PALM SPRINGS, Calif.--At the start of its annual developers forum here today, Intel Corp. executives demonstrated a 1.5-GHz microprocessor--code-named "Willamette"--and new production-level Pentium III-based systems operating at 1-GHz speeds. The company also showed off a mixed bag of technologies and design innovations aimed at creating new generations of business and consumer PCs.
Intel chairman Andrew S. Grove told an audience of 2,000 developers that technology requirements are accelerating because of the Internet. He said demand on information technology is growing "by power of 10," requiring not only more powerful microprocessors but also an infrastructure that can be scaled out.
"We have done this before with PCs. Now we are doing it for the Internet," Grove asserted.
The next-generation 32-bit Willamette will be introduced in the second half of 2000 with speed well over 1 GHz, said Albert Yu, general manager of Intel's Microprocessor Products Group. The architecture is based on a new hyper pipeplined design, which will enable instructions to be queued and executed at a faster rate inside the processor, according to Yu.
The new microarchitecture will use the computer industry's first 400-MHz system bus, which will run three times faster than the 133-MHz buses used with the Pentium III, Yu said.
Also during the opening day of the Intel Developer Forum, the company unveiled concept PCs that fit in the palm of a hand, and it held the first demonstration of USB 2.0 products. Intel also promoted advanced PC graphics, which is dubbed the "Beyond AGP4x Initiative."
"The PC is evolving rapidly, not only in speed, but also in simplicity and style," said Pat Gelsinger, vice president, Intel Desktop Products Group. "Intel is working with the industry to deliver a wide range of new PCs for a new generation of Internet computing."
In demonstrating USB 2.0-based systems, Intel attempted to show improvements being made to the new specification for the Universal Serial Bus. USB 2.0 products are expected to hit the marketplace in the second half of 2000 with up to 40 times the bandwidth of current USB 1.1-compliant products. The increased speed will open the door for more functionality and higher performance for PC peripherals, such as printers, high-resolution video cameras and fast external storage units.
RSS
Digital
10 emerging technologies to watch:
EE Times has compiled a list of emerging technologies that we think will be worth watching out for in 2010. Biofeedback or thought-control of electronics are among the contenders.
Hot applications in 2010:
We've compiled a list of 10 technology applications you should watch for in 2010, ranging from e-book readers to 3-D TVs. We examine the features that make these apps so compelling as well unresolved issues.
Top 25 predictions for semis in 2010:
2010 is just beginning to unfold in the electronics industry. Looking into our crystal ball, we have released our own chip forecasts--and other predictions--for 2010.
Seven things to fix in 2010:
The editors of EE Times came up with their own informal list of things we hope engineers fix in 2010, spanning everything from nano-lithography to space travel. What do you want to see get done this year?
'09 moves that are shaping the future:
This was a brutal year, but the industry gets a nod for showing grace under fire. Here's our Top 10 guide to the coming year, illustrating what to expect in 2010.
10 CEOs out in 2009:
It's been a tough year for the global electronics industry and CEOs. We survey the dismissal of 10 industry CEOs during the first three quarters of 2009 and what's ahead for the rest of the year.
Notable women in microelectronics:
There is no better time than a global economic recession to examine the keys to successful corporate governance. So, EE Times has compiled an international list that celebrates women who are business and technology leaders in semis.
EE Times updates Silicon 60:
Seventeen companies have been added to the lastest version of our Silicon 60 list of emerging startups. Forty-three companies survived as emerging companies that are still worth watching.
RSS| 
Digital| 
Mobile
