Intel Pushes Whitebook Standards

Intel believes that standards are the key to breaking open the whitebook market, making it easier for systems integrators and white-box builders to compete against OEMs and expand their businesses.

Standards will reduce complexity and inventory challenges that dampen whitebooks, according to the chipmaker. If all whitebooks use the same power supplies, screens and optics, it will make parts more available and affordable.

By definition, though, whitebooks are custom, purpose-built machines that meet the requirements of their buyers. Even with the reduced components cost, standards-based whitebooks won't be able to compete in price with commoditized, low-end machines by Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo and Acer.

But in Intel's view of the whitebook world, price isn't an issue. Value that systems integrators and whitebook builders bring to the equation is where money is to be made, the company said at its annual Intel Solutions Summit in Scottsdale, Ariz., yesterday.