Intel goes after ARM with bespoke Android chipset known as Medfield

Intel has unearthed its new ATOM-based mobile processor, known as the Medfield system-on-a-chip. But does it have what it takes to beat ARM as the Android Kingdom's favourite chipset?

The company recently showed off its prototypes, powered by Google’s Android operating system and Intel chip dubbed Medfield.

Technology Review got a hands-on. Here's what it thought:

'The phone was powerful and pleasing to use, on a par with the latest iPhone and Android handsets. It could play Blu-Ray-quality video and stream it to a TV if desired; Web browsing was smooth and fast. Intel has built circuits into the Medfield chip specifically to speed up Android apps and Web browsing.'

Stephen Smith, Vice President of Intel’s architecture group said:

“This is our first offering that’s truly a single chip.” The system-on-a-chip is the secret to lower power consumption, as opposed to processor functions distributed over a number of chips. The latter is found on Intel PC chips and guzzles power.

These products will be announced in the first half of 2012.

The test handset used by Technology Review looks remarkably like Apple's iPhone 4. However, TR claims that it is lighter. 

The test handsets are only reference designs that provide a basis for manufacturers to sample the chip on.

According to Smith, 'Manufacturers can use as much or as little of the reference design as they like.'

Smartphone and tablet enthusiasts can be assured that with Intel in the picture, the tech world is in for some wonderful surprises in 2012.