IBM, Sony, and Toshiba release info about a new processor.

[Eagle]

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=479168

This is awesome! This processor can perform 10 computations simoultaniously (where as current processors can only do one at a time). I can't wait to get one of these puppies.

[blizz]

Well since the Sony hype machine can be educational with the truth. I think I'll wait till we actually see the goods, before proclaiming this as anything other than a much hyped chip. (Transmeta anyone?)

[Stezo2k]

Yeah, heard about this on xbox scene, spose to be 4.6 GHz isn't it? damn that's a hell of a lot of power

[Eagle]

Yeah, heard about this on xbox scene, spose to be 4.6 GHz isn't it? damn that's a hell of a lot of power

4.6 Ghz is its measured speed (or rather frequency between processing), but measured speed only accounts for it capability to process one bit. Since it is supposedly able to perform 10 processes at once, it will seem closer to 46 Ghz. This is similar to Intel's new Dual Core processor, in that Dual Core processors are supposed to be able to double the measured speed.

[Stezo2k]

4.6 Ghz is its measured speed (or rather frequency between processing), but measured speed only accounts for it capability to process one bit. Since it is supposedly able to perform 10 processes at once, it will seem closer to 46 Ghz. This is similar to Intel's new Dual Core processor, in that Dual Core processors are supposed to be able to double the measured speed.

whoa, that is a hell of a lot of power, looks like sony know what they are doing, can't wait to see what the PS3 can do, it'll be pretty damn pricey though i bet

[minkster]

Whoah...closer to 46ghz? I bet that is powerful enough to emulate PS2 and Gamecube emulators.

[Stezo2k]

Whoah...closer to 46ghz? I bet that is powerful enough to emulate PS2 and Gamecube emulators.

yeah, heck that thing could be powerful enough to emulate even the xbox 2, probably not well but maybe, not that'll ever happen though, emulating the same generation of console is pretty rare and slow

[Jakob]

whoa, that is a hell of a lot of power, looks like sony know what they are doing, can't wait to see what the PS3 can do, it'll be pretty damn pricey though i bet
you mean IBM know what they are doing, they are the chip maker in that little group.

[euphoria]

This is awesome! This processor can perform 10 computations simoultaniously (where as current processors can only do one at a time). I can't wait to get one of these puppies.
I believe that for a while now Intel and AMD have had a dual core, although the other core is only capable of doing very limited stuff. So if programmed correctly by coupling proper instructions you could actually execute the instruction simultaneously, but of course due to the limitations of x86 architecture the execution order seen by program must be non-parallel.

But all in all, very exciting news. On my local nespaper they hyped this the biggest technological invention for a decade. We'll see...

[vampireuk]

And you just know around 2 weeks after the PS3 comes out PC tech will leap ahead once again :P

[Stezo2k]

you mean IBM know what they are doing, they are the chip maker in that little group.

well yeah, i mean sony know what they are doing using IBM though, with that power i can imagine much more likelife games

[Dysprosium]

Whoah...closer to 46ghz? I bet that is powerful enough to emulate PS2 and Gamecube emulators.

Fuck, if that was optimised for GCN emulation, we'd see it faster then N64 emulation currently is, most likely. That's freaking amasing..

But, I can imagine these would go for $1000 - $1500? Not cheap, I'd say... If it's got "Sony" on it, it probably won't be cheap. :P

[Clements]

Disadvantage: The games will need to be threaded to utilise the processor to 100% = hard to program for.

[WhiteX]

Disadvantage: The games will need to be threaded to utilise the processor to 100% = hard to program for.

Extremely hard, and hot too. :icecream:

[Eagle]

Disadvantage: The games will need to be threaded to utilise the processor to 100% = hard to program for.

If you build it, they will program...

[ScottJC]

But, I can imagine these would go for $1000 - $1500? Not cheap, I'd say... If it's got "Sony" on it, it probably won't be cheap. :P
All new technologies are very expensive, haven't ya noticed?

They will drop in price very quickly afterwards, look at DVD Burners, they used to be hundreds now I can pick one up for £40, and I did too!

[Eagle]

All new technologies are very expensive, haven't ya noticed?

They will drop in price very quickly afterwards, look at DVD Burners, they used to be hundreds now I can pick one up for £40, and I did too!

IBM's intent is to join the PC processor market. Toshiba's intent is to amplify their electronics department (TV, Camcorder, etc), Sony's intent is to speed even further ahead of Nintendo and Microsoft. Out of the three, I can't see any of them happening with this processor if it costs too much for the mainstream electronics market. I don't think it will ever cost $1000 because it would defeat their intent.

[Jakob]

IBM's intent is to join the PC processor market. Toshiba's intent is to amplify their electronics department (TV, Camcorder, etc), Sony's intent is to speed even further ahead of Nintendo and Microsoft. Out of the three, I can't see any of them happening with this processor if it costs too much for the mainstream electronics market. I don't think it will ever cost $1000 because it would defeat their intent.
if they can start producing it on a 65nm process(which is the plan) then they will be fine, the first chips they've produced are 90nm, which is why it is so big right now

[Doomulation]

Extremely hard, and hot too. :icecream:
What do you know? Hard sometimes, yes, but not extremely hard.

Anyway, this things looks helluva sweet! :icecream: Geee, I'd get my hands on one if possible. If it is as good as they claim it to be, that is. We don't know much about how it performs, yet...

Heh, they confirmed running on linux, but not windows. Must be a blow to microsoft! :P

[2fast4u]

And you just know around 2 weeks after the PS3 comes out PC tech will leap ahead once again :P

thats kinda like overtaking a parked car, no?

[Jakob]

thats kinda like overtaking a parked car, no?
yes yes, but it's one hell of a parking job, and the car has all those racing fins and everything!

[WhiteX]

What do you know? Hard sometimes, yes, but not extremely hard.

Anyway, this things looks helluva sweet! :icecream: Geee, I'd get my hands on one if possible. If it is as good as they claim it to be, that is. We don't know much about how it performs, yet...

Heh, they confirmed running on linux, but not windows. Must be a blow to microsoft! :P

I read in EGM Brazil that game developers were somewhat afraid of it for it will be very different from the standard programming :alien2: , and little Bill will have its way into producing some kind of WinCell or smth like that

[Doomulation]

I've been thinking about this a little as well...
On PCs this would probably be a big hit. Normally, windows spawns about 300 threads. Yes, 300 threads! with no proggies running. When using multiple processors, windows divides the threads among them. So, what stops it from processing 10 threads at the same time with such a processor? It would be like having 30 threads on a processor than can process only one instruction at a time! What a boost, I say!

It would be hard to utilize 10 threads at least for every application unless it's really big... but with the whole windows thing, I guess it's no loss. But for consoles? I have no idea if they do support threads or how many threads they spawn.

[Jakob]

I read in EGM Brazil that game developers were somewhat afraid of it for it will be very different from the standard programming :alien2: , and little Bill will have its way into producing some kind of WinCell or smth like that
everyone fears the unknown, but without it there wouldn't be progress