Intel To Tip Wireless Roadmap At Banias Launch

On Wednesday, Intel executives disclosed several features they plan to include in wireless products in years to come.

Currently, Intel's wireless offerings are wrapped up inside "Calexico", a hybrid 802.11a/802.11b chip designed to be released with the Banias mobile processor in early 2003. In the future, executives said, the company plans to support the 802.11g standard, adding capabilities for cellular data networks as well.

In some sense, Intel seems to view networking in the same way as it views its CPUs: when at a desk, users will tend to power their laptops via an AC connection, and use wired Ethernet. When undocked, the CPU will slip into a low-power, lower-performance state, and the laptop will use the slower but ubiquitous wireless networks.

The idea is for a user to be able to use his PDA or laptop at his or her desk, home, in the neighborhood, or on the train, said Jim Johnson, vice-president of Intel's Communications Products Group. "As people take (laptops) home roaming is going to be very critical...in terms of hotspots," Johnson said. "I'd like it to be a five minute experience. I'd like to be able to walk five minutes and get on a hotspot."

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