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FINNISH PHONE MAKER Nokia has served up its second Windows Phone device and the handset is almost a carbon copy of the Lumia 800 in terms of specifications.

The Lumia 710 features a 3.7in Clearblack display, a 1.4GHz single-core Qualcomm processor, 512MB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage.

The Windows Phone operating system is loaded on the handset and the mid-range price tag – free on a £20 contract – might make it an attractive buy. µ

The basic building block of Bulldozer is the dual-core module, pictured below. AMD wanted better performance than simple SMT (ala Hyper Threading) would allow but without resorting to full duplication of resources we get in a traditional dual core CPU. The result is a duplication of integer execution resources and L1 caches, but a sharing of the front end and FPU. AMD still refers to this module as being dual-core, although it's a departure from the more traditional definition of the word. In the early days of multi-core x86 processors, dual-core designs were simply two single core processors stuck on the same package. Today we still see simple duplication of identical cores in a single processor, but moving forward it's likely that we'll see more heterogenous multi-core systems. AMD's Bulldozer architecture may be unusual, but it challenges the conventional definition of a core in a way that we're probably going to face one way or another in the not too distant future.

A four-module, eight-core Bulldozer

The bigger issue with Bulldozer isn't one of core semantics, but rather how threads get scheduled on those cores. Ideally, threads with shared data sets would get scheduled on the same module, while threads that share no data would be scheduled on separate modules. The former allows more efficient use of a module's L2 cache, while the latter guarantees each thread has access to all of a module's resources when there's no tangible benefit to sharing.

This ideal scenario isn't how threads are scheduled on Bulldozer today. Instead of intelligent core/module scheduling based on the memory addresses touched by a thread, Windows 7 currently just schedules threads on Bulldozer in order. Starting from core 0 and going up to core 7 in an eight-core FX-8150, Windows 7 will schedule two threads on the first module, then move to the next module, etc… If the threads happen to be working on the same data, then Windows 7's scheduling approach makes sense. If the threads scheduled are working on different data sets however, Windows 7's current treatment of Bulldozer is suboptimal.

AMD and Microsoft have been working on a patch to Windows 7 that improves scheduling behavior on Bulldozer. The result are two hotfixes that should both be installed on Bulldozer systems. Read on for our take on what these hotfixes do to Bulldozer's Windows 7 performance.

SELLER OF SHINY TOYS Apple might not be on top of the smartphone market in March, according to Strategy Analytics.

A day after Apple was installed as the leading smartphone vendor by Strategy Analytics, the firm told The INQUIRER that the ding-dong battle between Apple and Samsung will continue for a while. Scott Bicheno, a senior analyst at Strategy Analytics told The INQUIRER that there is a good chance that Samsung will regain its top spot in the first quarter of 2012.

Yesterday Strategy Analytics published figures showing that Apple was the top smartphone vendor in the fourth quarter of 2011, overtaking Samsung. The figures showed Apple edging out Samsung by 500,000 units with 37m units shipped.

Bicheno said, “We expect to see the smartphone number one spot being occupied by either Samsung or Apple for a few more quarters. Furthermore, the fact that Samsung got so close to Apple in what was an exceptional quarter for Iphone sales suggests Samsung has a strong chance of retaking the crown in Q1 2012.”

That Apple and Samsung will battle it out for top position is not all that surprising given the disasterous year suffered by LG, Motorola, Nokia and Sony Ericsson. However if Samsung can regain its top-spot from Apple it will show that the company is a serious, long term challenger.

Strategy Analytics’ figures for fourth quarter 2011 shipments highlighted just how bad things are at Nokia, with the outfit claiming Nokia shipped 19.6m units, down almost 9m from the same period a year previously. As for global market share, Nokia almost made Research in Motion look successful, showing a drop of 15.5 per cent to 12.6 per cent.

When asked whether the many lawsuits between Apple and Samsung were having an effect on actual sales, Bicheno didn’t seem to think so.

“We have seen little evidence of the lawsuits affecting retail sales – as our latest smartphone figures imply. So far the impact of any minor legal defeats has been minimal and we haven’t seen the kinds of blanket sales bans litigants have been aiming for. That could change at any time, of course, and the only thing that does seem certain is that it will be another busy year for the patent lawyers,” said Bicheno.

Bicheno’s comments suggest that Apple’s legal battles to get countries to ban the import and sale of certain Samsung devices are seeing little effect. Perhaps this could encourage firms to stop fighting in the courts but, as Bicheno suggested, that seems unlikely. µ

ADVERTISING BROKER Google seems to have given its blessing for Motorola to forge ahead with a patent infringement lawsuit against Apple.

Motorola Mobility, which is set to become part of Google, has alleged Apple infringed six patents with its Iphone 4S. The patents include one which is entitled “Receiver having concealed external antenna”, something that could describe pretty much every mobile phone on sale today.

Apple and Motorola have had prior legal clashes with the two firms already locked in a bitter patent battle that is set to reach trial later this year. Motorola had initially tried to get patent claims against the latest Iphone 4S added to that lawsuit, however the judge rejected that, offering Motorola the chance to file another lawsuit. At this point it is not clear if, or when, those latest claims will end up in court.

According to patents gadfly Florian Mueller, Motorola’s actions must have had Google’s blessing due to the merger agreement signed by the two firms. Mueller cited that the agreement does not allow Motorola to “assert any Intellectual Property Right in any new Action” without Google’s permission.

Google’s thumbs up to Motorola is the surest sign yet that Apple and Google will eventually end up fighting each other rather than using handset makers as their pawns. µ

KOREAN HARDWARE GIANT Samsung is reportedly delaying its announcement of the Galaxy S III smartphone.

The firm had been expected to announce its next flagship smartphone at next month’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, where it announced the Galaxy S II last year. However, The Verge said Samsung has chosen to wait until later in the year.

There’s no date set for the announcement apart from that it will be “out there before the Summer”. Samsung is apparently unhappy with a long time gap between global and US availability.

Unsurprisingly Samsung is keeping quiet on the subject and said it doesn’t comment on rumours. It told The INQUIRER, “We will share our plan to announce the new product when we are ready.”

With the US being an important market maybe Samsung needs more time to get the launch together so the yanks don’t have to wait so long to get their hands on it. If Samsung doesn’t unveil the Galaxy S III at MWC then it will probably focus on tablets and maybe new Windows Phone handsets.

Some possible specifications for the handset came to light last September. They include a 2GHz quad-core processor, 1.5GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage and a 10MP camera. Of course, we expect it will run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

It might also have a 4.65in super AMOLED III screen with 1280×1024 resolution and near field communication (NFC) technology. MWC is fast approaching, so we will soon find out what happens. µ

As enthusiasts and professionals we spend a lot of time checking out what's under the hood of the computers and devices we use, but thankfully more and more we're paying attention to how we actually interact with hardware, what the user experience is like. User experience has been a major selling point of Apple's products, but there's one place where even Apple has been a bit neglectful: the keyboard. On notebooks your options are limited, but on the desktop you have access to mechanical keyboards. Today we'll take a quick look at Rosewill's RK-9000 mechanical keyboard and see if it's worth the price premium.

FINNISH PHONE FIRM Nokia has announced it has sold 1.5 billion of its Series 40 mobile phones.

The company said it is one of the most important milestones in its history. The landmark phone in question is an Asha 303, purchased by Mayara Rodrigues in Brazil.

Mary McDowell, EVP for mobile phones at Nokia said, “We are incredibly proud to reach this milestone. Having 1.5 billion Series 40 devices sold is a hard-to-reach mark, let alone one attainable in a single line of products.”

The first phone to run the Basic Series 40 operating system was the Nokia 7110 way back in 1999. The firm has stuck with it ever since, despite going down the route of Symbian, Meego and Windows Phone.

Nokia claims its development over the years means that it now blurs the line between feature phones and smartphones. Phones like the Asha 303 can do smartphone type things like play Angry Birds, browse the web, and use social networks.

Nokia has sold an estimated 1.3 million units of its most recent handset, the Windows Phone 7.5 Lumia 800, since last November.

“At a time when we are maintaining our commitment to connecting the next billion customers around the world – it is gratifying to consider how Series 40 devices have made mobile technology accessible and help continue to change people’s lives for the better,” added McDowell. µ

CHINESE GADGET MAKER ZTE will launch its V9A Light Tab 2 tablet at the end of next month.

Online retailer Clove has announced the Android tablet will be available at the end of February for £234. The last we heard from ZTE, way back in March of last year, was that it would tip up in the second half of 2011. Now it has told us there is no further information than what Clove has given.

Clove said on its blog, “From one of the world’s largest smartphone manufacturers, the Light Tab is a 7in tablet computing solution that offers performance and reliability at a price that we all prefer.”

The specifications have improved since we first heard about the tablet last year. It will now come with a 1.4GHz processor and Google’s Android 2.3 Gingerbread rather than a 1GHz chip and Android 2.2 Froyo.

It will still have a 7in capacitive touchscreen and other technology features include WiFi, 3G, 4GB of internal storage and a 3.2MP rear facing camera. It will be 12.6mm thick and be powered by a 3,400mAh battery.

ZTE also will be launching its first smartphone of the year next month, the Windows Phone 7.5 Tania. The firm is hoping to take the UK by storm this year but the handset doesn’t have the backing of major mobile operators. µ

Late yesterday AMD released their earnings report for Q4 2011 and the entirety of 2011. 2011 was an important year for AMD as they finally shipped their first APUs (integrated CPU/GPU), the TSMC-produced ultra-mobile Brazos APU earlier in the year, and the GlobalFoundries produced Llano desktop/mobile APU in the summer.  At the same time it was the second year that AMD has operated as a fabless company, and the first in which a new process node (32nm) was delivered by the now-independent GlobalFoundries. However it was also a year of turmoil, with long-time AMD staffer turned-CEO Dirk Meyer resigning at the start of the year, followed up by outsider Rory Read taking the helm of AMD in August.

For 2011, AMD brought in .57 billion in revenue, with a net income of 1 million, versus .49B in revenue and 1M in 2010; or in other words AMD was flat on the year. Meanwhile for the all-important Q4 and the holiday sales that go with it, AMD earned .69B, but took a net loss of 7M. This compares to .65B of revenue and a net income of 5M for Q4 2010, making Q4 effectively as flat as the year itself in revenue, but far less profitable.

AMD 2011 Financial Results

 

Q4'2011

Q4'2010

FY2011

FY2010

Revenue

.69B

.65B

.57B

.49B

Net Income

-7M

5M

1M

1M

So what drove AMD’s earnings? Starting with a focus on Q4, the single biggest factor here is that AMD has once again taken a substantial charge related to GloFo. Even though GloFo operates independently, AMD continues to own 8.8% of the company, which means the status of GloFo is reflected in AMD’s earnings in some cases. To that end, AMD took a 9M “impairment of investment” charge reflecting the loss of value of GloFo, making it the primary reason the company slipped into the red for the quarter. As this is a charge for recognizing the loss of value of an asset, AMD has not actually lost 9M, but it was booked as such. Meanwhile AMD also took a restructuring charge in Q4 related to their workforce reduction, which cost the company a further M. Altogether the company took 5M in one-time losses for Q4; their net income excluding those loses would have been 8M.

In terms of product shipments, Q4 marked the launch of AMD’s Bulldozer architecture. AMD technically began shipping Bulldozer products for revenue in Q3, but Q4 was the first complete quarter. For that reason server and chipset revenue grew by double-digits over Q3, while desktop Bulldozer sales went unmentioned in AMD’s report. Meanwhile compared to Q4 of 2010 AMD’s CPU & chipset revenue was up slightly, with the bulk of the difference due to higher mobile CPU (Brazos and Llano) and chipset sales. Unfortunately for AMD this didn’t do anything to help their ASP for the quarter, and a result it’s flat versus 2010.

In discussing Q4 2010, AMD mentioned that they have been impacted by the hard drive shortage that started late last year. As virtually all CPUs are sold with new systems, AMD can only ship as many CPUs as their partners have hard drives to equip those systems with, creating a hard drive bottleneck in PC product. As a result not only does AMD face a limit in sales, but because the remaining hard drives are more expensive, PC manufacturers are cutting corners to make up the difference. NVIDIA and Intel have also been impacted by this, and as we’ll see it’s not the CPU division that’s taking the largest hit from the shortage.

Meanwhile for the entire year AMD ended up shipping 30M APUs. Most of AMD’s APU sales for the year were Brazos (a specific breakdown was not provided), reflecting the fact that Brazos has been a significant hit for the company, getting them into nettops and other cheap small form factor designs. The company-wide gross margin was 46%, which was up a point from 2010.

GPUs

On the GPU side however things were less rosy. As we’ve noted before APU sales eat into GPU sales, not only because APUs displace the need for low-end GPUs in some cases, but because APU revenue is booked alongside CPU revenue instead of GPU revenue.

AMD 2011 Graphics Division Financial Results

 

Q4'2011

Q4'2010

FY2011

FY2010

Revenue

2M

4M

.56B

.66B

Operating Income

M

M

M

9M

For Q4 2011 AMD’s graphics division had 382M in revenue and M in operating income, versus 4M revenue and M operating income the year before. On a yearly basis AMD booked .56B in revenue and M in operating income, compared to .66B and 9M respectively for 2010.

For AMD’s graphics division there were a few different driving factors for the quarter and for the year. From a product standpoint AMD launched the Radeon HD 6000 series early into the quarter last year, while the first true 7000 series part (Tahiti) did not launch until 2012 and only started shipping for revenue very late into 2011. Still, it was enough to have a significant impact on AMD’s GPU ASP, increasing it over 2010’s ASP even with the limited number of new products.

Meanwhile the biggest loser here was the desktop GPU segment, thanks both to a general decrease in desktop sales and the hard drive shortage. Compared to CPU sales desktop GPU sales in particular are being significantly impacted by the hard drive shortage as fewer desktop PCs are being sold and manufacturers cut back on or remove the discrete GPU entirely to offset higher hard drive prices. As a result AMD’s graphics revenue is down 10% year-over-year, with both dGPU sales to partners and direct board sales (FirePro) sliding versus 2010.

What’s Next

While AMD has officially closed the book on 2011, AMD expects to continue to be dogged by some 2011 issues for some time to come. The hard drive shortage in particular is going to extend through at least the first part of 2012 (no one seems to be quite sure when it will end), which is going to continue to hammer sales. At the same time AMD will be launching several new products in the next half year, including two new GCN GPUs (Pitcairn and Cape Verde), and of course their first Bulldozer APU, Trinity.

The bigger question though is what AMD’s long-term plans starting in 2012 will be. It’s widely expected that Rory Reed will announce a major new strategy for the company at AMD’s Financial Analyst Day 2012 next week, which would have a significant impact on the future of some product lines. As to what that might be, AMD’s own earnings report reiterated something the company said during last year’s workforce reduction: "the Company plans to reinvest a significant portion of the anticipated savings to fund initiatives designed to accelerate AMD's strategies for lower power, emerging markets, and the cloud". We’ll be at AMD’s Financial Analyst Day next week to find out just what AMD’s new strategy might be, so stay tuned.

MOBILE OPERATOR O2 is being accused of sending mobile phone numbers to every web site visited on its network.

It has come to light that O2 is including full phone numbers in plain text in the HTTP headers that get sent when a user visits a web site. There is nothing stopping the owners of the web site from collecting your phone numbers from these headers.

Lewis Peckover posted about the issue and said, “If you’re on O2′s UK mobile network (not ADSL), you’ll (probably) see a line beginning with x-up-calling-line-id – followed by your mobile phone number in plain text.”

We contacted O2, which told us it’s investigating the problem. It is frantically replying to people on Twitter with a message like this:

@paulwalk We’re investigating this with our internal teams, and will come back with more as soon as possible

— O2 in the UK (@O2) January 25, 2012

Of course not all web site owners will use this information but in the wrong hands it could easily be used to cause O2 customers some problems. It’s unclear whether it’s just O2 doing this or other networks as well.

Peckover added, “To answer some questions and responses I’ve seen – no, it’s not anything client-side. O2 seem to be transparently proxying HTTP traffic and inserting this header.” µ