Marvell tips UMTS/TD-SCDMA combo chip, new open source dev platform

Marvell announced a 1.2GHz processor for mobile devices claimed to be the first to combine 3G UMTS and TD-SCDMA cellular technology. In addition to unveiling the PXA978 processor, which is also touted for its advanced 3D graphics and 1080p multimedia playback, Marvell announced an open source mobile development platform called Kinoma.

According to Marvell, the PXA978 offers a unique combination of UMTS (universal mobile telecommunications system) with China's TD-SCDMA (time division synchronous code division multiple access) -- including HSPA (high speed packet access) support. This will allow developers to create smartphones or tablets that can be used globally, saving months of design time and cost, the company says.