Remember the small, yet powerful and energy-efficient CPU that Intel has built especially for the MacBook Air some time ago? It seems that generic PC users will be able to get it inside their systems, no matter whether they are running Windows, Linux or any other flavor of operating system.

Sources inside Intel's labs claim that at least two generic PC vendors will use the miniature Intel Core 2 Duo processors to power their own systems. The sources also claimed that these PCs will be available on the market in the shortest time. The names of the two companies remained undisclosed as of the moment of writing.

If the rumors come true, the MacBook Air chip will bring on the market a new generation of notebook PCs that will feature increased battery autonomy, lower form factors and will be much lighter than the current models.

Apple had Intel producing a customized version of the Core 2 Duo processor, which allowed the company to produce the MacBook Air, a 60 percent smaller notebook, at no performance compromise. The Air's processor runs at either 1.6Ghz or 1.8GHz, and features the Intel 965GMS chipset with integrated graphics. The CPU is part of the Merom family and is built at the 64-nanometer production node.

"All you have to do is check out the size and shape of the MacBook Air to see what the shrink enables - smaller, lighter form factors that were physically not possible before," said Connie Brown, an Intel spokeswoman.

Generic PC vendors and manufacturers could use the same "recipe" for their small form factor desktop PC models or ultra-mobile computers. However, the Air's secret lies not only in high-quality hardware, but also in the Mac OS X Leopard operating system.

"What has resulted from Apple's move to Intel chips is its forcing other OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] to pay more attention to the styling of their systems, which is clearly an advantage for users," Brookwood said.