Next generation Centrino includes dual core

Intel has introduced its new platform for notebooks, codenamed Napa, today.

Get ready for the codename overload: Napa includes the Yonah processor and Calistoga chipset as well as the new Golan wireless card.

Blimey.

Here's the highlights:

• The new Centrino includes a dual core processor, which is optimised for laptop performance
  
• Improvements to wireless connectivity include a more intelligent selection of WiFi access points when there are multiple links available
  
• Graphics performance is improved with the GMA950, which bumps the clock speed of the graphics core up to 250MHz from 200MHz. Also added is Z culling of polygons and clock speed adjustment of the graphics core dependent on load
  
• Video performance is heavily optimised with hardware acceleration of MPEG2 and adaptive de-interlacing. There's also support for playing encrypted content, such as with HDCP
  
• New power saving modes are added in so you can put your laptop into an even deeper sleep
  
• Support for a 667MHz bus and memory for faster performance

The aim of all these new bits and bobs are, as ever, to increase performance, increase battery life, improve the wireless connectivity and improve the form factor. The Caligosta chipset is officially dubbed '945 Express', since it's based on the desktop equivalent.

Intel also announced that they have a new initiative to get software developers thinking about mobile platforms as they write. First up is the new title from Microsoft, Dungeon Siege 2, which will offer performance optimised for Centrino, meaning better battery life and video and CPU performance.

Laptop optimised games? Whatever next? Give us your thoughts in the forums.