Intel formally unveiled its dual-core Pentium D processors today.

At the same time, the chip giant launched a pair of PC platforms aimed at business users, and also emphasized its interest in fostering consumer-oriented PCs to support the delivery of multimedia content for so-called "digital home" applications.

"What we are launching today is our volume, mainstream dual-core processor," said Gerald Holzhammer, vice president of Intel's Digital Home group, in a mid-day press conference carried via a Webcast. "We will ship 100,000 [units] this quarter, we're going to ship a million [units] by the end of the year. This is a big deal for us. This is really the first time dual-core is going to make a big impact on the market."

Consumer platforms using the Pentium D processors are expected to appear shortly from a variety of OEMs. Holzhammer said the many such designs will feature expanded memory bandwidth, dual-channel memory, support for video acceleration, and multiple audio channels.

Many such systems will be aimed at emerging applications in the digital home, an area where Intel has been striving to develop interest among consumers. "What's going on in the digital home, I won't say it's as exciting or transforming as the Internet was 10 years ago, but it comes pretty close," Holzhammer said. "The key enabler is that most of these homes are now broadband."

Intel on Thursday also rolled out two PC platforms aimed at business users. The first, aimed at enterprise users, has been dubbed the High Performance Platform. "It's anchored on the Pentium D processor and the new 955X chipset," said Gregory Bryant, vice president of Intel's Digital Enterprise Group.

The second, called the Professional Business Platform, is aimed at mainstream users, Bryant said. The systems are equipped with a new, high-end version of Intel's Pentium 4 processor, as well as the company's 945G core-logic chip set.

By: DocMemory
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