Dell: No significant impact from Centrino 2 delay

The delayed release of Intel's Centrino 2 chip platform for notebooks will not have a significant impact, according to Dell's top executive in Asia.

Earlier this week, problems with some integrated-graphics chipsets and paperwork issues involving the antenna used by the platform's wireless module forced Intel to delay Centrino 2's release by up to two months. The launch, originally scheduled for June, will now take place during the first week of August, the chipmaker said.

Intel described the delay as minor and said it will have little impact, a view echoed by Steve Felice, president of Dell Asia-Pacific, during a conference call with reporters.

"We plan, when we plan our product introductions, for probable or potential delays that may happen in the supply chain. I wouldn't call it any significant impact at all," Felice said.

Laptops are a critical product segment for PC makers, with sales growing at a faster rate and generally offering better margins than desktop systems. For example, Dell's laptop shipments rose 43 percent during the first quarter of 2008, the company said Thursday.

Dell's revenue from mobile products, which includes laptop sales, amounted to $4.9 billion during the quarter, a 22 percent increase over the same period last year. By comparison, desktop revenue grew 2 percent, to $4.8 billion.

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.