PicoZed System-on-Modules are Powered by Xilinx Zynq-7000 ARM + FPGA SoC

After the Zedboard, and the Microzed, here comes PicoZed, a family of system-on-modules (SoM) based on Xilinx Zynq-7000 SoCs featuring a dual core Cortex A9 processor and FPGA fabric. The module also comes with 1GB RAM, 4GB eMMC, Gigabit Ethernet PHY, various user I/O, and more. Target applications include embedded vision, test & measurement, motor control, software-defined radio, and industrial automation. Four modules are available with support for commercial or industrial temperature ranges, all sharing the following specifications: SoC (depending on module) Xilinx Zynq-7010 with two Cortex-A9 cores @  866MHz, FPGA with 28K Logic Cells Xilinx Zynq-7015 with two Cortex-A9 cores @  866MHz, FPGA with 74K Logic Cells, 4 transceivers @ 6.25 Gb/s Xilinx Zynq-7020 with two Cortex-A9 cores @  866MHz, FPGA with 85K Logic Cells Xilinx Zynq-7030 with two Cortex-A9 cores @  1GHz, FPGA with 125K Logic Cells, up to 4 transceivers @ 12.5 Gb/s System Memory – 1GB […]

Intel Reference Design Program for Android Promises Devices with Firmware Updates Tracking AOSP for 2 Years

If you’ve ever bought a low cost Chinese smartphone or tablet, you must know you can’t really expect firmware updates, especially with a different Android version. For example, if you’ve purchased an Android 4.1 phone or tablet a couple of years ago, more likely than not, it’s still stuck to the same version. Intel intends to change all that by launching the Intel Reference Design Program for Android. Yes, Intel has provided reference designs in the past, but this program goes further, especially with regards to Android support, and firmware updates. This is the way it all works: Manufacturers can choose a set of pre-qualified components to build their Android device. Intel will provide a single Android image that works with the drivers to support all components. Intel will take care of GMS (Google Mobile Service), and CTS (pre-)certification for their customers. Intel has committed to provide updates within 2 […]

Khadas Edge2 Arm mini PC

Upcoming Tivo Mega DVR Will Store up to 24TB of Data, Feature 6 TV Tuners

Tivo has unveiled their Mega DVR for people who have some serious TV recording needs, as it can record 24 TB of data, the equivalent of over 26,000 hours of SD TV (That’s about 3 years!), and 6 tuners to record multiple programs simultaneously. Users will also be able to stream live TV or recordings to their smartphones and tablets, and download programs for offline playback. Tivo Mega DVR features listed by Tivo: Storage – 24 Terabyte RAID 5 HDD Six tuners Streaming live and recorded TV to smartphones and tablets anywhere: Built-in stream transcoding Multi-room – Whole home capable 26,000 hours of SD recording space, approximately 4,000 hours of HD recording space Content navigation: Universal search across cable, video-on-demand and web apps including Netflix and YouTube “What to Watch” provides a personalized dashboard with recommendations for what’s on now, next and tonight Collections offers editorial collections based on current events […]

Review of Kingnovel K-R68 (R6) Android Mini PC

I’ve already listed specs, and shown a few pictures of Kingnovel K-R68 (R6) Android media player based on the latest Rockchip RK3288 quad core processor. I’ve now gone through all my usual tests, so today, I’ll write the review, going through the user interface, testing video playback, reporting one various performance benchmarks including network and storage performance, tested most hardware features, and played a few games. First Boot, Settings and First Impressions Albeit there’s an infrared remote control with the device. I’ve not used it all, especially, as we’ll see below the default user interface is the stock Android home screen. As usual, I’ve connected an RF dongle to use Mele F10 Deluxe air mouse. Before powering up the device, I’ve also connected an HDMI cable, a USB hard drive, and an Ethernet cable. Albeit there’s a power button, the device will boot automatically as you connect the power adapter, […]

W908I & W908II Wi-Fi Smart Sockets Support US, EU, UK, or AU Plug Types, Up to 4400W Power

I’ve had a look at several Wi-Fi smart sockets recently. Broadlink SP2 comes with a Chinese plug and supports power monitoring (About $40), Kankun KK-SP3 is more basic but sells only for $20, and runs OpenWRT, and Orvibo Wiwo S20 does not support power monitoring either, but is available with US, Europe, United Kingdom or Australia plug (About $40). If you want a Wi-Fi smart socket with a EU plug, there’s another option: W908I selling for $32 on Chinavasion. Based on the manufacturer website (HaiDian Technology) however, there are four W908I models with US, EU, UK, or AU plugs, as well as four W908II models with a higher power ratings (4400W). Instead of just one socket like socket models, it features a 3-pin socket, a 2-pin socket, and a USB port for charging devices. W908I / W908II specifications: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n Sensitivity – 802.11b: < -84dBm; 802.11g: < -68dBm Output […]

Intel Unveils Broadwell-Y Core M Processors with 4.5W TDP: 5Y70m 5Y10 and 5Y10a

ARM still have an edge in terms of power efficiency, but Intel has historically had an edge when it comes to process technology, and the company has announced their first 14-nm processors with three Broadwell Core M SoCs. The new process will also help with power efficiency, as all processors have 4.5W TDP, and Intel claims a Core M laptop will deliver twice the compute performance, and seven times more graphics processing power compared to a 2010 laptop powered by a 18W Core i5 processor, while doubling the battery life. Compared to more recent 4th generation Intel Core “Haswell” CPU, the new chips are said to offer up to 50 percent faster CPU performance and 40 percent graphics on a performance-per-watt basis. The company reveals three Core-M processors: 5Y70, 5Y10, and 5Y10a, all dual core / quad thread processor with base frequencies between 800 and 1,100 MHz, and turbo frequencies between […]

AAEON Intel Arc

Kingnovel K-R68 4K Android STB Unboxing

Kingnovel has sent me a sample of their K-R68 Android media player powered by Rockchip RK3288 quad core processor with 2GB RAM, 8GB flash. Today I’ll start by listing the product specifications, before showing pictures of the device and PCBA. A full review will follow in the next few days. Kingnovel K-R68 specifications The box technical specifications as shown in the product manual are pretty standard: SoC –  Rockchip RK3288 quad core ARM Cortex A12/A17 processor @ 2.0 GHz (TBC) with ARM Mali-T764 quad-core 3D GPU with support for OpenGL ES 3.0, OpenCL 1.1, and DirectX11 System Memory – 2GB DDR3 (Optional 4GB DDR3) Storage – 8GB flash (16G/32G optional) + micro SD slot Video Output – HDMI 2.0 up to 4K @ 60fps, 3.5mm AV jack Audio Output – HDMI,  AV, and optical S/PDIF Video Codecs – MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.264, H.265, RV,.. @ 4K resolution Video Containers – […]

$60 TV110 Android Media Player Powered by Amlogic S805 SoC

Yesterday I wrote about MINIX NEO X6 featuring Amlogic S805 quad core Cortex A5 processor with HEVC hardware decoding. MINIX device is expected to sell later this month for around $120, but I’ve been informed there’s another model called TV110 with similar hardware specifications, but selling for around $60 or even lower on sites like GeekBuying and Aliexpress. I’ve seen one of the seller offering $10 coupon, so it might even be possible to get it for $50. TV110-S805 specifications: SoC – Amlogic S805 quad core ARM Cortex A5 @ 1.5GHz with quad core Mali-450MP GPU System Memory – 1 GB DDR3 Storage – 8 GB NAND flash + micro SD slot Connectivity – 10/100M Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz), Bluetooth 4.0 Video Output – HDMI 1.4, AV output Audio Output – HDMI 1.4, 3.5mm stereo audio jack USB – 2x USB 2.0 port Misc – IR sensor Power […]

Khadas VIM4 SBC