Intel kicked off its mobile push at a Windows 8 event in San Francisco on Sept. 27, unveiling the 1.8GHz dual-core Atom Z2760, the first chip from its Clover Trail family. The new Atom chip is specifically designed for Windows 8 tablets and hybrid devices, as Intel is pushing to compete with the ARM-based chips currently dominating the smartphone and tablet markets.

"The Atom processor is a brand-new product that was built from the ground up to provide exceptional performance without compromising battery life," said Erik Reid, Intel's general manager of application processor platforms.

According to Intel, the technology behind its new Atom processor enables tablets to deliver more than 10 hours of HD video playback and more than three weeks of battery life. The chip reportedly allows for thinner and lighter tablets as well, as thin as 0.33 inches and as light as 1.97 pounds, and it does not sacrifice the security features business users and enterprises need, added the company.

The Intel Atom-based devices on display at the event included previously announced products such as the HP Envy x2, the business-centric Dell Latitude 10, and the Lenovo ThinkPad 2.

Much of Intel's event, however, focused on bolstering the company's position against ARM-based chip makers Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments, who will be offering rival Windows tablets running Microsoft's Windows RT. Touting its key advantages in the race, Intel highlighted that unlike Windows RT devices, its Windows 8 tablets can run existing Windows applications. Windows RT will be able to run Windows 8 applications and a custom version of Office, but those written for earlier versions of Windows are off-limits.

"This is just the beginning of Intel's effort in the tablet market, and our goal is to deliver products that fit the spectrum of evolving needs of both consumers and business users without compromising on compatibility, experience or battery life," added Reid. "When people or corporations buy a device with Intel inside, they're getting the best of Windows 8 features with a computing experience that just works."

Device manufacturers such as Asus, Dell, Lenovo, Hewlett-Packard (HP), and Samsung joined Intel at the event to show off their collaborations and discuss the benefits of Intel's processors.