As consumer and business demand for Internet applications on the go continues, Maloney for the first time disclosed details of the next–generation Intel Centrino mobile technology–based platform, as well as a single chip Wi–Fi/WiMAX radio and an Intel–branded mobile WiMAX PCMCIA card. He also provided details about the next generation dual–core mobile processor based on Intel’s Core microarchitecture and Intel’s next–generation applications processor for handheld devices. These innovations are designed help make the Internet a more personal and mobile experience for people worldwide.

“The Internet is increasingly the central medium in people’s lives, the place where we go for news, entertainment and education, and to extend our social lives,” said Maloney. “Emerging applications such as mashups, blogs, podcasts and RSS make the Internet an even more personal and interactive experience, and people want to carry those experiences with them. The next stage of Internet growth is to make this ‘real Internet’ mobile.”

Personal Internet on the Large Screen

The next generation of Intel Centrino mobile technology, codenamed Santa Rosa and detailed for the first time in Maloney’s keynote, is designed to give users better overall performance and graphics, improved wireless connectivity and improved security and manageability. Santa Rosa is expected to include a more powerful mobile microprocessor, an improved graphics chipset, codenamed Crestline, an IEEE 802.11n Wi–Fi adapter, codenamed Kedron, as well as Intel–optimized advanced management and security solutions. The platform will also include Intel’s NAND flash–based platform accelerator, codenamed Robson, which enables much more rapid boot–up time and power savings. Santa Rosa, available in the first half of 2007, will use Intel’s next–generation dual–core mobile microprocessor based on Intel’s Core microarchitecture, codenamed Merom, Intel’s new foundation for delivering even greater energy–efficient performance. An initial version of Merom will also be available for the current Intel Centrino Duo platform to align with the 2006 holiday buying cycle and will be socket or pin–compatible with the current version of Intel Core Duo processors.

Maloney also showcased two new concept PCs from Intel that offer multiple operating modes to increase their usability. These devices provide innovative form factors, multiple ergonomic configurations, and innovative features that can spark new design ideas for OEMs. These concept PCs feature integrated WiMAX and wireless WAN technology, hard drive backup capability and broadcast digital TV reception capability.

Personal Internet on the Small Screen

Intel’s family of next generation application processors for handheld devices, codenamed Monahans, is now sampling to customers. Based on the third generation of Intel XScale technology, the Monahans platform family will offer a wide range of performance, power and integration levels designed to meet the needs of handsets, handhelds and consumer electronic devices. Maloney highlighted technologies in Monahans, including Wireless Intel SpeedStep with MusicMax technology, Intel Wireless MMX2 and Intel VideoMax technology, which can enable dramatic energy–efficiency and enhanced performance in handheld devices playing audio and video.

Maloney also discussed Ultra Mobile PCs (UMPC), a new category of small form factor mobile devices. Maloney provided new details about Intel’s work in UMPCs, highlighting the growing ecosystem that Intel is working with to deliver targeted applications and services. The first UMPC devices running on Intel silicon are expected to launch from major OEMs this quarter.

Personal Broadband

Maloney performed the first public demonstrations of the Kedron wireless LAN adapter and of Intel’s 802.16e integrated mobile WiMAX technology. He disclosed that Intel will deliver a mobile WiMAX PCMCIA card in the second half of the year, enabling WiMAX in laptop PCs. Additionally, Maloney showcased the first single–chip multi–band Wi–Fi/WiMAX radio, codenamed Ofer, which will enable people using laptops to connect to Wi–Fi or WiMAX networks worldwide.

Source: Intel