Register Hardware

Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/10/19/intel_eols_sonoma/

Intel cans second-generation Centrino chips

By Tony Smith
Published Thursday 19th October 2006 10:40 GMT

Intel has reportedly told customers they will no longer be able to buy 'Dothan' Pentium M processors come January 2007. These processors - and, indeed, other components of the 'Sonoma' generation of the company's Centrino platform - now have a December deadline for orders.

Given we're already onto the second incarnation of 'Napa', the follow-up to Sonoma and the third generation of Centrino, it's a wonder anyone wants Sonoma parts. Even budget laptops these days have a Core Duo on board.

Come Q2 2007, and 'Santa Rosa', the fourth major Centrino release, should be on the market. So too will Core 2 Duo-derived single-core Celeron M chips, which pretty much means curtains for Pentium M in any case.

No wonder then, the company has officially signalled Sonoma's demise, according to sources cited (http://www.digitimes.com/mobos/a20061019A6024.html?www.reghardware.co.uk) by DigiTimes. The moles also allege the last Dothans will ship February 2007.

By November 2008, Napa will likewise have been discontinued, they claimed, even though Intel appears a long way from formally announcing the platform's component chips have been EOL'd. ®