Austin, TX — (press release excerpt) — Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector today unveiled two new DragonBall microprocessor products — DragonBall MX1 and DragonBall Super VZ. The DragonBall MX1, which is Motorola's first ARM-based DragonBall product, targets high-end, wirelessly connected mobile products that can leverage its ARM920T core-based microprocessor with speeds up to 200 MHz. Additionally, the DragonBall MX1 provides the first on-chip Bluetooth ready applications processor announced from a major worldwide semiconductor supplier. The next-generation DragonBall Super VZ operates at a 66 MHz clock speed, and provides more than twice the performance of its popular DragonBall VZ predecessor. It also improves upon the high level of peripheral integration that is the trademark of the DragonBall family.

In developing the DragonBall family, Motorola has developed close intellectual property agreements with ARM for ARM920T core technology on the DragonBall MX1; Sony Corporation for Memory Stick interface on DragonBall MX1 and Super VZ; Digianswer A/S for Bluetooth wireless technology on DragonBall MX1; and Metrowerks for CodeWarrior on the DragonBall Super VZ and DragonBall MX1. Motorola is a board member of the Secure Digital Association for Secure Digital (SD) interface on DragonBall MX1 and Super VZ. The DragonBall family is capable of supporting industry-leading systems such as the Palm OS platform, Microsoft Windows CE operating system and Pocket PC, [embedded] Linux, and Symbian EPOC.

As the first semiconductor supplier of a Bluetooth ready applications processor platform, this technology, combined with the on-chip USB, Multi-Media Accelerator, color LCD controller, A/D converter, Multi-Media/Secure Digital Card (MMC/SD) and Memory Stick expansion card controllers replaces six ICs with a single-chip optimal multimedia platform. The DragonBall Super VZ and MX1 feature low power consumption in active, sleep, and shutdown modes. Their peripheral sets include an LCD controller that supports 16 gray-level monochrome, color STN displays and color TFT displays. With its intelligent integrated peripherals including the Multimedia Accelerator (MMA), MMC/SD, and Memory Stick expansion card interface, advanced processor core and power management capabilities, the DragonBall MX1 offers designers a robust suite of peripherals that enhance mobile data devices and offer a rich multimedia experience. Additionally, the DragonBall MX1 is designed to provide ample system-optimized memory configuration that systems designers can use as video buffering and critical program and/or data storage.

 
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