Native Development

[sketch34]

I've only just started looking into Blackberry dev, but I've spent a while now digging around and can't find any official info on the hardware specification for the new BB10 Playbook and Dev Alpha devices.

Could someone please clarify the hardware ecosystem for me? I'm after low level hardware info:

• CPU technical spec (instruction set, cache architecture etc.)
• GPU technical spec
• Memory type, amount, mem controller
• CPU to GPU bus type
• SIMD instruction set supported by the compiler (I've seen some info indicating NEON?)

Thanks guys much apprecited! 

[gogoDNA]

Please refer to:

https://bdsc.webapps.blackberry.com/devzone/resources

Find the "Minimum system requirements" section...

---- We can even use this system to play Diablo III!

[sketch34]

I don't follow... that's the min specs for installing the emulator. I want hardware info about the actual devices.

It's late and I can't tell if you're joking, lol. 

[gogoDNA]

My fault... didn't catch your questions...

Sorry I cannot help you...

[mkristell]

Dev Alphat

[sketch34]

This page summarises all the info I wanted, which I found thanks to mrkristell's hint.

http://www.ti.com/general/docs/wtbu/wtbuproductcontent.tsp?templateId=6123&navigationId=12843&conten...

And this appears to confirm the presence of the NEON SIMD coprocessor, 128-bit wide vector unit, awesome.

http://www.variscite.com/products/item/76-var-som-om44-ti-omap4460

Can any Blackberry reps confirm that the release hardware will remain the same?

[xsacha]

I have been advised that the NEON is faulty on the Playbook devices. I'm not sure if this is the same on Dev Alpha. It's something to be aware of!

As for specs:

OMAP4460 running at 1GHz on Dev Alpha. Technically the chip should be capable of 1.5GHz but it seems to be running the same as the Playbook right now, making it the lowest clocked 4460 in the wild.

The GPU is a SGX540, same as the Playbook. Clocked at 384MHz instead of 304MHz according to spec. 

It also has new features like NFC and cellular radio not seen on the original Playbook.