Origin and CUPP wed x86 and ARM in 11-inch gaming laptop, we go hands-on (video)
Well, Origin and CUPP dropped a bit of a surprise at CES this year -- a supercharged 11.6-inch gaming laptop that runs Android 2.3.4 and Windows 7 simultaneously. On the Windows side, the machine is powered by a 2.7GHz Core i7 CPU with 4GB of RAM, a beefy GeForce GT 650M GPU with 2GB of dedicated RAM and a 128GB SSD. On the Android end you'll find a single core 1GHz Texas Instruments OMAP 3730 processor with 512MB RAM, an integrated WiFi radio, and an unspecified amount of shared storage -- nothing too exciting in this day and age, but perfectly adequate for Gingerbread.
We got an exclusive first look at the machine. It's a bit bulky and heavy considering the tiny screen size, something to be expected considering the sheer amount of hardware crammed inside. There's no shortage of ports however, with the left side playing host to an Ethernet connector, VGA and HDMI outputs, headphone and mic jacks, as well as a pair of USB 3.0 ports. On the right edge is the power input, a pedestrian USB 2.0 port and a Kensington lock. We like the styling, with its lightly textured platform and soft touch lid. Even the slightly recessed hinge lends the laptop an air of aggression that we kinda dig in a gaming rig.
Having full ARM and x86 systems in the same machine opens up a whole bunch of new possibilities. You can do some CPU-intensive image editing in Photoshop, put Windows to sleep, press [Fn] + [Shift] to switch over to Android (and back), then upload that edited picture to Flickr using Chrome while sipping only a trickle of power. Or you can render a video in Windows in the background while checking on your social networks on Android. It's a pretty ideal setup for editors like us. Both systems share the same 11.6-inch 1366x768 display, keyboard and trackpad.
If this all seems awfully familiar that's because it is. The x86 laptop is based on Origin's EON11-S and the ARM module is CUPP's PunkThis board, which the company's already demoed for us on a Macbook Pro, a netbook and an x86 tablet. Until now all these devices have been one-off prototypes, but CUPP's partnering with Origin to make the PunkThis board available as an option on the EON11-S. The machine we played with was a pre-production unit using CUPP's single core ARM module running Gingerbread, but the company is working on a multi-core version with Jelly Bean. Origin, on its end, plans to add a touchscreen to the laptop for a better user experience in both Android and Windows 8.
Want to know more? Check out the gallery below and hit the break for our hands-on video and the full PR after the break.
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CUPP Computing Showcases Dual-mode Systems at CES 2013
Demos new hybrid technology on gaming systems from ORIGIN PC
Bergen, Norway and Miami, FL – January 8, 2013 – CUPP Computing, AS (CUPP), a leader in dual mode processing and security technology for PC and mobile applications, announced today that it will demonstrate its new version of hybrid computing technology running exclusively on gaming systems from ORIGIN PC at CES 2013. In its demo suite at the Hilton-Elara, CUPP will be showcasing a new PT1.6 ARM-based module running seamlessly on ORIGIN PC's EON11-S laptops.
"The combination of CUPP's patented hybrid processing technology, along with a powerful and flexible system such as the ORIGIN EON11-S, provides an excellent demonstration of compelling user experience, with superior battery life, and ability to run both Android and Windows seamlessly on a single system," said Art Swift, CUPP's CEO. "In addition, having CUPP's dedicated low power processor module in the system will enable new features such as always-on end point security for mobile devices," continued Swift.
"We are thrilled and delighted that CUPP chose our EON11-S to power their latest and innovative technology demos." said Kevin Wasielewski, ORIGIN PC CEO and co- founder. "The addition of CUPP's low power modules inside our award winning EON laptops could provide a whole new dimension to customers, which is the type of innovation we are proud to deliver." said Kevin Wasielewski.
In its CES suite, CUPP will also be demonstrating its GateKeeper hardware (ARM) based end point protection technology which was acquired by CUPP from the former Yoggie Security Systems of Israel. The low power Gatekeeper technology enables defense in depth on mobile devices for uncompromised device and network security that has been missing in the mobile segment. CUPP expects to announce new versions of Gatekeeper later this year.
Terrence O'Brien contributed to this report.
