1GHz Socle ARM11 chipset tipped for future MIDs & PMPs

Socle Technology has announced the first 1GHz ARM11 platform, paving the way for faster MIDs, PMPs and digital home products.  A self-developed System on Chip (SoC), the chipset uses 65nm technology and is the fastest ARM11-based design available to date.  It’s predicted to find its way into products from ASUS, Inventec and Dell.

NVIDIA demonstrated a 750MHz ARM11-based chipset early this year which was easily capable of encoding and decoding 720p high-definition video and 12-megapixel images.  That became the NVIDIA Tegra, expected to handle 1080p video, output via HDMI and run Quake 3 at 40fps with full filters and anti-aliasing.  Best of all, battery life was pegged at 130hrs audio or 30hrs HD video on a single charge.  This new Socle chipset could even further increase processing power, while maintaining extended runtime.

Socle are currently working on 40nm processes with Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing.  Industry observers expect the company to leverage its cooperation deal with ARM to make in-roads into MID development.