Toshiba announces MPEG4 codec for mobile handsets

Sparkle announces FX5500/5700LE solutions

Motorola introduces new smartphones and 3G models

2.40A GHz Pentium 4 Prescott is in the lists

ZM-WB2 Gold: Zalman´s new water-cooling monster

Intel stops production of 2.2GHz and 2.3GHz Celeron processors

MSI unveils a new motherboard and a new server on Intel E7210 chipset

Photos from IDF Spring 2004: ATI RV380, AverMedia Dual Tuner, etc.

Toshiba announces MPEG4 codec for mobile handsets

Toshiba announced a MPEG4 codec (coder/decoder) primarily designed for 3D graphics in mobile handsets.

According to the company, T4G chip (TC35285XBG) offers graphics acceleration, texturing, special effects and other visual capabilities that should considerably improve mobile graphics quality.

The majority of mobile devices today utilize software rendering that increase CPU load and its energy consumption. T4G has a special circuitry for 3D images processing. Besides, it has a JPEG codec for a 2-megapixel camera and QVGA display circuitry. The solution also features a 0.13µm 20Mbit DRAM chip.

Working at 125MHz the chip consumes 170-230mW (for graphics and video/audio, respectively). T4G voltages are 3.0V ± 10%, 2.5V ± 0.2V, 1.5V ± 0.1V. Samples will be introduced in Q2 2004, while the volume production should start in Q3 2004.

Sparkle announces FX5500/5700LE solutions

Without any NVIDIA announces, Taiwanese Sparkle announced shipments of its two new graphics cards on yet unannounced FX5500 and FX5700LE.

I can´t say there´s nothing known on these GPUs, as some information leaked as far back as a month ago. But today we are going to provide some more precise data.

So, FX5500 is based on NV31 core, while FX5700LE is a slower-clock version of NV36. Novelties on both chips are expected closer to the month-end for below $85.

As for the new cards, you can estimate their performance judging by the table below:

According to all of the above, I can hardly see the sense in releasing such solutions. Maybe it´s low price or overclocking capabilities, but anyway be ready for a wave of "higher-performance" fakes that usually accompanies downgrade releases.

And here are the card photos:

SP8836LE-DT, GeForce FX 5700 LE

SP8855-DT, GeForce FX 5500

Motorola introduces new smartphones and 3G models

At World Congress in Cannes Motorola at once introduced MPx, MPx100 smartphones and A1000, Å1000 3G models.

MPx is a actually a fully-fledged tri-band GSM/GPRS PDA on Microsoft Windows Mobile. It features 1.3-megapixel digital camera, 2.8" 320x240 @ 16-bit display, miniature QWERTY keyboard, Wi-Fi (802.11b), IrDA, SD/MMC slot. The model supports ActiveSync and Air-sync with Outlook, Word, Excel. MPx is expected for sale in H2 2004.

MPx100, similar to MPx200, has Motorola´s traditional design and also operates in GSM 900/1800/1900MHz. MPx100 supports optional Wi-Fi and features 1.3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, and mini-SD. It supports ActiveSync with Outlook and offers Word & Excel, WAP 2.0, Java. MPx100 should go on sale in H2 2004.

Motorola A1000 stands out by operating in 3G (UMTS or W-CDMA, I guess) networks. It has 1.2-megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom and supports VPN (Virtual Private Network). Motorola A1000 is to go on sale in Q4 2004.

Finally, Motorola E1000 is also a 3G model designed for young people and gamers. It has a 1.2-megapixel camera with 8x zoom and initial image processing features. Similar to A1000, E1000 has a Bluetooth adapter. This one will go on sale in H2 2004.

2.40A GHz Pentium 4 Prescott is in the lists

Some days ago we informed you that Intel officially declared the transition of desktop 90nm Intel Pentium 4 Prescott processors with 1MB L2 cache to D-0 stepping from C-0 stepping. This happened right after the company announced 7 new Prescott solutions. Today we obtained information about 90nm 2.40A GHz Pentium 4. The most interesting is the very fact of its existence, because earlier Intel reported that Prescott clock speeds will start from 2.80GHz. So now the complete Pentium 4 line looks like this:

ZM-WB2 Gold: Zalman´s new water-cooling monster

Korean Zalman is to announce another product for extreme overclockers: a new gilded (seems, inside of reservoir) water cooling system, Reserator1 or ZM-WB2 Gold.

The name is formed from "reservoir + pump + radiator" and reflects the product essentials.

Sized 150x150x592 mm, ZM-WB2 Gold weighs 447 g, while the operating weight is 6.5kg. The monster is designed for systems on Socket 478 (Pentium 4), Socket 462 (Athlon), Socket 754/940 (Athlon 64/Opteron). From the ZM-WB2 model the novelty differs only by gilding

In Japan ZM-WB2 Gold should go on sale early in March for about $280.

Source: PC Watch

Intel stops production of 2.2GHz and 2.3GHz Celeron processors

Last weekend Intel stopped the production of 2.2GHz and 2.3GHz Intel Celeron, both retail and OEM (D-1 stepping, S-Spec SL6VT (2.2GHz) and SL6WC (2.3GHz)).

As you may guess, Intel shifted focus onto newer and more powerful Intel Celerons. Orders are accepted until April 9, while the last shipments are scheduled to February 17, 2005.

MSI unveils a new motherboard and a new server on Intel E7210 chipset

MSI unveiled its new Intel E7210-based server motherboard, E7210 Master (MS-9149), as well as a new server on it, P1-102A2M (MS-9249).

E7210 Master board is positioned as an entry-level server ATX component for standalone and rack servers. It features 4 x DDR DIMM sockets for up to 4GB of dual-channel unbuffered ECC DDR400/333, 2 x PCI-X, 3 x 32-bit PCI slots, 8MB ATI Rage XL graphics, dual-port Dual Gigabit Ethernet (Intel 82547 and 82541).

P1-102A2M 1U server is shipped with a motherboard and a processor, supports up to 2 x HDDs, slim CD-ROM and LCD display. The bundle also includes MSI MMS (MSI Server Management Suite), mBMC (server management), and iConsole (MSI Server Management Software).

Photos from IDF Spring 2004: ATI RV380, AverMedia Dual Tuner, etc.

Despite IDF Spring 2004 is over, the technologies and standards it has brought will be discussed in our news and articles for a long time. And while we are interpreting the docs and presentation materials, you can take a look at the products showcased at the most interesting booths. Photos are taken by our Alexander Vorobyev.

10Gbps solution


Intel´s new media centre


Intel´s new media centre


AverMedia´s Dual Hybrid ATSC/NTSC TV tuner (PiP, PCI Express)


Horizon 320 Seamless Display (40" LCD, 3600x1600, 5.76 megapixels)


Half Life 2 at ATI booth


ATI RV380 PCI Express 16x solution


ATI RV380 PCI Express 16x solution


A Grantsdale sample

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