VIA OpenBook Mini-NoteThe VIA OpenBook mini-note, intended to promote its C7-M ULV based Ultra Mobile Platform and greater video playback support, in a compact and stylish clamshell form factor that weighs just 1kg. Combining the low-voltage and economical processor with the company’s own VX800 digital media IGP chipset, the OpenBook has an 8.9-inch screen and a flexible internal interface for high-speed broadband wireless connectivity that provides customers with the ability to select from a choice of WiMAX™, HSDPA and EV-DO/W-CDMA modules appropriate to their market. In addition, under a unique collaborative approach, the CAD files of the external panels of the reference design are offered for downloadunder a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 3.0 license to give customers such as OEMs, system integrators, and broadband service providers greater freedom in tailoring the look and feel of their device to meet the diverse needs of their target markets. The VIA OpenBook measures 240 x175 x 36.2mm, also has dual 2-megapixel webcams (internal and on the outer lid) together with up to 2GB of RAM, which should cater reasonably for the choice of Vista Basic, XP or various Linux flavors. It has three USB 2.0 ports, a VGA port and audio-in/audio-out jacks, as well as a 4-in-1 card reader (SD/SDIO/MMC/MS). Both traditional hard-drives as well as SSDs are listed, and battery life is up to three hours courtesy of a 4-cell 2600mA lithium-ion pack. A second wireless connectivity module provides WiFi, Bluetooth and optional AGPS.
The VIA OpenBook supports a wide range of operating system environments, including Microsoft Windows Vista Basic, Microsoft Windows XP, and various Linux distributions. The device features up to 2GB DDR2 DRAM and can be equipped with a choice of hard disk drive and solid state storage options.
Featuring a 4-cell 2600mA lithium-ion battery, the VIA OpenBook delivers up to three hours of battery life.
Enabling Global Broadband Wireless Coverage
The VIA OpenBook reference design has a unique internal interface for the addition of a choice of extended connectivity modules, enabling customers to offer HSDPA, EV-DO/W-CDMA, and WiMAX connectivity options to the their device that are appropriate for their target markets, and to forge deeper relationships with local carriers and service providers, creating new business models for the mini-note segment.
Making Customization More Accessible
The CAD files for the external panels of the VIA OpenBook mini-note reference design are being released under the Creative Commons Share Alike Attribution license, giving customers the flexibility to bring their own innovative style and brand value propositions to the mini-note market segment. Through this flexible approach, customers can reduce product development costs and speed time-to-market. The CAD files can be downloaded from the www.viaopenbook.com website.
