Chips&Media CODA9A0 presents 4K2K video decode for ARM Cortex-A15

Posted by – March 3, 2012

Chips and Media provides hardwired video codec IP for ARM chip makers, that accelerates and smoothly plays back now up to 2160p video at 30fps for ARM Cortex-A15 processors to be taped out mid-year and possibly released in devices by the end of the year!

Celluon Prodigy, infrared keyboard and kick-stand as iPhone case

Posted by – March 3, 2012

Celluon is showing a prototype of their red lazer infrared keyboard integrated in an iPhone case that also comes with a kick-stand. They are also working to reduce the size of their keyboard projection/detection module to try to work with tablet and smartphone makers to include this system directly into tablets and smartphones. You can watch my video of the Celluon Magic Cube filmed at CES 2011 here.

Oblong g-speak spatial operating environment

Posted by – March 3, 2012

From the science adviser of the movie The Minority Report, it’s about moving stuff around on interfaces by gestures, special remotes, special user interfaces and more.

VisualOn video playback at Mobile World Congress 2012

Posted by – March 3, 2012

VisualOn provides software solutions to ensure smooth video playback accross all ARM Powered devices. For example Netflix uses VisualOn to smoothly work accross all Android devices, all other OS etc.

Renesas MP5232 Dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 with integrated LTE

Posted by – March 2, 2012

Renesas Mobile demonstrates their MP5232 platform, containing a Dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 at 1.5Ghz, PowerVR SGX544 GPU and integrated Cat-4 LTE/HSPA/2G triple-mode modem in a single chip, which offers a solution to handset vendors that significantly lowers the cost and power consumption of high-performance LTE smartphones. Together with Renesas MP5225 platform, a two-chip solution for high-end smartphones, and Renesas SP2531, a modem-only platform for Triple-Mode LTE/HSPA/2G data cards and embedded modules, Renesas Mobile is bringing LTE to the Mass Market.

ST-Ericson L9540 1.85Ghz ARM Cortex-A9

Posted by – March 2, 2012

ST-Ericsson demonstrates their new L9540 1.85Ghz ARM Cortex-A9 Dual-core processor with the SGX544 GPU. They show that it can be cranked at up to 2.2Ghz and it can also automatically be down-clocked to 400Mhz when not much CPU performance is needed when for example tasks like video-playback are offloaded to an other part of the System on Chip.

I’m interviewed on DRadio Wissen, German National Radio

Posted by – March 1, 2012

In this Interview conducted by Moritz Metz broadcast on the German National Radio Network DRadio Wissen, I talk about Augmented Reality, Head-mounted wearable computing, the new user interfaces that provides. You can listen to the 5-minute audio Interview in English at: http://wissen.dradio.de/datenbrille-golden-i-internet-im-gesicht.36.de.html?dram%3Aarticle_id=15321

You can also listen the Interview Moritz Metz did with me last year at CeBIT for the same Radio station where I talk about my job as a video-blogger here: http://wissen.dradio.de/cebit-blogger-reist-gadgets-hinterher.36.de.html?dram:article_id=8810&dram:audio_id=11295&dram:play=1

Windows 8 on ARM Consumer Preview Mobile World Congress 2012 keynote presentation highlights

Posted by – February 29, 2012

Here’s my 21-minute highlights video of the Windows 8 on ARM “Consumer Preview” event keynote at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

After the presentation, I was able to ask a few questions to Steven Synofsky and Michael Anguilo, here are some of those replies that I got:

– Desktop apps on Windows Store and Windows Store for ARM: They’ll clarify it to my email later. Steve Synofsky says it’s clear in the blog post. Windows Store is for Metro apps but there is a “parallel thing” (paraphrasing) for Desktop apps, the whole Third Party Desktop Apps for Windows 8 are not to be previewed on the Consumer Preview release yet.

– Multi-booting other OS when secure boot is in use. Steve Synofsky says that is up to the OEM. Secure Boot is a feature Microsoft provides as an option. The whole point of Secure Boot is that people cannot just “boot stuff from their garage”. But he did not seem to dismiss that OEMs can dual-boot for example Android or Ubuntu on the same device.

He didn’t say if Microsoft plans to do backroom deals with manufacturers to force them only to load Windows 8 and nothing else on devices or not, I guess not, but you never know… Maybe they do not apply “rebates” for OEMs that make things a bit “too open”, does that make any sense?

– Windows 8 remains just TI, Qualcomm, Nvidia business for now on ARM, as with Windows Phone, Microsoft limits the number of ARM Partners that can fully hardware accelerate their software platform for now. I think a lot of the other ARM chip providers are in discussions with Microsoft to see when they can also support their software. My guess is Microsoft wants a very high performance for the first supported ARM SoCs, that is why it only is being demonstrated on TI OMAP4470, Nvidia Tegra3 and Qualcomm Krait MSM8960 for now.

If I do get in contact with someone from Microsoft over email to get clarifications for Windows on ARM, please let me know in the comments what type of questions remain to be answered.

Qualcomm Browser/Desktop Optimizations for Krait!

Posted by – February 29, 2012

Sy Choudhury, Director of Product Management of the Web Technologies at Qualcomm talks about the hardware and software optimizations that Qualcomm is working on to make full desktop sized web browsing and other Desktop style features as smooth on their upcoming Krait platform as on any Intel Atom or other x86 processor platform for ARM Laptops, ARM Desktops, ARM Convertibles and ARM Smartphones and Tablets with Desktop and Laptop Docks! Qualcomm is pushing for the full software optimizations for the full HTML5 support and they are pushing for new HTML5 specs to more rapidly improve the features of ARM Powered Productivity oriented use of devices.

Qualcomm APQ8064 Quad-core with Adreno 320

Posted by – February 29, 2012

Qualcomm shows their newest Quad-core APQ8064 28nm processor with their new Adreno 320 GPU, here they are showing their design for Asynchronous power. They have also announced the MSM8960 Pro with that same Adreno 320 GPU.

Rockchip RK30xx ARM Cortex-A9 announced

Posted by – February 29, 2012

Rockchip and ARM have announced the new Rockchip RK30xx series at Mobile World Congress. Expect full mass production to happen around May 2012, with samples being shipped around right now. Check back on my blog in the coming weeks and months for many affordable tablets, smartphones and Set-top-boxes featuring this new up to 1.4Ghz Dual-core 40nm Rockchip processor. The SoC price is just $15 for this dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 system!

Samsung Galaxy Mini 2

Posted by – February 29, 2012

3.3″ HVGA, 800Mhz, possibly the new cheapest Samsung Android smartphone.

Samsung Galaxy Blaze 4G for T-Mobile in the USA

Posted by – February 29, 2012

4″ WVGA Super AMOLED, 1.5Ghz Dual-core processor. This is a mid-range smartphone for the T-Mobile USA network.

Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus

Posted by – February 29, 2012

3.65″ HVGA cheap Samsung phone, maybe $99.

Samsung Galaxy Ace 2

Posted by – February 29, 2012

New cheap Samsung smartphone.

LG Optimus 4X HD, Tegra3 phone

Posted by – February 29, 2012

This is the new high-end quad-core LG smartphone.

Lightbox, app for photography enthusiasts

Posted by – February 29, 2012

Lightbox is an app and a website for communities of photography enthusiasts.

LG Optimus L7

Posted by – February 29, 2012

LG Optimus L7 may become a very very popular phone if priced right. This one has a 4.3″ WVGA screen, and runs on the new Qualcomm MSM7227A ARM Cortex-A5 processor at 1Ghz. The performance is above that of an ARM Cortex-A8 yet the power consumption and price is lower! My guess is LG may suggest a $199 retail price on this one with no contracts required!

LG Optimus L5

Posted by – February 29, 2012

Possibly a new $149 (this price is my guess) super affordable yet stylish phone with a 4″ HVGA screen and the low cost high performance Qualcomm MSM7225A processor.

LG Optimus L3

Posted by – February 29, 2012

Likely a sub-$99 Android phone from LG based on the new low cost high-performance Qualcomm MSM7225A ARM Cortex-A5 processor.