NVIDIA says the first computers based on the company’s ION platform should begin shipping in the second quarter of 2009. For anyone who’s keeping track, Q2 started yesterday.
The ION platform bundles an Intel Atom processor with an NVIDIA graphics processor to enable higher quality graphics and video performance. ION powered systems can playback 1080p video or let you play newer video games including Spore and Call of Duty 4. NVIDIA even claims that ION graphics processors will help Photoshop run smoothly on netbooks and nettops. As a general rule, Photoshop is one of those apps that most people will tell you not to bother running on a netbook.
It’s likely that we’re going to see nettop (tiny desktop) computers like the Acer Hornet first, followed by netbooks (tiny laptops) down the road.
via Engadget
I put Photoshop CS4 on my Samsung NC10, and after tweaking the interface a bit I’ve found that it runs just fine. It launches quickly and does everything I need without any noticeable sluggishness, even with other apps running at the same time.
Oh my god. Stop teasing me! I just can’t bring myself to buy anything that doesn’t have HDMI out these days. Please ION please!
oddone, I couldn’t agree more. I’m not buying a netbook until one ships with ION. More netbooks should have 720p screens by then, so it’ll basically be a matter of picking the one that has the best keyboard, looks and a decent pricetag.
Best news I’ve read all day. I can’t wait to see these things tested and hacked out in the wild. Cheap, efficient, and quiet HTPC heaven here I come…