Intel Raises Bar on Smartphones, Tablets and Ultrabook Devices

At CES Intel Corporation announced a number of advancements across its smartphone business, including a multi-year, multi-device strategic relationship with Motorola Mobility, Inc. and a handset by Lenovo based on the company’s new Intel Atom processor platform. Several smartphones based on the new Atom processor are expected to come to market in 2012.

“The best of Intel computing is coming to smartphones,” said Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini in his announcements during a keynote address at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show. “Our efforts with Lenovo and Motorola Mobility will help to establish Intel processors in smartphones and provide a solid foundation from which to build in 2012 and into the future.”

Otellini also detailed Ultrabook category momentum and described how the company is innovating to deliver superior experiences across a range of mobile devices.

Intel Computing Inside Smartphones and Tablets

Intel’s CEO highlighted the Intel Atom processor Z2460 platform, formerly Medfield, which was specifically designed for smartphones and tablets, and delivers leading performance with competitive, energy efficiency.

Sanjay Jha, chairman and CEO of Motorola Mobility, joined Otellini onstage and the two executives detailed their companies multi-year, multi-device strategic relationship. The effort includes smartphones that Motorola will begin to ship in the second half of this year using Intel Atom processors and the Android platform. The collaboration, which also covers tablets, combines Intels leadership in silicon technology and computing innovation with Motorola’s mobile device design expertise.

Liu Jun, Lenovo senior vice president and president of Mobile Internet and Digital Home, also joined Otellini onstage to debut the Lenovo K800 smartphone based on Intel technology and running the Android platform. Liu Jun said the K800 smartphone will be available in China in the second quarter and will run on China Unicoms 21Mbs network. The smartphone features the low-power Intel Atom processor Z2460 with Intel Hyper-Threading Technology, support for HSPA+ with the Intel XMM 6260 Platform, and the Lenovo LeOS user interface for a localized experience in China.

Otellini said enabling the best mobile experience is a priority for Intel. Michael Bell, general manager of Intels Mobile and Communications Group, also joined Otellini onstage to demonstrate the Intel Smartphone Reference Design that aims to shrink device development time and costs for phone OEMs and carriers. This fully functioning smartphone features sleek packaging, a 4.03-inch high-resolution LCD touch screen for crisp text and vibrant images, and two cameras delivering advanced imaging capabilities, including burst mode that allows individuals to capture 15 pictures in less than a second with 8-megapixel quality.

Showcasing the popular Angry Birds application on the phone, Bell pointed to broad Android applications support that allows Intel technology-based smartphones to run the vast majority of Android applications, including those compiled for other architectures.

Otellini said Intel will raise the bar on tablet experiences by offering compatibility with the millions of existing applications and devices; an instant-on, software and apps experience; and support of the Metro user interface. Onstage was the worlds first public demonstration of the forthcoming 32nm Intel Atom SoC for tablets and hybrids running on Microsoft* Windows 8, codenamed Clover Trail.

Ultrabook to Completely Redefine PCs

Intel claims to be leading the industry to re-invent personal computing again with the creation of the new category of Ultrabook devices, delivering a no-compromise computing experience in thin and elegant designs. [Didn’t Apple already do that with the MacBook Air? Just sayin’ – CM]

In just eight months, and built on a foundation of broad consumer appeal and ecosystem support, the Ultrabook category has gained strong momentum with a total of more than 75 Ultrabook systems are expected to ship this year from industry partners.

Jeff Clarke, vice chairman of Global Operations and End User Computing Solutions at Dell, joined Otellini onstage to announce the companys first Ultrabook, the new XPS 13 powered by the Intel Core i7 processor. Scheduled for February availability, the sleek and stylish design weighs only 2.99 lbs and provides up to 8 hours of battery life.

Intel is committed to continued rapid improvement in user experience. The company’s engineers will further accelerate Ultrabook innovation in 2012 with 3rd generation Intel Core processors, codenamed Ivy Bridge, with the help of Intel’s new 22nm 3-D Tri-gate transistors.

This next generation of devices will expand the computing experience beyond anything realized today. Two Ultrabook concept designs powered by Ivy Bridge were demonstrated during the keynote speech.

Intel’s CEO promised that these devices will be more secure and eliminate the discussion on trade-offs for computing, like form factor, user interface or performance. He also said Ultrabooks will offer a flagship platform for a premium, no-compromise environment that helps deliver on the Microsoft Windows 8 promise of re-imagining Windows.

Applications specifically suited for the Ultrabook are available from the Intel AppUpSM center, a one-stop shop for the latest PC apps. Intel announced a strategic relationship between Intel and Technicolor surrounding M-GO, an app powered by Intel AppUp that will bring high-definition, premium digital content for television, movies, music and apps to Ultrabook devices and other Intel-based devices with Intel Insider in the second quarter of 2012. M-GO will provide movies and TV shows from major Hollywood studios and help manage HD premium content across multiple devices and platforms via a single intuitive, secure user interface.

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