Intel has announced that the Intel Atom platform, formerly codenamed Oak Trail, is now available and will be in devices starting in May and throughout 2011. Over 35 innovative tablet and hybrid designs from companies including Evolve III, Fujitsu Limited, Lenovo, Motion Computing, Razer, and Viliv are based on Oak Trail and running a variety of operating systems.
In addition, at the Intel Developer Forum in Beijing, the company is giving a sneak peak of its next-generation, 32nm Intel Atom platform, currently codenamed Cedar Trail. This solution will help to enable a new wave of fanless, cool and quiet, sleek and innovative netbooks, entry-level desktops and all-in-one designs.
The new Intel Atom processor Z670, part of the Oak Trail platform, delivers improved video playback, fast Internet browsing and longer battery life, without sacrificing performance. The rich media experience available with Oak Trail includes support for 1080p video decode, as well as HDMI. The platform also supports Adobe Flash, enabling rich content and Flash-based gaming.
With these significant improvements in power-efficient performance, the Intel Atom processor Z670 allows applications to run on various operating systems, including Google Android, MeeGo and Windows. This unique flexibility delivers both new experiences and more choice when it comes to tablets and hybrid designs that combine the best features of the netbook and tablet together.
The platform also helps deliver smaller, thinner and more efficient devices by packing integrated graphics and the memory controller directly onto the processor die. The processor is 60% smaller than previous generations with a lower-power design for fanless devices as well as up to all-day battery life. Additional features include Intel Enhanced Deeper Sleep that saves more power during periods of inactivity as well as optimized Intel SpeedStep technology. An integrated HD decode engine enables smooth 1080p HD video playback at a fraction of the power consumption.
In addition, Intel Atom Z670 processors come with the Intel SM35 Express chipset, delivering a lead-free, halogen-free design with high-speed USB 2.0 for greater performance and Intel High-Definition Audio to enable premium home theater sound.
Also ideal for small form-factor and portable embedded designs, the platform provides an excellent solution for a range of tablets in retail, medical and industrial applications. Solutions such as mobile clinical assistants allow medical staff to directly input data into patients' electronic files and avoid paper charting. This can result in a reduction in errors, better workflow, higher productivity and reduced paper handling and overhead costs. In addition to the Intel Atom Z670, Intel is offering the Intel Atom processor Z650 for embedded devices with 7-year lifecycle support on Windows and MeeGo operating systems.
Based on Intel's 32nm process technology, the next-generation Cedar Trail platform will feature improvements in graphics capabilities including Blu-ray 2.0 support, a dedicated media engine for full 1080p playback and additional digital display options including HDMI output and DisplayPort. New features will include Intel Wireless Music, Intel Wireless Display, PC Synch and Fast Boot. In addition, the enhancements made in power consumption and TDP will enable fanless designs with longer battery life. This means great acoustics without the hum of a fan and improved ruggedness and aesthetics of the design. Intel is currently sampling Cedar Trail to all major OEMs and ODMs. Users can look forward to a new generation of innovative mobile and desktop designs based on the Cedar Trail platform in the second half of 2011.
Intel Atom Z6xx series CPU
Photo: Company
