CedarTrail
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Samsung N102S netbook listed on UK sites for £240, possibly with Cedar Trail
Even if Samsung plans to stop producing 10.1-inch netbooks from next year, there's still plenty of scope for new models in little ol' 2011. In fact, British online retailers have just put up listings for an N102S running an officially unknown Atom N2100 processor. This chip is rumored to be a low-power variant of Intel's delayed Cedar Trail line-up, which might explain why none of the retailers yet have firm information about availability. (We called the number above, they told us to ignore the bit about December 2nd.) Other listed specs include a distinctly last-gen 1GB of RAM, 320GB of HDD roominess and Windows 7 Starter Edition for £240 ($370). Update: Netbook Italia also picked up on some Asus Cedar Trail Eee PCs in similar UK listings. These include the 1025CE we saw recently, which packs an N2800 processor for £270, plus a X101CH running on the N2600 for £225. Other specs are very similar to the Samsung's.
Linux kernel hits 3.1, adds support for NFC and Wiimotes
In May Linux finally saw the release of kernel version 3.0, an evolutionary update to the popular open-source platform that was nearly 15 years in the making. Today, version 3.1 is making its debut, once again primarily offering small tweaks like better support for Intel's Ivy Bridge and Cedar Trail chips and improved power management. But there are some new features getting baked in, including support for NFC and drivers for Wiimotes. The brave amongst you can download the sources from Git now (it hasn't been posted to Kernel.org just yet), but we suggest you hold out until your distro of choice releases an official update.
Cedar Trail-powered Asus VX6S netbook gets some early benchmarks
Benchmarking unreleased hardware is a dodgy business, largely because you're not working with final drivers. Nevertheless, Netbook Live's latest efforts could possibly be seen as establishing a bare minimum of what Cedar Trail is capable of. They put a 12-inch Asus Lamborghini VX6S netbook containing the next-gen Intel D2700 Atom CPU and the AMD Radeon 6470M GPU up against its Pine Trail/ION2-powered VX6 predecessor. For good measure, they also threw in an Eee PC 1215B running on AMD's Zacate E-350 APU (not the superior E-450). The PC Mark benchmarks gave the VX6S a gain of around ten percent against the Eee PC, with the VX6 coming a distant third-- not quite revolutionary, but that's what you get for being impatient. Click the source link for more. [Thanks, Jimmy]
Four Atom chips sneak out of Intel, soon to appear in netbooks and nettops
Rarely do you hear of new chips sneaking out of Intel, Escape from Alcatraz-style. But that's (figuratively) happened today, with a quartet of processors appearing with little fanfare from Chipzilla. Two of these you might recognize as members of the delayed Cedar Trail series, the D2500 and D2700. The former clocks at 1.86GHz and 2.13GHz, with the latter upping that to 2.13GHz and 2.4Ghz; both have a thermal design power of less than 10W. The other two chips sip power even more judiciously: the N2600 has a TDP of less than 3.5W at 1.6GHz or 1.86GHz; the N2800 has a 6.5W TDP, running at 1.86GHz or 2.13GHz. All include GPUs, with the N2000 series destined for netbooks, while the D2000 series should end up in nettops. To dig deeper into the specs, see Intel's datasheet at the source link below.
Asus Eee PC 1025 treads a Cedar Trail through the FCC
Attracted by all that Cedar Trail gossip about 10-hour battery life and weeks of standby time? Then you'll be pleased to see that Asus's Eee PC 1025C and higher-end 1025CE models have received their nods from the FCC. Both pack the latest 32nm Atom processor under their 10.1-inch hoods, along with an HDMI-out, Kensington lock and flush trackpad. The CE additionally serves up a USB 3.0 port, 4x zoom on its webcam and a metallic finish. NetbookNews got some hands-on time with these babies at Computex and reported prices of $249 and $279 for the C and CE respectively -- whet your appetite at the More Coverage link.
Cedar Trail-based Classmate PC hands-on at IDF (video)
Looking for a Cedar Trail-powered update to the long running Classmate PC line of netvertibles? Intel's got you covered here at IDF 2011, with a refreshed edition of the very familiar hardware on display. All the usual elements are here, with a handle, touchscreen and stylus combined with a tough rugged casing ready to take the worst a 3rd grader can dish out. It felt a little lighter in our hands, and while this was just a demo unit as usual we're told OEMs should have production versions available soon. If you need to see it in motion to believe all that next generation Atom power could be packed inside, just watch the video after the break. Myriam Joire contributed to this report %Gallery-133577%
Novero's Solana is a Cedar-Trail Inspiron Duo from the future (video)
Have a look at what we found lurking deep within IDF's technical showcase: the Novero Solana. Contrary to what its name might imply, it's not a fancy European shaver, but actually a thinner, more rectangular Inspiron Duo lookalike. Seeing as it's imprisoned behind glass -- just like that other tablet -- the only specs we can confirm are that it's Cedar Trail-based and Windows 7 powered. Want to get a little more acquainted with it? Check out the gallery below, and peek after the break for our eyes-on video. Myriam Joire contributed to this report. %Gallery-133592%
Cedar Trail may be delayed, new Atoms gone 'til November
If you've been waiting to catch a whiff of some Cedar Trail freshness, looks like you're just gonna hold your breath a little bit longer. DigiTimes is reporting that the next-gen Atom chip has been pushed back from its anticipated September launch to November. Apparently Chipzilla is having issues with the graphics drivers and has been unable to pass Windows 7 certification. The new low-power CPUs should still be ready in time for the holiday season though, and will likely find their way into plenty of netbooks that almost nobody will buy.
MSI WindPad 100A, 110W, and 120W hands-on (video)
What's this? It looks like the MSI WindPad 100A that we discovered at CES and the WindPad 110W that we first saw at CeBit decided to make an appearance on the show floor here at Computex 2011. Only this time around they brought a new friend along to the party -- namely the MSI WindPad 120W. To refresh your memory, the WindPad 100A is a 10-inch NVIDIA Tegra 2-equipped tablet running Android (Gingerbread here in Taipei, but potentially Honeycomb in the future) while the 110W uses AMD's Brazos platform paired with Windows 7. The Windpad 120W shares the same exact 10-inch chassis as the 110W but swaps AMD's Fusion APU for an Intel Cedar Trail-based chipset together with a tasty serving of WiDi and HSPA wireless. We still have no information about availability or pricing, but for now we invite you to check out the gallery below and hit the break for our hands-on videos. %Gallery-124832%
Intel's convertible Keeley Lake concept laptop shows off Cedar Trail, we go hands-on (update: video)
Just before Intel's keynote at Computex, we decided to stop by at the chip maker's busy booth to see what it has up its sleeves. Luckily, we spotted a couple of Keeley Lake proof-of-concept convertible laptops, which are here to demonstrate what can be achieved using Cedar Trail processors. As you can see, the 12.1-inch screen sits on a swivel hinge, thus allowing users transform this fairly slim laptop into a tablet within seconds. Oh, you can also use the built-in Wireless Display technology to stream some sweet HD action over the air, provided that you have compatible devices. Alas, Intel says there are no commercial plans for this particular device, so hopefully someone will pick up this design. Update: We now have a quick video of Keeley Lake after the break. Enjoy! %Gallery-124834%
Intel reveals skinny Ivy Bridge 'Ultrabooks,' Moore's Law-defying Atoms
Intel took the opportunity at Computex to update the tech-loving world on its processor plans, and it looks like those whispers we heard about low power and an accelerated Atom roadmap were spot on. Executive VP Sean Maloney didn't divulge specific TDPs but did confirm that we could look forward to reduced power consumption and sleek designs in 2012. The Intel exec declared that new class of PC, dubbed "Ultrabooks," will make up 40-percent of the market by the end of 2012. These machines, powered by the 22nm Ivy Bridge, will be less than 0.8-inches thick and start at under $1,000 -- which sounds just like the lines we were fed about CULV chips back in 2009. Maloney also confirmed that, going forward, the Atom line would be getting a die shrink every year, as opposed to every two. The upcoming, 32nm Cedar Trail will usher in the new Moore's Law-smashing era with promises of a 10 hour battery life and weeks of standby, and will be succeeded by 22nm and 14nm models. Intel even talked up Medfield, it's Atom variant designed specifically for smartphones and tablets, and showed off more than 10 tablets based on the Oak Trail-flavored Z670. With AMD merely a fading blip in the company's rearview mirror it looks like Chipzilla is gunning for all those ARM-touting manufacturers. Check out the full PR after the break. %Gallery-124884%
Atoms rumored to ditch Intel graphics for PowerVR
When Intel wanted to take a serious stab at the tablet market it turned to PowerVR, the company already providing the graphical muscle for its embedded chips that power the Logitech Revue and other set top boxes. Now, the folks at VR-Zone claim that Intel will be adopting the company's tech across the Atom line and ditching its own integrated graphics for the upcoming Cedarview platform. Specifically, it's rumored that Chipzilla will stick the SGX545 (an upgraded version of the pixel pusher inside Samsung's Hummingbird platform and Apple's A5) in all Cedar Trail processors. The switch will bring support for DirectX 10.1 and OpenGL 3.2 to the low-power CPUs while improving HD video decoding. Sure, when the next-gen Atoms land the graphics chip it will already be almost two years old, but its low power and robust Android support make it a natural match for Honeycomb -- Intel's best bet for tablet success now that Nokia is distancing itself from Meego.
Intel's Cedar Trail gets some specs, combines CPU and GPU on a single chip
That new processor smell has barely started to fade from Oak Trail and we're already getting some tantalizing details about the next generation of Atom chips -- Cedar Trail. As expected, Intel has moved to 32nm, which allows it to cram the GPU and the CPU onto the same sliver of silicon. The first two models, the D2500 and D2700, will be dual-core, sport 1MB of L2 cache, and have a miserly TDP of 10w -- 3w lower than current dual-core Atoms. The former will be clocked at 1.86GHz with Hyper-Threading turned off, while the D2700 flips the switch on those two extra threads and kicks it up a notch to 2.13GHz. The new integrated graphics will boast better HD decoding and support for Blu-ray playback which, when combined with the taunts of fanless designs and WiDi, make Cedar Trail a natural fit for the living room.
Intel rolls out Atom Z670 Oak Trail processor for tablets
Well, it's a bit past the end of March, but Intel has now finally gotten official with its new Atom Z670 processor for tablets, which you might know better by its Oak Trail codename. Built using a 45nm manufacturing process, the Z670 runs at 1.5GHz and promises to support 1080p video with the aid of Intel's GMA 600 integrated graphics, while also keeping power consumption to a minimum and allowing for smaller, thinner, and fanless devices. As we've seen, there's also plenty of manufacturers already lined up to release devices based on the processor, and Intel says we can expect to see over 35 "innovative tablet and hybrid designs" from the likes of Fujitsu, Lenovo, Razer and Viliv over the course of 2011. What's more, Intel also took the opportunity to tease its next generation 32nm Cedar Trail platform that it will be showing off at its Developer Forum in Beijing, saying that it will enable a "new wave of fanless, cool and quiet, sleek and innovative netbooks, entry-level desktops and all-in-one designs." Full press release is after the break.
Intel promises next-gen Atom chips at IDF Beijing
We've yet to get more than a whiff of Intel's Oak Trail chips, but the Cedar Trail CPUs are nearly here -- in fact, it's looking like Chipzilla intends to introduce its latest Atom processor at IDF Bejing this year. UMPC Portal noticed that Intel's got a session titled "Designing a New Generation of Netbooks with the Intel Atom Processor Based Platform" at the April event, which promises to give attendees a glimpse at the "next generation Intel Atom processor based platform." Details are scarce, but there are a couple of bullet points that might grab your attention. First, Intel will be talking about "WiFi solutions that deliver new netbook usage models," which sounds kind of like WiDi, and second, the company will be talking up "fanless netbook designs." Our overactive imaginations are already at work -- we're on a comfy couch, surfing the internet on a big-screen TV, without a hot, bulky laptop to weight us down and nary a tether to worry about. Or, maybe a boat.
Intel's Cedarview Atom chip rumored to go 32nm in 2011
We know you aren't publicly keeping count, but considering that you're carefully watching process technology numbers in the depths of your mom's basement, we felt it prudent to pass along the latest juicy nugget from the folks at Fudzilla. According to raisins in their grapevine, Intel is gunning for a 32nm Atom chip in 2011, with the codename of the CPU being Cedarview and the name of the platform being Cedar Trail. If you'll recall, we recently heard that Pineview was expected to be formally unveiled in a slew of machines come January, but we're already anxious for Cedarview's DDR3 support and fresh, sun-ripened scent. Oh, and support for Blu-ray playback, too.
