Imagination and Hardkernel partner to deliver high-performance GPU capabilities on low-cost ODROID-XU development board

ODROID-XU board with Samsung Exynos 5410 Octa processor features advanced graphics and GPU compute support using high-performance PowerVR GPU

London, UK – 2nd August 2013 – Imagination Technologies (IMG.L), a leading multimedia, processor, communications and cloud technologies company, announced today that Hardkernel, a hardware supplier specialized in affordable open development platforms, has released the high-performance, low-cost ODROID-XU development board.

With ODROID-XU, developers can access the following applications programming interfaces (APIs):

• Full OpenGL ES 2.0 for Android and Linux and OpenGL 2.1 for Linux
• A range of near OpenGL ES 3.0 features due to a series of OpenGL ES 2.0 extensions for Android and Linux
• OpenCL EP 1.1 for Linux
• Renderscript and Filterscript for Android

The combination of all these capabilities allows developers to create new and compelling applications for mobile, using the full potential of Imagination’s PowerVR SGX544 GPU.

Says Amit Rohatgi, VP of segment marketing, Imagination: “The ODROID-XU is an excellent example of how Imagination, together with key ecosystem partners including Hardkernel, is delivering on our strategic vision to enable the PowerVR developer ecosystem with all of the resources they require to achieve market leadership. This is part of our continued effort to grow the vibrant PowerVR developer community through programs with silicon partners, tools and middleware vendors, and OEM and hardware vendors.”

Thanks to the PowerVR GPU, ODROID-XU developers can now access the full OpenCL EP API feature set in a production-ready form. The development system also provides a unique set of advanced features for the PowerVR GPU similar to the ones found in the next-generation OpenGL ES 3.0 API standard in the form of OpenGL ES 2.0 API extensions, enabling them to create new and more compelling applications leveraging the advanced capabilities of the PowerVR SGX544 GPU.

Continues Rohatgi: “We have been very impressed with Hardkernel’s integration work utilizing our latest PowerVR Series5XT GPU. As a result, we feel Hardkernel is in a strong position to deliver affordable, high-quality development boards to the market, and provide developers with all of the hardware and software resources they need to design applications for the next wave of mobile computing.”

Says Justin Lee, CEO of Hardkernel: “We are very excited to offer developers access to a mainstream, open platform that enables them to write advanced applications which can take full advantage of the low-power, high-performance graphics and GPU compute available on Imagination’s PowerVR SGX544MP3 GPU.

”Working with Imagination to optimize the PowerVR software for the ODRIOD-XU has been very rewarding. By integrating the latest PowerVR Series5XT DDK (Driver Development Kit), we have increased peak efficiency and lowered power consumption so that developers can achieve new levels of performance in mobile gaming, UI development and many other application areas.”

The Exynos 5410 processor inside the ODROID-XU contains a PowerVR SGX544MP3 GPU that supports a wide variety of graphics and compute API standards such as OpenGL ES 1.1/2.0, OpenGL 2.1 and OpenCL EP 1.1.

The high-performance Hardkernel ODROID-XU development board comes in a low-cost, micro-size form factor. With 6x USB ports, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (optional), Ethernet, on-board audio codec, SDIO ports and more, the boards are pre-loaded with the latest version of the Android 4.2 operating system. Support for various flavours of Linux, including Ubuntu, is coming soon.

For full specifications and further information on how to order the ODROID-XU, please visit www.hardkernel.com.

About Imagination’s OpenGL ES 2.0 API extensions for PowerVR Series5XT GPUs

Because of the advanced architecture of PowerVR Series5XT GPUs, Imagination is in a rare position amongst today’s mobile GPU providers, of being able to offer today some of the new and advanced features expected from future GPUs on Imagination’s current Series5XT GPU technology, through API extensions without any hardware changes or additional cost.

The new extensions can enhance the delivered capabilities of today’s technology and application processors based on that technology, and enable developers to create apps that can access some of the features of OpenGL ES 3.0, taking them into the next level of possibilities in visual effects and efficiency. These features can also enhance the performance and power efficiency of today’s mobile devices by enabling movement of more workload from the CPU to the GPU.

The API extensions provide features such as: multiple render targets; occlusion queries; seamless cube maps; sampler access from vertex shaders; floating point textures; GLSL full-precision floating point; R and RG textures; min/max blends; and multisample render buffers.

About Hardkernel

Hardkernel is a worldwide hardware supplier that provides development environments and platforms, hardware schematics and an open community for platform development. Developers can design hardware and software for smart devices by using their low cost, high performance ODROID platforms. For more information on Hardkernel and ODROID, visit them at www.hardkernel.com.

About Imagination

Imagination Technologies - a global leader in multimedia, processor, communication and cloud technologies - creates and licenses market-leading processor solutions including graphics, video, vision, CPU and embedded processing, multi-standard communications, cross-platform V.VoIP and VoLTE, and cloud connectivity. These silicon and software intellectual property (IP) solutions for systems-on-chip (SoC) are complemented by an extensive portfolio of software, tools and ecosystems. Target markets include mobile phone, connected home consumer, mobile and tablet computing, in-car electronics, networking, telecoms, health, smart energy and connected sensors. Imagination's licensees include many of the world's leading semiconductor manufacturers, network operators and OEM/ODMs. Corporate headquarters are located in the United Kingdom, with sales and R&D offices worldwide. See: www.imgtec.com.