New tablet chips from Qualcomm emphasize constant connectivity

Chipmaker Qualcomm® used the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas to introduce a new Snapdragon™ chipset designed for tablet computers, and even gave audience members an early peek at the upcoming Windows® 8 operating system from Microsoft®.

The main emphasis of the Snapdragon S4 processors is connectivity. According to Qualcomm, the chipset is designed to ensure that devices -- tablets as well as PCs -- turn on instantly and are always connected to the network.

Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs demonstrated the new chip on a Windows 8-powered tablet connected to AT&T's 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network. Jacobs noted Qualcomm is working with AT&T to bring next-generation tablets and PCs to the carrier's network.

"Today's customer demands a more powerful and faster network connection which plays to Qualcomm's key technology strengths for designing leading-edge chipsets," said AT&T vice president Michael Stice in a press release. "We are working with Qualcomm to enable the next generation of mobile PCs and tablets enhanced by our 3G and LTE networks."

Qualcomm is known widely for its smartphone chips, but is not as popular in the tablet arena. As the company prepares to make a push for this new market, it will be met with stiff competition from the likes of Intel®, NVIDIA® and others.