Marvell launches high-end chip for multimedia-rich smartphones
Marvell is launching a new chip today that is aimed at bringing high-end multimedia capabilities to a variety of smartphones and eBook readers.
The Santa Clara, Calif.-based chip maker is launching the Armada 618, a new version of its Armada chip family announced last fall. This new chip combines a lot of different functions in a chip to bring down costs and power consumption.
But it also has high-quality video and graphics processing components that will enable higher-quality games, video and sound on phones, eBook readers, and other devices powered by its wireless chips.
The Armada 618 runs at a speed of 1 gigahertz and the ability to run good 3-D graphics and 1080p high-definition video. It can also operate on low power and thus be optimized for long battery life. The 618 can be used in everything from iPhone clones to eBook readers. The graphics processor can handle 45 million triangles per second with quality features such as pixel shading. It can run Linux, Android, Windows Mobile and full Adobe Flash (Yes, take that, Apple!). The Armada 618 is available in samples and could be in phones by the end of the year.
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About the Author, Dean Takahashi
Dean is lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat. He covers video games, security, chips and a variety of other subjects. Dean previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News, the Wall Street Journal, the Red Herring, the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register and the Dallas Times Herald. He is the author of two books, Opening the Xbox and the Xbox 360 Uncloaked. Follow him on Twitter at @deantak, and follow VentureBeat on Twitter at @venturebeat.
