48-Core Chips Could Redefine Mobile Devices

CWmike writes "Intel researchers are working on a 48-core processor for smartphones and tablets, but it could be five to 10 years before it hits the market. Having a 48-core chip in a small mobile device would open up a whole new world of possibilities. 'If we're going to have this technology in five to 10 years, we could finally do things that take way too much processing power today,' said analyst Patrick Moorhead. 'This could really open up our concept of what is a computer... The phone would be smart enough to not just be a computer but it could be my computer.' Enric Herrero, a research scientist at Intel Labs in Barcelona, explained that with the prototype chip someone could, for instance, be encrypting an email while also working on other power-intensive apps at the same time — without hiccups. Same for HD video. Intel's Tanausu Ramirez said it could also boost battery life. 'The chip also can take the energy and split it up and distribute it between different applications,' he said. Justin Rattner, Intel's CTO, told Computerworld that a 48-core chip for small mobile devices could hit the market 'much sooner' than the researchers' 10-year prediction."

Before we know it we will be at 640 cores

[tom17]

And we can stop then because, well, you know, 640 cores should be enough for anyone.

Imagine a Beowulf cluster...

[ducomputergeek]

had to be said.

Dirk Meyer's last words

[CajunArson]

Just before the AMD board executed him, Dirk Meyer screamed out: "MOAR COARZ!" And today we have Bulldozer.

The moral of the story is, MOAR != more all of the time. Especially in a freakin' cellphone, where, despite what some Slashdotters think, the primary use case is *not* performing massively parallel scientific simulations.

Re:Before we know it we will be at 640 cores

[robthebloke]

Well, you could selotape together 640 Sinclair ZX81's, which would give you 640 Z80 cores, AND 640Kb RAM!!!! Combine that with 640 x 64 x 48 pixel displays, and 640 cassette tape interconnects, and you'd have far more computing power than anyone could ever need!

Re:Before we know it we will be at 640 cores

[Bill_the_Engineer]

I was looking at my razor and thinking I should have more than 6 blades!

Re:Before we know it we will be at 640 cores

[Anonymous Coward]

Next up, Sinclair C5 NASCAR...

Re:Desktop

[Mike Buddha]

And I don't want my 48-core machine to be fucking mobile. It means I would then be expected to take my work everywhere with me. Fuck that. Until we learn how to respect the sanctity of vacation time in the US and bring up the average vacation length for workers to something near European standard I would rather see this in a non-mobile version first.

I don't think you have anything to worry about. They're not making a portable deep fryer, this is a computer.

Re:Desktop

[argStyopa]

This will then be your primary computing device that:

A) you leave on the roof of your car.
B) gets dropped in the toilet.
C) you spill your beverage on.
D) gets chewed up by your dog.
E) you get mugged for.
F) you leave in your hotel room.
G) you have confiscated by the authorities (should you find yourself at the wrong place/time)
H) gets reverse-engineered/stress-tested by your toddler

You say that as if such destruction wouldn't cause you to (insurance-covered or not) buy ANOTHER phone thus stimulating market activity, as if that's not good?
Look guys, we need to work together to rescue the economy. /Keynes

Re:Desktop

[leromarinvit]

I don't think you have anything to worry about. They're not making a portable deep fryer, this is a computer.

Just put today's 48 core chip in a laptop, and there's your portable fryer.