http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/18/video-dfi-hybrid-motherboard-runs-two-whole-systems-simultan/
Ages ago I postulated that people needed something like this, to be able to run two simultaneous logical operating systems at once on the same machine.
Mine was more something to control all of the hardware device drivers so as to offload those critical processes from the idiot operating system that allows 3rd party software to corrupt those processes.
We're all the admin but Windows has to treat us like tards simply because it's too easy to be duped by 3rd party software into corrupting our own system.
Now that Nvidia has put out so many super power efficient technologies that still get the big jobs done (games and HD movie playback at full HD) it's the time for integrating slim and fat hardware profiles into the same box.
So you take a netbook platform, which needn't be nerfed (needs to do some big jobs too if not most of them inside that 30W envelope).. like it could run beefy yet power efficient tegra graphics (or circuitry of equivalent function). The sub 30-50W system could do everything that a 650-1000 watt system never should. Surf the net, watch HD movies, BT*, NAS*, etc.
*BT = Bittorrent, a file sharing community based on a client program you run on your computer and .torrent files that you share with people. The .torrent files, when loaded into the client, will let the client find and share files with other BT users around the world.
*NAS = Network attached storage. If your computer has lots of data on it, the thin profile can manage it for all the other computers on your home or office network. One basic use is loading all media files, music, pictures, tv shows, movies etc on one or more big harddrives so all the other computers on the network can access them.
That power savings alone should win these guys a technology prize.
It's only a shame they demo'd it using a bloated windows operating system. Yes I'm never to be caught dead uterring such nonsense.. but it's also time MS committed to making their mobile, or low profile operating system much less bloated. This could be their opportunity, otherwise wasted on netbook platforms, for MS or even apple to produce low profile instant booting hardware.
But what should the other system run (be used for)? what requires 1000+ Watts in operation? Games? Mine would barely ever be turned on.. which is great for my bottom line in terms of my powerbill.
But, should this technology be refined (supported by the OS) and industry wide standards be applied to it (how much power can be sipped by the netbook-like primary system).. so much could be changed in how we run our systems. Firstly putting the switches on the keyboard as new, standard buttons. Obvioulsy they'd need to be wireless (bluetooth) otherwise to support legacy keyboards.
That and where does it end? (with only one fat profile?)
You know people out there would love integrating several fat profiles for running several concurrent games. For the less insane that would mean a hub like machine that can support an entire lan party from one box. If it's a dedicated thing, it would only make sense. It could support a full octet of players. At which point I cringe at the possibility of it integrating AMD's new Vision technology.. a dedicated box for 8 exclusive systems each capable of running 6 or more monitors.. hmm.. ... ...
On a different front could Microsoft finally make their own Xbox in a PC? the PC part can remain on the slim profile totally separated from the the gaming hardware. It would be a huge boon to the graphics hardware provider since both thin and fat profiles could use Nvidia graphics, or AMD graphics, or from some other provider. But as they are exclusive system in the prototype, nothing seems to require you to have hardware from only one provider.
For the Xbox example, the fat gaming profile would be the one that locks end users out. With the freedom to continue using the other half of the system for other things like surfing the net, running the office suite and playing popcap games with a mouse. Given their elephantine phobia of mice, it would be a godsend to have that slim profile for using as a pointing device. At least until Natal arrives.
Other bonus, which was my initial concept years and years ago was that the motherboard manufacturer would effectively lock down the thin profile so that you just can't mess with it. It then becomes that rescue disk.. troubleshooting safetynet.. it could run your antivirus literally in the background without taking any resources from your gaming system.
Given also that the network connections are exclusive, you could have your DSL BT line and another Fiber connection (technology availability permitting) for everything else (or vice versa).
It'll be an interesting CES if ofther motherboard manufacturers jump on board.. I'm a bit the Gigabyte whore and have been waiting for (finances) something new to bring me into the store for a new motherboard. This concept means that's going to be a while.
Ages ago I postulated that people needed something like this, to be able to run two simultaneous logical operating systems at once on the same machine.
Mine was more something to control all of the hardware device drivers so as to offload those critical processes from the idiot operating system that allows 3rd party software to corrupt those processes.
We're all the admin but Windows has to treat us like tards simply because it's too easy to be duped by 3rd party software into corrupting our own system.
Now that Nvidia has put out so many super power efficient technologies that still get the big jobs done (games and HD movie playback at full HD) it's the time for integrating slim and fat hardware profiles into the same box.
So you take a netbook platform, which needn't be nerfed (needs to do some big jobs too if not most of them inside that 30W envelope).. like it could run beefy yet power efficient tegra graphics (or circuitry of equivalent function). The sub 30-50W system could do everything that a 650-1000 watt system never should. Surf the net, watch HD movies, BT*, NAS*, etc.
*BT = Bittorrent, a file sharing community based on a client program you run on your computer and .torrent files that you share with people. The .torrent files, when loaded into the client, will let the client find and share files with other BT users around the world.
*NAS = Network attached storage. If your computer has lots of data on it, the thin profile can manage it for all the other computers on your home or office network. One basic use is loading all media files, music, pictures, tv shows, movies etc on one or more big harddrives so all the other computers on the network can access them.
That power savings alone should win these guys a technology prize.
It's only a shame they demo'd it using a bloated windows operating system. Yes I'm never to be caught dead uterring such nonsense.. but it's also time MS committed to making their mobile, or low profile operating system much less bloated. This could be their opportunity, otherwise wasted on netbook platforms, for MS or even apple to produce low profile instant booting hardware.
But what should the other system run (be used for)? what requires 1000+ Watts in operation? Games? Mine would barely ever be turned on.. which is great for my bottom line in terms of my powerbill.
But, should this technology be refined (supported by the OS) and industry wide standards be applied to it (how much power can be sipped by the netbook-like primary system).. so much could be changed in how we run our systems. Firstly putting the switches on the keyboard as new, standard buttons. Obvioulsy they'd need to be wireless (bluetooth) otherwise to support legacy keyboards.
That and where does it end? (with only one fat profile?)
You know people out there would love integrating several fat profiles for running several concurrent games. For the less insane that would mean a hub like machine that can support an entire lan party from one box. If it's a dedicated thing, it would only make sense. It could support a full octet of players. At which point I cringe at the possibility of it integrating AMD's new Vision technology.. a dedicated box for 8 exclusive systems each capable of running 6 or more monitors.. hmm.. ... ...
On a different front could Microsoft finally make their own Xbox in a PC? the PC part can remain on the slim profile totally separated from the the gaming hardware. It would be a huge boon to the graphics hardware provider since both thin and fat profiles could use Nvidia graphics, or AMD graphics, or from some other provider. But as they are exclusive system in the prototype, nothing seems to require you to have hardware from only one provider.
For the Xbox example, the fat gaming profile would be the one that locks end users out. With the freedom to continue using the other half of the system for other things like surfing the net, running the office suite and playing popcap games with a mouse. Given their elephantine phobia of mice, it would be a godsend to have that slim profile for using as a pointing device. At least until Natal arrives.
Other bonus, which was my initial concept years and years ago was that the motherboard manufacturer would effectively lock down the thin profile so that you just can't mess with it. It then becomes that rescue disk.. troubleshooting safetynet.. it could run your antivirus literally in the background without taking any resources from your gaming system.
Given also that the network connections are exclusive, you could have your DSL BT line and another Fiber connection (technology availability permitting) for everything else (or vice versa).
It'll be an interesting CES if ofther motherboard manufacturers jump on board.. I'm a bit the Gigabyte whore and have been waiting for (finances) something new to bring me into the store for a new motherboard. This concept means that's going to be a while.