Intel Plans Low-Power Derivatives of x86 Chips

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/0,39020351,39213713,00.htm' target='_blank'>http://news.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/0,...39213713,00.htm</a><br /><br /></div><i>"More details have emerged of Intel's plan to bring chips based on the same designs as its PC chips to handhelds and consumer electronics. The chipmaker has formed the Low Power Intel Architecture (LPIA) project to try to devise energy-efficient versions of its x86 processors, software and components for handhelds, micro PCs and other devices. The company has also developed concept phones and portable video players containing prototype chips."</i><br /><br />According to this article at ZDNet, Intel has plans to release low-power derivatives of its x86 chips, purely for use on mobile devices (and other consumer electronics). Work performed at the Intel Labs has shown that such chips in a handheld could yield a battery life of eight hours or more, with maximum power consumption slated at 5W. I'm all <i>for</i> faster, power-friendly Pocket PCs, so I'll certainly be keeping an eye on this to see where it all goes.

[R K]

I'm all for faster, power-friendly Pocket PCs, so I'll certainly be keeping an eye on this to see where it all goes.

I don't think these processors will really help Pocket PCs, unless everyone wants to go through the whole CPU architecture change we saw in 2002). It's more likely that these will help fill in the gaps between PDAs and laptops.

I wonder how much performance is lost for the sake of battery efficiency on these latest models.

[saru83]

This in really a good idea, but in my opinion that manufacturers should put more effort in improving Battery capabilities, coz processor power is already out there but WE NEED better performing batteries... RIGHT :?:

[Fishie]

Darius you are seriously missing the point here.
Believe me, you do NOT want a cpu that burns 5 wats in a PPC

[Darius Wey]

Darius you are seriously missing the point here.
Believe me, you do NOT want a cpu that burns 5 wats in a PPC

Care to provide reasoning instead of having me pondering over your typical one-liners?

Sure, 5W is more than what standard XScale chips would use, but coupled with developing battery techonologies, that could easily be offset. Also, don't forget that this 5W value is purely whitepaper material. When put to production in a few years time, it may end up being a lot less than 5W.

[Fishie]

Darius you are seriously missing the point here.
Believe me, you do NOT want a cpu that burns 5 wats in a PPC

Care to provide reasoning instead of having me pondering over your typical one-liners?

Sure, 5W is more than what standard XScale chips would use, but coupled with developing battery techonologies, that could easily be offset. Also, don't forget that this 5W value is purely whitepaper material. When put to production in a few years time, it may end up being a lot less than 5W.

Thats the thing, a few years off still.
Also, have you seen the size they quote.
300 Square centimeters is quite huge compared to a PDA.
This looks more like a processor for Flybook sized or smaller mini notebooks with cellular capabilities and seems to want to compete more with transmeta´s efficeon then anything else.
Yes there are the ultra low power versions of the Pentium M but since those are hevily downclocked regular Pentium M chips and becouse of their intrinsic designs they are quite expensive.
Pocket computers with or without cellular capabilities seem to be what this is aimed at.

And the reason why you dont want a 5 wat processor in something the size of an Ipaq 4100 is simply heat.
The processor has to be miniaturised and with miniaturisation the procesor has less physical surface area to dissapate the heat it generates so it gets hotter on a smaller area.

Like the article said, it has to remain comfortable for the end user.

[Darius Wey]

Put that way, these could well be targeting future UPCs. Time will tell just how many consumer electronics get hold of these chips. The whole point behind this is that it's a few years off still. Whether we'll still be tapping away at Pocket PCs is something worth pondering over. ;)

[R K]

Whether we'll still be tapping away at Pocket PCs is something worth pondering over. ;)

Hey you traitor! 8O Pocket PCs will always be around!
:soapbox: All Smartphone and UPC fans leave now! :soapbox:

:robot: :agrue: :agrue: :bangin: :bangin: :twak: :twak: :snipersmile: :snipersmile: :robot:

:mrgreen: Pocket PC Fans Forever! :mrgreen:

:alfdance: :lurking: :ladysman: :beer: :alfdance: :lurking: :ladysman: :beer:

[Darius Wey]

Woah, slow down. I'm very much committed to the Pocket PC and Windows Mobile in general. All I was saying is that five to ten years from now, the mobile device concept could well be different and that's not something we'll be able to change. Unless you've got a crystal ball and can tell me otherwise? :P

Also, you love emotes, don't you? ;)

[R K]

:bad-words: Down with the Smartphonies!! :bad-words:

(Off the record, I was just kidding) ...ahem
:soapbox: Down with the UPC lovers!! :soapbox:

(And it's been a long time since we've put these emoticons to use)

:mrgreen: Pocket PC Fans Forever! :mrgreen:

:alfdance: :lurking: :ladysman: :beer: :alfdance: :lurking: :ladysman: :beer:

[Darius Wey]

Pocket PC Fans Forever!!

Okay, okay... Amen. :way to go: 8)

[R K]

Serously though, a lot of people see the Pocket PC losing out the the Smartphone and the UPC/HPC/Mini-PC. It may happen but it'd be cool for Pocket PCs to stay around and hold on to the best of both worlds.

[Darius Wey]

Serously though, a lot of people see the Pocket PC losing out the the Smartphone and the UPC/HPC/Mini-PC. It may happen but it'd be cool for Pocket PCs to stay around and hold on to the best of both worlds.

Well, that was the basis behind my original statement. I've read way too many articles around the web predicting the death of the stand-alone PDA in preference for a smartphone or a UPC. I, like many others, hope that the Pocket PC lives on, but one person alone cannot control market trends, so it is only time which has the power to tell us where the mobile device road goes.

[Jonathon Watkins]

I, like many others, hope that the Pocket PC lives on, but one person alone cannot control market trends, so it is only time which has the power to tell us where the mobile device road goes.

Agreed. Who knows where the evolution of Windows Mobile devices will lead to. I do know it's going to be a fun ride though. 8)

[beq]

:bad-words: Down with the Smartphonies!! :bad-words:

:mrgreen: Pocket PC Fans Forever! :mrgreen:

Hehe that's so funny! Thanks for the Friday morning laugh :D