Rumor: NVIDIA to launch Firefly smartbook (or reference design?) soon

Flickr: art farmer

NVIDIA may have denied that it plans to launch a Tegra-powered mini-laptop under its own brand name. But the rumor appears to be picking up steam. SemiAccurate reports that NVIDIA has built a prototype called the Firefly, which could be out as soon as September.

The company is reportedly looking for ODM’s to build the smartbook, which would feature an ARM-based processor, NVIDIA graphics, and Windows CE. Then again, the web site reporting this rumor is called SemiAccurate, so take this with a grain of salt.

I think it’s also possible that NVIDIA is behind the Firefly design much the same way Intel is behind the Classmate PC netbook. Intel developed a series of reference designs which are sold under a variety of different brand names, including the CTL 2Go PC, Daewoo C920, Archos Classmate, and M&A Companion PC. If NVIDIA is taking a similar approach, that would explain why the company objected to reports that it would be releasing its own netbook.

via Netbook Choice

Posted on Thursday, July 23rd, 2009, 8:55 am by Brad Linder

BoloMKXXVIII

Reference design sounds about right. nVidia and ARM, sounds good. Windows CE? Skip it. I hope the manufacturers pick up the hardware reference but use better judgement on the software side.
toddma

Love how the website's name actually makes you question if its actually worth even mentioning. Either way, great info, thanks for sharing. I would definitely like to see more smartbook's hit the market when they do and I can care less what name they have, as long as the product rocks. There's another site on the net which is tracking all of these stories that I think you'd like, its http://www.smartbook.asia take a look if you want to keep up with the rumors

Rumor: NVIDIA to launch Firefly smartbook (or reference design?) soon

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