AMD unwraps notebook reference platform

'Yamoto' steams in

AMD showed off its 'Yamato' notebook reference platform in Japan today, as it attempts to win greater support among system builders and notebook manufacturers for its mobile processors.

Yamato provides ODMs and OEMs with a specification for a laptop's internal workings, all validated for interoperability and compatibility. In addition to AMD's processors, in particular upcoming dual-core Turion 64 chips, the platform comprises chipsets from VIA, SiS, ATI and Nvidia; wireless technology from Airgo, Broadcom and Atheros; and LAN chips from Marvell, Broadcom and Realtek.

The system is geared to offer more than five hours' battery life in a fully functional notebook. In addition to the dual-core CPU, the platform is based on DDR 2 SDRAM. AMD's DDR 2-supporting processors, enabled with the arrival of the Socket M2 infrastructure for desktops and Socket S1 for mobile, are expected to arrive in Q2 2006.

The reference platform is one of the fruits borne out of AMD's Japan-based notebook technology research facility, which it formed in June 2004. AMD last month said was preparing such a platform. ®