Tag Archives: system-on-chip

Newport Media claims tiniest, lowest-power 802.11n WiFi chip yet, smartphones get a little less thirsty

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Newport Media claims tiniest, lowestpower 80211n WiFi chip yet, smartphones get a little less thirsty

Cellular chipsets get all the love these days, but it's WiFi that's still the most ubiquitous -- and often the most consistent drain on the battery. Newport Media might have that last problem solved through its new NMC1000 chip. The part is billed as the lowest-power 802.11n wireless system-on-a-chip you'll find, and potentially a big help to smartphones and other devices that lean heavily on a wire-free existence. At just 2.5mm (0.1 inches) square, the equally record-setting size should also please device makers trying to squeeze wireless into an exceptionally tiny footprint. If you're as excited about the prospect of WiFi everywhere as Newport's Stock Photography Woman above appears to be, you can get more details below and expect full-scale production in the fall.

Continue reading Newport Media claims tiniest, lowest-power 802.11n WiFi chip yet, smartphones get a little less thirsty

Newport Media claims tiniest, lowest-power 802.11n WiFi chip yet, smartphones get a little less thirsty originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 21:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA touts 30 Tegra 3 smartphones set for this year, teases next-gen Grey SoC with on-board LTE

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NVIDIA touts 30 Tegra 3 smartphones set for this year, teases next-gen Grey SoC with on-board LTE

We're nearly halfway through 2012, but for NVIDIA, it seems the best is yet to come. The company's GM, Mike Rayfield, announced today that 30 smartphones with Tegra 3 chips are now slated for availability this year, which is double the success that the company had with its Tegra 2 platform during 2011. Perhaps more interesting, Rayfield also let it be known that the Grey platform -- not due for arrival until next year -- will be the first of NVIDIA's system-on-chip designs to include a built-in LTE radio. Specifically, we can expect it to include the Icera 500, a next-gen LTE modem that's set to supersede both the Icera 410 and 450 designs. The Icera 500 will initially debut as a standalone unit, but will later be integrated into the Grey platform. All things considered, perhaps its 2013 that NVIDIA should be most excited about.

NVIDIA touts 30 Tegra 3 smartphones set for this year, teases next-gen Grey SoC with on-board LTE originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 21:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Qualcomm hires former AMD CTO, makes ’em pay for dropping mobile

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Qualcomm is hiring AMD's former CTO Eric Demers to help the company produce a blockbuster mobile graphics chip. It needs the silicon for its big push for smartphone dominance (and tablets running Windows RT) in the face of strong competition from Imagination Technologies' Series 6 PowerVR and NVIDIA's Tegra 3. Demers' first job will be to merge Qualcomm's in-house Adreno team with ATI's Imageon mobile graphics chip team, which AMD flogged off for $65 million back in 2009 -- a move Sunnyvale is probably regretting now that it too is trying to get its hardware into mobile devices, unless it included a do-over clause in the sales contract.

Qualcomm hires former AMD CTO, makes 'em pay for dropping mobile originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 May 2012 12:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ST-Ericsson to pass off application processor business to STM, cut 1,700 jobs

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ST-Ericsson to pass off application processor business to STM, cut 1,700 jobsIt's not every day that ST-Ericsson crosses our radar twice, but in addition to reportedly signing a deal with HTC for developing low-end handset chips, the company just announced its plans for a turnaround. The message? A heavier focus on SoCs for smartphones and tablets, along with a push for even more partnerships to develop those products. While that all sounds rosy, ST-Ericsson is also ceding its application processor business -- employees, R&D and all -- to STMicroelectronics. All told, between the loss of its application processor business and other reshuffling, the company expects to shed around 1,700 jobs -- and save about $320 million annually. Those bittersweet details and more await you in the press release after the break.

Continue reading ST-Ericsson to pass off application processor business to STM, cut 1,700 jobs

ST-Ericsson to pass off application processor business to STM, cut 1,700 jobs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 22:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Qualcomm details Snapdragon S4-loaded Win8 notebooks further, will be lighter than Ultrabooks

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Qualcomm details Snapdragon S4-loaded Win8 notebooks further, will be lighter than Ultrabooks
Although ARM-based SoCs are generally associated with mobile devices, it's no secret that Qualcomm and NVIDIA want to get Windows 8 computers into the fray. We knew that both companies began seeding developers with prototype SoC-loaded computers back in February, but now more details have arisen about Qualcomm's plans in the area. According to PC World, the company's senior vice president, Rob Chandhok, explained that it's aiming to have a variant of its quad-core Snapdragon S4 chips in notebook PCs by the end of the year. It's said that this'll enable manufacturers to create machines that are immensely lighter and thinner than Intel's Ultrabooks and Apple's MacBook Air lineup, while offering up a unique experience thanks to its built-in 4G compatibility and graphics handling. What's more, the company also has a version of the chip on the table for the 64-bit version of Windows 8, but there's no word on if and when it would come to fruition. We can only imagine how many more options you'll have to run Microsoft's latest OS when it finally hits shelves this October -- for now, you'll find more details about Qualcomm's offerings at the source link

Qualcomm details Snapdragon S4-loaded Win8 notebooks further, will be lighter than Ultrabooks originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Apr 2012 09:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Electronista  |  sourcePC World  | Email this | Comments