Thought IDF would yeild some answers? Think again:
ebnews.com
Because of the company's dominant role in directing new PC architectures, much of the consumer computing industry will also be looking to learn more about Intel's plans as they relate to chipsets and memory. However, Intel late last week told EBN that Peter MacWilliams, an Intel fellow and director of platform architecture for the company, won't make his customary desktop-PC chipset and memory roadmap presentation at IDF.
Calling Intel's decision "amazing," McComas said, "The whole world is waiting to hear what Intel is going to do, and apparently they intend to try to keep everyone in the dark. IDF is no better place for Intel to communicate with all segments of industry. I can't believe they wouldn't provide everyone with their chipset and memory roadmap which everyone is waiting for."
While the company did not detail its decision, McComas said he suspected that Intel might have pushed out the discussion "because they are scrambling to put together a new cohesive roadmap after going to SDRAM memory, and probably double-data-rate [DDR] for Pentium 4 processors."
As previously reported, McComas released confidential roadmap data showing that Intel plans to introduce a mainstream Pentium 4 called Northwood in the second quarter of 2001 using either an upgraded Tehama-E chipset supporting Direct Rambus DRAM or an alternative Brookdale chipset supporting PC133 SDRAM.
McComas said he also expects Intel to allow third-party vendors to supply DDR chipsets for Penitum 4. In order to avoid legal problems with its partner, Rambus Inc., Intel is likely not to officially license third-party DDR chipset suppliers, but simply to "look the other way" when the core-logic devices are rolled out, McComas said.
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