This story is currently developing at MWC. Updates will be added below.
Via Engadget
“A $99 Tegra-based MID is expected to be announced by Nvidia at MWC. The MID includes full high-definition 1080p video playback and full Wi-Fi and 3G mobile broadband connectivity capabilities. The always-on device can go “days” between battery charges, a company spokesman said.”[Via PCWorld]
Update 1:
It’s not quite clear what they mean by $99. Subsidised perhaps? If so, ignore the hype on the pricing but it’s interesting to see nvidia highlight the Tegra 600-based MID (ARM core) and the Ion based PC shown in the diagram (looking like it’s based on the old HTC Shift!)
Udate 2: Press release. note that there is no mention of voice here. [Source]
SANTA CLARA, CA UNITED STATES
NVIDIA Tegra Brings Full Internet Experience to Always On, Always-Connected Devices
BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 16 MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS 09 — Today’s users want an always-connected device for social media applications such as Facebook and YouTube, as well as great multimedia performance for recording and watching HD movies and videos on the go.
NVIDIA Corporation, the inventor of the graphics processor, today introduced a new platform, based on the NVIDIA(R) Tegra(TM) 600 Series computer-on-a-chip that enables a $99, always-on, always-connected HD mobile internet device (MID) that can go days between battery charges.
This platform will enable OEMs to quickly build and bring to market devices that carriers can offer for as low as $99 — bringing broadband connectivity and all of the Web’s HD content to the masses.
“Mobile internet devices have evolved to provide consumers with the performance and connectivity required by today’s lifestyle, inch said Michael Rayfield, general manager of the mobile business unit at NVIDIA. “Until now, consumers could get just another ‘gadget’ with limited functionality or a PC that’s not ‘always on’. A Tegra-based platform combines the best of both worlds. inch
The Tegra MID delivers:
— 720p and 1080p video playback
— Days of use between charges
— Full Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity
— Optimized hardware support for Web 2.0 applications for a true
desktop-class internet experience
— A complete software solution including Microsoft Windows Embedded CE
OS, application viewers, full Internet browser, UI framework, board
support package (BSP), software development kit (SDK), Web mail client,
and more
“The next generation of smart, connected, service-oriented devices are centered around rich multimedia experiences and enhanced functionality, inch said Mukund Ghangurde, Director, CE and Consumer Product Management at Microsoft Corp. “We are pleased to collaborate with NVIDIA to develop platform resources that assist OEMs in quickly bringing these new devices to market. inch
In addition, NVIDIA partnered with ST-Ericsson to add 3G communication capability into this new platform, allowing for seamless connectivity, worldwide.
“ST-Ericsson together with NVIDIA have developed a Microsoft Windows Embedded CE implementation using the ST-Ericsson U335 and the NVIDIA Tegra which is ready for customer design development, inch stated Jorgen Lantto, Chief Technology Officer, ST-Ericsson. “This solution takes advantage of the high volume, IOT tested and proven U335 modem solution together with NVIDIA which takes multimedia performance to a new level. inch
ICD, a leading consumer ODM, also announced support of the new class of devices enabled by this new platform.
“ICD has long believed that there will be a new generation of innovative connected devices. Designing these devices around the Tegra platform will bring carriers an amazing level of functionality at prices as low as $99, inch said David Hayes, President and CEO of ICD.
Update 4: Earlier (2008) news about Tegra.
Nvidia: $99 MIDs with Tegra. $299 UMPCs with ION http://tinyurl.com/cqgf6y
RT @chippy: Nvidia: $99 MIDs with Tegra. $299 UMPCs with ION http://tinyurl.com/cqgf6y
QUOTE 1
“NVIDIA, as usual, offers the innards and the concept, but will leave it to manufacturers to create (and price) the actual units.”
QUOTE 2:
“This platform will enable OEMs to quickly build and bring to market devices that carriers can offer for as low as $99 — bringing broadband connectivity and all of the Web’s HD content to the masses.”
Seems to be hard to get a 3G module for less than $100 at the moment, so I won’t get too excited by these numbers!
Wow, $99 MID with HD video playback capability sounds really amazing!
It’s not like the mid has a HDMI port anyway. This HD playback thing doesn’t make any sense to me.
If, like me, you hate having to re-encode video files to play on portable devices then it makes perfect sense.
I want my mobile device to be able to play the files I download or record without any messing about.
I suppose it must have some sort of TV out,eg: S-video out or something.
That way it’ll send like 800×600 or 1024×768 resolution video to the TV.
The internals might be able to decode the 1080 video,but if this is the case it wouldn’t make sense to lose the space and computing power (or battery life) when the max it could deliver via S Video would be 1024x768pix.
This would put this device in a category of all other mids of 720p HD video.
then again, it’s probably nice to know that if it has the computing power to do so, it probably won’t perform too awful on gaming neither!
Probably performs on par with the Atom eeepc, lower computing power, and better graphics!
so far I’ve never seen a mid delivering 1080 HD video;but then again I’ve not spend a lot of time investigating mids either.
if it plays back 1080 HD content (supposedly 2hours of movie on the battery), we can expect the battery to last longer when no movie is being played back.
The device’s ability to playback HD movies makes little (to no) sense on a small screen like that; and it would make little sense for a device like this to have enough battery to playback a full HD video, since you’ll either:
1- plug this device in a HD TV, which most likely has a powerplug next to it; or:
2- recompress the video to a smaller format (eg: 800×480 pix) to save space and battery when playing back on this device.
You probably will not even notice the difference between 1080p video and 480p on it’s screen.
Then there’s the issue of storage; the price makes it high unlikely to have sufficient storage to store more then 1 HD video (4-8GB of flash memory MAX)
So I suppose there must be something like a SDHC cardslot in the device.
Any Tegra 2 device pretty much implies 1080p decode capability. Which what is important, if one wishes to play 1080p encoded files flawlessly.
Yes, on the go 1080p is overkill on a small screen. But consider that most consumer video/digital cameras are now HD capable (720p and 1080p), 1080p decode on a MID device will increasingly become a must have. Having the ability to play 1080p AVCHD files on a 5-7″ portable device straight out of the camera, just WOW.
Small portable 2.5″ drives(as low as $50) can store hundreds of hours of 1080p video.
Also, keep in mind that with WIFI the device can access unlimited media from the network/internet. Imagine being able to watch Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, Media Center PC files in HD quality with no stuttering, no reformating needed(it can play 1080p files natively). Accessing all this content anywhere WIFI is available(couch, bed, garage, toilet, etc.).
Not to mention Android, Gaming/Graphics ownage, Flash 10.1 this device will rule if priced at $200-$400, hopefully paired with a pixel qi capacitive screen(I can dream, can’t I).
it kinda reads like they will produce a $99 video card for the MID’s which will enable them to run for “days” and play back 1080p content. Is nvidia really going to produce the entire device?
“A $99 Tegra-based MID is expected to be announced by Nvidia at MWC.”
Chad, read the first line. The device is $99, not the video card.
ProDigit – the point is I can transfer my collection of movies in various formats including HD video songs and stuff to be able to play on a portable device without having to reencode it…. I dont expect to watch HD as opposed to having the convineince of being able to just play it regardless.
WD HD TV can already do 1080 p for less than 89 $
I’d really like to see a new x70 made with the ion and a 1.6… and no fan, i wonder if it will happen anytime next year