Imagination Technologies
Latest
PSP2 to be based on iPhone-esque PowerVR GPU, rival original Xbox in power?
If Sony's PSPgo was some halfhearted attempt to quell incessant PSP2 rumoring (and our favorite PSP2 mockup render, above), it certainly doesn't seem to have worked. The new rumor out and about is that the inevitable PSP2 will harbor a PowerVR GPU along the lines of what's present in the new iPhone 3GS. The SGX543MP cited has four cores, with a rating of 133 million polygons per second at the low-end 200MHz mode that seems likely for portable use. GamesIndustry.biz calls this a "ballpark match" for the original Xbox, with some additional Dreamcast rendering enhancements for avoiding wasting time on hidden elements in a scene. They also point out that Imagination Technologies calls the chip a GP-GPU, capable of handling computing tasks in addition to graphics, and potentially giving the PSP2 the power savings of not needing a separate CPU to operate. Sure, it's all a difficult to pin down rumor at the moment, but if anything these sort of specs show what's possible for a new generation of handheld gaming when the likes of Sony and Nintendo are ready to give it to us. Now about a second analog stick...[Via GamesIndustry.biz]
Intel buys a little more Imagination, says it might want it all
Man, that PowerVR mobile graphics core must be some hot stuff -- hot on the heels of Apple's $5M investment into developer Imagination Technologies, Intel's upped its own investment in the company to 3.04 percent. That's not quite as much as Apple's 3.6 percent stake, but Intel seems ready to commit -- it also filed a statement with the London Stock Exchange saying it might try and acquire all of Imagination if it thinks another company is on the prowl. Of course, Apple and Intel are like, besties, so maybe it'll all work out, but we'll see whose letter jacket Imagination shows up to homeroom in next week.
Apple buys a little Imagination -- 3.6 percent to be exact
It's been a busy couple of months for the mobile PowerVR gurus at Imagination Technologies. First the company got picked to handle the polygon-shuffling duties in Sony's PSP2 (which may or may not be actually happening), and has now received a $5 million cash infusion from Apple -- in exchange for a measly 3.6 percent of its soul. What does it all mean? As much as we'd love to fling out crazy speculation about an Apple / Sony hybrid iPSP or hardware support for a mobile 3D operating system, we're putting our money on the most sensible explanation: a next-gen iPhone with even more emphasis on games. Place your bets now, folks.
Imagination Technologies said to have signed on with Sony for PSP successor
Well, this is certainly interesting. While Imagination Technologies itself isn't going any further than to say that it has signed a licensing deal with a "major international consumer electronics company," EETimes.com is reporting that the company in question is, in fact, Sony, and that the deal concerns Imagination's PowerVR architecture being used in the successor to the PSP. More specifically, according to EETimes' unnamed sources, the PSP 2 will be using Imagination's SGX55x core, which itself, of course, still hasn't been officially announced either. As EETimes notes, if that turns out to be the case, it would certainly be quite the coup for Imagination, especially considering that its PowerVR MBX technology has already found its way into the iPhone, among other devices.[Via EETimes.com, thanks Rob E]
Digital download service coming to Pure's DAB radios
If you're feeling a little constricted by the relatively limited amount of digital download venues out there (especially across the pond), Imagination Technologies and UBC Media Group are on the rescue wagon. Recently, the duo has announced plans to create a service which will "allow listeners to purchase music directly from DAB digital radios." The system will reportedly combine Imagination's new DAB and internet digital radio platform with UBC's Cliq instant music purchase technology, which will satisfy the desire for instant gratification by providing a "buy now" option on select DAB radio stations. Exact terms remain undisclosed at the moment, but we do know that those oh-so-attractive Pure Digital systems will be among the first to sport said purchasing technology whenever it goes mainstream.[Via RegHardware]
