Intel Confirms Product Name Changes

Intel is confirming that it plans on changing some, but not all, of its product names by the beginning of 2008 in order to help streamline and simplify its platform and processor portfolios.

At its 2007 Developer Forum in San Francisco, Intel executives introduced a myriad of new code names for the companys future platforms and processors, but the name changes the company is planning for January target those product names that Intel already has in the market.

The name changes were first reported on the Tech ARP Web site in September and an Intel spokesman confirmed to eWEEK on Oct. 3 that the company is moving forward with the name and logo changes.

In an e-mail, a spokesman for the Santa Clara, Calif., chip giant said that, while the company does not plan on changing its technology strategy for its processors and platforms, the name changes reflect the desire of customers for a more simplified Intel roadmap.

“We undertook this effort to simplify choices for consumers and business, provide consistency and clarity for messaging, and create an efficient, less complex and sustainable brand roadmap,” according to the Intel spokesman.

“The result is a simpler, easier to understand brand selection for both consumers and business which minimizes impact to our customers and better supports our current and future product roadmaps and overall business objectives and strategy.”

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The changes will take place on Jan. 1, 2008.

Under the new naming plan, Intels processors for clients, such as the Core 2 Quad, Core 2 Duo and the Core 2 Solo, will remain the same. On the laptop side, the five different Centrino mobile brands will be compacted down to Centrino for consumers and Centrino with vPro Technology for business and enterprise customers.

During the 2007 IDF, Intel executives detailed several new plans for the mobile platform that will come to market next year, including an update to the Centrino platform that will include the companys new 45-nanometer Penryn family of processors. Later in the year, Intel plans the revamping of the entire mobile platform under the code name of “Montevina.”

In its desktop portfolio, Intel will update both its Viiv and its vPro brands to better reflect which processor is being used with the platform.

For example, the label for a PC using a quad-core desktop processor with vPro will now be Intel Core 2 Quad with vPro Technology instead of the PC just carrying the vPro or Viiv name and logo.

Again, these changes come as Intel prepares to roll out its new Penryn family of processors on Nov. 12. The first of these processors will likely target high-end gaming systems, servers and workstation before moving toward mainstream desktops.

Finally, Intel will simplify its Itanium 2 branding just by labeling systems that use the processor as Itanium Inside.

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