Intel rolls out Atom Z670 Oak Trail processor for tablets

Well, it's a bit past the end of March, but Intel has now finally gotten official with its new Atom Z670 processor for tablets, which you might know better by its Oak Trail codename. Built using a 45nm manufacturing process, the Z670 runs at 1.5GHz and promises to support 1080p video with the aid of Intel's GMA 600 integrated graphics, while also keeping power consumption to a minimum and allowing for smaller, thinner, and fanless devices. As we've seen, there's also plenty of manufacturers already lined up to release devices based on the processor, and Intel says we can expect to see over 35 "innovative tablet and hybrid designs" from the likes of Fujitsu, Lenovo, Razer and Viliv over the course of 2011. What's more, Intel also took the opportunity to tease its next generation 32nm Cedar Trail platform that it will be showing off at its Developer Forum in Beijing, saying that it will enable a "new wave of fanless, cool and quiet, sleek and innovative netbooks, entry-level desktops and all-in-one designs." Full press release is after the break.

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New Intel® Atom™ Processor for Tablets Spurs Companion Computing Device Innovation

Company Outlines Plans to Accelerate Intel Manufacturing Lead with Intel® Atom™ Processor Family and Move Faster than Moore's Law

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

* Over 35 innovative "Oak Trail" design wins from customers including Evolve III*, Fujitsu Limited*, Lenovo*, Motion Computing*, Razer*, and Viliv* available starting in May and throughout 2011.
* "Cedar Trail," Intel's upcoming netbook and entry-level desktop platform, will deliver features including Intel® Wireless Music, Intel® Wireless Display, PC Synch and Fast Boot, as well as improvements in media, graphics and power consumption.
* Innovation beyond the PC: Embedded Intel Atom Z670 creates smaller, thinner, fanless devices for mobile clinical assistants, industrial tablets and portable point-of-sales devices.
* Intel is accelerating its Atom product line to move faster than Moore's law, bringing new products to market on three process technologies in the next 3 years.
* Atom platforms harness Intel's unique "operating system of choice" strategy for Google* Chrome* and Android*, MeeGo* and Windows*, delivering personalized experiences.

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Intel Corporation today announced that the Intel® Atom™ platform, formerly codenamed "Oak Trail," is now available and will be in devices starting in May and throughout 2011. Over 35 innovative tablet and hybrid designs from companies including Evolve III*, Fujitsu Limited*, Lenovo*, Motion Computing*, Razer*, and Viliv* are based on "Oak Trail" and running a variety of operating systems.

In addition, at the Intel Developer Forum in Beijing, the company will give a sneak peak of its next-generation, 32nm Intel Atom platform, currently codenamed "Cedar Trail." This solution will help to enable a new wave of fanless, cool and quiet, sleek and innovative netbooks, entry-level desktops and all-in-one designs.

"The new Intel Atom 'Oak Trail' platform, with 'Cedar Trail' to follow, are examples of our continued commitment to bring amazing personal and mobile experiences to netbook and tablet devices, delivering architectural enhancements for longer battery life and greater performance," said Doug Davis, vice president and general manager of the Netbook and Tablet Group at Intel. "We are accelerating the Intel Atom product line to now move faster than Moore's law, bringing new products to market on three process technologies in the next 3 years."

The new Intel Atom processor Z670, part of the "Oak Trail" platform, delivers improved video playback, fast Internet browsing and longer battery life, without sacrificing performance. The rich media experience available with "Oak Trail" includes support for 1080p video decode, as well as HDMI. The platform also supports Adobe* Flash, enabling rich content and Flash-based gaming.

With these significant improvements in power-efficient performance, the Intel Atom processor Z670 allows applications to run on various operating systems, including Google* Android*, MeeGo* and Windows*. This unique flexibility delivers both new experiences and more choice when it comes to tablets and hybrid designs that combine the best features of the netbook and tablet together.

The platform also helps deliver smaller, thinner and more efficient devices by packing integrated graphics and the memory controller directly onto the processor die. The processor is 60 percent smaller than previous generations with a lower-power design for fanless devices as well as up to all-day battery life 1. Additional features include Intel® Enhanced Deeper Sleep that saves more power during periods of inactivity as well as optimized Intel SpeedStep® technology. An integrated HD decode engine enables smooth 1080p HD video playback at a fraction of the power consumption.

In addition, Intel Atom Z670 processors come with the Intel® SM35 Express Chipset, delivering a lead-free2, halogen-free3 design with high-speed USB 2.0 for greater performance and Intel® High-Definition Audio to enable premium home theater sound.

Also ideal for small form-factor and portable embedded designs, the platform provides an excellent solution for a range of tablets in retail, medical and industrial applications. Solutions such as mobile clinical assistants allow medical staff to directly input data into patients' electronic files and avoid paper charting. This can result in a reduction in errors, better workflow, higher productivity and reduced paper handling and overhead costs. In addition to the Intel Atom Z670, Intel is offering the Intel® AtomTM processor Z650 for embedded devices with 7-year lifecycle support on Windows and MeeGo operating systems.

Based on Intel's leading-edge 32nm process technology, the next-generation "Cedar Trail" platform will feature improvements in graphics capabilities including Blu-ray 2.0 support, a dedicated media engine for full 1080p playback and additional digital display options including HDMI output and DisplayPort. New features will include Intel® Wireless Music, Intel® Wireless Display, PC Synch and Fast Boot. In addition, the enhancements made in power consumption and TDP will enable fanless designs with longer battery life. This means great acoustics without the hum of a fan and improved ruggedness and aesthetics of the design. Intel is currently sampling "Cedar Trail" to all major OEMs and ODMs. Users can look forward to a new generation of innovative mobile and desktop designs based on the "Cedar Trail" platform in the second half of 2011.

For more information, video, photos and benchmarks visit www.intel.com/newsroom/atom.

About Intel

Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world's computing devices. Additional information about Intel is available at newsroom.intel.com and blogs.intel.com.

Intel, Intel Atom and the Intel logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries. *Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

1Software and workloads used in performance tests may have been optimized for performance only on Intel microprocessors. Performance tests, such as SYSmark and MobileMark, are measured using specific computer systems, components, software, operations and functions. Any change to any of those factors may cause the results to vary. You should consult other information and performance tests to assist you in fully evaluating your contemplated purchases, including the performance of that product when combined with other products. For more information go to http://www.intel.com/performance.

2 Intel 45nm product is manufactured on a lead-free process. Lead-free per EU RoHS Directive (2002/95/EC, Annex A). Some RoHS exemptions may apply to other components used in the product package.

3 Applies to components containing flame retardants and PVC only. Halogens are below 900 PPM bromine, 900 PPM chlorine, and 1500 PPM combined bromine and chlorine.