Samsung challenges Nokia

[MfA]

I have to say, this sounds a lot more interesting than N-Gage. Samsung has done a decent amount of research into 3D rendering last couple of years. I dont think this will be another 2D throwback, 2D time has gone even for portables ... I wish Nokia had just invested all the money they put into relaunching the N-Gage into making a MBX based phone. It would have been a better investment.

N-Gage has a better format of course but Samsung said other models were forthcoming (anyway as long as they all stick to the vertical screens the formats just differ in the degree of suck ... Samsung seems to not intend to change that either unfortunately).

 

[hey69]

wow, when is that coming out?

 

[Dave Baumann]

Its still worthwhile keeping an eye on Nokia developments IMO.

 

[Fafalada]

I dont think this will be another 2D throwback, 2D time has gone even for portables

I can assure you it's not a 2d throwback, I know people that worked on 3d API for this thing The 3d chip isn't half bad either, I think it should be competitive enough with DS in terms of speed, with a few better features.

wow, when is that coming out?

It was "supposed" to come out this spring actually - but from what I understand there wasn't enough launch software ready.

Its still worthwhile keeping an eye on Nokia developments IMO.

Oh no doubt, there's plenty more interesting developments in the handheld market coming up. Samsung is only getting started here.

Interesting - this thing will ship with 32MB Duo - that does it, Sony better ship PSP with 64MB stick as an absolute minimum, or else...

 

[Squeak]

Personally I'd much prefer something like the abovementioned to PSP.
What I want is a small device, that fits nicely in a pocket, that is rugged and has (decent (N64, or better)) 3d game, music player (radio and stored), (video) phone, and various time manager/database applications as default features. Movies on the go I don’t care about. Maybe it could be nice watching TV on a handheld, but to me it wouldn’t be a killer feature.

 

[Brimstone]

It's nice to see how serious game functionality has become for Samsung and Nokia. Competition should lead to inovation.

The phone that had the game pad for a docking station I think is one of the coolest ideas as far as functionality goes. I hope Nokia is in the market to win at all costs and pushes the envelope with its future products.

 

[Teasy]

Fafalada

The 3d chip isn't half bad either

So what exactly is the 3d chip in this phone? I would have thought it'd be MBX based..

 

[Ty]

Fafalada

The 3d chip isn't half bad either

So what exactly is the 3d chip in this phone? I would have thought it'd be MBX based..

Did Samsung license MBX?

 

[MfA]

I doubt that, Samsung sponsored a lot of research into 3D hardware.

 

[PC-Engine]

Samsung is one of the companies that has licensed MBX.

http://www.powervr.com/Partners/index.asp?Page=Samsung

Samsung Electronics, has licensed the PowerVR MBX 3D graphics solution from ARM for use in high-end mobile APs (Application Processors) for smart phones and PDAs. PowerVR MBX will be used as a graphics accelerator in an application processor for mobile applications such as wireless gaming, delivering low-power reliance and high-memory efficiency.

 

[Teasy]

Did Samsung license MBX?

Yeah, that's why it would suprise me if this new phone wasn't MBX based.

FYI the following companies have licensed MBX so far:

Intel
Philips
Hitachi
Samsung
Sharp
ARM
ST Micro
Sunplus
Texas Instruments

 

[Ty]

That's interesting. If this phone doesn't use it, then we're left wondering WHY another licensee decided to go their own way....

 

[Teasy]

What do you mean another licensee?

 

[MfA]

They had been doing 3D chip research for mobile phones for a while before they licensed MBX. Id personally just assume they licensed MBX for different products.

 

[Fafalada]

So what exactly is the 3d chip in this phone? I would have thought it'd be MBX based..

It's not MBX, it's a custom design.

Id personally just assume they licensed MBX for different products.

I wouldn't rule that possibility out - Samsung is also one of the UMD licensees, maybe PSP won't be the lonely highspec media/game player for very long

 

[mboeller]

It's not MBX, it's a custom design.

Is it the Z3DIII-core then?

 

[MfA]

That wouldnt be custom now would it.

 

[termikk]

where's a picture of the joystick?

 

[Katsura]

In the mean time, may I point ppl in the direction of SonyEricsson's new line, the K and S series, K700 just launched and S700 coming later this year.

3D JAVA api and great graphics manipulation performance. Sega 3D tennis is included as one of the games, the quality is close to PS1 games.

Also features a Nokia emulator So you can run Nokia games on it, is this is the first phone emulator?

P.S. Did you receive my private message fafa?

 

[Farid]

Its still worthwhile keeping an eye on Nokia developments IMO.

Nokia will have an Ati part in its N-Gage 2? (I'm thinking that since lately you trying to "tease us" about N-gage, and since you have "insiders infos" about Ati plans)... Or maybe MBX (for the same reasons than above).