Category: Tablets

Rockchip RK2818 to come at 1ghz with improved DSP

Posted by – July 13, 2010

Rockchip may be the new “China Processor”, that ARM Processor coming out of China that can be found in some of the cheap Android Tablets and Laptops. This could be a major part of China’s attempt at providing every component of future low cost computing devices, even the processor. The new version of the Rockchip processor is said to be faster, RK2808 is 600mhz while RK2818 can go to 1ghz. But according to Toms Hardware, this new Rockchip RK2818 might still be ARM926EJ-S ARMv5 based.

In practice, RK2808 reached 1.1 DMIPS per MHz, while a core based on the Cortex A8 is 2 DMIPS per MHz and the recent Cortex A9 is 2.5 per DMIPS MHz. Even at 1 GHz, a Rockchip will be about two times slower than what the Cortex competition offers (at a higher price).

The question might be, how much cheaper are ARM9 based devices? Rockchip might still be only for low-end lower cost devices mostly made by Chinese manufacturers. The good news is this new Rockchip can support Android 2.1 and 2.2 (while RK2808 can only do Android 1.5). It’s got to be thanks to its newer and better DSP graphics accelerator, with screen support at up to 1024×768 which could be great to power cheap ARM Powered laptops and low cost 10″ Android Tablets. Availability may be after September for a bunch of new RK2818 based products or maybe also simply quick upgrades of RK2808 based designs. I wonder if the new 720p video playback on RK2818 may be improved, while RK2808 could only playback H264 MKV 720p at up to 2.5mbit/s.

Source: Toms Hardware France (in french)

Windows CE 7

Posted by – June 24, 2010

So this is what Windows Compact Embedded 7 looks like! The unskinned version of WinCE7 looks basically quite a lot like WinCE6, but perhaps this new version of Windows CE has got some new optimizations to use ARM Cortex A8 and the more advanced hardware acceleration fully. And perhaps Windows CE 7 is meant to receive layers of customized user interfaces put on top of it, like Windows Phone 7 Series and like other potential UIs that partners of Microsoft surely are working on. Can this be considered an alternative to Windows 7 for ARM processors? I don’t know. How much can it really do?

SurfaceInk designs a 12.1″ capacitive Linux tablet

Posted by – June 23, 2010

Here’s the prototype of a 12.1″ Tablet designed by SurfaceInk based on the Freescale i.MX51.

$15 Android Computer presented by AllGo systems

Posted by – June 23, 2010

AllGo is presenting what may be one of the lowest cost ARM9 i.MX233 based Android device solution. For Tablets, PMPs, intelligent screens. AllGo provides Android software integration on the Freescale processors. The full Tablet with a 7″ WVGA screen and a battery could have a Bill Of Material cost of as low as $35.

Dell promotes the 5″ Android Tablet form factor

Posted by – June 21, 2010

Here’s my review of the Dell Streak, 5″ capacitive Qualcomm Snapdragon powered Android Tablet, as posted by JKKmobile.com a few minutes after I first tried to use his unit at the recent Computex in Taiwan.

The 4.8″ to 5″ Android Tablet is in my opinion the coolest and the best size for a Tablet because it is the largest possible screen that fits in most pockets, thus this form factor Android tablet can be carried around everywhere with the largest screen size for web browsing and watching videos and launching apps always available.

Archos created and has been selling this form factor since 2003 with their release of the Archos AV300, back then the first large screen PMP device. Since 2005, Archos released the first WiFi enabled touch screen embedded Linux Qtopia based PMA430 and for over 9 months, the Android based Archos 5 Internet Tablet has been available on the market at $249 in Radio Shack.

The release of the Dell Streak is a good thing for Archos as it popularizes the form factor. Also, I believe Archos has some advantages even with their 9 month old Android product such as pricing with a 9 month old pricing that is at about half the launch price of the Dell Streak, support for all video codecs and high profile H264, larger storage capacities up to 500GB, HDMI output, USB host and a bunch of other features. Also, Archos is expected to release 45nm based OMAP3640 Android tablet devices by September, thus further improving on the features and on the price/value performance.

$88 5″ Android Tablet: Acorp EM501R

Posted by – June 10, 2010

Acorp is releasing the EM501R, 4.8″ Android Rockchip RK2808 powered tablet to be sold at only $88 (for distributors buying at least 1000 pieces). This is the Acorp 5″ Rockchip 600mhz ARM9 based Android tablet. This sized tablet fits just fine in most pockets and provides better view of web browser, video and apps than on a 3.5″ phone.

JKKmobile.com: Viliv X10 Android tablet

Posted by – June 10, 2010

Here’s JKKmobile.com filming the new Viliv Android Samsung ARM Cortex A8 Powered tablet:

Source: http://jkkmobile.blogspot.com/2010/06/viliv-x10-android-tablet-at-computex.html

Malata SMB-A1011, 10 Inch Capacitive Android Tablet

Posted by – June 9, 2010

This tablet has a nice design, it’s compact and light for a 10″ capacitive Android tablet. It comes with a HDMI output for 1080p video output, USB host ports, is based on the ARM Cortex A9 based Nvidia Tegra 2 processor.

Here are the specs:

Processor: Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core ARM Cortex A9 at 1ghz
Screen: 10.1″ 16:9 1024×600 Capacitive touch-screen
Storage: 512MB to 1GB SLC, 2GB to 32GB iNand (depending on the chosen configuration)
RAM: 512MB to 1GB DDR2 (depending on the chosen configuration)
Inputs/outputs: Mini USB, Mini HDMI output, Headphones, MicroSD
Connectivity: WiFi b/g, Bluetooth (optional)
Other: G-sensor, built-in stereo speakers
Battery: 3500mAh lithium polymer
OS: Android 2.1
Size: 253 x 164 x 12.5mm
Weight: 660gr

dmobile shows MIO V720 7″ Tablet with built-in Wimax

Posted by – June 5, 2010

dmobile is showing some Tablets with built- in Wimax and HDMI video output.

Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8660, the third generation, 45nm dual-core 1.2ghz

Posted by – June 4, 2010

At Computex 2010, Qualcomm announced the sampling of their third generation Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, the Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8660, it’s a 45nm process, dual-core 1.2ghz. Here’s an interview with Mark Frankel, product manager of the Snapdragon processors at Qualcomm.

ZTE V7 4″ Maemo device

Posted by – June 4, 2010

A new design for a 4″ 800×480, Marvell PXA310 based Maemo Linux device, with the integrated thumb keyboard below the screen. Built-in camera for video-conferencing and GPS.

Foxconn 7″ Capacitive Android Tablet

Posted by – June 4, 2010

Cool looking, low cost, Qualcomm MSM7227 based Android Tablet, made by Foxconn.

Dell Streak Android Tablet

Posted by – June 4, 2010

So this is the first 4.8″ capacitive Android tablet, to be released at $500 or more (with unlocked 3G) according to rumors. Dell has been working on this for a while as Michael Dell first showed it to Techcrunch at Davos in January.

Netronix 9.7″ LCD E-Reader

Posted by – June 3, 2010

DigiLife Tablet with built-in Projector

Posted by – June 3, 2010

A tablet unlike all the others! Made by a DigiLife, a producer of professional vga camcorders, it adds a built-in vga projector to a 10″ capacitive touchscreen.
OS: Android
Processor: Samsung Cortex A8
Target price: less than 200 US$ !!

Sharp PC-T1 Ubuntu Tablet

Posted by – June 2, 2010

This is the tablet version of the Netwalker on sale in Japan. It has a resistive touchscreen and is powered by a Freescale i.MX51 processor.

Exclusive: Pegatron 10″ capacitive Android Tablet

Posted by – June 2, 2010

This 10′ Tablet is manufactured by Pegatron and has a Freescale i.MX 51 processor.


Here are some of the specifications:
LVDS 10.1 1024×600 16:9
Camera (1.3Mpix)
Wifi n,
3G optional
BlueTooth
HDMI output
2 USB,
Sim slot

Google Q&A: Google Marketplace on Tablets?

Posted by – June 2, 2010

I was lucky to be able to ask Sundar Pichai, Google Vice President of Product Management some questions during the Google Cloud Computing Q&A session at the Computex 2010 consumer electronics conference in Taipei Taiwan. Here are the questions I was able to ask during the Q&A:

1. Chrome browser as just an app in Android Smartbooks?
2. Google Marketplace on Tablets? (this video)
3. Native Code to support video and photo editing in Chrome?

Innoversal shows Pixel Qi Tablet

Posted by – June 2, 2010

Innoversal has a good looking Pixel Qi tablet design, based on Intel Atom for now, with an ARM Powered one coming soon as well. It runs Chromium OS, Android or Windows 7.

Shogo Tablet update from Daniel Schneersohn

Posted by – June 2, 2010

After my previous video unveiling the Shogo tablet, Daniel Schneersohn, representative of Realease is adressing some of the user comments that were in the youtube video and on the blog posts.