Forget quad-core tablets; here's a quad-core smartphone

While some tablet makers are talking up the benefits of quad-core processors in their devices, Fujitsu has put a quad-core chip in a smartphone -- at least for a prototype version on display at CES.

While some tablet makers are talking about the benefits of quad-core processors in their devices, Fujitsu has put a quad-core chip in a smartphone -- at least for a prototype version on display at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

The device, shown under a protective plastic cover in the Fujitsu booth, uses Nvidia's Tegra 3 processor and Android 4.0, also called Ice Cream Sandwich.

Many smartphones, including all of the Windows Phone models, run on a single processor core, so the emerging dual-core smartphones are considered a big leap ahead in processor speed. Quad-core phones would represent yet another jump in power.

The quad-core prototype has a 4.6-in. screen and an LTE radio, as well as a 13-megapixel camera, a booth representative said.

The device doesn't have a specific name, but falls in the Arrows line of phones. No details on availability or pricing have been announced.

Fujitsu also had another Arrows smartphone on display with no specific name. It comes in at 0.26-in. thick, making it the thinnest smartphone. That device has a 4-in. display and runs Android 2.3 with a Qualcomm MSM8655 1.4 GHz processor and a 1400 mAh battery. It is also waterproof.

Fujitsu showed off this Arrows smartphone prototype running a quad-core processor and Android 4.0. (White iPhone used for scale)

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Matt Hamblen covers mobile and wireless, smartphones and other handhelds, and wireless networking for Computerworld. Follow Matt on Twitter at @matthamblen or subscribe to Matt's RSS feed . His e-mail address is mhamblen@computerworld.com .

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