New Specialized Intel Atom Processor Targets Cars, Internet Phones

Advancing innovation around the Intel Atom processor with a goal to target additional market segments, Intel Corporation today announced four unique versions of processors and two new system controller hub additions to the company "embedded" business division product line-up. The new products for the Intel Atom processor Z5xx series include industrial-temperature options, as well as different package-size choices better suited for in-car infotainment devices, media phones, eco-technologies and other industrial-strength applications.

The low-power Intel Atom processor is behind much of Intel growth into several new computing-related market segments, extending the popular Intel architecture to embedded industries such as automotive in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), industrial control and automation, and media phones. These products also enable market segment innovation through advancements in integrated 2-D and 3-D graphics, video acceleration and support for multiple operating systems including several versions of Windows and Linux.

"With the addition of these new products, we can bring the benefits of Intel processors to new applications, devices and customers who develop products used in unconstrained thermal environments with low-power in mind," said Doug Davis, vice president, Digital Enterprise Group and general manager, Embedded and Communications Group, Intel. "Meeting the needs of embedded environments and new market segments will play a large role in delivering the connectivity and functionality necessary as the number of devices connecting to the embedded Internet is expected to grow to an estimated 15 billion devices by 2015," Davis added, citing a January report by IDC John Gantz titled "The Embedded Internet: Methodology and Findings."

The Intel Atom processor is the company smallest built with the world smallest and most energy-efficient transistors. Intel 30-year-old embedded computing division focuses on machines, devices and equipment that have computing and Internet capabilities but are not traditional PCs, laptops or servers. Intel offers an extended 7-year lifecycle for those areas that require longer product refresh cycles such as IVI.

"Intel is well known for innovation and wee excited to see them introducing new low-power consumption Intel Atom processors targeted for in-vehicle systems," said Greg Baribault, director of product management for the Automotive Business Unit at Microsoft. "Intel Atom processors and the Microsoft Auto software platform will provide scalability for the new era of advanced in-vehicle solutions."

In addition to in-car applications, the Intel Atom Z5xx processor series also targets an emerging category of Internet-based communications devices Intel calls "media phones." The package size and power envelope of the Intel Atom Z5xx series are ideal for the media phone, which provides communications services over IP and easy, one-touch access to lifestyle applications such as e-mail, text messaging, weather information, YouTube, horoscopes and digital photo albums.

To help accelerate this emerging device category, Intel today introduced an Intel Media Phone Reference Design that will facilitate development of hardware solutions to market. The hardware development platform includes schematics and validated software stacks.

The new products will be available in the second quarter.

Intel offers a broad spectrum of embedded silicon, technologies, components and tools that enable businesses to meet stringent platform requirements and competitive development schedules. Intel architecture-based processors provide enhanced energy-efficient performance within power and space constraints common for embedded applications.