New Atom chips due as early as next month

If everything goes according to plan, Intel will launch its first dual-core Atom processor next month. This revelation was made by an Intel employee to a CNET reporter, even as senior vice president Pat Gelsinger delivered his Intel Developer Forum (IDF) keynote speech yesterday. Indeed, IDF saw Intel showcasing a plethora of Atom-based devices on operating systems ranging from Vista and XP, to Linux.

A Calpella system also was demonstrated, which is the mobile implementation of Intel's new Nehalem architecture. Due to appear late next year, the Calpella likely will feature a "turbo mode" technology that will dynamically switch off underutilized cores on a processor to conserve power. The idea is that two fully utilized cores is a better situation than running four cores inefficiently. It is fully built into the processor and requires no "operating system intervention."

For more on the story:
- check out this article from CNET News