Qualcomm, a developer of wireless technologies, products and services, is sampling a new smartphone chipset family.

The MSM7x30 family lays emphasis on multimedia performance, supporting high-definition video recording and playback, improved graphics with dedicated 2D and 3D cores, and an overall chip design optimised for a responsive Web experience.

The company claims that its MSM7x30 family, which includes the MSM7230 solution for HSPA+ networks and MSM7630 solution with multi-mode HSPA+/EV-DO Rev. B and SV-DO support, is designed around “optimal data throughput and powerful multimedia functionality”.

The 7×30 has the same Scorpion CPU as previously commercialised in the Snapdragon QSD8x50 chipset. The 7×30 uses an 800 MHz to 1 GHz custom superscalar CPU based on the ARM v7 instruction set, delivering high-end processing at low power to support features that include:

- 720p high-definition video encode/decode at 30 frames per second
-Integrated 2D and 3D graphics GPUs with support for OpenGL ES 2.0, and OpenVG 1.1 industry standard APIs
- Dedicated low-power audio subsystem supporting 5.1 surround
- 12-megapixel camera support
- Integrated GPS for location-based services

The first devices based on the flagship MSM7x30 family of chipsets are expected to launch commercially before the end of 2010.

The new family of chipsets is supported by the PM8058 power management integrated circuit and the QTR8600 RF subsystem with integrated Bluetooth and FM radio. MSM7x30 chipsets will directly interface with Qualcomm’s WCN1312 WLAN solution for 802.11 b/g/n, the company informed.

Vimicro, a multimedia semiconductor and solution provider, has announced that Vimicro Tianjin, a joint venture company operated and managed by Vimicro, entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Video Surveillance System (ViSS) from Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell (ASB).

Vimicro Tianjin will acquire the complete ViSS business including all property, plant and equipment, inventories, business contracts, intellectual property and service and development capabilities in China. Moreover, Vimicro and ASB will continue the cooperation on solution and marketing developments in the future.

ViSS is a security and surveillance solution addressing the needs of telecom operators and local governments in China.

The acquisition is expected to be closed in September this year.

Trident Microsystems, a player in semiconductor system solutions for the multimedia and digital television (DTV) markets,  has entered into a definitive agreement with Micronas Semiconductor Holding to acquire selected assets of the frame rate converter (FRC), demodulator and audio product lines of Micronas’ Consumer Division.

The consideration payable to Micronas will consist of 7.0m shares of Trident common stock and warrants to acquire up to 3.0m additional Trident shares.

Trident believes the acquisition will broaden its existing product and intellectual property portfolios and augment its technical resources, enabling the company to address a larger portion of the DTV market and to expand its tier one customer base.

The addition of Micronas’ demodulators to Trident’s product portfolio will expand the company’s existing demodulator offering to include nearly all of the world’s digital TV standards.

Trident expects to expand its revenue base and leverage its low-cost operations in Asia to reduce its projected near-term operating losses.

Under the terms of the agreement, Trident will acquire products, technology and intellectual property used in Micronas’ FRC line of frame rate converters, the DRX line of demodulators and all of the Micronas audio processing products.

Upon completion of the acquisition, the company expects its total headcount to increase by approximately 150 employees located throughout the world.

Samsung, a player in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies, has selected Spreadtrum Communications, a wireless baseband chipset provider in China, as a new chipset supplier.

Spreadtrum’s QS520 GSM/GPRS and QS1001 EDGE transceivers have been designed into Samsung’s mobile phone models that are to be shipped internationally. The company has commenced volume shipment of these two products to Samsung.

Spreadtrum claims its QS520 GSM/GPRS and QS1001 EDGE chips are advanced in terms of radio performance and power consumption. These chips feature integrated quad-band GSM/GPRS and EDGE radio frequency (RF) transceivers and temperature sensors, the company said.

NXP Semiconductors, a semiconductor company founded by Philips, has unveiled the new STB150 system solution, delivering a complete production-ready platform for the digital cable TV services market.

The NXP STB150 integrates a new single-chip CX2448x MPEG-2 decoder for DVB-C (Digital Video Broadcasting – Cable)  reception with a TDA18252HN silicon tuner and complete software stack, giving cable operators a silicon platform for a range of advanced, digital entertainment services.

Targeting the digital cable TV market in China, NXP is working closely with iPanel Technologies to provide Chinese cable operators a turn-key solution that enables fast time to market.

Integrated with iPanel-DVB MediaService middleware, the new STB150 platform enables set-top box manufacturers to meet the diverse needs of all Chinese cable operators with a single, pre-validated hardware and software platform, the company said. Optimised for iPanel-DVB MediaService middleware, the STB150 provides a range of digital TV broadcasting and interactive information services, with support for all worldwide and domestic Conditional Access Systems.

STMicroelectronics, a semiconductor company and a supplier of MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) motion-sensing chips, has announced that its LIS302DL 3-axis accelerometer is being used by Openmoko to provide motion-sensing functions in Openmoko’s Neo Freerunner LINUX-based mobile open platform.

Openmoko is a project dedicated to delivering mobile phones with an open source software stack. The company is currently selling the Neo Freerunner phone to advanced users and application developers.

The Neo Freerunner is a GSM tri-band mobile phone with a VGA touch screen, 2D/3D graphics acceleration, 256 Mbytes of NAND Flash memory, Wi-fi, AGPS, and Bluetooth 2.0, as well as 3-axis motion sensing. The Openmoko GNU/Linux-based software stack is 100% FOSS (Free Open Source Software), supported by GNU/Linux development tools, the company informed.

Gemalto, a player in digital security, and NXP, a semiconductor company founded by Philips, have entered into an agreement whereby NXP would transfer its mobile services business to Gemalto.

The related unit based in Sophia Antipolis, France will continue to develop and market software and service solutions compliant with the MIFARE4Mobile interface specifications which manage MIFARE-based applications in Near Field Communication (NFC) mobile devices.

MIFARE is a contactless technology, predominantly used within transportation networks, ticketing and access management applications. This strategic move by the two companies aims to accelerate the adoption of NFC technology in existing contactless infrastructures and further promotes the deployment of MIFARE.

The terms of the transaction, which is expected to close in Q2 2009, were not disclosed.

MIPS Technologies, a provider of architectures, processors and analog IP, has announced that its cooperation with NXP Semiconductors has resulted in, what is claimed to be, the industry’s first 45nm HDMI 1.3 receiver IP solution.

The companies announced a year ago that they were extending their strategic relationship to offer HDMI-based IP solutions for digital home applications, including high-definition DTVs and display units, A/V receivers and set-top boxes.

Created through a combination of co-development and co-licensing, the HDMI receiver IP is integrated in NXP’s global digital TV solution: TV550 platform, and is available for licence as IP from MIPS Technologies.

The new HDMI 1.3 Receiver Interface comprises an HDMI RX controller and an HDMI RX PHY, and is based on 90nm technology.

The controller features video interface flexibility supporting all CEA-861D video formats. It also supports True Color and Deep Color modes and several video pixel encodings, as well as Gamut Metadata, the company added.

The controller also features audio interface flexibility, and has an integrated HDCP decryption engine and I2C slave interface for HDCP authentication. The HDMI 1.3 RX PHY features an automatic adaptive equaliser function and a variable number of input channels, and is capable of supporting cables up to 20m, it was noted.

Qiao Xing Mobile Communication, a Chinese manufacturer of mobile handsets, has established strategic cooperation with Datang Telecom Technology, a Chinese supplier of TD-SCDMA chipsets.

Qiao Xing Mobile’s subsidiary CEC Telecom (CECT) signed the cooperation agreement with Datang.

Based on the agreement, Datang will supply TD-SCDMA chipsets to CECT, which will be used in at least two TD-SCDMA mobile phones VAVA T3 and VAVA T6, which CECT plans to release in 2009.

The company informed that T3 and T6 will allow users to experience the full range of 3G content, including video conferencing and high-speed internet functions. In addition, T6 will equip HSDPA, GPS and CMMB mobile TV functions. T3 has begun an operation test with China Mobile.

Apache Design Solutions, a player in power and noise integrity for chip, package, and system convergence, has expanded its business relationship and technical collaboration with STMicroelectronics to address the power and noise challenges associated with 45/32nm designs.

Apache and ST’s cooperative efforts have resulted in the delivery of power and noise solutions for SoC power signoff, advanced low power design validation, custom IP analysis and modeling, and early-design power/ground grid prototyping.

The companies believe this collaboration will expand ST’s use of Apache’s RedHawk and Sentinel platforms to address the upcoming design challenges such as 3D-IC power integrity, DDR jitter detection and prevention, chip-package-system convergence, and EMI analysis.