Intel's chip to make camera phones cheap

By Matt Whipp

Posted on 13 Feb 2003 at 17:44

Intel announces a new integrated processor.

Designed to ease the manufacturing of today's high-end feature-phones and put them in the bargain buckets of tomorrow, Intel's PXA800F processor combines processing power with dedicated multimedia components on one chip.

Code-named Manitoba, the processor is manufactured using Intel's 0.13micron process and takes advantage of Xscale technology with a chip that can speed along at 312MHz, yet slow itself up when not in demand to conserve battery life.

Hans Geyer, Intel vice president and general manager of its PCA Components Group, said: 'As the industry transitions from voice-only phones to advanced devices that combine voice and data, the ability to effectively and efficiently combine advanced processing, memory and communications technologies will be required to drive the next-generation of cell phones.'

The chip boasts an Xscale processor clocked at 312MHz with 4Mb of on-board Flash memory and 512KB of SRAM. It also includes a DSP (digital signal processor) at 104MHz with 512KB of on-board Flash and 64KB of SRAM. It is optimised for GPRS over GSM networks so products using the chip may well first appear in Europe.

Manufacturers can pick them up for a tidy $35 each. In batches of 10,000.