Intel aims for browsing Nirvana Any net addict will know the frustration of having to move about without the world of the Internet constantly at their fingertips. Mobile connectivity still means lugging a hefty notebook or a phone with a disappointingly small screen, and depends on the availability of connection spots, bandwidth, budget and battery.

Intel research has found that as people grow increasingly dependent on the Internet, they want access to it anywhere, anytime, in the same form they get at their desktop.

The chip giant`s R&D teams see the mobile Internet as the next big market, expecting it to rival the desktop market soon, and are designing their next-generation products with "carry small, live large" as their motto.

The Intel Developer Forum in Shanghai this month offered hope for the myriad Web surfers looking for the "world in their pocket", promising solutions that will make mobile Internet devices (MIDs) as effective at browsing the Internet as laptops currently are.

One advance in the quest for better mobile browsing is Intel`s Atom processor technology. Five new Atom processors and Intel Centrino Atom technology were launched at the IDF, aimed at producing greater performance and using less power; for more efficient MIDs.

Noting that there were "explosive" opportunities in the MID market, Intel executives said the Atom was just the beginning of a wave of advances in this sphere. Anant Chandrasekher of Intel`s Ultra Mobile division said: "Everyone wants to unleash the Internet." But, he said, people were not satisfied with the Internet experience they got on their mobile devices today. Analysts at IDF noted that 1.3 billion personal electronic devices were sold worldwide last year, and said they expected market opportunities for personal devices with internet connectivity to far outstrip these sales.

Intel envisages smaller mobile devices that seamlessly connect to the Internet wherever the user goes and interact with multiple devices in the environment to display or store content. Researchers are also working on making use of sensors in devices (such as cameras in mobile phones) to create a richer experience for users. For example, a phone camera could film a scene, which would then be recognised and connect to tourist information transmitted to the user.

Challenges in the way of the "perfect" mobile device of the future include achieving better power efficiency, enabling wireless communication with multiple devices in a small form factor and making devices more intuitive to the needs of the individual user. Agreed standards, technology convergence and industry cooperation would also be needed, the researchers said.

OPEN SOURCE TO GROW – RICH BROWSING

At IDF, Intel also highlighted its Moblin software - a Linux-based platform for developing rich Internet software for MIDs - and its Intel C++ software development tool for Linux OS supporting MIDs, aimed at creating an environment in which development of a richer mobile browsing experience will flourish.

Kevin Kahn, Intel senior fellow and director of its Communications Technology Lab, said Intel aimed to "redefine mobility". "We`ve been working on this for some time," he noted.

Several manufacturers, also aiming to capitalise on the growing demand for Internet everywhere, showcased their MIDs at IDF. Most of the devices were sleek, pocketable, 7" to 9" screen devices, roughly the size of a slab of chocolate.

A wave of Atom-powered MIDs should start going to market within the next few months, and it`s hoped that developers will follow suit with mobile applications that make the world you carry in your in your pocket more interactive and intuitive.