Skip to Content

Free TUAW iPhone app -- try it now!
AOL Tech

64-bit posts

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft, Windows x64

Windows 7 Logo program: 32-bit only hardware need not apply

Windows 7 LogoMicrosoft has unveiled some of the details of the company's Windows 7 Logo program. Basically the program governs those little stickers that are affixed to computers and other hardware that have been tested to play nicely with Windows 7.

In the past the Windows logo program has been something of a mess. Some hardware that received the sticker barely worked with Vista, and there were separate stickers for Windows Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, and so on. Now there will be a single sticker for all versions of Windows 7. And in order to qualify, every version of Windows 7 needs to work with the hardware. And that includes the 64-bit version of the operating system.

As Engadget points out, that means that virtually every netbook on the market today won't qualify to wear the sticker, since the Intel Atom N270, N280, Z520, and Z30 processors found in most netbooks are 32-bit only. Interestingly, the Atom 230 and 330 chips found in nettops (small, low power desktop computers) are 64-bit processors which means that these devices will be able to sport the new logo. And the next-generation laptop Atom processors due out in early 2010 will also be 64-bit chips.

You can find a list of companies that ahve already certified their hardware as Windows 7 compatible at readyset7.com.

Filed under: Blogging

Now that we have Office, will 64-bit apps finally become more common?

Without giving it a little thought, I don't recall when I got my first Athlon 64 mainboard and CPU. It's been a long time. AMD first released the chips in September, 2003. Here we are six years later, and we still haven't really begun to make use of the added processing power.

Six years is a pretty long time in computer terms. My tower at work is now equipped with eight times as much memory, 50 times more capacity on its hard drive, and four processor cores instead of one. All those improvements, and yet I'm still stuck running primarily 32-bit applications on it.

What a waste. Perhaps now there's a light and the end of the tunnel.

I was thrilled when Adobe decided to release an x64 build of CS4 for Windows. Days ago I installed the Office 2010 technical preview - also a native 64-bit version. With two of the most prominent commercial application suites making the jump, maybe we're finally going to see more widespread development of 64-bit apps.

Can you imagine our systems not taking advantage of other hardware technology that's been around for six years - like SATA or 802.11g wireless, for example? It just doesn't make any sense, does it?

Filed under: Linux, Adobe, Beta

Adobe seeks testers for 64-bit Air on Linux

A few months back, Adobe announced the availability of a 64-bit version of the Flash plugin on Labs - for Linux only. Now they've released a 64-bit alpha version of Air, and once again it's just for Linux users.

If you're running a 64-bit Linux distribution on your system and can pitch in with bug reports and devote some serious time to testing you can email Adobe with your particulars. While I haven't received word back from Adobe as to why Linux is their testbed of choice, it surely has something to do with the number of Linux users running x64 distributions and their willingness to experiment with pre-release software.

Update: Adobe's Matt Rozen has just emailed me a response. He says "We have seen much stronger interest from the Linux community for a 64-bit version of Adobe Air, so that has been the focus of our efforts."

Windows users will have to wait patiently. There's no news at all yet about Air and the official line on Flash is that 64-bit support won't come until the next major release.

Filed under: OS Updates, Hardware, Windows, Microsoft, Windows x64

Vista sales, Windows 7 should be good news for 64-bit computing

According to Microsoft sources, over 25% of all Vista sales in Q4 2008 were 64-bit. Bargain basement prices on DDR2 memory modules played an important role. After all, getting the most out of the multiple gigs of dirt cheap ram in your system means running a 64-bit OS that knows how to handle it.

Several OEMs quietly shipped laptop and desktop models during the holiday season running Vista x64, much to the surprise of many retailers (and technicians like yours truly). Driver availability still remains a hurdle, but if Windows 7 can improve on Vista's good 64-bit base we should see a big move to 64-bit installs.

Windows 7 is expected to be Microsoft's last native 32-bit version - Server 2008 R2 has already moved to 64-bit only. Here's hoping hardware manufacturers and software publishers respond and start releasing native 64-bit versions of their applications.

I've seen a very good performance increase in Photoshop CS4 since making the switch and would love to be running more native apps.

Trouble is, they're not available yet for the most part. Here's hoping a little more time and a new OS can help change that.

[ via Daily Tech ]

Filed under: Linux, Beta, Browsers, Windows x64

Sun releases x64 Java browser plugin

First Adobe released its first alpha of a 64-bit Flash plugin for Linux, and now Sun has stepped up - providing a 64-bit Java plugin. This time, however, Windows users haven't been left out in the cold.

Java SE 6 update 12 is now available through Sun's Early Access Program, and there are downloads for both Linux and Windows platforms. It's been a long time coming (as you can see in the screenshot), and the release is another welcome piece of news for users of 64-bit operating systems.

Interestingly enough, Sun's own Solaris OS won't be running the plugin until a 64-bit version of Firefox is available.

If you're still using a 32-bit browser as well, you'll still need the 32-bit version of the plugin installed.

[ via Phoronix ]

Filed under: Internet, Linux, Adobe, Beta, Browsers

Adobe releases alpha 64-bit Flash plugin for Linux

What exactly is Adobe trying to prove? First, they release a 64-bit version of CS4. Now they're showing 64-bit Linux users some love by releasing an alpha version of the Flash player for their OSes.

It's been a long time coming. For ages, users have been forced to use nspluginwrapper to enable the 32-bit Flash player in their browser. With the official alpha release from Adobe, there's light at the end of the tunnel. Adobe's increased attention to Linux may have something to do with the fact that nearly a quarter of all Firefox crashes on Linux systems are related to the Flash plugin.

Availability of the 64-bit version is yet another boost for Flash on Linux. Version 10 made significant strides in terms of performance and compatability.

Linux users can get their hands on the plugin from this page at Adobe Labs.

Since I've recently installed Vista Ultimate x64 on my workstation, I'm hopeful that Adobe will do the right thing and roll out a Windows version as well. The company has stated that next major release the plugin will feature 64-bit versions for all three major platforms.

[ via Ars Technica ]

Featured Time Waster

The World's Hardest Game 2.0 - Time Waster

So, just how good at time waster games are you? Think you've got the stuff? Well, The World's Hardest Game 2.0 doesn't think you do. Yes, amazingly, it's possible to have a sequel to a game called "The World's Hardest Game". It doesn't seem logically possible, since if the first one was actually the world's hardest, how could another one come along and share the moniker? It made me doubt the name in the first place. That is, until I tried the game. The mechanics of the game are very simple. You are a small red square, ...

View more Time Wasters

Featured Galleries

Defective by Design, London: Protest Pictures
Microsoft Security Essentials
Chromium Pre-Alpha on CrunchBang Linux
Safari 4 Beta
10 Firefox themes that don't suck
IE8 RC1
Download Squad at the Crunchies After-Party
Download Squad at the Crunchies
WordPress 2.7
Cooking Mama: Mama Kills Animals
Windows 7 Hands On
Comodo Internet Security
Android First-look: Amazon.com MP3 Store
Android First-look: Twitroid
Google Reader Android
Android Hands-On
Twine 1.0
Photoshop Express Beta
Mozilla Birthday Cake
Palm stuff
Adobe Lightroom 1.1

 


Follow us on Twitter!

Flickr Pool

www.flickr.com

More Tech Coverage

AOL Radio