MacBook Pro owners' nightmares continue

It's been nearly three months since Apple released its 1.7 firmware update to address performance limiting issues with the initial 1.6 firmware that shipped with the latest 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro notebooks, according to DailyTech.

The 1.6 firmware limited interface speeds of SATA II drive to just 1.5Gbps, instead of the full spec speed of 3.0Gbps.

The documentation provided with the 1.7 firmware update notes that while this new update allows drives to use transfer rates greater than 1.5Gbps, Apple has not qualified or offered these drives for Mac notebooks and their use is unsupported.

Intel has introduced its most advanced desktop processor ever, the Intel Core i7 processor, states RBoffers.

The Core i7 processor is the first member of a new family of Nehalem processor designs and is the most sophisticated ever built, with new technologies that boost performance on demand and maximise data throughput.

The Core i7 processor speeds video editing, immersive games and other popular Internet and computer activities by up to 40% without increasing power consumption.

AMD says its Phenom II X4 quad-core processors deliver better price and performance results on desktop PCs than Intel's new i5 processor and P55 chipset, reports NewsFactor.

AMD's Matt Davis says Intel users will need a new motherboard and possibly a new GPU, unlike AMD platforms.

Intel introduced a new Core i5 750 processor and a single-chip P55 Express chipset last week that represent the latest challenges to rival AMD.