core

So the HTC One X doesn't have quad-core. So what?

Today, CNET and other U.S. mobile reviewers got a chance to gush over AT&T's HTC One X superphone powerhouse. It boasts a stunning 4.7-inch display, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and 4G LTE muscle. But the spec that's tripping up many is the processor: a dual-core Qualcomm chip in the U.S. instead of a quad-core Nvidia chip abroad.

On the surface of things, the change within seems like a step down for poor U.S. customers. After all, four cores (and Nvidia's fifth, "power-saving core") are better than two, right? Not necessarily.

The U.S. version for AT&T and for Sprint's forthcoming HTC Evo 4G LTE (the One X by another name) both use Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 processor, a dual-core chip that's a strong contender in its own right.… Read more

Can Groupon grow up?

Every weekday afternoon, CNET Update delivers the top tech stories of the day. The show keeps a close eye on emerging trends, hot devices and new apps. And it's all in less than three minutes.

In today's show, we speculate on Spotify, shop online with cash, and crack open a beer to look mature:

It seems the controversial cyber security bill CISPA (short for Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act) is on shaky ground. The White House threatened to veto the bill, saying it endangers the privacy of Americans and gives Homeland Security too much power.

Groupon's … Read more

Samsung announces quad-core chip for Galaxy S phone

Electronics heavyweight Samsung will put quad-core silicon in its next Galaxy smartphone, upping the ante for mobile performance.

The Exynos 4 Quad integrates four processor cores and is built on the company's cutting-edge 32-nanometer manufacturing process. The chip will run at speeds above 1.4GHz, the company said in a statement today.

As a yardstick, the third-generation iPad uses older 45-nanometer Samsung manufacturing tech and its central processing unit is dual-core (though the graphics processing unit is quad-core). And most multi-core smartphones and tablets on the market today are dual-core.

Samsung's new chip -- targeted at both tablets … Read more

Quad-core phones will be big, but not everywhere

Earlier this week, I looked at some of the technical considerations of creating a quad-core smartphone. Although I was able to delve into seven myths about quad-core phones, there's still the business side to consider.

Make no mistake, processors are big business. Every phone needs one, and there are now even more players competing to supply them. In 2010, chipmakers earned $2.385 billion in global sales of mobile phone application and multimedia processors, according to Gartner analyst Mark Hung. Of that figure, smartphones drove $1.416 billion in revenue.… Read more

Intel chip tests surface ahead of Apple, Windows laptops

New benchmarks point to decent performance jumps for upcoming Intel Ivy Bridge mobile processors. That should translate pretty directly to faster Apple and Windows laptops.

To date, we've seen plenty of Ivy Bridge desktop benchmarks but few hard numbers for mobile. Ivy Bridge is Intel's next-gen processor packing 3D transistors, improved graphics, and USB 3.0 via the accompanying chipset.

So, let's get right to the nub of the matter. Benchmark tests were conducted with a quad-core Core i7-3820QM Ivy Bridge chip and a current-generation Sandy Bridge Core i7-2960XM.

Testing based on 3DMark Vantage (entry, overall) yielded … Read more

New Toshiba all-in-ones have a certain something

Expect lots of new all-in-one designs between now and the launch of Windows 8 in the fall. Odds are high they will blend together into commoditized, mass-market PC mush. Still, there's something appealing about this new LX800-series design from Toshiba.… Read more

LG D1L could rival upcoming Samsung Galaxy S III

Though Samsung has yet to even release the phone, LG could be prepping a new flagship smartphone to rival Sammy's upcoming Samsung's Galaxy S III. According to a source close to Korea's Digital Daily, the LG D1L will offer comparable features and will make its debut in May.

The early specifications for the D1L aren't that remarkable when compared with other recent LG products like the Optimus 4X HD. It will bring a 4.7-inch, 1,280x720-pixel display, and a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor (the Galaxy S III also may have a 1280x720-pixel display, though Samsung could add a quad-core Exynos chip). Expected to run Android 4.0 Ice Cream and support 4G LTE, it's difficult to forecast why this particular model is a would-be killer. … Read more

7 myths about quad-core phones (Smartphones Unlocked)

Editors' note: This article originally posted on April 8, 2012, and was updated on December 19, 2012.

Open up your wallet today and there are no fewer than five smartphones you can buy running on quad-core processors. Seven months ago, there was one, the HTC One X, and only if you bought the international version, which lacked the 4G LTE speeds coveted by U.S. phone-buyers.

After CES next month, expect the number of announced quad-core devices to double as the core war continues to heat up.

By summer, you may turn up your nose at perfectly fast devices running … Read more

Intel's Ivy Bridge chip expected at the end of April

Intel is expected to launch its latest and greatest processor, Ivy Bridge, during the last week of April, a source tells CNET. This will be followed by a crush of new product announcements, laptops, and desktops alike.

The announcement is expected the week of April 23 or soon thereafter.

Ivy Bridge will be the biggest statement by Intel to date on the importance of graphics. Not unlike -- broadly speaking -- the emphasis Apple is placing on graphics in the new A5X chip powering the third-generation iPad.

"Graphics are the part where you're going to see the most … Read more