05/01, 9:30pm
Intel ramps Atom chips
On the heels of publicized supply shortages, Intel says it is ramping up prerelease production of its Atom mobile processors, which are designed for smaller notebooks (and ultra compact desktops). Code-named Diamondville, Intel's 45-nanometer chip won't be officially released until June, but reports are indicating that the company is filling less than 40 percent of requests for the new chip; however, the company says it is trying to cope with the demand. Company spokesman Bill Calder told Computerworld that several PC makers plan to announce in June that they're working on Diamondville-based products, but those products are not expected until the third or fourth quarters and some manufacturers such as ASUS have forsaken the Atom chip to be first to market with new micro-notebooks.
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03/18, 4:40pm
Intel NetBook leak?
A secret in spite of the sibling NetTop platform's unveiling, photos and specifications have allegedly leaked for Intel's forthcoming NetBook. An employee with a US OEM claims to have obtained a sample system, intended for educational purposes; the computer runs Windows XP Pro, and operates on a 900MHz Celeron processor with 512MB of RAM, a 40GB hard drive and an Ethernet connection. The screen measures nine inches, and a conspicuous handle allows quick transport.
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03/12, 4:05pm
Intel exposes NetTop PCs
Through a presentation to a group of business clients, Intel has revealed a new computer design, called the NetTop. The system is designed to minimize the cost of a desktop as much as possible, jettisoning all unnecessary expenses; this carries down to normally standard hardware aspects, such as the inclusion of system fans, or even a CPU socket. Linux may be an option on some NetTops, instead of the more conventional choice of Windows; similarly, costs are cut by switching from hard drives to SSD storage.
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03/03, 1:40pm
ASUS Eee PC 900
ASUS' rumored 8.9-inch version of the Eee PC has been formally unveiled, say reports from this week's CeBIT expo in Germany. While there is no evidence of WiMAX support, the notebook should be enhanced in a number of other respects, such as a larger trackpad and support for resolutions up to 1024x600. Despite theoretically consuming more power, the new Eee's battery life is said to range between 2.5 to 3 hours.
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03/02, 10:55pm
Intel Atom
Intel tonight kicked off Germany's CeBIT expo with the unveiling of Atom, a new processor line specifically tailored towards ultra-mobile PCs, mobile Internet devices (MIDs), and other handhelds. Previously nicknamed either Silverthorne or Diamondville, the processor series is built on the same 45 nanometer manufacturing process as newer Core 2 chips and shares the same instruction set, but is far smaller: a single US penny is large enough to fit 11 Atom processor dies, Intel touts. While simpler at 47 million transistors, this and size reduction techniques reduce its power use to between 0.6 and 2.5 watts, enough to fit in very small spaces.
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02/28, 1:10pm
Intel Diamondville specs
Presenting at Mobility Summit 2008, Intel has revealed fresh details on its upcoming Diamondville CPUs, intended for low-cost notebooks and compact desktops. The design is only single-core, but supports technologies such as hyperthreading, and is being built with a 45nm process like Intel's more powerful Penryn chips. This helps the processor achieve an incredibly low thermal design power rating, at a mere 4W. Heat is dissipated passively.
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02/13, 1:25pm
Acer Eee PC Rival Likely
Acer is expanding its line to include budget ultraportable computers, Acer president J.T. Wang said today. The company chief refrained from providing details but stated that multiple devices would be released to tackle both price and size throughout the spring and summer of this year. However, previous leaks have pointed to likely direct challengers to ASUS' popular Eee PC line. Both 8- and 9-inch systems are expected with the same 800x480 resolution as the ASUS system, though whether these are the only products or are still in place for the mid-year launch is unclear.
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01/14, 4:05pm
Intel Shelton platform
Intel has begun distributing the details of Shelton, a set of low-cost notebook specifications, market sources claim. At Shelton's heart is a Diamondville CPU, built with a single 1.6GHz core, and a 533MHz front-side bus. The chip consumes a mere 3.5W of power, contributing to a total power consumption of just 8W. This should give Shelton systems between three and four hours of battery life. The processor is meanwhile attached to a 945GSE motherboard, which supports DirectX 9-level integrated graphics and single-channel DDR2 memory.
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