[azrin640]

Somebody please explain what is the minimum spec to run OS10?

IMO, hardware for bb OS7 is more then enough to run bb10. I don't care much about LTE. Is bb10 so power hungry that it will eat the power on OS7 devices?

I have compared the spec for both
BlackBerry PlayBook vs. BlackBerry Torch 9810 - GSMArena.com

The only differences are the dual core 1GHz Playbook to 1.2GHz single core and 1Gb RAM on PB to 768Mb RAM. I don't think the differences is too big with todays chips.

Please share your views.

[s7khan]

The 9810 has no GPU

[_StephenBB81]

The 9810 has no GPU

Yes it does, all the OS7 devices have GPU's for "liquid graphics"



the Minimum requirement for BB10 is apparently dual core, it is developed for multithreading from the ground up.
The user experience I suppose would not be the same if they put it on OS7 devices. it would be nice of them to release BB10"lite" in 2013 to expand their footprint of BB10, but that is a slim chance

[azrin640]

If I am not mistaken CPU for OS7 devices has internal GPU in the Qualcom Snapdragon CPU.

Not so sure about the spec though.

[azrin640]

the Minimum requirement for BB10 is apparently dual core, it is developed for multithreading from the ground up.
The user experience I suppose would not be the same if they put it on OS7 devices. it would be nice of them to release BB10"lite" in 2013 to expand their footprint of BB10, but that is a slim chance

This is the first time I heard of BB10 lite. A very nice concept. If it can work on bbos7 devices that will be a wow factor and savings for support.

[sleepngbear]

This is the first time I heard of BB10 lite. A very nice concept. If it can work on bbos7 devices that will be a wow factor and savings for support.

I don't really see how that would be a savings ... if anything it would be an added burden to have to develop, test and support yet another OS version for a different set of hardware, which is exactly what they're trying to get away from with sharing the OS between tablet and hand-held form factors.

As I understand it, QNX can run on a single-core processor, but this implementation of it is optimized for multiple cores. Keep in mind that there's a lot more to the architecture of a CPU than ghz and number of cores. My guess would be that trying to run QNX on either 1.2 ghz or the current chip architecture or some combination of both, combined with the additional demands of communications required of a phone, would result in a less-than-satisfactory user experience. (To wit: the next-gen PlayBook with added 3G/4G capability is rumored to have a 1.5 ghz dual-core processor.)

We're just going to have to suck it up and call it a small price to pay for the company to regain a competitive edge. How long do people actually keep their phones between upgrades nowadays anyway.

[Denise in Los Angeles]

I don't really see how that would be a savings ... if anything it would be an added burden to have to develop, test and support yet another OS version for a different set of hardware, which is exactly what they're trying to get away from with sharing the OS between tablet and hand-held form factors.

As I understand it, QNX can run on a single-core processor, but this implementation of it is optimized for multiple cores. Keep in mind that there's a lot more to the architecture of a CPU than ghz and number of cores. My guess would be that trying to run QNX on either 1.2 ghz or the current chip architecture or some combination of both, combined with the additional demands of communications required of a phone, would result in a less-than-satisfactory user experience. (To wit: the next-gen PlayBook with added 3G/4G capability is rumored to have a 1.5 ghz dual-core processor.)

We're just going to have to suck it up and call it a small price to pay for the company to regain a competitive edge. How long do people actually keep their phones between upgrades nowadays anyway.

Very good explanation. I know some people want the newest OS on their phones, but in reality, it isn't always possible.

[azrin640]

I don't really see how that would be a savings ... if anything it would be an added burden to have to develop, test and support yet another OS version for a different set of hardware, which is exactly what they're trying to get away from with sharing the OS between tablet and hand-held form factors.

As I understand it, QNX can run on a single-core processor, but this implementation of it is optimized for multiple cores. Keep in mind that there's a lot more to the architecture of a CPU than ghz and number of cores. My guess would be that trying to run QNX on either 1.2 ghz or the current chip architecture or some combination of both, combined with the additional demands of communications required of a phone, would result in a less-than-satisfactory user experience. (To wit: the next-gen PlayBook with added 3G/4G capability is rumored to have a 1.5 ghz dual-core processor

IMO maintaining OS7 itself is a burden on the human resources and man hour. If the same bb10 OS is offered as a lite version on OS7 devices , maybe minus the ability to multitask such as iphone 3g/3gs it would be a selling point for bbos7 devices awaiting the bb10 superphone with LTE later this year.

If QNX itself can run on single core, I can't see why RIM should not try. Please remember that QNX still run mostly on 64/128 bit processor for other applications.

[playbookster]

Because the OS is design for a dual core and true multitasking.. You cannot do this very effectively with one core.

[_StephenBB81]

I don't really see how that would be a savings ... if anything it would be an added burden to have to develop, test and support yet another OS version for a different set of hardware, which is exactly what they're trying to get away from with sharing the OS between tablet and hand-held form factors.

As I understand it, QNX can run on a single-core processor, but this implementation of it is optimized for multiple cores. Keep in mind that there's a lot more to the architecture of a CPU than ghz and number of cores. My guess would be that trying to run QNX on either 1.2 ghz or the current chip architecture or some combination of both, combined with the additional demands of communications required of a phone, would result in a less-than-satisfactory user experience. (To wit: the next-gen PlayBook with added 3G/4G capability is rumored to have a 1.5 ghz dual-core processor.)

We're just going to have to suck it up and call it a small price to pay for the company to regain a competitive edge. How long do people actually keep their phones between upgrades nowadays anyway.

The savings would be that they could drop the support and bug fixes for OS7, and tie all that into the same core code of a QNX based device, ending the support life costs of OS7, though creating new support costs for the BB10 lite,
RIM has toyed with the "lite" concept in the past.

in addition they'd increase the user footprint of BB10 based phones, for website statistic tracking, and ad impression tracking factors that app developers look at.


The thought that the user experience would be less than satisfactory is a very real worry, which is why you'd choose things to shut down in Lite, like the ability to leave video running whilst doing something else, you'd do as current devices on the market do and pause video when not in full screen, you'd limit the number of open applications available, the single vs dual core difference is probably the only REAL difference between the devices needs, if that is really a need as available RAM just limits how much you can do.
And hopefully with Cascades vs AIR, BB10 will be lighter than PBOS1 and like Windows 7 vs Windows Vista, the newer and better OS actually needs less hardware to run smoothly

[DenverRalphy]

Because the OS is design for a dual core and true multitasking.. You cannot do this very effectively with one core.

Multitasking and multi-threading have nothing to do with multi-cores, nor has any reliance upon them. The only thing they have in common is the prefix "multi" in the terms.

The reason only multi-core BB's will have BB10 on them is simply because development made a decision to do so. The decision makes sense too. Sure it would be nice for users of current devices to be able to upgrade to the newer OS version. But from the development side, it just throws more work (and consequently more headaches) your way to maintain multiple kernel versions for differing cpu/hardware configurations. Especially when you're trying to completely revamp and retool the entire operation.

It's a decision based on organization, not limitations.

[BEARD GANG]

Dual core issues

[CrackedBarry]

Multitasking and multi-threading have nothing to do with multi-cores, nor has any reliance upon them. The only thing they have in common is the prefix "multi" in the terms.

Very true... It all comes down to programming, and how well optimized your OS is. Look at WP7... On a single core it's more fluid and responsive than many dual core CPUs.

(and it's nonsense to talk about "true multitasking" or how a certain operating system isn't designed for multitasking yet. ALL modern operating systems, whether iOS or Android or WP7 can multitask)

But back to the question, it probably has to do with RIMs software engineers deciding that multicolor is the way to go, since single core CPUs will be obsolete in a year or two anyways.

BBOS10 apparently has a fairly heavy footprint too. When people are saying what a light footprint and low hardware demands QNX have, they're talking about the bare bottom QNX that has little in common with BBOS10. RIM has added a lot on top of it, to get a tablet/handheld device operating system out of something that originally was designed for completely different purposes.

And finally, it would be a waste of resources for developers, if BBOS10 came out on BB7 devices. One of the ways that RIM is pimping BBOS10 to developers is by explaining that it's a clean break. Yes they have to rewrite their apps, but they don't have to deal with many different screen layouts, resolutions and different hardware specs. If BBOS10 DID come out on the old BB7 devices, they'd have to deal with that headache again...