CNET has a report on a new Atom chip that Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is apparently working on. Slated for a 2013 release, the new processor will be a system-on-a-chip (SoC) design and is codenamed "Silvermount." A SoC design entails packing the pertinent components of a computer or system into a single processor package. The report noted that Intel is fast tracking Atom and the company expects there will be three process generations as well as a new architecture--all inside of three years. In addition, Silvermount SoCs are anticipated to make use of the new 22-nanometer and 3D transistor technology recently unveiled by Intel.

The announcement in January that Microsoft Windows 8 will be available in ARM, the skyrocketing popularity of tablets and smartphones, and competition from the likes of Texas Instruments, Qualcomm and Nvidia has left Intel is scrambling to achieve major strides in its power efficiency. It remains to be seen though, whether Silvermount will be able to deliver and outperform these competitors as well as entrenched chipmaker ARM.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at CNET News

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