Qualcomm always-on notebook chip almost ready

CNET reports Qualcomm's Snapdragon processor will be released next year. The firm spent four years and $350 million on this chip which will enable netbooks, small notebooks and handhelds to be always-on.

Snapdragon is designed for devices that are always connected to the Internet. For instance, even when you shut it down the laptop will still download your mails, so you can flip open your laptop and it's right there.

"Our vision is that (the device is) always connected. Even when you shut it down, it's still 'on.' (The laptop) goes to your Exchange server, gets your e-mail, puts it on the drive--solid-state or hard drive--and then when you're ready to do e-mail, you flip it open and it's right there. Instant on, always connected," Gill said.

"The question is, can you enable the same value proposition on an Intel platform?" Gill's answer, not surprisingly, is no. "Two or three hours later the battery's just completely drained out. You cannot rely on it to be there all day long in your bag and still getting all your e-mail."

And Snapdragon contains the technology that will enable Qualcomm to build an un-Intel, un-Netbook type of device, Gill claims.