CES 2012: Intel Will Bolster Ultrabook Chip Line, Battle Apple on Voice Recognition Technology

By David Zielenziger | January 09 2012 12:50 PM

Intel, the world's biggest chipmaker, plans to scale up production of its new Ultrabook chips, with as many as 75 consumer products available by the second quarter and more to come, said Mooly Eden, VP and general manager for the consumer client group.

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Toshiba's unnamed 14-inch Ultrabook

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Moreover, Intel plans to battle Apple, which scored a major consumer hit with Siri, the voice recognizning digital personal assistant built into the iPhone 4S, by collaborating with voice recognition giant Nuance Communications, of Burlington, Mass.

Later this year, the Ultrabook chipset will work alongside software from Nuance and its Dragon Dictate family for speech recognition, the companies announced at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Monday.

People will be able to control their Ultrabook just by using their voice, Eden said. The VR chips will be intended for Ultrabook laptops and tablets, which are being launched at the CES this week, from vendors including Lenovo Group of China and others.

Intel, based in Santa Clara, Calif., also said the new partners will also work on new chips and software that understand human gestures and visual recognition. Eden demonstrated a prototype slingshot game controlled by a user's gestures.

For years, consumers using Ninendo's Wii game have used chips devised by Intel rival LSI, of Milpitas, Calif., which manipulate gestures. LSI's CEO Abhi Talwalkar is a former senior Intel executive.

Intel also said it will start a major marketing campaign for Ultrabooks in the second quarter. Intel CEO Paul Otellini is scheduled to give a speech at the CES on Tuesday.