Intel Enters into Strategic Agreement with Rockchip

[Shivansps]

My bet is that ImgTec gets the GPU IP slot for all SoFIA products.

I really hope not

 

[Exophase]

According to the ZTE website the Valet uses a 1 Ghz Qualcomm MSM7625A (single core cortex A5) with 512 MB RAM and 4GB eMMC:

http://www.zteusa.com/phones/zte-valet.html

So I guess this will be my benchmark to compare Intel and Rockchip's efforts against at the lowest end.

Intel/Rockchip, can you give me a better extreme budget smart phone than Qualcomm?

Practically any other SoC would offer better CPU performance than a single core Cortex-A5. A 1GHz single core Saltwell would do better than this. I was happy to see that these Cortex-A5 SoCs were pretty quickly being replaced by Cortex-A7 variants. Sadly they've been resurfacing in mega cheap phones lately.

 

[Arachnotronic]

I really hope not

Why not? ImgTec IP is great.

 

[NTMBK]

I wonder how much money Intel are throwing at Rockchip to make this happen?

 

[witeken]

Why not? ImgTec IP is great.

Intel's too. It actually doesn't really matter. Both are fine for the entry market.

 

[Ajay]

I wonder how much money Intel are throwing at Rockchip to make this happen?

If I had to guess, I'd think there would be little to no hard cash. Intel will need to devote a fair bit of engineering talent to Rockchip for on and offsite support (implementation/PDK support and node adaptation/optimization - so FEOL + BEOL). Intel won't want to leave this very important deal up to chance - IDC's post really nails it, this is potentially a game changer.

 

[IntelUser2000]

2. Do we actually start seeing $70+ Windows Tablets now that MS is giving away Windows on tablets and phones with 9" and smaller screens? (Keep in mind Windows minimum requirement is 16 GB eMMMC.....so that would be a small cost adder compared to the specs of the tablet above)

Not $70(yet) but $99 is coming very soon.

 

[cbn]

Practically any other SoC would offer better CPU performance than a single core Cortex-A5. A 1GHz single core Saltwell would do better than this. I was happy to see that these Cortex-A5 SoCs were pretty quickly being replaced by Cortex-A7 variants. Sadly they've been resurfacing in mega cheap phones lately.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTHWqV3DSFw

In the video the 1000 Mhz Cortex A5 does well IMO at navigating the OS.

Even the web browsing @ 11:19 into the video is not bad at all given the 480 x 320 resolution. (the same resolution and screen diagonal used in the iphone 3GS with 600 Mhz Cortex A8).

With this mentioned, I have to wonder how much a higher resolution screen would add to the price of an extreme budget smartphone and what the next step is beyond 3.5" 480 x 320. (Obviously higher resolution screens will demand a stronger apps processor for web browsing, etc.)

At some point these 3.5" 480 x 320 screens will no longer be viable to use in even an extreme budget smartphone if a better resolution ends up being the same price.

 

[cbn]

Besides Trac fone, here is another budget plan I'll take a look at for Intel/Rockchip/SoFIA:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tmobile-30...-Card/15443357

Unlimited web (4G up to 5GB, then 3G thereafter), unlimited text, 100 minutes per month for $30/month prepaid.

(Phone must be purchased from Walmart)

 

[frozentundra123456]

Besides Trac fone, here is another budget plan I'll take a look at for Intel/Rockchip/SoFIA:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tmobile-30...-Card/15443357

Unlimited web (4G up to 5GB, then 3G thereafter), unlimited text, 100 minutes per month for $30/month prepaid.

(Phone must be purchased from Walmart)

That looks like a great deal. Last time I looked for a cheap walmart prepaid plan, I thought they had upped the price to 40 bucks or so. Is the phone any good? That is the problem with most of those pre-paid plans, the phones suck. After dealing with a very poor android tablet the last couple of years, the last thing I want to get is a slow phone with poor connectivity.

 

[cbn]

That looks like a great deal. Last time I looked for a cheap walmart prepaid plan, I thought they had upped the price to 40 bucks or so. Is the phone any good? That is the problem with most of those pre-paid plans, the phones suck. After dealing with a very poor android tablet the last couple of years, the last thing I want to get is a slow phone with poor connectivity.

Look through the reviews of that prepaid plan till you get to the one that says "detailed info on $30 plan" (dated 4/15/2014).

The reviewer claimed the following kit (which he also claimed gave him 1 month of service) worked for him and his t-mobile phone:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/T-Mobile-M...roduct+Reviews

(According to the description of the kit it will allow any compatible unlocked GSM phone to work with the unlimited web/unlimited text/100 minutes talk for $30 month.)

Also notice what it says here on the t-mobile site (scroll to near the bottom)---> http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans

$30 per month—Unlimited web and text with 100 minutes talk

100 minutes talk | Unlimited text | First 5 GB at up to 4G speeds

Now get unlimited international texting from the U.S. to virtually anywhere included in your plan—at no extra charge.

This plan is only available for devices purchased from
Wal-Mart or devices activated on T-Mobile.com

With that mentioned, I will still interested to see if Walmart sells the SoFIA phones.

 

[cbn]

With this mentioned, I have to wonder how much a higher resolution screen would add to the price of an extreme budget smartphone and what the next step is beyond 3.5" 480 x 320. (Obviously higher resolution screens will demand a stronger apps processor for web browsing, etc.)

At some point these 3.5" 480 x 320 screens will no longer be viable to use in even an extreme budget smartphone if a better resolution ends up being the same price.

Did some research and noticed this $54.99 Nokia Lumia 520 has a 4" 800 x 480 screen with a Qualcomm 1 GHz dual Krait apps processor in it:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/at-t-gop...9-00004820738b

Granted it is not a trac fone (yet), but maybe an argument could probably be made for 4'' 800 x 480 replacing 3.5" 480 x 320 at the effective lowest end. Then Intel SoFIA SOC to replace that Qualcomm Krait 1 Ghz dual core? (especially once a converged Windows x86 phone comes out and able to run a resolution lower than 1024 x 768).

 

[cbn]

Besides Trac fone, here is another budget plan I'll take a look at for Intel/Rockchip/SoFIA:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tmobile-30...-Card/15443357

Unlimited web (4G up to 5GB, then 3G thereafter), unlimited text, 100 minutes per month for $30/month prepaid.

(Phone must be purchased from Walmart)

That looks like a great deal. Last time I looked for a cheap walmart prepaid plan, I thought they had upped the price to 40 bucks or so. Is the phone any good? That is the problem with most of those pre-paid plans, the phones suck. After dealing with a very poor android tablet the last couple of years, the last thing I want to get is a slow phone with poor connectivity.

The Walmart I visited today had the following smartphones displayed under that $30 plan:

Nokia Lumia 521 $99.88
Prism 2 $64.88
Alcatel One touch fierce $129.88
LG optimus F3 $179.88