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Mystery LG LE970 claims next-gen Adreno graphics, can't quite prove it

Sharif Sakr — Mon, 28 May 2012 09:30:00 EST

Maybe our skeptic's goggles have fogged over with excitement, but there's something mightily interesting about an entry over at GLBenchmark. First off, the model number and listing info vaguely suggest it could be a variant of the LS970 superphone rumored for Sprint, aka the LG Eclipse, although the ICS build ("geeb_att_us-eng 4.0.4") indicates this 1.5GHz device is one of Ma Bell's. One of the more unusual specs offers some corroboration: the Adreno 320 graphics, which only come in the souped-up Pro or quad-core variants of Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon S4 chipset. That would make the LE970 a rare breed indeed, but unfortunately that's about all we can learn at this point. The actual benchmark scores tell us nothing about the handset's performance other than that it can max out the Egypt Standard test despite its 1280 x 720 screen -- making it impossible to compare it to regular Snapdraon S4 phones like the HTC One X on AT&T or the HTC One S. Oh well, where are those lens wipes?

Update: An earlier version of this post confused the benchmark results with the Egypt Offscreen test -- apologies for the error.

[Thanks, Ketul]

Mystery LG LE970 claims next-gen Adreno graphics, can't quite prove it originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 May 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Steam for Linux is coming, and after waiting epochs what's a few more months?

Sharif Sakr — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 06:19:00 EST

It's been a long-running saga as to when Linux users will finally see some native gaming action on Steam, but according to Phoronix that happy day will likely arrive within "months." Valve has been busily hiring Linux OpenGL boffins, including people recommended by Phoronix's founder, Michael Larabel, who certainly seems to be on the inside track. His photo above offers some proof of progress: it shows Left 4 Dead 2 running natively on Ubuntu 11.10 with AMD Catalysts drivers. Why has it taken so long since news of a Linux client was first floated (and officially denied) back in 2010? Larabel attributes it to Valve's "flat management structure" that allows its developers to work on what they want. (And you still question the importance of hierarchy?)

Steam for Linux is coming, and after waiting epochs what's a few more months? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 06:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Imagination Technologies unveils G6200 and G6400, first two GPUs based on PowerVR Series6

Zachary Lutz — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:54:00 EST

First announced in February of last year, Imagination Technologies has officially announced the licensing availability of its first two GPUs based on the Series6 platform. The PowerVR G6200 and G6400 each promise to bring low power graphics to unprecedented levels and are said to deliver up to 20 times more horsepower than the current generation while also being five times more efficient. In tangible terms, the Series6 GPU cores are capable of exceeding 100 gigaflops and are said to approach the teraflop range. All chipsets based on Series6 are backward compatible with Series5 and fully support OpenGL 3.x, 4.x and ES, along with OpenCL 1.x and DirectX 10. Further, specific models will also support DirectX 11.1 with full WHQL compliance. Poised to shake up the mobile gaming ecosystem, Imagination has already lined up partners that include ST-Ericsson, Texas Instruments, Renesas Electronics and MediaTek. The full PR, complete with all the bragging, can be found after the break.

Continue reading Imagination Technologies unveils G6200 and G6400, first two GPUs based on PowerVR Series6

Imagination Technologies unveils G6200 and G6400, first two GPUs based on PowerVR Series6 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG Optimus 3D app converter starts roll-out this month, why settle for only two dimensions?

Mat Smith — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 15:34:00 EST

LG's 2D to 3D app converter will finally arrive on the Optimus 3D (AKA the Thrill 4G) this month. In order to play nice with it, apps and games need to be using OpenGL. The converter is packaged inside the company's maintenance release for the 3D smartphone and will be available on European handsets any day now, followed by a gradual global roll-out over the next few weeks. You can expect to find a few more tri-dimensional nuggets, including 3D video editing and the ability to view 3D video in 2D. LG says that it will also add Dolby Mobile sound and automatic image-stabilization for 2D video-capture. But, we're more interested in that app converter -- we want those furious fowl to really pop out at us.

LG Optimus 3D app converter starts roll-out this month, why settle for only two dimensions? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG 3D Game Converter adds depth to regular 2D games

Daniel Cooper — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 09:53:00 EST

Spoiler alert! Instead of waiting to surprise people at IFA this week, LG has released details of its new 3D Game Converter for the Optimus 3D early. The software arrives as part of the October maintenance release, promising to take any OpenGL game that runs in landscape and convert it to 3D. Around 50 games will come with pre-optimized settings -- the rest you tweak yourself. Open any game up in the app and it will try to split the foreground and background and recombine both in 3D. Feel your eyes crossing and a headache setting in just by thinking about playing this way? No worries, they're all still playable in 2D as well. Mouse on past the break to find the press release, which LG rather thoughtlessly only released in 2D.

[Thanks, Eddie]

Continue reading LG 3D Game Converter adds depth to regular 2D games

LG 3D Game Converter adds depth to regular 2D games originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 09:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Texas Instruments announces multi-core, 1.8GHz OMAP4470 ARM processor for Windows 8

Amar Toor — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 04:54:00 EST

When Qualcomm announced a pair of Windows 8-compatible ARM processors yesterday, we knew Texas Instruments wouldn't be far behind. Sure enough, the company has just announced a new addition to its OMAP 4 family of ARM SoCs, with the 1.8GHz OMAP4470. TI's new chip is powered by a pair of 1.0GHz ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore engines, as well as two, 266MHz ARM Cortex-M3 cores that handle multimedia duties. According to the company, this multi-core structure will enable faster web browsing and more frugal power usage, while putting the OMAP4470 in square competition with quad-core chips like NVIDIA's Kal-El and Intel's latest Sandy Bridge line. The SoC was designed for tablets, netbooks and smartphones running Android, Linux, or the next version of Windows, and can support a max QXGA resolution of 2048 x 1536, and up to three HD displays. There's also a single-core PowerVR SGX544 GPU capable of running Direct X 9, OpenGL ES 2.0, OpenVG 1.1, and OpenCL 1.1. The OMAP4470 is expected to hit the OEM and OED markets in the first half of 2012, but you can find more information in the specs sheet and press release, after the break.

Continue reading Texas Instruments announces multi-core, 1.8GHz OMAP4470 ARM processor for Windows 8

Texas Instruments announces multi-core, 1.8GHz OMAP4470 ARM processor for Windows 8 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 04:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry 7 gets an SDK, NFC, AR, other acronyms

Terrence O'Brien — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 10:30:00 EST

BlackBerry 7 OS is coming soon but, to take advantage of all those fancy features like NFC and the digital compass (ok, some of them aren't that fancy), devs are going to need some new APIs -- enter the BlackBerry 7 Java SDK. Creators of BlackBerry apps can go download the beta of the new software development kit at the source link and start whipping up augmented reality browsers and 3D games, thanks to support for OpenGL ES 2.0. There's nothing mind-blowing about RIM's latest update, but we're glad to see the corporate stalwart start to catch up to other smartphone OSes, and it's only a matter of time before Layar and Quake hit the BlackBerry Bold 9900.

BlackBerry 7 gets an SDK, NFC, AR, other acronyms originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canonical christens Ubuntu 11.10 'Oneiric Ocelot' (update)

Christopher Trout — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 06:13:00 EST

Canonical's still one month away from letting Natty Narwhal (also known as Ubuntu 11.04) out of the cage, but it's already teasing us with another OS flaunting an alliterative mammalian monicker. Like the Narwhal before it, Oneiric Ocelot (or Ubuntu 11.10), due out this October, will offer a 2D OpenGL-based Unity interface to support older computers, as well as Qt -- you know, the framework Nokia loved and left hanging. You can also expect Ubuntu to scale back on the number of cloud services with the Ocelot, as it gears up for the release of the as-of-yet unnamed Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (long term support). For now, that's all she wrote, but if you're dying to find out how they come up with those adorable Animalia appellatives, check out the source link below.

Update: Oneiric Ocelot has also apparently devoured Ubuntu Netbook Edition whole -- starting with Ubuntu 11.04, the products will be completely unified and (according to Canonical) work equally well no matter the form factor.

Canonical christens Ubuntu 11.10 'Oneiric Ocelot' (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 06:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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N900 can run unmodified webOS games, what can your Linux-based phone do?

Paul Miller — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 00:56:00 EST

Ah, standards. Palm and Nokia know what we're talking about, which is why they support similar methods of developing native Linux apps, namely SDL 1.2. Add on the hardware similarities between the Palm Pre and the N900 (OMAP3430, PowerVR SGX, Open GL ES 2.0 support) and you have a beautiful recipe for cross-platform gaming. Some hardcore Maemo users have taken this to heart and released a new "Preenv" package for the N900 that allows the phone to run unmodified webOS games. Of course, you'll need to root your Pre to get at those games, and if you want to make a launch icon for the game on the N900 you'll have to root it as well. Still, this is exciting beyond the potential for playing Need for Speed on much-lauded Nokia hardware: with easy portability between platforms, there's all the more reason for a developer to be attracted to MeeGo and webOS in the future.

[Thanks, Andy D.]

N900 can run unmodified webOS games, what can your Linux-based phone do? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 00:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Palm Pixi shows off 3D gaming chops with webOS 1.4.5 release (video)

Sean Hollister — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:53:00 EST

What with all the "battery optimization" excitement, we nearly forgot that Sprint's new webOS 1.4.5 update doesn't just empower the Pre; it also finally brings PDK'd OpenGL and SDL support to the Palm Pixi. On the off chance you don't speak developer lingo, that's short for 3D apps and games, and as it turns out the pint-sized Pixi doesn't play the latter half-badly. PreCentral fired up a copy of Need For Speed: Undercover on the freshly-upgraded handset immediately above, and found the game perfectly playable with "decent" framerates and only slightly sub-par load times. Watch their spiffy Nissan turn tricks right after the break, and pray companies get cracking on some Unreal Engine 3 apps soon.

Continue reading Palm Pixi shows off 3D gaming chops with webOS 1.4.5 release (video)

Palm Pixi shows off 3D gaming chops with webOS 1.4.5 release (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OpenGL 4.1 spec finalized, streamlines 3D graphics for web and phones

Sean Hollister — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:31:00 EST

Only four months after OpenGL 4.0 hit the scene, the next revision of the cross-platform graphics API is here, bearing gifts of fancier math and more cribbed DirectX 11 features. Unless you're a graphics guru, though, we doubt you'll be that interested in "64-bit floating-point component vertex shader inputs," so let's get to the meat of what you're after: impressive 3D gaming. OpenGL 4.1 promises to help deliver that to cellphones easier than ever before, by making OpenGL ES (used in iOS and Android, depending on your hardware) completely compatible with the desktop graphics version, and promises "features to improve robustness" in WebGL 3D browser acceleration as well. There's also support for stencil values in fragment shaders, but we digress -- if you understood what we just said, hit up the source and more coverage links for the rest.

OpenGL 4.1 spec finalized, streamlines 3D graphics for web and phones originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC EVO 4G's graphics capped at 30FPS?

Ross Miller — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 21:57:00 EST

Reports are flying in from across the internet -- and by that we mean the xda-developers and Google Code forums -- that the EVO 4G might have something of a framerate issue. It seems that the device is "locked in" at 30 frames per second both in 2D (Canvas) and 3D (openGL) modes, while anecdotally, a phone like the Hero hits 54fps on average and has "smoother scrolling" in the menus. This apparently is visible both with the standard Sense UI installed and with the Froyo preview build, although in the latter case the Nexus One bootup video is 60fps before halving upon reaching the home screen.

So, wherein lies the culprit? For Google's part, Android framework engineer "Romain Guy" responded to one thread reasserting the platform team's "target was, is and will be 60fps." We can't imagine it's related to the hardware given the EVO's impressive specs. Some fingers, ergo, are being pointed towards firmware. This wouldn't be the first time HTC's handsets have come under scrutiny for troubling graphical performance -- 2008 was not the company's finest year in that department. Whatever the reason is, we just want a quick resolve -- after all, it's just not fair when our Hero-carrying buddies are scoring better benchmarks.

HTC EVO 4G's graphics capped at 30FPS? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Jun 2010 21:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Archos 5 Internet Tablet gets game-changing OpenGL support in 2.0.15 update (video)

Sean Hollister — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 06:02:00 EST

Speedy browser aside, the Archos 5 Internet Tablet started as the runt of the Android litter, but the ugly duckling is headed towards swanhood -- while officially, it's still stuck with Android 1.6, the tablet's French manufacturer has just transformed the media machine into what looks like a stellar Android game system as well. Archos' 2.0.15 update gives the Archos 5 support for OpenGL, letting it run games like Speed Forge 3D and Raging Thunder II at a fantastic clip. Best of all, you won't have to wait two shakes to test it out for yourself; there's a 89MB download with your name on it at our source link. Video after the break.

[Thanks, Tom]

Continue reading Archos 5 Internet Tablet gets game-changing OpenGL support in 2.0.15 update (video)

Archos 5 Internet Tablet gets game-changing OpenGL support in 2.0.15 update (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Jun 2010 06:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows 7, Mac OS X, and Ubuntu 10.04 meet up for an OpenGL benchmarking session

Vlad Savov — Wed, 12 May 2010 04:09:00 EST

So these three operating systems walk into a bar one night ... alright, we'll behave. With all the Steamy conversation about gaming on non-Windows desktop platforms going on, we thought you might care to peek at a little OpenGL performance comparison review. As the chief cross-platform API, it's the only way we're going to be seeing the latest games running natively on Mac OS and Linux, but how will that experience compare to the market leader? As it turned out, Windows maintains superiority in this field, with frame rates that were habitually above those on the latest Ubuntu and well ahead of what you might get on Mac OS 10.6.3. It's still early days -- after all, Steam's non-DirectX cupboard is pretty bare right now -- but at this point in time, OpenGL gaming is a crown that Microsoft retains with relative ease. Hit the source for all the line graph evidence, and let's hope things improve for the rest of us in rapid fashion.

Windows 7, Mac OS X, and Ubuntu 10.04 meet up for an OpenGL benchmarking session originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 May 2010 04:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Firefox now available for Android 2.0 and above, still at pre-alpha stage

Vlad Savov — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 04:19:00 EST

Fennec, Mozilla's codeword for mobile Firefox builds, has just made its pre-alpha debut on Android. The tastefully named Vladimir Vukićević informs us that it's pretty much a debug release, with unoptimized memory utilization and some quirks rebooting the app when it's started and when add-ons are installed, but it is at a stage where the devs felt they could get useful feedback from a broader user base. It's not yet available on the Android Market, so you'll be needing to download it from the link below, and remember that you'll have to have an Android 2.0 or higher device, with OpenGL ES 2.0 capabilities also being recommended. If you've got all those boxes ticked, get downloading and come back to tell us how that WeaveSync is working out for you. We've got video of an older build running on a Nexus one after the break, just to whet some appetites.

[Thanks, Jonathon]

Continue reading Firefox now available for Android 2.0 and above, still at pre-alpha stage

Firefox now available for Android 2.0 and above, still at pre-alpha stage originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 04:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Archos promises six Internet Tablets this summer for hands of all sizes

Tim Stevens — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 08:42:00 EST

If you're suffering from Goldilocks Syndrome, unable to find the perfect portable device, Archos is releasing a suite of suite of Internet Tablets this summer and surely one of them will be just right for your choosy tastes. The company looks poised to launch six of the things according to a slide that slipped out from a presentation given by Archos CEO Henri Crohas. The slide (above) shows a mockup image of six separate tablets, which are said to range in price from $100 to $350 with processors ranging from 800MHz up to 1GHz and screens from 3- to 10-inches. This single slide is all that we have to go on at this point, so go ahead and eat your porridge already before it gets too cold. We'll bring you more news on these when we have it.

Archos promises six Internet Tablets this summer for hands of all sizes originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Apr 2010 08:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ATI FirePro V8800 takes Cypress core into workstation woods, emerges victorious

Vlad Savov — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 05:38:00 EST

ATI has just let loose the first professional tier card based on its Cypress XT core, which in itself is part of the company's highly successful Evergreen series of 40nm chips. Boasting 2GB of GDDR5 memory running at 1.15GHz, 1,600 stream processors and an 825MHz core clock speed, the FirePro V8800 is very much an HD 5870 adapted to the demands of the digital creation world, and as such it's no surprise that it also requires the same pair of 6-pin auxiliary power connectors. It also supports DirectX 11 and the fresh new OpenGL 4.0 standard, something those business crazies seem to appreciate, but its killer feature is most probably the price, which -- although steep by common standards -- is $300 less than the $1,800 FirePro V8750 predecessor. Oh, and this card can drive 4 simultaneous displays, but we're kinda used to that by now with ATI -- the real question is how this pup ranks relative to its forebears and NVIDIA competition. The answer, according to the commonly used Maya, SolidWorks and 3ds Max applications, is that the FirePro V8800 simply destroys the V8750 while also generally outpacing the aging Quadro FX 4800. Feels pretty nice to have a straightforward conclusion, doesn't it? Check out the links below for the full disclosure.

ATI FirePro V8800 takes Cypress core into workstation woods, emerges victorious originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Apr 2010 05:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OpenGL 4.0 arrives, brings more opportunities for general purpose GPU action

Vlad Savov — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:06:00 EST

What's a Game Developers Conference without some sweet new tools for developers to sink their teeth into? Khronos Group, the association behind OpenGL, has today announced the fourth generation of its cross-platform API spec, which takes up the mantle of offering a viable competitor to Microsoft's DirectX 11. The latest release includes two new shader stages for offloading geometry tessellation from the CPU to the GPU, as well as tighter integration with OpenCL to allow the graphics card to take up yet more duties off the typically overworked processor -- both useful additions in light of NVIDIA's newfound love affair with tessellation and supposed leaning toward general purpose GPU design in the Fermi chips coming this month. Lest you don't care that much about desktop gaming, OpenGL ES (Embedded Systems, a mobile offshoot of OpenGL) is the graphics standard on "virtually every shipping smart phone," meaning that whatever ripples start on the desktop front will be landing as waves on your next superphone. If that holds true, we can look forward to more involvement from our graphics chips beyond their usual 3D duties and into spheres we tend to care about -- such as video acceleration. Now you care, don't ya?

OpenGL 4.0 arrives, brings more opportunities for general purpose GPU action originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Palm's webOS PDK beta adds Pixi native development, PDK'd apps will hit the Catalog mid year

Paul Miller — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:12:00 EST

We just sat down with Palm here at GDC and fished out a few more details on the PDK beta front. Firstly, and most interestingly, Palm has confirmed that the PDK now works on all of its handsets (instead of just the Pre and Pre Plus), which means Pixi buyers can stop hating themselves pretty soon. Apparently the level of performance degradation should be comparable iPhone 3G vs. 3GS, which doesn't sound too horrible. This is functionality that wasn't available even to Palm's early PDK partners like EA and Gameloft, so we should be seeing versions of existing games make the jump to the Pixi when the time for PDK beta-developed apps to hit the Palm App Catalog. When will that time come, you ask? The "middle of the year," or "a few months," whichever sounds more promising to you. Palm's not saying whether this new era for the App Catalog (anyone being able to release PDK apps, and those apps working on the Pre and the Pixi) will accompany a full-on webOS update, but it seems logical to us.

On a more technical front, we're told the PDK supports the Linux standard SDL (Simple DirectMedia Layer) to ease in porting and development (Unreal for Linux runs using SDL, for instance), and that developers could even build apps like an audio processor that rely on PDK components but don't show up in the UI at all, or OpenGL-empowered things that aren't necessarily games or in 3D. Also, existing developers have only been able to do "full screen" games that rely on PDK components alone, but the PDK beta lets you mix and match webOS UI with PDK elements. Currently there aren't many PDK games that use the extra Palm hardware like the QWERTY keyboard and the gesture area, but we're told that's all exposed to the developer, along with any other element of webOS that Mojo SDK users have access to. One notable plugin hangup is the fact that Flash only works in the browser, and can't be embedded into a regular webOS app, PDK or no -- though we have to assume this is something that's in the works.

Palm's webOS PDK beta adds Pixi native development, PDK'd apps will hit the Catalog mid year originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Android NDK hits Release 3, brings OpenGL ES 2.0 access to devs

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:17:00 EST

We know from a brief spat of iPhone 3GS controversy that OpenGL ES 2.0 brings a new level of immersive realism to 3D gaming on mobile devices, so Android developers (and users, for that matter) should be delighted to hear that a new release of the official Native Development Kit exposes its capabilities to anyone targeting Android 2.0 or higher. As a refresher, the so-called NDK is a bolt-on to the standard Android SDK that gives folks the ability to write and compile critical pieces of functionality in native code, closer to the processor without that pesky Java virtual machine standing in the way -- in other words, it's exactly what gamers and game devs need to make Android a serious gaming platform, and better access to badass 3D capabilities are a fun little piece of the puzzle. The latest NDK's available for download now -- so seriously, hurry up and go wow us with your revolutionary first-person shooter. Git!

Android NDK hits Release 3, brings OpenGL ES 2.0 access to devs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Qualcomm's 7x30 offers stellar 3D and multimedia performance, coming this year (video)

Vlad Savov — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:43:00 EST

Feeling the post-MWC blues? Not enough smartphone hardware talk to get you through your Monday trudge? Fear not, we've grabbed a pair of Qualcomm demo videos from this year's event in Barcelona that show off its MSM7x30 smartphone platform (first announced in November of last year). It has now made its way into some demo devices and its early performance points to a very happy future for all of us mobile media vultures. Equipped with the same CPU as resides inside Qualcomm's Snapdragon, this system-on-chip comes with an HDMI output and the ability to play back 720p video on both its host device and your nearest HDTV. There's also some very welcome 3D gaming on show as well as YouTube playback using Flash 10.1 (smooth and silky), but our attention was captured by a nifty picture browser provided by Scalado. It allows you to view up to 1,000 images at the same time, zoom into each individual one, or sort them by name, color and other attributes. Being able to handle all that, with only minor perceptible lag, shows we're looking at what's shaping up to be a pretty beastly chip. Check it out after the break, and expect it to show up in a lust-worthy smartphone near you by the end of 2010.

[Thanks, TareG]

Continue reading Qualcomm's 7x30 offers stellar 3D and multimedia performance, coming this year (video)

Qualcomm's 7x30 offers stellar 3D and multimedia performance, coming this year (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Palm Pre plays Need for Speed, undercover (video)

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:31:00 EST

While Palm's Pre is many things to many people it still can't game. Oh sure, it'll play Magic Fortune Ball like a champ but when it comes to intensive 3D action the Pre is as helpless as a would-be terrorist trying to ignite his underwear. See, webOS and the Mojo SDK currently can't exploit the GPU the way other smartphone platforms can. Rewind a few weeks, however, and we're reminded of a video showing EA's Need for Speed Undercover running impossibly smooth on a Pre. At the time, the video and claims of the device running Flash were shot down as fake largely due to the accompanying screen caps of the purportedly new App Catalog. Well guess what? Those screen caps were vindicated today with the webOS 1.3.5 update that just so happened to launch a new App Catalog matching the leaked images, exactly. That lends credence to the video then doesn't it, while hinting at future apps and games with full OpenGL graphics support. Is that the big reveal at CES alongside enhanced Pre+ and Pixi+ handsets headed to Big Red? We'll find out shortly enough -- until then check the gameplay after the break.

[Thanks, Brian K.]

Continue reading Palm Pre plays Need for Speed, undercover (video)

Palm Pre plays Need for Speed, undercover (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia N900 impressively demos WebGL 3D graphics

Nilay Patel — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 01:12:00 EST

We're not sure anyone out there needs any more proof that the Nokia N900 is powerhouse, but just in case you still had doubts, check this video of a WebGL-enabled Firefox build smoothly rendering some complex 3D models on Espoo's "internet tablet with phone capabilities." It's pretty impressive stuff, especially considering WebGL is still being standardized and it hasn't gotten beyond Firefox nightlies on the desktop yet. Check it after the break.

[Thanks, Jouni]

Continue reading Nokia N900 impressively demos WebGL 3D graphics

Nokia N900 impressively demos WebGL 3D graphics originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 01:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ZiiLABS ZMS-08 offers Cortex A8-powered Full HD and Flash acceleration for netbooks

Vlad Savov — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:41:00 EST

We haven't even seen the Zii EGG make its long-anticipated consumer debut yet, but Creative is already building up steam for its next Zii venture. ZiiLABS' ZMS-08 is a third generation mobile media accelerator / system-on-a-chip that boasts its predecessor's 1080p playback and 24fps encoding, and HD video conferencing via simultaneous 720p encoding and decoding, while adding all-new OpenGL ES 2.0 support, an integrated HDMI controller, X-Fi audio and Flash acceleration. Paired to a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8, and running a custom flavor of Android alongside Plaszma OS, the new Zii chip will look for homes in "web tablets, netbooks, connected TVs" and the like, but seemingly not smartphones. ZiiLABS has already signed up a number of clients, who'll start receiving shipments in Q1 of 2010. Full PR and an architectural diagram after the break.

Continue reading ZiiLABS ZMS-08 offers Cortex A8-powered Full HD and Flash acceleration for netbooks

Filed under: Handhelds, Laptops

ZiiLABS ZMS-08 offers Cortex A8-powered Full HD and Flash acceleration for netbooks originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bug in Motorola CLIQ's OpenGL implementation breaks a few games

Chris Ziegler — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:29:00 EST

If you've run into trouble trying to load up Hexage's Buka or Totemo on your CLIQ, you're not alone -- it seems that some wonky handling of a few OpenGL API calls on Motorola's first Android device are causing heartache for users and developers alike. It's not clear how many apps in total make use of the calls, but we'd imagine they're in line to be fixed -- and thanks to the CLIQ's support for over-the-air updates, we're hoping those fixes come sooner rather than later. In the meantime, we suppose that DROID's always an option, right?

[Via I4U and Android and Me]

Filed under: Software, Motorola, Android

Bug in Motorola CLIQ's OpenGL implementation breaks a few games originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First iPhone game with 3GS-specific graphics released?

Chris Ziegler — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:08:00 EST

Back in June it was revealed that the iPhone 3GS' newfound support of OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics put one of the first meaningful, material boundaries in software capability between iPhone generations (magnetic compass and video would be two other biggies), meaning that 3D-accelerated games targeted specifically for the 3GS platform could look a good deal fancier than their 2G / 3G counterparts -- and furthermore, they could be built to only work on the 3GS if the developer chose not to build in support for both. French software shop Eurocenter is touting that its newly-released Adrenaline Golf is the first game to take advantage of the 3GS' added graphics capabilities -- and while we can't verify that no other application submitted to the App Store in the past three months hasn't utilized OpenGL ES 2.0 in some regard, we can definitely verify that it looks way cooler on the 3GS. The good news is that Eurocenter has set up the game so that it chooses the correct graphics engine at runtime, regardless of the iPhone you're using, but after you see it on the 3GS it might seem a little inadequate on the older gear. Follow the break for our side-by-side demo of the sweet 3GS-exclusive water reflections, which are considerably better than real life since you don't risk getting wet.

Update: Sure enough, Eurocenter got a little overzealous with their claim -- Rocking Pocket's Blue Skies has had 3GS-specific enhancements for a while now. Thanks, everyone!

Continue reading First iPhone game with 3GS-specific graphics released?

Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Handhelds

First iPhone game with 3GS-specific graphics released? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First iPhone game with 3GS-specific graphics released?

Chris Ziegler — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:08:00 EST

Continue reading First iPhone game with 3GS-specific graphics released?

Filed under: Games, Software, Apple, iPhone OS

First iPhone game with 3GS-specific graphics released? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Android-based Archos 5-inch Internet Tablet coming September 15 with (you guessed it) an AppsLib store

Thomas Ricker — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:47:00 EST

See that? It's an Android-green invitation to the unveil of the 5-inch Archos Internet Media Tablet. The September 15th date isn't new (it was announced back in June) but it's still good to see things moving ahead as planned. To whet the appetites of would-be developers, Archos has also announced its AppsLib application store for "advanced Android devices." The development guidelines, however, describe just a single, 5-inch 800x480 pixel device with accelerometer, OpenGL 3D graphics support, and HDMI output pushing an oddball 1160x652 pixel resolution to your TV. Right, specs already rumored for the Archos tablet. While not mentioned, we still expect all the other details -- 500GB storage, 10-mm thickness, 7-hours of battery when playing video, voice and HSUPA data radio, and OMAP3440 processor -- unexpectedly announced (by TI!) for the tablet way back in February to be in place when this thing gets live in Paris next month.

[Via Pocketables]

Filed under: Handhelds, Tablet PCs

Android-based Archos 5-inch Internet Tablet coming September 15 with (you guessed it) an AppsLib store originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Creative Zii EGG 3D gaming demo

Joseph L. Flatley — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:03:00 EST

Now that the gang at Creative have 'fessed up to the Zii EGG first seen at the FCC earlier this month, we imagine we'll be encountering this bad boy quite often over the coming months. If you need your StemCell Computing fix right now, we have a video that showcases the newest developer platform running a racing game in all of its accelerometer-packing, 3D OpenGL ES-enhanced glory. Peep for yourself after the break.

[Via EpiZENter, thanks Michael]

Continue reading Video: Creative Zii EGG 3D gaming demo

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Video: Creative Zii EGG 3D gaming demo originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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webOS SDK bemoaned by iPhone developer as Palm seeks game engineers

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 05:43:00 EST

Palm's webOS has never been a platform to stir the interest of the casual gamer. While there are many advantages to being built around HTML, JavaScript, and CSS, those tools don't excite game developers who need direct access to advanced graphics hardware to render animations smoothly. Unfortunately, as described by Craig A. Hunter, a self proclaimed "pretty dedicated iPhone developer" who's been poking around the WebOS SDK, Palm does not provide the environment to develop serious games or the kind of sophisticated apps users now expect from their handhelds. Chief among his concerns is lack of OpenGL access despite the hardware supporting it. Palm also limits devs to a 4Hz sampling of raw accelerometer data, far short of the 20Hz minimum required for games utilizing tilt control. In his summation:

With such amazing software capabilities flourishing on the iPhone, Palm can't afford to wait a year while they make the transition from web apps to native apps in their SDK. Palm might have had a chance against the 2007 Apple SDK, but not the 2009 version. Not even close. With this limitation, webOS will not be taken seriously by consumers who place importance on games or sophisticated third party apps.

Of course Palm, now with its deep Apple roots isn't blind to the issue. In fact, the kids at PreCentral have uncovered a Palm job listing from June 29th seeking Game Frameworks Engineers who will "design, implement, debug, and optimize frameworks for game development." So while the beta release of the webOS SDK might be limited, we'll key on the word beta for now. Remember, Super Monkey Ball wasn't built in a day -- it took a bit more than 365 of them before being offered after the launch of the original iPhone.

Read -- Craig A. Hunter
Read -- Palm game engineer listing

Filed under: Software, Palm, webOS

webOS SDK bemoaned by iPhone developer as Palm seeks game engineers originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 05:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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webOS SDK bemoaned by iPhone developer as Palm seeks game API engineers

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 05:43:00 EST

With such amazing software capabilities flourishing on the iPhone, Palm can't afford to wait a year while they make the transition from web apps to native apps in their SDK. Palm might have had a chance against the 2007 Apple SDK, but not the 2009 version. Not even close. With this limitation, webOS will not be taken seriously by consumers who place importance on games or sophisticated third party apps.

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Software

webOS SDK bemoaned by iPhone developer as Palm seeks game API engineers originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 05:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA ships out beta OpenGL 3.0 drivers in record speed

Paul Miller — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:52:00 EST

While boasting a fraction of DirectX usage in the gaming market, OpenGL hasn't been sitting around while Microsoft eats its lunch. Long favored as a foundation for cross platform games like World of Warcraft, and historically used by id Software to famous effect, the API just hit the 3.0 in a major reworking of the library. NVIDIA has had a hand in the API, and has wasted no time in releasing graphics drivers for the newly minted standard. The beta code supports GeForce 8000 series cards or higher on the desktop and laptop sides, and implements all of OpenGL 3.0 and the GLSL 1.30 shading language with just a few exceptions. Naturally, users won't be getting much out of this right off the bat, the beta drivers are mainly meant for developers looking to build software that takes advantage of 3.0, but it's nice to see a GPU builder hand-in-hand with a next gen graphics API and supporting it out of the gate on existing cards. And would you look at those screenshots!

Filed under: Gaming

NVIDIA ships out beta OpenGL 3.0 drivers in record speed originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel discusses ATI and Nvidia killing Larrabee, launching as early as 2009

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 04:27:00 EST

While Intel's Larrabee might not be a household name for consumers just yet, it's certainly at the table where Nvidia and AMD/ATI eat. The many-core (8 to 48, at least, according to that Intel graphic) x86 chip runs all your existing apps while tossing in support for OpenGL and DirectX thus eliminating the need for a discrete graphics chip. At least that's the plan. While the exact number of cores remains a secret as does the performance of each core compared to current GPUs, given the importance Intel places on Larrabee, it's reasonable to assume that an 8-core chip will launch in 2009 or 2010 with comparable performance to GPUs on the market at that time. Intel does say that Larrabee cores will scale "almost linearly" (read: within 10%) in games; that means that a 16-core chip will offer nearly twice the performance of an 8-core chip, 32-cores twice that of 16, and so on. Apparently this has already been proven in-house with Intel name-dropping Larrabee-coded titles such as Gears of War, FEAR, and Half-Life 2, Episode 2. It's no coincidence then to hear that Intel's first Larrabee product will target PC gamers. Click through if you're just dying to read about Larrabee's 1024 bits-wide bi-directional ring network and other bits of technical wonderment sure to create at least the hint of a silicon malaise.

[Via CNET and Washington Post, Thanks Dan R.]

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming

Intel discusses ATI and Nvidia killing Larrabee, launching as early as 2009 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Aug 2008 04:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMD achieves Open GL ES 2.0 compliance, brings Xbox 360 graphics to mobile platform

Joshua Fruhlinger — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:41:00 EST

A few months ago, AMD promised Xbox 360 graphics on handhelds, and as of today it's delivered on the concept. AMD announced it has achieved Open GL ES 2.0 mobile graphics technology compliance with hardware that cranks out the same AMD Unified Shader Architecture as the Microsoft gaming console. The new graphics standard will no doubt butt heads with NVIDIA's Tegra platform, which also promises serious mobile graphics. Meanwhile, AMD's comparison of their new certification to the Xbox 360 may just be a way to wow us, but we gotta wonder if this could bring some hope to a mobile Xbox 360, whether Microsoft says they're into it or not. Good times.

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds

AMD achieves Open GL ES 2.0 compliance, brings Xbox 360 graphics to mobile platform originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMD planning Xbox 360 graphics on handhelds

Darren Murph — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 22:09:00 EST

No, this isn't another rampant portable Xbox 360 rumor, but the somewhat indirect linkage is indeed notable. Reportedly, AMD is planning to bring "Xbox 360 quality graphics to handheld devices" by utilizing the company's next-generation mobile graphics technologies. Although no real specifics were handed out, AMD is purportedly "working with content developers now in preparation for the arrival of phones" powered by the forthcoming set, and should be made available to handset manufacturers through "discrete media processors as well as through IP licensing agreements with semiconductor suppliers." Already released is a developers toolkit that includes support for both the OpenVG 1.0 and OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics standards, and it will incorporate the same Unified Shader Architecture that's behind the scenes in your Xbox 360. Sadly, we've absolutely no idea which companies (if any) are already on board with this promising technology, but we just have to wonder if Dell won't reconsider its handheld gaming system considering the already amicable relationship with AMD.

[Via TGDaily, thanks smash_linux]

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds

AMD planning Xbox 360 graphics on handhelds originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Mar 2007 22:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Texas Instruments demos first 720p playback from a mobile phone

Richard Lawler — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 12:39:00 EST

Texas Instruments demonstrated its first processor to enable high definition (720p) playback on mobile phones yesterday at 3GSM World Congress. The OMAP3430, first announced last year, is the first in TI's series of OMAP 3 processors and also first to include support for the OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics standard for 3D acceleration. The 3430 gets the muscle to move your HD files and 3D gaming from its embedded ARM Cortex-A8 processor, but from the specs it seems that the video portion is only currently supporting up to 1024 x 768 (XGA) output via composite or S-video connections. Still, with this power available, sometime in the future your common cellphone will be playing back HD on the go or outputting video to a big screen HDTV. We previously expected to see handsets based on the technology this year, but while TI is shipping samples of the processors now, don't expect your HD-capable cell to hit stores until early 2008.

Filed under: Handsets

Texas Instruments demos first 720p playback from a mobile phone originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Feb 2007 12:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Texas Instruments demos first 720p playback from a mobile phone

Richard Lawler — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 12:39:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones, HDTV

Texas Instruments demos first 720p playback from a mobile phone originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Feb 2007 12:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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