Mobile Phone Haven

Do you want the power of a PC in the palm of your hand? Well consider the Toshiba TG01 cellphone as just that. It powers 3-D games, plays high-definition movies, and smoothly runs many programs at once, something few other phones can offer. The Toshiba TG01 can do all this yet it’s less than four tenths of an inch thick. To whom do we owe thanks you ask? Qualcomm! Qualcomm’s Snapdragon system packs several previously separate chips into one case the size of a dime.

Snapdragon builds in a speedy one-gigahertz processor, as well as, a graphics chip, a GPS receiver, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios, and a fast cellular data chip that can work on any network. By putting all these pieces in one package, Qualcomm can eliminate the usual bulky cover around each individual chip. The compact result won’t drain your battery, either — the main processor boasts low-power transistors and runs at top speed only when needed. Even at full tilt, it sips only half a watt, far less than other processors that run at around the same speed.

The TG01 hits Europe this summer. Other gadget manufacturers, including Samsung and LG, will release Snapdragon phones later this year. Let’s hope they make it here to the U.S.