Intel Corp has denied reports circulating recently that it is to cancel plans to develop a mobile version of its latest multimedia instruction set Katmai (CI No 3,327). A report in Electronic Buyers News claimed that Intel had decided not to develop a Katmai-enabled chip for mobile processors because its OEM notebook manufacturers weren’t keen on redesigning machines to accommodate it. But Intel spokesperson Howard High says although the company has never officially announced plans to develop such a processor, it will release a mobile Katmai chip at some point in 1999. Katmai, also known as MMX2, adds 70 new instructions to the Intel architecture (CI No 3,327). Intel plans a desktop Katmai processor in the first half of next year, followed by the mobile version. An internal Intel statement claims the company will launch the first Katmai in the first half of next year for desktops, at 450MHz initially then 500MHz. The new instruction set will be included in mobile machines in 1999.
