Intel's Sandy Bridge Architecture Exposed !!!

A Processor with remote kill switch !!

Intel is preparing to launch its Sandy Bridge processors at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) * in January. The most interesting thing about these new processors is the kill switches that are built into them.

Sandy Bridge is the code name for Intel’s processor configuration and it is the successor to Nehalem.

According to an ITBusiness.ca article *, David Allen, director of distribution sales, North America at Intel said that although Sandy Bridge is now shipping to Intel's distribution and equipment partners, Intel Premier partners are the only ones that can purchase it before the general release date, which is scheduled to coincide with CES.
  
“This is our first microprocessor where we have one billion transistors on a single CPU like this,” Allen said. “Now we've built in more thermal capabilities and performance enhancements. With Sandy Bridge, we'll still have the naming conventions for Core i3, Corei5 and Core i7.” *
    
The new performance capabilities are improved graphics, faster processing and “improved” security and trust features designed to keep the whole computing experience more secure.
  
That is if your definition of secure resembles the anti-theft technology that Intel has built into Sandy Bridge. Allen told ITBusiness.ca that users no longer need to worry if their laptop gets lost or stolen because with Sandy Bridge it can be shut down remotely.
  
However, most victims of laptop thefts probably worry more about getting their computer back than they do preventing unauthorized use of Internet porn on their computer.

Is that what computer consumers really want? Kill switches on everything that could allow them to be taken off the information superhighway with one "accidental" stroke?
  
Sure, Intel boasts about how their new microprocessor will also help businesses create more efficient data systems using cloud computing, but the kill switch thing just seems to stick out like a red flag and it’s just brushed over in most news outlets so we’ll just have to give some attention to the issue right here.

The first CPUs will ship very early in 2011 for both desktops and notebooks. The architecture discussion we have here today applies to both. The CPUs won’t be called Sandy Bridge but instead will be called Intel’s 2nd generation Core i3/i5/i7 microrpocessors. The naming system will follow this format we outlined in our earlier look at Sandy Bridge:

Source !!! 

Snips :

• Intel
• Nehalem 
• Sandy Bridge   

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