An Intel-based mobile phone coming soon?

Reuben Lee | Sep 28, 2007

First, there was Google with its free phone buzz. Now it seems Intel might be casting its eye on the lucrative mobile phone market. For now, though, it's keeping mum on its cellular phone plans (if any). But based on what we've seen at the recent Intel Developer Forum (IDF) in San Francisco, the chipmaker may be planning something along that line with its upcoming Silverthorne processor and Menlow platform. The concept phone design, like this model shown here (click here for a larger image), is one of the few prototype devices showcased at IDF that is expected to employ the new chip and platform.

Slated for launch next year, the Silverthorne processor is Intel's new line of 45nm SoC (System-on-a-Chip) offerings that will appear in low-cost and power-efficient devices such as Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) and Ultra Mobile PCs (UMPCs). According to the chipmaker, the Silverthorne chip draws 10x less power than current processor offerings used on UMPCs today. This hopefully translates to much longer battery life for the next generation of mobile computing devices.

Filed under: Mobile Phones
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