Intel readies 64-bit Celerons, updates software roadmap

THERE ARE FEW changes to Intel's desktop CPU ahead, according to a week 23 roadmap dated early June and festooning the walls of the Porcupine pub yesterday.

But Intel has tweaked the "platform descriptors" for its business PCs to "Professional Business Platform" and "Fundamental Business Platform".

However, Intel has added the 945GZ Express chipset to its maps. And in the second quarter of next year, the firm introduces the Bridge Creek move, meaning we'll see Extreme Edition and 900 series processors using the Broadwater CS series, as well as mainstream processors using the 600, the 800 and the 900 sequence.

Intel claims that dual core products are already shipping with the intro of the 820, the 830 and the 840 processors. These are 2 times 1MB L2 cache, using the EM64T, execute disable and EIST. Intel is converting its 500 series of Pentium 4s to support EM64T. It will convert its Intel Celeron Ds and that started round about now.

Intel maintains it's on track to produce its dual core 65 nanometre Preslers, the 900 series, for the first quarter of next year. It will then migrate its top end 6XX series to the mainstream.

The 900 series includes the 920, the 930, the 940 and the 950, which will coexist for a while with the 90 nanometre 820, 830 and 830 series. These all support Vanderpool.

As far as own Intel motherboards go, it is readying the Palm Canyon, Bear Canyon boards for the second half of next year.

Intel will revamp a heap of its software utilities and bits and bobs in the second half of this year. It's desktop utilities will introduce something called the Heceta methodology, it will release Audio Studio 2.5, Express Installer, Intel Integrator toolkit, and the 945/955/EF Extreme Series Exclusive bundle. In the first half of next year, Intel will introduce its Linux CSO Program Park 1.1.

It will also introduce a series of promotions in the second half of this year, including Premium Video, Digital Media Adaptor, Remote Control - a Logitech Harmony remote - and a VoIP Skype offer as bundles.

The next price cuts on Intel processors come in mid August, with significant price drops on the 670, the 660, the 650, the 640 and 620 CPUs. It is also preparing the launch of the 672, a 3.7GHz processor at $600, and the 662, a 3.6GHz, at $400.

Late this month Intel will introduce the 3.2GHz Celeron LGA 775 at $125, while price cuts on the whole range of Celerons will follow in late July, with the price of its 3.2GHz Celeron dropping then to $115. µ