11 Incredible Facts About Nvidia You Probably Didn't Know
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Nvidia Created The First GPU
A graphics processing unit, or simply a GPU, is the technology that allows images to appear on a gaming device. Nvidia coined the term in 1999 with the release of GeForce, which is considered to be the first GPU in the world. Video cards have been on the market for many years prior to the release of GeForce, but most people consider Nvidia as the first company to popularize the term and grow the technology.
Users Developed The Name For GeForce
Nvidia revolutionized gaming in 1999 with the release of GeForce, one of the leading brands of graphics processing units (GPU). Before it officially released GeForce, Nvidia wasn't sure about the name for the product. As a result, Nvidia held a contest where users would submit entries to come up with a name. Over 12,000 entries were submitted to Nvidia before GeForce was finally selected as the official product name for the release. Seven users received a graphics card as a prize for the contest.
Nvidia Boasts Over 370 Self-Driving Partnerships
Nvidia is harnessing their artificial intelligence technology to make self-driving cars safer and more efficient. Meanwhile, Nvidia has teamed up with over 370 leading automobile companies. Nvidia welcomed partners in the car manufacturing sector like Audi, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Tesla. It has also teamed up with mobility service companies like Airbus and Nuro. The company has also worked with researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Carnegie Mellon University to revolutionize the automobile industry.
It Has A Unique Name
The origin of Nvidia's name traces back in the 1990s when founders Jensen Huang, Chris Malachowsky, and Curtis Priem brainstormed several alternatives. The chosen name is actually a compilation of several words. The 'NV' in the name stands for 'next version,' which is how the founders viewed their company in the tech world. They added the word 'invidia' at the end, which is the Latin word for envy. By putting those things together, the founders came up with Nvidia.
Nvidia Created The First GPU
A graphics processing unit, or simply a GPU, is the technology that allows images to appear on a gaming device. Nvidia coined the term in 1999 with the release of GeForce, which is considered to be the first GPU in the world. Video cards have been on the market for many years prior to the release of GeForce, but most people consider Nvidia as the first company to popularize the term and grow the technology.
Nvidia Made A Race Car
Nvidia teamed up with Roborace to create an innovative race car like no other. By using its artificial intelligence capabilities, Nvidia hopes that this race car provides a glimpse into the future of automobiles. What makes this race car unique is that it can actually race in normal conditions. That means that the race car can be used to drive around heavy traffic on roads. It has only been used in low-intensity demonstration runs so far.
Millennials Are Investing In The Company
As a result of the company's presence in the gaming world since the 90s, millennials have come to cherish Nividia. Many millennials are users of Nvidia's products and now, many millennials are investing in the company. Stock trading app Robinhood revealed that Nividia is the sixth most popular company among millennial investors. This is good news for those who have invested in the company, because Nvidia's stock has more than doubled in value since 2017.
Nvidia Created The World's First AI Supercomputer For Level 5 Robotaxis
In 2017, Nvidia announced the creation of the first artificial intelligence supercomputer that can be used for level 5 robotaxis. Nicknamed Pegasus, the system offers over 320 trillion operations per second. The most interesting aspect is that the system is roughly the size of a license plate. Nvidia hopes that this technology will trigger the emergence of robotaxis that will transport customers on the roads. About two dozen companies are already planning to experiment with Pegasus.
Nvidia Is Making A Powerful VR Platform
Nvidia views virtual reality as the future of gaming, and it is allocating a lot of resources in this field. To create a powerful virtual reality platform, Nvidia is focusing on three major components. First, it is developing industry leading performance GPUs. Second, Nvidia harnessed graphic drivers to create a unique virtual reality experience. Finally, its VRWorks SDKs utilize realistic graphics, outstanding audio, and physically-simulated environments. Nvidia hopes to become a leading virtual reality company.
Nvidia Acquired A Lot Of Companies
As Nvidia grew over the years, it also acquired a lot of other tech companies. Among its acquired holdings are southbridge supplier ULI Electronics, software company Exluna, and chip making company Icera. Nvidia also purchased graphics software company Hybrid Graphics. In 2013, it acquired the Portland Group, a producer of high-performance computing systems. It also bought fabless semiconductor company Ageia, and renamed it Nvidia PhysX. All of these acquisitions strengthen Nvidia's standing as a leading tech company.
Zune Was The First Product To Use Tegra
Tegra is Nvidia's system on a chip (SoC) series for mobile devices. This product is considered to be one of the world's fastest mobile processors. It can be found in mobile products from Sony, Motorola, LG, and others. After Nvidia announced the release of Tegra in 2008, the company also revealed the Microsoft's Zune HD media player would be the first product to use it. The Samsung M1 was the second product to use Tegra.
Nvidia Teamed Up With Leading Video Game Companies
As one of the world's leading graphics hardware companies, Nvidia has created products for some of the best video game systems. It designed the graphics processing units for Microsoft's Xbox in 2001. It also created the graphics processing technology for Sony's PlayStation 3, which was released in 2006. Today, many popular games are supported by Nvidia's technology, including the Battlefield series, Grand Theft Auto 5, SimCity, South Park: The Stick of Truth, and many others.
