"Android is not ready for multi-core processors"

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ClintX

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:whistle:

<sarcasm> Yip, it is all about multiple cores and more RAM, screw optimisation of the OS, that's just unnecessary. Give me more CORES and I'll buy, buy, buy! </sarcasm>

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2182710/intel-claims-android-ready-multi-core-processors


CHIPMAKER Intel has claimed that system-on-chip (SoC) vendors have not done enough to optimise Android for multi-core processors.

Intel's single-core Medfield Atom processor enters the market at time when almost all of the big hitting ARM vendors are focusing efforts on dual-core and quad-core processors. However Intel said that chip firms should do more to optimise Android for multi-core processors as it does not effectively make use of multiple cores.
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Bell also claimed that Intel's internal testing had shown multi-core implementations running slower than single core, however he did not finger any particular chip.

"If you take a look a lot of handsets on the market, when you turn on the second core or having the second core there [on die], the [current] leakage is high enough and their power threshold is low enough because of the size of the case that it isn't entirely clear you get much of a benefit to turning the second core on. We ran our own numbers and [in] some of the use cases we've seen, having a second core is actually a detriment, because of the way some of the people have not implemented their thread scheduling."
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Finally Bell claimed that Android doesn't make use of multi-core processors, something he thought other chip firms should work on sorting out alongside Intel. "The way it's implemented right now, Android does not make as effective use of multiple cores as it could, and I think - frankly - some of this work could be done by the vendors who create the SoCs, but they just haven't bothered to do it."
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No real need in it's current form. I'm waiting for this to be released:

http://www.ubuntu.com/devices/android

Now multi-core Android phones can be PCs too. Ubuntu for Android enables high-end Android handsets to run Ubuntu, the world's favourite free PC desktop operating system. So users get the Android they know on the move, but when they connect their phone to a monitor, mouse and keyboard, it becomes a PC.
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Thanks ClintX - let me go buy a nokia today :)
 
Ecco said:
Thanks ClintX - let me go buy a nokia today :)
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Good choice! Although I sense your dripping sarcasm. I did feel the need to share this as it is the argument often thrown up when comparing phones. I'm still of the opinion that it is merely a numbers game and that the processors achieve very little. OS optimisation is the way to go so when comparing an Android with a quad core to a Symbian with a single core it is not as easy as saying A is definitely faster and better. But the masses think this.
 
LOL

If it was an independent company that said this I would so ok but seeing that Intel has a vested interest as it is losing billions thanx to ARM+mobile explosion, I would expect them to say this.

"If you are in a non-power constrained case, I think multiple cores make a lot of sense because you can run the cores full out...

"[But] if you take a look a lot of handsets on the market, when you turn on the second core... the [current] leakage is high enough and their power threshold is low enough because of the size of the case that it isn't entirely clear you get much of a benefit to turning the second core on. We ran our own numbers and some of the use cases we've seen, having a second core is actually a detriment, because of the way some of the people have not implemented their thread scheduling.

"I've taken a look at the multiple core implementations in the market, and frankly...it isn't obvious to me you really get the advantage for the size and the cost of what's going into that part."
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Besides the same is true for any platform, if the developer of an Application does not code properly to support multi threaded apps, they will not use multi threads. What did you expect?

I have a feeling this marketing blitz was brought to thanx to Windows 8 + Intel push.
 
Elimentals said:
Besides the same is true for any platform, if the developer of an Application does not code properly to support multi threaded apps, they will not use multi threads. What did you expect?

I have a feeling this marketing blitz was brought to thanx to Windows 8 + Intel push.
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Is this why for example when I encode with Handbrake, all my cores are used to do the job quick sticks...but when I run BOINC...then onlyl on core is used to do one job? Cause the programmer did not enable hyper threading stuffs in his code?
 
ocleroux said:
Is this why for example when I encode with Handbrake, all my cores are used to do the job quick sticks...but when I run BOINC...then onlyl on core is used to do one job? Cause the programmer did not enable hyper threading stuffs in his code?
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Simple answer, yes. explained one, totally depends on what is fed into the CPU's sometimes you can not do more than one task at a time as the next task is waiting for an answer from the previous one before it can continue.

So in short it all depends on the applications and what they need to do.
 
However Intel said that chip firms should do more to optimise Android for multi-core processors as it does not effectively make use of multiple cores.
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WTF do chip firms have to do with the OS in any case? And what about iPhone 4S with it's dual core CPU, is IOS optimized for multi-core, or do the chip munafacturers need to uptimize IOS as well?
 
ClintX said:
Hardly surprised by your reaction. As stated buy buy buy based on those specs alone... marketers love you. And NO ONE knows better than you. I get it.
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ClintX - you know best dude,which is why marketers hate you. And you are why i am buying a Nokia!
 
ClintX said:
Hardly surprised by your reaction. As stated buy buy buy based on those specs alone... marketers love you. And NO ONE knows better than you. I get it.
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You have no idea what Elementals does for a living...
 
boerseun said:
WTF do chip firms have to do with the OS in any case? And what about iPhone 4S with it's dual core CPU, is IOS optimized for multi-core, or do the chip munafacturers need to uptimize IOS as well?
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Actually, they don't have anything to do with the OS. And yes iOS is multi core optimized as far as I remember. And remember the chip manufacturers determine what multicore features and instruction sets there are for the OS developers to use. Plus SoC is what ties all the hardware in the system together. And makes the processor perform at it's best. Without a decent chip you lose a lot of performance.

[EDIT] Ok, now that I am sitting behind a keyboard I can better explain myself rather than through a BS touch screen keyboard and tiny screen.

One of the reason that Intel is pointing this out is not purely because they are losing out on the mobile market (why would they be sour since they still are the processor leaders on other platforms?) but because multi core processing has a distinct advantange over single core processing. In the end the actual raw peformance gain isn't that much, but your per watt performance gain is better since in a multi core environment you have better power dissipation management since you can switch cores on and off as they are needed and don't need to necessarily funnel everything into a single processor and increase the processing frequency needed which in turn increases the voltage and also increases power dissipated. In a multicore environment you can take multiple tasks and funnel them through different processors without having to ramp up the cores' processing speed and then power down the cores you aren't using. In the end the translates to better power usage and longer battery life.

But granted, apps do run smoother if the OS itself can support multithreading and multicore processing since then it can delegate the work of apps that use a single core to other cores. But for multicore processing to be effective one needs a decent SoC since this controls how resources are delegated to each core and if done efficiently can increase the performance whilst at the same time reduces the need for greater power consumption as it can efficiently allow cores to access resources as needed without making them wait too long
 
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AstroTurf said:
At least he is doing some research on Android now :D (even if the reason for this is negative, the result may just be positive).
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You guys can be a little slow but you're learning :) I made it quite clear fairly near the start of the first Symbian/Android post that I am on the market for an upgrade and am always looking at what is out there. What better way to learn than from some fanboys :p If only more of you would actually argue the case of Android instead of trying to bash (current) Symbian, which you all seem to know very little about. By the way, the 808 is still my phone of choice so not sure if that means you're not doing a good job... ;)
 
ClintX said:
You guys can be a little slow but you're learning :) I made it quite clear fairly near the start of the first Symbian/Android post that I am on the market for an upgrade and am always looking at what is out there. What better way to learn than from some fanboys :p If only more of you would actually argue the case of Android instead of trying to bash (current) Symbian, which you all seem to know very little about. By the way, the 808 is still my phone of choice so not sure if that means you're not doing a good job... ;)
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Why don't you argue Symbian's case? So far I've only seen you argue the N8's camera's case.
 
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