The Tech Report

"We've been hearing talk about dual-core versions of Intel's new Atom processors for some time now, and we even saw specifications leak out last month. Supposedly, Intel has a 1.87GHz, 300-series dual-core Atom up its sleeve. The chip will be able to run as many as four threads at the same time, thanks to simultaneous multi-threading.

Sub-notebooks or low-end desktops boasting that particular chip might not come out anytime soon, though. Fuad Abazovic over at Fudzilla says he talked with folks who plan to produce Atom-based mobile and desktop systems, and he was told that dual-core Atoms won't show up until at least the fourth quarter of this year. Those chips are said to have power envelopes of only 8W, though, so they could theoretically slip into sub-notebooks.

This report comes in the wake of another that quoted Asus CEO Jerry Shen as saying Atom chips won't be widely available until the third quarter. Intel has also owned up to the fact that Atom demand is higher than expected, although the company hasn't mentioned shortages."

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