Put that Obsolete Bitcoin Mining Hardware to Good Use and Earn XRPs!

Ripple Labs just announced another XRP giveaway:

While you donate computing power to useful projects such as testing HIV and cancer drugs, or discovering new materials for renewable energy applications, you will earn points which can be exchanged for Ripples (XRPs).

Those of you with obsolete Bitcoin mining hardware (i.e. GPUs) can once again earn money by joining the Ripple Labs Team in the World Community Grid. Note that not all projects support GPU mining, but definitely CPU mining.

While I doubt this was an intentional jab at Bitcoin, it's sort of making a point that Bitcoin mining is a little wasteful.

Giveaway instructions can be found here.

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The First Bitcoin ASICs are Hashing Away!

After months and months of speculation, confusion, and downright frustration, Avalon has defeated the competition and delivered the first Bitcoin ASIC devices to market.

Jeff Garzik has been updating his blog with pictures of his Avalon-branded machine, and has now reported on IRC that he is indeed mining with the ASIC at 68252.65 Mhps.

[00:50] <@jgarzik> mining!
[00:50] <@jgarzik> [MHS av] => 68252.65

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AMD Mentions Bitcoin on Website

Nice find by the Bitcoin Reporter!

It looks like AMD is starting to notice where a good chunk of their graphic cards are being used (fifth bullet down):

• The world’s first 28nm GPU. The revolutionary new GCN Architecture. Ready for DirectX® 11. PCI Express 3.0.¹ The AMD Radeon™ HD 7970 is your personal checklist for ground-breaking technology.
• The next generation of AMD Eyefinity technology is here, featuring all-new support for stereo 3D, universal bezel compensation and brand new display configurations. Face it: the best just got better.^2,3
• Armed with the new PCI Express 3.0 standard, multi-GPU configurations with AMD CrossFire™ technology are just another way to obliterate the competition with the revolutionary AMD Radeon™ HD 7970.^4,5
• Leave no performance behind. Get higher clocks and faster gaming with AMD PowerTune technology on AMD Radeon™ HD 7970 Graphics.⁶
• Fold and mine faster than ever with AMD App Acceleration powered by the unprecedented 28nm GCN Architecture.⁷
• The market isn’t ready for 4k video, but Radeon™ is. With full support for 3GHz HDMI 1.4a and DisplayPort 1.2 HBR2, the AMD Radeon™ HD 7970 is set for quad HD.

Source: http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/graphics/7000/7970/Pages/radeon-7970.aspx

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