What to Expect from Intel's Mobility Teams at CES 2010

CES 2010 is nearly here and although it’s been a quiet few days for news over Christmas, the planning continues behind-the-scenes and I expect quite a few ‘leaks’ over the next week.

In this post I’ve put together a list of topics that I think will form the core of Intel’s mobile computing related activities at CES. Remember that I’m only focusing on handheld, internet and netbook computing so that’s why you don’t see the ‘Core’ series of processors mentioned in detail below. That’s another huge topic for Intel at CES!

Intel’s CES press page is  now live here.

Top of the list in terms of products is the N450 ‘Pineview’ processor and ‘Tiger Point’ I/O device that goes together to make up the next generation netbook platform. Full details of the platform are already available and manufacturers have been working with the platform over the last months so expect a mad rush by the manufacturers to announce their next-gen netbooks. Sales of the new products are likely to start immediately so there’s going to be a huge flow of product news. My advice is just to take a step back and review the situation a few weeks after CES to find out how much more battery life, processing power and portability you’re going to get from the platform and what sort of operating systems will be available. Windows 7 will be dominant but it will be interesting to see how many Moblin-based netbooks get announced. I’m also interested to see the ASUS T101H 10 inch convertible netbook.

Speaking of Moblin, the public beta of Moblin 2.1 for handhelds is late so I expect that to get an announcement at CES too but the biggest software announcement is likely to be something around the Atom Developer Program. Intel are pushing very hard to get that live so don’t be surprised if you see demo’s of working application stores and an an announcement about availability. Judging by the marketing ramp-up that happened in Nov and Dec, they must be close to launching it.

With PineTrail unable to support HD video decoding and digital video output, we’ll have to keep an ear open for hints about how Intel want to play that part of the market. Will they use HD video as one of the dividing lines between netbooks and low-cost laptops. It’s likely. They can also use it as a reason for a customer to buy a secondary video-focused device. MIDs, tablets, smart devices etc. running on the Menlow or Moorestown platform will be able to offer an HD video experience and digital video output and with most people enjoying videos either while sitting in a comfy chair, this makes absolute sense. The MID as the set-top-box perhaps? When wireless digital video becomes reality this will be an interesting area to watch as there’s potential for the remote control, set top box, picture-in-picture and online EPG to be placed inside a MID-like device.

We’re certainly going to see Moorestown demonstrations again but will it be the behind-the-scenes private demos that we had at IDF or are Intel and partners going to be brave enough to bring working devices to the showroom floor. With Moorestown devices not expected until the second half of the year, it could be premature to do so. MWC, CeBIT and IDF would be better places to do that but it would certainly make sense to showcase what is possible with Moorestown. I’m expecting mock-ups of everything from smartphones to tablets, UMPCs, sliders and mini notebooks that will give consumers just enough of a tease to make them think twice about the ARM-based devices that are going to be competing for headlines at CES. If you think about the roadmap for Moblin and line it up with Moorestown, some nice things become possible in the second half of the year.

New devices already confirmed for CES include the Viliv N5 clamshell handheld UMPC/MID, the S10 convertible lightweight netbook, the UMID M2 clamshell handheld and the pro-focused Fujitsu UH900. These are all built on the existing Menlow platform showing that it will indeed run as a separate product alongside the Moorestown platform.

That should be about it for Intel at CES. I’m not expecting any huge surprises but experience tells me that we’ll probably see some new, unexpected products. I’m hoping for something from Samsung that brings them back into the ultra mobile computing market. Maybe we’ll see some super-light Pinetrail netbooks or UMPCs too.

I arrive on the 5th as a guest of the Intel Insiders program and leavs on the 10th so stay tuned and keep checking back for updates. Updates also go out on Twitter so make sure you follow!

Significant events.

• Tue 5th (evening) CES Unveiled, Pepcom.
• Wed 6th Press day. Private Intel event (evening)
• Thurs 7th 0700. Intel Present ‘Core’ processor line-up. Intel keynote (1630)
• Fri 8th. Meeting with Intel Mobility Group.
• Sat 9th. Intel Netbook meeting.

Expect loads more news coming from the show floor too.

Intel CES introduction.

The Press PDF gives an overview of what Intel are planning at CES. It goes something like this:

Intel CES Major Activities

• All-New Intel Core 2010 Press Conference Morning of Thursday, January 7
• Paul Otellini, Intel President and CEO, Keynote Hilton Center Thursday, January 7, 4:30-5:30 pm. He’ll share the vision where all computing is much more personal and available anytime,everywhere.
• Intel Booth –#7153 LVCC, Central Hall South – All new Core Notebooks, Netbooks, MIDs, Embedded IA, Health Reader, WiMAX and more

Panels

• “Defining Internet TV inch Thursday, Jan. 7, Noon-1 p.m.
  Brian David Johnson , Consumer Experience Architect
• “Netbooks: Here to Stay or Passing Fancy? inch Thu., Jan. 7, 3-4 p.m.
  Mooly Eden, Vice President and General Manager, PC Client Group
• “Why Is the Smartphone OS Ecosystem So Complex? inchFri., Jan. 8, Noon-1 p.m.Pankaj Kedia, Director Global Ecosystem Programs
• “Tech and Emerging Countries Health Care Discussion inch Fri., Jan. 8, TBDGerry Greeve, Vice President and Director, Intel World Ahead Program
• “Emerging Tech: Hot or Not? inch Sat. Jan. 9, 1:30-2:30 p.m.Kevin Kahn, Intel Senior Fellow