WastedTimes

[hbgator]

Intel Corp. on Sunday christened its new chips for laptop and desktop computers "Core 2 Duo," hoping to reignite interest in its products amid tough competition from rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc. .

Formerly known as Conroe and Merom, the microchips boast two processing cores, meaning they are better at handling several tasks at once, such as crunching a spreadsheet while playing video.

The world's biggest maker of computer chips also said it will launch a new premium processor, dubbed "Core 2 Extreme," for high-performance enthusiasts.

Intel says the chips are faster yet use less energy than previous processors, such as its flagship Pentium 4.

Intel's microprocessors are used in more than 80 percent of personal computers, but the company has been losing market share to AMD and has seen shrinking profitability for several quarters in a row.