I’ve been following up some interesting information that came out of an interview with Intel’s Donald MacDonald (right) recently. It appeared in the Bangkokpost website and gives hints about a second consumer-focused mobile Internet platform within Intel.
Up until now we’ve been following Menlow (comprising the Silverthorn CPU and Pulsbo chipset) with an occasional glance at Tolopai which looks like its targeted at more industrial applications. The new name on the radar for those interested in MIDs and UMPCs is ‘Canmore.’ From what I’m reading, it looks like Canmore, a ‘system on chip’ design, was targeted at set top boxes but might be used in mobile Internet markets too. Of course this make sense as MID’s two focal points are Internet and media. An X86-based CPU with media focused co-processors makes perfect sense.
When "Canmore" makes its debut at the upcoming CES in Las Vegas, the SoC will be the first consumer electronics-optimised SoC based on Intel architecture, pairing a powerful IA processor with leading-edge A/V processing, graphics "and more" to help deliver greater performing, Internet-compatible devices, he said.
OK, there’s no mention of mobility there but the article also says this:
Intel Corporation is preparing to enter the mobile Internet market with the imminent launch of a highly-integrated system on a chip (SoC) that is based on its x86 architecture. The company has been talking to "essentially everyone who’s in the handset business who wants to put a genuine Internet in your pocket." That was the message from Intel’s vice president of sales and marketing Donald MacDonald, who promised some "interesting disclosures" at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in early January.
This is totally confusing. No mention of Menlow at all and yet Menlow is exactly what Intel have been talking about as the platform for Mobile Internet Devices. Apparently, Paul Otellini mentioned Canmore at the Fall IDF and said it might have a CPU based on Silverthorn. Here’s what TheRegister reported:
Otellini mentioned the chip’s AV pipeline, GPU, I/O components and a security sub-system – with a low-power x86 core, possibly based on the 45nm ‘Silverthorne’ CPU Intel is developing for UMPCs and mobile web gadgets.
The security sub-system does sound very set-top-box oriented but a mobile Internet and media device has a very similar profile? Looks like we’ll have to wait until CES in Jan for the next set of confusing info! Until then, add ‘Canmore Intel’ to your Google Alerts!
