What Intel's Anti-Theft Technology is, however, is another matter entirely.

ATT apparently is a method to lock a laptop down at the component level, to prevent theft of data. Intel executives launched the technology at its Intel Developer Forum in Shanghai, and company representatives who could comment on the technology were unavailable.

The Register reported that Intel apparently is trying to tie "actual system operation into the OS login process or a password entered earlier in the start-up sequence could deter criminals in the first place by making the hardware itself valueless if stolen."

Phoenix also announced a partnership with Intel to provide the protocol needed for PC OEMs to migrate legacy BIOS systems to accommodate today's complex OS using Intel's AwardCore and SecureCore Tiano frameworks, Phoenix said.