Today's WSJ article "Newest Laptops Tap Intel For Faster Links," reports that 230 new laptops will be marketed by the Intel processor brand "Centrino Duo." This replaces the code name Santa Rosa which is the 4th generation Centrino platform.
[This will] offer a slightly faster version of Intel's Core 2 Duo microprocessor chip. But there are two other elements: a set of accessory chips that can display more realistic computer graphics, and Intel's adoption of draft industry specifications called 802.11n in wireless chips that send data at about five times the speed of today's Wi-Fi technology.
Just to recap, Centrino is the platform-marketing initiative by Intel that denotes the use of all 3 of its chips--CPU, mainboard chipset, and wireless--in the design of laptops. OEMs that use only the processor and chipset carry the Intel Core label instead.
The photo here shows Fujitsu's $1750 LifeBook T4220 convertible laptop/tablet with Centrino Duo. Notice that they prominently display the optical drive which as been absent in many Tablet PCs.
Dell is also planning on offering 2 new Centrino Duo laptops in its Latitude line of notebooks. These supposedly will be 15% faster and will have up to an hour and a half more battery life.
It is expected that the Santa Rosa platform will be updated in the first half of 2008 with the new 45nm Penryn processor replacing the current generation of 65nm Core 2 processors (Merom).
For those wanting WiMAX support, you might have to wait for the fifth generation Centrino (Montevina) release in 2008, but there are rumors that WiMAX may still be introduced in 2007
Technorati Tags: Intel, Santa Rosa, Centrino Duo, Montevina, WiMAX
