Qualcomm snaps back with 3D, ultrasound and more

With rival Intel grabbing headlines from Computex 2011 for its efforts to get inside tablet computers and smartphones, Qualcomm used the show to demonstrate the capabilities of its ARM-based Snapdragon chips.

The company showed a range of demos using its MSM8660 chip, including 3D video recording and display, gaming, asynchronous dual core performance - where the two 'brains' in the chip can operate at different speeds when necessary, saving power - and even ultrasound.

The ultrasound based demo allowed a prototype handset to wirelessly record handwritten notes being made on a nearby pad of paper.

Snapdragon processors are used in dozens of smartphones and tablets, including the new Acer Iconia Smart (see our video here) and Lenovo's U1 Hybrid, which we tested out at this year's CES show.

The company's Anita Hix was upbeat in the face of Intel's tablet onslaught.

"We've come from the mobile space", she told Computeractive. "Our products are designed to have the battery life and performance combination that's needed - and there are over 250 more [Snapdragon-based] devices in development."