“Intel Corp. said this weekend that ‘Intel Atom’ will be the official name for its new family of low-power processors designed specifically for mobile Internet devices (MIDs) and a new class of simple and affordable Internet-centric computers arriving later this year,” Slash Lane reports for AppleInsider.
“Formally code-named ‘Silverthorne,’ the chip is expected to turn up in several Apple products starting in the second half of the year. It’s based on an entirely new microarchitecture designed specifically for small devices and low power, yet maintains the Intel Core 2 Duo instruction set, allowing it to run the same applications as today’s Intel-based notebook and desktop systems,” Lane reports.
“The chip, which includes support for multiple threads, measures less than 25 mm, making it Intel’s smallest and lowest power processor yet. ‘Up to 11 Intel Atom processor die — the tiny slivers of silicon packed with 47 million transistors each — would fit in an area the size of an American penny,’ the chipmaker said in a statement,” Lane reports.
More in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Tom” for the heads up.]
25mm? Wow. That’s huge.
You beat me to it. lol
That is of course if 25 mm is in reference to the transistor size. But since 25 mm is in reference ti the actual processor size that isn’t bad. I think these are built on 45nm technology.
“Intel believes Atom will serve to meet demand for a new category of low-cost, Internet-centric mobile computing devices dubbed “netbooks” and basic Internet-centric desktop PCs dubbed “nettops,” which are expected to grow in popularity substantially over the next several years.”
Really? This is the first I’ve read about “netbooks” and “nettops”. Who is writing software for these new devices? How are these new devices to be used? “Grow in popularity”? What machines purchased today meet the current definitions for “netbooks” and “nettops”?
I think that the 25mm size is including the connectors. If that is the case, you can see an iPod Touch sized device running Intel native Leopard, Office, etc. RIM will be in the dust bin shortly afterward.
“Really? This is the first I’ve read about “netbooks” and “nettops”. Who is writing software for these new devices? How are these new devices to be used? “Grow in popularity”? What machines purchased today meet the current definitions for “netbooks” and “nettops”?”
lol!
or at least i assume you are being sarcastic……?
now we just need my 7 inch touch screen cross between the iPod touch and the MBA and i will be happy!
come on steve, i want it announced on the 6th!
Here is a picture of one compared to a penny:
If that is 25mm, then that is big penny.
if they meant 25 square mm. then that would explain the penny. 5mmx5mm is tiny.
Someone missed the square
It’s 25 mm² (25 mm square or 5 mm by 5mm)
I can’t help but be excited to see how Microsoft will adapt their characteristic light and efficient software to these new low power processors. Think Windows Mobile running for days without a recharge and using mobile Word and Excel for hours on end. Swwweeeeeeeeet!
Apple’s super bloated 30-year old Unix on one of these processors is a laughable idea. Whatever.
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Zune Tang: MDN’s pet attention whore. It’s been over a year since he was funny.
——RM
Skynet lives…the machines are indeed taking over…
@ Guy B. Jones
Yay that would be so cool.
Suck on that, MAC Dorks. LOL.