What is going on at NVIDIA with the Windows 7 launch?
Windows 7 is now officially for sale around the world. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer officially kicked off the Windows 7 launch at an event today in New York City and you can see the webcasts from this link. Microsoft’s partners are unveiling new hardware and OEMs are switching from Vista (and even from eight year old XP) to Windows 7. Today is Microsoft’s big day this year.
Microsoft recognized NVIDIA ION today as a key enabling technology for the PC industry. Microsoft also announced the partner award at its Windows 7 launch event in New York City today. Now that Windows 7 takes advantage of graphics processors under DirectCompute, ION-based PCs will deliver faster performance than comparable systems for a broader range of applications including video playback, video transcoding, and games.
In addition, ION-based systems support Windows 7 Home Premium which provides a richer interface and easier navigation. In contrast, netbooks with Intel integrated graphics, cannot support several key features in Premium versions of Windows. ION-powered PCs with Windows 7 feature great application compatibility, attractive pricing, low power consumption, and amazing media support up to 1080p. ION netbooks with Windows 7 are ideal for mainstream PC users, students, and business travelers who want a light, versatile PC for the road.
Windows 7 marks a dramatic improvement in the way the Windows operating system takes advantage of the GPU by using it for both graphics and computing through the GPU accelerated Microsoft DirectCompute application program interface (API). NVIDIA has worked closely with Microsoft on DirectCompute, which will allow game developers to introduce new visual effects with fewer compromises to performance. Applications include image post-processing, shading & lighting effects, and artificial intelligence.
DirectCompute is a Windows-based alternative to CUDA but also runs on the CUDA architecture. Although, earlier this year AMD/ATI released their 5000 series DirectX 11 video cards that takes advantage of DirectCompute, NVIDIA’s current lineup of DirectX 10 processors also will be able to support it.
DirectCompute is basically Microsoft and NVIDIA leveraging the idea behind CUDA, building on it and acknowledging its benefits. NVIDIA did the original work with the architecture and convinced developers to take advantage of it in their applications. Now that Microsoft has joined in with Windows 7, this API is becoming the standard.
NVIDIA is also very excited about DirectX 11. It will be the API of choice for some of the top gaming titles starting in 2010. NVIDIA’s recently announced DirectX 11 Fermi architecture will be well aligned with these new gaming titles. Power Gaming with Windows 7 extends beyond new visual effects. Today’s gamers demand more interactive experiences and the technologies that make up Power Gaming are set to deliver a new level of immersion that will transform the gaming industry for years to come, such as NVIDIA’s 3D Vision, PhysX, and SLI.
- NVIDIA 3D Vision(TM) technology turns a 2D world into a fully immersive stereoscopic 3D experience. Characters and objects appear to have real depth and literally jump out of the screen.
- NVIDIA PhysX(TM) engine turns a static world into a dynamic world that comes to life. Walls can be torn down, with realistic effect. Glass can be shattered. Trees bend in the wind. Water flows with body and force.
- NVIDIA SLI(TM) technology allows the highest quality and fastest frame rates by combining multiple GeForce GPUs in a PC. Nvidia tells us on average, SLI technology is up to 15% faster on Windows 7 than on previous Windows operating systems.
“Despite rumors to the contrary, research shows that PC gaming is growing at a rapid pace and NVIDIA is the torchbearer for PC gaming,” said Jon Peddie, principal analyst for Jon Peddie Research. “Superior graphics, stereoscopic 3D, and advanced physics are features that differentiate the NVIDIA GeForce gaming experience from gaming consoles and other PC components.”
For more information on Windows 7 and NVIDIA GPUs visit http://www.nvidia.com/windows7.
Consumers already running a GeForce GPU with Windows 7 can download the new WHQL-certified drivers supporting DirectCompute directly from http://www.nvidia.com/drivers.
And hot off the wire, today’s announcement from NVIDIA:
NVIDIA to Announce Third Quarter Financial Results in Conference Call
SANTA CLARA, CA, Oct 22, 2009 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) — NVIDIA will host a conference call to discuss its financial results for the third quarter of its fiscal year 2010, ended Oct. 25, 2009, on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 2 p.m. Pacific time.
The company’s prepared remarks will be followed by a question and answer session, which will be limited to questions from financial analysts and institutional investors.
To listen to the conference call, dial (212) 231 2900; no password is required. The conference call will also be webcast live (in listen-only mode) at the following websites: www.nvidia.com and www.streetevents.com.
The press release announcing NVIDIA’s results will be distributed over a national wire service prior to the conference call and posted at the company’s website: www.nvidia.com.
A replay of the conference call will be available until Nov. 12, 2009 at (800) 633 8284 or (402) 977 9140, passcode 21423055. The webcast will be recorded and available for replay until the company’s conference call to discuss its financial results for its fourth quarter fiscal 2010.
This is always worth listening to. At least we will be and will give you the “Cliffs” afterward.
Mark Poppin
ABT Senior Editor
Please join us in our Forums
Become a Fan on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
For the latest updates from ABT, please join our RSS News Feed
Join our Distributed Computing teams
- Folding@Home – Team AlienBabelTech – 164304
- SETI@Home – Team AlienBabelTech – 138705
- World Community Grid – Team AlienBabelTech
