smartech » Tegra

Compal’s 7-inch Android Tablet Prototype Gets a First Introduction, Boasts Tegra 2 Chipset Inside

Nir Ben Yona — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:34:23 +0000

Care for one more tablet device? the kind that packs a 7-inch touchscreen and runs an Android 2.0 platform inside? in that case Compal would like to have a word with you. The reason, if you haven’t heard, is the company’s new Tegra-powered tablet, that recently introduced at the CES show in Vegas (by Nvidia) and looked like it has no problems playing any 1080p files, “stutter-free”. At this early stage, it would be hard to figure how much will it cost or when will it start shipping, but till then, bare in mind it packs a WiFi connectivity, along SIM card slot and microSD expansion, tucked with a non-friendly resistive touchscreen and an HDMI port to pump vids out.Â More on that, later.

[via Gizmodo]

MSI Teases With a 10-Inch Android Tablet At The CES

Nir Ben Yona — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 10:46:21 +0000

It looks great, it sports a 10-inch capacitive display, runs a powerful Tegra 2 chipset and called Harmony. That’s pretty much what weÂ know about MSI’s new Android tablet that recently showed up at the CES show in Vegas. The platform is actually an Android 2.1 and the slate is literally tagged as an E-book machine.Â It has both WiFi and 3G WWAN connectivity included, and apparently, wants to be “your office to go” solution.Â Check out the videos we’ve added half past the break.

[via phandroid]

Click here to view the embedded video.

[Image: courtesy of engadget]

First Details About Google’s Chrome OS Netbook Specs Unveiled

Nir Ben Yona — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 17:22:56 +0000

Truth is that holidays season can be very boring, tech wise, but here’s something that might catch your eye during this time of quiescency, as latest news apparently indicate the first netbook to include Google’s Chrome OS platform will presumably boast some nifty specs inside like NVIDIA’s Tegra chipset for graphics handling and Arm-based processor, instead of Intel’s popular Atom flavor. Other than that, the rumor suggests it would pack a 10.1-inch 1,280 x 720 resolution with multi-touch display(!), along 2GB of RAM, 64GB SSD, WiFi, Bluetooth, an integrated webcam and 3G connectivity module. Battery is claimed to offer 4 or 6-cells versions while buyers will be able to pick an optional GPS system as part of the deal, which suppose to be very attractive and stand at somewhere below $300. Stay tuned for a lot more to come.

Update: We hear that Google will be selling those netbooks directly. More on that, hopefully soon. Still, no official confirmation from Mountain View to these rumors.

[via Netbook News]

ICD Vega Tablet Is Set To Start Its Journey In 2010, Powered By Android 2.0

Nir Ben Yona — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:29:28 +0000

Yes, you’re probably fed up with all those mids and tablets we’ve been constantly pumping you, up and down, in recent months. But life, as you may know, still goes on and technology as you’ve already learned, keeps moving forward. One of those newbies – representing the new portable era – is ICD’s 16mm thick Vega Tablet machine, claimed to see light across the globe in the first half of 2010, packing eitherÂ 7-, 11-, or 15-inch 1366 x 768 resistive touchscreens at your choice, with no visible price tags, seen in the horizon. Besides that, this slick Android 2.0-powered device features powerful NVIDIA Tegra graphics chipset, sitting next to 3G WWAN, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 connections, while memory is at 512MB DDR RAM and storage capacity stands at 512MB only. Battery will serve you up to 4 hours lifetime, as a microSD slot and USB 2.0 host are also being included. See you next, at the coming CES show, with further more details.

[Innovative Converged Devices]

Zune HD Officially Goes Live, Already Considered a Hit On The Streets

Nir Ben Yona — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:20:50 +0000

It’s here! Microsoft officially rolls out its highly rated Zune HD media player, and boy this thing looks good. Yes, we know, most details are pretty much known at this point, but still deserve a round of applause, aren’t they? And just in case you missed the buzz, those fancy shcmancy specs we get, include a beautiful 3.3-inch Gorilla glass 480 x 272 OLED capacitive 16:9 aspect-ratio touchscreen, which hides underneath a built-in HD Radio receiver, seating along with a wireless WiFi antenna connection and a fine batch of accelerometer sensors for landscape use. Excited? We are, but that’s not all, since Redmond has wisely tossed in Nvidia’s mighty Tegra processor, which is technically constructed from eight different sub processors inside, that flawlessly handle their tasks at a time. Now that’s a real beast, isn’t it? OH Yeah. Storage wise, you get to choose between 16GB or 32GB flash capacities that fairly priced at $219.99 and $289.99, respectively.

Update1: Looking for more flavors rather than Black or Platinum? It seems you can find engraving options of other colors, on Zune Original online stores or in the player’s software source files code, which apparently indicates additional Zune HD palettes, like pink, atomic, magenta, or purple. That said, Platinum remains our favorite.

Update2: As planned, the Zune 4.0 software is finally up and ready to download -Â well, that’s only in case you were lucky enough to nab a piece of ZHD over the night. But anyway, as you may expect, it’s fully compatible with Windows 7 OS , which means Jump Lists support, Taskbar Previews/control, and Aero Snap window resizing. Other than that, it also offers Smart DJ feature, which creates endless playlists, using any artist, album or song and combines them with Zune Marketplace music, for those who have a Zune Pass. The Quickplay menu that easily lets you access recently added, played and favorite content, located on the home screen. Mini Player Mode brings the playing feature on top of your apps. And last but not least, full movies/TV shows online rentingÂ store.

Update3: It’s not a launch without the iFixit guys, laying their hands on a sealed and closed audio device, tearing it down and pulling out the parts one-by-one. And once again, this time is no difference than others, as the group just finished their Zune HD dissecting process, unveiling NVIDIA Tegra SoC, placed together with Toshiba-sourced flash NAND, Wolfson MIcro WM8352 audio subsystem, SiPORT HD Radio module chip, and an interesting “for our princess” inscription line, dedicated to one of Zune team crew member who apparently died before release.

Update4: Both Anythingbutipod and Crunch Gear have managed to grab themselves a pre-launch Zune HD device and kindly shared their interesting impressions, which you can find after the break, with the first, featuring the hardware part, while the second, showing Zune’s UI in all its glory.

Update5: As expected, Microsoft starts rolling out the Zune HD commercial and a very colorful new one is waiting for you just after the break, featuring Redmond new player’s features such as HD radio, video playback, Wireless connection and even Games (!)

Update6: If you’re into Magenta or Purple flavors, December 1 (2009) is the day you should wait for, as Microsoft will presumably get to release those colors for its highly respected Zune HD player. Not sure which storage capacities will get these hues up on their sleeves, but this way or another, it definitely worth waiting a while.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Zune HD Coming Out On September 15th, Already Available For Pre-Order

Nir Ben Yona — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:33:02 +0000

With so many rumors and speculations floating around, it’s time to organize the latest details we know about the coming release of the Zune HD. Apparently, according to a Gizmodo tipster, the official debut is now scheduled to September 15th (one week past September 8th). In addition, both Zune HD 16GB and 32GB models are already available for a pre-order in Amazon and Newegg, priced at $219.99 and $289.99, respectively (requires a $25 deposit). From what we know, the player itself will be equipped with a tiny impressive on-screen keyboard that brings up a nice small arch graphic whenever you tap a letter, to distinguish it from its neighbors (See image after the break). Other than that, the internet browser is claimed to be an Opera one, but we can’t be 100% sure, yet. Meanwhile, until things get more clear (and there’s not much time left), checkout the latest hands-on video from CrunchGear, or the Grand Tour video (courtesy of Tech Flash Videos), featuring Brian Seitz of Microsoft’s Zune team demonstrates the Zune HD. Hit the jump, to read the updates.

Update1: Microsoft has officially confirmed September 15th as release day. The Zune HD is also available for pre-order at Best Buy, Walmart, and the Microsoft Store.

Update2: While impatiently waiting for Zune HD to arrive, looks like Redmond will have it available for purchase in various new colors to choose from (besides the platinum flavor we’ve already acquainted with), including blue, lime green, and a red / maroon hue, which can additionally have one of Zune Originals’ 10 exclusive engraving designs at the back.

Update3: In case you were running out of patient, Zune’s HD specs are finally up, featuring a 3.3-inch 480 x 272 Multi-Touch OLED color display, 16:9 aspect ratio with scratch-resistant glass, paired with 802.11b/g WiFi connection (supports WEP, WPA, and WPA2 encryption), built-in FM/HD Radio, connector port, 3.5mm headphone jack, various video outputs, including Analog Audio Out, Optical Digital Audio Out and optional HDMI or Composite outputs (requires additional dock, sold separately). The battery can play your music up to 33 hours (wireless off), while video will run it down after 8.5 hours. Charging time: Approximately 3 hours when connected to your PC, or 2 hours via A/C adapter. Format wise, the Zune HD supports most of the common audio files, such as WMA, WMA Pro, WMA Lossless, Advanced Audio Coding (AAC-LC), m4a/m4b and also MP3 tracks. But with all due respect to audio, the real Zune HD star is the video, and with Nvidia Tegra built inside, Microsoft’s new monster can play as follows:

Windows Media Video (WMV) (.wmv) – Main and Simple Profile, CBR or VBR, up to 10.0 Mbps peak video bit rate; 720 pixels x 480 pixels up to 30 frames per second (or 720 pixels x 576 pixels up to 25 frames per second). Advanced Profile up to L2, 1280×720 up to 30 frames per second, CBR or VBR, up to 14.0 Mbps peak video bitrate. Zune software will transcode HD WMV files above stated capabilities at device sync.

MPEG-4 (MP4/M4V) (.mp4) Part 2 video[4] – Simple Profile up to 4.0 Mbps peak video bit rate; 720 pixels x 480 pixels up to 30 frames per second (or 720 pixels x 576 pixels up to 25 frames per second). Zune software will transcode HD MPEG-4 files at device sync.

H.264 video[4] – Baseline Profile + bframes, up to 10 Mbps peak video bit rate; 720 pixels x 480 pixels up to 30 frames per second (or 720 pixels x 576 pixels up to 25 frames per second). 1280×720 up to 30 frames per second, up to Level 3.1 and 14.0 Mbps peak video bitrate. Zune software will transcode HD WMV files above stated capabilities at device sync.

Update4: And if you’ve already decided to buy the new Zune HD, checkout the third video we just added (courtesy of Gizmodo), showing how great it looks on any wide LCD screen. It seems the OSD was carefully designed for this purpose.

Update5: It wasn’t a kept secret, but now it’s official, Nvidia confirms that its Tegra processor will be powering the Zune HD, with eight different processors, assimilated inside, each one responsible for a specific task assignment, including an HD video processor, an audio processor, a graphics processor and two ARM cores – all working jointly and severally – NVIDIA nPower™ technology, which optimizes system power use and enables extended HD video and MP3 playback time. WOW, sounds like the new beast on the block.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Pagatron’s Vivid Netbook Bluntly Shows Up With Tegra Acceleration And Internet Friendly Shortcut Keys

Nir Ben Yona — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:30:29 +0000

Apparently, more Tegra machines start showing up across the pond, equipped with strong accelerating chips and ultra high-def video support, fluently running 1080p media files through HDMI ports, built inside . One of those honored guests that recently spotted in Computex is Pegatron’s ARM-based Vivid netbook, which sports NVIDIA’s desirable Tegra chipset, along with integrated stereo speakers, matte-finish display, an HDMI port, SD card reader and two USB slots to match the list. The Vivid also runs full FireFox browser and boasts friendly-internet shortcut keys on top of its keyboard for Yahoo!, Google, MSN, and Skype. Regretfully, there’s no word about price or availability as of this moment, but netbooknews has taken a short video of the pink edition, so head up after the cut and watch it.

[via Liliputing]

Click here to view the embedded video.

Mobinnova élan Netbook Machine Introduced, Comes With NVIDIA Tegra Inside

Nir Ben Yona — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:44:53 +0000

So the new generation of netbook devices starts floating up at the Computex show in Taipei, with powerful HD video accelerators, the kind that easily can push 1080P movie files without choking around. And getting down to the details, one of the first alluring machines to show up in this category is the 8.9-inch Mobinnova élan, which houses the NVIDIA Tegra platform, along with WiFi / 3G connectivity and strong battery, providing up to 10 hours of use. Regretfully, we’re short of any further info regarding pricing or availability, but you can hit the jump, there’s a PR announcement, together with a Windows CE UI video, smoothly running on this unit. And with that kind of capabilities, imagine how Windows 7 will look like.

Update1: And in case you had your own personal doubts about NVIDIA’s Tegra capabilities, hit the jump to take a look how smoothly this powerful chip can handle 720p video trailers or even FireFox Flash operations, running on a full fledged screen display over WiFi – quite impressive isn’t it?

Update2: We’ve just added two more videos, featuring the new 8.9-inch Tegra netbook, along with Nvidia’s chipset itself and the new UI it holds. Check it out after the break. (courtesy of netbooknews.com)

[via engadget]

Click here to view the embedded video.

A NEW ERA IN MOBILE COMPUTING
MOBINNOVA UNVEILS THE “élan” WITH HOURS OF HD MULTIMEDIA AND INTERNET POWER “ON THE GO”—COMPUTEX

The Book-Size élan Powers Up Easily, Provides 5-10 Hours Continuous HD Video Playback, 24 Days Audio Playback, Internet Browsing And Graphics Never Seen On A Mobile Computing Device

June 2009, Taipei, Taiwan-A mobile computing revolution arrives June 2, at the Computex 2009 show in Taipei, where content providers, carriers and consumers get their first look at what may be a whole new category of high performance communication devices. The élan is first in Mobinnova’s line of ultra-portable computing devices powered by the NVIDIA® Tegra™ Computer-on-a-Chip. The 2 lb. élan is like a netbook in that it’s small, has a keyboard, and offers easy access to the Internet. However that’s where the similarities end. The élan powers up instantly, connects directly to a 3G wireless network, offers hours of continuous use, full page web browsing, and delivers graphics performance never seen before on a mobile computing device–all packaged in Mobinnova’s stylishly thin design. “This truly portable device is a pleasure to hold and to use. It offers 720p high-definition video playback, full Internet browsing and an impressive battery life,” says KC Kuo, Chairman and CEO of Mobinnova. “We like to say it ‘runs on fun’. It’s a real game changer.”

The size of a hardback book and weighing less than 2 lbs., the Mobinnova élan is compact, quiet and cool. “It’s the most powerful mobile Internet device you can easily pack in your purse, backpack or briefcase. You can use the élan for hours, even days between charges,” says Mike Holland, Vice President of Business Development for Mobinnova. You can also use it anywhere–on a plane to Nepal, at a café in Paris, on the sidelines of a soccer game, in a college dorm room, or sitting in bed. “The élan’s advanced power management means hours of viewing pictures, HD videos, Internet browsing, and reading and responding to email,” says Holland. The Mobinnova élan offers:

5-10 hours of continuous HD video playback on a single charge (dependent on screen usage).
Up to 24 days of continuous audio playback on a single charge (if screen not in use while listening to audio).
8.9 inch screen size provides a rich viewing experience and full page web browsing.
Ultra-light, compact design at 1.84 lbs (836g), 9.1 inches (232mm) x 7.3 inches (186 mm) x .8 inches (20.5 mm).
NVIDIA Tegra-based platform that supports accelerated Adobe® Flash® animations and 720p high-definition video playback.
Both Wi-Fi and 3G wireless connectivity, enabling you to check your email, social networking accounts, and do internet searches wherever you are.
An innovative 3D graphical user interface.
QWERTY keyboard and touchpad.
Ability to view Microsoft® Office® and Adobe® documents.
A webcam for sharing video.
Fast, high resolution photo rendering, upload, and download.
Fanless operation for a quite, cool experience.
Advanced power management, allowing the élan to draw as little as 50mW during typical operation and 150mW during video playback, a fraction of most devices on the market today.

Mobinnova’s élan is the first in a family of mobile devices based on the Tegra platform from NVIDIA, the inventor of the GPU. Also being shown at Computex is the Mobinnova T8, which combines the same powerful platform with a 10.1″ touch screen, GPS, and HDMI and VGA video output. “Mobinnova has designed several interesting Tegra-based, mobile Internet devices that will surprise the market with their sleek, lightweight design and long battery life,” said Mike Rayfield, General Manager Tegra Business at NVIDIA. “Tegra adds the secret sauce to deliver a desktop-like Internet experience and cell phone-like battery life in these new designs.” “The Mobinnova élan and T8 answer the portable communications challenge,” says Mobinnova’s Chairman and CEO, KC Kuo. “We are honored to partner with NVIDIA to create products that make people’s lives easier, more productive, and more enjoyable.”

Zune HD Officially Announced, Going Live This Fall

Nir Ben Yona — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:03:53 +0000

After so many rumors and speculations floating around, Microsoft has finally announced the Zune HD, which suppose to make its first appearance somewhere this fall, competing head-to-head with Apple’s popular iPod Touch player. Regretfully, there’s nothing much to share in terms of specs or features, but from the very few fragments we’ve managed to collect, you briefly can figure out it’ll probably pack a 3.3-inch 480 x 272 OLED capacitive touchscreen, together with a built-in HD Radio receiver, 720P HD output (via dock station), integrated WiFi connection and accelerometer sensors for landscape usability. Additionally, you might find a designated Explorer browser for internet surfing purposes and hopefully, a mashup interface with Xbox / Xbox Live gaming consoles. Still, no pricing or capacity details to write about, although one should expect either 16GB or 32GB flavors inside, but this way or another those rumored images earlier published, make no place for mistakes – Zune HD is live and kicking. Full press release after the break.

Update1: The guys at Gizmodo have managed to put their hands on the freakishly new Zune HD while hanging around D7′s conference hall. First images indicate an incredibly thin-and-light design, combined with a stunning 3.3-inch OLED touchscreen, basic Zune UI, adjusted to the touch navigation mode and rounded edges, build with a big “Home” button placed at the bottom lefte. Hit the jump to watch the video or their link for even more images.

Update2: Zune Insider has officially confirmed that Zune HD will be running NVIDIA’s Tegra chipset inside, which means – full high-def video compatibility in the palm of your hand. Still no word about final release dates, but we’re following.

Update3: Rumors around claim the new Zune HD will be priced somewhere betweem $249 and $280 for the 16GB version, while a 64GB modelis on the prep for a late release. Stay tuned.

Update4: Both BestBuy and Amazon have just listed up the Zune HD on their inventory system , priced at $220 for the 16GB model, and $290 for the 32GB version, coming on September 8th. It’s less than a month to go, so stay tuned.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Microsoft Announces the Expansion of the Zune Entertainment Service to New Platform and Markets; Confirms New Zune HD Portable Media Player

Premium Zune digital entertainment service to be available internationally on Xbox LIVE.

REDMOND, Wash. – May 26, 2009 – Microsoft Corp. today announced the evolution of Zune, the company’s end-to-end music and entertainment service, to a new platform and new markets. Zune will extend its video service to Xbox LIVE internationally this fall. This marks an important development in the Zune strategy and brings the Zune brand to more than 17 million international Xbox LIVE subscribers. In addition, Microsoft confirmed the next generation of the Zune portable media player, Zune HD. Available in the U.S. this fall, Zune HD is the first portable media player that combines a built-in HD Radio receiver, high-definition (HD) video output capabilities, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) touch screen, Wi-Fi and an Internet browser.

“The Zune music player is an integral part of the overall Zune experience, and we’re proud to be growing and extending our offering beyond the device,” said Enrique Rodriguez, corporate vice president of the Microsoft TV, Video and Music Business Group. “Delivering on Microsoft’s connected entertainment vision, this news marks a turning point for Zune as it brings cross-platform experiences and premium video content to living rooms around the world.”

Zune Service Expands to New Platform

Zune will be a premium partner in the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace, bringing an exciting catalog of TV and film to the platform. Zune will occupy the first slot within the Xbox user interface in the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace, exposing the Zune brand experience to millions of new consumers for the first time. At the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) next week, attendees will see firsthand how Zune integrates into Xbox LIVE to create a game-changing entertainment experience.

Introducing Zune HD

Zune HD is the next iteration of the Zune device family and brings a new level of listening and viewing experiences to the portable media player category.

Zune HD comes with a built-in HD Radio receiver so users can listen to higher-quality sound than traditional radio on the go. Users also will have access to the additional song and artist data broadcast by HD Radio stations as well as additional channels from their favorite stations multicasting in HD. If you don’t like the song playing on your station’s HD channel, switch to its HD2 or HD3 channels for additional programming.
The bright OLED touch screen interface allows users to flip through music, movies and other content with ease, and the 16:9 widescreen format display (480×272 resolution) offers a premium viewing experience on the go.
The HD-compatible output lets Zune HD customers playback supported HD video files from the device through a premium high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) audiovisual docking station (sold separately) direct to an HD TV in 720p.*
Zune HD will include a full-screen Internet browser optimized for multitouch functionality.
Zune HD is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing for instant streaming to the device from the more than 5 million-track Zune music store.

More information on Zune and related images is available at http://www.zune.net/press and http://www.zune.net/ZuneHD.

About Zune

Zune is Microsoft’s music and entertainment brand that provides an integrated digital entertainment experience. The Zune platform includes a line of portable digital media players, elegant software, the Zune Marketplace online store, Zune Pass music subscription service, and the Zune Social online music community, created to help people discover more music. Zune is part of Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division and supports the company’s software-based services vision to help drive innovation in the digital entertainment space. More information can be found online at http://www.zune.net/en-us/press.

About Xbox LIVE

Xbox LIVE connects more than 17 million members across 26 countries to each other and the entertainment they love. Home of more content from one remote than can be found from any device connected to the television, Xbox LIVE is also a unified online social network bringing friends together, no matter where they are – in the living room or across the world. More information and Xbox LIVE membership can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

* Supported 720p HD video files play on the device, downscaled to fit the screen at 480 x 272 – not HD resolution. Zune HD and AV Dock, and an HDTV (all sold separately) are required to view video at HD resolution.

HD Radio™ and the HD Radio logo are proprietary trademarks of iBiquity Digital Corp.

Microsoft Preps a New Zune HD For The Summer (Update:Probably September)

Nir Ben Yona — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 08:18:59 +0000

According to a tipster, Microsoft will presumably release a new Zune player with HD capabilities, somewhere this year. Naturally, we have no other details, nor any specs of the new device itself, but if this info is correct, and it sure looks reliable, the Zune 4th Generation should be available with a wide and sharp touchscreen, supporting high-def video and some other features, which you can find in the iPod Touch players. Stay tuned for more to come.

Update1: More uncertain specs show up across the cyber world, revealing a 16:9 AMOLED display with multi-touch usability (capacitive), joining the mini-HDMI output and the HD Radio feature, both bundled inside, along with a full HTML browser, to wirelessly surf the web. And while we have no special ability to determine “details accuracy”, you should take our word when we say it’ll be offered either in 16GB or 32GB capacities. However, In case you look for even more speculative rumors, Zune fanboys will also tell you the new HD device might support 3D XBox games, thanks to the integrated NVidia chipset, which we really hope to see included. Other than that, a worldwide release is said to take place somewhere around September, so stay tuned for real things to come.

Update2: May 12th 2009 – According to ZDNet, the next Zune / Windows Mobile device (AKA: Chassis 1) will feature a whole bunch of top-notch specs, including a 3.5-inch multi-touch display along with ARM v6+ processor, 1GB of RAM, OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics hardware, 3 megapixel camera, GPS navigation system, WiFi / Bluetooth connections, built in accelerometer and even Nvidia’s Tegra platform, integrated with TI’s OMAP 3 and “Qualcomm 8k” chipsets, to handle those strong requirements. Of course, these are just rumors, and we can’t take them that serious, although we do hold an opinion that Chassis 1 will be strong enough to match market demands.

[Via Engadget]