Intel Dumps Centrino Brand, Plays Up Core

The Santa Clara, Calif.-based chip giant explained Wednesday that the effort to phase out Centrino -- a mobile hardware platform consisting of a central processor, mainboard chipset and wireless network interface that Intel has reportedly invested $300 million to advertise since the debut of the first-generation Centrino plaftorm code-named Carmel in 2003 -- "will evolve over time, with the overall effort to reduce the number of brands taking place over the next year."

Intel also laid out the map for the categorization of its next-generation client processors, furthering a naming scheme that debuted with the release of the Nehalem-based Core i7 desktop part last year. The company will categorize its new Core chips in three tiers, with Core i7 at the top, followed by Core i5 and Core i3.

"Other older brands will still be in the market but will phase out over time," Intel said in a statement Wednesday.