Specifically, up to 18,000 of NVIDIA’s

Clearly enjoying the fruits of its labour in the wider chip-making market, one-time graphics specialist NVIDIA is to have its GPU processing technology utilized in Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s upcoming supercomputer.

Specifically, up to 18,000 of NVIDIA’s Tesla processors are to be adopted during the second phase development of the Titan supercomputer (Cray XK6), which is being built to churn through a variety of important scientific research projects—including the creation of commercially viable biofuels.

“Oak Ridge’s decision to base Titan on Tesla GPUs underscores the growing belief that GPU-based heterogeneous computing is the best approach to reach exascale computing levels within the next decade,” commented Steve Scott, chief technology officer of Tesla products at NVIDIA.

For those not immediately familiar with such heavy-handed parlance, “exascale” computing refers to performance levels in the region of 1,000 petaflops.

According to Scott, NVIDIA’s processors will provide more than 85 percent of Titan’s muscle when running at peak performance (approx. 20 petaflops), adding that it isn’t possible to achieve such levels in a power-efficient and cost-efficient way with just CPUs.

NVIDIA to release quad-core tablet processors in 2011

We here at The Tech Herald have a clear soft spot for the wonders of tablet computing. That being said, we’ve long since voiced our tablet reservations where processing muscle and productivity are concerned. Perhaps that’s about to change.

More pointedly, the CEO of graphics specialist NVIDIA—which also makes the Tegra series of mobile processors—has told Forbes that Android-powered tablet computers will be carrying its quad-core technology before the close of 2011.

If NVIDIA does indeed release its enhanced mobile CPU this year, it will likely beat fellow chipmaker Qualcomm to the quad-core punch. Qualcomm isn’t expected to have its own platform ready for shipping until early 2012.

According to NVIDIA boss Jen-Hsun Huang, the advanced technology will also be implemented across smartphone devices, but that probably won’t happen until next year.

Beyond further solidifying NVIDIA’s ongoing shift into conventional CPU territory, the arrival of its quad-core processors should see it adding yet more consumer appeal and feature-rich performance to both the smartphone and tablet markets.

NVIDIA presently holds some 70 percent of the Android tablet sector and around 50 percent where Android smartphones are concerned.