Transmeta shows prototype Web Slate

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March 14, 2000
Web posted at: 8:57 a.m. EST (1357 GMT)

by James Niccolai

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (IDG) -- The designers that put together the slick-looking Palm V for Palm Computing, and the trendy Visor for Handspring, have now dreamed up a wireless Internet appliance called the Web Slate that showcases Transmeta's new Crusoe chip.

Transmeta's Chief Executive Officer David Ditzel showed slides of the prototype device, designed by Ideo Product Development, during an industry dinner here Thursday. The Web Slate is the size of a paperback book, offers wireless Internet, and receives input via handwriting recognition.

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According to Ideo's Web site, the unit also has a high-resolution, 8-inch screen for viewing Web pages and DVD movies, a small camera for videoconferencing, a global positioning system for navigation, and embedded speakers.

Transmeta commissioned the design to show off the versatility of Crusoe, and Ideo likely won't offer the Web Slate commercially. Other manufacturers may sell something similar, though.

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Crusoe sails soon

Transmeta's low-power chip could appear in Internet appliances as soon as midyear, Ditzel says.

"The second half of the year is going to be a very busy time," he says. "We can't answer all the phone calls [from companies who want to use the Crusoe processor in product]."

Ditzel also showed off a Web tablet from Taiwanese notebook maker Quanta, and a similar device called the Day Tripper from S3. Those products appeared first at Transmeta's launch in January.

The appliances use Transmeta's TM3120 processor, which is available at speeds of up to 400 MHz and runs a mobile version of Linux. The company also offers the TM5400, which runs at up to 700 MHz and will power Windows-based notebooks. Manufacturers are sampling that chip now, and Crusoe-based notebooks should arrive in the second half of the year, Ditzel says.

Transmeta drew attention last year by keeping its product plans tightly under wraps. In January, the company unveiled its first two Crusoe processors. The chips use a technology called "code morphing," which Transmeta says lets them run the same x86-type instructions as Intel processors, but with less power. That means longer battery life.

The company hasn't released the results of any benchmark tests yet, making it difficult to gauge the company's claims about Crusoe's performance. Ditzel says Transmeta will announce benchmarks when systems start shipping.

Some analysts say code morphing isn't quite as revolutionary as Transmeta suggests. Other companies have similar emulation techniques; the difference is that Transmeta appears to be more successful than others, says Keith Diefendorff, senior analyst with MicroDesign Resources.

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Transmeta's new CPU game
(PC World Online)
A paradigm shift for processors
(PC World Online)
Crusoe cruises ahead
(PC World Online)
Crusoe: A CPU for the road
(PC World Online)
Transmeta goes to Europe
(IDG.net)
Transmeta unveils Crusoe chip
(IDG.net)
New chips could fuel high-speed Internet access
(Computerworld)
Shopping wirelessly
(PC World Online)

Transmeta Corp.
Ideo

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