Advanced Micro Devices has no immediate plans to release a processor designed for low-cost laptops, sometimes called netbooks, saying its not yet clear whether or not growing shipments of these devices will cannibalize sales of mainstream laptops. Some low-end netbook models use an existing AMD Geode processor, but the company hasn"t announced a specific processor aimed at this product segment, apart from general plans to release chips based on a low-power architecture called Bobcat in 2010.
"We haven"t announced anything for this type of cheap mini-notebook and we"re still taking this wait-and-see attitude," said Pat Moorhead, AMD"s vice president of advanced marketing. "The fact that there are a number of models coming out might give the indication that [the market is] growing and everybody wants to do this, but what"s interesting is you pull back the covers and talk to people in the industry and they"re kind of scared," he said.