What happens behind major tablet?

Unlikely most people's eyes are focusing on iPad, Galaxy Tab, Xoom and etc at the front line of battle field, there is happening another fierce battle behind our sights. That is named as 'White Box tablet market'. 'White Box tablet could be refer to the unbranded or last mover's tablets manufactured and sold by uncountable Chinese manufacturers. Most 7 inch White-Box tablets based on Android O/S stand at the price range between $75~$150. Even its performance looks quite poor than regular tablet, a White-Box tablet, Superpad 10.2 was marked at 6th place in Amazon.

Access to Superpad3 10.2 inch, Andoroid 2.2 at $169.99, Click

A screenshot from China Electronics wholesale

The top 15 best selling tablet in Amazon.com

It looks quite interesting for us to review what kinds of application processors, which are not from Apple, Nvidia, Samsung and qualcomm, are competing in this fierce battle field.

Here is downloadable full story in PDF format.

Why give up GPS for your tablet?

In my previous post about several tablets comparison, I threw a question whether the tablet which has no built-in GPS like as Kindle Fire, Nook Android and even iPad2 WiFi, would be worth as much as the saved cost. Mostly the smart Apps offer the information based on the present location and pre-cached information. For instance, now there is no limit to use real-time navigating even in only WiFi device which has no 3G/4G telecommunication capability. Of course we are familiar to 'Offline map' like as Locus and Maprika, but further more Google has introduced the trial application in its Lab, Pre-cached Google Map. That allows user to use Google map at anywhere and anytime without real-time network connection like as WiFi and 3G/4G. At least the device has to have built-in GPS for it. Now indeed isn't this offline navigating worth than $200?


Google map pre-caching.

    

Enabling Pre cached map    Go to "Cache settings"    Take a look "Precache map area"



My trial for real-time Navigating by "Pre cached google map" without any connection of WiFi/3G

[Relevant Post]
http://savememory.blogspot.com/2012/01/nothing-what-you-can-do-with-your.html
http://savememory.blogspot.com/2011/12/tablet-comparison-ipad-galaxy-kindle.html

New barometer for tablets in 2012 :: 2GB RAM

Early this year Samsung have announced its new 4Gb LPDDR2 dram chip with 30nm process and eventually Samsung starts to provide 4-layered 4Gb LPDDR2 dram in single package for mobile tablets. The capacity of this 4-layered 4Gb LPDDR2 dram becomes 2GB dram which is double to main memory of present tablets.

Samsung Slate 7 issue (Continueing)

Samsung Slate 7 stands on totally different podium to general tablets like as iPad, Galaxy Tab using light O/S. Even with gorgeous outfit and attractive usability from regular PC to tablet, users measures and debates fundamental performance of PC and escalates their questions. I believe Samsung, even any of slate makers, should accept this user’s measurement scale to overcome current tablet centric market barrier. I bring this post from a site and translate in English.

Source : http://clien.career.co.kr/cs2/bbs/board.php?bo_table=lecture&wr_id=96181

Samsung Slate Series 7 looks outstanding Windows tablet so far in its specification and harmonious with performance, portability and battery life. But Slate 7 is in the middle of arguing stage between its specification and real performance. Privately I want to verify this arguing point by myself with measuring of encoding performance in 1080i resolution video file.

Some more of the devices currently on the power adapter is connected to the encoding time was measured from the heavy-load are as follows:
(Encoding, first of all, is largely dependent on CPU performance, better performance, take a short time.)

Desktop i7-2600K 3.4GHz / 1m37s (8 GB of RAM, Win 64-bit, No difference between high-performance mode & 97%).
Desktop i7-2600K 3.4GHz / 1m 40s (8 GB of RAM, Win 64-bit, balanced mode).
HA GTXX53 Lv69 i7-2670 2.2GHz / 2m04s (16 GB of RAM, Win 64-bit)
Desktop i5-2500 3.3GHz / 2s12s (4 gigabytes of RAM, Win 64-bit)
Dell XPS15 i7-2630QM 2GHz / 2m29s (6 GB of RAM)
Desktop AMD Phenom II X4 945 3.0GHz / 3m6s (RAM 12 GB)
ASUS G73JH i7-740QM 2.93GHz / 3m14s (RAM 16 GB)
Sony VAIO SE17 i7-2640M 2.8Ghz / 3m24s (RAM 8 GB)
Lenovo X220T i7-2620M 2.70GHz / 3m42s (8 GB of RAM, Win 64-bit, English)
Sony CW26FK, i5-520M 2.40GHz / 5m03s
Samsung Series 7 Slate i5-2467m 1.6GHz / 6m10s (the latest fw05 Firmware, UEFI Windows installation, measured in outdoor patio).
HP 2740P i5-520M, 2.40GHz / 6m22s
Sony VAIO SE17 i7-2640M 2.8Ghz / 6m23s (RAM 8 GB, bass mode)
Motion F5V i7-640um 1.2GHz / 6m28s
HP TM2 i5-470um 1.33GHz / 7m44s (RAM 8 GB)
ASUS EP121 i5-470um 1.33GHz / 7m53s (4 gigabytes of RAM, Win 64-bit Home Premium, Maximum processor state = 97%)
ASUS EP121 i5-470um 1.33GHz / 8m03s (4 gigabytes of RAM, Win 64-bit Home Premium)
Samsung Series 7 Slate i5-2467m 1.6GHz / 8m33s (fw05 latest firmware, and after about 10 minutes after boot up).
Apple MacBook Air fourth-generation Core 2 Duo 1.8GHz / 9m15s (2010 model year, 4 GB RAM, Win 32-bit)
Samsung Series 7 Slate i5-2467m 1.6GHz / 9m28s (the latest firmware, fw05, high performance mode, power connected)
Samsung Series 7 Slate i5-2467m 1.6GHz / 9m55s (the latest firmware, fw05, power saving mode, power connected).
Dell Allienware M11X R1 SU7300 1.73GHz OC / 10m18s
Dell XT2 U9400 1.4GHz / 11m31s (3GB RAM, Win 7 32-bit, 64-gigabyte SSD)
Fujitsu P1630 SU9300 1.2GHz / 15m24s(US model, Penryn 45nm)
Fujitsu Q550 Z670 1.5GHz / 42m53s (high)
Fujitsu Q550 Z670 1.5GHz / 42m22s (Maximum processor state = 97%)

In general, the devices with same CPU show quite similar performance. ASUS EP121 which already was pointed out the performance degradation due to throttling has mostly similar performance to HP TM2 which employs the same i5-470um CPU.

However, particularly Samsung Slate 7 shows quite wide range of encoding elapsing time from 6 minutes 10 seconds to 9 minutes 28 seconds.

Here are some of score points of CPU from cpubenchmark.net,

i7-2600K 3.4GHz - 10057 points
i7-2620M 2.7GHz - 3908 points (X220T)
i5-520M 2.4GHz - 2362 points (2740p)
i5-2467M 1.6GHz - 2172 points (Samsung Series 7 Slate)
i5-470UM 1.33GHz - 1515 points (EP121, TM2T)
Core 2 Duo 1.8GHz - 1000-point level (fourth-generation MacBook Air)

Even the above figures reflect the exact inverse of the encoding time, Samsung Slate 7 should supposed to be stand at 6m10s position according to its specification.

But reality is it depends deeply depends on room temperature around the device.

(The experiment in patio took 6 minutes 10 seconds but this elapsing time increased 30% when I moved to indoor room.)

I suppose this severe performance degradation due to throttling, this 9 minutes level should be considered to the 4^th generation of MacBook Air nearly.
 

Eventually how to make it improvement?

If you've already noticed the above table which showed closely, the power management feature in Windows can make it through.
Even slight difference in Maximum processor state = 97% than 100%, there was key solution.

You can reach its setting through Control Panel - Power Management - Additional power management - Change settings - Change advanced power settings - Processor power management - Minimum processor state, the maximum processor state can be changed by:
(Windows default setting of the adapter connected, high-performance mode, the minimum, maximum processor state = 100%.)

As a result Samsung Slate 7, shows quite improvement according to only the maximum processor state changing.

At the same equipment, the latest firmware, fw05, Win 64-bit.

Samsung Series 7 Slate i5 2467m 1.6GHz, 7m13s / 7m56s (Maximum processor state = 97%) - 1.5GHz work reliably
Samsung Series 7 Slate i5 2467m 1.6GHz, 7m25s (Maximum processor state = 98%)
Samsung Series 7 Slate i5 2467m 1.6GHz, 8m06s (Maximum processor state = 95%)
Samsung Series 7 Slate i5 2467m 1.6GHz, 8m09s (Maximum processor state = 85%) - 1.3GHz work reliably
Samsung Series 7 Slate i5 2467m 1.6GHz, 8m32s (Maximum processor state = 80%) - 1.2GHz work reliably
Samsung Series 7 Slate i5 2467m 1.6GHz, 9m22s (Maximum processor state = 100%)

In high-performance (100%) state, the clock is changed dynamically between 800MHz ~ 2.3GHz and impacts to its performance as much as clock speed, but only 97% of setting allows enough to operate with reliable high performance at 1.5Ghz.

As a conclusion,

1. Samsung Series 7 Slate in common use and default setting do not perform its best condition as its specification.

2. To minimized degradation of performance, 97% of power management prevents severe loss of its performance.

Related post : http://savememory.blogspot.com/2011/12/samsung-slate-7-issue.html

Unveiled LG Optimus Pad

LG is going to roll out brand new Android tablet at coming Dec. 15th in Korea. LG Optimus pad embeds LTE connectivity and 8.9 inches WXGA(1280 x 768) display.

O/S : Android 3.1 Honeycomb

Memory :1GB

32GB microSD slot

Front : 8M px/ Rear : 13M px Camera

Window 7 Tablet, OCS9, broke through. Just $610.

Korean manufacturer O-COSMOS rolls out brand new Windows 7 tablet computer, OCS9, at $610, but in pre-order providing system for B2B market. But O-COSMOS committed general consumers are able to purchase this OCS9 in pre-ordering & manufacturing system.

Featured Spec.

CPU : Intel Oak-trail

O/S : Windows 7 Home premium

Display : 1024 x 800, 10.1 inches, 170-degree wide sight angle

DDR2 2GB

32/64G SSD

microSD slot up to 64GB

Wifi b/g/n, Bluetooth connectivity

Camera : Front 1.3M, Rear 3M

Built-in GPS, Gyroscope, Accelerometer sensor, Mic.

HDMI, 2 USB, FM transmitter

Dedicated docking station (Exclude)

"I think that invalidates the ’889 . . ."

by U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh.

Quo Vadis? At the top of needle, Apple vs Samsung

Apple vs Samsung : Intelligence on Apple's U/S Design Patent Offensive

by Chsristopher V. Carani

1994 Knight-Ridder’’ tablet prototype