Intel unveiled a 14-nanometer fan-less Intel Core M processor at the Computex Fair in Taipei, Taiwan, on Tuesday, aimed at quiet, thin and energy-efficient laptops and tablets.
“It’s cool, it’s quiet, it’s lighter, it’s thinner, and it’s the most energy efficient processor in Intel’s history,” Intel president Renee James said.
To show off the chip’s capabilities, Intel showed a fan-less mobile PC reference design — an ultra-thin laptop-tablet hybrid with a 12.5-inch screen. It measures only 7.2mm in thickness and weighs 670 grams.
This chip will doubtlessly fuel rumors of a fan-less, ultra-thin MacBook Air — rumors which began circulating in March.
The Intel Core M processor will become available later this year.
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Just a few days after Google unveiled its self-driving car prototype, Intel is getting in on the automated vehicle industry, too.
The company is introducing what it calls an “in-vehicle solutions platform,” which could eventually support self-driving vehicles like the Google car. Intel’s new hardware and software technology aims to help “the car evolve to better inform, assist and eventually assume control,” according to a press release.
The infotainment system — which comes with processors, an operating system and developer kits — would make it easier for automakers and suppliers to bring updates to its platform much faster (in only 12 months) and at 50% of the cost.
Earlier this week, Google unveiled the design of its self-driving car prototype, a small two-seater with no steering wheel, no brake pedal and a “stop” panic button. The dimensions are still unknown, but it has a smiley face on its front exterior.
Self-driving cars have the potential to make the roads much safer, thanks to built-in sensors that can inform a computer to make driving decisions much faster than humans. For example, the Google car can slow down for jaywalking pedestrians, watch for cars that sneak out of hidden driveways and look for cyclists making gestures that indicate a possible turn. In addition to reducing crashes, self-driving cars could ease congestion, improve fuel economy, reduce parking needs and bring mobility to those who are unable to drive.
Although there are challenges ahead — such as consumer adoption and cost — the potential here is massive. Not surprisingly, companies want in.
Although the product is available for auto systems with advancer driver assistance capabilities, future iterations will be “geared for advanced driving experiences such as autonomous or self-driving cars.”
Intel said it is actively collecting data about how people drive and how cars can be more adaptive, predictive and interact with drivers and its surroundings.
In 2012, the company established a $100 million Intel Capital Connected Car Fund to grow car tech integration and help it enable future autonomous driving capabilities.
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RANCHO PALOS VERDES, California — Jimmy, an Intel-powered, 3D-printable robot made a surprise appearance at Recode’s Code Conference on Wednesday.
The pint-sized bot was announced earlier this year and costs roughly $16,000. However, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich, who was on stage with Recode’s Walt Mossberg, also briefly showed off a new $1,600 Edison kit robot.
“Robots are coming, like it or not,” said Krzanich.
The demonstrations were part of frank technology discussion where Krzanich admitted Intel had stumbled on mobile. “We missed the tablet. We missed that transition.”
“If you look at computing all through history, it’s gotten continuously smaller, more mobile, more connected,” said Krzanich. However, Intel wanted to stop that transition at laptops, while the market, obviously moved on.
Now Intel is in step with that curve, which Krzanich believes will continue on to the Internet of things and wearables.
Speaking of wearables, Krzanich took the stage with a battery-powered smart shirt on under his button-down shirt. He demonstrated how sensors in the shirt, which has metal woven into the fabric, and the embedded Edison chip could measure his heart rate and EKG in real-time and display the data on his smartphone.
Intel CEO Brian Krzanich shows off his smart shirt.
Image: Mashable, Lance Ulanoff
The shirt is coming this summer. In fact, Krzanich thinks consumers should expect to see an explosion of sensor-driven products in the near future.
While Krzanich admits Intel missed the first mobile wave because it didn’t have the right products at the right time, he plans on targeting all of its products into smaller and more mobile devices.
In the space of a year and a half, “we’ll go from virtually zero market share to 15% to 20%.” Roughly 80% of the mobile products Intel sells go into Android devices.
Intel is so invested in wearables that it bought wearable device manufacturer Basis earlier this year. The move, though, was somewhat surprising, since Intel is not considered a traditional consumer technology company (though its components appear in consumer products). Still, Krzanich said, we should expect to see more consumer and wearable partnerships in the near future.
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