About low-grade x86 PC in future

About very low-grade x86 CPU:
Intel will not make ARM or MIPS cpu in future, only make x86 cpu.
Intel will still make "ATOM" series CPU, or other series very low-grade x86 CPU. (Maybe not be called as "ATOM".)
Very low-grade x86 CPU will be for low-grade "x86" PC.
Very low-grade x86 CPU can be used for mini motherboard and mini chassis computer (x86 mini PC).(mini chassis computer use mini motherboard). Maybe Very low-grade x86 CPU will also be used for some x86 tabletpc.
The models of Intel low-grade x86 CPU will be very less.
Some kinds of "ATOM" series CPU can be used for servers.
Maybe AMD will also produce a few of very low-grade x86 CPU.

Very low-grade x86 CPU and mini chassis computer:
Mini motherboard (x86) will be all use very low-grade x86 CPU (Such as: Intel "ATOM" series CPU.)
All of the CPU will have been welded on the motherboard, so user can't replace it.
On the x86 mini motherboard, all of have these ports, such as: DC power in, 2* USB 2.0 port (Some of have a USB2.0 & eSATA 2 in 1 port), one 3.5mm audio output port, one 3.5mm microphone port, one Ethernet port, one VGA output port, one HDMI output port.
On the x86 mini motherboard, all of have welded some pins on motherboard, for expand some ports or function, such as: 8 pins to expand 2* USB 2.0 port, some pins for SD/MMC card reader (some of SD/MMC card reader welded on the motherboard), some pins for LVDS LCD screen, 2 pins for Power button, 2 pins for power led, 2 pins for hard disk drive led, and etc.
On the x86 mini motherboard, all of have welded 2 or more SATA sockets.
All have a jumper on the mainboard, for clearing the BIOS setting.
Some of the mainboards, will have been welded memory chips (RAM chip) on the mainboard. (At least have 2GB RAM)
X86 mini motherboard can be used for finished product x86 mini chassis computer (x86 mini PC), or can be used for finished product finance and cashie computer.
The manufacturers will also sell x86 mini motherboard, and sell the case for x86 mini motherboard. So user can buy the motherboard and the case to assemble a mini PC or an all in one PC (need a LCD screen and a LVDS signal cable) by theirself.

Desktop PC will stop to produce:
Desktop PC and their component,will stop to produce soon, include: CPU, main chipset, GPU, RAM chipset.
But the big capacity of 3.5 Inch hard disk (2TB at least now) will still be produced.
In future, laptop and "x86 mini PC" and "all in one PC" will replace Desktop PC.

AMD obtain the ARM cpu authorization,start to make ARM cpu for middle-grade and high-grade tabletpc and mobile phone.

forecast: New version Uboot

forecast , imagine and recommend:

1 Support boot from SD/MMC card, boot from USB disk (include USB flash disk, USB SD/MMC card reader, USB hard dirver), boot from SATA disk, boot from SATA CDROM, boot from USB CDROM
When turn on the equipment, if a SD/MMC card has been inserted, and in the SD/MMC the first partition is a Linux kernel system's mirror, or the SD/MMC card's active partition is EXT2/3/4 or Yaffs2 flie system and have a Linux kernel system, will boot system from the SD/MMC card
2 If boot from usb disk, SATA disk, sata cdrom and usb cdrom, will be identical than boot from SD/MMC card.
3 Support multiple system to boot on the internal NAND flash (or eMMC), and when turn on the equipment, allow user to choose which operating system will be started.
4 The information (The configuration file) of multi system boot, maybe will use the "MISC" partition on the internal NAND flash (or eMMC).
5 Support multiple operating system choice menu when turn on the equipment (If the equipment have multiple operating system on the internal NAND flash (or eMMC))
6 Support black and white 2 colors display.(for multiple operating system choice menu)
7 Support MCU, RGB, TTL, LVDS interface of LCD screen.
8 Support Display port, HDMI (or DVI), VGA video output port for display.
When user turn on the equipment, if the equipment will use Display port, HDMI (or DVI) or VGA to connect a monitor, "Uboot" will use DDC(Direct Digital Control) or AUX channel on Displayport to test and distinguish the monitor, and use the monitor to display at priority.
9 Support USB keyboard, USB mouse and infrared remoter.
(When use the multiple operating system choice menu, the mouse wheel can move the selection cursor up or down.The left button on mouse is confirm key, identical to "Enter" key on keyboard.)
10 About the multiple operating system choice menu: Press Volume+ or Volume- button (on the equipment) to move the selection cursor up or down, press the Power button (on the equipment) to enter (confirm).
11 In future, nearly all of low-grade tabletpc, set-top-box, ARM or MIPS computer (for office use or cash register), etc.,will use the newest version Uboot as the bootloader.


Multi-system choosing menu when the equipment turn on: