Intel with 64bit?

Saw the article today on THG with the new Intel P4 720. Also it mentioned that the new Prescotts have built-in 64bit extensions just sleeping. Is this true?

Will the current crop of P4's be 64bit ready then? If so how will my current P4 520 on the 775 socket be 64bit ready?

I don't want to go the AMD route do to the amount of dvd encoding I do, but if Intel will be 64bit ready in 2 months or so then I'd rather wait to build.

Thanks,
newbie

Well Intel has already been procrastinating on the 64bit PC chip for too long. They need to get the beyoutch out since they are getting spanked by AMD's 64-bit chips.

<i><font color=red>Only an overclocker can make a computer into a convectional oven.</i></font color=red>

Here is the article:
http://www6.tomshardware.com/mothe [...] xe-02.html

I care about speed but with the dvd encoding Intel seems to do better and then I'd like to econde a dvd and play a game at the same time, obviously not Doom 3.

Although I'm sure newer 64 bit processors will come out by the time Longhorn is out, I would just like to know if the Prescott and the upcoming 720 are indeed 64 bit ready!?!?!?