Intel Unveils Next-Gen Moorestown Atom Processor Platform

by Marco Chiappetta — Wednesday, May 05, 2010, 12:06 AM EDT

A little over two years ago, Intel formally unveiled the low-power Atom processor and its related chipset and platform technologies. At the time, Intel's vision for Atom had the diminutive CPU powering a diverse line-up of mobile internet devices, or MIDs, web-connected tablets, portable media players, and handheld gaming devices. Suffice it to say, Intel's original vision for Atom didn't quite go according to plan. Yes, the chip found its way into an array of devices from video phones to set-top boxes, but by and large Atom has dominated the netbook market, a segment Intel didn't pay much attention to when it first unveiled Atom.

Regardless of whether or not Atom found its way into all of the devices Intel had hoped, the original Atom platform--codenamed Menlow--was an undeniable success for the company. Intel's design goals for Atom were to produce an ultra-low power IA compatible platform, for use in new, small form factor computing devices, and in that regard the company has succeeded. As a result, Intel has sold Atom processor by millions.

Intel, however, had other plans for Atom, right from the start. In our initial look at Atom in April 2008, we featured some roadmap information from Intel regarding the Moorestown platform, which at the was slated for release in the late 2009 / early 2010 timeframe. Back then, Intel revealed that Moorestown was to be their first Atom-based System On A Chip design, or SoC, for MIDs and Smartphones. With that in mind, what we're going to detail for you here today shouldn't be a complete surprise. Today, Intel is officially unveiling the Moorestown platform, which consists of the new Intel Atom Processor Z6xx Series (previously codenamed Lincroft), the Intel Platform Controller Hub MP20 (previously codenamed Langwell) and a Mixed Signal IC (MSIC), codenamed Briertown.

Aava Mobile Moorestown-Based Prototype Smartphone, See It In Action Here

Tags: Intel, smartphone, Atom, Platform, low power, Moorestown, handset

Marco Chiappetta

Marco's interest in computing and technology dates all the way back to his early childhood. Even before being exposed to the Commodore P.E.T. and later the Commodore 64 in the early ‘80s, he was interested in electricity and electronics, and he still has the modded AFX cars and shop-worn soldering irons to prove it. Once he got his hands on his own Commodore 64, however, computing became Marco's passion. Throughout his academic and professional lives, Marco has worked with virtually every major platform from the TRS-80 and Amiga, to today's high end, multi-core servers. Over the years, he has worked in many fields related to technology and computing, including system design, assembly and sales, professional quality assurance testing, and technical writing. In addition to being the Managing Editor here at HotHardware for close to 15 years, Marco is also a freelance writer whose work has been published in a number of PC and technology related print publications and he is a regular fixture on HotHardware’s own Two and a Half Geeks webcast. - Contact: marco(at)hothardware(dot)com