NFC is a very short-range wireless technology that's used in an array of computerized smartcards, generally for what's called "contactless" transactions: A card or other NFC-equipped device, like a smartphone, can be waved near a reader, and a bank account or other payment system is triggered to make an electronic purchase. It's long been touted as the basis of using a cellphones as electronic or mobile wallets.

But Marvell sees its first really widespread use, and that of Bluetooth 4.0, as companion technologies for Wi-Fi, to make Wi-Fi connections as seamless and effortless as cellular. Both NFC and Bluetooth can be used as "out-of-band" channels to set up and authenticate Wi-Fi connections, for example between two handsets.

"Today, the user has to search for a network, enter a pass phrase and so on," says Giordano. "With NFC, you just bring the smartphone near the connection, and the out-of-band NFC channel can be used to authenticate and then pair them."

Bluetooth is finding a growing role in consumer electronics, as a radio alternative to infrared, according to Giordano. In home media centers, Bluetooth can provide connectivity for remote control devices, 3D glasses, and an array of audio streaming . Here again, NFC could be used to pair these devices automatically without user input.

Marvell is aiming the new Avastar chip at ultralight devices based on both Intel and AMD processors, including the expected deluge of 8 ultrabooks and tablets. Home digital entertainment gear including gaming consoles, flat panel TVs and other media devices are all prime targets for the new silicon.