The Japanese company EitaroSoft has unveiled a "Second Life"-style 3D virtual world for Windows Mobile devices. The online environment, "Lanity," was demonstrated yesterday on Nvidia's Tegra APX 2500 reference platform at "Nvision," a San Jose event sponsored by the chipmaker.
3D virtual worlds have traditionally been accessible only by PCs, because, as Second Life creator Linden Labs confirms on its website, they require discrete graphics cards from manufacturers such as ATI and Nvidia. But, says EitaroSoft, it is now practical to access detailed virtual worlds using specialized Windows Mobile platforms, such as Nvidia's APX 2500.
Screen captures from a YouTube video of the Nvidia APX 2500 running Lamity Source: EitaroSoft (Click either to enlarge)
Lamity, to be available later this year, will be accessible by up to 400 users simultaneously, says EitaroSoft. Via the Nvidia APX 2500, users will enjoy "vivid presentation" of their 3D avatars (above left), and be able to move around the virtual landscape (above right) by sliding their fingers on the touchscreen, the company adds.
Nvidia's APX 2500
The APX 2500, announced in February, combines an ARM-11 core with a ULP GeForce core that Nvidia touts as the "lowest-power 3D hardware solution available." The processor can play back or capture 720p HD video, and has the following additional features and benefits, according to Nvidia:
Devices built using the APX 2500 can have cameras up to 12 megapixels, and can also connect to external LCD or CRT displays, with resolution up to SXGA (1280 x 1024 pixels), according to Nvidia. TV output supports composite, S-video, and HDMI connectors, with resolution up to 1280 x 720.
Nvidia's APX 2500 development platform (Click either view to enlarge)
When it announced the APX 2500, Nvidia said it had partnered with a variety of vendors to integrate the APX 2500 into a Windows Mobile-based development platform, shown above. This platform, which was apparently used for yesterday's demonstration of Lamity, features an HDMI port for video output. Other ingredients in the platform are Atheros' ROCm wireless networking, Infineon's XMM 6080 HSDPA modem technology, NXP's PCF50626 power management unit, and Wolfson's WM8753 audio codec, according to Nvidia.
A demonstration of Lamity on Nvidia's APX 2500 Source: EitaroSoft (click to play)
Availability
In February, Nvidia said the APX 2500 applications processor "is sampling today with key customers and will enter into full production by the end of Q2 2008." Devices incorporating the APX 2500 are expected to begin shipping at the end of this year, the company now says.
As for the Lamity service, it is currently undergoing limited trials in Japan, but will be "expanded to the world" later this year, according to EitaroSoft. In May, the company announced that T-Mobile will offer devices running Lamity atop the Linux-based Android software stack. However, no information was provided on whether these devices will be using the APX 2500 platform, for which Linux support was not initially announced.
Further information on the APX 2500 may be available from the Nvidia website, here, and on Lamity from the EitaroSoft website, here.
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The Japanese company EitaroSoft has unveiled a "Second Life"-style 3D virtual world for Windows Mobile devices. The online environment, "Lanity," was demonstrated yesterday on Nvidia's Tegra APX 2500 reference platform at "Nvision," a San Jose event sponsored by the chipmaker.
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