IDF 2010 : Intel introduces Intel AppUp Center; netbook application store for consumers

Intel® Atom™ Processors Go Everywhere; Netbooks Apps Now Available

INTEL DEVELOPER FORUM, San Francisco, Sept. 14, 2010 – During keynote presentations today at the Intel Developer Forum, Intel Corporation executives outlined several software and hardware-related efforts as the company intensifies its system-on-a-chip (SoC) product plans based on the Intel® Atom™ processor family.

Amid predictions of billions of additional Internet-connected devices going online, Renée James, senior vice president and general manager, Intel Software and Services Group, and Doug Davis, vice president, general manager, Embedded and Communications Group, discussed the expansion of these processors into high-growth areas including netbooks, tablets, CE, embedded, and smart phones.

Renee James, “The Best Experiences are Created on Intel Architecture”

Vice President and General Manager, Intel Software and Solutions Group

During her keynote, James outlined how tightly integrated and optimized software and platforms will deliver new levels of performance, along with fresh capabilities and the importance of creating an innovative experience across the personal computing continuum – from PCs to smart phones to tablets and cars, as well as any number of Internet-connected consumer devices.

• Intel® AppUp center – James announced the general release of Intel’s first netbook application store for consumers. The Intel® AppUp^SM center  heightens the user experience with applications optimized for the mobility and screen size of netbooks. To encourage consumers to discover new applications, the Intel AppUp Center features a free 24-hour “try before you buy” period for all paid applications.
  • Best Buy*, UK-based Dixons* and India-based Croma* are also backing Intel AppUp with plans to open and distribute their own Intel AppUp center-based storefronts on select netbooks the retail chains sell.
  • Netbook manufacturer ASUS* announced its own version of the Intel AppUp Center, called the “asus app store,” which will be available on every Asus netbook shipped after October.

• Intel and Adobe* AIR Applications – Intel and Adobe joined forces to help developers create Adobe® AIR netbook applications for the Intel AppUp center^SM, and Intel announced that the Intel AppUp Center supports Adobe AIR runtimes. As a result of the collaboration, over 100 Adobe AIR AppUp applications are expected to be available for free download or purchase by the end of September. 

• Intel AppUp Developer Program – The Intel AppUp Developer Program (IADP), through appdeveloper.intel.com, provides products and resources developers need to create and market applications for Intel® Atom™ processor-based devices and an application storefront framework to enable OEMs, service providers and others to deliver customer-facing storefronts for distributing applications and developer assets, for example software utilities, direct to consumers and developers. IADP helps drive innovative applications for end users and new revenue opportunities for independent developers and software vendors through programs such as the Intel Million Dollar Development fund and the new “On Intel AppUp” ISV identifier to help developers tie their applications to the Intel AppUp center.

• MeeGo TV – Internet TV pioneer Amino Communications* demonstrated a MeeGo-based smart TV solution, which supplements traditional digital TV programming with additional content supplied over an Internet connection. With the help of the MeeGo operating system, the Amino Freedom over-the-top device also delivers a full Internet experience via a browser and support for Microsoft* Silverlight and Adobe Flash.

• DeviceVM and MeeGo —  DeviceVM, a worldwide leader in instant-on computing, previewed the next generation of its award-winning Splashtop instant on platform on stage. The flagship Splashtop product has already shipped on millions of netbooks and notebooks worldwide from leading PC OEMs. The company now plans to offer a MeeGo-compliant version of the popular companion OS to all existing OEM customers, while enabling current users of Splashtop-powered systems to take advantage of a seamless upgrade in the first half of 2011.

• MeeGo Home Phone –Gemtek is demonstrating the first media phone with an Intel® Atom™ processor and pre-release of MeeGo v1.1. Codenamed “Zeus,” this product will be part of a family of media phone products with screen sizes ranging from 7-10 inches from Gemtek. “Zeus” is targeted to be the new-generation home communication device with VoIP and regular phone line capability, video telephony, multimedia communication with media sharing via DLNA, and will provide a full internet browser experience. Zeus includes a cordless handset and a docking station with a removable tablet/communication device.

Doug Davis, “Smart, Connected, Transformed Experiences”

Vice President, General Manager, Intel Embedded and Communications Group

Discussing the important role the Intel Atom brand plays in delivering intelligent computing to connected devices everywhere, Davis outlined the complete Intel Atom processor line and how the company is delivering solutions based on Intel® Architecture beyond the PC. Davis also emphasized how Intel Atom processor-based solutions can provide the ideal platform for Internet connectivity, intelligence and ease of design with customer port of choice.

• Intel® Atom™ E600 – Intel today launched the Intel® Atom™ E600 SoC processor series (formerly codenamed “Tunnel Creek”) for embedded applications; for more information, please see the product Fact Sheet.

• Visteon IVI Solution – Upton Bowden of Visteon joined Davis on stage to showcase the Visteon development platform for an intelligent, connected in-vehicle experience. He explained how the additional hardware integration and IOH flexibility of the new Atom E600 series make it easier to design and build an in-vehicle infotainment system and offers more customizable solutions for their customers.

• Intel® Atom™ processor CE4200 — Formerly codenamed “Groveland,” this third- generation IA-based SoC is designed and optimized for the smart TV experi­ence, including the seamless integration of Internet, television and personal content with search capability. The highly integrated SoC pairs a powerful 1.2 GHz  Intel Atom™ processor core and 512K L2 Cache with integrated functional units to help bring increased performance and headroom for the rapid development of interactive, open and personalized applications for TV. These applications (e.g. social networking, advanced user interfaces, intelligent search engines, 3-D gaming) are at the heart of the smart TV experience. ADB*, Sagemcom,* Samsung* and Technicolor* have announced plans to build advanced set-top boxes based on the Intel product.

• Intel® Atom™ processor CE4200 builds on Intel’s high performance SoC architecture for Consumer Electronics – The SoC features 3-D-TV decoding and processing capabilities and support for leading-edge multi-stream, high-definition hardware decoding and processing capabilities, including MPEG2, H.264, MPEG4-2 and VC-1¹. It also includes an integrated high-definition H.264 HD video encoder to enable new applications such as video conferencing, in-home network video streaming, hard drive storage savings and flexible “sync-n-go” connectivity with mobile devices. The SoC helps to address energy requirements by supporting a number of standby modes and power levels to help meet the industry-specified platform power consumption requirements.

• Microsoft announces Windows Embedded Standard 7*, with Windows Media Center*, on Intel® Atom™ processor CE4100-based platforms — Microsoft has ported Windows* Embedded Standard 7, with Windows Media Center*, to the Intel® Atom™ processor CE4100. Up until now, customers needed a high-end PC platform to enjoy the full experience of Windows Media Center. The port to the CE4100 will enable OEMs to build a connected media device (CMD) such as a set top box or DVR that will deliver content and services directly to a TV, and at a competitive price point. The hardware accelerators on the CE4100 enable an outstanding media experience for HD content. Davis was joined onstage by Barb Edson, senior director of marketing, Microsoft Windows Embedded Business, to showcase two prototype set top boxes from Acer* and ASUS*. She demonstrated the Windows Embedded platform, showing a customizable start page, live TV, recorded TV, Internet TV, as well as the ability to stream personal content, such as photos and videos, into the Media Center display on the TV.  The new products from Acer and ASUS are expected to be available in 2011.

• D-Link and Boxee* Announce Boxee Box* based on the Intel CE4100 — D-Link and Boxee announced a new media device capable of playing popular digital media formats from home media collections and the Internet. Based on the Intel® Atom™ processor CE4100, the Boxee Box gives users access to on-demand entertainment through movies, shows and applications, including social networking. Products are expected to begin shipping in November in the United States, Canada, the EU and Australia.

• Smart TV Momentum – Intel highlighted two smart TV-enabling products powered by the Intel® Atom™ processor CE4100 and Google TV* that are expected out this fall. The Sony* Internet TV and the Logitech Revue* add-in box will seamlessly combine access to the Internet with the TV viewing experience through the combination of Intel processors and Google TV based on the Android* OS. The demonstration highlighted how an individual could get a rich experience while on the Internet, watching TV and watching a video posted on Facebook* using a TV connected to the Logitech Revue box.

• Intel Consumer Electronics Network – A member-based community of hardware, software and services providers aimed at speeding the delivery of Intel® architecture-based connected CE devices. Seven new member companies have joined the network: Fluendo*, JetHead Development, Inc.*, PrimeSense Ltd*, Schematic*, Solekai Systems*, TransGaming Inc.* and Tripleplay Integration*.

• Intel Powers Tablet and Netbook Hardware, Software with MeeGo – Based on the Intel® Atom™ processor N450, WeTab* will ship the first tablet based on the MeeGo* open source operating system this month. The tablet will ship with a WeTab touch interface and the ability to run Adobe Flash, Adobe Air, Qt and Java applications. For more information, visit http://wetab.mobi/en. In addition, two local Russian OEMs – 3Q and iRU – and Russian retailer DNS, will introduce MeeGo-based netbooks and entry-level desktops into the local market beginning in the fourth quarter. Linux Center will be the local MeeGo operating system vendor for all three companies.

• Intel Experiences Netbook Momentum – Following the launch of the mobile dual-core Intel Atom processors, netbooks based on the new processor have helped drive sales and leading OEM support. Netbooks based on the dual-core Intel® Atom™ processor N550 offer consumers Internet access on the go with new levels of support for applications such as games. Netbooks have Adobe Flash support and a more responsive experience in the same compact form factor, with DDR3 memory support and long battery life. Intel has seen impressive ramp up of netbooks with more than 70 million sold to date. For more information, visit www.intel.com/products/processor/atom.

• “Oak Trail” is the codename for the upcoming Intel® Atom™ platform optimized for tablets and sleeker netbook form factors due to its reduction in power consumption and thermals. Available to customers in early 2011, the SoC Intel® Atom™ processor-based platform will deliver up to a 50 percent reduction in average power consumption with full HD video playback and targeting software choice including MeeGo*, Windows* 7 and Google operating systems. Devices powered by the SoC will also feature compatibility with various operating systems, including Android*, MeeGo and Windows 7*.

• Dell Innovating on Intel® Atom™ — Davis was joined onstage by Dell to preview its upcoming convertible mobile device, equipped with an upcoming dual-core Intel Atom processor. The innovative form factor will be available later this year. The ultra-small design contains a 10-inch swiveling screen that transforms seamlessly into a tablet, supports Microsoft Windows* 7 and will feature a Dell-developed touch interface that provides one-touch access to applications and content.