Hand-Controlled, Face-Friendly, and Ready to Share: AMD Debuts New APUs

The semi-conductor design developer, Advanced Micro Devices, who goes by the acronym AMD (News - Alert), announced its launch of “Richland” and “Temash” the codenames for its Elite A-Series APUs. The new accelerated processing units were engineered to enhance graphic and interactive user experience, as well as to conserve PC battery power. The software features facial recognition (for user log-on to Windows and websites), gesture recognition, mirror technology and battery conservation – and it all operates on a single microchip.

AMD Face-Login is programmed by CyberLink, using its signature FaceMe technology, which memorizes a user's face and stores that data so the user can use his/her webcam to access information. This feature also ties in other perks CyberLink offers, such as YouCam5 Business Edition software suite. In addition, it has a function called Face-out, which allows you to set up your PC to automatically lock screen, sleep, or hibernate to conserve battery.

The AMD gesture control function is, pun-intended, pretty handy, especially for people with their hands full (again, pun intended). By using your PC's webcam you can scroll, open documents, adjust settings, etc., by signaling with a hand motion. This tool is powered by eyeSight (News - Alert), a company that specializes in touch-free interactive technologies.

The Elite A-Series APUs also offers a way to share your PC screen (webpages, photos, videos, and so on) with other devices in your network with its AMD Screen Mirror, which is powered by the multimedia software developer, Arcsoft. Users can wirelessly share content on their PC screen with other PC devices and HDTVs that support the DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) standard.

Finally, there is AMD Steady Video, a feature that smoothes out shaky home videos, offers up to 45 percent increase in visual performance, autocorrects color, and easily syncs with one's mobile device, among other perks. It all comes pre-loaded on select AMD Elite A-Series APU-based notebooks later this year, and can be downloaded next month.