Last week, which was dominated by LinuxWorld Expo, felt a lot like “National Linux Week.” This week, marked by the Intel Developer Forum (IDF), seems to be turning into “National CPU Week,” with numerous CPU product and technology announcements rolling out of Intel — but also from AMD, and others. This latest news story, published by CNNfn, says Microsoft is in the process of developing a CPU code-named “Solo2,” for use by WebTV and other next-generation Internet devices.

This news certainly raises some interesting questions . . . Chips from Microsoft? Does the “solo” in Solo2 imply “going it alone” (i.e. without Intel)? Who will be the first to run Embedded Linux on Microsoft's Solo2 CPU?

Here's an excerpt from CNNfn's news item about Microsoft's Solo2 project . . .

“Microsoft Corp., the world's largest software maker, is ready to try its hand at the chip business. In a move that could threaten its close working relationship with Intel, the world's biggest chipmaker, the Redmond, Wash.-based software giant has been pouring money into the development of a semiconductor it plans to use in its upcoming 'WebTV' Internet access devices.”

“The new chips, details of which were first reported in the San Jose Mercury News Wednesday, are code-named Solo2. They have been designed to control the next generation of Internet access devices built by Microsoft's Mountain View, Calif.-based WebTV Networks subsidiary.”

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