| MIDs face tough climb? | |
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Nov. 03, 2008 Announced by Intel early last year, the MID format is now beginning to be supported in products from vendors such as USI (MID-160). The CCID analysis takes a global view of the MID market, but seems to filter its analysis through issues that are of particular concern to the Chinese market. CCID Consulting released its analysis without reference to a particular study about the MID format, nor does it include any market projections except to predict that most MIDs will ship with Linux. According to the group, MID is yet another one of Intel's "horizontal" efforts to boost processor sales, many of which have faltered. "Great expectations have been laid on MID," says the report, but the "cold reactions" to Intel's previously touted UMPC format and Classmate PC places more pressure on the format, says the research group. "If MID can achieve their anticipated results, it will become an important breakthrough for Intel processor products' horizontal development," says the article. "MID is not only a new product, but Intel's attempt to transform the processor business entirely."   Compal JAX10 MID running FST's FancyPants graphics stack (Click on either to enlarge) Major Asian vendors such as Lenovo, Samsung, Asus, and Founder have all expressed interest in supporting the MID format, says the group. However, it suggests they may be hesitant after a recent release of a MID from China-based Huaqi that "hasn't been able to carry through large-scale production and sale." The Huaqi MID appears to be a China-targeted brand of the recently released Aigo P8860D, pictured at top. (For more on the Aigo, see farther below.) Challenges facing the rollout of MIDs are said by CCID to include:
French wireless provider offers Compal-based MID
SFR is introducing both the "SFR M! PC Pocket 3G+" and "Archos 3G+," both Linux-based, MID-like devices that offer HSPA 3G wireless capability, says the French wireless carrier. The latter appears to be the Archos 5 (pictured at right), which was announced in August along with a larger-screen Archos 7 model. Both devices are based on an "ARM Cortex core," which suggests it is the Texas Instruments OMAP35xx line of system-on-chips (SoCs). Billed by Archos as portable media players (PMPs), the tablet-based devices do not fit the strict Intel definition of the MID format, due to their lack of Intel Atom processor, but they are otherwise quite similar. The SFR M! PC Pocket 3G+, meanwhile, appears to be the Compal JAX10 MID design (pictured farther above). The Compal design appears to be the basis for the aforementioned Aigo P8860D and the identical Gigabyte M528 MIDs. The Compal site does not appear to offer any information on the MID, although it does offer pages for variety of portable media players (PMPs), including the uClinux-based APA00 player. In late August, FST showed off a prototype of the JAX10 design running a new Moblin-compatible version of its FancyPants lightweight graphics stack. According to FST, the JAX10 runs Moblin on an Intel Atom clocked at 800MHz, with 512MB RAM, and a 800 x 480-pixel display. These specs, as well as the physical design, match the Aigo and Gigabyte MIDs exactly, and according to industry reports form the basis for both MIDs. Meanwhile, Option, which furnishes the HSPA 3G modem chipset for the Compal MID, offers a page with photos of the device, here. SFR does not yet appear to be actively selling either the SFR M! PC Pocket 3G+ or the Archos 3G+ on its site, although it announced it was introducing the products this Fall. Availability CCID Consulting does not yet appear to offer a research report on MIDs to back up its analysis, but in time, more information may appear on its site, here. |
