On Sat, Apr 18, 2009 at 1:53 PM, Tiago Marques <tiago...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > On Sat, Apr 18, 2009 at 6:41 PM, Tomeu Vizoso <to...@sugarlabs.org> wrote: >> >> On Sat, Apr 18, 2009 at 19:27, Tiago Marques <tiago...@gmail.com> wrote: >> > >> > >> > On Fri, Apr 17, 2009 at 8:24 PM, John Watlington <w...@laptop.org> wrote: >> >> >> >> OLPC is excited to announce that a refresh of the XO-1 laptop is in >> >> progress. In our continued effort to maintain a low price point, OLPC >> >> is refreshing the hardware to take advantage of the latest component >> >> technologies. This refresh (Gen 1.5) is separate from the Gen 2.0 >> >> project, and will continue using the same industrial design and >> >> batteries as Gen 1. The design goal is to provide an overall update >> >> of the system within the same ID and external appearance. >> >> >> >> In order to maximize compatibility with existing software, this >> >> refresh will continue with an x86 processor, using a chipset from >> >> VIA. The memory will be increased to 1 GB of DDR2 SDRAM, and the >> >> built-in storage will be 4 GB of NAND Flash with an option for 8 GB >> >> (installed at manufacture). >> > >> > The best news, probably. >> > >> >> >> >> The processor will be a VIA C7-M [1], with plans on using one whose >> >> clock ranges from 400 MHz (1.5 W) to 1GHz (5 W). The clock may be >> >> throttled back automatically if necessary to meet thermal constraints. >> > >> > I'm hoping for a lot closer to 1GHz than 400MHz or it won't be much >> > different than the current 433MHz Geode LX. It's still a very slow, >> > in-order >> > architecture. >> >> Not sure about Windows or GNOME, but my IMO improvements in storage >> (so NAND plus the filesystem used) and graphics hardware (plus it's >> support by drivers) can improve a lot the performance of Sugar without >> touching the processing power of the cpu. > > Indeed, I wouldn't expect to see a revision with more than 512MB of RAM but
the announcement said they were upping the RAM to 1GB DDR2. > it sure will be useful. If the distro is able to fit the 4GB without > compression, while leaving enough free space, that will surely alleviate the > CPU also. Excellent news for sure! > Best regards, > Tiago Marques > >> >> Regards, >> >> Tomeu >> >> >> > Best regards >> >> >> >> The enabling chipset is hot off the fab line, the VX855 [2]. This >> >> single chip provides the memory interface, a 3D graphics engine, an HD >> >> video decoder, USB, SDIO, and other system interface and management >> >> functions, in a low power and small footprint package. One change >> >> induced by the chipset change is a move from AC'97 to HD Audio. >> >> This brings higher sampling rates and allows an upgrade to a stereo >> >> external microphone (and DC sensor) input. >> >> >> >> The CaFE chip is being retired, and replaced with an external Flash >> >> management controller, possibly one of the low cost SSD controllers >> >> currently being tested. The camera will now be tied directly to the >> >> VX855's video capture port. >> >> >> >> The network interface will be upgraded to an 88W8686, which will halve >> >> its power dissipation and move it to an SDIO interface (further >> >> dropping the power consumption). The current goal is to locate it >> >> in a removable module, allowing its replacement for repair. It will >> >> remain powered while the laptop suspends, waking the laptop if a >> >> packet addressed to it arrives. It is likely that early production >> >> models will not directly support 802.11s (i.e. forwarding mesh packets >> >> while the interface is asleep), but we are working with Marvell on >> >> several different 802.11s solutions. >> >> >> >> Gen 1.5 will continue with the existing display, although OLPC is >> >> working with PixelQi to try to improve the brightness and efficiency >> >> of the screen. The DCON is retained (even though the VX855 includes >> >> much of its functionality) as it provides the low power interface and >> >> the timing controller functions for the existing display. >> >> >> >> Overall, the target is to match the Gen 1 XO-1 in power consumption >> >> while making aggressive suspend easier, and in price (while changing >> >> to components which are more likely to decrease in price). It is >> >> likely that both goals can be met. >> >> >> >> We also expect the Gen 1.5 machines to ship with an OLPC 8.2.x >> >> software release, modified to support Gen 1.5's new hardware but >> >> otherwise unchanged from the current production software release and >> >> compatible with our current software in the field. Gen 1.5 machines >> >> will be deployed in environments already populated by Gen 1 machines, >> >> so seamless software interoperability is an important goal. >> >> >> >> Early versions of the hardware (bare board) should be available for >> >> driver development at the end of May. A larger number of prototype >> >> laptops (several hundred) for software development and testing will >> >> become available around the end of August. The OLPC contributors >> >> program will be the preferred way of requesting a Gen 1.5 machine for >> >> testing your software for compatibility or development. We hope to >> >> use the contributors program to ensure Gen 1.5 support for the wide >> >> variety of application and OS solutions created for Gen 1.0. >> >> >> >> We're excited to be finally able to make this news public. While >> >> members of the technical team have been working on this for several >> >> months, it was not until last week that we could with any certainty >> >> say that we were going to refresh the hardware and what that refresh >> >> was likely to be. We're now committed to this project and look >> >> forward to working with you to make it happen. >> >> >> >> ---John, Ed, and the OLPC Tech team. >> >> >> >> ======== >> >> >> >> [1] http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/processors/c7-m_ulv/ >> >> [2] http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/chipsets/v-series/vx855 >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> Devel mailing list >> >> Devel@lists.laptop.org >> >> http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/devel >> > >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Devel mailing list >> > Devel@lists.laptop.org >> > http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/devel >> > >> > > > > _______________________________________________ > Devel mailing list > Devel@lists.laptop.org > http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/devel > > _______________________________________________ Devel mailing list Devel@lists.laptop.org http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/devel
