X-bit labs

AMD to Intro Brand for Multimedia Computers – Company.

Category: Multimedia

by Anton Shilov

[ 11/22/2005 | 02:54 PM ]

Advanced Micro Devices is set to introduce a special brand-name for entertainment-oriented personal computers (PCs) running certain chips from the company as well as certain chipsets from the manufacturer’s partners among core-logic designers. A separate brand-name for computers developed for digital media is likely to compete against Intel’s already well-known Viiv-branded PCs.

Henri Richard, head of sales and marketing, told the annual analysts’ day at AMD's Silicon Valley headquarters that it would also come up with a new brand for its digital media platforms in 2006, but did not reveal the name, reported Financial Times news-paper.

Intel Corp., the world’s largest chipmaker, introduced lately its own brand-name for consumer-oriented computers, namely Intel Viiv. While the company has not disclosed hardware peculiarities of the new platform, it revealed a list of capabilities that a PC should support in order to carry the trademark. All PCs based on Intel Viiv technology will ship with a remote control, the Microsoft Windows Media Center Edition operating system and media software that lets consumers interact with their PC in the same way they operate a TV. Consumers should be enabled to watch a movie or play a game while also downloading the latest music, all from one integrated system using a remote control, according to Intel.

Intel Viiv technology also includes an integrated media server “engine” that can reformat various digital content files so they can be viewed on a selection of devices verified by Intel to work with Intel Viiv technology-based systems. Additionally, Intel said it had worked with the PC, CE and content industries to set interoperability specifications so that consumers can easily move a variety of online media from room to room and between various devices in the home network.

Advanced Micro Devices recently also followed Intel Corp.’s initiative to offer business customers so-called stable platforms, specially designed sets of hardware that are not changed over time.

It is unclear what exactly AMD plans to offer to its customers under the trade-mark oriented at customers. Currently the company calls its AMD Turion 64 processor as AMD Turion 64 mobile technology, akin Intel’s Centrino mobile technology, but in contrast to Centrino that packs microprocessor, a specially designed core-logic and wireless network controller, the Turion 64 is just a chip that can be combined with virtually any supporting core-logic and system components.

Intel Viiv technology-based entertainment PCs are expected to be available from a number of system manufacturers worldwide in the first quarter of 2006 and will come in various shapes and sizes to fit different styles and sizes of homes. Timelines and product peculiarities of competing technology of AMD are unclear.