It's easy to say Atom: Intel's roadmap for a look at the tablets and smart phones

No denying it: when you hear about the Intel Atom net books running thought, with all pros and cons of case ii. Although Intel has sold over 100 million brand Atom processors, fans know they are faced with a modest performance platform, created for PC very cheap and no performance pretensions. Currently the situation is not so different from the one described, but things soon change a lot.

First of all it must be said that Atom is an entire family of products, with characteristics and features that fit and adapt to devices that are designed. Perhaps that Intel was a bit 'confusing, going to gather under one umbrella a number of very different products, but still perceived as "those of the net book."


The future of Atom we had already spoken in a dedicated article, but we continue the discussion in the light of new information. In the first half of 2012 will be three platforms with Atom processor, although the processor will now call it simplistic as SoC, System-on-chip with integrated graphics and other I / O capabilities and 32nm manufacturing process. The codename of the processor is only Salt well, while the three platforms will be Cedar Trail, Clover Trail, and, above all, Medfield.

Cedar Trail will reap the legacy of the platforms for net books now present in it, and those with Atom processors N4xx N5xx, so to speak, starting from the end of this year. In 2013, these platforms are also equipped with built in silicon and 22nm tri-gate transistors, to switch to 14nm in 2014. Cedar Trail and Clover Trail, the latter with a few variants to better adapt to the touch screen, will be adopted on a defined hybrid solutions. We are in front of those devices that, although touch screen, also have a keyboard such as Asus Eee Pad Slider and the like. A cross between tablets and net books / notebooks that are still rarities in the current landscape.

The situation is different for Medfield, the platform on which Intel focuses more. This is the solution that takes the place of Moorestown, little appreciated by the manufacturers and never really took off. Medfield part with a lot better chance: in addition to being designed to smart phone and tablets, with a market much more defined, you can count on Google to create a new Android based. Intel also said operating frequencies up to 1.9 GHz, in addition to ensuring that consumer spending will be very low, so as to align it self with the proposals already established competition in the market.

Medfield part under good conditions, not least that of Google. Of course, is that the market remains difficult because the industry players are iPhone and iPad and the whole universe-ARM Android, including NVIDIA Tegra. You just have to wait for their first products in 2012, to see if the market will find solutions for smart phones and Tablet Intel a viable alternative to what is already on the market.


Posted by: Wasim Javed