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Sharp's 5-inch PC-Z1 NetWalker honors Zaurus legacy with touchscreen Ubuntu
Fanboys have been running Ubuntu on Sharp's deceased Zaurus lineup of PDAs for years. Now Sharp makes it official with the launch of this 5-inch, 1024 x600 TFT LCD touchscreen NetWalker smartbook, aka the PC-Z1. It's not a Zaurus per se, but the compact 161.4 x 108.7 x 19.7 ~ 24.8mm / 409g device certainly resurrects its ghost. Underpinning the device is an 800MHz Freescale i.MX515 CPU built around the ARM Cortex-A8 architecture, 512MB of memory, 4GB of on-board flash storage (with microSDHC expansion for another 16GB), 802.11b/g WiFi, 2x USB, and QWERTY keyboard going 68 percent of full-size. Sorry, no 3G data. The PC-Z1 features a 3-second quick launch, non-removable 10-hour battery, and is purposely positioned by Sharp as a taint -- it ain't quite a smartphone and 't ain't quite a laptop. Good luck with that Sharp. The device is expected to hit Japan on September 25th for ¥44,800. That's about $479 whenever it might come Stateside. It's worth noting that the current US ban on the import of BGA-packaged products like Freescale's i.MX processors should not affect the import of the PC-Z1 as Akihabara News contends. As we understand it, that ban affects the import of the chips, not the systems using them and assembled elsewhere. Otherwise, Amazon wouldn't be selling its Kindle, dig?[Via Akihabara News and Engadget Japanese]Read [warning: Japanese PDF]
Google names Chrome OS compatriots, Dell noticeably absent
Acer, Adobe, ASUS, Freescale, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments -- according to the latest Chrome OS update from Google, you're looking at the company's initial ragtag team of co-conspirators for its entry into the operating system business. With Adobe's involvement, we can assume Flash support is a given, and the others unsurprisingly run the gamut of netbook and smartbook players. We can't help but notice a couple of conspicuous absences on that list, including Intel and Dell. With Intel, you don't need to partner to work on its chips, but we gotta imagine it'd help by offering more support, and as for Dell, we don't know about that one, but there's still plenty of time for the Big G to enlist more companies in the lead up to its second half 2010 debut.Update: Google updated the list to include Toshiba.
Gartner: Android on ARM "more snappy" than Windows 7 on Atom
The case for running Android -- an OS developed for smartphones -- on cheap, ultra-portable laptops has yet to be made. However, that hasn't stopped manufacturers from tinkering with the idea as demonstrated by the broad range of Android "smartbooks" running on ARM-based (be it Snapdragon, Tegra, or Freescale) architectures at Computex. Now Gartner, the guiding force for many corporate CIOs, has issued a research note that puts Atom-based netbooks running Windows 7 on notice while giving credence to the emerging smartbook category of ultra-portables. Analysts Christian Heidarson and Ben Lee said the following in Gartner's Semiconductor DQ Monday Report: When Android did work, we found that the user interface was very snappy on relatively low-performance ARM processors, more so than Windows 7 on Atom. Of course, Windows 7 scales much better than Vista and as a full-blown desktop OS gives users a lot of flexibility as long as the netbook's chipset is up to the task. Then again, if you're looking for a purpose-built, fanless 10-inch ultra-portable with integrated WWAN data and FireFox browser that costs less than $200 and plays 25 days of music or 10-hours of 1080p video off a single charge, well then a smartbook might be the device for you. We'll see which carrier is brave enough to sell 'em come October.
Freescale netbook and Android-powered smartbook debut
We knew good and well that Freescale wouldn't let Qualcomm go and have all the fun with these newfangled smartbooks, and already we're seeing a few new devices powered by Freescale-branded semiconductors. In the video posted just after the break, the company's own Steve Sperle sat down to talk about a new Pegatron netbook (which handles 720p video playback with ease) as well as an Inventec "smartbook" which is just marginally larger than your average smartphone. In fact, we're rather impressed with the layout: a larger-than-average 4-inch display, a slideout QWERTY keyboard and Google's Android OS. Unfortunately, Mr. Sperle would only stick close to the "later this year" launch time frame that we'd already heard about, but so long as these smartbooks end up looking like overpowered smartphones, you can certainly consider our interest piqued.
Kinpo shows off 7-inch Android thin client tablet
First was the G1, and next came a slew of other cellphones. Now, we've got Android sashaying on over to netbooks, and just in case you're not really looking for that, there's Kinpo's 7-inch tablet. As the Google-sourced OS continues to show its versatility, the aforementioned company has thrown it onto a so-called thin client with a Freescale i.MX51 processor and WVGA display. From the video posted after the break, we'd say the system makes a good fit on this form factor, but feel free to hop on down and judge for yourself.
Freescale whips up netbook and smartbook design concepts, waits for someone to notice
Does the world really, truly need another netbook? How about even a single one of these so-called smartbooks? Freescale's hoping the answer to both of those questions is "absolutely, yes," as it took the opportunity at Computex to showcase a half-dozen netbook and smartbook design concepts. Granted, there's better than a fair chance that all of the models you see below won't ever leave the render stage, but if they do, they'll obviously be based on one of Freescale's chips. We can't say we're mesmerized by any of 'em, but we're curious if you feel any different -- would you drop coin on any of these machines?[Via Slashgear]
Freescale-powered LimeBook hits eBay for astronomical price
China's Tsinghua Tongfang has had quite the difficulty launching any of its Lime-splashed gear here in the United States, and while it has bothered to show up at CES the past two years, we're still waiting for the LimePC UMPC and LimeBook netbook to arrive in proper fashion. Evidently, one eBay user reckons that Americans really will pay anything so long as something's considered "rare," as the Lime OS-packin' LimeBook -- which was spotted in January in Las Vegas -- is being offered up for US delivery at $500. Yeah, 500 smackers for an unproven, practically unheard of Freescale-powered netbook with a 9-inch display, 512MB of DDR2 RAM, a 32GB SSD, WiFi, 1.3 megapixel webcam and the Linux-based Lime OS. Anyone feel like burning through some discretionary income in order to let us know what the feeling of ownership is like?[Thanks, Joseph]
ARM-based netbooks primed to invade Computex?
Steppin' out in the world, are we ARM? Shortly after hearing that OLPC was eying the brand for processors in the XO-2, Digitimes is now reporting that ARM-based platform makers including Qualcomm and Freescale are looking to unveil netbooks at this year's Computex trade show in Taipei. Granted, none of this has been confirmed just yet, but we're hearing that a model with Freescale's i.MX51 CPU (the ARM Cortex A8) and a version with Qualcomm's Snapdragon CPU (to be manufactured by Wistron) will be on hand. Not shockingly, in the same breath we're told that NVIDIA Tegra-based systems will appear "at a later time." So, is Computex the show where Intel finally takes a little heat in the netbook market? And no, VIA didn't (and doesn't) count.
ARM's stash of netbook oddities and a Windows Mobile 6.5 MID
We're not sure what sort of shenanigans ARM gets up to, but it managed to amass itself quite the interesting collection of netbooks for its MWC booth. Information was scant, but they were showing that Freescale i.MX-based Pegatron netbook and nettop we saw at CES, an ultrawide 11.1-inch Snapdragon-based netbook from Wistron, a Snapdragon-based convertible tablet netbook from Inventec Alaska, and a totally odd "tech demo" of a Qualcomm-based Wistron MID semi-running a sketch version of Windows Mobile 6.5. Most all of the systems were in some level of prototype form, and seemed unbearably slow at running whatever prototype flavor of Linux they happened to have, while the MID didn't really seem to operate at all, at least to our touch. Still, it's clear that Snapdragon and Freescale i.MX are allowing for some pretty wild and thin form factors while still rocking decent battery life. %Gallery-45465%
Freescale's i.MX515 netbook chip now supports Android and Xandros
When we first laid eyes on Freescale's five-core i.MX515 processor this January, we hoped it was all it claimed to be -- promising an extremely cool machine with a low power budget and a price point that'll take your next netbook down near the fabled $199 range. So far, so good: the Pegatron machines we peeped at CES fit the bill quite nicely, and now ZD Net is reporting that the Cortex-A8-based chip supports the HyperSpace instant-on OS, specially optimized 3G HSDA data modules from Option and Wavecom, and both Android and Xandros. Of course, none of this will be of any help to you if you're married to Windows -- but then again, even if you are we wouldn't really blame you for wanting a little Linux on the side. Especially if it comes in a sweet package like this.
Pegatron and Freescale team for low-power, ultra-cheap netbooks and nettops
Pegatron has been pretty quiet ever since it split off from ASUS to do ODM stuff all by its lonesome -- which is sort of the idea, since Pegatron's mainly doing the behind-the-scenes manufacturing. We're glad, however, that the company peeked out of its shell to show off these new Freescale-based netbooks. The Linux-running laptops boast 8.9-inch screens, 8 hour battery life, 8GB of storage and projected retail prices around $199, while the nettop holds similar power in a pico-style form factor. Under the hood is Freescale's brand new ARM i.MX515 processor, which is a 1GHz chip that's described as basically being three times faster than the iPhone. The win here is that the chip draws very little power and generates very little heat, allowing Pegatron to squeeze impressive battery life out of a very thin form factor. Freescale is working with Ubuntu to prep an ARM-Linux distro, which will hit in May, and Adobe will have an ARM happy version of Flash 10 sometime this year. Supplementing the processor are chips for DSP, 2D, 3D and 720p acceleration, which switch on and off as needed -- we saw the computer in action playing 720p video smoothly while drawing a mere 0.5 watts and not even feeling warm to the touch. The limitation here is obviously straight-up processing power -- it's not very impressive, and certainly slower than Intel's Atom -- but for running an optimized Linux build and surfing the web or watching a vid, Pegatron and Freescale might've just found a new portability sweetspot. They're hoping to have an OEM pick these up around May or June sometime.%Gallery-41423%
Freescale's i.MX515 netbook processor promises low cost, long battery life
Look out, Intel -- the whole world's gunning for you, with both VIA (possibly, anyway) and now Freescale looking to snag a sliver of the netbook CPU pie. Reportedly, the latter company will be debuting a netbook-centric chip at CES this week from its i.MX line. More specifically, the i.MX515 -- which is based on the Cortex-A8 core from ARM -- will aim for miniature laptops that sit at or below the almost mythical $199 price point. It's being reported that Freescale will showcase a Pegatron (ASUS spinoff) built netbook in Vegas, though it's not clear just yet if similar models will actually be available for purchase in the near future. The real kicker, however, is the potential battery life of machines with this here chip installed -- we're talking up to eight hours, though there's no indication of what size battery pack would be required to reach that goal. It should be noted that the low-power CPUs won't support Windows at all, so you'll only see 'em within machines with Linux-based operating systems. [Via PC World]
Y2K8 Zune quirk really a Freescale bug?
Well, here's an interesting twist to this story. That mysterious and completely enraging "Zune bug" that cropped up on the final day of 2008 may not have been restricted to Microsoft PMPs. A much smaller cadre of Toshiba Gigabeat users reportedly experienced similar issues, and some even noted that the whole "discharge and re-date" rigmarole fixed their unit right up as well. Upon further investigation, it seems that the issue may actually reside in the Freescale MC13783 processor, which -- coincidentally enough -- is used in the Zune 30 and a few of Toshiba's alternatives. We suppose it's a little late to ask, but did any non-Zune owners experience similar issues just prior to the dawn of '09? Or were you too busy, um, partying like it was 1999?[Thanks nywytboy68]
Samsung, Freescale partner on white LEDs to go green
With the growing emphasis on ROHS (reduction of hazardous substances) and energy efficiency in the electronics industry, it's no wonder that LEDs are replacing fluorescent lamps for backlighting LCDs. So expect to see more partnerships like the one that Samsung and Freescale Semiconductor just entered into, with Samsung providing the glass (and some sweet moolah for custom parts) and Freescale bringing its LED drivers to the party. Heck, we figure even the cheaper white LEDs make it easier to achieve uniform illumination across the screen and higher contrast ratios, which get high marks around the Engadget HD offices; for folks not obsessed with picture quality (yeah, they're out there), LEDs offer up lighter and thinner displays.
LiMo Foundation breaks 50-member mark
The deafening silence out of the Android camp as of late has left plenty of room for competitors to steal some of the spotlight to advance their own causes, and the LiMo Foundation certainly seems to be doing what it can to take advantage of the opportunity. The "other" Linux-based mobile platform already has a key advantage over Android and the Open Handset Alliance -- products that are actually shipping -- and they're working to wide the gap here by announcing that they've now pushed their member count over the half-century mark. As usual, there are a few heavy hitters in this round, too: ZTE, Motorola spinoff Freescale Semiconductor, and Telecom Italia headline the eleven-strong class of carriers, component manufacturers, and software shops. Separately, they've announced that 21 LiMo phones now grace the market, so it's looking like these guys are here to stay regardless of what the Android camp's up to.
The CherryPal cloud PC: $249, ready for (the new world) order
There's no OS to speak of, no optical drive, just 4GB of flash storage and 256MB of RAM, and you're limited to a 400MHz Freescale 5121E processor with integrated graphics under the hood. But the CherryPal desktop PC -- just revealed with a $249 price tag -- is definitely worth making a fuss over. About the size of a plastic paperback sporting a pair of USB ports and VGA-out, the mini PC plugs directly into the CherryPal Cloud via 802.11b/g WiFi or 10/100 Ethernet for 50GB of free Internet storage, automatic system updates, and access to a number of webified apps (which also reside locally) including iTunes, OpenOffice, and a CherryPal-branded instant messenger and media client (though we figured iTunes would have taken care of the media playback). Of course, the lack of traditional specifications results in just a fraction of the power consumption used by that electron gobbler sitting on your desk. Not bad if your PC's primary function is to playback audio, surf the web, and occasionally edit an Office document. Oh, and that name, CherryPal? It originates from an early tester who declared it, "sweeter than an Apple." We'll see when the first CherryPal desktop ships at the end of this month -- order today.[Via Crave]
RF4CE Consortium aims to develop RF standard for entertainment control
Whittling down the amount of remotes in one's living room has long since been a challenge for the amateur home theater builder, and while there are some decent universal solutions on the market, the RF4CE Consortium is hoping to make things painfully simple. The group has been formed in order to "drive the adoption of an open radio frequency (RF) entertainment control specification based on IEEE 802.15.4." If you'll recall, this isn't the first time we've heard that standard called, as it's also used in MaxStream's XBee Xtender. Notably, Freescale is hoping to incorporate its Synkro technology into the specification, and in an ideal world, we'd see said protocol filter into DVD players, AV receivers, set-top-boxes and all manners of components. Let the IR-to-RF transition begin, we say.Read - Sony's RF4CE Consortium releaseRead - Freescale's RF4CE Consortium release
Toshiba, IBM, Samsung and others in pact with the 32-nm devil
Toshiba just announced its membership in an alliance to develop system chips using 32-nm circuitry. That's well below the existing 45-nm processes used in manufacturing Intel's Penryn, for example. The alliance includes IBM, AMD, Samsung (already pushing 30-nm NAND), Infineon, Freescale, and Singapore's Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing. No surprise really, what with Tosh already in bed with IBM to develop chips using 32-nm processes. The agreement is good until 2010 and covers design, development, and the production of the itty bitty circuitry. A move which should reduce manufacturing costs for the alliance with the savings passed along to us consumers.
Willcom shows off an Android prototype
Android might have launched last month in a cloud of vapor, but since then we've seen a couple of concrete developments from Google's mobile phone project. The latest comes courtesy of Japan's Willcom, which recently demonstrated what appears to be an early prototype of an Android reference board running on a FreeScale CPU. The unit was shown taking a call while running Google Maps to show off the operating system's multitasking abilities, but other than that, nothing earth-shattering was revealed. Check the read link for a few more pics.Update: Link fixed, sorry about that.[Via Digital World Tokyo]
Motorola tightens belt again, changes 3G chip supplier
In an effort to introduce yet more cost saving measures, Motorola has announced that it will change its 3G chipset supplier from Qualcomm to a combination featuring both Texas Instruments and Freescale (a spinoff of Moto, coincidentally). Motorola hopes to achieve lower manufacturing costs while increasing margins for its shareholders by changing chip suppliers away from Qualcomm. We think it might be beneficial for Qualcomm to rethink its royalties game plan starting -- now.
