last100 » Intel

Intel and Nokia combine forces to battle Google Chrome, Android and Apple’s iPad

Steve O'Hear — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:40:39 +0000

They were already known to be sharing technology with regards to their separate Linux OS efforts but now Intel and Nokia are to merge their respective distributions.

Intel’s Moblin and Nokia’s Maemo operating systems are to be combined into a new Linux-based OS called MeeGo that will target “multiple hardware platforms across a wide range of computing devices, including pocketable mobile computers, netbooks, tablets, mediaphones, connected TVs and in-vehicle infotainment systems.”

Intel is desperate to get its chips into devices that aren’t a traditional PC and Nokia needs a viable and developer-friendly platform to replace Symbian as the latter moves further down into mass-market smart phones that in-turn are replacing feature phones.

But the array of devices targeted by MeeGo also suggests that the move is designed to go head on with Google, both Android, which is finding itself running on more and more non-smartphone hardware, and Chrome OS designed for netbooks. And by extension, Apple’s iPad too.

Intel and Nokia announce “long-term relationship” to develop Intel-based mobile devices

Steve O'Hear — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:46:31 +0000

This one feels like a bit of a re-announcement but over time could well amount to more. Chip maker Intel and handset maker Nokia held a joint press call today to tell the world about a new “long term relationship” to share R&D and key technologies to develop a new mobile platform or range of devices that “go beyond today’s smartphones, notebooks and netbooks”.

Oh and said devices will be powered by future Intel processors, of course.

Which, as The Register points out, sounds a lot like the Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) Intel has been to touting for years, and very similar to Nokia’s own – albeit non-Intel based – N810 Internet tablet (see my review).

See also: Should Nokia release a Netbook?

Both companies are already investing heavily in their own Linux-based mobile operating systems and this will continue. Intel will carry on working on the development of Moblin, designed to run on Netbooks and MIDs, and Nokia will keep plugging away at Maemo, which currently powers the N810 and is also being pitched as a Plan B for Nokia should its open sourcing of Symbian OS not bear the fruits that the company hopes for. This despite both companies talking up their partnership as a way of consolidating their open source efforts.

As a side note, Intel is of course a major partner for Apple and one would presume that the company had been hopeful that sometime in the future it could persuade the iPhone maker to put ‘Intel inside’ its future phones. That ambition may have now been squashed upon recent news that Cupertino has been busily recruiting its own chip-designing team.

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Smartphone and Netbook, meet Smartbook (but haven’t we met before?)

Steve O'Hear — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:47:40 +0000

Netbook or Smartbook?

On the day that Intel secured the right from Psion to legally use the trademarked term Netbook, rival chip designer Qualcomm is pushing a “new” category of mobile device, which the company is calling a Smartbook. As a marketing term, like the Netbook before it, the Smartbook definitely has legs. It’s new, catchy and yet derivative enough of existing product categories so as not to scare off consumers. But beyond marketing, what exactly separates a Smartbook from a Netbook and other ultra-mobile laptops before it?

Here’s Qualcomm’s own definition:

Smartbooks are a new class of devices running mobile operating systems that bridge the functional divide between smartphones and laptops, delivering the best aspects of a smartphone experience on a larger-display form factor. Constantly connected via 3G, Wi-Fi and GPS , smartbooks are ultra-portable, personalizable, easy-to-use and last all day on a single battery charge.

In other words a Smartbook is similar to a Netbook, except it runs a mobile operating system rather than a conventional desktop OS, such as Windows or one of the various desktop flavors of Linux.

If that sounds a lot like that Netbook running Andriod that I’ve been so skeptical of, it’s because it is. You could of course substitute Android for Symbian, Windows Mobile or even Palm’s WebOS, but the idea that rather than customizing a desktop OS to play well in a smaller and – here’s the key – lower powered form factor, a Smartbook approaches the problem from the other way round. Put a mobile OS in a larger device, powered by a chipset that is designed to bridge the two. Enter Qualcomm’s sales pitch:

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon platform has a unique combination of capabilities that makes it exceptionally competitive in the smartbook category, which is redefining mobility for consumers at productivity and play.

Other benefits of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon and the Smartbook category as a whole (presuming the company can convince us that it actually exists) is built-in 3G cellular connectivity and an ‘all day’ battery. Both of which a growing number of Netbooks already offer.

Coming full circle

Psion 5, a Smartbook before time

Oh and now for ironic part of the whole story. As already noted, Intel today settled with Psion to use the term Netbook. Psion was the maker of a little known but much loved mobile OS called EPOC that powered mini laptop-like devices commonly referred to as ‘palm-tops’ but which had more than a little resemblance to what Qualcomm is calling a Smartbook. The best of which was the Psion Series 5. Psion then more or less abandoned the palm-top category (except for a sole product confusingly called a Netbook) as EPOC became Symbian OS, which in turn gave birth to the Smartphone. Therefore, the Smartbook isn’t anything new and easily pre-dates the Smartphone (and Netbook). And if history had been written a different way, Psion would actually be leading the “new” Smartbook category.

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Linux on a Netbook? Intel thinks its all about the User Interface

Steve O'Hear — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:30:47 +0000

Intel's Netbook-friendly OS: Mobilin 2.0

While I remain skeptical of Linux’s chances to overtake Windows as the Netbook OS of choice, that isn’t stopping Intel who continue to invest in a Microsoft alternative. The latest version of its own Linux distro called Moblin sees the light weight OS undergo a complete User Interface overall optimized for Netbooks and MIDs that typically sport a 7-10 inch screen. It’s the UI, says Intel, that will be key to Linux’s client-side adoption, and on that note Moblin 2.0 appears to take much of its inspiration from the next generation of smart phones.

At its heart are a number of ‘home screens’ that can be switched via a tabbed interface. The first offers up a social networking aggregator, giving the user an overview of all their friends’ activities across a range of web services, along with thumbnails of recently accessed files, shortcuts to frequently used applications, and upcoming appointments pulled from Moblin’s calendar app. A second tab enables a user to quickly update their status, although it’s not clear what social network this plugs into (Facebook, Twitter etc.). A third tab goes straight to contacts, including their IM status and email activity, while a fourth tab offers up a browser search bar, history and bookmarks.

Next is the media library, which features what appears to be a DLNA client so that you can access photos, music and video stored on an another device connected to the same local network, such as an XBox 360. And finally, there’s a catch-all tab for accessing other applications.

Overall, the UI looks innovative enough to potentially offer a better user experience on a notebook or other Internet device with a smaller screen, and at the same time scare off punters and OEMs who have become overly familiar with Windows. Intel’s official promotional video for Moblin 2.0 after the jump…

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Survey: Consumers warm to Internet widgets on the TV

Steve O'Hear — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:00:58 +0000

Yahoo and Intel's 'Yahoo Widget Channel'

Take this for what it’s worth considering who paid for the research, but according to a recent survey 76 percent of US consumers who are in the market for a new HDTV would value having access to Internet widgets on their television. The research was carried out by the Diffusion Group on behalf of Intel, who in partnership with Yahoo are pushing the idea of Internet-connected televisions in a big way through the launch of the Yahoo Widget Channel (see video below), a platform designed to make it easy for developers and television manufacturers to add a ‘widget bar’ to HDTVs.

Unsurprisingly, of the 2,000 respondents who took part in the online survey, more than half (54.8 percent) said they “value being able to link to TV program websites while watching a favorite show so they can simultaneously interact with Web-based content while viewing the show.”

This, of course, is already happening in large numbers, I’d suggest, but not via Internet-connected TVs but through the use of a complementary device, such as a laptop/netbook or an iPhone or iPod touch. Who hasn’t googled a news story while watching TV or consulted Wikepedia or IMDB for information on a TV star or film?

I’d question, however, if an Internet-connected TV is the best way to access such text-based content. Weather forecasts and other micro-content, such as sports scores, may fair better on the TV:

According to TDG’s research, 81 percent of consumers find compelling value (and 40 percent find it “extremely” valuable) in having a Web-enabled TV Widget that allows them to customize up-to-the-minute weather information for their location and other locations of interest.

Again, unsurprisingly, 72.2 percent of respondents said they’d value having on-demand access to movies via the Internet and be able to watch them immediately on their TVs. A movie recommendation service also got the nod with just over half of those surveyed (59 percent).

However, perhaps the most interesting question asked by Intel was how much consumers would be willing to pay to have Internet widget functionality on their new HDTV.

75 percent of those consumers likely to purchase a new HDTV in the next six months would pay as much as $75 extra if it featured a “widget toolbar” and their five favorite applications. This is above the additional spend associated with the presence of Internet connectivity.

An extra 75 bucks? That’s bound to be good news to Intel and Yahoo, along with others playing in the Internet TV widget space, including Google, Chumby and Sharp.

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Internet TV partners: Intel and Adobe, Roku and Amazon, Netflix and LG

Steve O'Hear — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:33:34 +0000

With the Consumer Electronics Show just around the corner, it’s traditional for companies to push out a flurry of pre-show announcements, hopefully clearing the way for more exciting news. Today, a number of industry players announced partnerships relating to getting Internet content onto the TV – a theme that will, once again, be prevalent at CES.

Roku and Amazon

Roku’s set-top box will soon be adding support for the streaming version of Amazon’s on-demand video service. Previously, the hardware was a one trick pony, with Netflix ‘Watch Instantly’ functionality only. From the press release: “Beginning in early 2009, the Roku Player… will offer access to Amazon Video On Demand’s more than 40,000 commercial-free movies and television shows enabling Roku customers for the first time to watch new release movies titles instantly.”

LG and Netflix

LG and Netflix’s partnership isn’t new but it’s taking a new turn hardware-wise. This time, LG is to bypass the set-top box altogether, adding Netflix streaming support to new range of Internet connected TVs.

Intel and Adobe

Flash video coming to a TV near you if Intel and Adobe have their way. The two companies announced that they are collaborating to bring Adobe Flash to Intel’s Media Processor CE 3100, a chip designed for set-top boxes, Blu-ray Disc players, digital TVs and other consumer electronics. This is expected to pave the way for “richer and more seamless Web-based and video viewing experiences”, according to the joint press release. It’s more evidence of Intel’s intention to further spread its wares beyond traditional PCs, and in particular new Internet-connected TVs — see Deja vu: Internet ‘widgets’ coming to the TV in 2009.

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Deja vu: Internet ‘widgets’ coming to the TV in 2009

Steve O'Hear — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:17:59 +0000

I’m getting a case of deja vu. Apparently, 2009 will be the year that Internet ‘widgets’ come to the TV.

At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to be held in Las Vegas next month, Samsung, Toshiba and other manufacturers will unveil new televisions that bring Internet content into the living room through support for the “Widget Channel”, a platform for Internet-connected TVs developed in partnership by Yahoo and Intel (see ‘Yahoo, Intel attempt to solve Web content on television with “Widget Channel”). Of course, Internet-connected TVs were also the talk of CES in 2008, with Sharp, Samsung, Panasonic and Google making announcements. This time, however, Yahoo and Intel think they’ve got it right.

Based, in part, on research by Intel that involved the use of the company’s top anthropologist, the “Widget Channel” is a response to what the two companies think consumers actually want, rather than technology for technology’s sake. With the push of a button, Internet ‘widgets’ appear along the bottom of the TV screen giving access to a range of online content such as photos from Flickr or videos from YouTube, the latest weather forecast, or perhaps TV show information from Wikipedia.

More importantly, Yahoo and Intel think it knows what consumers don’t want from an Internet-connected television (via CNET):

Another remote control, specifically one with a keyboard.
Something that intrudes on watching TV. Instead, consumers wanted “a big button to make the software go away in one fell swoop–no menus or arrow keys or complication–so they could get back to watching TV when they wanted.”
A full-on Web browser. Nobody wants to surf the web on the TV – in the traditional sense – but they do want access to online content on the television, such as updates from their social network or real time information.

I’m unsurprised by the resistance to a ‘full-on Web browser’, just look at the failure of products such as the original WebTV. It’s also interesting but not all that surprising that Yahoo and Intel found that consumers don’t want to have to have to use a, presumably QWERTY, keyboard in addition to the TV remote. While this alone will make data entry more fiddly, the “Widget Channel” could employ a hybrid model whereby TV ‘widgets’ are configured on a PC using a web browser to then be accessed via the TV using a standard remote.

The “Widget Channel” is powered by software based on Yahoo’s acquisition of Konfabulator in 2005 (the technology behind Yahoo Widgets) and a new chip from Intel. Yahoo sees advertising opportunities on Internet-connected TVs, while Intel hopes it will provide the company with a further foray into non-PC consumer electronics.

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Yahoo, Intel attempt to solve Web content on television with “Widget Channel”

Daniel Langendorf — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:13:49 +0000

Yahoo and Intel today announced they are working together to bring dynamic Web content to your television set through the use of widgets. It’s an interesting idea.

As many pundits have noted, companies large and small have attempted to bring Web content to the TV for years. All the efforts have failed for a variety of reasons: navigation issues, trying to replicate an entire Web page on the TV during programming, the introduction of the browser, keyboard, and mouse in the living room, and so on.

Yahoo thinks it may have the answer with the Widget Channel, which will allow developers to create small mini-programs (or widgets) that will be displayed on the bottom of a TV screen. These widgets offer on-screen access to everything from your pictures on Flickr, to interactions with friends on Twitter or Facebook, real-time sports scores, weather updates, stock prices, online movie rentals, and so on.

Not a bad idea.

Why fire up the Web version of Twitter on the TV just to check or send Tweets? Why not have an ESPN widget running rather than bounce back and forth between Sports Center and “Grey’s Anatomy?” Why even bother replicating the Web experience on a TV set?

The Widget TV platform isn’t available and probably won’t be until the first part of 2009, when a new class of Intel chips for consumer electronics will be available that enable high-definition viewing, home-theater-quality audio, 3-D graphics, and the mashing of Internet and TV functions. Major manufacturers set to produce widget-ready TVs include Samsung and Toshiba.

See also: Yahoo Wants to Bring the Internet to Your Living Room from ReadWriteWeb.

Even with the promise of the Yahoo-Intel TV widget platform, I can’t help but think of a paradox. So far, attempts to place Web content into TV sets have largely failed. Why then are people increasingly watching TV on their computers and laptops? If they’re not watching TV on a computer, many people are at least bringing laptops into the living room and surfing the Web while watching their TV shows.

Is this because no one has solved the Web-to-TV interaction yet? Is there no demand for this functionality? Is it because people would rather keep their content and viewing experience on the TV separate from the computer?

What do you think? Why hasn’t the Web-on-your-TV-set worked when you are willing to watch “Eureka” through Hulu on your laptop?

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Don’t buy a Netbook pleads PC industry

Steve O'Hear — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:17:32 +0000

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of the Netbook, an emerging new product category of low-cost and ultra-portable notebooks. But it seems many in the PC industry aren’t.

Initially targeted at the education market or those wanting a third machine, Netbooks are resonating with a much broader market — and not just because of their lower price point compared to more traditional and higher specced sub-notebooks. Despite years of industry propaganda, consumers are wising up to the fact that they don’t have to step on to the processor upgrade treadmill. Instead, in an age where more and more of our applications and data resides in the cloud (on remote servers, rather than stored locally), a machine with Internet connectivity and one that is powerful enough to run a modern web browser – that’s a Netbook by the way – is often all that we need.

This has put the industry on the back foot, reports The New York Times, since the sale of Netbooks produce significantly smaller margins and could unintentionally cannibalize existing and much more profitable product lines. Although the Netbook was pioneered by smaller players such as Asus and Everex who have a lot less to lose, many of the industry’s major PC manufacturers, but not all, have since released or announced their own Netbook efforts, notes the report. Acer, Hewlett-Packard and Dell are in, while Sony and Fujitsu are sitting it out for now.

“We’re sitting on the sidelines not because we’re lazy. We’re sitting on the sidelines because even if this category takes off, and we get our piece of the pie, it doesn’t add up,” Fujitsu’s Paul Moore tells the Times. “It’s a product that essentially has no margin.”

The problem for Fujitsu and Sony, along with companies who have jumped on board, is that the Netbook pie could get pretty big. Market research firm IDC has predicted that the category “could grow from fewer than 500,000 in 2007 to nine million in 2012 as the market for second computers expands in developed economies”, while Intel is being much more bullish. The company estimates that 40 million units will ship a year by 2011, which makes it all the more curious that last week Intel was heard talking down the version of its Atom chip designed specifically to power Netbooks.

During a conference call with analysts and the press, Intel CEO Paul Otellini was quoted as saying: “(Atom) is less than a third the performance of our Centrino (processor). You’re dealing with something that most of us wouldn’t use.” This is from the company who, along with the Taiwan-based Via, has done the most to define the Netbook category.

A product it now seems that Intel, along with many in the PC industry, would rather you didn’t buy.

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Apple working on Atom-based Internet tablet? Let’s hope it’s more open than the iPhone

Steve O'Hear — Thu, 15 May 2008 17:22:39 +0000

A long standing rumor that just won’t go away: Apple is working on a tablet computer of sorts. Only this time the source is Intel, no less, following comments made by the chip maker’s Manging Director for Central Europe Hannes Schwaderer.

Described as being a future member of the iPhone family, only slightly larger, the new offering will make use of Intel’s Atom processor, designed for a product category the company calls Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs). However, while the Atom is certainly low-powered, delivering a very efficient power-per-watt ratio compared to previous designs, in it’s existing ‘Silverthorne’ incarnation it isn’t suitable for cell phones — suggesting that Apple’s new device will be significantly different to the existing iPhone and iPod touch line. Instead, think of larger, more tablet-like devices, or conceivably, anything all the way up to low-cost sub notebooks such as Asus’ Eee PC.

Although it’s far from certain that Schwaderer would be privy to any future Apple plans, his comments seem to corroborate with earlier rumors suggesting that a multi-touch tablet is in the works. Sources told AppleInsider last September that the company was developing an “ultra-thin ’slate’ akin to the iPhone, about 1.5 times the size and sporting an approximate 720×480 high-resolution display that comprises almost the entire surface of the unit.” The device would build on existing multi-touch concepts leveraged in the iPhone and iPod touch by adding drag-and-drop as well as copy-and-paste functionality. If plans remain on schedule, the tablet would be released in the first half of 08, according to the report. Apple’s WWDC kicks off on June 9th with a Steve Jobs keynote, and Intel’s Atom chip is due to ship the same month.

Atom’s Apple – how might an Apple/Intel tablet shape up?

Intel’s Atom family of chips have some pretty impressive specs. And the Atom platform as a whole includes an integrated graphics chip, with the higher end configuration capable of “1080i HD accelerated decoding and the ability to drive an external screen at up to 1080i”, reports The Register. “Not bad for a handheld”.

However, for all the speed and graphics-umph that Intel can offer Apple, other key factors are the version of OSX that will be utilized, and how open the device will be to developers. While porting over the multi-touch UI of the iPhone and iPod touch would best suit a future Apple tablet, the limitations of the iPhone’s third-party Software Developer Kit (SDK) and terms of use would be much less welcome. Applications written for the iPhone by third-parties aren’t given access to many of the OS’ deeper features, such as true multi-tasking or the ability to share data between applications, and all third-party software must be signed off by Apple and distributed through the iTunes Store. There’s also the vexing issue of the iPhone’s lack of a Flash plugin or support for DivX, negating access to lots of online video. To really be a game changing device, an Apple tablet would need to be as extensible as the Mac, else much of Atom’s power will go to waste.

Image credit: AppleInsider

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