There are many accepted reasons that support a move to multicore design in portable devices: scalability, specialty cores, increased performance, and reduced power consumption are just a few. This article, however, takes the approach that there is only one true reason why multicore makes an attractive platform for portable devices.

Before we explore that one reason, let’s debunk a couple of the more common reasons about multicore. For example, scalability is often cited a key reason to move to multicore because if one core is not fast enough then one can add another. … Read More → "Utilizing Power Management Techniques in Embedded Multicore Devices"

First, JSR184 was out there all by itself, carrying the Mali mantra to the masses – bringing smart feature phones fancy graphics capabilities formerly found only on immobile devices like computers and gaming consoles.  Now, ARM has fleshed out the Mali software/middleware family with JSR226, JSR287, and SVG-t.  What does this alphabet soup of standards designations mean?

For starters, let’s remember that ARM is an IP company.  Their business is based on licensing processor IP (and all of the goodies that surround processor IP) primarily to mobile handset developers.  As … Read More → "ARM Mobilizes Graphics"

Many companies who develop and sell specialized electronics have realized the benefits of adding network connectivity to their products. It can, however, be a daunting task for an engineering group that specializes in some other facet of the industry (medical, security, building automation, industrial, etc.) to build and design wired 802.3 or wireless 802.11 networking into their end device. In addition to time-to-market concerns, stability, robustness, RFC compliance, agency certifications, support and other challenges, can become overwhelming.

To help mitigate the risk and headaches for designers, complete off-the-shelf communication modules are widely available. Such solutions support a wide variety … Read More → "Working Embedded Networking"

There was a time when they could fill a huge stadium. They were the headliners. They were the go-to guys. And they had a good run. But, as is typical, upstarts made a grab for the spotlight, winning the attention of an audience eager for shiny new things. But this didn’t deter them, and they didn’t stop moving forward. They didn’t retreat to controversy-free PBS reunion specials. They made sure their loyal followers got what they wanted, and they kept new things coming to keep them from getting bored and looking … Read More → "Moving Data with VME"

IP07 was the tenth meeting in Grenoble of IP providers and users under the umbrella of Design and Reuse (www.designandreuse.com), the IP portal. Europe editor Dick Selwood compares facts and marketing-speak.

It sounds like the start of a joke. “There were three processor manufacturers at a conference….” And when the three processor manufacturers were asked, “What is needed to service the power- conscious emerging mobile video marketplace?” they came up with three similar answers. The man from MIPS said that it … Read More → "IP – European Style"