Ziilabs uploaded an impressive video that shows the Ziilabs ZMS-40 simultaneously decoding 6 High Definition Videos (although they don’t say if it’s 720p or 1080p) with 5 H.264 videos and 1 VP8/WebM video and rendering them on 3D objects via OpenGL ES. That’s quite amazing, but the next question could be why would you need that much processing power in a chip aimed at tablets? Augmented reality perhaps…
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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Are these tablets available for sale?
And where? i couldnt find nothing of a e-shop to buy it.
@ Demetris
Although the chip seems promising, I can’t find any tablets for sale. The company said it would focus on the education market in China first with the Hanzpad: http://www.cnx-software.com/2012/02/15/ziilabs-unveils-hanzpad-android-4-0-tablet-reference-design/
They also released the ZMS-20 last year, but I have yet to see a tablet using it. The only way to get the hardware for ZMS-20/ZMS-40 would seem to buy their reference platform, but I doubt individuals can buy it. Once I asked about it, and they asked about my project details, schedule and expected quantities.
So there must be a non-starter with their chip, maybe price or nobody wants to be the first to try this platform. Creative labs is the parent company, so if the chip was that good they would have probably released a Zii based tablet.
Ziilabs chips are plain vaporware. Since you are a journalist in actual contact with ZiiLabs, I suggest you ask them directly about who their customers are, and when they are expected to ship a product with their chip. Also, ask them why ZMS-20 never made it into production.
I really feel sorry for ZiiLabs because their marketing seems very good (all the YouTube videos and press releases touting great things), but is it the engineering team which is failing to deliver, or is there something else at play? I am really curious to know.. Also of importance is the process tech that they are using. Is it TSMC 40nm / 28nm or some other vendor?
http://www.hanzpad.com/
@ Demetris
Yes, that’s the one they plan to release this month, but it’s not yet available.
@ Ganesh @ AnandTech
I’ve just sent them one email via there contact form over a year ago, and stopped contacting them after understanding they were clearly not interested in providing their reference platform to individuals or even low volume projects. But I’ll give it a try again to gather some info.
When I worked as a software engineer/manager I noticed that most projects failed due to non-technical reasons such as cost issues, market changes, features creep and even political reasons, so hopefully it’s not a problem with their engineering team.
In their press release in February, they announced that the HanzPad would launch in May, so hopefully we’ll see the tablet at least in China this month or next.
Creative applied for FCC certification for the Hanzpad, so we should be it soon.
http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/01/creative-hanzpad-fcc-quad-core-ICS-tab/