Multicore Systems Every major chip manufacturer has delivered or announced

Multicore Systems
Every major chip manufacturer has delivered or announced a roadmap for multicore chips that have multiple CPUs on the same piece of silicon. Systems developers are now designing these chips into their entire product line. For Java platform developers, Symmetric Multiprocessing Systems (SMP) should be hidden well below the hardware abstraction layer, but not all applications will get equal benefits from SMP without understanding what's going on under the hood.

Gates getting his Groove on in SF
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and Chief Technical Officer Ray Ozzie are scheduled to headline a Nov. 1 press event in San Francisco. The software maker was vague as to the topics . . .

Will Google Subvert Microsoft's Dominant Paradigm?
Speculation about the announcement of a $200 PC from Google that won't be running Windows is setting technology industry speculation into the highest gear it's seen since, uh, Google's IPO. One analyst has emerged from the pack to make a bubblesque prediction of Google's stock going to $600 on the anticipated announcement, which could be made by company co-founder Larry Page at the CES show in Las Vegas.

Novell Demos Linux Desktop 10 in Paris (NewsFactor)
NewsFactor - Novell demonstrated its next Linux release in Paris on Wednesday. The exhibition, presented before some 1,600 onlookers at the LinuxSolutions Conference, drew an enthusiastic response, including cheers and applause, although the official release of Linux Desktop 10 is not expected for several months.

Broadband Over Power Lines Gains Steam

As high-speed Internet access becomes as important to businesses and consumers as other utilities, more options are opening up for how broadband access is delivered. Of course right now the majority of connections are DSL or cable, but emerging technologies such as Wimax and broadband-over-power-line (BPL) have much to offer in the way of convenience, speed, reliability, and even cost savings. The Department of Public Works of the city of Manassas, Va., is one of the first municipalities to get on board with BPL, reports ComputerWorld.

VoIP Struggles Toward Prime Time

With the departure of FCC chairman Michael Powell, it looks like telecom
regulation reform isn't going to happen this year. What a surprise wink wink.
But regulation snafus are only one barrier in the minefield that Internet telephony
providers must cross in order to bring the technology to the masses. It's not
going to happen overnight, but VoIP is coming. So who will cash in? Will it be
cable companies, wireless providers or VoIP-focused specialty players like
Vonage? Will consumers save money in the end? And are local telephone
companies doomed as voice communications slowly but surely turn to the
Internet?