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Chip decline eases; AMD gains on Intel

The decline in PC chip shipments may be slowing but Netbook processor deliveries were off 33 percent, while Advanced Micro Devices gained on Intel, IDC said.

In the first calendar quarter of 2009, worldwide PC microprocessor shipments fell 10.9 percent from the fourth quarter of 2008, compared with a 17 percent decline from the third quarter to the fourth quarter, according to IDC.

AMD gained on Intel in the first quarter. Intel garnered a 77.3 percent unit market share, a loss of 4.7 percent, while AMD had a 22.3 percent share, a gain of 4.6 … Read more

Easy prep with Cuisinart Elite Food Processor

A food processor is a fun kitchen tool to own. Once you dive into creating a meal with one, you never want to go back. They chop, slice, shred, and mix easily and at the touch of a button. As a kitchen task time-saver, food processors offer top-notch execution. It seems that with many tools designed to cut down on tedious tasks, overall quality often suffers. Not so with food processors. In fact, they keep improving.

The Cuisinart Elite Die-Cast Food Processor is constructed to last for years of use, while providing quality and convenience. With three nesting work bowls (… Read more

The iPhone's secret silicon: A need to know?

The precise specifications for many iPhone chips are murky. Should Apple be more open about its secret ingredients?

Granted, many people don't care about the silicon inside their iPhone. They just want it to work. That said, I think more than a few people would like to see the specifications for the iPhone's core silicon posted on Apple's Web site.

By comparison, take your typical laptop. Prospective buyers are able to see the exact specifications and make an informed buying decision. Though the iPhone isn't offered in different processor SKUs (models) like a laptop, the iPhone … Read more

High-quality performance monitor

If your system is lagging or CPU performance just isn't want you think it should be, try out this helpful monitoring program.

MKN Performance Monitor has a basic interface with graphic readouts and several points of statistical information. As stated in its name, this program monitors computer performance by displaying two graphic readouts of processor usage and input/output rates. Below the graphs, users will find a real-time display of the processor, I/O, and system performance. We liked that the information was also available when the program was minimized. A quick hover over the system tray icon brought … Read more

AMD and Nvidia drop new $250 3D graphics cards

The official covers of two 3D graphics cards, the ATI 1GB Radeon HD 4890 and the Nvidia 896MB GeForce GTX 275, came off Thursday morning.

At $250 for the baseline cards (overclocked models will be available for each for $10 or so more), these cards establish a new midrange battleground, filling the gap between the $150 and $300 price points we covered earlier this year.

Each of these cards, respectively from Advanced Micro Devices and Nvidia, has a two-slot PCI Express design that requires two six-pin cable connections to your PC's internal power supply. They also support each vendor's respective multicard technology, Crossfire for ATI, and SLI for Nvidia.

The Radeon HD 4890 doesn't introduce much in the way of new features, though it has a clock speed bump over its Radeon HD 4870 cards released last year. The core clock has gone from 750MHz on the 4870 to 850MHz on the 4890, and the memory from 900MHz to 950MHz.

AMD's ATI made a few other tweaks to memory bandwidth and fill rates, but for the most part, the two cards are very similar. The Radeon HD 4890 is available now at various online retailers, and prices so far reflect ATI's suggested $249 baseline.

Nvidia's new GeForce GTX 275 is slated to become available for purchase on April 14. And while we don't imagine that Nvidia could simply make a new 3D card appear overnight (nor do we necessarily know which vendor actually started taping out its new card first), we find it interesting that mere days after ATI called us for a briefing on the Radeon HD 4890, Nvidia got in touch regarding its own new product. … Read more

Faltering economy boosting Netbooks

While there's been discussion lately about what the best operating system for a Netbook is, there is no question that the small form factor PC is a runaway hit with consumers.

In DisplaySearch's Quarterly Notebook PC Shipment and Forecast Report for the first quarter of 2009, the research firm says Netbooks are on track to grow 65 percent over the course of the year from 2008's totals. Conversely, traditional notebooks are expected to grow just 3 percent this year. And, according to DisplaySearch, Netbooks will comprise one fifth of the 133 million notebooks to be shipped in … Read more

CNET News Daily Podcast: Will Conficker be Y2K redux?

The clock is ticking down on Conflicker, an Internet worm that's making the rounds in various incarnations and is getting more sophisticated. It could be huge, or it could be nada. It's all part of a guessing game and we may know more tomorrow. CNET News' Elinor Mills has the latest. Listen now: Download today's podcast

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Quickly test and compare CPU speed

Get an accurate reading of your CPU speed and compare it online with other computers around the globe with this application.

CPU Speed Professional has a sleek, easy-to-use interface that resembles gauges from an automobile. The main function of this program is to test the speed of your CPU. It does its job quickly and efficiently in four automated steps. Results from the test are displayed in a pop-up window, on the gauge, and also in a flashing box below the gauges. It's hard to miss! There is a selection of tabs to choose from, including the CPU details … Read more

Unreliable results

This free diagnostic program tests your processor speed, but the unreliable readings and error messages left a lot to be desired.

MSC CPU Benchmark 2008's user interface displays a graph that appears to display your CPU usage, along with your system's processor, model, type, and the availability of physical and virtual RAM. There are options along the left side of the interface for testing your processor speed, configuring the settings, and showing past and present test results. The program doesn't include any kind of temperature gauge commonly found in similar tools. From the Configurations menu, you can … Read more