Coming Attraction: Intel Viiv Technology

August 24th, 2005

A new kind of personal computer (PC) will premiere in homes early next year when Intel Corporation introduces Intel® Viiv™ technology designed to enrich consumers' enjoyment of digital entertainment.

Working together with a variety of Intel-verified consumer electronics devices, online services and software -- including movies, music, photos and games -- Intel Viiv (pronounced "vīv" and rhymes with "five") technology, disclosed for the first time at the Intel Developer Forum today, will help usher in a new era of entertainment choices for consumers. PCs based on Intel Viiv technology will be easy to use with a remote control and will be powered by a suite of Intel technologies, including a dual-core processor, chipset, platform software and wired networking capabilities.

"Intel Viiv technology is our first platform designed from the ground up for the digital home, where consumers are passionate about the idea of accessing their content anytime, anywhere in their home on a number of devices," said Don MacDonald, vice president and general manager, Intel Digital Home Group. "Following the success of Intel® Centrino™ mobile technology, we are applying a similar branding strategy to our new digital home platform composed of Intel's latest PC technologies. Intel Viiv technology marks the intersection point where innovation, a multitude of digital devices, first-class entertainment and state of the art technology converge to put consumers in more control of experiencing digital entertainment on their own terms."

The Intel Viiv technology brand name communicates the excitement, vibrancy and vividness of the latest technologies that enable people to have a great entertainment experience in the home.

Sneak Preview of Intel Branded Platform for Digital Home PCs Consumers will be able to get Intel Viiv technology-based systems in a variety of form factors -- from small, sleek consumer electronic-type designs (similar to a stereo component or DVD player), to more traditional desktop or tower designs.

Intel also integrated consumer electronic features into the Intel Viiv technology platform to make it easier to use and contribute to the overall entertainment experience. All PCs based on Intel Viiv technology will ship with a remote control, the Microsoft Windows* Media Center Edition operating system and media software that lets consumers interact with their PC in the same way they operate a TV. Consumers are enabled to watch a movie or play a game while also downloading the latest music, all from one integrated system using a remote control.

In another TV-like function, consumers will be able to quickly turn their PCs on and off (after initial boot-up) with the touch of a button through a new platform feature called Intel® Quick Resume Technology. Each Intel Viiv technology-based PC will also ship with 5.1 surround sound (with optional support for up to 7.1 surround sound) for home theater-quality sound.

With an optional TV tuner card, this same PC will be able to record, pause, and rewind live TV programs, and store them on the hard drive for later viewing. Consumers will also be able to enjoy content on demand. Intel Viiv technology-based PCs will connect easily to the latest online entertainment services, enabling movie and music downloads, as well as access to the latest games -- all viewed and played from the comfort of the couch.

As more content is digitized, consumers want the freedom to move it around their homes and between their devices using a home network. To help make setting up a home network easier for consumers, Intel Viiv technology will include specially-designed software. The software will contain a network configuration wizard that can be navigated with the system's remote control, making it easy for consumers to connect many devices including portable media players, DVD players, TV sets and stereos.

Intel Viiv technology also includes an integrated media server "engine" that can reformat various digital content files so they can be viewed on a selection of devices verified by Intel to work with Intel Viiv technology-based systems. Additionally, Intel worked with the PC, CE and content industries to set interoperability specifications so that consumers can easily move a variety of online media from room to room and between various devices in the home network.

Intel Viiv technology-based systems will handle multiple computer-intensive tasks simultaneously, a growing consumer expectation identified through years of Intel research examining how people interact with technology in the home. Intel dual-core processors allow multiple people to use one PC at the same time from different rooms in the house. For example, kids can download and watch a movie on the Intel Viiv technology-based PC in the family room, while parents listen to music streamed from the same PC through a digital media adapter to the stereo in another room.

Coming to Home Theaters in 2006: Intel Viiv Technology
Intel Viiv technology-based entertainment PCs are expected to be available from a number of system manufacturers worldwide in the first quarter of 2006 and will come in various shapes and sizes to fit different styles and sizes of homes.