Remember your first Sidekick? That black and white screen… but oh, the AOL Instant Messanger. T-Mobile is back at it with a brand new Sidekick, though quite a few things have noticeably changed. For starters, this isn’t your younger cousins’ Sidekick Slide — Microsoft-owned Danger is nowhere to be found on here — Google’s Android OS powers the Samsung-manufactured device, and it’s pretty feature packed. The new Sidekick 4G rocks a 3.5″ display, support for T-Mobile’s 21Mbps 4G HSPA + network, a 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird CPU, front-facing video camera, signature Sidekick QWERTY keyboard with “pop-tilt” hinge, and is preloaded Twitter and Facebook applications. Two color choices, matte black and pearl magenta will be available from T-Mobile when the device launches “later this spring”. Pricing has not yet been announced. Full press release after the jump!

T-Mobile Sidekick Is Reborn

New Sidekick 4G is a Lightning-Fast and Stylish Communication Hub, Delivering Evolved Messaging and Entertainment at 4G Speeds

BELLEVUE, Wash., and DALLAS — March 15, 2011 — T-Mobile USA, Inc. and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S.,1 today unveiled the new T-Mobile Sidekick® 4GTM by Samsung. The new AndroidTM-powered smartphone pays tribute to its heritage with its stylish good looks and a killer keyboard while redefining messaging and upgrading to 4G speeds. One of T-Mobile’s fastest smartphones running on America’s Largest 4G NetworkTM, the new Sidekick 4G is capable of delivering theoretical peak download speeds of up to 21 Mbps.

The T-Mobile Sidekick has long been known for its innovative and distinctive design, and the Sidekick 4G does not disappoint. The 3.5-inch display marks the first Sidekick to feature a touch screen and its sturdy “pop-tilt” hinge reveals the previously acclaimed, five-row QWERTY keyboard that has long been a Sidekick hallmark and the reason behind its status as an exceptional messaging device.

The new Sidekick 4G leverages its quality keyboard along with Sidekick Group TextTM and Cloud TextTM to redefine messaging. Sidekick’s Group Text feature lets customers create, name, manage and participate in reply-all group text conversations, enabling them to lead their network in conversation and social planning. Group Text breathes new life into one of the most popular forms of messaging allowing Sidekick 4G customers to initiate and share the benefit of the application with SMS-capable devices from flip phones to smartphones. In addition, Cloud Text provides the option to text with friends or groups across platforms, whether from the comfort of their PC’s large screen and keyboard, or from their new Sidekick 4G.

“Backed by the faster speeds on T-Mobile’s 4G network, the new Sidekick 4G offers customers both speed and style,” said Andrew Sherrard, senior vice president, product management, T-Mobile USA. “We’ve reinvented the messaging experience that made the Sidekick such an iconic device, and supercharged it with communication and entertainment experiences that take full advantage of our 4G network.”

Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Mobile, said, “We are proud that T-Mobile selected Samsung to help create the next-generation Sidekick and carry the iconic Sidekick brand and device to the next level. Samsung redesigned the new Sidekick 4G with our best-in-class hardware, combined with T-Mobile’s 4G network speeds, the Android operating system, and unique messaging and entertainment features, to make this a perfect match for both loyal Sidekick fans and new Sidekick owners.

The new Sidekick 4G also comes preloaded with Facebook® and TwitterTM applications, and provides easy interaction with customers’ social networks by allowing them to update their status from the notification pane and browse their feeds from the home screen. They have the ability to sync their social network contacts to the phone’s address book, which lets them post to their friends’ walls or comment on their status. And multitasking is easier than ever with the Sidekick 4G’s jump key, an easy-to-access physical button that enables customers to quickly switch between active applications, even during a phone call, or assign keyboard shortcuts to their favorite functions or applications.

In addition to a communication hub, the new Sidekick 4G is now an entertainment hub. With speeds as fast as home broadband, enjoying a favorite TV show or surfing the Web on the go is a breeze. Sidekick’s Media Room features one place to enjoy music, videos, movies, YouTube®, T-Mobile TV® and Slacker Radio, and to search for content regardless of the source. The integrated media player, also accessible through the Media Room, spans across all media including music, video and Internet radio. Customers also have the option to rent or purchase their favorite movies and TV programs directly from the Samsung Media Hub, which offers a robust collection of movie and next-day TV show titles from CBS, Fox, MTV Networks, NBC Universal, Paramount and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution. Customers now have the option to place Media Hub charges directly to their monthly T-Mobile service bill.

Complementing the messaging communication features, the new Sidekick 4G is equipped with a VGA front-facing camera and pre-installed T-Mobile Video Chat powered by QikTM, to ensure you are always present with your social circle. Powered by Android 2.2 (Froyo) and a speedy 1 GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird processor, so consumers can keep up with their favorite blogs while on the move, search for the must-try dinner spots and map the way to their next destination — all at blazing fast speeds. The new smartphone will also offer dynamic media features and integrated GoogleTM services, including GmailTM, Google MapsTM and access to thousands of applications on Android MarketTM.

The new Sidekick 4G also comes equipped with DriveSmartTM from T-Mobile, a first-of-its kind service from a U.S. carrier, that helps prevent distracted driving. When initiated, DriveSmart Basic provides automatic incoming call and message management, sending a customizable note to callers and senders, letting them know that the recipient is driving and will respond when it’s safe. DriveSmart Plus offers the same functionality, with the added capability to automatically activate when the handset is in a moving vehicle, as well as advanced parental controls for enhanced peace of mind when teen drivers are behind the wheel.

Offered exclusively to T-Mobile customers, the new T-Mobile Sidekick 4G is expected to be available later this spring in two stylish colors — matte black or pearl magenta. Customers can visit http://sidekick.t-mobile.com/ for more information.

Just one week ahead of Mobile World Congress, U.S. electronics manufacturer Texas Instrument announced its next OMAP platform, OMAP 5.  The updated 5 platform utilized two Cortex-A15 cores that are capable of supporting 8GB of dynamic memory access while running at speeds of up to 2GHz per core. “The OMAP 5 processor includes individual, dedicated engines for: video, imaging and vision, DSP, 3D graphics, 2D graphics, display and security,” writes Texas Instrument. “The processor also includes two ARM Cortex-M4 processors for offloading real-time processing from the Cortex-A15 cores to improve low-level control and responsiveness of mobile devices.” TI is promising 1080p and 3DS recording and playback along with the “real-time conversion of 2D content to S3D at 1080p resolution” from the 28-nanometer chipset. The OMAP 5 platform will, undoubtedly, be powering the next wave of superphones from wireless manufacturers the world over.

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Today, Texas Instrument announced a new, ARM-based, dual-core processor that has a lust-worthy specification sheet. The OMAP4440 processor, which is based on the Cortex-A9 MPCore, will have both cores clocked at 1.5GHz. The chip will provide a “1.25x increase in graphics performance, a 30 percent decrease in webpage load time, and a 2x increase in 1080p video playback performance.” The press release goes on to note that the new chip will support 1080p stereoscopic 3D, 1080p video conferencing, gesture recognition, two 12 megapixel cameras working in parallel, and a plethora of video codecs and formats.

The OMAP 4 platform is a highly-optimized system-on-chip (SOC) leveraging two ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore general-purpose processors, reaching speeds of 1.5 GHz per core, complemented by two ARM Cortex-M3 cores to power-efficiently offload time-critical and control tasks. High-performance multimedia capabilities are provided by programmable cores including a POWERVR™ 3D graphics engine, TI IVA 3 for high-definition/multi-standard video, TI image signal processor (ISP) for high-quality/high-megapixels imaging, TI low-power audio processor and TI digital signal processor (DSP) based on the TI C64x DSP for natural user interface and signal processing innovations optimized for mobile applications.

Texas Instrument says that the OMAP4440 will be shipped in sample quantities to manufacturers in the first half of 2011 with full production kicking off during the second half of the year.

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Today, chip maker ARM announced the Cortex-A15 MPCore processor; a processor that “delivers a 5x performance improvement over today’s advanced smartphone processors, within a comparable energy footprint.” The A15 is available for licensing today and is targeting devices with 32nm and 28nm platforms; a 20nm A15 offering will be available in the future. The processor is capable of speeds up to 2.5 GHz, can support up to 4 MB of L2 cache, and can address up to 1 terabyte of memory. The company has said its smartphone A15 line will run between 1 GHz and 1.5 GHz in both single and dual-core configurations. As the press release states, the newest Cortex will support: Android, Adobe Flash Player, Java Platform Standard Edition (Java SE), JavaFX, Linux, Microsoft Windows Embedded Compact 7, Symbian, and Ubuntu. Bring on. The hardware.

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Samsung sure has been making a lot of mobile news lately. With their Galaxy Tab release, screen factory announcement, and various Galaxy S handset releases, Sammy is making their fair share of headlines. Today, Samsung announced that they are testing the Cortex A9 Orion processor for netbooks, tablets, and smartphones. The new processor is a 1 GHz, dual-core chip that supports 1080p video recording and playback at 30 frames per second. Samsung also boasts that the new silicon will have five times the graphics performance of the current A8 Hummingbird series of processors. The Orion will be available to “select customers” sometime in the fourth quarter of 2010 and will be put into mass production in the first half of 2011. Dual-core smartphones. Drool.

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Details on ARM’s next generation Cortex A-series processor — code named Eagle — have yet to be fully disclosed, but that hasn’t stopped Texas Instrument from letting us know they’ve licensed it. Via a press release, TI announced that it is, “the first company to partner with ARM in the conception and definition of the next generation ARM Cortex-A series processor core to be announced later this year.” Texas Instrument quips that they aim to, “raise the bar in high-performance, power-efficient computing with upcoming OMAP platform solutions intended to radically transform devices while enriching the mobile lifestyle.” Hit the jump for the full release.

TI announced as the first licensee of the next generation ARM Cortex™-A series processor core

Integral involvement in core definition lays groundwork for breakthrough OMAP™ processor solutions on the horizon

DALLAS (August 9, 2010) – Building on its rich heritage of collaboration with ARM, Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) today confirmed that it was the first company to partner with ARM in the conception and definition of the next generation ARM® Cortex™-A series processor core (also known as “Eagle”) to be announced later this year. TI intends to use the new processor to further strengthen and extend its future OMAP™ platform offerings. For more information on TI’s OMAP family, please visit: www.ti.com/omapwireless.

TI formally engaged with ARM on this project in June 2009, establishing an advanced lead partnership. During this time, TI leveraged its low power, system-on-chip (SoC) platform expertise with ARM to advance the processor core’s definition. This engagement accelerates TI’s ability to get to market early with high-performance OMAP products based on the new ARM processor core, following up on its popular OMAP 4 platform that uses the powerful Cortex-A9 processor core. The partnership’s efforts also reiterate TI’s commitment to spearheading high-performance, low-power mobile advances.

TI aims to raise the bar in high-performance, power-efficient computing with upcoming OMAP platform solutions intended to radically transform devices while enriching the mobile lifestyle. Using its unique SmartReflex™ power and performance management technology, TI believes it can deliver SoCs with industry-leading low power consumption. As a result, TI OMAP platform solutions based on the new ARM processor core and SmartReflex will meet the mobile market’s demand for intense performance capabilities and low power consumption. TI also believes that the new ARM processor core has the potential for broader market application across TI’s product portfolio.

“Our position as ARM’s advanced lead partner for its next-generation Cortex-A series processor core underscores TI’s unwavering commitment to helping customers achieve success in the competitive mobile world,” said Remi El-Ouazzane, vice president, OMAP platform business unit TI. “We are thrilled to know that our customers will be the first to leverage the new ARM processor core’s far-reaching innovations via our industry-leading OMAP products. Successful mobile industry achievements revolve around the ‘high-performance, low-power’ mantra, and we believe the results of our collaborative effort echo the importance of this must-have balance.”

“TI and ARM have a long history of collaboration and exchanging technical ideas to develop and define innovative technologies,” said Mike Inglis, EVP and GM, ARM. “Together, we’re finding new ways to bridge the gap between performance and power requirements, as is evident with our joint work on the next-generation Cortex-A series processor core’s definition. We look forward to seeing TI come to market with game-changing solutions that place ARM’s new processor core at the heart of tomorrow’s consumer-focused smart mobile products.”

TI’s legacy with ARM began more than 15 years ago when, in 1993, TI and ARM embarked on their industry-changing partnership. TI has since shipped around 250 million OMAP processors, which contain ARM core processors. TI continues to leverage early engagement with ARM’s technology development to quickly deliver advanced solutions in markets ranging from automotive to mobile. For more information about TI and ARM’s successful innovation history, please visit this corresponding MobileMomentum blog post: www.ti.com/mobilemomentum.

Computerworld’s Seth Weintraub sat down with Bob Morris, director of platform enablement for ARM’s mobile processor group, and came away with a wealth of information on the future plans for the ARM Cortex architecture. Though Morris did not speak directly about Apple, he did provide details that could lead one to theorize that Apple will be using the ARM architecture for its much-rumored Mac netbook/tablet. An inset on a PowerPoint slide showing a very recognizable Mac notebook at the top of the list of the mobile device breakdown is the most convincing piece of evidence provided by Morris. Weintraub adds to the speculation by outlining the reasons why he believes Apple would adopt the ARM platform over the popular Intel Atom architecture for a potential netbook/tablet venture. Those reasons include:

• Apple has an internal PA Semi team working on future ARM chips for the iPhone/iPod Touch
• ARM chips cost an order of magnatude less (to license) than Intel equivalents
• ARM chips take up less space on a motherboard
• ARM chips use many times less power, enabling much longer battery life and much sleeker design.
• You won’t need to virtualize Windows on these types of devices.  Most other Apple applications can be easily ported between chips.
• Apple wants more control over the processors, which it can’t have with Intel.
• While a variant of the iPhone version of OSX is the most likely of candidates, Snow Leopard’s optimization release might also be for ARM as well.

This is still very much a rumor as Apple has not confirmed that it will be entering the netbook/tablet market anytime soon. Speculation on the production of such a device was rejuvenated when Steve Jobs recently commented on the netbook platform by saying that the iPhone is Apple’s “entrance in that category” and that it will “wait and see” how that category evolves. If Apple does enter into that market, Jobs promises that Apple has “got some pretty interesting ideas if it does evolve.” An ARM/Apple venture that expands upon the success of the iPhone and iPod Touch would be a pretty interesting idea, don’t you agree? Hit the jump to see the entire PowerPoint slide.

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