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The birth of the iPod
Wired has an interesting look at the early days of the iPod, and what's most fascinating is just how fully formed the idea of the iPod and iTunes was. The idea itself originates from a company called PortalPlayer, where hardware designer Tony Fadell had the idea to create a player that could eventually be paired with "a Napster music sale service to complement it." That's it -- even that early, the iPod + iTunes idea that would eventually revolutionize Apple was that complete. Of course, that was before Apple even got invested in the project -- once they did, Steve Jobs put "100 percent" of his time into the project, and they ended with the iconic design and the feel and experience that pushed it beyond any other MP3 player at the time. That's not to say that development was smooth sailing after that -- apparently there was a major battery issue that kept battery life at a super low three hours until Apple and PortalPlayer got it fixed up. Always fun to hear the backstory on the stuff that would eventually make this company what it is today.
NVIDIA shows off APX 2500 cellphone applications processor
It's been a long while since we've seen anything from NVIDIA on the cellphone front, but the company has changed that in a fairly big way today, with it showing off its first major cellphone applications processor: the APX 2500. As CNET points out, that chip is largely the result of NVIDIA's acquisition of PortalPlayer back in 2006, and represents the company's first attempt at building a true computing processor for cellphones. From the looks of it, they sure look to have gotten off to a decent start, with the chip itself (based on an ARM11 core) able to run at speeds up to 750MHz, and encode and decode 720p high-definition video, opening up the possibility of some pretty capable cellphone / video camera hybrids. Of course, this being NVIDIA, they also squeezed in some of their GeForce graphics technology designed especially for low-power devices, which they say is to allow for 3D interfaces, but we're sure could also be put to some other uses as well. No exact details as to when and where we can expect to chip just yet, but it'll apparently start to make its way into phones sometime next year, with Windows Mobile in particular able to exploit the technology in the chip -- no surprise there, given Microsoft's hand in the chip's development. Follow the break for a shot of NVIDIA's totally trippy demonstration interface that's in use on the APX2500's reference platform.
NVIDIA's Preface puts a pretty face on PortalPlayer's SideShow gear
There's a new line from NVIDIA, and for once it isn't concerned with FPS, PCI-X or your PSU. Nope, this time NVIDIA is showing off its softer side, with its new "Preface" line of SideShow devices powered by PortalPlayer, that can in turn be used by OEM manufacturers in their PCs or other media devices. As you're no doubt aware, SideShow is simply a pretty way to access your computer's information while it's off or closed, so you can play around with emails or MP3s without going through the trouble of booting your PC. We've already seen a couple of PortalPlayer auxiliary displays make their way into laptops such as Asus' WF5e and LG's Z1, but now things are really spicing up with Bluetooth and IR functionality in media remotes and portable players. The player pictured above, which we saw with a bit of dubious Dell branding while at CES, can not only communicate with your PC wirelessly, but can also take your media to go with a bit of flash memory. We'll have to wait and see what manufacturers actually do with these technologies and reference designs, but it looks like NVIDIA isn't making it too hard for interested OEMs to get this stuff into the hand of consumers -- we suppose we'll find out soon enough. Peep the remote after the break.
Hands-on with a bunch of SideShow remotes
Throw out your Harmony, kick your Pronto to the curb, and say goodbye to the old One4All: SideShow-powered remotes are about to take the home theater by storm. Much more than hunks of plastic and silicon used to control your gear, these remotes offer all sorts of widgety-goodness, delivering stock quotes, RSS feeds, and even an electronic program guide right to the palm of your hand (because, you know, using the guide on your TV is so 2006). We got to peep several upcoming models from Microsoft, Interlink, Sixik, and some unnamed manufacturer (the branding was taped over, but we suspect LG is the culprit here), and have been converted to true, unwavering SideShow disciples. Most of these bad boys will be released around the same time as Vista, so start saving your pennies and preparing your current remote for its inevitable disposal. Hands-on pictures are in the gallery below, and if we do say so ourselves, we make a mighty fine hand model (as do the cheerful booth reps who helped us out with some of the more challenging shots). Hands-on with a bunch of SideShow remotes
MSI's Mega Player 529 caught running SideShow on an auxiliary display
With the consumer release of Windows Vista growing ever closer, we're hearing an awful lot of buzz surrounding that nifty SideShow feature, which lets users take advantage of secondary displays to utilize widgets, media players, and other random (but sure-to-become-necessary) widgets, and now we're seeing a real-world implementation of SideShow on a laptop auxiliary display. According to Tech-On, MSI's Mega Player 529 portable media player has been successfully integrated into a laptop palm rest, and can utilize Microsoft's SideShow to play music, media files, open PowerPoint presentations, receive email alerts, and handle a few other basic tasks (quite literally) on the side. Purportedly relying on PortalPlayer's "preface" system, the device is said to sport a 320 x 240 resolution display, built-in DAC, 1GB of integrated memory, and a USB interface. It can also be removed from the lappie when you want to take your tunes on the go, and can reportedly last "around two to three" hours before needing a recharge, and while we've no idea how soon this gizmo (or the sleek laptop housing it) will hit the mainstream here in the States, consider our interest piqued.[Via SlashGear]
Asus finally launching SideShow laptop
We're seriously hoping that massive bulge on the lid isn't going to remain (for long), but we're just happy enough that someone -- namely Asus -- is prepping to launch a SideShow laptop. Granted, it'll be first thing next year alongside the Vista release at CES (i.e. when we were all expecting SideShow laptops to be revealed) but still. Expect PortalPlayer and other hardware "gadget" (widget, damn it!) businesses to hop on the gravy train all the way to auxiliary display-town.
NVIDIA snapping up PortalPlayer for $357 mil.
All the big-time chip kiddies are all about diversity, and now that NVIDIA seems bent on doing things for serious in the GPU, chipset and (most recently) CPU spaces, its next step was pretty natural: go small. That's why it's forking over a cool $357 million for PortalPlayer, the system-on-chip wunderkind behind most some of the biggest music players in the biz -- most recently including the 5G iPod with video and SanDisk Sansa e200 series. However, NVIDIA has its sights set on much more than DAPs, and plans to combine the miniature know-how and processing power of PortalPlayer with NVIDIA's own graphics expertise in a bid to "drive the next digital revolution, where the mobile device becomes our most personal computer." Sounds like a good time for all, especially PortalPlayer stockholders, to which the purchase price represents a 19 percent bump on their stock value as it compares to the 20-day average as of Friday. The boards of both companies have approved the acquisition, and now the only hurdle is regulatory before these two chip fiends start busting out their "digital revolution."
Apple trying to keep iPod nano chip manufacturers a secret?
I should have noted this when we found iLounge's 2G iPod nano dissection gallery, but it seems that Apple has (strangely) opted to take a step towards keeping their new iPod chip manufacturer's identity under wraps (strange because we already knew Samsung won PortalPlayer's old contract). As iLounge notes about their gallery, you can see three chips stamped with Apple's logo, and absolutely none from PortalPlayer (which we were expecting). It is believed that Wolfson and Philips are the other two namelessly Apple-branded chips, though I have to admit I'm a bit perplexed as to why Apple went to all this trouble in the first place. I mean, their attention to detail is admirable, and their logo is cool and all - but how many nano owners do they expect will ever check under the hood?
PortalPlayer will 'fight' for iPod business
Gary Johnson, president and CEO of PortalPlayer, told analysts that PortalPlayer wants Apple's business and is willing to fight for it. He is referring to the recent news that Apple will tap Samsung to make chips for new iPod nanos (PortalPlayer will still supply chips for the rest of the iPod line).The remark was made after PortalPlayer announced strong earning for the first quarter.[via iLounge]
PortalPlayer still an iPod playa?
Does PortalPlayer -- which lost to Samsung in the contest to provide chips for the next-gen iPod nano -- have a chance of winning back Apple's business as Cupertino gets ready to roll out the next video iPod? And what exactly does Apple have in store for that long-rumored product? Those were the big questions on the lips of analysts at PortalPlayer's first-quarter conference call this week, and CEO Gary Johnson did his best to answer the first question -- and not answer the second one. Any queries about Apple were met with McClellan-esque non-answers, as Johnson insisted that the company couldn't say anything that might reveal information about the plans of its "largest customer" (Johnson wouldn't even mention the company's name). Johnson did, however, tout his latest chip, which he said could do "full high-end video playback" -- something that's not possible with PortalPlayer's 5021 chip, used in the current video-capable iPod. So, is Apple, er, sorry, PortalPlayer's largest customer, going to buy the chip? "We're working to win back that business," Johnson said. Needless to say, Johnson refused to shed any light on Apple's plans, or lack thereof, for the next-gen video iPod, though he did say that his company's video-capable chip is "a product that's available." So, if PortalPlayer's largest customer is in the market for a solution for a new portable media player, now they know where they can find one.
Samsung wins PortalPlayer's old contract
Well, that didn't take long. Just seven days after Apple announced that they wouldn't be buying iPod media chips from PortalPlayer anymore, Samsung has been identified as the succeeding manufacturer. Presumably, the chips that Samsung has been hired to produce will power future iPod nanos with increased capacity. Congratulations, Samsung...now get to it.[Via Engadget]
Samsung to supply chips for next-gen iPods
Well, the other shoe has dropped. A week after PortalPlayer revealed the crushing news that the company wouldn't be providing chips for the next version of the iPod nano, Samsung has announced that it has won the business from Apple. Jon Kang, a Samsung exec, gloated that “I knew PortalPlayer would take a dive," adding, modestly, “I knew that we would win this design." According to Samsung -- which already provides flash memory for the nano -- the deal represents the company's largest LSI chip deal so far. “It’s a huge win for us," said Kang. Meanwhile, Apple has yet to comment on plans for the next-gen nanos, which are expected to offer increased capacity, and may be less prone to at-home engraving than current models.
Apple, Portal Player parting ways
Portal Player, the long time supplier of media chips for the iPod, has been told that Apple will be going with another vendor for mid and high end, flash-based players (the shuffle and nano, presumably). This is bad news for Portal Player, as the iPod has accounted for 90% of their revenue, EETimes reports.There's no word on who has won the newly available contract, but analyst Craig Berger of Webbush Morgan Securities listed Samsung, SigmaTel, Actions, or LSI Logic as possibilities, in that order. Sorry to hear it, PortalPlayer. I'll miss your smiling logo.[Via MacNN]
Apple snubbing PortalPlayer for next-gen iPods
Chip vendor PortalPlayer has been dealt a severe blow by Apple, as the computer company has apparently decided not to use PortalPlayer's media processor in some next-generation iPod models. PortalPlayer has been working on a successor to its PP5021 chip, but the company says Apple will not be using it in new high-end and midrange flash models. However, PortalPlayer expects (or is that hopes?) that Apple will continue using the PP5021 in other models. There's no word yet on whose chips Apple will be using in the next iPods, though we expect rumors to start flying furiously very soon. Meanwhile, in an indication of the power of the iPod ecosystem, PortalPlayer's stock plummeted over 40% in about 10 minutes of trading today -- not a major surprise, perhaps, given that the iPod accounts for a whopping 90% of the company's revenues. But, hey it's not all bad news: PortalPlayer has plans to provide chips for auxiliary displays on Windows Vista-based computers. Which should provide some relief in about two or three years, once such computers actually start shipping.
Apple going Mobile?
Amphetameme.org poses an interesting question: Is Apple planning to deploy a fully mobile solution for the iPod and Mac product lines? The blog looks at various pieces of evidence -- like Apple's recent "Mobile Me" trademark, Apple's status as a mobile reseller, and PortalPlayer's (the company that provides much of the iPod's guts) newfound interest in wireless technologies -- to construct an image of products that utilize "bluetooth, and an always-connected 'modem' service that will connect your iPod (and probably your iMac, your Laptop, your Desktop Mac) to iTunes (to start with) and to the net, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week."They point out some interesting concepts, and I'd certainly like to see something like this happen -- in fact, looking at the world's growing dependency on wireless technology, it almost seems inevitable.Check out the article for their full analysis.[Thanks, Clark]
iPod chip manufacturer to make WiFi components
Far be it for us to perpetuate completely unfounded and baseless Apple rumors, but here we go. Chip manufacturer Portal Player, the company that makes the audio chips for our beloved iPods, has announced their intentions to add WiFi and bluetooth support to their line of products (can you say bluetooth headphones and wireless file transfer?). Of course, neither Portal Player nor Apple has given even the slightest indication that a wireless iPod will result, but that doesn't mean we can't dream, right? I, for one, would welcome such a device.[Via Engadget]
