Posted 11/09/09 at 08:53:09 AM by Pulkit Chandna

Microsoft has time and again dismissed the possibility of Windows 7 finding its way onto ARM-based smartbook PCs. It remains reluctant to budge from its stand. Mike Nash, corporate vice president for Windows Platform Strategy at Microsoft, reiterated the company's stance on offering support for ARM-based processors in an interview with Digitimes. According to Nash, Microsoft will continue to honor its long-standing commitment to Intel and will not add support for ARM processors.

He went on to add that an increasing number of netbook users are opting for Windows 7 ahead of cheaper alternatives. After having slammed the door on a Windows 7 ARM port, he left a small window open by suggesting that smartbook vendors can use the ARM-compatible Windows CE instead. Microsoft's current reluctance to offer a Windows 7 ARM port probably stems from potential technical bottlenecks as much as its commitment to Intel.

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Posted 10/20/09 at 09:42:29 AM by Pulkit Chandna

Santa Clara-based chip maker Marvell has launched a new range of CPUs called ARMADA. Based on the ARM instruction set, the new processors will power “smartphones, smartbooks, consumer and embedded devices, and displays.”

The largest producer of ARM chips in the world claims its ARMADA chips will enable mobile devices to deliver PC-like performance. Support for Adobe Flash and Blu-ray functionality should also enable ARMADA-toting mobile devices to deliver a rich multimedia experience.

Based on their intended device segment, the new application processors fall into four different series: the ARMADA 100, 500, 600 and 1000. "Launch of the ARMADA family represents a watershed event in mobile computing,” said Marvell’s co-founder and VP, Ms. Weili Dai.

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