Intel Atom

Intel Atom is the brand name for a line of x86 and x86-64 CPUs (or microprocessors) from Intel, previously code-named Silverthorne and Diamondville processors, designed for a 45 nm CMOS process and intended for use in ultra-mobile PCs, smart phone and other portable and low-power applications.

Background
Prior to the announcement, outside sources had speculated that Silverthorne would have competed with AMD's Geode system-on-a-chip processors, currently used by the One Laptop per Child project, and other cost- and power-sensitive applications for x86 architecture processors. However, Intel revealed on October 15, 2007[1] that it is developing another new mobile processor, codenamed Diamondville, for OLPC-type devices.

Silverthorne will be sold under the brand name "Atom", while the formerly code-named Menlow platform it sits on will be sold under the brand name Centrino Atom.[2] Intel's Atom press release only mentions "Diamondville" once and seems to imply that it too will be named "Atom".[3] This seems to strengthen speculation that Diamondville is simply a lower-cost, higher-yielding version of Silverthorne with slightly higher TDPs at slightly lower clock speeds.[4]

At Spring Intel Developer Forum (IDF) 2008 in Shanghai, Intel officially announced that Silverthorne and Diamondville are based on the same microarchitecture. Silverthorne will be called the Atom Z series and Diamondville will be called the Atom N series. The more expensive lower-power Silverthorne parts will be used in Intel Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) whereas Diamondville will be used in low-cost desktop and notebooks. Several Mini-ITX motherboard samples have also been revealed.[5] Intel and Lenovo also jointly announced an Atom powered MID called the IdeaPad U8.[6] The IdeaPad U8 weighs a mere 280g and has a 4.8" touchscreen providing better portability than a netbook PC and easier Internet viewing than a mobile phone or PDA.

In April 2008, an MID development kit was announced by Sophia Systems[7] and the first board called CoreExpress was revealed by a German company Lippert.[8][9] Intel offers Atom based motherboards.[10][11]

Availability
Atom processors became available to system manufacturers in 2008. Atom processors are not yet available to home users or system builders, although they may be obtained preinstalled on some ITX motherboards. The Diamondville Atom is used in the Acer Aspire One and MSI Wind PC netbooks.