Question about computers in general

WuGgaRoOWuGgaRoO Not in the shower Icrontian
edited April 2006 in Hardware
Hey, my girlfriends dad was talking about somehting he read in the star ledger, he didnt know the name of it, but it more or less said that a new technology is coming out so that it would be pointless to buy computers for at least another year. Something to do with networking? I don't know any of the details to be honest, i just figured i could ask you guys to point me into the right direction

Comments

  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    I don't see how networking would effect an entire computer. There are 2 new major things that will be changing and that is mainly with CPU's from Intel and AMD and graphic cards from Nvidia, ATI, & Aegia... as far as networking goes wiFi and Gigabyte have been changing but nothing to the point to hold off a computer sale.

    Intel has already started to release their new Tech and AMD is set to launch in June...
  • macdude425macdude425 Mr. Roger's Neighborhood
    edited April 2006
    Well, I searched the Star-Ledger's archive from the past month and didn't see anything that had to do anything with a revolutionary new networking technology...not to mention I haven't heard of anything of the sort.

    I too wonder what is so different about it that would effect the entire computer...
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    more or less said that a new technology is coming out so that it would be pointless to buy computers for at least another year
    The technical advisor who made recommendations to you may be brilliant in other arenas of knowledge, but with computers...:bs:

    1. New technology comes out EVERY year. And EVERY year someone pontificates that it would be best to wait ANOTHER year for that big advancement that will come NEXT year. If we heeded this advice, none of us would have upgraded, built new computers, or purchased new computers in the last 15 years.

    2. It sounds like the technical advisor gets his tech news from Paul Harvey or superficial television, most of which is developed for the lowest common denominator.

    EDIT: Wugs, I really was not demeaning your girlfriend's father. I meant it - he may be brilliant in other areas.

    I see now the phrase "Star Ledger". Newspaper reporters are notorious for being dolts with respect to science, technology, the military, and just about anything technical. Their strengths tend to lie in politics, arts, and social matters. Newspaper reporting is about the LAST place I'd look for definitive technical information on anything.
  • FlintstoneFlintstone SE Florida
    edited April 2006
    The only networking advance on the horizon that I'm aware of is Wimax being pushed by Intel for notebooks. It would allow for one to be connected without being in a "hotspot" such as a Starbuck's. Todays "hotspots" are feet in range and the new Wimax "hotspots" will be miles in range. That said, I have no idea weather it will be just a simple card change as it was in my Centrino lappy to go from 802.11b to 802.11abg. I have no idea about antenna compatibility or the like. But that's it.

    Flint
  • drasnordrasnor Starship Operator Hawthorne, CA Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    He might be referring to the Sony/IBM/Toshiba Cell processors. Any device using one or more Cell processors can harness power from other Cell processors in other devices on the same network. Hypothetically speaking, if you had a whole lot of stuff that used Cells (e.g. HDTV decoders, game consoles, set-top boxes, desktop PC's) any one could tap the power of the others. From what I understand, how they are networked is unimportant though needless to say faster=better.

    -drasnor :fold:
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    From what I understand, how they are networked is unimportant though needless to say faster=better.
    Cell processing for mainstream consumer use is a long way off.
  • drasnordrasnor Starship Operator Hawthorne, CA Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    Leonardo wrote:
    Cell processing for mainstream consumer use is a long way off.
    That's what I said about dual-core processors last year.

    -drasnor :fold:
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    Big difference. Dual core technology had demonstrated on real consumer-type computers, and AMD and Intel had both announced plans for mass production. Cell technology is not nearly at that level yet, to my knowledge.
  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    My general hardware rules:
    1. If you need a machine today, then buy it today. If you can wait, wait. It will be better and cheaper later.
    2. If you can get a selection of components that have a clearer upgrade path for very little extra money then do it. Don't spend much on 'future proofing' because it doesn't work that way. By the time that you need a special new device you will want to repalce your entire machine, even if it would fit and run in you existing one.
  • tmh88tmh88 Pittsburgh / Athens, OH
    edited April 2006
    Leonardo wrote:
    Cell processing for mainstream consumer use is a long way off.


    Thats not entirely true. While cells may not be used in desktops, sony is using the cell processor in ps3 (playstation 3 for those of you living under a rock). It is estimated to be released in early 2007.

    edit - here are ps3's specs

    CPU: Cell Processor

    PowerPC-base Core @3.2GHz
    1 VMX vector unit per core
    512KB L2 cache
    7 x SPE @3.2GHz
    7 x 128b 128 SIMD GPRs
    7 x 256KB SRAM for SPE
    * 1 of 8 SPEs reserved for redundancy
    Total floating point performance: 218 GFLOPS

    GPU: RSX @550MHz
    1.8 TFLOPS floating point performance
    Full HD (up to 1080p) x 2 channels
    Multi-way programmable parallel floating point shader pipelines
    Sound:

    Dolby 5.1ch, DTS, LPCM, etc. (Cell-based processing)
    Memory:

    256MB XDR Main RAM @3.2GHz
    256MB GDDR3 VRAM @700MHz
    System Bandwidth:

    Main RAM -- 25.6GB/s
    VRAM -- 22.4GB/s
    RSX -- 20GB/s (write) + 15GB/s (read)
    SB -- 2.5GB/s (write) + 2.5GB/s (read)
    System Floating Point Performance:

    2 TFLOPS
    Storage:

    Detachable 2.5" HDD slot x 1
    I/O

    USB Front x 4, Rear x 2 (USB2.0)
    Memory Stick standard/Duo, PRO x 1
    SD standard/mini x 1
    CompactFlash (Type I, II) x 1
    Communication:

    Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T) x 3 (input x 1 + output x 2)
    Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g
    Bluetooth 2.0 (EDR)
    Controller:

    Bluetooth (up to 7)
    USB 2.0 (wired)
    Wi-Fi (PSP)
    Network (over IP)

    AV Output

    Screen size: 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
    HDMI: HDMI out x 2
    Analog: AV MULTI OUT x 1
    Digital audio: DIGITAL OUT (OPTICAL) x 1
    Disc Media:

    CD PlayStation CD-ROM, PlayStation 2 CD-ROM, CD-DA, CD-DA (ROM), CD-R, CD-RW, SACD, SACD Hybrid (CD layer), SACD HD, DualDisc, DualDisc (audio side), DualDisc (DVD side)
    DVD: PlayStation 2 DVD-ROM, PlayStation 3 DVD-ROM, DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW
    Blu-ray Disc: PlayStation 3 BD-ROM, BD-Video, BD-ROM, BD-R, BD-RE
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    Well then, I stand corrected. We'll see what inroads it makes in personal computers. I know there are several companies researching cell, to include heavyweights like IBM, I just didn't realize anything practical had been implemented yet. AMD and Intel must be watching this closely, if not very quietly tasking engineers on it now.
  • tmh88tmh88 Pittsburgh / Athens, OH
    edited April 2006
    Leonardo wrote:
    I know there are several companies researching cell, to include heavyweights like IBM......


    Actually, IBM is producing the cell processors that are going to be used in the PS3's.
  • EssoEsso Stockholm, Sweden
    edited April 2006
    Waiting for the "New" technology to be delivered is something that's gonna take us to the grave yard wink:

    The rule of thumb is not to buy the top of the line computer.
    Instead upgrade once per year (or two years).

    Also configure your PC so that it meets your requirement, not the requirement made by someone else.
    Otherwise you will be paying to much.

    Never buy the first hardware delivered to the market, because it will be expensive and contains unknown flaws.
    Let the other people make the misstakes.

    Is it just plain old age or is it just the better side of me talking for a second. Making some sense in the PC world of insanity ...
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    Esso, your rules are an excellent guide for keeping up with technology without spending a fortune and without subjecting one's self to hazards of unproven hardware.
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    But insanity is so much fun!
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    Could he have been talking about Vista?
  • EssoEsso Stockholm, Sweden
    edited April 2006
    Is this the month when all days will be for April fools ....

    AMD studies the anti-HT for its K10

    Hasta La Vista ..baby
Sign In or Register to comment.