Intel launches second wave of Ivy Bridge processors ahead of Computex

Intel officially launched its Ivy Bridge architecture back in April with over a dozen third-generation Core i5 and Core i7 processors, all but one of them being quad-core parts destined for high-performance laptops and desktops. Now, the company is following up with another 14 processors to the line-up, only this time the chips are mainly dual-core parts catering to a number of different market segments and platforms.

The new additions consist once again of both Core i7 and Core i5 parts. Of the 14 processors, six are desktop-grade Core i5s — five quad-core parts and a single dual core — while the remaining eight are mobile processors split evenly between the standard mobile version (marked with an "M" suffix) and the ultra-low-power variants we’ll soon start seeing inside in Ultrabooks (with a "U" designation).

Desktop parts are priced between $184 and $205 in 1,000 bulk quantities, topping out with the Core i5-3570 clocked at 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) and featuring a TDP of 77 Watts. Meanwhile, the new mobile processors are priced between $225 and $346. The standard 35W parts top out with the Core i5-3520M clocked at 2.9GHz, while the i7-3667U leads the pack for ultra-low-power variants clocked at 2.0GHz.

All chips offer PCIe 3.0 support as well as features like Intel Secure Key, OS Guard, and Virtualization technologies. Detailed specifications of these new processors are available in the tables below.

As far as Ultrabooks are concerned, Intel says it has a whopping 110 different ultrabooks in the pipeline now, 30 of them featuring touch screens and 10 offering convertible designs. They’ve also slightly tweaked their definition of what it takes to build an Ultrabook, mandating either USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt, Intel Identity Protection and Intel Anti-Theft support, and have storage that is “responsive while active.”

Third generation Intel Core desktop processors

CPU modeli5-3570i5-3570Si5-3475Si5-3470i5-3470Ti5-3470S

Third generation Intel Core mobile processors

CPU modeli5-3210Mi5-3320Mi7-3360Mi5-3520M

Third generation Intel Core mobile ultra processors

CPU Modeli5-3317Ui53427Ui73517Ui7-3667U

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Posted in: ahead,Bridge,Computex,Intel,launches,processors,second

Lichtenstein sale sets new record

10 May 2012 Last updated at 08:35 GMT The hammer drops on Roy Lichtenstein's Sleeping Girl and Andy Warhol's Double Elvis

A work by Roy Lichtenstein has sold at auction for nearly $45m, a new record for the US Pop Art icon.

Sleeping Girl, from 1964, went for $44.9m (£27.8m) at Sotheby's New York sale of post-war and contemporary art.

The same sale saw Andy Warhol's Double Elvis, a life-sized silver silkscreen image of Elvis Presley depicted as a cowboy, fetch $37m (£23m).

The artwork, one of 22 Warhol dedicated to the famous singer, had been expected to sell for as much as $50m (£31m).

The sale came a day after another New York auction saw a 1961 painting by Mark Rothko set a new record for a contemporary artwork sold at auction.

Orange, red, yellow sold for $86.9m (£53.8m) at Christie's.

And last week, Sotheby's sold a version of Edvard Munch's The Scream for $119.9m (£74.3m), making it the most expensive artwork to go under the hammer.

Al Weiwei exhibited his sunflower seed exhibition in London in 2011

Wednesday's sale also saw dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei sell a portion of his porcelain Sunflower Seeds installation for a record $782,500 (£484,919).

The lot comprised about a tenth of the 100 million seeds displayed at Tate Modern in 2011, where safety fears about ceramic dust saw them cordoned off from visitors.

A Francis Bacon work from 1976 went under the hammer as well, fetching almost as much as the Roy Lichtenstein canvas.

Yet while Figure Writing Reflected in Mirror sold for an impressive $44.8m (£27.8m), it only amounted to half of the record price set in 2008 when one of Bacon's Triptychs sold for $86.3m (£53.5m).

Tate Britain announced this week that it will host a major retrospective of Lichtenstein's work in spring 2013.

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Posted in: Lichtenstein,record

Michele Bachmann becomes Swiss

9 May 2012 Last updated at 17:09 GMT Michele Bachmann husband was born to Swiss parents who settled in the US after their wedding Minnesota congresswoman and former US presidential candidate Michele Bachmann is now a citizen of Switzerland.

Mrs Bachmann, 55, is eligible for dual citizenship through her husband, who is of Swiss descent, a spokeswoman said.

A three-term Republican, Mrs Bachmann went through the process with her family when some of her children wanted to become dual citizens.

Mrs Bachmann, who herself has Norwegian ancestry, is now eligible to hold office in Switzerland.

When asked about running a campaign in Switzerland by Swiss national television, Mrs Bachmann joked that the competition "would be very stiff", referring to the Swiss parliamentarians she was meeting with on Tuesday.

While Mrs Bachmann is now registered in the canton of Thurgau in northeast Switzerland, she told Swiss TV she enjoyed visiting all different parts of the country.

"It's tough to find a place not to like in Switzerland," she said.

The Minnesota congresswoman ran for the Republican presidential nomination, but dropped out early in 2012 when she came sixth in the Iowa caucus.

As a presidential candidate she was the outspoken favourite of the Tea Party movement. Her blend of evangelical Christian social conservatism and fierce anti-tax rhetoric propelled her to the top tier of the Republican primary race in the summer of 2011.

She is now campaigning for another term in Congress representing Minnesota.

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Posted in: Bachmann,becomes,Michele,Swiss

Microsoft SkyDrive update adds Windows 8 sync, other improvements

The client software for SkyDrive, Microsoft's cloud storage solution, has been updated for both Windows and Mac OS X. Build 16.4.4111.0525 adds improved Windows 8 integration, specifically with photos and goes on to address a number of bugs and quirks. The update also aims to improve performance and the overall user experience.

Probably the biggest change in SkyDrive's client software is its Windows 8 photo manager integration. When a user logs in with their Microsoft account (a.k.a. Windows Live), the Windows 8 Photo app will work with photos from the associated SkyDrive account. This new feature will also work with the Windows 8 Release Preview, something Microsoft just released for public consumption today.

Other changes include a bump from 150,000 files to a maximum of 10 million, improved reliability in both terms of syncing and stability and quicker folder updates. In April, Microsoft had lowered the 25GB of space to 7GB but upped the maximum file size to 2GB. More storage can be purchased at a premium.

 Windows 8 integration obviously isn't useful for Mac users. However, those who do use SkyDrive on their Macs may be pleased to know that the annoyingly persistent SkyDrive icon has been taken out back and shot. 

If you already have SkyDrive installed, the update should be pushed out automatically -- SkyDrive just needs to be running. Windows users can check to see what version they are using by right-clicking on the SkyDrive icon in the system tray (right corner of the task bar) and clicking "Settings" from the menu. For Mac users, bring the SkyDrive application into focus, click the "Settings" menu at the top of the screen and then click "About". The latest build number should be 16.4.4111.0525.

If you don't have SkyDrive and would like to give it a whirl, you can download it here (Mac & PC). This installer will update to the latest version during setup.

Not sure what cloud storage is best for you? You may also want to check out our very own cloud storage comparison.

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Posted in: improvements,Microsoft,other,SkyDrive,update,Windows

Microsoft talks IE10, "Do Not Track" will be enabled by default

Yesterday, Microsoft posted an interesting look at the current state of Internet Explorer 10 on its MSDN blog. In the article, readers will discover that Microsoft is touting a faster and more fluid experience, natural touch and gesture control, metro-influenced design elements and -- to the dismay of advertisers everywhere -- "Do Not Track" will be enabled by default.

For starters, IE10 will better appeal to the fine sensibilities of touchscreen users. Unsurprisingly, the browser will be bundled with Windows 8 -- an operating system which is expected to be found on tablets and other touchscreen devices. As a result, Microsoft is touting its very own MSGesture touch gesture API which was inspired by Surface.

Other mobile operating systems such as Android and iOS include their own touch gesture APIs, but Microsoft appears to be improving upon those systems with a richer set of capabilities. IE10 will also come bundled with a touch-optimized version of Adobe Flash.

One of the most interesting elements about IE10 though, is its bold decision to turn on Do Not Track by default. 

DNT, for those who aren't familiar with the idea, is an evolving, voluntary standard (or should I say set of non-standards?) by which users can opt out of web-based tracking mechanisms via a web browser setting.

There does not seem to be a central consensus on how to do this best. Firefox, for example, requires the website you're visiting to support and respect DNT while Chrome implements it only through an extension which prevents cookies from being persistent. Internet Explorer, on the other hand, takes Mozilla's voluntary approach but supplements it with a curated DNT protection list which blocks untrusted websites that don't honor DNT.

IE's respectively heavy-handed approach to DNT is one of two reasons why Microsoft's decision to turn it on by default is so fascinating. 

The second reason? According to the Wall Street Journal, by enabling DNT out of the box, Microsoft is breaking an agreement made with the White House by the Digital Advertising Alliance -- a consortium which includes Microsoft as a member. The DAA is likely concerned about Microsoft's unilateral decision because tracking is valuable to advertisers and advertising, as we all know, is what makes much of the web go 'round.

Interested in trying it out? The latest version of IE10 is bundled with the Windows 8 Release Preview that was made publicly available on May 31. Unfortunately, IE10 Release Preview 6 is only available for Windows 8.

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Posted in: default,enabled,Microsoft,talks,Track

Windows 8 Release Preview is out, download now

Microsoft accidentally leaked yesterday that Windows 8 Release Preview would become available today and indeed, it's now here, download links are below. Windows 8's development has been considerably more open than on previous releases, we believe in part so Microsoft could introduce and tweak the new Metro interface, which has become the new face of the Windows operating system.

The combination of the new Metro-based Start screen and the traditional desktop has been criticized by many, but at this point it's become apparent there's no turning back. Microsoft is betting heavily on a new paradigm that has the traditional PC and upcoming tablets sharing a common user interface, which also resembles Windows Phone OS’ latest efforts.

We’ll bring you more details on Windows 8 Release Preview changes and new features shortly.

Download: Windows 8 Release Preview 32-bit, 64-bit or Upgrade Assistant

Product Key: TK8TP-9JN6P-7X7WW-RFFTV-B7QPF

Also available: Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate  |  Windows 8 Driver Kit

Key Features and Changes

It delivers new Bing apps, including ones for Travel, News and SportsImprovements to Mail, Photos and People apps since the Consumer PreviewIncreased personalization options for the Start screenImproved multi-monitor supportRefinements to the way people find and download apps through the Windows StoreNew Family safety features and enriched privacy and security controls when browsing online, including Do Not Track capabilities being turned on by default with Internet Explorer 10Enriched support for touch with Internet Explorer 10, including a new capability with the Release Preview called “flip ahead” that allows users the option to flip between pages with the swipe of a finger, as well as a touch-friendly  Adobe Flash Player now fully integrated into IE10; IE10 is also the first browser to enable Do Not Track “on” by default, giving customers more choice and control over their privacy

Here's a handy list of relevant Windows 8 stories, so you can catch up while you download:

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Posted in: download,Preview,release,Windows

Weekend game deals: 75% off Serious Sam 3, Killing Floor, AvP

It's a great time to grab outstanding indie games on your wishlist, between the dozens of individual titles discounted on Steam and the deals offered by Indie Royale and the Humble Indie Bundle. Also of note is the first playable (alpha) release of StarForge, an upcoming free-to-play game described as Halo meets Minecraft. Other deals include 50-75% off Saints Row: The Third, Battlefield 3, Killing Floor, Dead Island, and Serious Sam 3: BFE. As a reminder, we're giving away one copy of Diablo III or Max Payne 3.

Steam
84 Saints Row: The Third $16.99 (66% off)
83 Worms Reloaded: GotY $8.50 (66% off)
83 Worms Complete Pack $27.20 (66% off)
85 Super Meat Boy $5.10 (66% off)
88 Braid $2.50 (75% off)
82 Dungeon Defenders $7.49 (50% off)
90 World of Goo $3.00 (75% off)
81 The Binding of Isaac $2.00 (60% off)
77 Stacking $7.49 (50% off)
67 Zombie Driver $2.00 (80% off)
61 The Baconing $2.99 (80% off)
81 Osmos $3.00 (70% off)
78 Vessel $9.99 (33% off)
86 Frozen Synapse $12.49 (50% off)
81  And Yet It Moves $2.50 (75% off)
79 Capsized $4.00 (60% off)
69  Q.U.B.E. $7.49 (50% off)
83  Anomaly: Warzone Earth $4.00 (60% off)
76  Avadon: The Black Fortress $4.99 (50% off)
Double Fine Bundle $14.99 (50% off)
Psychonauts $4.99 (50% off)
Cave Story+ $4.99 (50% off)
Really Big Sky $2.50 (75% off)
Lunar Flight $2.50 (75% off)
Gish $3.40 (66% off)
Bit.Trip Runner $4.00 (70% off)
Eufloria $5.10 (66% off)
Jamestown $4.99 (50% off)
Fieldrunners $2.99 (40% off)
Waves $3.00 (70% off)
Eets $3.00 (70% off)
Edge $3.20 (60% off)
Zen Bound 2 $2.00 (60% off)
Two Tribes Pack $5.60 (60% off)
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Amazon Digital
77 Plentiful Paradox Package $12.49 (91% off)
86 Crusader Kings II $9.99 (75% off)
84 Rift $5.58 (72% off)
78 Tropico 4 $19.99 (50% off)
81 Tropico 3 $4.41 (56% off)
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GameStop
79 Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II - Retribution $14.99 (50% off)
76 Arma 2 $19.99 (60% off)
88  Rayman Origins $20.09 (33% off)
Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc $4.99 (50% off)
Titan Quest Gold $4.99 (75% off)
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GamersGate
88 Battlefield 3 $29.98 (50% off)
86  Battlefield: Bad Company 2 $5.99 (70% off)
88 Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam $4.49 (70% off)
67  Aliens vs Predator $5.08 (75% off)
Precursors $9.98 (50% off)
UFO Trilogy $6.00 (70% off)
75% off select Civilization V content
More...

Green Man Gaming
77 Killing Floor $5.98 (75% off)
75 Dead Island $11.99 (60% off)
78 Tomb Raider: Anniversary $6.99 (29% off)
More...

GameFly
75  Serious Sam 3: BFE $9.99 (75% off)

Games for Windows
62 Faery: Legends of Avalon $7.49 (50% off)

GOG
50% off the Ultima and Wing Commander series

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Posted in: deals,Floor,Killing,Serious,Weekend