The personal computer, as we know it today, is undergoing a revolution as manufacturers deliver a plethora of devices to address user demands for a fuller experience, says VIA Technologies president and CEO Wenchi Chen.
Speaking yesterday at the opening of the VIA Technology Forum, in Taipei, Chen said the market had so far largely been focused on delivering computation power.
"Today, most of us realise we have more computation power than we actually need. The next generation of personal computing devices will be focused on providing a significantly fuller experience for the user. We call this next generation the PC 2.0 era."
Chen noted that as the next generation of PC devices emerge, the market can expect to see devices made specifically for emerging markets, green technology ultra-mobile devices, and the extension of the connected client market from enterprise through to home and community use.
"There is a lot of talk about Web 2.0, but what we are talking about is limited to our own imagination. In the future we may see the Net as a server and even perhaps as a computation server. As a result, the main drivers for the PC 2.0 era will be ubiquitous intelligence; rich content, applications and services; broadband Internet access; and exponential innovation," explained Chen.
New features
As manufacturers and their partners gear up for the next generation of devices, six essential design requirements have been identified, said Chen.
"Size matters in the new era: it has to be small. Power consumption has to be as low as possible - not just to enable longer battery life, but to address issues like global warming.
"New devices must have complete x86 and Internet compatibility. We must deliver rich digital media performance and offer flexibility for broadband connectivity.
"And we have to bring the costs down; affordability is a major issue in this era," he explained.
New standards
Chen admitted the company was playing by the traditional industry rules in 2000. However, he said VIA is today setting new standards by shrinking form factors.
On a silicon level, it has shrunk its processors from 50x50mm, in its Socket 370 offering, to 21x21mm in its latest NanoBGA2. As for its platform level, VIA has shrunk its motherboards from 17x17cm, in its Mini-ITX product, to 10x7.2cm in its newly-released Pico-ITX offering.
Chen also provided a first look at the Mobile-ITX motherboard. At 75x45mm, the Mobile-ITX is smaller than a standard business card, but able to run full x86 PC applications and contains a CDMA chip. VIA developed this product for use in cellphones.
"This prototype Mobile-ITX gives a glimpse into the future of ultra-mobile devices and the real convergence of computing and communications."
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