Sending things into space has, dare we say it, become a little bit old hat. You know the score, you have a new product, so you attach it to a balloon with a GoPro attached, and video it going to the edge of the atmosphere.
In this case, the product in question was AMDs new mobile processor, formerly called "Kaveri" and now known as the A-Series APU, a processor aimed at Intel's Core range, and with power to compete with even the i7. The range launched at Computex in Taiwan while the balloon carrying the processor launched in German.
To get to space the helium filled balloon ascended to 36,240 meters before coming gracefully back to earth nearly two hours later. As impressive as it looks to see something go spacewards, there wasn't really an particular point to this mission. We might have been more impressed if they'd sent up a laptop running a game demo or something.
There are nine different processors in the A-Series range. Some are aimed at mobile gamers, who want amazing power from laptops, and some are aimed that "Ultrabook" type user, who needs ultra-low voltage processors to keep good battery life. As with Intel's Core range, the AMD A-Series has fast boot technology and the ability to "boost" power when it's needed.
In the performance range, AMD claims the A-Series can outperform Haswell U processors by 50 per cent in graphic performance. On the ultra-low voltage devices, AMD claims better performance than the Core i3, but isn't saying by how much.
Cosmic, man.
