AMD and BlueStacks join forces to bring Android apps to x86-based tablets and PCs

According to Digitimes AMD and Bluestacks join forces to bring Android apps to x86 based tablets and PC's. AMD is especially interested in optimizing Bluestacks software to run fullscreen on its APU-platform. Android market contains already more then 200,000 apps and counting. Interesting point is the app approach Microsoft too is pointing at with its new Windows 8. Of course does have the market to decide but it looks like the PC era is slowly coming to its end in favour of mobile devices.

0.5mm2 ARM chip offers 5X energy efficiency, jacks up performance

The Register reports about the new powersaving ARM7 chip which will be manufactured at 28mm technology. ARM also designed big.LITTLE on a SOC which will feature a combination of a ARM7 and a ARM15 at which the powerhungry ARM15 can be powered up and down on demand. This new powersaver is bad news for Intel who want a piece of the mobile gadgets market too with their low power Atom processors.

The impending hard drive shortage -- and possible price hikes

InfoWorld reports about a impending harddrive shortage because of the flooding of large areas in Thailand. The shutdown of those harddrive factories causes a decline up to 25% of the harddrive production. Thailand is one of the largest harddrive producers in the world so it is likely that we will see a short term price hike. Maybe it will also push the SSD-trend further forward because of the smaller price differences but not for long.

Congress, wary of Amazon's Silk browser, demands answers on privacy

According to Ars Technica Congress finally get worried about privacy. Especially Amazon's silk browser has drawn their attention because it will lead big streams of data via Amazon's servers. Better late then never but I have some more items for their list: Facebook, Google, Twitter, Opera Mobile and not to forget all those government agencies internet traffic, banking data etc all big privacy killers. But they do not really care only lobbiests who are paid by the other big players then Amazon care.

Pano's virtual desktops go from zero to hero

The Register has a first impression of Panalogic's zero client VDI. A thin client so thin that even a operating system is absent. It is the ultimate dumb graphical terminal from the mainframe era but now with X86 servers more powerfull then this old mainframes. Although most people certainly do not like to go back to the old day with green and black 24x80 characters screens of course. Funny thing though: the recent Microsoft bare metal server/hypervisor do not have a graphical interface at all!

Check your machines for malware, Linux developers told

The Register reports that the lead developers of the Linux kernel have warned other developers to check for rootkits and to regenerate new RSA keys. This all as the fallout of the recent securitybreaches of LinuxFoundation.org, Linux.com, and Kernel.org. For people who think that Linux is invulnerable this might be a great shock but for experienced sysadmins it is old hat. Of course you can harden your installation but the only 100% secure ones are disconnect from any network and without keyboard, mouse, any other input device including thumbdrives.

Anonymous Twitter alternative developed for rioters

Riotters in London learned the fast way that pinging of twittering your actions also attracts police and other goverment agencies. The Register has news about a new app Vibe which makes it possible to send a message anonymously and for short a range around you. Much better, you can have it expire within minutes after sending and it will disappear without notice. Of course they still can track your mobile phone and which apps you use but proving you sended a particular message will not be easy. How long will it take before this app is banned from iTunes?