Samsung’s latest and greatest smartphone, the Galaxy S4, is currently available in two versions, one with a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor and another with the South Korean company’s own Exynos 5 Octa with 4 Cortex-A15 cores and 4 Cortex-A7 cores. With the Exynos 5 Octa, Samsung promises energy efficiency by switching between battery-saving Cortex-A7 and the high-performance Cortex-A15 cores. But it appears like the S4 is not using the best possible way to do the shifting.

You can see how things work with the Octa below.

The image that you see below shows how the cores should be working.

According to Developer AndreiLux, the Galaxy S4 currently switches all 4 cores between the two processors like a cluster rather than using core-pair shifting. The device appears to have arrived with lower level firmware.

AndreiLux says:

“Basically there are three modes of operation of big.LITTLE:

Cluster migration: When load rises, just like when a phone increases its frequency per DVFS, all the cores will jump from the LITTLE processor to the big one. You either have 4 A7 cores or 4 A15 cores online.

Core migration: When load rises, it will only jump those cores from the LITTLE processor whose load exceeds the capacity of the A7 cores: You can have a single A15 online with 3 A7′s on. Or any other combination of a total of 4 processors.

HMP (Heterogeneous Multi-Processing): This is a vastly more complex working mechanism, and its implementation is also an order of magnitude more sophisticated. It requires the kernel scheduler to actually be aware of the differentiation of between the A7 and A15 cores. Currently, the Linux kernel is not capable of doing this and treats all CPUs as equals. This is a problem since we do not want to use the A15 cores when a task can simply be processed on an A7 core with a much lower power cost”.

So when the A15 cores are activated, the battery will be killed faster. This might explain why some people are experiencing heating and battery drain problems with their S4s. But hopefully Samsung will release a software fix soon that could make the S4 more power efficient.

Head here if you are interested in reading more details about this find.

What are your thoughts about all this? Do you have plans to buy the S4? If you are using the device now, are you having power issues?

[Source]

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There is strong rivalry between Qualcomm and Nvidia on the market but lately the momentum appears to be swinging in the former’s direction. As you might already know, the LG Optimus G Pro and the HTC One are coming with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor. And now, right after Nvidia unveiled their newest chipset, Qualcomm has announced their 200 and 400 chips.

The new chipsets are meant for entry-level and mid-range smartphones, and for the high-end devices the company already introduced the 600 and 800 processors back in January. The newly announced chips are coming with improved battery life, better performance and connectivity.

The Snapdragon 200 is coming with quad ARM Cortex-A5 CPUs which will run at 1.4GHz per core and an Adreno 203 GPU. You will also get support for 8 Megapixel cameras, HD video playback, GPS, and it features better battery life as said earlier and Multi-SIM capabilities, so it see quite a bit of popularity in Asia as well.

The 400 chipset will be available in two configurations: dual Krait CPUs at 1.7GHz per core or quad Cortex A7 at 1.4GHz. You will be able to enjoy 3D gaming with an Adreno 305 GPU and get support for up to a 13.5MP snapper.

According to the company, 55 Snapdragon 800-powered devices should be available by the second half of 2013. No info on which all devices will be powered by the newly announced processors. But we will keep you updated, so stay tuned.

[Source]

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In 2006 the first Intel-based consumer-level Mac computers starting rolling out, and Apple hasn’t looked back– or have they? Apparently Apple is considering yet another architecture move, this time over to ARM.

With Apple making its own ARM designs for mobile devices, they probably are considering a move like this because it could allow better battery length, even thinner laptops and desktops and would bring architecture unity to all their offerings. If Apple eventually hopes to merge iOS and OS X in an even bigger way, having just one processor architecture to support might be in their best interest.

Of course there are some big downsides to switching to ARM. First, ARM isn’t anywhere as fast as Intel. Sure, the first 64-bit ARM processors are starting to roll out, but even these chips wouldn’t be anywhere near the same performance level as higher-end x86 (Intel/AMD) chips. There is also the need to convert over software to the new architecture, IF they continue to use OS X after this kind of switch.

The tech world continues to push towards a more mobile future, and so this kind of move isn’t that surprising. Even Microsoft has managed to create an ARM-specific version of Windows 8 for its tablets, known as “Windows RT”.

How far away is this kind of switch? The “inside sources close to Apple” say that the Cupertino-based company understands that ARM still has some serious catching up to do in the processing power department and isn’t ready to make a big switch anytime soon— instead they are merely testing and researching, with a potential switch timeframe around 2017.

What do you think, is there any merit to this rumor or is it likely nothing more than just a rumor? If it is true, do you think it is a wise move on Apple’s part or not?

Source – Engadget

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Freely available through their download page, this SD card image replaces the Debian squeeze image as their recommended installation. Remember that the Raspberry Pi box does not run without an SD card and said SD card needs to be imaged with the appropriate software. The update utilizes the floating point hardware on the Raspberry Pi to improve performance, most notably when it comes to the speed of web browsing.

No, the Raspberry Pi isn’t going to replace a full-fledged computer, but when attached to your TV and keyboard for some basic functions, it’s a great little $25 product. And the new Raspbian SD card image looks like it makes it even better.

[Source]

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Recently, there has been a steady growth in the ultra-tiny ARM-based motherboard market, starting first with devices like the $35 Raspberry Pi, which has recently even started to see use as a possible Nexus Q alternative. The reason why these boards are so popular is that they allow you to learn a lot about PC building and technology and are very flexible, even if they have been on the weak-side when it comes to hardware.

If you like the idea of a tiny, flexible ARM-PC that can run Linux, and even possibly Android, but want more than 500-700MHz of power, there hasn’t been much to choice from- until now. A Korean hardware company called Hardkernel is launching what is probably the first high-end ultra-mini ARM motherboard. This thing comes with an impressive amount of technology, such as a Samsung Exynos 4 Processor, which is a quad-core that runs at 1.4GHz. The board also has a quad-core Mali 400 GPU, 1GB of RAM, six USB host ports, ethernet, headphone and microphone jacks, and an SDHC card slot.

The unit measures 3.5×3.7-inches and because of its very powerful specs, it is ideal for those that want really tiny computers for functions like media players, but want more power and functionality than devices like the Raspberry Pi (at 700MHz single-core) can offer.

The Hardkernel board is based on a Cortex-A9, and therefore is open to both Ubuntu and Android without any problems. Unsurprisingly, all this extra power comes at a much greater cost, at $129. Considering it is a little more than three times the cost of the Pi, the Hardkernel board might not appeal to the same crowd as the Pi, which is folks who want to experiment with different ranges of functions while not spending very much at all, but it could open up doors for enthusiasts that want a computing device smaller than micro-ITX for media players, HTPCs, and other special uses.

[ source ]

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How much will it cost?
Microsoft said that the ARM-based Surface will be competitive with other ARM-based tablets, whereas the Intel-based version will be competitive with Ultrabooks. They weren’t any more specific than that, but I’d guess that the ARM-based one would start in the $499 range and the Intel version would start at $899 or $999.

When will it launch?
The assumption is that Surface will launch alongside Windows 8 later this year, but again, there was no firm commitment on a timeline.

Is there 3G/4G wireless data?
While it’s quite possible that the Surface could be a WiFi-only affair, it’s probably more likely that some sort of 3G/4G connectivity will be on board.

What about the other specs?
We’re told about the storage capacities and that there will be an ARM and an Intel version, but what about the more specific specs? Which processor exactly? How much RAM? What is the battery life? Microsoft refused to comment.

What is that connector on the side?
You may have spotted a MagSafe-like connector on the side of the Surface, but Microsoft didn’t really say what it was for. Is this to charge the tablet or is there something more there? Perhaps it’s also used for transferring data to and from your computer?

Is the keyboard case included?
There are two versions of that keyboard case too. There’s the Touch Cover and then there’s the clicky-clacky Type Cover. Just like how they didn’t talk specifics for price, they didn’t say anything about the keyboards either. My guess is that they are both optional accessories, just like the Smart Cover for the iPad, and they’ll likely retail in the $99 range.

How does that keyboard even work?
It looks like it attaches magnetically, like the iPad Smart Cover, but how does it interface with the tablet? I think I saw a dock connector of some kind, so is the magnet just meant to help line it up more easily? I hope the keyboard doesn’t require its own power source.

What are your thoughts on these questions? And what other questions would you like to see answered by Microsoft?

[Source]

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It’s right around the October timeframe that several new Windows 8 tablets are expected to be completed and go on sale and, well, they can’t launch if Windows 8 hasn’t officially launched either. It’s also said that Microsoft will “finish work” on Windows 8 by the end of tis summer, once again following the kind of schedule we’d seen with Windows 7 and Windows XP.

In both of those iterations, the RTM (release to manufacturing) time was around July and then the OS officially launched on PCs in October. If that’s the case, October 2012 for Windows 8 sounds like a shoe-in. That positions them reasonably well for the lucrative holiday shopping season, especially with the greater options provided by ARM-based Windows machines.

[ source ]

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Ubuntu for Android appears to be the most important development for Android since the arrival of Ice Cream Sandwich. But if you are too excited to know more about it before it is officially launched at the upcoming Mobile World Congress, you can check out the demo video below which comes to us via a kind hearted Canonical employee.

Just in case you missed a few things earlier, Ubuntu for Android brings an ARM-based version of Ubuntu into an Android smartphone. When the Android device is connected to a dock or monitor, you will be able to enjoy the Ubuntu desktop UI. When not docked, the device will be just your usual Android smartphone.

As you will see in the clip below, when the Android phone is docked, the full Ubuntu OS comes alive on the computer screen. Ubuntu gets access to the files, folders, contacts and apps on the phone, and the user always stays connected via the handset allowing access to Android alerts right on the desktop. Take a peek at the video to know more.

But unfortunately, there will be limitations. Ubuntu for Android is expected to arrive only with new phones (hopefully before 2013), that is no support for your current phone. And the devices must have at least a dual-core processor, 512MB of RAM and HDMI-out.

But we are excited about checking this out at the MWC. What about you?

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Arguably one of the biggest weaknesses of Windows Vista was the fact that many of the PCs that used it weren’t really up to snuff, hardware wise. The truth is that Vista wasn’t that bad if you had the right hardware, unfortunately Microsoft didn’t enforce any minimums and so most of us never really saw the ‘good side’ of Vista (though Windows 7 cured many of these problems).

Microsoft isn’t repeating any of these mistakes with its Windows 8 tablets, and has already set some specific hardware requirements that all Win8 tablets will have to meet.

For those that haven’t followed Windows 8 as it develops, it is a big step forward for mobile and touch users everywhere with a new start menu replacement UI called METRO, which is optimized for touch technology and mobile app use. Another huge change is that Windows 8 will support both traditional x86 processors and ARM technology (which is used the wide majority of smartphones and tablets).

So what are the requirements? Windows tablets must have a 5-point digitizer for input, NFC “touch marks”, five hardware buttons (Power, Rotation Lock, Windows Key, Volume Key (up/down), a button combo for the CTRL+ALT+DEL command, 2 second resume (for Intel chips), and no reboot driver upgrades.

We can also expect at least 10GB free space, UEFI, Wlan and Bluetooth 4.0 +LE, 1366×768 minimum resolution, 720p camera, ambient light sensor, magnetometer, accelerometer (3 axes), gyroscope, USB 2.0, and speakers.

As for Windows laptop/desktop requirements? Beyond just recommended specs, there will be no enforcements but on vendors here and Microsoft guarantees that any machine that runs Windows 7 will have no problem with Windows 8. Since Windows 7 has more minimalistic requirements than Vista, it stands to reason that any machine made for Vista or above will upgrade without any major hitches.

Things are really spicing up with Windows 8, and it looks to be one of the most epic versions yet.

[ source ]

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While Android “Honeycomb” had fairly strict hardware restrictions that kept most low-end tablets from ever getting past Android 2.x, this isn’t the case with Android 4.0 ICS. With lower restrictions, we are starting to see new entry-level tablets arrive on scene that take advantage of ICS.

One of these is the ViewSonic ViewPad e70. At $169, you get Android 4.0, a low-res 800×480 display, and an unidentified ARM-based 1GHz single core processor. Still, the device is said to be fairly responsive for such lower-end specs and manages to have a capacitive touchscreen over the cheaper ‘resistive’ variety.

The e70 also has a Micro-SD card slot for expansion, micro-HDMI, and 4G of storage. Honestly, I feel like 4GB is rather paltry for a tablet, but keep in mind this is an entry-level model.

The bad news? No official Google Android Market, instead we have the Amazon Appstore and Amazon Kindle app pre-installed.
While the Ainol Novo 7 still manages to retain the record for lowest-priced ICS tablet, at least Viewsonic’s offering is from a little more recognized and trusted brand who knows how to make decent displays.

Additionally, the Viewsonic uses an ARM processor, which means better compatibility than the MIPS-based Novo 7.

ViewSonic is expected to ship the E70 sometime during the first quarter of 2012.

[ source ]

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