Qualcomm aims chip at tiny, always-on laptop

Correction, 1:30 p.m. PST: This story misspelled the last name of a Qualcomm director of product management. His name is Manjit Gill.

Qualcomm's four-year, $350 million effort to design a chip that goes into small notebooks and handhelds will come to fruition next year when device makers deliver products based on the Snapdragon processor.

I spent Friday morning at Qualcomm discussing the San Diego company's quest to build a processor for very small, very lightweight notebooks--what the Intel camp calls a Netbook.

Though Qualcomm's prototype looks like a Netbook on the outside, the Snapdragon technology inside is quite different from Intel's Atom silicon, which powers dozens of Netbooks on the market today.

And what's inside goes to the heart of how Qualcomm separates itself from Intel.

"Intel is a great company. I think they have great talent. But we believe there are limitations in the (Intel) architecture," said Manjit Gill, director of product management, Connected and Consumer Products Group, at Qualcomm. In short, he thinks Intel technology is wrong for this market, which values connectivity above processing power.

"Our vision is that (the device is) always connected. Even when you shut it down, it's still 'on.' (The laptop) goes to your Exchange server, gets your e-mail, puts it on the drive--solid-state or hard drive--and then when you're ready to do e-mail, you flip it open and it's right there. Instant on, always connected," Gill said.

Manjit Gill of Qualcomm demonstrates a small laptop prototype running Red Flag Linux. Next to it is a MacBook Air.

(Credit: Brooke Crothers)

"The question is, can you enable the same value proposition on an Intel platform?" Gill's answer, not surprisingly, is no. "Two or three hours later the battery's just completely drained out. You cannot rely on it to be there all day long in your bag and still getting all your e-mail."

And Snapdragon contains the technology that will enable Qualcomm to build an un-Intel, un-Netbook type of device, Gill claims.

Though becoming too un-Intel presents a challenge. Intel has consistently countered arguments like Qualcomm's by saying that consumers want to stay plugged into its x86 architecture that runs Windows and all the software and applications that go along with Windows. And this has been one of the reasons that Atom-based Netbooks have become so popular, so fast.

"Of course, Atom and Snapdragon are completely different beasts," said Tom R. Halfhill, a senior analyst at the Microprocessor Report. "Atom is an x86 processor with little integration. Snapdragon (has) more integrated features. In terms of real-world performance, Atom is much faster than Snapdragon."

But one of the big goals, according to Gill, was to build something that exceeds the current ARM processors found in hundreds of consumer devices today. (ARM is a design house that licenses its chip designs to companies such as Samsung, Nvidia, and Qualcomm.)

"About four years ago we had a bunch of guys join (who) used to work for IBM in the PowerPC group," Gill said. He said the engineers came from IBM's chip group that designs chips for low-power "embedded" devices.

The new team was tasked to turbocharge typical ARM designs that were "maxing out" at about 500MHz, which isn't enough speed to deliver the experience that Qualcomm is aiming for. (Intel's Atom for Netbooks, by comparison, now maxes out at 1.6GHz.)

"There was a need to go do something beyond this. So, we went and got the architecture license (from ARM) and we have this team of about 50 CPU designers and we put them to task. So, four years and $350 (million) to $400 million later, we have a CPU that actually works better than the (typical) ARM CPU."

The piece de resistance of this strategy is the Qualcomm QSD8672 dual-core Snapdragon that features two CPU computing cores capable of 1.5GHz performance, and a host of other features includes HSPA+, up to 28Mbps download speeds, 1080p high-definition video, Wi-Fi, mobile TV, and GPS. The graphics core is based on Advanced Micro Devices' ATI unit's technology.

Qualcomm is able to achieve this relatively high speed (1.5GHz) for a low-power processor because it did more than simply get a license from ARM. "We went and got an architecture license from ARM. The architecture license was for their new instruction set, the V7 instruction set. There's a difference between getting an architecture license and just getting a core license. A core license means ARM does the (chip) core and they give it to you. The architecture license is different: the actual implementation is your own," he said.

The 45-nanometer processor will be built by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company.

Though Qualcomm won't necessarily build the laptops itself, the company's vision for how they will be used is clear. "We don't view these as laptop replacements. We don't think these are the devices people will use to do Photoshop editing or anything like that," he said. "Browse the Web, check your e-mail. At $399, or a carrier subsidizes it further to $199. (At this price), it becomes very, very compelling."

Companies including Acer, Asus, and Toshiba are planning devices based on Snapdragon, according to Qualcomm. Acer, for example, will initially introduce Qualcomm's Gobi 3G modem into its devices, then gravitate to products based on Snapdragon.

[slickuser]

always on concept is nothing new. Intel demonstrated it almost
5 years ago in their IDF forum.

[ghosford]

I'm no chip guru, but I would be more convinced if, instead of "demonstrated it," you had said "designed a chip used in (Company X's mobile device)." There is a big difference between demonstrating a concept, and manufacturing a chip that can actually be used in a device. Having said that, presumably "always on" is a concept for at least PDAs and smart phones.

Let me point out that Qualcomm has been working on this chip for four years (pretty close to "almost 5 years ago"). Qualcomm's Grill implies that this chip will be able to power a netbook "all day" (what does that mean, 8, 12, 24, or more hours?), with greater speed than other chips provide. (I also wonder what happens when the battery does go dead.) But whether or not this concept of "always on" computing is "new," the power usage/management seems to be the groundbreaking feature of this new chip. It will be interesting to see if it lives up to the hype!

[logicprobe]

But will it run Windows? (Desktop Windows, not Windows CE...) Intel's netbooks started out as Linux platforms, but consumers want Windows, and now most netbooks ship with XP.

[pjhenry1216]

i think if linux keeps being put out there, especially in scenarios where windows can't cut it (windows may need too much power for this), people may be drawn to linux and realize that it may be a better solution for them.

its kind of crazy that the meme was always "but will it run linux?" ... never thought i'd hear "but will it run windows?"

[pithenumber]

Windows+netbook=slow

[ferretboy88]

Who in their right mind would run RedFlag linux? I would never trust anything coming out of China. They already sold the U.S Govt routers with hidden microchips for spying.

[w_bee]

Qualcomm probably worked with one of their Chinese customers, who happened to use RedFlag linux, to develop the prototype.

As for your other views, please take your political soapbox somewhere else to a more appropriate forum.

[slickuser]

Exactly, who wants to run Linux on ARM crap? Thats sounds like one big crappy package to me...

Lack of windows compatibility will kill this product..

[jtjt145]

Assuming there was incompatibility, which we don't know yet since we haven't seen the product. BUT EVEN if there really was incompatibility, it is more likely by design from Microsoft trying to maintain their market share. I often find Windows users to be complacent, unquestioning, and resigned to their fate, being dogged by a mediocre operating system, rather than using stemmed back energies to learn what else is there. There might be something better, though, you'll never know, if you never try ...

[artistjoh]

Linux will always be a problem for the mass market because even where there is an easy to use distro inevitably to go beyond that basic install puts the user into the chaos of the wider Linux world and the vast majority of us want nothing to do with it. Linux is great for geeks but most people want the predigested easy-to-deal-with world of Windows or OS X.

Netbook sales so far has demonstrated that XP is the clear preference and anyone trying to sell something with Linux faces a very steep uphill battle. I run Ubuntu in Fusion on Leopard and I have to say I prefer XP. The Linux works fine but having to find new programs, or plug-ins for Gimp etc is a nightmare for anyone without above average computer expertise because so much that is on offer is half baked and show evidence of being made by enthusiasts rather than someone with good business sense.

The small installation base of Linux despite a massively lower cost compared to Windows and OS X is a good indication that few non-geeks find it an attractive option and most (like me) who try it once do not return for a second go.

[w_bee]

EEEpc was doing well until Microsoft felt compelled to bring XP from the dead. Microsoft limits the manufactures of XP netbook to maximum of 120G of hard disk, doing so to protect their bread and butter Vista business.

Linux does face a steep uphill battle. However, Microsoft can't keep people from getting exposures to linux forever with their marketing tactics. Linux is getting better and better everyday. Linux will not go away; time is on linux's side.

[pithenumber]

huj?

[rturner2]

I just want a web browser, flash support, java support, skype, photo viewing, movie (divx or h.264) playback, simple office aplications and email. If it did this with always on (via mobile data network and wifi) and lasted 18 hours (being used), then I would most certainly purchase this over a Windows XP netbook.

[idfubar]

If that's what you want then get a Zonbu!

[CCmanyfjhgfjyghj]

For gods sake, how much skill does it take to open a Linux browser. Get a clue already OS doesn't matter to most nimrods, they just want to surf the net.

[pithenumber]

no most want to fire up iTunes and use photoshop

[RideMan]

I don't care what OS it runs. Make it small enough to fit into my pocket, and give it a decent keyboard.

All I want to do is check email, surf the web, and do some typing, maybe some PIM-type stuff.

Yes, I confess...I want a logical update to my beloved Psion 3mx...

[pithenumber]

make your pocket bigger
decent keyboard=big=not in pocket

[Charbax]

They need to put a laptop version of Google Android OS on this and sell it below $200 unsubsidized, and this will be the perfect Intel Atom killer platform. I am expecting huge things from ARM Cortex ARMv7 A-8 and A-9 platforms. I believe ARM is the way OLPC will most quickly reach a sub-$150 laptop price point.

[nitin213]

Android on this machine is actually a real possibility.. Given that Google optimizes its Android code for Qualcomm chipsets by default, I wouldn't be surprised to see Android installed on these machines when they actually do get launched. As for the US$200 unsubsidized, I guess that will have to wait but probably doable.

[shoelaceninja]

honestly, i don't care what os it comes with on it, as long as linux would have full compatibility with the hardware. i would be running linux now, but it doesn't support my wireless card on my laptop.

or maybe the would have an option. chosen by manufacturer linux distribution for free, or xp for +z$

[jsheats]

It seems to me that the people who want MS Windows functionality will just continue to endure their heavier and power hungry computers. It doesn't take an overpaid market analyst to see that the Netbook (despite still too short battery life), along with smart phones with their tiny displays and keyboards, are the loci of exciting growth today. Qualcomm can easily provide software which will enable the user to do simple editing tasks whose output is compatible with the main platforms. I am looking forward to seeing it!

[Bill_I]

I am not an overpaid market analyst, but it seems we are witnessing the convergence of cell-phone-type simplicity with various watered-down versions of Windows. Perhaps a middle ground will emerge in the marketplace, as people vote with their scarce dollars for mobile internet access devices. Maybe Wi-max with permit you to get online anyplace your phone works. The coming DTV cutover will open up a lot of bandwidth to make this possible.