IIRC Intel kept the composition of the HKMG layers as a trade secret rather than patenting them. I'm sure that semicon folk around the world are trying their best to decode how/what Intel did by detailed analysis. But given that no one seems to have figured it out, it must be pretty tricky.

Secret sauce indeed!

Love it!

gb

Intel has produced starter platforms in the past but they were never consumer items. Intel is much more likely to double down on OEMs and ODMs and just do whatever is necessary to blunt Apple's foray into more markets. Intel has shown it is willing to invest $300M in Ultrabook enabling technology. IIRC they're planning a bigger than Centrino marketing effort as well for UBs. That would put it closer to $1B by itself.

Given the semicon process gap that is large and growing between Intel and the rest of the pack I think Apple would be committing suicide if they "dumped Intel" from their notebook lines. That doesn't mean they won't play poker however...

gb

I think it is not only possible but likely that intels 14 nm production output will exceed the rest of the industry's faltering still faltering 28nm output in 2014.

gb

What's really amazing is mountains of leading edge high asp parts from reliable fabs vs a trickle of cheap crap from a wannabe.

And yet "parts is parts..."

gb

Not a single analyst picked up on the 4 fab vs old 3 fab model. They really just don't get it.

gb

@TT, thanks! I still forget that they're doing that now.

gb

Listen for PSO's comments in the call. Last call he mentioned a record number of wins and expected volume ramp for the Romley platform. I would think he would mention it again. I'm also interested to hear if IB qualified for production.

gb

Contrast that with Intel getting essential 100% of its revenues from 32nm (arguably same as 28nm) in 2011 and likely to get nearly 50% percent of its revenues from 22nm this year. Certainly well over 50% in Q42012.

Tick/tock is going to make some big changes in the semicon industry. I think we're going to see some unusual things happen in a year or two.

gb

IB=Ivy Bridge

AVX=instruction extensions

gb

Any thoughts on how the IB IGP performance might be enhanced by the AVX instructions present in an IB driver?

gb

Just my observation that whenever AMD fans show up screaming about Intel's latest and greatest plans (especially when declaring price to be the only relevant metric) it usually indicates that Intel has found a Centrino-like winner.

If black helicopters are sighted in 6 months or so by the true-believers we'll know it's working.

gb

Graphics, graphics, graphics. The AMD folk seem to blather on and on about their wonderful graphics on their processors apparently blissfully ignorant of the fact that for the vast majority of applications the difference between their graphics and that of Intel is zilch, zippo, nada, bupkis.

I suppose if you spend $5B (and wrote off most of it by now as worthless) to buy this capability you have to continue to crow about it as a discrete product for use in highend gaming machines or workstations but as an integrated feature it's just a power consuming joke.

gb

Since you seem so convinced that Intel UBs offer no compelling story I'm now completely convinced that Intel has another Centrino-like homerun lined up. These seem to be the times you show up touting AMD's cheaper "alternatives".

See the Ruskin quote in my last post.

gb

Btw, I think it was smart to tm ultrabook. Keeps the experience closer to expectations rather than letting folks cut corners.

"There is hardly anything in the world that some person cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and people who consider price only are this person's lawful prey." John Ruskin (1819 - 1900)

gb

I'm going to be very interested in RR's February disclosures. He's already signalled his intent to stand down on the Intel jihad front.

gb

From what I can see so far the complete Ultrabook experience will be compelling. Obvious is thin and light: of course you can make it fatter and heavier and cheaper. I'm typing on one of those now.

Battery life will be important and a HDD won't get you there. SSD will mean more expensive but has a significant impact on power, thickness, weight and responsiveness.

Instant on, or nearly so, is a big deal for a lot of people who use things other than PCs. Of course not even my 3GS iPhone with iOS5 is instant on.

Always on IMO is a leg up on instant on. The IB UBs will periodically wake up and fetch and update mail etc so they're always available.

Having a real accessible file system is a big win over what I've seen so far with phones and tablets. I want to be able to store things locally.

The variety of secondary displays or rotatable displays to give a quick peek at data or a full tablet like experience adds to cost but certainly will add to convenience.

So "cheaper" won't be why I buy one of these...and I certainly will!

gb

IIRC MWC is the more relevant phone event. Fingers crossed.

gb

I think the Lenovo device is China only so most of us won't see it. The Motorola, soon Google, device is likely to be more visible.

gb

I didn't see any indication that Q2 was the quarter that phones would be in consumers' hands. I thought I read 2H, perhaps Q3, was what to expect.

gb

Charlie's and the other similar sites are in danger of losing their cash cow: clicks on controversy between AMD and Intel.

With AMD heading for the exit on their traditional jihad (per Read) there's going to be a lot less to write about.

I think the sites playing off this have their days numbered.

gb

gb

PSO: CEO of Intel who answers to shareholders, SEC, FTC and dozens of greedy classaction lawyers.

Anand, etc: answers to no one.

Guess which one you should pay attention to...

gb

Actually he said it in the Q3 CC. The Q4 call is on Jan 19. The units were not yet qualified so that resulted in a charge. We'll find out in the Q4 call if that charge is reversed. That will mean the units did qualify and likely will show as revenue.

gb

http://www.powermanagementdesignline.com/electronics-news/4234192/Globalfoundries--N-Y--kicks-off-production

Luther Forest now running some parts, apparently for IBM.

big whoop

gb

but, but, but...!!!!

the sky is falling!!!*

gb

*tm ANALysts

As long as Intel has a huge MSS with enormous profitability there will always be something coming along which some will see as a major threat. By necessity all such threats will be asymmetric and using such terminology seems so "today" and "warlike." As a result I don't see this sort of chicken little analyst speculation ever going away.

Two things are likely to dampen it however. One is that Intel gets some solid tablet and phone wins that put the ARM power/price/performance assertions to rest. Second and somewhat related is that Intel get its 14nm process ramping before anyone else is stable on 28nm.

I think both are quite probable in contrast to the majority of the analysts. Of course if they both occur then the analysts will find another reason for an atmospheric avalanche...

gb

PSO did mention a rather huge Romley ramp number in the Q3'11 call. I think Romley will probably kill all profitability hopes for AMD server lines for all of 2012. And IB based server chips will just make it worse starting in Q4 and throughout 2013. It will be interesting to see what AMD does about that.

gb

do you have a basis for your "doubt?"

gb

Good grief Charlie Brown! Lucy is never going to let you kick the damn thing.

Someone at Cray has a screw loose. The processor cost can't represent a significant fraction of the cost of these monsters. There must be some other politics at play.

Time to switch suppliers for good!

gb

I'll be interested in which chips were involved: CPUs, gfx ou both.

gb

I don't understand the wailing over DXx given that none of these Atom platforms are gaming capable. Neither is Brazos.

He constantly whines about Linux since he hates MSFT enough to try to keep all his business clients off it. They must really enjoy being in pain with him around.

gb

I don't think Asian cultures look favorably on loud talking the CEO. Wouldn't want to be the unnamed source if outed.

gb

I think TSMC is just expressing concern that Intel's process lead will allow Atom to outpace TSMCs ARM based customers.

If TSMC admits this publicly how long before analysts wake up?

gb

Never mind. Need more coffee...

gb

I find the latest AMD gfx marketing pitch funny. 150% better perf per sq mm. How did they *not* get 2x on that dubious metric by a shrink from 40 to 28nm?

gb

danke

gb

wtf is bfm?

gb

Could have been a victim of marketing silos. Perhaps the latest reorg is supposed to address that.

gb

I bought my 3GS iPhone a couple years ago when the android phones were first being released. I didn't want to trust my sole means of personal communication for my wife, daughter and me (we bought three at once) to v1.0 of anything. I like the phone as a portable lookup tool but it falls a bit short as a phone.

I don't like having to go thru a bunch of button presses to make a call. If there was a way to make the phone favorites page the home screen that would solve most of that. Can't imagine trying to make a 911 call with this under extreme duress.

It's also slow. Browsing gets often gets painful even on WIFI.

gb

two questions:

can you actually see the display while driving?

what happens when you're out of cell range?

gb