iPad powered by custom 1GHz Apple A4 chip
By Paul Miller 
posted January 27th 2010 1:31PM
posted January 27th 2010 1:31PM
Update: we got a picture of the processor courtesy of the iFixit Twitter feed. The chip was apparently manufactured in September of last year! Also, we've got hands-on with the iPad for your external fixations.
fail.
@leetmeat No flash/multi-tasking/non-approved apple apps? Its pretty, nice UI and all, but too locked up for my taste.
@leetmeat did you get hands-on? how can you say that? YOU fail.
@leetmeat
a true dissapointment, i was expecting Tegra/Ion or snapdraggon
with
half resolution apps and games ... wtf?????
@Acey Are you dumb? This isn't that different from Tegra, Snapdragon. They're all just licensed ARM processors with their own customizations and tweaks and gpus.
@leetmeat
FAIL
@leetmeat
FailPad? Also, good job hammering the servers, everyone!
@Paul Miller
Fail, this was already included in Nilay's post 21 min ago. Much like your run of the mill dating site, all you got is a picture and a paragraph of something somebody has already tapped.
@leetmeat
Wait till they mention the price...MASSIVE FAIL!
@leetmeat
max-iPad Fail
@Luffy
No i am not dumb
I would still go with nvidia or qualcomm since they are much more experienced in mobile processors, apple have no experience whatsoever
@leetmeat
Yep, definite fail. I mean, I didn't think Apple could screw this up, but they went above and beyond with the letdowns. I just checked the live blog, and all I saw was a big-screen iPhone/iPod Touch. Where's the innovation in nonsense like that?! I don't see a reason to get this over an Iphone/Touch, it's basically running the same apps. I know Apple is gonna charge many Franklins for this "tablet," so I was expecting something a little more useful than iphone OS. Like a full-blown OS with dual boot option, to quick boot into a iphone-like OS when your using apps only. How about a damn removable battery and SDHC support to go with that full OS? A active digitizer/multitouch combo for the best of both worlds, so taking notes and usage of paint apps could be much more enjoyable.
@Acey You do know that the the Tegra and the Ion are ARM based, just like this processor...
@leetmeat
same cpu as nexus lol
@Luffy
plus Apple has a license from Imagination Tech so it's probably using some PowerVR SGX5xx series in it's A4. Apple's PA Team probably must be driving Audi's for them to name it an A4 or or they prefer A4 sized paper...
@leetmeat
I could make a better processor with my bare hands.
@Hosain I was actually looking for a Intel chip with the HD wireless transmitting. This is almost fail except for no flash; yea it a fail.
@leetmeat
i disagree. i think EPIC FAIL is more appropriate.
i was actually considering one of these if it came out until i saw that there is no multitasking and no flash!
what the crap, apple???
@leetmeat What, it doesn't cure cancer?! DANGIT!
I don't get it. People are going "Oooh, wow!" over Snapdragon, a 1GHz ARM processor. Apple comes out of nowhere with its own custom 1GHz ARM processor, possibly with some kind of PowerVR graphics acceleration, and people go "Meh."
Although I do admit the iPad *is* a load of "Meh" feature-wise, I think Apple might be planning something behind the scenes with its line of ARM processors...
@Acey how do u know A4 is not as good? snapdragon have no chance powering this device for 10hrs
@leetmeat its just a tegra 2 with a different name. so basically Nvidia probably sent out a demo unit because Nvidia thought apple was there buddy. But Jobs sneaky ass sends it out to be reverse engineered. what a shifty move.
core i3 must been in it
@(Unverified)
lmfao Apple designs their own chips now...
@hdawggy
No, Apple owns a company that designs chips (PA Semi). It's also still an ARM based cpu, just like every other CPU out there you see in any mobile device worth it's salt.
have to admit that I am disappointed. was expecting something really innovative.
@mitsumaru so far no one had triple-sized a functional phone yet. i call this very innovative
@mitsumaru: It is innovative, it's just that most people don't know an innovative interface when they see it. What were you expecting?
Who cares what technology uses, if it brings inovation and good performance.
@eXist
what innovation
what performance
@Aokusman
BUT IT'S APPLE!!!! Apple = innovation, even if makes a bicycle.
@whiskers; for your mind.
Got iPeriod? iPad.
@Dudeman
Ipad: Sanitary napkin from Apple
Start of another new Saga. Just wondering what would the world have been if they have launched this before iPhone :D
@Kaushik: They couldn't have. This device obviously came to fruition after the app store. This device is stupid and pointless.
No thank you, you control too much already, Apple, no need to give you more control through your own chips.
Besides...the device is stupid, pointless, and ugly.
@cherryboom Lol! You look like the angry one here.
"1GHz CPU"
BAHAHAHAOHWOW.jpg
@spsfinest Clock speeds aren't all that relevant anymore as far as determining processor power. A 1ghz ARM cpu is a lot more powerful than a 1ghz x86 cpu.
@Luffy: Depends on the architecture. The LPIA (Intel Atom) subarchitecture is very weak, whereas the Westmere subarchitecture is very powerful.
Both are x86.
ARMv6 hasn't got much grunt, whereas ARMv7 with Cortex A9 instructions is very powerful and outperforms the previous generation Atom architecture.
Perhaps even the latest, since the Atom didn't gain much power.
But I don't think Cortex A9 will come even close to Westmere.
10 hours when doing what? That's impressive if you can get that figure while browsing the web on wifi.
@Chavez
Hmm, might have to retract that last comment. Went back and checked anandtech's review of the Asus UL80Vt which hit 13 hours idle and 9 hours of web browsing.
@Chavez According to the Apple website the 10 hours could be browsing the internet on WiFi, watching video or listening to music. Plus the standby is over a month, the Kindle is about 2 weeks I believe.
I highly doubt Intel is scared by this to be honest. As much as many people buy Apple products, if the trend continues on the iPad, Intel still has nothing to worry about. Their chips keep on morphing and getting more and more powerful and using less and less power; sipping it like a fine single malt scotch.
It doesn't even outpower my nexus one! Granted, their chip might be different than the snapdragon, but I don't think it'll beat the snapdragon too easily.
@B3astofthe3ast If you read the Hands On from Engadget or Gizmodo you will see that they are extremely impressed with the speed. Both the Snapdragon and A4 run at 1GHz frequency and are both ARM architectures, the difference is in the tweaks they make.
very disappointed. i was expecting some real power in this thing. and no flash? it just seems that everything so far is basically an ipod with a bigger screen. not very original if you ask me.
No HDMI out, this is bad.
Well here we have another apple fail...