HTC May Be Prepping a Mobile Internet Device with an Intel Atom Chip

Smartphone-maker HTC is going to team up with Intel to release a Mobile Internet Device (MID) later this year, according to an unconfirmed news report.

Taiwan-based DigiTimes is citing unnamed sources when it says HTC will launch a MID that includes mobile phone functionality in 2008.

This rumor is plausible, as HTC has recently been broadening its product line. For example, it launched its first UMPC, the Shift, in Europe in February, and this device runs on an Intel chip.

Atom Powered?

Earlier this week, Intel announced the Atom processor, which has been specifically designed for devices like the one HTC is reportedly planning. 

This chip will be less than 25 mm², making it Intel's smallest and lowest power processor yet.

However, just because MIDs are going to run Intel processors doesn't mean they'll be running Windows. In recent months, Intel has been singing the praises of Linux on low-cost portable devices like these.

What's a MID?

According to Intel's definition, a Mobile Internet Device (MID) is a portable computer with a screen smaller than 7.5 inches used primarily to browse the Web.

Probably the best current example of this is the Nokia N810, though this model doesn't use an Intel processor.

Although DigiTimes doesn't have a price for HTC upcoming MID, one of Intel's goals for this class of devices is that they be low-cost.

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