TAIPEI, TAIWAN: Smartbook devices based on ARM technology are rapidly emerging to fill the gap between smaller-screened smartphones and traditional, PC-like netbook or notebook products.
To develop groundbreaking product concepts for this new device category, Freescale has teamed with a top North American industrial design program, resulting in an array of visionary smartbook prototypes on display this week at the Computex show in Taiwan.
Sporting larger screens than traditional smartphone devices, smartbooks are cloud-computing-centric and characterized by all-day battery life, instant-on functionality and persistent connectivity. They are commonly powered by processors based on ARM technology, such as Freescale's i.MX515 device.
To demonstrate compelling new concepts that leverage these advantages, Freescale engaged with the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) for a program to explore requirements related to ergonomic issues, user interfaces, alternative form factors and even accessories for next-generation smartbook devices.
"As the smartbook market emerges, new form factors and product categories will evolve to support and better align with user needs, and our engagement with SCAD demonstrates Freescale's intention to lead this evolution," said Glen Burchers, Consumer Segment marketing director for Freescale. "This initiative has given Freescale valuable insight into how end-users prefer to interact with smartbooks, and this knowledge will be fed back into our chip design processes, ultimately resulting in future i.MX processors that enable compelling consumer experiences and entirely new classes of consumer devices."
Tasked with creating new models and paradigms that improve on the designs and user interfaces common to most first-generation netbook products, the participants developed a range of highly innovative, yet practical, designs optimal for leveraging the small, fanless dimensions and low-power operation of Freescale's i.MX515 processor. Students whose designs are selected as truly exceptional will travel to Computex in Taipei to showcase their prototypes with Freescale. They will also participate in a special panel presentation on June 4.
Showing posts with label Computex 2009. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Computex 2009. Show all posts
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
Intel's Project Blue brings WiMAX to affordable computing: Made for India
BANGALORE, INDIA: In his keynote at Computex 2009 at Taipei today, Sean Maloney, Executive Vice President and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Intel Corp. discussed the ambitious efforts called Project Blue undertaken by Intel to bridge the digital divide.
Through this program Intel is addressing the digital divide problem with the help of affordable computing and broadband combined with the various usages of the Internet which create strong desirability to own a PC.
"This is a very exciting time for India," said R. Sivakumar, MD, sales and marketing, Intel South Asia. "We believe Intel’s Project Blue is going to help us end the digital divide in India by increasing PC penetration in the country ten-fold by 2012. The initiatives we are introducing offer compelling and unique value propositions for our customers in India."
Connectivity in India
In May 2008 at the World Congress of IT at Kuala Lumpur, the government laid out a bold vision of 500 million Internet users, (a ten-fold growth from current 49 million users), 100 million broadband connections (a thirty-fold growth from current 3.6 million) and 100 million connected devices all by 2012. Referred to as the 511 vision, it has today led to national consensus that broadband penetration will be the next big driver of economic growth.
Despite all this, today we have a 2 percent broadband and a 3 percent PC penetration rate across households in India. Project Blue is an effort to address this in a manner which resolves issues of both cost and connectivity.
Project Blue: 10x PC penetration by 2012
Under the aegis of Project Blue, Intel India is undertaking a number of efforts to bridge the digital divide.
To address these issues, Intel is developing Internet centric computing devices: Nettops that are WiMAX enabled. Integrating WiMAX connectivity into Nettops makes not only access affordable but also makes them easy to use and to deploy.
At Computex today, Intel showcased concepts from HCL Infosystems of nettops integrated with WiMAX, designed specifically for first-time PC users in markets like India.
HCL Infosystems' chairman Ajai Choudhary, said: “We are pleased to work with Intel to bring these solutions to the Indian market. The WiMax–enabled nettops from HCL Infosystems, based on the Intel Atom processor will provide the next billion users in India with their first experience of computing and the Internet and we look forward to supporting all efforts in bridging the digital divide.”
Intel expects these nettops to be available in India from OEMs in the second half of 2009 at very attractive price points. Additional information on specific devices will be announced in the coming months.
Through this program Intel is addressing the digital divide problem with the help of affordable computing and broadband combined with the various usages of the Internet which create strong desirability to own a PC.
"This is a very exciting time for India," said R. Sivakumar, MD, sales and marketing, Intel South Asia. "We believe Intel’s Project Blue is going to help us end the digital divide in India by increasing PC penetration in the country ten-fold by 2012. The initiatives we are introducing offer compelling and unique value propositions for our customers in India."
Connectivity in India
In May 2008 at the World Congress of IT at Kuala Lumpur, the government laid out a bold vision of 500 million Internet users, (a ten-fold growth from current 49 million users), 100 million broadband connections (a thirty-fold growth from current 3.6 million) and 100 million connected devices all by 2012. Referred to as the 511 vision, it has today led to national consensus that broadband penetration will be the next big driver of economic growth.
Despite all this, today we have a 2 percent broadband and a 3 percent PC penetration rate across households in India. Project Blue is an effort to address this in a manner which resolves issues of both cost and connectivity.
Project Blue: 10x PC penetration by 2012
Under the aegis of Project Blue, Intel India is undertaking a number of efforts to bridge the digital divide.
To address these issues, Intel is developing Internet centric computing devices: Nettops that are WiMAX enabled. Integrating WiMAX connectivity into Nettops makes not only access affordable but also makes them easy to use and to deploy.
At Computex today, Intel showcased concepts from HCL Infosystems of nettops integrated with WiMAX, designed specifically for first-time PC users in markets like India.
HCL Infosystems' chairman Ajai Choudhary, said: “We are pleased to work with Intel to bring these solutions to the Indian market. The WiMax–enabled nettops from HCL Infosystems, based on the Intel Atom processor will provide the next billion users in India with their first experience of computing and the Internet and we look forward to supporting all efforts in bridging the digital divide.”
Intel expects these nettops to be available in India from OEMs in the second half of 2009 at very attractive price points. Additional information on specific devices will be announced in the coming months.
Intel's Maloney outlines industry growth opportunities @ Computex
COMPUTEX, TAIPEI, TAIWAN: Intel Corp. executive Sean Maloney today said his company's relentless commitment to innovation will help drive tremendous future growth throughout the computing and communications industries, particularly in mobile and wireless.
During the opening keynote speech at Computex, one of the world's largest technology trade shows, Maloney, executive vice president and chief sales and marketing officer, Sales and Marketing Group, unveiled a new family of ultra-low voltage mobile processors. The mobile processors will enable lightweight, attractive and ultra-thin Intel-based laptops less than 1 inch thick at a variety of new and more affordable price points.
Maloney also conducted the first public demonstration of "Pine Trail," the next-generation Intel Atom processor-based platform for netbooks and nettops. These affordable devices –- combined with broad-reaching communications networks such as WiMAX -– can help bridge the digital divide. Intel is also planning new desktop PC chipsets that will make high definition (HD) available to mainstream desktop systems by the end of the year.
Maloney also congratulated Taiwan on shipping more than 1 billion Intel processor-based motherboards1. He pointed out how Taiwan's technology industry has become the "innovation hub" for the global IT industry and challenged Taiwan's tech industry to take advantage of emerging technology transitions to create continuing demand and growth.
Intel will also deliver the "Lynnfield" and "Clarksfield" processors in the second half of the year and ship "Westmere" chips based on Intel's 32nm manufacturing with the company's second-generation Hafnium-based high-k metal gate transistor formula soon after. Combined, Maloney said the technology industry will have an almost infinite number of opportunities to create and ship new products into markets worldwide.
"Business growth has always come from new technology transitions in our industry," Maloney said. "This year, we have a series of new technologies based on second-generation, high-k metal gate, as well as new software and WiMAX developments."
One such growth opportunity is the Intel Atom processor. In the year since Intel introduced Atom for netbooks and created this new category, the Intel-based devices have taken the world by storm with more than 75 netbook designs in retail stores and tens of millions units sold.
Netbooks are compact mobile devices designed for basic Internet-related tasks such as browsing, listening to music, e-mailing and viewing videos. They are suited for first-time Internet users and people who desire an extra PC. They can also be used for playing basic online games, social networking and making voice-over-IP phone calls.
While demonstrating "Pine Trail" running on a netbook, Maloney said it would have improved performance, lower thermals and a reduction in average power for longer battery life. It will also feature an increased graphics core frequency for improved visuals. "Pine Trail" will be a two-chip platform versus today's three-chip platform, with graphics and memory controller moving onto the processor, resulting in a smaller overall footprint that enables smaller, thinner designs and lower platform cost.
In addition, Maloney showed a beta version 2.0 of the Moblin operating system project for netbooks. The Moblin project features a rich, new user interface, better system responsiveness and fast boot times.
To demonstrate how easy and fun the Intel-based netbooks can be to use, five children joined Maloney to do an online scavenger hunt. Maloney also mentioned that children or second and third computers in the home were a mostly untapped growth market.
Maloney invited Mooly Eden, Intel vice president and general manager, Mobile Platforms Group, on stage to show off the latest Intel-based laptops including ultra-thin systems, which Intel believes will be a new major volume sales market for the company.
These Intel-based ultra-low voltage notebooks can measure under an inch thick, weigh less than 3 pounds and can include wireless options such as Intel My WiFi or WiMAX.
For computer users particularly interested in thin and light platforms, these products offer the best possible tradeoff between space, weight, performance, power and price. Intel has offered ultra-low voltage processors for more than eight years, and last year introduced a smaller version of these chips for ultra-thin systems -- thin enough to even fit inside an envelope. With this new introduction the starting price for sleek ultra-thin systems can be as low as $499, more affordable for mainstream consumers.
Regarding the future of desktop PCs, Maloney said, "Our next-generation chipsets are taking our 32nm processor performance to mainstream PCs with products such as 'Clarkdale' and 'Arrandale' dramatically improving the PC experience."
Maloney said despite the slowdown in the world economy, HD video is growing at an incredible rate. In fact, HDMI is the most popular interface technology for HD and is expected to grow at an annual rate of 23 percent through 2012.
Intel's next-generation processor, "Lynnfield," will deliver stunning HD to mainstream desktop PCs and become available in the latter half of this year. Maloney said that compared to last year's "Penryn"-based mainstream solutions, computer users can expect more than 40 percent better performance2.
Another growth area is bridging the digital divide, the more than 5 billion people around the world who have never had access to or used computers. Maloney believes the best way to solve this problem is to address both cost and connectivity challenges.
He disclosed an initiative Intel is working on in India called "Project Blue" that combines affordable nettops based on the Intel Atom processor with WiMAX connectivity.
During the opening keynote speech at Computex, one of the world's largest technology trade shows, Maloney, executive vice president and chief sales and marketing officer, Sales and Marketing Group, unveiled a new family of ultra-low voltage mobile processors. The mobile processors will enable lightweight, attractive and ultra-thin Intel-based laptops less than 1 inch thick at a variety of new and more affordable price points.
Maloney also conducted the first public demonstration of "Pine Trail," the next-generation Intel Atom processor-based platform for netbooks and nettops. These affordable devices –- combined with broad-reaching communications networks such as WiMAX -– can help bridge the digital divide. Intel is also planning new desktop PC chipsets that will make high definition (HD) available to mainstream desktop systems by the end of the year.
Maloney also congratulated Taiwan on shipping more than 1 billion Intel processor-based motherboards1. He pointed out how Taiwan's technology industry has become the "innovation hub" for the global IT industry and challenged Taiwan's tech industry to take advantage of emerging technology transitions to create continuing demand and growth.
Intel will also deliver the "Lynnfield" and "Clarksfield" processors in the second half of the year and ship "Westmere" chips based on Intel's 32nm manufacturing with the company's second-generation Hafnium-based high-k metal gate transistor formula soon after. Combined, Maloney said the technology industry will have an almost infinite number of opportunities to create and ship new products into markets worldwide.
"Business growth has always come from new technology transitions in our industry," Maloney said. "This year, we have a series of new technologies based on second-generation, high-k metal gate, as well as new software and WiMAX developments."
One such growth opportunity is the Intel Atom processor. In the year since Intel introduced Atom for netbooks and created this new category, the Intel-based devices have taken the world by storm with more than 75 netbook designs in retail stores and tens of millions units sold.
Netbooks are compact mobile devices designed for basic Internet-related tasks such as browsing, listening to music, e-mailing and viewing videos. They are suited for first-time Internet users and people who desire an extra PC. They can also be used for playing basic online games, social networking and making voice-over-IP phone calls.
While demonstrating "Pine Trail" running on a netbook, Maloney said it would have improved performance, lower thermals and a reduction in average power for longer battery life. It will also feature an increased graphics core frequency for improved visuals. "Pine Trail" will be a two-chip platform versus today's three-chip platform, with graphics and memory controller moving onto the processor, resulting in a smaller overall footprint that enables smaller, thinner designs and lower platform cost.
In addition, Maloney showed a beta version 2.0 of the Moblin operating system project for netbooks. The Moblin project features a rich, new user interface, better system responsiveness and fast boot times.
To demonstrate how easy and fun the Intel-based netbooks can be to use, five children joined Maloney to do an online scavenger hunt. Maloney also mentioned that children or second and third computers in the home were a mostly untapped growth market.
Maloney invited Mooly Eden, Intel vice president and general manager, Mobile Platforms Group, on stage to show off the latest Intel-based laptops including ultra-thin systems, which Intel believes will be a new major volume sales market for the company.
These Intel-based ultra-low voltage notebooks can measure under an inch thick, weigh less than 3 pounds and can include wireless options such as Intel My WiFi or WiMAX.
For computer users particularly interested in thin and light platforms, these products offer the best possible tradeoff between space, weight, performance, power and price. Intel has offered ultra-low voltage processors for more than eight years, and last year introduced a smaller version of these chips for ultra-thin systems -- thin enough to even fit inside an envelope. With this new introduction the starting price for sleek ultra-thin systems can be as low as $499, more affordable for mainstream consumers.
Regarding the future of desktop PCs, Maloney said, "Our next-generation chipsets are taking our 32nm processor performance to mainstream PCs with products such as 'Clarkdale' and 'Arrandale' dramatically improving the PC experience."
Maloney said despite the slowdown in the world economy, HD video is growing at an incredible rate. In fact, HDMI is the most popular interface technology for HD and is expected to grow at an annual rate of 23 percent through 2012.
Intel's next-generation processor, "Lynnfield," will deliver stunning HD to mainstream desktop PCs and become available in the latter half of this year. Maloney said that compared to last year's "Penryn"-based mainstream solutions, computer users can expect more than 40 percent better performance2.
Another growth area is bridging the digital divide, the more than 5 billion people around the world who have never had access to or used computers. Maloney believes the best way to solve this problem is to address both cost and connectivity challenges.
He disclosed an initiative Intel is working on in India called "Project Blue" that combines affordable nettops based on the Intel Atom processor with WiMAX connectivity.
Monday, 1 June 2009
Sigma intros new thin client media processor
TAIPAI, TAIWAN, COMPUTEX TAIWAN 2009: Sigma Designs, a leader in digital media processing system-on-chip (SoC) solutions for consumer electronics, today announced the availability of its new SMP8652 media processor SoC.
The SMP8652 is designed to provide the optimal price/performance configuration for thin client applications, which include IPTV set-top boxes (STBs), digital media adapters (DMAs), and hybrid cable/IP thin clients. Product demonstrations are available Shangri-La's Far Eastern Plaza Hotel in suite # 3707 at Computex 2009 Show, Taipei, Taiwan from Tuesday, June 2 to Saturday, June 6.
Increasing demand for thin client solutions
As consumers increase their use of IP streaming for audio/video access, the importance of a thin client architecture becomes more necessary. Starting with IPTV, demand has been sweeping across the globe over the past three years, reaching a level of 16 million deployments in 2008 according to iSuppli.
Likewise, digital media adapters which connect to televisions and provide access to PC and Internet-based media have been increasing in popularity due to the explosion in online content. Many cable providers are in the process of migrating to hybrid approaches with IP-based delivery, which result in a server-client architecture for distributing video throughout the home. Thin clients, which focus on user interaction and media access, form the common thread among these trends.
“Thin client architectures are becoming more commonplace today as the world accesses more and more media through IP streaming,” said Ken Lowe, vice president of strategic marketing at Sigma Designs. “Our new SMP8652 represents a price/performance optimized solution for thin clients, a market we have been serving for years as the clear leader in IPTV set-top boxes and digital media adapters.”
SMP8652: Right performance at right cost
Sigma’s SMP8652 media processor integrates a complete complement of next-generation capabilities for a single-chip SoC solution with powerful multimedia processing, robust content security system, multiple on-chip CPUs, and a full complement of system peripherals.
Its combination of on-chip processors and memory controllers provides the needed headroom for the next generation of client middleware and software stacks. At the same time, establishing a minimal memory footprint using a high-speed 32-bit data path enables implementations with small form factors, lower BOM (bill of materials) costs, and lower power dissipation.
Taking performance to the next level is accomplished by combining significant increases in CPU speed, memory bandwidth, and architectural efficiencies. To start with, the SMP8652 is a multi-core media processor that features a 500 MHz MIPS 24k main CPU that enables crisp user interaction and a wider range of application-based features which enhance “future-proofing” of the platform.
A second MIPS processor called the IPU manages interrupt operations and offloads burdensome system tasks, such as portions of the network stack to further optimize main CPU utilization. A third MIPS processor manages all system security functions including decryption and key generation.
The SMP8652 also features a new DDR-2 memory controller, which supports double-data-rate memories up to 667 Mbps as well as an improved arbitration engine to maximize the efficiency of accesses. Finally, the SMP8652 maintains software compatibility with the Sigma Multimedia Library to uniquely build on the proven performance and reliability of the earlier generation platforms.
From a media processing standpoint, the SMP8652 offers a full complement of advanced decoder engines with high definition video decoding, including of H.264 (MPEG-4 part 10), Windows Media® Video 9, VC-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 (part 2), and the new AVS standard.
High-performance graphics acceleration, multi-standard audio decoding, advanced display processing capabilities, and HDMI output round out its multimedia core. Powerful content security is ensured through a dedicated secure processor, on-chip flash memory, and a range of digital rights management (DRM) engines for high-speed payload decryption. The SMP8652 features a full complement of system peripherals, including a dual Gigabit Ethernet controller, dual USB 2.0 controller, NAND flash controller, IR controller, and SATA controller, as well.
ODM manufacturers prepare for potential demand
Indicative of the high level of interest the SMP8652 has gained, several key original design manufacturers (ODM) are already gearing up for impending production ramps.
“Moving ahead, we intend to build an increasing portion of thin client products to tap into these new applications,” said Tim Kang, CTO of Alpha Networks Inc. “Towards this goal, we are using industry leading technologies, such as the new SMP8652 media processor from Sigma Designs to create a new line of powerful yet cost-effective products.”
“UTStarcom is focused on delivering innovative IP-based solutions to our customers, enabling them to provide next-generation services in their key markets,” said Baijun Zhao, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Multimedia Communication Business Unit (MCBU), UTStarcom. “We are excited to tap into the power and flexibility of Sigma’s SMP8652.”
The SMP8652 media processor will be sold through Sigma’s direct sales force. Samples of the SMP8652 are available immediately and production volumes will be available in July.
The SMP8652 is designed to provide the optimal price/performance configuration for thin client applications, which include IPTV set-top boxes (STBs), digital media adapters (DMAs), and hybrid cable/IP thin clients. Product demonstrations are available Shangri-La's Far Eastern Plaza Hotel in suite # 3707 at Computex 2009 Show, Taipei, Taiwan from Tuesday, June 2 to Saturday, June 6.
Increasing demand for thin client solutions
As consumers increase their use of IP streaming for audio/video access, the importance of a thin client architecture becomes more necessary. Starting with IPTV, demand has been sweeping across the globe over the past three years, reaching a level of 16 million deployments in 2008 according to iSuppli.
Likewise, digital media adapters which connect to televisions and provide access to PC and Internet-based media have been increasing in popularity due to the explosion in online content. Many cable providers are in the process of migrating to hybrid approaches with IP-based delivery, which result in a server-client architecture for distributing video throughout the home. Thin clients, which focus on user interaction and media access, form the common thread among these trends.
“Thin client architectures are becoming more commonplace today as the world accesses more and more media through IP streaming,” said Ken Lowe, vice president of strategic marketing at Sigma Designs. “Our new SMP8652 represents a price/performance optimized solution for thin clients, a market we have been serving for years as the clear leader in IPTV set-top boxes and digital media adapters.”
SMP8652: Right performance at right cost
Sigma’s SMP8652 media processor integrates a complete complement of next-generation capabilities for a single-chip SoC solution with powerful multimedia processing, robust content security system, multiple on-chip CPUs, and a full complement of system peripherals.
Its combination of on-chip processors and memory controllers provides the needed headroom for the next generation of client middleware and software stacks. At the same time, establishing a minimal memory footprint using a high-speed 32-bit data path enables implementations with small form factors, lower BOM (bill of materials) costs, and lower power dissipation.
Taking performance to the next level is accomplished by combining significant increases in CPU speed, memory bandwidth, and architectural efficiencies. To start with, the SMP8652 is a multi-core media processor that features a 500 MHz MIPS 24k main CPU that enables crisp user interaction and a wider range of application-based features which enhance “future-proofing” of the platform.
A second MIPS processor called the IPU manages interrupt operations and offloads burdensome system tasks, such as portions of the network stack to further optimize main CPU utilization. A third MIPS processor manages all system security functions including decryption and key generation.
The SMP8652 also features a new DDR-2 memory controller, which supports double-data-rate memories up to 667 Mbps as well as an improved arbitration engine to maximize the efficiency of accesses. Finally, the SMP8652 maintains software compatibility with the Sigma Multimedia Library to uniquely build on the proven performance and reliability of the earlier generation platforms.
From a media processing standpoint, the SMP8652 offers a full complement of advanced decoder engines with high definition video decoding, including of H.264 (MPEG-4 part 10), Windows Media® Video 9, VC-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 (part 2), and the new AVS standard.
High-performance graphics acceleration, multi-standard audio decoding, advanced display processing capabilities, and HDMI output round out its multimedia core. Powerful content security is ensured through a dedicated secure processor, on-chip flash memory, and a range of digital rights management (DRM) engines for high-speed payload decryption. The SMP8652 features a full complement of system peripherals, including a dual Gigabit Ethernet controller, dual USB 2.0 controller, NAND flash controller, IR controller, and SATA controller, as well.
ODM manufacturers prepare for potential demand
Indicative of the high level of interest the SMP8652 has gained, several key original design manufacturers (ODM) are already gearing up for impending production ramps.
“Moving ahead, we intend to build an increasing portion of thin client products to tap into these new applications,” said Tim Kang, CTO of Alpha Networks Inc. “Towards this goal, we are using industry leading technologies, such as the new SMP8652 media processor from Sigma Designs to create a new line of powerful yet cost-effective products.”
“UTStarcom is focused on delivering innovative IP-based solutions to our customers, enabling them to provide next-generation services in their key markets,” said Baijun Zhao, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Multimedia Communication Business Unit (MCBU), UTStarcom. “We are excited to tap into the power and flexibility of Sigma’s SMP8652.”
The SMP8652 media processor will be sold through Sigma’s direct sales force. Samples of the SMP8652 are available immediately and production volumes will be available in July.
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