Chip giant Intel has bought software maker Wind River Systems for $884 million in a bid to get its chips into your toaster.

Intel said its takeover of Wind River was part of its cunning plan to grow beyond its traditional personal computer and server markets and into mobile handheld devices and other systems. Wind has shedloads of customers providing embedded systems, development tools for embedded systems, middleware, and other types of software.

Intel vice president Renee James said that Wind River will help Intel continue to grow its embedded systems and mobile device capabilities. From now on Wind River will more tightly align its software expertise to Intel's platforms to speed the pace of progress and software innovation.

The deal is expected to be sorted out by the end of the year.