Marvell and Hanwang join forces to revolutionize global eReader market

TAIPEI, TAIWAN: Marvell and Hanwang, the leading eReader solution provider in China, have unveiled a new generation of eReaders aimed at higher performance, greater versatility and true mass market pricing.

Featuring the Marvell ARMADA 166E—the first System-on-a-Chip (SoC) with an integrated e-Paper Display (EPD) controller—Hanwang's new generation of devices offers better performance, more functionality and lower price points than any eReaders on the market today.

"Marvell's goal is to deliver superior eReader technology and a better consumer experience at mass market prices," said Weili Dai, Marvell's Co-founder and Vice President and General Manager of Marvell Semiconductor's Consumer and Computing Business Unit.

"Marvell's complete portfolio of high performance, low power semiconductor solutions promise a new era of connected mobile devices featuring always-on, live content, new consumer experiences and services, superior battery life, and greater overall value—all of which is critical to drive global adoption in emerging markets and within new vertical applications—such as publishing."

Central to this eReader platform is the ARMADA 166E, the industry's first fully-integrated EPD controller with a processor utilizing the ARM instruction set. The combination delivers best-in-class user experiences and support for the latest Android, Linux, and WinCE operating systems, allowing users to experience ultra-fast system performance and quick renderings of high-resolution PDF or ePub documents.

Such performance is provided in conjunction with new features that conserve power consumption, including a unique hibernation or zero power mode that enables users to enjoy more than 8,000 pages of content with a single battery charge.

Advanced features of the EPD controller include automatic partial updates, per-pixel processing, and parallel updates for smooth, enjoyable visual experiences.

Hanwang is China's largest eReader maker and according to industry analysts Display Search, China is expected to become the world's largest eReader market sometime before 2015.

"Marvell's differentiated solution empowers Hanwang to give consumers—in China and around the world—a new generation of eReaders with mass market appeal—better performance at a better price," says Mr. YingJian Liu, Hanwang chairman and CEO.

"Marvell's leading technology aligns perfectly with Hanwang's plan to deliver affordable eReaders to a worldwide market eager for better value."

The first models of Hanwang's next generation eReaders will be available from Hanwang in calendar 3Q2010. The ultra thin and portable devices will be introduced at Computex in the Hanwang booth: Nangang, N210.