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MIPS unveils new Aptiv mobile chip design, vows more speed in a tiny space
MIPS has only had a slight amount of traction in smartphones and tablets given that its best friend is Ainovo. It might get a better footing in an ARM-dominated world with a new range of processors in the Aptiv line. The highest-end chip of the bunch, the ProAptiv, is reportedly much smaller than its ARM opponents across the aisle while managing the same speed, goosing the floating-point math, memory addressing and multi-core support to where it's as much as 75 percent faster over the previous generation. That's good news for mobile devices and set-top boxes where space is tight. MIPS isn't leaving embedded gear like 4G LTE modems alone, either, as the mid-size InterAptiv and tiny MicroAptiv are getting similar improvements. If you're eager to get cracking on a processor of your own, you can license MIPS' new work right away -- and us plebeians who simply buy the devices can expect Aptiv to be ready for gadget use by the middle of the year.
Ainovo Novo 7 Basic review
It's a world's first coming from a company you've never heard of -- if you live outside of China, anyway. Taking Google's newly minted OS and slipping it into an affordable chassis, Ainovo's Novo 7 Basic could very well be a sleeper hit among the tech-obsessed masses. Sure, it may lack the brand equity and tidy content ecosystems that are part and parcel of Amazon and Apple's offerings, but thanks to that $99 price, users may find themselves seduced by the temptation of Ice Cream Sandwich alone. Apart from a small fraternity of devices including the Galaxy Nexus and ASUS Transformer Prime, few devices have officially played host to Android 4.0, lending this 7-inch tab a distinct advantage over the more expensive, Gingerbread-packing Kindle Fire. With a 1GHz Ingenic JZ4770 mobile applications processor based on a MIPS XBurst CPU, an 800 x 480 LED display and VGA front-facing / 2-megapixel rear cameras, this no-frills slate could blaze a bargain trail past Bezos and Co. So, does it manage to hold its own against its well-known competitors? Or will all that corner-cutting reveal this low cost tablet to be just another below-the-bar offering? Follow on past the break as we deliver the answers to these and other burning questions.
Ainovo $79 Novo7 Paladin Ice Cream Sandwich tablet hands-on
Nope, that's not a typo -- we just got our hands on a $79 Ice Cream Sandwich tablet. The folks from MIPS popped by the Engadget stage to talk about the budget device. The Ainovo Novo7 Paladin is available now in China, so if you actually want to get your hands on the thing here in the US, it will likely cost you a bit more when you actually factor in, you know, air fare and such, but the company assures us that something along the same lines ought to be coming to the States in the near future, with a similar price point. As expected, this isn't the sexiest tablet we've seen on the show floor -- you're not getting a Galaxy Tab here -- but the build quality is quite solid. The seven-inch screen is 800 x 480 -- again, not high-end specs we're dealing with, but it does the trick for casual gaming and YouTube videos, and the MIPS folks mention to us plans to bump up the res for a US release. Along the top of the device, you'll find three buttons: power, back and menu -- the placement on the latter two are a bit counterintuitive when first picking up the tablet, but you'll get used to it pretty quickly. Along the right side, you'll find a headphone jack, miniUSB port (yes, mini), volume buttons and a microSD slot for expanding the already decent 8GB of storage. Inside you'll find that MIPS-based 1GHz single core processor and 512MB of RAM -- again, not the greatest, but it should get the job done for most the paces you'd expect to put a $79 tablet through. There's no cameras or GPS on the thing, though we didn't really miss either one. If you're looking for something that can do video and stills, however, $20 more will get you the $99 Novo7 basic. Myriam Joire contributed to this report.
Ainovo's bargain Novo 7 ICS tablet ready to tickle US pockets?
Remember that curious $100, ICS-touting, Novo 7 tablet we saw back at the beginning of the month? Until now, the Ainovo (aka Ainol) branded device was a bit of a gambler's punt, with some Chinese sites charging a suspicion-arousing $60 shipping fee. Now, however, the odds are looking slightly better, with some US-centric retailers listing the 1GHz MIPS-based XBurst CPU slate as available for pre-order. With Gingerbread and Honeycomb versions still out there, you'll want to keep your eyes peeled and check exactly what you're getting. But, if you still really want some of the seven inch Android 4.0 budget-slab goodness (albeit for $19 more than initially thought), check the source links for more info.
