Intel talks Cloverview CPU and Android 3.0 support

Intel netbook and tablet group lead Doug Davis during a speech on Tuesday at the company's Beijing Developer Forum mentioned a follow-up processor to the Atom Z670. Called Cloverview, it would be built on the same 32 nanometer process as the Cedar Trail design for netbooks and the phone-oriented Medfield but target the in-between tablet category. Davis didn't give more details, but the shrink from 45nm in the Z670 to 32nm would reduce the size and power consumption.

Cloverview might address common complaints of Intel-based Windows tablets lagging well behind their ARM counterparts in key areas. Real-world figures have yet to surface for tablets using the Z670, but Atom tablets like the HP Slate 500 regularly get half the battery life at best compared to an ARM-powered slate like the iPad 2. The choice also usually means a thicker design that may need noisy cooling fans to work.

Along with the future plans, the tablet division's marketing head Bill Kircos has added that the Z670 (Oak Trail) will eventually support Android 3.0 on tablets. He wouldn't give a timeframe but promised an expansion beyond current MeeGo and Windows support. The processor is potentially well designed since it uses the same PowerVR SGX535 core as in last year's iPad with some added acceleration that helps it support 1080p video.

So far, all Android 3.0 tablets have had a largely homogenized hardware set that focuses on NVIDIA's ARM-based Tegra 2. Without a footprint there or in other non-Windows tablets, Intel has largely had to sit on the sidelines of the tablet market to where it may sit on the sidelines entirely. [via PC World]

By Electronista Staff

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Intel, computers, industry, gadgets, HP, Android, NVIDIA, Atom, Tegra, Apple, Medfield, Cedar Trail, iPad, slate, Oak Trail, Cloverview