Linux Kernel 2.6.27 Released

We saw the release of the 2.6.26 Linux kernel this past summer, but fall is in the air, and so is a new release. Nothing truly mind-blowing has been added to 2.6.27, but as always, if you are familiar with compiling your own kernel, there are many security and system-related updates that will make sure your computer is as good as it can be.

One nice addition is the UBI File System (UBIFS) which was developed by Nokia and the University of Szeged. Unlike more common file systems, this one will not work work common block devices, like hard drives, but rather  pure flash-based devices, although aside from a Solid-State Disk, I'm not sure what else there is.

It doesn't seem to be highly recommended that you jump over to this FS if you happen to have an SSD, but if you do, it would be wise to thoroughly read up on how it operates. Because SSD's have a limited number of write cycles, UBIFS seems to be smart in how it operates in order to keep the drive healthy. Chances are there are few who are using SSDs on Linux right now outside of a server environment, but the option is now here for those who do.

Other notable additions include an ext4 upgrade to improve performance under certain workloads, multiqueue networking, improved video camera support using the gspca driver, a voltage and current regulator framework, and a lot more. If you happen to own an ASUS Xonar D1, you'll be happy to know that support has been added for that, and the same goes for Intel's latest wireless 5000AGN chipset.

UBIFS does not work with what many people considers flash devices like flash-based hard drives, SD cards, USB sticks, etc; because those devices use a block device emulation layer called FTL (Flash Translation Layer) that make they look like traditional block-based storage devices to the outside world. UBIFS instead is designed to work with flash devices that do not have a block device emulation layer and that are handled by the MTD subsystem and present themselves to userspace as MTD devices.

Source: Kernel Newbies

Apple's Upcoming MacBook's to Use NVIDIA Chipsets & GPUs

After countless rumors, Apple's October 14th press event is official, and there's no question that it will be new MacBook's they'll be showing off, and little else. Both MacBook lines are to be not only refreshed, but overhauled. The most popular rumor is that the new notebooks will feature an aluminum chassis, which will increase durability and weight. It's also supposed to retail for a lot less than current offerings, potentially opening the doors for much wider adoption.

In late July, we linked to a story that claimed Intel chipsets on Apple's notebooks were soon going to be a thing of the past, and NVIDIA was of course the replacement on everyone's mind. Ryan at PC Perspective followed-up to an editorial he wrote around the same time and stresses that the notebooks next week will feature NVIDIA chipsets and GPUs.

This is one rumor I'm led to believe, and I trust Ryan's confidence. To me, this is only a good thing. While NVIDIA chipsets tend to use more power (wattage) than Intel's, their offerings in the IGP department are far better (especially on non-Windows machines). This is also the kind of announcement that NVIDIA must be simply dying to make, especially after a long summer of fairly unappealing press.

There are a couple other interesting points that lead me to the same conclusion that have come up since our July editorial. First, NVIDIA has been pushing OpenCL support on their integrated graphics solutions, a standard that Apple helped create. Because NVIDIA's IGP chipsets would allow for OpenCL acceleration Apple would gain support for the programming technology across all of their platforms.

Source: PC Perspective

UAC in Windows 7 Should be Slightly Less Annoying

When talking smack about Windows Vista, one of the most common aspects to pick on is the User Control Panel, or UAC for short. Even I've whined about it. Mostly, I think it's for good reason, and I think few could argue that. Microsoft themselves have even stated they went a little bit overboard, but they are quickly learning which improvements to make, so it should only improve in the future.

Though, according to the latest update in their Windows 7 blog, the improvements might not be here next month, or even next year - or until Windows 7. The blog goes into quite good detail regarding what UAC is all about, and what purpose it really serves. It goes as far as to delve into usage statistics as well, and surprisingly, the amount of UAC 'pop-ups' has drastically declined in the past year - although that might not be that surprising.

Their research further goes on to show that the number of applications to require a prompt has gone way down, which is a sign that the developers are being smarter when coding their application. The number was cut in half after the beta ended, and in half again since between the launch and now, so it's certainly getting better. For Windows 7, the outlook is looking even better, but I'm still confident it will be the very first thing I disable. Call me a rebel.

Now that we have the data and feedback, we can look ahead at how UAC will evolve—we continue to feel the goal we have for UAC is a good one and so it is our job to find a solution that does not abandon this goal. UAC was created with the intention of putting you in control of your system, reducing cost of ownership over time, and improving the software ecosystem. What we’ve learned is that we only got part of the way there in Vista and some folks think we accomplished the opposite.

Source: Engineering Windows 7 Blog

NVIDIA to Launch Three GPUs Next Month?

When NVIDIA launched their GTX 200 series in June, I don't think anyone had an idea of how fast they would be overshadowed, but leave it to AMD... it was done. Since then, NVIDIA hasn't had a truly competitive high-end part, but it appears they're working towards changing that with a few upgraded releases.

To help better compete this holiday season, The Inquirer is reporting that the big green will be launching three 'new' models - GTX 270, GTX 290, and get this, a GX2. The reason why the GTX 260/216 wasn't called the GTX 270 becomes clear with these findings. Both cards take advantage of a die shrink and clock boosts.

When the GTX 200 series first launched, a GX2 version of the cards seemed unlikely due to the sheer size of the GPUs, but thanks to these forthcoming die shrinks, it's going to be possible. It doesn't seem to be clear whether it will be based on the GTX 260 or GTX 280, but it will likely have to be the latter in order to overtake ATI's HD 4870 X2.

Two problems I foresee with the GX2 is heat and the fact that it still seems to use a dual-PCB design, which in my experience, is nowhere near as reliable as having two cores on the same PCB. Sharing the same PCB makes it easier to share other components, like memory, and on top of it, the card's production cost should be lower in the end. The dual-PCB factor was cute at first, but we really need to see a change here. You know... if this rumor is at all true.

NV is in a real bind here, it needs a halo, but the parts won't let it do it. If they jack up power to give them the performance they need, they can't power it. Then there is the added complication of how the heck do you cool the damn thing. With a dual PCB, you have less than one slot to cool something that runs hot with a two slot cooler. In engineering terms, this is what you call a mess.

Source: The Inquirer

Tech Roundup - October 10, 2008

Motherboards & Processors
• ASUS M3N78 Pro - Motherboards.org
• Palit Radeon HD 4870 X2 - GamePyre

Displays & Video Cards
• AMD MultiView On Linux - Phoronix
• ATI Radeon HD 4550 Passive 512MB - techPowerUp!
• GeForce GTX 260 vs. Radeon HD 4870 1GB - Tech Report
• Olevia/Syntax 242T FHD 42-Inch LCD 1080p HDTV - Benchmark Review
• Palit HD 4870 Sonic - Neoseeker
• XFX 9800GTX+ - Overclockers Club

Peripherals & Gadgets
• Microsoft Sidewinder X6 Gaming Keyboard - t-break
• Microsoft Sidewinder X6 Gaming Keyboard - Technic3D
• Razer Destructor Mouse Pad & Piranha Communicator - 3DXtreme
• Samsung S3 MP3 Player - TweakTown

Cooling
• Danger Den Custom Water Loop - Bjorn3D
• Evercool Transformer 6 CPU Cooler - Red and Blackness
• Waterblock Shootout - Overclock3D
• Xena II Notebook Cooler - FusionMods

Chassis & Power Supplies
• Cooler Master HAF 932 Case - Ninjalane
• Cooler Master UCP-700 700W Power Supply - ClubOC
• Raidmax RX 850-SS - FusionMods
• SilverStone OP1000-E 1000W Power Supply - PC Perspective
• Thermaltake M9D Mid-Tower - BurnOutPC

Competitions, Complete Systems & Et cetera
• Acer Aspire X1200 SFF System - TechSpot
• DXG-595V HD High-Definition Video Camera - TestFreaks
• Lenovo ThinkPad X300 13.3-inch Laptop - Think Computers
• Pinnacle PCTV HD Mini - OC Modshop