Nvidia Tegra platform gets video demonstration

Nvidia has really come out in force at the Computex show in Taiwan. It has shown off ION on 21 new devices as well as educating the world about its Tegra platform. Tegra marries an ARM-based processor with an Nvidia GeForce GPU (ION pairs an Intel Atom CPU with Nvidia 9400M graphics).

Nvidia claims Tegra to be one of the most powerful SOCs (system on chips) – able to handle 1080p video, HD Flash, GPS, Wi-Fi, 3G and a huge battery life. The video below (courtesy of NetbookNews) shows the trailer for the new Star Trek film running at a bitrate of 12-14Mbits. It also shows that the chip can run older games (like Quake) at 46fps. All of this at a maximum power consumption rate of just 1W. Read more

OCZ Neutrino netbook gets ION upgrade

OCZ launched the 10-inch DIY Neutrino netbook to much acclaim. OCZ allows you to source your own RAM, hard-disk drive and operating system from wherever you can find the best deal and ‘build-it-yourself”. It seems that OCZ is now looking to jump on the Nvidia ION bandwagon, as it has decided to upgrade the netbook with the ION platform.

However, the Neutrino ION system won’t be pairing the N270 CPU (as found in the original system) with Nvidia 9400M graphics. Instead, it will be using a 1.6GHz Atom 230 single-core processor. Other specs remain the same and include 1GB RAM and a 160GB HDD. It also comes with a 4-cell 2200mAh battery, 1.3MP webcam and WiFi (b/g only). You’ll find the usual array of ports that include two USB ports, Ethernet and VGA. No release date or pricing has been confirmed thus far.

Via PC Perspective.

Nvidia intros 12 new Tegra devices – 1080p, Flash, & huge battery life

Nvidia is out in full force at the Computex show in Taiwan. We have already seen it outing 21 devices based on the ION-platform. However, it has also revealed 12 new devices (mostly Mobile Internet Devices) based on the Tegra platform. The Tegra platform is different to ION in that it pairs an ARM-based processor with an Nvidia GeForce GPU (ION pairs an Intel Atom CPU with the Nvidia 9400M graphics).

Nvidia claims that the Tegra processor is the “world’s smallest and lowest power computer-on-a-chip”. The chip will be able to handle 1080p video and will come with a massive battery life. Nvidia claim that it can handle 10 hours of 1080p video playback on a single charge – that is a frankly astonishing claim!

It will also come with Flash GPU-acceleration, which means that the likes of YouTube and Hulu will be no problem. The chip will include 3G and Wi-Fi support and will effectively be ‘always-on’ to the internet. These chips will be found in both tablet and netbook type devices and are expected to launch by the end of 2009 with prices around the $200 mark with carrier subsidies. The full press release is attached after the break. Read more

HP and Dell to launch ION netbooks in Q3 2009

It’s a bit disappointing that we haven’t seen more big name manufacturers announcing ION netbooks at the Computex show, the only new ones we’ve seen are from the likes of Telecast and Weibu. However, both Hewlett-Packard and Dell are expected to launch netbooks using the ION-platform in the third quarter of this year according to Digitimes.

The main big profile ION netbook that has been announced so far is the Lenovo Ideapad S12. Other big names such as Asustek and MSI are also looking to launch ION products in the second half of this year.

However, Intel is looking to spoil the Nvidia party. According to the report, Intel is “reducing its offer of price incentives to PC vendors who are considering Ion-based products”. It is also closely monitoring vendors’ Atom inventories, to prevent them from dumping chipsets bought at a discount and using the CPUs with Nvidia’s ION. Is Intel not learning anything from its EU anti-competitive ruling and subsequent €1.06 billion fine?

New Nvidia ION products shown off at Computex

Nvidia has announced 21 new ION-based products at the Computex Taipei show, including netbooks, nettops, desktop PCs and motherboards. From what we can tell, there seem to be very few netbooks being shown off incorporating the ION platform.

Ion is capable of not only 1080p video but 7.1 surround sound audio, DirectX 10 graphics and video acceleration and transcoding with NVIDIA’s own CUDA technology.

Apart from the previously announced Lenovo Ideapad S12, there is the Telecast TL-1000N and Weibu N10A. The latter two are ODM names that will likely be branded by some more familiar names, if they decide to sell these. However, Fudzilla found the build quality of these netbooks to be of “budget quality” and said they would be surprised if they turned up outside of Asia. You can check out a short video of these ION-powered netbooks after the break. Read more

Asus considering Nvidia ION for netbooks

Asustek has recently started to test netbooks and nettops using Nvidia’s ION platform according to Digitimes. Whilst there is no schedule for netbooks right now, it does plan to launch an ION based Eee Boc B1006 during the third quarter of this year.

With Computex just about to start, we are expecting a whole host of announcements from other manufacturers, who are getting ready to announce ION-powered netbooks during the show. We’ll keep you updated throughout this week on further developments.

Computex: Nvidia Tegra netbooks to debut with Windows CE

Nvidia will be showing off the first netbooks that run on the Tegra platform at the Computex show, which kicks off on Tuesday in Taiwan. The Tegra platform is different to ION in that it pairs an ARM-based processor with an Nvidia GeForce GPU (ION pairs an Intel Atom CPU with the Nvidia 9400M graphics).

The lack of an x86 processor, means that Windows XP/Windows 7 is not an option. Instead, these netbooks will be running the Windows CE operating system. Nvidia says that at some point down the road, it hopes to use Google Android instead. Read more

ION-based Lenovo Ideapad S12 NOT hitting Europe

Okay, I know this is the fourth post today regarding the Lenovo Ideapad S12, but I see this launch as quite important given that it will be the first netbook to come with the ION-platform. However, I have some very disappointing news for us Europeans. The ION-based Ideapad S12 SKU will NOT be coming to Europe.

This has been confirmed to us by Adrian Horne, who deals with Lenovo’s media relations across the EMEA region. I find this news quite perplexing. A lot of the buzz today has surrounded the emergence of ION inside a netbook and the (hopefully) genuine improvement we’ll see over the typical Intel Atom platform. I’m sure there are a number of people that are genuinely excited by this release and will associate the S12 as the ‘ION netbook’. When it does launch here it may cause a lot of confusion with people expecting ION under the hood. Read more

Video: Lenovo Ideapad S12 hands-on roundup

A few publications have already managed to preview the Ideapad S12 netbook that was announced today. We have attached some hands-on videos of the S12 below from Laptop Mag and GottaBeMobile (GBM). Some of the new things we learnt while watching the videos is that it will come with a glossy display which may put off some. Given the size of the chassis, it will come with some physical buttons that you don’t normally see on netbooks. This includes a wireless on/off switch, as well as a quick-start button for Splashtop (instant-on OS) and a one-touch button for backups.

The 100 percent keyboard was found to be very comfortable and the touchpad will come with multi-touch gestures. Upgradeability will also be no problem as there are separate access panels for both the HDD and RAM. We have also included a couple of extra videos from GBM which shows the ION versus Atom when it comes to HD video content and a comparison as to how Call of Duty IV fares too. Check out the videos after the break. Read more

Lenovo Ideapad S12 gets official – full specs & price revealed

Following our earlier report, Lenovo has made the Ideapad S12 official. Our earlier article talked about netbook manufacturers moving to larger screens. Whilst it can be debateable whether a 12-inch device is a netbook or notebook, Lenovo picks no bones as to where it sees this device sitting. The press release refers to the S12 as the “company’s first 12-inch netbook”.

As we speculated this morning, the S12 will be available in three different chipset configurations. You will be able to buy it with the Atom (N270 + 945GSE) platform, ION platform or VIA Nano processor. The S12 will come with a 12.1-inch (1280 x 800) LED backlit display, 1GB RAM and a 160GB HDD. Other features include wireless draft-N, Bluetooth, three USB ports, 4-in-1 card reader. The Atom and VIA versions will come with an Expresscard slot whilst the ION version will come with a HDMI video out. Read more

Lenovo Ideapad S12 is first ION-based netbook

A number of ION-based netbooks are expected to make an appearance at Computex Taipei on June 2nd, however it looks like Lenovo is pre-empting those announcements. According to PC Perspective, Lenovo will launch a new 12-inch netbook, called the Ideapad S12 that will be the first netbook to come with Nvidia’s ION platform. The Ideapad S12 will be powered by the ION platform, which comprises a 1.6GHz N270 Atom CPU and 9400M GPU.

Given the size, you won’t be surprised to see it supporting a full sized keyboard. The Ideapad S12 will come with three USB ports, VGA, a pair of audio jacks, Ethernet port, Kensington lock, card reader, webcam as well as an HDMI out. Read more

Big blow to ION, Intel certifies HD Broadcom chip for Pine Trail platform

Intel’s Pine Trail platform only has two chips compared to the three found in current Atom-based netbooks. The move means that the platform should be cheaper, have better performance and lead to great battery lives. However, by moving the GPU and memory controller onto the Pineview processor means that the graphics side may suffer.

Intel has realised this and has therefore certified a HD decoding chip from third-party Broadcom. This is likely to be a big blow to Nvidia, whose ION platform is compatible with Pineview. Intel will offer the Broadcom BCM70015 GPU as an option to its partners when the Pine Trail platform launches in Q4 2010. Read more

Intel plans surcharge for Atom chips in ION netbooks

Nvidia’s ION platform consists of Intel’s Atom processor combined with Nvidia’s 9400M GPU. The combination is said to bring significant benefits to both 3D and HD performance. Whilst some ION products have already been spotted in the wild with some official ION announcements expected at Computex Taipei, Intel may have placed a stumbling block on the ION’s future success.

Intel CEO, Paul Otellini, yesterday confirmed that Intel is charging more for the Atom CPU by itself than it does if combined with the Intel chipset. “We have historically offered better pricing to people who buy more product,” Otellini said. Several OEMs have said that whilst buying the cheaper Atom CPU and chipset and then swapping it for ION is possible, the process is cost and time prohibitive.

Nvidia’s CEO recently claimed that adding ION would add an incremental $50 to the cost of a netbook. However, once you account for the higher Atom processors, the cost may be just too high for some manufacturers to adopt.

Via Laptop Mag.

ION netbooks snapped

If there were any doubts that ION netbooks were on the horizon, then a gallery of pictures from PCPop should lay those to rest. These pictures show a number of ION-based products including motherboards, nettops as well as netbooks. The ION netbooks are all from non-descript manufacturers, but at least it highlights that (hopefully) it can’t be too long before we start to see ION from the major netbook brands.

The netbooks looks fairly cheap in terms of design, but all models seem to feature HDMI output which will be appealing to some. We are hoping for lots more exciting ION announcements at the start of Computex Taipei on June 2nd. Click through for some pictures of the ION netbooks. Read more

Nvidia ION platform benchmarked & reviewed

Nvidia’s ION platform is already making its way into a number of nettops and its inclusion in netbooks shouldn’t be that far off. ION takes an Intel Atom processor and partners it with a GeForce 9400M in place of the ageing 945 chipset. To show you how much of an improvement the ION platform is over current solutions, X-bit Labs have taken an engineering sample and given it a thorough testing.

They compare the ION platform to Intel’s 945 chipset across a number of different benchmarks including Windows Experience, PC Mark Vantage, 3DMark06, games, internet, power consumption and HD video playback. It’s interesting to see that whilst ION performs significantly better than the 945 chipset in 3D benchmarks, it’s still some way off the ability to play the latest games. X-bit’s view is that it cannot “be regarded even as an entry level gaming system”. The main issue is that the slow CPU acts as a bottleneck to the GPU (9400M). Read more

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