Intel yesterday unveiled its new ‘Moorestown’ platform – scheduled for commercial release in the 2009-2010 period – and confirmed its intention to be a major silicon player in the emerging Mobile Internet Device (MID) market.  In a statement, Intel’s senior VP and general manager of its Ultra Mobility Group, Anand Chandrasekher, claimed that Moorestown will use more than ten times less idle power compared to first-generation MID platforms using the Intel Atom processor. He added that Moorestown will support a range of wireless access technologies, including 3G cellular, WiMAX and WiFi.

According to Intel, shipments of MIDs enabling fast Internet access are expected to grow to 15 billion units. The company also announced yesterday a partnership with Ericsson that will see the Swedish vendor embed HSPA data modules in MIDs.