NVIDIA Announces the APX 2500 for Windows Mobile

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.nvidia.com/object/apx_2500.html' target='_blank'>http://www.nvidia.com/object/apx_2500.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"NVIDIA Corporation, the world leader in visual computing technologies and inventor of the GPU, today introduced NVIDIA APX 2500, a breakthrough applications processor that enables intuitive 3D user interfaces and engaging high-definition video on connected Windows Mobile phones. The APX 2500 applications processor delivers an unprecedented 10 hours of 720p HD playback - an industry first for video quality and power consumption on a mobile device, as well as stunning HD camcorder and ultra-high-resolution photo imaging capabilities. "This is the dawn of the second personal computer revolution," said Jen-Hsun Huang, president and CEO of NVIDIA. "Technologies are converging in amazing mobile devices, that have all of the rich, visual capabilities of a modern PC - from watching movies and making video calls to surfing the web and playing 3D games. The APX 2500 combined with Microsoft Windows Mobile, will make the next generation of smartphones our most personal computer." NVIDIA has worked closely with Microsoft on the development of APX 2500, marking a significant milestone in a long-term relationship that has seen the companies share a passion for making interaction with technology more visual and instinctive across multiple platforms. The combined engineering efforts of the two companies will ensure that next generation versions of the Windows Mobile operating system will harness the capabilities of the APX 2500 applications processor across challenging multimedia use cases."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/500/zt/auto/1202774034.usr2.jpg" /><br /><br />Now this is what I like to see! An applications processor built from the ground up just for Windows Mobile. NVIDIA claims that the <a href="http://www.nvidia.com/object/apx_2500.html">APX 2500</a> is the first in the industry to offer handheld devices both HD playback and capture capabilities. It also sports an ultra-low-power GeForce core that's OpenGL ES and Direct3D Mobile compliant. Exciting stuff from NVIDIA! The APX 2500 will enter full production by the end of the next quarter, and will hopefully appear in upcoming Windows Mobile devices soon after.

[Ed Hansberry]

Making a chip is one thing. Getting an OEM to write a driver that uses its features is apparently another. :roll:

[RogueSpear]

I seem to remember two or three years ago nVidia released a mobile GPU under the "go" moniker. How many devices was this used in? Call me skeptical, but I've seen this movie before.

[swain69]

Yep...I've seen that movie too...twas the GO 5500 and not a single application that leverages it.

[r@dimus]

Nice, but with the high end ppc market fading away I have to wonder just what this chip will end up in.

[JesterMania]

Well, to be fair Windows Mobile up until this point was never marketed towards consumers in mind so it's not hard to imagine why the hardware never took off. All this may change however with the advent of a new WM OS and other companies such as SE jumping on board.

[masa]

I will hope the APX2500 are not like the Go Force 5500.
Don't forget last year at Barcelona, Nvidia show us the Go Force 5500 and how many devices use it ?

So i hope we can to see devices with this new graphic card.

[Rethink]

Everyone don't forget that this MGPU has been developed in collaboration with Microsoft it does not guarantee anything but I would give it a much better survival chance this time round!

Also the mobile landscape has changed in the last year, devices have become much more CPU and graphics intensive, think of GPS, TV Out, Camera, bluetooth, B &amp; G spectrum and the over the air TV - most current devices suffer lag if but a few of the features are on at the same time. The fact that the CPU can now focus on one aspect of computing and the GPU can focus on the graphics should bring many advantages - remember MS has had a hand in the development so there should not be many integration issues.

I'm a fan, I hope it open up a whole new viewing experience for mobile users.

Rethink out...

[PDATek]

I will hope the APX2500 are not like the Go Force 5500.
Don't forget last year at Barcelona, Nvidia show us the Go Force 5500 and how many devices use it ?

So i hope we can to see devices with this new graphic card.
This is not a graphics card. It's a complete platform including CPU, GPU, powermanagement, etc.
Perhaps all on a single chip.

[Rethink]

Everyone if you read the information from Nvidia, it explains that this is a system on a chip solution, they have licensed the ARM11 CPU from ARM (up to 700Mhz +), sound technologies, wifi, power management systems, etc..
Nvidia now has a one chip solution, the support of Microsoft (integration support so far) and a market that is exploding with new technologies to put into mobile devices - I certainly hope Nvidia succeeds as the current lot of CPU developers is focusing on exactly that CPU's bar Qualcomm that's also trying the all in one solution.

Look forward to some magical devices to come out of this, new devices with higher resolutions, TV tuners, surround sound, graphical GUI's, etc..
Point being that a new leaf in mobile computing is about to be turned, even if Nvidia does not have successes in selling it, the market is turning towards these features so someone will develop a single chip with those features or even more complex solutions.

rethink out

[Sonichedgehog360]

Remember the OMAP 3. It offers features similar to the APX 2500. Which will win?