Intel plans a new class of PC

Intel is promising a new form factor PC

Intel is planning a new category of ultra-mobile PCs to target business users.

The chip giant is aiming for a fully featured PC with hard drive and choice of operating systems, but with a much smaller screen, similar to the Toshiba Libretto.

Power management will be designed in to give maximum uptime without crippling processing power.

"A lot of Japanese manufacturers are leading the way on this new form factor, " said Scott Richardson, general manager at Intel's broadband wireless division.

"Intel will be building in wireless support as standard, and by 2007 we will hope to have all devices with ports for SIM cards that can connect via cellular and act as an authenticator for the user."

Intel showed off an ultra-mobile PC at CES in Las Vegas earlier this year, which included Yahoo's software built-in as an example of dedicated hardware that could be produced to order for service providers.

However, Richardson said that Intel's latest ultra-mobile design is designed to help existing laptop manufacturers produce commercial models.