TI debuts OMAP 4 processor platform for mobile designers
Dallas, Tex. — Aimed at high-volume wireless OEMs and ODMs, Texas Instruments Inc. (TI) unveiled its OMAP 4 processor platform at the Mobile World Congress this week. TI says the new platform is uniquely positioned to make features such as multiple displays, projection technology and gesturing capabilities a reality. The IC maker expects the world’s first “touchless gesture-recognition” and “3D-HD” (three-dimensional, high definition) mobile devices enabled by the OMAP 4 platform to debut within the coming year.
By simplifying common tasks and making the user interfaces more intuitive, these new capabilities will change how people capture and watch multimedia content, and how they interface with and control mobile devices, says TI.
“TI envisions a near-term mobile future that will be vastly different than today’s mobile environment,” said Remi El-Ouazzane, vice president and general manager of TI’s OMAP Platform Business Unit., in a statement. “Similar to how the touchscreen changed the way we interact with our devices, touchless gesturing and 3D-HD mobile capabilities will take experiences to the next level and radically change how we connect to our devices and the things around us. TI is excited to play a key role with our customers in this revolution.”
TI says the OMAP 4 platform is the only mobile applications processor that can deliver stereoscopic 720p at 30 frames per second (fps) per channel or enable true 3D image capture, both critical for delivering “3D-HD” experiences.
TI also unveiled its Blaze mobile development platform (MDP), the first in a family of OMAP 4 platform-based development tools. The Blaze MDP pairs the OMAP 4 platform with key peripheral support to provide mobile designers with a complete system solution that eases the development process.
Out-of-the-box features include:
- Dual 3.7-inch WVGA capacitive touch displays
- HDMI output for third screen display support
- DLP Pico projector
- Three multi-megapixel cameras — one primary and two secondary
- Full sensor suite including accelerometer, compass, ambient light, proximity, barometric and temperature sensors
- Broad audio support including multiple digital microphones, stereo speakers and audio outputs
- WiLink 7.0 (WL1281), a single chip with Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth and FM functionalities
Availability: The OMAP 4 platform is sampling now and is expected to be in production in the second half of 2010. It is not available through distribution. The Blaze development platform is available to select customers today. General availability is expected by mid-2010.

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