Intel to launch three Arrandale CPUs for ultra-thin notebooks in 1H10

From Digitimes -

Intel plans to launch three 32nm dual-core Arrandale CPUs (Calpella platform), the Core i7-640UM (1.2GHz), Core i7-620UM (1.06GHz) and Core i5-520UM (1.06GHz) with price in thousand-unit tray quantities of US$305, US$278 and US$241, respectively, in H1 2010 for ultra-thin notebooks. Prior to that Intel plans to let its dual-core Core 2 Duo SU9600, SU9400 and SU7300, Pentium SU4100 and SU2300, and single-core Celeron 743 CPUs (Montevina platform) prop up the ultra-thin notebook market in Q4 2009.

The three 32nm CPUs will target the mid-range and high-end markets, and when they are launched, Intel will phase out the Core 2 Duo SU9600.

Samsung planning 11.6-inch Ion-based netbook

From Digitimes -

Samsung plans to launch an Nvidia Ion-equipped netbook with Intel Atom N-series CPU and 11.6-inch display later this month. The new model will break Intel's restrictions on netbooks having a panel size of 10.2" or below. Lenovo has earlier broke Intel's restrictions by launching a 12-inch Intel Atom N270-based netbook last month.

Intel has already canceled the two vendors' preferential pricing for Intel Atom N270 CPUs but declined to respond to this report citing customer confidentiality.

Intel and Nokia Announce Strategic Relationship to Shape Next Era of Mobile Computing Innovation

From Businesswire -

Further uniting the Internet with mobile phones and computers, Intel and Nokia today announced a long-term relationship to develop a new class of Intel® Architecture-based mobile computing device and chipset architectures which will combine the performance of powerful computers with high-bandwidth mobile broadband communications and ubiquitous Internet connectivity.

The Intel and Nokia effort includes collaboration in several open source mobile Linux software projects. Intel will also acquire a Nokia HSPA/3G modem IP license for use in future products. The companies expect many innovations to result from this collaboration over time.

Rumor: Netbook Debate Ends With A Quiet Settlement?

Gizmodo has reported that the netbook trademark debate started by Psion and picked up by Intel is finally over. Per the French site Blogeee the two companies have reached a settlement after several months of legal squabble. Accordingly, Psion all has agreed to "allow" others to use the term netbook for undisclosed considerations, if any, given by Intel.

Intel cajoles Microsoft to limit netbook screen size

The Inquirer is suggesting that Intel and Microsoft have conspired, if rumors are to be believed, to keep netbook specs for Windows 7 Starter Edition down to a minimum to benefit the former. Among others, maximum screen size was pegged at 10.2", excluding most VIA-based netbooks with 11" and larger displays, which now has to use the more expensive editions of Windows 7.

Intel outlines notebook plans for 2H09

From Digitimes -

Intel recently outlined its future notebook and netbook platforms. Per its presentation, Intel's next-gen Calpella will launch Q3 2009 and will target the 14.0 to 18.4-" segments at retail prices of above US$1,200, with major makers expected to launch models by Q1 2010. For the 12- to 13-" segment, it will push CULV-based ultra-thin notebooks using Montevina CPUs and targeting the US$699-1,100 price range.

The Atom N280/GN40 combo for netbooks will be phased out, leaving the Atom N270/945GSE chipset as the sole offering until September this year, at which time it will be replaced by the Pineview and Tiger Point chipset. The new combo will target the 10" segment with prices ranging between US$399-599.

Intel has also designed a white book 8.9" netbook with specs that include the Atom N270 CPU, 945GSE chipset, 512MB RAM, 8GB or 16GB SSD, and Moblin v2 for the OS. Price is expected to be around US$256 but supply volume will be monitored.

Intel: Notebook business outline for 2H09
Panel Size	Platform	Price
14- to 18.4-inch	Calpella (traditional notebook)	Above US$1,200
12- to 13-inch	CULV (ultra-thin notebook)	US$699-1,100
10-inch	Atom N270 + 945GSE chipset (Before September) (netbook) Pineview CPU + Tiger Point chipset (After September) (netbook)	US$399-599
8.9-inch	Atom N270 + 945GSE chipset (white-box netbook)	1750 RMB (US$256)

Sources: Notebook makers, compiled by Digitimes, May 2009

Intel to officially refresh laptop chips next week?

From Engadget -

Intel will be announcing its new processors this Monday and among the new ones are:
2.53GHz SP9600, 6MB of cache memory, $316;
1.6GHz SU9600, at $289; and
1.4GHz SU3500, $262, thermal envelope of only 5.5 watts for extremely low-power apps.

Interestingly, these are not the rumored CULV chips heard back in January.

Intel to launch new CPUs for ultra-thin notebooks

From Digitimes -

Intel plans to launch two new ultra low voltage (ULV) CPUs by the end of March mainly targeting the company's consumer ultra low voltage (CULV) platform for ultra-thin notebook products. The two CPUs are the Core 2 Duo SU9600 with a core frequency of 1.6GHz and priced at US$289 in thousand-unit tray quantities, and Core 2 Solo SU3500 at 1.4GHz and US$262.

Intel: no notebook price cuts before the end of May

From Digitimes -

Intel has notified its partners that it will not reduce prices for any of its notebook lineup before the end of May. Following a drop in net income for Q4 2008, Intel was widely expected to reduce prices for some of its notebook products to boost market demand in the first quarter, even though this would impact notebook players still carry large inventories. But Intel has decided to start to reduce the price of some notebook CPUs by 13-40% in June. The company will also adjust the launch schedule of its next generation Calpella platform based on its partners' inventory status and market demand.

Intel is betting on Moblin and the MID

Per jkOnTheRun, Intel is considers MIDs as a big focal point of their strategy and that they fully expect them to take off soon, with a lot of new MIDs at the CES in January. Intel is also expecting netbooks to continue to be the hot sellers next year, which seems contrary to previously announcements the company is rethinking its position in this market, having deemed it incremental (see Intel rethinks Netbooks - and why).

In addition, to help clear up the constant confusion between netbooks, MIDs and UMPCs, Intel has also provided their internal definitions - netbooks are clamshell notebooks with a 7 - 10.2-inch screen that is "purpose built for Internet use." MIDs are pocketable devices with a 4 to 7-inch screen that take a clamshell, slider or tablet form and are custom built for "Internet-based targeted usages" such as productivity, entertainment, information or communications. MIDs will focus on one of these usage scenarios in a given device and be sold as a consumer product in stores.

With those definitions, I am not sure how Intel would categorize the expected new wave of super-cheap clamshells with embedded OS, SSD, QWERTY keyboard, 7" screens, and non-Intel processors (actually morphed PDAs) that will likely be sold in drugstores, chain stores like Target, WalMart, etc as consumer devices?

The point is regardless of how Intel categorizes them, whether as netbooks or MIDs, these will surely eat into Intel's projected market. It would be interesting to see Intel's position on MIDs down the line once the trickle turns into a flood of ultra-cheap MIDs and netbooks, all using non-Intel processors.

Intel rethinks Netbooks - and why

Per a CNET report, at a recent Raymond James IT Supply Chain Conference, Stu Pann, Intel VP of sales and marketing group said his company now sees the netbook differently now.

The reason cited is that market uptake demographics have been different from initial expectations. Instead of coming from emerging markets and school kids, sales are from
"Western Europe, North America, and for people who just want to grab and go with a notebook."

Another reason cited is the user experience - "If you've ever used a Netbook and used a 10-inch screen size--it's fine for an hour. It's not something you're going to use day in and day out."

Intel's comments, while coming on the heels of rival AMD's declaration that it is ignoring the netbook phenomenon, are still surprising considering the company makes the Atom processor and accompanying chips that go into most of the netbooks sold today.

It is questionable, too, that Intel would view the netbook segment as mostly incremental to their total available market. While in sheer dollar amount, margins might be incremental, in sales volume, the numbers can't be ignored. The netbook segment is in fact the fastest growing segment of the PC market today. And considering that Intel spends a substantial amount putting its brand and logo in front of users, it would be natural that it would want to capture new users and get them used to using Intel-equipped notebooks. Given this, the netbook market simply can't be more than just incremental in the overall scheme.

As for user experience, the iPhone has already proven the (small) size of the sceen is not necessarily a detriment to satisfactory surfing. Of all mobile phones, iPhone owners are most inclined to surf using their units. Obviously, the iPhone's screen is nowhere as big as a 10" screen. Granted, user interface counts a lot. But netbooks tend to use familiar UIs and browsers, thus providing familiarity and a minimum comfort level for most users.

Moreover, and more importantly, screen size is relative. If you are coming from a 17" or 15" screen, a 10" screen will certainly look cramped. But if you are coming from mobile phones or simply have no previous computer experience, then a 10" screen will look great. In fact, a 7" screen will suffice. And this is actually the initial target market of netbooks as conceived by Asus - the 2nd billion. Those living in developed countries but can't afford mainstream notebooks and those living in developing worlds who have previously no access to such products. So for the initial target market, screen size is a non-issue.

Which brings us to the current market - as Intel has claimed, most of the sales are not from the initial target market. This is probably true given that pricing of netbooks has gone the opposite direction - higher prices for more features - than when first announced by Asus. This simply makes them out of reach, price-wise, for the initial target market. So naturally, current customers, for the most part, come from the established segments.

But if you are up-to-date with manufacturing trends in China, where practically all netbooks are made, then you should be familiar by now with the growing popularity of what is commonly referred to as an EPC (in a nod to the original netbook - Asus Eee PC). The EPC is a generic term used to refer to a low-cost netbook (actually glorified PDA) that uses an embedded OS (usually Win CE 5.0), has only 128MB or 256MB RAM, SSD, WiFi and sells anywhere from $100 to $180. Most significantly, it does not use an Intel CPU. Instead it uses one from a horde of lower-tiered manufacturers such as Samsung, Ingenic, etc. But not Intel. Not AMD.

The EPC's specs might be spartan but they are enough for most typical users, especially those in developing countries. Email, YM, chat, standard office apps - they all work just fine. Meaning EPCs do fit the bill fine. Not only in terms of features but in terms of pricing as well.

The problem for Intel is, of course, pricing. Low prices mean low margins. Unlike Microsoft, which has shown its willingness to cut prices in order to protect its market, Intel probably can't (or won't) compete head-to-head with the Chinese manufacturers on low-end products, especially since its hardware products require actual physical components rather than the intellectual property of Microsoft.

While Intel would opt for the high end of the netbook market and in fact does, the segment is slowly but surely being segmented into entry-level 7" models and higher end 10" models, Intel knows only too well given the explosive growth, it will be just a matter of time when 10" screens will become as ubiquitous and therefore as cheap as 7" screens. So the generic models will sooner or later make their way up to the 10" segment, with their attendant cheaper "generic" CPUs.

And because affordable netbooks have proven to be such a disruptive product, its continued growth does not bode well for the rest of the notebook market, where higher margins are still being enjoyed. So naturally, Intel (and AMD) would rather netbooks go away. Hence, their publicly proclaimed dis-interest.

Asus, Intel launch WePC website, ask community to design PCs for them

From Engadget -

Asus and Intel have launched a website called WePC, where users can draw up concepts and specs for new notebook models and then discuss the designs, kinda like open source. Now if only independent designers will join in and provide truly innovative ideas.

Intel to Dominate Ultra-Mobile Computers

According to GigaOM an ABI Research estimates that sales of ultra-mobile devices (bigger than a mobile phone but smaller than a notebook) will increase from $3.5 billion this year to nearly $27 billion in 2013 with 200 million units being sold that year. More half of all UMDs then will have Intel Atom processors, with the rest using ARM processors. Linux will also outnumber Windows devices two to one.

Intel promo video

Intel leaves the OLPC

Barely six months after Intel and OLPC founder Nicholas Negroponte patched up their differences with the former eventually joining the foundation, it has now decided to break away again.

According to Intel, Negroponte was requiring it to drop its Classmate PC platform (of which the Asus Eee PC belongs to) while it is part of the OLPC, which offers the comparable AMD-based XO. Negroponte had previously went on TV and accused Intel of dumping Classmate PCs below cost to penetrate the OLPC's announced target market countries even before OLPC had launch its product.

Upon joining the OLPC, Intel has been working with the latter to produce an Intel-based version XO. That obviously won't happen now unless the two parties patch things up again.

More details at CNet.

Intel launches Mobile & Internet Linux Project website

Intel recently launched its Moblin website, which "hosts the Mobile & Internet Linux Project, an umbrella, open source project focused on the development of Linux for Intel-based devices. To this purpose, moblin.org will host various projects that will provide key elements of community-based projects such as Ubuntu's Mobile and Embedded Edition*, and Red Flag's MIDINUX*, targeted for such devices. We also intend to be an incubator for prototyping new ideas and projects targeting these types of devices, such as the Intel-based Mobile Internet Device (MID) and various consumer electronic devices."

Huh? So where does that leave Xandros on the Asus Eee?

Intel, `$100 Laptop' Project Make Peace

After an initial lashing at Intel for supporting the Asus Eee and other Intel Classmate PCs, OLPC proponent Negroponte appears to have make peace with the company, as reported in an AP story dated Jul 13, 4:34 PM EDT and posted at Wired -

As Nicholas Negroponte stormed the developing world trying to drum up buyers for the $175 computers designed by his One Laptop Per Child education nonprofit, he encountered a persistent obstacle: competition from Intel. In fact, Intel's chair Craig Barrett had derided the OLPC XOs as mere gadgets. And Intel was signing up international governments for its own little "Classmate" PCs, which follow more conventional computing designs than OLPC's radical XO.

Negroponte was suspicious of Intel's motives, since the XO runs on processors from Intel's fiercest rival, AMD. Negroponte said Intel had hurt his mission and "should be ashamed of itself."

But in recent weeks, Negroponte and Intel CEO Paul Otellini began peace talks and on Friday, the two sides annnounced Intel will join OLPC's board and contribute money and technical expertise to the project.

Intel will continue to sell the Classmate, which has fallen in price to the low $200s, attracting buyers in Pakistan, Brazil, Mexico and Nigeria. OLPC still hopes its machines reach schools in several countries this fall. But now, Intel and OLPC might seek ways to package their computers together. OLPC also expects help from Intel in their efforts to perfect the XO machines - and get their cost closer to the originally stated goal of $100.

The initial wave of XO computers will still use processors from AMD which has been a major partner, along with such other big names as Google, News Corp. and Red Hat. But Intel would love to oust AMD as the processor supplier. After all, that is Intel's core business - not selling little computers.

Several countries have expressed interest in the $175 XOs, but OLPC has backed away from predicting which governments will be first to officially sign contracts to buy the machines. The project needs orders for 3 million laptops before its low-cost supply chain kicks into action.

One possible selling point for the Classmate is that it can run a version of Microsoft Windows in addition to the open-source Linux. XOs use a proprietary open-source approach designed to be intuitive to children. And Microsoft has so far been unable to tweak Windows to run on the nonstandard XOs.

Intel GMA 900 technical specs

From Intel's site -

Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900 (Intel® GMA 900 graphics) can deliver over 1.5 times faster performance than previous Intel graphics.¹ It also features acceleration for Microsoft* DirectX* 9 for 3D performance.
The Intel® 915G Graphics and Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) provides a variety of display interfaces. Intel GMA 900 graphics has an integrated DAC, two Intel® Serial Digital Video Out (SDVO) ports that can interface to DVI and LVDS transmitters, SD/HDTV-out encoders and additional DACs.

Intel GMA 900 graphics offers driver support for a variety of operating systems - Microsoft Windows* 2000, Windows* XP, Windows* XP Media Center Edition, Mandrake Linux*, Red Hat Linux*, SuSe Linux*, Red Flag Linux*, and IBM OS/2*.

Intel GMA 900 Graphics Subsystem

While the graphics subsystem for a discrete graphics device is mostly contained on a PCI, AGP, or PCI Express* Graphics card, the graphics subsystem in an integrated graphics solution, such as Intel GMA 900 graphics, uses the CPU, the GMCH, system memory, and different display interfaces. As a result, Intel GMA 900 graphics is designed to take full advantage of the power an Intel® Pentium® 4 processor brings to the PC. The CPU is used for the first stage of 3D processing (geometry operations), while the integrated graphics device handles the rest of the 3D processing. Intel GMA 900 utilizes system memory for both system and graphics usage, balancing both usages for optimal performance.

3D Graphics Pipeline

Intel GMA 900 is the next step in the evolution of Intel graphics. In addition to running the graphics engine at 333 MHz, Intel GMA 900 has four pixel pipelines which provide a fill rate of 1.3 GP/s, enabling an excellent consumer gaming experience. The 3D graphics pipeline is broken up into four major stages: geometry processing, setup (vertex processing), texture application and rasterization. Intel GMA 900 graphics is optimized by using current and future Intel® processor family for advance software based transform and lighting (geometry processing) as defined by Microsoft Direct X*. The other three stages of 3D processing are handled by Intel GMA 900.

Zone Rendering Technology 3 (ZRT3)

Zone Rendering Technology 3 (ZRT3) is a tile-based rendering system designed to reduce memory bandwidth consumption and maximize rendering performance. ZRT3 aims to improve texture processing bandwidth by only performing texture processing on pixels that will be seen by the viewer (that are not hidden by other pixels). ZRT3 also strives to improve memory efficiency by reducing memory traffic and texture processing.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Third-generation Graphics Core

256-bit graphics core 8/16/32 bpp Up to 8.5 GB/sec memory bandwidth with DDR2 533 MHz 1.3 GP/sec and 1.3 GT/sec fill rate 128 MB maximum video memory 2048x1536 at 85 Hz maximum resolution Dynamic Display Modes for flat-panel and wide-screen support Operating systems supported: Microsoft Windows* XP, Windows 2000, Linux-compatible (Xfree86 source available)

High-performance 3D

Up to 4 pixels per clock rendering Microsoft* DirectX* 9 Hardware Acceleration Features: Up to 4 pixels per clock rendering Pixel Shader 2.0 Volumetric Textures Shadow Maps Slope Scale Depth Bias Two-Sided Stencil Microsoft* DirectX* 9 Vertex Shader 2.0 and Transform and Lighting supported in software through highly optimized Processor Specific Geometry Pipeline (PSGP) DirectX Texture Decompression OpenGL* 1.4 support

Advanced Display Technology

400 MHz DAC frequency for up to 2048x1526 resolution for both analog and digital displays Two Serial Digital Video Out (SDVO) ports for flat-panel monitors and/or TV-out support via Advanced Digital Display 2 (ADD2) cards Multiple display types (LVDS, DVI-I, DVI-D, HDTV, TV-out, CRT) for dual monitor capabilities HDTV 720p and 1080i display resolution support 16x9 Aspect Ratio for widescreen displays

High Quality Media Support

	Up and Down Scaling of Video Content
	High Definition Content Decode
	5x3 Overlay Filtering
	Hardware Motion Compensation support for DVD playback

Intel Pentium M Processor 900 MHz Specs

Turns out Intel has a Pentium M Dothan running at 900 mhz - Technical Documents are available here.