In a continuation of its intellectual-property compliance program begun last May, chip designer Patriot Scientific Corporation sent notifications to about 150 of the world's largest electronics firms of possible patent infringement .
In December, Patriot began a series of lawsuits, eventually dragging Intel into the dispute earlier this year.
The next generation of Intel Corp. microprocessors for cell phones and handheld computers will, for the first time, include hard-wired security features that can enforce copy protection and help prevent hackers from wreaking havoc on wireless networks.
Intel's PXA27x processors, announced Monday at a conference in Taiwan, contain a security "engine" that's on the same piece of silicon but separated from the area where general processing takes place. The engine also has access to secure memory.
Japan's fair trade agency raided Intel Corp.'s Japanese office Thursday and a government source in Tokyo said the world's largest chipmaker is suspected of violating antitrust laws.
"They have worked to prevent other processor makers from supplying personal computer manufacturers," the source said.
Intel (INTC: Research, Estimates), whose processors are used in four out of every five personal computers worldwide, said investigators from the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) had raided its office in Tsukuba, near Tokyo, but declined any further comment.
Intel plans to institute a new labeling system for its PC chips, focusing on overall performance rather than clock speed, according to industry sources.
The new naming system, not yet confirmed by Intel, marks a shift in a long-standing Intel strategy of touting the speed of its processors as their chief identifier. The chipmaker spent a vast sum informing consumers about its processors' clock rates, pointing to its industry-leading clock speeds as proof of its technical superiority.
IT'S LIKELY that the multi-million OS experiment currently known as Longhorn will also run on Xbox 2s, posing a serious question for Intel in the future. Whither?
Sources claim that Microsoft is shoehorning faux screenshots of the GUI into the public domain, only to bring out something completely different when the day of the launch is that much nearer.
Intel's Components Research Lab is working on ways to replace copper wiring between motherboards and chips inside computers with faster, more energy-efficient optical fiber.
The lab has created a prototype system with chips connected to each other through eight optical channels transferring data at more than 1 gigabit of data per second for an aggregate bandwidth of over 8gbps (gigabits per second). The individual channels, called waveguides, can transfer data at up to 3gbps.
As IT security director at Intel, what are your main responsibilities?
Malcolm Harkins: My role involves a combination of overall security strategy and a more hands-on approach. I deal with technical strategies and decide on the policy changes we might make. Setting limits on data access to protect information, budget planning and staying on top of virus outbreaks are all part of my remit.
Intel on Monday will serve up a large helping of megahertz with five new Pentium 4 processors for desktop PCs.
The new crop of Pentium 4s, which will spawn a number of new desktop PC models, will include three chips based on a fresh processor design, code-named Prescott. Intel will add two new speed versions of its current Pentium 4, dubbed Northwood. A sixth Prescott Pentium 4, running at 3.4GHz will be announced Monday, but it won't be available until later in the quarter.
Intel plans to demonstrate a 64-bit revamp of its Xeon and Pentium processors in mid-February--an endorsement of a major rival's strategy and a troubling development for Intel's Itanium chip.
INTEL IS HEAVILY into gaming, especially as it will intro a 3.4GHz Pentium 4 Extended Edition early next week.
But now it seems to have set its trademark folk onto gamers, possibly a PR unfriendly move as they are the very folk who might buy a 3.4GHz P4 EE for $1,000 when it's launched.
A "Caesar Desist!" letter, as we call it, has winged its way to intelrecon.com with a message in the Molotov-style cocktail that tells the owner of the site that Intel is recognised as a leading gaming company.
