extreme

Apple surprised many when it introduced quad-core processors into its MacBook line for the first time in February. But a Commodore 64 packing quad-core?

For the uninitiated, the Commodore 64 Keyboard PC was introduced back in 1982 packing a MOS Technology 6510 1MHz (yes, that's one megahertz) chip running the Commodore kernal accessed via BASIC commands.

That model competed with the Apple II and Atari computers.

Well, a lot has changed in 30 years. After resurrecting the Commodore name in April of 2010, the company came out with an Intel Atom-based design in April of this year. That's … Read more

Copying large files can be a tedious and time-consuming task. Fortunately, there's ExtremeCopy Free (32-bit). This easy-to-use program can significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to copy files. Although when we tried it the program didn't reach "up to eight times the speed of the Windows copying function" as the publisher claims it can, it still offered a meaningful improvement over the native Windows feature.

The program has no real interface of its own, aside from a configuration menu. Here, users can choose to set ExtremeCopy as Explorer's default copier and keep it … Read more

Intel will put its large spotlight on Ultrabook laptops and Windows 8, among other technologies, at its annual developer conference next week.

In a keynote on September 14, Mooly Eden, general manager of the PC client group at Intel, will describe the "transformation of the PC" being driven by Ultrabooks at the Intel Developer Forum (IDF), according to an overview of the forum CNET received from Intel today. IDF begins next Tuesday.

Ultrabooks are very light, very thin Windows laptops that compete with the MacBook Air. The core hardware includes Intel second-generation "Sandy Bridge" processors and … Read more

"I love going to the beach, but hate getting sand on my iPhone. #FirstWorldProblems"

If that tweet sounds familiar, you'll want to add the Grace Digital Audio Eco Pod to your shopping list.

The Eco Pod is an outdoor case for your phone or MP3 player that wraps the device in an airtight valve for complete protection against the elements. It comes with a pair of Grace's Sonar Premium Waterproof Headphones so you can jam without worrying about damaging your gear.

The case features a waterproof IPX7 headset jack that can also pair with any standard … Read more

To busy to keep up with the tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET for Wednesday, August 3.

• Google top lawyer calls the patient claims by Apple, Microsoft, and Oracle "bogus" and says the patent feud will increase the price of Android phones. More than 550,000 Android devices are activated daily, through a network of 39 manufacturers and 231 carriers, the lawyer pointed out, adding that the patent wars are getting in the way of innovation, instead of encouraging it.

• Also, bogus is the claim that Internet Explorer users have lower IQs. … Read more

EarthRisk Technologies is mining years of weather data for profit.

The San Diego-based start-up today launched HeatRisk, a Web-based application designed to predict extreme heat events 30 to 40 days out. The target audience is meteorologists who work for energy companies or other organizations which need a long-range forecast to hedge their risk from extreme temperatures.

Over time, EarthRisk Technologies intends to design a product aimed at less technical users and investigate whether its research method can be applied to predicting extreme storms, according to President and Chief Science Officer Stephen Bennett. Its first product, released last year, is for … Read more

It used to be that iOS devices only fell from high places by accident, but the phenomenon of tossing them has also become great marketing fodder. The latest example comes from the folks at G-Form, who previously tested their iPad Extreme sleeve by tossing it 500 feet from an ultralight aircraft (the sleeve also survived being run over by a car in this video).

This time it's a head-to-head with what appears to be a hard-cover iPad case in a drop onto asphalt from 60 feet up. Check it out in the video below.

The iPad in the hard shell smacks the pavement with a thud and gets smashed up pretty good, while the G-Form Extreme Portfolio soft sleeve gets a nice bounce off of impact, takes a licking, and keeps on playing whatever Pixar movie it is that they cued up.

After G-Form's last video with the toss from the ultralight, I speculated that some credit may be due to the tough glass Apple uses for iPads, but this latest video installment and all the shattered glass therein gives me a sudden appetite for crow. Anticipating such skepticism again, though, the G-Form folks have made the entire, uncut video available on their Web site for those suspicious of a possible switcheroo. … Read more

Apple updated its AirPort Extreme Base Station today after weeks of rumors speculating about a batch of new wireless devices. With the release of today's Time Capsule update, we now know that little has changed from the previous dual-band design.

The new AirPort Extreme maintains the slim design of its predecessor with the same square shape, status lights on the front, and three Gigabit Ethernet Ports on the back. You also get a USB port to add a wireless printer, additional storage, or for use with Apple's Time Machine backup utility.

The price also stays the same at $… Read more

Apple may soon be launching a new AirPort Extreme Base Station.

The Federal Communications Commission today posted its test report on a new version of Apple's wireless hardware. Dubbed model A1408, the device is a 3x3 wireless access point operating on both the 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz bands, according to the FCC filing.

Rumors that Apple is planning to launch new wireless hardware have been cropping up for weeks. Leading up to Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference earlier this month, reports surfaced claiming Apple would be updating its AirPort Extreme Base Station, along with its Time Capsule--the company'… Read more