Motorola's (NYSE: MOT) Semiconductor Products Sector, the embedded solutions supplier with market-leading cellular expertise, extends its leadership in next-generation applications processors for the portable information appliance market by unveiling two new DragonBall microprocessor products -- DragonBall MX1 and DragonBall Super VZ.
Building on its position as the #1 best-selling microprocessor for handheld computers the DragonBall family provides industry- leading, best-in-class handheld performance and battery life in both the DragonBall MX1 and Super VZ while enhancing portable features from personal organizers to multimedia applications.
"We are entering our fifth learning cycle in the PDA/portable space and are charting a powerful course with our DragonBall family to enhance our total systems solutions for 2.5G, 3G and portable wireless devices," said Omid Tahernia, vice president and general manager of Motorola's Wireless Mobile Systems Division.
The DragonBall MX1, the first ARM(R) core-based DragonBall product, targets high-end, wirelessly connected mobile products that can leverage its ARM920T core-based microprocessor with speeds up to 200 MHz. Additionally, the DragonBall MX1 provides the first on-chip Bluetooth(TM) ready applications processor announced from a major worldwide semiconductor supplier.
The next-generation DragonBall Super VZ operates at a 66 MHz clock speed, and provides more than twice the performance of its popular DragonBall VZ predecessor. It also improves upon the high level of peripheral integration that is the trademark of the DragonBall family.
"Motorola has been a key supplier for Sony's CLIE(TM) product line success, and we are excited to hear about Motorola's newest additions to the DragonBall family," said Masanobu Yoshida, president, Sony Handheld Computer Company.
The DragonBall Super VZ and MX1 are designed for optimal scalability, flexibility and greater connectivity providing the smoothest migration between the 68K and ARM architecture due to the high-level of reuse from the most widely accepted set of handset peripherals.
With nearly 30 million devices shipped to date and the support of a suite of software and reference designs, the DragonBall name is synonymous with industry-leading handheld organizers and other portable wireless products. Introduced in 1995, the DragonBall microprocessor is found in more than 75% of all the world's personal digital assistants (PDAs), according to IDC, and is featured in all products based on Palm OS(R) today.
"We are offering an ideal combination of price, performance, power consumption and features," said Tahernia. "We expect the DragonBall MX1 and Super VZ to be rapidly adopted among designers working on next-generation portable wireless products."
The next-generation DragonBall products are targeted for advanced information appliances, smart phones, Web browsers/tables, digital MP3 audio players, handheld computers based on the popular Palm OS platform, and messaging applications such as Motorola's wireless cellular products, including the Accompli(TM) 008 GSM/GPRS interactive communicator.
Motorola harnesses the power of wireless, broadband, multimedia and the Internet to deliver network, embedded and chip-based solutions for people, offices and homes, a smart combination that delivers the future here and now. Motorola is the only company with the wireless systems expertise, technology and consumer understanding and end-to-end solutions that is truly able to offer seamless communications anywhere.
Product Information
To deliver total solutions to the market, the DragonBall family has developed close intellectual property agreements between Motorola and ARM for ARM920T core technology on the DragonBall MX1; Sony Corporation for Memory Stick(TM) interface on DragonBall MX1 and Super VZ; Digianswer A/S for Bluetooth(TM) wireless technology on DragonBall MX1; and Metrowerks for CodeWarrior(R) on the DragonBall Super VZ and DragonBall MX1. Motorola is a board member of the Secure Digital Association for Secure Digital (SD) interface on DragonBall MX1 and Super VZ.
The DragonBall MX1 and Super VZ open the door for more than 155,000 Palm OS software developers to write programs that run on the ARM architecture and 68K architecture, including a wide range of wireless applications. This capability would expand the portfolio of the 10,000 Palm OS software applications that already exist. The DragonBall family is capable of supporting industry- leading systems such as the Palm OS platform, Microsoft(R) Windows(R) CE operating system and Pocket PC, Linux(R) operating system, and Symbian EPOC.
As the first semiconductor supplier of a Bluetooth(TM) ready applications processor platform, this technology, combined with the on-chip USB, Multi-Media Accelerator, color LCD controller, A/D converter, Multi-Media/Secure Digital Card(MMC/SD)and Memory Stick expansion card controllers replaces six ICs with a single- chip optimal multimedia platform.
The DragonBall Super VZ and MX1 have best-in-class low power consumption in active, sleep and shutdown modes. Their peripheral sets include an LCD controller that supports 16 gray-level monochrome, color STN displays and color TFT displays.
With its intelligent integrated peripherals including the Multimedia Accelerator (MMA), MMC/SD, and Memory Stick expansion card interface, advanced processor core and power management capabilities, the DragonBall MX1 offers designers a robust suite of peripherals that enhance mobile data devices and offer a rich multimedia experience. Additionally, the DragonBall MX1 is designed to provide ample system-optimized memory configuration that systems designers can use as video buffering and critical program and/or data storage.
Pricing and Availability
The DragonBall Super VZ and DragonBall MX1 expand Motorola's comprehensive portfolio of wireless embedded solutions, positioning the company as the market leader for customers seeking "one-stop shopping" for smaller, lighter, lower cost mobile products. While leveraging its heritage of more than 60 years as a pioneering company in the wireless industry, Motorola became one of two a licensed architectural ARM partners in December 2000. It demonstrated the industry's most advanced GPRS products during CTIA and CeBIT in March 2001. Motorola plans to continue this momentum to customers by providing sampling of its next-generation DragonBall Super VZ and MX1 with low-cost, low-power enhanced mobile data capabilities by early fourth quarter 2001, with production volumes quickly following.
The DragonBall MX1 has a suggested list price of $19 (USD) each in 10,000 unit quantities. The DragonBall Super VZ has a suggested list price of $14 (USD) in 10,000 unit quantities. For more information, visit www.motorola.com/dragonball.
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