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The long-awaited Nvidia quad-core mobile device processor gets is official-- the Tegra 3, previously known as "Project Kal-El," promising improvements in both performance and power consumption.

Nvidia claims the Tegra 3 provides up to x3 the graphic performance and 61% less power consumption over the Tegra 2, via 4-core 1.3GHz ARM Cortex A9 CPU, 12-core GPU and a 5th low-power "companion core" running low-intensity processes such as audio streaming, some video playback and standby modes.

The company is aiming the processor at mobile gaming, and says 40 Tegra 3-optimised games will be available by the end of 2011.

The first device carrying the processor will also be available soon-- the newly announced Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime.

Go Nvidia Tegra 3 Announcement

Asus launches the successor to the Eee Pad Transformer-- the Transformer Prime, the first tablet from the company carrying the newly revealed quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor (previously known as Kal El).

The Transformer is best known for having the keyboard dock turning it into an Android-powered laptop of sorts.

The Prime carries a 10.1" 1280 x 800 display, 8.3mm-thick body, 1GB of RAM and 32 or 64GB of storage, together with mini-HDMI output, microSD slot, SonicMaster audio and 2 cameras (1.2MP front-facing, 8MP back-facing with an auto-focusing f/24 lens). The exterior gets a Zenbook-style spun aluminium makeover, and has in hydro-oleophobic coating preventing fingerprint smudging.

It uses Android 3.2, and Asus promises an Ice Cream Sandwich update will be available by December 2011. The company claims the tablet has a battery life of 12 hours (through 22Wh battery), with the dock adding a further 6 hours of power.

The separately available keyboard dock also gets an upgrade, being thinner and lighter. It has a touchpad, USB 2.0 port and a full-size SD slot.

Go Asus Eee Tablets

“To compete with media tablets, notebook PCs must become sexier and more appealing to consumers,” IHS iSuppli says. Will the "sexier" ultrabook notebook format fit the bill-- and drive the PC industry?

The ultrabook format (as set by Intel) includes ultra-light/thin notebooks with tablet-like features like instant-on activation, always-connected wireless links, SSD storage and battery lives longer than 8 hours.

The analyst forecasts ultrabook shipments will account for only 2% of all notebooks in 2011-- before rising to 40% of all notebooks by 2015. However, notebook growth will retain a stolidly mature pace, with shipments growing at a CAGR of only 10% from 2011 to 2015.

In comparison, iSuppli expects tablet shipments to grow at a CAGR of over 40% for the same 4-year period.

While being a reaction to the tablet boom, the ultrabook effort might "set the stage for the revitalization of the electronics supply chain," according to the analyst-- especially if makers reduce prices. Attractive price points (below current prices around $1000), ultrabooks can potentially reach "must have" status, driving the market in the process.

In turn, the growing ultrabook market will fuel the component industry (including memory, logic, and power management device makers), potentially bringing an end to the current slowdown in the semiconductor and electronics manufacturing industries.

Go IHS iSuppli: Ultrabooks to Deliver Ultrafast Growth

The Wireless Gigabit Alliance (WiGig) announces the first PlugFest event-- where alliance members will test the interoperability of devices using the WiGig standard.

The event runs for 3 days and is organised in collaboration with MET Labs and UL CCS, two leading independent compliance, testing and certification houses, and key test instrumentation provider Agilent Technologies.

The event marks a transition for WiGig-- from technology specification (currently standing at version 1.1) to actual commercial products running the ultra-fast 60Hz standard.

The alliance says WiGig-enabled devices will hit the market at around either late 2012 or early 2013.

Go World's First WiGig Technology PlugFest