Intel Software Network Blogs » Intel® Atom™ Developer Program

Developers, here's your chance to win a netbook!

Gina Bovara (Intel) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:51:11 +0000

What do you have planned over the holiday break next month? In your free time, how about coding a small app and then entering it for a chance to win a netbook? If that sounds interesting, head over to our Intel Atom Developer Challenge to learn more. Create a netbook application to submit to the challenge and if you are one of the first 100 validated applications, you win a netbook. It is that simple and it's going on now!

Now I know you have tons of questions, but if you check out the webpage it explains everything in full detail. The official rules are also there for you to read through and if that doesn't answer all your questions, our forum is a place where you can post questions and receive replies. You can also comment below under this blog post - we read all of your comments!

Become a fan of the Challenge and then download our snazzy backgrounds for your computer! The .zip file contains the Intel Atom Developer Challenge backgrounds in full screen (1600x1200), widescreen (1920x1200), netbook (1024x600) and a special Moblin netbook graphic (1024x600) to fit the interface. Enjoy and share with others!

Also, if you're sharing or commenting on Twitter, our hashtag is #winanetbook!

Why Develop Games For Atom?

Bob Duffy (Intel) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:48:38 +0000

So you've heard of the Intel® Atom™ Developer Program. As a game developer you may be wondering, "What’s the opportunity?” or “Why bother developing for Atom, won’t many of the same casual games created for a PC work fine on a Netbook?”

To get answers I think you have to think outside “typical” PC gaming development. The opportunity is in how people use, work, and interact with these devices differently than say a traditional laptop or desktop systems. You don't have to stretch the imagination too far to understand the growth market and new gaming opportunities in the mobile space. Just look at the iPhone. Many of the most successful games on that platform are not your traditional polygon pushing games.

My last post looked at how casual games could be enhanced with “relax” modes; allowing gamers to have stress free casual gaming experiences. Similarly here, the message is good game play is not defined by to hardware specifications. Good games can be derived from the state of mind, tasks, & environment of gamers when using their device. As with the iPhone, Atom based devices are used in unique situations where there are unique gaming opportunities. If you consider how, when, where and why gamers use a companion PC device like a Netbook you can find new market opportunities for gaming.

Here’s my list of things developers should consider when creating new Atom based games:

Quick and convenient game play:
Zen Bound is a beautifully simplistic game for the iPhone that exploits how that device is used

Your Atom based device is likely traveling with you, and the user will consider playing a game when they have down time between other activities while on the road. This doesn't mean games need to be short but they should accommodate gamers jumping in an out quickly
Location aware:
Because the gamer will be mobile, location aware features in games can add another dimension to games. There's a lot going on with augmented reality these days, and clever games can make use of locations and environments that mix with the game play to make interesting gaming experiences
Focused tasked:
Smaller screen sizes, can also lend to more focused tasks in games. Consider UI designs that are minimalized & focused over providing a swiss army knife of tools and tasks. Often focused game play can lead to stunning graphics and great gaming experiences. A great example of this is Zen Bound for the iPhone.
Social play:
Mobile computing devices are becoming popular because they allow you to easily stay connected with your network of friends. Beyond multi-user play, consider how to involve sharing and status updates with integration of email, Twitter & Facebook
Asynchronous online play:
With mobility being more connected, it may not mean always connected. Consider games that allow you play immediately then connect with the network between levels or games.

Additionally more than just creating new games, developing games for Atom provides these additional opportunities.

Mobile mini games could allow you to customize aspects of your PC games such as upgrading & modding vehicles, characters, & weapons

Companion mini games of existing game titles:
Often the same software will run your PC as will run on a gamer’s Intel based portable device. Consider levels, mini games, tasks, puzzles and vehicle configuration tools that a gamer can take on the road with them, then upload a status of their portable play to their PC game for experience points, level ups, weapons etc
Component development:
With Atom Developer Program, you can develop and sell game components for other developers to use. Many of the above items can be consider areas of component development. As well there will be many flavors in the hardware, some with multi-touch, some with webcams, etc. All opportunities to create components that will be valuable for developers

I’m sure there is much more to consider than my short list, especially when you look at various hardware options, but the point is we have an exciting time in front of us. If we focus on how people uniquely use Atom based devices we can find new opportunities to; create new exciting gaming experiences, extend the value of existing titles, and create gaming components that enable a marketplace of cool new game.

In other words Bring It!

Relevant Links

In the Mind of a Mobile Developer

Steve 'Chippy' Paine — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:28:05 +0000

Trying to work out how a mobile application developer thinks is becoming quite the hot topic these days. In the last 2 years the business of writing mobile applications from niche to normal and we’re at the stage now where not only the mobile platform is important; not only the operating system is important but a stage where the whole application ecosystem from developers to users could make or break a product. It’s no longer a ‘value-add’ to have a dynamic set of applications available for your mobile device but an expected part of the product.

I’ve been tracking mobile operating systems for a few years now and one of the questions I’m always asking is ‘how does a developer choose a platform.’

At the Mobile Dev Camp in Munich last week I had another chance to drill down into the mind of the mobile application developer. They’re a driven, intelligent bunch of people that, when in small teams, don’t worry too much about the programming language used to create apps. After all, if you’re intelligent enough to learn one language, you can learn another. I did it with CESIL, Basic, Assembler and C back in the 80’s and 90’s and if I can do it, so can most developers I'm sure, so what results is a very dynamic, forward-looking, creative mass of intelligence looking for a new idea. Obviously it helps if teams can position themselves around am existing skill-set and this is an important factor but Mobile Dev Camp Munich underpinned my belief that mobile developers are very light-footed.

Earlier this year I attended MDC in Amsterdam where I noted:

Developers are creative people that don’t enjoy being bound by rules so an API that allows or even stimulates creativeness by exposing hardware and features is a big advantage. New hardware with new or advanced features, stimulates developers.

Developers will balance the cost of development (ease of API, cost of developers, stability of platform) with perceived customer base / earning potential.

Developers want a platform (or are stimulated by a platform) that allows them to utilise existing or easily-available skillsets – Java for Android, Objective C for iPhone for example.

In Munich I encountered another sub-set of developers too. It’s a group of developers that are looking much further into the future than many others I've met. It’s a group of people that are watching the hardware and operating systems closely with one eye and with the other, they’re watching the browser. Advances in browser technology, web standards and, of course, platforms, means that there’s an interesting junction coming up. If the number of platforms increases and the operating systems splinter as a result, the browser becomes a way to side-step all that hassle. We’re talking about 4 years in the future here at a time when our handhelds are likely to be processing Javascript faster than on the laptops we’re using today and when HTML 5 allows video, audio and drawing operations to happen directly in the browser and the web standards allow more access to computer hardware but it’s certainly something to think about.

Improvements in browser and platform technology was at the core of the first talk I attended in Munich. Stefan Zaunseder and Christian Schilcher from GISCAD who have both spent a lot of time researching the best technologies to use to present detailed mapping information via SVG. Should they use a client application or should they use a browser?

From the statistics they presented it appears that we’re already reaching a crossover point where, on phone devices, in-browser performance is finally reaching levels that can satisfy an end user. In-browser applications have a long way to go however and more processing power and browser performance is needed in order to be able to do really cool stuff on a mobile device. There’s also the other issue. The application stores have made it nice and easy for developers to get paid for their apps. That needs to happen for browser applications too and could be a big hurdle.

Attending a mobile developer camp means you’re talking almost exclusively about smartphones but it was interesting to see the response from developers as I made my own presentation about device categorisation.

I tried to highlight the changing crossover point between devices on ARM and Intel ultra mobile platforms and to show how small the current X86 devices have become using a big set of devices I took with me. I also highlighted some applications that I think don’t really fit onto a smartphone very well. Media playback, ebook reading, navigation and high-end web browsing were my main examples. I also highlighted where Intel are moving to, the expected sizing of Moorestown devices and how the Moblin platform could cover hardware from smartphones to netbooks. When I highlighted the numbers involved I couldn’t help but notice a few people taking notes!

It’s certainly something to think about because as Moorestown and Medfield platforms feed-in with heaps of performance and Moblin develops into a mature OS you get an interesting hardware platform, a single unified OS that spans multiple device categories and of course, an application development program. Again, we’re not talking about tomorrow or even 2010 but as we look beyond and consider the roadmap and numbers, I'm sure some of those developers will be on the move again.

The Mind of a Mobile Developer is dynamic.

Thanks to Intel for sponsoring my visit to the Mobile Dev Camp in Munich under the Intel Insiders program.

Casual Gamers Want "Relax" Mode

Bob Duffy (Intel) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:00:25 +0000

As the Atom processor makes its way into Netbooks, MIDs and handhelds next year, casual gaming is an opportunity for many software developers to explore developing new games on Intel Architecture. We should see games designed specifically for the hardware such as smaller screen sizes on Netbooks. However I think we may also see games designed specifically for the moods of people using a portable device, i.e. wanting to have a quick break while waiting in doctors office or taking mass transit.

Teresa Carrigan, a professor of Computer Science and game developer for Electrotank, authored an interesting article in Casual Connect’s recent 2009 Summer Magazine(PDF) titled. "Calm Down, Would You?" This article takes a look at how users would like to have options to play casual games in a relaxed mode.

I have to admit this topic resonates with me. If my day isn't already packed with meetings, clearing email, and social networks; rather than a welcome break, video games can often be a huge time suck or a crazy beat the clock stresser. Seriously, Modern Warfare 2 is sizing up to be a number of lost weekends. (arguably a good problem)

And casual games with countdown timers to beat, can be anything but relaxing. How many words can you get in Quordy on the iPhone in 60 seconds. I thought 30 was good until my wife told me she regularly gets 60. Remove the timer and I know I can beat her (well in my head anyway).

According to Teresa

Having to beat a timer can give some players a thrill. There’s that rush of adrenaline that comes with barely squeaking by in the last few seconds, and the joy of finally beating a difficult level after several attempts. This thrill appeals to many players, but by no means to all of them.

In her article Teresa reviewed feedback from casual gamers in online forums and found they are seeking more "relax" modes in their favorite games.

Many users are clamoring for options that allow them to tailor the games they purchase to suit their mood and style of play. Some of the most outspoken users are disabled and would be happy to buy twice as many games as they do now if only those games had a few easy-to-add options

Teresa believes developers can create alternative scoring methods to accommodate relax modes. Here is my shorthand on her tips:

Practice mode: Set a mode without a timer, or timer off.
Expert, Normal, Easy, Relaxed Mode: If the game doesn’t make sense with no timer, give it a large time limit such as four or eight times that of Expert.
Gold, Silver, Blue, Green: Let the player finish or play outside of a target time. Gold goes to those who finish within the target time etc
Counting Hints: Allow the gamer to take his time and gather as many hints or hidden objects as possible
Counting Unused Power-ups:
Counting Moves:
Counting Customers (Time Management Games): In time management games that have a goal of earning a target amount of money within a time limit, the relaxed mode might instead require that you earn that sum within a certain number of customers.

I think these make great sense and lend themselves to a casual portable gaming experience. Relaxed mode scoring could also involve social gaming, i.e. send your result to a friend, have them beat you and so on. No timer needed, just one ups-man-ship. That’s how my daughter and I play I SPY; I found 8, I found 10, and so on.

I can also imagine save points and check points in some of these scenarios as a way to reduce long game play, when you're trying to have a quick break.

Teresa concludes

There is a growing pool of potential customers for games that are not fast-paced. In as much as it is quite easy to implement some type of relaxed mode without affecting the basic gameplay, doing so promises increased sales and profits for minimal investment

I have to agree. As games are developed for the convenience and portability of Netbooks, MIDs and handhelds, you have to consider games modes that aid a simple break away from the day, similar to getting off a quick Tweet or checking your Facebook status. As Teresa notes, these can be "relax" modes you adopt for standard games.

And for me, relax modes mean I don’t up my blood pressure while killing time in a doctors waiting room.. seriously I can't figure how she averages 60 words in 60 seconds.

Relavant Links

Macraigor Systems* usb2Demon Support for Intel® Atom™ processor system debugging

Robert MuellerAlbrecht (Intel) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:19:48 +0000

With the Intel(R) Embedded Software Development Tool Suite 2.1.008 update release from early November Intel started supporting the Macraigor Systems* usb2Demon device (check out their website at http://www.macraigor.com/intel/). This low cost JTAG system debug device supporting the Intel(R) Atom(TM) processor z5xx and N2xx platforms for embedded and custom platform operating system and software stack bringup simplifies and streamlines development of embedded Intel(R) Atom(TM) processor based platforms.

Combining these capabilities with the Eclipse RCP based fully GUI driven Intel(R) JTAG Debugger and the whole Intel(R) Embedded Software Development Tool Suite available at http://www.intel.com/software/products/atomtools delivers a concise yet complete solution for Linux* hosted Intel(R) Atom(TM) processor targeted system development.

Please feel free to check it out :-)

Getting up to speed with Moblin 2.1

Gina M Bovara — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:06:45 +0000

I have entered the world of Moblin with my Asus Eee 1005HA netbook, and I am loving it so far! I've been move productive on the go this week and I am having a lot of fun doing it!

Living in a connected world and managing change

Dale Taylor (Intel) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:33:24 +0000

Divorce, it happens. How do you manage divorce with Facebook and so many other connections in life? What if you keep finding out things you would rather not know via social networking sites? A simple example, my ex and her family are visible to me through our common children on Facebook. Honestly I would rather not know or see about anything to do with her and her family, yet I am confronted with it. I want to see what my children have to say, what they are thinking, doing etc but somehow block anything related to or linked to select others. FaceBook needs to address this because life just isn’t that simple and we need a way to manage our connections better.

Years ago I worked on a product called InfoCentral. It was a wonderful database that gave as much power to the connections as the objects the connections were between. You could manage your connections, including possibly multiple connections of different types between objects. It gave you the ability to realistically map life’s complex realities into a software metaphor. I really enjoyed that program and have been unable to find anything even close to its power in the years since. Hopefully something like that can evolve from the successful roots of Facebook.

Currently there’s a way to avoid seeing news from specific people posted to your main page, but even that nice start needs to be improved. Here are a couple of suggestions that would really help in connection management.

1. Be able to prioritize, perhaps with as few as 3 levels you could group people into for news you would rather see first… priority level A, B and C.

2. Be able to block anything having to do with, showing or related to specific individuals (without them knowing)

3. Be able to “drop” someone from your relationships and yet have them continue to think its still there. A stealth mode. Someone you don’t want to offend but perhaps this relative posts updates a little too frequently for your tastes.

Small changes add up to big differences in what you see and experience when using social networking software.

Cool New features in Adobe AIR 2.0!

Clayne Robison (Intel) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:48:34 +0000

Christian Cantrell at Adobe just outlined some of the new features in Adobe AIR 2.0. Wow! There are some really exciting things that you'll be able to do. I found the following particularly interesting:

Storage: Previous versions of AIR provided very little meta info about the host device's storage capability. AIR 2.0 allows developers not only to determine whether a volume is writable, but it also allows applications to listen for storage volume insertion and removal. If you ever wanted your AIR app to be able to look for content on a USB drive.... You get the idea.
Native Processes: AIR 1.5 had the ability to communicate via sockets with external process, but it didn't have the ability to launch them. It looks like AIR 2.0 will provide a much more robust mechanism for communicating with external apps via IPC, even allowing AIR Apps to open server sockets.
Network Info: Have an app that needs a lot of bandwidth? Use the new network detection and socket binding capabilities to ensure you are using the best connection on the device. When AIR appears on mobile devices, this capability will be even more useful.
Audio encoding on the client: Ya, naturally someone at Intel is excited about this. With so much processing being uploaded to the cloud, here is an API that let's an app take advantage of client processing muscle, be it hardware accelerated or no.
OS Exit events: Very nice touch. If the user is logging off, or if the OS is shutting down, it sure will be nice to know about it so the app can save state.
Gestures and Multi-touch: What more can I say? I'm looking forward to playing around with this API to see how Adobe is doing it.

When Adobe AIR 2.0 is supported on the Intel® Atom™ Developer Program, you'll be able to do some really cool things--and get paid for it, too! Keep a lookout for sample applications demonstrating how to incorporation your AIR applications in the Atom Developer program. When they're ready, I'll be sure and blog about them here.

Surprising experiences with my netbook

Gina M Bovara — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:42:51 +0000

So everyone is asking ... just what is the big deal with netbooks these days? I used to be in that camp too before I got my new Toshiba mini netbook. I always just used to think "So what, it's a little PC." and "Why would I want one of these? I already have a laptop." Well I will tell you, I've been thrown for a loop with my new little netbook -- and that doesn't happen very often because I am a gadget freak and have new hardware passing through my hands all the time.

Windows 7 + Intel Core i7 Mobile Processor + 16Gb Memory

Doug Holland (Intel) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:58:00 +0000

We have only 24 hours left until the General Availability (GA) of Windows 7 and so tomorrow Windows 7 will be in the hands of consumers for the first time. With the release of Windows 7, along with the release of some awesome new processors from Intel, it was time for a new personal notebook and also for a companion netbook as Windows 7 has been designed to work great on netbooks.

If you've been following this blog for sometime you'll know that I use Hyper-V for virtualization within Windows Server 2008 R2, the server variant of Windows 7, with this in mind I found the HP Envy 15. Inside this machine is the mobile Core i7 processor which is quad-core and supports hyper-threading allowing the execution of 8 concurrent threads, and for virtualization there is 16Gb of DDR3 memory.

I also ordered the HP Mini 311 which is powered by an Intel Atom processor as a companion device that can be used when travelling. I chose this netbook over others on the market because you can install 3Gb of DDR3 memory.

I'll be blogging next month about the experience of Windows 7 on both the Core i7 and Atom processors, specifically with the software developer in mind.

It should also be mentioned that this blog post does not represent an endoresemnt, by Intel Corporation, of the particular laptop and netbook models shown above. I purchased these machines based on my own research and my own requirements.

Windows 7 is an outstanding operating system (imho) and I'd be very interested to hear what you think of the operating system and the Core i7 and Atom processors.

Intel asks Steve "Chippy" Paine some tough questions on the Intel Atom Developer Program

amelia-barton — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:16:39 +0000

Just 14 hours after the initial announcement of the Intel(r) Atom(tm) Developer Program at the Intel Developer Forum, Steve "Chippy" Paine from UMPCportal.com and MIDMoves.com agreed to answer Ajay Mungara's tough questions about the program on video.

Here is what Steve said about the program, the market opportunity, and what types of applications developers should think about developing:

Read and Watch on MIDMoves.com for the full 14 minute version: http://www.midmoves.com/2009/10/video-intel-asks-me-tough-questions-abou...

Intel asks Steve "Chippy" Paine some tough questions on the Intel Atom Developer Program

amelia-barton — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:16:39 +0000

Here is what Steve said about the program, the market opportunity, and what types of applications developers should think about developing:

Read and Watch on MIDMoves.com for the full 14 minute version: http://www.midmoves.com/2009/10/video-intel-asks-me-tough-questions-abou...

Essential Apps for netbooks

Ajay Mungara (Intel) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:27:42 +0000

Developers typically ask me what is so different about applications for netbooks? My response to them is, netbooks, as compared to a traditional laptop, have limited hard disk space, less processing power, lower memory and limited UI/screen display. Your application needs to fit with the typical usage model of a netbook. Let me explain.

The usage models for netbooks fits right in between a mobile phone and a laptop. Users are demanding applications related to entertainment, productivity, communications and security without compromising on either performance or usability.

Initial Press and Blog Coverage of Intel Atom Developer Program

Amy Barton (Intel) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:38:45 +0000

Wow! I’m still counting the number of technical press articles, blog posts, forum posts, and tweets we've received since announcing the Intel Atom Developer Program at IDF on Sept. 22 in Paul Otellini's keynote. The Intel Software Network Article, "New Opportunities for Software Developers" went live during Renee James 9/23 keynote which featured a deeper dive announcement of the program.

Here is sample of quotes from major tech press:

ArsTechnica said that our announcement of the Atom Developer Program to develop apps for Atom-based devices was good news: “It's great to see that Intel is attacking this important problem head-on. It's just too difficult to use normal desktop software on a mobile device, so any move that encourages developers to develop applications specifically for mobile screen sizes and input methods is a step in the right direction.”

Tom’s Hardware added, “With the lines separating smartphones from MIDs from netbooks becoming increasingly blurry, it makes sense that someone thought to launch an app store for netbooks.” “Intel doesn’t plan to operate the app stores itself, but it will provide what it calls a technology framework to help Atom customers create stores under their own brands,”

The Wall Street Journal said. “Intel … hopes developers will create simple, downloadable apps—likely starting with netbooks, but later for cellphones, consumer electronics devices and other products.”

“Clearly, Intel as a company is morphing,” wrote BusinessWeek, “Once, it used to make chips that went into computers and other devices. More recently, with the acquisition of Wind River, Intel has been moving to offer software and services, some of which it may offer to consumers directly.”

Some detailed articles came from bloggers after a special briefing with Intel Atom Developer Program Director, Peter Biddle, on Wednesday 9/23:

MORE DETAILS ON THE INTEL ATOM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM | Mid Moves.com

Get In Early with the Atom Developer Program. (And win!) | Mid Moves.com

Sascha talks to Intel about Netbooks and the Atom Developer Program (Video) | UMPCPortal.com

Sascha Pallenberg on the Intel Atom Developer Program (Video) | Netbooknews.com

Downsizing Multicore Programming Skills to Take Advantage of Intel Atom | Dr. Dobbs

Atom Developer Program: Infos rund um die Webseite | Software-Dev-Blog.de

INTEL ATOM DEVELOPER PROGRAM (APP STORE FRAMEWORK) ANNOUNCED | MIDMoves.com

SiliconANGLE: Live Blog from IDF | SiliconANGLE.com

Lifting the Lid on the Intel Atom Developer Program | SoftTalkBlog.wordpress.com

King Kong and App Distribution | SGEntrepreneurs.com

IDF09: (Video-)Infos rund um das Atom Developer Program |Software-Dev-Blog.de

IDF09. MID NEWS ROUND-UP. | MIDMoves.com

VODCAST FROM IDF09: MOBILE ROUND-UP. | MIDMoves.com

Several videos were published on YouTube during IDF. Still more to be posted with Steve "Chippy" Paine (MIDmoves.com and UMPCportal.com) and Sascha Pallenberg (netbooknews.com): http://bit.ly/AtomAppVids

And here is a sample of more blog coverage…over 6000 blog posts (from blogsearch.google.com) and still counting!

Intel Atom Developer Program for Mobile Devices ~ EDA Blog

Intel Atom Developer Program launched

Intel Atom Processor Developer Program For Mobile Devices To Spur ...

The Intel Atom Processor Developer Program - x86 Processor Endgame

IAC at Intel Developer Forum | IT Knowledge Hub

Computer Upgrade Guides Reviews Howto Hardware Database

IDF 2009: Intel's Priority: A Total Mobile Computing Experience ...

Intel Kicks Off Atom-Centric Software Development Program ...

Software ottimizzato per netbook con l'Intel Atom Developer ...

Intel offering good perks for App Developers : GadgetMix.com!::..

100 netbooks offerts pour les 100 premières applications ATOM ...

News für Kommunikationsprofis -

Un Appstore chez Intel ! | Le Journal du Geek

For the latest Google Blog search on this program, click here.

It is exciting to see the media coverage and interest in the industry and especially from developers. Stay tuned as we continue to roll out this opportunity for developers and launch the App Stores.

Video: Gaston Hillar's Developer Perspective on Intel Atom Developer Program

Amy Barton (Intel) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:34:25 +0000

Intel Software Network Black Belt Developer, Gaston Hillar, spoke with me on video at the Intel Developer Forum last week about the opportunities he sees for developers to participate in the new Intel Atom Developer Program. Gaston appeared onstage, during Corporate Vice President Renee Jame's keynote, showing his application Gaston's Playground on Windows and Moblin, developed for netbooks and MIDS.

It was a pleasure to meet Gaston in person, and have the opportunity to ask him a few questions and hear his responses, which I've summarized below. Watch the full video on YouTube or here on ISN Take Five Videos.

1) What opportunities does the Intel Atom Developer Program offer to software developers?

It is a very interesting program for developers. The netbook market is developing, and the program provides an opportunity to reuse code. Most applications only require small changes to target netbooks and MIDs. Great opportunity to create applications with visual effects -- you can use hyperthreading to work with asynchronous code, and give the user another experience using these devices. And, you can make money.

2) What about the community experience provided by Intel?

Intel has a great relationship with developers. When you work with Intel tools, or the Intel Software Developer Community, you find a lot of people who provide information in forums, blogs, SDKs, and documentation that is important to develop an application. The community experience at Intel is adding value by helping you find solutions and answers quickly, to spend more of your time on writing the apps. That makes a big difference for developers.

3) What about the opportunity to sell components through the developer catalog?

This is even a bigger opportunity. If you want to use a component in your application, you have to search in different communities and websites. If you go to a community you can browse the components and libraries. You can chose your components, taking into account reputation, and find documentation. Plus it is Intel creating this program so it is different. I can use the components to create compelling applications. Not just the simple components, but ones optimized for the Intel platforms. There is no other place for developers to sell components. This will create developer -to developer (or D2D) community.

4) What was your experience developing your application for a netbook device?

It was really a great experience. The first thing you must target for developing an Atom-based device is to take one, and think about the different ways you would use this new device. You have a different device, different screen size, resolution, battery life. The Intel Atom processor is a powerful microprocessor, has hyper-threading. Get the mobile device first, then design, then write code. Or, adapt your existing code from desktop computers. For my application, I changed it, and made it work with Moblin, and to take advantage of the power of the Atom processor. I used many Intel tools, VTune to tune and check for hotspots. Mobile internet users don't want to wait. Tune the applications. It doesn't matter if you remove filters, if it helps. And, everything works, on Moblin or Windows.

5) Any final comments?

Netbooks changed the market. Intel Atom processors changed the market. This new developer program provides developers with a unique opportunity. And, this is a big day for component developers. They can create components and libraries, and get revenue from that.

Thank you Gaston, for taking the time out of your busy schedule at IDF for the interview with me.

If you missed Gaston onstage during the keynote, be sure to watch the replay of Renee James' keynote on the IDF site. The Intel Atom Developer Program starts at ~40:00 minutes, with Gaston onstage starting at ~45:00.