MediaTek, a leading designer of inexpensive application processors for smartphones, has introduced its first platform for wearable computing devices based on Google Android Wear software. This is the first highly-integrated solution for wearable devices from a maker of affordable mobile chips. MediaTek MT2601 is powered by two ARM Cortex-A7 1.2 GHz …
Read More »Nvidia details Tegra X1: 8 cores, 256 stream processors, 4K video and 20nm
Nvidia Corp. on Monday introduced its latest addition to the Tegra family of system-on-chips for mobile devices, the Tegra X1. The new application processor features the latest ARMv8 64-bit cores, Maxwell architecture graphics, ultra-high-definition video support as well as a massive amount of camera throughput. The all-new Nvidia Tegra X1 …
Read More »Marvell and Nvidia are working on processor modules for Project Ara smartphones
Google on Friday revealed that Marvell Technology Group and Nvidia Corp. are working on application processor modules for upcoming Ara smartphones. Previously a number of companies have publicly expressed support of the project Ara, but no one has revealed any particular plans. The disclosure from Google is generally the first …
Read More »Sony’s head-mounted display turns any glasses into smart-glasses
Sony Corp. has announced its Single-Lens Display Module that can turn any eyewear into smart-glasses. Just like Google Glass, Sony’s SLDM integrates its own application processor, sensors, battery and camera. The device will be shown off next month at the Consumer Electronics Show as a prototype, mass production will start …
Read More »Microsoft readies low-cost Nokia 435 smartphone
Microsoft Corp. is working on a new low-cost smartphone based on the Windows Phone 8 operating system. The new handset will target the same market segment as Nokia Asha and Nokia X devices. The first phone in the Lumia 400 range will feature 4” display with 480*800 resolution, Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 …
Read More »Samsung’s own CPU and GPU cores in design stage, due next year
Samsung Electronics has world-class semiconductor manufacturing facilities and leading-edge process technologies. While the company designs its own system-on-chips for mobile devices, Samsung continues to use application processors from Qualcomm for its high-end smartphones and extensively uses intellectual property from ARM Holdings and Imagination Technologies. Apparently, Samsung wants to change that …
Read More »Via Technologies will not leave CPU market despite losses
Via Technologies controls about 1 per cent of the world’s x86 microprocessor market and does not have a lot of chances to significantly boost sales of its central processing units. Despite of not very bright perspectives and financial losses, the company does not plan to leave the CPU market. Timothy …
Read More »Qualcomm confirms plans for high-performance processors for servers
Qualcomm, the world’s largest supplier of application processors for mobile devices, this week confirmed unofficial information that it is working on high-performance system-on-chips for the emerging market of micro-servers based on ARM-architecture processors. “We are engaged with customers,” said Steve Mollenkopf, chief executive officer of Qualcomm, during a meeting with …
Read More »Microsoft to upgrade all Windows Phone 8 devices to Windows 10
For a number of times in the past Microsoft Corp. dropped support of its mobile platforms as soon as it launched brand-new operating systems, which greatly destroyed loyal customer base of Windows Mobile and Windows Phone. Fortunately, this is not going to happen with Windows Phone 8 as the company …
Read More »Chief executive of Intel: Rockchip and Spreadtrum will drop ARM, stick to x86
Brian Krzanich, chief executive officer of Intel Corp., is completely convinced that the company’s deals with Rockchip Semiconductor and Tsinghua Unigroup (the owner of Spreadtrum Communications and RDA Microelectronics) will finally help the chipmaker to popularize its x86 technology on the market of mobile devices. Earlier this year Intel signed …
Read More »AMD hires former exec from Dell to head enterprise, embedded, semi-custom businesses
Advanced Micro Devices on Monday announced that Forrest Norrod, a former vice president and general manager of Dell’s server business, has joined the company as senior vice president and general manager of AMD’s enterprise, embedded and semi-custom (EESC) business group. “Forrest is an industry veteran whose strong track record of …
Read More »ARM licenses next-gen ‘Maya’ cores to three more partners
ARM Holdings has announced that it had licensed its next-generation 64-bit code-named “Maya” general-purpose processing cores to three more companies. This means that the first system-on-chips based on ARM’s second-generation 64-bit architecture could hit the market sometimes in 2016 or even earlier. “We have signed three licenses for Maya, our …
Read More »Samsung rolls-out eight-core Exynos 7 Octa application processor
Samsung Electronics on Thursday unveiled its all-new Exynos 7 application processor for mobile and consumer electronics devices. The features eight processing cores, high-end graphics engine, 4K ultra-high-definition video output and a number of other innovations. The chip is made using Samsung’s latest process technology and will power numerous future devices …
Read More »ARM: 20nm process tech will not be used by mainstream applications
Due to multiple reasons the majority of developers of various system-on-chip devices will skip 20nm process technology of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and will use 14nm and 16nm FinFET fabrication processors of TSMC, GlobalFoundries and Samsung Electronics. Traditionally TSMC and other foundries develop multiple different process technologies for different kinds …
Read More »Microsoft to dump ARM-based Surface media tablets – report
While Microsoft Corp. will continue to offer its Surface Pro line of tablets designed for creative professionals and corporate users, the company is currently reconsidering the future of its Surface media tablets, at least, in their current form. According to a report, Microsoft may dump ARM-based Surface tablets and offer only …
Read More »ARM and TSMC expect first 10nm tape-outs in late 2015
ARM Holdings and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. on Thursday outlined some details regarding transition of chip production to 10nm FinFET manufacturing technology. The company’s reaffirmed that risk production of chips made using 10nm FF fabrication process will start in late 2015. The two companies agreed to work together on 10nm FinFET …
Read More »ARM and TSMC unveil 16nm FinFET heterogeneous multi-core CPU
ARM Holdings and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. on Tuesday unveiled the world’s first heterogeneous multi-core microprocessor made using 16nm FinFET (16FF) process technology. The chip, which integrates the ARM Cortex-A57 and the ARM Cortex-A53 cores, is designed to showcase that ARM’s designs and TSMC’s 16nm FinFET process technology are compatible …
Read More »Intel pays $1.5 billion to make SoC developer choose x86 over ARM
Intel Corp. and Tsinghua Unigroup, a China state-owned limited liability corporation, confirmed that they have signed an agreement under which Intel will acquire 20 per cent stake in the Chinese holding company, which controls two developers of mobile system-on-chips (SoCs), for $1.5 billion. It is believed that that the SoC …
Read More »Intel acquires 20% stake in Chinese mobile SoC developer
Intel Corp. has quietly acquired a 20 per cent stake in a Chinese holding company that controls developers of system-on-chips for smartphones and other mobile devices, according to two media reports. It is expected that the chip designers will develop application processors for mobiles powered by Intel’s x86 cores, which will …
Read More »ARM unveils Cortex-M7 for smart devices, industrial equipment
ARM Holdings this week introduced its new Cortex-M7 processor that promises to double the compute and digital signal processing (DSP) capability for high-end embedded applications used in next generation vehicles, connected devices (including the so-called Internet-of-things devices), and smart homes and factories. The ARM Cortex-M7 core is based on the …
Read More »ARM signs 50th 64-bit ARMv8-A licensing agreement
ARM Holding this week said it has signed its 50th licensing agreement for its ARMv8-A technology, which includes support for 64-bit computing. The milestone indicates growing popularity of ARM’s 64-bit technology among developers of various system-on-chips. It is likely that going forward the adoption of the ARMv8-A will accelerate. ARM …
Read More »Razer reveals ‘Razer Cortex’ software
Razer is re-branding its Game Booster software and giving it price comparison capabilities. Razer Cortex will compare prices from reputable digital game outlets, such as Steam, Green Man Gaming, GOG and Gamers Gate to show you the cheapest price available. In addition, the software's ‘game booster' section will allow you …
Read More »Intel could buy an ARM SoC vendor, MediaTek is a target – analyst
In a bid to finally become successful on the market of mobile devices, Intel Corp. needs to buy an existing developer of ARM-based system-on-chips (SoCs) for smartphones and tablets, a market analyst said. It is believed that MediaTek is a potential target for acquisition. It is not a secret that application …
Read More »Analysts: Media tablets for $35 are incoming
As more manufacturers enter the market of media tablets, prices of slates fall rather dramatically. This week analysts from the Linley Group said that thanks to emergence of ultra-low-cost system-on-chips (SoCs), such as Allwinner A33 and some Intel Corp.’s SoCs, prices of white-box tablets could drop to $35 (£21, €26 …
Read More »Intel acquires LSI’s Axxia networking processor unit from Avago
Avago Technologies continues to resell assets it got from LSI last year. On Thursday Avago and Intel said that the latter will acquire the Axxia networking business from the former. The acquisition of Axxia essentially makes Intel a supplier of network processors based on ARM Cortex and IBM Power processing …
Read More »AMD ready to build custom 64-bit ARM processors for servers
Advanced Micro Devices yet has to commercially ship its first ARMv8-based system-on-chip for servers code-named Seattle. Nonetheless, the company already says that it is ready to develop semi-custom server-class SoCs for servers based on the 64-bit ARMv8 architecture. The company already offers customized Opteron chips powered by its x86 cores. …
Read More »Acer introduces Chromebook with Nvidia Tegra K1 inside
Acer Group has announced the world’s first Chromebook – a notebook running Google’s Chrome OS – powered by Nvidia Corp.’s Tegra K1 system-on-chip. The laptop offers everything that the Chrome OS has to offer in addition to a high-performance application processor from Nvidia and up to 13 hours of battery …
Read More »ARM server eco-system developing slower than expected – Dell
Although many market observers expect processors based on the ARM architecture to capture a significant part of server market going forward, delays of hardware and infrastructure development reduces ARM’s chances on this market. Intel Corp. is quickly developing new low-power x86 server chips that reduce appeal of ARM for server …
Read More »AMD begins to sell ARMv8 Opteron ‘Seattle’ kits to software developers
Advanced Micro Devices on Thursday began to sell server software development kits based on its multi-core AMD Opteron A1100-series code-named “Seattle” server microprocessors that employ the ARM Cortex-A57 cores. At present AMD is the only provider of 64-bit ARM server hardware with complete ARMv8 instruction set support to foster the …
Read More »Allwinner introduces quad-core processor for $4
Allwinner, a Chinese maker of application processors for mobile devices, said this week that its A33 system-on-chip is now in mass production. The A33 is the world’s first quad-core application processor that costs only $4 and thus can enable very affordable smartphones or tablets. Moreover, the developer claims that the …
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