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'Atom 101' - Deciphering the Intel codewords around MIDs
By Jeff Moriarty (Intel) (23 posts) on April 1, 2008 at 3:25 pm
With the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) kicking off this week in Shanghai there's going to be a mini-avalanche of MID, Atom, and Moblin related announcements coming out. I'll try to publish a few digests here of anything I find interesting, like this video fellow Intellian Ken Kaplan shot about some of the MID devices from the Consumer Electronics Show. I'm looking forward to finally getting some of this hardware in my own hands to play with!
In my ongoing self-education on this topic, there was a valuable post on our intranet that was billed as "Atom 101". See, even Intel employees can't keep all our kooky code names and chipsets straight! Anyway, the author, Walden Kirsch, gave me the green light to post it externally so I hope it is of help to others.
Intel® Atom™ processor. The brand name for a family of low- power processors designed for a range of new market segments including mobile Internet devices and simple, low-cost Internet-focused machines such as netbooks and nettops (see definitions below). The Intel Atom processor will also be used in embedded and consumer electronics. The initial versions of the Intel Atom processor are code named "Silverthorne" and "Diamondville" (see below). The Intel Atom processor family is based on the core code named "Bonnell." The Intel Atom processor is Intel's smallest chip, built with the world's smallest transistors. Contains 47 million transistors.
Silverthorne. The code name for one version of the Intel Atom processor, optimized first for low-power then for low-cost. Silverthorne is targeted for use in mobile Internet devices. Manufactured on Intel's 45nm process technology.
Diamondville. The code name for another version of the Intel Atom processor, optimized first for low-cost then for low-power. Slightly larger packaging than Silverthorne so it can be used on less expensive 4-layer motherboards. Diamondville is targeted for low-cost platforms including nettops and netbooks. Manufactured on Intel's 45nm process technology.
Mobile Internet device (MID). A small mobile device that delivers the full Internet in your pocket. Powered by the Intel Atom processor. The best Internet experience in your pocket is enabled by Intel® Centrino® Atom™ processor technology.
Intel Centrino Atom processor technology. The brand name for a low-power platform designed for mobile Internet devices. Intel Centrino Atom processor technology includes the Intel Atom processor, a low-power companion chip with integrated graphics, a wireless radio, and other features.
Menlow. Code name for the Intel Centrino Atom processor technology platform. Menlow includes the Silverthorne processor and the Poulsbo chipset.
Poulsbo. Code name for low-power chipset for mobile Internet devices. Used with Silverthorne in Intel Centrino Atom processor technology based machines. Part of the Menlow platform. Poulsbo includes 3D graphics, HD video playback (720p and 1080i content) and the memory controller.
Embedded Menlow. Similar to Menlow with the Silverthorne processor and the Poulsbo chipset, but runs embedded operating systems and includes embedded lifecycle support of at least seven years.
Moorestown. Code name for successor to the Menlow platform, scheduled for late 2009 or early 2010. For mobile Internet devices. Intel has publicly committed that Moorestown will have at least 10 times less idle power consumption than the previous-generation Menlow platform.
Netbook. A small, low-cost, mobile computing device designed for consuming content, rather than creating new content.
Nettop. A desktop version of the netbook.
Sodaville. Codename for System on a Chip (SoC) product for consumer electronics devices, arriving in 2009. Sodaville will be used in non-battery CE devices used for digital entertainment in the home. Sodaville will be based on the same low-power core found in Intel Atom processors.
That's the list. If there is anything missing, let me know!
Categories: Intel® Software Network 2.0, Mobility
Comments (7) 
By Jon Mountjoy on April 2nd, 2008 at 1:02 am
Thanks Jeff - all these code names get confusing. I guess there are a few surprises here. Like "MID being powered by Atom". I have a device in my pocket. It has the "full Internet". It's mobile (it's in my pocket, after all). So it's an MID. But it has no Intel.
I guess the problem with a generic term like MID is that it's a descriptive term that anyone immediately grasps. There are many folk who believe they have MIDs in their pockets, which they do. They have devices capable of accessing the full internet, which are mobile.
I find "netbook" a little interesting too :-) Have you seen the Psion netbook? Arguably, the MID in my pocket is a netbook too. Oh, it has a camera, so maybe not? Perhaps you can give some examples of this?
By Jeff Moriarty (Intel) on April 2nd, 2008 at 1:43 pm
The "MID being powered by Atom" is a regular discussion I have inside Intel. Our "official" definition of a MID is just what you see above, but come on... the iPhone is (sadly) not powered by Atom, and it is the leading MID out there right now. I put this out as a baseline to start exactly the discussion you initiated.
There are a lot of great devices already out and more coming over the next year, and the terminology is a mess. One of my favorites is the baffling difference between a "MID" and a "smartphone" if they both have voice capability. The netbook one is another. (I hadn't seen the Psion yet, so thank you!)
I'll see what I can do to get some of our marketing folks to pin down netbook a bit more. As the space develops I hope the terms settle out, because it will save me a fortune on aspirin.
Cheers!
By Intel® Software Network Blogs » MID wiki now open and seeking mobile content on April 23rd, 2008 at 1:56 pm
[...] happy because I think this could be a great resource. The good feedback I received from my Atom 101 post made it clear there are lots of questions out there around MID development. Even the [...]
By Josh Bancroft's Linkblog on April 23rd, 2008 at 9:55 pm
! We're using MediaWiki as the platform, and everyone is invited to make an account and contribute. I'm happy because I think this could be a great resource. The good feedback I received from myAtom 101post made it clear there are lots of questions out there around MID development. Even the definition of a MID has a lot of variations, then throw out UMPCs, UMDs, and Nettops on top of it How does moblin compare to Android? What is Atom?
By Josh Bancroft's Linkblog on April 25th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
! We're using MediaWiki as the platform, and everyone is invited to make an account and contribute. I'm happy because I think this could be a great resource. The good feedback I received from myAtom 101post made it clear there are lots of questions out there around MID development. Even the definition of a MID has a lot of variations, then throw out UMPCs, UMDs, and Nettops on top of it How does moblin compare to Android? What is Atom?
By Vincent_leu on July 9th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Hi
This is Vincent_leu speaking.Currently.We got many inquiry from our customer.he want to use the Intel Atom CPU+ Silverthorne chipset for Set-Top-Box Platform.But we found out the Silverthorne chipset does not has these feature
(1)It does not has any SATA Port
(2)It does not has any PCI Bus master
Does the Intel has any plan and added these feature for Silverthorne chipset in the future?
In additional to.Does the Intel has any plan and let the Diamondville chipset support Intel Atom Z510(1.1Ghz CPU)?
By Mike Slinn’s Weblog on August 6th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
What is the road map for releasing a complete low power chip set to complement Atom? A: Intel hasn’t disclosed anything other than some consumer electronic devices based on a 45nm product code-namedSodaville. Q: What is the road map for the Atom family? A: Intel hasn’t disclosed anything other than some consumer electronic devices based on a 45nm product code-named Sodaville. Q: What is the road map for Atom system boards?