|
January 23, 1999
News
- Intel will have several new notebook processors available on
Monday and lots of companies are expected to have new products based on the chips
available the same day. The company’s first mobile Celerons, running at speeds of 266
and 300 MHz, will be introduced, as will some new Pentium IIs that run at 300, 333 and 366
MHz. All five chips will include L2 cache integrated into the processor itself—128K
in the Celerons and 256K in the Pentium IIs—with the cache running at the same speed
as the processor. This is the first set of Pentium II chips to integrate L2 cache into the
processor and even though it’s only half the amount that’s in current desktop
chips, it should make for a nice boost in performance. In fact, the company is calling
these new chips Pentium II PE, for performance enhanced, although the name is also to help
distinguish the 300 MHz II PE model from existing 300 MHz processors that don't have
integrated L2 cache. I’ll check out the benchmarks and let you know more next week.
But, if you’re in the market for a notebook, do yourself a favor and at least wait
until Monday to see what your new options are (as well as what the inevitable price cuts
on existing models will be).
- Also, Intel had more news on its Pentium III processor this
week, particularly with regard to security issues. Specifically, the company said that
starting with the Pentium III, the company plans to include a unique serial number inside
the processor. With the appropriate software, this serial number could be used to
positively identify not only you, but your computer, which the company hopes will lead to
a more secure environment for online commerce. Of course, there are some privacy concerns
about the possibility of using this serial number to track your exploits across the web,
but I don’t see that as being a big threat. It’s just a case of using hardware
to help build a secure environment which people will be comfortable using. The company
also announced that chipsets to be introduced later this year will have random number
generators built into them, which encryption software could use to build stronger keys
(which would be harder for hackers to break into).
- CompuServe is apparently trying to make a name for itself
again. The once giant online service will be introducing a new CompuServe 2000 client
software next month that offers a slicker e-mail package—similar to parent AOL’s
4.0 e-mail apparently—as well as support real-time conversations. Unlike AOL,
CompuServe will remain a web-only service, with its 500 or so forums, still being the main
draw.
- Home Wireless Networks has jumped into the wireless home
networking fray with the HWN308 system, which allows you to connect your PCs over wireless
connections, as well as phones and fax machines. The system, which will ship at the end of
February, is based around a $239 controller box, but also includes separate $119 boxes for
each PC, as well as $119 devices that you can use to plug in fax machines and other
devices that need phone lines in places where you only have an electrical outlet. The box
that connects to your PC, which the company calls a Wireless Data Access Jack, connects
via a serial port, but also requires that you plug it into the wall—which I think
defeats the whole purpose of a wireless network. The transfer rates for the system are
expected to be around 1 Mbps, which is the same that current products that use your
home’s power lines now support, as well as products that use the HomePhoneline
Network Association standards over phone lines. The system will let you connect a modem to
the main controller box, which can then be shared by any PC on the network, but it’s
limited to working with analog and ISDN modems.
- Mac users who want to tap into the growing interest in MP3
format digital audio files which are popping up all over the Internet will want to check
out MacAMP Lite, a new shareware program that can play a variety of different digital
audio and MIDI format files on the Mac. MacAMP Lite, which has a five dollar shareware
fee, includes support for playlists, as well as the ability to add customized
"skins," which are simply different user interface buttons and designs.
- In other Mac news, Apple announced this week that the iMac
was the number one selling computer in retail stores in the fourth quarter, according to
PC Data, which tracks retail computer sales.
- Well, I hate to bring it up, but there’s less than three
months until April 15—tax day—and it’s time to start thinking about your
1998 taxes. This year, in addition to your standard tax software, you’ll have several
interesting new choices available to you on the Internet. Since tax software is classic
case of a one-use product, several companies who also sell stand-alone programs, as well
as some new web-only companies, are offering the ability to do your taxes online. While
that initially may sound like a strange idea—not to mention one full of potential
security concerns—it actually makes a lot of sense. Plus, there are security measures
being taken by all these sites to protect the privacy of your data. Even better, several
let you enter your information anonymously. If you visit Onetax.com, or take advantage of
WebTurboTax, or TaxCut 1040EZ Online, all three of which just went live in the last week
or so, you can fill out your federal and, in some cases, state income forms online and you
don’t pay a thing until you’re ready to file and/or print out your returns. As a
result, you can do things like try what-if scenarios and see if you like the service
without it costing you money. In fact, if your adjusted gross income is under $20,000, you
can use WebTurboTax and file electronically for free, courtesy of Quicken, the makers of
TurboTax. In addition to these sites, you can check out TaxAct 98, which is available to
download for free over the ‘net (but which you use like a normal tax software
package). The basic version of TaxAct 98 is free, but the company will, of course, try to
sell you on its $9.95 deluxe version and its $12.95 state version. If you want to find out
more about these various tax web sites, you can head over to my This Week’s Links
page for more.
- Finally, if you’re looking for a thin, lightweight
notebook, you now have another choice, courtesy of HP. The company’s Omnibook 900
features a 4-pound, 1.25" package and a full-size keyboard, and will include one of
Intel’s new Pentium II PE processors to be introduced on Monday. Prices on the
system, which will also feature 13.3" screens, will be under $2,500.
|
|
