NVIDIA to Work on Intel Atom Core Logic

NVIDIA will have the opportunity to design platform core logic (chipsets) for the Intel Atom processor, in the weeks to come. The visual computing giant has had a fair bit of success with its MCP79 chipset for mainstream PCs, which could be ported to platforms with much smaller footprints, such as netbooks and nettops. The starting point in its roadmap could well be the MCP79 itself which has architectural superiority over Intel chipsets in the same range, for being of a monolithic design.

Intel's own chipset for the Atom processor faced quite some criticism from the media for being dated in both design and manufacturing processes, resulting in its high TDP. Major players in the industry, ASUS, Gigabyte and MSI have said they welcome the partnership between Nvidia and Intel and believe the cooperation would give them more pricing flexibility.

ASUS to Replace Atom with Celeron in Eee Box to Boost Sales

ASUSTeK is planning on introducing a Celeron version of the Eee Box desktop replacement PC, as a desparate precaution. The Eee nettop products have not sold as well as expected since their first debut four months ago, and even the well designed Intel Atom processors are to be replaced by Celerons to see if things will go better.

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While its nettop products have not sold as well as expected since debuting four months ago, Asustek is introducing a Celeron version of the Eee Box priced at NT$7,988 (US$240) in order to increase shipments for this year, according to market sources. The company is replacing the Atom processor with a Celeron 220 processor and upgrading its hard drive from 80GB to 120GB, while cutting the overall price, the sources explained. According to the latest Eee Box price quotes, a system featuring a Celeron 220 processor and 120GB hard drive is selling for NT$7,988, with the price bumped up to NT$11,900 when bundled with a 19-inch LCD monitor. A system with an Atom processor and 80GB hard drive, keyboard, mouse, and Eee Stick is selling for NT$9,999, the sources added. According to estimates from Asustek, the company expects to ship 100,000-200,000 units of the Eee box this year and over one million units in 2009, while Intel estimates shipments for nettops will reach 60 million units by 2011, the market sources noted.

Intel to Retaliate to AMD Phenom II Overclocking Feat, Plans Demonstration at CES '09

Intel plans its own public demonstration of the overclocking capabilities of the Core i7 processors. This, in response to rival AMD achieving an overclock of well beyond 5.00 GHz, and booting at speeds above 6.00 GHz. The engineers at Intel reportedly carried out a large-scale binning of Core i7 processors, to cherry-pick the best performing part. The scale of binning could well be best of 100,000 units.

A chief engineer at Intel, Francoise Piednoel expressed his reservations regarding the 6.00 GHz overclocking feat AMD carried out with its upcoming Phenom II X4 processor last week, saying that the overclocking capabilities of the Phenom II X4 demonstrated do not reflect those of release-grade products, and cannot be replicated in a real-world setting. AMD may have disabled several sensors on the cherry-picked chip used in its demonstration, which facilitated that overclock. In response to this, Intel would be disabling the same sensors, in its special demonstration chip. The demo could be held at CES 2009. The professional overclocker chosen to achieve this feat would be none other than FUGGER from XtremeSystems. FUGGER could be set the task of taking the most desirable, binned Core i7 965 Extreme Edition chip all the way up to a stellar 7.00 GHz, if all goes well.

Micron Delays its 256GB RealSSDs Until 2009

Micron on Monday said to CNET that it would start mass-production of its long-awaited RealSSD C200 256GB solid state drives early next year. More specificaly, a Micron representative said that the company will start volume production in March 2009, and although both Micron and Intel have just unveiled 34nm memory technology, the 256GB SSDs won't utilize it. Using the new 34nm process will allow both companies to deliver drives with over 300GB of storage space, but that's another story plus these drives won't come out until the end of 2009. According to some information given before, the 2.5-inch Micron RealSSD C200 256GB SSDs will read data at 250MB/s and write at 100MB/s. The new SSDs will have a SATA 3.0 Gbps interface and will make use of MLC (multi-level cell) NAND flash chips. Previously, Micron said the drives were to enter mass production in Q4 2008, but the chipmaker is slightly behind schedule and won't make it until next year.

Children, Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries Receive Hand Up from Intel, Non-Profits

Small Things Challenge to Raise Awareness, Funds for Education, Micro-Financing in Fight Against Poverty

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 7, 2009 – Intel Corporation, two non-profit organizations and several celebrities have joined forces to raise awareness and funds so children in developing countries can attend primary school and their parents can earn higher incomes.

Throughout the developing world more than 75 million primary age children are not in school – robbing them of future opportunity continuing the cycle of poverty – and at least 80 percent of humanity lives on less than $10 a day, according to data from the United Nations¹.

Intel, Kiva.org* and Save the Children* are kicking off a year-long effort today called the Small Things Challenge. The program will appeal directly to individuals worldwide and encourage them to get involved by donating money to Save the Children's Rewrite the Future program, which is focused on securing quality education for the millions of children out of school due to war and armed conflict. Individuals are also urged to provide micro-loans through Kiva.org to entrepreneurs in the developing world, another way to raise the standard of living. Individuals can provide support and find more information, including a video featuring musicians and celebrities who support the cause, at www.smallthingschallenge.com.

"While these issues will continue to challenge our world for some time, we can improve peoples' lives by pooling small contributions," said Intel Chairman Craig Barrett, who also chairs a United Nations initiative on technology in the developing world. "Someone once told me ‘a small deed done is better than a great deed planned.' Even the smallest, individual action or donation can make a big difference – every journey starts with a first step."

The three organizations are also calling on people worldwide to signal their support at www.smallthingschallenge.com for the need to increase access to education and to foster economic development in emerging countries. Intel will donate 5 cents for every person who clicks on the "we'll donate 5 cents for you" button on the Web site. The company will provide up to $300,000 this year to the Small Things Challenge, in addition to the $100 million that Intel is investing in other education programs this year. Intel believes that children everywhere deserve to have the skills necessary to become the next generation of innovators.

"For millions, the dream of going to school remains unfulfilled," said Charles MacCormack, president and CEO of Save the Children. "In conflict-affected countries, one of three children is currently out of school. This campaign will help us to reach more of these vulnerable children with the gift of education and open doors for future opportunities."

There is no minimum value for a donation to Save the Children, but micro-loans through Kiva.org start at $25. Every small, individual action can make a big difference – especially if millions participate. For example, in Darfur, Sudan, a $10 donation can help Save the Children provide school supplies for a child or $50 can help provide a blackboard for a classroom. Or through Kiva.org a $25 loan can be combined with others toward the $250 loan a fisherman in Cambodia needs to buy more nets so he can catch and sell more fish.

"The spirit of entrepreneurship is as strong among the poor of the developing world as it is in Silicon Valley," said Kiva.org CEO Matt Flannery. "Micro-loans have helped people increase their incomes through self-employment. The Small Things Challenge aims to continue empowering the world's poor so they can better support their families and keep their children in school, ultimately breaking the cycle of poverty."

The Small Things Challenge will take center stage at several high-profile activities at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show this week in Las Vegas, including Barrett's keynote speech on Friday. Conference attendees can also pledge support to Kiva.org and Save the Children – at kiosks at Intel's booth (Central Hall, booth #7153).

Barrett's speech is a part of the show's Technology and Emerging Countries Program, which focuses on the role technology plays to further economic growth. During the speech, Barrett will highlight how Save the Children's and Kiva.org's work is impacting millions of people worldwide already. He'll also deliver a special call-to-action to the audience.

Intel has also donated 10 notebook PCs and two Intel-powered classmate PCs that are currently being auctioned at http://stores.ebay.com/SmallThingsChallenge, along with items donated by the music groups Counting Crows and Maroon 5. All auction items are autographed by the bands' lead singers, Adam Duritz and Adam Levine, respectively, and starting bids range from $25 to $900.

About Intel Corporation
The Small Things Challenge builds upon Intel's 40 years of active involvement in improving education. More information is available at www.intel.com/pressroom/kits/stc. Over the past decade, Intel has invested over $1 billion, and Intel employees have donated more than 2.5 million hours toward improving education in 50 countries.

Intel [NASDAQ: INTC], the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom and blogs.intel.com.

About Kiva.org
Kiva.org is the world's first person-to-person micro-lending Web site, empowering individuals to lend directly to an entrepreneur in the developing world. Founded in 2005, Kiva.org's mission is to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Kiva.org currently connects lenders in more than 100 countries with entrepreneurs in 42 developing countries, through 93 microfinance partners. Kiva.org has headquarters in San Francisco.

About Save the Children
Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating lasting change for children in need in the United States and 50 countries around the world. For more than 75 years, the relief and development agency has worked in some of the poorest, most remote communities to improve children's lives through education, health and economic opportunity programs. In 2006, Save the Children launched the Rewrite the Future campaign to provide quality education for children affected by conflict in their countries. Save the Children aims to provide quality education in conflict-affected countries for 8 million children by 2010. For more information on how Save the Children is helping millions of children access quality education visit www.savethechildren.org.

Clearwire Introduces Clear™ 4G Mobile Internet Service to Portland

Clear™ Transforms Portland into the Fastest Unwired City in the West

Clearwire and Intel Showcase Mobile WiMAX Capabilities throughout the City "Let's Be Clear" Campaign Launched in Portland

PORTLAND, Ore. – Jan. 6, 2009 – Clearwire (NASDAQ: CLWR) today officially transformed Portland into the fastest unwired city in the West, and home to one of the first 4G WiMAX wireless broadband services in the world, called Clear™. With Clear, consumers and businesses can access the Internet wirelessly, at true broadband speeds - at home, in the office, around the Portland metro area, and on the go.

"Today is a historic day for the evolution of mobile computing and communications services in Portland, and the U.S.," said Benjamin G. Wolff, chief executive officer of Clearwire. "Clearwire is reinventing wireless by delivering an unmatched combination of Internet speed and mobility. We're providing a valuable service designed to improve our customers' productivity and make their lives more enjoyable, wherever they happen to be in our coverage area."

"WiMAX is a new wireless technology that raises the bar on a truly mobile and affordable Internet experience for consumers," said Sean Maloney, executive vice president and chief sales and marketing officer at Intel Corporation. "Intel, along with Clearwire and its partners, are proud to bring U.S. customers a next-generation, world-leading broadband solution that redefines how, when and where consumers interact with the Internet."

A Clear Difference
The true value of Clear is the ability to get more out of the day from anywhere in the Clear coverage area. One simple service, at one low price, can meet our customer's needs at home, in the office, or on the go. Whether it's a busy parent catching up while waiting to pick up a child from practice, a small business owner staying productive at the office and out with a client, or a college student looking for broadband on a budget, Clear offers customers more for less.

Clear's simple and innovative pricing gives customers ultimate flexibility. Clear's mobile, residential and business plans can be purchased by the day or by the month, and do not require long term service contracts. Home Internet service plans start at $20 per month, while mobile Internet plans start at $30 per month, or customers can purchase a convenient day pass for $10. Additional savings are available for customers that purchase both home and mobile Internet services or that sign up for a two-year service agreement. Full details about pricing options are available at www.clear.com.

Unlike other wireless services, Clear delivers a "True Broadband" experience, with up to 6 Mbps download speeds with the Clear residential modem, while mobile Internet customers can expect to receive up to 4 Mbps download speeds.

Simply Plug-In and Go
Clear is making it easy for customers by offering several simple choices for broadband connectivity. Mobile users simply plug-in Clear's compact, mobile WiMAX-enabled USB modem into their laptop to get online. The USB modem, from Motorola, is available for only $49.99. Customers can purchase the modem from a store or online, and activate service at their convenience, anywhere in Clear's coverage area.

For residential service, Clear offers customers a wireless high-speed modem that is about the size of a small book. Customers simply plug the modem into a power outlet anywhere in their home or office and connect the modem to their PC. This enables consumers and businesses to install high-speed Internet service without the need to schedule an appointment, drill holes in their walls, or otherwise disrupt their day. The Clear residential modem, from Motorola, can be leased for just $4.99 monthly.

Leading PC OEMs including Acer, Asus, Dell, Fujitsu, Lenovo, Panasonic, Samsung and Toshiba have announced plans to deliver Intel® Centrino® 2 processor technology-powered notebook computers with embedded WiMAX technology that will be compatible with the Clear network in the first half of this year. Several OEMs also plan to offer Intel® Atom™-based netbook models with embedded WiMAX that will also support the Clear network.

Grand Opening Events at Clear Retail Stores
Clearwire will hold grand opening events at its three Portland retail stores from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, January 10th. The stores are located at: 15th and Broadway, 92nd and Sunnyside (Clackamas Promenade), and Burnside and 23rd Place (Uptown Shopping Center). In addition, Clear will offer chances to win netbook computers, Blazers tickets and gift certificates from local area retailers.

Let's Be Clear™
Clearwire also launched a series of marketing and advertising initiatives this week introducing the company's "Let's be Clear" campaign in Portland. Customers now have several ways to purchase service, including: new Clear store locations throughout Portland, other area dealers and retailers, or directly via the Web at www.clear.com, which also provides a convenient store locator.

Additional Markets
As part of a multi-year network build-out plan, Clearwire's 4G network will be available in major metropolitan areas across the U.S. It is currently available in Baltimore, Maryland, and Portland, Oregon. The Baltimore market currently operates under the XOHM™ brand, but it will be re-branded with the Clear brand in the coming months. Clearwire currently offers pre-WiMAX Internet services in 46 markets throughout the United States. The company will announce roll-out plans for future markets and upgrade plans for existing pre-WiMAX markets early this year.

For more information about Clear, visit www.clear.com. Detailed company information about Clearwire is available at www.clearwire.com.

DreamWorks' "Monsters vs. Aliens," PepsiCo's SoBe Lifewater, Intel and NBC Create 'Monstrous' 3D Super Bowl Event

Over 125 Million Pairs of FREE Intel 3D Glasses to be Distributed at Retail Nationwide

GLENDALE, Calif. – January 5, 2009 – DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (NYSE: DWA) and PepsiCo's SoBe Lifewater today announced that they have joined together with Intel Corporation and NBC to create a first-of-its kind, nationwide ‘Monstrous' 3D event for Super Bowl XLIII. This first-ever all 3D Super Bowl commercial break event will mark the debut of DreamWorks Animation's premier 3D movie trailer for its upcoming feature film, "Monsters vs. Aliens," which comes to theaters in the U.S. on March 27th.

In addition, the timeslot will feature a 60-second 3D SoBe Lifewater commercial marking the return of the ultra-hip SoBe lizards, who made noise during last year's Super Bowl broadcast with one of the most talked about spots. DreamWorks Animation's history-making 3D movie trailer was animated using Intel's latest, high-performance processing technologies and will be broadcasted along with the SoBe television spot at the end of the second quarter of the game, which airs on NBC on Sunday, February 1, 2009. Viewers will have the opportunity to re-use their glasses for a special 3D episode of NBC's hit comedy "Chuck," airing Monday, February 2, 2009 (8-9pm ET.)

Intel has produced over 125 million pairs of 3D glasses, which are being distributed by PepsiCo through the SoBe Lifewater brand. The glasses will be disseminated via 25,000 SoBe Lifewater retail displays in grocery, drug and other retail venues beginning in early January and will be FREE to consumers. Should a display's supply of glasses run out, consumers can call 1-800-646-2904 in order to obtain a pair.

NBC viewers will be alerted to the SoBe Lifewater Super Bowl Displays via a series of tune-in spots airing beginning on January 19th. Displays and tune-ins will instruct viewers to use their 3D glasses on Super Bowl Sunday, with additional messaging, "Don't Chuck Your Glasses," prompting viewers to re-use them during the special 3D episode of "Chuck," which will feature a special guest appearance by NBC Sports analyst and Super Bowl champion Jerome Bettis.

The 60-second SoBe Lifewater spot, directed by Super Bowl commercial veteran and brand architect Peter Arnell, will mark arguably the first ever Super Bowl ad cross over event - with the SoBe Lizards sharing the screen with characters from the upcoming DreamWorks Animation film that will be showcased in the pod's preceding spot. The SoBe Lizards and stars from DreamWorks' "Monsters vs. Aliens" will dance alongside current NFL stars in what promises to be among the most highly-anticipated commercials on Super Sunday. The spot features a modern interpretation of the famed ballet Swan Lake, and the rhythmic effects when the players and creatures are infused with the refreshing and re-invigorating impact of SoBe Lifewater.