Chip to pave way for pocket PCs

Sydney, Feb 9: A tiny new low power chip from Intel is set to pave way for pocket-sized mobile internet devices, which can be as powerful as some desktop PCs.

While the internet has evolved to include social networking and video sharing, modifying these activities to mobile devices has proven difficult. ''Silverthorne, a new chip designed by Intel is five times smaller than past designs, consumes ten times less power and has as much processing grunt as a two-year-old Intel-based desktop PC,'' The Age quoted Uday Keshavdas, Intel's US-based consumer marketing manager as saying.

''Everybody would love to take the internet with them on the go, but unfortunately today's mobile devices don't really give that - it's like a dumbed-down version, some of them text-only and some with a horrendous user experience,'' stated Mr Keshavdas.

But the new chip would enable a range of smaller, more battery-efficient mobile internet devices that are capable of displaying 99 per cent of web pages almost exactly how one sees them on a PC.

Mobiles have emerged as the new battleground for technology companies looking to expand their influence.

''Intel is working with popular sites like MySpace, Facebook and YouTube to optimise their display on smaller screens,'' added Mr Keshavdas.

UNI