Pentium III Announcement

Intel Corp. previewed its Pentium III processor Wednesday by opening a big blue door to a showroom filled with new PCs, Internet content, and software products based on the new chip.

More than 200 companies joined Intel at the San Jose Convention Center to show off new applications and hardware designed to support the Pentium III, which will be launched Feb. 26.

In remarks before the showroom opened, Craig Barrett, Intel president and chief executive, said the new chip will enrich the Internet experience and revolutionize the way people use Net.

"Behind this door is a better experience for the end user," he said, standing in front of the huge blue door. "We really want to access rich content over the Internet..Enriching the end user experience by enriching Internet content."

The Pentium III processor features Internet Streaming SIMD extensions, new processor instructions that offer enhanced 3-D processing, audio and video streaming, digital imaging and speech recognition.

The processor will be introduced at clock speeds of 450MHz, 500MHz, and 550MHz. However the 550MHz will not be available for purchase until the middle of the second quarter of this year, Intel representatives said. Intel will offer the same three clock speeds when it launches its Pentium III Xeon chip for servers, Barrett said.

Mike Aymar, vice president and director of Intel's platform launch organization, said the $300 million marketing campaign for the Pentium III is the largest ever for Intel. He also previewed the Intel WebOutfitter service, a new Internet service that will be introduced in March.

The service will offer a Web site where owners of Pentium III-based systems can "get their machine outfitted for the Internet," Aymar said. The site will have new tools and plug-ins optimized for the Pentium III, which can be downloaded to the PC, as well as links to Web sites optimized for the new processor.

Aymar said the Processor Serial Number (PSN) was added to the Pentium III to meet the need of the business community for "better asset tracking." The number, when enabled by the user via a software utility, also improves security over the Internet, he said.

Twenty-five applications take advantage of the PSN, including those from Computer Associates International Inc. and Network Associates Inc..

But the PSN sparked an outcry last month among privacy advocates, who launched a boycott of Intel's products. They argued that the identification numbers would erode Internet privacy and make it easier for companies to track users for marketing purposes.

"Users must have a choice," Aymar said. "It's (PSN) only available if a consumer decides to make it available."

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