I'm fascinated, but pretty skeptical of the VPC08. As you can see, the thing dwarfs the Nokia N97 Mini, and its design doesn't appeal to me as much as the even crazier xpPhone (which will also run Windows 7).

Other specs on ViewSonic's effort include 512MB RAM, 8GB SSD, Wi-Fi, 1200mAh battery, 3.5mm headphone jack, a mini USB port, 2-megapixel camera, and microSD storage expansion. There had been talk of a roughly $800 price, but that's all speculation until it actually arrives. Maybe we'll get to play with it at CES. [Shanzhaiben (translated) via Pocketables]

Based on a Linux kernel, Moblin has a sleek shell that was clearly designed for the novice Linux user and internet social butterfly. The images below give you the best look at what it is like to use Moblin. At the core of the interface are a series of tabs that line the top of the screen. They are all pretty basic and include a Web browser, applications, etc.

I've got to say I like the communications aspect of the OS the best. I logged into my AIM and Google Talk accounts right from the interface and then all my buddies showed up on the People tab. You can also log into Twitter; updates show up on the home screen and you can tweet from the Status tab.

Moblin 2.0 came out of beta just about two weeks ago, which was around the same time that the next version (2.1) was released. The interface in 2.1 is unchanged, but added is an app store. Instead of having to dig through a Linux repository, Moblin has its Garage for easy access and installation of applications. Loading programs from Garage is so easy Kylie could do it. I had no problem selecting Abi Word from the store; as soon as you install it from Garage it appears on the applications tab.

You don't have to wait for someone like Dell to sell Moblin 2.1 pre-installed on a netbook or MID. Try it now and share your thoughts. I warn you that there may not be full support for your Intel Atom powered netbook - some drivers may not be compatible. I tried it on an HP Mini 5101 and there was no Wi-Fi support. I never said the install was the easy part! [Moblin]

And while the M1 costs $600 with a 1.33GHz processor and 512MB memory, the upcoming M2 is expected to be $400 when it arrives around November. It will use the same keyboard and 4.8-inch (1024x600) screen, but design changes improve the screen angle, add an optical mouse and mouse buttons, and do away with the need for a USB port dongle.

A non-working prototype is felt up in the video below, but we should see the M2 running Windows 7 at IDF later this week. We'll let you know if it's up the task. [UMPC Portal via Pocketables and JKKMobile]

The Price

Starts at $630 (with 1.3GHz Atom, 1GB RAM, 32GB SSD, Win XP)

The Verdict

A lousy screen ruins the entire experience.

At 1.76lbs, the viliv S7 sounds like a small machine. And compared to your average 10-inch Atom netbook, it really is. But the viliv S7 never feels small...not like its little brother the viliv S5. Because as soon as you swivel the screen from netbook mode to tablet, it feels bulkier, heavier and completely unfun to use.
The screen to case ratio isn't all that great, but that's the least of the problems in the tablet design. The resistive display is covered in what feels like a crumby screen protector that requires awkward, hard presses to open folders reliably—never with stunning accuracy. (Friendlier capacitive tech is what you see in devices like the Zune HD and iPhone.) It's dim at even the brightest settings. And worst of all, the glare is so bad that you can't use it at all near a window. UPDATE: On second look, the brightness is adequate, but its propensity for glare is atrocious. And I use a glossy Macbook.

This may be the only LCD in history with a more discernible side viewing angle than you get head-on.

A pivot button rotates your desktop quickly from portrait to landscape modes in a full 360-degree rotation (which is great for the old upside down laptop screen trick). And the placement of the trackpad, right up by the screen, is so comfortable and convenient that it should be a netbook standard.
But these smart design elements, even when coupled with a battery rated for nearly a day of use, just can't thwart the fatal mistake of a complete piece of crap display, the centerpiece of any tablet.

Long battery life

Devastatingly bad screen

I mean, it's really bad

Really, really bad

Nothing else really matters because it's so bad

Oh, but the fold-out Wi-Fi antenna is ADORABLE.

The Archos 5 improves on some of the complaints we had about the previous Archos 5. Archos has upped the storage with loads of options—it now comes with flash (8GB or 32GB) or an HDD (160GB to 500GB). The flash version's way thinner, at .4-inches. The metal backing felt nice in my hand.

But the real changes are to the operating system: It's using Android, with Archos' customer interface built on top, like the Super Widget, a series of multimedia shortcuts on the main Android screen. Beyond that you'll find the usual Android drawer full of applications, since Archos is throwing in a few preloaded.

Multimedia is the Archos 5 Internet Tablet's bread and butter. Its Texas Instruments ARM Cortex A8 plays back 720p video smoothly and you can buy a dock to output it to a larger display. It is a sweet device for storing video, photos and music. Archos has always been able to do that really well. It also has a 3D map software program for GPS navigation.

Too bad it falls down on actually being an internet tablet: It runs on Wi-Fi using Android's built-in browser, but it won't automatically load full web pages—it defaults to mobile versions. Yes, you can go to Flash websites like NYTimes.com and others but you have to make adjustments to the browser, just like you have to on a Android phone. The tablet does not support full Flash yet (only Flash Lite), which means no streaming video. (Even though HTC managed to build Flash support into the Hero.) Archos is instead waiting until there is Flash 10 support from Adobe.

It might sound spoiled, but on a device that is meant for the internet I want to be able to get streaming video and full Flash websites. I don't want the broken internet on a standalone device. What Archos does do is throw in a bunch of Android apps (including some paid apps). Apps are great, but sometimes you want to just visit a site and not have to page around or adjust the settings. To its credit, Archos says they will be updating soon when Flash 10 is available for download. (Which they tell us will be in December, not than the predicted October). If you are buying the tablet for internet I'd wait until then or at least plan to upgrade, however as a PMP Archos is still more than solid. [Archos]

The Netwalker, also called the PC-Z1 in the official literature, seems to be somewhat pocketable with its 6.3 x 4.2 x .9-inch build. The thing is the ultimate tweener with an ARM Cortex-A8 based processor, 4GB of on board storage, and 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, but no 3G or WiMax. It reminds me a lot of the UMID mBook M1, but with a slightly bigger keyboard.

Sharp, maybe you should make some coffee. It has become pretty evident in the last few years that devices like this have failed more times than not, especially for an above $400 price point. The Netwalker looks cute, but people will buy smartphones or netbooks. [Sharp Japanese via Engadget]

According to Engadget, the nuvi 1860 has more characteristics of a smartphone or MID than a GPS unit. It will run a Linux OS that has a Web browser (including YouTube support) and will have multimedia, email, and Internet radio applications.

It apparently has Wi-Fi, but no word on an EDGE or cellular connections like the nuvi 1690 that is also due out around the same time. The 4.8 inch device also has a 3 megapixel camera which can be used for geotagging. Oh and it does all that navigation stuff too: lane assist, traffic receiver, text-to-speech directions.

The smaller 4.3-inch nuvi 1690 is reported to retail for $499.99 (not including the connected services) and is now confirmed to use its EDGE connection for weather, flight statuses, gas prices, traffic and Google-powered searches. [Engadget]

That's a 5-inch touchscreen with an impressive 800 x 480 resolution. And internally, an 533/667MHZ ARM 11-based Samsung 6410 chip should run the device as quickly as any smartphone with codec support including AAC, OGG, DivX, XviD, and H.264.

Storage stays light by maxing at 8GB, but a miniSD card slot offers lots of expansion. Wi-Fi and GPS are standard.

Sadly, even if you were to import the thing, you wouldn't be able to take advantage of CMMB mobile TV broadcast support (DVB intended for the Chinese market). But such is life in the US.

So is the MID-560 our mystery MID? Maybe, but it's tough to confirm given that we only have a low-end render. And Pocketables, the source of the original shots, is still not convinced. [SMiT via Shanzai]

Estimated to be about 4.5-inches long and 3-inches wide (while still managing a very slim profile), Pocketables has made out two buttons on the top of the device and a promise of SD storage. Otherwise, the design is one of pure simplicity with just the right touch of Apple plagiarism.

If it indeed exists and the price is right, this rig could be a pretty fun open-source hand-sized tablet...an Android Chumby without so much Chum. [Pocketables via CrunchGear]

Google CEO Eric Schmidt is now admitting that it took him quite a while to warm to the idea of Chrome the browser, even longer to come to terms with the possibility of Chrome the OS, and in both cases only after Larry Page Sergey Brin literally nerded him into submission:

I just gave up, but there is no question I am hugely supportive of Chrome and Chrome OS. They are game-changers. They change the way you think about your computer.

Meanwhile, Android's perceived role in the world was expanding. After all this soul-searching, though, Schmidt must have a clear vision of parallel, non-conflicting roles for Android and Chrome OS, right?:

Although it appears they are two separate projects, there's a great deal of commonality. Eventually they may merge even closer."

This is somewhere between "oops!" and "I have no idea."

But hold on! There could be a third way! Digitimes is reporting that Intel is in talks with Google to help adapt Android for use in MIDs, the so-far ill-fated bridge devices between netbooks and smartphones. Technologically, this seems like a reasonable secondary use for Android. Commercially, though, MIDs are something of a ghetto; a category broached by few manufacturers, and unfamiliar (or unattractive) to most customers.

The most obvious conclusion to all this is for Android (and Android enthusiasts) to narrow ambitions and focus on what we know it's good at: cellphones, and possibly portable media players. This is something that will probably happen organically, but only after a few more news cycles worth of bewildering quotes and announcements from Google, which we will gleefully document. [WSJ, Digitimes]

Featuring a 7-inch WSVGA screen (that's more than 2 inches larger than the S5), the X70 also includes an Atom 1.2/1.3GHz processor, 16/32GB SSD, optional HSPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Sirf Star3 GPS, 5-second XP booting and 5.5 rated hours of video playback. And yet the X70 measures less than an inch thick and but 1.4lbs in its anti-heaviness.

I still could never see myself using the keyboardless munchkin, but in case you are interested, Dynamism has the systems on pre-order. [Dynamism]

Intel Atom
The current reigning king of low-cost, low-power processors, Intel's Atom flat-out dominates the netbook market. Its single- and dual-core processors are also some of the most powerful on our list, despite having abilities roughly equal to, in Intel's own terms, a 2003-2004 vintage Celeron. Based on the x86 architecture, the Atom is capable of running full versions of Windows XP, Vista (though not all that well), and 7, as well as modern Linux distros and even Hackintosh. While it requires far less power than a full-power chip, it's still more power-hungry than the ARM-based processors on our list, requiring about 2 watts on average. That's why netbook battery life isn't all that much longer than that of a normal laptop.

You can find the Atom in just about every netbook, including those from HP, Dell, Asus, Acer, Sony, Toshiba, MSI, and, well, everyone else. The 1.6GHz chip is the most popular at the moment, but Intel is definitely going to keep improving and upgrading the Atom line. However, you're unlikely to catch an Atom in a handset; it's low-power, yes, but low-power for a notebook. Battery life on an Atom handset would be pretty atrocious, which is why Intel's sticking to netbooks for now.

Qualcomm Snapdragon
Based on ARM, which is a 32-bit processor architecture that powers just about every mobile phone (and various other peripherals, though never desktop computers) out there, Snapdragon isn't competing directly with the Intel Atom—it's not capable of running full versions of Windows (only Windows Mobile and Windows CE), it's incredibly energy-efficient (requiring less than half a watt), and is designed for always-on use. In other words, this is the evolution of the mobile computing processor. It's got great potential: Qualcomm is trumpeting battery life stretching past 10 hours, smooth 1080p video, support for GPS, 3G, and Bluetooth, and such efficiency that a Linux-based netbook can use Snapdragon without a fan or even a heat sink. Available in single core (1GHz) or dual-core (1.5GHz), it can be used in conjunction with Android, Linux, and various mobile OSes.

Unfortunately, Qualcomm is still holding onto the notion that people want MIDs, and is championing "smartbooks," which are essentially smartphones with netbook bodies, like Asus's announced-then-retracted Eee with Android. Snapdragon's got promise, but we think that promise lies in super-powered handheld devices, not even more underpowered versions of already-underpowered netbooks.

We're frankly not sure when we'll see Snapdragon-based devices sold in the US. We're sure Snapdragon will end up in smartphones at some point, as at least one Toshiba handset has been tentatively announced, but the only concrete demonstrations we've seen have been in MIDs, and Snapdragon themselves spend all their energy touting these "smartbooks." Snapdragon's Windows Mobile compatibility suggests we may see it roll out with Windows Mobile 7, if Tegra hasn't snapped up all the good handsets.

Nvidia Tegra
Nvidia's Tegra processor is very similar to Snapdragon—both are based on ARM architecture, so both are designed for even less intense applications than the Atom. Like Snapdragon, Tegra isn't capable of running desktop versions of Windows, so it's primarily targeted at Android and handheld OSes, especially forthcoming versions of Windows Mobile. What sets Tegra apart from Snapdragon is the Nvidia graphics pedigree: The company claims smooth 1080p video, like Snapdragon, but also hardware-accelerated Flash video and even respectable gaming (though no, you won't be able to run Crysis). They also go even further than Qualcomm in their battery life claim, suggesting an absolutely insane 30 hours of HD video.

While Snapdragon tends to be loosely associated with Android, Tegra is an integral part of Microsoft's plan for next-generation Windows Mobile devices. Instead of focusing on "smartbooks" and MIDs, which we think are part of a dead-end category, Tegra's commitment to pocketable handhelds could spell success. We've seen proof-of-concept demonstrations of Tegra already, but its real commercial debut will come with Windows Mobile 7—and if WM7 doesn't suck, Tegra could take off.

Others
We haven't included certain other processors, especially VIA's Nano, due to intent: The Nano requires lower power than full-scale processors, but at 25 watts, it's not even really in the same league as Atom, let alone Snapdragon or Tegra. The VIA Nano is really targeted at non-portable green technology, and looks like it'll do a good job—it outperformed Atom in Ars Technica's excellent test, and stands up to moderate use with ease. AMD's Puma (Turion X2) is in a similar boat: It's certainly markedly more energy-efficient than AMD's other offerings, but as it's targeted at laptops (not netbooks) with a screen size greater than 12-inches, it's not quite right for our list here.

These low-power processors aren't just, as we so often think, crappier versions of "real" processors. They've got uses far beyond netbooks, especially in the near future as the gap between netbooks and smartphones narrows.

Still something you still wanna know? Send any questions about why your iPhone can't play Crysis, how to tie a bow tie, or anything else to tips@gizmodo.com, with "Giz Explains" in the subject line.

Don't get me wrong—I'm dead excited about the Tegra—but these names don't really get my blood flowing:

* Compal Communications, Inc. CN88 (netbook)
* ICD Ultra (tablet)
* Inventec Applications Corp. Rainbow (netbook)
* Mobinnova Mabo (tablet)
* Mobinnova ViewBook N910 (netbook)
* Pegatron Vivid (netbook)
* Wistron M5 (netbook)

But I suppose they're more proof-of-concept products than anything else, and besides, these aren't likely to be much more than reference designs for OEMs. But still! 30 hours of HD video! 130 hours of audio! Cut to the current press release:

* Listening to music for 25 days straight on one charge
* Watching 1080p HD video for up to 10 hours
* Playing video games at 46 frames per second

I guess 25 straight days of audio playback would help mitigate the thirding of HD video playback if they were believable, or even comprehensible. But 25 days of playback? Without a screen? In a lab? On Mars? With a 30-cell battery? Through headphones? And what on earth does "46 frames per second" gaming performance mean? In Doom II? Crysis? Addictinggames.com? We'll have to wait for the dust to settle on this one.

But let's focus on the positive: probably great battery life, HD video playback, including Flash, and decent gaming performance. We'll get back to you when someone has run a Tegra device properly through its paces, and when a manufacturer with a history of actually releasing products in America gets on board.

UPDATE: In the face of my "pooh-poohing", PC World's Mark Bachman makes a good point:

Recall that Acer, Dell, HP and others don't actually build PCs any more; they use a network of Taiwan and Chinese ODMs to build them, and, increasingly, design them. Getting the Taiwan ODMs to back Tegra is a sly way to encourage OEMs to ship them.

This is true, but all that ODM enthusiasm doesn't yet have direct consequences for most consumers. The big Tegra story will be when an OEM with any footprint in America actually bites. [Nvidia]

Occupying that perennially awkward space between a smartphone and a netbook, the mbook M1, like the Viliv S5, packs standard netbook components into a teeny space while remaining too large to be pocketable. It's a nice enough design, and the price is fair, but the sacrifices made to keep the gadget small are sure to annoy owners. Everything's been miniaturized: The headphone jack is a 2.5mm rather than the standard 3.5mm, and it includes only a mini-USB port, so you'll need an adapter for both audio and hardware input. Even the expansion slot has been miniaturized from the cheap and ubiquitous SDHC to micro-SDHC. The 16GB version will run you $599, and doubling your storage will cost an extra $150.

It includes the standard Windows XP, Intel Atom 1.33MHz proc, a 16/32GB SSD, and 512MB of memory, with a 4.8" WVGA touchscreen at a reasonable 1024x600 resolution. In short, it's just about exactly the same guts as the Viliv S5, except with a keyboard and without the standard-size ports. Tiny, yes, but if you're not already pro-MID, the mbook M1 isn't going to convince you. [Dynamism]

Or, at least that's what Texas Instruments, the guys who are apparently making a good portion of the device's guts, told everyone back in February. A recap of the MID, which is said to have voice capabilities:

What is known is that the device will have a five-inch screen, support HD playback, have a 10mm thickness and support Flash

Flash support stands out as a bit curious, but recent rumors about flash support in leaked builds of Android could explain that away. In any case, we don't have long to wait: the event is scheduled for June 11th. [Slashgear via Pocketables via Android Community]

The price: $599 (configured with 4.8" WSVGA display, 60gb HD, Intel Atom 1.33GHz CPU, free spare battery, car kit and pouch)

The verdict: The S5 is a good value, but you may not like it anyway.

At .92lbs, the Viliv is a bit hefty in your hands even though it's 1.5lbs lighter than most netbooks (it's sitting on an Asus Eee 1000HE here). Still, the Viliv kept surprising me with its speed. Loaded with the same processor as the Vaio P, the system doesn't actually run XP faster than any Atom-based, but to see installation bars and downloads move so quickly on such a tiny device is always a bit of a mindfrak.

The resistive touchscreen has passable color, brightness and contrast—luckily, it's also ridiculously accurate. Yeah, the buttons and icons are as minuscule as you'd expect, but I never had a hard time, say, hitting the "X" to close a window (with my precision "nail" tool, of course)...unless my browser was full screen. Then my finger just never fit in the corner properly. For when you need extreme precision, the four-way thumbstick doubles as a mouse, or you can use the bundled "Cube" interface for larger icons (which is fine for a skin, but you'll need to tinker in the real XP sooner or later).

As for the keyboard, it pops up with a conveniently placed button on the right. Pressing keys offers a satisfying moment of haptic feedback. It works about 90% of the time, but however the keyboard skin was designed, your finger press sometimes goes through the keyboard and hits a link or something that's on your screen. It can make typing a simple phrase quite taxing as you unintentionally swap text boxes.

The GPS? It works, but you'll need to supply your own nav software (an additional cost). The battery? It's rated at 6 hours, but we received four hours (and two minutes) when tested with nonstop WMV playback (Wi-Fi on with the screen at medium brightness). Since many manufacturers claim battery life that's double actual testing, I considered four hours to be decent.
The USB, headphone and Multi I/O ports are enough in a device of this size, because between them, you could plug in a keyboard, monitor (with adapter) and speakers. In this respect, the Viliv could make for an extremely portable home-to-office computer.

Here's the issue: I just don't like MIDs. I hate them, really. If I want to use something small, I'll use a smartphone. If I want to use something slightly bigger, that's netbook/laptop territory. The MID, in my mind, is a failed idea of the future still stuck in the 90s. It's a computer that neither fits in your pocket nor serves as your main computer. So if you hate MIDs, the Viliv S5 won't do anything to change that.

But for a MID, I must say, I liked the Viliv. If you are the type of person who can stand the 4.8-inch screen and is looking for their GPS to do a little more, then it might interest you. And at $599, it's sort of the netbook of MIDs—a whole lot cheaper than what you can get from Sony or the soon defunct OQO.

As fast as any netbook

Relatively cheap

Utilitarian but solid build

Accurate touchscreen

Some keyboard quirks

[Dynamism and Video from ITInside]

The OQO drama began to unfold a few weeks back, when a combination of leadership changes, message board rumors and canceled pre-orders through a large European retailer led people to surmise that the San Francisco-based UMPC maker was on its way out. They then admitted that they were courting potential buyers, but left it at that.

And now this: Chippy, he of UMPCPortal fame, has received word that all pre-orders for the lauded Model 2+ have been canceled, though he hasn't heard from the company itself. With a shipping date set at May 22nd and the company in distress, a delay might have been expected, and even excused. But a cancellation? That sounds an awful low like a death knell. [SlashGear]

The Atom Z550 takes the Atom to heretofore unseen speeds of 2.0GHz, while maintaining a sub-3W power envelope. Obviously, this speed gain is a good thing, but our enthusiasm is dampered by the fact that this is based on familiar, unexciting tech; the Z series "Silverthorn" processors may be power-thrifty and capable, but their architecture hasn't changed much with the new processors. A speed bump and the addition of hyperthreading are appreciated, but these marginal boosts won't be game changers.

On the other side of the performance spectrum, the Z515 winds the processor clock way down. Intel claims that Intel Performance Burst Technology "enables the processor to run at 1.2GHz when performance is needed", scaling up from an idle speed of 800MHz. The Z series processors were originally intended for low power applications like MIDs, and although the Z550 will likely make its way to netbooks, the Z515 is comfortable right where it is, thanks.

But as I've said, these aren't a huge step for Intel, and won't make a massive difference to consumers. For that, you'll have to wait for the new Moorestown platform, based around the 45nm "Lincroft" Atoms, a prototype of which Intel broke out at the conference, just to tease us. Full presser below.

Intel Developer Forum: 1-Year Intel® AtomTM Processor Anniversary

Brings New Chips, Demonstration of Next-Generation Device

Intel Executives Share Vision, Updates at Beijing Tech Event

BEIJING, April 8, 2009 – Celebrating the 1-year anniversary of Intel Corporation's introduction of its wildly popular Intel® AtomTM processor family, Anand Chandrasekher, Intel senior vice president and general manager of the Ultra Mobility Group, introduced two new processors for Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) and several other milestones during his keynote today at the Intel Developer Forum in Beijing.

Chandrasekher was joined by two other Intel executives, Craig Barrett and Pat Gelsinger, whose keynotes focused on the company's directions for the next year and beyond. The event, held at the Renaissance Beijing Capital Hotel, was geared toward the Chinese market in support of local innovation and Intel's industry leadership in the region.

Mobility Keynote

During his keynote, titled "Mobility's Next Wave of Growth," Chandrasekher demonstrated the first live demo of Intel's next-generation Atom-based MID platform, codenamed "Moorestown." Chandrasekher provided a sneak peek into the low-power innovation of the platform by showcasing a greater than 10x idle power reduction compared to today's Atom-based platform in a side-by-side demo. This dramatic reduction is made possible through a combination of new power management techniques, a new partition optimized for the MID segments and Intel's Hi-k 45nm manufacturing process.

Due in 2010, the Moorestown platform is comprised of a System on Chip (codenamed "Lincroft") that integrates a 45nm Intel® Atom processor core, graphics, video and memory controller, and a companion input/output (I/O) hub (codenamed "Langwell"). The platform will be accompanied by a new Moblin software version that is optimized to enable the rich, interactive, PC-like Internet experience along with cellular voice capabilities.

Intel also announced two new Atom processors for MIDs: the Z550 and Z515. The Z550 extends the performance of the MID product line to 2GHz with Intel Hyperthreading technology support, setting a new standard for the highest performance processor in the under-3-watt power envelope. The Z515 incorporates the new Intel® Burst Performance Technology (Intel BPT), which enables the processor to run at 1.2GHz when performance is needed in existing small and sleek MID form factors.

These new Atom processors further extend customer choices to enable the best Internet experience in pocketable MIDs. Chandrasekher also announced several new MID designs for the China market.

Discussing Intel Centrino 2-based laptops, Chandrasekher pointed out additional OEMs choosing to include Intel ultra low-voltage processors to create ultra-thin laptop designs that are less than 1 inch thick. While lighter in size and weight, these notebooks still offer great performance and battery life consumers have come to expect. Chandrasekher then described the next-generation processors for laptops based on the Nehalem architecture that will be available in the second half of this year on the "Calpella" platform. These processors will be more powerful then their predecessors by including such technologies as Intel Hyper-Threading Technology and Intel Turbo Boost Technology.

Enterprise Keynote

During his keynote, titled "IA: The Intelligent Architecture Investment," Pat Gelsinger, Intel senior vice president and general manager of the Digital Enterprise Group, discussed Intel's latest client, server and embedded product lines, and gave developers an update on the latest programming tools available for the Larrabee architecture.

Intel's complete Intel Architecture future product roadmap was also revealed. Gelsinger said the "Nehalem" microarchitecture has received worldwide acclaim with the Core® i7 processor launch in 2008 and the recent Nehalem-based Xeon 5500 series introduction. The Xeon 5500 series combines the world's leading processor microarchitecture with a new memory and I/O subsystem, QuickPath Interconnects and Intelligent Power Technology to control power consumption.

Gelsinger said Intel and the industry now look to adopting more mainstream PC and laptop versions of the Nehalem microarchitecture, including 32nm manufactured versions with on-processor graphics, as well the multi-socket Nehalem EX server processor, all in production in the second half of 2009. The future Nehalem-EX processor will provide eight cores for the multiprocessor "intelligent server" market.

For embedded computers, Gelsinger discussed a range of recently announced Atom processor solutions with industrial temp for applications such as in-vehicle infotainment and industrial automation. He also disclosed, for the first time ever, the Nehalem-EP based processor (codenamed "Jasper Forest") that is specifically designed to deliver increased compute density and integration required for embedded and storage applications.

Gelsinger also addressed Larrabee, which is Intel's first many-core architecture designed for high throughput applications and features a programmable graphics pipeline that enables developer freedom. The Intel executive discussed availability of a C++ Larrabee Prototype Library and a future parallel programming solution based on "Ct" technology. The first Larrabee discrete graphics products are due in the late 2009/2010 timeframe.

Vision & Leadership Keynote

During the conference's opening keynote, Intel Chairman Craig Barrett described how technology is a tool for improving education, health care, economic development and the environment. He challenged the developer community to use its collective technology expertise to develop solutions that tackle these challenges.

"Nothing beats investing in good people and good ideas," said Barrett, whose conclusions are drawn from observations from trips to more than 30 countries a year. "Public-private collaboration is fundamental in driving solutions that confront global challenges."

Barrett announced that Intel had selected the four winners of the INSPIRE•EMPOWER Challenge he launched last August. The winners will each receive $100,000 to further fund their innovative solutions that apply technology to address unmet needs related to education, health care, economic development and the environment.

The INSPIRE•EMPOWER Challenge winners are: Bibek Chapagain of Winrock International in Kathmandu, Nepal; Daniel Fletcher of the University of California, Berkeley; Eric Morrow of the Maendeleo Foundation in Kampala, Uganda; and Michael Potts of Catholic Relief Services in Nairobi, Kenya. Details on the winning solutions are available at www.intel.com/pressroom.

Intel Developer Forum

IDF spans the worlds of mobility, digital enterprise, digital home and technology and research. The Beijing IDF, as announced in December, was scaled back from a two-day event due to current economic circumstances and business pressures the industry is facing globally. Next up on the IDF schedule is a three-day event in San Francisco, which will be held Sept. 22-24 at Moscone Center West. Further information is available by visiting http://developer.intel.com/idf.

Intel [NASDAQ: INTC], the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom and blogs.intel.com.

Granted, the Z series is the slightly lower-powered single-core chips intended for MIDs, but it's not ridiculous to assume these could find their way into a low-cost netbook or two. The new chips use the same 2.4W as the previous 1.86GHz version, allowing them to be used in the exact same thermal conditions.

Also leaked was an ultra-low-power 1.2GHz Atom, the Z515, that uses only 1.4W of power at full-speed, and just 0.65W when scaled back to 800MHz. This means it could almost be used in a cellphone. [HKEPC (translated) via Electronista]

Of course, tech companies file patents these days the way I go through squares of TP after a night out eating Mexican, so don't think an Acer MID or tablet or whatever is coming tomorrow. Still, we have some details about what such a hypothetical device might entail thanks to the filing (gleaned by Electronic Pulp):

Arif Maskatia is the person listed as its inventor, which I take as to mean that he was the one who designed this MID. I can’t tell you what features this Acer MID will have exactly, but from what has been revealed in the design, it has a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, a pretty sizable screen (that I think supports touch), and a dock connector.

An Intel Atom chip powering the insides would also be a good guess. [Patent via Electronic Pulp