Intel’s Atom processor took center stage at Computex this month in Taiwan, where several mini-laptop makers introduced new products featuring the chipmaker’s power-efficient microprocessors and companion chipsets. Though the so-called “netbook” market segment is currently tiny, Intel believes that 2008 will be the first year that more mobile computing devices will be sold than desktop computers.
Intel Executive Vice President John Maloney told Computex attendees that many people have an innate desire to be connected all the time and see personalized, mobile technology as the way to meet that need.
“The convergence of mobile computers, WiMAX wireless broadband, and powerful, HD-rich computer technologies point to a tremendous growth opportunity,” Maloney said in his keynote address. “Individuals — not households — will drive the next era of growth with people each owning one or more computing devices.”
Healthy Global Footprint
Maloney noted that ubiquitous wireless Internet access is required to mobilize how people are using the Internet today “for things such as creating and watching videos, playing games and sharing photos.” He also said mobile WiMAX will make the Internet open, fast and mobile and the technology will quickly progress toward “a healthy global footprint” that will reach more than 650 million people by 2010.
“Mobile WiMAX is the right solution, and it’s happening now,” Maloney added. “Wireless networks will be how the majority of people get connected, and they have to be Web 2.0 capable. That means they’ve got to have a lot of bandwidth to send data either to or from devices at a rapid-fire pace.”
Also at Computex, Microsoft announced it will respond to customer and OEM demand by extending Windows XP to include desktop PCs called “nettops” as well as mini-notebooks. Having Windows XP available as a customer option has been good news for mini-notebook makers such as Asus….