Consumers who want to watch high-resolution HD video on Hulu on the newest crop of Intel-based Netbooks will have to seek out models equipped with special chips from Broadcom or Nvidia.
Broadcom chip will enable HD playback on Netbooks. But will Netbook suppliers use it?
(Credit: Broadcom)Though Intel announced a major makeover of the Atom processor Monday, it's still not powerful enough to handle the highest resolution video.
For playback of high-resolution HD video--such as 1080p--Intel has "validated" an additional Broadcom chip that Netbook suppliers can include in systems, according to Anil Nanduri, director, Netbook Marketing at Intel.
Not coincidentally, on Monday, Broadcom announced the BCM70015 Crystal HD chip for high-resolution video playback. The chip will provide software support for Adobe Flash Player (v10.1) and Windows Media Player (v12), the company said.
The catch is that a consumer will have to confirm whether a new Netbook comes with the Broadcom chip. If the past is any indication, the chip will not be widely available on Netbooks, though Intel's Nanduri added: "I believe there will be some (systems) using that chip." The playback of the lower-resolution 720p HD variety is possible on Intel-only Atom silicon, according to Nanduri.
And there's another, even higher-end option for HD video playback: Netbooks equipped with the new Intel processor and Nvidia's Ion graphics chip. "With Ion you'll be able watch Hulu HD or YouTube HD at either 720 or 1080. With standard Intel components without Ion you won't be able to do that," said David Ragones, product line manager at Nvidia, disputing Intel's claim that the Atom processor can do 720p video playback.
"Another category is Blu-ray video," Ragones said. "If you want to watch the latest Blu-ray movie that just came out, you can absolutely do that on an Ion Nebtook," he said.
Nvidia's Ion also supports gaming, a feature that sets it apart from the Broadcom chip.
New Netbooks with the Nvidia Ion chip will be demonstrated at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January.
Updated at 4:05 p.m. PDT: adding discussion about lack of video camera in Touch.
Broadcom chip in Apple's iPod Touch supports 802.11n wireless--not supported in the iPhone 3GS
(Credit: iFixit)Inside Apple's updated iPod Touch lurks "n" Wi-Fi hardware, the potential for FM transmission, and room for a camera, according to iFixit.
Gadget teardown specialist iFixit on Friday said that during its dissection of the new device, it found a few "unexpected discoveries."
One of the most notable findings was a Broadcom BCM4329 chip that supports 802.11n. "This is a big deal, as even the iPhone 3GS doesn't support 802.11n," said Kyle Wiens of iFixit. The Apple smartphone, which has a very similar look on the outside to the iPod Touch, has a Broadcom BCM4325 wireless chip, only supporting 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi connectivity, according to Wiens.
"We don't know yet if 802.11n will be supported in the iPod Touch software, but at least the hardware's there," he said.
The Broadcom chip also supports FM transmission and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (enhanced data rate), endowing the touch-screen iPod with the potential to stream music to the car stereo. "But that's a lot of ifs," Wiens said.
iFixit also said the internal layout of the iPod appears to leave room for a camera in the top of the device. "There is a 6x6x3-millimeter space between the Broadcom chip and the wireless antenna."
Added Wiens: "There isn't enough depth for an iPhone-style autofocus still camera, but just enough room for the camera that Apple used in the fifth-generation iPod Nano. We did not find any headers on the board for a camera cable."
The fact that the new iPod Nano integrates a video camera and the Touch does not has become a mini scandal, as some observers claim that Steve Jobs may not have revealed the whole story behind a camera-less Touch. Jobs claimed price made a camera prohibitive on the game-oriented Touch, while blogs maintain it was more of a hardware problem.
The iPhone, of course, is more than the sum of its parts, but the cost of individual components adds up--to $178.96, to be exact.
A new analysis by iSuppli details the cost of the iPhone 3GS and the motley collection of chips inside.
The entry-level (16GB) version of the iPhone 3GS carries a BOM (bill of materials) cost of $172.46 and a manufacturing expense of $6.50, for a total of $178.96, said Andrew Rassweiler, director and principal analyst, teardown services, for iSuppli, in a statement.
Apple iPhone 3GS major components and cost drivers
(Credit: iSuppli)Service providers are paying more for the low-end iPhone 3G S than the original iPhone 3G, according to Rassweiler. "Although the retail price of the 16GB iPhone 3GS is $199, the same as for the 8GB version of the original iPhone 3G, the actual price of the phone paid by the service provider is considerably higher, reflecting the common wireless industry practice of subsidizing the upfront cost of a mobile phone and then making a profit on subscriptions," he said.
And what are the major cost drivers? The 16GB flash memory chip is the priciest at $24--and reflects the rising cost of flash chips due to supply constraints, according to iSuppli. This part is also available from Samsung. So there could be some second-sourcing (sourcing the part from a second chip supplier) in the future.
The next rung in the cost ladder is the 3.5-inch display module and touch-screen assembly, at $19.95 and $16, respectively.
Below this, is the main Samsung applications processor. Priced at $14.46, it is the fourth most costly component in the iPhone 3GS. ... Read more
Qualcomm and Broadcom announced Sunday that they have agreed to end patent litigation between the companies worldwide, with Qualcomm paying Broadcom $891 million, according to the announcement.
On Wednesday, Qualcomm delayed its second-quarter earnings statement, citing advanced settlement discussions with Broadcom.
Qualcomm made this statement Sunday: "Qualcomm and Broadcom today announced that they have entered into a settlement and multi-year patent agreement. The agreement will result in the dismissal with prejudice of all litigation between the companies, including all patent infringement claims in the International Trade Commission and U.S. District Court in Santa Ana, as well as the withdrawal by Broadcom of its complaints to the European Commission and the Korea Fair Trade Commission."
Qualcomm will pay Broadcom $891 million over a four-year period, according to the San Diego-based company. The terms of the agreement will not result in any change to Qualcomm's 3G (CDMA2000, WCDMA, and TD-SCDMA technologies) and 4G (LTE and WiMAX technologies) licensing revenue model, Qualcomm said.
The agreement stipulates, among other things, that Broadcom and Qualcomm agree not to assert patents against each other for their respective integrated circuit products and certain other products and services and Broadcom agrees not to assert its patents against Qualcomm's customers for Qualcomm's integrated circuit products incorporated into cellular products.
"We believe that this resolution is positive for both Qualcomm and Broadcom, our customers, our partners and the overall industry," Paul E. Jacobs, chairman and CEO of Qualcomm, and Scott A. McGregor, president and CEO of Broadcom, said in a joint statement.
"The settlement will allow us to direct our full attention and resources to continuing to innovate, improving our competitive position in this economic downturn, and growing demand for wireless products and services," Jacobs said.
The agreement ends longstanding litigation between the companies. For its part, Broadcom had argued in one case that Qualcomm was unfairly limiting competition by putting onerous conditions in its patent licensing agreements. Qualcomm licensed its chipset patents to other chip suppliers with the stipulation that they must limit sales of their products to mobile handset makers that also have Qualcomm patent licenses.
Broadcom had also asserted that the cloud of litigation hanging over it was a sticking point for prospective customers--and did win a judgment against Qualcomm in 2007. Qualcomm, however, had won court rulings of its own, having suits against it dismissed.
Qualcomm has delayed its second-quarter earnings statement because of advanced settlement discussions with Broadcom, the company said Wednesday.
Qualcomm is delaying its earnings statement until Monday due to discussions with Broadcom "regarding a global settlement of all disputes between the parties which, if reached, would have an impact on the Qualcomm's financial results for the fiscal second quarter," the company said.
Revenue and operating income for the second quarter of fiscal 2009, excluding the potential impact of the Broadcom agreement, met or exceeded prior guidance, Qualcomm said.
In related news, on March 16, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California granted Qualcomm's motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Broadcom seeking a declaration that Qualcomm's patents are exhausted and unenforceable.
In that ruling, the U.S. District Court held that Broadcom failed to show it was entitled to declaratory relief because it did not identify any specific patents that were allegedly exhausted, or an exhaustion triggering sale or license, according to a Qualcomm statement. The court also ruled that Broadcom's purported injuries were too speculative to support the claims alleged.
Broadcom had argued that Qualcomm was unfairly limiting competition by putting onerous conditions in its patent licensing agreements. Qualcomm licensed its chipset patents to other chip suppliers with the stipulation that they must limit sales of their products to mobile handset makers that also have Qualcomm patent licenses.
Broadcom on Tuesday said that it completed the acquisition of Advanced Micro Devices' digital TV chip business--at a discount to the original price.
On August 25, the two companies announced a price for the unit of $192.8 million. But Broadcom now expects that AMD's digital TV business will have fourth-quarter revenue of between $15 million and $20 million, lower than previously expected, the Irvine, Calif.-based company said.
Accordingly, the price has been slashed to $141.5 million, about a 27 percent reduction from the original price.
Broadcom had said in August that AMD's DTV unit would strengthen its own digital TV system business by expanding the tier-one customer base. Broadcom offers digital chips for TVs, including digital TV system-on-chip solutions.
AMD sold the unit to Broadcom to become "leaner and more focused" as it faced a string of quarterly losses and needed to create a "business model to deliver sustainable profitability and leadership in core x86 computing and graphics businesses," the company said.
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