NVIDIA acquired Portalplayer but not only for the Apple Ipods deal - there is more to it. We won't talk much now about it but we have some insider stuff to share soon.
In the meantime, we happen to think that Portalplayer has a nice marchitecture that might change the way folk use their laptops. It certainly may make them even more functional than ever before. The marchitecture is called Preface and Vista has support for it. This is a small multi-functional media player that is always on and can run for hours. It features a processor and display subsystem that can be detached from your notebook.
The gadget provides instant notebook data and media content. It can play audio for hundreds of hours when attached to a notebook battery and it supports Vista SlideShow marchitecture.
A notebook without Preface can play music for a few hours 3-5 if you are lucky and you need a couple of minutes to access your data. With Preface, Portalplayer - now Nvidious - claims 300-500 hours of music playback and less than one second to access your data.
This is a list of what that gadget can do: Music playback (including when the PC is off), picture slideshow, support for Outlook 12 calendar, Windows Mail, contact info, current date/time, world clock and alarm, battery meter (level of laptop battery), reminder memos, timed memos, closed-lid system and application control and system state info (ie, on, off, standby, suspend, hibernate, etc.).
This stuff will increase the notebook price by $200 on average but big boys such as Asus, Quanta and Acer and Fujitsu are on the list of supporters. It will be available with Vista launch and it can even handle car navigation or Skype.
It looks a really interesting nice little thing.
Preface gadget set to revolutionise laptop use
