NVIDIA -- Engadget Mobile

NVIDIA posts

Flash 10.1 announced for just about anything with a screen, webOS and WinMo betas this year (update: Pre video!)

by Chris Ziegler posted Oct 5th 2009 @ 1:31AM

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

Continue reading Flash 10.1 announced for just about anything with a screen, webOS and WinMo betas this year (update: Pre video!)

Samsung confirms a Tegra-based smartphone is in the works, all other details shrouded in mystery

by Ross Miller posted Jul 24th 2009 @ 3:54PM

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.

NVIDIA Tegra smartphone due from a "top five" manufacturer before 2010?

by Tim Stevens posted Jun 30th 2009 @ 6:56AM

If you want to get HD in your handheld, NVIDIA's Tegra processor is the hot way to do it at the moment, and we've got reasonably concrete sounding rumors from disparate sources that a handset containing one of the chips is currently under development by a "top five" smartphone builder (we're guessing it's not Apple), and that it'll be out sometime before the end of the year, selling at T-Mobile and AT&T for just $199. The details of the device beyond that are scant, with Android being a possibility but Windows Mobile looking more likely, and a continued pledge of battery life of rated for "days and days" of mobile multimedia. We like the sound of that.

Read - NVIDIA Tegra phone due from "big five" firm
Read - Rumor: NVIDIA Tegra phones in Q409?

Microsoft "Pink" specs leak out: Tegra, Snapdragon, OMAP 3, oh my?

by Nilay Patel posted May 12th 2009 @ 3:39PM

Ready for some more delicious Zune / Windows Mobile rumors after today's June Zune letdown? Well buckle up -- the always-sharp Mary Jo Foley at ZDNet says she's got specs for Windows Mobile 7 Chassis 1, the heart of that rumored "Pink" smartphone, and they're pretty wild. According to the list, Chassis 1 phones will all have 3.5-inch or larger multitouch displays with ARM v6+ processors and OpenGL ES 2.0-compatible graphics hardware, 256MB or more of RAM and 1GB or more of storage, as well as at least a 3 megapixel camera, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, a compass, and accelerometer. Oh, and glory be -- a 3.5mm headphone jack is required. Here's the kicker, though: NVIDIA's Tegra platform is specifically listed as meeting the core CPU requirements, as well as TI's OMAP 3 platform and "Qualcomm 8k," which sounds to us like Snapdragon's QSD8xxx-series chips. If you've been following along, you know that all three of these (Tegra in particular) have been bandied about as potential Microsoft phone platforms, so it makes perfect sense to us that Microsoft's giving its hardware partners a choice of currently-available high-powered platforms for Chassis 1 -- especially since we've been hearing lots of whispers of hardware based on these chips in the works.

Here's the thing, though: we've also always been told that "Pink" is the codename for Zune software and services on Windows Mobile, so something tells us that Chassis 1 phones running Windows Mobile 7 will feature a strong dose of Zune flavoring -- a plan Steve Ballmer's repeatedly confirmed in the past year. So how do we think this all fits together? Well, we'll slightly revise our previous totally crazy, off-the-wall prediction: we think "Pink" is the codename for a new consumer-focused version of Windows Mobile that integrates Zune services, running not only on a touchscreen Zune HD, but on several third-party phones. Are we crazy? Yes, absolutely -- but you've got to admit the pieces are coming together.

Motorola cancels Alexander smartphone?

by Darren Murph posted Mar 23rd 2009 @ 5:23PM

So much for the "last stand," huh? After getting pictured way back in August of last year, Motorola has quietly let CES, Mobile World Congress and (almost) CTIA slip by with nary a peep on why this thing has yet to ship. We'd initially heard that Q4 2008 was the window, and then Q1 2009; just last week, we heard that Moto could be shooting out ten new smartphones in the latter half of this year, but evidently this one won't be included. According to the always questionable DigiTimes, Motorola has inexplicably "canceled the planned launch of the Alexander handset and also reduced the number of markets in which it will sell its A3100 smartphone," though it gave no reason as to why. Is it sad that we're not at all saddened? Onward and upward, we say.

[Via WMPowerUser]

NVIDIA's Tegra jumps on the Android bandwagon

by Sean Cooper posted Feb 16th 2009 @ 3:00AM

We've been hearing all kinds about NVIDIA's Tegra the last couple weeks, and have all been quietly wishing and hoping that we'd see Android getting some action -- and we will, and how! Apparently while the initial focus is Windows Mobile, NVIDIA sees Android surpassing Windows Mobile sales into 2012 and has decided to put some serious grunt into the new OS's development. The NVIDIA Tegra 2600 part is being developed with an optimized and accelerated Android release aimed squarely at OEM development and set for release sometime in Q2 this year. We've no idea how long it takes from reference to finished-in-our-hands-product, but the briefing hints at a couple mystereious sets, the "IAC S2" in Q3 and a "Yulong N8" by Q4. This guy is under glass over at NVIDIA's H.Q. here at MWC, so expect more once we stroll over for a look-see. Few more pics after the break.

Continue reading NVIDIA's Tegra jumps on the Android bandwagon

HTC looking to NVIDIA's Tegra platform for high-performance phones?

by Chris Ziegler posted Jan 16th 2009 @ 8:04AM

We've been waiting patiently since Tegra's announcement half a year ago for some seriously awesome Tegra-powered hardware (well, any hardware) to get unveiled, but so far, you could hear a pin drop -- we've gotten nothing. That should hopefully change in a big way in 2009, and at least one analyst is predicting that HTC will play a role in getting that mobile NVIDIA silicon into pockets around the world. There's no question that HTC's supposed leaked lineup contains devices that would fit well into Tegra's high-function, multimedia-heavy aspirations, but on the flipside, we've also got rumors that the company moving toward Ericsson chipsets. Tegra's definitely flashier than anything in Ericsson's stable, and HTC's big enough to pursue multiple chipset strategies at the same time -- they have with software platforms, after all -- so let's hope this high drama all resolves itself by MWC next month, eh?

[Via wmpoweruser.com]

Microsoft working on its own Tegra-powered superphone? Doubtful.

by Chris Ziegler posted Nov 26th 2008 @ 8:59AM

The popular rumor floating around at the moment is that Microsoft intends to announce self-branded handsets powered by NVIDIA's beefy Tegra architecture for next-gen phones and MIDs at the GSMA's Mobile World Congress in February of next year. Let's put aside for a moment the fact that Redmond continues to vehemently deny having any interest in getting into the hardware end of its Windows Mobile racket -- concealing the truth is a part of doing competitive business, after all -- and turn our attention to the practical matter of whether this makes any sense whatsoever. First off, Windows Mobile's strength lies in its incredibly deep and wide partner base, a base that includes visionary teams at HTC, Samsung, LG, Motorola, and countless others. With Android and Symbian finally becoming viable opportunities for third-party manufacturers, Microsoft doesn't want to do anything that's going to hasten the revolt before it's able to wrap up version 7 (or at the very least, 6.5) -- and competing with your own licensees would be a bang-up way to do that. Granted, Microsoft did exactly that by introducing Zune following the PlaysForSure initiative, but let's be honest: Windows Mobile and Zune don't play in the same league. Zune's a hobby, a side gig; WinMo's a monster, a long-term cash cow that's got to be treated with the same franchise tag as Windows itself.

Continue reading Microsoft working on its own Tegra-powered superphone? Doubtful.

Motorola Alexander gets pictured: WinMo 6.1, NVIDIA graphics, Q4 release

by Darren Murph posted Aug 5th 2008 @ 11:50AM

Surely that "last stand" Motorola handset is still burned into your memory, right? No? Anywho, said mobile was just given a face courtesy of Boy Genius, and it's an, um, interesting face at that. We'll let you be the judge on its unsightliness (or beauty, depending on inebriation level), but aside from design, we're expecting this one to include Windows Mobile 6.1, NVIDIA graphics, a 5- to 8-megapixel camera, A-GPS and a Q4 release date. As always, we'll be keeping an ear to the ground for more.

Motorola prepping "last stand" 8 megapixel phone?

by Nilay Patel posted Jun 23rd 2008 @ 3:29PM

While our homeboy Boy Genius may not be quite as well-known for his Moto scoopage as he is for his streak of RIM leaks, we're totally intrigued by his report today that Moto is working on an 8 megapixel phone code named "Alexander" that's being internally described as the company's "last stand." The unit is said to feature an NVIDIA-sourced chipset for video and 3G graphics (Tegra, perhaps?), an integrated GPS chip, and "probably" running "UIQ 4.0 or higher." It's not confirmed whether it'll have a touchscreen or what the final form factor will be, but release is set for October, and BGR says that if it's a flop the Moto brass will give up and sell the company off. That's a lot of pressure -- but with Moto's struggles lately, we can't say there's much to lose by betting the company.

NVIDIA shows off Tegra on video

by Joshua Topolsky posted Jun 3rd 2008 @ 5:06PM

Yesterday we told you about NVIDIA's new mobile platform, Tegra, and today, we've got some videos from the company showing off the system, and giving you a good impression of just how much less juice this architecture uses compared to the competition. Check the videos after the break demonstrating the systems' lean energy needs, HDMI output capabilities, blazing fast gaming, and that fancy UI we keep telling you about.

Continue reading NVIDIA shows off Tegra on video

Hands-on with NVIDIA's APX 2500, and yeah, it plays Quake

by Sean Cooper posted Feb 13th 2008 @ 10:11AM

In one word or less: wow. NVIDIA's MWC announcement of the APX 2500 cellphone applications processor was a stunner and we expect the cellular community is going to welcome them with open arms. We've covered what the hardware is all about, but we've also found out it'll be packin' 7.2 Mbps HSDPA in many flavors, quad-band GSM, WiFi, Bluetooth, and it frickin' plays Quake 3, like a monster. While gaming doesn't mean it'll be a successful device, the 2500 certainly seems to have the grunt to get some serious work done and with its Windows Mobile 6 underpinnings, it'll play well with current software. The current developer reference sample is a bit on the fat side, though we expect the likes of HTC will put this thing on serious diet before it gets out to and into our pockets. Follow the link to see the admittedly -- by NVIDIA -- iPhone-esque GUI experience -- and bezel, earpiece, face.

Gallery: Hands-on with NVIDIA's APX 2500, and yeah, it plays Quake

NVIDIA shows off APX 2500 cellphone applications processor

by Donald Melanson posted Feb 11th 2008 @ 11:48AM

It's been a long while since we've seen anything from NVIDIA on the cellphone front, but the company has changed that in a fairly big way today, with it showing off its first major cellphone applications processor: the APX 2500. As CNET points out, that chip is largely the result of NVIDIA's acquisition of PortalPlayer back in 2006, and represents the company's first attempt at building a true computing processor for cellphones. From the looks of it, they sure look to have gotten off to a decent start, with the chip itself (based on an ARM11 core) able to run at speeds up to 750MHz, and encode and decode 720p high-defintion video, opening up the possibility of some pretty capable cellphone / video camera hybrids. Of course, this being NVIDIA, they also squeezed in some of their GeForce graphics technology designed especially for low-power devices, which they say is to allow for 3D interfaces, but we're sure could also be put to some other uses as well. No exact details as to when and where we can expect to chip just yet, but it'll apparently start to make its way into phones sometime next year, with Windows Mobile in particular able to exploit the technology in the chip -- no surprise there, given Microsoft's hand in the chip's development. Follow the break for a shot of NVIDIA's totally trippy demonstration interface that's in use on the APX2500's reference platform.

Continue reading NVIDIA shows off APX 2500 cellphone applications processor

NVIDIA's GoForce 5500 mobile platform demoed in action

by Donald Melanson posted Feb 16th 2007 @ 9:15PM

While we've already seen some still images of the newfangled OpenKODE-based interface for cellphones, and heard plenty of details about the capabilities of NVIDIA's GoForce 5500 mobile chipset, there's nothing like a good video to pull it all together, which Shiny Shiny has thankfully provided on their recent trek through the wilds of 3GSM. As you can see for yourself after the break, the combination definitely impresses, with full 3D games, seemingly high-quality video, and other multimedia capabilities on full display, not to mention a fairly snazzy and customizable interface. Somewhat ironically, NVIDIA seems to have decided to show it all off on the biggest monitor they could get their hands on. Although that may have ultimately been for the best -- the sight of a gaggle of sweaty and tired tech journalists huddled around a cellphone screen probably isn't the best way to attract interest from passer-bys..

Continue reading NVIDIA's GoForce 5500 mobile platform demoed in action

nVidia's GoForce 6100: no, it's not another iPhone clone

by Thomas Ricker posted Feb 13th 2007 @ 9:46AM

Yup, just another touch-screen media phone up there which have are poppin' dime-a-dozen since you know what. Ok, it's just a rendering from Quanta (yeah, that Quanta); no worries, it's only meant to demonstrate nVidia's GoForce 6100 multimedia applications processor -- the company's first. That's right, nVidia just unleashed their new silicon slab pumping a dedicated 250MHz ARM processor are its core with hardwired acceleration for processing-intensive multimedia and security (read: DRM) functions. It's capable of delivering H.264 and WMV9/VC-1 video at up to VGA resolution and 30fps. Hell, it even integrates 802.11b/g WiFi with WPA2 security and QoS, and supports USB 2.0 hosting and camera sensors up to 8 megapixels. Best of all, it's said to do all this while consuming less than half the power of "any applications processor available on the market today." NVIDIA is demonstrating a prototype at 3GSM running Chronos' OpenKODE 1.0 (think DirectX for handhelds) for rich, 3D widgety goodness. Expect the new proc to show up in a wide variety of portable electronic devices in 2007/2008. Oh, and peep the OpenKODE interface after the break.

Read -- NVIDIA
Read -- Khronos OpenKODE

Continue reading nVidia's GoForce 6100: no, it's not another iPhone clone