Intel to release update of XScale chip

[merle]

The PXA250 is used in Axim. Doubling the memory bus speed is supposed to improve its performance considerably for memory-intensive applications like multimedia.

http://www.brighthand.com/article/Intel_Up...cale_Processors

New XScale Chips Should Be Faster
By the Brighthand News Team
January 29th, 2003

Intel has announced that it is close to releasing a new version of the XScale PXA250 processor that is at the heart of many handhelds. Though the clock speeds of the chips won't be higher than current chips, an increase in the bus speed should provide users with a noticeable speed increase. In addition, these chips should use less battery power.

Intel hasn't released a name for these new processors. At this point, they are simply referred to as PXA250 C1, which is an Intel's manufacturing designation. A formal marketing name will be announced before the end of March.

The initial versions of PXA250 C1 will run at 200MHz, 300MHz, and 400MHz, the same speeds the current versions do. However, C1 will include a 200MHz memory bus, as opposed to the 100MHz one being used now.

Experts agree that one of the main reasons XScale processors frequently don't perform significantly better than StrongARM processors in real-world use is they are limited by their bus speed, which should be much higher than it is. The increase in the C1's bus speed should noticeably improve the performance of the handhelds, more than an increase in clock speed would, in fact.

While the C1 is similar enough to the current models that it is a drop-in replacement, it does require a new ID Register. This means current users of handhelds won't be able to easily switch out processors.

Samples of the PXA250 C1 processors were sent to manufacturers in December. Intel says costomers could begin recieving the new chips in quantity as early as February 10. Handheld makers must switch to the new chips by March 28. The new chips will cost the same as the current ones.

The PXA250 processor is used by most handhelds running Pocket PC that have been released within the last year. This includes the Dell Axim X5, HP iPAQ h1910, and many more. It's also used by all of Sony's Palm OS 5 models.

See also http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/index.php?...b9d8b4087c84676

[andsoitgoes]

Grr.

I officially feel like lynching everyone at Intel! :(

I can appreciate stuff changing the second I purchase something computer related, but this is just silly! They don't even have proper support for the XScale (no wonder why, now - ugh) and now they're releasing something else, something which is going to make people who purchased first gen XScale devices regret doing so.

Y'know - I just figured out why Palm still has a market.

Nick

[NMkiD]

yeah I agree, this pissed me off when I read it, so basically there was no reasonto even get an xscale right now, oh well maybe my D-pad will break when teh X7 is out and I can trade up!

Guess we are going to see a lot of Axim X5s on eBay pretty soon... One thing that Dell can do to win the 'Best Customer Service of the Year' award is to let users trade up Axims with a nominal fee... That would make people love Dell forever!!!

This happens all the time. I still have a Pentium Pro server running in the corner. That didn't go anywhere did it...

[SkyVoice]

I didn't read any bad news at all. Intel is releasing a new chip... higher bus speed... so what? I, for one, don't get it. Aren't we all used to the latest and greatest getting released soon after we buy that new desktop or laptop? The current chip is certainly faster than I am. :-)

Ciao,

Ron

[SportsCars]

Progress. It's a good thing. I'd hate to be still using that 386-16 mz PC that had a whopping 2mb RAM when I ordered it. It barely ran Windows 3.0 when I upgraded to 4mb and then 8mb of ram!

[Mattman]

I'd still be using my Apple II+ !!! :P 48 MB RAM. Green Screen. What's a hard drive anyways? Never heard of one. At least then we hadn't.

I guess the whole point to this thread is that you try to jump into the game at an oportune moment. Looks like we jumped in a couple of months early. Oh well. If you would have waited for the PXA250 C1, 200 MgHz bus, guess what. Intel will anounce the PXA255 one month after that one comes out. Intel releases that one, then they announce the next. It's a never ending cycle (BTW, someone pointed out to me on another post that this is called Moore's Law).

Utilize what you have to the fullest of its potential, then when it no longer performs the functions that you require it to, buy a new one. I think the Dell Axim X5 will the functions required by 99% of it's users.

But hey, if the D-pad just happens to break on your Axim the week after Dell starts shipping the Axim X5 including the PXA250 C1, 200 MgHz bus, what can you do??

[andsoitgoes]

Okay,

I don't have a problem buying a machine and then seeing an upgrade 3 months (or even 3 days later) - but what I *do* have a problem with is buing something and then seeing a *fixed* version released even while those intial machines were being produced.

This is a case of the corporate bigwigs screwing over the little people. They didn't want to waste their hard-earned money and stop production to actually FIX the problem, they decided to just wait and let it work itself out.

THAT is why I'm upset. It's more principal than practical, and I feel very justified in feeling as such :D

Personally, I don't care if it's just as fast, faster or even slower. Intel screwed up, released a product that was buggy - THEY should have to pay for it, not the consumers, even if we aren't going to notice it. Because if we just keep letting them get away with it and say "Oh, whatever - I'm not worried", they'll keep doing it, and keep doing it.

To use a very famous quote:

"You've got to fight, for your right... for non-buggy processor chips that have a screwed up bus or whatever it is".

Wasn't that John Lennon? ;)

Nick

[Forge]

How do I get on the official "pissed off" list?

Not only does the timing suck, but we didn't even get a chance to enjoy having Pocket PC 2003 (which hopefully will let us take advantage of the XScale) on the latest greatest processor. What was the point of releasing the XScale except to suck some people for some bucks.

Don't get me wrong. I am all for progress. I'm a tech and see things become out of date while in transit to me. Capitalism is a wonderful thing too but I feel deceived by Dell. Why release the Axim as they are receiving this processor? I feel that they took advantage of their brand name though at the same time I can not deny that this is still a good value for the buck.

I don't see them giving us an upgrade for a nominal fee though I would definitely like to see it. Maybe if enough of us make a stink about this - I imagine there are quite a few techs with some buying power on this board, for example - maybe it will be considered.

How about it Dell? Offer us early adopters the opportunity to send our Axims in for a processor upgrade for a small fee.

Comments anyone?

[JakeRich]

Originally posted by Forge@Jan 31 2003, 05:48 PM
"Capitalism is a wonderful thing too but I feel deceived by Dell. Why release the Axim as they are receiving this processor? I feel that they took advantage of their brand name though at the same time I can not deny that this is still a good value for the buck.
...
Comments anyone?"

Yes, a comment. I would expect that Dell made the decision to manufacture and sell PPC's many months ago and made a decision to base the machine on the XScale processor at that time. Intel only made it's announcement about an upgrade to that chip very recently. They aren't even shipping the new ones yet! I fail to see how you have been "deceived" by Dell. The phenomenon of new hardware being released and "fixing" problems with previous hardware is the nature of the business. Just as MS releases new versions of Windows, automakers release new versions of cars, and TV released new versions of entertaiment, change is a part of life. You buy in at some point and technology moves on. It's life.

[Forge]

JakeRich:

Point taken and accepted. I responding emotionally rather than logically and, of course, you are correct. Progress continues and must continue.

As I pointed out in my original posting I don't deny that Dell has indeed delivered a lot of bang for the buck. Many of us wouldn't have opted into the PocketPC world if not for this fact. Overall, Dell has done a good job regardless and this event does not diminish the Axim in any way.

Now, if only we could get Microsoft to release a new version of the operating system that would actually take advantage of the Xscale then we'd really be cooking... :)

[ARM Hacker]

Some of you are nuts. The Dell Axim was not the first XScale PDA, it was the first cheap one. The PXA250 was available in February 2002, there were PDA's at CompUSA in July. Maybe everyone is just used to how the StrongARM was around for so long, but its not unreasonable for a processor to be upgraded after a year. Also keep in mind it is not adifferent chip, and improvements in software for the C1 stepping will work for the B2 (current one) as well. The only big difference is the memory speed and the writeback cache fix. Keep in mind, XScale is the 'core' of the chip, the CPU is the PXA250 which means an XScale core with a bunch of extra peripherals in the chip (CF/SD, USB, UART, memory controller, LCD controller, etc etc). The core itself isn't changing, with the exception of a cache bug fix. Just the peripherals on it are changing.

So after these PDA's come out, and after they become more affordable, then maybe there might be some new software (games, movie players, etc etc) that requires or takes advantage of increased memory bandwidth. But that could be nearly a year, and when buying any electronic gizmo, you should certainly expect it to not be top notch after that amount of time.

However if you're happy with the software you have and what you can do with it, you can hang on to what you have and be happy.

[Mike C]

It just feels like we got second-rate goods here, passed off as the real vicuna.

It just feels like we got second-rate goods here, passed off as the real vicuna.

I agree...feels like we got the beta version of the "real" Xscale...