Look At The Next Generation Apple TV Powered By A4 processor

According to reliable source, Apple has been revising its next generation TV and is believed to be based on upcoming next generation iPhone HD architecture and design with ability to decode up to 1080p full HD media without limitation.


If this is true, then most probably the Apple TV will be powered by the same A4 processor that being used in its current iPad and 3GS and potentially backed up by a mere 16GB on board flash storage running with iPhone OS. As you may wonder how this supposed to work since media centric set top box may easily require Tera-byte range of storage in digital home, the Cupertino-based company is believed to be leveraging on Cloud based storage technology that can easily offload its storage space elsewhere. By doing that, most of its hardware and peripheral ports could potentially be stripped off, leaving only the processor core, main subsystems and possibly video-output for more cost effective platforms in this price sensitive and competitive consumer space.
As some may think this is in response to the Google TV’s announcement but in actual fact, the concept and product definition may have started even before Google and Intel disclosed their Google TV. However, no concrete availability date yet but the next generation Apple TV is expected to get a significant cost saving with product cost in sub $100, as compared to $229 for its current model.


Originally Posted: http://thetechjournal.com/tech-news/look-at-the-next-generation-apple-tv-powered-by-a4-processor.xhtml

Toshiba & Vizio May Unveil Google TV HDTV Sets At CES 2011

TV manufacturers Toshiba and Vizio are planning to unveil HDTV sets powered by the Google TV software at next year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, according to inside sources at the two companies who wish to remain unidentified. If true, the backing of these TV makers will come as a timely boost for Google who has in recent weeks seen its Google TV platform embargoed by major US TV networks.

Google TV is Google’s effort to merge traditional TV viewing with the internet in a seamless manner, empowering users to browse web content and surf TV channels directly on HDTVs loaded with the software which is based on the popular Google Android operating system and driven by the Intel Atom processor.

Sony and Logitech – two of the co-developers in the project – launched their respective Google TV-based devices last month. Sony released four screen sizes of Google-TV-powered HDTV sets under the moniker “Sony Internet TV”, and a Google TV Blu-ray player, while Logitech unveiled its Revue Google TV set-top box. Google is rumoured to be actively seeking new consumer electronics manufacturers to adopt its software platform: Samsung and LG Electronics have apparently expressed their interests, but to date no official partnership announcements have come to pass.

However, despite signing content partnership agreements with several large media and entertainment companies in the USA such as Amazon, Netflix and HBO, recently Google TV suffered a significant setback when four major American TV networks – ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox – decided to block Google TV from accessing and displaying their online content, on fears of a dilution of advertising revenues and a rise in unauthorised viewing.

Intel Core i7 990x – Fastest desktop processor to launch early 2011

World’s fastest desktop processor based on Intel’s Sandy Bridge platform, the Core i7 990x to hit market by early January 2011. The much awaited performance powerhouse from Intel stable labeled under the ‘Extreme’ series will be a six core processor running at 3.46GHz stock stretching upto3.73 GHz in Turbo Boost mode.

This processor as any of its predecessors will be enthusiast friendly and can be easily overclocked to 4.5GHz and above. The Core i7 990x will also be featuring a DDR3 (triple channel), X58 chipset and LGA1366 socket with a TDP of 130 watts. The 6 processing cores in this beast will be emulating 12 threads.

Like any processor from the premium ‘Extreme’ series, the i7 990x will not come that cheap. The world’s fastest desktop processor will also be world’s most expensive processor for sure. It will be priced any were between $1000-$1100.

But while comparing to its predecessor 980x, the final verdict is that it is nothing more than a 980X with 130MHz more (from 3.33GHz to 3.46GHz) and the rest identical to its sibling, so it would not make sense to aim this top end model for a premium price.