processors

Apple and its manufacturing partner are readying the next-generation processor expected to land in future iPhones and iPads.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, or TSMC, is expected to tape out -- one of the final steps before manufacturing -- Apple's A7 chip this month, according to a report in Digitimes.

That will set the stage for pilot production by TSMC this summer and commercial production by the first quarter of 2014.

The A7 will use TSMC's future 20-nanometer manufacturing process -- which isn't expected to be ready until 2014.

Apple, in fact, is designing products now based on … Read more

Back in February I first posed the question, "Do separate components sound better than AV receivers?" when I checked out the Outlaw Audio 975 surround processor and 7125 power amp and compared their sound with a Denon AVR-1912 AV receiver. The Outlaws handily trumped the receiver.

I ran another comparison with the Denon, this time with the Emotiva UMC-200 seven-channel surround processor ($599) and UPA-500 five-channel amplifier ($399). If you just go by the numbers, the AVR-1912's 90 watts per channel might appear to be slightly ahead of the Emotiva UPA-500 amp, which has 80 watts per … Read more

Intel might be trying to line up Apple's chip production, according to a new report.

The companies over the past year have been in talks for Apple to move its mobile chip production from Samsung to Intel, Reuters is reporting today, citing people who have knowledge of their discussions. So far, however, Intel and Apple have been unable to reach an accord.

CNET previously reported that Apple and Intel have been talking about a foundry relationship.

That Apple and Intel have talked boosts a claim made last week to Reuters by Intel custom foundry vice president and general manager … Read more

Every kitchen needs a set of tools. Sometimes, that just means a bowl or plate and the microwave. (An eating utensil might come in handy, too.) Other times, it seems that meal preparation requires every kitchen tool in the house. In any event, to keep things mixing, chopping, slicing and blending smoothly, it's important to have the right tool for the job. Or in this case, all of the tools.

The Breville All-In-One Immersion Blender and Food Processor ($199) combines the versatility of a food processor with the convenience of a stick blender. An evolution from Breville's Control Grip … Read more

Qualcomm today announced a pair of new mobile processors designed for entry-level and mid-range smartphones. Expected in handsets later this year, the Snapdragon 200 and 400 balance the high-end 600 and 800 processors introduced in January.

As the model number suggests, the Snapdragon 200 is the lower-tier processor that provides a balance of value and performance as well as improved battery life. Details include a quad-core ARM Cortex A5 with up to 1.4GHz per core, an Adreno 203 GPU, and support for HD video playback, dual SIM cards, and up to 8 megapixels in the camera.

The mid-range Snapdragon … Read more

There's no doubt that the best of today's receivers sound great and come jam-packed with a vast range of features. Even entry-level models paired with a decent 5.1 speaker/subwoofer system can do a fine job, but some buyers aim higher. They may have invested in a 65-inch or larger display, or maybe a video projector and a 120-inch screen. They crave a sound that matches the grandeur of the picture, and they can get that only with separate components like the Outlaw Audio Model 975 Surround Processor and Model 7125 Power Amp.

The Model 975 Surround … Read more

Cooking is an action sport. Oh sure, there are plenty of options for those who go the less dynamic route, but when it comes to prepping ingredients, activity is usually necessary. Certainly kitchen gadgets do their best to make life easier for those who choose to chop, slice, and dice, yet still there usually remains a need for direct involvement from the chef. Sometimes, however, it is the smallest of features on a gadget or appliance that lends the biggest hand.

The Hamilton Beach 70730 Bowl Scraper Food Processor ($49.99) is like having a third (blade-proof) hand in the … Read more

Intel will be on hand later this month at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona with some smartphone technologies in hand.

The company yesterday announced that at its booth at Mobile World Congress it'll show off "a new dual core, dual graphics platform." Intel also plans to have Android-based handsets on display that will be running its Atom Z2420 platform -- a low-powered, low-cost chip for smartphones designed for emerging markets.

Intel has been left behind in the mobile processor market. ARM, which develops chip architecture that's produced by a wide array of companies, has taken … Read more

A worker at a Samsung facility in Korea has died after an incident at one of its semiconductor facilities.

According to Korean news service Yonhap, the incident began around 11 p.m. local time last night when a 132-gallon tank of hydrofluoric acid started leaking at the company's facility. At 5 a.m. this morning, 2.6 gallons leaked in gas form. Samsung contacted STI Service, a maintenance company, to fix the leak. One person died from exposure to the acid, while four others were hospitalized.

Yonhap today claims to have spoken to a Samsung spokesperson, who said that … Read more