Intel helps shrink mobile phones

By Alun Williams

Posted on 16 Oct 2002 at 12:43

Improved performance and battery life for mobile phones is Intel's claim for its new memory and processing technologies, revealed at its Developer Forum in Taipei.

For a couple of years now Intel has turned its attention to fields beyond the traditional desktop computer. Specifically, one area has been wireless devices based on the Personal Internet Client Architecture (Intel PCA).

The long term goal - codenamed Manitoba - is to completely bridge the computing gap between the traditional microprocessor and that of phones and PDAs. The aim is to deliver a single chip solution that combines both processing and memory requirements (along with the communication requirements of the associated 'basement chips'). As well as the potential for space-saving smaller designs, the promise is for higher performance achieved with lower voltage, and thus longer battery life.

While Manitoba is still on the horizon, scheduled for the end of 2003, Intel has released an intermediary solution. As well as announcing new 1.8 volt multi-level cell wireless flash memory chips, which are based on .13-micron process technology, Intel has revealed a 'stacking technology to help marry processors directly to Flash memory. Dubbed 'system-in-a-package' technology, an XScale processor is placed directly on top of Intel StrataFlash memory chips in a single package.

The Intel PXA261 and Intel PXA262 microprocessors - specifically designed for data-enabled wireless handsets - are the first to feature this design. Where the Intel PXA261 (running at 200MHz) stacks a single 128Mb Intel StrataFlash memory chip with the processor, the Intel PXA262 processor (running at 200MHz or 300MHz) stacks two 128Mb Intel StrataFlash chips, for 256Mb of memory.

Intel claims these new designs take up 56 per cent and 65 per cent less space than equivalent stand alone arrangements. Essentially, stacking computing and memory capabilities together further reduces the number of components in a phone. In addition to higher performance, the space-saving advantage will give handset manufacturers more freedom for different mobile phone form factors.

With its XScale processors Intel has already been targeting high performance PDAs. These latest offerings are similarly expected to have the muscle to bring applications such as MPEG4 video decoding and speech and handwriting recognition to mobile phones.

Both the Intel PXA261 and PXA262 processors are now available, in sample quantities, with production volumes expected in the first few months of 2003. Products using the new processors are expected to be available early next year.