N-trig, provider of the DuoSense integrated active pen and multi-touch technology, announced that its pen and touch controller powers Sony’s VAIO Duo 13 Ultrabook. DuoSense offers an active pen to improve the user experience and enhance productivity, offering high accuracy, advanced palm rejection and hover capability for ease of control and navigation. Two different pen tips are included, providing different friction levels on the glass surface to closely pursue the desired pen-on-paper user experience. [See N-trig press release] -- Posted Monday, June 17, 2013
Microsoft announces general availability of Windows Embedded Compact 2013
Microsoft announced the general availability of Windows Embedded Compact 2013. Unlike the Windows Phone consumer-oriented versions (and Windows Embedded Handheld that's based on Windows Phone 8), WEC 2013 is clearly targeted at small industrial devices based either on x86 or ARM processors. The press release emphasizes applications such as logic controllers, HMI panels, RFID scanners, lab equipment, GPS devices and other embedded devices. There is now Visual Studio 2012 support, quicker startup, and a general emphasis on improved performance. [See Microsoft WEC 2013 press release and the Windows Embedded Compact 2013 product page] -- Posted Thursday, June 13, 2013
Intel announces next-gen "Bay Trail" Atom platform for tablets and ultra-mobile devices
Intel also announced that its next-generation 22nm Intel Atom processor-based SoC for tablets based on the Silvermont microarchitecture will include quad core processing, Gen 7 graphics, support for DX11, full HD, Intel Burst Technology 2.0, hardware-based security features, 2x CPU improvement and 3x graphics improvement, and support for both Windows and Android. [See Intel press release] -- Posted Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Intel Atom inside new Samsung Galaxy Tabe 3 10.1-inch tablet
Intel scored a strategically important design win by having Samsung use an Intel Atom chip in its new GALAXY Tab 3 10.1-inch Android tablet. The device will be powered by the "Clover Trail" Intel Atom Z2560, a dual-core design running at 1.6GHz. While Intel optimistically proclaims that its Atom chips "are designed and optimized for a lightning-fast applications experience, responsive Web browsing, stunning 3-D graphics, advanced camera capabilities and vivid HD video with energy efficiency for outstanding battery life," it should be interesting to see how Intel-powered tablets fare in the Android space that's traditionally been dominated by a variety of ARM processors. [See Samsung press release and Intel Atom Z2520, 2560 and 2580 brochure] -- Posted Wednesday, June 5, 2013