Just as expected, Intel Corporation today disclosed key technical details of its next-generation of Intel XScale technology based processors to be used in cell phones, PDAs and other wireless devices. The Bulverde will allow easy and cost-effective incorporation of camera into PDAs and smart-phones, lower power consumption through Wireless Intel SpeedStep technology and enhanced multimedia capabilities thanks to Wireless MMX technology.

The upcoming processors, code named “Bulverde”, will add several new features that will help enable wireless devices to capture quality pictures, extend battery life and deliver fast multimedia performance. Bulverde is a key component of the Intel Personal Internet Client Architecture, the company's development blueprint for designing wireless devices that combine voice communications and Internet access capabilities.

The ability to send and receive digital pictures or video clips has been one of the hottest developments in the cell phone and PDA segments worldwide. There are loads of camera-enabled cell-phones in Asia, but very few in the USA and Europe. I have a feeling that in 18-24 months time every PDA or GSM-phone will be equipped with a camera since Intel developed a special technique to enable camera on handheld devices that promises to be easy to implement and rather cost-effective.

Intel Quick Capture Technology is an interface that allows imaging devices to connect to a cell phone or PDA, to improve image quality and reduce the overall cost of adding digital image capabilities for mobile devices, the company proclaimed today.

Intel Quick Capture Technology provides the ability to get live video and high-quality still images from a wide range of camera sensors in current and future camera-enabled mobile handsets and PDAs. Intel Quick Capture Technology consists of three primary modes of operation: Quick View mode (providing low power, real time previews), Quick Shot mode (providing high resolution image capture up to 4Mpixels) and Quick Video mode (providing full-motion, high-quality video capture).

First available in the Bulverde processor, Intel will also offer Wireless Intel SpeedStep Technology, a technology which dynamically adjusts the power and performance of the processor based on CPU demand. This can result in a significant decrease in power consumption for wireless handheld devices.

Wireless Intel SpeedStep Technology advances the capabilities of Intel Dynamic Voltage Management – a function already built into the Intel XScale microarchitecture – by incorporating three new low-power states: deep idle, standby and deep sleep. The technology is able to change both voltage and frequency on-the-fly by intelligently switching the processor into the various low power modes, saving additional power while still providing the necessary performance to run rich applications.

Besides, the Bulverde processor will feature Intel Wireless MMX technology, announced last year, is an advanced set of multimedia instructions that will help bring desktop-like multimedia performance to Bulverde-based clients while minimizing the power needed to run rich applications. Intel Wireless MMX technology builds on the Intel MMX technology originally introduced in the Intel Pentium processor family, enabling software developers to quickly make their applications such as 2D and 3D gaming, streaming MPEG4 video, wireless encryption/decryption, and voice recognition available for Intel-based cell phones and PDAs.

Additional details surrounding Bulverde are expected to be available in the first half of 2004. This means that we will hardly see actual Bulverde-based products earlier than sometime in the Q2 2004. However, based on Intel talks during IDF sessions today we realise that the actual devices featuring this astonishing technology will be available next year for sure.