The Blu-Ray Disk Association (BDA) has announced plans to release two new specifications for the Blu-Ray Disk format later this year. The new high capacity formats will see Blu-Ray Disks reach capacities of 100GB and 125GB respectively for write-once disks. Rewritable disks meanwhile will reach 100GB in size.

The new formats are primarily aimed at professional and commercial applications such as broadcasting, medical and imaging where archiving large amounts of data is required. The new disks will also be avaialbe for consumer grade products however the downside is that new hardware will be required in order to make use of them.

A simple firmware update for the PS3 will not be enough this time round for the system to make use of these disks as it was when Blu-Ray 3D was announced. This is because the new disks use three or four layers of writeable media to achieve their higher capacities. This means the laser will need to penetrate the disk further to read the deeper layers. Current Blu-Ray players aren't powerful enough to peer deeper than the one or two layers found on your standard Blu-Ray disks.

There is no word yet on when the new hardware to read and write to these disks will be available, but I'd expect it to be quite expensive when it does come out, after all they are aimed more at a commercial market. For now backing up to your USB stick or external hardware will be more than adequate for most people, not to mention more convenient.

In a press release today, Virgin Media announced that it will be offering a new 100Mb broadband service to consumers. The roll out will commence by the end of the year, however no pricing has been revealed yet. Virgin say the new service will offer speeds that are on average 24 times faster than competing broadband services.

In less than two years Virgin Media have gone from offering 20Mb to 50Mb and now 100Mbps and the company says it is all down the the flexibility of their fibre optic network that they have sole control over.

According to research conducted by Ofcom in conjunction with SamKnows, the average broadband speed in the UK is a lowly 4.1Mbps, which is well below the advertised speeds that most ISPs now say they offer. However Virgin Media, due to its fibre network can provide it's customers with 84 percent of the speeds advertised, compared to just 58 percent for it's closest competitors which typically use ADSL.

Neil Berkett, Virgin Media's CEO said "There is nothing we can't do with our fibre optic cable network, and the upcoming launch of our flagship 100Mb service will give our customers the ultimate broadband experience."

"The ultimate broadband experience" will however pale in comparision to what Google has planned for the US. Towards the start of the month the search and advertising giant announced plans that it would be entering the ISP market. Google hope to role out affordable broadband to the masses with speeds as lofty as 1Gbps, that's ten times faster than the service Virgin Media are announcing today. Eat that Mr Berkett!

Last year the company rolled out its £38pm 50Mb broadband service which is operated on their new DOCSIS3 network and is not currently subject to bandwidth throttling unlike the other broadband services they provide. The service can be had for a reasonable £28pm if taken out with a Virgin Phone line.

It is unclear at this time how Virgin Media will incorporate the new 100Mb service into its broadband line up. Whether it will stick to offering three broadband services by upgrading it's customers to faster speeds, or adding a fourth service is something I can only speculate on at the moment.

The new 100Mb service will allow customers to download a music album in 5 seconds and a HD movie in just under 7 and a half minutes. Virgin Media are at the moment leading the way to a faster future in the UK. The company is already trialling a 200Mb service in Kent with plans to widen the trial to Coventry.

Since it's creation in the early 1990's, by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the World Wide Web has operated on top of the HTTP and TCP protocols. Almost everything an average user would do on the net would have these protocols working behind the scenes to request, reply and display a website or page to the user. Over the years we have seen great advances in speeding the web up, from the increasing usage of fibre optics to better programming methods of web sites and servers. The Internet though can only be as fast as the protocols it operates under can provide.

With this in mind Google wants to augment the ageing HTTP protocol with it's own SPDY (pronounced "speedy") protocol, with the aim of reducing latancy and therefore allowing websites to load faster. As Google describe on their blog HTTP is an  "elegantly simple protocol", however as part of it's 'Lets make the web faster' initiative, Google thinks that HTTP has many shortcomings when it comes to providing next generation web services and experiences. As part of their research Google has found that HTTP has the following shortcomings (quoted from chromium.org):

• Single request per connection. Because HTTP can only fetch one resource at a time (HTTP pipelining helps, but still enforces only a FIFO queue), a server delay of 500 ms prevents reuse of the TCP channel for additional requests.  Browsers work around this problem by using multiple connections.  Since 2008, most browsers have finally moved from 2 connections per domain to 6.
• Exclusively client-initiated requests. In HTTP, only the client can initiate a request. Even if the server knows the client needs a resource, it has no mechanism to inform the client and must instead wait to receive a request for the resource from the client.
• Uncompressed request and response headers. Request headers today vary in size from ~200 bytes to over 2KB.  As applications use more cookies and user agents expand features, typical header sizes of 700-800 bytes is common. For modems or ADSL connections, in which the uplink bandwidth is fairly low, this latency can be significant. Reducing the data in headers could directly improve the serialization latency to send requests.  
• Redundant headers. In addition, several headers are repeatedly sent across requests on the same channel. However, headers such as the User-Agent, Host, and Accept* are generally static and do not need to be resent.
• Optional data compression. HTTP uses optional compression encodings for data. Content should always be sent in a compressed format.

Their findings have led them to the development of the SPDY protocol. Initial simulations of the experimental protocol show definite speed increases over HTTP. The company has set up a test that comprises of a typical computer system, running a special version of the Chrome browser that can handle SPDY requests. Google found that after connecting to the top 25 websites on the Internet, over half loaded faster with their protocol. Some sites loaded 64 percent faster over SPDY compared to HTTP.

Google being as collaborative as ever wants help from the outside world and as one of it's goals for SPDY, wants the open source community and industry specialists to help further the development SPDY.

For more information see the SPDY whitepaper.

How many more markets can Google dip it's toes into? Today the Web and Internet powerhouse said that it's planning to build and test an ultra fast fibre based broadband network and trial it in communities around the US that are interested in participating. The service will offer speeds of around 1Gbps, which is 100 times faster than what the average American household has access to. If successful Google will more than likely expand the project further and offer full fibre-to-the-home connections sometime in the future and at a competitive price. This announcement comes after Google previously announced plans to enhance connection speeds by augmenting the ageing HTTP protocol with their own SPDY protocol. Early tests of the new protocol have been encouraging for Google.

Initially Google are after at least 50,000 subscribers but hope that up to 500,000 people will sign up to the service, which Google say is a learning exercise to see how next generation networks can be built and run. Maybe that's too modest a figure as I suspect that many millions of people would find the idea of Google as an ISP intriguing. No doubt there will be a lot of chatter both for and against Google entering the ISP business.

Google wants to experiment with faster Internet access as it has specific agendas that it wants to explore including:

• Next generation apps: We want to see what developers and users can do with ultra high-speeds, whether it's creating new bandwidth-intensive "killer apps" and services, or other uses we can't yet imagine.
• New deployment techniques: We'll test new ways to build fiber networks, and to help inform and support deployments elsewhere, we'll share key lessons learned with the world.
• Openness and choice: We'll operate an "open access" network, giving users the choice of multiple service providers. And consistent with our past advocacy, we'll manage our network in an open, non-discriminatory and transparent way.

Google has put out a request for information to help it identify communities that would be interested in the trial. You have untill March 26^th to register you're interest and they are also encouraging local governments to get in touch with them too. Google will announce later in the year which communities have been selected for the trial. I suspect Google will get more interest than they thought they would because this announcement is potentially game changing. If it's successful, why would Google want to pull out of it and not offer a fully fledged ISP service?

After weeks of rumour and speculation, Apple have officially confirmed to the world that they are going to be brining a touch pad device to market called iPad.  It's essentially a super-sized iPhone with a few quirks and features of it's own to boot. Apple see it as a device that can bridge the gluf between consumer smartphones and netbooks.

The sleek looking device sports a bigger multi-touch screen to that of the iPhone, 9.7" to be exact. The bigger form factor allows for a host of benefits over the iPhone and is designed to interact with a range of media including photos, movies, gaming, magazines, newspapers, ebooks, web browsing, office work and music to name but a few applications. If the infrastructure and want existed, the iPad could be the perfect opportunity for Apple to push mobile TV.

You will notice from the product shots the the iPad has a few key differences in terms of it's interface to that of the iPhone. Namely a changeable wallpaper, and an OSX like docking bar at the bottom of the screen for all your favourite applications and short cuts to be housed on.

Without beating about the bush too much here are the basic specs:

• Dimensions: 189.7mm(w) x 242.8mm(h) x 13.4mm(d)
• Weight: 1.5lbs (1.6lbs for 3G models)
• Screen: 9.7" 1024x768 VGA, 132 DPI IPS LED backlit LCD display with multi-touch functionality and fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
• Processor: 1GHz customized Apple A4 processor
• Storage: 16, 32 and 64GB models available
• Connectivity: WiFi 802.11n and Bluetooh 2.1 + EDR connectivity. A model with 3G and A-GPS built in will also be available
• Battery Life: 10 hours
• Other: Accelerometer, ambient light sensor, speaker, microphone and compass and 3.5-mm jack built in
• Software: YouTube HD, iTunes, mail, browser, calendar, Brushes (painting suite) and contacts applications come pre installed. The device does not support Flash natively.  
• Syncing: to Mac or PC using a 30-pin cable

The beauty of the device is that it runs the same OS as the iPhone with a few tweaks here and there. This means that all the apps currently on the iPhone will also work on the iPad too, making app development more streamlined and convenient. Apple have released an updated SDK for the iPhone for developers to update their applications to meet the specifics that the iPad has over the iPhone. All in all though, most applications should be able to scale up and run full screen on the iPad.

What will probably be of some concern to Amazon and anyone else that has an ebook reader coming out, is that Apple in their traditional stir it up and stomp all over it style, have also announced their own ebook store which can be accessed via the free to download iBook app. With it users can download ebooks in ePub format and read them on their iPad in full color. Something the Kindle and most competing ebook readers cannot yet do.

Given that Apple have a nack for making popular and cool to be seen with products, this new service could leave Amazon with their Kindle eBook quivering in their e-Ink boots. Users can download a range of books, and select whichever book they wish to read right off of their iBook shelf - swishy. The big advantage for the Kindle and other e-ink devices however is that e-ink provides a nice subtle contrast which more closely matches that of real paper, which can reduce eye strain when compared to a brightly lit LCD display. Still the 132DPI display should offer double the clarity of most LCD screen so reading text should be more than comfortable for most.

Apple iPad iBook application, flip the virtual
bookshelf to reveal the book store
Image copyright Apple Inc

Despite it's quirks and boons the iPad does come with some notable and frankly major disappointments. There is currently no Flash support, so interacting with Flash content is a no go. The device is also quite weighty at 1.5lbs. Despite Apple stating it's light weight, for something that's meant to be held in your hands for long periods, this sort of weight will quickly become tiresome to hold. There is also no front or rear facing camera so video conferencing, as well as photo and video capture is another no go on the iPad.

The biggest issue though is that despite all it's potential power and uses, the iPad cannot multitask, leaving you out in the cold if you want to play music while browsing or typing something up. Its a great oddity for a device of this nature to not have multitasking support. It will surely limit the total usefulness of the device when it's released into the wild. At least this is something that an OS update could sort out at a later date if Apple see fit to do so.

If that wasn't enough of a surprise, Apple have teamed up with AT&T yet again and will offer a couple of data plans for the 3G models. This is despite the reported issues many AT&T iPhone customers are having with slow, bloated connections on the AT&T network. For $14.99 per month you can download upto 250MB, and for $29.99 per month you get the so called Unlimited data plan, both are contract free and can be activated on the device it's self.

With a slick menu the iPad could make a great movie
viewing device for people on the move
Image copyright Apple Inc

Pricing starts a $499 for the 16GB model, $599 for 32GB and $699 64GB for the WiFi only models respectively. If you want 3G then add $130 to which ever model you're looking at so: $629 for 16GB, $729 for 32GB and $829 for the 64GB model. The standard WiFi only models will be ready to ship within 60 days, whereas the 3G enabled devices will be ready to ship 30 days after that. Pricing and data plans for over seas countries will be announced at a later date according to Apple.

For further information, pricing and tech specs see the Apple iPad pages.

For a while I've wanted a new mouse to replace my aging and frankly haggard looking MX1000. It's been a great mouse in the five or so years that I've owned it, but now it's missing all it's feet so it drags on the mouse pad and overall it feels a little clunky and worn. The battery also no longer lasts more than a week, ten days at best so I thought it was time I searched for something to replace it.

When I looked around recently, I noticed that Logitech had released two new mice. The mobile Anywhere Mouse MX and the desktop oriented Performance Mouse MX which are the first mice to make use of 'Dark Field Laser Tracking'. Logitech claim that this technology will allow the mice to be operated on ultra smooth, glossy and transparent surfaces such as glass. After mulling it over I decided to go for the Performance Mouse MX ( from here on in referred to as PMMX ) and today I'm going to be giving a review of the mouse to see if its worth it's RRP of £80 (MSRP $99.99).

As well as releasing a new MacBook and mouse Apple has announced that it has updated its entire iMac line of products. The new iMacs feature LED backlit widescreen LCD displays with an edge-to-edge glass design surrounded by an aluminium casing. Each new iMac will ship with a wireless keyboard and the new wireless MagicMouse.

The new Magic Mouse does away with all buttons and in their place has a seamless multi-touch pad that allows the user to scroll, pan or swipe their way through long documents images or web pages. Other features include laser tracking that is common on all respectable mice these days, BlueTooth connectivity which will give the mouse a 10m range. The mouse is powered by 2AA batteries which are included say Apple and during periods of inactivity the the mouse will work with Mac OSX to go into a lower power mode to preserve battery life.

The new iMacs start at $1,199 and include an Intel Core 2 Duo at 3.06Ghz as a minimum. Other more expensive models include the core i5 and i7 quad-core offerings again from Intel. As mentioned the new iMacs feature LED backlit displays in a 16:9 aspect ratio which is perfect for HD movies, TV content or video editing. The 21.5 inch iMac has a full HD resolution of 1920x1080 while the 27 inch model sports a resolution of 2560x1440 that has 60 percent more viewing space than the previous 24 inch model according to Apple. Both screens feature IPS driven screens as well as 178 degree viewing angles.

 
New Apple Magic Mouse and iMac

Other improvements across the range include updates to system memory which is now at 4GB of 1066MHz as standard (that is upgradeable to 16GB) and updates to their graphical capabilities. The new models will feature NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics or an ATI Radeon HD 4670 in the 21.5 inch model. Exact specs and pricing are listed below.

iMac pricing and specifications

As mentioned at the top of the post Apple also introduced a new MacBook. The new MacBook features a light but durable polycarbonate unibody design that houses an LED backlit screen with a glass Multi-Touch trackpad and non slip underside. The new LED backlit screen is more efficient than the old CCFL tubes used in traditional LCD screens and as such they help reduce the power draw which might explain in part why the built-in battery is good for up to seven hours from a full charge and can be recharged 1000 times according to Apple. If you find you need a new battery they can be replaced by qualified professionals for $129 and the pros will dispose of the old battery in an "environmentally responsible" way - bargain.

Other specs include a 2.26Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB RAM, 250GB hard drive, integrated graphics provided via the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M.

New MacBook pricing and specifications

One final announcement by Apple was an update to their Mac mini line as well. The budget level Mac mini at $599 has a 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of DDR3 RAM at 1066MHz, 160GB hard drive, an integrated Nvidia GeForce 9400M, five USB ports, Firewire 800 and a SuperDrive.

Their $799 model features a 2.53Ghz processor (Intel Core 2 Duo), 4GB RAM and a larger 320GB hard drive. Apple also stated in their press release that a Mac mini Server would be available for $999. It features two 500GB hard drives and is according to Apple specially configured for ac OSX Snow Leopard Server.

Product shots

For larger views click the thumbnails:

AMD has already been the first to offer a sub $100 quad-core chip a few months back, but now it feels that their processor line up could do with a bit of an over haul. Which is why, today AMD announced the availability of eight new Althon II processors aimed at providing fantastic performance and value, coupled with lower power requirements.  It would seem that AMD are targeting slim desktop computers and other Small Form Factor (SFF) computers with these new processors.

AMD is hoping that with these new processors OEMs such as Dell, Lenovo etc will be able to build attractive looking yet powerful single, dual, triple or quad core based systems while being able to market them as low power consuming devices, which is all important these days lets not forget. Of course in all seriousness, having an energy efficient design that produces less heat, means that the processor can perform better/faster whilst not requiring such a substantial and large cooling system. Fitting a large cooling system into a SFF computer isn't all that practical given the limited amount of space that's usually available in a small system, so efficiency in CPU design in a must for these systems if they are to provide a decent level of performance.

AMD pointed out in it's press release that the new Athlon II X2 240e costs over $40 less than Intel's Core 2 Duo E7400 while providing up to 70 percent better performance in certain applications. The Athlon II X3 435 on the other hand delivers 75 better performance while costing over $100 less compared to the Intel Core 2 Duo E8500.

Corsair has announced that its ever popular Flash Voyager USB storage device will have some new models added to its GT range. The new models include a new 16GB version and for the first time 32GB and 64GB capacities.

The new 16GB model according to the press release will also feature Corsair's "proprietary water- and shock-resistant, all-rubber casing" with the recognizable red 'GT' accents. The new models are available immediately with a 10-year Limited Warranty. The 32GB model can be had for around $86 in the US and £93 in the UK, while the 64GB model can be bought for around $187 or £163 in the UK, going by Amazon's prices.

AMD has announced through MaximumPC that they are to release a six core CPU (aka hexa-core CPU) to consumers sometime next year. The really good news is that for all those AM3 motherboard users the new CPU dubbed Thuban will be backwards compatible with those motherboards. They might even slot into AM2+ motherboards as well.

AMD's Thuban processor will be the first six core CPU the company has offered to consumers, though they have got a six core Opteron chip doing the rounds for the server market. The chip will feature a single 45nm die with an integrated DDR3 memory controller and have 3MB of L2 cache and 6MB of L3 cache. According to MaximumPC the chip will likely keep the Phenom branding and be known as the Phenom II x6.

There is no word on clock speeds yet, but they aren't expected to be as high as their quad-core counterparts. This is probably due to the shear number of extra transistors and therefore heat the extra two cores provide on the chip; the total number of transistors equate to a whopping 904 million. Just to put that into perspective the original Athlon from just ten years ago had just 22 million transistors, or there about.

Thuban will face stiff competition from Intel as they are expected to release their six core Gulftown chip before AMD can release Thuban. Gulftown is expected to be backwards compatible with existing LGA1366 boards but it will also make use of HyperThreading so the Operating System where possible can make use of twelve processing threads, this could give it a distinct advantage over Thuban. Only the benchmarks will tell us the full story when these to are finally able to be benchmarked side by side. 

AMD Phenom™ Quad-Core Processor Die -
Image copyright Advanced Micro Devices, Inc