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MSI working on Tegra-based e-book reader for 2010
Oh Tegra, is there anything you can't do? Not only are you at the heart of the Zune HD, you're also the rumored silicon foundation underpinning next generation smartbooks, media pads, MIDs, and even the Nintendo DS. Now we've got MSI chairman, Joseph Hsu, peddling promises of an NVIDIA Tegra-based e-book reader that will be fully revealed in the first half of 2010 -- exactly as rumored. While no details have been provided, one could assume that a device with that kind of power will be doing more than just refreshing electronic ink on a single display slab, particularly with dual-display e-book readers now the norm.
Mobinnova élan renamed Beam, headed for mysterious carrier in January 2010
Mobinnova's élan, or the Beam as it's reportedly known as now, is a curious beast. It runs Windows CE, yet it's packing NVIDIA's Tegra graphics technology. Thus, it's not really a netbook, but calling it a smartbook might be short-changing it. Whatever the case, a recent interview with Mobinnova's CTO Mark Anderson has unearthed plans to launch the machine at CES 2010 with an undisclosed mobile carrier (or more, maybe) in America. We're also told that it should last between five and ten hours when playing back HD video, or up to 24 hours if it's just sitting around looping an iTunes playlist. Needless to say, our interest is definitely piqued -- hit the read link for a gallery of shots, and keep an eye right here for the rest of the story direct from Vegas.[Via Slashgear]
Rumor: Nvidia Tegra chip going into next-generation DS
According to Bright Side of News' secret sauces sources, Nvidia is in talks with Nintendo about the hardware for the successor to the Nintendo DS. Nintendo is reportedly interested in Nvidia's Tegra line of chips for mobile devices, like the one in the Zune HD. Considering that the Zune HD can do things like play HD video, it sounds like a power boost over the existing DS hardware. The lower-end Tegra APX has a clock speed of 600 MHz, compared to the current DS cores, which run at 67MHz and 33MHz. However, BSN believes that the potential timing of the announcement (late next year) suggests that Nintendo could use the next generation of Tegra chips, which, the site says, use "GeForce 9 based hardware." And if they're cheap enough, Nintendo might consider it! The only question (well, the only other question, besides "is any of this true") is whether the capability to play ported console games is really a good thing for the DS. [Via Develop]
NVIDIA Tegra to power next-gen Nintendo DS?
While Microsoft tries to figure out if it should take Tegra-powered Zune HD in a gaming direction or the Xbox in a portable direction, there are wild rumorings from the underground that claim Nintendo is planning on using Tegra to power a next generation DS handheld. The primary source on this comes from Bright Side of News (which doesn't have a big track record to judge by), who claims the debut is planned for late 2010 and conjectures that the device could either use the upcoming 40nm 2nd-gen Tegra tech, or the existing, tried-and-true 65nm chip. There were rumors from Yahoo! Games of a Tegra DS afoot at GamesCom in August, with higher resolution screens and full backwards compatibility, and PC Perspective also claims its own NVIDIA insiders are confirming this -- the evidence is certainly stacking up. If it turns out to be true it's going to mean a pretty dramatic jump forward in portable gaming power, but either way this generation of handhelds seems due for a refresh, and there's plenty of ultra compact silicon floating about to make a graphical leap possible. [Via PC Perspective; thanks, Fernando]
Flash 10.1 announced for just about anything with a screen, webOS and WinMo betas this year (update: Pre video!)
Flash 10 already supports HD video on the desktop, but 10.1 -- announced this week at Adobe's MAX conference in Los Angeles -- is being billed the first to really reap the full benefits of the Open Screen Project by unifying feature sets across a wide variety of platforms on the desktop, the laptop, and the pocket. As usual, Windows, Mac, and Linux will all get hooked up with the latest release, but public betas of 10.1 for Windows Mobile and webOS will be hitting before the end of the year as well followed by Android and Symbian in "early" 2010. RIM's also gotten official with its rumored membership in the Open Screen Project, though the lack of a timeline for 10.1 support in BlackBerry OS is a stark reminder of the long technical road that lies ahead for Waterloo as it tries to match the smartphone competition tit-for-tat in the multimedia space. At the end of the day, mobile Flash means nothing without the horsepower to properly drive it, so let's hope that Tegra, Snapdragon, and next-generation architectures like OMAP4 start to come on board en masse just as these builds come out of beta. Speaking of fast chipsets, the other big news out of the show is that Flash 10.1 will take advantage of GPU acceleration on a number of key mobile platforms, including both nVidia's Tegra and Qualcomm's Snapdragon alongside ION for smooth (well, theoretically smooth) 720p and 1080p video on the latest generation of netbooks and smartbooks.Update: Added video of the Palm Pre running three instances of Flash in parallel after the break. Read - Flash 10.1 announcement Read - RIM joins the OSP
NVIDIA: Chrome OS on Tegra is money, not that anyone ever doubted it
Kevin C. Tofel certainly knows his way around ultra-portable devices like MIDs, UMPCs, and netbooks. And during a product briefing with NVIDIA, the managing editor behind jkOnTheRun received confirmation from NVIDIA that it's working to deliver Google's Chome OS on the Tegra smartbook platform, eventually. Anyone surprised? Tegra is ARM-based and Google has been perfectly clear that its Chrome OS is targeting ARM and x86 systems ranging in size from netbooks to full-size desktops. But hey, it's Tegra and Google's unproven OS together at last... what could go wrong? Until that day it'll be Windows CE or Android (and maybe a Linux distro or two) when the first Tegra-based Smartbooks begin shipping from carriers, well, right about now.
Mitac takes Tegra to MID-land
We've spotted an early prototype of an upcoming MID from Mitac powered by Tegra and running Windows CE, and we like where it's headed. There are actually a lot of similarities to Mobinnova's smartbook, though we suppose it's more of a Tegra thing: CE with a custom interface on top, emphasis on 720p media playback and output (there's an HDMI jack and TV tuner) and what promises to be an uber-competitive price and good battery life for the form factor. Mitac also plans on selling the thing with a fold-out case / keyboard combo to sweeten the deal. The unnamed device is quite thin, but unfortunately the unit we saw was out of battery -- though NVIDIA assured us it was "really cool" while it worked. Sure guys, sure. %Gallery-73447%
Zune HD review
When we broke news and images of the Zune HD back in April, we were more than a little excited. There had been talk -- and rumor -- of a widescreen, touchscreen Zune for some time, and seeing the fruits of Microsoft's labor made it clear that the company had done its homework. As time wore on and we reported on the official announcement, confirmation of NVIDIA's awesome Tegra chip inside, and news that the Zune Marketplace would extend into Xbox Live, we were downright giddy at the possibilities. Finally the much-anticipated, heavily lusted after micro-slab has been brought to market -- and it's not just the unit itself. Along with the release, we're seeing new desktop software, the Zune brand move towards a connected experience for Windows computers, and the expansion of the Zune Marketplace and ecosystem -- replete with applications designed just for the Zune HD interface. So the time has come for the Engadget review. Does the Zune HD finally match up with Microsoft's ambition, and can it stand up to the heat and ubiquity of the competition? Read on for all the answers. %Gallery-72768%
Microsoft's Zune HD already cracked open and photographed (updated)
Considering that even now only a swath of Zune HD owners are able to update their software in order to -- you know -- have a working device, we can understand Anything But iPod's eagerness to stop trying and just crack open Microsoft's newest entrant into the portable media player market. Without getting too gushy, we can definitively say that the innards look just as sexy as the exterior, but unfortunately the make and model of the internal WiFi chip (amongst other things) remains a mystery. Hit the read link for a nice gallery of closeups, but be sure and shield your screen from any lingering cube passers.Update: iFixit just went live with their teardown as well!Update 2: The iFixit teardown is complete. While there aren't any 802.11n WiFi or vacant camera-space surprises like those found inside Apple's iPod touch, the Zune HD doesn't need any to pique our interest. What you will find photographed in exquisite detail is the NVIDIA Tegra SoC, SiPORT HD Radio module, Toshiba-sourced flash NAND, a 2.45Wh battery, Wolfson MIcro WM8352 audio subsystem, and Foxconn logo confirming its manufacturing origin. There's also a "for our princess" inscription meant as a tribute to a Zune team member who passed away during development. Check the gallery for a tease or head over to iFixit to get knee-deep in it.%Gallery-72950%
Zune HD unboxing and hands-on
The Zune HD is soon to be officially out on the streets, and we've got the official Engadget hands-on / unboxing. Now, we were excited as all get-out to wrap our paws around the Tegra-powered PMP, but some of that luster has worn off since popping this baby out of its extremely attractive packaging. Why is that, you ask? Well, Microsoft decided to hold on loading up any usable software until the new Zunes were out to market. What that means is that we have yet to do any serious testing with the new device -- despite having the gem sitting right here. We can tell you that the Zune HD is most definitely a thing of beauty as far as gadget standards are concerned, and while the only media we've been able to enjoy is the big M's demo video, we have been marveling at the clarity and crispness of that OLED display. Obviously we've got a proper review coming soon, but we take this stuff pretty seriously and don't like to offer our opinion till we've spent some quality time with a device. You can expect a look at both the music and media playback capabilities of the ZHD, as well as the new Zune integration into Xbox Live, Windows Media Center, and all other kinds of connected-world goodness. Till then, feast your eyes on the galleries below, and quietly curse Microsoft for handing us a neutered Zune. Update: As a commenter points out below, these devices are being sold to end users in the same condition our unit is in -- namely, without any real functioning software. It's a pretty unusual move for a company like Microsoft to put devices into the hands of consumers with no functionality at all, but it seems the Zune team was cranking till the last minute. Let's hope all the hard work pays off! %Gallery-72768% %Gallery-72771%
Video hands-on: Samsung's YP-M1 media player is Tegra-based but no Zune HD
An NVIDIA Tegra chipset pumping away at the heart of a portable media player is no guarantee of success. See, there's this little thing called software and Samsung's YP-M1, aka Beat Player M1, still needs some tweaking. It's not awful, but the performance isn't even close to being Zune HD-like. Perhaps Samsung's using a weaker Tegra system-on-chip. We don't know. We're told that these are hand-made engineering prototypes so there's hope that Sammy can work out the kinks before these players go production. Unfortunately, we couldn't get a real sense for the audio quality from the show floor due to the DJ mixing his decks not 10 feet from our position. What we can say for sure is that it's a fingerprint magnet, the volume buttons are hopelessly small and far too tightly packed into the upper-edge of the player, and the Gingerbread Man is dead... Fa La la lalalala la, dead. Watch the fatal pummeling from our massive beef hammers in the video after the break.
Tegra to hit 'media pads' soon says company man Mike Rayfield
Mike Rayfield, the general manager of NVIDIA's mobile unit, sat down for a lengthy -- if somewhat restrained -- chat with Hexus recently, and he had some fairly interesting things to say about his company's Tegra strategy. The discussion mostly consists of generalities about the roadmap for the high-power, low-weight chipset, but it takes a more interesting turn when Rayfield goes into detail on the types of devices we can expect to see in the near future. At about two minutes into the conversation, there's mention of a "media pad," which prompts some further inquiry from the interviewer. Rayfield goes on to describe the device as a "3G capable touchpad" ranging in size from 7- to 13-inches. Now what's notable about the mention is that back in April reports were flying hot and heavy that Apple was working on a "media pad" device in partnership with Verizon which would "define the damn category." We don't like to wildly speculate, but since Apple and NVIDIA have a healthy history of teaming up on special projects, and since the rumored focus of the mythical Apple tablet is media playback and gaming, we wouldn't rule out a possible connection here. If you want to do your own sleuthing, check out the full video for yourself after the break -- and we recommend a frame-by-frame look at 2:23.
Video: Samsung's YP-M1 TouchWiz interface given a sideways glance
With an "NVIDIA chipset" (presumably, Tegra) underpinning the new YP-M1 media player, Samsung's got plenty of horsepower to drive its customizable TouchWiz UI across that 3.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen sporting 480x272 pixels. It's not ZuneHD-sexy but it's not bad. Unfortunately, not bad's not good enough in a waning market for dedicated media players lacking voice and data radios, WiFi, or a web browser. But if you run, run, as fast you can... after the break you'll catch the Gingerbread Man.Update: Mike Rayfield, the general manager of NVIDIA's mobile business unit, confirms the M1 is Tegra-based.
Zune HD getting previewed at select Best Buys this weekend
Now that NVIDIA is totally free to chat up its Tegra involvement in the Zune HD, it's wasted little time in publishing a list of Zune HD preview locations where you can witness the magic for yourself this weekend. The tour is fairly limited to the big urban hubs, but peep the PDF and see if your friendly neighborhood Best Buy is represented. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in. Warning: PDF link]
NVIDIA confirms Tegra processor within Zune HD, details it real good
It's no big secret that NVIDIA's potent Tegra chip will be powering Microsoft's forthcoming Zune HD, but up until now, the former company had been rather quiet about its involvement in the project. Just a few days after the OLED-equipped portable media player went up for pre-order around the web, NVIDIA has stepped in to affirm that its own Tegra processor will be "providing the multimedia muscle in Zune HD." We're told that no fewer than eight independent processors make up Tegra's collective whole, with each one engineered for a specific class of tasks; among them are an HD video processor, an audio processor, a graphics processor and two ARM cores. Each of the chips can work together or independently to minimize power consumption, and the built-in nPower technology is said to optimize system power use and enable extended HD video / MP3 playback time. Sounds good in print, but we've got just under a month to find out how it performs for real.
Samsung's AMOLED-packin' YP-M1 PMP available in Korea, secret sauce still unknown
Surely we aren't the only technophiles in attendance champing at the bit to find out if Samsung's fresh YP-M1 has some of NVIDIA's hotness inside, but it seems as if we'll still have to wait a bit longer to find out. Right on cue, the AMOLED-equipped portable media player has launched over in South Korea, bringing with it a laundry list of supported file formats, a WQVGA panel, up to 32GB of inbuilt storage and even a DMB TV tuner. If anyone feels like sashaying over to Seoul in order to crack one open and find out what it's really made of, then by all means, be our guest. Just try not to wander too close to that DMZ -- we hear Bill Clinton's rescue fees are through the roof.
Inventec Rainbow marries traditional good looks with a Tegra heart of gold
Unlike Mobinnova's slightly "edgier" take on the "smartbook," Inventec's new Rainbow device is decidedly more netbook-ey in the looks department. Specs are nothing new, of course, with an NVIDIA Tegra 600 chip, 256MB of RAM, 256MB of flash memory, 10-inch 1024 x 576 screen and Windows CE 6.0 (which has been outfitted with Firefox for the occasion, along with other NVIDIA-prepped apps). We're happy to see an edge to edge keyboard here, and despite the low-end specs, it's still nice to know this little number will be capable of nabbing 3G data (HSPA or EV-DO), GPS and DTV. Rainbow can purportedly handle 6 hours of continuous 720p playback, stream video over 3G for 4 hours, and is rated at a rather silly 240 hours of "standby." We're not exactly sure when the Rainbow is supposed to start shipping, but if none of this is striking your fancy, there's always Rainbow 2, which is supposed to hit in the first half of next year. [Via Engadget Spanish]
Samsung M1 PMP to challenge Zune HD with some Tegra of its own?
Samsung's launched a teaser page for its YP-M1 media player (look familiar?), and while a 3.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen is impressive in its own right, it's the mention of a NVIDIA chipset that has us most intrigued, especially given Samsung's earlier promise that a Tegra-based device was in the works. There isn't an indication that these are one in the same just yet, but we wouldn't be surprised to find that CPU packed away somewhere inside. Other known details at this point include a DMB TV tuner, 8GB of storage (at least for the base model), Samsung's TouchWiz UI, text-to-speech functionality, Bluetooth, and DivX support -- not a bad spec list considering it'll likely be up against the definitively Tegra-based Zune HD. Currently up in the air is any word of a price or release date (let along a release 'round here), although it seems Samsung could have more to say on August 13th. [Via DAP Review]
Snapdragon and Tegra smartbook rumors swirl before likely year end push
DigiTimes is reporting -- in its usual sourceless, rumorific way -- that a slew of Taiwanese manufacturers are set to deliver smartbooks based on the Snapdragon and Tegra chipsets by the fourth quarter of this year. Acer is leading the charge with an Android-sporting device, adding to its push of the Google mobile OS, while Mobinnova has confirmed US and European orders for its 8.9-inch élan, shipments of which might top half a million units in 2009. In the meantime, Inventec is expected to launch a 10-inch Tegra smartbook entitled Rainbow, which is probably set for a prompt rebadge. On the other hand, citing what it sees as weak demand, ASUS is holding back and won't launch anything until November at the earliest. While none of these rumors are massively surprising, and given the source could be downright erroneous, they do hint at a wild, industry-wide synergy of smartbook rollout for the holiday period. And we all love synergy.
Samsung confirms a Tegra-based smartphone is in the works, all other details shrouded in mystery
NVIDIA's Tegra chip has shown itself to be quite a gem, especially in the field of augmented reality zombie destruction. Looks like Samsung agrees with that sentiment, and has confirmed that it's currently developing a smartphone with the powerful processor. That's not a lot to go on, but knowing the capabilities of the CPU, we're excited. It's probably safe to assume an AMOLED touchscreen is a given, as well as a plethora of TouchWiz widgets, but whether or not the phone goes with Windows Mobile or Android is still a mystery. A recent rumor suggested one of the "top five" smartphone makers would be releasing a $199 GSM-based Tegra device by year's end -- no indication if these two reports are one in the same, but we'd love to see what Sammy has in store sooner rather than later.
