Atom Chips from Intel

Intel will launch a new chip family branded as Atom. The chips will be used on Mobile Internet Devices (MID) and low end laptop computers. The chip has two variants, one originally branded as Silverthorne and the other branded as Diamondville. According to Intel:

"The Intel Atom processor is based on an entirely new microarchitecture designed specifically for small devices and low power, while maintaining the Intel® Core™ 2 Duo instruction set compatibility consumers are accustomed to when using a standard PC and the Internet. The design also includes support for multiple threads for better performance and increased system responsiveness. All of this on a chip that measures less than 25 mm², making it Intel's smallest and lowest power processor yet.1 Up to 11 Intel Atom processor die -- the tiny slivers of silicon packed with 47 million transistors each -- would fit in an area the size of an American penny."

(Original Press Release: Intel Announces Intel® Atom™ Brand for New Family of Low-Power Processors.)

The Wall Street Journal has a great article on Intel branding strategies (Intel Plans for Ultra-Small Chips). According to the article:

"Intel's branding moves attract unusual attention, partly because they typically come along with lucrative marketing funds for hardware companies that agree to use its logos and meet other requirements. The concept started with the chip maker's Intel Inside campaign, a fixture of advertising and marketing materials since the early 1990s."