The newest info about the Zune HD is that Microsoft has chosen the cutting-edge, award-winning NVIDIA Tegra for its processing package. What does this ground-breaking tech mean for us lowly mainstream users?
The NVIDIA Tegra is designed as an all-encompassing “guts” processor for mobile computing devices, actually using 8 different chips to achieve its goals. It’s not just the CPU, like in a computer, but more like the entire motherboard in one unit.
This is a smartphone with the Tegra processor on a “Windows CE” system. The Zune HD should have a similar level performance, although the operating system (in development with Zune) will look different. Pretty sweet!
Alright, for all the Mac-lovers, or even on-the-fencers, here is a big reason to go with the Zune HD over the iPod Touch. Newest Generation iPod Touch processing speed: 532 MHz. Zune HD processing speed with NVIDIA Tegra: estimated comparable to 800MHz. Zoom!
The reason it is “estimated” is because the technology is different than a traditional processor, where there is a set speed. There are several processors that each take a few tasks and go as fast as they can until the task is done, then shut down. This strategic improvement in speed will be very effective for computing, playing video, etc.
I can’t wait to see the Zune HD running a 3D-intensive video game. Let’s just hope that Zune HD gets some good games on board!
I’m waiting on pins-and-needles for an announcement about which games will be available on the Zune HD.
I haven’t really thought about the gaming, and processing power that could really push an Mp3 player over the edge. This could really be a major acomplishment for microsoft if they can really be the first people to take a device and design to be less of an mp3 player, and more of a a computer…
I think Microsoft is seeing the possibilities of the Iphone, and trying to build a device that is better hoping to gain the interest of the developers to really make money like apple has done with the app store.
Hey I think I found something that might interest you…
http://gizmodo.com/5302077/rumor-zune-hd-comes-in-1632gb-sizes-launches-september-8
Thanks SHG!
powerful smartphone, ha?!! 720p video right on the screen!!
Tegra has been proven to be a performance flop in comparison to what’s in the 2nd gen iTouch and iPhone 3G, along with the stuff in the 3rd gen iTouch, iPhone 3GS, and the current crop of high-end Android phones (Nexus and Droid). There are multitudes of games that run on even the first gen iTouch and iPhone that look better and run better than the Q3 demo did on Tegra… and that port is a mature port to ARM architecture.