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:: PC Perspective . Mobile
NVIDIA Optimus Technology: Performance and Battery Life for your NotebookMobile - Feb 09, 2010 | 09:00 AM We have been playing with NVIDIA Optimus Technology for a couple of weeks now and I have been nothing but impressed by this new mobility offering that promises the performance of discrete graphics solutions with the battery life of integrated graphics. Can NVIDIA really pull it off? We think they have, so stop in and read (or watch!) our review of the future of mobile computing! 
Asus G51J Notebook Review - Mobile PC Gaming for the MainstreamMobile - Feb 02, 2010 | 12:00 PM Asus aims between the eyes with a deadly combination of design, performance, and price. But is it enough to put it in the G51J gaming notebook on your shopping list in the crowded marketplace? 
Intel i7 Extreme 920XM with NVIDIA GTX 280M Performance Review - Breaking the Mobile Speed BarrierMobile - Jan 16, 2010 | 08:00 PM We take a hands-on look at a top-of-the-line Intel Calpella notebook complete with an Intel Core i7 Extreme 920XM CPU and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M. It doesn't come much faster and portable than this!
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: PC Perspective | Subject: Mobile
It takes a little while to explain why people are so excited about nVIDIA Optimus and its graphics switching capabilities, first you have to explore the history of switchable mobile graphics. In the past the graphics were adjusted with a manual switch and a complete reboot, not exactly the most convenient way to manage mobile graphics on the fly. It has improved recently, to the point where you can change on the fly, assuming you have closed some necessary programs. The new Optimus technology promises to free you from that necessity, read Ryan's full review to see how well they did.
"I think is fair to say that NVIDIA Optimus is one of the most impressive mobile technologies we have ever seen. While switchable graphics promised us a future of mobility computing that was both light on power consumption and heavy on performance, Optimus looks like it could actually deliver on that. The ability to seamlessly and near-instantaneously switch between the integrated graphics on nearly any Intel platform and a large number of discrete graphics chips from NVIDIA enables a totally new paradigm for notebooks computers." Here are some more Mobile articles from around the web:
Ryan Shrout | Source: PC Perspective | Subject: Mobile
If you haven't yet checked out my write up on the new NVIDIA Optimus Technology, you should definitely be hitting that up. Here's the executive summary:
I think is fair to say that NVIDIA Optimus is one of the most impressive mobile technologies we have ever seen. While switchable graphics promised us a future of mobility computing that was both light on power consumption and heavy on performance, Optimus looks like it could actually deliver on that. The ability to seamlessly and near-instantaneously switch between the integrated graphics on nearly any Intel platform and a large number of discrete graphics chips from NVIDIA enables a totally new paradigm for notebooks computers.
Read up! Oh, and if you want, check out our video review that was cut and put together by our own PC Perspective "Intern Ken"! Be sure to watch it to see our clever use of this Optimus Prime / NVIDIA image during transitions.
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: InsideHW | Subject: Mobile
Jon just recently finished reviewing the ASUS G51J gaming notebook; $1500 and powered by a Core i7 720QM and the nVIDIA GTX 260M. InsideHW received a different model, the G60J which keeps the same GPU and RAM but uses an i7 820QM. Perhaps the biggest difference is the resolution of the 16" displays, the G51J sports a nice HD quality 1920x1080 where as the G60J is 1366x768. The difference in price is indeterminate at this time, but with the faster 820QM the G60J is likely to run you a bit more than the G51J.
"The indigo-blue chassis glistens in the sun while Asus G60J slowly appears from the darkness to enter the testing track. The lit-up “Republic of Gamers” logo clearly states whom G60J is destined for. It’s run by one of the most powerful engines currently in production – the quad-core Core i7- 820QM, and it is unmatched in the wealth of its accessories. Mentioning only some of that wealth should suffice: GeForce GTX 260M, 4 GB DDR3-1066, 2x500 GB HDD… It’s clear that Asus G60J is a sport machine that takes the breath away, taking the lead from other competitors on the track with ease…" Here are some more Mobile articles from around the web:
Jonathan Hung | Source: Dell | Subject: Mobile
During CES, Dell made a buzz by announcing an Alienware branded netbook. The buzz wasn't so much that it was a netbook, but the fact it really wasn't much of a netbook at all. The Alienware M11x is more of a subnote sporting a Core 2 SU4100 processor, 2GB RAM (upgradable to 8GB!), and a NVIDIA GT335M GPU which is more than capable of running HD content and games on the 1366x768 LED backlit screen.
Regardless of the netbook / subnote classification, it's certainly one of the fastest performing systems for the size. According to Engadget, the M11x will start shipping in March 2010. Hit the link to start configuring your own. 
Jonathan Hung | Source: Gizmodo | Subject: Mobile
Last week speculation swirled around a Microsoft branded Zune phone, thanks to three new phone devices added to the Zune software .inf file.
Well it seems that it has been pretty much confirmed that Microsoft will be launching a Zune Phone at the Mobile World Congress (Feb. 15-18 in Barcelona). According to a report on Gizmodo, a Spanish source (here) has confirmed that MS will make this presentation, and states that it will sport a 480x272 screen, HDMI out, and weigh 70 grams - pretty much a Zune HD with a phone feature. The Zune Phone is also speculated to continue using NVIDIA's Tegra, which means some nice performance on the graphics side of things. I just wish there was Zune service in Canada (the Zune HD never even made it to market here). 
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Red & Blackness Mods | Subject: Mobile
There are differing models of the Asus UL50-V Laptop, one Core 2 Duo and one a Celeron but both have nVIDIA's G210M with 512MB GDDR3 VRAM
powering the 1366x768 15.6" LCD. The one option that seems to be lacking is ability to choose an SSD, all they offer are 5400RPM drives in three different sizes. The model that R&B Mods tested utilizes the C2D Su7300 which did not fare well against the C2D T6400 based Samsung R720 but it comes in as a fair deal at the ~$800 price mark.
"Today it's time once again to take a look at a product from Asus. Today we got their latest laptop named UL50-V that seems to be a mid range laptop with a price around 800$. It has some neat features like a long battery time, slim build, and a very exclusive looking case so lets have a closer look at this sample." Here are some more Mobile articles from around the web:
Jonathan Hung | Source: MSI | Subject: Mobile
MSI is commemorating the millions of Wind netbooks sold worldwide by announcing a special edition Wind U135 Special Edition netbook. This new netbook is unique in that it features a raised keyboard giving keys 20% more surface area which will help improve user accuracy and generally make your computing more pleasant.
The U135 comes with the latest Intel Atom N450 , a 160GB or 250GB HDD, 1 GB DD2 memory, and Windows 7 Starter edition. There will be a choice of four colours (Silver, Charcoal, Ruby, and Sapphire) and will start at $309. For me, the raised keyboard is very interesting since netbooks are notoriously bad for ergonomics and painful during long typing sessions. The U135 is available now at popular stores like Fry's Electronics, Comp USA, Amazon, and NewEgg.
MSI Wind U135 Specs:
Ryan Shrout | Source: PC Perspective | Subject: Mobile
While I don't profess to know as much about this major Apple product line revision as I did in the previous instance where NVIDIA invaded the entire mobile product line, what I DO know this time might be just as interesting. After checking with quite a few sources I can say without a doubt that the upcoming Apple tablet device being announced on Wednesday will not have any version of the NVIDIA Tegra product powering it.
Late last year and during CES, rumors were circling that NVIDIA could have another big win on its hands powering the "uber-gizmo" that will be the Apple holy-grail tablet but that is obviously no longer the case. 
The image that had many people wondering, then not, then wondering again. Of course it didn't hurt NVIDIA's case (or its stock) that there were quite a few tablet devices shown in the first week of January at CES that were in fact Tegra powered. I even demonstrated one on TWiT Live with Leo Laporte on This Week in Computer Hardware - the very one pictured below: 
If you haven't already about Tegra or the upcoming changes to the architecture and what it could possibly mean to the world of mobile computing, you should definitely do so:
If this is indeed the case, it provides an interesting application note: the Apple tablet will very likely not be a "Mac without a keyboard" as some are speculating. Without an x86 processor such a system would not be able to easily run programs and applications available on Mac OS X today and thus we will very like see a system using an iPhone-like OS or something completely new from the company.
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Tech Spot | Subject: Mobile
The new Eee PC 1101HA sports an 11.6" screen at 1366×768 and is powered by an Atom Z520 @ 1.33GHz, 1GB of DDR2 memory and a 160GB hard drive, relatively common for smaller sized mobiles. Interestingly, it supports overclocking; Tech Spot had it running at 1.74GHz stably. You still shouldn't expect huge results from an Atom processor but including overclocking in a Seashell, or any other notebook for that matter, is going to garner you some fans. "The Eee PC 1101HA was Asus' first netbook to go beyond the 10-inch display size, sporting an 11.6- inch panel capable of a 1366×768 resolution -- they also have the 12.1-inch Eee PC 1201HA now. These larger screen netbooks provide a user experience that comes very close to that of a standard laptop, in fact, a few years back you would've had to pay a hefty premium for an ultra-portable notebook if you wanted the kind of mobility and flexibility a current generation netbook can provide." Here are some more Mobile articles from around the web:
Jonathan Hung | Source: engadget | Subject: Mobile
 A month ago, Ryan posted an interesting news article on the Broadcom Crystal HD, and raised the question what Broadcom meant by stating: "software support for Adobe Flash Player (v10.1), Windows Media Player (v12)". Ryan's concern was that Broadcom's acceleration only applies to these supported applications.
Today we have our answer thanks to Engadget taking a look at the Dell Mini 10 loaded with a Broadcom Crystal HD (read it here). Essentially Broadcom's Crystal HD will only work if the software is enabled for it - currently this means Flash 10.3 (with a driver update), Windows Media Player 12, and an unreleased Arc Soft Blu-ray player. For 80% of the netbook buying population this combination is probably sufficient for their needs, but if you're hoping to use a different software combination, you may be out of luck. The article also points out that the Dell Mini 10 does not have HDMI output, despite it having HD decode capabilities. Hit the article for the details!
"As for downloaded HD content, a 1080p WMV video of dolphins and the Iron Man 2 trailer from Apple's site played smoothly in Windows Media Player 11 -- something we'd hoped Pine Trail netbooks would do on their own. However, because Broadcom only supports Windows Media Player, that same MOV was like watching a slide-show in QuickTime. We're pretty happy we figured that out before we went and purchased Iron Man in HD from iTunes. In turn, because Windows Media Player 11 doesn't support Blu-ray playback, and Broadcom's other software partners haven't released players yet (we're told ArcSoft is working on one), playing a Blu-ray disc if you happen to have an external drive isn't an option at the moment."
Jonathan Hung | Source: General | Subject: Mobile
.jpg) Silicon.com sat down with Asus CEO Jonney Shih to discuss current and emerging trends in mobile computing. While tablets seems to be the hot topic du jour in the mobile PC market these days, in talking with the CEO of the company that birthed the netbook PC, Jonney predicts that tablets are not ready for the market, citing that "Content is still not attractive enough today to the customer".
Mr. Shih is also quite guarded on the prospects of Smartbooks stating that in order for these products to succeed, they need to be cheap, but that would also imply using OSes like Android or Chrome. The CEO also talks about wearable computing and their WaveFace concept which we previewed during our PC Perspecitve CES2010 coverage. All in all, it sounds like Jonney Shih is rather pragmatic preferring to wait for right market conditions, instead of blazing ahead (or jumping on the bandwagon depending on your opinion) like other tech companies. His cautious tone may be because he is keeping his cards close to his chest - time will tell! Photo courtesy: Asus, via Silicon.com.
"Prototypes of tablet or slate PCs - touchscreen machines with no keyboards suited to watching media, reading e-books and web browsing - are sitting in Asus labs but Shih said the company is holding back on releasing any devices.
Asus' caution stands in marked contrast to some other tech heavyweights, such as Microsoft and HP, who recently announced a tablet device at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), and Apple - if rumours it is about to release an 'iSlate' machine are to be believed. Shih thinks it would be premature to release a tablet today and predicts the devices will not be successful until there are easily accessible online stores of books, music, videos, games and other content tailored to the form factor. "Content is still not attractive enough today to the customer," he said." Read the article here.
Jonathan Hung | Source: engadget | Subject: Mobile
 Panasonic has done what some of you would be interested in - they stuffed an i7-620UM Arrandale CPU into a sub-note body. According to the specs at the Panasonic Japan site, the Let's Note R9 (aka. Toughbook over here) comes with a 10.4" screen, weighs less than 2.2 lbs, and Panasonic's signature rugged design.
This falls into an interesting portable performance category using the new Intel CPU, but getting this kind of speed probably won't be cheap especially in a portable form factor. No word on availability and the chances are we'll see them in Japan long before making it overseas. The circular track pad has me stumped, but not having used it, it's hard for me to say if it actually works well or not. (via Engadget) 
Source: Panasonic, Japan
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: AMD | Subject: Mobile
 TAIPEI, Taiwan--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--At the DIGITIMES Tech Forum (DTF) 2010, AMD today introduced the ATI Radeon E4690 Mobile PCI Express module (MXM) for the graphics-intensive embedded systems. The industry-standard MXM 3.0 specification for graphics subsystems calls for reduced power, improved cooling capability and a lower z-height, enabling designers to create smaller, more efficient embedded systems and speed time to market. The ATI Radeon E4690 MXM features more than triple the 3D graphics performance of previously available solutions with low CPU utilization and brilliant picture quality.1 With its massively parallel, programmable architecture, the ATI Radeon E4690 MXM is designed for compute intensive, embedded applications such as digital signage, image recognition, signal processing and surveillance, arcade and casino games, medical imaging, and more.
Working in collaboration with ALT Software, a leading supplier of 2D and 3D graphics, AMD is able to offer customers an alternative to custom programming by developing a standards-based parallel processing API, helping them to improve performance in embedded computing systems by leveraging the power of the graphics processor (GPU). For example, the GPU has become a standard hardware component in many aerospace and defense systems, making it an ideal parallel processing solution. Unsurpassed Performance, Power Efficiency, and Flexibility
“As the graphics requirements for embedded systems continue to increase, AMD has armed the ATI Radeon E4690 MXM with features that are important to our customers and done so within an industry-standard specification that helps simplify design, development and market delivery,” said Richard Jaenicke, director of Embedded Discrete Graphics for AMD. “Based on the successful ATI Radeon E4690 GPU, the ready-made ATI Radeon E4690 MXM solution provides the graphics performance, energy efficiency and reliability customers need. This, coupled with the module’s five year product life cycle, makes the ATI Radeon E4690 the easy answer for system designers looking to gain competitive advantage in the marketplace.2” “The ATI Radeon E4690 MXM module is an ideal solution for our aerospace and defense customers,” says Dan Joncas, VP Sales ALT Software. “Its parallel processing capabilities open up a whole new range of applications including video surveillance, radar processing, target acquisition and synthetic vision. This module is ideal for manufacturers of embedded systems that require high-performance computing and advanced graphics.”
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: VIA Technologies | Subject: Mobile
Taipei, Taiwan, 19 January 2010 - VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the VIA EPIA-T700: the first product based on the recently announced Mobile-ITX form factor. Measuring a mere 6cm x 6cm, the VIA EPIA-T700 is a uniquely compact computer-on-module that is designed for a range of ultra-compact embedded devices in medical, military and in-vehicle applications. Designed to deliver a simple modular approach to device design that precipitates greater miniaturization and portability, the Mobile-ITX-based VIA EPIA-T700 makes it easier than ever before to design and manufacture compact devices. With customized carrier boards connected using ultra low profile 3mm connectors, the VIA EPIA-T700 is in a class of its own. "The VIA EPIA-T700 takes advantage of the modular design principles inherent in our Mobile-ITX form factor specification, making it easier than ever before to create astonishingly compact x86 devices that don’t compromise on features," said Daniel Wu, Vice President, VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. The VIA EPIA-T700 can be used with a variety of carrier boards that can be adapted and customized to meet the needs of a range of applications and is powered by a specially miniaturized 1GHz VIA Eden ULV processor and the compact VIA VX820 MSP that together offer industry-leading I/O flexibility in the most compact of available form factors. The VIA EPIA-T700 features 512MB of DDR2 on-board system memory, meaning compatibility and reliability are guaranteed. The VIA VX820 media system processor adds a wealth of key features including the VIA Chrome9 DX9 integrated graphics core, the VIA Chromotion™ video engine with hardware acceleration of MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV9, and VC1 video formats, and VIA Vinyl HD Audio supporting up to eight channels of HD audio. An integrated multi-configuration transmitter enables display connection to TTL LCD panels and CRT monitors. Added flexibility is provided through carrier board configurations that integrate the DVP interface to include LVDS and DVI support. Other integrated data bus technologies include PCI Express and Ultra DMA. The VIA EPIA-T700 uses two unique high density, low profile connectors on the under side of the module that can also withstand vibrations of up to 5Gs making Mobile-ITX systems suitable for in-vehicle and industrial machining applications. 
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: InsideHW | Subject: Mobile
The Asus UL30A is another example of Intel's CULV mobile PC; not quite a full laptop but more than a netbook. The screen is 13.3", the keyboard is 'chiclet' style, with well spaced out keys emerging from underneath the metallic body of the CULV and the trackpad is a series of holes punched into the body below the keyboard. Inside you will find a a Core 2 Duo at 1.3 GHz, Intel's X4500MHD IGP, 4 GB of DDR3 and an installation of the 64-bit version of Windows 7 Home Premium.
If you need a portable computer on the small side that still has the power of a dual core CPU, drop by InsideHW to see if this ASUS CULV meets your needs.
"Quick view of the specifications suggest that the Asus UL30A is another accessible model in a series of small notebooks based on Intel CULV processors. A little closer study reveals that the list of components is not all that common, but after a few seconds of work it is obvious that UL30A differs from the competition for several very important parameters. However, the UL label itself, which comes from the word "Unlimited", sounds promising…" Here are some more Mobile articles from around the web:
Jonathan Hung | Source: engadget | Subject: Mobile
Over the past few weeks, the buzz about NVIDIA's ION 2 and it's coexistence with Intel's Pinetrail CPUs has been the subject of much speculation. As we near the 1/2 way of the first quarter of 2010, more details of NVIDIA's discrete graphics chip are being revealed.
At Blogee.net, they got their hands on some promotional material that would imply that the ION 2 is a GeForce G310. The document in question shows an Asus EeeTop ET2010PNT All-in-One PC specification, with this little nugget embedded in the list. 
While functionally this doesn't really change much - we already knew that ION 2 would have full-HD decoding with hardware acceleration, and other performance enhancements - it does however give us a taste of what to expect by looking at the current GeForce 310. Intel's remark that ION 2 is "overkill" sounds like it's coming around to bite them. While the industry may have been uncertain how ION 2 would fit into the landscape just a few weeks ago, it's becoming clear that NVIDIA's new chip is getting people excited after the anti-climatic launch of Pinetrail. My feeling is that ION 2 will appeal to 2nd or 3rd generation netbook consumers who are hungry for better performance and willing to pay a little extra.
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Legit Reviews | Subject: Mobile
The ASUS K42F is a 14" 1366x768 notebook with an Intel Core i5 540M powering it and comes with some nice features, like a Blu-Ray drive. Legit Reviews contrasts it with an HP Pavilion DV4-1555dx
which is powered by a C2D P8700. Between the HyperThreading, Turbo Mode and the on die Intel HD graphics, they saw a 40-50% performance increase from the older HP system. Also worth noting is the battery life; you might expect the older and slower machine to come out on top but again it is left behind the new Arrandale machine. Drop by to see for yourself.
"The ASUS K42F-B1 14-inch notebook was amazing to use! This notebook is very fast as you saw from the numerous benchmarks that we threw at the Intel Core i5 540M processor. When the dust settled the Intel Core i5 540M was on average 40-50% faster than Intel Core 2 Duo P8700 processor. This is due to the fact that the Arrandale processor has HyperThreading technology and therefore twice as many threads, but it also has to do with Turbo Mode and the Intel HD Graphics. When it comes to Blu-ray playback, gaming or Croptography performance the Arrandale processor really looked great and is no doubt a processor that has plenty of muscle behind it..." Here are some more Mobile articles from around the web:
Jonathan Hung | Source: Bright Side of News | Subject: Mobile
Today was launch day for the AMD Mobility Radeon HD 9000 series GPU, and in my write-up of the technology I expressed some concerns over how vendors would implement Eyefinity if at all (read it here).
Some of these concerns were laid to rest earlier today when AMD showcased an Acer Ferrari netbook running Eyefinity using an XGP, or External Graphics Platform (see here for more details) during CES 2010. The XGP featured a AMD Mobility Radeon HD 5870 GPU, connected to the notebook via a cable, and the XGP providing three Display Ports, 1 DVI, and 1 HDMI output for proper Eyefinity gaming. The XGP requires its own power supply. (Please visit BSN for the article covering the XGP). While this is definitely a good implementation of Eyefinity, I'm still not satisfied (just call me cranky):
Thanks to Randal for sending me the tip. Thanks to BSN for the coverage.
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: NVIDIA | Subject: Mobile
2010 INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW (South Hall 4 – Booth #35912), LAS VEGAS — Jan. 7, 2010—NVIDIA and the Verizon Wireless LTE Innovation Center said today they are demonstrating a full 1080p HD Internet experience on touchscreen tablets. The demonstration – on an NVIDIA Tegra-powered Ultra tablet, designed by Innovative Converged Devices (ICD) utilizing the ultra-broad bandwidth of a Motorola 4G wireless modem, operating over a pre-commercial Verizon Wireless LTE network – brings to life the vision of high-speed Internet everywhere. The collaboration was fostered at Verizon Wireless’ LTE Innovation Center, which provides an environment for diverse companies to work together in developing innovative products that leverage 4G LTE technology. Highlights / Key Facts:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: NVIDIA | Subject: Mobile
2010 INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW (South Hall 4 – Booth #35912), Las Vegas - Jan. 7, 2010—NVIDIA today launched its Next Generation Tegra, the world’s first processor for the mobile web, specifically designed for the high-resolution needs of tablets. Consumers have been waiting for a truly portable, high-resolution, no-compromise Internet experience. NVIDIA’s new Tegra processor delivers that by combining lightning-quick browsing, streaming 1080p video and Adobe Flash Player 10.1 acceleration with an immersive 3D user interface and days of battery life. “Without question, 2010 is going to be year of the tablet,” said Tim Bajarin, President, Creative Strategies, Inc. “The new NVIDIA Tegra processor has a unique feature set critical for tablets -- fast web browsing with fully rendered pages, uncompromised graphics, snappy user interface and HD video - all with the battery life we’ve only seen with cell phones.” Key to Tegra’s capabilities are eight independent processors, including the world’s first dual core CPU for mobile applications. These processors are used together or independently to optimize power usage at all times. With its ultra low-power design, Tegra delivers over 16 hours of HD video or 140 hours of music—on a single charge. Highlights / Key Facts:
For all PC Perspective's CES 2010 coverage, news and articles, please visit: www.pcper.com/ces Want more news? Check out our Archive |
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