Intel unveils Atom processor for its embedded road map

15.10.2008
As Internet access continues to be added to all kinds of computers and devices, Intel India Wednesday announced the availability of the Intel Atom processor on its embedded roadmap. The Atom processor is expected to power a host of reference designs for the Indian embedded market, specifically an embedded handheld appliance reference design and an embedded security reference design. Both designs are part of Intel's efforts to enable its customers in India to develop local platforms based on the Intel architecture.

Speaking on the occasion, R Ravichandran, Director -- Sales, Intel South Asia said: "There is a tremendous opportunity for these smart solutions in the market today as the number of Internet-connected devices reaches into the billions, performance expectations rise and device sizes shrink. These products enable our customers to develop their own innovation and system design around the many benefits of Intel architecture."

The Intel Atom processor family in India on the embedded roadmap includes the Intel Atom Z5xx family of processors, as well as the Intel® Atom™ processor N270 with the Mobile Intel 945GSE Express chipset. Intel will provide a seven-year extended lifecycle support for this platform for embedded customers. These products come in a range of speeds, power dissipation and commercial/industrial temperature options. The extended seven year long life-cycle manufacturing support means they are ideal for applications such as traditional embedded and industrial computer systems, small- to medium-sized business (SMB) and home network-attached storage, enterprise security applications, IP telephony, and wireless and WiMAX infrastructure.

The Intel Atom processor Z5xx series delivers the benefits of Intel Architecture (IA) for small form factor, thermally-constrained and fan-less embedded applications. The Atom processor N270-based platform provides embedded customers designing entry-level applications with more design choices based on their various performance, graphics, price and power consumption needs. Customers already using low-power IA processors such as the Intel® Celeron® M processor ULV can now enjoy significant improvement in CPU performance-per-watt. The Intel Atom family of products is optimized for the low-power needs of embedded markets such as digital signage, interactive clients, thin clients, digital security, residential gateways, print imaging, industrial control and portable embedded appliances.

"Indian design services companies are increasingly becoming a key part of the local embedded and communications landscape," said Sanat Rao, Marketing Director (Emerging Markets), Embedded and Communications Group, Intel South Asia. "With the Intel Atom processor and the launch of our India Design House program last year, we are enabling Indian design houses to play an increasingly active role in platform definition and design for customers worldwide."

As part of Indian platform enabling efforts, Intel also announced two platform reference designs for India market. The embedded handheld appliance reference design is targeted at portable appliances for areas including sales force automation, financial inclusion, inventory management and general point-of-service applications in restaurants and airports.