x86 Processor Endgame: Intel Archives

ARM CEO lays into Intel's Medfield

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on January 16, 2012 11:29 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

One from David Manners' Mannerisms blog:

Intel's Medfield chip-set aimed at getting the company into smartphones has been dissed by ARM CEO Warren East.

"Are they ever going to be the leaders in power efficiency? No, of course not," East told Reuters at CES.

"It's inevitable Intel will get a few smartphone design wins," added East.

Continue reading ARM CEO lays into Intel's Medfield.

Otellini confirms Android Honeycomb-on-x86 port

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on April 20, 2011 4:38 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

A bit of Android news emerging from the Intel quarterly results announcements. SlashGear reports:

Intel has confirmed that it has received the Android 3.0 Honeycomb code from Google, and that it is "actively" working on porting the tablet-centric platform to run on x86 chips like its Atom processors. Revealed during Intel's glowing Q1 financial results call, president and CEO Paul Otellini said that the company was working with "first-tier notebook vendors" on Android tablets using Intel processors. Leaks back in March suggested Intel was readying as many as eight Android-on-x86 devices for demonstration at IDF Beijing this month.

Read the full article >>

Also, see more here, on Engadget >>

Amino Communications puts MeeGo into set-top boxes

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on January 6, 2011 11:28 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Amino Communications is to launch an "add-on" set-top box to add new functions to existing pay-TV services, writes editor Richard Wilson.

Based on the Cambridge-based company's Freedom media centre, the Freedom Jump is powered by the Intel Atom processor CE4100 and the MeeGo Linux operating system for TV.

Continue reading Amino Communications puts MeeGo into set-top boxes.

Intel's Sandy Bridge to see the light at CES

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on January 5, 2011 11:23 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Intel will debut its second-generation core processor family, code-named "Sandy Bridge", at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas tomorrow, writes Jenny Williams of our sister title Computer Weekly.

Extending chip performance and battery life, the new core i3, i5 and i7 processors are based on Intel's "visibly smart" micro-architecture. A built-in processor graphics engine shares cache and memory with the processor's core to increase computing and graphics performance while maintaining energy efficiency, said the company.

Continue reading Intel's Sandy Bridge to see the light at CES.

FTC settles with Intel

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on August 6, 2010 6:00 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

A milestone to note in the long-running saga - "The FTC has approved a settlement with Intel that resolves charges the company illegally stifled competition in the market for computer chips," writes David Manners

"The FTC settlement applies to CPUs, GPUs and chipsets and prohibits Intel from using threats, bundled prices, or other offers to exclude or hamper competition or otherwise unreasonably inhibit the sale of competitive CPUs or GPUs.

The settlement also prohibits Intel from deceiving computer manufacturers about the performance of non-Intel CPUs or GPUs."

Read the full article - Intel Conduct Stunted Innovation, Diminished Quality, Kept Prices High, says FTC

Intel demos pre-alpha MeeGo for tablets

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on June 30, 2010 3:02 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Intel has posted a video demo of the pre-alpha MeeGo for tablets on YouTube. Nokia and Intel's Linux OS aims to provide a cheap alternative to Windows and Android on Net Books and smartphones, writes Cliff Saran on Computer Weekly.

He shows how a user can use their finger to scroll and access thumbnails on the MeeGo desktop, allowing them to access a running application instantly.

Take your Atom "Froyo" tablets this summer

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on June 24, 2010 5:00 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

One to file under "Froyo". Slashgear reports:

Intel expect to release a version of Android 2.2 suitable for x86 based devices such as Atom tablets and netbooks within the next few months, in the expectation that the popular OS' availability will encourage use of their own chips rather than those of rival ARM in netbooks and tablets. Speaking to APC, Intel VP of software and services, Renee James, explained that "our expectation is that (native x86 Android) will be based on the Froyo release and will be available this summer to developers."

Read the full Slashgear post >>

The Atom Z6xx and more on Moorestown

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on May 7, 2010 11:37 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

The platform, codenamed Moorestown, consists of an Atom Z6xx series microcontroller (Lincroft) and an MP20 companion chip (Langwell), and is designed to scale across high-end smartphones and tablets computers, writes our Technology Editor, Steve Bush.

He has put together an Intel Atom Z6xx fact file

Continue reading The Atom Z6xx and more on Moorestown.

Latest smartphone Atom tackles poor stand-by power

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on May 6, 2010 3:39 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Intel has officially named its processor for smartphones, claiming to have cured excessive stand-by current drawn by first generation Atoms, writes Technology Editor Steve Bush.

"This is a product designed for smartphones. The performance we get from this design will scale up into tablets," said Intel sales director Rod O'Shea.

Continue reading Latest smartphone Atom tackles poor stand-by power.

Freescale Power Architecture vs Intel Core i7 processor

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on May 6, 2010 1:25 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Check out a new update to the site. Guest columnist Richard Kirk, product manager at GE Intelligent Platforms, describes how the Intel Core i7 processor is challenging Freescale's Power Architecture in military embedded systems.

The article begins:

Continue reading Freescale Power Architecture vs Intel Core i7 processor.

Intel goes Hive for Atom parallel processing

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on February 17, 2010 9:07 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Silicon Hive is working with Intel on developing parallel processing systems based on the Atom processor, writes editor Richard WIlson in a new atrticle on the site - Intel collaborates with parallel processing start-up.

He begins:

Intel Capital has previously led a $7m investment round in Netherlands-based Silicon Hive, which develops silicon IP for imaging, video processing and communications.

Continue reading Intel goes Hive for Atom parallel processing.

x86 bucks R&D investment trend

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on February 5, 2010 10:55 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

An interesting article on the x86 architecture, and reasons for its continued innovation, has been posted on the site - x86 processors buck R&D investment trend.

Brian Dipert, Senior Technical Editor of EDN, begins:

You might expect, therefore, that the semiconductor industry would mirror the broader economy's malaise; this scenario has indeed occurred in many technology and product sectors. The x86 CPU business has bucked the general trend, however, as continued R&D investment and resultant new-IC output demonstrate.

Continue reading x86 bucks R&D investment trend.

CES eye catchers

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on January 11, 2010 4:12 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Here are some highlights from CES that caught my eye:

Qualcomm's Dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon 8X72 chipset is due by end of 2010, says Slashgear.

There was an appearance of a Dell Mini 5, an Android-powered 5in "entertainment" slate, reports PC Pro.

Intel prepping an x86-based system-on-a-chip: "the so-called 'Tolapai' unit will be based on Pentium M architecture, and pack 256KB of L2 cache and support for DDR 2 memory, along with a full compliment of integrated connectivity options, including PCI Express, USB, SATA, Gigabit Ethernet, RS-232 and a cellular link," writes Engadget.

Continue reading CES eye catchers.

Intel introduces 32nm "Westmere" Core i7, i5 and i3 chips

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on January 11, 2010 3:36 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Two years after going into production with 45nm process chips Intel is producing 32nm "Westmere" microprocessor chips.

Ahead of CES, Intel has annonced a new Intel Core family of processors. Aimed at laptops, desktops and embedded devices, the Intel Core i7, i5 and i3 chips are built on a 32 nanometer manufacturing process.

Continue reading Intel introduces 32nm "Westmere" Core i7, i5 and i3 chips.

Benchmarks for Intel Atom D510, D410 processors?

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on December 14, 2009 12:55 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

We're on the Pine Trail - the as yet unreleased, next-gen low-power platform from Intel.

Engadget reports that a German website CarTFT has got hold of a couple of Intel's latest processor / motherboard combos - intended primarily for nettops, it says - and published some early benchmarks. See - Intel's Atom D510, D410 processors get benchmarked

Continue reading Benchmarks for Intel Atom D510, D410 processors?.

A whole lotta Larrabee

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on December 10, 2009 5:06 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

An interesting comment piece on The Register, from Timothy Prickett Morgan, about how the mothballing of "Larrabee" - the x86-based hybrid multi-core CPU and GPU - points to good HPC times for Nvidia: Intel Larrabee letdown leaves HPC to Nvidia's Fermi

He says Intel has never been particularly precise about what "Larrabee" chips were, so it is hard to know exactly what it is we will be missing. Or indeed what we can ever expect from when it finally markets discrete graphics chips that can also be used for number-crunching in servers and workstations...

He continues:

Continue reading A whole lotta Larrabee.

Intel Labs demos 48-core "Single-chip Cloud Computer"

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on December 4, 2009 2:54 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Intel Labs has demonstrated a 48-core processor which could have around "10 to 20 times the processing engines inside today's Intel Core-branded processors", writes Electronics Weekly editor, Richard WIlson.

Dubbed a "single-chip cloud computer", the chip has 1.3 billion transistors, making it the biggest processor Intel has ever developed.

It is just an experimental device, but Intel Labs has created a working device which ran real-world applications in a demonstration in California this week.

Continue reading Intel Labs demos 48-core "Single-chip Cloud Computer".

AMD settles with Intel, for $1.25bn

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on November 12, 2009 4:08 PM | 1 Comment | No TrackBacks

An historic one to note: AMD drops case against Intel for $1.25bn

Intel and AMD today issued the same statement about a decision to end all outstanding legal disputes between the two companies, writes David Manners.

The joint statement reads:

Continue reading AMD settles with Intel, for $1.25bn.

ARM removes Flash barrier to netbook entry

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on October 5, 2009 3:34 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

One of the barriers to entry for ARM-based Netbooks appears to have been lifted - ARM say they have optimised Adobe Flash Player 10.1 on ARM-powered devices.

The work is part of the Open Screen Project, writes David Manners, which is an industry group with nearly 50 participants working together to deliver a consistent runtime environment across mobile phones, desktops and other consumer electronic devices.

The key point appears to be that Adobe Flash Player on ARM-powered devices will give consumers access to virtually all Web content everywhere, states ARM.

Intel has previously maintained - rather improbably - that the Web is geared for x86 devices. Tell that to users of Apple's iPhone 3GS.

Continue reading ARM removes Flash barrier to netbook entry.

Intel readies Atom-based Linux attack on digital TV

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on September 28, 2009 5:02 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Intel has made clear its intentions to develop Atom processor-based system-on-chip devices for digital TVs and set-top boxes, writes Richard Wilson.

"The Atom processor CE4100 SoC, formerly codenamed Sodaville, is Intel's first 'consumer' chip fabbed on a 45nm process.

"Traditionally the domain of PowerPC, MIPS and embedded processors from Japanese suppliers such as Renesas, Toshiba, NEC and Sony, the digital TV is now a target application for Intel.

Continue reading Intel readies Atom-based Linux attack on digital TV.