AMD attacks megahertz-myth with new XP processor

AMD describes its new Athlon XP 2600+ as the 'world's highest-performing processor for desktop PCs'. For what is its new flagship desktop processor, AMD asks consumers to ignore the simple headline figures for operating speed in terms of clock cycles per second (the XP 2600+ clocks 2.13GHz). ...more

Microsoft jumps on Soapbox for YouTube rival

Microsoft has made its latest attempt to jump onto the Web 2.0 bandwagon with the unveiling of a user-driven video service. Like YouTube, the Web's most popular video site, Soapbox on MSN Video lets users upload personal videos where others can view, rate and comment on them. ...more

Intel goes 64-bit for MMX for mobiles

With the boom in 3G phones and video streaming to mobile devices showing no sign of abating, Intel has said that it has developed a new version of its MMX multimedia technology for mobile devices. The new version, Wireless MMX2, offers 64-bit extensions to improve video streaming and offer better battery life to a new generation of mobile phones. MMX2 is a set of 64-bit Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) instructions similar to the Streaming SIMD Extensions (SSE) that Intel introduced for the x86 instruction set. ...more

Apple signs up to benchmark group

Apple has become a member of BAPCo, an industry-wide organisation for computer performance benchmarking. BAPCo provided the testing software used recently to demonstrate that an Apple new MacBook Pro - running Windows - was the fastest Intel Core Duo laptop running. Its tests are based on the major software products such as Microsoft Office and the Adobe Creative Suite, although currently it does not have tools for benchmarking in OS X. ...more

New interactive TV range from Thomson

Tired of thumbing through the Radio Times in search of your favourite TV programmes? Well fret no more as Thomson launches its new range of television sets complete with time-saving interactive features. The new range of European TVs feature an interactive service called TAK and this will allow the viewer to send and receive e-mail, display an electronic programme guide (which features detailed information about current or future shows), interact with TV programmes (good for programmes that feature opinion polls) and have access to the Internet. The service is delivered via a dedicated module and a built-in modem. ...more