The first Intel Atom processor launched in 2008, at a time when small, inexpensive laptops were just starting to take off. Now it looks like the last Intel Atom chips may have been the Cherry Trail series processors that launched in 2015.
Intel recently announced plans to scrap Cherry Trail’s replacement, formerly code-named Broxton, as well as the low-power SoFIA family of chips for smartphones and other low-power devices.
In order to properly mourn the passing of Intel’s Atom processor, I recorded an episode of the LPX Show featuring group of bloggers who have been covering affordable portables for just as long as I have.
You can listen to the podcast at LPXShow.com.
Joining me for this episode are MobileGeeks and MobileGeeks.com co-founders Nicole Scott and Sascha Pallenberg, and Steve “Chippy” Paine, who runs UMPC Portal and CarryPad.
Intel will continue to produce low-power chips including the upcoming Apollo Lake processors and higher-priced, higher-performance Core M series chips. And Cherry Trail processors will continue to be available for the foreseeable future.
But Intel’s decision to cancel Broxton and SoFIA leave a lot of questions about the future of low-cost portable computers… particularly models that run Windows software.
What I’m saying is… we had a lot to talk about on this episode.
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