According to The Information, Microsoft has been working on creating custom processors for processing AI with a project codenamed Athena. Based on TSMC's 5 nm process, these chips are designed to accelerate AI workloads and scale to hundreds or even thousands of chips. With the boom of Large Language Models (LLMs) that require billions of parameters, training them requires a rapid increase of computational power to a point where companies purchase hundreds of thousands of GPUs from the likes of NVIDIA. However, creating custom processors is a familiar feat for a company like Microsoft. Hyperscalers like AWS, Google, and Meta are already invested in the creation of processors for AI training, and Microsoft is just joining as well.

While we don't have much information about these processors, we know that Microsoft started the project in 2019, and today these processors are in the hands of select employees of Microsoft and OpenAI that work with AI projects and need computational horsepower. Interestingly, some projections assume that if Microsoft could match NVIDIA's GPU performance, the cost would only be a third of NVIDIA's offerings. However, it is challenging to predict that until more information is provided. Microsoft plans to make these chips more widely available as early as next year; however, there is no specific information on when and how, but Azure cloud customers would be the most logical place to start.

Today, we shared our vision for the next era of the Windows PC, where the PC and the cloud intersect and tap into innovative AI technology that unlocks new experiences. So that each of us can participate, be seen, heard and express our creativity.

For nearly 40 years, the Windows PC has held a place at the center of our lives. It's contributed to new levels of productivity, kept us all connected, and unlocked our creativity and potential through innovations we couldn't have imagined when we first began this journey. Just think about how far we've come in how people interact with it. From the very first text-based keyboard input to the precision of point and click with the mouse, up to today, where touch, voice, pen and gestures all help people use the Windows PC more naturally and intuitively. From its inception, Surface has been a catalyst for that change.

Lenovo is very excited to unveil the latest addition to our premium X1 portfolio, ThinkPad X1 Nano. The lightest ThinkPad ever at just 1.99 pounds (907 g) breaks new ground for performance and functionality in an incredibly featherweight package. Lenovo's first ThinkPad based on Intel Evo platform and powered by 11th Gen Intel Core processors, the X1 Nano delivers supreme speed and intelligence while maintaining outstanding battery life. Stunning visuals are delivered through a narrow bezel 13-inch 2K display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, and four speakers and four 360-degree microphones enhance the audio-visual capabilities. For a truly immersive user experience, the X1 Nano supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. State of the art connectivity is provided by WiFi 65 and optional 5G will deliver higher bandwidth capability and drive new levels of always on always connected efficiency and collaboration in a new hybrid working world.

Lenovo today is also delighted to announce that the world's first foldable PC, ThinkPad X1 Fold, is available to order and will ship in a few weeks. A pinnacle of engineering innovation, the X1 Fold offers a revolutionary mix of portability and versatility that defines a new computing category enabled by Intel Core processors with Intel Hybrid Technology and made possible by Intel's Project Athena innovation program. Blending familiar functionality that we all know from smartphones, tablets and laptops into a single foldable PC device that will forever reshape the way you work, play, create and connect. With optional 5G, you can trust that your connection speed is more secure and optimized where available and that you are better protected with ThinkShield security features. Find out more how ThinkPad X1 Fold is pioneering a new category: A Game Changing Category

Every year, Lenovo rolls out a Yoga PC holiday lineup that shows consumers just how premium our laptop experience can be by providing the latest in smarter technology, bold innovation, and refined craftsmanship. Today, Lenovo reveals the thin and light Yoga laptops that will offer up to the new 11th Gen Intel Core mobile processors with Intel Iris Xe graphics from consumer PCs recently launched, the 14-inch Yoga 9i, and also the 14-inch Yoga Slim 9i, the 14-inch Yoga Slim 7i Pro, the 13-inch Yoga Slim 7i, and the 14-inch and 15-inch Yoga 7i.

As an extension of the Project Athena innovation program, Lenovo and Intel continue to collaborate on the new Intel Evo platform, and together, are targeting verification of our new laptop designs to utilize the Intel Evo platform badge. Yoga is at the forefront of combining style, substance, and portability for the most discerning of consumers, and this smarter combination of laptop design, mobile processors, graphics, and artificial intelligence is optimized to work together in harmony.

Dynabook today announced two new laptops weighing less than one kilogram - the Portégé X30W-J and Portégé X30L-J. Both laptops will feature the 11th Gen Intel Core processor and Intel Iris Xe graphics engine to deliver speed, efficiency and discrete-level graphics. The Portégé X30W-J is part of Intel's Project Athena innovation program and targeted for design verification to utilize the Intel Evo platform badge.

"The launch of the Intel Evo platform is a significant milestone for the industry and embodies our own commitment to the evolution of device innovation to meet the requirements of the modern mobile professional," said Philip Osako, vice president, marketing and engineering, Dynabook Americas, Inc. "The Portégé X30W-J and Portégé X30L-J are great examples of our shared philosophies to provide users with everything professionals need for uninterrupted productivity, creativity and collaboration."

Acer today announced the availability of the new Swift 5 and Swift 3 notebook models featuring new 11th Gen Intel Core processors with Iris Xe graphics. The new Acer Swift 5 notebook is one of the industry's first to be verified through Intel's Project Athena innovation program, as Intel Evo platform laptop design, and designed to deliver incredibly responsive mobile performance and immersive features that improve the overall experience, including instant wake, Intel Iris Xe graphics, vibrant displays and the latest in connectivity. In addition, it features an all-day battery that can be fast-charged, yielding four hours of use from only a 30-minute charge.

The Acer Swift 3 notebook designs are a part of Intel's Project Athena innovation program and targeting verification, pending further tuning, to utilize the Intel Evo platform badge. "The new Acer Swift notebook lines represent a substantial leap forward in performance, responsiveness and usability for our customers who are cultivating a unique blend of work, life and passion-projects on-the-go," said James Lin, General Manager, Notebooks, IT Products Business, Acer Inc. "Acer took meticulous care to ensure that all aspects of the design were elevated to match the best-in-class experience the Intel Evo platform provides to help our customers achieve more."

Intel today launches its 11th Gen Core "Tiger Lake" mobile processors that introduce several new technologies on the backs of new IP. As described in the Architecture Day, "Tiger Lake" is built on the 10 nm SuperFin process, and combines new "Willow Cove" CPU cores with the first commercial debut of the Xe Gen12 graphics architecture that Intel is betting big on, to make a stab at the consumer graphics and scalar compute markets. Join us in this live-blog.Update 16:00 UTC: GB (Gregory Bryant, EVP Client), leads the event from the comfort of his home.Update 16:04 UTC: Here it is, the "world's best processor for thin and light laptops. You'll notice that like most Intel U-segment chips, this is an MCM of the processor and PCH die. Intel bases its "world's best" claims on a per-segment basis.

Intel today unleashed a new era of laptop performance with the launch of its next-generation mobile PC processors and the evolution of its broad ecosystem partnerships that are propelling the mobile PC industry forward. New 11th Gen Intel Core processors with Intel Iris Xe graphics (code-named "Tiger Lake") are the world's best processors for thin-and-light laptops with unmatched capabilities for real-world productivity, collaboration, creation, gaming and entertainment across Windows and ChromeOS-based laptops.

Leveraging Intel's new SuperFin process technology, 11th Gen Intel Core processors optimize power efficiency with leading performance and responsiveness while running at significantly higher frequencies versus prior generations. More than 150 designs based on 11th Gen Intel Core processors are expected from partners including Acer, ASUS, Dell, Dynabook, HP, Lenovo, LG, MSI, Razer, Samsung and others.

Chrome OS has accelerated its expansion within businesses amid the shift to work from anywhere. The new Latitude 7410 Chromebook Enterprise, a 14-inch premium business laptop or 2-in-1 from Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL), boosts productivity with on-the-go power, sophisticated security and fast connectivity features employees need. With the Latitude 7410 Chromebook Enterprise, Dell expands its Latitude Chromebook lineup - now offering a mainstream and premium option - to give companies more choice in devices without sacrificing enterprise-class scale, manageability and security. With EPEAT Gold registration, the Latitude Chromebook Enterprise joins the industry's most sustainable commercial PC portfolio with recycled materials, sustainable packaging, energy efficient designs and EPEAT Gold registrations.

"This is not just another Chromebook," said Rahul Tikoo, senior vice president, Commercial Product Group, Dell Technologies. "Our latest Latitude Chromebook Enterprise is designed equal parts for employees and IT managers adopting Chrome OS in the enterprise. Employees will appreciate its sleek design and collaboration features that help them navigate new work dynamics, while IT managers have the management and security features they expect when deploying devices in a corporate environment."

Today, Intel revealed new details about Thunderbolt 4, the next generation of its universal cable connectivity solution, delivering increased minimum performance requirements, expanded capabilities and USB4 specification compliance. For the first time, Thunderbolt 4 will offer docks with up to four Thunderbolt ports and universal cables up to 2 meters in length. Intel's upcoming mobile PC processors, code-named "Tiger Lake," will be the first to integrate Thunderbolt 4. Intel also announced the Thunderbolt 4 controller 8000 series, compatible with the hundreds of millions of Thunderbolt 3 PCs and accessories already available. Thunderbolt 4 developer kits and certification testing are now available.

"Thunderbolt provides consumers with a leading connectivity standard across a range of devices, helping to advance computing experiences and delivering on the promise of USB-C with simplicity, performance and reliability. The arrival of Thunderbolt 4 underscores how Intel is advancing the PC ecosystem toward truly universal connectivity solutions," said Jason Ziller, Intel general manager of the Client Connectivity Division.

ASUS today announced that the ExpertBook B9450 based on the Intel vPro platform is now available for purchase at US resellers starting at $1,599.99 USD. The ASUS ExpertBook B9450 provides unmatched business-grade performance, durability and design within an incredibly thin and light form factor weighing in at just 2.2 lbs with a 0.59-inch thin profile. Paired with the Intel vPro platform, the B9450 is ideal for businesses of any size that require top-notch performance, built-in security and better overall value and reliability for the long-term.

Designed for business professionals on-the-go, the ExpertBook B9450 delivers top-tier performance thanks to up to an 10th Gen Intel Core i7 vPro processor, dual-storage design accommodating up to two ultrafast 1 TB PCIe 3.0 x4 SSDs, and up to 16 GB of RAM and Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) connectivity. Expect uninterrupted performance on the B9450 with long-lasting battery life delivering up to an impressive 24 hours of use on a single charge, with extra comfort features like the ErgoLift hinge, built-in voice assistant support, and a Harman Kardon-optimized audio system.

Fujitsu announced the launch of seven models of Notebook LIFEBOOK with Windows 10 and the latest 10th generation Intel Core Processor. Sales of the new models will be rolled out in Asia starting from today1. By expanding its lineup of superior mobile products, Fujitsu will continue to support initiatives on remote work, as part of the customers' workstyle transformation.

The new LIFEBOOK U7310 (13.3"), LIFEBOOK U7410 (14") and LIFEBOOK U7510 (15.6") models are enterprise-ready with common port replicators that provide the best-in-class connectivity. Webcams are equipped with a new privacy camera shutter to prevent unauthorized hacking and access. LIFEBOOK U7310 also comes with an optional ePrivacy Filter that users can protect screen from prying eyes with just one press.

Wi-Fi connectivity has become more essential than ever as we rely on it to work, teach, learn and stay connected to colleagues and loved ones. Fast, reliable and secure Wi-Fi connectivity is a necessity for keeping up as we add more connected devices and higher bandwidth applications for gaming, video streaming and content creation, as well as for processing increasingly larger file sizes. In today's homes there are an average of 11 Wi-Fi-enabled devices. Over the past few months, Comcast has reported that Wi-Fi-connected video calls and video conferencing have increased over 283%, and Charter Communications reports that over 90% of the traffic on its ISP network is Wi-Fi-based. Even in the case of your phone, more than 70% of your mobile (cellular) data traffic runs on Wi-Fi.

Intel has been investing and contributing to the evolution of Wi-Fi for more than 20 years, and today we're excited to announce another leap forward. We are acquiring Rivet Networks, a leader in software and cloud-based technologies for networking connectivity. Rivet Networks is a terrific complement to our existing Wi-Fi products and helps us further our vision of delivering PC platforms that power every person's greatest contribution. Rivet Networks' products deliver speed, intelligence and control for gamers and performance users. Its products maximize Wi-Fi bandwidth utilization and optimize the wireless network connection on your platform. In addition, Rivet Networks' products can also utilize the combination of Ethernet and Wi-Fi to prioritize traffic over both connections.

Dell Technologies unveiled the world's most intelligent and secure business PCs across its award-winning Latitude, Precision and OptiPlex portfolios to make work more efficient and safe - no matter the location. As the industry's most sustainable commercial PC portfolio, the new devices further advance Dell's commitment to sustainability with recycled materials, sustainable packaging, energy efficient designs and EPEAT Gold registrations.

Professionals can work smarter with Dell Optimizer, the automated Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based optimization technology, now available across Latitude, Precision and OptiPlex devices. The built-in software learns how each person works and adapts to their behavior to help them focus on the tasks that matter most. It works behind the scenes to improve overall application performance; enable faster log-in and secure lock outs; eliminate echoes and reduce background noise on conference calls; and extend battery run time.

The 11th generation Intel Core "Tiger Lake" mobile processor and pioneering "Lakefield" heterogenous x86 processor could debut around September or October, 2020, according to a leaked Lenovo internal slide posted by NotebookCheck. It also points to Intel denoting future processors' lithography with Foveros 3D Packaging as simply "3D," and not get into a nanometer number-game with AMD (which is now in 7 nm and on course to 5 nm in 2022). This makes sense as Foveros allows the combination of dies built on different silicon fabrication nodes.

"Tiger Lake" is still denoted as a 10 nm as it's a planar chip. Intel is developing it on a refined 10 nm+ silicon fabrication process, which apparently enables Intel to increase clock speeds without breaking the target power envelope. "Tiger Lake" sees the commercial debut of Intel's ambitious Xe graphics architecture as an iGPU solution. "Lakefield," on the other hand, is a 5-core processor combining four "Tremont" low power x86-64 cores with a "Sunny Cove" high-powered core, in a setup rivaling Arm big.LITTLE, enabling the next generation of mobile computing form-factors, which Intel and its partners are still figuring out under Project Athena.

ASUS today announced the launch of the ExpertBook B9450 laptop, the latest ASUS ExpertBook for business professionals that provides unmatched performance, durability and design within an incredibly thin and light form factor weighing in at just 2.2 lb with a 0.59 inch thin profile. The new ExpertBook-series laptops maintain a professional and reliable personality while incorporating innovation and flexibility in order to meet the requirements of modern businesses.

Designed for business professionals on-the-go, the ExpertBook B9450 delivers top-tier performance thanks to up to an 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, dual-storage design with two ultrafast 1 TB PCIe 3.0 x4 SSDs, and up to 16 GB of RAM and Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) connectivity. Expect uninterrupted performance on the B9450 with long-lasting battery life delivering up to an impressive 24 hours of use on a single charge, with extra comfort features like the ErgoLift hinge, built-in voice assistant support, and a Harman Kardon-optimized audio system.

ASUS today announced the launch of the ASUS Chromebook Flip C436, the latest in the ASUS Chromebook Flip family that pairs premium features with uncompromising performance. The ASUS Chromebook Flip C436 introduces an eye-catching and elegant convertible form factor, featuring a frameless NanoEdge touch display that's designed to maximize screen size in the smallest form factor possible. The C436 is housed in a durable yet lightweight magnesium alloy chassis, which measures only 13-inches diagonally at a weight of approx. 2.58 lbs - perfect for on-the-go productivity.

The ASUS Chromebook Flip C436 is verified by Intel's Project Athena innovation program and co-engineered for mobile performance. It brings unparalleled power in a convertible and ultra-portable form factor by integrating 10th Gen Intel Core processors with up to 16 GB of RAM, a 512 GB SSD, and cutting-edge Intel Wi-Fi 6 (Gig+) connectivity.

Samsung today announced the Galaxy Chromebook, a premium Google ChromeOS 2-in-1 device that converts between a conventional notebook and a tablet with a stylus. This is the first time Samsung is bringing its Android-focused Galaxy brand over to its Chromebook family. The $999 price-tag may look like a tall ask for a Chromebook, until you look at some of its specs. The star attraction is the 13.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen with 4K UHD resolution. Samsung developed the Galaxy Chromebook in close coordination with Intel as part of its ambitious "Project Athena" initiative of developing next-generation portable computing devices that defy conventions on performance and battery-life.

Under the hood is an Intel Core i5-10210U "Comet Lake" processor with 8 GB of LPDDR3-2133 memory, a 256 GB NVMe SSD, UFS + microSDXC card slot, and 802.11ax + Bluetooth connectivity (at this price we'd have expected at least 4G cellular modem). It dumps type-A USB ports and instead features a couple of type-C ports, one of which doubles up as a power input. The 4K UHD display is pulled by integrated Intel UHD 630 graphics. A 47.9 Wh battery powers the thing, with Samsung claiming 8h 20m of run-time. Measuring 30 cm x 20.32 cm x 0.99 cm (closed), the Galaxy Chromebook weighs 1.03 kg. The included S-Pen stylus slots into the body. The Galaxy Chromebook is available in two color options, red and gray, both priced at $999.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today introduced Galaxy Chromebook, a premium 2-in-1 device that sets a higher standard in mobile computing. This new entrant to the Galaxy Computing portfolio redefines what a Chromebook can be. As the thinnest Samsung Chromebook ever released, it combines the best of Samsung technical innovation - such as an AMOLED display and built-in-pen support, offering users new ways to take advantage of Chrome OS experience that is simple, fast, and seamless.

"The notion that we do everything stationary at a desk is a thing of the past, and people need premium devices built for our new reality," said Alanna Cotton, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Samsung Electronics America. "By offering a seamless, premium user experience, Galaxy Chromebook helps you effortlessly switch between streaming, creative projects, word processing, and more."

According to sources at DigiTimes, Intel will announce its advanced cooling solutions for project Athena thin and light laptops, at 2020's CES. Pushing project Athena to be the finest of all laptop options, Intel wants to give users the ability to have their laptops run even cooler than ever with a new thermal solution that will supposedly enable an additional 25-30% of cooling headroom. The new cooling module will combine two ingredients to make up for a powerful cooling solution - vapor chambers and graphite sheets.

Usually, the cooling modules inside laptops are placed between the keyboard and laptop's bottom shell, where they could utilize only a small space, so thermal management became hard. In contrast, Intel's design is combining the vapor chamber with graphite sheets to create a bigger surface for heat dissipation. The vapor chamber will replace all the current modules and connect to graphite sheets placed behind the laptop screen, where a lot of area is available. Connecting the vapor chamber to the graphite sheet is a laptop hinge, where a graphite cooling solution would pass through. This hints at a complete redesign of laptop hinges, so we can expect to see some creative solutions there as well. Additionally, this design will allow manufacturers to make fanless laptops that use lower-power CPU models, and we can expect to see even slimmer laptop designs than ever before.

Intel is partnering with MediaTek on the development, certification and support of 5G modem solutions for the next generation of PC experiences. As part of the partnership, Intel will define a 5G solution specification, including a 5G modem to be developed and delivered by MediaTek. Intel will also provide optimization and validation across the platform and lend system integration and co-engineering support to further enable its OEM partners.

"5G is poised to unleash a new level of computing and connectivity that will transform the way we interact with the world. This partnership with MediaTek brings together industry leaders with deep engineering, system integration and connectivity expertise to deliver 5G experiences on the next generation of the world's best PCs." -Gregory Bryant, Intel executive vice president and general manager of the Client Computing Group.

Samsung Electronics today introduced Galaxy Book Flex and Galaxy Book Ion at the Samsung Developer Conference 2019 (SDC19), two premium laptops offering ultra-portable and ultra-powerful computing experiences to meet the unique needs of modern professionals for their always on-the-go lifestyles. Today's on-the-go consumers need PCs that deliver maximum productivity, while being mobile enough to take wherever you're going. Galaxy Book Flex and Galaxy Book Ion were built for that and more, offering a seamless continuity across multiple devices.

"Consumers often have to choose between mobility and high-performance hardware when choosing a laptop," said YoungGyoo Choi, Senior Vice President of, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. "Galaxy Book Flex and Galaxy Book Ion eliminate the need to compromise by offering powerful performance with unparalleled portability and display innovation."

Today, Lenovo announced its latest ThinkPad laptops providing smarter productivity, connectivity and security experiences built for the future workforce. With the latest X1 Carbon running Intel's 10th Generation CPU's, Lenovo unleashes its first commercial platform part of the Project Athena program, ready to take on a full day's work with all day battery life and the latest Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. The updated commercial laptop line-up also includes a 10th Gen Intel Core processor refresh on the premium ThinkPad X1 Yoga, the ThinkPad X390 and the ThinkPad T490. Also announced are new ThinkPad L13 and L13 Yoga laptops for those who seek ThinkPad attributes in an affordable, high-value package.

Designed and engineered around ThinkPad's core foundational principles, these new laptops address the needs of a new generation workforce and their dynamic workspaces. People are seeking devices that offer intuitive, secure features and faster, higher performance to improve their workday, and ThinkPad is here to help them accomplish their most important goals. ThinkPad features industry-leading security with ThinkShield, the ability to stay connected with LTE-A Wireless WAN and Wi-Fi 6 in the latest select models. The ThinkPad line-up continues to offer premium usability experience through vivid high-definition displays, immersive Dolby Audio, and the renowned ThinkPad keyboard.

IFA is the largest consumer tech show in Europe and we expect to see significant news from 4K and OLED TVs to wearables to smartphones. We'll be showcasing our latest PCs, of course, as the move to thin and light continues across the industry. It's not only about smaller form factors though - consumers want adaptive, always connected, high-performing, and flawlessly designed PCs. Dell continues to set the bar for the PC industry.

Ahead of IFA, we're expanding our consumer portfolio with brand new form factors and the addition of new 10th Gen Intel Core processors to our current XPS and Inspiron portfolio, delivering performance gains needed for compute intensive, demanding multi-thread workloads, while still handling 4K content efficiently. And in doing so, giving our customers heavyweight performance in thin, light and portable designs — the best of both worlds.

Today, Intel introduced eight additional 10th Gen Intel Core processors for modern laptop computing. The new mobile PC processors (formerly code-named "Comet Lake") are tailor-made to deliver increased productivity and performance scaling for demanding, multi-threaded workloads while still enabling thin-and-light laptop and 2 in 1 designs with uncompromising battery life. These processors are performance powerhouses that bring double digit performance gains compared with the previous generation. The lineup also includes Intel's first 6-core processor in the U-series, faster CPU frequencies, faster memory interfaces and the industry redefining connectivity with Intel Wi-Fi 6 (Gig+) and broader scaling of Thunderbolt 3. More than 90 additional designs based on the 10th Gen Intel Core processor family will hit the shelves for the holiday season.

"Our 10th Gen Intel Core mobile processors provide customers with the industry-leading range of products that deliver the best balance of performance, features, power and design for their specific needs. From multitasking to everyday content creation, the newest additions to the family scale performance for even higher levels of productivity -- in addition to offering best-in-class platform connectivity via Wi-Fi 6 (Gig+) and Thunderbolt 3 that people expect with 10th Gen," said Chris Walker, Intel corporate vice president and general manager of Mobility Client Platforms in the Client Computing Group.