Consumer Electronics Show 2005: AT's Coverage
by Anand Lal Shimpi on January 10, 2005 3:49 AM EST- Posted in
- Trade Shows
Intel's Sonoma Platform
Intel's Sonoma Platform, the codename for the soon to be released Centrino update, was also talked about quite a bit at Intel and the show.
Sonoma incorporates the following:
- Intel's Alviso chipset (mobile 915 chipset)
- 533MHz FSB Pentium-M processors
With the new chipset comes improved integrated graphics (thanks to the 915G's integrated graphics core), dual channel DDR1/DDR2 support, 533MHz FSB support, PCI Express support and HD Audio support.
The chipset offers both PCI Express x16 and x1 support for graphics and peripherals, identical to the desktop 915.
The inclusion of dual channel DDR1/DDR2 support is tremendous for performance as the previous generation 855GME chipset was still only a single channel platform for Centrino. Intel stated that going forward the split between DDR1 and DDR2 Sonoma designs is about 50/50, given that the power requirements of mobile DDR2 and mobile DDR1 are quite similar. The platform supports up to DDR2-533, but we'd expect that fewer companies would use the speed just yet. We asked some memory manufacturers and they seemed to think that a 50/50 split between DDR1 and DDR2 Sonoma platforms (based on their shipments of DDR2 to Intel's customers) would be definitely possible by this summer.
Intel will also be releasing a smaller form factor version of the Alviso chipset with a much smaller package for use in very tiny ultra portable laptops. The smaller version of the chipset will lack a PCI Express x16 interface to reduce pin count and may only be single channel.
None of the Sonoma platforms on display were too impressive, but we did see units from ASUS and ECS among the usual suspects.
ASUS' Sonoma platform
ECS had a large footprint but cool-looking Sonoma notebook:
Reasonably thin considering its footprint
...and interestingly textured
Battery life is expected to be similar to current Centrino designs.
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sprockkets - Monday, January 10, 2005 - link
Forget using a DLP television, I want a DLP projector on a 100"+ screen.Oh well each has its advantages and disadvantages.
Better not have any stationary images on a plasma I've heard :)
snorre - Monday, January 10, 2005 - link
#23: Well, so you're telling me that the Inquirer are deceiving us then whey reported the following less then a month ago:http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=20211
"The good news for all of you Sound Storm 2 supporters is that Nvidia decided to get this audio back. It just prematurely announced it, as it will take Nvidia at least nine months to put it back to Southbridge. The decision has been made.
Soundstorm 2 will come back but not before roughly the "fall" of 2005."
AtaStrumf - Monday, January 10, 2005 - link
To my displeasure ATi has managed to get at least one product with their new RS300 chipset for Intel out the door. It's called:SHUTTLE ST62K ZEN Barebone
It's could have been a fine product IF only they made it a little bigger so they could put in a PSU, which would enable them to power a graphics card in which case they would actually put in an AGP slot, which they didn't, hence it's a freakin' dead end machine if a word 3D games is in your vocabulary. The on-board 9100 IGP isn't as horrible as I feared, but it sure isn't what you would want to be stuck with, especially at that price.
Why the hell get that thing them? Why not just get a laptop instead?!?!
Do these people even think when designing such products?!?!
Enough ranting.
bob661 - Monday, January 10, 2005 - link
#24It ain't happening. SS is dead and long gone. Accept it. Wallow in it. Order out for more.
Richthofen - Monday, January 10, 2005 - link
#23well The Nvidia CEO seems to tell a different story at least during the last conference call :)
I don't believe for a second either that Nvidia is out of the sound business. They are out of that business right now but that doesn't have to be the case in the future.
I would expect a comeback from them in the sound business once they have made a big step into the Intel chipset business or when they manage to combine sound technology with GPU technology.
Reflex - Monday, January 10, 2005 - link
#9: This has been confirmed multiple times for months now. In fact, the SoundStorm team was completely disbanded before the release of NF3 almost two years ago.I have stated it multiple times, its been both officially and unofficially confirmed before as well. I work for a large software company that has extensive dealings with nVidia. Specifically I work in the audio group, and believe me, the nVidia guys are long gone.
You don't have to believe it, but we are now two chipsets past the last SS enabled one and a lot of people don't quite get it that SS is dead and buried. Will they continue to post about it when the nForce9 is released..?
thraxes - Monday, January 10, 2005 - link
#14While technically correct that the gases in Plasmas wear out with extended use, the effect is hardly noticeable.
I work in a TV studio where we use Pioneer Plasmas and professional grade Barco DLP-RP monitors. The Barcos and the Pioneers have both been in almost continuos use for at least 8-12 hrs every day since 2001. Guess what: The Plasmas are still way way brighter than the DLPs. In fact, the DLPs are probably going to be replaced soon by... plasmas.
Reasons:
1: Brightness - especially when the DLPs are visible on Camera and need to show graphs etc. they are very lacking. Plasmas are bright enough for this and more importantly - camera angle independent. This is even after running them 12 hrs/day for 4 years.
2: Cost of ownership. Run these machines over 12 hours a day EVERY DAY and the money starts to add up. The DLPs are slightly less expensive to buy but need the lamp replaced every few months which is comes to a significant amount of money over the lifetime of the unit. Energy consumption of DLP vs. Plasma is identical at about 400W. The DLP loses out because of your perceived advantage of "just changing the light bulb".
Phantronius - Monday, January 10, 2005 - link
Grrrr no PCI express cards till mid time this year? WTF is this?SunLord - Monday, January 10, 2005 - link
This is amusing but do we have any proof it was a dualcore and not just a dual system they called a dual core?thraxes - Monday, January 10, 2005 - link