Intel Promises Android Honeycomb Tablets & Its Chips in Smartphones

After reporting first quarter earnings of $3.16 billion, a 29% increase compared to the same period last year, Intel CEO Paul S. Otellini turned to the areas where Intel hasnt been doing so great: tablets and smartphones.

Intel has received the code for Honeycomb, the version of Googles Android OS designed for tablets, and it plans to ramp those machines over the course of this year for a number of customers, Otellini said.

Besides Android, Intel also plans to demonstrate tablets running MeeGo and Windows at the Computex technology show held May 31 to June 4 in Taipei, Taiwan.

In the world of mobile devices, which is dominated by ARM, Intel is betting on its upcoming chip designed for smartphones, the 32-nanometer Medfield. Were actively working with a large number of handset manufacturers and carriers around the world on Medfield-based designs, Otellini said, praising the new chip for its great performance, particularly when it comes to HD video playback.

We should be able to see Medfield-powered smartphones on the market within 12 months, Otellini promised.