Download our latest podcast here.
Intel ships new server processors
Intel on Tuesday said it has started shipping its new Itanium processor codenamed Tukwila, after multiple delays and development problems stalled its release for years. Itanium chips are 64-bit processors designed to run fault-tolerant servers that require high uptime. The chip’s official launch is set for the first quarter of this year, Intel said in a blog entry. Tukwila is Intel’s fastest Itanium processor yet, the company said. It adds numerous performance and architectural enhancements to boost system performance. The announcement comes ahead of the International Solid-State Circuits Conference, where Sun Microsystems and IBM are expected to discuss processors for high-end servers.
Google updates Nexus One to fix 3G problem
Google has started pushing out an update for the Nexus One that will fix a 3G connectivity problem that has plagued some users and adds limited support for multitouch. After receiving over 1,500 messages in a support forum from people complaining about trouble connecting to 3G, Google said last week that it had identified the problem and would soon deliver a fix. On Tuesday, it posted a message on its Nexus One news and updates page announcing that it had started delivering the software update. In addition to fixing the 3G problem, the update adds the first applications to support multitouch. The phone’s browser, gallery and maps applications will now support pinch-to-zoom functionality. The gallery is the photo application on the phone.
Google readying call-in customer service for Nexus One
After struggling to support Nexus One customers using an online-only approach, Google appears to be developing a phone customer service operation. The Digital Inspiration blog noticed a Google job advertisement for a phone support program manager for Android and the Nexus One. The position includes building and managing telephone support for Android and Nexus One customers, according to the job posting. It’s not clear if Google will be handling the operation entirely internally or if it will partner with an outsourced call-center operation.
Facebook wants 1-Terabit Ethernet bandwidth
Facebook’s data centers already need 100-Gigabit Ethernet and ideally could use 1-Terabit Ethernet, according to a senior network engineer at the company. The popular social-networking service’s growing bandwidth needs reflect the explosion in overall network traffic that enterprises and technology companies are trying to address, according to speakers at the Ethernet Alliance’s Technology Exploration Forum, held Tuesday in Santa Clara. Facebook builds its own data centers out of many identical low-cost servers, linked via standard Ethernet, and pools their processing power to run its core applications. The network fabric that links those systems is a critical piece of the infrastructure, Facebook Engineer Donn Lee told the Ethernet gathering.
