BETTER WEB EXPERIENCE. With mobile Internet devices, Intel sees a better Web experience for users compared to smartphones. Device makers will soon come out with MIDs powered by Intel's Atom processor. This video clip shows functions of the Aigo MID (take note of from whom the old man is taking stock advice). Video taken by INQUIRER.net technology reporter Lawrence Casiraya at the Intel Developer Forum in Shanghai, China.
SHANGHAI, China--Pocket-sized devices equipped with Intel's Atom microprocessor technology will ship within the next two months, the company said.
Intel showed off different versions of these devices -- or what it refers to as mobile Internet devices (MIDs) -- during its developer forum here.
The company introduced five versions of its previously-announced Atom chip (codenamed Silverthorne) along with its Centrino Atom platform for these MIDs.
The Atom is Intel's smallest processor to date, packing more than 47 million transistors in a single silicon die measuring less than 25mm. It is also Intel's fastest low-power chip in the sub-3-watt segment.
Intel is positioning MIDs as essentially miniature versions of ordinary laptops, able to do basic computing tasks, including doubling as a media player and, most importantly, connecting to the Internet to do voice calls or instant messaging.
For Intel, the next battleground is in these pocket-sized devices that compete head on with so-called smartphones, such as Apple's popular iPhone handheld.
"Most handhelds today deliver a poor Web experience," said Anand Chandrasekher, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's mobility group, citing user satisfaction surveys in US and Japan.
Intel's announcement here also carries some significance, China being the fastest-growing PC market. Moreover, according to Chandrasekher, 50 million Chinese access the Web everyday using their mobile phones.
Representatives from Chinese device makers Lenovo and Aigo joined the Intel executive onstage and gave demonstrations of their forthcoming Atom-based devices. Also shown by Intel were Atom-based products from Asus, BenQ, Clarion, Panasonic and Samsung, among others.
With MIDs, Intel is also looking at creating another platform for application developers. More than a billion phones are sold every year but they represent a highly-segmented platform for software developers, said Chandrasekher.
Intel claims its advantage is the large number of developers creating applications on the Intel-Windows platform. The company also announced a partnership with Ubuntu and Red Flag, opening the platform to open-source developers.
In his keynote, Chandrasekher also gave a brief preview of Moorestown, Intel's next-generation platform for MIDs, which is targeted for launch next year.
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