Microsoft execs may be denying that any self-branded cellphone is in development, but somebody connected with the company doesn’t seem to have got the same memo. CNBC’s Jim Goldman quotes “a good source” claiming Microsoft are combining the Zune and technology from Danger (the company behind the Sidekick) to create a device offering “true competition to the iPhone”. Codenamed “Pink”, a prototype could be finished in time to unveil at CES 2009 in January.
A new rumor is floating around that indicates Microsoft is currently in the process of developing a new smartphone that would use a NVIDIA Tegra processor as its foundation. The idea here is to create a phone that would produce great performance and result in a sales boost.
The chip that is likely being referenced here is the APX 2500, which could make for 720p video playback on the mystery device and offer up 3D visuals. An unveiling is rumored to be slated for February 2009 at the Mobile World Congress.
It is believed any effort by Microsoft to develop their own smartphone is a reactionary measure produced by the success of the iPhone. At this point, it’s just a rumor, but if we were to see a Tegra-based Microsoft phone, what would you expect to see from it? Would you be excited about it?
If you were in any doubt that NVIDIA were aiming for Intel’s jugular with their new Tegra platform, the company’s latest demonstration should definitely confirm it. Billed as a comparison of how the Atom and Tegra handle video, it uses power consumption to show how economical the NVIDIA chipset can be. In the image below (which Intel wouldn’t thank me for describing as “the Tegra’s smack-down rig”) you can see an Atom-powered ultraportable on the lower shelf, playing standard-definition video, while on the top shelf a Tegra-powered notebook playing high-definition video.
Check out the full comparison video after the cut
NVIDIA will launch its Tegra mobile processor brand at Computex this week, including demonstrating a new prototype based on the platform, according to mobile business general manager Mike Rayfield. The range will include not only the APX 2500 which we first saw at MWC in February but two other processors aimed at Mobile Internet Devices (MID), the Tegra 600 series, running at 600MHz and 800MHz while consuming less than a single watt of power. The ARM11-based 750MHz APX 2500 is capable of encoding and decoding HD video, as well as driving displays up to SXGA (1280 x 1024) resolution and cameras up to 12-megapixels.
Check out our hands-on demo video of the APX 2500 Tegra prototype after the cut
Chrome OS: Waiting Is The Hardest Part…Though Necessary
Apple is no longer the Nordstrom of Tech, they’re the “New Nordstrom”
Can Anything Replace Windows XP As the Best Netbook Operating System?
Hey, Premium Notebooks or Netbooks, Get the Basics Right!
SlashGear Japan
