Santa Clara, Ca .- Intel Corp. has started shipping dual-core Atom processors, which aredesigned for mini-notebooks, the so-called “netbook” category..

Designated the Atom 330,the latest member of Intel's smallest line of X86- derived CPUsfeatures a 1.6-GHz processing core and 1 MB of Level 2 cache andconsumers a maximum of 8 watts of power.

The Atom 330 has been validated with the Intel 945GC Express chipset,which includes the chipmaker's Graphics Media Accelerator 950. Thechip, which shipped over the weekend, is sold to computermanufacturers for a base price of $43 each.

Formally announced in March, the Atom processor is a successor tothe A100 and A110 processors, formerly code-named McCaslin, whichappeared in devices known as ultramobile PCs, which weresmartphone-like computers, but without the telephone capabilities.

Intel hastargeted the Atom at so-called “netbooks,” which many analysts defineas sub-$500 lightweight PCs with screen sizes of 10 inches or less.Because of the computers' small keyboards, the devices are best suitedas a second computer for e-mail and Web surfing on the road. They alsoare aimed at students looking for an inexpensive system.