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WindowsForDevices year-end review: Top hardware stories of 2008
2001-12-31 Article Rating:  / 0
JANUARYFIRST-EVER INTEL ARCHITECTURE SOC DEMO'D Intel CEO Paul Otellini talked up Menlow, the company's platform for Mobile Internet Devices. He also demonstrated the first-ever Intel Architecture (IA) system-on-chip (SoC) for consumer electronics, a "Canmore" processor available later this year for Internet-enabled set-top boxes, media...
players, and TVs. Details VIA LAUNCHES 64-BIT ARCHITECTURE Via has unveiled a 64-bit, VM-enabled x86-compatible architecture expected to debut this spring in pin-compatible chips targeting green PCs, home servers, and mobile devices. Chips based on the "Isaiah" architecture promise to outperform Via's current C7/Eden chips two-to-three times, within the same power envelope. Details WIRELESS CHARGING TECHNOLOGY COMES TO MOBILE PHONES MWG has announced that by mid-year, it will ship Windows Mobile phones that can be charged wirelessly, via magnetic induction. The technology, conceptually similar to that already used in portable toothbrushes, will be provided by U.K.-based Splashpower, according to the companies. Details FEBRUARY INTEL REVEALS SILVERTHORNE DETAILS Intel will reveal technical details about its forthcoming Silverthorne SoCs for mobile devices at a chip conference this week. Based on a new micro-architecture with an in-order instruction pipeline, and built on 45 nanometer technology, the x86-compatible chips will use a tenth the power of Core2 "ULV" chips, Intel says. Details NVIDIA ENTERS MOBILE SOC MARKET Nvidia says it is sampling an applications processor for Windows Mobile smartphones that can capture HD video, and play it back for 10 hours. The APX 2500 is based on an ARM 11 core, handles 720p (1280 x 720) video, and supports HDMI output, Nvidia says. Details TI TIPS NEW CORTEX-A8 CHIP, DEV BOARD Texas Instruments (TI) has announced its fourth mobile device system-on-chip (SoC) based on ARM's next-generation Cortex-A8 core. The new OMAP3440 supports high-definition (HD) video recording and playback on 720p displays in Windows-based mobile phones and mobile Internet devices (MIDs). Details ARM11 SOC BRINGS HD VIDEO TO MOBILE DEVICES STMicroelectronics (STM) has announced a mobile applications processor aimed at letting Windows Mobile devices record and play HD video, and connect directly to HDTV displays. The Stn8820 is based on an ARM11 core, handles 720p (1280 x 720) video, and incorporates graphics technology licensed from AMD, according to STM. Details CORTEX-A8 SOCS TARGET EMBEDDED, CONSUMER DEVICES Texas Instruments (TI) announced four Windows CE-compatible, Cortex-A8-based applications processors today. At the high end, the OMAP35xx line closely resembles TI's OMAP34xx offerings for mobile phones, but with larger ball-pitch and lower-volume pricing, for use in embedded applications and less mainstream consumer electronics devices. Details MARCH INTEL LAUNCHES MOBILE DEVICE CHIPS Intel has branded its next-generation mobile device chips, previously codenamed "Silverthorne" and "Menlow." Built on 45 nanometer process technology, the Atom processor uses a new single-issue x86-compatible micro-architecture designed to compete with ARM in ultra-low power designs, while mating with "Centrino Atom" chipsets (formerly codenamed "Menlow"). Details APRIL INTEL ANNOUNCES FIRST ATOM CHIPS Accompanied by two dozen partners with prototype designs based on its new chips, Intel today announced five models in its new "Centrino Atom" line of mobile and embedded processors. The Z500-series chips, formerly "Silverthorne," range from 800MHz to 1.8GHz. Details PICO-ITX TO "GO STACKABLE" Via's Pico-ITX motherboard form factor may be bound for glory. The form factor has been adopted by the Small Form Factor SIG (special interest group), a group of board and connector vendors apparently planning to add a stackable expansion interface to the tiny motherboard form factor. Details NEW MOBILE DEVICE TOUCHSCREEN TECH DEMO'D Wacom has announced a new touchscreen technology aimed at reducing problems associated with capacitive touchscreens in mobile devices. RRFC (reversing ramped field capacitive) touchscreens will use ramped voltages to deliver greater accuracy, easier finger operation, freedom from recalibration, and longer battery life, Wacom hopes. Details MAY $7 SOC RUNS WINDOWS CE Atmel is now sampling an ARM9-based system-on-chip (SoC) that runs Windows CE and targets "power-constrained applications that also need high performance." The AT91SAM9G20 consumes a maximum of 80mW, has twice the clock speed of its predecessor, four times the cache, and a host of standard interfaces. Details JUNE NEW SPEC PROMISES HD-TV OVER EXISTING HOME WIRES An emerging gigabit-speed, triple-wire technology called G.hn could ship in 42 million units by 2013, says ABI Research. Under development by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and promoted by a group called the HomeGrid Alliance, G.hn is billed as an HD IPTV-capable successor to current powerline networking standards. Details JULY 65NM ARM9 SoCs TARGET PNDS, SMARTPHONES Samsung says it is now sampling two new ARM9-based application processors destined to run Windows CE and Windows Mobile. Targeting smartphones, PDAs, and PNDs (personal navigation devices), the S3C2416 and S3C2450 feature on-chip 2D graphics accelerators, UARTs, LCD controllers, audio interfaces, USB, and a variety of memory support. Details INTEL AIMS T9400, GM45 AT DEVICE MARKET Intel launched five 45nm Core 2 Duo processors under its new "Centrino 2" moniker. The overall announcement emphasized laptops, but the company's new 2.53GHz T9400 processor and GM45 Express chipset target embedded devices, with a touted seven-year lifecycle and available EMBC2DGM45DRxDK dev board. Details "QSEVEN" COM STANDARD BUILDS ON MXM A consortium called Qseven has released a specification for a Computer-On-Modules (COM) standard that incorporates the MXM (Mobile PCI Express Module) format's finger connector. Led by Congatec, MSC Vertriebs, and Seco, the 14-member group is aiming its Qseven spec at mobile devices using 45nm-fabricated processors. Details PENTIUM M SOC TAKES WING Intel has launched a system-on-chip (SoC) processor that integrates typical northbridge and southbridge functions with a Pentium M core clocked up to 1.2GHz. Targeting storage, networking, automotive, and industrial applications, the single-chip Intel EP80579 (formerly "Tolapai") optionally boasts an ultra-highspeed FPGA co-processor interface dubbed "QuickAssist." Details AUGUST SATELLITE PHONE SERVICE WILL LAUNCH WITH WINDOWS MOBILE TerreStar Corporation has announced plans to launch a dual-mode satellite/terestrial phone service using Windows Mobile handsets. The service, which will rely on both TerreStar's TS-1 satellite and ATT's cellular network, will be available to North American customers in mid-2009. Details INTEL UNVEILS DUAL-CORE ATOM Intel has brought out a dual-core version of its Atom ("Diamondville") processor for low-cost "nettop" PCs. The Atom 330 will ship initially in a low-cost D945GCLF2 mini-ITX board that has gigabit Ethernet, S-video, six-channel audio, eight USB ports, and PCI expansion. Details INTEL AIMS X86 AT DIGITAL TVS Intel will ship a Pentium M-based system-on-chip (SoC) for consumer devices such as networked optical players, set-top boxes, and digital TVs. The 800MHz Media Processor CE3100 ("Canmore") aims to bring YouTube and other PC-based entertainment platforms to home entertainment systems, where today MIPS-based SoCs from Sigma, Broadcom, and others dominate. Details INTEL ANNOUNCES HIGH-SPEED SSDS At today's Intel Developer Forum (IDF) in San Francisco, the chipmaker announced new SSDs (solid-state drives). The 1.8-inch X-18M and 2.5-inch X-25M target laptops and desktops, while the 2.5-inch X25E, which boasts faster write speeds, targets servers. Details AMD PREPS LOW-POWERED ATOM KILLER While Intel's Developer Forum hogged the limelight last week, AMD was shyly preparing to ship its own competitors to Intel's Atom. The AMD Sempron 200U and 210U will sample next month on a 3.5-inch SBC (single board computer). Details SEPTEMBER "SUBSTANTIALLY FASTER" SSD DELIVERS 128GB FOR $420 Super Talent Technology has announced a range of 2.5-inch SSDs (solid state drives) touted as "substantially faster than existing SSDs." The MasterDrive OX and PX series include SATA II interfaces, have 0.1ms access times, and offer sequential read speeds of up to 170MB/sec. Details TOSHIBA SAMPLES 256GB NOTEBOOK SSD Toshiba upped the ante for 2.5-inch solid state drives (SSDs), sampling a device packing 256GB of MLC (multi-level cell) NAND flash storage. The "THNS256GE8BC" has a 3.0 Gb/sec. SATA interface, and is joined by 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB SSD modules aimed at lower-cost devices. Details OCTOBER MOBILE WIMAX SERVICE LAUNCHES IN U.S. Sprint launched its XOHM WiMAX service today, at a press event in Baltimore. Touted as offering "the fastest data speeds among all national carriers," the "4G" service will work with devices distributed by Sprint, or a bevy of available devices purchased independently. Details NOVEMBER SoC RUNS WINDOWS XP Taiwan-based DMP Electronics announced a 32-bit x86-compatible SoC (system on chip) claimed to run Windows XP and XP Embedded (Xpe) using under two Watts. Targeting home gateways, thin clients, and industrial controllers, the Vortex86DX offers an "embedded redundancy" feature that can link two boards. Details USB 3.0 DEBUTS The USB Implementers Forum has unveiled the USB 3.0 specification, which is said to be ten times as fast as USB 2.0. One of the first USB 3.0 announcements came from MCCI Corp. and Synopsis, which said they would together produce USB semiconductor IP and Windows drivers. Details DECEMBER x86 SYSTEM-ON-CHIP ADDS VGA GRAPHICS DMP Electronics has announced a second x86-compatible SoC (system on chip) that's claimed to run Windows XP using under two Watts. The 32-bit Vortex86MX is said to integrate graphics, audio, and networking on a single chip. Details TOSHIBA LAUNCHES FIRST 512GB SSD Toshiba announced it will soon begin sampling the "industry's first" SSD (solid state drive) with 512GB of storage. The 2.5-inch device (left) will be joined by nine other modules, all offering read speeds up to 240MB/sec. and writes up to 200MB/sec., the company says. Details
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