In this age of multi-core processors and 3-D desktops, some people still get work done on old resource-strapped single-core machines, thanks to programs like the AbiWord word processor. The latest stable AbiWord 2.6.0 release was unveiled last month, two years after the software's last stable release.

This is a great way to make full use of your multi-core processors during boot time. I have an Intel core 2 duo processor and I have seen a notable change in boot time. Here's the how-to...

By now most of you should be familiar with the Core i7 processor family, which is based upon Intel's Nehalem architecture. The current Core i7 processor selection includes the 920, 940, and 965 Extreme Edition.

TrueCrypt is open source software for on-the-fly encryption. TrueCrypt can use an encrypted file or partition and mount it for use transparently by any application. The Windows version has a fancy GUI, but on Linux there is a good command line interface.

Atmel has launched an interesting new chip line aimed at reducing NRE (non-recurring engineering) expenses associated with ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) development.

Open source enterprise software company Red Hat has updated its flagship operating system, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), to take full advantage of the latest spoils from the heated microprocessor battle between Advanced Micro Devices and Intel.

Version 3.0 of the k9mail email client for Android is the first to include support for encryption and decryption of emails using PGP, verifying digital signatures using Android Privacy Guard

Earlier this month we provided a launch-day preview of the P55 Chipset on Linux along with benchmarks from the Core i5 750 and Core i7 870, which are the new quad-core Lynnfield processors. We noticed some odd performance issues under Linux when testing out these new processors, but Intel has since chimed in and we are in the process of running an updated set of tests.

Last week we delivered our first Linux benchmarks of Intel's Core i3 Clarkdale processor with a variety of computational tests through the Phoronix Test Suite. While the Core i3 packs a nice performance punch, that is not all it has to offer.