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TSMC ramps 28nm ARM Cortex-A9 chip to 3.1GHz, gives your desktop jitters

Jon Fingas — Thu, 03 May 2012 09:54:00 EST

We know TSMC's energy-miser 28-nanometer manufacturing process has a lot of headroom, but the company just ratcheted expectations up by a few notches. Lab workers at Taiwan's semiconductor giant have successfully run a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor at 3.1GHz under normal conditions. That's a 55 percent higher clock speed than the 2GHz maximum that TSMC normally offers, folks, and about twice as fast as a 40nm chip under the same workload. Don't expect that kind of clock speed from your next smartphone or tablet, though: expect processors of this caliber to find "high-performance uses," which takes us that much closer to NVIDIA's Project Denver as well as other ARM-based desktops, notebooks and servers that should give x86 chips a run for their money.

TSMC ramps 28nm ARM Cortex-A9 chip to 3.1GHz, gives your desktop jitters originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 May 2012 09:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ARM seeks better security for connected devices, teams up with Gemalto and Giesecke & Devrient

Sharif Sakr — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 02:50:00 EST

ARM is famous for its low-power chip designs, Gemalto is known for its NFC security features, and Giesecke & Devrient brings some nice nano-SIM notoriety to the table. As a trio, these companies want to push forward a security standard that could be readily used in a wide range of web-connected devices, including tablets, smart TVs, game consoles and smartphones. The standard itself is built on ARM's TrustZone hardware-based security, which has been around for a while and is built into every ARM Cortex-A series processor, but which still isn't as widely used as it could be. By founding an off-shoot company with its partners, ARM hopes to nudge the things along faster and turn TrustZone into the "Blu-ray" of mobile security standards.

Continue reading ARM seeks better security for connected devices, teams up with Gemalto and Giesecke & Devrient

ARM seeks better security for connected devices, teams up with Gemalto and Giesecke & Devrient originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Apr 2012 02:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Taking next-gen augmented reality for an ARM-powered walk around the block

Sharif Sakr — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST

We know what you're thinking, because we initially thought it too, but this isn't your average AR. With the help of chip designer ARM, a number of developers are building a new type of augmented reality that is altogether more powerful than the usual sprite-on-a-surface routine. Instead of requiring well-lit, artificial and often indoor surfaces and markers, this new technology sucks every ounce of juice from a smartphone's processor in order to recognize, track and augment real-world 3D objects like people and buildings. It's still at an early stage and far from being practical, but the exclusive videos after the break ought to prove that this approach has potential. In fact, it's probably what augmented reality ought to have been in the first place. Read on for more.

Continue reading Taking next-gen augmented reality for an ARM-powered walk around the block

Taking next-gen augmented reality for an ARM-powered walk around the block originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RedPad brings Chinese patriotism to Android, costs each comrade just $1,590

Richard Lai — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:50:00 EST

Well, it was only a matter of time. Hongpaiyihao (literally meaning "red group number one"), a Beijing-based pro-government new media company, has launched a 9.7-inch Tegra 2 tablet that's "tailor-made for government officials" and patriotic consumers. Well, we're not sure whether the government's even aware of this Android 3.2 device's existence, but it's certainly preloaded with a bunch of pro-China apps (including one for the state-approved microblogging service), electronic subscription to a handful of newspapers (state-controlled, of course) and "exclusive" access to daily updates on some government strategic decisions. The damage? 9,999 yuan ($1,590) per unit, or 7,100 yuan ($1,120) each if you buy in bulk. As pointed out by Penn Olson, this RedPad is about two to three times as expensive as the iPad in China.

To be honest, having dug around Hongpaiyihao's unbelievably shoddy product pages, this reeks of a desperate company trying to squeeze money out of overly patriotic folks in China. Even the screen resolution and battery capacity are inconsistent across the site: it's either 1,024 x 768 and 8,000mAh, or 1,280 x 800 and 7,600mAh, respectively. Judging by the render, the former combination is more likely the real deal; yet the screenshots in the owner manual suggest the latter. Oh, and just so you know, there's no sign of the above interface in the manual at all. If you still care, other features include a five megapixel main camera, a two megapixel front-facing camera, 3G connectivity, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. We'll stick to our diet of regular Honeycomb and Ice Cream Sandwich, thank you very much -- they'll keep our wallets healthier.

RedPad brings Chinese patriotism to Android, costs each comrade just $1,590 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Meizu MX resurfaces, home button gets a nip-and-tuck, turns into optical trackpad?

Mat Smith — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 10:06:00 EST

It's been a while since we've seen the Meizu MX, but these latest shots from Mr. Blurrycam reveal that the phone could see a substantial tweak to its main home button. These photos are likely to be of a work-in-progress handset, with plenty of bizarre cutaways presumably obscuring details of the mole. In the leaked drawings, Meizu's upcoming smartphone looked an awful lot like its M9 predecessor, albeit with a bigger screen, running on a superior A9 Cortex processor. The main button apparently doubles as an optical trackpad, with the two flanking capacitive buttons rotating depending on orientation. While it still remains uncertain whether this nub will replace the squarish button found on the MX mock-up earlier this year, hopefully CEO Jack Wong will still manage to meet the December launch date -- if only for the sake of all those loyal Mei-yo. Fans of severely obscured photography can catch another glimpse after the break.

Continue reading Meizu MX resurfaces, home button gets a nip-and-tuck, turns into optical trackpad?

Meizu MX resurfaces, home button gets a nip-and-tuck, turns into optical trackpad? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Nov 2011 10:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic's 1.4 GHz dual-core Smart TV chip is industry's fastest, should load Netflix quicker

Richard Lawler — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 09:41:00 EST

The next step for Panasonic's UniPhier family of processors for HDTVs and Blu-ray players has been unveiled, taking form as a 1.4GHz ARM Cortex-A9 based design that it claims is the industry's fastest for TVs. The MN2WS0220 will begin sample shipments this month and it can handle two HDTV streams, plus internet content and smart TV apps all at once while cutting power consumption from the previous generation by 40%. This follows in the footsteps of Toshiba's Cell-based CEVO TV processors that also bring multiple cores and high speed memory to bear. The other question of course is backwards compatibility, while some of the new Viera Connect apps for 2011 were also compatible with 2010 HDTVs, it'll be interesting to see if Panasonic's platform can take advantage of the new chip without making televisions that are currently on shelves obsolete, or if it considers joining forces with the Google TV cadre for apps like SlingPlayer and OnLive.

Continue reading Panasonic's 1.4 GHz dual-core Smart TV chip is industry's fastest, should load Netflix quicker

Panasonic's 1.4 GHz dual-core Smart TV chip is industry's fastest, should load Netflix quicker originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 09:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Linaro and Samsung roll out Exynos 4210-based Origen development board for $199

Richard Lai — Sun, 29 May 2011 23:26:00 EST

You may recall a little group of Linux-loving chums called Linaro, which was formed almost a year ago in the hopes of speeding up Linux development. Today at Computex, the company's taking one step further with the announcement of the Origen development board. Based on Samsung's beefy Exynos 4210 dual core chipset, the kit packs all the essential ports -- including HDMI, USB 2.0 host, SD slot, etc. -- for keen developers to get their hands dirty on, and its base board is also removable to accommodate future chipsets. Potential buyers are told to keep an eye on Insignal, which will soon be offering the basic Origen package for $199, along with optional parts at an extra cost.

Continue reading Linaro and Samsung roll out Exynos 4210-based Origen development board for $199

Linaro and Samsung roll out Exynos 4210-based Origen development board for $199 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 May 2011 23:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ZiiLabs outs dual-core ZMS-20 and quad-core ZMS-40 for Honeycomb tablets, clocks 'em at 1.5GHz

Vlad Savov — Wed, 11 May 2011 04:19:00 EST

For now, the HTC Flyer can console itself for not having a second core (like all the other guys) by noting that its 1.5GHz clock speed is faster than any other tablet. Pretty soon, however, the choice between speed and core count might not have to be made at all, as ZiiLabs has just announced new dual-core and quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 systems-on-chip that run at the same 1500MHz speed as the Flyer. Dubbed ZMS-20 and ZMS-40, respectively, they're taking the ZMS-08 legacy of focusing on HD video decoding even further, while also throwing in specific optimizations for Android Honeycomb tablets. The earlier-gen SOC was only picked up by parent company Creative, who inserted it in its ZiiO tablets, so let's hope the new silicon proves compelling enough for us to see it in more manufacturers' slates. Full PR and an intro video follow after the break.

Continue reading ZiiLabs outs dual-core ZMS-20 and quad-core ZMS-40 for Honeycomb tablets, clocks 'em at 1.5GHz

ZiiLabs outs dual-core ZMS-20 and quad-core ZMS-40 for Honeycomb tablets, clocks 'em at 1.5GHz originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 May 2011 04:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG licenses ARM Cortex-A15 and Mali-T604 graphics, starts scheming up mobile processors of its own

Vlad Savov — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 06:28:00 EST

Some of LG's brightest attractions at the moment are the dual-core Optimus 2X and Optimus 3D smartphones and similarly equipped Optimus Pad tablet. The only problem with them? Those multicore chips are produced by NVIDIA for the 2X and Pad and Texas Instruments for the Optimus 3D, leaving LG a clear step behind its arch-nemesis Samsung who is producing its own dual-core system-on-chip. So what else could LG possibly do but buy its own ARM license -- specifically for the Cortex-A9 design that is dominating today and the Cortex-A15 with Mali-T604 graphics that promises to rule the mobile world from 2012 onwards -- and start churning out its own processors? The Korean company certainly has the budget, if not the manufacturing facilities, to produce such chips at volume, and we're all for seeing another competitor enter the ARM arena. This licensing deal also reminds us that the last fresh licensee to ARM's blueprints was Microsoft -- so we can now look forward to two industry giants bringing their technical expertise to this rapidly growing marketplace. See LG's full press release after the break.

Continue reading LG licenses ARM Cortex-A15 and Mali-T604 graphics, starts scheming up mobile processors of its own

LG licenses ARM Cortex-A15 and Mali-T604 graphics, starts scheming up mobile processors of its own originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 06:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Meizu MX to be Jack Wong's next dream phone, coming with HDMI-out by year's end (update: HSPA+)

Richard Lai — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 22:46:00 EST

It's only been 109 days since Meizu's remarkable launch of the M9 Android, but as we all know, there's nothing stopping our man Jack Wong from teasing his next flagship phone on his forum. Previously known as the M9II, Wong has now renamed this 4-inch handset to MX -- apparently short for "meng xiang" or "dream" in Mandarin Chinese, though X can also cunningly double up as the Roman numeral for 10 here. Also shared is the above real-life shot of an MX mock-up -- not far off from the earlier render -- which is appropriately seen chillaxing on the CEO's bed. In a separate forum thread, we're told that HDMI and coaxial digital audio outputs will be present on the MX, and a 16GB model will be released by the end of the year probably for ¥3,580 ($548). While this is a significant jump from the M9's ¥2,699 ($413), Wong insists that both phones share the same profit margin, and frankly, this will still be a pretty good deal for some Cortex-A9 goodness under a larger screen. We'll be right here waiting for you, Meizu; or we could just pop by your factory again some time.

Update: Jack Wong's also confirmed HSPA+ support for some sweet 21Mbps download speed. The phone's getting better by the minute!

Update 2: And we now have an 8 megapixel camera with flash.

Continue reading Meizu MX to be Jack Wong's next dream phone, coming with HDMI-out by year's end (update: HSPA+)

Meizu MX to be Jack Wong's next dream phone, coming with HDMI-out by year's end (update: HSPA+) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 17 Apr 2011 22:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ODROID-A tablet fits 1366 x 768 res on a 10-inch screen, dual-core Exynos inside transparent shell

Vlad Savov — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 03:04:00 EST

Samsung might not have quite enough Exynos 4210 processors to sell a tablet of its own based on that Cortex-A9 dual-core beastie, but it's found a few to hand over to Korean partner Hardkernel for this here ODROID-A reference platform. It's strictly a dev kit, and as such is unlikely to find its way to your local Best Buy any time soon, but we have to admire the specs on offer. First up is the delightfully dense 1366 x 768 resolution, a rare sight on a 10-inch display, followed by a transparent rear panel that bests anything out on the market right now in terms of sheer sex appeal, and then there are also two MicroSD slots, a HSPA+ modem, HDMI output, a USB 2.0 port, cameras on the front and rear, and a crazy 9000mAh battery. How all this is supposed to only cost $750, we don't know, but then we also don't know how to qualify to get one when it becomes available later this month. So many mysteries. Jump past the break for some hands-on and benchmarking video action.

Continue reading ODROID-A tablet fits 1366 x 768 res on a 10-inch screen, dual-core Exynos inside transparent shell

ODROID-A tablet fits 1366 x 768 res on a 10-inch screen, dual-core Exynos inside transparent shell originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 03:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SmartQ announces Ten, an Android tablet packing IPS display with piezoelectric touchscreen

Richard Lai — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 07:58:00 EST

OK, before y'all haters state the obvious in the comments below, there's actually something noteworthy about this familiar-looking Chinese slate. What we have here is the SmartQ Ten (or T10, as referenced above), a forthcoming Froyo tablet that'll feature a juicy Cortex-A9 chip plus a Mali 400 GPU, as well as 512MB RAM and a 9.7-inch 1024 x 768 IPS display. This wouldn't be the first Android device to get the IPS goodness, though, as its predecessor R10 -- launched with Android 2.1 and a 720MHz processor back in December -- also has the same LCD panel within a seemingly identical form factor. In fact, we stumbled upon an R10 earlier today, and the prettiness of the screen did surprise us.

But what really sells the Ten is its piezoelectric touchscreen, which supports multitouch input even with non-conductive objects like the old school styli. This means said tablet can achieve light transmittance similar to its capacitive touchscreen counterparts but using cheaper parts, as well as having point-input precision similar to those with resistive touchscreens but with better screen clarity. Alas, no date or price has been announced for the Ten just yet, nor do we know if it'll get Honeycomb in the future, but price it right and it might still get some love.

SmartQ announces Ten, an Android tablet packing IPS display with piezoelectric touchscreen originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG Optimus 2X review

Vlad Savov — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:35:00 EST

The world cried out for a dual-core smartphone and LG and NVIDIA answered the call. Actually, the world only ever dreamt about multicore mobile architectures up until late last year, but sometimes that's all it takes to get those zany engineers engineering. So here we are, in early February 2011, beholding the world's first smartphone built around a dual-core processor, the Optimus 2X. This is a landmark handset in more ways than one, however, as its presence on the market signals LG's first sincere foray into the Android high end. Although the company delivered two thoroughly competent devices for the platform with the Optimus S and T in 2010, they were the very definition of mid-range smartphones and the truth is that Samsung, HTC and Motorola were left to fight among themselves for the most demanding Android users' hard-earned rubles. So now that LG's joined their ranks, was the wait worth it?

Gallery: LG Optimus 2X review

Continue reading LG Optimus 2X review

LG Optimus 2X review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony's next-gen PSP (NGP) has a quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, quad-core GPU as well

Vlad Savov — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 02:48:00 EST

You know that crazy next-gen PSP (NGP) with multiple touchpads, dual analog sticks, and quadrupled resolution that Sony just trotted out? Yeah, it's got a quad-core Cortex-A9 and a quad-core Imagination Technologies PowerVR SGX543MP4+ GPU doing the grunt work within. We've never seen a handheld this powerful. Then again, considering the darn thing won't be launching until this holiday season, maybe quad-core parts will be the least Sony will need in order to match up to the "super phones" coming up this year. We're just wondering how long any of these souped-up portables will last on a charge. Full spec sheet after the break.

Continue reading Sony's next-gen PSP (NGP) has a quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, quad-core GPU as well

Sony's next-gen PSP (NGP) has a quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, quad-core GPU as well originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 02:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony's next PSP, codenamed NGP

Vlad Savov — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 01:27:00 EST

Betcha didn't think this day would come, but it finally has. Sony has just come clean with its next-generation PlayStation Portable. It's actually codenamed NGP and will revolve around five key concepts: Revolutionary User Interface, Social Connectivity, Location-based Entertainment, Converging Real and Virtual (augmented) Reality. It will be compatible with the PlayStation Suite and is backwards-compatible with downloadable PSP games and content from Sony's PlayStation Store.

Specs include a quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, 5-inch touchscreen OLED display with 960 x 544 resolution, dual analog sticks (not nubs as on the current generation), 3G, WiFi, GPS, a rear-mounted touchpad, the same accelerometer / gyroscope motion sensing as in the PlayStation Move, an electronic compass, and cameras on both the front and back. Available this holiday season. Wait... what?!

Gallery: Sony NGP detailed hands-on

Games will come on "new media," not UMD anymore, but we're unclear on what sort of flash memory is being used. Sony's rather proud of the fact it's offering the world's first dual analog stick combo on a portable device, though we're more geeked about the quadrupling of pixel count from the original PSP.

Sony's live event has been graced by demos of some pretty popular games, including Killzone, Resistance, Little Big Planet, and Uncharted -- with the latter serving as a demo platform to show off how the NGP's rear touchpad can be used to more intuitively climb up some vines. That touch panel on the back is the same size and positioned directly under the front OLED touchscreen, which allows for some pretty sophisticated controls when using the two simultaneously.

The new console's UI will be called LiveArea, which has a bunch of vertically navigable home screens and built-in social networking through PlayStation Network. You can jump between games and the LiveArea without losing your progress and comment on your buddies' great feats of mobile gaming.

Gallery: Sony's next PSP, codenamed NGP games and UI

In closing its presentation, Sony trotted out Hideo Kojima to show off a cutscene from MGS 4 rendered in real time on the NGP. It was pulled directly from the PS3 version of the game and ran at 20fps, which looked very smooth indeed to our liveblogging eyes. Videos and Sony's full PR are now available below.

Gallery: Sony's next PSP, codenamed NGP press shots

Continue reading Sony's next PSP, codenamed NGP

Sony's next PSP, codenamed NGP originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 01:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia's leaked MeeGo device resembles dual-core ST-Ericsson U8500 reference platform

Vlad Savov — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 08:01:00 EST

Yesterday's leaked image of a purported Nokia tablet device seems to have been more informative than we initially believed it to be. An eagle-eyed forum member over on mobile-review has spotted the similarity between it and a reference platform for ST-Ericsson's U8500 system-on-chip. Last we heard, that little powerhouse was running a pair of 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 cores, so excuse us if we find the prospect of it driving Nokia's next flagship a rather exciting one. You can see video of the reference device in question after the break -- it ends on the delicious and unequivocal assertion from the ST-Ericsson rep that Nokia has signed up to deliver the U8500 in an upcoming device. Bear in mind, however, that the video is from November of last year and we still don't know for sure that the Nokia slate above is its MeeGo progenitor or just a prototype. Either way, the U8500 is expected in smartphones at some point in the first half of this year, which kind of fits Nokia's roadmap, no?

[Image credit: Cor72z]

Continue reading Nokia's leaked MeeGo device resembles dual-core ST-Ericsson U8500 reference platform

Nokia's leaked MeeGo device resembles dual-core ST-Ericsson U8500 reference platform originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA Tegra 3, equipped with 1.5GHz quad-core madness, teased by a familiar slide

Vlad Savov — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 07:06:00 EST

How aggressive can NVIDIA get? That's the question puzzling our brainboxes right now as we gaze upon the complete version of the slide that let us know about a potential Tegra 2 3D chip over the weekend. It's not every day you hear of a 1.5GHz quad-core mobile SOC, but our discovery of corroborating evidence for the T25 module sitting alongside it makes us more willing to credit the possibility of a Blu-ray-crunching, 13,800 MIPS-capable, multicore Cortex-A9 Tegra 3. Moreover, the roadmap of production samples in Q4 of 2010 fits perfectly with NVIDIA's claim that Tegra 3 was "almost done" in September of that year. The ULP designation on this listing stands for Ultra Low Power in NVIDIA parlance, which would indicate an aggressively tuned power management system -- the only way we can envision a quad-core anything operating within a tablet. Fall 2011 is when we should know for sure.

NVIDIA Tegra 3, equipped with 1.5GHz quad-core madness, teased by a familiar slide originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 07:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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1.2GHz Tegra 2 3D chips suggested by leaked slide, coming 'spring 2011'

Vlad Savov — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 15:55:00 EST

Darn, we've barely started getting acquainted with Tegra 2, yet NVIDIA seems to already be preparing the stage for a sort of Tegra 2.5 -- a 1.2GHz dual-core chip that'll be marketed as a 3D-capable mobile processor. This T25 silicon is apparently set for mass production in the first quarter of this year, with availability coming up in the spring. Given the noises we keep hearing about 3D going mobile, this is one rumor that makes a lot of sense -- and even if you're a staunch supporter of the 2D creed, you can't deny that a sped-up Tegra 2 CPU sounds pretty delicious. We've managed to also track down some technical chatter about adding support to Chromium OS for a 1.2GHz T25 from NVIDIA, seemingly corroborating the leaked image above. Oh boy, it's gonna be a hot summer for mobile computing this year!

1.2GHz Tegra 2 3D chips suggested by leaked slide, coming 'spring 2011' originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Jan 2011 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honeycomb to require dual-core processor, initially tablet-only?

Paul Miller — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 20:22:00 EST

Often when you hear minimum spec doom and gloom, it proves to be wildly inaccurate, or only part of the picture. This time, however, it's worth a closer look. PC Magazine's Sascha Segan is confidently citing the director of Enspert, a Korean consumer electronics company (which recently announced its own Android tablet), who claims that Honeycomb will require a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor. He's also confident that Motorola's tablet will be the first device to market with the new version of Android, and his other minimum specs line up with the idea of Honeycomb being initially a tablet-only release. Apparently 1280 x 720 is going to be the minimum resolution, with screen sizes "as small as" 7-inches, though it sounds like 10-inches could be the default. These specs seem to clearly leave out Galaxy Tab, along with anything else on the market or soon to arrive that doesn't have a Tegra 2 chip. It also makes sense that the Galaxy Tab 2 is going to be using Tegra 2 -- Samsung clearly won't be deterred.

And how about phones for Honeycomb? The picture is decidedly murkier, other than the fact that we could see a temporary splintering of the platform while tablets show off their new Honeycomb digs, with enough battery to back up that dual-core proc. Of course, dual-core handsets are right around the corner, so we doubt handsets will be without Honeycomb for long -- Google should know which side its bread is buttered on. There's also the possibility that this Enspert source is only talking tablets, and phones (which are required to push way fewer pixels, and have much stricter battery requirements) will get a pass on the dual-core requirement altogether. No matter what, you should settle in for a year of entertainment as Google continues to iterate its wildly successful operating system, and manufacturers strain to keep up.

[Thanks, Jason]

Honeycomb to require dual-core processor, initially tablet-only? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 20:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ambarella's Cortex A9-based iOne is the smartphone processor of your dreams... but it's for your camera

Chris Ziegler — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 03:45:00 EST

You may not have heard of Ambarella factoring into the smartphone processor race alongside Qualcomm, TI, and Samsung, and there's a good reason for that: they don't do smartphone processors. Rather, these guys are in the business of making video and photographic processing chips, and their latest -- the iOne -- is a doozy. Starting with a dual-core Cortex-A9 at 1GHz, the iOne adds in an extra ARM11 core at 533MHz dedicated to handling camera functions and ensuring ready times of under one second. It's capable of real-time encode and decode of H.264 1080p video content at 30fps and includes a GPU that can run OpenGL ES 2.0 for what we can only assume would be the wildest camera UI you've ever seen. What kind of beastly point-and-shoot is this, anyway? Well, Ambarella envisions cameras running Android before too long, and when you think about it, the hardware difference between a smartphone and a digital camera is getting smaller by the day -- so it would make sense that this iOne sounds so much like something we'd like to have powering our handsets. We can dream, can't we? Follow the break for the press release.

Continue reading Ambarella's Cortex A9-based iOne is the smartphone processor of your dreams... but it's for your camera

Ambarella's Cortex A9-based iOne is the smartphone processor of your dreams... but it's for your camera originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 03:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hannspree's HSG1164 10.1-inch Froyo tablet drops by the FCC

Darren Murph — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 10:29:00 EST

You know what they say about a trip to the FCC's database, right? Why, it's much like the step just prior to achieving manhood -- one more leap from here, and you'll be ripe for the pickin'. Just a few months after Hannspree teased us with a formal introduction of its (then unnamed) 10.1-inch multitouch Froyo tablet, it looks as if that very device has now found a moniker. The 1.6-pound HSG1164 will eventually bring a fairly impressive build of materials to light, offering a 1GHz Tegra 2 chip, 16GB of internal storage, 512MB of NAND Flash, a microSD slot, Android 2.2, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, mini USB / HDMI connector, an inbuilt light sensor, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and a Li-ion battery of unspecified size. There's obviously no direct mention of a ship date in the documentation here, but we're putting our money on an early 2011 release. Care to wager, too?

Hannspree's HSG1164 10.1-inch Froyo tablet drops by the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Orion dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 chip spotted in the wild

Sean Hollister — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 23:36:00 EST

We know it's a little tough to get excited about a chip, even if that chip is the hotly anticipated Samsung Orion. Still, bear with us, because this isn't your average slab of cellphone silicon -- the Orion's got a dual-core 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 CPU and a quad-core Mali 400 GPU on board. We spotted it at the ARM Technology Conference this week where it was pimping "Linaro" Linux middleware, as well as some stock Android 2.2. Unfortunately, the development boards still have a few kinks, so representatives couldn't show it pumping all those pixels to nearby HDTVs -- though we did get a butter-smooth demo of Futuremark's old Cyber Samurai benchmark running on the smaller screen. There are still rumors of this chip hitting some products late this year, but next year is much more likely. Either way, we're expecting some pretty impressive benchmarks from this thing when it inevitably winds up in the next Galaxy Tab or a flagship phone of some sort.

Gallery: Samsung Orion 1GHz SoC with Mali 400 GPU

Samsung Orion dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 chip spotted in the wild originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 23:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung's Orion is the 1GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 we've all been waiting for

Vlad Savov — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 02:16:00 EST

We still consider Samsung's Hummingbird application processor to be among the very best for mobile computers, but this morning Sammy itself is stepping up the charge to make it look real old real fast. The freshly announced dual-core Orion promises to whip us all into a frenzy of geek lust with "5 times the 3D graphics performance over the previous processor generation from Samsung," 1080p video encoding and decoding at 30fps, embedded GPS, a native triple display controller, and on-chip HDMI 1.3a interface. Those last two bits mean you can drive two displays on your mobile device while feeding a third, such as a HDTV, all thanks to the one all-powerful chip inside. Availability for "select customers" is coming late this year, with mass production set for the first half of 2011. To say we're looking forward to it would be a massive understatement.

Continue reading Samsung's Orion is the 1GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 we've all been waiting for

Samsung's Orion is the 1GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 we've all been waiting for originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 02:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Globalfoundries takes ARM Cortex-A9 into 28nm land, looks forward to 20nm chips in 2013

Vlad Savov — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 03:12:00 EST

Forget the numbers, here's what matters: Globalfoundries' new production capabilities will lead to "smooth production ramp-ups and faster time-to-market" for its customers. Now consider that this promise relates to scrumptious 28nm Cortex-A9 SOCs and feel free to rejoice. The chip fabricator has just declared itself ready to take orders for ARM's systems-on-chip built using its high-k metal gate 28nm fab process. This fulfills its pledge for mass production in the latter half of 2010, but lest you think Globalfoundries is resting on any nanoscale laurels, it also has a 20nm roadmap to tell you about. It's very simple, really: expect even smaller, even more power-efficient silicon in 2013. We don't know if the future will be bright, but it sure looks like it's gonna be small.

Continue reading Globalfoundries takes ARM Cortex-A9 into 28nm land, looks forward to 20nm chips in 2013

Globalfoundries takes ARM Cortex-A9 into 28nm land, looks forward to 20nm chips in 2013 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 03:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hannspree pairs Android 2.2 with Tegra 2 for a 10.1-inch multitouch tablet

Vlad Savov — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:13:00 EST

Yearning for a bit of dual-core action on the move? Who isn't. Hannspree will soon try to quell that 1080p-sized hunger in all of us with its freshly announced €399 ($507) Froyo tablet. There's no lack of spec sheet ambition here: a 1GHz Tegra 2 SOC is surrounded by 16GB of internal storage (expandable via MicroSD), an accelerometer, WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity, a 1,024 x 600-pixel capacitive touchscreen, and mini versions of HDMI and USB ports. Flash 10.1 is also proudly supported, while the 3,500mAh battery is said to last up to 8 hours when playing 1080p movies. We'd be getting real excited right about now, but we've learnt to be cautious with such lofty promises -- remember the Gemini?

Continue reading Hannspree pairs Android 2.2 with Tegra 2 for a 10.1-inch multitouch tablet

Hannspree pairs Android 2.2 with Tegra 2 for a 10.1-inch multitouch tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TI picks up first license for ARM's Eagle CPU core, mass market devices still a couple of years off

Vlad Savov — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 02:54:00 EST

The mythical next generation of ARM's Cortex-A series, the Eagle, has made a reappearance in the news this week, but much of the mystery remains. Texas Instruments has now revealed itself as the first licensee of the new core, while also waxing poetic about its deep involvement and collaboration with ARM on its design and particular specifications. No, nobody was kind enough to let us in on what those specs might yet be, but since -- technically speaking -- the Eagle CPU hasn't even been announced yet, that's probably fair enough. For its part, TI expects to be first to market with its OMAP systems-on-chip integrating the latest Cortex core, but that won't be happening for a good while yet, as most projections peg the Eagle's landing to be no sooner than 2012. Guess we'll just have to make do with some dual-core Snapdragons until then.

Continue reading TI picks up first license for ARM's Eagle CPU core, mass market devices still a couple of years off

TI picks up first license for ARM's Eagle CPU core, mass market devices still a couple of years off originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 02:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba's AC100 8-hour Android smartbook plays 1080p video on a 1GHz Tegra 250 processor (update: video!)

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 05:25:00 EST

We wouldn't fault you for thinking that's a first generation ASUS Eee PC what with that iconic fingertip pose and all. But Toshiba's AC100 is a very modern take on the ol' Atom-based netbook idea. For starters, this super slim smartbook runs Android 2.1 on a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 250 SoC (built around a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore processor) capable of about 8 hours of browsing and video playback (and 7 days standby) before needing a recharge. It's also packing a 32GB SSD, 512MB of DDR2 memory, 802.11n WiFi, optional 3G data, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, and an HDMI jack beneath that 10.1-inch 1,024 x 600 pixel display. As for software, the AC100 ships with Documents to Go for editing MS Office docs, an email client with POP3, IMAP, and Exchange support, an Opera Mobile browser, and a Tosh media player which should support HD 1080p video playback if it's taking full advantage of that Tegra 2 silicon. Too bad Toshiba is being quiet about the pricing and availability 'cause this little guy has us intrigued.

Update: Netbooked got its hands on with the Japanese Dynabook AZ twin and received confirmation that it'll ship in Japan in August for between ¥40,000 and ¥50,000 (about $438 to $548). Video after the break.

Gallery: Toshiba's AC100 8-hour smartbook runs Android 2.1 on a 1GHz Tegra 250 processor

Continue reading Toshiba's AC100 8-hour Android smartbook plays 1080p video on a 1GHz Tegra 250 processor (update: video!)

Toshiba's AC100 8-hour Android smartbook plays 1080p video on a 1GHz Tegra 250 processor (update: video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 05:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung's ARM roadmap lays coordinates through 2013: Aquila, Venus, and Draco (oh my)

Ross Miller — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:48:00 EST

Ah, leaked company presentation slides, they have a clarity only Mr. Blurrycam would despise. EETimes got a batch of them from Samsung dated November 2009 making the rounds, but more important than revealing its equal love for both Roman and Greek mythology, we get a glimpse at its then-planned ARM chip roadmap (yeah, another one) through 2013. In a nutshell, for the Cortex A9 crowd we've got the 800MHz dual core "Orion" due for mass production in Q1 2011, a 1GHz single core "Pegasus" for Q4 2011, a 1GHz dual core "Hercules" for Q1 2012, and for sometime in 2012 / 2013, a 1.2GHz dual core "Draco" and quad core "Aquila." Fear not, Cortex A5 fanatics, you've got gifts as well, in the form of 600MHz single core "Mercury" and dual core "Venus" chips, slated for 2010 / 2011 and 2012 / 2013, respectively. We don't expect the nomenclature to extend beyond internal usage, but frankly, who cares -- it's the devices that count, and unfortunately all we can do is doodle our future gadget hopes and dreams onto scraps of paper while we wait.

Samsung's ARM roadmap lays coordinates through 2013: Aquila, Venus, and Draco (oh my) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Notion Ink Adam still alive, working on Flash compatibility

Vlad Savov — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 04:53:00 EST

It was three months ago, in the midst of the most tablet-centric CES in recent memory, that we first laid our hands on Notion Ink's impressive Adam prototype. Since then, we've been on the lookout for signs that the small Indian startup will actually deliver on the tablet's lofty promises, and while that still seems to be on track, the latest update from the company's founder is casting doubt on the originally planned June release date. Stressing the need to agree subsidization deals with telecoms for the 3G-equipped device, Rohan Shravan explains that "some want to give you Adam for Thanksgiving, some for summer holidays." Add in his resolute commitment to only going ahead with the tablet when it's fully capable of running Flash (seriously Adobe, the thing can do 1080p video, but Flash makes it wince?), and you have a significantly more elastic release window than we were originally led to believe. All the same, Rohan couldn't leave us without some titillation, and he also promises "amazing freedom" on the email front and a number of content collaborations that he's not yet allowed to announce. If you ask us, we just want something -- anything -- with a Pixel Qi display; we'll make up our own content, just give us the hardware already.

[Thanks, Srikanth]

Notion Ink Adam still alive, working on Flash compatibility originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Apr 2010 04:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ARM and Globalfoundries partner up for 28nm Cortex-A9 SOCs, invite great expectations

Vlad Savov — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 07:43:00 EST

This one slipped the net during the excitement that was MWC this year, but it's such a promising development that we have to give it its due attention. ARM and Globalfoundries have announced plans to start building new systems-on-chip using the latter's ultramodern 28nm high-k metal gate production process, with the resultant chips offering up to 40 percent greater computational power, 30 percent greater power efficiency, and a terrific 100 percent improvement in battery longevity relative to their current-gen siblings. Mass production of these Cortex-A9-based units is expected in the second half of 2010, which means they should be among the very first chips off Globalfoundries' 28nm assembly line. The good news, though, is that the technology is described as "ready for high-volume implementation," so there should be no shortages when things finally get rolling. Let the wild-eyed anticipation begin.

ARM and Globalfoundries partner up for 28nm Cortex-A9 SOCs, invite great expectations originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 07:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ST-Ericsson's U8500 brings dual-core 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 to the Android world

Vlad Savov — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:44:00 EST

Can't get enough of hearing about implementations of ARM's Cortex-A9 MPCore processors? Good. ST-Ericsson's powerhouse U8500 system-on-chip has come a major step closer to appearing in mainstream devices with today's newly announced support for the Android operating system. Having optimized the OS to take advantage of Symmetric Multi Processing -- a method for extending battery life by sharing the load between the two processing cores and underclocking when necessary -- the partner company is now ready to start dropping these 1.2GHz dual-core beasts inside the next generation of smartphones. The claim is that you'll get all that additional power while sacrificing nothing, as devices based on the U8500 would maintain "the cost and power consumption characteristics of a traditional feature phone." We're promised built-in HDMI-out support, 1080p video recording, and 120 hours of audio playback or 12 hours of Full HD video off a 1,000mAh battery -- pledges we'd very much like to see fulfilled.

ST-Ericsson's U8500 brings dual-core 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 to the Android world originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Texas Instruments introduces ARM-based OMAP 4 SOC, Blaze development platform

Vlad Savov — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:09:00 EST

Texas Instruments has just made its OMAP 4 system-on-chip official, and garnished the announcement with the first development platform for it, aggressively titled Blaze. We already caught a glimpse of it in prototype form earlier this month, and the thing is quite a whopper -- you can see it on video after the break and we doubt you'll accuse TI of placing form before function with this one. The company's focus will be on promoting innovative new modes of interaction, with touchless gesturing (or "in the air" gesture recognition) figuring strongly in its vision of the future. Looking at the SOC diagram (available after the break), you'll find that its grunt will be provided by the same ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore class of CPU that powers the iPad, though TI claims it will be the only mobile platform capable of outputting stereoscopic 720p video at 30fps per channel. Perhaps its uniqueness will come from the fact that nobody else cares for the overkill that is 3D-HD on a mobile phone, whether it requires glasses or not. It'll still be fascinating to see if anybody picks up the chunky Blaze idea and tries to produce a viable mobile device out of it -- we could be convinced we need multiple displays while on the move, we're just not particularly hot on the 90s style bezel overflow.

Continue reading Texas Instruments introduces ARM-based OMAP 4 SOC, Blaze development platform

Texas Instruments introduces ARM-based OMAP 4 SOC, Blaze development platform originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ARM demos the Cortex-A9's web browsing skills on video

Donald Melanson — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 22:24:00 EST

We've been hearing reports of the ARM Cortex-A9 holding its own with the ever-present 1.6GHz Atom processor for quite a while now, but ARM is now taking advantage of CES to do a bit more up-front boasting -- like this recently-posted video demoing the processor's browsing performance against an average netbook. While it's obviously not entirely scientific, the Cortex-A9 does seem to lag only slightly behind -- which is all the more impressive considering that the ARM is running at just 500MHz compared to the Atom's 1.6GHz. Equally impressive: ARM's fine taste in websites. Head on past the break for the video.

Continue reading ARM demos the Cortex-A9's web browsing skills on video

ARM demos the Cortex-A9's web browsing skills on video originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 22:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ARM to release netbook, MID chips

Nilay Patel — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:12:00 EST

Intel's Atom is enjoying some pretty lonely dominance in the netbook market, with nary a spot of competition from VIA's ephemeral Nano or whatever AMD has in store for us -- a void ARM has just announced it plans to fill with ARMv7 chips. The mobile device chipmaker has partnered with Canonical to develop a version of Ubuntu specifically tailored to run on netbooks and MIDs with ARM Cortex-A8 and Cortex-A9 processors, a platform ARM says will offer all-day battery life as well as advanced video functionality. That sounds pretty good to us (and Intel, actually) -- too bad we won't see any of these mythical machines until at least Ubuntu's April 2009 street date for the ARM port. Good thing Intel will be lying around counting cash and not developing anything until then, right guys? Sigh.

Filed under: Handhelds, Laptops

ARM to release netbook, MID chips originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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