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Vizio ships 11.6-inch Windows 8 Tablet PC for $600
While Samsung may be dominating the Windows tablet news lately, it isn't alone -- Vizio is now shipping its promised 11.6-inch Windows 8 Tablet PC. The slate is selling for $600 with the same specs we saw back at the January unveiling. Unfortunately, they haven't aged gracefully in the past half-year. While we like the 1080p display, 64GB SSD, front-facing 2MP camera and stereo speakers, the launch also preserves the slightly older AMD Z-60 processor, 2GB of RAM and five hours of battery life. Where's our Temash upgrade, Vizio? The tablet still has more audiovisual oomph than usual, though, so it may be worth swinging past Vizio's site for a closer look.
AMD's Hondo tablet chip will happily run Windows 8 and Linux, but not Android
Today's business jargon gem: TAM, Total Addressable Market. AMD feels that Windows 8 comes with plenty of the stuff, so it sees no commercial need to make its forthcoming tablet chip -- codenamed Hondo -- play nice with Android as well. Speaking to The Inquirer, corporate VP Steve Belt said it was a "conscious decision" not to go after compatibility with Google's OS, because AMD doesn't want to spread itself into "other markets." What could this mean for us tablet-buyers? No dual-booting Windows / Android magic on AMD devices, for one thing, which is perhaps a shame now that ASUS has shown off the combo's potential. On the other hand, Belt made it clear that Hondo will support Linux, which -- for now, at least -- is more than can be said of Intel's rival low-power silicon, Clover Trail.
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.
Leaked AMD roadmap reveals next-gen Fusion tablet chips
Until recently, AMD has kept pretty mum on its tablet plans, with it only officially entering the fray last month. It's clear that the first batch of Z-Series chips, codenamed Desna, are are not terribly different from the rest Fusion line but, according to a leaked roadmap, that will all change with its successor -- Hondo. Supposedly the next gen of tablet APUs will ditch a number of features that aren't essential to its burgeoning form factor, including VGA output, PCIe support, and couple of USB pathways. It will also add an "active standby" mode for maintaining connectivity while reducing power draw and cut TDP by about a third. Hondo is expect to enter production in Q2 of next year, and be succeeded by Samara which will feature a new graphics core. Check out the source link for a few more slides.
