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Microsoft's upcoming Zune HD will get more than a little help from Nvidia in going toe-to-toe against Apple's iPod and every other handheld media player on the market. Providing extra processor oomph, the Zune HD will use Nvidia's multi-core Tegra processor.
"Nvidia brings power graphics to the portable media player. This is a unique capability," said Jeff Orr, senior analyst for mobile content at ABI Research.
What makes Nvidia's Tegra so special -- and the Zune HD so promising -- are eight independent processors, which will go a long ways in helping the Zune HD handle high definition video and Flash content on its OLED touch screen without necessitating a bulky formfactor.
"Apple probably builds a pretty good SoC [System-on-Chip], but in terms of what they have already enabled [on the iPod Touch], I don't believe it has nearly the graphics and power management that Tegra does," said Mike Rayfield, a general manager at Nvidia. "We've benchmarked against everyone out there, and we are the most advanced in terms of graphics and overall power management."
The Zune HD will be just one of many devices to make use of Nvidia's Tegra processor. According to Nvidia, there are about 50 other gadgets in design right now with Tegra.
Image Credit: Nvidia
Comments are closed on this article
gendoikari1
August 15, 2009 at 9:37am
I wonder how nVidia managed to get Chuck Norris's testosterone into the Tegra?
Keatah
August 15, 2009 at 5:13am
isn't it amusing how the industry gyrates fitfully between big screens and small screens with HD?? They want a big screen in a small device and a small screen in a big device! Look at the netbook then notebook then netbook then notebook 'battle'! The industry is really in a mess of panties with that one!! All that aside.. Can the zune get me on the internet and make calls? Afterall, the industry is telling me I have to take it all with me.. The ZuneHD does not!
mesiah
August 14, 2009 at 9:15pm
They keep referring to power management, but with this much processing power one has to wonder what the battery life on this thing is going to be. I really hope this thing takes off, but I have my doubts. I think portable media players will all but disappear in the near future. Why carry two devices when your phone could easily manage both? If they mated this device with a phone and at least 12 hours of battery life I would be all over it.
Chocolate
August 14, 2009 at 9:09pm
First off, I will likely buy this anyway, but my question is...
Will microsoft allow 3ed party apps? What good is all that tegra power if it cant be used to its full potential. Microsoft allows 3ed party games on my current Zune 80 so it would be awesome if it allowed apps.
Anyway, 16 GB for $300 is pretty darn good.
dracx619
August 14, 2009 at 10:29pm
i believe there will be 3rd party apps. i read somewhere else that they were talking money for other devs to port and mak enew apps for the zune
mls067
August 14, 2009 at 8:10pm
For some reason I am really, really excited about getting one of these. It takes a lot to get me to this point..lol...I hope I am not let down. It won't be the first time though.
SuperiorBeing
August 14, 2009 at 6:27pm
How does this fare against the ZMS-05 (SoC that the Zii Egg uses)? Also, I thought that Apple didn't make their own SoCs, but bought them.
D.E.
August 14, 2009 at 4:39pm
What the f**k!? Paul, this is old news. The tegra chip was announced a while ago by nvidia and among the devices they had on hand was the Zune HD.
Jesus, Im so glad I don't subscribe to you guys. What would be your next "Breaking news" article, Crysis 2 announced?
nekollx
August 14, 2009 at 4:19pm
But will ir play Crysis Mobile?
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Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
TheMiddleman
August 14, 2009 at 2:02pm
Let's just hope their Tegra line has better QA then their mobile gpu line.
I Jedi
August 14, 2009 at 2:00pm
It's a shame the general population will have no idea what the hell the Nvidia Tegra is.
jcollins
August 14, 2009 at 12:23pm
It sounds interesting, but the key is going to be the implementation and longevity on the MS side. I've seen different "unique" video chips for portables over the years that never actually go anywhere other than the first generation of a product. There's a lot of talk about how great it is, but the manufacturers never actually use it for anything and it withers over the generations.
PC_destroyer
August 16, 2009 at 6:48am
Well, the Zune HD uses Tegra's mobile series of CPU s. They made more powerful ones that will be powering UMPCs, Netbooks, and more. Many manufacturers are already making products with Tegra and they'll be out as early as the end of this year.
Also, nVidia's Ion wasn't too popular but they're still going ahead with an Ion 2.
