IMG confirm that Intel is using SGX

[rpg.314]

Intel's 32nm process seems very strong, and the competitiveness of ARM-based SoCs will depend a bit on TSMC's execution for 28nm

So medfield is @Intel 32nm?

What happened to their partnership with TSMC? I thought Langwell @TSMC meant that Medfield will be @TSMC too.

Or are they gonna dump the lamest SoC's @TSMC's doorstep (netbook stuff?), ie where having x86 is actually a benefit.

 

[aaronspink]

OT: Why are power management ICs always separate from the main SoC?

Because generally they have very different requirements like being able to support high efficiency power MOSFETs, different pin voltage requires, not really requiring high speed logic, mostly analog instead of digital.

 

[DavidC]

So medfield is @Intel 32nm?

What happened to their partnership with TSMC? I thought Langwell @TSMC meant that Medfield will be @TSMC too.

Or are they gonna dump the lamest SoC's @TSMC's doorstep (netbook stuff?), ie where having x86 is actually a benefit.

Didn't that go bonkers because TSMC cancelled their 32nm? Or whatever problem they are having with 32nm-ish generation. I'm pretty sure Intel doesn't want to deal with that.

 

[Lazy8s]

Intel would want to use their process advantage on the critical chip of the platform, so Lincroft and especially the Medfield SoC would be at Intel. Langwell can be a mix of a bunch of 3rd party IP, so TSMC is better suited there.

The Anand article made it pretty clear that politics and not technology is what makes sense as the real, main reason for the lack of a Windows collaboration.

I thought the N8 was using an OMAP3430. Going by the quality of the 5 MP "Carl Zeiss optics" cameras they've been using on previous phones, a similarly-well implemented 12 MP version with relatively large sensor should make for a great camera phone.

 

[roninja]

Nope N8 is officially listed as a 680mhx Arm11 core which the likes of Arun have pointed to being a Broadcom part on other forums. Nokia seems to continue with a scattergun approach across multiple hardware vendors (TI, Broadcom, Qualcomm, ST-Ericsson, Intel) I am not sure what this approach will achieve in the long run.

 

[Ailuros]

I thought the N8 was using an OMAP3430. Going by the quality of the 5 MP "Carl Zeiss optics" cameras they've been using on previous phones, a similarly-well implemented 12 MP version with relatively large sensor should make for a great camera phone.

I can't complain about the quality of the quick shots I occasionally shoot on the N95 which has a 5MP (Carl Zeiss lens). However video capture quality is as crappy (dropped frames to oblivion) as on the N900 I've laid my hands on quickly. You'd be surprised how well any iPhone does with video capturing in contrast.

As in all markets funky on paper marketing numbers obviously never tell the entire story.

 

[Lazy8s]

I'm actually trying to help someone choose a phone and the quality of the still and video photography is probably the biggest factor for them, so your impressions have been helpful. Thanks!

After Samsung's trouble in getting TI's video encoder to let the Omnia i8910 live up to its HD billing, I was a little concerned about recommending the N900 to the person I'm helping. It's otherwise an almost perfect device for them, but TI apparently should swallow their pride for homegrown DSP/custom video processors and license some VXE/VXD.

 

[Ailuros]

The N900 is a mixed bag and despite a very nice device overall it'll take its time until the OS matures. Web browsing is outstanding but I personally wouldn't use it anyway; too small too impractical for my taste. Tablet sized devices are far better fit for browsing IMO.

There are tons of reviews to find for each device like that one: http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/nokia-n900-655862/review?artc_pg=6

The i8910 is still in a league of it's own: http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/samsung-i8910-hd-531931/review?artc_pg=6

Obviously you can never have it all and it goes without saying that irrelevant of lens, flash types and amount of megapixels in specsheets a mobile phone camera still doesn't equal a good digi-cam.

 

[tangey]

In a Q&A at the end of their investors meeting today, Intel's Paul Otellini said:-

"in the handheld business, PowerVr is our currently graphics of choice, at least for the next few generations."

He also implied that although they were still working on Larrabee, none of their existing roadmaps were reliant on it.

 

[tangey]

Intel's expanding line of Atom based Socs with IMG IP in them is starting to look impressive.

TV & STB .....Canmore (CE3100) & Sodaville (CE4100,4130,4150)
In-car/digital signage.............Tunnel Creek, multiple SKUs.
Small form factor.......Moorestown (launching with 7 SKUs)

Q1 2011
Tablet/ netbook..........Oaktrail (aka moorestown -W)
Smartphones.......Medfield.

All of the above have SGX for the graphics and VXD video decode. Most if not all will also have VXE video encode IP.

 

[tangey]

It looks like Intel has licensed IMG's vector graphics I/P in addition to the 3D graphics and video encode/decode.

The following entry on the Khronos compliance pages was added a couple of days ago.

CPU: x86
OS: Linux2.6
API pipeline:
VG_VENDOR "Imagination Technologies"
VG_RENDERER "PowerVR VGX"
VG_VERSION "1.1"

As far as I am aware, thats the first official sighting for VGX hardware from IMG.

The block diagram that I've previously seen for moorestown doesn't show a separate block for it (could be there of course). So I wonder is this for the TV/STB Socs such as the CE4100,4200 or elk.