Briefly: Intel’s Bay Trail, Gen-i scores Corys, Microsoft’s PR own goal, Twitter Australia
by Bill Bennett
September 4, 2013
Intel is due to take the wraps of its Bay Trail Atom processor next week. The chip aims to bridge the ever-narrowing gap
between PCs and tablets, but the headline news is that it supports both Windows and Android. That means you can expect
to see a slew of dual-boot devices able to switch quickly between the two operating systems.
Bay Trail uses 22nm technology. It promises the same low power consumption and long battery life that Intel delivered in
the earlier Clover Trail processor, while doubling the performance.
From a user point of view the main story is that Intel’s new chip is likely to bring about a fresh wave of mobile
devices with lower price points. Some US analysts expect to see tablets using the chips go on sale for as little as
US$150.
The big danger Intel faces launching the new processor is that it will cannibalise the company’s Core range of
processors used in traditional PCs. Maybe it will. In truth Intel has little option, the PC market is in a tail spin and
Bay Trail offers a route out of a declining market. Bay Trail gives Intel a better chance of succeeding in the
fast-growing mobile device sector.
• Telecom NZ IT division Gen-i says it beat Vodafone to win a wide-ranging five-year contract with Corys Electrical. The deal includes trans-Tasman managed IP and WAN services linking 42 branches in New Zealand
with the company’s data centre in Melbourne. Corys was already a Gen-i customer, this week’ deal is an extension of an
existing relationship. The customer says being able to pool mobile call minutes across the organisation was a factor in
awarding the contract.
• A PR own-goal at Microsoft Australia sees journalist Stilgherrian banned from this year’s Tech Ed conference officially because of off-colour tweets from last year’s event. As Delimiter’s Renai LeMay points out, Stilgherrian can go over the top, but the ban looks over the top and causes Microsoft more problems than it solves.
• Social media player Twitter opens an Australian office in Sydney which, sigh, is likely to run things for New Zealand too. The company also
announced the appointment of Karen Stocks as the Australian managing director.
Very exciting day, I will be joining the Twitter team in Australia as Managing Director!
— Karen Stocks (@KazStocks) September 1, 2013
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ENDS