Sunday, October 21, 2012

Samsung downplays rumors of Galaxy S4 for early 2013

The company takes to Twitter to pour cold water on what it says are overheated reports of a March 2013 release for the next Galaxy S phone.
Samsung's Galaxy S3.
Samsung's Galaxy S3.
(Credit: Samsung )
Consumers awaiting Samsung's Galaxy S4 may face a longer wait than reported yesterday.
The Korean handset maker today denied rumors that the next Galaxy S phone would launch next March. Loosely translated from the Korean, Samsung's Twitter post stated: "Please note that some media reported speculation that the Galaxy S3 subsequent models will be released in a simple rumor is not true. [If] not doing anything, why spread these rumors?"
The buzz spread quickly yesterday after an unnamed Samsung official told the Korea Times that the company is ready to launch the Galaxy S4 at next February's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The device itself would then reach consumers a month later.
          
Assuming Samsung is not just being coy, a launch of the next Galaxy S phone in March 2013 would seem a bit premature.
The Galaxy S3 debuted just this past May. Samsung also plans to unveil a 64GB version of the Galaxy S3 sometime before the end of the year, at least internationally.
Sales of the Galaxy S3 jumped to 20 million in just the first 100 days. The company also expects sales to surpass 30 million by year's end. Samsung would likely want to get more mileage out of the current model before so quickly introducing a new one, or at least not tip its hand so far in advance.
A spokesman for Samsung told CNET that the Twitter post is the only communication that he's seen from the company on the Galaxy S4 rumors.

13MP camera tipped for Samsung Galaxy S IV

13MP camera tipped for Samsung Galaxy S IV
The Samsung Galaxy S III still seems like the hottest Android smartphone out there, but this doesn’t stop rumors about the next Galaxy S to surface here and there. First, it was the Galaxy S IV’s allegedly upcoming appearance at MWC 2013, and now a 13-megapixel camera module has surfaced and it’s said to be directly linked to the fourth generation Samsung Galaxy S.

Currently, the Galaxy S III sports a pretty capable 8-megapixel shooter. Increasing the megapixel count however is no easy task if Samsung wants to retain the slim body line of its flagship Android phone. Moreover, more megapixels also make it more challenging for a device to perform well in low light conditions due to the simple fact that pixels get smaller and noise gets in easier.

Still, we expect the next Galaxy S IV to bring some big camera improvements, and while we’re not sure whether Samsung will bump up the megapixels, that’s definitely one possible way to go.

The 13-megapixel sensor is said to have been originally intended for the third-gen Galaxy S and the second Galaxy Note, but never made it to those devices (both feature 8-megapixel shooters). If such a camera arrive in the S IV, it'd capture images with 4208 x 3120 pixel resolution.

source: Samsung Updates via UberGizmo

13MP camera tipped for Samsung Galaxy S IV


1. PhenomFaz posted on 04 Oct 2012, 03:28 35 11

Samsung Galaxy S4...Already Legendary!

3. chaoticrazor posted on 04 Oct 2012, 03:40 7 16

whys that? just like to know really

11. PhenomFaz posted on 04 Oct 2012, 04:03 23 14

13 mp camera, exynos 5 dual or quad, 5 inch screen(probably), next gen ram(confirmed), bigger battery (mostly 3100 mAH), Android 5.0, New touchwiz, next gen AMOLED...need more?

12. chaoticrazor posted on 04 Oct 2012, 04:08 6 14

13mp camera isnt anything special sadly

the rest sounds like a great phone if all becomes reality. although im sure most who are interested in this phone would prefer it without touchwiz

but go on if theres more

18. PhenomFaz posted on 04 Oct 2012, 04:23 7 6

13 mp camera in pixel count isnt that special but a new sensor could change things, new flash maybe...xenon?
Touchwiz is not the most stylish but I think its got enough style not too much and the performance is great compared to other manufacturer UIs like Sense. You never know a new version of TouchWiz might be good. this is going to be the phone to beat and of course the global version should have LTE which the S3 or Note 2 dont have :(

Wht i would like to see thoguh is a better chassis as well

14. Dr.Phil posted on 04 Oct 2012, 04:15 9 1

Out of that list, I think the most probable would be: Exynos 5, bigger battery, new RAM technology, 13 MP camera, new touchwiz, and some update to the AMOLED screen.

I doubt that Google would jump to Android 5.0 by next February. Android 4.2 seems more likely.

I also doubt a 5 inch screen as that would put it in Galaxy Note territory, unless they bump the Note up to a 5.7 inch or 6 inch screen (which is also unlikely). It could be done, though, if they used an edge-to-edge screen, but I doubt they would up the screen size even if it was edge-to-edge.

16. PhenomFaz posted on 04 Oct 2012, 04:19 4 4

They are thinking of bumping the note up to 5.8 inches taking cues from the new GALAXY Player. Android 5.0 seems likely as most probably the phone will launch by May and Google is already telling manufacturers of the new Nexus devices to make some hardware changes that can take advantage of Android 5.0 so I believe Android 5.0 will come out sooner than later.

46. Dr.Phil posted on 04 Oct 2012, 16:10 1 1

Just because Google is telling manufacturers to have phones that are part of the Nexus program to be able to update to a jump in Android (Android 5.0), does not mean it will come sooner rather than later. Part of the reason Google wants the Nexus phones to be able to do this is because the iPhone's have historically been able to update to the latest iOS even though they are running on older hardware (with the iPhone 3GS just now ceasing to get an iOS update). I believe that Google wants the Nexus devices to have a long tenure in the consumer's hands, which in this case means it having the ability to keep up to date with the latest Android build. Think about it, the majority of smartphone users sign a 2-year contract. As a consumer, you want that device to last the entire two years (or if you are a preferred customer then the time period until you are able to upgrade your device). Consumers, therefore, want a device that keeps up to date with the latest and greatest.

I am just saying I doubt it would happen, not that it can't happen.

And again, with the speculation about the Galaxy SIV having a 5 inch screen, I just think it would have to be an edge-to-edge screen if they were to do that. You also have to remember, a device is considered a phablet if it starts at a 5 inch screen up until a 7 inch screen.

30. Captain_Doug posted on 04 Oct 2012, 08:00 2

Ha. Dr. Phil.

45. MobileCaseReview posted on 04 Oct 2012, 14:07 1

Yeah, isn't samsung releasing a SGS 3 mini? I wonder if they'll do the same with a 4. Either way, I really doubt the SGS 4 will come with Android 5.0 out of the box. 4.2 is more likely, if even that, just like you said. Google's next i/o isn't till july next year anyway so we'll probably find out then about 5.0. Personally, I prefer raw stock android. None of the UI's that other manufacturers offer can compare.

15. maxspecs posted on 04 Oct 2012, 04:15 1

design plz ?

19. PhenomFaz posted on 04 Oct 2012, 04:32 2 2

no word on it yet mate but keep readin as I'll post and let you know :)

23. jaoowolabi posted on 04 Oct 2012, 06:50 4

a 5 inch screen? yea thats were a cross the line. i want a freaking phone not a phablet!

24. chaoticrazor posted on 04 Oct 2012, 06:56 4

then go buy something else, not forced to get it if thats true

13. 09wbd03516 (banned) posted on 04 Oct 2012, 04:08 4

Thank God I didn't buy the SGS3, which fail to achieve rumor requirement, now it's time for me to wait this in Feb

21. dickwyn posted on 04 Oct 2012, 06:28 4 5

iPhone 5 already a flop

33. sid07desai posted on 04 Oct 2012, 08:36 4

by the time galaxy s4 with 13mp launches, sony will already have made 16mp as their standard camera! lol

37. chaoticrazor posted on 04 Oct 2012, 10:10 2 2

doubt it, besides everyones still playing catch up to nokia

13 will be the new standard for android and iOS soon, wp8 will prob follow too

41. PhenomFaz posted on 04 Oct 2012, 11:13 1 1

Dude if you get 13mp on a samsung its better than 16mp on a loser phone.
Its not about the MP...if I get it on a device I like its cool otherwise even an 8MP shooter suffices for mobile screen viewing of photos

Samsung to raise stakes with Galaxy S4 release

Under: Mobile Phones, Samsung
Date: October 7th, 2012
Currently one of the most sought after smartphones available is the Samsung Galaxy S3, which the company first launched less than six months ago. Now though we are starting to get some small pieces of information about its eventual replacement due sometime next year, and Samsung is set to raise the stakes with the Galaxy S4 release.

Only last month rumours surfaced that the Galaxy S4 will be released in March, but these were quickly shot down by the company. Now though according to an article on Sam Mobile the company is currently busy working on devices for next year that would feature 3GB of RAM.
There is even a leaked image that shows some test devices that have 3GB RAM stickers on them, but it is doubtful if these are actually the Galaxy S4 as they are obviously test devices. To have a device packing that much RAM may mean that Samsung is looking at ways to improve its software, and add more features.
If Samsung is looking to have 3GB of RAM available for its 2013 line up of smartphones, and would probably only be in its flagship handsets such as the next Galaxy S model, and possibly any new Note model that may come out next year as well.

Hopefully this increase in RAM is not just a case of bragging rights, but some useful new features for consumers to enjoy. We have already reported that the company is working on new 13 megapixel back illuminated sensor, and the company is calling it the S5K3L2.
While the release of the Samsung Galaxy S4 may be a long way off yet, it is obvious the company would be busy working on ways to improve it further from this year’s model. There has been talk before that the next version will have a larger screen closer to 5-inches, but with fitting in more RAM who knows what Samsung may have up its sleeves, or it could quite easily just be natural progression like it was moving from 1GB to 2GB.
Do you like the sound of 3GB of RAM in a smartphone?

Best Gaming CPUs For The Money: October 2012







Finally, we're seeing channel availability of AMD's Trinity-based APUs, and we consider which models might be attractive. We also discuss the upcoming Athlon X4 750K, AMD's Vishera-based FX, and an unusually high number of price changes this month!
If you don’t have the time to research benchmarks, or if you don’t feel confident enough in your ability to pick the right processor for your next gaming machine, fear not. We at Tom’s Hardware have come to your aid with a simple list of the best gaming CPUs offered for the money.

October Updates: AMD

First up, let's talk Trinity. AMD's next-generation (now current-gen) APUs launched in the channel earlier this month, and they generally serve up better application performance and they definitely come armed with better graphics performance. We're even impressed that AMD is pricing the APUs aggressively.
Unfortunately, they sport the same 100 W thermal ceilings as their Llano-based predecessors, creating a tough comparison against 55 W Intel Core i3s, particularly for folks most concerned about efficiency. Moreover, after just one product generation, AMD's Socket FM1 interface is being retired in favor of the Socket FM2 required by Trinity-based APUs. The company tells us that this socket will stick around for at least one more architecture update, at least.
By now, Trinity's strengths and weaknesses are no secret. We covered the mobile launch back in May (AMD A10-4600M Review: Mobile Trinity Gets Tested) and followed with a pre-launch desktop preview right after Computex (AMD Trinity On The Desktop: A10, A8, And A6 Get Benchmarked!), a gaming performance comparison (Gaming At 1920x1080: AMD's Trinity Takes On Intel HD Graphics), and even an analysis of efficiency (AMD's Trinity APU Efficiency: Undervolted And Overclocked).
In case that was all too much information for you, we'll summarize: the Trinity design improves on Llano using AMD's modular Piledriver architecture, an updated VLIW4-based graphics implementation, and improved power gating for better performance per watt. And, as we mentioned earlier, the company is pricing its new chips more aggressively than it did when Llano-based APUs first emerged. Let's talk about the specific models we've found for sale.
We'll start at the bottom with AMD's A4-5300. Armed with a single Piledriver module (consisting of two integer clusters, but lots of other shared resources, so not quite what we'd consider a dual-core CPU), the processor operates at 3.4 GHz, but can accelerate up to 3.6 GHz by virtue of Turbo Core technology. It also includes 128 shader cores operating at up to 724 MHz. And it's priced at $65, making the A4-5300 AMD's lowest-end Trinity-based APU.
The A6-5400K is up next, also equipped with one Piledriver module. It runs at a baseline 3.6 GHz, though, and can speed-up to 3.8 GHz in lightly-threaded applications. A 192-shader graphics engine is more performance-oriented, as is a 760 MHz peak graphics frequency. Selling for $75, this APU is more interesting to us because of its unlocked ratio multiplier.
AMD's new A8 and A10 families include a pair of Piledriver modules capable of working on four threads at a time, though they feature different graphics specifications. The A8-5600K offers a 3.6 GHz base frequency that scale up to 3.9 GHz. Its 256 shaders operate at 760 MHz, and it sells for $110. It has an unlocked multiplier as well. Finally, the A10-5800K is selling for $130 with a 3.8 GHz base frequency and 4.2 GHz maximum Turbo Core clock rate. It includes a more compelling 384-shader engine running at 800 MHz. It's overclockable as well.
Are AMD's new APUs worth building into a budget-oriented gaming platform? The A10s might be, though we suspect that even at the $500 budget of our bottom-end System Builder Marathon configuration, discrete graphics will prove a smarter choice. Will you see APUs start showing up in our gaming CPU recommendations? We'll have to consider factoring them in over the next month or two as we run additional tests. But it might be that APUs make more sense in our Best Graphics Cards For The Money column. Until we have more time for creating comparisons (and until we can get our hands on a Piledriver-based FX processor with discrete graphics), we're holding off on recommending Trinity-based APUs.
As far as pure CPUs go, there is one interesting Trinity-derived processor that AMD claims should be available, but still isn't: the Athlon X4 750K. Based on the company's information, we expect it to sell for somewhere around $80. It's essentially an A10-5700 APU with its SIMDs disabled. Consider its unlocked multiplier, though, and the overclocking potential it might have without a graphics engine sucking down power. The Athlon X4 could be interesting. We don't have access to one yet, but we'll be testing it as soon as we do.
Aside from its new products, AMD's pricing continues to shift slightly. The A6-3500, Athlon II X4 640, FX-6100, and FX-6200 all dropped $10 since last month. The Athlon X4 641 fell $15.

Intel

Intel also introduced new processors over the past month, though all of them employ different clock rates and feature adjustments as existing models. For example, the $60 Celeron G555 is 100 MHz faster than the Celeron G550. The $80 Pentium G645 is a Pentium G850 limited to 1033 MT/s memory. The $150 Core i3-3240 is a 100 MHz-faster Core i3-3220. The $190 Core i5-3350P is a Core i5-3450P running 100 MHz slower by default and up to 200 MHz slower at its highest Turbo Boost speed.
Although the new models aren't particularly interesting, Intel's price shifts are. The Core i3-2130 and Pentium G850 are about $20 cheaper. As a result, the Pentium takes our $70 recommendation. The Pentium G870, Core i3-2125, Core i5-3330, Core i7-2600K, and Core i7-3770K also dropped about $10.
We're not certain if the slight tweaks are intended to put pressure on AMD's latest efforts, but the timing makes us wonder. After seemingly ignoring AMD ever since its Sandy Bridge-based CPUs started shipping, strong graphics performance from Trinity-based APUs and better application performance may be forcing Intel to acknowledge the competition in the sub-$125 segment.

Some Notes About Our Recommendations

This list is for gamers who want to get the most for their money. If you don’t play games, then the CPUs on this list may not be suitable for your particular needs.
The criteria to get on this list are strictly price/performance. We acknowledge that there are other factors that come into play, such as platform price or CPU overclockability, but we're not going to complicate things by factoring in motherboard costs. We may add honorable mentions for outstanding products in the future, though. For now, our recommendations are based on stock clock speeds and performance at that price.
Cost and availability change on a daily basis. We can’t offer up-to-the-minute accurate pricing information in the text, but we can list some good chips that you probably won’t regret buying at the price ranges we suggest (and our PriceGrabber-based engine will help track down some of the best prices for you).
The list is based on some of the best US prices from online retailers. In other countries or at retail stores, your mileage will most certainly vary. Of course, these are retail CPU prices. We do not list used or OEM CPUs available at retail.

Intel announces 14 new Ivy Bridge processors

May. 31, 2012 (8:31 am) By:

When Intel launched the 22nm Ivy Bridge processors last month, that first batch of quad-core chips was just the beginning. Today, Intel added another 14 processors to the line-up, only this time the chips are mainly dual-core parts catering to a number of different market segments and platforms.
The new Ivy Bridge chips consist of both Core i7 and Core i5 parts. Core i3, Pentium, and Celeron lines will receive updates later, meaning even more new processors to keep track of, but also more performance/power savings at the low end of the market.
While the quad-core processors announced last month cater for the desktop market, the lower power requirements of these mostly dual-core parts make them suitable for use in mobile devices including Ultrabooks, laptops, and ultimately cheaper desktop systems.
Of the 14 new processors, 6 are classed as desktop chips with power use (TDP) ranging from 35-77 watts. These consist mainly of new quad-core chips, but one dual-core desktop chip is also listed (i5-3470T). They all carry the Core i5 name and include the processors listed above.
Below that we have the mobile chips that come in 4 flavors: Core i5-3210M, 3320M, 3360M and a Core i7-3520M. CPU frequency ranges from 2.6GHz to 2.9GHz and maxing out at 3.4GHz using Intel Turbo Boost on the Core i7 chip. The Core i5-3210M is slightly different, running at 2.5GHz and having a GPU clocked at 1.1GHz compared to 1.2GHz for the other mobile Core i5 chips.

Finally we have the ultra low power Ivy Bridge chips that have a TDP of 17 watts and will carry the “U” tag as part of their processor number. In this category 4 new chips have been announced: Core i5-3317U, 3427U, 3517U, and Core i7-3667U. CPU Frequency ranges from 1.7GHz to 2GHz with Turbo Boost increasing that as high as 3.2GHz for the Core i7 chip.

With the announcement of these new Ivy Bridge chips it shouldn’t take long for the 22nm parts to become the new standard in Ultrabooks, laptops, and desktop machines across most pricing bands. We could also see some deep discounts appearing on existing stocks of systems carrying second-generation Sandy Bridge chips.
For more details on the dual-core chips specifically aimed at the Ultrabook market, head on over to ExtremeTech for some in-depth analysis.
More at Engadget and ExtremeTech

Intel's Haswell chips are engineered to cut power use

Intel silicon wafer with nail for size comparison The size of the Haswell processors - seen here before being divided from a silicon wafer - is smaller than a nail

Related Stories

Intel has released early details of its Haswell computer chips, due for release in the middle of next year.
One version of the processors will run at 10 watts, about half as much as its current Ivy Bridge design.
It said the improvement would mean devices could become thinner, faster and offer extended battery life.
In addition it said the chips were designed to better support "perceptual" tasks such as voice recognition, facial analysis and depth tracking.
Intel is the world's biggest semiconductor supplier to laptop and desktop PC manufacturers, outselling its x86-based chip rival AMD.
However, the rise of Apple's iOS, Google's Android and the upcoming release of Windows RT - operating systems designed for chips based on ARM's rival architecture - means that it has missed out on much of the fast-growing tablet computer sector.
ARM-based designs were picked because of their reputation for low-energy use. But Intel hopes to gain an advantage by offering chips that can support the full Windows 8 system while using less energy than at present.
Haswell wafer Intel unveiled details of the chips at its developers conference in San Francisco
"Battery life, for example, on an ultrabook next year will be nine hours for a system that would deliver five hours today," Adam King, Intel's director of notebook product marketing told the BBC.
Centralised chips Haswell represents the "tock" in Intel's "tick-tock" development model: "Tocks" represent a redesign of a chip's architecture, while "ticks" concentrate on shrinking the size of its transistors.
As such Haswell chips retain the 22 nanometre process used to make the current generation of processors, but overhauls their design.
One of the key innovations has been to merge the chip's CPU (central processing unit) with its PCH (platform controller hub).
The CPU carries out calculations and program instructions, while the PCH handles input and output including connections to USB peripherals, audio, and storage.
In the current Ivy Bridge design the CPU uses 17 watts and the PCH a further 4 watts, giving a total energy requirement of 21 watts.
But this has been reduced in Haswell.
Intel plans to release two versions of the processor, one requiring 15 watts, the other 10 watts, marking energy savings of 29% or 52% respectively.
Dell XPS Duo 12 Devices such as Dell's upcoming Windows 8 hybrids show manufacturers experimenting with designs
"By putting them together in a single chip package we are able to get a lot of power reductions," Mr King said.
Sleep together He added that customers would also benefit from Power Optimiser - a new process that aims to reduce power-consumption when a device was not in use
"When you have multiple devices or peripherals on a PC they have their own schedule as to when they ping the operating system and say 'I'm still here', or 'I've had a change in status, can someone plug a thumb drive into me'.
"By having these things occur randomly the system is using lots of power even when it's in an idle state. What the Power Optimiser scheme does is harmonise all these signals so that you go out once and check all your peripherals to see if there is a change in state and then go back to an idle state.
"It's like parents with triplets trying to get some sleep through the night - if each child is waking up at different hours then mum and dad are going to be awake all night. Wouldn't it be great if you could get all three to just wake up at the same time and go back to sleep together."
Speech recognition Another innovation on the new chips is a more powerful GPU (graphics processing unit). This is designed to handle tasks in which a large number of calculations can be carried out simultaneously, rather than one-at-a-time.
Speech and face recognition are highly parallelisable tasks and will thus benefit from this improvement.
Intel is working with speech-recognition company Nuance to create a software kit to help developers best unlock the chips' potential.
In addition it suggests Haswell-based computers will also be better suited to tracking objects placed close to their camera sensors allowing further development of gesture controls and augmented reality.
Devices using ARM-based chips ARM-based chips are the dominant processor technology for smartphones, tablets and TVs
While such advances may help Intel continue its dominance of the PC-market, one analyst suggested that it might remain a niche player when it came to tablets, at least in the short term.
"ARM's current dominance in the sector comes from the fact they were in the smartphone business when Intel wasn't and this technology has now been leveraged for tablets," Sergis Mushell, principal research analyst at Gartner told the BBC.
"This allowed people to innovate and create a new ecosystem in which many of the tablet makers - such Apple and Samsung - make their own ARM-based chips, and it would be very difficult to adapt these machines to run on Intel chips in the short-term.
"But if a tablet comes out that has the true performance of a laptop and the backward compatibility to all the work and creativity users can do on a Windows computer, then Intel has a shot to run alongside ARM... with an alternative form factor to a clamshell."

Intel's new Clover Trail chip will support Android & Linux

Summary: There have been rumors that Intel's new Atom CPU, Clover Trail, would only support Windows 8, but not Android or Linux. We now know that the chip will support these open-source operating systems as well.
When the "news" came out that Intel wouldn't be supporting Linux on its new Atom CPU, Clover Trail, I didn't buy it. This next-generation Intel Atom processor was always meant primarily for Windows 8; but with Intel's x86 instruction set, it would also always support Android and Linux.
We now know that Intel will officially support the popular open-source operating systems on the Clover Trail family as well.
In an e-mail from an Intel spokesperson, Intel said, "Intel has plans for another version of this platform directed at Linux/Android; however we are not commenting on the platform specifics or market segments at this time. Stay tuned.”
Earlier this year Intel had released a new low-power Atom processor, the Medfield, primarily for Android. These one-core chips are now being used in engineering samples running Android 4.1, Jelly Bean, and the just announced Motorola RAZRi.
The “problem” with Clover Trail for Android and Linux was that it had two cores. Intel has long been concerned with Android's power and heating requirements for multi-core Atom CPUs for mobile platforms. There was never any difficulty with running Android or Linux on Clover Trail. The trouble was getting it to work efficiently with Clover Trail's power management.
Clover Trail is designed to have much better battery life than the earlier Atom processors. It does this with a new power state called S0ix or “active idle.” Intel claims that Clover Trail -- as well as other Haskell family chips --  will use 20 times less power while in active idle state, compared with when it’s on and idling. In this state, the system will continue to keep its network connection up and to be able to quickly wake up when a user "turns" a Clover Trail tablet on.
Intel_Hawell_power
Intel will support Android and Linux on the new power-efficient Clover Trail and other Haswell processors.
Since Haswell, Intel's forthcoming fourth-generation Core processors, will be Intel's primary processor for 2013, there was never any question that Linux would support its new power management features. Indeed, Intel has already been working on Linux support for active idle. In July, Rajeev Muralidhar, an Intel software architect and Linux kernel developer, presented a paper on integrating the standard Linux and Android power management architectures with aggressive low power idle standby states, aka active idle, in Medfield chips.
In short, while Intel was making Windows 8 support its first priority for Clover Trail, the company had also been working to make Android and Linux work with its key power management features.
That said, some Linux experts dismiss Clover Trail as a dead-end chip. Bruce Perens, one of the founders of the Open Source Initiative, wrote in his blog that, “Atom isn't really the right architecture for portable devices with limited power budgets. Intel has tried to address this by building a hidden core within the chip that actually runs RISC instructions, while providing the CISC instruction set that ia32 programs like Microsoft Windows expect. But this doesn't approach ARM's power efficiency.”
In short, “Clover Trail's target is a future Windows 8 Tablet. ... If you expect the Windows tablet to do as well as the Windows 8 smartphones recently released by Nokia and others, you probably aren't far from wrong. Clover Trail, built with partner Microsoft, might be Intel's biggest loser since Itanium, built with partner HP.”
Related Stories:

About

Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols, aka sjvn, has been writing about technology and the business of technology since CP/M-80 was the cutting edge, PC operating system. Elsewhere on ZDNet, SJVN covers gNetworking and Open Source.
Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Talkback

38 comments
Log in or register to join the discussion
  • Intel's new Clover Trail chip will support Android & Linux

    Kudos Intel.
    RickLively
    • Yeah, except it's not true

      They're just saying this because of the backlash from the community over the "Windows-Only chip". The Linux/Android Clover Trail chip does not and will not exist.
      symbolset
    • Another version for Linux

      "Intel has plans for another version of this platform directed at Linux/Android."

      I think we need to differentiate between the processor and the platform.

      It is clear that a Clover Trail SoC has been designed specifically for Windows 8 This will not work on Linux. This may be related to Microsoft's implementation of UEFI, connected standby and power management, and special firmware for Windows 8, for example. secure boot.

      Intel states that there will be another version of a Clover Trail that will work with Linux. In other words, you can not load Linux on machines with the Windows 8 version of a Clover Trail.
      reidar76
  • But why?

    "Intel has plans for another version of this platform directed at Linux/Android; however we are not commenting on the platform specifics or market segments that at this time."

    Why is "another version" required or desirable? I still think I may smell a rat somewhere in this.
    D.T.Long
    • agreed

      something is not right here...so we have two different CPUs for windows and linux? what about dual booting can we do it or not? are we going to be blocked in one platform?!
      these are important qs which intel should answer it seems they are going to take the choice away by their messed up architecture....
      G3niusOwl
      • What's the problem?!

        Android-based smartphones and tablets aren't anything like the desktop GNU/Linux market. You can walk into a local brick and mortar retail store and have a choice of Android-based devices. There's no need to buy a Windows 8-based tablet and install Android on it.

        As for Intel and Android, Intel (and their Wind River Systems subsidiary) are bullish on Android:

        http://www.windriver.com/products/mobile-linux/android.html
        Rabid Howler Monkey
        • I don't get your point if there was one

          Dismissing the issue is no explanation nor justification for Intel's statements.

          Care to try again?
          D.T.Long
          • My point, as far as your post is concerned, is that I don't smell a rat

            Intel is a top corporate contributor to the Linux kernel, second only to Red Hat:

            "Counting Contributions: Who Wrote Linux 3.2?
            https://www.linux.com/learn/tutorials/560928-counting-contributions-who-wrote-linux-32

            Intel joined The Document Foundation (TDF) Advisory Board earlier this year:

            http://blog.documentfoundation.org/2012/02/23/the-document-foundation-announces-libreoffice-for-windows-from-suse-is-now-available-in-intel-appupsm-center/

            Members of TDF Advisory Board provide advice and funding for the LibreOffice project.

            Intel is a member of the Open Handset Alliance (as is their Wind River Systems subsidiary):

            http://www.openhandsetalliance.com/oha_members.html

            Finally, lots of Linux servers are running on Intel components.
            Rabid Howler Monkey
          • That was before

            Now they've given us the processor equivalent of a Winmodem. What are we supposed to think of their future course now?
            symbolset
          • Think? Maybe FACT CHECK them?

            There is already open source code for future generation of Intel SoCs, CPUs, and GPUs in upstream Linux components...

            So about what future are you talking????
            przemoli
          • Intel apologists?

            Nobody has tried to explain WHY Intel "needs" two different versions of the same processor, one for Windows and one for Linux. All I read is what Intel has done for Linux and may do in the future.

            Fine, but it does not address my point AT ALL, which is pretty pathetic.

            Unless someone can provide a sensible explanation, it still concerns me.
            D.T.Long
          • RE: Intel apologists?

            And one more thing. This just came it today:

            http://www.zdnet.com/tizen-linux-heads-for-vehicles-as-car-makers-and-tech-firms-form-workgroup-7000004491/

            And wouldn't you know it, Intel is actively involved in the Tizen.

            It's one thing to be an Intel apologist and quite another to to look broadly at Intel's many contributions to Linux and open-source.
            Rabid Howler Monkey
          • Valley View SoC Has Full Linux Support

            Intel's next generation of SoC, Valley View, has full Linux support right from the beginning (Intel is already submitting patches for Valley View).

            In fact, not only the CPU, but the GPU is fully supported with open code because the GPU is an Intel chip. This is unlike Clover Trail, which has a GPU from PowerVR, and thus has binary only support in Linux for the GPU, since PowerVR refuses to lend any support to open source drivers for their chips (of course there are some reverse engineering efforts).

            Intel is hardly abandoning Android or Linux with future SoC development.

            It appears that Microsoft has made a deal with both Intel and AMD to have exclusive support for Windows 8 in this generation of low power chips (including Intels's Clover Trail SoCs and AMD's Hondo APUs), but only for a limited time. AMD clarified that their APUs would work with Linux, but not all the features of the chip would not be specifically supported in Linux at first. Linux support would come later. It appears that something similar is going on with Clover Trail.
            CFWhitman
          • Better Than Nothing

            Intel clearly wants the pc buyer to be buying an Intel processor, regardless of whether the os is Windows, OS X, or Linux. But, looking at the numbers of new computers that will ship next year under those various os flags, we see where Intel has to put its priorities. Any announcement that includes date available and price supersedes an announcement that includes either the phrase "real soon now" or "sometime in the next year."

            It's better than nothing and there's no reason to doubt Intel's sincerity on the matter, but I feel better when there are more specifics, especially as I think the proponents of the vague pronouncement figure people project optimistically.
            DannyO_0x98
          • Steadfastly avoiding the real issue

            The question was WHY Intel needs one piece of silicon for Windows and a different one for Linux.

            It does not matter how many links are produced showing Intel supporting Linux.

            The fundamental question remains unanswered. And I am STILL suspicious.
            D.T.Long
          • A more fundamental question

            Obviously this is a coordinated effort on Microsoft's parts to have _both_ major x86 vendors announce a commitment to Windows-only chips for Windows 8 in the same week. What is it about Windows 8 that is so poor it needs to be protected from honest competition on open low power platforms? I suspect I know the answer, but we'll have to wait and see.

            When the inevitable antitrust suit comes out of this the court documents will shine a bright light on these shenanigans.
            symbolset
          • It was explained

            "This is unlike Clover Trail, which has a GPU from PowerVR, and thus has binary only support in Linux for the GPU, since PowerVR refuses to lend any support to open source drivers for their chips (of course there are some reverse engineering efforts)."

            That was from a post made before yours, DT.
            Michael Alan Goff
      • If Intel worked with Microsoft on the tech

        They may jointly own the patents. Which would naturally include nondisclosures, and an agreement to not grant licenses for the technologies to others. Or maybe Microsoft patented some of the technologies during the development partnership. Intel may find that they literally can't make the chip open - which they should have thought about before working with Microsoft in the first place.

        Still a dirty deal here somewhere.
        symbolset
      • Something like Apple's A5 on the iPad?

        Why should Intel continue to make a processor that will run both Windows and Linux if they are selling the chips to say, MS, who plans on using them exclusively on Windows Tablets?

        If they make two chips, each optimized for the particular OS, then that's a win for Intel, manufacturers, and consumers.
        William Farrel
      • Who said anything about making tablets dual bootable?

        I've never read that one of the requirements of a tablet is that it MUST be dual bootable.

        Not to sound like a smart-ass answer, but isn't that your problem. not Intel, Acer, Dell, (ect) or MS's?
        William Farrel