December 8 - 9:05am EST   Intel's Atom processor lineup may receive a significant graphics boost in the near future and a more efficient process in less than two years, according to a roadmap leaked by the Register. Intel's next-generation Poulsbo architecture for handhelds, headlined by the Lincroft version of the Atom processor, will reportedly drop Intel's in-house graphics hardware in favor of a PowerVR core integrated with the Atom processor itself. The claimed move would reduce power consumption without sacrificing too much performance and would specifically compete against ARM-based smartphones. [full story]

April 3 - 4:40pm EDT   Intel at its Developer Forum in Shanghai has provided early details of the Moorestown architecture that will likely find its way into smartphones and handhelds. A successor to today's Atom, Moorestown will include both a separate processor, codenamed Lincroft, as well as a new version of the System Controller Hub known for now as Langwell. Unlike the current Atom design, which splits graphics off to the Hub, the Lincroft chip will build its own video hardware directly into the main processor. The design should both improve visual performance but also reduce the size of Langwell to less than the size of a US quarter, according to Intel. [full story]