LAS VEGAS--Nvidia said its Tegra 2 processor will power a number of mobile devices that will be announced here at the Consumer Electronics Show, and the company promised to lead in the next generation of smartphones, a category it is calling "superphones."
Speaking at a press conference, Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang highlighted the evolution of personal computing, from the advent of Windows 95 more than 15 years ago to the mobile computing revolution of today. "We believe there is going to be a new category of phones called superphones," he said. "It's the next generation of smart."
With Tegra 2, Nvidia is hoping to diversify beyond computer graphics chips and into mobile. Huang said that key to understanding Tegra 2 is to understand what it will enable for consumers. He highlighted the chipset's dual-core processor, based on Cortex A9 architecture from ARM Holdings, which allows for faster processing; a GeForce GPU that will enable a better 3D mobile gaming; and the ability to play 1080p HD video.
Huang spent much of the press conference talking about Nvidia's collaboration with LG on LG's Optimus 2X smartphone, the world's first smartphone with a dual-core processor. Although Huang did not mention it, Tegra 2 will also power a new Android tablet from Motorola (NYSE:MOT).
Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) hyped the term "superphone" last year with the introduction of its Nexus One phone. The idea denotes a class of phone with superior performance and capabilities, although it has not replaced "smartphone" as the term to describe many high-end mobile computing devices.
For more:
- see this Nvidia release
- see this Microsoft release
- see these two VentureBeat articles
- see this AllThingsD article
- complete CES coverage
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