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Didn't see this posted -
Intel Corp. will unveil its latest microprocessor aimed at cellular telephones and PDAs (personal digital assistants) on Tuesday next week, the company said Wednesday.
Intel, best known for its line of processors used in desktop and notebook computers, is keen to grab a share of the mobile device marketplace. It has been selling StrongArm processors for mobile applications for some time, and stepped up its efforts in February this year when it launched its XScale processors.
A spokesman for Intel described the processor as a unique product, but declined to provide further details of the announcement to be made Tuesday at events in Tokyo and Taipei.
At present there are two processors in the XScale range, the PXA250 aimed at PDAs and the PXA210 aimed at cellular telephones.
Intel has also promised to deliver sometime later this year a new version of its XScale processor code-named Manitoba. That chip combines a processor with a DSP (digital signal processor). DSPs are vital components in cell phones and having one on board alongside the processor in the chip will help handset makers reduce the size and power consumption of their products while also simplifying design. Combining the two will also help Intel compete better with companies such as Texas Instruments Inc. which has been selling a version of its Omap processor with an integrated DSP for some time.
Senior Intel executives spoke of Manitoba during interviews with IDG News Service at Taiwan's Computex trade show in June and said the company was planing to launch it by the end of this year.
"Manitoba is the next version of the XScale processor," Michael Splinter, executive vice president of Intel, said at Computex. "It will really be geared at cell phones and smart phones. While some people are already adopting our SA1110 StrongArm product and some will adopt our PXA250 (XScale), Manitoba is really the product that has great power levels and application base for cell phones," he said.
In addition to a new processor, Intel said Wednesday it will also be unveiling new flash memory chips for cell phones. As handsets become more complicated and move from basic telephony to include Internet access and digital still camera functions, handset makers are building more flash memory into the phones to support the applications.
Intel is already a major flash memory chip supplier to the wireless industry and in April of this year announced a new family of memory chips for cell phones that require less power and run faster than previous chips.
Nice and easy does it every time.
wbmw -
One new outstanding part per year seems to be Intel's cadence with Itanium. In no time at all, it should easily tower over any other competitive part.
But I thought Hammer was going to be the badest chip on the block?
Greg -
Itanium III -- cough, Madison -- taped out
Boy is this guy out of touch or what?
EP
burn2learn -
It's nice to see you here but obviously it's really hard to type when you've had a few too many. Maybe you should come back later...
EP
I don't know John...
With War looming I hate to predict anything. Who knows what to expect?
It's just that QQQs simply can't go much further dowm. With PUTs and CCs I know I can get my cost down to ~$15 under worst case conditions and I'm willing to be fully invested there.
EP
John -
The numbers are so high in fact that they're getting on for 30% above the scores seen from top-end 32-bit PC1066 systems
Which underscores the point that when AMD made their claims of Industry leading performance upon Hammer introduction, they were only guessing as to where Intel would be and they are very very late to boot!
I think I'm done writing PUTs on AMD unless someone will buy my $0s
EP
wbmw -
A Nov $20 PUT on QQQ will bring you a buck. That gives you a cost of $19 if assigned or a buck if no assignment. Looking at today's conditions, if you had applied the same strategy last month and sold an OCT $21 put and pocketed the cash, it would cost you $0.75 today to buy it back yet you could roll it out to a Nov $20 @ ~$1.00 and still put another $0.25 more in your pocket. You lower your strike price and still make money. Applying this same theme to today, if you sell the Nov $20 PUT you will pocket cash and still have the option of rolling if we're near the strike price in Nov. I'm willing (eager) to own lots of QQQs under $20 and this is what I will be doing.
EP
wbmw -
I don't see anything really positive either. Could be we were just terribly oversold and needed so upside action. I don't expecy it to last, do you? I'm still intending on loading up on QQQs below $20. Bought some today with my PUT proceeds.
EP
babaloui -
I was talking about Q1 of '03 since that's when Clawhammer is supposed to be introduced.
Clawhammer was supposed to be introduced in q4'2001. It slipped into late 2002 and now into early 2003. I think it is foolish to count on a Q1'03 release in any volume. In fact they probably won't even do a paper release by then.
EP
Adam -
I wrote some puts on QQQs this morning. Oct $18s. After next week I'm going to continue and perhaps get more agressive. I am willing to be heavily invested in the Qs below $20.
EP
babalouie -
I think that AMD will price the clawhammer 3400+ at 25% off the 3Ghz P4 which should price the 3400+ at around $350
What makes you think the 3GHz P4 will command that price in Q3 of next year? It could be near the low end by then.
EP
John -
TI has about the same plans, andyk's link:
My oversight. Looks like a horserace. The winner will own the market.
EP
John -
think Intel keeps it cards very close to it's vest on wireless, they don't want the competition to know what they are up to.
Intel announced some time ago that they were working on a process that will allow the integration of Logic, Flash and Analog on the same die. This has never been done on a significant scale by anyone and Intel intends to pull it off. The effort here is huge and you don't hear about it but assuming Intel succeeds they will have a major cost advantage over any competition.
EP
Constantine -
Anyway, all of AMD's products that I mentioned are not "powerpoint" products but real products that have been demonstrated at numerous venues.
Many of us distinguish between prototypes, engineering samples etc and real products. It must be manufacturable to be a product.
Every single product introduction in the last 18 months has been delayed with no explanation given. It seems to me that must have some internal bs going on that we don't know about. It can't be something as simple as "their .13 is broken" because the delays were widespread and started way before the .13 process.
You are correct about the continuous delays but it's not true to say no explanation has been given. The have constantly explained by saying yields are fine, yields are the best in the world, Hammer is on schedule, Barton is on schedule, .13u is on schedule etc etc. The problem is that the explanations don't match up with the facts. Yields were fine but the fab couldn't produce half of what it should have been producing. The .13u process is fine but Athlon won't scale. Hammer is on schedule but only sampling at 800MHz. You name it, they have an explanation, it's just doesn't wash.
EP
I see nothing in his post that comes close to pushing the limits.
EP
That's what happened. I don't know how because I had just posted to him a couple of minutes before!
Go figure..
EP
Somehow Tim got put on my ignore filter. Don't know how but it happened. He's off now.
EP
Greg -
Not on my screen. I also went to the manager's screen, and the posts are not marked as hidden. Than I went back to the normal view and still see the posts. Is it possible these posts were from a poster you are ignoring (Heidegger)? BTW, they are pretty good posts!
They're missing on my screen. I can see them if I logout and view anonomously. I do not have him on ignore. This is strange.
EP
Please check the numbering of the posts. If a post is removed from view, you will see missing numbers. No, no posts have been deleted recently.
I believe you are incorrect 1480 & 1482 are missing.
EP
Did I miss something or have our Nannys been deleting posts again?
EP
Dell to introduce USD 199 Pocket PC
09 October 2002 -- CNET -- Dell Computer is planning to unveil two handhelds - one priced at USD199 - based on Microsoft's Pocket PC 2002 operating system this fall, according to sources. Both handhelds are expected to be put on display at the Comdex Fall 2002 tradeshow in November, sources said.
One handheld, which will incorporate a 300 MHz Intel XScale processor, will sell for USD 199. The other handheld will include a 400 MHz Intel XScale processor and sell for USD299.
Separately, an internal Dell document found on the internet described two similar devices, but didn't mention the devices' cost. Dell spokesman Jess Blackburn confirmed that the documents were from the company, yet cautioned that the specifications may not be final. He would not comment on pricing. Dell has said previously it plans to enter the handheld market. Blackburn said the company has committed to launching a handheld in the fourth quarter. "That is still our plan," he said.
Tim -
Skilled lawyers will know more about the subtleties of these licensing deals. But suffice it to say that it will not be just an accounting issue for AMD to "sell its processor division" to just any old company. New licenses would have be negotiated, and there is zero chance Intel would play ball.
No doubt any attempt would be tied up in court for years.
EP
Bonefish -
What is the harm if he have some engineers working on alternate (more simple) process just in case?
Let us put on our Jerry "hat" for a moment and think like Jerry thinks. Here I have this company that is for my own personal use. I have limited resources and I hate Intel. How can I use my resources to maximize the harm on Intel? I have a 1 in 10 chance of really pulling off Hammer and that will really hurt Intel, but that will take 100% of my resources and if I can't pull it off I'm ..er.. the shareholders are dead. If I have a plan "B" then I can't put all my resources into the only chance I have of really hurting my enemy. Easy decision. Damn the torpedos, full speed ahead...
Bonefidh -
Well someone should have told someone that they were trying to do too much at once and at least had a backup plan of baby steps.
I'm reminded of a story about Stalinist Russia. Stalin wanted a gasoline powered tank. The designers said that was crazy because it would blowup with the slightest shell strike. Stalin has the designers shot. The next design team thought the gas powered tank was a great idea.
EP
John -
I'm assuming the purchasing company gets Dresden and wouldn't have to change the process.
They may need to change it...
EP
John -
From an Intel shareholder perspective, closing the division would be the best scenario. If they sold it to a stronger company, it would probably be a good for Intel short term (integration problems), it might be worse long term.
For anyone to try to move Hammer onto a different process would probably add 6 months to the schedule. It's on a 9 metal layer SOI process that nobody else has. Layout starts from scratch.
EP
Bonefish -
this is quite possible - hammer may very well not live up to those expectations. Such with many things. So have you put your short in? You seem to gleefully point out all the problems with AMD, so let us know when you're shorting, when you're going long. Anything else is just 20/20 hindsight chin-wagging of yours.
You're not being fair to AMD's engineers. Management committed AMD to develope products based on unrealistic expectations. The plan was based on doing battle with Intel. It was never intended to enhance shareholder value. The intention was to do harm to Intel and nothing more. That was the goal all along. In a last gasp "hail Mary" AMD chose the Hammer as their spearhead against the evil empire. It was an all or nothing thing. Remember the move, "a Bridge too far". Well AMD just went "a Design too far". Everything had to align just right. Their SOI process, the new design, the 9 metal layers, the Stars, you name it. The chance to really do real damage to Intel was just too irresistable to Jerry and he bet the Farm on a real longshot. Don't blame AMD for not executing on a ill conceived plan. Blame the idiot who planned it.
EP
John -
It could be argued that AMD's current weak efforts in microprocessors are an indication that they plan to get out of the business. That hammer is one last shot. The new management may be moving in a different direction. Just speculation.
That's too smart an idea. They'll never do it...
EP
wbmw -
after a rough day on the market, it looks like my QQQ is recovering. I was getting worried when it went below $20.00.
QQQs (actually more QQQs) are starting to look very attractive now. We are about 85% off the highs of ~2 years ago. I'm preparing for a major return to the market and QQQs will be my main vehicle. INTC will be there too but I will wait for better semiconductor market conditions first.
EP
wbmw -
I'd love to see some actual numbers....
So would I!
EP
wbmw -
HP Itanium 2-based Server Achieves Record-setting Performance Across Diverse Workloads
Outstanding!
Keep in mind these are going up against IBM's dual core, 128Meg L3 .13u SOI monsters and kicking their butts!
EP
Too bad Jim McMannis isn't over here -
Has anyone invited him? Someone should.
EP
wbmw -
Last week I provided a link that showed Intel had a large number of systems running SETI on Solaris. Afterwards SUNW announced renewed support for Solaris on x86. I can't help but think there's a connection there. Intel wouldn't be running ~100 systems on Solaris for no reason. I suspect we may hear more about this as time goes by...
EP
wbmw -
Your QQQs are perilously close to dropping below $20.
EP
A BI is not to actually age the device, only to exercise it over a temperature range sufficient to uncover gross defects.
Actually BI is intended to excellerate infant mortality, or early life failures. This is essentially aging a part but not by years, only weeks or months. Experiments are done on a process early on to plot the infant mortality rate. Based on the data, a BI time requirement is determined that will produce an infant mortality rate in the field that will fall under the rate of total defective parts shipped that is guaranteed to customers. Sometimes this BI time is zero and no BI is required. With AMD's fab problems I seriously doubt they are at zero hours BI. I am not at liberty to discuss Intel's BI requirements.
All this gets back to the question, could AMD assemble a device, burn it in, test it, mark, pack and still deliver it to a customer in a weeks time? I would say yes under emergency conditions but certainly not under production conditions.
EP
Zeev -
Actually, yes, since there are a number of patents out there on IC's "painted" on plastic substrates
I'm more concerned about customers attempting to design it in...
In jest, Paul should have termed it SOAP, Silicon On Advanced Paper. Not in jest, Paul is running a risk here, our society has become quite litigious, and publishing such as if it cam from AMD could be "libelous".
Would it pass the "reasonableness" test? Meaning do you think people might actually believe it and be mislead?
EP
Where have you heard from Paul Engel?
Private email.
Courtesy of Paul Engel:
Press Release
AMD Introduces New Process Technology
Wednesday October 2 , 11:59 pm ET
AMD engineers have been working long, hard hours in the laboratory to improve AMD's technological capabilities and keep pace with their competitors as well as their own marketing requirements.
To that end, AMD has developed a new wafer technology that will be used to produce the new products introduced by AMD over the past few months.
This new technology is a variant of the Silicon on Insulator (SOI) approach. The new material that AMD has harnessed for the insulating layer is PAPER - and the new process is appropriately dubbed SOP - for Silicon On Paper.
"Silicon On Paper is the perfect technology for producing our new paper products" says William Siegel, AMD's Chief Technology Officer. The performance of AMD's Athlon processors on SOP technology is highly scaleable, according to Siegel, and by proper adjustment of the Paper Properties, speeds of the CPUs built on this processor can be tailored to whatever AMD marketing personnel need to compete with Intel.
A new wrinkle to this technology, one that adds flexibility to the design engineers using it, is the full erasability of the programming elements used in the device logic structures. In fact, each processor comes equipped with its own eraser, similar to that of a number 3 1/2 hard rubber eraser, compatible with the paper technology.
" With the new rubber erasability and our Paper Substrate, , speeds and power consumption and even benchmarks can be adjusted in the field by AMD marketing representatives", according to Siegel. The new erase technology allows for no smudge residue, another benefit, leaving no traces of document alteration in case of future potential litigation.
AMD will host a Webcast today to launch the new SOP technology and new SOP processors. According to Richard Heye, vice president of platform engineering and infrastructure at AMD, availability of these new products is immediate and new products can be downloaded from AMD via standard FAX (plain paper is recommended) at 1-408- 982-6164.
Note to Editors: AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, and combinations thereof are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. in the United States and other jurisdictions.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
AMD
Morris Denton, 512/602-2685 (Public Relations)
morris.denton@amd.com
Mike Haase, 408/749-3124 (Investor Relations)
mike.haase@amd.com