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MediaTek sees no reason cheap phones can't have Ice Cream Sandwich too
If you don't want to drop $300 on a phone we don't blame you -- honestly, the idea makes us feel a bit dirty too. MediaTek doesn't seen any reason for it either. The company has been working its way in to the mobile chipset business for a little while now, and its latest is aimed squarely at the lower end of the handset spectrum but still promises to deliver the latest in dessert-themed operating systems. The MT6575 is a single core Cortex-A9 solution with an unidentified 5-series PowerVR GPU on board and an HSPA modem. The 1GHz core probably won't win and benchmark competitions, but it's enough to push Android 4.0 to a qHD screen, power through 720p video and capture shots with an 8 megapixel sensor. It even is capable of supporting 3D displays and DTV broadcasts -- not too bad for something destined to wind up in $50 smartphones. Checkout the complete PR after the break.
AMD reveals its 2012-2013 roadmap, promises 28nm chips across the board by 2013
Ready for a bevy of more exotic-sounding codenames from AMD? Well, have a seat, as the maker of everyone's favorite APUs just revealed its roadmap extending through 2013. And folks, it's quite the doozy. But before we delve into its technical intricacies (which you'll find tucked after the break), we'll begin with some general takeaways. Per CEO Rory Read, 2012 and 2013 are "all about execution," with the company girding itself for the next "inflection point" where it'll excel. The key to this strategy, as he describes it, is to continue marching towards a full-SoC design that will cover a host of devices running the gamut from mainstream laptops to tablets and so-called Ultrathins, the company's forthcoming answer to Intel's Ultrabook onslaught. During its announcement, timed to coincide with AMD's annual financial analyst day, the company also stressed its unique position wedged between Chipzilla and makers of ARM chips. Ask Read and he'll tell you that's a key advantage for AMD, that its CPU and GPU IP will bring more value through a better overall experience in the market. That's a strategy less obsessed with raw specs and sheer speed and more focused on a holistic package. Senior VP Lisa Su said AMD will aggressively enter the tablet arena this year in a big way, reiterating that AMD-based Windows 8 slates are indeed en route, though she stopped short of giving an ETA. Finally, the company's renewing its focus in the server market, as it seeks to cut a larger slice of the cloud computing pie. That's AMD's 2012 / 2013 plans in a nutshell, but if you're the kind of person who likes a few technical specifics (and who doesn't, really?) meet us after the break for a peek at what's in store.
T Mobile CTO: next iPhone chipset 'will support AWS' (updated)
T-Mobile's now the lone national player in the US telecom market that hasn't enjoyed the success of the iPhone, and we've heard on several occasions that its top brass isn't oblivious to the effect that its exclusion from Apple's graces has had on the company, going as far to say that the ball is ultimately "in Apple's court." But in a recent interview, it sounds as though T-Mo CTO Neville Ray has seen some of Apple's roadmap, and the next chipset -- the one that ideally would be included in the next iteration of the iPhone -- will be offering support for Magenta's AWS radio. If true, we'd certainly expect the carrier's bad fortunes to turn around... unless Apple chooses to keep T-Mobile out of its club regardless, which Ray mentioned was a distant possibility. If LTE is also included, the fourth-largest US carrier will still be a bit behind by simply not having the next-gen network connectivity -- although Ray did specify that it isn't impossible to deploy LTE in certain areas by repurposing spectrum -- but we have a feeling there will be plenty of people willing to forego that bullet point on the spec list in order to get their hands on an iPhone with genuine T-Mobile HSPA+ support. Update: T-Mobile gave us some nuggets of clarification on Ray's statement. Apparently he was actually referring to the fact that Apple has the option of adding AWS support when considering the current roadmap of chipsets available on the market.
Broadcom introduces first gigabit-speed 802.11ac chipset, wishes 802.11n well
Good news for people who love fast things: Broadcom is sliding into CES with its first gigabit-speed 802.11ac chips, all based on fifth-generation WiFi technology. For those unaware, 5G WiFi is aimed at handling higher-bandwidth services like HD movie streaming, and the company claims that they're three times faster and up to six times more power efficient than similar 802.11n solutions. Broadcom's family of 5G WiFi solutions includes the BCM4360, BCM4352, BCM43526 and BCM43516, and the whole lot is being sampled now with its most trusted partners. As for consumer availability? Mum's the word at the moment, but you can dig into the nitty-gritty just past the break.
Dell unveils Alienware Aurora gaming rig, will serenade you for $2,200
Dell has just taken the wraps off a brand new addition to the Alienware family, hailing it, rather poetically, as "a serenade to raw gaming power." It's called the Alienware Aurora, and it's staring at you with a Cylon-like grin in the image above. Beneath its menacing veneer lurks Intel's six-core, 3000 series Core i7 CPU, an X79 Express chipset and quad-channel DDR3 memory, all of which are kept in check by Dell's liquid cooling and active venting technologies. The gaming rig also supports both multi-display and 3D configurations, with GDDR5 memory-laced graphics cards. In case you're not satisfied, you can always get under the hood and tinker with it yourself, without even busting out your tool belt. The Alienware Aurora is available now for prices starting at $2,200, so hit up the source link for more details.
Qualcomm's two new 1GHz dual-core chipsets make S1-to-S4 migration easier for manufacturers (updated)
If the most recent batch of S4 chips from Qualcomm wasn't enough to completely satiate your thirst for new SoC's, the folks from San Diego are adding two more options to the already heapin' pile. At the 2011 Uplinq China Conference in Shenzhen, Qualcomm announced the MSM8625 and MSM8225 S4-class dual-core chipsets, both of which can clock up to 1GHz and pack an Adreno 203 GPU plus a 3G modem. While these numbers aren't relatively exciting at this day and age, the real selling point here is that these chips are actually software and hardware-compatible with the entry-level MSM7x27A and MSM7x25A S1 chips, meaning some of the existing S1-based designs can be quickly and easily adapted to these new S4 chips. Interested manufacturers can nab some of this new silicon from the third-generation Qualcomm Reference Design (QRD) program -- which was also announced today as Qualcomm enters the smartphone reference design business -- or standalone in the first half of 2012, but let's just hope we won't end up seeing too many familiar-looking phones. Press release attached after the break. Zach Lutz contributed to this report. Update: We just did a hands-on with one of Qualcomm's new reference designs -- the one we played with had Dianxin OS installed, but we also came across one powered by Aliyun OS. Neither were running smoothly but we've been told they were slightly rushed so we'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Anyhow, enjoy the photos. %Gallery-141412% %Gallery-141413%
Qualcomm announces Snapdragon S4 Liquid mobile development platform tablet on The Engadget Show, we go hands-on (video)
At its investor conference earlier today, Qualcomm unveiled a variety of new Snapdragon processors to join its recently-announced MSM8960 S4 chip. But we got an exclusive first look at the 8960 in New York City this evening, in the form of a mobile development platform (MDP) tablet demo during The Engadget Show. The tablet the company had on hand isn't much to look at -- it's not the slimmest we've seen, and it feels a bit clunkier than models destined for consumers -- but its specs, which include an on-die LTE modem (the first of its kind -- we were seeing download speeds of around 45 Mbps), dual 1080p cameras (and another two for 3D), seven microphones, a spattering of sensors and a handful of connectors make this the ultimate platform for Android developers. Not convinced? Join us past the break for a hands-on walkthrough with Raj Talluri, Qualcomm's VP of Product Management, and stay turned for his segment from The Engadget Show.%Gallery-139648%
CSR sharpens indoor and in-car navigation with SiRFstarV, SiRFusion and SiRFprimaII
It's been a while since we last heard from CSR, but that changed earlier this week, when the company unveiled its new SiRFprimaII and SiRFusion platforms, alongside its SiRFstarV architecture. According to the UK-based firm, both SiRFstarV and SiRFusion are designed to provide more accurate geographic data and enhanced indoor navigation capabilities across PNDs and other mobile devices. SiRFstarV, the logical follow-up to CSR's SiRFstarIV architecture, culls location data not only from GPS, but from Galileo, Glonass and Compass satellites, as well as a range of radio signals, accelerometers, gyros and compasses. All this information is fed to the user via the SiRFusion platform, which combines data from radio systems and sensors to provide constantly updated location graphics. Together, both SiRFstarV and SiRFusion promise to help users find their way around both indoor and outdoor locales, within an accuracy range of ten to 15 meters. The SiRFprimaII platform, displayed above, is strictly geared toward in-car navigation and infotainment systems. This system combines a SiRFprimaII SoC and TriG RF multi-GNSS radio with CSR's Bluetooth and WiFi technologies to create a multimedia rich, touchscreen-based in-car environment. Geared toward both ODMs and OEMs, this hardware-software combo enables drivers to get more reliable navigation data, while allowing passengers to stream video, surf the web and manipulate everything via remote control. As for that SoC, it's powered by a 1GHz ARM Cortex A9 app processor, features an LCD controller for displays of up to 1280 x 720 resolution, and boasts a pair of 3D graphics and video accelerators. For more details, check out the pair of press releases, after the break.
Microsoft to keep Windows Phone monogamous with Qualcomm's chipsets, for now
Microsoft may not be jumping on the dual-core bandwagon just yet, but it does place a high amount of emphasis on making sure its phones run smoothly. To do so, Windows Phone President Andy Lees stated to Bloomberg that it would continue to keep Qualcomm as its exclusive chipmaker, and has no plans to work with any other company. According to Lees, the monogamous relationship was made to allow Microsoft to use specific technical details, ensuring a smoother experience on all Windows Phones across the board. Lees also mentioned that the kind of production volume generated by such an agreement also allows production costs to dip down, which makes the platform even more appealing to OEMs. If any of you have dreamed of a Windows Phone with NVIDIA or TI running the show, don't try to pinch yourself -- you may be dissatisfied with the results.
Qualcomm outs Snapdragon S4 SoC details, promises improved battery life and true world capability
Qualcomm has laid out its details of the upcoming S4 SoC, and yes, there's definitely reason for excitement with this next generation Snapdragon. First, it'll usher in a new 28nm manufacturing process alongside the company's Krait CPU and Adreno 225 GPU. The move from 45nm to 28nm promises smaller components, lower power consumption and improved thermal performance, while Krait will introduce a new pipeline architecture that promises a full 60% boost over the current Scorpion lineup with clock speeds ranging between 1.5 and 2.5GHz -- along with support for asynchronous multiprocessing and dual-channel memory. As for the GPU, the latest chip flaunts 50% greater performance over the current Adreno 220, where it also provides support for DirectX 9.3 for Windows 8, in addition to OpenGL ES 1.1 and 2.0. Should be quite the gaming experience, eh? It doesn't end there, as the S4 MSM8960 promises multi-mode world capabilities with support for all the commonly used frequencies from 700 to 2600MHz -- quite a feat, indeed. It handles Cat. 3 LTE (up to 100Mbps) and Cat. 24 HSPA+ (up to 42Mbps), along with EV-DO Rev. B, 1x Advanced and TD-SCDMA, as well as GSM, GPRS and EDGE. Oh, and there's also simultaneous support for GPS and GLONASS, along with Bluetooth, WiFi, FM radio and NFC. With samples already being sent to manufacturers, we're quite excited for what 2012 may bring.
MSI demos X79 motherboards with PCI Express 3.0 and UEFI BIOS at IDF 2011 (video)
While MSI wasn't quite ready to publicly divulge all the details of its forthcoming X79-based motherboards, it was more than happy to give us a teaser. We were shown three upcoming models from the company at IDF, all toting PCI Express 3.0 slots, overclocking buttons and that snazzy UEFI BIOS. The latter makes changing settings a snap, and is carried over from the company's existing Sandy Bridge boards -- it even comes with a button that launches a browser, but unfortunately the machines in the booth weren't configured to support it. We'll know more in Q4, but in the meantime a gallery awaits you below, along with a video after the break. Myriam Joire contributed to this report. %Gallery-134332%
We're live at Intel Developer Forum 2011!
Not ready for a bevy of chip related news from Chipzilla? Tough noogies, because we're here, live at IDF 2011 in sunny / cloudy San Francisco! Go on and prepare yourself for a healthy helping of Ultrabooks, chipsets, fireballs and of course, music by Katy Perry. Or Smash Mouth. The jury's still out on all but the last two, but you know where to stay locked to find out.
Broadcom buys NetLogic Microsystems for $3.7b in cash, hopes to add more processors to lineup
You've probably never heard of NetLogic Microsystems, but you can bet that its technologies may very well end up in your next smartphone, tablet or vehicle. Broadcom has just announced its intentions to pick up the aforesaid company for a cool $3.7 billion in cash, with the "definitive merger agreement" already approved by the boards of both. According to Broadcom, the deal will extend its portfolio with "a number of critical new product lines and technologies, including knowledge-based processors, multi-core embedded processors, and digital front-end processors," and according to a televised CNBC interview with president and CEO Scott McGregor, he's hoping to extend Broadcom's reach in the automotive industry. His view? We're getting dangerously close to streaming television (and more) to a serious quantity of motorcars, but beyond wild aspirations, there doesn't seem to be too many hard plans being made public. The full release is hosted up after the break.
Qualcomm overhauls complex naming scheme, introduces simpler Snapdragon levels
Say it with us now: "Huzzah!" For years, Qualcomm's Snapdragon brand has been held back from general understanding by one thing: befuddling model numbers. Hearing about an MSM 8255 doesn't really stick with the average consumer, and even for members of the press (and folks neck-deep in the supply channel), it wasn't exactly easy to keep track of. In a bid to put on a more consumer-facing suit, Qually has announced its intentions to move away from complex processor names and move towards a simpler "series" model. For now, you'll find S1, S2, S3 and S4, with "1' being a mass market device and "4" being the product you actually want. The slide just after the break explains where the cutoffs are for each level, but curiously enough, it sounds as if more of these will be added as technologies improve, speeds increase and capabilities soar. In other words, we hope your great-grandson is eager to get his hands on a Snapdragon S498. Wait, wasn't this suppose to reduce complexities?
Apple reportedly leaves Samsung for A6 production
Apple may drop Samsung and switch to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) for the production of its next generation A6 chipset. The Cupertino Company is reportedly working with TSMC to move to a 28 nm ARM SoC in 2012. Rumors of this TSMC partnership surfaced earlier this year before Apple filed a trademark infringement suit against Samsung. Though the A4 and A5 are still being produced by Samsung, the Korean company may be out of the loop in future Apple hardware. This move away from Samsung may have a deleterious effect on the Korean manufacturer as Apple is reportedly one of its biggest customers. Apple has secured LCD displays, chipsets and NAND flash memory from Samsung that are used in its iOS devices. If the impending legal battle between the two companies sours the relationship, Apple may be forced to turn to costlier options for its device components, and Samsung may lose one of its biggest customers.
HotHardware surveys the Cougar Point motherboard horizon, spots a winner
There's an ocean of possibilities when it comes to choosing the right Socket LGA 1155 board to mother your Sandy Bridge processor. But a roundup review at HotHardware funnels it down to just five rivals within a $179-$267 price bracket and based on Intel's P67 chipset: two offerings from Asus, plus one each from ASRock, Gigabyte and MSI. The reviewers found clear favorites depending on what you're looking for: The ASRock Fatal1ty P67 Professional and MSI P67A-GD80 can both bring serious aesthetics to your super rig, and the former has a particularly good bang-for-buck ratio. The Asus P8P67 WS Revolution stands out with four full-length PCI Express lanes for crazy graphics, while the more conservative Asus P8P67 Professional has the lowest idle power consumption of the lot. Click the source link now if you'd prefer to discover the overall winner for yourself. Otherwise, all we can say is, viva la Revolution.
Linaro and Samsung roll out Exynos 4210-based Origen development board for $199
You may recall a little group of Linux-loving chums called Linaro, which was formed almost a year ago in the hopes of speeding up Linux development. Today at Computex, the company's taking one step further with the announcement of the Origen development board. Based on Samsung's beefy Exynos 4210 dual core chipset, the kit packs all the essential ports -- including HDMI, USB 2.0 host, SD slot, etc. -- for keen developers to get their hands dirty on, and its base board is also removable to accommodate future chipsets. Potential buyers are told to keep an eye on Insignal, which will soon be offering the basic Origen package for $199, along with optional parts at an extra cost.
Apple helping to shape Intel's future
Intel Senior Vice president Tom Kilroy revealed that Intel is working closely with Apple on future products. This relationship is so cozy that Kilroy claims Apple even "helps shape our roadmap." Apple is an attractive customer for Intel as the Cupertino company is often regarded as forward-thinking and an influencer. You only need to look at the recent quarterly estimates for the PC industry to see why Intel is interested in working so closely with Apple. The Cupertino company only holds a 9.3 percent market share, but its PC sales are growing while its rivals are slumping. Apple and Intel have a proven working relationship. The two companies developed Thunderbolt, which could replace USB as the new standard for I/O technology.
Curtain lifts, Audience exposed as iPhone 4's noise cancelling wizard
It's hard not to respect good detective work, so we have to give kudos to the good folks at Chipworks for putting a long-lived iPhone mystery to rest. The iPhone 4 has been applauded for its dual-mic noise cancellation, but nobody knew who actually built the voice processor responsible for this "magic and revolutionary" feature. Jobs and Co. white-labelled a certain chipset inside the iPhone 4 -- it asked the manufacturer to scrub all branding off -- so nobody could properly identify it. Was it made by Apple or a third party? Fast-forward nearly eleven months and it turns out the company responsible is none other than Audience, the same lovely folks behind the Nexus One's renowned noise reduction. We're unsure why this was kept under wraps for so long, but we can understand why Apple would want to remain quiet and keep this superb technology all to itself. A little sleuthing can go a long way, however, so follow the links below to learn how this mystery was unraveled.
Intel VP confirms ARM versions of Windows 8 will offer no compatibility with legacy apps
We already knew that there would be multiple flavors of the next version of Windows. This is, after all, Microsoft, and if it isn't available in dozens of different SKUs, one for each rung on the ladder from student to corporate executive, then it isn't worth stamping to a disc and throwing in a box. However, thanks to Intel Senior Vice President Renee James, we now know for sure that there will be a decisive split between the various ARM and x86 editions. James confirmed yesterday that x86 versions will work just fine on Intel, AMD, and other compatible chips, running all your legacy applications with aplomb. However, the ARM versions of the OS (which may number as many as six) won't include any sort of instruction emulation, James saying "Our competitors will not be running legacy applications. Not now. Not ever." That's something that Intel CEO Paul Otellini hinted at back at CES, which means Office running on ARM must have been a re-write -- or at least a re-compile. That's bad news for anyone hoping they'd be able to install Command & Conquer Collector's Edition on the Tegra-powered Windows 8 tablet of their dreams. James additionally indicated there will be four separate Windows 8 ARM SoCs, meaning someone has joined NVIDIA, Qualcomm, and TI since the CES unveil. Intrigue!
