VR-Zone reports (via Hardmac) that Intel has begun production of its new “Z68″ chipset for Sandy Bridge-based processors, with availability set for May. Most notably in light of rumors regarding the new MacBook Pro that failed to materialize, the Z68 chipset will support Intel’s Rapid Storage Technology SSD caching.

“Judging from the specs, it seems Intel has catered Z68 specially for enthusiasts which allows better processor overclocking, discrete graphics support and SSD caching capability.”

SSD caching marries a conventional hard drive to a relatively small solid-state drive (SSD), with the most frequently-accessed data automatically placed on the SSD for fast access while the two drives appear to users simply as a single drive. The functionality serves to bring users much of the speed benefit of SSDs but with the storage capacity and lower cost of traditional hard drives.

Read more at MacRumors >

Apple was deemed top of the product placement charts on Tuesday after getting its computers, iPads, iPods and other items featured in 30 percent of the top movies at the U.S. box office in 2010.

“Apple, which also came top in 2009, capped a decade in which its products appeared in one-third of 334 films that reached number one status at the U.S. box office.”

Apple had roles in movies last year ranging from “Kick Ass” to “The Other Guys” and “Toy Story 3.” Total Apple product placements beat those of runners-up Chevrolet, Ford and Nike.

Read more at Reuters >

Whitespace is a fundamental building block of good design. Its one of the first thing any visual designer is taught. However, to many website owners it is simply a waste of space that could be used to better promote their messages, services or products.

“Designers love it, website owners want to fill it. Whitespace seems to be one of the most controversial aspects of design. Why then is it so important and how can we ensure it is maintained?”

In this post I aim to explain why whitespace matters and how to keep whitespace in a design without compromising business objectives. However, before I can do that we need to be clear what we mean by whitespace.

Learn more at Boagworld >

So what’s this Thunderbolt stuff, and why is it in your new MacBook Pro? Intel just broke it down for us, and now we’ll do the same for you. Simply put, Thunderbolt’s a familiar-looking port, a brand-new chip, and a cord, which allows devices to pipe two data streams simultaneously — in both directions — over a single cable at up to 10 gigabits per second to start, primarily using PCI Express x4 for data and DisplayPort for video. The Thunderbolt controller chip — required for the system, but Intel says it’s hardware-agnostic and doesn’t require an Intel processor or chipset to use — acts as a miniature router of sorts that rapidly switches between the two bidirectional channels of data.

Read more at engadget >

Technical Specifications of Thunderbolt

1. Dual-channel 10 Gbps per port
2. Bi-directional
3. Dual-protocol (PCI Express* and DisplayPort*)
4. Compatible with existing DisplayPort devices
5. Daisy-chained devices
6. Electrical or optical cables
7. Low latency with highly accurate time synchronization
8. Uses native protocol software drivers
9. Power over cable for bus-powered devices

With the 10 Gbps performance of Thunderbolt you can:

1. Transfer a full-length HD movie in less than 30 seconds
2. Backup 1 year of continuous MP3 playback in just over 10 minutes

Read more details at Intel >

As fate would have it, an Intel chipset glitch delayed shipments of almost every laptop manufacturer, save one. Apple, which has typically been last in transitioning to new technology, is now among the first to launch laptops with Sandy Bridge (known officially as second-generation Core CPUs)—and arriving first has its privileges. The Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Thunderbolt) ($2,199 direct) is the fastest laptop on our bench, thanks to a component overhaul that involves the first ever quad-core processor on a Mac laptop and a rekindled romance with AMD graphics. And then there’s Thunderbolt, a new connection technology that has mounds of potential, but I’ll contain my excitement until compatible peripherals ship. This, and a new Facetime HD Webcam, places the MacBook Pro 15-inch (Thunderbolt) at the peak of technology’s Mount Olympus and earns it an Editor’s Choice in the desktop replacement laptop category.

Read the full review at CNET >

NEW YORK (TheStreet) – Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) Tuesday night reported a 12% decline in the “consumer” portion of its personal systems group. That’s mostly laptops. With this news fresh in mind, I decided to visit 15 of the cafes located closest to the HP headquarters, mostly within a 2-mile radius, to see what the people closest to HP were using in terms of laptops.The survey took me about 90 minutes to conduct, and is, of course, of limited statistical significance. But still, out of the 100 laptops and tablets observed in 15 of the cafes closest to the HP headquarters:

• Apple MacBook: 45
• Lenovo: 14
• Dell: 14
• Apple iPad: 9
• Sony 6
• HP 4
• Toshiba 3
• Acer 2
• Asus 2
• Samsung 1

Read more at The Street >

This Day in Tech

1919: Oregon passes the nation’s first per-gallon tax on gasoline. It’s only a penny, and it’s only one state, but you know where things go from here.

Read More at Wired >

Geckoboard is a status board for your business’s vital signs. See web analytics, CRM, support, infrastructure, project management, sales… all in one place.

Because it’s a web service Geckoboard is available anywhere there’s internet, whether it’s a 60″ monitor in your office or on your smart phone.

It’s easy, it’s quick, it will save you development time.

Learn More about Geckoboard here >

What should a perfect login page or login form have?

Login forms are very simple in terms of the required elements. When it comes to forms, it doesn’t get simpler than that. But some of the elements that could be valuable to your users (or potential members) are often neglected.

“Elements that could be valuable to your users are often neglected”

Let’s take a look at the necessary elements >

An otherwise-beautiful design can really suffer if the typography choices are wrong. But combining fonts beyond the basic serif/sans-serif pairing can be tricky and confusing to a lot of designers.

“Good typography is paramount to any good design.”

While a lot of what goes into good typography is subjective, there are some guidelines that can point you in the right direction. From there, it’s up to you to experiment and try out different things.

Learn more at Webdesigner Depot >