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HTC Pyramid emerges from the mists of speculation with a 1.2GHz dual-core, 4.3-inch screen, T-Mobile 4G
First Sprint got a 4G-capable, 4.3-inch Android phone from HTC, then this January AT&T (Inspire 4G) and Verizon (Thunderbolt) received promises of the same. Is T-Mobile feeling left out? It might not be for long, as the rumor mill has just churned out a rather mighty 1.2GHz dual-core beast of a handset and is ascribing it to the Magenta network for a launch some time around May or June. We're hearing it'll come with qHD resolution (960 x 540, just like the Atrix 4G) and the SOC within will be that famed Snapdragon MSM8260 that Qualcomm teased briefly at CES a couple of weeks ago. Lending credence to this scuttlebutt is the fact that both TmoNews and Android and Me found sources affirming the Pyramid's existence, leaving us only to wait and wonder about what we can do with a device of its kind. {Image credit: Nina Aldin Thune]
Qualcomm unveils dual-core Snapdragon reference handset at CES 2011
NVIDIA's Tegra 2 was tearing it up on the CES 2011 show floor in a host of new tablets, but unbeknownst to us, Qualcomm's long-awaited dual-core Snapdragon made a pair of cameo appearances as well. The first was in ASUS' Eee Pad MeMO, which showed off its pressure-sensitive stylus action on the floor, and the second is in the new Qualcomm reference design you see immediately above. According to a video released on Qualcomm's website -- which you can watch after the break -- Qualcomm attempted to distract tech journalists from Verizon's press conference by giving them a sneak peek at the HTC Thunderbolt here instead. Then, we like to imagine, the company brainwashed the lot into believing the 1.2GHz MSM8660 with Adreno 220 graphics is destined for a host of tablets and phones. Of course, if that's actually the case, we'll gladly join the throng. Where do we sign up?
Qualcomm: 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon devices to arrive at end of 2011, 1.2GHz in Q1
Bad news: Qualcomm's just informed us that while it's still on track to ship the juicy 1.5GHz dual-core QSD8672 Snapdragon in Q4 this year, the end-user devices aren't expected to hit the market until the end of 2011 -- potentially almost a whole year later than its previous "early next year" or "by Christmas" prediction. What a shame. On a slightly more positive beat, though, the lesser 1.2GHz dual-core MSM8x60 chipset should be heading towards consumers early next year. Alas, this won't change the fact that we'll still need something to fill the void until 2011 -- Windows Phone 7, we're looking at you.
Qualcomm to ship 1.5GHz QSD8672 Snapdragon processor in Q4
And you thought a dual-core 1.2GHz chip was quick. If all goes to plan (that's a big "if," by the way), Qualcomm will one-up its Computex standout before the end of this year, with vice president of product management Mark Frankel affirming that his company is on track to ship a 1.5GHz dual-core QSD8672 chip prior to the dawn of 2011. He's quoted as saying that the blazing new Snapdragon could find a home in smartphones, low-cost laptops and tablet PCs, and while we're led to believe that the vast majority of said products won't actually greet consumers until early next year, a few aggressive partners may get wares out "by Christmas." For those unfamiliar, the fancy new 8672 is based on an ARM design and will be crafted using a 45nm process technology, and the individual voltage scaling will enable each core to be clocked independently of the other in order to maximize battery life and performance. Naturally, 1080p video playback will be supported, as will DDR2, DDR3 and HDMI interfaces. Oh, and don't sweat it -- you've still got plenty of time to get on Santa's 'good' list.
Lenovo's Skylight and U1 Hybrid being revived with fresh Qualcomm silicon?
What's this? A new sliver of hope in a dark, lost world? Before you throw your hands up and shut your eyes, you should know that all of this is coming from Digitimes, so taking it all in with an unhealthy dose of salt is highly suggested. According to them, Lenovo is actually planning to eventually ship its Skylight and IdeaPad U1 Hybrid (yeah, the two machines that were kinda-sorta shelved a month ago), but with far different specifications. For starters, they'll rely on Qualcomm's recently announced dual-core processor line, and rather than using the now-nonexistent Skylight OS, they'll both rely on Google's Android. If all goes well, the official launch will occur before the dawn of 2011, but there's no solid word on when they'll actually ship. In related news, there's also word that Toshiba will be readying a smartbook in its long-standing Dynabook line, with NVIDIA's Tegra 250 under the hood, a 10.1-inch panel and Android running the show. Now, who's up for seeing if any of this actually comes to fruition?
Qualcomm ships first dual-core Snapdragon chipsets clocking 1.2GHz
Oh yeah baby, Qualcomm's finally shipping its first dual-core Snapdragons. To whom, is the big question. Its third-generation Mobile Station Modem MSM8260 and MSM8660 Snapdragon chipsets for high-end smartphones -- originally announced in February 2009 -- are now sampling and capable of running at up to 1.2GHz. The MSM8260 supports HSPA+, while the MSM8660 brings support for multi-mode HSPA+ and 1xEV-DO Rev. B. Both integrate GPS, a GPU with 2D / 3D acceleration engines for Open GL ES 2.0 and Open VG 1.1, 1080p video encoding and decoding, a dedicated low-power audio engine, and support for 24-bit WXGA 1,280 x 800 pixel displays. Anybody at Computex care to step forward with a reference design? Update: We just spoke with company representatives here at the show, and try as we may, we couldn't convince anyone at the company to show off a dual-core reference design. We were flat-out told that the only people at Computex getting a glimpse at the new silicon were prospective customers, though we did manage to pry out a few interesting details about the chip itself and the future of the line. For one, these new chips have two application cores and a single modem core, whereas existing chips have a single application core alongside a single modem core. We were also told in no uncertain terms that an even quicker version of the Snapdragon would be launched before the year's end, and as you'd likely surmise, it'll be aimed at "larger screen" devices -- you know, like slates and tablet PCs. [Image courtesy of Carina Larsson]
