'Westmere', a focus for Intel

Intel's upcoming 32-nanometer 'Westmere' processor, aimed at desktops and notebooks, will be a key topic of discussion at the Intel Developer Forum in September, according to eWeek.

The six-core chip will include such features found in the 45nm 'Nehalem' chips as Turbo Boost, as well as improved virtualisation capabilities.

Some of the chips will also have hyperthreading capabilities, enabling them to process two instruction threads simultaneously.

There's no longer a difference between a netbook and a notebook, thanks to netbooks' move to more features and larger-size screens - the distinction between the two can now be considered little more than marketing speak, states CNET News.

In theory, the value of a netbook - with its small keyboard, small screen, and lack of an optical drive - versus an ultra-light laptop with a long battery life and a full-size keyboard for roughly the same price, was very low.

But given the way PC makers are packaging and selling consumer ultra-low voltage processor notebooks, it's obvious that netbooks are nothing more than smaller, cheaper notebooks.

Strontium Technology has released its 4GB double data rate 3 (DDR3), 1333 MHz, memory modules for desktops and laptops in India, reports IT News Online.

The company says its 4GB DDR3 module exhibits higher capacity, lower energy consumption and better heat dissipation, making it an optimal memory upgrade for today's powerful, compute-intensive hardware and software platforms.

Vivian Singh, CEO of Singapore-based Strontium Technology, says, "To address the need for a more powerful memory support, we have come up with 4GB DDR3 in a single module for our customers."