Intel highlights key technology trends for 2008

This year the world will also become more globally connected and online social networking sites that gained momentum throughout 2007 due to companies like Facebook, Second Life and Linked-In, will continue to determine the way we communicate. 2007 additionally saw a swift increase in digital downloading, setting the tone for more digitally enhanced year ahead. There are more than one billion subscribers on social networking websites worldwide today, more than three billion minutes is spent and 8 billion pages are accessed on these websites every day [source: ComScore, July 2007].

"The past year has been heavily focused on increasing content availability, and this is a trend we will continue to see throughout 2008. Customers are demanding the ability to access information 'on the go' demonstrating that we are becoming a much more mobile workforce (society),"

commented Samir Al Schamma, Intel General Manager, GCC.

"Due to this need, advancements in the mobile computing arena will continue to support the rising popularity of notebooks (and the new breed of Mobile Internet Devices) to allow our virtual life to be as mobile as we are."

For the first time during the third quarter of 2007 sales of notebook PCs overtook sales of desktop PCs in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) further demonstrating the rising popularity of mobile computing. Notebook manufacturers are fueling demand by tailoring products to cater to the individual needs of their customers - from fashionistas to students, gamers and business users, all types of consumers can now find the notebook that fits their lifestyle. The customization trend will continue in 2008 and technology innovation will deliver a more vivid multimedia experience, as well as connectivity options and improved energy efficiency.

"As we have seen the demand for notebooks has continued to rise across the EMEA region - a traditional stronghold for mobility adoption -notebook shipments exceeded expectation in the third quarter of 2007, recording over 45% growth year on year. This trend is likely to continue across the Middle East as notebooks become faster, lighter and more energy-efficient, encouraging consumers to experience the full benefits of mobile computing,"

added Al Schamma.

Notebooks are also to get smaller in 2008 in response to today's dynamic lifestyle requirements for improved portability. An innovative range of Ultra-Mobile PCs (UMPC*) and Mobile Internet Devices (MID) will lead the way for those in need of extreme portability. UMPCs and MIDs will provide full PC capability in ultra light and small form factors for on-the-go business users. To that end, in the first half of 2008, Intel will introduce a platform codenamed Menlow, which will deliver 10x lower power compared to today's lower power processors.

Keeping with technology trends for notebooks, 2008 will also see an increase in use of wide-screen liquid crystal displays (LCD), in response to the growing demand for HD entertainment. This will present particular benefits for gamers and anybody using graphics-intensive applications. Intel already offers processors to meet the need of HD entertainment with its Intel® Centrino-based notebooks, built on Intel® Core™2 Extreme dual-core mobile processor - for lightning-fast responses and an immersive user experience.

2008 and beyond will additionally see businesses and consumers take advantage of faster, more widespread wireless connectivity, ensuring accessibility to the internet. According to the World Economic Forum 2007 Arab Competitiveness Report, internet bandwidth increased by 2.5 times from 2003 to the following year, while the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has the highest internet bandwidth Middle East.

"WiMAX is the next great leap towards creating a wireless network evolution. WiMAX is standard enabling the delivery of wireless broadband services anytime, anywhere. It blankets large areas - be they metropolitan, suburban or rural - with multi-megabit-per-second mobile broadband internet access," added Al Schamma. "Through Intel's World Ahead Program, we have been working with governments and telcos to drive WiMax trials and eventual deployment to citizens at large."

The continuous increase and implementation of wireless technology is crucial to help propel the Middle East forward. From the social side, WiMAX,reaches and joins remote areas to the more modern centres and is therefore a core building block for the future prosperity of the Arab World.

Finally the worldwide fixed mobile convergence (FMC) market is forecast to grow to USD$46.3 billion by 2010, while the number of worldwide FMC subscribers is expected to increase from 188,000 in 2006 to 38.2 million in 2010. This growth will fuel the emergence of more mobile internet devices (MID) which offer a full internet experience - enabling users to communicate, entertain, access information, and be productive while on the go.

Intel is already ahead of the game with its upcoming Intel MID platform, codenamed Menlow scheduled for launch in the first half of 2008. This platform will deliver energy efficient performance and will fit in a motherboard the size of an average photograph (74mm x 143mm or approximately 3in. x 5in.).