Apple making ARM chip for MacBooks to improve their battery life

Apple

Apple is said to be developing an ARM based chip to augment some of the functionality on its next generation MacBook line of notebooks. Bloomberg is reporting that the company wants to enhance the power nap functionality of the notebooks by using an ARM chip in addition to the primary Intel processor.

As you may already know, Apple uses Intel’s silicon on its Mac line of products, however, in 2016 it added an ARM chip for the new MacBook Pro models which had the new Touch Bar. The ARM processor which has been designed and developed by Apple’s in-house chipset team led by John Srouji who leads the hardware technologies division at Apple is said to be called T310 internally.

Apple released its first Mac SoC the T1 which powers the operating system behind the touch bar user interface and also houses a secure enclave for the Touch ID fingerprint scanner on the current MacBook Pro models.

What’s Power Nap?

With the T310, Apple is looking at augmenting the power nap capability of MacBooks. Power Nap is a feature which enables the notebook to update calendars, pull emails and download software updates while even its screen is off. Currently, Macs use Intel’s chips for this function, and they sip minute levels of power during power nap.

As ARM chips are known for their power efficiency and better thermal signatures, if Apple augments its MacBooks with them, power nap could be even more power efficient and theoretically contribute towards a significant boost in battery life.

Apple software and hardware might

Apple is known for end-to-end control which has delivered it incredible success in the hardware space. Be it the iPhone, the iPad, Apple TV or even the iPods — its products have always been an interplay of software and hardware which are tuned to death so that they can work in concert with each other.

Since 2010 and the A4 chip on the iPhone 4, Apple’s team has built a capability like no-other hardware maker in the world. With the iPhone 5s in 2013, Apple even managed to usurp Qualcomm and beat to releasing a 64-bit A7 ARM based processor.

It showcases this continued might with the new iPhone 7 models and the A10 SoC and even managed to deliver class leading graphics performance with the A9X processor powered iPad Pro models.

On Macs, it doesn’t have this kind of end-to-end control as it depends on Intel for the processors. In the past few years, as the impact of Moore’s Law has diminished, Apple’s laptop offering have also suffered as a by product as Intel has been unable to deliver a groundbreaking solution for Apple’s notebooks.

Is a shift to ARM possible for Apple?

An customised ARM based chip for the Mac could go a long-way towards doing that however that would also involve completely rearchitecting macOS so that its apps work on ARM based processors. Even if that happens, Apple will need help from developers who’d need to port their existing apps to ARM or perhaps it would need to create an emulation tool of sorts which would enable existing apps to work with an ARM based Mac.

According to Bloomberg, Apple is taking a measured approach and bit by bit parsing some workloads on to the ARM chip. With the T1 chip on the 2016 Mac, it only deals with the OS for the Touch Bar and the fingerprint scanner. On the T310 which Bloomberg is reporting about it would start connecting with the storage and wireless systems of the notebook which means some apps could be adapted on some granular level for ARM.

Is Apple transitioning away from Intel?

In the long term, a move away from Intel’s processor could be a possibility as Apple has a proven capability in-house with cutting edge ARM processors. Over the years, Johny Srouji’s team has whipped out custom silicon based on ARMs designs which have ensured Apple’s iOS powered devices have had a significant performance advantage over competitor’s suing Qualcomm’s chipsets and Google’s Android operating system.

However, Apple isn’t likely to move away from Intel anytime soon at least on the MacBooks. Intel is still by far the most technologically advanced maker of PC chipsets and even if Apple adds an ARM based chip on the Macs, it isn’t likely to talk it up.

Even when the company announced the 2016 line of MacBook Pro models with the Touch Bar it didn't reveal that it had added its own custom silicon into the mix. To keep Intel happy, it is likely to not make any mention of this chip.

Should Intel be worried?

While Apple’s Mac line of notebooks only contribute 7.5 percent of global notebook shipments as per IDC, Intel should be worried. It has missed the bus in mobile and now ARM chips are the most widely used ones as opposed to its x86 processors.

Apple’s MacBook have set the standard for the industry for what can be achieved on a pro-grade notebook. They also push the limits when it comes down to design and thermal dynamics of a modern laptop. If Apple doesn’t use Intel’s silicon perhaps Intel wouldn’t be pushed to innovate so fast.

If one dials back to 2008 when Steve Jobs unveiled the MacBook Air, it was only made possible with Intel’s collaboration which highlights how Apple has impacted Intel’s chipset roadmap.

Foundries like Taiwan Semi Conductor and Global Foundries have caught up to Intel. Samsung is also breathing down its neck. Qualcomm has already announced a 10nm Snapdragon 835 processor right at the same time as Intel.

Intel has also been forced to open its foundries to fabricate ARM based chips which shows that gone are the days of Intel’s dominance in the chipset business

BlackBerry BBC100-1 might be the company’s first dual-SIM phone

A BlackBerry known only as BBC100-1 came into notice in December of last year. The device turned up on an Indonesian regulator’s website – POSTEL, with the manufacturer name being PT BB Merah Putih, which happens to be a joint venture between BlackBerry and Tiphone for producing Blackberry handsets based on Android in Indonesia.

Now, the BlackBerry DTEK60 is marked as BBA100-1 and the to-be-unveiled BlackBerry Mercury is BBB100-1 which gives an authenticity to the BBC100-1 as well.

According to a popular tipster Roland Quandt, the BBC100-1 will feature a 5.5-inch HD (1280 x 720 pixels) display and will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 425 clocked at 1.4 GHz. Additionally, there’s a 4GB RAM with 32GB onboard storage. On the photography front, the device will feature a 13-megapixel rear and an 8-megapixel front facing camera. The battery capacity on board to power the device is 3,000 mAh.

But here comes the big surprise, in his tweet, Roland has also mentioned the BBC100-1 to be a dual-SIM device

 

Opera browser to be infused with artificial intelligence

 

Opera, a name synonymous with web browsers will also soon catch up on the new bandwagon of artificial intelligence (AI). The company has invested in AI technology and in 2017 it could be the foundation behind all its products which include the Opera web browser on the desktop, Opera Mini on Android smartphones, Opera Max VPN, a privacy and ad-blocking tool and its VPN client, revealed Opera’s Sunil Kamath to Gizmodo India.

Kamath, who is the company’s vice president for South and South East Asia revealed that its new Chinese parent Kunlun Tech has built a team in Beijing, China which works in tandem with Opera’s team in Scandinavia, which is working on a new AI platform.

This team is working on a new algorithm which works in tandem with content curation teams like the one in India.

“AI will be at the core of what we do,” said Kamath. “We want to use AI to be more predictive to give the consumer what he or she wants,” he added.

Opera which is the 5th largest web browser in the world and has over 300 million users across its range of products on mobile and desktop combined, is sitting on a lot of data. Opera believes this data can be used by AI to intelligently offer content to users who use its products.

Opera Neon a test bed for AI?

Opera which recently launched the Neon browser ; an outlandish experimental web browser is hoping to use it like a test bed for all its new endeavours.

“Expect crazy AI stuff on Neon,” said Kamath. “I would say Neon is like a test bed for us. It will be the platform for us to test new technologies and get feedback from consumers and geeks alike,” he said.

The feedback it will receive will eventually trickle down the main Opera products which also holds true for its artificial intelligence dreams.

Kamath also believed that innovation on the desktop browser was important which was a reason behind the investment behind Neon.

“We want the consumer to choose, which is why we believe innovation on desktop is important,” Kamath added

Kunlun a positive influence

A lot of the new direction is because of Kunlun which is the new Chinese parent behind Opera. This also includes its move towards leveraging artificial intelligence.

“Even with the new Chinese owner we haven’t changed the way we work,” revealed Kamath.

Additionally, Kamath added that the core Opera technology and product team was still based out of Scandinavia.

He viewed being owned by a Chinese company to not being a disadvantage but rather felt that if a company was ethical in its practices, it would always do the right thing for its users.

Chinese billionaire Zhou Yahui who owns Beijing Kunlun Tech is in fact promoting a culture where Kunlun learns from Opera.

“He wants to incorporate some of the Opera practices in his organisation,” said Kamath.

Opera under Kunlun also doesn’t face the heat of the stock market as it is now privately held.

“Opera was always shareholder-oriented and now since we are a private company, we are very aggressive the way we build our marketshare,” revealed Kamath, citing the positive influence of the acquisition on the company.

1 billion users

One of the big ambitions Opera has under its new parent is to have 1 billion users. Google’s Chrome browser has already hit that mark, but Opera doesn’t intend to compete with it as it is far behind with 300 million users.

“Opera’s focus has been on increasing the pie of mobile users than focusing on taking away marketshare from the competition,” said Kamath.

In a way, Opera wants to more than triple its user base in two years. For this, it is hedging its bet on a mobile first strategy which is working in a market like India typified by the fact that India is the number 1 market for its Opera Max service which alone has 50 million users across the world.

“We are on a roadmap to get a billion users on Opera and if mobile is the most obvious channel, then yes,” said Kamath. “In emerging markets we are very mobile first,” he added, something that’s not new.

In India, it continues to work with likes of Micromax, Karbonn and Intex. In some cases, like in case of the Samsung Galaxy J, it opens up an application programming language (API) for a product like the Opera Max, and the OEM sells it like its own feature. This is another way it acquires users who don’t directly use its products.

Recently, it also launched a video on demand service in a bid to differentiate itself from the competition and offer more features to its users.

To help itself reach the 1 billion user mark, Opera sees India as key.

“In India we want to double our marketshare in the next two years from where we are today. We will depend on technology and distribution which means we will invest in this market and we will go into tier 2 and tier 3 cities and create a brand to get mobile users on board, and if Opera is the entry channel for that, it will be great,” said Kamath.

Sony to launch PS4 Pro and PS VR in India this February

 This is a shout-out to all PlayStation gamers out there waiting for the newly unveiled PS4 Pro and PS VR. The console is finally hitting the Indian markets. The devices are scheduled for a launch in mid-February 2017.

The launch will also include the PS4 Slim. The PS4 Pro will be priced at Rs 38,990. PS VR on the other hand is expected to be priced at Rs 41,990. PS4 Slim will be sold at the same price as the regular PS4- Rs 27,990 for 500GB variant and Rs 32,990 for the 1TB variant.

PS 4 Pro is the more powerful variant of the regular PS4. The console gets a powerful hardware setup to take on 4K gaming and VR gaming with ease. PS4 Pro is also faster in general game related responsiveness thanks to its hardware.

PS4 Slim is a slightly sleeker variant of the existing PS4. The device gets an all matte trim as opposed to a semi glossy finish on the previous version. The console, as the name suggests, looks a lot slimmer and clean with slight curvy edges.

The console however lacks a SPDIF port, which was present on the previous PS4, which could be deal breaker for many.

Consoles will be shipped with the same DualShock 4 controllers as the original PS4.

The PS VR on the other hand will come in two variants, one with a Sony camera and one without it. The bundle without the Sony Camera will be priced at Rs 37,990.

The reason for the apparent delayed of the consoles and the VR headset hitting the Indian markets was due to the non-reception of the BIS certification and other logistical challenges the brand faced, according to a report by Gadgets360.

This is also the reason there is no specific date for the launch of the consoles as of now.
This is a shout-out to all PlayStation gamers out there waiting for the newly unveiled PS4 Pro and PS VR. The console is finally hitting the Indian markets. The devices are scheduled for a launch in mid-February 2017.

The launch will also include the PS4 Slim. The PS4 Pro will be priced at Rs 38,990. PS VR on the other hand is expected to be priced at Rs 41,990. PS4 Slim will be sold at the same price as the regular PS4- Rs 27,990 for 500GB variant and Rs 32,990 for the 1TB variant.

PS 4 Pro is the more powerful variant of the regular PS4. The console gets a powerful hardware setup to take on 4K gaming and VR gaming with ease. PS4 Pro is also faster in general game related responsiveness thanks to its hardware.

PS4 Slim is a slightly sleeker variant of the existing PS4. The device gets an all matte trim as opposed to a semi glossy finish on the previous version. The console, as the name suggests, looks a lot slimmer and clean with slight curvy edges.

The console however lacks a SPDIF port, which was present on the previous PS4, which could be deal breaker for many.

Consoles will be shipped with the same DualShock 4 controllers as the original PS4.

The PS VR on the other hand will come in two variants, one with a Sony camera and one without it. The bundle without the Sony Camera will be priced at Rs 37,990.

The reason for the apparent delayed of the consoles and the VR headset hitting the Indian markets was due to the non-reception of the BIS certification and other logistical challenges the brand faced, according to a report by Gadgets360.

This is also the reason there is no specific date for the launch of the consoles as of now.
This is a shout-out to all PlayStation gamers out there waiting for the newly unveiled PS4 Pro and PS VR. The console is finally hitting the Indian markets. The devices are scheduled for a launch in mid-February 2017.

The launch will also include the PS4 Slim. The PS4 Pro will be priced at Rs 38,990. PS VR on the other hand is expected to be priced at Rs 41,990. PS4 Slim will be sold at the same price as the regular PS4- Rs 27,990 for 500GB variant and Rs 32,990 for the 1TB variant.

PS 4 Pro is the more powerful variant of the regular PS4. The console gets a powerful hardware setup to take on 4K gaming and VR gaming with ease. PS4 Pro is also faster in general game related responsiveness thanks to its hardware.

PS4 Slim is a slightly sleeker variant of the existing PS4. The device gets an all matte trim as opposed to a semi glossy finish on the previous version. The console, as the name suggests, looks a lot slimmer and clean with slight curvy edges.

The console however lacks a SPDIF port, which was present on the previous PS4, which could be deal breaker for many.

Consoles will be shipped with the same DualShock 4 controllers as the original PS4.

The PS VR on the other hand will come in two variants, one with a Sony camera and one without it. The bundle without the Sony Camera will be priced at Rs 37,990.

The reason for the apparent delayed of the consoles and the VR headset hitting the Indian markets was due to the non-reception of the BIS certification and other logistical challenges the brand faced, according to a report by Gadgets360.

This is also the reason there is no specific date for the launch of the consoles as of now.

 

Bizarre New ‘Love’ Turntable Rotates on Your Records

Turntables, even those with five-figure prices, operate on the same basic premise: a stationary needle follows the grooves of a spinning record, translating vibrations into electrical signals, which are then translated into sound. Love flips that. The oblong player, designed by Yves Behar, spins around your vinyl like the hand of a clock. It’s weird. Really weird. Audiophiles might even call it blasphemous. So just wait until they hear Love can skip tracks, connect to Bluetooth, and be operated with your phone.
Founder CH Pinhas created Love because he was tired of the fussiness associated with playing records. There was too much flipping. Nevermind trying to skip to his favorite song. “Love was born out of frustration,” he says. “I thought the experience should be simpler.” He wanted to make listening to vinyl as easy as listening to Spotify—only with better sound. “Sound-wise, it’s what you expect from a traditional turntable,” he says. “But as far as user experience goes, it’s completely new.”
The player, now raising money on Kickstarter, features a flat base that holds the record, and the tonearm that spins around it. The tonearm revolves around a spindle that supports its weight, and only the needle touches the vinyl. “There’s no weight on the grooves,” Pinhas says. The “intelligent” turntable responds to commands from a Bluetooth-connected phone app.

AN OPEN LETTER TO 2FACE IDIBIA

I write this letter out of the goodness of heart and out of the urge to educate the Nigerian populace about a serious issue that is fast arising, thus using this medium to convey my conviction and exercise my civic duty.
Being the convener of arguably Nigeria’s most prominent intellectual youth gathering ‘THE NATIONAL CAREER FAIR’, I have, firsthand, been involved in the development of the Nigerian youth; a faction that constitutes over 50% of the entire country’s population.
A few days ago, I stumbled on some information on the internet, precisely, ‘A call to march, by Innocent ‘2Face’ Idibia a.k.a 2Baba to publicly rebuke the inactions of our government towards our plights and sufferings. Oh! At last! Some action, was my first thought.
Personally, I have always been bewildered at the level as to which the Nigerian government has belittled us to. No water, no electricity, bad roads, poverty, inflation, lack of security and other vices, however, the most ridiculous parts are, on one hand, the unaccountability- the fact that they (government officials can do anything without accounting for their actions to the public), and on the other hand is the fact that they make it seem like they are doing us (the masses) a favor.
We in turn, ‘deitize ‘them when they eventually do as low as 5% of their constitutional obligation to us. Anyone can understand Mr. Idibia’s conviction when he says ‘Say no to the executive, no to legislatures, no to judiciary…you have all failed us… We the people are tired, we can no longer continue with all of you…’
In 2012, a march was led by top celebrities to stop the then president, Goodluck Jonathan from removing the subsidy, thus averting a fuel price hike. It worked like magic and the fuel price was reduced to a favorable rate for most people. While most people (including myself) do think the march will be a great idea and will affect change (a word I’m most skeptical to use at the moment), I have other concerns as to the time which the call has been made, the caller of the march, and most importantly the true motif behind this march.
Like is mentioned earlier, I am writing this piece out of good will, and I honestly do not have the intention of smearing or chastising anyone’s image, however the truth must be told. Barely a month old after the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode led Lagos State Government successfully executed its ONE LAGOS FIESTA with numerous artistes, entertainers and celebrities in attendance.
Afterwards an artiste has risen up to say he wants to be given answers as to why we are suffering and he demands to know what the recovered money has been used for. I find this funny, not only because these artistes were paid millions of naira to perform at the ONE LAGOS FIESTA with tax payers’ money or looted funds, but also because this sudden call for ‘the march in LAGOS’ was not echoed long before now or more specifically before the ONE LAGOS FIESTA little wonder most entertainers are claiming unavailability or outright refusal to attend this march. . It is therefore a complete aberration for any artist to stage a protest in the same environment that has contributed immensely to growth of the entertainment industry (you cannot bit the hand that fed you).
Something that caught my attention was the fact that during Jonathan’s tenure, people were ready to march without reason and during the subsidy removal; the whole nation was down the previous president’s throat. On the other hand, when the subsidy was removed during this tenure, no one was willing to march. While we castigated the NLC for being unreasonable to the plight of the people when president Buhari assumed power and removed the subsidy from the fuel price. Why then has the need to arise and march come at a time when elections are fast approaching and the presidency seems weak become a top priority? Could it be ‘an eye for an eye?’
Another issue to analyze is Mr. Idibia’s contribution to the society. It is true that he initiated the VOTE NOT FIGHT campaign which was a great innovation, but its authenticity can also be questioned. Judging by Mr. Idibia’s precedent and his failure to contribute to youth development and job creation in Nigeria, we might be forced to say this ‘CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME’.
Taking a sneak peek into what has been trending in the news recently, one would wonder how 2Baba has been quiet about the gory situation in his own state of origin – Benue state. Every day, a fisher man or farmer is reportedly killed by Fulani herds men and yet this was worth just a post from social media only by 2baba about. You might want to argue that this march is a national one so it covers it all, but don’t be quick to forget that one doesn’t wear P.O.P all over his or her body when only the arm is fractured.
Benue state recently agreed a peace treaty with the neighboring state where allegedly the murderous Fulani herdsmen were coming from: yet not a single word was uttered about this by our ‘peace maker’ 2Baba. Let me take you back to the years when the Senate President was David Mark, both hail from the same state but the former was unpopular even in his own constituency. The then Senate President went on to open his own private university at a period of time when the federal institution BENUE STATE UNIVERSITY was shut down for months thus growing his unpopularity rapidly. At this time, we heard nothing from the African Queen Crooner who is most loved by the Benue people as this is portrayed by the massive turnouts of the Benue people for his Star Trek Concerts whenever he is headlined in Makurdi.
Taking a look at his catalogue, you will be convinced that he has always been an activist. This time, the main question is- is he doing this for people because he feels their pains or just to score cheap publicity points in a process that sees him dropping a new record or body of work?
IMPORTANT POINT HERE => How many artistes/talents within his FESTAC or Benue home has he signed to a record label or mentored to become a successful artiste? (Olamide, Wizkid, DonJazzy, Davido are worthy examples).
Just two years ago, he staged a well attended wedding ceremony in Dubai, contributing to the GDP of another country, ignoring our own local event planners, vendors and caterers. Unlike some other young successful entrepreneurs like Akin Alabi (CEO, Nairabet), Sijibomi Ogundele, Ifeanyi Uba, Toyin Lawani (CEO, Tiannah Empire) who are job creators and also inspires other youths towards positive inclinations, one can ask how much support Mr. Idibia has given to youth empowerment initiatives in our Nation.
In March 2009, a march against power failure was organized, however it made no headway, as up till today we bask in darkness. My point here is based on the fact that the opposition party always uses this march as a tool to make the ruling government look weak (for example, it’s no news that the APC was behind the march against subsidy removal by President Jonathan in 2012. It is true that the ploy won’t be fruitful if the ruling government has performed at or above par; however, the motive behind these marches is always the main drive. Are we certain about our security during the march? Certainly, I might appear to you as a chicken right now, which is not willing to journey that walk of freedom. However, has the thought of being set up crossed anyone’s mind?

What if the opposition wants a march to provoke the armed forces of the ruling government, thus causing casualties? Or worse still, the opposition plan with the armed forces to injure or kill innocent protesters and blame it on the presidency. Either ways, we (the masses) suffer.
I am not at liberty to use direct words here, but I came across some comments online which has cemented my belief that while the cause might be innocent, the actions might be blemished. Coincidentally, a certain brotherhood movement aligns with the keyword of the march, which can be tagged ‘freedom’. Although, this brotherhood preaches freedom and emancipation, it is a hard task to vouch for any member or even the organization, thus many of its members, including top celebrities have expressed their availability for the march in lingua that is attributed exclusively to this ‘group’. On the day of the said protest, Lagosians and other Tax Payers will experience serious hardship in carrying out their day-to- day business activities. This is in addition to the risk of crime amidst the usual breakdown of law and order that characterizes such unorganized mammoth gatherings. The cons far outweigh the pros and the endeavor itself is an ill wind that will no doubt wreak havoc on a number of levels. Therefore, the guarantee of a peaceful and safe march is not 100% assertive.
I use this medium to encourage true Nigerians to be wise in their dwellings, it is safe to say that the march is a gesture of true patriotism; however, one must be really careful as motive supersedes all. I encourage Nigerians to call for justice and accountability in all ways they deem fit, march, protest or empowerment. The most important thing is to be true in whichever way we wish to call for accountability.
I seize this opportunity to employ our youths to refocus their energies and time towards self discovery, skills & talent acquisition, and entrepreneurship development activities. I also implore youths and fellow Nigerians to emulate several career role models who have created their success stories amidst difficulties.
In recession, new millionaires are made. This is the time for everyone to obey Nigeria’s call of conscience and hope in order to help rebuild our nation. We need more successful entrepreneurs, professionals and organization who will invest their money in other startups, volunteer to provide internship, work study and training opportunities to develop a skillful workforce.
Feel free to share your Thoughts.
GOD BLESS NIGERIA!!!
Shogbamu Oluwaseun
CONVENER, NATIONAL CAREER FAIR.