New AMD CPU/GPU Hybrids to Power Windows 8 Tablets

Popular chip maker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) says it is currently working on a new line of processors designed to power Windows 8 tablets, and hopes to make them available to tablet manufacturers later this year.

AMD chief executive officer (CEO) Rory Read made the announcement before a group of American analysts this past week.

"We have a huge opportunity in front of us," Read noted. "How the world is using processors is changing rapidly. This is about stepping out of the shadows and leading." (Source: pocket-lint.com)

AMD Seeks Opportunity to Trump Long-Term Rival Intel

There's no doubt AMD needs an opportunity to get out from under the very long shadow of the industry leader: Intel. For years, these two firms have battled each other fairly evenly in the highly competitive chip market. But in recent times, it appears Intel has emerged as the clear front-runner.

When it comes to new markets for mobile devices like tablets and smartphones, Intel is already well ahead of AMD. For example, Intel recently made public its plans to use its cutting-edge 'Medfield' chips in both types of devices.

AMD Unveils Accelerated Processing Unit (APU)

That announcement has apparently lit a fire underneath AMD, which is attempting to make up lost ground with its Hondo low-power processor, a chip design intended for tablet computers. The Hondo combines both processing and graphics into a single chip, a technology AMD has described as an accelerated processing unit (APU).

AMD's head of global products, Lisa Su, says consumers can expect to start seeing Windows 8 tablets using the Hondo chip later in 2012. But the company is looking even farther ahead. AMD representatives have announced that Hondo's successor, Temash, is likely to become available in 2013. (Source: cnet.com)

AMD CEO Rory Read says this is an important moment for AMD, as the company now has an opportunity to capitalize on its newest technology to meet and even beat Intel in the rapidly growing and very lucrative tablet market.

"We've got to see the opportunity in the market and execute on it. We have to build trust, change the architecture, and capture where the puck is going." (Source: pocket-lint.com)