TDK cracks 200GB Blu-ray Disc problem

TDK has gone ahead and produced the 200GB Blu-ray Disc it announced a few weeks ago that it was working on. And while it appears to have failed to compress four standard dual-layer 50GB discs together into a single unit, it has nonetheless come up with a novel alternative.

According to a subscription-only report on Japanese-language site Techon, the 200GB BD contains six data-storage layers. Now, with a standard dual-layer BD offering 50GB of storage capacity, you might well assume that the 200GB model contains not six but eight data layers.

Providing the same capacity but with fewer layers means each layer must hold more data that a single-layer BD can. Indeed, TDK said it upped the capacity to 33GB - 32 per cent more than a standard BD data-carrying layer can. According to the report, it uses bismuth peroxide as the recording medium - heat it sufficiently with laser light and it forms bubbles of air. These reflect light differently than the surrounding material does, so can be used to record digital information in the way a CD or DVD's pits do.

That said, since the density of the bubbles is clearly different from that of a standard BD - hence the higher capacity - it's unclear whether a BD-compatible drive could actually read one of these things. And since the 200GB disc is not more part of the current Blu-ray Disc specification than this reporter is, you can argue that the 200GB disc, while technologically impressive, isn't about to allow anyone to cram the whole of the extended edition Lord of the Rings movies, extras and all, on a single, HD disc.

Intel pins hopes on new business product

Only a week after reporting a drop in quarterly earnings, Intel is today expected to launch a fresh bid to capture market share in the business computing segment.
Based on reports in the New York Times, the microchip manufacturer's newly branded line of processors is designed for companies which manage and maintain a large fleet of personal computers. Online rumours suggest the business brand could be called "Averill".

Intel has been losing market share to main competitor Advance Micro Devices (AMD) recently, and commentators suggest the chip giant is hoping the new business platform range will replicate the success the Centrino brand has enjoyed since its release in 2003. Centrino was the name Intel gave to a chip range designed to handle the wireless capabilities of laptops and mobile devices.

Meanwhile, in a fresh blow to the Californian chip giant, the Korean stock exchange (KRX) broadcast that Samsung Electronics has usurped Intel to become the world's largest semiconductor manufacturer in terms of market value. The stock and futures exchange announced Samsumg's value, counting preferred stocks, amounted to $120.1bn last Friday. Intel's market capitalisation of $112.1bn was announced on the same day, according to Thomson Dialog.

However, this may not be all bad news for Intel as it attempts to get away from being just an ingredients brand to one that designs and produces branded multiple hardware components with specific capabilities. For example, the successful Centrino range was marketed based on its wireless capabilities, while the Viiv series - launched in January - is designed for home multimedia use.

Intel representatives in Ireland could not be contacted at the time of publication, but ElectricNews.Net will report on any new developments.
The firm, which employs around 5,600 people in counties Kildare and Clare, reported a 38 per cent drop in first quarter earnings last week compared to the same period last year. The profit drop to $1.3bn was announced alongside earnings per share of $0.27 - in line with Wall Street expectations.

In Ireland, Intel produces chipsets to support the Centrino brand and Flash technology.
While Intel insists it will have its current problems in hand by the second half of 2006, market analysts are divided on the accuracy of this self-prognosis.

Google buys Orion algorithm

Google has bought an algorithm from an Israeli student studying in Australia.
The search giant hasn't commented on the story, but it appears that Ori Allon has left the University of New South Wales to go and work for Google. The algorithm, a set of rules used by search engines to produce relevant results, is called Orion.

The Sydney Morning Herald confirmed Allon started work at Google's Mountain View headquarters six weeks ago. The university was in negotiations with Google, Microsoft and Yahoo! to sell the technology.
Twenty-six year old Allon expects to finish the algorithm within 18 months.
Because Allon created the algorithm as part of his postgrad course, the university keeps some of the ownership rights. More from SMH and ZDNet Australia. ®