Intel decided to phase out the once heavily-touted feature because of the prevalence of low-cost access points available from third parties, spokesman Dan Snyder said. Snyder called the move a business decision, and not one of the slip and missteps that has plagued Intel this year.
"Basically we talked to a lot of OEM customers, and they told us that they didn't need this feature at this point," Snyder said. "So many wireless APs are out there, and they're essentially free" when purchased in conjunction with DSL or cable service from an ISP, he said.
"They just didn't see the value in it," Snyder said.
Although the wireless "Grantsdale" chipset was promoted as just another means of advancing the wireless infrastructure, OEMs initially declined to use the technology, citing security concerns. Intel had already agreed to turn the wireless AP portion of the chipset off by default, preventing an intruder from accessing the network through an unsecured WiFi back door.
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