Intel Unleashes WiMAX, Multi-Core Strategy

SAN FRANCISCO — A few years back, Intel made a bet on Wi-Fi with its Centrino chipsets embedded in laptops and computer notebooks.

Although sales were sluggish to start, its bet paid off: Intel recently said it would continue its “Unwired” mantra with a chipset that supports three major Wi-Fi connectivity standards: 802.11b, 802.11g and now 802.11a.

This year, the No. 1 chipmaker is setting its sights on a similar uptick with WiMAX and dual-core chips to help drive sales.

At its Developer Forum here today, the company
set an aggressive schedule to include both technologies in its
silicon. Paul Otellini, Intel president and COO, said the company
would introduce IEEE 802.16 technology (also known as WiMAX) and dual-core
“threading” or “parallelism” in its products in 2005 with inclusion in
majority of its portfolio in 2006.

“Three years ago at IDF, we said Intel would provide fundamental
technologies and chip design features to deliver greater value and
functionality,” Otellini said during the company’s bi-annual Developers
Forum here. “Hyper-Threading and Intel Centrino mobile technology were the
first examples we used to illustrate the point. Now, we plan to implement
multi-core processors up and down our product lineup.”

Otellini said the other main growth drivers for Intel include convergence
of multiple technologies and an estimated 3 billion users coming from Asia
and places outside of North America, Europe and Japan. For example, Intel is
launching its first developers show in South America later this year.

And although the company has experienced production delays, Otellini said he
is confident that it is making the right decisions based on similar choices
by the competition.

“We had some fumbles and so we went back to the basics,” Otellini said.
“I’m happy to see that our competitor is also adopting a multi-core strategy
because it validates our choice. This is not the same race it has been.
We’re moving back toward a consistent, rigorous and conservative production
schedule.”

Similarly, Intel has been evangelizing WiMAX as a last-mile DSL/cable
alternative. The effort is gaining ground as Cisco Systems and Nortel Networks announced today they have
joined
the WiMAX alliance.

Dual Personality

Part of the reason Intel and AMD have decided to shift to multi-core
strategies is that the single-core strategy that fueled the megahertz race
of the last 10 years has hit a wall of physics where heat problems
overshadow performance. The two companies are also looking to streamline
their base silicon to be more flexible across several platforms.

Otellini’s timetable for Intel’s dual-core strategy promises the
introduction of the technology in its client, server and mobile product
lines starting in 2005. The company would then increase the number of
multi-core chips in 2006 to include a PC portfolio with more than 40 percent
supporting dual-core; a server lineup with more than 85 percent steeped in
dual- or multi-core architectures; and a mobile chip family with 70 percent
supporting a dual-core architecture.

Intel’s marquee example is its Itanium “Montecito” processor. Now in the
testing phase with Intel’s partners, the processor has more than 1.7 billion
transistors and 24 megabytes of cache memory. Otellini was less specific
about Intel’s plans for dual-core Xeon, Pentium and even Pentium M
processors, although all are expected.

Last-Mile MAX

With its aggressive stance on WiMAX, Intel said it is now sampling its
first-generation silicon with strategic customers. Codenamed Rosedale, the
chip supports IEEE 802.16-2004 (previously known as IEEE 802.16REVd). Intel
said Rosedale is expected to hit the mainstream desktop market in 2005, with
notebooks and handsets getting their turn in 2006 and 2007, respectively.

The system-on-chip technology will include the 802.16-2004 Media Access
Controller (MAC) and OFDM physical layer , an integrated 10/100
MAC, inline security processing and a Time Division Multiplexing controller
interface that allows for applications such as broadband Internet streaming
data and voice over IP . Combining these attributes
reduces the size of the electronics since there are fewer chips required,
the company said.

A “T” Family Affair

Intel is continuing to converge various technologies with its chipsets
with what the company is referring to as its “T” family.

What started back in the early 90s with the addition to MMX and Hyper
Threading has turned into what Otellini calls the “Platformization of
Intel.”

Intel’s Hyper Threading technology, Centrino Mobile Technology,
and Extended Memory 64 Technology (EM64T) are already present in its
90-nanometer-processed chips. Intel has also added other capabilities,
including PCI-Express, Alviso audio technology and its next-generation
graphics specs.

Otellini said Intel’s LaGrande Technology (Security, LT) and Vanderpool
and Silvervale Technology (Virtualization, VT/ST) are scheduled to appear
starting in 2006 to coordinate with Microsoft’s
Longhorn.

Another new feature to be incorporated into future chipsets will allow
improved management of computing assets by IT managers. The Intel Active
Management Technology (IAMT) is designed to manage information across a
variety of platforms, from handheld communications devices to servers.

One of the inspirations for adding all of these technologies is the
introduction of the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA). Since the
working group published
its first spec in June, the group is looking to connect entertainment PCs
via Digital Transmission Content Protection over Internet Protocols (or
DTCP/IP for short). The technology allows customers to distribute content
over a number of devices. Otellini said Microsoft added its support to
Intel’s efforts, noting that the chipmaker is also reaching out to Sony and
Apple, which have somewhat conflicting technologies.

Intel said it is expecting the first products with DTCP/IP support to
ship in the second half of 2004.

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