Nvidia today finally unveiled their Tegra Note which is a reference device that shows off their Tegra 4 platform. What this does is allow manufacturers to offer the Tegra 4 platform to create 7″ tablets for as little as $200. Basically this means manufacturers can use this tablet as a starting point, enabling them to quickly bring their own branded 7″ tablet to market much more quickly by using this one as the base model.
Currently here are the hardware specs for the Tegra Note tablet:
– Tegra 4 Cortex-A15 with 72-core GeForce GPU
– 7-inch 1280 x 800 display
– Front-facing “HD audio” stereo speakers
– Stylus with tips for chiseling and brushing
– 5 megapixel rear camera w/ VGA front camera
– 16GB of storage with a microSD card slot
– microHDMI
– Full stock Android (latest version)
– Over-the-air software updates from NVIDIA
– 10 hours of battery
In the end this means that companies who want to make a 7″ tablet with Tegra 4 can do so pretty quickly, slap their branding on it and sell it for around $200 to consumers to snatch up. In fact some companies are already on board with this and if you’re in the gaming scene you might recognize some of these names: EVGA and PNY Technologies, EVGA, Oysters, ZOTAC, Colorful, GIGABYTE, Shenzhen Homecare Technology, ZOTAC, and XOLO. With PNY and EVGA bringing tablets to the market soon it’ll be interesting to see if they modify them at all, overclocking them and beefing them up like they do with graphics cards for PCs.
So definitely some good news for the consumer with this announcement as it means many more options for lower price when it comes to Tegra 4 tablets in the near future. We’ve included Nvidia’s announcement below in case you want to read through it.
Website Referenced: Nvidia Blog
NVIDIA Reveals Tegra Note – Complete Tablet Platform, Powered by Tegra 4
September 18, 2013
By now many of you may have heard of NVIDIA Tegra Note, but are still wondering what it is. Back in June at Computex, we briefly demoed an early version of the device, when it was better known as Tegra Tab. One of the many innovations it introduced was NVIDIA DirectStylus technology, which significantly improves passive stylus performance.So what’s Tegra Note?
It’s a complete tablet platform, designed by NVIDIA and brought to market by our partners. It embodies the NVIDIA brand – from our hardware and software (right down to OTA updates), to our industrial design, accessories and network of partners in game development. It elevates the abilities of our partners, so they can provide tablets packed with innovation and features at prices they may not have been able to deliver on their own.
In turn, NVIDIA gains access to their deep sales and distribution expertise in regions worldwide. And it starts at a suggested retail price of $199. That will help many more people experience the new technologies going into Tegra Note, including its 100 percent Android OS.
This isn’t a first for us. About a year ago, we announced Project KAI – a Tegra 3 reference design intended as a recipe to build low-cost, high-quality Tegra 3 tablets. Google’s Nexus 7 was one. Tegra Note takes this to the next level by delivering a complete platform, not just the hardware.
In the next few months, our partners will be bringing Tegra Note to market worldwide with features that speak to local consumers, among them are EVGA and PNY Technologies in North America; EVGA, Oysters and ZOTAC in Europe; Colorful, GIGABYTE, Shenzhen Homecare Technology and ZOTAC in Asia-Pacific; and XOLO in India. They join other partners, including HP, ASUS, Toshiba, Kobo and Xiaomi, that have already announced Tegra 4-based products.
To whet your appetite, here’s a quick rundown on some of the Tegra Note’s unique features:
· Ultra-fast performance – Powered by Tegra 4 with a 72-core GeForce GPU and quad-core Cortex-A15 CPU with a fifth battery-saver core, making Tegra Note the world’s fastest 7-inch tablet.
· Superb stylus – NVIDIA DirectStylus technology transforms a normal stylus into an incredibly responsive experience with finer point and broader stroke control. It also comes bundled with apps for convenient, stroke-based note taking.
· Exceptional sound – NVIDIA PureAudio technology offers rich, deep audio – including the widest frequency range in a tablet – through front-facing stereo speakers with a bass-reflex port.
· Groundbreaking camera – The camera uses Tegra 4’s processing power and Chimera computational photography architecture to deliver stunning new features. Tegra Note also brings SmugMug’s Camera Awesome app – one of the top camera apps on iOS – to Android. Camera Awesome delivers exclusive Tegra 4 features like tap-to-track and 100 fps video with slow-motion playback.
· TegraZone gaming – Delivering unmatched gaming, NVIDIA TegraZone provides easy access to Tegra-optimized games with visual effects that aren’t available on other tablets. Tegra Note also supports a variety of game controllers for console-class gaming.
· Great battery life – 10-plus hours of HD video playback.
· Accessories galore – An intelligent slide cover flips and bends to support and cover the tablet. It also lets the tablet be set up in three distinct positions using built-in magnets for added flexibility. The DirectStylus Pro Pack enables a variety of writing styles with interchangeable tips. And Bluetooth capabilities turn the tablet into a game controller.On top of that, users get over-the-air (OTA) software updates provided directly by NVIDIA. This will help ensure customers have current software, offering the richest experience with their devices.
