Intel plugs mobile computing success

Intel's top brass highlighted the company's growth in the mobile computing arena during a recent annual meeting with analysts.

Intel's top brass highlighted the company's growth in the mobile computing arena during a recent annual meeting with analysts.

Paul Otellini, general manager of the Intel Architecture Group, said the company saw its mobile PC business grow by 46 per cent from 1999 to 2000. Craig Barrett, Intel's chief executive, also highlighted the company's progress in mobile computing.

"I'm excited about our base products that go into the wireless business," he said. The company expects its wireless business to double in turnover from 1999 to 2000, but Barrett did not give exact numbers.

Intel posted its third-quarter earnings last month, showing profit, excluding acquisition charges, of $2.9bn on turnover of $8.7bn. This was up from last year's third-quarter profit of $1.9bn on turnover of $7.3bn.

Otellini told analysts that Intel's traditional business was back on course. Intel "has recaptured its chipset market share", and in particular has boosted production of the 815 range, he said.

He added that when the 815 was introduced earlier this year, it was "production limited" because Intel's capacity was devoted primarily to processor output.

"In the third quarter we were able to get enough capacity to build a higher volume of 815 chipsets," he said. "We have gained back the market share we previously held."

Intel's online services unit plans to begin selling content delivery services from Akamai Technologies to its web hosting customers. The unit, which was set up a year ago, will provide Akamai's services through its seven data centres.