IDF Tokyo spurs product announcements

By Staff Writer for Intel

Johannesburg, 18 Apr 2002

Intel has released a slew of new technology under the banner of its Intel Developer Forum (IDF) Tokyo.

Included in the announcements are the fastest flash memory for Internet-enabled cellular phones, the second version of Intel`s Integrated Performance Primitives (IPP 2.0), and technology to control home networks from a wireless device.

Intel`s Integrated Performance Primitives provides a common development environment across multiple chips, meaning that developers can develop an application once and then deploy it across multiple Intel-based environments.

Version 2.0 of IPP adds 32-bit and 64-bit support for the Microsoft Windows and Linux operating systems for the Pentium 4, Intel Xeon and Itanium processors. It also has optimisations for the Intel PXA250 and Intel PXA210 applications processors, key components of Intel`s wireless handheld architecture, PCA.

The new IPP also features new capabilities for multimedia application developers to enhance audio and video performance. There are audio coding and video codecs (coders/decoders) that provide support in areas of MP3 decode, JPEG, MPEG-4 decode, and H.263 decode for Intel Architecture.

Additional features include small matrix operations and vector math support, which benefit small-scale numeric and graphics applications.

Intel`s latest flash offering, the Intel 1.8 Volt Wireless Flash memory, is built on 0.13 micron process technology and is up to four times faster than existing flash solutions. This increased performance results in higher data throughput rates that speed up data-intensive Internet phone applications such as browsing, streaming multimedia and text messaging. The new chip also consumes less power than standard flash chips, resulting in extended battery life.

Intel also released new software at its IDF Tokyo that allows developers to build software that will allow a user to control his own universal plug-and-play (UPNP) network from a cellular phone or PDA. A smart networked device, which could include security systems, entertainment systems, and Internet gateways, will be able to interact with the wireless device. Users can control all of the "smart" devices in the home, or network with other wireless devices through the UPNP network.