Intel has followed Sun Microsystems by releasing development tools to optimize the performance of applications running on multi-core, multi-threaded chips.

Fresh off promising more focus on software during last month's JavaOne Conference, the chip giant has updated its C++ Professional Edition and Fortran Compiler Professional Editions for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X.

The tools are designed to automatically accelerate performance of applications on Intel's multi-core processors without the need for developers to re-write code. Intel said the tools do this using multiple threads with vectors and something that Intel's calling "loop transformation" while 3D applications with graphics or video are accelerated through use of vectors and Streaming SIMD Extensions.

The C++ tools combine Intel's compiler and math kernel library, integrated performance primitives and treading building blocks. The Fortran tools feature the Intel complier and math kernel with Microsoft's Visual Studio integrated development environment for visual, drag-and-drop build, editing and debugging.

Prices for both suites range from $599 to $1,599.®