Intel's Centrino set to launch

[Agathon]

I wouldn't joke about internet connection in Canada, we have the highest rate of broadband use.

And Asher, who cares about all this stuff. Just buy an ibook like your friend.

PS. Iginla staying.

[Asher]

It's not bad as far as laptops go, but they're overpriced still. And underpowered.

I need a laptop with horsepower.

[Agathon]

Yep, you are right about the power, although the price has come down a lot. I'm waiting for them to move to the G4 chip like they have in the imac - that would be more than enough for me.

[Az]

I was expecting your post to be something about the chip being designed in Israel.

The only thing that I can say is : cool! Intel Israel would probably carry the bulk of production, and will, hopefully, regain its' status as No.1 exporter in Israel. there is one production plant and two research centers, and they'll all get a boost.

[Wraith]

--"Actually, that argument reminds me of the "Cell phones are silly" assertions people made 5 years ago. "

The question is how useful is this really to most people? Wireless right now is pretty much limited to the office and campus. They'll be able to sell into the corporate market, but the whole battery-life thing was hashed over when Transmeta came out. There's plenty of other things in the notebook eating power, like the display.
Now, it certainly can't be nearly as bad for the battery as a P4 (or even P4-M), but how much difference it actually makes remains to be seen.

I'm most interested in how Intel will end up marketing this. They'll have to change the tune they've been singing since they released the P4.

Sadly, the one thing I'd really like to see them do with this chip is the one thing I'm sure they won't let happen. Put it in a small form factor desktop. I'd like to find a good processor capable of running in a HTPC with passive cooling without having to underclock it, etc.

--"I'm waiting for them to move to the G4 chip like they have in the imac "

Haven't they done that already with the Titanium iBook?

Wraith
Mornings are a delusion of the planet bound

[chequita guevara]

What about security issues?

[Provost Harrison]

Originally posted by Asher
I need a laptop with horsepower.

'Need' or 'want' MCK?

[Asher]

Originally posted by Wraith
The question is how useful is this really to most people? Wireless right now is pretty much limited to the office and campus. They'll be able to sell into the corporate market, but the whole battery-life thing was hashed over when Transmeta came out. There's plenty of other things in the notebook eating power, like the display.

It's true there's not many wireless hotspots aside from work and campus, but there's more coming soon.

Starbucks has wireless access, now there's talk of all McDonalds getting them too.

As for the power consumption issue, I read a couple weeks ago (I think it was on THG) that Intel did a bunch of things aside from optimizing the chipset and CPU for power consumption. Things like how the display was powered was modified too to save power.

Sadly, the one thing I'd really like to see them do with this chip is the one thing I'm sure they won't let happen. Put it in a small form factor desktop. I'd like to find a good processor capable of running in a HTPC with passive cooling without having to underclock it, etc.

Aren't there P3 1GHz+ Shuttle-based PCs that run with passive cooling?

Haven't they done that already with the Titanium iBook?

The G4s are in the PowerBooks, G3s in the iBook.
On the desktop, the G4 is both in the PowerMac and the iMac, so eventually the iBook will switch over as well.

[Az]

What about security issues?

A good question, actually. AFAIK it is possible to intercept digital voice connections in cellular networks (though nowhere near the rediculous situation of the analog networks ).

How does Wi-fi treat this problem?


Oh, and another thing: what happened to bluetooth?

[Asher]

Bluetooth is for things like wireless keyboards.

As for security issues, it's only an issue if you turn off WEP ("wired equivalent privacy"): http://www.80211-planet.com/tutorial...le.php/1368661

[Az]

Thanks, asher.

How long are bluetooth chips away from mass production?

[Master Zen]

Originally posted by Agathon
I wouldn't joke about internet connection in Canada, we have the highest rate of broadband use.

Actually it's South Korea

[Wraith]

--"Starbucks has wireless access, now there's talk of all McDonalds getting them too."

Starbucks makes sense. I just saw that McDonalds thing today, but why McDonalds? That doesn't really seem like the place to hang out with your laptop.
I mean, okay, a lot of geeks will eat there. Well, not there, exactly, they tend to buy-and-run. Which makes the wireless part pretty pointless for them.

--"I read a couple weeks ago (I think it was on THG) that Intel did a bunch of things"

They making laptops now?

--"Aren't there P3 1GHz+ Shuttle-based PCs that run with passive cooling?"

P3 anyway, not sure about the passive cooling bit. Better than P4 as far as heat and power are concerned, but I'm not sure they'd be as much better as I want. I'll have to check into it anyway, but the Shuttle website sucks.

--"How does Wi-fi treat this problem?"

Not very well. There are a couple of encryption standards in place, but from what I've read they're pretty trivial to break.

Wraith
Reality Sector Visitor Badge #9572

[Asher]

Originally posted by Wraith
They making laptops now?

No, but they have regulations for what can be branded as "Centrino" technology, and there's a bunch of specs in that about how they power things like DVD drives, laptop displays, etc.

[Asher]

Some reviews have appeared now.

A 1.6GHz Pentium M performs on-par with a ~2.2GHz P4 chip.

And the real-world battery life is incredible...

IBM ThinkPad T40 (1.6GHz; 512MB DDR SDRAM; ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 32MB; IBM 80GB 4,200rpm; 5.4lbs; 14.1" display):
416 minutes (or 7 hours)