Intel Unveils Chips for Next-Gen Mobile Devices
Tue Feb 12, 2:38 PM ET
Jay Wrolstad, Wireless.NewsFactor.com
Intel (Nasdaq: INTC - news) has introduced two new chips designed to deliver cutting-edge applications to wireless devices.
"Consumers today want to access the Internet, share information and stay connected wherever they go, and that puts significant processing demands on their cell phones and PDAs," said Peter Green, general manager of Intel's handheld computing division.
Based on the company's Xscale processor technology, the microprocessors will bring both high performance and extended battery life to wireless communications devices, the world's No. 1 chipmaker said.
The chips are the first fully designed by Intel for mobile devices, based on the Xscale architecture and using the ARM instruction set, said company spokesperson Mark Miller.
"For wireless, battery life is king, especially with multimedia data and Internet access, and we now have a product that will both improve performance and cut down on power consumption," he told Wireless NewsFactor.
Creating an Ecosystem
Miller said the new processors use about 75 percent less power than existing StrongARM chips.
Products with the chips will be rolled out in the middle of the year, with a new Ipaq handheld expected in May or June. "These processors can be used in Web pads, PDAs, smartphones and for telematics systems," Miller said.
"What Intel can do, that most of our competitors can't, is create an ecosystem around a product, working with original equipment manufacturers, software developers and others who use our products," Miller said. "They sell the products, but it is up to us to optimize the platforms for applications developers and developer networks."
Multimedia Experience
The Intel PXA250 and PXA210 chips will enable mobile phones and handheld computers to deliver music, video and games -- among the most sought-after applications for next-generation wireless users -- as well as the latest enterprise applications under development, the company said.
They are upgraded versions of Intel's StrongARM applications processors, which comprise the leading platform for Pocket PC-powered handheld computers, and they are expected to usher in a new class of wireless communications devices, according to Intel.
The PXA 250 applications processor, running at speeds up to 400 MHz, is designed for next-generation PDAs and in-vehicle telematics systems. Offering processing power of up to 200 MHz, the PXA210 is for cell phones and entry-level handhelds, Intel said.
To enhance the mobile multimedia experience, Intel said it has added its media processing technology, which works with the device's audio, video and gaming applications to increase the number of frames per second in videos, improve sound quality and deliver cool graphics.
Growing Mobile Data Market
The market potential for these chips is enormous, the company said. Just 2 percent to 3 percent of the 400 million handsets sold worldwide in 2001 have the power to process the massive amounts of digital data being delivered by applications developers, Intel said. However, citing industry analysts, the company predicted that by 2005 more than 50 percent of the 900 million cellular phones sold will be data-enabled.
Intel's Green said the new chips will meet increasing consumer demands. "The new Intel XScale microarchitecture-based processors deliver longer battery life and increased computing power for accessing the Internet with handheld communications and telematics devices today and well into the future," he said.
Widespread Support
The XScale microarchitecture core was engineered to improve the performance of wireless Internet devices as well as to power networking infrastructure equipment.
Among those endorsing the new processors are device manufacturers Acer, Casio, Compaq, DaimlerChrysler, Hewlett-Packard, Hitachi, NEC, Symbol Technologies and Toshiba. Operating systems supporting the new processors include Microsoft Windows CE.Net, Windows Pocket PC 2002, PalmOS, SymbianOS, and embedded Linux from multiple vendors.
More than 200 software vendors are introducing versions of their multimedia software applications that support the new chips, including Adobe, Macromedia, PacketVideo and RealNetworks, Intel said.
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