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Qualcomm doesn’t want to reserve the fastest wireless technology for its highest-end processors: it’s launching a new quad-core edition of its Snapdragon 400 chip, the MSM8926, with both 3G and LTE built-in. The 1.2GHz, Cortex-A7 part will handle the faster wireless speeds alongside 42Mbps HSPA+ and China-friendly TD-SCDMA. It will also continue to support shorter-range technology like 802.11ac WiFi and Miracast streaming. The newer Snapdragon should arrive late this year alongside a matching Reference Design tablet.

In the shorter term, the company is also introducing 7- and 10-inch versions of the Reference Design tablet that will be based on earlier, 3G-only versions of the Snapdragon 400 (the MSM8230 and MSM8030). These variants are targeted at developing world markets, and should be display on the Computex show floor this week — naturally, we’re hoping to get a first-hand look.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile

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Source: Qualcomm

The decline in desktop PC sales is beginning to ripple throughout the industry, as Intel has revealed plans to wind down its desktop motherboard division over the next three years. According to AnandTech, the company will release boards that are based on the Haswell architecture before completely suspending development. Moving forward, Intel will instead focus its efforts on creating form factor reference designs for the Ultrabook, tablet and desktop markets. Curiously, one product that’s currently immune from the announcement is the Next Unit of Computing (NUC), a miniature barebones system that will see continual development from Intel. While custom PC builders will likely take a moment to reflect upon the news, it’s said that the transition is unlikely to affect the company’s workforce. Instead, current employees will be absorbed into other divisions within Intel. After all, there’s no point in showing talented engineers to the door, even in an age of market shifts.

[Image credit: huangjiahui, Flickr]

Filed under: Desktops, Intel

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Source: AnandTech

If you weren’t following along with Intel’s CES 2013 keynote, here’s a partial summary: among other things, the company debuted its fourth-generation Core processors, which until now have gone by the codename “Haswell.” In addition to talking speeds and feeds, though, Intel also showed off a reference laptop with a Haswell chip inside, a notebook called “North Cape.” It was a hybrid, essentially — a 13-inch, 1080p tablet with a keyboard dock. (Intel made it sound more exciting than it was, saying the CPU is behind the display and that there are batteries behind the display and under the keyboard.) In any case, we got to see it up close after the press conference wrapped, though Intel isn’t actually letting members of the media touch it yet.

So far, we don’t know much about the device (Intel won’t even disclose battery life estimates) but we can say it looks thin for a 13-inch touchscreen device (the official spec is 10mm thick for just the tablet and 17mm for the tablet and dock). The viewing angles look promising, too, as you can hopefully tell from those odd camera angles. No word yet on which PC maker is going to pick up this design, but an Intel rep staffing the press conference told us it should arrive in time for the back to school shopping season, which usually kicks off in late spring. So when you see something similar to this surface in the May timeframe, just remember: you saw it here first.

Myriam Joire contributed to this report.

Filed under: Laptops, Intel

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You only have to look at the tidal wave of Ultrabooks to know that Intel design specifications can carry a lot of influence with manufacturers. That’s why the chip-maker’s claims about its latest reference tablet, built around a dual-core Atom Z2760 processor (aka “Clover Trail“), likely give us a broad hint of what to expect from devices like the forthcoming Lenovo Think Pad 2, ASUS Vivo Tab and Samsung ATIV Smart PC.

In particular, Intel has shown us slides claiming that the dual-core 1.8GHz chip with Imagination SGX545 graphics will offer the “best Windows 8 experience” on a tablet with “compatibility and support for traditional apps and peripherals.” And if you think that sounds like a subtle jibe at ARM-based tablets running Windows RT — a version of the OS that doesn’t even try to play nice with existing software — then you could be right. To be fair though, the point of RT is to offer superior portability, and that’s why Intel is also keen to emphasize that Clover Trail won’t impact too heavily on your freedom of movement. Tablets should come in below 1.5 pounds (680 grams — similar to the RT spec and much lighter than a Windows 8 Pro tablet) and 8.5mm in thickness, with built-in 3G, 4G and NFC. You shouldn’t need to carry a charger either, since a new power management system promises a distinctly un-laptop-like three weeks on standby and a full day of “active use” — defined as being at least 10 hours.

Windows 8 tablets won’t be like Windows 8 Pro machines, however, so don’t go expecting USB 3.0, or a guarantee of 1080p visuals (most Clover Trail devices we’ve seen are 1,366 x 768) or souped-up security — the Atom Z2760 is very much an evolved Medfield processor, with similar silicon and firmware, rather than a shrunken laptop chip.

Needless to say, what really matters is how well manufacturers adopt this design and what price points they manage to hit. Intel says that at least 20 different Clover Trail tablets are already in the works, and early price tags seem to be around the $799 mark — a hefty demand for sure, but perhaps one worth paying for those who need full-fledged Windows 8 and true portability at the same time. RT tablets, meanwhile, will have to come in much cheaper than that in order to be worthwhile.

Continue reading Intel details Clover Trail tablets: three weeks on standby, 10 hours of use, ‘full’ Windows 8 experience

Filed under: Tablets

Intel details Clover Trail tablets: three weeks on standby, 10 hours of use, ‘full’ Windows 8 experience originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 03:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Intel-powered mobile machine has been slowly picking up pace this year. Now, the chip-maker has signed up a new partner in the form of Russian operator MegaFon. So, it looks like we might see another (and we must say familiar looking) network-branded Android Medfield phone in the form of the MegaFon Mint. The spec-sheet, again, poses no surprises, with the same 1.6GHz Z2460 chip 1GB of RAM, 4-inch screen and 8-megapixel camera only further enhancing the sense of deja vu. What will be unique, however, is the price, which looks set at 17,990 Rubles (about $565), available from today.

Filed under: Cellphones

Intel brings Medfield to Russia with the MegaFon Mint originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 11:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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