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Intel and Microsoft CEOs give iPad a nod, plan to kill it dead with Oak Trail next year

Intel CEO Paul Otellini said a number of interesting things while explaining away $11.1 billion dollars, as did Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer in a post-Windows Phone 7 launch interview with CNET, but the pair individually touched on a common theme -- both desire to beat down the iPad, and both believe that Intel's Oak Trail chip might make a suitable club. Though Ballmer said that Microsoft partners would have tablets this holiday season, before Oak Trail is done, he called out the "enhancement" the new chips would bring to the Windows tablet experience, calling Oak Trail specifically "an important part of our roadmap." Meanwhile, Intel's Otellini explained just how much Chipzilla will bank on the touchscreen slates to come, saying that Intel will "utilize all of the assets at our disposal to win this segment" and calling the tablet market a viable third business alongside PCs and netbooks. "You will see Intel solutions that run on Windows, Android and MeeGo operating systems across a variety of form factors and price points," he said, and suggested that Oak Trail silicon would lead the charge.

You can read the other interesting things both men said at our source links, but there is one more we'll call out now: Otellini said that Intel intends to integrate the recently-acquired Infineon's 3G and LTE wireless capabilities directly into Atom processors for tablets and phones, starting in about three years.