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Intel Looks Beyond the Microchip

Posted by Zonk on from the don't-look-down dept.

Dr Occult writes "BBC reports about upcoming major changes in Intel in 2006. The current Intel core, the Pentium, is on its way out and is to be replaced by a new chip called 'Core'. These new Core chips come in two flavours. Solo Core is a single core processor, and Duo Core is a dual core processor. Intel has also announced the Viiv standard. Viiv is less technology and more a shopping list of technologies. Aimed at the home entertainment market, it defines the latest generation of media centres that are capable of playing anything from MP3 songs to high-definition films."

10 of 152 comments (clear)

  1. I wonder why. by Musteval · · Score: 5, Funny

    In other news, AMD keeps looking at the microchip, because they're winning at it.

    --
    Note to mods: I'm probably being sarcastic.
  2. Technically devoid fluff piece by pchan- · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "The current Intel core, the Pentium, is on its way out and is to be replaced by a new chip called 'Core'. These new Core chips come in two flavours. Solo Core is a single core processor, and Duo Core is a dual core processor."

    How the hell did this make the front page? "Core Solo|Duo" is just what Intel calls their single, dual core processors now (remember, generic names are not worth anything to them, they must have a brand name). But is it news for nerds? Hardly.

    1. Re:Technically devoid fluff piece by gormanly · · Score: 4, Informative

      yep, and Core Duo and Solo are just the latest rev of the P6 core that's been in every IA32 chip except the Pentium 4, from the PPro to the Pentium M. In other words, all this news says is that Netburst is dead, and 32-bit computing lives a little longer.

      The real new chip line is coming later in the year, when Intel's new architecture comes out: see these 2 great articles by Oleg Bessonov over at Digit Life on Conroe, the future, and Yonah, the current Intel CPU.

      Of course, this is Slashdot, so about 3 people will read these through, and only 2 of those will grok 'em, but their server will get melted anyway...

  3. quad core, oct core, etc by Anubis350 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I would assume there are plans for these, would seem to make sense based on their naming convention.
    Goodbye mhz race, hello core race (not that it hasnt been on for a while :-P).

    --
    "goodbye and hello, as always" ~Prince Corwin, from Zelazny's Amber series
  4. Not far beyond... by themysteryman73 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ironically, all of those things listed under "Intel looks beyond the microchip" are based on microchips.

  5. the best part of TFA: by 246o1 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "All microprocessor chips have a core. The current Intel core, the Pentium, is on its way out, to be replaced by a new core, called "Core".

    It all sounds a bit like Intel's hijacking a technical term and trying to turn it into a brand name."

    I've never really thought about this, but could it lead to confusion and/or lawsuits with regards to the AMD multi-core chips? I certainly wouldn't put such a hope past Intel.

    --
    Although the moon is smaller than the earth, it is farther away.
  6. Do you you do best. by theheff · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I don't think this article is really saying much, except for the fact that Intel is going to try to put their chips in everything (DVD players, appliances, etc). From a technology/research standpoint, this kind of worries me. Does this suggest that Intel is trying to secure their future by broadening their market because they can't produce new technology? As much as I love AMD, I hope that competition continues between the two chip-makers for a long, long time.

  7. Viiv - shear genius by AmiMoJo · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well done Intel - spend millions building up the Pentium brand, then throw it away for something no-one can pronounce.

    Also, well done for adding to the general confusion by calling your new chips "Core". You must be so prowd of your marketing deparment.

    --
    const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
    SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    1. Re:Viiv - shear genius by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      They should call the new multi-core pentiums for, uhm:

      Plentium!

  8. Riddle me this by sane? · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Surely "Core" is a generic term?

    Therefore sure it should be impossible to have a valid trademark? Remember the reasoning behind "Pentium" rather than "586"?

    So what is the "TM" doing on it?