Expect more change from Intel: Craig Barrett

Big changes are happening at Intel­both inside and outside. Big news is:
Expect more. It was on full display at the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) Spring
2005 in USA, which kicked off on March 1, 2005. For example, Intel started with
stressing its commitment to what it calls the three Ps. And no, those do not
contain either PC or Pentium. That itself is the biggest change.

Rather, the culmination of the big change that started sometime after Craig
Barrett took over. The new Ps for Intel somewhat summarizes that change-People,
Platforms, and Possibilities.

At least two of them-­platforms and possibilities­-are new slogans. The
first one positions Intel as more than a PC-centric company, a change, the
impact of which is visible now. The second one is more important. Intel is now
talking about the research it is conducting, the innovations where it is putting
its money. A long way from the days when you heard about the new chips two weeks
before release. That is a big culture change.

This change would probably accelerate. Soon, Craig would step down and Paul
Otellini, the present COO, would take over as the CEO. Interestingly, Paul will
be the first out and out marketing person to head Intel. Even in the high
decibel marketing era of the 90s and 2000s, Intel had continued with its PhD
CEOs and had succeeded.

The keynote at IDF by Craig, just declared, rather excited, Intel´s users,
partners, and other stakeholder about this big change. To innovate and
integrate­he announced­would be Intel´s core approach. Stressing on the
platform approach, he said, "Intel's commitment to Moore's Law now
allows us to create integrated platforms that deliver a broad range of
capabilities for individuals and organizations that use technology. To realize
the full potential of these capabilities, continued innovation and industry
cooperation will be more important than ever."

Craig outlined five building blocks-digital enterprise, mobility, channel
platforms, digital home, and digital health, as the guiding force of future for
technology in general and Intel in particular. Apart from the mobility, digital
enterprise, digital home areas, which Intel has been talking about for some
time, Craig significantly included channel platforms-localized approach to
platform creation in different geographies-and digital health to Intel´s core
focus.

And of course, reiterating the partnership approach, Craig said,
"Innovation happens at many levels. We will continue to innovate at the
transistor and individual chip level, but now our job is to work with the
extended ecosystem of developers, software designers, systems engineers, service
providers and others to innovate at the platform level," he added.

He also said that innovation is driving the global digital economy.

SHYAMANUJA DAS

SAN FRANCISCO