iPhone OS 3.0 Beta References Four Unknown Products

[drtimphd]

Cray FPGAs and merger talks

It was revealed today that the merger talks between Apple
and Cray are continuing. Apple has agreed to add Cray
developed Field Programable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) to their next
generations iPhone. This will enable each iPhone to have
a peak performance of 2.35 TeraFlops. A 1 PetaFlop machine,
or PetaPhone can then be created by networking 425 iPhones.

Like the IBM Bluegene machines, different types of network
traffic will be handled by the multiple networks available
on the iPhone. Point to Point communication will be handled
over WiFi while collective communications will us Bluetooth.

Cray, in turn agreed to rename its CX1 the iCray and now
support OSX, dropping Windows.

 

[iMacmatician]

If you guys really want a tablet Mac, go to
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/Modbook

This is more about an iPhone OS mini-tablet rather than a Mac OS X tablet.

 

[BTW]

Sounds like Apple is busy making us a batch of goodies. Maybe we'll get two iPhone models this June, a Netbook with the iPhone OS (Kindle size), and a new iPod Touch model. Sweet!

 

[NT1440]

I keep wondering if apple is going to divide the iPhone range up a bit, for diversification.

I.E.

• iPhone Pro - not a buisness phone, rather it has a 8+ gigapixel camera, a proper flash and a mini version of iphoto included (possibly pay-to-upgrade software for the basic model)
• iPhone Classic, basically the iPhone we know now
• (crazy out there mode) iPhone Flip, compact model of iphone, idea A: is it's two screens that can open up in portrait or landscape configurations. idea B is it's basically a OS X version of the blackberry pearl flip

Gigapixels?

Really?

 

[chrmjenkins]

He speculates that "iFPGA" may be a device that utilizes a field-programmable gate array. The numbering designation of "0,1" for the "iProd" device may signify that it is a prototype device of an unknown type

can someone re-say for the non-tech geek person?? I have no clue what that means

A field-programmable gata array is a reconfigurable device that allows you to program in different circuit configurations. You could make a memory unit, an arithmetic unit etc. The larger ones could emulate complex devices such as logic cores. Basically, it could be ANYTHING. The only limiting factor is the capability of the FPGA they are using.

iprod is just a generic name, and the 0,1 names signifies a prototype of some sort. Only 1 or higher devices are actually production models.

 

[iMacmatician]

Gigapixels?

Really?

Bring on 115200x72000!

A field-programmable gata array is a reconfigurable device that allows you to program in different circuit configurations. You could make a memory unit, an arithmetic unit etc. The larger ones could emulate complex devices such as logic cores. Basically, it could be ANYTHING. The only limiting factor is the capability of the FPGA they are using.

Wow, that's awesome. I want to see what Apple can come up with using those.

 

[1984]

First there was the rumor of a handheld device that was like the iPhone but 1.5x larger. The more recent rumor suggest a 10" tablet device. With all these identifiers in OS 3.0 maybe both rumors are true!

 

[Aegelward]

Gigapixels?

Really?

Okay, fine >_> fixed

 

[tonynibbles]

Why would firmware refer to revisions of itself?

Why wouldn't it?

 

[fleshman03]

Bring on 115200x72000!

You're just going to have to make due with a 33MP camera @ a cost of $20,000

The RAW files this sensor spits out are around 67MB, with a 16-bit TIFF weighing in at 190MB.
Link

 

[NT1440]

You're just going to have to make due with a 33MP camera @ a cost of $20,000

I for one welcome my phone crying out in pain and melting when I go to take a picture!

 

[Sakura Eclair]

Apple filed for a patent on the 17th of april last year for a device called iProd

Look for yourself at :
http://www.newscientist.com/blog/technology/2008/04/say-hello-to-iprod.html

This link along with this other link (http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article3780257.ece) that another user previously mentioned in this thread seem to indicate that the "iProd" is related to an exercise platform . Most likely an accessory to perform as a Personal trainer. This may also explain why this product is identified as "iProd 0,1" instead of "iProd 1,1". The fact that a "0" is in front it would lead me to believe that this is not a device, but a supplement (accessory).

These references lead me to the following product line:

"iPhone1,1":Original iPhone
"iPhone1,2": iPhone 3G
"iPod1,1": iPod touch 1Gen
"iPod2,1": iPod Tocuh 2Gen
"iPhone2,1": New iPhone: discovered back in October. This will most likely be an updated capacity iPhone (32GB) with video capability, possibly a better camera (5 MP)
"iPod 3,1" New iPod Touch 3Gen: this will also be higher capacity (64Gb) and possibly GPS and camera added (one of both). I'm speculating that GPS will be added because how much CoreLocation was featured in the presentation on Tuesday.
"iPhone3,1": This will most likely be the rumored "10" touchscreen device they are working on. Per the rumors, this device would be unveiled until the 4Q, so Idon't expect a new device this summer to correspond to this reference.
"iFPGA": Since this reference doesn't have any numbering to it, it doesn't seem to reference a device at all. This maybe the technology that permit all of these devices to communicate with each other as well as 3rd party accessories and devices.

This last point is something that I think a lot of people have missed about the iPhone 3.0 OS announcement. Apple is letting the developers access to the Port, bluetooth. With this I can easily envision an enourmous amount of accesories coming for this platform: wireless keyboards (for those who dislike the touchscreen), joysticks for gaming, Home automation, remote car start, etc.

 

[Lesser Evets]

Could be both, you know. For a tablet, the ability to run AppStore apps + Desktop apps would be Boss and/or premo.

Although you and I both want very different things from a tablet. I personally still think it'll run iPhone OS 3.0 + Desktop OSX. Mainly what I want is a Dell Mini 9 class computer with 10" touch screen priced at $600. You want a stand alone computer.
...
Although let us both agree that mobile iWork/iLife is needed all around?

There is an odd possibility it could be both... but if you think about it for a few seconds, that sounds unlikely and complex for something in a sub-$1000 range. Apple is making this device to most likely hit the netbook market with its own product which stands out quite strongly, so it has to be inexpensive, which means limited software and hardware compared to the full computer line.

I wasn't/am not looking for a stand alone computer, which is hard to define exactly, but was looking for a trim computer that can allow work on the run which can be brought into the floor models for further, more complex, work. Specifically, writing, data, and stylus with limited Photoshop, combined with all the typical iPod type functions dealing with internet, music, video, etc. My hopes were for a large iPod Touch with far wider OS and input. A lot of people want all sorts of ports and such, but if data can go into a computer with a mere dock connector I would be happy enough.

iWork is well needed, iLife not so much since iPod Touches do enough iLife for me. Most likely they won't let you make DVDs or edit videos if this is a limited device.

I'd buy a large, slightly more enabled, iPod Touch 10" Tablet for $599 or less. A MaxiPod for more than that is just not worth it--I'd rather buy the $999 Laptop. If they do make a full OS tablet I would pay more. That's just me, perhaps.

 

[fleshman03]

I for one welcome my phone crying out in pain and melting when I go to take a picture!

HAHA!

Honestly, I would have thought the file size would have been larger than 200MB.

 

[PhatBoyG]

A MaxiPod? Really? I'm sure that would be a great product name with no ridicule.

 

[diemos]

This link along with this other link (http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article3780257.ece) that another user previously mentioned in this thread seem to indicate that the "iProd" is related to an exercise platform . Most likely an accessory to perform as a Personal trainer. This may also explain why this product is identified as "iProd 0,1" instead of "iProd 1,1". The fact that a "0" is in front it would lead me to believe that this is not a device, but a supplement (accessory).

These references lead me to the following product line:

"iPhone1,1":Original iPhone
"iPhone1,2": iPhone 3G
"iPod1,1": iPod touch 1Gen
"iPod2,1": iPod Tocuh 2Gen
"iPhone2,1": New iPhone: discovered back in October. This will most likely be an updated capacity iPhone (32GB) with video capability, possibly a better camera (5 MP)
"iPod 3,1" New iPod Touch 3Gen: this will also be higher capacity (64Gb) and possibly GPS and camera added (one of both). I'm speculating that GPS will be added because how much CoreLocation was featured in the presentation on Tuesday.
"iPhone3,1": This will most likely be the rumored "10" touchscreen device they are working on. Per the rumors, this device would be unveiled until the 4Q, so Idon't expect a new device this summer to correspond to this reference.
"iFPGA": Since this reference doesn't have any numbering to it, it doesn't seem to reference a device at all. This maybe the technology that permit all of these devices to communicate with each other as well as 3rd party accessories and devices.

This last point is something that I think a lot of people have missed about the iPhone 3.0 OS announcement. Apple is letting the developers access to the Port, bluetooth. With this I can easily envision an enourmous amount of accesories coming for this platform: wireless keyboards (for those who dislike the touchscreen), joysticks for gaming, Home automation, remote car start, etc.

good stuff, though i just hope they add 480x800 screen or just high rez screen to all.

 

[Enuratique]

Wow, that's awesome. I want to see what Apple can come up with using those.

I could be wrong but I don't think we'll see any FPGAs in consumer products from Apple. They're mostly used in prototypes or reference hardware to aid in rapid development as they don't need to fab an actual chip. Once they find a design they like, they can take the logic inside the FPGA and fab it into a static chip.

 

[BlizzardBomb]

good stuff, though i just hope they add 480x800 screen or just high rez screen to all.

If Apple kept the aspect ratio the same, it would be a 720x480 which is native DVD resolution. A 4" 720x480 screen would be awesome (more room to type on too so no need for a real keyboard). That isn't to say I don't think that Apple wouldn't release a 800x480 model, but I'm guessing upscaling would be easier for apps if they used 720x480.

 

[fleshman03]

There is an odd possibility it could be both... but if you think about it for a few seconds, that sounds unlikely and complex for something in a sub-$1000 range. Apple is making this device to most likely hit the netbook market with its own product which stands out quite strongly, so it has to be inexpensive, which means limited software and hardware compared to the full computer line.

I wasn't/am not looking for a stand alone computer, which is hard to define exactly, but was looking for a trim computer that can allow work on the run which can be brought into the floor models for further, more complex, work. Specifically, writing, data, and stylus with limited Photoshop, combined with all the typical iPod type functions dealing with internet, music, video, etc. My hopes were for a large iPod Touch with far wider OS and input. A lot of people want all sorts of ports and such, but if data can go into a computer with a mere dock connector I would be happy enough.

iWork is well needed, iLife not so much since iPod Touches do enough iLife for me. Most likely they won't let you make DVDs or edit videos if this is a limited device.

I'd buy a large, slightly more enabled, iPod Touch 10" Tablet for $599 or less. A MaxiPod for more than that is just not worth it--I'd rather buy the $999 Laptop. If they do make a full OS tablet I would pay more. That's just me, perhaps.

Yeah, maybe two in a sub-$1000 isn't very likely.

You're comment about hitting the netbook market with its own product and standing out is exactly what I'm talking about. Imagine how much growth there is in a high-end $600-$700 touch screen "netbook."

It won't compare with a MB in terms of specs, but it would still be capable of running some good software. Image a 1.6 Atom or even better maybe even an Atom-like processor with 2 cores... low level nVidia graphics (9100?) or intel 950 level.

That's good enough for some movie watching, low level photoshop or even higher level given enough time...

You could do the stylus writing even with an Atom processor although I don't know if they go that route.....

When I said iLife, I really meant iPhoto and maybe iWeb...

iWork would be perfect.

In terms of connectivity ... maybe 1 USB + 30 pin connect. They can sell adaptors to connect a 30-pin to MDP or DVI...

I think the key is running OSX + AppStore Apps.

 

[iMacmatician]

If Apple kept the aspect ratio the same, it would be a 720x480 which is native DVD resolution. A 4" 720x480 screen would be awesome (more room to type on too so no need for a real keyboard). That isn't to say I don't think that Apple wouldn't release a 800x480 model, but I'm guessing upscaling would be easier for apps if they used 720x480.

I'm thinking three ways for current apps to run on a larger device.

• Simple upscaling
• GUI elements kept the same "size," just extended to fill the larger display, just like a window in Mac OS X
• Windowed or split-screen modes to display multiple applications at the same time

We may also see an even higher resolution than 720x480. Maybe 960x640.

 

[randomusername]

I'm hoping "iProd" is an iPod Touch Nano or something that won't be released. I really do not want Apple to make a tablet running iPhone OS. People complain about the features of iPhone OS as a PHONE, imagine how crippled it would be on a computer. OS X Snow Leopard is what needs to be running on the rumored Apple Tablet.

 

[kwikdeth]

a good reasoning for FPGAs

One of the applications for FPGA devices are software-defined radios. As in, a radio that has its tuner defined through software, rather than a combination of hardware pieces.
what are the advantages of this? two fold. one, it reduces the component count on the circuit board since many of the radio tuner parts are hardware-defined. this would reduce costs due to less parts, lower battery usage from less components, but this is the biggest, most important reason:
it would allow a device to work on multiple frequencies. With the continuing digital transition and the availability of 700mhz spectrum for cellular services, along with the proliferation of frequency bandwidths outside of the "normal" spaces (such as t-Mobile's AWS 3G spectrum in the 1700 and 1900mhz bands) Apple is trying to position itself to provide the carriers with a lot more flexibility and choices (or more, a lack of, since theoretically a software-defined radio would work on any frequency, eliminating the need to make it work with any specific carrier's network)
While obviously the biggest advantage in united states would be to allow them to work with more carriers than AT&T. Their exclusivity will not last forever and with the impending release of 4G services such as LTE (which will be much more universal than the current GSM vs CDMA situation in the US) Apple is trying to position itself to be able to reach the maximum number of customers they can. This would also affect other countries too, such as Japan, which has similar but slightly different frequencies for many of their cellular services.
so yeah, i believe the iFPGA device is a proof-of-concept for simplification of future iphones and also an exploration of the potential of working with multiple carriers at some point in the future.

 

[commander.data]

I'm supportive of the idea that the iPod 2.2 maybe a iPod Touch Nano model to replace current iPod Nanos making the iPhone 2.1 the equivalent iPhone Nano. These would be based on current-gen hardware. The iPod 3.1 and iPhone 3.1 would then be the next-gen devices with new internal hardware. All models available this year.

I just find it unlikely that if the 3.1 models are the 2010 models, they would already be appearing in the iPhone 3.0 software. The 2010 models would no doubt ship with iPhone 4.0, so there's no need to place references to them since a public beta since iPhone 3.0 would not be expected to support them. Any 2010 models in development would be running separate custom builds.

And the iFPGA isn't likely a product. FPGA chips are a lot more expensive than fixed function chips and are slower to. They are mainly used for developmental purposes.

 

[preservative]

Can someone find something on nvidia tegra?

 

[commander.data]

Can someone find something on nvidia tegra?

You mean just conjure up a reference in the iPhone OS?

It's unlikely that Apple would support Tegra given all the effort they put into acquiring a PowerVR GPU license and to acquire CPU engineers to design chips themselves.