Hewlett-Packard has confirmed 29 May - next Tuesday - as the official launch date of Intel's 64-bit Itanium processor.

HP will be launching servers based on Itanium on that date, we hear. Why? Because that's the day Intel will release the new chip, an HP representative let slip.

To be fair, HP isn't exactly breaking any confidences here. Both IBM and Dell have unveiled Itanium-based workstations and servers during the last two or three weeks, with the intention of shipping them real soon now.

Indeed, IBM spilled the beans on the Itanium release date mere days after our own sources told us Intel had ringed the 29 May on its corporate calendar. You know the kind of thing: 'Buy milk, ring Grandma, launch Itanium.'

Intel, however, remains resolutely shtumm about the IA-64's release. We understand the part will be offered at 733 and 800MHz, but Intel isn't say anything.

Still the launch isn't won't exactly mark the chip's debut, having been made available to hardware companies and major corporates for some time under Intel's pilot programme. ®

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