nVidia Chips Comparison Table

If you don’t follow almost daily the video card market it is really complicated to understand the differences between the several different nVidia graphics chips available on the market today. To facilitate knowing and understanding the difference among these chips, we have compiled the following table:

Chip	Core Clock	Memory Clock	Memory Interface	Memory Transfer Rate	Pixels per clock	DirectX
GeForce4 MX 420	250 MHz	166 MHz	128-bit	2.6 GB/s	1	7
GeForce4 MX 440 SE	250 MHz	333 MHz	64-bit	2.6 GB/s	1	7
GeForce4 MX 440	270 MHz	400 MHz	128-bit	6.4 GB/s	1	7
GeForce 4 MX 440 AGP 8x	275 MHz	512 MHz	128-bit	8.1 GB/s	1	7
GeForce 4 MX 460	300 MHz	550 MHz	128-bit	8.8 GB/s	1	7
GeForce MX 4000	250 MHz	*	32-, 64- or 128-bit	*	1	7
GeForce4 Ti 4200	250 MHz	514 MHz (64 MB) or 444 MHz (128 MB)	128-bit	8.2 GB/s (64 MB) or 7.1 GB/s (128 MB)	4	8.1
GeForce4 Ti 4200 AGP 8x	250 MHz	500 MHz	128-bit	8 GB/s	4	8.1
GeForce4 Ti 4400	275 MHz	550 MHz	128-bit	8.8 GB/s	4	8.1
GeForce4 Ti 4600	300 MHz	650 MHz	128-bit	10.4 GB/s	4	8.1
GeForce4 Ti 4800 SE	275 MHz	550 MHz	128-bit	8.8 GB/s	4	8.1
GeForce4 Ti 4800	300 MHz	650 MHz	128-bit	10.4 GB/s	4	8.1
GeForce FX 5200	250 MHz	400 MHz	64-bit or 128-bit	3.2 GB/s or 6.4 GB/s	4	9.0
GeForce FX 5200 Ultra	350 MHz	650 MHz	128-bit	10.4 GB/s	4	9.0
GeForce FX 5600	325 MHz	550 MHz	128-bit	8.8 GB/s	4	9.0
GeForce FX 5500	270 MHz	400 MHz	64-bit or 128-bit	3.2 GB/s or 6.4 GB/s	4	9.0
GeForce FX 5600 Ultra	500 MHz	800 MHz	128-bit	12.8 GB/s	4	9.0
GeForce FX 5700 LE	250 MHz	400 MHz	128-bit	6.4 GB/s	4	9.0
GeForce FX 5700	425 MHz	600 MHz	128-bit	9,6 GB/s	4	9.0
GeForce FX 5700 Ultra	475 MHz	900 MHz	128-bit	14.4 GB/s	4	9.0
GeForce FX 5800	400 MHz	900 MHz	128-bit	14.4 GB/s	8	9.0
GeForce FX 5800 Ultra	500 MHz	1 GHz	128-bit	16 GB/s	8	9.0
GeForce FX 5900 XT	390 MHz	680 MHz	256-bit	21.7 GB/s	8	9.0
GeForce FX 5900	400 MHz	850 MHz	256-bit	27.2 GB/s	8	9.0
GeForce FX 5900 Ultra	450 MHz	850 MHz	256-bit	27.2 GB/s	8	9.0
GeForce FX 5950 Ultra	475 MHz	950 MHz	256-bit	30.4 GB/s	8	9.0
GeForce PCX 5300	325 MHz	650 MHz	128-bit	10.4 GB/s	4	9.0
GeForce PCX 5750	475 MHz	900 MHz	128-bit	14.4 GB/s	4	9.0
GeForce PCX 5900	350 MHz	500 MHz	256-bit	17.6 GB/s	8	9.0
GeForce PCX 5950	475 MHz	900 MHz	256-bit	30.4 GB/s	8	9.0
GeForce 6200	300 MHz	550 MHz	128-bit	8.8 GB/s	4	9.0c
GeForce 6200 LE	350 MHz	550 MHz	64-bit	4.4 GB/s	2	9.0c
GeForce 6200 (TC)	350 MHz	666 MHz *	32-bit or 64-bit	2.66 GB/s or 5.32 GB/s *	4	9.0c
GeForce 6500 (TC)	400 MHz	666 MHz *	32-bit or 64-bit	2.66 GB/s or 5.32 GB/s *	4	9.0c
GeForce 6600	300 MHz	550 MHz *	64-bit or 128-bit	4.4 GB/s or 8.8 GB/s *	8	9.0c
GeForce 6600 DDR2	350 MHz	800 MHz *	128-bit	12.8 GB/s *	8	9.0c
GeForce 6600 LE	300 MHz	*	64-bit or 128-bit	*	4	9.0c
GeForce 6600 GT	500 MHz	1 GHz	128-bit	16 GB/s	8	9.0c
GeForce 6600 GT AGP	500 MHz	900 MHz	128-bit	14.4 GB/s	8	9.0c
GeForce 6800 LE	300 MHz	700 MHz	256-bit	22.4 GB/s	8	9.0c
GeForce 6800 XT	325 MHz	600 MHz	256 bits	19.2 GB/s	8	9.0c
GeForce 6800 XT AGP	325 MHz	700 MHz	256 bits	22.4 GB/s	8	9.0c
GeForce 6800	325 MHz	600 MHz	256-bit	19.2 GB/s	12	9.0c
GeForce 6800 AGP	325 MHz	700 MHz	256-bit	22.4 GB/s	12	9.0c
GeForce 6800 GS	425 MHz	1 GHz	256-bit	32 GB/s	12	9.0c
GeForce 6800 GS AGP	350 MHz	1 GHz	256-bit	32 GB/s	12	9.0c
GeForce 6800 GT	350 MHz	1 GHz	256-bit	32 GB/s	16	9.0c
GeForce 6800 Ultra	400 MHz	1.1 GHz	256-bit	35.2 GB/s	16	9.0c
GeForce 6800 Ultra Extreme	450 MHz	1.1 GHz	256-bit	35.2 GB/s	16	9.0c
GeForce 7100 GS (TC)	350 MHz	666 MHz *	64-bit	5.3 GB/s *	4	9.0c
GeForce 7200 GS (TC)	450 MHz	800 MHz *	64-bit	6.4 GB/s *	4	9.0c
GeForce 7300 SE (TC)	225 MHz	*	64-bit	*	4	9.0c
GeForce 7300 LE (TC)	450 MHz	648 MHz *	64-bit	5.2 GB/s *	4	9.0c
GeForce 7300 GS (TC)	550 MHz	810 MHz *	64-bit	6.5 GB/s *	4	9.0c
GeForce 7300 GT (TC)	350 MHz	667 MHz	128-bit	10.6 GB/s	8	9.0c
GeForce 7600 GS	400 MHz	800 MHz	128-bit	12.8 GB/s	12	9.0c
GeForce 7600 GT	560 MHz	1.4 GHz	128-bit	22.4 GB/s	12	9.0c
GeForce 7800 GS	375 MHz	1.2 GHz	256-bit	38.4 GB/s	16	9.0c
GeForce 7800 GT	400 MHz	1 GHz	256-bit	32 GB/s	20	9.0c
GeForce 7800 GTX	430 MHz	1.2 GHz	256-bit	38.4 GB/s	24	9.0c
GeForce 7800 GTX 512	550 MHz	1.7 GHz	256-bit	54.4 GB/s	24	9.0c
GeForce 7900 GS	450 MHz	1.32 GHz	256-bit	42.2 GB/s	20	9.0c
GeForce 7900 GT	450 MHz	1.32 GHz	256-bit	42.2 GB/s	24	9.0c
GeForce 7900 GTX	650 MHz	1.6 GHz	256-bit	51.2 GB/s	24	9.0c
GeForce 7950 GT	550 MHz	1.4 GHz	256-bit	44.8 GB/s	24	9.0c
GeForce 7950 GX2 **	500 MHz	1.2 GHz	256-bit	38.4 GB/s	24	9.0c
GeForce 8400 GS ***	450 MHz / 900 MHz	800 MHz	64-bit	6.4 GB/s	16	10
GeForce 8500 GT ***	450 MHz / 900 MHz	666 MHz or 800 MHz	128-bit	10.6 GB/s or 12.8 GB/s	16	10
GeForce 8600 GT DDR2 ***	540 MHz / 1.18 GHz	666 MHz or 800 MHz	128-bit	10.6 GB/s or 12.8 GB/s	32	10
GeForce 8600 GT GDDR3 ***	540 MHz / 1.18 GHz	1.4 GHz	128-bit	22.4 GB/s	32	10
GeForce 8600 GTS ***	675 MHz / 1.45 GHz	2 GHz	128-bit	32 GB/s	32	10
GeForce 8800 GS *** ^	550 MHz / 1,375 MHz	1.6 GHz	192-bit	38.4 GB/s	96	10
GeForce 8800 GT *** ^	600 MHz / 1.5 GHz	1.8 GHz	256-bit	57.6 GB/s	112	10
GeForce 8800 GTS ***	500 MHz / 1.2 GHz	1.6 GHz	320-bit	64 GB/s	96	10
GeForce 8800 GTS 512 *** ^	650 MHz / 1,625 MHz	1.94 GHz	256-bit	62.08 GB/s	128	10
GeForce 8800 GTX ***	575 MHz / 1.35 GHz	1.8 GHz	384-bit	86.4 GB/s	128	10
GeForce 8800 Ultra ***	612 MHz / 1.5 GHz	2.16 GHz	384-bit	103.6 GB/s	128	10
GeForce 9400 GT *** ^	550 MHz / 1.4 GHz	800 MHz	128-bit	12.8 GB/s	16	10
GeForce 9500 GT *** ^	550 MHz / 1.4 GHz	1 GHz (DDR2) or 1.6 GHz (GDDR3)	128-bit	16 GB/s (DDR2) or 25.6 GB/s (GDDR3)	32	10
GeForce 9600 GSO *** ^	550 MHz / 1.35 GHz	1.6 GHz	192-bit	38.4 GB/s	96	10
GeForce 9600 GSO 512 *** ^	650 MHz / 1,625 MHz	1.8 GHz	256-bit	57.6 GB/s	48	10
GeForce 9600 GT *** ^	600 MHz / 1.5 GHz or 650 MHz / 1,625 MHz	1.8 GHz	256-bit	57.6 GB/s	64	10
GeForce 9800 GT *** ^	600 MHz / 1.5 GHz	1.8 GHz	256-bit	57.6 GB/s	112	10
GeForce 9800 GTX *** ^	675 MHz / 1,688 MHz	2.2 GHz	256-bit	70.4 GB/s	128	10
GeForce 9800 GTX+ *** ^	738 MHz / 1,836 MHz	2.2 GHz	256-bit	70.4 GB/s	128	10
GeForce 9800 GX2 ** *** ^	600 MHz / 1.5 GHz	2 GHz	256-bit	64 GB/s	128	10
GeForce G 100 *** ^	567 MHz / 1.4 GHz	1 GHz	64-bit	8 GB/s	8	10
GeForce GT 120 *** ^	500 MHz / 1.4 GHz	1 GHz	128-bit	16 GB/s	32	10
GeForce GT 130 *** ^	500 MHz / 1.25 GHz	1 GHz	192-bit	24 GB/s	48	10
GeForce GTS 150 *** ^	738 MHz / 1,836 MHz	2 GHz	256-bit	64 GB/s	128	10
GeForce GTS 250 *** ^	738 MHz / 1,836 MHz	2.2 GHz	256-bit	70.4 GB/s	128	10
GeForce GTX 260 *** ^	576 MHz / 1,242 MHz	2 GHz	448-bit	112 GB/s	192	10
GeForce GTX 260/216 *** ^	576 MHz / 1,242 MHz	2 GHz	448-bit	112 GB/s	216	10
GeForce GTX 275 *** ^	633 MHz / 1,404 MHz	2.268 GHz	448-bit	127 GB/s	240	10
GeForce GTX 280 *** ^	602 MHz / 1,296 MHz	2.21 GHz	512-bit	141.7 GB/s	240	10
GeForce GTX 285 *** ^	648 MHz / 1,476 MHz	2.48 GHz	512-bit	159 GB/s	240	10
GeForce GTX 295 ** *** ^	576 MHz / 1,242 MHz	2 GHz	448-bit	112 GB/s	240	10

 

[SOURCE: http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/132 ]

AMD ATI Chips Comparison Table

With more and more graphics chips being released every day it became very complicated for the user who does not follow the video card market to know the differences among all ATI graphic chips in the market today. To facilitate knowing and understanding the difference among major ATI chips, we have compiled the following table. It is important to notice that starting 2007 both ATI and nVidia started referring to the memory clock of their video cards with the real clock rate used. In the past manufacturers referred the memory clocks with double their real clock rate, because DDR and subsequent technologies (DDR2, GDDR3, etc) allow the memory chip to transfer two data per clock cycle. So a video card with a memory chip running at 500 MHz would be referred as having a 1 GHz memory. In order to keep the compatibility of our table, we are still referring the memory clocks with the DDR naming convention – i.e. double the real clock rate – on cards with memories based on DDR or subsequent technologies.

Chip	Core Clock	Memory Clock	Memory Interface	Memory Transfer Rate	Pixels per clock	DirectX
Radeon 9200	250 MHz	400 MHz	128-bit	6.4 GB/s	4	8.1
Radeon 9200 Pro	275 MHz	550 MHz	128-bit	8.8 GB/s	4	8.1
Radeon 9200 SE	200 MHz	333 MHz	64-bit	2.6 GB/s	4	8.1
Radeon 9250	240 MHz	400 MHz	128-bit	6.4 GB/s	4	8.1
Radeon 9250 SE	240 MHz	400 MHz	64-bit	3.2 GB/s	4	8.1
Radeon 9500	275 MHz	540 MHz	128-bit	8.6 GB/s	4	9.0
Radeon 9550	250 MHz	400 MHz	128-bit	6.4 GB/s	4	9.0
Radeon 9550 SE	250 MHz	400 MHz	64-bit	3.2 GB/s	4	9.0
Radeon 9500 Pro	275 MHz	540 MHz	128-bit	8.6 GB/s	8	9.0
Radeon 9600	325 MHz	400 MHz	128-bit	6.4 GB/s	4	9.0
Radeon 9600 Pro	400 MHz	600 MHz	128-bit	9.6 GB/s	4	9.0
Radeon 9600 SE	325 MHz	400 MHz	64-bit	3.2 GB/s	4	9.0
Radeon 9600 XT	500 MHz	600 MHz	128-bit	9.6 GB/s	4	9.0
Radeon 9700	275 MHz	540 MHz	256-bit	17.2 GB/s	8	9.0
Radeon 9700 Pro	325 MHz	620 MHz	256-bit	19.8 GB/s	8	9.0
Radeon 9800	325 MHz	580 MHz	256-bit	18.56 GB/s	8	9.0
Radeon 9800 Pro	380 MHz	680 MHz	256-bit	21.7 GB/s	8	9.0
Radeon 9800 SE	325 MHz	500 MHz	128-bit or 256-bit	8 GB/s or 16 GB/s	4	9.0
Radeon 9800 XT	412 MHz	730 MHz	256-bit	23.3 GB/s	8	9.0
Radeon X300 SE	325 MHz	400 MHz	64-bit	3.2 GB/s	4	9.0
Radeon X300	325 MHz	400 MHz	128-bit	6.4 GB/s	4	9.0
Radeon X550	400 MHz	500 MHz	128-bit or 64-bit	8 GB/s or 4 GB/s	4	9.0
Radeon X600 Pro	400 MHz	600 MHz	128-bit	9.6 GB/s	4	9.0
Radeon X600 XT	500 MHz	730 MHz	128-bit	11.68 GB/s	4	9.0
Radeon X700	400 MHz	600 MHz	128-bit	9.6 GB/s	8	9.0
Radeon X700 Pro	420 MHz	864 MHz	128-bit	13.8 GB/s	8	9.0
Radeon X700 XT	475 MHz	1.05 GHz	128-bit	16.8 GB/s	8	9.0
Radeon X800 SE	*	*	*	*	8	9.0
Radeon X800	400 MHz	700 MHz	256-bit	22.4 GB/s	12	9.0
Radeon X800 XL	400 MHz	1 GHz	256-bit	32 GB/s	16	9.0
Radeon X800 GT	475 MHz	**	128-bit or 256-bit	**	8	9.0
Radeon X800 GTO	400 MHz	1 GHz ***	256-bit	32 GB/s	12	9.0
Radeon X800 Pro	475 MHz	950 MHz	256-bit	30.4 GB/s	12	9.0
Radeon X800 XT	500 MHz	1 GHz	256-bit	32 GB/s	16	9.0
Radeon X800 XT PE	520 MHz	1.12 GHz	256-bit	35.8 GB/s	16	9.0
Radeon X850 Pro	520 MHz	1.08 GHz	256-bit	34.56 GB/s	12	9.0
Radeon X850 XT	520 MHz	1.08 GHz	256-bit	34.56 GB/s	16	9.0
Radeon X850 PE	540 MHz	1.18 GHz	256-bit	37.76 GB/s	16	9.0
Radeon X1050	****	****	****	****	4	9.0c
Radeon X1300 HM	450 MHz	1 GHz	128-bit or 64-bit or 32-bit	16 GB/s or 8 GB/s or 4 GB/s	4	9.0c
Radeon X1300	450 MHz	500 MHz	128-bit or 64-bit or 32-bit	8 GB/s or 4 GB/s or 2 GB/s	4	9.0c
Radeon X1300 Pro	600 MHz	800 MHz	128-bit or 64-bit or 32-bit	12.8 GB/s or 6.4 GB/s or 3.2 GB/s	4	9.0c
Radeon X1300 XT	500 MHz	800 MHz (DDR2) or 1 GHz (GDDR3)	128-bit	12.8 GB/s or 16 GB/s	12	9.0c
Radeon X1550	450 MHz or 550 MHz or 600 MHz	800 MHz	64-bit or 128-bit	6.4 GB/s or 12.8 GB/s	4	9.0c
Radeon X1600 Pro	500 MHz or 575 MHz	780 MHz	128-bit	12.48 GB/s	12	9.0c
Radeon X1600 XT	590 MHz	1.38 GHz	128-bit	22.08 GB/s	12	9.0c
Radeon X1650 Pro	600 MHz	1.40 GHz	128-bit	22.40 GB/s	12	9.0c
Radeon X1650 XT	575 MHz	1.35 GHz	128-bit	21.60 GB/s	24	9.0c
Radeon X1800 GTO	500 MHz	1 GHz	256-bit	32 GB/s	12	9.0c
Radeon X1800 XL	500 MHz	1 GHz	256-bit	32 GB/s	16	9.0c
Radeon X1800 XT	625 MHz	1.5 GHz	256-bit	48 GB/s	16	9.0c
Radeon X1900 GT	575 MHz	1.2 GHz	256-bit	38.4 GB/s	36	9.0c
Radeon X1900 XT	625 MHz	1.45 GHz	256-bit	46.4 GB/s	48	9.0c
Radeon X1900 XTX	650 MHz	1.55 GHz	256-bit	49.6 GB/s	48	9.0c
Radeon X1950 GT	500 MHz	1.2 GHz	256-bit	38.4 GB/s	36	9.0c
Radeon X1950 Pro	575 MHz	1.38 GHz	256-bit	44.16 GB/s	36	9.0c
Radeon X1950 XT	625 MHz	1.8 GHz	256-bit	57.6 GB/s	48	9.0c
Radeon X1950 XTX	650 MHz	2 GHz	256-bit	64 GB/s	48	9.0c
Radeon HD 2400 Pro	525 MHz	800 MHz	64-bit	6.4 GB/s	40 *****	10
Radeon HD 2400 XT	700 MHz	1.6 GHz	64-bit	12.8 GB/s	40 *****	10
Radeon HD 2600 Pro	600 MHz	800 MHz	128-bit	12.8 GB/s	120 *****	10
Radeon HD 2600 XT	800 MHz	1.6 GHz (GDDR3) or 2.2 GHz (GDDR4)	128-bit	25.6 GB/s (GDDR3) or 35.2 GB/s (GDDR4)	120 *****	10
Radeon HD 2900 GT	600 MHz	1.6 GHz	256-bit	51.2 GB/s	240 *****	10
Radeon HD 2900 Pro	600 MHz	1.85 GHz	512-bit	118.4 GB/s	320 *****	10
Radeon HD 2900 XT	740 MHz	1.65 GHz (GDDR3) or 2 GHz (GDDR4)	512-bit	105.6 GB/s (GDDR3) or 128 GB/s (GDDR4)	320 *****	10
Radeon HD 3450 ^	600 MHz	1 GHz	64-bit	8 GB/s	40 *****	10.1
Radeon HD 3470 ^	800 MHz	1.90 GHz	64-bit	15.2 GB/s	40 *****	10.1
Radeon HD 3650 ^	725 MHz	1 GHZ (DDR2) or 1.6 GHz (GDDR3)	128-bit	16 GB/s (DDR2) or 25.6 GB/s (GDDR3)	120 *****	10.1
Radeon HD 3690 ^	668 MHz	1,656 MHz	128-bit	26.5 GB/s	120 *****	10.1
Radeon HD 3850 ^	670 MHz	1.66 GHz	256-bit	53.12 GB/s	320 *****	10.1
Radeon HD 3870 ^	775 MHz	2.25 GHz	256-bit	72 GB/s	320 *****	10.1
Radeon HD 3870 X2 ^  +	825 MHz	1.8 GHz	256-bit	57.6 GB/s	320 *****	10.1
Radeon HD 4350 ^	600 MHz	1 GHz	64-bit	8 GB/s	80 *****	10.1
Radeon HD 4550 ^	800 MHz	1.6 GHz	64-bit	12.8 GB/s	80 *****	10.1
Radeon HD 4650 ^	600 MHz	1 GHz or 1.4 GHz	128-bit	16 GB/s or 22.4 GB/s	320 *****	10.1
Radeon HD 4670 ^	750 MHz	2 GHz (512 MB) or 1,746 MHz (1 GB)	128-bit	32 GB/s or 27.94 GB/s	320 *****	10.1
Radeon HD 4830 ^	575 MHz	1.8 GHz	256-bit	57.6 GB/s	640 *****	10.1
Radeon HD 4850 ^	625 MHz	2 GHz	256-bit	64 GB/s	800 *****	10.1
Radeon HD 4850 X2 ^ +	625 MHz	2 GHz	256-bit	64 GB/s	800 *****	10.1
Radeon HD 4870 ^	750 MHz	3.6 GHz	256-bit	115.2 GB/s	800 *****	10.1
Radeon HD 4870 X2 ^ +	750 MHz	2.6 GHz	256-bit	115.2 GB/s	800 *****	10.1
Radeon HD 4890 ^	850 MHz	3.9 GHz	256-bit	124.8 GB/s	800 *****	10.1

[SOURCE: http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/131 ]

Gigabyte

 

One of the latest releases of Gigabyte Motherboards based on the Intel P965 Chipset. Its supports Core-2 Processor and incorporates an All-Solid Capacitor Motherboard Design to enhance durability.

“To ensure a longer lifespan for systems in daily operation while boosting system stability under extreme conditions, the GIGABYTE Durability Enhanced platform adopts cutting-edge Conductive Polymer Aluminum Solid Capacitors from the world’s leading vendors. With these high-quality components, users can take advantage of better electronic conductivity and excellent heat resistance for enhanced system durability.”

[SOURCE: http://www.gigabyte.us/FileList/NewTech/2006_motherboard_newtech/tech_20060605_features-6quad.htm]

Das Keyboard II

 

An interesting concept using blank keys.

“Like on a piano, since there are no keys to look at when typing, your brain will quickly adapt and memorize the key positions. Within a few short weeks users increase their typing accuracy and find themselves typing up to 100% faster.”

[SOURCE: http://www.daskeyboard.com/ ]

The Dvorak Keyboard

 

The Dvorak keyboard is an ergonomic alternative to the layout commonly found on typewriters and computers known as “Qwerty”. The Qwerty keyboard was designed in the 1870s to accommodate the slow mechanical movement of early typewriters. When it was designed, touch typing literally hadn’t even been thought of yet! It’s hardly an efficient design for today’s use. By contrast, the Dvorak (pronounced “duh-VOR-ack”, not like the Czech composer!) keyboard was designed with emphasis on typist comfort, high productivity and ease of learning — it’s much easier to learn! There were several variations in the Dvorak’s design in its first few decades, but these were settled when the American National Standards Institute approved a standard for the layout of the Dvorak in 1982. The diagram above shows the standard layout as adapted for PC use.

Because computers weren’t even a researcher’s dream in the late 1920s and 30s, the Dvorak design took about 12 years to perfect, and included extensive study of languages using the Roman alphabet (mostly English), the physiology of the hand, and practical studies. Dr. Dvorak (Univ. of Washington, Seattle; b.1894, d.1975) used his research to design two other keyboards specifically for people with only one hand (one each for the right and left), which allow people with the use of just one hand to type very easily and efficiently — at speeds up to 50 wpm. 

The Dvorak has the most-used consonants on the right side of the home row, and the vowels on the left side of the home row. Among other design features, it is set up to facilitate keying in a back-and-forth motion — (right hand, then left hand, then right, etc.) When the same hand has to be used for more than one letter in a row (e.g., the common t-h), it is designed not only to use different fingers when possible (to make keying quicker and easier), but also to progress from the outer fingers to the inner fingers (“inboard stroke flow”) — it’s easier to drum your fingers this way (try it on the tabletop). The back-and-forth flow obviously makes typing quicker and easier: try typing the word “minimum” on the Qwerty keyboard, then look how you’d type it on Dvorak. The design puts fully 70 percent of all English keystrokes on the home row (only 32 percent of Qwerty’s are on the home row), making Dvorak much easier, faster, and — probably (no formal studies have been done as yet) — less likely to result in carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive motion injuries.

Remember when you took typing classes, probably in high school? You got to do drills with such words as “fff”, “jjj”, “jkl;”. Added to the awkward physical motions Qwerty requires, these “nonsense words” are counter-intuitive, making Qwerty very hard to learn. On Dvorak, the keys on the home row make up literally thousands of words (we have a list of nearly 5000 from one electronic dictionary alone!), meaning you could have typed real words on your first day of typing class… if you had learned on a Dvorak keyboard.

The row above the top row contains the next-most-used letters and punctuation. Why? Because it is easier for your fingers to reach up on the keyboard than down. The least-used keys are on the bottom row.

Even if you don’t want to switch (it’s actually fairly easy — Randy Cassingham did it, and his typing speed went from 50 WPM to over 100), why the heck are we forcing children to learn the draconian ergonomic failure “Qwerty” when there’s a such a good alternative available? Why teach kids for weeks and weeks and weeks to master a complex skill when in two or three weeks they could learn Dvorak and then get on with what they’re at the keyboard to do! Writing, programming …creating!

If it’s so good, why isn’t everyone using it? Clearly, a good question. There are a lot of reasons for it, and they are too numerous and complicated to explain fully here (they are fully explained in the book The Dvorak Keyboard). Mainly, the Qwerty keyboard became entrenched in tradition. By the time Dr. Dvorak came up with his design, there were hundreds of thousands of typewriters, and it would have cost millions to convert them all over. The switch was just about to be made, but then World War II broke out, and the War Dept. ordered all typewriter keyboards be set to the most-common standard — Qwerty — and typewriter manufacturers retooled to produce small arms. By the end of the war, Qwerty was cast in concrete.

There are other reasons, too. Unbelieveably, there are people with personal vendettas against the Dvorak. In 1956, a U.S. government researcher published an astoundingly biased “study” that railed against the Dvorak layout. When other researchers found the conclusions suspicious, they asked to see the raw data — but the government researcher had destroyed it all! Yet the anti-Dvorak still point to the “study” by the General Services Administration as “proof” that there’s something wrong with the Dvorak. But their “evidence” doesn’t even exist. Such vendettas exist now, too. The most commonly quoted anti-Dvorak screed over the past few years is one by Stan Liebowitz and Stephen Margolis. Randy responded to that one way back in 1995 (copy of that here).

Certainly, people are using it. How many? Who knows — unlike typewriters, which needed precision mechanical work to convert them, computers are by their nature programmable, and it’s a cinch to convert them to Dvorak. So how many people have actually done it? The only way to really find out is to do an expensive controlled survey, and no one is rushing forth with the money to fund such a study.

To learn more about the Dvorak layout, we recommend two levels of information. Freelance Communications is the exclusive distributor of Typewriting Behavior, Dr. Dvorak’s 546-page book on the keyboard’s research and design — it’s a classic! The book was printed in 1936, and there will never be any more. For a less technical overview of the Dvorak layout, Randy Cassingham’s 1986 book The Dvorak Keyboard clearly explains what’s “wrong” with Qwerty and what’s “right” about the Dvorak, gives a nice overview on how the Dvorak layout was designed, including its evolution since 1936, and contains an overview of the one-handed layouts.

By Randy Cassingham

[SOURCE: http://dvorak-keyboard.com/index.html]

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2006

Apple CEO Steve Jobs kick off the company’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) with a keynote preview of Mac OS X “Leopard” from San Francisco’s Moscone West.

Click here to watch event.

Google Earth on a Multi-User Tabletop Computer Display

 

Transforming a 2D image into 3D

Researchers of Carnegie MellonUniversity has managed to teach a computer to recognize and transform 2D images into 3D.

Media Streams

A selection of channels where you can listen or watch latest happenings in the world of technology.

1) TechNet Radio Latest | Web
Microsoft’s internet radio show with content for IT professionals

2) BBC Click Latest | Web
BBC TV Technology Show

3) BBC Digital Planet Latest | Web
BBC World Service guide to the Digital World

4) BBC Leading Edge Latest | Web
BBC 4’s latest news from the World of Science

5) BBC Science in Action Latest | Web
BBC World Service Weekly Science Program

Web Browsers

Strictly speaking, a browser is software that you use to view and interact with Web sites on the Internet. It may be the most important Web tool you have. Luckily for consumers, Web browsers are mostly free and getting better because firms like Microsoft and AOL that develop this software believe that controlling access to the Net gives you a leg-up competitively when it comes to generating revenues from things like subscription services, Web advertising and operating software. So they make their browsers free and chock full of bells and whistles. However, the barriers to entry in the browser market are low and other more nimble players have developed alternatives that are now superior in many ways to market leading browsers like Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, which controls 90% of the market. Below you will find browsers that scan and load Web pages faster, offer plenty of perks and tend to keep you safer from viruses and spyware than most of the big boys. — Matt Rand

** Forbes Favorite * Forbes Best of The Web pick   Read our Review for:   Visit: Firefox www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ ** Camino www.mozilla.org/products/camino/ K-Meleon kmeleon.sourceforge.net/ * Netscape Browser browser.netscape.com/ * Opera www.opera.com * Internet Explorer   www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.mspx Mozilla Suite   www.mozilla.org/products/mozilla1.x/ Safari   www.apple.com/safari

(Source: http://www.forbes.com/bow/b2c/category.jhtml?id=301 )