The Register® — Biting the hand that feeds IT

Feeds

AMD to take on Intel's Atom... but not netbooks

A nose by any other name

Is AMD developing a netbook processor to rival Intel's Atom, or isn't it? Despite what AMD says about the part's target market, it is.

Not that AMD is denying that it's working on a would-be Atom smasher. Company CEO Dirk Meyer was reported today as saying the part will sample sometime next year. AMD will sell it for less than Intel charges for Atom, and the part will deliver more functionality too, he claimed, which is what AMD not unreasonably says about all its processor.

So it's a netbook chip, right? Not according to AMD. Meyer once again said that the term 'netbook' will disappear, as netbooks become more functional and the gap between small machines and their larger brethren is sealed for ever, if it hasn't already now that netbooks are creeping up in price and gaining 12in displays.

All this is just semantics. Whether a small machine with a screen that measures 10in or less is called a netbook or a notebook, its compact size means it needs a small battery and, in turn, more energy efficient components than a regular laptop requires, in order to deliver a decent battery life.

That means a different CPU than the one in a more mainstream machine, and that means two market segments - mainstream and mini - not one. So why not call the latter netbooks?

Because that would confirm Intel's logic in devising a new market segment with a new name, and that's something AMD doesn't want to do. ®

Latest Comments

Acer aspire one

"Anyone know where there's a stock of Acer Aspire One's going cheap (other than the Acer Outlet of course!) ?"

www.ukclearancecentre.co.uk had some the other day, i ordered one for the girlfriend, I think they only had pink ones in stock though so might not be suitable unless you want to get in touch with your girly side. lol

What ever happened to those £99 netbooks we were promised over 12 months ago

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1108673/Next-launches-99-laptop-fits-handbag.html

0
0

Er, that should read

GBP120 posted.

0
0

Acer Aspire Ones

Were available, at least least week, refurbished at Dabs... the 8GB SSD model with Linux. An absolute bargain at about GBP posted. I bought two, they both work fine.

0
0
Anonymous Coward

Aspire Ones here.....

http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/category/category_slc.asp?MfrId=37&Nav=|c:3300|&Sort=0&Recs=10

0
0

@Henry Wertz

More functionality does not mean more power. If AMD has shown one thing previously, it is that they CAN deliver more performance per watt (long denied by Intel to be important, or even relevant). If they say they can do it again, I will certainly not dismiss that out of hand.

0
0

More from The Register

Android is a mess and needs sprucing up, admits chief
Can Google really fix it? It isn't in control any more
New Lumia 925: This, loyalists, is the BIG ONE you've waited for
Nokia veep drills high-end master plan for El Reg
Android device? Ooohhhh, you mean a Samsung phone
Koreans nabbed nearly all the Q1 profits – more even than Google
Review: HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook
All roads lead to Chrome?
Borked your iDevice? Pay EVEN MORE to have it fixed by Applecare
Or scream at their hapless techies on their forums
Euro PC shipments plummet into bottomless pit of DOOOOM
11th quarter of decline, 20pc drop on last year - Gartner
MIT takes battery-powered robot cheetah for a gallop
Biomimetic big cat needs no power cord, just a walker