Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 Platform Preview 2

Microsoft released Internet Explorer 9 Platform Preview 2, outilining improvements made to Internet Explorer 9's performance, support for standards and and hardware acceleration of HTML5.

This is the second preview of the upcoming IE9, after a first release seven weeks ago at the MIX Conference. These Platform Previews for Internet Explorer 9 are designed for web designers in mind and they are not betas
. There is intentionally no UI - not even a back button or an address bar
- and they're designed to be able to run side by side with your regular browser. The second Platform Preview of IE9 is available now at www.IETestDrive.com.

Microsoft latest relese builds on the first Platform Preview, delivering improvements to IE9's performance, support for standards, and hardware acceleration of HTML5. Microsoft has also updated the test drive site with a new set of developer samples to show what developers can do with GPU-powered HTML5. Microsoft has contributed many new tests to the W3C for HTML5, as well as CSS3 Media Queries and DOM. The Developer Tools in this preview include some new features to make finding and fixing markup issues easier.

With the second Platform Preview Microsoft continues to improve IE9's performance. The JavaScript engine is one of several important subsystems of the IE9. Here's a chart of IE9 performance on one particular industry benchmark for JavaScript performance, the Webkit Sunspider test:

According the chart provided by Microsoft, the performance difference between IE9 and other browsers on this benchmark is very big. However, the performance you experience browsing actual websites often has less to do with JavaScript than with other subsystems in the browser. Microsoft is offering many Speed Demos at the test drive site  in IE9 and in other browsers. These samples show just some of the advantages of GPU-Powered HTML5, and applying the power of your PC's hardware to making web browsing faster. What's particularly important is that developers don't have to rewrite their sites - their current markup (HTML, CSS, and script) just runs faster.

One of the new demos Microsoft is offering is called Flickr Explorer. It highlights how the Flickr APIs and their technology in combination with the platform improvements in Internet Explorer 9 can create a cool web experience.

Samsung New 8Gb NAND Memory

Samsung announced availability of an eight gigabit (Gb) OneNAND chip that takes advantage of advanced 30 nanometer (nm) class process technology.

Based on a single-level-cell (SLC) NAND flash design, the new OneNAND addresses the need for more code data storage in smartphones. The high-density OneNAND memory is now sampling with volume production scheduled by the end of this month.

The 8Gb OneNAND features the reliability of a SLC design and the performance of OneNAND, which reads data at 70 megabytes per second (MB/s), more than four times the speed of conventional NAND (17MB/s). These characteristics and a low-voltage design make it a particularly attractive solution for handling the growing amount of code data used with touch screens and other high resolution smartphone features. In addition, by applying advanced 30nm-class process technology, Samsung is able to raise productivity by 40 percent over its previous 40nm-class design.

Since 2004, Samsung has expanded the adoption of its OneNAND as a high-performance solution that can be applied to handset applications without having to develop separate software.

OneNAND memory can be used as buffer memory not only for 'writes' in the system ? thanks to its faster-than-NAND 'write' speeds, but also as a buffer for faster, high-performing 'read' operations thank to its NOR flash interface.

According to market research firm, iSuppli, the demand for embedded NAND flash in mobile handsets is expected to reach 1.1 billion units (1 gigabyte (GB) equivalents) in 2010 and more than doubling to 2.5 billion 1GB equivalent units in 2011. Moreover, the Strategic Analysis firm forecasts that demand for smartphones will reach 285 million units in 2010 and grow to 580 million units in 2013.

Google Revamps Search Results Page

Google's search results has changed revealing search tools on the left and updating the visual look throughout,for more effectively tracking down content on the Internet.

The left side of the results page was given a navigation panel featuring tools to refine queries with options including prioritizing more current content or pursuing related topics. And search requests for merchandise are more likely to trigger an option that would allow the user to click on a link on the left side of the page to include more or fewer search results.

In addition to the left-hand side changes,Google has updated the search page's color palette and logo. The Google logo will lose the "TM" that signals Google is a trademark.

HP announced PC and Notebook Lines, Adds AMD Chips

HP today unveiled a redesigned portfolio of consumer notebook PCs including models featuring processors from Advanced Micro Devices (AMD).

The company updated its HP ENVY, HP Pavilion and HP Mini lines.

HP ENVY 14 and 17

The new HP ENVY 14 and 17 notebooks offer a balance of design and technology.

Both ENVY notebooks feature Intel processors and ATI Mobility Radeon high-definition (HD) 5830 discrete graphics for gaming, videos and 3-D images. They come with a backlit keyboard, slot-loading optical drive, HP TrueVision HD webcam, a mini DisplayPort Connector and the latest in wireless and connectivity options.

The notebooks also include Beats Audio, a technology developed by HP and Beats by Dr. Dre to provide better sound when playing music or audio through headphones or external speakers.

The slim and light ENVY 14 features a a 14.5-inch diagonal HD Radiance display that offers picture quality up to 59 percent brighter than any notebook with a standard display, HP claims. With up to six hours of battery life, the ENVY 14 is one of the thinnest and lightest quad-core notebooks available in the world. The ENVY 14 also offers optional WWAN/3G.

The ENVY 17 offers up to 2 terabytes (TB) of storage capacity, supports the ATI Eyefinity Technology for multiple external display support and an HP Triple Bass Reflex Subwoofer for high-quality sound.

The HP ENVY 14 is expected to be available in the United States on June 27 with a starting price of $999.99. The HP ENVY 17 is expected to be available in the United States on May 19 with a starting price of $1,399.99.

Skype New Monthly Calling Subscriptions with Group Video Chat Function

People can now call landline and mobile phones worldwide more affordably than ever before, thanks to the new monthly calling subscriptions offered by Skype.

Starting tomorrow, Skype is rolling out calling plans to more than 170 countries that provide customers with a savings of up to 60 percent compared to Skype's standard Pay As You Go rates.

Customers will also have more choice with subscription plans available in 60-minute to unlimited packages, and the ability to buy 1-month, 3-month and 12-month calling subscriptions.

Skype's range of subscriptions start from €0.89 ($1.09/£.69) per month and offer effective rates as low as €0.01 ($.01/£.01) per minute to almost any destination around the globe.

With the new subscriptions, Skype users have the flexibility to customize their calling plans in just three steps:

1. Select the countries you want to call
2. Decide whether you want to call mobile phones, landlines or both
3. Choose the plan that best suits your needs from 1-month to 12-months or 60 minutes to unlimited

Skype users can continue to call mobile phones and landlines globally without subscriptions by purchasing Skype Credit and using the Pay As You Go option. Skype will also continue to offer its popular unlimited world monthly subscriptions.

For full details on Skype's calling subscriptions, visit: www.skype.com/go/subscriptions.

Skype also plans a public "beta" test of a group video chat function that lets up to five people participate in a video call simultaneously.

The company will start offering the new fearture next week it for free, although charges are expected to apply in the newar future.

The group video chat will first be available to those who use Skype on Windows PCs, and the company expects to roll out a Mac version later this year.