has created a DVD projector that looks and moves like R2D2 — with a remote control shaped like the Millenium Falcon. The specs aren't bad: a claimed projection area of up to 6.6m; built-in DVD and CD players; analog and digital video and audio ports; various memory card orifices, and an internal iPod dock. Favorite feature: tilt the legs to adjust the projection height, up to and including projection on the ceiling. No word on whether it projects holograms."<p><a href="http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/198236&from=rss"><img src="http://hardware.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=08/05/08/198236"></a></p><p><a href="http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/198236&from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?a=rk8o6n"><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?i=rk8o6n" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~4/286296510" height="1" width="1"/>timothy2008-05-08T19:22:00+00:00toypinch-me-carrie-fisher-pinch-metech143143,139,115,85,25,17,14http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/198236&from=rssTheorizing a Big Apple Push Into Gaming
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~3/286269947/article.pl
Ian Lamont writes "Terrence Russell has outlined an interesting theory about what industry Apple intends to break into next. He points to games. Forget Pippin II, or an iMac gaming rig — he thinks the mobile realm is where Apple will make a big product push. It's not the first bit of speculation about Apple's renewed interest in gaming, but Russell's theory may have more legs, considering Apple's invitation to develop games on the iPhone SDK, its strong mobile product line, and a Apple trademark extension filed three months ago."<p><a href="http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/1811216&from=rss"><img src="http://hardware.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=08/05/08/1811216"></a></p><p><a href="http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/1811216&from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?a=TwtbHz"><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?i=TwtbHz" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~4/286269947" height="1" width="1"/>timothy2008-05-08T18:39:00+00:00macbookremember-nanosaur-fondlyapple352352,345,294,245,55,30,23http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/1811216&from=rssRetrieving Data From Old Amstrad Floppies?
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~3/286201981/article.pl
Jeppe Utzon writes "Back in 1987, when I was a teenager in high school still, I spent most evenings, nights and weekends writing small programs in BASIC on my Amstrad CPC 6128. Some of these programs were simple games, some drew graphics, some could help me with math or train me in French — and most were utterly pointless. But I never had as much satisfying fun as when writing those programs — even if no one in my family understood any of it when I proudly displayed the fruits of three sleepless nights of labor. Now, 20 years later, I still have a sealed pack of about 15 disks with all my work on them (along with a few of my favorite games) and I was wondering if it was possible to get the data out somehow so that I could run it in emulation on my Mac. I know of the emulators, but have no clue what would be needed to extract the data — or if it is even extractable after all these years. I realize the chances of the data still being intact are quite low, but I'd like to give it a shot. So if anyone has any pointers it would be greatly appreciated." A large hurdle will be finding a drive to read the Amstrad disks at all.<p><a href="http://ask.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/1523257&from=rss"><img src="http://hardware.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=08/05/08/1523257"></a></p><p><a href="http://ask.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/1523257&from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?a=vbCCof"><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?i=vbCCof" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~4/286201981" height="1" width="1"/>timothy2008-05-08T16:31:00+00:00storagebut-I-thought-you-said-it-was-obscureaskslashdot309309,303,266,194,62,39,24http://ask.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/1523257&from=rssiMac Turns 10
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~3/286182028/article.pl
UnknowingFool writes "Ten years ago, Apple announced the original iMac. In some ways it was Apple returning to its roots with an all-in-one design, but in other ways it was a departure from the normal. Certainly it didn't look like any other computer. Apple dropped SCSI, their proprietary connectors, and the floppy drive. Instead Apple used USB for all peripherals including the ergonomically uncomfortable hockey puck mouse. At the time, both the lack of a floppy and the inclusion of USB were much criticized. In hindsight, these moves are now considered forward thinking."<p><a href="http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/1535257&from=rss"><img src="http://hardware.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=08/05/08/1535257"></a></p><p><a href="http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/1535257&from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?a=JVL20i"><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?i=JVL20i" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~4/286182028" height="1" width="1"/>timothy2008-05-08T16:20:00+00:00imacnifty-designapple158158,157,141,110,24,14,6http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/1535257&from=rssA Scooter With Everything (For Certain Values of Everything)
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~3/286182029/article.pl
An anonymous reader writes "The folks over at Thought Lab have produced an extremely high-density mobile computing platform in a scooter and have been kind enough to teach us all how to make our own! The end result was a rolling system capable of long-distance war driving, GPS navigation, Skype calls on the road, serving as an Internet hot spot or a low-power pir8 radio station, as well as recording your favorite TV program so you don't miss Lost because you are lost. If that's not over the top enough, you can actually drive your scooter to, say, the Grand Canyon, plug in your electric guitar and perform live over the Web at a whim!"<p><a href="http://idle.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/155227&from=rss"><img src="http://hardware.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=08/05/08/155227"></a></p><p><a href="http://idle.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/155227&from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?a=41c57y"><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?i=41c57y" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~4/286182029" height="1" width="1"/>timothy2008-05-08T15:51:00+00:00communicationsnext-year-these-will-be-everywhereidle7373,72,61,39,12,8,6http://idle.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/155227&from=rssIn Australia, XP Cheaper Than Linux On Eee 900
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~3/286103993/article.pl
KrispyDollars writes "It sounds crazy to say this, but the XP-based version of the Eee PC 900 (the new version with the 8.9" screen) will actually be considerably cheaper than the Linux-based version. At the official launch today, the company told journalists that 'Microsoft has been a longstanding supporter of Asus' to explain the price discrepancy. And — get this — only the XP-based machine will be sold at mass-market retailers, while the Linux-based model will be consigned to computer stores."<p><a href="http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/1247238&from=rss"><img src="http://hardware.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=08/05/08/1247238"></a></p><p><a href="http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/1247238&from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?a=A9jLgD"><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?i=A9jLgD" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~4/286103993" height="1" width="1"/>timothy2008-05-08T13:55:00+00:00portablesmoney-changes-everythinghardware306306,296,250,196,67,45,29http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/08/1247238&from=rssA Copyright Cop In Every Zune
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~3/285636299/article.pl
Mike writes "As if the Zune wasn't already crippled and unpopular enough, now comes a story indicating that Microsoft may build a 'Copyright Cop' into every Zune. A future update of the software for Microsoft's portable media player will likely include a 'feature' that will block unauthorized copies of copyrighted videos from being played on it. The president of digital distribution for NBC, J. B. Perrette, said the plan is to create 'filtering technology that allows for playback of legitimately purchased content versus non-legitimately purchased content.' Of course there's no way to tell legitimate content that you create from 'non-legitimate' content, so this looks like just another nail in the coffin of the Zune." Update: 05/08 20:50 GMT by T : From Microsoft employee Cesar Menendez comes this categorical denial of any such filtering mechanism.<p><a href="http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/07/2045251&from=rss"><img src="http://hardware.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=08/05/07/2045251"></a></p><p><a href="http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/07/2045251&from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?a=3eNpd8"><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?i=3eNpd8" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~4/285636299" height="1" width="1"/>timothy2008-05-07T21:14:00+00:00handheldnot-just-brown-but-stinkyhardware444444,434,353,267,66,44,32http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/07/2045251&from=rssGaming Gear Showdown, Simplicity vs. Hype
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~3/285612575/article.pl
Slack3r78 writes "Gizmodo is running a feature putting the gaming marketing hype to the test and seeing whether it really makes your playing any more 1337. They match up the latest products from Razer and SteelSeries along with some five-year-old Logitech products and come to the conclusion that ... it doesn't seem to matter that much. It looks like maybe you can't buy your way into finally beating that annoying 13-year-old at your favorite FPS after all."<p><a href="http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/07/1928257&from=rss"><img src="http://hardware.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=08/05/07/1928257"></a></p><p><a href="http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/07/1928257&from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?a=x4pTcx"><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?i=x4pTcx" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~4/285612575" height="1" width="1"/>timothy2008-05-07T20:30:00+00:00inputdevdo-these-ruffles-make-my-avatar-look-fat?games158158,156,129,90,30,23,12http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/07/1928257&from=rssUS State Dept. Loses Anti-Terrorist Program Laptops
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~3/285597837/article.pl
Stony Stevenson writes "It has surfaced that the US State Department can't account for up to about 1,000 laptops, perhaps as many as 400 of which belonged to the department's Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program. Internal auditors found that the department lost track of $30 million worth of computer equipment, 'the vast majority of which... perhaps as much as 99 percent,' were laptops, according to one official. Another official calculated that the average State Department laptop costs US$3,000 and figured that meant as many as 1,000 laptops might be astray — not 10,000 laptops as the US$30 million figure suggests. They're obviously not very good at maths."<p><a href="http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/07/1857210&from=rss"><img src="http://hardware.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=08/05/07/1857210"></a></p><p><a href="http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/07/1857210&from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?a=kj4R8f"><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?i=kj4R8f" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~4/285597837" height="1" width="1"/>timothy2008-05-07T19:51:00+00:00securityaround-here-someplace-gimme-a-minuteit221221,219,168,132,44,24,17http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/07/1857210&from=rssData Recovered From Space Shuttle Columbia HDD
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~3/285581346/article.pl
WmHBlair writes "Data recovered from a 400MB Seagate hard drive carried on the Space Shuttle Columbia has been used to complete a physics experiment performed on the mission in space. The Johnson Space Center sent the recovered drive to Kroll Ontrack in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Considering the shape the drive was in (see picture in the linked article), it could indeed qualify for the 'most amazing disk data recovery ever.'" Update: 05/08 12:51 GMT by T : Reader lucas123 points out a piece at Computerworld with a series of photos of the recovered drive.<p><a href="http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/07/1834224&from=rss"><img src="http://hardware.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=08/05/07/1834224"></a></p><p><a href="http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/07/1834224&from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?a=ktMySX"><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?i=ktMySX" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~4/285581346" height="1" width="1"/>timothy2008-05-07T19:12:00+00:00nasagary-sinise-was-not-involvedscience268268,260,223,181,61,40,29http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/07/1834224&from=rssUAVs Will Study Californian Smog
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~3/285538396/article.pl
Roland Piquepaille writes "The California Energy Commission is funding a research effort named CAPPS, short for California AUAV Air Pollution Profiling Study. CAPPS will use autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (AUAVs) to gather meteorological data as the aircraft fly through clouds over Southern California. The goal is to study smog and its consequences as well as better understand the sources of air pollution. The first flights started in April 2008 and data collection will continue until January 2009. But read more for additional references and photos of these autonomous unmanned aircraft."<p><a href="http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/07/1734258&from=rss"><img src="http://hardware.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=08/05/07/1734258"></a></p><p><a href="http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/07/1734258&from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?a=xONsWP"><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~a/Slashdot/slashdotHardware?i=xONsWP" border="0"></img></a></p><img src="http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotHardware/~4/285538396" height="1" width="1"/>timothy2008-05-07T17:58:00+00:00robotwith-their-little-UN-logoshardware7979,75,57,42,13,9,6http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/07/1734258&from=rssSearch SlashdotSearch Slashdot storiesquery
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