Intel hasn't even shipped 'Sonoma', the second generation of its Centrino mobile platform yet, but it may well announce the third-generation at Intel Developer Forum (IDF) next month.

So claim unnamed sources cited by DigiTimes. The site's article refers what we'll call 'Centrino 3' as "a notebook-use dual-core processor, codenamed 'Napa', slated for launch in the first quarter of 2006".

Yonah is essentially two 'Dothan' cores plus a whole heap of shared L2 cache. Callistoga appears to be a beefed up version of 'Alviso', the 'Grantsdale'-like mobile chipset that's due to appear in Q1 2005. Callistoga is said to provide Alviso's 533MHz frontside bus, PCI Express support, Hi-Def audio and 667MHz DDR 2, but with Serial ATA II.

A year on from Napa, Intel is apparently lining up 'Santa Rosa', with a new dual-core Pentium M, 'Merom'; chipset, 'Crestine'; and wireless component, 'Gaston 2'. Merom may introduce HyperThreading to Pentium M line, but will at least represent the next generation of core beyond Dothan.

It is also thought to form the basis for a new line of dual-core, Pentium M-based desktop chips, though the arrival of 'Smithfield', a dual-core 'Prescott' may have changed that. Possibly Smithfield is a stop-gap until Merom's desktop sibling - perhaps codenamed 'Conroe' - ships. Either way, DigiTimes' sources claim Smithfield will make its first public appearance at IDF.

IDF takes place on 7-9 September in San Francisco. We'll be there - watch out for our extensive coverage of the show's key announcements. ®

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