From the start, notebook vendors have raced to speed up their notebooks but almost always at the expense of battery life: faster processors meant limited time away from an outlet. Rather than throwing more megahertz at computing tasks, Intel's new Pentium M processor, significantly increases notebook battery life. The Pentium M is like no other processor. Based on a 0.13-micron design, the chip has 77 million transistors, many of which are taken up by the chip's megabyte of cache for the most-used instructions and data. This chip's real boost comes from its ability to predict what the next task will be and start on it or shut itself down between clock cycles to save power.
A Centrino-powered laptop will "unwire" computer users from their desks. The new Centrino module represents step toward wireless networking.
On Jan. 8, 2003 - Intel Corporation said Intel Centrino mobile technology is the new brand name for its upcoming wireless mobile computing technology. The new brand signifies Intel's best technology for notebook computers, based on a new mobile processor microarchitecture and wireless capability as well as features designed to enable extended battery life, thinner and lighter forms, and outstanding mobile performance. To do this it is embedded with "smart" technology that powers itself down in order to consume less battery.The technologies represented by the Intel Centrino brand will include a microprocessor related chipsets and 802.11 (Wi-Fi) wireless networking capability. These components are designed, optimised and validated by Intel to maximise the wireless mobile computing experience. .
"The Intel Centrino brand signifies a new generation of mobile PCs that will change where and how people compute," said Pam Pollace .
Centrino is a combination of Intel's Pentium M processor, the Intel 855 chipset family and its PRO/Wireless 2100 Network Connection card that is built into the laptop near the motherboard.