NVIDIA Enables The World's First $99 HD Mobile Internet Device

[btarunr]

Today's users want an always-connected device for social media applications such as Facebook and YouTube, as well as great multimedia performance for recording and watching HD movies and videos on the go.

NVIDIA Corporation, the inventor of the graphics processor, today introduced a new platform, based on the NVIDIA Tegra 600 Series computer-on-a-chip that enables a $99, always-on, always-connected HD mobile internet device (MID) that can go days between battery charges.

This platform will enable OEMs to quickly build and bring to market devices that carriers can offer for as low as $99 -bringing broadband connectivity and all of the Web's HD content to the masses.

"Mobile internet devices have evolved to provide consumers with the performance and connectivity required by today's lifestyle," said Michael Rayfield, general manager of the mobile business unit at NVIDIA. "Until now, consumers could get just another 'gadget' with limited functionality or a PC that's not 'always on'. A Tegra-based platform combines the best of both worlds."

The Tegra MID delivers:

• 720p and 1080p video playback
• Days of use between charges
• Full Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity
• Optimized hardware support for Web 2.0 applications for a true desktop-class internet experience
• A complete software solution including Microsoft Windows
• Embedded CE OS, application viewers, full Internet browser, UI
• framework, board support package (BSP), software development kit (SDK), Web mail client, and more

"The next generation of smart, connected, service-oriented devices are centered around rich multimedia experiences and enhanced functionality," said Mukund Ghangurde, Director, CE and Consumer Product Management at Microsoft Corp. "We are pleased to collaborate with NVIDIA to develop platform resources that assist OEMs in quickly bringing these new devices to market."

In addition, NVIDIA partnered with ST-Ericsson to add 3G communication capability into this new platform, allowing for seamless connectivity, worldwide.

"ST-Ericsson together with NVIDIA have developed a Microsoft Windows Embedded CE implementation using the ST-Ericsson U335 and the NVIDIA Tegra which is ready for customer design development," stated Jörgen Lantto, Chief Technology Officer, ST-Ericsson. "This solution takes advantage of the high volume, IOT tested and proven U335 modem solution together with NVIDIA which takes multimedia performance to a new level."

ICD, a leading consumer ODM, also announced support of the new class of devices enabled by this new platform.

"ICD has long believed that there will be a new generation of innovative connected devices. Designing these devices around the Tegra platform will bring carriers an amazing level of functionality at prices as low as $99," said David Hayes, President and CEO of ICD.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[dark2099]

Wish this had come out sooner. I just got a new cell phone. Guess I just have to wait.

 

[kylew]

NVIDIA Corporation, the inventor of the graphics processor[/QUOETE][/QUOT]

I'm pretty sure that's just NV bull where they're playing on technicalities. They weren't the inventor, they were just the first to include hardware transform and lighting. That's hardly inventing. Unless I'm wrong? What does anyone else think?

 

[Exavier]

IIRC in a talk with Nvidia's CEO he mentions Nvidia being the forerunner of graphics cards as they are today as GPUs not the implementation of graphics in computers.

 

[iStink]

I'm the type of idiot who buys the latest and greatest as soon as it comes out. I have a feeling i'll be spending 500 bucks on the first tegra phone, and if it does half the things I've heard, it should be worth it. Imagine being able to bring 1080p quality movies around on your phone (which could support massive storage cards by then, like 256gb) and then hook it up to a tv and watch it. Or hell, even get a bluetooth mouse and keyboard, hook this thing up to a monitor or tv, and have a replacement to your laptop lol.

Wish this had come out sooner. I just got a new cell phone. Guess I just have to wait.

You will have plenty of time with your new cell before you start seeing something using this technology. I'd bet that by Christmas 2010 you will finally be purchasing something like this at a reasonable cost.

NVIDIA Corporation, the inventor of the graphics processor

I'm pretty sure that's just NV bull where they're playing on technicalities. They weren't the inventor, they were just the first to include hardware transform and lighting. That's hardly inventing. Unless I'm wrong? What does anyone else think?

Way to go off subject and nitpick something nobody really cares about. If they produce something bug-free and does what they say it can do, they could tell me they invented the toilet and i wouldn't care. Did you get anything out of this article other than something to flame nvidia with? LOL (I'm just josh'n ya ;P)

 

[lemonadesoda]

NVIDIA Corporation, the inventor of the graphics processor

NVidia born 1993. Computer graphics (processors) go back to the 70's and 80's.

It would be nice if there was less verbatim copy and paste of Press Releases, esp. of stuff which is clearly not true. It dilutes the quality of the TPU newspostings to allow that stuff to remain in as searchable bytes on the TPU servers.

It is also getting increasing hard to differentiate EDITORIAL COMMENT from our great and hard working newsposters from material that has just been clipped from a Press Release.

I enjoy reading what the newsposters summarise or make comment on. I think their insights are informed and useful. But I dont enjoy having to wade through press release copy. Especially trying to work out what is C&P and what is not. After all, the press release is always linked to at the bottom of the newspost.

Why has TPU news posting adopted this approach? It used to be much tighter. Short and sweet. If there was text, it was stuff the TPU guys had written and was insightful.

/*/*/*

LOOKs like a very interesting product. All those features on $99. Amazing. Portable media and PDA's are going to be very interesting later in the year.

 

[btarunr]

NVidia born 1993. Computer graphics (processors) go back to the 70's and 80's.

It would be nice if there was less verbatim copy and paste of Press Releases, esp. of stuff which is clearly not true.

It is getting increasing hard to differentiate EDITORIAL COMMENT from our great and hard working newsposters from material that has just been clipped from a Press Release.

I enjoy reading what the newsposters summarise or make comment on. I think their insights are informed and useful.

But I dont enjoy having to wade through press release copy. Especially trying to work out what is C&P and what is not. After all, the press release is always linked to at the bottom of the newspost.

Why has TPU news posting adopted this approach? It used to be much tighter.

Thank You Lemonade, but we're not allowed to change the content of a press-release (other than maybe a spelling mistake, rewording the title to fit our title length limits, removing ® © ™, or special characters that can distort our RSS system, etc). Feel at home with this thread to provide feedback.

 

[lemonadesoda]

OK, thanks for the explanation.

What would be GREAT would be to have the Press Release in a quote, just like you quoted my post. That way, anything you guys wrote would be outside of the box and clearly the stuff we want to read.

 

[btarunr]

To the feedback thread, please.

 

[kylew]

I'm the type of idiot who buys the latest and greatest as soon as it comes out. I have a feeling i'll be spending 500 bucks on the first tegra phone, and if it does half the things I've heard, it should be worth it. Imagine being able to bring 1080p quality movies around on your phone (which could support massive storage cards by then, like 256gb) and then hook it up to a tv and watch it. Or hell, even get a bluetooth mouse and keyboard, hook this thing up to a monitor or tv, and have a replacement to your laptop lol.



You will have plenty of time with your new cell before you start seeing something using this technology. I'd bet that by Christmas 2010 you will finally be purchasing something like this at a reasonable cost.


Way to go off subject and nitpick something nobody really cares about. If they produce something bug-free and does what they say it can do, they could tell me they invented the toilet and i wouldn't care. Did you get anything out of this article other than something to flame nvidia with? LOL (I'm just josh'n ya ;P)

I might be nitpicking, but it's a huge nit that needs a hammer to get rid of.

I just find a lot of NV's practices unacceptable and this press release stinks of self-imposed prestige.

You know, "We invented GPUs, we're the market leader with the best in everything, we've also got the best prices, higher numbers always equal better after all".

I'm not trying to bash, as NV make good products, but I refuse to buy them on the basis of, I'd be supporting the crippling and stifling of this sector, or at least they're my personal reasons.

Stifling because of the 'patch' that removed DX10.1 as it gave 3800 cards a performance boost. They've obviously not got the consumer's best in mind (obviously), but as the consumer, that's what's important to me, and most others.

 

[iStink]

lol it's all marketing. Just a few weeks ago ATI released that bogus performance chart.

It's like when you watch the superbowl, the announcers are saying stuff like, "THE GREATEST TEAM IN THE WORLD" when we don't even play anyone else in the world LOL

I guess what I meant earlier was, if you're a ppc geek like me, the excitement over the news outweighs the annoyance from the arrogant one liner they slipped in

 

[Steevo]

The chip costs $99? Then the rest of the phone, mic, speaker, screen, memory, wireless, battery, etc... costs $599. Then your subscription, no content available on the wireless network in HD format worth watching, so you are stuck with trailers that load slow on a wireless network in HD, on a 1.8" screen in 3W stereo, with a battery life of 3 hours, and you have to carry 10 memory modules with you to have your media.



New press release. New gadget available today, that is meant for what (we hope) will be available in the next few years, and only if you purchase the media, and the RIAA and MPAA allow it, and only if Youtube starts hosting HD video, and your wireless network doesn't run out of bandwidth, and then if you have the money for the gadget, and then in two years when all this is available, the streamign format has changed and yours won't work.



720p and 1080p video playback (probably 1.8" screen)
Days of use between charges (on standby, with a $399 battery upgrade that makes it look like the 80's cell phones)
Full Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity (384K movies, 720P 2 min 30 sec is 77Mb file=3 minute download in perfect conditions with no network overhead)
Optimized hardware support for Web 2.0 applications for a true desktop-class internet experience (if my desktop looked like a cell, I would invent the desktop and mike trillions)
A complete software solution including Microsoft Windows (Nvidia is the largest cause of BSOD on MS operating systems 3 years running)
Embedded CE OS, application viewers, full Internet browser, UI
framework, board support package (BSP), software development kit (SDK), Web mail client, and more

But hey, we are Nvida, buy it.

 

[DarkMatter]

^^ $99 for the ENTIRE device. I think it's a great price for a great product.

@lemonade and other talking about "Nvidia invented the GPU".

THEY DID. What we call today GPU was fisrt manufactured by Nvidia, and they DID invented the term. The line is narrow between what a GPU is and what previous graphics devices were. Nvidia used the term GPU to denominate that thing that was significantly different from previous GRAPHICS ADAPTERS in many ways. I know, maybe what Nvidia called GPU back then was not so different from what existed already in many other ways, but if we start nitpicking about what was called what and which is the smallest change required for a name change, maybe we should still call "GPUs" what they originally where: CPUs or maybe just processors, because they evolved from there and honestly, historically speaking, the evolution that Hardware T&L and basic programability that Nvidia enabled in that first GPU was by far greater than any other evolution that happened in the 30 years before. SO if we have to call that thing GPU, and we have to choose when it was invented, I choose that time and choose to give Nvidia the credit it deserves in evolving the graphics industry. To each his own I say.

 

[iStink]

The chip costs $99? Then the rest of the phone, mic, speaker, screen, memory, wireless, battery, etc... costs $599. Then your subscription, no content available on the wireless network in HD format worth watching, so you are stuck with trailers that load slow on a wireless network in HD, on a 1.8" screen in 3W stereo, with a battery life of 3 hours, and you have to carry 10 memory modules with you to have your media.

New press release. New gadget available today, that is meant for what (we hope) will be available in the next few years, and only if you purchase the media, and the RIAA and MPAA allow it, and only if Youtube starts hosting HD video, and your wireless network doesn't run out of bandwidth, and then if you have the money for the gadget, and then in two years when all this is available, the streamign format has changed and yours won't work.

720p and 1080p video playback (probably 1.8" screen)
Days of use between charges (on standby, with a $399 battery upgrade that makes it look like the 80's cell phones)
Full Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity (384K movies, 720P 2 min 30 sec is 77Mb file=3 minute download in perfect conditions with no network overhead)
Optimized hardware support for Web 2.0 applications for a true desktop-class internet experience (if my desktop looked like a cell, I would invent the desktop and mike trillions)
A complete software solution including Microsoft Windows (Nvidia is the largest cause of BSOD on MS operating systems 3 years running)
Embedded CE OS, application viewers, full Internet browser, UI
framework, board support package (BSP), software development kit (SDK), Web mail client, and more

But hey, we are Nvida, buy it.

It's time to get with the times. Come out of your cave!

First - Bandwidth? Sprint's 3g network gives me 1.5 MBps in my room at home and that's with 2-3 bars. I can tether my touch pro to my computer and download a 700mb movie very quickly, not to mention play online games like bf2, left4dead, and css, AND I can stream HD content from places like ABC.com. Network speeds are not an issue, and since my data plan includes unlimited bandwidth, I have no data cap. Most PPC geeks have an unlimited data plan. Streaming HD content onto the phone it's self is possible also!

Second - RIAA & MPAA? Since when did transferring data to an SD card require permission from anyone? If you want to be one of the smarties who buy each song from a music store at a dollar a piece, and download it straight to the device, go right ahead, otherwise just hook that thing up to your pc and drag and drop!

Third - Battery life? Lithium my friend. Not to mention GSM phones have decent battery life anyways. CDMA are the crappiest, but if you know how to edit the poll interval and enable certain power saving features, you can definitely stretch the battery life by a lot. I can use my touch pro very heavily for about 3 days before it dies completely. Casual use like phone calls, and a few texts can last even longer, but when you have a device like this it's almost impossible not to play with the cool battery-eating features.

Fourth (I'll stop counting now) - Windows and nvidia - I've yet to receive a BSOD due to an nvidia video card malfunctioning, but when i do I'll be sure to let you know. It's not a heavily common issue. Also, by the time this phone comes out, Windows MOBILE 7.0 should be out. I very much doubt you'll see a full blown windows os on a device like this, but rather windows mobile with remote desktop.

HD video playback - can't possibly be meant strictly for handheld viewing. My touch pro has video out capability, which leads me to believe this phone will definitely have video out capability. An hdmi output is not entirely out of this world.

Have you been burned in the past with a PPC or something? A lot of what you're talking about here aren't really issues a geek would care about. 3W Stereo? Why would you care about that if the device offered stereo bluetooth, or stereo output through a 3.5mm jack, or even HDMI?

 

[DarkMatter]

The Tegra prototype they showed off some months ago had HDMI out IIRC. Any Tegra based device is supposed to have HD video out, so in a handheld that MUST be HDMI.

 

[iStink]

The Tegra prototype they showed off some months ago had HDMI out IIRC. Any Tegra based device is supposed to have HD video out, so in a handheld that MUST be HDMI.

that's exactly what I thought, thanks for the info. That should be insane. I'll definitely be getting one lol.

 

[Steevo]

It's time to get with the times. Come out of your cave!

First - Bandwidth? Sprint's 3g network gives me 1.5 MBps in my room at home and that's with 2-3 bars. I can tether my touch pro to my computer and download a 700mb movie very quickly, not to mention play online games like bf2, left4dead, and css, AND I can stream HD content from places like ABC.com. Network speeds are not an issue, and since my data plan includes unlimited bandwidth, I have no data cap. Most PPC geeks have an unlimited data plan. Streaming HD content onto the phone it's self is possible also!

Second - RIAA & MPAA? Since when did transferring data to an SD card require permission from anyone? If you want to be one of the smarties who buy each song from a music store at a dollar a piece, and download it straight to the device, go right ahead, otherwise just hook that thing up to your pc and drag and drop!

Third - Battery life? Lithium my friend. Not to mention GSM phones have decent battery life anyways. CDMA are the crappiest, but if you know how to edit the poll interval and enable certain power saving features, you can definitely stretch the battery life by a lot. I can use my touch pro very heavily for about 3 days before it dies completely. Casual use like phone calls, and a few texts can last even longer, but when you have a device like this it's almost impossible not to play with the cool battery-eating features.

Fourth (I'll stop counting now) - Windows and nvidia - I've yet to receive a BSOD due to an nvidia video card malfunctioning, but when i do I'll be sure to let you know. It's not a heavily common issue. Also, by the time this phone comes out, Windows MOBILE 7.0 should be out. I very much doubt you'll see a full blown windows os on a device like this, but rather windows mobile with remote desktop.

HD video playback - can't possibly be meant strictly for handheld viewing. My touch pro has video out capability, which leads me to believe this phone will definitely have video out capability. An hdmi output is not entirely out of this world.

Have you been burned in the past with a PPC or something? A lot of what you're talking about here aren't really issues a geek would care about. 3W Stereo? Why would you care about that if the device offered stereo bluetooth, or stereo output through a 3.5mm jack, or even HDMI?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imageon

Not the first, only the first to a price benchmark. 1Mb plus while stationary, only 380K while moving. Do you frequent Starbucks to hope someone notices you new gadget? I don't.


I have used Iphone, the blackberry storm, and many other new phones and as amazing as they are, they still suck. When they can get their shit together and make a phone that works well, not proprietary, not locked to high dollar accessories, not overpromising and underdelivering, I will buy one.



What bothers me the most is the constant annoyance of someone shoving their phone at me, claiming I don't know. I do, I used to carry two, all the time, and I now have one 24/7 for work, and soon it will start ringing again at the most unoppertune times. A jerkoff at the CC left his storm attached to the store charger, I wanted a real demo and walked around the store with it for 15 minutes, I expected better than the Iphone, but nope. All I got out of it was sending his mother some explicit pics, and texting a few peple and insinuating that he wanted to penetrate the back door. I found the keyboard hard to use (mebey I have big hands) the screen blurry with the special covering you need to prevent scratches from normal use, touch functions were dull and removed, phone clarity was good but the interface for making a call was not natural. Iphones are mediocre too from my stand point, everyone I have used or seen people using it requires more of the "sneaking up" on the phone to make it work like you want than actually using it. Plus bricking issues, pay $400+ for one to use on another network and then the sim hijack card that breakes at the worst time. Typing on a Iphone is annoying to swtich between the character and alpha, you must have iturds, and every release of firmware fuckes the users from using the little cracks they ahve found to keep apple out of their pocket it seems.


I just hate the associated BS that comes with new crap phones. Plus people still look stupid with ear sets. And I have yet to find a cell that actually works as long as advertised with normal use.


That is all.

 

[DarkMatter]

And I have yet to find a cell that actually works as long as advertised with normal use.

Battery life depends on a lot of things, what do you understand for "normal use" is one. How you charge the battery another one. In fact, phones tend to work longer than advertised in my case. I play a lot of music and videos on my phone everyday, but I guess there's a point beyond where no loger can be considered normal use, but from my experience that's quite a bit of media playing or gaming. But as I said that's not the only factor, IMO the most important one is how your phone is configured: I have the screens backlight at 50% or below most of times and the same can be said for the sound. While playing media I wear earphones most of the times and have bluetooth and 3G dissabled by default.

That is normal use for me and I can guarantee you that my phone lasts more that advertisd this way, but more importantly it lasts more than the same phone in other's hands I know: one of my friends has the same phone as I have and one night we were watching and sharing videos and music, my phone survived all the night, while his died soon. The usage was the same on both, we charged the phone until they were full, at exactly the same time (with 10-15 mins of difference) but mine lasted way more, like 45 mins more of playing media, plus all the night and a fair chunk of time in the morning idling. Why? He has 80-90% backlight and sound volume all the time, he never took care of charging the battery properly when it was new, he uses a very colorful and animated screensaver that enters too late (well this might be better considering how the SS is)...

There are too many factors that define what normal use is, and what might be normal for ones, surely isn't for others. If you take the same care as I do and your phones lasts much less than advertised, maybe you just have very bad luck.

 

[iStink]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imageon

Not the first, only the first to a price benchmark. 1Mb plus while stationary, only 380K while moving. Do you frequent Starbucks to hope someone notices you new gadget? I don't.


I have used Iphone, the blackberry storm, and many other new phones and as amazing as they are, they still suck. When they can get their shit together and make a phone that works well, not proprietary, not locked to high dollar accessories, not overpromising and underdelivering, I will buy one.



What bothers me the most is the constant annoyance of someone shoving their phone at me, claiming I don't know. I do, I used to carry two, all the time, and I now have one 24/7 for work, and soon it will start ringing again at the most unoppertune times. A jerkoff at the CC left his storm attached to the store charger, I wanted a real demo and walked around the store with it for 15 minutes, I expected better than the Iphone, but nope. All I got out of it was sending his mother some explicit pics, and texting a few peple and insinuating that he wanted to penetrate the back door. I found the keyboard hard to use (mebey I have big hands) the screen blurry with the special covering you need to prevent scratches from normal use, touch functions were dull and removed, phone clarity was good but the interface for making a call was not natural. Iphones are mediocre too from my stand point, everyone I have used or seen people using it requires more of the "sneaking up" on the phone to make it work like you want than actually using it. Plus bricking issues, pay $400+ for one to use on another network and then the sim hijack card that breakes at the worst time. Typing on a Iphone is annoying to swtich between the character and alpha, you must have iturds, and every release of firmware fuckes the users from using the little cracks they ahve found to keep apple out of their pocket it seems.


I just hate the associated BS that comes with new crap phones. Plus people still look stupid with ear sets. And I have yet to find a cell that actually works as long as advertised with normal use.


That is all.

WHAT!? Do I frequent Starbucks in hopes of someone noticing my new gadget!!!!??? Yes. Yes I do.

LOL but seriously, streaming media through Orb has never mattered if I was stationary or not. The phones you're talking about in your post are GSM, not CDMA, so if you're experiencing speed drops while driving it could be due to this little difference, but I'm not entirely sure.

The phones you're talking about are crap and I'd never rely on them. An iphone is fun if you're a 16 year old girl and the blackberry storm is verizon's shameful attempt to take those customers considering an iphone. Sprint did the same thing with their Samsung Instinct. Basically the big wig idiots said, "GIVE ME SOMETHING TO COMPETE WITH IPHONE, AND I WANT IT NOW!" so they rushed these pieces of crap out.

First let me explain a few things: Phones like the blackberry storm or samsung instinct are gimmicks. They aren't taken seriously by true ppc geeks. Even the iphone isn't taken seriously. The iphone is a fun phone, yes, but in terms of what you can do with it, it's very limited. For instance, with my touch pro, I can plug it into a computer via usb and boom, internet access wherever I'm at (with UNLIMITED data access.) IPhone can't do that, not without jailbreaking it, and trust me, apple is trying to break the jailbroken iphones. That would make me very uneasy. When you "purchase" an iphone, you're really just renting it from Apple as they tell you what you can do with it. How F'd is that? If I pay 400 bucks for an iphone, don't tell me I can't install a simple physics simulator app on it!

Windows Mobile is the best mobile OS in terms of customizing and optimizing. I'm very glad that NVidia is working with Microsoft rather than nokia (simbian), apple, blackberry, or even palm (new webOS.)

It sucks that your opinion on high tech cell phones are based on an iphone and blackberry storm. That's like me saying I hate automobiles because I drove a ford pinto, and a minivan (blackberry is pinto, iphone is minivan LOL)

Trust me, this nvidia technology will bring phones to the table that make the iphone look like a fancy refrigerator magnet.

here's some interesting stuff on tegra:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7R90A7ZqLU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NNsK2wucG0&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dEa4j5PIhM&NR=1

absolutely amazing.

 

[Azkeyz]

nVidia never invented the graphics processor !

//
Begin rant

(1)

a. I'm sick and tired of hearing nVidia invented the graphics processor because it's an out right marketing lie !

b. nVidia didn't even invent the GPU either !

c. GPU is a marketing term nVidia came up with, that much is true.


(2)

a. It's 6:30am , I was gonna go to bed till I accidently popped back on the techpowerup site and started reading the latest , then popped over the forum and saw the same lies.

b. This intire Intel trying to sue nVidia stuff gave me a second wind because I care about what happens to both of them but the lies have to stop.

c. I can't help knowing in the back of my mind that a computer isn't really worth anything to
a gamer who needs a graphical display , unless they are super geeks who can be satisfied
with the results of holes punched in a piece of paper telling them they won or lost.

d. so I have to ask myself, would I build a PC around a processor or a video chip
and my conclusion is to build a PC around a video chip based on todays video chips
being able to calculate data just like a processor would ... and thats really what todays
battle is about.

e. the company who reaches that goal first will of course crush intel and all other CPU makers especialy in the game business. ( I'm not sure I want it to be nVidia if they are going to out right lie and get others to lie along with them )

f. what ever comes down the pipe it better not require over 500watts because people are not made of money, especialy givin todays global economic crisis and greedy electric companies.

g. the only company that gets any praise from me today is Sapphire for caring about people with older AGP systems and givin them the radeon hd 3850 and nVidia just sat there doing nothing about it ! so you make the judgement call on that. ( and it was a heck of alot cheeper and better than the 6800 series ) so yeah nVidia you got punked.


EOF
//

 

[DarkMatter]

Sorry to hear that you are tired of hearing Nvidia invented the GPU, but that's the complete truth. From GeForce 256 article in the wikipedia (this quote is common knowledge, in case you don't like the wiki, I just use it to show something):

Upon release, GeForce 256 offered an industry-leading 3D rendering performance. The graphics board cemented Nvidia's position as a key figure in the PC graphics industry. Upon introduction, it was marketed as "the world's first 'GPU', or Graphics Processing Unit," a term Nvidia had just coined and defined at the time as "a single-chip processor with integrated transform, lighting, triangle setup/clipping, and rendering engines that is capable of processing a minimum of 10 million polygons per second."

The new "GPU" term was intended to set GeForce 256 apart from professional graphics cards with on-board, separate geometry processors, and previous products with less powerful on-chip T&L support like the 3Dlabs Permedia 2

Nvidia used and patented the term GPU to describe the above, which happens to describe what we use today too and is the term we use, that everybody uses. Competitors, the media and everybody could have coined and use a different term, but they didn't and so a GPU is what it is and the first one was the original GeForce, that was invented and developed by Nvidia. Simple: 2+2=4

In the same way, you could cry about HD and say that anything with a high resolution and high quality sound is HD, but no, High Definition is 1080p and all the other features that come with it. Not even higher resolutions or sound settings are HD. With the GPU is the same.

 

[Azkeyz]

Warning this may upset you.

What I'm trying to explain is that nVidia did NOT , I repeat did NOT invent the FIRST video processor, and wiki can kiss my *** I can't even begin to count the times wiki has out right tried to feed me a line of garbage, I've had to mentaly fire them many times as a reliable source on certan information. ( I don't even wanna go into that rant right now ) lets move on ...

nVidia did NOT invent the GPU < that was a hijack of a term that was already in use in the engineering circle a marketing term they came up with to make the dubious claim that they somehow INVENTED the video chip ...

I remember the whole thing when the term GPU was being kicked around everybody thought to themselves ( what in the heck is nVidia trying to pull here ) they didn't invent the graphics processing unit yet are attempting to claim they did with a marketing term.

In short at the time this was taking place we elctronics technicians who were already
familure with the term Graphics Processing Unit and Video Processing Unit thought for certan
that no company could come along and claim ownership of those terms but nVidia sure managed to do just that, and it left a very bitter taste in the mouth.

Those are the kinds of industry marketing lies that still have me very sore at nVidia
and lets not forget that nVidia swallowed 3DFX yet 3DFX continued to make video cards that never hit the shelves , so whats really going on behind the sceens here , I'd sure love to know.

my beef isn't with what nVidia has accomplished by ( what I consider to be hostal actions )
my beef is with their marketing terms leading to the public being under the FALSE impression that
nVidia "invented" the graphics processing unit.

The only truth here is that nVidia created the marketing term GPU they did not INVENT the first graphics processing unit.

I hope that clarifies the issue , and yes I'm sayin nVidia are bold faced liars when they claim they "invented" the Graphics Processing Unit.

And for the record HD is another marketing term used hijack the publics money

if it's defined as 1080p then anything thats 1080p would be by deffinition HD
so no it's not the same ... I would only cry about it if a company tried to hijack
the term HD and claim they "Invented the worlds first HD screen" espcialy if that was a lie.

and no I don't have to swallow nVidias bogus lables, I can call it a Video Processing Unit and it will mean the same thing to an engineer.

nobody is stupid here so please don't think for a second I'm implying in any way that you are incapable of simple reasoning.

I admire your stance with the wiki posting lots of people have been that rout and swallowed it hook line and sinker ...

not suggesting that you're one of them ...