At news conferences in cities around the globe, Intel has unveiled the Centrino-branded set of chips, most notably allowing users to get online wirelessly. The move is further evidence of the convergence between communications and computing, and could threaten the data push by cellphone-makers.
Airport and hotel wireless hotspots allowing use of this technology are blossoming around the world, but SA`s telecommunications regulations have restricted public use of wireless connectivity. This factor alone could threaten Intel`s sales of Centrino, although it still has application in corporate networks and at home.
Centrino includes the new Pentium M processor, the Intel 855 chipset family and the Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 network connection, using 802.11 wireless network functions that have been "optimised, tested and validated to work together", said Steve Nossel, Intel SA country manager. The chip has been designed "from the ground up" with the object of enabling extended battery life, the building of thinner and lighter notebooks, and giving better mobile performance.
The processor is based on a new mobile-optimised micro-architecture that delivers higher performance and lower power consumption. The Intel 855 chipset family includes two new chipsets; the 855PM, supporting discrete graphics, and 855GM with integrated Extreme Graphics 2 technology.
Intel chief executive Craig Barrett said the technology provided "the most tangible evidence of the conversion of computing and communications". Centrino laptop users who are within 100 meters of wireless access points called "hot spots" will be able to surf the Internet or sign on to corporate networks. Intel said it was working with partners such as telephone network operators, hotels and airports to verify that some 10 000 hot spots are fully up to speed this year in 15 countries around the globe.
Critical to the success of this technology is how fast telephone and other network operators set up public "hot spots" in busy locations. In SA, WiFi providers are lobbying to deregulate the so-called last mile of connectivity to the user, currently the domain of Telkom in public areas. Intel may find its new technology suffering lower uptake than it hopes if the legalities aren`t resolved soon.
Intel will give notebook-makers the option of excluding wireless connectivity. It said if their notebooks do not include the wireless component, they would feature the "Intel inside" logo. Shoppers can identify wireless-enabled notebooks by the Centrino brand logo featuring a magenta colour and the Intel inside mark.
The technology could dent demand for mobile telephones capable of connecting to the Internet. Use of such phones, which are available over wide regions but slower to get online, could suffer in areas where wireless computer users congregate, industry strategists said.
Longevity
Using published benchmarks, Intel says Centrino systems can deliver up to five hours of battery life or more, compared with about three hours on mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor-M-based systems. Intel Centrino mobile technology offers a 15% improvement compared with the Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor-M 2.4GHz system.
In addition, consumers will find a 13% improvement in Internet download speeds when compared with the Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor-M 2.4GHz.
The price to pay
Centrino technology pricing includes the chipset, network connection and the processor at speeds ranging from 1.30GHz to of 1.60GHz. Prices range from $292 to $720 in 1 000 unit quantities. Centrino is also available in a low voltage processor at 1.10GHz and an ultra-low-voltage processor at 900MHz, priced at $345 and $324 respectively.
Centrino notebooks will cost about the same as other laptops, starting at about R11 000.
Rival chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) also introduced 12 new mobile processors for portable computers under its Mobile AMD Athlon XP-M line, which AMD says offers more power and extended battery life.
Computer-makers Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Toshiba, IBM and Sony have each pledged to include Intel`s set of Centrino chips in new notebook computers.
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