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techtree: Going with current trends in the server market, on Monday, chip maker Intel will introduce its newest, more efficient, quad core Xeon processors that consume not more than 50 watts under peak loads.

Just last week, the company outlined plans for its two new 50-watt server chips, said to be a lot cooler than existing 80 watt and 120 watt quad-core server processors.

The chips: quad-core Xeon L5320 and quad-core Xeon L5310, will run at 1.86 GHz and 1.60 GHz respectively. The L5320 will be priced at $519 per 1,000 units shipped, and the L5310 will come for $455 per 1,000 units.

Meanwhile, arch rival AMD already ships a range of energy efficient server processors that consume 68 watts power under maximum conditions.

Yet, observers say, given an AMD and an Intel processor, both of which consume around the same amount of electricity, AMD is still more efficient because of the chip architecture deployed. In case of AMD, the memory controller is almost always placed on the processor itself…
 

techtree: Sony has introduced its 6-megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-G1 digital camera, which has the ability to send photos over a Wi-Fi connection to PCs and other cameras.

The company says that the DSC-G1 will use 802.11b and g networks to connect to devices that support interoperability standards adopted by the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA).

Speaking on the occasion, Phil Lubell, Director of Marketing for Digital Cameras, Sony Electronics, said, “This is a step towards realizing a platform for networked photo communication. We will continue to explore possibilities for networked digital imaging as broadband Internet becomes more pervasive in homes.”

The G1 model features a 3.5-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 921,000 pixels, and 2GB of internal memory capable of storing hundreds of pictures. And for additional storage, the camera’s capacity can be expanded with an optional Memory Stick Duo media card or Memory Stick PRO Duo card that are available in capacities up to 8GB.

The camera incorporates photo organizing and search software, and built-in technologies to minimize image blur, including Super Steady Shot optical image stabilization.

The camera has high light sensitivity, up to ISO 1000, to facilitate shooting at higher shutter speeds, as well as in low-light conditions. It features a Carl Zeiss 3x optical zoom lens.

Meanwhile, the DSC-G1 digital camera will ship in April this year for about $600 (Rs 27,000). Additional accessories include lenses, filters, batteries, travel chargers, sports packs, and cases.

itwire: The man who helped develop the interface for the original Apple iPod, Paul Mercer, who helped Samsung turned the Z5 mp3 player into a hit, has been hired by Palm who hope his magic rubs off on them!

Paul Mercer, the man who, through now defunct company Pixo helped Apple to develop the interface for the original iPod, has just been hired by Palm who hope can help them to meet the iPhone challenge head on.

As an ex-Apple engineer who worked on Apple’s System 7 Mac OS as the lead designer, and Apple’s most successful product ever, the iPod, and who also helped design Samsung’s Z5 mp3 player interface, Mercer has some serious design cred to his name and stands an excellent chance of truly helping Palm develop competitive new products.

This comes at a time when Apple’s iPhone moves have forced cell phone manufacturers to now really start thinking about software design, instead of just packing in ever more hardware features into ever smaller phones.

Palm had little to say beyond confirming Mercer’s appointment, although industry analysts speak highly of Mercer’s skills and abilities.

It also comes at a time when Palm founder Jeff Hawkins has recently promised to deliver a mysterious new product in May, which Hawkins cryptically described as a response to “a world where everyone has a super high-speed Internet connection in their pocket and many gigabytes of storage, super-fast processors, audio, visual and multimedia”, although Palm’s last ‘new’ product, the LifeDrive with a large iPhone style screen, didn’t really resonate with consumers

pcworld: At PMA in Las Vegas this week (through Sunday), the latest in waterproof cameras that can take a beating are on display. The Olympus Stylus 770SW, which was announced in late January, has a tough metal body built to survive drops of up to five feet. The 7.1-megapixel camera has a 3X zoom and is rated for underwater use up to 33 feet deep. How will you know if you’ve reached that depth? The camera has a built-in manometer, and a warning will display on the LCD as you approach that depth. Underwater housings are available for roughly $250 if you want to go deeper. Here’s a couple other interesting features: A small LED light on the front of the camera can be used in macro mode for photographing small objects up close; and, the lens has a coating that sheds moisture so water droplets don’t remain on the lens after you’ve returned from your swim. The Stylus 770 SW (pictured below) cost $380, and should be available in April.

Pentax is showing its Optio A30, which the company announced in late February. This $300 camera is more suited to snorklers than scuba divers–it’s rated to go up to 10 feet deep for two hours. The 7-megapixel camera has a 3X zoom and its macro mode allows you to take photos of subjects as close as half an inch. The $300 point-and-shoot will be available this month .

Here’s perhaps the oddest-looking waterborne camera we saw: the Vivitar ViviCam 6200w. This camera’s rubber armor is unique, and it comes in three colors: yellow, black and blue. However, the 6-megapixel camera lacks a zoom–the lens has a fixed focal length. Price has yet to be determined and, oddly, the camera I photographed in a display case has a different name on its front face