Category Archives: chipset

Broadcom introduces first gigabit-speed 802.11ac chipset, wishes 802.11n well

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Good news for people who love fast things: Broadcom is sliding into CES with its first gigabit-speed 802.11ac chips, all based on fifth-generation WiFi technology. For those unaware, 5G WiFi is aimed at handling higher-bandwidth services like HD movie streaming, and the company claims that they're three times faster and up to six times more power efficient than similar 802.11n solutions. Broadcom's family of 5G WiFi solutions includes the BCM4360, BCM4352, BCM43526 and BCM43516, and the whole lot is being sampled now with its most trusted partners. As for consumer availability? Mum's the word at the moment, but you can dig into the nitty-gritty just past the break.

Continue reading Broadcom introduces first gigabit-speed 802.11ac chipset, wishes 802.11n well

Broadcom introduces first gigabit-speed 802.11ac chipset, wishes 802.11n well originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell unveils Alienware Aurora gaming rig, will serenade you for $2,200

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Dell has just taken the wraps off a brand new addition to the Alienware family, hailing it, rather poetically, as "a serenade to raw gaming power." It's called the Alienware Aurora, and it's staring at you with a Cylon-like grin in the image above. Beneath its menacing veneer lurks Intel's six-core, 3000 series Core i7 CPU, an X79 Express chipset and quad-channel DDR3 memory, all of which are kept in check by Dell's liquid cooling and active venting technologies. The gaming rig also supports both multi-display and 3D configurations, with GDDR5 memory-laced graphics cards. In case you're not satisfied, you can always get under the hood and tinker with it yourself, without even busting out your tool belt. The Alienware Aurora is available now for prices starting at $2,200, so hit up the source link for more details.

Dell unveils Alienware Aurora gaming rig, will serenade you for $2,200 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 10:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Qualcomm’s two new 1GHz dual-core chipsets make S1-to-S4 migration easier for manufacturers (updated)

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If the most recent batch of S4 chips from Qualcomm wasn't enough to completely satiate your thirst for new SoC's, the folks from San Diego are adding two more options to the already heapin' pile. At the 2011 Uplinq China Conference in Shenzhen, Qualcomm announced the MSM8625 and MSM8225 S4-class dual-core chipsets, both of which can clock up to 1GHz and pack an Adreno 203 GPU plus a 3G modem. While these numbers aren't relatively exciting at this day and age, the real selling point here is that these chips are actually software and hardware-compatible with the entry-level MSM7x27A and MSM7x25A S1 chips, meaning some of the existing S1-based designs can be quickly and easily adapted to these new S4 chips. Interested manufacturers can nab some of this new silicon from the third-generation Qualcomm Reference Design (QRD) program -- which was also announced today as Qualcomm enters the smartphone reference design business -- or standalone in the first half of 2012, but let's just hope we won't end up seeing too many familiar-looking phones. Press release attached after the break.

Zach Lutz contributed to this report.

Update: We just did a hands-on with one of Qualcomm's new reference designs -- the one we played with had Dianxin OS installed, but we also came across one powered by Aliyun OS. Neither were running smoothly but we've been told they were slightly rushed so we'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Anyhow, enjoy the photos.

Gallery: Qualcomm Reference Design "QRD 1.5"


Gallery: Qualcomm Reference Design ecosystem presentation

Continue reading Qualcomm's two new 1GHz dual-core chipsets make S1-to-S4 migration easier for manufacturers (updated)

Qualcomm's two new 1GHz dual-core chipsets make S1-to-S4 migration easier for manufacturers (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 22:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CSR sharpens indoor and in-car navigation with SiRFstarV, SiRFusion and SiRFprimaII

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It's been a while since we last heard from CSR, but that changed earlier this week, when the company unveiled its new SiRFprimaII and SiRFusion platforms, alongside its SiRFstarV architecture. According to the UK-based firm, both SiRFstarV and SiRFusion are designed to provide more accurate geographic data and enhanced indoor navigation capabilities across PNDs and other mobile devices. SiRFstarV, the logical follow-up to CSR's SiRFstarIV architecture, culls location data not only from GPS, but from Galileo, Glonass and Compass satellites, as well as a range of radio signals, accelerometers, gyros and compasses. All this information is fed to the user via the SiRFusion platform, which combines data from radio systems and sensors to provide constantly updated location graphics. Together, both SiRFstarV and SiRFusion promise to help users find their way around both indoor and outdoor locales, within an accuracy range of ten to 15 meters.

The SiRFprimaII platform, displayed above, is strictly geared toward in-car navigation and infotainment systems. This system combines a SiRFprimaII SoC and TriG RF multi-GNSS radio with CSR's Bluetooth and WiFi technologies to create a multimedia rich, touchscreen-based in-car environment. Geared toward both ODMs and OEMs, this hardware-software combo enables drivers to get more reliable navigation data, while allowing passengers to stream video, surf the web and manipulate everything via remote control. As for that SoC, it's powered by a 1GHz ARM Cortex A9 app processor, features an LCD controller for displays of up to 1280 x 720 resolution, and boasts a pair of 3D graphics and video accelerators. For more details, check out the pair of press releases, after the break.

Continue reading CSR sharpens indoor and in-car navigation with SiRFstarV, SiRFusion and SiRFprimaII

CSR sharpens indoor and in-car navigation with SiRFstarV, SiRFusion and SiRFprimaII originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 06:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft to keep Windows Phone monogamous with Qualcomm’s chipsets, for now

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Microsoft may not be jumping on the dual-core bandwagon just yet, but it does place a high amount of emphasis on making sure its phones run smoothly. To do so, Windows Phone President Andy Lees stated to Bloomberg that it would continue to keep Qualcomm as its exclusive chipmaker, and has no plans to work with any other company. According to Lees, the monogamous relationship was made to allow Microsoft to use specific technical details, ensuring a smoother experience on all Windows Phones across the board. Lees also mentioned that the kind of production volume generated by such an agreement also allows production costs to dip down, which makes the platform even more appealing to OEMs. If any of you have dreamed of a Windows Phone with NVIDIA or TI running the show, don't try to pinch yourself -- you may be dissatisfied with the results.

Microsoft to keep Windows Phone monogamous with Qualcomm's chipsets, for now originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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