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Qualcomm launches its first platform made for robots
Qualcomm's interest in robots is definitely more than a passing fancy. It just unveiled RB3, its first all-encompassing platform for robotics. The part is based on last year's Snapdragon 845 system-on-a-chip but is "highly optimized" for drones and other automatons, including AI and sensor processing, support for private LTE networks and tight security. More importantly, it's flexible. Companies can customize it to their heart's content if they're not happy with the off-the-shelf hardware, and choose an OS like Linux or Robot Operating System.
NVIDIA's made-for-autonomous-cars CPU is freaking powerful
NVIDIA debuted its Drive PX2 in-car supercomputer at CES in January, and now the company is showing off the Parker system on a chip powering it. The 256-core processor boasts up to 1.5 teraflops of juice for "deep learning-based self-driving AI cockpit systems," according to a post on NVIDIA's blog. That's in addition to 24 trillion deep learning operations per second it can churn out, too. For a perhaps more familiar touchpoint, NVIDIA says that Parker can also decode and encode 4K video streams running at 60FPS -- no easy feat on its own.
Intel's 14nm tablet processors are leaner, meaner and finally here
Intel isn't just coming to CES with fifth-generation Core processors for traditional PCs -- it has big news for the tablet crowd, too. The company is now delivering its first 14-nanometer Atom system on a chip, previously nicknamed Cherry Trail. The new processor should be both faster and offer more battery life than the Bay Trail-based Atoms you see today, thanks in part to both the more efficient manufacturing process and a big leap forward in graphics. Cherry Trail is using the same basic video architecture as Intel's other new CPUs (Bay Trail relied on 2012-era tech), so you'll have a better chance of playing 3D games and high-resolution videos on your tablet without hiccups.
AMD plays both sides of the CPU wars with chips that use the same socket
Typically, you can't reuse many parts when you switch processor technologies; if you change chips, you change the entire motherboard at the same time. That won't be true for AMD in the future, though. It's working on a common chip framework, Project Skybridge, that will let 2015-era ARM and x86 system-on-chip processors share the same pin layout. In other words, a basic motherboard design could handle both CPU types.
NVIDIA to license graphics tech to other companies, starting with Kepler
To use NVIDIA's graphics technology, you've typically had to buy gadgets using NVIDIA chips -- good for the company's bottom line, but not for influencing the industry as a whole. The firm is expanding its ambition today with plans to license some of that technology on a broader scale. Beginning with the Kepler architecture, other firms can use NVIDIA's GPU cores and graphics-related patents for their own processors and chipsets. The deal could affect a wide range of hardware, but it mostly pits NVIDIA against the likes of Imagination Technologies: a system-on-chip designer could integrate a Logan-based GPU instead of the PowerVR series, for example. While it will be some time before third-party silicon ships with NVIDIA inside, it's already clear that the company's in-house design is now just one part of a larger strategy.
Intel launches Atom CE5300-based storage platform with multiple streams, smart scaling
There's been more than a few Atom-based storage servers. Most of them either have to lean on the same Atom processors you'd usually get with nettops, though, which makes them less than ideal for media tasks than a chip dedicated to the job. Intel has just launched a new platform that might be a better fit for home network storage. New NAS arrays from Asustor, Synology, Thecus and others (none yet pictured here) all revolve around a dual-core Atom CE5300 system-on-chip that's better-optimized for media processing duties: it can stream video across the network to multiple devices at once, and can automatically downscale video to accommodate smaller screens. The small chip contributes to a relatively small price at the same time, with NAS boxes starting around $299. Not everyone can suddenly justify a dedicated media server in the home just because the CE5300 is an option, but those that do may at least get more for their money.
Intel's Penwell mobile processor given a close inspection, stuffs a lot into a little space
If you're one of those who took the leap into a first wave of Intel-based smartphones like the RAZR i, you're likely the sort to wonder exactly what makes them tick. SemiAccurate certainly does: it just posted some previously inaccessible diagrams that help reveal how Medfield's system-on-a-chip heart, Penwell, is mapped out. As a die shot shows, the Atom core is seemingly the least important part of the design -- the PowerVR SGX 540 graphics, camera processing and input-output interfaces dominate the crowded silicon. Between this dense, all-in-one design and stacking up to 2GB of RAM directly on top, Penwell occupies about 17 percent less space than its Moorestown ancestor and helps explain why we're looking at Atom-powered phones instead of another round of MIDs. We wouldn't get too comfortable with the current generation, though, as Intel is gradually warming up 22-nanometer chips that could make Penwell seem old hat.
Intel talks up work on 22nm SoCs with Tri-Gate tech geared for mobile devices
Now that Ivy Bridge processors with Tri-Gate tech are in the wild humming away inside PCs, Intel's used the 2012 International Electron Devices Meeting to discuss its work on SoCs that also use the 22-nanometer 3D transistor tech. The processor giant didn't rattle off much in the way of specs or name the product lines that'll make use of the mobile-centric silicon, but it expects the hardware to handily outperform its 32-nanometer SoCs by 20 percent to 65 percent. Ballpark estimates on price are also MIA, so it's still unclear how the folks in Santa Clara will fare against ARM-based solutions with the new chips under their belts. In any case, Intel anticipates the fresh components will find their way into smartphones and tablets once they're ready to roll. [Image credit: huangjiahui, Flickr]
Broadcom outs Jelly Bean-optimized budget SoC with dual-core ARM processor, HSPA+
Broadcom's just added a new 3G SoC to its resume that promises a solid punch in performance without breaking the bank -- while being optimized for Jelly Bean, to boot. Dubbed BCM21664T, the chip packs a 1.2GHz dual-core ARM Cortex A9 processor accompanied by VideoCore graphics to give it the oomph to run Android 4.2 and support 720p recording and 1080p playback. As for connectivity, the silicon comes loaded with WiFi, Bluetooth and HSPA+, which garners downstream speeds of 21.1Mbps and 5.8Mbps upstream. Support for GPS and even NFC have also been rolled into the SoC. Broadcom claims the hardware is the first of its kind aimed at entry-level smartphones, and if things go the firm's way, the chip will make appearances in budget Android phones when it goes into volume production next year.
NVIDIA, Epic Games bringing Unreal Engine 3 to Windows 8 and Windows RT (video)
NVIDIA and Epic Games have successfully ported the full PC version of Unreal Engine 3 to both Windows 8 and, more importantly, Windows RT. Demonstrating the achievement on a Tegra 3-powered ASUS Vivo Tab RT, it played a buttery-smooth version of Epic Citadel, suggesting that developers of both PC and Xbox games should have no problem in bringing them over to the new operating system. It also casually mentioned that both Gears of War and Mass Effect were built on the engine, heavily implying that we could see titles of that caliber coming to Microsoft's low-power OS once it makes it debut on October 26th, but we'll let you decide for yourself after the break.
Intel's full Atom 'Bay Trail' roadmap leaked: 22nm, Ivy Bridge graphics, quad-core
We saw a leaked hint of what was coming for Intel's Valleyview system-on-a-chip (SoC), but now the full plan appears to have been outed by Chinese blog Expreview. The lineup will feature four models of the 22nm chips, with the D- and M-series looking to replace the Cedar Trail 32nm SoC chips used in current netbook and low-end desktop devices. The I-series is for embedded and industrial use, while the T-series would appear in tablets and other small form-factor devices, according to the leaked slides. That model would supersede the Clover Trail SoCs, which are only just arriving themselves in upcoming Windows 8 slates like the Acer W510 or Asus Tablet 810. The chips should offer a burly horsepower bump over their predecessors, with up to four cores and clock speeds topping out at 2.4Ghz. The icing on the cake will be the integrated Gen 7 graphics engines of Ivy Bridge fame, featuring the same HD 4000 and HD 2500 GPU's as the grownup chips, but with only four "execution units" instead of the 16 you'd find there. That would offload functions like video decoding and 3D rendering from the CPU and allow simultaneous display to a TV or monitor. Bay Trail would also support 8GB of DDR3 RAM, double that of the "last" gen, as well as USB 3.0, SATA 2.0 and a host of other connection options. If the leak is accurate, the processors would arrive sometime next year, we'll just have to wait and see if that's soon enough for Intel to take a run at its formidable competition.
Project Moonshot take two: HP's low-power Gemini servers let go of ARM's Calxeda for Intel's Centerton
Last we'd heard of HP's Project Moonshot, that effort to create low-energy servers was set to ride on the back of the Calxeda SoC. But for the rollout of its production-ready "Gemini" models, the company's changed tack, replacing the previously announced ARM chips for Intel's Centerton. Why the sudden swap? Well, it seems that new Atom processor delivers the same energy-sipping promise of its predecessor, while also adding 64-bit support, a broader software ecosystem, error correcting code memory and hardware virtualization. That's all well and good, but when you boil it down to layman's terms, HP's really just angling for the ultimate in efficiency and it plans to do that by providing these compact servers in "a [smaller] footprint" than currently available setups. The system's still not quite ready for primetime consumption, given its very recent public outing, however, demo units are in the pipeline, with a planned launch for the end of 2012. If this sort of back-end geekery gets your blood flowing, feel free to hit up the official presser after the break.
Newport Media claims tiniest, lowest-power 802.11n WiFi chip yet, smartphones get a little less thirsty
Cellular chipsets get all the love these days, but it's WiFi that's still the most ubiquitous -- and often the most consistent drain on the battery. Newport Media might have that last problem solved through its new NMC1000 chip. The part is billed as the lowest-power 802.11n wireless system-on-a-chip you'll find, and potentially a big help to smartphones and other devices that lean heavily on a wire-free existence. At just 2.5mm (0.1 inches) square, the equally record-setting size should also please device makers trying to squeeze wireless into an exceptionally tiny footprint. If you're as excited about the prospect of WiFi everywhere as Newport's Stock Photography Woman above appears to be, you can get more details below and expect full-scale production in the fall.
Series revisits ARM's humble beginnings, BBC Micro and all
If you read our interview with ARM co-founder John Biggs, you know the company behind the processor in most smartphones had quite modest beginnings, what with an office in a barn and all. But Biggs is only part of the story, and Reghardware fleshes the rest out with a two-part series on the "unsung heroes of tech": Sophie Wilson, Steve Furber and Herman Hauser, the team behind Acorn Computers, the British PC company that spawned ARM in the mid-80s. We'll let you click through to the source links to take the journey yourself, but here are a few highlights: earning a computer contract with the BBC, happening upon ARM chips' low power consumption by accident and striking gold thanks to a partnership with Apple.
ST-Ericsson to pass off application processor business to STM, cut 1,700 jobs
It's not every day that ST-Ericsson crosses our radar twice, but in addition to reportedly signing a deal with HTC for developing low-end handset chips, the company just announced its plans for a turnaround. The message? A heavier focus on SoCs for smartphones and tablets, along with a push for even more partnerships to develop those products. While that all sounds rosy, ST-Ericsson is also ceding its application processor business -- employees, R&D and all -- to STMicroelectronics. All told, between the loss of its application processor business and other reshuffling, the company expects to shed around 1,700 jobs -- and save about $320 million annually. Those bittersweet details and more await you in the press release after the break.
Apple TV (2012) uses same chip as iPad 2 but only uses one core
The latest Apple TV was torn down recently, but it still has a surprise or two up its sleeve. According to a report in Chipworks, the 2012 unit has a dual-core A5 chip that's only using one of its two cores. They discovered it's actually the same 32nm SoC found in newer iPad 2 units. You can read more about the Apple TV's underlying architecture on Chipworks's website. [Via Engadget]
Intel plans to roll out Ivy Bridge based Xeon E3s, low-power Atom chips for micro servers
Ask any gardener, once you let ivy grow, it gets everywhere. Even though Intel just planted a fresh family of Sandy Bridge-based server CPUs, reports of a new line of Xeon E3 chips sporting the firm's next generation architecture are sprouting up. The new Ivy Bridge server chips use the firm's 3D Tri-Gate transistors to improve performance without using more power. For micro servers looking for an even smaller power footprint, Intel is introducing an Atom-based system on a chip, dubbed Centerton. These new 64-bit chips will feature two Atom processor cores and consume only six watts of electricity. Intel hasn't said yet just where these new processors are going to end up, but mentioned that it had a few customers on board.
Researchers get CPUs and GPUs talking, boost PC performance by 20 percent
How do you fancy a 20 percent boost to your processor's performance? Research from the North Carolina State University claims to offer just that. Despite the emergence of fused architecture SoCs, the CPU and GPU cores typically still work independently. The University hoped that by assigning tasks based on each processor's abilities, performance efficiency would be increased. As the CPU and GPU can fetch data at comparable speeds, the researchers set the GPUs to execute the computational functions, while the CPUs did the prefetching. With that data ready in advance, the graphics processor unit has more resources free, yielding an average performance boost of 21.4 percent though it's unclear what metrics the researchers were using. Incidentally, the research was funded by AMD, so no prizes for guessing which chips we might see using the technique first.
Desktop apps may run on Win8 for ARM after all... maybe
The issue of whether or not the ARM edition of Windows 8 will support both desktop and Metro-style apps has been pretty hazy. Some have claimed it would, others that it wont and, even when they've issued denials of the nay-sayers, Microsoft has stopped short of saying that ARM hardware would offer a desktop mode for non-Metro apps. Well, buried in a post about improving power efficiency over at MSDN blogs was a passing reference to "both desktop and Metro style apps" running on "System on Chip (SoC) architectures." Some, including the well regarded Mary Jo Foley, have read this to mean that desktop apps will indeed work on ARM-powered Windows tablets. Now, this seems to make sense since all of the SoC coverage has been focused on the powerful new RISC chips getting crammed in new slates and smartphones, and we've heard that Win8 and Windows Phone 8 will share the same kernel. But, there is one tiny wrinkle in this narrative -- Intel will have its own SoC solutions soon enough thanks to Medfield, so the passage could simply be a reference to those x86 chips. You'll find the relevant excerpt at the via link.
Intel's 32nm Medfield SoC specs and benchmarks leak
Intel's Medfield may still be a ways from breaking into the smartphone and tablet market, but we're finally starting to get some concrete details on its specs and capabilities. VR-Zone got the nitty gritty on Chipzilla's first true SoC and it looks almost ready to run with the big dogs. A reference tablet, running at 1.6GHz with 1GB of RAM (which also packs Bluetooth, WiFi and FM radio) was put through some Android benchmarks and held it's own against a Tegra 2 and a Snapdragon MSM8260 -- which pulled a 7,500 and 8,000 in Caffeinemark 3, respectively. The admittedly higher clocked Atom scored an impressive 10,500, though power consumption on the pre-production chips was a bit higher than anticipated. At idle, the fledgling Medfield was sucking down 2.6W and spiking to 3.6W under load. Ultimately Intel hopes to cut those numbers to 2W at idle and 2.6W while pushing out HD video -- not far off from current-gen ARM SoC. Lets not forget though, benchmarks only tell part of the story -- we'll be waiting to see working hardware before declaring a victor.
