Intel Gives First Demo Of Larrabee Graphics Processor

During his keynote, Maloney also discussed Intel's upcoming Jasper Forest, codename for a dual-core chip for storage and communications applications. Built on Intel's current 45-nm Nehalem microarchitecture, Jasper Forest is scheduled to ship in the first quarter of next year, Maloney said. What's unique about Jasper Forest is the integration of the input/output hub onto the processor.

In the first half of next year, Intel plans to release 32-nanometer processors for servers. Codenamed Westmere EP, the chip will offer acceleration technology for data encryption and other security enhancements, as well as hardware-based improvements for managing server nodes and reducing energy use.

Intel is expecting customers to make a "pretty rapid transition" from current Nehalem-based Xeon processors to Westmere-based Xeon chips, Maloney said.

On the PC side, Westmere-based chips will start shipping in the fourth quarter of this year. The first two products will include desktop chips, codenamed Clarkdale, and laptop processors, codenamed Arrandale. The chips will be dual core with two threads per core.

The executive also announced the release of an ultra-low-voltage Intel Xeon 3000 series processor featuring a thermal design power of 30 watts. Built on Intel's current 45-nm technology, the new chip is for server-dense cloud-computing environments. In addition, Maloney demonstrated a single-socket "micro-server" based on an Intel reference design.

In discussing Clarkdale, Maloney said the product will have what Intel calls "turbo boost" and "hyperthreading" technologies to boost performance. Among its other key advancements will be KVM technology that enables a company's IT staff to take control of a PC remotely for repairs, troubleshooting or other tasks.

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