The way the plan works is that the buyer is allowed one CPU replacement with no questions asked. The new insurance is called the Performance Tuning Plan and is valid only on certain CPUs. It is in addition to the normal 3-year warranty and costs just a little extra to get.

If the processor fails under normal use, the regular warranty fixes it. If it fails under overclocking, the tuning plan replaces the part. This sounds pretty cool to me. I wonder if AMD will follow suit. Pricing for the plan varies from $20 to $35 (USD) making this cheap insurance for overclockers – especially when spending $1000 or more on a top-of-the-line Core i7-3960X CPU.

The touchpad runs along the base of the keyboard. When the device is closed, the visible gap converts to an touchscreen, using a custom Windows 8-esque “Metro” interface to display one or two rows of tiles. Users can tap them to access a summary of pertinent information such as their calendar, e-mail, Facebook or news updates. You can also view power settings, the date and time without opening up the laptop’s lid.

Keep in mind that the touchpad itself isn’t a display. It’s just letting you see through to the laptop’s screen underneath, and software automatically changes what’s displayed when the laptop is closed.

Intel is also partnering with Nuance in order to develop voice recognition technology for the device and wants to retail it for less than $600 (USD).

[via The Verge via Designboom]

They can cook your breakfast. A team at the Technical University in Munich programmed a pair of Willow Garage PR2 robots to shop for groceries and cook sausages…

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And this one is learning how to flip pancakes all on its own…

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They can play the trumpet. A few years back, Toyota showed off  it’s Partner Robot, which could actually blow through its robotic lips, and play a little tune. Hi-ho! It’s off to work he goes…

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They can fetch you a beer. The Asahi Robocco BeerBot actually has a refrigerator for a stomach, and when you’re ready for a cold brew, it grabs a can out of its belly, cracks it open for you, and pours you a frosty mug…

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They can shampoo your hair. Panasonic recently showed off a robot which soaps up your hair, then scrubs your head, getting your hair nice and clean, while giving you a bit of a robotic scalp massage…

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They can ride a bicycle. You’d think that the constant balance adjustments we humans do when riding a bicycle would be a challenge for robots, but the Primer-V2 has no trouble keeping upright on his pint-sized two-wheeler…

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They can play the drums. Not to be outdone by the trumpet-playing robot, the Yellow Drum Machine robot is a homebrew robot who reacts to its environment, searching for things which make a pleasing sound, and then proceeds to play drums on their surface.

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They can lift sick patients from their beds. The RIBA II assistance robot can lift patients weighing up to 176lbs. from their beds, helping them avoid bedsores, and move them to a wheelchair from bed or vice versa…

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They can try on clothes for you. The Fits.Me droid provides users with an adjustable mannequin, which can be fitted with clothing, and then adjusted to match your own body specifications. This way, you can see if an outfit fits without hitting the dressing room -  or at least if it looks good on a robot…

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They can draw portraits. Designer Patrick Tresset combined a simple robotic arm with a video camera and custom software to snap pictures of subjects, and then draw a rough version of the person using pen and paper.

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They can help the disabled overcome physical challenges. Using a robotic exoskeleton, paraplegic UC Berkeley student Austin Whitney was able to walk on stage to receive his diploma…

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While some of these robots perform mundane or silly tasks, other are actually really helpful. Regardless of the importance of the task, the underlying advancements in robotics, mechanical engineering, software and artificial intelligence might someday find its way into a robot who builds you your house, delivers your baby, or administers CPR. Or you could just have an awesome robotic meal from your robot butler. Who knows?

This is post is part of Technabob’s Innovations Series, in partnership between Technabob and Intel®: Sponsors of Tomorrow. The Innovations Series is here to enlighten and stimulate discussion about technology and its impact on our everyday lives.

The hexapod uses 21 motors, a web camera, and a tiny PC to amble around. The robot uses computer vision and machine-learning algorithms to help determine how to stand itself up and navigate its world. Matt built this project for grad school and was contacted by Intel to help recreate replicas of his hexapod ‘bot for them. Matt is pursuing a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering and he’s currently working on DARPA’s Cheetah Project.

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All things concerned, I wonder how smart Matt’s ‘bots will end up being. Hopefully, with the end of the world behind us, they’re won’t be a Robot Apocalypse coming anytime soon.

[Intel via Ubergizmo]

Mike had a bunch of parts he was going to put in the trash, and decided to give them new life as a robotic sculpture. He gathered up discarded circuit boards and parts from friends and family too, and managed to build a robot with quite a personality.

He’s got body parts from Dell, AMD, IBM, Maxtor, Toshiba, Sharp, Gateway among others. Nice touch there with the CPUs and flash drives for his brains.

I especially like the eyes – which came from some old Canon and HP digital cameras. You know that thing they say about the eyes being the window to one’s soul, right?

All in all, it’s a loving tribute to technology that at one point was an integral part of someone’s livelihood, education or entertainment. I think we need to build an entire shrine to old technology filled with these guys.

[via Total Geekdom]

As shown in the demo below, not only will we be able to stream video while transferring data at blinding speeds, we can also move data around between two devices even if they’re not directly connected to each other, as long as they’re both connected to a third Light Peak-enabled device. And so on.

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I hope this doesn’t mean that Apple computers will have even fewer ports. “The 2013 MacBook Pro has only one port – the magical Light Peak port, since you can daisy chain your other devices to the device that you connect to that one revolutionary Light Peak port, creating a cluttered mess that changes everything. Again. For the worse. What an awesome port. If a unicorn and a strip of bacon had a child it would be this port. It’s simple. It’s amazing. Simply amazing. Amazingly simple. Adverbly adjective.”

[via 9to5 Mac via The Fox is Black]

The Switchblade concept is a small device created in conjunction with Intel and Razer engineers that uses the Atom processor and Windows for PC gaming in a portable form factor. The device has multitouch screen, along with a tactile keyboard that dynamically adapts to the game you’re currently playing.

The Switchblade supports 3D graphics and HD video according to Razer and it looks really cool. I have no idea if this will ever leave the concept world and become something we can buy. If Intel worked on it with Razer, it may well get real some day.

Several laptops with Core i5 CPUs come with this feature built in. The folks at Intel were kind enough to send us a Sony VAIO VPCS111FM laptop, along with the $119 NETGEAR Push2TV receiver module for testing. Setting up the system is pretty painless.

Just plug the Push2TV into an outlet, then connect it to your TV using either the HDMI or composite outputs. I only tested with HDMI, and I would think picture quality would suffer greatly on composite – especially at today’s resolutions.

Before pairing, I would recommend that you make sure you have the latest Intel Wireless Display software and reboot the laptop. Once  you do that and the Push2TV is powered on, you simply press the special wireless display button on the PC, select the display you want to connect to, and pair up by entering  a 4-digit auth code displayed on the TV.

Upon establishing a connection, the computer automatically switches into 1280×720 (720p) resolution, which appears to be the maximum resolution the technology currently supports. Audio on your laptop is also automatically muted once connected, so as not to have a maddening echo across the room. Yes, there is a slight (less than 1/2 second) delay between what you do on the the laptop and when it appears on your TV screen, but it would only be a problem if you were trying to use the wireless display to play games – clearly not the primary use case for this.

As you can see from these photos, your TV really does display exactly what’s on your PC, which is cool for web surfing, and enjoying all manner of online content on your TV. Keep in mind that since they’re using Windows display mirroring to achieve this, so you can’t display different content on the TV from what’s on your laptop.

I tested with everything from YouTube to Hulu to Vimeo to Netflix, and all video content played back very well across from across the room. Web content and PC applications are where the technology clearly shines.

So what’s the bad news? Well, the biggest issue with this wireless display tech is that it failed to work with every single DVD I threw at it, thanks to copyright protection issues. I tried new discs and old ones, and every one eventually displayed the dreaded copyright fail message. Sometimes I’d get as far as the FBI warning, and other times the disc would just fail to play entirely. Conversely, all discs I tested played properly on the PC when the wireless display was disabled.

While I am disappointed by this shortcoming, it’s really a non-issue for streamed content, your home movies, and digital videos played locally on your machine. It really only comes into play with DVDs or Blu-ray discs.

One other note: If you only have a 5GHz network set up, you need to switch your laptop to use the 2.4GHz network on your router, as the Push2TV doesn’t support 5GHz networks. Also keep in mind that the recommended distance between your computer and the Push2TV is a maximum of 12 feet away for best performance.

So with its gaming limitations and DVD/Blu-ray playback, and competition from devices like Google TV and Apple TV, you may wonder where the Intel Wireless Display tech fits in. Well, it does have a place. In my opinion, it would be absolutely great for business presentations where you want to get content from your laptop onto a big screen TV. I have this exact situation in my office, and it would be way easier to use this for the occasional presentation instead of running an HDMI to DVI cable across the room – and that doesn’t support audio. The wireless connection is a real bonus in those situations. And since it doesn’t really add to the cost of the laptops, the $119 MSRP Push 2 TV is your only cost – and you can find that at Amazon for only $85 these days.

The system also has got a leg up over dedicated devices in that services like Hulu and other web-based content video sites can’t be blocked from playback on your big screen like they have been on Google TV. Sure, the system’s limitations do narrow its usefulness, but it’s still got some differentiators. If Intel could find a way to reduce the lag and to allow playback of DVDs and Blu-ray discs, it would be just that much more compelling for entertainment purposes. That said, if you need to do business presentations and have a big screen TV with an HDMI input, Intel’s Wireless Display technology is a solid bet.

[FTC Disclaimer: Technabob was provided with the hardware tested in this review by Intel at no cost. However, all reviews on Technabob are the unbiased opinions of our authors, and in no way represent the views of Intel, Sony, Netgear or other product manufacturers.]

Intel recently showed off their HERB project, which stands for Home Exploring Robot. The robot butler was built using six multi-core computers along with multiple sensors so that it can perform various tasks in your kitchen for you, such as getting you that beer or making you dinner.

HERB can toss things in the trash, serve you, sort dishes, place them in the dishwasher, and a lot of other things. However, it’s going to take a while before you’ll be able to take HERB home to do your dirty work. There are still plenty of bugs to iron out before this can happen. Once this is done though, we can all look forward to having our very own robot manservants. Of course, if you have the kind of money that HERB will likely cost, you could just hire your own staff of human servants.

[Fast Company via DVice]

When Intel strapped its Atom line of processors with a screen size limitation of 10.2-inches I wondered why it even bothered with the netbook segment if they obviously didn’t really want to sell the Atom CPUs. Intel has now got at least half a clue and announced that it would be lifting the screen limits for the Atom N550 CPU.

The CPU is set to launch in the second half of 2010. Makers can now put the CPU into machines with up to 12.1-inch screens. Those machines must run at least 1GB of DDR3 RAM and at least a 32GB SSD or a 250GB HDD. Wait a minute, those are still limitations!

[via DigiTimes]

My sources sent me that picture, and they swore to me that that the Core i7 processor literally looks like its logo and is really that big. Something tells me I shouldn’t trust my sources anymore.

[via ZDNet via Gear Live]

It’s all fancy tech, but I don’t think the current gambling generation will be so impressed or welcoming of the improvements on their end. I mean, if you’ve been playing poker using good ol’ cards for decades, it won’t be that easy to switch to touchscreens won’t it?

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Also, isn’t a Core2Duo slot machine just overkill? Will players be able to send instant messages or emails while playing? Will I be able to blog using the slot machine itself while gambling? Will I?

The signage is split into two panels: the one on the right is an LCD panel which constantly scrolls through ads, much like the ones we see today, but it’s actually a touchscreen, with a single pathetic additional function – allowing people to scroll or select which ad they’d like to see. Now the panel on the left, that’s more high-tech: it’s a simulated “holographic” panel that displays everything from a store map to a preview of actual items on sale, and it can even beam coupons to (smart)phones. Watch as Intel’s resident nerds awkwardly explain their baby:

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Mr. Stock’s remark at 1:00 has to be the most dismissive “very nice” I have ever heard in my entire life. That’s just cold. Speaking of colds, won’t a public touchscreen be a prime lot for germ fiestas? You can read more about Intel’s project on their website.

[via istartedsomething]

The guys at Microvision have put together this demo of their PicoP display engine, strapped to a motion-sensing FPS gun controller – and it’s awesome! The system tracks your movements in real time and projects a heads-up display on a blank white wall to keep you immersed in the gameplay. The tiny mobile projector can crank out images up to 200-inches (assuming you’re in pitch darkness), and can automatically produce a distortion-free image on flat or curved surfaces. For purposes of this demo, the controller is wired up to play a game of Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising.

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Want to see it in person? If you happen to be in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada over the course of the next couple of days, Microvision is showing off the PicoP gaming demo at the Intel Extreme Masters North American Championship at the West Edmonton Mall. While you’re there, you can be dazzled by the m4d 5k1llz of some of the best video gamers in world.

Too violent for you? The Microvision guys will also be showing off a projector-controller demo with Aladdin flying around on a magic carpet. I’ll be standing on the other side of the room with my GunCon to shoot it down.

[via PicoProjector]

This old Bakelite Zenith record player has even had its turntable replaced with a visible DVD-ROM drive – which looks absolutely perfect with those Verbatim simulated vinyl CD-Rs. Modder Alvin Barber (aka “Mach”) completely refurbished this old 1951 Zenith H664 Cobra-matic phonograph, and filled its guts with the brains of a modern computer. The Bakelite shell and glowing accent lighting give the Cobra-matic a wonderfully retro feel that makes it look like something you might find somewhere in Rapture the next time you play Bioshock. Come to think of it, you might even be able to play Bioshock on this thing.

Now you might notice that some of the photos show a different interior configuration. That’s because Mach wasn’t satisfied with his original attempt, and recently rebuilt his original Core 2 Duo-based mod to run on a more powerful Core 2 Quad CPU, and added a RAM cooler to keep it from overheating. After you’ve checked out the pics above,  head over to The Best Case Scenario to see a full worklog for this amazing casemod.

[via Case Mod Blog]

By leveraging modern miniaturization, the Octane III can handle up to 80 CPU cores, yes that’s EIGHT-ZERO CPU cores, along with up to 1TB, yes that’s ONE TERABYTE of RAM. If that’s not enough, the top-of-the line config has room for ten 2.5″ SATA II hard drives. And it all fits in a box that’s not much bigger than your average workstation tower (a 1-foot by 2-foot footprint).

The Octane III workstation can be purchased in a variety of insanely powerful configurations, including:

• Ten dual-socket, Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 5500 series-based nodes.
• One dual-socket, Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 5500 series-based workstation with advanced NVIDIA graphics and/or GP-GPU card support.
• Nineteen single-socket, Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 3400 series-based nodes.
• Nineteen single-socket, Dual-Core Intel Atom processor-based nodes.

Prices for the Octane III start at $7999 (USD) and go up from there. While that might sound like a lot for a desktop PC, this thing is in a league all by itself.

I can’t wait to play some CRYSIS on this bad boy.

[via SlipperyBrick]

I wish Nokia would add HSDPA connectivity as well. Portable USB modems – the ones as small as a flash drive – are becoming popular here in the Philippines, but the 3G speeds suck donkey dong, with a very theoretical maximum speed of 384 Kbps. Good thing the Booklet 3G also has WiFi. What I find most interesting about this netbook is the 12-hour battery life. 12 hours! If that is indeed true, then we should thank Intel for coming up with the Atom. Unless of course it turns out that the netbook only lasts an hour when it’s playing HD content.

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Please let it be below $400 please please please. With that kind of battery life plus an HD-capable processor I’ll gladly take back all my netbook-bashing and buy one for myself.

[via Ars Technica]

Amazingly enough, PC enthusiast Hackerman1 got his old 266 MHz Pentium II machine loaded up with Windows 7 Ultimate. The machine has a paltry 96MB of RAM, and a lowly 4MB graphic card, and it still managed to work. He tried dialing it down all the way to 64MB, but eventually ran out of memory. Sure, the Windows Experience Index is only 1.0 on this system, but isn’t that what you’ve come to expect from Windows anyhow?  At least with Windows 98 and Vista, that was the consensus.

Next up, Hackerman1 plans on dusting off his old 166MHz Pentium I machine and seeing if he can make the Windows 7 OS work on that one. However, I’m not easily impressed, so until he gets it running on an old IBM PCJr, I won’t be truly in awe.

[The Windows Club via Maximum PC]

The Inquirer’s Charlie Demerjian says sources have confirmed to him that Intel paid to get a new chip, code-named Larrabee, into Sony’s next console. Also per Demerjian’s sources, AMD will be handling Nintendo and Microsoft’s next-next gen systems under the ATI label. We’re gonna have to start working on a name for this round, because next-next gen is going to get difficult after a while.

Seems sudden, doesn’t it? There’s a bright side, however, and it’s that all this is rumor as yet, with nothing confirmed and no official statements made. In fact, Sony has already issued a denial about their purported switch to Intel, so this particular story may be a complete bust.  But one thing is pretty likely: these decisions are being made, and the reliability (or lack thereof) of Demerjian’s intel doesn’t change that. The future of gaming is just around the corner.

[The Inquirer via VentureBeat]

Each of the Pros features a beautiful 1-inch thick aluminum case and is powered by a workhorse Intel Core 2 Duo CPU. The 15.4-inch model comes in either 2.2GHz or 2.4GHz variants, while the 17-inch model only comes with the faster processor. They all run on Intel’s Santa Rosa platform, which has a speedy 800MHz front side bus, but automatically switches speeds to conserve power as needed.

Both displays are widescreen, with the 15.4-inch display running at a 1440 x 900 resolution and the 17-inch featuring a whopping 1680 x 1050 pixels. If that’s not enough detail for you, Apple offers a $100 upgrade to full 1080p resolution. As an added bonus, these are the first Macs to feature LED backlights in their displays. You’ll also get your choice of a glossy or anti-glare surface for your screen.

All of the new models start with 2GB of RAM, expandable to 4GB and feature NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT video processing. The two more expensive models get 256MB of video RAM vs. the 128MB in the cheapest model. The new MacBook Pros also pack in Airport Extreme 802.11n WiFi and Bluetooth for fast and flexible wireless connectivity.

If you’ve been holding out for a powerful portable Mac, now is as good a time as ever to pick one up.