The latest "cool" technology from Intel


Intel Corporation has followed up its initial high-performance dual-core chip announcement with systems that are more modest in performance and price. Announced at an Intel Developer's Forum (IDF) in San Francisco by Intel CEO Paul Otellini, the dual-core strategy represents an enormous engineering sea change for a company that has built its reputation on being very aggressive but which could also be considered conservative in that it doesn't charge blindly toward the latest new thing.


                                                     
Intel CEO Paul Otellini

But the switch was inevitable, partially due to complex cache-related performance reasons, and mostly to the inevitable conflict between Moore's Law and thermodynamics. In other words, the latest PCs run very hot, as millions of users going partially deaf from their constantly roaring fans can attest. The dual-core strategy is seen as a way to continue increasing raw performance--even though Otellini pointedly said the company's efforts "aren't about raw performance anymore" at the IDF last year--while actually being able to engineer and produce the latest chips.

The new Intel Pentium D dual-core processors, offered in three versions known as the 820, 830, and 840, are the latest to follow the global microprocessor leader's new direction.

“Intel's new home and office platforms mark a new era in personal computing that matches the way people are increasingly using their PCs to work, communicate, entertain and play,” said Robert Crooke, vice president and general manager, Business Client Group, Intel's Digital Enterprise Group. “The new platforms are tailored for specific market segments and provide business and consumer-friendly features.”

"This is the first dual-core that will make a real impact on the marketplace," added Gerald Holzhammer, vice president of Intel's Digital Home Group and general manager of the consumer client group, during a launch event. Several major manufacturers, including Dell, HP, and Lenovo (get used to saying that), have announced systems that employ the new dual-core strategiy.

The guy behind
 Moore's Law