Intel controls 80% of the central processing unit chips that go into personal computers, but it has yet to gain traction among handheld devices.

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Those included stored memory (the ability to hold both a stored program and data), conditional control transfer, which allowed the computer to stop and be resumed, and the central processing unit, which allowed all computer functions to be coordinated through one source.

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The NOR type needs to be ultrafast because it is directly connected to the central processing unit of a computer and stores its basic input-output system (the operating system used by the microchip that lies beneath user-interface operating systems, such as Windows).

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The application is designed to stop using the computer's central processing unit (CPU) when it is left to run in the background.

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The megahertz number so often cited in the marketing materials of computer companies refers to the computer's central processing unit chip as a partial measure of its ability to process data.

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The problem: While Intel makes a mighty fine central processing unit (CPU)--its Centrino 2 and Core 2 products can be found in most of the world's laptop and desktop computers--the company has stumbled repeatedly when it has tried to break out of that market.

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What makes the smartphone and tablet so special is that they are essentially just like your PC, small computers powered by a central processing unit .

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