If you had any doubts left about Google’s upcoming Chrome OS being a serious player despite its reported free price tag, this news should confirm it: Nvidia is testing the new operating system on Tegra-based devices. Our joy upon first reading this can’t be put into words – it’s almost like your best friend and your sister getting married!
Tegra is Nvidia’s ultra-low-power graphics chipset for handheld devices, with its most popular use so far being in the new Microsoft Zune HD. Now, jkOnTheRun got to have a chat with Mike Rayfield, Nvidia’s GM of Mobile Business, who said the company is trying out the graphics solution on various platforms such as Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Google Android and Google Chrome OS.
The interview confirmed what many have already known: While Windows Mobile and Google Android battle it out on cell phones, Windows CE and Google Chrome OS will be taking the fight to the netbook segment.
“Media playback is desirable and can be processor intensive. So far, it looks like Tegra excels at high-def media playback based on my limited time with a Zune HD review unit sent by Nvidia. And it does so at minimal power when compared to the current Atom solutions. Video playback sips juice at one watt or less, Rayfield says, while power consumption is several magnitudes higher with Atom, even as the experience is less optimal. When you combine HD output, low powered processing and a power efficient chipset, you get a relatively inexpensive, portable computing experience,” the article stated.
And with the possibility of even churning out some decent gaming experience, this is one wedding that we definitely want to attend!