Intel touts Montevina as 'Centrino 2'

Centrino 2 will use Intel's 45m Penryn technology with clock speeds up to 2.8GHz, and replace the existing Centrino platform in the second quarter of this year.

The platform comes with integrated Blu-Ray support, WiMax and integrated Wi-Fi.

Intel's X3100 graphics chipset is also for the chop and will be replaced with the GMA X4500.

Centrino 2 will ship in consumer and business versions, labelled Centrino 2 and Centrino 2 vPro respectively.

The announcement comes hard on the heels of the launch of Intel's >Atom family of low-power processors aimed at the Eee PC and other 'netbook' devices.

Intel said that the Atom processor range also has "potential for future revenue opportunities in consumer electronic devices, embedded applications and thin clients".

"This is our smallest processor built with the world's smallest transistors, " said Intel executive vice president Sean Maloney.

"This small wonder is a fundamental new shift in design, small yet powerful enough to enable a big internet experience on these new devices. We believe it will unleash new innovation across the industry."