Texas Instruments introduces ARM-based OMAP 4 SOC, Blaze development platform

Texas Instruments has just made its OMAP 4 system-on-chip official, and garnished the announcement with the first development platform for it, aggressively titled Blaze. We already caught a glimpse of it in prototype form earlier this month, and the thing is quite a whopper — you can see it on video after the break and we doubt you’ll accuse TI of placing form before function with this one. The company’s focus will be on promoting innovative new modes of interaction, with touchless gesturing (or “in the air” gesture recognition) figuring strongly in its vision of the future. Looking at the SOC diagram (available after the break), you’ll find that its grunt will be provided by the same ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore class of CPU that powers the iPad, though TI claims it will be the only mobile platform capable of outputting stereoscopic 720p video at 30fps per channel. Perhaps its uniqueness will come from the fact that nobody else cares for the overkill that is 3D-HD on a mobile phone, whether it requires glasses or not. It’ll still be fascinating to see if anybody picks up the chunky Blaze idea and tries to produce a viable mobile device out of it — we could be convinced we need multiple displays while on the move, we’re just not particularly hot on the 90s style bezel overflow.

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Texas Instruments introduces ARM-based OMAP 4 SOC, Blaze development platform originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung’s Wave gets the preview treatment

Samsung's Wave gets the preview treatment

What, our hands-on with video wasn’t good enough for you? Fine, Eldar at Mobile-Review.com has a rather lengthy preview of Sammy’s 1GHz Bada phone, the Wave, including so many macro photos you could probably make yourself a compelling reproduction of Mr. Murtazin’s thumbprint. Impressions of this pre-production phone were very positive, coming to the conclusion that it will “definitely become one of the milestones not only for Samsung, but also the whole industry.” Yeah, it’s looking that good, but we do have to wonder just how warmly the buying community is going to welcome yet another mobile OS. We’ll find out soon enough, as the phone is set for release in April.

Samsung’s Wave gets the preview treatment originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 07:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Adobe brings AIR to Android, promises Flash 10.1 in the first half of the year

Convergence has always been a big theme in tech, and its focus at MWC this year seems to have landed firmly on procuring an application platform that is OS-agnostic. Earlier today, we heard of the big carrier cabal intent on slaying the beast that is multi-platform development through cooperation, but if you ask Adobe the answer is much simpler: just slap AIR on your phone. The company’s grand vision of the future sees AIR as the facilitator of a “feature-rich environment for delivering rich applications outside the mobile browser and across multiple operating systems.” If that sounds like your cup of tea, it’s now available on Android and there are a number of cool demo videos at the DevNet link below. As to Flash Player 10.1, that’s also heading to Android, to be completed within the first half of this year, while also including support for WebOS, Symbian, Windows Mobile and BlackBerry devices. We all know who’s missing from that party, but Reuters reports Adobe has expressed confidence that Apple will “eventually bow to market pressure” and join in on the fun as well. We shall see. Video of AIR apps running on the Droid awaits after the break.

Continue reading Adobe brings AIR to Android, promises Flash 10.1 in the first half of the year

Adobe brings AIR to Android, promises Flash 10.1 in the first half of the year originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 07:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bug Labs intros BUG 2.0 platform with faster processor, Android support

Tired of your BUGBase lagging out while you’re trying to set up that crazy homebrew alarm system? Hope is on the way in the form of BUG 2.0, Bug Labs’ next-gen development platform that moves up to a Cortex A8-based OMAP3 core from the original BUGBase’s ARM11. The processor bump isn’t the only change, though: they’re announcing full support for running BeagleBoard apps and — get this — Android. That means that you won’t necessarily need to be locked into Bug’s own development environment for doing your thing, and obviously, folks already familiar with Android development should have a much easier time making the transition. Even better, the base maintains backward compatibility with existing BUGmodules, so most of your current investment won’t be for naught — save the old base, of course. Price and availability are yet to be announced.

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Bug Labs intros BUG 2.0 platform with faster processor, Android support originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Comsys joins GSM and WiMAX into holy matrimony under Android as ComMAX CM1125

Comsys joins GSM and WiMAX into holy matrimony under Android as ComMAX CM1125It looks like the next generation of little green robots just got a little bit faster, with Comsys Mobile announcing its ComMAX CM1125 reference design at Mobile World Congress 2010 (and beating HTC to the punch). It’ll apparently find life inside Windows Mobile handsets as well, where it will not only offer WiMAX, but bring GSM/Edge, WLAN, GPS, Bluetooth, and even FM radio to the table, all in a design with “exceptionally low power operation.” It’s said to be able to switch from WiMAX to Edge seamlessly, though we image that transition would feel something like being inside KITT on Turbo Boost and hitting the Emergency Braking System. No word on when we’ll see phones at retail based on this design, but we’ll endeavor to bring you more information on this design (as well as more Knight Rider references) as the show progresses.

Comsys joins GSM and WiMAX into holy matrimony under Android as ComMAX CM1125 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 06:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EPIX brings movie streaming to mobiles courtesy of Adobe’s Open Screen Project

Already offering video to your TV and computer, EPIX is ready to unveil the third part of its “Big On Any Screen” service when it demonstrates a mobile version of the channel today at MWC 2010. It’s teamed up with Adobe and the Open Screen Project for a Flash Player 10.1 implementation that it claims offers “highest mobile viewing quality available on mobile devices today,” if it can match up with the Flash player available on PCs then it has a chance. The ability to pause a movie on the TV or PC and pick up later on your handheld is in the works as well. No word on where we’ll see this launch or if your cell carrier will need to be tied to your TV service for access, but we’d figure Verizon’s VCast will be near the top of the list.

EPIX brings movie streaming to mobiles courtesy of Adobe’s Open Screen Project originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 06:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba updates TG01 handset with the TG02

Toshiba‘s just let slip its MWC press, and here’s what we’ve got: the TG01’s successor… the TG02. It’s a minor update to the original, and yes — it’s exact to that early prototype roadmap leak we saw way back in April. On offer here, we’ve got this 9.9mm badboy with a 4.1-inch capacitive WVGA touchscreen, 1GHz processor, and a newly retooled 3D menu to boot, running Windows Mobile 6.5. All in all, as we said, a pretty minor update to the handset. There’s no firm information for now as to when the TG02 will launch, or how much it’ll cost. We’ll let you know when we do. Full press release is after the break.

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Toshiba updates TG01 handset with the TG02 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 06:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MeeGo: Nokia and Intel merge Maemo and Moblin

Well this one is a… doozy? Today Nokia announced a rather bizarre partnership with Intel. Namely, the two companies are merging their odd, half-finished, Linux-based OSs into one crazy little package called… MeeGo. No, really. Intel is mixing its peanut butter Moblin with Nokia’s chocolatey Maemo to create a “software platform that will support multiple hardware architectures across the broadest range of device segments, including pocketable mobile computers, netbooks, tablets, mediaphones, connected TVs and in-vehicle infotainment systems.” That broad enough for you? According to the company’s press release, the new platform will begin baring fruit (AKA devices) later this year, though the specific types of devices weren’t touched upon. Nokia’s CEO, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo claims that the union will “create an ecosystem that is second to none” through openness, though at this point it’s largely bluster. Why the two monoliths have decided to pair up on these decidedly niche platforms rather than focusing energies on their front and center products is anyone’s guess, but luckily you can attempt to decipher more detail in the PR, included for your convenience after the break!

Continue reading MeeGo: Nokia and Intel merge Maemo and Moblin

MeeGo: Nokia and Intel merge Maemo and Moblin originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live from Nokia’s (and Intel’s) MWC 2010 press event

We’ve just been sent into an Auditorium here at ONCE in Barcelona — just seconds away from the Fira convention center — and we’re about to get underway. Keep it locked!

Continue reading Live from Nokia’s (and Intel’s) MWC 2010 press event

Live from Nokia’s (and Intel’s) MWC 2010 press event originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows Mobile 7 interface and device leaked on MWC banners

The eagle-eyed folks of learnbemobile have come across this stupendous leak of Microsoft’s forthcoming Windows Mobile 7 OS. It would appear that some last minute alterations were taking place under the covers in Barcelona, though apparently no one bothered to check if there were cameras around before lifting said covers. You can see what appears to be some kind of Xbox Live integration — which was heavily rumored already — taking up a corner of what’s presumably a new home screen for the OS. There are also big, finger-loving notice icons for calls, text messages, and email, with sections for Facebook, Pictures and “Me” filling out the rest. We don’t have any more info than these few shots, and the aforementioned site just has the images camped out on its Facebook page, but it definitely looks to be the real deal. If this is the new face of Windows Mobile, color us excited for today’s event — it looks like a radical departure (or at least a crazy skin). You can check out a few more shots in the gallery below.

[Thanks, HJ Willems]

Update: The official announcement has now been made and fully corroborates the visuals leaked here. Check out our hands-on experience with the fresh new software to learn more.

Windows Mobile 7 interface and device leaked on MWC banners originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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