Marc, speaking of the MMX chip, Infoworld ran another interesting
article on Nov. 14 called "Intel notebook PC processor module
narrows gap with desktop design".
Apparently Intel will start shipping the "equivalent of a desktop
PC's motherboard" for MMX-enabled Pentium notebook computers
in volume starting in the second quarter of 1997.
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Posted at 4:35 PM PT, Nov. 14, 1996
The familiar "Intel Inside" slogan early next year will take on a new
dimension when the CPU giant rolls out a processor module for
mobile MMX-enabled Pentiums that could help further bridge the
gap between notebook PCs and their desktop brethren, analysts
and company officials said.....
Although many notebook vendors in the past have expressed
concern that such an initiative may hurt their bottom line by making
it harder to differentiate product lines, the Intel move is now met with
less resistance."
"In the future, the processor will increase in frequency, and higher
frequencies need much more compact logic,," said a top official
at NEC Corp. "It will be very, very difficult to design, so we have two
choices: produce our own or buy them from Intel."
"For, Intel, the card module follows the same strategy it used for
desktops: Supply a motherboard that vendors can slap in at the
last minute, helping reduce production costs and time to market,
while freeing up research and development dollars for use in other
areas", according to Kimball Brown, vice president, desktop and
mobile PCs, at Dataquest Inc.
And if successful, the move will benefit users by bringing out the
latest technology faster and at lower costs, analysts said...
=========================
The article goes on to talk about how IBM is planning to be one of
the first vendors to use the Intel module and Toshiba is leaning
toward it (Compaq was not mentioned in the article).
I see two things: First an acceleration of acceptance of mobile
PCs because the prices will drop faster, and second a great
opportunity for Phoenix to supply their BIOS with all of these
"motherboards" to most of the mobile PC manufacturers via the
Intel/Phoenix development program already in place for motherboards.
Any opinions about my observations? |
