AMD has added full-fledged system-on-chips (SOCs) to its Embedded G-Series integrated x86 processor family, by merging the APU (CPU + GPU) and I/O controller hub functions into a single chip. The Linux-ready AMD Embedded G-Series SOC incorporates up to four “Jaguar” CPU cores (clocked as high as 2GHz), a Radeon 8000 GPU, video accelerators, and an I/O controller, and is available in five versions featuring 9 to 25W TDPs.
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Zhuhai, China-based Allwinner Technology has added one dual- and two quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 models to its A-series system-on-chip (SOC) family. Recently, the company’s SOCs have begun showing up as the engines powering low-cost Android- and Linux-based tablets, smartphones, and specialized board-level embedded designs.
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In this guest post, Eric Gulliksen, a senior analyst at VDC Research, ponders the future of Moore’s Law, which in 1965 predicted that the number of transistors on an integrated circuit would double approximately every two years. Despite predictions that Moore’s Law can’t continue unabated indefinitely, there’s still cause for optimism.
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Renesas has released a second generation automotive infotainment SOC (system-on-chip). The R-Car H2 SOC’s big.LITTLE architecture combines ARM’s high-performance Cortex A-15 quad-core and power-efficient Cortex A-7 quad-core CPU subsystems on a single part, targeting the cars of 2015 and beyond.
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In this guest post, David Laing, a senior analyst at VDC Research, examines the emergence of ARM’s “big.LITTLE” processor architecture, whereby a single chip integrates multiple high-performance CPU cores along with a power-efficient core, enabling it to deliver greater performance at lower power-points than before.
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Nvidia showcased its first “fully integrated” 4G LTE mobile processor at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona last month. The Tegra 4i packs four 2.3GHz ARM Cortex-A9 r4 CPU cores, 60 Nvidia GPU cores, a “battery-saver” core, and an LTE modem within a single component.
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Wind River has added support for Intel’s 3rd generation Core processors to its embedded Linux distribution and tools suite. The added Core processor support comes in the form of an integrated hardware/software Embedded Development Kit (EDK) bundle.
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Enea has announced embedded Linux support for Xilinx’s Zynq-7000 series of programmable SoCs (system-on-chips). The Zynq-7000 SoCs integrate dual ARM Cortex-A9 processor cores, up to 350k programmable logic cells, and a host of I/O interface controllers.
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Reflex CES has introduced a system for the rapid design, validation, and verification of complex, high-density ASIC and SoC (system-on-chip) designs with up to 125-million gates.
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Ixonos today announced an embedded Linux BSP (board support package) for security cameras and other small-footprint devices requiring low latency, full-HD video streaming. The BSP supports designs based on TI’s DaVinci DM8148 digital media processor.
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Adeneo Embedded has announced new embedded Linux and embedded Android support for developers of industrial devices based on TI’s OMAP 5 SoC (system-on-chip) platform.
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The nonprofit Linaro organization has formed a multi-company group with the goal of advancing the use of ARM-powered Linux devices in cloud and mobile infrastructure applications. Initial members of the Linaro Networking Group (LNG) include AppliedMicro, ARM, Enea, Freescale, LSI, MontaVista, Nokia Siemens Networks, and TI.
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AMD has just added a pair of lower-power processors to the Embedded G-Series APU (accelerated processing unit) line that debuted earlier this year. The new single- and dual-core parts integrate 64-bit x86 CPU cores along with a DirectX 11-capable GPU (graphics processor unit) core on a single die, and offer total (CPU+GPU) power consumptions down to 5.5W.
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AMD’s long-anticipated competitor to Intel’s popular Atom processor line has quietly begun shipping to device makers. AMD’s initial Embedded G-Series processor consumes less than 9W of power and crams dual 64-bit x86 CPU cores, an ATI Radeon GPU (graphics processing unit), system and DRAM controllers, PCI Express, and HD video interfaces into a single piece of silicon in a package that occupies about half a square inch of board space. Is this the rumored “Atom killer”?
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The worldwide market for application processors will grow to nearly $2 billion by 2012, fueled by strong demand for smartphones and other mobile devices, predicts The Linley Group.
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Canonical Ltd., commercial sponsor of Ubuntu Linux, says it’s porting Ubuntu to the ARM RISC processor architecture. Ubuntu on ARM will target netbooks and other emerging device categories requiring a “rich, always-connected, mobile computing experience, without compromising battery life.”
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Zilog, creator of the Z80 microprocessors that powered numerous circa-1980 microcomputers including the Osborne and Kaypro, has just introduced its first general purpose 32-bit microcontroller family. The “Encore! 32″ microcontrollers integrate ARM9 processor cores, are offered with Linux support, and target embedded devices.
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You’ve heard of SD, miniSD, and microSD cards. Now, get ready for Embedded SD — a new standard set for release this November by the SD Card Association.
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With an ARM vs. x86 battle raging in the mobile handset space, a similar confrontation appears to be looming in the market for robots and robotic devices, predicts market analyst firm ABI Research.
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Intel and Micron Technology have unveiled a high-speed NAND flash memory technology claimed to offer up to five times the performance of conventional flash memory. The new high-speed flash reportedly can achieve read and write speeds of 200MB/sec and 100MB/sec, respectively.
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