Updated 26 May, 2012, 4:18 pm IST

MWC 09 - LG and Intel Collaborate for New MIDs

16 Feb, 2009, 2:45 pm IST | by Shayne Rana |

A while back, in October to be more precise, Intel had showcased an MID (Mobile Internet Device) that was running on their Moorestown platform. This year in Barcelona, Spain, LG Electronics and Intel Corporation have announced a collaboration for Mobile Internet devices (MIDs) based on Intel’s next-generation MID hardware Moorestown platform and Linux-based Moblin v2.0 software platform. The LG device is expected to be one of the first Moorestown designs to market.

LG and Intel’s common goal is to unleash rich Internet experiences across a range of mobile devices while delivering the functionality of today’s high-end smart phones. The collaboration on the new design extends a close working relationship the two companies have enjoyed across their respective mobile product lines, which now spans the notebook, netbook and MID categories.

“The MID segment will drive growth at LG Electronics. We chose Intel’s next-generation Moorestown platform and Moblin-based OS to pursue this segment because of the high performance and Internet compatibility this brings to our service provider customers,” said Jung Jun Lee, executive vice president of LG Electronics and head of its Mobile Communications Business Division. “The collaboration with Intel on the MID platform has been valuable and further extends our longstanding relationship. Our efforts are well on track and we look forward to bringing the MID to market.”

“Moorestown” is the codename for Intel’s second-generation MID platform, which consists of a System on Chip (codenamed “Lincroft”) that integrates a 45nm Intel Atom™ processor core, graphics, video and memory controller. The platform also includes an input/output (I/O) hub, codenamed “Langwell,” that includes a range of I/O blocks and supports wireless solutions.

Intel’s “Moorestown”-based MIDs are expected to reduce idle power consumption by a factor of greater than 10 versus today’s Intel Atom processor-based MIDs. Additionally, the Moorestown platform will be accompanied by a newer Moblin software version, Moblin v2.0, that is based on the Linux operating system. This software is designed specifically to deliver a great PC-like Internet experience while also supporting cell phone voice capabilities. The “Moorestown” platform is expected to come to market by 2010.

“LG Electronics makes some of the most innovative computers and smart phones in the world, and is known to be a leading-edge player in every market segment they serve,” said Anand Chandrasekher, Intel Corporation senior vice president and general manager of the company’s Ultra Mobility Group. “We look forward to providing them some fantastic Intel products that will deliver the best Internet experience while dramatically reducing power – contributing to the development of ultra sleek devices that offer superb battery life.”

In order to offer a variety of network connections and Internet access, LG is also working with Ericsson to bring 3G network capability to its planned MID.