IBM’s Quasar: Is it the future of computing?
Attempting to improve its score in the stock market, IBM is shaking up its business structure and using a revolutionary new chip to bring the high-graphic edge of gaming technology to business computing.
The company’s recent announcement that it has developed commercial server “blades” based on its so-called Cell Broadband Engine chip only hints at the changes that are to come at the company. IBM (Research) is about to announce a new corporate structure for its systems division, based largely around a revamped and rejuvenated microelectronics division.
Computers based on Cell can render into visual form massive amounts of data in real time. IBM believes that in the future, computer interfaces will be highly visual, perhaps giving users the feeling that they are “inside” the data. For example, a doctor might swoop through a heart on screen with tremendous clarity and accuracy, making new kinds of operations possible. Cell could also be used in battlefield visualization systems for soldiers and to help geologists locate underground oil.
So when is Apple switching back, then?
C’mon IBM, all your talking about is faster chips. Total processing power can come from a number of methods including parallel processing and software improvements.
And a lot of these applications already exist… Gee… detailed graphics in real time. What’ll they think of next!
At most, it’s slightly evolutionary, and not nearly the revolution they would need to have to increase their stock price.
Everyone is raving over the power of this chip, but many fully take for granted the amount of work needed to realize the full power of the processor for traditional computing loads. This is one of the reasons the article continuously speaks of visualization – something that is a slam dunk for the processor.
Paul, before apple can switch, they will have to bad-mouth the Cell Chips for about a decade, then form a partnership to “liberate” the chips from the confines of the doctors office…
J. Cottrell: Well played!
apple is going to kick them their own asses for this
A lot of people don’t seem to understand what the cell processor can do (including IBMs marketing department.) By having multiple processors (cell can chain up to 99 processors, the Playstation 3 will have 8) you don’t get more raw power toward a single application (like a PC game) you get, instead, the power of running multiple computers each with a dedicated processor, and system memory divided up between each. The real (potential) benefit would be a computer with 30 processors, 30 gigs of RAM, and 30 monitors running an entire office. This is more of an enterprise app. than a consumer app. Just hope it doesn’t crash…..
the smiley replaced the number 8……….odd
need implementation guidelines and software upgrade paths
🙂
The only hype about the Cell is coming from IBM: Even Sony is backing off that bandwagon.
The problem with the PS3 hype is that, from all reports, the chip is a pain in the ass to program for. Also, I don’t know where you got the number 8, Jason. Everything I’ve read points to the PS3 having 1.
Regardless of how good the chip is, the late release of the PS3 may kill its buzz. Meanwhile, those of us who got a 360 in November will have been playing on a next generation platform for a full year.
James Hill
It is one “cell” processor. The cell is just marketing speak for a multi core power PC variant. The Playstation 3 is getting a “cell” with 8 cores. One large Power PC based controll core and seven small chaser cores. The X-box 360 also uses the same Power PC variant, but in a more traditional multicore setup. The multicore in the 360 is more like an AMD or Intel multicore.