A Bluetooth link handles personal area networking in the device as well, leaving one to wonder why WiFi wasn't just thrown into the already-rich mix of options. Bluetooth is put to dedicated use with the included down-sized flip handset that serves basically as a cordless phone for voice communications over (presumably) either EVDO- or WiBro-based links.
The compute portion of the P9000 is a typical PC architecture, here using the Transmeta 1.0-GHz Efficeon processor (#TM8820) with North Bridge capabilities. Supporting the processor are four (4) 64-MB single die packages of SDRAM from Samsung (#K4H511638C-ZCB3). For the South Bridge, an ALI I/O Controller (#M1563) is used, supported with 2 MB of NOR flash from STMicroelectronics (#M50LPW116). Video is handled with a Mobility RADEON #M6-C16h graphics processor from AMD (ATI Technologies), whose package also contains 16 MB of GDDR SDRAM from Samsung (#K4D263238G-VC33). A 30-GB hard-disk drive is used for mass storage.
A proprietary device from Samsung (#S4LF058X01) appears to sit between the RADEON part and the 5-in. Samsung-manufactured WVGA display, serving presumably as a display controller. Mounted next to the display and facing the user is a 1.3-MP camera containing a CMOS image sensor from Samsung (#S5K4AAFA23) that is joined to USB 2.0 Camera Processor from Vimicro (#VC0321).
WiBro connectivity is handled by a Samsung WiBro Baseband Processor (#CMC71000, interestingly manufactured by TI) tied to a Spansion multichip memory with 16 MB and 8 MB of NOR and p-SRAM, respectively. For the RF end of WiBro, a #GRF7202 transceiver from GCT Semiconductor is used, combined here with an Anadigics #AWT6235 RF Power Amplifier. Bluetooth comes in the form of a shrink-wrapped Murata module containing a Broadcom BCM2035 single-chip Bluetooth solution and associated support components.
WAN radio functions are handled by a Qualcomm #MSM6500 Processor with a Qualcomm WCDMA Receiver (#RFR6135) and Samsung Transmit Processor (#S1M8690), the latter an interesting departure from full reliance on a Qualcomm chipset solution for EVDO. Memory support for the MSM6500 is a two-die stack memory package from Samsung (K5D1257DCA-D090) containing 64 MB of NAND flash and 32 MB of SDRAM. An Anadigics #CHP1237 RF PA provides final-stage CDMA output.
On the user interface side of the design, a small touchpad is used for navigation, enabled by a Synaptics Touch Pad Controller. No touch screen is present on the display, a divergence from the present trend in smart phone design yet consistent with the more PC-like nature of the design. Audio devices from Sigmatel and Forte Media cover sound output and input respectively to round out the list of interface components, although power-management chips large and small are found throughout the SPH-9000 design.
Mechanical enclosures are complex and costly as would be expected with any device of this nature, but the folding and swiveling elements of articulation further add to the cost equation. Simply stated, "flexibility" does not come cheap; the design relies on an extensive set of cast metal components to further enhance both industrial design objectives and durability at the expense of adding to the bill of materials.
On the cost theme, our detailed teardown analysis shows that an expensive core product design easily approaches that of a more conventional netbook. Add in the rich set of included accessories such as external secondary battery, docking connector, Bluetooth cordless phone with stand, AC adapter and miniature suitcase, and the total BOM tab grows by yet another $100 to pretty easily rival that of a traditional notebook.
Built-in WiBro and CDMA-EVDO certainly adds a new dimension to things but the fact that a small suitcase is needed to organize all of the adapters, accessories and barnacles of the design beg the question of whether the size reduction of the P9000 really buys that much. The present market restriction of Korea for the design may in fact speak to Samsung's own doubts of broad consumer interest and the somewhat experimental nature of the product.
With the SPH-9000 it seems sometimes the often-publicized "war" between smart phones, netbooks, notebooks and the like is being tested in the more friendly territory of a constrained home turf. Whether the new ideas of the device ever spill outside the borders of South Korea--with some EVDO rebanding and WiBro-to-WiMax conversions--remains to be seen. p
David Carey is president of Portelligent (www.teardown.com), a TechInsights company. The Austin, Texas, company produces teardown reports and related industry research on wireless, mobile and personal electronics
