nvidia tegra

First NVIDIA Tegra-based “netbook” confirmed

by ThinkPads on October 21, 2009

mobinnova_beam_nvidia_tegra

It may not be a Lenovo, but you guys know I have a thing for the forthcoming NVIDIA Tegra-based PCs. Called the Mobinnova Beam, this 8.9-inch netbook will be far more than any other netbook on the market.

The Beam will be powered by the NVIDIA Tegra platform and run on Windows CE, an OS designed for low-power, instant-on embedded devices that don’t have a lot of processing power, but also don’t need the extendability of a full-fledged Windows OS. Some will describe this device more like a smartbook than a netbook, but I think the name netbook is more fitting: instant-on, long battery life, multimedia capabilities, and portable. As I’ve said before, Atom-powered netbooks compromise so much that they aren’t very good at doing the few things they are intended to do.

Tegra should have plenty of horsepower to browse the web and do some office productivity stuff, but can handle HD video without a problem. Of course don’t forget when Flash 10.1 hits next year, it will have NVIDIA GPU acceleration that will enable HD Flash video playback – something a regular Atom netbook can’t touch. Oh, and it’ll run 5-10 hours while playing HD video.

It is expected that the Beam will be offered subsidized as part of a 3G internet contract, with an official announcement coming at CES 2010.

Read other posts related to NVIDIA Tegra or HD video

Source: [LaptopMag]

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Flash 10.1 to add NVIDIA GPU acceleration, smartphone support

by ThinkPads on October 5, 2009

Problem: Flash is a CPU hog and makes watching high res video on low-end systems impossible

Solution: Flash 10.1 to receive NVIDIA GPU acceleration and run on certain smartphones

We’ve been dancing around this for a while. The Broadcom HD Accelerator originally promised Flash acceleration support sometime next year. The VIA Nano platform for netbooks helped with some more horsepower. And just a few short days ago, a netbook was demo’d playing HD video via YouTube flawlessly.

Adobe has finally officially announced that Flash 10.1 will support GPU acceleration on NVIDIA Ion, GeForce, and Tegra products. This means netbooks like the IdeaPad S12 (if it ever launches with Ion) or the HP Mini 311 (which can already play Call of Duty 4) will now be able to play HD video like on Hulu or YouTube without a problem.

I’ve talked a lot about my love of NVIDIA’s Tegra platform and this just completes that picture. The forthcoming Tegra-based, Chrome OS running Lenovo smartbook will be able to seamlessly watch high-def videos, in Flash or otherwise, and likely get similar or better overall battery life than Intel’s Atom platform which can’t handle HD at all. Also, the new Zune HD music player uses the Tegra chip and its browser may eventually benefit from Flash acceleration. YouTube on the Zune HD? Yes please. I smell an app from Microsoft.

As for smartphones, Flash 10.1 will also run on the following phone OSs: Blackberry, Google Android, Palm WebOS, Windows Mobile, and Nokia Symbian S60. James at jkOnTheRun talks a bit more about the phone implementation.

Look for Flash 10.1 to hit sometime in the first half of 2010, and the masses will rejoice.

Read more about HD Video, NVIDIA Ion or NVIDIA Tegra

Source: [Adobe] via [Lilliputing]

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I knew it: NVIDIA working on Chrome OS for Tegra platform

by ThinkPads on September 24, 2009

thinkpad_tegra_google_logos

Our friends at jkOnTheRun recently had a long chat with NVIDIA and have confirmed that they are working closely with Google to support Chrome OS on the Tegra platform.

As a quick catch-up, NVIDIA Tegra is a low power computing technology platform that has “just enough” processing power, but with exceptional multimedia performance and just as impressive power consumption. We’ve reported on rumors before that Lenovo is developing an NVIDIA Tegra based device before, and part of those rumors included Chrome OS as the operating system.

If there was any question this was coming, there isn’t any more. Kevin at jkOnTheRun and I are just brothers from another mother, as he see’s mobile devices just as I have. Netbooks are “dehydrated laptops” (great quote Kevin!) and try to deliver the full computing experience with lesser hardware that adds a lot of compromises to reduce cost and power consumption. Sure netbooks have their place, but they really miss the mark on what a truly low cost, ultraportable secondary computing device should be.

NVIDIA Tegra looks to be an excellent hardware platform for a proper netbook, rather than a “dehydrated laptop.” And Chrome OS might be just the ticket for a lightweight, web-centric, multimedia-friendly operating system. I know I’m excited…

Source: [jkOnTheRun]

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[More Rumors] Lenovo “smartbook” coming: NVIDIA Tegra, Goole Chrome OS

by ThinkPads on September 3, 2009

thinkpad-chromeDigiTimes is reporting that Lenovo will be launching a smartbook at the end of September, featuring NVIDIA’s Tegra platform and the Google Chrome OS.

Just two short days ago we brought you word that the rumormill was insisting Lenovo and Acer would launch a mobile device with Tegra and Chrome OS. This makes sense.

As I discussed previously, NVIDIA Tegra is a really cool platform and frankly is what netbooks should have been. Chrome OS makes perfect sense for Tegra, to be truly web-centric with real multimedia capabilities (Try watching HD video on an Atom netbook). What this smartbook will also need is some type of always-on connection, with either the connection or device subsidized by one or the other. Think what Amazon did with the Kindle’s whispernet – downloads books in the background & with zero billing/interaction from the customer. The hardware will also need to be unique and cool, something that Lenovo seems to be doing well with lately.

I’m still a bit skeptical it will hit by end of month, but I’m waiting with bated breath. You know what they say: once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, third time is…

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Rumormill: Lenovo & Acer to ship NVIDIA Tegra laptops running Google Chrome OS

by ThinkPads on September 1, 2009

chrome-netbookLilliputing brings us word from Shanzhai.com that Lenovo and Acer will be releasing new mobile devices later this year that run on NVIDIA’s Tegra hardware platform and use the Google Chrome OS.

File this one under “Definitely, but not quite that soon.” Lenovo has been very aggressive this year. Their Idea line of notebooks and desktops has expanded dramatically, including unexpected devices like a home server, HTPC, and several sexy all-in-one’s. The traditionally slow-to-change and relatively conservative ThinkPad line got my beloved T400s, and rumor has it there are more ThinkPad launches to come. A highly progressive machine with NVIDIA’s low-power, multimedia friendly Tegra platform and Google’s web-centric, highly efficient Chrome OS would be right up Lenovo’s ally as of late.

I think the big hold up is Google Chrome OS. Google is not known to rush anything, and they themselves said polished versions would not likely be seen until next year. Add to that the fact most rumors tend to call for a product long before it actually appears, and you have the makings for a Lenovo-designed, Tegra-based, Chrome OS powered notebook.

What will really separate Lenovo from the pack on this beast is a truly innovative design. The desire to maximize margins and go with something low-rent to keep with the hardware and OS will be huge, but that would once again be missing the opportunity. Even if this is a loss leader, it would make a big splash as a well engineered, unique machine. I know my cries are falling on deaf ears, as it is too far along in the design process to change anything, so I will get off my soapbox now.

Read posts related to NVIDIA Tegra or Chrome OS

Source: [Lilliputing]

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NVIDIA showing off low-power, specialized mini-laptop

by ThinkPads on August 7, 2009

nvidia_tegra_inventec_rainbow_netbook

Powered by their Tegra technology, NVIDIA is showcasing the Inventec Rainbow mini-laptop. The Rainbow is a netbook-like laptop that has special components and technologies to accomplish specific tasks efficiently and cheaply.

Sounds like a bit of a conundrum doesn’t it? Eerily reminiscent of a netbook, sporting the familiar 10.1-inch chassis, the Inventec Rainbow looks to succeed where netbooks fail. If you’ve ever used a netbook, you know that using it for anything other than instant-connectivity internet purposes is painful, and forget any remotely high-res video on 99% of netbooks.

The Inventec Rainbow is a machine using NVIDIA’s Tegra platform, consisting of a low-power ARM processor and NVIDIA graphics. The CPU itself runs at 600MHz and uses very little power, making do with 256MB of RAM and 256MB flash memory for storage. It has the usual WiFi connectivity, but also WWAN, GPS, and an optional digital TV tuner. In addition to the TV tuner, it can play high def video content thanks to the NVIDIA graphics.

The 2200mAh battery is about half the capacity of most current netbook batteries, yet will run the Rainbow for 4 hours while playing 720p content. That same battery will also keep the Rainbow in standby mode for up to 10 days, ready for instant usage.

Powering all this isn’t some obscure Linux distro or crippled instant-on interface (which is generally Linux anyway), but Windows CE 6.0 with a special interface that offers Firefox for web browsing and a few other applications to cover your basic needs.

My take
This is what netbooks should’ve been. They suck at multi-tasking as it is and between the screen size, poor keyboard layout, and wimpy performance netbooks aren’t suited for heavy usage anyway. Instead of trying to do everything a full notebook can do, but poorly, netbooks should have focused on a superior experience at their few intended usages – ala Tegra.

A graphics chipset that can chow down on HD content, ultra-low power design with just enough horsepower to do one simple task at a time, all the features to connect to anything (including TV), and an OS without bloat (i.e. un-needed features). While the keyboard is a bit of a leftover here, since most people won’t do much typing, a capacitive LCD would match user input to the usage. Of course that would be very cost prohibitive, but one can dream.

Source: [CNET Taiwan] via [Lilliputing]

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