<img class = "lazy lazy-hidden alignright size-full wp-image-52946″ title=”Snapdragon logo” data-lazy-type=”image” src=”https://macmagazine.uol.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/01-snapdragon.gif” alt=”Snapdragon logo” width=”227″ height=”76″ />Qualcomm took today at Computex Taip 2009 to present the world with a prototype of the first laptop on the market called smartbook, name given to a new category of computers lighter than netbooks, capable of operating with high energy efficiency inside a last thermal envelope without the need for cooling. The pre-production unit presented at the fair was an adaptation of the ASUS Eee PC, mounted on the Snapdragon chip and running Google Android.
Snapdragon is a computing platform based on the ARM architecture the same used by Apple in the processors of iPhones and iPods touch, which promises to be available in both chips single-core as in models dual-core. They appear to be less powerful than Intel Atom intended for netbooks, but they are even cheaper and can provide a whole day of tasks out of the socket, running only Linux operating systems.
<img class = "lazy lazy-hidden aligncenter size-large wp-image-52933" style = "border: 1px solid black;” title=”Smartbook” data-lazy-type=”image” src=”https://macmagazine.uol.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/01-smartbook-550×306.png” alt=”Smartbook” width=”550″ height=”306″ />
The new class of notebooks can have different formats, not necessarily netbooks. In the institutional video produced by Qualcomm, it is possible to see tablets and even devices slightly larger than smartphones. According to the company, these new devices will be characterized as the connection between netbooks and smartphones, combining the best performance of the computer with greater mobility.
<img class = "lazy lazy-hidden aligncenter size-large wp-image-52934" style = "border: 1px solid black;” title=”Smartbook” data-lazy-type=”image” src=”https://macmagazine.uol.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/01-smartbook-02-550×306.png” alt=”Smartbook” width=”550″ height=”306″ />
Returning to the prototype: the machine has a 1GHz processor mounted in a SoC solution (in English, System on a Chip) that also has an integrated GPU, antenna with 600MHz digital signal, Wi-Fi and GPS connectivity. The company's major innovation, however, is in its integrated 3G chip: it supports all the variations of UMTS and CDMA networks that exist in the world, which means that you can connect to a 3G network through it anywhere on the planet , with any operator.
<img class = "lazy lazy-hidden aligncenter size-large wp-image-52936" style = "border: 1px solid black;” title=”Eee Smartbook” data-lazy-type=”image” src=”https://macmagazine.uol.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/01-eee-smartbook-550×484.jpg” alt=”Eee Smartbook” width=”550″ height=”484″ />
With the announcement, another 15 companies demonstrated plans to produce computers in this segment. The list includes ASUS, Compal, Foxconn, High Tech Computer (HTC), Inventec, Toshiba and Wistron. As some of them are members of the Open Handset Alliance, they should probably start selling their smartbooks running Android, but they will also be able to opt for Windows when more powerful chips are available, capable of running up to HD 1080p videos at least, which guarantees Qualcomm. A video of the machine demonstrated can be seen below:
Official models are expected to be ready for sale in the autumn of the northern hemisphere (spring for us). It was not said how much they will cost, nor which countries will receive them initially.
(Tip from Danilo Campos Brizola, Thank you!)
