Wireless News

Reacting to the increasing demand for high-quality image and video processing on mobile devices, Texas Instruments this week announced their OMAP-DM510 co-processor, capable of handling up to 8-megapixel still images, 3fps burst modes and DVD quality video at 30fps.  The DM510 supports multiple video codecs, including MPEG4 and H.264, and can be implemented alongside or instead of a dedicated applications processor depending on the price point of the eventual device.

Thanks to third-party software from members of TI’s OMAP Developer Network, handset manufacturers have access to a range of enhancement features, including colour compensation, blink detection, face detection and smile detection.

Manufacturers are already working with the OMAP-DM510, and TI expects to see handsets using the chip on the market by early 2009.

Texas Instruments this week launched the industry’s first combination GPS, Bluetooth 2.1 and FM receiver/transmitter chip, the NaviLink 6.0 (NL5500). The NaviLink 6.0 is capable of simultaneously accessing each function, giving device manufacturers the opportunity to support navigation, talking on a Bluetooth headset and wirelessly playing an MP3 through a car radio, all from one compact chip that uses 40-percent less board space than previous Bluetooth and FM cores.

The NaviLink 6.0 also uses up to 50-percent less power than earlier chips, meaning devices require smaller casings and smaller batteries yet without impacting on usability. It also includes enhanced patent pending algorithms to dramatically reduce the time-to-first-fix by up to 80-percent over previous TI products. An integrated “position optimizer” software also includes support for navigation sensors, delivering superior accuracy in weak satellite signal areas, such as urban centers and heavily wooded areas.

TI expects handsets using NaviLink 6.0 to reach the market by the second-half of 2009.