x86 Processor Endgame: Intel Archives

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.

Intel unveils Tangent Bay multi-screen concept laptop

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on September 28, 2009 1:55 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

File under "Multi-touch, Multi-Screen Intel Concept Laptop 2009"

Intel's mobility innovation team unveiled "Tangent Bay" at IDF. It describes it as "the first multi-touch, multi-screen concept laptop based on research and feedback from people who multi-task with work, media creation, entertainment and social networking."

Continue reading Intel unveils Tangent Bay multi-screen concept laptop.

The Intel Atom Processor Developer Program

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on September 25, 2009 8:18 AM | 1 Comment | No TrackBacks

One more for posterity, really - just marking the development in case it really takes off...

With the start of IDF, Intel has announced its plans for a new ISV and developer programme for the mobile platform. Check out the intel press release - Intel Atom Processor Developer Program for Mobile Devices to Spur New Wave of Applications.

"We want to fuel the growth of Intel Atom-based products designed for the mobile lifestyle," declares Renee James, general manager, Intel Software and Services Group.

Continue reading The Intel Atom Processor Developer Program.

Intel Core i7 mobile processors

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on September 24, 2009 2:59 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

"Bringing the power of a desktop to a laptop" is how Intel describes its new fastest laptop chips. File the quad-core 45nm chips under "Clarksfield" - they bring the underlying Nehalem microarchitecture to the mobile market.

The new Intel Core i7 mobile processors include two-channel DDR3 1333 MHz memory support and full 1 x16 or 2 x8 PCI Express 2.0 graphics. They feature Turbo Boost and Hyper-Threading across each core. They work with the new Intel PM55 Express Chipset.

Continue reading Intel Core i7 mobile processors.

IDF - September 22 - 24, San Francisco

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on September 24, 2009 10:48 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

One for those not able to enjoy the delights of San Francisco during Intel's IDF. It's a handy reference for the wealth of material being covered at the event.

Here is a "session catalogue", enabling you to search presentations by keywords for topic, presenter, company name...

Alternatively, see the main IDF event page.

Know your Westmere from your Nehalem from your Penryn...

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on September 16, 2009 8:46 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Reading a bit more about Intel's Westmere developments I came across this handy slide for reference, showing how the various microarchitecture codenames stack up.

Intel microarchitecture codenames.jpg

It's from 32nm Westmere Family of Processors by Stephen L. Smith Vice President, Director of Group Operations, Intel Digital Enterprise Group.

Continue reading Know your Westmere from your Nehalem from your Penryn....

Intel market domination reaches four-year high, says iSuppli

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on September 15, 2009 11:18 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

US analysts iSuppli have released a report on the state of microprocessor market.

According to the company, in Q209 Intel accounted for 80.6% of global microprocessor revenue, up from 79.1% during the same period in 2008, and a 1.5 point rise from the first quarter of 2009. This apparently represents the largest share of global microprocessor revenue since Intel claimed 82.4 percent of revenue in Q30505.

"Intel benefited as the global PC market took a first small step toward recovery in the second quarter, with global shipments rising by 1 percent from the first quarter," said Matthew Wilkins, principal analyst of compute platforms research for iSuppli.

Continue reading Intel market domination reaches four-year high, says iSuppli.

Intel puts 32nm "Westmere" chips in IDF spotlight

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on September 14, 2009 11:14 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

The 45nm Lynnfield chips are out of the door, but with September's IDF looming, Intel is turning the spotlight on its 32nm offerings, codenamed "Westmere" (that's "Nehalem" migrated to 32nm process).

The video below features Sanjay Natarajan, Intel's director of logic technology development. Described as a "rock star engineer", by Intel's Ken Kaplan on the IDF Connected blog, he talks about the first microprocessors built with 32 nanometer process.

Continue reading Intel puts 32nm "Westmere" chips in IDF spotlight.

Video: Intel - Designing for the Intel Atom processor Z5xx series

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on September 9, 2009 12:14 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Check out this update to the site: John Moore, Application Manager of Intel's Embedded Sales Group gives a presentation at Electronics Weekly Live on the Intel Atom processor Z5xx series.

View the video >>

* He takes a look at the fundamental driver behind Atom-related technologies, such as the need for efficient computing power...

* He then covers a roadmap of silicon level technologies, showing some of the techniques being used and developed to continue the ability to build smaller transistors, while at the same time be more efficient.

Continue reading Video: Intel - Designing for the Intel Atom processor Z5xx series.

Intel processor pricing update

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on September 9, 2009 10:53 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Just a quick one, for the record. With the release of the "Lynnfield" chips, Intel has updated its processor pricing schedule to include the new Core i7 and Core i5 chips.

View the new pricing regime.

As mentioned yesterday, the Core i7-870 comes in at $562, the i7-860 at $284, and the Core i5-750 at $196. The 45nm chips run at 2.93, 2.8, and 2.66GHz respectively, and all have 8MB of L3 cache. All prices are based on OEM-style, 1,000-unit orders.

Nehalem goes mainstream with "Lynnfield" chips

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on September 8, 2009 3:59 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Bringing its 45nm Hi-k Nehalem microarchitecture to mainstream desktops and entry-level servers, Intel's new set of processors comprises: two Core i7 chips, a Core i5, and six Xeon 3400 series.

For 'high-performance desktops', read suitability for gaming, media processing and the more demanding apps.

All the processors are lead- and halogen-free, states Intel, and feature its Turbo Boost Technology (which enables a core to run faster than the base operating frequency if it's operating below power, current, and temperature specification limits). The top-of-the-line Core i7 processors also support Intel's Hyper-Threading Technology (thread-level parallelism on each processor).

Continue reading Nehalem goes mainstream with "Lynnfield" chips.

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