While many of us are waiting for Cortex-based mobile Internet devices to appear in late 2008, there is one little stepping stone that could form an impressive bridge into the next-gen for ARM-based devices. Its the multi-core capable ARM11 architechture (MPCore.)
A little research reveals that up to four cores can be combined to produce some impressive processor performance figures. Think 4 Nokia N810 cores working together!
Nvidia have taken it a step further though and licensed the architecture from ARM to built a system on chip, the APX 2500, that includes 3D and hi-end video processing to make, what appears to be, a bloody impressive system. The 3D support means that developers can do cool stuff with UI’s. The video support means it will work as a PVR for HD content and the multi-core capability (it’s not clear if Nvidia have actually implemented multiple cores) boosts performance for operating systems that can handle it.
SlashGear/PhoneMag got an impressive demo.
More information at Nvidia’s website.
Any ARM specialists care to comment on the MPCore element? How many operating systems out there can take advantage of it? WM? LiMo? Android?
Personally, I think this is the processor that we’ll see in the SE Xperia. I hope they have a big battery ready!
February 16th, 2008 at 12:46 am
linux based ones should not have a problem as one just have to compile it with SMP enabled iirc.
i wonder what the battery life will be when one fire up all the features tho