Intel pushes PC into the living room

Paul Otellini touted Intel's notion of the 'new normal'

Intel chief executive Paul Otellini has used the official launch of the Viiv entertainment platform in Las Vegas to deliver what he claimed is a "new normal".

"What consumers really want is online content on their big screen in their living room [as they are] sitting on the couch," Otellini told delegates at the Consumer Electronics Show.

"In order for us to deliver this, we have to integrate the big screen capabilities, the PC capabilities and the internet experience. When we do that, we will satisfy what the consumers have asked us to do."

Otellini claimed that Viiv is the first platform that meets these needs. Technical requirements of the new entertainment platform had been published long before Otellini's keynote.

Qualifying systems require, among other things, an Intel dual-core processor and 845 chipset and must support surround sound as well as several Intel software features. They run Windows Media Center Edition.

A Viiv system can be a standalone computer, a set-top box or can be built into a television set. They are available immediately starting at $900. Consumers will be able to recognize a Viiv system by a special logo.

Otellini spent most of his presentation talking about the services that users can access on a Viiv system.

The chipmaker has signed agreements with content providers so that consumers will be able to access two million songs, 100,000 movies, 14,000 television shows and hundreds of games on their television sets through a remote control.

• Consumer Electronics Show 2006: News, views, reviews and blogs
• CES Blog: Intel ke ynote picture by picture