IDF, Fall 2004: Intel does dual-core demo at IDF keynote

• 
• 
• 

 1 of 3

Gallery

Posted on 8 Sep 2004 at 09:39

Intel has kicked off the IDF Fall 2004 with the demonstration of a dual-core processor - a 'Montecito' Itanium 2-based SGI system running weather simulations.

In the wake of AMD demoing a dual-core Athlon 64 the previous week, it was widely anticipated that Intel would use the IDF as the platform for showing off its own progress in the multi-core technology. The only question was whether it would be a Pentium or Itanium. It turned out to be Itanium fitted with 24MB of cache and unsurprisingly twice the performance of previous Itaniums. For those who count such things, the chip features 1.72 billion transistors.

'Three years ago at IDF we said Intel would provide fundamental technologies and chip design features to deliver greater value and functionality,' said Intel CEO Paul Otellini who was giving the opening keynote. 'Hyper-Threading and Centrino mobile technology were the first examples we used to illustrate the point. Now, as we expand this user-oriented approach, we plan to implement multi-core processors up and down our product line-up'.

With 55 per cent of Intel-based desktops currently supporting HyperThreading and 100 per cent of servers, dual-core processors are scheduled for 2005 in all market segments, including notebooks. By 2006, he predicted, 40 per cent Intel desktops would be dual-core, up to 80 per cent of servers would be dual- or multi-core and up to 70 per cent of notebooks would be dual core.

While emphasising a strong future for dual- and multi-core processors - Otellini said we should be asking 'how many computers are in this chip rather than how many chips are there in this computer' - he also hinted at progress on 'multiple product architectures', i.e. using the same processing core across notebook, desktop and server ranges. While refusing to reveal any more details, the strong hint was that it was the mobile processor core of the Pentium M that was most likely to fit the bill.

Otellini also took advantage of the opening keynote to signpost WiMAX developments (see IDF 2004: Rosedale begins Intel's WiMAX rollout). He drew analogies with the deployment and gradual take-up of Wi-Fi, predicting 8 per cent of wireless network users to be using WiMAX technology by 2008.

WiMAX, aka 802.16, is a new standard that promises to provide broadband connectivity at DSL speeds across long distances. The emergence of pervasive wireless broadband was identified as major forthcoming 'inflexion point' that would spur computing growth. Pervasive parallelism was another, and progress on multi-core technology was cited as a natural growth in the context of parallel computing

Picking up the thread of his keynote one year ago, Otellini also outlined progress on DTCP/IP (Digital Transmission Content Protection over IP), Intel's system for the home networking of protected premium content, such as music and movies. Citing the potential of the Internet as a delivery mechanism and the scalability of potential revenue, he envisioned one billion people viewing a new film within one year of its release.

He previewed a NetGear implementation of a DTCP/IP system and predicted DTCP/IP-based products by the end of the year. Currently, only Real's Helix DRM system is supported but Intel has been talking to Microsoft and Apple. Indeed Microsoft has apparently agreed to support the system in a future version of Windows Media player. Sony is also expressing interest, as is Starz!, a company that provides online access to a library of movies.