| AMD aims $185 "Personal Internet Communicator" at half world's population |
Oct. 28, 2004
 [Updated 4:30pm] -- AMD today revealed its plans to create a low-cost Personal Internet Communicator (PIC), in a drive to equip 50 percent of the world's population with Internet connectivity and computing capabilities by 2015 -- an initiative dubbed 50x15.
The fanless PIC will be based on a low-power Geode x86 processor equipped with 128MB DDR memory and a 10GB 3.5-inch hard drive. It will run Microsoft's Windows CE "embedded" operating system, much like a Pocket PC PDA. PIC's $185 price point will include a keyboard, mouse, and preinstalled software for basic personal computing and internet/email access; for $249, a monitor will be included. If successful, the initiative could prove to be the highest volume design win for Windows CE ever.
The PIC is a compact, low-cost "consumer appliance"
PIC Software
The PIC will come equipped with a minimal set of software, including a browser, email client, productivity tools (word processing and spreadsheet), and the ability to view images, multimedia files, and standard format documents (PDF, PPT, etc.), AMD says.
Its operating system will not be the standard Windows XP PC OS, but instead it will come with a customized version of Microsoft's Windows CE embedded OS -- the core technology that serves as the basis of Microsoft's Windows Mobile software for Pocket PCs and Smartphones.
AMD says it took advantage of Microsoft's Shared Source program to optimize Windows CE for use in the PIC.
PIC Hardware
AMD's $185 PIC runs Windows CE
(Click above image to enlarge)
The PIC is designed for minimal cost, much like a consumer audio/video appliance. It is not internally expandable, and comes equipped with a minimum set of interfaces. These include: a VGA graphics display interface for connection to an external CRT or LCD monitor; four USB 1.1 ports for connection to a keyboard, mouse, printer, scanner, network, and other external peripheral devices; a built-in 56Kbps ITU v.92 Fax/Modem; and an AC'97 audio interface providing sound capabilities.
In building the PIC, AMD selected a low-power, low-cost processor from its Geode system-on-chip (SoC) family. AMD obtained Geode system-on-chip (SoC) processor technology from National Semiconductor last year through an acquisition of the assets of National's Information Appliance (IA) business unit. AMD subsequently renamed the Geode processors to "Geode GX 533@1.1W," "Geode GX 466@0.9W," and "Geode 500@1.0W," making use of a number system that includes the processor performance and power consumption. The Geode GX 500@1.0W processor, used in the PIC, actually operates at a 366MHz clock rate.
AMD owns the design of the PIC and is currently having it manufactured by Solectron, a high volume contract manufacturing specialist, an AMD spokesperson said. Other companies playing an integral role in the development of the PIC include Seagate, Samsung, and Macromedia. AMD hopes to have the PIC built directly within the regions where it will be distributed, to maximize the benefit to the indigenous economies.
The PIC's market opportunity
AMD says the goal of its 50x15 initiative is to "enable affordable Internet access and computing capabilities for 50 percent of the world population by the year 2015." It notes that, "with the current global Internet penetration rate at approximately 10 percent, and the global population estimated to reach 7.2 billion people by 2015, there is tremendous potential for 50x15 to bring billions of people around the world into the digital age."
AMD's view of the PIC's huge market potential
(Click above image to enlarge)
Shane Rau, a program manager at market research firm IDC, commented, "Technologies developed for mature markets cannot be dropped into new markets and then be expected to succeed. Despite the virtues of such low-cost and standardized technologies, they must still be arranged to solve a problem for the customers in that new market. In a regional or country market, having local relationships, such as with manufacturers, distributors, and service providers, is key."
The PIC will be branded, marketed, and sold by local service providers such as telecommunications companies and government-sponsored communications programs, AMD says.
Initial PIC customers announced today by AMD include the TATA Group (India), CRC (Mexico), and Cable and Wireless (in the Caribbean). According to AMD, TATA will market the PIC to consumers in five cities in India, CRC will offer the PIC in Mexico along with a suite of educational software, and Cable and Wireless plans to deploy the PIC in support of disaster relief efforts throughout the Caribbean.
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