INDUSTRY

SAN JOSE, Calif.--Intel Corporation President and COO Paul Otellini today demonstrated that through Intel's and the industry's efforts, the convergence of computing and communications is being rapidly embraced by individuals and has become a mainstream trend. He also described new technologies Intel will bring to computing and communications devices that will add exciting features to Intel products in addition to providing more processing speed. "Just two years after disclosing details on what was then codenamed Banias, the convergence of computing and communications has gone mainstream," said Otellini. "As one example, the addition of more than 76,000 wireless networking cards a day to the world's computing infrastructure makes it clear that convergence is here to stay. And this isn't just happening in the PC area -- we're estimating by 2010 there will be more than 2.5 billion wireless handheld devices capable of providing communications functions combined with the processing power of today's advanced PCs." Otellini's comments were made during the opening address of the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) Fall 2003. In addition to reviewing the company's focus on convergence, Otellini also described new technologies -- the "Ts" -- Intel plans to bring to market to provide end-user benefits that go beyond processor frequency. "It was two years ago at IDF that we committed to deliver fundamental technologies to enable greater productivity and better experiences for computer users," said Otellini. "We said we would continue to lead in microprocessor performance and we've done that. We also said we needed to create technologies specifically targeted to match the ways individuals use computing and communications devices. Hyper-Threading technology, with its innovative approach to enhancing the computing experience, and Intel(R) Centrino(TM) mobile technology, which delivers breakthroughs in mobile computing, are the first outcomes of this effort." The company will continue to deliver on its promise to provide greater user benefits by supplying technologies to improve security, reliability and media processing, among others. In the security area, the company's LaGrande technology is designed to be a future enhancement to Intel processors, chipsets and platforms, that when combined with optimized software would protect against software-based attacks on computer systems. The technology should be available in the next two-to-three years. "At a time when the 'virus of the week' seems to plague us all, making our computing devices more secure through the addition of hardware-based security must become a top priority for the industry in order to ensure future growth," said Otellini. "However, it's important to do this in a way that also respects the privacy rights of individuals. Intel is committed to achieving both goals." Another technology Intel plans to incorporate into future products is designed to enable multiple, independent software environments in a single PC -- similar to the way mainframe class systems operate. Code-named "Vanderpool," it is aimed at improving the end-user experience by increasing system reliability, flexibility and responsiveness, as well as speeding the ability to recover from computer crashes. The company is also developing similar enhancements to improve the processing of digital media -- boosting the performance and lowering the cost of experiencing advanced digital media capabilities. This feature is expected to become increasingly important in the home environment. Intel's leadership in silicon technology is the foundation for providing benefits beyond processor speed. Advanced silicon technology will allow Intel to meet customer requirements by packing even more new features and functions onto smaller and smaller devices. For example, by 2011 the company plans to be building semiconductors with circuitry 22-nm wide, with transistors smaller than a single DNA molecule. As an example of Intel's investment in technology leadership, Otellini made the first public presentation of an Intel silicon wafer built on the next generation 65-nm manufacturing process. "Intel is committed to bringing technologies to market that end-users want and can use today," said Otellini. "We will offer technologies such as Hyper-Threading for performance, enhanced wireless to enable true mobile computing, LaGrande for security, Vanderpool to improve reliability, flexibility and the overall computing experience, along with our core silicon expertise, which underpins our ability to enable these and other key capabilities." Intel is also focusing its technologies and products on three areas that will provide significant opportunities for the IT and consumer electronics industries in the coming years: in enterprise computing, mobile Internet clients and the digital home. In the enterprise, convergence will create new opportunities as wireless users tap into database and other applications on the Internet. Product highlights from Intel in the enterprise computing area include plans to introduce a dual core Intel(R) Xeon(TM) processor MP (code-named Tulsa) and a multi-core Intel(R) Itanium(TM) processor (code-named Tanglewood), among other technologies. In the mobile area, Intel is focused on common software that can run across multiple platforms to enable a seamless computing-communications experience. In the digital home, the development of industry specifications will be essential to sharing content across multiple devices. Intel's involvement with organizations such as the Digital Home Working Group that bring together content providers and the consumer electronics industry, will help shape technology specifications that benefit consumers. In a different example of industry cooperation, the development of Digital Transmission Content Protection, over Internet Protocol (DTCP/IP) technology by Intel and other companies will enable home users to wirelessly share protected entertainment content among a variety of devices in the home. Through collaboration with content providers such as Warner Brothers and others, this technology is likely to be a cornerstone to expanding digital home entertainment.