Apple has quietly updated its MacBook range of notebooks to use Intel's new Santa Rosa platform, accompanied by the introduction of Intel GMA X3100 integrated graphics. The new platform should offer a slight bump in speed to all the MacBooks, which ship with either 2.0GHz or 2.2GHz processors, as well as the option of up to a 250GB hard drive. Apple has also updated to Mac Book Pro range to allow buyers to upgrade to a 2.6GHz processor for an extra $250. You can take a look at the complete MacBook specs here.

Codenamed 'Santa Rosa', the Centrino comes in two flavors. The Duo boasts twice the power of its M CPUs, improved battery life, the latest Wireless N technology, faster boot time with 'Turbo Memory' and improved integrated graphics processing. The 'Pro' boasts greater security and new advances in remote maintenance for business systems as well improved battery life and increased processing power. For a full rundown on the new platform with graphs and such visit Intel's site.

Laptops based on Intel's new Centrino platform Santa Rosa are starting to leak out, this time they're from Lenovo (a few Fujitsu models got out last week). The new ThinkPads T61 and R61 are both based on Intel's Core 2 Duo processors and use Intel's Gm/PM965 chipset. Other specs include both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Vista and Windows XP Pro, Intel's new Wi-Fi Link 4965AGN, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 IGP (for systems using integrated graphics), NVIDIA graphics (for other systems), 14.1" screens, Intel Turbo Card, smartcard support and full hard disk encryption. These laptops should be available from May this year, with a Blu-Ray version coming in July. Lenovo will also finally be removing the IBM branding from palm rests after acquiring Big Blue's laptop division in 2005.

Fujitsu has launched three new Santa Rosa-based notebooks for the Japanese market. First one the FMV-BIBLO NX Santa Rosa notebook features an Intel Core 2 Duo T7200, 1GB of RAM, 15.4" 1440x900 display and a Blu-ray burner, while the lower-end FMV-BIBLO NF model has a Core 2 Duo T5500 processor, 1GB of RAM, 15.4" 1280x800 display and a dual-layer DVD burner. Also announced was the 13.4" FMV-BIBLO NX. The FMV-BIBLO NX features a traditional XGA screen and can be equipped with a Core 2 Duo T7200, T5500 or Celeron M430 processor. Intel's Santa Rosa platform uses Merom-based Core 2 Duo processors and the Crestline chipset which supports 667MHz/800MHz FSB speeds. Video and graphics are handled by the GMA X3000 graphics core.

Intel has added two ultra low voltage Core 2 Duo processors to its product portfolio. The new 1.06GHz U7500 and the 1.2GHz U7600 models, are based on the Merom core with 533MHz FSB and 2MB L2 cache. Both CPUs will be targeting mini notebooks, tablet PCs and ultra-portable notebooks. The U7500 and U7600 are introduced as part of the currently shipping "Napa refresh" platform, but will also be available for the upcoming Santa Rosa platform with a slight change in pinout. The new Merom ULV CPUs will be replacing the Core Duo U2500 processor over the coming months. One of the first manufacturers offering the U7500/U7600 will be Gateway who said that its E-100M notebook will be available with the two processors beginning on May 3 of this year.

Intels current mobile platform Napa get's a successor named Santa Rosa at the beginning of May. It comes in two versions, the PM65 and the GM965 featuring an integrated graphics core (DirectX 9.0c, up to 256MB shared memory).
The Santa Rosa platform will come with the new pin-grid array based 'Socket P' which is keyed differently than the current Socket M. Together with the Santa Rosa Intel will introduce Socket P CPUs. These special Meroms get a higher FSB (800MHz) than their Socket M counterpart but will come with frequencies as high as 2.8GHz. Sadly this Core 2 Extreme X7900 will be released somewhat later in the second half of this year.