NVIDIA shows off APX 2500 cellphone applications processor

It's been a long while since we've seen anything from NVIDIA on the cellphone front, but the company has changed that in a fairly big way today, with it showing off its first major cellphone applications processor: the APX 2500. As CNET points out, that chip is largely the result of NVIDIA's acquisition of PortalPlayer back in 2006, and represents the company's first attempt at building a true computing processor for cellphones. From the looks of it, they sure look to have gotten off to a decent start, with the chip itself (based on an ARM11 core) able to run at speeds up to 750MHz, and encode and decode 720p high-definition video, opening up the possibility of some pretty capable cellphone / video camera hybrids. Of course, this being NVIDIA, they also squeezed in some of their GeForce graphics technology designed especially for low-power devices, which they say is to allow for 3D interfaces, but we're sure could also be put to some other uses as well. No exact details as to when and where we can expect to chip just yet, but it'll apparently start to make its way into phones sometime next year, with Windows Mobile in particular able to exploit the technology in the chip -- no surprise there, given Microsoft's hand in the chip's development. Follow the break for a shot of NVIDIA's totally trippy demonstration interface that's in use on the APX2500's reference platform.

[dvdivx @ Feb 11th 2008 12:13PM]

I always wondered why these couldn't be added to a UMPC as well.

[Vincent @ Feb 11th 2008 12:29PM]

they cant be use in UMPC because the architecture of the processor is different (ARM vs. x86).

[luzzio @ Feb 11th 2008 12:24PM]

I wanted to say "Finally, something not meant to be used to play Doom, actually being able to play doom" but k3nt beat me to posting a cliche.

[w00t @ Feb 11th 2008 12:27PM]

Impressive!
High clock speed for a mobile chip and the inclusion of some GeForce graphics technology is especially welcome.

Anything that helps keep the user interface nice and snappy and the frame rates high on my mobile device is a very good thing :)

I wonder how much juice this sucks...

[Ebzy @ Feb 11th 2008 12:35PM]

Good last point. I hope their cards' power needs are not also ported over.

[JohnTitor @ Feb 11th 2008 12:44PM]

I'm still waiting for an affordable pda phone with GPU and VGA screen

[Alan Strangis @ Feb 15th 2008 1:23PM]

But you're John Titor. You should know this stuff. :D

[Balls @ Feb 11th 2008 1:11PM]

Sweet. Now instead of getting 10 days of standby time, I'll be back to 3 hours of standby time.

Hello 1997!

[Allen @ Feb 11th 2008 1:15PM]

720p video would be nice.... but 1080p is better....

Of course, there is not even a consumer camera that does actual 1080p yet, just one that de-interlaces.

[p3ngwin @ Feb 11th 2008 5:09PM]

or a smartphone display to show the content :)

[k3nt @ Feb 11th 2008 3:34PM]

hmmmmmm, i bet this will play Doom.

[Tom Oliveri @ Feb 11th 2008 10:50PM]

yea but will it play doom?

[hans @ Feb 12th 2008 9:33AM]

Burri, Kill Helicopter!!!

[Zman28SS @ Feb 12th 2008 12:46PM]

just some information for those worried about battery consumption, this chip is actually going to increase battery life. it takes the strain off the regular processor from having to do tasks it is not efficient at.
read this: http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/12810/13834/Nvidia-demos-APX2500-graphics-chip.phtml