Microsoft developing NVIDIA-based mobile phone - report
Microsoft will announce its entry into the smartphone arena early next year with an iPhone rival build around NVIDIA's new system-on-a-chip (SoC) for small form factor mobile devices, according to a new report.
"What do you get if you take an iPhone, remove the clean UI, user friendliness, nice industrial design, battery life, cachet, functional OS, and in general everything else that makes it worthwhile?," writes the Inquirer. "The new Microsoft phone, powered by NVIDIA."
The satirical report, which otherwise appears to be making genuine claim, says the Redmond-based software giant will unveil the device at February's 3GSM conference in Barcelona with shipments expected to follow shortly thereafter.
Though specific functions and features were not discussed, the Inquirer cited "well-placed sources" who say the device will be powered by one of NVIDIA's upcoming all-in-one Tegra chips.
According to Wikipedia, Tegra will be made available in three variants: the Tegra 600 for GPS and automotive markets, the Tegra 650 for large handhelds and notebooks, and the Tegra APX 2500 for smartphones.
The Tegra APX 2500 is said to include a 600 MHz MPCore Processor, support for a 12 megapixel camera, GeForce ULV support for OpenGL ES 2.0, up to 720p H.264 decoding, and NVIDIA nPower technology that could enable over 10 hours of HD video playback and up to 100 hours of audio.
The first Nvidia Tegra-based devices are expected to begin shipping in mid-2009.
"What do you get if you take an iPhone, remove the clean UI, user friendliness, nice industrial design, battery life, cachet, functional OS, and in general everything else that makes it worthwhile?," writes the Inquirer. "The new Microsoft phone, powered by NVIDIA."
The satirical report, which otherwise appears to be making genuine claim, says the Redmond-based software giant will unveil the device at February's 3GSM conference in Barcelona with shipments expected to follow shortly thereafter.
Though specific functions and features were not discussed, the Inquirer cited "well-placed sources" who say the device will be powered by one of NVIDIA's upcoming all-in-one Tegra chips.
According to Wikipedia, Tegra will be made available in three variants: the Tegra 600 for GPS and automotive markets, the Tegra 650 for large handhelds and notebooks, and the Tegra APX 2500 for smartphones.
The Tegra APX 2500 is said to include a 600 MHz MPCore Processor, support for a 12 megapixel camera, GeForce ULV support for OpenGL ES 2.0, up to 720p H.264 decoding, and NVIDIA nPower technology that could enable over 10 hours of HD video playback and up to 100 hours of audio.
The first Nvidia Tegra-based devices are expected to begin shipping in mid-2009.
Comments
Microsoft will announce its entry into the smartphone arena early next year with an iPhone rival build around NVIDIA's new system-on-a-chip (SoC) for small form factor mobile devices, according to a new report.
"What do you get if you take an iPhone, remove the clean UI, user friendliness, nice industrial design, battery life, cachet, functional OS, and in general everything else that makes it worthwhile?," writes the Inquirer. "The new Microsoft phone, powered by NVIDIA."
The satirical report, which otherwise appears to be making genuine claim, says the Redmond-based software giant will unveil the device at February's 3GSM conference in Barcelona with shipments expected to follow shortly thereafter.
Though specific functions and features were not discussed, the Inquirer cited "well-placed sources" who say the device will be powered by one of NVIDIA's three upcoming all-in-one Tegra chips.
According to Wikipedia, Tegra will be made available in three variants: the Tegra 600 for GPS and automotive markets, the Tegra 650 for large handhelds and notebooks, and the Tegra APX 2500 for smartphones.
The Tegra APX 2500 is said to include a 600 MHz MPCore Processor, support for a 12 megapixel camera, GeForce ULV support for OpenGL ES 2.0, up to 720p H.264 decoding, and NVIDIA nPower technology that could enable over 10 hours of HD video playback and up to 100 hours of audio.
The first Nvidia Tegra-based devices are expected to begin shipping in mid-2009.
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
After listening to Balmers now famous "It doesn't even have a keyboard..." response to the iPhone, I eagerly await what MicroSoft thinks is a good UI on a phone.
Will they eat their words and go without a keyboard?
Wouldn't be the first time they ate their words, but if they have a UI people like it would be a MicroSoft first for sure.
but I'm not really worried... probably overhyped specs. Let's wait for real world testing
if they can power 100 hours of audio, apple has something to worry about !
but I'm not really worried... probably overhyped specs. Let's wait for real world testing
Yep, competition is good. Just base it on the Zune and it will be a success.
Microsoft will announce its entry into the smartphone arena early next year with an iPhone rival
Rival?! Will it be as successful as Zune, their iPod killer? Or Vista, their Mac OS X killer?
<satire>Will it be as polished as the first Zune?</satire>
Wonder if MS learned the Zune lessons that just because you can slap together something, rebrand it thinking the MS name holds some value, and put it out there for the consumer, that it will be a huge success.
Of course, MS has taken the hard work of Apple and others and is johnnycomelately to yet another market as it tries to make a buck outside of it's original corporate concept of computer OS's and software applications.
if they can power 100 hours of audio, apple has something to worry about !
but I'm not really worried... probably overhyped specs. Let's wait for real world testing
They definitely can, and it'll be 2" thick.
Long live the 2" thick zPhone with 100 hours of brick-like usability!!!
P
They definitely can, and it'll be 2" thick.
Yup. Codenamed: "The Brick...for realz"
Anyone besides me notice that their stock has hit the toilet the past 6-8 years? Not that they were ever MUCH on innovation-but you can trace that back to the time of their last original idea (XP-which IS MUCH BETTER than anything they released before or since).
Remember, you saw it here first!
Why can't M$ come up with an ORIGINAL idea?
As apposed to whom?
According to Wikipedia, Tegra will be made available in three variants: the Tegra 600 for GPS and automotive markets, the Tegra 650 for large handhelds and notebooks, and the Tegra APX 2500 for smartphones.
The Tegra APX 2500 is said to include a 600 MHz MPCore Processor, support for a 12 megapixel camera, GeForce ULV support for OpenGL ES 2.0, up to 720p H.264 decoding, and NVIDIA nPower technology that could enable over 10 hours of HD video playback and up to 100 hours of audio.
The first Nvidia Tegra-based devices are expected to begin shipping in mid-2009.
I want one if Apple can't or won't revise the iPhone specifications. There is no point on spending good money for an iPhone if it doesn't match what competitors offer.
I want one if Apple can't or won't revise the iPhone specifications. There is no point on spending good money for an iPhone if it doesn't match what competitors offer.
Good Point
________________
Maybe they'll copy the iPhone the same way they copied the "I'm a Mac" commercials. Maybe they'll put all their zPhone kiosks right outside Apple retails stores.
Long live the 2" thick zPhone with 100 hours of brick-like usability!!!
P
LOL....I can almost see the "I am a brick" commercial from MS.
Let's not get too smug fellow iPhone lovers. The year of having the field to ourselves has past, and along with a slew of wannabes is the new touch screen Blackberry with tactile feedback on the virtual keyboard, something Apple should have done already. Yeah, I know, the Mac universe surrounding the iPhone cannot be duplicated by RIM, but a lot of kids like physical keys for texting, and this innovation bridges the gap. Apple cannot rest on its laurels and must leapfrog the competition again to avoid becoming just one of many great smart phones.
Read the reviews (or try it yourself). It seems most people hate the so-called tactile feedback, and it seems Blackberry made the OS 10x slower during the process to add the feedback.
Pay attention to Apple's products. Apple is not about adding new features. At least half of Apple expertise is in deciding how to GET RID of features.