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Intel: Say hello to the Atom family…
Ultra-tiny chips to be revealed

By Steven Musil

Published: Monday 03 March 2008

Intel has announced it has chosen the name "Atom" for a new family of ultra-small chips.

The Atom moniker will be applied to a family of chips with two members that are expected to be released later this quarter. One - previously known as Silverthorne - is a low-power mobile processor destined for the next generation of mobile internet devices. It incorporates a new low-power state, allowing it to essentially shut down in between processing tasks and limit power consumption.

The other, code-named Diamondville, is a single-core processor for ultra-low-cost laptops. Intel refers to the low-cost notebook design as "netbook" and estimates the pricing for these devices will go as low as $250. Diamondville is a tiny 45-nanometer processor that employs a simpler design than standard Intel processors.

Intel also rebranded its Menlow chip as the Centrino Atom - a low-power companion chip with integrated graphics, a wireless radio, as well as thinner and lighter designs.