Pegatron have been showing off their Freescale-powered netbook prototype again, and if you’re wondering why there’s a Palm Pre perched on the end then it’s because the two share the same basic ARM Cortex A8 core architecture. In the unnamed netbook’s case, though, the Freescale iMX515 runs at 1GHz, and is capable of playing 720p video and running 3D games.
Google have revealed the hardware partners that they are currently working with on their freshly-announced Chrome OS. The search giant has named Acer, Adobe, ASUS, Freescale, HP, Lenovo, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments and Toshiba as all helping to design and build devices that will run the new platform, which has been described as the Chrome browser with a new windowing system, on top of a Linux kernel.
Sony may be tinkering with Android, but other companies are already slapping it onto hardware and talking about releases. Last week we heard Acer’s plans for a dual-boot Android/XP netbook, together with BenQ’s intentions, and saw a couple of OEM netbooks and MIDs; taking things right back to basics (by which we mean cheap) were Kinpo, with their 7-inch Android-based touchscreen tablet, and GNB, with a sturdy little Android netbook.
Video demos of Kinpo Android Tablet and GNB Android Netbook after the cut
Nothing like a new niche to get the concept artists salivating, but this time it’s Freescale Semiconductor who are working on possible Smartbook designs. The company has commissioned six prototypes, ranging from the touchscreen-slate-with-QWERTY-ears you see here to a modular mini-notebook and a leather-clad clamshell.
Five more Freescale Smartbook concepts after the cut
Joining Wistron’s N900z on the Freescale Semiconducters Computex stand is this netbook from Pegatron. Running an Freescale IMX51 800MHz ARM-based CPU and Xandros Linux OS, the most interesting aspects of the ultraportable are its super-skinny profile and long, eight-hour battery life.
Video hands-on after the cut
Wistron’s most endearing Smartbook machine may be the compact VAIO P-lookalike that has been floating around tradeshows for a few months now, but it’s not their only offering with ARM under the hood. Freescale Semiconductors are showing the Wistron N900z at their Computex 2009 stand, a more traditionally designed 10-inch netbook, and LaptopMag shot some hands-on video.
It’s not all Tegra and Snapdragon at Computex this week: VIA are also making an appearance with their processors showing up in the latest devices. One such example is this iDOT CCI 3.8-inch mobile internet device (MID). Using the familiar sliding form-factor of Aigo’s MIDs, the CCI device has an 800 x 480 resistive touchscreen, full QWERTY keyboard and runs either VIA’s 500MHz fanless Eden ULV CPU or an 800MHz Freescale MX51.
Update: Video demo after the cut
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