Tag Archives: Arm

CES, Mobile, New, News

Kunpeng 920: Huawei Unveils World’s Highest-Performance ARM-based CPU

Just in time for CES 2019, Chinese tech leader Huawei, strategically unveiled the Kunpeng 920, the industry’s highest-performing ARM-based processor. At Huawei’s headquarters in Shenzhen, China, Huawei released the impressive CPU, intended for handling applications like big data processing and distributed storage.

William Xu, Director of Huawei’s Board and Chief Strategy Marketing Officer, said during the press conference that “Huawei has continuously innovated in the computing domain in order to create customer value. We believe that, with the advent of an intelligent society, the computing market will see continuous growth in the future. Currently, the diversity of applications and data is driving heterogeneous computing requirements. Huawei has long partnered with Intel to make great achievements. Together we have contributed to the development of the ICT industry. Huawei and Intel will continue our long-term strategic partnerships and continue to innovate together.”

William Xu, Director of Huawei’s Board and Chief Strategy Marketing Officer (credit: Huawei)

Kunpeng 920: High-Performance ARM-based CPU

Huawei’s high standards of leading the industry are very clear with the release of the new Kunpeng 920.  The new CPU, similar to Huawei’s HiSilicon Kirin 980 (launched in October 2018), was  designed in-house and manufactured on a 7-nanometer processor. According to Huawei, the gain in performance between these two CPU’s emerges from a series of optimized branch prediction algorithms and an increased number of OP units, along with an improved memory subsystem architecture. The Kunpeng 920 provides both higher computing performance for data centers while decreasing overall power consumption. The Kunpeng 920 is packed with 64 cores, clocking an impressive 2.6GHZ, and paired with 8-channel DDR4 memory allows the Kunpeng 920 to score over 930 on the SPECint Benchmark, 25% higher than the industry benchmark.  For the sake of comparison, the previous industry leader was the Fujitsu 7-nanometer A64X. Beyond its speed is the CPU’s power efficiency, which performs 30% better than its competitors.

Kunpeng 920 performance (credit: Huawei)

In terms of system integration, the new CPU has increased with two 100G RoCE ports. Kunpeng 920 also supports PCIe Gen4 and CCIX interfaces, and provides 640 Gbps total bandwidth.  In addition, the single-slot speed is twice that of the incumbent offering, effectively improving the performance of storage and various accelerators.

TaiShan Series: Huawei’s ARM-based Server Built to Perform

To complement the Kunpeng 920, at today’s press conference Huawei also released its TaiShan series servers, powered by the company’s new CPU. Aimed at tackling three distinct issues, storage,  high-density, and balancing both requirements, the Taishan series designed three unique models. Powered by the Kunpeng 920, the TaiShan servers are built for big data, distributed storage, and ARM native application scenarios. These unique scenarios are ideal for the ARM architecture offering many advantages in many-core and performance per watt. The TaiShan series are ideal computing platforms for enterprises with high performance and low power consumption. Designed especially in big data scenarios, the TaiShan servers are tuned for optimal many-core high concurrency and resource scheduling to deliver a 20% computing performance boost.  

As Mr. Xu stated at the press conference, “The ARM industry is seeing a new development opportunity. The Kunpeng 920 CPU and TaiShan servers newly released by Huawei are primarily used in big data, distributed storage, and ARM native applications. We will work with global partners in the spirit of openness, collaboration, and shared success to drive the development of the ARM ecosystem and expand the computing space, and embrace a diversified computing era.”

TaiShan server (credit: Huawei

Open and Collaborative ARM Ecosystem is Geared for Mutual Success

For years, Huawei has continuously promoted industry cooperation and collaboration among its industry partners in terms of hardware, basic software, and applications. The company’s unique approach is predicated on the growing trend that an intelligent society, with all things connected, and sensing, is well underway. In light of these industry trends and application requirements, a new era of diversified computing is emerging. The ability to process multiple data types and scenarios are the driving force behind optimizing computing architecture.   

Summarizing the company’s vision of serving as an industry leader across all verticals, from telecommunications to servers to handsets, Mr. Xu noted that “With Kirin 980, Huawei has taken smartphones to a new level of intelligence. With products and services (e.g., Huawei Cloud) designed based on Ascend 310, Huawei enables inclusive AI for industries. Today, with Kunpeng 920, we are entering an era of diversified computing embodied by multiple cores and heterogeneity. Huawei has invested patiently and intensively in computing innovation to continuously make breakthroughs. We will work with our customers and partners to build a fully connected, intelligent world.”

tablets

HP’s 7-Inch Slate 7 Gets May 1st UK Release

HP-slate-7-android-tablet

HP has already announced plans to release a 7-inch Android tablet sometime this year, after its first webOS device, the TouchPad, failed to make a dent in the market. Now, the company seems to be ready to fight back, and grab a little market share from popular players like Apple’s iPad Mini, and Google’s Nexus 7. The product, which the US hardware maker is going to actually role out, is set to have a UK release on May 1st, with a tiny £129 price tag, and a formidable list of internal specs, including a 7-inch 1024×600 display, 1GB of RAM, an ARM Cortex A9 dual-core 1.6GHz processor, 3.15MP plus 0.3MP cameras, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for the tablet OS. With the new Slate 7, we’re also looking at 8GB of storage (expandable up to 32GB via microSD), Red or Silver hues at your choice, and integrated Beats Audio software. Those who are looking to be the first to have this one within the European boundaries, can officially pre-order the slab from HP’s UK online store, right away. There’s still no word when you will be able to get this one Stateside.

[HP]

tablets

Microsoft Unveils The Surface, a 10.6-inch Windows 8 Tablet

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Microsoft has just unveiled a Windows 8 tablet, called Surface. In a late night press conference from Los Angeles, CEO Steve Ballmer stunned the world when he officially announced that his company is making a brand new slate running an Intel i5 CPU on board and powered by the all-mighty NVIDIA ARM processor. The 9.3mm thick device that will come out sometime before the end of 2012, is said to include a 10.6-inch Gorilla Glass 2 HD display on top, along with two 2×2 MIMO antennas for better WiFi connectivity, 32GB or 64GB of storage at your choice, and a slew of common ports such as micro HDMI, microSD and USB 2.0. The surface is made from high-quality elements and coated with VaporMg magnesium materials. Such process and specs require great efforts to adapt, but nonetheless, the retail cost will continue to remain very attractive, says Ballmer, very similar to those other ARM tablet machines available in the market.

But that’s not all, ladies and gents… Let me direct your attention to additional stuff the Redmond team has recently introduced. Yes, there’s another tablet configuration out there, and if the first model was built to be compatible with the very basic Windows RT OS version, the latter – A Premium Device – is said to be strong enough to support Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 8 Pro. So what does it pack inside? First and foremost, an Ivy Bridge Core i5 processor, that is tucked with a bigger 42 W-h battery, either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage, a similar batch of micro SD, micro HDMI and Mimo WiFi installations, and last but not least, the latest USB 3.0 ports. The 10.6-inch ClearType touchscreen is claimed to feature a higher 1080p resolution and the tablet itself will boast a dedicated pen with a special “Palm Block.” No word on price or availability yet, but we’ll keep you posted. In any case, they’ll be “on par with Ultrabook-class PCs” and out roughly 3 months after the Windows 8 official release.

Accessories wise, Microsoft has partnered with a group of aftermarket suppliers to develop both cover and keyboard accessories to the Surface line of tablets. Yesterday, the company has officially introduced two of those futuristic peripherals, Touch Cover and Type Cover. The first, is a 3mm thick cover made of Polartec materials, which hooks to the Surface with those Smart Cover-like magnetic attachments. No, that ain’t original but if it works, it works, right? Well, that’s your decision. Anyway, the Type Cover is the kind of things we’re used to seeing over the last couple of years. In general, we’re looking at a 5mm-thick keyboard docking station product that turns your tablet into a hybrid netbook/tablet machine. As simple as it seems.

[youtube id=”dpzu3HM2CIo”]

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Second video by laptopmag

 

Microsoft Announces Surface: New Family of PCs for Windows

Microsoft-made hardware to be available starting with release of Windows 8 and Windows RT.

LOS ANGELES – June 18, 2012 – Today at an event in Hollywood, Microsoft unveiled Surface: PCs built to be the ultimate stage for Windows. Company executives showed two Windows tablets and accessories that feature significant advances in industrial design and attention to detail. Surface is designed to seamlessly transition between consumption and creation, without compromise. It delivers the power of amazing software with Windows and the feel of premium hardware in one exciting experience.

Advances in Industrial Design

Conceived, designed and engineered entirely by Microsoft employees, and building on the company’s 30-year history manufacturing hardware, Surface represents a unique vision for the seamless expression of entertainment and creativity. Extensive investment in industrial design and real user experience includes the following highlights:

Software takes center stage: Surface sports a full-sized USB port and a 16:9 aspect ratio – the industry standard for HD. It has edges angled at 22 degrees, a natural position for the PC at rest or in active use, letting the hardware fade into the background and the software stand out.

VaporMg: The casing of Surface is created using a unique approach called VaporMg (pronounced Vapor-Mag), a combination of material selection and process to mold metal and deposit particles that creates a finish akin to a luxury watch. Starting with magnesium, parts can be molded as thin as .65 mm, thinner than the typical credit card, to create a product that is thin, light and rigid/strong.

Integrated Kickstand: The unique VaporMg approach also enables a built-in kickstand that lets you transition Surface from active use to passive consumption – watching a movie or even using the HD front- or rear-facing video cameras. The kickstand is there when needed, and disappears when not in use, with no extra weight or thickness.

Touch Cover: The 3 mm Touch Cover represents a step forward in human-computer interface. Using a unique pressure-sensitive technology, Touch Cover senses keystrokes as gestures, enabling you to touch type significantly faster than with an on-screen keyboard. It will be available in a selection of vibrant colors. Touch Cover clicks into Surface via a built-in magnetic connector, forming a natural spine like you find on a book, and works as a protective cover. You can also click in a 5 mm-thin Type Cover that adds moving keys for a more traditional typing feel.

An Amazing Windows Experience

Two models of Surface will be available: one running an ARM processor featuring Windows RT, and one with a third-generation Intel Core processor featuring Windows 8 Pro. From the fast and fluid interface, to the ease of connecting you to the people, information and apps that users care about most, Surface will be a premium way to experience all that Windows has to offer. Surface for Windows RT will release with the general availability of Windows 8, and the Windows 8 Pro model will be available about 90 days later. Both will be sold in the Microsoft Store locations in the U.S. and available through select online Microsoft Stores.

Contributing to an Expanded Ecosystem

One of the strengths of Windows is its extensive ecosystem of software and hardware partners, delivering selection and choice that makes a customer’s Windows experience uniquely their own. This continues with Surface. Microsoft is delivering a unique contribution to an already strong and growing ecosystem of functional and stylish devices delivered by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to bring the experience of Windows to consumers and businesses around the globe.

Additional Product Information

Surface for Windows RT

OS: Windows RT

Light(1): 676 g

Thin(2): 9.3 mm

Clear: 10.6″ ClearType HD Display

Energized: 31.5 W-h

Connected: microSD, USB 2.0, Micro HD Video, 2×2 MIMO antennae

Productive: Office ’15’ Apps, Touch Cover, Type Cover

Practical: VaporMg Case & Stand

Configurable: 32 GB, 64 GB

Surface for Windows 8 Pro

OS: Windows 8 Pro

Light(1): 903 g

Thin(2): 13.5 mm

Clear: 10.6″ ClearType Full HD Display

Energized: 42 W-h

Connected: microSDXC, USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort Video, 2×2 MIMO antennae

Productive: Touch Cover, Type Cover, Pen with Palm Block

Practical: VaporMg Case & Stand

Configurable: 64 GB, 128 GB

(1), (2). Actual size and weight of the device may vary due to configuration and manufacturing process.

Suggested retail pricing will be announced closer to availability and is expected to be competitive with a comparable ARM tablet or Intel Ultrabook-class PC. OEMs will have cost and feature parity on Windows 8 and Windows RT.

For more information about Surface, visit http://www.surface.com.

tablets

Viewsonic Launches The ViewPad 7e Android Tablet at $200

As it looks now, the $200 tablets market is about to get even more crowded, with electronics giant Viewsonic stepping in to take on Amazon’s Kindle Fire, putting out the ViewPad 7e Android tablet. You may already have noticed the price ($200), for which you have every right to not expect a tablet with plenty to shout about. Surprisingly, however, the Viewpad 7e does come with enough stuff to keep you satisfied. For instance, there’s a 1GHz ARM A8 processor inside, paired with a “RiteTouch” 7-inch capacitive display, 4GB of storage, dual cameras, HDMI out, Google’s Android 2.3 for the OS, and a microSD card slot. There are also a variety of pre-loaded apps on the handset such as Kindle, Twitter and TuneIn Radio, as well as full access to Amazon’s Appstore for further content and direct downloads. In addition, we’re told that this special offer may be redeemed by the end of the month, which, frankly, makes this trinket considerably better. Hit the break to read the full PR.

 

 

[ViewSonic]

Continue reading Viewsonic Launches The ViewPad 7e Android Tablet at $200 →

General

Onkyo Tablets Roadmap Unveiled, Teasing Fans With What To Expect

Onkyo may soon be releasing a new line of Android and Windows tablets if a recently roadmap slide is to be taken seriously. The documents, which were officially introduced by the Japanese corp, show three Windows 7 SlatePC tablets, the TW317A5, TW217A5, and TW117A4, which are all going to include an Oak Trail upgrade sometime around June, while their 10-inch siblings – which supposedly carry an Android platform on board –  the Android SlatePad TA117C1 and TA117C3 due later this year, along with a third batch, listing a 7-inch display and an ARM Cortex chip under the lid. Prices are yet to be determined.

[via Netbooknews]

News, tablets

Hannspree Rolls Out a 10.1-Inch Android 2.2 Tablet With Tegra 2 Chipset

Hannspree is no stranger for us at this website, but frankly it’s not as popular as other established companies you may well know. Nevertheless, you might still find it interesting, especially with that new 10.1-inch multi-touch tablet which the company has recently shown. Basically, for the €399 (about $505) that Hannspree is asking for, you’ll buy yourself a nice and lavish Android 2.2 device, packing a 1,024 x 600 capacitive display with 16GB of internal storage, WiFi, Bluetooth, a built-in accelerometer, HDMI output and one USB host. The 3,500mAh battery is said to deliver up to 8 hours of high-def video playback when this thing comes out somewhere around the end of this year, we’re told.

[via Tblt.de]

Continue reading Hannspree Rolls Out a 10.1-Inch Android 2.2 Tablet With Tegra 2 Chipset →

News, tablets

Texas Instruments Blaze tablet To Officially Go Live this August

Despite having little information at the moment, Texas Instrument’s new revelation, also known as the Blaze, is one of many devices that were recently mentioned to hit the trendy overcrowded tablets pond, in coming months – and make no mistakes, it’s surely going to be good. And getting down to the nitty gritty things, this 10.4-inch XVGA touchscreen slate runs a 1GHz OMAP4430 CPU and is scheduled to go live with two USB ports, 1GB of RAM, Bluetooth, and a GPS navigation system, somewhere around August. But that’s not all, because TI’s Blaze will also offer its owners some very cool features, thanks to revolutionary multiple external camera modules, and external DLP pico-projector support. Regretfully it’s too early to determine quality compared to pricing, as prices are yet to be determined.

[via Slashgear]

netbooks, News

Toshiba’s 10.1-Inch AC100 Smartbook is All About The Android

Toshiba is coming on strong lately with all sorts of awesomely great netbook devices. And while most models still run a Microsoft Windows OS inside, the latest, AC100 Smartbook, is said to include an Android 2.1 for a change. The Japanese are probably the first to enjoy this bad boy, somewhere around August, as prices start at ¥40,000 and climb up to ¥50,000 or $440 to $550, respectively. In exchange for the money, Toshiba has stuffed a very interesting lineup inside, which apparently includes a 10.1-inch 1,024 x 600 pixels LED backlight displayed, paired with a 32GB SSD, 512MB of DDR2 memory, a 1.3mp webcam, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth, an HDMI output to pump vids on your tele, and last but not least, a fairly strong 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 250 processor, to make your 1080p content run stutter free. Software wise, you get a built in Opera Mobile browser to surf the web, a dedicated Toshiba media player, and Documents to Go, that lets you edit any MS Office docs, via Google’s android OS. PR and video, just after the break.

Update: Battery is claimed to deliver up to 7 hours of continuous work and and 7 days of standby. Pretty impressive, isn’t it?

[via netbooked]

Continue reading Toshiba’s 10.1-Inch AC100 Smartbook is All About The Android →

Hardware, Mobile, News, Phones

Another iPhone 4G Prototype Pops Up In Vietnam, Gets Dissected and Filmed On Video

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Another day, another Apple’s fourth-gen iPhone spotted in the wild, this time by the Vietnamese guys from Taoviet.com who’ve managed to purchase a prototype of Cupertino’s future device on the black market for a whopping $4,000. And while Gizmodo’s acquired phone had no capacity numbers behind its back, besides the “XXX” caption, this one, on the other hand, indicates a 16GB of internal storage, housing the usual “Bonfire” testing interface, instead of Apple’s coming OS 4 platform – what a pity. Other than that, it apparently packs the same line of hardware (minus the two external screws) we’ve already seen before with a micro SIM slot stuffed to the right side of the box and these dual silver volume buttons placed to the left, while rear and front-face cameras adorn this “magical” bad boy as well, providing a clear evidence to support future arguments about authentication. Hands-on video after the break.

Update1: The guys at Chipworks claim that the “339S0084” serial number etched on top of the big chip (the one with Apple’s logo) found in Cupertino’s next-gen iPhone during last teardown session, is actually THE Apple A4 chip, fabricated by Samsung as a result of Apple’s design acquisitions of PA Semi and Intrinsity. And if that allegation should be taken seriously, it means that Apple’s fourth generation iPhone will share the same micro-processing capabilities you can find inside the iPad – huzzah!

Update2: We’ve just added two more videos of Apple’s alleged iPhone 4G, posted by the same group of the Vietnamese guys. Check them out after the break.

[via Tinhte]

Continue reading Another iPhone 4G Prototype Pops Up In Vietnam, Gets Dissected and Filmed On Video →

Computers, News

Aigo’s 7-inch N700 Tablet Announced, Boasts Android 2.1 and Tegra 2 Chipset Inside

Another day another tablet. This time it’s the newly born Aigo N700 (also branded as Compal NAZ-10), a 7-inch 800 x 480 multitouch machine, powered by Google’s Android 2.1 platform running with a powerful 1GHz ARM Cortex A9 processor inside and priced attractively, at $300 only. This handsome piece of craft plays 1080p videos stater-free thanks to Nvidia’s Tegra 2 graphics chipset planted within its bowels, along an HDMI output to pump vids out or the 4/16/32GB capacities you can choose from, to store things onboard. Other than that, it packs a microSD slot expansion, a USB port, WiFi, optional 3G WWAN connection and what appears to be a nice tiny webcam, built to the the left, on front. No idea whether it would go outside the Chinese boundaries, but it sure looks like a great device that can definitely rock.

Computers, News

Dell’s Leaked Roadmap Photo Reveals More Netbooks/Tablets Coming This Summer

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Looks like known Android-powered slabs such as the 5-inch Streak and 7-inch Looking Glass tablet, are not the only ones that Dell is planning to launch at full scale this very busy summer. In fact, according to a roadmap image acquired by Android Central guys exclusively, the Texan corp appears to have plenty more goodies, safely kept and well hidden under its dark out-of-range garner. And this ain’t a Dell fanboy talking trash, you know, this is something real, something concrete, that most geek audience should lend an ear to. This time, we have two Moblin devices ready to break cover and go under the spotlight in early and late Autumn. The first, known as the Sparta netbook tablet, packs an 11-inch 1024 x 768 display, paired with ARM Cortex processor, along with a special swivel base and a batch of optional connections, including WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G WWAN. The second in this session is the 0.9kg Athens “true” netbook, boasting that same similar ingredients its Sparta sibling has, like the aforementioned ARM processor and those several optional connectivity modules. This one however tucked with a non-swivel 11-inch platform. The third in that page, is the 7-inch Looking Glass Pro Android tablet which appears to be exactly like Dell’s neat Looking Glass Android tablet, spotted by engadget folks, couple days before. And then, there’s another one in this class, the LG Pro, which features premium components like advanced “HD screen” and digital TV tuner on top of the very basic fare. Finally, and most exciting for us on a personal level, is the 5-inch Streak, which according to this document suppose to come out in three different lanes: the US T-Mobile and European Vodafone versions, slated for this summer as well, while Chinese flavors are set for a Q4 release under all major carriers. Stay tuned for a lot more juicy details about this much awaited series.

[via Android Central]

Computers, News

Sharp’s 5-Inch NetWalker PC-T1 MID Announced

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The world splits to two: from one hand, companies that produce slates and from the other, those who prefer calling them tablets – and then, there’s the MID which is kind of a hybrid creation of both species. I mean, just think about it for a second, why do we need a MID when “tablet” or “slate” will probably do good, eh? This way or another, Sharp’s new MID, NetWalker PC-T1, is coming our way this May, packing a 5-inch display that boasts netbooks’ 1024 x 600 screen resolution (Crazy!). Besides that, for a whopping ¥47,000 (about $510) price tag, you’ll get a Freescale i.MX515 processor, paired with one single USB port, MicroSD card slot, Bluetooth, 802.11b/g WiFi, and up to 6-hour of battery support. Software wise, it would run Ubuntu 9.04 as the OS, tucked with Anglo-Japanese dictionary and an e-book reader that would apparently have access to Sharp’s e-bookstore which includes over 25,000 titles to download. See you next month!

[Sharp]

Audio, CeBit, Computers, Media Players

Archos 7 Home Tablet Introduced, Running Android Platform and ARM 9 CPU Onboard

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We’ve already seen a glimpse from Archos’ 7-inch Android-powered tablet one month ago, but now things turn to be official at CeBIT 2010, with the French debuting their 600MHz ARM 9 Home Tablet machine, aiming the low cost market with attractive and very affordable prices – €149 in Europe and only $179 Stateside. And despite that unconvincing HD friendly resistive touchscreen, we can find a lot of reason for you to buy it. First and foremost, it’s cheap, second, it comes with WiFi so you can easily surf the net without the need for other device, third, it looks great at 12mm thin and weighs only 350g and fourth, it has 2GB of storage capacity inside and a microSD card extension slot. No, it doesn’t include an integrated accelerometer inside so you won;t be able to see your photos in landscape mode or read your favorite eBook vertically, but still, for that pricing level it sure worth a try, especially when it comes to the battery that delivers seven hours of video or 44 hours of audio playback. Checkout the hands-on video right after the break.

Update1: And just when things are getting busy within the tablet realm, the Android-powered Archos 7 8GB tablet device appears online in couple of places, available for a pre-order (and as an iPad alternative) for merely €200 ($270) on the German Amazon or at €180 ($240) on Redcoon’s website.

Update2: Looks like the Archos 7 Home Tablet is now finally available to order on Amazon for $199.99, with an official release date – yet to be determined (probably towards the end of April).

Update3: Unfortunately, the Archos 7 won’t be available in the market until early June of this year. That said, according to the French corp, those who pre-ordered the 7-inch, Android 1.6 tablet may get their piece of craft somewhere towards the end of May. Full PR after the break.

[via UMPC Portal]

Continue reading Archos 7 Home Tablet Introduced, Running Android Platform and ARM 9 CPU Onboard →

Computers, News

Asus ‘Killer Product’ Eee Pad Is Rumored To Go Out In June

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It’s not that we were thinking Asus would give up creating a tablet of its own, thus when the company’s CEO, Jonney Shih, speaks about a “killer product” due to go out in June, this is where our wild imagination begins to work extra hours and starts wondering about possible outcomes. Although it’s claimed to be yet “another Apple” (the iPad is scheduled to debut next month), it is said to support open source code and to include ARM hardware and Google software within. Pegatron, a separate division of Asus apparently received the manufacturing responsibility for this enigmatic tablet (Eee Pad?), and if we’d try to be just a little speculative here, it would probably boast Nvidia’s Tegra 2 for the graphics and run Android for the OS, under $500 price tag. Stay tuned.

Update: More Eee Pad rumors coming out, ahead of release, this time from Asus’s chairman Jonney Shih who has officially confirmed a duo set of Taiwanese tablets, coming out somewhere this year, one with a Windows OS on top and the other running Google’s android/Chrome platform. No further info at this point, but stick around for more details to come.

Computers, News

Freescale's 7-Inch Smartbook Tablet Officially Announced, Boasts an Enticing Design And $200 Tag

Freescale is already staring eyes towards the CES show, which goes live this coming weekend, and the way things look, there’s plenty of stuff that worth waiting for. In a nutshell, the semiconductor giant surprises with a 7-inch smartbook reference design that fits well the Smartbook Tablet gender, only with a lot more to offer. Make no mistake, it’s a sort of a prototype that Freescale wishes to develop with its OEM partners, and the list of components is admittedly, very impressive, still you should give it at least six month before it gets – this way or another – official. The most attractive thing in here is the price which stands right below the $200 mark and digging into the specs, it ain’t so much at all, considering the fact it has a 1GHz i/MX515 chipset, paired with ARM Cortex A8 processor that seats together with 1,024 x 600 touch display (and ambient light sensor), 512MB of DDR2 RAM, optional 3G WWAN module, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, 3mp camera on top, and 3-axis accelerometer support. You get between 4GB to 64GB of internal storage, expandable with a microSD, while battery suppose to work all day long at 1,900mAh. And whether you’re fond of portable devices or not, Freescale’s machine offers (for extra $50) an optional docking station fully equipped with QWERTY keyboard and identical color lot – Now that’s definitely something we’d like to have our hands on. Stay tuned for more, images and PR details are just after the slot.

Update: Word on the street is that the $200 tablet from Freescale that sports a 7-incher display and a strong ARM Cortex architecture, will go live somewhere, somewhat, equipped with either Google’s Chromium OS or sort of a Linux platform at your choice, while Android is said to be on the prep as well, and capacitive screens are likely to be considered as part of this slate. Checkout the demo video half past the break.

freescale-7INCH-tablet_1

Continue reading Freescale's 7-Inch Smartbook Tablet Officially Announced, Boasts an Enticing Design And $200 Tag →

Computers, News, Operating Systems

Google Chrome OS Announced, Will Be available In 2010

google-chrome_1

Google has just thrown a bomb to the IT world, announcing a new Chrom OS platform that suppose to give an open-source solution mainly for netbooks but also for full-size desktop systems, and is expected to go live somewhere on the second half of 2010. Additionally, the new OS from Mountain View, CA is claimed to smoothly run any x86 and ARM chips, while the company firmly says it already teamed up with manufacturers like Acer, Adobe, ASUS, Freescale, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments to bring you all the best and comprehensive UI you’d get, so stay tuned for a lot more to come. Here’s what Google’s blog had to say, in a nutshell:

“Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks. Later this year we will open-source its code, and netbooks running Google Chrome OS will be available for consumers in the second half of 2010. Because we’re already talking to partners about the project, and we’ll soon be working with the open source community, we wanted to share our vision now so everyone understands what we are trying to achieve.

Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS. We’re designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds. The user interface is minimal to stay out of your way, and most of the user experience takes place on the web. And as we did for the Google Chrome browser, we are going back to the basics and completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don’t have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. It should just work.”

[Google]

Hardware, Mobile, Phones

iPhone 3G S Gets Ripped And Dissected Into Pieces, Unveiling ARM Cortex A8 CPU At 600 MHz

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With only hours before iPhone’s 3G S version officially goes up on sale across the world, Rapid Repair gang have managed to get their hands on one of Apple’s few available copies around, and dissected it into pieces,  letting us closely look into the main components assembled inside, including chips, amps, processors and involved manufacturing companies, who helped Cupertino building this powerful machine. From their tear-down, we learn that South Korean giant, Samsung provides the SoC S5PC100 chipset, while main processor confirmed to be ARM Cortex A8, running at 600 MHz, with 720p high-def support. PowerVR SGX graphics also integrated within the iPhone 3G S, with 256MB of RAM, instead of 128MB on previous models.  In addition, we can see the NAND Flash memory, provided by Toshiba and Infenion is there as well, providing myriad parts of the phone. Hit the jump to checkout the comparison chart of iPhone’s hardware and Palm’s Pre, as more pictures available at their website. Also, feel free to start sharing your personal reviews, once getting a brand new iPhone 3G S in the following days.

Update: iSuppli says the estimated cost of Apple’s new iPhone 3GS for the 16GB configuration, stands at $178.96 to manufacture. Mind you, this price valuation, refers to direct materials cost, with no inclusion of other essential operational expenses, such as shipping, distribution, royalty fees etc, which add some value to the overall price.Check out their components and cost drivers table, after the break.

iphone-3g-s-dissected

[via RapidRepair]

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Computers, Computex, News

Pagatron's Vivid Netbook Bluntly Shows Up With Tegra Acceleration And Internet Friendly Shortcut Keys

Apparently, more Tegra machines start showing up across the pond, equipped with strong accelerating chips and ultra high-def video support, fluently running 1080p media files through HDMI ports, built inside . One of those honored guests that recently spotted in Computex is Pegatron’s ARM-based Vivid netbook, which sports NVIDIA’s desirable Tegra chipset, along with integrated stereo speakers, matte-finish display, an  HDMI port, SD card reader and two USB slots to match the list. The Vivid also runs full FireFox browser and boasts friendly-internet shortcut keys on top of its keyboard for Yahoo!, Google, MSN, and Skype. Regretfully, there’s no word about price or availability as of this moment, but netbooknews has taken a short video of the pink edition, so head up after the cut and watch it.

pegatron-vivid-netbook

[via Liliputing]

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Computers, Computex, News, Operating Systems

Taiwan's ARM-Based Mtube II Crams Both Android Tablet and XP Netbook In One Device

The idea of having both Android tablet and XP netbook, packed in one small portable device is lighting our imagination for quite some time, and when Taiwan’s Institute for Information Industry was recently introducing the Mtube II netbook / tablet hybrid machine at the Computex show, we knew we’re on the right direction with this one. The interesting combination of HP Mini 1000, coming with Windows XP flavor, and an Android tablet platform that can easily pulled out of the main body and serve as an independent touch unit, will probably reach the markets in a year or two, but at the meantime, having the ability to watch this wonder in action right here, right now, directly from our armchair is truly exciting, despite the poor processors that were integrated inside – VIA C7-M for the netbook and unspecified ARM processor with the Android tablet – and the screen, which is connected by VNC, providing a medicore video quality at most. Nonetheless, the technology for itself is pretty fascinating, so if you’d like to see this enlightening video for yourself hit the break and start dreaming.

mtubeii-android-netbook-tablet

[via chinese engadget]

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Audio, Media Players, News, Video

Zune HD Officially Announced, Going Live This Fall

After so many rumors and speculations floating around, Microsoft has finally announced the Zune HD, which suppose to make its first appearance somewhere this fall, competing head-to-head with Apple’s popular iPod Touch player. Regretfully, there’s nothing much to share in terms of specs or features, but from the very few fragments we’ve managed to collect, you briefly can figure out it’ll probably pack a 3.3-inch 480 x 272 OLED capacitive touchscreen, together with a built-in HD Radio receiver, 720P HD output (via dock station), integrated WiFi connection and accelerometer sensors for landscape usability. Additionally, you might find a designated Explorer browser for internet surfing purposes and hopefully, a mashup interface with Xbox / Xbox Live gaming consoles. Still, no pricing or capacity details to write about, although one should expect either 16GB or 32GB flavors inside, but this way or another those rumored images earlier published, make no place for mistakes – Zune HD is live and kicking. Full press release after the break.

Update1: The guys at Gizmodo have managed to put their hands on the freakishly new Zune HD while hanging around D7’s conference hall. First images indicate an incredibly thin-and-light design, combined with a stunning 3.3-inch OLED touchscreen, basic Zune UI, adjusted to the touch navigation mode and rounded edges, build with a big “Home” button placed at the bottom lefte.  Hit the jump to watch the video or their link for even more images.

Update2: Zune Insider has officially confirmed that Zune HD will be running NVIDIA’s Tegra chipset inside, which means – full high-def video compatibility in the palm of your hand. Still no word about final release dates, but we’re following.

Update3: Rumors around claim the new Zune HD will be priced somewhere betweem $249 and $280 for the 16GB version, while a 64GB modelis on the prep for a late release. Stay tuned.

Update4: Both BestBuy and Amazon have just listed up the Zune HD on their inventory system , priced at $220 for the 16GB model, and $290 for the 32GB version, coming on September 8th. It’s less than a month to go, so stay tuned.

zune-hd

Continue reading Zune HD Officially Announced, Going Live This Fall →

Audio, Media Players, News, Video

Microsoft Preps a New Zune HD For The Summer (Update:Probably September)

According to a tipster, Microsoft will presumably release a new Zune player with HD capabilities, somewhere this year. Naturally, we have no other details, nor any specs of the new device itself, but if this info is correct, and it sure looks reliable, the Zune 4th Generation should be available with a wide and sharp touchscreen, supporting high-def video and some other features, which you can find in the iPod Touch players. Stay tuned for more to come.

Update1: More uncertain specs show up across the cyber world, revealing a 16:9 AMOLED display with multi-touch usability (capacitive), joining the mini-HDMI output and the HD Radio feature, both bundled inside, along with a full HTML browser, to wirelessly surf the web. And while we have no special ability to determine “details accuracy”, you should take our word when we say it’ll be offered either in 16GB or 32GB capacities. However, In case you look for even more speculative rumors, Zune fanboys will also tell you the new HD device might support 3D XBox games, thanks to the integrated NVidia chipset, which we really hope to see included. Other than that, a worldwide release is said to take place somewhere around September, so stay tuned for real things to come.

Update2: May 12th 2009 – According to ZDNet, the next Zune / Windows Mobile device (AKA: Chassis 1) will feature a whole bunch of top-notch specs, including a 3.5-inch multi-touch display along with ARM v6+ processor, 1GB of RAM, OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics hardware, 3 megapixel camera, GPS navigation system, WiFi / Bluetooth connections, built in accelerometer and even Nvidia’s Tegra platform, integrated with TI’s OMAP 3  and “Qualcomm 8k” chipsets, to handle those strong requirements. Of course, these are just rumors, and we can’t take them that serious, although we do hold an opinion that Chassis 1 will be strong enough to match market demands.

[Via Engadget]

Continue reading Microsoft Preps a New Zune HD For The Summer (Update:Probably September) →