Introduction

Chip giant Intel made a fanciful showing at CES, but its desktop processors were not its top dog this year. No, folks, this year, Intel was pushing WiMax, the next generation wireless standard designed to provide broadband speeds throughout the world. Intel also showed off its mobile computing platform and companies who use it. Intel also announced a mobile Internet device platform, as well as a system-on-a-chip platform aimed at set-top boxes. Intel did formally announce its 45 nm process, though. ThinkComputers has the scoop.

WiMax

Intel showed off its WiMax technology full-force at CES 2008. Using WiMax, visitors to the booth could control a BMW RCcar on a track across the street.

WiMax is the IEEE 802.16e specification which promises low-cost broadband access throughout a wide area using wireless technology. Intel will debut a combination Wi-Fi/WiMax module later this year codenamed "Echo Peak" in its next generation of Centrino (codenamed "Montevina") laptops. Another module, codenamed "Baxter Peak," will be available for mobile Internet devices and other smaller, more power-conscious, consumer electronic devices later this year. Prices are forthcoming.

Mobile Processors

Intel launched its "Santa Rosa Refresh" for laptops. SRR uses the Penryn processors, which are based on the new 45 nm process. Intel says that this update improves performance for not only battery life, but multimedia playback, as well.

A new feature of the company's mobile processors is Deep Power Down Technology. This feature enables the processor to power down parts of the processor which are not in use. Additionally, Intel added SSE4 instructions under the title "Intel HD Boost." SSE4 instructions are meant for HD video encoding and photo manipulation.

Model numbers, clock speed, shared L2 cache, and price per 1 k are as follows:

All are available now.