ARM Community: Reflections on Computex - ARM Community

As I look back on this year’s Computex show, two things stand out to me: One is the lack of spark that has traditionally existed between Intel and AMD in the PC battleground and two is the incredible interest in ARM Powered devices from smartphones to netbooks and smartbooks*. Seems like both of these smart mobile devices could be a sign of the times that PCs are just not that exciting anymore and true innovation will drive the market to new heights.

So what was “better” that showed up at Computex 2009?

A number of different netbooks showed up based on Freescale’s iMX515. These were extremely thin with HD video playing. It was great to see OS choices including Ubuntu, Xandros, Hyperspace as well as Android. They even went as far as commissioning some design studies around different form factors.

The nVidia Tegra showed what Microsoft Windows CE is capable of when combining a great System-on–Chip (SoC) solution. They ran HD video and incredible 3D graphics with an uncompromised web experience, including Flash.




In addition, just prior to Computex, Qualcomm launched the smartbook* name as a way to truly describe the value proposition of this new breed of device.

This seems to really be about offering the consumer the all-day use and connectivity of the smartphone in a clamshell or notebook form factor. Qualcomm showed a number of different devices with various operating systems including an Asus EeePC that for some unstated reason was pulled after the first day.

So, while all the x86 news was about making netbooks run all day with larger batteries or be able to play HD video by adding hardware video decode chips to next-generation solutions. The ARM ecosystem was showing what consumers will want at Christmas time and they were showing it today. No wonder the x86 news just doesn’t seem that exciting, the anticipation around the emerging ARM products is so much more exciting.

I can’t wait to see what TechCon3 and CES 2010 brings.

Jeff Chu, Segment Marketing Manager, Mobile Computing, ARM, has been on the forefront of ultra mobile computing for over 8 years. From webpads to smart displays to UMPC there has always been the criticism that it's not a real PC. Well, now the computing world is flipping and low power mobile gadgets are becoming the preferred way to consume content and interact with the web. To quote Victor Hugo “There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come.”

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* In the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany, the use of the term "Smartbook" in connection with portable computers is reserved exclusively to Smartbook AG, Germany.