Looks like AMD and ATI may come up in the forth quarter of 2006 with a competitor for Intel's Napa64 platform, based on the latest discovery - the Core 2 Duo processors.

Several undisclosed sources also mentioned that the Yokohama project may be only the first phase that will finally lead to a complete AMD & ATI platform, as the joint venture will most probably use Broadcom's, Atheros' or Airgo's WLAN devices, the same that Intel adopted.

And if Intel based its Napa 64 on the Core 2 Duo, AMD & ATI will power it with the help of their Turion 64 X2 processors and the future ATI chipsets RS690M, RS690DC and RS790M.

"DigiTimes' sources indicated that Yokohama will be aiming for Intel's current Napa64 platform. Napa64 essentially is a 64-bit version of the preceding 32-bit "Napa" chipset that was launched with the Core Duo processor in January of this year. Apart from its 64-bit advantage, AMD's Turion 64 X2 processor isn't quite a match yet for Intel's Core Duo processor in terms of overall performance, according to a recent test conducted by Tom's Hardware. Considering the fact that the just launched Core 2 Duo with "Merom" core trumps Core Duo in speed and power consumption, the gap is likely to increase even more," writes TG Daily.

However, Intel prepares its Santa Rosa, an enhancement brought to the previous Napa64, which will be retailed without a certification coming from the Wi-Fi Alliance.
Unfortunately, the 802.11n ratification will be completed in 2008, and everyone expected a response from Intel about the release of the Santa Rosa platform, which will feature a Crestline mainboard chipset, Memron 2 processors and 802.11n support by using Kedron's networking chip.

Mooly Eden, VP and GM of Intel's mobile platforms group, stated for Cnet that the company will continue the development of the Santa Rosa platform and it will retail it with support for the draft 802.11n. "Releasing Santa Rosa with a draft standard networking chip could possibly lead to sporadic performance and a number of interoperability issues as witnessed by the latest 802.11n testing from eWeek," commented Daily Tech.

On the other hand, the Santa Rosa is, in fact, a make-over of the company's well-known Centrino mobile platform which will feature a dedicated chipset and a new technology named Robson. The most important development which will be launched under Santa Rosa umbrella will be a new chipset that will offer a fourth generation integrated graphics core, an enhancement of Intel's current GMA X3000 delivered by the desktop G965 Express chipsets - the Crestline GM965 Express chipset.