MIPS vs. Intel Atom

By Kenton Williston, dspdesignline.com
March 14, 2008
 
Following publication of my article on ARM vs. Intel's Atom, a reader asked me where MIPS fits in. The ensuing conversation was interesting enough that I thought I'd share the highlights:

• Q: What about MIPS vs. Atom?
• Q: Can you address the importance or lack thereof of Linux? Does it negate to some degree the PC advantage of x86 apps?
• Q: What about the OEM angle? How would a TI, Broadcom, STM, or Infineon feel about Intel? Would they be as likely to adopt x86 as they have been to take on MIPS (plugged in) and ARM (mobile/cell)?
• Q: Unless I am mistaken, don't Tivo and Slingbox both use a MIPS processor somewhere in the device. Will Tivo or Slinbox or something like that eventually replace the STB and if so what happens to MIPS?
• Q: Won't one Internet-enabled device subsume the STB, TiVo, DVD player etc. anyway?
• Q: ARM and MIPS both work with Windows CE. Won't this mitigate Intel's advantage of being able to run XP/Vista?

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